Crispy Homemade Tacos

 

This is a Cook's Illustrated, all-time favorite recipe of mine. I've been using it for close to 40 years and we eat it several times a month. So why revisit it here in 2026? Because there is a new tool out there that crisps up your tacos without deep frying.

Becky gave me a pair of these stainless steel taco holders for my birthday and I am totally smitten. First, because the stand makes it incredibly easy to build your tacos. Slip the shells into the slots, add in the main ingredients and you are good to go. Second, the stainless steel material amplifies the heat in the oven and crisps up the shells to perfection. 

Each stainless steel tray holds six tacos. They have silicone handles which makes it easy to slide in and out of the oven or grill. And stainless steel makes them very easy to clean...we just slap them in the dishwasher. Both Blackstone and Weber sell this specific design (perforated stainless steel walls). A pair will run you anywhere from $25 to $40 and are available most anywhere online (Becky got mine at Amazon).

Make sure you use corn taco shells.....either yellow or white corn will do. Do not use flour shells as they will burn in the oven. And for the cheese, I recommend Chihuahua quesadilla cheese. It melts perfectly in the oven! And don't forget all the taco fillings of choice: salsa, hot sauce, lettuce, sour cream, avocados, jalapeños, chipotle peppers, guacamole, etc.

INGREDIENTS

For the Taco Meat Filling

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons cider vinegar 

For the Shells and Toppings
12 yellow corn taco shells
1 cup shredded Chihuahua quesedilla cheese (from Costco) or shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven or grill to 350º.
2. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne pepper and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3.  Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat up with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and vinegar; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently and breaking meat up so that no chunks remain, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. 
4. Spoon meat into the individual shells on the taco rack and then add cheese to each taco. Place racks in oven or on the grill and heat for about 10 minutes until the taco shells are crisp (if your oven has convection, switch it on for the last 5 minutes for extra crisping). Then serve for people to add their favorite toppings.

 Pairing: Ice Cold Pacifico

 

Thai Grilled Steak with Crying Tiger Sauce

 

Crying Tiger Sauce, authentically known as Nam Jim Jaew, developed as the essential, fiery partner to a rustic dish called Suea Rong Hai (literally translating to "Crying Tiger" or "Weeping Tiger").

While the ingredients of the sauce are clear, the history of why it is associated with a "crying tiger" is passed down through conflicting and colorful folklore. Here are my two favorites.

Fiery Spice: The most common legend attributes the tears directly to the dipping sauce. The blend of chili powder and red pepper flakes was traditionally made so fiercely hot that even a wild apex predator would weep upon tasting it. 

Stolen Cow: A separate village folktale notes that a tiger once killed a cow but was only able to eat the choice, tender parts. It left many of the steaks behind, only to return later and weep when it realized the villagers had taken the remaining delicious meat to grill for themselves.

Thai grilling recipes are among my very favorite. Charred beef with incredibly compelling sauces are squarely in my wheelhouse. I must be honest and let you know I cheat when making this recipe. I find making rice powder tedious, so I simply buy the premade power from Amazon. It's less than $10 and then I always have it on hand. This recipe serves four.

INGREDIENTS

For the Steak

1, 2-pound flank steak

1 tablespoon fish sauce

For the Tiger Sauce

1/4 cup uncooked jasmine rice (or 1 tablespoon rice powder)

2 medium scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 medium shallot, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if you want your tiger to cry like a baby)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Pat flank steak dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl or shallow dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and massage it in with your hands. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Make the rice powder for the sauce: Toast 1/4 cup uncooked jasmine rice in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then process into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder or mini food processor. 
3. Make the sauce: Stir 1 tablespoon toasted rice powder, scallions, shallot, lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes and chili powder together in a medium bowl.
4. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place steak on grill directly over hot coals, cover grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve the steak with the sauce and lime wedges. 
   
   
   
   
   

   
   

   
   

   Wine pairing: Zinfandel

   
   

   
   

   

   
   
   

   
   
   

Little Bites

 

MADE IN GRIDDLE: If you are going to make smash burgers, you have to have a griddle. But I see no reason why you need to buy a standalone griddle like a Blackstone to achieve griddle greatness. All you need is this Made In Griddle. It stretches across two burners on your stovetop....or you can take it out and throw it on your grill, be it charcoal, gas or electric.

It's made from carbon steel....which are the only pans I use for cooking anymore.....same as 99% of the restaurant kitchens. It has all the heat retention of cast iron without the weight penalty. And it's non-stick, just like cast iron. The more you use it, the more non-stick it becomes. And it's less expensive than cast iron.

Becky gifted me a PK360 charcoal grill about 5 years back. I am so in love with it, I have been able to get rid of all the multiple grills I have had. No more smokers. One grill does it all......grilling.  smoking, offset cooking and griddling....the latter thanks to this griddle. It retails for $179 and you will want to will it to your kids when you die. This sucker will outlast the next 8 generations of your offspring.

DAAWAT ULTIMA BASMATI RICE: Becky and I love rice. It's one of our favorite sides for meals. And Basmati rice is at the top of the charts, typically sourced from India and Pakistan. It's often compared to Jasmine rice, which comes from Thailand.

Both are long grain and cook up with virtually no stickiness. But Basmati rice actually elongates as it cooks....Jasmine does not. Jasmine rice is light and has a floral aromatic quality to it. Basmati has a nutty, popcorn-like aroma....which goes really well with grilled meats.

I've been buying Daawat rice for years....it's always at the top of the list for Cook's Illustrated  editors. But recently I stumbled upon their premium product. It's far more aromatic and much longer than their regular Basmati. In fact, it's the best Basmati rice I have ever tasted. It's also incredibly affordable. I scored a 10-pound bag from Walmart for only $19.98.

Smoked Gochujang Pork Ribs

 

Now don't get your undies in a bundle if you don't have a smoker or a grill. You can still make this fabulous rib recipe in your oven. Just skip the hickory chunks and prepare the recipe as noted. Then 4 hours in a 300º oven will do the trick.

I would still recommend the water pan on a lower level, underneath the ribs. On a grill or smoker, it provides moisture as well as helping to maintain a consistent 300º cook. When you use an oven, the thermostat will maintain the temp....but the water pan helps to keep the ribs moist. This Cook's Illustrated recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

INGREDIENTS

For the Ribs

1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon red chili flakes (or gochugaru)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, divided

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons of pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic

2 racks St. Louis-style spareribs (approximately 3 pounds each)

5 medium hickory chunks for smoking

1, 13" X 9" disposable aluminum pan

2 scallions, sliced thin

For the Glaze

1/4 cup gochujang

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons ginger ale

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare your grill or smoker for a 4-hour, indirect cook at 300º.
2. Prepare the ribs: Combine salt, red chili flakes, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, brown sugar, pepper and granulated garlic in bowl. Place ribs on rimmed baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Flip ribs meaty side down. Sprinkle bone side of ribs with about one-third of spice mixture. Flip ribs and sprinkle meaty side with remaining two-thirds of spice mixture.
3. Add hickory chunks to direct fire/coal side on the lower level. Place disposable aluminum pan on the indirect side of your grill on the lower level. Fill 3/4 full with hot water. 
4. Set cooking grate in place. Place ribs side by side on grill, meaty side up, lengthwise over water pan. Cover grill and open lid vents enough to maintain a temperature of 300º. Cook, without opening grill, for 2 hours. After 2 hours, open grill and rotate ribs 180 degrees. Then cook for 2 more hours.
5. Meanwhile, whisk all glaze ingredients in bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
6. Transfer ribs to rimmed baking sheet, meaty side up. Brush meaty side of each rack with 3 tablespoons glaze. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Sprinkle ribs with scallions and remaining 2 teaspoons sesame seeds. Cut ribs between bones. Serve, passing remaining glaze (if desired).

Wine pairing: Zinfandel

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Grilled Gochujang Chicken Thighs

 

This recipe is a huge celebration of flavor. Just check out the first 3 ingredients: spicy Gochujang , incredibly sweet maple syrup and mellow-sweet apple juice. This baby is going to spank every single tastebud on your tongue.

Gochujang is a favorite of mine. It's a dark red paste made from chili peppers, sticky rice and soybeans. People's first assumption is that it's going to be hot (chili peppers, oh my!). But it is not. Gochujang is actually fermented, which moderates the heat and ventures ever-so-slightly into sweetness territory. If you can't find it in the Asian section of your grocery store, Amazon has it.

I recommend that you serve this dish with basmati rice and quick Korean pickles. To make the latter, use a mandoline or knife to make uniform slices of an English cucumber. Toss the slices into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to mix and let mixture sit for 30 minutes. Then serve.

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons Gochujang

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare your grill for 2-zone cooking: One side should have direct heat and the other side no heat.
2. Make the paste: Place the Gochujang, maple syrup, apple juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl or measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Place 1/4 cup of this paste in a small bowl and reserve the rest for basting while grilling.
3. Place chicken thighs in a large shallow pan. Using a pastry brush or spoon, lightly brush both sides of the chicken with the paste. 
4. Place chicken thighs, skin side down, directly over the direct heat zone of your grill and grill for 4 to 5 minutes with the grill covered (good grill marks should be visible). Then flip the thighs and cook covered for another 4 to 5 minutes over direct heat.
5. Move the chicken to the cool side of the grill, skin side up. Brush with more paste and close the lid. Cook for 10 minutes with the grill covered. Then uncover the grill, brush thighs with more paste and cook for an additional 10 minutes, grill covered. 
6. When done (chicken should be at 165º), plate and garnish with sesame seeds. Then serve.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel (red) or Sauvignon Blanc (white)

Little Bites

 

BIRRIA TACOS: There's a restaurant I frequent that just hired a new Sous Chef. He's a native of Mexico and the restaurant has been rolling out some of his favorite dishes from home. What really caught my attention were his tacos...especially the Birria Tacos. Just incredible flavor and they are served with a special consommé for dipping the tacos in. I went home after sampling his and looked up how to make them. My eyes glossed over when I looked at the number of special chiles it took....and all the prep needed to make the tacos.

My AI of choice is Google's Gemini. So when I asked Gemini to find me an easy way to make Birria Tacos. one of the alternatives was the Birria Bomb (found on Amazon.com)....and oh my god...this proved to be the easiest way to make them. You grab a chuck roast. Sear it. Then slap it into a slow cooker. Add 4 cups of beef broth and one Birria Bomb (a little round ball with all of the seasonings contained therein). Cook for 8 hours, then shred the meat. Assemble the tacos and use the consommé from the slow cooker. Easy peasy and absolutely to die for.

click to enlarge

OXO MEASURING JIGGER: I found this little gem on Amazon and I have been using it daily since I got it. It's enabled me to stop using those wiggly, jiggly measuring spoons. The jigger is made of steel and it is just 2 inches tall. The measurements are all printed on the inside on an angled surface, which makes it easy to read from above. Best of all? No more septuagenarian spoon spills transferring liquids from a container to a pan.

Chicken Wing Fajitas

 

Who doesn't love chicken fajitas? No one I know. But have you ever taken the time to think about chicken meat? I have. I firmly believe the best chicken pieces are the wings and drummies. So let me give you the rationale behind this opinion.

First, I think chicken skin is the very tastiest part of the chicken. Nothing compares to taking a big bite of that  delectable, crispy skin. But when it comes to the big, meaty parts of the chicken, the skin to meat ratio is not in your favor. Not true with wings, for every bite contains a delicious portion of the crispy skin.

Second, the wings and drummies are all dark meat, which means the meat stays nice and moist. So once again, you are getting crispy skin AND moist, dark meat in every bite.

Finally, the meat in chicken wings and drummies are all next to bones. Meat cooked next to the bone is always much more flavorful.....hence the saying "The closer the bone, the sweeter the meat".

So that completes my case for using chicken wings. Crispy skin in every bite. Moist dark meat in every bite. And meat that borrows the flavor of the bone in every bite.

How do you partake in this epicurean delight? You simply cook the wings with your favorite fajita seasoning. My favorite is Obie Cue's Fajita Fabulosa (available at Amazon). You can cook the wings however you prefer. Use a grill, smoker, oven or air fryer. I prefer air frying, as it only takes 20 minutes to get that golden, crisp skin.  Then strip the meat from the bones and serve. If you have BBQ gloves, you can strip the meat while it is still hot. Otherwise, let the wings cool to room temperature, strip the meat.....and then reheat before serving. This grogs4blogs recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds chicken wings and drummies

Spray oil (olive, canola or avocado oil)

Fajita Fabulosa seasoning

Flour tortillas

Your favorite fajita fixings

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove chicken wings from packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Arrange wings in bottom of air fryer in a single layer. Do not crowd...there should be space between every wing. Cook in batches if your air fryer is not big enough.
3. Spray oil on the wings and then season with fajita seasoning. Then flip the wings, spraying oil and more fajita seasoning on the other side.
4. Set air fryer to 400º and air fry wings for 10 minutes. When done, flip wings over and then cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Remove wings from air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes (they will continue to cook from carryover heat).
6. Use BBQ gloves to strip meat from bones and place meat in serving bowl. Alternatively, you can let them cool to room temperature and then strip meat by hand...reheating before serving.
7. Serve the wing meat in a bowl with flour tortillas and your favorite fajita fixings (e.g., salsa, cheese, lettuce, cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, lime slices,  hot sauce, etc.).

Pairing: Pacifico Mexican Cervesa

Grilled Ribeye with Roasted Garlic Butter

 

It's spring.....and time to head outside for some grilling. I own 3 different types of grills....an electric, a pellet and a charcoal. They all serve a special purpose, but charcoal is my first choice for outdoor cooking.

Charcoal cooking is my favorite because of its unmatched ability to enhance flavor through high heat and natural smoke, while also offering a rewarding, hands-on experience. A major reason food tastes better on charcoal is that meat drippings fall onto the white-hot coals and instantly vaporize. This creates aromatic smoke that rises back up and infuses the food with a savory, "bacony" flavor profile.

Charcoal burns significantly hotter than gas, often reaching temperatures over 700°F. This high heat triggers the Maillard reaction more effectively, creating a thick, caramelized crust (the "sear") while keeping the inside tender and juicy. Unlike gas or electric, charcoal naturally releases aromatic compounds like guaiacol, which provides that classic woody, smoky depth that many enthusiasts find essential to true BBQ.

There is no such thing as a bad outdoor grill. We all have our reasons for choosing the grills we prefer to use...and hats off to you for your favorite. The one thing that we can all agree on is that food cooked on a grill beats a stove any day of the week!

INGREDIENTS

For the Garlic Butter

1 head garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For the Steaks

2 bone-in ribeyes, 16 ounces each, 1-1/2" thick

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the Garlic Butter. Preheat oven to 400º. Cut ¼ inch off of the top of the head of garlic and remove exterior paper. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap with aluminum foil. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for 60 minutes. Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and carefully unwrap. Use a clean towel to squeeze the garlic bulbs into a bowl. Smash the garlic bulbs with the backside of a fork to form a paste. Stir in the butter, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Set the butter aside.
2. Grill the Steaks. Prepare your grill for a 2-zone fire (direct and indirect heat). Season steaks generously with salt and pepper. When grill is hot, place steaks over coals and cook for 4 minutes with grill closed. Flip steaks and cook for 4 more minutes with grill closed. Then move steak to the indirect side and cook for 4 more minutes with grill closed.
3. Remove steak from grill. Place a generous dollop of garlic butter on each steak and tent loosely with foil. Let steaks rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

NOTE: Cooking times are based on using a charcoal grill with lump charcoal. Gas, electric and pellet grills will need to cook slightly longer. If you are using a meat thermometer, pull the steaks at 118º. The steaks will continue cooking under the foil and should reach 125º (medium rare) by the time you are ready to serve.

Wine pairing: A Napa Cab or Argentine Malbec

Easter Ham (easiest recipe ever)

  

It's Easter next weekend. Time for another family meal. You better have a Costco membership card in your wallet...otherwise you will miss out on one of the greatest epicurean delights known to modern man. Kirkland Ham. Bone-in and spiral sliced. Pre-cooked. Hickory smoked. I'm here to tell you it is the greatest ham you will ever taste.

Not only is the taste of this ham astounding, the price will absolutely blow you away. It's just $2.49 a pound. Cheaper than ground beef. Cheaper than wieners. Cheaper than that 47-week supply of Kirkland toilet paper. You've gotta be plum crazy not to take advantage of this. The world's greatest ham at the world's greatest price.

The ham also comes with a package of glaze. My advice.....throw the glaze away the minute you get home. The pit master has put the absolutely perfect amount of hickory smoke in this ham. The glaze is over-the-top sweet and detracts from hickory greatness. Plain ham and Becky's cheesy potatoes for my Easter dinner, please.

So let's tick off the boxes. World's best tasting ham. World's cheapest ham. And now for the trifecta...world's easiest ham recipe! 

Ingredients
One Kirkland spiral sliced ham (7-10 pounds)
Aluminum foil
1 cup water


Directions

1. Remove ham from store packaging and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
2. Add water to bottom of slow cooker, then add ham and cover.
3. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours. When done, remove foil and serve.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel

Little Bites

 

I love garlic. I use it in almost every meal I prepare. But I hate peeling garlic. In the past, I'd buy a 5-pound bag of freshly peeled garlic at Costco. It would last for about 3 weeks, then mold would set in and I would have to toss it. But I did a little reading and found out that freezing garlic is a great way to preserve it as it retains all of the natural flavor once thawed. So now I only buy one $15 bag every six months. I keep it in the freezer until the bag is empty. Problem solved.

I love garlic. I use it in almost every meal I prepare. But I hate chopping it. So in an effort to avoid chopping. I'd haul out my food processor. I keep it in my pantry, which is a separate room from the kitchen. It would not be such a big deal if it were lighter, but my Breville Food Processor weighs the same as a small block Chevy engine. Huge hassle.

Then I stumbled upon this Kuhn Rikon Manual Food Processor ($29 on Amazon). It's small and weighs but a few ounces, so it stores in a convenient drawer in my kitchen island. You just drop your garlic (or any other food you want to chop) and then pull the spring-loaded rope. One pull gives you big pieces of chopped garlic. An additional pull or two gives you finely minced garlic. Problem solved. 

Spaghetti Cups

 

Becky and I just returned from a 10th anniversary trip to Santa Barbara. We love that city for three reasons: we were married there; it has a perfect year-round climate (usually high 70's and never any humidity); and finally because it has one of the best Italian bistros we have ever dined at...Tre Lune.

(click to enlarge) 

It's small, quaint and packed with charm. Everything on the menu is made from scratch....the vast majority of ingredients are locally sourced from the lush, surrounding farms. It is a wonderful reminder of just how spectacular and beloved Italian cuisine can be. And we can't wait to go back.

So in the Italian spirit, I'd like to share a modified Ellie Krieger recipe for Spaghetti Cups. While it's not something you will find at Tre Lune, it makes a great weeknight meal. It's fast and easy...especially if you happen to have leftover spaghetti. And, again, you just can't go wrong if you are hankering for something Italian. This dish also makes for a spectacular plate presentation (see top photo).  The recipe serves 4 to 6 people and makes 12 Spaghetti Cups.

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt

6 ounces dried spaghetti

1-1/2 cups marinara sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed

16 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage

1/2 small yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (12 tablespoons)

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill a Dutch oven with water and add Kosher salt (1 tablespoon per gallon). Bring to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until 1 minute shy of al dente (about 9 minutes). Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 cup of marinara sauce, then set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375º.
3. Prepare the filling. Return the Dutch oven to medium-high heat and heat the 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and onion. Cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage into small pieces with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, another 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of marinara and remove from the heat. 
4. Toss the cooled spaghetti with the eggs to coat evenly, then distribute the spaghetti into 12 wells of a muffin tin, creating a divot in the center of each to hold the filling. Distribute the filling evenly among the spaghetti cups (it’s okay if it comes above the top of the wells), aiming for about 3 tablespoons per cup. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese and bake until warmed through and nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then use an offset spatula to carefully remove each spaghetti cup from the muffin tin and serve. (Note: If desired, Spaghetti Cups can be stored in the fridge for 4 days and reheated quickly in a microwave.)

Wine pairing: Chianti Classico

Little Bites

 

WAGYU BEEF TALLOW: Growing up, I had a passionate desire to eat every single McDonald's French Fry I could get my hands on. Why? McDonald's had discovered the Holy Grail....French Fries with a big, beefy taste. They accomplished this by cooking their fries in beef tallow. But then THE KARENS came along and determined that all fats are bad. Beef tallow fries died a quick and oh-so sorrowful death.

Fast forward to present day. Fats and beef tallow are back in a big way. I get my tallow from Amazon, where a 42-ounce container will set you back $32. I use it on everything for a huge flavor boost. Instead of using oil on a steak when grilling, I rub tallow all over the meat and use it as a binder for my seasoning. I also use it when cooking burgers on the griddle. I've even started using it as a binder on my pork ribs when smoking...it adds a ton of flavor.

I also get to re-live my McDonald's centric youth. I melt a tiny bit and use it as the oil when cooking shoestring French Fries in our air fryer. Wagyu fries? Damn.....that's tasty!

McCORMICK'S  HIMALAYAN PINK SALT WITH BLACK PEPPER AND GARLIC: In my pantry, I have 6 drawers dedicated to spices and seasonings. While all get used in some form over time, I find that I am gravitating more toward simplicity in my old age. Since much of my cooking is grilling, I find myself using this seasoning for about 90% of my cooks.

Everything is in one jar. And the jar contains the King's trifecta when it comes to seasoning: salt, pepper and garlic. The flavors are so pure and they go with everything: grilled meat, pasta, salad, etc. If you don't find it at your local grocery store, Amazon sells this 18.5-ounce slice of heaven for just $11.