ronnie_suburban
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Posts posted by ronnie_suburban
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I'd like to see what the inside of that brand new, multi-rack smoker looks like after its maiden voyage.
Not gnarly enough, as far as I'm concerned...
It still looks like it's almost brand new. I'll get to work on that right away
BTW, here are the appetizers I brought to my friend's house yesterday...
Cucumber slices with a mixture of boursin & goat cheese and topped with sliced grape tomatoes. I was going to get a little more elaborate, but the 'mandoline accident' forced me call an audible.
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Beautiful smoker, Ronnie. Now I'm doubly sad that I can't make it to Nero's send-off.
Today I'll be celebrating Memorial Day with Copper River salmon ("only" 14.99/lb for filets, 13.99 for the whole fish) and asparagus.
Copper River salmon sounds terrific. It is that time of year.
How are you going to cook it?Very sorry too, that you won't be at the gathering
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I have to say I don't terribly care for the Reinhart books, or the Silverton.
Look at these loaves! (baked by jackal10)
They should be reading you, Jack
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I have all of Peter's books and they are all good.
Slightly OT, but I also would like to plug Peter Reinhart's American Pie, which I think is a fantastic book. The pizza (dough) recipes that appear therein have the benefit of PR's vast bread-baking experience.
On the bread front, I also think that Breads from the La Brea Bakery by Nancy Silverton is a fantastic book. It contains a lot of great info as well as some very handy 'work-arounds' for a variety of limitating factors. This book had a major influence on me (could say it changed my life) and I highly recommend it.
Also, Beard on Bread has been a great source of both information and inspiration for me. It's an invaluable resource.
I've also heard some really great things about the Alford & Duguid books--and I own a couple--but I haven't baked from them yet.
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60 degrees F today here in Chicago, so I took the opportunity to make some baby back ribs...
Damn, dude...
*** DROOL ***
As an aside, here's yesterday output...
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Yes, we request the "dark end" chops each time we go. And sometimes they oblige, sometimes they don't (at least at the Deerfield location.)
I'd say go and demand these particular cuts next time you go. They're heaven if they're done right.
I'm going to tell them that you said I should "demand" them.
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So, tell me if anyone else has this dilema, are you reluctant to visit places you dined and have fond memories of in your youth because you fear disappoiontment is inevitable? We would like to think that the quality of food at Carson's has really gone downhill but perhaps we have become jaded as the world of food has opened up to us (and we can afford to go to better places?)!
Patty,
This is a really interesting question. I'm not sure if there's ever been a thread here specifically dedicated to this particular issue, but I think it's central to understanding our enjoyment of certain foods and establishments.
I recently finished reading American Pie by Peter Reinhart (and I've mentioned this fact on several threads). One of the primary inspirations for the book seems to have been Reinhart's desire to unravel the 'truth' behind his food memories--have the places he loved changed or have his tastes changed? He finds that it is, in fact, a little of each.
I won't specifically avoid a place because I'm concerned about it not matching up to my recollection of it. But, if I go back to a place that I used to like and find that I no longer like it, I'm very unlikely to return and give it yet another chance. There are just too few days and too many places. In my mind, I play Taps for the place and move it to the imaginary "used to be good" category. From that point forward, only a lingering and unrequited desire for nostalgia or a visiting friend can get me to go back. Of course, there are always a few exceptions too. But, in the end, doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome, can be hazardous to one's health.
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Ronnie, perhaps this should be moved to a smoking thread, but I'll start here. Somewhere, you (I'm sure it was you) mentioned a Char Broil smoker you'd gotten at Home Depot (if not you, I apologize). How would you compare the smoker you photoed here to that one in terms of bang for the buck?
Ribs are good. I always try and hide the leftovers so the rest of the family can't find them.
What sort of smoked thing did you put in your baked beans? I have a meat market that sells double-smoked bacon ends ($.99/lb !) that really make them sing.
It was me.
Very briefly:I love the Char Broil and it does a GREAT job but it's very challenging to maintain temperature with it (especially when it's windy), so sometimes foods which are smoked on it require additional cooking (gas grill or oven) after they come off. Not a big deal, but an extra step regardless. With the new unit, that wasn't true--at least not this first time out. The ribs received good smoke and consistent temperature and they required no additional cooking after they came out of the smoker.
As for the beans, I started them with some locally-produced, Hungarian-style smoked bacon called Kolozsvari. It's made by Bende & Son in Vernon Hills, IL. Very smokey, very nice. And, for the record, I'd like to state that this was my first time specifially baked beans from scratch. In the past, I've made all sorts of other bean dishes from scratch, using dried beans. I was very happy with the way these turned out.
I'm making a few other appetizers to take to my friend's house today. But, he reads eGullet--and I want what I'm bringing to be a surprise--so I'll stop back later and elaborate on those. Only bad thing is that today's weather is making yesterday's weather seem glorious. It is dark here today. It's been raining non-stop and there's plenty of thunder and lightning going on too.
Oh...and I had a kinda' nasty mandoline accident about an hour ago.=R=
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So, tell more about your smoker. I didn't see wood in the photo, but then again, I'm not wearing my reading glasses.
Here's where I am on the smoking: My butts
Those butts look great Susan!
No question, butt is the trump card of smoked meat.As for your question, the wood, in the form of chips and/or small chunks, is housed in the black, cast iron box positioned just above the burner unit (and below the water bowl). The entire smoker is also convertable to wood/charcoal by removing the burner unit and sliding a cast iron box into the bottom of the smoker cabinet. That said, today's effort went very well and I was delighted with the precise control that the thermostat and dampers provided. I was able to keep the temperature at 250 F with very little effort.
About 5 hours in, the meat started FOB'ing
and the finished product tasted no less smokey than it does when I use my wood only smoker. The ribs (on the new smoker) were a success!Here is a pic of the finished product...
They were pretty darned good. We and our guests ate most of them and we sent a few half-slabs home with our friends too. Still have about 1.5 slabs left which we'll gnaw on over the next few days. The other dishes came out pretty good. I loved the baked beans (my first attempt at 'scratch' beans) and the cuke-tomato-onion salad was good. The slaw needed something, though. It was good but could have been better. Even a generous squirt of sriracha couldn't revive it. Oh well, overall it was a very good food day
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Wow that is some smoker...I just have the little red R2D2 looking electric smoker...I think it gets too hot as well....Man I have had some extra coin I would be getting me one of yours!
R2D2? LMAO!
I have one of those too, CC and I absolutely love it. I've used it dozens and dozens of times. I stumbled upon it about a year and half ago at Home Depot for $29--quite possibly the best $29 I've ever spent--and certainly the best $29 I've ever spent on anything food-related. This new one seems very nice--today is its inaugural voyage--so we'll see how it goes.
Also, forgot to mention that I am making 1 hot appetizer today...Lamb Meatballs in Brandy Sauce from Penelope Casas' Tapas...not smoked, however
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I think L. Woods makes one of the best slabs around - smokey, sweet, and slightly hot as well (more so if you request they be make with their "devil" sauce.)
Well, as you know, before their recent name change, L. Woods was known as Bones...and they didn't call it that for nothing
But, I've never had their ribs, because I'm addicted to their steaks--particularly their rib eye and skirt--which are both fantastic. And they turn out a very nice au gratin potato there too, IIRC.I agree with you about the pork chops at Carson's too. They can be dry on occasion but when they're on, they're on. Have you ever actually requested the fattier chops there? If so, I'm curious to hear what the response was.
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Too bad it's 50 and rainy
but the ribs most go on!Same here, except with butt. The battle to get the ole Weber Kettle fired up during rain was difficult, but things are progressing nicely. That was until Paul noticed that the roof in our "new" house has a leak. Oh well, keeps life interesting.
I'm glad to have this new smoker (currently set-up with gas propulsion) today. I like smoking with wood only but it's very nice having the gas fueled system today while the weather's so lousy.
That really sucks about the leak.
I suppose it's better find out about it now than in the middle of the winter (when some ice starts melting). I have a 'special' place in my heart for everyone from whom I've ever bought a residence. Those bastages! =R=
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Sounds excellent, Dana. Congrats on your daughter's graduation from Law School. My sister graduated (bachelor's degree) from KU.
Do you and your family dine at Lidia's often? Is it strictly a special occasion-type place?
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Sounds like several of us are Smokin' butts.
Close
....smoking some ribs here.
Doing a fairly basic BBQ-type event. In addition to the ribs, we also made cole slaw, tomato-cucumber-onion salad and baked beans with smoked bacon. Guests are bringing beverages, desserts and appetizers.
Too bad it's 50 and rainy
but the ribs must go on!=R=
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adoxograph,
First, I commend you for working a TRU reference into your write-up
It's always a conundrum when deciding between eating the pizza while the crust is at its hot and crispy best or preserving the roof of one's mouth and letting it become a little chewier before digging in. I always choose the former, promise myself that it will never happen again, rinse, repeat...
I'm glad you enjoyed it. We all have gmi3804 to thank for steering us to Marisa's. As close as it is to my house, I don't recall ever noticing it before his initial post. It really is buried in the back of that strip mall and the owners of the mall seem to be doing very little to indentify the businesses therein to the endless streams of car traffic that whizzes through that intersection everyday.
I had no idea that my, erm...prose had found its way onto the door at Marisa's. But, now I understand why those paparrazzi have been staked out in my driveway all week. Fat Guy told me there'd be days like these
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Welcome eatchicago. Nice to hear from you
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(Make sure when you spray to steer clear of the light bulb in the back if it is not covered or even remove it to be on the safe side - trust me I know)
So true, so true
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I can’t for the life of me remember the exact name of the place. A little joint on Ogden Av. in Downers Grove, Great burgers and some interesting choices of toppings to choose from. Hand formed and grilled over charcoal served with fries and slaw with a pickle spear. Ronnie do you remember the place as I remember we talked about it at the Bourdain book singing? It has INN in the nam.
It's on the tip of my tongue but I can't remember the name. I'm pretty sure it's in or adjacent to a Metra station as well. There is a patio (IIRC) and they're known for their burgers. I searched a few places but could not come up with it...
I think at the time of that Bourdain signing (May 2003) it had just been featured on CLTV's Good Eating.
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Naha (on Clark Street in River North) serves an amazing cheeseburger at lunch: half-pound of very high-quality beef, cheese (I like it with blue cheese), a perfect bun, and some of the best fries I've had this side of Brussels. For ten bucks, it's an absolute steal--especially considering where you're eating it.
I was flying along on my cycle when I realized I had passed up the cheaper spots on the outskirts and found myself in the expensive river north area. I then remembered hearing about a $10 angus burger at Naha.
Showed up at 11:30am, DEAD! Absolutely DEAD, by the time I left slightly after 12, there were 6 people total, 4 tables taken, that is it. I’m guessing it had to be due to the Friday before a holiday weekend.
Started with a potato, corn and saffron soup w/some sautéed leeks. Good soup but the potato flavor should have been more pronounced IMO.
Then came the angus burger, slightly done past my requested medium rare. I chose the blue cheese as my cheese of choice. The bun is a good egg bun that has been grilled to get the flat sides crisp, not too dense. There is a “gourmet” salad mix and sliced plum tomatoes on as well. The burger has seasonings but they add not detract from the burger.
Fries I thought were only ok at first, but the way I started to polish them off, they were much better than ok, not quite Belgium quality (maybe I'm missing my Frite sauce)
Bottom line, the incredible quality blue cheese and the lovingly caramelized onions (think French onion tart caramelized) made the burger. If it were not for these two catalysts of flavor, the burger would have only been good.
For $10 a damn good burger, I would have it again.
I love NaHa.
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I also like Meyer's (sp?) at the west end of Wilmette off of Lake Street, although you need two to really fill up.
Slightly OT here, but I also like Meier's Tavern because they serve tater tots with their burgers.
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I've never had a tater tot.
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Mags, what you say makes perfect sense. Perhaps there will emerge a vast market of non-dieters who will just be happy to consume less sugar--and that's a positive thing. Being permanently cynical prevented me from seeing this possibility on my own
I will say that with both the products I tried, the "mid" Coke and Pepsi really did taste like the originals (more certain of this with the Coke than the Pepsi), so maybe success lay ahead with these types of products.
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Info from a semi well-read, hack home baker....
Oven Spring is aided in commercial ovens via steam injection. Try placing the water in the pan at the onset, when you first turn the oven on. Additionally, adding (scrap) metal to that pan will help the effect--although I'm really not sure why--but that info comes from a reliable source at the Bread Bakers Guild of America's message group.
You can also spray water into the oven right before you add your loaves, but you must do so quickly to avoid significant temperature drop in the oven. It has always been my understanding that moisture in the oven delays the crusting of the bread and allows it bloom more fully (or spring) when baking.
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I also like Meyer's (sp?) at the west end of Wilmette off of Lake Street, although you need two to really fill up.
Slightly OT here, but I also like Meier's Tavern because they serve tater tots with their burgers.
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BTW, what ever happened to Chicago Fest? You remember, the Jane Byrne era, don't you?
I remember accidentally throwing my retainer away at ChicagoFest. Man, were my folks pissed at me
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How did that happen? Did you puke it out?
What was ChicagoFest? Was there food?
ChicagoFest took place on Navy Pier (IIRC) and yes, there was food.
I took out the retainer to munch down some corn on the cob, set it down on my plate, forgot about it and casually tossed the plate into the garbage when I was done eating. Stupidly, I confessed as soon as I realized what I'd done and took much heat, on premises. I should have waited until I got home to say anything.
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Memorial Day, what are you cooking?
in Cooking
Posted
Awesome Brooks! You should barely be able to move by the time it's all wrapped up.
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