What do you have on the grill or skillet?

This seems like a good time to revive this thread. I had lost my job in 2010 during the financial crisis, and I was out of work a lot longer than I originally anticipated. Like today, I was looking for something productive to fill my time, and decided I had no excuse not to learn how to barbecue. It’s a pretty perfect way to pass the time when quarantined, and it goes along with music really well.

Anyway, it’d be cool to see this thread a little more busy with so many of us at home. It doesn’t matter if it’s good, but maybe posting your thrown together pantry recipes may inspire others. In any case, here are the ribs I have on right now:

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They still have about an hour to go before I sauce them, but they are looking and smelling pretty phenomenal at the moment, PLUS, and more importantly, they occupied 6 hours of my day that I didn’t have to spend watching the news.

I use my own rub blend, but I always more or less follow the guidelines laid out here:

The whole trick to good bbq is temperature management. Once you can figure out how to run your grille or smoker at 225-250, you can cook anything as well as any expert. All you need is time, and most likely we all have a little more of that on our hands these days

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I just barbecued 6 weiners for supper. That was for two of us. :grin:

Did burgers yesterday. Home grilled burgers are my fabourite now.

I have been grilling for 40 years but was never great at it. About a year ago I started looking for tips on YouTube. The answers were so simple I feel like an idiot not knowing them. I do the same for most burgers and most steaks:
Apply virgin olive oil liberally. Then add salt and ground pepper. Put face down on the grill and do the other side.
Lastly, add some steak sauce depending on the steak or the mood.
I now enjoy my top sirloin/striploin as much as restaurant steaks.

With burgers add cheese. I now prefer these over Wendy’s or any other take out burger.

In both cases allow 5 minutes per side. I use my phone timer. No wonder so many steaks seemed dry in the past! :joy:

It took me until 58 to learn how to barbecue! That’s embarassing! :weary:

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Never too late. And once you learn how to do it in a way that works for you, you’re set for life. Youtube is seriously the best way to learn how to cook

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Follow up with money shot:

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Ok, so currently we are using up the fresh supplies first, I have ZERO desire to step foot anywhere outside my own neighborhood and scurry amongst the masses anytime soon. I figure I can go at least 3 weeks before I really start to hit the meats and veggies in the freezer. If I’m wrong about how long this lasts, the neighborhood cats and squirrels are in for it… :imp:
2 separate veggie, noodle and lentil based dishes prepping on the stovetop yesterday. These should last us till dinner tomorrow. I might make a yummy bean soup and throw on some latin style pork chili day after tomorrow, I’m still working out a system to maximize food stores.

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tge way Ido my ribs is by boiling the ribs first then finishing it off in the bbq its a faster method of doing things. and bbq it with a great soy sauce , brown sugar based sauce . its my favorite method of doing ribs. here is a great recipe to try out

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really jelous of that stove situation. im stuck with one of the glass top stoves doent get hot enough quickly enough for my liking i need something like that

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I’ve watched that video before. I like a lot of his recipes, but he can tire me out in long doses. Boiling the ribs definitely speeds up the process, and I will usually go that route if I’m stuck inside. But, if I have the time and I’m in the mood, I’d always prefer to take my time and smoke it over low heat

Love all the jalapenos you have rocking in with the veggies in the right

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Oh, I hate those and they hate me back…there was an incident 20 years ago :rofl: I got this one when we built the house, It just turned 19. SO many nicer ones out there nowadays…It gets the job done, it’s just a bitch to keep clean

true. if this shit keeps going and my job decides to go on a quarantine as well I may grab a smoker adn do some fishing and smoking what I catch to pass the time. so far though I got work.

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I just love cooking on gas stoves the family has one in the cottage but the one at home is glass top one. cleaning it isnt that bas just some soapy water and a sponge and its all good.

This isn’t going away any time soon. I’m also working from home, but there isn’t a lot of work to be done. As long as the weather is right and I am still stocked with charcoal, I’ll likely be cooking outside more than I ever have. The cleanup is easier, and all I have is time right now

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yeah i realize that. work is persistent though and refuse to close we aren’t essential but we a re private bussiness from what it seems the only way we close if the government forces us, we run out of work cause all the mines stopped operating. or if someone at work catches adn somehow every one made contact so everyone decides to self quarantine. and wiith 400 employees one the property adn around 100 in my building soemone is bound to cathc it if it keeps happening like this

outdoor stoves are also great to use while bbq’ng. you can whip up a nice sauce or a side dish while outside as well.

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I don’t do much camping, but I got into camp Dutch Ovens for a little while. It’s not the most practical way to cook if you have access to your kitchen, but it is fun. You just can’t expect perfect temperature control, and have to accept your cooks will be different from one time to the next:

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It’s fun to bust these out whenever I have a bonfire going. You can just throw one of these suckers right into the fire and make bread

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I work in the food service industry. We are normally seasonally busy for weddings for the next 3 months, and we have zero orders in our system. I’m lucky that they’ve kept me on for now. I’m one of about 20 not laid off out of a company of around 250, but if we can’t figure out a way to bring in business I expect to be laid off temporarily until the dust settles.

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Cinnamon applesauce pancakes
Now top with maple syrup straight from a farm in Northern Maine.

On the other hand, I love smoking ribs.
Do a rub with pinto bean seasoning, fresh ground black pepper and sea salt after tenderizing with a fork.
Wrap in plastic wrap and throw in the fridge overnight, preferably 24 hours.
Start the smoker with charcoal, apple wood chunks and cherry wood chips.
Keep temps between 200-250F
Every 45-60min, generously coat with brown sugar and local unfiltered honey(healthier, and the pollens can help combat allergens from local pollens.)
When almost done, coat with selected BBQ sauce (preferably something with a bit of bite to the heat, counteracts the sweetness in a good way.)
Just after pulling out, coat with a second baste of sauce, and leave to rest.
For sides, potato salad and corn on the cob.
Potato salad:
Boil red potatos after cleaning (DON’T YOU DARE REMOVE THEIR SKINS) until they can be pierced easily with a fork or knife.
After straining, mash and mix in mayo, hard boiled eggs diced, dill pickles, some of the pickle juice, and mustard to taste. Please don’t forget the fresh ground pepper, garlic and onion poweder. Again, to taste.
Corn on the cob? Throw them onto the grill, husk and all straight over the flames. Keep an eye on them, till you’ve blackened the husk.
Dig in.

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I cooked up some burgers yesterday. Spent an hour slicing up 4-5 potatoes real thin for frying up some chips in the oil in a big pan. Came out pretty good.

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This has been the best pantry/COVID-19 recipe I’ve tried so far. Easy as hell. You just need an egg, a package of ramen (try to go for higher end like Shin Cup or Cup Noodle-not Cup O Noodles), and a cup of cooked rice:

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