11/3/2017 – Mary spent all day making this for the first time to serve at Peggy’s visit to Houston to see the Quilt Show. It was very good and enjoyed by everyone. They even wanted it again the next evening. Continue reading
10/29/2017 – Inspired by the Immune Booster Sauerkraut recipe here. We liked it as it has a very different flavor profile than typical kraut. Mary noticed the ginger more than I did. If we had had fresh horseradish it would have been different. The 1.4% salt was right as it has a slightly crunchy texture.
10/28/2017 – Bought a 10.9 lb. brisket for $1.69/lb. Trimmed the fat and separated the flat from the point. Rubbed them with 3POGS and Jeff’s Texas Rub.
10:00 AM – Put into the MES that had been preheated to 250 with Amazen tray loaded with 1/3 ChefMasters Perfect Mix and 2/3 Trafalger hickory. Had moved the MES to under the breezeway as we will be at Piper’s soccer game for a few hours.
2:00 – IT of both is in the 140s
5:30 – IT of the thin flat was 205 so wrapped to rest then ate a great piece of meat. Wrapped the point that was at 180 in foil with more Jeff’s Tex rub and ACL in the foil. Put into the oven set at 300 with the alarm set at 200.
From PepperScale.com where there are many other chile recipes and advice.
There’s a real depth to the flavor of an ancho coffee rub. Espresso provides a rich, earthy, and deliciously bitter base. And the ancho powder doubles down on the earthiness, with undertones of smoky and sweet. Plus, there are hints of garlic and mustard beneath the surface, too.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground espresso
- 2 tablespoons ancho powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
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Use immediately as a rub for steaks and pork, coating the raw meat with the dry rub prior to cooking.
Recipe Notes
Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of espresso coffee and ancho powder used. More espresso will give the rub a more earthy, rich flavor. More ancho powder will increase the smoky undertones and the heat (though it’s still a very mild chili pepper, so any increase won’t overwhelm in spiciness).
Bought a trimmed flat with a piece of the point at HEB. Separated them into two pieces where the flat weighted 739 gm and the piece of the point weighted 728 gm. This cure/smoke is my first dry brining the beef to make the corned beef. It turned out good although more black-pepper buzz than before and seemed drier and denser. Continue reading
10/22/2017 – I should not have bought these ribs as there was almost no meat and a lot of “bald spots”; i.e. rib bones showing. Continue reading
This cook was extracted from SMF here.
Broke out the large cast iron pan [the cook] got for Christmas and set up the grill rack on our outdoor fire pit and got some oak wood going. While the fire was getting down to embers I got the PBC going as well. When ready I did the following:
1. Sauteed the chorizo (couple links sliced) in olive oil until slightly browned and then removed
2. Added the calamari (1lb of tubes and tentacles) and sauteed for a couple minutes and removed.
3. Then made the sofrito (olive oil, 2 cups onion, 1 cup red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic chopped) and sauteed until soft. Then added crushed tomatoes (28oz can) and 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika and 1 tsp saffron threads.
4. Added fish stock (about 48 oz and added a cup water as well) and rice and continued to cook until rice absorbed the stock and began to form soccarat (refers to the crust that forms on the bottom of the pan when cooking paella). Chorizo and squid were added back in during this process.
5. Removed from fire and added the 1/2 lb shrimp, 18 or so mussels, and 3/4 lb salmon and put on the PBC with hickory. After about 30 minutes added the 1/2 cup frozen peas and let go another 10-15minutes.
6. Removed when mussels were opened and salmon was firm.
Overall this came out well and the smoke flavor added a new twist to our paella. Just something about cooking over an open fire.
From a comment to a post by Chef JJ
The KnifeShield glove from Forschner offers an outstanding level of cut resistance while maintaining the tactile feel necessary for performing food prep tasks such as slicing, boning, filleting, and more (note: this glove is not cut proof and will not protect from sharp points, serrated blades and meat saws, or chopping cleavers – use a stainless steel mesh glove for these tasks).
The durable Spectra and polyester sheath offers protection from cuts while providing a flexible, less slippery feel. The comfortable interior is excellent for longer periods of use. Features:
- Unique elastic over banding in cuff for comfort and safety
- FDA and USDA approved materials
- Washable and bleach safe materials
- Ambidextrous design
Manufacturer: Victorinox. Manufacturer SKU 86104
10/15/2017 – This was the first time to make hot-water cornbread fried as a pattie–sorta like a hush puppy. What we did was inspired by the recipe at http://inthekitchenwithpaige.blogspot.com. Here is what we did that made a great, crunchy cornbread…
1/15/2018 – 2nd-time lessons learned are inserted below in italics and in bold. Could be that as we prepared this about 30 minutes before frying that made a difference as the batter was no longer as hot as it would have been had we fried it immediately after blending it. But, the fried, crunchy cakes were not at all grainy inside. Continue reading
10/15/2017, 2 pm – Made with firm shiny jalapenos and carrots bought yesterday. Cut the penos into 1/4″ discs and the carrots as thin as could be done quickly with a chef’s knife. Made a 6% salt brine with well water from the farm and kosher salt. Layered the penos and carrots and added 3-4 large garlic cloves per quart. Added the glass weights that held it below the brine and the special fermenting lids Mary had bought.
10/16/2017, 7 PM – One jar looks a bit cloudy and both are gassing with bubbles rising when moved.
10/25/2017 – Have been enjoying the firm peppers, carrots, and garlic for the past week. Some of the peppers are hot but good.