Watcha cookin'?

**Cruiser** · 10-23-2016, 07:58 PM

Lunch

**Cruiser** · 10-26-2016, 06:58 AM

$27 food saver for the sous vide crowd

https://meh.com

**Pegleg** · 10-26-2016, 08:27 AM

Not entirely on topic, but Serious Eats has an interesting article arguing that food cooked in slow cookers (crockpots) almost never comes out nearly as well as cooking the same thing either in a pressure cooker or in a dutch oven cooked in the oven at 225, and in fact generally comes out significantly worse.

This supports my feelings about slow cookers. I've made chili, chicken soup, and other things many times on the stovetop or in the oven, and I always feel like they come out worse when I do the same recipes in the slow cooker (even if I take all the flavor enhancing steps like pre-searing meat and aromatics, adding acid to brighten it at the end, etc.). Last week I made a Filipino pork and tamarind stew and decided to use the slow cooker so that I could do it on a weekday, and it just came out weird - greasy and the flavors never quite melded together. I have a hunch that if I try it again in the pressure cooker it'll be a lot better (which I'll probably do, as I now have a bunch of tamarind paste in the fridge that I'm not sure what else to do with).

Exceptions for me are Thanksgiving stuffing (comes out perfect in the slow cooker, just gotta brown the top, plus it frees up the oven) and rendering lard (put your leftover pork fat in the slow cooker overnight, and wake up to cracklin's floating in a pool of glistening lard and your house smelling porky and delicious).

**oftpiste** · 10-26-2016, 10:15 AM

^^^ agreed. Dutch oven in the oven, but stay under 212 degrees to keep things under boiling temp. Makes a HUDGE difference, at least with meats. And it's virtually impossible to overcook anything no matter how long it's in there.

**Dantheman** · 10-26-2016, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Pegleg

Not entirely on topic, but Serious Eats has an interesting article arguing that food cooked in slow cookers (crockpots) almost never comes out nearly as well as cooking the same thing either in a pressure cooker or in a dutch oven cooked in the oven at 225, and in fact generally comes out significantly worse.

I said exactly this years ago in the Crockpot thread and took tons of shit, presumably from people who had never actually tried it. I've also finally convinced the wife that a low oven heats the house up less than a slow cooker.

Originally Posted by oftpiste

^^^ agreed. Dutch oven in the oven, but stay under 212 degrees to keep things under boiling temp. Makes a HUDGE difference, at least with meats. And it's virtually impossible to overcook anything no matter how long it's in there.

225* and crack the lid a bit. Evap keeps things in the perfect temp range that way.

**oftpiste** · 10-26-2016, 02:58 PM

^^^still boils.... just saying'. Try it next time you do a beef braise and I guarantee you'll agree.

Otherwise I'm completely with ya. Got rid of our crock pot. Just another one-trick pony taking up space in the kitchen.

KQ · 11-04-2016, 10:53 AM

Hot out of the oven - Morning Glory Muffins!

Toasted coconut/walnuts ground with flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda, powder and salt. Crushed pineapple, shredded apple/carrots, golden raisins and chopped dried pineapple. Reduction of pineapple/apple juice, eggs, butter, vanilla. Soooooo good.

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**Danno** · 11-04-2016, 11:21 AM

Meatloaf muffins!

At least that's what they look like to me.

**shroom** · 11-04-2016, 11:45 AM

those are my fav. wife makes a similar cake for my bday every year. i like cake to be as close to a meal as possible.

**schwerty** · 11-04-2016, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by KQ

Hot out of the oven - Morning Glory Muffins!

Toasted coconut/walnuts ground with flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda, powder and salt. Crushed pineapple, shredded apple/carrots, golden raisins and chopped dried pineapple. Reduction of pineapple/apple juice, eggs, butter, vanilla. Soooooo good.

Damn those look good.

**~mikey b** · 11-29-2016, 03:24 PM

A lot cooking today.

A batch of bone broth from some 4 legged critters and a batch from fowl that will subsequently become split pea soup and turkey noodle soup tonight.

Also ribs and chicken on the smoker.

**oftpiste** · 11-29-2016, 04:41 PM

Tried a NYT Cooking recipe last night and as most of them do, it came out great. Turkey Tikka Masala made with leftover turkey. A great solution if you're tired of sandwiches and still have leftover bird. Highly recommended.

**schwerty** · 11-29-2016, 09:52 PM

Good to see this thread back up front!

Roasting some chix quarters.
Honey mustard
Olive oil
Mixed herb blend
Chili flakes
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Rosemary
Garlic
Nothing fancy. But outta be tasty.

**MiddleOfNight** · 11-30-2016, 04:00 AM

Originally Posted by schwerty

Nothing fancy. But outta be tasty.

whoa
pics? how'd it turn out?

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this season's Bambi balls .. fresh.
to date, the richest effort.
(still, meatballs .. not *balls balls).

**schwerty** · 11-30-2016, 01:50 PM

That looks damn good. I meant to take pics but by the time they rested I forgot and destroyed em.

**MiddleOfNight** · 12-03-2016, 04:05 PM

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grilled deer loin (red wine peppercorn reduction)
this years potatoes
brussel sprouts, celery root sauce
tomato-basil-vinagarette
not pictured, high ball of vodka.

This years deer is exceptionally rich!

**Cruiser** · 12-26-2016, 11:55 AM

Leftovers pr0n

**schwerty** · 01-07-2017, 07:17 PM

Couple days ago. 'Twas well into negative numbers when I got around to cooking so I went with the reverse sear indoors.

Double cut pork chop.
Brined for about 8hrs in Chardonnay, honey, salt, peppercorns, chili flakes and fennel seed.

Cooked with:
Chili flakes
Kosher salt, black pepper, dried herbs.
A few fingers of bourbon washed it down very well.

Finished with olive oil.

(This was before the sear. I was too damn hungry to take a pic by that time)

**Danno** · 01-07-2017, 08:34 PM

Heh, I looked at the pic and thought "didn't look very seared".

**schwerty** · 01-08-2017, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

Heh, I looked at the pic and thought "didn't look very seared".

It looked delicious post sear but I dove in before I thought of snapping a pic. That was durning the rest.

**~mikey b** · 01-08-2017, 08:40 PM

Grilled pork chops with mango salsa, barley with beets and beet greens with toasted coconut and ginger, and spicy red beans. Steamed artichoke appetizer. No pictures.

**Powder Ho** · 01-08-2017, 09:40 PM

Pan seared a 32oz bone in rib eye. The bark was awesome and the flesh was super tender. However, every smoke alarm in the house went off. Still, worth it.