Cooking | Fire and Steel and Olive Oil

this guys channel rules

I made some pulled pork loaded wedges and went a little bit extra. Melted mozzarella, sliced red onions and some crispy onions too. Drizzle of some fancy mayo to finish it off

Edit: tbat pulled pork fish looks bomb


So after my controversial post regarding grilling tool / techniques in the random thread I started wondering if any of the SLAENT foodies had similar thoughts regarding other tools / methods for cooking.

What kinda pans y’all use? Coated PTFE crapola? SS clad? Cast iron? Enameled cast iron? Carbon Steele?

Gas? Induction?

What knives do y’all use? Different kinds?

Any other specialty tools you like to use? Sous Vide? Pressure cooker?


For me:

I have two global knives. One 8” chefs and one 8” Santoku. I really want to get a pairing knife and a cleaver. But their uses are rarer so I have not splurged

I have SS clad aluminum pans (3 ply). Quite a few. Love these. Started collecting and shutting away from PTFE years ago. SS cooking introduced me to the fond.

I also have three cast iron skillets 12” 10” and 8”. The CI skillets are well seasoned and I can get slidey eggs on em all. I really want to find a pre 1920’s skillet that was machined but hard to find. Either way mine clean and cook well and have good non stick properties. I use soap FYI. Wash them, apply oil and bring to smoke point after each cook.

I have not had hardened aluminum ptfe coated pans in a while. Transition wasn’t super smooth but it’s just a matter of learning heat control / pre heating. Either way I have pans for life now. I was so over replacing scratched PTFE. Got mostly metal spatulas now too. So much better than plastic

We don’t use our enameled stuff as much. No particular reason why. I have a nice Le Crueset from our wedding too. Pull it out for braises occasionally

I don’t have any Carbon Steel but want to get a Wok so may get a CS one. Heard they cook better in gas so I’m covered there.

Specialty tools:

Electric smoker (I’m lazy), sous vide (slow cook Cheater heh), pressure cooker and an air fryer. The most useless one being the air fryer. Thinking about tossing honestly. Love the pressure cooker and the sous vide though. Did a bone broth in the pressure cooker the other day. Makes stocks and soups and all kinds of stuff easy. I do a chili in the instant pot that we love.

Exterior: I have a Webber genesis 4 burner and a cuisenart 36” CI griddle. Got rid of the Webber kettle years ago.

36” griddle is a game changer

Also bar keepers friend is amazing for SS stains

I switched to induction hobs from gas last year and I’ve been happy with the change.

I’ve got a variety of different pots and pans, but the main ones I use are a large enamel cast iron casserole dish, enamel cast iron stew pot, 8” non stick frying pan, and a whatever size deep pan for boiling/steaming.

I like cooking with an uncoated cast iron but I’m too lazy to stay on top of maintenance for them.

I’ve got an air fryer I rarely use. I generally stick to my normal oven or grill (broiler). I have a microwave too, which gets used occasionally.

As for knives, I generally just use a standard chef knife and a really old serrated edge bread knife. I don’t know the brands of them, the chef knife was a gift and the bread knife was a handmedown from my parents.


The large enamel casserole dish is my go to pan. If I’m ever roasting meats, I’ll use that and then make gravy in it afterwards. Any one pot meals, I use it too. Not the most ideal, but I’ll sear and cook steaks in it also.

Non-stick pan for fish and eggs.
Carbon steel pan for steak.
Seasoned wok for stir fry.
SS for everything else (and if i want fond) unless it's a bigger dish like curry, roasts or stew which I get out the enameled cast iron pot for.

Far as appliances:
Rice cooker for rice.
Pressure cooker is great for making chicken stock that we freeze into cubes and use in other dishes.

Before I met my partner, both her and I were already well stocked for kitchen gear.

We have a fair few tri-ply saucepans and frying pans in different sizes, and a nice large saute pan.
Most of our cooking in those, I prefer them far more than almost any other pan we have

Couple of hast iron pans that are ok, but don’t exactly create a non-stick-enough surface, as well as a cast iron grill pan that I truly hate

Managed to give away one of the dutch ovens so we just have the one now.

A nice enough non-stick pan just for eggs really.

Knives are largely just a good chefs knife, santoku, paring knife and bread knife.

We inherited a gas stove at the new house, which I love, but it’d be nice to have a mix of gas and induction.

Have a ceramic BBQ, a sous vide stick, and an instant pot that all get pretty solid use

So cast iron seasoning you can get a good non stick surface with about 3 - 4 seasons in an oven. Then I do a routine that keep seasoning going with little interference from maintenance.

I start with cleaning the cast iron when doing dishes. You can use soap. Polymerized oils won’t come off with dish soap. Old soaps had lye. I also use the chain mail sponge and a hair brush.

The. I put on a light layer of oil put on burner and start doing rest of dishes. That way it comes to smoke point while I’m doing stuff. I’m a little obsessive though I ain’t gonna lie. But … all my cast iron is super easy to clean now, and again you can cook eggs in them.



Kinda intimidated by wok cooking ….


Anyone have a good Japanese curry recipe? Lol 😂

Japanese curry i just use the blocks you can buy at the store man lol.

Thai I'll use mae ploy paste, usually yellow or massaman.

For me the trick to balance either out is some fresh herbs and spices to get some more flavor back into it all. For the thai the right coconut milk/cream in can or carton is essential too (along with some fresh basil/mint). I can't stand a lot of the store bought coconut stuff, they're kind of bad. My fav is Savoy atm.

Can you get smaller smokers that are attached to normal barbecues?

I've seen barbecues over here that are half gas and half charcoal, might convince my mum to get one of those if not

I'm fucking shite at using a wok, can't get the flip manoeuvre right at all. If it gets off the surface it falls out the pan.

i bought some really really beautiful knives in japan and now i don't want to use them lol.

By i can get you a toe Go To PostJapanese curry i just use the blocks you can buy at the store man lol.
.

I know but I like to try for fun

By DiPro Go To Posti bought some really really beautiful knives in japan and now i don't want to use them lol.

Stainless?

By Fenderputty Go To PostAnyone have a good Japanese curry recipe? Lol 😂

I will ask my wife, she started making curry without the blocks recently. You will still need curry powder. She hasn't gone completely mortar and pestle but it is pretty good.

By DiPro Go To Posti bought some really really beautiful knives in japan and now i don't want to use them lol.

Do you have a place that sharpen knives near you? I mean you can do yourself as well, but regardless if you regularly sharpen them, they will last for decades.

By blackace Go To PostI will ask my wife, she started making curry without the blocks recently. You will still need curry powder. She hasn't gone completely mortar and pestle but it is pretty good.

I have curry powder 🙏🏼

You are a saint

By blackace Go To PostDo you have a place that sharpen knives near you? I mean you can do yourself as well, but regardless if you regularly sharpen them, they will last for decades.

I know.
I can do it myself but i still fear i will drop them or something

I mean are they SS or CS

Kinda hard to fuck up stainless. CS is tough too but but more brittle

Yeah unless you drop them right on your foot or something you don't need to worry about that

I’m still not super consistent but get good enough results to cut paper using the sharpie method to knife sharpening

By Fenderputty Go To PostI have curry powder 🙏🏼

You are a saint

Curry
1/2 medium carrot (70g)
1 medium potato (130g)
1 medium onion　(200-250g)
150g pork (any cut you like)
1/2 tsp garlic and ginger (grated)

Salad oil 1-2 tsp
Water 500ml
Consomme 1 tbsp

Roux
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp flour (about 30g)
2 tsp curry powder (about 4g)

Finishing Seasoning
1 tbsp ketchup Worcestershire sauce and salt 1 tsp each
Milk 100ml

Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon of salad oil in a pan, lightly stir-fry the garlic and ginger, then add the meat and vegetables and stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes so that the oil spreads all over.

Add water and consomme, skim off the scum when it boils, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Roux
Add the salad oil and flour to a frying pan, turn on the heat, and heat the flour while stirring over medium heat. Once it's all fluffy, add the curry powder, mix it well, and let it cook evenly.

Put all of the roux into the stewed pot, mix lightly and let it boil for a while.

Depending on the curry powder you use, the spiciness and flavor will be slightly different, so find your favorite!

When the curry has thickened, add the finishing seasoning and milk at the end, let it boil for a while, and it's done

rough translation from my wife's recipe.

You are a saint, I’m assuming consommé can be substituted with like a bullion or something

By Fenderputty Go To PostYou are a saint, I’m assuming consommé can be substituted with like a bullion or something

Exactly

I have a drum smoker which can be used as a grill. I have three knives I use, Gyuto 8', bread slicer and Nakiri. Going to buy slicing knife and oven stone next. I want to learn how to make my own bread.

My wife wife makes a couple kinds fairly well but not often. My brother in law, however, has a sour dough starter from Italy he babies and makes bread constantly lol

Fresh sourdough with a nice hard edge, toasted with some butter .::: godly

Made some Al Pastor style chicken tacos over the weekend on the grill, came out really well

I did the exact same thing as you but with pork. I think my issue is I need less pork because yours is way more sturdy for that grill

Looks great

Had to use a couple of pineapple slabs to keep it sturdy in the end. Annoyingly the skewers at too tall for the top rack of the Kamado, so I couldn’t close it without reorienting while there was a very hot fire going

Yes I had similar problems. My llid hit the skewer and made it even more unstable lol

Wondering how individual skewers with pineapple would turn out

Something like this but obviously with achiote paste and such instead of Asian influences I normally see with skewers. Grilling is only trying to replicate the process of that vertical rotisserie anyway

Yeah, honestly, the Trompo style was fun, but it doesn’t really nail what an actual spit is good at, in that the edges continually char as it rotates.

I had to pull mine apart and sear the thighs just to ensure there was some browning on every piece

It’s impossible to replicate because that rotisserie is a slow cook that sears edges as it’s cut off. What a delicious combo 😂 but that doesn’t result in enough meat at one time for a family

Still thinking A slow cooked skewer may work better here? I also had issues with internal sections of cook like you. Had to cook in several parts

I’m read another recipe that smashes the pork / chicken in a rectangular roast pan. Almost like a banana bread style pan or actually just like it. Then slow cook for hours. Then refrigerate. This creates more like a meat block that can have shavings shaved off for pan frying a sear

Never tried em before but they had them at Costco for cheap so I got some quail eggs.

Holy hell these things cook fast. Seems like sunny side up only too.

My daughter loves them, think they’re adorable and asked for them in her pulled pork last night 😂 home girl loves eggs

Anyone have any fun ideas for quail eggs? I want to try quail egg stuffed mushrooms

By Fenderputty Go To PostIt’s impossible to replicate because that rotisserie is a slow cook that sears edges as it’s cut off. What a delicious combo 😂 but that doesn’t result in enough meat at one time for a family

Still thinking A slow cooked skewer may work better here? I also had issues with internal sections of cook like you. Had to cook in several parts

I’m read another recipe that smashes the pork / chicken in a rectangular roast pan. Almost like a banana bread style pan or actually just like it. Then slow cook for hours. Then refrigerate. This creates more like a meat block that can have shavings shaved off for pan frying a sear

Is that the Kenji recipe? I've made that before and it's pretty good, doesn't quite get that crisp char you'd want though.

Honestly, I think just single skewers is best like you said, not quite as fun as the tower though

I need to stack lettuce more uniformly but smash burgers were bomb as fuck last night


There’s a thick layer of caramelized onions on there, bacon and avocado and Cheddar cheese. I used my sweet and tangy homemade pickled Serranos instead of pickles on the side.

Until I got cast iron / grill plate for yard, I always grilled burger on a standard grill. I don’t like the way grilled burgers tie out a lot of the time. Flare ups, not juicy, Pattie’s shrink and bulge in center … it’s just harder to get a good burger. Not impossible but harder. Last time I smashed my Pattie’s thin they came apart on the grill … not good.

Smash burgers get that good sear too. So good

By Fenderputty Go To PostIt’s impossible to replicate because that rotisserie is a slow cook that sears edges as it’s cut off. What a delicious combo 😂 but that doesn’t result in enough meat at one time for a family

Still thinking A slow cooked skewer may work better here? I also had issues with internal sections of cook like you. Had to cook in several parts

I’m read another recipe that smashes the pork / chicken in a rectangular roast pan. Almost like a banana bread style pan or actually just like it. Then slow cook for hours. Then refrigerate. This creates more like a meat block that can have shavings shaved off for pan frying a sear

Hear me out. Try smearing/smashing the meat into a flatbread and grilling (broiling for you I guess) it hard on one side.

You’ll get a relatively thin layer of meat that gets a good sear with a lot of cragginess to the texture. The flatbread will soak up a lot of the meat juices too so gets a lot of flavour.

I grilled this for about 20 minutes.



I used lamb mince. Blended red onion, green and yellow peppers and garlic. Then blended the meat too, I find it gets a better consistency if you blend minced meat over just working it in by hand from the off.

Mixed them together by hand with salt, pepper, oregano and cumin.

Knew about potatoes and veggies but frying small garnishes in a microwave wat?

Why have I never thought of putting oil in the microwave

Seriously … those fried shallots looked amazing lol

I've done shallots in the microwave before; they don't come out that great

I haven't had sloppy joes in 5ever

Smoking ribs today. Excited

By blackace Go To PostSmoking ribs today. Excited

How’d they come out? Beef or pork?


I know American cheese is trash but I think it has it’s uses:

1. Sausage and egg McMuffic (yes I mean homemade tho)

I make these for my kids, wife and I on weekends. Even got the egg mold lol. Because I have American cheese around for tbis, I also use it on:


2. Cheesesteaks. I do prefer provolone but it works here.
3. Burger when I'm going for an in n out flavor

Pork! I love ribs but they are a lot of work. Turned out good tho. Next thing I am smoking
is a turkey or a ham for Thanksgiving.

I have been making my own sausage logs. It is crazy easy and tastes way than store packaged stuff.

Smoked Turkey is the best turkey

By Fenderputty Go To PostSmoked Turkey is the best turkey

it is... but it's also a 6 hour project😥

You can spend 4 hours roasting a turkey and it won’t be half as good though.

I still need to try a brisket

Planning on smoking a turkey for Canadian thanksgiving, any guides?

brine it, and if you have access to injectors use them too

Brining is key to a turkey regardless of cooking method I think …. I mostly dislike turkey though. It is good smoked

By Fenderputty Go To PostBrining is key to a turkey regardless of cooking method I think …. I mostly dislike turkey though. It is good smoked

Brining is key to most fowl imo

You guys better be talking about dry brining.