The Babies are Delivered!

The Babies are Delivered!!!

Seahawks in the NFC Championship!!! And the slow smoked winter hickory ribs with honey glaze and Kansas City rub are nearly ready!!!

 Smoked in the snow!  Kansas City rub then smoked with hickory for 1 hour and a half at 275.  Took them off and drizzled honey over them and sprinkled extra rub on them.  Wrapped in tin foil and let go for another hour.  Last stage is to grill while brushing the honey drippings on top and a bit of your favorite BBQ sauce.  Yum, yum!

2-2-1 Sirloin Pork Chops

Sirloin Pork Chops (from Costco) are a cheap and delicious Big Green Egg thrill!!!  Remember what I always say........taste and make your rub your way!  Tonight I used a brown sugar base (5 T) then a mixture of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and S&P.  Taste to your desire!  Rub the sirloin chops and let sit for a couple hours; fridge first then one hour at room temp.

Set the Big Green Egg up for indirect heat with the plate-setter blocking the lump charcoal's direct heat.  Grilled chops at 270 for one hour then turned them over, sauced them and let them go for another hour.

The should look nicely browned!  Then I put them in a oven proof casserole dish and cover them with a sauce blend; again do this to your taste.  I used two different bottle sauces, added some ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and apple juice.


 Coat ribs well then cover with foil.  Back in the Egg for one hour at 250.  This is just fantastic.  Served with a tossed salad and some baked beans.  Bought a quality bakery baguette and that's it.  A wonderful pre-game meal.  In our case the night before a playoff game.  Go Riders!!!

Notice my boys thinking pork heaven!!!

Pork Country Ribs with Marvelous Mustard Sauce

The rub should always reflect your personality; tonight I used four tablespoons of brown sugar as the base then added two teaspoons of chili powder, paprika, a teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard and cumin along with S and P.........always taste and adjust to suit your clan!!! Let the rubbed ribs sit for two hours in the fridge! Add cayenne if you like a bit more spice.

Marvelous Mustard Sauce for Country Pork Ribs

 1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white vinegar or 2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/3 teaspoon celery seed

I set the Big Green Egg up for indirect heat at 275 and let them go for three hours with some hickory chunks in the lump charcoal for some zip!  These aren't really ribs but meaty chunks of good pork.  Served tonight with homemade garden potato salad and mushrooms with asparagus.....a yummy fall BBQ!!!   All the best from Dr. T

Baby Back Ribs with Mustard Rub

Did a yellow mustard rub today on some baby backs.  Doesn't add a lot of flavor but yellow mustard certainly helps the rub stick and marinate.  Soaked some hickory chunks and set the Big Green Egg up for indirect heat with a pan of water beneath the ribs.  I find this really helps keep the moisture just right!



RUBS:  make your own to taste!  It's easy!  Today I used a base of brown sugar (the largest portion) with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.  Sugar in tablespoons the rest in teaspoons. The key is to taste it and play with the flavors you like.

I smoked them for two hours at 225 then rotated them and smoked one hour more.  I like to stack them to self baste.  One more hour.  After four hours I basted with my favorite BBQ sauce and let them go fifteen minutes each side.  Finally covered with foil to rest for twenty.  Yum, yum.

Cedar Plank Salmon

I have to admit I got lazy.......sorry Big Green Egg.........I grilled on a grill......feels like a sin but here goes....soaked a natural cedar plank for an hour in water.......heated grill nice and warm.......dusted a salmon fillet with garlic powder, chili powder and salt and pepper..........let it go fifteen minutes on the cedar plank just til it starts to smoke nicely......then brushed on Calgary Cattle Boyz sauce and grilled five to seven minutes more.  Major good!  Served with green beans and cous cous (chicken broth) with parsley, chili powder and cayenne.

 Sometimes a quickie can be good!!!

If your cedar plank starts to burn spritz with water/apple juice combo.  Serve on a thick newspaper sheet with the salmon still on the board.  Sure to please the hungry.  Red wine?  Well you choose.

New York Steak

New York Steak on the big green egg is great!  Get your butcher to cut them just over one inch thick.  Rub with olive oil and season with Montreal Steak spice.  Let sit at room temperature for half an hour.

 The cigar is from a friend and I am mighty glad.  Just
once or twice a year so a vice I can justify.



Get the Big Green Egg up to 700 degrees.  Direct heat with the grill.  Let them go four minutes a side until a nice browning appears.  SHUT DOWN the egg completely and let the steaks sit for 8 minutes.  Take off and rest.  Med to med rare.  Vary for how you like them.  But the key is smoking hot for a crust.  Best steaks ever.  Serve with a robust red wine. a mixed green salad and a potato of your choice.

Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Eggplant

Did a nice rub of brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt and pepper on some pork tenderloin.  Let them smoke with water soaked apple wood for an hour at 400; looking for internal temp of 145 then rest.

Turned out great.  The question is how much smoke you like.  Add some chips halfway to increase flavor.  You could also insert slivers of garlic into the tenderloin to add flavor.

I had an eggplant on hand so grilled that as well.  Slice about an inch thick then marinate in 2 parts olive oil, one part balsamic vinegar, thyme, basil and salt and pepper for twenty minutes.  Yum, yum.

The Big Green Egg is flexible and fun.  Try some different meats and veggies.  The key is to get a good fire going and manipulate it using the vents.  Trial and error!!!!!!!!!

Baby Back Ribs 4-30-30

Try this out!  4-30-30 baby backs (thick from Costco)!!!  On the Big Green Egg set with natural charcoal and large wet hickory chunks at 250 for four hours.  Gently smoking with the goodness of a homemade rub. Make your own to taste---I used brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt and pepper.  I never measure just do to taste.  Brown sugar is the largest amount.  I let mine sit in the fridge rubbed for three hours.

 Set up the Big Green Egg for indirect cooking.  This means adding charcoal and hickory into the hopper. Don't over fill but fill.  Then the clay place setter to diffuse heat.  Next a tin foil tray with water in it to keep moist.  Then place the grill on top with the ribs in a rib rack.

After four hours undisturbed at 250 I open up the egg move the ribs out of the rack and shuffle around.  Baste with my favorite BBQ sauce (Calgary Stampede Sauce) and let grill for fifteen minutes.  Then flip and sauce and do for fifteen more minutes.   Final step is to place ribs in a tin foil pan, cover and let rest for 30 minutes on the grill SHUT DOWN.  Meaning vents closed.  Rocking good.  Tender but still have some competition bite!  Dave and Wil are waiting patiently.  Served with red wine, potato salad and a kale coleslaw.  Simply fun!!!

Whole Chicken on the Big Green Egg

Have tried whole chickens three times on the Big Green Egg and still not perfected.  Today I pushed garlic, rosemary butter under skin and placed half a lemon inside of each.

Using indirect cooking with the place setter and a tin pan of water the chicken seemed to steam a bit.  I cooked them for two hours at 300.  They were delicious; smoked with apple wood and one chunk of hickory but we felt they were too moist (if that is possible).  Next time no pan with water and see what happens.  Good reviews from those who ate them!!!

Rack of Pork

Smoking a rack of pork is fun.  Rule one is don't get it 'frenched.'  Frenched racks with exposed bone just burn or look bad.  Ask your butcher for a bone on pork roast 'not frenched.'  First step is to grind fresh rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a mortar.  Use the amounts you like.  Then cross cut the fat on the rack lightly and rub the roast.  Let sit at room temperature for forty minutes.

Next set up the Big Green Egg for 275 with indirect heat.  I soaked some apple wood in water and made a tin foil pouch and used one large lump of hickory.  Placed them around the coals to slow smoke.

I maintained a nice smoke at 275 for two hours.  Used a instant read thermometer to check internal temp and was at 139.  Opened up the flow and raised temp to 350 for 15 minutes then pulled it off to rest under foil.  Fantastic, smokey yummy goodness.  

Once rested slice between ribs and serve.  Tonight we served with homemade low fat yogurt potato salad and broccoli nut salad.  Life is good!                                                                                              

Asian Chicken Salad

I know the last post was chicken and pineapple but this is new and we love the taste.  Look up Asian Chicken Salad from Better Homes and Gardens.  Incredible mix of torn fresh greens from our garden with mixed veggies and we added grilled pineapple.  A must try for a light supper!!!

  

 The crunchy noodles and a great bite!  I glaze the pineapple with a little olive oil, black pepper and brown sugar.  Top with garden fresh parsley. Grill day again but the Big Green Egg is on the horizon!

BBQ Chicken Thighs with Fresh Grilled Pineapple

We use chicken thighs and fresh pineapple grilled in large round slices with a tiny bit of brown sugar.  Once cooked cut them up and toss with bbqed chicken skewers and fresh cilantro and parsley.  Wonderful!!.

• 18 boneless skinless chicken thighs

The marinade:

• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbs. lime juice
• 1/2 Tbs. xiaoxing wine (available at Chinese or general Asian grocery stores; substitute sake or sherry if you don’t have it)
• About 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger and chopped garlic
• Red chili pepper flakes, to taste
• A pinch of sugar (about 1/4 tsp.)
• A few drops of fish sauce (optional; available at Thai or general Asian grocery stores)

Cut the chicken strips lengthwise. Thread them onto skewers. The trick is to sort of fold the pieces accordion-style, and to skewer them through the folds.  Brush with marinade through cooking.  Serve with a quinoia salad full of red and green peppers and fresh herbs (Italian dressing is an easy shortcut). 

Grilled sausage, lamb and salmon mixed grill!

Summer mixed grill.  Mini lamb t-bones marinated in rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper.  Home made Italian sausage and cedar planked salmon covered in garlic, garden parsley, olive oil and sun dried tomatoes.  All good served with fresh tossed greens and homemade potato salad.  Enjoy the grill and feed your family!

salad; low fat with mayo and yogurt.  Life is good.

Canada Day Buffalo Burgers!!!

Sorry no Big Green Egg tonight.  A friend of mine butchered a big bull buffalo.  We bought ten pounds of the good stuff.  Mix one pound buffalo with one tablespoon of BBQ sauce, one teaspoon Dijon mustard, one teaspoon paprika, salt, pepper and gently fold in 1/2 a cup of really good cheddar cheese; either smoked or aged.  Don't mix too much.  Just form four patties and put them on the grill. Four minutes a side max!

Lettuce, tomato, onion and a sauce that speaks to who you are!  Canadian tonight!!!  I combined mayonnaise, homemade relish, bbq sauce (Cattleboyz)  and horseradish.  Use amounts that suit your pallet and how much sauce you want on your burger.

Fantastic.  Happy Canada Day!  Wherever you are come visit!  Will pour you a beer and smoke you some ribs!  Or grill a buffalo burger.

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!!