What We're Eating - A Food & Recipe Blog » beef

San Francisco Review: Lilly’s Bar-B-Que #1

Amanda — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 01:13:28 +0000

I stop for smoke signals.

Since the end of January I’ve been staying with friends in the Bay area, hopping around from kitchen to kitchen with my mobile food porn studio feeding those in my path. On a trip to Nob Hill the other week to pack up my studio for yet another transition I decided that, shit… I’ve just spent 5 bucks in tolls and 10 bucks in gas getting into the city – I should dick around a bit while I was there! After all, it is what I do best!

Like a bug to a light…

I’m naturally drawn to water so my first stop was to follow my line of sight and head to the marina area where I got my first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge masked in fog, that I’m pretty sure is there most of the time. (I know it’s kind of crazy that I’ve been to SF so many times previously and have now lived here for over two months without ever seeing the bridge before. Don’t judge – sometimes I’m slower than the other children.)

Next I knew I wanted to see Fillmore, Divisidero, and Haight, so with those streets in mind I wandered up and down the blocks taking in as much as I could. I’m only in SF for less than one week now, so every moment needs to count. Struck by the need to pee and a slight hunger, I started looking for a good parking space in the middle of some action. As I was cruising down Divisidero, my eyes noted that the street was filled with smoke, then my nose noted that said smoke that was connected to the slow cooking of meat. I looked to my left and saw smoke billowing out of the chimneys on the side of Lilly’s Bar-B-Que. Of course I pulled over as soon as humanly possible, jumped out of my car and ran across the street dodging traffic and almost getting run over by oncoming cars (who I may or may not have told off in bold vivid language – hey man, I was in a crosswalk. Bitch had the right-of-way.)

The one and only Pitmaster Mike.

Once inside Lilly’s I was greeted by Mike, the incredibly charming pit master behind the counter. Mike told me that he had been working hard all day to make me, just me, some brisket so good that it would make me homesick for the south. Now I know Mike wasn’t reeeeaaally smoking his succulent meats all day just for me but he totally had me eating out of the palm of his hand. Between the smell coming from the smoke pit and Mike’s confirmation that I was in for some killer brisket, I was forced to go on a rapid hunt for an ATM machine that would actually read my effed up magnetic strip. Four stores and 5 bucks in ATM fees later (D’OH), I was back in the smokey interior of Lilly’s, cash in hand and brisket in front of me.

Smoky, juicy, meaty deliciousness

Not gonna lie, I have some pretty high standards as far as brisket is concerned – which is why I almost never order it! I hate being let down by food and brisket is one of those things that lets me down more than 50% of the time I order it. This brisket, however, did NOT let me down. It was super tender and moist with a nice smoky flavor. The only thing I would have changed would have been to ask for the sauce on the side so I could taste the naked goodness of the meat by itself. I chose the hot variety of sauce and, while it was pretty good, I would like to try the mild and medium to see if they bring anything else to the party. The meat party. In my mouth. Mmmmmmmm.

Mike, a man who knows his ‘que!

Before heading out I talked to Mike for a few more moments and told him that he (and Lilly’s BBQ) may or may not appear on the internet soon. I mean – come on – I plan on posting pretty much every day of my life online but in reality about 1/50th of the days (if that) get posted. If this were twitter I would give myself a hashtag – #lazy… #justsayin. I only bring up my laziness to say that the brisket was good enough to motivate me to spend the morning writing about it and subsequently daydreaming over smoked meats. (Side note on my laziness: I wrote this almost a month ago and haven’t posted it yet. Oops) If you find yourself in San Francisco wandering along Divisidero and are in need of some delicious smoked meat (who isn’t?), follow your nose over to Lilly’s Bar-B-Que, get the brisket and tell Mike that that crazy girl Amanda who was in taking pictures and drooling over his meat says “Hi” and wishes she was there too. (Did I mention that I just loved Mike?)

Lilly’s Bar-B-Cue #1
705 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

*Oooo one more thing: This review is for the brisket and brisket alone. Both of the sides I ordered (green beans and coleslaw) were mediocre. Very mediocre. Go for the bbq, not the sides!

No related posts.

The Ultimate Corned Beef Sandwich

Amanda — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:19:26 +0000

Behold...flaky croissant goodness!

We’re eating corned beef and sharp cheddar sandwiches on freshly-baked flaky croissants dressed with whole grain mustard, watercress and caramelized onions deglazed with balsamic and cider vinegar.

Sandwiches can be the most simple thing to cook and often times one of the most satisfying things to eat. At least that’s the p.o.v. in our house. That’s definitely the case with this sandwich! It was a breeze to make yet soul satisfying to devour. Tyler said it was ranked right up next to the Father’s Office burger – his favorite burger of all time. Damn high praise indeed! Caramelizing onions takes quite a long time but you can make the onions several days in advance and store in a sealed in the fridge until ready for use. We hope you guys make this sandwich and enjoy it as much as we did!

Recipes in this post:

Hearty Red Wine Braised Short-Rib Beef Stew

Amanda — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:38:39 +0000

So hearty. Perfect for a cool, crisp day!

We’re eating braised short rib beef stew filled with new potatoes, young carrots, cipollini onions and celery in a sauce made from red wine, balsamic vinegar, coffee and demi glace.

Good things come to those whose who wait. Yeah yeah yeah, I know. It’s so cliche of me to say, but seriously dudes. You just can’t get the same flavors when you braise something or make a stew or gumbo and then eat it immediately. Some dishes need a little time to rest; a little time for the different flavors to mingle & marry as they sit in the fridge overnight. In my opinion, pretty much anything that is stewed or braised is going to taste 10 times better the second day. That makes this dish perfect for taking to potlucks or serving at dinner parties. You HAVE to make it the day before the event so there’s no stress at all the day of. We hope you guys love this one as much as we did. We’d love to hear any feedback from you in the comment section!

Recipes in this post:

Red Wine Braised Short Rib Beef Stew

Chipotle Glazed Meatloaf

Amanda — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:33:26 +0000

Itsa Spiiiicy Meata Loafa...

When I’m under the weather, very few things appeal to me more than some good ol’ comfort food. You know, the kind of indulgent food that you grew up eating that really warms the soul. Having been sick all last week and still in recovery mode this week, I decided that only meatloaf would make me feel better! My meatloaf was mixed with sauteed fennel, red peppers, onions & garlic and fresh herbs then topped with a spicy chipotle glaze then served with buttery mashed potatoes.

Growing up, my dad was always the cook in the family. My mom baked for Christmas and occasionally other holidays but never cooked. Let’s amend that – still never cooks. To this day, I believe she might use her oven as excess storage space rather than a cooking appliance and I would put money on there being canned goods in the cupboards that I purchased when I was in high school! The one savory dish that my mom would make throughout my childhood was her meatloaf, which I absolutely loved. It was just a basic ketchup topped, well-seasoned ground beef meatloaf, but my god, I loved it! (And loved the meatloaf sandwiches on white bread w/ yellow mustard that followed.) Now, while my version of meatloaf isn’t exactly what my mom used to make, I still think of her and her version whenever I go to make one. And yes, I still use a ketchup based topping!

This one’s for you mom! For always being there for us and providing for us whether we were under-the-weather or just under-your-skin, if not in the kitchen, then in every other aspect of our lives. We wouldn’t have grown up into the kickass people we are (imho) without you playing such a fundamental role in our lives! I love you!

(p.s. mom – if you actually read this, the next time we talk use the code phrase “Adrian Paul likes pretty pink puppies”)

Recipes in this post:

Spicy Chipotle Glazed Meatloaf

Prime Rib Sushi. You Heard Me Right.

Amanda — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:40:07 +0000

Sushi purists everywhere are shaking their heads at me.

Now the last time I did a nontraditional sushi roll I ended up getting reemed by the folks in Japan for calling it a sushi roll while the only component similar to sushi was the rice, but otherwise the outcome was overwhelmingly popular. That was back in 2006 and these days lots of people are making nontraditional sushi rolls. For this leftover prime rib recipe, we’re eating a roll made with blanched collards, blue cheese-parsnip-potato mash, strips of gently reheated prime rib, roasted asparagus and sauteed portobello mushroom. The sushi roll was plated with a drizzle of Cabernet Port Reduction. While nontraditional, both as a form of sushi and as a use of leftover prime rib, we think this sushi will rock your effing socks off! (give ‘em a taste, KG)

Recipes in this post:

Screw the Fowl – Eat Cow!

Amanda — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:33:53 +0000

Juicy...Pink... DELICIOUS.

Ho Ho Ho Meeerrrrry Christ…. What? I’m too late for Xmas AND New Years, not to mention Hanukkah & Kwanzaa?!? Crap! There’s always next year right? My prediction for 2009 – beef rib roasts will be the “in” holiday food this year. It definitely made our Thanksgiving 2008 meal an incredible success! So much so that I foresee us completely ditching the fowl and going cow in ‘09. We’re eating a prime rib roast that was marinated in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and lemon zest then roasted to a succulent medium.

This roast out shone every preparation of turkey I’ve eaten in recent memory. (Except maybe the tandoori turkey kebobs!) While it’s an expensive cut of meat, using a digital meat thermometer that you can set to alert you when the desired internal temperature has been reached will ensure a perfect roast every time. I suggest leaving the thermometer in the roast as it’s setting after you remove it from the oven. You will be able to watch the temperature rise. My roast continued to rise past medium-rare and when it reached medium I knew I had to slice it to stop the cooking. The longer it sets the higher it will go. I removed the roast at 120 and in less than 10 minutes it had soared to 135. Next time I will remove the standing rib roast at 115 degrees to allow it to rest for a long period of time before having to slice it.

Recipes in this post:

Rosemary-Garlic Prime Rib Roast

National Meatloaf Day: Better Than Presidents Day.

Us — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:30:36 +0000

Stuffed meatloaf

In honor of National Meatloaf Appreciation Day, October 18th, Serious Eats is holding a meatloaf event that we couldn’t resist being a part of. We’ve concocted a meatloaf made with a mix of ground beef and hot italian sausage and stuffed with a ricotta, goat cheese, and fresh herb filling. The meatloaf was served with roasted brussels sprouts and whipped goat cheese and herb potatoes. Rock on meatloaf… we appreciate you!

The whole mealA: what is more american and needing of an appreciation day than meatloaf i ask you! what?!?
T: mmm… i don’t know. I’m really trying to think of something clever here, but everything I think of was invented in germany.
A: germany?
T: hot dogs were the first thing that came to mind. then hamburgers. Pretty sure there from germany, ~~although i’m not sure, and apparently am too lazy to put together the 10-second google search it would take to find the answer~~. (looked it up. I was so right.) Let’s just say that meatloaf is about as american as it gets.
A: and it for sure is deserving of appreciation. i love meatloaf. i’ve never made a stuffed meatloaf before… or one that used italian sausage in the meaty mix. i really dug this version, but it was a far cry from the meatloaf my mom made growing up.
T: yeah, it was a far cry from my grandmother Ghee’s version too, which was pretty classic- ketchup on the top, etc. But, I gotta tell ya, that meatloaf has been done a zillion times. I was excited to try something a little different, and this delivered, sister, it delivered. Mmmm mmm that ricotta in the middle was goood. And I loved the flavor of the italian sausage in there. I’d say this could be good enough to eat over and over. It rocked.
A: why thank ya T! like i said, i totally dug it too. i normally pay tribute to the classic style of meatloafing and do a tomato topping and everything…. but for appreciation days you’s gotsta think outside the box. the goat cheese and fresh herbs were really able to shine with the ricotta and bring out the flavors of the beef and sausage. while eating this meal i was really into getting a bite that consisted of a little bit of meat, filling, potatoes, and a brussels sprout. while that sounds like a big bite (it was!) the flavors just worked soooooo well together.
T: I was not so ambitious with my forking maneuvers. I did enjoy mixing the potatoes with the brussels sprouts, but I was happy to eat the meatloaf by itself. It was gOOd.
A: so, now that we’ve paid tribute to the mighty meatloaf, you got a rating for this bisnatch?
T: I give it a 4.76/5. Pretty damn good stuff, woman. You done good. What do you think?
A: i think i’m going to give it a 4.58/5. it was great. i’ve been on a really rich kick as far as cooking goes… maybe we’ll see a salad or something in the future, but for tonight i’m happy that there is leftover meatloaf for us to munch on!
T: hell yeah, me too. Although I’ve eaten so much rich food lately that a salad is starting to sound pretty damn good. I guess i’m hungry now too, so that could have something to do with it.
A: how about a meatloaf salad?
T: I don’t think I’d want to adulterate the meatloaf by mixing it with salad. A salad with the meatloaf would be good though.
A: alright! enough of this! a little less talk and a lot more action. let’s heat up some leftovers.
T: that sounds fantastic. it’s tough blogging on an empty stomach. Hasta luego!

Recipes in this post:

Roasted Garlic and Ricotta Stuffed Meatloaf

Your Basic Steak & Potatoes

Us — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:08:18 +0000

Steak and veggies

For dinner we’re eating pepper-crusted seared steak served with rosemary roasted baby patty pan and zucchini squash along with garlic and parmigiano reggiano smashed yukon gold potatoes. The steak and potatoes were finished with a dry sherry pan jus.

A patty pan nestled in mashed potatoes

A: hey, t? do you think it’s bad that i buy food purely on the “cuteness factor”?
T: Ahhh… I suppose you’re talking about these little squash thing-a-ma-bobs. As long as what you’re making is as tasty as these were it’s not bad at all! However, I know you think that nothing is cuter than a kitty cat, so…
A: i’ll reassure you that for the time being… and in this country… i’ll not be bringing home any cute little kitties to cook up for dinner! now baby patty pan and zucchini are a whole different story.
T: Ok, that’s good. I hear carnivores are pretty untasty, so unless the kitty were a vegetarian it would be better off as someone’s pet.
A: agreed. now if we can just find a “grass-fed cat farm” we can give it a whirl.
T: Obviously we’re joking, but we probably just made a few enemies out there in the blogosphere Can’t folks joke about eating kitty cats?
A: of course they can. and for the record, if i was in a foreign country and someone served me a cat, i wouldn’t hesitate to eat it. i eat all other animals. i don’t discrimi-hate. moving on! so what did you think of this cozy, rustic meal?
T: It was easy to tell that the steak had been sitting in the freezer for a few too many months… although I think you did it as well as it was going to be done. The squashes were really tasty (and cute), and the mashed potatoes were excellent. It was all very standard home-cooking, but was very tasty nonetheless.
A: i pretty much agree with everything you just said. we’re not huge beef eaters so the steaks had been in the freezer for a few too many months. the rosemary roasted veggies and garlic parmigiana smashed potatoes rocked. the sherry pan jus helped the steak a bit, but it couldn’t cover up how “aged” the meat was. I give this meal a 3.8/5. It loses points for part of the ingredients being crappy, as well as lack of technical difficulty. this was a super simple meal.
T: Yeah, we’re really spoiled aren’t we? I give it a 4.15/5. The mashed potatoes were my favorite part, and they were quite good. The cuteness of the squash definitely propped up the score a bit too. The steak is what was killing this one… and it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great. Folks have definitely done way worse, though.
A: it’s true. we certainly take for granted the fact that we can eat a meal like this when ever we want, and it’s not just rice for dinner.
T: yeah, or Ramen, which is what it would be if I were in charge. Ramen and cinnamon toast. That would be a kickass blog.
A: uh, yeeeeah…. suuuure it would. for like 5 seconds before it started to suck.
T: Yeah I would have to keep it innovative… that would come in the form of different shaped pieces of toast and varying bowls for my ramen.
A: dude, you could even do a cinnamon toast flavored ramen.
T: dude. you’re not even taking me seriously are you? That is such a bad idea