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Oh, what a glorious day...(pics galore)

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caliking
caliking Posts: 18,731
in EggHead Forum
...to connect with my gentleman pig farmer roots. 

My sister and her teenage kids are visiting for a few days. I have a few vacation days to burn, so figured I would spend some time cooking for them. 

I knew the day was off to a good start when I managed to deftly open the bag of Rockwood within 9 seconds. 


The day day started off with sausage gravy (from our happy pigs, of course) and buttermilk biscuits made from scratch (and lard from our piggies). My niece and nephew couldn’t recall if they had ever had biscuits made from scratch. That made me kinda sad. 


Moving on.  My niece wanted a loaf of sourdough. So, boom! (Ya, I know it’s not as pretty as @SciAggie ‘s , but it’ll do fine and I’ll get over it).


Next up... ribs.  And mac n cheese per nephew’s request. These have been requests for every visit since they could talk. Threw on some beef sausage that we made back in May last year. 



Some of the fuel for the morning’s cooks


 Brussels sprouts with tasso. Yes, from our happy piggies. Thanks, @20stone. 


Time to eat!! I nailed service time (by hauling ass all morning).  

Forgot about the onion and cheddar cornbread. Mac n cheese (cheddar and gruyere),Brussels sprouts with tasso,  pork ribs, beef sausage. Not the best pic. 



It it all turned out well and we ate like kings. Every item had a bit of our pigs in it - lard or pancetta drippings, in the biscuits, sausage gravy, mac, cornbread. The breakfast sausage in milk gravy, tasso, and the ribs.

I made the kids say hog grace, so they would appreciate what we we were eating, and what went into these meals ( besides my own sweat equity). 

A morning well spent. I’m happy. No better way to spend time with family :)


#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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«13

Comments

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Wow, as I wipe the drool off the keyboard.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    No barking from the dog. 
    No smog. 
    Cali cooked the breakfast with all hog.

    What a wonderful spread! It all looks amazing. Here's hoping you don't have to use your AK. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • g8golfer
    g8golfer Posts: 1,025
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    Wow. Killed it literally with the meal and the hogs. 
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 6,581
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    Great post, the loaded table pic is awesome..
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
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  • texaswig
    texaswig Posts: 2,682
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    That's some good looking grub right there . 

    2-XLs ,MM,blackstone,Ooni koda 16,R&V works 8.5 gallon fryer,express smoker and 40" smoking cajun 

    scott 
    Greenville Tx
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,844
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    Dude.  This is as good as it gets.  This day is going to pay off for decades.  Seriously, as kids they don't realize all the effort, principles, and details that went into making this day great.  One day as adults when they are working to do something similar for family and/or friends it will hit them.  They'll think "D@mn, that uncle Caliking wasn't just a crazy mofo.  That stuff I saw him do and that he tried to teach me when I was a teenager was really important and insightful - and based on a lot of wisdom and experience.  I should have listened to him more."  One of them will tell you that at a family gathering one day. 

    As for "My niece and nephew couldn’t recall if they had ever had biscuits made from scratch. That made me kinda sad."... All I can say is that my kids survived it for over 20 years each until @20stone tried to set them straight a couple of weeks ago.  We'll see if it took.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • Scott805
    Scott805 Posts: 349
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    Nice!

    Large BGE, 2 Tier Adjustable Swing Rack System, three (3) bricks from Home Depot for raised direct, Blackstone 22" Griddle - Finally have a decent cooking area!

    Dallas, TX

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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    Dude!! Amazing. Though I expect nothing less at this point. Still amazing!
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    edited April 2018
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    I'm reminded of something I read that reportedly annoys Europeans. Apparently asking "what do you do for a living?" is rude, because what we do to earn money is not the same as "what we do" to live. This cook is a nice example of why that world view may be something to adopt. 
    Dude, this is how life should be lived - spending quality time with our family. Showing them you care by cooking all of that goodness that was made with your own hands is gold medal stuff. I agree with @Foghorn that this day will linger in memory for many years with those kids.
    You're right, starting the day by opening the bag like a zipper is great. That loaf looks delicious. Actually friend, it's all top shelf work.
    Congratulations on a day well spent and good eats. 

    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
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    Nice spread all around and post!
    Quality time no doubt.
    We do an "Ohhhhh bacon!" cheer I stole from the Baconfest in Des Moines.  I start it out with the deep Ohhhh, they finish with the bacon shout.  Brings a smile, and the kids love it.  :)

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Very insightful, @Foghorn. 
    The funny thing is that this day may, or may not,  stand out. It may be memorable because some part of our hogs went into everything we ate today. But it may not, because they know, for about as long as they can remember, that no cans, etc. are opened up when I cook for them. I enjoy cooking for my niece and nephew, partly because they dig it when it turns out, but also because they are honest with their criticism when it doesn't. 

    @Sciaggie - everyone at work is aware that I am only one winning lottery ticket  away from ditching it all. Just need to find a gig that pays as well as the current one :)

    I'm a homebody, so  a day puttering around at home cooking for family who appreciate it, is a day well spent indeed. 

    As far as my niece and nephew are concerned, over the years they have picked up on the differences between baby back vs. spare ribs and other things. And my 16yo nephew has been inspired to perfect his own mac n cheese recipe, which he made for us last summer (and I dare say that I  liked it better than mine). But he still asked me to make my mac for him Because that's their thing when they come to visit us. 

    I guess he has a few years before he turns into a food snob like the rest of us :smiley:

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    This is awesome. What a great day. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,186
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    Oh yeah! 

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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
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    crushed it 
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,977
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    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Focker said:
    Nice spread all around and post!
    Quality time no doubt.
    We do an "Ohhhhh bacon!" cheer I stole from the Baconfest in Des Moines.  I start it out with the deep Ohhhh, they finish with the bacon shout.  Brings a smile, and the kids love it.  :)

    That’s hilarious.  

    “Hog grace” wasn’t anything specific, but I wanted the kids to know what they were eating, where it came from, and what went  into making it into a meal for them. And to have some appreciation for it all. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    Fantastic brother!  Just fantastic.  Nothing better than breaking bread with family and friends.  
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • AlbertaEgger
    AlbertaEgger Posts: 1,387
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    Great looking food right there! Nice pictures, sounds like you enjoyed the time. (I had to look at how cleanly opened that bag of lump was about 5 times. I have managed this once in the last several hundred pounds of lump. I simply gave up).
    County of Parkland, Alberta, Canada
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  • AlbertaEgger
    AlbertaEgger Posts: 1,387
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    County of Parkland, Alberta, Canada
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,748
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    That all looks utterly superb, but I'd be lying if I didn't add that I'm most impressed with the Rockwood bag opening skills (-:

    Great work all around!
    Stillwater, MN
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,357
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    Wow! Totally awesome!
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    Wow! Nicely done ✅ sir!
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Smokeydawg
    Smokeydawg Posts: 48
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    Great post and great cooking!
    Dacula, GA       LG & MM BGE's   
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  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
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    A glorious day indeed!  Well done!
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
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    Very nice @caliking, great cooking and pics

                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
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    Great spread!  It’s awesome that you got to have that kind of day with the family
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
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    Wow -- and I mean WOW!!!  that all looks AMAZING!
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  • SSQUAL612
    SSQUAL612 Posts: 1,186
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    Speechless...going to have some Ramen and go to bed and hope someday I can pull something off somewhere close to this level.
    Tyler, TX   XL BGE 2016, KJ Classic 2019,  MES, 18.5 WSM,  Akorn Jr,  36"&17" Black Stone, Adj Rig, Woo, Grill Grates, SS Smokeware Cap, KAB,  FB 300, Thermapen 
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

    @AlbertaEgger & @StillH2OEgger I've been in on a few group buys of Rockwood,  and have had several hundred lbs of it stashed away at times. One learns a few things in the course of opening up bags of lump :)

    Truth be told, @stlcharcoal recently posted instructions for the clean open. Something along the lines of turn the bag around so you see the double-stitched side of the seam, with the knot on your left. Tease that knot open (takes but a few seconds) and the thread unravels in another few, with just one tug. Done!

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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