Cooking Calamity

[ellyssian]

Most of the time, when I experiment with a recipe, I tend to like the results.

One can't say what might have been true long, long ago at the dawn of time - that I don't really try anything new - because that can be disproved when I combined cinnamon, maple syrup, and cheese with sassafras leaves and created Frasadillas or vinegar, rum, and cinnamon to make the marinade for Hair o' the Cow What Bit You.

Still, for the most part, my creations are relatively simplistic, sometimes quite literally, as with the Cattlemen's Ribs or one of my earliest, Ellyssian's Signature Steak Tips, where the core recipe is essentially "cut meat up, pour A-1 on meat, cook in skillet until kitchen is a mess" and only becomes something more when served with Deeper n' Everesque baked potatoes.

A lot of what I do tends to combine bits and pieces of earlier recipes: Rusty Radiator and Dirty Rice Pie are both variations of Deeper n' Ever - substituting a pasta and a rice for the potato, and then adding other variations from there.

Although it may not seem it, there's a definite lineage in what I've done with fish, from Twice-Fried Tilapia Teriyaki to the Grilled Fish: Three Variations on a Theme to Campeche-Style Baked Tilapia and Bacon Wrapped Catfish.

Finally, there can be seen a direct lineage from Hair o' The Cow What Bit You, as well as gathering what I learned in those fish recipes, to Cinnamon Rum Candy Glazed Fish. In that last, I noted that the glaze had some bitter notes when dealing with the sauce that was not on the fish itself. In hindsight, that should have set off a lightbulb of warning. Instead, I ruined some otherwise great ingredients.

See, I combined Hair o' The Cow with Bacon Wrapped Catfish, and it really should have worked. The results looked delicious.

However, I now have insight as to why the Cinnamon Rum Candy glaze didn't work so well.

I had to recall an earlier bout where I mis-made Hair o' The Cow as well.

Problem #1: The balsamic vinegar, accidentally used for burgers once and for the glazed fish, seems to result in the bitter note when it hits the Captain Morgan's a bit too hard.

Problem #2: The Hair o' The Cow marinade and, I suspect, its variation as a glaze need to be cooked over an open fire, where the juices can run down and feed the flames, creating a delicious smoke that makes the meal.

You see, when I had cooked the burgers with balsamic before, I did them inside, under the broiler, in a pan where they sat in their juices. The glazed fish was the same - it cooked in the juices. The original creation had the magical flavoring from the serious amount of smoke that filled the grill and imparted its flavor over and above that of the marinade itself.

Last night, when I wrapped bacon around some Hair o' The Cow-soaked burgers, made improperly with balsamic vinegar, the juices were unable to escape, and those bitter notes noticed during the broiler-cooked burgers and in the glazed fish rendered what should have been a delicious treat inedible.

I barely ate one small burger. aequitaslevitas, on the other hand, despite declaring them awful, ate three. Teenagers, oy.

I'm not entirely convinced which problem - #1 or #2, above - is the major factor. Given how well the bacon served to keep the burger together and seal it up, I lean towards the second. Given how the balsamic and the rum exist when bitter comes along, I lean towards the first.

Only further experimentation - perhaps in smaller quantities, so I don't render a whole meal entirely uneatable - will tell. I'm thinking the following adjustments might be for the best:

• Return to the original marinade as per the recipe - specifically, using tarragon vinegar and not balsamic and, I notice only now, using Enova/canola instead of olive oil (problem #3?)
• Sear the burger on an open flame before wrapping with bacon

For the record, key points in doing the bacon-wrapped burgers directly on the grill:

• Bacon flares up like woah! on the grill - keep a close eye on it; cook it on heavy-duty foil part of the time (initially, then sear, and when flames shoot back up, get it out of harm's way so it isn't charred until it crumbles through the grill)
• Long handled implements are the only thing that will save it when its engulfed in flames - I used a long handled spatula, my usual flat metal spatula to add a second hand to help control and guide the burgers, and, for the foil, a plastic spatula
• low heat and closed lid when cooking on the foil, particularly for the last segment to melt the cheddar; high heat for searing

Stay tuned for futher developments. As soon as I can get that hideous taste - which is still lingering - out of mouth and mind.

~ ~ ~

In other food-related news, you need to read Chris DeBarr's (chefcdb) post Egyptian Cotton Chef. If it hadn't been for that post, I probably would have kept silent and not made this post. =)

Comments

[cissa.livejournal.com]

Olive oil's got a pretty low smoke point; that may well be part of the problem.

Personally, I tend to use balsamic- which I adore- only with fairly simple other flavors. It's pretty complex, and I distrust its ability to play well with too many other flavors- so I think you're on to something there.

It's really discouraging to make something that tastes disgusting, though! I still remember a broccoli with orange sauce that looked like it should have been good- and it was foul. Just nasty.

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I still can't get this taste out of my mouth, and I've had several meals and plenty of beverages since!