Sorry I’ve been gone for a few days. The other job called.
But I am back to talk about a few things. I’m on fire! Not really, but I wanted to talk about fire starting. I really like charcoal chimneys to start fires (Weber’s chimney is one of the best:http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7416-Rapidfire-Chimney-Starter/dp/B000WEOQV8) . Way better than lighter fluid or other starters. No chemical taste. That said, with my big green egg, the chimney is a little inconvenient. When I use natural charcoal it tends to spill out on my wooden table when I dump it into my egg. That makes me sad.
So I was pretty excited to get a Looft Lighter for my birthday. Its a heating element and a blow dryer, all in one! I remember my good friend Saeed getting a charcoal fire started with a hair dryer. The Looft is like that, but on steroids.
Looft Lighter with bottle opener...
So tonight we will test the maiden voyage of the Looft Lighter with a tri-tip taco meal. Tri-tip is one of my absolute favorite beef cuts. Tonight I am going to use an Adam Perry Lang paste on the tri-tip. Trust me, this one is awesome. Made for one 2-3 lb tri-tip steak.
Amazing Tri-tip Flavor Paste
- 2 Tbs Ancho chile powder
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp beef base (or B-V)
Dust with some lemon pepper, black pepper and garlic salt. The prep starts to look a little like the picture below. The beer below is an Abita Mardi Gras Bock. Left-over from last week, pretty similar to a Mai Bock. Tasty and smooth with little hop flavor.
Tri-tip with flavor paste and seasonings.
Once the beef was prepped, it was time to check out the miracle of the Looft lighter. Once plugged in, the Looft was placed so it touched the coals. Within a minute there were sparks and flames. Pulling back the Looft allowed me to aim a jet of heated air at the fire, fanning it even brighter. The whole thing took about two to three minutes to really get going.
Looft Lighter before...
Looft Lighter after...
The meat went on over indirect fire (350° for about 40 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes). I was going for an internal temp of about 130°. While the meat was cooking, I started on the black beans. Sauteed onion, garlic and red pepper, black beans, jalapenos, and some lime juice.
Black bean topping
I had already put the meat on when I remembered the asparagus. It was not going to be hot enough to grill so I broiled it for about five minutes with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Broiled asparagus, don't judge me, it is tasty!
Grated some jack cheese, cut up some avocado and an heirloom tomato. Grilled some white corn tortillas. It was time to get serious and get the meat cut-up!
One grilled tri-tip, coming at ya.
Finished tacos were pretty tasty. I added some Newman salsa and a little habanero hot sauce for mine.
Tri-tip taco!
Both Kailani and I approved. I am sporting my Fresno Community Commando Cap (Supporting the Fresno Walk For Thought, biacal.org), but also to hide my newly shorn head.
Your host tips his hat to the majesty of the tri-tip.
Kailani enjoys the tri-tip and considers my hair cut.
The dinner beer was a Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA. Wow! I recommend this one highly! I enjoyed it in a wine glass. Yes, Kathy, it was that good! This one will make you happy.
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
I had a fun evening with the Looft (engineered in Sweden, built by Chinese children) and some tasty tacos and brews. Looft Lighter runs for about $80, and can be picked up at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Looftlighter-70018-Fire-Lighting-Tool/dp/B000WYY65Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330440977&sr=8-1
Until next time, cheers! Jerry