starkraving_mad (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} starkraving_mad) wrote,@ 2008-01-16 15:14:00 |
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I made Korean-style short ribs last night from a recipe I found online and despite the recipe being full of everything good and being slow-cooked for hours while still on the bone, it somehow turned out rather bland. The flavor was good, what there was of it, but there just wasn't enough of anything. Sigh.
On the other hand, it did seem like a good base to work from to attempt a better version. And what's better than slow-cooked* meat for the winter time? Nothing. That's what.
I do so like winter food. There's less of the quality produce to be had, which isn't ideal, but everything is so warm and hearty and good. And I get a chance to use my slow-cooker. I love my slow-cooker. I realize that most people under the age of 50 don't have one, but really they're awesome. Toss a hambone and some beans in with some aromatics and spices before work and voila! dinner when you get home. And a mighty good dinner at that. Or slow-cooked meats or stews? Mmmmmmm.
*The recipe I was following for the short ribs claimed they were braised, even though they were not in fact braised. Braising means searing over high heat, then cooking slowly in liquid. This recipe neglected the searing step. I find that this is common. Meats cooked in this manner are often referred to as braised. This is annoying, but understandable. Because the alternative to calling them braised is...what? Simmered? Boiled? While correct, that doesn't sound terribly appetizing. I suppose slow-cooked does work, but is less descriptive. Stewed is also accurate but misleading if the meat will be served as pieces of meat, not as part of a...well...stew. So I'll end this on a "Meh. What can you do?"
On a related note, I started up a del.icio.us account a few weeks back to file away interesting recipes from several food blogs and magazines i read. My username there is starkraving_mad, same as here. Anyone interested is welcome to check it out, although I will say that I'm doing this primarily for my personal use, so things are filed in a way that makes sense to me. Hopefully it also makes sense to others, but I've been told that my brain doesn't necessarily work as others'. Also, I'm marking things that I want for one reason or another - this does not necessarily mean the recipes I'm most likely to actually cook or the ones I would recommend to others. Anyway, it's there and will continue to grow over time.
On the other hand, it did seem like a good base to work from to attempt a better version. And what's better than slow-cooked* meat for the winter time? Nothing. That's what.
I do so like winter food. There's less of the quality produce to be had, which isn't ideal, but everything is so warm and hearty and good. And I get a chance to use my slow-cooker. I love my slow-cooker. I realize that most people under the age of 50 don't have one, but really they're awesome. Toss a hambone and some beans in with some aromatics and spices before work and voila! dinner when you get home. And a mighty good dinner at that. Or slow-cooked meats or stews? Mmmmmmm.
*The recipe I was following for the short ribs claimed they were braised, even though they were not in fact braised. Braising means searing over high heat, then cooking slowly in liquid. This recipe neglected the searing step. I find that this is common. Meats cooked in this manner are often referred to as braised. This is annoying, but understandable. Because the alternative to calling them braised is...what? Simmered? Boiled? While correct, that doesn't sound terribly appetizing. I suppose slow-cooked does work, but is less descriptive. Stewed is also accurate but misleading if the meat will be served as pieces of meat, not as part of a...well...stew. So I'll end this on a "Meh. What can you do?"
On a related note, I started up a del.icio.us account a few weeks back to file away interesting recipes from several food blogs and magazines i read. My username there is starkraving_mad, same as here. Anyone interested is welcome to check it out, although I will say that I'm doing this primarily for my personal use, so things are filed in a way that makes sense to me. Hopefully it also makes sense to others, but I've been told that my brain doesn't necessarily work as others'. Also, I'm marking things that I want for one reason or another - this does not necessarily mean the recipes I'm most likely to actually cook or the ones I would recommend to others. Anyway, it's there and will continue to grow over time.
