Lemons are from my tree, not sure what happened. Most are round, lemon shaped. And as you can see, some have many fingers.
xo, Biggles
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Clay Pot Cooking, not a crock, yo. word. Shaddap Biggles.
The flavors are still on my tongue. Am attempting to bring you some word, some phrase or metaphor that can describe what the last 12 some odd hours were like. Please click on the image and just sit with that for a moment while I collect my thoughts.
Over the past month I’ve been monkeying around with this clay chicken cooker thing. The last dish I made was exceptionally proud of, for several reasons. Not only was it a winner in the chicken & rice casserole flavor department, but it cost just under 5 bux total. This is the dish where I learned that an entire, diced onion is too much. How did I find out? Ask the boys as they dove out the car’s windows the following morning, heh. I still got it.
All along, been wanting to do a pork roast of any kind in the thing, duh. Sunday afternoon found me at Joya de Ceren, visiting Omar and seeing what tasty treats I could find in his meat cooler. Pork shoulder baby! 3.5 pounds of a really great looking hunk of meat. I grabbed the ingredients I thought I needed and expected to have that sucker in the oven within an hour or so.
That didn’t happen. Too much relaxing and one too many naps, the day was gone. There’s always Monday!
Man, I got home Monday and was in no mood. I could tell where this was going, the days would slide and so would the pork. Nope, I had to make it work and it had to be now. All the ideas of making my own Mexicanny dry rub went right out the window. It was just after 4pm and had only just jacked the oven to 300, I had to move.
Wash, dry meat and let the chill come off. Rub with extra virgin and grab Scott’s Survival Spice. This ain’t just some old premade nothin’ blend. Scott put a lot of time and effort in to this rub and it shows. If I don’t have any of mine laying around, or no time to make one, this is the one to grab. And brother, or sister, I’m glad I did.
Sliced a white onion in to rings and laid on the bottom of the roaster. And maybe 8 cloves of garlic, whacked once with a knife, peeled. One thing I’ve noticed about cooking in the clay oven, I’m far more thoughtful about moisture. That is to say, what you put in there, even an onion, will add moisture that doesn’t escape, much. So, just the little amount of onion, garlic and the moisture in the meat was enough to cook this thing for 9 hours.
Here it is in a nutshell, onion, garlic, dry drubbed meat, 300 for 4 hours, down to 250 for 5 hours. Pull, let rest for an hour or so and refrigerate. Total cost is about 8 to 9 dollars, not counting 9 hours of natural gas pouring in to my range. I know I may be going out on a limb here, but I’m putting the flavors, texture, juice factor and pully apartyness at the very top. I would say this roast could very well be the best pork shoulder I’ve ever received from my oven.
ps – I didn’t soak my cooker because the inside upper and lower lid are glazed. Not sure soaking it with water would have done anything positive.
Where’s Biggles?
Just hang tight, in a holding pattern for the moment. All is good and well, expect spiffy things.
Whatchu lookin’ at Willis?
xo, Biggles
ps – 13 year old son took this a few hours ago
a citrussy thumb? non?
No. A few years ago I planted a little grapefruit tree and a little lime tree. My older lemon tree has produced a few good lemons, but mostly they look like the grapefruit you see before you. See the pith? It’s nearly all pith, just so you know. Not sure how it or I did that, but that’s okay.
Wanna know why? Well, last night was taco night! They’re simple little rigs and I buy all the stuff we need from Omar of Joya de Ceren, it’s my nature. While some ingredients vary, there are the staples that each trip produces. One of which being limes.
Yeah well, I unloaded my stash last night and realized I’d forgotten the limes. I looked up at Z standing in the doorway and he had this look of shock and dismay on his face. Omar is only 3 blocks away, but I’d just returned and didn’t want to go back out. I didn’t think so, but if that little tree had just 1 little lime, just one usable one, that’d do it.
Today my good people, I am sharing with you the very first lime off the little tree and it was perfect in every way. Ain’t life grand?
xo, Biggles
Creamy Chicken & Rice & Poblano Casserole (clay pot)
Where have I been? Off having a good time doing other things, tee hee.
Well, I had a hankerin’ for a good ol’ American casserole a while back. Something rich with juicy flavors that satisfies down to your toes. Hip to that? Had planned on the standard chicken, rice, creamy condensed soup with a few additions recipe. It’s easy and would satisfy.
Wanna come see what I came up with instead?
Cavallo Point Cooking School Hosts – Hooves & Tales: A two day celebration of sustainable meat
Whoa! What’s Meathenge posting about such a fancy schmancy place such as Cavallo Point Cooking School for? I mean, they are the cream of the crop. What gives?
You’re right, I don’t normally find myself in such company. However, as it turns out a long-time friend Kelsie Kerr is heading up their culinary department. She had a few questions, I supplied some possible photographs and thought it might be fun to do a post here. Who is Kelsie? She is an amazing woman & highly skilled chef, kind, inspired with a crystal clear vision, and has worked in some pretty amazing places over the years. Ever heard of Zuni Cafe in San Francisco? Yeah, she was a chef there. Cafe Rouge in Berkeley saw her laying the very foundation of what it is today. Chez Panisse was lucky enough to have her in the kitchen for quite a few years. I remember sitting (half snoozin’) on the sofa watching the food network. I thought I heard a familiar voice and looked up to see her preparing some fishy dish with Bobby Flay, go Kelsie !!! After her stay at Chez P., she began a very successful private chef and instructor gig. Have the most important dinner coming up and need someone this good in your kitchen? Kelsie’s your chef.
Now? Yeah, right back where we started. She’s the director at the Cavallo Point Cooking School. Gosh Kelsie, is there anything you can’t do?
But wait, it gets better, no really. Hunker down here and have a listen. Okay, so you know the topic of the class, right? Yeah, yeah. But do you know who she’s recruited as instructors? David Evans of Marin Sun Farms and … and … and the most awesome meat loving pair of all time, Taylor & Toponia of Fatted Calf !!!
Okay, take a deep breath, I’m all giddy. That’s right, this is a world-class happening folks and you need to do whatever it takes to get yourself a spot in this prestigious class. It ain’t going to happen again, this is it. It ain’t cheap, but it’d be worth anything you can do to get yourself a spot.
Please click through for the details.
Biggles
The Biggles Method – Simple Pot of Beans – add that rack of ribs
Editor’s note: Hand still really hurts, doing this post in batches. TCB baby!
Who here likes a good pot of beans? Excellent, me too. Who here has screwed up a pot of beans badly enough to just toss the batch? Hmm, yeah. Me too. Beans are an odd lot, even with a recipe it can head south at any given moment. Just because they’re dried, doesn’t mean you can get an old, nasty bag full. If one little ingredient is added and found to be too much, or not enough? You’re a goner. Please click through to read about my little bean adventure, you’ll be glad you did.
Early Sunday Morning and a boo boo for Biggles
Chilebrown called me last night and wanted to know if I wanted to meet up with Cookiecrumb, Cranky and his wife Peggy at the Marin Farmer’s market Sunday morning. Yes! It was nice getting out that early (7:30) on a Sunday morning, felt good. I nabbed this shot while coming back on the San Rafael bridge, pretty huh?
Yeah, yeah, whatever Biggles. You’ve been pretty much gone for the last week and promised a killer pot of beans that I simmered a rack of baby backs in to, where’s that? HUH !?!
Um, well a week ago, my hand “cancer” came back. 3 or 4 years ago the tendons in my right hand and wrist swell up and cause excruciating pain, 24 hours a day and there’s no way to hold it where it doesn’t hurt. Gets worse about midnight, ibuprofen helps. Cain’t even hold a pen, let alone write with it. I’ve been to an MRI, several specialists, so I won’t die or nothin’. But posting here and basic daily routines take a back seat.
So, that’s what that’s all about. Hope to see you all soon!
Biggles
Roast Chicken Chile Verde – Biggles gets an idea
A few weeks ago Liteluvr of Liteluvr’s Kitchen and Stuff dedicated a chile verde dish to Chilebrown of Mad Meat Genius. See, Chile loves chile, especially the green stuff. He searches far & wide, high & low for the best of the best. Liteluvr was inspired enough to do up his own version. I been thinking about it. I have a super badass recipe here, somewhere. I wanted to do something different though, a little off the beaten path.
Last week I was in Joya de Ceren, perusing to see what was new, different or interesting. I walked past the poblanos and thought to myself, “Hay!” Dead ahead are the whole chickens in the meat display case. That, coupled with my recent rediscovery of roasting chickens in a clay pot and it all came together. Roast Chicken Chile Verde.
Wanna come see?
Flashcard – MIA, or is it?
No it ain’t! Last week my main flashcard went MIA, missing in action. Sure I have a few more, but there were a few posts on there and wasn’t able to do my job here in The Lab. I found it! So, hopefully within a few days I’ll get that together with some words and share my Pot of White Beans simmered with Pork Ribs. But until then, thought I would share this high-roast chicken I made the other day. Salt and a 450 degree oven, ain’t that somethin’? But Biggles, breast meat is always dry and tasteless. Not this time pally boy, it was moist and full of more chickenny flavor than I had expected.
I bought the chicken last week from Omar at Joya de Ceren here in Richmond. I didn’t ask where he got it, but it is surely not from grower you’d find at your local mega mart. Check out that leg and wing meat, it’s lean. This bird was able to get about, flapping an’ runnin’. And you know what? Raw it smells different, has a smell, rich and gamey. Even the fancy Rosie or Rocky Jr.’s don’t have this. And after it’s cooked, far more chickenny flavors. And at a $1.39 a pound for entero pollo? Count me in. Thank you Omar!
Okay, so you have a pot of beans recipe comin’. Guess what’s in the oven? Just now? Am working on a Roast Chicken Chile Verde, all dedicated to Chilebrown of Mad Meat Genius. We’ll see how that turns out, I used no recipe. Since it’s cooked in a clay cooker along with a whole chicken, the liquid proportions are WAY down. In fact, I used less than a cup and am thinking maybe no broth could be the way to go. Plus, I cut up everything in a small dice and whizzed the tomatillos. Everything must be cut small to cook in the allotted hour or so that it takes to cook the chicken. I put a foil lined cookie tray on the bottom of the oven, just in case. I think it’s going to spew some liquid, it’s amazing how much liquid using a clay pot retains.
That’s it for now, roger dodge and over and under.
xo, Biggles
Joya de Ceren
12545 San Pablo Ave
Richmond California
(510) 235-5315
A Black Bear Brat-style Sausage Tasting
An impromptu grilling session was set for Sunday. Laura’s neighbor gifted her 3 black bear sausages and a nice package of ground venison. It didn’t take her too long to figure out who might enjoy such a treat, tee hee. So, her, my sister and her husband Meathead met for a little tasting.
Given it’s January, making outdoor cooking/eating dates is dicey at best. But as 2pm rolled around, the thermometer read 69 degrees. Not too cold, eh? Since I wasn’t convinced 3 sausages and ground venison would be enough, I picked up a beef tri-tip roast and some brats. And as they arrived, they displayed some home-made potato salad (my sister is a master at this dish), Meathead’s No Cookie Ingredients cornbread (cornbread master of all-time), and hotlinks. Lordy.
The bear links uncooked looked pinkish and like any other brat, only a little leaner. Once grilled over mesquite and hickory chips they were ready. I was a little apprehensive about it, the last time I was offered bear, I chose the panther instead. It was the way it looked in the canning jar that was the deciding factor, not the taste or texture. Bud’s Meats of Penngrove California made the sausage from the animal. Cheese & jalapeno were added to the mix and I have to say, I liked it a lot. We pretty much decided that if you didn’t know it was bear, you’d think it was a regular brat. And while I dearly love the chile pepper, it would have been nice to taste it first without it.
The venison was light on the meat flavor, low fat naturally, and so fresh tasting. Of course the other items were teeerific, but the bear & venison were the stars and nearly the sole reason to have an impromptu meeting of the meaty minds. I would have invited others, but I didn’t want to share the bear. Know what I mean, Vern?
Please visit my flickr page, Bear Sausage & Venison Patties for a few pictures from the day.
xo, Biggles
Knife Sharpening Class with Eric Weiss – Monday March 2nd
Meathenge Labs did really well through the holidays and the kitchen took a pretty good beating. I noticed some pretty good splashes up against the wall behind the butcher block table, will get those wiped down tonight. The floor, while it did get mopped a few times, is getting a little smoodgy in the corners. I don’t eeeven want to look in the toaster oven’s crumb tray. Note to self, toss in to dishwasher next time along with the vent hood filters. Oh crap, I just remembered while cleaning the fridge I split some of the insulation around the door, damned. I think the stoopid thing is only 4 years old too, dumb Amana. Oh the chores I’ve seen!
Is your kitchen and its inhabitants feeling the same strain? How are your knive’s edges holding up? When you run your steel over them, does it hone right up? Are you one of the rare few who actually takes the time to take them out to get sharpened? Or would it just be easier to pour yourself a large glass of carrot juice and sharpen them yourself? Don’t know how?
Glad you said something! It turns out on Monday, March 2nd he’s holding a knife sharpening class. It’s time to get out of your cave and help the economy a bit. Spend your money well and enroll in Eric’s glass. It’s a good thing to do for yourself and your fellow cave dwellers. Please click through on the link below me here and get the details. Register today!
out of my element aw heck out of anyone’s element
Ahhhh, the coming of fall. The sun gets lower in the sky and the crisp breezes begin. The cool, moist smell of the trees’ leaves turning along with the absolutely brilliant colors that come with are only available once a year. The summer pace turns to one of the coming winter months as we plan for the holidays. The skies darken far earlier, the food gets heartier (gravy) and the relatives, cards and local parties arrive with wild abandon. Even the political climate is changing! The holidays go and leave us with a nice easy lean in to the new year. Some vow on the resolutions and some breathe a sigh of relief that 2008 is gone forever.
Now it’s time to set in for the winter and maybe catch a Sunday ball game with snow falling on the aggressive field of play. Even here we’ve had the heater on more than a few times and most certainly all night long to keep us all from getting the chivers. Bring on the winter! I have a huge pot of leftover great northern beans in the fridge to keep me warm. Bring. It. On.
Um, dude, it’s 75 degrees outside and the grass is bright green and full. wtf?
Take note, just because I mentioned I was wearing slippers the other night to catch the moon doesn’t mean I was wearing anything else.
Behold the glory that is The Good Reverend Doctor Biggles !!! All bow (or avert your eyes) and pay homage. It is warm, ask no questions, fire up all grills.
I have spoken.
Biggles
Huge Moon
Hi Everbody!
We’re still alive here at Meathenge Labs, just recouping after the holidays and basically being lazy as gosh. *-SNORE-*
As many of you know, the last few nights have produced an amazing full moon, just as it first popped up on the Eastern horizon. Per usual, I was 20 minutes late and didn’t get the detail I was looking for. Even with a tripod & circular polarizer, feh. Dumb moon picture. It was most spectacular live though, that was amazing and worth the effort. This would be walking out the back door and standing there like a loon with slippers on.
xo, Biggles
Eating Habits of an 8 year old
Observing children’s habits of any kind can be an interesting journey to say the least. Being a parent, I can say I have more than some experience in this arena.
Whether you’re a parent or not, you’ve surely caught yourself saying, “If/When this happens, my child will be this way.” Such as, “My girl won’t act like that about video games or sugar.” This usually comes from someone who either doesn’t have children, or is only a year or two in. “We’re going to be vegan, no television or refined sugar!”
After many years on this planet I’ve learned that vegan babies wind up dead. And children that are completely left out of our culture, wind up out of control later on in life for those things that they were kept away from. This happens time and time again, it only takes observation and nothing else.
The best I’ve been able to do is lead by example and put in front of them the best I can. Let them work out their own path, with moderation. Here we find Tiny E’s dinner plate, he wanted the center of the pork chop, some rice and a few beans. Since he didn’t want to finish his beans, he offered to eat 2 bananas. I can live with that.
For his effort, he got to have a wine goblet filled with jello he made 2 nights ago.
For me, this is success to the greatest degree. I love my life, and what I’ve done to it.
xo, Biggles