Weekend Cooks - Thanks Spin and Nature Boy

Wise One · February 2001

Friday night was hamburgers per Spin. Whoever suggested making the edges thicker than the middle was right on. They actually wound up with the edges slightly thicker than the middle but now I have a sense of how much to make them come out completely flat. I put onions and blue cheese in with the meat, cooked for 3/3/6 (they were somewhat thin)at 450 and they were delicious.
Sunday was spent trying Nature Boy's brined salmon - Salmon brined for an hour and a half in a mixture of brine (1/3 cup salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 qt water) and lemon vinegar (my wife made it for Christmas gifts - 1/4 cup), then rinsed, sprinkled with lemon pepper and cooked for 20 minutes on each side at 300. It was delicious although I think I needed to rinse it a little more than I did. (I started getting a little thirsty about an hour after I ate. It brought back memories of the salt mackeral my father used to fix for Sunday breakfast.)

Nature Boy · February 2001

Wise One,
Wow! Suprised the salmon was that salty. 45 minutes for me with 1/3 cup kosher salt didn't make it salty at all. Even thought I needed more! Don't forget regular salt is much saltier than kosher.[p]Lemon Pepper has a lot of salt in it. Could that have been the culprit?? I think so.[p]I wouldn't use any salt for the seasonings after a brine.[p]The burger tip was in Cooks Illustrated, and it works great.
Thanks for the report!!
Cheers!
NB

char buddy · February 2001

Wise One,[p]Quite a coincidence. I had bleu cheese filled burgers on the weekend menu as well. I agree. They are tasty. I didn't try that make the edges thicker thing.

Wise One · February 2001

Nature Boy, you may have hit it. The lemon pepper may be the culprit. I might have to mix up my own lemon pepper (with only lemon and pepper and no salt) to use. A great reason to cook more fish. Inquiring minds have to know.

Nature Boy · February 2001

Wise One, Yes. Inquiring minds MUST know. This short brining thing is brand new for me, and I can see potential. When you make up your next rub, consider either or several of these: corriander seeds, ginger. grains of paradise, galangal, or even some curry powder. Herbs like basil, dill, parsley, thyme, etc. are fun to play with, but I am not very good with those yet. And ooooh boy that mustard is good on salmon. Just got some of Mrs.Dog's disappearing mustard and eagerly await it's opening. (and some jerk, pepper sauce and some KILLER pistachios).[p]Like you say, one good reason to cook more fish.
NB

bdavidson · February 2001

Nature Boy,
That reminds me...we just ran out of Mrs. Dog's Jerk. I wonder if she'll be bringing some cases along with her to EggFest.
bd

Weekend Cooks - Thanks Spin and Nature Boy

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