Tips & Tricks (1 Viewer)

[sggoat]

This is a good idea-too! Never thought to freeze it-Will try

Use for Garlic:
Called Spinochi
2-3 heads of FRESH Garlic
1 lb fresh spinach
Wash the Spinach in 1 rinse of cold water-dry
Separate the garlic heads into cloves and smack them with a wide knife(makes for easy peeling). Cut the cloves into not less than 1/4" slices-larger is better)
Saute' garlic in 1/4 cup EV Olive oil(if you can get first press oil use that--designated by "Frittoli"), until just tender. Add spinach and continue cooking/stirring until the spinach is just wilted.--done
For a bread side--
1 loaf french or Italian crusty bread
1 tblspn Sun Dried tomatoes(or you own)
1 small Paste tomato(San Marzano is good-chopped fine)
1 tblspn crushed Oregano-
Olive oil
Make a paste and spread on the bread, then toast---you can use the whole loaf cut in half , or slice into rounds
variation-add 1 full slice of Prociutto to the bread then add the paste and toast it

Hmmmm. Didn't know garlic would free well. I'll hafta try this.

--john

 

[rusty_tlc]

Bicycle inner tubes can be cut into rings that make great "super duty" rubber bands. Bike shops will give used inner tubes away free.

This is a good idea!--Thanks

A variation on this is to use longer sections to stow the extra web when you use ratchet straps. Just roll the extra webbing up and stretch a section over it.

 

[e9999]

A variation on this is to use longer sections to stow the extra web when you use ratchet straps. Just roll the extra webbing up and stretch a section over it.

whoah! I have something like 20 or 30 straps around and most have like 15' of apainintheneck extra length... I also have a bunch of old tubes.

It's gonna be a good weekend! And yet again, HOARDING JUNK PAYS OFF...!

I owe you one!

 

[rusty_tlc]

Those mostly empty 1# green propane cylinders that you didn't trust for a whole weekend cooking can be used up this winter. Get a tent heater and use them to warm you up in the garage.

 

[e9999]

Those mostly empty 1# green propane cylinders that you didn't trust for a whole weekend cooking can be used up this winter. Get a tent heater and use them to warm you up in the garage.

well, many folks -not me of course - do refill them successfully more than once if they are not to be transported on public highways. Don't do that, of course!

 

[Brentbba]

Dispense with oily paper towels, newspaper, etc. to start your charcoal chimney. Put the chimney right on top of your Coleman/Campchef, etc burner and turn it on for a few minutes. Charcoal will start right up w/o the mess of burned paper in the bottom of your chimney!

...and I do refill my little green propane bottles. They don't fill completely, they do travel just fine and it's a whole lot cheaper! Do make sure they don't leak after a refill. I had one, and only one in all my years of refilling, where the valve leaked after a refill.

 

[spressomon]

I use the Benzomatic JT850 (disposable propane leftovers or MAPP) to light smoking wood in the chimney and/or lump in the komodo: Fast, easy & clean.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I use the Benzomatic JT850 (disposable propane leftovers or MAPP) to light smoking wood in the chimney and/or lump in the komodo: Fast, easy & clean.

Also works well for starting the wort kettle or turkey fryer burner.

 

[KLF]

On the garlic note, I have been buying the big bags of peeled garlic at Costco, throw them all on a jelly roll or rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with plenty of olive oil, roast them, then puree them in the Cuisanart, then spoon full blobs onto another cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, cool and then freeze. Once frozen, cut the parchement paper in squares around the blobs, throw them all into a ziplock and keep in the freezer. Every time you want some roasted garlic for the next few months, simply pull a blob out, let it thaw or warm up in the microwave, and mix into whatever you would like! Mashed potatoes, soups, stews, blend with butter and herbs, rub on chicken, beef, pork or lamb, or enjoy just plain on a cracker!

I've done this, but I use retired plastic ice cube trays to freeze the stuff in. Makes perfect little cubes that store really well in the freezer.

Also works with: bacon fat, duck fat, clarified butter, basil pesto, roux, even chicken stock.

 

[KLF]

Take a strong leftover juice bottle (not a flimsy water bottle), wash it well on the outside, fill it up about 80% full with water, put in the freezer. Next time you make a big pot of soup/chowder/stew/chili and you need to cool it down quickly, pull out the bottle, toss it into the pot. Poor mans ice paddle. Don't just put a hot pot into the fridge, it will warm up the fridge inside and risk spoiling the other contents.

 

[JohnVee]

Take a strong leftover juice bottle (not a flimsy water bottle), wash it well on the outside, fill it up about 80% full with water, put in the freezer. Next time you make a big pot of soup/chowder/stew/chili and you need to cool it down quickly, pull out the bottle, toss it into the pot. Poor mans ice paddle. Don't just put a hot pot into the fridge, it will warm up the fridge inside and risk spoiling the other contents.

I've always got some filled juice bottles in the fridge for cooler duty so this tip has helped me out a lot when making chicken stock this winter. Thanks, KLF. Not sure why I didn't think of this.

--john

 

[JohnVee]

1. I tend to cook whatever is on sale but it always seems to be the same stuff on sale. The wife gets tired of the same meats and my creativity often is not in working order, so I'll buy one of those recipe magazines on the impulse rack by the cash register and have her pick out a bunch of things she wants me to make. It's less intimidating than going through a large cookbook or searching online when you have no idea what you're looking for. I find some decent ideas, sometimes, that get me out of my routine.

2. When you find a utensil that works well for you (spatula, tongs, etc), go buy more of them before they stop making it. Then get rid of all the other models to cut down on clutter.

3. Barkeeper's Friend powder is awesome. It even shines copper. So does the liquid but it will congeal badly if not shaken regularly.

--john

 

[JohnVee]

I'm pretty sure it was posted by somebody here but I can't recall... Popcorn cooked in the microwave in a plain brown sandwich-sized paper bag. Works like a charm. 1/4-cup of kernels in the bag. Fold bag over twice. 2.5 - 3.5 minutes on 100%. Season to your desire.

--john

 

[splitshot]

I ran low on seasons for the poultry/pork brine, substituded a heavy dose of Penzeys hot curry powder for the cajun spice, much better imo.

 

[tag3]

I crack open all my eggs into a Nalgene bottle and drop into the fridge. No broken eggs and no shells to deal with.

 

[JohnVee]

I'm amazed how many people don't know that most spices are oil soluble. They season the crap out of a lean meat like skinless chicken breast then wonder why it's still bland. Coat the meat with a thin layer of oil before adding the spices, or make a paste by adding oil to the spice before applying to the meat.

--john

 

[splitshot]

Water pan in the smoker.....

A healthy dose of green onions, and a re-stock halfway through. I had a batch left over from the carne cooked last weekend figured WTH, and it works better than I thought..

 

[rusty_tlc]

If your re-stocking the ice chest with warm beer a long soak in a nearby stream will pre-chill it before you load it and save ice. Use an onion bag to hold the beer. When I'm in the Sierra many times the beer is cold enough to drink right out of the stream.

 

[B-RAD]

This is a great idea for compact spice storage for camping! Check it out.

 

[JohnVee]

I got to thinking last week when I was looking at my camp box veg oil squirter... Why not have a larger one in the kitchen so I don't have to wipe up the dripping mess from the large oil containers? No-spill my ass - they all suck.. This works great, if slightly smaller than I'd like. Now to figure out why my mortar is flaking......