2-2-1 Ribs

For this batch of ribs I am going with the classic 2-2-1 formula.  Two hours at 250 with hickory chunks.  Then two hours in a covered tin foil pan.  Then one hour on the grill with a little BBQ sauce.  This creates a fall off the bone rib that wouldn't meet competition requirements but boy are they good!  Soaked some corn on the cob in water then popped them in with the ribs.  Yum, yum.  Canada Day tomorrow!

To start I pierce the 'silver skin' and then slide my finger in and pull it off.  Then made a simple rib rub; 6 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 T salt, 1 T chili powder, 1/2 t Old Bay seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 t onion powder and a good grind of pepper.  Surf the net and vary yours.  Old Bay is a unique touch.

Corn is great on the bbq.  Soak it well before in water.  Then slowly grill for twenty minutes.










 2-2-1 method turned out great if you like very tender ribs.  I prefer a little snap!  But this was great!

Smoked Apple Wood Salmon with Quinoia Salad and Mixed Greens

 Turned out wonderful!  Smoked on Apple Wood for 3.5 hours at 200 F.  Next time I will cut time back to 3.  Delicious with garden and quinoia  veggie salad......Happy Canada Day!!

Smoked Salmon on the Big Green Egg

Through the night the salmon sort of creates it's own brine by releasing water.  I just drained that off, rinsed the fish in cold water and then dried them with paper towel.  They are already quite firm and 'rubbery.'  Next they sit in the fridge for two hours (uncovered) to develop a 'skin.'  After that off to the Big Green Egg and Apple Wood for four hours.

Cured Smoked Salmon with Apple Wood

The journey begins. Two salmon fillets rubbed with one cup of brown sugar, half a cup of kosher salt and ten cloves of garlic. They will cure through the night, be rinsed and then smoked on apple wood! Yum !!

The Smell of Smoked Salmon

The Boys smellin the cured smoke salmon coming tomorrow.  Stay tuned for recipes and photos!!!

Lunch meat for the week! BBQ Chicken!

Needed lunch meat for the week so I bought a package of three chickens from Superstore.  Needed to adjust heat of the Big Green Egg to maintain 300 for three and a half hours.  Did not use wood chips as chicken was for sandwiches and wraps.

Wash and dry the chickens in cold water.  Pat dry with paper towel.  Then season the cavity with salt and pepper.  I put a half of a lemon and a sprig of rosemary in each chicken.  Then lightly coat with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bigger load so more time but well worth it for chicken sandwiches and lunch wraps.

I let them go 3.5 hours at 300 degrees f.  and flipped them over once at half time.  Nice and moist but fell off bone.  For lunches this is great.  Other times I may use more smoke and heat.  Happy lunching this week!!!

Some nights you just have to grill?!!!

Don't get me wrong!  The greatest combo in the world is a Big Green Egg and a twin pack of Weber One Touch's but on occasion I am forced to the Weber gas grill.

I confess and ask forgiveness but tonight we were rushed.  Still wanted a romantic dinner for two on the patio with a bottle of red wine and a simple rib eye with baked potato and Caesar salad  So I started up the flame thrower.  Two rib eyes rubbed with olive oil and Montreal Steak spice.

The Big Green Egg seemed to whisper.....'how dare you....you cheat....'  Sorry old girl.  The steaks were still good, the wine fine and the potato nice.  Didn't let my wife know that the whole time we ate dinner I was looking out of the corner of my eye at my Big Green Egg.

Hockey Night Wings

Bruins versus Blackhawks!  Not a big hockey fan but a good excuse to try some wings on the Big Green Egg!  Fresh drumettes from Superstore, washed then dried.  Next step is to coat them in a little yellow mustard (bottled kind) and toss to coat.  Season as you like.  I used a teaspoon of garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder and seasoning salt.  Tossed them again.  Sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile bbq is heated for indirect heat (I used the plate setter) to 350 Fahrenheit.  Let go for 30 minutes.  Then I removed the plate setter and grilled directly for approximately 20 minutes until nicely browned.  Frequent turning until crispy.  My Dog Wil appreciates the cooking!

Last step is to toss them in 1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce and a bit of butter.

Yum, yum.  Give it a try.  Only smoke they got was from real lump charcoal.  Peace Dr. T.

Smokey Rack of Pork

 Great idea is to buy or order a rack of pork from your butcher.  One of the best ideas you could have!  I insert a thin sharp knife seven or eight times and slide in a sliver of garlic.  Then I add olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper to my mortar and grind it up.  Can be done in a food processor.  Then massage in!

Get the egg or weber really hot....put roast over a drip pan and sear at 650 degrees.  After ten minutes shut down to 350 and let cook for one and a half hours.  At this temp I add hickory that has been soaked in water for an hour and place it on the lump charcoal.  All good and smokey.

Use an internal temp thermometer to get to your desired done ness.  I go 150 degrees.

Slice in beautiful pieces with a bone per person..

My two side kicks to the Big Green Egg are two Weber One Touch Silver's

Weber One Touches a must have addition to the Big Green Egg

Two Fans of the Big Green Egg

Two Fans of the Big Green Egg

Roast Ham on the Big Green Egg

The egg is great for roasting ham!  I bought a Cook's Shank portion from Superstore.  Than I made shallow cuts in the fat and rubbed it with a basic rib rub with a bit of extra brown sugar.  Set it up for indirect with a drip pan.  Cooked for four hours at 275 with some hickory chunks.  Absolutely wonderful!!!

Nothing like pizza on the egg.  We make 60 percent whole wheat crust from scratch.  Easy to google.  Then we put on parchment paper and dress.  After five minutes on a 450 egg the paper slides out easily and the pizza is left to crust.  I suggest you throw on some apple wood to smoke it up a bit!!!

June in Saskatchewan, Canada

Warm weather coming.........marinated chicken breast in olive oil and Italian seasoning.  Another pan full of veggies and Italian seasoning with olive oil...........wonderful.....local pitas with  tzatziki.....welcome spring!!!

Five hour baby backs from Costco.......thicker and meatier...........

Great smoked baby backs.  I rub with a blend of brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, chili poweder, onion powder and garlic powder............set at 250 for five hours and paste twice with apple juice.......always turn out great......yum yum.........

Great Kugel Cups

Recipe

Potato Kugel Cups

This delicious potato kugel is based on my friend Lauren's recipe and she swears by using red-skin potatoes. The cup idea comes from my husband's best friend Adam's mom, Geanie (what a mouthful). Hubby remembers going to their house on Saturday nights and raiding the fridge for these cups. The best part about them is that every piece is a crusty corner piece, so nobody has to fight over that coveted crunch.

Times

• Prep Time : 15 min min
• Cook Time : 1 hour
• Ready Time : 1 hour, 15 min

Servings

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 3 whole eggs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 6 large Idaho potatoes
• 1 large onion, quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Liberally oil six (6-ounce) Pyrex glass dessert dishes or custard cups. Place custard cups in a 9 x 13-inch disposable pan.
3. Place the pan of cups in the oven to heat.
4. Place eggs in a small bowl and beat. Add salt and pepper, mix well and set aside.
5. Fill a large bowl with cold water and, as you peel potatoes, place them in the cold water to prevent browning.
6. Heat remainder of oil in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat.
7. Cut potatoes lengthwise into halves or quarters so they fit into food processor feed tube. Process potatoes and onions using the blade that creates thin, shoestring-like strips.
8. Transfer potatoes and onions to a large bowl, add egg mixture and heated oil from stovetop, mix very well. Remove any large pieces of potatoes or onions that weren’t processed properly.
9. Remove heated cups from the oven and spoon potato mixture evenly into hot, oiled cups.
10. Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour, or until the tops look crunchy and sides look golden and browned. Loosen edges with a knife, unmold and serve on a platter.
    

Organic Chickens on the Big Green Egg!!!

Organic chickens on the egg.  Used three chunks of hickory to smoke the batch; added to lump charcoal. Very good.  The egg keeps them moist so you should cook them a tad more.  I did 375 for two hours.  Like my chicken well cooked, but boy they were still moist.  Served them with potato kugel cups and steamed green beans.  Seasoned cavities with salt and pepper and skin with olive oil and Montreal steak spice!!!