All posts filed under: Things I love

Instant Pot Duo Plus (Image Courtesy of Amazon.com) | DadCooksDinner.com

Heads Up! Instant Pot Plus 60 is available on Amazon!

Published by Mike Vrobel

The Instant Pot IP-DUO Plus60 is now available for purchase on Amazon, with immediate shipping! Now, I don’t know how long immediate shipping will last – the IP-DUO80 wound up on backorder almost immediately – but if you hurry, I’ll bet you can get one soon. (Mine will be here Thursday…Amazon prime shipping for the win. I can’t wait!) Instant Pot IP-Duo Plus60 Electric Pressure Cooker [Amazon.com] Now, should you buy one if you already have a “regular” IP-DUO? Probably not…unless you’re a pressure cooker fanatic like me. The original IP-DUO is still a great cooker, and I don’t know what (if any) advantages this new cooker has. That said…I must have one. And, if you’re enjoying your Instant Pot so much that you’re thinking of buying a second one, now might be the time… (Or, if you’re patient, maybe wait for Prime Day in July? Amazon usually has the Instant Pot on deep discount.) FCC Notice: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you click through the Amazon links on this page, anything you buy helps support DadCooksDinner with …

Joule sous vide and LIPAVI Model C10 sous vide container | DadCooksDinner.com

My Sous Vide Setup (2017 edition)

Published by Mike Vrobel

Sunday’s picture of sous vide salmon resulted in some questions about my sous vide setup. Here’s what I currently use: Joule Sous Vide I love the compact Joule Sous Vide from the guys over at ChefSteps.com. The downside? It only works through the Joule app. The upside? It works with the Amazon Echo dot I have in the kitchen, so I don’t even have to open my phone: Video: Alexa and Joule [YouTube.com] The other downside is multiple Joules don’t work with the app. (Yet. ChefSteps says it is coming in an app update at some point in the future.) I do occasionally want to run more than one sous vide at once, so I’m keeping my Anova Sous Vide around until they get that fixed. If you’re not an Alexa or phone app kind of person, and want a manual control you can put your hands on, darn it…get the Anova Sous Vide instead of the Joule. LIVAPI Sous vide containers with custom cut lids The LIVAPI Model C10 is a 12 quart polycarbonate …

Gift Guide for Cooks – 2016

Published by Mike Vrobel

FCC notice: The links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on the link to Amazon.com and buy something before you close the browswer window, I get a small commission from the sale, and you support DadCooksDinner. Even better – you don’t spend any extra; the prices are the same on Amazon either way. Thank you for supporting DadCooksDinner! So…had enough gift guides yet? I planned mine a few weeks ago, scheduled it for today…and then every website IN THE WORLD sent theirs out over the last week. If you’ve seen too many gift guides already, I apologize. I went a little crazy with my gift guide this year. I started picking out ideas for different kinds of cooks…and got a roll. By the time I was done, I had enough guides for a week of posts. But, then came the flood of gift guides, so I decided to just do one and get it over with. Thank you for your patience. (Have I apologized enough yet? I know, I know…get on with …

Thermoworks Smoke [Photo courtesy of Thermoworks.com]

Wish List: Thermoworks Smoke 2 Channel Wireless Thermometer

Published by Mike Vrobel

FCC Notice: I am a Thermoworks affiliate – any Thermoworks products you buy through the links on this page will give me a small commission, and help support DadCooksDinner. Thank you for your support! That said, I love Thermoworks. I used their thermometers for years before becoming an affiliate, and highly recommend them. My friends at Thermoworks announced a new thermometer…and my gadget lust is strong for this one. The Thermoworks Smoke is a 2 channel wireless thermometer, perfect for backyard grilling and barbecue…especially if you want to grill year-round. The Smoke is a souped-up version of my ChefAlarm probe thermometer, with two heat-resistant probes instead of one, and a wireless receiver. Let’s start with 2 probes. Why is that second probe important? Two probes let you track the temperature in the food and in the grill at the same time. If you have long, outdoor cooks with charcoal (like, say, pork shoulder, turkey, or ribs), then you want to know the temperature of both the food and the grill. Even better, the Smoke has a wireless …

Thermoworks ThermoPop | DadCooksDinner.com

I’m a Thermoworks Affiliate!

Published by Mike Vrobel

You may have noticed a new entry on my sidebar: links to Thermoworks thermometers. I’ve recommended Thermoworks thermometers for years, and am a long-time user of their top-of-the-line Thermapen. Thermoworks recently approached me about being an affiliate; of course I said “YES!” What does being an affiliate mean? If you click on a link to Thermoworks on this site, I get a small commission on anything you buy. It doesn’t cost you any more, and it helps support DadCooksDinner. So, need a thermometer? Click on one of the links on my site, and thank you. Thermoworks Thermapen If you are looking for the top-of-the line thermometer, the workhorse I reach for every day, the fastest thermometer in the west, you want the Thermapen. I use this thermometer daily – if not multiple times a day. My opinion on thermometers is “buy the best, and only cry once.” The Thermapen is the best. Thermoworks ThermoPop That said, the Thermapen is expensive. If it’s too much for you, check out the ThermoPop, pictured at the top of …

Cast iron needs to be used

Cast Iron Needs To Be Used

Published by Mike Vrobel

Cast iron care really isn’t that difficult. The most important thing is to use the pan. If a pan is used regularly, with a light coating of oil, and a good cleaning every now and again, it will season itself. Mike Vrobel, April 2014, Cast Iron Care, DadCooksDinner.com Why don’t I take my own advice? The problem is, I want to be like Jeffrey B Rogers in his awe-inspiring cast iron YouTube videos. I see his collection of cast iron and think “What a great idea! I too should have a closet full of black iron pans!” Then, the next time I’m passing through Lehman’s hardware, I pick up another piece. I mean, why not? It’s only $15 for a 10.25 inch cast iron skillet. Why can’t I be like Jeffrey? Because it’s not about the closet full of cast iron, it’s about taking care of the cast iron. Jeffrey cares about his cast iron, and cares for his cast iron. Me? I care about my cast iron – once every couple of days, when …

8 Quart Instant Pot IP-DUO80

8 Quart Instant Pot IP-DUO80 Now Available For Preorder

Published by Mike Vrobel

It’s coming! The big brother to my favorite pressure cooker, the 6 quart Instant Pot IP-Duo60, is now available for preorder. (I think I sprained my clicking finger rushing to get my order placed.) [Update 2016-02-04: Sold out already! Amazon is reporting “not available at this time”. It will be back; keep an eye on that Amazon page.] The 8 quart IP-Duo80 is shipping in a May to June timeframe.  Thank you to Donna Haney at the Facebook Instant Pot Community Group for breaking the news. Pre-order one through this link, and help support DadCooksDinner at the same time: Instant Pot IP-DUO80 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 8Qt/1200W

Amazon Lightning Deal on Instant Pot SMART at 1:29PM EST

Published by Mike Vrobel

Psst – Amazon has a pre-Christmas Lightning Deal on the fancier Bluetooth-enabled version of my favorite pressure cooker, the Instant Pot IP-SMART, starting at 1:29PM EST. I own an IP-SMART, and use it all the time alongside my IP-Duo. I don’t use the bluetooth features that separate it from my IP-Duo, which is why I don’t recommend it at its higher price…but with this deal, the price is only $35 more for the newer model. For that difference, I would spring for the IP-Smart.  If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift (or just want to treat yourself), wait until 1:29PM EST, and then grab one quickly – once they’re gone, they’re gone: &amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;<br /> Instant Pot IP-SMART [Amazon.com Lightning Deals] Any purchases through that Amazon link support DadCooksDinner – thank  you!

Rotisserie Turkey With Basic Dry Brine

Rotisserie Turkey is available in Paperback

Published by Mike Vrobel

Book launch week concludes with the paperback release of Rotisserie Turkey. For more details about the book, see last week’s New Cookbook: Rotisserie Turkey post. Rotisserie Turkey is now available as a $8.99 paperback from Amazon.com. The book has 29 recipes for whole turkey and turkey breast on the rotisserie, with drip pan stuffings, side dishes, and suggestions for making soup with the turkey carcass. Rotisserie Turkey is 140 pages with black-and-white pictures. Yes, I know, no one likes black and white pictures. I don’t like black and white pictures, either, but as an indie cookbook author, publishing in full color would have pushed the price up to the $20 range – and I don’t see the value in that. But, if you buy the paperback from Amazon, I do have a full color pictures for you. Rotisserie Turkey is enrolled in the Kindle MatchBook service. If you buy the paperback edition, you get the Kindle edition for free! (As I’ve said before, if you’re reading this post, there is a free Kindle Reader app for …

New Cookbook: Rotisserie Turkey

Published by Mike Vrobel

Thanksgiving is showtime for home cooks. It is our time to shine, pulling out all the stops to make a feast for family and friends. I write about rotisserie turkey every year on my blog. In early November, the questions start. A few trickle in early in the month, asking about strategy and tactics. As T-Day approaches, the volume increases, and the questions sound more nervous. On Thanksgiving, when I’m not checking on my own turkey, I spend the day on my cell phone – responding, coaching, cajoling, and in some cases talking people down off the ledge. Trust me – your Thanksgiving turkey will be just fine. After the turkey leftovers are done, and I’ve had time to recover, I gather any new questions and use them as the basis for next year’s Thanksgiving blog posts. This book is a collection of those years of blog posts and questions, cleaned up and rewritten when necessary. It gives me something to refer to when people ask questions: “Here it is, I wrote it all down …

Giveaway: Weber Performer Premium 22” Charcoal Grill from Certified Angus Beef®

Published by Mike Vrobel

Special thanks to Certified Angus Beef® brand for providing the grill to give away. Visit them at CertifiedAngusBeef.com, and check out their blog at GoRare.com The Giveaway It’s time for another giveaway! Certified Angus Beef® Brand is giving a Weber Performer Premium grill to one of my lucky readers. The Weber Performer Premium is a 22 inch charcoal kettle grill with an attached work table and charcoal bin. I own a lot of grills, including last year’s model of Weber Performer; the Performer is my favorite, hands down. To Enter Leave a comment on my blog, telling us about your favorite grilled hamburger. Note: a comment on my blog, please. If you found out about the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or some other new social media platform that I’m too uncool to know about, please go to DadCooksDinner.com to enter. [UPDATE 2015-08-16 9:00PM EST – Contest entries closed. Winner will be announced tomorrow.] The Fine Print One entry per person, and please make sure there is some way I can get in touch with you (like a …