Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I think we’ve only ever done two or three things in a crock pot that really turned out well; my crock pot has gotten the most use as a way to carry to a party and warm up dishes that have already been cooked otherwise. But one of the things we’ve found that the crock pot does pretty well is pulled pork. (Don't laugh, Texans - we're currently apartment dwellers ;-)

We’ve tried several recipes that turned out OK, but I wanted to make pulled pork in the crockpot like the Carnitas that we get at Chipotle (again, don't laugh! I just like it). A few months ago, I ordered what looks like a lifetime supply of Juniper Berries, because someone online had insisted that they were the key – but for us, they were not; and now I’m stuck with a huge vacuum-packed jar of berries that I’ll probably never use up in the remaining time that the Lord has allotted me.

But: I think I found the recipe last weekend. My husband signed up to receive email recipes from Cooks Country, and a recent one was for ‘Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas’; we tried it, and it was excellent. The secret seems to be citrus, which you don’t really taste AS citrus; but somehow, it adds that elusive 'je ne sais quoi'.

A slight variation of the recipe is available at the Mels Kitchen Cafe website; the Cooks Country recipe suggested crisping the final product in a fry pan, but Mels Kitchen does it under the broiler, and I think that makes a better product:

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas

After about a year of ‘window-shopping’ pressure cooker options, we have decided to purchase an Instant Pot. We are going for the 8-quart ‘Duo’, because that seems to offer the most versatility. I became interested in this product because of all the reviews on how well it does hard-boiled eggs (makes them very easy to peel, even very fresh eggs) bone broth, and yogurt-making. Husband is interested in the fast-cooking of meats.

Do any of you who have an Instant Pot have favorite recipes/uses for it?

-JT

[CottonBall]

OK, you convinced me. I need to get one!

It’s going to go at the top of my Christmas list.

[CottonBall]

Oh, Any advice on what brand to get? Size? Features?

[CottonBall]

How do you cook winter squash in one? Do you just stick it in there with a little water?

I’ve cooked my butternuts in a microwave, with some water and tenting with plastic wrap. It makes a humid mess.

[CottonBall]

“I’m so as ashamed I missed it! LOL!”

Me too! This thread is the first time I’ve heard of one. I feel so out of the loop. :(

[CottonBall]

How is your daughter doing today?

[CottonBall]

Preppers using the instant pot thing?

[Aliska]

I couldn't get ahold of her; she had called and left a voicemail the night before. When I talk to her or see her, everything seems normal. We have panic attacks which make your heart race very fast (mine have been ok since I went on clonazepam) but this wasn't that. I'm just antsy about the surgery. It's pretty routine but not to me.

Thanks for asking. Am thinking about you. You'll be ok. Just every day you can eat fairly normally and chew, food you like, say a little prayer of thanksgiving :-). I took it for granted. Another sore spot on my dentures, have to push on through, appt Monday, hope he can get it right, guess it takes several adjustments. At least I can get them in and out by myself, and I think my mouth and gums aren't nearly as sore as they have been.

I'll keep you posted about my daughter. It's kind of a shock; she's 1964, she's only 53 but lived a pretty hard life with drugs and booze. She realized she was going to die with the drugs and prayed for help and got it. Been clean for many years. The booze isn't so easy.

Yesterday she was going to bring me an OTC med and never showed up. She's not dependable whether she feels good or not, just have to accept it.

[Aliska]

All these years with my old Rival, would have used it more if it wasn't such a nuisance to clean. Now I have a great sink sprayer and it's a breeze compared to how I'd done it in the past and have to take such care to keep the cord, switches, etc., from getting wet.

Several years ago, I got hooked on Dulce Le Leche and was making it very often. Crock pots are exccellent for that and a little safer because the water is less likely to boil dry. Then I'd steal a can and eat it like candy. I got sick of it and haven't made any since. I much prefer real buttery caramel. I haven't succeeded in getting the burnt sugar to work for caramel sauce yet though.

[Freedom56v2]

Hi folks...

Boy that Instapot looks sweet—I was eyeing one in the store after reading this thread earlier in the week ;)

Little bit off topic, but I have 2 burning questions ;)

1. I just came in from harvesting a huge number of pears off my 2 trees in IL. Bumper crop of 6+ plastic grocery bags full to brim. It is going to freeze here in IL tonite, so needed to be done.

Looking for new ideas for storage—these pears don’t ripen on the tree, but take so much space in garage. My aunt said she used to wrap green tomatoes in newspaper and put them in a box in basement or garage until they ripen. I was thinking about doing the same thing...Or if anyone has a better idea, I would love to hear it. Suppose I will can them when they ripen.

Also any great pear recipes as I am always looking for new uses :)

2. Can I save weed killer and good quality grass seed over the winter? Spouse says neither will be any good, I say if they don’t freeze then perhaps they will be OK...Thoughts?

[lizma2]

Poor baby! My genetics are poop except my teeth. The only good genes I inherited. But I remember my grandmother’s pain with her dentures. She served a lot of soft food. Wish I knew her chicken soup recipe. Too die for.

When I had my wisdom teeth pulled in college they gave me something that made hallucinate neon planes floating around the room and it felt like after a few minutes they stuffed my mouth with cotton and were sending me home. I couldn’t figure out why they did this to me and hadn’t pulled my teeth yet! My dad pretty much had to carry me out to the car! I think I slept about the next 48 hrs!!

I have white coat syndrome when I see a doc (and I’m in the medical field) but not a dentist.

[Aliska]

CottonBall maybe you don't need any more of this now that we got you "stabilized" for now ;-)

I am so sorry I kind of hijacked the thread and feel like some drama queen here. I figured people could skip over it. And I'm reading the recipes and saving some.

My teeth are soft, the first one broke off from abrasion of a wire on my braces which wore off the enamel. That was a front one. Plus I smoked and drank a lot of tea, quit both. I never wanted to go through a root canal or pay for iit and quit going to the dentist altogether for years but not initially.

That's horrible about your wiscom teeth. I was about 20, drove myself. Novocain only, 2 pulled at a time starting with one impacted (on it's side). The dentist sawed the tooth in at least 3 pieces to get it out. I fainted twice, he took my pulse and broke one of those ampules of ammonia. I got through it and drove myself home but my whole jaw was hurting and bruised 2 days later. Still went back and got the other 2 out.

So I have good reason to fear them even though they seldom hurt anywhere near that bad now except maybe afterwards. The drilling when a child used to be horrible with no novocain yet and my sensitive teeth, not those hs water-cooled ones.

But to psych myself up I included being thankful we even have modern dentistry because a lot of people, maybe me, would be dead. My regular dr maybe 5 years ago warned me to get my teeth taken care of because if they abcess or something else (lucky mine didn't do that), you can get septicemia and die.

And if they have to pull for a toothache (I spent several nights up all night with those, horrible), that wasn't the problem with this latest. How on earth would I have stood those toothaches until they eventually break and the nerve dies (if you're lucky)? I think for some they just pulled them with pliers.

So let's count our blessings. That's funny you're in the "business", bet you're compassionate, I guess you can have fears, too. Both are conditioned responses from my childhood. I do think we might have more fear of terminal diseases, no that can't be with the dpt and small pox. I don't know. There was still cancer, but if you are lucky enough never to get it, somebody you love does or you can spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about it.

Wow, I never had a hallucinatory experience with an anesthetic, could though. I feel for you with that, and the memory of it stays with you as long as your memory works.

Gotta stir some jello I'm making.

[lizma2]

Love Italian Beef. It’s required if you grow up in Chicago!

I take a good roast, stab it about 50 times with a knife. In each stab, place a garlic clove. Coat it oregano and fennel. Pour in a about an inch of broth made from Better than Bouillon (low-sodium). Bake till very rare. (I use a thermometer.)

Refrigerate till cool and thin slice. (I actually bought an electric slicing machine to do this for this recipe.!) Marinade sliced beef in broth overnight.

Mix broth with more broth to make about 5 cps. TBL or more of Worcestershire sauce, more garlic. Simmer about 15 minutes. Marinate overnight. Serve on a good roll with a bunch of pepperoncini.

This damn recipe is a heck of lot of work but soooo worth it!

Refomed, pepperoncini brine sounds like a good addition. What band of Italian salad dressing dry mix do you use??

Tried crock pot. The cut I used seized up. Got tough. Any suggestions?

[lizma2]

“The Instant Pot is incredible.”

Just when I thought I wouldn’t buy another kitchen gadget!

You guys and my friends are all telling me it’s a must. I’ll check out it tomorrow. UGH!

[lizma2]

Too cool! I’ll try it soon and let you know!!

[lizma2]

“will still dry brine, but this year we will put it on our charcoal weber grill with the rotisserie collar.”

Sound like heaven.

What’s your dry brine? Always used wet.

[lizma2]

Oh Lordy, you didn’t “hijack” anything. No reason to apologize to people who care about you.

The warrantees on our parts is wearing out and it stinks! Many of this know this and the rest will find this out someday!

[Aliska]

Thank you for that. Sounds great. Ours had the tomato but I can leave that out and possibly add something at serving time if I still think I want it. Your Chicago ones are the authentic originals I think.

I think I will make it a little more done, maybe just a little pink in the middle, do want it moist.

You didn't say what cut of beef.

All that is doable. I had my daughter pick me up 2 loaves bakery french bread I will crisp up and slice.

Lots of broth. Another cafeteria used to buy the best big cuts of beef and serve french dips at noon, some of the juice we got for dipping was from the pan but I never knew what they did to ensure enough rich juice for dipping, didn't taste like consomme and we didn't have the newer stuff then. Prime rib it was and sometimes quite rare.

Lot of work, once you do it a couple times not so bad but have to be careful with leftovers. Goes without saying when reheating do not allow to simmer or boil but heat in the juice.

I'll skip the brine if you don't mind. Italian? Haven't used pkg for years but it was Good Seasons Italian which I really liked. For salad only in those days one special recipe but can't remember what it was.

Maybe you're the one who discouraged me from using a crock pot. Don't know what you mean by seize up but I want mine a little brown which will enhance flavor and the juice.

I will do and suggest my other way. Pot with tight-fitting lid, broth in bottom (just enough for steam and the pan drippings to stay dark instead of diluted too soon, add more later). I would do at 275; you could try that and adjust the temp to suit yourself (a really good roast with fat you always roast uncovered on a rack but I can't afford those, they do the garlic and you kind of have to wing the rest of it and open roasted prime rib is usually a little higher temp like 325). If it gets to boiling you want to go down to 250. Takes a long time but little monitoring and well worth it.

I think your Italian ones would have been a top quality cut of beef open roasted.

My late son bought a $60 prime rib for Christmas. I got there late; everybody had scarfed most of it down. I got one little piece, but he ruined it. I knew right away he covered the baking dish.

And my son gave me a nice slicer. Hate to drag it out and clean it after but a must for something like this and a large ham (I like the cure of Cook's but had better up by Chicago from some Polish women one Christmas)..

Thanks so much. I'll get there.

[Aliska]

Your #196. Thanks for the reassurance. Other FReepers have mentioned ailments to be sure but unless specifically asked and engaged (which a couple of you did), allude to it briefly and move on.

Appreciate the prayers but don't desire a prayer thread at least for this.

[reformedliberal]

Cooking in the pepperoncini brine (w/peppers) is required, IMO. I’m certain the vinegar in the brine aids tenderizing, too. Cold peppers certainly can be served on the side.

I use Good Seasons brand dry dressing mix. It’s garlicky enough for us, so there’s no reason to plug the roast with cloves.

In my experience, the meat will seize before it melts. I use round because it’s affordable. Tri-tip might be a good cut. Rump roast is a good choice, but a tad pricey for Italian Beef. As said, I think chuck produces a greasy product.

When I slice the beef after 5 hours, it’s still pretty firm, but not tight. Cooking the slices will produce a fall-apart product in another 2-3 hours. Refrigerating overnight increases flavor.

I would use your method if I was using top sirloin. That’s a cut I like very rare. Caveat: I test any sirloin before deciding how to cook it. Sometimes it can be tough. I slice off a bit and pan sear it. If it’s tender, I go for roast or grill. If it’s a little tough, I use a needle-type tenderizer and still roast or grill. If it’s hopeless, I braise/slow cook.

I try to buy whole muscle cuts in cryovac for top sirloin and NY strip so I can choose how to portion it. I’m partial to a 5-lb roast. It gets a nice crust while remaining rare.

I bought our meat slicer for corned beef, which, IMO, is best paper thin. Italian Beef, I just slice as thin as possible with a triangle chef’s knife and then continue cooking. Even after 8 hours, the slices of top or bottom round roast will hold their shape enough to stuff a good sandwich.

Looking for thin-sliced top round at the moment for a braciole. I also use top round for a Mexican tinga, a stew-like pulled beef in a red sauce with onions and green chilies. I put it out with grated extra-sharp cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, avocado and sour cream and tortillas, then everyone assembles their own burrito.

[V K Lee]

Speaking of Dulce Le Leche reminds me of M&M’s Now presented in many forms and flavors.

Recently purchased a bag of pecan pie M&Ms They have no resemblance to pecan pie; they have no resemblance to M&Ms Save your money - make your choice of peanut or plain MMs. The Pecan Pies are a joke.

The Rival, even after being replaced by the Presto = couldn’t bear to release it. LOL So it’s still being used and probably will be till the on/off/low/hi switch gives out. It’s using crutches at this time. :) Best way to clean these guys is water, dish soap and plug it in for several hours. Allow to cool and use elbow grease. This makes it somewhat less difficult to clean.