Love making the tarragon corn at home. Heading to a tailgate next weekend and of course I'm in charge of all the cooking. Has anyone ever made the tarragon butter ahead of time (kinda like a compound butter) and used it later? I don't cook with tarragon often except for on my corn butter so I dunno how it holds up to a hardening and melting....
The 20 peeps at the tailgate have probably never tried this style corn before so I don't want to blow it, lol
Equipment
Primo Oval xl
Slow n Sear (two)
Drip n Griddle
22" Weber Kettle
26" Weber Kettle one touch
Blackstone 36†Pro Series
Sous vide machine
Kitchen Aid
Meat grinder
sausage stuffer
5 Crock Pots Akootrimonts
Two chimneys (was 3 but rivets finally popped, down to 1)
cast iron pans,
Dutch ovens
Signals 4 probe, thermapens, chef alarms, Dots, thermapop and maverick T-732, RTC-600, pro needle and various pocket instareads. The help and preferences
1 extra fridge and a deep chest freezer in the garage
KBB
FOGO
A 9 year old princess foster child
Patience and old patio furniture
"Baby Girl" The cat
@Pitkappasig it certainly holds. Roll it into log, wrap tight in plastic wrap and freeze. You can slice any size discs like a salami when ready to use. Just peel off outer plastic. I'm not sure what recipe you are using but you can not go wrong with a house gutter. So many combos of our choice. Great way to amp up anything with a personal touch. If you have a vac sealer partially freeze first and the vac seal.
Awesome. It's MHs ultimate corn recipe. Basically just melted butter and fresh chopped tarragon painted on corn and roasted. I wanted to make it a few days in advance, firm it up, transport down and melt when I got there. Think a mason jar would do the trick instead of wrapping and whatnot?
Process and compound butters (kissing cousins) are very versatile, as the above situation shows very well. They are great for finishing a dish, in other words, infusing fresh flavor after a cook is done. Wether its veggies, meat, or a starch, they are a secret weapon we use in food service a great deal. If you really want a butter flavor, in most cases; don't cook in butter, but use a compound or process butter to add fresh flavors. Easy and effective.
Okay, for Breadhead, and any others who like to use compound butter recipes.
Beef: savory herbs(thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.)
Chicken: 3 parts above savory herbs plus 1 part sweet herbs(tarragon, basil etc).
Pork, 3 parts savory, plus 2 parts sweet(I'm thinking dill here).
Fish: 3 parts sweet herbs, 1-2 parts savory herbs depending on usage.
All purpose Hickory butter: liquid smoke, herbs to suit protein served. This process adds great depth to your smoke flavor, plus a great finish.
These proportions, with needed adjustments depending on the dish, have served me well for 35+ years. Of course, honey, vinegar, etc., can be added to suit the dish. One can emulsify a good deal of liquid into softened butter (think citrus or vinegar), as well as the herbs to enhance your house flavors. Just a few ramblings....
Whoo wee! This thread took an awesome turn. Great advice!
What say you Strat about my weak painting butter? I'm assuming I'll be OK to make in advance? It's not a finish, per say, as it will be melted and painted on during the cook...? You've taken me into a compound butter worm hole
For Pittkappasig and others interested,
The only time I"'paint" with butter is to achieve a crispy skin on fowl. In the vast majority of situations I encounter; one is best served (to achieve a buttery flavor as well as any herbal or flavor enhancement) to apply NON MELTED butter to the dish when it comes off the heat. This insures the best and freshest(and most assertive too) butter flavor. Like Extra Virgin Olive Oil(EVOO), High heat and cooking longer than a couple of minutes drastically affects the full flavors these thing provide. In simple terms: the delicate flavors cook away FAST.
So, if you are painting with a butter mix, think of how many times(approximately) you will baste during the cook, and up those flavors in a process or compound butter by that factor. In other words, concentrate your herbage and other flavors till the end. These flavors will be conveyed via the butter, but with a more complex and fresher flavor than "painting" can usually provide. Feel me?
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