Lamb, Ribs, Beef, Bread, Desserts, CATCHING UP!!!

[rcbaughn]

Now maybe I can catch with all the pictures I've taken of what I have of what I have smoked, grilled, and cooked to show that I lurk here a good bit but I also cook! Sorry this post is so damn long, I just didn't think that posting each one separate would be cool and was too much work. And I saw that sticky at the top that was about calling people out on whether they actually cook what they talk about or not, so I wanted to show I ain't no BS'er even if the food ain't all that great or great looking! Hope y'all enjoy.

Here's the Lamb Burger I did a few weeks ago on the Performer. Had Roquefort blue cheese, sautéed button mushrooms, and arugula with a whole bunch of Duke's mayo slathered on. My iPhone makes everything look different, but it was pretty close to medium rare despite the picture color. Lamb burgers are my favorite, and that's my homemade buns too. I love making bread almost as much as smoking and grilling. Almost.










And here's a picture of my last rib attempts in my little mini WSM. Used hickory that we cut behind the house for the wood and Kingsford for the heat. I cooked em too long in the foil so they were fall off the bone tender instead of having some resistance and sticking to the bone, so what do ya do? Make pulled pork rib sandwiches of course! Plenty juicy and a lot different that pork butt. Used a coffee rub recipe that I ain't sure on, don't think I'll use it again but it wasn't bad. Anyone tried coffee in their rubs or is that taboo? That's my homemade buns with that sammich too.








Here is some lamb chops that I got from Costco that were awesome. Just salt and pepper and grilled em on the Performer. Has horseradish mashed taters with sautéed onions mixed in them, dirty rice, grilled asparagus with parmesan, and some mushrooms sautéed with balsamic vinegar. Tried out truffle salt with the taters here too and it was awesome. Stuff is definitely on the funky side in a good way. Second picture is of the next attempt at lamb chops, and they were better and much more close to medium rare that the first.






Here's my attempts at smoked chicken. It was good, but I didn't get that crisp skin that I love. It was more rubbery that I like. That's how my dad's always comes out too, so I guess I'm gonna have to try hot and fast on the mini instead of low and slow and give up some of that smokey flavor.




Here is my attempt at making steak and kidney pie. You gotta soak the kidneys in vinegared water for a night so they aren't too "strong" tasting if you know what I mean. But yeah, I used the grill to cook the meat before throwing it in the dutch oven to tenderize and meld with the veggies. Baked up some puff pastry shells and ladled the filling in and popped in the oven to let that soak into the shell a bit. Served with regular mashed potatoes. Definitely a one time thing. Not bad, but way too strong smelling, but glad I can say I tried it.






And to continue with the adventurous eating, here is a beef tongue that I braised in some beef stock before slicing it and hitting it on the Performer to char it up and adding to some grilled onions and peppers. Made tacos out of them. They were good, a little pot roasty flavor but the meat is very, very soft. Not firm at all. That's my green sauce in the jar, recipe I got from the pizza forum. All that's in it is de-seeded jalapeños that are poached real slow in olive oil then whirred to death in a blender. It makes almost a butter like consistency and no one ever ever would guess that it has jalapeños in it.






And here's my attempts at Pastrami on the mini. I used one of those pre-corned brisket flats that you can get at Walmart. Soaked it for a good while, rubbed it with black pepper, salt, and coriander seeds and smoked it till 160, wrapped it in foil, let it hit 195 and it probed tender, unfoiled it and let it set on the smoker for another 30 to firm up the bark, brought it in, tented with foil and put a towel over it make sure it cooled slowly, and then sliced and reheated in the microwave for sandwiches. Microwave did a great job and a lot easier than steaming it, quicker too!







And what kind of BBQ, or any meal for that matter, isn't made a WHOLE lot better with some badass tasting bread?! First one is a tartine loaf, second is my brioche buns, third is some pretzel buns with course salt, fourth is my french bread for po boys, and fifth is just a loaf I played around with using some old pizza dough I had fermenting in the fridge from my Ischia starter.












And FINALLY, what meal ain't made a whole lot better with something sweet for dessert. I ain't too good at them yet, nothing like my grandma, but they are edible and sweet so I guess that makes up for something. First apple pie, then a banana pudding pie, and third is Philadelphia butter cake. There ain't nothing in the world richer than that butter cake BTW. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Good, but anymore than a few bites and you'd be sick but I guess in a good way.








Now I promise to stay caught up on what I cook with pictures and hopefully pump out some good looking food pron after I get some more practice and know how from you guys.

-Cory

[Titch]

Well you got my attention.
Any one of those cooks should be in the food thro downs.
Nice looking food mate.

[rcbaughn]

Thanks man! Forgot about these too. This is the meat I'd say is uncooked or damn near it. Got some suggestions to try steak tartare, so i bought a filet and made half of it into tartare and I mean BARELY cooked the other half, like, sear and take it off the heat. Raw beef is great and I love tartare. Wouldn't eat it a lot for safety reason, but when your feeling wild try it. Those are duck fat fries there too. Stuff makes them SUPER crispy. Way better than veggie oil but WAY too expensive to use all the time.

Tartare -


Seared Filet -

[rcbaughn]

And forgot to throw in a picture of one of my pizzas. Did this one on my stone on the Performer. Fig, prosciutto, and honey with whole milk mozzarella. The crust is a Mellow Mushroom clone that uses molasses instead of sugar which is why it looks dark like a whole wheat crust.



Now, I'm done I promise.

[fingerlickin']

Dude, you're killing me over here. That's some good lookin' pron!

[rcbaughn]

Thanks! I flubbed up on the pastrami pictures, the sliced picture is of a point I bought instead of the flat that is soaking and smoking there, but I guess it gets the point across!

[buccaneer]

Youre making great food, especially your baking, that is really happening for you!

Wave any of that at me and you'd lose a finger for sure!

[rcbaughn]

Originally Posted by buccaneer

Youre making great food, especially your baking, that is really happening for you!

Wave any of that at me and you'd lose a finger for sure!

Thanks Buc! Why I spend so much time here, trying to get my meat prep better.

I'll get my man pants on soon maybe, but it's gonna take a whole helluva lot longer than bread took to learn about judging on what I've done so far.

[TIMMAY]

Its been a while since I saw a pic of a pie cooked with those porcelain vent thingys in there! I am pretty jealous of your bread making skill. Looks good!!

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Some excellent cooking and baking skills on display there. Thanks!

[Bonewagon]

Holy fark! That's some fantastic looking food!