2018 Blends Into 2019

[jgreen]

Both cooks look fantastic. I would eat both, no questions asked. Nicely done.

[Huskee]

Superb! Mouth watering.

[Willy]

Good on ya, Troutman!

[Troutman]

Well we've said goodbye to 2018 and ushered in 2019. 2018 was an interesting year full of triumphs and tragedies (and that's talking about my cooking ) but one thing I can say was it was another good year with my AR friends and family. You guys and gals have become a big part of my day and have surely been inspirational to my cooking. It seems the harder I try to come up with something new, the more I get blown away by the pictures of the deliciousness that all of you create. So much food to cook, oh so little time. At any rate, let me just say Happy New Year to all of you and look forward to what 2019 brings to our community !!!

Chapter One

Now for the last cook of 2018, New Years' Eve. Momma keeps talking about getting a big honker tomahawk steak, so as I'm cruising through Costco sure enough they have their epic meat case open and low and behold there those little jewels are. I mean a case full of tomahawk, bone in ribeyes is enough to bring a man to his knees. Far be it from be to pass this case of pure delight up, so I pick the biggest and fattest one I could spy with my face and hands literally peeled to the glass. Yes, I'll take that one....



I mean check out the Spinalis Dorsi on that mother. Well salt applied and into the frig for a good brining. The evening of New Years Eve, as fireworks are literally bursting all around me like friggin' World War III, I slap this baby on the old gasser....



So why the gasser you say? Well with all this talk of rotisseries and whatnot, I thought it fitting that I close then open the year with my Weber Summit. Let me tell yea, although I'm a confirmed smoker guy, I still use this great cooker for a variety of things and making a mean steak is one of them. It's hard to top it's precise cooking temps and ability to sear.

Well the proof is in the results and I gotta tell yea we nailed it, I mean this steak literally had fork tender, melt in you mouth epic goodness. The best steak I've had in months, definitely right up there with last meal on earth proportions....



Also tried a new finishing salt that I sprinkled over the top that gave it an additional kick. Served with homemade mac and cheese, a mango pico and a mushroom medley; old Troutman barely made midnight as I blissfully settled into my recliner, wine in hand and fireworks blazing away .....




Chapter Two

Well I awaken abruptly to the wife coaxing me out of bed at 6:30 am on New Year's morning. I mean come on, let me at least sleep off the previous night's vestifities. But noooo, I had to get up and cook 10# of pork loin I had dry brining in the garage fridge as I had promised some friends I would cook for a party being thrown this day.

Okay well we're going to make this easy. The gasser did such a good job on the previous night's steak that now it's time to hook up the rotisserie and do me some pork loins. Along with that, while they were spinning, I did a big pot of black-eyed peas made with bacon and ham hokes.



Yea the old Weber summit did her job once more and produced some pretty good pork. Used two layers of seasoning, first was salt, pepper and garlic followed by a healthy dose of Killer Hogs BBQ Rub. I finished with a glaze of honey habanero sauce that gave it that final sweet-heat finish. Pulled it at 140* internal and let it rest ....



I gotta say, the old gasser performed flawlessly once again with little or no cleanup needed. Sometimes cooking with propane can be a pretty sweet deal. We took the meat and the pot of beans and the leftover mac and cheese and treated our friends to a great meal, simple but filling .....



Well thanks for following along on my 48 hours sojourn into cooking, eating an celebrating the old into the new. Again Happy New Years to all of you in AR land, we look forward to another great year of cooking in 2019 !!!