The longest thread ever

[DukieInKansas]

I kinda wish I lived closer to OPK.

Don't worry, OPK, I love being close to my family here too much to move.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Name the first 8.

This is the best moment of my life. And I have children. I have always wanted to compile a meat power ranking. I am going to think way too much about this. Be prepared for this. I'm long-winded about everything, but this is the most important thing I have ever done, and I have intubated well over 2000 babies.
First, I am somewhat torn for the number one food. I can't decide whether the zenith of a particular meat's deliciousness should outweigh the entire body of work. I have crowdsourced this with my meat-a-tarian friends.
Beef has to be #1 after our discussions. Granted it's not as versatile as pork, but the highest highs of brisket, tenderloin, ribeye and just a great burger make it better than pork. Again, I am not going to break this down by most craveable food product (turkey would NEVER make that list and it is a LOOOOOONG list), I am going to approach each specific subset of meat on its own accord. Also, and perhaps this goes against meat orthodoxy, but I am going to delineate Seafood into two groups. Swimmers versus bottom dwellers. While they both inhabit the same ecosystem, I think the individual merits of each and their vast differences warrant such a delineation.
1. Beef (explained above)
2. Pork (pigs are simply a delicious animal. And you can eat the entire damn thing. I would argue that no bite of pork is ever below a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10. Frankly I am shocked pigs aren't extinct because they are so tasty. Somehow supply keeps up with demand.)
3. Fish ( mild upset but sushi, sashimi, fried, pan seared, blackened... the sheer volume and versatility of fish pushes this into top three)
4. Duck ( the best duck can be somewhat pork derivative, but it is an absolutely delectable meat)
5. Aquatic shelled animals and bottom dwellers (Lobster, oysters, clams, crab...lots to love)
6. Chicken ( a versatile food but it isn't as delicious as any of the above listings, even in its best form. Let's all agree that the only parts of a chicken worth eating are dark meat. People who like white meat should be judged, and harshly. I'm not above suggesting they should be placed in a Shirley Jackson style Lottery so we can thin out their ranks a bit.)
7. Lamb (I have been on a lamb kick recently. I find it to be delicious, but it can be a bit gamey and is very much dependent upon sauce and/or preparation)
8. Think of another meat and insert in this spot. I don't care what it is. It's better than turkey.
9. turkey ( I can't even bring myself to capitalize it. It's just not very good. Or rather it's never any better than fine. I can't even muster up hatred for it. It's just okay and not worthy of me caring about it too much. People eat it on Thanksgiving because that's what they've always done. That mess is Nostalgia. Eat a better meat. Someone is going to think that I haven't tried theirs or some such nonsense. Turkey is only palatable when paired with stuffing and cranberries. You want to know why? Cause they mask the deficiencies. What you like is stuffing and cranberries. This is not up for debate.)

[OldPhiKap]

I kinda wish I lived closer to OPK.

Don't worry, OPK, I love being close to my family here too much to move.

I’ll bring a dip to your virtual pub at the end of the month!

(although I may only be drinking water — no beer until I lose X pounds).

[YmoBeThere]

This is the best moment of my life. And I have children. I have always wanted to compile a meat power ranking. I am going to think way too much about this. Be prepared for this. I'm long-winded about everything, but this is the most important thing I have ever done, and I have intubated well over 2000 babies.
First, I am somewhat torn for the number one food. I can't decide whether the zenith of a particular meat's deliciousness should outweigh the entire body of work. I have crowdsourced this with my meat-a-tarian friends.
Beef has to be #1 after our discussions. Granted it's not as versatile as pork, but the highest highs of brisket, tenderloin, ribeye and just a great burger make it better than pork. Again, I am not going to break this down by most craveable food product (turkey would NEVER make that list and it is a LOOOOOONG list), I am going to approach each specific subset of meat on its own accord. Also, and perhaps this goes against meat orthodoxy, but I am going to delineate Seafood into two groups. Swimmers versus bottom dwellers. While they both inhabit the same ecosystem, I think the individual merits of each and their vast differences warrant such a delineation.
1. Beef (explained above)
2. Pork (pigs are simply a delicious animal. And you can eat the entire damn thing. I would argue that no bite of pork is ever below a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10. Frankly I am shocked pigs aren't extinct because they are so tasty. Somehow supply keeps up with demand.)
3. Fish ( mild upset but sushi, sashimi, fried, pan seared, blackened... the sheer volume and versatility of fish pushes this into top three)
4. Duck ( the best duck can be somewhat pork derivative, but it is an absolutely delectable meat)
5. Aquatic shelled animals and bottom dwellers (Lobster, oysters, clams, crab...lots to love)
6. Chicken ( a versatile food but it isn't as delicious as any of the above listings, even in its best form. Let's all agree that the only parts of a chicken worth eating are dark meat. People who like white meat should be judged, and harshly. I'm not above suggesting they should be placed in a Shirley Jackson style Lottery so we can thin out their ranks a bit.)
7. Lamb (I have been on a lamb kick recently. I find it to be delicious, but it can be a bit gamey and is very much dependent upon sauce and/or preparation)
8. Think of another meat and insert in this spot. I don't care what it is. It's better than turkey.
9. turkey ( I can't even bring myself to capitalize it. It's just not very good. Or rather it's never any better than fine. I can't even muster up hatred for it. It's just okay and not worthy of me caring about it too much. People eat it on Thanksgiving because that's what they've always done. That mess is Nostalgia. Eat a better meat. Someone is going to think that I haven't tried theirs or some such nonsense. Turkey is only palatable when paired with stuffing and cranberries. You want to know why? Cause they mask the deficiencies. What you like is stuffing and cranberries. This is not up for debate.)

Deer, Buffalo? Small game? Reptiles?

[OldPhiKap]

“fish” is highly variable — that really had a number of sub-categories that are very distinct.

Venison tenderloin is #1 in my book. N.Y Strip Steak #2, medium-rare with a baked potato and butter (only).

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Deer, Buffalo? Small game? Reptiles?

I could eat various fish and seafood every day and not feel bad about it.

[ClemmonsDevil]

I could eat various fish and seafood every day and not feel bad about it.

I agree. Feel quite good about it as a matter of fact. OPK brings up something that those of us in the carnivore camp call "the fish conundrum". I was simply unsure how to proceed with this group. This is the most varied group and it really is a disservice to classify under one heading. Hence the lofty perch (pun intended) of this delightful group.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Deer, Buffalo? Small game? Reptiles?

They can all be added. As long as they are ahead of turkey.

[OldPhiKap]

I agree. Feel quite good about it as a matter of fact. OPK brings up something that those of us in the carnivore camp call "the fish conundrum". I was simply unsure how to proceed with this group. This is the most varied group and it really is a disservice to classify under one heading. Hence the lofty perch (pun intended) of this delightful group.

That pun was pretty crappie tbh.

[ClemmonsDevil]

That pun was pretty crappie tbh.

Regret the hell out of my pun.

[OldPhiKap]

Regret the hell out of my pun.

87957303-E35E-4487-A1CC-43E033F7BFEA.jpg

[OldPhiKap]

Perch, crappie and bass are the main fishing targets in the river near my house. Big stripers up at the Lake, but I don’t fish for them often.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Perch, crappie and bass are the main fishing targets in the river near my house. Big stripers up at the Lake, but I don’t fish for them often.

My son and I love to fish. We have had some good times. He's nice and won't let me cook what we catch. Have to throw them back.

[bundabergdevil]

I did too. The Ghost Map about the London Cholera epidemic.

Might it be The End of October by Lawrence Wright? Great book, based on a coronavirus, which all made sense after I read his 40 page fabulous piece in The New Yorker about the pandemic, the man did his homework.

Pale Rider by Laura Spinney about the Spanish Flu. It was recommended in the book thread and I thought, why have 1 poo cupcake when I can have a poo cupcake while reading about bygone poo cupcakes.

[bundabergdevil]

Perch, crappie and bass are the main fishing targets in the river near my house. Big stripers up at the Lake, but I don’t fish for them often.

My son and I love to fish. We have had some good times. He's nice and won't let me cook what we catch. Have to throw them back.

Make sure you check the eating recommendations. They specifically advise against eating fish caught out of some of the little rivers near me.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Make sure you check the eating recommendations. They specifically advise against eating fish caught out of some of the little rivers near me.

Yes. I think this is good advice. I have figured out a couple of things about fishing. It is fun to catch any fish, it doesn't matter what size it is. Fishing has always been about relationships for me. I hate golf. So this is the boring thing that I get to do to build relationships. Growing up it was my buddies but now it's with my son. But it has always been about relationships. And I'm not going to win any awards for cleaning fish. I might as well just purchase it.

[OldPhiKap]

Make sure you check the eating recommendations. They specifically advise against eating fish caught out of some of the little rivers near me.

Thanks. I am almost always a catch-and-release kind of guy.

[YmoBeThere]

I remember back in the 80s, they stocked a local stream near us in Carlisle, PA. I was 12 or so at the time. I remember being tasked with gutting my own fish. That did put a damper on the number of fish I caught.

[YmoBeThere]

Best beans to use for chili?

[ClemmonsDevil]

Best beans to use for chili?

You've come to the right place. I like using black beans and kidney beans. I think it's also fine to you Great Northern and pintos. To give your chili a bit of Texas Flair, include a hint of apple cider vinegar. And I say that as someone who isn't from Texas, has never eaten chili in Texas, and is completely unqualified to make this statement. Yet, I stand by it and fervently believe what I stated about apple cider vinegar.