Olympics

Among other chores, I just watched the finish of the Olympic women's road race in London.  After nearly four hours of riding, those young women pulled strength from their legs they should have never been able to find.  So purely impressive.  I have a particular interest in swimming, as well as track and field, but any event is so enjoyable to watch.  My hat is off to these incredible men and women, who dedicate their entire lives to the pursuit of a singular goal.  What a tribute to the possibilities that lie within the human spirit.  I am going to really enjoy the next two weeks, as these games unfold for the world to see.

Caveman steaks - meat and potatoes 101

I have wanted to try the caveman steak method of cooking steaks, and I've wanted to try it for a long time.  However, the thought of throwing an expensive cut of meat into a bed of hot coals, and my thoughts of burned exterior, and raw interior, weren't all that encouraging.

None the less, my curiosity won over, and we finally tried it.  I'm really glad we did.

We brought home some ribeyes that were on sale in our local market, and with lump charcoal in hand, we were ready.

First off, no matter the method of grilling you choose, there is one thing you can do to help with a more tender steak:  let the meat come to room temperature for one hour before putting it on a hot grill.  Ice cold steaks on a hot grill go through a bit more shock, and shock creates a tougher piece of meat.

We generously salted and peppered our steaks, then let them come to room temperature while we started the coals.

 

A note about the coals used in the caveman steak.  This method calls for lump charcoal, not briquettes.  We found lump charcoal in our local market.  It's more expensive than briquettes, but unless you grill steaks on a regular basis, it's not an expense to shy away from, in my opinion.

Lump charcoal can be started in a coal chimney, just like briquettes.  Seems lump charcoal is ready a little sooner than briquettes, and is a heck of a lot hotter, too.

 

Once the coals are ready, pour them out, and spread them into an even layer.

They will be very, very hot.  I suggest using long handled grilling tools, to keep your hands further away from the heat source.

Now for the meat!  Just lay those steaks right on top of the hot coals.  A little daunting, I know, but you will be glad you took my advice.  This is a great method.

 

They will flame up, and smoke a lot.  Not to fear.  Our 1" thick cut, bone in ribeye steaks were cooked to medium after 4 minutes per side.  They were perfect.

 

When they finish, remove them from the coals, remove any chunks that stick to the meat, and tent them under foil for about 10 minutes.  This resting period allows the juices to re-distribute through the meat, and  when cut, won't drain out, leaving you with a dry steak.

We served ours with fresh pico de gallo, and garlic mashed potatoes.  Quite good.

 

I hope you will try this method.  It really does yield a great result:  a steak with a smokey crust, juicy and tender on the inside, beautifully cooked to my favorite level of doneness, which is medium.

Stuffed brie

Boy, if ever there was a dish I'd like to take credit for, this one is it!  Why?  Because it's simple, easy and looks beautiful.  My top three requirements for anything I make, all rolled into one, tasty treat.  Perfect as an appetizer (all alone), or with crackers.

 

Pretty straightforward.  Start with a brie wheel, and cut it in half, like a layer cake.  Top the bottom half with any combination you like.  I used sun-dried tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, garlic and salt/pepper.

 

Add the top half, and set it atop a thawed puff pastry (I do not make puff pastry, I just buy it from the freezer case in my local market).

 

Wrap it up (it doesn't have to be pretty, just pinch edges together), place it on a baking sheet, and into a 400 degree oven until golden brown, and puffed up.

 

Remove from oven, let it set for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve as you wish.

I can see this one stuffed with many different ingredients.  Make it savory, or sweet.  Something tells me grilled peaches and ginger might be good, too.  Have fun with this one!