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1.) DParker - 02/06/2019
...turn the lights off on my way out?
2.) Triton Rich - 02/06/2019
[B]It certainly has gotten quiet ever since the hunting seasons ended. Hopefully, it'll pick up again once the outdoor 3D seasons get under way. I am having a heated discussion on facebook right now about the heavy/light arrow thing (I'm a light fast guy). Boy does that bring back memories......[/B]
3.) Jon - 02/06/2019
Yes, the old KE discussion that has never been solved! Good luck with that, as bad as trying to get a liberal to make sense.
4.) luv2bowhunt - 02/06/2019
I miss all the old arguments, like WB and baiting. They were good times.
5.) DParker - 02/06/2019
[QUOTE=Jon;57711]Yes, the old KE discussion that has never been solved![/QUOTE]
KE doesn't matter with arrows. Only momentum does.
Dammit...now what will we talk about?
[QUOTE=luv2bowhunt;57713]I miss all the old arguments[/QUOTE]
No you don't!
KE doesn't matter with arrows. Only momentum does.
Dammit...now what will we talk about?
[QUOTE=luv2bowhunt;57713]I miss all the old arguments[/QUOTE]
No you don't!
6.) Swamp Fox - 02/06/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;57715]
No you don't![/QUOTE]
+2 .. LOL
No you don't![/QUOTE]
+2 .. LOL
7.) Swamp Fox - 02/06/2019
Before I saw this post, I was already thinking how I missed Crookedeye's input, particularly around Christmas.
I was really looking forward to his bi-annual post about "Who was that angel who sang so sweet?" where he pretends to not know, even though he's the tambourine player in an Ann-Margret tribute band on the verge of landing a Christmas album contract himself.
The good news is that Mardi Gras and St. Paddy's Day are cheek-and-jowl this year, so it's likely that things will crank up shortly. :wink:grin::wink
I was really looking forward to his bi-annual post about "Who was that angel who sang so sweet?" where he pretends to not know, even though he's the tambourine player in an Ann-Margret tribute band on the verge of landing a Christmas album contract himself.
The good news is that Mardi Gras and St. Paddy's Day are cheek-and-jowl this year, so it's likely that things will crank up shortly. :wink:grin::wink
8.) DParker - 02/06/2019
Crawfish and cabbage for the house!
9.) Swamp Fox - 02/06/2019
It has interesting possibilities. :beer:
10.) luv2bowhunt - 02/07/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;57717]Before I saw this post, I was already thinking how I missed Crookedeye's input,[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure that is humanly possible. There would have to be some substance to be considered legitimate 'input'.:-)
I'm not sure that is humanly possible. There would have to be some substance to be considered legitimate 'input'.:-)
11.) Swamp Fox - 02/07/2019
LOL ... No, it's true. He's always good for a giggle.
I hope I didn't hurt his feelings when I accused him of throwing out his Christmas trees too soon.
You have to walk around on eggshells with some people ...
LOL
I hope I didn't hurt his feelings when I accused him of throwing out his Christmas trees too soon.
You have to walk around on eggshells with some people ...
LOL
12.) DParker - 02/08/2019
Hush, you two. Buddy Guy's performing on Austin City Limits right now, and that man has fifty shades of blue.
13.) DParker - 02/08/2019
82 years old, and he's playin' guitar, singin' his ass off and walking/working the audience. Pretty spry old guy.
14.) Swamp Fox - 02/08/2019
Have seen him a few times but not in a good while. :tu:
(Dumb move to take an established outdoor blues festival and move it inside, by the way. People quit going. Just sayin'.)
(Dumb move to take an established outdoor blues festival and move it inside, by the way. People quit going. Just sayin'.)
15.) luv2bowhunt - 02/08/2019
I still miss Stevie Ray.
On a similar unrelated note, I'm pretty sure I saw CrOoKEdeYe in black face on here years ago. Just sayin'.
On a similar unrelated note, I'm pretty sure I saw CrOoKEdeYe in black face on here years ago. Just sayin'.
16.) bluecat - 02/09/2019
+3 lol
17.) Swamp Fox - 02/09/2019
Yes ... LOL ...
"Most Likely To Have Worn Blackface" is one of the new Retroactive Outrage Yearbook categories, where social justice warriors with nothing better to do go back 30-50 years to see what you were up to in your salad days.
(Your dumb stuff goes viral; their dumb stuff doesn't seem to come up. -- Weird. :cf:)
Retroactive Yearbooks available on Amazon and through social media blue-checks, after Jeff Bezos scrubs his entire digital history ...
(Oops. Wait. Too late.)
[I wrote everything up to "oops" this morning. Delayed posting it until I had some time to consider. Now look what happened. LOL]
Luv2, you should stick around. It's evident that you have potential as a potential contributor.
"Most Likely To Have Worn Blackface" is one of the new Retroactive Outrage Yearbook categories, where social justice warriors with nothing better to do go back 30-50 years to see what you were up to in your salad days.
(Your dumb stuff goes viral; their dumb stuff doesn't seem to come up. -- Weird. :cf:)
Retroactive Yearbooks available on Amazon and through social media blue-checks, after Jeff Bezos scrubs his entire digital history ...
(Oops. Wait. Too late.)
[I wrote everything up to "oops" this morning. Delayed posting it until I had some time to consider. Now look what happened. LOL]
Luv2, you should stick around. It's evident that you have potential as a potential contributor.
18.) crookedeye - 02/09/2019
i bought a new pair of bibs from Nomand...i figured if the drury brothers wore them.. then i figure i'll be as sucessful not only in hunting, but as a person..thank god for the drury's..
19.) crookedeye - 02/10/2019
....
20.) DParker - 02/10/2019
[QUOTE=luv2bowhunt;57738]I still miss Stevie Ray.[/QUOTE]
Get both!
[video=youtube;pV2pyWoTXs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2pyWoTXs4[/video]
Get both!
[video=youtube;pV2pyWoTXs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2pyWoTXs4[/video]
21.) DParker - 02/10/2019
When Florida man needs to sweep Florida woman off her feet...
[URL="https://www.wfla.com/news/viral-news/waffle-house-offering-romantic-valentine-s-day-date-night/1769942729"]Waffle House offering romantic Valentine's Day date night[/URL]
[URL="https://www.wfla.com/news/viral-news/waffle-house-offering-romantic-valentine-s-day-date-night/1769942729"]Waffle House offering romantic Valentine's Day date night[/URL]
22.) Swamp Fox - 02/11/2019
If I had some advice for young women that they'd listen to anymore , it would be to avoid guys driving conversion vans with shovels in the back who invite them to go to the Waffle House for some "Scattered, smothered and covered."
23.) bluecat - 02/11/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;57744]Get both!
[video=youtube;pV2pyWoTXs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2pyWoTXs4[/video][/QUOTE]
+5 lol
[video=youtube;pV2pyWoTXs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2pyWoTXs4[/video][/QUOTE]
+5 lol
24.) Bob Peck - 02/12/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;57744]Get both!
[video=youtube;pV2pyWoTXs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2pyWoTXs4[/video][/QUOTE]
Sheeee-it! Love both of them and never saw this vid. Thanks for sharing!
[video=youtube;pV2pyWoTXs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2pyWoTXs4[/video][/QUOTE]
Sheeee-it! Love both of them and never saw this vid. Thanks for sharing!
25.) Swamp Fox - 02/12/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;57745]When Florida man needs to sweep Florida woman off her feet...
[URL="https://www.wfla.com/news/viral-news/waffle-house-offering-romantic-valentine-s-day-date-night/1769942729"]Waffle House offering romantic Valentine's Day date night[/URL][/QUOTE]
Florida Responds:
[B][SIZE=2]"Questions Abound Regarding Texans Smoking Dope In Abandoned Houses And Finding Tigers" [/SIZE][/B]
[URL="https://www.wfla.com/news/viral-news/waffle-house-offering-romantic-valentine-s-day-date-night/1769942729"]Waffle House offering romantic Valentine's Day date night[/URL][/QUOTE]
Florida Responds:
[B][SIZE=2]"Questions Abound Regarding Texans Smoking Dope In Abandoned Houses And Finding Tigers" [/SIZE][/B]
UPDATE: Man smoking pot finds tiger in abandoned house, says he thought he was hallucinating, according to police https://t.co/Qm7RW8ScEG #kprc2 #HouNews #SometimesHeadlinesWriteThemselves pic.twitter.com/0e8fBgM78h
— KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) February 12, 2019
26.) DParker - 02/12/2019
Yeah, we have an ongoing problem here with big cats setting up meth labs in abandoned properties.
27.) DParker - 02/18/2019
Man, I wish I had this kind of time on my hands.
Now they want to wait for facts? pic.twitter.com/pnA4gF9tNu
— Cris (@ThePatriot006) February 18, 2019
28.) bluecat - 02/19/2019
Oh, that was good.
29.) Swamp Fox - 02/20/2019
I see your time on your hands, and raise you the devil's workshop:
[LOL]
[LOL]
— Sal the Agorist (@SallyMayweather) February 19, 2019
30.) DParker - 02/20/2019
If [I]The Simpsons[/I] hadn't already gone to Hell in a handbasket years ago I'd be pretty upset about you having ruined it for me forever. And I don't think Tabasco is up to the task. I'm going to need something Ghost Pepper-based....or napalm.
31.) bluecat - 02/20/2019
Why don't you ask victim-boy what the bleach felt like?
32.) DParker - 02/20/2019
He doesn't look like he's in the mood for questions right now.
33.) bluecat - 02/21/2019
Just heard on the news that Chicago Police Department had 24 detectives on this case while there were 106 shootings and 30 homicides in the area.
You can thank our news media for some of that - high profile fake news at its best.
You can thank our news media for some of that - high profile fake news at its best.
34.) bluecat - 02/21/2019
Is that Jussie's girl?
35.) DParker - 02/21/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;57764]Is that Jussie's girl?[/QUOTE]
I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I don't wish that I had her.
I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I don't wish that I had her.
36.) DParker - 02/21/2019
LOL! Smollett's indictment by a grand jury was announced last night, and pretty much everyone who cared knew about it by around 8pm EST. But in a crack bit of journalistic work, [I]CBS This Morning[/I] published a story this morning...over 13 hours after the indictment had been announced...claiming that:
[QUOTE]...a last-minute phone call may have saved "Empire" star Jussie Smollett from potentially being indicted...[/QUOTE]
[URL="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/"]https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/[/URL]
Nice work.
[QUOTE]...a last-minute phone call may have saved "Empire" star Jussie Smollett from potentially being indicted...[/QUOTE]
[URL="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/"]https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/[/URL]
Nice work.
37.) bluecat - 02/21/2019
What are the chances Jussie is locked up with his attacker?
38.) bluecat - 02/21/2019
It's nice to see that a true journalist like Don Lemon still says that Jussie was a victim in all of this.
39.) DParker - 02/21/2019
Doh! It looks like Jussie is seriously hosed (and not in a way that he'd like). As expected, CPD got his cellular call and text records (along with a bunch of other solid evidence), which not only corroborate what the Nigerian brothers told them, but also contain details on Smollett recruiting them for the hoax...as well as....wait for it...past dealings in which one of them supplied him with ecstasy and other designer drugs.
Here is what Cook County prosecutors read in court just now - allegations against #JussieSmollett pic.twitter.com/QkVYoyqnDA
— Megan Crepeau (@crepeau) February 21, 2019
40.) bluecat - 02/22/2019
If they find evidence of the letter he mailed to himself he's gonna catch some more felony charges too.
41.) DParker - 02/22/2019
And I think that's likely going to be a much bigger problem for him. My guess is that he'll cop a plea with Chicago and get a relative slap on the wrist, at least compared to what he could and should get. But if the feds make a case on a a hoax terrorism threat through the mail, that will be a much harder thing to skate on. The USPS doesn't play.
42.) DParker - 02/22/2019
LOL! So not only did he leave a trail of easily traceable breadcrumbs by using his phone to text the brothers when recruiting them, he paid them for their part in the hoax....wait for it....with a check!
Stop it....I'm gonna' pee! Oh, man...my sides are aching.
Stop it....I'm gonna' pee! Oh, man...my sides are aching.
43.) Triton Rich - 02/22/2019
[B]I just saw the statement from his attorney. Apparently, he's a model citizen and totally innocent. :-)[/B]
44.) DParker - 02/22/2019
And a genius.
45.) Swamp Fox - 02/23/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;57770]LOL! Smollett's indictment by a grand jury was announced last night, and pretty much everyone who cared knew about it by around 8pm EST. But in a crack bit of journalistic work, [I]CBS This Morning[/I] published a story this morning...over 13 hours after the indictment had been announced...claiming that:
[URL="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/"]https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/[/URL]
Nice work.[/QUOTE]
That's called a "scoof." (TM) As opposed to a "scoop" where you get a story prior to anyone else, a scoof is when a "journalist" gets a story totally F-ing wrong.
Once again I ask, "Where have all the editors gone?"
Maybe they are all learning to code.
[URL="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/"]https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-empire-nigerian-brothers-testimony-hail-may-call/[/URL]
Nice work.[/QUOTE]
That's called a "scoof." (TM) As opposed to a "scoop" where you get a story prior to anyone else, a scoof is when a "journalist" gets a story totally F-ing wrong.
Once again I ask, "Where have all the editors gone?"
Maybe they are all learning to code.
46.) Swamp Fox - 02/23/2019
.....
47.) Swamp Fox - 02/23/2019
Context:
[url]https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2019/01/27/no-work-lefty-journalists-learn-code-not-secret-alt-right-phrase/[/url]
[url]https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2019/01/27/no-work-lefty-journalists-learn-code-not-secret-alt-right-phrase/[/url]
48.) crookedeye - 02/23/2019
racist are usually the ones who call others a racist..
49.) DParker - 02/25/2019
[B][I]Definitely[/I][/B] not safe for work, but...funny.
[video=youtube;hS4PkrZGID0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS4PkrZGID0[/video]
[video=youtube;hS4PkrZGID0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS4PkrZGID0[/video]
50.) Triton Rich - 02/26/2019
[B]That's awesome :grin:[/B]
51.) DParker - 02/27/2019
3/4 lb chicken-fried smoked brisket smothered in burnt end gravy and sitting on a bed of mashed potatoes. Oh, and...beer.
'Murica.
'Murica.
52.) bluecat - 02/27/2019
Oh no you didn't.
53.) DParker - 02/27/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;57817]Oh no you didn't.[/QUOTE]
It's quite liberating when you think to yourself, "I just ate a deep-fried chunk of beef fat...and that's OK."
It's quite liberating when you think to yourself, "I just ate a deep-fried chunk of beef fat...and that's OK."
54.) bluecat - 02/28/2019
There were a lot of brave soldiers that took that hill and planted those colors. It's the least I can do.
55.) Swamp Fox - 03/01/2019
I picture diners dying to do *something* after a meal like that ... And the American flag seems a little too civilized here.
I suggest a version of the Jolly Roger or ... Maybe some currently unfashionable flags which I will leave up to your imaginations ...
I suggest a version of the Jolly Roger or ... Maybe some currently unfashionable flags which I will leave up to your imaginations ...
56.) DParker - 03/01/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;57820]I picture diners dying to do *something* after a meal like that ...[/QUOTE]
I know I was. So I walked to the bar and ordered another beer. Itch scratched.
I know I was. So I walked to the bar and ordered another beer. Itch scratched.
57.) Swamp Fox - 03/01/2019
So I see you are avoiding the question of later ...
[url]https://dallas-tx.mrrooter-usa.com/?msclkid=b1aa67a2c4351b7239d33bda6992223e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search%20(DALLAS)%20-%20%5BDallas%20County%5D&utm_term=roto-rooter&utm_content=POACH[/url]
[url]https://dallas-tx.mrrooter-usa.com/?msclkid=b1aa67a2c4351b7239d33bda6992223e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search%20(DALLAS)%20-%20%5BDallas%20County%5D&utm_term=roto-rooter&utm_content=POACH[/url]
58.) Swamp Fox - 03/02/2019
If Silent Sam ate a meal like that, things wouldn't be so quiet around here in the men's room area is what I'm sayin' .....
59.) Swamp Fox - 03/02/2019
Also, therefore his determination of who are the virgins would not be reliable...
60.) Swamp Fox - 03/02/2019
.....
61.) crookedeye - 03/03/2019
i bet floyd wishes he had hair like that...
62.) crookedeye - 03/03/2019
.....
63.) Swamp Fox - 03/06/2019
LOL ...
64.) Swamp Fox - 03/09/2019
[QUOTE=crookedeye;57838]i bet floyd wishes he had hair like that...[/QUOTE]
I bet Floyd wishes he had your home address ... LOL
I bet Floyd wishes he had your home address ... LOL
65.) DParker - 03/17/2019
Alexa reminds me that it's time to take the pork shoulder out of the sous vide bath and put it in the smoker. Either that or she's hitting on me....cheeky monkey.
66.) Swamp Fox - 03/17/2019
"Alexa, don't stop!"
I think you've taken this AI thing too far ...
I think you've taken this AI thing too far ...
67.) DParker - 03/22/2019
You'll be singing a different tune when the machines take over and I'm spared a life of slavery in the copper mines because one of our overlords is sweet on me. But, in the meantime...
The one constant at breakfast in Ireland at the B&B we stayed at...apart from everything being delicious...was the fresh-baked brown soda bread (aka simply "brown bread") that our hostess put on the table every morning. I grew quite fond of it, as well as the full Irish breakfast, and have been craving some ever since we came back. Since our local eateries have thus far ignored my pleas to begin serving fresh-baked brown bread I resolved to make my own. Working 4 day weeks leaves me with most Fridays to putter around the house by myself when I don't have chores that need tending to, so I used this morning to scratch this particular gustatory itch. Although brown bread is like Ireland's version of gumbo in that if you ask 50 different little old Irish ladies how to make it, you'll get 100 slightly different answers. Plus, there's nearly endless possibilities for tweaks and texture/flavor enhancing add-ons.
But at it's most basic it's ridiculously simple, consisting of coarse wholemeal (that's "whole wheat" in Yank-speak) flour, some all-purpose flour (or not...that's one of the variants), baking soda, buttermilk, salt, butter (or oil) and maybe an egg or two. There's no kneading or proofing, as it's a no-yeast bread that uses the carbon dioxide produced by the combination of baking soda and the acidic buttermilk as a rising agent. Everything just gets mixed together in a bowl which, depending on your flour-to-liquid ratios, produced either a very loose and wet dough that's poured into a loaf pan, or a tighter, drier one that is formed into a circular blob on a baking sheet. I went with a 2:1 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flours, went with olive oil instead of butter, opted to use an egg, added a little wheat germ for extra fiber and texture and, since I didn't have any buttermilk on hand, mixed some yogurt (also homemade) into some milk to produce the same effect. I also added 1 Tbsp of honey. The amounts of stuff I used resulted in a dough that was nearer the wet-and-loose end of the spectrum, so I went the loaf pan route.
Extra coarse whole wheat flour proved a challenge to find locally, so for added authenticity I had Jeff Bezos send me a bag of actual Irish wholemeal (delivered in 1 day....living near 2 Amazon fulfillment centers rocks):
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/97sjNux.jpg[/url])
It went into a 400°F oven for 45 minutes and then spent another 30 minutes cooling on a rack. This was the result:
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/iDkbgXS.jpg[/url])
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/P7Fq7Ym.jpg[/url])
Slathered in some Kerrygold butter it's pretty much exactly as I remember it. I lightly toasted a couple slices and substituted them for the whole wheat toast that usually accompanies my weekend bacon-and-eggs. The result was not a full Irish breakfast (more like a half-assed one), but it's a start. Next, I think I'll try making some Irish bacon, which is cured and smoked pork loin rather than belly. Beans, tomatoes and mushrooms will be easy, but the black and white puddings might prove to be a challenge. Oh well, one step at a time.
The one constant at breakfast in Ireland at the B&B we stayed at...apart from everything being delicious...was the fresh-baked brown soda bread (aka simply "brown bread") that our hostess put on the table every morning. I grew quite fond of it, as well as the full Irish breakfast, and have been craving some ever since we came back. Since our local eateries have thus far ignored my pleas to begin serving fresh-baked brown bread I resolved to make my own. Working 4 day weeks leaves me with most Fridays to putter around the house by myself when I don't have chores that need tending to, so I used this morning to scratch this particular gustatory itch. Although brown bread is like Ireland's version of gumbo in that if you ask 50 different little old Irish ladies how to make it, you'll get 100 slightly different answers. Plus, there's nearly endless possibilities for tweaks and texture/flavor enhancing add-ons.
But at it's most basic it's ridiculously simple, consisting of coarse wholemeal (that's "whole wheat" in Yank-speak) flour, some all-purpose flour (or not...that's one of the variants), baking soda, buttermilk, salt, butter (or oil) and maybe an egg or two. There's no kneading or proofing, as it's a no-yeast bread that uses the carbon dioxide produced by the combination of baking soda and the acidic buttermilk as a rising agent. Everything just gets mixed together in a bowl which, depending on your flour-to-liquid ratios, produced either a very loose and wet dough that's poured into a loaf pan, or a tighter, drier one that is formed into a circular blob on a baking sheet. I went with a 2:1 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flours, went with olive oil instead of butter, opted to use an egg, added a little wheat germ for extra fiber and texture and, since I didn't have any buttermilk on hand, mixed some yogurt (also homemade) into some milk to produce the same effect. I also added 1 Tbsp of honey. The amounts of stuff I used resulted in a dough that was nearer the wet-and-loose end of the spectrum, so I went the loaf pan route.
Extra coarse whole wheat flour proved a challenge to find locally, so for added authenticity I had Jeff Bezos send me a bag of actual Irish wholemeal (delivered in 1 day....living near 2 Amazon fulfillment centers rocks):
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/97sjNux.jpg[/url])
It went into a 400°F oven for 45 minutes and then spent another 30 minutes cooling on a rack. This was the result:
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/iDkbgXS.jpg[/url])
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/P7Fq7Ym.jpg[/url])
Slathered in some Kerrygold butter it's pretty much exactly as I remember it. I lightly toasted a couple slices and substituted them for the whole wheat toast that usually accompanies my weekend bacon-and-eggs. The result was not a full Irish breakfast (more like a half-assed one), but it's a start. Next, I think I'll try making some Irish bacon, which is cured and smoked pork loin rather than belly. Beans, tomatoes and mushrooms will be easy, but the black and white puddings might prove to be a challenge. Oh well, one step at a time.
68.) DParker - 03/22/2019
Oh, and I'd almost forgotten that it was also time to take the copa (the so-called "money muscle" cut from a pork shoulder) out of the fridge where it's been curing in a mix of cure #1, herbs and spices for the past 2 weeks, give it a good coating of smoked paprika...
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/Urrq0kL.jpg[/url])
...and seal it in an "Umai Dry" bag ([url]https://umaidry.com/[/url]) so it can go back into the fridge for 1-2 months to dry cure into capicola (aka "capocollo", "coppa", "gabagool", et al). Hopefully it will turn out something like this...
Cue Carly Simon's [I]Anticipation[/I].
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/Urrq0kL.jpg[/url])
...and seal it in an "Umai Dry" bag ([url]https://umaidry.com/[/url]) so it can go back into the fridge for 1-2 months to dry cure into capicola (aka "capocollo", "coppa", "gabagool", et al). Hopefully it will turn out something like this...
Cue Carly Simon's [I]Anticipation[/I].
69.) Swamp Fox - 03/22/2019
You keep this up and some lonely 300-lb Irish bartender named Pat, who's working without papers at an "Irish pub" in Dallas or Houston, will soon be after your lucky charms ...
70.) Swamp Fox - 03/22/2019
,,,,,
71.) DParker - 03/23/2019
Well, to be fair, they [i]are[/i] magically delicious.
72.) DParker - 04/25/2019
It occurs to me that I neglected to post about the other...and more interesting...meat-aging project I have going in the fridge. A month ago I had a hankering to make some Irish Stew in the pressure cooker. So I wandered into the Costco by my office to see if they had any lamb shanks. They were fresh out, so I had to make do with a boneless lamb leg instead (which turned out excellent anyway). But on the way out of the meat section I spotted some whole vac-packed USDA Prime ribeye subprimals going for a very reasonable $10.69/lb. I've long been wanting to try my hand at doing my own dry-aged steaks at home, which is best done using a whole subprimal rather than individual steaks so as to significantly reduce waste. The process produces a hard "rind" on the surface that is generally trimmed off, and a whole subprimal exposes a lot less surface area than one that's been cut into individual steaks...so less waste. This seemed like an ideal opportunity to give dry aging a whirl, so I grabbed one of the smaller packages and headed for the check-out lines:
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/SxtWPcp.jpg[/url])
Yeah, that's a lot of money for a hunk of cow. But I can freeze the steaks once the meat is done aging and eat them over the course of the next 1-2 years (though I doubt they'll last anywhere close to that long). And individually-cut Prime ribeyes...when you can find them...generally go for anywhere from $18-$24/lb around here, so this really isn't a bad expenditure at all. Of course my per-lb cost will go up significantly once the weight reductions due to moisture loss and trimming are taken into account. Everything I read leads me to expect a final total weight loss in the neighborhood of 30%-33%. So the worst case is that I'll end up with about 11.5 lbs of finished product, for a per-lb cost of just over $16/lb. That sounds high at first, but bear in mind that's for dry-aged Prime ribeye...which goes for obscene prices at high-end steakhouses...and it's still below the retail cost of even non-dry-aged individual Prime ribeye steaks. So still a good deal, IMHO.
There are multiple methods for dry aging beef, most involving expensive equipment, as well as elaborate and space-consuming setups to control temperature and humidity, as well as ensure food-safety. But for the home kitchen, which tends to lack such facilities, there are large dry-aging bags made by the same company ([I]Umai Dry[/I]) that makes the bag I'm using for my Capicola project (which still has about another month left to go before it's ready). These bags cling to the surface of the meat and form a semi-permeable membrane that allows moisture to escape, while keeping bacteria and other nastiness off the pricey meat. It also prevents the transfer of odors in/out, which is a plus when it's sitting in your fridge for 30 days...or possibly longer. Here's the whole shebang bagged up and ready to begin it's journey to beefy Nirvana:
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/EsaM3kY.jpg[/url])
It's been sitting on a rack on the bottom shelf of the fridge for 26 days now, and has already lost just a hair under 20% of its original weight due to shedding of moisture, and exhibits a pronounced darkening of the surface color (I'll try to snap a pic of what it looks like now when I get home tonight). My original plan was to shoot for 45 days of aging, but I'm not certain I have the discipline to wait that long. And some further reading I've done since then suggests that I might want to start with a 28 or 30-day age for my first project, see how I and the wife like it, then maybe shoot for something longer (for even more intense flavors) after I finish this one. We'll see if I can make it through the weekend.
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/SxtWPcp.jpg[/url])Yeah, that's a lot of money for a hunk of cow. But I can freeze the steaks once the meat is done aging and eat them over the course of the next 1-2 years (though I doubt they'll last anywhere close to that long). And individually-cut Prime ribeyes...when you can find them...generally go for anywhere from $18-$24/lb around here, so this really isn't a bad expenditure at all. Of course my per-lb cost will go up significantly once the weight reductions due to moisture loss and trimming are taken into account. Everything I read leads me to expect a final total weight loss in the neighborhood of 30%-33%. So the worst case is that I'll end up with about 11.5 lbs of finished product, for a per-lb cost of just over $16/lb. That sounds high at first, but bear in mind that's for dry-aged Prime ribeye...which goes for obscene prices at high-end steakhouses...and it's still below the retail cost of even non-dry-aged individual Prime ribeye steaks. So still a good deal, IMHO.
There are multiple methods for dry aging beef, most involving expensive equipment, as well as elaborate and space-consuming setups to control temperature and humidity, as well as ensure food-safety. But for the home kitchen, which tends to lack such facilities, there are large dry-aging bags made by the same company ([I]Umai Dry[/I]) that makes the bag I'm using for my Capicola project (which still has about another month left to go before it's ready). These bags cling to the surface of the meat and form a semi-permeable membrane that allows moisture to escape, while keeping bacteria and other nastiness off the pricey meat. It also prevents the transfer of odors in/out, which is a plus when it's sitting in your fridge for 30 days...or possibly longer. Here's the whole shebang bagged up and ready to begin it's journey to beefy Nirvana:
(Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/EsaM3kY.jpg[/url])It's been sitting on a rack on the bottom shelf of the fridge for 26 days now, and has already lost just a hair under 20% of its original weight due to shedding of moisture, and exhibits a pronounced darkening of the surface color (I'll try to snap a pic of what it looks like now when I get home tonight). My original plan was to shoot for 45 days of aging, but I'm not certain I have the discipline to wait that long. And some further reading I've done since then suggests that I might want to start with a 28 or 30-day age for my first project, see how I and the wife like it, then maybe shoot for something longer (for even more intense flavors) after I finish this one. We'll see if I can make it through the weekend.
73.) DParker - 04/25/2019
Oh, and...nothing says Easter like big pots full of boiling crustaceans....
Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/IBmut4I.jpg[/url])
Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/IBmut4I.jpg[/url])
74.) bluecat - 04/25/2019
Are you an Easter worshipper? Just had to ask...lol.
75.) bluecat - 04/25/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;57949]You'll be singing a different tune when the machines take over and I'm spared a life of slavery in the copper mines because one of our overlords is sweet on me. But, in the meantime...
The one constant at breakfast in Ireland at the B&B we stayed at...apart from everything being delicious...was the fresh-baked brown soda bread (aka simply "brown bread") that our hostess put on the table every morning. I grew quite fond of it, as well as the full Irish breakfast, and have been craving some ever since we came back. Since our local eateries have thus far ignored my pleas to begin serving fresh-baked brown bread I resolved to make my own. Working 4 day weeks leaves me with most Fridays to putter around the house by myself when I don't have chores that need tending to, so I used this morning to scratch this particular gustatory itch. Although brown bread is like Ireland's version of gumbo in that if you ask 50 different little old Irish ladies how to make it, you'll get 100 slightly different answers. Plus, there's nearly endless possibilities for tweaks and texture/flavor enhancing add-ons.
But at it's most basic it's ridiculously simple, consisting of coarse wholemeal (that's "whole wheat" in Yank-speak) flour, some all-purpose flour (or not...that's one of the variants), baking soda, buttermilk, salt, butter (or oil) and maybe an egg or two. There's no kneading or proofing, as it's a no-yeast bread that uses the carbon dioxide produced by the combination of baking soda and the acidic buttermilk as a rising agent. Everything just gets mixed together in a bowl which, depending on your flour-to-liquid ratios, produced either a very loose and wet dough that's poured into a loaf pan, or a tighter, drier one that is formed into a circular blob on a baking sheet. I went with a 2:1 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flours, went with olive oil instead of butter, opted to use an egg, added a little wheat germ for extra fiber and texture and, since I didn't have any buttermilk on hand, mixed some yogurt (also homemade) into some milk to produce the same effect. I also added 1 Tbsp of honey. The amounts of stuff I used resulted in a dough that was nearer the wet-and-loose end of the spectrum, so I went the loaf pan route.
Extra coarse whole wheat flour proved a challenge to find locally, so for added authenticity I had Jeff Bezos send me a bag of actual Irish wholemeal (delivered in 1 day....living near 2 Amazon fulfillment centers rocks):
It went into a 400°F oven for 45 minutes and then spent another 30 minutes cooling on a rack. This was the result:
Slathered in some Kerrygold butter it's pretty much exactly as I remember it. I lightly toasted a couple slices and substituted them for the whole wheat toast that usually accompanies my weekend bacon-and-eggs. The result was not a full Irish breakfast (more like a half-assed one), but it's a start. Next, I think I'll try making some Irish bacon, which is cured and smoked pork loin rather than belly. Beans, tomatoes and mushrooms will be easy, but the black and white puddings might prove to be a challenge. Oh well, one step at a time.[/QUOTE]
Dang, somehow I missed all this.
The one constant at breakfast in Ireland at the B&B we stayed at...apart from everything being delicious...was the fresh-baked brown soda bread (aka simply "brown bread") that our hostess put on the table every morning. I grew quite fond of it, as well as the full Irish breakfast, and have been craving some ever since we came back. Since our local eateries have thus far ignored my pleas to begin serving fresh-baked brown bread I resolved to make my own. Working 4 day weeks leaves me with most Fridays to putter around the house by myself when I don't have chores that need tending to, so I used this morning to scratch this particular gustatory itch. Although brown bread is like Ireland's version of gumbo in that if you ask 50 different little old Irish ladies how to make it, you'll get 100 slightly different answers. Plus, there's nearly endless possibilities for tweaks and texture/flavor enhancing add-ons.
But at it's most basic it's ridiculously simple, consisting of coarse wholemeal (that's "whole wheat" in Yank-speak) flour, some all-purpose flour (or not...that's one of the variants), baking soda, buttermilk, salt, butter (or oil) and maybe an egg or two. There's no kneading or proofing, as it's a no-yeast bread that uses the carbon dioxide produced by the combination of baking soda and the acidic buttermilk as a rising agent. Everything just gets mixed together in a bowl which, depending on your flour-to-liquid ratios, produced either a very loose and wet dough that's poured into a loaf pan, or a tighter, drier one that is formed into a circular blob on a baking sheet. I went with a 2:1 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flours, went with olive oil instead of butter, opted to use an egg, added a little wheat germ for extra fiber and texture and, since I didn't have any buttermilk on hand, mixed some yogurt (also homemade) into some milk to produce the same effect. I also added 1 Tbsp of honey. The amounts of stuff I used resulted in a dough that was nearer the wet-and-loose end of the spectrum, so I went the loaf pan route.
Extra coarse whole wheat flour proved a challenge to find locally, so for added authenticity I had Jeff Bezos send me a bag of actual Irish wholemeal (delivered in 1 day....living near 2 Amazon fulfillment centers rocks):
It went into a 400°F oven for 45 minutes and then spent another 30 minutes cooling on a rack. This was the result:
Slathered in some Kerrygold butter it's pretty much exactly as I remember it. I lightly toasted a couple slices and substituted them for the whole wheat toast that usually accompanies my weekend bacon-and-eggs. The result was not a full Irish breakfast (more like a half-assed one), but it's a start. Next, I think I'll try making some Irish bacon, which is cured and smoked pork loin rather than belly. Beans, tomatoes and mushrooms will be easy, but the black and white puddings might prove to be a challenge. Oh well, one step at a time.[/QUOTE]
Dang, somehow I missed all this.
76.) DParker - 04/26/2019
Sorry all, I keep forgetting to use smaller versions of my pics when I post rather than the full-sized originals. I've gone back and corrected those, with accompanying links to the originals if you want to expand them.
Here's the ribeye on day 27. The glare from the bag makes it difficult to see clearly, but you can see how much darker the surface of the meat is compared with when it first went in.
(Full size: [url]https://i.imgur.com/R1UnWSX.jpg[/url])
Here's the ribeye on day 27. The glare from the bag makes it difficult to see clearly, but you can see how much darker the surface of the meat is compared with when it first went in.
(Full size: [url]https://i.imgur.com/R1UnWSX.jpg[/url])
77.) Swamp Fox - 04/26/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58123]Dang, somehow I missed all this.[/QUOTE]
They say when you first take up tap-dancing, it's easy to let other things in your life slip ... It's how you know you really have a passion for the art, though ...
Stick with it. I'm sure the lessons will pay off. :p
They say when you first take up tap-dancing, it's easy to let other things in your life slip ... It's how you know you really have a passion for the art, though ...
Stick with it. I'm sure the lessons will pay off. :p
78.) Swamp Fox - 04/26/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;58120]Oh, and...nothing says Easter like big pots full of boiling crustaceans....
Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/IBmut4I.jpg[/url])
[/QUOTE]
[B][Note to self: Place ad for sales reps, chocolate crawfish (solid), Easter 2020. Call Nestle.][/B]
Full sized: [url]https://i.imgur.com/IBmut4I.jpg[/url])
[/QUOTE][B][Note to self: Place ad for sales reps, chocolate crawfish (solid), Easter 2020. Call Nestle.][/B]
79.) Swamp Fox - 04/26/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58122]Are you an Easter worshipper? Just had to ask...lol.[/QUOTE]
I see what you did there.
I see what you did there.
80.) bluecat - 04/27/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;58127][B][Note to self: Place ad for sales reps, chocolate crawfish (solid), Easter 2020. Call Nestle.][/B]
[/QUOTE]
+ 10!
[/QUOTE]+ 10!
81.) Swamp Fox - 05/01/2019
You're welcome.
82.) bluecat - 05/01/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;58150]You're welcome.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=DParker;57953]Well, to be fair, they [i]are[/i] magically delicious.[/QUOTE]....
[/QUOTE][QUOTE=DParker;57953]Well, to be fair, they [i]are[/i] magically delicious.[/QUOTE]....
83.) bluecat - 05/01/2019
hammer back?
84.) Triton Rich - 05/02/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58152]hammer back?[/QUOTE]
[B]I could be wrong but I'm not 100% sure that gun safety was the point of the photo :-)[/B]
[B]I could be wrong but I'm not 100% sure that gun safety was the point of the photo :-)[/B]
85.) bluecat - 05/02/2019
I was checking out the boots and saw that hammer. Yeah, that's what I'm going with.
86.) DParker - 05/03/2019
I hereby declare war on Iowa....all of it.
[URL="https://www.thegazette.com/2009/08/14/chili-cookoff-aug-22-at-chrome-horse-saloon?fbclid=IwAR3pQpsUnSv6rZWerp6U7hXXiGC2kMuTZIrotzkYhubr6NaGWvW0hZ90kIA"]Iowa State Championship Chili Cookoff[/URL]
Yeah, it's from 10 year ago. But some offenses have no statute of limitations.
[URL="https://www.thegazette.com/2009/08/14/chili-cookoff-aug-22-at-chrome-horse-saloon?fbclid=IwAR3pQpsUnSv6rZWerp6U7hXXiGC2kMuTZIrotzkYhubr6NaGWvW0hZ90kIA"]Iowa State Championship Chili Cookoff[/URL]
Yeah, it's from 10 year ago. But some offenses have no statute of limitations.
87.) bluecat - 05/03/2019
You know that Iowa stands for "Idiots Out Walking Around" don't you?
88.) DParker - 05/03/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58156]You know that Iowa stands for "Idiots Out Walking Around" don't you?[/QUOTE]
I thought it was, "I Oughtta' Went Around"...or, "Inbreds Out Working Agriculture".
I thought it was, "I Oughtta' Went Around"...or, "Inbreds Out Working Agriculture".
89.) Swamp Fox - 05/04/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;58150]You're welcome.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=bluecat;58152]hammer back?[/QUOTE]
I'm having trouble identifying the firearm, and you've jumped ahead to gun safety?
[/QUOTE][QUOTE=bluecat;58152]hammer back?[/QUOTE]
I'm having trouble identifying the firearm, and you've jumped ahead to gun safety?
90.) DParker - 05/04/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;58158]I'm having trouble identifying the firearm, and you've jumped ahead to gun safety?[/QUOTE]
It's a lever-action rifle. What do I win?
It's a lever-action rifle. What do I win?
91.) Swamp Fox - 05/04/2019
You're no fun ... Wasn't expecting anyone to skip all the way to the end right away, LOL ...
92.) Swamp Fox - 05/04/2019
"That's what she said ...."
93.) Swamp Fox - 05/06/2019
Sex sells ...
Domesticity, though, is a barrier.
Domesticity, though, is a barrier.
���� pic.twitter.com/BmbkcfQ1he
— Nasty Canasta (@nasty_canasta) May 4, 2019
94.) Swamp Fox - 05/06/2019
LOL:
Hey @DSCC, I saw you deleted this tweet so I printed it out and dropped it off at your building so you never forget about it. pic.twitter.com/CkimJk2L1v
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) May 5, 2019
95.) DParker - 05/06/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;58170]LOL:
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I saw a story about them deleting the tweet...but this is the first I've seen about this guy printing it out for them. Pretty funny. :grin:
Hey @DSCC, I saw you deleted this tweet so I printed it out and dropped it off at your building so you never forget about it. pic.twitter.com/CkimJk2L1v
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) May 5, 2019
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I saw a story about them deleting the tweet...but this is the first I've seen about this guy printing it out for them. Pretty funny. :grin:
96.) DParker - 05/07/2019
AOC is both baffled and terrified by the garbage disposal in her D.C. apartment
[URL="https://mobile.twitter.com/hollandcourtney/status/1125660946347712512"]https://mobile.twitter.com/hollandcourtney/status/1125660946347712512[/URL]
[URL="https://mobile.twitter.com/hollandcourtney/status/1125660946347712512"]https://mobile.twitter.com/hollandcourtney/status/1125660946347712512[/URL]
97.) bluecat - 05/07/2019
You mean '[B]o[/B]ccasional [B]c[/B]ortex'?
98.) bluecat - 05/07/2019
LOL!
99.) Swamp Fox - 05/07/2019
I guess you’re not allowed to make fun of democrats anymore. pic.twitter.com/gU1kMg8vo4
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) May 7, 2019
100.) Swamp Fox - 05/07/2019
Must be a slow day in The Revolution ...
101.) DParker - 05/11/2019
Since we're having some of the steaks for Mother's Day tomorrow it's time to open up the bag and make an assessment on day 42 of the dry aging. The final weight is just about exactly 12.5 lbs, which is nearly exactly 5 lbs less than the 17.5 it started out as:
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/jhXqk6T.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/jhXqk6T.jpg[/URL])
That's a ~28.6% weight reduction just from moisture loss. There will be significantly more lost once I trim the leathery outer rind and that big knob of fat from the tip. You can see how deep red the color of the meat is, which I'm hoping will translate into a rich, concentrated beef flavor. I'm also pretty pleased with the marbling. This stuff should eat like meat-flavored butter.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/xSibzkW.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/xSibzkW.jpg[/URL])
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/jhXqk6T.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/jhXqk6T.jpg[/URL])
That's a ~28.6% weight reduction just from moisture loss. There will be significantly more lost once I trim the leathery outer rind and that big knob of fat from the tip. You can see how deep red the color of the meat is, which I'm hoping will translate into a rich, concentrated beef flavor. I'm also pretty pleased with the marbling. This stuff should eat like meat-flavored butter.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/xSibzkW.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/xSibzkW.jpg[/URL])
102.) bluecat - 05/11/2019
Can't wait for this.
p.s. I see you like LEM products.
p.s. I see you like LEM products.
103.) DParker - 05/12/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58204]Can't wait for this.[/QUOTE]
Well, the real tasting isn't until tomorrow, but here's how the unwrapping and portioning went.
First off, we need some meat-cutting music to make the work go a little easier. Alexa and B.B. obliged me.
Properly bluesified, I commenced unwrapping the hunk o' cow and subdividing it into individual steaks. This was when I learned why Costco charges so little per lb for prime ribeye subprimals. The amount of exterior and interior fat is atrocious.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/5sotKd5.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/5sotKd5.jpg[/URL])
After trimming off the hard rind and exterior blobs of fat, this is what was left of the 11 steaks I got out of it (not counting the tiny end piece I cut off to try a sous vide experiment on). As you can see, there's still a large ratio of fat to meat, and that's not even counting the smaller veins of marbling. It'll taste good, but...damn.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/cPK5XhJ.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/cPK5XhJ.jpg[/URL])
This is the 4 lbs of trimmings. It all got bagged up and put into the freezer for later use in adding to ground brisket and other goodies.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/aQgWFya.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/aQgWFya.jpg[/URL])
Final total weight of all the trimmed steaks: 8 lbs., or an average of ~11.6 oz / steak.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/Ba1g2Fs.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/Ba1g2Fs.jpg[/URL])
That's from a subprimal that originally weighed 17.5 lbs. So my original $10.69/lb cost is now $23.33/lb for the finished product. That sounds insane, but compared with what a steak dry aged for this long would cost you in a steakhouse, it's still a pretty good deal, even accounting for the excessive amount of remaining fat. Just the prime ribeye steaks alone, without the aging, would run you $30/lb or more in these parts...and that's from a butcher, not one cooked for you and brought to your table. Add a month and a half of aging in an expensive temperature and humidity controlled facility and that jumps to $50/lb and up, from all the sources I can find.
[QUOTE=bluecat;58204]p.s. I see you like LEM products.[/QUOTE]
My wife got that scale for me at the same time she bought my LEM meat grinder for my birthday several years ago. It think it was a package deal. The grinder is great. The scale is cheap, but it functions well enough.
Well, the real tasting isn't until tomorrow, but here's how the unwrapping and portioning went.
First off, we need some meat-cutting music to make the work go a little easier. Alexa and B.B. obliged me.
Properly bluesified, I commenced unwrapping the hunk o' cow and subdividing it into individual steaks. This was when I learned why Costco charges so little per lb for prime ribeye subprimals. The amount of exterior and interior fat is atrocious.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/5sotKd5.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/5sotKd5.jpg[/URL])
After trimming off the hard rind and exterior blobs of fat, this is what was left of the 11 steaks I got out of it (not counting the tiny end piece I cut off to try a sous vide experiment on). As you can see, there's still a large ratio of fat to meat, and that's not even counting the smaller veins of marbling. It'll taste good, but...damn.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/cPK5XhJ.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/cPK5XhJ.jpg[/URL])
This is the 4 lbs of trimmings. It all got bagged up and put into the freezer for later use in adding to ground brisket and other goodies.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/aQgWFya.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/aQgWFya.jpg[/URL])
Final total weight of all the trimmed steaks: 8 lbs., or an average of ~11.6 oz / steak.
(Full size: [URL="https://i.imgur.com/Ba1g2Fs.jpg"]https://i.imgur.com/Ba1g2Fs.jpg[/URL])
That's from a subprimal that originally weighed 17.5 lbs. So my original $10.69/lb cost is now $23.33/lb for the finished product. That sounds insane, but compared with what a steak dry aged for this long would cost you in a steakhouse, it's still a pretty good deal, even accounting for the excessive amount of remaining fat. Just the prime ribeye steaks alone, without the aging, would run you $30/lb or more in these parts...and that's from a butcher, not one cooked for you and brought to your table. Add a month and a half of aging in an expensive temperature and humidity controlled facility and that jumps to $50/lb and up, from all the sources I can find.
[QUOTE=bluecat;58204]p.s. I see you like LEM products.[/QUOTE]
My wife got that scale for me at the same time she bought my LEM meat grinder for my birthday several years ago. It think it was a package deal. The grinder is great. The scale is cheap, but it functions well enough.
104.) Swamp Fox - 05/12/2019
This new learning amazes me.
Explain again how letting some meat sit around in a cooler trebles the cost to the discriminating consumer ...
:wink
Explain again how letting some meat sit around in a cooler trebles the cost to the discriminating consumer ...
:wink
105.) DParker - 05/13/2019
I'll try to submit some info tomorrow. Right now I'm a pint-and-a-half into a 13.5% ABV vanilla porter and couldn't even hope to do the subject justice.
106.) Swamp Fox - 05/13/2019
LOL ... A true Scotsman would push on through ...
Just sayin' ...
:wink
Just sayin' ...
:wink
107.) DParker - 05/13/2019
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;58214]A true Scotsman would push on through ...[/QUOTE]
True. But a half-Polack, such as myself, would finish drinking and then go to bed. There's a reason we don't have any major inventions to our credit.
Anywho....
Dry aging beef is a somewhat complicated subject in that there are multiple different outcomes one can attempt to achieve, as well as multiple methods...and variations on those methods...one can employ to those ends. In the most general terms, the goal of dry aging is to enhance the meat's flavor as well as to tenderize it. At a minimum, the former is achieved via evaporation of internal water content, leading to a concentration of the existing "beefy" flavor. But depending on the exact aging method used, as well as the amount of time the meat is aged, other flavors may be produced as the result of slow chemical changes that occur within the meat, or even colonization of the surface by certain beneficial molds. These added flavors are often described as "nutty", "reminiscent of blue cheese" or even "funky, but in a good way".
The latter...tenderization...occurs as enzymes within the meat work to slowly break down the connective tissues.
For safety's sake, the home dry ager is generally restricted to the pursuit of basic flavor concentration and some tenderization. As of late, that is most popularly done using a frost-free refrigerator and special bags sold by the [URL="https://umaidry.com/"]Umai Dry[/URL] company. These bags are made from a material that bonds to the surface of the meat and acts as a semipermeable membrane, allowing moisture to escape and air to pass through in both directions, but blocking the introduction of spoilage (and alas, beneficial) microorganisms. Development of the more exotic flavors requires extended periods of time in special...and usually expensive...storage units that are precisely controlled for temperature and humidity, and extra precautions to prevent infection by nasty microscopic critters that would destroy your substantial investment in meat, time, electricity and equipment.
So my goal was just what I could realistically achieve in the home kitchen: Strongly flavored ribeye steaks that are even more tender than they were when they left the store. In this, my first foray into the world of home dry aging, I was successful in the former to the extent I was expecting. In the latter, I was less successful. The final product did indeed have a flavor that I can only describe as tasting like a ribeye, only significantly more intensely so. Sort of like...you take a bite of a normal steak and it says to you, "Hello, please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Mr. Ribeye, and for the duration of your meal I'll be delighting your tastebuds with tender, beefy goodness." But you take a bite of a dry aged steak and it says, "I'M A RIBEYE, M-F-ER, AND I'M GONNA' BE ALL UP IN YOUR TASTEBUDS!!!" (Read that 2nd one in Samuel L. Jackson's voice for the full effect.)
But for whatever reason, none of us found the meat to be noticeably more tender than the ordinary non-dry aged versions we usually have. That's especially disappointing considering that this was a USDA Prime graded cut, and not only was it extremely well marbled, it was actually excessively so. I don't know what went wrong there, as every thing I've read...including actual legit research on the subject...says that the tenderization effect is fully realized within about 30 days or so, and this one went 42 days.
So, was it worth it? If I were to decide that based on just this one attempt I'd have to say, "No". But I'm not prepared to draw such a drastic conclusion just from one less-than-amazing result. When we finish the 5 remaining steaks I'll likely be trying this again...perhaps with a less fatty Choice graded cut rather than Prime. But fridge space is precious, and I have to get another batch of bacon curing first. When that's done...we'll see.
True. But a half-Polack, such as myself, would finish drinking and then go to bed. There's a reason we don't have any major inventions to our credit.
Anywho....
Dry aging beef is a somewhat complicated subject in that there are multiple different outcomes one can attempt to achieve, as well as multiple methods...and variations on those methods...one can employ to those ends. In the most general terms, the goal of dry aging is to enhance the meat's flavor as well as to tenderize it. At a minimum, the former is achieved via evaporation of internal water content, leading to a concentration of the existing "beefy" flavor. But depending on the exact aging method used, as well as the amount of time the meat is aged, other flavors may be produced as the result of slow chemical changes that occur within the meat, or even colonization of the surface by certain beneficial molds. These added flavors are often described as "nutty", "reminiscent of blue cheese" or even "funky, but in a good way".
The latter...tenderization...occurs as enzymes within the meat work to slowly break down the connective tissues.
For safety's sake, the home dry ager is generally restricted to the pursuit of basic flavor concentration and some tenderization. As of late, that is most popularly done using a frost-free refrigerator and special bags sold by the [URL="https://umaidry.com/"]Umai Dry[/URL] company. These bags are made from a material that bonds to the surface of the meat and acts as a semipermeable membrane, allowing moisture to escape and air to pass through in both directions, but blocking the introduction of spoilage (and alas, beneficial) microorganisms. Development of the more exotic flavors requires extended periods of time in special...and usually expensive...storage units that are precisely controlled for temperature and humidity, and extra precautions to prevent infection by nasty microscopic critters that would destroy your substantial investment in meat, time, electricity and equipment.
So my goal was just what I could realistically achieve in the home kitchen: Strongly flavored ribeye steaks that are even more tender than they were when they left the store. In this, my first foray into the world of home dry aging, I was successful in the former to the extent I was expecting. In the latter, I was less successful. The final product did indeed have a flavor that I can only describe as tasting like a ribeye, only significantly more intensely so. Sort of like...you take a bite of a normal steak and it says to you, "Hello, please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Mr. Ribeye, and for the duration of your meal I'll be delighting your tastebuds with tender, beefy goodness." But you take a bite of a dry aged steak and it says, "I'M A RIBEYE, M-F-ER, AND I'M GONNA' BE ALL UP IN YOUR TASTEBUDS!!!" (Read that 2nd one in Samuel L. Jackson's voice for the full effect.)
But for whatever reason, none of us found the meat to be noticeably more tender than the ordinary non-dry aged versions we usually have. That's especially disappointing considering that this was a USDA Prime graded cut, and not only was it extremely well marbled, it was actually excessively so. I don't know what went wrong there, as every thing I've read...including actual legit research on the subject...says that the tenderization effect is fully realized within about 30 days or so, and this one went 42 days.
So, was it worth it? If I were to decide that based on just this one attempt I'd have to say, "No". But I'm not prepared to draw such a drastic conclusion just from one less-than-amazing result. When we finish the 5 remaining steaks I'll likely be trying this again...perhaps with a less fatty Choice graded cut rather than Prime. But fridge space is precious, and I have to get another batch of bacon curing first. When that's done...we'll see.
108.) bluecat - 05/13/2019
Fantastic write up. You certainly do everything to the letter.
109.) Swamp Fox - 05/14/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;58223]True. But a half-Polack, such as myself, would finish drinking and then go to bed. There's a reason we don't have any major inventions to our credit.
[/QUOTE]
Far be it from me to argue .... LOL ... but this is probably not true. Half-Polacks probably invented low-fat turkey kielbasa and fruit-flavored vodka.
:wink
:beer:
[/QUOTE]
Far be it from me to argue .... LOL ... but this is probably not true. Half-Polacks probably invented low-fat turkey kielbasa and fruit-flavored vodka.
:wink
:beer:
110.) bluecat - 05/14/2019
So after all the dry-aging and fussing around, you slathered it with A-1 and called it good?
111.) bluecat - 05/14/2019
This is what DParker's archery target look like.
112.) crookedeye - 05/14/2019
that guy nos his hams and hocks..
113.) DParker - 05/14/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58228]
This is what DParker's archery target look like.[/QUOTE]
That's why nobody invites me to hunt hogs on their ranches.
This is what DParker's archery target look like.[/QUOTE]
That's why nobody invites me to hunt hogs on their ranches.
114.) bluecat - 05/15/2019
I think another reason is the smoking jacket and pipe that creeps them out.
115.) DParker - 05/15/2019
116.) Swamp Fox - 05/15/2019
LOL ...
You should get an Iron Cross neck tattoo and a hog butcher's diagram on your inner forearm. That would be way cooler than the guy at the meat department at my Piggly Wiggly, who only has one of the two.
Since noticing his, I have expanded my short list of people for whom it is acceptable to have tattoos to include butchers.
You should get an Iron Cross neck tattoo and a hog butcher's diagram on your inner forearm. That would be way cooler than the guy at the meat department at my Piggly Wiggly, who only has one of the two.
Since noticing his, I have expanded my short list of people for whom it is acceptable to have tattoos to include butchers.
117.) DParker - 06/03/2019
After 72 days dry curing in the fridge, my capicola has reached it's target level of dehydration and is ready for tasting.
(Full size: [url]https://i.imgur.com/5B1MBuU.jpg[/url])
It's a bit chewier (almost jerky-like) around the perimeter than I expected, but the paprika and other spices (mostly the paprika) combined with the dry aging give it an intense and delicious flavor. I'm thinking this would be great on a homemade pizza. Maybe that's something to try this weekend, if I have the time.
(Full size: [url]https://i.imgur.com/5B1MBuU.jpg[/url])
It's a bit chewier (almost jerky-like) around the perimeter than I expected, but the paprika and other spices (mostly the paprika) combined with the dry aging give it an intense and delicious flavor. I'm thinking this would be great on a homemade pizza. Maybe that's something to try this weekend, if I have the time.
118.) Swamp Fox - 06/04/2019
It's been 72 days... Don't tell us you don't have a couple of hours this weekend ...
:p
:p
119.) DParker - 06/04/2019
That pic is actually from yesterday. I just got around to posting it today.
120.) Swamp Fox - 06/04/2019
LOL ... That sounds like something I would say, give or take a year or two ...
I've got a lot on my plate ...
:groan:
:p
I've got a lot on my plate ...
:groan:
:p
121.) BULLZ-i - 06/04/2019
LIGHTS STILL ON, BUT STILL... NOBODY HOME
122.) BULLZ-i - 06/04/2019
I BET SATELLITES ALL OVER JUST WOKE UP AND MILITARIES ARE SCRAMBLING.
123.) Swamp Fox - 06/04/2019
LOL ...
:wave:
:wave:
124.) Swamp Fox - 06/04/2019
LOL ...
:wave:
:wave:
125.) DParker - 06/04/2019
I wouldn't have believed this sighting if it hadn't been caught on the virtual trail cam.
126.) crookedeye - 06/04/2019
allright bullzi back, tell us some more storys about that time you hooked up youre tree saddle...
127.) Swamp Fox - 06/04/2019
I can't believe I'm gonna say it, but this BZ sighting is bigger news than a Luv2 drive-by ...
Way bigger.
Way bigger.
128.) crookedeye - 06/04/2019
did i ever tell you guys the story when we had that reinactment of the gettysburg battle? i was the guy who rolled the ball into the cannons...
129.) crookedeye - 06/04/2019
i had one of those bar mustaches.
130.) Swamp Fox - 06/04/2019
You didn't have to calculate the trajectory, did you?
131.) DParker - 06/05/2019
Or the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
132.) bluecat - 06/05/2019
[QUOTE=crookedeye;58338]did i ever tell you guys the story when we had that reinactment of the gettysburg battle? i was the guy who rolled the ball into the cannons...[/QUOTE]
Did you lead the surge then retreat and yell "Run Away"?
Did you lead the surge then retreat and yell "Run Away"?
133.) crookedeye - 06/05/2019
numerous times..them blue bellys just kept coming..
134.) bluecat - 06/06/2019
Probably took them out for pizza afterwards and talked about heroic stuff.
135.) crookedeye - 06/06/2019
it was like we were almost there, we handed out a few medals that day. then we all headed down to Joesy's barbeque and ate brisket and ribs. and talk about are heroics that day
136.) crookedeye - 06/06/2019
.....
137.) bluecat - 06/07/2019
That was pretty intense. It wasn't believable when those dogs took off like that though.
138.) bluecat - 06/07/2019
I was watching the History Channel the other night and they said that only 10% of the previous civilizations have been uncovered. I'm not sure how you quantify the unknown. So we know how many unknown civilizations we have yet to uncover? Kind of reminded me of collecting DNA in a stream and comparing it to no known samples of bigfoot biological material to absolutely verify the presence of bigfoot.
These are the things that keep me up at night.
These are the things that keep me up at night.
139.) bluecat - 06/07/2019
[QUOTE=crookedeye;58345]it was like we were almost there, we handed out a few medals that day. then we all headed down to Joesy's barbeque and ate brisket and ribs. and talk about are heroics that day[/QUOTE]
Were there any guys in your re-enactment group that volunteered to have their legs sawed off?
Were there any guys in your re-enactment group that volunteered to have their legs sawed off?
140.) DParker - 06/07/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58349]Were there any guys in your re-enactment group that volunteered to have their legs sawed off?[/QUOTE]
You just don't find that kind of commitment in this country anymore.
You just don't find that kind of commitment in this country anymore.
141.) billy b - 06/08/2019
I beg your pardon, I wish I had pics!!!
142.) Swamp Fox - 06/08/2019
[QUOTE=crookedeye;58338]did i ever tell you guys the story when we had that reinactment of the gettysburg battle? i was the guy who rolled the ball into the cannons...[/QUOTE]
Did I ever tell y'all the story of Luv2's ancestor as he was marching past Stone Mountain with Sherman, on his way to the sea?
:wink
Did I ever tell y'all the story of Luv2's ancestor as he was marching past Stone Mountain with Sherman, on his way to the sea?
:wink
143.) Swamp Fox - 06/08/2019
[QUOTE=crookedeye;58343]numerous times..them blue bellys just kept coming..[/QUOTE]
Gettysburg (East Cavalry Field) was the second place Custer nearly lost his hat (first see Battle of Aldie) ...
Third time's the charm ... :shh::fire:
You should bring your metal detector out here and look for buttons ...
I'll buy you a Virginia "BBQ" sammich ... LOL
Gettysburg (East Cavalry Field) was the second place Custer nearly lost his hat (first see Battle of Aldie) ...
Third time's the charm ... :shh::fire:
You should bring your metal detector out here and look for buttons ...
I'll buy you a Virginia "BBQ" sammich ... LOL
144.) Swamp Fox - 06/08/2019
[QUOTE=crookedeye;58346].....[/QUOTE]
LOL ...
LOL ...
145.) Swamp Fox - 06/08/2019
[QUOTE=bluecat;58348]I was watching the History Channel the other night and they said that only 10% of the previous civilizations have been uncovered. I'm not sure how you quantify the unknown. So we know how many unknown civilizations we have yet to uncover? Kind of reminded me of collecting DNA in a stream and comparing it to no known samples of bigfoot biological material to absolutely verify the presence of bigfoot.
These are the things that keep me up at night.[/QUOTE]
:-)
Doesn't surprise me.
90% of millennials are ignorant of America.
So the math works out.
These are the things that keep me up at night.[/QUOTE]
:-)
Doesn't surprise me.
90% of millennials are ignorant of America.
So the math works out.
146.) Swamp Fox - 06/08/2019
[QUOTE=DParker;58350]You just don't find that kind of commitment in this country anymore.[/QUOTE]
+10
+10
147.) Swamp Fox - 06/08/2019
[QUOTE=billy b;58351]I beg your pardon, I wish I had pics!!![/QUOTE]
:-)
:beer:
:wave:
Billy, you should stop in more often. We miss you around here.
How's tricks?
How's the fur baby?
:-)
:beer:
:wave:
Billy, you should stop in more often. We miss you around here.
How's tricks?
How's the fur baby?
148.) Swamp Fox - 06/15/2019
whoever pulls the knife from the gator's head is the new king of texas https://t.co/F41hYGIXm7
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) June 14, 2019
149.) DParker - 06/15/2019
Your move, Florida.
150.) Swamp Fox - 06/15/2019
LOL ... +4
151.) DParker - 06/22/2019
Breaking: New study shockingly reveals that people still like to eat stuff that's delicious, in spite of incessant fear-mongering.
[URL="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/americans-are-still-eating-lot-processed-meats-study-finds-n1020371?fbclid=IwAR3JG9dHR1Nf5mTGw7bQ9UWRaWEpfBChXgblm6QYGq9nbjn6GyADFHVtB_A"]Americans are still eating a lot of processed meats, study finds[/URL]
[QUOTE]“Education is usually never enough. We need to put warning labels on products or adjust prices,” said Nestle. “If you want to discourage people from eating these things, you need to make it harder to eat them.”[/QUOTE]
We need a "Come and take them" flag with a picture of bacon and sausages.
[URL="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/americans-are-still-eating-lot-processed-meats-study-finds-n1020371?fbclid=IwAR3JG9dHR1Nf5mTGw7bQ9UWRaWEpfBChXgblm6QYGq9nbjn6GyADFHVtB_A"]Americans are still eating a lot of processed meats, study finds[/URL]
[QUOTE]“Education is usually never enough. We need to put warning labels on products or adjust prices,” said Nestle. “If you want to discourage people from eating these things, you need to make it harder to eat them.”[/QUOTE]
We need a "Come and take them" flag with a picture of bacon and sausages.
152.) DParker - 06/22/2019
Speaking of beef jerky...
It's an old expression. It's a tired expression. But it's true. Everything really is bigger in Texas. I'm thinking that we have the only road-side convenience stores you can see just by looking out a window on the International Space Station. I give you the modern wonder of the world that is a Buc-ee's:
I bring this up because they just opened one not too far from my little 'burb, and there's much local excitement about it. Did I say something about beef jerky (and hard sausages)?
We drove through towns in Ireland that were smaller. Oh, and there are 34 of these things in the state so far, with more on the way.
It's an old expression. It's a tired expression. But it's true. Everything really is bigger in Texas. I'm thinking that we have the only road-side convenience stores you can see just by looking out a window on the International Space Station. I give you the modern wonder of the world that is a Buc-ee's:
I bring this up because they just opened one not too far from my little 'burb, and there's much local excitement about it. Did I say something about beef jerky (and hard sausages)?
We drove through towns in Ireland that were smaller. Oh, and there are 34 of these things in the state so far, with more on the way.
153.) bluecat - 06/23/2019
Looks like a small town.