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Dry-aged ribeye and shopping in Stockholm, Sweden

Dry-aged ribeye and shopping in Stockholm, Sweden
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  • Post #31 - September 4th, 2007, 3:55 am
    Post #31 - September 4th, 2007, 3:55 am Post #31 - September 4th, 2007, 3:55 am
    Nothing groundbreaking to add here but I had another incredible steak from Willy Ohlsson's last night.

    30-day, dry-aged entrecote:

    Image

    The chanterelles looked good enough to warrent a purchase directly instead of heading out into the forest to find my own. They also had some freshly harvested heads of savoy cabbage.

    Image

    Remembering a hunk of hand-smoked bacon I'd picked up this weekend at the Stockholm Flower Show (the guy was primarily selling his homemade smoked sausage but when I saw this chunk of bacon sitting around, I begged him to let me buy it. For those interested, he was smoking with birch.), I starting getting an autumn grill menu put together:

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    Grilled entrecote, sauteed chanterelles, creamed savoy cabbage with bacon and roasted potato wedges.

    I started by cutting the bacon into batons and gently browning it.

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    I then turned down the heat and added about a tablespoon of flour. After letting the flour cook for a few minutes, I added equal parts of veal stock and milk/cream:

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    To this mixture, I added the chopped, blanched savoy cabbage. There's no problem in letting this sit for 15 minutes or so as the cabbage had lots of texture that took a little time to soften.

    Next, the chanterelles. As with most mushrooms, the less you do with them, the happier they are.

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    Sauted in butter and high heat until the moisture evaporates. Add minced shallots (about one):

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    Let the shallots soften and add a pinch of cayenne and a few tablespoons of cream:

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    Get your potatoes roasting and start the grill.

    I decided to do the famous GWiv trick of grilling directly over the charcoal starter (not sure now where I've seen your pics of this, Gary. If you've got a link, I'd love to insert it here!).

    A couple of grilling pics:

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    (Not the best quality perhaps but it's getting dark over here!)

    Done:

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    And plated:

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    Served with an excellent 1995 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904:

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    All in all, an excellent, inofficial end to this year's grilling season. Gary's trick works wonderfully if one is only grilling one or two steaks and is looking for a serious char on a rare steak. Not quite black and blue but about as close as I want.
    Last edited by Bridgestone on September 5th, 2007, 12:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
  • Post #32 - September 4th, 2007, 7:25 am
    Post #32 - September 4th, 2007, 7:25 am Post #32 - September 4th, 2007, 7:25 am
    Bridgestone wrote:I decided to do the famous GWiv trick of grilling directly over the charcoal starter (not sure now where I've seen your pics of this, Gary. If you've got a link, I'd love to insert it here!).

    Bridgestone,

    Grilling with a charcoal starter (link) is not of my invention, I learned it* from Buzz Dean, a Wisconsin BBQ man of some note. Sure works well for small amounts though, doesn't it?

    Your meal looks fantastic, as always, in particular the chanterelles. My wife and I had a not-so-bad meal ourselves at the Steve Z household last evening. Dry-age steaks from Whole Foods on Cicero/Peterson, Mirai corn, Mrs Z's Slaw, baked potato and a Hawk Crest Cabernet.

    Enjoy,
    Gary

    *Years before Alton Brown showed the method using tuna on his Food Network Show)
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #33 - September 4th, 2007, 5:38 pm
    Post #33 - September 4th, 2007, 5:38 pm Post #33 - September 4th, 2007, 5:38 pm
    If you keep your lit charcoal in a chimney starter and cook in that way, do you exhaust your charcoal faster? I've no experience using the device to cook with or to start charcoal.

    I've used a shichirin (ceramic grill) in Japan which in some ways is similar, but assume that the chimney used in this fashion is less efficient in conserving heat and moisture than a shichirin.

    I understand the quick sear under high heat w/ the chimney, but will the coals die down in the chimney and burn less "hot" so to speak after while?
  • Post #34 - September 4th, 2007, 6:10 pm
    Post #34 - September 4th, 2007, 6:10 pm Post #34 - September 4th, 2007, 6:10 pm
    Ah, Bridgestone, you've done it again: set all our hearts/palates atwitter with your saga.

    But I think what snagged me the most was your throwaway
    The chanterelles looked good enough to warrent a purchase directly instead of heading out into the forest to find my own.
    As if we in the burning Midwest Summer could indeed hie ourselves out into the forest, there, moreover, to find wild chanterelles! As if, again.

    Sigh. Don't even think I've ever even *seen* any chanterelles for sale in Kansas City. Montreal, sure; but KC, not.

    Anyway, my housie, to whom I sent the co-ordinates of your thread, was like totally unable the livelong day to purge his imagination of your images. Soooo, even as we speak, he's out foraging for first-line Kansas City strips for this evening's repast. Don't know that we'll be able to score anything as beautiful as yours, but, we'll do what we must.

    Tnx again for a great show!

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)
  • Post #35 - September 4th, 2007, 6:50 pm
    Post #35 - September 4th, 2007, 6:50 pm Post #35 - September 4th, 2007, 6:50 pm
    G Wiv wrote:Grilling with a charcoal starter (link) is not of my invention, I learned it* from Buzz Dean, a Wisconsin BBQ man of some note. Sure works well for small amounts though, doesn't it?
    *Years before Alton Brown showed the method using tuna on his Food Network Show)


    Is the point of this method to concentrate the fire in a small area or to bring the coals closer to the meat? Could you get similar results by using one of those miniature grills or a hibachi?
  • Post #36 - September 4th, 2007, 8:13 pm
    Post #36 - September 4th, 2007, 8:13 pm Post #36 - September 4th, 2007, 8:13 pm
    LAZ wrote:Is the point of this method to concentrate the fire in a small area or to bring the coals closer to the meat?

    Both.

    LAZ wrote:Could you get similar results by using one of those miniature grills or a hibachi?

    I'm sure you could, but who can wait...:)

    Super as always, Bridgestone!
  • Post #37 - September 5th, 2007, 1:08 am
    Post #37 - September 5th, 2007, 1:08 am Post #37 - September 5th, 2007, 1:08 am
    LAZ wrote:Is the point of this method to concentrate the fire in a small area or to bring the coals closer to the meat? Could you get similar results by using one of those miniature grills or a hibachi?

    LAZ,

    The point of the method, at least for me, is utilizing something I have on hand, a Weber Charcoal Chimney Starter, to quickly cook a single steak using a small amount of charcoal.

    Hibachi or miniature grill would work, but the Weber chimney starter is a dynamo, after all it's purpose is to quickly and efficiently light charcoal, and gives a lovely high-heat sear.

    For a single steak you would still have to light the coals, presumably in a Weber chimney starter, for the hibachi so why not just grill right on the chimney starter.

    Enjoy,
    Gary
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #38 - September 5th, 2007, 1:21 am
    Post #38 - September 5th, 2007, 1:21 am Post #38 - September 5th, 2007, 1:21 am
    Jay K wrote:I understand the quick sear under high heat w/ the chimney, but will the coals die down in the chimney and burn less "hot" so to speak after while?

    Jay,

    The point of the method is, as I mentioned to LAZ, utilizing something I have on hand to quickly cook a single steak using a small amount of charcoal.

    Using a standard Weber chimney with lump charcoal concern over coals dieing down before a steak is cooked is not an issue.

    If you have multiple steaks or a roast this is not the method I'd recommend.

    Enjoy,
    Gary
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #39 - September 5th, 2007, 11:23 am
    Post #39 - September 5th, 2007, 11:23 am Post #39 - September 5th, 2007, 11:23 am
    Not to butt in, but a point to emphasize here is that the chimney starter is a chimney. Cool air rushes in through the vents on the bottom and rapidly feeds the fire before exiting hot and fast at the top. The blast of heat from a chimney starter probably can't be replicated by using a small grill.
  • Post #40 - September 5th, 2007, 11:41 am
    Post #40 - September 5th, 2007, 11:41 am Post #40 - September 5th, 2007, 11:41 am
    JeffB wrote:Not to butt in, but a point to emphasize here is that the chimney starter is a chimney. Cool air rushes in through the vents on the bottom and rapidly feeds the fire before exiting hot and fast at the top. The blast of heat from a chimney starter probably can't be replicated by using a small grill.


    Yes, I think that's the key point. Grilling on the chimney is great when you want a lot of heat, very fast for a small amount of food.

    When I would light my chimney for my smoker, I used to sit it on a stack of bricks, configured to allow air flow into the bottom. That stack of bricks has been reduced to gravel and dust. I also set it down once on a fireproof mat after I had emptied it. It burned a hole right through the mat in minutes. They get crazy-hot.
  • Post #41 - September 5th, 2007, 4:54 pm
    Post #41 - September 5th, 2007, 4:54 pm Post #41 - September 5th, 2007, 4:54 pm
    JeffB wrote:The blast of heat from a chimney starter probably can't be replicated by using a small grill.

    The Weber charcoal chimney is a "dynamo"
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #42 - September 5th, 2007, 5:06 pm
    Post #42 - September 5th, 2007, 5:06 pm Post #42 - September 5th, 2007, 5:06 pm
    Yup, chimneys are not grills. In fact, Gary's referring to the Weber as a "dynamo" ain't far off. If you want to check out the physics & engineering, here's a great place to begin.

    http://www.crest.org/discussiongroups/r ... ftcalc.htm

    Yee-hah! :^)

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)
  • Post #43 - May 23rd, 2008, 11:22 pm
    Post #43 - May 23rd, 2008, 11:22 pm Post #43 - May 23rd, 2008, 11:22 pm
    It's been awhile since I've: a) been able to make it to the market and, b) had reason to celebrate. Yesterday, however, finally gave me a chance!

    There's not too much to add over the other discussions/instructions included in this thread so I'll keep things mostly short.

    The goods from the market:

    Image

    That's a 1 1/2 pound, 30-day dry aged porterhouse, a block of Échiré butter, 6 stalks of picked-yesterday asparagus from Gotland and a bunch of fresh tarragon.

    Some close-ups:

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    I, once again, picked up some appetizers, too:

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    Those are two Swedish belon (top-left), two Pousse en Claire (right) and two other French oysters (Sorry... I'll check next time I'm back and edit this...)

    I'd recently read that the Swedish belons are all wild (i.e., there is currently no farming of Swedish belons) and hand-harvested by divers.

    Opened...

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    ... and served:

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    After the oysters, I started frying some cubed potatoes in duck fat:

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    The rest:

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    Served with the potatoes, asparagus and homemade Béarnaise sauce:

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    I've had a lot of outstanding beef from Willy's in Östermalmhallen but I'm almost certain that this takes the prize. The butcher had (in my opinion) been a little zealous in trimming this steak but neither he nor I dared touch the filé side. So, it was grilled and, yes, eaten with that rind of funky, dry, dark beef. That deep funky flavor combined with the melting texture of the aged tenderloin was a knock-out. The strip didn't disappoint, though, either. This steak had been aged for 30 days although I'm guessing that the side it belonged to had sat in the case for a little while as they don't seem to sell too much bone-in beef. In addition to their normal selection of 30 and 60-day, dry aged ribeyes they had 30-day bone-in ribeyes and this one half-side of 30-day porterhouses/t-bones.
  • Post #44 - May 24th, 2008, 7:26 am
    Post #44 - May 24th, 2008, 7:26 am Post #44 - May 24th, 2008, 7:26 am
    Bridgestone, beautiful post once again - I've missed seeing them. Had to call the wife over to show off your pics and professional kitchen-work.

    How come they don't give you a cooking show in Stockholm?
  • Post #45 - May 24th, 2008, 8:26 am
    Post #45 - May 24th, 2008, 8:26 am Post #45 - May 24th, 2008, 8:26 am
    Ahhhh, Bridgestone! Not only do I envy you the food—local, WILD, belons indeed [I swoon!]—but the production quality on your pix is only to be envied...

    Tnx so much for sharing!

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)
  • Post #46 - May 24th, 2008, 8:38 am
    Post #46 - May 24th, 2008, 8:38 am Post #46 - May 24th, 2008, 8:38 am
    Thanks you two!

    Your kind comments truly mean a lot.
  • Post #47 - May 24th, 2008, 3:52 pm
    Post #47 - May 24th, 2008, 3:52 pm Post #47 - May 24th, 2008, 3:52 pm
    Bridgestone wrote:Your kind comments truly mean a lot.

    Bridgestone,

    If you would have heard my comments as I gazed upon your drool worthy porterhouse you might have thought I was cursing at you, but it was only a case of mild meat envy rearing its ugly head. :)

    Enjoy,
    Gary
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #48 - May 24th, 2008, 3:59 pm
    Post #48 - May 24th, 2008, 3:59 pm Post #48 - May 24th, 2008, 3:59 pm
    Lovely photos, though adding butter to beef like that seems beyond gilding the lily to me.

    Bridgestone wrote:Image
    Are those very large flakes sprinkled on the steak just salt, or something else?
  • Post #49 - May 24th, 2008, 5:42 pm
    Post #49 - May 24th, 2008, 5:42 pm Post #49 - May 24th, 2008, 5:42 pm
    Looks like Maldon salt to me. I must say I've never put maldon on pre-cooking, always at the end.

    As for the butter, man, I don't care if it's gilding the lily, it looks fantastic.
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #50 - May 24th, 2008, 7:56 pm
    Post #50 - May 24th, 2008, 7:56 pm Post #50 - May 24th, 2008, 7:56 pm
    LAZ wrote:Lovely photos, though adding butter to beef like that seems beyond gilding the lily to me.

    And a delicious looking lily at that!
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #51 - May 24th, 2008, 9:46 pm
    Post #51 - May 24th, 2008, 9:46 pm Post #51 - May 24th, 2008, 9:46 pm
    Damn! I think I just wet myself looking at those pics. :)

    Bridgestone, you are truly an inspiration.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #52 - May 25th, 2008, 1:03 am
    Post #52 - May 25th, 2008, 1:03 am Post #52 - May 25th, 2008, 1:03 am
    Ahhh... Nothing like a little LTHForum* love first thing on a Sunday morning. Thanks all of you!

    Crystals = Maldon sea salt (excellent identification, gleam).

    * To me, LTHForum has always been "Home of the gilded lily".
  • Post #53 - May 25th, 2008, 10:08 pm
    Post #53 - May 25th, 2008, 10:08 pm Post #53 - May 25th, 2008, 10:08 pm
    Hi Bridgestone,

    I'm glad you had reason to celebrate and allowed us to peek at your feast.

    I'm curious whether your meat is cooked rare or is it even bleu? It just doesn't seem like it is medium rare.

    Regards to the family.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #54 - May 26th, 2008, 1:17 am
    Post #54 - May 26th, 2008, 1:17 am Post #54 - May 26th, 2008, 1:17 am
    Howdy and thanks, Cathy2!

    I often use a thermometer when grilling or roasting thick steaks. This one was borderline thick so I grilled without any temps. Therefore, I'm not certain as to what this steak's final temperature was.

    Thankfully, this steak turned out (to my tastes) perfectly. I'd call it rare or perhaps a quarter-step up towards medium-rare. In my opinion, anything more done for a steak of this caliber is truly a waste. Cooked slightly less than perhaps usual, these steaks are juicy, flavorful and extremely tender.
  • Post #55 - October 10th, 2008, 1:09 pm
    Post #55 - October 10th, 2008, 1:09 pm Post #55 - October 10th, 2008, 1:09 pm
    I try, I honestly do.

    Was at Östermalmshallen today and walked at least 3 passes around the place. I saw wild Swedish lobsters (at 51.00 USD/pound...), wild duck, elk, moose, deer, ptarmigan, etc. Everything dressed for Friday (the week's premium day at the market) and pristine. Heck, if I'd only have found some fresh black trumpet mushrooms, I'd have come home with a Bresse chicken.

    However, one thing always reels me in when I get to this market:

    Image

    Nothing provides "bang-for-the-buck" like a chunk of dry-aged beef from Willy Ohlsson's.

    They had a huge selection today - perhaps the largest I've ever seen. I'd never buy it (it's just not my cut) but the dry-aged tenderloin really looked excellent (they manage to truly dry-age the otherwise nearly fat-free tenderloin by dipping it in tallow first). The porterhouses (especially the one in back...) also looked incredible but I'd had one not too long ago... "8V" in the photo above means a 2-month age while "4V" is one month. At the 9-o'clock position is something called "false goose" which is rolls of pork sholder wrapped around apple, dijon and prunes.

    I settled on a bone-in ribeye (Cote de Boeuf). This one was hidden under the one you see (at 12-o'clock) above and looked like it had been sitting around awhile. In my world, that's a good thing and it looked like it had managed to get a little extra funky.

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    The goods, home:

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    While waiting for the coals to catch, I made myself an appetizer of cream-braised chanterelles on toast:

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    That's a shake of smoked Spanish paprika on top. Along with a few drops of lemon, the low-level heat really compliments the chanterelles.

    Grilling in the dark (yup, it's officially autumn over/up here...) is never easy. So, the char was well pronounced this time.

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    The steak served with green/wax beans and (you all know me by now...) pan-fried potatoes:

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    Despite the char, the steak ended up just how I wanted:

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    If I were a better person, I'd have documented many wonderful ingredients and dishes available to me thanks to Östermalmshallen by now. However, as I'm not, you'll just have to make due with yet another dry-aged steak.
  • Post #56 - October 10th, 2008, 1:24 pm
    Post #56 - October 10th, 2008, 1:24 pm Post #56 - October 10th, 2008, 1:24 pm
    As usual, beautiful-looking food and a wonderful post from market to home; Your posts never disappoint, and I find the glimpse into the food markets of other countries fascinating. The steak and sides looked fabulous, but your chanterelles made me weep - truly gorgeous. :cry:
  • Post #57 - October 10th, 2008, 2:25 pm
    Post #57 - October 10th, 2008, 2:25 pm Post #57 - October 10th, 2008, 2:25 pm
    Jay K wrote:As usual, beautiful-looking food and a wonderful post from market to home; Your posts never disappoint, and I find the glimpse into the food markets of other countries fascinating. The steak and sides looked fabulous, but your chanterelles made me weep - truly gorgeous. :cry:


    I need that braised chanterelle recipe! I have a certain someone whom I must serve that to.

    I just cc'd a coworker one of the ribeye pics and he replied "Everybody else sends pornographic pictures...you send pornographic food pictures"

    Truer words...
    I used to think the brain was the most important part of the body. Then I realized who was telling me that.
  • Post #58 - October 10th, 2008, 2:32 pm
    Post #58 - October 10th, 2008, 2:32 pm Post #58 - October 10th, 2008, 2:32 pm
    God I never noticed this thread before. I have a hero...
  • Post #59 - October 10th, 2008, 9:19 pm
    Post #59 - October 10th, 2008, 9:19 pm Post #59 - October 10th, 2008, 9:19 pm
    Wheattoast wrote:God I never noticed this thread before. I have a hero...


    There's a WHOLE SERIES you may have missed... if you've never seen a Bridgestone post. :wink:
  • Post #60 - October 11th, 2008, 8:48 am
    Post #60 - October 11th, 2008, 8:48 am Post #60 - October 11th, 2008, 8:48 am
    But let me warn you, Wheattoast, do NOT (repeat: NOT) try to consume more than one Brigestone thread in any given day. It's much much too rich. More than one, your gallbladder will explode from trying to keep up with the richness.

    Be forewarned!

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)

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