The General Chat Thread

Lady Haywire · 10-10-2016 11:14AM

Was just on about that earlier myself! Are you buying online? There's a few places if you just google it.
http://calveysachillmountainlamb.ie/sales/
http://www.comeraghmountainlamb.ie/howtobuy.shtml
http://ringofkerryqualitylamb.ie/

Normally I just go to my local butcher and he will do it for me, I can give him the live lamb or else he will supply a full carcass. If you want to select your own there's plenty on the farming forum that can sell you one!

beertons · 10-10-2016 11:30AM

Oh it's the middle one I was looking for. I was typing in sheep in a box, and the stuff I was getting up was useless. I'll see how I get on with this one, it's more the practicality of having it boxed up and in bags for the freezer.

I could start a big row over in the farming section, with my love for John Deere machinery.

Whispered · 10-10-2016 12:21PM

we had dinner out last night and someone ordered chicken wings. If I wanted to attempt to make similar at home, what do I need to buy, chicken wise.

Ok I know they are wings but some of them had one larger bone, while some had two thin bones. Some were fatty and grizzly and others just meaty. Basically what do I need to look for to give the least amount of loose bone and grizzle. Mainly thinking here of safety for the toddler when he's given them.

Gloomtastic! · 10-10-2016 02:58PM

Whispered wrote: »

we had dinner out last night and someone ordered chicken wings. If I wanted to attempt to make similar at home, what do I need to buy, chicken wise.

Ok I know they are wings but some of them had one larger bone, while some had two thin bones. Some were fatty and grizzly and others just meaty. Basically what do I need to look for to give the least amount of loose bone and grizzle. Mainly thinking here of safety for the toddler when he's given them.

You can buy chicken wing portions in Aldi where they have done all the jointing. They are stacked with the complete chicken wings so make sure you get the right pack.

If you can only get complete chicken wings get a large sharp knife (I use a meat cleaver) and a wooden chopping board.

First of all cut off the wing tip and either a)discard b)save for chicken stock or c) give them to the dog or cat. Next bend the 'elbow' back to break the joint between the large bone and the two thin bones. Then cut them apart by putting the knife into the broken joint and pressing hard (or chop with the cleaver).

If you want a crispy skin you deep fry them or else coat them in cornflour or baking powder and bake them on a wire rack for 30 minutes on a low heat (150c) then 20 minutes on a high heat (200c).

Love chicken wings!

Michellenman · 10-10-2016 05:54PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

You can buy chicken wing portions in Aldi where they have done all the jointing. They are stacked with the complete chicken wings so make sure you get the right pack.

If you can only get complete chicken wings get a large sharp knife (I use a meat cleaver) and a wooden chopping board.

First of all cut off the wing tip and either a)discard b)save for chicken stock or c) give them to the dog or cat. Next bend the 'elbow' back to break the joint between the large bone and the two thin bones. Then cut them apart by putting the knife into the broken joint and pressing hard (or chop with the cleaver).

If you want a crispy skin you deep fry them or else coat them in cornflour or baking powder and bake them on a wire rack for 30 minutes on a low heat (150c) then 20 minutes on a high heat (200c).

Love chicken wings!

Or if you have an actifry/ air fryer thing do them in that and you will never look back!

RasTa · 11-10-2016 05:04PM

Just deboned and removed the skins from 20 chicken thighs. I'm paying someone to do that next time..

Gloomtastic! · 11-10-2016 06:58PM

RasTa wrote: »

Just deboned and removed the skins from 20 chicken thighs. I'm paying someone to do that next time..

Keep the chicken skins and turn them into crisps....
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crispy-salt-and-pepper-chicken-skin

BuffyBot · 11-10-2016 07:07PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Keep the chicken skins and turn them into crisps....
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crispy-salt-and-pepper-chicken-skin

This. Deliciousness.

rubadub · 11-10-2016 07:30PM

RasTa wrote: »

Just deboned and removed the skins from 20 chicken thighs. I'm paying someone to do that next time..

slim chance, but did you happen to weigh them before and after. I am always interested in the yield you get of pure meat.

I constantly hear about thighs being so much cheaper than chicken fillets. You can buy deboned thighs in dunnes, they are often more expensive than skinless breasts, paying someone to do it costs a lot. The big 1kg packs are a hell of a lot cheaper per kilo, but if you are throwing out the skin & bone I wonder how much the meat costs per kilo. Cue people saying to make stock, and that thigh is better in curries etc, my point is simply that its not as cheap as some make out, not in regular supermarkets I see anyway.

I also wonder why we do not see much chicken mince. Turkey mince is often more expensive than chicken fillets.

BuffyBot · 11-10-2016 07:42PM

rubadub wrote: »

slim chance, but did you happen to weigh them before and after. I am always interested in the yield you get of pure meat.

I constantly hear about thighs being so much cheaper than chicken fillets. You can buy deboned thighs in dunnes, they are often more expensive than skinless breasts, paying someone to do it costs a lot. The big 1kg packs are a hell of a lot cheaper per kilo, but if you are throwing out the skin & bone I wonder how much the meat costs per kilo. Cue people saying to make stock, and that thigh is better in curries etc, my point is simply that its not as cheap as some make out, not in regular supermarkets I see anyway.

I also wonder why we do not see much chicken mince. Turkey mince is often more expensive than chicken fillets.

Probably cheaper, overall for non-boned/skinned ones (depending where you buy and how you utilise every part) though I rarely hear price being a major motivation for people's. I know prefer them for the taste aspect.

RasTa · 11-10-2016 08:05PM

Didn't weigh them after, was two of those 2 quid packs from Aldi. It was delicious. Can't wait for tomorrow's.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Recipe+Madhur+Jaffrey+Chicken+Curry/9107812/story.html

SB_Part2 · 12-10-2016 08:28AM

I love making chicken skins.

Alun · 12-10-2016 08:57AM

beertons wrote: »

I was typing in sheep in a box, and the stuff I was getting up was useless.

Oh, come on, how is this not useful ?? :pac:

Michellenman · 12-10-2016 09:03PM

Does anyone recognise the apparatus in the attached? A friend was gifted a bag of baking tools and this was in it and despite both of us being avid bakers we are stumped! Thought it might have been in there by accident but there was a one line set of instructions which just said to wash thoroughly before use. Any ideas?

Lady Haywire · 14-10-2016 07:28PM

I tried doing a jarred chutney there earlier (Apple/Tomato) and have the jars washed & rinsed and just in the oven. Do I just ladle the chutney in while hot & then close the lids, that it? I don't want to ruin my first attempt at it!

Faith · 14-10-2016 08:47PM

It's probably too late now, but yeah, that's all you do. The heat should cause the middle bits of the lids to be sucked in (assuming you're recycling jars), so they'll pop when you open them

.

Lady Haywire · 14-10-2016 09:24PM

Faith wrote: »

It's probably too late now, but yeah, that's all you do. The heat should cause the middle bits of the lids to be sucked in (assuming you're recycling jars), so they'll pop when you open them .

Yep they were old honey jars, all the lids popped in bar one so I turned it upside down and left it for longer and it popped in too

Yay! New thing learned. Might try a beetroot one tomorrow.

rubadub · 16-10-2016 02:46PM

Had salami in the freezer, it is far easier to cut thin slices off it.

Lady Haywire wrote: »

I tried doing a jarred chutney there earlier (Apple/Tomato) and have the jars washed & rinsed and just in the oven. Do I just ladle the chutney in while hot & then close the lids, that it? I don't want to ruin my first attempt at it!

If ladling while hot make sure the jars are also hot or they could crack. By pouring in hot any airbourne contaminants which land in the jars should be killed off by the heat. Some will turn jars upside down so if anything had landed on the lid it would then be covered in hot liquid to kill off stuff, and then turn them back again so it can fall off.

This is similar to why I prechill most store bought jars I am going to open and be keeping. You cool them in the fridge so when opened anything landing in them is landing on a cold sauce and going straight back into the fridge so does not get a chance to start growing.

StripedBoxers · 21-10-2016 11:14AM

Can anyone recommend a good lasagne recipe please?

Preferably something that doesn't use a heap of ingredients.

StripedBoxers · 21-10-2016 11:17AM

Can anyone recommend a good lasagne recipe please?

Preferably something that doesn't use a heap of ingredients.

Mrs Fox · 21-10-2016 06:45PM

Aaawe shucks. Got this in the post last week

Thanks mods

Gloomtastic! · 21-10-2016 09:34PM

^ And she's back!

Missed you Mrs F. Hope you and yours are ok. Whatcha having for breakfast?

BaZmO* · 22-10-2016 04:10PM

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Aaawe shucks. Got this in the post last week Thanks mods

I never got mine.

Must've gotten lost in the post.

Mrs Fox · 22-10-2016 04:30PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

^ And she's back!

Missed you Mrs F. Hope you and yours are ok. Whatcha having for breakfast?

All good, G! Had leftover chicken quinoa biryani this morning. But two days ago I had Five Guys cheeseburger for a late breakfast. Yuppppp. It certainly was the best burger I've had in Ireland, for sure.

Whispered · 22-10-2016 08:27PM

Got to spend the morning at the farmers market. We came out with some really nice bits but the thing I'm most impressed with it an african sauce. It's like a chutney I guess and the maker had us try it by saying "flavour comes first, then the spice". Well he wasn't joking. It's really flavoursome then you get a kick of spice like a wave. It creeps up.

How does that happen? If something is spicy, isn't it just spicy? He said it's the combination of spices.

Anyway, so far have been having it on cheese and as a side with a cheesy pizza. Any other ideas of what we could try it with?

sammyjo90 · 25-10-2016 07:40PM

Cant wait to watch taste of success this year, one of the family is in it and will be laughing my head off at them
I read that back and it sounds a bit mean. I meant in a good way from what they have told me they say etc

RasTa · 26-10-2016 08:06AM

I love stewing season

26-10-2016 06:21PM

StripedBoxers wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good lasagne recipe please?

Preferably something that doesn't use a heap of ingredients.

Hi Striped Boxers. A good lasagna does require a heap of ingredients - it's a fairly time consuming and detailed dish.

If you want a quick and tasty shortcut lasagna, you can go the convenience route. Skin and crumble a few raw pork sausages into a pound of minced beef and cook til browned. Drain off the fat and stir in a jar of Dolmio or similar. That's your ragu done. You can then use a jar of white sauce (which tbh I cannot abide) or you can use cheeses instead. Layer meat, lasagna sheets and blobs of ricotta plus chunks of mozzarella, and repeat, finishing with a layer of cheese. Bake in a moderate oven til the pasta is tender and the cheese is golden. And viola.

BuffyBot · 26-10-2016 06:50PM

Mystery Egg wrote: »

Hi Striped Boxers. A good lasagna does require a heap of ingredients - it's a fairly time consuming and detailed dish.

If you want a quick and tasty shortcut lasagna, you can go the convenience route. Skin and crumble a few raw pork sausages into a pound of minced beef and cook til browned. Drain off the fat and stir in a jar of Dolmio or similar. That's your ragu done. You can then use a jar of white sauce (which tbh I cannot abide) or you can use cheeses instead. Layer meat, lasagna sheets and blobs of ricotta plus chunks of mozzarella, and repeat, finishing with a layer of cheese. Bake in a moderate oven til the pasta is tender and the cheese is golden. And viola.

That said, Lidl have some pretty decent bechamel sauce in cartons as part of their Italian week at the moment (I normally pick some up and store cupboard them) as a convenient short cut. They're reasonably decent.

Some Tesco branches also stock a branded (and more expensive) Chef or Parmalat versions from Italy.

The Black Oil · 27-10-2016 08:47AM

I've more cooking apples than I know what to do with.

The General Chat Thread

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