What's for Dinner?

[Boatboy24]

Local, grass feed, 30 day aged tri tip. Roasted broccoli and fresh bread. Tri tip was roasted indirect on the Weber with some wine soaked oak cubes, then seared to finish. Broccoli had fresh garlic, EVOO, S&P and bread crumbs.

Before it hit the grill:



Resting, before I carve it up:



Bread ready to go:



Broccoli ready for the oven:



Several slices, ready for plating. Note that the color on this grass fed beef is a lot redder than your typical beef. This looks like it is done to rare, but is actually medium/medium-well. This stuff is much more forgiving than your average store bought steak.



Plated with the broccoli and the fresh bread. Enjoy what's left of your week.

 

[tonyt]

Glowing, thanks for the recipe link. I'm going to try that one. Boatboy TriTip looks great. I do the reverse sear also. Yours looks perfectly done.

 

[sour_grapes]

Oh, man, Jim. I did not have enough for dinner (long story). I am rather hungry at the moment, and that looks fantastic!

Tony and Jim: why the reverse sear? I do it the other order, and curious what the advantage of your way is?

 

[tonyt]

Tony and Jim: why the reverse sear? I do it the other order, and curious what the advantage of your way is?

Low and slow first (225 pit temp) let's you cook the meat's inside evenly and tender. You can get some smoke ring and smoke flavor during this lo and slow time. I go to internal meat temp of about 125 degrees. Then i remove the meat and crank up the pit (I have a ceramic kamoto style cooker) to 500-600 degrees. Return the meat back to the pit, do not walk away, and in 5 minutes the meat's internal will hit 135. It will be crusty on outside, smoke ring and evenly pink inside.

Plus "Reverse Sear" just sounds more cool, don't you think?

 

[Boatboy24]

Yep, what Tony said. More even cooking throughout, instead of charred on the outside and red on the inside. I also think there is some tenderization that goes on if you allow a larger piece of meat to cook slower, along with rendering of fats if you have them. It's the charcoal equivalent of a SV cook, just a lot faster.

 

[JohnT]

Jim,

Did you ever post the recipe for that bread?? Man-o-Man does that look great!

 

[Boatboy24]

Jim,

Did you ever post the recipe for that bread?? Man-o-Man does that look great!

Somewhere, yes.


Edit: Yep, I sure did!

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f138/european-peasant-bread-46851/

 

[sour_grapes]

Yep, what Tony said. More even cooking throughout, instead of charred on the outside and red on the inside. I also think there is some tenderization that goes on if you allow a larger piece of meat to cook slower, along with rendering of fats if you have them. It's the charcoal equivalent of a SV cook, just a lot faster.

But I was not questioning the two-step process, just the order! I sear it first, then move to a lower temperature to finish. My reasoning is that I can get the sear/crust I like, and then I can control the internal temperature through time. I assume the total time should be the same, i.e., equally "low and slow," just the other order.

I have no argument against your way, but I would fear that I may not be able to achieve the right sear without overcooking the inside. Not that it cannot be done, as your and Tony's results attest, but it seems it takes more forethought. You have to know when (i.e., what temperature) to take it off the low-temp side, in order to leave you enough "thermal budget" to allow you to get the right sear.

In any event, I cannot argue with the results. Your tri-tip looks fantastic, and Tony's mere description had me salivating!

 

[Boatboy24]

I frequent a BBQ site where the reverse method was explained once. But my limited brain cells can't remember what the science was. For me, using a charcoal grill, it is a lot easier/faster to start with a cooler fire and make it hot than it is to start with a really hot fire, then cool it down.

Out of curiosity, would there be any merit in searing a piece of meat, then SV cooking it to finish? I honestly have no idea, but wonder if that's been tried. I imagine putting a just-seared piece of meat into a plastic bag is probably not the smartest thing an individual could do though.

 

[ibglowin]

I have not had much luck with "reverse sear" I always end up with a piece of shoe leather. Especially with Tri Tip. Outside of using my Smoker Pit (low and slow) at 225F for 8-9 hours for Brisket or Pork But etc. Maybe just my source of meat? IDK. I have had better luck with the opposite. Heat grill to 450F Throw the meat on and sear the heck out of it at 450F and cook until it is seared/charred on the outside and medium to medium rare on the inside. The meat is taken off the fire before it knows what hit it and or has a chance to turn into shoe leather. Perhaps if we had those trucks that the meat falls off the back like you guys up north seem to have!

 

[sour_grapes]

Out of curiosity, would there be any merit in searing a piece of meat, then SV cooking it to finish? I honestly have no idea, but wonder if that's been tried. I imagine putting a just-seared piece of meat into a plastic bag is probably not the smartest thing an individual could do though.

The answer is, I believe, it depends!

For some cuts I do one way, for others, the other order. However, I have to say, the order for me is totally dictated by what you would do non-SV.

Specifically, for cuts that normally are braised (short ribs, osso bucco, lamb shanks), I brown first and then SV. Note that this is what you normally do, except you braise instead of SV. In both cases, the flavors marry during the slow-cooking part.

For cuts that are normally cooked on a grill, fried, roasted, or broiled (steak, tenderloin, pork chops, rack of lamb, chuck roast, pork shoulder), I SV first, and then sear. Here, the browning stays on the outside, just like in the normal methods, and only "marries" in your mouth!

Man, it is only 11 am here, and this post has me hungry for lunch!

 

[Boatboy24]

Man, it is only 11 am here, and this post has me hungry for lunch!

I just ate, and I'm hungry again!

 

[Boatboy24]

Been snowing off and on today so why not something from the crock pot for dinner this evening! This recipe is about as easy to make as they come. As the name implies it uses a packet of brown gravy mix, italian dressing and ranch dressing and one cup of water. Supposed to cook a roast but I am also substituting about 4 lbs of boneless short ribs. I tweaked it by adding some chopped onion, carrots, a few sprigs of thyme and some rosemary.

I currently keep putting my head in the crock pot and snorting it ever 15 min or so as the smell coming out of the kitchen is to die for good. Gonna serve this over (real) smashed russet potatoes with the skins and a green veggie of sorts.

Now I hope I can find a bottle of wine to go with this……..

OK, Mike. I'm making this for tonight's dinner. What do you suggest I pair it with?

 

[sour_grapes]

OK, Mike. I'm making this for tonight's dinner. What do you suggest I pair it with?

Nuthing but bones left over! LOL

Paired it with this!

"This" follows to here:http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f19/whats-your-glass-tonight-42950/#post540282

Found a 2008 Sparkman "Ruckus" Syrah in the cellar and paired it with Slow Cooked Short Ribs over smashed potatoes. This wine was rated 94pts WS and was a perfect pairing. WA State has some amazing Syrah's and this was just another fine example of it. Highly recommended all the way around!

 

[Boatboy24]

OK, I made the 3 packet beef chuck tonight. It is really good - a little salty, but quite good. I dredged the chuck in flour and seared it before putting it in the crock pot and used Guinness instead of water, as well as adding a little dried thyme and two slices of cooked bacon. Served over a wild rice medley. On the side were steamed baby carrots tossed with butter, S&P, nutmeg and orange zest. As good as it was, I couldn't help but think how many chemicals are in those 3 packets. Washed it down with a 2012 Girard Petite Sirah.

 

[jamesjr]

Wow! Now im hungry and jealous lol I just at plain old hot dogs and mac and cheese didn't even have buns just white bread haha paired up with my first real wine ive ever made which was just a very simple apple wine. But man did it feel good to enjoy my own wine.
But it really looks like some of y'all can really whip up some good wine AND grub!

 

[sour_grapes]

Went to a friend's house, and the three of us whipped up a mighty fine spaghetti carbonara. I made a side of endive with garlic, coriander, rosemary, and sherry. Both were very satisfying!

 

[ibglowin]

OK, I made the 3 packet beef chuck tonight. It is really good - a little salty, but quite good. I dredged the chuck in flour and seared it before putting it in the crock pot and used Guinness instead of water, as well as adding a little dried thyme and two slices of cooked bacon. Served over a wild rice medley. On the side were steamed baby carrots tossed with butter, S&P, nutmeg and orange zest. As good as it was, I couldn't help but think how many chemicals are in those 3 packets. Washed it down with a 2012 Girard Petite Sirah.

Lookin good! Glad you enjoyed it!

 

[tonyt]

Family recipe Italian Sausage (cousin makes it) cooked in Grandmother's Red Gravy recipe.

 

[Rocky]

That looks really good, Tony. Are the sausages sweet, mild, hot or "two handers?"