snowangel

Steven, over on the smoking butt and brisket topics, we have often talked about the "stall" which seems to be the temp at which that collagen starts to break down, and there's a group of us who believe that how long a piece of meat like this will take is not just dependent on the size of the hunk o' meat, but how much fat and connective tissue is present. And you are right on about the oven temps. I keep an oven thermometer in the oven and calibrate the temp control if things are off.

And isn't a brined brisket corned beef?

Yes, braise very low and slow. The liquid should barely be burbling. And, are you cooking whole briskets? If not, are you consistently using the same part of the brisket? There can be a big difference between the flat and the point, the latter being much more fatty and well-marbled.

tomorrow, I promise. Plans will be shown and photos of the current FUGLY kitchen will be revealed. After the last reno I swore "no more," and here I am, getting ready to gut. One day, though, I'll rent again. My husband will go crazy with nothing to mulch, but I'll be happy and have clean nails. ← Good on you for getting rid of the FUGLY kitchen. How much of the work will you be doing yourselves? BTW, you don't really need plans in advance. I have had two harvest gold kitchens (the most recent had a dishwasher that leaked from the TOP), and when Paul was away, always took a crow bar to the kitchen, putting it to the point of no return. But then again, we do all our own drywalling, plumbing, electrical, installation, etc., and it keeps things interesting. Oh, and the overstuffed side-by-side freezer,I don't even want to think of how many bags of bones I have in my freezer, but will when I'm done gardening and thinking of stock, braising and fall-type activities.

Abra, forgive me if you've covered this in the preceeding 61 pages (!), but what kind of stuffer do you use? Michael, do you wish to share a recipe with us? I sure don't want to buy another book because the one I have is so nicely marked and splattered up!

Abra, thanks for taking "one for the Gipper." You mention in the sheep's casings part of your evaulation that there wasn't enough dog to bun ratio. Do you wish you'd used hog casings? BTW, magnificent display. Thanks for taking the hit for us.

You are so, so sweet, Kimshook! Jean-Luc loves the pugs in the neighborhood. Otis is a good name for a dog. He's in a skillet? However, you may want to rethink the "cool boys" comment when you see this. You know how people have those sweet little "Swear Jars" sitting on their counter? Well, ours goes a couple of steps further: Some days, they change dollars into quarters, and stand there and burp and throw the quarters in,one at a time. Have I said, "sigh," lately? ← Ah, the freezer. Mine upstairs in a landmine, and many a meal has been borne by what had fallen on and landed on and nearly broken my food. The Jar. I'd have to add farting to your label, since it appears that 10-year old boys seem rather obsessed by what comes out the Other End. They even have songs about gas. Two girls did not prepare me for this.

Maggie, I gave up everything but shifts (wow, does that age me!) or elastic waists after my first pregnancy. But for dining in style, I recommend ala bathing suit (busy print) in the water or on the dock at The Cabin. No need to worry about crumbs or grease.

Labour Day weekend is a rather emotional time for me. As much as I want the kids to return to school so my days are once again my own, I know I will miss them (and I do!), but it marks the end of my very favorite season of the year. Although we will get back up north this fall, it will be different -- it will be about walks in the woods and braising -- not noshing on the dock while laying on one's back in the silky waters of The Lake. But, back to Labour Day weekend. We went. The weather report was dicey, and I'm pleased to report that the weather guys didn't have a clue what they were talking about. A typical Labour Day weekend is cloudy and cool and perhaps drizzly, until Monday after noon when one starts to pack and the weather gets spectacular. We were treated to three spectacular days. Unbelievable. And, with no car problems, we did get to F & D meats in Virginia, where I stocked up on polish (I can do better); jalapeno, porketta and garlic "brats;" and bacon -- brown sugar/cinnamon, cajun and their house standard (sweetish/smokey). We had a couple of other stops, but when we got to the cabin, this is what greeted us: Spectacular, but the low sun and the hints of yellow in the leaves let me know that this was not high summer. First order of business, as usual, is getting the fridge started and everything put away, and then it's cocktail time! Since the friend that was going to join is called at the last minute ill and couldn't go, we also stopped at Walmart in Cloquet (shudder, but it's a beautiful store) for the stuff she was bringing. And, I espied an item I have looked high and low for -- Mayonesa. Who'd have thunk to look in Cloquet at Walmart, of all places? Dinner the first night was leftover grilled chicken, cheese, sliced tomatoes, whatever. I'm much happier when I get up there not having to cook. I start things up, like the fridge, and can lay on my back in the water, cocktail on the dock, Paul or someone feeding me nibbles of food. Which brings me to ice. We always stop in Cook on our way up (about 35 minutes shy of the cabin) and get milk and ice and bait. I've become really picky about my ice, and now insist on the ice from the Spur station in Cook (which, BTW, had gas for $2.55/gallon with a $.02/gallon discount if you paid cash, which we did). THey are those nice bit, cylindrical cubes with the whole in them. Not that crap that's little and square with the dip in the middle top and bottom. Since I bring my own ice, I want cubes with staying power. And, since it is used for beverages, staying power is important. Pay attention to what kind of ice you buy. Once the fridge cools down, the ice does go in the freezer. So, a lovely evening, and the last thing I did is the thing I will miss most this coming season. My evening/late night swim. Peter usually accompanies me. At this time of year, the water is warmer than the air at midnight, so the water feels especially silky and rich. We get out, wrap ourselves in pareos, and crawl into bed with that cool daamp feeling and our skin and hair is silky. Plus, it's a good learning time -- those constellations that bloom even brighter when there are no other lights than the moon. Next morn, as is tradition, Paul rises early, fills the Melita filter with ground coffee (yes, I do pre-ground for the cabin because the noise of the generator is somewhat polluting to the serenity), and I shag my sorry ass out of bed and go for a swim. Peter brings me coffee at the end of the dock, and we listen to the birds and look for loons. Then, breakfast. This Saturday morning, we had waffles and brown sugar/cinnamon bacon. The first slice of bacon was great, but the second cloying. Diana and I both agreed that this bacon is a great accent, and would be terrific crumbled over a salad or somewhere else, but it is not a centerpiece. Perhaps it was too cinnamony. We were joined Saturday afternoon by some friends who brought a boy Peter's age. She also helped fill in some food gaps, not that the boy and Peter even noticed. They were too busy playing to eat. But, we did have sweet corn -- the sweetest of the season. Picked and chilled until the moment it went into the water. Along with the assortment of sausages. I really should have taken a picture before dinner was almost gone... The jalapeno and porketta "brats" were especially noteworthy. Neither overwhelming, but leaving one with the essence of jalapenos and that complex porketta spicing. Yes, another midnight swim, after a game of apples to apples. Next morning, pancakes, which were eaten before I could remember I had a camera. The kids emerged from the lake and raced back from the point long enough to indicate hunger, so it was sandwiches. Standard lunch meat, sliced cheese (deli, not plastic), some with mayo, some not (although my kids like mustard ), peaches, cantelope. Then me laying on the deck or in the lake pretending to read. At some point, Diana made a snack. A "pizza" with a phyllo crust, with tomatoes on top of moz and topped with crumbled feta. The plate of square she brought down to the dock with cocktails that Paul had made were well appreciated by Nancy and I! Saturday night was steak night, with green beans and tomatoes. All veg courtesy of the farmer's market or my garden. Sunday morning as I headed down for my morning swim: People had what they wanted for breakfast. Some had over easy eggs, and some of the kids opted to finish off the cold cereal that needed to be used up before the season really ends. Nancy and I, before she left, made sandwiches for the road trip home. She left, and we stayed for a while. The day got more and more beautiful and we became more lethargic about leaving. But, before Nancy left, we signaled the end of summer by taking out the dock. But, after she left, Paul, Diana, Heidi, Peter and I packed up the car and went for that one last swim of the season. And, as Paul got the kids in the car, this time, he did the final go-thorugh on the cabin to make sure things were taken care of and I sat at the end of the pathway and reflected on how many years I have left here on Labour Day with a tear in my eye. I remain unbelievably lucky, and although we will return this fall to hunt and walk in the woods, I will start counting the days come January 1 until we return and celebrate summer again!

Chris, I have plans for tamales next week at some point. I'll get to a place then where I can get fresh masa, and I think I can also buy "home-rendered" lard. This place also sells back fat, so if they don't have "fresh" lard, I can do my own, which I think is preferable because you get those little leftover bits of crispy goodness -- the ones that keep the cardiologists in business.

Bruce, leftover curry also makes a most spectacular breakfast. Do you have a link for Austin's recipe?

I think if you scroll down to half-way down Holly Moore's excellent ECI course on Drive-In Cooking you will find that there is a good reason to do double frying. The difference is that Holly gives the fries a rest in the fridge after the first frying.

Rochelle, check out this snippet of a conversation with Danny Meyers of Blue Smoke in NYC. I have tried a mix like he suggested, and it was wonderful. But, most often what I do is have my local meat guy grind up a chuck roast for me simply because it's easier than finding a mess of different cuts. I have ground it in the Cuiz, but be careful so you don't end up with paste. The KA meatgrinder attachment is another option, but since the meat man at my local supermarket loves me (I ply him with smoked meat), it's just plain easier. And, I don't add anything to them, and I do the hole in the middle -- it seems like otherwise, they shrink in diameter and puff up and I end up with more of a ball-shaped burger.

Upping the ante from the pair of jeans that I found in the freezer, today, while searching to find something to defrost, I found a SOCK. Yes, a single sock. Hanes (of the little boy size), and of the anklet length. I just wonder where it came from and how it got there. Peter wears the tall Hanes socks. I think I need to do a serious freezer go-through and get my house cleaned. How in the hell does a sock get in the freezer, anyway??

So, I'm figuring the boys are back to school tomorrow. What do they do for breakfast? What part do you play? What about their lunches during the day? After school snacks? And, yes, for $30/lb, I can trim stuff myself, and very well! My dad grew up butchering meat, so I have have learned how to do it!

I dunno, this is sort of feeding into my dissatisfaction with the dinner thread. It used to be just what folks are having for dinner. Now it seems to be a little..."show-offy" with an x-treme closeup picture for everyone's admiration. ← Heather, wander back over to dinner! and look for my posts. For the past month, we've eaten nothing except grilled meat, sweet corn, home-grown tomatoes, green beans, etc. And, I think the definition of "local" is changing. The Asian vegetables once only seen in pictures are being grown locally, and I have to walk a shorter distance at the supermarket to get Tiparos fish sauce than ketchup!

I, too, have had the same experience with old arborio. Flavor and texture were off. Instead of tossing what uncooked rice I had, I used it as pie weights!

I have the standard Weber chimney. Yes, coals all to one side, not banked on either side. I just keep periodically adding a few coals (my tongs are my best friend!) directly from the bag of Kingsford (not pre-lit). I just kind of eyeball it as to when I add more coals. Come to think of it, I usually add four of five briquettes when I dump the chimney out onto the grate.

Ian about the rub (first). I realized after I'd rubbed the last brisket I did that most of the sugar was at the bottom of the jar, which meant not much got onto the meat, which seemed to work well. Cut down on the sugar would be my first piece of advice. About the Kettle. Remember that the Grand Weber Goddess of Minnesota is some 25 years old. Nothing fits tight, except that tri-sweeper thing that I had to replace earlier this summer. The handles are sort of loose, as is that vent thing on the top. The top is heavy from all of gunk that is on the top, and the thing emits wisps of smoke when the lid is full-on. But, let me run through what I do: Charcoal. I am using the new Kingsford, which I quite like. Whe, after grilling, we shut the grill down, there is still some stuff left that isn't burnt enough that is falls through the grate with a bit of prodding. I just leave that, and push it to the side. Next, to the chimney. I fill it about half full. When it is ready, I do the juggling act. With an empty drip pan, and a bucket of water, I lift the chimeny (with one hand) and add the drip pan, which I fill with water. I use the drip pan as a "charcoal rail." Add charcoal. Then add a couple of briquettes and some wood. Place on top grate. Pay attention to where you place the top grate in relation to the hinged thingies. I always leave one of the hinged thingies up so I can add wood and charcoal. Oh, and orient the grill and where you want to add the wood and have the lid with the wind. Add regular oven thermometer. When you have a good idea of whether you're running hot or cool, add the meat (which I always stick in the freezer on a sheet pan as I get the grill ready). An assistant is handy for this part to keep things clean and raw-meat-junk free. When I need to adjust temp, on my trusty old Weber, I cock the lid, and make sure the smoke is running from the wood OVER the meat. Sometimes I have to adjust the position of the grill, and the lid, but it works very well. Add wood and occasional briquettes as necessary, and if the face of the oven thermometer gets gunked up, you'll need an extra set of tongs. One set with which to hold the thermometer, one with which to scrape the gunk off. The big thing to remember about the Kettle is that it is easier to goose up a too-slow fire than to slow it down. So, the meat takes 14 hours instead of 12. Who cares? More time to drink beer and absorb that alluring scent. But, should you need to goose it up and get more heat, open up those bottom vents and cock the lid for a few minutes, but close them back up before you reach the "oven" temp you are looking for. I'm a bigger fan of cocking the lid than opening the bottom vents.

We did try the spaghetti on a stick one year, and it was OK. But, do you have hot dish on a stick or crop art?

Thanks, everybody. I've cooked a lot more pork in my life, I thought it might work for it, but didn't know about beef. ← I did a brisket fest just a couple of weeks ago, and as soon as it was smoked, wrapped it in foil and put it in the fridge. The next day, I just reheated it it a low oven (in the foil) until hot, and Paul sliced it up. It was so good that 30 people demolished all 13 pounds of it, and I didn't get any (except that little piece that "fell off" when I pulled it off the smoker)!

I've smoked plenty of big hunks of meat, and I'd definitely cook, pull and reheat. If you're doing brisket and want to slice it, smoke ahead of time (until done) and reheat and slice day of.

Although it wasn't a picture perfect August day -- it was in fact overcast and threatened rain -- we headed to the Great Minnesota Get-together. We weren't the only ones who went! First order of business was food! Normally, I head right for a corn dog, but the cheese curds were on the way. The kids also had milk shakes. The quantity and quality of the cheese curds in the Food Building seem higher than most of the other places. Next stop, corn dogs! Peter likes his naked, I like mine with mustard. Mine was a bit mutant looking. In and amongs this batch of food, we made it to the ag building, were we saw the biggest pumpkin (smaller than some of the big ones we've seen in the past). And more prize-winning Thai hot peppers. There must have been 20 trays of these, and more trays of other kinds of peppers than I've seen in one place! And crop art. This was the winning entry, and note the slip of paper in the lower left corner listing each kind of seed used. Then off to Empire Commons to look at award-winning cured and processed meat. And to watch Linda Christenson sculpt a head of one of the fair Princesses. There are 10 princesses and she scults one each day. The floor of the cooler revolved, so everyone can get a good view. Note that they are wearing parkas and snowpants. A completed head. Most princesses take them and put them in a local meat market's freezer and pull them out the next summer for a town corn feed. Somewhere in here, we another corn dog and some mini-donuts. Then off to see prize-winning quilts, sweaters, jams, pickles, cakes, pies, cookies, stained glass, wood carvings. And watched a whole mess of people hawking a whole mess of strange kitchen implements and crappy cookware. The kids climbed on farm machinery and we looked at all sorts of vehicles. The kids went on some rides, and for the first time in three years, Peter didn't hurl after the rides. He's learned to pace his food intake. We also saw all kinds of animals, including the largest boar (named Corndog, weighing in at 1040 pounds). I'd love to get my hands on that belly! Diana had to try the hot dish on a stick which was basically tater tots and meatballs threaded alternatingly on a skewer, dipped in batter and deep fried. Served with a cup of thick, salty icky Cream of Somthing soup. This was about the least favorite thing I've ever eaten at the fair, but we did give it a go in the name of research. The kids wanted deep fried dessert. Diana opted for the oreos and Peter the 3 Musketeers. Somewhere along the way, Paul had fried oysters and fries. The fries were mediocre, but the oysters were great -- fresh, briny and very hot. We also had fries, lemonade, pop and beer. I'm sure I've forgotten something and I didn't keep count of the number of corn dogs consumed. We waddled out almost 8 hours later, as the first of the drizzle was about to happen. This is the 30th year in a row Paul and I have been together. We remarked as we watched young couples that over the course of time, that young love and blossomed into old love. Ah, the fair!

Read all about Pocky here.

Given what the single most stocked item in my Asian market is, I'd vote RAMEN! Let's see what Lorna can do for dessert with a packet of Tom Yam Mama Ramen noodles!