Tips, Tricks, and Cooking Hacks...

Swine Spectator · Feb 11, 2020

Ok Brethren,

I have been thinking about starting this for a while. How about a thread to share those little things you do that makes your life easier? Those tips, tricks, shortcuts, and general hacks that make other folks say, "Damn, I should have thought of that!" :doh:

All tips welcome... :thumb:

Swine Spectator · Feb 11, 2020

I'll start. I like to foil my sheet pans for easy clean-up.

Start with a clean pan

Lay a sheet of foil over the top

Take a second pan and press down as a mold. Roll the sides tight.

Remove the pan

Swine Spectator · Feb 11, 2020

When I fill Zip-Lock bags, I roll the top over twice to keep the 'zipper' clean.

frognot · Feb 12, 2020

After running brisket juice through the fat separator I pour the juice in ice cube trays and freeze them. Add a cube to chopped brisket before vac packing, use a cube in chili or anywhere you would use beef broth, lots of uses.

Titch · Feb 12, 2020

What's a fat separater?

Like the idea of using the second pan to form the airfoil,easy .
Why didn't I think of that

Titch · Feb 12, 2020

Double up:blah:

frankenfab · Feb 12, 2020

Titch said:
What's a fat separater?

Like the idea of using the second pan to form the airfoil,easy .
Why didn't I think of that

One type is a pitcher that has the inlet for the spout at the bottom, so all the grease that floats to the top just stays there. Very handy.

BBQ Bacon · Feb 12, 2020

When buying onions and green and red peppers, we always buy an extra. Then chop up and put in a ziplock bag and freeze. We then use when making hash browns. We call it our hash brown mix.

Swine Spectator · Feb 12, 2020

- I sometimes save bacon grease coated paper towels to light my charcoal chimney.

- When cooking seafood dishes, I substitute anchovies for salt.

- I add bay leaves to the pot when I make rice.

- I learned how to bake rice in foil pans when I need large batches. (A 2 1/2" deep half pan holds 5 cups of rice. Pour 10 cups of boiling water over stir gently. Cover with foil and bake for 20 min at 350°.)

Swine Spectator · Feb 12, 2020

I'm probably about to blow your mind... even Cowgirl and the other Louisiana Brethren.

Are you ready????

When making Roux - make extra and save it in a palette. I start with 9 cups flour and 9 cups fat. A cupcake pan is about 6 oz, which fills a 12 cupcake pan just right:

Make a blonde roux for your seafood dishes:

Then a medium roux for your chicken and sausage:

Now get dark for chicken and andouille & extra dark for duck and game:

Now freeze the pan and remove the "cupcakes" and save them in ziplocks for later.

SmokinAussie · Feb 12, 2020

frankenfab said:
One type is a pitcher that has the inlet for the spout at the bottom, so all the grease that floats to the top just stays there. Very handy.

That looks like it's got a fat... Well we are in Woodpile right?:nod:

SmokinAussie · Feb 12, 2020

So, never seen pics of this much on the Brethren, but when I'm adding some smoke to a lump charcoal grill (Weber Performer), I just put pruned fruit tree sticks directly on the grill over the lump and close the lid. You get nice smoke before you run a reverse sear... indeed the sticks just turn to charcoal and then you burn them up later for the sear.

No need for a separate smoke box etc. Just bung it on.

campdude · Feb 13, 2020

I use a whisk to mash avocados into guacamole. A little and it's chunky, a little more and it's smooth. Quick and easy.

Stingerhook · Feb 13, 2020

Garlic in the microwave for a few seconds makes it easy to peel.

SmokinAussie · Feb 13, 2020

When you're taking off a brisket and closing down the smoker, put as many bulbs of Garlic as you can manage into the smoker till the next day. Then you basically have cold smoked garlic without any effort at all.

Swine Spectator · Feb 15, 2020

I assume that everyone already knows to cook your bacon on sheet pans in the oven @ 350° - 375°.

1MoreFord · Feb 15, 2020

Oats.

Everyone knows they should eat more but oats sure do get boring and can even be disgusting if you use the wrong oats or overcook them.

Alton Brown's recipe:

Use regular rolled oats or quick/fast cook steel cut oats, AKA Irish oats. I normally use McCann's steel cut oats. NO instant or quick/fast cook rolled oats. Regular steel cut take forever.
Substitute buttermilk for 1/2 of the liquid. Cook per directions but don't overcook or you'll wind up with the building products mom cooked or the stuff you get with the instant variety.

That's the basics for better oats.

This morning I added a knob of butter, a splash of vanilla, some cinnamon, and some raisins for a truly deluxe version.

TuscaloosaQ · Feb 15, 2020

What a great thread David.... i'll have to think about some tricks I have been taught over the years and post later.... Again great thread!!!!!

Swine Spectator · Feb 16, 2020

For those of you that fish along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts - Get a stainless steel carpet knife to make the cuts along the dorsal fins and around the gills of Redfish, Drum, and Sheepshead.

Swine Spectator · Feb 16, 2020

Need to cut tomatoes (or grapes)? Try this:

Line them up:

Set a plate on top:

Gently rest your hand on top and slice from the side:

Ta-da!

Tips, Tricks, and Cooking Hacks...

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