Tue Dec 11, 2012
In my opinion, the Parkers got a good deal when the Bumpuses' dogs stole the Christmas bird, forcing the family to dine on "Chinese turkey" as a holiday alternative in A Christmas Story. Not only is duck a superior meat, but my Jewish upbringing—knowing Chinese on Christmas is more truth than stereotype for most of my kind—leads me to believe it's even more appropriate for celebration (or lack-there-of). So when thinking of what I'd want for Christmas besides ham—ham will always be my number one choice—a tea-smoked duck seeming very fitting for the occasion.
More and recipe after the jump >>
Fri Oct 19, 2012
The end of the Meatwave season doesn't mean there's an end to grilling—that never stops—but it does bring along a fundamental shift in my cooking. While the summer is filled with recipes designed to feed hoards of hungry Meatwavers, the off-season brings along the prospect that I'm usually only grilling for two, and sometimes one. I much prefer the former approach, taking great pleasure in sharing my grilled creations with the masses, but there is some things the fall and winter affords that I wouldn't necessarily be able to do on a larger scale because of cost or process. Steak is the most common culprit falling into this category, but there's another love of mine that usually goes missing during the Meatwave season, duck breasts.
More and recipe after the jump >>
Fri Aug 17, 2007
Off the Meaten Path was a fine idea conceptually, a way to get us to grill things we haven't grilled before, but as the days to the Meatwave approached, it was becoming clear I was going to have to make something that could be prepared in a couple hours, and my brain was totally stuck on thoughts of turkey legs, and turkey is nothing new to the Meatwave. I had smoked a whole turkey last year and even though I had never done just legs, I still felt as if my idea was a total cop-out. Foolishly, I did not consult any of my numerous cookbooks for other ideas, and took off for the grocery with only one half-assed idea of what to cook. At the store, I found the usual place reserved for turkey legs occupied by endless amounts of ground turkey, d'oh! Feeling defeated and down, I turned the corner and caught a quick glimpse of an uncommon site. Tucked away in the corner were 3 whole ducks, a favorite of mine that I had not even considered and was something I also had never made before. Both overjoyed by my discovery and felling utterly stupid for not thinking of it earlier, I grabbed a duck, checked out and read up on how to grill them at home.
More and recipe after the jump >>
