• Join Home Gardening Forum

Whatcha grilling tonight?

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Besides tasting really good, peppers contain capsaicin (an anti-oxidant which is known to prevent cancer)... the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains.

Remember the old saying, "if it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger".
 
Last edited:
E

ErnieCopp

Guest
Not only do i believe it will prevent cancer, i am pretty sure that one big bite cured mine, if i had any.

Ernie
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
I'm taking tomorrow 'off' & plan on firing up the smoker... Got a pork butt thawing out, made a big batch of our rub & will get it seasoned so it can go on in the morning. Also have a pot of pinto beans seasoned up & soaking overnight. I'll also make some bread in the morning.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Pork butt went on the smoker at 0830 over post oak & apple wood coals. It is a fairly large butt (9.34 lbs) so it will take about 9 hrs to smoke at 225 degrees... I will also apply 'mop sauce' every hour or so...

Pork_Butt1_102614.jpg


The beans are simmering & the bread is rising. We'll throw some potatoes on the smoker an hour before the meat is done to round out today's meal.

Here's the butt at about 1630. The internal temp is now at 175 degrees and it is ready to be wrapped. I will take it off when it is at 195 degrees & let it rest before 'pulling' it.

Pork_Butt2_102614.jpg

Mrs. Ranch requested 'twisted bread sticks' when I was forming the loaf so that's what I did.

Bread_Rolls.jpg


And with that, supper was served (the final product).

Pinto_Beans.jpg

Supper_102614.jpg

 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Whoa, feels pretty brisk here this morning (46 degrees)!!! Guess I'll do a beef butt roast dinner (seasoned with just cracked pepper & rosemary). I'll brown it on the grill, then add some beef broth, red wine, celery, potatoes, onions, carrots, etc. & finish in the oven (as I have to cut/split more firewood)... It will be served with homemade bread as well!!!

Beef_Butt_Roast1_110114.jpg

OK, the meat has been seared. I also add a quart of beef broth & a bottle of wine so it's ready to go into the oven at 275 degrees.

Beef_Butt_Roast2_110114.jpg

Beef_Butt_Roast3_110114.jpg
Also picked 5 decent sized kohlrabi to add to tonight's roast!!! We love early kohlrabi, mmm, mmm, mmm!!!

Kohlrabi_110114.jpg
After adding the veggies, it went back in the oven for an hour & then it was suppertime. I'm stuffed!!!

Beef_Butt_Roast4.jpg

Supper_110114.jpg
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Thanks guys. Tonight we will have it again & then make vegetable/beef/barley soup out of the remains... waste not, want not.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
I used the 'left overs' & juice to make our hearty vegetable/beef/barley soup today. It's loaded with good stuff (corn, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, kohlrabi, peas, onions, carrots & okra)!!!

We will now eat off this for a few days & then freeze the rest for quick, no fuss meals when we're busy with other stuff this winter.

Soup_110414.jpg
 

whistech

Well-Known Member
Messages
322
Location
Spring, Texas
Planting Zone
9a
That soup (what I would call vegetable stew) sure looks good. I've got to remember to get some barley when I go grocery shopping. My Mother used it when I was a kid, but that has been a few years. Is there a particular brand or cut I should be looking for?
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
This is what we use...

 
E

ErnieCopp

Guest
When i used to cook a roast like that, i would mash the leftover vegetables and chop the meat fine, then either wrap it in Spring rolls or Tortillas, brown in a little oil, and people would go crazy over them. A couple of times i cooked roasts just for that.
That was a good way to use leftovers but i do not remember any leftover leftovers after serving them that way.

Ernie
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Today we went to town for some lumber & also picked up 15 lbs of fajita meat (very good price) so I decided that was what we were having for supper tonight!!! After trimming & seasoning them, I squeezed the juice of 3 limes on them & let them marinate for 5 hours.

Now this may sound crazy, but I do not grill them on a grate. I get a really, really hot bed of coals ready & then I get my watch because they will be grilled fast and seconds count here... when the coals are ready, spread them out evenly & throw the meat directly on them for 90 seconds per side (don't worry about any ash, it will not stick to the meat), When the meat is done, wrap it tightly in foil & let it rest while you do the peppers & onions. When the veggies are done, unwrap the meat & cut it against the grain in thin strips & assemble your fajitas.

Try it this way & you'll be hooked for the rest of your lives!!!

Fajita1.jpg

Fajita2_110714.jpg
 
E

ErnieCopp

Guest
Sam,
On the terminology Fajita Meat, I only see that used in restaurants. Is that Flank steak? Out here the neighborhood Mexican Carnecerias cut skirt steak into thin strips, apparently slicing at an angle, and marinate it before selling it. It grills or fries up wuickly and nicely for eating with tortillas about the same way.

Tastes and fashions change. Thirty years ago, Flank steak was always a delicious bargain meat, and i would butterfly it long ways and spread lowfat chorizo on it, and roll it up and roast it, and then slice it like a Jellyroll cake. A wonderful dish, but the yuppies started buying it up, and it became as expensive as Ribeye or New York cuts.

Your stories about cooking and grilling bring back memories of when i was between marriages and doing a lot of cooking and entertaining, but i have never learned to share a kitchen with anyone, so I never cook when i am married.

Ernie
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Yes Ernie, fajita meat is just a tenderized flank steak. It IS expensive nowadays ($6+ a pound), which is why we haven't had them in a couple of years (but Mrs. Ranch had a taste for them so I call the packing houses & one cut me a deal)...

Sirloins & rib-eyes can be found for about the same price at least once a month around here.
 
E

ErnieCopp

Guest
Sam,
Flank steak has always been one of my favoites. I never see the skirt steak in Gringo meat markets, but i like it too,
Linda and her daughter are going to cook a big Prime Rib roast for Thanksgiving, so i will get a good lesson on what Prime Ribs goes for at the peak of demand.

Our best source of meat now is Costco, as they have both Prime and Choice, but no chance to make a deal, as they are all on the Market Based Pricing system. {that is charging all the market will bear, regardless of supply and demand or cost of production}.

Ernie
 
M

Mr_Yan

Guest
I made another round of kabobs last night.

I hate the change back from day light saving time. Now I have to cook dinner on the grill with a flash light.
 
M

Mr_Yan

Guest
It warmed up today so I shoveled a path back to the grill again and have meat loaf burgers over a bed of wood chunks and Kingsford briquettes. Roasted whole onion with rosemary and baked beans from a can will round out the meal.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
I did a sirloin steak... I haven't cooked outside in a month.
 
M

Mr_Yan

Guest
I did a sirloin steak... I haven't cooked outside in a month.
Did you need a flash light to see or are you set up where you have outdoor flood lighting. I guess old people do eat dinner around 3 pm though.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
The party barn has florescent lights, although they were not needed as there was plenty of sunlight ... Us 'old people' eat around 1800-1900 hrs... sometimes later.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was beautiful yesterday & today is suppose to be the same so we decided to take advantage of it. I will be slow smoking a 10 pound Boston butt over apple wood coals at about 225 degrees. It is seasoned in my normal way (liberal coat of spicy brown mustard & then WR's rub. Also going to do a couple of baked potatoes, homemade bread & Mrs Ranch is going to make some coleslaw (we have quite a few cabbage in the garden). For dessert we'll have some of the pear sauce/raisin cake that I baked yesterday.

Butt1_012715.jpg

Butt2_012715.jpg

Made a double batch of 'mop sauce', which will be applied every hour or so during the smoke...

Pulled_Pork_Mop_Sauce.jpg

Here is the butt at the half way point:

Butt3_012715.jpg

The bread is baked.

Homemade_Bread_012715.jpg

Around here, you know that spring is in the air when we can smell smoked meat!!! The meat is at 165 internal & I just wrapped it. Time for another margarita!!!
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,450
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was getting kind of late & Mrs. Ranch was hungry so I forgot to get a pic before I broke it apart... It came out excellent if I do say so myself, LOL!!!

Butt4_012715.jpg

Supper_012715.jpg

Pear_Raisin_Cake_012615.jpg
 
Top