I just returned home from a week on the road. I traveled to Columbus Indiana early last week for the Heart of America Grazing Conference. We had a booth there at the trade show and I had opportunity to take in most of the speakers and presentations. Joel Salatin was the keynote speaker and was a pleasure to listen to as always. I met a lot of existing customers there as well as a lot of new ones. Some had heard of us and some had not. It was a good conference.
It ended on thursday afternoon and i opted to stay over as i had a long drive the next day. I drve thru Brown county Indiana coming and going, and regret that it was after daylight both times. It is an interesting and pretty area. Kind of a pocket of Ozarks amoungst the corn and soybean country. I much prefer the scenery of grasslands and forests over cornfields !
Friday I traveled to St Joe, Missouri for the Farm show there. I helped out Glenn Spencer of Jackson Seed & Farm Supply. Visited with a good group of people there.
My folks live not far from there so I got in a good visit with them on Friday and Saturday evenings. I bunked over and partook of some of moms cooking. Had a great meatloaf on saturday evening. Got a little skiff of snow on Sunday morning, so i decided to hit the road and head home. Its about a 5 hour drive.
Was very happy to get home and see my family. We are resting and loafing around this afternoon.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Cooking with a Black Skillet
SO, what do you think about cast iron black skillets ?
I've done a fair amount of cooking over an open fire in my life. Maybe thats where my roots come from when it comes to choosing a skillet. I love a good well worn cast iron black skillet. To me foods just taste better cooked in them. My grandmothers used them exclusively and my mom did and still does.
When I cook at home on the stovetop I still choose a black skillet. You can cook about anything in them. You can put the lid on them and simmer for hours for some unique dishes.
Some people dont like the clean up thats associated with them......but, if you season one in right, they are actually a pretty quick clean.
If you have to purchase a new cast iron skillet, then you will want to season it in properly. You will need to oil it down, inside and out. I like olive oil as it takes pretty high heat. Put it on the oven rack and let it season for several hours at around 350 degrees. Upon taking it out, wipe it clean and recoat with a light dressing of oil. Season the lid the same way. If you think it didnt season enough, then repeat the process. Another way, if you have an open fire, is to oil it down and hang it over a wood fire. I think that the smoke from a wood fire helps season it too. The blacker the skillet gets, the better it cooks.
When I am batching it at home, I can acturally survive pretty well with one black skillet. Cook in it, and eat out of it over the sink......store the leftovers in it in the fridge.........heck, no dishes to wash !
You can use a black skillet on about any type of cooking surface or an open fire. For a stove top i prefer a gas stove........i like to see my fire !
One of my favorite ways to cook a tasty meat meal is to brown meat quickly, then add a splash of water, cover with lid and steam for a few minutes.........tapper down the heat to low, and then add a zesty type of sauce........and simmer for about an hour. The meat will be fork tender. Try this with sweet/sour pork........add some pinapple and sweet/sour sauce during the sauce stage and you WILL be delighted.
I've done a fair amount of cooking over an open fire in my life. Maybe thats where my roots come from when it comes to choosing a skillet. I love a good well worn cast iron black skillet. To me foods just taste better cooked in them. My grandmothers used them exclusively and my mom did and still does.
When I cook at home on the stovetop I still choose a black skillet. You can cook about anything in them. You can put the lid on them and simmer for hours for some unique dishes.
Some people dont like the clean up thats associated with them......but, if you season one in right, they are actually a pretty quick clean.
If you have to purchase a new cast iron skillet, then you will want to season it in properly. You will need to oil it down, inside and out. I like olive oil as it takes pretty high heat. Put it on the oven rack and let it season for several hours at around 350 degrees. Upon taking it out, wipe it clean and recoat with a light dressing of oil. Season the lid the same way. If you think it didnt season enough, then repeat the process. Another way, if you have an open fire, is to oil it down and hang it over a wood fire. I think that the smoke from a wood fire helps season it too. The blacker the skillet gets, the better it cooks.
When I am batching it at home, I can acturally survive pretty well with one black skillet. Cook in it, and eat out of it over the sink......store the leftovers in it in the fridge.........heck, no dishes to wash !
You can use a black skillet on about any type of cooking surface or an open fire. For a stove top i prefer a gas stove........i like to see my fire !
One of my favorite ways to cook a tasty meat meal is to brown meat quickly, then add a splash of water, cover with lid and steam for a few minutes.........tapper down the heat to low, and then add a zesty type of sauce........and simmer for about an hour. The meat will be fork tender. Try this with sweet/sour pork........add some pinapple and sweet/sour sauce during the sauce stage and you WILL be delighted.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Reflections on 2008
Its that time of year that we tend to look back over our shoulder and reflect, while also trying to peak over the hill to see what may be coming up.
I admit to myself that I feel somewhat happy for being in the line of work that I am in. Our fence company has had a dang good year. And, considering the doom and gloom that you hear in most sectors of agriculture - thats a danged good thing from my perspective.
Steel prices have gone thru the roof during the last year. Yes, at present scrap steel prices are way down. So an average consumer tends to convince theirselves that steel products should follow. That doeesnt always happen and when it does it takes a lot longer to go down than it did to go up. Some retailers maintained their stock of steel products while others did not. Time will tell who was right.
Fertilizer costs were out of reach for the average producer. And although everyone said that those costs were directly related to the oil industry - are they ? Well, fuel prices are back down to about were they were 4 years ago. Fertilizer is still out of reach. Any input on this ?? I think greed has something to do with it.
Fuel Prices in the past year have impacted every business and individual in the country. Did some of us rethink the way we think this past year ?? I bought a deisel truck last January. Was I ever a genius ! I can now fill the same truck up for $62 that was costing me $140 last summer. And they tell me that deisel is a by product of gasoline..........so why does it cost a $1 a gallon more ?? I am also told that the oil industry invented the deisel engine so they could get rid of the byproduct wastes. Man, i get confused writing about it, not to mention thinking about it.
So why am I happy to be in the line of work that i am ? We deal primarily with livestock producers that are trying real hard to make a living off of their grass. They are low input types of people and excellent managers. They dont like equipment or the costs associated with it. So, they have less need for fuel. They have the management prioroties and patience to work with their grasses and forages without chemical enhancements. They have taken steps to evolve their breeds and types of livestock that can and will get along quite well on grass and forage alone. They dont want or need all those input costs that most have become accustomed to.
They realize the value and longevity of the products that electric fencing provides them. They look at "management intensive grazing" as a lifestyle. They do not misconstrue the meaning of "mig" into labor intensive grazing - because it does not require more labor......it actually requires less !
I guess i have rambled on enough for now.
I do want to make a point of getting this blog going. Its sat stale for too long...........
Have a great day.
Gary
I admit to myself that I feel somewhat happy for being in the line of work that I am in. Our fence company has had a dang good year. And, considering the doom and gloom that you hear in most sectors of agriculture - thats a danged good thing from my perspective.
Steel prices have gone thru the roof during the last year. Yes, at present scrap steel prices are way down. So an average consumer tends to convince theirselves that steel products should follow. That doeesnt always happen and when it does it takes a lot longer to go down than it did to go up. Some retailers maintained their stock of steel products while others did not. Time will tell who was right.
Fertilizer costs were out of reach for the average producer. And although everyone said that those costs were directly related to the oil industry - are they ? Well, fuel prices are back down to about were they were 4 years ago. Fertilizer is still out of reach. Any input on this ?? I think greed has something to do with it.
Fuel Prices in the past year have impacted every business and individual in the country. Did some of us rethink the way we think this past year ?? I bought a deisel truck last January. Was I ever a genius ! I can now fill the same truck up for $62 that was costing me $140 last summer. And they tell me that deisel is a by product of gasoline..........so why does it cost a $1 a gallon more ?? I am also told that the oil industry invented the deisel engine so they could get rid of the byproduct wastes. Man, i get confused writing about it, not to mention thinking about it.
So why am I happy to be in the line of work that i am ? We deal primarily with livestock producers that are trying real hard to make a living off of their grass. They are low input types of people and excellent managers. They dont like equipment or the costs associated with it. So, they have less need for fuel. They have the management prioroties and patience to work with their grasses and forages without chemical enhancements. They have taken steps to evolve their breeds and types of livestock that can and will get along quite well on grass and forage alone. They dont want or need all those input costs that most have become accustomed to.
They realize the value and longevity of the products that electric fencing provides them. They look at "management intensive grazing" as a lifestyle. They do not misconstrue the meaning of "mig" into labor intensive grazing - because it does not require more labor......it actually requires less !
I guess i have rambled on enough for now.
I do want to make a point of getting this blog going. Its sat stale for too long...........
Have a great day.
Gary
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