1st Cen Tex Que & Brew Event Day Two: The Main Event (More Insane Q-View)

[Steve H]

"If you hook me up with some of your pickled garlic, I'd be willing to make a small batch of my salsa with it and see how it comes out. :)"

Gerald, I have some of the pickled garlic left from last weekend. I don't know how much you'd need to make a small batch of your spicy salsa for Zach and I to sample some though. If I don't have enough on hand, it takes a month and a half for the stuff to pickle properly. Give me some idea of what you'd need and I'll check to see if I have that much.

Geez....one day on the lake away from the computer and I'm 40 posts behind :-)
Robert

Robert, the garlic takes that long even under vacuum?

 

[tx smoker]

"For sure the stuff I made 5 days ago is not even close , its good but it's still very hot."

Factoid that I have overlooked posting: Gerald came to the house for dinner the week before the event and I got out the pickled garlic for him to try. We both grabbed one and it was quite a fireworks display. At first bite you got a nice bolt of heat but then an absolute explosion of spicy hot!! It was literally like a bomb going off in your mouth. Not unpleasant if you like spicy food, it just caught both of by total surprise. After that explosion it tapered off to a nice pleasant spicy glow. Fast forward a week to the event last weekend. That "explosion" had mellowed considerably. You got a much more gradual build-up of spiciness until it hit the crescendo, then it started to taper off. Point being that letting it got for a while it will mature and a much more balanced flavor and spiciness will ensue.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

"Robert, the garlic takes that long even under vacuum?"

I honestly don't know Steve. I have a couple of vac seal machines but none of the vac seal jars so am not able to try it under pressure. As much as I'd like to give it a shot, it's just not worth it to me to go out and drop a bunch of money for things I may only use once in a while. I have the patience to wait (sometimes) for the stuff to mature before really digging deep into it so it's not a big concern for me....but I may change my mind real soon depending on how what I plan to make day comes out

About to smell up the house,
Robert

 

[forktender]

I'll eat 2 every other day to see long it takes them to mellow out a bit.

I've benn trying to figure out what I can make with the pickled garlic.
Do you guys just eat them as snacks? Or have you made anything with them?
I'll try them in egg salad when they are ready. Besides that Im drawing a blank with these, which is rare.for me.

 

[Steve H]

"Robert, the garlic takes that long even under vacuum?"

I honestly don't know Steve. I have a couple of vac seal machines but none of the vac seal jars so am not able to try it under pressure. As much as I'd like to give it a shot, it's just not worth it to me to go out and drop a bunch of money for things I may only use once in a while. I have the patience to wait (sometimes) for the stuff to mature before really digging deep into it so it's not a big concern for me....but I may change my mind real soon depending on how what I plan to make day comes out

About to smell up the house,
Robert

Ok, I'm hoping to do a batch tomorrow. And they'll be vacuum sealed. I'll keep ya'll informed.

 

[Steve H]

I'll eat 2 every other day to see long it takes them to mellow out a bit.

I've benn trying to figure out what I can make with the pickled garlic.
Do you guys just eat them as snacks? Or have you made anything with them?
I'll try them in egg salad when they are ready. Besides that Im drawing a blank with these, which is rare.for me.

I'm thinking mixed with sauteed veggies, on pizza, use them when I make dill pickles and cauliflower. I'm sure I'll come up with other ideas. Oh, and eat plain!

 

[tx smoker]

"I've benn trying to figure out what I can make with the pickled garlic.
Do you guys just eat them as snacks? Or have you made anything with them?"

I've been known to just pop the whole cloves in my mouth and eat them like candy. I'll also do them with sausage, cheese & crackers, or as a side dish as I did with the meal I posted (a lot of posts ago) in this thread for the event. I'm known to make a really good spicy Italian red sauce with homemade sausage. When the weather cools down a bit I'm planning to make that sauce using the pickled garlic. I mean hey....ya just can't do Italian without a preponderance of garlic, now can you? Gotta admit though, I do like Steve's idea of using it on a pizza.

 

[snakehead]

"I can't wait to throw a big batch together. Thank you once again for the great recipe.

Dan"

Here is another similar but slightly different version of Gerald's recipe. This came to me from a forum member who was born, raised, and still lives in Southern Louisiana. I just love this stuff!! In addition to the fish, I use it on grilled shrimp....and a bunch of other stuff. Gerald....correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you use this on the first batch of bacon we did for you and it came out amazing?

2 Tbsps. Paprika
1 Tbsp. granulated Garlic
½ T Onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried Thyme
1/2 tsp. dried Oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Here is a pic of dinner I made one night when Tracy was out of town (she can't eat fish) that is blackened Tilapia, BBQ shrimp, parsley potatoes, and grilled asparagus topped with Parmesan cheese

View attachment 403368

It's good stuff!!
Robert

Yeah, it was pretty good on the bacon. Then again, it was bacon. How could it be bad?

 

[snakehead]

"If you hook me up with some of your pickled garlic, I'd be willing to make a small batch of my salsa with it and see how it comes out. :)"

Gerald, I have some of the pickled garlic left from last weekend. I don't know how much you'd need to make a small batch of your spicy salsa for Zach and I to sample some though. If I don't have enough on hand, it takes a month and a half for the stuff to pickle properly. Give me some idea of what you'd need and I'll check to see if I have that much.

Geez....one day on the lake away from the computer and I'm 40 posts behind :-)
Robert

In thinking about it further, I’m not sure the pickled taste would really come out great with the salsa, and if anything, it would just make the salsa bit spicier if anything. That said, I’d need a small handful, about 10 cloves is all for a couple containers.

 

[snakehead]

I'll eat 2 every other day to see long it takes them to mellow out a bit.

I've benn trying to figure out what I can make with the pickled garlic.
Do you guys just eat them as snacks? Or have you made anything with them?
I'll try them in egg salad when they are ready. Besides that Im drawing a blank with these, which is rare.for me.

A couple of ideas, because I like challenges like this...

You could try studded a little pork roast with the garlic and smoking it. You could also take a sharp knife and poke holes in a rib roast, shove the garlic in the holes, then apply rub and roast it.

I also wonder how it would be if you roasted them with a drizzle of olive oil, wrapped in foil until tender, then smearing on a fresh loaf of french bread.

Another thought would be to chop up finely, then top freshly made crisply french fries with them along with some sea salt.

 

[Steve H]

A couple of ideas, because I like challenges like this...

You could try studded a little pork roast with the garlic and smoking it. You could also take a sharp knife and poke holes in a rib roast, shove the garlic in the holes, then apply rub and roast it.

I also wonder how it would be if you roasted them with a drizzle of olive oil, wrapped in foil until tender, then smearing on a fresh loaf of french bread.

Another thought would be to chop up finely, then top freshly made crisply french fries with them along with some sea salt.

I like how you think! Using it for garlic bread with say, melted cheddar and double smoked ham.....

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

All this garlic and salsa talk! I'm in for all the above

 

[tx smoker]

"But I will be sure to post up the finished product on your thread if it's Okay with you?"

Well Dan, look at what you done went and done dammit. You took a perfectly good thread, expanded it by a mile, revived an older thread by Steve, got half of SFM pickling pretty much everything under the sun (including me), and made this thread way better This sir was exactly what I was talking about when you asked the question above and I responded. This post has covered a lot of ground, especially when you add Ci Ci's cheesecake squares into the equation. The crux of this forum to a "T".

Well....I took a bit of time yesterday and got a few things going based on the excitement that all this pickling talk has conjured up. Did some spicy pickled eggs, some cucumber spears, and some cauliflower.

Here's a pic of all three

Close up pics of all three

The eggs and cauliflower were both done with Steve's brine. The cucumber spears were totally different. I just kinda shot from the hip making it up. I wanted a bit of tingle but some garlic also....sort of a slightly spicy garlic kosher dill but with a different flavor profile. If anybody is interested in that brine, please just say so and I'll post it. As of now it's just written down. As soon as I taste it, which I may do a bit later, I'll make adjustments (if necessary) then type it into a Word document and save it. The cukes should pick up on the flavor pretty quick. The eggs were actually floating yesterday afternoon but appear to be absorbing the brine and are no longer floating. The cauliflower looks to be changing color already, which is a sign that it may be done pretty quick.

This is gonna be fun!!
Robert

 

[Steve H]

Yeah, yeah. Blame us!
So, I got to thinking about this garlic thing. I've also been wanting to do some more sausage. So...........

Layers of lil smokies and garlic.

Then added the brine and vacuum sealed.

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Yeah, yeah. Blame us!
So, I got to thinking about this garlic thing. I've also been wanting to do some more sausage. So...........

View attachment 403532

Layers of lil smokies and garlic.

View attachment 403533

Then added the brine and vacuum sealed.

now this... This right here... looks/sounds/IS amazing!

I need this in my life. My HEB List grows by the day!

 

[tx smoker]

"Yeah, yeah. Blame us!"

Yep. It's called "plausible deniability" and it's ALL your fault

"So, I got to thinking about this garlic thing. I've also been wanting to do some more sausage. So........."

Damn Steve...I fell in love and went into cardiac arrest at the same time when I saw those pictures. Absolutely beautiful and over-the-top creative. Now to the funny part. The first thing I ever did in your brine was the Lil' Smokies. The second thing was garlic cloves. To see both of them in one jar is jaw dropping!! Way to go sir!!

Now for an update on what I have going. The cukes are absolutely perfect!! Nailed the brine and it's exactly what I was looking for. A really nice flavor with a good hint of spice on the back end. My only potential take-away is that they may need more garlic. That's tough to say at this juncture though and may be a bit premature because I ate one after only 1 day. It is definitely worthwhile to get the brine recipe typed into a Word document and share it here.

The cauliflower is pure insanity but in a very good kinda way. It is really absorbing the flavor of the bring and turning a deep orange color....also after only 1 day. The florets look more like Habanero peppers versus cauliflower, and pack about the same whallop. Can't wait to try one in another couple of weeks. I'm gonna have 911 on speed dial before chomping into it though

Did not try the eggs yet but as already noted, they have absorbed enough brine that they are no longer floating. They too are turning the same deep orange color as the cauliflower but not as quickly. I'll wait another two weeks before getting one of those babies out....but it's gonna be fun!!

In awe of Steve's masterpiece,
Robert

 

[Steve H]

"Yeah, yeah. Blame us!"

Yep. It's called "plausible deniability" and it's ALL your fault

"So, I got to thinking about this garlic thing. I've also been wanting to do some more sausage. So........."

Damn Steve...I fell in love and went into cardiac arrest at the same time when I saw those pictures. Absolutely beautiful and over-the-top creative. Now to the funny part. The first thing I ever did in your brine was the Lil' Smokies. The second thing was garlic cloves. To see both of them in one jar is jaw dropping!! Way to go sir!!

Now for an update on what I have going. The cukes are absolutely perfect!! Nailed the brine and it's exactly what I was looking for. A really nice flavor with a good hint of spice on the back end. My only potential take-away is that they may need more garlic. That's tough to say at this juncture though and may be a bit premature because I ate one after only 1 day. It is definitely worthwhile to get the brine recipe typed into a Word document and share it here.

The cauliflower is pure insanity but in a very good kinda way. It is really absorbing the flavor of the bring and turning a deep orange color....also after only 1 day. The florets look more like Habanero peppers versus cauliflower, and pack about the same whallop. Can't wait to try one in another couple of weeks. I'm gonna have 911 on speed dial before chomping into it though

Did not try the eggs yet nut as already noted, they have absorbed enough brine that they are no longer floating. They too are turning the same deep orange color as the cauliflower but not at quickly. I'll wait another two weeks before getting one of those babies out....but it's gonna be fun!!

In awe of Steve's masterpiece,
Robert

Thanks Robert.I'm going to be doing some cauliflower in the spicy brine next. Eggs will be awhile. I still have a couple dozen that are in normal brine yet.

 

[tx smoker]

Well here y'all go. This is the recipe for the brine that I made up and used on the cucumber spears. Just had another one and they are fantastic....but will only get better with time

4 large cucumbers cut into spears
½ large white onion chopped
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 T minced garlic
1 ½ t black pepper
1 t crushed red pepper
1 t salt
½ t Trinidad Scorpion Pepper infused sea salt
¼ t cayenne

Adjust red pepper and cayenne according to taste if you don't have the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper sea salt. It'll still be really good

Enjoy!! I know I will....
Robert

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Well here y'all go. This is the recipe for the brine that I made up and used on the cucumber spears. Just had another one and they are fantastic....but will only get better with time

4 large cucumbers cut into spears
½ large white onion chopped
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 T minced garlic
1 ½ t black pepper
1 t crushed red pepper
1 t salt
½ t Trinidad Scorpion Pepper infused sea salt
¼ t cayenne

Adjust red pepper and cayenne according to taste if you don't have the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper sea salt. It'll still be really good

Enjoy!! I know I will....
Robert

Interested in this as I'm on a spicy pickle kick!

 

[tx smoker]

You have been invited for boating and Tomahawk Rib Eye steaks this weekend. If you're able to make it out you can test taste the ones I have going :-)

Robert