How To Make Marinated Steak Tips “Danvers Port Yacht Club Style”
Today David “The Singing Cook” and chef JV from the Danvers Port Yacht Club will be making marinated steak tips the way chef JV makes them for all the customers at the Danvers Port Yacht Club. JV also shows one of his special corn on the cob recipes on the grill to go with the marinated steak tips, so watch and learn with Dave and chef JV.
Lobster On The Grille With JV From Danversport Yacht Club
Welcome to another video from Dave “The Singing Cook” and JV, the executive chef at the Danversport Yacht Club. Today JV shows Dave how to cook lobster on the grille on a beautiful night at the Danversport Yacht Club in Danvers.
Using The Right Cooking Tools
Far too often people overlook the importance of using the proper tools when cooking fine meals. While there is nothing in the world that can quite compare to cooking with the finest and freshest of ingredients, these things can only be enhanced by making use of the perfect tools for the job at hand.
When it comes to pots and pans and skillets you should keep in mind that conductivity is of extreme importance. You should also select pots and pans that are made of a heavier gauge. This allows your pans to heat evenly avoiding hot spots, which can lead to food that may ‘stick’ to your pan or scorch during the cooking process. This means that simply stopping in at your local mass market retailer and purchasing any old set of pots and pans is probably not the best course of action for the best possible quality in your kitchen.
Kitchen knives are also important ingredients in the kitchens of today. If you plan to prepare many meals in your kitchen, then the quality of your knives is of the utmost importance. Your knives are an investment you shouldn’t have to make too often in your lifetime. For this reason, select a really good set and be prepared to make a sizeable investment in your knives. You will never understand, unless you’ve tried to prepare foods with knives of inferior quality, just how important it is to purchase good quality and well-balanced knives for your kitchen. You should also try the handles in your hand to see how comfortable they feel before purchasing a set of knives. If you do a lot of chopping and cutting during your meal preparation and cooking you will want to make sure that the knives you are using feel comfortable in your hands.
If you are like me and plan on cooking a great deal of meat then you should also invest in a jacquard. This useful tool helps not only when it comes to tenderizing rather rough and tumble cuts of meat but also pierces the surface so that rubs and marinades can penetrate for a more flavorful experience. This is by far one of my favorite kitchen gadgets and it isn’t a sizeable investment for the added value it provides to meals.
A good quality grater is another tool that no kitchen should be complete without. There are many who feel that with all the pre shredded cheese products on the market today this tool is obsolete but nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, pre grated and pre packaged cheese simply doesn’t touch the quality of flavor that freshly grated cheese provides. Second, cheese isn’t the only thing that these graters are useful for grating. Graters are excellent tools for grating citrus fruits, spices, garlic, chocolate, and even onions. If you do a good deal of baking in addition to your cooking you should not overlook the value of having a quality grater in your kitchen.
Of course there are many more cooking tools than I could possibly mention here. Those mentioned above simply happen to be among my personal favorites. There are all kinds of appliances that in my humble opinion no kitchen is truly complete without. In addition to these great appliances there are many tools that are simple matters of preference. Do you peel enough potatoes to warrant a special device for doing so or do you simply opt to purchase an ergonomically designed potato peeler and peel them by hand? There are no one size fits all answers when it comes to kitchen tools and many of us are often limited by serious budget constraints and restrictions. My best advice if this is the situation for you is to purchase the best possible quality you can afford and build from there. Even if it means replacing one pot or knife at a time until you can manage a complete set of superior quality cooking tools you will find it well worth the price you’ve paid in the long run.
Trouble Free, Labor Day Cooking “Singing Cook Style”
t’s almost a misnomer but there are plenty of ways that you can make the cooking for your Labor Day meal virtually labor free compared to years long past. At least the cooking that will take place on the actual holiday. This is a good deal in most homes as the ones doing the cooking really don’t get to enjoy the holiday and still have to go to work the very next day. By doing most of the labor for the meal preparation ahead of time you will have very little to do on Labor Day itself other than setting up the table and reheating the items that need to be heated.
The first thing you absolutely must do in order to enjoy a truly labor free Labor Day is plan ahead. Plan a menu that is full of items that can be prepared ahead of time and either stored, refrigerated, or frozen in such a manner that very little work will be required to have them ready to serve on the day of the main event. Some excellent ideas for this include foods such as vegetable trays (the veggies can be chopped a day ahead of time and stored in zipper bags in the fridge, sausage balls (these may be prepared well ahead of time and frozen), and frozen desserts.
Once you have the menu planned you need to do the shopping a bit ahead of time. Shopping close to the holidays is a little more hectic, a lot more crowded, and you are twice as likely to either not get the items you need or forget something from your list. Another thing is that you should have a list and just like Santa check it twice to make sure that everything on your list has been purchased. If not, you need to either go back into the fray and get it or (if the store is out) make immediate plans to stop in another store and pick up the missing item. You do not want to be going on a mad hunt for an open store on Easter morning.
Once you’ve done this, consider meals that can be made relatively trouble free in the crock pot. This means a few minutes of trouble in the morning, for each crock pot treat, and hands free cooking the rest of the day. Barbecue ribs and baked barbecue beans are popular crock pot items that require little prep work and taste great at the end of the day.
If grilling is indeed something that is an important labor day tradition try to do all the marinating and rubs the night before so that the grilling is straightforward and everything is ready to go in the morning. While you’re at it, you may want to toss a few of the veggies you set aside for the veggie tray onto the grill as well for another no fuss strategy and the work only had to be done once.
Another thing you need to do to limit your labor contribution to the Labor Day cooking is recruit help for the process. Invite friends and family that will be joining in the experience to bring specialty dishes that they prepare. This leaves you free from the need to prepare that particular dish and, equally important, from the need to clean up after the dish was made. If you have kids and a husband put them to work for the preparation and the clean up efforts. There is no rule written that says you have to do it all and you shouldn’t be expected to. Make others contribute their fare share and take a moment to have a nice cold glass of tea.
If you do all of the things mentioned above you will find yourself anticipating rather than dreading Labor Day and that your efforts really pay off quite well in the end. In fact, you may have time to hit the hammock for a little while if you’re lucky.
Outdoor Kitchens
Outdoor kitchens are becoming all the rage these days making family barbecues easier than ever! Cooking on the grill is a great way to entertain company or just feed the family without heating up the kitchen or making a mess for that fact. Running back and forth from the kitchen to the patio gets old. These days grilling is easier and more enjoyable by putting together an outdoor kitchen. Even the simplest of set-ups can make outdoor cooking more efficient. The fanciest ones mean you will not have to go back inside until all your guests leave because everything is right at your fingertips! Charcoal was great in the beginning but the gas grill took over because of its convenience. Today’s most advanced grills have side burners, storage space and work areas built right in. Everything is incorporated to your outside patio and entertaining is no longer a chore to prepare.
Installing an outdoor kitchen may be just the thing for you if you have frequent cookouts and everyone is intrigued with your barbecue skills. Maybe you grill in large amounts and need more of an easier way to do this. An outdoor kitchen also could be just for you if you have an unused patio or deck. If you’re wanting to move past the burgers and dogs and experiment with some savvy dishes an outdoor kitchen may be perfect for you.. Also if you’re tired of the outrageous electric bills due to your heating up the kitchen and your air conditioner working overtime. If any of these suggestions resonate with you, it’s probably time to do some outdoor kitchen shopping.
An outdoor kitchen can be as small or elaborate as you want with the grill being the centerpiece. The most common grills come with wheels that you can take with you when you move and come in a wide variety of sizes, features and price. These are also fun to take to the beach as well. If you are planning to incorporate the kitchen as a permanent part of your home, select a built in grill that will drop into a space on a cabinet with countertops that is built on site. This is much like your kitchen inside. Some of the accessories you will need are: baskets for grilling fish, vegetables or hush puppies, a griddle, tongs and a reliable meat thermometer. Side burners are included in most grills today but a camping stove can get the job done. Make sure your work space is sanitized for food preparation. There are a variety of lights for your outdoor kitchen but direct light is best for the work area.
Clip on are available to clip directly onto your grill so you can get your meat perfect in the center! Another consideration is a patio heater or fire pit if you are going to use the space year round in chilly environments. Insects can ruin the most elegant and well-planned parties so never forget to have repellents conducive to your location. If bugs were not enough, smoke in your guest eyes is not comfortable so don’t forget the exhaust hood. Other important things to remember are having enough electrical outlets, a refrigerator, sink and warming drawers to keep food heated till time to serve. An ice machine is also convenient (no ugly, bulky coolers) and of course the wine storage.
Portable Outdoor Grill
This is the ultimate portable outdoor grill.
Barbecue Sauces And Rubs
These are some of our favorite barbecue sauces and rubs that are sure to make a better summer barbecue event for you and your friends.
Fourth Of July Cooking Tips And Ideas
The Fourth of July is America’s Independence Day. It is a special day in the minds and hearts of patriotic citizens of this country and there are many ways we celebrate that patriotism. If you are looking for a little something extra to add to your Independence Day menu try some of the ideas below. Remember that the red, white, and blue of the American flag can be excellent color additions to your fabulous fourth menu and make it definitely firework worthy.
It is fairly safe to say that for most of the country the weather on the fourth of July is going to be a little bit on the warm side. While there are exceptions to every rule this is the general rule of thumb. For this reason you should prepare your menu according to that and avoid foods that are going to melt quickly or will not look as appealing in warm weather. You should also take proper precautions for storage and keeping things from spoiling by leaving them out in the elements too long. Store as much of the food as possible until it is time to serve.
This may somewhat limit your offerings but opens the door to other offerings. Rather than have chilled pies for dessert choose cake that can be stored at room temperature. There are sure to be a few chilled recipes or dishes that are best served and/or stored chilled. Be sure to have plenty of cold gel packs or ice on hand and plenty of ice chests and other appropriate containers, especially if you are going to be camping or cooking out away from home, on hand to take care of at least the amount of food you are contributing that needs cold storage.
If you are going to be camping out or enjoying the great outdoors on the fourth consider foods that can be prepared with a Dutch oven. There are many great recipes and these foods can pretty well cook for the prescribed length of time and served immediately if you plan properly. These ovens are quite useful and can prepare everything from cakes and muffins to stews, chili, and roast beef with vegetables. In other words, a Dutch oven opens doors that may not be widely available to the average camper on a cookout.
Foil packet meals are also excellent choices for your Fourth of July cookouts. These leave little mess, little fuss, and more often than not taste great. Dishes such as Hobo Stew and Creek Bank Potatoes are very popular and quite savory for the average cook out. They are also rather simple to prepare with few ingredients. This makes them an excellent choice for cooking on a grill or even in a Dutch oven if you have one at your disposal, which I highly recommend not only for Fourth of July meal preparations but also any time you are cooking in the great outdoors. You might find that you love it so much you don’t want to do without it.
Another great tip when cooking away from home on the Fourth of July is to keep things simple. You do not want to lug around stacks of condiments, dishes, bowls, trays, etc. Keep things as simple as possible and try to use dishes that require few ingredients yet still taste great. The more simple things are when dining in the great outdoors the more you can appreciate the simplicity of being in the great outdoors.
Don’t forget the appeal of simple hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats as great Fourth of July meal ideas. These foods are easy to prepare, easy to clean up, and go great with chips. No muss, no fuss, remember? The less time you spend on meal preparations, the more time you have available to get around to enjoying your time in our great countryside. I can’t think of many better ways to celebrate our independence as a nation than by enjoying it.
