FOOD THREAD 1

[parallel]

I'm sure some of you are sick to death of my Big Green Egg cooking posts, but man I am just amazed at how forgiving these cookers are. I did my first brisket completing an 18 smoke at about 7:00PM this evening. I've been putting off this cook because I've heard how smoking brisket is a difficult thing to get right. Well... I'm sure at some point I'll have a brisket cook that will result in the whole thing only being good for burnt ends, but NOT today.

I made a rub of equal parts kosher salt and course black pepper with about 1/4 part garlic powder and 1/4 part onion powder. After trimming the brisket was down to about 11 lbs. Into the fridge for about 24 hours.

I fired up my Big Green Egg and stabilized the temp at 225° but it took a LONG time (like 90 minutes) to burn clean. I must have gotten some bad lump. Anyway, I added some mesquite wood chunks to provide the smoke. The brisket was so large that I had to push it together some to fit onto the BGE.

The cook was slated to take 16 hours at 225° indirect to an internal temperature of 185°. Interestingly enough, the point was done two hours before the flat. So I separated the point from the fat serving my guest the point and returning the flat to the BGE to continue cooking.

Check out the "pull" test of the brisket flat when it came off the Big Green Egg. Moist and tender and just about as perfect as I could have hoped.

Yeah You Right... Ya Heard Me?

 

[medicchick]

I've been drooling over a BGE for a few years now but I'd never really seen anything about them for someone I trust. I just want one more now.

 

[medicchick]

Now that I went back and drooled some more, is that a crystal corn on the cob holder?:-/

 

[parallel]

To be fair the Kamado Joe and other ceramic cookers are probably just as good as the BGE, but I went with the known commodity. Pull the trigger on one and I assure you that you will NOT be disappointed.

 

[parallel]

Now that I went back and drooled some more, is that a crystal corn on the cob holder?:-/

Yes. Mrs. Parallel likes to get her fancy on sometimes. You'll note though that I insist on drinking from a pint beer glass and not the frilly crystal... it's the hillbilly in me showing.

 

[medicchick]

To be fair the Kamado Joe and other ceramic cookers are probably just as good as the BGE, but I went with the known commodity. Pull the trigger on one and I assure you that you will NOT be disappointed.

Yeah, it's just the saving up part that hasn't happened yet. I'm that same as you though, I'd rather go with the original/known brand. It generally works out better in the long run.

Yes. Mrs. Parallel likes to get her fancy on sometimes.

Nothing wrong with that, I can just picture what my 3 year old would do...lol. One day I will have fancy table settings....and a table.

 

[CQB]

LOL From the stories I've heard from folks who go to the MT event, it's as much about protuberances on females as appendages on males! :wall:

LL

OK, balls for main course, *ahem* nipple nibblies?

 

[Gypsy]

I made Tuna Noodle Veggie Casserole last night.... not fancy, but nostalgic... reminds me of being a kid.

Lived on tuna noodle casserole when I first moved out on my own.

I loves me some good tuna, I make it more Italian style with some EVOO, cannelini beans, fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest, a splash of red wine vinegar, sea salt, lemon pepper, fresh chives, grape tomatoes and brined black olives and maybe some celery for crunch.

Found this, I may try it this weekend.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recip...1&spJobID=334136418&spReportId=MzM0MTM2NDE4S0

Casse-Croûte Tunisien (Tunisan Tuna Sandwich)

You'll need both hands to eat this overstuffed tuna sandwich, lavished with fiery condiments and stacks of fixings, a North African take on a French pan bagnat. This recipe first appeared in our November 2012 issue along with Jay Cheshes's story Couscous Royale.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ small yellow onion, minced
½ small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 (15-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, crushed by hand
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 (8") Portuguese or hero rolls
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, boiled until tender, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 medium ripe tomato, thinly sliced
2 (5-oz). cans tuna in oil
½ cup pitted black olives
¼ cup capers, rinsed and drained
4 pepperoncini peppers, drained, stemmed, and halved lengthwise
½ cup harissa (available at Netgrocer.com)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaf, and cook, stirring, until sauce is thick and slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. Assemble the sandwiches: Split rolls horizontally, leaving them intact on one side. Divide tomato sauce among rolls, top with potatoes, cucumber, and tomato, and then tuna; top with olives, capers, and pepperoncini. Drizzle the top of each with harissa; halve sandwiches crosswise to serve.

 

[compforce]

So for dinner last night there was a ribeye, a classic gratin



and for dessert a salted chocolate mousse with vanilla
whipped cream and raspberry gel:

 

[LibraryLady]

... whole post...

You better be glad I'm not coming out there - I just gained 15 pounds looking at them pics and I NOT HAPPY!!!! :wall:

LL

 

[Gypsy]

Made this today....was really delicious. Lots of flavors come through. I'd add more broth next time, for more sauce.



Ingredients

4 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 lbs chicken breasts, cut up into even sized pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
8 pitted dates, chopped
20 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Combine oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and salt in a large zip-lock plastic baggie. Add chicken, squeeze out air and seal. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade.

In large non-stick skillet heat over medium heat. Add chicken and broth, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Turn chicken over and add rest of ingredients, cook until chicken is cooked through. Add more broth or water if it seems dry.


Cumin roasted potatoes

Olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss potatoes with olive oil, cumin, salt and paprika and toss to coat well. Spread out potatoes in single layer in baking pan. Roast potatoes until brown and crisp around edges, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes.

 

[Gypsy]

Last weekend I mad Spicy chickpeas with escarole and dried apricots served over couscous. Smooth flavors with a nice kick at the end.

 

[x SF med]

No photos from last night... but there was a shitload of pulled pork done on an Orion Smoker, mac and cheese, potato salad, Asian coleslaw, Thai ground turkey, lots of veggies, a few beers... Compforce is a hell of a cook... and he let me sous chef... even wit hme as sous chef, nobody got sick or died.

 

[reed11b]

I'm going to let you guess why that earned you a hate...
Reed

 

[x SF med]

I'm going to let you guess why that earned you a hate...
Reed

because nobody died...

 

[Coyote]

Made a nice stew with cooked carrots, onions, potatoes. and venison. I also made a little Indian biryani chicken dish with rice. Both simple and quick.

 

[x SF med]

Made a nice stew with cooked carrots, onions, potatoes. and venison. I also made a little Indian biryani chicken dish with rice. Both simple and quick.

View attachment 9380 View attachment 9381

recipes or it never happened... you could have taken those at a restaurant..

 

[Coyote]

Haha even with the edge of my laptop in the second photo? Fair enough, I'm game.

The stew: I cooked up and cut up carrots, potatoes, and onions. Diced the venison which I got from my uncle and cooked that up and made the gravy out of water, cornstarch, and a beef flavouring packet.

The Indian chicken dish: I actually learned from my neighbour last year. An average pack of Uncle Ben's plain white rice will do for the rice. For the actual chicken sauce I mixed up and cooked a pot of some onions, diced up tomatoes w/ a little tomato sauce, chili peppers, garam masala (nice mixture of indian spices), and some cumin. I cooked up some chicken drums and tossed them in the same pot and just let it sit for a while to let it all soak in.

 

[RackMaster]

Just little sosomething I threw together. Duck breasts are dusted in S&P, ground chilies, ginger and smoked paprika. Gnocchi in a mushroom cream sauce and asparagus.

View attachment 9435

 

[Muppet]

Just little sosomething I threw together. Duck breasts are dusted in S&P, ground chilies, ginger and smoked paprika. Gnocchi in a mushroom cream sauce and asparagus.

View attachment 9435

Jesus man. Looks epicly awesome.

F.M.