To celebrate my new patio cabinets we invited some friends over so I thawed out a 2 1/2" ribeye steak I had in the freezer.



I unwrapped it and seasoned with Primo Chicago Stockyard steak seasoning.




 


I wrapped it up and let it take a 6 hour get happy rest. I now prepped some heirloom carrots



and sliced them up so they were ready to steam right before we eat.



Also washed and prepped some small potatoes so they were ready. Around 45 minutes before our guests arrived I started up the kettle. I tried my new Vortex out for this cook.



Around 30 minutes before our guests arrived I put on the potatoes and the steak.



It rode right about 330 degrees for the next hour.



My friend had brought a Belgian Ale with him so we drank a glass of that while the meat and potatoes were cooking. Here it is once the meat alarm went off at 113 degree I.T.



I remove everything and tented the steak with foil. We then cooked up some shrimp marinated in lemon juice and garlic that our friends had brought.



 I then opened open the vents and let the Vortex go nuclear.



Once I thought it was like the sun I put the steak on for 60 seconds.



Flipped it and let it cook another 60 seconds.



I brought this in the house and let it rest for 10 minutes. I then cut the rib bone off



and sliced it up into approximately 1/2" slices.



I now placed the slices onto a wooden cutting board for serving and squeezed some blue cheese and herb compound butter on the top.




 



 


I took this out to the table and we all served up a plate with the lemon garlic shrimp, baked potato and the heirloom carrots.



So good!


 
Thanks for looking.

Most of you who’ve been around a few years know this is the time of year that I go Full Griswald so I haven’t got a lot of cooking in recently. Well I was finally able to get in a cook this weekend. Every year I host our family Christmas get together. My 2 brothers that live out here in California, come down from the L.A. area with my niece and nephew. We like to vary the meal menu each year. One year we will cook Tamales, (A So. Cal. Christmas staple) the next we’ll do Turkey, then a nice Honey Baked Ham. Well last year we decided to try a Ribeye Roast and it was a big hit so we did it again this year.
My preparations started the night before when I made up some Horseradish Sauce. (This pic is from last year but it’s the same as what I did this year)



Horseradish Sauce Recipe: (Tweaked from Chef John on Food Wishes)

1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

pinch of cayenne

2 teaspoon thinly sliced chives. (I like to use Dill)                                                  
2 tablespoons extra hot (Atomic) pure horseradish (not horseradish sauce)

 
I had this nice boneless Ribeye Roast in my freezer that I started thawing last Tuesday.



Early Sunday I made up a Rosemary and Garlic rub / paste to use on it.



Rub Recipe: (From Larry of BEER-N-BBQ by Larry)

1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
3+ Tbsp crushed garlic
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
OO




 

I unwrapped the roast and trimmed off most of the hard fat.



I applied the rub (paste)



and then covered it with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for the next 4 hours to come up to room temperature.



Around noon I set up my kamado for direct / indirect cooking. I let it come up to 250 degrees before I put on the roast.



While it was cooking we set the table from our guests.



After it reached an internal temperature of 124 degrees I pulled it off and covered it while the kamado got up to searing temps. (Note: many of my guests wanted it well done so the best I could talk them into was cooking to medium)

Once the CI grate was nice and hot I put on the roast for 1 minute per side.



Here are some pics of me slicing it.




 

On the table on the Christmas platter.



And here it is plated with a Stone Brewing “Pataskala Red X IPA” on the side. Both are waiting to be devoured.



Even though this was cooked to mostly medium it was still delicious. The rub / paste developed into a nice crust that was absolutely delicious.

Thanks for looking.

it's thaT time again Easter in Canada.   this year we have a 16.25 lb no-name Turkey.  I've just defrosted and dressed it with a dry brine and will begin the cook approx. in 24 hours of marinating. 
 
For this brine I am using 1 T Course sea salt, about 5 T kosher salt, about 2 t black pepper, 3 T brown sugar, 1 T dry italian seasoning, a little dry tyme, about 1 t sage, and my secret ingredient, 2 t baking powder.  if I had some lemon zest I would have put that too, but I didn't have any.  mixed it all up and rubbed it all over and inside and leave uncovered in fridge to dry out and for the marinade to do its thing. 
 
Tomorrow before putting it on the grill, I may use a butter herb injection.  the herb is Emerils essence.
 
My plan for the setup on the kamado is as follows.  In lieu of using a drip pan:
the turkey will be on a rack in a pan.  the pan will sit on the main grill.  inside the pan will be chicken stock, liquid such as a little wine, veggies, e.g. oniion, grn pepper, garlic, apple, celery, carrot and aromatics e.g. italian seasoning.  also I will add in the neck and tail and a couple pieces of fat cut from the birds skin.  I will check the liquid level every 30 minutes, and give a quick baste now and then. 
 
the pan liquid and melted drippings will be the base for the gravy.  Because my pan is  so big it will cover the holes so I won't really be able to use the upper grill at the same time.   the entire grill will be dedicated only to the turkey and gravy.  after it is done and while it is resting, I will continue to use the grill to do the rest of the side dishes such as some foil wrapped potatoes and a dish medly of root vegetables tossed with EVOO, salt, pepper, brown sugar, butter.  and ambitious as it may sound  I could possibly bake some cheese biscuits and coco brownies.  I will try and take some pics.  wish me luck. 
man, that's GOOD! as the bbq pit boys say.
 

Autumn is here...and some big holidays are ahead of us.  Holidays that often involve lots of cooking and eating...This Thanksgiving and Christmas season will be my first with the Kamado Joe...and I will surely cook some traditional stuff (e.g. turkeys and roast beef) on the Big Joe for the family during those times...I'm hoping to get some input and perspective from some of the Gurus on this site for getting the most out of the Kamado during the holidays (on turkey and beef, yes...but beyond those items too)....If you're so inclined, please share your tips, techniques, unique holiday cooks, etc. related to how you've successfully employed your kamado during the holidays...
Thanks in advance for sharing.

Rich Roast Beef Sandwich Meal – (Whole Beef Round Tip Roast)
This cook is a 10.47 lb choice grade beef round tip roast from Costco.  Cooked just right and on the rare side it is flavorful and tender and makes a great meal. 
This was served as a sandwich thin sliced and plated on locally sourced Bosnian Lepinje bread (warmed on the Kamado) with au jus dip from the cooked meat.  A separate stove au jus (not shown) was offered as an additional choice.  Dinner was accompanied with potato-leek cream soup and broccoli.  Rich, filling and satisfying!



 
 

 
The beef round tip, as a rule, requires a good trimming to remove significant fat, sinew, and especially silver skin.  I probably trimmed a pound off the round.  Save the trimmings – see below
The Trimmed Beef Round Tip

 I injected with the following solution and let the meat marinate from the inside wrapped in plastic wrapped in the fridge in a tray.   The injection was prepared by bringing to mixture to a low boil and then cooled and refrigerated.  I also run the powdered spices through my spice grinder to make them an extra fine powder.
·         1-1/2 cups water
·         2 teaspoons “Better Than Bouillon” beef base
·         1/2 teaspoon "Lea and Perrins" Worcestershire
·         1 to 2 Tablespoon  granulated garlic (per your taste)
·         1 Tablespoon onion powder
·         1 teaspoon paprika
·         2 teaspoons ground black pepper
·         ½ to 1 teaspoon Steens cane syrup (or equivalent)
 
 
Alternately, use a can on low sodium beef broth plus ¼ cup water in place of the water and beef base listed above.
 
The injection adds internal flavor and moisture and help the meat develop an internal au jus that is released upon carving and in the foil wrap during the rest.  I use a pilsner glass to fill the injector as the needle has mutiple holes along its length and the tall glass works perfectly.
 
 
The Injection Apparatus
 

 
 
After Injection
 

To make a separate stove-top au jus, use any leftover injection and place it in a small pot with all the meat trimmings. Add water only as need to cover the meat pieces.  Bring to low boil for 5 minutes and then reduce to simmer and cook for several hours.  Strain the liquid from the meat.  Set meat aside.  Reduce the liquid as appropriate to concentrate the flavor.  Adjust salt.   Cool the liquid in the fridge and then remove the congealed fat – you now have a second au jus for the meat.   The meat scraps cooked this way (tossing the non-meat bits) are a delicious treat. 
The Stove Top Au Jus Underway

The round itself was simple seasoned before placing on the Kamado with kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper and granulated garlic.    
External Seasoning

The round roasted for about 4 hours at 250 degrees indirect to an internal temperature of 138 degrees – this is a balance point for us between those in the family who would eat it rarer and others who like it a bit more done.  Some like to bring it to 135 degrees at the removal point for an even rarer outcome.   
A note on smoke:  This cut of meat readily absorbs smoke.  If you choose to add any wood, only use a small piece of a milder or more neutral wood (like oak), maintain a very light smoke and do not smoke for very long.  Otherwise the flavor tends to get bitter and acrid.  Also make sure your charcoal and fire are fully stabilized lest you impart off flavors from charcoal that has been just choked down in the temperature/vent setting process.
Big Joe's Job Is Done

Cooking this cut in this way turns it into a tender beef -  over cooking will make it tough as it likes to be cooked rare to medium rare.  Wrap in foil off the Kamado to rest.  This cut (at least injected like this) will not have much if any temperature rise.  Maybe 1-2 degrees at most.
Carefully unwrap to save the au jus that has released from the meat.    Slice thin and enjoy!
 
As an aside, this cook was planned to take advantage of my new to me (used) Berkel 827A slicer I just acquired. The whole round fit on the product tray of this slicer (which is why I went after this model) and there was no need to cut the round to fit. Perfect!
Ready to Slice

 
 
It was such a pleasure (and quick too) to slice up about 3.5 pounds of the beef and mover over be able to have precise and consistent slices and/or have the capability to  immediately adjust slice thickness according to what people might prefer.   I was able to offer the first 1/3 of the slices as medium, the next 1/3 as medium rare, and the rest as we got nearer the middle more towards rare.  Everybody’s tastes covered.  We set 2 lbs aside for use in the next couple of days.   The rest of the uncut round will get vacuum sealer and go into the freezer. Love this slicer! 
 
Something for Everyone

 Enjoy the meat!