What did I cook this weekend.....

[headbanger]

OK... i had a few comments for this (because somehow i have brought the dirty mind to work today) however i am going to pass on posting them.

Funny, I almost went there myself around 10 this morning… I'm glad you did instead, sounds much better coming from you.

 

[headbanger]

Brussels sprouts! I wash and halve them, then nuke til barely tender (about 8 minutes, depends on size/quantity) and then put a couple little blops of saved bacon fat in there, toss well with a little garlic salt, put on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast at 400* til they're starting to brown up a bit, tossing every few minutes. JUST as they're starting to brown, I like to add some cooked bacon bits and toss those in too. KOTC and I can clear a whole baking sheet of those things and I could never GET him to eat Brussels sprouts before!

Pure MF'ng genius right there! :rockin:

 

[Melana]

Funny, I almost went there myself around 10 this morning… I'm glad you did instead, sounds much better coming from you.

Sometimes I can't help it.

 

[bob1852]

Fitting with today's theme, I'm about to spatchcock a couple chickens.

 

[Temptd2]

Sometimes I can't help it.

And I only need a willing accomplice, or to be one myself! LOL!

 

[Temptd2]

Fitting with today's theme, I'm about to spatchcock a couple chickens.

Really? You want to go THERE?!! LOL!!

 

[Temptd2]

And don't forget roasted green beans.
I agree. Roasted veggies are great.



Dan6310

Oh for sure, the green beans! I especially love those frozen ones you can get at Trader Joe's. If you ovenroast them til they're just about crispy, they're ever so much better than French fries - AND good for you too!

Well the mashed cauli got trumped - KOTC requested my "it would be world-famous if anyone else knew about it" mac 'n cheese instead. Yum yum, bacon cheeseburger meatloaf and mac 'n cheese - does it GET any better than that!

He washed his down with a Stockyard Oatmeal Stout and I had a Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. I know, I know, but our pipeline is depleted. However, our London Porter will come out of the conditioning bin this weekend, and the Evil Twin ale-that's-like-a-lager will be ready the week after THAT, and we're gonna brew the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone again THIS weekend. I hate having to BUY beer.

 

[ChefRex]

Really? You want to go THERE?!! LOL!!

I've been there many times, great way to cook a bird!

 

[passedpawn]

Oh for sure, the green beans! I especially love those frozen ones you can get at Trader Joe's. If you ovenroast them til they're just about crispy, they're ever so much better than French fries - AND good for you too!

Well the mashed cauli got trumped - KOTC requested my "it would be world-famous if anyone else knew about it" mac 'n cheese instead. Yum yum, bacon cheeseburger meatloaf and mac 'n cheese - does it GET any better than that!

He washed his down with a Stockyard Oatmeal Stout and I had a Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. I know, I know, but our pipeline is depleted. However, our London Porter will come out of the conditioning bin this weekend, and the Evil Twin ale-that's-like-a-lager will be ready the week after THAT, and we're gonna brew the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone again THIS weekend. I hate having to BUY beer.

Green beans, fresh, on the grill, are great. So is spatchcocked (!) chicken. I know this thread loves pics, so here you go!

 

[Homercidal]

Now I want to spatchcock MY chicken! Too bad I'm at work.

 

[Melana]

Now I want to spatchcock MY chicken! Too bad I'm at work.

sounds deliciously dirty.

 

[Temptd2]

OK, doing 5 bone-in/center-cut/brined with beer and other goodness pork chops. I forgot to take the pics before I started so here they are about 20 minutes in - even got both eyes full of SMOKE just so I could show this thing to you guys!

Oster 16 quart smoker/roaster oven:

 

[Temptd2]

Here is the done product (and that's a bunch of yogurt I made today in the little jars):

 

[passedpawn]

Here is the done product (and that's a bunch of yogurt I made today in the little jars):

Man that looks good. nom nom nom

 

[Temptd2]

They were right tasty, with homemade mac 'n cheese and homemade, canned applesauce. A beer would've been nice but KOTC has some stuff to do tonight so didn't want any alcohol on board.

 

[Melana]

They were right tasty, with homemade mac 'n cheese and homemade, canned applesauce. A beer would've been nice but KOTC has some stuff to do tonight so didn't want any alcohol on board.

Yes! Another cool brewing woman that cooks!

 

[Temptd2]

Melana, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about, shopping for, and cooking food. KOTC spends an inordinate amount of time on the craft of beer!

I'm really more the assistant brewer, but I DO brew my own rice wine and I'ma make a white strawberry wine here once "MY" Speidel isn't being used. I love the beermaking process though. I just let KOTC take the lead on that one.

Ordered my 5 pound vertical sausage stuffer yesterday, which Amazon promises for delivery today. Another exciting food adventure!

 

[Melana]

Melana, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about, shopping for, and cooking food. KOTC spends an inordinate amount of time on the craft of beer!

I'm really more the assistant brewer, but I DO brew my own rice wine and I'ma make a white strawberry wine here once "MY" Speidel isn't being used. I love the beermaking process though. I just let KOTC take the lead on that one.

Ordered my 5 pound vertical sausage stuffer yesterday, which Amazon promises for delivery today. Another exciting food adventure!

I do too! I can't help it... there must be something wrong with me!!!

Have you tried making your own bacon?

 

[headbanger]

Ordered my 5 pound vertical sausage stuffer yesterday

Here we go again! :smack:

 

[Homercidal]

Size doesn't matter. What's the horsepower rating??

 

[BUCKNUTS]

Size doesn't matter. What's the horsepower rating??

That's something the guys with small sausage stuffers say.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Temptd2]

I do too! I can't help it... there must be something wrong with me!!!

Have you tried making your own bacon?

I have, several times now, and it's so dang good! I also made a beer-braised pork belly with a cooking-liquid reduction, and added some of our not-quite-jelled pomegranate "jelly" to it and a little balsamic, cooked it all down to a thick syrup. OMG that was good.

Here we go again! :smack:

Dirty mind. How did YOU get in here? HA HA HA!!!

Size doesn't matter. What's the horsepower rating??

Horsepower = whoever is cranking it.

That's something the guys with small sausage stuffers say.

I think 5 pounds is plenty, don't you? I mean, I'd rather do 5 pounds repeatedly, than 25 pounds once.

 

[Melana]

I think 5 pounds is plenty, don't you? I mean, I'd rather do 5 pounds repeatedly, than 25 pounds once.

Some guys just don't have the stamina!

 

[Melana]

Size doesn't matter. What's the horsepower rating??

Oh, they are both very important. Just the way I like 'em... big and bad!

 

[passedpawn]

Ordered my 5 pound vertical sausage stuffer yesterday, which Amazon promises for delivery today. Another exciting food adventure!

5# stuffer is almost perfect. I think I fill mine twice when I'm doing sausages - that's the size of the batch I usually do, anyway. That's 1 Boston butt ( I think ).

Did you buy the Grizzley? Do you have casings?

 

[Temptd2]

5# stuffer is almost perfect. I think I fill mine twice when I'm doing sausages - that's the size of the batch I usually do, anyway. That's 1 Boston butt ( I think ).

Did you buy the Grizzley? Do you have casings?

I ended up going with the LEM 5 pound vertical from Amazon, free shipping with my Prime account. It was a little bit more than the Grizzly, but it has all-metal gears. A lot of the reviews on the Grizzly said that people were replacing the nylon/plastic gears with the LEM metal gears, so I figured, why not just start OFF with them?

I have some edible collagen casings but I am gonna get some natural casings here pretty quick. Any suggestions for best brand/price would be very greatfully accepted!

 

[Temptd2]

Some guys just don't have the stamina!

S'okay with me - I'm 60! My stamina ain't what it usedta be either! LOL!

Oh, they are both very important. Just the way I like 'em... big and bad!

We may differ slightly on our opinions here - I don't think that's ever happened before...

 

[Melana]

S'okay with me - I'm 60! My stamina ain't what it usedta be either! LOL!



We may differ slightly on our opinions here - I don't think that's ever happened before...

we were talking about sausage stuffers... right? did i miss something?

 

[Temptd2]

we were talking about sausage stuffers... right? did i miss something?

Oh no, we're still talking about sausage stuffers - you just said you liked yours big and bad, where I prefer mine smaller and easier to manage these days!

 

[passedpawn]

I ended up going with the LEM 5 pound vertical from Amazon, free shipping with my Prime account. It was a little bit more than the Grizzly, but it has all-metal gears. A lot of the reviews on the Grizzly said that people were replacing the nylon/plastic gears with the LEM metal gears, so I figured, why not just start OFF with them?

I have some edible collagen casings but I am gonna get some natural casings here pretty quick. Any suggestions for best brand/price would be very greatfully accepted!

I've used the collagen and hated them. I just couldn't get them to work right off my stuffer. Maybe you'll figure it out and let me know. I really wanted to use them because they look so perfect, but no luck.

I buy natural 32/35mm hog casings off the sausage maker (I've also bought off Butcher & Packer). They have "Home Packs" which are just fine and much cheaper than the standard packs of casings.

I soak mine overnight. I've soaked in vinegar also, but I saw no benefit.

BTW, if you haven't played with natural casings yet, you're in for a treat. They smell REALLY bad.