snowangel

I find these "best butter studies" somewhat flawed because they don't take into account the little creameries like Pastureland (yes, found it today and it is comparable to Hope Butter) that are little and local. I like little and local. I also like the fact that this stuff tastes as good as any of the high falutin' butters I've sampled.

Hi, Smokey, we'd make quite a pair, I'm sure. Me with my kettle, you with the Brinkman. So, here's an idea. Get up early in the morning, put the butt on and let it go a bit longer on the smoker, then put it in the oven, and you could go as high as 250 in the oven safely. Assuming that the Brinkman is much less fiddley than the Kettle, you could get things up and running and go back to bed. Otherwise, if you want to take it off late at night, just stick it in a 175 oven, and at a point, tent it with foil and let is sit there.

My freezer has no smoked butt. There just might be one in my weekend, too! Think of it as a buttathon.

Start with two ECI courses: The Potato Primer and Drive-In Cooking

Bella, what kind of smoker are you using? How long do you leave it on the smoker? What temp for the smoker?

Wow. Making your own butter. So, just how does Pastureland compare to Hope butter? I occasionally see Pastureland, but always look for Hope. I'll have to keep a better eye out for Pastureland!

When you put it in the oven, how high is the temp (oven temp, that is)? I'd think you'd be just fine if you put it in a very low oven (like 180) and let it go. This is assuming it has a nice fat cap and/or layer of skin. Do you cover it with foil when you have it in the oven? If not, you might want to cover it later in the afternoon, because I'd think the problem with "overdone" might be loss of moisture. I never finish mine in the oven, but I often put them in an oven that has been heated to about 200 degrees and then turned off when I put the butt in to keep it warm before the guests arrive. I'm assuming it would be OK to turn the oven off, leave the butt in for a couple of hours. Trust me, your house will still smell wonderful. However, since I tend to smoke the day of the party, the aroma in the house is augmented by the aroma wafting from me!

Linda and I have pondered this. In the first batch of gumbo I made, there was no separation. Yesterdays had minimal separation (less than 1/4 cup of oil, and some of that could have come from the sausage or chicken). Linda reported recently that almost all of the oil in a gumbo separated out. I don't notice that much separation when I make a coconut milk based curry. What's interesting is that when I make a roux with butter, there is no separation. Suppose the dairy component acts as a binder?

Gumbo was on the menu last night. My kids especially love gumbo. Chicken thighs (boned and skinned, raw), some local andouille sausage that is very garlicy. This sausage is not as smokey as I would like, so I used 1/2 chicken stock and 1/2 smoked pork stock -- a magic ingredient. Since the green onions in the fridge had disintegrated into a slimy mass, I garnished with cilantro -- not traditional but an outstanding addition to the gumbo. We all decided that we like the gumbo on the thin side (this batch was thinner than my first batch), and we like liquid in the bottom of the bowl! So, I've got another full meals worth of gumbo in the freezer plus two or three lunch-sized containers for me!

I, too, am in love with smoked meat! In addition to thinking about brisket, think about smoking some Butt. Whole, skin on pork shoulders. This also makes for great leftovers. And, there is a whole topic devoted to Smokin' Brisket. Both of these topics are great resources for smoking any kind of meat -- not just the ones mentioned in the titles. Pork shoulders are usually a lot cheaper, and much more readily available than an entire brisket (flats are common, but the nice thick fatty part -- the part you really want -- seem harder to come by). And, for a rub, my favorite is Klinik's Dry Rub! Look forward to hearing about your brisket or butt adventures.

Daniel, more about the rice, please!

How about Posole? You can use almost any cooked meat, and this is one dish that you will want to make a day before eating.

I'd think it would have to be colder than 40 degrees (F) like most fridges, and keep in mind that if the item is in the sun, even if it is 40, you could be borrowing trouble. At zero, my pot of chili froze pretty darned quickly!

I have four shanks and am planning on an Osso Bucco thing, which I have never made. Should I cut up the shanks first? They are about a foot long (I think). Yes, I'd welcome suggestions, too. Edited to add: I'd bet the shanks you got, dockhl, are farm-raised. I know Minnesota (and probably most states) prohibit the sale of wild game that hunters shoot.

What is icing sugar?

Search no further than RecipeGullet for my great-grandmother's Grape Pie! Not only did I inherit her recipe box, each recipe written in spidery cursive with a fountain pen, I also have her wooden spoon and three-tined fork. I also have a big stash of embroidered and emblished linens from my grandmothers and their mothers. Some of these are so fragile that I am in the process of framing some of them.

Chris, I kept it at 350 (F). I've finally figured out when just how to adjust my burners and to cover the pan for a couple of minutes after I've added chicken to almost totally eliminate the temp dropping. This chicken was a bit larger than I normally like to fry, so I did my new trick. Pull the chicken when the color is right. Put on a paper bag-lined baking sheet and into a 200 degree oven until dinner time. Makes sure the chicken is done throughout and it isn't too dark. I really hate undercooked dark meat. I've been treating fried chicken as "fast food" -- meaning it's something that I can fix, it can have a bit of stand time in the oven, so on a night like tonight when Paul and Diana had to be out of the house by 6:40 pm, dinner can be on the table mui pronto.

I got tired of this pan screaming fried chicken every time I walked by the cabinet that I just had to do the deed. Naturally, I forgot to take a picture of dinner, which also featured potato salad. But, this pan is the ultimate for frying chicken. Absolutely the best. The higher sides are wonderful for containing the grease.

I love having leftover pork tenderloin or chicken for tons of stuff, but best of all is for a taco for lunch or enchiladas. I made quesidillas the other night with leftover smoked brisket. Heaven on a tortilla.

Made the pork with tomates and chipotle peppers. As usual, I forgot to take a picture, but will aim to do so tomorrow or Thursday with leftovers for lunch. This was another outstanding dish. It has more of a kick than Peter normally eats, but he is getting better about eating spicy food. Most surprising was his friend Michael, who stayed for dinner. M. doesn't like spice at all, and he had two servings and wants me to give the recipe to his mom!

Elie, look forward to more reports on this book. I'm thinking it should go on my Christmas wish list.

Lori, welcome to eGullet! Soup is good stuff, and with experience, you might find that recipes are good, but you can also rely on common sense and some great ideas. Several soup things: One of your first stops should be the eGullet Culinary Institute course on Stocks and Sauces. It is a three part course with accompanying Question and Answer areas. Second stop should be the big Soup topic -- all 17 pages of it. Hot, cold, savory, quick, slow...the topic runs the gamit. My most useful item is my 6 quart old Farberware pot. What pot is best depends on how much soup you are making, and all other accessories again depend on what you are looking for. My newest kitchen soup friend is my immersion blender (think "add immersion blender to the Xmas list!). Soup is fun. Soup is easy or can be difficult and complicated. You should see me at restaurants and cafes with my little notepad making notes about the ingredients in the soups they offer that I don't order.

They have some way cool items. Now, if I could justify $26.00 for a soap dish, my sink would be very happy.

Percyn, please talk more about the cilantro cutney.

MPR Morning Show fans are very familiar with the song "Lime Jello Cottage Cheese Marshmallow Suprise." Those not in the know can check out the lyrics by clicking on the link here. A horror, which more of us have seen than will admit to.