Made some more, used about 2lb of beef, but tried a much cheaper cut this
time (about half the price), just to give it a try - brisket it might have
been, memory ain't working too well! Anyhow, still came out tasty, but yeah,
helluvah lot tougher - looks like I'll have to stick to the more tender
cuts.
The marinade for this one came out great - Kath said of the two, it was her
favourite. Can't remember all that went into that either, but that's
probably because I put so many things in it, heh...
Basically, went with fresh ginger and garlic, soy, salt, muscavardo soft
brown sugar, lime juice and zest, little fresh home grown rosemary and sage,
fine ground black pepper, bit of cumin, bit of coriander seed, bit of (damn,
forgotten what those little green lemon scented seed pods are called now
damnit - I never forget stuff like this, heheheh.. .)... oh, cardamom!
that's it, also couple of cloves, some balsamic vinegar, and some of my
apple and oak smoked home grown hab type chiles (all herbs and spices finely
chopped/ground). Bit wetter marinade this time, but still not so much as it
would drip off much, but it took nearer the times people here rec. for it to
be done this time.
Like I said, very tasty indeed - none of the flavours were overpowering or
clashed, the 'little bits' I used just added subtlety and depth and blended
in nicely.
Same kinda damned problem with the butcher though - guess there's only the
skivvies in Friday afternoon. This time, guy who did it last time was there,
as was some much younger trainee. I told them what I wanted it for, how thin
to slice etc. and why last time it was a PITA to sort out, and the kid
looked a bit dumb-struck, asked the older skivvy how he should do it, older
guy muttered about some knife or other, use that, next thing the kid has
unrolled the joint and is hacking into it with a short, thin bladed
filleting knife, FFS! I caught him as he'd just got half way through and had
turned it over to go from the other side, still WAY too thick - I just said
'Whoah! Don't bother, leave it kid - I'll do it myself at home, thanks...'
All this time the guy who should have been in charge at the time just kept
looking up oblivious and vacant. Now it can't just be me that thinks when a
customer wants something like this doing, that takes a bit of care and at
least /some/ skill, you don't stand there idly twiddling your thumbs while
some young inexperienced trainee 'practices' on meat you are paying for,
making a TOTAL pig's ear of it! I was more than a little [censored] to be
honest.
Next time I see the main guys of the place I'll have to have a chat with
them. I've had better, more knowledgeable service at freaking supermarkets
FFS, and I'm sure the bosses of this place don't know that these two (well
it was the older guy's fault - he was in charge and should have seen my
request was properly addressed) are clowns giving their butchery a lousy
name - I've been served by the other two plenty of times, had talks with
them - they the type take a lot of pride in their work and shop....
Oh well!
Shaun aRe