Reverse Searing Tips:
- Thick cuts of meat work best.
- Place the protein and fire as far away from each other as possible.
- Use the vents on your grill to maintain a constant temperature. As the fuel burns down some adjustment will be necessary.
- No peeking! Avoid opening the lid to the grill. This releases that perfect temperature environment you worked so hard to get.
- The reverse sear target internal temperature should be around 5-7º shy of the seared internal temperature.
- 20-25 minutes is about the right amount of time to reach your initial target temperature.
- Place the bones (if any) closest to the fire. This will protect one part of the meat from cooking faster.
Guru Cupcake Potatoes
This simple dish is a variation of potatoes au gratin. Because it is cooked in a muffin tin (cupcake pan), the cooking time is reduced, and the portion sizes are already determined.
Using a mandolin makes quick work of slicing the potatoes to a thin, uniformed thickness. They are inexpensive and have many uses in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 4lbs. Starchy potatoes (Yukon Gold, Russett)
- 4 ounces Unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ cup Neutral oil
- 2 lbs. Processed cheese (Velveeta)
- 1 quart Whipping cream
- Louisiana Love Seasoning Blends to taste
Special Equipment:
- 12 compartment muffin (cupcake) pan
Method:
- Prepare a wood fire, or preheat oven to 375º
- Wash potatoes and put them aside. The potatoes can be peeled if desired.
- Prepare a bowl of cold water.
- Set up the mandolin for very thin slices, about 3 millimeters.
- Using the safety handle, slice the potatoes into the water, drain, refill with cold water, and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
- Using a pastry brush, or clean paper towel, butter well each of the cupcake compartments.
- Drain the potatoes well, then spread them out onto clean kitchen towels and pat them as dry as possible as quickly.
- Note: Do not allow them to air dry as they will brown from oxidation.
- Place potatoes in a suitable bowl, add oil, and season with about a tablespoon of Louisiana Love, or to taste.
- Slice processed cheese into thin slices and reserve. Coating a knife with oil will help to slice the processed cheese and reduce sticking.
- Working quickly, add 2-3 slices of potato then one slice of cheese. Repeat until the muffin cup is full. Continue to fill the remaining cups.
- Place on grill, or in oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling, and potatoes are very soft when a knife is inserted.
- If not well browned, place under broiler set to high for 3-4 minutes, or cook for additional 5-minute increments until browned to liking.
- Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes, then serve.
Stay hungry!