Instant karma ........ bonehead mistakes

[noboundaries]

My wife and I like watching TV cooking shows, especially some of the elimination competitions. The competitors are usually professional chefs, restaurant owners, or accomplished competition champions. What causes the BS meter in our house to peg against the "oh that has to be scripted" pole is when they make boneheaded mistakes. They'll leave out key ingredients, forget to check something in the oven or smoker, or any one of a countless number of mistakes that make you think "how could they forget that?" Just last night we were watching a baking show and a professional chef forgot to put butter, a main ingredient, in her bread pudding. My wife and I both said "Oh, that's BS!"

So, this morning I'm getting ready to smoke a couple of cured and pellicle formed pork sirloins for Cabackian Bacon. Needing to use up some older wood, I load my WSM with peach, pecan, and RO Ridge charcoal, then fire it up with a few hot briquettes, liked I've done countless times before. Since it is going to be a low temp smoke, 200F, I didn't bother hooking up my Guru. I put my Maverick receiver next to my computer, and start working. I note the Mav and see the temp is climbing slowly toward my target.

After 20 minutes I look up and the temp has dropped twenty degrees. "What the.....OH CRAP!" I put the lid on the WSM with the top vent closed, a total bonehead move, and something I've never done before. I opened the top vent, burped all the bad smoke out of the smoker, fired up a propane torch to relight the hot coals, and everything is right in my world again. Thankfully, all this happened before I loaded the meat. Stale smoke is UGLY, kind of brownish looking.

I'll never again say, "Oh that's BS" when someone on a high pressure competition forgets something simple. Just a day after saying those exact words, I was reminded how easy it is to do when there's absolutely NO pressure.

Share any bonehead stories you might have. We're all human and boneheaded things are entertaining and can be made by anyone.

Have a GREAT day!

Ray

 

[driedstick]

Good one,, I have forgot to put Items in the smoker before,,, sat there and ran a couple hours before I see (cheese) still on rack on kitchen counter LOL

 

[worktogthr]

I took a small prime rib off the smoker a few years back and was transporting it to my sister in laws house to eat shortly after. Well since I always wrap up food I am transporting and was in a bit of a rush, I wrapped it in foil immediately off the smoker. It steamed from perfection to shoe leather in that 15 minutes. It was horrible.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Cabackian Bacon

Haaha! I am so stealing this!

I love doing Boy Scout method Dutch Oven cooking while camping. Its one of our family favorites to do roasted pork shoulder that way. The night before one such cooks, our friends we were camping with did the canned Chile with cornbread on top in one of the Dutch ovens. After the Chile & cornbread meal, it got filled with water to boil and clean out. The next day I set up two DO's with seasoned and marinated shoulder and closed the lids. The DO's get stacked on top of each other with a certain amount of briquettes on top and bottom to achieve a certain temperature. Somehow in the process of the charcoal starting and DO stacking one the DO's got swapped with the dirty chile & cornbread water. What a disappointment to open that lid when everyone was standing around hungry! But at least one of them was edible.

 

[troutman]

I'll admit to leaving vents closed....ah like more than once over the years :(

Had another bone head move just a few weeks ago. Got some twice baked potatoes done inside then decided to smoke them for a little added taste. The WSM still had plenty of heat from the cook so stuck them on and went about finishing dinner. Anyway, about half way through dinner (now at least an hour or so after I put them on), I have this "oh crap" moment. Bottom line, had to scrap at least an inch of the potato toppings off to even have something edible. Live and learn, should have set a timer :oops:

 

[noboundaries]

It's good to see my bonehead is in good company.

B.E.V, steal away! Disco inspired me to coin the term.

 

[tbrtt1]

I once put some chicken on my gasser and forgot...........until the next morning! The gasser was out because the propane tank was empty and the chicken pieces were essentially petrified and reduced to powder.

 

[noboundaries]

Okay, that was dodging a bullet. Whew!

 

[GaryHibbert]

I was smoking some salmon last week. After dry brining it overnight, i forgot to taste it for salt before putting it on the smoker. It was so salty that even I, who consider salt a food group, couldn't eat it.
Gary

 

[bluewhisper]

I'll bet every one of us has had something fatty like bratwurst or skin-on chicken get out of control over a fire.

 

[tallbm]

I made 30 pounds of venison brats 2 weeks ago and in the rush of things I think I seasoned 1 cup shy of the desired amount of seasoning for 30 pounds hahahaha. :eek: Now the most amazing brats I have ever tasted and brag upon taste no better then the super bland stuff on the store shelf hahahaha.

I can salvage the meat no problem squeezing it from the casings, adding more brat seasoning, and making patties but all of those casings, vac seal bags, and that stuffing effort is basically a loss hahaha.

I will also squeeze some out and add sage and more garlic and turn them into breakfast sausage which I made none of this year :)

 

[noboundaries]

Alright! This is what I'm talking about. I think younger folks often get the impression that us old kitchen salts who've been cooking for decades never make mistakes. Nope, we just keep quiet and hope no one notices.

When I'm making Kettle, WSM, or oven pizza, I ALWAYS forget at least one key topping. Last time I made pizza, a month or so ago, I organized my prep area in a specific order so I would not forget a thing. I finished two pizzas and was so proud I didn't forget a sauce, oil, cheese, or topping. Later, when I was putting the leftovers away, right in front of me in the refrigerator was the garlic I'd chopped for the pizzas and the "Three Cheese Italian" blend I always add to my fresh and grated mozzarella. DOH! My pizza forgett'n record remains unblemished.

Yeah, I know, as a former pilot I should live by checklists, but where's the fun in that?

 

[bluewhisper]

Having worked as a prep cook before, I know what you mean about setting out everything you will need before actually putting things together. Or, at least go through a checklist like Charcoal, yes, Wood, yes, Clean grates, yes, Side dishes, yes, Does the lighter work? Yes... Go.

As for the cooking competition shows, the strangest situation I've seen was when a competitor cut herself while prepping, and she had to put on a bandage which was not staying on well while she continued to prepare. She did not win because nobody trusted her food.

I like a segment I saw where a line chef was showing how he had everything he needed immediately at hand. As he put it, you could nail one of his feet to the floor and he could still do his job.

 

[noboundaries]

I remember a baking show where a competitor cut herself when she broke the glass bowl to her KitchenAid mixer. I think it was the Great British Bakeoff, but I could be wrong. I watched them fix her up and saw her start working again without putting on gloves. I changed channels and have no idea how the show ended, nor did I care.

 

[chopsaw]

Several years ago my wife had a friend that was married to a guy from Wisconsin . She told me they wanted us to come over for a BBQ , he had brats sent down from home . Cool . So we get there , he's out back . Has enough charcoal on a 22" kettle to do 5 cooks . Blazin hot . Brings out enough sausage to completely cover the grill , and puts the lid on . 5 minutes , and the smoke is thick and rollin out . He takes the lid off , and it BURST into flames . I mean blow your hat off flash fire . Tries to put the lid on so hot he drops it . Runs over gets the garden hose and just soaks the whole thing down . Looks to the house and says " Honey get me a plate , these are done "

No joke , one of the best brats I have ever had . I told him after we ate , " those were really good . I want to try that myself . I just need to know when to get the hose " He says , " Right after it burns all the hair off your face " .

 

[motocrash]

Haaha! I am so stealing this!

I love doing Boy Scout method Dutch Oven cooking while camping. Its one of our family favorites to do roasted pork shoulder that way. The night before one such cooks, our friends we were camping with did the canned Chile with cornbread on top in one of the Dutch ovens. After the Chile & cornbread meal, it got filled with water to boil and clean out. The next day I set up two DO's with seasoned and marinated shoulder and closed the lids. The DO's get stacked on top of each other with a certain amount of briquettes on top and bottom to achieve a certain temperature. Somehow in the process of the charcoal starting and DO stacking one the DO's got swapped with the dirty chile & cornbread water. What a disappointment to open that lid when everyone was standing around hungry! But at least one of them was edible.

Me too! I wonder if Disco will approve??:D

 

[bluewhisper]

Julia Child was famous for making mistakes and pressing on. It was almost like slapstick sometimes.

 

[troutman]

Julia Burns Food

Julia Flops Her Flip

Julia's Spoofed

Julia is a gem. I still prepare recipes she taught on TV decades ago. Miss seeing her, but yes even she had her moments !!

 

[Bearcarver]

Several years ago my wife had a friend that was married to a guy from Wisconsin . She told me they wanted us to come over for a BBQ , he had brats sent down from home . Cool . So we get there , he's out back . Has enough charcoal on a 22" kettle to do 5 cooks . Blazin hot . Brings out enough sausage to completely cover the grill , and puts the lid on . 5 minutes , and the smoke is thick and rollin out . He takes the lid off , and it BURST into flames . I mean blow your hat off flash fire . Tries to put the lid on so hot he drops it . Runs over gets the garden hose and just soaks the whole thing down . Looks to the house and says " Honey get me a plate , these are done "

No joke , one of the best brats I have ever had . I told him after we ate , " those were really good . I want to try that myself . I just need to know when to get the hose " He says , " Right after it burns all the hair off your face " .

Sounds like "Tim The Tool Man Taylor"!!

Bear

 

[noboundaries]

T-man, definitely enjoyed that first Julia Child video. A cooking and science lesson in one!