Everyday Misc Cooking Photos w/ details

[ckreef]

The coffee lump charcoal from Dennis is amazing. Think Japanese Binchō-tan, scaled for the KK.

Seeing this charcoal first hand is dangerous information.

Yup I really like the CoffeeChar lump. If I had the cash I'd but a pallet.

Reef's Bistro

[Syzygies]

5 hours ago, tinyfish said:

 I don't know if I should use (CoffeeChar lump) on a low and slow cook or a hotter direct heat cook.

My guess is to continue using CoCoChar for low and slow. This CoffeeChar lump is for directly experiencing fire, for anyone who thrills to fire.

I just ordered a Broil King KA5565 Charcoal Caddie Basket for lifting and cradling smaller lump charcoal fires. For example to finish a sous vide steak. I'll review this after playing with it. There are many alternative charcoal splitters; Dennis makes one that blocks the airflow on the unused side.

[MacKenzie]

I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about the caddie.:)

[Syzygies]

Always have a plan for the after-party. One favorite of mine is from some Spanish cookbook, three pounds of potatoes, an onion, a teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, pimenton, and olive oil to mix. Roast to taste.

The cookware is a La Chamba clay pot from Colombia. My friends and I have many sizes. These are twice as good as the next best option for clay cookware, and this is coming from someone with a serious problem with accumulating cooking equipment; I've probably tried your favorite, if this isn't it. They feel like very dense wood, are so buffered that stove-top cooking behaves like oven cooking, and I've never managed to break one. They're made from micaceous clay; one hears accounts of potters desperate to break their mistakes with similar clay, and all hurling pots like this does is damage the floor. They easily take direct flame. I own some beautiful tagines that collect dust because of La Chamba.

They're the dream stove-top bean pot, worth it for this if they never see another use.

Good Mother Stallard beans from Rancho Gordo, inside while I cooked outside on the KK.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Syzygies

[CeramicChef]

@Syzygies - interesting.  This is new to me.  Now I'm off to do some research and Amazon to see if they're available there.  Thanks!

[MacKenzie]

Your bread looks lovely, those potatoes sound interesting as does the pottery .

[tony b]

Gorgeous looking bread, Syz! 

I'm like you, more cooking "toys" than I have room for. Will need to think hard about these pots, as like you, I own a couple of tagines and several enameled and bare CI dutch ovens. 

[Syzygies]

I'd never tried a whole lamb shoulder before, so when Berkeley Bowl offered me a 9 pound lamb shoulder for $50, it was hard to say no. Have the neighbors over. A bit rich for the oppressive heat, but tasty.

This called for Mediterranean rather than classic barbecue flavors, so the rub was a marinade of 1% salt (by weight of the shoulder), black pepper, smashed garlic cloves, lemon peels, rosemary, olive oil. The oil tends to suspend the salt and impede absorption into the meat, so better technique might be to lead with the salt, and apply the marinade later.

Multiple sources propose four hours at 325 F, for smaller shoulders. I used pink butcher paper in the style of Franklin Barbecue for the last hour, which turned into two with late arriving guests. Incredibly moist. Or is that sensation fat?

A great change of pace, but this doesn't edge out pork butt, where the fat is easier to manage. Working over the leftovers for hash will be like dealing with a bone-riddled fish. I'll vacuum pack as-is, and pick over after warming sous vide.

[CeramicChef]

@Syzygies - that is one very juicy looking cook.  Even with late arriving guests and an extra hour of cook time, that is a very tasty looking cook.  Kudos and thanks for posting!

[Jon B.]

A fun / learning rotisserie cook..............................

Bought a cheap cut of beef roast at Sam's Club.  Dry rubbed it with Montreal Steak Seasoning and let it rest for 24 hours in the refrigerator.  

Here it is on the spit ready to go with ckreef's drip plate below it:

Brought the KK up to 350*F with a little left over cherry wood in the mix.   Didn't really time the cook but started checking internal temp  about 45 minutes after it reached cooking temp.  Pulled it when it reached an IT of 130- 135*F.   Here is the roast fresh off the grill (didn't get the color I hoped for...will try a direct cook with no drip tray next time).

Decent internal color and very juicy.  Wasn't too bad for a cheap cut of meat.

Here was Mac's view while spinning away.................looking down the the creek,  heading out to the lake,  just around the bend.

   

 

[ckreef]

Meat looks good but that is a really fantastic view.

Reef's Bistro

[MacKenzie]

Jon, your cook looks great and what a fantastic view, I never tire of seeing Mac's view.   

[CeramicChef]

@Jon B. - all I can say is that you have really tough duty!  Way to power through!  Great cook.  Kudos to ya!

[tony b]

Nice view. 

I'll be experimenting with Charles' infrared plate in the near future on a rotisserie chicken. Eager to see how well it works. I've used it on static cooks (i.e., not spinning) and liked it, so I'm hoping it works as well with a dynamic (i.e., spinning) cook.

[Aussie Ora]

I'd never tried a whole lamb shoulder before, so when Berkeley Bowl offered me a 9 pound lamb shoulder for $50, it was hard to say no. Have the neighbors over. A bit rich for the oppressive heat, but tasty.

This called for Mediterranean rather than classic barbecue flavors, so the rub was a marinade of 1% salt (by weight of the shoulder), black pepper, smashed garlic cloves, lemon peels, rosemary, olive oil. The oil tends to suspend the salt and impede absorption into the meat, so better technique might be to lead with the salt, and apply the marinade later.

Multiple sources propose four hours at 325 F, for smaller shoulders. I used pink butcher paper in the style of Franklin Barbecue for the last hour, which turned into two with late arriving guests. Incredibly moist. Or is that sensation fat?

A great change of pace, but this doesn't edge out pork butt, where the fat is easier to manage. Working over the leftovers for hash will be like dealing with a bone-riddled fish. I'll vacuum pack as-is, and pick over after warming sous vide.

Nice shoulder I done one on my Joe last weekend the bones popped out nicleyI just used a mixture of paprika ,cinnamon and cumin seeds

Outback Kamado Bar and Grill♨

[tinyfish]

Will we be seeing lots of fish cooks on Mac?

 

[MacKenzie]

Remember those rotisserie ribs that I did a week or so ago, they are back from the depths of the freezer. The SV bath was going anyway so I just put the rib package in to warm up while getting the rest of the dinner. Fried potatoes and broccolini, which I love.

At the same time I had hot dog rolls rising. I need some for a sausage cook that I think I'll do tomorrow. It's CANADA DAY, July 1st.

Here are the buns, now baked.

Now that the buns are baked and dinner is over it's ice cream time but first the cones-

and now homemade vanilla ice cream.

 

 

[tony b]

Excellent, as usual, MacKenzie and Happy Canada Day to all my buddies up North!! 

Edited July 1, 2016 by tony b

[CeramicChef]

Happy Canada Day to all my Canuck Friends!  @MacKenzie - as always, KILLER cook!  Kudos!

[ckreef]

Love those homemade cones.

Reef's Bistro