No more BBQ thread?

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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I only salt (heavily) if I'm pan frying them.

heavy salting on a grill doesn't have the same effect of creating a crust like it does in a pan
in my experience.

I don't BBQ steaks anymore for this reason...I get better results from a pan and finishing
in the oven (still in the pan)

the point above about letting meat come to room temp AND letting it rest after cooking
cannot be emphasized enough.

Agreed on all counts. I've been limited by not having a yard and a grill but I've damn near perfected steaks in cast iron and carbon steel pans finished in the oven. Sous Vide is a good option as well when doing multiple steaks.
 

afoaf

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Jun 25, 2008
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What’s your Dutch oven carnitas recipe?
bone-in pork shoulder
diced whole onion
diced serrano/jap (or three)
taco seasoning packet
small jar salsa
minced garlic
bay leaf
one can mexican beer

I also dice carrot and celery and throw in to the mix, but that's
partly because I mirepoix everything to sneak more veggies in
to my sons' diet.

from there, the main ingredient is time...low and slow usually for
12 to 24 hours of cooking. I'll let it go overnight on the stove on
a very low flame.

you can pan fry it before serving in tacos or you can go straight
out of the pot.

same setup works for chicken (boneless thighs) for shredded
chicken tacos or even a pot roast for shredded beef.
 

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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Get a pressure cooker. Seriously. You'll never look back at that relic called a Dutch Oven.

I bought into the whole instant pot hype. It's actually pretty awesome that you can do things like braised short ribs in like 45min as opposed to the 3 hour dutch oven method. I'd still however opt for doing it the low and slow method in a dutch oven whenever I have the time. IMHO what you give up for the convenience of faster cooking time you lose in flavor absorption. Same recipe will almost always be better done the long way. But it's really nice to come home from work and have short ribs on the table before 9pm.
 

Leaverite

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Dec 19, 2017
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Central Cal
I bought into the whole instant pot hype. It's actually pretty awesome that you can do things like braised short ribs in like 45min as opposed to the 3 hour dutch oven method. I'd still however opt for doing it the low and slow method in a dutch oven whenever I have the time. IMHO what you give up for the convenience of faster cooking time you lose in flavor absorption. Same recipe will almost always be better done the long way. But it's really nice to come home from work and have short ribs on the table before 9pm.

The cast iron dutch oven is great for camping. It gives you options to cook up different things right over a charcoal or camp fire. For home, the pressure cooker is way more efficient.
 

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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I need a recommendation on a good frying pan.
Just a pain old lodge cast iron is all you need. Second hand ones are often even better. Sometimes you can find a well worn/well seasoned one at places like yard sales. The more they're used the better they get.


Another option is carbon steel. I have a couple of de buyer carbon steel pans that are in heavy rotation in my kitchen. Like cast iron you have to keep them seasoned and they develop a natural non-stick surface. They're not quite as heavy as cast iron but distribute and retain heat well and they have a smoother surface than cast iron which makes them better for things like fish and eggs.


I discarded all of my non-stick cookware years ago.
 

$kully

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I just "hard boiled" a dozen eggs to perfection in my instant pot. So damn quick and easy and ridiculously consistent.
 

Leaverite

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Dec 19, 2017
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Just a pain old lodge cast iron is all you need. Second hand ones are often even better. Sometimes you can find a well worn/well seasoned one at places like yard sales. The more they're used the better they get.


Another option is carbon steel. I have a couple of de buyer carbon steel pans that are in heavy rotation in my kitchen. Like cast iron you have to keep them seasoned and they develop a natural non-stick surface. They're not quite as heavy as cast iron but distribute and retain heat well and they have a smoother surface than cast iron which makes them better for things like fish and eggs.


I discarded all of my non-stick cookware years ago.

I have a bunch of cast iron skillets/grills and griddles. They last forever if you clean and oil them properly. One of the main things is never to clean cast iron with a dish soap detergent. It will strip
cast iron back down to bare metal and removes the layers of seasoning. It will also allow it to rust if
not treated again properly with seasoning oil.
 

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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I have a bunch of cast iron skillets/grills and griddles. They last forever if you clean and oil them properly. One of the main things is never to clean cast iron with a dish soap detergent. It will strip
cast iron back down to bare metal and removes the layers of seasoning. It will also allow it to rust if
not treated again properly with seasoning oil.

Also avoid cooking highly acidic things in them like tomatoes and wines.
 

hammies

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Apr 8, 2006
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Just did some swordfish steaks on the grill with direct heat. Pesto aoili on top and a nice chardonnay. Yowza!
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
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Central Cal
Been digging all of my camping gear out for an upcoming trip. Had to break down and buy a new camp stove for this year after my old Coleman propane stove gave up the ghost.

Went with a Camp chef Rainier stove. Has a grill/burner combo. It came with these non stick coated aluminum grill/griddles. Bought a 16" cast iron grill/griddle to replace them.