Dog Days of Summer Recommendations

[Norm Peterson]

I was actually going to start this thread before I saw @basketballjones dog bite thread. Interesting coincidence.

 

Anyway, since there's not a lot of action happening in Husker basketball world, I thought I would share some new things I've come across (and feel free to add your own):

 

1. Tried our very own @cipsucks Nebraska Star Beef Signature Seasoning on smashburgers. Can HIGHLY recommend. 

Signature® Seasoning - Nebraska Star Beef®

 

2. Annual gin sale at The Still going on right now. Picked up some Japanese Roku gin. Niiiice. Highly recommend.

 

3. Tried Blues Hog BBQ sauce on smoked pork butt for 4th of July. Available at Scheels. Highly recommend.

Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce 25 oz. | SCHEELS.com

 

4. Went to 801 Chophouse in Omaha a couple of months ago and had a ribeye. It was good. It was alright. Nothing to write home about. Picked up prime ribeyes at Costco yesterday, rib cap removed so it's just the eye muscle. Seasoned ONLY with salt. Allowed to come to room temp. Seared as hot as you can get your grill. Exactly medium rare. Do NOT overcook these things. Absolutely blew away the $65 ribeye at the 801. Fortunately for me, someone else picked up dinner at 801. Nevertheless, if you can handle yourself around a grill, buy the good stuff at some place like Costco and grill it yourself and save the money on dinner at an Omaha steakhouse. I have YET to have one of those guys beat what I can do at home with a steak. Not "new" so much as "recently reinforced." Highly recommend.

 

5. Elote (a/k/a Mexican Street Corn) is THE BOMB. Highly recommend.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2022 by Norm Peterson

[49r]

Maybe the worst steakhouse steak I've ever had was at 801.  I've also had a very similar experience (but slightly better) at Ruth's Chris.

 

More expensive certainly does not guarantee better that's for sure.  But I would still love to try V. Mertz some time.

[bleujay]

Steak is something that I will almost never order at a restaurant for the reasons you described, Norm. Get yourself a quality cut (even Choice can taste like top-shelf), fresh, cook it properly and its no different from what a steakhouse will serve you. Maybe I would consider shelling out at a fine-dining level establishment (of which there are very few in the midwest) for some A5 wagyu or dry-aged beef.

Ever do a dry brine on your steaks? Salt them 1-2 hours ahead of grilling. Improves tenderness and moisture of the end result.

I love the ATBBQ channel and I love his Elote recipe. To continue the Mexican theme, here's another of my ATBBQ favorites: al pastor-style pork. Don't be intimidated by the rotisserie -- it's not necessary as long as you can slice the pork shoulder thin and have a hot grill.
 

 

[aphilso1]

Usually I transition from primarily bourbon sipping to primarily beer drinking when the temps get warm. But this year I’ve been really enjoying Old Forester 1920 well into the summer. It’s absolutely the best bourbon over a cube of ice that I’ve ever had. It’s pretty phenomenal neat too, but nobody wants to drink 115 proof hooch when it’s 100 degrees outside. 
 

That’s all I got. Dog days of summer indeed. 
 

 

Edited July 11, 2022 by aphilso1

[Vinny]

1 hour ago, bleujay said:

Steak is something that I will almost never order at a restaurant for the reasons you described, Norm. Get yourself a quality cut (even Choice can taste like top-shelf), fresh, cook it properly and its no different from what a steakhouse will serve you. Maybe I would consider shelling out at a fine-dining level establishment (of which there are very few in the midwest) for some A5 wagyu or dry-aged beef.

Ever do a dry brine on your steaks? Salt them 1-2 hours ahead of grilling. Improves tenderness and moisture of the end result.

I love the ATBBQ channel and I love his Elote recipe. To continue the Mexican theme, here's another of my ATBBQ favorites: al pastor-style pork. Don't be intimidated by the rotisserie -- it's not necessary as long as you can slice the pork shoulder thin and have a hot grill.
 

 

This is my favorite Al Pastor at home recipe. Like you said, you don’t need the rotisserie (aka spit), it comes together like a loaf, then you slice it thin and can get a similar texture to off a spit after some broiling. 
 

https://www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-tacos-al-pastor-slideshow

 

Now, if I’m at a food truck or a Mexican restaurant that says they have Al Pastor and there isn’t a spit to be found in the place, then they don’t have Al Pastor. And you’re likely to be very disappointed. 

[cipsucks]

Thanks for the review, @Norm Peterson! I have a customer who calls it crack cocaine in a bottle.  @49r, I've had several people tell me 801 is highly overrated. Never been there.  

[basketballjones]

@cipsucksstuff is all phenomenal. 
 

J. Gilbert’s and The Drover are the place to go to get a steak in Omaha. Only two places I’ve been where I felt I couldn’t have done it better.

[49r]

The BEST steakhouse steak I've ever had, hands down, was at The Majestic in KC.  That was probably the one steak I've ever had where I said to myself that I definitely couldn't do better at home.  That was a $50 lunch I'll never forget.

[Huskerpapa]

Best steaks are those bought or grilled by others for me...

[Norm Peterson]

Speaking of tacos and Mexican YouTube channels and combining it with sports, I was today years old when I found out Skip Bayless, the sports-talk personality, is the older brother of Rick Bayless, the Michelin-star-award-winning chef, whose YouTube channel I've been watching for years.

 

I saw a YouTube video today of Skip talking about how he has no relationship with his brother, but it sounds like they both endured hell on earth growing up with two alcoholic parents including a task-master father and a loveless mother who never wanted to have kids.

 

And Skip channeled his immense survival instinct into becoming an extremely successful print journalist and later radio and TV personality, while his younger brother, with whom he describes having almost no relationship whatsoever, channeled HIS immense survival instinct into becoming one of the most award-winning American-born chefs ever. I mean, there are literally fewer than 200 Michelin-starred chefs in the US and Rick Bayless is one of them.

 

I mean, what are the odds? What are the odds that two kids growing up in the same extremely dysfunctional, alcoholic, financially-challenged household would take wildly different paths to achieve exceptional fame and fortune?

 

I liked Rick Bayless before, but I am just in awe now.

[bleujay]

On 7/12/2022 at 7:23 PM, Norm Peterson said:

I mean, what are the odds? What are the odds that two kids growing up in the same extremely dysfunctional, alcoholic, financially-challenged household would take wildly different paths to achieve exceptional fame and fortune?

 

I liked Rick Bayless before, but I am just in awe now.

I had no clue they were related, much less brothers. Thanks for that tidbit.

Their situation reminds me of Gordon Ramsay's. He also grew up in an alcohol-tainted household and cooking was his exit strategy after his football career didn't pan out.

His brother ended up as a heroin addict. I've read that Gordon paid for treatment multiple times, and after a string of failures he went no-contact, which is really sad. Not everyone has limitless compassion.

I would say the odds are low.

[cipsucks]

Here's an easy and tasty side dish.  Ranch mushrooms.  16-24 oz whole button mushrooms. One stick of real butter.  One packet of ranch dressing. 

 

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, stir in the ranch dressing and pour it over the shrooms in a crockpot. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Heavenly!