What's cookin' boys?

[RCW]

Raised bed have definitely suited us better. This will be our second year to do it.

It just got a little too out of hand for us after using a 6+ foot tiller i was borrowing from the boss. Year before last we went absolutley crazy.

100 tomato plants (75 romas & 25 some other dudes) cause I thought I was gonna try to make and bottle sauce. And then just bits of everything. Various sweet peppers, cucumbers, zuchini, squash, several herbs, strawberries, pole beans, okra, did a separate section with 12 rows of sweet corn. Even grew ONE cantalope that i eventually mowed over LOL.

Then I felt like I spent every moment i had in the garden pulling grass and other crap. We went WAY too big for our means. I mean we put up SO much food, and had like 2 years worth of pickles LOL. But the grass just really burned us out. It will grow every single place you'd never want it, yet I catch hell trying to keep my front yard from patching up.

We're off to a pretty late start this year after getting behind pruning and cleaning the berry bushes but with our climate we can grow stuff pretty late in season. But its going to be mostly herbs again like last year.

Our early years were in an apartment in an old farmhouse. Rural and older landlady had a nice garden.

When we rented she asked if we wanted a spot tilled for a garden next to hers.....thing was BIG for 2 people - - maybe 30x75(?)

We did all the usual suspects, plus some broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant.

One year got some tomato plants old Uncle Gaudino started. Got a full flat (24).

He said "there's some Romas, Beefsteak, and a couple others..."

Every FREAKIN ONE of those were cherry tomatoes!!!

I could fill my Ranger Pickup with cherry tomatoes EVERY DAY! (Exaggeration - - every other day..... )

 

[Sidekick]

Our early years were in an apartment in an old farmhouse. Rural and older landlady had a nice garden.

When we rented she asked if we wanted a spot tilled for a garden next to hers.....thing was BIG for 2 people - - maybe 30x75(?)

We did all the usual suspects, plus some broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant.

One year got some tomato plants old Uncle Gaudino started. Got a full flat (24).

He said "there's some Romas, Beefsteak, and a couple others..."

Every FREAKIN ONE of those were cherry tomatoes!!!

I could fill my Ranger Pickup with cherry tomatoes EVERY DAY! (Exaggeration - - every other day..... )

We used to do 100 mater plants also. Canned on average 600 jars of a little bit of everything a summer. Then we got smart and realized that we gave most of it away . I run extra cherry tomatoes through the squeezo with all the others for sauce. A 50 / 50 mix of black and red tomatoes makes the best sauce.

 

[RCW]

We used to do 100 mater plants also. Canned on average 600 jars of a little bit of everything a summer. Then we got smart and realized that we gave most of it away . I run extra cherry tomatoes through the squeezo with all the others for sauce. A 50 / 50 mix of black and red tomatoes makes the best sauce.

Wow - - you and @BBFarmer did 100 tomato plants.....can't imagine.

Putting up 600 jars of anything is a lot of work.

As a farm kid, we canned about 150 quarts of tomatoes for winter. Parents and 3 hungry kids. Mom did pickles and some chili sauce.

I didn't know it then, but we were quite poor dairy farmers. Venison was a staple; now it's a treat.

 

[Sidekick]

Here's an older video of our root cellar loaded up for winter

 

[BBFarmer]

I didn't know it then, but we were quite poor dairy farmers.

Sounds like very successful parenting.

We were as well. But took me some growin up to figure that out.

Mine don't know that most days of the week dear ole Dad is walking around with less than $20 bucks in his pockets. But my queen's pockets are filled, them bills (luckily what few we have) are paid, familys fed, and everyones clothed with a roof above their heads.

 

[johnjk]

Great morning to smoke some bacon.

 

[BBFarmer]

Great morning to smoke some bacon.

Dang it I wanna smoke somethin. LOL

What do you reckon the best thing to smoke on for beginners is?

 

[johnjk]

Probably the most forgiving is a bone in pork shoulder. Get a good thermometer to go with your smoker. Mine controls the smoker with a fan to keep the temp in range. It also has 3 meat probes. Learn how your smoker works and how much the temp changes by adjusting vents. Learn patience and to make small changes and walk away. Watch videos on rubs, smoking and other tips. The process isn’t fast. That shoulder will take 10+ hrs to reach temp but you will be rewarded. I’ve been doing it for over 13 yrs and still learning. Have a graduation cook coming up. 2 shoulders, 16lb brisket and 30lbs of smoked wings. Happy to share what I’ve learned and get someone else addicted to the sweet smell of BBQ on the air

 

[johnjk]

Dang it I wanna smoke somethin. LOL

What do you reckon the best thing to smoke on for beginners is?

The best thing to smoke on? What can you afford? I like wood, lump charcoal. The Kamodo style smokers I have can be used for low temp(bacon) or a 700degree reverse sear on a ribeye. I’ve done pizza, Mac n cheese, corn bread, jalapeño poppers and countless other things. If you just want to smoke, maybe a pellet grill. One day when I grow up I’m gonna get a nice offset smoker on a trailer….

 

[BBFarmer]

The best thing to smoke on? What can you afford? I like wood, lump charcoal. The Kamodo style smokers I have can be used for low temp(bacon) or a 700degree reverse sear on a ribeye. I’ve done pizza, Mac n cheese, corn bread, jalapeño poppers and countless other things. If you just want to smoke, maybe a pellet grill. One day when I grow up I’m gonna get a nice offset smoker on a trailer….

Would you say the kamado style is more user friendly in reference to "fire management" than an offset?

I thought about branching out a couple years ago and getting a smoker. Realized quickly the price of the offsets were mostly dependent on the quality/thickness of the metal. The "good ones" were slightly out of my price range.

Then at the time, I had several buddies with the pellet styles that were having issues. Moldy pellets, the dang thing almost catching fire because of rogue winds blowing into it, electircal issues, etc.

So I was thinking probably best to hold off on one of those. But I keep going back to the kamado styles. My boss talks often and very highly of his big green egg.

 

[johnjk]

I tink the Kamodo is easier to regulate, but I’ve used them now for years. I have issues on windy days causing temperatures to climb. Most people I know with pellet smokers fight the moldy pellets and stuck augers. The offsets are out of my range as well. I did some trading for the BGE and bought my smaller GrillDome off a competition cooker who changed sponsors. Buddies of mine have the Kamodo Joe and like it. The other nice thing with the Kamodo is you can smoke in winter. No problem getting it hot and holding heat.

 

[johnjk]

Here you go. 6hrs, 45 min at 190 and back to the fridge overnight. Pleased with the look and aroma off this batch. Taste test Saturday.

 

[johnjk]

Sliced bagged and tested. Off to the freezer

 

[RCW]

Not done yet, but have some Italian style pepper steak in the works. 52 degrees and some rain showers. Good comfort food.

Had a leftover sirloin tip roast from last year. Sliced and browned before the sauce ingredients were sautéed.

 

[BBFarmer]

This weekend started off with getting some meat prepped for some salisbury steaks and a quick 6 ingredient mix for chocolate souffles.

Then later it was time to brown up some patties. 4lbs made 16 patties.

Too much going on and I forgot to get the money shot of the salisbury steaks w/ gravy and taters

Followed by the souffles.....of which did not rise as well as they were supposed to LOL. I did some a while back they rose perfectly but I didn't use dark chocolate so the color was alittle off. Also made a red wine chocolate ganache to go with it.

The ones a few week back

Then yesterday it was time to get a bolognese going. Here's what I would call the bare minimum basics for a decent sauce.

Then somewhere around the 5 hour mark she'll start lookin like this

Summoned the ole lady in for an italian round loaf so I could make some bruschetta

End result Pappardelle Bolognese w/ bruschetta

 

[RCW]

This weekend started off with getting some meat prepped for some salisbury steaks and a quick 6 ingredient mix for chocolate souffles.
View attachment 154769
Then later it was time to brown up some patties. 4lbs made 16 patties.
View attachment 154770
Too much going on and I forgot to get the money shot of the salisbury steaks w/ gravy and taters

Followed by the souffles.....of which did not rise as well as they were supposed to LOL. I did some a while back they rose perfectly but I didn't use dark chocolate so the color was alittle off. Also made a red wine chocolate ganache to go with it.
View attachment 154771
The ones a few week back
View attachment 154790
Then yesterday it was time to get a bolognese going. Here's what I would call the bare minimum basics for a decent sauce.
View attachment 154772
Then somewhere around the 5 hour mark she'll start lookin like this
View attachment 154773
Summoned the ole lady in for an italian round loaf so I could make some bruschetta
View attachment 154774
View attachment 154775
End result Pappardelle Bolognese w/ bruschetta
View attachment 154776

Holy smokes, that ALL looks AWESOME! I can almost smell it.....

I have a weakness for Salisbury Steaks like those. I tend to add quite a bit of Worcestershire to the steaks and gravy. Just a tiny bit of nutmeg along with some garlic and onion in the steaks, too. A little nutmeg goes a long way...

A little bit of nutmeg is used in some Italian tomato sauces, but I don't use it here. Some do. I think it depends on the region of Italy where the sauce originates from (?). I've long-since forgotten the recipe, but the tomato sauce we used at one place I worked used nutmeg.

Is the pasta homemade? Pappardelle is the easiest pasta to make - - roll to thickness and slice by hand.

That said - - I typically buy a good quality pre-made..... I've had enough practice......

 

[Sidekick]

I watched the breadmaker spit out another loaf of sesame bread. Made with 100% solar electric this time.

The first 2 years my wife and I lived together we lived on Salisbury steaks. We bought tubs of frozen Banquet Salisbury steaks with gravy at shoprite for 99 cents a tub that was several pounds . We started out poor and she couldn't cook so consumed a lot of Barcadi 151 to get them down that was the most expensive part of the meal . We have come a long way since.

 

[RCW]

The first 2 years my wife and I lived together we lived on Salisbury steaks. We bought tubs of frozen Banquet Salisbury steaks with gravy at shoprite for 99 cents a tub that was several pounds . We started out poor and she couldn't cook so consumed a lot of Barcadi 151 to get them down that was the most expensive part of the meal . We have come a long way since.

As a kid, we sold our dairy cows and machinery. Mom starting working second shift. Dad went to work at a paving company.

I had to feed my father and siblings dinner. Younger sister was too young; older brother would have burned the house down.....

I didn't know it then, but we were quite poor.

Mom did a great job scripting out home-made stuff for me to do, but there was pre-made/frozen entree stuff on a regular basis.

At 16, I started working as a dishwasher and had some "cook" duties before I turned 17....

I can make a lot of that stuff now, but sometimes it's nostalgia (or laziness) I guess.

When the Mrs. was traveling I would buy the EnCor Salisbury Steaks once in a while......

Heck, I still like those Ramen noodle soup packet things occasionally on a cold day.....

 

[JRHill]

Couldn't quite finish up a lamb shoulder roast in a stew. Lamb is hard to find around here.

 

[BBFarmer]

Holy smokes, that ALL looks AWESOME! I can almost smell it.....

I have a weakness for Salisbury Steaks like those. I tend to add quite a bit of Worcestershire to the steaks and gravy. Just a tiny bit of nutmeg along with some garlic and onion in the steaks, too. A little nutmeg goes a long way...

A little bit of nutmeg is used in some Italian tomato sauces, but I don't use it here. Some do. I think it depends on the region of Italy where the sauce originates from (?). I've long-since forgotten the recipe, but the tomato sauce we used at one place I worked used nutmeg.

Is the pasta homemade? Pappardelle is the easiest pasta to make - - roll to thickness and slice by hand.

That said - - I typically buy a good quality pre-made..... I've had enough practice......

I did use worcestershire in this. Always loved that stuff. Never thought about nutmeg before, i'll definitely try that next time.

I have not ventured off into pasta making YET. Although I feel the time is rapidly approaching. My pops makes pasta on a regular basis. Still makes my grandma's tortellini as well. He has this awesome board in his kitchen that pulls out from one counter and latches over to another. It's his "pasta station".

Its slightly intimidating to me. Especially considering portion sizes. To try and figure out how many individual tortellini to make for 5 of us. Anxiety! LOL

Pappardelle is our default pasta for a main dish. I don't usually use spaghetti. And if the pasta is being served as a side dish, i'll typically use angel hair. I also like to use mafaldine pasta for a lasagna soup recipe we make often. If my pops doesnt make pasta fresh, he ALWAYS defaults to penne.