Labor Day Meat Deals and What I Cooked

[TedEbear]

I just picked up some pork butts for $.97/lb and brats for $1.99/lb from a late evening run (well, drive) to the store.  I figured I'd beat the holiday shopping crowd and at 11:30 p.m. the aisles weren't too crowded.  My wife is temporarily a vegetarian so it'll just be me eating all this over the next month.  One butt for smoking this weekend and another in the freezer for October.  A Halloween butt?

Anyone else snag any deals this holiday weekend?

[SiFumar]

Spare ribs $1.47 a pound.  Got a couple of the double paks for future smokes.

[Keymaster]

I've had $30 meat money all week in my wallet and I was suppose to do a sleep study tonight (to test for sleep apnea) then get up and go meat shoppin but they called and said I have to do the study saturday night so that kind of messed up my three day weekend. Maybe I'll figure out somethin for Sunday and Monday :)
Don't see 97 cents a pound very often, sweet deal!!!

[Bear1968]

I just picked up some pork butts for $.97/lb and brats for $1.99/lb from a late evening run (well, drive) to the store.  I figured I'd beat the holiday shopping crowd and at 11:30 p.m. the aisles weren't too crowded.  My wife is temporarily a vegetarian so it'll just be me eating all this over the next month.  One butt for smoking this weekend and another in the freezer for October.  A Halloween butt?

Anyone else snag any deals this holiday weekend?

I was talking with a friend of mine from out your neck of the woods and he was trying to figure out what he was gonna make for the Holiday. He was leaning towards a But and then I remembered your post and told him to look it up. He has one of those stores 5 minutes from his house.
He thanks you!
:)

[classicrockgriller]

Store here has packer Briskets for $1.77 but they are select.

I did snatch one up to grind for meatloafs.

[KyNola]

Store here has packer Briskets for $1.77 but they are select.
I did snatch one up to grind for meatloafs.

And da Monkey knows briskets!  Great idea on buying one to grind.

[TedEbear]

Well, the butt has been going all night.  It's currently at 178*F, with a target of 195.  The brats will be boiled in apple juice with sweet onions and then grilled later today.

Here's a play-by-play of how the 1 1/2" boneless strip steak turned out last night (on sale for $6.99/lb).

I started with these:



Sprinkled a bit of each one onto this:




After being on the grill for 10 minutes first side and 8 minutes second side I had this:




Resting on the plate as the temp rises to 160*F:




Just showing that a well done steak doesn't have to be tough and dry:   ;)




Ready to eat:

[TedEbear]

Today's menu started off with the 7 lb pork butt finally reaching 195*F after 16.5 hours.  FTC for 4 hours and the bone practically fell out when I unwrapped it. 

Some Grandma's stuff and mystery rub:



Lots 'o bark, ready for pulling:



My favorite pulling tool the Roman Pork Puller, a power drill, a tall pot and we're ready for action:



60 seconds later and she's all done:

[TedEbear]

Last but not least, the brats and Italian sausage.  I tried a new technique that I read about while Googling for a way on how to make a juicy brat.  It said to pierce the casing several times with a fork before cooking to allow steam to escape.  That is against everything I've heard but I was willing to give it a try.

It worked and they turned out great.  The theory is that the casings will usually split and that allows more juices to escape than a few tiny holes from a fork.  Also, the holes absorb some of the flavor of whatever you're boiling them in.  In my case, I boiled them for 20-25 minutes in 2 quarts apple juice and some sweet onions.



After boiling I browned them on the grill for 4-6 minutes, turning frequently.  I cooked the Italian sausage at this time:



Strained the onions out of the apple juice, browned them in a skillet and spread them on the finished product:





Much of the last few posts went into the freezer.  I'm the only one who eats meat in our house so this will last me for a few weeks...or more.   :)

[classicrockgriller]

That ALL looks SWEET!

Nice work.