Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Product Review: Dragon Knuckles

[FTC Disclosure] I paid full price for my Dragon Knuckles Heat Resistant Gloves.  The link provided is an Amazon Affiliate link.  

Gift Card Week:  A lot of people received cash and prepaid cards for Christmas this week.  I thought it would be an opportune time to post some product reviews this week for the things that Santa didn't bring you.

A good pair of heat resistant gloves is essential for having a fun and safe time with your grills and in your kitchen.  For the longest time, a good pair of welding gloves was my weapon of choice.  In March 2017, I bought a pair of Dragon Knuckles after chatting with the owner on Twitter.

Dragon Knuckles heat-resistant grilling gloves review

I have used them extensively for the past year, at home and on the circuit.  The Dragon Knuckles have become my go-to pair of grilling gloves for several reasons.
  • Design - The gloves have the extended cuff.  Most of my burns don't happen on my hands.  Instead, I reach across or under a hot metal rack then burn my forearm when I inadvertently brush against the hot object.  The extended cuff length protects against that.
  • Construction - Dragon Knuckles are made using 13 ounces of meta-aramid (aka Nomex) and para-aramid (aka Kevlar).  The coating of silicone adds further heat protection and grip.
  • Reversible - Dragon Knuckles fit on either hand.  This is particularly useful because I'm good at misplacing items like these gloves and if I can only find one, it won't be the wrong hand. 
  • Comfort - In a previous life, I was a safety professional, and my degree was in Occupational Safety and Health.  I know that comfort is critical for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  If the PPE isn't comfortable, you are going to avoid wearing it and find your own, potentially less safe, alternatives.  Dragon Knuckles are the most comfortable gloves that I have. 
  • Durability - These things have taken my abuse for 9 months and are in excellent condition.


Dragon Knuckles heat-resistant grilling gloves review
I have a bin full of silicone gloves, oven mitts, and welding gloves but I have found myself opting for the Dragon Knuckles almost exclusively.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Product Review: JJGeorge Grill Torch

[FTC Disclosure] I received a JJGeorge Grill Charge as a free sample.

Gift Card Week:  A lot of people received cash and prepaid cards for Christmas this week.  I thought it would be an opportune time to post some product reviews this week for the things that Santa didn't bring you.

There are plenty of ways to light your grill.

  • starter cubes
  • twisted paper towel drizzled with cooking oil
  • denatured alcohol
  • forced hot air (Looftlighter, Bison, etc.)
  • gas torches

I've always said, use what works for you because grilling and barbecue are more about preferences than absolutes.  Only a Sith deals in absolutes, right? That said, my "hard preference" for lighting grills is a gas torch because I think they are the fastest and easiest method.  


How to light a kamado grill, such as; Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, Primo, Grill Dome, Vision, or Kong
Using a torch is the method that I recommend in my book, The Kamado Smoker and Grill Cookbooks (Ulysses Press).

Last month, I met the JJGeorge team at the Pensacola Eggfest where they were serving up excellent oysters from the Big Green Egg.  JJGeorge is a company that sells exceptional grilling furniture and accessories such as beautiful kamado tables, grill covers, eye-catching wood trimmed coolers, and the full Smokeware line.

JJGeorge's Nukshuk Coolers are part craftsmanship and part art.


Their newest product offering is their new Grill Torch.


Priced at $39.99 (currently on sale at $29.99!) the JJ George Grill Torch is less expensive than the plain gas torch that I bought at Lowes.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Shaved Tri-Tip Sliders with Bacon and Cheese Sauce

[FTC Disclosure]  I have received free samples from Flame Boss. However, I have also bought units from them at full price as well.  SABER is our infrared grill sponsor.

Shaved beef tri-tip sliders, why haven't I thought of that before?

Shaved tri-tip sliders with cheese sauce and bacon

Crispy toasted rolls, tender seasoned beef, homemade bacon, and a cheese sauce.  These were ideally suited for the Carolina/Tennessee basketball game this weekend.

We did a reverse sear and then let the tri-tip rest in the fridge overnight.  I used an almost 0 setting on a meat slicer to get the slices extra thin. We already had the bacon in the freezer.

The cheese sauce is a blend of Swiss, Gruyere, and cheddar cheeses.  What makes the sauce special is the roasted garlic, horseradish, and a little bacon fat.  It has got a depth of flavor going on.  This sauce would be fantastic on a dinner roll with a piece of leftover prime rib.

Horseradish and Roasted-Garlic Cheese Sauce for Beef Sliders

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon roasted garlic paste
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1/2 cup shredded Swiss
  • 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar blend
  • 1 teaspoon horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Portobello Sauce

A beef tenderloin roast can be a meal that your guests remember for years to come.  Additionally, beef tenderloin roasts are faster cooking, smaller, leaner, and more tender than a rib roast. 

My December assignment for SABER Grills, our gas grill sponsor, was beef tenderloin for the holiday table.  I came up with this straightforward yet delicious Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Portobello Sauce.

Recipe for Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Portobello Sauce

I used a "reverse pan seared" technique.  In addition to the usual benefits of a reverse sear, the reverse pan searing has a few advantages.  
  • Using cast iron gets an even crust when searing. 
  • Using the cast iron as your indirect shield preheats it for the sear.  
  • Best of all, you can use the sucs (brown bits in the pan) to create delicious pan sauces.


SABER Grills 1500 Elite SSE with Thermoworks ChefAlarm
The reverse pan sear set up that I used on my SABER 1500 Elite SSE.  

You will find the full recipe for Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Portobello Sauce on the SABER Grills website.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Reverse Seared Prime Rib on a Char-Broil Kamander

[FTC Disclaimer] We have appreciated having Char-Broil as a sponsor for the past three years.  This is our final sponsored post for them.  

It's time for the Grinch himself to carve the roast beast, right?  Rib roast season is here.


This is an easy recipe for Reverse Seared Prime Rib that I created for Char-Broil's website this year.  The full recipe is there.  These are just some additional pictures and notes.

I kept the seasonings simple, just black pepper, kosher salt, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, and dried parsley.

The boneless beef rib roast that I bought was "lip on" so I sliced it off by cutting through along the fat line.  I superimposed the yellow line to show where to cut.  Save the lip.  Trim any red meat out for scraps and use the fat for making beef tallow.

Trimmed and tied to keep it in a more uniform shape.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Steak and Grilled Onion Tacos

[FTC Disclaimer:  We are proud to have Certified Angus Beef® Brand is a sponsor of Nibble Me This.]

Want to know why the beef in these fantastic Steak and Grilled Onion Tacos is so tender?


Steak and Grilled Onion Tacos recipe featuring Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin #bestangusbeef

It's tender because I used beef tenderloin for the meat, specifically a Certified Angus Beef® Brand beef tenderloin from our Food City.  I trimmed this butt section of a tenderloin into:

Recipe ideas for the chain from a Certified Angus Beef tenderloin #bestangusbeef
  • Left:  Tenderloin chunks from the "chain."
  • Center:  tenderloin roast
  • Right:  A mini-roast using the side meat (iliacus muscle).

The "chain" is a little strip of muscle (psoas minor) that is hidden in a bunch of connective tissue that runs along the side of a whole beef tenderloin. A lot of people might mistake that for scrap.  But a little knife-work and patience can produce delectable bits of steak that chefs often treasure for themselves. 

These "scraps" of filet mignon are just the thing for Fire Seared Beef Tips and Rice or in these Steak and Grilled Onion Tacos.

Street style beef tacos recipe featuring Certified Angus Beef tenderloin

Trevor's girlfriend came over, and I wanted to make them something to eat while they studied.  I grabbed my beef tenderloin chunks, a few things I had in stock, and made them these tacos.

Steak and Grilled Onion Tacos

Ingredients


Friday, December 1, 2017

Stir-Fired Cajun Chicken Pasta

This is what happens when you get culinarily bored.  I combined a Cajun chicken recipe with stir-frying techniques (aka stir firing on the grill) to come up with this creamy and delicious Stir Fried Cajun Chicken Pasta.




I started with this Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe from BigOven as a jumping off place and changed the ingredients for my preferences or what I had in supply.  I decided on stir-frying because the ingredients suit that style of cooking and stir-frying on the grill is fun.


Remember that stir-frying happens at a frenetic pace.  Mise en place* is especially important with this "blink and it's done" type of cooking.  This includes the tools you will need, in this case, grill mitts, wooden spatulas, and maybe a set of tongs.  

Stir Fried Cajun Pasta


Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, sliced stir-fry style
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (divided)  I used my NMT Cajun Beef Rub recipe
  • 1.5 teaspoons Kosher salt (divided)
  • 2-3 tablespoons peanut or other high temp cooking oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 red bell pepper, julienned 
  • 1 poblano chile, julienned 
  • 1 sweet onion, julienned 
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1 lb rotini pasta, cooked according to directions
  • Slurry made of 1 tablespoon cold water and half tablespoon or cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
  • Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese finely grated for garnish

Instructions