New charcoal

[Darryl - swazies]

Went to a new to me bbq store today. They sell smokers, pizza ovens, coolers, charcoal, rubs, sauces......meat counter and hot food counter.
The owner has the rub/sauce line out called big Sid’s.....and most of it is exceptional.
I picked up a white bbq sauce today, never tried it before.
Anyways, I thought I seen this charcoal somewhere on here before so I picked up one bag of lump.
It is about $6 cheaper the JD per same size bag.
I was walking ou5 and 2 older guys eating the bbq from inside were out there and I heard one say to the other.....” that’s the best charcoal money can buy “.
It is made in Quebec here in Canada.
I picked up 2 really good looking strips for tomorrow’s dinner from there as well.
Also stopped for seafood.
Pretty healthy menu for the weekend.
Tonight is pan seared scallops, they are big ones about 15 to a pound. Also having crab cakes and ceaser salad. That might be it as there probably will be cocktails.
Tomorrow is thick NY strips with gnocchi that I am using seafood chowder turned into a sauce again.
Might make celery bread tomorrow too.

Any input on the charcoal is encouraged.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Just a few snaps, the fresh stuff looked pretty good today.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Wish we had something like that store here. Nice selection of surf and turf.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

The seafood gets flown in weekly from the east coast.
Everything I get from there is very good.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Expensive olive oil is worth it.
This stuff here so far is the best I have found, seen more expensive so I’m sure there is better.
A snip of the scallops, they were perfect, cooked them to about 110 to 115.
Tonight is surf and turf, should be better pics and a whole lot more food.

 

[Kevin L (NKY)]

Looking forward to this evenings photos, as I am a nut for good surf and turf.
And you have some of my favorites.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Took the seafood chowder and made a roux, thickened the soup up to a sauce and added salt.
Seared mushroom with fresh garlic, boiled gnocchi and added them to the sauce when it was ready.
Pan fried crab cake, forgot to buy lemon, we subbed with a lime.
Caeser salad, garden fresh romaine was a highlight, lemon would have really came through here.
Tried the new charcoal out, steaks with olive oil and heavily coated with Carne Crosta.
I thought I bought NY strips but I guess they were sirloins.....seemed to be cut similar to a Denver cut steak.
Lots of fat and marbling but the texture is considerably more firm then a strip or rib steak.
The steak is alright but I would rate it as a class below a strip or rib.
Got the new charcoal up to 600 pretty easily in the performer to get that Carne Crosta seared on there really good.
Cooked the steaks to about 125 and let them rest as long as I could, about 10 minutes.
All in all it came out pretty good, pretty easy cook, things went fast.
Plated pic was my meal, I still have half a steak for lunch and tons of gnocchi.
Post lunch at work is going to be sleepy time......I’m stuffed and sleepy right now.