Beef Jerky Original #1

Posted on by
Reply

This recipe uses a nitrite curing salt in the brine, and will be shelf stable in an airtight container 1-2 weeks.

Recommend a lean beef cut: eye round, top round, bottom round, flank, skirt or lean brisket flat.

Cut thinly across the grain, ⅛” to ¼”, for a more tender final product, or thinly with the grain for a chewier end product. Par-freeze the meat 30 minutes to 2 hours before slicing to achieve a consistent, thin slice.

When dehydrating, the meat is done when it is stiff when held, but barely cracks when bent.

Ingredients

Dry measures are approximate, I was eyeballing the ingredients.

  • Approximately 2lb lean eye round, bottom round, skirt, flank or lean brisket flat
  • ⅔ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅔ cup dark soy sauce
  • 1½ to 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tbsp granulated onion
  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp hot paprika
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne powder
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp Prague Powder #1

Directions

Trim any surface fat from the beef roast and freeze 30 minutes to 2 hours to help with slicing thin.

While the beef freezes, prepare marinade. Combine ingredients in a nonreactive steel or glass vessel. Adjust ingredients to taste.

Slice frozen meat thinly across the grain (recommended) into approximately ⅛” thick slices, about 2 inches wide. Combine sliced meat and marinade in a zip lock bag, thoroughly coating the meat. Displace air and seal. Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight, redistributing the marinade once or twice.

To dehydrate, spread meat slices evenly in a single layer on a dehydrator screen or metal rack, leaving a small gap between each piece. Blot each side dry with a paper towel to help drying.

Place in food dehydrator, electric smoker or oven at 165°F for 4 hours. After 4 hours, check meat for doneness. Recheck periodically until done, up to 2 more hours. Do not overdry.

Buttermilk pancakes

Posted on by
Reply

Adapted from the Buttermilk Pancakes recipe.in The Joy.of Cooking (2000).

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup whole milk or half & half
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Note: Use a wide 2 quart measure for the batter to pour directly on the griddle for less mess.

Combine dry ingredients in a 2 quart bowl, and whisk to combine.

Combine wet ingredients in a 20 oz bowl.

Preheat griddle to 350°F.

When griddle is hot, pour wet ingredients over dry, and combine with a whisk until just combined. Leave some pea-sized lumps, and do not overwork the batter.

Pour ⅔ cup portions onto griddle in batches, and flip when bubbles start to form. Turn 2 to 3 times until cake is firm and airy.

Broccoli & Cheddar Chicken Soup #1

Posted on by
Reply

This is a rich broccoli & cheddar soup based on a copycat recipe of a famous artisan bread restaurant chain.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large onions, diced, about ¾ cup
  • 1 large or two medium shallot, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
  • ½ cup sherry or dry vermouth
  • 4 cups milk, room temperature
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 5 oz garlic & herb cream cheese
  • 1 cooked boneless chicken breast, diced, about 12oz
  • 4 cups broccoli florets, about 1 head
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and junienned
  • 3 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp pepper, to taste
  • ½ tsp salt, to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh chives, divided
  • ¼ cup bacon bits, divided (optional)

Instructions

Melt butter over medium high heat, and sauté onions and shallots until translucent and tender, but not yet browned. Add carrots and garlic continuing to sauté until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and whisk into a roux.

Slowly add milk stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add chicken stock and cream cheese stirring to break up lumps.

When the soup is smooth and combined, add broccoli florets and chicken. Simmer until broccoli is softened and chicken is warmed through, about 15 minutes.

Add cheddar cheese in batches, stirring to incorporate. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve garnished with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits and fresh chives.

Pastrami rub #1

Posted on by
Reply

Aromatic black pepper, coriander and garlic

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 6 to 8 oz Dijon mustard, reserved

Instructions

Combine dry spices in a bowl or shaker.

Coat brisket with mustard, enough to help the dry spices stick. Coat brisket liberally with dry rub, and allow to stand refrigerated up to 8 hours.

Chicken & Andouille Etouffé

Posted on by
1

This stew is normally made with shrimp instead of chicken.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

  • 1½ to 2 lbs chicken breast, diced into 1″ chunks
  • 1 lb Andouille sausage, split and diced into ½” pieces
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
  • ½ cup vegetable or corn oil
  • ¾ cups flour
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 can tomato paste, 6 oz
  • 3 cups chicken stock, divided
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh sage, or 1 tsp dried, ground
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried, ground
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 dashes liquid smoke (optional)
  • 2 cups water, reserved

Directions

Prepare Andouille sausage, splitting lengthwise then cut into ½” pieces. Prepare chicken by chopping into 1″ pieces, bite-sized.

Prepare a bouquet of fresh herbs, if using.

Preheat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear Andouille sausage, leaving any browned bits behind. Remove to a bowl.

Add oil and butter to the pot. When butter has melted and foamed, sprinkle flour over top and whisk into a roux. Whisk roux continuously over medium-high heat until toast brown and aromatic, about 10 minutes.

Add chopped onion, pepper and celery to roux and sweat until onions are just translucent, but not browned. Add garlic and tomato paste, and sauté until aromatic, another 1-2 minutes. Add half of the chicken stock and deglaze any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. When the pot is clean, combine remaining ingredients, returning the sausage to the pot.

Stir to combine, and add water to desired consistency. Lower heat to a simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Adapted from Chicken and Andouille Etouffé by Saveur

Notes on Corned Beef Cures

Posted on by
Reply

General ratios by weight for dry cure

  • 4.5% salt, 45g/kg
  • 1.5% sugar, 15g/kg
  • 0.25% PP#1. 2.5g/kg

General ratios for wet cure depend on how the meat will be cooked.

  • 5% to 10% brine, 50g/l to 100g/l
  • 1.5% to 3% sugar, 15g/l to 30g/l
  • 0.32% PP#1, 3.2g/l

Anywhere from a 5% to 10% curing brine is acceptable, 50 to 100g per liter. The meat will “finish” to the seasoning level of the cooking liquid. For a roasted product, use a 5% brine. Nitrite level for the brine should be 200ppm, 4.2oz per US gallon, 0.32% by mass or 3.2g per liter.

PP#1 in grams = 200ppm × product mass in grams ÷ ( 0.0625 × 1,000,000)

Tuscan Soup

Posted on by
Reply

Rustic Italian soup in the Tuscan style with sausage, cannellini beans and kale. Serves 8.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian sweet sausage, casing removed
  • 1 lb Italian hot sausage, casing removed
  • 2 cans cannellini bean, 15 oz
  • 3 shallots or 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 large potato, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 bunches kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground oregano
  • 1 tsp fennel seed
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup sherry or dry white wine
  • 5 oz Boursin cheese (optional)
  • ½ cup milk or half & half
  • Ground black pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

Break up sausage and brown in medium dutch over over medium-high flame to form a strong fond. Sauté diced shallot, celery and carrot until tender, and shallot is fragrant and turning translucent. Add garlic and saute one additional minute, until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir to combine, one to two minutes. Deglaze with sherry, scraping up the fond.

Add spices, cannellini beans with liquid, potato, kale, bay leaves and chicken stock. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, until carrots and potato are tender. If desired, add Boursin cheese and stir until well combined. Add milk and stir to combine.