Be Excellent To Each Other
https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/

Food & cooking
https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10937
Page 10 of 15

Author:  Malc [ Sun Aug 09, 2020 20:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

I figured it would be that, but it just struck me that I've been assuming that chips bad, new potatoes not so bad, because chips!

However, I barely use any oil, and the butter is probably just as bad. So yeah, I think they're probably about the same (although I'd probably eat a larger portion of chips than potatoes). And Jem just generally calories, fat content, carb content etc.

Author:  Zardoz [ Sun Aug 09, 2020 22:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

We do chips in an air fryer. Chips are cut first and put in a large bowl, add about a tablespoon of oil and seasoning and given a good mix up before cooking. Taste good and uses minimum fat.

Author:  Bamba [ Sun Aug 09, 2020 23:35 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Malc wrote:
just generally calories, fat content, carb content etc.


I mean that doesn't really answer the question as those are all different things. You probably just mean calories, but it's with worth being clear if you have a specific concern.

Author:  Malc [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 0:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Bamba wrote:
Malc wrote:
just generally calories, fat content, carb content etc.


I mean that doesn't really answer the question as those are all different things. You probably just mean calories, but it's with worth being clear if you have a specific concern.


No, I meant all three, and more!.

What I was specifically thinking was it would be great if there was an app that would give you the nutritional information of what you were cooking (I'm aware there are apps that if you manually tell it what you are eating it well tell you all that, I'm thinking more along the lines of you point the camera at your plate, or the pan or whatever and it comes up. )

Author:  Bamba [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Malc wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Malc wrote:
just generally calories, fat content, carb content etc.


I mean that doesn't really answer the question as those are all different things. You probably just mean calories, but it's with worth being clear if you have a specific concern.


No, I meant all three, and more!.


Your question was specifically which of the two foods was more "healthy". There's nothing inherently unhealthy about fat or carbs so your question can't really be answered. You'd need to define what you meant.

Author:  Mimi [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

You’d need something more akin to a mass spectrometer than a camera. You and I could both make a bolognese, one of us use 20% fat meat and 50g butter, and the other 5% mince and no added oil, and they’d essentially look the same to a camera.

The flower/plant identifying apps work brilliantly in this way, though.

Author:  Mimi [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

My friend once DJed which had more calories, toast or bread? I didn’t k ke, but gut feeling would be that some small number of calories would Be burned off in making the toast, but I know some food forms are more digestible when cooked. Google didn’t seem to give much help, either.

Author:  Malc [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Bamba wrote:
Malc wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Malc wrote:
just generally calories, fat content, carb content etc.


I mean that doesn't really answer the question as those are all different things. You probably just mean calories, but it's with worth being clear if you have a specific concern.


No, I meant all three, and more!.


Your question was specifically which of the two foods was more "healthy". There's nothing inherently unhealthy about fat or carbs so your question can't really be answered. You'd need to define what you meant.


By that measure there's nothing specifically unhealthy about calories either!

There is a range of values for all the things I outlined that are considered healthy (too much or too little is not as good as just right. But you know that and you're just being annoying for the sake of it.

Author:  MaliA [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 10:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Why would you use a mass spectrometer?

Author:  Bamba [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Malc wrote:
By that measure there's nothing specifically unhealthy about calories either!


There totally isn't! How 'healthy' do you think you would be if you stopped consuming calories? What the hell are you talking about?

Author:  Mimi [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

MaliA wrote:
Why would you use a mass spectrometer?

I didn’t say you would. I said you’d need something more akin to that (as in something able to measure the component parts of a substance, but something made for the specific job of food analysis) rather than a camera that only captures a surface impression. I probably worded it badly, but I meant that a camera would give you no idea of composition as two (for example) Bolognese dishes could look very similar but have very different nutritional values.

Author:  GazChap [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Any opinions on the Weber Smokey Mountain range of smokers? Looking at a 47cm one.

Author:  Malc [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Bamba wrote:
Malc wrote:
By that measure there's nothing specifically unhealthy about calories either!


There totally isn't! How 'healthy' do you think you would be if you stopped consuming calories? What the hell are you talking about?

Read the second paragraph and stop being deliberately obtuse.

Author:  Grim... [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

GazChap wrote:
Any opinions on the Weber Smokey Mountain range of smokers? Looking at a 47cm one.

Cras and Gaywood have one. They basically set the standard for barrel smokers, so they're a solid choice. You need a good thermometer to go with it, as the one it comes with isn't worth shit.

One of us, one of us ;)

Author:  Bamba [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Malc wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Malc wrote:
By that measure there's nothing specifically unhealthy about calories either!


There totally isn't! How 'healthy' do you think you would be if you stopped consuming calories? What the hell are you talking about?

Read the second paragraph and stop being deliberately obtuse.


*sigh*

Look, let's go back to your actual original question, which is what I've been attempting to get you to examine: "what's more 'healthy'; Food A or Food B?"

Both have an overall calorie count and then different make-ups of stuff like fats, proteins, etc. All of these things are required for your body to function so literally aren't inherently unhealthy, I would hope you'd agree to that much. Yes, there are generally recommended amounts of such things (although what's actually right for one person wouldn't be right for another person so even that's on slightly dodgy ground, but let's ignore that for the moment). However, different foods are going to have different amount of each macro. So what if Food A has more protein but Food B has more fat. Which of those is least or most 'healthy'? You can't answer that question because you'd be comparing two different things. Like pointing at an apple and an orange and asking which if them is more banana. If you were trying to compare stuff in terms of their likelihood to make you gain body fat then you could just directly compare the calorie counts, but I suggested that and you shot me down; so now I don't know what you're asking.

I'm not being obtuse, you're asking a question that can't actually be answered. And instead of considering your position and clarifying you're just calling me annoying and obtuse. Which is great.

Author:  GazChap [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Grim... wrote:
You need a good thermometer to go with it, as the one it comes with isn't worth shit.

As in, the one on the lid? Is that replaceable? Or is it "good enough" when paired with a food temp thermometer? From what I gather it has grommets that can be used to shove food thermometers in?

Grim... wrote:
One of us, one of us ;)

Hah, hardly. One of the things attracting me most to the WSM is that it's apparently very much "fire up and forget" - I'm not sure I'll ever have the skills or knowledge that you guys have ;)

Author:  KovacsC [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

GazChap wrote:
Grim... wrote:
You need a good thermometer to go with it, as the one it comes with isn't worth shit.

As in, the one on the lid? Is that replaceable? Or is it "good enough" when paired with a food temp thermometer? From what I gather it has grommets that can be used to shove food thermometers in?

Grim... wrote:
One of us, one of us ;)

Hah, hardly. One of the things attracting me most to the WSM is that it's apparently very much "fire up and forget" - I'm not sure I'll ever have the skills or knowledge that you guys have ;)


If you need a food tester.. I can offer my services :)

Author:  Malc [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Bamba wrote:
so now I don't know what you're asking.

Mostly for you to stop being like this.

Look, we could tediously go through this, but I have twice clarified my initial post already. I was after a nice light hearted discussion about chips and potatoes, and you've turned it into a boring discussion because I was a little bit vague. I can't speak for others, but I've seen it happen before on here and it's often you. So please unless you're adding to a conversation don't do it with me.

Thanks

Author:  Jem [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

DavPaz wrote:
Top tip! If you're making your own oven chips, add them to some simmering water for 5 minutes. Take them out, dry them off and let them cool before adding to the fat. Otherwise they'll be burnt black on the outside and raw in the middle.

Or just turn the oven down a bit.

Author:  BikNorton [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 14:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

GazChap wrote:
Any opinions on the Weber Smokey Mountain range of smokers? Looking at a 47cm one.

Don't get that one, get the biggest one.

It is very definitely not fire and forget. Smoking just isn't unless you have underlings to do the not forgetting for you, or one of Grim...'s doodads.

Not outside in this country anyway!

Don't get a Weber igrill monitor. Don't tell Helen I said this as it was a present, but it's shit.

Author:  Cras [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 14:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

GazChap wrote:
Grim... wrote:
You need a good thermometer to go with it, as the one it comes with isn't worth shit.

As in, the one on the lid? Is that replaceable? Or is it "good enough" when paired with a food temp thermometer? From what I gather it has grommets that can be used to shove food thermometers in?

Grim... wrote:
One of us, one of us ;)

Hah, hardly. One of the things attracting me most to the WSM is that it's apparently very much "fire up and forget" - I'm not sure I'll ever have the skills or knowledge that you guys have ;)


The thermometer on the lid measures the temperature of the lid, which isn't a whole lot of use. You'll definitely want cabled probes and yes, it has a grommit for passing those through the shell.

As Grim... said, the WSM is pretty much the standard for barrel smokers and it does its job very well. It's a bit leaky, but then all smokers are and it definitely does the job.

As regards fire and forget, well you'll need to learn some of the basics. How to control the fire so it stays within a set range is probably the main one, but a lot of that comes from practice.

Author:  Cras [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 14:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Also, what Bik said.

Author:  BikNorton [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 14:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

It's the TV principle.

I do have the biggest one and am still converting the garage.

That will inevitably still not be big enough.

Author:  Grim... [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 19:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Cras wrote:
It's a bit leaky, but then all smokers are

Weeeellllll ;)

Author:  BikNorton [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 20:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Cras wrote:
It's a bit leaky, but then all smokers are and it definitely does the job.

I've found getting long pieces of foil, rolling them into squished tubes, and jamming them down around the lid/barrel seat works well. Too well if anything, I really struggled to get the intake/exhaust right after doing that.

And if you mean the door - it's aluminium, just bend it.

Author:  BikNorton [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 20:24 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Also - don't just leave your smoker out in the weather like I do. The Weber is putting up a much better fight than the others I've had mind. The enamel is reet good.

Author:  GazChap [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 20:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

The one I was looking at comes with a cover, which I guess does the job.

I was seconds away from pulling the trigger on a 57cm WSM with an iGrill 2, but I'm just not sure I can justify nearly £500 at the moment on something that's not likely to get that much use.

Author:  BikNorton [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 20:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

We paid under £400 for a 57cm one. Sales be along soon enough, and smoking is an all-seasins hobby

Don't get an igrill.

Author:  Doctor Glyndwr [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 21:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

BikNorton wrote:
Don't get a Weber igrill monitor. Don't tell Helen I said this as it was a present, but it's shit.

Ummm, I really like mine!

Author:  Grim... [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 22:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

I find the (fairly) cheap InkBird thermometers to be just fine. Certainly better than anything with a needle.

Author:  Cras [ Mon Aug 10, 2020 23:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
BikNorton wrote:
Don't get a Weber igrill monitor. Don't tell Helen I said this as it was a present, but it's shit.

Ummm, I really like mine!


IIRC there are various iGrills with very varied reports of their quality.

Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 13:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Mine's an iGrill2. The Bluetooth is bullshit, though in fairness did improve slightly when I changed phone.

Author:  Doctor Glyndwr [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 13:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

BikNorton wrote:
Mine's an iGrill2. The Bluetooth is bullshit, though in fairness did improve slightly when I changed phone.

Same thing I have. BT range could be better, but I just leave my phone in the kitchen near the smoker. Then it puts my temperatures on my Apple Watch as long as that is within Wifi range of the phone, which is amazing and my single favourite IoT gimmick.

Author:  GazChap [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 15:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Yeah the WSM was £399 and the iGrill 2 was £90, with a little bracket to attach it to the smoker for £8.

Still umm'ing and arr'ing about it, I just don't know how much use it'd see and assuming that I'd need a hefty chunk of meat at a minimum it'd be an expensive fuck up ;)

Author:  Cras [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 16:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Pork shoulder and lamb shoulder are pretty cheap and pretty resistant to being fucked up. Don't try brisket as your first attempt ;)

Author:  Jem [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 16:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Cras wrote:
Pork shoulder and lamb shoulder are pretty cheap and pretty resistant to being fucked up. Don't try brisket as your first attempt ;)

And, bonus, I fucking love both pork and lamb shoulder.

Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 19:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

You don't need huge lumps, lots of little lumps work too! Ribs, wings, bratwurst (oh my god bratwurst), other sausages but trust me on the brats, burgers, chicken breast, pork chops. You can basically smoke anything and it'll be better. Potatoes and onions are good too! And I've done beef topside and pork loin for a change.

Author:  GazChap [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 19:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Cras wrote:
Pork shoulder

Presumably shoulders are more forgiving than butts?

(fnarr fnarr)

Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 19:12 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

The butt IS the shoulder.

Not even the bottom of it.

Author:  GazChap [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 19:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Oh, I'd seen some stuff online that suggested the butt and shoulder are part of the same bit of the pig, but different bits of the same part.

Perhaps if I do go down this road some nice pulled pork would be a good test run then :)

Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 20:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Yeah, it's... I guess the bit you'd use to butt in to a queue. If pigs queued.

I might ask my butcher to cut one out of a whole shoulder while I watch so I know for sure.

The same day I collect a full brisket.

Then I can die happy (3 days later).

Author:  BikNorton [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 20:39 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Pulled pork is super easy, don't listen to YouTube videos that say you've got to brine, inject, wet rub, dry rub, spritz.

Trim. Pat dry. Apply Dijon mustard. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder mix (40:40:20) all over. Smoke over good coal and pecan (best wood) and maybe a bit of apple at 275F +- 50F wildly opening and closing vents because fuck this stupid country's weather. Smoke some more. Get bored waiting for 205-210F, wrap in foil. Smoke some more. Rest for 10 minutes. Pull to shreds. Mix. Choke as you smash handful after handful against your face faster than you can chew and swallow.

Author:  Curiosity [ Tue Aug 11, 2020 21:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Today I did a potato and bean curry, along with about 20 colleagues on Zoom.

Was well fun, and we used the spice mix from a family in the company, which was spicy as fuck! Holla out to natural yoghurt for the save.

Plus our CEO sent all participants a fancy bottle of wine to drink with it. Yay!

Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Aug 30, 2020 19:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

I've been wanting to try a Texas chili for a while, and finally remembered that while in the Morrisons meat aisle the other day.

I'm sure puritans would take issue but I've got a version of https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/texas-chili.html on the go.

Author:  Grim... [ Sun Aug 30, 2020 20:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/ ... 19#p672419

Or the Serious Eats one.

Author:  Trooper [ Sun Aug 30, 2020 21:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

It turns out the serious eats chilli is serious eating.

Author:  Trooper [ Sun Aug 30, 2020 21:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

My cheap version of a chili recipe.

1kg of cheap 20% fat mince
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
random chili seasoning mix (could have been el paso)
cumin
smoked paprika
oregano
cayenne pepper
celery salt
salt
pepper
beef oxo cube
veg oxo cube
oxo chicken broth packet
ragu oil
2 can of chopped tomatoes (morrison finest)
1 can of kidney beans in chili oil
pack of 4 mixed chilies

Fry off the onion and garlic in the ragu oil
add chopped chillies, fry for a bit
whack in the meat and wobble it around till its vaguely brown
chuck everything else in
hoof it in the oven for 3-4 hours at 150C, stirring it whenever an episode of Mr Robot finishes
Skim off the fat to use for the next masterpiece

Author:  BikNorton [ Sun Aug 30, 2020 23:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Mine is better because, as Texas chili, it has a) lumps of beef, not mince, and b) bacon from start to finish.

It has now reduced by about 75% and the beef protein is juuuust starting to denature nicely.

Author:  Findus Fop [ Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

My current preferred chilli features the usual suspects, but with added:

* 250ml unsalted chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons (30ml) fish sauce
* 1 tablespoon (15ml) light soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons (49g) tomato paste
* 1 teaspoon (2.5g) unsweetened cocoa powder

Gives it a really interesting flavour.

Author:  Jem [ Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Food & cooking

Add a tablespoon of dark brown sugar to your chilli (or spag bol, and even some curries) to give richness to your sauces.

You're welcome.

Page 10 of 15 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/