About Twenty years ago we made a few great cooking challenge videos. Here is one of my favorites featuring the best co-host around, Mr. George Vrattos. Enjoy The Chef Merito VS McCormack Spicy Steak seasoning challenge. Old School fun from back in the day…
Beef Done Tender from a Smoker Bag
Cooking a brisket or a large roast can produce mouth watering, juicy and more importantly tender slices of meat.
The trick is to use a roasting bag safe for an oven. To use one on the grill, try a Finnish style version with embedded wood chips. It will add the smoke flavor to the roast without overpowering the rest of the grill.
INGREDIENTS:
2 – 1/2 pounds of beef brisket or roast
SEASONING RUB
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
For a SEASONING BLEND
2 – 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
DIRECTIONS FOR SEASONING RUB; Mix all of the above seasonings. Rub the surface of the meat covering any remaining fat. Place the meat into a smoker bag. Seal the bag and cook for the same amount of time as a covered roast.
DIRECTIONS FOR SEASONING BLEND; Simply blend in a mixing bowl and coat both sides of brisket or roast. For more information on smoker bags, look up http://www.savu.fi/in_english.iw3
Attributed to: Savu and Williams (US Distributor of Finnish smoker bags)
Breaking News! Do you ever ask people if they like grits and the answer is no, not if they are runny?
Sara Moulton has the solution to this problem – bake ’em with cheese –
Check this article out from the Observer-Reporter
A smoker bag is a very popular tools for many cooks in Finland. In the winter when the winds and the air are forbidden and cold, too cold for an outdoor grill, folks in Finland take advantage of smoker bags. Here is a recipe for pork.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS: Mix the above seasonings and rub them all over the meat. Place the meat in a smoker bag, seal it and cook based on a timeline for oven based roasting.
Where can you find a supply of smoker bags? Take a look at this Finnish manufacturer’s website at http://www.savu.fi/in_english.iw3 . They have a series of great smoker bag recipes you might enjoy.
Bring that grill up to high heat, slather a nice amount of lobster butter on the halves and grill quickly no more than a few minutes and you will be in happy lobster land.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Slice the lobsters from head to tail, right down the middle.
In a mixing bowl, place softened butter (no need to melt it) and fold in about a quarter cup of red coral lobster row. Spread this lobster butter liberally on top of the lobster meat. Season with your favorite seafood seasoning.
On a hot grill lay the lobster halves down and keep a sharp eye out for signs of over cooking. Lobsters should all be done in less than 2 or 3 minutes.
Attributed to: A love for our voracious little orange scavenger friends of the deep.
Find four nice fillet steaks and ask your butcher to tie them in rounds to form 4 tournedos. To keep the outermost layer of meat moist, pin a single strip of bacon around the tournedo with toothpicks or skewers.
INGREDIENTS:
4 fillet steaks tied in rounds
4 eggs
5 large mushrooms (chopped coarsely)
2 Tablespoons seasoned or plain breadcrumbs. I prefer Panko breadcrumbs by Kikkoman
4 large steak tomatoes
Chopped parsley for sauce topping
Sprinkling of your favorite mixed herbs
1 oz butter (melted)
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the tomatoes in half. Scoop out the center portion. Chop this up with breadcrumbs, parsley and herb seasoning mix add melted butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Put this mixture back into the tomato skins. Grill over medium heat on top of a grill pan or grilling skillet. When soft move to the side of the grill to make room for the tournedos.
Cook the steaks on top of the grill pan until done as desired. While timing the steaks fry the mushrooms in butter until tender. Add eggs and fry in a normal skillet on top of grill or range.
When steaks are done. Remove the string and top each with a stuffed tomato. Add a heap of mushrooms and press down to create a shallow spot to place a fried egg on top and center. Serve to your amazed and hungry guests.
You gotta love this. That is Stacy Zuelly, assistant Professor of animal sciences at Purdue University. She runs a BBQ boot camp. I just love the huge smile on her face as she prepares to slice off one of my absolute favorite grill cuts.
photo by Tom Campbell, Purdue Agricultural Communication
This photo, from a person who goes by the handle of “shanbuscus” has been viewed more than 3 million times on imgur — http://imgur.com/gL2cY7c .
It shows such serious enthusiasm, I had to post it again, in case you haven’t seen it.
When the best food in the Navy is simply not enough that day…
Did you know that a major west coast grilling and barbecuing event is about to happen in Long Beach, California? On May 13 you might want to visit the 6TH Annual West Coast BBQ Classic. It’s not on the deck of the Queen Mary. It’s at the Queen’s Waterfront Events park. If you love grilling and happen to live on the West coast, then you know how it sometimes feels like all the great cueing competitions seem to go east from the great state of Texas. Well here is one for all of us left coastal elite barbecuers and everybody else who are not so snooty as well.
Mark your calendars – May 13, 2017
Here’s the ticket info;
General Admission Value Pack: Includes general admission to West Coast BBQ Classic PLUS a starter pack of FIVE (5) tasting tickets with access to the World Famous Queen Mary.
$18 Pre-Sale, Ends April 28th
$24 From April 29th through May 13th
VIP Admission Value Pack: Includes general admission to West Coast BBQ Classic AND VIP EARLY ACCESS so you can be among the first to taste the BBQ (10AM-11AM) PLUS a starter pack of FIVE (5) tasting tickets, and access to the World Famous Queen Mary. Available in limited quantities…act now!
$34 Pre-Sale, Ends April 28th
$39 From April 29th through May 13th
BBQ Tasting Tickets (NO REFUNDS) – Tasting tickets are valid for all food and beverage with exception of alcohol ( 5 BBQ bucks – $10 )
Children 4 and under have free admission. Parking is $20 per vehicle.
Get more info at the events page;
http://www.queenmary.com/events/west-coast-bbq-classic/
See ya outdoors!
Foster
This is an expressive sauce that is perfect for rotisserie ham or grilled chicken. You can make a larger amount and keep it in the fridge. Simply reheat without boiling and use at any time.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Oz flour
2 Oz butter
4 large mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
dash or salt and a dash of pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Slowly heat the milk with the bay leaf and the chopped onion just to near boiling. Remove from heat. Let stand in a warm area for at least an half hour. When you are ready to make the rest of the sauce strain the milk into a container.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms until they are tender. Blend the flour with the milk and add to the saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove pan from heat and whisk in Worcesterhire sauce and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Reheat before you serve but do not boil.
