The Next Item on the Chopping Block: Cabrito

I was raised in a small West Texas town and one of my favorite meals growing up was Cabrito. For those who are not familiar with the term, Cabrito is the Spanish word for "small goat". Back in August we took a trip to a friend's ranch for our fantasy football draft and I was able to cook this rare treat for some friends who haven't even heard of eating goat. There wasn't much left when the feasting was over. Once the dirty work is done (butchering and cleaning the goat), the cooking method is pretty simple. Marinate the meat in some sort of wet/dry ingredient mixture (my usual is Italian dressing mixed with my favorite spices) and let the goat sit overnight in the fridge. The next day get your fire started. You will need a large smoker in order to keep the meat away from the heat. It's basically the same method as smoking a brisket or pork butt. Get your temperature to somewhere between 225-275 and cook for 8-10 hours. Cabrito is more forgiving if you cook it a little longer rather than not long enough. Too short a cook time will leave the meat too tough. Another cooking method is to skewer the Cabrito whole and roast over an open flame, kind of rotisserie style. If you want to try this and you don't have access to a live goat, or you just don't want to go through the hassle of butchering and cleaning, you can find Cabrito ready to cook at a variety of different meat markets. Bolner's and Cooper's in San Antonio are a couple to try. If you would like to try Cabrito and have no desire to cook it, El Jarro's (281 and Bitters) in San Antonio is some of the best I have ever had.

The Texas Drought's Effects on Gulf Oysters

I work in a seafood restaurant in New Braunfels and we carry oysters from Texas and from the northeast and Canada. During the hot summer months (non-Gulf oyster season) we strictly carry northeast and Canadian oysters, which are smaller and more expensive. Despite being smaller, they do have great flavor, and of course they are more expensive. You aren't just paying for flavor, you're also paying for the fuel. Well, our guests are ready for us to have the Gulf oysters back as an option, but it's likely they won't be coming back this year. In addition to the drought's effects on Gulf oysters, the Hurricane Irene also affected the market in the northeast, driving up prices even more. Check out this article for more information on the oyster season here in Texas.

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-gulf-oysters-suffering-drought-175837103.html

Bean Burgers (NOT Vegetarian)

I am not sure if these are only a Texas thing, but Bean Burgers are one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Not a lot of places have them on their menus, but Bean Burgers have some very rabid followers who swear that their version is the best. Two things are without question: You must start with a high quality patty and you must put beans on it, usually refried. My preference is 80/20 chuck when it comes to the patty. "Chuck" refers to the chuck steak portion of the cow, and 80/20 is 80% lean, 20% fat. If your burgers is too lean, then you lose a lot of flavor. The rest of the ingredients can include the following: corn chips, onions (raw, grilled, or fried), mayonnaise, mustard, cheese (more on this shortly), and jalapenos. I usually try to stay away from lettuce, pickles and tomatoes because I am a believer in the "less is more" philosophy when it comes to food. When there are too many ingredients, flavors can be lost. Now for the cheese. You can use any cheese you would like on this burger; cheddar is a very popular choice. For me, the choice is easy: Cheese Whiz. Yes, like cheese from a jar. Usually this isn't my style. I like fresh ingredients, not something filled with a bunch of preservatives, but this isn't negotiable. It has to be Cheese Whiz if it's a true Bean Burger for me. The only explanation I have for this is that this is the way I grew up eating them. I have tried the others, but they just aren't the same for me.

Grilling is OK, but it ain't BBQ

I love BBQ, all kinds. But I am definitely partial to Texas style. There are many different types of BBQ in this country, and wherever you were raised is usually the type you a partial to. Some of the popular types are Kansas City (not much smoke, a lot of sauce), North Carolina (usually vinegar based sauce and mainly pulled pork or whole pig). South Carolina is the only state that includes all four recognized barbecue sauces, including mustard-based, vinegar-based, and light and heavy tomato-based. Memphis BBQ is best known for tomato- and vinegar-based sauces. In some Memphis establishments and in Kentucky, meat is rubbed with dry seasoning (dry rubs) and smoked over hickory wood without sauce; the finished barbecue is then served with barbecue sauce on the side. Texas BBQ usually consists of beef brisket, beef and pork ribs, sausage, and my favorite, pork butt (which is actually the shoulder), and usually consists of a dry rub and a heavy application of smoke through out the cooking process. A lot of different types of wood are used in Texas, especially mesquite since it is so plentiful. I prefer a mixture of pecan and hickory because of the flavor and I fell like the heat is easiest to control.

Now let's talk about grilling. Having your friends over and throw some steaks or fajitas on the grill is all good, but some people think they are creating BBQ. Nope. A grill does not equal BBQ. BBQ requires an application of smoke, held at a temperature between 225-275 degrees, for a longer period of time; usually anywhere between 6-24 hours. The reason for this long process is that the meats that are used in BBQ are tougher and less expensive than a top quality steak or pork chop, and the time helps break down the muscle fibers and fat into something blissful.

I don't want to sound like a BBQ snob or anything, but BBQing (yes, it's a verb in this state) just isn't grilling. I guess I feel the need to make the distinction because BBQing is my favorite type of cooking, and when it is finished, I really feel like I have created something that took care and patience. And patience is something I lack in my day to day life, so maybe it helps me practice it. The pictures are of a pork butt that I BBQed for the first weekend of college football. Total cook time = 10 hours.

Cooking has been a hobby of mine for about 10 years, and for most of that time I thought I wanted to have a food related career. I finally realized that I love food and cooking, but I am much happier when it is a hobby of mine, not a career. This blog intends to be a sort of hodge podge of food related topics, ranging from dishes I create to new things I might try at a restaurant or friend's home to articles about cooking and recipes I want to attempt. I am going to try have at least one post a week about something I have cooked, but I realize that might not always be possible. Please leave any comments or questions you have about anything on this blog and I will do my best to reply. Enjoy!