Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

The Auburn/UNC game was a snoozer.

 

Really muggy here in Gainesville. Chopped salad tonight.

 

And my new toy is in the back of my van. It arrived a day early. They used three men to load it.

It should get unloaded tomorrow evening.

Maybe pix during its first time being used.

 

In the garage.

Along side all my woodworking tools.

 

You make that? If so, major props.

 

<snark>Good thing you didn't say anything.</snark>

I am jealous.

Actually I like using Korean red bean paste to finish pork chops. It has deep flavors and salt and not sweet which is what I like for pork chops. Pat's Ho-Made is the bomb for chicken dark meat (legs and thighs). It is just about perfect for that having deep flavors, not overly salty, and sweet. I might have to try and make my own version now that I can't buy it local. As cheap as it was it wasn't worth the effort to try and make my own version when I could just go to Publix and get a bottle. Now that I can't get it I just might have to try to make my own. I did like one of the Stubbs BBQ sauce versions, but it wasn't the same and certainly wasn't the same price. The Kraft BBQ sauce is cheap, but way too sweet and misses the small amount of kick that Pat's has.

 

Pat's was a huge bargain.

Last night I didn't cook. I won the March Madness office pool that I entered and I used the money to take my wife and another couple out for a very nice dinner. Appetizers, entrees, two bottles of wine and I am still $5 ahead. LOL. I know that it has been since April but because they have kids it took a long time to find a date to do this.

Tonight is simple. We have some leftover chili that needs to be eaten so it is chili dogs. Not exactly a gourmet dinner.

And my new toy is still in my van. It was pouring rain last night so I couldn't get it unloaded. But my friend, the male part of the couple we took out to dinner, was going to be in my neighborhood this evening for something else so we will get it done tonight instead.

 

New toy is out of the van and into its stand. We decided to break it down as much as possible before trying to take it out as there were only two of us and we didn't have a spotter. At 208 lbs shipping weight it should be easy for two men, but the hand holds were not ideal. It was easy-peasy after we broke it down and removed a lot of the smaller pieces. It was the smart move.

Not fully put together, but the rest is really easy. I plied my friend with some Ardbeg Perpertuum for his assistance. I also had some. He wants to do some pizzas on it. He has a natural gas grill and does a decent job with pizzas on that, but he had been dreaming about building a true pizza oven. This is most of the way there.

Bought two bags of Royal Oak lump today as well.

The local vote is pork shoulder for pulled pork as a maiden voyage. I was leaning toward brisket, but my wife said to try something you have done a lot for your first go round and that makes a lot of sense. I have only smoked a few briskets. I usually braise them and finish them in the broiler. I am thinking that she likes that kind of brisket better so maybe she had her own agenda.