Smoked Cheesy Hashbrowns with Crawfish and Andouille Sausage

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Outstanding job KC! Definitely adding this one to the list! Congrats on the deserved ride!

 

[kilo charlie]

Outstanding job KC! Definitely adding this one to the list! Congrats on the deserved ride!

HAHA Thank you sir! I'm curious how you'd photograph a dish like this LOL

 

[creek bottom]

That looks and sounds outstanding! YUM!

 

[kilo charlie]

That looks and sounds outstanding! YUM!

Thank you!

 

[chilerelleno]

I'm using a run of the mill Android smartphone, a decent but not excellent camera.

Clean your lens.
Particularly on your cell phone, as they get dirty/clouded quick from fingerprints, other smudges and in our case steam from hot food.

No flash!

Lighting
Lots of bright diffused light.
I turn on every light in the kitchen.
I have two spots in my kitchen that I get the best pics in due to lighting.
Take it outside, especially on overcast days or in the shade of a tree or patio.

Angles
Get away from the Straight Down plated shots.
Get down with your subject, from on-level to 45°.
Turn that plate around and take multiple pics from every angle.
If one is blurred the 3rd or 6th may not be.

Get up close and fill the frame.
If you've a Macro setting,.try using it.

Focus
Focus in on your primary subject it's okay for the background to be blurry.

Learn your camera's settings and learn which settings works for your best pics.
Steady hands, brace your hands on their heels, elbows, a shoulder against the fridge.
Make yourself into mono, bi or tripod.

Staging
I definitely stage pics and use props.
Presentation is everything, make it look good.

Lots of pics!
I generally take strings of 4-6+pics in rapid fire from each angle.
Dozens of pics for each one I choose to post up.

 

[chilerelleno]

While hot, steamy food might make a great shot for one pic.
That cheese melting off a burger or something, Oh yeah, that's the ticket.
For something like a casserole.
I might go so far as to freeze a section so I can get clean cuts showing the layers and morsels of food within that photogenic cube of casserole.
Again, presentation is everything!
I'm not above actually placing morsels in the food in in the food in order to make it look it's best.
If it has crawfish and andouille sausage, they're going to be in the pic.
I like using fresh sprigs a herbs to compliment the primary subject.

Plating or presentation is art!

 

[kilo charlie]

I'm using a run of the mill Android smartphone, a decent but not excellent camera.

Clean your lens.
Particularly on your cell phone, as they get dirty/clouded quick from fingerprints, other smudges and in our case steam from hot food.

No flash!

Lighting
Lots of bright diffused light.
I turn on every light in the kitchen.
I have two spots in my kitchen that I get the best pics in due to lighting.
Take it outside, especially on overcast days or in the shade of a tree or patio.

Angles
Get away from the Straight Down plated shots.
Get down with your subject, from on-level to 45°.
Turn that plate around and take multiple pics from every angle.
If one is blurred the 3rd or 6th may not be.

Get up close and fill the frame.
If you've a Macro setting,.try using it.

Focus
Focus in on your primary subject it's okay for the background to be blurry.

Learn your camera's settings and learn which settings works for your best pics.
Steady hands, brace your hands on their heels, elbows, a shoulder against the fridge.
Make yourself into mono, bi or tripod.

Staging
I definitely stage pics and use props.
Presentation is everything, make it look good.

Lots of pics!
I generally take strings of 4-6+pics in rapid fire from each angle.
Dozens of pics for each one I choose to post up.

HAHA Thank you for the advice! I do play around with pictures a small amount... a dish like this is a PITA in my opinion and Misplaced Nebraskan takes some crazy good photos .. He needs something to challenge him HAHA

 

[kilo charlie]

I've staged a few pictures but not quite to that extent.. but I will keep that in mind for the future .. though I'm not sure there's going to be any of this dish available to freeze for a photo op for quite while LOL

 

[kilo charlie]

Here's a few things


Homemade Ramen Bowl

Air Fried Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Air Fried Sake Wings

 

[chew2475]

Smoked Cheesy Hashbrowns with Crawfish and Andouille Sausage​

7 oz Andouille sliced then quartered

16 oz frozen crawfish tails - Thawed

16 oz sour cream

2 cups shredded cheese

30 oz bag of Oreida Hashbrowns Thawed

1 Teaspoon Smoked Kosher Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 packet of Ranch Dip mix

1 10.5 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/4 to 1/2 cup crushed Kettle Cooked Jalapeño Chips

Using a LARGE bowl dump in sour cream and whisk in Ranch Dip mix then add Salt, Pepper, Soup and whisk together.
Add in hashbrowns, cheese and Andouille Sausage and whisk together. Add the crawfish tails last and don't over mix to keep them from breaking up.

Pour mixture in a disposable foil pan and smooth it out.Top with crushed jalapeño chips.

Put in smoker at 350F for 60 minutes or until the center is 160F IT.

I had pondered adding some Cajun seasoning but the crawfish had plenty on them and the Ranch Dip mix was a perfect balance to that.


Definitely not Misplaced Nebraskan quality photos....

View attachment 457975

View attachment 457976

So you said the crawfish had enough seasoning on them. What brand did you but already seasoned or do most frozen come with seasoning already. Us folks up here in CT don't experience crawfish much.

 

[kilo charlie]

Heck people in Canada Iowa don't have any experience with crawfish either.. . but the local Wal Mart carries this

 

[chilerelleno]

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
Dammit Man, those gotta be da'bomb for hor'd'oeuvres.

 

[kilo charlie]

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
Dammit Man, those gotta be da'bomb for hor'd'oeuvres.

And the best part.... made in my air fryer !!

 

[chilerelleno]

And the best part.... made in my air fryer !!

No Air Fryer here, but I've a well seasoned deep fryer.

 

[kilo charlie]

No Air Fryer here, but I've a well seasoned deep fryer.

I used to make them in the deep fryer and top them with shredded mango habanero cheese ... but what if I could change your mind about an air fryer ?

I may have a thread over here dedicated to just such a thing. First post is indexed for convenience.

I make tater tots in my air fryer at 400F for 12 minutes ... faster than an oven or a deep fryer can even heat up really.. and they are SUPER crispy and way better than either the deep fryer or oven.

 

[chopsaw]

I second the comment on the tots . That's awesome .

 

[chopsaw]

I make tater tots in my air fryer at 400F for 12 minutes ... faster than an oven or a deep fryer can even heat up really.. and they are SUPER crispy and way better than either the deep fryer or oven.

Yup . Some of the frozen potato products are including air fryer directions on the bags . Seems 360 is a common time . I use 400 also . I use that air fryer at least 4 times a week .

 

[kilo charlie]

Yup . Some of the frozen potato products are including air fryer directions on the bags . Seems 360 is a common time . I use 400 also . I use that air fryer at least 4 times a week .

I use mine at least that much too... makes for easy dinners after 12 hour shifts .... as you can see form my link above I make all sorts of things in mine... 400 is a good temp to get that CRISP!

When the weather declines to let me smoke or grill I can always make some air fried chicken wings or a cheeseburger or whatever.

 

[Smkryng]

Love it. May have to give this a try next weekend.

 

[kilo charlie]

Love it. May have to give this a try next weekend.

Let me know what you think if you do make it!