Real Men Eat Meat

By Steve Nubie

Real Men Eat Meat is an anecdotal cookbook. It's based on 35 years of travel across North America, Europe and Asia while I served as a conceptor and writer of new product concepts and menu concepts for an assortment of food companies. Suffice it to say I ate quite a bit, but most importantly needed to analyze and understand the key components that defined the meals and the menus. I accomplished this task in the company of a large and curious group of men from Master Chefs to food scientists. Regardless of their pedigree we all shared a passion for big meat cooked over big fires. This has led me to cook with great frequency amidst the company of men, women and children in ways that range from the primitive to the refined. The result is a collection of stories, recollections and insights on how to not only prepare meaty, meals but also how to truly enjoy them.
The anecdotes are true and the recipes have been tried, tested and tasted over and over again. It includes some curious cooking methods and classic guy cravings including chili, steaks, stews, pulled pork, clam chowder, fried turkeys, fish boils and other afflictions that men understand or indulge at least on a primitive level. It does pay homage to salads that are good partners to meat courses and some indulgent breakfast concepts and a few desserts. It also presents stories and recipes with a unique connection to my childhood and teen years. In that regard it's a bit of a blue-collar culinary journey with some side trips to epicurean experiments.
The primary target for the book is men. Men from 16 to 96 who respond instinctively to the aroma of meat searing over coals, the sizzle and sound of bacon
frying in the pan, and the silence that often accompanies a large group of guys eating
meat with myopic abandon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve Nubie
• Release date: Oct 23, 2009
• ISBN: 9781452460079

Steve Nubie

About the author:Steve Nubie has been writing professionally for 38 years.He has 9 books ePublished including a time travel novel titled No Time Like the Present.A business book titled Navigating the Creative Process: 6 Steps to Creative success.An anecdotal cookbook titled Real Men Eat Meat.Dark Paths. A collection of short stories about the macabre, the supernatural and bad science.Justice. A short story about the disturbing truth behind innocent men and women in prison.What’s the Buzz? A story that explores the classic 1950’s monster movie concept with a contemporary twist.The Expert. An expert in demonic possession meets the exorcism dream-team.The Dare. A ghost story that continues to haunt a small town.The Moon Unit. Werewolves as good guys.These books are listed on amazon.com and smashwords.com. Search word: "Steve Nubie"He is also a member of the Yahoo Contributor Network and has posted numerous articles across a range of subjects. On two occasions he has been awarded the Yahoo Hot 500 award. He also teaches writing classes as an Adjunct Professor at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.In addition he has written and produced numerous Twilight Zone episodes for CBS Entertainment including:The Walkabouts which explores the surprising truth behind alien abductions. -2008.Another Place in Time which examines the concept of parallel universes. -2008Rest Stop. A surprising new twist on a massive alien invasion of the planet earth. -2009.The Nanobots. The chilling implications of nanotechnology. -2009.2012. What's really going to happen? -2010.Bigfoot in the Door. The origins and secrets of Sasquatch. -2010.He has also written audio dramas for the Fangoria Dreadtime stories series including:-A Fungus Among Us. The very real possibility that the next global pandemicmay be a primitive and insidious form of mold. -2011.-Here Come the Sludge. Armageddon meets the blob. -2012Screenplay -The Moon Unit. Werewolves as good guys. -2011Television Series: 18 episodes/Proposal. -Alberto y Lucia -2012Television Series: 13 episodes/Proposal. -Real Men Eat Meat -2012Nubie has also published numerous articles in magazines including:-Entrepreneur’s Business Start-Ups, May, 2000. Column. Naming Names.-Entrepreneur’s Business Start-Ups, September, 2000. Column. What’s Your Sign?-Silent Sports, July, 2000. Feature. Exploring the Illinois Prairie Path.-The Self Reliance Journal, March, 2001. Feature. The Survival Decision Kit.-Michigan Out-of-Doors, April, 2001. Feature. Hatching a Match.-Home-Business Magazine, December, 2005. Feature. Building a Brand Identity for Your Home- Based Business.•In addition he has generated more than 200 press releases across a range of subjects.•He has also written, produced and directed hundreds of television commercials, videos, wireless apps, radio commercials and print ads for numerous Fortune 500 companies.•He has a strong background in advertising and marketing across all media and disciplines from direct mail to new media and strategic planning. stevenubieco.com•He has traveled extensively on international assignments including two years in Asia based in Hong Kong and two years in Europe based in London, and has continually studied the unique characteristics of language, culture and belief systems around the world.Key links to subjects written by Steve Nubie:http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=steve+nuhttp://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=steve+nubiehttp://www.yahoocontributornetworkSteve Nubie Google Searchhttp://www.stevenubieco.comhttp://www.facebook.com/stevenubie?fref=ts

Book preview

Real Men Eat Meat

by

Steve Nubie

Smashwords Edition

Copyright©2012 by Steve Nubie

Discover other titles by Steve Nubie at Smashwords.com

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover Photo by Anna Torres

All other photos by Steve Nubie

All rights reserved

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the Wheaton Meat Market in Wheaton, Illinois for providing many of the meats that are featured all too often in this repast.

Thank you to the many chefs, men and cooks and a few ancient pirates whom showed me the way of the open fire.

Thank you to China, Canada, Singapore, Austria, Japan, Australia, the U.S., Argentina, and Finland for introducing me to some wonderful ways to cook over fire and water.

Thank you to my brother Mike Nubie, my son Mike Nubie, my Dad Joe Nubie and brother Joe Nubie, my son Danny and my daughter Anna and her husband Andrés, my wife Jan, Bill Stone, Ron Mulchala, Dick Helland, Tom Charvat, Pat Rice, Bob Jones, Ron Ferrara, Bill Parker, Mark Reynolds, Dick Daniels, Bob Ebel, Roy Muldoon, Allen Klein, Joe Caniano, Ogden Parsons, Dave Antolak, Grandpa Ira Nubie, Ron Chancey, Angelo Antonucci, and many other merry men who taught me some of the finer and some not so subtle intricacies of grillin', simmerin', roastin' and toastin'.

****

Chapter 1

The Wild & Wonderful Barbecued Pork Shoulder

Chapter 2

Why Men Fry Turkeys

Chapter 3

The Robinhood Feast

Chapter 4

Fish Boils & Other Afflictions

Chapter 5

The Rocket Scientist’s Guide to Making Chili

Chapter 6

STEWardship

Chapter 7

Clearing the Smoke on How to Smoke Fish

Chapter 8

Life Lessons in a Pot of Spaghetti

Chapter 9

Grillin’, Roastin’, & Toastin’

Chapter 10

Hot Peppers & Other Poisons from the Nightshade Family

Chapter 11

Chemistry, Physics and Crème Brule

Chapter 12

Sidekicks

Chapter 13

Breaking the Fast

Chapter 14

The Chowder Run

Chapter 15

Sauce Alchemy

Introduction

This is a cookbook of sorts with recipes, tips and survival advice for anyone who chooses to assemble food, equipment and men to consume meat and most anything else that moves or grows for that matter. I’ve always taken a very scientific approach to cooking but have totally left that out of this book (except for a chapter on Chili but you’ll get over it).

This isn’t about science and nothing remotely resembles art. This is about hungry guys eating and finding a curious enjoyment in certain foods, tastes and times that are both curious and suspect. Not surprisingly, most emphasize meat.

There is a section at the end of each chapter that invites you to make notes on your cooking, customize recipes, add your own recipes and variations, and log a diary similar to this one. I've tossed in some open-ended statements to kick start the muse in you.

The recipes are proven and tested. Well, let’s just say I’ve made them a lot and watched many men eat them without complaint. I have always thought of their silence while eating as the greatest compliment.

I’ve learned a lot from many of them as well. Some are master chefs. Others are butchers who can cook meat better than most chefs. Some just really know how to cook. For the record all the recipes are mine.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

****

Chapter 1

The Wild and Wonderful Barbecued Pork Shoulder

I like pork shoulder. I like Boston butt too. For some reason I always thought they were the same but now I run into people who say they’re different because they're different cuts from the same part of the pig. Who cares? The thing I like most about them is they’re cheap and taste wonderful. Assuming of course you cook them right.

The best way is that low and slow stuff you always hear about, and I’ll only do it over charcoal even if it’s freezing outside. If you get this right it gets that salty-sweet, savory taste. The Japanese call it umami. I guess that stands for salty, sweet and savory. This taste is most noticeable on the crispy, crusty, caramelized outside of the meat.

This is sometimes referred to as the bark because it looks like the bark of a tree. I think that's a very good word and many of my friends agree.

Whenever I cook one of these I usually find a quiet group of guys standing around the grill with a beer hoping I’ll throw them a taste. I’ve learned the hard way that if you do this they will act like dogs and not leave you alone until you give them more.

On one occasion during a fishing trip me and 5 other guys actually stood around a grill and ate an 8 pounder right off the grill. It took a while to eat it though. I’d estimate about 15 minutes.

There’s something very primitive going on here. Maybe it’s the sheer size and appearance of a large hunk of meat sizzling over a fire. I think it’s that umami thing. I’m surprised no one’s figured out how to turn that into a junk food. You could even put little hooks on the bag that fit over your ears and have a human feed bag. That’s not an original idea though. I actually saw a guy do something like that once. It’s not a story worth retelling. But the way to cook a pork shoulder sure is. Here’s the ritual and the ingredient.

Ingredient:

(serves 1 to 10. Go figure)

Pork shoulder or Boston butt. 6 to 8 pounds

1 gallon vinegar

Directions:

You want to cook this on a grill doing the indirect charcoal thing.

Just put two fairly hefty rows of charcoal on either side of the grill and a pan in between the row in the bottom of the grill filled with white vinegar. When the coals are hot put the hunk of meat on the grate over the pan of vinegar and cover it. Every 30 minutes baste the meat with about a ½ cup to a cup of white vinegar. Keep doing this for about 3 to 4 hours. You’ll probably have to throw some more charcoal on the sides about half way through so make sure those little holes by the handles on the grate are over the charcoal rows. You could put a meat thermometer in it and know that it’s done when it reads 160° to 170°. Don’t forget to cut off some of the outer crust towards the end of the cooking and taste to see how it’s doing. This is an absolutely unnecessary step but pretend like you know what you’re doing and you might be able to hold off the dogs. When it’s done you can either cut or chop it into chunks,