Anyone know any butchers?

[e.rose]

No self-respecting Delaware Valley resident uses premade frozen "chicken cheesesteak meat" or Steak-ums. But we do however, use cheese-wiz

I'm not in the Delaware Valley... I'm not even native to the LEHIGH Valley. I don't like Cheese-wiz either... that stuff creeps me out. I plan on using provolone. :lmao:

But you're right... however I decide to make it, I'll be sure NOT to tell my Philadelphian friends, for fear that I will be strung up for my crimes against the ways of the Cheese Steak! :lmao:

 

[Rephargotohp]

Yeah, people making this way too complicated, having managed a couple of the best cheesteak/sub places in Jersey (in a former life) really you only need to do one thing on your choice of breast or thigh meat or steak for that matter. and that is slicing it thin. You do that for two reasons, To cook quickly so that the meat does not dry out and to also allow for quick caramelization which gives you the flavor on the grill (or a hot frying pan)
Saute some onions, throw on some provolone and some chopped up hot Cherry peppers serve on a GOOD fresh roll, Done

 

[paul85224]

I know some butchers that butcher bacon......

 

[mwcfarms]

Derrel if we weren't both married I'd ask you to run away with me and be my own personal chef/slave. Dude can cook. Color me red, white and impressed. Lol wicked kitchen tips. Thanks.

 

[Derrel]

Derrel if we weren't both married I'd ask you to run away with me and be my own personal chef/slave. Dude can cook. Color me red, white and impressed. Lol wicked kitchen tips. Thanks.

Well, thanks, that is without a doubt the best semi-offer I've had in a while!!! I love to cook...these days people are pretty far removed from old-fashioned food prep tasks unless they are a "foodie"...nowdays it's often unbag/dethaw/nuke...

 

[mwcfarms]

Derrel if we weren't both married I'd ask you to run away with me and be my own personal chef/slave. Dude can cook. Color me red, white and impressed. Lol wicked kitchen tips. Thanks.

Well, thanks, that is without a doubt the best semi-offer I've had in a while!!! I love to cook...these days people are pretty far removed from old-fashioned food prep tasks unless they are a "foodie"...nowdays it's often unbag/dethaw/nuke...

I am a huge fan of monkeying in the kitchen. And by monkeying I mean inventing and trying out new dishes. I threw some boneless chicken thighs in the oven last night with greek seasoning, some dried redpepper, sprinkled with feta and covered with fresh baby spinach. Covered in foil and baked, they were delish. I have never used the brine for regular chicken pieces only a turkey. Makes wicked sense though. There are days when take out of boxed food is great, but I really respect a man who can cook. My husband sauteed onions once for me when I was pregnant and said do they go clear after they turn black. Lol.

 

[e.rose]

I finally made our Chicken Cheese Steaks tonight! They were very yummy! :sillysmi:

 

[CCericola]

Oh no you don't. After all that you have to tell us how you made it!

 

[mishele]

I finally made our Chicken Cheese Steaks tonight! They were very yummy! :sillysmi:

Pictures or it didn't happen!!!

 

[Overread]

And if you didn't take pictures make more to take pictures!!

 

[mishele]

^^^^^^ She posted pictures on FB.......lol

 

[Overread]

You mean Erose is also building her own Inner Circle on facebook!?!!??!

I feel betrayed!

 

[mishele]

I guess you are out of both circles now....lol
Are you on FB?

 

[Overread]

Darn it I'll have to build my own - based on the dark rage and hate - it will be a great place all dark and with red letter...... Darn it I'm already a member of that place and its full of icky stuff!!



And facebook - I'm on there
about 3 times a year

 

[jwbryson1]

To make chicken good, you need to do what real poultry chefs do: brine the chicken in saltwater and spices for 1 to 2 days' time. I cook a lot of chicken, and I brine it. There is no "steak" cut on a chicken. The breast is obviously the largest piece, and it can be cut into "a steak" if you want to. The thick end of the breast can also be cut cross-wise and made into three almost equally-thick pieces, and then the thinner, pointed end cut once to make two thin, elongated triangular-shaped pieces.

If you cook chicken and it is dry, and tasteless, you are not brining it and or you are not cooking it properly. The easiest way to cook thin-cut pieces is deep frying in hot oil, with a batter on the outside of the chicken. You can remove the coating if you do not want to eat it, and will have very moist chicken that has had the liquids kept in side during the cooking process, which takes only about 3 minutes when submerged in oil, as contrasted with pan-frying, sauteeing, or southern frying.

If you want good chicken breast strips or chunks, poke holes in both sides of boneless, skinless breast meat with a sharp, pointy-tined fork, such as some of the Japanese-made ones, or use a multi-tined ice-chipper, if you know what that is. Then, brine the chicken in a saline solution of about 1 part sea salt to 32 parts water...i.e. 1 ounce salt, a quart of water. Add to that 10 shakes Worchestershire sauce, 15-20 shakes garlic powder, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and 1.5 tablespoons ground black pepper. This will brine about 15 whole chicken breasts, in two separate non-reactive (i.e. enamelled crocks or plastic/poly tubs, or stainless steel--no aluminum!). After brining, drop pieces into a mixture of beaten egg, garlic powder,and half and half: this is the "egg wash". Drain each piece for 5 seconds or so, then drop it into seasoned flour (flour,garlic powder,pepper, chili powder, maybe some ranch seasoning mix if you like that). "Shake" the flour over each piece, then lift it out with a knife or fork and set it onto a floured plate or some waxed paper. Allow the chicken to come up to room temp for best cooking. Deep-fat fry in small batches, 3 breast strips for 3 mins, or 4 for 4 mins. A "whole", uncut-breast is too thick at one end and too thin at the other end to cook evenly. if you like extra-crispy, after the initial egg wash and flouring, re-dip in egg and re-flour. Fresh, clean,new seasoned flour makes an even coating; when you do a batch of say 25 strips, the remaining flour will have clumps in it from the initial egg wash bits that drip off. It is THOSE BITS that create that "extra-crispy, extra-crunchy" coating so many people like on things like popcorn chicken, so one needs to begin the flour process with an ample quantity of fresh, new, seasoned flour so as to have enough left over for the second round of egg wash and flour-dredging!

You can use other egg washes for different flavors: eggs, buttermilk, and Ranch dressing mix is an awful lot like "the old officer's chicken"...and brining the chicken in salt and buttermilk for 2 days beforehand is a wonderful way to make that flavor come through.

Enjoy...Derrel...amateur chef...

Derrel is correct--well done, Derrell! You MUST brine poultry (chicken, turkeys, etc.) before you cook them. 24 hours minimum and then let them air dry for 24 hours in the fridge to get the skin dry (which results in a crispy skin and not a soggy skin). Some people don't air dry their turkeys and chickens first--I always do.

I have a great brine recipe if you need one.