To bacon or not to bacon

Bacon is a food group - along with Butterfingers and chocolate milk shakes.

That's just how it is.

I have a lovely pound of Smithfield Applewood bacon (thick sliced) in my fridge at the moment. BLT tonight!

Alright, since Dan already hijacked the thread I'll put in my two bits worth. :-)

Let me just say in advance that you can add bacon liberally to any recipe I share now and in the future. Are we cool, Barb? :-)


I agree with the choice of steak. If you use chicken I recommend gently pounding it until it's all close to the same thickness. If you're using shrimp simply peel, de-vein and rinse.

There are plenty of marinades that you can use, including store bought. The best experience we've ever had with store bought fajita mix is the Kroger brand (store brand) at Fry's here in Arizona. That stuff used to be .25 each until people caught onto how good it is. Now it's almost $1.00.

You can Google "fajita marinade recipes" and probably get thousands.

I like to use my own salsa recipe, or a variation of it, as a marinade.

Here's the recipe.

8 Roma tomatoes - diced
1 15 Oz. Can diced tomatoes w/juice
1 Large yellow onion
1/4 bunch of cilantro - diced (Note: Don't overdo it. This stuff is tasty, but strong!)
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
2 Large jalapeno peppers - diced - (you can substitute mild green chili's or add some of each)
2 Habanero Peppers - diced (optional)
1 Juice of one lime (Note: When choosing limes go for the light green, not the dark. They're riper and juicier. Roll them back and forth on the counter a few times to break up the pulp a bit before slicing them in half.

Ground cumin - I use a heaping tablespoon. It enhances the flavor like you wouldn't believe. Cumin is an important staple in mexican cooking.

Salt & pepper to taste.

You could also add a teaspoon of chili powder if you'd like.

Put it in a blender or food processor and purify it. Note: If you're just using it for salsa pulse it and leave it a bit chunky. That way it's good for scooping with chips. Also, I'd skip the chili powder if I were using it for salsa.

When it tastes good to you it's ready for the meat. Important! I never marinade the meat for more than 2-4 hours for this method, as the acidity in the lime and tomatoes can actually begin to cook the meat. That's pretty much how ceviche is made (along with orange juice) and although you can do that with this if you're using shrimp, that not the goal here.

If you choose a sweeter marinade recipe you'll need to be very careful when cooking because sugar burns quickly.

I like to use a grill, charcoal or electric is fine, but you can use a skillet. Cast iron is my favorite. As Dan said, you'll want to undercook the meat one level lower than you want to serve it at as it will continue to cook as it rests wrapped in foil. I recommend resting meat for at least 10 minutes.

You can tell how well a steak is cooked by using your hand. Located the muscle on your palm below your thumb. Next, touch your index finger to your thumb. That's apx what a rare steak feels like. Now touch your thumb to your middle finger. That's medium rare. Touch your thumb to your third finger and you'll feel medium well and touch your thumb to your pinky and you'll feel how a well done steak feels.

I like to serve steak for fajitas cooked medium well.

Chicken breast meat cooks very quickly, especially if it's pounded evenly. You want it cooked thoroughly, but not bone dry. I'll usually choose one breast to cut and test to make sure it's getting close to being done before I remove it and put it to rest.

I put shrimp on a skewer and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side over medium high heat depending on the size of the shrimp. You want to make sure the transparency is gone and the meat is white. Try not to overcook them or they'll become rubbery!

That's about it. One more thing, if you like fresh guacamole simply buy 3-4 large avocados (soft at the top is best), remove the pits, remove the flesh, put it all in a bowl and mash it up until it's broken down well, but still a bit chunky.

Next, add about a few scoops of the salsa mix above before you blend it (and before adding chili powder, if you choose to!), a little bit of lime juice, add a pinch of salt to taste, stir it well and pop it in the fridge while the meat cooks to chill it. Yeah, buddy. :-)

If the recipes are too much, cut them in half. If they're not enough, double them. Unfortunately, the guacamole won't last well in the fridge, so don't overdo it by making too much. It turns brown quickly overnight.

Oh, and don't forget the bacon! Actually, it's awesome when you wrap the shrimp in it.

HTH


Joe

Sorry. Boneless rib eye (Delmonico) is the only way to fly with filet mignon running a close second. Melts in your mouth with the added bonus of artery-clogging fat. Deelish!

Cheers. - Frank

*Devils on Horseback.

Bacon wrapped scollops broiled in butter.

(Sell my clothes, I'm going to heaven.) :rolleyes:

Joe Mobley

*I think there are several recipes called Devils on Horseback.