Favorite Cooking Recipes

[alan]

I've been on the hunt for new recipes lately! What’s a simple weeknight meal that you always turn to when you’re short on time? If you've got any cooking shortcuts or a picture of your favorite dish, I'd love to see it and try it out!

 

[Havasu]

Cooking my favorite right now. A BBQ'ed tri tip. I use the 5 5 5 5 10 10 method. On high heat (+_ 500 degrees) 5 mins on one side, turn 90 degrees and cook another 5 minutes. Flip over for 5 more minutes, after 5 minutes turn 90 degrees. After this, place in foil wrap and set on top rack to bake for 10 mins, then take off bbq and rest another 10 minutes. If a thinner cut, drop down to the 4 4 4 4 10 and 10 method.

 

[Deleted member 18]

Anybody have a good rabbit recipe? I usually make it cacciatore, which I enjoy very much.

Rabbit is hard to come by in the markets. In fact, I haven't come across it in a while.

 

[alan]

Cooking my favorite right now. A BBQ'ed tri tip. I use the 5 5 5 5 10 10 method. On high heat (+_ 500 degrees) 5 mins on one side, turn 90 degrees and cook another 5 minutes. Flip over for 5 more minutes, after 5 minutes turn 90 degrees. After this, place in foil wrap and set on top rack to bake for 10 mins, then take off bbq and rest another 10 minutes. If a thinner cut, drop down to the 4 4 4 4 10 and 10 method. View attachment 7

That looks delicious. It's too late to be this hungry!

 

[GoldenAim_3]

555510 method works good for medium rare. Rabbit cacciatore is good with tomatoes and herbs.

 

[KonoctisWigwam]

This is a bread recipe for artisan bread, and while I eat mostly meat, I do occasionally like a good sandwich on homemade bread.

Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups of flour (I have better for bread flour that is pre-sifted, $5 for 5 lbs. you can make 4 loaves.
1-1/2 cups of warm water
2 teaspoons Yeast (I buy it and keep it in the freezer)
1 tablespoon Japanese white roasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon Japanese black roasted sesame seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons salt



The first thing you do is create a volcano in the center of the flour, and put the yeast inside of it. My wife likes to say, it keeps the yeast from running away from the water. I let that sit a bit so it dissolves. It's better if you mix the water is slowly.






This is the longest part, you need to wait about 1-1/2 hours for the first rise. This depends on weather, when it's warmer, it takes less time. If it's cold in the winter, it takes longer. You want it to get about 2x in size from when it starts. Then you take it out and fold the sides over to pull the dough and make it look like an artisan loaf. You cover it with parchment paper and let it rise to about 1.5x what it was after first rise. This is ready to go into the oven. You cook this at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. If you keep some water under the baking sheet it will help keep it from burning. I use a 2nd baking sheet, and pour about 4 cups of water in just before I put it in the oven. The water will burn away after you cook it. I like to flour a knife and slice a criss-cross on the top, it's easier to use a sharp knife with flour so it doesn't stick. NOTE: use flour on hands and/or utensils so that the dough doesn't stick, but it will stick no matter what...



Out of the oven:


It is important to let it cool, otherwise it will fall apart when you cut it. I slice it with a serrated knife as thin as I can and put it in a ziploc and store in freezer. When I want it, I toss the frozen slices in the toaster. Because I don't eat very much bread, a loaf will last me a while. This is a great compliment to eggs, for me, I like scrambled, over easy, omelettes, hard boiled either sliced or deviled, homemade bread is one of the secrets to life.

 

[Eastenerwesterner]

I am more of low and slow cook. Favorites are smoked TriTip, smoked Corned Beef, and smoked Meatloaf.

Smoked Meatloaf you ask? Sit back and enjoy.

 

[KonoctisWigwam]

Cooking my favorite right now. A BBQ'ed tri tip. I use the 5 5 5 5 10 10 method. On high heat (+_ 500 degrees) 5 mins on one side, turn 90 degrees and cook another 5 minutes. Flip over for 5 more minutes, after 5 minutes turn 90 degrees. After this, place in foil wrap and set on top rack to bake for 10 mins, then take off bbq and rest another 10 minutes. If a thinner cut, drop down to the 4 4 4 4 10 and 10 method. View attachment 7

I have a technique that was taught to me from a friend that grew up in Santa Barbara. Since we have a couple tip afficionados, I'll post this here.

As you may know, tri-tip comes from the San Ynez valley, in Santa Maria area. The real style uses pinquito beans, but I don't like beans, so don't make/eat those. What I do is get a tri-tip that's not trimmed, I use the fat cap to control the fire. I stab the tip with a big bbq fork on both sides, and use 1/2 - 1 bottle of original Bernsteins italian dressing in a ziploc. Let that marinade overnight if you can. Save the dressing you don't use, it is used to baste the meat as you sear it in, so it doesn't burn.



I cook over direct heat, placing the fat cap on the fire to flare it up, and flip it to the non-fat side to sear. It is critical that you baste the tip with the Bersteins, as the oil keeps it from burning...I continue doing this until the marinade is gone, and then I cook it indirectly, in the Weber. Be really careful as you sear the tip, you can burn facial hair if you're not careful as it flares up violently as you flip to the fat cap side. I never buy a trimmed tri-tip, which is how they will sell them. Make sure it's untrimmed. You need to get the feel of the meat when it's done, I like it pink all the way through, but not red. A friend forged this steak turner for me, which I use, all the time. My daughter likes to say, you need the right amount of "jiggly" when you poke it.



And this is how I serve it, after I let it rest and slice it. I always do tip on high heat, and have never had luck going low and slow as I would a brisket. However, there's a place in Morgan Hill named Trail Dust, and they have a low/slow tri-tip that is to die for, I just never have luck with that. I would put tri-tip not as our favorite in our house, but there was never any left, people eat it til it's gone.

 

[alan]

I have a technique that was taught to me from a friend that grew up in Santa Barbara. Since we have a couple tip afficionados, I'll post this here.

As you may know, tri-tip comes from the San Ynez valley, in Santa Maria area. The real style uses pinquito beans, but I don't like beans, so don't make/eat those. What I do is get a tri-tip that's not trimmed, I use the fat cap to control the fire. I stab the tip with a big bbq fork on both sides, and use 1/2 - 1 bottle of original Bernsteins italian dressing in a ziploc. Let that marinade overnight if you can. Save the dressing you don't use, it is used to baste the meat as you sear it in, so it doesn't burn.

View attachment 317View attachment 318

I cook over direct heat, placing the fat cap on the fire to flare it up, and flip it to the non-fat side to sear. It is critical that you baste the tip with the Bersteins, as the oil keeps it from burning...I continue doing this until the marinade is gone, and then I cook it indirectly, in the Weber. Be really careful as you sear the tip, you can burn facial hair if you're not careful as it flares up violently as you flip to the fat cap side. I never buy a trimmed tri-tip, which is how they will sell them. Make sure it's untrimmed. You need to get the feel of the meat when it's done, I like it pink all the way through, but not red. A friend forged this steak turner for me, which I use, all the time. My daughter likes to say, you need the right amount of "jiggly" when you poke it.

View attachment 319View attachment 320

And this is how I serve it, after I let it rest and slice it. I always do tip on high heat, and have never had luck going low and slow as I would a brisket. However, there's a place in Morgan Hill named Trail Dust, and they have a low/slow tri-tip that is to die for, I just never have luck with that. I would put tri-tip not as our favorite in our house, but there was never any left, people eat it til it's gone.

View attachment 324
View attachment 323

Wow! I didn't know you're into cooking as well....

 

[Eastenerwesterner]

@KonoctisWigwam if you want to talk Santa Maria style. I have perfected the Hitching Post recipe. The one in Casmalia not #2.
I can do it on my little smoker


I have sat in front of the cook window before there. Very expensive steak but can see why it was on a Forbes top 10 list of Steak houses.

 

[KonoctisWigwam]

Wow! I didn't know you're into cooking as well....

Honestly, I don't very much. I mostly cook with fire, so I have several BBQs, but mostly favor Webers. I have an old 18-1/2" Weber Smokey Mountain that I use a stoker with. I bought it used on craigslist, like 20 years ago. I currently have a Performer, it's a 22-1/2" Kettle, with a cart/table and small propane which I use to light my chimney. I mostly use hardwood oak lump, pretty picky about that, but usually keep some mesquite around for steaks, as it gets hotter than oak lump.

I do mostly stuff like St. Louis style ribs, brisket occasionally, but it takes about 18 hours, so that's a difficult pit to maintain. I can keep a stable temp, but if I open the top, it's really hard for me to get it to settle down. There are a few tricks.

As far as the kitchen, I really only know what I've learned from my wife. She's the real cook, I used to watch her and try to emulate...but she has an amazing taste...not only was she an amazing cook, she plated everything Japanese style...they like to say, "You eat with your eyes first!". My daughter got all the Japanese plates, some were pretty pricey, but I won't use them, I will mostly cook 'que.

 

[KonoctisWigwam]

@KonoctisWigwam if you want to talk Santa Maria style. I have perfected the Hitching Post recipe. The one in Casmalia not #2.
I can do it on my little smoker
View attachment 325

The above is kind of funny, you say Santa Maria style, but then show your offset. One of the things I want to build is a smoker, and I will build an offset, not quite a big as yours, I have a style that a retired Fire Fighter created, it's a cross between a Franklin' style propane tank and a Goldie's elbow, if you're into 'que, but he created what he calls a de-fusser.

About 25 years ago, before Aaron Franklin came on the scene, everyone was taking briskets to 195 degrees internal. Aaron comes on the scene and takes his to 205-210 degrees, and was winning 'que competition by storm, and then opened his place in Austin.

I've been following this for a long time. There is a guy in SoCal that uses Weber Smokey Mountain smokers in competitions, his name is "Slap Yo' Daddy BBQ". His name is Harry Soo.

I just play pit master at home...LOL

But I have a number of BBQ recipes that I would be glad to share. I have a style of Japanese ribs that uses a tari sauce I make myself. I smoke 'em and then finish them over coals to char 'em. I call them yaki-rib (pronounced ya-key lee-boo, like Japanese) The sauce is very useful, only requires 3 ingredients, raw sugar, sake, soy sauce. I like it thinner for ribs. It is used mostly for yaki-tori, bbq chicken skewers.

BTW, those lonestars are respected as being a good value. Truth be told, although I want to build an offset, a Santa Maria Grill is on my bucket list. They use pulleys to lift the grate up down, so it's like gaucho style from Argentina. I'd like to experiment with that style of cooking meat.

If you want to see some nice smokers and Santa Maria Grills, check out Arizona BBQ Outfitters. https://azbbqoutfitters.com/

He builds the best smokers and grills on the planet, IMO, and that's just my opinion, but he used to make some phenomenal stainless smoker/grill combos. It looks like he's lowered the prices and has gone black...but those stainless ones were the shizzle...

 

[Eastenerwesterner]

I know Santa Maria style is raising and lowering. Thought about buying a small one at Costco..
I figured out how to emulate it.

I will stand by my TexasGrillz smoker. Even cooked a pizza in it .

 

[alan]

I know Santa Maria style is raising and lowering. Thought about buying a small one at Costco..
I figured out how to emulate it.View attachment 326
I will stand by my TexasGrillz smoker. Even cooked a pizza in it .

I love thick crust pizzas!

 

[alan]

Honestly, I don't very much. I mostly cook with fire, so I have several BBQs, but mostly favor Webers. I have an old 18-1/2" Weber Smokey Mountain that I use a stoker with. I bought it used on craigslist, like 20 years ago. I currently have a Performer, it's a 22-1/2" Kettle, with a cart/table and small propane which I use to light my chimney. I mostly use hardwood oak lump, pretty picky about that, but usually keep some mesquite around for steaks, as it gets hotter than oak lump.

I do mostly stuff like St. Louis style ribs, brisket occasionally, but it takes about 18 hours, so that's a difficult pit to maintain. I can keep a stable temp, but if I open the top, it's really hard for me to get it to settle down. There are a few tricks.

As far as the kitchen, I really only know what I've learned from my wife. She's the real cook, I used to watch her and try to emulate...but she has an amazing taste...not only was she an amazing cook, she plated everything Japanese style...they like to say, "You eat with your eyes first!". My daughter got all the Japanese plates, some were pretty pricey, but I won't use them, I will mostly cook 'que.

You seem to have struck a great balance....

A bit of culinary finesse from the kitchen and a whole lot of grilling skill That’s a solid combo in my opinion!

 

[KonoctisWigwam]

You seem to have struck a great balance....

A bit of culinary finesse from the kitchen and a whole lot of grilling skill That’s a solid combo in my opinion!

I used to tell my family that I could survive on eggs and fresh baked bread. Whenever I need to drive all day, my wife used to fix me scrambled eggs and her bread.

I don't think cooking is hard, it just takes time. Lately I have more patience for it. My wife will help me over text. My daughter, no way.

 

[KonoctisWigwam]

I know Santa Maria style is raising and lowering. Thought about buying a small one at Costco..
I figured out how to emulate it.View attachment 326
I will stand by my TexasGrillz smoker. Even cooked a pizza in it .

That's something I would like to do, occasionally. My wife would make her own pizza dough, and would use a stone in the oven, it turned out awesome...she got me hooked on anchovies on pizza, the Japanese way...but that's above my pay grade...I'm not really a cook, I just play one on the Internet...

My daughter was in Australia recently, with her boyfriend, and her boyfriend's brother had some type of air pizza maker, and she posted a video, the crust was very crispy...that looks good, do you cook it at high temps? Does it come out crispy like oven fired?

 

[Eastenerwesterner]

I have experimented with all different types of cooking with that smoker. Bread in a Dutch oven for example.
That pizza was cooked in the firebox. True wood fired pizza .
I have a lot of oak down around here. I won’t starve.