BLUE MONDAY Cocktail

Sept 4, 2017 is Labor Day, and on this day many will be getting together to enjoy food, drink and the waning days of summer.  A celebration of the America worker, Labor Day was first celebrated in 1882 in New York City. By 1885, municipal ordinances were passed declaring the day an official celebration. By 1887, Oregon had become the first state to pass legislation declaring Labor Day a holiday.  In 1894, the U.S. Congress made it official.  

Like most national holidays in America, the driving force behind the celebration is food.  Say goodbye to summer with the season's bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables. That means sun-kissed tomatoes, sweet corn and juicy berries, as well as other warm-weather favorites like lobster, steaks, ribs and anything else you can throw on the grill, of course purchased from your local neighborhood Harter House Supermarket.   Kebabs are a great way to combine your favorite meats and veggies in a cool, colorful package. Served with a few simple sides like orzo salad and cucumber salad, they're easy to prepare and to clean up. 

Dessert could be a messy but delicious make-your-own-sundae bar, a fresh fruit cobbler or a berry crisp. 


Blue Monday (serves 1)
* 1 oz vodka
* 1/2 oz Triple Sec
* 1/2 oz Blue Curacao
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass. 



In the spirit of Labor Day, encourage your guests to really relax by filling your outdoor area with hammocks, comfortable lounge chairs, lawn blankets and lots of pillows.  Like 4th of July, patriotic decorations dominate for Labor Day, but in addition to the stars and stripes, the slight chill in the air means you can also decorate in warm, earth tones and rich oranges, golds and yellows.   Tiki torches, twinkle lights and candles in hurricane lamps keep things bright if your party lasts into evening. And don't forget the citronella candles to keep any flying critters away.

Imene's Homemade Quiche Recipe

 Welcome to Susa, Italy.

View from the Patio of Gigi and Imene's home.

My high school girlfriend, Cathy, and I visited her relatives in Susa, Italy.  It is in the Italian Alps, just a stone's throw from France.  We were being hosted by Gigi (Pier Luigi Tournour) and his wife Imene, (pronounced Eman)  Imene is from Tunisia, Africa, and married Cathy's Cousin Gigi seven years ago.  She is a great cook, and treated us to delicious meals in their home.

Michele and Gigi,  Imene and Cathy
headed out to dinner this evening.

Home of Gigi and Imene

Cathy's son Brad, and his friend Mat enjoy a game of Chess on the patio.

A feast is prepared for guests
in the Dining Room 

They have a truly lovely home, which was their family home.  Cathy's grandfather was born just up the hill in the town of Gravere.  

Actually, The Weather Channel App says we are in Gravere, and Susa is the town at the bottom of the hill.

 Appetizers
Caprese Salad, Olives and Tuna Stuffed Peppers,
Tomato and Onion Relish, Bread & Biscuits and wine of course!

Imene prepared this traditional Spicy Couscous recipe from Africa, with local fish, prawns, scallops,
 potatoes, carrots and zucchini.  I'm not used to fish heads, but the meal  was delicious.

Imene Yakoubi

Wall art at the train station.

                               ***************************************************** 

Quiche is one of my favorites and Imene gave me her recipe.

Imene Prepared Quiche for us.

Imene's Quiche Recipe

Crust
Flour - 300 grams = about 2 and 2/3 cups
Butter - 150 Grams = about 2/3 cup or 3/4 stick
Salt
Fresh Thymian (Thyme - her secret ingredient)

Mix all together, add water as needed.  Roll out flat and refrigerate 30 minutes


Bacon - Prepare, diced and cooked.  Remove bacon from grease and set aside.
Onion and zucchini - cook diced onion and zucchini in bacon grease.  Set aside.
Three Cheese - Parmesan, Mozzarella, and one other varietal such as Cheddar, Gouda (a dutch yellow cheese with a little nutty flavor), Emmental (swiss), Gruyere (another smoothe melting swiss)
                         Cheese is grated or thin slices.  ( a cup of each?)
5 eggs - beaten and then mixed with cheeses, bacon, zucchini, and onion.

Put crust in a pie dish with the egg and cheese mixture, and bake approx 180 degrees Celsius (Centigrade) for 40 minutes, which would be about 350 Fahrenheit.

Purchase everything you need at Harter House Supermarkets.

 

Michele's Quiche
 I used one zucchini and one onion,
 5 oz container of shredded Parmesan,
 8 oz Mozzarella ball
6 oz. mild Gruyere
 5 slices of Harter House Dbl Smoked Bacon

I also used 3/4 cup water for my crust.  I needed to add a little flour to the the waxed paper when I rolled out the dough, because when I removed the crust from the fridge, it was still pretty sticky.  Maybe I needed a little less water to start with.
 But it turned out great!  I was SO happy.  It was delicious!

                                              ************************************

Another family member living in Susa is Gigi's sister, Anita (Anita Tournour Viron), and her husband Luca Gontero.  Luca manages a Rock Climbing company and their son, Leonardo Gontero, will represent Italy in the next Olympics in the newly added sport of Rock Climbing.  And I can say, I know his mother!

Gigi, with Anita and husband Luca

Leonardo Gontero will represent Italy at the next Olympics.
We didn't meet Leonardo this trip, he is training and teaching his sport in Colorado!

Brad and Mat were invited to climb the wall at the factory where they make rock climbing accessories.

They enjoyed themselves!

Future Rock Climbers. 
Check out the wall behind them of finger grips made at this factory.
We are told that Leonardo, at the top of his sport, must be able to lift his body weight with just ONE FINGER TIP!

BEAUTIFUL !

How to Smoke Beef Brisket on a Charcoal Grill

Whole Choice Beef Briskets in a bag are on Sale this week at 6 Harter House locations.  (July 19 to July 25, 2017)

I found this BLOG and thought it was really informational, so I wanted to share it with you.  It was written by Chris Grove and published by

Char-Broil, LLC.   I hope you find it informational and helpful.  ~Shelly

The first brisket I ever tasted was from a 6-time World Champion.  The second brisket I ever had was my first attempt at smoking one.  You can imagine there was a bit of a drop off in quality.  But with practice, I’ve gotten pretty good at smoking brisket and it’s actually my strongest category at BBQ competitions.  A lot of people are intimidated by this legendary cut of beef because it is big, expensive, and can be unforgiving.  These tips should help get you up and smoking your first brisket faster than I did.  This is not a competition style or Central Texas style brisket, rather it’s the version we do for eating at home.

Cooking brisket is more about technique than a recipe.  The seasonings don’t matter as much as how you smoke the brisket.  Yes, they affect the final result but not as much as the cooking does.  After all…a perfectly seasoned piece of dried out leather is still a piece of dried out leather.

What to Buy when you want a Smoked Brisket 

Grocery stores offer a lot of things they will call “brisket”, most of them are flats or part of a flat.  What you want is a whole “packer” brisket.  The whole brisket is comprised of two muscles – the point and the flat.  The flat has a square-like end and the point is…”pointy”.   Weights can vary depending on breed, age and other factors but I like a 12-15 pound brisket.  Pick one that has even thickness from side to side on the flat end and has a flexible flat.

Looking at the “flat” end of the brisket. One edge will always be thinner but you want it as uniform in thickness as possible.

A pair of USDA Choice whole packer briskets.

Top down view of the brisket with the flat facing up. You can see the point sticking out from under the flat on the right side. Notice how the grain of the flat goes diagonally to the upper left corner. Once cooked you will slice perpendicular to the grain. Some people either cut a notch or stick a tooth pick in this corner so they know which direction to slice once it is cooked.

Planning 

Cooking a brisket takes time.  Even at cooking hotter temperatures (275°f to 325°f) it can still be 7-8 hour cook and up to a 4 hour hold.  Add that to the 12 hour seasoning time and you have a full 24 hour process.  The good news is that the hold time gives you some wiggle room.  I plan to have my brisket done 4 hours before I want to serve it, so I put it on roughly 12 hours before serving.

How to Prepare Brisket for Smoking 

Preparing your brisket for smoking consists of trimming, (possibly) injecting, and seasoning.  I like to have all of this done about 12 hours before the brisket goes onto the grill or smoker.  Once prepared, you want to keep the brisket well refrigerated because it needs to be cold when it hits the grates.

Most packers come with a fat cap on one side. Use a very sharp knife to trim this to a quarter inch in thickness or less.

Always inject briskets so that the needle is parallel with the grain of the beef.

Simpler is better when it comes to rubs for brisket, in my opinion. Here are three options that you can use.

Brisket that has been injected, slathered, seasoned and is ready to in the fridge until time to smoke. Don’t worry about using too much rub, it’s a big hunk of meat and can take it.

How to Prepare Your Grill For Smoking

You need to set your grill or smoker up for indirect cooking so that your brisket will not be directly over the heat source.  How you do this depends on your grill.  I’m using the Char-Broil Charcoal Grill 780 so I put the coals and wood on one side and the brisket on the other.  With the lid closed, this will slow roast your brisket in the smoke without grilling it.

For the 780 Grill set up, the coal and wood are on the left. Notice the gap in the middle, this is where live coals will go. The brisket will go on the right side, away from the direct heat. These are hickory wood chunks. The ideal would be post oak but you can use whatever flavor of wood you prefer.

Starting a batch of live coals using the Half Time Chimney Starter.

When you add the live coals, they will provide the initial heat and start the other coals and wood to provide sustained heat. Be sure not to clog the vent holes in the specially designed charcoal pan that minimizes flare ups and burns coal more efficiently.

If you are using a Kettleman, I would recommend using a fuse style burn set up like this to get longer, steady cooking temperatures.

I use wood chips with the fuse burn in a Kettleman because wood chunks can cause problems with the fire burning through in a circle.

If you are lucky enough to have a Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker, it’s super easy.  Just preheat the unit as normal and put the brisket diagonally on one of the grates.

Whatever you use, you don’t want a billowing thick smoke or you’ll end up with a brisket that tastes like charcoal.  The smoke should be thin and very light in color.

Having only the vent on the upper right side open draws the heat and smoke from the other side and across the brisket.

Keep It Moist

One of the keys to a great brisket is moisture and there are several ways to enhance that.  As previously noted, I start by injecting the brisket.  You can get simple meat syringes at kitchen goods stores, grill dealers, or even my local grocery store offers two models.

You can add moisture to the air by putting a water pan in the cooker.  The Digital Electric Smoker lines all come with a water pan.  For the Kettleman you can just put a foil steam pan in the center of the fire ring.  For the Charcoal Grill 780 you can put a foil steam pan on the gates directly above the coals.

You can add moisture to the meat during the cook.  You can make a highly seasoned mop to dab onto the brisket every hour or so and this will also add layers of flavor.  But at the very least, I like to use a squirt bottle filled with beef stock to spritz the brisket every hour or so.

Finally, you can retain moisture towards the end of the cook using the “Texas crutch” and wrapping the brisket in foil or butcher paper.  Adding beef stock to the foil packet will finish the cooking by braising, a much gentler process than smoking.  I typically do this when the “bark” or outer surface is very dark which is usually somewhere around an internal temperature of 160°f to 175°f.

Adding liquid to the foil pack will gently braise the brisket during the end of the cook.

How To Know Your Brisket Is Done 

Briskets are odd when it comes to knowing when they are “done”.  Using a remote probe thermometer will show you what the internal temperature is while the meat cooks but there is no exact temperature at which you pull the brisket off of the grill.  After it hits an internal temperature of 200f in the thickest portion, I slide either a temperature probe or bbq skewer into the brisket to see how tender it is.  When it slides in with little resistance (like butter), the brisket is ready to come off.

Print

Smoked Brisket Recipe

Ingredients

• 12-15 pound whole “packer” brisket, fat cap trimmed to 1/4” or less
• 32 ounce beef stock (divided)
• 2 tablespoons beef base (aka Better Than Boullion)
• ½ cup beef rub (see How to Prepare Brisket for Seasoning)

Items Needed

• 1 meat syringe
• 2 sheets aluminum foil 18” x 24”
• Food safe squirt bottle or misting bottle

Instructions

1. Inject the brisket with one and a half cups of beef stock. Pour the stock into a separate bowl so you don’t cross contaminate the rest of the stock. Inject with the grain in spots every inch or so across the brisket.
2. Slather the brisket with the beef base and then season the brisket with the beef rub on all sides. Wrap with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
3. Set up your grill for indirect heat at a temperature of 275°f to 325°f. Add your choice of smoke wood to the coals and wait for the smoke to become thin or even clear.
4. Place your brisket on the side opposite of the coal and wood. I prefer to have the fat cap facing down. Close the lid and smoke until the brisket is done - this will be in the neighborhood of 7-10 hours but can be even longer. Don’t worry when the brisket seems to stall at 160-170°f. It will eventually get through that plateau. Reload coals and wood as needed, about every 3-4 hours with the 780.
5. Put one cup of beef stock in the misting bottle and spritz the brisket about once an hour.
6. Once the brisket is very dark, probably about 5-6 hours into the cook, wrap it in foil. Cup the foil as shown and pour in stock around the brisket. Seal the foil tightly and put it back onto the grill.
7. When the brisket hits an internal temperature of 200°f, carefully open the foil pack and perform the skewer test (see How To Know Your Brisket is Done). If not tender yet, reseal the foil and let cook another 15 minutes and then re-test.
8. When done, reseal the foil and place the brisket in a towel lined, warm cooler. Hold for at least one hour and up to 4 hours.
9. Open the foil and reserve the juices. Slice the brisket and serve.

3.1

http://www.charbroil.com/community/smoke-beef-brisket-charcoal-grill/

Tip – Inject the brisket with the plastic wrap still on. This will help prevent it squirting out and making a mess.

Starting to smoke the brisket, of course the lid will be closed. The wire rack under the brisket makes it easier to rotate it during the cook for even cooking. If your brisket is too tall, you might have to remove the upper grilling rack in order for the lid to close all of the way.

Notice that the smoke is light and almost what BBQ fans call “blue smoke”.

This isn’t burned; this is the color I’m after for my bark. It’s “black gold” because that is intense flavor.

The Hold Is Gold 

One of the best things you can do for the brisket is to “hold” it and let it rest for a few hours. BBQ enthusiasts often call this “FTC” for “foil towel cooler”.  You get an empty cooler (some people warm it up first with a pot of boiling water and then dry it out), line it with a towel and then put the foil wrapped brisket in it.  Cover it with the rest of the towel, shut the cooler lid, and let it hold for up to 4 hours.  During this time the juices seem to even out and it becomes tender throughout.

How to Serve 

There are multiple ways to serve a smoked brisket and I like them all.  They all start with separating the point from the flat, which is as simple as running the knife through that section as shown.

My favorite tool for slicing brisket is a 12” slicing knife that I keep extremely sharp.

If you cooked your brisket right, this part will be so tender that you can actually separate the pieces using the dull back edge of a knife.

There….separated.

Sliced – You want to use a very sharp slicing knife.  Slice the flat against the grain which runs diagonally from one corner to the other.  For the point, the grain runs lengthwise so slice perpendicular to that.  Slice the pieces about pencil width.  If your brisket is tough (uh oh) slice them thinner and if it is too tender (starting to fall apart) slice it thicker.

Slicing up the brisket flat against the grain.

As soon as you slice the brisket, you will want to get it in a pan of the warm juices from the foil pack. This will keep them warm and moist.

The slices from the flat are called “lean” and the point slices are known as “moist” or “fatty”.  They will dry out fast once sliced so I keep them in a pan with the juice from the foil.  Add stock to that if you need more volume.

Burnt ends – A favorite of pitmasters everywhere, burnt ends aren’t really burnt.  They are the point cut into 1” cubes, seasoned with more rub, and glazed with sauce.  Then they go back on the cooker for another hour or so.

Chopped – We usually chop up our leftovers because it makes them easier to save and reheat. This is also a good option when you are feeding lots of people.  Chopping is also good if you accidentally overcook the brisket because you are mixing the juicier point with the drier flat for a blend.  Plus you can add a little tomato based bbq sauce to the mix.

One of my favorite ways to have brisket is to make a brisket slider with a fried egg using the same rub and a drizzle of BBQ sauce.  Delicious and a great way to use leftover brisket.

I used the side burner of my Char-Broil Professional grill to fry up eggs.

Fried egg on burgers is all the rage in trendy bistros so why not on brisket?

So respect the beef but don’t be intimidated by it.  Give smoking brisket a try, I think you’ll love it.

 

06/09/2016

Chris Grove

Braised Meat - Berkshire Pork Osso Bucco & Braised Pork Shank

Have you ever run across a recipe that requires you to braise the meat? Does it sound like a foreign word to you? Are you just beginning to find your place in the kitchen, and have no clue about the terms or techniques?

While braising sounds like a scary term, it is actually a very simple technique. Once you learn how to do it, it won’t be long before you’re a pro.

Check out these tips plus 2 recipes from Circle B Ranch in Seymour, Mo. 

First, you begin with the meat:

• Choose your meat. You can decide on beef, chicken, fish, lamb, or pork. Of course, I am going to focus on pork—my favorite! You don’t have to start with a high-dollar cut either; the liquid you use in braising will make the meat succulent and tender.
• Brown the meat. Using a little bit of oil in a skillet, sear the meat on all sides, and give it a bit of color. A golden hue is perfect. This will help seal in juices, and the crust will make your dish more visually appealing. Searing the meat also leaves you little bits in the pan which will play a part in a future step—“deglazing.” 

Berkshire Osso Bucco, Searing in Olive Oil

• Set the meat aside. It’s time to think about your veggies. If you are including tougher vegetables like carrots or celery or onion, you will now add them to the oil in the pan and “caramelize” them. Sauté them until they are softer and light brown in color, but be careful not to burn them.
• Deglaze the pan. Add just a little bit of liquid to the pan (wine, beer, chicken stock, vinegar, water, cider, or juice), and scrape up any caramelized bits from the skillet with a wooden spoon. But don’t get rid of them. Stir them into your liquid! These tasty bits are going to add immense flavor to the braise.
• Choose your liquid. Most braises are created from stock or wine, but little additions can enhance flavor and add a little flair. Your decision can be based on what you have on hand, or make a selection according to your cooking goals or tastes. For example, you can braise with water, but the result won’t be very flavorful. Some chefs prefer beer, specifically lighter lagers (an acquired taste), to complement pork. Cider, as well as apple or citrus based juices, can be used to sweeten poultry or pork. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous—some cooks have even tried milk or coconut milk!
  
  

Braised Circle B Ranch Pork Shank

In my Braised Circle B Ranch Pork Shank recipe, I added my Marina’s Italian Style Tomato Sauce to the braise. And it turned out to be absolutely delicious!

1. Add your meat back in. Put your meat in a coverable pan or Dutch oven, along with your veggies, and pour in your liquid until it sets about one-half the way up the side of your meat. Don’t completely cover the meat; the liquid will seep in and flavor it.
2. Add a little spice. It’s customary to use bay leaves, and salt and pepper is usually a given, but don’t limit yourself!
3. Cover and cook. The hardest part of your work is over. Slide the meat into the oven and cook on low heat, usually 325° but no more than 350°. The meat should cook for about 2-3 hours depending on the cut, but you will know when it is done because the meat will be tender and literally sliding off the bone, or easily cut with a knife.
4. Broth or Sauce. At this point, you can serve the meat as is or you can choose to create a sauce, which will enhance the dish. Take out the meat and the vegetables. Skim off the fat, and simmer the liquid until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Then add your meat and veggies back in to heat them back through.
5. Give it a little zing. If you want to add texture or give the dish your own personal touch, you can top it off with a handful of chopped herbs, grated citrus zest, or crème fraiche.
When I make Berkshire Pork Osso Bucco, I top it off with a classic Italian gremolata—parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.

And that’s it. Braising, once you understand the process, is as simple as breathing. I hope you give braising a try, experiment, and have as much fun with it as I do!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Last night I made the Osso Bucco and I was amazed how delicious it turned out.

These are the ingredients.  I used Veal Shanks. "  ~Shelly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. 4-6 meaty slices of pork shank, cut 1.5 inches thick
2. 2 tablespoons olive oil
3. 1/3 cup carrots diced
4. 1/3 cup onions diced
5. 1/3 cup celery diced
6. 4 cloves garlic, minced
7. 1 cup dry white wine
8. 1 cup chicken stock
9. Ground black pepper to taste
10. Salt to taste

  

Gremolata

1. 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leafed parsley, chopped
2. 2 cloves garlic, minced
3. 2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated

 

Veal Shanks Browning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add the shanks and brown on both sides.
2. Remove the shanks from the dutch oven. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened-5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the wine, chicken stock, salt and black pepper. Add the shanks back to the stock and bring to a boil.
4. With the lid back on the pot put the Dutch oven into the oven and cook the shanks for one to two hours, or until fork-tender.
5. Sear the Berkshire Osso Bucco in Olive Oil.
6. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and prepare the Gremolata.

 

Gremolata

1. Check the shanks that they are fully cooked.
2. Take the shanks out of the pot.
3. Reduce the liquid in the Dutch Oven by half and add the gremolata, a classic Northern Italian seasoning.
4. Return shanks to the pot.

I served it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  So Yummy!

Visit Marina's website at 

https://www.circlebranchpork.com/