The only thing that I sometimes find tough when braising short ribs (same meat, but cut differently) is the connective tissue at the bone. If I melt that the meat is over done.
Provision run last night to HD and WM. Couldn't find zipper peas at WM, darn it. I don't think I've even had them - not that I can remember, but seeing them mentioned here so much I couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to check 'em out. Anyway, maybe Publix or WD has them. Will check next time I am near those stores. Did grab some yellow squash, Zucs, green beans though so have those cut up and in some of the m/w bags ready for the weekend. Picked up a watermelon too but haven't cut into it yet. On the off topic subject of power outages due to hurricanes.....I took delivery today of a new generator I ordered on Amazon. It's their Rainier R4400DF Dual Fuel (Gas and Propane) Portable Generator with Electric Start - 4400 Peak Watts & 3600 Rated Watts and worth a look if you think you may need a new one. Electric start, can run off either gas or propane with the turn of a lever, is not one of those huge ones that takes up a lot of space, and is surprisingly quiet compared with other open cage models I've seen, heard, and owned. I have an older Wen brand 5500 unit but wanted to get a newer one that I could use propane with. I have a couple window AC units I can run off a generator to get me by until power resumes and of course plug in the fridge and other odds and ends as needed. Makes all the difference! Let's hope I don't need to use this anytime soon! Life is good in Gator Nation!
I did another round of chicken thighs last night with a little different method. I still did them 500 indirect for 35 mins - but I didnt marinate them. Just blot dried all of them with paper towels, sat them out in the fridge uncovered for a couple hours, dusted with everglades, and threw them on. The skin was MUCH crispier. I marinaded the last ones which made the skin really hard to crisp. I added Pats to the ones who wanted after pulling and set them in the microwave for a few mins to warm the sauce. They were really really good.
Baz— Do you have anything like a farmer’s market around where you live? You’re more likely to find zipper peas, pink eyes, and cream 40’s at one of those—grocery store wise you would more likely find them at an independent grocery store that takes on local produce if they’re set up down there like they are up here in the Panhandle.
Well, the report from last night I would have to say for me was “live and learn.” The meat cooked up pretty much as I expected with one exception. It took on smoke well and the outside barked up as I had hoped it would. The beef had really good flavor but it cooked a little bit quicker than I thought it would. Just a touch dry, I will adjust that easily enough...... Back on the Egg tonight as St. Louis cut ribs, smoked indirect, have been requested. Again I will use half Cran-Cherry & water for moisture and cherry wood for smoke. Inside we’ve got fresh green beans and new potatoes and bi-color cob corn. Also we will have deviled eggs and jalapeño cornbread. Summer heat welcomes the ice cold longnecks and chilled wine on the back porch. Life is good in Gator Nation!
Starting with dry skins is the key for crispness. And having at least one part of the cook at high temperature.
Bolognese sauce tonight over orecchiette with a salad side. Trying out a tempranillo from Anderson Valley as the wine pairing. It might be slightly too full-bodied.
I would guess so....don’t think I would look long for an uh, inexperienced girl on the UM campus, if you know what I mean....
I had two chicken carcasses so I made chicken stock today. Home made is always better than store bought out of a box. I added some cilantro to the mix (carrot, celery, garlic, onion, thyme, black pepper) because I plan on using it for a Mexican dish very soon. I am hoping that I can find queso anejo, but if I can't I will dry out some feta. Also made another batch of tomatillo/avocado salsa for pork tacos for tonight. The chops are marinading in a guajillo chili sauce. I will fire up the KJ to cook them just like rib eyes and then shread/chop them up.
Tonight we’ll be grilling hamburger steaks from fresh ground boneless chuck roast— choice of baked potatoes or air fryer fries, and a freshly made Romaine salad topped with fresh vine ripe tomatoes. New blades put on the mower today—boy, do they make a difference for a clean cut yard, hot hot work though. Ice cold longnecks and chilled wine are our refreshments after yard work today. Life is good in Gator Nation!
I actually lost my virginity to a Miami girl. She was all right. Kind of a surfer girl. I met her in Gainesville where she was visiting her older sister. Visiting her once in Miami I'll never forget she wanted to take me to a place to eat and was all excited to show me what Tempura was. Which I'd never heard of, let alone eaten. I still have some letters she wrote to me. She passed away a few years ago from cancer, sadly. When me and a couple buddies went on a surf trip to Puerto Rico on Christmas break (in '73 I think it was) we drove down and stayed the night at her place before boarding the flight to PR. The waves were world class so my two buddies left early but I said F 'em and stayed the whole 10 days. Here we are after arriving at Kahuna's Guest House in Punta - just down the road from Rincon. I'm the one wearing glasses.
Just finished cutting up my Watermelon. It was the first seeded one I've bought in years....and reminded me why I usually buy seedless. Why do growers still grow seeded varieties anyway? Why do people even buy them? Can't be because of the flavor because I've had some very delicious seedless and some not so delicious seeded.
Well, we are going to be doing a mix and match for supper tonight. We are going to mix leftover vegetables (green beans & new potatoes, bi-color cob corn, and yellow squash and onions) and match it with a family box (6 pcs dark meat/6pcs tenders) Cajun Krispy Krunchy chicken with tater logs & honey butter biscuits from a local deli that does a great job with their fried chicken. We tried to stay out of the heat today after an extended day in the heat yesterday, so we busied ourselves with laundry and other inside stuff. Ice cold longnecks and chilled wine win out again for afternoon/early evening libations. Life is good in Gator Nation!
From my youth. The sweetest watermelons I have ever had were seeded and grown in Missouri. They were so sweet that you needed to put a bit of salt on them and then it was divine. I am eating a seedless watermelon now and it is pedestrian at best. Same thing with tomatoes. The heirloom varieties are orders of magnitude better than what you can ever get at Publix. Normally you cannot grow them in Gainesville because it gets too hot overnight for them to set fruit, but I know some folks that start them from seed really early and are able to get a crop in before we hit our summer (over 68 F as a low at night and for some varieties it has to be even cooler to set fruit).
I remember how sweet seeded watermelons were in my yut also...... Not the one I was eating today, however. Maybe it was an anomaly.
Good choice on freshly ground chuck. A bit of Worcester sauce in it? And a really sharp blade helps a lot with Bahai grass. That stuff is nasty. Now that you have two blades keep one sharp and change out frequently and sharpen in between. You have a bench grinder?
I do add a bit of Worcester along with coarse black pepper and Weber’s Chicago Steak Seasoning. No, I don’t but you are correct a really sharp blade is the only one that cuts Bahai well.
