Monday, January 28, 2013

First try Turkey Burgers

It's not often that I get lucky on my first try, so when it happens, I have to tell everybody. I love a good turkey burger. If you've had them, you probably realize there is a problem with that statement. A good turkey burger is a culinary unicorn. Nobody is willing to admit they exist, because nobody has ever seen one. Having seen my fair share of horses with horns glued to their heads, I wasn't sure I even wanted to try this. I randomly, and without thinking, recommended them for dinner.

Unicorn Burgers:
1lbs Ground Turkey
2tsp Franks Red Hot
2tsp Salt
2tsp Black Pepper
2tsp Cumin
1Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1Tbs Melted Butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine all the ingredients (except the olive oil) in a large bowl, roll into 1/4lbs balls, and press them into patties. Warm your skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add enough oil to barely cover the bottom of your skillet. You really only need enough to keep from sticking, and help sear the patty. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on each side. When I make burgers of any kind, I prefer to use a two flip method. I cook the patties until the color has started to change about halfway through the patty, flip, and press the patty lightly. It should open up a little on the cooked side, and keep it flat. DO NOT smash the patty flat. The resulting piece of crispy leather will be pretty inedible. Once the other side is done, flip again to complete the cooking, about another minute.

Add any cheese or toppings you like. For these, I recommend some thinly sliced avocado, jalapeno, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato. The only thing left to do is enjoy.


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Game Day Challenge

The quest for a Super Bowl ring is coming to a close, so I've decided to tackle 
a fan favorite: Buffalo Wings. 

The challenge: How to make crispy, flavorful wings without frying.

I found that simply baking them gave me chewy, flavorless wings. These were not 
going to win the game. What to do? I thought about pan frying first, but I really wanted 
to avoid any extra fat or oil. There must be a way to make great wings without frying 
them. After a few trials, finally, the best wings I've ever had. It's a little more involved 
than I would have liked, but well worth the effort. 

Buffalo Wings: 10-12 Chicken Wings
1TBS Salt
1TBS Pepper

For the sauce:

2oz Franks Red Hot
1tsp Texas Pete
1Tbs Butter
2Tbs Brown Sugar

Optional: If you like hotter wings like me, I suggest adding 1 or 2 minced fresh 

peppers of your choice. I like Habenero, and Jalapeno.

I personally prefer chicken drumettes, but you can use any kind. If you use whole 
chicken wings, you will need to separate them first. To do this, find the joint with 
a very sharp knife, and slice through. You should also remove the pointed end. 
Discard the ends, or save them to use for stock. 
Fill a large pot with one to two inches of water, and bring to a boil. Place your wings 
in a steamer basket, and steam them for ten minutes. Remove from the basket and 
place them on a cooling rack in a paper towel lined cookie sheet. Put them in the 
refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Bake wings for 15-20 minutes on each side. Remove from oven.
Over medium heat, melt butter and saute peppers if used. Whisk in the remaining 
ingredients and heat through. Pour sauce and wings into a large bowl and coat evenly. 
Serve warm.