One Thousand Grams Of Flour

Look at this gorgeous loaf of bread.  

LOOK at it.

We made that.  Ed and I made this loaf of bread.

Yeah, that's right, we're amazing. 

OK, so people have been making bread for thousands of years, but there aren't a lot of people these days making bread.  And now, more than ever, I think I'm capable of anything.   

The recipe - Saturday White Bread - was taken from Ken Forkish’s book, Flour Water Yeast Salt: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza.

1,000 grams of flour, a little salt, a little yeast, and a bit of water and you've got the makings of a masterpiece.  It was a time-consuming process - with more downtime waiting for the dough to rise than it took to mix the ingredients - but it wasn't difficult.

We used my beautiful 15.5-quart oval Le Creuset Dutch Oven to bake both loaves at the same time - which was a judgment call on our part because the book specified two separate dutch ovens being used, a loaf in each one. We separated the loaves with a piece of aluminum foil so they wouldn't bake together, and it worked perfectly.  

This is the first time either of us has baked a loaf of bread and we were so excited by the result.  The loaves were truly beautiful.  BEA-U-TI-FUL.  It smelled delicious while baking, and tasted amazing! We’ll definitely be doing this again.

Head over to my Instagram account to see a few more photos and to watch the short video of Ed making the first slice in the bread. 

Be sure to turn up your volume - the sound of the crust is divine! 



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2018: The Land Of Little Water
2017: Urban Creep
2016: Ed's View
2015: Place Of Refuge
2014: A Story Told In Stone
2013: Eddie Sandwich
2012: Finally – Freight To Buzz About!
2011: For The Crybabies
2010: Chillin’ In Utah
2009: Taking The Peas For A Ride In A Cozy Little Shell
2008: Wyth Jane’s Kin In Wytheville
2007: Color In Architecture
2006: Living On
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Smooth Operator

Today Ed used our new Vitamix to make his very first smoothie - Liquid Gold.

Made with golden beets, grapes, lemon juice, and pumpkin seeds, the flavor was, umm, interesting.

Honestly?  It tasted like dirt.

But with a slight beet flavor.

I don't know what I expected.  Beets are root vegetables.  They grow up surrounded by dirt.  They're earthy.

On the second sip, it wasn't so bad. I'd say it's an acquired taste.  It could have used a little more sweetness for my liking, but you'd probably get used to it after a while.  

You can get the recipe here if you're interested in trying it.

Tomorrow a Cucumber Cranberry smoothie is on the menu.

I feel healthier just typing that sentence.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2018: The Road To A New Beginning
2017: We The People
2016: Two Old Ladies And A Truck
2015: Leaving San Diego In A Lavender Glow
2014: Thin And Crispy. Just How I Like 'Em
2013: Amber Jack
2012: Adding A Poodle To The Mix
2011: If…
2010: How The West Was Fun
2009: Pecking Order
2008: The Sympathy Train Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
2007: Shalom
2006: A.D.I.D.A.S.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

From Freezer To Table In Less Than Eight Hours

So last night at 10:30 p.m. I got a phone call from my oldest nephew:

"Hey, Aunt Salena!  Are you guys still in town?"

"Yeah, we're still here.  What's up?" I said.

"I have a favor to ask," he said.

"Sure.  Whadya need?"

"Well, I was wondering if you can help me cook two turkeys."

"Two?" I said.  "When do you need them?"

"Thursday."

"Thursday??  Um, do you have the turkeys?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Are they frozen?" I said.

"Yeah."

"How much do they weigh?"

"One is 19.2 pounds and the other one is 18.5 pounds." He said.

"What are they for?"

"The FCC alumni dinner," he said.

"Okay, well, um....it takes like four to five days to defrost a 20-pound turkey.  And you need it Thursday.  Okay, hmm, okay, well.  Can you bring the turkeys here?"

"Yeah.  I'm with my FCC friends.  Is it okay if I bring them too?" he asked.

"Sure, no problem.  Bring them and the turkeys.  Ed and I will start Googling."

So by eleven o'clock, I had my nephew, six of his friends, and two turkeys standing in my kitchen.  Well, the turkeys weren't standing, but you know what I mean.

I was perplexed.  Because we don't have time to fridge defrost, and doing a water defrost means immersing the turkeys in their wrappers in cold water that needs to be changed every thirty minutes.  A 20-pound turkey, using the cold water thawing method, would take ten hours.  I was not staying up for ten hours to babysit a bathing turkey.  And in Tucson, the cold water out of our tap is 70 degrees, which isn't cold enough for a safe thaw.

So we decided to cook them from their frozen solid state.  And the only place big enough for two turkeys was Ed's smoker.

We couldn't smoke them because the low-and-slow heat wouldn't work for a bird of this size, frozen or not.  The meat would not be able to be brought to a safe temperature for cooking.  So Ed set the smoker temperature at 325, like an oven, put the two birds in, and closed the lid.

Three hours into cooking, the birds had thawed enough for me to reach in and pull out the neck and the giblets.  Ed stuck each bird with a digital temperature probe and we monitored the birds from inside the house.  As we got closer to both the time and temperature, I started to brush them with the herb butter mixture I made.  The skin was getting crispy and they started to smell delicious.

 We had them in the smoker for seven and a half hours, and according to all of our temperature probes - including my very expensive, America's Test Kitchen-approved digital thermometer, the Thermapen MK4 - the turkeys were cooked to a safe internal temperature, indicating doneness.   

We all tasted a little piece of wing meat that fell off the bone when we transferred the birds to pans for transport - oops - and it was amazing.  I was dying to rip off a piece of crispy skin and reaaaally wanted to taste a slice of breast, but the bird had to go.  Hungry college kids were waiting.

In addition to the turkey, I made gravy with the pan drippings and also threw together a pan of Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and three pans of Cinnamon Swirl Cakes to add to the bounty.  I figured one can never have enough potatoes or crumb cake.   

I was thrilled to be able to help my nephew.  I love when he comes to me with something I can actually help him with.  Usually, he needs computer or gadget help, and that's Ed's department.  But the cooking questions are totally me.  And I was so happy to oblige.

From what I was told, the turkeys were a big hit.  Delicious, they said.  I stalked the Instagram accounts of his friends and saw several pictures from that night - one of them included several of the guys standing around the turkeys, carving with smiles on their faces! 

After we packed the food in my nephew's trunk and sent him on his way, Ed and I high-fived each other on our success.  We cooked two mother-clucking turkeys from a frozen solid state!  We had no room for error.  We had no backup plan.  And it's not like you can just go buy a cooked 20-pound turkey anywhere.  

I actually liked this method.  No defrosting turkey in the fridge.  No disgusting juice dripping out of the bag on the floor, my shoes, the counter, the sink.  And since I don't brine a turkey and I never cook stuffing inside the bird (I like my stuffing on the dry side, not wet like a newborn baby), the cooked-from-frozen method might be my future go-to method. 

The USDA approved it as safe, and several other websites we checked - The Kitchn, The Spruce, Williams-Sonoma - all had instructions on how to do it properly.

We'll probably be on the road for Thanksgiving this year so I won't be making my own turkey, but I'll definitely be keeping this little secret in my back pocket just in case I come across anyone else who needs an emergency turkey.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: Blade Runner
2015: Goodnight 'Bama
2014: No Fear
2013: A Cozy Little Dinner With My Favorite Bird
2012: Western Winter Sky
2011: Men At Work
2010: Everyone Is NOT A Winner
2009: Text Me
2008: Going The Way Of Astatine*
2007: Picture Perfect Pilot
2006: Not Falling For Winter Yet
2005: I Miss You Already

Pizza On The Q

We attempted pizza on the BBQ grill again, using the pizza stone.  This time we used fresh store-bought dough that I got in Sprouts.  It was pretty decent.  I also bought a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano which was amaaaaaaazing.

Ed's pizza (above) has summer sausage and black olives.  Mine has the sautéed spinach and garlic left over from Father's Day dinner.  Very delish.

Look at that beautiful bubble in the middle of my pie!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: DQ Cat 

2015: Happy Father's Day!
2014: WARNING: Very Low Flying Aircraft

2013: Stop. Look. Read.
2012: You Won’t Miss Me Coming On This Bike

2011: An Extra Large Bargain

2010: Maybe You Can Learn A Little Something From A Few Truck Drivers

2009: The Fathers In Our Lives, Our Fathers Who Art In Heaven And The Father Of Our Country

2008: Who The Hell Left The Pool Float In The Sea Of Tranquility??

2007: Lure Me In

2006: Sometimes The Reasons NOT To Have Children Are So Very Clear

2005: U-Ta-Dah!!

Feeding Time For Dad

Today I hosted Father's Day for my brother and my sister-in-law's father.  My fathers aren't with us anymore and Ed's Dad couldn't make it this year.  I wish I could have sent him a doggie bag though, because everything was SO good.

Ed insisted on smoking meat.  What else is new, right?  If there's a event that he can BBQ or put something on the smoker, he's all over it.  I might have to give in to his cooking desires more often because it takes a big brunt of the work off of me.  Hmmm.  Idea.

The brisket was the star of the show.  Nine pounds, trimmed at the butcher, seasoned by me, and cared for by Ed.  I know when you look at the piece of meat up there it looks burnt, but it's not.  That's called a "bark" and it's supposed to look that way.

The other part of the brisket that shows how well it was cooked is the "smoke ring" - you can clearly see that in the photo below.  The brisket was delicious.  

We also made the most amazing pork ribs, lemon-rosemary chicken breasts, roasted peppers and onions, roasted cauliflower (my favorite), fresh spinach and garlic sautéed in olive oil, mashed potato casserole (courtesy of my sister-in-law), and a tossed green salad.  For dessert, cheesecake with fresh strawberries.

What a great day!  The boys did video racing in the other room, I did a lot of dishes, and the fathers got to relax for the day.

If you'd like to see video of the brisket slicing, watch what Ed put together here:

If you're in the neighborhood, stop by for leftovers!




~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: May The Best Friend Win
2015: 140 Characters Just Doesn't Cut It
2014: Wyoming In June
2013: I Will Not Be Decaffeinated
2012: Sweeeeeeet
2011: Summer On The Farm
2010: This Should Be The Next “New Parent” Handbook
2009: Would You Like A Little Screech To Go With Your Whine?
2008: Jane’s Anatomy
2007: Plus People Are Here To Stay
2006: Baiting The Hook
2005: Purgatory

Smoke Rings In The Light

Another weekend in the Godfrey-Lettera household means something cooked on the wood pellet smoker.  This Sunday it was another brisket.  

After six hours in the smoker, followed by three hours in the insulated cooler, the brisket was ready for eatin'.  When Ed unveiled the brisket, the photo below is what we saw...a six-pound piece of meat with a beautiful bark on it.

Known as "bark", this is the crispy outer surface.  There are pages and pages all over the internet on how to do this and people actually talk about it and share pictures in BBQ forums.

The next step to get to the yummy goodness is to break out our brand spankin' new electric knife and get to work carving.  Here's Ed going in for the first slice.

Once you've sliced into the brisket, you'll see what is known as the smoke ring - that pink edging all around the slice.

Ed kept slicing - I requested a few reeaaallly thin slices - and we sat down for a delicious dinner.  It was very tender and pretty delicious.  Ed eats it like he did growing up in Texas, with slices of raw onion, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce for dipping.  We didn't have any Texas toast, but I didn't hear any complaining.  

The best part is that we have enough to keep Ed happy for the next week.  And at least one less meal a day I have to prepare.

Happy Sunday!




~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: This is FONTastic!!
2015: Perky For Spring
2014: Spring In Wyoming
2013: Texas For Immigration
2012: Mys-Understanding
2011: Zumba In My Dreams
2010: Eddie Peep Show Friday
2009: Some Like It Hot
2008: The Desert Blooms With Irritants
2007: Squeeze Me?
2006: Relationship Deal Breakers
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Dough Meets Grill

Ed made homemade pizza on the grill using his BBQ grill pizza stone - it took ten minutes to cook and the crust was super crispy.

He's getting pretty good at this cooking thing - he even made his own dough!



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2016: As If Florida Isn't Crazy Enough
2015: Guac, Not Eggs
2014: Beyond Restoration?
2013: Don't Let The Pretty Label Fool You
2012: True Trucker Confession
2011: Spring Buds And An M3
2010: International Relations
2009: Waiting For The Storm IN Ohio
2008: Sprawl
2007: Moonlighting
2006: Spring Breath Escapes Through Two Lips
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Charred

Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers (usually with onions) have become a staple in our weekly meals.  I cut them, toss them in olive oil with some salt and pepper, and Ed grills 'em.

This is what they look like when bathed in the evening sun.  I had to take the picture quickly because these babies don't last.



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2016: Right Only At The Big Yellow Tree
2015: High Shine Pete
2014: A Big Thumbs Up On Day Two
2013: The Hospital Survives Another Week
2012: More Distracting Than Texting While Driving
2011: The Aftermath
2010: More Than Halfway To A World Record
2009: If You Need Your Hump Fixed, This Is The Place
2008: The Flight, The Hotel, The Walk, And The Sleep Deprivation
2007: A Lot Of Beauty, A Little Citrus And A Mini Moo
2006: Shorn
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

From Stove Pipes To Orchestral Tubes

For years, I've passed this place on Interstate 20 in Weatherford, Texas.  I never knew what it was because I could never read the sign on the side of the building but I knew it looked like a place I wanted to check out.

Well, recently, Ed and I were able to stop on our way back from Oklahoma to take a look. The name of the place is David's Stove Shop. Yes, they have stoves, lots of stoves, a whole stove section. And stove accessories. BBQ grills and smokers. And wood chips. And cooking utensils. And BBQ rubs and seasonings. And fire pits. And fireplace stuff. And the biggest selection of Lodge cookware I've ever seen in a store that isn't a Lodge outlet (an outlet which, by the way, I've never been to).  Ed was in heaven browsing.

 

But it's not just a stove shop.  It's got lots of other great stuff - patio furniture, metal garden and yard art, windmills, and 100 different styles of copper weathervanes.

They've got an entire wing of antiques, a lot of your regular fare but some really unusual products, too, like this typeset cabinet.

In addition to the metal products inside - everything from letters to animals to sports team products - they have these letters, in all sizes, in the outside area where some of the larger vintage items are located.  I'm definitely going back for one of these.  I just have to figure out where I'm going to put it.

One of the items I loved most, which I didn't get a close-up photo of because I wasn't really thinking about getting a picture of just them at the time, but if you notice the wind chimes hanging from the metal structure below...

They were AMAZING.

They are handcrafted, one at a time, in Austin, Texas by a company called Music of the Spheres.  The wind chimes come in 5 sizes (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) and are precision tuned in 11 tunings (Pentatonic, Hawaiian, Quartal, Balinese, Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Whole Tone, Aquarian, Gypsy and Nashville) and the Westminster, Contrabass and Basso Profundo are offered in one unique size and tuning

I have never in my life heard such beautiful sound from a wind chime.  It was like listening to one of those big pipe organs in a church.  It was soothing.  Beautiful.  Calming.  And some of them were the biggest windchimes I'd ever seen, tubes from 2 feet to five feet long.  The tubes are actually tuned to A440, a standard orchestral pitch, using modern technology.  Really impressive.

I told Ed that I want a set of these windchimes for my new back porch once it's built.  If I'm going to sit outside, I want an orchestra creating music by which I'll drink my coffee.

If you're in the area and you have a chance to stop, do it.  It's worth the time.  You can find them at 4019 Fort Worth Highway in Weatherford, Texas - Interstate 20, Exit 415.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: I Guess We Can't Park Here
2015: It's Show Time!
2014: Determined
2013: Nashville Is One Of Their Greatest Picks
2012: Monday Is A Smash Hit
2011: Home At Last
2010: Wake Up In The Morning, Put Your Hand On Something Useful, And Take Care Of Yourself And Your Family*
2009: Copter
2008: Atchafalaya Whaaaaat??
2007: There’s A Skirt On The Door For A Reason
2006: South Of The Beijing Border
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Atomic Appetizer

Ed made his first appetizer in his pellet smoker.  He found the recipe in his new book, The Wood Pellet Smoker & Grill Cookbook.  Now, the name of the recipe is ridiculous - Atomic Buffalo Turds - and had I known that's what they were called when he made them, I probably wouldn't have eaten them.  But I did, and they were pretty good.

If you're not a fan of jalapeños, know that they get milder as you cook them.  If you're still afraid of the spice, use baby bell peppers.

ATOMIC BUFFALO TURDS

SERVES:  6-10

PREP TIME:  30 to 45 minutes

COOK TIME:  1.5 to 2 hours

REST TIME:  5 minutes

RECOMMENDED PELLETS:  Hickory, Blend

INGREDIENTS:
10 medium jalapeño peppers
8 ounces regular cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend (optional)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
20 Lit'l Smokies sausages
10 thinly sliced bacon strips, cut in half

PREPPING FOR THE GRILL
1.  Put your food service gloves on, if using.  Wash and slice the jalapeño peppers lengthwise.  using a spoon or paring knife, carefully remove the seeds and veins and discard them.  Place the jalapeños on a vegetable grilling tray and set aside.  

2.  In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, if using, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes, until fully incorporated.

3.  Fill the hollowed jalapeño pepper halves with the cream cheese mixture.  

4.  Place a Lit'l Smokies sausage on top of each filled jalapeño pepper half.

5.  Wrap half a slice of thin bacon around each jalapeño pepper half.

6.  Use a toothpick to secure the bacon to the sausage, making sure not to pierce the pepper.  Place the ABTs on a grilling tray or pan.

ON THE WOOD PELLET SMOKER-GRILL
1.  Configure your wood pellet smoker-grill for indirect cooking and preheat to 250°F using hickory pellets or a blend.

2.  Smoke the jalapeño peppers at 250° for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, until the bacon is cooked and crispy.  

3.  Remove the ABTs from the grill and let rest for five minutes before serving as an hors d'oeuvre.

Ed pulled this appetizer off all by himself.  I was very impressed with his following the recipe, prepping the food, and cooking it.  He methodically filled each jalapeño, skillfully wrapped them in bacon, and gently speared them with a toothpick.

In addition to not knowing the name of them before I tried them, I'm also glad I didn't know they contained a Lit'l Smokie sausage.  I don't eat that kind of stuff.  No jerky, no weenies in a can, no Lit'l Smokies.  I'll eat a Twinkie that can survive the apocolypse, but I draw the line at weird little sausages.

That said, it was a pretty decent appetizer.  Lots of flavor, definite heat spice-wise, and something very different than what we usually have.  I think these can probably be made on the grill, too, since we've used the grilling pan for vegetables in the past.

If you try these - on a smoker or a grill - leave me a message and let me know how they came out.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: There's Always Time For The World Wide Web
2015: There's Always A Church
2014: The Parking Problems For A Big Rig Never End
2013: Need I Say More?
2012: Despite The Name, This Might Not Be Your Place If You’re Truly Bashful
2011: Then Someone Lit The Flame And Plain Rode Away On Lion’s Mane
2010: It Once Had A Life
2009: Life’s A Planet Beach
2008: I Wasn’t Even Fishing, But I Certainly Got A Great Catch
2007: Royal Air Force Typhoon Blows Into Nellis
2006: This Dandelion Needs Rogaine
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

A Spicy Little Secret

My job was to cut the jalapeños in half and take the seeds out.  Ed was taking it from there.  Stop back to see what these spicy little pepper canoes eventually turned into



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2016: It's Uphill From Here
2015: A Place Of Rare Beauty
2014: Thumbs Up For A Real Bronx Tale
2013: A Mountain City Fit For A Queen
2012: Sprinkle Of Seaweed, Anyone?
2011: Shopping To The Maxx
2010: Ed Unloads An Oil Platform
2009: You Never Know When You Might Need It
2008: Eddie Climbs A Wall Friday
2007: What Showing Off For Your Kids Looks Like
2006: What’s It All About?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Behold The Beautiful Brisket

According to Ed, and much of the internet, Brisket is one of the most difficult pieces of meat to cook in a smoker.  If that's true, then I must have a master chef hiding behind a truck driver exterior living in my house.

Ed absolutely ROCKED his first brisket!  All that book learnin' really came in handy.

Above you'll see the six pound brisket just minutes after it came out of its resting place. After it had been smoked for almost six hours, Ed took it out of the smoker, wrapped it in foil, and put it back in the smoker for two more hours.  After that, he placed it in an insulated cooler for another two hours.

I had the honor of cutting the first slice. 

I've gotta tell you...it smelled divine.  Ed seasoned it only with kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.  I pulled off a crispy nub even before I started slicing, and it was super tasty.

When I initially trimmed the brisket the night before, Ed instructed me to leave a quarter to a half-inch of fat on it.  You can see that layer of fat in the two photos below.  Once it was on our plates, the thin strip of fat easily peeled away.  The few pieces that clung to the meat enhanced the taste.  If you're not aware of this little fact, let me fill you in.

FAT IS TASTY.

In addition to the tasty fat, a smoked piece of meat will have what's called a "Smoke Ring".  You can see it in the photos above and below.  The smoke ring, usually pink or red in color, becomes easily visible on the edge of the piece of meat and is what happens as the meat absorbs smoke, usually until it reaches about 140 degrees internally.  The slower you cook the meat, the more smoke the piece of meat absorbs.  The smoke flavor comes from what kind of wood or pellets you use. It happens whether you slow or fast cook the meat.

It is said that the sign of great barbecue is the presence of the prized band of rosy red around the edges.  If that's there, you have arrived.

I'm going to come right out and say, having tried brisket at several barbecue joints across the country, that Ed has completely arrived with this piece of brisket.  On. His. First. Try. It was truly amazing.

Perfectly seasoned with a gorgeous crust, each thin slice fell effortlessly off the knife.  It was so incredibly tender and flavorful - and this was before putting on his homemade barbecue sauce!  The meat just fell apart.

I served it sliced, but it can easily have been shredded or chopped like some 'cue joints do it.  

This was an entirely successful and delightful smoked meat meal.  We served it to my mother and friend Kim the way they do it up in Texas - with a stack of Texas Toast, sliced white onions, BBQ sauce warmed up in a squeeze bottle, baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad.

We stuffed ourselves.

Here's the recipe for the barbecue sauce that Franklin Barbecue uses.  They bottle it, sell it, and put it on the tables in their restaurant.  But you don't have to go to Austin to get it, you can whip it up in your own kitchen.  Doesn't get easier than that.


REGULAR BARBECUE SAUCE
Makes about 3 cups

1 3/4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershite sauce
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occassionally.  There is no need to bring the mixture to a boil, as the idea is just to warm it enough to melt and integrate the ingredients.  Once you have done that, remove from the heat and let cool.  Transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.



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2015: He Really Is A Carpenter
2014: Constant Surveillance
2013: Not Even Good Enough To Make My Top 100 Pictures Of Fall List
2012: Exactly
2011: A Little Grease More Often Is Better
2010: Scenes From Florence
2009: Eddie Palm Sketch Friday
2008: Moabulous
2007: Ready To Draw The Future
2006: Red Fish, Blue Fish, One Fish, Two Fish.
2005: Beautiful Enough To Lick

A Manifesto For Meat

Ed reads manuals, websites, magazines, birthday cards.  But I don't think I've ever seen him read a book.

Until he got his hands on Franklin Barbecue - A Meat-Smoking Manifesto.

A gift from our friend, Gary Goulette, this book hasn't left Ed's hands since he opened the package the day it came in the mail.  He's like a kid with a new toy.  And Gary and Ed have become like teenage girls talking and texting on the phone lately.  About barbecue.  Gary's been smoking meat for a while now so he's been providing tips and tricks, telling Ed smoker stories, and making suggestions on cuts of meat that have worked out well for him.  He's the one who suggested Ed smoke a pork butt for his first attempt.

But let's get back to the book...apparently, this Aaron Franklin dude is a big deal.  If you visit his restaurant in Austin, prepare to wait in line for hours.  Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote about him.  His book covers everything from identifying parts on a smoker, to what kind of wood to use and the results to expect, to cuts of meat (with photos and histories of), to actually cooking, serving, and eating.  It's actually kinda right up Ed's alley, because it is like a manual.

We'd like to thank Gary for being so generous and being so interested in Ed's new endeavor.  Thanks, Gar!

This weekend Ed will be making a brisket, a Texas barbecue staple and something Ed grew up eating.  His excitement level for this cut of meat is off the charts - it doesn't get any more Texas than smoked brisket.

Come back to see the results!

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2015: Morning Y'all
2014: Happy Fall Morning
2013: Own The Day

2012: Barrio Viejo 
2011: A Daunting Task
2010: Salivating Over The Salumeria
2009: The Cheapest Entertainment Around
2008: Proud To Be A Liberal American
2007: I Don’t Think This Is What The Gideons Had In Mind
2006: Ten Reasons Today
2005: The Big Five Oh!

Smoky Slices Of Butt

So on Friday, Ed spent more than 12 hours smoking a Boston Butt.  He approached it with military precision.  He awoke at 4:45 am, filled the smoker with pecan pellets, let it heat up for about 30 minutes, and had the butt in place by 5:30 am.

Then he spent the rest of the day doing yard work, changing the oil on the truck, organizing his side boxes, and generally keeping busy while the pork cooked.  He watched the temperature and basted the butt hourly, as was suggested by what he's read.

When he took it out of the smoker at 6 pm, we were all starving, but we had to wait another 30 minutes while it rested.  Argghhh.  It was the longest I've EVER waited for food.  I don't even like to wait on line in a restaurant.  I'll walk out if the wait is more than 20 minutes, but here we were approaching hour thirteen.

Once we unwrapped the butt and got it ready to slice, I started to calm down a little.  The outside was both gooey and crispy.  I sliced a tiny piece off and had my first bite.  A little salty - most likely from the rub - but still pretty good.  Then I just started maniacally slicing, peeps were hungry.

The pork wasn't falling apart like I thought it would be, as I was imaging a pile of pulled pork like I've ordered at restaurants, but it was tender and moist.  I served it with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, and small dinner rolls in case anyone wanted to make a slider-sized sandwich.

We've had pork for days.  So.  Much.  Pork.  Last night I made some leftovers for Ed, sautéed it with butter, white wine, and a little barbecue sauce.  Served it over rice with mixed veggies.  He loved it.

The rest is in the freezer.



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2015: Clouds In The State Of The Large Creek
2014: Yellow Trees, Big Sky
2013: The Negotiation
2012: Going Au Naturel
2011: A Great Idea
2010: The Real Deal
2009: This Should Keep You Buy For A While
2008: Plenty Of Room For The Ladies
2007: It All Began With The Cheese
2006: Zig Zag Wisconsin Color
2005: Made In China