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View Full Version : Big Christmas Dinner - Food P@rn


Blutch
12-22-2006, 08:41 PM
*Results are coming in! See the end of the thread*

Hi all... thanks for all the helpful posts today answering my quesitons. I have begun the long process of preparing all the dishes for our big Christmas dinner which we ended up scheduling tomorrow evening due to all the gigs my wife and I have on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. (we are both musicians)

Here are the BEFORE pics. This is my first time to post photos here, so I hope I do it correctly.

Meat #1 and #2 - Two Briskets and Two butts. The butts are going straight to the freezer.. not eating them this meal. They went on the smoker at 7:30 - using hickory for first three hours - then some pecan. Should come off and cover with foil and into the oven to finish at around 1 or 2. While I sleep. One brisket is injected and marinated over night with a brisket marinade I got at Wally World.. the other is just rubbed - trying Adams Brisket rub this time. Butts are both rubbed with Adams and one is injected with apple juice to compare. Should I freeze them whole or pull them apart some or completely pull then freeze?

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/briskets-butts.jpg

Meat #2 - Stuffed pork loin. Stuffed with Johnsonville mild italian sausage mixed feta cheese, avacado, garlic and red onion. Rub is Montreal Steak Rub - I know it is intended for beef, but it looks really good. This goes on at 8:00 AM with the fatties. (below) pecan wood.

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/stuffedporkloin.jpg

Meats #3 & 4 - My first try at ABTs. Stuffed with cream cheese a little feta, chopped shrimp and red onion - forgot garlic dangit!

5 Fatties - three are covered with fritoes and 2 are covered with White Cheddar Cheese-its. They are stuffed with a variety of yummy items.. one is sage otherweise, they are all mild sausage.. don't like the strong chit.

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/abtsfatties.jpg

Also might do some almonds in the morning as well.

Phew.. that's a lot. I will put up after photos tomorrow. All comments welcome!

B

SmokeInDaEye
12-22-2006, 08:56 PM
Holy shnikeys that looks good. And it aint even cooked! I'm in the middle of cooking two pork shoulders, to be reheated for Christmas Eve.

Have you ever stuffed meat with avacado before? I've never had it cooked I don't think. Take some "after" pictures please!

thirdeye
12-22-2006, 09:31 PM
If I didn't have to drive through Colorado to get to your place, I wouldn't mind sitting down at your table.... I hope you will post some after pictures.

Blutch
12-22-2006, 09:35 PM
Man.. that is such a nice thing to say. You'd be welcome any time Thirdeye. Your photography inspired me to do it.

I also made a brisket burnt end sammich this afternoon with some left over point chunks I had in the freezer because of your photos of that dish. it was realy yummy.

B

tumpedover
12-22-2006, 11:11 PM
Lookin good man..... now I'm hungry !!

Bossmanbbq
12-22-2006, 11:28 PM
If I didn't have to drive through Colorado to get to your place, I wouldn't mind sitting down at your table.... I hope you will post some after pictures.

And whats wrong with driving through Colorado, dont tell me your afraid of a little snow :eusa_clap LOL

QansasjayhawQ
12-23-2006, 12:05 AM
You're on your way!

Be careful - those ABTs are addictive!

Have fun!

/Brother Dave

bbqpigskin
12-23-2006, 12:26 AM
Looks great!

Bigmista
12-23-2006, 02:47 AM
Looks good but one of your butts is a picnic shoulder...

Blutch
12-23-2006, 03:48 AM
yeah.. Thought they were the same but cut differently? I've cooked both.. taste the same to me. I leave the fat cap on.

I just took everything off at 3:30... all the meat was around 165... foiled it and it is in the oven at 225. Took longer than I thought it would, but the fire got way down at one point.. not sure what happened there.

Going to bed for a few hours and then putting the Loin and fatties on around 9.

Yawn

B

backyardchef
12-23-2006, 06:19 AM
Looking good, B! Can't wait to see the after photos.

BBQ_MAFIA
12-23-2006, 06:36 AM
It all looks great. Like they all said before, don't forget the after pics.

Have a great Holiday

Pig Headed
12-23-2006, 08:09 AM
Pretty adventerous cook there. Everything is looking good. Can't wait to see and hear of the results. Thirdeye is an inspiration to a lot of us.

Blutch
12-23-2006, 10:31 AM
It took the brisket and pork a LONG time to get up to 165... about 8.5 hours. I took it off, wrapped and into the oven at 225.. to get a couple hours sleep.

Got up and put the pork loin and fatties on...

It is 10:30 now and I have bumped the oven twice since I got up.. this meat is being stubborn.. The brisket is only up to 183 now after another 6.5 hours in the oven! Less than 20 degrees in 2 hours. I was expecting to cooler it by now. The probe isn't going in easy either.. it is into the pork shoulder and it is into the point, but the flat is still tough and needs a push.. got the oven up to 275 now.. I think I'll pull it out of there at 195 regardless of how it feels.

Any other suggestions?

B

EDIT - I think I discovered the problem.. the oven door wasn't closly all the way at the bottom.. when you open the door all the way down, you have to close it a certain way for the door to seal. So, maybe it was like that for hours and hours. That would explain the slow cook time. It is hummin' no.

Blutch
12-23-2006, 11:51 AM
Here are pics of the first results.. the two pork *shoulders.*

The briskets are in the cooler.. pork loin and fatties have been on for 3 hours.. about to foil the fatties.

The shoulders fell apart while trying to foil them for the cooler, so I decided to no cooler at all. They taste amazing. Going straight to vac seal when cool.

Enjoy!

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/shoulder1.jpg

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/shoulder2.jpg

Q_Egg
12-23-2006, 11:57 AM
oh yeah !!!! That's what we're talkin' about !! Big job and results are looking great !!
Congrats and enjoy !

Hawgsnheifers
12-23-2006, 12:11 PM
Gotta ask, why was all that meat in pans while on the smoker?

Blutch
12-23-2006, 12:26 PM
Gotta ask, why was all that meat in pans while on the smoker?

Good question. I am trying a new technique plus, I wanted to save drippings.. any advice on how to use the drippings? I have already chilled and skimmed all the fat off.. what now?

Hawgsnheifers - I decided to try the pans after reading this guy's web site:

http://www.kickassbbq.com/index.html - he recommends and uses pans for all his roasts.

What do you think? What's the trade off?

B

Blutch
12-23-2006, 02:51 PM
Forgot to mention the pot of beans. :-)

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/beans.jpg

Here's a shot of the finished almonds.. I wish I had put a bit more bite into them, but they are really good.. family loves em. Won't last the day me thinks.

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/almonds.jpg

Fatties and Brisket are in the cooler... so, more p*rn coming later. Once dinner comes at 7, the smoker will have been burning 20 of the last 24 hours.. wow. :-)

Blutch

MilitantSquatter
12-23-2006, 03:18 PM
Good question. I am trying a new technique plus, I wanted to save drippings.. any advice on how to use the drippings? I have already chilled and skimmed all the fat off.. what now?

Hawgsnheifers - I decided to try the pans after reading this guy's web site:

http://www.kickassbbq.com/index.html - he recommends and uses pans for all his roasts.

What do you think? What's the trade off?

B

Looking good Blutch..

FYI...Ed (kickassbbq) is a member here... Personally, I wouldn't want the meat sitting in all that liquid from start to finish. If I was gointr to try a pan, I would wait until the last 1/4 or so of the cook or put it on a roasting rack to sit off the bottom and still catch the drippings.

The drippings are good, you can strain and then mix back in with the pulled pork along with your favorite sauce.

Blutch
12-23-2006, 03:23 PM
What's the down side to it sitting in the pan for the whole time? I don't think there is as much bark...what else?

B

Dustaway
12-23-2006, 03:24 PM
Looks great I like the pans save the brisket drips for beans yum and pork dripping for beans yum and sauces and gravy please don't give my doctor this web site :biggrin:

Blutch
12-23-2006, 03:28 PM
How do you save the drippings long term for later use? I've also looked for a gravy recipe here, but don't see any. Anyone have a favorite recipe for using brisket drippings?

B

Blutch
12-24-2006, 12:57 PM
Ok.. here are the long-awaited final pics of the finished products.

First - Fatties - 5 fatties with various stuffings. I coated them in fritoes or white cheddar crumbs..used the 3-2-1 method. one HUGE mistake though.. after they cooked for awhile, I sprayed them with apple juice. Of course that made the great coatins soggy. DUH. They are still damn good.

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/fatties.jpg

Here are the finished ABTS and fatties which were served as horse ovaries. They were a huge hit.

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/abts-fatties.jpg


The main course was stuffed pork loin - stuffed with sausage, avacado, onion, garlic and feta. I cooked the pork to 165 - wrapped - cooked to 195 - coolered for 2-3 hours. It was fantastic.. cut with a fork.

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/stuffedloin.jpg

The brisket was on a LONG time.. had some fire issues.. then the oven door was partially open and I didn't know it.. but the briskets were on the smoker until 165. Oven to 195, cooler for 6-7 hours. They were great.. a bit dry on the flat..:-( but the point was fall-apart and juicy. The only problem is, I wanted to chunk some of it to do burnt ends, but the point is just falling apart like shredded beef when I try to cube it. I'd like more firmness in the point next time. I might just do some burnt ends out of one of the flats. What do y'all think of that idea?

http://www.trumpetguild.org/banquet_not_processed/foodporn/stuffloin-brisket.jpg

Posting all this stuff is a blast, but very time consuming too. Fortunately, I had a lot of time while I ran the smoker. I ran it 20 out of 24 Friday and Saturday. Great hobby with some wonderful pay-offs. Freezer is full of great meat.

Thanks to all for your encouraging comments and advice. Great community.

Blutch

ReverendRed
12-24-2006, 01:03 PM
wow my outh is watering, hopefully i too can produce something just as amazing someday soon

mm_0_mm
12-24-2006, 01:03 PM
Good question. I am trying a new technique plus, I wanted to save drippings.. any advice on how to use the drippings? I have already chilled and skimmed all the fat off.. what now?

Hawgsnheifers - I decided to try the pans after reading this guy's web site:

http://www.kickassbbq.com/index.html - he recommends and uses pans for all his roasts.

What do you think? What's the trade off?

B

Here is a previous link on smoking in a foil pan...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15105

Kevin
12-24-2006, 01:13 PM
horse ovaries

LOL. That's new to me. And I read it as whore's ovaries. Ok, I'm going to my room.

thillin
12-26-2006, 08:26 AM
It all looks really good. I stopped wrapping fatties to keep the crust on them also.