Cooking and Dining

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Sun Feb 07, 2021 11:07 am

I’m in need of a new 12” frying pan. Anyone have something they really like? The non-stock on our TFal is basically done now, after 10+ years.

I think it’s been mentioned in here before, but the ceramic coated pans work really well. We have two and they’re both going strong. I think they were cheap aldi brands.

Postby **tifosi77** » Sun Feb 07, 2021 12:59 pm

I'm a big fan of Made-In cookware. If that doesn't float your boat, look for a local restaurant supply store.

Postby **mac5155** » Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:02 pm

You summed it exactly, in all seriousness. It was almost like they were trying to be awful.

I remembered the discussion but not if it was positive or negative.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Sun Feb 07, 2021 2:53 pm

I got a ceramic from Kohl’s and i am not a fan.

Postby **MR25** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 7:50 pm

Any of you make your own taco seasoning/just season the meat as you're cooking?

How do you season it? I've just been dumping stuff in (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, etc) but nothing really seems to actually flavor the meat.

Postby **mac5155** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 12:03 am

Any of you make your own taco seasoning/just season the meat as you're cooking?

How do you season it? I've just been dumping stuff in (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, etc) but nothing really seems to actually flavor the meat.

I use Alton Browns Taco seasoning recipe. It's good. The recipe usually makes enough for 2 lbs. I split it in half and mix in about a cup of water, then cook off the water.

Postby **mac5155** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 12:04 am

https://altonbrown.com/recipes/homemade ... soning-19/

Noticed he advises putting it on at the beginning. I'll have to try that next time

Postby **NTP66** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 6:28 am

Alton Brown is always my first stop for recipes.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 7:08 am

We got a half steer from the butcher out here a couple of months ago, so our freezer is loaded. Made skirt steak last night, but realized after I opened it that it was an outside cut. Decided to marinate it and grill it both sides on nuclear heat for about five minutes.

Meh....my kids loved it which is ultimately what matters

but was disappointing to me.

Postby **mac5155** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:16 am

You must have a good butcher. Usually they keep the skirt steak

Postby **tifosi77** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 11:55 am

I remember when skirt steak was under $10/lb. Those were the days.

Also re taco seasoning -- I generally don't do ground meat, so I'm usually doing a wet topical marinade (like asada or al pastor).

Postby **NTP66** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:35 pm

Al pastor would be my preference, as well.

Got a handful of wagyu filet mignons today. Having two of them for Valentine’s dinner tomorrow, and saving the others for later. Thought about wearing them on the Lodge and the finishing them in the oven, but may go the Joule route since that works so beautifully for everything else.

Postby **mac5155** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:30 pm

From all I've read wagyu benefits by cooking SV.

Postby **NTP66** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:41 pm

The only issue is that my wife refuses to eat a medium steak, so I’ll have to cook hers a little on the skillet, and then sear both to finish them off.

Postby **mac5155** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:53 pm

Or you could just make her chicken tenders and eat her steak

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:24 pm

Wagyu more than medium? I guess I'll see you in hell.

Postby **blackjack68** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:35 pm

The only issue is that my wife refuses to eat a medium steak, so I’ll have to cook hers a little on the skillet, and then sear both to finish them off.

Sorry, but you have to get rid of her.

And you know who else likes well done steak?

Postby **NTP66** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:40 pm

Her preference is medium well. Mine is medium rare.

Postby **skullman80** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:55 pm

Medium well is not even edible.

Postby **NTP66** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 7:50 pm

I do not disagree.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:26 am

Her preference is medium well. Mine is medium rare.

This is one of the low key things I'm most grateful for... Everyone in my family (wife, inlaws, my mom) likes their steak medium rare in the SV. I would hate to have to cook a couple steaks to a higher doneness in there.

For those of you that do... Do you just turn up the water to medium well or whatever after you take the other steaks out? How much additional time do you need?

Postby **NTP66** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 8:20 am

I don't see the value in turning up the water after yours is cooked. It'll take time to get to temp, and then has to stay there for a set period of time. I just cook them both to my temperature in the water bath, and then continue cooking on my Lodge, then sear both at the same time. That has worked out well thus far.

Postby **tifosi77** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:49 am

To be frank, you're wasting money buying wagyu if you're cooking it that hard. I am Mr Like-What-You-Like, but the price premium you're paying for the husbandry that produced that product is literally going up in smoke or is left behind in your cast iron.

Postby **dodint** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:50 am

Watching people who boil meat in a bag get high and mighty about the doneness of steak is high comedy.

Postby **tifosi77** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:56 am

Also, the best way to cook to different temps is to start with the higher temp first. Cook that to doneness, than dump a few scoops of ice into the bath to quickly drop the temp for the lower cook. (Or you can use a pot or big measuring cup to remove a bit of the hot water and replace it with fresh cold water from the tap) Leave the first steak in for the duration. They can be finished at the same time in the same fashion.

You can dick around with when you drop the second steak/chop - maybe put it in 10 minutes before you drop the bath temp, etc - but no matter how you do it you're either taking twice as long to cook, or you're compromising one of the steaks.