Livin': Pearl #3: Make Your Own Beef Jerky
Mighty tasty, long-lasting jerky can be made from nearly any animal - alligator, turkey, deer, possum or many assorted varmint - but nothing beats good ol' beef. For best results, use brisket.
1. Start by hardening a slab of meat - about three pounds is good - in the freezer for an hour or so.
2. Next, remove the fat and slice the steak into quarter-inch-thick strips.
3. Now, make a marinade with 8 oz. soy sauce, 8 oz. Worcestershire sauce, 2 large crushed garlic cloves, a half-cup of brown sugar and three tablespoons of Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce.
4. Drop the marinade and meat into a big ol' Ziploc bag and shake it up. Let the bag chill in the fridge for four hours. How you spend the down time is up to you. Look for future posts and we'll give ya some ideas.
5. Once the time is up, fire up your oven to 150 degrees. Drain and blot excess moisture, then line bottom oven rack with foil.
6. Slap the meat on the top rack and let it cook slowly for four to six hours. Flip it occasionally to make sure both sides get it good.
7. Tear off a chunk, chew and enjoy - for the next few months if need be.
And remember...good jerky nourishes the soul.
Posted in Livin'
Comments (0) [Posted by Coop] Print Email This
Eatin'/Readin'/Travelin': Let The Belly Be Your Guide
In Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover's Companion to the South, John T. Edge travels the back roads from Texas to Virginia, from chicken shack to fish camp, from barbecue stand to pie shed, to bring you the most savory food and history the South has to offer. You'll find a South hidden in plain sight, where cooks who've been standing tall by the stove since Eisenhower was in office serve local specialties found nowhere else. The perfect traveling companion, Southern Belly reveals the stories and secrets behind this mouthwatering food and guides you to more than 200 places that have quietly become Southern institutions.
Check this out:
Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover's Companion to the South (Paperback)
Posted in Eatin', Readin', Travelin'
Comments (0) [Posted by Jobro] Print Email This
Eatin': Letter To Luling
An ode to Central Texas BBQ and City Market, Luling, TX.
It's art born from love. And love born from art. Thank you "DallasFood".
Here's a couple of Skinny Earl's favorites: Taylor, Texas (about 45 minutes northeast of Austin) - Vencil Mares' Taylor Cafe and Louie Mueller's. Of the two, Mueller's is more famous, having played backdrop for the cover of Stevie Ray & Jimmie Vaughn's Family Style album and for receiving the high falootin' 2006 James Beard Award for American Classic cookin'. We're more impressed that SRV ate there. The old wooden hall is patinaed with decades of oak wood smoke. Get a sampler of the brisket, ribs and sausage (100% beef). The sauce is a peppery liquid and the cole slaw and potato salad are made with real mayonnaise. It's listed as one of the top 25 barbecue restaurants in the world and one of three top restaurants in Texas.
Down by the railroad tracks sits the Taylor Cafe (known by the locals as just Vencil's). For just about 60 years, Vencil Mares has been slow cookin' meats in this little honky-tonk that he opened when he came back from World War II. And he's damn near perfected it. Taylor Cafe serves up brisket, sausage, turkey sausage, chicken, ribs, potato salad, & beans. Grab a stool at the counter next to Vencil, who's always there swappin' stories and tendin' shop. Truly one of the last authentic American BBQ joints.
And down south of Austin, in Lockhart, I recommend Smitty's Market. Best Brisket I've ever had. With some white bread, cheddar cheese, pickle slices and a Dr. Pepper. John Fullilove, Smitty's grandson, tends the pit and he'll make sure you leave full and happy. He may even sign an autograph if ya ask nice.
Below is a link to a site for the Texas BBQ Trail. I also recommend checkin' out www.louiemuellerbarbeque.com (the music is purty) and www.smittysmarket.com.
Continue Reading...
Posted in Eatin'
Comments (0) [Posted by Skinny Earl] Print Email This