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Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

Discussion in 'GatorGrowl's Diamond Gators' started by GatorLurker, Jul 28, 2016.

  1. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    Tonight I’ll be grilling hamburger steaks freshly ground from a boneless chuck roast with baked potatoes on the top rack. Inside we’ll have a Caesar salad.

    Hot and dry—even with the rains we’ve had so far this summer we could really use some rain in our area.

    The back porch is open, the Yeti is restocked, and the wine is chilled.

    Life is good in Gator Nation!
     
  2. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    Do you add anything to your ground chuck? I like to add a bit of Worchestershire sauce. My mom added bread crumbs to stretch it (daughter of the depression) and an egg for binding.

    Also do you dimple the patty? I always do so that they come off the grill flat and not domed in the middle.
     
  3. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    I always use coarse salt and coarse pepper. I will use Worcestershire to change it up from time to time.

    And yes I always dimple my hamburger steaks as well as my burgers.

    Occasionally I will thin slice vidalia onions, vine ripe tomatoes and green bell peppers for hamburger steaks as well. I lay the onions, then bell peppers, then tomatoes on the top of the hamburger steaks. I pull them off to turn the meat then slide’em back on and reclose the lid.

    You get both their flavors as well as steamed veggies to go with.
     
  4. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    This hamburger steak thing is not something I am used to from the Midwest. Is it like a large hamburger that is not served on a bun?
     
  5. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    Pretty much that’s it. I like to do them when boneless chuck roasts are on sale-I get my guys to grind one fresh so there’s no loss of blood or flavor, it all goes home with you.

    You get to serve yourself grilled beef without it being $19+ per pound.
     
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  6. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    Grilling a lot of veggies (sweet and red onions, eggplant, corn, red and green bell peppers, escarole, portobellas) on the grill along with a few knockwurts. Also Chinese sesame noodles.

    Also grilling pineapple.
     
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  7. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    Tonight we’re having a boneless half pork loin smoked indirect over applewood smoke on the BGE.

    Our sides will be Ms. Jan’s homemade Mac’n’Cheese and a freshly made Romaine salad topped with vine ripe tomatoes. Ms. Jan slightly changed her ingredients for her Mac’n’Cheese from milk and butter to half milk/half heavy cream and butter. A really good flavorful difference.

    Instead of a shot milk added to your grits you can use the heavy cream and it turns a good pot of grits into a great pot of grits as well.

    Summertime heat sets the tone for this evening’s refreshments. Ketel One Vodka and your choice of mixers.

    Life is good in Gator Nation!
     
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  8. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    Last night my wife made szechuan tofu, stir fried bok coy with shiitake mushrooms and a broccoli slaw salad to go along with it before I took my vegan niece down to the Orlando airport and drove back. Long evening in the car.

    Today I am making chicken piccata because boneless/skinless chicken breasts were BOGO. One package is in the freezer. Egg noodles and caprese salad to go with it.
     
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  9. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    Thai red curry with shrimp tonight.
     
  10. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    Tonight I’m grilling chicken halves seasoned with coarse black pepper and Everglades Cactus Dust.

    Inside we’ve got a big pot of fresh green beans and new potatoes and bi-color cob corn.

    My sister’s grandson is playing in a local tournament here this weekend so we have company and some baseball to watch Sat/Sun.

    The back porch is restocked and open for leisure times.

    Life is good in Gator Nation!
     
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  11. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    I have to say that when I put chickens on my KJ is is usually whole chickens and smoked low and slow. Yes I know that you don't have to cook chickens that way because they don't have much connective tissue but they end up really juicy and flavorful.

    Or I grill them in pieces over direct heat at a much higher temperature. Usually thighs and legs with a BBQ sauce on the last turns. Pat's Ho-Made was excellent for that.

    The hardest one for technique is grilling jerk chicken because it needs a quick sear and then a slower cook like a steak.

    When thinking about grilling chicken halves I think that it is just grilling two halves of a chicken cavity side down. Kind of like a quick and dirty spatchcock. My only concern is that the legs won't get cooked enough. Do you cut the legs off or bend them down?
     
  12. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    No, I just buy whole birds and split’em in half. Obviously I want them cooked done but the every time challenge for me is to to burn my charcoal down far enough to prevent overcooked skin without running out of fire to get them done.
     
  13. 74nole

    74nole GC Hall of Fame

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    Tonight we’re grilling cheeseburgers and hotdogs. Our sides will be home cut French fries and BBQ baked beans.

    The back porch is open and ready for your leisure. The Yeti is restocked, the wine is chilled and a variety of Vodka drinks have been requested.

    Life is good in Gator Nation!
     
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  14. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    Sounds like 4th of July on the 9th except for the vodka. Isn't that what commies drink instead of flouridated water? (I LOVE Dr Strangelove.)

    Defrosted leftover pulled pork for making our signature pulled pork enchiladas. I made rajas (blistered and peeled poblano peppers with onion, garlic, thyme and oregano) as part of the stuffing.
     
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  15. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    Smoking a chicken. Garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli as sides.
     
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  16. BA69MA72

    BA69MA72 GC Legend

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    upload_2023-7-10_22-17-6.jpeg
     
  17. GatorLurker

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    Out of town visitors last night that wanted to get Satchel's pizza. Not really my thing.

    Tonight I am making Tex-Mex tacos at my wife's request: Old El Paso seasoning packet using ground turkey on hard taco shells. At least I made fresh pico de gallo.

    And at least I will make proper margaritas for dinner. It was nice that Cointreau had an $8 off instant coupon at my ABC.
     
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  18. paidinfull

    paidinfull GC Hall of Fame

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    Have you tried the detroit style at Satch-squared, their sister store on 4th? I like it much better than anything I’ve ever eaten at Satchels. I know you’re from Chicago, and that’s not Chicago, but it’s the deeper crust with nice crispy edges.
     
  19. GatorLurker

    GatorLurker GC Hall of Fame

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    It is like a better version of Little Caesers.

    Yes, I am from Chicago but not a huge fan of deep dish pizza. Papa Dell's in Champaign makes a good one. I have had all of the "classic" deep dish pies in Chicago and they are meh.
     
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  20. paidinfull

    paidinfull GC Hall of Fame

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    Lol, I’m not a fan of the huge 2” thick Chicago style either, but I do like the detroit style at satch squared, and I’ve never eaten anything from little caesars that was similar. I’ve never been and have no interest in visiting Chicago. What do you like in Gainesville?