pistolabella

I have a nice chuck roast I need to use, but it's truly Spring in Tennessee and I really don't want to fiddle with eating or making a pot roast..just seems wrong. Aside from Mexican-spicing the beef for barbacoa / tacos, what are some new & fun things I can do with this 2.5 lb roast? I can always grind it for burgers, but wondering if anyone has any tried and true recipes that are off the pot-roast path. Ideally using a dutch oven, 2-3 hr cook time ( no crockpot stuff). Thanks!

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys! Riddle me this...You're going to Graceland Cemetery mid morning / after breakfast and you know nothing about that area. Where do you go for a nice (all cuisine suggestions welcome, nothing super exspensive but moderate is fine) lunch and what else do you do that afternoon somewhat nearby? Or - is there a great breakfast spot in the area we should hit up first? Admittedly, geography is my biggest hurdle when I try to piece my trips together.

Yes Heidi, it is exactly as you described - white pretty much all over when cooked.

I have a 3.5 lb boneless pork loin that I got on sale, and now I'm scared to cook it because I usually prefer a butt, something with fat that I can cook slow and crisp up at the end. I have the thing at home in a brine with some citrus and dried chilies. How would you approach cooking it tonight for something like tacos? Should I roast it whole? Should I slice it up and blast it, then turn it down? Cut it into chunks first? Play with the temperatures? Any tips appreciated! I'm in unfamiliar territory with this cut.

So I planned on potato soup tonight, but after arriving home discovered I only have buttermilk and sour cream for dairy. I've seem recipes featuring buttermilk but they also include regular milk. Is there any way to make this work ? I also have homemade chicken stock.

I second the Kingston Negroni, and also a rum Old Fashioned. If you pick an Old Fashioned, a good dark rum is excellent with some pear bitters if you want to shake it on it's tail a bit. I also like a black walnut / orange bitters combo.

Thanks guys! Frontera & Blackbird are on my go-to list, as is a breakfast or 3 at La Fournette. Any opinions on Mon Ami Gabi, Quartino's, or Francesca's on Taylor? I have a Frankenstein bookmark list i've built from various recommendation and articles that is quite daunting. Also, I'm totally unfamiliar with the Pilsen area & Little Italy but I know a morning trip to the Mexican Art Museum is on the books, and would love a lunch recommendation in the area for that day as well. I'm also eager to try cocktails....Lost Lake & Three Dots for sure, what's the deal with Green River? Huiray- i'm taking note of your suggestions i the other thread! My biggest struggle is planning out the eating geographically. Yikes!

I'm planning a week long trip to Chicago in a couple months and already obsessing about all of the great food we will eat. While I have a few favorites I want to visit, and plan on doing some nice dinners out, I'd love any tips or recommendations for trying a great place without being too spendy. For example - what nice restaurant has a lunch special or fixed price lunch that's amazing? Who's bar can't be missed for a great drink and appetizers? All types of cuisine are good. We are staying in Old Town but will be in various parts of the city of course so also pretty open re: neighborhoods.

We've had this book for about a year - the first we bought when building a home bar and were absolute novices. Over the past year we've gone through phases....whisky and scotch drinks...more recently good rum drinks, which means daiquiris for this book, I guess, but also we did a lot of old-school Tiki'ing. When we first got the book, I would flip through in awe of all the ingredients I felt like I'd never get, and now as we've accumulated, I find myself with bottles I don't know what to do with. I just got a bottle of Rothman & Winter apricot liqueur and can't recall all of the Death & Co. recipes I (thought) remember calling for the ingredient. Any suggestions for this ingredient in the book's cocktails?

I'm driving to Pensacola from Knoxville later this month and eager to hear suggestions for must-stop places. I'm already from the south in East Tennessee so I'm familiar with the southern staples and classics, hit me with your BESTS. Montgomery will be almost exactly my half-way point and I've done a lot of Yelp researching for that, but I'd love to hear any spots off the interstate in smaller towns along the way as well. And while we're at it - What's your pick for good food in Pensacola?

Last night was Three Dots and Dash and upon sip Number One all I could think/say was "daaaaaaamn". Who knows what I was saying by the end. It was delicious! http://punchdrink.com/recipes/three-dots-and-a-dash/

My boyfriend and I very recently jumped into tiki drinkdom after getting interested in making good cocktails and curating a nice home bar over the winter. A recent favorite is the riviera di potente, we followed the recipe from Cocktail Virgin. Plantation Barbados 5 year, el dorado 151 ( we don't have Lemonhart), Amaro Ramazzotti, St. elder, cinnamon syrup, lime juice, Absinthe and Angostura. Deeee-lightful.

Great ideas! I am going to report back with what I do and how it turns out. I love the idea grilling the lamb and cooling it , and the dressing.

OK....so I'm making pho for the first time (starting broth tonight, feeling pretty confident about the recipe/process - it will be a beef pho). I decided to do this because I'm having a small dinner party (4 total people) tomorrow night, and after looking about, I realized I had many of the necessary ingredients on hand already for pho (good bones, good meat, all the spices). I then decided to make a few summer/fresh rolls based on a recipe I've used several times featuring shrimp, to accompany. Now..I have approximately 1 pound of fresh lamb shoulder chops given to me by a friend that I would LOVE to some how incorporate into a Vietnamese inspired salad, appetizer, SOMETHING to accompany these two dishes I've decided to make. I've never cooked lamb shoulder chops period - only loin chops / lollipops. I'm open for suggestions on what I could possibly do with these shoulder chops that would compliment what I'm already serving. This is for tomorrow night, so I can do anything that allows me to prep/start tonight, or that I can get done in the 2 hours I'm home after work tomorrow before guests arrive. Hit me with your best ideas?

I made an adobo similiar to Annachan's actually,and I was very pleased with the results. Thanks for all the suggestions!

I love a good split chicken breast, I really do. But I'm looking for some new ideas. They are so versatile and flavorful; I typically do one of the following : a good marinade and then grill 'em, or make a tasty "coq au vin". Who has a good suggestion for me, even if it's a new-to-me marinade, or something I can do differently on the grill with them?

So I got a grinder attachment for my Kitchen-Aid and plan to grind short ribs for burgers. This is my first time using it, or any grinder, and I am looking for tips! I found a Michael Ruhlman article with some good tips. He says to put through the grinder twice, and to season the meat while it's whole, before putting it through. Does anyone have additional tidbits that might help, or particularly does anyone have experience with using this Kitchen-Aid attachment?

Pretty good on eggs. That's a good possibility!

** I also have all the standard spices & extracts, as well as mint, basil, and bananas. I'm really stretching to think of usable ingredients!

So I've been trapped in doors for 24 hours due to this totally bizarre Tennessee Ice Storm going on, and I've been cooking to stay sane. Not usually a baker, I'd like to make a tart and definitely need some suggestions! I have one of the 9 inch tart pans w/ a removable bottom (never been used). My ingredients are limited because I didn't prepare for the storm to be this serious. I have a refrigerated pie crust. I have graham cracker crumbs. I have butter, milk, all the sugars & flours, cocoa powder, lemons, blackberries, peanut butter, and grapefruit. I don't have bar chocolate, heavy cream, or any other fruits. I'd love to hear some suggestions of what I can whip up with some of the ingredients I have on hand.

I was recently gifted with some giftcards to a very nice butcher shop in town. I picked up some filets today because they looked amazing! But the thing is - I just made some filets last weekend (I know, cry me a river). I want to do something a little different this time, and am also looking for suggestions on accompaniments. Last week I did a little garlic and rosemary, seared in cast iron & finished in the oven. Sauteed mushrooms & onions on the side. What's something different I can do? I am not interested in dumping a heavy sauce or stuffing it with anything - the quality is too good. I'm ready for suggestions on cooking methods, season, and sides!

Will be traveling on a Monday from Savannah to Hunting Island - looking for good, affordable, can't miss eats. I have plenty of suggestions for Savannah proper, so those aren't necessary Further, if anyone can shed light on what towns I'm actually passing through on my route, that would be incredible. I know I pass through Beaufort, but what other areas do I drive through along the way, and what should I eat?

Yes, they're pre-cooked, but what I'm wondering is whether or not they should actually be cracked before grilling, as I've read of some people doing. IT doesn't seem right to me.

I'm making crab legs for the first time tonight, and after reading recipe after recipe (or, I guess "Method after method"), I think I want to try grilling them.However, I am a little perplexed. On the comments sections of many a blog, some people say they cut open the side of the shells before grilling. Wouldn't that dry the meat out? On the other hand, does any flavor from basting actually make it through the shell to the meat? I would love some input from anyone who has experience grilling crab. Thanks.

Who has a favorite method/recipe for Chicken Parm? I expect leftovers, so something that will give me a tasty sandwich tomorrow would be great, too. I have viewed a million recipes for grilling, baking, breadcrumbs, fry it first, bake it first, etc, etc. Suggestions?