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Pictures for Griffin - Failed cook

Griffin was asking me about a failed cook I did last night.  It was Grilled Pork and Shrimp Stuffed Calamari with Asian Sweet Chili Sauce.  I told him that the calamari tube seemed tough, but the taste was good.  I still consider that a fail, and usually only post stuff I think is great.  I said I couldn't upload a picture because I unplugged my iMac to take it to the Apple Store, and didn't know how to upload now.  But I figured it out, so here are two pictures of it.

1) The tubes after stuffing
2) Plate
__________________________________________

Dripping Springs, Texas.
Just west of Austintatious


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Comments

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    VI was somewhere last week and had a grilled Calamari salad (lettuce). The tubes were cut in rings about an inch long. Have you ever grilled that (whole or cut)? What did you do? It sure make a good salad.

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    If this is really Mickey and Gary, how many fingers am I holding up?
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Micky,

    Before last night, I had only fried calamari - tubes and tentacles.  When I do that, I also cut the tubes into about 1" slices.  Maybe a squid expert will chime in.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • If this is really Mickey and Gary, how many fingers am I holding up?
    One, and it's your middle finger.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    If this is really Mickey and Gary (and i don't like gary at all), how many fingers am I holding up?

    11
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Squid gets tough when it is over cooked. How you cut it doesn't matter.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    I have never had Calamari that was not a little tough/firm (that is what I like about it).

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited October 2012
    So, you like things firm, Micky?

    I see.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136

     

    So, you like things firm, Micky?
    Well played sir!  rofl
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    So how do you grill it and not over cook?

    Gary please stop sending me the messages off line about cazzy. I think the pics are all photoshopped anyway.

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited October 2012
    Mickey said:

    So how do you grill it and not over cook?



    That's a bit of a dilimma.  I precooked the pork, but put the shrimp in raw.  I wanted to make sure the shrimp cooked, but perhaps, I overdid it.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    VI i am talking just Calamari. Not stuffed.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Squid is tender when cooked to done, around 135F, give or take.  Cooked much over that, it turns into chewy rubber.  Typically I'll wok or pan fry it for 60-90 seconds.

    I'd never stuffed, but the only way I can see to do that without overcooking it is to pre-cook the stuffing and hot tub or sous vide it to below the "rubber conversion temp".
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Mighty_Quinn
    Mighty_Quinn Posts: 1,878
    Stuffed lends itself to braising very well...it's true squid is tender when cooked quickly, but give it a 30 minute braise and it ends up very tender. A general rule for squid is to keep the cook under 3 minutes or over 30.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    nolaegghead if you were going to grill (non-stuffed) how would you do it? I can't see a way to check temp on that thin of a cook? So must cook to time. Cook hot and fast low or???
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Mickey said:
    nolaegghead if you were going to grill (non-stuffed) how would you do it? I can't see a way to check temp on that thin of a cook? So must cook to time. Cook hot and fast low or???
    Thanks for hijacking the thread, Mickey.  This was about STUFFED calamari.  I'll start another thread.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Mighty_Quinn
    Mighty_Quinn Posts: 1,878
    Not to answer for Nola, but if it were me Mickey, I would marinate in evoo and lemon juice for 20 minutes or so and then grill hot and fast....a minutes or less per side.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Mickey said:
    nolaegghead if you were going to grill (non-stuffed) how would you do it? I can't see a way to check temp on that thin of a cook? So must cook to time. Cook hot and fast low or???
    Thanks for hijacking the thread, Mickey.  This was about STUFFED calamari.  I'll start another thread.
    I am SORRY  ^:)^.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    There ya go.  Long braise.  Never tried it, but if that works, cool.

    If you're ever in an Asian market and look at the squid, you'll notice a wide variety of prices.  Some of the large squid is very expensive, some of the smaller is very inexpensive.  Even the expensive stuff is much cheaper than, say, sea scallops.  So I usually but the expensive stuff and it seems to be working for me, as far as duplicating that delicious, tender squid I've had many a time in Asian restaurants.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Not to answer for Nola, but if it were me Mickey, I would marinate in evoo and lemon juice for 20 minutes or so and then grill hot and fast....a minutes or less per side.

    Thanks. I will try that if I can find calamari in Austin tonight.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Mickey, never grilled them.  But I'd cook just one first and pull it after it just turns opaque throughout, then taste, adjust if necessary before cooking a whole meal of them.  I think there's some latitude there, but, like scallops and shrimp, not too much.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    You need to cook squid either very quickly at high heat, 2 minutes or less, or a relatively long time, 30 minutes in a braise. Otherwise, you're chewing rubber bands. Because of this, I'm not sure you would get any advantage from cooking on the egg. Now octopus is another story. ... Anyone do one? 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • double
    double Posts: 1,214
    Soak calamari overnight in milk also helps tenderize it. I do my stuffed squid in a CI skillet on the egg only for a few minutes.
    Lynnwood WA
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    edited October 2012
    Very interesting post.  I've only had fried calamari, which I love.  This is a pretty specialized cook, but I try to post most of my fails in addition to successes, since we're sharing information here.

    Luigi,  even in defeat you posted a pretty cook.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Very interesting post.  I've only had fried calamari, which I love.  This is a pretty specialized cook, but I try to post most of my fails in addition to successes, since we're sharing information here.

    Luigi,  even in defeat you posted a pretty cook.
    Grazi, Amico Mio.

    Your logic is sound but I think, if everybody posted all of their cooks, great ones, mediocre ones, and failures, we would be vastly overrun.  I would rather just post the ones I'd hope someone would like to try (along with the recipe), and then, only once.  I know we have different views on that, but it's OK either way.  This was a special case, since Grif sent me a note about it.
    :)
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    That reminds me of a demotivational poster we had in a calendar.


    image
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Ok now the little deals on the bottom of the page are officially NOT fun.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    edited October 2012
    Mickey said:
    Ok now the little deals on the bottom of the page are officially NOT fun.
    Did not notice that.  You are right, we are not an opinion site, there should be no agree, disagree, etc.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Mickey said:
    Ok now the little deals on the bottom of the page are officially NOT fun.
    Did not notice that.  You are right, we are not an opinion site, there should be no agree, disagree, etc.
    You click the "Like" instead of quoting it with a "+1", which can create a lot of redundant junk on the page.  I like it.  If someone doesn't like it, well, they don't.  Use judicially.  These forums have been around since the beginning of the world wide interwebs.  We'll all get used to it.  New is never popular.

    It's also a way to identify trolls, both by marking as trolls and those marking totally appropriate posts as "troll" or "inappropriate".  Makes moderating the forum much easier.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited October 2012
    I am only saying they are not fun because if I keep hitting the " flag / Abuse" button on VI I am afraid they will ban my little buddy L-). Hitting the button on VI is fun but I would miss him =(( He did yell at me for hi-jacking his tread and I can't find the "yelling at a fellow Egger" button.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.