Dinner Requirements

While driving around Byrd asked me to cook something for dinner. Her requirements were: "Cube steak, rice, onions, some form of gravy, and mushrooms if you want." This has happened a lot more since she has been pregnant and this is a much easier list to work with than some. These can make a edible dinner. Since it was on hand I used venison. Lightly floured and seasoned into a pan of butter and oil. Why I mix the two I don't know, I am sure I saw it on TV.

After browning on both sides I removed the meat and started the gravy. I made the same style of gravy as Rouladen-ish. Then returned the venison to the hot tub of gravy.

Last Christmas my MIL gave us a Real Simple magazine subscription. It is a wealth of information on a wide variety of, well, crap. I enjoy it. I bring this up because a year or so ago they had an article on how to cook rice. It was immediately ripped out and put in the recipe box. I never stray from this. It is always perfect. The lima beans came from a bag. This is the only use a microwave has, that and popcorn.

Very simple and delicious and Byrd loved it. I can't wait for the next list.

Rouladen-ish

After the "deer balls" the other day I have been thinking of a dish my mom used to make called Rouladen. I have never tried to make this particular dish of hers so she got the "mom I want to cook something you used to make phone call", which she gets often. Rouladen is basically a meat roll, that is not a technical definition but you get the gist of it. My mom used cube steak, but I happen to have a freezer full of venison, and we go to the local Publix enough so...we took venison cube steak seasoned it with salt and pepper, rubbed it in mustard then added diced onions and green bell peppers. The peppers were something we added it was not in mom's recipe.

Then rolled them tight and placed toothpicks to hold everything in. Then rolled them in seasoned flour.

I then pan-fried them in a little butter, and by a little I mean 3-4 tablespoons. Not for long due to the fact that venison will dry out if over cooked. Just enough to brown the outside. I removed them from the pan, added the rest of the diced onions and peppers, then some sliced onions with some beef stock to make a gravy. As the gravy started to thicken I added the meat back in to simmer for a bit. With this is another dish from my mom, which is her brown rice.

Here it is all together. It took me back to childhood. I have to thank my mom for raising us on such great food.

This was a great dish and fun to make. It didn't taste as good as moms, but they never do.

Ribs and Deer Balls

Last Saturday we went over to my wife's parents house for a an afternoon of hanging out and eventually eating dinner. What a great time to try out a new style of ribs. I have cooked the same ribs since I was in college, no better guinea pigs than the so called "in laws". Here we have 2 slabs of baby back ribs. The back ribs are lightly dusted in Rut's Rub(I'll talk more about the rub another time) the front ribs are heavily coated in the same. This is one of my wife's family recipes. I have heard about them since I met her and now 3 years later I have been allowed to have them. I guess I finally made the cut. Here is the venison tenderloin before. We took this sliced it into 1 inch steaks. Then, using a meat cleaver, pounded them down to almost see through. Placed diced onions and bellbeppers, a dash of Dale's marinade, then wrapped them in bacon. Secured with toothpicks.

The deer balls after being prepared.

I did the front slab the way I always do which is an indirect cook at 225 degrees for almost 4 hours. The back slab I misted every 30 minutes with a mixture of Apple Cider Vinegar, Apple Juice, and Saw's Sauce(a great new BBQ place in Homewood, AL) for the first 2 hours. Then I wrapped them in foil with some of the liquid in the bottom. I kept them on for another hour and 30 minutes, removed them from the foil and basted them with the Saw's Sauce for the last 30 minutes. As much as I love dry ribs I have to say the wet one's were delicious.

The "deer balls" we cooked directly over the heat until the bacon was crisp. This will depend on the thickness of the bacon. I wouldn't over cook when using venison because it will dry out, even when wrapped in bacon. The deer balls are on the right. The left is some venison sausage we smoked because the 4 of us didn't think we had enough meat for 1 dinner.

I will say that all of this plus some great potato salad, baked beans, and deviled eggs it was a great Saturday. I still stand by my dry ribs, but with the family approval of the new ones, I will continue to try new ways.