Grilled Double-Cut Pork Chops with Rhubarb Mostarda

Note:  I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs!  I have 30 more votes to get into the top 50.  If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me?  I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

{Thank you to FoodBuzz for choosing this article for today's Top9 FoodBuzz!!}

I remember as if it were yesterday the day my husband bought his first brand new car.  Little did I realize at the time, what a monumental day that was for him.  You see, now that we have been married 20 years, I understand more about this guy than I did all those years ago.  I understand how truly and incredibly hard he works for the very few items he desires.

We were so young when we married.  We were engaged our senior year of college and planned to marry the summer after our college graduations.  My graduation was the day before his ceremony.  The plan was for me to fly out of NYC to St. Louis and attend his graduation the next day.  We were young, in love, and the world was our oyster.


He said he had a surprise.


When he met me at the airport, the look on his face was pure rapture.  No, this time it wasn't because he laid his eyes on me.  He had worked hard on a full scholarship for an engineering degree.  He had a diploma in hand.  And, he had a wonderful job offer waiting for him.   I had an inkling what this surprise would be but I played along.

I had graduated from college the day before, tearfully said farewell to my beloved NYC,  a wedding to plan, a new job position to begin, and a new move way up to Michigan to anticipate. 


As we held hands and walked into the parking garage for the first time as a real couple about to be married, he stopped and looked at me with the happiest grin I have ever seen on his face.  A brand new red car was sitting proudly in its parking space.  I'll never forget that day.  


Over the 20 years that I have been married to this man, he has owned 3 cars.  Each one of them has been taken care of with utmost tenderness and respect.  I can honestly say, I have never known someone to work as hard as my husband.  He takes care of his car as he takes care of his family, with pure devotion.  Without fail, he is up early, off to work, day after day with seldom a complaint about his job.

Other than his love for beautiful cars, there are hardly any other material items that he desires.  He did want an ice cream maker last year but I think he was just trying to come up with an idea for us.  


One thing I can think of that makes him happy is a nice barbecue.  Well, it's indeed that barbecue time of year.  I was  so pleased with that flap steak soft taco dish the other day, I decided it was again time to open up my new cookbook The Cook and the Butcher by Brigit Binns.

I also really fell in love with rhubarb this year after making Martha Stewart Living's Poached Rhubarb with Elderflower Sabayon this spring.  One of the pork chop recipes in my new cookbook uses rhubarb as a savory side to these smoky chops.  It is called a rhubarb mostarda.

Again, a hit from this cookbook!  And, I'll let you know when I cook something that isn't a hit.  (I have a recipe I will post next week that was NOT a hit, hint, hint).  However, this pork chop dish is amazing.  Another recipe with rhubarb to celebrate this wonderful stalky pink celery looking plant.

Not only are the pork chops a wonderful barbecue treat but paired with this incredibly deep red and fragrant side relish was a dish that I will no doubt make again and again.  It was a 4 thumbs up for all of us.


Recently, I looked at my husband and I told him...it is time.  It is time to make one of his wishes come true.  My husband is a person with few materialistic possessions or desires for possessions.  I probably make 99.9% of the purchasing decisions for our family and he is very content with that.


I told him.  It is time.  Go and live a dream.


And you know what?  He did.


And I am so happy.


It isn't flashy red like his first car years ago.  It is a more mature smoky grey.  I am so happy.


Because he is the best man in this world.  

So here's a great barbecue Sunday dinner.  And a little something else...

 Grilled Double-Cut Pork Chop with Rhubarb Mostarda:


Rhubarb Mostarda


2/3 cup (5oz/155g) sugar
1/3 cup (3 fl.oz/80ml) red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (Snippets Note:  buy the fresh stuff, not the powdered, it just makes such a big difference)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 lb (750g) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch (12-mm) chunks
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dry mustard
Freshly ground pepper


For the Pork Chops:


3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 double-cut pork chops, each about 1 lb (500g) and 1 1/2 inches (4cm) thick


To make the mostarda, in a large, heavy pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and cumin.  Place over low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar.  Add the rhubarb and onion, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently to break up the rhubarb, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the mustard, season with pepper and stir until smooth.  Let cook completely.  If desired, refrigerate overnight.  Return to room temperature before serving.


In a shallow nonreactive dish that will hold the chops in one layer, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and garlic.  Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon salt and season with pepper.  Place the chops in the dish and brush both sides thoroughly with the lemon mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours turning the chops occasionally.


Remove the chops from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.  Lift the chops from the marinade and pat dry.  Reserve the marinade if using a charcoal grill.


Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat or preheat a cast-iron stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat.  Place chops on the grill rack over the hottest part of the fire or in the grill pan and cook without moving them for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes.  Move the chops after 1 minute if the fire flares up.  Turn and cook until the chops are golden brown and crusty, 2 1/2 - 3 minutes more.  If using a charcoal grill, brush the chops occasionally with the reserved marinade.  Move the chops to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat, and continue to cook until the chops are firm to the touch but still have a little give, 10-12 minutes.  Transfer to a platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 3-4 minutes.  Serve at once with the mostarda!

BBQ with Veggie Kebabs

'Komşu!'

Neighbour! The garden gate creaked and I knew immediately that the arrival of Leyla from next door was imminent. It was the first day of bayram and we were back in our village. The tradition is to visit family and friends after the testing time of the long fast. Children will look spick and span in their brand new clothes. The atmosphere is all rather Christmas-like actually. Leyla came with her university-educated daughter Emine bearing small dishes of village delicacies made in her outdoor oven: pişi, basically a deep-fried pastry, and baklava, made with olive oil and not butter as in the cities. A true bayram visit is not long: just enough to share a glass of tea and to offer something sweet to eat.

our neighbour Leyla with her daughter

The weather was delightful, so the idea of a barbecue that evening was tempting. We decided to keep it simple : some lovely little pirzola/lamb chops with fresh vegetable kebabs, and a salad with more of that wonderful bread.

Barbecue to go:

1. First we marinated the baby lamb chops: olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, fresh thyme. We covered them with clingfilm and put them in the fridge.

marinating the pirzola

2. We looked to see what vegetables we had. The markets didn’t happen because it was holiday time so we were limited to what we could find in the one and only grocer’s: a few eggplants, tomatoes, red onions, green and red peppers (the big ones, not the hot ones). We washed, cut and sliced a selection and threaded them on some metal skewers. Colour is always important to me so I was careful to balance the reds and purples, not forgetting to peel the eggplants in strips rather than leaving the peel whole. We also added bay leaves and sprigs of rosemary from the garden in between the slices. We treated the kebabs to a drizzle of olive oil too, seasoned them and put to one side.

our kebabs

drizzling olive oil

 I had brought roka/rocket from Istanbul. We really love it but sometimes the taste can be very fiery and needs to be tempered. Tomatoes are always good for this but we didn’t have enough so instead I discovered a lone carrot and some spring onions. I grated the carrot and secretly admired the colour contrast of the orange with the green. Then the spring onions, chopped. To perk the whole thing up, we roughly crushed some walnuts in a plastic bag with the rolling pin and sprinkled them on top. I wondered what else we could add to make the salad more festive and remembered that I had brought some parmesan from Istanbul with me so we shaved a few flakes off.

Waiting for the heat of the charcoal to subside to allow cooking to commence, wine or rakı glasses in our hands, we watched the sun go down and listened to the homeward-bound tinkle of goat bells : it seemed a splendid ending to the day.

Tips

• 
  
  If you don’t have metal skewers, you can buy the wooden ones BUT remember to soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand otherwise they will go up in flames! Not a good thing.
• 
  
  Marinating overnight is best to get the full flavours and to tenderise. Take the food out of the fridge early enough as it will cook better at room temperature.
• 
  
  Eggplant takes longer than the other veggies to soften up. Courgettes would be quicker. These kebabs take about 30 mins. At least.
• 
  
  If you are not barbecuing, I suggest grilled vegetables in the oven. (200C/ 180C fan). The same thing with or without the skewers. It makes a great sight: a full aluminium foil-lined tray of colourful veggies.Take them to the table like that. A real crowd -pleaser. Recipes always say about 30 mins but in my experience, a good 40 – 45 mins works better.

shaving parmesan for the salad

Shaving rather than grating cheese is much more attractive on a salad. Nuts, especially walnuts, are always a good addition.


Make sure you have one last BBQ before the colder weather sets in!
              

Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokology

Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokology is a wonderful book by Richard W. McPeake. Mr McPeake(known as "the Sultan of Smoke") is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. He was awarded the 2009 Presidents’ Award from the American Culinary Federation and has been a professional chef for 30 years. Over the past eight years, he’s been teaching barbecue cooking classes in the Kansas City area and its from these classes that he’s developed this book.

BACKYARD BBQ: The Art of Smokology is in it's Fourth Printing This book covers all the barbecue basics of Backyard Smoking, as taught in Chef McPeake's barbecue classes. Hence the name: The Art of Smokology. From starting your fire, to buying, selecting, trimming and smoking meats. Also chapters covering terms, rub making, sauce making, brining and the proper procedures for smoking seafood.
Plus some of his favorite recipes like: Hell Fire Brisket , Sweet & Spicy Cherry Ribs, Duck Pastrami, Oriental Smoked Porkloin, Twice Smoked Pulled Pork, Take Your Breath BBQ Sauce, Passion BBQ Sauce, Mustard & Pepper Spiced Beef Tenderloin, Honey Maple Brine for Salmon, Honey Marinated Lobster Tails, Coconut Curried Scallops, Margarita Mop for Chicken,
Nawlins' Butter Mop, Warm Jalapeno Corn Relish, Gazpacho Salsa, Zesty Backyard Baked Beans, Wisconsin Cheddar Potato Salad Jambalaya Rice ............and much more! No stone is left unturn in this book.

Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokology

BBQ As A Business

Is anybody out there looking to start a recession proof business? Then why not turn your love of BBQ into a money making venture. There are people making over $1,000.00 just working on the weekends. Fairs,carnivals,local events and ball games are just a few of the places you can set up a BBQ concession. Visitors flock to BBQ like no other foods at these events. Pulled pork, ribs and barbecued chicken are three big sellers at these events. You can also offer exotic fare such as alligator, wild boar, venison and other game meats. People love trying different things so why not take advantage of their natural curiosity. So what does it take to get started in this business? Well of course you're going to need a cooker and this will be your main expense. Southern Yankee BBQ offers some of the finest cookers on the market. Smoky Mountain BBQ also offers a nice selection of cookers. The size that you need will be determined by the size of the events you wish to sell at. You also can make money by catering BBQ. Barbecue is the fastest growing catered wedding reception food today. All sorts of people love to have barbecue catered to their event. So if you are looking to start a business and you love to barbecue there is no better time to get started. There are tons of information online and in book form to get you started. Good luck in your new venture.

The BBQ Concession Trailer As a Home Based Business Opportunity (How To Make Serious Money With Your Own Mobile Food Business)

Alabama Style Barbecue

Barbecue in Alabama is mainly a pork and chicken affair. Meat is usually slow roasted over the Bama wood of choice, which is usually hickory. The sauce is usually either the traditional tomato based or vinegar based varieties but in northern Alabama you will find a mayonnaise based sauce known affectionately as "Alabama White Sauce". Alabama White Sauce is a mayo and vinegar based sauce with a tangy flavor and should only be applied near the end of cooking due to its tendecency to break down when exposed to heat. This sauce is predominately used on chicken and pork and is not recommended for beef. Barbecue in Alabama is served with fresh vegetables or the usual fare of french fries, baked beans and coleslaw.

Ingredients:
•1 cup mayonnaise
•1 cup cider vinegar
•1 tablespoon lemon juice
•1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:
Mix ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using. Brush lightly over chicken, turkey or pork during the last few minutes of grilling. This barbecue sauce is also great as a dipping sauce so set some aside before you start grilling to serve on the table.
recipe from Derrick Riches

Memphis Style Barbecue

In our continuing series of different styles of BBQ today we will look at the Memphis style.

Memphis style barbecue is mainly made from pulled pork and ribs. Memphis is known most for its dry rubbed barbecue. Memphis dry rub will consist of spices such as garlic powder,onion powder,paprika,cumin and others. Was rubbed the ribs will be placed in a smoker until fall off the bone tender.

The meat will be served with a decadent sweet and tangy tomato based sauce on the side. This is used for dipping the ribs or pouring over the pulled pork.

Memphis is home to the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest which regularly draws over 90,000 barbecue lovers from around the world. Guinness Book of World Records has established this event as the "largest pork cooking barbecue contest in the world.

Places to eat while visiting Memphis
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous(serving ribs since 1948)
Cozy Corner(great food at a great price)
Jim Neelys' Interstate Bar-B-Q(a local favorite)
Leonard's Pit Barbeque(serving their famous pork sandwiches since 1922)
There our many more BBQ restuarants for you to choose so make sure you plan to stay a while.

Dry Rub Recipe
Ingredients:
•4 teaspoons paprika
•2 teaspoons salt
•2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
•2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
•1 teaspoons cayenne
Preparation:
Mix ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. Spread evenly on prepared ribs that have been patted dry and let sit until the rub appears moist.

Memphis Barbecue Sauce Recipes
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes; serve warm.

Kansas City Style(3rd in a series)

Kansas City style barbecue came to be in the early 1900's from the pits of Henry Perry. Kansas City, Missouri, boasting over 100 barbecue restuarants is another barbecue capital of the world.(I think I detect a trend here).

Kansas City style barbecue is known for its use of many different types of meat. These include beef brisket,beef and pork ribs,pulled pork,smoked sausage,chicken and in my opinion one of mans greatest discoveries, the burnt end. Burnt end is the ends of the brisket after its long cooking times. The ends get cooked more due to their thinness compared to the rest of the cut. This gives it a crunchy texture and is simply delicious. The sauce is a sweet and tangy tomato base and is intended to be used liberally. Most sauces can be found in spicier versions as well. Favorite side dishes are baked beans,cole slaw and fries.

(from wikipedia)
Kansas City traces its barbecue history to Henry Perry, who operated out of a trolley barn at 19th and Highland in the legendary African-American neighborhood around 18th and Vine.

Perry served slow-cooked ribs on pages of newsprint for 25 cents a slab. Perry came from Shelby County, Tennessee near Memphis and began serving barbecue in 1908. The style of Kansas City and Memphis barbecue are very similar, although Kansas City tends to use more sauce and a wider variety of meats, including pork, beef, chicken, sausage, and turkey. Perry's sauce had a somewhat harsh, peppery flavor.


Arthur Bryant's Barbecue at 18th and Brooklyn in Kansas CityPerry's restaurant became a major cultural point during the heyday of Kansas City Jazz during the "wide-open" days of Tom Pendergast in the 1920s and 1930s.

Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce Recipe

This is a rich, thick, tomato based Kansas City style barbecue sauce recipe. Adjust the heat by changing the amount of cayenne.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
•1 cup ketchup
•1/4 cup water
•1/4 cup vinegar
•1/4 cup brown sugar
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons paprika
•1 tablespoon chili powder
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 teaspoon cayenne
Preparation:
Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and sauté until brown. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
http://www.bbq.about.com

Texas Style

This is the second in a series about the best barbecue states. Today we will be looking at the great state of Texas and all it's glorious barbecue history. What makes Texas barbecue so special? Well Texans have developed an affinity for taking the less desireable cuts of meat and turning them into masterpieces. The meat of choice for a good texas barbecue is the venerable brisket. Brisket is a cut of meat from the lower chest of the cow. You could probably take this cut of meat to a bar fight and come out the winner every time. This is one tough hombre. How do Texans take this piece of meat that a pitbull would have a hard time chewing up and turn it into something so tender and delicious? They start with a dry rub that is rubbed into the brisket. This rub consist of spices such as salt,pepper,dry mustard,paprika,brown sugar,onion powder and garlic powder among others. The meat is then cooked at a temperarure between 200 and 250 degrees for at least 10 hours. During the cooking process a vinegar based sauce is "mopped" onto the meat. This is done to add juices to the meat but also to add the crust on the outside of the brisket. Nothing that will burn is in the mopping sauce. It is mostly vinegar and dry mustard with some other spices. Once this meat has been through the cooking process it turns from one of the toughest cuts of meat known to man into one of the juiciest, most tender and delicious cuts of meat found anywhere. If you have never tried Texas Style Barbecue Brisket I urge you to mosey on down to the Lone Star State and give it a try.

DRY RUB:

2 tbsp. seasoned salt
1 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
1 tbsp. cracked white peppercorns (I substitute ground white pepper)
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar

MOP SAUCE:

5 slices bacon, minced
1 c. minced onions
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 lemon, quartered
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

North Carolina Style

Today we begin a new series dedicated to finding which state has the best barbecue. I like all types of barbecue so I will be totally subjective.

The first state we will explore is North Carolina. Residents of the Tarheel state will certainly tell you that to find the worlds best barbecue you simply come to North Carolina and the barbecue will find you.

North Carolina BBQ is all about the pork and sauce. First a select pig is picked out and prepared for cooking. Once ready this pig is going to cook slowly at a temperature around 250 degrees for anywhere between 14 and 18 hours. This slow cooking allows the pork to age without drying out the meat. Seldom will you see sauce applied to North Carolina BBQ while cooking unless its a vinegar base to aid in keeping the meat moist. Once done the pork will be "pulled" into bite size chunks and eventually chopped even finer. If you see someone in North Carolina slicing the pork it's time to walk away because they obviously don't know a thing about North Carolina barbecue.

Once the meat has been pulled and chopped it's time to add the sauce. Here is where North Carolina barbecue differs from others. Rather than your traditionally red tomato based BBQ sauce Carolina style sauce is vinegar based and boy is it good! Just enough sauce will be added to the meat to awaken they taste buds. To much sauce and and the vinegar kills the wonderful flavor of the meat. The next step is to put this wonderful concoction in between two buns and add a little cole slaw and enjoy some of the finest BBQ the world has to offer.

If you're planning a trip to North Carolina be sure to follow the Barbecue Trail. You won't go wrong stopping at one of these joints. So stop in and try one or better yet try them all

North Carolina BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™), or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

..DIRECTIONS
1.Combine the white vinegar, cider vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before using so that the flavors will blend. Shake occasionally, and store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Barbecued Beef Short Ribs

[Project ‘Recreate New York Food’ to commence shortly. This is just shameless filler whilst body clocks return to normal and things like mountains of washing get done].

Forget everything you think you know about the rules of the kitchen. For just a few minutes.

This is just plain wrong. It shouldn’t work. Nearly every bodily fibre was screaming, shouting, balling at me to stop and obey the bloody rules. This method flies in the face of conventional cooking methods and tickles the scrotum of classical cuisine before running away and hanging out with the cool kids.



There are some cuts of meat that are user-friendly. They are fast, boneless and easy. The chicken breast. The fillet steak. The pork loin. A sprinkling of seasoning and a quick searing over a high heat and you have a tasty morsel ready for consumption.

Then there are those that need a little more care and attention. And time. Lots and lots of time. In general these are the cuts that I cherish (secretly I think most cooks do, at least those that really love their food).

They are the ones that are left on the bone, that need to be braised in liquid (wine is good. Always) until they are meltingly tender and rich, delicious and unctuous. Or roasted s.l.o.w.l.y.

But they are winter meats.

Now that the sun is here why would you want a hearty stew or daube Provençal?

As such, I thought the short ribs I have would have to remain in the freezer until the clouds roll in, the temperature drops and the desire for rich sauces and mashed potatoes returns once more.


Not so.

I picked up a copy of Gourmet magazine at JFK airport (‘The Grill Issue').

In it was a wonderful photo essay about a Mexican barbecue supper complete with recipes for a multitude of tasty treats. But one in particular stood out because it made me scratch my noggin and mutter: ‘There’s no way that could work. It goes against everything I know and cheekily tickles the scrotum of classical cuisine.’

Beef short ribs. Unmarinated. Unbraised. Unadorned. Just seasoned with salt and pepper then cooked over hot coals and torn apart by enthusiastic teeth. How could you not want to try that?



One of the best things about barbecue cookery is the purity of it. It’s as close most of us get to recreating the ancestral methods that live on in the collective memory. It’s just you and the fire, the ideal conditions for letting your inner Neanderthal out for an hour or two.

Which is great. And I’m all for delicately spiced fish wrapped in banana leaves or long marinated pork chops or skewers of vegetables drizzled in olive oil. But to really get to the heart of the purity of outdoor cooking all you need is a great hunk of meat.

If you’re going to do this, you might as well go all the way and release the caveman.

Enter the beef. Bones and all.

Seasoned in advance (ignore the hokum about only seasoning meat milliseconds before you are about to cook it), they were left at room temperature until the barbecue was seriously hot (hold your hand the coals about five inches up – if you have to move within 1-2 seconds, you’re at the right heat). Then it was time to cook them.



Where American short ribs tend to be cut across the rib, the English butcher them differently, giving single bones rather than a series of them dotted through the meat, much like the equivalent cut on a pig. It matters not. They need about three or four minutes on each side to really get that tasty browning before they can be moved to a cooler part of the barbecue to cook through.

Leave them for about fifteen minutes, turning occasionally. You have a lot of leeway with these bad boys. A steak can overcook in just a couple of minutes. These butch fellas can take it, begging for more. It’s like watching the cast of High School Musical take on a team of Jack Bauers (oh, I would give a minor appendage to witness that).



Once cooked leave them to rest for 10-15 minutes (absolutely freaking essential) – just the right time to dish up whatever it is you would like to accompany your feast. Salad? Perhaps not the best option. I’d go for beer. And maybe a mound of potatoes. Concessionary veg optional.



Season the meat again – just a little turn of black pepper and some sea salt and dig in. This isn’t dainty food. Use of hands is not just recommended, it is mandatory. The taste is incredible. I’ve never had a steak that tasted as good as these. Honestly. Not a single steak has ever come close. The flavour is intensely meaty, packed full of umami and downright deliciousness.

If you’re used to meat that is so tender it may as well have been pre-chewed then these will come as a shock. They offer up some resistance (hardly surprising considering they are the Jack Bauer of the food world) but in a really satisfying way.

I don’t want my food to fall apart in my mouth. My incisors and molars evolved for a purpose. Precisely this purpose: for tearing off mouthfuls of completely delicious beef, still on the bone and tasting exactly like beef should.

Naturally, I cooked too much. The rest were left over night then sliced thinly, still pink, to go into wraps the following day with some spicy beans, spinach, guacamole and chillis.

Anthony Bourdain has a term for food like this: It’s the sort of food that you would only serve to friends, and people you already know you are going to like. Put your inner sceptic to sleep for just one night, invite over some people you know will appreciate this (vegetarians need not apply) and make a long, long evening of it.

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