tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34102793545680881982024-03-19T11:01:39.242-07:00kchawgskitchenFood tutorials and recipes from a southern boy cooking in the heart of BBQ country.k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-40960593017073578372014-10-13T18:04:00.003-07:002014-10-15T05:57:26.260-07:00Pork Shank Osso Buco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the last year I have wondered many times when I might be able to find the time, to once again document and share what I love to do. Sometimes life becomes much bigger, much more important than ones self and what they want to do, what they love to do. In the last couple of years I have learned more about myself, more about my spouse, more about my family than I had in my 55 years on earth and 37 years in my relationship/marriage. And while I haven't been able to take the time to document/share my times in the kitchen or on the grills, my love for cooking and preparing food for the ones I love has been a integral part of my care giving. This holiday weekend has inspired me to prepare a dish that I have planned for a long while and this cool, rainy October day will provide the perfect back drop for this king of comfort food.<br />
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Many times my inspiration for preparing a meal comes from a visit to a restaurant, where I am introduced to something new. On this particular occasion a large group of us had gone to an Italian restaurant tucked away by the railroad tracks, in the quaint downtown area of our hometown. After reading the menu thoroughly, I zeroed in on a pork medallion dish that I knew I had to have. While waiting for service that seemed to be moving slow and being told our first wine selection was not available, I was beginning to have restaurant remorse. As the server, served drinks, apologized for not having our first wine selection and worked hard to make our night out comfortable and special, I settled in and was happy and content. Those feelings were once again challenged when I placed my order and was told that my choice was not available. The entree had just been replaced with the changing of the season and the menu did not reflect the change. The server recommended the replacement dish and described it as a braised pork shank that was one of the chef's specialties and insured me I would absolutely love it. All I could relate it to was a ham shank and I was very apprehensive, yet she insisted I would love it. I trusted her judgement and I had one of the most amazing, flavorful entrees I have ever encountered. As we left the restaurant our server followed me out to the sidewalk and thanked me for such a large gratuity and explained she felt like things had not gone so smooth. I explained that she was the definition of a great server, having dealt with adversity that was not in her control and turned it into a great dining experience by making great recommendations and paying close attention to us while apologizing sincerely for things beyond her control.<br />
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In the days that followed I started looking at recipes for Osso Buco, which is traditionally made with Veal Shanks but found many recipes for Pork Shank Ossu Buco, as well. A while back my son was on the other side of the metropolitan area, in close proximity to a favorite meat market that I was quite sure would have the Pork Shanks I needed. They did and though it has been a longer wait than I hoped for I wanted to cook this dish when I could share it, so here I am with the perfect day for Pork Shank Osso Bucco.<br />
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The Pork Shanks will braise for 2.5 hours which allows plenty of time to prepare side dishes but when I get the opportunity to spend a day in the kitchen I like to do as much early prep work as possible. That allows for a leisurely pace and the opportunity to enjoy a nice glass of wine and visit, while the kitchen fills with the aromas of all the goodness to come. I will prepare garlic mashed potatoes and fresh green beans sauteed with mushrooms and onions.<br />
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I have peeled my potatoes and have them in water ready to go. The garlic is ready for roasting and the green beans are trimmed, cleaned and ready to be blanched. When cooking something for the first time, timing can be one of the things that can derail your meal. By having my prep work done I will not be rushing while cooking the main course and trying to get my sides to come off at the same time. I can also prepare my vegetables for my braising sauce, peeling and chopping 2 carrots, cleaning and chopping 2 stalks of celery, chopping a white onion and getting my minced garlic ready.<br />
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I will brown the pork shanks before adding them to the braising liquid. I am using a seasoned flour, with chili powder, salt, cracked black pepper and granulated garlic. I will brown them in olive oil and transfer them into the dutch oven for braising.<br />
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Now I will construct the braising liquid. I will start by browning the vegetables. I will add the minced garlic later in the browning process to prevent it from burning. When the vegetables begin to get tender (approx 5 min) I will add a cup of dry white wine and bring it to a boil and reduce the wine by approximately 20%. </div>
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Once the wine has reduced I will pour the mixture over the Pork Shanks in the dutch oven. I then add the rest of the liquids and herbs. I'm using 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of beef broth, 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary, 3 Bay Leaves and salt and cracked black pepper to taste.<br />
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My braising liquid covers about 80% of the Pork Shanks. I will bring the braising liquid to a boil and instantly bring it down to a simmer, cover and cook for 2.5 hours or until fork tender. I will turn the Shanks every 30 minutes to allow them to cook evenly. It is very important to keep this at a simmer and not allow boiling. This will create a very tender and flavorful experience that you will not forget!!<br />
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After braising for 2.5 hours the Pork Shanks are removed, placed on a platter, tented and placed in a warm oven. The braising liquid is poured into a colander and all the solids are removed. The braising liquid is then returned the dutch oven over high heat for approximately 20 minutes and reduced down to approximately 2 cups and spooned over the Pork Shanks. </div>
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This was a very special day. I was able to relax this day away, spend a day in the kitchen, share a cooking experience with those that cook and hopefully some that aren't sure if they can cook. It's as easy as the internet, as easy as cookbooks and allows for individual creativity. I got to visit with my son when he got off work and we had a beer and discussed our beloved Kansas City Royals. I got to spend a day with my wife and prepare her a special dinner. I got to relive a special moment when I was out for a great dinner with a dozen people that were all out supporting my beautiful wife while she was in such great need of support. Oh yes, this was a beautiful, rainy, gray October day that I will not soon forget. </div>
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I give you Pork Shank Osso Bucco, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms and Onions, paired with an Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. </div>
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I urge you to live every day as if it could be your last. Gather your family, your loved ones and your friends at every opportunity. Always tell those you love, how very much you love them. And last but not least, always break bread with all of the aforementioned, at any opportunity. Until we meet again, Love and Happiness to you all!!!</div>
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For full size photos double click on the photo.</div>
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<br />k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-15140750748526841582013-03-14T13:49:00.000-07:002013-03-14T13:49:13.956-07:00Veal Chops With Portobello Mushroom Reduction Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes a great meal is the result of my impulse shopping. I will go to the grocery store or market to pick up something specific and I see something else that I cannot resist. I hate to admit it but I am the target market for the person that the store brings in that has a degree in psychology, whose job it is to say "if we put this shiny object right here, the person with the screwed up brain is going to see it and they will have to have it.." I cannot tell you how many times I have gone in the store to pick up a package of dog treats and left with 20 bags and a $350 bill. </div>
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Well this time I had a partner in crime. My dear wife called me from Costco and she says "baby they have a beautiful USDA Prime Bottom Round." I thought man this is great, I'm at work and can't shop but now I've kind of got this personal shopper thing going. This happens quite often and I always take advantage of it. So after a little explaining as to how I'm not sure how I would cut and utilize the whole Bottom Round she responds, "there is a beautiful Prime NY Strip Loin, with excellent marbling." "How much is it?" "$8.69 a Lb." I tell her "that is a steal, it is normally $14.69 lb, you need to get that." She says it is $115 and I say great price!! Now comes my favorite part. She's walking down through the meat market and telling me what is pretty and how much is. I'm shopping vicariously through her, it's like she is my eyes. I see it all very vividly and she stops and says "oh, they have some beautiful Veal Chops, some are cut like a Porterhouse and some are cut like a Rib Steak." "How much are they, I ask." "$14.69 a lb she responds" Now I must transition back from shopper to salesman. "I've been wanting to try some Veal Chops, why don't you grab those and let's give it a try." And, that is how this meal began.</div>
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My wife and I love college basketball. We actually love all sports but basketball tournament time is very special to us because we use to always take vacation to go to the tournaments and had a blast doing so. The last several years I have been going to Las Vegas for the opening weekend of March Madness but I start getting the fever a week earlier when the conference tournaments are being played. This week I took off on Thursday to go with my normal Wednesday off to watch some basketball and get outside to do some grilling and fire the smoker up. I decided Wednesday would be the perfect day for the Veal Chops and that I would serve them with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles. Peggy found me a recipe for Veal Chops prepared with a Portobello Reduction Sauce. The recipe called for searing the chops in a skillet and preparing the sauce in skillet around the chops. After considering that, I decided I would sear the chops and cook them to about 80% done on the grill, then finish them in the Portobello Sauce after it had reduced some. With a plan in place it was time to get started.</div>
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As I was beginning to prep things Peggy asked if we might go out for an afternoon drink and see friends for a while. I had planned on staying in and I wasn't sure if the timing would allow for time out in the middle of preparation. After going over what needed to be done I said we could probably go out for about an hour from 5 until 6 and it would be a late dinner. She said she liked that idea and with me being off tomorrow that a late dinner would be fine. So I got to work on all the things that could be done ahead of time. I love making my Garlic Mashed Potatoes with roasted garlic. I took the heads off of the garlic and gave them a nice drenching with a good olive oil. I will cover an oven safe dish with foil and roast for one hour. The garlic will be super tender and mash beautifully into the potatoes and adding in some of the garlic infused Olive Oil will add a smooth silky finish and great flavor.Meanwhile, I go out and get my grills prepped. I will be cooking the chops on the Primo XL and I will do my Asparagus Bundles on the good ole Weber Kettle. Normally both things could be accomplished on the same grill but the process for the chops will keep the Primo occupied too late into the meal preparation to do the Asparagus on it as well.<br />
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I've snapped my Asparagus and will wrap it in the Prosciutto. From the "if something can go wrong, it will" analogy, the Prosciutto was too thin, not packaged properly and was tearing apart while trying to remove the slices. I work with this stuff quite often and it is always somewhat delicate but for $6 for 4 ounces you would think it would at least be usable. So while I'm going slightly nuts, screaming that I've got some $24 a pound crap that is screwing up my whole day Peggy calmly tells me there is more Prosciutto in the freezer and I might give it a try, instead of having a stroke. After a quick thaw on the Prosciutto from the freezer and getting great results wrapping my bundles, it would only be right if the voice of reason came down to the kitchen and made me admit I was overreacting and that she had saved the day. Very, very annoying but I still love her enough to cook her a nice meal.</div>
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The Asparagus is wrapped, drizzled with Olive Oil and seasoned with Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper. They can rest in the fridge and be ready to go on the grill when we return home. I will also season the Veal Chops. With this being my first experience with them, I take notice that they have an appearance more closely resembling a pork chop than beef. I will rub them lightly with Olive Oil, and season with Kosher Salt and Cracked black Pepper.<br />
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The chops are seasoned and I've got my potatoes peeled, cut up and soaking. Everything is pretty much ready to where we can go out for a while and when we return all that is left to be done is the cooking. It was a very nice visit to our favorite place for a drink. We were joined by our son and several friends for a very enjoyable but quick outing, returning home by 6:15 to get the fires going.</div>
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Upon returning home we got a visit from our favorite neighbor. He was coming with news that one of his great parties would be taking place on May,11th and the calender needed to be marked. He then informed me that I would have to leave before 5 a.m., maybe more like 4:30 this time. I told him someone needed to be there to run the party after he passed out and asked if there was anyone better than me for that job. Well that conversation was going to require a beer while he thought that over. Peggy and I were having a glass of the perfect white wine while I cooked. When I'm cooking a meal that is being paired with a red wine, I often like a light, crisp white wine while preparing the meal. The potatoes were almost ready and I will let them rest while I cook the chops and reheat them right before mashing them. The Primo XL has a hot fire going and is running 550 degrees, waiting to put a crusty sear on the Veal Chops. The Weber Kettle is fired up and the Asparagus will go on in the last 10 minutes of preparation</div>
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I leave the grill lid open leading up to putting the chops on. I want a flame that will be dancing right at grate level. I like the flames to lick the edges of the meat to add the crusty exterior that I am looking for. Once I shut the lid the flames will subside and it will be a nice even heat. These are thick chops running probably 1 1/2" thick yet I will only cook them 3 to 4 minutes per side to give them a good sear and get them 75% to 80% done. I will then remove them from the grill, let them rest while I prepare the mushroom sauce and add them to the sauce to finish cooking.<br />
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It is right through here where I would normally show you how I assemble the Portobello Reduction Sauce. Instead I enjoyed my wine, cracked jokes with my neighbor and tried not to cut my finger off.<br />
The sauce starts with heating 2 tbs. of Olive Oil and 1 tbs. of butter. I take 8 ozs. of Baby Bella Mushrooms and cut them into slices between a 1/4" and 1/2 " thick, I add a good tbs. of chopped Shallots and once they have browned I add 11/2 cups of Chicken Stock, 1/2 cup of a good Cabernet Sauvignon and 2 tsp. of chopped fresh Rosemary. My chops come off the grill and come in to rest. Now I have a good hot fire to do my sauce reduction.<br />
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I put my Asparagus Bundles on the Weber and put my Cast Iron on the grill over the open fire. The smells are incredible as the Shallots, Rosemary, Red Wine and Mushrooms come together as one. I will reduce this down to a gravy consistency. The Mushrooms were intentionally cut thick to stand up to the high heat during the sauce reduction.<br />
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The sauce has reduced down to the point of adding my Veal Chops in. This will allow a little bit of the flavors to meld as the chops finish cooking. I will turn the chops several times and this will serve as a basting as the sauce thickens to its finish.<br />
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Sometimes you put in a lot of work and at the conclusion you have the feeling your work will result in a good dinner. Sometimes you put in a lot of work and you have the feeling that you nailed it and this will be a very special meal. I think this is going to be the latter.</div>
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The meal was paired with Edna Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Every single aspect of this meal came out perfect. It is rare that I prepare a meal and cannot be critical of the way something came out. This is one of those rare instances and this is why I love cooking. When you get it all right, there is not a single restaurant out there that you think could do it any better. Wow!! This was the first Veal Chop I have ever prepared or eaten and I must say it could very well be the best cut of meat I've ever eaten. The flavor was spectacular. The Garlic Mashed Potatoes were perfectly balanced with a rich but not overwhelming garlic infusion. The Asparagus was crispy yet tender and the Prosciutto added a saltiness that cannot be achieved by simply salting.<br />
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This was a near perfect day. I kept my eye on college basketball, did a few chores around the house and got to enjoy grilling out, a little over a week removed from the backyard having 3' deep snow drifts abound. I got to spend some quality time with some of the best friends and neighbors, man could ask for. I put time and love into preparing a meal for myself and my lovely wife and I got the reward of a lifetime. My wife said OMG, best meal ever and called me the Iron Chef of Lees Summit!! I would cook 1,000 meals to hear that once. Thank you to my beautiful wife for making me the proudest husband on earth. I love you with all my heart. Until I see you all again, enjoy one of the truly great times of the year, as we move from the cold of winter to the rebirth of all things green and the beautiful smells of Spring. Viva Las Vegas!!!</div>
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<b>For full size photos double click on the image.</b></div>
<span id="goog_1835109299"></span><span id="goog_1835109300"></span><br />k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-19641280973333343622013-02-20T08:23:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:23:42.962-08:00Smoked Chicken, Andouille and Shrimp Gumbo. A Gift From Louisiana.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I absolutely love ethnic foods, regional dishes and foods associated with certain events. My wife and I use to get to travel considerably more than we do at this time. One of the things we always loved about traveling was trying the foods of the region, discussing the cooking styles, herbs and spices that are used. Going back many years ago I discovered that if we couldn't go to the places we were yearning to visit, I could bring those places to us. </div>
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It all starts with your memories and your imagination. When a memory is special to us, we have a way of remembering the most minute details. The lighting, sounds, smells, sense of history and the color of the day, that create the ambiance that makes the time and place special. I have found that I can make the day special by recreating the minute details and then letting the imagination take care of the rest. It can be as simple as this. I love baseball, I go to every opening day for my hometown team. To me opening day in baseball is as much of a reference point of the New Year, as is New Years Day. When my team opens up the baseball season on the road and I can't be there, I can recreate being there by opening up the windows in the sun room, putting the game on the radio, grilling hot dogs and enjoying a cold beer and some peanuts during the game. If you breath deep you can smell the fresh cut grass, if you listen closely you can hear the crack of the bat and the fans cheering. </div>
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This past week I have just gone through many of my friends going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. I heard all the ads for my favorite Cajun Restaurant having Fat Tuesday parties. I kind of had that, wow I wish I was there feeling. I decided a good pot of Louisiana goodness was in order. The great dishes of Louisiana cuisine are a true treasure chest for all cooks, from celebrated chefs to kitchen amateurs using mixes from the bag. Today I will be making one of my all time favorites, Gumbo. I start getting excited when I get out two of the necessities for this dish, a cast iron skillet for my Roux and a big pot for the Gumbo! My basic Gumbo principles are add Okra, serve it over rice and of course the Holy Trinity. After that, the possibilities are endless, meats and seafood are like wild cards in a kids card game. With a beautiful day ahead on Sunday I decided on a Smoked Chicken, Smoked Andouille, Gulf Shrimp Gumbo. I will smoke my chicken and sausage on Sunday in preparation of making my Gumbo on Monday.</div>
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I have prepared the ceramic grill for some light smoking, using lump charcoal and some small chunks of hickory. I will run the cooker at 250 while the sausage is on and then kick the temperature up to 300 to finish the chicken.</div>
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I will use two Cajun/Creole seasonings. The more recognizable Tony Chachere's will be used as a dry rub on the chicken and my favorite local Cajun restaurant's spices, Jazz A Louisiana Kitchen will go into the Gumbo.<br />
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Sunday is a perfect February day with the temperature in the low 50's and a sunny, blue sky. The Primo XL is running perfectly, as thin blue smoke tells me the cooker is burning clean and will produce a mild, clean, smoked flavor in my chicken and sausage.<br />
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I've got 1.75 lbs of fresh Andouille Sausage made by one of our great local sausage makers. These are raw sausages that must be cooked but you can find fully cooked Andouille in most markets with the other sausages. I will cook them at 225-250 with light smoke, to just done, leaving plenty of juices in the sausages as they will cook again in the Gumbo. This is a 4.5 lb Chicken and I have applied a light coat of Olive Oil and a good dusting of the Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. I will smoke it in a pan to reserve it's juices and it will produce a well seasoned, smokey broth to add into the Gumbo.<br />
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At first check everything is going well. The sausages are browning and the chicken is rendering fat. The Andouille will cook 45 - 60 min being careful not to overcook and the chicken will cook to 165 internal.<br />
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The Andouille and the Chicken have come off the smoker in great shape. I let the sausage rest and bag them up to be ready for the big event tomorrow. The chicken has beautiful color and tempting aromas. It is all I can do to not get out a carver and have a thigh/leg quarter for dinner. It is probably a good thing that I am also preparing dinner for tonight or this chicken might not have made it to the Gumbo. I will pull the chicken tonight while it is still warm, as it pulls much easier warm than cold.<br />
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Once the Chicken has rested I move it to the cutting board. I pour up the juices and will put them in the refrigerator over night, making it easier to remove the fat, leaving the broth and spices to add into my stock. The extremities of the Chicken show nice smoke penetration and the flavor is outstanding. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. It will be a gray, cool, damp day that should be very good Gumbo weather.<br />
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It was time to do some chopping. I will be using Green Bell Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, Celery, White Onion, Green Onion, Parsley, Minced Garlic and Bay Leaves. While I am at it, I will also slice my Andouille that I smoked yesterday. To make my stock I will use the Chopped Vegies, Minced Garlic, 4 Bay Leaves, fresh Chicken Legs and Necks and a link of the Andouille. I add Cajun Spices, Cayenne Pepper, Salt and Cracked Black Pepper.<br />
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While the stock is doing it's thing I start on my Roux. I will use 1 cup of Canola Oil and 1.5 cups of Flour. I use medium heat and slowly add the flour stirring constantly to prevent burning. I will let my Roux reach a paper bag brown then reduce the heat and add some reserved Chopped White Onion, Bell Pepper and Celery. I will let it simmer slowly until the vegetables caramelize. We don't like our Roux real dark, I will let it simmer to a dark caramel color. Roux is one of my favorite parts of the process. When you only do this a time or two a year you find yourself treating the Roux as you would drive a brand new car, very carefully. You can say when on the Roux, cooking longer leads to a darker Roux, a darker Gumbo and a richer flavor. I found a color I'm comfortable with that reduces my risk of burning the Roux, creates the flavor we are looking for and doesn't take too long to prepare. For someone very experienced with Roux this is a walk in the park, for the occasional Roux cook we celebrate each success.<br />
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Once the Roux reaches the desired color, I will remove the chicken from the stock. I will then add my Roux, Smoked Chicken, Smoked Andouille Sausage and I will skim the cup of Smoked Chicken Drippings from yesterday and add the remaining broth and seasonings. After simmering for an hour I do a taste test and make any adjustments necessary, more Creole Seasoning, Cayenne Pepper, Splashes of Tabasco.<br />
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Sometimes the best made plans meet with resistance. It turns out the fresh okra I had put up in the freezer had a little bit of frost bite going, so I went to plan B. I had a bag of frozen okra and I will give it a try and use a little trick a fellow cook told me to try. I cooked the okra to 90 % done and added a tbs of vinegar to try and cut the slime that cooked okra produces. It seems to have worked well. I add the okra to the Gumbo and it will finish cooking as the Gumbo finishes. The Okra and the Roux both add flavor as well as act as thickening agents for the Gumbo. We love Okra so this is a must in all of our Gumbo.<br />
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Last but not least I have 1.5 lbs of Gulf Goodness!! I add these last to prevent over cooking. Five minutes of handy work has them shelled and nice and clean. When I'm cooking a Shrimp Gumbo this is like "putting the topper on the tree". Now you can step back and begin to admire your work. Peggy has the griddle going and is making some Crunchy Garlic Butter Bread. This is one of those dishes that is a labor of love but worth every minute.of it. This dish started yesterday with the Chicken and Sausage going on the smoker on a beautiful afternoon and is wrapping up on a cool, gray, rainy evening.<br />
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I wanted to go down that road of feeling like I was in Cajun Country. There is no better way to do that from home than the smell of the Holy Trinity of Cajun/Creole Cooking, resonating throughout the house. This dish looks and tastes like a celebration of food. It is a gift from a culture that is second to none in the food world. It is loaded with complex flavors and ladled over simple white rice, Uncle Ben's White Rice that is. I've paired it with an old favorite that I first had on a trip to my favorite Cajun joint 20 years ago with my niece, Blackened Voodoo Lager. I will drink this beautiful beer that pairs so well with this dish with a heavy heart. The Dixie Brewery established in 1907, resides in the 3rd Ward of New Orleans and was one of the many, many casualties of Hurricane Katrina. But as in so many cases in the Great City of New Orleans this beer lives on and is currently being brewed by a brewery in Wisconsin. I will hope that the Dixie Brewery can someday return to it's rightful place in New Orleans. It was a great afternoon and evening, as I did one of my favorite things, prepared a nice dinner for my family. My son, my wife and I broke bread, had good conversation and I had that little bit of Mardi Gras that I was yearning for. Until I see you again just remember, if you can't travel to where you want to be, you can bring where you want to be to you. All it takes is some memories and a little bit of imagination.<br />
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<b>For full size photos click on the images.</b><br />
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<br />k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-3814560126343637392013-01-13T10:59:00.000-08:002013-01-14T09:12:49.184-08:00The New Year and Soul Food. It's A Family Tradition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Going back as far as I can remember I always woke up on New Years day with a hop in my step. To a football junkie it was the ultimate smorgasbord of football and food, all packed in to one day. Over the years there has been variation in the peripheral details of the day but there have always been 4 constants. Football, Greens, Black Eye Peas and Cornbread. This year was no different!!</div>
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New Years Eve was rather tame for us this year. I worked a 12 hour day and arrived home at 6:45 in the evening. My wife wasn't feeling well so it was decided I would go get carry out Chinese. Lucky for me there is a bar just down from the Chinese place and I can have a couple of Sam Adams Winter Lagers while I wait. I called in my Chinese as I walked in the bar and heard the familiar voice on the other end of the phone. I don't really understand how a man that spent his life communicating with thousands of people weekly and dealing with some of the most difficult people on earth can have an anxiety attack over calling in an order of Chinese food but it happens every time she answers. It shouldn't matter that she was a General in the Peoples Liberation Army before coming here, she now owns a Chinese place and I go there of my own free will. It all started when she asked "how long til you be here mister!?" I meagerly said 15 minutes and she shouted back in question form "<b>10 minutes</b>!?" Now I know she knows, I can always be there in 10 minutes but I thought she might give me a break since the roads were getting bad and the snow was coming down. I repeated 15 minutes and she says "<b>OK, I see you in 10 minutes</b>!!" My first thought was, man I can't even drink 1 Sam Adams in 10 minutes and I was wanting 2, after all it's Happy Hour and they are 2 for 1. Well I sit down at the bar and get my beer and several of my buddies are there and I'm beginning to feel like it is New Years Eve. All the folks are asking where Peggy is and are expressing concern that she isn't feeling well. I tell them I'm waiting on Chinese from just down the sidewalk and we are having a good ole time. About the time I order my 2nd beer one guy looks at me with concern, I mean real concern and says "aren't you suppose to be picking up Chinese?" At that moment I knew he had been there and had dealings with the General. I said, it's all good man I've only been here about 10 minutes and we agreed on 15 minutes. He says, no man you've been here like 25 minutes. So I start drinking fast and with about 1/3 of a beer left my phone rings and I answer to a, <b>WHERE ARE YOU</b>?? I stutter 3 or 4 times and say, " I got stuck in a ditch but I'm almost there, I'll be there in 1 minute, I promise!" I left my beer on the bar and headed out to my truck to drive the 3 doors down so she wouldn't question my story. As I walked towards the counter she was staring at me and I felt like I was going in front of a military tribunal. As I paid for my food and got my hands inside the handle on the sack,I smiled big and tell her, "I wasn't stuck in a ditch, I was stuck in a bar!!" Then I asked one of my normal questions like, "are you going out partying tonight? You work to much, let your hair down and have some fun!!" Then she hisses like an old mad cat and I say, see ya soon and I'm on my way.</div>
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As I'm watching some football New Years Eve I asked Peggy if the Black Eye Peas are soaking and she says no, she had let it slip her mind. So I get my tray out to cull through the peas and start my first preparations for New Years Day, while watching various awful New Years Eve Celebrations and thinking man, this is perfect. Peggy and I decided 11:30 was a good time to sign off on this New Years Eve as we will welcome in the New Year tomorrow. I put the peas to soaking over night and it was off to bed to watch TV until probably 11:35. Of course I opened my eyes to see a shot of 12 midnight on the TV and a shot of 1 a.m. so I probably took in and remembered just as much as I did on some previous New Years Eves where I partied til 5 a.m.</div>
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This will be a collaborative effort with my wife being in kchawgskitchen. Why you might ask? She makes the best Greens on this planet. Normally Peggy makes her Greens using a mixture of 4 fresh greens. Spinach, Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens. This year being special, it will be a 5 green mix as she is adding Kale. The greens have to be washed good and cleaned by hand. Initially it looks like there are enough Greens to feed an army but they cook down so don't be alarmed by the sheer bulk if you are doing a mixture of several kinds of greens. The great thing about good soul food is it is relatively simple with basic seasonings and patience being the only thing that needs to be added. There will be no 2 page recipes here. Peggy's Greens will cook in approximately 1/3 of the pan of water, be seasoned with a Sliced Salt Pork, Burgers Smokehouse Black Pepper Seasoning Pork, a couple of pinches of salt and approximately a 1/4 cup of sugar. They will start wilting instantly under the steam and eventually all settle into the simmering liquid. They simmer until tender. We like to simmer very slow and for extended time to let all of the seasonings and flavors meld together.</div>
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Meanwhile Peggy is allowing me to fix her Black Eye Peas. We both have Black Eye Pea recipes and we both like each others recipe but certain occasions call for certain recipes. Peggy's recipe is simple and relies strictly on the merit of a good piece of seasoning meat and salt. I had a nice small, meaty chunk of ham bone from a ham I smoked this fall that will be perfect. The peas have been washed, soaked over night and are ready to go. Some kosher salt, some cracked black pepper and they will babysit themselves while I watch football. Once again that is the shear beauty of soul food, once the prep work is done all you have to do is come up to the glorious smell of the kitchen, pick up a wooden spoon, glance at the pans to make it look labor intensive, grab a beverage of your choice and go back down to the couch!</div>
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When I plan a meal I always take into account the activities of the day and how the meal preparation is going to fit around the centerpiece of the day. I've planned meals that took a wrong turn due to the logistics of preparing the meal. You don't want 3 things requiring the oven at 3 separate temperatures in the last 45 minutes of preparation. Likewise, I don't want to be in the kitchen for an hour and a half during the best game of the day with my son screaming come here, you've got to see this play. The beauty of this meal is, by the 10 a.m. kickoff of the first game we've got our Greens on, have our Black Eye Peas going and I've prepared my ingredients for my dry brine for a Rack of Pork. The Green and Peas will be done long before the meal will be served and can sit in their pool of flavors and be reheated in the last 15 minutes before dinner.</div>
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My dry brine will help the pork retain moisture and it will impart a nice subtle flavor. I have 1/2 cup of Kosher Salt, 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup of Cracked Black Pepper and 1/4 cup of Herbs de Provence. It is a wonderful mixture of herbs commonly used in French cooking and readily available in grocery stores. In this case we were out so I made my own. It has marjoram, thyme, savory, basil, rosemary, sage and fennel seed. I would highly recommend it on one of your next herb roasted meat dishes.<br />
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As things were going on in the kitchen I saw the absolute perfect picture. Maggie the smaller of the two and the matriarch of our Animal Kingdom at age 15 + had laid down to get a peaceful nap and Lily, the big baby of the bunch had curled up behind her with her paw resting against her back and looked over her with a watchful and protective eye as she drifted off to sleep. Three weeks previous we thought we would not have Maggie for this New Year due to a light stroke or neurological event that at first appeared much more serious than it turned out to be. For this reason in itself, this is a very special New Years Day!<br />
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Halftime of the early games have rolled around and I can prepare my pork for a quick dry brine. This will be a very short brine of around 2.5 hours. This could easily go overnight, even 24 hours but this is my first experience with this recipe and I will keep it short, aiming for a subtle flavor infusion. I wash the Rack of Pork, dry it well and then rub the 1.5 cups of dry brine into all exposed surfaces. I will put it in the refrigerator unwrapped and turn it halfway through the brining time. If this was an overnight or longer brine, I would wrap the pork in plastic wrap as the brown sugar will turn to a heavenly syrup.<br />
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After 2.5 hours I remove the pork from the refrigerator and see the results I was hoping for. There is syrup dripping off of the bones and I should get the flavor profile I was anticipating. I will wash the brine off and pat it dry for the next stage of preparation.<br />
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This will be a very simple seasoning to compliment what we have already done. Minced Garlic and Cracked Black Pepper with a very light dusting of Sea Salt are all that will be necessary. A nice cut of meat can be absolutely outstanding in flavor and texture without having a perfect appearance. The key to overwhelming your guest with the cut of meat you are serving is for it to be love at first sight as well as being full of flavor with perfect texture. I rub on a light coat of grape seed oil to help me get that dark caramel color I will be looking to achieve. I rub in my Minced Garlic, hit it with the pepper grinder and make a quick pass with the sea salt grinder and it is ready for the oven. The other variable in achieving my color is some high heat. I have the oven pre-heated to 475 degrees for convection roasting (475 for non convection ovens as well). The Rack of Pork is placed bones down in a roasting rack with a remote thermometer probe inserted into the thickest part. The 475 degrees is extremely high heat, being used for initial browning of the roast. We don't want to overcook it or dry it out so at the 15 minute mark I reduce the temperature to 275 degrees to quickly get the oven temperature down. I will be using a variable temperature cooking method while watching my internal temperature on the remote thermometer to make sure it doesn't cook to quickly. I never cook by time, I use time as a general reference. The general time reference here is 15-20 minutes per lb @ 350 degrees so I will use the 15 minutes per lb as my reference because under cooked can be corrected, over cooked cannot. I only use this to target the time for dinner to be served and I never sweat being 30 minutes late. I have trained diners at my house that you show up early and wait on good food. This is not a restaurant, we are on the foods time schedule, the food is not on your time schedule. Have a beverage and relax. My plan after the initial 475 degree segment is 20 minutes at 275, 20 minutes at 300 and turning the the roast bone side up and finishing at 350 until the internal temperature is at 150 degrees. This cut of meat is safely cooked at 145 degrees. We prefer ours at 155 which is tender, juicy and has a nice texture.</div>
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The stars of this show have been done for quite some time and soaking in their flavorful juices. As dinner time approaches I turn the heat on low and let them start warning back up to serving temperature. I will need the oven for one finishing touch to this meal and the timing will be perfect. Approximately 10 minutes before the Rack of Pork comes out of the oven I start my cornbread. Long ago I settled on a simple cornbread recipe that I find very hard to beat. My Jalapeno Cheese Cornbread Muffins are a Jiffy Cornbread Mix followed to instruction, chopped seeded jalapenos to taste and a large handful of Mexican Cheese Blend whisked very well. It fills 8 muffin cups about 85% full and makes for a moist, rich, flavorful cornbread.</div>
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The roast comes out of the oven and the cornbread goes in. The roast will be tented while the cornbread cooks and the internal temperature will rise to that 155 degrees I am looking for. The resting will also allow the juices to redistribute throughout the roast. Always rest a cut of meat for an appropriate time.</div>
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The cornbread is out of the oven, the Rack of Pork has rested and is ready for carving. All the work is done and it is dinner time. Today it is a very small family gathering with my wife Peggy, my son John and myself. The Rose Bowl is on and they call it the Granddaddy of Them All. That is the way I feel about this meal!</div>
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Being a Southern Boy transplanted to the Midwest I'm ringing in the New Year with 3 things that were core in my upbringing. Family, football and some good ole soul food!! </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">2012 was a very trying year for my family. We have gotten stronger as a family and we are more united than ever, more Thankful than ever. As we sat down to dinner we all thought about all the things we are Thankful for going into this New Year. That list is very long and one of the important things is Family Tradition. On this New Years Day there is nothing better than Family, Football and Soul Food. There are never enough Family Traditions, so until I see you all again, don't only carry on your Family Traditions, start some new ones!! See you next time.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b>For full size photos double click on the image.</b></span>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-803584398250256782012-10-30T15:50:00.000-07:002012-10-30T20:21:31.655-07:00Hardwood Grilled Porterhouse For Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently took a trip to one of Kansas City's iconic meat markets. If you enjoy cooking you get a real rush walking through the doors of this place. It is like taking a trip back in time, before there were large displays stocked with pre -packaged meats, a single butcher that was a stock boy 2 months earlier and looks lost if you ask for a specialty cut of meat. Here you see six or more butchers dressed in their whites behind a seemingly endless meat counter waiting to take your order. When I put in my order I asked if he could cut me three Porterhouse, two about 1 3/4 " thick and one about 3" thick. The butchers eyes got a little big as he asked back, 3 inches? I confirmed and he stepped into the cooler and returned with a short loin and headed to the band saw. He cut one of the 1 3/4 " Porterhouses and held it up to show me what a 2 lb Porterhouse looked like while asking again, you want one 3 inches thick? I confirmed again, as a customer approached from my right and asked me, what was that and where is it in the case? I pointed to the smaller Porterhouses in the meat case and said that is the Porterhouse but these are being cut thicker. He replied, man I wish you hadn't ordered that because now I've got to have one! As the butcher put the 3" Porterhouse on the scales it came in at 4 lbs and I was already looking forward to cooking it. When the butcher was wrapping my steaks the customer that approached me earlier was was asking the butcher to cut one of those 1 3/4" steaks for him. It's contagious. <br />
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I trace my infatuation with the butcher shop to my early years. My father did the bulk of our grocery shopping on Saturday mornings. Going grocery shopping with my father was a real treat, for many reasons. We shopped at a country grocery store/meat market/feed store/gas station named Funderburg and Waddle. My dads brother was the Waddle and my dads cousin was the Funderburg. If you've ever seen the country markets from the 30's, 40,'s, 50's, 60's and 70's you've seen a very similar market. It is dressed in white lapboard and adorned with some signage, gas pumps are out front and there is a large barn at the back of the parking lot. Upon entering you encounter old wood floors that squeak when you walk, lots of chatter between the proprietors and customers, a line of customers in front of the butchers counter and small narrow isles offering one brand of each item. This store was run by men, all men and it was like going to the barber shop. There was a lot of joking, innuendo, political commentary and stereotyping that went on in there. I always grabbed a ice cold Coca Cola from the drink box and headed to the back to watch the butchers cut meat. Several of the men that worked there were accomplished butchers including my Uncle Sanner. It was always fun to watch our steaks, pork chops, roasts and ham slices be cut from the sides of beef and pork and then wrapped so elegantly in the tidy white butcher paper. Here is my Uncle Sanner with an apron on pumping some gasoline when it was still leaded!<br />
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This interest of mine in the meat markets only grew when my first High School job came at another country grocery in my hometown, Harden's Grocery. Working there for several years afforded me the opportunity to spend a lot of time in the meat market and gather a lot of knowledge about different cuts of beef and pork, grades of meat and breeds of beef and pork. All of these memories I have of the old butcher shops really makes it nostalgic when I venture into a place like Bichelmeyer Meats which has been in business for 66 years.<br />
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I've always enjoyed a good steak but had gotten semi bored with the same old routine. That coupled with the fact that I was running into a roadblock from the boss, lead me to look at things from a different angle. I've preached for years that you cannot get the same flavor or texture from a 3/4 " steak as you do from a 1 3/4" to 2 1/2" steak. I rarely eat more than half of a thick cut rib eye or strip but my wife being the good wife that she is, tells me I've got to cut back, get thinner cut steaks and quit eating so much red meat. My compromise was to cook large steaks and carve them to feed multiple people. This is my first attempt at a family style Porterhouse. This is Angus Beef, Choice Grade, it weighs around 66 ozs. and has very nice marbling throughout.<br />
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It is a beautiful late September day and I've invited our son for dinner. My wife has been hungry for a baked potato stuffed with broccoli and cheese so this will make for rather simple sides from the cooks perspective. The first thing I do when planning a meal is determine how much prep work I can get done, so my time is not dominated by cooking when guests are present. This steak will take quite a bit of grill time so I've planned an appetizer to eat while we are waiting for the main course. With it being my wife, my son and I, we will go informal tonight and enjoy good food in our most relaxed mode.<br />
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I have several things that I can get done before my sons arrival to maximize our visiting time. I will prepare my crab boil for some Alaskan King Crab Claws for our appetizer. I can get the potatoes ready to go in the oven and I can wash the broccoli and have it ready to steam.<br />
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We love seafood and years ago we found that making our own boil ingredients or enhancing a store purchased product with additional spices really kicked it up to our level on the spice scale. We have always used Zatarains Boil Bags or Liquid Concentrate, Kosher Salt and Lemon Quarters as our base. From there, I add Red Pepper Flakes, Cayenne Pepper, Peppercorns, Whole Cloves, Allspice and Bay Leaves. Adding a couple of tbs. of White Vinegar makes the crabs easier to pick. One nice claw each is the perfect size appetizer to compliment the steak dinner. We will eat these in the sun room and have a glass of a nice white wine while the steak is on the grill.<br />
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I've got my water boiling for my crab claws and I'm preparing my potatoes to have them ready to pop in the oven. This is my favorite way to prepare a baked potato and it is simple as can be. Rub on a thin coat of Olive Oil and give it a light dusting of Kosher Salt. The salt will help draw moisture out and result in a light, fluffy potato with a perfect skin. I bake them at 400 on a foil covered cookie sheet. Usually 50 minutes to an hour will be more than sufficient for mid size to large russets.</div>
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With my prep work done and my son having arrived I'm heading outside to fire up the grill. There are many different ways to cook a steak and none are wrong as long as your steak comes out the way you like it! I like my steaks on the rare side of medium rare with a crusty, slightly charred exterior. Cooking thicker steaks helps me to achieve that by allowing me to sear the steak at a very high temperature while still allowing me to have a nice pink to red center. In this particular case with it being a steak for three, I will cook it more to my wife's liking which is closer to the medium side of medium rare.</div>
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The finest steak houses sear steaks at temperatures ranging from 700 degrees all the way up to 1800 degrees. These temperatures are not possible on the cooking equipment that most of us have at home. Some specialized home equipment, grills with infrared searing elements and ceramic grills are now available to allow high heat searing. Don't fret, great steaks can be cooked on the cheapest grills available, just practice with it and find your sweet spot. I will run my ceramic grill up between 650-700 degrees for searing this steak. Ceramic grills are known for their ability to hold heat and can easily approach 1000 degrees. Normally when cooking steaks on this grill I cook the steak at lower temperature to begin and then raise the heat at the end to sear it. In this instance I am searing the steak on the Ceramic grill and then moving it to a Weber Kettle that is set up to with 2 cooking zones at much lower temperatures to finish the steak.</div>
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It is getting there! Meanwhile the steak has been seasoned and is resting and coming up towards room temperature. I prefer a good cut of beef to be seasoned very simply. This is a light coating of Grape Seed Oil (to assist in searing), Montreal Steak Grinder, some additional Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt.</div>
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When boiling any seafood I like to season my water and bring the water to a boil for a good 10 minutes or so to let the spices and flavors distribute into my boil. I boiled these crab claws for 5 minutes and removed them from the heat to soak in the water for 30 minutes. I will then place them in ice as we like our crab cold and served with warm lemon butter.</div>
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While the steak is doing it's thing it is appetizer time. Seafood at home is a fun appetizer that sets the tone for a relaxing meal. You are eating with your fingers and in this case digging with tools to get every last bite!!</div>
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The appetizer hit the spot! One of the great things about steak dinners is the ease of timing the meal. The steak is ready to come off the grill and rest for 5 to 10 minutes giving us plenty of time to dress our potatoes and prepare our plates. In the last minute of cooking time I used an old school browning sauce Kitchen Bouquet, giving each side a light brushing. Over the last 25 years I cannot count the number of people that had a steak with Kitchen Bouquet on it at our house and now use it regularly at their house.</div>
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I let the steak rest for approximately 10 minutes before carving it. The great thing about the Porterhouse is, the steak lover gets to enjoy two cuts of steak at the same time. You get the heavier texture and full beef flavor of the strip and the melt in your mouth more subtle flavor of the fillet, with both being enhanced by being cooked bone in. It is a little closer to medium than I prefer but it is perfect for Peggy's preference. When the steak is tender and flavorful I can always enjoy it cooked warmer than I prefer.</div>
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Hardwood Grilled Porterhouse Steak served with a Loaded Baked Potato and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, paired with Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.</div>
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Once again I truly enjoyed a beautiful day outside while preparing a nice meal for my family. This meal fulfilled so many things close to my heart. I paid a visit to a meat market that brought back the many great memories I have of my uncles grocery/market and shopping with my pops on Saturday mornings. I flashed back to my days of working in the meat market at Hardens Grocery with my second parents Vernon and Bobbye Harden. I spent an afternoon/evening with my son and my beautiful wife while doing something I am so passionate about, cooking for the ones I love. Until I see you again, take the time to sit with someone you love and enjoy a beverage, a desert or a meal. Every day spent with loved ones is a true blessing.</div>
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<br />k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-54585708330902383352012-08-15T07:38:00.000-07:002012-08-15T18:14:27.499-07:00Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus Bundles and Roasted Potatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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For the better part of two weeks I had been dreaming of a nice cool day that would </div>
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not only be a good day for spending time outside with the grill but also allow one to have the appetite for some hearty food. That day arrived on Monday with the projected high to be in the low 80's in the afternoon and an overcast sky with a cool breeze in the morning. I've had some grill time during the oppressive heat in late July and early August but it has mostly been wings and burgers. I already had the basis for a plan and it started with Spinach, Mushrooms and Fontina Cheese. When I first started thinking about these ingredients it was with the intention of stuffing chicken breasts. but the 105 degree afternoons were stronger than my urge for stuffed chicken breasts. With the temperature down 25 degrees the stuffing urge reemerged as Stuffed Pork Tenderloin.</div>
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After a run to the local market I had settled on the stuffing ingredients. I will use Baby Spinach, Shiitake Mushrooms, Fontina Cheese, Yellow Onion and Garlic. After having Fontina Cheese on a couple of occasions I had determined this was something I needed to work into a dish at some point. This seemed like the perfect opportunity since the other dishes I had it in, had spinach as well.</div>
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There are occasions when I do everything necessary to make a recipe have all the flavor it can possibly have. On those occasions I will use at least one thing that will make a cardiologist cringe, and sometimes multiple things. You or I, should not eat these things on a regular basis but when you are making a meal that is special to your <em>heart, </em>forget the cardiologist for that one meal. Along those lines I decided I needed some bacon fat to brown my veggies and wilt my spinach. It will make all the other ingredients in the stuffing be, the best they can be. I chopped five slices of Hickory Smoked Bacon and will brown them up and render the fat. I will not be using the bacon in the dish but I will be using the fat and the magnificent goo that will form on the bottom of the pan.</div>
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Once the bacon is removed from my pan I add an equal part of a good Olive Oil to make this a heart healthy dish! I brown my Onion for approximately 5 minutes at a medium temperature and then add the Shiitake Mushrooms. In the last couple of minutes I add a mixture of finely Chopped Garlic and Minced Garlic. I add the garlic last to prevent it from burning.</div>
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Next I add 12 ozs of fresh Baby Spinach. I will cook this for just a few minutes with the lid on to sweat the spinach and wilt it good. </div>
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One of the nice things about this meal is the amount of pre preparation that you can do. It works great for when you are having guests because everything being used in this meal can be prepared in the morning or early afternoon. With everything prepared the total cook time for the meal will be 50 to 60 minutes with a minimal amount of attention necessary. I butterfly my two tenderloins and give them a good beating with the bottom of a small cast iron skillet. These tenderloins are approximately 1.4 lbs each and are a very affordable cut, running $6 to $7 each. I will lay the tenderloins out on parchment paper and stuff, roll and tie. I start by layering the Fontina Cheese and leave a border at the bottom to make the final turn go smoother and seal the tenderloin as good as possible. I put a nice layer of the cooked stuffing over the cheese (try to avoid my usual mistake of over stuffing) and it is ready to be rolled and tied. If you have a cooking partner this is a good time to utilize them to help in the tie up.</div>
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With both tenderloins stuffed, I wrap them in plastic wrap and send them to the refrigerator. I will work on my sides now. I take an assortment of mixed new potatoes (Red, Yukon Gold and Fingerling) and cut them into varying shapes. I put them in a zip lock bag adding a mixture of 1 tbs melted Butter and 1 tbs Olive Oil. I sprinkle with Rosemary, Thyme and Parsley and then work the bag until I have good distribution of the herbs. I will leave these in the bag at room temperature until they are needed.</div>
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My other side will be one of my favorites. Fresh Asparagus that will be bundled with a slice of Prosciutto. I take 5 or 6 Asparagus spears and wrap them with a piece of Prosciutto that I have doubled over for strength. What I love about this technique besides the flavor, is the ease of turning it on the grill and the ease of serving for guests. I drizzle the bundles with Olive Oil and they are ready when I am. I've got everything prepared for the meal and I have a good two hours to relax outside on this beautiful afternoon before I start cooking. It seems like the perfect time to enjoy a glass of wine and listen to some good music.</div>
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This will be an easy meal to coordinate. I know my Herb Roasted Potatoes will require 40 to 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. The Stuffed Pork Tenderloin will require anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes in a 400 degree grill with a 10 minute rest. The Asparagus will cook in the grill at the very end of the Pork Tenderloin cook. So, I preheat the oven to 400 degrees, fire up the grill to build a hot fire, set the Tenderloins out, place my potatoes on a foil covered baking sheet, get my Asparagus back out into room temperature and I'm ready. Approximately 20 minutes after the potatoes go in I do my last prep on the Tenderloins, applying a light coat of grape seed oil., a light coating of my favorite dry rub and some cracked black pepper.<br />
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I have prepared the grill for two cooking zones, one for hot direct cooking and one for indirect cooking. I will initially place the Tenderloins directly over the hot fire to produce a sear on the meat. I will give it a couple of minutes on 3 of the sides and not sear the seam side. Once my sear is on I will move it off the coals to the indirect side to finish the cook. All the while the glory of this 80 degrees and a breeze is not escaping me. After the summer we have had, this feels nothing short of spectacular. The smell of the grill, a glass of good wine and hanging out with my wife and son make this an A+ day.</div>
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Everything has come together very well and the timing is perfect. I turned the oven off and the potatoes are waiting in a warm oven. The Tenderloins have come off and have been tented and resting. While the Tenderloins finished cooking on the indirect side of the grill I threw my Asparagus Bundles on the hot side side of the grill and turned them after 4 or 5 minutes going a total cook time of 8- 10 minutes. I want a few char marks for that great flavor but don't want the Asparagus to wilt. My first impressions are, everything looks good!!</div>
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While everything is resting my wife suggests that we eat in the sun room. At that moment I was admiring the evening sky with pastel blues and the sun casting a pink tint on the underneath of passing clouds. I thought absolutely, this is a great day to eat outside!</div>
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The Stuffed Tenderloin had everything the human eye could ask for as I removed the tent and cut into it. The juices were flowing, the color was excellent with snow white pork and a slight pink ring around the edges produced by the grilling process, and the stuffing was colorful and bound by the Fontina Cheese.</div>
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I paired the meal with a 2008 Estancia Pinot Noir. The rule of thumb will usually say white pork pairs with white wine. In this case with the earthiness of the Spinach and Shiitake Mushrooms and the earthy, nutty, buttery taste of the Fontina Cheese, the Pinot Noir was an excellent match. The Asparagus had a collage of flavors with the saltiness of the Prosciutto, and the charring from the grill, balanced by the Olive Oil. It was crispy but tender and cooked perfect by my standards. The potatoes were crisp on the outside with a warm center and a nice assist from the Herbs and Olive Oil, Butter mixture. This was a meal I was very proud of. I will keep it on file for several reasons. First and foremost the food was excellent, it will work well for a formal meal for guests or informal with outdoor dining as we did and finally, the timing of this meal is perfect allowing early preparation, easy time lines, and relaxation for the cook. </div>
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It was a perfect day for me. I got to take a stroll through the produce market and the meat market, spend some prep time in the kitchen, spend time in the beautiful outdoors, spend time with family and prepare dinner for loved ones. I finished my evening sitting outside listening to the sounds of the music I've grown up on. My wife eventually came out and turned the music off after midnight and allowed me to finish my nap in my chair on the deck. What a great day and evening! Until next time, <em>I hope you all take the time to treasure every day, treasure your loved ones and really love all the aspects of life that you like but take for granted.</em> See you guys and gals next time<em>.</em></div>
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<strong>For full size photos double click on an image.</strong></div>
k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-28686585412176715542012-07-08T12:16:00.000-07:002012-07-08T19:40:21.029-07:00Double Cut Pork Chops With Cuban Black Beans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The 4th of July always brings several thoughts to my mind. First and foremost is, how lucky I am to live in the greatest country in the world. A country made great by the people that fought for our independence and all the men and women since that have fought to maintain our freedom. The 4th of July also brings thoughts of hot weather, summer fun and good BBQ. Having always lived in the South and Midwest I have come to expect the temperature to be scorching hot the first week of July. This year has been no different, as the last week has consistently been 100 plus degrees. When making my 4th of July plan I decided a shorter cook on the grill would probably be more enjoyable than a long cook on the smoker which would require hours of attention.</div>
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A while back I had noticed an article on a restaurant that featured one of their signature dishes, which was a Double Cut Pork Chop. Having several bone in pork loins in the freezer, I thought this would make for a new and interesting dish. I decided I would do some research and look for a recipe that had some of my favorite things in it. When I search for recipes I look for a recipe with key ingredients, spices and veggies with flavor profiles that are familiar to me.This is a Food Network Kitchens recipe that was developed for use with Double Cut Pork Chops so though it will be new to me, it has been tried and it had 22 out of 22 <em>"5 Star Reviews".</em> I will make a couple of small tweaks to the recipe that I will point out later, The recipe calls for a dry rub on the chops with marinating time and a basting sauce applied at the end of the cooking process. </div>
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We will start by making the dry rub. It calls for equal parts of Brown Sugar, Paprika, Coarse Ground Black Pepper and I used a half part of Kosher Salt.</div>
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This is a cut of pork that I have used many times. I have posted a blog on this same cut as a Smoked Rack of Pork. Today I will be cutting 4 Double Cut Pork Chops. This will produce a cut that can stand up to a longer cook to add that nice slow cooked flavor and still be seared and charred a bit to give the effect of a chop that has been grilled much faster with high heat.<br />
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I put a light coat of grape seed oil on each chop and applied a nice size dose of dry rub. I will wrap them in plastic wrap and return them to the refrigerator to marinate for approximately 6 hours.</div>
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The pork will have a multifaceted flavor profile that should go sweet, then tangy and finish off with some heat. That makes me think Caribbean so I chose a Cuban Inspired Black Bean dish to pair with it. I soaked 1lb of Dry Black Beans overnight. I know I will need Bell Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Cumin and Salt.</div>
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I kept putting more ingredients on the cutting board as I thought out how I want these beans to interact with the Pork Chops. I added a couple of Bay Leaves, Mexican Oregano, Diced Serrano Pepper, a mixture of Chopped Green Onions and White Onion.</div>
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The beans have been cooking for approximately 45 minutes so I sauteed my veggies and added them to the beans at about the one hour mark. The beans were perfectly tender after a little more than 90 minutes. I will let them sit and cool, them reheat at dinner time. The resting time gives extra time for all the flavors to meld together.</div>
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The basting sauce for the Pork Chops is what attracted me to this dish. At first glance it gives the appearance of being very sweet. We have Ketchup, Apple Juice, Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, and Bourbon, which is very high in sugar content. To balance it, there is Apple Cider Vinegar, Worcestershire, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper and Onion. Then there was the wild card of Prunes. I was totally unfamiliar with using Prunes in a sauce but I wanted to follow the recipe. Due to our love of heat and spice I added extra Cayenne Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes. The Onion is diced and sauteed in butter, then the Brown Sugar and Cider Vinegar goes in and cooks until dissolved; all other ingredients go in and and you bring it to a boil. The temperature is reduced and it simmers for approximately 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. I then transfer the sauce to a blender so the onion and prunes are pureed.</div>
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The finished product is a beautiful sauce that has a thick velvet consistency. The sauce tastes, as my wife said <em>"very different"</em>. It had that multifaceted flavor that I was looking for and the cook knows that this sauce will change as as it caramelizes in the basting process over high heat. Ultimately this Pork Chop will be flavored by the collaboration of the dry rub, the basting sauce and all the goodness of slow cooked pork with a hot sear at the end.</div>
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I will be cooking the chops on the Primo XL, therefore I will be making another small alteration to the recipe. If I was cooking these on a regular kettle grill I would sear the chops over the fire and then move them over to a cooler area of the grill to finish cooking the chop thoroughly. Ceramic grills maintain heat so well, that if you take it up to a good temperature for searing it is hard to get the temperature down for finishing the cooking process The counter for this is a <em>reverse sear,</em> where you cook the meat at a lower temperature and then when the internal temperature reaches 80 to 85 percent of the target temperature you crank the heat up very quickly and sear as the meat finishes to the target temperature. I cooked these chops indirect at 240 degrees until they were all at 125-130 degrees, at which point I ran the temperature on the grill up to 380-400 degrees and moved the chops over the fire to sear, then baste and finish at 145 degrees internal.</div>
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Double Cut Pork Chops, served with Cuban Inspired Black Beans and Grilled Peaches and Cream Corn. I have paired it with one of our favorites, <em>Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008. </em>The first hint I had that this was a successful cook was when my wife said, you might not need a knife. The knife glided through the <em>3" thick Double Cut Pork Chop, </em>producing mouth watering slices of the best, that pork has to offer. The pairing of the dry rub and the basting sauce was absolutely perfect. The <em>Food Networks Kitchens</em> hit a home run with this recipe and I would recommend it to all. The Black Beans were outstanding and with the Corn on the Cob, formed the perfect complimentary sides. This meal was a 10!</div>
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This was a great 4th of July spent with my beautiful wife Peggy and daughter Mechelle. It was just what I envision for a 4th of July celebration. It was hot, there were a couple of ice cold beers, there was great food and family, and at the end of the evening while sitting on the deck, the smell of gun powder permeated the night air. Despite all of our current problems, we still live in the greatest country in the world. Until I see you again I wish you all, the opportunity to get into the great outdoors and fire up that grill!</div>
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<br /></div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-76650504738910128102012-06-06T19:03:00.000-07:002012-11-12T15:45:41.447-08:00Southern Pulled Pork At Home In The Midwest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I made my first rounds of the Kansas City BBQ Restaurant icons in the early 90's the first thing I noticed was the amount of beef on the menu and the amount of beef being ordered. Most of the BBQ places I had been to in the south offered a chopped beef sandwich as a courtesy to those that couldn't eat pork but you would have never found beef ribs or sliced brisket on the menu. I was asking myself "how does a BBQ Restaurant survive without mastering the hickory smoked, pulled pork sandwich, topped with slaw and and a generous splash of a good tangy sauce?" That being said I was more than happy to be able to get my BBQ fix with fantastic ribs and pit smoked beans that are unmatched in any other city throughout this great country. BBQ critics often show up on television or in magazine features using various terms to describe Memphis BBQ, Kansas City BBQ, Texas BBQ or Carolina BBQ. Usually I can relate to and agree with the vague descriptions that they use in describing the various styles but one thing I think that should always be used when talking about Kansas City BBQ is "best Hickory Smoked Beans on the planet." So on this first big cooking weekend of the summer to be, I will be focusing on the staple good of where I come from, Hickory Smoked Southern Pulled Pork and my favorite thing from where I am, Hickory Smoked BBQ Beans.<br />
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As usual I was looking forward to this cook with great anticipation. I was looking at the extended weather forecast, plotting my menu, and going on shopping excursions for some of my favorite things. Since I am firing up the large smoker I will be making it worth my while and cooking enough to vacuum seal and freeze leftovers that will make for great dishes in the near future. I will be doing Pork Butts, Spare Ribs, a variety of Sausages, with sides of Smoked Mac n Cheese and BBQ Beans.<br />
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Though I enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend and it usually serves as a big kickoff to my summer season it is always done with a very heavy heart. My father was a soldier in World War II. My father was a soldier until his death in 2003. With all the great things my father did in his life, his work, providing for his family, traveling the world in his retirement, nothing meant as much to him or defined him more than being a soldier, putting his life on the line defending his country and being a brother to all of those that have given Americans the freedoms that allow us to do the things we all love to do. My father didn't think about the soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day, my father mourned, often times for days, over the loss of those he knew and didn't know alike. I've never met a man I respected and idolized more than my father and it is he that impressed upon me the deep gratitude and love we should have for all, that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. So on this Memorial Day Weekend I will enjoy the freedoms our fallen soldiers have preserved, while I think about the sacrifice the soldiers and their families made.<br />
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On my midweek off day I did one of my favorite things, going shopping at two of Kansas City's finest BBQ supply stores. I picked up sauces, rubs and grill accessories, all the while feeling like a chocolate addict in a candy store or a kid in a great toy store. What fun!! After that it was off to pick up Pork Butts and Spare Ribs. While reading some online reviews I had seen several people praising the Sausages from Krizmans House Of Sausage in Kansas City, Ks. It is in an area I'm unfamiliar with, so realizing my son was familiar with the area I called him asking for general directions and before I could tell him what I was looking for, he told me he had been right to that area years back to pick up a half a hog for a pig roast. I said well, I might be sending you back to the same place because I'm looking for a place that is well known for their sausage making abilities. Now the plan is coming together well, I've been to the BBQ stores, I'm picking up the butts and ribs and my son is 25 miles away picking up the sausages.<br />
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I woke up on Sunday with plans of getting the smoker up and running by 11 am and being able to have things ready by noon on Memorial Day. I will be feeding some of my friends at my local Minsky's that serve me great drinks and make me outstanding pizzas. I start out by putting the rub on the Pork Butts while the smoker is coming up to temperature. The smoker will be fueled by Royal Oak Lump Charcoal and Hickory splits.<br />
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I will be putting my usual dry rub on the Pork Butts which is a commercially available rub (Head Country) and adding about 15% by volume of Raw Sugar and Cracked Black Pepper. I will put on a light coat of grape seed oil and then rub the mixture deep into the crevasses. The added Raw Sugar will be what produces the bark or the crusty outer edge of the meat that makes Pulled Pork the crown jewel of Southern BBQ. The butts are in a two pack cryovac weighing approximately 17.5 lbs. In an ideal situation I would like that to be two butts at 8.75 lbs each for more uniform cooking times but this has one a little over 10 lbs and one a little over 7 lbs. They were the ones that stood out to me when picking through the selection so I will live with the variation. Pork Butt is the perfect cut for someone wanting to smoke their first large cut of meat. It is very forgiving to temperature spikes and has no problems in the 225 -275 temperature range while being able to survive spikes up to 300 degrees, due to it's fat content. The object is to slowly render out the fat and break down connective tissue within the muscle. For pulled pork that is achieved when the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees. When done correctly the blade bone in the butt will pull right out of the meat with a slight pull. The bone will be virtually devoid of meat and indicates that your hard work will be handsomely rewarded.<br />
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I usually cut my Spare Ribs down to St Louis Cut which involves removing the skirt meat off the back. I place the knife parallel to the back of the ribs, lift the skirt up and cut it as close to the back of the ribs as possible. Next I remove the membrane from the back and the brisket bone and cartilage at the top of the ribs These rib tips actually are my favorite meat on the rack of Spare Ribs. I cook them closer to the fire box at hotter temperatures for less time than the ribs. They make for great snacks or great seasoning for beans at a later time. The ribs will be rubbed with a light coat of grape seed oil and seasoned with a commercial rub, The Slabs Birds and Bones and Cracked Black Pepper.<br />
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The smoker is up to temperature and it is time to load it up. <br />
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Approximately five hours in the smoker has been running at 225 degrees throughout the cook. I will bump it up to 250 degrees for 30-45 minutes to sweat more fat out of the ribs and get the surface a bit crusty. Total cook time on the ribs will be between 5.5 hrs and 6 hrs while the rib tips will cook about 4 hrs.<br />
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With the ribs coming off there won't be a whole lot more going on today. Peggy and I have nibbled on some rib tips and will have a hot polish with sauerkraut or a knackwurst with sauerkraut for dinner. My plan is to leave the Pork Butts on the stick burner until dark or approximately 10 hrs. I will then move them to the Ceramic Cooker (Primo XL) until they reach the desired temperature. The ceramic holds heat very well and requires very little attention while cooking. I have planned on 18 plus hours for the largest of the two butts so I will keep an eye on them throughout the evening into the early morning hours of Memorial Day. <br />
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My son John got me the hook up at Krizmans House of Sausage. I've got Polish, Hot Polish and Garlic Knackwurst. I kind of felt like I was cheating when I asked him to stop in and pick me up sausages from there. I've been going to Fritz's in South Kansas City for years to get some of the best Hot Polish and Knackwurst ever made. Fritz's was originated almost 90 years ago by a German immigrant that was a master sausage maker in his homeland. I really enjoy patronizing businesses that are family run and the end result is getting an outstanding product that the family name stands behind. I have now found another great sausage making bunch at Krizmans. The Hot Polish is spicy, spicy and the Knackwurst is a fat mans dream! I usually put my sausage on the smoker but I will cook these with indirect heat on a medium grill for a nice slow cook that allows them to swell up on their own juices. We will have a few dogs and I will slice the rest to share with friends.<br />
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I had quite the night on Sunday night. I spent my day on Sunday cooking, working in the yard and watching and listening to various sports. Around 9 pm on Sunday night I moved the Pork Butts to the ceramic cooker which will allow me the opportunity to sleep some, while the cooking is going on. It was a nice night to sit out, have a couple of cold beers and listen to some good music. I turned in around 1am but set the alarm for 3 to check and make sure everything was good, then got up again around 4:45 to take the small butt off. It reached 195 after approximately 17.5 hrs of cook time and the thermometer probe passed through with ease. I wrapped it up in foil and put it in an empty cooler to let it rest and hold its temperature. The larger of the 2 Pork Butts was as stubborn as any I have cooked. After 20 hours it was still sitting at 177 degrees and had stalled twice, once in the low 160's and now it had sat at 177 for 90 minutes. I bumped the heat up between 250 and 275 and it finally reached 195 in a shade under 22 hours of cook time.<br />
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The Pulled Pork is beautiful! The bone eased right out. With a hand on each end of the Pork Butt I gave it a flex and it started cracking open where the different muscles join. As I flexed it more it opened up revealing just what I wanted to see, a deep penetrating smoke ring with the color that a smoker dreams of. The bark is full of flavor, the meat is juicy and the texture is perfect. This result was well worth 22 hours. With the Pulled Pork finished it is time to turn my attention to the sides.<br />
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I will be trying a new recipe with the Smoked Mac n Cheese. I'm not a huge fan of Mac n Cheese but I want to give this a try to see if it is a recipe I would like to prepare as a side in future cooks. <br />
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This recipe uses 4 cheeses. Gouda, Extra Sharp Cheddar, Grated Parmesan, and Cream Cheese. It begins with cooking the pasta to just tender because it will cook further in the smoker. I made a roux using the butter and flour, then added the milk, and cream cheese. As the sauce thickens up, Peggy tossed the cooked macaroni with half of the grated Cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan then added her special touch with a few dashes of nutmeg. The sauce is poured over the macaroni and then it is spooned into a cooking dish.It is then layered with the remaining half of the grated cheeses, and it is ready for the smoker.<br />
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With the Mac n Cheese ready to go on I will start working on my beans. I normally use Navy Beans but have gone with the back up Great Northern Beans. Since they will be cooked with a lot of seasoning I initially cooked the dry beans rather simply with garlic salt, onion salt and black pepper. I saute some of my favorite things. We have minced garlic, a diced Serrano pepper, a small chopped bell pepper and a small white onion. I'm combining 1.5 lbs of Pulled Pork from the freezer, 1 lb of Great Northern Beans, my sauteed veggies, a bottle of Smoke House Baked Bean Sauce and I add a mixture of 2 of our favorite BBQ sauces.<br />
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Now the sides are ready for the smoker. I've prepared the ceramic cooker with 3 or 4 hickory chunks and and will put these on together. When I'm trying to knock my beans out of the park I put them in the big smoker under a Brisket or Pork Butt and let them catch the drippings but I've decided on this route mainly because of the timing issues. I'll be cooking the beans for approximately 90 minutes and the mac until it reaches a nice golden color.<br />
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As I started preparing the care package for our friends that were spending the day working, Peggy had an addition from her kitchen. A batch of her cookies simply known as "the best cookie".<br />
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As is often the case it took a couple of days before I sat down to eat anything that was cooked. I have a taste of this and a taste of that and usually in a couple of days I'm ready to chow. Everything came out great but I wasn't that fond of the Mac n Cheese. It was an absolute beautiful dish but for my taste it took on a little too much smokiness, others including Peggy thought it was very good. I will try the dish again and put it in the large smoker which imparts a much milder smoke over the same cooking time frames. The beans were some of my best ever, with a great balance of flavors and a noticeable but not overbearing hickory flavor. </div>
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I finally sat down and enjoyed the fruits of my labor. A Pulled Pork sandwich on a grilled bun, piled high with smokey goodness, topped with Peggy's Cole Slaw and drizzled with a great sauce from my favorite childhood BBQ restaurant "McClards" from Hot Springs, Ar. It goes great with Pulled Pork and I still remember my trips with my dad to McClards like they were yesterday. Onion Rings, Hickory Smoked Beans, an ice cold Coors Light and the cook remembers why he loves doing this.</div>
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At one time I thought about doing a recipe section so people would know exactly what I'm putting into a dish. After putting that to thought I decided against it because I rarely cook the same thing the exact same way twice, even if it was very successful. Peggy and I discuss the evolution of dishes that we cook and how some dishes that started out with 8 ingredients are up to 18 ingredients by the 4th time we cook them. I like looking for recipes that have been reviewed by many people and rated highly. I cook it once as the recipe dictates and it then becomes a canvas that I look at and make changes to that suit my tastes. So look up a recipe and give it a try so you can start personalizing it to your taste.</div>
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k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-52413009031675339952012-05-20T18:01:00.000-07:002012-05-20T18:01:07.572-07:00Stuffed Poblano Peppers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On a beautiful day last week I announced to my wife that my goal for that afternoon was to be sitting on a patio at a local establishment, having a cocktail and an appetizer while soaking up the sun and enjoying the breeze. Needless to say, I achieved my goal! We had Margaritas with a Sangria swirl, Avocado Fries and Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos. It was a great afternoon with good food and drink, but it left me yearning for more Mexican inspired food.<br />
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After careful consideration I made my shopping list and returned home with all the necessary items to make for a dish, robust with many flavors.. The plan was for "Stuffed Pobalno Peppers". I will base them on a Guy Fieri recipe that I had seen a while back. Many of the items for this dish will be picked up in the produce section I picked out large poblanos that would be easy to stuff, a serrano pepper for heat, a jalapeno pepper for flavor, flavor and color from red peppers, green bell pepper, red/purple onion and minced garlic.. I selected a medium length grain, white rice, 3/4 lb of 21 ct white shrimp and 12 ozs of chorizo. The chorizo is a fine grind Mexican sausage that is seasoned with native spices. I will season the dish with additional cumin and chipotle chili powder and top the peppers with cheddar jack cheese.<br />
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While the grill is heating up I will get to chopping. This dish can be made with the poblano skin on or removed. I will put the peppers on the grill over a hot fire to char them a bit. When I place the peppers in a covered bowl for 5 minutes or so the skin will blister up and allow the peppers to easily be peeled. This will make for a tender pepper that the fork will pass through very easy.<br />
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I started the chorizo browning and added all of the veggies and spices. I love the aroma of onions, peppers and garlic. When you add sausage to the mix there is no doubt that something very good is going on in the kitchen. While the veggies were still good and firm I added my cup of rice and tossed it until it was covered with the the residual oil in the dish, allowing it to toast for just a moment. I then added 1 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of water. I simmer this until the rice is 80% done.</div>
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I've had peaches and cream corn on the cob soaking in water in preparation for going on the grill. It is my favorite way to do corn on the cob and is simple as can be. I submerge it in water for 1 to 2 hours in husk, put it in a hot grill with the lid closed for as little as 10 minutes. I usually avoid setting it directly over the coals so I don't have to watch it. I turn it once or twice during the cooking process. When I remove the corn I wrap it in several sheets of newspaper and set the corn in a small empty cooler to stay warm. It finishes cooking while it is resting and makes for a firm kernel that is full of moisture and has an enhanced sweetness.<br />
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The peppers are off of the grill and resting. The top of the bowl will be covered with plastic wrap to rest until I remove the skin. I have shelled the shrimp and will cut them into bite size chunks. I will place the shrimp in the rest of the stuffing mixture but I will not cook it, as the shrimp will cook when the stuffed peppers are finishing in the grill.</div>
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It is time to stuff the peppers. I've removed the skins from the peppers and made a slit the length of the pepper to open them up, to stuff. I placed them on a foil covered cooking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.</div>
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I've pulled the corn on the cob and wrapped it for resting. I've prepared the grill with both heat deflectors in and steadied the temperature @ 325 degrees. The peppers will go on for 20-25 minutes to cook the shrimp and allow all of the flavors of the dish to come together. Now is my favorite time in this kind of a cook. I've been busy, busy since I headed to the grocery store. Now I can sit down and enjoy this beautiful day with a cold beer and smell the peppers finishing in the grill.</div>
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After 20 minutes I topped the peppers with cheddar jack and will give them another 10 minutes for the cheese to melt thoroughly.</div>
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Well it is dinner time and the Mexican inspired meal that I was thinking of when I left the patio early in the week has come to fruition. I have prepared black beans and shucked the corn. Dinner is served. Stuffed Poblano Peppers, Corn on the Cob, and Black Beans served with Sour Cream, Salsa Verde, Picco De Gallo and Jalapenos. The meal is paired with a Modelo Especial in a frosty mug.</div>
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Peggy and I eat out for special occasions, when we go out with friends and when we are craving convenience. We are of the belief that in most cases we can prepare a better meal with fresher ingredients than we can get eating out. When you combine that, with my love of cooking and being able to do a lot of the meal preparation outside on a spectacular day, this was a great meal that was unique and not available on a local menu. My love for stuffed peppers has evolved over the years beginning with stuffed bell peppers as a child, inspired years ago by the guy at Arrowhead Stadium sharing a variety of spicy stuffed banana, poblano and jalapeno peppers at a Chiefs game, our friends mom and her chili rellenos, to great poppers on various appetizer menus. This was an excellent recipe that I will take some new liberties with next time, maybe leaving the skins on and trying a coarser grind sausage.</div>
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Summer is just around the corner so everyone plan those afternoons on the deck enjoying your family, your yard, your home and preparing a nice fresh meal on the grill. </div>
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<strong>For full size photos double click on the images.</strong></div>
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</div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-29320447453531200262012-05-13T10:29:00.003-07:002012-05-13T18:58:09.261-07:00A Mothers Day Weekend In The Midwest<br />
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At one point in time the Midwest seemed like a foreign land to me. I had heard of Kansas City and Lees Summit, Missouri because my father traveled here for his work. As a kid I had watched the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals playing in that foreign land. Being a southern boy that was born and raised in a town of 50,000 I was overwhelmed on Razorback football Saturdays sitting in the stands with my pops and my brother amongst 55,000 people realizing, there were more people in the stadium than my hometown. When I first realized my wife and I would be moving to a metropolitan area of 2 plus million I thought to myself, I know that place, there is the Chiefs, the Royals and there is a little town called Lees Summit that dad used to travel to. Within a week of that day Lees Summit became my home and is my home. Now, I am a Midwestern guy that has some southern roots. Yesterday was just another of the thousands of great days I've had in my Midwestern home. However it was not just any day.<br />
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My wife and I moved to the Kansas City area to continue our careers with what at the time was the largest communications company in the world. It was the same communications company my mother and father worked 35 years for, the same communications company that my father traveled with to the once foreign land. After getting the great opportunity for early retirement my wife and I took advantage of that and retired from our first careers after 25 years. We took a year off and I contemplated what I would do in my next career. I wanted to drive! I love being in a vehicle and seeing things go by, listening to the radio and being a part of the outside elements. I thought about being an over the road driver but I love home and my family to much to be gone that much. Then one day it came to me, I would love to drive in the country, see the farmers working in the fields, have wildlife sightings and deliver the mail. So that is exactly what I do and love. How lucky am I!<br />
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I woke up yesterday with a great sense of anticipation. I will experience my favorite workday of the year and then come home and cook my wife her Mothers Day dinner. She has Mothers Day plans with some of our new family members so I will be cooking Prime Rib for her Mothers Day dinner on Saturday night. But first things first! Today is the USPS Food Drive To Stamp Out Hunger. This is the day that our generous caring customers leave food items for their mail carriers to pick-up and help the food pantry's restock during a time where they traditionally run low on donations.<br />
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This is my truck as I am leaving to deliver my route. It is loaded with mail and packages and I hope to replace that with food as the day goes along.<br />
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After 5 plus hours and 54 miles I am extremely pleased! My dear people in the country side of Grain Valley, I am very proud to be your mail carrier. I will always be out there watching out for you, your families, and your property as if you are my family. Thank you so much for letting me serve you. It is truly a pleasure.<br />
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After a truly great work day and feeling a real sense of accomplishment I get to go home to the person on this earth, that I love more than anything. I will be honoring the lady that has spent 35 years with me, traveled to this once foreign land with me, allowed me the honor of being her husband and most importantly the father to her three children. No man could ask for more than I have been blessed with in those 35 years.<br />
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The Mothers Day menu will be Prime Rib, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus. When I arrived home Peggy had garlic roasting and some appetizer sized stuffed mushrooms side by side in the oven. I will start by prepping the grill and putting the rub on the Prime Rib. This is a small rib roast that I cut off of a whole rib eye loin a short while back.<br />
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I find this as a preferable way to buy beef when the prices are good. It allows me to cut steaks to different sizes. From this particular loin there were 8 nice rib eyes, and a small prime rib. On this occasion I also purchased a strip loin that weighed approximately 15 lbs and cut Kansas City Strips. I get the knives and vacuum sealer out and stock the freezer. The trimmings from the two loins made an outstanding steak vegetable soup on that February day when there was still a chill in the air.<br />
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Here is tonight's prime rib which is approximately 35% to 40% of the size of the ones I normally cook. For many, they will look at this cut and say it is too fat and I will agree that it is fat and then tell you, that is why it is the most flavorful cut of roast/steak. You will see two things that appear to be fat on this rib eye, white harder fat and white streaks (marbling) within the meat. When you see a cut of beef that is heavy on these white veins of fat grab it as fast as you can. Odds are it will be Prime grade or at worst Choice grade. You will not be seeing this in Select grade and I would tell all that can afford to do so to stay away from Select grade or lower. The best chefs will be hard pressed to make you a tender flavorful steak, brisket or roast from a Select grade or lower. This is a Choice grade which I find very acceptable, the marbling you see in this rib eye will render out as it cooks and that is what will make this cut so full of flavor. The white harder fat is essentially holding the cut together and what doesn't render out will be left as scraps on the plate.<br />
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This cut does not need any real dressing up. I am rubbing it with grape seed oil, mainly to hold the dry rub on and allow me to work it into the surface. I will use a Montreal Steak Grinder, Sea Salt and add some cracked Black Pepper.<br />
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When the loin was boned out it allowed it to collapse and become elongated. That is fine for steaks but for a rib roast I want it to be more uniform to cook longer and more evenly. To accomplish this I will use some butcher sting and tie it up.</div>
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After searing the exterior for several minutes over the coals I've prepared the grill for indirect cooking. I seared it just long enough to get the fat cap on top to start rendering some fat very early in the cook. I've moved the rib eye roast away from the coals with a heat deflector underneath. I've prepared a drip pan with 2 cups of beef broth, garlic powder and onion powder. It will catch some of the drippings and I will use this to flavor an aus jus to be served with dinner.</div>
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I will level the temperature off at 325. I've inserted a meat probe to be able to monitor the internal temperature without opening the grill. Meanwhile Peggy and I are able to sit and enjoy some time in the sun room. Once the cooking process starts moving along I will start preparing sides. Peggy has peeled some Yukon Gold potatoes, and I am fixing to make the best Garlic Mashed Potato recipe I've ever had. I will drain the potatoes and add a small amount of butter for flavor. I use a small knife and pop each clove out of the pod of garlic adding all of them to the potatoes, followed by a generous drizzle of the olive oil that the garlic roasted in. This will give them a smooth, silky texture that is unmatched. I use condensed milk to get the final consistency I like.</div>
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This is as simple as cooked asparagus gets. I 've broken the spears where they want to break, tossed them in olive oil, and seasoned with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. I've prepared a grill and this can cook in the length of time that the meat will rest. When we have this with steaks we shut the air flow off on a hot grill and throw the asparagus on while our steaks rest. I'm using a separate grill tonight.</div>
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The rib eye roast is ready to come off and be tented and the grill is ready for the asparagus. I cooked the roast to 133 degrees internal. It will probably come up to 137 or thereabouts while resting. I like the rare side of medium rare and Peggy likes the more medium side of medium rare. This should please us both. I cooked at 325 degrees until the internal temperature hit 115 and at that time I opened the air vents up and took the grill to 425 degrees for the last 15 to 20 minutes until reaching the desired temperature. This adds a crustiness to the outer edges and renders more fat.</div>
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Everything is ready and it is time for a late dinner. I carved the rib eye and I liked what I saw. The meat though medium rare, is still very juicy. As the meat cools further, the juices will soak in and Peggy will have her light pink cut that she desires.</div>
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While we prepare our plates we will preview the wine we will serve with dinner. I am a firm believer in finding a good bargain bottle except for very special occasions. Tonight we are having a Cabernet we had on hand that retails for about $15. I can always find a good wine to pair with a meal for $15 to $20 and if I'm feeling thrifty I can find a nice wine for $10. Peggy has put the aus jus together using fresh beef broth, some pan drippings and kitchen bouquet. A good horseradish will top the rib roast off.</div>
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My plate:</div>
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Peggy's Mothers Day dinner:</div>
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It has been one of those days that I will file away and think back to, when I count my blessings. It was around 6 pm when I could actually start cooking, yet dinner was served at the same hour as many of the times we go out with a reservation. To my wife Peggy I would like to say, you have opened my eyes to so many great things, you have not only supported my hobbies you have embellished them by giving me wonderful gifts I've used to pursue them. You inspire me to be creative and encourage me when I fail. So much of who I am is is a result of being with you. I hope you have a wonderful Mothers Day.</div>
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To all the other mothers out there, I wish you all a Happy Mothers Day. Try to find a day to enjoy in the kitchen or on the deck with the grill. I know it is hard to enjoy cooking when you are cooking for a family after a hectic day but it is possible because Peggy and I used to do it. It is relaxing and rewarding while nourishing your family. I cannot count the number of you, past and present that have greatly influenced my life. To my mom you were and are simply the best. I do miss you, but you are with me every day in all the little ways you taught me to live my life. Happy Mothers Day all.</div>
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<strong>For full size photos double click on images.</strong></div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-82755231869454124652012-04-29T15:38:00.000-07:002012-04-29T15:38:07.547-07:00Bourbon And Pepper Pork Tenderloin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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The tenderloin is the most delicate and tender cut of pork. Unlike ribs and butts that are cooked to high temperature to reach tenderness the tenderloin can be cooked to temperatures similar to fine cuts of beef and be safe,tender and most importantly moist. While the USDA guidelines call for pork to be cooked to 145 degrees internal we still prefer to cook to 150 and while resting it will reach 155 degrees internal. The pork tenderloin is the pork equivalent of beef tenderloin which is the orgin of fillet mignon. These tenderloins are approximately 1.5 lbs each. We will marinade them for 24 hours and they will go on the grill whole and be sliced after resting.</div>
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This will be a full bodied marinade robust with flavors. Soy Sauce, Bourbon, Worcestershire, Olive Oil, Garlic, Brown Sugar, Cracked Black Pepper, White Pepper, Ground Ginger and Salt.</div>
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The pork tenderloins going for a 24 hour swim.<br />
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Saturday started out as an absolute beautiful day. As usual I'm really looking forward to working in the yard and spending some time in the kitchen and on the deck cooking. Working in the yard and cooking out go hand in hand for me. I always enjoy the smell of the fresh cut grass and looking out over the days work while cooking. Unfortunately the day went south shortly after finishing in the yard. There were several short, heavy downpours and the temperature leveled off in the mid 60's before allowing a good window to cook.</div>
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While the grill was pre heating we prepared Garlic Herbed Potatoes. Peggy cut wedges of red new potatoes, yukon gold potatoes and chopped fresh thyme, rosemary and marjoram. I tossed the potatoes in olive oil with minced garlic, salt, cracked black pepper and the herbs.</div>
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It is human nature for people to find something that is a luxury, yet they feel that due to circumstances they can always justify it as a need. People that love cars will usually end up with a fast car or a vintage car. An outdoors man will have an abundance of guns, bows, rods and reels and fast boats. Some women go overboard on shoes and handbags. I have expensive smokers, grills, professional cookware, and the best German steel knives. These are some of my favorite things and my children will use them long after I'm gone. The crockery bowl below is not some new high tech cookware. It is a bowl my wife has had for 43 years and her grandmother mixed and tossed things in it long before I was born. It is just another way that cooking connects generations of our families through recipes, techniques and handed down cookware. Cooking is a time of relaxation for me and I often find myself reflecting back to some of my earliest memories of my mom and dad in the kitchen and the great smells that are still so vivid 50 years later.</div>
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The grill has reached 400 degrees and the tenderloins are going on the grill. The potatoes will go in the oven at 400 degrees on convection and the timing should be in sync. The grill is burning lump charcoal and I will cook in two different zones. Direct over the fire to brown it up and get the outer texture I desire and then indirect to reach the desired internal temperature. These tenderloins weigh approximately 1.5 lbs. each and probably will need around 30 minutes of cook time.</div>
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While the tenderloins are cooking we opened a nice Chardonnay and took a moment to toast our daughter who is in town for the weekend. I love a good glass of wine while in the kitchen or hovering over the grill. Meanwhile Peggy is back in the kitchen chopping away. Spring and summer were made for beautiful fresh salads. Nothing decorates a plate during the spring or summer like a salad loaded with all of the bright colors and flavors available.</div>
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The tenderloins have reached 150 degrees internal and I will tent them in foil and let them rest for 10 minutes or so and the internal temperature will rise to approximately 155.</div>
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The tenderloin has rested, the potatoes are out of the oven and we are ready to sit down and break bread. </div>
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Served with a Pinot Noir.</div>
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It was an excellent meal enhance by the opportunity to share it with our daughter. The tenderloin was tender, moist and heavy on flavor. The marinade had a similar flavor to a teriyaki and if I knew then what I know now I would reduce the marinating time from 24 hours to 8 to 10 hours on the smaller cut of tenderloin. That being said, I didn't send the plate back to the kitchen! Once again it was a great Saturday of doing my favorite things. Until I see you again I hope you all allow yourself a luxury that you can justify as a need.<br />
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<strong>Double click images for full size images.</strong><br />
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<br /></div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-84009486614584143342012-04-19T15:08:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:26:01.414-07:00The Smell Of Summer Is In The Air<br />
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This unseasonable winter and spring has allowed my mind to drift right off into summer. I took a couple of days off to have a long weekend and I had already formulated the perfect plan. The opening day for baseball in Kansas City was Friday and that would leave Saturday and Sunday to fire up the cookers,work in the yard and yes, write the dreaded checks to the IRS and Department of Revenue.<br />
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The plan was off to a roaring start on Friday morning when we went to our local pizza pub (Minskys) and boarded a charter bus with 40 fun loving baseball/party fans. It is one of those moments when you realize how great of a country we live in. What better than having your wife, son and close friends, all seemingly not missing work at all, cold beers in hand, headed to The K for the opening of our home baseball season. After a couple of hours of great tailgating we were all off to our seats with great anticipation. Less than 15 minutes after the first pitch our guys were down 7-0 and the masses were distraught over the quick end to their hopes of going home with a win. Meanwhile, I was already thinking about my ultimate day of relaxation, tending the smoker, working in the yard and an evening on the deck with a nice fire and good music.<br />
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Saturday morning I had a familiar energy about me. I was up early and cleaning on the smokers. Simple steps leave it virtually ready to go at all times but I like to hit the grates with the torch and give them a good rubdown with grape seed oil. First on the agenda is to trim up the brisket and put a dry rub on it. Peggy had picked out an 11.6 lb Black Angus whole brisket. There are several things that I look for when purchasing a brisket. When I pick the brisket up I place my hand in the middle and I want it to bend a good 45 degrees. This tells me the brisket has very little hard fat. A stiff brisket that doesn't bend nicely on both sides is not a keeper. Give the brisket a good massage and you will find the hard fat and be able to determine if it is an acceptable amount. They are in a cryovac packaging so it shouldn't alarm other shoppers too much. We like the point for burnt ends or chopped beef so we always look for a brisket with a large point. Peggy did a very nice job on the selection and this should work very well.<br />
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This brisket has two spots of fat that I want to remove, the upper right and the lower right. And I will thin the fat cap on the underside to allow for better penetration from the dry rub and the smoke.</div>
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After trimming approximately 1.5 lbs off I have a very nice brisket ready for a good dry rubbing and a trip to the smoker. </div>
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The usual suspects for my brisket. A light coating of grape seed oil will allow the dry rub to work into the surface. I used a good dose of cracked black pepper and a liberal coating of Head Country with about a 10% by volume addition of raw sugar.</div>
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While the smoker is coming up to temperature and the brisket is hanging out with the dry rub I will start preparing the ribs. I will be cooking loin back ribs. Often times they are generically called baby backs but these are a larger cut. True baby back ribs are generally 1.5 lbs and down, while these loin backs are 3 to 3.5 lbs per side. These are a very meaty rib that are easier to handle than a spare rib and a larger portion than a baby back rib. They can make for a nice appetizer type finger food or be the entree in a bbq based meal.</div>
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When selecting loin back or baby back ribs there is a great rule of thumb to get a meaty side of ribs that will cook evenly. A side of ribs normally progresses from a short bone to longer bones. In back ribs when there is a large discrepancy in rib length from the short end to the long end you often get long bones with very little meat and subsequently the long bones end up dryer than the short bones. </div>
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Peggy did a great job of selecting the ribs. These are very uniform from short end to long end and will do very well on the smoker. I gave them a good washing, dried them off and removed the thin membrane from the bone side. I used a paper towel and grabbed the membrane at the end bone and it pulls away in one pull.</div>
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I dry rubbed the ribs with The Slabs (Bird and Bones) and they are ready to hit the smoker.</div>
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These will be cooked in an offset smoker that has two separate chambers. One chamber is for the fuel which will be small amounts of lump charcoal and splits of hickory wood that are about the size of a piece of firewood. The other compartment holds the meat and allows the meat to be exposed to the heat and smoke without being subjected to the damaging effects of an open flame.</div>
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On this cooker I expect the ribs to take between 5 and 6 hours @ 225 degrees. The brisket would normally spend up to 20 or more hours but I will be splitting the cook time between 2 different cookers and the brisket could be done in 15 to 16 hours.</div>
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A couple of hours in and everything is looking good. I normally cook ribs bone side down for the whole cook but these are so large I decided to give them an hour with the meat side down.</div>
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The ribs cooked for 5.5 to 6 hrs which is a little long but we don't cook by time. I use 3 tests to determine when ribs are ready. One is to look at the tips of the bones for the meat to be pulling back. This is helpful but not always an accurate test. Next I pick the ribs up with my hand in the middle and look for the 45 degree bend and the meat almost breaking open in the top middle. The toothpick test is the final test, pushing a toothpick into the meat between two bones. You want it to pass through with very little resistance. These are done.</div>
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The brisket has been on the smoker for 10 hours. The large smoker requires a good deal of attention, with a split of wood needing to be added approximately every 45 minutes and a half of a chimney of lump charcoal every 90 minutes. It is 9:30 pm and it has been a long day of yard work and cooking so I am moving the brisket to the ceramic cooker which requires virtually no attention. I have preheated the cooker to 220 degrees and once the brisket is on I can sit back, have a cold one, enjoy a nice fire and listen to some good tunes.</div>
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Tonight we are burning lump charcoal and no wood. The 10 hrs on the larger smoker has imparted all the smoke flavor we need. The beauty of this cooker is the ease of controlling the temperature.It is almost as easy as pushing a button on your range to move the temperature up or down, The design of the cooker and the control over air flow allows for total predictability. If you want a set temperature it is as easy as, set it and forget it. I've got both of the ceramic plate (heat diffusers) in place and I've placed a couple of drip pans in to make for easy clean up. The next 5 or 6 hours is my favorite me time.</div>
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I've got the cooker to the left, a nice fire to the right and good music is making it's way from the sun room to the deck. I've got my little helper Lilly laying on the deck by poppas feet and an ice cold beer in hand. The winds are blowing 20 to 25 mph and the willows are whispering in the quiet of the night. I know I'm in my back yard in the middle of the burbs but this feels like those late summer, early fall nights on Lake Ouachita, sitting around the fire with my family. My cheeks are getting tired from the constant smile on my face.<br />
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My last few briskets, I've really focused on getting everything perfect to make burnt ends with the point. I've cooked them to a higher temperature, used more brown sugar (this creates the crusty/bark texture on the exterior) and in doing so, I've cooked the flat portion of the brisket a little dryer than we prefer. The flat is where we get our sliced brisket and I've made a conscious effort to turn my attention to making sure the flat is moist and the sliced brisket meets expectations. For those that don't cook brisket the best way I can explain the challenge, is comparing it to turkey or chicken with the breast/thigh challenge. Often times while making sure you get the thighs done you risk drying out the breast. The whole brisket has 2 muscles, the flat and the point, which have much different consistency and it can be a challenge in getting both to reach the best that they can be at the same time.<br />
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After 4 hours on the Primo and 14 total hours of cook time I did the unthinkable and wrapped the brisket in foil. I've not foiled a brisket in the cooking process for 10 years. In cooking circles this technique is referred to as the "Texas Crutch" and can be an insult to any serious outdoor cook, other than a Texan. In my own defense I will state that I will only cook for 60 minutes in the foil to collect some of the drippings to make an aus jus. I wrapped it with the internal temperature in the flat @ 174 degrees and I pulled it with the internal temperature @ 185. This is a good 10 degrees lower than normal. I will then let the brisket sit in foil for another 2 hours in an ice chest, using towels for insulation to hold the heat and continue a slow cooking process. Here is the brisket ready for carving.<br />
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The point sits on top of the flat. I always like to separate them because the grain runs different directions and when slicing it is always important to slice across the grain. I take the carving knife and run it between the two muscles to separate them. The point is on the right and and the flat is on the left. All indications are, it is moist, has a nice smoke ring and a beautiful aroma. I will will slice some of the flat to see if this brisket cook is a success.</div>
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This point in the process is why I do this. I wait for this moment sometimes for 20+ hours. I cannot begin to count how many times I've waited patiently for hours on end to see the end result of my effort, only to be extremely disappointed. Today is one of those days that makes up for all of the disappointments. I had a plan, I executed the plan, and I turned out a brisket that I would be proud and confident to serve to the toughest of critics (that being me). It has a beautiful smoke ring, fork tender but not not falling apart, melts in the mouth and is bursting with flavor. Every part of the plan from the dry rub to the cooking time on two cookers to the hour in foil to the internal temperature turned out perfect. Peggy has been down and rubbed a piece over some drippings and told me it was time to quit my day job. I however know there are dry brisket's that lie ahead so I will keep on going to the salt mine.</div>
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Peggy has prepared some of my favorite sides. And I am ready for a nice BBQ dinner. We have smoked pulled pork baked beans, potato salad, and slaw to accompany ribs and brisket. A frosty mug of Modelo Especial will pair well.</div>
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It was a super weekend and all the anticipation of a great day of cooking, working in the yard and enjoying a beautiful evening on the deck was answered with results that exceeded expectations. When Sunday evening came, writing those checks to the IRS and Department of Revenue was not near as painful as I had anticipated. Actually I was still smiling. Until I see you all again I hope all your weekends are full of anticipation and all of your expectations are exceeded.</div>
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<br /></div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-72195964554835582672012-04-04T12:16:00.000-07:002012-04-04T12:16:18.825-07:00Cedar Plank Salmon<br />
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Being a product of 34 years of Southern raising and conditioning I cannot help but come to quick conclusions when answering questions posed to me about food. Last week I received a call from my wife while I was working and she was grocery shopping. The question was "Does fish sound good for dinner?" Within a seconds time my brain had flashed a full color HD picture of a spread that is a southern boys dream. There was fried fish, french fries, slaw, hush puppies, tartar sauce, Louisiana Hot Sauce and ice cold beer. Oh man I could already smell the fish frying! Before the slobber could clear up enough for me to formulate an answer, the wife follows up with, I'm looking at a beautiful fillet of salmon and that sounds soooo good. With the HD picture gone and major disappointment having already set in, I respond with a less than enthusiastic, "sure babe that sounds fine." It is not that I don't like an occasional piece of salmon, it is just that the southern conditioning that has made Lipitor the most prescribed medication in the history of mankind makes my brain see fried fish as a 10 and salmon as a 7. Now if we are talking a salmon croquette fried in a spicy fish batter and adorned with Louisiana Hot then that is more like a 9! Well I know how this story is going to end so my thinking has now shifted gears and I'm trying to formulate a plan to take that salmon from a 7 to as close to a 10 as I can get it.<br />
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It is a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I am looking forward to getting off work and hitting the deck for a relaxing evening of cooking. The plan for the salmon is to do a quick dry brine and grill it on a cedar plank. Dry brining is a process of applying a dry rub to the salmon and letting it sit for varying amounts of time to draw moisture out of the fish. As the moisture is drawn out the the dry rub soaks it up and becomes syrupy with flavors penetrating the fish. This is a short brine that will moderately draw moisture and impart some nice flavor. The brine is based on a recipe from a Weber website and consists of brown sugar, kosher salt, dill, granulated garlic, onion powder, savory and tarragon. The salmon will brine for approximately 5 hours while I finish my work day.<br />
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Here is the salmon in the early stages of the brine. You can see around the edges where moisture is beginning to be drawn out.<br />
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At the end of the brining period the salmon will be thoroughly washed to remove the brining rub. After a good washing we will find a cedar plank that will be a good fit and we will prepare the plank and the salmon for the grill. </div>
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This was a good fit. The plank will soak for a couple of hours and the salmon will go in the fridge for a little more drying.<br />
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Today we will be cooking on a ceramic all purpose cooker. These cookers are based on cooking techniques that have been used for 3000 years. The first commercially successful cooker of this style in the U.S. was the Big Green Egg, which has grown in popularity over the last 35 years. I will be cooking on a newer entry into this market, the Primo XL. I chose this product because it is made in America and has a slightly larger cooking surface than the BGE. They are comparable in price and I would recommend either of these units to anyone that likes to do a variety of cooking methods. They will cook low and slow for smoking with outstanding air control allowing very long cooks in that 200 to 225 degree temperature. They will hit temperatures that a regular grill cannot hit due to the heat retention made possible by the ceramic body. Steaks can be seared at 600 degrees and they serve as an outstanding wood fired pizza oven. These units use lump charcoal for fuel and wood chunks can be added for smoking.<br />
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After soaking for a couple of hours I have brushed the plank with grape seed oil to prevent the salmon from sticking. I will put it on the grill for a couple of minutes on each side to season the plank. You can use these planks directly over medium high heat which results in a stronger smoke flavor. Today with salmon, I will lightly season the plank and then cook with indirect heat for a milder smoke flavor.</div>
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The salmon has been removed from the fridge and dusted with the dry rub. This rub uses Turbinado sugar which is raw sugar that is very fine and dry with a sand type texture. It will have most of the ingredients of the brine except for salt and dill. So we have Turbinado sugar, granulated garlic, onion powder, savory and tarragon.</div>
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The grill temperature has come up to 350 and we are ready to put the salmon on. As previously stated we will cook with indirect heat. This cooker has 2 ceramic plates which can be installed between the grill surface and the fire below that act as a shield to protect the against direct flame. In this case I will use one plate and protect half the cooking surface, allowing me 2 cooking zones. When the salmon goes on I will quickly stabilize the grill temperature @325 and cook to an internal temperature of 135 degrees.<br />
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This is a rather quick cook. You can insert a probe and monitor the temperature as you cook but in this situation I feel comfortable enjoying a cold beer and checking the temperature a couple of times during the cook with an instant read thermometer. I checked once @ 95 degrees and checked again and it was @ 124 degrees. At that point I knew it would by the escalation in temperature that it would be just a couple of minutes and prepared for it to come off. </div>
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Tonight we will serve our salmon with black beans and rice and a salad. The salmon has a slightly sweet and smokey flavor so I will use a Zesty Italian dressing and serve a fruity Chardonnay with a little touch of oak.<br />
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My original goal was to take salmon that I rate as a 7 and try to give it a make over and have it looking like a 10. I can't say this was a 10 because when I see a 10, it is a plate of fried crappie fillets with fried sides! That being said, I will say that we got this salmon up the scale from that boring 7. I had a beautiful afternoon on the deck doing what I love to do and the end result was a fine meal. On a closing note I will say, til I see you again cook with passion or get out of the kitchen.<br />
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</div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-25819969097173620062012-02-26T19:02:00.001-08:002012-02-28T15:40:17.827-08:00Smoked Rack of Pork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rack of Pork is a cut that is the pork equivalent of beefs prime rib. It has outstanding flavor and can be a real centerpiece for the table during the holidays or for special occasions. You may also see this cut presented as a crown pork roast which is achieved by taking two racks and forming them into a circle then tying the end ribs together. My wife and I have found it to be unmatched in flavor by any cut of chop, loin or tenderloin. This rack is 6.3 lbs which is rather large for this cut.<br />
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I will keep the dry rub simple as I will be putting a glaze on the rib roast in the last hour of cooking. I will lightly coat the roast with grape seed oil, put a nice dusting of Head Country rub and cracked black pepper. The dry rub has enough salt to prevent me from adding salt. <br />
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I will let the roast sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while the smoker comes up to temperature. We will be cooking at 220-230 degrees. The smoker will be burning lump charcoal and a mix of 70% apple and 30% cherry. This particular smoker requires a split of wood a little larger than a forearm every 30 to 45 minutes to maintain 225 degrees.<br />
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The smoker is up to temperature and ready for the rack of pork. While waiting, I have prepared au gratin potatoes to go on the smoker as well. They will be wrapped in foil and will not take on smoke, just heat.<br />
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The internal temperature is up to 118 degrees. There has been a lot of publicity from the pork producers stating that pork can now be cooked to 145 degrees internal temperature and be safe for consumption. My wife and I prefer it between 150 and 155 so I will cook it to 150 and it should rise to 155 while resting.<br />
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I am making a glaze with 1 cup of Apple juice, 1/4 cup of Spiced Rum, 1/4 cup of Honey and 1/8 cup of Black Cherry Balsamic Vinegar. I will brush it on several times in the last hour of the cook. After two basting's the internal temperature is at 140.<br />
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Internal temperature @ 150 and it will rest for 15 minutes.</div>
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Pinot Noir breathing for dinner. This should be a very good pairing.<br />
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I'm very pleased with the end result. Tender, juicy, nice smoke ring and a very nice balance between the smokiness and the glaze.</div>
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I will have grilled asparagus and au gratin potatoes as my side dishes. My wife will have broccoli and au gratin potatoes.</div>
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It was a beautiful late winter day in the Kansas City area. The temperature reached the low 60's and it was bright and sunny. A perfect day to tend the smoker and enjoy the beginning of spring. I was very pleased with the outcome of the meal and look forward to a leftover chop in the days to come. I hope you enjoyed looking in and I look forward to my next cook.</div>
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<br /></div>k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-53528809034960459382012-02-20T11:36:00.000-08:002012-07-08T19:32:32.887-07:00Burnt Ends a Kansas City Tradition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I await this mildest of Midwest winters to pass into spring I will revisit one of my favorite Kansas City specialties, burnt ends. I rarely go out to visit the many great BBQ Institutions in the Kansas City area, preferring to stay home and enjoy leisure time, smells, and tranquility of smoking/bbq'g at home. When I do go out, I always make burnt ends a priority because the time required to prepare them at home limits me to a couple of burnt end cooks per year.<br />
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I will walk you all through my interpretation of burnt ends. I will start with a 14.5 lb packer brisket. This is a whole brisket that comes untrimmed. After trimming it of the hard fat I am left with a brisket that will stand up well to up to 20 hours in the smoker. I will be seasoning it with Head Country (award winning commercially available dry rub), cracked black pepper and a light dusting of Turbinado Sugar. The sugar helps create the bark on the exterior of the meat and bark is essential to good burnt ends.<br />
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The brisket is rubbed and ready for the smoker. This brisket was allowed to sit out for approximately 60 minutes to bring the temperature up a bit after exiting a 38 degree refrigerator.<br />
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The smoker will be fueled with lump charcoal and hickory splits and we will cook at 225 degrees.<br />
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With this being a 20+ hour labor of love the brisket will spend 8 hours on the horizontal smoker then move to an upright smoker for the 12 hours overnight. The upright smoker requires far less attention and as much as I want burnt ends I don't have an allnighter in me to continue feeding logs to the horizontal smoker. After 20 hours the brisket comes off the smoker with a nice crusty bark and the juices sealed up inside.<br />
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The next step is to separate the brisket. There are 2 portions to this brisket, the flat which is where your sliced brisket comes from and the point which is where the chopped brisket or burnt ends are often taken from.<br />
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This is the flat. We won't be using it now because this is a mission for burnt ends. Separating the two has let some juices flow.<br />
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This is the point. This is where our burnt ends will come from.<br />
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I will make a series of cuts to cube it up and get them ready to go back on the smoker. Once cubed they will be given a light dusting of Head Country and panned up to go back on the smoker.<br />
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Once returned to the smoker I will leave them dry for the next 60 to 90 minutes at 225 degrees. At this point I will add a homemade bbq sauce that I make thinner than I would if I wasn't going to let it cook. I will then finish the burnt ends off by allowing the sauce to reach the thickness and consistency we prefer.<br />
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Thin sauce added:<br />
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Sauce cooked to thickness and consistency desired:<br />
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There you have it, my take on the holy grail of Kansas City BBQ. These tender morsels of goodness melt in your mouth and are loaded with smooth hickory flavor.<br />
In keeping with the Kansas City tradition you pick up a piece of white bread and use it like a catchers mitt to scoop up several pieces and you are stunned by the tenderness and flavor. Hope you enjoyed!<br />
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<br />k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3410279354568088198.post-42666675416839294112012-02-20T09:13:00.000-08:002012-02-20T09:13:45.315-08:00Prime Rib Meets Hickory In Kansas CityOne of my favorite meals to prepare for guests, is prime rib. It is a cut of meat that can turn an ordinary Saturday night into an extraordinary Saturday night. Today I will be preparing a small prime rib for an early evening dinner for two.<br />
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I am going to cut a small (2 bone 4.5 lb) prime rib from this 15 lb bone in rib eye loin.<br />
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This meat doesn't need a lot of help. I will season it with a light coating of grape seed oil, kosher salt and cracked black pepper.<br />
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I will be cooking on a horizontal smoker fueled with a base of lump charcoal and hickory splits. This will be cooked low and slow with the smoker running 230-240 degrees throughout the cook.<br />
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The prime rib will be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 127 degrees. After a 10 minute rest while tented it should reach an internal temperature of approximately 132 degrees which is our preferred medium rare temperature. Horizontal smokers add a great dimension to cooking. When cooking at low temperatures (225 degrees for instance) the burning logs create a cooking process similar to a convection oven as the hot air rushes from the firebox and through the cooking chamber. In this instance it allows for a crusty exterior but a medium rare center without overcooked edges.<br />
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Having had an appetizer salad this will be a perfect plate for a meat and potato's person. A beef rib, an 18 oz cut of prime rib and a twice baked potato.<br />
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Normally prime rib at our house is reserved for dinner parties with several guests. But this evening it will be served at the bar table in front of the television. This meal needs very little help and will be served with a good horseradish and a glass of Cabernet. The cook achieved all of his objectives with this prime rib. It had a crusty exterior, a tender, juicy center and a beautiful but subtle hickory smokiness. <br />
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This is my casual take on one of the outstanding cuts of beef. In the future we will revisit prime rib with a large cut and more formal meal and presentation.<br />
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<br />k.c.hawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046686545601549886noreply@blogger.com0