Anybody Seen My Camera?

Sorry no pictures tonight because my camera is somewhere between me and the repair shop. I also have an APB out on my old Canon AE1 so if anybody knows it where abouts I would appreciate it if they contact me. I would suggest for anybody that owns a digital camera or camcorder that they check the Internet and make sure they don't have one of the models with the bad CCD Image Sensor. Several models of cameras and camcorders had bad CCD image sensors installed in them and it doesn't matter if it is a Canon, Nikon, expensive or inexpensive camera. Just my luck I have a camera with the bad sensor in it (by the way it is a Canon). Canon (I think most of the camera manufactures are following suit) will repair the camera for nothing and they will also pay the shipping. Beware if you start getting purple haze pictures this is probably the problem.

I did make Sunday dinner this week and it was bbq baby back beef ribs and grilled asparagus. That's right you read that right I did say baby back BEEF ribs. Now don't get me wrong I still prefer pork ribs over beef but every now and then you need to throw a changeup to keep things off balance.

I haven't cooked beef ribs for a few years now and I though maybe it was time again. The first time I cooked them it turned out to be disaster. They were tough, kind of like eating a raw hide bone. I have hesitated since to cook beef ribs but after doing some research on them I figured I knew what I had done wrong back then. I don't think beef ribs are as for giving as pork ribs, they need to be slow cooked over low temperatures. Everything I read said they need to cook anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. From what I understand you can't cook them to long as long as you apply the long and low method.

The cooking method I chose to use was my trusty Weber Gold and the long low smoking method. Now imagine my surprise when I got home from shopping Saturday and sitting on my back porch was my new Smokenator 1000 for my Weber grill. I can't tell you how excited I was to see it because I had just ordered it on Thursday. This thing is suppose to turn a Weber grill into a lean, mean, smoking machine. I couldn't wait to try it.

Last night as I was getting the ribs ready I decided to use a marinade this time. I made the marinade out of rice vinegar, hosin sauce, pineapple juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Today I read the instructions for my new Smokenator 1000 and assembled it into my Weber. I fired up the charcoal (not gas for you people who cheat) and brought the Weber up to temperature. I put the ribs in the Weber and let them go for just over 4 hours. After 4 hours I sauced them up with some of my homemade bbq sauce and then took them off the grill. I then put on the asparagus and cooked it until tender. And just like that Sunday dinner.

The beef ribs I will give a 3 out of 5 forks because they weren't as tender as they should be. They pulled easily off the bone but they could be more tender. Next time I will let them cook longer. I do have to say they were really moist and the credit goes to the Smokenator 1000. They had real good flavor. The bbq sauce turned out good too, this is probably the batch I will be bringing home with me. I was worried this morning when I made it because it seemed like it was missing something. I almost threw it all out. It is amazing how much the flavor changed in it out on the grill.

The asparagus will get a 4.75 out of 5 forks. Olive oil and pepper and put them on the grill. There was still some wood left over from cooking the ribs and I think it developed a little smoke because the asparagus had just a slight smoky flavor to it, delicious. After I took the asparagus off the grill I give it a quick dusting of parmesan/reggiano cheese.

When I get my camera back I will share some photos of the Smokenator 1000 and how it works. I will also have a better idea if I like it or not. So far after using it today I would say it was a good investment.

I also just made some peach cobbler for dessert tonight. I am trying something new and I am hoping it turns out so I can bring it home with me in late May. So far it looks good. I made it in the oven tonight but next time I will make it outside on the coals.

Key Lime Pie Update
The wife made a new recipe for key lime pie today and we will be sampling and evaluating for the next couple of nights. I will let everybody know if it is the winner or not. I think she will have a hard time beating the one she make a couple of weeks ago. We had some other people sample it and they are clamoring for the recipe. I think everybody else is in trouble if we bring that pie with us.