Chuck cook/Tri cook

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

K Kruger

Senior Cook
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Messages
326
Location
Okeechobee, Fla
Two more recent cooks. Off to Vegas now, then to who-knows-where so not sure when I'm cooking again. Hoping to get a booking or two in L.A. but nothing yet... .


The first, tri-tip, salted then rubbed with a mix of onion, garlic, Aleppo, thyme, marjoram and fennel. Seared direct in the kettle, both sides, then moved to indirect to finish. Had a horse issue that delayed me and I couldn't get the meat off when I'd planned. It ended up med-well but was still good. Served it on broccoli-green bean risotto.

An opening salad of romain, baby greens, local tomatoes in a grapefruit vinaigrette, with a parmesan crisp.


img_91751_0_ee6e3aa404163da60dce1e38a68e05b9.jpg



The tri, with a delicious '04 Caymus Cab.


img_91751_1_a8a9a30327cda4e1262f27b7a1d90897.jpg



Larger close-up here.



Normally I MM the start-up for chuck cooks. Eventually the heat hits the low 300s. I smoke 2-2.5 hours then finish in foil as a braise at temps from 325-350. Cook time is usually 5-5.5 hours for a 3.5-4-lb roast. This was the plan but I had to jettison it when other plans intervened and everything had to be done more quickly. Instead, I used a standard start-up. While the fuel was lighting I browned the salted chuck on the stovetop then rubbed it (garlic, onion, NM chile, thyme, Greek oregano, cumin, black pepper). I quickly assembled the cooker, chucked on a little hickory, and plopped the chuck on the grate (temps 340 lid). I'd alread mixed the liquid for the braise (a little reduced white wine, grapefruit juice (I have a tree full of ripe fruits), and homemade beef stock, but I took a few minutes to slice 5 onions, 1 green bell pepper, and crush 5 cloves of garlic. I grabbed a foil pan, dumped in the liquid mix, the vegs, 2 bay leaves, 1 dried guajillo, 2 chiles negros, 2 aji amarillos, and 8 dried pineapple rings torn in half. This I brought to the cooker, nestled in the chuck, covered tightly, and stuck it back in the cooker. Cranked the heat to 370 lid (the roast was over 3" thick so I knew it would be fine at that heat).

Checked for tenderness 2.5 hours into the cook. It needed a little more time so I went 30 min and it was done. Rested 20 while I fried some boniato fritters (boniato, AKA Cuban sweet potato is sort of like a somewhat sweet white potato) and roasted some local(!) corn.

Salad of baby greens, ripe strawberries, ripe tomato with creamy grapefruit-thyme honey vinaigrette (creamy because of egg); chopped smoked almonds atop.

img_91751_2_45c35d96f8fca8bfc0543cc4cee78d7c.jpg



While the chuck rested I briefly pureed some of the pan contents to blend flavors and thicken it up a bit.

Chuck on boniato fritters (made with grated boniato and onion, culantro, eggs, bread crumbs, grated grapefruit zest, ground NM chile, cumin, salt and pepper); with roasted corn smeared with chipotle mayo.

img_91751_3_b32a4c2e9ffe4798a0faba11ce29b042.jpg



Larger close-up of chuck and fritters here.

The fritters were crisp on the edges, crisp with interior softness in the middle, with good flavor and a bit of spice. The chuck was moist, very tender, and nicely flavored by the combo of the rub, liquids, aromatics and pineapple. The pineapple added sweetness, along with the onion, the green bell added nice vegetal notes, but the dried chiles really boosted flavor (the aji amarillos added heat as well). I'll be repeating this one.
 
K Kruger said:
Thanks, guys.

The concept of being a pro chef and offering items that take so much time to prepare baffles me a bit.
How so?

From what I see on the tube in the High End joints, everything seems to be made to order by a team of chefs. I guess I just don't invision Q related food items in restaurants that plate it up like you do, and that is a complement. ;)
 
I didn't take it another way! :D

Many places do still do a la minute service only, but many have returned to doing at least some things that are cooked slowly. These includes things like slow-roasts, braises and the like--even 'typical' barbecue. These days, in high-end places, they might be cooked and held in equipment designed to maintain temps without drying. In earlier days--and, now, in places that don't have that equipment--slow foods are cooked and cooled much like we do at home, then reheated as ordered. Meats appropriate for slow cooking--butts, bellies, shanks, short ribs, spares, tail, etc.--are cheaper per pound to purchase, as we all know, but can still command good prices on the menu though less than the more spendy items like steaks and chops, making them relatively more attractively priced. Many customers will order one of these items because they are less expensive, but many will order simply because they (like most people these days) either do not know how to prepare slow-cooked meats or haven't the time themselves.
 
Back
Top Bottom