Ribeye steak with the usual suspects

 Easy dinner.  I cooked a $12.00 ribeye in oil and butter with garlic, rosemary, thyme. salt and pepper. I took it off the heat when a thermometer read 128º and let is sit a few minutes.  Then I split it in half and that was enough steak for the two of us.  We had it with mashed potatoes, peas, gravy and garlic bread.

Beef Bulgogi

I made beef bulgogi today.  It was the same recipe I made a couple weeks ago. Charlie said it was better than the last time. I said I used rice wine this time instead of mirin, if that makes much difference.  I found out I was out of mirin just as I needed it so I ran to the closest store and they didn't have it. Probably the only store in Kansas City that didn't have it. I was about to drive to another grocery when I realized there was a liquor store across the street and they must have sake and they did.  He said it was the best he ever had except for once at a restaurant in Seattle.  He said I probably shouldn't make it when his mom comes to visit.  😋

Beef Bulgogi,  recipe used for Charlies birthday 2024

from "Discovering Korean Cuisine recipes from the Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles"

2 servings

1 1/2 lbs. prime rib, thinly sliced

2 T. soy sauce

1/4 C. sugar

1 T. minced garlic

2 tsp.sesame oil

2 tsp. Mirin

2 tsp. water

Mix all ingredients, Add meat to make sure it’s evenly coated. I marinated it about 8 hours and grilled over charcoal.

 

crab boil

 One of the local grocery stores sell crab legs for 10 dollars a pound if you have a membership card. 

It is really easy to make. Just drop it in boiling water for a few minutes.

Spicy Pork Bulgogi

A few days ago, Charlie asked me if I'd make some more bulgogi like I made for his birthday party. I was in Walmart yesterday and noticed they had a two pound pork Picnic roast.  Picnic roast is the actual shoulder on a pig while the shoulder roast is from the shoulder blade area. They both taste alike, it is easier to cut up for bulgogi  They are usually sold in smaller sizes than a shoulder roast.  It seemed like a good deal. Also yesterday at the farmers market I got some okra and fried it up today.  We only have it a couple times a year and open-air markets are the only place to get it.  Well I did see some at Walmart the same day that I got the pork roast but the pods looked too big to be tender.  The rest of the meal included kimchi and rice.

Jeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Pork Bulgogi)

Spicy Korean pork bulgogi marinated in a gochujang based sauce with lots of fresh garlic and ginger!

Servings: 4 Author: Hyosun

Ingredients

• 2 pounds thinly sliced pork shoulder roast (aka Boston Butt)
  
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Marinade:

• 6 tablespoons gochujang
• 1 or 2 tablespoons gochugaru
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon honey (or more sugar)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1/2 small apple grated, 3 - 4 tablespoons (or 2 T plum syrup, maesilcheong)

Instructions

• Thinly slice the meat, if not pre-sliced.
  
• Mix all marinade ingredients well in a large bowl. Add the meat and toss everything well to evenly coat the meat with the marinade. Add the onion and scallions and toss again. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
  
• Grill or pan fry in a skillet (in 2 batches) over medium high heat until slightly caramelized. Adjust the heat as necessary.

 

Tacos

 Our back-yard neighbors gave us sone tomatoes so I told Charlie that I was going to make Pico de Gallo with a couple of them.  He said "lets have tacos with it then" I said OK and headed to the Mesican grocery because their avocados are ripe enough to use the same day and you can't rely on getting them like that anywhee else.  While I was there, I decided to get some of their Pico de Gallo because I didn't feel like making both Guacamole and a salsa before making the tacos. Also Pico de Gallo is better the next day. I'll make some tomorrow and if  I like theirs better.  I am pretty sure garden fresh tomatoes will be really good for as long as they last.  I've never had good luck with growing my own.

I make taco meat by cooking half a small onion until transparent, then adding a pound of hamburger and cook it until browned through.  I add Spanish Gardens taco seasoning until it  looks red enough.  Then I add about 3 heaping tablespoons of refried beans and stir them in. Nest I add  a taco sauce instead ot the water that the taco mix asks you to add. It's done when the liquid in the taco sauce has cooked down.

 Guacamole

PREP TIMe 10 mins TOTAL TIME 10 mins SERVINGS  2 to 4 servings

Be careful handling chilis! If using, it's best to wear food-safe gloves. If no gloves are available, wash your hands thoroughly after handling, and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes for several hours afterwards.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

1/4 tsp kosher salt + to taste

1 T. fresh lime juice

2 to 4 T. minced red onion or thinly sliced green onions

1 to 2 serrano or jalapeños, minced

2  T.  cilantro leaves and tender stems

pinch black pepper

1/2 ripe tomato, chopped, optional

red radish or jicama for garnish (optional)

• Tortilla chips, to serve

Cut out the avocado into small chunks. Original recipe says to mash but I like it a little chunky.

Add rest of ingredients and stir to mix.

 Pico de Gallo

Pico De Gallo is a popular Mexican salsa that's loaded with fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice. Pico De Gallo is excellent over tacos, burritos, nachos, or served with chips. 

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Servings: 6 as an appetizer

Calories: 20

Prep Time: 15minutes mins

Total Time: 15minutes mins

Ingredients 

• 1 lb tomatoes, (3-4 medium), diced
• 1/2 medium onion, (1 cup chopped)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp lime juice, from 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper and chopped cilantro. 
• Stir in 2 Tbsp lime juice and lightly season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Chicken wings

 Dinner tonight was chicken wings and honey dew melon with rice. 

The wings were steamed for 10 minutes, then baked on a rack in a rimmed cooking sheet for 20 minutes @ 425º, turned once half way through.  Then they were tossed in three different sauces. One was a store bought wing sauce with melted butter added,  One was Charlie's mom's recipe for teriyaki sauce with butter added and one was lemon pepper sauce.

The store sauce was Johnny's Tavern Wing sauce, about 2 parts sauce with 1 part butter. 

Charlie's mom's recipe is 

Jung’s Teriyaki sauce

1 C. soy sauce

1/2 C. water

1/4 to 1/2 to 2/3 C. sugar ( restaurant uses a lot of sugar. Mom recommends 1/2 C.)

1/4 to 1/2 pineapple concentrate

1 tsp. ginger.

Mix and boil. I didn't have any pineapple concentrate and actually never heard of it before and it doesn't really say how much. I did have some pineapple chunks in the refrigerator and mashed a 1x1x6-inch stick of one of those up and added that to the sauce as it cooked.

The Lemon-Pepper sauce was 

1/2 C. butter

4 cloves garlic, smashed and worked into a pulp with some kosher salt

zest of 2 lemons

1 tsp. lemon pepper

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

salt to taste

To make it into wing sauce, I melted half a stick of butter into the sauce.

Charlie's birthday party is today.

I turned my smoker into a grill to have enough surface area to cook stuff that would fall through the grid/grill otherwise. Buying ready to grill meat is too expensive at this scale so I've spent the last few days preparing spice pork bulgogi and beef bulgogi.  In the slow cooker with the scotch eggs are grilled hot dogs keeping warm. Other sides were vinaigrette coleslaw,  and bbq beans.

Beef Bulgogi  recipe used for Charlies BD 2024

from Discovering Korean Cuisine recipes from the Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles

2 servings

1 1/2 lbs. prime ribbed, thinly sliced

2 T. soy sauce

1/4 C. sugar

1 T. minced garlic

2 tsp.sesame oil

2 tsp. Mirin

2 tsp. water

Mix all ingredients, Add meat to make sure it’s evenly coated. I marinated it overnight and grilled over charcoal

Jeyuk Bokkeum (or Spicy Pork Bulgogi) 

Charlies birthday Aug 2,2024

Spicy Korean pork bulgogi marinated in a gochujang based sauce with lots of fresh garlic and ginger!

Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 10 mins Marinating time 1 hr Total Time 15 mins

Servings: 4 Author: Hyosun

Ingredients

• 2 pounds thinly sliced pork shoulder or butt (or a combination of  pork shoulder or butt and pork belly)
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Marinade:

• 6 tablespoons gochujang
• 1 or 2 tablespoons gochugaru
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon honey (or more sugar)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1/2 small apple grated, 3 - 4 tablespoons (or 2 T plum syrup, maesilcheong)

Instructions

• Thinly slice the meat, if not pre-sliced.
  
• Mix all marinade ingredients well in a large bowl. Add the meat and toss everything well to evenly coat the meat with the marinade. Add the onion and scallions and toss again. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. Ours sat overnight.
  
• Grill or pan fry in a skillet (in 2 batches) over medium high heat until slightly caramelized. Adjust the heat as necessary.