SeanB - How was Alton Brown?

[sharky]

Did you go see him over the weekend?

Was he as good as he is on TV?

[SeanB]

I was just thinking today that I needed to post something about this...

We got to the mall early because we did not know the schedule. When we got there the local TV station was filming a segment with Jon Ashton (The Mad Chef). He had an asian lady that has a cooking school do a Kung Po Chicken demo...smelled great! Then a chef from California Grill at Disney did a couple of demos. After a short break Alton came out. He put on a good show. He definatly did what he could to bring us "his" show in a live setting. I think that her carefully selected the demo to meet a few requirements. First I don't think he wanted to cook, he does not consider himself a "chef" so he did not want to do a cooking demo. Next he needed to do something that highlighted the things he is known for, science and gadgets. So what did he make...Beef Jerky. Yes beef jerky. Not too exciting, but the science of curing meat was a large part of the presentation, and then there is the gadget. For me I would make jerky on the grill, but Alton makes his with a box fan. Yes you heard me correctly a box fan. Take one 20" box fan, 4 cheap paper AC filters (make sure they are paper and not fiberglass) and you have a device to dry meat.

Here is how it works...this is from memory because I have not watched the tape yet.

-Cut thin strips of flank steak.
-Let the meat sit in the cure for 12-24 hours.
-Remove the meat from the cure and remove as much moisture as possible, he laid it out on some pare towels and rolled it up, or you can let it sit on a rack, but you need to get just about all of the liquid off.
-Lay out the meat in the grooves of the filter, when you fill one filter lay another on top and fill it, then lay an empty filter on top of the stack and bungee cord the stack to the box fan
-put the fan in the garage and turn it on med...48 hours later you have jerky.

The number of people there to see him was insane and the line for the meet and great was huge. We already had his cookbook and I picked up Gear for the Kitchen and we had him sign both books. He was very personable and seemed to try and connect (in 30 seconds...) with every person that came through the line.

[sharky]

Good review. I really wish we would have made it to his show in Tampa!

Did you see there will now be Grilling Radio (http://www.sharky.com/forum/showthread.php?p=552#post552)???