Tasting: canned beef

I canned some beef (cubed) earlier this year and broke some out last night for dinner. It was tender and tasted like roast beef.

Served with mashed potatoes and steamed cauliflower. I think I'm going to try frying cauliflower sometime. I had it fried at Ali Baba and it was interesting; the high heat developed some brussel sprout flavors in the white veggie.

Speaking of mashed potatoes, have you had instant mashed potatoes lately? I'm something of a purist and use a potato ricer for my smashed potato adventures. I have rejected instant mashed potatoes as heresy, partly for their "instant" nature and partly for the horrific flavor and texture I remember from the 80s. Recently my SIL gave us a packet of them to try. I sneered for a couple of months and then we made them. Wow. I don't know what happened to the technology since the 80s but these were really good. And at ~$1/bag they are pretty cheap. And storable. The thing that's really got my head spinning is that I don't think I can consistently make homemade smashed potatoes as good as these new instant packages.

So now there are a couple pouches in our pantry and a couple in our 72hr kit.

Pickled eggs

Made some pickled eggs today. I was trying out an internet tip that fresh eggs hardboil easier if you steam rather than boil them.

I threw a dozen in the black and decker steamer and steamed for 20mins. They peeled easily, no breakage or waste.

The eggs should be ready after 10d in the fridge.

Canned some ground beef

This is what passes for excitement at my house these days. Canned about 7# of ground beef from costco in pint jars.

Last month I bought 10# of potatoes (on sale for something stupid like $2) and canned most of them. They are unexpectedly ugly and tasty.