woodburner

This is I'm almost certain of no help, since it requires some special equipment, but just an idea to build upon. I brine and smoke, farm raised duck breasts, and then slice thinly and serve with a horseradish sauce. Smoked Duck is pretty f'in good. woodburner

I'm sure your correct. woodburner

Yup. Rewind, early 60's As a child, probably 10 or 11 yrs old, my neighborhood kid friends would spend a few summer mornings at the local slaughterhouse/pig farm, about a 10 minute bike ride from home. Hogs were free to roam in a fairly large pen, maybe 15 hogs in a 30 x 30 ft area. Never recall a terrible smell, and the hogs were more afraid of us kids, as they would head to the opposite side of the pen, from where we would stand and watch. Still sticks hard in my memory, of the singular cattle slaughter, not that it was bad, but looking back, very educational. Slaughtering was done individually, and was very swift, in all aspects. woodburner

Paula, I read that post, shortly after you wrote it. I must say, that I was truly impressed with the results. Thank you for sharing it. woodburner Egg Thread

AH HA! That makes me wonder if I have ever seen hardneck. We have a pretty dismal selection here. We usually see the "white stuff" and the "purple stuff". Since Houston doesn't have a decent farmer's market (well... we have a small one trying to start) we don't get anything that merits a variety name. Well... maybe Whole Foods or Central Market does but that is "in town" and I rarely get there. Even Fiesta doesn't advertise varieties, which I find surprising. There is a world of taste difference between soft and hard, with most of the hard varieties having much more of a garlic, bite. Also, I find the hard varieties take better to roasting, and then spreading on a fresh baguette. Normally after a 30 minute roast in the oven, a hardneck will start to waift a purley pleasant aroma, and in about 15 minutes more, it will be ready to be plucked from the heat, with each clove turning to almost a paste like consistency. Look for varieties such as Rocambole, Purple Stripe and Siberian. But there are plenty more to choose from. woodburner Garlic in Texas

Softneck garlic has a significantly longer shelflife than hardneck. From the University of Minnesota extension service: Another disadvantage of hardneck varieties is that they do not store well and may either start to form roots or start to dry out within a few months after harvest. I stand corrected. woodburner

Garlic farming is just starting to catch on, here in the east. Hardneck varieties are what the farms grow. Probably 95 percent of what you see in most markets, with the little shoots coming out, are softneck varieties, of which have very poor storing qualities. Seed Garlic can be obtained in September thru October from mail order sources, or better yet, seek out a garlic farm in your area. Hardnecks come in many varieties, and are mostly named for the regions of the world from which they originated. One great spot to obtain and taste many varieties here in the east is at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. HVGF Two years ago, I planted a little less than thirty pounds of garlic in my home garden, when harvested in August, I weighed out at a little less than 75 lbs. of nice healthy bulbs. Storage was in a cool, dark area of my home, and it lasted till February without very much degradation of flavor. So roughly six months. Speak to your local Home Extension office regarding specific planting requirements for your area. woodburner

One of the reason's I posed this question, is because I'm considering adding a rotiserie for my kettle grille. Coming in at around $100 usd, I'm not so sure it's worth the money. I'm guessing that one key item for cooking the chickens is the size. I can already cook a pretty good bird, without spending the extra dollars. Anybody have one of these outdoor type units? woodburner

I would offer we dig deeper into the subject of the rotisserie itself. Let's wonder for a minute, why? I mean, let's face it, most of us can produce crisp chicken in an oven. Did for some reason, some moronic bastard, say hey, we need a chicken rotisserie? I doubt it. Had the chicken itself, due to all the anti-biotics shtuff, started to hinder a crisp skin in the oven? Does a spun chicken, offer different flavor? A few highly regarded spice companies offer Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning. woodburner

I've noticed in some food markets that sell rotisserie chickens(like at the deli) something odd. Most commercial rotisserie ovens, have shelves, that operate ferris wheel fashion, ie, the birds never spins, it just goes for a ride around the oven. This usually lends itself to what looks like crispy skin, but I must admit, I've never bought one of these birds, or tasted one. Do the types of rotiseries that consumers use at home, where the chicken spins, produce crispy skin? If so, what information can you offer. woodburner

Stone, Go further north. Not south. woodburner

The CIA, can be sometimes a bit of a wait for reservations, so best to book early. Lunches are popular, but easier to get into. Dinner is a very nice experience, and worth the wait. woodburner

Paula Wolfert has preliminarly discussed this once or twice here. She called it "LTLT" Low Temperature, Long Time woodburner

Stone, Welcome to the Hudson Valley area. I'm in the building trade, but just a little bit north of you, but would be happy to assist in locating some individual's through networking for you. PM me if you would like me to get some specific information. We just recently had a discussion around here somewhere, regarding restaurants, a fellow egulleter is moving up from the Jersey area. I'll try and find the thread. woodburner clickity

Radio radio... What does he say ? Suzi, Thanks for the great report. I really wish we all could have hooked up and had dinner, but there will be other times. It's my understanding a new Italian place also recently opened in the city of Hudson, and it's getting grand reviews. The name is not clear to me yet, but I will find it, and post the information. woodburner

I would offer the following. Retail sales forecast for Vday show that men spend about $95 dollars and women spend about $60 on thier loved ones, in gifts. Restaurants may not be considered a retail operation, but they fit into the overall scheme. Candy, flowers, cards and jewlry fit into the mix, leaving little room or money for eating out. Sales Projection Next year do the right thing, open for about 4 hours for dinner, and allow you and your staff some romp time. woodburner

I will surely add bacon, next time out. It was originally called for, but I was a slacker, and had none available. Couple the ease of cooking the confit, it's long term storage capabilities, and the amount of ways to use it, I find it remarkable. woodburner

fifi, The ham added some interesting flavor, but these onions are the way to go, plus they will surely be hitting the top of a biased sliced french bread this weekend. woodburner

I'm partial to the 6 hour cook. woodburner

These onions will surely be an option on a pizza. woodburner

I'll go for the chokin the chicken.... err I mean Jerk Chicken theme. Time to start practicing outdoor cooking, since this winter is just about out of gas. Home parties with more than 4 people, I prefer to keep things simple, since I want to enjoy my guests. woodburner

Looks fantastic fifi. I just gave mine a taste test. Good Lord! woodburner

I've never brined any of the butts I've cooked, mainly because they have never came off as being dry, after pulling. Cooking time can vary quite a bit from one cooking session to the next, but by following a general routine, the time line becomes more consistent. My method is too start with a butt, (full fat cap) that has been removed from the refrigerator for about two hours, and kept covered. I always use a rub, and like Tommy it contains cinnamon, which was done the evening prior. Cooker temperature is about 225º when the butts go on. I keep it undisturbed for about five hours or so, until the internal meat temperature registers 160º. At that time, I drop the cooking temperature to about 190º, allowing the meat to stay at the 160º plateau range for a few hours. Then I bring the cooking temp. back up to 225º, and continue to cook until the internal temperature is about 195º, at which I know the meat will be at the pullable stage. Total cooking time for me is about 13 hours. All that said, there is no problem cooking butts up over 300º and probably up to 350º without doing damage, or in this case moisture loss. woodburner

I'm using red onions, plus I've included the sugar, as called for in my recipe. Having no defrosted bacon available right now, I sliced up about 6 slices of Black Forest Ham, and added that for flavoring. I'm into the 200º oven now, as the crock pot was lost during the war, and never saw a need for it after that. woodburner

I'll suggest you start buying hard neck varietals. When stored in a cool dry location, and not the refrigerator, you will not have the worries of growing shoots. If it were me, and I were staring at a head of garlic that was starting to sprout, I would plant it in the garden. woodburner