I have indexed this page in the typical way you may expect: Main dishes (meaning meat!); desserts; and Potpourri (drinks, snacks, etc.). While these recipes are tried and true, they may not be for everyone. For example, Merlyn loves smoked meat; Merlyn loves spicy foods...etc.
Merlyn is a meat eater, make no mistake about it. If you vegetarians are looking for something "swell" to make with your greens, fish mush and other dregs of nature not fit for consumption, then look elsewhere. This is the food that's fit for Kings, not the bare sustenance of pansy-assed bottom-feeders scrounging for botanical left-overs that are not fit for human or creature. Veggies are side dishes, NOT the main course. The proud men of the realm who make and keep the peace require the strength that only meat can give!
Your suggestions are welcome. Requests are always considered, honest questions always answered. The recipes in here are either home-grown or provided through the years by family, friends and fellow food freaks.
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[ Lecture | Main Dishes | Desserts | Potpourri ]
Main Dishes
The main dish is the pi'ece de resistance' (literally) and obviously the one which takes the most planning and preparation. Some notes on red meats:
Select meat fresh. It should be red and juicy. For steaks the quality (and price) starts with the best; the filet mignon. If you can help it have your butcher slice it in shanks for you, then when you get it ready for use slice it into chunks about 3 inches thick. The next in line is the New York cut. This steak is supposed to be well marbled but I find that the more marbling the more work it is to chew. I select the less marbled and thickest cuts. I find that it also absorbs any marinate better. Then there is the porterhouse stead, closely followed by the T-Bone. The Porterhouse is usually thicker and contains less fat. These two are best suited for the bbq and are not all that great at absorbing marinates but when done right are very tasty off the grill. Finally there is the lowly Sirloin. Frankly it's what I usually use since it's the least expensive so it's the one I have the most experience with. I try to get the thickest cuts I can, usually about an inch and a half at best. Also look for less marbling and fat. Remember the redder the better. As it turns darker red to brown you'll find the "special price" stickers on it. There is a reason for this, but I admit to getting them once in a while since they're fine for fajita's and the like. The Sirloin is very good at absorbing marinates, although I find the occasional puncture here and there helps sometimes. These recipes lend themselves well to all cuts of steak within the limits mentioned above. None of them are in here without my explicit taste buds approval.
Marinating tips: I find the Tupperware bowl great for this. It's ridged to allow the marinate to flow beneath the meats and seals tightly enough to allow you to flip the bowl over rather than having to open it and turn each steak. The best alternative to this is bowl is a plain ole large zip-type freezer bag. They usually don't leak and allow for a lot of coverage.
Mom's Bul Gogi(Well it used to be Mom's, I changed it a touch)
This recipe cries for filet but is particularly well suited to all steaks due to the power of the soy sauce.
Per steak:
5 tbsp. soy sauce
2 green onions - sliced thin
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp ginger
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Mix all ingredients well. Marinate steak for a minimum of 3 hrs., best left overnight. Bring meat out of the fridge about 45 min. before cooking to allow it to get to room temperature before cooking. Drain away the marinate and boil it for a few minutes to kill all the germs. Bbq your steaks and baste after each turn with the marinate. Use the left-over marinate to draw over the steaks at serving time, or to serve as dippin's.
Flank Steak
Flank steak is a tough cut of meat but when properly prepared, cooked and sliced it is a veritable feast. A marinate is a necessity, especially one with vinegar in it since vinegar helps to break down the fibers of the meat, and always marinate 8 hours or more. Flank steak must be served rare. This cut of meat, if over-cooked, is incredibly tough! The proper way to cook a flank steak is about 6-8 minutes per side, depending upon thickness. To cut flank steak you have to cut against the grain and at an angle. This helps to remove any fibering that wants to hold on when you try to take a bite! Don't you hate it when you bite into a meat sammich and pull out a whole chunk of the meat instead of just the bite?! That's why they slice deli meat so thinly. It's also why I own a meat slicer!
2 lb flank steak
3/4 C oil (preferably olive oil, canola works)
1/2 C soy sauce
2 T honey
2 T red vinegar
1 1/2 tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
Now here you have a choice as there are two ways to prepare this sauce.
1) Blend all ingredients (except meat of course) into a paste. *or*
2) Mix all ingredients (except meat) in bowl.
Now pour the mixture over the meat and marinate for a minimum of 8 hours. Cook the meat about 7 minutes per side, and it's best to use a bbq. If you prepared the paste then paint the paste on the meat after turning. If you prepared the sauce then use it as any baste, painting the meat to keep it moist. It also makes a great dipper.
Three kinds of baked chicken
This recipe is for baking chicken breasts. Use only boneless skinless breasts. These recipes are good for 4 average size chicken breasts.
For all recipes preheat oven to 350 and flash fry the meat to brown it.
1) 1/2 cup each of honey, sherry and soy sauce. If you want it a little thicker then you can add about 1 1/2 T corn starch.
2) 5 T Katsup, 5 T Worchestershire sauce, 1 1/2 T dry mustard, 1 3/4 C water.
3) 1/2 can of chicken mole' (more if you want it spicier. I use almost the whole can), 1 C water, 1 T flour.
Place the chicken into a covered baking dish, pour the mixture over the chicken and bake 1 hour.
Poultry Marinade
This marinate works well with chicken and turkey. It's mild and flavorful. I also found that adding a pack of Italian dressing mix and/or onion soup mix adds additional flavor.
1/4 C worcestershire sauce
1/4 C olive oil
1 T red vinegar
1 tsp ginger
3 slices chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
1/4 tsp red pepper (more if you like it hot)
Marinate minimum 4 hours.
Pork Bar-B-Q(This is one of those things that everyone loves)
This recipe is always well received at pot luck's and parties. It's tasty and simple.
3 1/2 to 4 lbs lean pork. Trim off all the fat that you can find.
1 qt tomatoes
1 qt water
1/2 C katsup
1/2 C vinegar
1/2 C worcestershire sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1 T sugar
Mix all ingredients in kettle and add meat. A large crock pot works well also but I like the old fashioned way. Cook slow and low until the meat is tender enough to shred off easily with a fork. Remove all bones as you shred the meat. Serve up with all the sauce in the kettle it was cooked in. Spoon on toasted buns or rolls.
Chicken Tetrazine
3 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless, cooked and sliced into bite-sized pieces
1/4 C butter
1/3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 C chicken broth
1 C whipping cream
3 T sherry
7 oz. spaghetti or angel hair pasta, cooked, rinsed and drained.
1 pkg fresh parmesan
Melt butter, flour, salt and pepper until bubbly. Add chicken broth and whipping cream and bring to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add sherry, chicken and pasta. Mix well. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then broil for about 1 minute to brown the top. Let stand to set and cool a bit, then serve.
Chicken Quesidilla
This recipe is for 2 eight-inch quesidellas
1 boneless/skinless chicken breast, cut up into small pieces
3 T olive oil
1 T pepperolio (found where you get the olive oil, it's a pepper flavored olive oil)
2 slices onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder (a little more for more flavor)
3/4 - 1 C shredded cheese of choice. I use about a 4-1 mix of cheddar-mozzarella, well mixed together
4 eight inch flour tortillas
Mix first 6 ingredients in fry pan and cook until done. Lay out 2 tortilla's and spread cheese. Add chicken and sauce mix and top tortilla. Bake at 350 for about 7-10 minutes. Let stand to set, then cut and serve.
Variation: Add preferred salsa to tortilla before baking.
Caesar Turkey
2 good sized turkey breasts, skinned, bone in is fine.
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C pepperolio
2T honey
2 T red wine vinegar (or garlic flavored)
2 tsp garlic, minced or sliced
1 1/2 tsp ginger
3 green onion, chopped
2/3 C preferred caesar salad dressing :-)
Mix all ingredients and pour over turkey. Bake in covered baking dish at 350 for about 1 hour/lb. Serve with oriental veggies and rice.
Glazed Cornish Game Hens
2 Cornish Game hens, cleaned, washed and patted dry
1/2 C butter
2 T chives
1/4 tsp Rosemary
Lemon juice
1/4 C pineapple preserves (or whatever kind you like)
Rub salt and pepper on birds to taste. Add 1 T of the herb butter mixture above to the cavity and swirl around, then seal the cavity. Rub a fine coating of lemon juice on outside of birds (can be omitted). Rub remaining butter mix all over the birds coating them thoroughly. Reserve remaining mix. Place birds breast side up in pan and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour covered. Baste birds one more time, then coat with preserves. Cook uncovered another 10 minutes. Serve.
Game Hen Stuffing
In any proportion you like, mix fresh cooked bacon bits, jack cheese (or jack and mozzarella mixed), cubed, red pepper, sliced celery, sliced black olives, chopped onion and flavored croutons. Add this mixture to the birds before cooking and seal the cavity well.
Basic Pot Roast Mix
2 cans Cambells beef broth
1 pkg Italian salad dressing mix
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/3 C red vinegae
1/4 C olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 chopped onion
Mix all ingredients and add to pot with roast, taters, carrots, celery and whatever else you put in your pot roast.
Swedish Meat Balls
3/4 lb leanest ground beef
1/2 lb ground veal
1/4 lb ground pork sausage
1 1/2 C soft bread crumbs
1/2 C chopped onion
1 egg
1 can cream
1/4 C chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
dash pepper & nutmeg
Mix meats together. Soak bread crumbs for 5 minutes in cream. Saute' onions in 1 T butter until tender, not brown. Combine meats, crumb mixture, egg, onion, and seasons. Beat till nice and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes with electric mixer. Refridgerate mix for a while until it sets. Wet hands and form mixture into balls. Brown in fryer until all sides browned. Drain off all oil and add 2 cans mushroom gravy and 1/2 can water. Simmer for an hour and serve warm in kettle.
John Wayne Casserole
This is a main dish for breakfast or whatever. Perfect for holiday mornings!
1 lb chedder cheese
1 lb jack cheese
6 eggs, seperated
1 1/3 C canned milk
1 tsp salt
2 7 oz cans chopped green chili's
Grate cheeses and mix together. Add chili's. Whip egg yokes, milk and seasaonsings together. Beat egg whites until stiff. Pour cheese mixture into 14x9 glass dish. Fold in egg whites and mix gently and evenly. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, then watch it disappear.
Quick and Tasty Marinade
This is an ideal quicky and especially good for meats that "need" that little extra thing, particularly a so-so cut of Top Sirloin. But equally well for better cuts too when you forgot to put it to soak earlier and find yourself short of preparation time.
Per 2 cuts of meat:
1/4 C Soy sauce
1 T Garlic Vinegar
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 T chopped onion (green is best, with tops)
1 T Sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ginger
Mix all ingredients well and add meat. Marinade time is really up to you but as usual the longer the better. The advantage of this sauce is that it is strong enough to cut through the toughness of many meats. It is very similar to the Bul Gogi recipe above.
Marinated Smoked Turkey Breast
This is a dandy mix of sauce, spice and herb for merinade that when slow smoked over hiskory was an unabashed success with company. Alter amounts according to weight/necessity.
3 lbs. Boned Turkey Breasts
1 jar Lee & Perrins White Sauce (15oz?)
1 T Garlic red vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 C White Onion, chopped
1 T Sage
1 T Dill Weed
1 tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Beau Monde Seasoning
Mix all ingredients well then merinate in the fridge at least 4 hours. About 45 minutes before cooking take it out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Bring smoker to 250 degrees and smoke for 1 1/2 hours per pound of meat, turning and basting about every half hour. Even though you don't need to "turn" meats in a smoker, it is important in this case when you want to keep the meat moist. Though this may be served as a turkey breast dinner it is better to slice thinly and lay out as part of a buffet at parties.
[ Lecture | Main Dishes | Desserts | Potpourri ]
Desserts
So desserts of course are nobody's fave's eh....
Chocolate Kisses
2 egg whites
2/3 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C chopped nuts (of choice)
1 16oz pkg choc chips (of choice)
Beat egg whites until peaks form. Add sugar and beat well. Add vanilla and mix. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips by hand. Drop from teaspoon onto foil covered cookie sheet. Place in preheated 350 oven and TURN HEAT OFF. Leave pieces in oven for a minimum of 2 hours then check em and pull em out when their done.
Microwave Fudge
1 box powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup canned milk
1 stick butter (1/4 lb)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chooped nuts
Place all ingredients but vanilla and nuts in large glass bowl, do not stir. Cook on high for 2 minutes, beat with spoon till smooth. Mix in vanilla and nuts. Pour into shallow baking pan or on platter. Refridgerate until firm. Slice into pieces.
Snickerdoodles
3 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 C butter, softened
2 C sugar
2 eggs
1/4 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 T sugar (you'll see)
1 tsp ground cinamon
Grease cookie sheet. Mix flour, baking soda, tarter, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix butter and 2 C sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients to this mixture until well mixed. Form dough into 1-inch balls, roll in mixture of 3 T sugar and cinamon, flatten slightly with bottom of a glass and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes or until light brown. Yields up to 66 snicks.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 C shortning
1 1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
2 T milk
1 T vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C large pecan pieces (or substitute another type of chips, like milk or dark chocolate)
Preheat oven to 375. Combine shortning, sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at mid speed until creamy. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix dry mixture into wet and beat until creamy. Stir in chips. Drop rounded teaspoon fulls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on sookie sheet then remove to cooking rack. Yields 3 dozen 3" cookies (unless you're like me and eat half the dough first!)
[ Lecture | Main Dishes | Desserts | Potpourri ]
Potpourri
Irish Cream
3 eggs
2 T chocolate syrup
1 can sweet condensed milk
1 1/2 C Irish Whiskey (Jamesons is best)
1 T instant coffee
1 T vanilla
1 T almond extract
1 carton "coffee rich"
Blend eggs, chocolate syrup and milk. Add remaining ingredients and blend for 7 minutes. Refridgerate.
Dilly Beans(This is a canning recipe)
These are wonderful. Wanna be the hit of the party? Take a jar of these.
2 lbs fresh green beans, washed, with both ends trimmed off.
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, whole
4 heads fresh dill
2 1/2 C water
2 1/2 C vinegar
1/4 C salt
4 pint size canning jars, rings and lids, thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.
To each pint jar add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 clove garlic, and 1 dill head. Pack beans in lengthwise leaving 1/4 inch head space. Pour boiling water and vinegar mixture to cover tops of beans. Wipe around rim of jar to dry. Cap and ring the jars and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from water bath and set to dry and cool on a dish towel and cover them with a dish towel to keep them from cooling too fast. As they cool you'll hear the distinctive "pop" telling you they're properly canned. Store them for at least 4 months in a cool dark place to allow them to really season. They're wonderful! If you make them in August when the ingredients are ripe then they're ready for the holidays.
Shrimp Dip(ummmm)
1 large slab cream cheese
enough milk to make creamy (add gradually)
enough mayonaise to make dip-able (add gradually)
enough cocktail sauce (of choice) to give it a little flavor and strong pink in color
1 C fresh or frozen cooked small shrimp
Mix together in the order listed to the desired consistance and taste. Sorry about the vague measurements but it's really a taste thing. Besides, Mom didn't always write down everything!
Carpaccio Dressing
A very mildly seasoned salad or veggie dressing.
1/3 C Olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 tsp Dijon
2 T fresh parmesan cheese
Mix all ingredients and serve on tossed salad or steamed veggies. (I have a feeling it will be good on fish too but haven't tried it yet).
Basic Dill Pickles
These are tasty and the recipe is easy to vary for other flavorings.
1 Qt, vinegar
3 Qts. Water
1 C Pickling salt
1 clove garlic/Qt. jar
1 handfull fresh dill/Qt. jar
Add water, vinegar and salt to pot and boil for 1 minute. Wash Pickle sized cucumbers and stuff into quart sized jars. Add 1 clove garlic, a handful of chopped fresh dill. Pour boiling water mixture into jars leaving about 1/4 inch head space. Cap and deal jars and boil in water bath for 10 minutes.
Variations:
Triple the amount of garlic and mince it first. This makes more of a country-style pickle. More to taste.
Add a slice of Jalapeno pepper to the jar for a pickle that bites back.
Add 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the jar for spicy pickles.
Add chopped onion for an interesting added flavor.
Add fresh pepper slices (red, green, yellow) and triple the garlic for more of an italian flavor.
[ Lecture | Main Dishes | Desserts | Potpourri ]
Some Secrets
I wanted to pass on some little things as they come to me.
While it's great fun to mix herbs, spices and juices to create wonderfully exciting meals, there just isn't always time to do that. For that reason I am always in search of good premade sauces. There are the basics of course like worcestershire and A1, but there are ton's of others out there and they are often hidden in the darker reaches of the market.
Made by Reily Foods in Lousiana, Cajun, Tiger and Dragon sauces are wonderful! The first, Cajun Sunshine, is a very good alternative to tobasco if you like the flavor of the sauce but not the bite for which tobasco is noted. The next two, Tiger and Dragon, are both soy based and great! Tiger Sauce is a pepper sauce with a touch of sugar making it wonderful on seafood and meats. Dragon Sauce is really spiced up and equally great on veggies and meats. They make great marinades and are also good bastes while cooking. You can find these little humdingers the same place they usually hide the really spicy pepper sauces.
When adding garlic and onion, the powdered versions should be your last choice. It really doesn't take that much time to slice up some onion or slice or mince garlic and the difference in taste is profound.
Ever hear of an Ulu knife? It's that strange looking Eskimo knife - rounded with a wood handle. Get one. They are great for chopping veggies and a lot less accident prone, plus, since you're not really "chopping" per se, but "rocking" the knife back and forth there is significantly less mess.
Pepperolio. Look for this where you find the olive oil. It's a peppered olive oil and is a wonderful addition to any sauce calling for oil. Simply substitue this for about 1/4 to 1/2 the oil called for. It adds great pizaz'.
[ Lecture | Main Dishes | Desserts | Potpourri ]
Basic Kitchen stuff. Everyone has their own preferred utensils for cookin' so here are mine. Wooden spatulas are the best. They do not scratch non-stick cookware and they come in enough shapes and sizes to serve a myriad of needs. I prefer making my own but don't always make the time. They are usually pretty inexpensive - a lot less expensive than the fancy (and often useless) sets. I do have a small set of inexpensive thin plastic spatulas because they are the best for omeletes.
Knives! Buy good ones. This is an investment for a good cook. Keep them sharp. I never use the "ever sharp" knives cuz they ain't, and they're cheap! Invest in a good set of knives or better yet, pick them out individually. Pretty matching sets are all well and good for wedding gifts but a cook has to have knives that fit their hand! So try them on before you buy. Then keep them clean and sharp! The dish washer is the best way to turn a good set of knives into garage sale material. Don't use it. It ruins wooden handles and dulls the edge because it's not good for the metal. After you use a good knife simply wash it in hot water by hand, soap is not really necessary. Then dry it off and it's ready for use. Of course, knives you use to prepare raw meat must be cleansed well so do that before using them on anything else - hot water and antibacterial soap.
Cookware: When you select your pots and pans look for the nice thick ones. They spread the heat evenly and last a lot longer. If you use non-stick cookware and/or wood handled, as do I, then get used to washing them by hand. They last a lot longer that way. And NEVER use a metal utensil in a non-stick pan dammit (pet peeve)!
Handy kitchen tools and gadgets. Most of the cooks I know have their favorite gadgets and many are gadget freaks. Here are some I find to be very helpful and handy. Salad shooter: use it to slice and grate. It works great for most salad veggies ('cept onion), cheese, taters for hash browns etc. Electric knife: use for meats only. This handy tool is irreplaceable for slicing the holiday turkey (I know I know. I used to be a knife purist too but this thing is really cool). It also works great for flank steak and roast. Meat Slicer: I like to bbq and smoke meats so this tool is a must for the best sammich's ever created.
Red meat is best served RARE. For those of you who prefer medium or well-done meats take a lesson, get a clue: when you cook meat that much you have cooked the life out of it, hence the taste. If you believe as the creatures, that the taste of meat is important, that the "experience" of eating is at least as important as the "need" to eat, then you must learn to cook your red meat with care, preserving the natural goodness of it. To take a fresh chunk of filet mignon and season it to taste, then cook away the red, is to eliminate the most tasteful experience in meat eating. Not to mention eliminating the bulk of the natural proteins that we get from meat in the first place! This is called sacrilege. You may as well carve up a road kill or eat meadow muffins!
By the same token, the side dishes of vegetables must be fresh! Those which we enjoy "cooked" must be fast-cooked. If you make them squishy then you have cooked out all of the natural flavor and most of the natural "good for you" stuffs! Never boil veggies! Use the wok, the grill or the steamer. Anything else is carnage!
For cold veggies - like salads - keep them fresh. You have to remember that the term "tossed salad" is spoken for a reason. Having a bazillion dressings available may seem like a nice gesture, but you have missed the point! Make the big salad, and then add your dressing - lightly! - Then toss the shit out of it right before serving - don't give it time to get soggy! Select fresh vegetables. Use fresh cheeses. Slice or grate them by hand. Add them with care, and balance the color. A meal must be aesthetically pleasing or the eating experience will be more of a "taste test" than an "oh God I can't wait to dig in" experience!
The cutting board. You need more than one because you will use more than one. At least you SHOULD use more than one. The big one you buy is for meats. If you're really smart you'll have one that you use for raw meats to prepare it, and a different one that you use to slice cooked meat. Never use a cutting board that had raw meat on it for anything else until is is thoroughly washed, and use antibacterial soap and the really hot water. Have a separate cutting board that you use for veggies, smaller than the butcher block, and when you clean it afterwards just use warm water. If it gets really messy you can use soap but it's better to let it get 'seasoned' like a wok. After a few years of garlic and onion slicing on that board it really gets 'cured'. The last cutting board you need is for bread Stuff, and only for bread Stuff. Usually longer and rectangular, these boards never have to be washed much more than a rinse off. The main thing is to not take stupid chances with these things.
Seasoning! Seasonings should be applied in one of two ways: either to the limit of taste, or to the limit of their value. The limit of taste is obvious but the limit of their value is less so. Too much of a season is bad. You're not seasoning your food to mask the taste; you're seasoning to enhance it. Too much is a really bad thing. I love garlic, pepper, onion, and stuff like that. But if that's all you taste then of what value is your creation? Remember; season to enhance the taste, not to hide it.
Remember that you are the cook! This isn't a restaurant where everyone gets a choice that they have to pay for! This is entertainment; this is your time to show your talents! So make YOUR meals, not the restaurants! Prepare your salad with care. Balance your meal with appetite in mind. Remember that 'enough' is plenty.
Smoking: This is one of the oldest and bestest techniques for cooking meats there is. Merlyn loves smoked meats! There are many types of smokers from the simple to the extravagant and when I find good resources for them on the net I will add links to them, but for now I will only talk about mine. My smoker is a New Braunfells (in Texas) model that I picked up at Sears for two bills. The fire box is seperate from the business end so when I smoke the meats they are not in danger of being charred (although 'regular' bar-b-quing is also possible with this rig). Temperature control is easy with proper dampering. The business end is large enough for me to easily prepare two 25 pound turkeys, or to mix different meats. I once did two roasts and a turkey in it to make a number of month's supply of lunch meats. The most important things to remember with smoking meats is temperature control, insuring an adequate supply of wood smoke (although it does not have to be constant), cooking time, and the temperature of the inside of the meats when you "think" it's done. Don't get overanxious - be prepared to spend the better part of the day with this because it's a labor of love. Once you prepare a few meals this way you will coinsider the stove and oven as "alternative methods" of cooking!
OK, end of lecture. Now you know where I stand. I love to cook, and there is nothing more pleasing or rewarding than cooking for someone who love's to eat! While my kids are typical kids in terms of meals, many of my friends are people who honestly love to eat, and never leave me unrewarded for my cooking "efforts". There is no more pleasure for a person who love's to cook than to have it eaten "all gone", lovingly and appreciatively.
Finally a word to my friends and particularly to my children. These are the people on whom I experimented! Not that they had all that much choice really, but they kept coming back so that should say something positive. I will never forget the looks on my kid's faces when it became obvious to them that "dad was experimenting again" in the kitchen. Lots of lessons were learned and continue to be. So to them, as trusting and faithful taste-testers - not to mention survivors! - I say thank you, and I love you.
[ Lecture | Main Dishes | Desserts | Potpourri ]
