More Burgers & Fries

Spring is in the air around here in Buffalo. Time for more burgers & fries shtuff.

Tips for better burgers:



http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/03/the-burger-labs-top-ten-tips-for-better-burgers.html

Frozen fries review:



http://burgerdoctor.com/frozen-french-fries-test.html

3 Cats, 1 Steak - Do The Math!

I was going to wait until wednesday or thursday to do a wordless post, but when I saw this, I couldn't wait.

Link 1: http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/video-3-cats-1-steak.html

Link 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMD5FS20tTY&feature=player_embedded

Guide To Hamburger Styles

Here's some interesting reading for anyone into hamburgers & cheeseburgers. It's from http://aht.seriouseats.com/ which is the "A Hamburger Today" section of the SeriousEats website.

You know what they say, a hamburger a day...

Here's the article on hamburger & cheeseburger 'styles', of which there are many:

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/09/a-guide-to-glossary-of-regional-american-burger-cheeseburger-styles-and-cooking-methods.html?ref=se-bb2

Mmmmm, hamburgers....

Plus, now an article that tells me more about them.

Enjoy.

More Wildlife Photos

Recently I was visiting family in Grand Island, NY. I snapped a few pictures, as I usually do during family events. Family is still not enthusiastic about having their pictures on an unsecured blog, but hey, why not show the wildlife photos?

Here's an alleged Blue Heron. He or she is right out there on the Niagara River, scoping out some fish maybe? You can see the GI bridge there in the background. In the immediate area there seemed to be a ton of minnows and other fish swimming around.

Here's a picture of the GI bridge again. I figured since I had to pay a $1 toll to get over that bridge, I might as well have a picture of it.

That day we had a little cookout with Filet Mignon and chicken on the grill. It was delicious. It was grilled on a Weber grill. Those things rock. Later in the evening as the sun was setting, we say some way-cool storm clouds roll in.

There was a heck of a rain shower that rolled in after the clouds darkened up the sky. There's the GI bridge again in the background - hey, it cost be a whole dollar, like I said earlier, and I need to justify the expense.

Well, ok, it was worth it to see family.

GRILL IT!

Here's a new book I recently received as a gift.

Bobby Flay's GRILL IT! book.

I like the ! in the title. Makes it sound more intense.

It is quite an interesting book. He starts out by explaining basic ideas, like direct vs. indirect grilling - which is quite basic really, but so many people don't realize it.

Looks like it's not quite done yet there Bobby!

He also mentions basic gear to have, controlling heat, storing stuff so it's safe and fresh, and stuff like that. Then, tons of recipes. Then at the end, sources for getting food, spices, woods/charcoal and other supplies.

I'll have to decide what to cook first. Probably beef.

Cast Iron Cooking Stuff - Old And New

Tonight I have some Cast Iron stuff I'd like to show you.




First, a brand new cast iron skillet from Range Kleen.

Comes pre-seasoned. I cooked up some nice bacon to help season it more. Cast iron cookware requires some real TLC. You must clean and season it to make the nice smooth surface that makes it a non-stick item.

Here's a Dutch Oven. I don't think it's really from the Dutch lands of the Netherlands.

In this picture you can see the markings on the bottom of my Dutch Oven.

8

D O

Made

In

USA

I can picture Homer Simpson saying "DOH!! Made In USA - where's USA?"

I think cooking stuff with this HEAVY HEAVY cast iron stuff is very cool, or maybe hot - or maybe I should just say it's excellent. It ain't cool since you really have to heat this thing up, and if I say it's hot, well, it's hot alright. Cooks up food great.

Cast iron cookware gets more non-stick the more you use it. I've cooked bacon, eggs, sausage, onions, and many other things, and every time I use it, it's easier to cook with, and easier to clean.

Google cast-iron stuff and you'll be amazed.

Oh, and follow your dreams!

Reference To Paris Hilton With An Important Lesson

Here's my 43rd post. I like the number 43 because it reminds me of the number of cars that always start in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

I saw this video on http://www.seriouseats.com/ and it makes a reference to Paris Hilton. They use Paris to describe a piece of meat - how appropriate. Something about no brains and a blank stare.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/02/chewing-the-fat-batali-and-bourdain-paris-hilton.html

I find it to be a good video because they bring up the subject of being creative while making a meal. Why just eat food when you can make it interesting?

Tonight I Eat Steak

On this night - I eat STEAK!

I got a couple NY Strip steaks from Federal Meats. They looked good.

I decided to try one steak with Emeril's SouthWest rub, and the other one with a rub from Wegman's.

375 degrees for probably about 45 minutes. Flipped 'em over once after about 20 minutes and added some more rub to the side that was on the bottom.

Delicious. Emeril's rub - could have had some heat. I thought SouthWest style stuff was supposed to be hot. The Wegman's Rub - a nice hint of celery.

The verdict: Excellent steaks. Flavor. Texture. Aroma. I decided to leave veggies and bread off the menu so I had more room for steak.