What's For Dinner?

Nothing exciting these past two weeks. Last week was in the states, so chain restaurants like Olive Garden, Applebee's, and Chick-Fil-A. Pizza Sat and Sun. Pesto linguine Monday night. Fried chicken and macaroni salad last night.

Nigiri and sashimi combo is my go-to with a chopped scallop cone and two kinds of rolls.

 

American full blood wagyu strip and 100 day dry aged angus, garlic mash, and roasted cauliflower head.

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Pizza delivery to our place in Rome (my wife is Italian). I ate too much ma vabbe; it was worth it.

 

One last meal at Andreoli, this time at their once per week pizza night;

Spicy Calabrian
Sausage and mushroom
Margherita

All pretty good, but I still say go to Bianco for pizza in PHX.

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Last days down here, so playing the hits;

Indian Buffet (was okay, not great. The prison plate was a nice touch.)


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There must be some non-chain places where you are. Are you trapped in American suburbia?!?

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Porterhouse. Salt only. Reverse sear. About two min per side using butter / olive oil mix. Then into the oven. I experimented with using our turkey rack to stand it up to slow it to cook more evenly without flipping. It came out perfectly done. Poor iPhone pics don't do it justice.

T

 

Uh-mazing (again)

tell us about your steak cooking method…your all-over crust looks perfect, I gotta learn that…

 

Mostly chains in the small town our property is at. Most of the locally owned restaurants close early or are not that good and pricey.

Tonight is rib night with curly fries. Cheating on the fries and using frozen foods section Arby fries. They are good in the air fryer.

 

They taste exactly the same.

 

for sure! I typically will dry brine the steak over night on a wire rack. Pat down the steak until dry and sprinkle a little salt on both sides and place on the wire rack overnight. The air and salt will pull the moisture from the surface of the steak which helps generate the crust due to the dry surface of the steak.

I pull the steak 20 min before cook time. I find if you leave the steak out for a long time, the steak will start to sweat and the moisture makes it difficult to get a good crust.

On my wolf gas range, I set the temperature between med-high and medium and heat my cast iron for a few minutes. searing the steak at super high heat ends up burning the meat as the higher temperature doesn’t allow you enough time to build a thick crust.

when the pan is to temp, I cook the steak for 4 min each side. The crust should be formed across at least 60 percent of the surface at this point but the steak will not be up to temp at this point. I reduce the heat to medium and flip the steak every 1 min until up to temp. I target 125-128 deg F on my instant read thermometer. By the time I reach my target temp the crust should be fully formed.

the lower heat on the burner and longer cook time allow for the formation for the crust.

 

Makes a lot of sense, thanks for the detailed how to.

(what fat and how much…or do you cook it without any?)

 

Since I’m cooking wagyu or dry aged prime, I don’t add any fat at all. In the below pic you can see how much fat is rendered.

if I’m cooking a non aged prime, I’ll put a little bit of neutral oil with a high smoke point like grape seed on the steak itself but I typically don’t add any other fat.

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Woah! That’s really cool to see how much. I gotta up my beef game…

 

Last night in civilization was sushi…

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Bacon cheeseburgers made at home last night. Cheated on the patties. Used Kirkland Angus frozen patties. Was pretty good. As good as any fast food burger joint.

 

Our beef last night was from Costco too. Tri tip. Salt, pepper and garlic powder.
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Sear on the gasser.

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Finish in 225 F oven until 138 F internal.

T

 

Beautiful food from everyone. This is what I consider dooms day prepping, with style. Never surrender to the mundane. Tonight I'm cooking for wife and friends. I was going to try Paella but decided to hold off until I've done some test runs. Instead it will be a seafood soup with saffron, garlic, flakes of chili pepper, black pepper, salt, fresh Italian parsley, whole peeled Italian tomatoes, chopped onions, fresh halibut, clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari tentacles, and lobster tails. A tossed salad with apple, pear, beets, carrots and avocado in lemon and olive oil. Dessert is cheese cake and fresh strawberries dipped in dark bitter chocolate. Wine will be Trader Joe's bargain bordeaux in bistro jelly glasses. Coffee will be fresh roasted and ground Columbian followed by Sambuca. Taking pics as I cook it.

 

Adding to the steak pics. Costco prime cut boneless prime rib. Cast iron pan seared on the grill. Garden chives with some potato and sour cream and butter . Garlicky zucchini and yellow crooked neck squash.

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Mother’s Day with feast…garlic butter crab, kalbi, pork belly, Kumamoto oysters, salmon sushi bake, garlic noodles, salad.

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Friends came over.
I made quiche with homemade dough and eggs from our chicken, asparagus in the bigger one and small ones with green peas. Worked out very well!



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First day back in our little valley meant a trip to the local diner. I had Cesar Salad with fried chicken. Wife had the chorizo sweet potato hash topped with fried eggs and a biscuit. All yummy!

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Bad news here…the Foodie Neighbors (tm) are moving to Arizona. Super bummed. One of our last meals together was grilled filet mignon for 3 of us and seared blackened ahi for my wife. Served with twice baked potatoes and salad and dessert (last two not pictured).

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Bummer! They need food options closer than they have up there with you?? I think I'd have a hard time with not many options...hmm.

 

interestingly they virtually never eat out...they love cooking and take it pretty seriously, so the lack of restaurants here didn't enter their calculus...

Rather the longest, snowiest, coldest winter in recorded history here is what did them in!

We had snow on the ground from Nov 2 to May 2, it averaged 17F (24-hour average) from Dec 1 to April 1, and we got nearly 300 inches of snow at our house...all are far, far more wintery than typical. They were just not prepared for this and didn't have winter sports activities to keep them busy. They are "interesting"...they (attempted) to retire here from NC without ever spending any time here...now they are moving to within 10 miles of the Mexican border despite never having been there...we shall see if it sticks!

 

I know....breakfast....but a duck egg from a friends coop goes a long way! Extra creamy yolk...pretty tasty.

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