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[LukeJ]

@3Sisters the meats are a wonderful staple in any diet. Yes duck can be considered a fatty meat, but there is still plenty of goodness in there to be worthwhile for any body. Steaks also, one of the best forms of protein, iron and zinc that helps your body. But it's the same as everything really, all in moderation. You shouldn't be intimidated by cooking them, you should embrace it. Resting meats is the trick that not everyone does, it allows all the goodness and the moisture back into the meats if you allow them to sit and rest. Yes my nickname now stands ha ha.

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ How do you typically cook your duck? I have only had Asian duck. I love meats, but duck does feel sad because they are a really cute species. Do you like escargot? I do enjoy steaks. Red meat is so important for the body. I just don't love the price. Buying steaks once a week adds up! It's a good tip to rest your meats. I hardly prep with enough time tot do that. How do you rest your meats? Do you typically marinade it for a certain about of time?

[LukeJ]

My tip to cook the duck would be first scoring the skin. Cook the skin down on a gentle temperature in a pan. You don't want a high heat as it would burn the meats, and on a medium heat helps tenderise the duck with the skin acting as a protective barrier. Once you have done that, add some butter if you wish and some herbs or garlic or both into the pan and baste. Once the fat has melted, you can finish cooking the duck breast in the oven. All depends on how you like your duck, leave it rest for half the time you cooked for and when you slice through it, all that moisture has been seeped back in leaving a juicy bit of meat. I hope you can join us next week for further advice on our cookery show ha ha. 

Escargot I've honestly never tried. It's the thought process for me, I just can't bring myself around to trying them. I believe they are classed as a mollusk, so therefore are seafood, but still no for me.

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ Wow you are definitely a chef. I would never think to score duck skin. I would like take it off and put it in the oven and pray it isn't dry! Also high heat is like the only cooking level I use; it's fast. Maybe this is why I such at chicken too. I always try to dice it and put sauce on top because it's like chalk. Lately I have been doing chicken thighs and begging my husband to grill them os they actually have some flavor and don't come out dry. I have tried it and they aren't bad, but they are snails. I honestly think the only reason they tasted find is because they are drenched in butter and herbs. DO you like all other seafoods? Because o the quality right now in the ocean, most bottom feeders and filterers like shrimp have so much junk in the now, like micro plastics. I stopped buying them for the most part, and it's so sad because I love them!

[LukeJ]

@3Sisters just give scoring the duck, you will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. You have this lovely flavour coming from it. Chicken thighs are the best part of the bird in my opinion because they are so succulent and full of flavour. My advice if you don't want dry meat is to marinade the thighs for at least 3 hours, however overnight would be the best solution. It absorbs all the marinade. Even a simple plain yoghurt would be enough, however there are many marinade recipes around. Or you could poach any chicken if that's your preference with herbs in the water and allow the flavours to absorb through.

I love seafood, it's one of my favourites. Muscles I adore and I have them each time I go to France. Fish is my thing, I love trying them all.

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ I make the driest fish! I always dry it out, and I feel so bad for my family. I try so hard too! I think I overcook it. I'm glad you like chicken thighs too! They are the juiciest, especially in comparison to the breast. I guess I need to get better at food prep in advanced. I always tend to whip something together last minute and pray for the best. A little more prep time could really benefit my meals. Yogurt is a good thought because I always have pain yogurt in my fridge. It's a very good idea. Thanks for that tip!

[LukeJ]

@3Sisters to prevent drying out your fish, again cook on a lower temperature to stop it overcooking. If you find that you have dried out, use lemon or melted butter or even cover with a sauce to allow moisture into the fish. I sometimes poach my fish in milk and place bay leaves in there or wrap on foil to prevent it overcooking in the oven. 

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ I love that milk in the over trick! That's super great. I do typically put lemon directly on it, but butter is a great idea. I will will try and lower temperature and report back the next time I cook seafood. I really don't do much of it! To avoid cooking it I usually get canned albacore tuna and make tuna salad out of it. As someone who loves to cook, the thought of me eating that may disgust you. You are so talented. I want good holiday meal recipes from you now! Do you host the holidays in your home? Thanksgiving I won't be hosting this year, but I will be hosting Christmas in my home! 

[LukeJ]

The problem is not many people enjoy cooking fish or any seafood because it is really a delicate balance between edible and overcooking it, so most tend to not cook it. Same with turkey, the amount of people I know that refuse to eat it because they tell me it's too dry. Well if it's dry, then you have overcooked it. Turkey is such a beautiful meat, and if cooked properly is super tasty and juicy. I do cook the Christmas dinner, but after spending years cooking weekly dinners, I did get fed up of it, but it's still appreciated in my household come Christmas day. What are you favourite things to cook?

[Cruising Caribbean]

@LukeJ Have you ever smoked meat before? My husband smoked our turkey, and it was insanely good. Turkey is always too dry for my taste, but this turkey was a game changer. I don't ever want turkey cooked another way now. It's either trash or smoke it for me. I can't believe the holidays are around the corner! Do you eat turkey with cranberries in the UK? It's very popular here in the states. I'm more of a side person. 

[LukeJ]

@Cruising Caribbean I have smoked meat before, but more of a beef and brisket. I have never smoked turkey but that does sound beautiful. Our household doesn't tend to eat turkey for the Christmas period, I tend to buy a five bird for the family. And use the juices of that for the gravy. When we go out on a work place meal, we tend to have turkey. And yes we have cranberries, it complements the meat very well. Any fruit in my opinion goes well with any meats. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@LukeJ That's awesome! My husband typically does brisket, but by far my favorite has been poultry. Instead of it being dry, it completely changes the juiciness and flavors. Unfortunately, he doesn't do it often because it takes a while to make and monitor, but it's a special treat for sure! What is a five bird? Whole smoked chickens are delightful too! The smoked flavor is so good in chicken. I am so bad at making gravy! Do you use cornstarch or flour to thicken yours?

[LukeJ]

Five bird is a combined rolled meats of turkey, chicken, duck, pheasant and pigeon and cooking them together. The juices that come from the meats are truly wonderful. 

Yes I love gravy, and in the UK it tends to be thicker than the average jus that is popular in Europe. I sometimes use cornstarch, however I mostly reduced the liquid, and it thickens as it reduces with the flavours more concentrated.

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ That's insane! I didn't know people ate pigeons! I have never seen it offered anywhere. Five bird must be a UK thing because I haven't heard of that either. If I travel there, I will surely try it. Is it sold in local restaurants? The UK seems to offer more traditional homestyle gravy served in the US. I don't like when gravy is too thick, but it sounds like you do it just right. Do you put gravy on mashed potatoes? That's about all it's used for in the US other than dry turkey. 

[LukeJ]

It's not really offered many places unless it's fine dining, and rolled meats again aren't all that popular in restaurants. Some five bird consists of goose or quail or even a partridge instead. And it only comes out at Christmas. Gravy is a must in the UK, it makes or breaks a dinner, and it's poured over every single item on your plate. It doesn't matter how good every vegetable or meat is cooked, if the gravy isn't good, then there are disappointment.

Edited September 20 by LukeJ

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@LukeJ I haven't seen five bird on any menu before either! It sounds like a seasonal protein. I would love to try it out! I didn't realize gravy is such a staple. It sounds like a good gravy recipe is important for your kitchen as you serve it so often. I will have to brush up on my gravy skills then. I do see many proteins served with gravy on cruises, but I wouldn't say gravy is a staple inn the US unless its on mashed potatoes or turkey for Thanksgiving. I have good gravy on cruises though. 

[LukeJ]

@Kendall James-Vargas it's not such a staple for many countries either. The British do love gravy, I'm sure most use it in everything. A popular dish is fries with gravy over it, absolutely delicious. I can't imagine eating a dinner without gravy to be honest. It's just expected. When we were cooking dinners for a Sunday roast in the restaurant, we would cook for at least 400 covers and the vat of gravy would come from 2 massive pans. It took two of us to carry it.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@LukeJ Gravy and fries in Canada is a popular thing called poutine. I have tried it and it's super delicious. It sounds very similar (if not the same) to what you are describing. It seems like your gravy is like the US ketchup. I can't believe you stated you couldn't imagine dinner without it! I guess you make gravy weekly in your home then, unless it's easy to find pre made. That's wild! You are the gravy king!

[LukeJ]

That image does look delicious but guess what I'm going to say, there isn't enough gravy there. Yes its very popular dish every week, especially on Sunday. Everyone eats a roast on Sunday, it's given. What makes it delicious is that some use the water from vegetables as a stock with the juices of the meat in there too. Some use a trivet, which is meats cooked on a bed of various vegetables or bones of meats so the flavours come from the bone marrow to give that intense meaty flavour. At least six different vegetables are a staple on your plate with a good helping of meats as well as Yorkshire puddings, which (America call pop overs I believe)

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ I think this is a dessert with like caramel instead of gravy. It's a very cleaver dessert construction. It looks just like mashed potatoes and gravy! You are making me drool reading that delicious savory meal. I haven't had a Yorkshire pudding! They don't offer those puddings on the cruises I have been on. Maybe a P&O Cruises experience would offer more UK homestyle meals. I will have to look up a holiday pop overs and give them a try in the coming months. It's already the fall season! I can't believe it. 

[LukeJ]

Yes it a dessert, I was a little tongue in cheek with my comment sorry as we were talking about how much gravy the Brits have on their food. I believe that's a pecan pie maybe with ice cream. I only recently heard that Americans call them pop overs but they are used over there more as a dessert rather than a dinner offering. I've had them on P&O cruises, so I agree, I'm guessing they are catered more for the UK market. Is this something that you would be interested in trying?

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ At least that's what I thought! It could be a savory pie with a ball of ice cream on the side! It does look like pecan pie. Have you had a mincemeat pie? They are amazing. I wish they were more popular in the US. In the UK you have savory popovers? It sounds like a chicken pot pie style. It's absolutely something I would be interested to try! I like to branch out with my food choices. I love a high protein diet. I struggle with low protein meals because I don't end up feeling full.

[LukeJ]

Yes I love mincemeat pie. It's one of my favourites. In fact I love all pies. I'm not all that bothered my sweet pies like apple etc, however savory pie, no matter what filling is inside, I adore. I think it is more of a UK thing, as I don't see many countries that sell them as much as us. It's something I recommend you to try, the beautiful filling covered with a buttery pastry is something else.

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ Speaking of pie, Thanksgiving is right around the corner again! That's the season for pie. I like pies but I'm very picky when it comes to crust. I'm going to try some new pie recipes this fall. Some cruise lines offer itineraries that cross over Thanksgiving that feature a festive meal. CCL is one of the best lines for that! Does anyone know if DCL does a special Thanksgiving menu for it's itineraries that overlap with the holiday?

[LukeJ]

@3Sisters what sort of pies would you have on Thanksgiving other than pumpkin pie? Pumpkin isn't all that popular in the UK, it's used mostly for decoration for Halloween and maybe some would make the contents into a soup. I personally don't like the flavour.