tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36579010240920323812024-02-20T12:33:48.720-08:00Sophie's FoodieSome really simple BBQ and cooking tipsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05383515902404584860noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-68860841139379190782014-05-26T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-26T16:51:00.315-07:00Weber Baby Q | A Real TailgatorWeber Baby Q is just the right grill for taking to the game, and of course, a picnic or camping. It gets up to temperature fast and cooks evenly.<br/>The grill weighs in at 29 pounds. This means it won't just blow with in a wind storm. The Weber Baby Q is designed to sit on a table top, but a stand is also available.<br/>The Weber is cast aluminum and has 189 square inches of cooking area�..this translates to grilling four steaks at a time, or ten hamburgers. The dimensions are: 14 1/8 high, 27 � inches wide and 16 inches deep.<br/>A push-button ignition makes it easy to light at the game, or the picnic and the campsite. You can also use the Weber Baby Q as your main grill at home. You'll be thrilled with the performance of this little guy.<br/>The Baby Q also features a large, heat-resistant lid handle and a porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grate. The grill is fueled by a standard 14.1 ounce propane cylinder which is sold separately.<br/>The small propane tank can be a drawback, but they are readily available in most hardware and big ticket stores. A conversion kit is available if you wanted to go to a full size tank.<br/>The Weber is built of solid cast aluminum. It's not going to rust out on you. It's sturdy and won't fall apart like a lot of other grills do.<br/>With the Weber Baby Q you are going to get those great grill marks too, not to mention great tasting food�so have at it!<br/>Don't forget to check out Lil Mo's Barbecue Shoppe. Believe me Mo knows BBQ!<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-86516812049758411012014-05-26T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-26T04:51:00.531-07:00How Do I BBQ A Perfect SteakHow do I BBQ a perfect steak? This depends upon a few factors, and can't be answered in the proverbial "nutshell".<br/>Personally, I like to turn the BBQ to high heat...400 or more degrees. For gas grills, you can attain that temperature in a flash. For charcoal, the coals are red hot. For pellet grills, you can but they are not really designed for searing.<br/>The day before I get ready to grill, (Although you do this the day you plan on BBQ'ing) I apply a small amount of virgin olive oil to the steaks. I generally use an all purpose dry rub....see my archive post, "BBQ Dry Rubs".<br/>This is a dry rub you can make yourself and works wonders for all types of meat. However, if you don't have time to make your own there are some suggestions on what to get at the bottom of the post.<br/>After applying the olive oil, sprinkle generously with the dry rub and rub it into the steak on all sides. Repeat sprinkling on the dry rub, but this time don't rub it in.<br/>Put the steaks into a marinating container such as Tupperware or place into a heavy sealable plastic bag.<br/>Refrigerate overnight. Let the steaks sit out at least 30 minutes before you grill them. Start the BBQ in the meanwhile. Too, you can place them on a "flat cast iron oven grill" in your oven. (You can broil on high, or set the oven at 400 or so). Broiling works very well!<br/>Once I get to the point of grilling, I place the steaks on the grill and shut the cover on the BBQ.I grill for about 4 or five minutes, and I then turn over the steaks.<br/>Grill for 4 or five minutes on the opposite side for medium rare. Up to seven minute for well done.<br/>The thicker the steaks the longer they should cook. Don't keep turning, and turning them. You can use a quality meat thermometer to be sure....140 degrees is rare, 150 medium and 175 is well done.<br/>The whole idea of searing steaks at high temperatures is to seal in the juices. But, on the other hand don't go berserk and grill them at 600 degrees.<br/>Once you have created you grilled masterpiece, you will want it to sit out for five, ten minutes so they can breathe a little.<br/>So I hoped I answered "how do I BBQ a perfect steak"? Everybody will have another way of doing it, but at least you know one way that works!<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-63447091773387233042014-05-25T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-25T16:51:00.694-07:00How To Cook A Pork Loin<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNnIsy3xY54HFxlwvUVnTtTb0g6tUBPuXitVdRGfgEsCgb3gFCOXaKaRCCexsMlandBxpQ_nSWewfxLOxVoQdbg8m0PZMCa44sAVqti27c17Toqqtojt3gV_BXhdqGErK0BgGufvaG5c/s400/How+To+Cook+A+Pork+Loin.jpg">If you eat any type of meat you may find that a pork loin is one of the healthier cuts of meat that you can eat. Most are lean and economical to buy.<br/>If you did nothing but stick a pork loin all by itself into the oven, or on the grill for a couple of hours they would turn out to be very good. But, if you should happen to prep them just a tad they just may turn out to be superb.<br/>When I purchase a pork loin I try to find the biggest one I can and one that is on sale.<br/>I find that Safeway, Costco and Fred Meyer stores are just of a few places that have them on sale on a consistent basis. Check your local stores for sales.<br/>A large one is somewhat cumbersome to get onto the grill or into the oven, so I normally cut it into thirds and cook one at a time. You can easily freeze the other two.<br/>First thing you might want to do is rinse it with hot water and place into some type of marinating container like a Tupperware season-serve marinating container (below) or a plastic bag. No aluminum pans or foil.<br/>Put a little EVOO on all sides of the meat and then sprinkle on a generous portion of a rub such as Paul Prudhommes Pork and Veal Magic (See Below).<br/>Don't spare the rub. Rub it in on all sides and ends of the loin. Put more on, but don't rub it in this time. <br/>There is a question of some type of marinade other than a rub. You really don't need to, but there are things that you can do at the end of the cooking process to add more flavor and retain moisture.<br/>After the applying the rub, refrigerate over night. It does miracles.<br/>Start, the oven, gas grill, Traeger Grill (Apple Pellets are superb!), charcoal grill and maintain a temperature of at least 325 degrees. If gas, or charcoal grill, you will want to cook on indirect heat. In other words, heat one side of the grill and cook on the other.<br/>Before placing on the grill or oven, let the pork loin sit out for at least 30 minutes. If cooking in an oven place in a Dutch oven or a clay pot (fat side up). You can go berserk and add all kind of vegetables, slices of apple laced with cinnamon to these containers and further enhance the taste of the pork loin. Sprinkle on Emeril's Original Essence (See Below) on the veggies for an additional taste.<br/>For the grill I like to line a shallow baking pan with a lot of foil (fat side up). Cleaning up messes sucks big time and in the end you are going to want to wrap the loin in foil.<br/>Cooking in an oven or on the grill should take anywhere from hour and a half to two hours. Use a meat thermometer �.done is at least 170 degrees.<br/>In the last fifteen minutes of cooking time mist with a concoction of orange or apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Get a spray bottle. Lot's of juice and not so much the vinegar.<br/>The spray thing is not as critical when cooked in the oven. You'll find that a clay pot or a Dutch oven do a fantastic job of retaining moisture in meat. ( I have both a Schlemmertoph Clay Pot and A Lodge Dutch Oven. You will have to get up way before breakfast to beat them out for the price.)<br/>Once cooked, wrap in aluminum foil and let it sit out for about fifteen minutes prior to serving. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-62036640003270621662014-05-25T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-25T04:51:00.528-07:00Kielbasa Sausage | Grilled & Eaten!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBRvV4iYpGadPCT5uleeVWDS727KgbsBYk2vLMiIbdoud5TMCeoLcjqboV1ONHxcHbuHfG5YsShkza6EU-EezeQ7K0n2cwwnuE4ijdCKRN0IanPsyGWp9zknEhuI14UaTEKxXX98-SYc/s400/Jambalaya+Recipe.JPG"><br/>Grilled Kielbasa sausage is a blast! Regardless whether I use it in a soup or other dishes, or eat it by itself, I still try to grill it on the barbecue. <br/>Putting it on the grill seems to bring out a particular flavor that I can't get cooking it on the kitchen stovetop or oven. I sometimes have to broil it in the oven, but it still isn't the same as grilling it.<br/>Some recommend that you boil it before placing on a grill. Don't ask me why. Unless the sausage is raw I see no reason to do this. Most prepackaged kielbasa is precooked.<br/>Many things compliment it. It goes very well with potatoes, vegetables, pasta, stir fry, sauerkraut, salads. Try slicing it length-wise and put it on a sandwich along with a quality mustard.<br/>Eat it all by itself and dip into a mustard.<br/>In this day and age, there is low fat kielbasa sausage to be had. Read the labels and make sure you are getting the right one for your dietary needs. Turkey Kielbasa is a favorite.<br/>Our family use it a soup more than anything, especially the turkey variety. It's a great addition and substitute for other meats in a soup.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-66970372801531830942014-05-24T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-24T16:51:00.032-07:00How Long To BBQ A Chicken Breast?How long to BBQ a chicken breast? The short answer is: 10 to 12 minutes a side. The long answer is: "it depends upon the size of the chicken breast". But, twelve minutes for large breasts (no pun intended here!) But, there is a method that works well!<br/>I've barbecued/cooked many chicken breasts, and I found this formula to work very well....no high tech. I let them get a little brown on one side, and then I turn them.<br/>I let it get a little brown on the other side, and then I turn it again. And, I keep turning until I get a nice medium brown on both side. If there is any doubt about doneness use a quality meat thermometer. Should reach 190 degrees.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-64131601172541585732014-05-24T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-24T04:51:00.021-07:00Ways To BBQ Chicken<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSaDBqDrDmqNH9VAQP4P_ADrNcU5bU3cqEVKbrwyC3_mwKjMCDsuYD9JR3IMsNVnvP2-kOUh2KKWB0Amqf9g9md3yGZwwMGhzUzP1TbDD0WQJUZmI6SYffuWV2xRLIbwzERCjpH3lrLw/s400/Best+BBQ+Chicken+Recipe.jpg">There are thousands of ways to BBQ chicken. Here we are just going to show you one. <br/>And, this involves cooking whole chickens on a gas grill.<br/>If you can, try to find whole chickens on sale. Personally, the bigger the better�maybe in the five pound range.<br/>When you are cooking anything meat-wise the emphasis, besides tasting good, should be retaining moisture in the meat. If you didn't do anything else like marinate it or season it, moisture is critical.<br/>The key is to cook/BBQ on indirect heat to retain the moisture. Well, how do we do this? <br/>You simply turn on only one burner on your grill and cook on the unheated side. Making sure that you place whatever you are cooking in some type of a container.<br/>If you don't, you will have the mess of a lifetime on the unlit burner. You will need to close the cover on the barbecue to retain the desired temperature, and keep it closed, except to mop or mist it in the final cooking stages.<br/>Back to chickens: Make it worth you while. Try to do two chickens at a time. <br/>Empty the cavities and flush with warm water. Wash the rest of the chicken, rinse and pat dry. Rub a little EVOO over the entire chicken.<br/>I then pour a generous amount of Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic into the cavity, and all over the bird and rub it in. Pour more on more seasoning but don't rub it in this time. <br/>Marinate over night in the fridge in a Tupperware container like below, or large plastic bag. <br/>Turn on your gas grill to high and then when it reaches temperature turn down to medium or 325 or 350 degrees. Let the refrigerated chicken sit out at least 30 minutes on the counter before the grill gets to temperature.<br/>Cook for several hours until you reach 190 degrees using a quality meat thermometer. Remember only one lit burner�.cook on the other. <br/>Put a small container of water next to the pans and keep it filled during the cooking process. In the last 15 minutes or so of cooking brush lightly with your favorite BBQ sauce. Don't put on a sauce before that or all it does is burn.<br/>I prefer to mist, using a squirt bottle containing a cup of apple or orange juice along with a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in the last fifteen minutes.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-91552652847660437572014-05-23T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-23T16:51:00.054-07:00Roasted Turkey Breast With Cinnamon and Maple Syrup!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4M5VAxu3akqQl6ioeKqWrLYpZThvDjlPiHEkSeh-c4Sda_R1CoELpgzqXQxxNlwLk_uqTwP3Ya3pqJk93V69nX31j3L3o3gYuPmTfQDrxftqdFyIqjGSAq9XzCChnbPV-x5VRhdMsQMw/s400/Roasted+Turkey+Breast+7.JPG"><br/>Just when you thought it was safe to go to BBQ or oven and grill/cook another turkey breast in an unimaginable way along comes some new frightening method to fix a roasted turkey breast in a creative way.<br/>Get over the mundane! A big part of the grilling and barbecuing scene is to have the stuff you fix taste good and not resemble Jane and John Doe's.<br/>I started out with a seven pound, plus frozen turkey breast. Actually, it was so big it could pass as a full-size turkey. But, you can get away with a much smaller one. Let it unthaw and wash thoroughly, inside and out.<br/>Rub the turkey breast with EVOO. Gently part the skin away from the body with a thin bladed knife and sprinkled on a generous portion of Ground Cinnamon in between the skin and the body. Sprinkle more Cinnamon into the cavity.<br/>Place the turkey into either a large plastic marinating bag, or a large plastic container. Pour maple syrup over the bird and brush on evenly. Pour syrup into the cavity also. If you're rich use the real stuff�.otherwise imitation will do. The turkey will never know the difference. Marinate over night.<br/>You say, "That's it?" No "Buzzard's Breath Big Bad Sauce"? "No Hotter Than Hell - You're Going Die Dude Rub"? "What's the barbecue and grilling world coming to"?<br/>Sometimes simple is good! And, this is simple.<br/>Before you get ready to cook the bird let it sit out on the counter for at least thirty minutes while you start the barbecue, or oven. Get it up to temperature. I used my Traeger Grill to cook the turkey breast.<br/>I set the temperature for 325 degrees and this worked perfectly. I placed the turkey in a shallow baking pan lined with aluminum foil so I wouldn't cake-up my grill. You can imagine what a nightmare it would be if you didn't with all that syrup.<br/>At seven, plus pounds the turkey breast took three and a half hours before it reached just a little shy of 190 degrees internal temperature. In the last half hour I misted the bird with a combination of apple cider vinegar and orange juice to help seal in the juices.<br/>Before serving the bird it was wrapped in aluminum foil and allowed to sit out for thirty minutes before carving. The puppy always checks out anything like this first for poisoning. He said it was ok to go ahead and eat.<br/>You can easily do a roasted turkey breast in an oven or on a gas grill. If you use a gas grill, use indirect heat, meaning, heat one side of the grill, and not the other. Place the turkey on the unheated side. A charcoal grill will be a little different. You can place a drip pan on the charcoal shelf and place the coals on a semi-circle around it while placing the bird over the drip pan.<br/>Whatever way you cook the turkey you are just going to love it!<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-65020219401460263532014-05-23T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-23T04:51:00.733-07:00Watermelon Roast<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqZag5lqPuX_h3Dzp7t-_ixq3dEER0uh-5P1gJ_uqZYqKKiFH1juYpc_cLvc6VlzvVFUGDD8BeFIYUQNPghLAbJJj3MLB6mlrdeiV2aA1y-rfXedK5_qsfVJKrZ93W8YaVUg4TqBbxs8/s400/Watermelon+Roast.jpg">A Watermelon Roast goes by many different names: Diamond-cut Roast, Full Rump, Manhattan Roast, Melon Roast, Rump Tail, Round Tip Roast, Rump Roast, Rump Triangle, Wedge-cut Rump Roast, Sirloin-Tip Roast... A George C. Roast. But, hey, many look good, but some are better than others...so get a little picky and get a good one.<br/>For the girls this narrows down to the:" The George C. Roast"! The girls have class and dwell on the coolest. They know how to pick them out. Also, George maintains a open mind!<br/>It kind of bugs me that when you purchase sliced roast beef at the Deli that can get up to eight to nine bucks a pound. So we purchase a Watermelon Roast at three to four something a pound and cook and slice our own. And, I bet it is a lot leaner cut of meat than the pre-sliced stuff at the Deli counter.<br/>Fixing a roast like this is a piece of cake. I prefer to marinate it before hand, but you don't have to. But, I will tell you what I do and you can take it from there.<br/>Through the years, I have found that marinating tenderizes, adds flavor to any cut of meat. For simplicity, try McCormick's "Grill Mates Zesty Herb Marinade". Follow the directions on the package except for one thing. Poke multiple holes in the roast with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.<br/>An alternative is to use Italian Dressing as a marinade. It contains excellent spices to enhance and tenderize the roast. Use Paul's�.the money goes to good causes.<br/>No matter what, I marinate the roast over night in a proper marinating container�even the McCormick stuff who tell you it's only a 30 minute marinate thing.<br/>When I cook a roast like this, I use a water pan between the heat and the roast. You can do this on any kind of a barbecue grill or an oven. It's self-basting, adds moisture and keeps it from burning.<br/>First the oven: Set the temperature at 350 degrees. Let the roast sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Use your oven drip pan. Fill it with warm water almost to the top, but not quite. Allow for some boil over. Place the roast on top of the drip pan and cook for several hours, checking with a meat thermometer after one and half hours or so. Don't run out of water. Add more as needed.<br/>It's almost the same scenario on the BBQ grill, except I use only one burner and place a water pan in the middle of the grill so I can easily close the lid. Same temperature thing�you can even use the oven's drip pan if you want, but watch the water level. <br/>140 degrees is rare, 160 medium and 170 is well. Wrap the Watermelon Roast in aluminum foil when done and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes before slicing.<br/>Use a carving fork and a sharp knife and cut at an angle and cut very thinly.<br/>Best of all enjoy! <br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-322663816353429132014-05-22T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-22T16:51:00.448-07:00Country Style Pork Ribs | Go For The Meat<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5ZmHVopTvZwxToCOPmfoVZq87okOOjGwbdzOjW9fosyGMSyhB89G3JnoB858Og7pjsypsaeEOm4Vogf9HqMuCa77rSyb4WAq_s_DVk2N7g8rvj9acZQP3-5JteA43noa7PSuujV9bGk/s400/How+To+BBQ+Pork+Ribs3_edited-1.jpg"><br/>Above is a pic of a whole bunch of Country-Style Ribs that have just got off the barbie and are all squished together like sardines in a can.<br/>Lets get right to it, not to mess up your day but Country-Style are not really ribs, but they're kind of real close to where the actual ribs are on a hog. They even look like the real thing!<br/>Baby Backs are the real ribs, and probably more popular, especially in BBQ joints, maybe because of the presentation thing. The preparation of both types is the same except with Baby Backs you will have to remove the membrane which is not all that big of a deal.<br/>If you are thinking about Country-Style Pork Ribs look for them on sale. Often you can get a good price on them if you shop carefully. Try to get a minimum four pound package of ribs. This usually consists of five huge ribs.<br/>Wash the ribs and pat dry. There are hundreds of "Dry Rubs" that you can use on ribs. You can make and use your own, but there are some excellent ones like Paul Prudhomme's "Pork and Veal Magic" or his "Barbecue Magic" that are extremely cost effective. <br/>And, I don't think you could buy all the ingredients and make them any cheaper or better. Chef Paul does his homework!<br/>Get yourself a marinating pan, something like a Tupperware Marinating container or a large, heavy plastic bag. I prefer the Tupperware because you can use it over and over. And, I like the fact it stores easily, and when not marinating it stores home-made cookies extremely well. Is the brain starting to rally? Any lights starting to turn on? Is the engine starting to fire on all cylinders? <br/>Place the ribs in the container and sprinkle Dry Rub on all sides of the ribs and rub in thoroughly. Next apply plain old mustard. I mean plain old yellow mustard to all sides of the ribs. The wimps may want to use a small brush to apply the mustard so they don't get their gorgeous mitts all yucky.<br/>Yellow mustard had some neat ingredients in it that makes it an excellent marinade like, for example: vinegar, turmeric, paprika. Apply more Dry Rub, but don't rub it in this time. Cover and place in the fridge over night.<br/>Next Day: Get out of bed! Get your ribs out of the fridge! Let them sit out on the counter for a half hour. Meanwhile, get the oven or grill up to 325 degrees.<br/>For the grill, you want to do your ribs on "indirect heat". You'll burn them if you don't. It's not like grilling a steak.<br/>Yes, you can grill ribs over direct heat. But, when I cook them I am after moisture and tenderness and the only way I know how to accomplish that is through slow cooking.<br/>I cook ribs two ways. On my Traeger Grill, I place the Country-Style Ribs in a shallow pan lined with aluminum foil. The Traeger naturally cooks on indirect heat and there is no problem with burning.<br/>On my gas grill, also using a shallow pan, I light only one side of the grill and cook on the cool side with the hood down. But the best way is using a water pan with a grill on top of it to cook the ribs.<br/>This is patterned after the ancient Chinese method of steaming and more recently the Water Smoker grill. This method of cooking is self-basting and adds moisture and taste to whatever you are cooking.<br/>You can add things to the water and that is absorbed by the meat like onions and spices. You can substitute cola, root beer for the water...adds taste and puts a nice glaze on things. (See this post)<br/>Put the hood down and leave it down for an hour. A low two zone fire on a charcoal grill should get the same results.<br/>Whether it is an oven or the grill, the ribs should be done in about an hour or until they reach a temperature of 170 degrees.<br/>Take them off the grill or oven and drain off the fluid. You can coat them with a quality barbecue sauce, but I like to coat them with "Fischer and Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce" and put them back onto the grill or oven for 15 minutes.<br/>You can add smoke to Country-Style Pork Ribs for these last fifteen minutes also. On a gas grill, you will have to get a "smoker box".<br/>Follow the directions on the package. Smoke the ribs for the remaining 15 minutes. With the charcoal grill, add chunks of fruit wood rather than chips.<br/>The latest craze has been to boil the ribs first before you BBQ them. Best advice...don't do it! You'll screw them up!<br/><br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-6280200553250645102014-05-22T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-22T04:51:00.026-07:00Weber Charcoal Grill | Compare To Those Expensive OnesWeber is the standard and the most recognized name in a charcoal grill, period.<br/>Their grills are built like brick chicken houses, and since the get go, (that means a long time ago) have offered superior grilling and barbecuing ability even for the beginner.<br/>Walk around your neighborhood and you will almost always spot a Weber grill, especially the "kettles". Of course, there is the name, but they have always kept their prices to the point that almost anyone, even someone on a strict budget could afford.<br/>I like to use this analogy. I live right next to the Willamette River in Oregon. During salmon season you will see hundreds of boats out on the river fishing for Chinook salmon all at once.<br/>There are the folks that think they have to have the $35,000 boat to catch fish. Then there is the guy who has the hundred dollar boat that he rows with the old oars.<br/>Hey, the fish don't care if you paid $35,000 for you boat, or a hundred bucks. The guy that has the $100 boats (the guy with the oars) will catch as many fish, if not more than the guy with the fancy $35,000 boat.<br/>The basic $100 boat, with oars in the BBQ world is the Weber Silver Kettle Charcoal Grill. Although, the price is under a hundred bucks.There are lot's of imitators, but there is nothing at that price that is superior, or comes close to the quality. And, if taste is the final denominator, the $5K grill won't taste any better. In fact, it may not taste as good!<br/>The "Silver" can grill and/or barbecue most anything the folks that have the $5000.00 grill can. They just may not have all the conveniences, the guy on the $5K grill has.<br/>But, and if you must, and if you are into conveniences you can move up to a couple of different models, namely the Weber Gold Charcoal Grill and the Weber Performer Charcoal Grill.<br/>What do they have over the basic Silver model? Basically, they both have removable ash catchers and hinged cooking grates for easy re-fueling. You don't have to get your hands dirty at all cleaning ash from the unit. And, you can deal with the lid a lot easier.<br/>In the case of the Weber Performer it has a bin for storing fuel and a propane ignition system and a cool work table.<br/>All can easily accommodate six large succulent (big word) steaks, or twelve juicy mouth-watering hamburgers, or a dozen shish kebabs.<br/>Maybe this isn't quite as much food as the guy with the $5K grill can accommodate, but it tastes just as good..... most likely better, for a lot less bucks.<br/>If you are in the market for a charcoal grill, none comes better than the Weber brand. I would take the Weber Charcoal Grill in a heartbeat over any gas grill that's in the same price range. Hey, maybe even some of those gas grills that are in the $5000 price range.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-44624569128946824652014-05-21T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-21T16:51:00.650-07:00Weber Performer Charcoal Grill | UGrill-IEat!With barbecue season right on top of us (It's always on top of us), it's time to talk once again about the Weber Performer Charcoal Grill. (Well, just kinda of an earlier post thingy, too)<br/>First the Weber Performer is not some type of an El Cheapo charcoal grill. This is not a ten dollar grill designed to destruct after one BBQ season. It is a grill designed to last and last.<br/>As of the date of this post, there are 173 positive ratings of this product. There are a few minor gripes (A rednecky thing: "I so busy fightin' off the flies, I done forgot to light the charcoal and dat your fault. (And An And/Or thing): I done left the charcoal out in the rain all year to dry out and I won't light." <br/>But, in short, most folks just love their Weber Performer to pieces! It's goin' light your fire, dude! <br/>The BBQin' results you're goin' get are goin' be phenomenal! It's going to impress your family! It's goin' impress your friends, providing you didn't leave all that charcoal out in the rain all year!<br/>All Things Equal: The Performer makes it easy to light charcoal and takes the pain out of having to use foul repulsive smelly, not so good for the environment, dude, charcoal lighter fluid, or a chimney starter to get things going. <br/>They have an auto-ignition feature�a button that you push that gets the charcoal going. How hard can this be? Rally your brain...get with the button!<br/>Technical Time: Basically, what it consists of is a propane welder's torch built into the base of the kettle that ignites the charcoal. This definitely solves the lighting problem�.especially on cold windy days. In essence, this combines a convenient feature of gas grills with charcoal grills.<br/>There are some additional cool features like a dual-purpose thermometer that monitors the temperature inside the grill while you are cooking and then you can removes it to test whatever you are barbecuing for doneness.<br/>You don't have to take the lid off to add charcoal. They have what they call a Tuck-Away holder that holds the lid up and out of the way while you add charcoal, or check internal temperatures of the meat that you are barbecuing.<br/>There are aluminum vents that you can adjust to provide perfect airflow so that the Performer can meet any cooking condition. Hey, there is even a storage container that keeps up to 20 pounds of charcoal nice and dry.<br/>There is also a rack to hold all your BBQ tools and a great set of wheels makes your Weber extremely easy to move around.<br/>Make sure you get a cover�.they are thirty some bucks, but worth every penny. You grill will last much longer if you cover it when not in use.<br/>Is this a recommendation for the Weber Performer Charcoal Grill? Yes! And, I think you will find the price is right�.and, there are 173 folks that have given a super positive review on Amazon.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-24103560798672272142014-05-21T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-21T04:51:00.227-07:00How Do I Make Pulled Pork | Tis Not Billy Bob Buzzards RecipeYou can make pulled or shredded pork just like the pros. But, it takes patience and maybe four quality beers or glasses of wine, at the minimum, and even, yes, a tad bit of a nap somewhere along the line.<br/>Cooking a pork roast to make pulled pork takes about eight hours. There is no getting around the time factor. 'Tis, not a 30 minute meal. <br/>In a hurry? You are better off to go out and buy it at "Billy Bob Buzzard's Raunchy Q Pit" at about twelve bucks a pound�..but, that's when it's on sale. And, it ain't goin' be even close to your stuff if you do it right!<br/>I have made pulled pork many times, but have written about it only a couple of times. I make it from a pork shoulder roast, (other names: pork butt, Boston Butt) and usually barbecue on my Traeger Grill. It always has turned out great because of the mechanics of the Traeger.<br/>Whether you have a barbecue grill, or not, you can still make super pulled pork. Hey, if you are still reading this post, you are my kind of people and you will be making superb pulled pork in no time!<br/>A butcher can be your best friend in your purchase of a good pork butt. Consult them and tell them what you are going to do with it. They can help you select a good one. A four or five pound one is cool! <br/>A Fact: Excellent pulled pork doesn't last much past one day ( A lot cooler than Billy Bob's). Since yours is going to be awesome, and with the cooking time involved, think about doing two or more of these suckers at the same time. You can always freeze the leftovers.<br/>First, we have to prepare the pork shoulder. Wash and pat dry the roast. Make a "Rub" like the following: (Thank you Cheryl Jamison, from her superb book "Smoke and Spice", for allowing me to pass this on). <br/>Wild Willy's Number One-derful Rub Recipe<br/>� 3/4 cup paprika<br/>� 1/4 cup ground black pepper<br/>� 1/4 cup salt<br/>� 1/4 cup sugar<br/>� 2 tablespoons chili powder� 2 tablespoons garlic powder� 2 tablespoons onion powder<br/>� 2 teaspoons cayenne <br/>Get off your duff and make this Rub. You can make it for a fraction of the cost that Billy Bob Buzzard is going to charge you for his off-the-wall-smell-real-bad jar of stuff. <br/>Now it's time to sprinkle on a generous portion of that Wild Willy mixture all over those gorgeous pork shoulders and rub it in. Next, we want to apply yellow mustard all over the pork butt. Yes, dumb old yellow mustard! It has all the ingredients for a super marinade. Believe!<br/>Sprinkle more Willy on, but don't rub it in this time, "VERSTEHEN"? Place in a marinating container or bag. I prefer a Tupperware Marinating Container (below...Amazon has a good price on them, dude). Put in the fridge overnight.<br/>The next day is going to start out to be super-duper exciting type of day. (Go back to the first paragraph of this post�you are going to have a blast and a very "cool day, dude"!)<br/>Let the pork sit out for at least 45 minutes while you get the BBQ grill, or the oven up to 325 degrees. Place the roast in a shallow dish, on top of a cookie sheet for the oven. Forget the cookie sheet for the grills. Only wimps and sissies use "cookie sheets" on BBQ grills, unless you're baking some homemade cookies!<br/>On a gas grill, you are going to cook the roast on indirect heat�.meaning turn on one burner and place the roast on the off burner side. If you don't, you will have a crispy critter that is cooked on the outside, but not on the inside. On a charcoal grill, use a two-zone fire on low heat. Shut the lid on both types of grills, and keep them shut except to "mist". Am I gettin' thru? Is the brain starting to rally?<br/>The Misting Thing: Get yourself a squirt bottle, like you would use when doing the ironing for your wife or partner. Pour in a half cup of apple cider vinegar, and a half cup of orange or apple juice. You're in business, Dude!<br/>Here's the schedule: (You better print it out while still awake!)<br/><li closure_uid_mhly09="587">Cook one hour at 325 degrees and lightly mist the top of the pork roast (1 brew)</li><li closure_uid_mhly09="587">Cook two more hours at 325 degrees and mist the roast again (2 brews)</li><li closure_uid_mhly09="587">Reduce the heat to 300 degrees, cook for three more hours and mist again (3 brews)</li><li closure_uid_domwj0="533" closure_uid_mhly09="587">Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and cook for 1 to 2 more hours (1 to 2 brews)</li>For the grills, misting is a matter of opening the cover, lightly misting and closing the cover back up. For the oven, partially pull the pan and tray out...and mist the pork, not the oven, dude.<br/>Misting, marinade and the Rub form a cool crust on the pork shoulder. It will be crusty on the outside and tender and moist in the inside. After you take the pork off, wrap it in foil and let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.<br/>The pulled pork thing comes from sticking a fork through the crust and literally twisting the fork and pulling the pork out of the shell. Some folks separate the crust, fat and pork. How hard can this be?<br/>Whether you make this in the oven or on the grill, it's going to turn out delicious like. Well, it is isn't it? If you do it this way you'll have folks lined up for miles waiting to get at your pulled pork.<br/>To keep it from drying out the day after, seal in air tight packets. Try to maintain the moisture best you can. <br/>If your pulled pork tastes bad.....which if you followed directions shouldn't, you can always pour "Billy Bob Buzzard's Groaty BBQ Sauce" all over your beautiful finished masterpiece? But it will be kinda like pouring ketchup on Kobe beef. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-33788823450300298082014-05-20T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-20T16:51:00.141-07:00Honest Scrap | Not Just Something That Rhymes With ItA real nice person has passed this Honest Scrap Award on to me. This is a real privilege and I have not taken for granted. <br/>So, get off your pork butt and Google it. You'll find that it is real! <br/>You'll may also find that before you can become the great person you want to be, that you must help others to become the great person they want to be!<br/>Anyway, the person that passed this on to me didn't have to pass it on to me..."She's there"! She already has a fantastic food blog and lots of followers. <br/>But, wouldn't it be a super thing on your part to take a few minutes out of your busy day to visit her! Her site is: Weave A Thousand Flavors. You just might learn something about good food!!!!<br/>Now, it's not enough just to grab this award, there are conditions and obligations in receiving it:<br/>a) I must brag about it.<br/>b) Display the badge on my blog and link to the one who tagged me to prove that I didn't tag myself (how pathetic that would be!)<br/>c) Share 10 things about myself.<br/>d) Pass the award to other fellow bloggers by visiting their site.<br/>So, 10 honest things about me: <br/><li>I'm retired, and a househusband and I work at trying to be a good one</li><li>Spent four years living with foster parents and five years in an orphanage</li><li>Many years playing drums in jazz groups</li><li>Gave up the drums and now play keyboard strictly for enjoyment</li><li>Made sixteen different trips to the Far East while I was in the Marine Corps</li><li>Use to race cars</li><li>My favorite food and restaurant is Italian</li><li>Although, I grill and barbecue a lot I never use BBQ sauce</li><li>My favorite chef is George Hirsch</li><li>Maybe just the oldest food blogger going (well into my 70's)</li>The bottom line is: Do you know three folks you would like to pass this award onto? Sure you do! You just have to get off your pork butt!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-78866240046259645122014-05-20T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-20T04:51:00.500-07:00BBQ Gifts For Cool People!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqNwNBAGPpQ-psM0PnaOU_Jz3gbwlPIC9HpduW2Nh6oiLpbIi0dZvkU6sm1RFDOHbCLA1uQ2UfvsmOPR_hqiobWlVBDouqNOyjRVICoCXcisdlZ4CIE6Sb_SQciEPwR7pHg8AaoXoD4Y/s400/Barbecue+Turkey.JPG"><br/>Finding gift ideas for the grilling and BBQ aficionados in your life (Like For Father's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, Birthdays) has never been easier. There are plenty of creative BBQ grills & accessories to go around and you are bound to find something that will please that "special & cool bbq person" in your life. You can never have enough toys!<br/>Here are just a few great gift ideas for the bbq cool ones in your life. Make em' happier than a barbecued clam!<br/>Hey, a little note here. I kind of favored Weber BBQ grills and accessories to qualify as great bbq gift ideas. They are not afraid to make a quality product.<br/>Weber cares about their customers. So, I only include "high end" products, especially the gas grills. You don't want to buy a cheap gas grill. <br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-62191380871532485452014-05-19T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-19T16:51:00.256-07:00Grilled Baked Potatoes | Yum Yum!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cPHGI5rTr6sYfhH_M3xr7Yml_tS7KqmtNHCa-sCKQDWovq-c1OaMp9xnrty5x-rdTY6DxcQH78phsgzDGftk0ZfGdCWKGKq0z54vMRQruAiqGvZbXccjhae97n4DC1T9iBO71fP41Yk/s400/Grilled+Baked+Potatoes.JPG"><br/>One of the great pleasures in life can be baked potatoes, especially when grilled on the barbecue.<br/>In this grill session, I started out with six medium size Russet Potatoes. However, you can use Red Potatoes, Yukon, Sweet, or any type you want, even a combo.<br/>I prefer to microwave until just about done. You don't want them to turn out all shriveled-up. You want them fairly firm. After microwaving, they are stored in the fridge the day before I want to grill them.<br/>By putting them in the refrigerator overnight it firms them up even more, and then I cut them up length-wise so I have two halves. Next, apply a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the potatoes, and then sprinkled on a nice spice.<br/>Hey, you can use any spice you want! To start maybe something like Emeril's Original Essence (See Below). There's no rules, you can apply a dry BBQ rub, or just salt and pepper. Try them sprinkled with dill and garlic granules.<br/>You can quarter, or cut them into eights for french fries. And , you don't necessarily have to cut the potatoes length-wise. You can slice them up into chip-size. But, make sure you don't cut them so small that they fall through the grill.<br/>Turn the gas grill on to medium heat. On a charcoal grill, you may want to push the coals to one side of the grill and cook on the other side. When up to temperature bake ten minutes, or a tad bit longer, on both sides.<br/>Make sure you rotate the positions of the potatoes on the grill so that they cook evenly. Also, you should end up getting some beautiful grill marks.<br/>If you leave them halved, they can be mashed up, you can add butter, or sour cream & chives, or sprinkle on a nice Parmesan cheese.<br/>Grilled baked potatoes are a blast. They are unique! You will impress family and friends with your grilling skills. And, of course, cooking anything outdoors just makes it taste better.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-52687679766719940712014-05-19T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-19T04:51:00.083-07:00Tuna Melt Recipe<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-8wpV4Ch9TGsbt3N0x5eLd4Syb_iiMMRuWU5Op02s-gDhqA5JVVAWxQuq_WAA51rKiG6GPeXd8WVatTJY3a-7KhtMtJp_x7o3ZkNQ55c_lUhJvNfu92Q8dw3Q9c15UIiBuR7vOmSHYU/s400/Tuna+Melt2_edited-1.jpg"><br/>Get going with a grilled tuna melt! Here is a simple recipe. Well, do you want all recipes you run across to be complicated?<br/>I have been using a rather large ribbed fry pan. But, it's too small to hold over two sandwiches, and there's not really enough space in the pan to turn them over easily.<br/>Better would be some thing like the Lodge cast iron reversible griddle like below. These sandwiches are just to messy to put directly on a grill. <br/>Besides with a cool cast iron griddle you can be grilling things like pancakes, eggs on the smooth side and hamburgers, sausages, steaks on the ribbed side.<br/>Make enough tuna that it's worth your while. One can of tuna doesn't get it. You can inhale one can of tuna all by your lonesome. <br/>Here we go:<br/><li>Two to five cans of tuna</li><li>Mayo to taste</li><li>Chopped dill pickle to taste </li><li>Chopped dill weed to taste</li><li>Yellow or white cheddar</li><li>Frozen bread, preferably sour dough</li><li>Butter or substitute</li>Mix all the tuna ingredients and put in the fridge for at least two hours prior to making up the sandwich. Lay out the bread and lay the cheddar on all the slices. <br/>Use a soup spoon to scoop the tuna onto one side of the bread and press down to firm it up a tad. Make sure you have the cheddar on the outside of the tuna and not in the middle of the sandwich or you'll be grilling till doomsday to melt the cheese.Put the sandwich together and butter the outside.(lately I have been brushing on EVOO and skipping the butter. It works fine!) Use frozen bread. It's much easier to butter (spread EVOO on) and to handle the sandwich�.any light bulbs beginning to light up?<br/>Grill away! The tough part is turning the sandwich over as you grill. Use a nice big sturdy spatula for the job.<br/>You can add chopped celery, onion or anything you want to the tuna melt�.there are no rules, only that you enjoy your creation. As a family, we have a tendency to pour on the cheese and pour on the tuna.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-51248363288549959052014-05-18T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-18T16:51:00.041-07:00BBQ Soup Recipes<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SBkSpYBrg1RmBJUuUyu5jGJ48aOS47Z85_NNzY12S9JKzVLZEgMrpah7WO9dutTbK62741nbDeTrH4IGJAnV_yGzBUeX0FpTWf6-zwXu4z-TJ73VZcqtnm0UZXPXx-1AeDqVcgG7vQI/s400/BBQ+Soup+Recipes+4_edited-1.jpg">If you had the gall to simply say, "Let's go ahead and cook up a soup on the BBQ grill", old Billy Bob (the "Q" Dude) would probably go ballistic.<br/>But, hey, actually even old Billy Bob might come around and chow down on a really cool soup that is entirely done on the barbie. In fact, you can bet he would because everything is cooked and grilled outdoors. No, it ain't goin' be slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork to him, but it's going to be super delicious and it's going to be something that your family and friends....and good old Billy Bob are just going to love! Plus, it's very economical to make.<br/>Personally, whether it is a soup or a casserole I like to cook things in stages, meaning: For example, you will want to make sure a onion and some garlic are caramelized first and then start adding other ingredients along the way as they are grilled separately. You are going to get very distinctive tastes and colorful looks in your soup because you bothered to take the time to do this. <br/>So, like Clint E. the Movie Director would say, "Action!" Ok, he wouldn't say that, he would say, "Let's get started now!" Actually, if Clint said "Action" Rachael would have had this soup recipe all cooked before he got the "ion" out.<br/>Let's get started now:<br/>1) On a gas grill: Turn one burner to medium high. On a charcoal grill probably a two zone medium fire.<br/>2) In a medium to large stock pot add lots of EVOO and cook one whole chopped onion and 3 to 4 finely chopped gloves of garlic until just about golden brown. You want to have enough oil in the pot that the onion and garlic seem to float. Remove from fire.<br/>3) Rub three whole stalks of celery, three whole peeled carrots, one Anaheim pepper, one skinny yellow squash or zucchini with EVOO and grill them on medium high. Don't go berserk, just get the veggies to the point that you have nice grill marks, remove them from the fire and cut em'up. Dummies can look at the picture above to see how veggies look when they are cut up! Grill a nice Kielbasa sausage and cut that Dude all up, too.<br/><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZ8YqKQEPbiqp4Ras5E6aGMTzLzNrPp9lgc0CY5k_lIhKgdBgefwtihwidouseVMgLqAAY1OHrN2jBF6ZkPMjTrSkk5hsdVczwJ9cDokw8Kcln9MGuxFO1LsloOKRqC1dFQ-atKh6T_8/s400/Kielbasa+Sausage+Two.JPG">For The Brain Dead: This is what a Kielbasa Sausage looks like....veggies don't really look like this!<br/>4) Add all of Number 3 (For the Rednecks: that's a number that comes before four (4) ) �.add them to the pot and return the pot back to the fire. <br/>5) Everybody likes to sauté veggies until they look like mush. Don't do this! Think crisp! Don't cook all the nutrients out of them. So, cool it! You want "Crunch and Munch"!<br/>6) Start adding 32 to 64 ounces of chicken broth to the pot. If you want more of a "Stoup" stick with the 32 ounces to start with. I tend to make my own or buy the best that I can buy (Chef Paul Prudhomme makes broth to perfection). Hey, I also added 16 ounces of a nice beef broth to the pot. It adds a real different dimension to the soup.<br/>7) In a separate pot cook Buitoni Tortelloni, or something that looks like it, per directions, and add to the pot.<br/><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7pDtHSGHuC_4MD9VEx4cugl4RGsvqCCUz2IgJf-CYs4D0UygKLxjEheKR8v8ZLiAbHDHf9NLl4FArl_D41_tTixhvLmEaYc7wDhJVdKQ372R34ffLSObw0yL8nid38aGIUQkeceOPs0/s400/Buitoni+Tortelloni.jpg"><br/>8) You're done, Dude! No need to simmer until all the cool nutrients are cooked out and have gone away.<br/>I'll make no bones: I have two chefs that I think are way above all others�Chef Paul and Chef George Hirsch. I don't know Chef Paul personally, but I do Chef Hirsch. Both are down-to-earth and super nice folks. You can tell! And, they were cookin', grillin' fantastic chow before most of the FN stars were born.<br/>My very favorite is Chef Hirsch! He might, he just might communicate directly with you (if you are nice) and he'll give you more ideas about living, traveling, cooking, grilling than Carter has pills...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-45755845075876558552014-05-18T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-18T04:51:00.444-07:00Easy Barbecued Chicken RecipesHave you barbecued a chicken lately? This is one of the best and easiest recipes out there. It can be cooked in an oven if you want, or it can be barbecued on a gas, charcoal or on a wood pellet grill.<br/>I always like to bbq several chickens at the same time, but just one will work. If you don't have one already, get yourself a Tupper Ware Marinade container, one that you can turnover without spilling everything.<br/>In addition, you need something to barbecue the chickens in. Nine by 13 disposable aluminum pans, or a utility pan will do nicely.<br/>An equal combination of Italian Seasoning and granulated garlic is used as a dry rub. And, I use Catalina Dressing as a marinade.<br/>� Wash the chickens thoroughly and pat dry <br/>� Place chickens in Tupperware container <br/>� Rub in equal amounts of granulated garlic and Italian Seasoning on all parts of the bird (put a little extra Virgin oil on the chicken so the rub sticks) <br/>� Pour and brush on a generous amount of Catalina over the bird and into the cavity <br/>� Now, sprinkle on more garlic and Italian Seasoning. Don't rub it in <br/>� Marinate overnight (Do not marinate anything in aluminum) <br/>� Before you barbecue, make sure the chickens are set at room temperature for 45 minutes <br/>� Place chicken in the aluminum pans (use two pans to make them sturdier), cavity side up, and pour all the remaining liquid from the Tupperware onto the chicken<br/>You will want to barbecue on indirect heat. On a gas grill, or charcoal grill you simply heat only one side of the grill. Preheat the unit to 325 degrees. Place the chicken on the unheated part of the grill. Close the lid. Don't worry about all this in an oven or wood pellet grills.<br/>You don't want the chickens to dry out, so we are going to baste or mop them with Catalina after one hour and every fifteen minutes after that until their done. Simply, pour some of the dressing into a bowl and brush the bird to keep it moist. Stick a meat thermometer into it to make sure it's done�..usually after one and a half or a couple of hours of cooking.<br/>If you are looking for delicious barbecued chicken recipes, this is one of the best! Article on what's the best way to barbecue chicken?<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-19192411138143665862014-05-17T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-17T16:51:00.099-07:00Outset Grilling AccessoriesWant to get to the next level with your grilling, barbecue skills? Explain to all of us how you can be the coolest BBQin' Dude on the planet if you don't have the right grilling tools, accessories to get your "Q" up-to-snuff? Geez, get balance in your life...."get a barbecue life"! Take some time to rise above....well, average! <br/>So, how are you goin' get above average? How can you "Take Action" (Thank you,Tony) and do something that may improve your "Q".... maybe even your "IQ"? A start might be getting the right tools and grilling accessories to help you get your "Q" up to the point where....(You asked for it) that somebody might want to eat? <br/>El Shocko Time: There are some folks out there that can provide you with some of the best accessories and it's: "Outset�"!<br/>I bet you don't have a clue�..Are they in the outset printing business? <br/>Clue Time: Outset� is a leader in product design and development in the grilling accessories and they have been around since 2002. Their business revolves around manufacturing quality products. (Enough of all this formal stuff) Take you "mouse" and left click this: Outset Grilling Accessories and find out exactly who they are...or, just remain average!<br/>Bottom Line: Take a few seconds out of your life, to get a life, and check out who some of the quality folks that are in the grilling and barbecue world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-18379607261694422052014-05-17T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-17T04:51:00.671-07:00BBQ Chicken Recipes | Dum Dee Dum Dum<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf6fwRCib4bVsd-cOlsuyb_o-iA9X6Y1PjiZLRobcdUCLuQzUQwkwFgvYhww4IHYx_7bY_uoRMu_9-ETJkd9fhD-tpBs_RVbXjGLoWKWWdaKg35ur-PurXEc1LpJj6z5ncrqt38VdnnI/s400/Marinade1.jpg">What were you girls expecting in my very own kitchen photo...a closeup shot of Paul Newman? Get real! Get a grip!<br/>Ok! Here are two simple BBQ chicken recipes that are so easy that even you might...well, maybe, be able to do yourself without having to call Martha, Rachael, Ina, Chef Paul or Chef George (not Clooney) to bail you out : <br/>1) Get a whole chicken, or two (one chicken ain't enough...but just do one if you want)<br/>2) Now, it's time to get with it! Hunker down, knuckle down and clean those suckers with some warm water...and pat dry<br/>3) Get Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Poultry Magic" (see bottom of post) and rub on the chicken, both on the outside and in the cavity (Beside Chef George Hirsch, Paul P is right up there with good chow and good luvin' and livin'!)<br/>4) Get Newman's Own Lemon Pepper Marinade or Fischer and Wieser's Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and use as a marinade. How hard can this be? Maybe get the brain to rally just a tad!<br/>5) Put the chicken(s) in a plastic bag or Tupperware Season-Serve Marinating Container<br/>and pour a generous amount of marinade on the chicken and into that super marvelous cavity<br/>6) Sprinkle on more Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic, but skip all the rubbing it in thing this time<br/>7) If you are still awake, place those poor little fragile chicks into the fridge over night�"over night" for rednecks means: "Tat the time y'all out huntin' possum and dat big gator, dude!"<br/>8) Set the BBQ grill at 325 degrees, let the chicks sit out for 30 minutes while the grill gets up to temperature<br/>9) We goin' cook on indirect heat�meaning: If you cook it on directly on the grill it will be a real crispy critter on the outside and "real rare" on the inside. For the rednecks: "We dig dat real, real rare possum meat, dude!"<br/>10) On a gas grill, turn on one burner and cook on the other side at 325 with the hood shut. I prefer to cook the chickens in shallow pans...messes that drip thru your grill really suck, dude!<br/>11) On a charcoal grill, a two zone fire set on low heat with the hood shut<br/>12) On a pellet grill don't sweat it<br/>13) The chickens are going to cook until they reach a internal temperature of 190 degrees�"That real hot in da the swamp, Mon"<br/>14) Cooking time is anywhere from two and a half to three hours <br/>15) After one and a half hours lightly "mist" with a concoction 1 cup of orange juice and a tad bit of apple cider vinegar. Put it in a squirt bottle and mist the chicken lightly. De Rednecks: Put all dat concoction in dat gator's mouth...he squirt it back all misty real soon! <br/>16) When done, Let those now fabulous, beautiful, gorgeous chicks set out for at least 15 minutes before serving<br/>???? <br/>?? <br/><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIyDUZjFtA2fFeK2zbG88bG7yd114XCE2MHMvAEyUQlNJgTnOZtZtbEjSZ4n_4DxhypRJ8XX6rd_Qld2o-t2xA6clVd8sweLoAm2BKFGlS_p-o7YWt6PGC85wcrTkh_uxKVuJOz4YZT4/s400/BBQ+Chicken+Recipes+2_edited-1.jpg">BBQ Chicken Recipe Using Fischer and Wieser's Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce ?? ???? <br/>?? <br/><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFYSGtGE1R4GUrKRS95xIqVxfQbboUrxBL3EoaRoGi1y-zSxFnz93J0XCFnbLvCX5nsB4UNfQ7CnX0qOTsXchRLq-b4XGYOdyDWMhlQwhTY-_dYk6hSriPwpxEHYu1ncIwuImklwQVbE/s400/BBQ+Chicken+Recipes_edited-1.jpg">BBQ Chicken Recipe Using Newman's Lemon Pepper Marinade?? <br/>Nothing here should be a great big out-of-control-thing, dude! What were you thinking? These are easy BBQ chicken recipes, dude. Relax! Get a grip! <br/>Get all your ducks lined up! Get all your beavers chewin' on the same tree! Get all the Viking to roll your boat! Maybe this simple: Like just, sip on a nice Oregon-made brew or an excellent glass of Oregon-made wine while you're doin' all those chickens.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-28959874145632500672014-05-16T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-16T16:51:00.339-07:00Broilmaster P3S Grill | Best Gas Grill For The MoneyA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away lived a few gas BBQ grills that lasted longer than just a couple of years, hey, maybe even longer than Yoda. One such brand was the Broilmaster. Today that tradition still lives on in all their grills including the P3S Super Premium Gas Grill. They build them like brick "you know what houses"!<br/>I won't waste your time, if you are looking for the cheapest grill out there with all kinds of non-functional bells and whistles proudly made in Lower Greasyslobvovia (everything kinda slides down the wall) ....this ain't the grill for you, dude.<br/>However, if you are looking for something made in the USA, has a tradition, is extremely versatile with cool heat and cooking methods, e.g.; the chow turns out superb, is solidly built, and has a super warranty....well, read on.<br/>Un hombre positivo, no imaginativo: Many folks never get passed grilling hamburgers, steaks and hotdogs on a gas grill. This type of grilling is called direct grilling. You are cooking directly over the heat source. And this is not bad, but, there comes a time in one's life.....<br/>Maybe, just maybe it's time to expand on the hamburger thing and do something else like cook a whole chicken, turkey, pork loin, watermelon roast, ribs. Wake up time: You have to think. You have to cook things like these on indirect heat.<br/> <br/>Equate it in trying to cook a whole chicken, in a fry pan on your kitchen stove top. You'll cook the outside of the chicken, but not the inside. <br/>Sure you can cook on indirect heat on a two burner gas grill, but the Broilmaster make the switch from direct heat to indirect heat a snap with a unique shutter system. Much like closing and opening a set of stainless steel Venetian Blinds.<br/>Crunch Time: Open the shutters for conventional grilling and searing over high heat. (Now pay attention!) Close the shutters for indirect grilling and the smoking mode. <br/>Let's say we're doing a whole turkey. Shut the shutter system (cooking on indirect heat) and the drippings will come down on and burn off the shutters to produce a flavorful smoke. Hey, combine this with wood chips and you may just have something thats not readily available on units that are twice the cost. Are you starting to get the picture? I doubt it, but....<br/>You have to ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky, am I about to get intimate with one of the best gas grills out there"? If you are starting to get serious about getting the best grill for the money, run, not walk to Amazon Ad below and check it out for yourself. If you are good and kind to others, they just might give you the best price on the grill.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-10332834562194482742014-05-16T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-16T04:51:00.030-07:00Orange Marinade For Grilled Pork ChopsOk, you are looking for a marinade in particular for pork chops. Try to stay awake and if you can't, maybe the next person will be able to:<br/><li>1 Cup Orange Juice</li><li>� Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar</li><li>2 tbl of EVOO (Rachael knows what those initials stand for�hope you do!)</li><li>2 tbl of Ground Cinnamon</li><li>� tsp of Cayenne Pepper</li>Do I have to tell you to stir all this up?<br/>Get yourself a large plastic marinating bag or, like I prefer, a Tupperware Season-Serve Marinating Container (below)�.greatest thing since "Sliced Bread"! And, don't ever marinate anything in aluminum foil�..got it?<br/>Pour the marinade on the pork chops & not yourself. For the super impatient, marinate the pork chops for at least 4 hours. For the "really cool folks" more like overnight.<br/>Before you grill those pork chops, let them sit out for at least a half hour. For the rednecks, that means the exact time it takes to drink four 16 ounce "Cold Ones" and munch on a possum jerky stick.<br/>Ooh yeah, combo brew and the possum jerky makes for really cool breath.<br/>While the chops are sitting out on the counter, start the barbecue grill. Nice medium temperature of 350 degrees will get it. We aren't out to sear them like a steak or burn em' up.<br/>Next, drain off the marinade�I was hoping I really didn't have to tell you that before you put them on the grill.<br/>Seriously, once you put them on the grill, baste the chops lightly with the marinade. Use a plastic bristled brush.<br/>Watch the pork chops! Means keep your eyes on them. Don't let them burn. Move them around on the grill. We want them to get to 170 degrees. Get a meat thermometer�get a life!<br/>For the really "dumb" don't forget to take them off the grill when they are done cooking�then eat em'!<br/>Hey, this marinade recipe will work for spare ribs, pork roast and grilled pork chops.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-85690042777800539772014-05-15T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-15T16:51:00.060-07:00Barbecue That Turkey | Ham & Yam It Up!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BoNiI8yvvIjJqVrduV8otD-XVjb7BOoHEYnMi1jB8kt_nNFrsfDTKl3hGMBar5ka-ntcd-pVt1FqkF7pN3xWrooeo2g1mkZXjq953TZLP_L4ui8UhpfLCeQNlgW_lNKikDdP3k3S__o/s400/Barbecue+Turkey2.JPG"><br/><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png"> <br/>Since yesterday was Thanksgiving in the U.S., it was the time to put the turkey on the Traeger Barbecue Grill. Ahh, but with a twist, I put something else on the grill along side it.<br/>One of the folks that we invited to our family Thanksgiving dinner had eaten turkey a day early. As an alternative we decided to do a ham on the BBQ also. Both turned out real, real good. But, isn't that the whole idea?<br/>Among many dishes, my wife fixed a yam dish recipe that was over-the-top which included candied pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, butter. Starting to get real good now!<br/>She baked four hughmonguos yams in the oven (no room on the Traeger BBQ) at 350 degrees for about an hour. She cored them and mashed them up just like you would regular mashed potatoes with milk and butter, but then adding the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.<br/>The clincher though, was the candied pecans. She mixed them up whole into the yams.<br/>Of course, I'm partial but I thought they were simply outstanding. And, hey why wait for Thanksgiving to have them again.<br/>Anyway, I hope you and your family had a super Thanksgiving. We all can find something in our lives to be thankful for.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-61102749429838469782014-05-15T04:51:00.000-07:002014-05-15T04:51:00.098-07:00BBQ Steak Cooking Time | Grill em' Right<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDca9IO7GmFGmwK_HNo4582dS8iVXoC3Xa1ba1McdR4iUDmHfbfbgqNXZoroVrLjQ5a0Yfn4qy-MdzPvFuxmYGnSUb85P0AJFOJeL4ohBH-8BzKxnR8FqZB8pDve1lDECXutndFZfpH0U/s400/BBQ+Steak+Cooking+Time+2.JPG"><br/>I couldn't help myself, I had to grill some Beef Sirloin Filets wrapped in Apple-Smoked Bacon over the weekend. Our Shih Tzu puppy was lined up in front of the BBQ before I could take the cover off.<br/>These cuts of sirloin steaks are one and a half to two inches thick and three inches in diameter. And, one of the more challenging steaks that you can grill, because of the thickness, and the bacon.<br/>No matter what kind of steak your are grilling, cooking times are going to vary based on the thickness of the steak. This is where a good thermometer for your barbecue comes in, and use of a good meat thermometer becomes essential.<br/>A quality gas barbecue can heat up to 600 degrees. If you were to pop those sirloin filets I grilled over the weekend, on the grill, at that temperature, they would have burned on the outside and been raw in the inside.<br/>The whole theory behind cooking a steak the right way is to sear it on the outside in order to seal in the juices. On my gas grill, you can do this at a reasonable temperature e.g.; 425 to 450.<br/>My family likes steaks medium rare. If I cook at 450 I know to cook the thick sirloin steaks for four minutes on each side and immediately check them with a meat therometer.<br/>The internal temperature of the steak should be 140 degrees. If I had cooked them five minutes on each side, medium done, or 160. Around 170 degrees is well done.<br/>If you cook a thinner steak, three quarters or an inch thick, you start scaling down the cooking time. Three minutes to a side may suffice for medium rare.<br/>I hoped I answered a few questions about BBQ steak cooking time. I have been grilling steaks for fifty years and I learn something all the time about it. If you follow these simple guide lines you should be cooking just right everytime.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3657901024092032381.post-82171966597276943382014-05-14T16:51:00.000-07:002014-05-14T16:51:00.063-07:00Tips For Combo Grilling & Cooking In Clay Pots<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlZ7u5AYkWSvSQ5nR4q-57t5Lh85ckb5Xk6V2C4F_OLjZkzX45vSVL0Kea_IJe1ThVM6Iy5iQ_vqeVU9iPdeVXTXTAl6FZjRGX2Zni21zV9iYcTwX87CgXR6uLgWtbTv_GU5_k3CRrVI/s400/Schlememmertoph.jpg"> <img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png"><br/>For nearly thirty years my wife and I have been using SchlememmerTopf Clay Pots to make a variety of recipes (We have more than one pot). They are super vessels to cook a fabulous meal in all by themselves.<br/>Further, when it comes to cooking indoors, it very hard to beat a clay pot, why? Simply because cooking in one helps retain the moisture in food, is self-basting, and food tastes phenomenal after it's cooked. Plus, it cooks super fast.<br/>Schlememmer literally means"to feast"! They kid not! Why they haven't caught on like a "slow cooker" has I don't know. But, for clay pot fans here's just a couple of tips for making even more delicious dishes using a Schlememmer.<br/>So, let's get creative. What happens when you combine grilling on the BBQ with clay pot cooking? The answer is: "Awesome"!<br/>Anything grilled outdoors just seems to taste better. Grilling meats and vegetables, and then to finish cooking in a clay cooking pot is where the awesome lies and can make for an exciting dish.<br/>This is a modified a recipe for a Chicken and Asparagus Casserole right out of the SchlememmerTopf Recipe Book. Since it involves cooking the chicken and the asparagus ahead of time, it was a no-brainer to grill those two ingredients on the BBQ.<br/><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCwEs0kPGIgjjXkkhozxc-tdEC0jgbq1lTsFMRqWzY0WeOn7_OkWjks3JEInZDwqNufyNDzU_B3V0KsXEk5U5fA2nb3x6nHvlvM75CP3cYZkZzLczGUTBNv4AznEU9G0SWEDz_rNbXdg/s400/Chicken+%26+Asparagus+Casserole.JPG"><br/><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHmNhqTVhjac4vrN6-YRDBbXcJgTvslvopRFdzkUHN-Cmc7FmO6KKgZcy9cE1DJ_kU6UckEu6L5zbMYqmWTcs79mhb824QMeOtYKqXMz3U4INeaR7Mjar-iiNxvM6QOR19N_3zGQWaFs/s400/Chicken+Breasts.JPG"> <br/><li>One pound of asparagus </li><li>One pound of chicken (Use chicken breasts) </li><li>Small can of Cream of Chicken Soup (Try low-sodium) </li><li>Half Cup of grated Parmesan </li><li>Quarter Cup of heavy cream </li><li>Tablespoon of butter </li><li>Paprika</li><br/>I added Balsamic Vinegar, Spice Rub and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also, I doubled up on the chicken but not the asparagus.<br/>The condensed chicken soup was salty. Next time I will opt for a low-sodium substitute, or dilute the chicken soup.<br/>Cut off the none-essential ends of the asparagus. Now, the basic recipe doesn't call for marinating the asparagus in Balsamic Vinegar and Extra-Virgin-Olive Oil. Do it anyway! A tad of each goes a long way. Marinating the asparagus in this concoction for thirty minute will suffice.<br/>I applied a "Spice Rub" to the chicken breasts. Most any quality Poultry Rub will do. Apply a generous amount of Rub, along with a little EVOO and set aside for 30 minutes.<br/>Fire up the grill to a moderate temperature and then grill the chicken and asparagus. Keep turning the asparagus on the grill until you have nice grill marks on all sides. The asparagus will be fairly limp when it's done.<br/>You are going to cook both the chicken and the asparagus some more in the clay pot. So, I didn't get too testy with the internal temperature of the chicken.<br/>Meanwhile, we are going to make a sauce. Get yourself a fairly large sauce pan and combine the soup, cream, butter and half the Parmesan in the pan.<br/>Hey, you can do this on the grill�.there's no rules. Stir it until it's all mingled, heat it up and set aside.<br/>Fill the lid of the SchlememmerTopf with tap water for ten minutes, and then pour out. Place a layer of the asparagus at the bottom of the pot. Place two chicken breasts on top of the asparagus.<br/>Place another layer of asparagus on top of the chicken, and then the remaining chicken on top of that. Pour the sauce over the chicken and asparagus.<br/>Put the Schlememmer in a cold oven and set the temperature to 425 degrees. Cook for 25 minutes.<br/>The recipe calls for sliced chicken. I opted to slice up the chicken after it came out of the oven. This works real well.<br/>You can eat this dish all by itself, or you can put it over pasta. If you go this route, cut everything into bite-size chunks.<br/>I would also dilute the Cream of Chicken Soup to give you more sauce. Add the remaining Parmesan. Sprinkle with Paprika.<br/>All this sounds terribly complicated. Actually, it's simple, fast and is fun to fix. If you don't have access to a grill, I would still add the Rub, EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar as outlined.<br/>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0