For Charlie - re:hot sauce

Hey Charlie,

We have two variations of hot pepper vinegar. The kind you make is the old standard around here, but not everybody uses the brown sugar. (some do, some don't) For the extra hot kick, I save the seeds from my hottest peppers (ie, when I have one with supper that's hotter than normal, cayenne, tabasco, etc), and put them in a storage bag in the fridge until I need them (i try not to let them dry out too much) and just add them in the standard hot pepper vinegar.

The other type of hot pepper vinegar:

When we have more hot peppers than we can all eat: I collect enough to fill a pint or quart size jar, wash them, put them in jar, and fill with vinegar. Let sit a few days before using. Sometimes, it will be a little mild, sometimes kinda warm, and sometimes very hot. You never know exactly how hot it is til you use it. This type is eaten on collards, turnips, salads, or anything you would use standard cider vinegar on.

Red sauce: My grandmother makes the best red sauce. Back home (two hours north of where I live now) everybody requests her sauce whenever there is a cook-out. People have even been known to ask for bottles of it as gifts from her at christmas or birthdays. My mom & I fix it down here (the exact same way) but Nana's always seems to taste even better. (I think it must be the "grandma effect")

The easiest way: Buy a couple of bottles of Kraft red sauces (or generic, or any other brand you might like, I generally use whatever is cheapest). Oh it doesn't matter what flavor - get whatever you like, orginal, homestyle, honey, hickory, what ever. I usually get an orignal and hickory. Empty both bottles in a sauce pan/pot. Save the empty bottles - you can wash them and store the left over sauce in them. Warm on low/medium heat - stir often so it doesn't scorch. Add mustard, brown sugar, salt, and vinegar to taste. Can add a little ketchup for a milder taste. Now, I can't tell you exactly how much to add of the mustard and sugar - i never measure it! Just keep tasting it til you get it where you like it. Ketchup will help thin it down if you get it too thick, make it a little more runny. Sauce should easily fall off spoon.

You can add to the meat on the grill as a marinade while cooking or at the table as a dipping sauce. Great either way. It might take a few trys making the sauce to get it just right. Nana never measures anything when cooking - somehow she just knows the right amount to add to everything. She's tried to pass that on to me - but sometimes i still measure! Oh, and make sure you store any leftover sauce in the fridge - it will keep for quite a long time that way.

--------------------------

You are absolutely right about the shrimp. Nothing beats fresh. I can get all the fresh I want, thank God. My mom and dad have a place at the coast - right on the waterway. Whenever they go down there, they bring plenty back for everybody 'round here. Have you ever heard of a seasoning called "Old Bay"? It comes in a little metal box - sort of like a black pepper box. It can make even the worst processed shrimp taste better. I happen to know for a fact that even some of the best coastal restaurants use it. You can also use it on chicken, steaks, and pork chops for a somewhat cajun style effect. I mainly stick to using it with the seafood though.

We love the vidalia onions around here as well. I haven't had much luck out of growing them myself. I can make a lunch or supper out of one of them babies. zap a whole one in the 'wave with a little water and butter for about 10 minutes or so, yummmm. makes a great compliment to a grilled steak too.

I don't have very much experience in the area of cajun and creole cooking. In the carolinas it's all about the frying and the BBQ! My husband even prefers for the ribs to be fried when I cook them. I have two great-uncles (in every since of the term!) that live in Florida, so I try to take advantage and get pointers and recipes from them and their families whenever I get the chance. I believe you are right about the regional thing as well.

Well, better end this thing. The baby's up and it's getting time for the other one to get up, so time to get my day going. Hope this helped you some!

Love, Rae

Reply to
Rachael Simpson
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Gotcha. I have used the first type on slaw and spinach. Am going to make the second kind as well.

Grandma's rock.

heh heh.....you can't teach that kind of cookin'. You just do it. Half the fun is in the tasting too!

Kinda like BBQ....you can't measure it, you just do it and it's done when it's done. Experience and practice.

Like I have heard, "what do you want to do......measure or cook?"

I use Old Bay often......I get it in the big metal box. :-)

I mix up batches of Emeril's Essence (google will give you the recipe). Absolutely great seasoning. I *do* measure on that. I also like Emeril's Bayou Blast, purchased.

I tried several years ago as well. It's the Georgia soil, gotta be.

Helped a lot. I enjoy learning how others cook, garden, etc.

Thanks for the recipes. I've read about red sauce and realize it is a regional thing, and often differs within the region. I am going to try yours. Just like your's is different from your Nana's, I sure mine will be different, but if it tastes right, then it is right.

I appreciate your taking the time, Rae. Gotta run myself, grandson spent the night and he has a lot to teach me today.

Now you get in there and love them babies! :-)

Love and Care Charlie

Reply to
Charlie

Cooking is most definitely a regional thing. When we first moved down here

8 years ago, my mom and I would make things like ketchup (or BBQ) potatoes, mississippi mud cake, goolosh, the before mentioned red sauce, etc. for cookouts or dinners at church. Nobody here had ever heard of it or using old bay seasoning. And everyone used that ole' yucky canned chili. Even their spaggetti was different. And we only moved two hours away from where all this was normal. Thankfully, my husband actually prefers my style cooking..........or so he says. Well time to go again. Got to get things ready for church tomorrow. We are having Pastor's Day so I have to cook as well as sing something. Trying to put together a presentation too. Not having much luck with my thoughts though..........Oh well, it will come together eventually.

Oh yeah - try not to make the sauce as runny as the hot vinegar - more of a consistency like a thin ketchup - unless you prefer it that way! (smiles & lol)

Good luck with your sauce!

Rae

Reply to
Rachael Simpson

"Scuse me, I was eaves dripping on your conversation.

Is there a way from scratch to make the Red Sauce?

Hot pepper vinegar? New one to me (sheltered life that I live). I'm more used to the pepper seeds in the olive oil routine. Use habanero seeds and, a little dab will do ya.

Sure is easy to see the French influence on southern cooking.

Now if we could only start demonstrating like our German cousins. Sturm and Drang in Rostock. The Heiligendamm meeting aimed to give globalization a human face. Kinda like Bush with a Barney mask.

But I digress . . .

- (y)lliB Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Reply to
Bill Rose

Hi Bill,

I'm borrowing your's and charlie's style of replying here. (LOL) Who cares if you were eaves dropping? doesn't everybody on this forum? (more laughing)

Of course, there's a way to make it from scratch. My nana just won't give me that recipe..........yet, but i'll get it one day. However there are several red sauce recipes to found on the web - I just don't like them as good. Quite a few use some wines, and I don't go for that.

Hot pepper vinegar is something that you definitely have to use in moderation to begin with. Well, at least until you determine just how hot it is! I have used habanero as well, however I have grown cayenne that were actually hotter. And of course - NEVER RUB YOUR EYES after handling hot pepper! (my hometown pastor found that out the hard way!)

I don't know much about that part - except for maybe the cajun and creole found a little farther south of where I am.

Once again - I don't know much about the German part either....a little over my head..........however, Barney - I know about! wonder why...............

Rae

Reply to
Rachael Simpson

Some things we do.

Frugal Gourmet BBQ Sauce

1 Cup Tomatoe Paste 1/2 Cup Wostershire 1/4 Cup Liquid Smoke 1/4 Cup White Vinegar 1/2 Cup Mustard Prepared 1 Cup Sugar 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar 3 Cups beef stock 1t red pepper 1T Chile Powder

Simmer 2 hours

We eat this on brisket mostly.

beef brisket

4 pounds fresh beef brisket (up to 5 lbs) 2 teaspoons unseasoned meat tenderizer 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 cup liquid smoke flavoring 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

serves 8 to 10

Place brisket on large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle tenderizer and seasonings on both sides of meat. Pour liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce over top. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 6 to

10 hours or overnight.

Place foil-wrapped brisket in Crock-Pot (cut brisket in half, if necessary, to fit easily). cover and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours.

Chill brisket, then cut across the grain into thin slices. Before serving, reheat eat in you favorite barbecue sauce.

Reply to
William Wagner

From: William Wagner Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:54:21 -0400 Local: Sat, Jun 2 2007 4:54 pm Subject: Re: For Charlie - re:hot sauce

Some things we do.

Frugal Gourmet BBQ Sauce

1 Cup Tomatoe Paste 1/2 Cup Wostershire 1/4 Cup Liquid Smoke 1/4 Cup White Vinegar 1/2 Cup Mustard Prepared 1 Cup Sugar 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar 3 Cups beef stock 1t red pepper 1T Chile Powder

Simmer 2 hours

We eat this on brisket mostly.

beef brisket

4 pounds fresh beef brisket (up to 5 lbs) 2 teaspoons unseasoned meat tenderizer 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 cup liquid smoke flavoring 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

serves 8 to 10

Place brisket on large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle tenderizer and seasonings on both sides of meat. Pour liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce over top. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 6 to

10 hours or overnight.

Place foil-wrapped brisket in Crock-Pot (cut brisket in half, if necessary, to fit easily). cover and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours.

Chill brisket, then cut across the grain into thin slices. Before serving, reheat eat in you favorite barbecue sauce.

Reply to
Rachael Simpson

What ever happened to that warning about aluminum being connected to Alzheimer's ? Non acid and aluminum was OK but, acid , like citric, ascorbic, ect., dissolves aluminum. (Any metal really, it is part of the definition for acid.) Was that ever disproved (aluminum -> Alzheimer's)? The long, moist cooking, like braising, will make the meat very tender. I try to get the same sort of effect by placing a can of water in my Weber, wrapping wet hickory chips in some tin foil and putting them on the hot coals and, then shut the vents on the lid about half way. Open occasionally to check the water and the meat. 2 hours is OK. 3+ hours is better. Paint on Barbecue sauce for the last 20 - 30 minutes. Works for any kind of meat. Smaller pieces, shorter times. Not trying to make waves. I just want to know what I'm doing.

- Billy Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Reply to
Bill Rose

Hey Charlie,

How did your BBQ turn out this weekend? Or was your leash too short for even that???? LOL..............

Rae

Reply to
Rachael Simpson

Hey Rae...

Nope...the short leash worked just fine. Made do quite well with the sitchyation! ;-)

The smokers and grills are in the garden, so it was no probelm whatsoever.

One of the world's great smells......light hickory and oak smoke under pig!

Had grilled chicken, with your sauce for lunch, most basted on, but I like mine on the side, and we had pulled pork for supper.....I had to have pepper/vin on the pork though.

Had the whole nine yards....potato salad, slaw, baked beans....but no banana pudding that day.

Well, the may not have been just like yours, but it was darn good!!

I trust you sang like an angel? And ate too much?

Wow, I remember well the church potluck dinners. Except that every time, there is always one dish that *everyone* wants, and it is

*always* gone when you pass thru. :-(

Care Charlie, thinking a a leftover pork sammich

Reply to
Charlie

AMEN! i love that smell!

sounds good.....yum.......making me hungry! lol

did my best

exactly and I was one of the last

Can you send me one for lunch???

hungry now, Rae

Reply to
Rachael Simpson

Hey! Some people around here have high cholesterol. Do you mind? Left over pork sandwich indeed, humph. I suppose you butter the bread first and then chase the whole thing down with a chocolate malt. Sheesh. Left over pork, unglaublich.

So how do you mid-westerners smoke things up? Using my plain ol' Weber, I twist up some hicory chips in some aluminum foil, and add water to them and just let them sit. Then I fire up the coals in one of those chimney thingies, put a can of water on the lower grill and, when the coals are ready, pour them out next to the water, drain the water out of the wood chips and toss the foil containing the wood chips on to the coals, put on the meat and close the vents on the lid to about half. Then I wait as long as I can. When doing ribs, I use real charcoal because it burns longer.

With ribs we will use a marinade/basting sauce but chicken is usually just fine as is. Left-overs (aka: planed-overs) will either find their way in to a salad or a tortilla or both.

Always willing to learn.

- Billy Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Reply to
Billy Rose

Oh dear. You really wnat an edumacation in 'Q?

It's art, how do you teach art?

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heh, heh.... and if'ns you want some "discussion" about bbq, lumber on in to alt.food.barbecue. You do see the *alt* heirarchy designation, doncha?

The folks over there are purists and more than a little prickly, I've seen many a newbie exit with tail tucked. If one demonstrates a true desire to learn, they are quite helpful. I'd suggest familiarizing yourself with some of the main players and such.

Damn good chance of being "extinguished" when playing with them good ole boys!

All in all, it can be quite entertaining there......and helpful.

In Art and Labor Charlie

Reply to
Charlie

Darn it....got ahead of myself on the last post.....meant to add the appropriate wisecracks in the appropriate places.

Butter? Gimme a break! Drippings from the smoked butt are way more unhealthy and taste much better.

Honestly though, a properly cooked chunk of hog leg may have less fat in it than you would suspect.

Weber's are good cookers, I have one, and you can do fine things on one.

You are on the right track.....needs a little fine tuning, IMO. And I might add, if you aren't using lump charcoal and using the pressed briquette things, you really should consider some Royal Oak Lump.

Lots of discussion over yonder 'bout that too and recomendationof brands.

Seriously, one of the main ingredients in say, Kingsford is anthracite coal, along with some borax and lime for binding agents and some other things that I can't remember. There was a recent thread on this, cames up about once a year, on the afb group

Gardening and smoker cooking and grilling are difinitely compatible thingie and yo ucan easily do both at once.

Charlie

Reply to
Charlie

I would think that BBQ would have more effect on the hypertension factor than the cholesterol. oh, and since they say that vinegar can help fight cholesterol, that's where the hot pepper vinegar comes into play.

Nope - no butter - i myself prefer an onion bun to loaf bread for the sandwich, and while the chocolate malt sounds good.....i'll take mine with a Dr. Pepper.

I don't know about mid-westerners, but we usually put the chips right in the grill (no weber, unfortunately). We use hickory, mesquite, or whatever happens to be on sale.

Chicken is good plain - if not dried out, but marinade helps with the moisture a little for the white pieces. And I agree with you on the left-overs - also makes pretty good chicken potpies!

ME TOO!

Rachael aka Rae

not rachael ray.........lol

Reply to
raeannsimpson

I have to agree with charlie on the drippings, but don't leave out the skin! Like the Royal Oak Lumps too - use them from time to time myself........... Rae

Reply to
raeannsimpson

Dry chips or wet? Don't have wild hickory trees here in California. Buy the chips dry in little plastic bags. To get them to smoke, instead of burn, I gotta soak them before use.

With chicken, we usually eat the thighs plain and put the breasts in salads. Some times I put a sauce on the breasts but not usually. Chicken breasts can get awfully dry, like trying to swallow sawdust, but that's where the fruit of the vine comes into the picture or, something like celery remoulade or, slaw salad.

Right back atcha.

- Billy Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Reply to
Billy Rose

I generally use them dry - i guess we do more "burning" here. with the kids and all - i don't always have the time it takes to smoke the meat. you never know what will happen from one minute to the next with a 2yr old and a

4 month old! dry chips cook faster to me, but of course, you don't always get a strong hickory, mesquite, etc., taste to the meat. If i know i'm gonna have help around (or if the hubby will be in early) and I have time for it to cook - then i will wet the chips before lighting up the grill, and smoke the meat. so to me - the preference of the chips (wet or dry) all depends on my prep time.........

oh yeah, on your earlier post about the aluminum and Alzheimer's, I've read a little about it - ( i was a nurse before we decided for me to stay home with the kids). I, myself, still use aluminum. I know that Alzheimer's is more of a hereditary thing. Unfortunately, it runs in my family. So I don't really understand how they can think that there is a link there. I just mark it as something's gonna get you one way or the other. that doesn't mean that I go about my life more dangerously, mind you. That's just my take on this matter. Would be interested to know if anyone has a newer report on this - say something from the last couple of years - I'm kinda out of the medical loop these days.............other than peds it seems. (lol)

Rae

Reply to
Rachael Simpson

Saturated fat is a treat for me. I usually save it for sauteeing (butter) and bone night (Sat. is spare ribs night, the "Hounds from Hell" insist on it:-) Otherwise, I eat canola oil and turkey this and turkey that. Use to like sea food but it is getting so polluted, I've shied-off. It is presently recommended that a person not eat more than 2 fish a month from San Francisco Bay and I think pregnant women are discouraged from eating it at all. We been using the oceans as septic tanks for too long.

Damn it Charlie, why'd you have to go tell me a thing like that? Oh, bloody hell. Lignite and anthracite? No wonder everybody is switching ove to gas barbecues. Fecal material. Damn. USED to use it to start and for chicken. Burned too fast for ribs so, then we use the real deal, usually mesquite. It seems like all the other briquettes have jet fuel in them so, I guess I'll have to go to straight charcoal or just buy a fuel injector.

Thanks buddy. Damn.

Always willing to learn and, keep your left up.

- Billy Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Damn!

Reply to
Billy Rose

Hmmmmm.......life sure is funny.

My D-I-L is a ped nurse. Other D-I-L is a special ed teacher.

My son, nurses's husband, is a mostly stay at home dad, when he isn't working here with us. Grandson is here then too, as well as lots of other times.

My Lovely taught, and then we decided that she would stay home with the boys. Led to homeschooling (thanks to series of articles in Mother Earth News) thru eigth grade....got their heads right enough that high school didn't hurt them too much.

Managed to go broke yet again. I'll skip how we got to where we are, just the where of it. I've been fighting the system for a long time, and was offered the chance to keep it up, from within one of the systems.

We live in a group home. (got yer 'tention with that, eh?)

We live with four people with severe and profound mental retardation, and who have varying degrees of physical disabilities. We are responsible for all areas of care, personal planning, scheduling....the whole bit, with nearly complete autonomy, for a variety of reasons.

We've been at this for, over twenty years if you count, the partime schticks Mona did since eighty-four.

With out going too much into detail, we've developed the whole garden and patio thing in response to the needs and behavioral issues that some of the folks had, plus it quite neatly dovetailed with our needs.

Nearly totally accessible, as well.

In a nutshell, we have seen some *marvelous* results by removing people from the absolute mayhem and frustration of a "day program" and helping them quielty enter into life with "normal" people. To the degree that they are able *and* want. The garden area has had a marvelous calming effect on two people in particular.

One good indicator of the results was the fact that frequent dr. visits ahve dwindled to basically a yearly physical and *lots* of meds have dropped and reduced, some were the nastier psychotropes, with which you are no doubt familiar.

Anyways, this whole bit has received alot of attention and we often get people "touring" just to see what we're all about(thats why the short leash bit, preps for it and finishing touches...tour was this morning) and as a result of our early efforts, years ago, our agency shut down the day program about ten years ago and everyone supported by the agency is "integrated" to the best of their abilities and desires.

We won't even go into what dietary changes have been accomplished (for the folks we support, I still like my bacon and will eat anything if it holds still long enough)

A couple of the other homes are now gardening and nearly all are doing some outdoor and planting, cooking stuff.

Anyway that's where we're coming from and why I am able to be online so often. I am always looking for new ideas for anything adn everything

I felt there was a reason I liked you.

Mysterious ways, eh?

Love ya, keep it up, yer one of the good ones Charlie (I really am a Charles)

BTW........wonder why I hate poisons?

Reply to
Charlie

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