What did everyone cook today?
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JoeB TexLaw Joe Hell I just switched to toasted fennel 50% to get that smokey/nutty and 50% fresh plus some anise seed and a decent amount of Italian Pepper Flakes, grind it all up and add it to the Hot Italian from Walton’s. Feel that it incorporates itself into the recipe more. That last batch was liked very well by the Italians in the group because of the fennel forward taste. Have to try the Sambuca.
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zbigjeff I’m intrigued by the Sambuca in both flavor and ‘quality control’ purposes. Experimentation is inspiration!
Joe Hell Yep, one shot for the mix, one for the chef, one shot for the mix and repeat. Hehehehe
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Joe Hell Thanks for that recipe! Yes, you use a good deal more fennel than I did. I’ll fix that in the next batch, and I’ll continue to toast it (and grind it lol). All the recipes that I looked at must’ve been based more on breakfast sausage than Italian sausage, because that’s pretty much what this tastes like even the next day. It’s mighty good breakfast sausage, mind you.
Chef I love that idea about Sambuca. I don’t know if I want all the sugar that comes along with it, but I suppose a little can’t hurt. lol
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Joe Hell Thanks for that recipe! Yes, you use a good deal more fennel than I did. I’ll fix that in the next batch, and I’ll continue to toast it (and grind it lol). All the recipes that I looked at must’ve been based more on breakfast sausage than Italian sausage, because that’s pretty much what this tastes like even the next day. It’s mighty good breakfast sausage, mind you.
Chef I love that idea about Sambuca. I don’t know if I want all the sugar that comes along with it, but I suppose a little can’t hurt. lol
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Chef what brand of burr grinder do you use and would you buy it again or purchase a different brand?
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Chef what brand of burr grinder do you use and would you buy it again or purchase a different brand?
Mcjagger I use a Cuisinart. They cost a few buck at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
I was fortunate enough to get two from a second hand place, Goodwill. Paid $8.00 for one, and $5.00 for the other. Also seen them on ebay.
The first one is every bit of 10 years old. Use it every morning for corree. the good part about a burr grinder is that you can set the final partical size .
I clean it between different spices with just a little salt passing through it.
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Chef what brand of burr grinder do you use and would you buy it again or purchase a different brand?
Mcjagger One more small thing, if your recipe calls for whole seed or anything other than ground, just measure it befor grinding and use whatever ground product you get, Could also weight it.
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Joe Hell Thanks for that recipe! Yes, you use a good deal more fennel than I did. I’ll fix that in the next batch, and I’ll continue to toast it (and grind it lol). All the recipes that I looked at must’ve been based more on breakfast sausage than Italian sausage, because that’s pretty much what this tastes like even the next day. It’s mighty good breakfast sausage, mind you.
Chef I love that idea about Sambuca. I don’t know if I want all the sugar that comes along with it, but I suppose a little can’t hurt. lol
TexLaw I know everyone has their own recipes, in fact, Italian sausage even varies by regions in Italy and Italian communities in the United States. This is the recipe I have been using for many (yes too many) years:
60 lbs ground pork, Butt
2 cups Sambuca
1 cup anise seed
1 cup fennel seed
1 cup granulated garlic
1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
1/8 tsp Sodium Nitrite
1/2 cup ground black pepper
6 cups ice water
1/4 cup oregano
1 Tbs allspice
1 Cup ground coriander
For sweet (mild) saisage: I do grind the seeds and add everything to water prior to mixing with the meat.For Hot Italian sausage, I add about 1/4 cup of crushed red pepper flakes and about 1/4 cup of Smoked Pimenton Picante Hot Paprika by El Angel. It seems to be a consistant heat level.
Not sure if the Nitrite is really necessary, but in much earlier days, small Italian markets went to the safe side.
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TexLaw I know everyone has their own recipes, in fact, Italian sausage even varies by regions in Italy and Italian communities in the United States. This is the recipe I have been using for many (yes too many) years:
60 lbs ground pork, Butt
2 cups Sambuca
1 cup anise seed
1 cup fennel seed
1 cup granulated garlic
1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
1/8 tsp Sodium Nitrite
1/2 cup ground black pepper
6 cups ice water
1/4 cup oregano
1 Tbs allspice
1 Cup ground coriander
For sweet (mild) saisage: I do grind the seeds and add everything to water prior to mixing with the meat.For Hot Italian sausage, I add about 1/4 cup of crushed red pepper flakes and about 1/4 cup of Smoked Pimenton Picante Hot Paprika by El Angel. It seems to be a consistant heat level.
Not sure if the Nitrite is really necessary, but in much earlier days, small Italian markets went to the safe side.
Chef Thanks. My Dad used to make the absolute best home made Italian sausage where it seemed like the Fennel just jumped, burst, shot out, from the sausage with flavor & it was amazing. However, I never got the recipe & I don’t think I ever saw him read one, he just “Did it”, it seemed. You my friend, have the recipe & that is good. I am saving it & I may steal it from you!
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Chef Thanks. My Dad used to make the absolute best home made Italian sausage where it seemed like the Fennel just jumped, burst, shot out, from the sausage with flavor & it was amazing. However, I never got the recipe & I don’t think I ever saw him read one, he just “Did it”, it seemed. You my friend, have the recipe & that is good. I am saving it & I may steal it from you!
calldoctoday calldoctoday I just watched as a kid, and, okay, I was a nerd, even in kindergarden. I have several hundred recipes from my past that was not ever written down. I now have them for future generations. Many are just old traditional recipes from New Orleans. It was such a mixing pot. Mexican, Creole, Spanish, Italian, Irish, German, Cuban… this list goes on.
If you make it, it won’t be stealing, I just would be honored.
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TexLaw you might cut back on the fennel in my recipe if ground…I’d expect that may intensify the flavor.
Joe Hell I was thinking that, too. I might keep some whole just because it seems right. In any event, I really like fennel and even chew a pinch of whole seeds now and again. Having too much fennel can only be a small mistake!
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calldoctoday calldoctoday I just watched as a kid, and, okay, I was a nerd, even in kindergarden. I have several hundred recipes from my past that was not ever written down. I now have them for future generations. Many are just old traditional recipes from New Orleans. It was such a mixing pot. Mexican, Creole, Spanish, Italian, Irish, German, Cuban… this list goes on.
If you make it, it won’t be stealing, I just would be honored.
Chef
Chef, was just reading about your memories of New Orleans recipes and food.
We lived in South Louisiana for a number of years and thoroughly enjoyed the culinary diversity. New Orleans is like the Disneyland of food and dining experiences.Paul
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Chef
Chef, was just reading about your memories of New Orleans recipes and food.
We lived in South Louisiana for a number of years and thoroughly enjoyed the culinary diversity. New Orleans is like the Disneyland of food and dining experiences.processhead Chef You guys are both spot on. On many travels I had down in the bayou, I had the fantastic opportunity to be invited to have dinners in real cajun country in the swamps with their families (arrived by small boat and push bars). They tried to out spice that darn yankee. I had some very strange dishes and critters. In my world, that was a huge blast. They did “fusion” cooking when it was not even popular.
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today was the first day in the 50’s just had to smoke some baby back ribs, still cooking !
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today was the first day in the 50’s just had to smoke some baby back ribs, still cooking !
craigrice
I can smell them from here… Yep, it’s been awhile. Up coming weekend looks good, I envision a trip to the meat market. -
Smoking cheese today. Temps about 37-40 and cloudy. Doing pepper jack, Monterey Jack, Muenster , aged Provolone and some Mozzarella with Alderwood. Trying to beat the storm. Supposed to get snow measured in feet here in Colorado but I am taking advantage of the cool temps today.
Improvise, Adapt and Overcome! Semper Fi
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Smoking cheese today. Temps about 37-40 and cloudy. Doing pepper jack, Monterey Jack, Muenster , aged Provolone and some Mozzarella with Alderwood. Trying to beat the storm. Supposed to get snow measured in feet here in Colorado but I am taking advantage of the cool temps today.
Bob Stehlik
Are you using chips or pellets with the Alderwood? Tried using Alderwood pellets in the smoker tube with last batch of sticks. They kept flaming up for some reason. Had to switch to Maple pellets. Worked fine. -
where do you get alder pellets ,my wife loves salmon and would like to do some for her
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craigrice
I believe I got these from local Fleet Farm. These are Smokehouse brand. Have been using the chips exclusively on my chicken wings. Awesome! -
craigrice Got any Ace or True Value hardware store there in Maine, you can buy Traeger pellets from them. They carry Alder. That wood comes from my side of the country.
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