Where my fellow cooks at???

[viva la ben]

2015 Pittsburgh lenten fish fry map

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?ll ... 7uqN9fYojI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Shyster]

How much surface area do you need? If I were to buy a charcoal grill (yes, heresy, I have a gas gill), I would be very tempted to buy a kamado grill. Although a lot of those would bust your budget. But Char Griller does offer a model for less than $400. Plus you could get one of those adjustable temperature control blower thingies.

[mac5155]

I'm of the mindset thay a cheap gas grill will do the trick and if it lasts 2 years I'll be happy. So I say go for a cheap one

[the wicked child]

Top Chef finale:

Spoiler:

First, Eater.LA posted an article to Facebook yesterday with the result in the fcking title. So while you could easily avoid, say, the Top Chef feed, imagine my surprise when the result of the finale appeared right there on my news feed without any opportunity to avoid it.

That said, on to the show.

Correct result. When Tom Colicchio says, "The was the best [dish type] I've ever had on this show, as well as one of the best [dish type] I've ever had, period," you get to win. On Gail's blog she counts it as one of her top five TC dishes (not just deserts) ever, and among the best deserts she's ever had on the show.... and remember, she hosted two seasons a desert themed version of TC. (Of which I appeared on an episode.)

Course one, slight edge to Gregory (altho, based on their comments, I think I probably would have preferred Mei's octo)
Course two, big edge to Mei (shrimp shells????)
Course three, advantage to Mei (they never really said her dish was bad, just that it wasn't as well conceived as the rest of her menu, whereas Gregory was straight up failboat)
Course four, Mei (I don't care how good Gregory's mole was, you make a desert like Mei's you go down in TC lore)

Referring back to Gail's cast blog: "But I always felt very confident in Mei’s dishes -- there was a brush stroke of brilliance to her meal that night, a consistency and technical aptitude that I don’t believe we saw from Gregory, I don’t think we’ve seen from many chefs on Top Chef ever actually. We’ve had a lot of extraordinary cheftestants, but there is a deep talent in Mei that’s worth celebrating, and for that reason she is our Season 12 winner."

Congratulations to Ms Resting Btchface. Well done, and I applaud you.

Finally got around to watching this...

Spoiler:

While I applaud Gregory's effort to show he wasn't a one trick pony... sometimes you need to know when to reel it in. He ended up producing two great dishes and two failures.

Mei had two amazing dishes and two that were less successful... but hardly failures. I think the judges were playing up those mistakes to make it sound closer for tv purposes, and to avoid tipping their hands prior to deliberation.

Ultimately, when One chef flubs 2 out of 4 dishes, it doesn't matter how great the other 2 were. And Mei simply brought the house down with her dessert. It's one thing to deliver a successful dessert. It is another thing entirely to serve the best dessert in the history of Top Chef, and for Collichio to give it the praise he did highlighted just what a feat it was. It almost looked like he was having an.. "experience" talking about it at Judges' Table.

There was no doubt in my mind that Mei had won as soon as Gregory flubbed his second dish, and when he flubbed the third too... well, even though he apparently had an amazing 4th dish, there was no chance that he was overcoming that.

And as you mentioned, when someone brings out an all-time TC dish... well, they win.

Really enjoyed this season overall, and glad to see a very deserving chef win.

[tifosi77]

The kamados that I'm familiar with are a little on the small-ish side for my needs. But I would totally consider getting a little yakitori grill. They only cost 50 bucks. Seriously, 10 pieces of binchōtan charcoal probably costs more than the grills they go in.

The Char-Grillers have done the job, because probably 98% of my outdoor cooking is direct heat grilling. I honestly think I've only for-real bbq'd like three or four times, so a lot of the problems and hacks set forth in that amazingribs.com site have never been an issue for me. (I don't care that the lid is leaky, it's never closed when I cook.)

[count2infinity]

Got around to watching the top chef finale...

Spoiler:

I have to agree with their decision. Seems as though the dishes were Gregory by a hair, Mei by a mile, Mei by a few feet, and then tie.

It was a good season. I'm not sure where this ranks with past seasons. I think it was better than season 10 and 11, as I found those two largely unmemorable. I think Top Chef is getting close to running its course. The worst thing they could do is just keep making seasons for the sake of making new seasons.

[columbia]

I would like to see another TC Masters series.

[tifosi77]

Got around to watching the top chef finale...

Spoiler:

I have to agree with their decision. Seems as though the dishes were Gregory by a hair, Mei by a mile, Mei by a few feet, and then tie.

It was a good season. I'm not sure where this ranks with past seasons. I think it was better than season 10 and 11, as I found those two largely unmemorable. I think Top Chef is getting close to running its course. The worst thing they could do is just keep making seasons for the sake of making new seasons.

I tend to agree with what TWC said as regards the commentary. It felt like they were playing up missteps by the winner and the highlights by the loser to make it seem closer than it was. Just going by the body language when the food was presented, the judges clearly responded to the winner more openly. (Although Blaise said in his blog that the ideas in the loser's dishes were more interesting to him, and if they had been better executed there would have been a different result.)

[the wicked child]

It was a good season. I'm not sure where this ranks with past seasons. I think it was better than season 10 and 11, as I found those two largely unmemorable. I think Top Chef is getting close to running its course. The worst thing they could do is just keep making seasons for the sake of making new seasons.

This was a season where you can say that they truly found and showcased some great rising talent, especially in the case of the winner. Some of these past seasons... well, maybe the best chef won, but they were hardly noteworthy beyond that, really. I would prefer if they had less seasons and concentrated on finding more true talent. There are still too many "eh, why is that person here" moments, I think.

And for the love of god, no more Tiffani. Between TC:Duels and her constant appearances throughout this season, it was enough to make me want to kick puppies.

[blackjack68]

I did tif's steak method...Freeze > sear > bake > sear

The 2nd sear was too long (should be a minute at most) and I baked it about 5 degrees too high, but this is without a doubt the best method I've done. The crust was fantastic and it was pink almost edge to edge - despite me screwing up the 2nd sear.

Will do again. And again.

Just did mine for Valentine's Day for the wife an two kids. Two thick boneless rib eyes from Wegman's and some snow crab clusters with baked potato and corn.

The steak was probably the closest thing to perfection I've ever tasted let alone made.

Thanks for the info all!

[skullman80]

Did a simple dinner for the wife tonight, but turned out great. Pan Seared Ribeye and Oven Roasted Broccoli. Used two old Alton Brown recipes... steak was fantastic, a perfect medium rare or so.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... ecipe.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... ecipe.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[viva la ben]

Tonight's dinner in the vlb household was strip steak, loaded baked potatoes and broccoli.
The steaks were an inch and a half thick from Costco; I seasoned the steak with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Preparation was with a cast iron skillet. I preheated the oven to 500°, and preheated the skillet over the stovetop until it just began to smoke. I seared the steaks for two minutes on each side...then into the oven for 3 minutes per side. The steaks were a touch over what I like them at, but perfect for my wife and three youngsters.
I really only needed to cook two of the four steaks in the package as we have a steak and a half leftover for tomorrow.

[shafnutz05]

Pretty much cooked our filets the same way, turned out great. Also had twice-baked potatoes and roasted asparagus.

[skullman80]

Tonight's dinner in the vlb household was strip steak, loaded baked potatoes and broccoli.
The steaks were an inch and a half thick from Costco; I seasoned the steak with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Preparation was with a cast iron skillet. I preheated the oven to 500°, and preheated the skillet over the stovetop until it just began to smoke. I seared the steaks for two minutes on each side...then into the oven for 3 minutes per side. The steaks were a touch over what I like them at, but perfect for my wife and three youngsters.
I really only needed to cook two of the four steaks in the package as we have a steak and a half leftover for tomorrow.

The alton brown recipe i posted above is pretty much exactly what you did.. I only did 2 min per side in the oven and 30 sec per side prior in the cast iron skillet and they came out a perfect medium rare.

[columbia]

As they say, there are many roads to Dublin.

[viva la ben]

I have a 15" cast iron skillet and did all four steaks at once. Next time I'll try 2 minutes per side in the oven; the sear was excellent.

[count2infinity]

My meat thermometer is broken. It said my steak was medium, medium rare... it was medium well Need to buy a new one.

[skullman80]

I have a 15" cast iron skillet and did all four steaks at once. Next time I'll try 2 minutes per side in the oven; the sear was excellent.

I did two at once. Think ours is a 12 inch cast iron. I was surprised they came out perfect i always manage to overcook my steaks a bit for some reason.

[tifosi77]

Just did mine for Valentine's Day for the wife an two kids. Two thick boneless rib eyes from Wegman's and some snow crab clusters with baked potato and corn.

The steak was probably the closest thing to perfection I've ever tasted let alone made.

Thanks for the info all!

This makes me very happy to read!!

[tifosi77]

For V-tine's and her birthday, Mrs Tif frequently requests okonomiyaki.



Was also going to make a black pepper souffle, but the pancakes were so filling that I postponed that to tonight's menu. Which will be lasagna Bolognese al forno.

[columbia]

I cooked a chuck roast at 170 (lowest my oven will go) and that was quite excellent. Will be reused for tacos tonight.

[tifosi77]

Today is lasagna day. Mrs Tif likes this.

[shmenguin]

Searing some mahi mahi. Forgot to get a lemon. Toss in some OJ...yay or nay?

[blackjack68]

Sure.

[shmenguin]

Turned out adequate. Not as much flavor as lemon but it helped carmalize the sear. Or something.