Peanut Brittle

I have a friend who was amazed when she received a gift of homemade peanut brittle. She thought peanut brittle was one of those things you could only purchase at a store, but I assured her it was easy to make at home. Really tasty too. Be sure to check out the notes section below the recipe to find out how to keep peanut brittle nice and, well, brittle for up to 2 months.

Items needed to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

• candy thermometer https://amzn.to/3szQSa4

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3tkacXU

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3Bj6uBx

• flat parchment paper sheets https://amzn.to/35FuEu2

• silicone spatula https://amzn.to/3huTlMv

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Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle

makes about 2 pounds of brittle

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups white granulated sugar

• 1 cup light corn syrup

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup cold water

• 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 cups shelled, salted roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Line a half sheet pan with a silpat liner or parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a 4-quart or larger heavy-bottomed saucepan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and salt; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes until the temperature reaches 300F - 310F on a candy thermometer (hard crack stage).

3. Remove saucepan from heat and vigorously stir in baking soda and pure vanilla extract (don’t be alarmed when hot sugar syrup bubbles ferociously).

4. Quickly stir in peanuts and pour hot mixture immediately onto prepared half sheet pan; use a silicone spatula to spread mixture to about 1/4-inch thickness.

5. Allow brittle to cool completely before breaking into serving size pieces (this can take up to an hour). Store at room temperature in airtight container with parchment or wax paper between layers.

Notes

• You can spread the hot brittle mixture on parchment paper or a silpat liner, but I find the silpat liner a bit safer as it doesn’t move around on the sheet pan like parchment has a tendency to.

• I’ve been able to keep brittle crisp for up to two months. Here are my tips:

  • Make sure the brittle is completely cool before placing in storage container.

  • Be sure storage container is very airtight.

  • When opening storage container, replace lid quickly.

  • Keep brittle away from moisture/humidity (do not store in refrigerator).

  • Use parchment paper or wax paper between layers of brittle to keep the pieces from sticking together.

adapted from scratchpantry.com

Sous Vide Eye of Round Roast Beef

Have you started cooking Sous Vide yet? It produces perfectly cooked everything with almost no effort. It’s quickly becoming my favorite method for cooking proteins. You just have to remember to plan ahead because it takes longer than traditional methods. Today I’m revising my slow-roasted eye of round beef, which usually cooks in the oven, to a sous vide version that I know will turn out tender and juicy because there’s no chance of it over cooking. Let me show you how to make it.

The important thing to remember when cooking sous vide is to place the sous vide circulator in a heat-proof container and fill with water to cover the items being cooked, being sure the water level falls between the minimum and maximum indicators.

Oops, I didn’t get a picture of the prepared roast, but all you have to do is sprinkle it all over with kosher salt (amount listed in recipe below), then place the roast in a sous vide bag, vacuum sealer bag or freezer bags (NOT storage bags), being sure to remove as much air as possible so the roast stays submerged. If needed, you can weigh the bag down with a spoon or butter knife.

Some sous vide containers have lids to keep the water from evaporating and racks to keep whatever is cooking from blocking the circulating water. If you use a make-shift container (like my stockpot), use a binder clip to secure the bag to the side of the container and cover to stockpot with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation.

Set the circulator temperature to the doneness you like (we like our beef around 138F), then set the cooking time for 22-24 hours and walk away. Be sure the container is covered around the circulator, but don’t cover the actual circulator. Check the water level every 6-8 hours and top off with warm water as needed.

When 22-24 hours have passed, remove the roast from the plastic bag and dry it well, then sear it on all sides in a hot skillet with a little oil. No resting time requires, serve immediately. Enjoy!

BEEF DONENESS CHART

• 125-130F (52-55C) = Rare

• 130-140F (55-60C) = Medium Rare

• 140-150F (60-65C) = Medium

• 150-155F (65-69C) = Medium Well

Items you may need to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• sous vide circulator https://amzn.to/3ufW8Rs

• sous vide container https://amzn.to/3ITrwJu

• sous vide bags https://amzn.to/3geMtlD

• vacuum sealer bags https://amzn.to/3AU0ij1

• freezer bags https://amzn.to/3ocPzLo

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Sous Vide Eye of Round Roast Beef

makes one 3 to 5-pound roast

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 to 5 pound eye of round beef roast

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or half fine table salt)

• freshly ground pepper

• oil for searing

Directions

• (24 hours ahead) Dry roast well with paper towels and sprinkle kosher salt evenly all over; place roast in a gallon-size sous vide bag, vacuum sealer bag, or freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible..

• Place bag in water-filled sous vide container; use a binder clip to anchor the bag so it doesn’t interfere with the circulating water.

• Set sous vide circulator to your desired finished temperature (see chart above) for 22-24 hours (cover container with lid or plastic wrap to keep water from evaporating; adding more water if/when necessary).

• Remove roast from bag and dry well; sear all sides (2-3 minutes per side) in a hot skillet with a tablespoon of oil. Slice and serve immediately.

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