[bluesman]

Yesterday I cooked the paella over charcoal...quite nice in the end.  Got a good fire on the weber and then started frying onions in bacon grease over it.  Lots of garlic, then added chicken cubes with sweet paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.  Added diced green pepper, mushrooms, and sun dried tomatoes, and some more salt and pepper, with crushed red pepper, fennel, and thyme.  Then I hit it with a shot of some homemade achiote oil as a sort of saffron substitute (we think my wife may be allergic based on her one experience with saffron), and added a good measure of sushi short grain rice.  Continued frying, then added the homemade chicken stock, covered, and let roast (with some hickory putting out smoke) for about a half hour.  Very nice "soccarat" crust on the bottom.  Had some cheap sherry on hand, which was actually semi decent, being dry.  Cheap dry sherry is so much better than cheap port, I'd have to say!

Sounds great Nic!

No pics...

[nicneufeld]

Thought about doing pics but the pace things were at, moving all those dishes to and from the kitchen and the grill, I would have screwed up if I tried to document it!  Maybe next time...

[capozzoli]

Stared building an Argentinian grill for the party. Gonna make it out of 2" open bar grate. Its gonna be like 3'x6'. Its gonna be about 12 " off of the ground sorta like a coffee table.  Still havent found a pile of hard wood yet though.

The idea is to build a big fire, make coals and then place them around under the meat and move as needed to control heat. Then when you get the grill hot before putting on the meat you make an emulsion of sea salt and water. This you brush on the hot grill with a big rag swab or something. Then as the water evapotates you get a crust of salt on the grill. I think it is not difficult to get a thick crust of salt.

Some items Im looking at to grill: Cross cut beef ribs (bandelaros) Morcillia, braided beef intestines, splayed chicken, shoulder of pork etc.

Pics to come...

[beerocd]

Some items Im looking at to grill: Cross cut beef ribs (bandelaros) Morcillia, braided beef intestines, splayed chicken, shoulder of pork etc.

Pics to come...

I see leftovers in your future

[bluesman]

Some items Im looking at to grill: Cross cut beef ribs (bandelaros) Morcillia, braided beef intestines, splayed chicken, shoulder of pork etc.

Pics to come...

I see leftovers in your future

Oh no...Capp is all about the organs. 

It's an ethnic thing...he tried to get me to eat some baby chick eggs once...

[beerocd]

It's an ethnic thing...he tried to get me to eat some baby chick eggs once...

Yeah, I was offered balut once. I wasn't drunk enough to eat it.

[beerocd]

Here Cap save a bunch of time and just buy this one...
only $5000.

[nicneufeld]

I too am a sucker for unique grills, but until I get good at metalwork like cap I think I'll stick with my trusty Weber.  There's very little you can't do with a kettle grill!

I'm having my wife pick up some gjetost this week, its been a while since I've done scandinavian grilled beef with a gjetost sauce.  I better make sure I have enough juniper berries.  Speaking of, I should skip the akvavit this time, hard as that may be, and get some gin and vermouth and try one of those meat-tinis you guys have been chatting about.  Maybe with some more Balkan style dried meat products from these guys...

http://www.georgesbrandmeats.com/

[bluesman]

There's very little you can't do with a kettle grill!

+1

Weber grills rock!

[capozzoli]

Wow! $5000, WTF, who has money for that stuff? Doesent look like anything special either.

Im just doing the braided intestines for look. Not getting a whole lot of it. Just that the Spanish butcher has it. I like the morcillia but I dont expect to many to dig into that either. Just getting that stuff mostly for the photo op.

The other stuff offers a bit of a dilemma for me. Authentic Argentinian grilling uses only salt and fire, no marinade or dry rub. I like using a marinade to flavor and tenderize the meat. I sometimes fill a cooler with a marinade and meat and brine covered in ice and then store it away for a few days before the feast. Replacing the ice and draining as needed.

The Argentinian way is to just grill the meat simple till tender and then serve sauce in the side. Usually chopped garlic, olive oil, vinegar and different variations of that.

Im gonna stik with just the salt, but it has me scratching my head.

[beerocd]

Flavor comes from the smoke, salt and the meat itself. You'll be surprised how much flavor is there. Just make sure you got plenty of dry wood for the smoke. So the real meal is chicken and pork shoulder. I did a beef brisket and whole pork loin, each under $2/lb and the crowd loved it. Probably could have done an old shoe and people would have went wild for the smokey taste. Nobody smokes anymore; just stupid propane grills!

[capozzoli]

I dont think there is suposed to be a lot of smoke. Im told, that around here the best wood is oak. Make a fire and make hot coals then scatter the coals right on the ground under the grill.

But I understand, the simple combination of wood, meat and salt. Wonderful,its primal.

Im a less is more kinda guy anyways.

I think the real star will be the bandelaros (sorry cant spell Spanish) They are the meaty end of the ribs of the cow. They are cross cut into 2" strips. Thats where it got its name ,causeit looks like the belted bullets that might bee worn crosshatch on a guacho.

Argentina has a completely different way of breaking down cows.

[beerocd]

I think the real star will be the bandelaros (sorry cant spell Spanish) They are the meaty end of the ribs of the cow. They are cross cut into 2" strips.

I wish I lived closer, because obviously there will be practice rounds before the actual party.

[redbeerman]

The key to the flavorful Argentine beef is that it is NOT aged and not juiced with hormones or grain.  Ate at a bunch of Argentine restaurants in the Miami area and all were awesome.

[nicneufeld]

I love picanha, a Brazilian cut, but I'd be surprised if Argentina didn't have an equivalent.

I'd say there's a pretty hefty difference with the idea of smoke in south american cooking.  All the grilling I've read about or witnessed was direct, open fire grilling, traditionally over wood.  Not the enclosed, indirect, low temp N. American smoking method.  You will get a unique flavor from high heat grilling over wood (its the only time I really like using mesquite, which can be a bit like a cigarette butt as a low temp smoking wood, but makes a fantastic cooking fuel for direct grilling).  I love a good steak over a blazing wood fire.