August 26Aug 26 3 minutes ago, Brisketexan said: Only loser commies wash the garlic smell off their hands. Agreed. Unrelated, my sister brought me some of that Onion/Chili seasoning from Trader Joe's last weekend. Solid.
August 26Aug 26 7 minutes ago, dcbc said: Bonus: My hands smell like garlic the next day. Edit: Also, for anyone who hasn't tried to peel garlic, just lay a clove on the cutting board, cut the ends off, lay knife flat over the clove, and hit the flat part of the knife with your palm. Remove peel. Chop/dice garlic. Yep. Hell, I don't even cut the ends off. Just smash with flat end of knife and peel. When my kids still lived with us, they are younger and more nimble, that was one of my sous chef assignments -- "I just smashed 15 cloves of garlic [so, a modest amount for any recipe]....peel it for me." I'd then come back through and chop it up quickly, and into the pan it goes. There are a handful of basic (non spice) ingredients that I never, ever run out of, and get antsy when they are running anywhere close to low: garlic, onion, lemon, lime, olive oil, butter. If I've got those, and my spice cabinet, I can make a meal outta damn near anything. Edited August 26Aug 26 by Brisketexan
August 26Aug 26 6 minutes ago, Brisketexan said: There are a handful of basic (non spice) ingredients that I never, ever run out of, and get antsy when they are running anywhere close to low: garlic, onion, lemon, lime, olive oil, butter. If I've got those, and my spice cabinet, I can make a meal outta damn near anything. Preach. And, with the approach of September, the weekly, extra Kerrygold butter buying in anticipation of not wanting to spend $100 on butter all at once come Thanksgiving, soon will commence. As for the kids' learning good habits, my son just moved into his first apartment in Austin and was gifted a 10" cast iron pan. He made a few seasoning mistakes before he called me for advice, and I walked him through what he needed to do to keep it seasoned and relatively nonstick. I knew if I told him going in, I'd just end up telling him twice. He was calling me in about 2 days and has his first lifer pan. Edited August 26Aug 26 by dcbc
August 26Aug 26 Should smash using a bench scraper not the knife. Can damage the knife or (worse) cut yourself in horrifying ways smashing with a knife. Unless you're using the butt of the knife, then carry on. Also the press removes the skin and the mush is better for salad dressings.
August 26Aug 26 18 minutes ago, elfenix said: Should smash using a bench scraper not the knife. Can damage the knife or (worse) cut yourself in horrifying ways smashing with a knife. Unless you're using the butt of the knife, then carry on. While there's a slight chance I could do myself harm, with the blade angled toward the board and the clove between the edge and the spine, I've never felt like I was doing any damage to the blade or my hand. I'm not smashing it. I'm just giving it a little thump, and, honestly, could just apply a little pressure to the spine end of the heel. I think using the butt (end of the handle) with the blade away from the board would be more concerning. But the scraper is an option. But with the knife, I'm holding the handle, which keeps it where I want it. With the scraper, I'd probably end up mashing my fingers. Worth a shot, but I've got it down to a science and tend to cut myself doing various other things instead. You can also put the garlic in a bowl with the ends cut, place another bowl on top (inverted), and shake the shit out of it. The peels mostly will come off. This is kind of a to-do though. Edited August 26Aug 26 by dcbc
August 26Aug 26 30 minutes ago, elfenix said: Should smash using a bench scraper not the knife. Can damage the knife or (worse) cut yourself in horrifying ways smashing with a knife. Unless you're using the butt of the knife, then carry on. Also the press removes the skin and the mush is better for salad dressings. Huh? I have a pretty stout and wide knife - pretty similar to a santoku. So, my hand pressing down doesn't come anywhere near the actual sharp side, and the sharp side never hits the board. And as dcbc noted, it's just a little thump. I've cut myself plenty of times over the years, but never even come close to doing so while using the flat of the knife to smash some garlic.
August 26Aug 26 15 minutes ago, Brisketexan said: Huh? I have a pretty stout and wide knife - pretty similar to a santoku. So, my hand pressing down doesn't come anywhere near the actual sharp side, and the sharp side never hits the board. And as dcbc noted, it's just a little thump. I've cut myself plenty of times over the years, but never even come close to doing so while using the flat of the knife to smash some garlic. Edited August 26Aug 26 by dcbc
August 26Aug 26 1 hour ago, dcbc said: If Jacque tells me to do it that way, imma do it that way. Dude is a god. I never watch one of his videos without going "fucking hell, he makes it all look so easy."
August 26Aug 26 6 hours ago, mchookem said: thanks! now im looking forward to searing/roasting something lol and about what i thought on the garlic press 🤔 i've just never found one that doesn't create a big mess 😝 as someone who eschews 'jar-lic' i thought it would be handy when needed for just a quick add, but obviously not even worth the mess 😆 i already use both my microplane and mortar/pestle, i'll just stick with those 👍 9 hours ago, dcbc said: “Garlic is divine. Avoid at all costs that vile spew you see rotting in oil in screw-top jars. Too lazy to peel fresh? You don't deserve to eat garlic." - Anthony Bourdain Very few things I have read in the last decade have I taken to heart like I did this edict. These. Break off a few cloves, cut off the root, smash with knife, remove peel, mince with said knife or garlic press it. Or microplane. How hard is that? Fresh garlic makes just about everything infinitely better.
August 27Aug 27 5 hours ago, elfenix said: Should smash using a bench scraper not the knife. Can damage the knife or (worse) cut yourself in horrifying ways smashing with a knife. Unless you're using the butt of the knife, then carry on. Also the press removes the skin and the mush is better for salad dressings. Dude, pro chefs do it. I’m a pro. So imma do it.
August 27Aug 27 15 hours ago, Brisketexan said: If Jacque tells me to do it that way, imma do it that way. Dude is a god. I never watch one of his videos without going "fucking hell, he makes it all look so easy." Amen. The first thing I ever saw that made me start really cooking stuff (and now I'm solid at what I make) was a video of Julia Child and Jacque Pepin making roast lamb leg, navy beans, and a stacked tomato/eggplant/zucchini casserole. I was like "I can do this." I still make that casserole a couple of times a year.
August 27Aug 27 17 hours ago, Brisketexan said: If Jacque tells me to do it that way, imma do it that way. The one exception is his using a metal fork in a non-stick pan to make an omelet. His technique is of the gods, but I've got enough PFAs in my bloodstream from my mother's nonstick that probably wasn't replaced for decades until I showed up with a couple of new pans one year to explain that those flaking bits probably weren't good for any of us. I don't use nonstick, but if I did, I'm not doing any violent whipping and scraping with metal forks anywhere near it. And that's why my omelets will never be as good as the ones Jacque and Julia made. And it probably doesn't matter because they both made it (will make it) to their 90s. Pass the butter.
August 28Aug 28 On 8/27/2025 at 9:30 AM, dcbc said: The one exception is his using a metal fork in a non-stick pan to make an omelet. His technique is of the gods, but I've got enough PFAs in my bloodstream from my mother's nonstick that probably wasn't replaced for decades until I showed up with a couple of new pans one year to explain that those flaking bits probably weren't good for any of us. I don't use nonstick, but if I did, I'm not doing any violent whipping and scraping with metal forks anywhere near it. And that's why my omelets will never be as good as the ones Jacque and Julia made. And it probably doesn't matter because they both made it (will make it) to their 90s. Pass the butter. I saw a video of him making a French omelette using a plastic fork. It is simple and they are incredible.
August 29Aug 29 6 hours ago, Steamboat1874 said: I saw a video of him making a French omelette using a plastic fork. It is simple and they are incredible. On video, at least, I don't think the man has used the same nonstick pan on camera twice. And that's fine (for the food). Edited August 29Aug 29 by dcbc
August 29Aug 29 Popular Post i don't know if this was anything specific. i divided that giant chuck roast from Costco into various packages, this one i envisioned as beef carnitas, but ended a lot closer to carne guisada. but a completely different flavor profile. hey, my algorithm feeds me lots of mexican/texmex, i dunno man 😆...so anyway this was just kinda various techniques and flavors i know are delicious, an amalgam of 'mexican braised meat dishes' 😛 roasted tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and a few rehydrated chili pods, added oregano, dash of comino, chicken bouillon, pepper, blended very well used my rendered tallow 😁 seared the meat, then onions, made a roux, added bit of tom paste, then sauce, returned meat, added a ton of cilantro stalks, cooked covered on med-low for about 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 mins or so to keep from sticking... delicioso! also...i made my own refried beans, started with a plain can of pintos, used the tallow... holy shit these were ridiculous 🤤 ETA yeah those are HEB butter tortillas...i brought two packs home a couple weeks ago, divided them into packs of five, vacuum-sealed and froze them 😆 Edited August 29Aug 29 by mchookem
August 29Aug 29 20 minutes ago, mchookem said: ETA yeah those are HEB butter tortillas...i brought two packs home a couple weeks ago, divided them into packs of five, vacuum-sealed and froze them 😆 I need some schooling on this. I always bring back HEB tortillas when I visit but rush through them so they wont spoil. Do you put anything between them before you vacuum seal? How do you thaw them? Any other tricks to help them keep their flavor?
August 29Aug 29 i leave that thin film separating them that they're originally packed with, freeze flat, thaw in package at room temp (or over a bowl of hot water), warm gently on a comal. im embarrassed to say that i only just figured this out this last trip 😆🤘
August 29Aug 29 On 8/26/2025 at 2:03 PM, Brisketexan said: Only loser commies wash the garlic smell off their hands.
August 29Aug 29 17 hours ago, elfenix said: Yes, either use a plastic fork or use chopsticks I don’t know if I can now trust anything you say scraper boy. 😂
August 29Aug 29 if you'd have asked me 10 minutes ago i'd have said julia used chopsticks in the pan but it turns out she didn't use utensils in the pan at all edit: she did use the chopsticks just a touch to help form the omelette roll about 5:25. didn't catch that skipping around earlier edit2: metal fork at 7:55 fml. tbf they probably hadn't invented plastic forks in 1974. Edited August 29Aug 29 by elfenix
August 30Aug 30 4 minutes ago, Bert Orange said: Texas brisket for lunch. Seafood gumbo for dinner. I enjoy your post but “Texas” brisket doesn’t tell us the grade. It’s Top 50 good, ok and John Cornyn/Lincoln Riley bad, are the scores. Let us know with some pics.
August 30Aug 30 9 minutes ago, Shaddie said: I enjoy your post but “Texas” brisket doesn’t tell us the grade. It’s Top 50 good, ok and John Cornyn/Lincoln Riley bad, are the scores. Let us know with some pics. It’s all made by me. So definitely not top 50 brisket!
August 31Aug 31 Popular Post Attempted red fajitas today. (I committed myself to a fuck ton of fajitas). Anyway, tried out ArnieTex's recipe on HEB choice skirt steak. Trimmed the hell out of it last night, ran it thru my jaccard, and marinated it overnight. Definitely a success. Trimming $5.99/lb fajitas was harder than trimming venison backstrap....but still worth it compared to $12.99 from HEB butcher. Also tried my hand at some smoked/fired salsa. Aside from our shit-ass performance in Columbus, folks were very happy with the fajitas.
August 31Aug 31 On 8/26/2025 at 12:12 PM, dcbc said: As for the kids' learning good habits, my son just moved into his first apartment in Austin and was gifted a 10" cast iron pan. He made a few seasoning mistakes before he called me for advice, and I walked him through what he needed to do to keep it seasoned and relatively nonstick. I knew if I told him going in, I'd just end up telling him twice. He was calling me in about 2 days and has his first lifer pan. I seasoned my skillet and griddle in 30 minutes after sanding to metal. Throw on hot grill, wipe thin layers of grape seed oil, let it smoke, rinse and repeat. The photo doesn’t make it look all that, but its smoove. Bottom could use a few more layers, but I’m happy with what I got after < 30 minutes. Edited August 31Aug 31 by Superhero
August 31Aug 31 Flatiron steak salad with warm bacon vinaigrette dressing and grilled onion and peppers.
August 31Aug 31 20 hours ago, freyguy said: Attempted red fajitas today. (I committed myself to a fuck ton of fajitas). Anyway, tried out ArnieTex's recipe on HEB choice skirt steak. Trimmed the hell out of it last night, ran it thru my jaccard, and marinated it overnight. Definitely a success. Trimming $5.99/lb fajitas was harder than trimming venison backstrap....but still worth it compared to $12.99 from HEB butcher. Also tried my hand at some smoked/fired salsa. Aside from our shit-ass performance in Columbus, folks were very happy with the fajitas. Hell yeah, been meaning to try his meat market marinade. My go to is just oil, lime juice, garlic, comino, salt and pepper but in the next few weekends I’ll do this.
September 1Sep 1 On 8/31/2025 at 3:15 PM, Superhero said: I seasoned my skillet and griddle in 30 minutes after sanding to metal. Throw on hot grill, wipe thin layers of grape seed oil, let it smoke, rinse and repeat. The photo doesn’t make it look all that, but its smoove. Bottom could use a few more layers, but I’m happy with what I got after < 30 minutes. I sanded my Lodge down several years ago and reseasoned. It definitely was an improvement.
September 2Sep 2 Well, that was a learning process… next time I think I’ll get a bigger butt (obv) and try to stack better. Might also spray with less pineapple juice… any tips appreciated!
September 2Sep 2 3 hours ago, Party_Taco said: Well, that was a learning process… next time I think I’ll get a bigger butt (obv) and try to stack better. Might also spray with less pineapple juice… any tips appreciated! How big was the butt and how often did you trim the crisped outsides? That was key for me to getting a whole lot of pastor. The first time I did it, I didn’t do it often enough and some of the meat close to the skewer was mushy.
September 2Sep 2 How big was the butt and how often did you trim the crisped outsides? That was key for me to getting a whole lot of pastor. The first time I did it, I didn’t do it often enough and some of the meat close to the skewer was mushy. 6lb butt. Think part of the issue was that it was bone in, so the number of full steaks that I got VS strips was limited. Additionally, I doubled over some of the bigger steaks, forgetting that the clamps would ensure they stayed together.Sought to trim, per your recommendation, as often as possible, but that was impractical given the former and the potential for the whole thing to fall apart.
September 2Sep 2 13 minutes ago, Party_Taco said: 6lb butt. Think part of the issue was that it was bone in, so the number of full steaks that I got VS strips was limited. Additionally, I doubled over some of the bigger steaks, forgetting that the clamps would ensure they stayed together. Sought to trim, per your recommendation, as often as possible, but that was impractical given the former and the potential for the whole thing to fall apart. Yep, I think getting a larger, boneless butt and making sure that you’ve got plenty of the trompo meat outside of the “cage” formed by the forks will allow you to pull off and trim more often. Really smash down the steaks tight and then cut off thin strips.
September 2Sep 2 I am not proud of these fish tacos. But they did fill a need to eat after a long day of drinking.
September 13Sep 13 Has to take I-10 back to Austin. There’s a British food store in Katy, so I stopped and picked some stuff up. Made a Scottish/UK breakfast this morning. Scottish black pudding, Scottish Lorne sausage, and on the eggs, Nandos hot sauce the girls brought us from Surrey when they visited us a coupla weeks ago.
September 13Sep 13 52 minutes ago, Brisketexan said: Has to take I-10 back to Austin. There’s a British food store in Katy, so I stopped and picked some stuff up. Made a Scottish/UK breakfast this morning. Scottish black pudding, Scottish Lorne sausage, and on the eggs, Nandos hot sauce the girls brought us from Surrey when they visited us a coupla weeks ago. My breakfast invite must have ended up in junk mail.
September 18Sep 18 Tom Thumb has pork butts for 85 cents a pound. I bought three. One to grind up. One cut into smaller roasts for the crock pot. One for the smoker with kid.
September 21Sep 21 Wife’s outta town, so I’m cooking stuff she won’t eat.Tonight, sweetbreads (mollejas).
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