Sunday, March 28, 2010

Beef Jerky

Beef Jerky

2/3 c Worcestshire

2/3 c soy sauce

1 t black pepper

1 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

Options:

1 t liquid smoke

2-3 t tobasco

2-3 t red peppers

2-3 t sesame seeds

1-3 tsp chipotle powder


2-3 pounds meat of your choice....I prefer London Broil

Slice meat against the grain as thin as possible(I find it is MUCH easier to slice if it is partially frozen

Mix all ingredient in a gallon size ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or longer

Squeeze excess liquid and place in food dehydrator


Dry on 160 for 3-4 hours or more depending on thickness


Thursday, March 18, 2010

St Paddy's Day Feast


Home Brined Corned Beef


I have done several different brining methods since originally posting this, I prefer a "dry" brine now but be aware that since this has no nitrates it will NOT be pink like the stuff you buy in the store or my original picture >>>>>

I prefer a bottom round to a brisket cut.



There are tons of methods out there. Here is my own!!

Irish Cream ---Hubby Takes Credit for this one!!
2 Weeks ahead

In large container(non metallic) Troy uses an old coffee carafe
13 oz can sweetened condensed milk
15 oz can evaporated milk
3 cups whiskey
Blend for about 3 minutes(Troy uses a hand held immersion blender),
Pour into a clean 1 gallon milk jug , refrigerate for 1 week
shaking daily

After 1 week , in a large container blend the rest of the ingredients:
3 eggs
3 oz coffee liqueur
1 TB chocolate syrup
1 tsp instant coffee
opt 1/2 tsp vanilla

pour into milk jug with the first ingredient
refrigerate 1 week more, shake everyday.



Morning of:
Authentic Irish Soda Bread from www.sodabread.us
4 cups (16 oz) of all purpose flour.
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
14 oz of buttermilk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly crease and flour a cake pan.
In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients.
Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape)
Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.
Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes (this simulates the bastible pot). Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped so show it is done.
Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
  • 2 stalks celery, halved
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 medium onion, cut in 4 wedges
  • 4 to 6 red potatoes, quartered
  • 1 4-pound corned beef brisket
  • 12-ounce bottle stout or dark ale
  • 1 tablespoon corned beef spices or pickling spices (or spices that come with the brisket)
  • 1 medium head cabbage, cut into 6 wedges

Directions

For serving: grainy mustard and horseradish sauce, recipe below
Place celery, carrots, onion and potatoes in the bottom of a large slow-cooker or crock pot. Rinse the corned beef brisket and place over vegetables. Add the bottle of stout, spices and enough water to just cover the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for eight to nine hours.
Remove the meat and vegetables from the pot and cover with foil to keep warm. Increase heat to high and cook cabbage until softened but still crispy, 20 to 30 minutes.
Slice brisket across the grain, serve with vegetables, mustard and horseradish sauce. Pass extra cooking liquid at the table.

Creamy Horseradish Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup drained prepared horseradish
  • dash hot sauce
  • salt and pepper to tast

Whip cream to soft peaks and then fold in sour cream and horseradish, to taste. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of hot sauce.

Chocolate Orange Guinness Cake
Cake Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c dark brown sugar
2 c self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
2 rounded Tablespoons Cocoa
Grated rind of 1 orange
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Guinness

Icing Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter
2 c powdered sugar
Orange juice


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F.
Grease two 8 or 9-inch cake pans.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa into a bowl.
Add the orange rind to the creamed butter and beat in the eggs, one at a time, including a spoonful of the measured flour mixture with each one, and beating well between additions. Gently mix in the Guinness, a tablespoonful at a time, including another spoonful of flour with each addition.
If there's any flour left over, fold it in gently to mix;
Blend thoroughly without over-beating.
Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth down, and put the cakes into the center of the pre-heated oven.
Reduce the heat to moderate (350F) and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cakes are springy to the touch and pulling slightly away from the sides of the pans.
Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing:
Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together
Blend in enough orange juice to make an icing that is soft enough to spread.
Frost between layers and on top of the cakes once cooled.

Option - drizzle some Guinness on top of each cake layer, let it soak in a little bit, and then apply the frosting.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Copycat Cadbury Creme Eggs

An excellent treat for Easter Baskets!!!!






1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, softened ---VERY IMPORTANT!!!! SOFTENED NOT MELTED!!!!
1 teas. vanilla( or orange extract or lemon extract for a change)
1/4 teas. salt
3 cups powdered sugar
4 drops yelllow food coloring
2 drops red food coloring (My kids react very badly to red dye so I omit this, I did add a little yellow because they dont react as badly to that but dyes are not necessary and usually when I make these I dont use it at all)

1 − 12 oz. bag semisweet or milk chocolate chips(if you want to make these exceptionally good use a good quality dark chocolate in place of the chocolate chips!)
2 Tbls. shortening


Combine corn syrup, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat well with
electric mixer. Add sugar, one cup at a time, mixing by hand after each
addition.








Remove about 1/3 of the mix and place in small bowl. Add yellow &
red coloring and stir.


Cover both mixes and refrigerate at least 2 hours.








When mixes are firm, roll a small ball from the yellow filling and wrap
around it a portion of the white filling that is twice that size. Form into
the shape of an egg and place onto a cookie sheet that has been brushed with
shortening. Repeat with remaining ingredients.






Refrigerate 3−4 hrs.














Combine chocolate chips with shortening in glass bowl. Microwave on high for 1
minute. Then stir and microwave another minute.

Use a fork to dip each center into the chocolate. Place candy onto wax paper to dry.









After 1−2 hours of chilling, dip each candy one more time and chill.