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1.) DParker - 01/17/2016
I finally got around to doing something with the 7 qt Lodge cast iron dutch oven Santa brought me for Christmas (it turns out that giving Santa direct links to Amazon.com pages is a great way to get exactly what you want).
This thing is a hefty beast, and if I ever drop it on my foot I'll likely never walk again. Since I've already gone over my chili makin' method a couple of times I'll just cover some random highlights here. I start by melting some frozen bacon drippings over high heat.
Since my focus here is getting the hang of the new cookware rather than producing a competition-winning chili I'm being lazy and taking a few shortcuts, like using 3 lbs of pre-cubed stew meat (I'm doing a 1.5x sized recipe) instead of the usual chuck roast that I cube myself.
As big as the pot is I still needed to brown the meat in 3 batches of 1 lb each. It turns out that the lid, flipped over and set on the burner next to the pot's makes a great holder for the already-browned meat that you need to take out to make room for the next batch. It's also a great place to set your utensils when you're not using them.
While the meat is browning we need to deseed these dried Ancho, Cascabel and Habenero peppers (the wife said she might try some of the finished product if it wasn't too hot, so I only used 1 Habenero), soak them in some hot stock and turn them into a smooth puree.
While you could use a food processor or even a blender to puree the soaked peppers, a hand blender like this Braun works much better...and is a whole lot easier to clean.
2/3 of the way through the simmering here's what we have. I found that the gravy and some bits if meat tended to congeal and cling to the bottom of the pot, necessitating a little scraping whenever I did any stirring. But it came loose easily and didn't hurt the finished product at all.
The liquid reduced quite a bit in the hour after this.
So the dutch oven's maiden voyage is a success. Aside from the minor bottom scraping requirement, the only real difference between using my normal large stock pot was having to remember to use something like pot holders (or the silicon oven/BBQ mits I ended up using) whenever I needed to touch one of the handles so as to not leave skin behind.
That's still not enough iron, so I threw in some skillet cornbread.
This thing is a hefty beast, and if I ever drop it on my foot I'll likely never walk again. Since I've already gone over my chili makin' method a couple of times I'll just cover some random highlights here. I start by melting some frozen bacon drippings over high heat.
Since my focus here is getting the hang of the new cookware rather than producing a competition-winning chili I'm being lazy and taking a few shortcuts, like using 3 lbs of pre-cubed stew meat (I'm doing a 1.5x sized recipe) instead of the usual chuck roast that I cube myself.
As big as the pot is I still needed to brown the meat in 3 batches of 1 lb each. It turns out that the lid, flipped over and set on the burner next to the pot's makes a great holder for the already-browned meat that you need to take out to make room for the next batch. It's also a great place to set your utensils when you're not using them.
While the meat is browning we need to deseed these dried Ancho, Cascabel and Habenero peppers (the wife said she might try some of the finished product if it wasn't too hot, so I only used 1 Habenero), soak them in some hot stock and turn them into a smooth puree.
While you could use a food processor or even a blender to puree the soaked peppers, a hand blender like this Braun works much better...and is a whole lot easier to clean.
2/3 of the way through the simmering here's what we have. I found that the gravy and some bits if meat tended to congeal and cling to the bottom of the pot, necessitating a little scraping whenever I did any stirring. But it came loose easily and didn't hurt the finished product at all.
The liquid reduced quite a bit in the hour after this.
So the dutch oven's maiden voyage is a success. Aside from the minor bottom scraping requirement, the only real difference between using my normal large stock pot was having to remember to use something like pot holders (or the silicon oven/BBQ mits I ended up using) whenever I needed to touch one of the handles so as to not leave skin behind.
That's still not enough iron, so I threw in some skillet cornbread.
2.) Swamp Fox - 01/17/2016
Excellent!
I'm in the midde of some [I]Gumbo Aiyee! [/I]right now...
I haven't made it in about 9 months....I'm way rusty. My rhythm is off. You can tell because it has taken me longer than usual to burn the roux...I need to get my sequence of tasks down on paper so I don't forget again...I was peeling shrimp when I should have been defrosting okra...
You're right about Santa performing better post-internet...
I'm in the midde of some [I]Gumbo Aiyee! [/I]right now...
I haven't made it in about 9 months....I'm way rusty. My rhythm is off. You can tell because it has taken me longer than usual to burn the roux...I need to get my sequence of tasks down on paper so I don't forget again...I was peeling shrimp when I should have been defrosting okra...
You're right about Santa performing better post-internet...
3.) Swamp Fox - 01/17/2016
The perforated piece...Did it come with the oven?
We should start a cornbread thread. :wink
We should start a cornbread thread. :wink
4.) DParker - 01/17/2016
Well, if we're being honest and all I should confess that the cornbread was a box mix from Trader Joe's (another Christmas gift). But as mixes go it's a damned good one, including freeze dried whole corn kernels. I left in the oven a couple minutes too long so it came out a little on the crumbly side, but that didn't matter when I mixed it in with the chili.
Keep us aprised of the fate of the roux.
Keep us aprised of the fate of the roux.
5.) DParker - 01/17/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38278]The perforated piece...Did it come with the oven?[/quote]
If you're referring to the thing the utensils are sitting on then it's the oven's lid. And those aren't perforations...though looking at it again, with that lighting I guess they do look like holes. But they're actually those little pointed stalactite-like bumps on the lid's underside that...IIRC...bluecat described in the thread I started asking about dutch ovens. They serve to condense evaporated liquid and drip it back onto the food.
[Quote]We should start a cornbread thread. :wink[/QUOTE]
Or just highjack this one.
If you're referring to the thing the utensils are sitting on then it's the oven's lid. And those aren't perforations...though looking at it again, with that lighting I guess they do look like holes. But they're actually those little pointed stalactite-like bumps on the lid's underside that...IIRC...bluecat described in the thread I started asking about dutch ovens. They serve to condense evaporated liquid and drip it back onto the food.
[Quote]We should start a cornbread thread. :wink[/QUOTE]
Or just highjack this one.
6.) Swamp Fox - 01/18/2016
LOL....I see what you mean about Bluecat's stalactites now that I look closer...I thought/hoped maybe the oven came with one of those inserts you put in the bottom to keep chunks o' stuff off the burning bottom.
7.) DParker - 01/18/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38283]LOL....I see what you mean about Bluecat's stalactites now that I look closer...I thought/hoped maybe the oven came with one of those inserts you put in the bottom to keep chunks o' stuff off the burning bottom.[/QUOTE]
I had to save something for my birthday.
[URL="http://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DOT3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Trivet/dp/B00063RXKQ/ref=sr_1_1_m?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1453078544&sr=1-1&keywords=Lodge++trivet"]Lodge Cast-Iron Meat Rack/Trivet[/URL]
I had to save something for my birthday.
[URL="http://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DOT3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Trivet/dp/B00063RXKQ/ref=sr_1_1_m?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1453078544&sr=1-1&keywords=Lodge++trivet"]Lodge Cast-Iron Meat Rack/Trivet[/URL]
8.) Swamp Fox - 01/18/2016
Trivet!
That's the word I couldn't think of!
I blame the rum! :wink
That's the word I couldn't think of!
I blame the rum! :wink
9.) Wild Bob - 01/18/2016
Looks like it was an awesome meal! :tu:
10.) DParker - 01/18/2016
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38293]Looks like it was an awesome meal! :tu:[/QUOTE]
It was, thanks. Later on I used the skillet to make a pan-seared ribeye. I'd never done that before, but it was cold and wet out and I didn't feel like dealing with the grill outside. It turned out better than I expected. I didn't get the crust on the surface that a grill gives you..which is a major deficiency...but other than that it was cooked perfectly.
It was, thanks. Later on I used the skillet to make a pan-seared ribeye. I'd never done that before, but it was cold and wet out and I didn't feel like dealing with the grill outside. It turned out better than I expected. I didn't get the crust on the surface that a grill gives you..which is a major deficiency...but other than that it was cooked perfectly.
11.) DParker - 01/18/2016
So...are we gonna' get a gumbo update, or what?
12.) Swamp Fox - 01/18/2016
It was excellent, as usual. :tu:I made a few minor tweaks to the recipe you posted, as you know, and also now have two versions: one close to the original and another for when one of my buddies is in the crowd. He doesn't like the okra, and for that version I also cut the spices by half (which doesn't seem to make as big a difference as you'd think).
I think I've threatened to add some smoke to the recipe in the past, but I don't remember getting around to it yet. I think I'll put that on the agenda for the next batch. There's a little sweetness to the current version that I'd like to offset or complement with a little something.
I think I've threatened to add some smoke to the recipe in the past, but I don't remember getting around to it yet. I think I'll put that on the agenda for the next batch. There's a little sweetness to the current version that I'd like to offset or complement with a little something.
13.) DParker - 01/18/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38296]...and another for when one of my buddies is in the crowd. He doesn't like the okra,[/QUOTE]
Hmmmm. I'm beginning to question your judgment when it comes to choosing friends. But I suppose the fact that you speak to bluecat and I should have been a red flag from the get-go.
"I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member."
Hmmmm. I'm beginning to question your judgment when it comes to choosing friends. But I suppose the fact that you speak to bluecat and I should have been a red flag from the get-go.
"I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member."
14.) DParker - 01/18/2016
But that might just be the alcoholic root beer talking.
15.) Swamp Fox - 01/18/2016
:-)
My buddy is a card. He automatically covers food in salt before he even tastes it. Even when I tell him there's plenty of salt in a dish. It's knocked him back on his heels a few times, LOL, so he listens to me a little more these days. But on the other hand I've pretty much given up trying to warn him, LOL
"He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."---:wink
My buddy is a card. He automatically covers food in salt before he even tastes it. Even when I tell him there's plenty of salt in a dish. It's knocked him back on his heels a few times, LOL, so he listens to me a little more these days. But on the other hand I've pretty much given up trying to warn him, LOL
"He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."---:wink
16.) Swamp Fox - 01/18/2016
I was gonna tell you I found some of that root beer ("Not Your Father's"). Very good! :tu::tu:
Also tried some "Best Damn Root Beer"---It 's much sweeter, maybe a little too much. But I wouldn't turn one or two down on a hot day.
Also tried some "Best Damn Root Beer"---It 's much sweeter, maybe a little too much. But I wouldn't turn one or two down on a hot day.
17.) Wild Bob - 01/18/2016
What's for dinner tonight gentlemen?
Just got done putting together a big old pan of spaghetti bake; made with homemade sauce, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions, my own homemade German Sausage (venison) for the meat (in big chunks) and of course lots of mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses. Putting in the crowning touch of a homemade loaf of Italian Bread now. Last but not least, I'm going to wash it down with a ice cold glass of 'Rusted-nut IPA' from our local micro brew. :tu:
Just got done putting together a big old pan of spaghetti bake; made with homemade sauce, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions, my own homemade German Sausage (venison) for the meat (in big chunks) and of course lots of mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses. Putting in the crowning touch of a homemade loaf of Italian Bread now. Last but not least, I'm going to wash it down with a ice cold glass of 'Rusted-nut IPA' from our local micro brew. :tu:
18.) Swamp Fox - 01/18/2016
That sounds great. It's Day Two of Gumbo Aiyee! here... I make a BIG batch. Sometimes a small bowl even makes it to Day Three.
You should post your recipe.
There was a place near NC State years ago that made a killer dish of spaghetti smothered in melted cheese. I want to say it was called Spaghetti Viennese, but I don't really remember. Whenever I was anywhere close by, though, that's what I wanted to have.
You should post your recipe.
There was a place near NC State years ago that made a killer dish of spaghetti smothered in melted cheese. I want to say it was called Spaghetti Viennese, but I don't really remember. Whenever I was anywhere close by, though, that's what I wanted to have.