Southern Treats

Brisket Wellington

2011-07-19T23:19:00.000-04:00

After consulting with several cooks, about what they do with the leftover brisket, we came to the general consensus, that there usually isn't any left overs. This weekend, we did a large amount of cooking and actually had a couple of strips left over. We came up with the idea of doing a Brisket Wellington. It is a play on the ever popular Beef Wellington. The Beef Wellington is usually made with beef tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry dough and served sliced. The name is often credited to Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, as being a favorite dish of his.

We used our creative license to make our own interpretation of this famous dish. The most obvious difference is that we used leftover brisket, instead of beef tenderloin. We used puff pastry sheets to wrap the sliced brisket and sautéed onions. The oven was preheated to 400°. We then use some sliced mozzarella to make the dish a little more like comfort food, instead of the classic.

We folded one of the flaps over the filling and then took the remaining flap and folded it over the first flap and rolled in the ends, to prevent any spillage. We made two rolls and placed them on on a cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper, to prevent any sticking. The rolls then went into the preheated oven, for approximately 15 to 17 mins. Once the desired color was achieved on the pastry dough, the wellingtons were removed from the oven and allow to cool, for about 5 mins.

The wellington s were sliced into 1/2 inch slices. You can see how moist and juicy brisket cooks.

It was really fun and interesting to do and rather easy, provided you had the brisket done. This could be done as part of a meal or as a snack or even appetizers. It definitely has a "wow" factor and the elegance of a classic meal. Try this at your next gathering or party, or as a treat for your family, you definitely would not be disappointed. Thanks for looking!

Southern Treats: Zucchini and Spinach Pie

2011-07-11T22:50:00.000-04:00

Southern Treats: Zucchini and Spinach Pie: " After collecting our harvest of zucchinis, we had to decide what to do with them. A couple of friends mentioned to try and make zucchini br..."

Zucchini and Spinach Pie

2011-07-11T22:49:00.000-04:00

After collecting our harvest of zucchinis, we had to decide what to do with them. A couple of friends mentioned to try and make zucchini bread or pie. After a little research on the internet, I found a recipe for Italian or Greek style pie. I decided to make a combination of both and also add spinach to the mix.

First, I had to shred the zucchini with the help of the food processor. I ended up with almost 8 cups of shredded zucchini.

Two packs of frozen spinach, thawed, drained and strained with a cloth to take out as much water as possible. We also added one med. onion diced and 3 tablespoons minced garlic. In a large non-stick skillet, we melted about 1 tablespoon of butter and then sauteed the garlic and onions till they become translucent. Then added the zucchini and spinach and cooked for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk 4 whole eggs and then add 1 cup of ricotta cheese, mix until well incorporated. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Added one cup Parmesan grated cheese and 8oz. of Quesadilla cheese (or other soft melting cheese) to the egg mixture. Season with 1/4 teaspoon black peeper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Prepare a greased Pyrex pie dish, with Phyllo dough sheets layer to cover the dish. Use melted butter to brush on between the layers of Phyllo Dough. Check out the video clip, for more detail on filling pie dish.

Into the oven for 45 minutes, or golden brown crust. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, and slice with a knife. Serve as a main dish for brunch or a side dish for dinner. Good way to get the kids to eat their vegetables. Enjoy and thanks for checking out our blog!

Video Clip

The Birth of the RIB-O-LATER!

2011-07-08T22:18:00.000-04:00

You have often heard the term" Christmas in July", used by retail stores to advertise really great savings. The term does apply in this particular situation, the Rib-O-Later was my Christmas present, from my two nephews. Due to a busy schedule and a long winter, I did not get a chance to assemble my new " Toy". I took the opportunity to get the additional rung needed, for the drum and assemble it together.

Under the direction of a fellow BBQ-Brethren friend known as "Cowgirl", she made the assembly process go so much quicker. Once the top portion of the spare drum was cut out, I used one of the top bands to secure it to the main drum. As you can see in the pictures below, the band was secured using a" C" clamp. the holes were drilled approximately 7 inches from the top of the extended portion, to ensure that the lid would not interfere with the rotation of the stainless steel planks. I was able to procure 35 inch rotisserie rod and motor from my local Lowe's home improvement store on sale, for the Fourth of July weekend.

The whole assembly took approximately about two hours including the drilling. In preparation for this particular groundbreaking cook, we had six racks of baby back ribs that were rubbed using John Henry's Pecan rub, for about 24 hours. We were able to get the four racks on the planks and let them cook for approximately 4 1/2 hours. The ribs were periodically sprayed with apple juice during the cook.

The one thing that I really like about this Rib-O-Later is that it provides an even cook, to all the ribs, because of the rotisserie. Having cooked several racks of ribs, on the UDS, I can honestly tell you that it has been a problem in the past. After several trial and errors, we have become accustomed to the moving the ribs around on the grates to ensure an even cook. This eliminates the need for the rearranging and is one less thing that you have to worry about. This would also work great for sausages, thighs, salmon, pork and beef loins, vegetables and anything else that you could imagine. I could also use the extension with the Rib-O-Later on my Weber kettle, when I am not smoking and need for the heat to be kicked up a notch or two.

I seriously recommend this product and you can expect to see more posts with the different uses that I will find for it. This was definitely a great gift! Thank you for looking!

Chuck Roast in the Oven

2011-06-29T10:57:00.000-04:00

This last weekend, the weather did not permit for outdoor cooking. We had to resort to other means. We started out with two boneless beef chuck roasts, that were on sale, for $1.99 a pound. The chuck roasts were rubbed with a Texas style homemade rub. The rub consisted of granulated garlic powder, onion powder, Ancho chili powder, black pepper, cumin, kosher salt and sugar. Each chuck roast with approximately between two and 2 1/2 pounds. While the rub was being applied, the oven was preset to 350°. The roast would go in the oven for one hour, uncovered.

This is what the roasts look like after one hour. The next step is to add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the beef broth to the pan and then foil.

The pan would then go back in the oven for three hours, at 300°(the temperature was reduced).

After the three hours, allow the roasts to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. Be very careful to uncover the foil, as there is probably still some steam. At this point, you can either try to slice it or just pull it apart. The meat is so tender that it will just break apart. We have used this for tacos, wraps, served over white rice and even on pizza. The possibilities are endless.

On this occasion, we decided to just have it a vegetable medley. If you wanted to, you could use the pan drippings to make a delicious gravy, not that it is needed; but otherwise it would be a waste of good flavor. This particular dish is not very time-consuming to prepare, other than the time spent in the oven. It is definitely a crowd pleaser and with proper planning, does not make you a slave to the kitchen. Hope you try it, soon!

Kicked-Up Chicken Tacos

2011-05-31T23:25:00.000-04:00

How often do you ever wonder, that million-dollar question," What's for dinner, tonight?" Well, tonight was no different. We went to the supermarket, with a blank slate, and tried to decide, what would be easy and affordable to make? After browsing through the circular, we noticed that our local Harris Teeter supermarket had boneless and skinless chicken thighs, on sale for a $1. 49, a pound. Once we had the chicken picked out, we started to quickly think, what can we make with it? Near the meat section, the supermarket conveniently placed the Grill Mates marinades, within eye view. The buy one get one free sign, over the display, pretty much made this a no-brainer.

We prepared the marinade, according to the specifications on the back of the envelope, we also added a touch of honey, to sweeten up the marinade. Once the mixture was thoroughly mixed, we placed the 2 pounds of chicken thighs, in a Ziploc bag and allowed the poultry to marinade, for approximately one hour.

The kettle was fired up, cleaned and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, to prevent the chicken sticking to the grill. When spraying the grill with nonstick cooking spray, I strongly advise to use the Weber brand, because it is specially made to NOT cause flareups. When the coals were ready, the chicken was laid out on the grill, for about 5 min. on each side, and then turned, for a another 5 min. After that, the chicken was placed directly over the coals, for about a minute to 2 min., on each side, to brown up the chicken.

Once the chicken was done, it was removed from the grill and foiled, to allow the chicken to rest. We like to take a chicken off the grill, at approximately 165° internal temperature. The chicken will continue to cook in what is known as "carry over cooking". The "carry over cooking" will take it well beyond the safe temperature of 170° internal. It helps to have a instant read thermometer, to test for proper cooking temperature.

Here is the part, where the chicken gets kicked up a bit, instead of using the traditional salsa, to season up chicken, we decided to use Philadelphia cooking cream cheese, a Santa Fe blend. After the chicken was thinly sliced, we incorporated the cream cheese and blended it thoroughly, tasting and seasoning as we went along. Once the chicken mixture was done, it was time to get the taco shells into the oven and heat them up for about 10 min.

The taco shells were filled with the chicken mixture, shredded lettuce, diced tomato and a mixture of shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese. The chicken had an extreme flavor from the Mojito Lime marinade, the honey, the Santa Fe cream cheese and our seasoning. The chicken was good enough to eat alone, because of the different layers of flavor that were obtained, but the tacos made it a wholesome meal, that was both delicious and very satisfying. So, the next time you're thinking about what to make for dinner, consider this simple, but tasty treat. It can also be done with chicken breast Hope you will enjoy it, as much as we do. Buen Provecho!

Brined Pork Chops on the Grill

2011-05-29T17:21:00.000-04:00

Started out by brining six, half-inch pork chops, in a zip lock bag, for approximately 5 hours. The brine consisted of 4 cups of water, 1/2 cup of Morton's Tender Quick cure, 1 cup brown sugar and a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar. The purpose of the brine is to tenderize and help keep the moisture, in the meat. After the five hours, the chops were rinsed off very thoroughly, to remove any excess saltiness. I then pat dried the chops with paper towels and placed them on the cutting board, to be seasoned.

Keeping in mind, that brine did have a lot of salt and sweetness, I take into consideration that my seasoning such have a low salt content. The seasoning consisted of California style garlic powder, onion powder, smoked Paprika and about 1 teaspoon of John Henry's Texas Chicken Tickler. Thoroughly mixed the seasoning, to make sure to have incorporated all the spices and then applied liberally to the chops. Meanwhile, the Kingsford charcoal was lit, in the charcoal chimney, and when the coals were grey, they weared poured down the middle of the kettle, leaving the sides set up for indirect grilling.

The kettle was sprayed with Weber grill spray, to ensure that meat would not stick to the grill. The meat was layered, off the fire and covered for 5 mins. intervals. After the 5 mins., the chops were flipped, using tongs, and not a fork, because we do not want to pierce the meat and try to retain as much of the juices, as possible.

After the next 5 mins., the jobs were placed directly over the hot coals for about a minute, on each side, to ensure nice coloring and grill marks.

This is what they look like, once they were removed from the fire, the chops were foiled and allow to rest for about 10 mins., allowing for the juices to redistribute, within the meat.

This is the finished product, if you look closely, at the cut section, you see a slight pinkish hue on the meat, this is because of the tenderizeration effect, of the brine. These pork chops were very tasty, flavorful and juicy; besides the brining process, they were also very quick to cook. Hope you enjoy our latest post and hopefully you will give it a try soon.

Meat Ball Madness

2011-05-07T14:37:00.000-04:00

This event was dubbed " The Midnight Meatball Madness", and was held at the Marriott Executive Suites Hotel, in Charlotte, North Carolina. This event was held to make 450 pounds of meatballs, for the upcoming Italian Festival, which will be held on May 19-21, at St. Philip Neri's church, in Fort Mill, South Carolina.We had approximately 10 volunteers, that started at 12:01 AM, on Saturday morning, in this effort to make the meatballs. This would be one of two meatball making sessions, in which the goal is to make close to 1000 pounds a meatballs, which would be sold as meatball sandwiches or with spaghetti.

The first step in the process was to get the me mixture properly mixed, with all the necessary ingredients. As luck would have it, the commercial mixer in the facility, was out for repair. Which meant that all the mixing had to be done by hand. While one person was mixing, the others were rolling out meatballs, and we all took turns at various tasks.

After the first few meatballs wore rolled out, everyone found their niche, and we were moving right along. It was estimated, that we would probably be finishing up about six o'clock in the morning, which was our deadline. The hotel needed their kitchen back, in order to prepare for the the breakfast crowd and their daily events. I must say, I personally thought we might be cutting it a little close, with all the work that was ahead.

Even though everybody was serious about their job, we had a great group of people working together, and had lots of laughs, in the process. This also made the work atmosphere, a lot more enjoyable and help keep everybody's spirits up and awake.

Our crew was so efficient and diligent, that before 3 AM, we had finished rolling out all 450 pounds of meatballs, we had one finished rack in the walk-in freezer, cooling down, several racks in the oven, and a few racks waiting to go in the oven, as soon as the others came out. At this time, we knew, we were well ahead of our predicted schedule. The coordinator of this event was very kind and generous, in bringing in, several snack items and drinks. This production ran like a perfectly well oiled machine.

As the last remaining meatballs were rolled out, we started to form a strategy, of how we were going to start the packing process to transport and freeze the meatballs, for the actual festival dates.

The first rack of meatballs that was in the freezer came out, the second rack when in to the freezer, while the last racks of meatballs, were in the oven. We were using gallon size Ziploc bags to store the meatballs, and package them inside of 150 quart coolers, for the transport back to the church. The packing process was very fast and successful. At 3:52 AM, the last meatball was packaged and we started to do a quick cleanup. The helpful staff members of the hotel, told us not to worry so much about the cleanup, they actually had a crew coming in to do the morning cleanup, before they started to do their prep work. Basically, within three hours and 52 mins., we mixed, rolled, baked and packaged all the meatballs, in record time. What was estimated to be a six hour job, took less than four. We were all sore and tired, by the end of the day. It was rather satisfying to have completed this mission and after a well deserved rest, we would feel great gratification and sense of completion, for a well deserved cause. It was an extreme pleasure to work alongside such fine individuals, as these. My wife and I still have four trays baked ziti to do for the event. We really had a great time.

Southern Treats: Marinaded Rib-eyes

2011-04-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

Southern Treats: Marinaded Rib-eyes: " After all the storm and tornado warnings we've had the last couple of days, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice steak dinner. Our hear..."

Marinaded Rib-eyes

2011-04-28T21:54:00.000-04:00

After all the storm and tornado warnings we've had the last couple of days, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice steak dinner. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by the storms and all the people who lost their lives due to this phenomenon. This afternoon, I decided to take a ride up to the Ballantyne area in Charlotte, NC; and check out one of our favorite places, " The Meat House" on Rhea Road. It is a franchise style butcher and specialty store. They have some of the better quality meat in the area.

After looking around for a while, I came across these rib-eyes, in their own house style marinade. I am always willing to try new variations of steak, so I figured I give it a shot. Both of these steaks, in total weighted about 2.45 pounds and were priced at $12.99 a pound. This was a once in a while treat, so I figured why not try it out.

You can see that they are about an inch thick. I decided not to add any additional seasoning, to get the full effect of the marinade and also to enjoy the flavor of the meat. A really good steak does not require much help or sauce. While I let the steaks came up to room temperature, I started my charcoal chimney. While at the store, they also had a vegetable mix, which I also picked up. Just after the steaks would be done, I would put the vegetables into a foil pouch and let them cook on the kettle, while the steaks rested.

The kettle was set up for indirect grilling, which means that the coals where banked to one side and thus creating a hot spot and cold spot, on the grill. Even though it is called a cold spot, it is just less heat than the hot spot. This gives me the option of letting the steaks sit on the cold spot and cook like if it was in an oven or go directly over the coals and give the steaks a nice sear. For this particular cook, I used what is known as a reverse sear. The steaks started on the cold spot of the grill, with the cover on, for about 5 mins., after that time, I flip them over and let them cook for another 5 mins. When the time was completed, I then placed the steaks directly over the hot coals, at a 45° angle for 1 min. and a half. At the end of that time, I rotated them 90° and cooked for another minute and a half. The reason for the rotation was to create the grill marks on the steak. After this process I then flip the steak over on the other side and repeated the same procedure, rotating the steak 90° after a minute and a half. The smell of the steaks was an absolute delight and I am sure it probably made my neighbors was very hungry.

When the steaks were done, I removed them onto the plate and then covered them with foil and let the meat rest for about 10 min. You want to let the meat rest and not cut into it right away, because you will lose a lot of the juices and it will also dry out your steaks. Once the removed, I placed my vegetable pouch on the grill just off of the hot spot. I then set my timer for 10 min., and at that point removed the vegetables from the grill.

This is the plating and the cut section picture. The marinade was very tasteful and delicate, but the next time, I will go back to just the regular steak. This was definitely well worth the wait. Thank you for looking, hope you enjoyed our posting.

Southern Treats: Sweet Easter Treats

2011-04-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

Southern Treats: Sweet Easter Treats: "This Easter we did quite a bit of cooking. After the briskets were trimmed, we started out by injecting the two briskets with our' secret' ..."

Sweet Easter Treats

2011-04-28T16:59:00.000-04:00

This Easter we did quite a bit of cooking. After the briskets were trimmed, we started out by injecting the two briskets with our" secret" marinade. They marinade for approximately 18 hours, in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, when we are doing competition, you do not have that amount of time to marinade the brisket, but since these were orders for Easter, we let them marinate a little bit longer, to get full taste of the marinade.

After the briskets, were ready, we took them out of the icebox and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 min. or so, to take the chill off the meat. We then prepared our brisket rub, which was generously rubbed on all sides of the brisket. Meanwhile, the charcoal chimney was lit and we used approximately 4 chunks of Mesquite wood. The Mesquite gives the brisket a nice smoky flavor that is not overpowering.

We also had an order for pulled pork. The pork butts were rubbed using EVOO and then applied John Henry's pecan rub. The UDS was started with Kingsford charcoal and five chunks of pecan wood.

Once the brisket was done, it was foiled and allow to rest in a cooler for about an hour. After the resting period, it was ready to be sliced up. He noticed that pink ring along the outer edges of the brisket, it is what is known as the smoke ring. The smoke ring actually is created due to the smoking of the wood and does not mean that it is dry. These particular briskets were very moist and tender.

this is award-winning brisket at its best

You can see how moist and juicy this brisket turned out. This will surely be the star of the dinner table. Hope you all had a great and wonderful Easter! Thanks for checking out our blog.

Southern Treats: Cajun Pot Pie

2011-04-09T22:59:00.000-04:00

Southern Treats: Cajun Pot Pie: " In an effort to be creative and make new and interesting foods, I came up with the creation of a Cajun style potpie. I first started o..."

Cajun Pot Pie

2011-04-09T22:58:00.000-04:00

In an effort to be creative and make new and interesting foods, I came up with the creation of a Cajun style potpie. I first started out with Louisiana style smoked andouille sausage and rendered some of the fat in a frying pan. While the sausage was rendering in the pan, I started to dice up some onions and yellow and red peppers. Once the sausage was done, I started to sauté the onions and peppers, and used a packet of Uncle Ben's wild rice. When the rice was done, I incorporated the rice and onions and peppers and added an 8 ounce can of Campbell's chicken and mushroom cream. I also added 2 tablespoons of Philadelphia cream cheese Santa Fe flavored cream. Once the mixture started to thicken up I then added 1 pound of shrimp and 1 pound of crawfish tails and a can of mix veggies. The mixture was seasoned with Old Bay seasoning, a pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons of black pepper. I heated the mixture over a low simmer, until it was warm and then removed it from the heat, to cool it off.

I filled up two 9 inch deep pie crusts, with the filling. Using a pastry brush, I brushed the edges, with an egg wash mixture. I then covered the pie crust with pastry dough and crimp the edges with a fork, cutting off the excess dough. Meanwhile the oven was preheated to 425°. Once the pies were crimped, I made four vent holes on the top of each pie using a knife, and brushed the top of the pies with the remainder of the egg wash.

The pies bake for approximately 18 to 20 min. or until the crust was golden brown. The pies were cooled for approximately 10 min., before being served. The pies tasted good, but next time, they could use a few more teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning. This recipe is very easy and simple, yet very wholesome and comforting. Thanks for checking out my blog.

Southern Treats: St.Patty's Day Cake Balls

2011-03-17T11:36:00.000-04:00

Southern Treats: St.Patty's Day Cake Balls: "My wonderful wife, had a St. Patty's Day luncheon at work, and everyone had to bring something green to celebrate the day. After having see..."

St.Patty's Day Cake Balls

2011-03-17T10:39:00.002-04:00

My wonderful wife, had a St. Patty's Day luncheon at work, and everyone had to bring something green to celebrate the day. After having seen and heard so much about cake balls, she thought of how to make them appropriate for the occasion. She started out with a regular box of Duncan Hines yellow cake and mixed according to the instructions, she then added green food coloring to the mix to give it it's green color. The cake was baked according to the instructions and then allowed to cool. She then proceed to crumble the cake into a mixing bowl.
A regular can of vanilla frosting was also tinted, with the green food coloring, to stay with the theme. The frosting is incorporated to the crumbled cake, to help it to bin and be able to shape them into golf size balls. The mix should be sticky, but not overly mushy. We inserted the lollipop sticks to make it easier, in the dipping process( I'll explain that later). The balls were then placed on wax paper and on a sheet tray and into the freezer, for about 25 minutes. This is done to help the mix harden and hold better.
Ready for the freezer. At this point she started to melt down some candy wafers, to type to make candy shell. We were able to find green candy wafer and in a small crock pot, she started to melt the candy and mixed about a 1/8-1/4 cup of milk to help loosen the melted wafers. After the balls were taken out of the freezer, she then started the dipping process. She actually found it easier to remove the sticks and dip with a dripping spoon and then re-insert the sticks for easy handling. These could also be served as truffles, on a small baking cup or other decorative setting.
The balls are setting with the candy shell.
And this is the finished product. The possibilities are endless. Next time, she said she would add candy sprinkles, as soon as they are taken out of the melted candy. These she used a icing piped through a thin tip and made a marble like effect over the candy shell, unfortunately, the camera battery died out. These are bite size, easy to make and portion controlled for those who want a treat and are conscious about their eating habits. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Southern Treats: Very Dirty Rice!

2011-01-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

Southern Treats: Very Dirty Rice!: "One of our very good neighbors introduced to 'Dirty Rice' a little while back. It was so good and my wife asked her how hard it was to make..."

Very Dirty Rice!

2011-01-10T09:47:00.004-05:00

One of our very good neighbors introduced to "Dirty Rice" a little while back. It was so good and my wife asked her how hard it was to make. She replied that it was pretty easy and then for my wife's birthday, she gave her a copy of the "River Road Recipes" by The Junior League of Baton Rogue, Inc. This book is regarded as one of the top ten Louisiana /Cajun Cookbooks. Well, now there was no excuse, for us, not to experiment. A few slight deviations from the actual recipe, but, for the most part tried to stay true to the origins. Started out by sautéeing some yellow and green onions. Then added some diced pepper, chopped chicken livers, chopped garlic, bulk mild pork sausage, and some diced up leftover brisket. Seasoned with Ancho Chili powder and black pepper.
While this was going on, my wife was making the long grain white rice, separately. Basic way of cooking rice, except didn't let all the liquid get absorbed. About 5 minutes, prior to the rice being done, we added the sautéed mixture to the rice.
Mixed it well and then into a pre-heated 350 degree oven, for 15 minutes, to finish. This is what the finished product looked like. It was very tasty and the addition of the brisket, gave it a hearty meaty taste. We omitted the spicy red peppers it called for, in the original recipe, because my wife doesn't like the spiciness....
But this made it all right for me. This is an easy, quick meal and there is really no need for a side dish. Now, let see what the real deal Cajun jury has to say (our neighbors). Hope you give it a try.

Southern Treats: Holiday Leftover Dinner Pie

2010-11-30T22:49:00.000-05:00

Southern Treats: Holiday Leftover Dinner Pie: "Here is a little comfort fast food and a great idea to make use of all your holiday leftovers. I used some roasted turkey breast, honey gla..."

Holiday Leftover Dinner Pie

2010-11-30T22:13:00.006-05:00

Here is a little comfort fast food and a great idea to make use of all your holiday leftovers. I used some roasted turkey breast, honey glazed ham, ready made pie crusts, puff pastry sheets, cream of mushroom, diced onions, diced peppers, brown rice, dried cranberries, cheddar jack cheese and mixed veggies. Started out by sweating the onions and peppers, in a little butter, in a pan. Once the desired color was obtained, I added the meat(s) and warmed them up. Then added the cream of mushroom, cooked brown rice, veggies and cranberries. Seasoned the mixture, with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a touch of cinnamon. I set up the deep pie crusts and let the puff pastry thaw out( about 45 minutes). Once the stuffing was cooled, then poured into each pie crust.
Topped with cheddar cheese and then rolled out the puff pastry, crimped to the crust, with an egg wash mixture and used a fork to secure to the crust.. Made four slits to allow for ventilation and egg washed the top for a golden crust. Pre-warmed the oven to 400 degrees, and then placed the pies on a sheet pan for about 10-14 minutes.
Let the pie cool off a few minutes and dig in. This is what the cut section looks like.
A good wholesome meal with minimal effort and maximum satisfaction. This was a big hit with our guests. Definitely a crowd pleaser! Enjoy!
Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the family and friends! Happy Holidays!

Southern Treats: Crockpot Chicken Rice Soup

2010-11-18T10:22:00.000-05:00

Southern Treats: Crockpot Chicken Rice Soup: "As the weather starts to cool down, a little homemade soup can sure hit the spot. But who has time to make chicken soup from scratch? The ..."

Crockpot Chicken Rice Soup

2010-11-18T09:38:00.004-05:00

As the weather starts to cool down, a little homemade soup can sure hit the spot. But who has time to make chicken soup from scratch? The answer is your old reliable Crockpot. This was nice and easy and minimal preparation. We started out with a 3 to 4lbs. whole chicken, that was washed and the giblets and neck removed. We then got a combo pack of pre diced onions and celery, a half a bag of small carrots, about 4 cups of chicken stock (I prefer the low sodium kind), some sprigs of rosemary and thyme, 1/2 a cup of margarita mix, a splash of lemon, 2 tsp. diced garlic, 2 tbs. of Goya Recaito (a cilantro based seasoning, used to flavor rice, soup and sauce dishes) and salt and pepper lightly. I use about 4 or 5 sprigs of rosemary and thyme and tie them up with butcher's twine. Throw it in the pot. It is easier to get them out at the end.
At this point you can also add a shot of Tequila, if you wish to make a more authentic Mexican flair chicken soup.
Put the lid and set the Crockpot on low for at least 8 hours or longer, if you are short on time, set it on high for about 6 hours. You could even start it overnight, this is the easy of cooking with the Crockpot.
After about 8 hours on low, or 6 on high, I like to test the chicken with my instant read thermometer, you are looking for a temperature of 180 degrees in the thigh or 160-170 in the breast area. The reality is that you will probably have a higher temperature, but these are the safe minimums. The higher the temperature, the easier it will be to pull apart the chicken, if it hasn't started to fall apart already. At this point, I remove the chicken onto a large cutting board, and let it cool off or a few minutes. I also remove my bundle of herbs and toss them out. I like to thicken my soup and grab the immersion blender and carefully start to pulse the liquid, in the pot to get a thicker consistence. After I have reached the desired thickness, I add a cup of whole grain rice and taste and re season, with salt and pepper, if needed. If you are looking for more of chowder type soup, if could also add a little heavy cream or milk. The Crockpot is set to low and covered, while I start to pull the skin and pull apart the chicken, this whole process can be done about 30 minutes, before serving. Once the chicken is pulled and the bones removed, return to pot and give it about 30 minutes, for the rice to cook.
Serve nice and warm and add your favorite garnish. We like to top it with grated Parmesan cheese and some store bought biscuits and you can see why this is called comfort food. Hope you try it soon, enjoy!

Quadruple "P" (Pulled Pork Pot Pie)

2010-11-08T22:21:00.005-05:00

This is what happens, when you are bored and start looking through recipes. The weather is getting cooler, and started thinking of some comfort food, that is satisfying and easy to make. I though of the classic chicken pot pie, but was thinking, what else could be used besides chicken. I looked in the icebox and saw I had some pulled pork left over, so I decided to use it instead of chicken. Ingredients included Campbell's cream of mushroom, with low sodium, frozen veggies and Bisquick(Heart Smart option).
Started by heating up the pork and thawing out the veggies. Then added the veggies and the two can of cram of mushroom. Cooked the mixture for about 10 minutes.
While the mixture cooked, I stared mixing the batter of 2 cups of Bisquick, 1 cup of milk, and 1 whole egg for the topping. Whipped together in a separate bowl with a whisk. Layer the mixture, into an un-greased 12 x 9, 3 qt. Pyrex pan. Even out the the mixture and then topped with the batter. Spread the mixture nice and evenly, and into a 375 degree, pre-heated oven, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese and back in the oven, for 5 minutes, to melt the cheese.
The crust was nice and golden and thick, the filling was flavorful and very tasty. A meal all by itself and 10 minute prep. and 35 minute cook time.
A highly recommended crowd pleaser, and easy dish that will make you look like a pro.

New Meatloaf Ideas....

2010-11-02T22:19:00.003-04:00

Instead of using ketchup, try using Peter Luger's Steak Sauce and instead of bread crumbs, try using Stove Stop Stuffing....easy on the salt. Those things have plenty of sodium. Enjoy!

Southern Treats: Chuckie in the slow cooker

2010-10-23T23:26:00.000-04:00

Southern Treats: Chuckie in the slow cooker: "The slow cooker is one of the most useful tools and helpful gadgets, that is often over looked. This week, the local Food Lion Supermarket ..."

Chuckie in the slow cooker

2010-10-23T22:39:00.005-04:00

The slow cooker is one of the most useful tools and helpful gadgets, that is often over looked. This week, the local Food Lion Supermarket has Beef Chuck Roast, on sale for $1.99/lb. This particular roast is about 2.45 lbs. First, we seared the roast on med. to high heat, make sure the pan is very hot, usually I use Pam, but for a little added flavor, I used a tablespoon, of unsalted butter. I liberally used black pepper, garlic, onion pepper, and a slight pinch of salt, to season the roast. Seared the roast, about 3 mins., on each side and then the sides, to get a nice brown on the roast. Get the slow cooker set up and remove the roast from the pan and into the slow cooker. Return the pan to the heat and use a low-sodium chicken stock, to de- glaze, all the flavor bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Using a whisk I lifted up all the flavoring and then pour it over the roast in the slow cooker. I then added a small white onion diced and a cup of white wine. At this point you can add, peppers, carrots, any aromatic spice you might prefer.
This cook was a 10-11 hour cook, at low, and just make sure there is enough liquid to cover the roast. About 6 hours, taste the liquid and see what it needs. I decided to use a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Later the roast started to fall apart, my wife started to make some white rice and I used the liquid to make a gravy.
Made a roux, using equal parts flour, to equal parts canola oil(or grease of choice), melted in sauce pan and consistently whisking. When the roux starts to stiffen and turn dark, add some of the liquid, one ladle at a time. Let the mixture thicken, and add liquid if needed. Don't add to much, because if it is too loose, you would have to start all over. Once the mixtures starts to boil, turn down the heat and add a half cup of milk, or heavy cream, if you want it creamier. Season and taste as you go along.
Let the chuckie, rest for a few minutes on the cutting board, you can use two forks and shred the beef as seen here, this usually takes little effort, as you can see that it is falling apart. A little bit of rice, some chuckie on top and drizzle the gravy. A great meal with little effort, deserves a little presentation. It looks and tastes as if you were cooking all day, and a well appreciated, home cooked meal.
Thanks for looking, I hope you are inspired to dig out the slow cooker and see what you can create.

Mad Max's Smoked Brisket Chili...

2010-10-17T19:13:00.003-04:00

This was a first time experiment, which went beyond, my expectations. It was suppose to be entry for a chili-cook-off, at the harvest festival, in our community. Having undergone a heart transplant, within the last 2 weeks, I was ready to get back, to one of the things, I love best. With the support and love of my lovely wife, I started thinking how can I go all out. Still having several packers, in the freezers, I decided to smoke a brisket and chop it up, to use in my chili. I smoked a 12 lb. packer and trimmed it very tightly, in an effort to get the most even cook, possible. I used mesquite wood, for a hardy smoky flavor, which will pull through, in the chili. I used my kettle, using the"fast and hot" method, using reg. Kingsford charcoal. The brisket took about 3.5-4.0 hours, from start to finish. I foiled, at 160 internal, and then back on the kettle, till it reached 190 internal. After resting, in the cooler, for about 2 hours, I started to slice and chop up about 4 lbs. of brisket. Then I gathered some favorite ingredients and started to think of what I like in a chili and what I don't and came up with this recipe, which I tweaked at the end, when I wasn't getting what I wanted. This recipe won 1st. place in a field of 15 recipes, all were amateur cooks (at least, to the best of my knowledge) and had some very happy friends and neighbors. BTW, the brisket was rubbed with salt, black pepper and granulated garlic.
1 tsp. Chipotle Chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. mustard powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano (grounded up)

1 Tbsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, finely grounded

1 package Hormel center cut bacon, rendered the fat and saved, for the onions

5 links of chorizo, fried and thinly sliced(or andouille sausage)

2 cups beef broth

2 cans 14.5 fired roasted diced tomatoes

1 can 7oz. chopped green chilies, with liquid

1 can 7oz. Chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, sliced

1 med. onion diced and sautéed, in the bacon fat.

1 tbsp. crushed garlic

1 can 6oz. tomato paste

12oz. dark stout beer

3 tsp. granulated sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 tbsp. Plowboy's Bovine Bold Rub

3-4 #'s of previously smoked Brisket (cubbed)

2 cans pinto beans
Renderer the bacon strips and then save the strips, to use as garnish. Sautéed the onions and garlic, in the same skillet, using the reserved bacon fat. Once the onions and garlic become translucent, over med. heat, remove the onions into the slow cooker. Using the reserve fat, in the skillet, use it to fry up the chorizo or andouille sausage. Once the sausage is fried up, slice it thin and into the slow cooker. Put in your brisket, and start to add the rest of your ingredients. Hold off on the sugar, honey and Plowboy's Bovine Bold, till the 4 hour mark, taste as you go and adjust to your liking. I try to control the sodium content and usually add the last ingredients, if needed.

This chili has a bit of heat, if you prefer a milder version, then cut down on the chilies, and red pepper. Use half a can, of the chipotle pepper, instead of a full can. Start the slow cooker in high and let it do it's thing. It usually takes about 5 to 6 hours. If you have time restraints, try using a cast iron pot over low to med. heat.
When it is done, serve warm, with the crumbled bacon, on top. I also suggest dicing some cilantro on the top for color, flavor and presentation. Serve along with your favorite toppings, sour cream, shredded cheese or tortilla chips. Hope you enjoy and that it serves you well. I loved to hear your feedback.

Pulled Pork Ziti...

2010-10-16T22:31:00.004-04:00

This is a new twist on an old favorite, as requested, we had the task to make an Italian favorite incorporating our pulled pork, in the recipe. We came up with pulled pork baked ziti. Started out with two pork butts about 4-6#'s, each. Rubbed the butts with a combination of Pecan and Cherry rub.
Then we fired up the UDS (ugly drum smoker) with reg. kingsford and cherry wood chunks.
After, about 14 hours, on the smoker, running at about 230-250 degrees, foiled at 160 degrees and then taken to 200 degrees, internal temp.. Stored for 3 hours, in the cooler and then pulled. Started our homemade tomato sauce and added the pulled pork to absorb the flavor.
Let the sauce cook down and then assembled, with penne pasta, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs and spices, and provolone and mozzarella topped.
Very tasty, with a hint of smoky goodness and saucy consistency. It might be a new goto recipe. Thanks for looking.

Grilled Chicken Thighs

2010-09-09T22:10:00.003-04:00

This was so sweet tasting grilled chicken. Quick and easy and very satisfying.
Started out with a couple of chicken thighs, trimmed the skin a bit. Usually when grilling the chicken, you can get the skin to crisped up. Gave me a chance to tryout John Henry's Cherry Rub seasoning.
Fired up the blue kettle with reg. Kingsford and added a handful of cherry wood chips. Foiled a couple of Yukon gold potatoes. Cooked the thighs, for about 35-40 minutes, @ about 325 degrees.
Cooked them to an internal temp. of 170 degrees. Took it off the grill and foiled it for about 10 minutes.
A simple meal, but full of flavor. We really enjoyed the Cherry Rub. It was sweet and mild, but bold enough to enjoy, without sauce.

St. Louis Style Ribs

2010-08-19T22:45:00.003-04:00

My family came down to the beach and then stopped by, for a few days. They always want some Que, so I decided to make some ribs. Started out with 4 slabs of spareribs, trimmed St. Louis style and removed the membrane. Then drizzled with EVOO to help the dry rub adhere to the rib. The rub was a homemade rub of brown sugar, paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper, chipotle chili powder, garlic and onion powder.
After being rubbed, they went in the ice box for a day and a half. Don't usually do this, put wanted to get the most flavor out of the rub. On the day of the cook, I took out the ribs about an hour before putting them on the UDS and letting them come up to room temperature. The smoker was set up with reg. Kingsford and cherry and hickory wood chunks (about 2 chunks each). The charcoal basket was filled half way, and a half chimney was started. Once the coal in the chimney was lit, half went in one drum and half in another( about 10-12 coals a piece).
After about 3.5 hours, on the smoke, about 225-230 temp. on the pit. Try the bend test and it was pulling just right. Then I sauced and foiled, they went in the cooler for about an hour and sauced again, before serving. The final sauce was heated to keep the rib warm and not drop the rib temp.
Everyone enjoyed it and the overnight sitting in the rub, did make the rib more flavor full. The bark was very good and the rib was nice and moist. Sorry, no pics of cut section, my camera battery died out.

Beef Tenderloin, done with reverse sear.

2010-08-08T21:58:00.005-04:00

Today, we decided to do a whole beef tenderloin. We started out with 8.2# whole tenderloin, which we trimmed up and removed the silver skin and fat. I also trimmed off, the chain, of the tenderloin and some of the pieces, of the end. After it was trimmed up, I tied some butcher's twine, around the point, to ensure proper cooking and also making it easier, to handle. A dab of EVOO and a seasoning of kosher salt, black pepper and "California Style" garlic powder.
After the tenderloin, reached room temperature, on the cutting board. The blue kettle was getting loaded, with reg. Kingsford and set up, for indirect heat. The grate was cleaned and sprayed with "Pam", to prevent sticking. Tenderloin was then placed, on the grate and looking for an internal temperature, of 125 degrees. After about 45 minutes, we had 127 degrees. This particular time, we were trying a reverse sear method, which means, you sear the meat, at the end, of the cooking process, by cooking it directly, over the heat source. Approximately 2 minutes, on each side and we took the meat off, the grill and tented it, with foil, to rest.

After almost 20 minutes, it was time to slice it up and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Just beautiful... Thanks for watching.

Delmonico Rib-Eye Steaks

2010-08-01T21:57:00.004-04:00

Two beautifully marbled Delmonico Steaks, from the "Steak House", a chain butcher shop, with a local franchise, in Charlotte, NC. These steaks are about a pound each.
Seasoned with salt, pepper and "California Style" garlic powder. The CI skillet is getting nice and hot, while the steaks get to room temperature. You want to hear the sizzle, when you lay your steaks, in the pan. Usually, I would use a pat of butter, to give it a nutty flavor, but since I am trying to watch my fat intake, I used a 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, instead. The oven has been preheated, to 375 degrees. About 3-4 minutes, per side and then flipped and seasoned the other side. Another 3 or 4 minutes, and then in the oven. I was looking for an internal temperature of 160 for medium, 140 for rare. I used an instant read "therma pen". Cooking time was about 10-12 minutes. Took the pan out, of the oven, placed the steaks on a cutting board and lightly covered with foil, as the meat rests and redistributes the juices ( at least 10-15 minutes).
This steak was served with cheesy, whole wheat cous cous.
Look at the juicy and tasty piece. Next time, it goes on the outdoor grill, I hate the rain, but this made up for it! Thanks for watching.

Charlotte's Smokin' Flavor Fest 2010

2010-04-23T10:56:00.005-04:00

This are some of the pictures of the Charlotte's Smokin' Flavor Fest BBQ competition, on April 17, 2010. It was a fine day for a cook-off and really nice time. Our team, Butts-N-Gutts, competed in all 4 catergories (pork, ribs, chicken and brisket) and the bonus category of, Open Grill. Here is our chicken cooking. Looking good so far.
Here is our ribs box, ready for presentation for the judges.
Our brisket is also ready for turn in.
My lovely wife holding up our 1st.Place Chicken win and 3rd. Place Brisket, we came in 4th in the open grill category, our entry was a marinated skirt steak fajitas with grilled onions and peppers and Peter Luger steak sauce. Our team came in 4th place overall, out of 16 competitors. This is our first win for the 2010 season.
The crew worked very hard and put in some long hours. Our backs were achy, feet hurt, hungry, a little cranky, but nothing puts a smile on your face, like winning! Thanks to all who support us and the fans that wished us well. Get ready, we need to practice for the next one, so bring your hunger.

Skirt Steak ala Parilla (grill).

2010-03-31T21:55:00.003-04:00

Had a hunger for skirt steak, so decided to marinade with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, California garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper. Marinade it for 2 hours, in a Ziploc bag and then patted it dried. Fired up the blue kettle, with reg. Kingsford and set up for direct heat. Season the steak with a mix of garlic powder, a pinch of salt (trying to keep the sodium as low as possible.). Throw the steak on the grill and about 2 minutes on each side.
Let the the meat rest, for about 10 minutes, then cut against the grain.
Along with some, red mash taters and it was well worth the effort.

Poulet-en Papillote, or Chicken in parchement paper

2010-03-30T22:07:00.005-04:00

Started out with 3 chicken breasts about 2lbs. Laid out a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Folded up parchment paper like a book. Made seasoning for chicken breasts which consist of 2 tsp of clover honey, 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp white wine, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp tarragon leaves, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp sage leaves, 1/2 tsp thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp rosemary leaves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp garlic, 2 tsp of orange juice and zest of 1 orange. All the ingredients except the honey was combined in a food processor, once thoroughly mixed, clover honey was added to create a paste. Using ziploc bag added chicken breasts and paste, closed bag and thoroughly coated chicken breasts evenly. Cut orange into slices and a handful of cherry tomatoes in half.
Arranged chicken breasts on top of parchment paper which was placed on top of cookie sheet. Place orange slices on top of breasts and sliced tomatoes on top of the orange slices.
Closed half folded parchment paper over chicken breasts then crimped & fold all around the edges. We stapled edges to ensure a proper close. Place cookie sheet in to preheated 400 degree oven in the middle rack. Baked for approximately 32-35 minutes. Remove from oven & let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully open the top of the parchment paper & allow for the steam to dissipate.
This is a great low fat, low sodium, easy prep meal that is also flavorful! Hope you will try it soon & let me know your opinions.

Chicken Experiment

2010-02-26T22:29:00.006-05:00

With the start of BBQ season, upon us, it is time to hit the test kitchen and start working, on our recipes. We are using chicken thighs and trying out a new sauce and a secret ingredient. First, we prep. the thighs and use a little rub, on both sides, the secret ingredient, slathered under the skin, to keep the meat moist and for better bite texture, when using indirect heat, to cook the thighs.
Set up the kettle, for indirect cooking and used some grape wood chips, soaked for about 2 hours, to give it a great, smoky flavor.

These were at about 160 degrees internal temp., when we sauced them up and continued to cook them, for about 12-15 minutes, to reach an internal temp., of 170 degrees.

The finish plate includes a selection of grilled peppers, onions, and eggplant.
This is the bite test. Perfectly cooked, nice bite through consistency, smoky flavor, good blend of spices, sauce and slather ( the four "S"'s). Definitely, a great start and it could only get better. I think we are on to something.

The Ultimate Sandwich...

2010-02-16T10:05:00.003-05:00

As part of a on-line "Throw Down" competition, on the BBQ-Brethren Forum, I was inspired to try my hand at the Ultimate Sandwich". Started out with a sourdough roll, toasted and then melted a few slices of extra sharp cheddar yellow cheese. Since it was a BBQ forum theme, some part of the the sandwich, had to be smoked or grilled. I previously, made some Buckboard Bacon and Pastrami, so I used that, as my requirements.
I reheated the meats, on a flat top grill and then slathered some Baconaise, on the bottom part of the roll and then layered three slices of Buckboard Bacon and then a few slices of pastrami, add some grilled onions, on top of that.
Topped it off, with the melted cheese top and cut it in half.
Some homemade fries and mixed vegggies, for presentation.

Stromboli (part 2) and other Super Bowl Treats...

2010-02-09T16:37:00.005-05:00

This what the finished Stromboli looked like...this is the second part of the previous post. We had several appetizers and a couple of Stromboli(s).
A close up.....
These are the wings, with our own rub, no sauce, just rub. They came out very good, according to the hungry Super Bowl fans.
This was the official Super Bowl Cookie Cake. Our great neighbors, brought it over. It was made of a large chocolate chip cookie. Hope you enjoy our treats.

Stromboli

2010-02-06T22:16:00.003-05:00

Decided to get an early jump on the menu, for our Superbowl gathering. First, on the menu, was Italian Stromboli. Started out with thick pizza dough (store bought), and rolled it out. Then started layering the Stromboli, with thin sliced ham, mozzarella, Mortadella, sweet Capicola, provolone cheese and Genoa salami. Left a one inch border, all around, to ensure a good seal. We then brushed the edges, with egg wash and started to roll it up.
Keeping it nice and tight, to get good presentation and distribution of the cold cuts. Tuck the ends under to keep anything from coming out.
Brushed the top, with the remaining egg wash and sprinkled the top, with Parmesan cheese.
This is what they look like, when it comes out of the oven, after, about 14-16 minutes, at 425 degrees. You will have to come back tomorrow, to see the cross section view. So far, the menu consists of sausage dip, taquitos, pigs in a blanket, mild wings, the Stromboli(s) and pork egg rolls. I'll have more pics tomorrow. Enjoy the game!

Homemade Pastrami, NYC style....

2010-01-29T16:22:00.003-05:00

Started out with 2 corn beef flats and soaked them, for about 24 hours. The reason for this, is to remove some of the salt content. After they soaked, I patted them dry and rub them with black, pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, ground coriander and dried thyme. On the smoker, they went, looking for an internal temp., of 145 degrees. Used reg. Kingsford charcoal and a few chucks of soaked to fuel the smoker.
Once the desire internal temp. was achieved, I took them off the smoker and foiled the pastrami. Let the meat rest for about an hour, to let the juices redistribute. Hand sliced the pastrami, to finish it off in a pressure cooker, with beef broth, for 20 minutes. The pressure cooker, gives it that steam effect, you would find in many NYC Delicatessens.
And the final product served on rye bread, with Gulden's Spicy Mustard, swiss cheese, and pastrami. Toasted in the toaster oven to melt the cheese and heat up the meat. Treat yourself to a delicious and satisfying treat. Enjoy.

Chicken Sausage, Brats and Apples & Chardonnay

2010-01-24T22:18:00.000-05:00

Wanted to try and make some chicken sausage, so we started out with 11 #'s of bone in thighs. Deboned and cut up the thighs, gave them a quick freeze for about 30 minutes to help with the grinding process. The two types of sausage we were making was Chicken Bratwurst and Chicken Sausage with Apple and Chardonnay. After separating the two batches of ground chicken, we seasoned each accordingly to the recipe and then proceeded to stuff them in to natural medium hog casings. But first, amde two tiny patties to taste the spices and see if it needed anything.
Here is a quick look at the stuffing process...
Making the links and braids.
This is the finish product, this is actually, the Chicken Bratwurst. It tasted very good and juicy. One of the best things, about homemade sausage, is that you know exactly, what is going into the sausage, and you can control the sodium, fat, or tweet the seasonings, to satisfied your taste.
Can't wait to try the Apple and Chardonnay links, next time. Thanks for viewing.

Beer Can Chicken and Spam

2010-01-20T21:25:00.004-05:00

Started out with two whole chickens, marinaded in Ken's Teriyaki and Honey Marinade, for about 3-4 hours. Gave them a turn very 45 or so.
Dried them up with paper towels and put them on their holders, with half a can of "Bud". Sprinkled on a little California style garlic powder and a little onion powder. Placed it on the grill, with indirect heat. Used Regular Kingsford Charcoal and a couple of chunks of pecan wood, for smoke flavor. The chickens looked lonely, so I put on a chunk of Spam, rubbed with pecan rub.
The beer and the holders.
This what the finished birds look like. Approximately, about an hour on the grill, with the top vent half way opened. The marinade had honey in it, so that is the dark spot you see. The skin was crisp, the meat was moist and very juicy.
This is the Spam. It was perfect. The rub turned into a nice sweet crust. The family loved it. Nice quick meal, very low effort and prep. time...Great Results!!!

Starting the New Year with Turkey Breast

2010-01-07T22:15:00.002-05:00

Happy 2010! Decided to make a whole turkey breast, to help stay on our health kick. Started out with a 8.5# turkey breast and brine it, in orange juice, Tender Quick, black pepper and oregano. Brine it over night for about 15 hours. When we were ready, we rinsed and pat dried the breast, let it come to room temperature and seasoned with garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, dried french poultry rub and melted butter.
Ready to go in a 325 degree oven, with an aluminum foil tent, for about 1 hour. Then basted, with the juices from the roasting pan and added a couple strips of center cut bacon, to keep the meat moist. Back in the oven, basting every 40 minutes. Looking for an internal temp. of 170 degrees.
After almost 2 hours and 45 mins., this is what you end up with.
It was so moist and flavorful! Who says turkey has to be dry? Eat healthy in he New Year!
Till next time!

Stuffed Peppers

2009-12-20T21:26:00.004-05:00

Started out with an assortment of peppers, from BJ's. We know we wanted stuffed peppers, but we decided to make it our own.
Stared out with some left over pulled pork and added some left over, cooked, white rice. A little bit of our own barbecue sauce and some shredded Mexican four cheese blend. Mixed it all together and stated to cut the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds.
Stuffed the peppers and topped with more shredded Mozzarella cheese. Into a 350 degree oven, for one hour.
This is what you get, a delicious and savory stuffed pepper, that pleased the fussiest of eaters.

Making Homemade BuckBoard Bacon

2009-12-07T15:06:00.003-05:00

Started out with an 8# butt, and Western Legends BuckBoard Bacon Cure. BuckBoard Bacon is the old style way of curing and preserving the meat, back in the days of the cowboys. I followed the suggested manufacturer's instructions and stared the curing process on Day 1. Once the cure was applied, the pork was placed into zip-lock bags and into the refrigerator, for at least 10 days. Always turning the bags to ensure proper curing.
On day 12, rinsed and soak the pork for approximately 8 hours, changing the water frequently to removed the excess salt from the cure. The pork was rubbed with black pepper and brown sugar mixture to give it a nice coating. It was then smoked for 4.5 hours with hickory wood, till it reached an internal temperature, of 130 degrees. It was then sliced thinly by knife, leaving us with a thicker cut, than commercially packaged bacon.
The slices were placed on wax paper and then vacuumed sealed for future use. Put a couple of pieces in the non stick skillet and made sure they were nice and crunchy. My family loved it, and didn't mind the wait, after they tasted it. I enjoyed making it for them and seeing their big smiles.
Less fat, more meat, no artificial preservatives, just good old fashion treats! Next time, you have a carving for some great bacon, give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Brie en Croute with Raspberry

2009-11-30T17:33:00.004-05:00

This is an easy and very tasty treat! It is Brie en croute with raspberry. The idea was given to me, by a friend, who mentioned she might be making this, for her Thanksgiving outing. Thanks Meagan! I researched the recipe and came up with this, from Paula Deen's recipe bank. It starts out with a puff pastry sheet and a wheel of brie. Most brie have a rind, check to see if it is edible or if not, remove the rind, first. Roll out the pastry sheet and place the brie in the center, of the dough. Spread the top of the brie with the raspberry preserves(or your choice of favorite preserves). Brush the corners, with an egg wash (beaten eggs and water), and pick up the ends and close it up. Give it a little twist, to keep the dough together. Tie the dough, with butcher's twine or kitchen string and give it a light brushing, with the remaining egg wash. This helps add a nice color to your pastry. In the oven, at 375 degrees, for about 25 minutes or till golden brown. We served it with whole wheat table crackers, as a dip. Everyone loved this appetizer. Enjoy!

Scotch Eggs

2009-11-22T23:12:00.003-05:00

These are scotch eggs, sometimes also referred to as "armadillo eggs". You start out by hard boiling a few eggs, usually two pound package of sausage or grounded up pork for 6 large size eggs. You peel the eggs and cover it up in sausage and roll into a ball, completely covering the egg. Then using an egg wash ( 2 eggs beaten with a 1/4 cup of water), dip it in the mixture and then roll in your favorite bread combs. You can put them in the oven at 375 for about 45 minutes, smoked on a smoker or, if you perfer, you can deep fry them. These particular ones were done in the oven. Quick and simple and taste great!

Quick and Easy Empanadas

2009-11-15T22:11:00.003-05:00

Ever felt like you aren't sure what to eat, nothing seems to appeal to you? Well, that happened today and we found the empanada discs but didn't feel like prepping a filling. Came across the cold cut drawer and found Swiss cheese, low sodium ham, provolone cheese and Genoa Salami.
Gave the cold cuts a rough chop and started assembling the empanadas (actually the wife did the assembling). Once, the 22 empanadas were done, in the oven they went for 12 minutes, at 350 degrees. The fold over crimped ones, have the Salami and provolone, while the fork crimped have the ham and Swiss. Quick, easy and very tasty! The family loved them. Make great snacks, enjoy!

LLAPINGACHOS (a Native Dish from Ecuador)

2009-11-15T12:00:00.003-05:00

Llapingachos is one of the native dishes of Ecuador. There are many variations of this recipe which varies the different regions of the country. This particular recipe calls for forked soft cooked potatoes mashed, with a couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil infused, with Annatto seeds, to make what is known as"Achiote", which gives them the yellow color. Patties are formed and these were filled with fresh mozzarella cheese, any soft of farmers cheese could also be used. The patties are brushed with an egg white wash, to help giving it it's crispy brown crust. Cook time is usually about3 to 4 minutes on med to low heat, basically, you want the cheese to melt. The llapingachos are served with a fried egg on top and usually mixed thoroughly with the potatoes and melted cheese. In this preparation, we served it along side a chicken cordon bleu. Hope, I have perked your interests of native foods. Enjoy.

First Brisket since Hospital stay!

2009-11-12T11:14:00.002-05:00

This is my first brisket since my heart surgery. No, I didn't have any, just wanted to cook something and let everyone else enjoy. It really felt good. Got great reviews.

Homemade Chili

2009-08-03T13:45:00.003-04:00

I wanted to try my hand at making my own recipe for chili. I started out with beef and pork cubed and browned, chopped up my veggies and used "Rioja" wine from Spain, to cook down the meat and veggies. Diced tomatoes, ketchup, pinto and northern beans and my spices and into the dutch oven, for 45 minutes, in the oven. Served with sour cream and Mexican blend shredded cheese. Very flavorful and tasty. Thanks for looking.

Veal Parm Sandwich

2009-07-26T21:55:00.001-04:00

Finally, we decided to make a homemade veal parm sandwich. It was so good!

Pork Bracciole

2009-07-19T07:56:00.002-04:00

Threw on some pork bracciole on the kettle last night. These were made in our local butcher shop and were very good. It has been awhile, since we had some.

Dry Aged Porterhouse Steaks

2009-07-19T00:26:00.002-04:00

These were two nicely dry aged porterhouse steaks, done on the kettle, with regular Kingsford charcoal briquettes. The steaks were seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
Seared over direct heat, to seal in the juices and then put them on the cooler side of the grill, to reach a med. doneness.

Boneless Turkey Breast wrapped in Bacon and MOINK.

2009-07-12T17:50:00.003-04:00

Smoked a 2.2# boneless turkey breast and some MOINK balls to keep it company, on the drum smoker. Turkey breast was brined overnight and then pat dry with paper towels, before being seasoned and covered in maple bacon. In the smoker with Reg. Kingsford Charcoal and apple wood chips. Once the breast hit an internal temp. of 178 degrees, pulled it off the smoker and let it rest. Came out extremely tasty, juicy and moist.

The begginings of Burnt ends....

2009-06-24T22:49:00.002-04:00

Took the point of the brisket that was previously shown in the earlier post and cubed it, throw in the tray with our BBQ suace and back on the grill for "Burnt Ends". This is a must try, if you haven't already.

A look at Brisket ready to eat....

2009-06-24T22:43:00.003-04:00

Brisket is done. Very moist and juicy, not much bark, but the flavor makes up for the bark. Served with baked Idaho potato and Vidallia onions cooked with butter and garlic, all done on the grill.

How a great brisket gets done.

2009-06-23T19:00:00.002-04:00

Brisket gets injected and sits for 4 hours in the icebox. Topped with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Then on the grill in indirect heat with a temp. probe, looking for 160 degrees internal, to then foil and cook till 185-190 degrees.

Start of another Brisket!

2009-06-23T18:56:00.001-04:00

Started to trim a new brisket for a high heat finish on the Kettle.

Stuffed Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon Part 2

2009-06-15T22:32:00.001-04:00

Stuffed Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon.

2009-06-15T22:14:00.002-04:00

Started out with a couple of chicken breasts and made the stuffing using cream cheese, roasted red peppers, chopped spinach, mozzarella and smoked provolone shredded cheese.

Cut open a pocket in the breast, that were tenderized with Morton's Tenderquick for about 4 hours. Put a piece of ham in the pocket and stuffed the breast with the stuffing. Wrapped in bacon and seasoed it with Plowboy's Yarbird BBQ Rub. The charcoal of choice was Stubb's.

Saturday Night Dinner

2009-06-14T18:04:00.000-04:00

Oven baked chicken thighs, seasoned with Plow boy's BBQ Yard Bird Rub, creamy Parmesan risotto and steamed asparagus with melted butter. Very tasty.

High Heat Brisket

2009-06-13T10:51:00.000-04:00

Juicy tender and simply mouth watering brisket done at high heat.

Rib entry...

2009-06-12T11:18:00.000-04:00

This was our rib entry.spare ribs, St. Luis style cut.

Chicken Entry for Lincolnton...

2009-06-12T11:17:00.000-04:00

This was our chicken entry.

Article on GREENVILLEONLINE.COM

2009-06-12T10:30:00.002-04:00

Winners Announced for 9th Annual Lincolnton Hog Happenin'

Submitted by Lynn Brinson • June 10, 2009

GREENVILLEONLINE.COM

Lincolnton, NC (June 10, 2009) -- There was an all-out battle for the best in Chicken, Pork, Ribs and Brisket in Lincolnton, NC Friday June 5 and Saturday June 6, as 39 professional teams and 13 amateur teams competed for bragging rights and a chance to qualify for the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue, in the RE/MAX Crossroads State Championship BBQ Cook-Off at the 9th Annual Hog Happenin'. The Hog Happenin' is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the world's largest organization of barbeque enthusiasts.

The Professional Grand Champion award for the team scoring the highest in all four meat categories went to the Mountain Magic Country BBQ team, led by Thomas Tessneer, from Shelby, NC. The team walked away with a plaque, $1,000, and a free entry to the 2010 Hog Happenin'. Coming in as Professional Reserve Grand Champion was Reservoir Hogs from Kansas City, KS. The Tailgate Challenge (amateur) Grand Champion was Pig Skinners from Vale, NC and the Tailgate Challenge Reserve Grand Champion was the Appalachian BBQ Crew from Bostic, NC.

The top scoring professional teams in each category were: Chicken--Mountain Magic Country BBQ (Shelby, NC); Pork Ribs--Chef Herb Productions (Fort Mill, SC); Pork--Buccaneers Better-B-Q (Raleigh, NC); and Brisket--Rock Store BBQ (Stallings, NC). The top scoring tailgate teams in each category were: Chicken--Pig Skinners (Vale, NC); Pork Ribs--Butt on Stick (Cleveland, NC); Pork--Iron Pig Barbeque (Valdese, NC) and Brisket--Butts-N-Gutts (Mooresville, NC). Honors were also given to the top five professional competing teams in each category, the top two tailgate competing teams and in each category, and the AnythingButt and Dessert categories.

In the first-ever Hog Happenin' Taster's Choice competition, the public was invited to sample pulled pork from 15 participating professional competition teams and vote on the best barbeque. Sauced! BBQ team of Mount Holly, NC took home the title of Taster's Choice Champion.

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The 2009 Hog Happenin' BBQ Cook-Off Winners:

1st Place-- Mountain Magic Country BBQ (Shelby, NC)

2nd Place-- Reservoir Hogs (Kansas City, KS)

3rd Place--Cool Smoke (Richmond, VA)

4th Place-- Rock Store BBQ (Stallings, NC)

5th Place--BS Pitmeisters (Boiling Springs, SC)

Professional Chicken

1st Place-- Mountain Magic Country BBQ (Shelby, NC)

2nd Place--Screamin' Nite Hog BBQ (Winston-Salem, NC)

3rd Place--Cool Smoke (Richmond, VA)

4th Place--Pickin' Porkers (Clemmons, NC)

5th Place--Rib Bandit & The Heartbreak Kid (Connellys Springs, NC)

Professional Pork Ribs

1st Place--Chef Herb Productions (Fort Mill, SC)

2nd Place--Big E BBQ (Kings Mountain, NC)

3rd Place--Triple J BBQ (Blacksburg, SC)

4th Place-- B.S. Pitmeisters (Boiling Springs, SC)

5th Place--Tarheel Smokers (Hertford, NC)

Professional Pork

1st Place--Buccaneers Better-B-Q (Raleigh, NC)

2nd Place--Reservoir Hogs (Kansas City, KS)

3rd Place-- Triple J BBQ (Blacksburg, SC)

4th Place-- Pickin' Porkers (Clemmons, NC)

5th Place-- Big E BBQ (Kings Mountain, NC)

Professional Brisket

1st Place--Rock Store BBQ (Stallings, NC)

2nd Place--Chix, Swine & Bovine BBQ (Jessup, MD)

3rd Place-- Mountain Magic Country BBQ (Shelby, NC)

4th Place-- Reservoir Hogs (Kansas City, KS)

5th Place--Your Butts on Fire (McConnells, SC)

Tailgate Challenge Overall

1st Place-- Pig Skinners (Vale, NC)

2nd Place-- Appalachian BBQ Crew (Bostic, NC)

3rd Place--Butts-N-Gutts (Mooresville, NC)

4th Place-- Baloney Joe's BBQ Team (Greer, SC)

5th Place--Butt on Stick (Cleveland, NC)

Tailgate Chicken

1st Place--Pig Skinners (Vale, NC)

2nd Place--We B Que'n (Gray, TN)

Tailgate Pork Ribs

1st Place-- Butt on Stick (Cleveland, NC)

2nd Place-- Pig Skinners (Vale, NC)

Tailgate Pork

1st Place--Iron Pig Barbeque (Valdese, NC)

2nd Place-- Baloney Joe's BBQ Team (Greer, SC)

Tailgate Brisket

1st Place-- Butts-N-Gutts (Mooresville, NC)

2nd Place-- Pig Skinners (Vale, NC)

Anything Butt

1st Place-- Mountain Magic Country BBQ (Shelby, NC)

Dessert

1st Place--Carolina BBQ Co. (Hickory, NC)

Taster's Choice

1st Place-- Sauced! BBQ Team (Mount Holly, NC)

2nd Place-- Carolina Boys BBQ (Shelby, NC)

3rd Place-- Carolina BBQ Co. (Hickory, NC)

Pulled Pork Entry

2009-06-11T23:52:00.000-04:00

This is our pulled pork entry. Picture taken by HAV, one of our team members.

Brisket entry

2009-06-11T23:48:00.000-04:00

This is the winning entry. Picture was taken by HAV, one of my team mates.

1st. Place in Brisket

2009-06-11T23:44:00.000-04:00

Our team took 1st place in Brisket!