What did I cook this weekend.....

[Temptd2]

MMMMM TG! Reminds me it's about time to break out the Cuisinart ice cream maker!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Chopped salad with cucumber and watermelon.

 

[Staestc]

Goan Sorpotel. Just love it

 

[TwistedGray]

Baby cake (strawberry bottom, blueberry center, and raspberry top)

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Uncured Berkshire pork bacon for breakfast.

 

[Staestc]

Will I lose my man card if I whine because my wife cut one of the blueberry muffins in half and cut one of my silicone muffin cups in half?

 

[Staestc]

Just took a rack of spareribs off the smoker made this southern red potato salad to go with them!

 

[Pkrd]

Small fleet of Millennium Falcon brownies for the kids lunches tomorrow.

Actually intended making them for my work team too but only two moulds means I'd have to bake all night.

 

[Staestc]

Small fleet of Millennium Falcon brownies for the kids lunches tomorrow.

Actually intended making them for my work team too but only two moulds means I'd have to bake all night. View attachment 727957

THOSE ARE AWESOME!!!!

 

[Temptd2]

Will I lose my man card if I whine because my wife cut one of the blueberry muffins in half and cut one of my silicone muffin cups in half?

LOL! Nope you get a pass on that one - I'd whine too. (Of course I don't HAVE a man card....)

 

[Rodent]

Meatloaf on the Big Green Egg was a total success on Sat night. 2ea 2lb loafs were gone within minutes of slicing. I barely managed to grab an image of the second one before it was decimated

 

[Staestc]

Meatloaf on the Big Green Egg was a total success on Sat night. 2ea 2lb loafs were gone within minutes of slicing. I barely managed to grab an image of the second one before it was decimated

View attachment 728074

Really looks delicious!!

 

[TwistedGray]

Meatloaf on the Big Green Egg was a total success on Sat night. 2ea 2lb loafs were gone within minutes of slicing. I barely managed to grab an image of the second one before it was decimated

View attachment 728074

Can't imagine this being noticeably different than cooking in an oven, buttttttttttt humor me.

 

[bracconiere]

Can't imagine this being noticeably different than cooking in an oven, buttttttttttt humor me.

well if the liqiuids could drain then.....

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Can't imagine this being noticeably different than cooking in an oven, buttttttttttt humor me.

Obviously the fuel could impart some added flavor, being the egg is not a gas grill.

 

[TwistedGray]

well if the liqiuids could drain then.....

Yeah, but our "meatloaf" pan keeps the liquid below the meat as it's cooking.

Obviously the fuel could impart some added flavor, being the egg is not a gas grill.

Yes, that was essentially my question as I have an egg-like grill.

 

[Rodent]

Can't imagine this being noticeably different than cooking in an oven, buttttttttttt humor me.

I added a couple strategically placed chunks of Pecan wood to the charcoal pile to impart a smoke flavor that's not possible to obtain in an oven. I typically use either Apple or Cherry or a mix of the two, and each add its own subtle flavor profile. I suspect Alder would also have been a good choice, and plan to use it on a future meatloaf

All who shared dinner with us noted the smoke flavor as wonderfully balanced with the seasonings. You can see the 'smoke ring' in the bottom left part of the image - it's the pink color that is just inside the exterior surface of the loaf, and penetrated in just under 1/8" on average

Definitely not the harsh (and quite weird, at least to my palette) taste that adding a dose of Liquid Smoke imparts for oven baked items.

The key is to not 'over smoke' when cooking, as this imparts a harsh, bitter, and most astringent taste to the food.

Questions? fire away and I'll answer as best I can

 

[TwistedGray]

Questions? fire away and I'll answer as best I can

What are you cooking it in while in the egg? Just wrap in foil or are you still using a "meatloaf" style pan with indirect heat (like using a pizza stone under it)?

 

[Rodent]

What are you cooking it in while in the egg? Just wrap in foil or are you still using a "meatloaf" style pan with indirect heat (like using a pizza stone under it)?

I have a 'plate setter' set to down position, enabling indirect heat to cook and ensuring I get a good mixing of the light smoke from the wood chunks. I form the loafs on parchment paper, then use the parchment paper to assist in lifting the loaf onto the cooking grate. An added benefit of the parchment paper is that it helps to keep a loaf that's 1/3:2/3 sausage:beef from sinking into the grate during the first part of cooking while the meat is still soft.

The smoke is difficult to see in the above image, but is just perfect for the approx 2-hours these loaves took at 250F to get to an internal temp of 160F.

I also utilize a DigiQ digital temp controller to regulate the airflow into the burn chamber, allowing me to keep temp within a degree or two (just like an oven) The clip in the forefront tracks 'pit' temp, and the probe in the loaf is tracking the internal temp as it changes. My temp controller reduces the pit temp as the internal temp nears its target, helping to reduce the risk of overshooting the target finished temp.

For reference, here's two loaves from several months back, showing how they finish out on the parchment paper after the 2ish hours of cook times are completed. You can see the paper doesn't burn. Note: I also use parchment paper under homemade pizzas so they easily slide off the paddle onto a pizza stone and don't stick to the stone

 

[BongoYodeler]

I have a 'plate setter' set to down position, enabling indirect heat to cook and ensuring I get a good mixing of the light smoke from the wood chunks. I form the loafs on parchment paper, then use the parchment paper to assist in lifting the loaf onto the cooking grate. An added benefit of the parchment paper is that it helps to keep a loaf that's 1/3:2/3 sausage:beef from sinking into the grate during the first part of cooking while the meat is still soft.

View attachment 728151

The smoke is difficult to see in the above image, but is just perfect for the approx 2-hours these loaves took at 250F to get to an internal temp of 160F.

I also utilize a DigiQ digital temp controller to regulate the airflow into the burn chamber, allowing me to keep temp within a degree or two (just like an oven) The clip in the forefront tracks 'pit' temp, and the probe in the loaf is tracking the internal temp as it changes. My temp controller reduces the pit temp as the internal temp nears its target, helping to reduce the risk of overshooting the target finished temp.

For reference, here's two loaves from several months back, showing how they finish out on the parchment paper after the 2ish hours of cook times are completed. You can see the paper doesn't burn. Note: I also use parchment paper under homemade pizzas so they easily slide off the paddle onto a pizza stone and don't stick to the stone

View attachment 728153

View attachment 728152

Yeah.....if you could add a scratch n sniff that’d be great....

 

[TwistedGray]

Chicken fried rice for lunch

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

St Paddy’s Day I’m Irish, today I’m Mexican. Made chicken tacos and black refried bean. My device was out of power so I’m recycling a beef taco pic. Passed on the big boy Modelo I picked up to share with hubby (big glass for him small glass for me) because I was informed my immune system is very compromised right now. No worries, in a week or so, I should be out of the woods again. Have a happy if you are celebrating.

 

[Temptd2]

Merry looks good regardless of when you ate that one, LOL! Hope your immune system issues resolve themselves promptly.

We had carnitas, Mexi-cauli-rice, sliced avocado with lime, and a light beer. Started before all that with a good shot of Anejo tequila in a Fresca.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Sautéed garlicky beet greens and chicken with rice.

 

[TwistedGray]

View attachment 728536
Sautéed garlicky beet greens and chicken with rice.

Don't know too many others that eat beet greens. The only thing my wife likes from beets, lol.

 

[Rodent]

Don't know too many others that eat beet greens. The only thing my wife likes from beets, lol.

LOVE LOVE LOVE fresh beet greens!!! sometimes with just a little butter, salt, and fresh cracked pepper ... and sometimes with a bit of butter, garlic salt, and a splash of red wine vinegar.

Swiss Chard makes a nice substitute, given they're in the same family and essentially a 'bulbless beet'

 

[Temptd2]

KOTC will gladly eat chard or most any green UNLESS it starts with the word "Beet" - he hates beets! I've tried every conceivable way to cook them and they are still a "NOPE!" from him.

 

[Barbarossa]

Not the weekend but still. Good stuff.

 

[user 211287]

Instant Pot white chili with 1/3 ground pork, 2/3 ground turkey and Mexican yellow beans.

 

[Ty520]

Red wine braised venison stew with country baguette and a 2018 Willamette Valley Pinto Noir