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Hog Heaven in Nashville, Tennessee

@Raiders757 - part of me actually agrees with you, and for me, it depends on the particular BBQ I'm eating whether or not I want the slaw. For place's like NC's Hog Heaven that use Eastern-style sauce, which is basically cider vinegar and cayenne, having a bit of slaw on the bun cuts some of the acidity and makes a great flavor combo. Going more west to places like Prissy Polly's which do the Lex-style, the slaw does take something away. Thanks for making this point!

NCGourmet at 4:28PM on 07/08/10

Hog Heaven in Nashville, Tennessee

If you're ever in the Durham (or Raleigh) area of NC, we too have a Hog Heaven, with sub-$4 sandwiches and MUCH better pork. You can tell from eating it, whether its the whole hog bbq or the ribs, that they use plenty of smoke and cook low and slow. Not to mention the sandwich being served NC-style (with slaw) and a gratuitous amount of hushpuppies.

Reading this article has me thinking about heading there now.

NCGourmet at 12:40PM on 07/07/10

Chain Burger Brackets: Steak 'n Shake vs. Five Guys

Yeah, I've been voting for Five Guys throughout, I think those of us who enjoy 5G have simply been not posting as much as people who don't like 5G. The simple fact is, 5G is winning, even if a smaller percentage of you prefer other places.

The nice thing about having so many options for burgers is that you're not forced to vote for (or eat) something you don't enjoy.

NCGourmet at 1:31PM on 04/09/10

Chain Burger Brackets: Steak 'n Shake vs. Five Guys

Uh, so Steak 'n' Shake isn't greasy? Wait, maybe if I say it twice people will take it seriously...

NCGourmet at 1:27PM on 04/08/10

Dear AHT: Frozen Patty Recommendations

I tried Bubba burgers once and they were dry, mealy, and industrial. You're better off buying cheapo ground beef and freezing your own.

NCGourmet at 4:30PM on 04/05/10

Chain Burger Brackets: Five Guys vs. White Castle

This is not a fair fight.

NCGourmet at 1:29PM on 03/30/10

Dinner Tonight: Vegetarian Chili

Agree about the "Vegetable stew with a kick of chili powder" concept. We make a lot of veggie chili and in addition to the items above, we almost always use sweet potatoes (for some bulk) and mushrooms (for flavor). Just like a meat chili, the trick is to use plenty of chiles and garlic, and cook low and slow. We even cook the veggie chili for 6 hours or so. Its worth it.

NCGourmet at 4:48PM on 02/04/10

DVD Giveaway: Food, Inc.

Buying as much as possible from local farmers with sustainable practices. We're now up to: cheese, eggs, honey, fruits and veggies, lamb, duck, beef, pork, and chicken. I've also started my own seasonal garden and a small CSA where I work.

Also decreased/eliminated fast food and chain grocers.

NCGourmet at 12:43PM on 01/04/10

Dear AHT: Meat Grinder Recommendations

I'll 3rd the KitchenAid attachment - I've used it for everything from a few burgers to 20 lbs. of sausage and it gets the job done.

NCGourmet at 4:03PM on 12/14/09

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks

Skirt.

NCGourmet at 3:21PM on 12/01/09

Are You an Oyster Stuffing Fan?

I am a fan of oyster stuffing. It doesn't do so well in the bird, but baked separately, it is quite the treat for those who enjoy cooked oysters. The trick is to use oyster crackers instead of bread cubes. A little celery, onion, mushroom, and butter, and its wonderful, wonderful stuff. I've seen it much more with my Northern family than down here in NC or AL, and in my opinion, the smaller, colder water oysters make for better eating in general, but I suppose you could use the big, slimy Gulf Coast oysters if you had to.

NCGourmet at 12:47PM on 11/25/09

Alton Brown's Roast Turkey

@Mike T - you want the temp of the bird to be 165 when you serve it, so taking it out of the oven at 155 and letting it rest (covered in foil) for 30-45 minutes will bring the bird up to temp. Just make sure you take the temp from a couple places - like leg/thigh joint and a breast spot.

I really like Alton's recipe for brine - we'll see how it does in a smoker instead of an oven.

NCGourmet at 2:09PM on 11/23/09

From Talk

Five Guys. Not so much.

That really is unfortunate. I've been to 5 Guys all over the eastern US and find them consistently good. In fact, the folks around the office have had a couple "5 Guys Challenges" where you're required to eat a 5 guys burger (not the little burger) and a large fry ASAP. I typically find the fries so good that I can eat the entire bag full. My preferred burger is one ground and made at home, but 5 Guys is a good substitute in a hurry.

NCGourmet at 9:12AM on 09/30/09

Cook the Book: Apple (or Pear) Bacon Crisp

I made this last night with local apples and my homemade bacon. It was amazing. It lasted less than an hour at the office. If you think this sounds good, make it. It rocks.

NCGourmet at 9:50AM on 09/15/09

Cook the Book: 'Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book'

@Chowdahead - where in NC? There's good BBQ all over...

NCGourmet at 1:22PM on 08/31/09

Cook the Book: 'Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book'

If you're in central NC, Allen & Son near Hillsborough is the best of the best. I go whenever I can.

Other than my homemade bbq, of course - Boston butts smoked over hickory.

NCGourmet at 1:20PM on 08/31/09

Author Margaret Maron's Fig Preserves

I also live in NC and got some fresh figs at a farmer's market last weekend. Made about 8 pints of preserves using fruit, sugar, and a little lemon juice. Came out wonderfully, been eating on homemade wheat bread. I am a little confused by the addition of pickling spice though - has anyone done this before?

NCGourmet at 3:28PM on 08/26/09

Cook the Book: 'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'

My wife is vegetarian so my solo meals are mostly meat.

NCGourmet at 1:59PM on 08/17/09

Cook the Book: 'Burger Bar'

crisp garlic pickles

NCGourmet at 1:36PM on 08/03/09

Cook the Book: '100 Best Vegetarian Recipes'

Something I made for the first time yesterday: basil pasta ravioli filled with Gorgonzola, zucchini, oyster/crimini/shitake mushrooms, and Parmesan; topped with a zucchini Puttanesca sauce and Gorgonzola crumbles.

NCGourmet at 1:34PM on 08/03/09

http://tinyurl.com/cy7yxa

Cook the Book: 'Bottega Favorita' by Frank Stitt

Linguine alla vongole. Pasta made with a Pasta Queen from the 70's and sauce made with fresh NC clams. Yum.

NCGourmet at 4:00PM on 05/11/09

From Talk

Oprah, her Free KFC Coupon & New KFC Chicken...

I didn't have problems getting the coupon or finding a KFC with no lines to honor it. But the chicken is pretty bad. I wrote a review here:

Hopefully therealchiffonade is right and once the spectacle has passed the quality will improve. But you'd think they would put their best foot forward to promote the brand.

NCGourmet at 5:21PM on 05/07/09

The Latest In KFC Grilled Chicken Mayhem

Apparently I was lucky - got the coupon to print in ~20 minutes and found a KFC with no lines that honored the coupon no problem. Only issue is that the chicken was no good. Review here: http://tinyurl.com/cy7yxa

NCGourmet at 5:19PM on 05/07/09