Friday Night Food Porn

Lobstaahh

The weather this week in New England was beautiful. It was 84 degrees on Wednesday, it felt just like a summer day. The heat on that day reminded me of The 2007 Maine State Championship in York, Maine last year. The temps were well into the 90's the entire weekend. One of the category's was chef's choice lobster. We decided to keep things simple. We steamed the lobster with an Allagash White, a great wheat beer from Maine. Pulled the lobster and drenched it in butter, added some shallots and fresh herbs, then placed the mixture into phyllo cups. The judges didn't like them as much as we did.

Try This Beer

If you love beer and have not tried this one yet you're missing out on a great one. It's Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA. It's 9% alcohol, malty, and hoppy. I enjoyed some of these on Sunday with some pork ribs from the smoker.

Friday Night Food Porn

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Scallion Butter

Spring!

For us, a true sign that spring has sprung is the first time we see herbs sprouting up from our herb garden. Kris noticed these scallions today while doing yard work. Although I already had a dinner menu planned, a little scallion worked it's way onto our plates. Come back for tomorrow's Friday Night Food Porn and see how.

Welcome Home, Daisy

If you read my blog last month you know that my friends English Bulldog, Dozer died. Although losing Dozer was tough, looking at this mug below does make it a little easier. Her name is Daisy.


She loves her new toy.


If you've ever had an English Bulldog, or know someone that does, you know that they are extremely hyper and active. As seen in this picture below.

2008 Contest Schedule

This is Lakeside Smokers schedule for 2008.

March 29, 2008
Snowshoe Grilling Challenge
Abington VFW
Abington, MA

June 13-14, 2008
Cape Cod Rib and Brisket Festival
Peters Pond RV Resort
Sandwich, MA

June 20-22, 2008
New Hampshire State BBQ Championship
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
Merrimack, NH

July 19-20, 2008
Troy Pig Out
Troy, NY

August 15-17, 2008
Hudson Valley Ribfest
Ulster County Fairgrounds
New Paltz, NY

September 13-14, 2008
Harvard Fall Festival
Hazel's Farm
Harvard, MA

October 24-26, 2008
The Battle of The BBQ Brethren
Sayville, NY

Date TBA
Rib N Brews Festival
Lowell, MA

Also check NEBS for more info

Friday Night Food Porn

Chicken Wings

Yesterday the temps here in New England hit 70! The warmest it's been in almost 6 months. It was the perfect day to get outside, watch Kris do some yard work, light the grill, and drink a Harpoon IPA.

Here are the wings out of the marinade.


Wet rub applied.


Ready to eat.

Top 10 Reasons You Know You're With A BBQ Junkie...(and You May Be Turning Into One Yourself)

By Kris

10. Your husband wants you to deliver your firstborn in a camper at Harpoon.

9. As you're driving down the street, a random guy in a red vest is frantically waving at your husband in the passenger seat. When you ask "who was that", he replies, "the BJ's greeter."

8. Instead of a family portrait hanging over your fireplace, you have a beef chart.

7. Everyone you cook for knows what a smoke ring is.

6. You've never seen American Idol because you only watch shows where the main character is a kitchen appliance.

5. Instead of window shopping at the mall, you find yourself browsing in the meat section at the butcher shop.

4. As you eat you judge all your food according to appearance, taste, and tenderness.

3. You often find yourself lurking on various BBQ websites.

2. When you get engaged everyone wants your wedding to be held at Peter's Pond...and you find yourself actually considering it.

1. You know it's 1,143 miles to Lynchburg, TN and you actually HOPE you can make the drive someday.

Friday Night Food Porn

The $80 Tuna Fish Sandwich

At the Snowshoe last weekend I decided to try a seared tuna for the fish category. Weeks in advance I was talking with my fish monger about ordering a sushi grade tuna loin. He said he could get it for me but I would have to buy a good size chunk. No biggie, I thought, so I ordered it to be picked up the Friday night before the Snowshoe. I picked up my tuna that Friday night and on the way out the door my fish guy jokingly says 'Mike, don't overcook the tuna!' It's a week later and that phrase still rings in my head...

On Saturday morning I took that beautiful tuna loin and cut four 1" steaks from it. Two of them went into a marinade of ponzu, fresh ginger, and fresh garlic. The other two went back on ice and into the cooler. At 11:35 I took the two steaks out of the marinade and seared them for two minutes a side on a hot charcoal grill, just like I had done many times before. Only this time I was using sushi grade tuna, which cooks much faster than premium grade tuna. Something I wish I had known ahead of time. I'm sure you figured out by now...I over cooked the tuna! At 11:50 I sliced into that tuna and almost cried. Then Kris said 'don't worry about it, cook another one, we have time.' So I grabbed another tuna steak from the cooler, tossed it on the grill with some ponzu and fresh pepper. Cooked it for one minute a side, sliced it, re seasoned it, and put it in the box. That tuna was cooked perfect; seared on the outside and rare in the middle. The judges hated it...well, 2 judges hated it, 2 loved it, and 2 thought it was average.

When we were packing up at the end of the day I was going to toss the overcooked tuna in the trash, but my friend Lisa talked me out of it. She said 'that would make an awesome tuna fish sandwich!'

So, on Sunday I took the over cooked tuna, seasoned it with salt, pepper, celery seed, and mixed it all together with some mayo.


Served it on toasted whole wheat with pickles, home pickled red onions, and a handful of chips on the side. Lisa was right...it made an awesome tuna fish sandwich!

Lunch

Smoked 1/2 chicken, corn bread, potato and macaroni salad, from Goody Cole's in Brentwood, NH.

I was working up in Exeter, NH today. On the way to the job site I passed Goody Cole's on RT. 125 in Brentwood, NH. It was around 8:30 am and I noticed a truck in the parking lot and smoke coming out of the smoke stack. That's always a good sign at a BBQ joint.

I arrived for lunch at 1:30 pm. As soon as I jumped out of the work truck I could smell that unmistakable aroma of real pit BBQ, something Goody Cole's does very well. I usually get the pork ribs but figured I'd try something else. The 1/2 chicken sounded like a great item for lunch. The bird was moist and flavorful, and very smoky. At Goody Cole's they use all wood for the heat source, no propane or electric assist at all. So the food, by design, is very smoky.

There are so many 'BBQ' places out there nowadays doing oven roasted meats, slathering them with sauces, and then passing it off as BBQ. It's nice to see that someone still takes the time to light a fire and cooks with it! Thanks for a great lunch.