What's for Dinner?

For lunch today, we finished off the last of our ho-made bacon stash. It’s a shame you can’t find a great tomato this time of year, but this was pretty darn good anyway.

If it ever stops raining, I have half a belly in the freezer waiting for the call.

Mama wanted chili again.

That's my kinda chili!!!

I started with pork belly and ended up with ribeyes and veggies. It's hard to trump beef but this belly crackling is awesome.

Seems a little like ground hog day since I made an eye of the round roast last week, but the oldest who is home now wanted some sort of beef for his b-day dinner, and since I was at the local Weis when I got a text that the celebration was going to be Sunday and not today, I picked up the best beef value I could find, which was this roast for about $11. Seared first and finished to 130*F. Rested for 30 minutes, hit 140*F and still spilled juice all over the plate (which surprised me a bit with that long of a rest). Still tender. Served with ho-made mac 'n cheese and sesame/garlic green beans. Desert was a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing (wifey creation).

Tonight was meatloaf since it's rather windy, turned out well too (at least most of it was gone and I didn't hear any complaints).

Not necessarily for dinner, but for the "office party" lunch tomorrow. Needed something easy (I usually take a vegetarian chili in a crock pot), so dug back into the archives of my mind (a scary place) and pulled out a good 'ol tomato pie recipe. My oldest brother's 1st wife had an Italian/Polish background and lived in Trooper, PA, pretty close to Philly. Whenever my brothers' FIL visited, he'd usually bring a few day old tomato pie with him. He said it wasn't good until it "aged" a bit. Never saw any blue cheese like areas forming, so I think it was okay to eat. I know for a fact it was wonderful flavor wise, very hard to not eat several pieces after the first.

Here's my stab at it. Slow fermented sour dough crust (fridged for two days) with a ho-made sauce, lot's of garlic, really high quality tomatoes (about the best you can get that aren't fresh). Lot's of basil, some fennel and oregano. Topped with a small amount freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (imported from Italy via NJ). Smells really good, can't wait to try it tomorrow. Cooked in the oven on the convection setting at 500*F for about 17 minutes.

Looking at my image, I think I put a bit too much cheese on it.

I cooked beef shanks I snagged on the cheap. I cooked them like braised short ribs and they came out great.





That's tomato paste in the bag, I can never use a can at one time and this makes it easy to use.

Water and beef base

Everyone in the pool

Locked down in the antique Frymaster.


The white rings on the cap equals 5 psi each, I'm at 15 psi and the gas stove is on the lowest setting. This is energy saving cookware.

15 minutes at 15psi and it's done but it takes another 15 minutes to let it cool and release pressure. You can eat this tough piece of meat without teeth, so tender. I'm reducing the gravy because it's hard to guestimate how much water is in the meat.

Butter beans, rice and hot sauce makes a perfect meal!!!

I saved those beef butter nuggets for last, who doesn't love beef marrow?

Holy QPR, Batman!

I'm here drinking the best IPA's in the country, maybe second best since I love "Ghost in the Machine" more but I have to drive another 2 miles to get it. If Parish beer comes to your town make sure to try it. I stumbled on it and it's made about 5 miles from me. Dumb luck but I'll take it.
1st choice for me would be

Next is


OK, back to food
I tried to copy a 5 Guys burger but added shrooms and cooked home fries too. OH and had to add a little heat, candied Jalapenos!!
A 1.5 lb pack of ground 80/20 CAB chuck. Smashed them into a patty with a saucer seasoned with S&P.

Seared onions in the cast iron to give it some flavor in a little canola oil

perfect crust on the burger from high heat and natural fat

This is where 5 Guys comes in, they put 3 rings of ketsup and 2 rings of mustard on the bottom bun then add the onions then Mayo goes on the top bun.

Bottom bun gets the burger but I added more onions and mushrooms, top bun gets lettuce, 5 pickles and tomatoes but the store tomatoes were junk so I skipped that and added candied jalapenos.

I did brown the buns a little too much but they were good and held together.

That looks

RadRob said:

I'm here drinking the best IPA's in the country, maybe second best since I love "Ghost in the Machine" more but I have to drive another 2 miles to get it. If Parish beer comes to your town make sure to try it. I stumbled on it and it's made about 5 miles from me. Dumb luck but I'll take it.
1st choice for me would be
View attachment 52578
Next is
View attachment 52579

OK, back to food
I tried to copy a 5 Guys burger but added shrooms and cooked home fries too. OH and had to add a little heat, candied Jalapenos!!
A 1.5 lb pack of ground 80/20 CAB chuck. Smashed them into a patty with a saucer seasoned with S&P.

Seared onions in the cast iron to give it some flavor in a little canola oil

perfect crust on the burger from high heat and natural fat

This is where 5 Guys comes in, they put 3 rings of ketsup and 2 rings of mustard on the bottom bun then add the onions then Mayo goes on the top bun.

Bottom bun gets the burger but I added more onions and mushrooms, top bun gets lettuce, 5 pickles and tomatoes but the store tomatoes were junk so I skipped that and added candied jalapenos.

I did brown the buns a little too much but they were good and held together.

Click to expand...

Five Guys started here in Arlington VA. They were carry out only with maybe a couple bar stool at the windows. They were the dingiest little spaces I would bet a lot people wouldn't step foot into. But they did have the best burgers and even then they had cartons of peanuts all around let you know where their potatos came from. There were 4 I am aware of and 3 that I ate at.

Well I am home for Xmas and look at what is on sale this week!

ibglowin said:

Well I am home for Xmas and look at what is on sale this week!

Click to expand...

WooHoo!

Getting readjusted to 7000ft EL after 2 weeks at sea level. Pushed the easy button tonight and made some Flatbread Pizza. Pepperoni, Pancetta, Kalamata olives, Mutz, fresh basil.

Seemed like the appropriate place to post my latest barbecue / meat cooking toy. This is the MEATER+ from Apption Labs, and I’m in love. It’s totally wireless and stays in the meat, even while it’s cooking, and transmits real-time data back to my iPhone / iPad. The handy little wooden case is magnetic to stick to anything metal, and a single AA battery keeps it charged. The app is free, keeps track of your temps and predicts cook time based upon history of the cook and temps. The carrying case is also a transmitter / receiver and extends the range of the device when placed between you and your grill / oven. Pretty sweet, no more wires!!!!

Johnd said:

Seemed like the appropriate place to post my latest barbecue / meat cooking toy. This is the MEATER+ from Apption Labs, and I’m in love. It’s totally wireless and stays in the meat, even while it’s cooking, and transmits real-time data back to my iPhone / iPad. The handy little wooden case is magnetic to stick to anything metal, and a single AA battery keeps it charged. The app is free, keeps track of your temps and predicts cook time based upon history of the cook and temps. The carrying case is also a transmitter / receiver and extends the range of the device when placed between you and your grill / oven. Pretty sweet, no more wires!!!!

Click to expand...

Been looking at these. Anxiously awaiting the report from your first cook.

Boatboy24 said:

Been looking at these. Anxiously awaiting the report from your first cook.

Click to expand...

Already got two under my belt, all as purported thus far, worked like a champ. Used it on some filets on the grill and a butt on the Primo this weekend.

Boneless ribs?

I got approval to do the turkey on the WSM, just not allowed to use smokin' wood. I think there is more charcoal in Kingsford Applewood charcoal than wood, right? Pictures later.

Going down on the Pit Boss later today!

Nice price!

Looks like you are feeding as many as Varis normally does, LOL!