Instead of Eating Out

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  • Rookie

    Grandmaster
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    14   0   0
    Sep 22, 2008
    18,155
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    Kokomo
    General Tso's Chicken is my white whale of food reproduction. I'm like 70% there. Can't get the sauce to have enough volume or syrupyness. Thighs instead of breasts was a breakthrough, as was the obligatory chili peppers.

    I will harpoon you one day, General. I shall feast upon a faithful reproduction of unhealthy garbage from the dirty Chinese place before I die.
    Are you using cornstarch in the sauce?
     

    Ark

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    25   0   0
    Feb 18, 2017
    6,735
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    Indy
    Are you using cornstarch in the sauce?
    Yep. About 1.5 TBSP for the whole pan. Soy sauce, ginger, chicken stock, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, white sugar, rice wine, dried peppers to just float around and marinate. Everything starts watery and reduces down for 10 min or so. Mix of corn starch and flour and baking powder for the chicken breading, fried in about 1" of veg oil.

    It's close, especially when fresh. But no volume in the sauce after a night in the fridge. Maybe I just need to double the sauce recipe...
     

    Rookie

    Grandmaster
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    14   0   0
    Sep 22, 2008
    18,155
    113
    Kokomo
    I would add garlic and oyster sauce to the sauce. Instead of reducing, I would make a cornstarch slurry and add enough to the sauce to thicken it to a gravy consistency.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,688
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    Camby area
    On a related note, my family raves over the Famous Dave's muffin mix in the store. Its their favorite corn muffin mix. (Im not a fan of sweet cornbreads.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
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    Camby area
    That's because cornbread sucks.
    I make what is essentially a dry fried corn mush. Its cornmeal, salt, and a little bacon grease cut in. Add water to make a firm dough ball (vs a slurry like mush)
    press the ball into a patty to fill a cast iron skillet. (1" thick) Use lots of bacon grease. Fry it until its crispy and golden brown on the outside. Rip off a piece, slice it down the middle and add butter, honey, etc to your taste. :drool:
     

    Creedmoor

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    6   0   0
    Mar 10, 2022
    6,437
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    Madison Co Indiana
    Yep. About 1.5 TBSP for the whole pan. Soy sauce, ginger, chicken stock, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, white sugar, rice wine, dried peppers to just float around and marinate. Everything starts watery and reduces down for 10 min or so. Mix of corn starch and flour and baking powder for the chicken breading, fried in about 1" of veg oil.

    It's close, especially when fresh. But no volume in the sauce after a night in the fridge. Maybe I just need to double the sauce recipe...
    Are you using a wok?
    Needs condensed high heat.
     

    littletommy

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Aug 29, 2009
    13,015
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    A holler in Kentucky
    I’ve never really tried to replicate restaurant dishes, if I want that, I just go to the restaurant and order it, much easier, and cheaper when you figure in time and labor.

    I still try to replicate stuff my mom made, that’s my holy grail. Have had some success, but for the most part, it’s not the same.
     

    natdscott

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    5   0   0
    Jul 20, 2015
    2,797
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    .
    Wife and I both like to cook, hence my gravitationally challenged physique....She is really good at copying recipes. We had Swamp soup at the Fish River grill in Gulf Shores AL a couple years ago. They wouldn't talk about the recipe but it was very good. It is greens in a bean/meat/sausage broth that we both liked. She played around and makes a very good copy of it.

    I found a recipe for KFC chicken. It is labor intensive but turns out well.

    Don
     

    MRockwell

    Just Me
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    5   0   0
    Oct 4, 2010
    2,814
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    Noblesfield
    Chic-fil-a Cole Slaw
    Ingredients
    4 tsp distilled white vinegar
    1/4 cup sugar
    1/4 tsp dry mustard
    1/4 tsp salt
    1 cup mayonnaise
    2 10oz. bags finely shredded cabbage, chopped
    1/4 cup carrots, diced


    Directions
    Whisk vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt together until sugar is dissolved. Add mayonnaise and whisk to mix. Add cabbage and carrots. Mix to combine. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve. (Makes 6-8 servings)


    C-f-a provided their recipe when they quit having coleslaw on the menu. I have made it a couple times and it is pretty spot on.

    I search copy-cat recipes for certain things, and most of the time they turn out better than the original.
    I started down this road after having a hot crab dip at Kooper's Tavern at the inner harbor in Baltimore. I had to have it, so I found some similar recipes and came up with my own.
     

    Creedmoor

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    6   0   0
    Mar 10, 2022
    6,437
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    Madison Co Indiana
    I started down this road after having a hot crab dip at Kooper's Tavern at the inner harbor in Baltimore. I had to have it, so I found some similar recipes and came up with my own.
    Next time you're in Maryland please let me know what towns- citys you will be visiting.
    I will put a few restaurant names in front of you that put Koopers to shame.
     

    MRockwell

    Just Me
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    5   0   0
    Oct 4, 2010
    2,814
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    Noblesfield
    Next time you're in Maryland please let me know what towns- citys you will be visiting.
    I will put a few restaurant names in front of you that put Koopers to shame.
    Will do. I'm not in touch with the person who lives out there anymore, but @PhotoNinja goes to Belcamp for work occasionally. I haven't been there for about 15 years or so, but definitely want to go back, mainly for the seafood!

    Sad thing, last time she was out there(PhotoNinja) she had an allergic reaction to shrimp. I am allergic to shrimp, have been for years, but I have no problems with crab or other shellfish.
     

    wagyu52

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    31   0   0
    Sep 4, 2011
    1,878
    113
    South of cob corner
    General Tso's Chicken is my white whale of food reproduction. I'm like 70% there. Can't get the sauce to have enough volume or syrupyness. Thighs instead of breasts was a breakthrough, as was the obligatory chili peppers.

    I will harpoon you one day, General. I shall feast upon a faithful reproduction of unhealthy garbage from the dirty Chinese place before I die.
    Surprisingly our little local grocery (Williamsport food basket) deli counter makes a decent general chicken for lunch on Thursday and it’s like $6
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,688
    77
    Camby area
    Will do. I'm not in touch with the person who lives out there anymore, but @PhotoNinja goes to Belcamp for work occasionally. I haven't been there for about 15 years or so, but definitely want to go back, mainly for the seafood!

    Sad thing, last time she was out there(PhotoNinja) she had an allergic reaction to shrimp. I am allergic to shrimp, have been for years, but I have no problems with crab or other shellfish.
    Funny how that works. I'm only allergic to ONE kind. The cheaper dark shelled cold water lobster tails you get frozen. The kind you get at Outback and other restaurants in the red shells? No problem. Nor shrimp.
     

    55fairlane

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 15, 2016
    2,223
    113
    New Haven
    I'm not a big fan of eating out, it's expensive & I make far better food. There are a couple exceptions to this and I won't try to replicate there recipes Tony Pacos is one of my favorite places to eat, not gonna try to replicate.....
     

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