CeramicChef Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Well, yesterday was supposed to be the day that I spun some meat. However, technical difficulties prevented spinning meat until further notice. Rather than sulk, I decided to make yesterday evening's consolation prize worth truly enjoying. My motto has always been when life gives you lemons, grab a bottle of vodka and make some LeninAde! Tonight's menu consists of NY Strips, Baby Dutch Golden Potatoes, and Fresh Asparagus! SWMBOI and I had bacon and scrambled eggs with sautéed peppers and onion done on the griddle yesterday morning in the belly of TheBeast. So we had bacon grease left over; yes, we collect bacon grease and use it for cooking! Pork fat rules! Thank you Emeril! So I grab the griddle and I use the bacon fat to coat the potatoes. I love rubbing up potatoes with bacon grease. It's one of the small things that takes me back to my youth learn how to cook in my Mother's kitchen. Here are the small baby golds rubbed up, salted, peppered, dusted with granulated garlic, rosemary and thyme, and sprinkled with some parmesan cheese. They are ready for the belly of TheBeast. Next comes the asparagus. It too gets rubbed with s slight coating of bacon grease, salt and pepper. It's in a tray and ready to sit next to the potatoes. TheBeast hit about 375F and it's time for the potatoes to hit the heat. I've got half the heat deflector in the belly of TheBeast; that's just right for roasting potatoes and cooking some asparagus. And dadgummit, I don't have a single pic of the potatoes roasting in TheBeast! The potatoes take about an hour at 375F packed as they are. Here are the NY Strips seasoned with S&P, granulated garlic, and some chipotle pepper. Here is the asparagus on the indirect side and the NY Strips on the direct side. Temp on the direct side for this quick sear was 550F. Here is the end result of the cook before we jumped in with knife and fork. My dear friend, Pete the Salt Pig looks on approvingly as not pigs were involved in dinner tonight! The steaks were seared to a wonderfully delicious medium rare. And here is the end result about 30 minutes later! While I'm disappointed I didn't get to spin some meat yesterday for that evening's dinner, but this was a really nice consolation prize that was quick, easy, and very tasty. I'll spin that meat soon, but as long as I can entertain SWMBOI with a meal this good, I'm doing okay! Thanks for looking in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyfish Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Look at the color on that steak, perfect!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 CC, looking at the results of your cook I'd say that must have been a very satisfying meal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstr8 Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Good way & plan, CC, to forget about the roti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Well done, sir! BTW - who DOESN'T keep a jar of bacon fat sitting next to the stove?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 I would take the consolation prize any day. Great looking steak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Look at the color on that steak, perfect!! tiny - thanks! Every now and then I get lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 CC, looking at the results of your cook I'd say that must have been a very satisfying meal MacKenzie - it was really a nice meal. SWMBOI was satisfied ... she likes her asparagus! And as we all know, if SWMBOI is happy, everyone is happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Good way & plan, CC, to forget about the roti dstr8 - one thing I learned with BBQ is that you have to be flexible! Always have to have a Plan B! Maybe even a Plan C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Well done, sir! BTW - who DOESN'T keep a jar of bacon fat sitting next to the stove?? tony - no, it was actually medium rare! LOL! Sorry about that; I just couldn't resist! Thanks, for that nice compliment. As for the Bacon Fat, in our ultra-über healthy low fat kitchens these days we've forgotten our roots. My Mom and Dad always had bacon fat in the kitchen. But exceedingly few do anymore. I have friends wives throw a conniption fit when they see it. They always ask if I used it in whatever I'm feeding them. I say YES, but you don't have to eat anything! They always eat and say how good everything tastes. Go figure! Everything in moderation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 I would take the consolation prize any day. Great looking steak. ckreef - thanks! I appreciate it. You, skreef, and Hawke are welcome to join us any time you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 ckreef - thanks! I appreciate it. You, skreef, and Hawke are welcome to join us any time you wish. We will one day for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Terrific meal, Ken! Everything looked delicious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstr8 Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 tony - no, it was actually medium rare! LOL! Sorry about that; I just couldn't resist! Thanks, for that nice compliment. As for the Bacon Fat, in our ultra-über healthy low fat kitchens these days we've forgotten our roots. My Mom and Dad always had bacon fat in the kitchen. But exceedingly few do anymore. I have friends wives throw a conniption fit when they see it. They always ask if I used it in whatever I'm feeding them. I say YES, but you don't have to eat anything! They always eat and say how good everything tastes. Go figure! Everything in moderation. Rant: This is IMHO the biggest reason we can't buy real lard anymore. In relative terms real lard (not the shit in the plastic tubs in the mex aisle) is healthier than butter. But the same people that push lard aside glob butter on everything. Clueless. One of the many treats for me on my first trip to Italy last fall was enjoying lardo...splendido! For those of you that have not read any of Michael Pollan's books...I recommend each and all: http://michaelpollan.com Rant over 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Terrific meal, Ken! Everything looked delicious. Thanks, Wilbur! I appreciate that. I haven't seen many of your cooks lately; you must be really busy. How is the woodworking coming along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Rant: This is IMHO the biggest reason we can't buy real lard anymore. In relative terms real lard (not the shit in the plastic tubs in the mex aisle) is healthier than butter. But the same people that push lard aside glob butter on everything. Clueless. One of the many treats for me on my first trip to Italy last fall was enjoying lardo...splendido! For those of you that have not read any of Michael Pollan's books...I recommend each and all: http://michaelpollan.com Rant over Lardo, Florence.jpg dstr8 - there is nothing like a well timed and well reasoned rant! Feel free any time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Thanks, Wilbur! I appreciate that. I haven't seen many of your cooks lately; you must be really busy. How is the woodworking coming along? I’m not quite swamped, but pretty close. I’ve been using Smaug — just not enough time to do a writeup, or the cook was so basic (hotdogs, burgers) that I passed on documenting it, especially since I’ve posted on hotdogs and burgers already. Woodworking is coming along. My shoulder is still acting up a little, but I’ve been mentoring a local high school student who is building a small bookcase as part of a senior project. That’s fun, because that way I get to do woodworking while someone else does all the work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Wilbur - I understand the almost swamped. Good luck! I've been a bit busy myself. I help with a few Scouting merit badges and kids always want to get things done before school ends. So, my plate has been full. The young men love cooking on TheBeast. Give my best to your young student. Senior projects always get a heart pumping quicker! Good on ya, Wilbur, for helping this young man. He'll never forget you. Bravo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
