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ever wonder when the recipe "says", but you just don't do it?

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RRP
RRP Posts: 25,898
in Off Topic
 Last night I was fixing one of our favorite non-egg Saturday night meals - steak au poivre - using an Alton Brown recipe that I have used many times, though I vary the choice of the meat.

This time I started with a nice NY strip steak and when I got to the part about "burning off" the alcohol in the cognac I thought to myself - why? I mean here I was using a $50 bottle of Remy Martin like starter fluid on a Weber!!! So, I decided not to and you know what? - I honestly believe that gave it an entirely different taste! Not sure why, but it did! BTW those were the 9 hour burgundy mushrooms which go so well with this meal. No more lighting the cognac for me!!!
Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • BigGreenBamaGriller
    BigGreenBamaGriller Posts: 629
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    Hmmm. I love Steak au poivre. I am a huge Alton Brown fan. How have I never followed his application?
    Killen, AL (The Shoals)
    XL, Small, Minimax, and Mini BGEs
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,898
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    BigGreenBamaGriller said:
    Hmmm. I love Steak au poivre. I am a huge Alton Brown fan. How have I never followed his application?
    You know - I suppose to prove this to myself I ought to pour two glasses of the Remy Martin and burn off one and then do a taste test. Too early this morning for said test! LOL
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
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    Looks great... I've never done this meal; but I routinely do not follow directions. 
    MSV Chill Spot
    Chester County, PA

    http://egginwithedward.blogspot.com/

    http://edwardhardingphotography.zenfolio.com/
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,898
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    hapster said:
    Looks great... I've never done this meal; but I routinely do not follow directions. 
    Thanks - with heavy whipping cream and cognac why wouldn't it be good? LOL
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • AD18
    AD18 Posts: 209
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    You not only did not follow the recipe you have created a new one.  And it's all yours:)  Give Alton a call and let him know:)
    Large BGE, Weber 22.5 kettle, Weber Genesis
    Cobourg, Ontario
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  • UrbanForestTurnings
    UrbanForestTurnings Posts: 1,294
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    Directions, instructions, Read and Follow ? Such a strange concept. Great looking meal
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  • Chowman
    Chowman Posts: 159
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    @RRP It's funny but especially in the winter this is my wife's favorite steak recipe also. But we use Kentucky bourbon and I still don't burn it off. Also we usually sear and slice the steak , then into the pan to finish with sauce. Gets more sauce on all sides. Recipe is from the Chew, not Alton's. 
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,898
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    Chowman said:
    @RRP It's funny but especially in the winter this is my wife's favorite steak recipe also. But we use Kentucky bourbon and I still don't burn it off. Also we usually sear and slice the steak , then into the pan to finish with sauce. Gets more sauce on all sides. Recipe is from the Chew, not Alton's. 
    I like your slicing idea! Thanks! I've used brandy before and used scotch with filets, but never bourbon. I'll try that sometime.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Chowman
    Chowman Posts: 159
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    @RRP  just allow for a few degrees rise in the pan so you don't end up overcooked.
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,365
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    I dont follow the directions completely fairly frequently. Especially on APL recipes. 
    Nice cook. 
    Jacksonville FL
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  • st¡ke
    st¡ke Posts: 276
    edited April 2015
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    I usually follow a recipe to the letter the first time. Because I go in understanding nothing about the process, but coming out the other side I  slap my forehead and say "now I get it ", and *then* I can understand what my changes may achieve (or undo).

    what I don't get is the phenomenon where someone gets all excited to jump on a bandwagon, but then improvs the whole thing, makes fundamental changes, and then complains about the result

    sure, that's one way of learning, but typically their complaint about the result ignores the fact that they didn't heed any advice or experience 


    witness the sadly numerous and hysterical posts about curing, when that first hit the old forum. Or dry aging, or anything slightly unconventional

    there is a prototypical post built around the structure of:

    "Help!  I have been reading all the posts about [insert cool sounding thing here], and I gave it a try. I substituted [major ingredient] for [something totally unrelated], and my wife was nervous so i didn't [entire frigging part of process].  I had no time so I also skipped [the thing which actually makes it whatever it is in the first damn place].  What did I do wrong?"

    i have no patience for people who do not understand the very thing they are doing or who, worse, make no attempt to understand it. 

    That said, once you get it down, why not experiment?

    the scientific process is widely ignored or pooh poohed in the US. Most folks seem to not want to learn, and just want to be told what to do

    ingerestlingly, this applies not only to food, but to politics, religion, schooling, morality, etc.




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