I used to prefer beef, strongly…

[Mosca]

But for some reason, now I mostly eat chicken. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a steak; maybe when we were in Vegas in October? Idk, that’s probably right.

Actually I know the reason, it’s this Ozempic. It changes you, very subtly. Some people say it changes the way their food tastes, but I don’t have that problem. It changes what I want. I don’t plan meals and menus, I kinda just decide around mid afternoon what’s for dinner… and even though I might have woken up thinking steaks, at 4PM I’m just as likely to think grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

I mean, chicken is delicious, and grilled cheese is awesome, so everything is cool. And I still try to get burgers in every now and then. I’m not crazy, after all. Like everyone else, I’ll make a breakfast cheeseburger if there’s an uncooked one leftover from the night before. Oh, and I made cheesesteaks on the griddle. Those were delicious. But, counting burgers and cheesesteaks, and all meals, I don’t think I’ve made beef ten times in the last three months.

Pork is kinda rough. I love it, but Mrs Mosca can take it or leave it. But I have some plans for pork refried rice on the griddle, we’ll see how that goes. And our daughter is coming home for the holidays, I have a nice chateaubriand for her arrival, and Christmas is Mosca’s day to make prime rib!

Its not a problem, but you guys here are my food friends, you’re the people who understand and I can talk about it with. I got this thing going on where I still love my food, but I don’t actually feel like eating it as much as I used to. Or something like that. It smells good, it tastes good, but I don’t want it? It’s hard to describe.

[FireMan]

Interesting, cuz I am going in the other direction, mostly beef & venison. Then there is occasional pork, as in bacon & hardly any yardbird, maybe once a month.

[dubob]

I know this is a 'Q' website, but I have to put in a plug for another type of cooking - sous vide. I was introduced to it by a neighbor two years ago and immediately bought my own set-up. Sous vide chicken breasts are the absolute tastiest, moistest I have ever cooked and I cook them at 145*F for at least 90 minutes but more like 2 to 3 hours. Absolutely safe. I also do pork steaks at 145*F but stretch the time out to 24 hours. Fall off the bone/cut it with a fork tender and moist. The pork is seared for one minute on each side in butter in a medium hot pan on the stove. Same for tougher beef cuts like flank steak/London broil. Sous vide for 24 hours at 131*F, sear in butter, and enjoy.

[Mosca]

Every time I’ve sous vide’d something it has been excellent. But I’m so used to doing things the conventional ways that I never think about using it. A shame, really.

I NEVER think about tomorrow’s meal today! The only time that happens is brisket!

[Attjack]

I mix it up pretty well. If I had beef recently I will be cooking a different protein next. I also don't eat a ton of steaks I'm more likely to use it in a dish.

[Steve B]

I’m kinda the same as far as planning for dinner each night. I wake up wanting one thing and transgress into something completely different by the time my work day ends and I hit the grocery store.

I tend to get into spurts about what I wind up eating. For instance right now I’m into shellfish. Had shrimp the last 2 nights and am thinking of shrimp and or scallops for Sunday.

Beef however is always at the forefront, most of the time. We also do eat our fair share of chicken no doubt.

I guess it all comes down to what you want and will enjoy.

Oh yeah. About the grilled cheese. Do you use butter? I’ve gone away from butter and now use a very high quality EVO instead. It makes a world of difference. And it’s healthier too.

[Steve B]

Grillin Dad Drizzle the olive oil across the bread and spread it out with your finger. If it’s too thin add more oil.
Also I don’t put the oil on the top slice until the sammie is in the pan or on the griddle.

[CandySueQ]

2 suggestions here, get an EVO sprayer for olive oil and spray your bread on one side OR put the oil in your skillet. Oil the top piece then swirl it around to grease the bottom. Put the cheese in the middle and cover with the top piece of bread. Put the sprayed or dipped side out. Easy!

[tbob4]

@Grillen Dad - I often melt butter in the winter and use a silicone brush. It works wonders

[Attjack]

I wake up and decide what I'm eating for that day or the next couple of days and go get what I need out of the freezer. Some things are same day like steak, fish, pizza dough, and other things like chicken or roasts need 1 or more days lead time.

[Oak Smoke]

We get on a chicken kick for a week or two then it’s on to something else. After learning how to set up a freezer and keep an inventory of what we have from the Pit we keep a variety of proteins. Somehow we ended up with 3 freezers. With that kind of space we have a section each for beef, pork, chicken, fish, and veggies. We will decide what sounds good and lay that out to thaw in the morning. What sounds good changes regularly. I have chicken thighs thawing now. The weather is gorgeous today so I wanted to grill.

[LA Pork Butt]

I am guessing the Ozempic is not part of a diet plan, but is coming as a side benefit. I never was a big steak and beef guy, so I understand your lack of interest. We do plan meals though, and Fridays are my experimental cook day to either try something new or a new technique. I usually decide the morning of since our big meals are are noon. Anyway I hope Ozempic improving your health.

[Mosca]

My A1C is down below 7, and falling. That’s what my goal was. I’ve lost weight, but I long ago stopped paying attention to that as something important. I do like it because it’s easier to walk and go up and down stairs. But I had to buy new clothes because nothing fit, it was all huge.

[fzxdoc]

Back before my accident, I always planned our meals for the week, trying to rotate things out of the freezer and add in what the family was in the mood for--and how I wanted to cook it. There was always a grill/smoker in the rotation. And if there was a farmers' market delivery in the mix in the warmer months, those produce items called a lot of the shots from a meal planning standpoint. Once the meals were decided upon, I'd make up my list for the local grocery, Fresh Market, TJs., etc.

Of course when I was working full time that level of planning was impossible. I flew by the seat of my britches nearly every night when it came to getting a meal on the table. But with more discretionary time came the luxury of actually doing some real meal planning with an eye to minimizing food waste and eating more health-conscious meals, at least some of the time.

It's odd, Mosca , that you've noticed a decrease in your desire to eat beef. It's probably a healthy tendency, but beef is so wonderful, that I almost hate to see you missing out.

Me, I'm just the opposite. I can hardly wait to be well enough to fire up the grills and smokers and taste some real flame-kissed beef!

Kathryn

[Mosca]

I think it’s odd, too! But part of the oddness is that it’s okay.

It’s not like I started eating seafood, which doesn’t taste like food to me. (But I did try some caviar when in Vegas, and while I don’t think I’ll search it out again, I didn’t wretch either. As much as I don’t like seafood, I still keep hoping that someday it will click, and I’ll get to try all these new things.)

[Bogy]

Our house has taken another swing in menu. We've done gluten free and still have been when certain members of the family are here. We've done diabetic for my mom, and me at one time. We've done vegetarian when my daughter went through a phase. At one time we had one daughter who could not eat wheat and another who could not have corn. Mexican restaurants that gave the option of corn or flour tortillas were our friend. A week ago my wife got a diagnosis which seems to finally be answering some questions and giving some results. She was diagnosed with SIBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. She's got way to much of the wrong bacteria where that bacteria shouldn't be. Sugar and fiber feed it. So she is now on a low-FODMAP diet and taking some heavy duty anti-biotics. Partly its a process of introducing one new thing at a time and seeing what the reaction is. Fortunately meat is not a problem on this diet. Dairy can be. For years we have been on a high fiber diet, now she is supposed to have a low fiber diet. Instead of whole grains, she needs the most processed grain she can get. Can anyone say "Wonderbread?" Actually, sourdough works well, and our daughter took up baking sourdough during the pandemic, so we just need to get some sourdough starter from her. She is also supposed to stay away from gluten on a general basis. After just a few days she feels better than she has in several years. New adventures in eating.

[Bogy]

BTW, she can have meat/beef, but it has to be tender. She said that wouldn't be a problem. Guess its lots of ribeye in our future.

[Old Glory]

We have a pretty set rotation of beef, chicken, and pork. We don't usually do seafood because I am super picky about it and will not eat grocery store fish.

Weather permitting I am grilling. As long as it's not raining or a snow storm. Otherwise stir frys, braised, or roasted.

I love chicken and pork but beef is still king. Though for BBQ I am team pig.

[klflowers]

Oh oh oh ozempic you know, right? Too much TV? Anyway I used to eat beef a lot. Now not so much, no big reason, just not as much. Chicken wings though - probably 3 or 4 times a week. Since I got the air fryer method down, I just season them with whatever rub I grab, air fry them, then toss them with some kind of sauce. Or leave them nekid.

I still love a good steak or a burger, and a sv then hight heat on the grill pork chop is devine. I think i am just in a i want some good wings phase.

[Steve B]

I’m with ya on the wings. Can never have enough wings.

[CHNeal]

We don’t eat a lot of beef. Chicken, pork and fish are what’s stocked in the freezer. I do a couple briskets a years so I have some in the freezer when the mood strikes. Ribeyes have become special meals for us and there’s always prime rib on New Years. The beef is rounded out with hamburgers and spaghetti but both are getting farther and farther between.

[Murdy]

We probably eat more chicken that anything, and more pork than beef, which is not to say I don't love beef too. My wife is usually the driving force when we end up having steaks. I like them just fine, but would usually rather have something more "cooked" for lack of a better term, like stew or something braised or smoked.

Speaking of changing tastes, I used to love shell fish, would be my go-to for a special meal. Now, I still like them, but would opt for some meat braised in wine or some such thing.

[efincoop]

It is interesting how one's tastes evolve. We have a pretty healthy rotation that includes all sorts of proteins and usually 1-2 vegetarian meals/week. But what I have noticed lately is that I prefer lamb to beef many times. I still enjoy beef, but it is far less often than it used to be. When I do choose beef, it's typically brisket, beef ribs and the occasional burger or steak.

[Mosca]

Oh, I love lamb! She won’t touch it, so I only get it when we eat out.