Cooking

Anybody here like to cook? I love to eat, so I've learned to become a pretty decent cook.

World's Best Burgers:
*4 pounds fresh or dry aged Angus or Wagyu chuck, brisket point, and/or ribeye.
1/4 cup creole seasoning
1/2 cup au jus gravy
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Tiger Sauce
2 tablespoons A-1 or similar steak sauce
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp EACH garlic, cayenne, Tabasco sauce, and dried cilantro

Mix butter and last 4 ingredients in small skillet. Heat over med-low heat until well blended. Add in liquids and allow to cool to room temp or so. Grind meat into large bowl. Add creole seasoning and butter/liquid mixture and mix by hand - I wear wet, cool plastic gloves. I usually make 8 half pound patties.

Grill over mesquite coals that DON'T require lighter fluid. I add in other wood chips as well - oak, hickory, etc. Fire should be hot enough to sear burgers and cook to medium/medium-well in 8-10 minutes. Flip only once, and I top mine with cheddar, jack, or other cheese a couple of minutes before I pull them off.

Serve on brioche or other bun toasted with a little butter. I also like to top my burger with onions sauteed in a little butter, Tiger Sauce, and steak sauce.

I avoid heavy condiments like mayo or ketchup, but I will spread a little creole spicy mustard on the buns, and usually top the burger with lettuce, tomato, and spicy chili peppers. Well-seasoned fries or chips and a dill pickle spear on the side.

*Can use up to a pound of NY strip and/or filet, but most of the meat should be fatty.

 

I eat out at least once just about every day. I'll usually eat lunch out, and I usually end up having dinner out at least 2-3 times a week.

I'm a bodybuilder type who eats like a horse. Usually breakfast is sometime between 6:30-7:00. I'll usually have an early 11-ish lunch that may be quick, cheap, and informal - OR long, formal, and extravagant - depending upon what I have going on...

Then I'll have another meal (usually in my office) at 3pm-ish - usually a sandwich or a leftover plate of something I've cooked on a previous day that is either eaten at my desk or in my office kitchenette area.

I usually hit the gym at 5pm-ish, unless I'm gonna work late until 7pm or so. If so, I'll try to eat a little again at 5, then hit the gym at 7-ish.

My last meal of the day will be a nice dinner at home or out after I'm done at the gym, have cleaned up, etc. I try to avoid the gym on Saturday and Sunday if possible, and go 4 days during the week.

 

I make meatballs that are pretty similar.

Instead of higher end cuts of Angus or Waygu, for meatballs I just stick to Angus Chuck (80% lean, 20% fat), and substitute 2 of the pounds of beef for one pound each of veal and pork butt. I also substitute half of the Creole seasoning for Italian seasoning, and add in 2 beaten eggs, 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs, 1 packet onion soup mix, and a couple of ounces of grated Italian cheese blend.

I bake the meatballs at 350 for a good 40-45 minutes, or may smoke them for an hour at 325 on occasion. I serve these with a pretty standard homemade tomato sauce and locally made pasta, along with my own garlic bread made from locally baked Italian bread, butter, garlic, and Italian cheese blend.

 

I'm very fortunate to have access to several brands of locally made Cajun Sausage from a number of butcher shops and smaller grocery stores that is better than any sausage I've eaten from anywhere else. I'm very fond of creole seasonings, Tabasco, Tiger Sauce, etc.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/321225835231?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Chacheres-Creole-Seasoning-Ounce/dp/B00EV5E47A

Cooked up a couple of Angus ribeyes last night over mesquite coals. Before I cooked them, I rubbed them with a couple of tablespoons each of Italian vinaigrette dressing, set them out at room temperature for a good hour and a half, then rubbed onto each a couple of teaspoons of creole seasoning fortified with a little bromelain tenderizer. Let them sit out another half hour before throwing them on the hot grill.

Grilled about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side, just enough to get them medium-rare, a little closer to rare than medium.

Brushed on a little of my seasoned butter and some au jus, and me and my lady friend had one each with loaded baked potatoes and veggies.

 

Cooked up a rack of ribs last night. Rubbed them down with a blend of a couple of tablespoons of Italian dressing, a tsp each of tiger sauce, brown mustard, red wine, A-1, and worcestershire sauce, a half tsp of liquid smoke, and a quarter tsp of Tabasco. Then sprinkled on a rub consisting of a couple of tablespoons each of brown sugar and Tony's seasoning.

Baked the ribs in a large foil-lined pan for 2 hours at 275F, then took them out of the oven briefly as I added enough apple juice to the bottom of the pan to line the bottom. I took about a half of a small onion that had been chopped finely and spread them out over the top of the ribs, pulled the foil up over the ribs in a "tent", and put the pan with the foil tent of ribs back into the over for another hour. Took them out, lowered the oven temp to 225F, poured about another couple of tablespoons of apple juice into the bottom of the foil "tent" of ribs, then put the ribs back in for another hour.

Served them with a nice Carolina style vinegary BBQ sauce, a vinegar-based coleslaw, hot peppers, fries, leftover home-cooked pinto beans, and garlic bread.