Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
1 cup marshmallow creme
4 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup light corn syrup
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup crushed peppermint candies and marshmallow. Cook over medium heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Butter the sides of a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven. Add sugar, milk, corn syrup, butter, honey, and salt. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Using a pastry brush dipped in hot water, wash down any sugar crystals on sides of pan. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Using a candy thermometer, cook syrup until it reaches soft ball stage: 234°F to 240°F. To test, drop a small amount of fudge in ice water. Syrup should easily form a ball in the water, but flatten out when held in your hand. Stir in marshmallow mixture. Fill your kitchen sink with 2 inches of cold water. Place saucepan in the sink and cool to approximately 120°F. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat fudge until thickened and no longer glossy. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies. Pour into a buttered 8 x 11 inch baking pan. Cool completely and cut into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Peppermint Cream Fudge Recipe
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
8 ounces vanilla milk morsels
1 jar (7 oz size) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crushed peppermint hard candies
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candy
Directions:
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy sauce pan; stirring constantly.
Boil stirring constantly until mixture reaches 238 Degrees; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in all remaining ingredients except the 2 tablespoons crushed candy. Stir until blended.
Pour in to greased 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy. Cool and cut.
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
8 ounces vanilla milk morsels
1 jar (7 oz size) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crushed peppermint hard candies
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candy
Directions:
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy sauce pan; stirring constantly.
Boil stirring constantly until mixture reaches 238 Degrees; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in all remaining ingredients except the 2 tablespoons crushed candy. Stir until blended.
Pour in to greased 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy. Cool and cut.
Mint 'n Chocolate Fudge Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup cocoa
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk
***Pastel Mint Topping***
3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 drops green or red food color
Directions:
Line 8-inch square pan with foil. In medium microwave-safe bowl place butter. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Add cocoa; stir until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla; blend well (mixture will be dry and crumbly). Stir in evaporated milk. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is hot. Beat with whisk until smooth. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Cover; chill until firm. Spread Pastel Mint Topping evenly over fudge; chill until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Cover; store in refrigerator.
Pastel Mint Topping In small mixer bowl beat 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon water and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon mint extract until blended. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and 2 drops green or red food color. Beat until smooth.
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup cocoa
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk
***Pastel Mint Topping***
3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 drops green or red food color
Directions:
Line 8-inch square pan with foil. In medium microwave-safe bowl place butter. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Add cocoa; stir until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla; blend well (mixture will be dry and crumbly). Stir in evaporated milk. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is hot. Beat with whisk until smooth. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Cover; chill until firm. Spread Pastel Mint Topping evenly over fudge; chill until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Cover; store in refrigerator.
Pastel Mint Topping In small mixer bowl beat 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon water and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon mint extract until blended. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and 2 drops green or red food color. Beat until smooth.
Apples and Sweet Potatoes
Peeled, sliced apples, and sweet potatoes (the potatoes are previously boiled, peeled and sliced), arranged in alternate rows, are very good served with roast loin of pork or chops. Butter a shallow casserole, and lay enough butter over the potatoes and apples to moisten the whole. Serve in the dish in which they were baked. Add sugar if the apples are very tart.
Browned Sweet Potatoes
Select potatoes of uniform size, and pare; place in a frying-pan, and add water to a depth of about one-half inch. Add one tablespoonful of butter or other shortening, and one tablespoonful of brown or white sugar. Cover and let boil furiously. The water will soon disappear as steam, and the potatoes will brown in the syrup that remains, which forms a delicious crust, keeping in the steam and flavor.
A Dixie Potato Pie
To half a pint of fresh milk, add one cupful of sweet potatoes, well mashed, with one tablespoonful of butter, and one-eighth cupful of cream, or milk. Beat until this is light and creamy. Into this mixture beat very lightly the yolks of four eggs; add nutmeg and sugar to taste and the grated rind of one lemon or one small orange. A white meringue may be added to the top if desired.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Boil the potatoes, without peeling, until half done. Scrape off the skins while they are hot and leave them to get cold. Then cut into slices almost half an inch thick, and arrange in a buttered baking-dish, scattering bits of butter and a little sugar (a teaspoonful to the layer) between them. When the dish is filled in this order, pour in a cupful of boiling water in which a tablespoonful of butter has been melted. Cover with bread crumbs—dry and fine—dot these with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, closely covered, for half an hour until brown. This is a Southern recipe and the product is delicious.
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Cranberry Sauce
Four medium sized sweet potatoes
one cup brown or white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon sale
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
For cranberry sauce: One pound cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 orange. Grind cranberries and orange (rind included) in a food chopper. Then add sugar and mix well.
Boil sweet potatoes until almost tender, about 30 or 40 minutes. Peel and cut into slices. Place in a baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the sliced sweet potatoes. Cook in a moderate over about 45 minutes, until potatoes are clear and the syrup thick.
one cup brown or white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon sale
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
For cranberry sauce: One pound cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 orange. Grind cranberries and orange (rind included) in a food chopper. Then add sugar and mix well.
Boil sweet potatoes until almost tender, about 30 or 40 minutes. Peel and cut into slices. Place in a baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the sliced sweet potatoes. Cook in a moderate over about 45 minutes, until potatoes are clear and the syrup thick.
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Boil 4 or 5 sweet potatoes, peel, and run through potato ricer. While hot, add 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, pinch of salt, 1 well beaten egg, 1 cup chopped raisins, and a few nuts, if desired. Pour into baking dish, cover with marshmallows and brown.
Sweet Potatoes Fried
Process: Peel and slice lengthwise raw sweet potatoes. Drop into skillet with hot lard and fry. When nearly done, sprinkle both sides generously with sugar and cook until brown. Sugar may be omitted, if preferred. Drain on paper.
Sweet Potato Croquettes
Bake 6 medium sized potatoes; run pulp through ricer, To 2 cups potatoes, add 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 egg slightly beaten, 1/4 blanched, chopped almonds or English walnuts, and sufficient hot cream or milk to moisten mixture. Shape into balls, apple, or cork-shaped croquettes. Roll in egg and cracker crumbs and fry in deep, hot fat. If shaped like apples, make a slight depression in each end and insert a clove in blossom end and sprig of parsley or apple leaf for the stem.
Delicate Sweet Potatoes
Boil sweet potatoes until done, peel and run through potato ricer to remove all strings. Add 1 tablespoon cream, 2 tablespoons butter, and a little sale. Brown in baking dish, pyrex preferred. Boil together 1/2 each, sugar and water, 1 tablespoon butter, 3 or 4 slices of lemon; pour over potatoes, when ready to serve.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Boil a pint of water with 3/4 cup sugar and slice of lemon for 5 minutes. Slice raw sweet potatoes lengthwise and add to boiling syrup. Cook slowly. When nearly done, add 2 heaping tablespoons butter, and cinnamon, if desired. Cook until syrup is thick.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
4 sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1 heaping tablespoon butter
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch
Process: Bake potatoes* in their jackets; peel, slice, and arrange in baking dish. Mix butter, sugar, and water and cook until it boils. Add cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. Stir until it thickens; pour over potatoes and bake in oven until brown.
1 cup sugar
1 heaping tablespoon butter
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch
Process: Bake potatoes* in their jackets; peel, slice, and arrange in baking dish. Mix butter, sugar, and water and cook until it boils. Add cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. Stir until it thickens; pour over potatoes and bake in oven until brown.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
LIVER DUMPLING SOUP recipe
LIVER DUMPLING SOUP
1 lb. soup beef
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
2 stalks chopped celery
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 lb. soup beef
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
2 stalks chopped celery
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Cover with water. Simmer until meat is tender.
DUMPLINGS:
1 lb. liver, ground
1 c. bread crumbs
2 tsp. minced onion, brown in 1/2 c. butter
2 eggs
1 tbsp. flour
Salt and pepper
1 c. bread crumbs
2 tsp. minced onion, brown in 1/2 c. butter
2 eggs
1 tbsp. flour
Salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients. Mold in balls the size of walnuts, using flour on the fingers. Drop into boiling stew and boil uncovered for 20 minutes.
Coconut Biscuits recipe
ingredients
1. Heat the oven to moderate, 180°C, Gas 4.
2. Mix the flour and salt together. Rub in the fat, stir in the sugar, desiccated coconut and baking powder.
3. Bind to a stiff paste with the egg yolk.
4. Knead well and roll out just under 1cm thick on a lightly floured surface.
5. Cut into rounds with a 5cm cutter.
6. Re-roll and re-cut any trimmings.
7. Place on a greased baking sheet.
8. Prick the top of each biscuit in 2 or 3 places.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch and pale golden brown.
10. As soon as the biscuits are cooked, brush with warm jam glaze and sprinkle with coconut.
- 3 cups (330 g) plain flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup (75-100 g) butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbls) 50 g caster sugar (superfine granulated)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg yolk
- flour for rolling out
- fat for greasing
- 2 oz (50 g) desiccated coconut
1. Heat the oven to moderate, 180°C, Gas 4.
2. Mix the flour and salt together. Rub in the fat, stir in the sugar, desiccated coconut and baking powder.
3. Bind to a stiff paste with the egg yolk.
4. Knead well and roll out just under 1cm thick on a lightly floured surface.
5. Cut into rounds with a 5cm cutter.
6. Re-roll and re-cut any trimmings.
7. Place on a greased baking sheet.
8. Prick the top of each biscuit in 2 or 3 places.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch and pale golden brown.
10. As soon as the biscuits are cooked, brush with warm jam glaze and sprinkle with coconut.
5 Tips for Cooking Beef Steaks
One of the most popular grilling foods is steak but it is easy to spoil when grilling outdoors. If you follow these 5 top tips, you can learn how you can produce amazing beef steaks every time!
Tip number one
This one is a no-brainer - choose and use quality ingredients. If you buy an inferior quality cut from a cheap source, it shows. The meat will be tough and lacking in flavor no matter how you cook it. Buy a quality cut from a quality supplier. A good steak will be tender and tasty so whatever you do to it you will be starting from a better position. Some of the better cuts are tenderloin, Porterhouse/ TBone, top loin, rib, top sirloin, ribeye, chuck eye and chuck top blade steaks.
Tip number two
Avoid flare-ups whilst cooking. Flare ups are caused when fat from the meat drips onto the burners and ignites, they can impart an unpleasant taste of burnt grease to an otherwise perfect beef steak. So make sure that you trim the fat from the steak before cooking; if you have followed step one, there will be very little to remove!
Tip number three
Turn the steak properly. Use turning tongs, NOT a fork. A fork will pierce the steak and it will lose juices from inside that enhance its flavor.
Tip number four
Marinade the beef before grilling. If you buy a tender, good quality steak, marinade for no more than two hours. That will be plenty of time for it to take up the flavors. If you have chosen a tougher cut or lower quality steak, you will need to marinade for longer, at least 6 hours to have any appreciable effect.
Tip number five
This one may take some practice before you get it right. Smoke the steak. On a gas grill, you will need to purchase or make a smoker box. Then decide on your hardwood chips for the flavour, hickory is a popular one but why not try something a little different like cedar or mesquite if you can get hold of them - talk to the guy in the store for advice. The chips will need to be soaked before use, but drained first so that they are not dripping. Smoke with the lid down for maximum effect.
And finally, I promised you five tips but here is another one for free! Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, if you have set the grill heat too high, the steak may look cooked but the centre may not have achieved an appropriate internal temperature - 145 F is recommended as a minimum.
Tip number one
This one is a no-brainer - choose and use quality ingredients. If you buy an inferior quality cut from a cheap source, it shows. The meat will be tough and lacking in flavor no matter how you cook it. Buy a quality cut from a quality supplier. A good steak will be tender and tasty so whatever you do to it you will be starting from a better position. Some of the better cuts are tenderloin, Porterhouse/ TBone, top loin, rib, top sirloin, ribeye, chuck eye and chuck top blade steaks.
Tip number two
Avoid flare-ups whilst cooking. Flare ups are caused when fat from the meat drips onto the burners and ignites, they can impart an unpleasant taste of burnt grease to an otherwise perfect beef steak. So make sure that you trim the fat from the steak before cooking; if you have followed step one, there will be very little to remove!
Tip number three
Turn the steak properly. Use turning tongs, NOT a fork. A fork will pierce the steak and it will lose juices from inside that enhance its flavor.
Tip number four
Marinade the beef before grilling. If you buy a tender, good quality steak, marinade for no more than two hours. That will be plenty of time for it to take up the flavors. If you have chosen a tougher cut or lower quality steak, you will need to marinade for longer, at least 6 hours to have any appreciable effect.
Tip number five
This one may take some practice before you get it right. Smoke the steak. On a gas grill, you will need to purchase or make a smoker box. Then decide on your hardwood chips for the flavour, hickory is a popular one but why not try something a little different like cedar or mesquite if you can get hold of them - talk to the guy in the store for advice. The chips will need to be soaked before use, but drained first so that they are not dripping. Smoke with the lid down for maximum effect.
And finally, I promised you five tips but here is another one for free! Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, if you have set the grill heat too high, the steak may look cooked but the centre may not have achieved an appropriate internal temperature - 145 F is recommended as a minimum.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Cook Wisely To Avoid Diabetes!
There is a strong correlation between obesity and the onset of type 2 diabetes with its associated insulin resistance. It should be pointed out that in the United States the proportion of the population under 40 that can be clinically defined as obese now exceeds 25%. Many children are obese and are developing type 2 diabetes at an alarming epidemic rate. The dramatic rise in obesity in the US has lead to an equally alarming increase in the percentage of the population who suffer from the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors, one of which involves insulin resistance characteristic in type 2 diabetes. It should be pointed out that obesity alone does not always lead to insulin resistance as some individuals who are obese do not experience insulin resistance and conversely, some individuals who manifest insulin resistance are not obese.
Is diabetes serious?
Yes. Diabetes is a life-long condition. High blood glucose levels over a long period of time can cause blindness, heart disease, kidney problems, amputations, nerve damage, and erectile dysfunction. Good diabetes care and management can delay or prevent the onset of these complications.
The good news
You can live a long and healthy life by keeping your blood glucose levels in your target range. You can do this by:
1. Eating healthy meals
2. Being physically active regularly
3. Taking diabetes medication, including insulin
Things you should know about insulin
When insulin was first discovered and made available for people with diabetes, there was only one kind of short-acting insulin. This required several injections a day. As time went on, new insulins were developed that lasted longer, requiring fewer injections, but requiring strict attention to timing of meals.
This gives more flexibility in the number and timing of injections, making it easier to maintain target blood glucose levels, based on your lifestyle. One to four injections a day may be suggested to you for optimal control of your blood glucose.
Are there any precautions before changing over to insulin?
Before considering a move to insulin it is worth examining all the option with regard to combination therapy. Diet should be optimised and the benefit of exercise discussed. It is important to be aware of the possibility of weight gain and of the need to maintain weight ‘neutral’ especially if already obese.
Is diabetes serious?
Yes. Diabetes is a life-long condition. High blood glucose levels over a long period of time can cause blindness, heart disease, kidney problems, amputations, nerve damage, and erectile dysfunction. Good diabetes care and management can delay or prevent the onset of these complications.
The good news
You can live a long and healthy life by keeping your blood glucose levels in your target range. You can do this by:
1. Eating healthy meals
2. Being physically active regularly
3. Taking diabetes medication, including insulin
Things you should know about insulin
When insulin was first discovered and made available for people with diabetes, there was only one kind of short-acting insulin. This required several injections a day. As time went on, new insulins were developed that lasted longer, requiring fewer injections, but requiring strict attention to timing of meals.
This gives more flexibility in the number and timing of injections, making it easier to maintain target blood glucose levels, based on your lifestyle. One to four injections a day may be suggested to you for optimal control of your blood glucose.
Are there any precautions before changing over to insulin?
Before considering a move to insulin it is worth examining all the option with regard to combination therapy. Diet should be optimised and the benefit of exercise discussed. It is important to be aware of the possibility of weight gain and of the need to maintain weight ‘neutral’ especially if already obese.
Cook Eggs, Don't Boil
Chopped, sliced or wedged, hard-cooked eggs are the basis of egg salad and add protein and a happy glow to tossed and composed salads and casseroles. Chopped yolks and whites comprise Eggs Goldenrod and Polonaise Sauce. Whole hard-cooked eggs become comforting, familiar deviled eggs or zingy, newly rediscovered pickled eggs. Simply sprinkled with an herb or more fancily coated in sausage for Scotch eggs, hard-cooked eggs are nature's own hand-held snack food. With a supply of hard-cooked eggs on hand, you're ready for almost any meal occasion.
Hard-cooked eggs are often incorrectly called hard-boiled eggs. Yes, the cooking water must come to a boil. But, you'll get more tender, less rubbery eggs without a green ring around the yolk and you'll have less breakage if you turn off the heat or remove the pan from the burner, allowing the eggs to cook gently in hot water.
Very fresh eggs may be difficult to peel. The fresher the eggs, the more the shell membranes cling tenaciously to the shells. The simplest method for easy peeling is to buy and refrigerate eggs a week to 10 days in advance of hard cooking. This brief "breather" allows the eggs to take in air which helps separate the membranes from the shell.
1. Place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Add enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above eggs.
2. Cover. Quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off heat.
3. If necessary, remove pan from burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs (12 minutes for Medium, 18 for Extra Large.)
4. Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water (not standing water) until completely cooled. Once cooled, refrigerate eggs in their shells and use within one week of cooking or peel and use immediately.
5. To remove shell, crackle it by tapping gently until a fine network of lines appears all over the shell.
6. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell.
7. Peel, starting at large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in bowl of water to help ease off shell.
8. To segment eggs evenly, use an egg slicer or wedger. For chopped eggs, rotate a sliced egg 90 degree in a slicer and slice again. Or chop eggs with a sharp pastry blender in a bowl. Draw down a wedger's wires only partway to open an egg to hold a stuffing or resemble a flower.
Hard-cooked eggs are often incorrectly called hard-boiled eggs. Yes, the cooking water must come to a boil. But, you'll get more tender, less rubbery eggs without a green ring around the yolk and you'll have less breakage if you turn off the heat or remove the pan from the burner, allowing the eggs to cook gently in hot water.
Very fresh eggs may be difficult to peel. The fresher the eggs, the more the shell membranes cling tenaciously to the shells. The simplest method for easy peeling is to buy and refrigerate eggs a week to 10 days in advance of hard cooking. This brief "breather" allows the eggs to take in air which helps separate the membranes from the shell.
1. Place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Add enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above eggs.
2. Cover. Quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off heat.
3. If necessary, remove pan from burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs (12 minutes for Medium, 18 for Extra Large.)
4. Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water (not standing water) until completely cooled. Once cooled, refrigerate eggs in their shells and use within one week of cooking or peel and use immediately.
5. To remove shell, crackle it by tapping gently until a fine network of lines appears all over the shell.
6. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell.
7. Peel, starting at large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in bowl of water to help ease off shell.
8. To segment eggs evenly, use an egg slicer or wedger. For chopped eggs, rotate a sliced egg 90 degree in a slicer and slice again. Or chop eggs with a sharp pastry blender in a bowl. Draw down a wedger's wires only partway to open an egg to hold a stuffing or resemble a flower.
Cleaning Trout - How To Clean a Trout Fish
Cleaning trout. Does that bring back memories! I think I was about 9 years old when I first learned how to clean trout. It is really pretty easy. A little practice and you will soon be cleaning trout with ease. If at all possible, use clean, running water to rinse the trout as you clean.
Scaling the trout.
For this step, you will need a fish-board with a clip to hold the tail or you can hold the tail with your hand. You will also need a fish scaler or use the unsharpened side of a good sturdy knife (short blade is best). With the trout held firmly by the tail, scrape very firmly from the tail to the gills several times on both sides. This will remove the scales so you don’t have to deal with them later. No one wants to find them in a bite of grilled fish!
Gutting the trout.
To properly gut the trout without tearing into the stomach or intestines, you will need a sharp, short bladed knife. The short blade gives you better control. The first cut you want to make is just at gill level from the belly side. This results in a cut between the jawbone and the tongue. Do not cut through the spine. Next, place 1 or 2 fingers inside the trout’s mouth with the palm of your hand pressed firmly on the top of its head and your thumb in the gill to hold it solid. Then, carefully, begin to slit the trout’s belly starting at the anus and working your way up to the cut under the gills. You need to be careful not to cut into the guts themselves, as this will foul the flesh, making it inedible. Keep your knife just under the skin. To pull the guts out, hold the trout firmly with your thumb under the jaw and your index finger in the mouth. Then get a firm grip on the guts and pull them out. All that is left to do is to scrape your thumb along the spine in the gut cavity to clean out the bloodline.
To behead or not to behead.
This last step can be a matter of personal preference. Removing the head of the trout. Some people like it left on, but, personally, I don’t like my food looking back at me.
To do this, you need a good sturdy knife. The same one you used to cut the belly open will work. Just be sure to rinse it good first. To cut the head off, grasp the trout firmly in the middle with your thumb in the gut cavity and the rest of your hand wrapped around it. Hold the trout so that the head is pushed down on your cutting surface. With your knife, make a firm slicing motion through the spine at gill level, preferablywith the gut cavity up. Once this is complete, rinse the trout and you are ready to proceed with the rest of your trout cleaning.
Of course, you could use my favorite method to clean a trout. Filet it!
Scaling the trout.
For this step, you will need a fish-board with a clip to hold the tail or you can hold the tail with your hand. You will also need a fish scaler or use the unsharpened side of a good sturdy knife (short blade is best). With the trout held firmly by the tail, scrape very firmly from the tail to the gills several times on both sides. This will remove the scales so you don’t have to deal with them later. No one wants to find them in a bite of grilled fish!
Gutting the trout.
To properly gut the trout without tearing into the stomach or intestines, you will need a sharp, short bladed knife. The short blade gives you better control. The first cut you want to make is just at gill level from the belly side. This results in a cut between the jawbone and the tongue. Do not cut through the spine. Next, place 1 or 2 fingers inside the trout’s mouth with the palm of your hand pressed firmly on the top of its head and your thumb in the gill to hold it solid. Then, carefully, begin to slit the trout’s belly starting at the anus and working your way up to the cut under the gills. You need to be careful not to cut into the guts themselves, as this will foul the flesh, making it inedible. Keep your knife just under the skin. To pull the guts out, hold the trout firmly with your thumb under the jaw and your index finger in the mouth. Then get a firm grip on the guts and pull them out. All that is left to do is to scrape your thumb along the spine in the gut cavity to clean out the bloodline.
To behead or not to behead.
This last step can be a matter of personal preference. Removing the head of the trout. Some people like it left on, but, personally, I don’t like my food looking back at me.
To do this, you need a good sturdy knife. The same one you used to cut the belly open will work. Just be sure to rinse it good first. To cut the head off, grasp the trout firmly in the middle with your thumb in the gut cavity and the rest of your hand wrapped around it. Hold the trout so that the head is pushed down on your cutting surface. With your knife, make a firm slicing motion through the spine at gill level, preferablywith the gut cavity up. Once this is complete, rinse the trout and you are ready to proceed with the rest of your trout cleaning.
Of course, you could use my favorite method to clean a trout. Filet it!
Chop Till You Drop
You use it everyday in the Kitchen. If not looked after it can make you sick – And yet you probably never give it a second thought.
The Chopping Board is a large board you use in the kitchen for chopping, cutting and preparing food on.
When purchasing a new board, there are heaps of options to choose from – timber, glass, marble, plastic. And it can be a confusing choice.
Glass and Marble type cutting boards may look good but they play havoc on your knives. The hard surface will quickly blunt your knife and damage it’s edge.
So, keep your glass and marble boards for serving food only.
When it comes to wooden and plastic boards, even the experts are divided as to which is best. It comes down to personal preference. And mine is…. wooden.
Wooden boards are generally heavier and less inclined to slip. They are also more attractive and can be used to serve food at the table.
Where as plastic boards are lighter, come in various colors and are dishwasher safe.
Whichever type you choose, it is imperative you clean it well. Harmful bacteria can breed on your board and cause dreadful food poisoning.
So … be sure to scrub your board well after each use, with hot water and detergent. Then allow it to stand and drip dry. Your board should be completely dry before using again.
It’s a good idea to have more than one board, to avoid cross contamination. Have one for raw meat and one for other foods.
Or take it to the extreme and do what the professionals do. Use 5 different colored boards:-
Red – Raw Meats
Yellow – Poultry
Blue – Seafood
Green – Fruit and Vegetables
White – General
So, if you board is starting to look a bit worse for wear, then it is probably time for a new one. And now you will be well informed to choose the right one for you.
Happy Cooking
The Chopping Board is a large board you use in the kitchen for chopping, cutting and preparing food on.
When purchasing a new board, there are heaps of options to choose from – timber, glass, marble, plastic. And it can be a confusing choice.
Glass and Marble type cutting boards may look good but they play havoc on your knives. The hard surface will quickly blunt your knife and damage it’s edge.
So, keep your glass and marble boards for serving food only.
When it comes to wooden and plastic boards, even the experts are divided as to which is best. It comes down to personal preference. And mine is…. wooden.
Wooden boards are generally heavier and less inclined to slip. They are also more attractive and can be used to serve food at the table.
Where as plastic boards are lighter, come in various colors and are dishwasher safe.
Whichever type you choose, it is imperative you clean it well. Harmful bacteria can breed on your board and cause dreadful food poisoning.
So … be sure to scrub your board well after each use, with hot water and detergent. Then allow it to stand and drip dry. Your board should be completely dry before using again.
It’s a good idea to have more than one board, to avoid cross contamination. Have one for raw meat and one for other foods.
Or take it to the extreme and do what the professionals do. Use 5 different colored boards:-
Red – Raw Meats
Yellow – Poultry
Blue – Seafood
Green – Fruit and Vegetables
White – General
So, if you board is starting to look a bit worse for wear, then it is probably time for a new one. And now you will be well informed to choose the right one for you.
Happy Cooking
Choosing The Perfect Charcoal Grill
Everyone loves good, old fashioned charcoal grilling. Aside from being cheaper than other grilling methods, it adds a raw, distinctive taste to your sausages, burgers, ribs, and other grilled items. Some people prefer charcoal grills over gas grills because they are easier to transport and are safer to use than gas. While there are differences in opinion and preference among grillers, it still remains that charcoal grills are here to stay. So be it an picnic, or an outdoor grill, charcoal grills will more that make up their worth in usefulness and reliability. When choosing charcoal grills, however, it pays to know what your needs are and to know the pros and cons of having such a grill over the other available grills around.
1. Cooking Space
First of all, you have to determine how much space you need for grilling. If you are grilling for a small family of three, you will do well enough with a 75 square-inch grill. You will have to consider larger grills if you are cooking for more people. It doesn’t make sense if you bring a puny sub-75 inch grill to a large picnic. Remember that the size of your grill increases the amount of items you can grill exponentially. Just looking at the grill won’t give you a clear idea on how big the grilling area is. Some grills have a warming rack that increases the perceived size of your grill.
2. Portability
- Get grills that have wheels
- Try choosing grills whose parts are ergonomic and efficient
- Lessen the risk of damaging your grill when transporting
- Your grill also has to withstand the rigors of outdoor use
- It does not pay to purchase a flimsy looking grill - go for those that are durable and lasting
3. Convenience
Some charcoal grills come with their own igniters. Try choosing grills that have this option. Other grills need lighter fluid to fire up. With the built-in igniter, you will not need lighter fluid anymore. On the other hand, you may want to avoid lighter fluid altogether. Some people dislike the taste and smell this fluid adds to the grill. If you must, use alcohol instead. It burns odorless and does not ruin the flavor of your food. Choose grills that allow you to easily access the ash pan. This makes cleaning the grill a lot easier. It also lessens the amount of ash flakes that may settle in your food. Also, lids are a very important part of the grill. Choose a grill that has a lid to keep the heat trapped within the grill. This allows for faster and smokeless grilling.
4. Quality
The materials used in making the grill are also very important. Some grills are made of material that easily corrodes or does not stand up well against the elements. Stainless steel grills hold up remarkably well to both the weather and the heat of the grill. Try avoiding painted grills as the paint may easily flake of. Although lightweight, durable materials are hard to come by among grills, you would do best to look for such. Remember, though, that first and foremost, the most important built characteristic you are looking for in a grill is durability.
1. Cooking Space
First of all, you have to determine how much space you need for grilling. If you are grilling for a small family of three, you will do well enough with a 75 square-inch grill. You will have to consider larger grills if you are cooking for more people. It doesn’t make sense if you bring a puny sub-75 inch grill to a large picnic. Remember that the size of your grill increases the amount of items you can grill exponentially. Just looking at the grill won’t give you a clear idea on how big the grilling area is. Some grills have a warming rack that increases the perceived size of your grill.
2. Portability
- Get grills that have wheels
- Try choosing grills whose parts are ergonomic and efficient
- Lessen the risk of damaging your grill when transporting
- Your grill also has to withstand the rigors of outdoor use
- It does not pay to purchase a flimsy looking grill - go for those that are durable and lasting
3. Convenience
Some charcoal grills come with their own igniters. Try choosing grills that have this option. Other grills need lighter fluid to fire up. With the built-in igniter, you will not need lighter fluid anymore. On the other hand, you may want to avoid lighter fluid altogether. Some people dislike the taste and smell this fluid adds to the grill. If you must, use alcohol instead. It burns odorless and does not ruin the flavor of your food. Choose grills that allow you to easily access the ash pan. This makes cleaning the grill a lot easier. It also lessens the amount of ash flakes that may settle in your food. Also, lids are a very important part of the grill. Choose a grill that has a lid to keep the heat trapped within the grill. This allows for faster and smokeless grilling.
4. Quality
The materials used in making the grill are also very important. Some grills are made of material that easily corrodes or does not stand up well against the elements. Stainless steel grills hold up remarkably well to both the weather and the heat of the grill. Try avoiding painted grills as the paint may easily flake of. Although lightweight, durable materials are hard to come by among grills, you would do best to look for such. Remember, though, that first and foremost, the most important built characteristic you are looking for in a grill is durability.
Choosing A Quality Cookware Set
The role of a good cook ware in the preparation of a sumptuous meal cannot be overemphasized. When one consider purchasing a good cookware the first point that comes to the mind is the budget. Buying a standard cookware within one’s budget and at the same time obtaining all the pieces and features one has in mind is no simple task. If you belong to the category of people who take cooking a bit seriously you need spend some more time to look into the various aspects of a good cookware from the material from which it is made, to the number of pieces, features and the quality.
The first factor to be considered is the material in which the cookware is made. The first option is the stainless steel that is most popular, durable and convenient. It is also the most popular cookware material in North America being highly resistant against wear and tear and at the same time less expensive. It is also subject to criticism as the metals like iron, nickel, and chromium used in this alloy is said to create health hazards.
The other option for the home maker is the ceramic pottery, enamel or glass cookware. All these materials can be easily cleaned and are also heat resistant. The latest addition to this category is the plastic ware used for both cooking and storing. It has the advantage of being light weight, unbreakable and also being used in Micro wave ovens where other metals are not suitable. Cast iron cookware is normally pre coated with unsalted fat and heated to avoid rusting in the absence of porcelain coating.
The stainless cookware is to be washed in soapy water or warm ammonia with water solution. The cookware is to be rinsed and dried to obviate water spots in the cookware. Never one need use chlorine or alcohol instead only some mild cleaners. The copper cookware are to be cleaned by a commercial cleaner or a home made mixture of salt, flour citric acid, and ammonia if applied before washing would also serve the purpose. While copper cookware is highly expensive the stainless cookware with copper bottom is lesser costly. The copper bottom cookware does not spread the heat evenly and the bottom of the food gets heated faster and there are chances that the food at the bottom may get burned.
One need to buy a cookware that is less expensive, durable, and that distribute the heat evenly. Cooking pans with hot spots cooks at various speed at different spots and make cooking most unpleasant... The cookware made of cast iron, copper and aluminum may result in the food cooked to absorb the metal taste and sometimes even the metal content to get transferred to food. The fact remaining so, copper bowls are immensely useful in beating egg whites. Though aluminum is the least expensive it may cause reaction with certain type of food. If one chooses the Aluminum cookware the anodized is the best choice.
One need to remember that no cookware can be considered as the perfect and the most suitable for cooking on all occasions or for cooking of all types of foods. The ideal cookware depends on your budget, your cooking preferences and the food habits. However cookware made of stainless steel could be recommended as an ideal choice considering its price, economic life, easy cleaning, and less or no reaction with the food. No wonder it is also the most popular and sought after cookware in North America.
The first factor to be considered is the material in which the cookware is made. The first option is the stainless steel that is most popular, durable and convenient. It is also the most popular cookware material in North America being highly resistant against wear and tear and at the same time less expensive. It is also subject to criticism as the metals like iron, nickel, and chromium used in this alloy is said to create health hazards.
The other option for the home maker is the ceramic pottery, enamel or glass cookware. All these materials can be easily cleaned and are also heat resistant. The latest addition to this category is the plastic ware used for both cooking and storing. It has the advantage of being light weight, unbreakable and also being used in Micro wave ovens where other metals are not suitable. Cast iron cookware is normally pre coated with unsalted fat and heated to avoid rusting in the absence of porcelain coating.
The stainless cookware is to be washed in soapy water or warm ammonia with water solution. The cookware is to be rinsed and dried to obviate water spots in the cookware. Never one need use chlorine or alcohol instead only some mild cleaners. The copper cookware are to be cleaned by a commercial cleaner or a home made mixture of salt, flour citric acid, and ammonia if applied before washing would also serve the purpose. While copper cookware is highly expensive the stainless cookware with copper bottom is lesser costly. The copper bottom cookware does not spread the heat evenly and the bottom of the food gets heated faster and there are chances that the food at the bottom may get burned.
One need to buy a cookware that is less expensive, durable, and that distribute the heat evenly. Cooking pans with hot spots cooks at various speed at different spots and make cooking most unpleasant... The cookware made of cast iron, copper and aluminum may result in the food cooked to absorb the metal taste and sometimes even the metal content to get transferred to food. The fact remaining so, copper bowls are immensely useful in beating egg whites. Though aluminum is the least expensive it may cause reaction with certain type of food. If one chooses the Aluminum cookware the anodized is the best choice.
One need to remember that no cookware can be considered as the perfect and the most suitable for cooking on all occasions or for cooking of all types of foods. The ideal cookware depends on your budget, your cooking preferences and the food habits. However cookware made of stainless steel could be recommended as an ideal choice considering its price, economic life, easy cleaning, and less or no reaction with the food. No wonder it is also the most popular and sought after cookware in North America.
Choosing A Culinary School
You have made the decision to go to a culinary school. Now what? Culinary school options are many, around the world, even. To choose one, you need to consider several aspects. Think that it doesn’t matter? Around the world there are hundreds of thousands of people looking to be the next big chef. One of the first deciding factors on who you are as a chef is the culinary school that you attend. On that note, let us help you to find some answers to your questions about finding the best culinary school for you.
• Your first step is to decide in what area you will specialize. Bakery, gourmet, and everything in between are your options. Not sure yet? Then, look for a culinary school that can provide you with a basic learning of many aspects of cooking. This will lead to a foundation of love in one or more eventually.
• Use the web as a tool. You have heard it before, but most culinary schools now have the ability to provide details about their school, including why you should choose them, on their websites. This is an excellent way for you to learn more about the schools on a preliminary plane.
• Venture into the arena of scholarships. Look at culinary schools that are abroad. Understand the various schools of thought that are presented in each culinary school. Ask questions and get answers.
• Visit the culinary schools that are known for their excellent students. Find out where students who have graduated from that school have gone and done with their lives. Observe a class. Tour the campus.
• Of course, one of the largest concerns that people have when it comes to culinary school choice is the cost. These schools are not cheap by any means, but the education you get will last you a lifetime. It is wise to consider quality well over price as much as you can. And, make sure to look into financial planning and financial aid.
Choosing a culinary school that feels right is important. Get all aspects of the decision just right and you can find yourself on your way to earning a culinary school degree in no time.
• Your first step is to decide in what area you will specialize. Bakery, gourmet, and everything in between are your options. Not sure yet? Then, look for a culinary school that can provide you with a basic learning of many aspects of cooking. This will lead to a foundation of love in one or more eventually.
• Use the web as a tool. You have heard it before, but most culinary schools now have the ability to provide details about their school, including why you should choose them, on their websites. This is an excellent way for you to learn more about the schools on a preliminary plane.
• Venture into the arena of scholarships. Look at culinary schools that are abroad. Understand the various schools of thought that are presented in each culinary school. Ask questions and get answers.
• Visit the culinary schools that are known for their excellent students. Find out where students who have graduated from that school have gone and done with their lives. Observe a class. Tour the campus.
• Of course, one of the largest concerns that people have when it comes to culinary school choice is the cost. These schools are not cheap by any means, but the education you get will last you a lifetime. It is wise to consider quality well over price as much as you can. And, make sure to look into financial planning and financial aid.
Choosing a culinary school that feels right is important. Get all aspects of the decision just right and you can find yourself on your way to earning a culinary school degree in no time.
Choose Vegetarian Recipes
Whether you are a seasoned chef or someone who has never put together an edible meal, consider expanding your knowledge of cooking by adding vegetarian recipes. Chefs of great restaurants and moms of hungry families will enjoy having more meals to cook, and the customers and children who eat the food will be happy as well.
Exploring vegetarian recipes is great simply to spice up the kitchen with something new. No cook likes to get bored by preparing the same meals over and over. It is always fun to try new ingredients or methods of making the foods you love and it can be just as fun to experiment with vegetarian recipes you have never tried before.
Great vegetarian recipes can be found in many locations. Search online, in cookbooks, or at local health food stores for ideas. If you have friends that have been cooking great dishes try swapping vegetarian recipes with them. Sometimes restaurants will even share vegetarian recipes with their customers for little or no charge.
Stopping into a local health food store is a great way to obtain all of the ingredients and spices you will need to begin cooking vegetarian recipes to perfection. Workers at these stores are often knowledgable resources that you can utilize and learn from.
Incorporating vegetarian recipes into any diet will bring variety and give healthy eating options. Many studies suggest that switching at least some of your weekly diet to vegetarian recipes can be benefical to your health. Let your tastebuds enjoy new things that are good for your body. Vegetarian recipes will often include many of the vitamins, minerals, and sources of nutrition that every body needs. Instead of meat, vegetarian recipes are filled with healthy protein substitutes so that you do not miss out on things you need.
Take a look at your health and at the foods you've been eating. Including a few vegetarian recipes into your diet can quickly improve how you feel and can be part of an overall health plan that will improve your life. Since few things are as important as leading a healthy life, take your time in researching new ways to eat better. Vegetarian recipes are just one of many things that you can consider. And contrary to popular belief, vegetarian recipes are full of the taste and enjoyment of many other foods you eat. The biggest difference is that they are much better for you.
Exploring vegetarian recipes is great simply to spice up the kitchen with something new. No cook likes to get bored by preparing the same meals over and over. It is always fun to try new ingredients or methods of making the foods you love and it can be just as fun to experiment with vegetarian recipes you have never tried before.
Great vegetarian recipes can be found in many locations. Search online, in cookbooks, or at local health food stores for ideas. If you have friends that have been cooking great dishes try swapping vegetarian recipes with them. Sometimes restaurants will even share vegetarian recipes with their customers for little or no charge.
Stopping into a local health food store is a great way to obtain all of the ingredients and spices you will need to begin cooking vegetarian recipes to perfection. Workers at these stores are often knowledgable resources that you can utilize and learn from.
Incorporating vegetarian recipes into any diet will bring variety and give healthy eating options. Many studies suggest that switching at least some of your weekly diet to vegetarian recipes can be benefical to your health. Let your tastebuds enjoy new things that are good for your body. Vegetarian recipes will often include many of the vitamins, minerals, and sources of nutrition that every body needs. Instead of meat, vegetarian recipes are filled with healthy protein substitutes so that you do not miss out on things you need.
Take a look at your health and at the foods you've been eating. Including a few vegetarian recipes into your diet can quickly improve how you feel and can be part of an overall health plan that will improve your life. Since few things are as important as leading a healthy life, take your time in researching new ways to eat better. Vegetarian recipes are just one of many things that you can consider. And contrary to popular belief, vegetarian recipes are full of the taste and enjoyment of many other foods you eat. The biggest difference is that they are much better for you.
Cast Iron Cookware
How to Season and Care for Your Cast Iron Cookware
You have a skillet that came from your mom, and before that your grandma, and has now fallen into your hands. So how do you take care of it, use it, clean it, and get the best taste possible from it? I hope to answer some of those questions in this article.
I love my cast iron skillets, passed down from my Mom; I remember her using them to make delicious fried chicken dinners, cornbread to go with our Great Northern beans and the best popcorn. The only thing I didn’t remember is just what she did to keep those skillets nice. I do remember her drying them slowly on the stove and then coating them with some sort of grease. Now we would use a thin coat of cooking oil or a pan spray.
That is called seasoning and is important in the care and use of cast iron to prevent rust and create a natural non-stick cooking surface. Even if your inherited skillet or Dutch oven has been neglected and rusty, you can restore it by seasoning it again.
The more you use your cast iron the better seasoned it becomes. A black shiny skillet is a well-seasoned utensil and the one that will give the best flavor. Seasoning is done both for the inside and the outside of your cast iron, and even the lid must be seasoned. Here’s a hint to make your cast iron shiny again is to fry bacon and similar fatty meats. It will help it become seasoned faster and give you that shiny black non-stick interior you are working for.
Here are the steps to seasoning your cast iron utensils.
1. First, wash with hot, soapy water and stiff brush.
2. Rinse and dry
3. Apply a thin coat of shortening both inside and out
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line oven rack with foil to catch drips
5. Put cookware upside down on the upper rack of your oven and bake for one hour.
6. Let the cookware cool before taking it out of the oven.
7. Store it in a cool, dry place and allow air to circulate around it
8. Never wash in a dishwasher.
After using your cast iron, rinse with hot water and no soap. Dry it thoroughly and coat it with a think coat of cooking oil, shortening or pan spray.
You have a skillet that came from your mom, and before that your grandma, and has now fallen into your hands. So how do you take care of it, use it, clean it, and get the best taste possible from it? I hope to answer some of those questions in this article.
I love my cast iron skillets, passed down from my Mom; I remember her using them to make delicious fried chicken dinners, cornbread to go with our Great Northern beans and the best popcorn. The only thing I didn’t remember is just what she did to keep those skillets nice. I do remember her drying them slowly on the stove and then coating them with some sort of grease. Now we would use a thin coat of cooking oil or a pan spray.
That is called seasoning and is important in the care and use of cast iron to prevent rust and create a natural non-stick cooking surface. Even if your inherited skillet or Dutch oven has been neglected and rusty, you can restore it by seasoning it again.
The more you use your cast iron the better seasoned it becomes. A black shiny skillet is a well-seasoned utensil and the one that will give the best flavor. Seasoning is done both for the inside and the outside of your cast iron, and even the lid must be seasoned. Here’s a hint to make your cast iron shiny again is to fry bacon and similar fatty meats. It will help it become seasoned faster and give you that shiny black non-stick interior you are working for.
Here are the steps to seasoning your cast iron utensils.
1. First, wash with hot, soapy water and stiff brush.
2. Rinse and dry
3. Apply a thin coat of shortening both inside and out
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line oven rack with foil to catch drips
5. Put cookware upside down on the upper rack of your oven and bake for one hour.
6. Let the cookware cool before taking it out of the oven.
7. Store it in a cool, dry place and allow air to circulate around it
8. Never wash in a dishwasher.
After using your cast iron, rinse with hot water and no soap. Dry it thoroughly and coat it with a think coat of cooking oil, shortening or pan spray.
Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard Bird
Wow I have a hankering for some really good grill roasted chicken, the melt in your mouth variety with some fresh homemade salsa slathered right on top. Just seems that we never have time during the lazy days of summer to get everything done. You know, you have to mow the grass, weed the garden and if you're lucky harvest a bounty of fresh produce from your own little truck farm.
Now you expect me to cook supper too? It's time to tell you my secret and go hunting for my favorite "yard bird", Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard Bird, to be exact.
Yes.
Delicious golden brown moist and tender some of the best melt in your mouth grill roasted chicken you will ever eat. Now, don't let the hunting phrase concern you. The extent of hunting chicken for me is looking for a big plump 3½ to 4 pounder at the local grocery or meat market. I always bag my limit of two because it is just as easy to cook two at the same time to guarantee some leftovers…
"Come on, Capt'n Salsa, quit beating around the bushes and just give us the recipe!"
Oh, Okay.
Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard bird is so easy you will probably laugh. Of course it goes with out saying you need to rinse the chicken in cold water before you cook it. All you are going to need is a generous amount of Lemon Pepper Seasoning. Mix up a solution of 1 part vegetable oil with 4 parts of Apple Cider Vinegar, remember that's the brown vinegar, together in a squirt bottle, an empty syrup bottle will do just fine.
Now we are going to cook our grilled chicken whole on your favorite charcoal or 2 burner gas grill using the "indirect heat" method. Your grill needs a lid that will close, too. Most of the time now I just use the gas grill, heating the grill with both burners, then turn one of them totally off, yes, off and the other burner turn it all the way down to low.
I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Preheat your choice of grills. Then rinse and clean the birds. Now hose down the chicken with the mixture of oil and vinegar using the squirt bottle and sprinkle a generous portion of Lemon Pepper Seasoning all over the chicken. Don't forget the body cavity.
Place the chicken breast side up on the grill away from the heat source, above the burner that is turned off, indirect heat method remember. Squirt a little more oil and vinegar into the cavity of the chicken until it "overflows. " Now close the lid. You want a low to medium low heat level. The objective is to take at least 2 to 2 ½ hours to cook the chicken, nice and slow. Don't worry after a couple of times you will have it "down to a science" and know what works best for you.
Once you have your chicken on the grill go mow the grass or work in your garden for the next 2 to 2 ½ hours without even looking at the birds…well, if you insist on looking after about an hour, you can raise the lid and give the birds a good squirt of the oil and vinegar solution…Now, close that lid and get back to work…ggg.
You will know the chicken is done by grabbing the tip of one of the legs with a paper towel, careful it will be hot, and gently twist the leg bone in a circle. If the leg bone easily breaks free at the joint, the chicken is done - a beautiful golden brown, moist and tender every time.
Easy huh?
Place the chicken on the grill, mow the grass and when you are finished with your yard you have Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Chicken make that Yard Bird! Serve it up with one of your favorite homemade salsa recipes.
Roasted Corn Salsa or tasty Salsa de Tomatillos Delicious! Wrap it all up in a warm tortilla, complete with your favorite thirst quenching beverage and you will marvel about how great your yard looks.
Imagine. Mowing the grass and cooking supper all at the same time…Enjoy!
Now you expect me to cook supper too? It's time to tell you my secret and go hunting for my favorite "yard bird", Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard Bird, to be exact.
Yes.
Delicious golden brown moist and tender some of the best melt in your mouth grill roasted chicken you will ever eat. Now, don't let the hunting phrase concern you. The extent of hunting chicken for me is looking for a big plump 3½ to 4 pounder at the local grocery or meat market. I always bag my limit of two because it is just as easy to cook two at the same time to guarantee some leftovers…
"Come on, Capt'n Salsa, quit beating around the bushes and just give us the recipe!"
Oh, Okay.
Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard bird is so easy you will probably laugh. Of course it goes with out saying you need to rinse the chicken in cold water before you cook it. All you are going to need is a generous amount of Lemon Pepper Seasoning. Mix up a solution of 1 part vegetable oil with 4 parts of Apple Cider Vinegar, remember that's the brown vinegar, together in a squirt bottle, an empty syrup bottle will do just fine.
Now we are going to cook our grilled chicken whole on your favorite charcoal or 2 burner gas grill using the "indirect heat" method. Your grill needs a lid that will close, too. Most of the time now I just use the gas grill, heating the grill with both burners, then turn one of them totally off, yes, off and the other burner turn it all the way down to low.
I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Preheat your choice of grills. Then rinse and clean the birds. Now hose down the chicken with the mixture of oil and vinegar using the squirt bottle and sprinkle a generous portion of Lemon Pepper Seasoning all over the chicken. Don't forget the body cavity.
Place the chicken breast side up on the grill away from the heat source, above the burner that is turned off, indirect heat method remember. Squirt a little more oil and vinegar into the cavity of the chicken until it "overflows. " Now close the lid. You want a low to medium low heat level. The objective is to take at least 2 to 2 ½ hours to cook the chicken, nice and slow. Don't worry after a couple of times you will have it "down to a science" and know what works best for you.
Once you have your chicken on the grill go mow the grass or work in your garden for the next 2 to 2 ½ hours without even looking at the birds…well, if you insist on looking after about an hour, you can raise the lid and give the birds a good squirt of the oil and vinegar solution…Now, close that lid and get back to work…ggg.
You will know the chicken is done by grabbing the tip of one of the legs with a paper towel, careful it will be hot, and gently twist the leg bone in a circle. If the leg bone easily breaks free at the joint, the chicken is done - a beautiful golden brown, moist and tender every time.
Easy huh?
Place the chicken on the grill, mow the grass and when you are finished with your yard you have Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Chicken make that Yard Bird! Serve it up with one of your favorite homemade salsa recipes.
Roasted Corn Salsa or tasty Salsa de Tomatillos Delicious! Wrap it all up in a warm tortilla, complete with your favorite thirst quenching beverage and you will marvel about how great your yard looks.
Imagine. Mowing the grass and cooking supper all at the same time…Enjoy!
Capt'n Salsa's Fool Proof Chile Heat Index
Chile heat index? Scoville units, what? Capsaicin? My mouth and hands are on fire, ouch!
Well here I am making some delicious homemade salsa for the Monday Night Football game and my mouth and hands are killing me. How can you stop the burning and get this salsa recipe ready to go without hurting your guests.
Now, don't take Capt'n Salsa the wrong way, I love the heat of a good chile, but there is a big difference between hot and hurt. But oh boy, what a flavor. You know you're a chile head when you use cheese and chopped habanero to stuff your jalapeno peppers.
Perhaps I can answer a few of your questions about how hot are those chiles and what can you do about it if you get just a little carried away with the heat.
What's that? Your mouth and hands are burning? Okay, let's start with the hands…
First wet your hands with cold water, and then rub them briskly together with a teaspoon or so of salt as if you are washing your hands. I prefer kosher salt due to its course texture, but grabbing the salt shaker will work as well. Now, wash your hands again with soap and warm water. This also works well when working with garlic and onions.
You did wear your rubber gloves when you started working with the chiles, right?
Come on, Capt'n my mouth is really burning too!
"Your mouth is on fire?"
What ever you do, do not reach for the water; it will only spread the capsaicin oil around inside your mouth, spreading the oil of the chile and you will swear it just go hotter.
So don't reach for the water, okay?
Here are a few remedies that have proven to work.
Milk or dairy products are cooling; grab a glass of milk or a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Did you ever wonder why you almost always see a dollop of sour cream or a helping of "Creama Mexicana Sauce" on your enchiladas and nachos?
Yes, even a "cerveza" can be cooling too, the alcohol will help dissolve the irritating oils as well as "deaden" the pain. Now, wait a minute don't get carried away, you didn't hear me say anything about Tequila Shots.
In addition, a squeeze of lemon or lime will help balance the palate and distract it from the heat. Perhaps my favorite, simply continue to eat the hot salsa that got you to the fire dance in the first place.
Yep, it's true.
Eating more hot salsa with your favorite tortilla and chips, "the bread" will naturally soak up and help dilute the capsaicin level and reduce "the pain."
Hey, Capt'n, what's a Scoville Unit?
Walter Scoville, a pharmacist back in 1912 developed the Scoville heat index to measure the impact of peppers on the tongue. He came up with a way to determine how much sugar water it took to cancel the burn you were feeling on your tongue. For example, if a hot chile, like the jalapeno is rated at 5000 Scoville units, that means the capsaicin oil needs 5000 times its volume in sugar water to neutralize it.
Fine and good but what does that really mean to me? If a jalapeno is rated from 3500 to 5000 on the Scoville scale and a habanero is in the range of 350,000 how hot is it?
Capt'n Salsa's Fool Proof Chile Heat Index, coming to the rescue.
Now just so you know, you might think the Capt'n named this very appropriately, "fool proof" but believe me it really works.
Let's get right to it. Be sure and read the paragraph about "My mouth is burning" and plan accordingly. Remember an effective quencher for the burning palate is grab a glass of milk or your favorite bowl of ice cream and have it sitting at arms reach. You should also have a bowl of chips, crackers or a slice of bread handy.
Now, time to do some good old fashion testing. Ready?
Do not try this with a habanero!
You will need one jalapeno for this test. Begin by slicing just the tip of the pepper off.
Then ever so gently, I do mean very lightly, "hey it's your tongue" so be very careful, touch the tip of your tongue to the cut edge of the jalapeno. Wow!
Fool Proof! See I told you.
Again I'm telling you not to try this with a habanero, even the mildest habanero will knock my socks off.
Here are a few of Capt'n Salsa's tips for handling hot chiles.
You can build up your heat tolerance for hot chiles by starting with the mild ones then increasing to the hotter varieties in your salsa recipes. Overtime the more often you eat them the more tolerant you will become.
When working with any fresh or dried hot chilies, always wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.
Chop or cut green chiles on an impermeable surface like china, glass or metal. Do not use your favorite wood cutting board. The wood will soak up the chile oils and it will pass it along to the next food you chop...Wow; these are the hottest strawberries I have ever had!
Do not cut chiles under running water.
When you process or sauté hot chilies they release plenty of burning vapors into the air. Turning your head or wearing a household dust mask will help.
Be sure to experiment with your homemade salsa recipe ingredients. If you are not certain of the heat level the amount of chiles called for will produce, then by all means start with just a very small amount and add to it a little at a time until you achieve your desired results.
Try different varieties of chiles for unique taste sensations.
Share your homemade salsa creations with your family and friends. You will be really glad you did and so will they.
Well here I am making some delicious homemade salsa for the Monday Night Football game and my mouth and hands are killing me. How can you stop the burning and get this salsa recipe ready to go without hurting your guests.
Now, don't take Capt'n Salsa the wrong way, I love the heat of a good chile, but there is a big difference between hot and hurt. But oh boy, what a flavor. You know you're a chile head when you use cheese and chopped habanero to stuff your jalapeno peppers.
Perhaps I can answer a few of your questions about how hot are those chiles and what can you do about it if you get just a little carried away with the heat.
What's that? Your mouth and hands are burning? Okay, let's start with the hands…
First wet your hands with cold water, and then rub them briskly together with a teaspoon or so of salt as if you are washing your hands. I prefer kosher salt due to its course texture, but grabbing the salt shaker will work as well. Now, wash your hands again with soap and warm water. This also works well when working with garlic and onions.
You did wear your rubber gloves when you started working with the chiles, right?
Come on, Capt'n my mouth is really burning too!
"Your mouth is on fire?"
What ever you do, do not reach for the water; it will only spread the capsaicin oil around inside your mouth, spreading the oil of the chile and you will swear it just go hotter.
So don't reach for the water, okay?
Here are a few remedies that have proven to work.
Milk or dairy products are cooling; grab a glass of milk or a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Did you ever wonder why you almost always see a dollop of sour cream or a helping of "Creama Mexicana Sauce" on your enchiladas and nachos?
Yes, even a "cerveza" can be cooling too, the alcohol will help dissolve the irritating oils as well as "deaden" the pain. Now, wait a minute don't get carried away, you didn't hear me say anything about Tequila Shots.
In addition, a squeeze of lemon or lime will help balance the palate and distract it from the heat. Perhaps my favorite, simply continue to eat the hot salsa that got you to the fire dance in the first place.
Yep, it's true.
Eating more hot salsa with your favorite tortilla and chips, "the bread" will naturally soak up and help dilute the capsaicin level and reduce "the pain."
Hey, Capt'n, what's a Scoville Unit?
Walter Scoville, a pharmacist back in 1912 developed the Scoville heat index to measure the impact of peppers on the tongue. He came up with a way to determine how much sugar water it took to cancel the burn you were feeling on your tongue. For example, if a hot chile, like the jalapeno is rated at 5000 Scoville units, that means the capsaicin oil needs 5000 times its volume in sugar water to neutralize it.
Fine and good but what does that really mean to me? If a jalapeno is rated from 3500 to 5000 on the Scoville scale and a habanero is in the range of 350,000 how hot is it?
Capt'n Salsa's Fool Proof Chile Heat Index, coming to the rescue.
Now just so you know, you might think the Capt'n named this very appropriately, "fool proof" but believe me it really works.
Let's get right to it. Be sure and read the paragraph about "My mouth is burning" and plan accordingly. Remember an effective quencher for the burning palate is grab a glass of milk or your favorite bowl of ice cream and have it sitting at arms reach. You should also have a bowl of chips, crackers or a slice of bread handy.
Now, time to do some good old fashion testing. Ready?
Do not try this with a habanero!
You will need one jalapeno for this test. Begin by slicing just the tip of the pepper off.
Then ever so gently, I do mean very lightly, "hey it's your tongue" so be very careful, touch the tip of your tongue to the cut edge of the jalapeno. Wow!
Fool Proof! See I told you.
Again I'm telling you not to try this with a habanero, even the mildest habanero will knock my socks off.
Here are a few of Capt'n Salsa's tips for handling hot chiles.
You can build up your heat tolerance for hot chiles by starting with the mild ones then increasing to the hotter varieties in your salsa recipes. Overtime the more often you eat them the more tolerant you will become.
When working with any fresh or dried hot chilies, always wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.
Chop or cut green chiles on an impermeable surface like china, glass or metal. Do not use your favorite wood cutting board. The wood will soak up the chile oils and it will pass it along to the next food you chop...Wow; these are the hottest strawberries I have ever had!
Do not cut chiles under running water.
When you process or sauté hot chilies they release plenty of burning vapors into the air. Turning your head or wearing a household dust mask will help.
Be sure to experiment with your homemade salsa recipe ingredients. If you are not certain of the heat level the amount of chiles called for will produce, then by all means start with just a very small amount and add to it a little at a time until you achieve your desired results.
Try different varieties of chiles for unique taste sensations.
Share your homemade salsa creations with your family and friends. You will be really glad you did and so will they.
Cake Decorating Ideas For All Occasions
You really don’t need a special occasion to decorate a cake, but some events that can be made unforgettable and extra special with a decorated treat are holidays, birthdays, graduations, religious occasions, showers, weddings, and other personal special events.
Here are some cake decorating ideas that will help you make any occasion special:
New Year’s Champagne Toast
Bake one 9-in. round and one 9x12-in. rectangle cake.
Cut the round in half. Use one half for the top of the champagne glass.
Cut a 2 or 3-inch long strip for the stem of the glass and a 2 x 4-inch section for the base of the glass. Piece them together to form the champagne glass. To be sure all the pieces stay together, lightly frost each piece separately before you piece them together.
Place the pieces on a cake board. Ice the top part (straight edge) of the half-round cake and the stem and base sections in white icing. Ice the bottom part (rounded edge) of the half-round cake in light yellow or light pink icing to resemble champagne.
Easter Egg Hunt (So easy kids can do it!)
Bake 6 large muffins. Cool and frost them with green icing. Generously sprinkle green shredded coconut* on top of the frosting to resemble grass. Place colored jelly beans within the coconut so they are half-hidden. Place small bunny toppers on the top of the muffins so they look as if they are finding the jelly beans.
*To tint shredded coconut, place coconut in a plastic bag. Add a few drops of food color. Knead color into coconut. Dry on waxed paper.
Spooky Halloween Brownies (Let the kids help!)
Bake your favorite brownies. When cooled, cut into 3-inch circles, using a cookie cutter or a pattern and sharp knife. Place a Halloween stencil (available in most stores) in the center of each brownie. Sprinkle the stencil with confectioner’s (powdered) sugar. Remove the stencil. Edge the top and the bottom of brownie with tip 14 white icing stars.
Shiny Christmas Ornament
Bake a one or two-layer round cake. Ice the cake smooth with white icing. Pipe tip 5 white icing lines across the top at 1-inch intervals. Vary the shapes of the lines, making one straight, one zigzag, one curvy, etc. to resemble decorations on an ornament. Randomly pipe tip 5 icing balls and tip 16 stars between the lines also to resemble decorations.
ADULT BIRTHDAY / SPECIAL OCCASION
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Bake a heart-shaped cake and a heart-shaped mini-cake. Ice the larger cake smooth with pink icing. Place the mini-cake in the center of the larger cake. Cover the mini cake in tip 16 red icing stars. Add a tip 14 red icing shell border at the bottom of the mini cake and a tip 16 red icing shell border at the top and the bottom of the large cake. Write your message in pink with tip 3 on the mini-cake.
KIDS BIRTHDAY
Rainbow Train
Bake four mini-loaf cakes. (about 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches each.)
Ice each one smooth – one with red icing, one with blue icing, one with green icing, and one with yellow icing. Use the cake iced in red as the engine: Make a smokestack for the engine with 2 large marshmallows. Frost them together with green icing. Attach the marshmallows to the top of engine with a toothpick. Using green icing, attach a piece of white curly ribbon or candy on the top of the smokestack for smoke and attach two white or yellow gum drops to the front of the engine for headlights. With a spatula, place a small mound of yellow icing on top of the yellow car; add small chocolate chips to resemble coal. Place two or three small plastic cars on top of the blue car. Stick small stick candies, such as licorice pieces on top of the green car to resemble metal parts. Decorate the sides of the cars with various small hard candies for decorations. For wheels: With icing the same color as the car, attach 4 large candy discs, such as peppermint swirls, to the bottom of each car. Connect the cars with one-inch licorice whips or pretzel sticks.
Up! Up! And Away
Bake two each: tulip, flower, butterfly and dragonfly cookies (eight total) and a 9x12-in. rectangle cake. Ice the cookies smooth in various pastel colors with thinned royal icing.** Decorate the iced butterfly cookie with tip 3 colored icing dots.
Ice the bottom half of the 9x12-in. cake smooth with green icing and the top half smooth with light blue icing to resemble grass and the sky. Place two small mounds of white icing on the blue half for clouds. Pat down “the clouds” with your fingers dipped in cornstarch. Place the tulip and flower cookies in the “grass” and pipe tip 3 green stems and leaves, if necessary. Place the one butterfly cookie near the flower cookie and the other butterfly cookie and the dragonfly cookies in the “sky.” Write your message on the cake with tip 3 white icing.
**Royal Icing Recipe
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 scant tablespoons meringue powder
3 tablespoons water
Beat all the ingredients a low speed until the icing forms peaks.
(Makes about 1-1/2 cups)
Here are some cake decorating ideas that will help you make any occasion special:
New Year’s Champagne Toast
Bake one 9-in. round and one 9x12-in. rectangle cake.
Cut the round in half. Use one half for the top of the champagne glass.
Cut a 2 or 3-inch long strip for the stem of the glass and a 2 x 4-inch section for the base of the glass. Piece them together to form the champagne glass. To be sure all the pieces stay together, lightly frost each piece separately before you piece them together.
Place the pieces on a cake board. Ice the top part (straight edge) of the half-round cake and the stem and base sections in white icing. Ice the bottom part (rounded edge) of the half-round cake in light yellow or light pink icing to resemble champagne.
Easter Egg Hunt (So easy kids can do it!)
Bake 6 large muffins. Cool and frost them with green icing. Generously sprinkle green shredded coconut* on top of the frosting to resemble grass. Place colored jelly beans within the coconut so they are half-hidden. Place small bunny toppers on the top of the muffins so they look as if they are finding the jelly beans.
*To tint shredded coconut, place coconut in a plastic bag. Add a few drops of food color. Knead color into coconut. Dry on waxed paper.
Spooky Halloween Brownies (Let the kids help!)
Bake your favorite brownies. When cooled, cut into 3-inch circles, using a cookie cutter or a pattern and sharp knife. Place a Halloween stencil (available in most stores) in the center of each brownie. Sprinkle the stencil with confectioner’s (powdered) sugar. Remove the stencil. Edge the top and the bottom of brownie with tip 14 white icing stars.
Shiny Christmas Ornament
Bake a one or two-layer round cake. Ice the cake smooth with white icing. Pipe tip 5 white icing lines across the top at 1-inch intervals. Vary the shapes of the lines, making one straight, one zigzag, one curvy, etc. to resemble decorations on an ornament. Randomly pipe tip 5 icing balls and tip 16 stars between the lines also to resemble decorations.
ADULT BIRTHDAY / SPECIAL OCCASION
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Bake a heart-shaped cake and a heart-shaped mini-cake. Ice the larger cake smooth with pink icing. Place the mini-cake in the center of the larger cake. Cover the mini cake in tip 16 red icing stars. Add a tip 14 red icing shell border at the bottom of the mini cake and a tip 16 red icing shell border at the top and the bottom of the large cake. Write your message in pink with tip 3 on the mini-cake.
KIDS BIRTHDAY
Rainbow Train
Bake four mini-loaf cakes. (about 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches each.)
Ice each one smooth – one with red icing, one with blue icing, one with green icing, and one with yellow icing. Use the cake iced in red as the engine: Make a smokestack for the engine with 2 large marshmallows. Frost them together with green icing. Attach the marshmallows to the top of engine with a toothpick. Using green icing, attach a piece of white curly ribbon or candy on the top of the smokestack for smoke and attach two white or yellow gum drops to the front of the engine for headlights. With a spatula, place a small mound of yellow icing on top of the yellow car; add small chocolate chips to resemble coal. Place two or three small plastic cars on top of the blue car. Stick small stick candies, such as licorice pieces on top of the green car to resemble metal parts. Decorate the sides of the cars with various small hard candies for decorations. For wheels: With icing the same color as the car, attach 4 large candy discs, such as peppermint swirls, to the bottom of each car. Connect the cars with one-inch licorice whips or pretzel sticks.
Up! Up! And Away
Bake two each: tulip, flower, butterfly and dragonfly cookies (eight total) and a 9x12-in. rectangle cake. Ice the cookies smooth in various pastel colors with thinned royal icing.** Decorate the iced butterfly cookie with tip 3 colored icing dots.
Ice the bottom half of the 9x12-in. cake smooth with green icing and the top half smooth with light blue icing to resemble grass and the sky. Place two small mounds of white icing on the blue half for clouds. Pat down “the clouds” with your fingers dipped in cornstarch. Place the tulip and flower cookies in the “grass” and pipe tip 3 green stems and leaves, if necessary. Place the one butterfly cookie near the flower cookie and the other butterfly cookie and the dragonfly cookies in the “sky.” Write your message on the cake with tip 3 white icing.
**Royal Icing Recipe
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 scant tablespoons meringue powder
3 tablespoons water
Beat all the ingredients a low speed until the icing forms peaks.
(Makes about 1-1/2 cups)
Cake Decorating Book - Make your cake look more delicious
Everyone loves to eat cake, which is nicely and perfectly decorated. But due to lack of decorating skill ones wish is not fulfilled up to the maximum level. Now with the help of cake decorating book one can easily decorate the cake and make it look more rich and delicious. These books are specially designed for preparing cakes. They also provide you with additional mouth watering recipes and tips to make your cake more delicious for consumption.
Cake Decorating Book is a perfect choice to decorate the cake. This book provides you essential tips, together with illustrated pictures to decorate your birthday cakes, Christmas cake, wedding cake and party cake. If you want to decorate the cake for any special occasion then you need to purchase a cake decorating book.
Now days you can find huge collection of such books online. This book can help you to decorate your cake in a professional manner. Cake Decorating Books not only help you to decorate your cake but it also helps you to make your cake delicious, which is an added advantage. Cake decorating book, which is offered online, requires no fundamental experience. With the help of cake decorating book you can prepare exclusive decorated pastries or cakes. This book is published in such a way that no one can refrain oneself from making a decorated cake. Each chapter carries new ideas and tips.
It is necessary that one should decorate the cake as it gives a distinct and appealing look that creates the desire to eat it. This cake decorating book is also perfect for beginners, which gives step by step instructions and guidance.
Cake Decorating Book is a perfect choice to decorate the cake. This book provides you essential tips, together with illustrated pictures to decorate your birthday cakes, Christmas cake, wedding cake and party cake. If you want to decorate the cake for any special occasion then you need to purchase a cake decorating book.
Now days you can find huge collection of such books online. This book can help you to decorate your cake in a professional manner. Cake Decorating Books not only help you to decorate your cake but it also helps you to make your cake delicious, which is an added advantage. Cake decorating book, which is offered online, requires no fundamental experience. With the help of cake decorating book you can prepare exclusive decorated pastries or cakes. This book is published in such a way that no one can refrain oneself from making a decorated cake. Each chapter carries new ideas and tips.
It is necessary that one should decorate the cake as it gives a distinct and appealing look that creates the desire to eat it. This cake decorating book is also perfect for beginners, which gives step by step instructions and guidance.
Build A Better Burger® With 16 Ingredients Or Less
Simplicity may be the key to earning $50,000 this year. For the 16th anniversary of Sutter Home Build a Better Burger Contest and Cook-Off®, the search for America's best burger, judges are looking for entries to include a maximum of 16 ingredients.
"In the past, there has been no limit on the number of ingredients," says head judge James McNair. "We're simplifying the contest by paring down the number of items used."
McNair suggests that contestants reinvent their favorite burger with new and different toppings or show off their ethnic background by incorporating traditional ingredients from their country of origin.
From shiitake mushroom ketchup, Cuban pickle salsa and banana duck chutney to tzatziki with feta, Creole honey mustard and chermoula mayonnaise, winning burgers have included a range of exotic flavors from around the world.
So, the question remains, can you build a better burger with 16 ingredients or less? McNair says yes. In the past 15 years, four grand prize winners used 16 ingredients or less to create their unique burgers. Last year's $50,000 winner, Barry Rosenstein of Elmhurst, Ill., used a record 35 ingredients to build his Sweet and Spicy Red Fez Burgers.
"All of the judges were very impressed with the taste and presentation of Barry's burgers, but the length of his recipe was a bit daunting for the average person to re-create," says Jeffrey Starr, culinary director and executive chef for Sutter Home Winery and Build a Better Burger. "For 2006, we want burgers that are creative, yet accessible to everyday cooks."
McNair recommends reading "Build a Better Burger," published by Ten Speed Press last year, to see all of the previous winning recipes through 2004 and get tips on cooking burgers on the grill.
Build a Better Burger accepts entries from May 15, 2006 to August 21, 2006. For complete contest entry rules, visit build abetterburger.com or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Build a Better Burger, Sutter Home Winery, P.O. Box 248, St. Helena, CA, 94574-0248. Build a Better Burger is not open to residents of California or Utah. Ten finalists will be flown to the Napa Valley to compete in a burger grilling cook-off on September 30, which will be judged by a renowned panel of chefs.
Build a Better Burger is sponsored by Sutter Home Family Vineyards, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the California Avocado Commission, Colavita Olive Oil, Barbeques Galore, Grey Poupon, Snyder's of Hanover and Kettle Chips.
Napa Valley Basil-Smoked Burgers
Makes 6
PESTO MAYONNAISE
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
PATTIES
2 pounds ground sirloin
1/4 cup Zinfandel
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup fresh Italian bread crumbs
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
8 large fresh basil sprigs, moistened with water
6 large seeded sandwich rolls, split
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
6 red leaf lettuce leaves
6 (1/4-inch-thick) large tomato slices
6 paper-thin red onion slices, separated into rings
6 fresh basil sprigs
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
Combine the mayonnaise and pesto in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
To make the patties, combine the sirloin, Zinfandel, basil, onion, bread crumbs, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic salt in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form them into patties to fit the rolls.
When the grill is ready, brush the rack with vegetable oil. Toss basil sprigs directly onto the fire. Place patties on the rack; cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. Top each patty with a cheese slice. Cook 1 minute.
Spread the mayonnaise over the cut sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place a lettuce leaf, a patty, a tomato slice, an onion slice and a basil sprig. Add the roll tops and serve.
With 16 ingredients, this burger took the grand prize in 1990.
"In the past, there has been no limit on the number of ingredients," says head judge James McNair. "We're simplifying the contest by paring down the number of items used."
McNair suggests that contestants reinvent their favorite burger with new and different toppings or show off their ethnic background by incorporating traditional ingredients from their country of origin.
From shiitake mushroom ketchup, Cuban pickle salsa and banana duck chutney to tzatziki with feta, Creole honey mustard and chermoula mayonnaise, winning burgers have included a range of exotic flavors from around the world.
So, the question remains, can you build a better burger with 16 ingredients or less? McNair says yes. In the past 15 years, four grand prize winners used 16 ingredients or less to create their unique burgers. Last year's $50,000 winner, Barry Rosenstein of Elmhurst, Ill., used a record 35 ingredients to build his Sweet and Spicy Red Fez Burgers.
"All of the judges were very impressed with the taste and presentation of Barry's burgers, but the length of his recipe was a bit daunting for the average person to re-create," says Jeffrey Starr, culinary director and executive chef for Sutter Home Winery and Build a Better Burger. "For 2006, we want burgers that are creative, yet accessible to everyday cooks."
McNair recommends reading "Build a Better Burger," published by Ten Speed Press last year, to see all of the previous winning recipes through 2004 and get tips on cooking burgers on the grill.
Build a Better Burger accepts entries from May 15, 2006 to August 21, 2006. For complete contest entry rules, visit build abetterburger.com or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Build a Better Burger, Sutter Home Winery, P.O. Box 248, St. Helena, CA, 94574-0248. Build a Better Burger is not open to residents of California or Utah. Ten finalists will be flown to the Napa Valley to compete in a burger grilling cook-off on September 30, which will be judged by a renowned panel of chefs.
Build a Better Burger is sponsored by Sutter Home Family Vineyards, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the California Avocado Commission, Colavita Olive Oil, Barbeques Galore, Grey Poupon, Snyder's of Hanover and Kettle Chips.
Napa Valley Basil-Smoked Burgers
Makes 6
PESTO MAYONNAISE
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
PATTIES
2 pounds ground sirloin
1/4 cup Zinfandel
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup fresh Italian bread crumbs
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
8 large fresh basil sprigs, moistened with water
6 large seeded sandwich rolls, split
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
6 red leaf lettuce leaves
6 (1/4-inch-thick) large tomato slices
6 paper-thin red onion slices, separated into rings
6 fresh basil sprigs
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
Combine the mayonnaise and pesto in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
To make the patties, combine the sirloin, Zinfandel, basil, onion, bread crumbs, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic salt in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form them into patties to fit the rolls.
When the grill is ready, brush the rack with vegetable oil. Toss basil sprigs directly onto the fire. Place patties on the rack; cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. Top each patty with a cheese slice. Cook 1 minute.
Spread the mayonnaise over the cut sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place a lettuce leaf, a patty, a tomato slice, an onion slice and a basil sprig. Add the roll tops and serve.
With 16 ingredients, this burger took the grand prize in 1990.
Breadmakers For Easy Baking
A bread maker is a home appliance that has revolutionized the process of making breads. First manufactured in 1986 in Japan, breadmaker since then moved its way to homes in the United States and United Kingdom. By means of a breadmaker, automatic baking has become possible and more convenient.
As with ordinary baking, ingredients must first be measured according to the recipe. The mixture is then poured into the bread pan that is placed in the machine. The breadmaker will then take some hours to bake the bread by first turning the mixture into dough and eventually baking it. The process of making dough is helped by a built-in paddle. Once the baking is done and has been allowed to cool down, the bread is then freed from the bread pan. The paddle at the bottom of the loaf should be removed from its place.
Breadmaker breads are much easier to get spoiled as compared with the commercial breads due to the absence of additives. However, it is possible that sourdough starter may be added to the ingredients to prolong the shelf life of the breads.
Breadmakers have built-in timers that may be set for easier baking. Other machines can be programmed to only prepare the dough and not to bake the bread later, in this case the dough is baked in an oven. Breadmakers have other uses as well. They may be set to make jams, pizza bases, wheat-free loaf, cakes, and pasta and in some instances, mochi- a Japanese rice bread.
Considerations in choosing a breadmaker:
- the over-all capacity of baking loafs
- the quality of bread produced
- the duration of time it takes to make one loaf
- the featured programs
- type: may either be single loaf breadmaker or multi loaf breadmaker
However, like with normal baking there may arise several problems concerning the quality of the bread produced. These may either be caused by the process of baking or the quality of breadmaker itself.
Doughy loaf
This problem basically concerns the temperature of the breadmaker. The built-in thermometer must read 190 F. Once the baking is over and the loaf is still doughy, you may choose to continue baking it in a conventional oven or wait till the breadmaker cools down and start the whole process over.
Small bread
Lack of liquid added to the dough. The problem starts with the dissolving of the yeast. If too little liquid is used, the yeast may not be stimulated to produce the necessary carbon dioxide, which is instrumental in making the dough rise. Without this, the loaf may become dense and will be much smaller.
Collapsed or flat-topped bread
Collapsing is mainly due to too much addition of liquid to the dough. The yeast in this case is overly stimulated, producing more gluten than the dough may withhold. This leads to the collapsing of loaf structure.
Bread sticking in the breadmaker pan
This can be resolved by brushing the breadmaker pan with oil before adding the water into the dough. This works well in the majority of conventional ovens as well.
Too much rising of the loaf
This problem may be controlled with the use of salt. Adding one half teaspoon of salt may be sufficient to keep the rising of the bread in balance.
One need not be an Einstein to run a simple machine such as the breadmaker. For more instruction and self-help tips, users may check the manual of the machine.
As with ordinary baking, ingredients must first be measured according to the recipe. The mixture is then poured into the bread pan that is placed in the machine. The breadmaker will then take some hours to bake the bread by first turning the mixture into dough and eventually baking it. The process of making dough is helped by a built-in paddle. Once the baking is done and has been allowed to cool down, the bread is then freed from the bread pan. The paddle at the bottom of the loaf should be removed from its place.
Breadmaker breads are much easier to get spoiled as compared with the commercial breads due to the absence of additives. However, it is possible that sourdough starter may be added to the ingredients to prolong the shelf life of the breads.
Breadmakers have built-in timers that may be set for easier baking. Other machines can be programmed to only prepare the dough and not to bake the bread later, in this case the dough is baked in an oven. Breadmakers have other uses as well. They may be set to make jams, pizza bases, wheat-free loaf, cakes, and pasta and in some instances, mochi- a Japanese rice bread.
Considerations in choosing a breadmaker:
- the over-all capacity of baking loafs
- the quality of bread produced
- the duration of time it takes to make one loaf
- the featured programs
- type: may either be single loaf breadmaker or multi loaf breadmaker
However, like with normal baking there may arise several problems concerning the quality of the bread produced. These may either be caused by the process of baking or the quality of breadmaker itself.
Doughy loaf
This problem basically concerns the temperature of the breadmaker. The built-in thermometer must read 190 F. Once the baking is over and the loaf is still doughy, you may choose to continue baking it in a conventional oven or wait till the breadmaker cools down and start the whole process over.
Small bread
Lack of liquid added to the dough. The problem starts with the dissolving of the yeast. If too little liquid is used, the yeast may not be stimulated to produce the necessary carbon dioxide, which is instrumental in making the dough rise. Without this, the loaf may become dense and will be much smaller.
Collapsed or flat-topped bread
Collapsing is mainly due to too much addition of liquid to the dough. The yeast in this case is overly stimulated, producing more gluten than the dough may withhold. This leads to the collapsing of loaf structure.
Bread sticking in the breadmaker pan
This can be resolved by brushing the breadmaker pan with oil before adding the water into the dough. This works well in the majority of conventional ovens as well.
Too much rising of the loaf
This problem may be controlled with the use of salt. Adding one half teaspoon of salt may be sufficient to keep the rising of the bread in balance.
One need not be an Einstein to run a simple machine such as the breadmaker. For more instruction and self-help tips, users may check the manual of the machine.
Braising 101
The results of braising are comforting, healthy dishes that retain the nutrients of the ingredients and require little fat. For braising, foods are slowly cooked in a relatively small amount of liquid in a covered pot on top of a stove or in an oven. This is closely related to stewing, although with less liquid and bigger pieces of food, usually.
Large saucepans are ideal for braising. The versatile Dutch oven is my favorite and can be used on top of the stove or in the oven. Contrary to the general rule that healthful foods should be prepared as close to mealtime as possible, braised dishes are often times better when prepared the day before. This waiting period allows the flavors to meld. In addition, when these dishes are refridgerated, any fat forms on the surface allowing easier removing when reheating.
How to Braise
Start with sturdy cuts of meat and season them well.
Brown on all sides and transfer to a plate.
Add an aromatics, such as onion and celery and cook them according to the recipes instructions.
Return meat to the pan, pour in the liquid, and bring to a boil.
Cover the pan and cook over low heat.
Large saucepans are ideal for braising. The versatile Dutch oven is my favorite and can be used on top of the stove or in the oven. Contrary to the general rule that healthful foods should be prepared as close to mealtime as possible, braised dishes are often times better when prepared the day before. This waiting period allows the flavors to meld. In addition, when these dishes are refridgerated, any fat forms on the surface allowing easier removing when reheating.
How to Braise
Beryl Cook's art - quirky UK artist
Beryl Cook is one of Britain's most talented and amusing artists .Beryl's pictures feature women of all shapes and sizes enjoying themselves .Born between the two world wars, Beryl Cook eventually left Kendrick School in Reading at the age of 15, where she went to secretarial school and then into an insurance office. After moving to London and then Hampton, she eventually married her next door neighbour from Reading, John Cook. He was an officer in the Merchant Navy and after he left the sea in 1956, they bought a pub for a year before John took a job in Southern Rhodesia with a motor company. Beryl bought their young son a box of watercolours, and when showing him how to use it, she decided that she herself quite enjoyed painting. John subsequently bought her a child's painting set for her birthday and it was with this that she produced her first significant work, a half-length portrait of a dark-skinned lady with a vacant expression and large drooping breasts. It was aptly named 'Hangover' by Beryl's husband and still hangs in their house today.
In 1964 Beryl Cook and her husband returned to the UK settling first in Cornwall and then later in Plymouth where, during the summer months, Beryl ran a boarding house for holidaymakers on the seafront. Beryl had now been painting for a number of years, basing her pictures on her everyday observations of people around her. By 1975 she had amassed numerous paintings that covered the walls of their boarding house. A friend took away a dozen or so and, to Beryl's surprise, managed to sell them all for around £10 each. Beryl was delighted and quickly increased her production. Her success came to the attention of Bernard Samuels at the Plymouth Arts Centre who persuaded her to mount her first exhibition featuring 75 paintings. It was a sell out. The rest, as they say, is history.
An article quickly appeared in the Sunday Times Magazine, followed by exhibitions at the Whitechapel and Portal Galleries in London. Her first book 'The Works' was published in 1978. Her paintings were then reproduced as greeting cards and limited edition prints and soon her work was being featured around the world, tickling ribs from Kingston to the Cape, and generating considerable popular acclaim.
This popular acclaim has been accompanied by serious critical appreciation, most notably with the inclusion of her painting in the fifth Peter Moores exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool where she was seen in the context of mainstream contemporary art, alongside Bridges Riley and Victor Passmore. The new Glasgow Museum of Modern Art has also recently purchased some of her original work, ensuring her a place in the annuls of British Art. Beryl Cook continues to paint and has recently moved from Plymouth to Bristol, to be near her family"
In 1964 Beryl Cook and her husband returned to the UK settling first in Cornwall and then later in Plymouth where, during the summer months, Beryl ran a boarding house for holidaymakers on the seafront. Beryl had now been painting for a number of years, basing her pictures on her everyday observations of people around her. By 1975 she had amassed numerous paintings that covered the walls of their boarding house. A friend took away a dozen or so and, to Beryl's surprise, managed to sell them all for around £10 each. Beryl was delighted and quickly increased her production. Her success came to the attention of Bernard Samuels at the Plymouth Arts Centre who persuaded her to mount her first exhibition featuring 75 paintings. It was a sell out. The rest, as they say, is history.
An article quickly appeared in the Sunday Times Magazine, followed by exhibitions at the Whitechapel and Portal Galleries in London. Her first book 'The Works' was published in 1978. Her paintings were then reproduced as greeting cards and limited edition prints and soon her work was being featured around the world, tickling ribs from Kingston to the Cape, and generating considerable popular acclaim.
This popular acclaim has been accompanied by serious critical appreciation, most notably with the inclusion of her painting in the fifth Peter Moores exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool where she was seen in the context of mainstream contemporary art, alongside Bridges Riley and Victor Passmore. The new Glasgow Museum of Modern Art has also recently purchased some of her original work, ensuring her a place in the annuls of British Art. Beryl Cook continues to paint and has recently moved from Plymouth to Bristol, to be near her family"
Beam Me Up Scotty
Living in a high tech kitchen
As I try desperately to fasten the storage drawer at the bottom of my oven back onto its rails, I find myself dreaming about a “Smart Kitchen”, you know one that does everything for you. Well, okay I thought that it was maybe a little far fetched but as I looked into it a little further I realized that it’s not that far off after all.
If I had the Miele’s MasterChef wall oven I could cook and bake much faster and more evenly with the use of conventional and convection cooking. While they may be expensive, wouldn’t it be worth the money for The Beyond Microwave Oven that is programmed to read more than 4,000 UPC bar codes? Think about that for a minute. I could throw a box into the microwave and by reading the UPC code it would know whether it was cooking chicken or popcorn. Of course the most obvious benefit of that would be I would no longer have to cross my fingers and hope I picked the right cooking time. I hate burned popcorn…but I’ve gotten used to it.
Salton now has the Beyond Bread Maker. Are you sitting down? This handy dandy machine will scan the bar code and then prepare bread and cake mixes according to package instructions! I wanted to know how it gets to the fridge to get the eggs but wondered too soon as I read further and found that they are working on appliances that will network with each other. With so many homes going wireless I guess it was a short leap to having a stove with the capability of checking in with your fridge and cupboards to see what ingredients you already have to make the recipe that your computer has suggested from the Internet. Wasn’t that movie I, Robot about machines that revolted? Freaky.
My two favorite things are TV and eating (not in that order) so imagine my delight when I found the LG Electronics' side-by-side television refrigerator. With its 13-inch LCD monitor on the freezer door I would never have to leave the kitchen. I had better hope they come up with an exercise bike that works out for me or I am going to be in big trouble! Along that same line though is a truly great idea that I could get into. They have put a digital screen on the fridge door that holds the family calendar as well as an appointment calendar. Every mother is going to love that one! For more information on it check out http://www.microsoft.com/canada/home/styleandhome/2.3.27_thedigitalhomecookinginthehightechkitchen.asp
I heard once that you shouldn’t put frozen food in the oven with the timer set for later as the warming up process could be unhealthy. Good sense or wives’ tale? I’m still not sure. Whether that is true or not doesn’t really matter anymore because there's Whirlpool's Polara refrigerated range. This will allow you to put your casserole into the oven on your way out the door in the morning and it will keep it cool and then cook it when its time. Do they have anything that would go to work for me instead? Take a visual wander through www.salton.com for some great ideas in high tech appliances.
If this keeps up I will very soon be able to sit on the sofa eating bon bons and watching the soaps while my oven and refrigerator confab over the bar codes to decide what to make me for dinner. What I am really waiting for is the invention that sweeps the floor for me at the press of a button. How cool would that be? I think the built in vacuum system that lets you sweep with a broom and then push it into an opening along the baseboard where the vacuum sucks it up is about as close as we’ll get. I’m not complaining because with all of the things they come up with day after day I think someone was really thinking on that one.
There is a coffee maker that can recognize your cup and make the coffee to your liking. I personally think the Talking Trivet that tells you when your food needs reheating or that it is hot and ready to eat is kind of creepy. What if it malfunctioned and was talking to the TV in the fridge door in the middle of the night? I guess that would be when the high tech security system of the future would kick in and arrest them both.
I guess if Big Brother is coming (already here??) we might as well gain from the technology to make our monitored lives easier. It’s weird to think though that someday soon our homes will have lives of their own and very little need of us. It will be empty nest all over again!
As I try desperately to fasten the storage drawer at the bottom of my oven back onto its rails, I find myself dreaming about a “Smart Kitchen”, you know one that does everything for you. Well, okay I thought that it was maybe a little far fetched but as I looked into it a little further I realized that it’s not that far off after all.
If I had the Miele’s MasterChef wall oven I could cook and bake much faster and more evenly with the use of conventional and convection cooking. While they may be expensive, wouldn’t it be worth the money for The Beyond Microwave Oven that is programmed to read more than 4,000 UPC bar codes? Think about that for a minute. I could throw a box into the microwave and by reading the UPC code it would know whether it was cooking chicken or popcorn. Of course the most obvious benefit of that would be I would no longer have to cross my fingers and hope I picked the right cooking time. I hate burned popcorn…but I’ve gotten used to it.
Salton now has the Beyond Bread Maker. Are you sitting down? This handy dandy machine will scan the bar code and then prepare bread and cake mixes according to package instructions! I wanted to know how it gets to the fridge to get the eggs but wondered too soon as I read further and found that they are working on appliances that will network with each other. With so many homes going wireless I guess it was a short leap to having a stove with the capability of checking in with your fridge and cupboards to see what ingredients you already have to make the recipe that your computer has suggested from the Internet. Wasn’t that movie I, Robot about machines that revolted? Freaky.
My two favorite things are TV and eating (not in that order) so imagine my delight when I found the LG Electronics' side-by-side television refrigerator. With its 13-inch LCD monitor on the freezer door I would never have to leave the kitchen. I had better hope they come up with an exercise bike that works out for me or I am going to be in big trouble! Along that same line though is a truly great idea that I could get into. They have put a digital screen on the fridge door that holds the family calendar as well as an appointment calendar. Every mother is going to love that one! For more information on it check out http://www.microsoft.com/canada/home/styleandhome/2.3.27_thedigitalhomecookinginthehightechkitchen.asp
I heard once that you shouldn’t put frozen food in the oven with the timer set for later as the warming up process could be unhealthy. Good sense or wives’ tale? I’m still not sure. Whether that is true or not doesn’t really matter anymore because there's Whirlpool's Polara refrigerated range. This will allow you to put your casserole into the oven on your way out the door in the morning and it will keep it cool and then cook it when its time. Do they have anything that would go to work for me instead? Take a visual wander through www.salton.com for some great ideas in high tech appliances.
If this keeps up I will very soon be able to sit on the sofa eating bon bons and watching the soaps while my oven and refrigerator confab over the bar codes to decide what to make me for dinner. What I am really waiting for is the invention that sweeps the floor for me at the press of a button. How cool would that be? I think the built in vacuum system that lets you sweep with a broom and then push it into an opening along the baseboard where the vacuum sucks it up is about as close as we’ll get. I’m not complaining because with all of the things they come up with day after day I think someone was really thinking on that one.
There is a coffee maker that can recognize your cup and make the coffee to your liking. I personally think the Talking Trivet that tells you when your food needs reheating or that it is hot and ready to eat is kind of creepy. What if it malfunctioned and was talking to the TV in the fridge door in the middle of the night? I guess that would be when the high tech security system of the future would kick in and arrest them both.
I guess if Big Brother is coming (already here??) we might as well gain from the technology to make our monitored lives easier. It’s weird to think though that someday soon our homes will have lives of their own and very little need of us. It will be empty nest all over again!
BBQ Safety Tips
When it comes to barbecuing, what could be more fun than whipping up sumptuous food on the grill in the company of family and friends? The thing of course is finding the right place for grilling and barbecuing. One favorite spot among true barbecue aficionados would be their very own backyard or outdoor kitchen with their own brick barbecue pit. Actually, any outdoor area is a potential spot for a barbecue but truth be known, the best places for a barbecue are the safest ones.
Choose a location for your BBQ grill that is away from trees, leaves, brush and overhanging limbs. Do not setup your gill in a high traffic area where someone may accidentally brush up against the hot grill.
When barbecuing in your backyard, be sure that you're 5 to 10 feet away from your house or any material that can potentially catch fire. Also, be sure the grill is stable and is away from children or pets that may bump into it. It would also be a good idea to have a water supply nearby like a garden hose.
If you live in an apartment building with a balcony or rooftop or any other outdoor space, be sure to consult with your building administrator (or in some instances, your local fire department) regarding specific restrictions. Generally, using charcoal and gas grills indoors or anywhere above the first storey is prohibited so you may want to consider electric grills instead for your barbecuing efforts.
Another great place to barbecue is in a campsite. Camping is such an exciting way to experience the great outdoors and barbecuing food over a campfire is definitely one of those practical yet cozy things you can do. Just be sure that you are at least 15 feet away from your tent and other camping gears.
Protect yourself by using the correct BBQ utensils such as oven mitts, thongs and a good spatula. Avoid wearing loose clothing while near the grill.
Always leave the lid to a gas grill open when lighting the fire so the gas does not build up under the cover. If the fire does not initially start, turn off the gas, leave the lid open and wait for at lest five minutes before trying again.
It is always a good idea to give your grill a checkup before using for the first time of the season and always store your tanks outside in a upright position where the temperature will never go over 125 degrees.
Of course, it's not just the atmosphere of being outdoors that can make a barbecue fun and special. It's also in the delicious barbecue dishes that you share with your loved ones. To make it all the more special, try a variety of BBQ rubs, marinades, salsas and BBQ sauce to capture the true taste of great outdoor barbecuing.
Choose a location for your BBQ grill that is away from trees, leaves, brush and overhanging limbs. Do not setup your gill in a high traffic area where someone may accidentally brush up against the hot grill.
When barbecuing in your backyard, be sure that you're 5 to 10 feet away from your house or any material that can potentially catch fire. Also, be sure the grill is stable and is away from children or pets that may bump into it. It would also be a good idea to have a water supply nearby like a garden hose.
If you live in an apartment building with a balcony or rooftop or any other outdoor space, be sure to consult with your building administrator (or in some instances, your local fire department) regarding specific restrictions. Generally, using charcoal and gas grills indoors or anywhere above the first storey is prohibited so you may want to consider electric grills instead for your barbecuing efforts.
Another great place to barbecue is in a campsite. Camping is such an exciting way to experience the great outdoors and barbecuing food over a campfire is definitely one of those practical yet cozy things you can do. Just be sure that you are at least 15 feet away from your tent and other camping gears.
Protect yourself by using the correct BBQ utensils such as oven mitts, thongs and a good spatula. Avoid wearing loose clothing while near the grill.
Always leave the lid to a gas grill open when lighting the fire so the gas does not build up under the cover. If the fire does not initially start, turn off the gas, leave the lid open and wait for at lest five minutes before trying again.
It is always a good idea to give your grill a checkup before using for the first time of the season and always store your tanks outside in a upright position where the temperature will never go over 125 degrees.
Of course, it's not just the atmosphere of being outdoors that can make a barbecue fun and special. It's also in the delicious barbecue dishes that you share with your loved ones. To make it all the more special, try a variety of BBQ rubs, marinades, salsas and BBQ sauce to capture the true taste of great outdoor barbecuing.
BBQ Myths Getting You Down?
If you're cooking your food properly on your barbeque, you're getting delightful results every time. However, all too frequently, people are falling victims to very common barbeque myths. It's not because we're gullible or stupid in any way. Many barbeque myths are so well known and so wide spread that they are more frequently passed on as truth than they are as the myths that they truly are.
For example, many people love to try to get perfect grill lines on their barbequed foods. Either straight lines, or the more fancy criss-crossed ones are often accepted as a sure sign of the expert barbeque chef. What this involves is flipping your meat, so that the lines are on the both sides. However, many people don't ever get to achieve this art form because they have fallen victim to one of the main barbeque myths. They believe that flipping or poking your grilled food makes it tough – this is a myth. In fact, flipping your meat not only creates great grill lines, but it also makes certain that you cook more evenly.
While you read up on the swath of information available for providing tips and tricks for the best results on your barbeque, make sure that your source is reliable. While some of this information is very helpful, much of it can be exaggerated or based on what the author “thinks” rather than what is actually known.
The belief that poking or flipping your food will let all of the juices out and make it tough would only work if your food was shaped exactly like a balloon – which it isn't. Meat is made up of hundreds of small cells, each filled with its own moisture and juices. Should you poke your meat with a fork while it's on the grill, you may pop one or two cells, but it won't let all of the juices out…only that of the cells you've punctured. Certainly, if you repeatedly stab and puncture your meat, many of the cells will be broken, and you'll lose a great deal of your juices, but other than in a horror movie, there really isn't any reason to treat your meat that way.
Similarly, flipping your meat doesn't let a great deal of the juices out either. After all, flipping doesn't puncture any of the cells, so as long as you don't flip it and smack it hard, then you won't lose much by the way of juices at all. Be gentle…it's already dead!
The problem with flipping your meat on the grill lies when cooks use their spatulas and other tools to squish the meat after it has been flipped, often trying to squeeze out the grease. By flattening the cells in the meat, much of the moisture and juices are pushed out, leaving the meat dry.
So flip those burgers and poke that steak! Get those grill lines just the way you want them. Your food will always be good and juicy, just like the pros do it.
For example, many people love to try to get perfect grill lines on their barbequed foods. Either straight lines, or the more fancy criss-crossed ones are often accepted as a sure sign of the expert barbeque chef. What this involves is flipping your meat, so that the lines are on the both sides. However, many people don't ever get to achieve this art form because they have fallen victim to one of the main barbeque myths. They believe that flipping or poking your grilled food makes it tough – this is a myth. In fact, flipping your meat not only creates great grill lines, but it also makes certain that you cook more evenly.
While you read up on the swath of information available for providing tips and tricks for the best results on your barbeque, make sure that your source is reliable. While some of this information is very helpful, much of it can be exaggerated or based on what the author “thinks” rather than what is actually known.
The belief that poking or flipping your food will let all of the juices out and make it tough would only work if your food was shaped exactly like a balloon – which it isn't. Meat is made up of hundreds of small cells, each filled with its own moisture and juices. Should you poke your meat with a fork while it's on the grill, you may pop one or two cells, but it won't let all of the juices out…only that of the cells you've punctured. Certainly, if you repeatedly stab and puncture your meat, many of the cells will be broken, and you'll lose a great deal of your juices, but other than in a horror movie, there really isn't any reason to treat your meat that way.
Similarly, flipping your meat doesn't let a great deal of the juices out either. After all, flipping doesn't puncture any of the cells, so as long as you don't flip it and smack it hard, then you won't lose much by the way of juices at all. Be gentle…it's already dead!
The problem with flipping your meat on the grill lies when cooks use their spatulas and other tools to squish the meat after it has been flipped, often trying to squeeze out the grease. By flattening the cells in the meat, much of the moisture and juices are pushed out, leaving the meat dry.
So flip those burgers and poke that steak! Get those grill lines just the way you want them. Your food will always be good and juicy, just like the pros do it.
BBQ Grilling Versus Smoking - The Great Debate
We all have heard about barbecuing, but we are unaware of the real tricks in it. Barbecuing is also a form of art. To a person who is new to this art may get confused, because cooking meat in an open fire is a really tricky method. In order to get a really good and delicious bbq dish, one must have a lot of patience.Barbecuing can be done in two methods: through grilling and smoking. Grilling is the quickest method of cooking meat over a direct source of dry heat, whereas, smoking is a slow process, where the food is kept at a particular distance from the fire. Now let us take the two separately, to know the real processing.
BBQ Grilling
Grilling is of two types: direct and indirect. But before going into the details,let me tell you that there are three varieties of grills: charcoal grill, gas grill and electric grill. Charcoal grills are relatively inexpensive when compared to the other two. Now we'll go back to the types of cooking. Direct method is a high heat method and is used for cooking relatively small pieces of food. Steaks, chops, chicken breasts,etc are some of the typical foods that can be grilled directly. In indirect method, as the name suggests, the food is kept to the side of the heat source. It is somewhat like baking a cake or such type of foods.Now we will move on to smoking.
BBQ Smoking
Smoking is the finest way to cook food,even though it takes time. If grilling is best for cooking smaller pieces, smoking is best for cooking larger pieces. Roasts, ham, ribs, brisket, etc are some of the foods that can be smoked. One must maintain a steady temperature, to come up with a deliciously smoked food. The normal,suited temperature for smoking is between 200-225 degrees. If you cook the meat until it's 165 degrees in the middle, it would make the meat more tastier,as the smoke flavour gets deep into it.For basic bbq smoking, you can use the regular grill. The only thing that one must be aware while smoking is, the selection of right type of wood.Because, each wood is different in its own way. So we have to experiment with all sorts of wood to find out which one is the best. Smokers may vary in shapes and sizes.There are smokers running in gas and charcoal.But the heat coming from any type of smoker is a cooler one,which is why it takes a lot of time to smoke.
Now to end with it, barbecuing has to undergo one more process, that's topping it with sauce.In fact it is the topmost ingredient, which one can't omit while barbecuing.Types of sauce varies according to the region. If vinegar-base sauce is typical in Southern United States, tomato-base sauce is typical in Western United States. The best time to apply sauce is during the last stage of cooking. ie, when you are sure that the meat is well cooked,because,sugar is one of the main ingredients in barbecue sauces and it tends to burn easily. So you must cook the meat before you burn the sugar.
BBQ Grilling
Grilling is of two types: direct and indirect. But before going into the details,let me tell you that there are three varieties of grills: charcoal grill, gas grill and electric grill. Charcoal grills are relatively inexpensive when compared to the other two. Now we'll go back to the types of cooking. Direct method is a high heat method and is used for cooking relatively small pieces of food. Steaks, chops, chicken breasts,etc are some of the typical foods that can be grilled directly. In indirect method, as the name suggests, the food is kept to the side of the heat source. It is somewhat like baking a cake or such type of foods.Now we will move on to smoking.
BBQ Smoking
Smoking is the finest way to cook food,even though it takes time. If grilling is best for cooking smaller pieces, smoking is best for cooking larger pieces. Roasts, ham, ribs, brisket, etc are some of the foods that can be smoked. One must maintain a steady temperature, to come up with a deliciously smoked food. The normal,suited temperature for smoking is between 200-225 degrees. If you cook the meat until it's 165 degrees in the middle, it would make the meat more tastier,as the smoke flavour gets deep into it.For basic bbq smoking, you can use the regular grill. The only thing that one must be aware while smoking is, the selection of right type of wood.Because, each wood is different in its own way. So we have to experiment with all sorts of wood to find out which one is the best. Smokers may vary in shapes and sizes.There are smokers running in gas and charcoal.But the heat coming from any type of smoker is a cooler one,which is why it takes a lot of time to smoke.
Now to end with it, barbecuing has to undergo one more process, that's topping it with sauce.In fact it is the topmost ingredient, which one can't omit while barbecuing.Types of sauce varies according to the region. If vinegar-base sauce is typical in Southern United States, tomato-base sauce is typical in Western United States. The best time to apply sauce is during the last stage of cooking. ie, when you are sure that the meat is well cooked,because,sugar is one of the main ingredients in barbecue sauces and it tends to burn easily. So you must cook the meat before you burn the sugar.
Basic Cookware Explained
What is All-Clad stainless steel cookware and why is it the best top-of-the-line bake ware you can buy? All-Clad cookware is made with a heavy aluminum inside which extends up the sides of the pan. It is coated with a stainless steel cooking surface and has an outside layer of magnetic stainless steel. This type of bake ware is ideal for cooking on a gas stove where the flames can burn up the sides of the pots and pans. These types of pots and pans are heavier than the less expensive kinds that you find at cheap discount stores. This cookware is extremely popular among the expert chefs, holds up well in high heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and it comes in a nonstick version as well.
Maybe you like to do lots of browning. If so you may want to use uncoated or non coated cookware for your favorite recipes. A top brand of uncoated pots and pans are made by Wolfgang Puck. Chances are you will never see a review that will not give Wolfgang Puck high marks for its baking performance and price value. Uncoated bakeware has an aluminum plate as the foundation or base. It does not run up the side as does the All-Clad type which is a big reason why uncoated is less expensive.
Calphalon nonstick bakeware is a hard anodized aluminum bake ware with a nonstick coating. If you are looking for a cheaper brand that will perform almost as well as the more expensive ones this may be what you are searching for. Plus it is also lighter in weight than most All-Clad varieties or brands. It may require a little more energy on your part during cleanup though since most Calphalon nonstick pots and pans are not dishwasher safe. Another positive aspect to this type of cookware is that it can be used in your oven in temperatures up to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Similar to Calphalon, Emeril (Emerilware) is a high quality cookware that compares favorably to other top-of-the-line pots and pans and is a very good value for the money. Your favorite recipe will still taste delicious. Famous TV chef Emeril Lagasse has this line made by All-Clad which is similar to their hard anodized cookware. The major difference is the designs added to the pieces. This cookware is made of hard anodized aluminum with nonstick cooking surfaces. It is not recommended for the dishwasher, but comes with a lifetime warranty. That is something you do not see everyday.
The debate about nonstick or uncoated has endured for many years, but which is actually better? Experts have always said that uncoated cookware gives better results, but nonstick has its advantages too. Fried eggs and pancakes are a couple of obvious examples of foods that are more fun to cook or bake on a nonstick surface. No more sticking to the pan during cooking or cleanup. Scraping cooked eggs off the pan is not one of the most enjoyable cooking activities. High quality nonstick skillets will contain a fully coated aluminum plate bonded with stainless steel allowing for even heat distribution. You can also find top brands that are dishwasher safe, although most manufacturers will recommend hand washing.
Starting with high quality cookware is a must if you are looking for the most enjoyable cooking experience. And before you can purchase the most ideal bakeware for your needs you have to ask yourself a few questions. How much can I afford? Will it bother me if they are not dishwasher safe? Do I want nonstick or uncoated? Would I prefer better cookware or easier cleanup? After answering these questions you will have a much better idea as to the type of cookware best suited for your personality.
Maybe you like to do lots of browning. If so you may want to use uncoated or non coated cookware for your favorite recipes. A top brand of uncoated pots and pans are made by Wolfgang Puck. Chances are you will never see a review that will not give Wolfgang Puck high marks for its baking performance and price value. Uncoated bakeware has an aluminum plate as the foundation or base. It does not run up the side as does the All-Clad type which is a big reason why uncoated is less expensive.
Calphalon nonstick bakeware is a hard anodized aluminum bake ware with a nonstick coating. If you are looking for a cheaper brand that will perform almost as well as the more expensive ones this may be what you are searching for. Plus it is also lighter in weight than most All-Clad varieties or brands. It may require a little more energy on your part during cleanup though since most Calphalon nonstick pots and pans are not dishwasher safe. Another positive aspect to this type of cookware is that it can be used in your oven in temperatures up to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Similar to Calphalon, Emeril (Emerilware) is a high quality cookware that compares favorably to other top-of-the-line pots and pans and is a very good value for the money. Your favorite recipe will still taste delicious. Famous TV chef Emeril Lagasse has this line made by All-Clad which is similar to their hard anodized cookware. The major difference is the designs added to the pieces. This cookware is made of hard anodized aluminum with nonstick cooking surfaces. It is not recommended for the dishwasher, but comes with a lifetime warranty. That is something you do not see everyday.
The debate about nonstick or uncoated has endured for many years, but which is actually better? Experts have always said that uncoated cookware gives better results, but nonstick has its advantages too. Fried eggs and pancakes are a couple of obvious examples of foods that are more fun to cook or bake on a nonstick surface. No more sticking to the pan during cooking or cleanup. Scraping cooked eggs off the pan is not one of the most enjoyable cooking activities. High quality nonstick skillets will contain a fully coated aluminum plate bonded with stainless steel allowing for even heat distribution. You can also find top brands that are dishwasher safe, although most manufacturers will recommend hand washing.
Starting with high quality cookware is a must if you are looking for the most enjoyable cooking experience. And before you can purchase the most ideal bakeware for your needs you have to ask yourself a few questions. How much can I afford? Will it bother me if they are not dishwasher safe? Do I want nonstick or uncoated? Would I prefer better cookware or easier cleanup? After answering these questions you will have a much better idea as to the type of cookware best suited for your personality.
Barbequed Ribs Kansas City Style
Kansas City ribs are serious business when it comes to BBQ. True to tradition, barbeque in Kansas City is dry rub-spiced, smoked with hickory and coated with a KC style sauce. For Kansas City sauce means a thick, rich and tangy tomato based sauce with molasses and sometimes a hint of vinegar. The meat is seared, slow cooked and mop basted with sauce until the meat is tender and a nice crust has formed on the outside. Roll up your sleeves and get ready for sauce that you enjoy getting under your fingernails.
Kansas City’s first recorded barbequer was Henry Perry back in 1908. Perry become very well known for his succulent ribs and would serve them to customer who would come from miles away. Perry converted an old trolley barn into a restaurant and would serve is ribs on newspaper for 25 cents a slab. “Old Man Perry’s” restaurant was located at 19th & Highland and was later sold to George Gates and Charlie Bryant. It become known as Arthur Bryant’s and is still today regarded as one of America’s greatest rib joints. Today Kansas City boast over 90 rib restaurants.
As with any rib, first start by removing the membrane on the back of the rib. This can prove to be difficult with wet finger. Dry hands and a paper towel work well for this. The paper towel will allow you to get a better grip on the membrane. Evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the ribs, remove them from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Continually mop the ribs with sauce until finished cooking.
Kansas City Style Dry Rub:
1 C sugar
½ C paprika
¼ C kosher salt
¼ C celery salt
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mustard powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Classic Kansas City Style Sauce:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 C ketchup
¾ C dark unsulphered molasses
½ C white wine vinegar
Kansas City’s first recorded barbequer was Henry Perry back in 1908. Perry become very well known for his succulent ribs and would serve them to customer who would come from miles away. Perry converted an old trolley barn into a restaurant and would serve is ribs on newspaper for 25 cents a slab. “Old Man Perry’s” restaurant was located at 19th & Highland and was later sold to George Gates and Charlie Bryant. It become known as Arthur Bryant’s and is still today regarded as one of America’s greatest rib joints. Today Kansas City boast over 90 rib restaurants.
As with any rib, first start by removing the membrane on the back of the rib. This can prove to be difficult with wet finger. Dry hands and a paper towel work well for this. The paper towel will allow you to get a better grip on the membrane. Evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the ribs, remove them from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Continually mop the ribs with sauce until finished cooking.
Kansas City Style Dry Rub:
1 C sugar
½ C paprika
¼ C kosher salt
¼ C celery salt
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mustard powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Classic Kansas City Style Sauce:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 C ketchup
¾ C dark unsulphered molasses
½ C white wine vinegar
Barbeque Techniques: Two Methods to Consider
When it comes to barbequing, there are two main schools of thought for the techniques that you can use.
The first of these techniques – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat. This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the charcoals, the wood, or the gas burners. Rarely is the lid ever closed. Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly seared and cooked to perfection using this technique. If sauces are desired, they can be added before hand, during the cooking process, or even after the food comes off the grill. These choices will all create different and enjoyable tastes and flavors.
The second barbeque cooking technique uses heat indirectly. This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as especially thick steaks, roasts, a whole hog, or a pork shoulder. When you’re cooking using this method, the food is cooked away from the actual source of heat. This usually requires a water pan of some kind in order to maintain the moisture level of the food. The temperatures generally sit in around 250ŗF. During this cooking method, the lid of the barbeque remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method. When you’re using an indirect barbeque cooker, there is usually an additional fire box that allows you to combine charcoal and wooden logs for burning. This allows the heat and the smoke to rise through the cooking chamber where the meat is, so that it is heated perfectly. The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.
No matter which method you use, it’s important not to cook your meat too quickly. If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will be expelled before the collagen is able to melt. This means that your cut will be dry and tough. However, you cannot cook too slowly or you will risk a bacterial contamination. Though there is a fine line for barbequing properly, it’s important to find that line and stick to it.
If you’re already dealing with a cut of meat that is tough, such as a brisket or a pork roast, consider cooking slowly as the collagen adds flavor to the meat. If you buy a less tough, more expensive cut, you can cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This is why ribs and steaks take such a short time to cook, while pork shoulders or beef brisket can run up to 20 hours.
As a final note, it’s important to have fun while you barbeque! Your pleasure will come through in your cooking as it will leave you motivated, and willing to try new and interesting things.
The first of these techniques – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat. This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the charcoals, the wood, or the gas burners. Rarely is the lid ever closed. Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly seared and cooked to perfection using this technique. If sauces are desired, they can be added before hand, during the cooking process, or even after the food comes off the grill. These choices will all create different and enjoyable tastes and flavors.
The second barbeque cooking technique uses heat indirectly. This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as especially thick steaks, roasts, a whole hog, or a pork shoulder. When you’re cooking using this method, the food is cooked away from the actual source of heat. This usually requires a water pan of some kind in order to maintain the moisture level of the food. The temperatures generally sit in around 250ŗF. During this cooking method, the lid of the barbeque remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method. When you’re using an indirect barbeque cooker, there is usually an additional fire box that allows you to combine charcoal and wooden logs for burning. This allows the heat and the smoke to rise through the cooking chamber where the meat is, so that it is heated perfectly. The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.
No matter which method you use, it’s important not to cook your meat too quickly. If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will be expelled before the collagen is able to melt. This means that your cut will be dry and tough. However, you cannot cook too slowly or you will risk a bacterial contamination. Though there is a fine line for barbequing properly, it’s important to find that line and stick to it.
If you’re already dealing with a cut of meat that is tough, such as a brisket or a pork roast, consider cooking slowly as the collagen adds flavor to the meat. If you buy a less tough, more expensive cut, you can cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This is why ribs and steaks take such a short time to cook, while pork shoulders or beef brisket can run up to 20 hours.
As a final note, it’s important to have fun while you barbeque! Your pleasure will come through in your cooking as it will leave you motivated, and willing to try new and interesting things.
Barbeque and Grilling Blunders - Learn to Eliminate Outdoor Cooking Mistakes that Kill Your Cookout
Your average backyard cook is no expert in the barbeque or grilling field. He has no television shows on the Food Network. He has no grilling cookbooks out. Nor has any of those been part of his lifetime goal.
No, your average outdoor cooking enthusiast makes more mistakes with bbq grilling than you could ever imagine. The meat ends up dry and tough time after time, despite marinating for hours. Or the meat is burnt or cooked too long.
These mistakes are made time and time again because your average backyard cook usually does not know any different. He does not automatically know How to Barbeque.
Here are some of the more common mistakes and do's and don'ts made in bbq grill cooking:
1) If you started with frozen meat, make sure the meat is thawed completely. Trying to cook the inside of a still-frozen piece of meat is next to impossible without burning the outside.
2) When using a charcoal grill, try to start the fire without charcoal lighter fluid. Lighter fluid taste will always get into your meat no matter how much you cook the coals down first. A chimney starter makes starting the fire a breeze. It also allows you to add charcoal along the way should the coals burn out along the way.
3) Never poke the bbq meat with a fork after cooking has begun. This is one of the most common mistakes and one of the most deadly for your barbeque. When poking with a fork, the juices will run out of the meat and right into the bottom of the barbeque pit or grill. Your meat will be dry and less tender. Use a long set of tongs to turn the meat.
4) Lower the heat. Except for grilled steaks, which need a quick searing, cook slowly over low to medium heat. Lower heat is much more manageable and it will make the meat tender and juicy.
5) Quit lifting the lid to check the meat. Every time you do that it changes the temperature inside the bbq grill or pit. Air from you opening the lid acts like a sponge and dries the meat up. Opening the lid also increases your chances of flare-ups.
6) This is more of a food safety mistake. Do not put the cooked meat back on the same plate or platter that the raw meat was on without washing it first. Mixing the cooked with the raw just begs for someone to get sick.
7) After removing the meat from the bbq grill or pit, let it rest for at about 5-10 minutes. Cutting into or slicing the meat immediately after pulling it from the cooker will cause all the juices to flow out of the meat and onto the platter.
Of course, these are not all of the mistakes made by the amateur outdoor cook, but are some of the more common. But if you will prevent doing these yourself, you will eliminate many of the things that cause barbeque failures.
Your guests and family will wonder how come your grilled or barbequed food is so much better then it used to be. And, who knows?...Maybe the Food Network will come looking for you.
No, your average outdoor cooking enthusiast makes more mistakes with bbq grilling than you could ever imagine. The meat ends up dry and tough time after time, despite marinating for hours. Or the meat is burnt or cooked too long.
These mistakes are made time and time again because your average backyard cook usually does not know any different. He does not automatically know How to Barbeque.
Here are some of the more common mistakes and do's and don'ts made in bbq grill cooking:
1) If you started with frozen meat, make sure the meat is thawed completely. Trying to cook the inside of a still-frozen piece of meat is next to impossible without burning the outside.
2) When using a charcoal grill, try to start the fire without charcoal lighter fluid. Lighter fluid taste will always get into your meat no matter how much you cook the coals down first. A chimney starter makes starting the fire a breeze. It also allows you to add charcoal along the way should the coals burn out along the way.
3) Never poke the bbq meat with a fork after cooking has begun. This is one of the most common mistakes and one of the most deadly for your barbeque. When poking with a fork, the juices will run out of the meat and right into the bottom of the barbeque pit or grill. Your meat will be dry and less tender. Use a long set of tongs to turn the meat.
4) Lower the heat. Except for grilled steaks, which need a quick searing, cook slowly over low to medium heat. Lower heat is much more manageable and it will make the meat tender and juicy.
5) Quit lifting the lid to check the meat. Every time you do that it changes the temperature inside the bbq grill or pit. Air from you opening the lid acts like a sponge and dries the meat up. Opening the lid also increases your chances of flare-ups.
6) This is more of a food safety mistake. Do not put the cooked meat back on the same plate or platter that the raw meat was on without washing it first. Mixing the cooked with the raw just begs for someone to get sick.
7) After removing the meat from the bbq grill or pit, let it rest for at about 5-10 minutes. Cutting into or slicing the meat immediately after pulling it from the cooker will cause all the juices to flow out of the meat and onto the platter.
Of course, these are not all of the mistakes made by the amateur outdoor cook, but are some of the more common. But if you will prevent doing these yourself, you will eliminate many of the things that cause barbeque failures.
Your guests and family will wonder how come your grilled or barbequed food is so much better then it used to be. And, who knows?...Maybe the Food Network will come looking for you.
Barbecuing: A Quintessential American Tradition
Next to baseball, nothing says summer like the sizzling sounds, enticing aromas, and mouth-watering flavors of barbecuing. In fact, according to a recent survey commissioned by Hormel Foods and conducted by Harris Interactive®, 90 percent of respondents2 agree that barbecues make them think of summer.
Where does America barbecue? According to the survey, 89 percent prefer to hold family barbecues in their backyards, compared with 3 percent who prefer a public park or picnic area. Barbecues are a great way to bring the family together, entertain friends and family and enjoy the summer nights-right in the backyard!
A few simple tips, courtesy of Hormel Foods, can make your next grill-out even easier:
• Marinating musts: Marinating meat adds flavor and tenderization before cooking. Every marinade should contain an acidic ingredient, such as vinegar or wine; an oil, such as olive or canola; and seasonings, such as herbs and spices. For a no-mess solution, try a pre-marinated variety of Hormel® Always Tender® pork.
• Barbecue in bulk: Got leftovers? No problem. Barbecue meals freeze well, and often become more flavorful when the sauce and spices are reheated at a later date. Once you have fired up the grill, cook as much as your pit can handle since your food will maintain its flavor for future meals. Then thaw, reheat and just add sauce for a delicious leftover treat.
Fire up a fast-cooking feast: To spend more time with guests instead of the grill, choose a pre-cooked variety of barbecue meat, like Lloyd's® barbeque fully cooked ribs, which cuts cooking time to less than five minutes. Just heat and eat!
• Deck out your deck: Minimal meal preparation time gives you a chance to focus on the details. To make your barbecue spectacular, set the mood by hanging lanterns around the yard, blending a signature summertime cocktail and presenting the meal on brightly colored plates.
Now that the days are long and school is out, it's easy to step outside and cook dinner on the grill. A relaxing backyard barbecue dinner will melt the stress of the workday away. Your family will love the meal, and you'll love the convenience.
Where does America barbecue? According to the survey, 89 percent prefer to hold family barbecues in their backyards, compared with 3 percent who prefer a public park or picnic area. Barbecues are a great way to bring the family together, entertain friends and family and enjoy the summer nights-right in the backyard!
A few simple tips, courtesy of Hormel Foods, can make your next grill-out even easier:
• Marinating musts: Marinating meat adds flavor and tenderization before cooking. Every marinade should contain an acidic ingredient, such as vinegar or wine; an oil, such as olive or canola; and seasonings, such as herbs and spices. For a no-mess solution, try a pre-marinated variety of Hormel® Always Tender® pork.
• Barbecue in bulk: Got leftovers? No problem. Barbecue meals freeze well, and often become more flavorful when the sauce and spices are reheated at a later date. Once you have fired up the grill, cook as much as your pit can handle since your food will maintain its flavor for future meals. Then thaw, reheat and just add sauce for a delicious leftover treat.
Fire up a fast-cooking feast: To spend more time with guests instead of the grill, choose a pre-cooked variety of barbecue meat, like Lloyd's® barbeque fully cooked ribs, which cuts cooking time to less than five minutes. Just heat and eat!
• Deck out your deck: Minimal meal preparation time gives you a chance to focus on the details. To make your barbecue spectacular, set the mood by hanging lanterns around the yard, blending a signature summertime cocktail and presenting the meal on brightly colored plates.
Now that the days are long and school is out, it's easy to step outside and cook dinner on the grill. A relaxing backyard barbecue dinner will melt the stress of the workday away. Your family will love the meal, and you'll love the convenience.
Barbecue Sauce For A Perfect Barbeque
When someone mentions barbecue images comes to the mind like cooking at the backyard grill, a social gathering, cooking outdoors and cooking meat slowly over wood and smoke that adds flavor to the food.
Different cooks have different preferences and style in their cooking. Some prefer rubbing the seasoning whether wet or dry prior to cooking and some prefers to soak the meat first in special marinades that could be sops, mops and finishing. The preparation and ingredients for marinating may differ from region to region the preferred wood to be used can also differ. However, no perfect barbecue will taste as good without the perfect barbecue sauce.
Barbecue sauces can generally be categorized by what they are based on. Common examples are tomato, vinegar and mustard based sauces. To give the barbecue its distinctive taste and prevent the meat from burning easily, barbecue sauces are applied to the meat while being cooked with the exemption of tomato based barbecue sauces as tomato based sauces burns easier than the other kinds of sauces.
Barbecue sauce preparation can either be sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, hot, thick or thin. The varieties are almost endless which makes barbecues popular because anyone can make his own special preparation depending on taste and anyone can create his own way of serving the barbecue.
Recipes for barbecues can also be guarded. And good barbecue sauces can be purchased at almost any store. But the only perfect barbecue sauce is the one that you can create for yourself.
Remember whatever works for you and your family can be a great barbecue sauce. So start experimenting that is the only way to start good cooking.
The basics of Barbecue sauces…
Tomato based barbecue sauce is the most widely used. Some say that it is the most popular. Its popularity however may be due to the simplicity of preparation and besides; tomatoes are ingredients that could easily be found. The point to remember in preparing tomato-based barbecue sauces is to cook the tomatoes very well in order for the flavor to blend with the other ingredients.
Tomato based barbecue sauces are acidic. Because of this, it has the property to breakdown all the flavor of other ingredients blending them with its own. But because of its propensity to burn, limit the usage of tomato based barbecue sauce while cooking. To make it even more flavorful, prepare tomato barbecue sauces a day in advance.
Mustard based sauces are preferred in North Carolina. The mustard based barbecue sauce is great for grilling pork.
Vinegar is great meat tenderizer. It is also more acidic than tomatoes. Because of its acidic content, vinegar based sauces has a tendency to penetrate deep into the meat. To make this barbecue sauce more flavorful, experiment mixing it with chili, cider vinegar or red pepper, sugar salt and all the other ingredients that you want it to have.
Barbecue sauces today has different uses departing from its traditional purpose. It now serves as a condiment that is present on almost any table like ketchup, salsa, salt, pepper and Tabasco.
However, if experimenting with food is not your greatest strength, you can always find great sauces in any store. To make great barbecues, one rule to follow is not to place too much weight on the “with smoke flavor” label that many bottled tomato sauces advertise itself. Smoke flavor is what is barbecuing all about. The flavor has to come from the wood not the bottle.
Different cooks have different preferences and style in their cooking. Some prefer rubbing the seasoning whether wet or dry prior to cooking and some prefers to soak the meat first in special marinades that could be sops, mops and finishing. The preparation and ingredients for marinating may differ from region to region the preferred wood to be used can also differ. However, no perfect barbecue will taste as good without the perfect barbecue sauce.
Barbecue sauces can generally be categorized by what they are based on. Common examples are tomato, vinegar and mustard based sauces. To give the barbecue its distinctive taste and prevent the meat from burning easily, barbecue sauces are applied to the meat while being cooked with the exemption of tomato based barbecue sauces as tomato based sauces burns easier than the other kinds of sauces.
Barbecue sauce preparation can either be sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, hot, thick or thin. The varieties are almost endless which makes barbecues popular because anyone can make his own special preparation depending on taste and anyone can create his own way of serving the barbecue.
Recipes for barbecues can also be guarded. And good barbecue sauces can be purchased at almost any store. But the only perfect barbecue sauce is the one that you can create for yourself.
Remember whatever works for you and your family can be a great barbecue sauce. So start experimenting that is the only way to start good cooking.
The basics of Barbecue sauces…
Tomato based barbecue sauce is the most widely used. Some say that it is the most popular. Its popularity however may be due to the simplicity of preparation and besides; tomatoes are ingredients that could easily be found. The point to remember in preparing tomato-based barbecue sauces is to cook the tomatoes very well in order for the flavor to blend with the other ingredients.
Tomato based barbecue sauces are acidic. Because of this, it has the property to breakdown all the flavor of other ingredients blending them with its own. But because of its propensity to burn, limit the usage of tomato based barbecue sauce while cooking. To make it even more flavorful, prepare tomato barbecue sauces a day in advance.
Mustard based sauces are preferred in North Carolina. The mustard based barbecue sauce is great for grilling pork.
Vinegar is great meat tenderizer. It is also more acidic than tomatoes. Because of its acidic content, vinegar based sauces has a tendency to penetrate deep into the meat. To make this barbecue sauce more flavorful, experiment mixing it with chili, cider vinegar or red pepper, sugar salt and all the other ingredients that you want it to have.
Barbecue sauces today has different uses departing from its traditional purpose. It now serves as a condiment that is present on almost any table like ketchup, salsa, salt, pepper and Tabasco.
However, if experimenting with food is not your greatest strength, you can always find great sauces in any store. To make great barbecues, one rule to follow is not to place too much weight on the “with smoke flavor” label that many bottled tomato sauces advertise itself. Smoke flavor is what is barbecuing all about. The flavor has to come from the wood not the bottle.
Barbecue Party Tips For A Truly Amazing Event
Barbecue party tips can help a host put together an extraordinary event for family and friends. Eating outdoors is a favorite pastime enjoyed by everyone and planning the event can help make it more memorable and stress-free for the host. Big or small, a barbecue party requires an adequate amount of planning and preparation to ensure that everything is laid out properly.
It is advisable to plan the event around a theme in order to create a focal point for the barbecue party. This way, all aspects of the party such as the food, games and decorations can be fashioned around a central theme. Favorite themes for barbecue parties include a Hawaiian motif, nostalgic seventies get-together, or, if you are near the sea, opt for a beach bbq party!
Planning the menu is perhaps the most important part of any get-together especially for a barbecue party as most guests will be looking forward to an array of lip-smacking roasted meats dripping in bbq sauce.
Barbecue on the Beach Anyone?
Ah, what can be better than a great barbecue on the beach? The beach is definitely one of the best locations to have a barbecue. After all, the nature of grilling and barbecuing as a cooking technique is that it's fun, exciting and very rewarding. Similarly, the beach pretty much exudes the same atmosphere. There are a lot of fun and exciting activities to do at the beach. It's a place where people can be themselves in their 'bare essentials' and the relaxation factor is definitely rewarding. Putting these two wonderful concepts together, a barbecue on the beach is pretty much a recipe for a great time!
But before you pack your stuff, gear up your grill and hit the sand for one hell of a barbecue on the beach party, bear in mind that there are various safety procedures and other rules governing beach areas so it would be best to consult authorities and secure the proper permissions before you even think about organizing a beach barbecue party.
Assuming you've done that and you've already picked a nice spot, next would be preparing for your barbecue on the beach. There are various grill types that you may use for barbecuing on the beach – you have the wood or charcoal grill, gas grill or you may also use a campfire tripod. Be sure to station your grill in a stable spot, away from any flammable material and safe from people possibly bumping into it.
Bring your marinated meat, poultry or seafood in a cooler and take them out only when you're ready to start barbecuing to avoid spoilage. Further, the last seasoning you would want on your barbecue on the beach is sand right? So keep them covered!
And of course, don't forget to pack those barbecue sauces and hot sauces to spice up your barbecue dishes. If you're looking for something insanely different to give your barbecue that extra punch, visit www.InsaneChicken.com for their wide array of barbecue sauces, marinades and dry rubs. Treat yourself and your friends' taste buds to their line of extremely hot products; they would definitely go well with a good beer. Now that's what I call one unforgettable barbecue on the beach party!
It is advisable to plan the event around a theme in order to create a focal point for the barbecue party. This way, all aspects of the party such as the food, games and decorations can be fashioned around a central theme. Favorite themes for barbecue parties include a Hawaiian motif, nostalgic seventies get-together, or, if you are near the sea, opt for a beach bbq party!
Planning the menu is perhaps the most important part of any get-together especially for a barbecue party as most guests will be looking forward to an array of lip-smacking roasted meats dripping in bbq sauce.
Barbecue on the Beach Anyone?
Ah, what can be better than a great barbecue on the beach? The beach is definitely one of the best locations to have a barbecue. After all, the nature of grilling and barbecuing as a cooking technique is that it's fun, exciting and very rewarding. Similarly, the beach pretty much exudes the same atmosphere. There are a lot of fun and exciting activities to do at the beach. It's a place where people can be themselves in their 'bare essentials' and the relaxation factor is definitely rewarding. Putting these two wonderful concepts together, a barbecue on the beach is pretty much a recipe for a great time!
But before you pack your stuff, gear up your grill and hit the sand for one hell of a barbecue on the beach party, bear in mind that there are various safety procedures and other rules governing beach areas so it would be best to consult authorities and secure the proper permissions before you even think about organizing a beach barbecue party.
Assuming you've done that and you've already picked a nice spot, next would be preparing for your barbecue on the beach. There are various grill types that you may use for barbecuing on the beach – you have the wood or charcoal grill, gas grill or you may also use a campfire tripod. Be sure to station your grill in a stable spot, away from any flammable material and safe from people possibly bumping into it.
Bring your marinated meat, poultry or seafood in a cooler and take them out only when you're ready to start barbecuing to avoid spoilage. Further, the last seasoning you would want on your barbecue on the beach is sand right? So keep them covered!
And of course, don't forget to pack those barbecue sauces and hot sauces to spice up your barbecue dishes. If you're looking for something insanely different to give your barbecue that extra punch, visit www.InsaneChicken.com for their wide array of barbecue sauces, marinades and dry rubs. Treat yourself and your friends' taste buds to their line of extremely hot products; they would definitely go well with a good beer. Now that's what I call one unforgettable barbecue on the beach party!
Barbecue. The secrets of the Greek way !
I have taste grilled meats around the world. Before i will guide you to the various technologies (gas barbecues, charcoal barbecues, Mongolian, sauces, recipes ) i will tell you about the Greek way. We Greeks like good food so i will start from the meat. Whatever the technology, the recipe and the sauce, if the meat is from a producer which feeds his animals the traditional way the taste will be superb. Period.
There is no equivalent of a natural rosen meat of beef ,lamp or pork. The taste is magic ! If you come for holidays in Greece you will see in the morning or in the afternoon the old lady with the two or three cows , or goats. These animals will be served in the local taverna. For this meat i am talking about. If we talk about the islands where the goats are drinking sea water and eating the local wild weeds we are talking about a superior quality meat almost presalted.
If you ever go in CRETE taste it, you will remember my words. In case you will visit northern Greece try local Veal stake. You can locate the good food where you will see no foreigners at all.
So lets move around Athens and check the best ones. One of the best barbecue tavern in Athens area is Telis in Evripidou Str.
Telis is the master of pork chops. This is his specialty. If you order for a plate you will notice about four to five pieces above fried potatoes. He is all day open and very economical also. Its a kind of fast pork steak food. It is a must taste since you visit Athens. Another must taste is Thanasis kebab souvlaki in Thision. It is mixed lamp and veal chopped meat over charcoals. You may eat a plate of four of them , with grilled tomatoes, or you might taste the traditional way in a pita. Any way its very difficult to eat only one. If you like hot papers ask them.
One more must eat souvlaki in Athens is LEIBADIA in kANIGOS SQUARE. There you can have the traditional pork souvlaki with all the village bread you can eat. They produce all day long so whenever you will be there you will taste it straight from the charcoals.
All around Greece we like to barbecue on charcoals. The device we choose must be proven in producing our favorite taste. Our meat are premarinated with olive oil, salt, pepper, origanon. During grill we add a little of olive oil-salt-origanon mix in order to produce the tasty smell, which gives this delicious aromatic taste to the meat.
The fire must be strong but not so strong to provoke fires under the meat. For this purpose we have a bottle of vinegar to extinguish it in case of. We add fresh lemon just before we consume them. We don't take out the fat before we grill our meat because we like the taste of the smoked meat.
One more famous place for barbecue souvlaki is the Corinth bridge. This is the bridge which you enter Peloponnesus. Do not pass the bridge and miss the taste of this souvlaki. Thousands of people stop every day to taste this local delicacy.
Mary
There is no equivalent of a natural rosen meat of beef ,lamp or pork. The taste is magic ! If you come for holidays in Greece you will see in the morning or in the afternoon the old lady with the two or three cows , or goats. These animals will be served in the local taverna. For this meat i am talking about. If we talk about the islands where the goats are drinking sea water and eating the local wild weeds we are talking about a superior quality meat almost presalted.
If you ever go in CRETE taste it, you will remember my words. In case you will visit northern Greece try local Veal stake. You can locate the good food where you will see no foreigners at all.
So lets move around Athens and check the best ones. One of the best barbecue tavern in Athens area is Telis in Evripidou Str.
Telis is the master of pork chops. This is his specialty. If you order for a plate you will notice about four to five pieces above fried potatoes. He is all day open and very economical also. Its a kind of fast pork steak food. It is a must taste since you visit Athens. Another must taste is Thanasis kebab souvlaki in Thision. It is mixed lamp and veal chopped meat over charcoals. You may eat a plate of four of them , with grilled tomatoes, or you might taste the traditional way in a pita. Any way its very difficult to eat only one. If you like hot papers ask them.
One more must eat souvlaki in Athens is LEIBADIA in kANIGOS SQUARE. There you can have the traditional pork souvlaki with all the village bread you can eat. They produce all day long so whenever you will be there you will taste it straight from the charcoals.
All around Greece we like to barbecue on charcoals. The device we choose must be proven in producing our favorite taste. Our meat are premarinated with olive oil, salt, pepper, origanon. During grill we add a little of olive oil-salt-origanon mix in order to produce the tasty smell, which gives this delicious aromatic taste to the meat.
The fire must be strong but not so strong to provoke fires under the meat. For this purpose we have a bottle of vinegar to extinguish it in case of. We add fresh lemon just before we consume them. We don't take out the fat before we grill our meat because we like the taste of the smoked meat.
One more famous place for barbecue souvlaki is the Corinth bridge. This is the bridge which you enter Peloponnesus. Do not pass the bridge and miss the taste of this souvlaki. Thousands of people stop every day to taste this local delicacy.
Mary
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