Cal I hope your taco night turned out OK. Here is the aftermath of ours. I made a meat mixture with ground beef, onions, garlic, a bit of sweet green pepper, toasted oregano, and a spice mixture made with ancho, guajillo, morita, and chipotle dried chilis plus black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin for aromatics. Plus beer. For toppings we had chopped lettuce, tomato, cilantro, avocado, grated Monterey Jack cheese, chipotle sour cream, pickled jalapenos, and of course my tomatillo salsa. We had some crispy corn taco shells, some soft corn tortillas, and soft flour tortillas. It was all delicious.
We used to have a fish seller at our local farmers market who had great fresh haddock, and we used to do a lot of fish tacos, but he hasn't been there in a while and we have not had access to good fish (which drives me crazy, but the supermarket fish is garbage).
We used to have a fish seller at our local farmers market who had great fresh haddock, and we used to do a lot of fish tacos, but he hasn't been there in a while and we have not had access to good fish (which drives me crazy, but the supermarket fish is garbage).
Competition chili has some weird conventions. It should be just gravy and meat with no chunks other than meat and that should be really evenly cubed. No fillers like noodles or beans allowed.
My personal preference is for chunks too. Maybe it would not be if I had to taste 50 bowls of it though.
I think we could be pepper friends 🙂 Yours - Morita + Arbol is what I use. Sometimes - Ancho+ mulato. Aromatics are close too - cloves + allspice for me. Never tried toasting the oregano but whole cumin toasted then ground is good. Cinnamon is tough to get right for me, I use the smallest amount just to give a hint.
Finally recovered from my bout with the big C enough to be able to taste gimps smoked pastrami! Gonna start it here in a bit. 😛
There sure is. I was part of a team for years. And you're right, ground meat is shunned as are beans like you said. I don't make my chili like the competition ones. Personally I like mine a lot more. I call the competition version Cowboy Chili. Not for me.
Glad to hear you're up and about. Any lingering side effects?
Looking forward to your pastrami Bob.
Yes thank you, very good. It was actually nacho night but close enough. The chips, while a nice change from tortilla, are a little week to dip, so the chili came in a bowl. I got extra smooches from the Mrs. 🙂
Attachments
Attachments
Yah thanks 🙂
Lingering side effects are kinda strange, my working duty cycle is usually 75-80% so usually 45-50 minutes of each hour gittin’er done…….now I’m reduced to 25% duty cycle or about 15 minutes before I have to break and there ain’t no pushin through either! This is after at least a week from last symptoms going away, which really weren’t any worse than the flu IMO……I’m sure I’ll manage to milk the honey-do list as long as possible, I just cough a little when the admiral asks about any new projects! 😀
Pastrami comes off in about a half hour……been smoking for about 4hrs now but might take it off a little short of Gimps recommended 5 hours as it’s a small piece of meat.
Only thing I see as problematic is might of put too much crushed black pepper/coriander seed crust on and I’m hoping it didn’t impede the smoke getting into the meat. We’ll know in a minute! 😎
Attachments
This year is going well for the sauce. The new batch is near ready and I still have 800 ml of the 2020 vintage.
Only problem is the temperature swings. It’s cool enough some nights to reverse the traps and suck air into the tank chamber.
Only problem is the temperature swings. It’s cool enough some nights to reverse the traps and suck air into the tank chamber.
Hey Bob, it’s understood that recovery often takes a lot longer than you want it to.
I agree the meat coating looks heavy. Maybe leave it on for another hour or so?
I agree the meat coating looks heavy. Maybe leave it on for another hour or so?
Do small batches like that give more trouble? When we did it was always in a 3/4 full 30 gallon(+/-) food grade barrel. Sometimes have 3 or four going…..man it was a lot of work but we ended up making pretty good money selling to the regulars and then at the farmer’s markets and fairs, always sold out!
I’ll try leaving it on a little longer……gettin hungry tho! 😀
I’ll try leaving it on a little longer……gettin hungry tho! 😀
Mark, if that was for me, I put them outside to cool it lower than inside which is about 22 these days. September is like that around here. Warm days still but cooling at night. Thankfully we have rain on the way so those swings will be much less for the next week.
Because the fermentation is all but done and all I am looking for is a further breakdown of the pepper flesh (rotting, I mean aging) I added extra pickling salt before putting them outside and I also added some iodized salt to the water in the traps. I have never lost a batch and I’m not expecting to this year, it just when you have a 27 degree day and then a 12 degree night, things can go a little funny if not careful.
Because the fermentation is all but done and all I am looking for is a further breakdown of the pepper flesh (rotting, I mean aging) I added extra pickling salt before putting them outside and I also added some iodized salt to the water in the traps. I have never lost a batch and I’m not expecting to this year, it just when you have a 27 degree day and then a 12 degree night, things can go a little funny if not careful.
Yes Bob, I know it’s 7 pm on your side of the continent. Heck, it’s only 4 here and I’m already thinking about your meat. Uh, let me rephrase that.
Actually, I would wrap half of it and sweat it for 24 hours, just to compare.
The hot sauce in small batches I expect is the same. You can see my thoughts in the post above.
Actually, I would wrap half of it and sweat it for 24 hours, just to compare.
The hot sauce in small batches I expect is the same. You can see my thoughts in the post above.
Made an apple crisp this afternoon. Two apple trees in the back yard that were loaded this year. Jamming some down my gullet (while it's still warm) with some vanilla ice cream.🙂
jeff
jeff
Ok well, as we thought…….too much crust to get a good smoke ring. Next time I’ll use less cracked spice and a more powdered rub the night before like I do for plain brisket.
I also went a little light on the smoke not knowing what to expect so that didn’t help either….came out moist and tender, all in all worth doing and will definitely try again. Thanks Gimp!
I also went a little light on the smoke not knowing what to expect so that didn’t help either….came out moist and tender, all in all worth doing and will definitely try again. Thanks Gimp!
Attachments
Last edited:
Oops! I was so excited about taco night I projected! Anyway that looks fabulous.