Beer can chicken

I have always been a fan of the beer can chicken. It really exceeds any other roast chicken I have had. The two key factors of the chicken being steamed and being held right side up (legs down, wings up with breasts to the side)) makes for an ultra moist and tasty chicken. Every time, it comes out of the oven and the meat is just falling off the bones. I have seen a few recipes out there, and I have taken my own style over the year, which I think makes a big difference.

So here we go:

Take one beer can, preferably room temperature, and if possible, open it up a few hours prior to cooking. This will allow a good amount of the carbonation to be released slowly, instead of foaming up when you apply heat to it (trust me). I also like to take a can poker, and open the can further, so there is more surface area to the beer.
Season the beer… garlic, rosemary, thyme, peppers, or any of that good herby stuff.
Once the beer is seasoned, put the beer can in a pot with water, just about three quarters of the way on the beer can, and allow it to come to a boil.
While this is happening, season your chicken in your favorite bits and pieces.
Once the beer is up to heat, put in a pan and throw your chicken over it. Large cavity down. Put in the oven, which is preheated to about 520 degrees. Once in, cut the temp down to 420 after 10 minutes and for the rest of the cooking.
The high heat is key to the moist chicken. And so is not sticking anything in it while its cooking!!

Update: Oh, and I fold the wings backwards into them selves, so they don’t over cook.

I am sick

Water is amazingly good when you’re sick. Tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless. Can be found just about anywhere, and comes in so many shapes and forms. Clouds, waves, icebergs, the sea, glaciers, aquifers, snow, hail, fog, dew, hot tea, coffee, and the list goes on. Maybe my chili came out poorly cause I was sick.

Habanero chile

The Habanero is the hottest natural chili known to man. It also happens to be the hottest natural chili known to woman. This also went toward my meaty chili that was a big flop. At least it was spicy!

Cubed meat

I am back, and what better way to celebrate then with browned cubed meat. Thank you all for the kind emails and all your patients. This was specifically used for chili I made. But, I’m not going to post about it, cause it didn’t come out very well… but that’s how I learn.

Scotch tasting. Posted by mobile phone

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Still out of the office

What can I say… there will be a short interruption of my daily weekday blogging. I will be away, and unreachable by conventional electronic methods. I plan on coming back before the end of the month.
Thanks for all the comments folks. I should be back before the end of this month, so please do check back. In the meantime, eat something new for me.

Out of the office

Breakfast. Posted by mobile phone

House Cured Gravlax

The word gravlax comes from the Swedish word ‘grav’, which means ‘buried’, and ‘lax’, which means ‘salmon’, therefore gravlax is buried salmon. Why buried salmon you ask? Well, I am glad you asked! Back in the middle ages, fisherman made this salmon by salting it and then burying it in the sand, just above the high-tide line. This would cause a light fermentation to take place.
These days gravlax, in its unpretentious form, consists of four ingredients: salmon, salt, sugar, and dill. It is cured with these ingredients, and eaten raw, which is very common amongst the Swedish, Danish, and Scandinavians. Traditionally, it would be served as an open faced sandwich for appetizer; sliced paper thin and served on a slice of dark bread and sometimes accompanied by a dill mustard sauce.
In this pic I am having it on an everything bagel, cream cheese, onions and pickles on the side (but with every bite). Later this month, I think I might try to cure my own gravlax... it takes about 2 days.

Chorizo in the nude

Chorizo is a dry cured pork sausage from Spain. Typically comes in hot (picante) or mild (dulce). Chorizo is also a slang Spanish word meaning “thief”.
This particular chorizo you see hanging in my kitchen comes from a family owned company in La Rioja, Spain. The spicy combination of smoked paprika makes this chorizo very unique then other non Spanish chorizos.

International Pickle Day part 2

That’s a new pickle I am eating. I love new pickles… they have that great pickle taste, yet the sweet crispness of a garden fresh cucumber. The tartness from the pickle brine and the gentle sweetness of the cucumber are so harmonious. They might be dangerous, as I could eat a bit too many in one sitting. It is a new pickle because… well, if you don’t know why, then you shouldn’t be eating them.

International Pickle Day

This past Sunday was the 5th Annual International Pickle Day. They have quite the history. They are mentioned twice in the bible, Cleopatra attributed her good looks to a hearty diet of pickles, and Julius Caesar fed pickles to his troops in belief that they gave physical and spiritual strength. 5,200,000 pounds of pickles are consumed per year in the US. That comes out to about 9 pounds per person!!

That’s me celebrating pickle day in the lower east side. I am eating a spicy half sour which packed quite a punch. It was a delicate pickle taste which didn’t cause any puckering. Saltiness was light, and spiciness was deep. Had a great crispy crunch to it.