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What's Your Dirty Little Cooking Secret?

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    What's Your Dirty Little Cooking Secret?

    So, I presume that most, if not all, of us are generally the kind of cooks who usually do things the long, authentic and time-consuming way when we cook. We make our own rubs, sauces, marinades, stocks. We trim and butcher (to greater or lesser extent) the meat we cook. Many of us grow and can our own veggies, pickles, kimchi, etc. I know that many of us bake our own bread using time-consuming techniques such as making and maintaining our own sourdough starters and so forth. But, if any of us (and I know there are many) regularly prepare and cook the majority of the meals for our families (and even some who don't), have "dirty little secrets" - short cuts and such - that we use from time to time to get tasty dishes and meals cooked and on the table in a less time-consuming fashion. I thought it might be fun to list them here.

    I'll start:

    I have 2 that come immediately to mind: 1) Tonight's meal (pic in SUWYC) was smoked chili made with the leftover chuck roast from Saturday's #stayincookout meal. My dirty little secret is that I use a commercially packaged chili mix to make chili. I've been doing it for years. Yes, I have, on rare occasion, scratch made chili of one sort or another, but we like the packaged mix, especially after I doctor it up with a can of Rotel Hot Diced Tomatoes with Chilis, homemade beef stock, and a couple of Tbsps of my homemade American Chili Powder. It's really delicious and is ready in short order, compared to scratch.

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    My second one is what we call "Indian from a jar." I call it that because the base of the sauce is a commercially available jarred spice paste called Patak's Hot Curry Paste. I have been making 1 hour Indian using Patak's for at least 15 years (I started when I was living alone after my divorce.) Over the years, I have continued to develop and enhance my recipe. I think I have exhausted my ideas for changing/improving it. While I can, and often do, make many different scratch Indian/South Asian dishes, I make Indian from a jar about once every 2 weeks, even when not sheltering in place, and it has become one of our favorite dinners. We usually make it with boneless chicken thighs, but have used the Patak's as a base for both lamb and shrimp curry dishes. I have also used Patak's Vindaloo paste on occasion.

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    #2
    Here's a quick one pot meal:

    Crumble and brown 1/3 of a tube of breakfast sausage, ( I use Jimmy Dean Hot) and then make Zatarain's Red, (or Black), Beans and Rice according to the package directions in the same pot with the sausage. Don't use more than 1/3 of the tube because the sausage flavor will overpower the rice n beans if you use more.

    Comment


      #3
      Zatarain's jambalaya mix is mine. Hands down.

      Comment


      • Dewesq55
        Dewesq55 commented
        Editing a comment
        I used to buy the "hot" one, but I haven't found it lately in the supermarket.

      • Andrrr
        Andrrr commented
        Editing a comment
        Yep. It’s been a go-to quick meal for years.

      • Mr. Bones
        Mr. Bones commented
        Editing a comment
        Do it alla th time, also...
        "Slap Ya Mama" brand mixes are also very good, an equally convenient.
        Thanks, yer post reminded me I needs me some okra!

      #4
      Heh. I always have at least one jar of Patak's on hand. And cook with it two or three times a month.

      Comment


      • fkrall
        fkrall commented
        Editing a comment
        Patak's Chili Pickles a pantry staple!

      #5
      Henrik uses Extract of Llama

      I don't cheat, unless I'm not being totally honest.

      Comment


      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        Has an alpaca-like flavor

      • FireMan
        FireMan commented
        Editing a comment
        No, alpacas have an alpaca flavor, llamas maybe chicken?

      • HouseHomey
        HouseHomey commented
        Editing a comment
        Had to read this a couple times. Nice one Jerod. And Henriks Llama rubs like the others are Bomb!!!!

      #6
      My biggest is that I couldn't care less about a steady cook temp or a specific finish temp. Cook at low points of 201 and highs of 301, who cares. Take the brisket to 196 or 207, who cares. That's what everyone did before thermometers. Saul Goodman. Don't pet the sweaty stuff.

      Comment


      • FireMan
        FireMan commented
        Editing a comment
        Yeah! Who gives a rip! Son’s petty the sweat stuff!

      • Deaf Arty
        Deaf Arty commented
        Editing a comment
        Whew! I thought I was committing blasphemy! I've learned not to get so worked up about temps, simply out of self-preservation -- especially since I can never get my cooker probe and leave-in thermometer to agree. Thanks for the freeing "secret"

      • Bogy
        Bogy commented
        Editing a comment
        My wife did mention recently that my cooking has improved with better thermometers. But also because along with the thermometers I have learned here that a lot of things don't have to be cooked as done as I thought they did.

      #7
      Had to think about this one a bit. Oven-fry for chicken gets made a lot because the kids like it. That and the jambalaya mentioned above.

      Comment


      • Dewesq55
        Dewesq55 commented
        Editing a comment
        I do that (oven fried chicken) a lot, also. Deep frying is too messy for me.

      • ssandy_561
        ssandy_561 commented
        Editing a comment
        I like the oven fry for pork chops also.

      • Andrrr
        Andrrr commented
        Editing a comment
        ssandy_561 I’ve always meant to try it but regular pork chops are something the kids eat already so I haven’t had the need. I’ll give it a shot though

      #8
      505 Southwestern Hatch Red Enchilada & Tamale Chile Sauce. I’m hooked on the stuff. Works with beef, chicken, pork and more.

      Comment


      • Rfhd69
        Rfhd69 commented
        Editing a comment
        Just went to the website. Their products look amazing! Gonna try soon.

      #9
      Ginger in a squeeze bottle. I hate peeling it, and it's always woody. Way easier to let someone else do it.

      Comment


      • Dewesq55
        Dewesq55 commented
        Editing a comment
        Ooooh! I do that too! Garlic and lemon grass, too. But I don't do garlic very often.

      • Potkettleblack
        Potkettleblack commented
        Editing a comment
        Lemongrass and ginger in squeeze tubes, definitely.

      • bunky2021
        bunky2021 commented
        Editing a comment
        Definitely a fan of these products...they make cooking much more enjoyable!

      #10
      I actually like cooking in my underwear.
      But I do change them regularly. 😁

      Comment


      • FireMan
        FireMan commented
        Editing a comment
        The cooking or the underwear?

      • Spinaker
        Spinaker commented
        Editing a comment
        Hahaha, you dirty dog

      • WillTravelForFood
        WillTravelForFood commented
        Editing a comment
        Most of us cook in a pot or a frying pan

      #11
      OK you guys got me, I often times find myself cooking in the nude. It's soooo exhilarating

      Comment


      • RonB
        RonB commented
        Editing a comment
        See my comment above. (10.3)

      • texastweeter
        texastweeter commented
        Editing a comment
        Al S. Wanna see my scar?

      • Troutman
        Troutman commented
        Editing a comment
        Well I do wear an apron guys, I mean come on. I'm known in the neighborhood as the Bare Assed BBQ Baron. Folks enjoy my meat !!!

      #12
      50/50 bottled bbq sauce and bottled Italian dressing on chicken thighs. You simply can’t make them better than that.

      Comment


      • jfmorris
        jfmorris commented
        Editing a comment
        Huskee it is great, and my go-to right now for grilled wings. Just gotta be sure its the RIGHT Newman's Own Creamy Caesar. I had "creamy caesar" on the shopping list and the wife brought home Wishbone or some other brand the other day. I'll just use that one on my salads, as I am afraid to mess with sucess when making wings!

      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        jfmorris Right! That's why I included a pic when I shared that one since it's important to use Newman's Own.

      • Beefchop
        Beefchop commented
        Editing a comment
        Bottled Italian dressing is a great one for chicken. Never thought to mix it with BBQ sauce, though, but will try this weekend! I usually add Louisiana hot sauce and fresh onion/garlic to my marinade.

      #13
      I prefer moist fall-off-the-bone pork ribs so I wrap them.....

      Comment


        #14
        I don't peel fresh garlic

        Comment


        • Andrrr
          Andrrr commented
          Editing a comment
          I was thinking about this as I was chopping garlic tonight. I should really get some of this as a backup

        • JGo37
          JGo37 commented
          Editing a comment
          DiverDriver try the roasted garlic in olive oil.

        • bunky2021
          bunky2021 commented
          Editing a comment
          Definitely a go-to in our kitchen. Aldi sells it for pretty cheap.

        #15
        Store bought chicken and beef stock.

        Comment


        • JeffJ
          JeffJ commented
          Editing a comment
          I make my own stock but I do sometimes use the store-bought stuff.

        • jfmorris
          jfmorris commented
          Editing a comment
          Guilty. Or if I don't have the pre-made stock.... I add bullion cubes to hot water!

        • Attjack
          Attjack commented
          Editing a comment
          Do yourself a favor and buy some jars of Better than Bullion or other brands of stock paste. Then just add water for a much tastier stock than the liquid grocery store stock.

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