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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Apr 21, 2014 11:20:09 GMT -5
This is an irresponsible recommendation, but I wanted to let you know that I've turned out brisket I would put up against Pecan Lodge in my Big Green Egg. No foolin'. It's a luxury item for sure. My large egg and kit (stand, plate setter, some tools, one bag of charcoal) was $980 on sale. And that doesn't include the cover. And like all luxury brands, all the accessories are expensive, too. Expensive cover, expensive charcoal (which you don't have to use BGE branded, of course), expensive tools. But: it's a phenomenal smoker that's easy to use after a little practice, at low temps it can rock a single change of charcoal for like 12 hours, it's a monster grill perfect for grilled steaks or even that ultra-hot brick oven pizza thing (the temp gauge stops at 800, but you can soar way past that if you want, no problem), it lasts forever if you care for it, you never clean it!The fancy kitchen-implements store in town always has a BGE out in front during the summertime, and I frequently think I should have one because they're so badass (not to mention utterly awesome at what they do). But alas. I took a weekend-long barbecue/grilling "boot camp" at the Culinary Institute of America several years ago and the chefs there sold me on a Bradley smoker, because they're so damn easy. Do I get the hands-on "I am the PIT BOSS" studly feeling of using a BGE? No I do not. Does it have the wide range of functionality of the BGE? No it does not. But it gets the smoking job done, and done well. And requires nothing but plugging it in. So... yeah. I do a fair deal of smoking during barbecue season, but in the wimpiest way possible; if that's something someone's looking for I highly recommend the Bradley! I should note that I used to do my BBQ pulled pork in a Weber grill, so maybe my inclination toward the single easiest smoker came from my experiences with that? But at least I have managed to smoke meats without my no-brainer plug-and-play smoker. [/defensive] |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Apr 21, 2014 11:32:50 GMT -5
This is an irresponsible recommendation, but I wanted to let you know that I've turned out brisket I would put up against Pecan Lodge in my Big Green Egg. No foolin'. It's a luxury item for sure. My large egg and kit (stand, plate setter, some tools, one bag of charcoal) was $980 on sale. And that doesn't include the cover. And like all luxury brands, all the accessories are expensive, too. Expensive cover, expensive charcoal (which you don't have to use BGE branded, of course), expensive tools. But: it's a phenomenal smoker that's easy to use after a little practice, at low temps it can rock a single change of charcoal for like 12 hours, it's a monster grill perfect for grilled steaks or even that ultra-hot brick oven pizza thing (the temp gauge stops at 800, but you can soar way past that if you want, no problem), it lasts forever if you care for it, you never clean it!The fancy kitchen-implements store in town always has a BGE out in front during the summertime, and I frequently think I should have one because they're so badass (not to mention utterly awesome at what they do). But alas. I took a weekend-long barbecue/grilling "boot camp" at the Culinary Institute of America several years ago and the chefs there sold me on a Bradley smoker, because they're so damn easy. Do I get the hands-on "I am the PIT BOSS" studly feeling of using a BGE? No I do not. Does it have the wide range of functionality of the BGE? No it does not. But it gets the smoking job done, and done well. And requires nothing but plugging it in. So... yeah. I do a fair deal of smoking during barbecue season, but in the wimpiest way possible; if that's something someone's looking for I highly recommend the Bradley! I should note that I used to do my BBQ pulled pork in a Weber grill, so maybe my inclination toward the single easiest smoker came from my experiences with that? But at least I have managed to smoke meats without my no-brainer plug-and-play smoker. [/defensive] I started with an electric cabinet-style smoker that just kept having issues with the heating element, so I junked it in rage. I later found out that the house had electrical issues and had the smoker not thrown the breaker 10 times, it probably could have continued working, but by then it was fried. I definitely believe in the electric smoker and assuming your wiring can handle it would recommend one. I really don't know that the results would be all that different. The real trick to great BBQ is not doing stupid stuff like cutting off all the fat, cooking too hot or being impatient and not giving it the time. Still love my Egg though. Love, love, love it! |
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Post by pairesta on Apr 21, 2014 11:46:44 GMT -5
This is an irresponsible recommendation, but I wanted to let you know that I've turned out brisket I would put up against Pecan Lodge in my Big Green Egg. No foolin'. It's a luxury item for sure. My large egg and kit (stand, plate setter, some tools, one bag of charcoal) was $980 on sale. And that doesn't include the cover. And like all luxury brands, all the accessories are expensive, too. Expensive cover, expensive charcoal (which you don't have to use BGE branded, of course), expensive tools. But: it's a phenomenal smoker that's easy to use after a little practice, at low temps it can rock a single change of charcoal for like 12 hours, it's a monster grill perfect for grilled steaks or even that ultra-hot brick oven pizza thing (the temp gauge stops at 800, but you can soar way past that if you want, no problem), it lasts forever if you care for it, you never clean it!
Thanks for the recommendation. Right after I wrote that and began online research in earnest and landed on the Weber Smoky Mountain as ideal for my price range, coincidentally, the exact smoker my dad works from. So while in Houston this past weekend I asked him about it and he said he was going to give it to Goodwill since he had just bought a Traeger electric smoker. So I took it off his hands and am now a proud/nervous owner of a Weber Smokey Mountain upright smoker. |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Apr 21, 2014 11:51:48 GMT -5
Thanks for the recommendation. Right after I wrote that and began online research in earnest and landed on the Weber Smoky Mountain as ideal for my price range, coincidentally, the exact smoker my dad works from. So while in Houston this past weekend I asked him about it and he said he was going to give it to Goodwill since he had just bought a Traeger electric smoker. So I took it off his hands and am now a proud/nervous owner of a Weber Smokey Mountain upright smoker. Oooh, that's so exciting! Congratulations! You and your smoker are going to have such fun adventures together! |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Apr 21, 2014 11:53:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the recommendation. Right after I wrote that and began online research in earnest and landed on the Weber Smoky Mountain as ideal for my price range, coincidentally, the exact smoker my dad works from. So while in Houston this past weekend I asked him about it and he said he was going to give it to Goodwill since he had just bought a Traeger electric smoker. So I took it off his hands and am now a proud/nervous owner of a Weber Smokey Mountain upright smoker. Nice! |
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dＬᵒ
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Post by dＬᵒ on Apr 21, 2014 12:57:54 GMT -5
Well Easter was a bit of a bust since I couldn't find any leg of lamb, settled for shank, which turned out to be 60% fat. I didn't notice that everybody else was shedding theirs for what little meat there was, so I ended up eating lard chunks whole and now my guys are paying the price.
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MissEli
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Post by MissEli on Apr 21, 2014 19:50:14 GMT -5
Yesterday was the first real cooking since I hit my head last month. And ... success!
Got a boneless leg of lamb at the grocery Saturday evening, along with fresh herbs, parsnips, shallots, onions, little taters (gold, red & purple). The deli section also had pre-cooked asparagus that I grabbed.
Crushed various minced garlic in my fridge with the oregano, rosemary and thyme, along with kosher salt and black pepper. Slathered the concoction on the meat and let it set overnight. Before heading to Easter services in the morning, I added about half a cup of water, 3/4 cup of beef broth and 1/2-3/4 cup of white wine (it was open and most of the bottle was finished). Set it on low for 8 hours.
Cut up the taters and parsnips, tossed with onions and minced shallots in olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Put it in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. Took out the pan, stirred the veggies around, then put in the rack and put the lamb on top to brown (because it wasn't covered in water, it wasn't that odd grey color you can get, but I wanted to browning anyway), and put the whole thing back in for another 20 minutes. Made a basic roux of flour and butter, then started adding the liquids from the slow cooker. Strained, whisked, strained again until I got a nice, thick, smooth light gravy. Oh, and the pre-cooked asparagus went into the oven for roasting, along with minced shallots.
Pretty simple (except for the worry over lumpy gravy). Store-bought dinner rolls and hot-cross buns rounded out the meal. It was all tasty, my Geek was joyful and NO HEADACHES!
An Easter miracle, I tell you what ...
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Post by 🐍 cahusserole 🐍 on Apr 22, 2014 12:37:12 GMT -5
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dＬᵒ
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Post by dＬᵒ on Apr 24, 2014 2:48:42 GMT -5
make a night mask out of it. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 18:34:19 GMT -5
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Post by MrsLangdonAlger on Apr 25, 2014 20:46:01 GMT -5
That second pic...goddamn that looks yummy! |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 28, 2014 10:42:53 GMT -5
My MIL is a perfectly good cook, but she doesn't really enjoy it. I was browsing a magazine yesterday and saw a recipe for raspberry-lemon coffeecake and came up with the idea to make that and whatever else she wanted for a Mother's Day brunch. (Pancakes, or a savory casserole, or just bacon and eggs...?)
So I proposed it but she hasn't responded yet - she may just want to go out which is fine, but man, I sort of want to cook a lovely brunch now.
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Post by pairesta on Apr 28, 2014 13:00:28 GMT -5
Seems like that would be a no brainer: have your favorite food for brunch at your place, or fight the crowds for warmed over food on the second-worst dining out day of the year.
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 28, 2014 13:01:36 GMT -5
Seems like that would be a no brainer: have your favorite food for brunch at your place, or fight the crowds for warmed over food on the second-worst dining out day of the year. You might think so. But we regularly eat out for Christmas Eve and other Mother's Days and now Easter, soo... *shrug* |
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GumTurkeyles
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Apr 28, 2014 13:15:46 GMT -5
My MIL is a perfectly good cook, but she doesn't really enjoy it. I was browsing a magazine yesterday and saw a recipe for raspberry-lemon coffeecake and came up with the idea to make that and whatever else she wanted for a Mother's Day brunch. (Pancakes, or a savory casserole, or just bacon and eggs...?) So I proposed it but she hasn't responded yet - she may just want to go out which is fine, but man, I sort of want to cook a lovely brunch now. Well, thanks for the mother's day idea! Brunch it will be. |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Apr 28, 2014 13:51:27 GMT -5
My MIL is a perfectly good cook, but she doesn't really enjoy it. I was browsing a magazine yesterday and saw a recipe for raspberry-lemon coffeecake and came up with the idea to make that and whatever else she wanted for a Mother's Day brunch. (Pancakes, or a savory casserole, or just bacon and eggs...?) So I proposed it but she hasn't responded yet - she may just want to go out which is fine, but man, I sort of want to cook a lovely brunch now. My Easter brunch menu went over very well, in case any of this sounds good to you: Orange Spiced Crumb Cake ( link) - skip the muscovado sugar and just use dark or even light brown sugar Ham and Cheddar Pie ( link) - a big hit, easy to make but impressive looking; I added green onions because I love them Spring Mix Salad with Champagne-Apricot Vinaigrette - champagne vinegar, apricot preserves, olive oil, salt, pepper Fresh Berry Salad with Balsamic - raspberry, blackberry, strawberry; cook balsamic vinegar and a little sugar into a loose syrup, mix once cool Sweet Potato Home Fries - par boil, dice, saute HOT until crispy; add green onion and smoked paprika My original menu included herb scrambled eggs as well, but as I neared the end of cooking I realized I had more than enough food, and so I 86'd it. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 28, 2014 13:55:28 GMT -5
My MIL is a perfectly good cook, but she doesn't really enjoy it. I was browsing a magazine yesterday and saw a recipe for raspberry-lemon coffeecake and came up with the idea to make that and whatever else she wanted for a Mother's Day brunch. (Pancakes, or a savory casserole, or just bacon and eggs...?) So I proposed it but she hasn't responded yet - she may just want to go out which is fine, but man, I sort of want to cook a lovely brunch now. My Easter brunch menu went over very well, in case any of this sounds good to you: Orange Spiced Crumb Cake ( link) - skip the muscovado sugar and just use dark or even light brown sugar Ham and Cheddar Pie ( link) - a big hit, easy to make but impressive looking; I added green onions because I love them Spring Mix Salad with Champagne-Apricot Vinaigrette - champagne vinegar, apricot preserves, olive oil, salt, pepper Fresh Berry Salad with Balsamic - raspberry, blackberry, strawberry; cook balsamic vinegar and a little sugar into a loose syrup, mix once cool Sweet Potato Home Fries - par boil, dice, saute HOT until crispy; add green onion and smoked paprika My original menu included herb scrambled eggs as well, but as I neared the end of cooking I realized I had more than enough food, and so I 86'd it. It all sounds/looks delicious. Some of that would probably go over better than other bits -- my in-laws are not "fancy food" people (despite our regular eating at pricy steakhouses...?) but I think the berry salad is a great idea and I'm filing the ham and cheddar pie away for future reference. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 29, 2014 13:00:01 GMT -5
It seems my MIL's response was "I'm not cooking, so knock yourself out" ... Right now I'm thinking raspberry-lemon coffee cake, a sausage-potato-veggie bake, scrambled eggs and that berry salad -- but we'll see if she has any preferences.
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Post by Ron Howard Voice on Apr 30, 2014 14:34:21 GMT -5
It all sounds/looks delicious. Some of that would probably go over better than other bits -- my in-laws are not "fancy food" people (despite our regular eating at pricy steakhouses...?) I understand this. The operative thing here, in terms of fanciness, is not price but unfamiliarity. They know what a steak is, so they'll pay for it even if it costs a lot. My parents are the exact same way; they thought I had become a pretentious weirdo when I took them to a gourmet cheese shop for a $20 meal, but they go to Brazilian steakhouses on birthdays all the time. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 30, 2014 14:48:15 GMT -5
It all sounds/looks delicious. Some of that would probably go over better than other bits -- my in-laws are not "fancy food" people (despite our regular eating at pricy steakhouses...?) I understand this. The operative thing here, in terms of fanciness, is not price but unfamiliarity. They know what a steak is, so they'll pay for it even if it costs a lot. My parents are the exact same way; they thought I had become a pretentious weirdo when I took them to a gourmet cheese shop for a $20 meal, but they go to Brazilian steakhouses on birthdays all the time. Yes, you nailed it -- unfamiliarity. They tend to eat meals like burgers, pasta with red sauce, grilled chicken, steak, fried shrimp - very meat and potatoes with the occasional Chinese takeout or Mexican meal. And they are pretty solidly upper-middle-class so price isn't really the problem. |
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Post by ganews on Apr 30, 2014 16:47:48 GMT -5
We made an excellent Chik-fil-a copycat tenders recipe the other day.
batter, from memory:
1 C flour
1 T powdered sugar
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
1 t salt
1 t pepper
Take boneless, skinless thighs (instead of breasts, for cheaper and tastier) and cut into strips for tenders. Dip in 1 egg mixed with 1/2 C milk (double-dip batter, also for tasty), fry for 2 min.
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Post by NewHereAgainoZach on May 4, 2014 3:28:47 GMT -5
I'm getting too old for this shit. (Not ragging on you at all; I just love that line. And am way too old for Pokemon.) Likewise. Now, if anyone wants to drive to my place in an orange Dodge Charger with a trunk full of 'shine... |
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Post by NewHereAgainoZach on May 4, 2014 3:35:20 GMT -5
Random food thought of the day: fuck muscovado sugar!I'm making a coffee cake for Easter brunch tomorrow, and the recipe calls for muscovado sugar. It's like $6 for a little bag at Central Market. I still bought it, special occasion and all, but god damn. Maybe try piloncillo? It's those brown cone things in the Mexican section of your grocery store. Raw cane sugar. You'll have to grate it for ages, unless you pound it into smallish chunks, then toss it in a spice grinder, maybe... |
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Post by ganews on May 4, 2014 13:04:10 GMT -5
Fucking croquettes. We made Japanese korroke last night, and once again the first panfull was perfect and in the second panfull 75% of them popped. I just cannot maintain the oil at the perfect level and temperature past the first pan, or the second batch is too big or something, but it pisses me off to no end.
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on May 5, 2014 8:37:17 GMT -5
So my MIL changed her mind. We are going out for breakfast and having a grilling out dinner. Ah, well, her day and they'll pay for the meal.
I have been charged with bringing dessert, though. So I'm thinking of adapting the lemon-raspberry coffeecake into a pound cake. Maybe with strawberry topping? I am debating on forms -- little cupcake-sized cakes, the easier to eat? A sheet cake? Should I buy a bundt pan? Hmm.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2014 16:12:49 GMT -5
So my MIL changed her mind. We are going out for breakfast and having a grilling out dinner. Ah, well, her day and they'll pay for the meal. I have been charged with bringing dessert, though. So I'm thinking of adapting the lemon-raspberry coffeecake into a pound cake. Maybe with strawberry topping? I am debating on forms -- little cupcake-sized cakes, the easier to eat? A sheet cake? Should I buy a bundt pan? Hmm. I'd go bundt. Looks fancy, easiest to slice, no fussing with individual portions. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on May 12, 2014 13:31:08 GMT -5
So I ended up making the lemon-raspberry cake as a loaf, since I was too lazy to go buy a bundt pan; it worked pretty well. Glazed with lemon glaze and served with vanilla ice cream.
Also, on Saturday we made a variation on an old favorite; pan-fried up little chicken sliders and put them on waffles for a sandwich. Yay waffles.
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Post by pairesta on May 19, 2014 6:20:36 GMT -5
Friday: Artichokes braised with white wine and mint; chicken saltimbocca
Saturday: Bucatini all' amatriciani, Pork Tenderloin Porchetta-style; Peas
Sunday: Grilled Eggplant salad; spicy mushrooms; Homemade orrechiette with sausage and turnip greens
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on May 19, 2014 8:49:38 GMT -5
Friday: Artichokes braised with white wine and mint; chicken saltimbocca Saturday: Bucatini all' amatriciani, Pork Tenderloin Porchetta-style; Peas Sunday: Grilled Eggplant salad; spicy mushrooms; Homemade orrechiette with sausage and turnip greens *hangs up toque* *retires in disgrace* Ugh, I've come so far, but clearly I have so much further to go. Seriously, though, it all sounds excellent. Homemade orrechiette ..... show off.
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Post by pairesta on May 19, 2014 8:54:13 GMT -5
This was coasting on fumes from the Central Market Italy promo they had been doing for the past couple weeks. It's the most cooking I've done in a long time.
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