A thread for foodies...

[kathyt]

Cool - I will probably be trying this. We experimented a couple of weeks ago with a homemade BBQ sauce after I made some fabulous pulled pork...didn't want to dump a bottled sauce on it, but in the end we agreed we should have.

Details girl. You can't use the words "I made some fabulous pulled pork" and leave us hanging. Mouths are watering. I plan to do a pork butt next weekend and any sage advice? Hmmm, sage..... possible.

Well, it was ridiculously easy. For the work involved and the taste received, you wonder what you've done wrong in life to have to have waited so long for this to come to you.

I picked up a pork shoulder at the market. Got out the old crock pot. In the bottom of the crock pot went sliced onions, mashed garlic, some salt. I browned the shoulder in cast iron first and set it on top of the bed of onions. hmm...how much beer? Off the top of my head I don't recall... just deglaze the cast iron with enough beer to scrape off the yummy bits and pour that hot mess over the shoulder. On top of that your main seasoning is about 1 TBS each of cumin, brown sugar and chili powder, mixed together with a fork and loosely spread over the shoulder with the fork. You just want enough beer to not completely cover the shoulder...but almost. I used 3-4 bottles I think...depends on the size of the shoulder, and at over 4 pounds, mine was *almost* too large for the crock pot! I will go smaller next time for simplicity's sake.

Put the crock pot on low, walk away for awhile. It's a 4-6 hour process, depending on the size of the pork. When you can start shredding it with a fork it's done.

Shred it on a platter and do your best to have that sauce nearby!!! We used a mustard-based recipe as I recall, and didn't really care for it. Ended up going for some bottled stuff.

This sounds good. I throw caramelized onions in the pot, but the idea of browning the shoulder first sounds good to add even more flavor.

 

[terri]

That would absolutely add more flavor, Kathy - great idea. Mine is definitely the lazy man's recipe!!

Kundalini, your pictures of that BB were mouth-watering! For all the trouble getting it going, you turned out a beautiful chunk a' meat.

Dang, now I'm hungry. Do we have any cookies?

 

[kundalini]

Thanksgiving is next week. Cough up some of your secret recipes. Main, sides or desserts.

I'm smoking a couple Boston Butts and at least one turkey. I'm leaving the sides to the usual major players, but adding a bread or rice pudding from myself for a sweet. Something different this year. I'm hoping Aunt Brenda makes the sweet potato casserole.

 

[terri]

I don't get to cook my usual feast this year. Invited to my sister in law's house and will only be bringing the afore-mentioned cherry pie, as it does have a splendid reputation. I love sweet potatoes, even the casserole sans the tiny marshmallows that these recipes seem to favor - but, I won't be making it this year, either.

I usually make a roast turkey (my way is to sear the skin first by placing the bird in a very hot oven, say, 450 degrees, then immediately reducing the oven temp to 350 and going by about 15 min. per pound, and I like to baste until it goes a deep golden brown. Crisp skin and juicy tender turkey are guaranteed this way, so I don't overthink it since I usually have other things to do).

I like making yeast rolls from scratch, as well. (Not this year.) And if I'm not roasting a bird, it's something dramatic like a crown roast. (Not this year.)

*sigh* We're bringing the wine as well as the pie, so at least I know we will be drinking well.

 

[kundalini]

No mini marshmallows are ingested or molested in Aunt Brenda's recipe, I can ensure.

I also got a good recipe for fresh cranberry sauce recently. My recipe's are elsewhere, but I'll post soon enough. It's really good.

My fruitcake is reserved for Xmas. Everyone has to suffer.

 

[terri]

If your fruitcake can't get everyone drunk, it should be hurled off the deck. Sorry - poor old fruitcake, that's a classic recipe that is the butt of many jokes.

I would love to see your recipe for cranberry sauce!

 

[kundalini]

The fruitcake is definitely an adult version with my spin.

This is the recipe...

Free Range Fruitcake Recipe : Alton Brown : Recipes : Food Network


As in most recipes, I take most recited ingredients to mean "to taste", when it comes to alcoholic ingredients, I have a very strong constitution.

 

[kundalini]

Cranberry Sauce: As instructed in the video, the sauce is a tad on the tart side. Nothing wrong with having a bit of tart, but have another slice of the aforementioned fruitcake beforehand.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/cranberry-sauce/27741.html