How the Bearded Canadian created another entrée keeper 

By The Bearded Canadian

“He (The Bearded Canadian) is a rare culinary talent… and a bit mad. Even I had no idea what was happening, but I knew it was something I wanted to be around… and feast on.” Train recollecting the birth of another pre-mains Canadian classic

So, a FoB “tasting” is an exciting and challenging situation. Each of us on the FoB Squad are charged with the responsibility of creating a dish that either asks serious questions or enchants us with enlightening answers. Or both. And maybe, in the wash-up, we create a dish that becomes a permanent or enduring feature of future FoB feasts.

My thought was to come up with something on the heavier side of light, but charming and sweet. Something that would adequately signpost the path to a truly sumptuous feast.

Here’s what I put together…

I felt I could meet that brief with pork loin, maple syrup, butter, brown sugar, patience, impetuousness and of course, blind ambition and a touch of crazy.  I could not have been happier with the result. The result being…

… The Bearded Canadian’s Pork Loin Cinnamon Scroll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I went ahead and thought to myself:

• I love maple syrup
• Everybody that likes pork, loves pork loin
• I do enjoy some cinnamon, especially on a donut or wait… a scroll!
• Butter is great [Ed. Check out some truly dizzying and perhaps unhinged YouTube clips of Michelin star magnet Marco Pierre White, espousing an enduring love for butter].
• Brown sugar? Well…

So, those are the basic ingredients. Play with them. Use patience – a very hard-to-come-by ingredient – because you don’t want to incinerate the sauce, you want to warm it, heat it gently and coax out the flavours and consistency to form that glaze.

Finally, be bold with your application of cinnamon and of course the maple. Use salt to balance out the sweetness.

Okay, go ahead and create something uniquely you that pays homage to me (stole that line from Train during one of his ego moments) [Ed. Which is more often than you’d thing] [Train: Agreed!]

And as always… Feast on!

Try this – Duck breast, the steak you have when you’re [Ed. That’s enough]

By The Bearded Canadian

Recently, I’ve been wading out into the back waters of the feasting kingdom and my back catalogue of sports movies, to expand my culinary repertoire, and (re-)stumbled upon the mighty duck!

Though it is quite popular, at least in in French or Chinese cuisine, it’s not a dish often served when you gather together with your mates for some barbeque – but perhaps it should be! You see, in a world where so many things taste like chicken… duck breast surprisingly tastes like steak (It’s even red like steak too)!

With that in mind, here are some simple tips to cook up the breast portion of the echo-less beast [Ed. might have to google that one]: 

*PREP IT LIKE A STEAK*

You can go as fancy as you want with duck breast, but it actually shines wonderfully with just salt, pepper and garlic powder! [Ed. Didn’t you recently adorn one of your offerings with a juniper berry sauce? Hmmmm?!] Just like a steak, remove as much moisture as you can from the meat, and hit it liberally with that SPG. Be sure to score the skin and to get all the flavour in there! 

COOK IT LIKE A STEAK… Sort of! 

With steak you want a ripping hot bbq to sear in the juices right away, but because of the high fat content in the skin, duck breast is best cooked starting with a cold bbq and then turning the heat up once the fat has rendered. However, just like steak you can eat duck breast medium rare!  Again, score the skin to help render the fat, and place it on a cold hot plate, turn the gas to low and let the fat render out for 10-15 mins. Don’t rush this part, you want the fat rendered and the skin nice and crispy!

So, walk away, grab a drink, tend to those ribeyes [Ed. Train enters the chat]… Once the skin is rendered transfer it to your grill and cook skin side up till your desired temp.

Med. Rare 54degrees C. Medium 60degrees C. Well Done… ? You know better than that. 

REST IT LIKE A STEAK

Again, just like a steak, the meat needs to rest for at least 10 mins. You’ve come this far and you don’t want to lose all that flavour and juice! I wouldn’t cover it up though as you want to keep the skin crisp! Finally, slice it up, serve and have fun watching your guests try to figure out what part of the cow they are currently enjoying! 

As always, “try this” and …Feast on! 

Creating steak magic with mayonnaise  - don't judge... yet! 

By The Bearded Canadian 

If you’re in a bind as to how to bring your steaks alive without resorting to adding sauce, I want to share my latest discovery with you right now. 

By the way, there’s nothing wrong with creating beautiful aromatic sauces to complement your meaty main, in fact, I believe that that is a wonderful skill, I’m now convinced Train has yet to master [Ed. And it’s on!... Yes!!!]. While reliance on the simple wonders of salt, pepper and oil and perhaps some garlic are deservedly praised, the act of maintaining a culinary curiosity is just as valuable. Also, please keep in mind that “resorting” is the key word. What I don’t want for you is to cook a piece of steak, taste it and realise that it’s bland and disappointing. That’s when you find yourself resorting to sauce. And as Train often says, “if you find yourself on the verge of despair and topping a tired steak with tomato sauce, maybe just flush it down the S-bend and retain at least a pinch of dignity.” Harsh but perhaps fair. [Ed. An olive branch?] 

Okay, back to my discovery. Train quite rightly hammers home the fact that when it comes to grilling steaks, salt, pepper and oil are mandatory, but why does he stop there? [Ed. Soooo, no olive branch?]. One of the reasons for applying olive oil is to help bind the salt and pepper to your gorgeous steak. But surely, we can think of and add other ways. I know our good friends at Cheat Meats will often apply a coating of mustard to help bind a rub to their steak dishes and that’s one of the factors that got me thinking. And if you like steak and eggs… 

Logic is a weird thing, isn’t it? If you follow the logic behind certain flavour combinations you’ll chance upon a whole lot of interesting ideas just waiting to be plated up. Take for instance that breakfast (or lunch) staple of champions, steak and eggs. What a combo. Steak and oil, salt and pepper, mustard and steak – they’re all great combos that work beautifully together. 

So speaking of combinations, here’s one that I trialled to take the place of the olive oil combination to bind the SPG: 

Egg yolk, salt, pepper and dry mustard, a touch of brown sugar, lemon juice and vinegar and yes, Train, olive oil – 100% extra virgin olive oil. And yes, those ingredients will indeed make a very nice mayo. But take a look at the images I’ve put together to see, as I did, the difference that the made-from-scratch mayo makes. 

SPG olive oil bindSPG Mayo bind SPG, coffee rub, mayo bind. And yes, I ate them all and they were delicious all in their own way. Hey Train, variety is he spice of life [Ed: and it’s on again!]. Try it for yourself and… Feast on!

One Canadian’s take on that critical first dish of the feast 

By The Bearded Canadian 

The big night is approaching. You’ve got the ribeyes, drinks and music all sorted, you checked (and double-checked) that the gas bottle is full(ish), and against all odds you managed to turn the outdoor patio into a half decent feasting forum. But as you think through what the night’s menu will look like, you still feel like it’s lacking a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ – that little something extra that will elevate your humble soiree from just another night around the barbie to, ‘now THIS is a BBQ feast!’ But what to do? 

The answer? An eye-catching, mouth-watering entrée. 

This will set the tone for the rest of your night. Now if you’re hoping your feast is going to go the distance (and live long in the memory of your guests), you’re going to have to land some shots early in the fight (Ed. wait are we still talking entrées or have we moved onto MMA?). The ribeye may be the knockout blow, but the entrée gets them to drop their guard, setting you up for the win – a quick combo that makes a statement and reminds your guests why they are there. [Ed. Wow, MMA, boxing, feasts, knockouts, it’s all here]. 

So, 3 things to consider when considering a memorable entrée 

1. Size and portion 

Like I said, an entrée should be quick. As in quickly and easily eaten. Think small, bite-sized and preferably mess-free. People are arriving, catching up with each other, so, initial gasps of awe and wonder notwithstanding, the entrée should add to the conversations, not disrupt them.

2. Impact 

The entrée should be eye-catching. People eat with their eyes so get some colour on the plate. If you offer chicken wings, consider garnishing with thinly-sliced green onion or red chilies. They not only add flavour, but they attract the eye which creates excitement and anticipation. At this point, feasters are experiencing relish, awe, joy, and they haven’t even started eating!

3. Flavour 

There’s no denying that flavour is the most important part of the dish but in the case of entrées you want to focus on flavours that whet the appetite not quench it. Remember the party is just getting started and that ribeye is still coming! If the main course is going to be salty and savoury, balance it out with something more aromatic (like the Bearded Canadian Vietnamese Prawns) or sweet and spicy (like House of Goff’s Korean style wings)? Not only will this bring a smile to your fellow feasters, but it will also set them on a flavoursome feasting sojourn deep into the night.

I guess the big tip out of all this is to appreciate that the entrée is the all-important opening or support act to the main event and it deserves and requires its moment in the spotlight if its going to be a feast to remember. [Ed. Really thought you going to go with the whole undercard thing.] 

Hey, if you have a favourite feast opener, hit us up on our socials or email us at feaston@feastonbeasts.com 

By The Bearded Canadian 

Okay, why are we here? Answer: to have a whale of time creating beautiful, succulent meat dishes that will eventually pass into legend. One of the important steps towards creating said legendary dish is of course, seasoning your chosen protein. But there is seasoning and then… there is seasoning. I hope you’ll come to recognise mine as the latter. 

And the reason I create and experiment with spices is that making your own spice allows for better control of taste, texture and quality, not to mention saving you some serious dosh!  [Ed. The bearded one is really embracing Australian vernacular and we love it!] 

So without further ado, here’s my take on the classic Montreal Steak Spice – here’s what you’ll need: 

• 4 Tbs mixed whole peppers  
• 4 Tbs Coriander seeds 
• 2 Tbs Whole All Spice 
• 4 Tbs Dill seed 
• 2 Tbs Granulated Garlic 
• 2 Tbs Mustard Seed 
• 4 Tsp Sweet Paprika 
• ½ tsp Korean chili 
• ½ tsp red chili flakes 
• 1 tsp Aleppo Chili flakes 
• 3 Tbs kosher salt 

Now one of the best things about rubs is that you can change them up. It's entirely up to your tastes, add more or less salt, up the heat with different types of chilli or even consider adding some rosemary for even more depth of flavour. It’s up to you. 

Pro Tip: toast the whole seeds by placing them on a dry pan at medium low heat. (No need for oil). When they start smelling fragrant remove from the pan (don’t leave them on for longer than 5 mins) let cool, then grind them to your desired coarseness. In my humble (Ed. Funny, I like it) opinion, toasting spices give an entirely different and more sophisticated flavour profile. 

I've added this spice mix to a cheap and cheerful scotch fillet to boost the flavour! Don't be afraid to apply generous amounts of rub to give thicker cuts like this. Remember to coat all sides and pat down for best results. 

N.B. Spices start losing their flavour as soon as they are ground but by grinding your own whole spice and keeping them in an airtight jar you will keep them fresh for weeks. You can opt out on grinding your own, but why would you? Just takes a few pulses on a blender or spice grinder or… get those forearms a workout with the ol’ pestle and mortar. Come now. You can do it… it’ll help you grow a mighty beard.

Huzzah! Enjoy, and let me know how you go at feaston@feastonbeasts.com

Wow!!

The Bearded Canadian, Train, House of Goff & Johnno 

Let’s start with a brief, one-paragraph history lesson/backstory: 

It was a spring day in 2016 on Sydney’s Circular Quay when Train scrawled “Feast on Beasts” on a diner napkin before returning his weary gaze to the immensely dissatisfying salad double-parked in front of his tiny steak. He hankered for a truly beautiful steak, perfectly cooked in a kitchen full of passionate cooks, thrilled to be alive and creating meat dishes, and embracing their calling. “I can’t be the only one thinking like this,” Train lamented. 

Fast-forward past a trip to IP Australia, a transcontinental relocation and 4 years later, Feast on Beasts was born: a tight-knit community of passionate meat lovers, presenting beef, pork, lamb and poultry-related reviews, rumours, feasting facts and fiction and fashion – and these are the people that helped turn that miserable lunch into a Feast for the senses. 

Train is always hungry, loves a garish feasting shirt and believes that an appetite is like any other muscle in the body – it can be trained to get bigger, stronger and more formidable. But it takes effort! 

Talent/superpower: defeating science with unusual cooking methods, banter, never giving up – at the feasting table. 

Specialty: steak, crackling pork loin bites with seasoned crackling, cold hard opinions. 

The Bearded Canadian sports a beard that would put most lumberjacks to shame but is known for his panoramic range of culinary tastes and insatiable appetite for gustatory parlour games and challenges. 

Talent/superpower: culinary creativity, seeing beyond the carcass or cut before him and dreaming up enticing entrees, mains and stunning starters. 

Specialty: Ham, pork shoulders, poultry curios, repartee, Canadian accents. 

House of Goff knows things that we don’t when it comes to burgers, hot sauce and the science of meaty repasts. Genuinely humble and soft spoken, his dishes scream perfection, attention to detail and rich flavour. 

Talent/superpower: maintaining a measured, logical approach to preparing and presenting feasts, even if chaos abounds; and consuming (and relishing) fiery hot sauces. 

Specialty: Smash burgers, chicken wings in many and varied um… variations, food (okay meat) science. 

Johnno the enthusiastic smoker, brisket whisperer and pork platter presenter with the golden olfactory senses, deconstructs sauces, rubs and recipes in general, with an unsettling confidence and unerring accuracy. Talent/superpower: the easy answer is, plating up peerless portions of pork and brisket but it’s the detail, the ingredients, the flavour combinations that set his work apart from the rest. 

Specialty: Brisket, pork, chicken varietals and lesser-known beast-based meals – buffalo, crocodile to name two.

6 tips to tip the scales of good taste in your favour during Christmas 

with The Bearded Canadian 

“I simply love taking seemingly mundane or run-of the-mill, ‘safe’ dishes, like a leg of ham and creating something memorable that might, one day, make it into the Festive Meats Hall of Fame – a man can dream. So here are some pointers that hopefully, you’ll be able to remember today, tomorrow and for many festive seasons to come.” The Bearded Canadian, magnanimously sharing his thoughts, hopes and aspirations for porcine yuletide meat dishes. 

(Ed: Warning, The Bearded One had Train, translate his words and thoughts into words and pictures… and even more words so... hang in there.) 

1. Aluminium foil is your friend, respect it, keep it near and cover a roasting pan in it for easy clean up. 

2. And like all friends, aluminium foil will stick by you, even during tip number two. Cover your ham with foil with a cup of water (to keep your ham moist) in the bottom of the oven for 30minutes at 160˚C. 

3. Fat is also your friend (go figure) but skin is your enemy so, get rid of the ham skin (Ed. Sounds weird, just sayin’.) but keep the fat! 

4. Score the fat and salt it lightly with your choice of flaky salt – just the fat mind you. And no, it won’t make it too salty. 

5. Time to get your glaze on. Mix and match sugar types – it fun and delicious. I favour a brown sugar, maple syrup and cherry juice combination. Crank the heat up to 200˚ C. Uncover ham and glaze every 15 minutes for a final 45 minutes. 

6. Stare steadily into the eyes of your relative most prone to ladling out criticism and as you place the platter of hammy goodness in the middle of the table, stage-whisper, “Voila!” 

...Another triumph! 

If you try this and love it, please let us all know. If you have questions, fire at will, feaston@feastonbeasts.com is where to send your thoughts and yes, we will reply.