2023 Ten Labor Days of Seafood and Dessert Smackdown
Goooooood morning gentle folks of the Pit and welcome to the first ever Seafood and Dessert Smackdown! Unlike my previous Smackdown for tacos, which drew criticism from the peanut gallery, this event will feature fewer rules than a politician’s truths. So, instead of me wasting a lot of space on this topic and your time, start your gassers, kettles, stick burners and pellet poopers and other cookers of choice to get this Smackdown started!
Rule -1: Post all of your cooks under this topic, please.
Rule +1: post until Sunday, September 10 at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight Smackdown time.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
OK well I kind of sat on the sidelines of the taco challenge because, well I didn't want to let old Panhead John look too bad. But all bets are off on the Seafood. With a handle like Troutman yea just don't get a lazy pass. Got a name to uphold, know what I mean? Get ready folks, I'll be firing on all guns
My toys:
Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center (WSCGC) aka Mr. Fancypants
Pit Barrel Cooker (which rocks), named Pretty Baby
Weber Summit S650 Gas Grill, named Hot 'n Fast (used mostly for searing and griddling)
Weber Kettle Premium 22" named Kettle Kid, eager to horn in with more cooks in the future
Camp Chef Somerset IV 4-burner outdoor gas range named AfterBurner due to its 30kBTU burners
Adrenaline BBQ Company Gear:
SnS Low Profile, DnG, and Large Charcoal Basket, for WSCGC
SnS Deluxe for 22" Kettle
Elevated SS Rack for WSCGC
SS Rack for DnG
Cast Iron Griddle
Grill Grate for SnS
Grill Grates: five 17.375 sections (retired to storage)
Grill Grates: six 19.25 panels for exact fit for Summit S650
gasser
Grill Grates for 22" Kettle
2 Grill Grate Griddles
Steelmade Griddle for Summit gas grill
Fireboard Gear:
Extreme BBQ Thermometer Package
Additional control unit
Additional probes: Competition Probes 1" (3) and 4" (1), 3 additional Ambient Probes. 1 additional Food Probe
2 Driver Cables
Pit Viper Fan (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Pit Viper Fan new design (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Thermoworks Gear:
Thermapen MK4 (pink)
Thermapen Classic (pink too)
Thermoworks MK4 orange
Temp Test 2 Smart Thermometer
Extra Big and Loud Timer
Timestick Trio
Maverick ET 73 a little workhorse with limited range
Maverick ET 733
Maverick (Ivation) ET 732
Grill Pinz
Vortex (two of them)
18" drip pan for WSCGC
Ceramic Spacers for WSCGC in Kamado Mode: 2 sets each 1/2", 1", 2". The 2" spacers work best with the 18" drip pan. The 1+1/2 inch spacers work best with the 14 inch cake pan.
Two Joule Sous Vide devices
3 Lipavi Sous Vide Tubs with Lids: 12, 18 and 26 quarts
Avid Armor Ultra Pro V32 Chamber Sealer
Instant Pot 6 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot 10 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Charcoal Companion TurboQue
A-Maze-N tube 12 inch tube smoker accessory for use with pellets
BBQ Dragon and Dragon Chimney
Shun Classic Series:
8" Chef Knife
6" Chef's Knife
Gokujo Boning and Fillet Knife
3 1/2 inch Paring Knife
I'll be sitting on the sidelines, snacking on non-fishy (if it has a fin, I don't eat it) non-dessert foods and watching the fun. I'd rather drink wine than eat dessert.
Amen, Kathryn, I'd also rather drink wine than eat dessert. I, however, love seafood. I spent today watching UT football and napping (like one should on a long holiday weekend). Starting tomorrow, I will cook. I have a few old standbys, and one new recipe that looks really good (to me) to throw down. See you Monday morning, I expect.
These were some lobster tails I did a couple years ago. I thought why not again? I’ll tell you why not. The price went out of site! About $130 PER TAIL!!!!! Nope. I’ll just have the memories I guess. 🤦♂️
DaveDWayneT The butcher knife and banana were there for scale. The tails weighed around 20 oz each. Just huge. That’s an 10 oz filet next to the tail on the serving plate.
Living in Southwest Va we are about 4 hours from the coast and fresh seafood. Thankfully we have a local business that drives to the coast of NC the every week and sources right off the boat from local fishermen. Marsh Roots seafood is amazing.
For tonight’s entry I am pulling from the Amazing Ribs recipe archives. This crab cake recipe is the best I have found. I topped it off with a bourbon glazed bread pudding recipe that I got from Malcolm Reed. All was cooked outside in the Silverbac and the Primate. Already looking forward to tomorrow
Lump crab cakes with a rosemary aioli finished with a smoked bread pudding and white chocolate bourbon glaze.
High Country Seafood Snack Down, we ain't got no ocean but we do have Costco.
First course fresh muscles in red sauce. Tomatoes and parsley from our greenhouse for the sauce and homemade bread for dipping.
Main course Carolyn' s slaw on top of our grown tomatoes. Lump crab meat crab cake made with no breading or cracker filling. Just lump crab meat, eggs and some mild spices. Seared scallops on a bed of seaweed and bbq shrimp glazed with a Thai sweet and spicy sauce. A nice glass of Champagne to enjoy and compliment the flavors.
Dessert is Carolyn's Flan with raspberries and mint.
I have to give a shout out to the Cuisinart 360 that I won here in June on the forum. It did a great job on the scallops and crab cake. I really enjoy my grilling, great unit.
Fun night cooking, looking forward to seeing the rest of the entrees.
Bronco Pro Barrel Smoker
PBC
Pit Boss 757GD Griddle (2)
Blaz'n Grill Works Grid Iron
Weber Genesis E-310
Original Original Grilla
Smokey Joe® Charcoal Grill 14"
Fireboard 1
Thermoworks ThermoPop
Thermoworks Thermapen Mk4
Thermoworks Smoke Thermometer with gateway
2 iGrillminis - from before they were Weber.
If it waded in a farm pond, nope! Those aren’t considered ‘waters of the state’. However, if the cow was caught from waters of the state on ultra-light tackle using natural bait, you get a pass.
First offering of the week. Taking one of my favorite salmon cuts, a 1-1/2" thick steak, hot smoked with cherry wood and topped with a creamy mustard chive sauce. I paired it with shitake/baby bella mushrooms in a wine reduction sauce and a cucumber/dill side salad.
For dessert we'll start with a simple and palate cleansing fruit plate....
captainlee here in central Ohio our grocery store has little neck clams for $.35 each. This was a clambake for two. 50 clams $17.50, Hillshire Farms smoked sausage $2.98, red potatoes $2.39, 4 ears of corn $2.00, 2 lemons $1.50.
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