Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/03/13/barbecue-your-food-on-a-thick.html
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I will keep my pedantry to a minimum, so a simple Hell Yeah!
(Cast iron is better)
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From about 18 months ago, we have this:
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You can get a similarly fun result for less with a salt crust, just mix coarse salt with some egg white and mound it up over something and roast. Awesome with whole fish.
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It’s a cool idea, though!
It sounds delicious, but can’t I just run a pink cow block through the band saw and make my own?
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THIS WAY:
Fill the bottom of a cast iron skillet with a 1/8" layer of kosher salt. (If you really want to use 500x more expensive pink dead sea salt, be that person.)
Heat WITH the oven until 500F or 550F
Place on a high output burner at full. Sear a thick rib eye for 2 minutes, then turn and sear on the other side for 2 minutes. Repeat 3-4x depending on how done you want your steak.
I’d add some MSG and garlic to a little butter and drop a pad on the steak as it rests.
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As someone who who might enjoy a salt lick
As someone that owns one of these, mine came with little slabs as ‘feet’ to set it on.
One of those was my personal salt lick, until my SO hid it from me “For your own good”.
As for usage. We’ve used it a couple of times hot to cook things. But we got more millage out of it chilled as a sushi tray and charcutiere serving tray. I now wish I had never used it in the oven…as when you heat it up it loses it’s translucent pink color and turns mostly milky white.
EDIT. One time we sat it on a little battery powered LED closet light.
The underlighting with the pink was very nice for a party.
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From the reviews it looks like you can get a neat explosion in your oven sometimes too. I would hate to open up the oven or BBQ and get salt shrapnel. Seems like it would sting.
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Yup yup yup.
That hits all the right notes, is inexpensive, and in my opinion is as good looking at the pink salt.
Some charred veg and a glass of decent wine and it is basically Michelin star worthy.
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If you haven’t tried it. Try a salt baked potato. You can reuse the salt.
You make a good 1/2 inch or so salt bed and nest the potato in that with a garlic head cut in half.
You use the garlic to squeeze on the potato after baking.
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Neat!
What I do with baked potatoes is lightly coat them in olive oil and then roll them in sea salt, insert a nail and bake for 75-90 min at 400. I call this “potato magic”
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Do try the deep salt bed method.
I’m not sure what science goes on there. Maybe the salt bed draws out moisture, or what I think is likely…acts as a buffer to slow the cooking process-- or both.
But, the results is that interior texture of the potatoes is very creamy and not grainy like a normal oven baked potato.
I swear you guys list this junk for the LuLz…
“a loud explosion from within stove and salt shrapnel shot out everywhere! Would have seriously injured anyone standing in its path”
“Started by heating it on low for 15, then moved it up to medium for 10, and then high, per instructions. As soon as it went to high half of the slab took flight, exploding all over the kitchen. Burning salt flying through the air does not make for a good night.”
“The block SHATTERED in the oven. HORRIBLE. Don’t waste your money on this supplier. Learn from our misfortunes. HORRIBLE.”
“salty food, slab broke after 1 use.”
“Worked pretty good… Once…”
“This item is a potential disaster for everyone who buys it”… “it exploded. The interior of our oven is a disaster. I want a professional cleaning, and a full refund.”
“Exploded on grill. Waste of money.”
" the block developed a large crack after only one use."
“Item blew apart during the ‘tempering’ process.”
“Followed instructions but the block exploded. Dangerous!”
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I’m sold!
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Yea, I love a steak salted and tossed above a wicked hot mesquite fire, but my preference is cast iron.
Which reminded me, I had the thought that I could get the best of both worlds (because I love the mild flavor of the mesquite) if I just tossed the pan above the fire and let it heat up, then cook in there. Or use the flat side of a Lodge griddle. Which I also have - I currently use it for a pizza stone in our gas oven.
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Agree whole heartedly!
Yummmmm![quote=“SamWinston, post:11, topic:96935”]
garlic to squeeze on the potato after baking
[/quote]
Ohhh Hell yes!
Butter boarding with herb butter at the tail end of cooking and you have a delicious G’damn piece of meat!
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Spoiler alert from the review:
Well, after some time with the Himalayan Salt block, I have formed my opinion.
I hate it!
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I do that without the nail but now that I’ve heard about the nail method, I’ll have to find a steel nail I can boil.
Mine are aluminium
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