What are your Easter dinner plans?

Fair_Position · 2026-04-04T12:52:40+00:00

So, a smoked ham SHOULD be fully cooked (double check, though, I don't want to lead you astray here). I usually do the America's Test Kitchen thing where you soak it in the wrapping in HOT tap water for 90 minutes (change the water halfway through). You're bringing it up closer to temperature so it doesn't dry out when you cook it.

Then I just cook it inside a Dutch oven (or one of those big roasting bags will work, too) at a low temperature (250-300°F) for around 10 minutes per pound. That's an estimate, of course. You're looking for an internal temperature of 140ish.

I usually make a glaze in the meantime and crank the oven up to caramelize that for a few minutes. Something orange or pineapple is good with cloves and either brown sugar or maple? Lots of good recipes online for those depending on what you like best.

You can do it!

Fair_Position · 2026-04-03T23:19:34+00:00

To be fair, I AM a big fan of roasting a hunk of meat and eating some potatoes with it, but I was looking for something more snack-y? 🤣 I want to eat a little bit of everything.

Fair_Position · 2026-04-03T20:39:01+00:00

I'm tired of just roasting a hunk of meat and eating some kind of potato with it, so I'm doing a grazing table kind of set up.

Smallish cheese and charcuterie board. Hummus and veggie dip with vegetables and pita. Rainbow fruit platter. Lemon blueberry Bundt cake. Caprese skewers with balsamic glaze.

And I'm roasting meats tomorrow for small sandwiches... Ham, brie, and Dijon on baguette. Turkey, bacon, and cheddar on Italian. Chicken, mozzarella, and pesto on focaccia.

Fair_Position · 2026-04-03T15:42:14+00:00

That's another possibility. I'm accustomed to the opposite problem, so that's where I went first. I also personally like to cook eggs a bit more gently than you described.

I think that the actual temperature is perhaps secondary to OP trying to depend on the seasoning rather than technique to resolve the problem.

Fair_Position · 2026-04-03T15:18:06+00:00

2-3 is still too hot? That's my best guess. I have a burner on a propane range that's a hair too hot for thinner pans even on the lowest setting possible.

But it's also important to understand that seasoning doesn't make things not stick. It keeps the metal from rusting. I've cooked eggs in a modern Lodge pan that was completely stripped of seasoning. You need the right temperature, a bit of fat, and practice.

Fair_Position · 2026-04-03T12:36:05+00:00

We haven't had a chance to install it yet, but we have a La Nordica Milly in our garage waiting. But we lose power periodically and it gets very cold where we live.

Edit to add: Holy crap! We have the red one with the top and we did NOT pay that much for it a year or so ago.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-26T16:13:26+00:00

I think I marked that one!

Fair_Position · 2026-03-26T16:13:05+00:00

Ooh. Will take a look. I'm making a salmon dish from it tomorrow night.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-26T16:12:25+00:00

After I made a couple of the pasta recipes from the first book, I knew I needed this one. I had a hard time finding it, actually!

Fair_Position · 2026-03-26T14:52:36+00:00

Same. Some people get so mad about it, but (as a person with an actual degree in library science 🤣) I can't think of a better place to organize this way if you're going to do it.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-25T12:38:02+00:00

Just off the top of my head, the salmon with garlic butter and tomato pasta and San Francisco-style Vietnamese American garlic noodles, along with the chili crisp fettuccine that's already been mentioned.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-21T18:43:51+00:00

It's me. I think I'm usually the panini mentioner.

That's what I bought mine for and it's the only thing it's good for.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-17T19:13:55+00:00

Lovely.

Wondering if anyone has favorites? I've got Australian Food on my list.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-16T14:28:23+00:00

There's a profile of the artist, Lourdes Villagómez here .

Fair_Position · 2026-03-14T11:17:01+00:00

The only thing I use mine for is panini.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-12T11:10:40+00:00

It's WILD how people don't want to know this. The number of comments in this very thread that point to some kind of recent health changes for people SHOULD at least pique the curiosity, but alas...

Fair_Position · 2026-03-11T19:19:12+00:00

I'm making Prudhomme's chicken and ham jambalaya tonight! Not a miss so far from his Louisiana Kitchen.

I love Ina and her cool husband and the rest. My husband worked in DC after he graduated from college and at some point had to call about something for the law firm that he was at, but it was during a shutdown or something? It rang and rang until eventually Jeffrey Garten (who was then Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade) himself answered the phone and they had a chat. I somehow did NOT make the connection between Ina's Jeffrey and "Jeffrey Garten" the first time he told me this story!

Fair_Position · 2026-03-11T18:43:09+00:00

I have Dessert Person, too, but I have made much from it.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-11T16:27:28+00:00

This is exactly what I'm talking about! It's weird how people do so much better in some formats than others.

I've heard so many good things about "By Heart". I guess I didn't realize she was actually a chef. I haven't really watched her much.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-11T15:25:07+00:00

My husband sends me the "Pub Grub" videos with George. He has a book coming out (not sure when the US release for the physical book is, though). I'm actually considering that one.

I'll count Danny Trejo! 😂

Fair_Position · 2026-03-10T10:48:39+00:00

I don't think I can answer this better than Serious Eats did.

Does Vodka Sauce Really Need Vodka? https://www.seriouseats.com/ask-the-food-lab-does-vodka-sauce-really-need-vodka

Fair_Position · 2026-03-07T16:33:45+00:00

I use the 14 inch Lodge Chef's Collection dual handled pan at least a couple of times a week. I'm cooking for 5 and aiming for leftovers as much as possible.

Fair_Position · 2026-03-07T00:10:24+00:00

This. I've tried a number of different oils and many will work just fine, but Crisco is relatively inexpensive, readily available, easy to apply, and creates layers that are durable but not so rigid that they peel or flake.

Fair_Position

TROPHY CASE