I Am... How to Cook Prime Rib
There is nothing more impressive than a slow roasted and deeply crusted prime rib landing squarely in the center of a full dinner table. Prime rib might be the perfect cut of beef. It’s got a little something for everyone. Intense well-marbled fat forward hits for the fat-is-flavor stans (that’s me). Supple, rosy tender parts for the filet/tenderloin fans. Savory beefiness in bulk for the ribeye-is-king crowd. And, last but not least, a deep dark crust for those guys who need to insert Maillard reaction into any conversation involving beef.
What is prime rib
Prime rib is one of the largest cuts of beef you can buy as a normal home cook. You buy it as a roast made of a full rack of 7 ribs. These ribs are commonly spoken of as being from ribs #6-#12. The best way to think of a prime rib is a super high quality tomahawk or bone-in ribeye, stretched out to a foot thick. It’s true: the meat that comes in a prime rib roast is the same stuff you make ribeyes and tomahawks from.How to cook prime rib
Here's how to cook a perfect prime rib, every time:- Preheat your oven to 450ºF.
- Brown the two sides in a cast iron pan: optional, but highly recommended, especially when you have a smaller roast that's easier to handle. The smoke detector may possibly go off.
- Brush with butter or oil, then sear in the oven at 450ºF for 15 minutes.
- Set the oven to 200ºF and open the oven door for about 15 minutes, or until the oven temp drops to 200ºF if you have an oven thermometer. The smoke detector may possibly go off, again.
- Cook for 20 mins per pound for medium rare, or until your meat thermometer goes off. Temperatures are below.
- Rest for 30 mins, then slice and enjoy!
Prime rib temperatures
Prime rib, like all roasts, continues cooking after it leaves the oven while the thermal energy redistributes. For us, this seems to be a 6 degree rise, but your results may vary based on how warm your house is. Basically, 6 degrees is a pretty good estimate, however, so you want to take your roast out 6 degrees before your target temperature. For a quick reference, my target temps are below.- Rare: 125ºF - remove at 119ºF
- Medium-rare: 130ºF - remove at 124ºF
- Medium: 135ºF - remove at 129ºF
- Medium-well: 140ºF - remove at 134ºF
- Well done: 🥵
Prime rib cooking time
If you are cooking for a hungry house and want to know how to plan on timing such a large roast to be just ready for dinner, there’s a super easy formula based on the doneless you prefer. This isn’t one of those pro-chef-speed formulas that no one can realistically achieve, it’s pretty loose with the times so you can depend on it, even if you are relaxing, drinking wine, and consulting your phone every so often for the next step of the recipe. That said, using a meat thermometer is vitally important. And, so is planning on serving appetizers and drinks before the main course for anyone who is extra hungry. The formula is simple - assume:- 2 hours for temper
- 30 mins for searing
- 15-30 minutes per pound (in 5 minute increments - medium rare is 20 minutes/pound)
- 30 minute rest
The importance of a meat thermometer
A meat thermometer is essential. That old adage about the feel of your ear or touching your thumbs to fingers? Not for important cuts of meat, in my opinion. I recommend an oven probe; one that beeps when the target temp is hit. They can be really cheap, extremely expensive wireless app driven, or something in between. If you have an instant read or thermocouple style, be sure to check often that the roast doesn’t get overcooked.Trimming
How much fat you need to trim away depends on how much you love fat. If you trim all the fat away from the edges, you’ll get a much better sear, but that fat is super flavorful and tender - nothing like the tough chewy fat you might encounter from lesser cuts. My butcher left the fat cap on the spinalis, so I removed and froze that, but left the fat on the iliocostalis for extra flavor.Parts of a prime rib
Prime rib looks like just one big homogenous hunk of meat, but it’s three delicious parts with their own taste and tenderness:- Spinalis dorsi aka rib cap: This is considered a well kept chef’s secret: the greatest cut of steak, bar none. All the complexity of a flank steak, the fatty marbling of a ribeye, and the tenderness of a filet, in one steak. This cut is separated from the main body of the prime rib by a large layer of fat. Back when people vilified fat, spinalis dorsi used to be cut off and saved for the butcher or kitchen so that the ribeye steak could be presented “cleaner”. These days, especially if you order a bone-in ribeye, they just leave it on. It really is the best part.
- Ribeye: This is the main body of a slice of prime rib. It’s literally the same as a ribeye steak. It will be well marbled, tender, and complex tasting.
- Iliocostalis: Some people liken this to a long thin tenderloin. It’s also called the lip or nose of a prime rib. It doesn’t have a good reputation because it’s often smaller, fattier, and not very toothsome, but I think it’s an intensely beefy and tender cut because it sits right next to the bone. Iliocostalis used to be cut off and not served with the prime rib, as it wasn’t considered ‘prime’ enough, but these days, most butchers will leave it on for you to decide on.
Why make prime rib?
But why go to all this trouble instead of just getting seven steaks? Because, prime rib is insanely delicious. It’s basically the cheapest bone-in ribeye you can get at an extremely high quality for price ratio. Done right, it’s easy, forgiving, impressive, and satisfying. The best part is the leftovers can be reheated as some of the best steaks you’ll ever have.Prime rib vs steaks
Why should you make prime rib instead of steak or some other cut? Because, it’s cheaper than steak by two- to three- times, it’s easier to make, and there’s nothing more impressive than a giant roast of beef landing squarely center on the dinner table. The advantage of steak is that you can cater to different doneness preferences, but there are so many disadvantages, such as steaks being more expensive, needing more pans (aka more dishwashing), and being so much messier, smokier, and splatterier. Besides, you can cut down a prime rib into steaks before or after cooking. You can't glue steaks together into a prime rib roast. Overall, if you can justify the initial outlay, prime rib beats steak every time.A smaller prime rib
In fact, prime rib is such a good competitor to steak that I think it’s worth it to consider a smaller prime rib, even if its just for two of you, or even if you live alone. Ask your butcher to cut you 2-3 ribs worth. Where we live, it’s half the cost vs bone in ribeye, and my butcher sells even two ribs, which is just two bone in ribeyes stuck to each other. If you are buying by the rib at a really nice butcher shop, you may get choice of which rib bones you want. The “front” is rib number 12, which is very tender with a large ribeye steak, and the “back” is rib number 6, which is more marbled and complex.Prime rib roast
A prime rib can actually be closer to 24 inches thick, although you don’t have to opt for the full rack. Any good butcher will cut you whatever thickness you need. If you can, you should go for broke and get the full rack because it’s way cheaper than individual steaks of the same quality. A prime rib roast can be split into steaks if you’re so inclined. Even if you are only cooking for 2 people, you can buy a whole rack for cheap and split it up into seven 2” thick steaks for much less than you’d pay if you'd just bought steaks. But, the whole point of a prime rib is to roast it to perfection, with a deep dark crust and tender, rosy pink insides, so I recommend you grab a 2-4 rib segment (or more if you want) and go to roasting town. Roasting is way easier than cooking 7 steaks and so much more impressive too. Even better, with the right tools, it's easy to do it perfectly, every time.Bone in or boneless or tied back
When you ask for prime rib, you might be presented with one of three options: bone-in, boneless, or the bones cut off, but tied back on. Each has its pros and cons:- Bone in: The most flavor, but also the hardest to handle. Besides the weight, you can only cut slices between the bones. If you don’t intend to use the bones, these will also be more expensive, because while they cost less per pound, you still pay for the bones. They have the most flavor by far.
- Boneless: The easiest to handle, the easiest to cook, but a little less impressive. Boneless is great if you’re a crust fan (who isn’t?) because you get maximum crust without any pesky bones getting in the way. You’re also able to slice it to any thickness you like. To me though, this option doesn’t really feel like prime rib, just fancy roast beef.
- Bones cut off and tied back on: This might actually be the version you’re most likely to run into depending on where you live. This one seems to sells the best, and some internet sources say it’s great for seasoning the meat because you can get under the bone.
Where to buy prime rib
Because it’s not a super popular cut and because of how expensive it is, outside of Christmas and Thanksgiving, and maybe Easter, you may have a hard time finding prime rib. The best place to get a prime rib, by far, is your local butcher. Not only will they often have it because they have the whole cow in stock, they'll be more willing to cut you exactly as much as you need. Your other option is a special order from a grocery store’s meat department. I checked with whole foods and they said they were able to get a prime rib the next day. I went with the local butcher, but whole foods was actually cheaper. You can also get some awesome (and awesomely expensive) prime ribs from online meat purveyors like snake river farms or costco. If you’re lucky, you might find some prime rib locally at costco in its appropriately named prime beef department - just ask.How to choose the best prime rib
Believe it or not, prime rib was named before the USDA settled on its grades. Depending on who you believe, prime rib is either called prime because it’s the best cut of beef, or because its a primal cut. Either way, prime rib is not always USDA prime. The difference between a USDA prime and a USDA choice (the second best) prime rib is between 25%-50% more money. Beyond that, if you go to a good butcher, you also have options for organic, dry aged, grass fed, wagyu, and more. So how do you choose a good prime rib? Decent marbling is usually a sign of a happy animal, and that means a good tasting cut of meat. Grass vs corn fed is a matter of opinion, and many people don’t like the extra floral and complex taste of grass fed beef, but I don't think there's anyone who doesn’t like tender, well marbled beef.Do you really need to temper the meat?
Unfortunately, yes, you do really need to temper the meat. Tempering the meat – which is really just a fancy way of saying "leave it out on the counter to come to room temp" – equalizes the temperature of the meat so it cooks evenly, plus it lowers cooking times. You can also use this time to briefly dry-brine the meat (below). For a smaller 2-3 bone roast, you can get away with 2 hours of tempering. For a full rack, you'll want to temper at least 4 hours.Dry brining
Dry brining is just liberally seasoning the meat and leaving it in the fridge for 12hrs to 4 days to let the salt penetrate the meat. This process is supposed to pull out the excess moisture from the beef for a more tender and tasty piece of meat. I'm not sure I personally agree with this. Salt never penetrates that much in a dry brine. But if you have a day or two before you want to cook the beef, it doesn’t hurt. Just lightly sprinkle some salt all around the roast, then place on something to catch the juices. Loosely cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.Sauces
I don't do a rub with my prime rib. Because it’s such a large piece of meat, most likely you will not get a lot of extra flavor into the inside – just its innate beefiness. For some people that’s more than fine. For others, steak sauces are always welcome. If you’re in that crowd, you should check out our steak sauce roundup.How to reheat prime rib
You’ll probably likely have some leftover prime rib. You’ll also most likely hear that you should reheat the leftovers in a low oven. I disagree: by far the best way to reheat prime rib leftovers is to cut the remaining pieces into 2” thick steaks (if you can). Liberally season any cut sides, then sear 2 minutes per side in a cast iron pan. It makes for amazing steaks.Smoke alarms
Depending on many factors – if your smoke alarm is close to your kitchen, if your oven is less clean, or if your hood fan is a little weaker – you should be prepared for your smoke detector to go off during the browning stages. Be sure to check if your smoke detector has a hush button. Or, have a helpful assistant standing by with a large towel ready to fan when you first drop the roast into the cast iron pan to brown and again when you open the 500ºF oven door. And that's it, perfect prime rib, every time. I hope you enjoyed this guide and you're inspired to make a giant, super satisfying chunk of meaty goodness soon! -MikePrime Rib Recipe
Everything you ever wanted to know about prime rib: what it is, how to buy the best one, and how to cook a prime rib perfectly, every time.
- Meat thermometer with probe
- 6 lb prime rib (2 ribs, see notes)
- 1 tbsp butter (melted, unsalted preferred)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Liberally season your roast with kosher salt and let temper on the counter for 2-4 hours. Near the end of the temper time, preheat your oven to 450ºF
Optional: Sear the sides in a cast iron pan with a generous amount of oil. Combine the butter and pepper together, then brush onto the roast. Roast for 15 mins at 450ºF.
Set the oven to 200ºF. Allow oven to cool down with the door open for 15 minutes (or until the oven temp hits 200ºF, then close door and cook at 200ºF until the internal temp hits your target temp (119ºF for medium rare, see post), or approx 2 hours.
Remove and rest for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauces of choice, enjoy!
Bones are assumed to weigh 9oz
I Am... Best Food in Whistler
The best food and drink options in whistler. Mike and I are here in Whistler 2-3 months every year and we always take advantage of all the dining options just to see what's new and of course, to visit old favorites. The food options here in Whistler (we're here right now as I write this) are pretty world class, so if you're here for more than just the skiing, this is the best food in Whistler list for you. Whistler Blackcomb is one of the top rated ski resorts in North America, if not the world. With over 8000 acres of skiable terrain, the world’s longest gondola, and the cutest village ever, Whistler is a must visit. Whether or not you’re a skier or snowboarder doesn’t even matter - there’s so much to see and do in the town Whistler. The vibes, as the kids say, are immaculate. Even more so, the food scene eats and leaves no crumbs. Most of best food and beverage options lie in the main village of Whistler, which is at the base of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. It’s a completely walkable, pedestrian village that has super cute architecture with a combination of smaller chalets and castle-looking luxury hotels. There are so many places to eat and drink and because the options seem endless, don’t waste your time on overpriced, bad food. Here’s what you should be eating while you’re in Whistler!
Do you need reservations in Whistler?
Whistler is busy. It’s the biggest resort in North American and it attracts a lot of people. That means, generally, you can’t just walk into a hot ticket place and expect to be seated. Reservations are a must in peak season, which is, obviously, winter, but summer as well. If you have a must-visit restaurant, make a reservation to avoid disappointment. That being said, some of the best food in Whistler are casual options that don’t need reservations, such as pretty much everything on the list below:BeaverTails
Have you even gone skiing if you don’t end your ski day off with a beavertail? Beavertails are a decidedly Canadian treat: irresistibly warm and fresh from the fryer whole-wheat pastries that are a combination of chewy and crisp. Think of them like a giant flat donut, in the shape of - you got it - a beaver tail! My favorite is the classic cinnamon and sugar, but if you’re a toppings person, they have so many to choose from. Really, there’s nothing quite like standing in the snow while the village fairy lights are twinkling, eating a steamy hot and sweet beavertail after a day on the slopes. BeaverTails 4293 Mountain Square, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Open: 2pm - 8:45pmChubby Ducks Donair, Kebab & Poutine
If you’re staying in an airbnb or somewhere where you have kitchen but aren’t really looking to cook, but also don’t want to go out to eat, grab some take away from Chubby Ducks! They have THE best poutine in town, no questions asked. It’s not in the middle of the village, but it’s just a short hop through the main road, off to one side. They’re not an eat in place, so keep that in mind. Also, they make the fries to order, so there’s always a bit of a wait, but it’s worth it! You can also order in advance to make it a little more streamlined. Chubby Ducks Donair, Kebab & Poutine 4122 Village Green Unit 9, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Open: 11am - 2:30amProvisions
This is a newer fast-casual cafe slash restaurant brought to Whistler by the Toptable group, who also behind Araxi and Bar Oso. It’s an all-day neighborhood cafe with 30 seats that seems perpetually busy. It’s a pretty cute scene, but with that comes the inevitable fight for table seats. I think they intended it to be more of a takeout store, but Whistler has been dying for a cozy, while away the day cafe and it looks like all of the people who don’t ski like to hang out here to peep the scene. That being said, they do great coffee and pastries, so hop in, grab some, and wander around the Village for the ultimate Whistler experience. Provisions 4222 Village Square Unit 120, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Open: M-Th 8 am-5 pm, F-S 7:30 am - 5 pm% Arabica Whistler Village
If you’re looking for an aesthetic coffee shop AND good coffee, a stop at % Arabica is a must. Straight from Kyoto, the Whistler location is the first on this side of Canada, with the other two locations in Toronto. % Arabica is cult classic coffee shop in Japan and they’ve brought that success to the rest of the world. Their custom-made espresso machines combined with proprietary coffee blend that has notes of chocolate, nuts, caramel, and wine. The shop itself is sleek, white, and reminiscent of an ice cave, which is exactly what % Arabica was going for. Try their specialty lattes, each which mixes a different coffee blend or single origin bean, amount of sweetness and condensed milk. % Arabica Whistler Village 4295 Blackcomb Way #123, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Open: 8 am - 6 pmPortobello
Located in the Upper Village, inside the gorgeous Fairmont Whistler, Portobello is a hidden gem for daytime dining. They have a large cozy room with plenty of large tables for groups and corners to tuck away in. Breakfast and lunch are the times to hit up Portobello, they have a huge amount of freshly baked pastries and construct your own breakfast bowls or sandwiches. During high season, they also open at night with a Smokehouse dinner where they have juicy brisket and a variety of sides including mac and cheese. Portobello 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Open: S-Th 7 am - 3 pm, F-S 7 am - 3 pm; 5 - 8:30 pmSplitz Grill
Splitz is a locals favorite and has been since what seems like forever. It’s near the main Whistler grocery store, Fresh Street Market, and while that seems like a long walk from the slopes, it really isn’t, unless you’re in your ski boots. I love it there. Just a classic, mountain burger joint, no fuss, no muss. They have TVs where you can request to watch your favorite team’s games as well as beer on tap. The burgers are juicy and made to order, with plenty of customization options and their fries are crispy and hot. Mike always gets a burger and I always get chicken strips because chicken strips and skiing just go hand in hand in my mind. Splitz Grill 4369 Main St, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Open: S-Th 11 am - 9 pm; F-S 11am - 10pm That's it for now! If you're interested in reading and/or eating more, check out our Five Best Restaurants in Whistler. Read More →I Am... Swedish Meatballs
Real deal Swedish meatballs, just like in Sweden. A couple of years ago Mike and went to Sweden and the number one item on my Swedish bucket list was eating real Swedish meatballs. We went to a little place called Bakfickan, tucked into a corner of the Royal Swedish Opera House in Stockholm. The meatballs were unreal. They were and still are one of my all time favorite food memories. They were so good we went back the very next day. Super juicy and bursting with meaty flavor, served up with the creamiest mashed potatoes, a rich creamy gravy, lightly picked cucumbers, and freshly crushed lingonberries. Every bite was a revelation. If you like, you can read more about our trip to Sweden here.
How to make Swedish meatballs
- Sauté the onions - cook the onions until just soft in a bit of butter.
- Mix the meatballs - throughly mix together ground pork, ground beef, eggs, panko, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked onions.
- Make the meatballs - shape into 1 inch meatballs, tightly rolling so they are nice and round.
- Cook the meatballs - melt a bit of butter in a non-stick pan and add the meatballs, cooking in batches, making sure to shake the pan so the meatballs stay round.
- Make the sauce - in the same pan as you cooked the meatballs, melt a bit of butter and stir in some flour. Whisk in beef stock and cream and simmer until slightly thick. Season with a dash of soy sauce (it’s traditional!), salt and pepper.
- Enjoy! - make a meatball plate with the meatballs, gravy, mashed potatoes, thinly sliced cucumbers, and lingonberry sauce.
Ingredients
Swedish meatballs have some pretty standard ingredients: diced onions, ground pork, ground beef, eggs, panko, salt, and pepper, and nutmeg.- Onions - the finer you dice your onions, the more uniform and pretty your meatballs will be. If you have a food processor, feel free to pop them in and give them a whirl.
- Eggs - eggs are the binder that help keep the meatballs together. Panko - I like using panko as the breadcrumbs because panko is larger and flakier than regular breadcrumbs. Meatballs made with panko are lighter than meatballs made with regular breadcrumbs.
- Nutmeg - there’s just a tiny hint of nutmeg in these guys. They give the meatballs an authentic Swedish flavor with just a background hint of warmth.
Swedish meatball sauce
The creamy sauce makes these meatballs next level, but did you know that apparently (according to the internet anyway) Swedish people traditionally did not eat their meatballs with meatball sauce!??! Now, thanks to Ikea, everyone thinks Swedish meatballs come with a creamy brown sauce and to be honest, even the meatballs we had in Sweden did. The sauce is almost the best part?! Swedish meatball sauce is super simple, a butter and flour roux with beef stock and cream, finished off with a tiny bit of soy sauce for color and a touch of umami. I got the soy sauce trick from all the Swedish youtube cooking shows we watched. It’s a sauce game changer.Tips and tricks
- Shape hard. Don’t be gentle when shaping these meatballs. Unlike giant, super tender, fall apart meatballs you get in tomato sauce, the key to the roundness of Swedish meatballs is the fact that they’re compacted enough to be firm on the outside and tender on the inside. Use a cookie scoop to help you portion out the right amount, then roll the balls between the palms of your hand and toss the them back and forth so they come out perfectly round.
- Use non-stick. Using a non-stick pan helps keep your meatballs nice and round. Non-stick gives you the freedom to shake and roll the meatballs while they’re still raw, before they form a crust. If you use a regular stick pan, you’ll have to brown the meatballs before they release and by the time they’re ready, they’ll have slumped down due to heat and gravity and be vaguely lopsided.
- Fry in butter. Frying in butter gives you so much more flavor. I don’t typically fry things in just butter because it has the tendency to get too hot and scorch, but it’s they way they do it in Sweden and trust me when I say, it makes so much sense.
What are Swedish meatballs?
Swedish meatballs are, you guessed it, meatballs, from Sweden. They’re called köttbullar, which means meat buns, literally the cutest name ever. Swedish meatballs tend to be on the smaller side and are made with a mix of beef and pork, simply seasoned with salt and pepper and a touch of nutmeg.Are Swedish meatballs Swedish?
Yes! Swedish meatballs are definitely Swedish and they’re eaten on the regular over in Sweden, both as an everyday meal and sometimes as a special one on holidays such as Christmas.What's special about Swedish meatballs?
Everyone knows about Swedish meatballs from Ikea - Ikea meatballs are pretty famous. I mean, Mike and I used to go to Ikea just to eat the meatballs. And I admit, I’ve bought a frozen bag or three before. But now that I have this Swedish meatball recipe in my back pocket, no more!Swedish meatballs are super savory and full of deliciousness. They’re crisp on the outside with a buttery-meaty crust and tender and soft on the inside. When you bite into them, the juices flood your mouth with flavor and everything is right with the world.
By the way, I’m pretty sure the secret to why Swedish meatballs are so good is the fact that they’re fried in butter. Mike and I watched hours of youtube cooking videos - in Swedish, with subtitles - and all of them stressed the importance of frying your meatballs in butter, in a non-stick pan (more on that later), as well as shaping the meatballs aggressively.What to serve with Swedish meatballs
Swedish meatball plates usually come with creamy brown sauce, mashed potatoes, lightly pickled cucumbers, and lingonberry sauce. I hope you try this recipe. It’s truly one of my favorites. And if you do, please do like the Swedish do and get a little bit of everything in one bite: a meatball, a bit of mash, some gravy, cucumber, and lingonberry. It’ll be like that moment in Ratatouille when Remy gets the fireworks from combining flavors. Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes forever, xoxo steph PS - If you want to read more about my love for Swedish meatballs, please visit this post!Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Real deal Swedish meatballs, just like in Sweden.
- 2-4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 medium onion (finely diced, about 1/2 cup)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Cream Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick frying pan and sauté the onions. When the onions are soft and translucent, move the pan off the heat and allow the onions to cool.
Combine pork, beef, eggs, panko, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl. When the onions are slightly cooled, add to the mix then use your hands to mix everything throughly.
Shape into 1 inch meatballs, being sure to tightly roll them around so they keep their round shape. Place meatballs on a plate or tray.
Over medium heat, melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan that you cooked the onions in. When hot, add meatballs to the pan, cooking in batches without overcrowding. Immediately shake the pan as you add a batch of meatballs to ensure the balls roll around and maintain their meatball shape.
Fry, shaking the pan every so often, until meatballs are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the meatballs from the pan as they cook.
When all the meatballs are cooked, make the sauce: Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt over medium heat. Sprinkle on the flour, whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the beef stock and cream and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce starts to thicken. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and soy sauce if using.
Serve the meatballs with the cream sauce, cucumbers, and lingonberry jam.
adapted from Swedish Food and Say It in Swedish
If you don’t mind slightly flattened meatballs, just let the meatballs sear, no shaking needed.
Makes about 40 meatballs, roughly 10 per person.
Estimated nutrition is for meatballs and sauce only.
I Am... Coziest Homemade Hot Chocolate Bombs
It's hot chocolate bombs season! It’s super cute and fun and you can make SO many flavor variations! They sell hot chocolate bombs/hot chocolate balls at the store, but around here I haven’t seen any so I decided to make my own. You can too, but you need to get the right molds before it's too late.
What is a hot chocolate bomb?
Hot chocolate bombs or hot cocoa bombs are cute lil balls of chocolate that you put into a mug. When you pour hot milk into the mug, the chocolate melts and magically releases the marshmallows and cocoa hiding inside.What you need to make homemade hot chocolate bombs
- chocolate
- half circle baking mold
- hot cocoa mix
- marshmallows
How to make homemade hot chocolate bombs
- Melt your chocolate. Use the microwave to melt the chocolate melts or chocolate stirring in between until everything is smooth and pourable.
- Fill the molds. Scoop some chocolate into the mold and use the back of a spoon or pastry brush to push the melted chocolate around the molds, making it thick enough along the sides and edges. Pop the molds into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to set.
- Remove the chocolate from the molds. Gently push the half spheres out of the silicone mold.
- Melt the edges. Microwave a microwave safe plate for a minute, you want the plate to be just hot enough to melt the chocolate. Pick up the empty half of the chocolate bomb and place it on the warm plate for a couple of seconds, just until it melts.
- Fill. Add 1 tablespoon hot cocoa powder and mini marshmallows (and any other add-ins you want) to half of the spheres. Pick up another half and melt the edge on the warm plate then push the two sides together to seal.
- Decorate. Drizzle on some extra chocolate, decorate with crushed cookies, candy, or sprinkles!
For snowman hot chocolate bombs:
- Melt some white chocolate.
- Make the spheres as outlined above.
- Fill with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.
- Seal the hot chocolate bombs.
- Pipe on eyes and a mouth with melted chocolate.
- Pipe on an orange nose with orange candy melts and enjoy!
For peppermint hot chocolate bombs:
- Melt some white chocolate
- Make the spheres as outlined above.
- Fill with peppermint hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.
- Seal the hot chocolate bombs.
- Drizzle with extra white chocolate.
- Sprinkle on crushed candy canes and enjoy!
What if I don’t have a silicone mold?
Don’t worry, you can still make chocolate bombs without a mold! You can wrap eggs in plastic wrap dip them and let them set. They don’t end up completely round, but it still works.Which mold should I get for hot chocolate bombs?
The best mold for is a half sphere silicone mold. You can easily push the mold to pop the chocolate out. Silicone molds are cheap (compared to professional acrylic molds) and easy to use. The molds I use are 2 inches, but you can use up to 2.5 inches.What chocolate can I use for hot chocolate bombs?
I went the easy route and melted down chocolate chips, but you can also use candy melts which are easy to work with but don’t taste as good. There is also chocolate called couverture chocolate which is formulated to be easy to melt and set.How can I tell if my chocolate is high quality?
Take a look at the ingredients. You’ll want a chocolate with 65% or more cocoa. The cocoa percentage that you see on chocolate packaging tells you how much of the chocolate is made from actual cocoa beans. Your chocolate should also have cocoa butter in it, which creates the melting quality of chocolate. Couverture chocolate (as I mentioned above) has a high percentage of cocoa butter, which is why it melts smoothly making it an excellent chocolate for making hot chocolate bombs.Help! My hot chocolate spheres keep breaking!
If your spheres keep breaking, you want to double check three things:- How you melted your chocolate/chocolate tempering.
- The edges.
- How long you let it set.
How to temper chocolate
Tempering chocolate is a fancy way of saying melting chocolate, but it’s a bit more than just melting, it’s making sure that it doesn’t get too hot. If you don’t temper chocolate properly, it will melt at room temperature, it doesn’t really hold it’s shape, and it’s as shiny. Here’s how to temper chocolate.- Chop your chocolate. Chopping up your chocolate with a knife makes sure all the pieces are small - smaller pieces means it melts more evenly. If you get couverture chocolate, it will come in wafers, you don’t need to chop this.
- Put the chocolate in a heat safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. It won’t look melted but don’t put it in for any longer! Use a rubber spatula to move the pieces of chocolate around. Some of the chocolate will be more melty and you’re going to use that heat to help melt the rest of the chocolate. Once you’ve stirred, it’s time to put it back in the microwave.
- Microwave the bowl again for 15 seconds, then remove and stir from the outside in. The outside pieces of chocolate will be more melted than the inside. Use the heat from the outside chocolate to help melt the pieces in the middle. If you have an instant read thermometer, check to see if your chocolate is between 88-90°F. That is the ideal range for tempering chocolate.
- If your chocolate isn’t smooth yet, microwave it again for 15 seconds and stir. Keep stirring until all the chocolate is melted and smooth. It’s best to underheat the chocolate because the residual heat from the bowl and the rest of the chocolate will help you will the melting.
- Spoon a bit of your smooth tempered chocolate onto a piece of parchment and put it in the fridge for 5 minutes. If it looks shiny and snaps when you break it in half, your chocolate has been tempered properly!
What if I heated up my chocolate too much?
If your chocolate is bendy and doesn’t snap when you do the test in the fridge, it’s okay! Just add some more chopped chocolate to the bowl with your melted chocolate and stir it until it melts. Aim for 90°F and then do the fridge and snap test again.How to temper chocolate on the stove/How to temper chocolate without a microwave
To temper chocolate on the stove:- Chop your chocolate into small pieces
- Make a double boiler by placing a heat proof bowl on top of a small pot. Fill the pot with just an inch or two of water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Turn the heat on to low.
- Add 2/3 of chopped chocolate to the bowl and stir, while the steam from the simmering water melts the chocolate.
- When the chocolate is smooth and melted, carefully remove it from the double boiler and stir in the remaining chocolate. This will help the melted chocolate cool down to the right temperature, 88-90°F.
How to fill the molds for hot chocolate bombs
If you’re having problems with your spheres breaking or not releasing, I have tips!- Clean your mold. Use a lint free-paper towel and make sure the inside of your silicone mold is nice and shiny. If there’s lint it in it or any residue it will come out on your chocolate.
- Use a (clean) paint brush. I used the back of a spoon to push the chocolate around but if you use a paint brush you’ll have a lot more control. Paint the inside of the mold generously, let set for 5 minutes in the fridge, then apply a second coat being sure to paint extra along the edges so they edges are reinforced.
- Make sure you let the chocolate set enough in the fridge. When the chocolate is set, it will be shiny and snappy and release easily from the molds.
Can I make hot chocolate bombs in advance?
Yes, you can absolutely make hot chocolate bombs in advance. If you temper the chocolate properly (read the chocolate tempering tricks), you can make hot chocolate bombs well in advance.How long do hot chocolate bombs last for?
All the ingredients in hot chocolate bombs are shelf stable and they will keep, if tempered properly, on the countertop almost indefinitely, if they last that long. Think of them like a chocolate bar – chocolate bars last a really long time!How to store hot chocolate bombs
The best way to store hot chocolate bombs, after they have been made is at room temp in an air tight container.Hot chocolate bomb flavors
I love hot chocolate bombs because you can go wild with the flavors. Try these ones!- Oreo - place some crushed up oreos inside and on the outside for decoration.
- S’mores - crush some graham crackers for inside the bomb and on top for decoration.
- Peppermint - crush up some peppermint candies for inside the bomb and on top for decoration.
- Pumpkin - put a teaspoon of pumpkin spice in with the hot chocolate mix and sprinkle some on top.
- Coffee - add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the inside of the bomb.
- Dark chocolate sea salt - sprinkle on some flaky sea salt.
Tips
- Don’t overheat the chocolate! Take your time and microwave in 15 second intervals.
- Make sure you have enough chocolate on the edges of your mold so the molds don’t break when you take them out.
- If you need to, add more chocolate to the edges then let set again.
- Use food safe gloves while you’re assembling so you don’t accidentally melt the outsides or leave fingerprints on your hot chocolate bombs.
- Keep your place cold or run your hands under cold water for a while, the heat of your hands will make the chocolate melt.
- Be gentle when sealing the bombs together, don’t push too hard.
- Use your (gloved) finger to gently rub along the seam where the two halves come together to smooth it out.
- To store the hot chocolate bombs, keep them in an air tight container in a cool spot in your kitchen or in the fridge
Even more tips!
If you’re having problems with your spheres breaking or not releasing, I have even more tips!- Clean your mold. Use a paper towel and make sure the inside of your silicone mold is nice and shiny. If there’s lint it in it or any residue it will come out on your chocolate.
- Use a (clean) paint brush. I used the back of a spoon to push the chocolate around but if you use a paint brush you’ll have a lot more control. Paint the inside of the mold generously, let set for 5 minutes in the fridge, then apply a second coat being sure to paint extra along the edges so they edges are reinforced.
- Make sure you let the chocolate set long enough in the fridge. When the chocolate is set, it will be shiny and snappy and release easily from the molds.
Will it be chocolate-y enough?
Some of you are worried that there won’t be enough hot chocolate mix inside the the hot chooclate bomb. The outside of the bomb melts down and adds a HUGE chocolate hit. You can also add hot chocolate instead of milk to melt your hot chocolate bomb if you want a double hot chocolate!How to temper chocolate
Quick and easy tempered chocolate via the seeding method Tempered chocolate is what you want for hot chocolate bombs - it’s what will make them shelf stable with a shiny finish and a consistent snap. I’ve mentioned several other ways to temper chocolate in this post, but if you’re still having trouble, this is a foolproof way called “seeding” that doesn’t need a thermometer. First, melt two thirds of your chocolate, either in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, or in the microwave for 30 seconds. Melt the chocolate completely but don’t burn it - the chocolate shouldn’t be hot on your fingertip. Stir the melted chocolate and add the remaining chocolate into the warm chocolate in three batches, stirring completely after each addition. Continue stirring until the chocolate is smooth and shiny. Test by swooshing a bit of chocolate on a piece of parchment paper - it should start to set immediately. If it doesn’t, add a bit more solid chocolate to your melted chocolate bowl until it sets when you test it.My recommended chocolate for hot chocolate bombs
I like using Ghirardelli melting chocolate wafers. I find that they temper easily and set really well. xoxo -stephHot Chocolate Bombs
When you pour hot milk over these hot chocolate bombs, they melt and magically release the marshmallows and cocoa hiding inside.
- half circle silicone mold
- 1 cup chocolate chips (or melting chocolate wafers)
- 4 tbsp hot cocoa mix
- 4 tbsp mini marshmallows
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave. Use 15 second bursts, stirring in between until everything is smooth and pourable. It will take about 1-2 minutes.
Scoop some chocolate into the mold and use the back of a spoon or pastry brush to push the melted chocolate around the molds, making it thick enough along the sides and edges.
Place the molds into the freezer for 5-10 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to set. A couple of minutes into them setting, take them out and brush/spoon extra chocolate on the top edges to make it thicker. Let set completely, then carefully pop the chocolate dome out of the mold and set aside on a cold plate.
Microwave an empty plate for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until warm, but not hot. Take one chocolate dome and place it on the plate for a couple of seconds to melt the edges. Working quickly, flip it around and add 1 tablespoon hot cocoa powder and mini marshmallows and any other add-ins you want.
Take another dome and melt its edge on the warm plate. Join the two domes together into a sphere and hold until sealed. Let set in the fridge or freezer while you make the rest of your spheres.
To serve: Put into a mug, pour on warm milk (or hot chocolate!) and watch the magic! Stir everything up and enjoy.
I Am... Coconut Chicken Curry
Coconut chicken curry is one of my all time favorite comfort foods, especially this version: Malaysian-ish coconut curry chicken. The saucy, coconutty curry sauce spooned onto rice is so, so good. This is my ultimate chicken curry: flavorful and savory, with a hint of spice and a coconutty base; tender, large, juicy pieces of chicken; soft and tender potatoes that still hold their shape; and a sauce thick enough to coat a spoon but not so thick that it doesn’t flow over rice easily.
This chicken curry recipe is the best of all worlds
This curry is a mix of Malaysian, Singaporean, and Indonesian styles. It’s thickened with coconut milk, seasoned with fish sauce, and scented with lemongrass, star anise, and cinnamon. A flavor bomb of savory with just a hint of sweet and spice. It’s 100% a labor of love: hand pounded aromatics, a custom mix of spices, and a slow gentle simmer, long enough for the oils to separate out and float on top for those glorious pools of seasoned oil on top of the saucy yet thick coconut curry sauce.How to make coconut chicken curry
- Make the curry paste. Crush all lemongrass, garlic, shallots, ginger, and Thai chilis together with a mortar and pestle. You can use a food processor too. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, chili flakes, and a bit of oil.
- Marinate. Let the chicken absorb ALL the flavors. Longer is better, but at least 30 minutes.
- Sear. Give the chicken skin a nice golden sear. This also fries the curry paste a bit to bring out the flavors.
- Simmer. Simmer everything together until the chicken is juicy and cooked through and the potatoes are nice and tender, about 1 hour.
Chicken curry ingredients
It looks like you need a lot for this chicken curry, and I’m not going to lie, the ingredient list is on the longer side, but it’s well worth the shopping and time investment. Along with the standard chicken, potatoes, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, and chicken stock, you’re going to need the following:- Lemongrass – These days you can find lemongrass paste at the grocery store, but the flavor difference between chopping your own and store bought is intensely different. It’s better to stick with fresh lemongrass: just pull out your favorite knife and go to town.
- Shallots – Shallots are going to add a bit of extra sweetness and onion flavor without onions. They’re sweet and mild and used extensively in Southeast Asian food.
- Curry Powder – Try to buy a Malaysian curry powder mix from an Asian grocery store but if you can’t, regular curry powder will do.
- Turmeric – A bit of turmeric goes a long way. It’s healthy, earthy, and adds a sunny orange hue to the curry. Turmeric is an absolute must for curry.
- Cinnamon stick – A whole cinnamon stick adds a bit of warmth and a bit of sweetness.
- Star anise – Use whole star anise when you’re simmering the curry, the slight licorice bitterness really compliments all the other flavors.
- Fish sauce – Instead of salt, we’re going to be using fish sauce to season. It’s rich and full of umami and really enhances the chicken flavors.
Optional
- Thai chilis – These little red peppers pack a punch. I love adding fresh chilis to curry because it brings the heat, but if you’re head adverse, you can leave these out or seed them.
- Crushed Chinese chili flakes – Really you can use any crushed chili flakes, but Chinese crushed chili flakes have less seeds and are toasted in such a way that the smokiness and pepper flavor really shines through.
- Lime leaves – These are optional because I know how difficult it can be to find fresh lime leaves. If you do find them, they will add a light citrus freshness.
The sign of a good curry
Those pools of oil on top are a sign of a really good curry, by the way, if you’re asking Malaysians or Singaporeans or Thai or Indians or anyone who knows curries. You want your coconut milk and spices to split into two: a flavorful infused oil and a rich, dense, coconut base. When your curry splits, it means that all of the excess water that was in the coconut milk has evaporated and your curry is now concentrated, leaving only the flavorful good stuff.Is this chicken curry spicy?
A good chicken curry is adaptable – you should be able to make it spicier if you’re a spice fiend, and slightly milder and sweeter if you’re looking for a comforting easy curry. If you don’t want it spicy, leaving out the fresh and dried chilies will make this a family friendly affair.Instant pot chicken curry
To make chicken curry in the instant pot instead: After the chicken has been marinated, heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in the Instant Pot insert over saute high. When the oil is hot, sear the chicken, skin side down, until golden. Flip the chicken skin side up and add the coconut milk, chicken stock, cinnamon stick, star anise, and lime leaves. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release when the cooking time is done and reduce the liquid on sauté high if desired.Crockpot chicken curry
To make chicken curry in a crockpot instead: After the chicken has been marinated, heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, sear the chicken, skin side down, until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and add to the slow cooker. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken stock, cinnamon stick, star anise, and lime leaves. Cook on low for for 4 to 5 hours.Curry powder
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own curry powder at home. You’ll need:- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole black pepper
- 2 inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 1 tablespoon crushed Chinese chili flakes
- 1-2 whole cardamom pods
- 5-6 dried Chinese chilis
- 3 tablespoons ground turmeric
What to serve with chicken curry
Sometimes I like to have some lime on the side to squeeze some freshness on and serving up cucumbers with this is a pro move, the fresh juicy crunchiness of a good cucumber plays nice with the spice. I hope you give this curry chicken a try. It’s near and dear to my heart. kari ayam and roti prata forever! xoxo stephCoconut Chicken Curry
Slightly spicy, coconutty and comforting Malaysian curry chicken.
Curry Paste
- 2 stalks lemongrass (sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 shallots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 2 tbsp curry powder (Malaysian/SE Asian preferred)
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (Chinese preferred)
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili (sliced, optional (or more, you monster))
- 2 tbsp oil
For the Curry
- 2 tbsp oil
- 8 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 3-4 potatoes (small, peeled and quartered)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise pods
- 5 lime leaves (optional)
- 1.5 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp brown sugar
Crush lemongrass, garlic, shallots, ginger, and Thai chilis in a mortar and pestle (or a food processor but it'll be less tasty) until it resembles a paste. Stir in curry powder, turmeric, crushed chili flakes, and 2 tablespoons oil. Coat chicken throughly with the curry paste and let marinate for 30 minutes.
In a large dutch oven, heat up another 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the chicken, skin side down, until golden. Flip the chicken skin side up and add the potatoes. Stir in coconut milk, chicken stock, cinnamon stick, star anise, and lime leaves.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour, or until chicken is soft and tender. Season with fish sauce and brown sugar and enjoy!
I Am... Bump up your Holidays with Char Siu Honey Baked Ham
This year, instead of making the same old same old, make this own mind-blowing char siu honey baked ham instead. If you’ve never glazed your own ham before or if you’ve only ever eaten dry ham, you’re probably wondering why I think ham is so delicious. Trust me when I say this perfectly glazed char siu ham is just the right amount of salty balanced with sweet, with full hammy flavor.
What's a char siu ham?
Classic honey baked hams are delicious but if you’re going to take the time glaze your own ham, then it’s your chance to shine and get creative. If you've ever had any Chinese BBQ, or even fried rice, you know char siu: smoky sweet Chinese BBQ pork. Originally I was going to make a brown sugar bourbon apricot glaze but Mike made a comment about how he thought I was going to char siu the ham and this is the beauty we came up with! Honey baked char siu ham is a perfect balance of sweetness and umami thanks to a combination of brown sugar and honey, a splash of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and a hint of five spice. Seriously so good.How to make honey baked ham:
- Buy a ham: Hams come fully cooked at the store making this the simplest meat dish you’ll ever prepare. Get a bone-in spiral cut ham, more on that below.
- Let the ham temper: Take your ham out of the fridge and let it come to room temp for 2-3 hours, which will help your ham heat through evenly without drying it out.
- Make a glaze: combine all the glaze ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Prep your pan: add 1 cup of water and a rack to a roasting pan. The water will steam the ham, making it nice and juicy.
- Bake the ham: Place the ham cut side down and bake in a low oven, glazing every 20 minutes, until the ham is warmed through.
- Caramelize: For the last little bit, brush on extra glaze and turn the heat up to caramelize. Let rest and enjoy!
Char siu honey baked ham ingredients
If you love the sweet and smoky flavors of Chinese char siu, you’re going to love this char siu inspired ham. You’ll need: brown sugar, honey, hosin sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, five spice, white pepper, garlic, ginger, and a spiral cut bone in ham. The glaze is so addictive and full of umami you’re going to want to save the extra (there will be extra) to serve alongside the ham!Brown sugar and honey
We’re going with a combination of brown sugar and honey so the brown sugar can add dark caramel notes while the honey adds light golden notes.Hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet brown Chinese sauce that’s used in marinades and as a dipping sauce. It’s super flavorful: sweet and savory, tangy, and full of umami. They pretty much sell hoisin everywhere now, from Target to your basic grocery store.Shaoxing wine
This is the secret ingredient that all your Chinese food needs to taste like restaurant style Chinese food. Shaoxing wine is a rice wine that’s lightly sweet, nutty, earthy and complex. It’s optional for this recipe, but it’ll be 10 thousand times better if you get it. They sell it online and in Asian grocery stores.Five spice
If you want a savory char siu, don’t forget the five spice. Five spice is Chinese spice mix made up of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel. It’s full of warming spices that are super reminiscent of classic ham spices like cloves and cinnamon.White pepper
If you don’t have white pepper, don’t sweat it, but if you do, use it here. It’s more fragrant, delicate, and floral. It adds pepperiness without overwhelming.Frequently asked ham questions
How to make copycat Honey Baked Ham
Did you know that there’s a company that sells fully cooked and glazed honey baked hams? If you want to make a copy cat ham, just make a glaze, cover with foil and bake at 325°F until warm, then add a sugar rub and torch it so it brûlées.- To make the glaze, stir together 2 tbsp melted butter with 1 tbsp dijon, and 1/3 cup honey. Rub this all over your spiral cut ham and bake as per the recipe below. When the ham is warm, remove it from the oven.
- Make a dry rub with 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp each of paprika, ginger, and allspice. Place half of the dry rub in a small sauce pan and set aside.
- Use the remaining rub and carefully pat it on to the warm ham. Use a kitchen torch to brûlée and crisp up the sugar until it’s bubbly and shiny. It will cool into a crispy shell.
- Add the ham drippings to the reserved dry rub and bring to a boil over medium heat until it thickens into a glaze. Serve alongside the ham.
How long to bake honey baked ham
12-15 mins per pound at 250°F, then blast up the heat to 450 for 5-10 minutes to caramelize the glaze.Bone-in ham vs boneless ham
- Boneless ham, just like the name implies, doesn’t have a bone in it. The bone is remove before the ham is processed, cooked, and sealed up. Boneless ham has that classic ham shape but isn’t as flavorful or juicy as bone-in ham.
- Bone in ham is ham that has its bone. The bone makes the ham tastier by maintaining and imparting flavors as well as helping it stay moist.
Is bone-in ham better than boneless ham?
No question about it: bone-in ham has more flavor and is much more juicy than boneless. Generally, both bone-in ham and boneless hams are sold fully cooked. Just take a look at the package and make sure it says fully cooked or ready to serve.Spiral cut vs regular ham
If you’ve never bought ham before, you might be wondering, what is spiral cut ham?! Spiral cut ham are hams that have been cut in a spiral shape making it super easy to carve off the bone. They’re really pretty because the slices fan out nicely. Spiral hams can be both bone-in and boneless. Go for bone-in be cause it’s super juicy. If you want to go super super juicy or are confident in your carving skills, get a non spiral-cut ham, which retain moisture better.What is honey baked ham?
Simply put, honey baked ham is a ham baked with a honey glaze. A juicy, fully cooked ham is glazed with honey and spices and baked through until warm and cozy and lacquered with sweet honey goodness. It’s the perfect easy show-stopping centerpiece for any dinner celebration. Honey baked ham also happens to be the name of a super popular ham purveyor that sells honey baked hams, but you can easily make your own at home without shelling out the big bucks.How much ham per person
If you’re buying a bone-in spiral cut ham, you want to have 3/4-1 pound of ham per person. They sell bone-in spiral cut hams in quarter legs, half legs, and whole legs.- Bone in quarter hams are 3-4 pounds and serve 6-8
- Bone in half hams are 5-10 pounds and serve 8-22
- Whole hams (bone-in as well, of course) are 10-17 pounds and serve 22-40
How to reheat honey ham in the oven
The best way to reheat honey ham without drying it out is to bake it at a very low temperature. Place your ham in an oven safe dish and give it a couple of spritzes of water or add 1 tbsp to the dish. Cover with foil and bake at 275° until warmed through.How to reheat honey ham on the stove
Heat a skillet over low heat and a bit of oil or butter. Add a slice of ham and a teaspoon or two of water and warm over low until heated through, flipping once.What to serve with honey baked ham
What to do with leftover honey baked ham
I love leftover ham! Try it in:- fried rice
- stirred into the creamiest mac and cheese
- hot ham and cheese sliders
- ham and cheese tarts
Honey Baked Ham
This char siu inspired honey baked ham is a perfect balance of sweetness and umami thanks to a combination of brown sugar and honey, a splash of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and a hint of five spice. Seriously SO GOOD.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tbsp hoisin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 1.5 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp five spice (optional)
- 1 tsp white pepper (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic (lightly smashed)
- 4 slices ginger
- 3 lb bone-in spiral sliced ham (at room temp, see notes for scaling)
Heat the oven to 250°F and make the glaze: mix the brown sugar, honey, hoisin, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, five spice, white pepper, garlic, and ginger in a small pot and heat over medium until it starts to bubble. Set aside.
Grab a roasting pan and fit it with a wire rack. Place 1 cup water in the roasting pan. Put the ham on the wire rack, cut side down, and brush the first coat of glaze on.
Bake, with a piece of foil on top, for 12-15 minutes per pound of ham until the ham is heated through to 130°F. While the ham is baking, brush the glaze on, every 20 minutes, until the ham is heated through. Our ham was 5 lbs and took about 1 hour.
When the inside of the ham is warmed through, turn the oven up to 450°F and brush on more glaze and continue to bake for 5-10 minutes, brushing with glaze every 2-3 minutes until deeply caramelized. Remove from the oven, let rest for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!
While our recipe app can scale your ham to fit the number of people you're serving, you'll most likely be stuck buying quarter, half, or whole hams, which serve the following:
Bone in quarter hams are 3-4 pounds and serve 6-8
Bone in half hams are 5-10 pounds and serve 8-22
Bone in whole hams are 10-17 pounds and serve 22-40
I Am... The Best Part of Thanksgiving is Leftovers
There are two types of people in the world: those whole live for Thanksgiving dinner and those who live for the leftovers. I always waffle between the two but I think I’m a leftovers person. I just love having food in the fridge that can easily heated up for when I’m in those hangry moods. And when I’m in the mood to make leftovers into something even better like bestovers...oh man, that’s where I like to shine. Give me all your roast turkey carcass because here I come turkey congee and turkey noodle soups! I think we all know that the best part of Thanksgiving is leftovers, right?
Read More →I Am... Easiest Ever Instant Pot Osso Buco
The easiest way to make super tender, fall apart beefy bone marrow-y osso buco. How often do you make it past the pasta part of the menu at a good Italian restaurant? We usually never do. But if I see osso buco on the menu, I make room to order it. How can you not love a slow braised, melt in your mouth beef shank in a beefy, bone marrow-y tomato sauce? Sometimes you even get a little spoon for the bone marrow. If it's on the menu, it's usually the best thing on the menu. You can make it at home in an hour on the instant pot, cheaply and easily. It's perfect for special occasions but easy enough that you could have it on a weeknight too.
What is osso buco?
Osso buco is an Italian dish of veal shank braised for a really long time in a white wine bone marrow infused sauce originally from Lombard. The long braise time melts away the connective tissues in the shank and leaves you with melt-in-your-mouth fall apart meat. It tastes amazing because the shank cut is a complex muscle full of connective tissue that just falls apart. Because it's slow braised on the bone (Osso Buco means bone with a hole), the bone marrow infuses the sauce and gives it an incredible richness and flavor. Historically, this recipe doesn't include tomatoes because they're a new world crop, but these days, pretty much everyone makes it with tomatoes. This version we're making today takes it up another notch with fresher tasting passata tomato sauce instead of the classic canned tomatoes, but if you don't have passata, a good quality canned tomato works too.How to make osso buco
- Brown your beef shanks well on both sides. I use the Instant Pot saute setting on high for 2-3 minutes on each side with a splatter shield on top, and honestly it works better than doing it on the stovetop. The high sides of the instant pot mean much less splatter and mess.
- Cook your aromatics. Transfer the beef shank to a plate or something else to catch the juices, then add the aromatics and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine. Add the wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the instant pot with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine cook until it is reduced by half, at least 2 minutes.
- Braise. Add the beef shank, passata, and herbs to the instant pot and braise on high for 1 hour. You'll be rewarded with the most tender, fall-apart meat ever.
Instant pot osso buco
Osso buco is classically a braise-it-all-day affair, but, if there’s one thing the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker) excels at, it’s crushing braise times for these kinds of dishes. It's by far the best option, in my opinion. If you don’t have one, you can make this by simmering until soft on the stove - it’ll just take longer, about 4-6 hours. You can also brown the meat and aromatics in an oven proof pan or dutch oven, then transferring to a 250-300ºF oven for 4-6 hours. If you go either stovetop or oven, check back every so often to make sure your liquid isn't too low.Crock pot osso buco (or stovetop too)
But, what if you don't have an instant pot handy? The next best thing in that case is a crock pot. The crockpot can't get hot enough to brown the the meat, so you'll still need to do a little cooking on the stovetop, but it's just as easy:- Brown your meats in a large skillet over high heat. Transfer to crock pot and set it to high.
- Cook the vegetables into the same skillet until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add wine and reduce, about 2 minutes.
- Add passata. Once it's warmed, transfer everything to the crock pot and slow cook for 5-6 hours.
- Reduce the heat to low after about 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
The dinner and chill special
Traditionally there a lot more ingredients and steps to this dish, but here it's been pared down to the bare minimum and let the flavors speak for themselves. Before writing this recipe, Steph and I went to a really well regarded Italian restaurant. We tried their 24 hour osso buco made with veal shank and extra marrow bones. It was amazing, but this one is comparable and way easier. The biggest step I removed is the flour dredge. Usually the shank is dredged in flour and use that to both brown the meat and thicken the sauce. I don’t think this needs it, the bone marrow thickened sauce is more than enough, and for me, taking out the flour is always messy. If you want to though, it will add a little extra body to both your meat and sauce.Veal vs beef shank
The default meat choice for osso buco is veal, but these days it can be pretty hard to find veal shank. It's worth looking for if you want to stay true to the original. You should be able to find it at your neighborhood butcher shop or major supermarket. Beef tastes as good (if not better) and is far easier to find and even often cheaper. Even though veal should technically be lower-cost, its rarity makes it more of a specialty product with specialty pricing to match.Osso buco ingredients
- Shank is an inexpensive cut that should be easy to find. If you can’t get it at your local grocery store, whole foods will carry beef (but not veal) shanks.
- Herbs to make a bouquet garni. I just threw in a sprig of oregano because that’s what we had and it was great. If you have bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh Italian parsley, etc on hand, feel free to throw a little in. If not, just skip - the recipe doesn't need it.
- Passata is an uncooked strained tomato puree. I chose passata because the fresh tomato flavor really brightens up the dish, but if you have a can of regular old crushed tomatoes around, feel free to use that.
- White wine. Wine adds a complexity and authenticity to the dish that is impossible to replace. If you need to be alcohol-free, you can switch it out for sodium free chicken stock.
How do you serve it?
Osso Buco is typically served with risotto, gnocchi, or pasta, but we like ours with bread or on its own. If you plan on eating this on its own, you might want to double the recipe to get enough meat for 2. If you wanted to go really over the top (say for an at home Valentines dinner) a tiny bit of caviar makes this one of the most extra surf and turfs you could make at home. -MikeThe Easiest Ever Instant Pot Osso Buco Recipe
Osso Buco doesn’t get any easier than 6 ingredients and 1 hour of cook time.
- instant pot
- 1/4 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 small carrot (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 slice veal or beef shank (about 1 pound)
- 1 cup white wine (Pinot grigio/Italian white preferred)
- 1/2 cup passata (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1-2 sprigs fresh herbs (I just used 1 sprig of oregano)
Roughly chop your onion, carrots, and garlic.
Preheat your Instant Pot to saute high and add 1-2 tablespoons oil. Pat dry your shanks and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Once your instant pot is hot enough (for me, that's about 2 mins past when it beeps) Brown your shanks 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove the shank and add your onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook until soft – 2-4 minutes.
Add the wine and deglaze, scraping the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce until about half the wine is left – 2-3 minutes.
Add passata, herbs if using, and the shanks to the pot. Set pressure to high and braise for 1 hour. Quick release when done and serve, garnish with grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, and flat leaf parsley as desired.
I Am... Tiktok Salmon Rice Bowl
Flaky salmon, fluffy rice, soy sauce, kewpie mayo, sriracha, avocado, kimchi, and seaweed come together in the perfect Tiktok salmon rice bowl. Sometime in 2021 a Tiktok from Emily Mariko making a salmon rice bowl got viral and everyone was making salmon rice bowls. The tiktok is long forgotten now but the salmon rice bowl is still a quick and tasty snack to make. It's my fave go-to meal when we have salmon for dinner. Mike will have some fancy crispy salmon dinner and I'll have this. Emily’s Tiktok shows her flaking up leftover cooked salmon, topping it with rice from the fridge, adding an ice cube, covering it with parchment paper and warming it up in the microwave. The ice cube melts a bit and steams, making the salmon and rice moist and hot. Then, it’s just a question of adding soy sauce, kewpie mayo, and sriracha. The rice bowl finishes with slices of avocado and a side of kimchi. Open up a package of Korean seaweed/laver and use a pair of chopsticks to scoop up a bit of seaweed and rice and enjoy!
How to make a salmon rice bowl
- Flake up your cooked salmon. Use a fork and mash the salmon into flakes.
- Add the rice on top. Top off the salmon with some leftover or fresh rice.
- Nestle in an ice cube into the rice and cover everything with parchment paper and warm in the microwave until warm. The ice cube melts in the microwave and adds moisture to the salmon and rice.
- Remove the ice cube, add a drizzle of soy sauce and mix everything up. Top with mayo, sriracha, and avocado slices.
- Enjoy with roasted seaweed and kimchi!
Do you need to do all this?
This recipe is meant for leftovers, but if you're making it from scratch, you don't need to follow most of it. Honestly I just make fresh rice and air fry some salmon and go to town. Just be inspired by the essential flavors of salmon, rice, avocado, kimchi, sriracha, and mayo. And seaweed, that's the best part!What is the Tiktok salmon rice bowl?
Popularized by Emily Mariko, a Japanese American Tiktoker, the Tiktok salmon rice bowl is a rice bowl made from flaked salmon mixed with rice and soy sauce, topped with kewpie mayo, sriracha, and avocado. To enjoy it, you scoop up a bite of mixed rice with roasted seaweed and enjoy it with kimchi.Tiktok salmon rice bowl ingredients
- cooked salmon - any leftover salmon is perfect for this. You can even used canned if you don’t have a leftover salmon filet
- rice - cold rice straight from the fridge, don’t worry, it’ll get nice and fluffy when you steam it up in the microwave.
- ice cube - a single ice cube helps steam the rice and salmon. It won’t melt completely, it’ll just add a bit of moisture.
- soy sauce - add soy sauce to taste, remember to get the good stuff.
- kewpie mayo - I’m in love with kewpie mayo, it’s the best mayo out there, fight me.
- sriracha - optional but if you love spicy sushi, a squirt or two is *chef’s kiss*
- avocado - perfectly ripe slices of avocado adds a nice creaminess.
- roasted seaweed - roasted seaweed snacks are key, more on this later!
- kimchi - a bit of kimchi on the side adds acidity, crunch, flavor, and spice.
Why does this rice bowl work?
It’s the combination of flaky salmon, fluffy rice, umami filled soy sauce, and creamy kewpie mayo that works so well. If you love Japanese rice balls or onigiri, this is like eating a deconstructed onigiri. The seaweed stays nice and crispy and you can change the flavor with each bite, adding kimchi or avocado. Plus, the idea of using an ice cube to steam your leftover cold rice and salmon is genius.Is the Tiktok salmon rice bowl worth the hype?
YES! I mean, I love scooping up rice with seaweed and all the flavors work together perfectly, kind of like a deconstructed salmon kimchi sushi roll. Microwaving your salmon and rice with an ice cube and parchment paper is a game changer. I think people are in love with this recipe because it’s easy, fast, and it tastes good. It’s taking leftovers and making them into bestovers and what’s not to love about that?Which seaweed for Tiktok salmon rice bowl?
The seaweed is one of the most important parts! I like roasted Korean seaweed packs, the kind that you can grab at Whole Foods or even Costco. It’s not the same as nori or seaweed for sushi, it’s lighter, crispier, and are pleasantly salty. Conveniently, seaweed snacks are the perfect size for scooping up bites of rice and that’s how a lot of Koreans enjoy them. As with all and any Tiktok recipes there’s always a lot of controversy. It’s no different with this one. People are all over Tiktok split between saying that this is the most amazing thing that they’ve ever made and that Emily didn’t invent anything new. In the end, she’s the one who brought the world’s eyes on it so I don’t really understand why people are so salty about how they’ve eaten this at home forever. In the end, it’s a quick and easy way to make your leftovers taste amazing so thanks Emily for sharing your love for salmon rice bowls with the world!Tiktok Salmon Rice Bowl
Leftover salmon and old rice combined with soy sauce, kimchi, and mayo make the yummiest trend from Tiktok so far.
- 1/2 filet salmon (cooked, about 2 ounces)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 ice cube
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp kewpie mayo (or to taste, sub regular mayo if needed)
- 1 tsp sriracha (or to taste, optional)
- 1/2 avocado (sliced or diced, optional)
- 1/4 cup kimchi (optional)
- 1 package roasted seaweed snack
Use a fork to flake up your salmon filet.
Top your salmon with cold rice from the fridge and nestle in one ice cube.
Cover with parchment paper and microwave for 1 to 1.5 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and any ice cube remaining.
Add soy sauce to taste and mix everything up.
Top with kewpie mayo, sriracha, and avocado slices.
Enjoy with a side of kimchi and roasted seaweed, using the seaweed to tuck it around a bite of rice. Enjoy!
I Am... A Guide to Skiing in Banff
If you’ve ever wanted to ski in a Canadian National Park, skiing in Banff is for you. Located within Banff National Park there are three distinct ski resorts: Mt Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise Ski Resort. The area is considered a must visit destination for skiers and snowboarders.