Yummy Lummy

A blog about food and me

Author: Gary

  • Porterhouse Steak

    Porterhouse Steak


    🥩 What is a Porterhouse[i] Steak in Australia?

    In Australia, the term porterhouse steak refers to what many other countries call a sirloin steak. It’s cut from the short loin section of the cow, sitting just behind the ribs. The meat is leaner than ribeye (scotch fillet), with a firm texture and a beefy flavour.

    It gets confusing. I may be wrong about this, but this is my understanding:

    • 🇦🇺 Australia: Porterhouse = Sirloin.
    • 🇺🇸 United States: Porterhouse = A large T-bone steak, cut from the rear end of the short loin, which includes both the tenderloin (eye fillet) and the strip steak (sirloin).
    • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Porterhouse is sometimes used interchangeably with T-bone, but definitions vary.

    If you ask for a porterhouse in an Australian restaurant or butcher’s shop, don’t expect a massive T-bone with eye fillet attached. You’ll get a steak which is lean, flavoursome, and perfect for sous vide.

    💰 Why is Porterhouse Cheaper than Scotch Fillet?

    Meat is getting more expensive. Compared with this time last year, it feels like what I now pay for porterhouse is what I was paying for scotch fillet last year.

    Scotch fillet[ii] (ribeye) comes from the rib section and is appreciated for its marbling, tenderness, and flavour. Porterhouse, being leaner and less marbled, is generally cheaper. It’s still delicious, but it doesn’t have the same mouthfeel as scotch fillet. For everyday cooking, porterhouse offers more value without compromising on taste. Chuck steak would be cheaper, but chuck is tougher.

    🍽️ Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 × porterhouse steak (375 g)
    • Flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper
    • Brussels sprouts, halved
    • Frozen potato gems
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Pure pouring cream
    • Cream cheese
    • Butter
    • Bowen mango

    Method

    1. Sous Vide Steak
      • Season the porterhouse with salt and pepper.
      • Seal in a vacuum bag and cook in a water bath at 55 °C for 2 hours.
      • Remove, pat dry, and sear quickly on a barbecue grill.
    2. Brussels Sprouts
      • Blanch in salted boiling water for 3 minutes.
      • Toss on a barbecue grill until caramelised.
    3. Potato Gems
      • Fry in beef fat until crisp and golden.
    4. Blue Vein Cheese Sauce
      • Melt butter in a small saucepan.
      • Add cream cheese and cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
      • Crumble in blue vein cheese and stir until smooth.
    5. Plate Up
      • Slice the porterhouse and arrange with mango slices, Brussels sprouts and potato gems.
      • Drizzle generously with blue vein cheese sauce.

    This dish balances the beefiness of porterhouse steak with the creamy, salty blue vein cheese. The potato gems add crunch, while Brussels sprouts bring a nutty sweetness. The Bowen mango adds a fresh sweet flavour.

    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.
    Grass-fed porterhouse steak with Bowen mango, potato gems, Brussels sprouts, and blue vein cheese sauce.

    🥐 Raspberry and Pistachio Cinnamon Scroll

    I visited Cannelle Fine Foods[iii] on Hayward Avenue, Torrensville, and picked up a raspberry and pistachio cinnamon scroll.

    As seen on their Instagram feed, this scroll is as advertised:

    • A nice pastry scroll.
    • Cinnamon icing.
    • Dried raspberry and crunchy pistachios sprinkled on top for texture and a nutty finish.

    It’s a good companion to a strong coffee, balancing richness with sharpness.

    Raspberry and pistachio cinnamon scroll from Cannelle Fine French Pastries with a coffee

    🥭 Mango

    I don’t eat a lot of fruit these days. I still enjoy a mango. My favourite variety is the Bowen, which is also known as a Kensington Pride.

    Photograph of an uncut Bowen mango on a plate

    Bowen Mango: The original name, because the first trees were planted in Bowen, Queensland, in the late 1800s.

    Kensington Pride Mango: Later, the variety spread to Kensington Station near Bowen, and growers began calling it “Kensington Pride.” Over time, this name became more widely used across Australia.

    In Queensland[iv], many locals still call it the Bowen mango. We had a Bowen mango tree in the backyard of the house I grew up in.

    Map of Queensland coloured maroon

    Across most of Australia, it’s marketed and sold as Kensington Pride.

    Final Thoughts

    Porterhouse steak may not have the gravitas of scotch fillet, but when cooked sous vide and paired with flavours like blue vein cheese, it shines. And finishing with a mango makes for an indulgent evening.

    Questions

    1. What do you mean by porterhouse where you live?
    2. Have you noticed a change in meat prices?
    3. Do you like mangoes? What’s your favourite variety for plain eating?

    [i] The word porterhouse originally referred to a type of tavern or chophouse in the mid‑18th century where porter (a dark beer) was served. By the early 19th century, the name became associated with a particular cut of beef steak, supposedly popularised in New York or Boston establishments.

    [ii] Scotch fillet is the Australian and New Zealand term for the boneless ribeye steak. The word fillet comes from Old French filet (“thread, strip”), later applied to cuts of meat. The Scotch part likely reflects a marketing or culinary association with Scotland, where rib cuts were prized, though the exact origin is unclear.

    [iii] https://cannelle.com.au/

    [iv] The greatest state in the federation.

  • Breakfast for Dinner

    Breakfast for Dinner


    🥓 Breakfast for Dinner

    Tonight’s dish is a breakfast fry-up. It has a twist: pork rashers grilled on the Weber Q+ instead of bacon. It also had eggs fried in butter, crispy potato gems, and a generous slice of black pudding. It’s rich, satisfying, and meaty.

    Microsoft Copilot generated image of me with a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Microsoft Copilot generated image of me with a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.

    🍳 The Recipe: A Breakfast Fry-Up for Dinner

    Ingredients (Serves 1)

    • Pork rashers (400 g at $AUD23/kg)
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tbsp salted butter
    • 4 slices of black pudding
    • 1 cup potato gems (frozen)
    • Beef fat
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Equipment

    • Weber Q+ barbecue grill
    • Frying pan (cast iron preferred)
    • Tongs and a spatula
    • Baking tray (for potato gems)
    • Plate and paper towel (for resting meat)

    🔥 Methodology

    1. Prep the Weber Q+
      Fire up the Weber Q+ and preheat to medium-high with the hotplate in place. You want a good sizzle when the rashers hit.
    2. Cook the pork rashers
      Lay the rashers on the hotplate and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, until the fat renders and the edges crisp. Rest them on a paper towel-lined plate.
    3. Potato gems
      Cook the potato gems in the Weber Q+ with the lid closed for 20 minutes, turning halfway. You want them golden and crunchy.
    4. Black pudding
      Grill the black pudding slices on the Weber for 2–3 minutes each side. They should be warmed through with a slight crust.
    5. Fry the eggs
      In a hot pan, melt the butter and crack in the eggs. Fry until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper.
    6. Plate up
      Arrange the pork rashers, black pudding, potato gems, and eggs on a warm plate. Serve immediately.

    🧠 Thoughts on the Meal

    This dinner is delicious. The pork rashers bring fatty goodness, especially when grilled to perfection. The black pudding adds a deep, earthy richness that pairs with the egg yolk. Potato gems offer crunch; the eggs, fried in butter, are the glue that ties it all together.

    Black pudding is not easy to find and not commonly eaten in Australia. I first tried it when I was in London for work many years ago. I was delighted to see my butcher stocked locally made black pudding.

    It’s not light fare, but it’s deeply satisfying. Perfect for a night when you want comfort food.

    📸 Photography Notes

    For this shoot, I used a lightbox. The plate was on a white surface. I shot at a 45° angle to capture texture and depth.

    This is a gallery of photographs, select one and scroll through the rest.

    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.
    Photograph of a plate of barbecued pork rashers and black pudding, eggs fried in butter, and potato gems fried in beef fat.

    📚 Glossary

    • Pork rashers: Thick slices of pork belly, often with skin and bone. Similar to American-style pork chops but fattier.
    • Black pudding: A type of blood sausage made with pork blood, fat, and oatmeal. Popular in British and Irish breakfasts.
    • Potato gems: Known elsewhere as tater tots. Small cylinders of grated potato, deep-fried or baked until crispy.
    • Weber Q+: A popular Australian gas BBQ with heat control and versatility.

    Morning walk

  • Corned beef and pickle liquor

    Corned beef and pickle liquor


    I had mentioned to someone a few weeks ago that I was enjoying a pickled gherkin with lunch when I made an open sandwich. It was suggested that the liquor[i] from the jar shouldn’t be discarded because it could be used for slow-cooking corned beef.

    I had about a cupful of pickle liquor, so I thought I’d give it a go.

    I bought a piece of corned silverside[ii] (roughly 2 kg at $AUD10/kg) and slowly cooked it with the pickle liquor.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Corned beef silverside
    • Pickle liquor

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker

    Instructions

    1. Place the beef into the cooking vessel.
    2. Add the pickle liquor.
    3. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
    4. Remove the cooked corned silverside and refrigerate.
    5. Cut a slice of corned beef and place it on a piece of buttered sourdough bread[iii].
    6. Serve with some mustard and a pickled gherkin[iv].

    Photographs

    For lunch, I had tinned corned beef.

    For tea, I had the slowly cooked corned beef silverside.

    Here are the photographs for comparison.

    Tinned corned beef
    Slowly cooked corned beef silverside.
    Corned beef silverside with pickle, mustard, and sourdough bread

    Thoughts on the meal

    I enjoyed the corned silverside. This version tasted better than my recent effort.


    I used the last of the slowly cooked corned beef silverside, which had been prepared with pickle liquor. I diced the meat along with some gherkins and cooked them in the corned beef cooking liquid. Then, I added mustard, cream, and some cheese.

    I used the last of the slowly cooked corned beef silverside, which had been prepared with pickle liquor. I diced the meat along with some gherkins and cooked them in the corned beef cooking liquid. Then, I added mustard, cream, and some cheese.

    [i] Did you know that pickle liquor is a strong acid solution used in metalworking to clean and descale metal surfaces? Pickle juice is the salty, acidic liquid used to preserve pickles—typically made from water, vinegar, salt, and spices. I like (and prefer) the word liquor because it means liquid in which something has been steeped or cooked.

    [ii] Beef silverside is a large, lean cut from the hindquarter of a cow, known for its coarse texture and low in fat content. It’s popular in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand for roasting, corning, or making biltong.

    [iii] Sourdough bread is a naturally leavened bread made using wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, giving it a tangy flavour and chewy texture.

    [iv] A gherkin is a small, bumpy cucumber variety that’s typically pickled and enjoyed for its crisp texture and tangy flavour.

  • Lamb shoulder

    Lamb shoulder


    It’s been some time since I cooked a roast lamb shoulder[i]. This morning, I visited the butcher shop and was lamenting the high prices of grass-fed beef when I noticed a package of lamb that was priced lower than the others. I also picked up a chunk of pumpkin while I was there.

    Me with a plate of lamb shoulder and pumpkin generated by Microsoft Copilot.
    Microsoft Copilot used to generate this image

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    Equipment

    • Benchtop toaster oven
    • Baking tray

    Instructions

    1. Dry the surface of the lamb.
    2. Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
    3. Put some freshly cut sprigs of rosemary[iv] on the baking tray.
    4. Put the lamb on a baking tray, then place it in the oven.
    5. Cook the meat for 210 minutes (3½ hours).
    6. Rub some lamb fat between your hands.
    7. Rub a piece of pumpkin with a thin film of lamb fat.
    8. Cook the pumpkin in the oven.
    9. Allow the roast to rest for about 25 minutes before dissecting the meat from the bones and serving.
    10. Don’t forget to gnaw the meat from the bones and then spend a good ten minutes flossing and brushing your teeth.

    Photographs

    Lamb shoulder square cut in a roasting tray
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with roast pumpkin
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with roast pumpkin
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with roast pumpkin
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with roast pumpkin
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with roast pumpkin
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with roast pumpkin
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder bones
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder bones
    Slowly roasted lamb shoulder bones
    Use of Microsoft Copilot for Image Generation

    Thoughts on the meal

    The lamb was tender to carve and quite juicy. A gentle squeeze yielded copious meat juice. The superficial fat was nicely rendered and flavourful.

    The pumpkin cooked evenly; it was caramelised, tender. and enjoyable to eat.

    After I put some leftover meat away, I sat down and enjoyed gnawing meat from the bones.

    Me gnawing on lamb bones generated by Microsoft Copilot.
    Microsoft Copilot used to generate this image

    Other photographs

    This morning, I took a walk along the beach. Compared to this time last year, the beach and the water were noticeably empty, with few people enjoying the fresh air. The South Australian algal bloom has led to a decline in beachgoers and swimmers. I anticipate that summer will bring smaller crowds. Selfishly, this might make my beach visits more enjoyable, as long as the algal levels aren’t too high.

    Nutrition profiles

    Pumpkin

    MacronutrientAmount per
    100 g (Cooked)
    Energy26 kcal
    Carbohydrates~6.5 g
    Protein~1 g
    Fat~0 g
    Dietary Fibre~1 g

    Lamb shoulder

    NutrientAmount per
    100 g
    Energy275 kcal
    Protein22.4 g
    Total Fat19.9 g
    Saturated Fat8.4 g
    Monounsaturated Fat8.1 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat1.6 g
    Carbohydrates0 g
    Fibre0 g
    Cholesterol92 mg
    Water~56 g

    Lamb fat

    NutrientAmount per
    100 g
    Energy648 kcal
    Total Fat68.9 g
    Saturated Fat35.4 g
    Monounsaturated Fat28.0 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat2.8 g
    Trans Fat~0–3 g
    Protein6.3–15.7 g
    Carbohydrates0 g
    Fibre0 g
    Cholesterol77–92 mg
    Water~34–40 g

    Rosemary

    NutrientAmount per
    100 g
    Energy131 kcal
    Carbohydrates20.7 g
    Dietary Fibre14.1 g
    Sugars0 g
    Protein3.3 g
    Total Fat5.9 g
    Saturated Fat2.8 g
    Monounsaturated Fat1.2 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat0.9 g
    Cholesterol0 mg

    [i] Lamb shoulder is a flavourful cut from the forequarter of the lamb, ideal for slow roasting due to its marbling and connective tissue.

    [ii] A lamb shoulder square cut refers to a specific butchering cut where the shoulder is trimmed into a rectangular block, including part of the forequarter, with the blade bone and surrounding muscles intact.

    [iii] A Kent pumpkin—also known as a JAP (Just Another Pumpkin)—is a variety from Australia, recognised for its mottled green and yellow skin and bright orange flesh.

    [iv] A sprig of rosemary refers to a small stem or twig from the rosemary plant, typically about 7–10 cm long, with the needle-like leaves still attached.

  • “Indulging” in Canberra

    “Indulging” in Canberra


    I spent a couple of days in Canberra this week. It’s the time of year for some important committee meetings. One of them I’ve chaired since 2008, and it’s my favourite part of my job.

    One of the benefits of staying in the Woden Town Centre is its proximity to convenient restaurants.

    Space Kitchen

    I ate breakfast here twice and ate the same meal. I like the Space Benedict with a serve of bacon. The core components of the Space Benedict include poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, wilted spinach, feta cheese, capers, potato rösti[i], and smoked salmon. I like to add some bacon too.

    The good people of Space Kitchen serve the hollandaise sauce with generosity.

    Space Kitchen Space Benedict with extra bacon
    Space Kitchen Space Benedict with bacon
    Space Kitchen Space Benedict with extra bacon
    Space Kitchen Space Benedict with bacon

    The Alby

    The Alby was my second choice of venue when I realised my first choice wasn’t open that night.

    I bought a steak. It wasn’t the best steak, although it wasn’t awful. It was adequate but suboptimal value for money. It was priced at $45, and I think I paid $35 too much. It was good to return to my place and cook a steak the way I like.

    Scotch fillet steak from The Alby. It cost me $45. It was probably $35 too much compared with what I can cook.

    Fenway Public House

    Fenway Public House grilled salmon with potato salad and lemon jam
    Fenway Public House grilled salmon with potato salad and lemon jam

    Fenway Public House is a fancy pub come sports bar. I like that I can choose a table where I like and use a QR code for access to the menu.

    Rather than a steak, I went with a piece of grilled salmon, which was placed atop some “gourmet” potato salad and served with preserved lemon jam.

    The salmon portion was smaller than I’d serve myself, and it was overcooked. The potato salad was tasty and contrasted with the sourness of the lemon jam. I had anticipated the jam would be sweeter, like a Chinese lemon chicken sweetness. Alas, it was not.

    Fenway Public House chocolate mint sundae
    Fenway Public House chocolate mint sundae

    To celebrate a good day, I decided to have dessert. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten an ice cream sundae. I went with a mint chocolate ice cream sundae.

    Abandoned shopping trolley on a footpath. Typical for Canberra the granny state which puts chains on trolleys.
    Classic Canberra | Nanny State

    Today’s meals

    Scrambled eggs with spam

    When I make scrambled eggs, I like using the technique that Gordon Ramsay[ii] demonstrates.

    Scrambled eggs with spam
    Scrambled eggs with spam

    KFC “Casserole[iii]”

    A few months ago, I bought a 21-piece “bucket” of original recipe KFC. After eating the thighs, drumsticks, and wings, I froze the remaining pieces (breasts) in vacuum bags.

    I don’t like keeping food in the freezer for too long, so I thought I’d put the frozen pieces into a slow cooker with a cup of meat broth[iv].

    At the end, I added a lump of beef fat, some cabbage and sliced Swiss brown mushrooms and gave it a blip of steam under pressure.

    Ordinarily, I don’t like breasts. Breasts are hard, tough, and chewy. The extended cooking didn’t fix the problem entirely, and the breasts weren’t as pleasurable as thighs, but they were better.

    The bones were friable after all the cooking and crunched between my teeth.

    KFC “casserole”
    KFC “casserole”
    KFC “casserole”

    [i] noun (plural rösti) [mass noun] a Swiss dish of grated potatoes formed into a small flat cake and fried.

    [ii] I’m referring to the celebrity chef and not the former ACT Attorney-General and Uniting Church minister who has been arrested and charged with grooming a teenage boy.

    [iii] A casserole is both a type of dish and the name of the deep, oven-safe vessel it’s cooked in. A casserole dish typically combines protein (like meat or beans), vegetables, a starch (such as pasta, rice, or potatoes), and often a binding sauce (like cream, tomato, or cheese-based). It’s assembled in a single dish and baked until the ingredients meld together and the top is often browned or crisped. The term “casserole” also refers to the baking dish itself—usually made of ceramic, glass, or enamelled cast iron.

    [iv] This broth is the filtrate from slowly cooked chuck roll, brisket, beef short ribs, pork hock, and speck.