tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38103084070607910802012-02-16T07:27:50.886-05:00dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-1817791388325136372010-05-31T15:12:00.000-04:002010-05-31T15:22:59.642-04:00

Well, it’s Memorial Day, so for me that means the first grill cleaning of the year, as well as an endless supply of hot dog consumption. But, today it’s been scorching hot, so once the cleaning was done, I opted for two spicy chicken sausages, and threw two racks of ribs onto the Weber Smokey Mountain. Two racks should really require little more than use of the Performer, but I wanted to try out

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-53906289861682848222010-03-10T19:44:00.000-05:002010-03-10T20:48:28.893-05:00

​OK, it has been one week past a year since my last entry, embarrassingly enough. I’ve spent more time cooking and eating, rather than prepping and shooting. Since last March though, I’ve gotten an iPhone, which although not so great as a camera, is always on me. So, pics from here on out may not be perfect, but at least they’ll exist.A few weeks ago a blog I read had an entry about the Sous Vide

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-79407467167364457162009-03-02T11:57:00.001-05:002009-03-02T11:57:41.731-05:00

Coming soon… have to spend some time setting up the blog writer…

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-39151621621835471322008-11-20T09:39:00.001-05:002008-11-20T09:39:11.763-05:00

Made some flank last night, and there was something in the marinade that made the burners sparkle. Not a great shot, but I've never seen flames look like this. Fortunately, the steak turned out as usual - perfect!

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-34041407464730963372008-11-14T12:28:00.001-05:002008-11-14T12:28:23.443-05:00

"Hi, I'm Paula Deen. I've just finished grilling these meats, and am now resting my arm on a flaming hot hood." Ouch.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-62203087704306548052008-11-10T10:01:00.001-05:002008-11-10T14:31:57.077-05:00

Homemade chicken nuggets on a Jack-and-daddy night. OK, two things dad needs to work on: pan-frying and flash photography. They actually didn't burn, but I should have flattened the cutlets first - and the parmesan we added to the bread crumbs fried pretty dark. Stir fried soy green beans and cucumbers in an improvised vinegar/chili oil/sugar sauce turned out much better.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-55761311824087436222008-10-05T20:06:00.001-04:002008-10-05T20:06:34.509-04:00

Last night was a late night for me... a really late night... as a friend from junior high was in town, whom I hadn't seen in roughly 25 years. Friends came over, wine and cheese were had, karaoke was sung, and the clock kept moving forward well past my bedtime. I knew enough to make sure we knew what we were going to do for dinner, so it could be done early. Frozen chicken thighs at the ready, I

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-40650107572231270562008-10-01T11:05:00.001-04:002008-10-01T11:05:27.094-04:00

Pig roast at a local farm last weekend.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-32249170517673777262008-09-02T21:04:00.001-04:002008-09-02T21:04:49.030-04:00

It wasn't the big blowout I wanted for the end of summer, just a chicken and some brisket that wife made in a slow cooker (good, but no comparison to a smoked 6-pounder). It was a beautiful day however, made better by great weather and homemade blueberry-vodka spiked frozen lemonade. Also, I spent two hours on Saturday cleaning out the 620 gas grill. Many parts are beyond ever getting really

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-64576692329250465672008-08-30T09:53:00.001-04:002008-08-30T09:53:16.091-04:00

I finally got some grill time in last night, with some neighbors over for a little get together. Wife picked up a PSMO from the Amish market, and never having trimmed or served one, I went straight to Mike's instructions and Cook's Illustrated recipe. Dogs and burgers for the kids, and the moms did all the salads and sides. Just under $100 for the cut, which fed 8 hungry adults, and I still have

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-17955061999680397112008-07-09T12:09:00.001-04:002008-07-09T12:09:57.381-04:00

Fireworks.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-82577170707454504532008-07-03T10:11:00.001-04:002008-07-03T10:11:45.729-04:00

  The "volume" controls are for Yappin' and Naggin'. Yes, if only indeed.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-32764975910287728282008-07-02T14:26:00.001-04:002008-07-02T14:26:35.001-04:00

Haven't done any grilling of note lately. Weekends have been a little too busy, sometimes filled with little more than spending time at the pool with my son, who is just learning how to really swim, sans floaties and all. And, it's just been too damn hot to want to spend much time outside... for me, at least. However, while the grills go used only for some sausages or chicken pieces, my current

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-4121321866439295062008-06-15T16:45:00.001-04:002008-06-15T16:45:34.679-04:00

So, spend the day grilling? Nope! Not today... Wife called me at work on Wednesday afternoon, saying that there was a loud crash in the house: My 36x36 bathroom mirror decided 10 years was enough. I'm not terribly handy, but i like to think I am. So a short trip to Home Depot got me a quick and easy replacement.   And earlier in the week, we had a really forceful windstorm that knocked

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-51057553804026273212008-06-15T16:41:00.001-04:002008-06-15T16:43:53.286-04:00

Fortunately, after years of buying me stuff I don't need, or want really, my new more-than-moderate passion for cooking and grilling has given my dad good opportunities to buy me gifts. So for Father's Day this year, blessed with reverse gift-giving, I got an incredible Japanese chef's knife from my dad. He got me a Ming Tsai ceramic knife by Kyocera a few year's back, which is great for

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-16956029084580607952008-06-02T15:26:00.001-04:002008-06-02T15:26:24.473-04:00

Did two beer-can chickens, an Allegro flank steak, and an Asian-style flank steak (compliments of Weber), grilled corn and Texas toast, and more of wife's baked beans and KFC-like coleslaw. Yummers. And all that's left to show for it is this - burn off!

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-35037355810007629762008-05-30T16:06:00.001-04:002008-05-30T16:06:02.491-04:00

Here's what the inside of the boxed wine looks like. No pictures of what *I* looked like after finishing it though.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-74833267055758793652008-05-30T11:43:00.001-04:002008-05-30T11:43:02.166-04:00

I'll try to go into more details soon, but it's taken me this long just to get some pictures up. The weekend was spectacular - clear, not too hot, low humidity, cool at night, and with a cooler stocked with beer & wine. Best summer start ever... The Moskowitz's..... Jesse, waiting for an accident. Asian babybacks, from a Jean-Georges Vongrichten recipe. Boiled for 2 hours, then

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-67470713469545228082008-05-17T22:05:00.001-04:002008-05-17T22:05:05.926-04:00

This is the third time I've done the brisket recipe from America's Test Kitchen, and for the third time, it was &$^%@! perfect. A 2-hour brine before seasoning with simply salt, pepper and sugar. A simple rub, right before hitting the grate. Coals are ready at 350, though they did inch up to about 400- had me a bit worried, but it still turned out tender.   On the grill - the thicker

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-66827023223310310222008-05-12T19:47:00.001-04:002008-05-12T19:47:36.163-04:00

  My dad bought some 140th-Anniversary bottles of Tabasco, made from the peppers the McIlhenny family use for their own consumption. The bottles are actually numbered, but the box isn't, so of the 2,500 that were released, I don't know what number this one is. And since my dad opened a bottle for us to try anyway, this one will remain sealed for a long time. Like an unopened original Star

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-352893660995416462008-05-12T12:45:00.001-04:002008-05-22T14:50:51.813-04:00

Sure, I grill year round, but not to the level of what I do in the spring and summer, simply because of nicer weather and more time worth spending outside. I had to work early Sunday morning, so there was no way to go out for a Mother's Day brunch as we usually do, so instead my awesome wife suggested I grill her some Kansas City ribs that we saw on America's Test Kitchen on PBS. I've usually

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-55376202932495133322008-04-20T18:10:00.001-04:002008-04-21T09:20:10.691-04:00

It just so happened that I was reading an article last night about the new method of selling wine in boxes, and how it's becoming a lot more prevalent not just with low-end swill vineyards, but more popular and upscale ones as well. I was at a wine store this morning and happened to see one of the boxes mentioned in the article as a top buy in boxed wine. The advantages of boxed wine are many,

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-16759157318379693092008-04-20T18:04:00.001-04:002008-04-20T18:04:01.939-04:00

And it only took about a year to receive. I feel like I just got the special decoder ring from the cereal box.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-49093066044963703162008-03-16T18:57:00.001-04:002008-03-16T19:01:05.795-04:00

Today turned out to be just nice enough for a quick grilled dinner. Wife and son are in Florida for the week, so I have the house to myself. Most meals are already planned out, but I couldn't pass up the chance to take advantage of a few hours without rain today, so I went shopping for a good old man's meal - steak and potatoes. I bought what is probably my third cast iron skillet today, as I

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-61186789739218322042008-03-02T19:13:00.001-05:002008-03-02T19:13:22.706-05:00

Flank steak with wife's churrasco. We're into portion control as our New Year's resolution, trying to shed a few pounds gained by the recipes of previous entries. Medium rare-ish, of course. I love flank for it's ability to take marinades so well and lend itself to any tasty concoction. Today was the kind of day I love living in the northeast for - mid 40's, sunny, crisp and clear. Perfect

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-69553254376937670952007-12-30T12:37:00.001-05:002007-12-31T12:55:35.411-05:00

Made a pilgrimage up to Edgewater, NJ, to visit Mitsuwa Marketplace yesterday, after a sake recommendation from our server at Sakagura restaurant in NYC that wife took me to for my birthday last month. The place had over 200 bottles of sake, and I was in heaven. It was actually more a japanese tapas bar than a sushi place. They only serve sushi for lunches, but the dinners consist of ordering a

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-43028969582890940482007-12-16T11:20:00.001-05:002007-12-16T11:20:00.271-05:00

The turkey fry sans rub came out beautifully. The brown sugar in the brine added plenty of flavor to the skin, and the color was gorgeous. Usually the rub would make the bird come out pretty dark, looking burnt, although it never actually was. After a 30 minute rest, it was still really hot. The mark of a good fry is that the thighs just twist right off the bird.   Meaty glory. Unfortunately

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-62630942877069805952007-12-14T23:14:00.001-05:002007-12-14T23:14:51.796-05:00

It's turkey-fry time! I'm trying out a recipe from Alton Brown where the brine is made from kosher salt and brown sugar, plus some ice to keep it cool. No rub or seasoning is put on the bird afterwards, which is a first for me. But honestly, most times I've fried a turkey, it's hard to tell if any of the rub even stays on, or if it boils right off. Either way, his recipe calls for starting the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-20359421495234626042007-11-30T19:09:00.001-05:002007-11-30T19:09:01.948-05:00

I decided to start another blog to capture dining experiences outside of my patio - check it out here. I'm in China now until December 9th, and hope to get some posts in if the web here will allow me. Lots of pictures to show, but they may not get posted until I get back home. Chinese food is a totally different experience when you're actually in China.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-90170678112205951482007-10-16T16:00:00.001-04:002007-10-16T16:00:24.280-04:00

Been some boring weekends lately. We had a block party over the weekend with a great turnout and fantastic weather. Met some new neighbors with young kids, always a welcome addition to the block, as well as some neighbors I've been waving hi to for over five years and never actually met. To keep it simple, we did another batch of chicken drumsticks marinated in Goya's mojo sauce - it's darn near

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-39784044462465945532007-09-30T22:43:00.001-04:002007-09-30T22:43:03.507-04:00

Our patio party yesterday came off really well. Everyone we invited made it, the weather was unbelievable, though a bit windy, and there was more food and drink than we knew what to do with. I guess that means we did it right. I set up the Smokenator as such, with two racks on the bottom grate and a 6-rib rack on top. Temperatures fluctuated between 220 and 300 the whole time, and I was feeding

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-46870628961343672462007-09-29T00:02:00.001-04:002007-09-29T00:02:46.575-04:00

Smoked baby backs! We're hosting a patio party tomorrow for friends we used to work with. Total of 27 people expected, kids and adults. Should be a blast - it'll be our biggest party ever. I've got 8 racks of ribs in a neighbor's fridge - there's not enough space in ours. Come to think of it, there's probably not enough space on my kettle for all of them. I've got a standing rib rack that

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-91991183558829447322007-09-16T19:27:00.001-04:002007-09-16T19:27:41.431-04:00

OK, it's not really fall yet, but it's been a fantastic couple of days here in central NJ, with sunny skies, low humidity, and highs in the 60's and low 70's. I can't think of any better weather to spend a few hours outside, firepit a'blazing, and ribs a'smoking. Son and I played some golf this morning, right after I seasoned some baby back ribs I bought yesterday and threw them in the fridge.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-21905956053975915512007-09-04T22:17:00.001-04:002007-09-05T10:46:29.598-04:00

My father ordered some Lobel's brisket that we had Monday night. It was tender for sure, but for all the $ spent, it had no char, no taste of rub, a lot of sauce, and an odd recommendation for a vinegar-based mopping sauce to drizzle on it. Again, I stand by anything I've ever bought from them (what little I do because it's so expensive) - their steaks are unbeatable. But I wasn't too pleased

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-33920048139573885872007-09-04T22:09:00.001-04:002007-09-04T22:13:15.614-04:00

Had a nice weekend off. Sunday and Monday were spent in the Poconos where my Uncle has been building and renovating a cabin for 30 years or so. Aunt made a great whole tenderloin, and my cousin and I contributed grilled potatoes that needed about 30 more minutes on the grill, and lightly grilled romaine lettuce. There's nothing like crisp mountain air on a cloudless day to do a person good. But

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-2850237442364141602007-08-19T09:49:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:05:23.348-04:00

Yesterday's schedule was just plain hectic. Since Wife and Son were leaving for Miami early this morning, Wife spend all day prepping for her 20th HS reunion, and all night packing. Dinner was pretty much her time off. So I had Son with me most of the day, taking him to tennis, getting my haircut, having lunch, doing some food shopping - all while making the brisket. I wanted to really give it

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-68975830205910435112007-08-18T07:35:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:05:16.804-04:00

Totally slept through the alarm at 5am. Looks like we'll being eating 2 hours later than I had hoped.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-153428845349788062007-08-17T22:35:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:05:11.047-04:00

At 10pm tonight, I just finished rinsing the brisket and scoring the fat cap. Alarm is set for 5am to get it into the brine for two hours... hopefully I'll actually wake up before 6am (pinched spinal nerve + pain killers & muscle relaxants = tired grillguy). My wood chunks are soaking as of now as well. Tomorrow I'll brine some corn for the grill, and the rest of the menu should be: Grilled goat

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-13387491482264175992007-08-16T16:13:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:59.127-04:00

Calls for a short brine, lots of rub, steady heat in the 300's and some smoke in the air. Chance of mopping sauce about 80%. Moisture level in my brisket, high.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-84403315482325238962007-08-11T13:12:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:50.489-04:00

Target temperature was reached, but I was again unhappy with the charring. Not sure if I used too much rub or not, but thinking back to my first brisket, that was what I was hoping for - great char on the outside, awesome tender flavor on the inside. So, I took some quick action: Some new coals at the ready, I put them down so I could finish the tri tip over some direct heat and get some

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-91968575014342151442007-08-11T13:03:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:38.328-04:00

250, just as I wanted it. The thermometer on the side suffered an unfortunate heat accident, making it unable to switch to Fahrenheit. Thanks to the internets for conversions of a target temp of 135 or so.  

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-52620485088612956202007-08-11T13:01:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:29.637-04:00

Here's the basic Smokenator setup. I use the coal grate to hold it in place on the bottom, and nudge it under the cooking grate tabs. Not how it says to position it in the manual, but that way doesn't work, at least in the Performer. Four dozen unlit briquettes placed inside, then the dozen lit coals are added with soaked wood chunks. The pan of water is put in place. I've used warm to hot water

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-12231154914190679952007-08-11T10:43:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:21.295-04:00

With wife and son gone, I've got about 10 useful hours to get stuff done around the house. I wanted to give the Summit a good cleaning, after receiving some Hot & Foamy cleaner. It works pretty well, but you definitely don't want to breathe the stuff. A simple wipedown with a vinegar/water solution cleaned everything up. Here's the starting mess after I cleaned the grates. I covered the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-70255788074759247352007-08-10T21:46:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:13.237-04:00

Wife and son are in Florida visiting family, gone since Wednesday until Sunday. Sadly, instead of living out a Risky Business sort of temporary bachelorhood, I've been working, getting house stuff done, and getting to some long-needed cleaning. Tomorrow isn't even a real Saturday off, because I have to head down to work around 8p. I've got a whole list of things I need to get done tomorrow, and I

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-6947447540323399492007-08-06T20:13:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:04:03.836-04:00

OK, the ribs did not hold up as leftovers nearly as well as the last time I made them. For being on so long originally, they were a little dry and not really tasty at all. I actually required BBQ sauce, something I've learned I should be loathe to use. I think the culprit is the time. Low and slow at 220 or so might be good for brisket and shoulder and all, but I think ribs need a little more

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-76433933911670477082007-08-06T11:34:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:03:53.857-04:00

Well, it wound up taking seven hours before my wife and I decided it was time to eat. I could not believe how well the Smokenator worked, but I guess I was not ready for ribs done at such a low temp and figuring the amount of time they would take. Had they been started in the morning, this would not have been a problem. But I started at 2:30 pm and just couldn't wait to eat any longer. I was

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-60672718582482191142007-08-06T11:27:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:03:33.929-04:00

 The Smokenator is proving to be an awesome accessory to have in your arsenal. About 50 coals have provided four hours of 220-240 degree smoking so far, and some of them haven't even caught "fire" yet. It's a bit unwieldy to work with under the main food grate so it'll take a few more runs before I've mastered where the coals and chunks go to require as little maintenance as possible, but per the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-78939313598134626602007-08-04T14:21:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:03:23.971-04:00

It's been quite a while since I've been able to do any real grilling, other than some burgers or dogs. This weekend is kinda shot, and I was expecting to play some golf tomorrow with some friends coming into town. But their schedule got messed up and they couldn't make it. Wife and I are going away for the night, but we should be back around lunchtime tomorrow, so I decided to defrost some baby

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-51441183399245901402007-07-30T15:46:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:03:11.905-04:00

Somehow wound up at a Renaissance Faire in Cleveland while visiting friends this weekend. I guess medieval culinary skills were pretty poor 600 years ago...

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-27468434930816801302007-07-16T16:06:00.001-04:002007-07-16T16:06:25.923-04:00

We had a party back at the house after Jack's birthday party at Terhune Orchards. Some family got stuck in Delaware and couldn't make it, so we were going to have an awful lot of extra food, but fortunately some neighbors came by and helped out. This was some bone-in chicken breasts that were marinating in Goya Mojo sauce for about 20 hours or so. Each one was quite sizeable, so it was nice to

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-87794993911469754922007-07-14T09:13:00.001-04:002007-09-04T17:56:46.901-04:00

So long, old friend. You served us well.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-50084678923790978622007-07-13T16:34:00.001-04:002007-07-13T17:27:42.126-04:00

Pest guys were out again today (kinda makes them sound like they're the pests). They determined that we are close enough to early-mid August, which is when baby bats make their way out of the nest to feed for themselves. So the decision is to wait for this to happen, then net again and spray them all out, and seal up... once again. If we do it now, we've got baby bats stuck in our house to, well,

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-50869878822706854112007-07-08T19:35:00.001-04:002007-07-08T19:57:09.252-04:00

Made beer can chicken again last night. The skin was not burnt like the first try, but it wasn't as crispy as I was hoping it would be either. Maybe a little longer on the grill next time. Still, the meat was really tender. Wife made boursin potatoes which were really good, too. Lunch today was some leftover ground turkey, mixed with goat cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, thanks to an

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-81998150445445842962007-07-06T21:56:00.001-04:002007-07-06T21:56:48.288-04:00

Pardon my dust, but I'm feeling the need to change up the blog template. Consistency is for wimps.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-64446427561942545102007-07-05T14:21:00.001-04:002007-07-05T14:21:24.797-04:00

Coleslaw, grilled corn, two types of burgers (steakhouse and "jucy lucy"), beans compliments of wife and Texas Toast compliments of Pepperidge farm... feast. Chicago-style baby back ribs that were to be smoked on the Weber kettle and finished in an oven on a wire rack over a baking sheet with some water for moisture, covered in foil... famine. I didn't realise the foil was supposed to cover the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-8613193491847450032007-07-01T20:47:00.001-04:002007-07-02T09:41:42.066-04:00

So seven hours into the smoking, the temp on the brisket just didn't get over 185. I fired up the gas grill and finished the brisket for about 20-30 minutes on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Got it to 195 as the recipe called for, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Sliced it up and fed wife, mom, son, and two friends the best brisket I have ever tasted. The BBQ sauce wasn't necessary because the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-73671776402473486552007-07-01T15:42:00.001-04:002007-07-01T15:42:54.665-04:00

Temp is around 225, lower than I expected. I just threw about 7 or 8 more coals on, but I'm not even sure if its hot enough to light them, and every time the lid comes off the temp will go down. I know I'm still in the low-and-slow zone, so if nothing changes in the next hour and a half or so, I'll finish off on the gas grill. Internal temp is 182, and my target is 195. Slow and steady!

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-31301170211394008042007-07-01T13:42:00.001-04:002007-07-01T13:44:10.802-04:00

Just added 10 more coals and flipped the brisket. Starting to get some nice charring on there - this is a Texas-style brisket with more of a rub than sauce, though I will be making one later. I was worried that after the first hour or so, there was no more smoke coming out of the vents. I'm hoping that there was still some in there flavoring the mean but just not coming out. Still, anytime I see

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-14987186287130413712007-07-01T11:27:00.001-04:002007-07-01T11:28:36.558-04:00

 Finally, smoked brisket day has arrived. It is an absolutely gorgeous day, with a little breeze, and shining sun. From a recipe by Cook's Illustrated, it's going to be a 6-7 hour timeframe, but I've cleared my schedule for it. Grilled corn, some homemade BBQ sauce, and wife's desserts will round out the day. I even cleaned both grills! Brisket (flat cut, ~5 lbs) was brined in a salt/sugar water

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-8180276915661093302007-06-29T14:05:00.001-04:002007-06-29T14:05:02.107-04:00

I got 3 books from Amazon yesterday. Links are here...   I can't bear to have another recipe book added to my 2-shelf collection, let alone 3 more, but these looked like they would have actual grilling techniques in them, and not just more ways to make a chicken. I flipped through Mastering the Grill last night, and what impressed me was that for each recipe they have instructions for gas,

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-15441894357012026942007-06-27T17:10:00.001-04:002007-06-27T17:11:03.093-04:00

But damn cute. The eternal struggle of dog vs cat. Better look at the expressions if you click on the pic.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-55036830792205445892007-06-26T21:24:00.001-04:002007-06-26T21:28:08.622-04:00

It's alive. HVAC guy came out today to install the gas line. It was not how I imagined it would look, considering what it looked like before. But it is certainly waayyyy better.I have a lot of respect for anyone who knows their trade well. To have it angled down so nothing can get it is probably code, but brilliant nonetheless. We had some filets from the Amish farmers market ready to go,

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-13711628714923953572007-06-26T10:26:00.001-04:002007-06-26T10:26:11.040-04:00

Wife said gas line was connected. I am very happy.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-38660190525982718662007-06-25T20:02:00.001-04:002007-06-26T09:29:59.486-04:00

OK, I may be jumping the gun here, because our gas line is to be connected tomorrow and conceivably there could be something wrong that requires another visit. Or I find out that the new Summit 620 actually was damaged in the wind storm last week. But if all goes well, tomorrow night will be the first dinner cooked on the new grill. We decided on strip steaks tonight and I went to fire up the old

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-37070088063195187382007-06-25T16:35:00.001-04:002007-06-25T16:35:47.273-04:00

OK, I figure I have to get one picture of my son in here. This is only a blog for food, and since he's my one and only and I'm an only child, my experience with toddlers and young kids is pretty limited. Nevertheless, it never ceases to amaze me what he will eat, or at least try, and sometimes try again after not liking something the first time.   One of his favorite foods is sushi. Loves ikura

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-44887029551435287162007-06-25T14:15:00.001-04:002007-06-25T14:15:01.741-04:00

I'm trying to learn to FTP my images to another server and use a blogging client so I don't have to log into Blogger all the time. Still getting the hang of it, hence the odd-sized pics, extra line breaks, and all that other stuff that will ensure I will not be given a blog to espouse ideas and opinions in the hopes of changing another person's mind on something. Except using too many briquettes.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-11116316545906890512007-06-25T14:11:00.001-04:002007-06-25T14:12:46.947-04:00

  A picture says 1,000 words. But this actually did not taste like a three-pound lump of carbon.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-44182262079969609182007-06-25T12:16:00.001-04:002008-12-11T21:47:14.811-05:00

This was based on an America's Test Kitchen recipe. I prepped everything accordingly, even tried brining one bird for an hour beforehand just for kicks. Over-seasoned them a bit, but the temp on the grill got way too hot, so I really need to learn to manage that process.The birds came out charred from the way-too-high heat and the excessive dry rub, but still darned tasty on the inside!With

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-7405001563727532992007-06-22T22:50:00.001-04:002007-06-22T22:50:44.690-04:00

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-62915200158373150882007-06-22T19:11:00.001-04:002007-06-22T20:44:28.753-04:00

Some mojo chicken thighs on the Performer, with Lloyd's pre-cooked and not-too-bad-but-too-much-sauce ribs and corn in the Genesis tonight. Absolutely gorgeous day that barely got over 80 degrees with lots of sun, so a perfect evening to eat outside.Tonight, the fire pit will be a'flaming...

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-34535429360460384502007-06-22T15:46:00.000-04:002008-12-11T21:47:14.961-05:00

Called Weber while walking Dog. Only $55 for a new door. I'll have to see if it's something I could replace myself, but first I just want to get the darned thing turned on so I can make sure nothing else got damaged.Inspector comes on Monday!No brisket this weekend because of other plans, but beer can chickens are on for Sunday. One brined, one not, to see the difference.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-65810103048760835572007-06-21T19:43:00.001-04:002008-12-11T21:47:15.602-05:00

Well, the gas line is installed, but still has to be inspected; will probably be sometime next week before I can get an inspector out. But, it looks like the guys did a good job. It's a flexible hose that runs from the gasline outside the house, through the basement, then outside again.So, since I couldn't use the new grill tonight, it was flank steak on the old Genesis. And as it was doing its 8

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-69738936941759774632007-06-21T14:41:00.000-04:002008-12-11T21:47:16.055-05:00

Here's where my gas line will sprout - well planned behind a relatively new tree so as not to be too obvious. Hopefully, it also won't be too inconvenient.

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-27220952665693058732007-06-21T10:08:00.000-04:002007-06-21T10:15:06.837-04:00

The HVAC guys just got here, and here's how little I know about this stuff - they will install everything today but need to have an air test, to make sure there's no leaks, AND call an inspector to come out to make sure everything is up to spec. That won't happen until next week probably, so I have to wait that long to actually get the *gas* turned on.Bummer. So, back to the Genesis it is. And I

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-54285838704490461402007-06-20T18:48:00.001-04:002007-06-21T09:03:56.654-04:00

Working from home Thursday because the HVAC guys are coming to install the outside gas line, so for all intents and purposes (and just plain wishful thinking) these three strip steaks are the last meal I'll make on the ol' Weber Genesis.They came out a bit charred because the grill is so caked on with carbon that the fat was not vaporizing on the bars, but just bursting into flame. I promise I

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-59833856874351629792007-06-18T17:33:00.001-04:002007-06-18T20:06:44.712-04:00

I picked up the Weber chimney at a Local ACE Hardware (have to give these guys more business), and used it with the propane igniter. It got the bottom briquettes going really fast, so I probably don't need to have the flames going more than 5 minutes or so to get them going.I do have to get used to having the grill take way longer to cool off so it can be covered - I forgot how long briquettes

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-25473091591373964092007-06-18T14:03:00.000-04:002007-06-18T14:04:29.479-04:00

I just realised that the Performer comes with two charcoal baskets, which can be used as little chimneys. I'll try this out tonight and report. I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats in anticipation...

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-70438589519055556282007-06-18T13:47:00.000-04:002007-06-18T13:57:10.222-04:00

I worked most of Father's Day weekend, starting just after picking up the Performer. Got home Sunday night around 8 after only 4 hours sleep all of Saturday night, and Son let me sleep in until 9am this morning so I could catch up. We went into the garage and I put together the Performer in about an hour. I'd still have to go to Home Depot if I wanted to connect the little propane tank to get the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-90513229289390067432007-06-17T01:08:00.001-04:002007-06-17T01:10:16.009-04:00

Picked up the new Weber Performer today, and I'm in countdown mode for the gas line installation this Thursday. For Father's Day, I get to work all day (yay for me), so I'm going to try to put together the Performer tomorrow night after I get home and put my son to bed - maybe do a beer can chicken sometime this week, though it will be in the 90's for much of it.Then, steaks on Thursday night to

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-64992403582297704582007-06-14T14:11:00.001-04:002008-12-11T21:47:17.759-05:00

We had a going-away party for a neighbor moving next week. Lots of kids, meaning lots of different things to grill. Wife was great in prepping everything that day, marinating some mojo chicken and some flank steak in a fajita sauce. Her guacamole cannot be beat. Some burgers and dogs, of course, and a plain flank for tacos. Or burritos. Maybe they were fajitas. Wraps? My son in orange.A new

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-1801049844851479042007-06-12T14:07:00.000-04:002007-06-12T14:13:34.150-04:00

One of my favorite magazines/cooking shows comes from Cook's Illustrated and its derivatives (America's Test Kitchen on PBS, Cook's Country magazine). They take a recipe and make it dozens of times to perfect it, at least in their opinion. They recently reviewed steaks, trying to determine which is best - mail order filet mignon (my favorite cut along with flank steak), or the stuff from the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-7787501950555453082007-06-11T19:23:00.001-04:002007-06-12T14:13:55.864-04:00

One of the best $99 plus 7% NJ tax I've ever spent - a copper firepit. Even used it last night when it was still in the high 60's. I prefer to use wood, but throwing a duraflame log on is a heck of a lot faster and easier, particularly since I don't want to wait around for a few hours to make sure the flame goes out. I can always throw the mesh cover over to keep everything safe, but it's much

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-63396550734802005992007-06-11T19:19:00.001-04:002008-12-11T21:47:18.003-05:00

Wife made some turkey burgers tonight. I found them quite plain, truth be told. But it's nice to have someone else do the prep! (I'll upgrade to using a real digital camera once I have the new grills fired up.)

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-92163949514419807632007-06-11T16:52:00.001-04:002007-06-11T17:21:40.612-04:00

What got me started on the idea to blog about this was coming across www.bbqsource-forums.com while I was researching my new grill purchase. I found it to be nothing but informative, fun, and filled with a bunch of people who love to grill and share ideas, hints, and recipes. A few posters add pictures of what they're cooking, and that kind of inspired me. I don't blog about anything and don't

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-36995447347375350152007-06-11T15:09:00.000-04:002007-06-11T15:12:38.357-04:00

We have bats. Again. Had them in 2005 and had them taken care of. At least we thought. We had netting up for about a year, and then a pest-control company sealed up the access point. But they came back. Apparently when they find a place to nest, they really want to stay there. So they found a new way in. After grilling Friday night, we sat out until after dusk, and counted 33 flying out of the

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3810308407060791080.post-84258660113318473752007-06-11T11:24:00.001-04:002008-12-11T21:47:18.192-05:00

Welcome to my first blog, ever. I've picked a standard blog generator, easy-to-read font, and will keep posts short. Of all my interests, I don't have much time to actually do them often, but one thing I get to do a few times a week that is not just for me but for family & friends too is grill. Even if it's just burgers and dogs, I like to cook for people. Last year my wife and I had our patio

dustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098182065939341980noreply@blogger.com0