The Food Experiments Pork Experiment Was a Huge Success: Team Zestybeandog Won 3rd Place Judges Pick!

TEAM ZESTYBEANDOG 3rd PLACE WINNERS: JUDGES VOTE

POCO CUBANO SLIDERS

Evan and I served these little bites of goodness to the public.  What went into the dish:

Homemade mustard, made with yellow and black mustard seeds, Brooklyn Lager, tarragon vinegar, white vinegar, shallot salt and spices smeared on sliced baguettes layered with a slice of black forest ham, Jarlsberg  baby swiss, slow roasted pork shoulder raised right outside of Austin Texas at Peach Creek Farms that was marinated in hand juiced citrus, herbs, jalapeno, and spices, topped with homemade pickles, and a pork fat infused mojo sauce to die for!

It was a great competition and I was thrilled to have great friends splurge on a ticket to come out and support me and the event!  I’d like to mention some thank you’s since my speech on stage was short and sweet: “Winning” -Charlie Sheen

A special thanks to: Danny and Lori for saving my butt and bringing the box of bread I forgot, cant make sliders without the bread (also, Lori sewed the ZBD felt letters on my tablecloth I made)!!!  Thanks to Hannah for volunteering at the event and taking pics!  Thanks to Liz for entering into the competition, her tamales were AMAZING!  Thanks to Kyle for taking my camera and getting some good shots.  Thanks to all that came over Saturday night and entertained me in the kitchen (probably stayed up a little too late and had a few to many beers) 🙂  AND finally a huge thanks to my husband, Evan- I couldn’t have done it without him, he helped me tremendously: trying all of my concoctions for the last month, designing my cuban cigar themed menu sign, a little constructive criticism, helping me serve the hungry guests, helping me get inspired when I had “foodie block”, and lastly believing in me even when I didn’t at times…

There were so many great dishes, I’m more than happy with winning 3rd from the professional judges out of 22 chef-testants!  This was my first real cooking competition (not counting the ZBD chili cook-off) and I can’t wait to enter into many more!  The first place winners were the Holy Smokers Team, they did a great job and are awesome personable people!

The Goodies Team Zestybeandog Won:

• An AWESOME Le Creuset 3 1/2 Qt Braiser (more than ecstatic to use this tonight and forever)
• 3 Limited Edition Bottles of Brooklyn Black Ops, only 1,000 cases were made. WIN!
• Some pig nose aviators
• Brooklyn Slate Co. Coasters
• Chameleon Cold Brew
• Pig Vicious Survival Kit
• A my very own “The Food Experiments” Chef Jacket
• A Tin Brooklyn Brewery Sign, didn’t really win it, I asked for it 🙂
• Cheese paper and a cheese diary
• Unlimited Brooklyn Lager at the event!
• BRAGGING RIGHTS 🙂

Forgive Me I’ve Been Experimenting… With Pork

Sorry the blog has come to a screeching halt for the past two weeks, there’s a PERFECTLY good explanation I promise.  I’ve been endlessly experimenting with foods for my “Pork Experiment” dish in the evenings instead of blogging!

It’s been fun and I’m just tweaking little details here and there to get ready for the big day, SUNDAY.

What I’ve got in the fridge:

• 15lbs of pork shoulder from a local farm in Bastrop TX, Bershire Pork!
• Homemade pickles, that are increasing with flavor as we speak.
• Homemade mustard that’s almost done.
• Some delicious baby swiss…
• Some other secrets that I cannot divulge at this time!

About the Event:

Cookoff pros Nick Suarez and Theo Peck are excited to present Austin’s first ever Pork Experiment, an amateur cookoff involving Austin’s finest home chefs. Dishes will range from savory to sweet and will feature our favorite ingredient – Pork. Sharpen your knifes, this is a call to all home chefs looking to be named Austin’s next cookoff king or queen.

Winners will not only achieve culinary glory, but will be flown to Brooklyn, NY to compete in the National cookoff title, the super-bowl of cookoffs held at Brooklyn Brewery.

Prizes:

• A free Trip to Brooklyn!

Franklin’s BBQ – 10 Person “Pork Party” – The winner would receive a party for 10 people to include…
• 1 whole pork butt to be eaten at Franklins.
• Also includes pork vinegar sauce, slaw and potato salad, bread and a reserved table for you to “shred” the pork.
*Also include 1 draft beer per person 21 or older.

• Foreign and Domestic $100 gift certificate

• CASH CASH CASH

• Chameleon Cold Brew – Great Product and Cash Bounty

• Foodie Cards – Discount dining card with $30 credit on them

• Le Creuset Cookware

• Crif Dogs one of a kind skateboard

• Brooklyn Slate Beverage Coasters

Come out and support Evan and I, we will be working as a team and would love to see you there!  GET TIX HERE

Homemade Ham Glaze

Easy to make homemade ham glaze!  Happy Holidays!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 C. Vinegar
• 1/3 C. Molasis
• 1/3 C. Light Karo
• 2 TBS Quality strawberry preserves
• 1 C. Brown Sugar
• 1 C. White Sugar
• 1/2 C. Pulpy OJ (or fresh squeezed)
• 7 whole allspice balls, 7 cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cayanne, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground cinnamon: All ground in a mortar and pestle until smooth.
• 1 TBS butter, salted

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan on medium heat for 5 min reduce to low heat for an additional 10 while stirring to smooth out mixture.

Glaze ham as you normally would and do it frequently 🙂

Glaze

Just Plain Good Ol’ Fall Off the Bone BBQ RIBS…

Just Plain Ol’ Fall Off the Bone Good BBQ RIBS

Prep: 15 min

Cook Time: 2 hrs (or until they fall off the bone).

Serves: Depends on how hungry you are!

PREP GRILL FIRST:

I use a medium bag of coals and after they are ready to go I knock them all down and slide to the back half of the pit so I can place the ribs wrapped in foil on the front half to “smoke” them.

Ingredients and instructions:

• Fresh Pork Spare Ribs (how ever many you want) I eat about 3 but you may want to eat 6 🙂
• Lay out to long pieces of foil and place ribs on top of double layered foil.
• Spices: 1.5 tsp paprika, 1 tsb chili powder, 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp onion powder, Blend all spices together and rub onto pork ribs.
• Salt Lick Hot BBQ Sauce: Drizzle about 2 TBS on each side and rub all over ribs.
• Wrap up Ribs in foil tightly.
• Place on prepped grill and cook for 1 hr and 45 min.
• Take Ribs out of foil and place on bbq pit for 5 min each side to char.

Serve with any sides you want I like mac and cheese and collard greens 🙂

Pork Ribs