You'll want to crack that bone, cut it and tie it back onto the roast with butcher's string prior to roasting. I wouldn't cut the roast in half unless you have space issues in the oven. I usually do a garlic-herb rub on it. Fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, all chopped, plus kosher salt, black pepper and EVOO and make a paste. Should give you a nice crust and flavorful meat. Let the roast rest, snip the string, remove the bone and carve.
If you have a pressure cooker you can cook it in a short amount of time, it will give you similar results of slow cooking it in a crock pot. First you fry the floured roast in a little oil to brown the outside, then put in your pressure cooker at 15 pounds along with water and any seasonings you want for 15-17 minute.
This is what the thing looks like. I have circled the "extra" bones - they look like they are just nubs in there and you can see I tried to carve one of them out on the left already. How do I carve around these things?
'Tis the season. I posted this over at the writer's forum, but since I'm feeling generous, I'll post the recipe here too. Eggnog I'm going to provide a service to everyone and give the recipe my grandfather used every Christmas for fifty years. He died in 2008, so making the Nog has become my responsibility every year. In my humble opinion, this is the Eggnog to which all other nogs should be measured. I don't remember where he got the recipe: methinks it was from one of the editions of the Joy of Cooking from the 1950s. EQUIPMENT - One big mixing bowl. Like, huge. The kind you needed two arms to lift when you were a kid. Large enough to hold about five quarts of fluid, minimum. - One smaller mixing bowl for the egg whites. - Standard electric hand mixer. - Kitchen sink INGREDIENTS - Dozen large eggs - Pound of confectioner's sugar - Two quarts cream - One quart half and half (you can use milk if you're a sissy and worried about your arteries) - One fifth of whiskey. Don't bother using the expensive stuff, but stay away from Jack (flavor's too strong). Per family tradition, we always used a fifth of Canadian Club, but use what you like Set the huge mixing bowl in the basin of the sink. Why? One, to catch some of the splash of liquid, should there be any. Two, because your arm will get real, real tired holding that electric hand mixer at chest height. Separate the eggs; yolks in the bottom of the mixing bowl, whites in the smaller bowl. Save the whites for later. Beat the yolks with the electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Then work in the one pound of confectioner's sugar gradually, beating the whole time. When the sugar and eggs are integrated, open the whiskey. Take one swallow from the bottle to make sure it "tastes okay." (Not in the recipe, just something my grandfather did in the kitchen while I helped. As I'm not one to question the wisdom of my elders, nor fuck with tradition, I also do this.) Add the whiskey to the sugar/egg mixture slowly. Add the heavy cream and half and half SLOWLY. This is where the kitchen sink comes in. Your arm should be getting tired by now. Rinse the beaters off. Remember the egg whites? You'll need those now. Beat the whites with a half teaspoon of salt until stiff. Then, using a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the Nog a bit at a time. Cover with plastic wrap and stash the huge mixing bowl in the fridge, or outside, to let it chill. If you try to drink it right away all you'll get is a mouthful of cream with whiskey in it. You need to let the flavors integrate. It'll need at least a few hours, but it's best to make it the night before you want to serve it. When you're ready to serve, give the top of your Nog a dusting of fresh-grated nutmeg. Ladle into mugs. Fair warning: This stiff is rich beyond rich, and it is potent. Be cautious when serving to anyone unable to hold his or her liquor. But my God, is it worth it.
Food Porn of the day: Myself and three other chefs are working a private Christmas dinner function tonight. Here is one of my plates: Pistachio crusted duck with grape squares infused with German Ice wine served with pickled radish chips and a loganberry sauce.
Is there a rule of thumb for how much smoke you should apply when using a smoker? I learned the hard way that smoke is like any other spice, and there is too much of a good thing.
Unlike some others on the board, I haven't come into a venison roast, however, I have come into a black bear roast (~3lbs). My go to roast recipe is pretty simple: 1) Preheat oven to 500 F 2) Using a coffee grinder combine one part of each: - Black Peppercorns - Kosher Salt - Garlic Powder - Onion Powder 3) Put roast fat side up and rub generous with the spice mix. 4) Using Aluminum Foil, put a large handful of onion scraps and onion skins on the foil. Put the roast in the oven and put the foil tray below. 5) Cook for 15-20 minutes. It will get smokey, but it flavors the meat something awesome. 6) Reduce heat as low as you can go (I use about 300 F) 7) Cook until your thermometer reaches your desired doneness. I'm thinking of getting a slice of beef fat from the butcher to put on top to self bast. Any other suggestions? I not sure if this would
Non-Traditional Holiday Italian Meal I typically prepare non-traditional meals around Christmas and NYE (surf & turf, lasagna, Thai, etc.) because I am sick of turkey and ham by then. I am looking to continue my tradition of cooking non-traditional holiday meals this year with a new pasta dish. I've covered all the standards like bolognese, alfredo, manicotti and lasagna but would like to try something new this year. Is anyone willing share a tested family pasta dish recipe that will feed 6-8? I've had a pasta roller attachment for my KitchenAid for years that I have yet to play with, so bonus points for including the actual pasta recipe.
Ultimate Mashed Potatoes (Base) Recipe: Red Skin Potatoes cooked, mashed and with the skins on. Heavy Whipping Cream (not much, it's very sweet) Coarse Sea Salt (the big grains are better tasting and more powerful than fine sea salt) Unsalted butter (very important not to use salted butter as it's iodized salt and tastes terrible) Cream Cheese (this is the SECRET, it adds to the flavor and texture. I use about 1 part cream cheese to 3 or 4 parts potato) Infused Truffle Oil (you don't have to use it, it's expensive, but it does add a really nice flavor) From here you can make variants, chive, onion etc. It's up to you, of course. If you don't like the skins on, you can peel them OR peel and puree purple fingerling potatoes. Purple fingerling potatoes have about the same texture and starch content and it looks cool. Trust me on the cream cheese...
I'd like to share recipe that I found online (simplyrecipes.com) for Sausage, Spinach and Ricotta stuffed Pasta Shells. These were pretty damn delicious and quite filling. The time from beginning of preparation to serving took me ~1.5 hours, so start early if you can. Ingredients * 1 12-ounce package jumbo pasta shells * 1 Tbsp olive oil * 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion * 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed * 1 Tbsp minced garlic * 1 large egg * 16-ounces ricotta cheese * 10-ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, chopped further (or 10 ounces chopped fresh spinach) * 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese * 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil * 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper * 1 28-ounce can tomatoes with herbs, including the liquid, tomatoes broken up (or your favorite tomato or pasta sauce) * 2 9x13 shallow baking dishes 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 teaspoon salt per quart of water). Cook the pasta shells according to the instructions on the package. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside. 2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking up the sausage into smaller bits. Cook sausage until cooked through, and no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute more. Remove pan from heat. 3. Beat the egg lightly in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and sausage mixture. Fill each cooked pasta shell with some of the ricotta, spinach, sausage mixture. 4. Spread 1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes over the bottom of each of the baking dishes. Arrange the stuffed pasta shells in the dishes. Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top of the pasta shells. At this point you can make ahead, to freeze (up to four months) or refrigerate before cooking. (If freezing, cover with foil, then wrap with plastic wrap.) 5. Heat oven to 375°F. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, bake uncovered for 10 more minutes. Serves 8.
A friend recommended this recipe: Braised Chicken al'Arrabbiata Ingredients 1. 6 whole chicken legs, split into drumsticks and thighs 2. Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4. 1 large red onion, diced 5. 6 large garlic cloves, minced 6. 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper 7. 1 bay leaf 8. 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced 9. 1 small poblano, diced 10. 1 tablespoon tomato paste 11. 1 cup dry white wine 12. One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved 13. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 14. 2 marjoram sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped marjoram leaves 15. Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken skin side down and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter skin side up. 2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, crushed red pepper and bay leaf and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the bell pepper and poblano and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the vinegar and marjoram sprigs and bring to a simmer. 3. Set the chicken legs in the skillet skin side up. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Discard the marjoram and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped marjoram and serve. Serve with: Soft Polenta
I hated learning that lesson, if you are smoking fish, you don't need much for about 5 pounds of salmon or tuna you need a handful of wood chips. The smoke flavor really infuses with the fat on the fish. I like to see about 20 minutes of smoke, then the flavor in in there and you can finish cooking in the smoker. When I make jerky in the smoker I use a few more chips for about 30 minutes of smoke. If you start with wet chips, you will have longer smoke, but I have found dry chips work just as well. Good luck
Basic Pasta dough 2/3 cup semolina flour 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 tblsp. Olive oil pinch of salt. ice cold water Put the flour on the work surface in a mound, making a well in the center. pour the egg in the middle, and add the oil and salt. Using a fork, work the flour from the outside into the egg mixture a little at a time. As the dough starts to come together, knead by hand. If the dough is too dry, add a bit of the water to it. Knead the dough until all of the flour is incorporated. Put it into a bowl, and brush a very light coating of olive oil on it and let it sit in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes before rolling. To roll it, cut off a 1/5th of the dough and use a rolling pin to start the process. After that, follow the instructions for your pasta attachment. Once cut, let the pasta dry for about 15 minutes. This will cook in salted boiling water in about 3 - 4 minutes. I like to put prosciutto cut into lardons into a pan, and cook until most of the fat is rendered. Add in some fresh minced garlic, peas and carrots and saute until the veggies are hot. Add in about a 1/2 cup of cream, some parm, salt and pepper, then toss in the cooked pasta. Simple, but tasty.
I made that chicken dish last night. Was very good and simple to make. Only I added about twice as much red pepper flake than it called for, there was just no heat in the dish.
My rule of thumb with a smoker is that you should broil whatever it is you're cooking at least 1/2 way through before you put it into the smoker to finish it off. The fat that is cooked off during the broil is an excellent conduit to cooking with smoke, so it's almost like jump starting your car.
Food Porn of the Day: Fabio Viviani's Potato Tostones with Tuscan style Tuna Tartare topped with jalepeno and fried caper caviar with the addition of an aged reduced Balsamic Vinegar as a dipping sauce. Fucking delicious.
Since I have discovered how to make butternut squash soup, it is quickly becoming my favorite fall/winter food. Aside from the preparation of the squash, it is extremely simple to make. Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients: 2 Medium Sized Butternut Squash, peeled, gutted and chopped into 1 inch cubes 1 Cup Coarsely Chopped Sweet Onion ½ Cup Diced tomatoes 3 Cloves of garlic, crushed and minced 2 Cups Chicken Stock, or water, if you enjoy bland food 4 T Ex Virgin Olive Oil ½ C White Wine (optional) 1 Bay leaf 1 t Rosemary 1 t ground celery seed 1 t Thyme ½ T Sea Salt ½ T Fresh Ground black pepper ¼ C Fresh italian parsley, rough chopped Directions: Prepare the squash before begginning as it can be a tedious task that can take longer than you think. Use a sharp chef's knife to remove the tips and all of the peel. Then cut in half length-wise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Chop into approximately uniform 1" cubes Heat 2 T of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a stainless steel soup pot, leave uncovered. If the oil starts to smoke then you're too hot and bring down the heat until it stops. Add the chopped onions to sweat for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, mix around and continue to sweat until the onions start to turn, but be careful not to burn or carmelize. Add stock, wine, the butternut squash cubes, tomatoes, all of the herbs and spices (minus the fresh parsley), salt and pepper, and stir. Then douse with another 2 T of the olive oil. Cover and simmer over medium low heat until the squash become aromatic and fork-tender. Remove from the heat before it turns into mush though. The cubes should break apart easily with a fork when they are done. Remove the bay leaf, and add in the chopped parsley. Then move half of the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth and silky. Pour into another pot or large container and puree the remaining mixture. Combine the two and taste for seasoning, add salt and/or pepper to taste.
I grilled some Rib Steaks tonight out in the snow. They were from my buddies organically grown beef, so they should have been delicious. However, they had a "rancid" taste to them, and We had to throw them out. The steaks had a large strip of fat on the outside of the steak, and had fat and connective tissue running throughout the entire cut of meat. Being Rib steaks (not Rib Eye) these are going to have a LOT of fat, but I am thinking that this is what made them taste like crap. Question: Was the excessive fat the cause of the "Rancid" taste? In the future should I trim off the layer of fat on the outside of the steak? It really broke my heart to throw away such a nice looking steak....... I don't want to have to do that ever again.