CFB 51 Cookbook, equipment discussion, techniques

[WhiskeyM]

64 as a high and rain all day tomorrow too, easier to get into to soup on a day like that than your typical opening weekend.

Love it.  I think every fall Saturday should have a low of 35 a high of 55, with rain maybe about 1/3 of the time.

This is the only time of year I miss Pittsburgh.  I love the fall.  There's a certain smell in the air.  Hooded sweatshirts become perfect cover.  The entire metro area is ready for football.

[utee94]

HOMEMADE EGG NOG

I'm not sure if I've ever posted this before?  We're about to do our big family Christmas party this Saturday, and that means HOMEMADE EGG NOG.  From the time she was a little girl, my i s c & a aggie wife's big German family always gathered at her Great Uncle George's house on Christmas afternoon for cookies and eggnog, after opening presents and having Christmas dinner (lunch) at their own various houses.   Even the kids were allowed some small cups, although it's quite boozy.

I should preface by saying that I always hated-- and I mean absolutely despised-- egg nog as a kid.  So when my wife told me she had a great family nog recipe, I just sort of nodded and smiled and humored her by trying it.  And I was completely blown away.  There's just no comparison between fresh homemade egg nog and the storebought stuff.  So now I love egg nog, but only homemade.  And our annual Christmas party is officially known as "A Toast To George" in memory of her Great Uncle George, his egg nog recipe, and the family and fellowship that my wife's family grew up with.  Anyway, here's the recipe:



24 eggs
2 3/4 cup sugar
1.5 pints heavy cream
2 quarts light cream
1 fifth bourbon (~750ml)
1 cup dark rum or to taste


1) Using stand mixer, cream egg yolks with sugar. Add whiskey. Pour into large container.
2) Whip cream, pour into same container and stir.
3) Whip egg whites, pour into same container, blend with other liquids already in there.
4) Stir in rum to taste
5) Keep chilled while serving, we usually place our punch bowl in a wide glass serving dish with ice in it.

When my wife makes this, she generally has to do a couple of batches each in the stand mixer for the cream and the egg whites. She also uses a (well-cleaned and sterilized) medium-sized kitchen trash can for all the ingredients, and then pours into gallon containers and keeps refrigerated for a day before our party. She usually at least doubles the above recipe though, so YMMV on size of batches and size of containers.

If you're nervous about raw eggs, you can buy already-heat-pasteurized eggs at most markets, or you can actually do it yourself at home and save some bucks. We've done both and have never noticed any difference in texture or flavor.

[Drew4UTk]

thank you @utee94 ... my wife, without my consent, scheduled her firm's Christmas party at our place... they're renting a party bus to pick up and drop off, so i imagine there will be quite a bit of drinking- and i am SO making this!

[utee94]

thank you @utee94 ... my wife, without my consent, scheduled her firm's Christmas party at our place... they're renting a party bus to pick up and drop off, so i imagine there will be quite a bit of drinking- and i am SO making this!

Oh I love hosting company Christmas parties!  If I must attend something awkward and potentially embarrassing, I'd much rather do it in the comfort of my own home, where everything's under my control!



We always make ours the night before, it mellows out and tastes even better the next day.  And we invite "special guests" to the nog-making "pre-party" which is usually more fun than the part itself, simply because it's fewer people and it's our tighter group  of "the kids" which is my brother and his wife, my BIL and his wife when they're in town, and a couple of close friends and their kids who are best friends with our kids.  We have a tradition of drinking nog directly from the trash can where it's stirred up, and also doing shots of the whiskey as it goes into the nog.  That will be this Friday night and I'm totally looking forward to it.




Anyway, hope you enjoy the recipe!

[FearlessF]

HOMEMADE EGG NOG


If you're nervous about raw eggs, you can buy already-heat-pasteurized eggs at most markets, or you can actually do it yourself at home and save some bucks. We've done both and have never noticed any difference in texture or flavor.

so, if I'm not nervous about raw eggs, just mix them as is?
Thanks

[utee94]

so, if I'm not nervous about raw eggs, just mix them as is?
Thanks

Yup.  Honestly in the 13 years or so we've done this party, we've pasteurized our own eggs once, bought pre-pasteurized eggs 3 or 4 times, and "risked" it with raw unpasteurized eggs the balance of 8 or 9 times.  So far, no illness or death.  Plenty of hangovers of course, but no illnesses attributed to the eggs.

[FearlessF]

I will risk it.

Thanks

[utee94]

Pre-party is tonight.  I'm about to hit the store and pick up 5 dozen eggs, 3 quarts of heavy whipping cream, 6 quarts of half and half, and a big bag of sugar.

Whiskey and rum are already stocked in the liquor cabinet, but just for reference it'll be an entire handle of bourbon, and about half that of rum.  Oh boy...

[Drew4UTk]

so... the party is tonight- and i just finished making this eggnog... and... i gotta go back to the store (or send the kid) as i'll be needing at least a dozen more eggs, another pint or so of heavy cream... and couple pints of light cream... why asks you?  because that stuff is GOOD... (and i need to drink a LOT of coffee... i'm going to be out cold before anyone even shows up). 

though i don't recommend it for any reason other than this, but... vanilla jim beam really filled in well along with a half fifth of Captain spiced (regular).  i could see me making this year 'round if you want to know the truth.  next time i'll make it with rumchata instead of captain... 

oh- and i added a couple tablespoons of both ground nutmeg and cinnamon.  

@utee94 - thank you... this is really good stuff. 

[FearlessF]

raw eggs?

I just printed the recipe here at work

got my shopping list - a friend of mine has free range laying hens and usually needs to unload eggs

[utee94]

Glad you liked it, drew.  We always have fresh whole nutmeg and a grater, we don't put it into the nog because believe it or not some folks don't seem to like it, but I grate on quite a bit when I pour myself a cup of it.

Fearless, I'd imagine fresh eggs would only make it that much more delicious.

[FearlessF]

Badge,

I don't remember tasting Stella's spicy cheese bread when in Madison???

featured on BTN Campus Eats

[FearlessF]

http://www.nibblemethis.com/2018/06/competition-style-brisket-on-kamado.html


Competition Style Brisket on a Kamado Grill

[MarqHusker]

I like and will try the technique they use with respect to the laying of the wood.  Sometimes I feel I'm a little skimpy on the wood.    I'm simply not committed to the rest of that routine.  I've only smoked brisket on my BGE, and it seems 3/4 turn out more or less 'very good'.   By no means are the 'competition' quality briskets, but they sure taste great.

I try and follow a pretty battle tested routine on it, and the only trouble I have is one of two things.   1. when the brisket seizes (uh oh) I'm not convinced there's anything you can do (I've tried to go to school on this with folks, lot of mixed ideas), or 2. and this is where maybe I should try the butcher paper, the bark gets soggy,  that's a big bummer when it happens.  the bark is my favorite part.  Like I said, 1/4 times I run into trouble.   This guy is obviously a pro.