hanger steak, naked

Well, just about naked. Thin layer of garlic salt, kosher salt, then a thin coat of olive oil. On the grill:

550 grill
1.5 minutes per side sear
4 minutes per side cook at 400, temp fell to 350 by end with dampers near closed.

Result was medium rare, but on the happy rare side. Good crust. When dressing the steak after the fact, this is an easy way to throw a steak on.

Meat on the Bone, Babyback style

For the arrival of the lil' gard'ner's gramma, I prepared babybacks in the following manner:

Remove ribs 30 minutes prior to cooking. Pull membrane.
Kosher salt ribs. Add rub of paprika, nutmeg (pinch) and brown sugar

Fire up to 400. Stir coals.
Add soaked hickory wood chips.
set for indirect, add pan of beer (miller)
two ribs in a rack.
temperature at 200.

Smoke for 2 hours 15 minutes.
(temperature crept up to 250, probably in the last forty five minutes of cooking)
remove ribs, wrap in foil, return to rack, close vents.

Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Closed down dampers after 1 hour.

Garden Update

Tomatoes are coming in on the triangle plot, although only on one of the taxi tomato plants. The amish paste plant is flowering. Sweet peppers are coming in already, and the cucumbers are getting defensive. They are on vertical trellises meant for orchids. Oh well.

Photos all by "the lil' gard'ner"

cilantro from seed

The cilantro plants that grew up were clearly late winter season, and they have never produced enough usable plants. After pulling most of the shoots earlier, I have finally pulled the last of them. In replanting, I have decided to go again from seed. Given that I had both a packet of dried coriander seeds and fresh seeds from the cilantro plants, I am trying an experiment. From left to right, I planted seeds a quarter of an inch apart, first half of the row was fresh, second half dry. I added some new soil to cover the seeds, but otherwise am working from the same beds.

late season watermelons

At the insistence of my girls, we are planting watermelons, although they will come a *wee* bit late in the season. Tried one mound, planted six seeds, spaced three inches apart in two rows.

Mixed jungle growth and black kow into the Georgia clay, tried to do equal parts. Also, put down a layer of pure black soil at the top, with some potting soil mixed in, although this was largely by accident, as I had transplanted the mint to a bigger pot and some of the potting soil ended up on the ground and in the hole.