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What is/was for dinner?
- Thread starter Gutwrench
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Yes, a grill or oven that incorporates an accurate thermometer can simplify and shorten the cooking time, since one does not have to open the door (or grill lid) and lose a great portion of the heat inside. I didn't know that there were wireless meat thermometers like yours. It sounds like a very good idea to have such thermometers at hand, specially if grilling in the outdoors.
Both the grill and oven I use incorporate wired meat thermometers. The grill has a series of preset temperatures for beef, meat, poultry, fish, etc., and these show on a screen. When the food reaches the right internal temperature, the grill stops the heating process, and sounds a signal to tell me the food is done. But the oven only shows the meat (s) internal temperature, nothing else.
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InkBird makes some cost effective wireless ones now as well. I have their 4 probe wired monitor and it’s been great over the years. Thermoworks is great but pricey.Yes, a grill or oven that incorporates an accurate thermometer can simplify and shorten the cooking time, since one does not have to open the door (or grill lid) and lose a great portion of the heat inside. I didn't know that there were wireless meat thermometers like yours
It sounds delicious!
Now I a getting hungry. I assume that one can "butterfly-open" a pork loin, add on top of the butterflied meat a thin layer of the following: chopped onion, celery, small-cubed apple, celery, some of one's favorite spices/herbs, and flavors, salt to taste, maybe balsamic vinegar/olive oil. Then rolled and tied together with cooking twine? There are quite a lot of spices and flavors one could use...
For once I did not cook lol. I took my wife out on a date to our favorite Italian trattoria in town. Good friends of ours offered to baby sit the boys giving us the rare opportunity to break away for a few hours. Anyhow, the calamari was deep fried - both abdomen and heads which is perfect because my wife prefers the abdomen and I prefer the tentacles, so it works out. This place does an exceptional job on fried calamari - an extremely thin, light & crispy breading, topped with a lemon zest and garlic minced caper remoulade & herb melange and a generous lemon half that is dipped in said herb mixture as well, so when the app comes to you, you squeeze the fresh lemon half and the juice carries additional fresh herbs onto the calamari as it drips down and the essential oils pop into the air leaving a zesty citrus nose which is so nice. Served with a side of marinara.
The only other restaurant I have found fried calamari executed in this way/preparation was a hotel Italian restaurant bar that my wife and I stepped into when we were in San Francisco way back around 2011 or so? We stopped in for a quick lunch and refreshments as we were hot from trolly hopping and sight seeing all morning and settled on some fried calamari and frisee' salad as the bar menu was limited and they were between the actual restaurant lunch and dinner services. It is one of those excellent and unexpectedly pleasant culinary memories that a food lover like myself lives for. Anyhow, this place in town does an amazing job of bringing that memory back to us and is a main reason I patron this particular restaurant above others. The BOH chef and culinary team at this restaurant produce consistently great food and the FOH folks have always done a fantastic job at that fine line between prompt service and hovering as well as never rushing our table.
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The last time I myself prepared calamari, I stuffed the abdomens with a garlic-forward cooked shrimp and bread crumb stuffing which I pinned the ends and then grilled over high heat, I served that drizzled with a simple dressing of a peppery, Spanish olive oil mixed with lemon zest, parsley, margoram, cracked black pepper and salt. I served with with a light salad and demi baguette.
Tonights dinner is a fav of my wife and myself. It is effectively NewMexico Redchile frito pie (beef browned well and then stewed with pinto beans, Chimayo red chile, onion, lots of garlic and chicken stock or if you happen to have it, the pot liquor from the fresh pinto beans. Take some fritos, drop them into a bowl, then cheese, then the chile beans./beef mixture, then more cheese. From there its preference - I prefer iceberg lettuce chiffonade, fine dice of white onion, and a dollop of mayonnaise. My wife likes the addition of diced and seeded tomatoes and heavier on the salad and lighter on the salty fritos ) wrapped up tightly in a toasted burrito-sized tortilla.
So yeah, Frito pie on the go.
My oldest requested bean & beef burritos, so I browned some minced beef and onion and garlic and assembled a couple of those for him, middle kiddo got his usual bean and cheese burritos and my youngest got the bean and beef mixture with a little spoon with a few fritos crumbled up on top and a sliced peach.
Tonights dinner is a fav of my wife and myself. It is effectively NewMexico Redchile frito pie (beef browned well and then stewed with pinto beans, Chimayo red chile, onion, lots of garlic and chicken stock or if you happen to have it, the pot liquor from the fresh pinto beans. Take some fritos, drop them into a bowl, then cheese, then the chile beans./beef mixture, then more cheese. From there its preference - I prefer iceberg lettuce chiffonade, fine dice of white onion, and a dollop of mayonnaise. My wife likes the addition of diced and seeded tomatoes and heavier on the salad and lighter on the salty fritos ) wrapped up tightly in a toasted burrito-sized tortilla.
So yeah, Frito pie on the go.
My oldest requested bean & beef burritos, so I browned some minced beef and onion and garlic and assembled a couple of those for him, middle kiddo got his usual bean and cheese burritos and my youngest got the bean and beef mixture with a little spoon with a few fritos crumbled up on top and a sliced peach.
Yes absolutely. One of my favorite stuffings for pork loin is similar to what you described. Firstly, brine the porkloin for a few hours after you trim and filet it. I render out 4-6 slices of streaky bacon and rough chop, then I medium dice one tart green apple and one sweet red of some type, a sweet yellow onion like Vidalia or a Texas sweet and an equal ratio/portion of de-veined and diced celery to the onion and sautee that until translucent in the bacon fat and when the apple starts to release its moisture. I then mix that with some seasoned bread cubes and chicken stock and milk until soft. Season that mixture with salt and granulated garlic until right and crack in an egg along with some toasted hazel nut bits & mix that in, then brush the filleted loin with your favorite mustard (I recommend pounding with a meat mallet to tenderize and get a nice even pork thickness. Then fill and roll her up. What I do to the outside is I brush on a balsamic glaze as a flavorful glue and shingle on the top something like sepporasetta or genoa salame and then I go over that with more balsamic glaze and then I truss it. This is not at all required but it presents at the table well and I like salame. In the roasting dish, add a cup or so of cleaned fresh grapes and maybe an 8th of an inch of some water and cover with foil. They are so delicious after cooking and marinating in the pork fat/juice that comes out.It sounds delicious!
Now I a getting hungry. I assume that one can "butterfly-open" a pork loin, add on top of the butterflied meat a thin layer of the following: chopped onion, celery, small-cubed apple, celery, some of one's favorite spices/herbs, and flavors, salt to taste, maybe balsamic vinegar/olive oil. Then rolled and tied together with cooking twine? There are quite a lot of spices and flavors one could use...
For smaller half loins, I usually will roast at 325-350F for about 45 minutes and then uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or until I reach 165F. If the color/caramelization is not where I want it at, Ill drop it under a broiler/salamander for a few minutes or if you have a kitchen torch, you can use that. For full sized loins, that usually takes another 30-45 minutes longer dependent on how long it is and how stuffed it is LOL. Just watch the internal temperature with your probe. That is a solid guide to doneness at 165F internal temp.
Let it rest for 15-30 minutes and take care when removing the trussing as it can get kinda glued on with that sugary balsamic glaze. It comes off, just dont rush, take your time, I prefer a combination of scissors and a sharp paring knife to remove the trussing without damaging the visual appeal of your roast
Another filling I love with pork is I make a stiff green chile-sharp cheddar grits and I stuff the brined loin with that and truss. I serve that topped with a green chile sauce + gravy boats for exta bathing. This is equally good as a thick cut chop on its side and you put the grits on top and finish it in the oven that way.
Another way that I like to prepare it if stuffed with smoked cabbage chiffonade and sauerkraut. This one is not everyones cup of tea as sauerkraut is fermented so kinda stinky, but I ferment my own and am a big fan, so if you love kraut, you should give this one a try too. If you are going low carb, as is works well but you need to truss it tightly as the usual starchy binders are absent, otherwise a bit a left over mashed potato is an excellent binder for this particular version.
Good luck
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Oh yeah!
But not today, another afternoon at 98º... ☺️
Sounds absolutely delicious.Yes absolutely. One of my favorite stuffings for pork loin is similar to what you described. Firstly, brine the porkloin for a few hours after you trim and filet it. I render out 4-6 slices of streaky bacon and rough chop, then I medium dice one tart green apple and one sweet red of some type, a sweet yellow onion like Vidalia or a Texas sweet and an equal ratio/portion of de-veined and diced celery to the onion and sautee that until translucent in the bacon fat and when the apple starts to release its moisture. I then mix that with some seasoned bread cubes and chicken stock and milk until soft. Season that mixture with salt and granulated garlic until right and crack in an egg along with some toasted hazel nut bits & mix that in, then brush the filleted loin with your favorite mustard (I recommend pounding with a meat mallet to tenderize and get a nice even pork thickness. Then fill and roll her up. What I do to the outside is I brush on a balsamic glaze as a flavorful glue and shingle on the top something like sepporasetta or genoa salame and then I go over that with more balsamic glaze and then I truss it. This is not at all required but it presents at the table well and I like salame. In the roasting dish, add a cup or so of cleaned fresh grapes and maybe an 8th of an inch of some water and cover with foil. They are so delicious after cooking and marinating in the pork fat/juice that comes out.
For smaller half loins, I usually will roast at 325-350F for about 45 minutes and then uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or until I reach 165F. If the color/caramelization is not where I want it at, Ill drop it under a broiler/salamander for a few minutes or if you have a kitchen torch, you can use that. For full sized loins, that usually takes another 30-45 minutes longer dependent on how long it is and how stuffed it is LOL. Just watch the internal temperature with your probe. That is a solid guide to doneness at 165F internal temp.
Let it rest for 15-30 minutes and take care when removing the trussing as it can get kinda glued on with that sugary balsamic glaze. It comes off, just dont rush, take your time, I prefer a combination of scissors and a sharp paring knife to remove the trussing without damaging the visual appeal of your roast
Another filling I love with pork is I make a stiff green chile-sharp cheddar grits and I stuff the brined loin with that and truss. I serve that topped with a green chile sauce + gravy boats for exta bathing. This is equally good as a thick cut chop on its side and you put the grits on top and finish it in the oven that way.
Another way that I like to prepare it if stuffed with smoked cabbage chiffonade and sauerkraut. This one is not everyones cup of tea as sauerkraut is fermented so kinda stinky, but I ferment my own and am a big fan, so if you love kraut, you should give this one a try too. If you are going low carb, as is works well but you need to truss it tightly as the usual starchy binders are absent, otherwise a bit a left over mashed potato is an excellent binder for this particular version.
Good luck
With sauerkraut, I will usually serve belly of pork, which is a juicy, flavoursome, reasonably priced and most under-rated cut of meat; Germans (and also people in Alsace) tend to use smoked belly of pork (Kassler) when serving this dish.
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Mmm I love smoked pork belly. My mom’s people interestingly are all German/French from Alsace region prior to immigrating to the US & is where I likely developed my taste for kraut, pickled vegetables & cured/smoked meats, pork especially. It was a very common item on the dinner table & pickled foods on holiday tables etc. I agree the fat/juice content of pork belly is marvelous. Really the lean nature of loin is also its downside. Regardless, I do like it - another fav is to smoke loin, then chill it & slice it very thin & eat it as charcuterie or as sandwich meat.
I woke up hungry this morning
I woke up hungry this morning
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The lean nature (and dryness) is why I don't much care for pork loin, - it is a difficult meat to keep moist - and far prefer belly of pork, both smoked and not smoked.
Now, James Martin and the Hairy Bikers have an excellent recipe, from Normandy, for loin of pork with cider, and crwam (or creme fraiche), and sautéed caramalised apple, which I have prepared, and found excellent; similar recipes have been posted by Backyard Chef (who also uses loin of pork), and French Cooking Academy (who uses pork chops - not cutlets, which he says are "too dry" - instead of loin), and uses both Calvados and cider.
I love the cuisine from Alsace; in addition to the excellent kassler and saurkraut meals, they also serve Coq au Riesling (a white wine take on the classic red wine version of Coq au Vin found elsewhere in France, a dish I have always liked, and quite strikingly different to the version cooked in red wine), and a wonderful chicken and beer - flavoured with juniper berries, cloves, and garlic - dish (a version I was served featured guinea fowl, instead of chicken); moreover, they also have an amazing dish that goes by the name of 'flammkucken', or 'tarte flambée' - a sort of regional pizza but served with fromage blanc, thinly sliced onions, and bacon lardons, in lieu of the more familiar tomato.Mmm I love smoked pork belly. My mom’s people interestingly are all German/French from Alsace region prior to immigrating to the US & is where I likely developed my taste for kraut, pickled vegetables & cured/smoked meats, pork especially. It was a very common item on the dinner table & pickled foods on holiday tables etc. I agree the fat/juice content of pork belly is marvelous. Really the lean nature of loin is also its downside. Regardless, I do like it - another fav is to smoke loin, then chill it & slice it very thin & eat it as charcuterie or as sandwich meat.
I woke up hungry this morning
Thank you for posting a series of quite tasty recipes. I just went ahead and printed it and put it in my receipts folder. Thanks again!Yes absolutely. One of my favorite stuffings for pork loin is similar to what you described. Firstly, brine the porkloin for a few hours after you trim and filet it. I render out 4-6 slices of streaky bacon and rough chop, then I medium dice one tart green apple and one sweet red of some type, a sweet yellow onion like Vidalia or a Texas sweet and an equal ratio/portion of de-veined and diced celery to the onion and sautee that until translucent in the bacon fat and when the apple starts to release its moisture. I then mix that with some seasoned bread cubes and chicken stock and milk until soft. Season that mixture with salt and granulated garlic until right and crack in an egg along with some toasted hazel nut bits & mix that in, then brush the filleted loin with your favorite mustard (I recommend pounding with a meat mallet to tenderize and get a nice even pork thickness. Then fill and roll her up. What I do to the outside is I brush on a balsamic glaze as a flavorful glue and shingle on the top something like sepporasetta or genoa salame and then I go over that with more balsamic glaze and then I truss it. This is not at all required but it presents at the table well and I like salame. In the roasting dish, add a cup or so of cleaned fresh grapes and maybe an 8th of an inch of some water and cover with foil. They are so delicious after cooking and marinating in the pork fat/juice that comes out.
For smaller half loins, I usually will roast at 325-350F for about 45 minutes and then uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or until I reach 165F. If the color/caramelization is not where I want it at, Ill drop it under a broiler/salamander for a few minutes or if you have a kitchen torch, you can use that. For full sized loins, that usually takes another 30-45 minutes longer dependent on how long it is and how stuffed it is LOL. Just watch the internal temperature with your probe. That is a solid guide to doneness at 165F internal temp.
Let it rest for 15-30 minutes and take care when removing the trussing as it can get kinda glued on with that sugary balsamic glaze. It comes off, just dont rush, take your time, I prefer a combination of scissors and a sharp paring knife to remove the trussing without damaging the visual appeal of your roast
Another filling I love with pork is I make a stiff green chile-sharp cheddar grits and I stuff the brined loin with that and truss. I serve that topped with a green chile sauce + gravy boats for exta bathing. This is equally good as a thick cut chop on its side and you put the grits on top and finish it in the oven that way.
Another way that I like to prepare it if stuffed with smoked cabbage chiffonade and sauerkraut. This one is not everyones cup of tea as sauerkraut is fermented so kinda stinky, but I ferment my own and am a big fan, so if you love kraut, you should give this one a try too. If you are going low carb, as is works well but you need to truss it tightly as the usual starchy binders are absent, otherwise a bit a left over mashed potato is an excellent binder for this particular version.
Good luck
If you can brine it for a few hours, even overnight, it can add moisture to it. Some people brine it in plain apple juice (no sugar added), plus some of your favorite spices. Covered tightly/refrigerated, and using just enough juice to add moisture to it. I don't like too much salt ("salt to taste" is what I prefer the most).
