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About BBQ Ribs - Few Things in Life are Better than Barbecue Ribs

2010-07-01T14:17:00.000-05:00

About BBQ Ribs - Few Things in Life are Better than Barbecue Ribs

2010-06-17T11:07:00.000-05:00

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Potato Salad - Potato Salad Recipes and Ideas, Barbecue & Grilling

2010-06-17T11:06:00.000-05:00

Potato Salad - Potato Salad Recipes and Ideas, Barbecue & Grilling

Preparation and Cooking of Ribs

2010-03-11T13:13:00.000-06:00

Here's another in a series from our friends at Texas BBQ Rub

Preparation and Cooking of Ribs

OK sorry it has been a few weeks to get Article 4 written and in
your hands, but I was out at the Houston Rodeo BBQ Cook-off for
about a week. Then it took me a couple of weeks to get caught up
here at the office. I talked about sending me your estimate on
the amount of brisket and ribs we were going to be cooking in
Article 3 and many of you sent me your estimates. It was great to
see the responses coming in. Thank you for taking the time to
send me your estimate for the amount of meat we were going to be
cooking.
So here is the answer of how much we cooked for the visitors to
our booth.
36 briskets (whole about 11 pounds each)
126 slabs of pork spareribs
175 pounds of sausage
12 pork tenderloins
2 stuffed pork loins
8 pans of Bill's Meatloaf smoked on the pit
30 - ½ pans of Bill's surprise potatoes
30 - ½ pans of beans
6 gallons of Texas Own Products Sweet BBQ Sauce
And we had over 1,000 people come thru our booth at the Rodeo
Cook-off. They had record attendance of over 270,000 people come
thru the main gates for the 3 day cook-off.
We even had the legendary Dr. BBQ, Mr. Ray Lampe come by our
booth on Thursday and Friday nights to say hello, visit, and eat
some Q. I got to sit down with Ray and talk about Texas BBQ for
about an hour on Thursday night and that was a blast. Thanks Dr.
BBQ for coming by to chat with us and eat some good Texas BBQ.
And I am proud to say that the Texas BBQ Rub Cooking Team placed
11th in brisket out of over 130 teams that turned in brisket (and
we were tied with 9th and 10th place and lost the tie breaker).
The Houston Cook-off is a little weird in that you only get to
turn in one meat for each space that you have. We have one space
and this year turned in brisket. We were 45th overall in the
standings out of over 370 teams.
We had a lot of people guess on how many briskets and the pork
spareribs and many of you came pretty close to the actual numbers
that we cooked. That was great to see that you gave it some
thought and have learned a little bit about how much food to cook
for large crowds.
And speaking about ribs this is what this Article is going to
cover. The preparation of pork spareribs, pork baby back ribs,
and country style ribs is at your fingertips.
There are a few big questions I know you are going to ask.
1.   Do I need to remove the membranes from the ribs before I
cook them?
2.   What is the easiest way to remove the membrane from the
ribs?
3.   Do I need to wrap the ribs?
4.   What is the simple 3-2-1 method talked about in cooking
ribs?
5.   How do I know when the ribs are done?
The answer to these questions and others will be covered in depth
in this article.
OH! THOSE WONDERFUL RIBS (I'M TALKING PORK HERE)
From Kansas City, to North Carolina, back to Memphis and down to
Texas one thing that all barbecue fanatics seem to agree on is
ribs are made for barbecuing. Now that is all they can agree on
because the way they are cooked, the sauce (if any) used on the
ribs while cooking or eating, and the type of rib to use for the
best outcome seem to all have a fierce debate going on all of the
time. But, in all reality, ribs are a wonderful piece of meat to
cook on the grill and they are even better (my opinion) on a
smoker. But let's get down to cooking some ribs and licking our
fingers.
The styles are different, the ribs may be different but one thing
remains the same, ribs are great for smoking and grilling.
Whether you like your ribs wet, dry, with sauce, without sauce,
baby backs, spares, country style: we all seem to love ribs.
OK the basics. First, we all know that you don't use a fork to
eat a rib. This piece of meat was made to be picked up and eaten
with your hands. So it is not the typical meat to cook for a sit
down, black tie affair. This is getting your hands nasty and lick
them clean kind of eating. The fun begins.
When I talk about ribs, I usually talk about spare ribs. But
there are many of you who enjoy cooking and eating baby backs
(loin back) and then there are those that enjoy cooking and
eating Country Style Ribs. So, we are going to spend some time
and talk about each of the three "ribs" I have mentioned above.
Keep in mind that Country Style Ribs are not really ribs at
all…but more on that later. But first…….the single question asked
most when it comes to cooking ribs…..

DO YOU NEED TO REMOVE THE MEMBRANE ON THE RIB OR NOT?
The big debate among the rib cookers is whether or not the
membrane should be removed from the ribs prior to cooking or do
you cook with the membrane on the ribs. Ask 100 people and it
seems you will get 50 that say remove the membrane and 50 that
say leave it on there.
OK for those of you that don't know the membrane is a very thin
piece of cartilage that is on the bone side of the rack of ribs.
You can remove the membrane by peeling it off. Use a sharp knife
and slip it under the membrane at one end of the rack of ribs and
peal back enough to get a good grip on the membrane. Some suggest
using a screwdriver to pry under the membrane instead of a knife,
it is much safer. Try gripping the membrane with a paper towel or
pliers and then peeling it off the rack. This takes some practice
so just keep working at it. Adds time to your preparation so plan
extra time to get these off if you so desire.

Tip: The best thing that I have seen used for removing the
membranes from ribs is a catfish skin remover (not sure that is
the correct name) but what it is it looks like a pair of pliers
except the end is about 2 inches wide and you can grip the
membrane with it and work it off the rib. You should be able to
find one of these pretty easy at a good outdoor supply store.
My personal preference and the way I cook all of my ribs is to
leave the membrane on the ribs when you cook them. That being
said, I'm sure there are plenty of you out there that remove the
membrane and I have no problem with that either. I just think it
is a waste of time if you are going to cook the ribs over low and
slow conditions. If you are grilling the ribs, then I might have
a tendency to agree with you to take off the membrane.
A Big Advantage of leaving the membrane on the ribs is……...
TIP: The juices of the ribs are actually held in the meat by the
membrane as the ribs cook:
so they hold much more of their natural juices.
Some argue that spices and smoke cannot penetrate the membrane so
you lose some of the flavor you are trying to get into the meat.
Not true in the case of low and slow smoking. After a period of
time of cooking at say 200 to 225 degrees the membrane will
actually start to tear apart. It no longer is in its single piece
stage and does not change or hamper any of the smoke flavor or
rub flavor you are trying to get into the meat.
If you are grilling ribs, then perhaps the best way to get the
ribs to their most tender and best tasting stage is to remove the
membrane because the ribs you are grilling are not going to be
exposed to the long periods of low heat but rather higher heat
for a shorter period of time. I can see the benefit in removing
the membrane for grilling purposes only.
So, this decision rests with you. Try it both ways and find out
which way you prefer the ribs. Membrane off or membrane on. Now
let's get into the discussion of the different types of ribs.
SPARE RIBS
The Spare Rib comes from the side of the pig, right next to the
belly. You ever heard the term "side of ribs" well it comes from
talking about spare ribs and where they come from.
You usually buy spare ribs in the whole "rack". There are 13
bones in a full rack of ribs. Try to find racks of ribs that are
"4 and under" referring to the weight of the rack. There are two
distinct sides to the rack of ribs, a bone side (covered by the
membrane) and a meat side. The rack will be a little curved. You
can buy spares with either the skirt (a extra flap of meat
attached to the rack) on or the skirt off. Most of the wholesale
and supermarkets sell their spares with the skirt on. Just leave
it on there and cook it and enjoy.
Spare ribs are a little meatier than baby backs and they are
fattier cause of their size. But they usually cost ½ as much as
baby backs. I don't cook baby backs as much as I cook spare ribs.
I personally think the flavor of spares just can't be beat and
they are the perfect finger food.
Some folks cut the spare rib rack into what many will call St.
Louis cut spareribs. Basically, they cut the bottom of the ribs
off right above the knuckle and square up the rack. Hey folks
don't waste the time doing this. Serve those whole spare ribs.
There is some of the best tasting meat down in the knuckles of
the rib. So enjoy them.
An Interesting Note
You see restaurants advertising ribs on their menus either as a
whole rack or half rack. These can be any number of ribs that the
restaurant wishes to call a rack or a half rack. So a half rack
can be 3 ribs and a full rack can be 6 ribs. Not exactly a full
rack of ribs, as we know them.
BABY BACK RIBS
The Baby Back ribs are sometimes referred to as "back" ribs or
Loin Back ribs. The baby in baby back actually comes from the
size of the ribs themselves. They are much smaller in nature than
the spare ribs, as the rack on baby backs will weight only 1½
pounds to 3 pounds. They are somewhat meatier for their size than
spare ribs with less fat. The meat from the baby backs comes from
the loin (the back part of the pig, where the better cuts of meat
on the pig are located).
Baby backs are generally the most versatile of the ribs to cook.
You can grill them or smoke them. They are, in my opinion, the
best rib to grill as they are smaller and leaner and will cook in
a shorter period of time than spares they are more geared to the
high temperatures that grilling is all about. Because of their
size they will cook quicker than spare ribs.
If you were grilling baby backs then I would recommend removal of
the membrane prior to cooking. They are not going to be exposed
to the smoke and fire long enough to break down the membrane by
cooking. So spend some time and remove the membrane.

COUNTRY STYLE RIBS
So-called country style ribs are not ribs at all. Now don't get
mad because these little gems are cut to look like a rib but they
come from the blade side of the loin or in many cases they are a
pork butt cut into strips. They resemble fatty pork chops cut
into pieces that resemble a rib. These you can get for under a $1
a pound when you find them on sale and they make great BBQ.
Nothing wrong with them they just are not a real rib.
The have no membrane and are usually cut in about 1 inch thick
pieces about 3 to 5 inches in length. Recommended cooking of
these is low and slow. But they can be grilled as well.

COOKING RIBS - EASY AS 1-2-3

Simply rub down the rack of ribs you are cooking with
Worcestershire sauce and apply Texas BBQ Rub to the ribs. On
spare ribs about ¼ cup of rub on the bone side (just cover the
meat that is exposed, not the membrane) and ¾ cup on the meat
side of the rack. Baby backs it will be about ½ of that amount,
so roughly 1/8 cup of rub on the bone side and about ¼ cup on the
meat side of the rack. For country style ribs you will have to do
each "rib" separately by adding just a little rub to the "rib"
after you cover with Worcestershire sauce.
Place the ribs on the grill or pit with the bone side down.
For indirect smoking/cooking, cook at 200-225 degrees for about 5
to 7 hours for spare ribs and 3 to 4 hours for baby backs. No
need to turn them over they will be fine. You will notice during
cooking that the ribs will look like they are drying out. This is
part of the cooking process and they will not dry out unless your
cooking temp is too high. As the ribs get close to being done you
will see them glaze back over. This is the rub working its magic
on the ribs and they will soon be done. No sauce needed let Texas
BBQ Rub take over on the cooking and just keep the fire at the
right temp.
How do you determine when the ribs are done?
Tear Test
The best way for you to determine if the ribs are done is to use
your hands. Pick them up with gloves on your hands and twist the
ribs at the top of the rib to see if you see the meat start
tearing away from the bone. When done the rib meat will tear away
from the bone cleanly. If they are tough to tear then leave them
on the smoker for more cooking.
Take them off the pit and enjoy. If you don't have a good pair of
gloves that can handle the heat, the grease, and holding or
moving the meat then we have those on our site so order a pair of
those gloves with your rub order and you won't need another tool
around the pit for moving or holding the meats you are cooking.
Toothpick Method
Tooth picks are great around the smoker to do things like hold
stuffed meat together but they are great when it comes time to
test the meat for doneness. You can use a toothpick to determine
if the ribs are done by simply running a toothpick between two
bones and see if it passes thru the meat easily. If you feel
resistance then the meat is not as tender as you may prefer it to
be so let the ribs cook a bit longer. You can also use a
toothpick on a brisket to determine when it is really tender.
Bones of the ribs are exposed
You will sometimes see the meat pull down the bone of the rib.
This is fine and I usually see it on pork spareribs and not so
much on baby back ribs (usually on the baby backs a few of the
bones will become exposed as the meat pulls down but they are
hard to see do to the curve of the baby back can hide that on
your grill). This is just an indication that the meat is
shrinking and it is not the best way to determine if the ribs are
cooked to your liking. They are pretty when the bone is exposed
but do not use this as a measure of the doneness of the rib. You
will notice also that ribs that are wrapped in foil for a hour or
so that the rib bone is often more exposed than ribs that are
cooked without wrapping.
For grilling you can cook either baby backs or spares over direct
heat. Prepare the ribs the same way as before except this time
you will be cooking directly over a very hot fire. I would add
some smoke flavor to the ribs by adding some wood to your fire.
See our website at www.texasbbqrub.com for a discussion on adding
smoke to the gas or charcoal fire.
You will need to turn the ribs over about every 15 minutes or so
to ensure that both sides cook evenly and to prevent the ribs
from burning. Watch the ribs carefully as to not burn the coating
of rub or sauce you have on the ribs. Rubs and sauces all have
some sugar in them and sugar will burn at a little over 300
degrees so keep turning the ribs to avoid the burn. Cooking time
for the baby back ribs on the grill (try to stay in the 300
degree range on the grill) will be about 1 to ½ hours and for
spares about 2 1/2 to 31/2 hours.
If you want to finish off the ribs will a BBQ sauce add the sauce
the last 15 minutes of the cooking time. This will keep the sauce
from burning.
WRAPPING RIBS IN FOIL
I have had hundreds of questions about wrapping ribs. Here are my
thoughts. There are a lot of smokers that prefer to wrap their
ribs during the cooking process to shorten the cooking time and
to also make the ribs fall of the bone tender. I prefer not to
wrap my ribs but if you would like to wrap your ribs during the
cooking process then there are a couple of rules of thought on
this.
I would like to tell you that when you wrap the ribs the meat
texture will begin to change. They can get mushy if you leave
them wrapped too long so be careful with the wrapping of ribs. I
hate to change the wonderful texture of ribs so I stay away from
wrapping except in competition where the judges think the meat
has to be falling off the bone. I personally like to pick up the
rib bone and eat the meat off of it. You decide and try both
methods.
Spare ribs: If you are cooking on a pit (low and slow under 225
degrees) then the general rule of thought is to do the ribs using
the 3-2-1 method. That is the method that says 3 hours uncovered
on the pit, then wrap for 2 hours, and then take them out of the
foil and put them back on the pit for another hour to tighten the
ribs back up. I find that wrapped 2 hours the ribs are overcooked
so use the same method and do the ribs 3 hours on the pit
unwrapped then 1 hour wrapped then another hour unwrapped back on
the pit to tighten up the ribs. Pour or spray some liquid over
the top of the ribs to give it some moisture inside the wrapping.
You can use apple juice, or the best I think is some spray
margarine and spray the top of the ribs real well. You can add
some honey or brown sugar or both to give a much sweeter taste to
the rib.
Baby Back ribs: For the smoker, use the same method but cut your
time to say 1 1/2 hours on the smoker unwrapped, 1 hour wrapped,
and then 30 minutes back on the smoker uncovered to tighten the
ribs back up. Again, add some liquid to the ribs that you are
wrapping like apple juice, honey, butter, or spray margarine.
This will give the ribs some moisture to work with inside the
wrapping.
If you are cooking baby backs on the grill then use a 1 hour on
the grill, 45 minutes wrapped and then 15 minutes to tighten the
ribs back up.
Cutting the Ribs
First fresh cut ribs straight out of the pit are the most
wonderful tasting ribs you will ever pick up. Dripping with
natural juices and full of flavor it just does not get any better
than a rib coming off the pit and cut while it is hot and then
eaten immediately.
Ribs should be cut off the full rack when you are ready to serve
them and you should not cut them in advance as the rib will dry
out as the air hits the meat. So try and cut the ribs right when
you need them and cut just enough for everyone to enjoy and then
cut more for the second round of eating. And there will be a
round 2 and maybe a round 3.
The best way to cut your ribs is to lay the rib on a cutting
board with the bone side of the ribs facing you. You are going to
want to cut between the bones where the meat is. You can take a
sharp knife and just place it between the rib bones starting at
the top of the rib and work it down between the rib bones. Once
you get pretty good at this and for some great show to your
friends you can stand the rib on end and with a really sharp
knife and nice cooked ribs take the knife, starting at the top
between the bones run the knife down the rib letting the knife
naturally follow the rib bone. Makes a nice show and it will
impress the friends. And then once they eat your ribs you will be
the rib king.
What I just Did on the Pit
I just finished cooking 2 racks of baby back ribs. I did this
while I was writing this article so that I could cover all of the
thoughts that I had while cooking. I cooked the baby back ribs at
200 degrees for 3 ½ hours. I did not remove the membrane. I just
applied some worchestershire sauce and then Texas BBQ Rub (the
simple 1-2-3 method) and placed the ribs on the pit bone side
down for 3 ½ hours and they were dripping with juice fabulous
tasting ribs. I couldn't resist eating a couple of the ribs. I
could not tell the membrane was there at all. I took some home to
my wife and she loved them. I don't cook many baby back ribs so
she asked all about them. It is nice to make your wife happy with
some good eating ribs.
Hope you enjoyed this Article and we will be getting Article 5
out to you in about 3 weeks. Be looking for our newsletter next
week where you will find a great offer from us that will be
outrageous. I can't spill the beans on it yet but you are going
to love it.
Thanks for being one of our great subscribers. We do appreciate
all of you.

To your better BBQ.
Bill Cannon
President
Texas BBQ Rub
bill@texasbbqrub.com
281-344-1076

Rib Rub - Barbecue Ribs start with the Rub

2010-03-03T12:29:00.000-06:00

Rib Rub - Barbecue Ribs start with the Rub: "Rib Rub
Barbecue Ribs start with the Rub

By Derrick Riches, About.com Guide

Barbecue Ribs Recipes BBQ Baby Back Ribs Spare Ribs Pork Ribs BBQ Sauce Recipe
Barbecue Ribs, slowly smoked, are an art form, and like an art form there are several different schools in this tradition. The most distinctive difference between these styles is the rub that is used. Rubs can be sweet, savory, spicy, hot, and of course, perfectly suited to your tastes. Finding the rub that is right for you can seem like daunting task but it is well worth the time.

Kansas City Ribs are covered in a thick, sweet rub that usually contains brown sugar. Memphis Style Ribs have a spicier rub but use little or no sugar. These are reflections of the styles and preferences for barbecue ribs that have developed in these regions. Kansas City ribs are served with a thick sweet barbecue sauce, while Memphis barbecue ribs are served dry.

Finding the right barbecue rub for you isn't all that hard. Start with something simple. Do you want sweet, spicy or savory? Now look through various rub recipes for something simple. The best rubs start with just a couple of ingredients and build up from there. Once you get the basics down, you can experiment until you have the barbecue rub that is to your liking.

There are a couple of things you need to know before you start finding your perfect BBQ rib rub. First of all, people will tell you that salt will dry out the meat and prevent browning. Oddly enough most rubs and spice mixtures purchased in the store contain salt. The truth is that you can dry meat by letting it sit in a large pile of salt for many days. However, a light sprinkling of salt on the surface of meat actually draws the flavor of the rub into the meat much more than the salt draws out the moisture. There is even a school of thought that says to apply salt 24 hours before cooking to allow it to sink all the way in.

When it comes to sugar there are a couple of basic rules you need to remember. First of all, sugar works a lot like salt. It needs moisture to dissolve. The moisture on the meat is going to be used to create a syrup-like liquid over the meat. This actually helps hold the herbs and spices in your rub in place. The other rule is the big one. Sugar burns at 265 degrees F. (130 C.). So, if you heat your sugar rubbed ribs to temperatures above this for a long period of time the sugar will burn. However, the sugar in the rub will be mixed with other things like water (from the meat) and salt (from the meat and/or rub). This will slow down the rate at which the sugar burns. You can reach higher temperatures but only for a short period of time. This will allow you to slow cook your ribs on the grill or smoker, then increase the temperature to caramelize the sugar at the end of cooking to create a nice crust on the surface."

Top 10 Pulled Pork Recipes - The best and most popular Pulled Pork Recipes at Barbecue & Grilling

2010-02-24T10:51:00.000-06:00

Top 10 Pulled Pork Recipes - The best and most popular Pulled Pork Recipes at Barbecue & Grilling: "Top 10 Pulled Pork Recipes
The best and most popular Pulled Pork Recipes at Barbecue & Grilling

By Derrick Riches, About.com Guide
See More About:

* pulled pork recipes
* carolina barbecue
* smoking pork

Pulled Pork is probably the purist form of barbecue. This Southern Barbecue tradition originated with whole hogs cooked in pits, sometimes for days, shredded by hand and served up on plain white bread. Variations abound from here with all manner of sauces, rubs and cole slaws (typically served on top of the meat in a sandwich). Today most pulled pork is prepared with pork shoulder roasts known as a picnic or a Boston Butt. However you like it, these pulled pork recipes make a great meal.
1. Pulled Pork Barbecue
This is a Carolina-style pulled pork barbecue recipe.
Recipe
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2. Memphis-Style Pulled Pork
Memphis style barbecue combines sweet, heat and savory to make great barbecue. This recipe adapts those flavors to this great Southern Barbecue Pork.
Recipe
3. Piedmont Pulled Pork
This is the classic pulled pork of North Carolina. The thin vinegar sauce has a little heat in it to give the pulled pork a bite without the sweet or barbecues of the west. If you want to really heat this one up throw in a tablespoon of cayenne.
Recipe
4. Texas Style Pulled Pork
A nice southwestern style barbecue pulled pork recipe which can be eaten with out without the bun. This dish would be great accompanied by grilled vegetable kebabs or grilled corn.
Recipe
5. Best Odds Pulled Pork
This basic process for pulled pork is designed to give you the best possible barbecue pork possible. Once you get the basics down you can start experimenting with any your own ideas.
Recipe
6. Southwestern-Style Pulled Pork
This is mildly spicy Southwestern pulled pork is infused with the wonderful flavors of cumin, chili powder, and allspice.
Recipe
7. Spicy Pulled Pork
You can adjust the amount of red pepper used in this recipe to increase or reduce it spiciness.
Recipe
8. Pulled Pork with Wet Mustard Rub
To prepare the wet mustard rub, you will need to use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to mince the citrus peels and rosemary leaves.
Recipe
9. Chipotle Pulled Pork
The rub used in this pulled pork recipe, has the great flavor of chipotle peppers. Just make sure that the rub is finely ground before using.
Recipe
10. Pulled Pork with Spicy Chile Sauce
This is a delicious pulled pork recipe. You can add more or less cayenne to the sauce to adjust the heat to your liking.
Recipe
Suggested Reading

* Best Odds Pulled Pork
* Pulled Pork Recipes
* About Pulled Pork"

Texas BBQ Rub's Rules for Barbecue Preparation

2010-01-28T08:14:00.000-06:00

Here is a great article from my friends at Texas BBQ Rub.

Preparing for your next BBQ takes some time and planning to make
sure that all goes according to your plans as far as cooking
times, getting the meats ready on schedule, and to have your BBQ
the best for your family and friends to enjoy.

This will be a series of 5 or 6 articles that will detail many of
the things that I go through in planning a barbecue cook for the
family or for large groups of friends or for a BBQ competition
that I might be getting ready for.

In this first article you will learn the basics of what you will
need to make this the perfect BBQ and time lines that will help
you execute the BBQ to perfection.

A brief outline of what you will find in this article is as
follows:

1. The weather is a big factor. What to do?
2. What to do in cold and windy conditions?
3. How you can plan the meats you are going to cook?
4. How many people are showing up?
5. Estimate the amount of meat you need to cook?
6. How much meat can your pit really hold?
7. How to plan arranging the meat on your pit?

Look at the Weather Forecast

About a week or ten days before you want to cook BBQ the first
thing that you should be looking at is the weather conditions as
they are forecast for that particular day or two to see if there
is any bad weather coming in that could change your dates for
cooking.

I know that weather forecast are kind of questionable that far out
but they will usually give you some idea of what might be coming
for the next week. So watch the TV forecast as well as look on the
computer at forecast to see what might be coming in your
direction.

Weather does play a role in the cooking of BBQ whether it is rain,
snow, cold, or wind speeds that can all change the way your BBQ
pit cooks and it can help you decide if you want to brave the
weather for a long cook or a shorter cook.

Based on the forecast you might decide that you will need some
kind of protective awning for your pit. You can get one of the
simple easy ups at most Wal-Mart stores or outdoor stores near you
and they are nice to have when the weather could get bad while you
are cooking.

If rain or snow is in the forecast, decide if you need to protect
the fuel you will be cooking with. If you are using wood then make
sure you get it to some protected area so that it will be dry and
not soaked by a few days of rain. If you are using charcoal then
you should have it stored in a dry area so you should be fine. If
you need to buy some wood or charcoal then you will know where to
keep it when you get it home. If you do need to buy some wood then
make sure you get it early enough to let it dry out if has been in
the wet for some time. You can put it in the garage or shed and
turn a fan on it to help it dry out. Dry fuel is a key to having a
great outside BBQ and it can change the cooking times and flavor
of the meat you are going to be preparing. Wet wood does not burn
as clean as dry woods so you will use more fuel and have to fight
the fire more with the wet wood. So keep it dry and you will have
a better experience. If you are going to get a few days of nice
sunshine with some wind blowing move the wood to where it can take
on the sun and also the wind. Actually wind will dry out wood
faster than just the sun so try to get the wood in both the sun
and the wind if possible.

Blowing winds in the 15 to 20 mile an hour plus ranges can play
with your cooking times. If you add wind speed to air temperatures
you can have a much longer cook than you first thought you would
so plan on that accordingly.

If you have the luxury of having a pit that is mobile and easy to
move with some space to move the pit in then you can move your pit
to an area where you can cut down on the wind hitting you
directly. Different times of the year and different weather
conditions can cause the wind to come from a direction that is not
the normal wind directions that you are used to.

An example of this for me is that in the Houston, Texas area we
usually have a southeast wind. This is created from the tropical
flows that we get from the Gulf of Mexico. But cold fronts or
thunderstorms can cause the winds to change and stay in say a
north wind position for a few days at a time. So I watch the
weather to not only look at the temperature forecast but also the
wind direction and wind speeds so I can adjust to those
conditions.

Cold and/or windy conditions

Cold weather can change the cooking times that you may be used to
in the nice summer months when you have warm weather. So adjust
the cooking times for this factor.

Cold weather with windy conditions adds even more problems to the
cook planning so best to plan on that if it is in the forecast. If
you are using a thin metal pit then the wind and cold will affect
you more than a thicker pit.

In the cold you can also help keeping the heat in the pit by using
a blanket. I like to use a moving blanket if I am going to need to
cover my pit but an old blanket will work fine. Just throw the
blanket over the cooking chamber of the pit and keep it clear of
the fire source. This will aid in both keeping the wind and the
cold off of your pit and will keep the pit temperatures more
steady. Just be careful using the blanket and make sure you keep
it well away from any of the open flames of the pit.

Plan what you are going to be Cooking

You know that different meats have different cooking times so the
next step in your planning process will to plan what meats you are
going to be cooking. You could be cooking all long cooking time
meats (briskets, pork butts) or you could just be cooking shorter
cooking time meats (ribs, pork loins, pork chops, etc).

You need to break the basic meats down into three categories so
that it is easier to plan your outdoor barbecue.

The long cooking meats
1. brisket
2. pork butts
3. beef shoulder
4. large wild game cuts (6 pounds and above)

The mid range cooking meats
1. pork spare ribs
2. beef ribs
3. beef prime rib
4. venison (or wild game) roasts (smaller than 6 pounds)
5. Turkey
6. Chicken

The short range cooking meats
1. Fish
2. pork tenderloins
3. pork baby back ribs
4. Casseroles
5. Chicken wings and chicken quarters
6. Sausages

You can look for current sales at the grocery stores as one way to
decide what might be good to cook for the weekend. The time of
year will determine what meats are the best buys for the season.

If you have a large freezer you can pick up meats that are on sale
now and save them until you are ready to cook. Best to freeze
meats that are in a cryovac package from the store if they are
available. These will last for months in the freezer. You can find
ribs, brisket, pork butts, beef tenderloins, pork loins, pork
tenderloins, beef rib roast in factory cryovac all of the time and
these will all freeze well in the package you get them in. If you
pick up other meats that are not cryovac packaged it would be best
to get them in a food saver type of sealed bag where you can
remove most of the air in the package and then freeze them. If you
are using frozen meats remove them from the freezer and place them
in the refrigerator at least 4 days prior to you needing to cook
them for the larger meats such as brisket and pork butts. For
larger meats you may need more time than the 4 days in the
refrigerator so plan that.

Once you decide on the meats you would like to cook it will be
necessary to decide how much meat you want to cook. You are going
to be firing up your BBQ pit and it is a great time to cook, not
only what you plan on eating in the next few days, but also take
advantage of the pit being fired up and cooking more meat than you
will need. You can then freeze that meat (again I would recommend
a Food Saver type of packaging) and you will then have this meat
in the freezer and it can be warmed up in a day so it is always
available to you.

How many people are you cooking for?

You need to determine the number of people that you are going to
be preparing food for so that you can begin to think of the
positioning of the food on the pit and when each of the meats will
need to be placed on the pit so that you can have all of the meat
ready at the time you need to serve.

How do you estimate the amount of food needed

This really only comes into play if you are cooking for a larger
crowd. For the family it is easy but when the number start to
climb due to a party or family gathering it is a little harder to
estimate the amount of food for. I will give you the rules that I
go by for cooking for large crowds.

1-12 pound brisket cooked should serve 15 to 20 people
1 - 6 pound pork butt should serve 12 to 15 people
1 - whole rack of ribs (not St Louis cut) figure 2 bones per
person so a full rack of 13 bones will feed 6 people
1 - St Luis cut rack of ribs figure 2 to 3 bones per person so it
will feed 5 to 6 people
1 - whole rack of pork baby back ribs figure 3 bones per person so
4 to 5 people
1 - whole smoked chicken will serve 2 to 4 people
1 - smoked ½ chicken will serve 1 to 2 people
1- smoked chicken quarter will serve 1 to 2 people
1 - smoked chicken breast will serve 1 to 2 people
For smoked fish figure about 6 oz per person
For smoked chicken wings figure about 4 to 5 wings per person
For a whole prime rib roast - 12 pounds figure 15 to 20 servings
1 pork tenderloin (weighs approx 1 ½ pounds) serves 3 to 4 people
1 pork loin (weighs approx 10 to 12 pounds) will serve 20 to 30
people

Note: these are approximate and will change depending on the sides
that you are going to be serving with the meats. These numbers
assume you will have 2 sides of potatoes and beans. You should
also have some kind of bread that you will be serving with this.

Once you have your idea of food that you will need to be smoked on
the pit it is time to see how all of the meat you are planning on
cooking will fit on the pit and at what times do you need to get
each of the meats on the pit so that they will all be ready at the
time you are going to be serving.

How much meat can Your Pit Hold?

You need to determine the cooking space on the pit and decide what
strategy you will be using to get all of the meat ready. If your
pit will not hold all of the meat that you need to cook at one
time on the pit then you will need to cook some of the meat in
advance and hold it for the party.

This may sound a bit difficult to estimate but here is the way I
start the process of figuring when I need to start the cooking
process.

1. First you need to know an approximate serving time (or if you
are going to be moving the cooked meat to another house when does
it need to be there).
2. Add one hour for variances in cooking times
3. Add one hour for cutting the meat and getting everything
ready on the table
4. Second take your longest cook time piece of meat (ex. Brisket
12 hours)
5. Figure 1 hour to get your pit up to temperature
6. Calculate the starting time

An example of this would be as follows:

Let's assume that we are going to be cooking for a Super Bowl
Party. The game starts at 5 pm (Central time) and we are going to
cook brisket, spare ribs, and chicken. So our estimated serving
time will be 4 pm when some of the people will start to show up
for some of the pregame activities and to start eating. So 4pm
will be the time we are going to be shooting for to have the meat
on the table.

So we will use 4 pm for the serving time

From that back up 1 hour for variances in cooking times (this is
just a time for problems that could pop up while you are cooking
and is good to have in the total time frame for anything that
could happen that we are not prepared for.

Another hour for food cutting, brisket sitting, and presentation
purposes.

And then 12 hours for the brisket that we will be cooking.

And then 1 hour to starting the pit and getting it to cooking
temperatures.

So 4 pm back up for all of the above times and we need to start
the pit 15 hours before our schedules serving time in this case.
So that means we need to start the pit at 1am in the morning. This
will allow for the cooking of all the meats that we will need
(assuming that our pit can hold all the meats on it at one time).

Next you need to figure out what times we need to add various
meats to the pit. In our example we are cooking brisket, spare
ribs, and chicken. So you need to figure the next longest cooking
time meat and figure when that piece of meat needs to be put on
the pit. In this case pork spare ribs cooking time is
approximately 6 hours and is the next longest cooking time piece
of meat you will be cooking. So back up the 1 hour for cutting and
presentation and 1 hour for variance in cooking time. So a total
of 8 hours we need for the pork spare ribs to be ready. So we back
up 8 hours from the 4pm time and the spare ribs need to go on the
pit at 8am.

Then we look at the last piece of meat in our example and we are
cooking ½ chickens and the estimated cooking times for those will
be 4 hours. 1 hour for cutting and presentation and 1 hour for a
buffer in the cooking times means the chickens should go on the
pit 6 hours before 4pm. So the ½ chickens will need to go on the
pit at 10 am.

So now we have the approximate times that each piece of meat that
we will be cooking needs to be put on the pit. For brisket 1am,
then for the spare ribs 8am, and then for the chicken 10am.

And I know what you are saying, if I start at 1am at 4 pm the next
day I will have cooked for 15 hours and have not had any sleep and
I would like to not be so tired when it all my friends show up for
the big game party. Can I would around this schedule and make it
fit so I can get some sleep and still get all of the meat cooked.

And I have a couple of answers for you.

My longest cooking piece of meat (the brisket) is the pain in the
butt that is creating my staying up all night to get that one
piece of meat cooked. What can I do to work this in and save the
wear and tear on my body?

Of course you could drop the brisket off the menu. That is one
choice that you could make. But there are some alternate methods
of cooking the brisket that will work fine for you. I use these
secrets so I can get some sleep in many cases that are similar to
this example.

Cook the brisket in advance (a week or two is good)

Start the brisket when you get home the day before.

Put the brisket the day before when you get home on the pit and
then remove around 12 am after about 6 hours on the pit the
brisket has taken on all the smoke flavor it is going to absorb so
shut down the pit and put the brisket in the oven at 200 degrees
and let it cook there until it is ready.

Cook at a hotter temperature than 210 degrees.

This shortens the time for the brisket to be ready. There are some
things that need to be done if you are going to use this method.
Injecting the brisket if you are going to cook at temperatures
above 225 degrees. Wrapping the brisket. And leave time for the
brisket to sit after it is finished cooking so that the juices are
redistributed in the meat.

Alternative cooking ideas like cooking the brisket in the oven
using liquid smoke to get the brisket cooked.

If you are having a crowd over for a Sunday party (such as the
Super Bowl) prepare and cook the brisket on Saturday and wrap it
and place in an igloo cooler to keep it warm until you are ready
for it. Simply wrap newspaper around the foil and place it in the
cooler. The reason for newspaper is that it is cheap and it is a
great insulator. Or you can wrap it in a towel and place it in the
cooler...

Cut the brisket up and freeze or refrigerate until you need it.
This will require that you need to re-hydrate the meat and allow
at least 4 hours for reheating a pan of cut brisket or pulled
pork.

Arrange the meat on the pit to keep all of it safe by thinking of
how the meat is going to be cooking and dripping to the lower
level of the pit. Let me explain-if you are going to add some
chicken to the pit you don't want the juices from that chicken
dripping down on the ribs that are almost done. Someone could get
sick if you take the ribs off and leave that uncooked chicken
juice on them. Things are happening fast as you are loading the
pit with more meat. Always look on top and underneath all meats
being added to the pit.

The pure arrangement of meat on the pit for a cook is very
important. In our example of a long cook when you begin to add the
other meats to the pit it is important not to create bacteria from
getting on meats that are already cooked. When you add meats to a
pit always add the new meats to the lowest level of the pit. If
you have two racks in your pit place the new meat under the other
meat that has been on the pit cooking cause juices dropping onto
the new meats will have time to cook and therefore not be harmful
to you or your guests.

If you are adding sausage to your cooking make sure there is
nothing that will drop any juices on the sausage unless the meat
above the sausage is completely cooked and therefore the juices
from it are already above the kill temperature for bacteria. Best
just to add sausage to a shelf that is clear of any juices being
dropped on them and make sure that any juices coming from the
sausage is not falling on some other meats.

Tools to Make Smoking Meat Easier

It is time to check your BBQ tools and supplies to make sure you
have everything you will need. This will make for a smoother
easier cooking and preparation of the meat you are going to cook.

The basic tools that you should have are:

1. Proper pans for cooking and storing
2. instant read thermometer or probe
3. paper towels
4. cloth towels
5. Rubs, spices
6. cutting board
7. cooking gloves for holding and moving hot meat
8. Latex gloves for handling and preparing cold meat
9. charcoal chimney
10. a can of
11. charcoal and/or wood ample enough for the entire cook
12. a water/Clorox mix for easy cleaning and sanitizing
13. a source of hot water for quick cleaning
14. a great knife set for cutting and trimming
15. If you are going to inject the meat your injection fluid
16. Needle and syringe for injecting the meat
17. small bowl to hold your injection fluid in
18. Aluminum foil for wrapping meat and covering meat
19. If you are going to marinade the meat your marinade
20. knife sharpener or sharpening stone
21. any specialized cooking grate for say fish or vegetables
22. a good pair of tongs (long handle is best)
23. a large spoon (best is it is metal)
24. if you are going to glaze your meat your glaze
25. proper clothes for the weather conditions
26. aluminum pans (a good supply of both ½ pans and full pans)
27. storage bags
28. garbage bags

This will give you a great list that you can add to or subtract
from depending on the meats and the circumstances of your cook. If
it is summer then bug spray could be added for personal comfort.

Our next article will begin the sections on preparing the specific
meats for your BBQ. We will get one of those out next week.

Texas BBQ Rub will make all of this easier and save you time and
money. So if you need some great and easy to use rub go to our
website at www.texasbbqrub.com/shopping.html and throw some in
your shopping cart and we will get it shipped out to you
immediately.

We will see you in about a week with the second article in the
series. So be looking for it.

To Your Best BBQ
Bill Cannon
President, Texas BBQ Rub
www.texasbbqrub.com

PS: Pass this along to some friends right now. They would love to
get this information.

Copyright 2010 Real Texas BBQ Rub, Inc. all rights reserved.

Barbecue Sauce For Pork

2009-12-10T10:17:00.004-06:00

A good barbecue pork recipe should include a barbecue sauce for pork. Most cook book will have a bbq pork recipe.

I have experimented with different recipes for all my meat I have found a good recipe for barbecue sauce for pork. This will make a excellent sauce for a dozen pork chops or a rack of pork ribs.

Remember to clean all surfaces before setting the meat on the counter. There is many products you can use to clean the counter , table top or what ever you are going to prepare the meat on. Bacteria will grow faster on pork then on beef. Be safe not sorry.

You will need a large can about 12 to 20 oz of peaches undrained,!/4 cup of brown sugar fine grained, ¼ cup of vinegar, ¼ cup of catsup or tomato sauce, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 garlic cloves minced, 2 tbsp Mustard powder, 2 tbsp of fresh ginger, 1 jalapeno chopped , 1 tbsp of chilly pepper.

Place all the ingredients into a blender and run on high speed till the sauce is smooth. You may have to fill the blender twice to mix every thing together. If this happens pour the two blended containers of sauce in to a large bowl and use a hand blender to mix ever thing together.

Place the meat into a large pan or container and pour the sauce over the meat and cover the container and place in the fridge four at least 4 hours. When ready fire up you grill and let it warm up on low heat Total cooking time on a gas grill should take 30 to 40 minutes.

Place the pork on the grill for 15 minutes watching that it does not burn. At the 15 minute mark start basting the pork on both sides. Continue basting till the meat is cooked.

If You have a charcoal grill Start the grill as you would normally do. After the coals have turned to white spread them over the bottom of the grill. Place the pork on the grill and close the lid be very careful as the meat will burn easily with the lid closed. If the meat starts to burn prop open the lid to reduce the heat At the 15 minute mark turn over the meat and baste it with the sauce.

Continually baste the meat for the next 20 to 30 minutes watching to see that it does not burn. When the pork is cooked serve with the extra sauce on the side

You will find this is a great way to serve pork with a sauce all your friends will want the recipe. Be sure to have a lot of napkins handy. If you like the recipe give it to all your friends as they will enjoy pork done in this style.

Quick and Easy Cowboy Christmas Eggnogg

2009-12-07T12:57:00.003-06:00

Here's the easiest and best Christmas Holiday eggnog you'll ever drink.

Get a gallon of premium eggnog ice cream. I use Blue Bell.

Empty the carton into a large punch bowl.

Pour over the top of the eggnog ice cream as much of your favorite
adult beverage as fits your taste. (Bourbon, rum, or brandy)

Drink up and enjoy. You see the ice cream already has all the spices and flavors and cream a good eggnog will need. You just add the beverage and as the ice cream melts it will stay good and cold.

Merry Christmas

Tom

It's the Smoke that Makes it Barbecue

2007-01-24T11:29:00.000-06:00

Long before Sam Houston moved to Texas, Mexican Cowboys would cook up a big bull's head in an underground pit. They called this Barbacoa de Cabeza. It remained a popular dish for cowboys on the cattle drive until German immigrants in Texas decided that brains and sweetbreads were too good to waste in a pit. They started the use of Brisket (usually a throw away cut) in Texas Barbecue. They found that cooked properly it was quite a delicacy. The proper way to cook Brisket is low and slow, with a good amount of smoke, a sweet or spicy rub and a tasty sauce. Throughout Texas and much of the mid-west, this recipe for Brisket thrives.

To follow this recipe requires the right equipment. You need a smoker. What kind of smoker (or pit as the Texans generally refer to them) is up to you. You can mortgage the house or go cheap. Whatever you use you need to know your equipment and know how to maintain a steady temperature for as much as 10 to 15 hours.

With the brisket you need to get the smoker ready. You will want a fire of about 200 degrees F to 230 degrees F. (93 degrees C. to 110 degrees C.). At this temperature you can expect the cooking time to be about 1 1/2 hours per pound. Do the math ahead of time so you know how long you will need to keep the fire going. At this temperature range the collagen in the meat will breakdown nicely and make the meat tender and tasty.

Once you have the smoker ready place the brisket fat side up in the center of the cooking grate. If you are using a water smoker you can leave it fat side up the whole time. With an off set smoker you will want to turn it after a few hours to keep the bottom from drying out. You will also need to baste, or [link url=http://bbq.about.com/od/saucesmarinades/a/aa061204a.htm]mop it every hour to keep the surface moist. Brisket can dry out even with a good fat cap so be prepared to mop it if necessary, or if you want to. If you are using an off set horizontal smoker you can add a water pan to the smoking chamber to help keep the moisture up.

Because of the drying problem, if you are planning on going very low and slow you might try wrapping the brisket after the first 5-6 hours. Though there are people who swear they go 20 hours naked to the smoke, most people find that the meat eventually dries out. Mopping helps but sometimes you just have to go the extra step of wrapping the brisket in foil to finish it off. It's important that you keep a good eye on it to make sure it is staying moist. I have heard some people complain that after about 8 to 10 hours that the meat can get too smoky. If you like a milder smoke flavor then you have another reason to wrap the brisket in foil.

Temperature: The general temperature to aim for is 165 degrees F (74 degrees C.). You want to measure that with a good meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat being careful to keep it away from the fat. When you have reached this temperature the brisket is done. However, some people will continue smoking, letting the fire die down a little and being very careful to avoid drying.

Wrapping: On the point of wrapping, many people have pointed out that if you are going to do this you might as well put the Brisket in the oven at 220 degrees F. (104 degrees C.) and finish it there. After all you have better temperature control in the average oven than you do in a smoker. Purists scoff at the idea of using the oven. The reason for the wrapping is to keep the Brisket moist. But if you have a good fat layer, your temperature isn't too high and you keep a good supply of water in the smoker you shouldn't have any trouble with the meat drying out.

Carving: When the brisket is done, remove from the smoker and let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then carve. There is something of an art to carving up the brisket. This is because with a full brisket the grain runs in different directions between the point and the flat. Lay the brisket, fat side down and carve off the point. If you look at the grain and fat line you should be able to see it pretty clearly. Then carve the remaining fat layers off, stack the point on the flat and carve across grain into thin, long strips, about the thickness of a pencil. You should get long rectangular

Three steps to fall off the bone pork ribs

2006-12-27T09:28:00.000-06:00

Three steps to fall off the bone pork ribs

The biggest complaint most people have with ribs is that they turn out dry and tough. The 3-2-1 method of smoking ribs nearly guarantees you tender, fall off the bone ribs with out a lot of extra effort. All you need to use this method is to big sheet of aluminum foil. Everything else follows the normal process of smoking ribs.
3-2-1 Basics: If you know how to smoke pork ribs, then all you need to know about the 3-2-1 method is that you smoke as normal for 3 hours, followed by 2 hours cooking wrapped in foil, and finally 1 more hour unwrapped. This gives the meat time to soak in smoke during the first three hours, when most smoke is absorbed. During the wrapped period the ribs are steamed, making them tenderer and loosening the meat from the bone.

During the last hour the ribs are exposed to the dry, smoky heat again to form a surface crust.

The Specific Steps:

Prep the ribs by removing the membranes and applying your rib rub
Place ribs, bone side down in smoker at 225 degrees F. (108 degrees C.) and cook for three hours

Wrap ribs tightly in aluminum foil to form an airtight seal, return to smoker bone side up and smoke for 2 hours

Unwrap ribs and return to smoker bone side down for 1 hour

Apply sauce to ribs (if you want) during the last 30 to 20 minutes of the cooking time.

Barbecue Accessory

2006-11-13T10:14:00.000-06:00

Barbecue Accessory

The perfect barbecue accessory is a pair of tongs for turning that delicious barbecue rib. You can buy barbecue grillware in all different sizes to meet you cooking needs.

The large the ribs the larger the tongs you’re going to want to use. I recommend tongs that are at least 18 inches in length so that you can firmly grab those ribs.

The only good BBQ accessory is a stainless steel accessory. All high end barbeque utensils are made of stainless steel. Spend the little extra money that stainless utensils cost. These will last you for years to come.

Do not use chrome because the heat from the barbecue peels the plate right off. Teflon coated implements have the same problem but it may take a little longer. .

It’s important to make sure all your utensils have long handles. It is particularly important that your basting brush is long enough so you don’t burn yourself.

You should use only stainless grills because the chrome plated grills last only one season before they rust up and start to fleck metal off. These little metal pieces can get in the food and are not good for your health.

You should also make sure you clean your grill after each use. This includes a grease trap if you have one. Keeping your grill clean will remove food particles that can become contaminated and make you and your guests sick.

If you have a BBQ cover use it to protect your barbecue from rusting out. You also need to make sure the propane tank is protected because if you leave it out in the open over the season it will start to rust out.

Check the expiry date on the tank regularly as an expired tank can not be refilled. There is nothing worse than having a large group of friends over and running out of fuel and then finding out the station won’t fill it. Talk about your most embarrassing moment!

When preparing your barbecue feast try not to use plastic or tinfoil. Plastic bowls will stain and may transfer food tastes from previous meal to your current feast. Although tinfoil is very convenient for wrapping corn in, but try using the natural husk of the corn. It will cook as well and will keep in its own flavor.

Many people say they can taste the metal of the tinfoil in the food. Use large glass, pyrex, or stainless serving platters to store your meat on and cover with wax paper. This will keep out the flies and any object which may fall from above.

When you marinate your ribs use glass or stainless whenever possible to keep the flavor pure. If you don’t have a large enough bowl, you can buy an aluminum turkey pan and then line it with plastic. This will keep the ribs off the foil and preserve the taste of the sauce. Then you just toss the whole container when the feast is over.

Choose the right barbeque accessory for the job, and the right dishes and you’ll be ready to impress all your friends and family.

Make your barbeque a fun and enjoyable get together filled with good conversation and good food. The Cowboy way...

-Tom

Kansas City Baby Back Ribs - Sticky, saucy ribs smoked to perfection

2006-11-06T11:05:00.000-06:00

Kansas City Baby Back Ribs - Sticky, saucy ribs smoked to perfection: "Kansas City Baby Back Ribs
From Derrick Riches,

Sticky, saucy ribs smoked to perfection
Kansas City is the place where Barbecue traditions meet. Here you will find a whole host of great eating places like Arthur Bryant's that started as a road side BBQ joint during the depression and has since become one of America's greatest rib joints. In Kansas City ribs are serious business. Here they are slow smoked with a spicy rub and served up with a thick, under your nails barbecue sauce.
First thing, start with a good rack of ribs. Actually start with two. One never seems enough. Once you get the hang of it you can move up to ten, twenty, enough to please the crowd that will gather.
Prepare ribs by washing racks and pealing membrane from the bone side. To remove the membrane, slip a sharp knife under the membrane at one end of the rack and pealing back enough to get a good grip. Try using a paper towel to hold the membrane, then pull. You might need a little practice, but you'll get the hang of it. If you are planning on hanging the rack of ribs on a hook, don't remove the membrane. Once the ribs are prepared, evenly coat with the rub and let sit. You can refrigerate overnight or let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you get the smoker ready.
Basting is an option to making ribs. On one hand it will add more flavor to your ribs and can help keep them moist. On the other you can wash off the rub you've already applied. By using a baste (sometimes called a mop) that contains the seasonings of the rub you already used you will enhance the flavor without washing away the flavor you've already added. The mustard in this recipe thickens the baste and holds the seasonings to t"

Cattle Drives and BBQ

2006-11-04T16:46:00.000-06:00

Barbecue

Do you know what the word Barbecue means? It means to slow cook meat at a low temperature for a long period of time over wood or charcoal. Barbecue ribs or bbq rib racks are one of the many popular food to cook this way.

Barbecue or BBQ came to be in the late 1800’s during cattle drives. The cowboys were often fed the lesser cuts of prime beef like brisket which were tough and stringy and required six to seven hours of cooking to tenderize it. Thus the technique of barbecuing came to be.

Other types of barbecued meats were pork butt pork ribs, beef rib or wild meats. The BBQ was not invented in America, in fact the origin is unknown. It is believed Barbecue may have come from the Taino Indians or it may have originated with the French

The Indian word barbacoa means meat smoking apparatus and the French word Barbe a gueue means whiskers-to-tail. No one is sure of the correct meaning. All we know for sure it has taken Texas by storm for the last 200 years.

Did you know that in 1920 Henry Ford and Thomas Edison invented the charcoal briquette? Henry Ford had a lot of scrap wood and sawdust from his automobile plants that he needed to get rid of. He and Thomas Edison used the scraps to make the briquette then E G Kingsford bought the patent and added charcoal to the briquettes.

The Texas barbecue goes back to German butchers who settled in central Texas during the 1800’s. They added rubbed salt pepper and other spices on to the meat.

The meat was then cooked three feet from the pit. The pits were filled with oak, hickory pecan and mesquite which gave the meat a special distinctive taste and flavor.

Still today we do the same basic thing. We still use hickory in our pits and we still slow cook the meat over a long period of. In our modern world pit cooking has become an art form. Throughout the state of Texas there are large contests held to see who can produce the most delicious meat.

In addition to slow cooking beef, you can also cook pork, chicken, turkey, ham, and sausage. Besides the traditional BBQ there are a number of other sauces you can put on your meat such as hickory, sweet, and spicy to increase the flavor of the meat.

The barbecue is every man’s chance to reach greatness. He can magically turn every day cuts of meat into a fine dining cuisine. By applying spices and smoke to the meat you can be come a barbecue god. Even the wife can not compete on the grill with you! For she has not the time nor the patience to learn this age old tradition of men and the grill.

Smoke sauces have always played an important role in the cooking of the meat. Recipes are passed from father to son and grandfather to grandson.

These special sauces are the secrets which have caused the great BBQ cook off. Man has had more than a 100 years to refine the art of BBQ cooking.

No matter if it is smoked over hickory oak, pecan or mesquite and served on butcher paper or on a paper plate, the family secrets of the BBQ are a proud tradition.

Whether you are forty or seventy if you have an attachment to the BBQ Gods you will jump at the chance to show off your great skills at the family BBQ.

The Texan barbeque has no boundaries. Young or old, president of the company, diplomat, or rancher the barbeque is prepared with the very best family secrets hidden deep in the meat you cook ready to impress friends and family!

Big Bob Gibson's Alabama White BBQ Sauce Recipe

2006-10-24T19:12:00.000-05:00

Yield: about 2 quarts

1 quart mayonnaise
3/4 quart apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Prepared horseradish
Lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a very large blender or food processor.
(It may be necessary to do this in 2 batches; just add 1/2 of each
ingredient and then repeat.) Blend for 1 minute, or until
thoroughly combined and mixture is smooth. Pour sauce into a large
bowl.
Use when grilling chicken; brush lightly over the chicken during
the last few minutes of grilling. This sauce is also great for
dipping; set some sauce aside for passing at the table.

JALAPEÑOS POPPERS w/habanera

2006-10-23T15:04:00.001-05:00

JALAPEÑOS POPPERS w/habanera

6 large jalapeños

1 large habanera

1/2 cup cream cheese

Cayenne pepper

batter - whatever you like - I prefer thin Japanese type

Finely chop the habanera seed and all. Mix habbs
into the cream cheese and add cayenne. Slit open jalapeños and
insert gobs of the creamy, habanera goo.

Mix up your batter and add cayenne.

Dredge jalapeños in batter, cover with flour,
dredge in more batter. Deep fry till deep, golden
brown.

Warning: These poppers have a powerful kick. :)

For serving, I like to melt red or green pepper jelly to
use as a dip.

-Tom

Mustard BBQ Pulled Pork

2006-10-09T14:40:00.000-05:00

Cowboys mostly eat beef of jerky out on the trail.

Sometimes we shoot a wild hog or trade for pork.

Here's one of my favorite recipes.

-Tom

Mustard BBQ Pulled Pork

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped white onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon crushed red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
5 pounds pork shoulder, cut 2" cubes

In a saucepan melt butter and add onions and garlic and saute
until translucent. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a
boil, then simmer for 45 minutes. Braise pork in this sauce for
2 1/2 to 3 hours until fork tender enough to pull with fork.
Strain liquid and reserve.
When the pork is cooled, pull or shred the meat with fork or
fingers. Reheat the pork in the reserved sauce. Serve as a
sandwich with coleslaw and sesame seed buns.

BBQ Sauce Memphis Style

2006-10-02T18:32:00.000-05:00

Memphis BBQ Sauce

Ingredients
1 T. black pepper, finely ground
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 T. canola oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne (optional)
2 tsp. celery salt
2 T. chili powder
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
1 T. onion powder
1/2 cup prepared mustard
2 cups tomato ketchup
3 T. Worcestershire Sauce

Cooking Time
Approximately 30 minutes

Yield: About 3 cups
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except the oil.
Bring
to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
With a whisk, blend in the oil until incorporated

BBQ Caesar Red Coleslaw

2006-09-29T10:48:00.000-05:00

Looking for a great Coleslaw for your BBQ Party?

This is one of the best...

-Tom

Caesar Red Coleslaw

3 cups red cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrot, coarsely grated
1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon tobasco
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine salt and garlic together to form a paste. Add to other dressing ingredients and mix well. In a large bowl combine cabbage, carrots and green onions with the dressing. Toss until completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve cold.

Cole Slaw
Cole slaw is one of the easiest dishes to make and one of the easiest dishes to make wrong. The secret to a great cole slaw is to keep it crisp and fresh for when you serve it. This is done by leaving the cabbage coarse and avoiding too much liquid.

A Barbecue Sauce Which Will Get Your Attention

2006-09-23T07:38:00.000-05:00

Chicken Wings - The perfect appetizer, snack or meal

2006-09-20T11:44:00.000-05:00

The perfect appetizer, snack or meal

According to most the modern "buffalo" wing was first served up at the Anchor bar in Buffalo, New York on October 30, 1964. Since then the buffalo or chicken wing has become a mainstay of bars, restaurants and kitchens around the world. There are literally thousands of recipes for chicken wings ranging from the traditionally "hot" wings to sweet and savory wings and every flavor and ethnic variation in between.
To start out with, buy some chicken wings. You'll want a lot, so it's best to buy them in "family packs" or large bulk packs. You can buy chicken wings already cut up or whole wings and do the cutting yourself. If you don't mind the time and the cutting it can be cheaper to buy them whole. Cutting chicken wings is easy once you get the feel for it. Start by holding the wing at the base upright. Spread it out a bit and with a knife slice gently in between the bones. If you softly move the knife around you'll find the easiest way through. This way you don't splinter the bones. A little practice and you'll fly right through them.
As difficult as it might sound, grilling is about the best way to cook chicken wings. Grilling allows the fat to drain away and gives you a nice, crispy wing without a lot of excess fat. Of course the real challenge in grilling chicken wings (beside them falling into the fire) is flare-ups and burning. To resolve this keep a medium flame. You don't want too high of a temperature. You will also need to turn the wings frequently to avoid burning. It will mean standing by the grill, but you can cook a lot of chicken wings in about 15 to 20 minutes.
Since you will need to pay some extra attention to you wings while they grill you can afford to use sauces that could normally cause burning. When it comes to chicken wings it's best to apply the sauce before or early in the cooking time. Marinades don't add a lot to wings. When grilling chicken wings you will want to turn the wings every 3 to 4 minutes. It is also a good idea to keep a portion of the grill clear in case of a flare-up that requires you evacuate your chicken wings to another location.
A large batch of wings should be on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. As always with poultry overcook, don't undercook. Test your chicken wings when they are getting close by removing one and cutting it open. There should be no pink inside and any juices should run clear. Wings are best served hot from the grill so plan everything ahead to get it done on time.

Source: Chicken Wings - The perfect appetizer, snack or meal

Emmett Dalton’s Barbecue Chicken

2006-09-04T14:34:00.000-05:00

After spending’ After spending nearly 15 years in the Kansas State hoosegow, the first thing ole Emmett Dalton wanted to do was get his hands on some lip smackin’ barbecue.

Check out our recipe for Emmett Dalton’s Barbecue Chicken and get
a no charge subscription to our newsletter of tall tales and cowboy cooking recipies...

Southern Fried Chicken

2006-09-01T11:18:00.001-05:00

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
Most any bird on a trail drive will work jest fine...

-Tom

Man alive, first depends on whether you want Mammaws' or Her
daughter's recipes, or Soul Shack specialty from the best in the
business?

Mammaw, and I know one Old Timer in Soul food business both
swore nothing beat good lard for cooking chicken. Her daughter
(Mom) and the other Soul Food Folks use Mazolla (mom), the
others use a commercial veg oil or shortening. Mammaw lived to
be 97 so health food was considered and used.

Mammaw and Mom did the pan fry Southern Style. Serving 6 to 8
people usually. The Soul food men use large commercial deep
fryers and serve many. Bojangles has chicken much like soul
food men. Now sitting down to platters of Mammaw's or Mom's
chicken was something nobody copied well.

Mammaw's method: Use deep well seasoned cast iron pans, she
used two (2). Lard enough when melted to make about three
eights inch depth.

The chicken must be cut so that pieces are of uniform size, no
bones or skin removed. Coat with a spice rub that you like from
simple salt and pepper and sage to something like Cajun spice
mix. Sage is important for chicken. Place in fridge overnight
or at least for couple hours before starting to cook.

Eggs and sour cream whip with whisk until frothy. Have one bag
with plain flour, another bag with seasoned flour. Place egg
mix in another bag. (or bowls)

Have cast iron pans heated with lard (or corn oil - Mom) to 325
degrees. Both Mammaw and Mom used two pans. Place white meat
in one, dark in another, be sure to keep sizes of chicken cuts
same. Once grease is at proper temp, start with dropping pieces
in the plain flour, shake as remove and drop into egg mix,
remove and drop into seasoned flour (using same seasoning you
dry rubbed on chicken earlier). Place in pan to fry, DO cover
pan for first side while cooking. After 15 min remove cover,
check to see if chicken is getting golden brown on bottom, if it
is turn over. Cook for 10 min, remove cover and turn up the
heat to medium high. Watch for the pieces to get a dark crust
on pan side. when you have that remove pieces place on paper
to drain grease. If assembling other things, can be placed in
180 degree oven to hold til ready for serving. Covering keeps
moisture inside. You want to achieve a crusty exterior with
moist cooked flavorful inside. This is true Southern fried. If
you want deep fry, Bojangles is one of best you can find in
restaurants.

The Soul Shack men do their chicken differently. The lard or
commercial veg oil is at 350 degrees, these are commercial
cookers. The old time man does the flour dust, the egg dip, and
then into a mix of cornmeal, flour, and seasoned (his own)
flour and then he drops into basket each chunk. He does like
whole breasts, etc, using what is called the 8 cut for chicken.
He does have successful business and says the difference is the
lard.

The other does same thing almost, but truthfully, Hardees. and
other fast food places produce much the same flavor.

If you really want genuine Southern Fried Chicken, use Mammaw's
recipe. That is soooooo good. The gravy for those luscious
bisquits, and mashed potatoes made from the pan drippings and
crumbs is soooo good.

This is one thing I love about the South, real Southern
cooking.

Gmail - More Soulful Recipes - September 1st

2006-09-01T11:17:00.000-05:00

- More Soulful Recipes - September 1st:
"SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
Man alive, first depends on whether you want Mammaws' or Her
daughter's recipes, or Soul Shack specialty from the best in the
business?

Mammaw, and I know one Old Timer in Soul food business both
swore nothing beat good lard for cooking chicken. Her daughter
(Mom) and the other Soul Food Folks use Mazolla (mom), the
others use a commercial veg oil or shortening. Mammaw lived to
be 97 so health food was considered and used.

Mammaw and Mom did the pan fry Southern Style. Serving 6 to 8
people usually. The Soul food men use large commercial deep
fryers and serve many. Bojangles has chicken much like soul
food men. Now sitting down to platters of Mammaw's or Mom's
chicken was something nobody copied well.

Mammaw's method: Use deep well seasoned cast iron pans, she
used two (2). Lard enough when melted to make about three
eights inch depth.

The chicken must be cut so that pieces are of uniform size, no
bones or skin removed. Coat with a spice rub that you like from
simple salt and pepper and sage to something like Cajun spice
mix. Sage is important for chicken. Place in fridge overnight
or at least for couple hours before starting to cook.

Eggs and sour cream whip with whisk until frothy. Have one bag
with plain flour, another bag with seasoned flour. Place egg
mix in another bag. (or bowls)

Have cast iron pans heated with lard (or corn oil - Mom) to 325
degrees. Both Mammaw and Mom used two pans. Place white meat
in one, dark in another, be sure to keep "

Venison - The clean, healthy red meat

2006-08-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

White Tail Deer are very plentiful right now...
I'm not much of a hunter but I can usually find a friend who
will trade me a back strap or two for a mess of fish...

-Tom

Venison - The clean, healthy red meat: "The clean, healthy red meat
Venison usually refers to Deer meat, but if can also mean meat from any large game animal including Elk, Moose, Caribou, and Antelope. This meat may be a little hard to find if you don't do your own hunting, but increasing can by found online or available through specialty markets. Because it is so much lower in fat and cholesterol it has become a favorite of people on restrictive diets or anyone who cares about their health.
Healthier: Venison is not only low in fat and cholesterol but is high in many vital nutrients like B vitamins, iron, and phosphorus. Like any non-farm produced animal, Venison is resistant to disease and does not live on a diet of antibiotics and steroids. Many people stay away because they believe the flavor is too strong, venison actually has a wonderful woody, almost fruity flavor that is truly fantastic"

Texas Style Sausage and Grits

2006-08-21T14:34:00.000-05:00

1 lb bulk pork sausage
3 cups hot cooked grits (I jest use plain ole yeller corn meal)
2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 small can chopped green chilies

Cook sausage till brown, drain well. Spoon sausage into a
lightly greased 13"x9" inch baking dish. Combine grits, cheese
and butter.
Stir till cheese and butter melt. Combine eggs and milk; stir
into grits; pour over sausage. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Garnish as desired. Can be made and refrigerated overnight and
baked the next morning

For more great recipes and some tall tales subscribe to my newsletter at www.the-pony-express.com

-Tom

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread

2006-08-21T14:13:00.000-05:00

Now this ain't strickly BBQ...

I sure like it hot from the pan on a cold morning on the trail..

-Tom

From: The Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission

This bread is wonderful served warm and is also great for making
French toast. Sweet potatoes make this better than regular
cinnamon raisin bread, making it slightly heartier and moister.

1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbl plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbl salt
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
2 (1/4-oz.) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 cups raisins
4 Tbl butter, softened
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Melted butter for topping

In a small saucepan, scaled milk. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2
cup butter, and salt. Stir until butter melts. Mix in sweet
potatoes and cool to lukewarm. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve
yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add milk mixture and 4 cups flour.
Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth. Stir
in raisins. Gradually add remaining 3 1/2 cups flour, mixing
until a stiff dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured
board and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased
bowl, turning dough in bowl to grease top. Cover bowl with
plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or
until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough and turn out onto a
lightly floured board. Divide into two equal portions and roll
each into a 16x8-inch rectangle. Spread 2 tablespoons softened
butter over each rectangle. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup
sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over each rectangle.
Starting from the narrow side, roll up each rectangle and pinch
edges and ends together. Tuck ends under slightly and place,
seam-side down, in greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Brush tops with
melted butter. Cover and let rise for 1 hour, 30 minutes or
until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 35
to 40 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow
when tapped. Remove bread immediately from pans and cool on a
wire rack.

Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices per loaf.

BBQ Brisket of Beef

2006-08-18T19:38:00.000-05:00

Try this recipe for BBQ Brisket of Beef.

Real tasty...

-Tom

Barbecued Brisket of Beef

1 c White wine
3 c Apple cider
1/4 c Honey
2 tb Dijon mustard
1/4 c Soy sauce
2 tb Brown sugar, packed
1 tb Minced garlic
1 tb Minced fresh ginger root
1 tb Whole coriander
2 Sprigs fresh thyme
1 Brisket of beef (2-1/2 lb)

Combine wine, cider, honey, mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar,
garlic, ginger root, coriander and thyme in Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan.

Add brisket.

Cover tightly and place in oven. Turn oven to 350F and cook 1
hour. Remove brisket from cooking liquid, cover and set aside. Transfer liquid
to medium pan and cook over medium heat until reduced to a glaze and thick
enough to coat back of spoon. Using covered grill, light about 12 charcoal
briquettes and add small piece of mesquite or other wood. Be sure to place
charcoal and wood to one side of grill. Arrange brisket on grill so that it is
not directly over burning wood. Paint it with some glaze.

Place cover on grill and smoke brisket 1 hour, turning meat and coating with glaze
every 15 minutes. Add charcoal or wood, small piece at a time, if fire
seems to get too cold. Remove from grill, thinly slice meat against grain and
serve.

Offer any remaining glaze on side.

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

2006-08-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes: "Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes
Author: Hans Dekker

What makes great homemade BBQ sauce recipes? Well, it could be the time and love that you put into making this delectable barbeque sauce for your family to enjoy, or it could be the fresh ingredients that you use.
The barbecue that you create is what make your meals so tasty and wonderful. The main ingredients in all barbeque sauces are either tomato sauce or a combination of tomato puree and tomatoes. Knowing this you should be able to create some of your own recipes that will be enjoyed and passed down through your family.
The easiest BBQ sauce can be prepared very quickly. You will need 2 cups of your favorite ketchup, 2 chopped onions, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup of brown sugar, and chili powder to taste. Sautee the onions and then add the remainder of the ingredients. Cook on low heat for around 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. Then brush on your favorite meat.
You can also add or substitute the above ingredients to create some very unique barbeque sauces on your own. You may prefer to add items such as peppers for a nice flavor or even Tabasco sauce for a hotter style.
Now, you can choose your flavorings and spices to add to the tomato sauce. You can use tomato sauce or tomato puree with a whole tomatoes. Try pineapple juice or orange juice for a tropical flavor or add liquid smoke flavoring for that outdoors flavor. You can even use molasses or your favorite pancake syrup to enhance the style of your bbq sauce. Don’t just think simple, try the various flavors such as maple or butter pecan to add a new and unique flavor. Either way you are sure to find a delectable recipe that you cook-out party will love.
Ha"

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

2006-08-13T14:40:00.000-05:00

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

2006-08-13T14:16:00.000-05:00

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes: "Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes
Author: Hans Dekker
What makes great homemade BBQ sauce recipes? Well, it could be the time and love that you put into making this delectable barbeque sauce for your family to enjoy, or it could be the fresh ingredients that you use.
The barbecue that you create is what make your meals so tasty and wonderful. The main ingredients in all barbeque sauces are either tomato sauce or a combination of tomato puree and tomatoes. Knowing this you should be able to create some of your own recipes that will be enjoyed and passed down through your family.
The easiest BBQ sauce can be prepared very quickly. You will need 2 cups of your favorite ketchup, 2 chopped onions, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup of brown sugar, and chili powder to taste. Sautee the onions and then add the remainder of the ingredients. Cook on low heat for around 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. Then brush on your favorite meat.
You can also add or substitute the above ingredients to create some very unique barbeque sauces on your own. You may prefer to add items such as peppers for a nice flavor or even Tabasco sauce for a hotter style.
Now, you can choose your flavorings and spices to add to the tomato sauce. You can use tomato sauce or tomato puree with a whole tomatoes. Try pineapple juice or orange juice for a tropical flavor or add liquid smoke flavoring for that outdoors flavor. You can even use molasses or your favorite pancake syrup to enhance the style of your bbq sauce. Don’t just think simple, try the various flavors such as maple or butter pecan to add a new and unique flavor. Either way you are sure to find a delectable recipe that you cook-out party will love.
Hans is author of Steaks, Seafood and Barbeque Recipes at Steaks-Guide.com

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

2006-08-13T14:05:00.000-05:00

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

2006-08-13T14:03:00.000-05:00

Fish: Grilling - Hot and fast, the best way to cook fish

2006-08-04T07:45:00.000-05:00

Grilling Fish on a summer day is just one of my all time favorites...

Try it...

-Tom

Fish: Grilling - Hot and fast, the best way to cook fish: "Hot and fast, the best way to cook fish
I get a lot of requests for information on how to grill fish right. The first rule I've found is to not think about it that much. Fish is meant to be grilled. The direct heat cooks fish fast, easy and without removing moisture. Grilled fish is flavorful and juicy. The second rule about grilling fish is to make sure it doesn’t stick. Whether you oil the cooking surface or brush the fish with a little oil, make sure that you have a non-stick surface to work with.
Apart from that, fish is easy and fast. You can literally get fish off the grill in a matter of minutes, thus making fish the perfect after work meal. Pick up a couple of filets and lemon or two and light up the grill as soon as you get home. Fish is also great for dinner parties when you never know exactly when people will arrive. Before dinner you can get the fish soaking in a marinade or otherwise seasoned up and light up the grill a few minutes before everyone wants to eat.
The hardest part of grilling fish is knowing when it's done. This is generally the hardest part of grilling, but don't worry. When fish is cooked the meat will flake easily with a fork and will appear opaque all the way through. If any part of the meat is still glossy and partially translucent then it's not done. Don't every serve undercooked fish. Not only is it not safe, but you might turn someone off fish for life. To make this easy, always start out with a steak or fillet that is evenly cut. If one part is much thicker than another it will be hard getting the thick part cooked before the thin part dries out. If you have a fillet that is uneven consider cutting it in two. Put the thick half on first and when it's about halfway done, put the thin half on. This way you will get the fish cooked to perfection wit"

Beef Tenderloin - Tender and flavorful, this is one great cut of meat

2006-07-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

Beef Tenderloin - Tender and flavorful, this is one great cut of meat: "

Tender and flavorful, this is one great cut of meat
Beef tenderloin is a large cut of meat right out of the short loin section. It is the center of tenderness. This makes it one of the most popular cuts. This makes it one of the more expensive cuts as well. Whole trimmed tenderloin can weigh in around 6 pounds and cost as much as $100 or more. If you got the same amount of meat cut into steaks it can cost even more. Shop around to try and keep the price down. Tenderloin is easy to trim so if you can get it untrimmed for less go for it.

To trim beef tenderloin start by removing the silvery skin. "

Kansas City Baby Back Ribs - Sticky, saucy ribs smoked to perfection

2006-07-05T18:35:00.000-05:00

Kansas City Baby Back Ribs - Sticky, saucy ribs smoked to perfection: "Kansas City Baby Back Ribs
From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Sticky, saucy ribs smoked to perfection
Kansas City is the place where Barbecue traditions meet. Here you will find a whole host of great eating places like Arthur Bryant's that started as a road side BBQ joint during the depression and has since become one of America's greatest rib joints. In Kansas City ribs are serious business. Here they are slow smoked with a spicy rub and served up with a thick, under your nails barbecue sauce.
First thing, start with a good rack of ribs. Actually start with two. One never seems enough. Once you get the hang of it you can move up to ten, twenty, enough to please the crowd that will gather.
Prepare ribs by washing racks and pealing membrane from the bone side. To remove the membrane, slip a sharp knife under the membrane at one end of the rack and pealing back enough to get a good grip. Try using a paper towel to hold the membrane, then pull. You might need a little practice, but you'll get the hang of it. If you are planning on hanging the rack of ribs on a hook, don't remove the membrane. Once the ribs are prepared, evenly coat with the rub and let sit. You can refrigerate overnight or let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you get the smoker ready.
Basting is an option to making ribs. On one hand it will add more flavor to your ribs and can help keep them moist. On the other you can wash off the rub you've already applied. By using a baste (sometimes called a mop) that contains the seasonings of the rub you already used you will enhance the flavor without washing away the flavor you've already added. The mustard in this recipe thickens the baste and holds the seasonings to t"

Firecracker Deep Fried Turkey

2006-06-23T10:14:00.000-05:00

Deep Fried Turkey
Author: Peter Lenkefi
1 11-14 lb whole turkey 3 ts Lemon pepper
2/3 c Wishbone italian dressing 1 ts Onion powder
1/3 c Sherry the real stuff not c 2 ts Cayenne pepper
2 ts Garlic powder 5 ga Peanut oil

Mix all the ingredients wall and place in an injection syringe. If it
doesn't pass through the nedle holes you may have to strain the marinate.
Inject the marinate into all parts of the bird. Place the bird in a large
plastic bag and allow to disperse throughout the bird for at least 2 hrs.
Turn the bag and massage teh bird from time to time.
Optionally you can make a rub of the dry ingredients and rub over the
surface of the bird after the first hour of marinating.
Preheat the cooking oil in a kettle large enough to hold the entire
bird. to 350-375. Tie the legs of the bird together with wire. It helps
hold the bird together and provides a way to lift it in and out of the oil.
Carefully place the bird into the oil and fry 3 1/2-4 min per lb. You
should carefully time your cooking as each cooker has it's own
peculiarities. The resulting bird is tender and tasty and very juicy.

About Brisket - Barbecue Brisket - Smoking Brisket

2006-06-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

About Brisket - Barbecue Brisket - Smoking Brisket: "All you need to know to be a master of barbecued brisket
The difference between a good brisket and a great brisket is in the cut, the grade and the preparation. If you really want to get a great brisket, one you could take to the competition cook-offs, then start with a prime grade untrimmed brisket. However, you can still make great barbecue with a good brisket without spending a fortune on a free range, prime grade brisket. Just remember that it needs to be untrimmed, meaning it has all its fat still on.

The best advice I can give when it comes to selecting any kind of meat is to talk to the butcher, and make sure the person you are talking with really is a butcher and not just counter help. Discuss grades and cuts so you know what you are getting. If you feel that the butcher is trying pull the wool over your eyes then find a new one. A good butcher is like a good barber, someone you can trust with the important stuff.
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Timing and patience are the secret to the perfectly smoked brisket."

Best Odds Ribs - Basic steps for making the Best Barbecue Pork Ribs

2006-06-14T10:39:00.001-05:00

Best Odds Ribs - Basic steps for making the Best Barbecue Pork Ribs: "Basic steps for making the Best Barbecue Pork Ribs
There are a lot of ways to prepare barbecue pork ribs. Traditionally barbecue ribs are made in a smoker, though many people insist on other methods. Boiling, baking and even grilling won’t give you ribs that are worthy of being called barbecue. I know this probably upsets a lot of people, but if you’ve tried all the methods you know that you need a low and slow smoke to make them right. I’ve tried to distill all the methods and information on real barbecue ribs into a basic set of instructions to help you make the best ribs possible.
Selecting: To start off with, you need to select your ribs. There are several different cuts of ribs available so it’s best to know what you are getting into. Still more confusing is that not only are there different types of pork ribs, but each type and cut has several different names.
For reasons of simplicity I will divide the types in two, back ribs and spareribs. Back ribs, also called Canadian or Baby Back Ribs come from the loin portion or back. Spareribs, from which St. Louis Style Ribs are cut, come from the rib section of the pig. St. Louis Ribs are the most popular rub cut. These are the kinds of ribs you typically find in restaurants, long and thin with a good amount of meat. Generally I recommend St. Louis cut ribs because they are a little easier to work with and you get more meat per bone. However you can use whatever you "

Best Odds Ribs - Basic steps for making the Best Barbecue Pork Ribs

2006-06-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Great Pork Tenderloin Recipe From About.com

2006-06-02T07:51:00.000-05:00

: " from Derrick Riches

Sesame Honey Pork Tenderloin
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup beer
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary (optional)
Combine beer, honey, sesame seeds, mustard, garlic and pepper. Stir until the honey is combined. Place pork tenderloin in a large resealable bag. Pour marinade over top. Turn to coat. Refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours. Preheat grill. Place tenderloins over medium hot fire and grill for about 20 to 25 minutes or unti done. Baste with marinade about half way through cooking time. When tenderloins are done, remove from grill and carve against the grain into thin slices. Serve with rosemary on top.
"

BBQ Safety for Memorial Day

2006-05-24T15:54:00.000-05:00

Tooele Transcript Bulletin On-line: "HOMEFRONT: Enjoy barbecue season, but don’t forget about safety
Written by Diane Sagers

Tuesday, 23 May 2006

Memorial Day is on its way. It has become the 'semi-official' kick-off to barbecue season. Many more cookouts are likely to follow through the summer season through backyard suppers, picnics and camping expeditions.
We have come full circle since the days that settlers moved across the expanses of America. For generations outdoor cooking was a way of life and indoor cooking wasn't really so very different from cooking outdoors. Outdoor cooking is a different experience for us and therefore a novelty.
Rather than cooking over an open fire, taking our food outdoors now often involves a charcoal or gas grill with a modern kitchen to back us up, or a cooler chest with ice to keep foods cold as we trek to the park or hills to enjoy a meal.
Despite those important conveniences, cases of food-born illnesses rise during the summer months. Undercooking is one major cause, and another is taking food outdoors where the temperatures are warm and leaving it for too long before cooking or eating it. Bacteria multiply rapidly in warm conditions.
Cooking for a crowd & meaning making large quantities of food & can also mean it sits out for longer time periods before it is eaten.
When you do your shopping for outdoor eating, consider how long food will likely be unrefrigerated before you eat it. Purchase foods that are safe without refrigeration when possible and get the perishables to a refrigerator quickly. If you are traveling a long distance, take along that insulated cooler to get foods there in a safe condition.
Delicious barbecue dishes may include marinated meats and vegetables. The sauces are wonderful concoctions o"

Hot Brown Recipe - Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe with Turkey

2006-05-20T11:19:00.000-05:00

Hot Brown Recipe - Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe with Turkey: "Hot Brown Recipe - Turkey Sandwich with Cheese Sauce
From Diana Rattray,
Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
A Kentucky tradition. Hot brown sandwiches with turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, and sliced tomato and other ingredients. Scroll down the page for more turkey sandwich recipes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound cooked turkey, thinly sliced
8 slices toast, crusts trimmed
4 slices tomato
8 strips bacon, cooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low; add flour and stir until smooth and bubbly. Add milk, salt, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly."

Cowboy Steak

2006-05-19T11:20:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Steak: "This is a great way to add a southwestern flare to a porterhouse steak. With a quick sear on the grill, the chipotle paste is locked in making this dish full of flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds porterhouse steak
8 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons chipotle chile powder
6 tablespoons kosher salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon black pepper
PREPARATION:
Combine garlic, chile powder, salt, oil and pepper in a small bowl. Mix until it forms a thick paste. Rub paste over the entire surface of the steak. Wrap steak in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

Mosquito Magnet is must have

2006-05-11T21:43:00.000-05:00

Keep your outdoor oasis pest free with Mosquito Magnet

Hog Maw

2006-03-05T15:25:00.000-06:00

Hog Maw

Recipe By : Society of Farm Women of Pennsylvania Cookbook

1 pig stomach -- (maw)
2 pounds sausage meat
4 quarts diced potatoes
1 large onion -- diced
2 teaspoon salt

Mix together and put into a cleaned pig stomach. Close with
needle
and thread.
Place in baking pan. Add 1 or 2 quarts of water. Bake at 350°F
for 3
hours. Less meat and potatoes could be used, and your favorite
bread
filling added to one end of maw.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 5732 Calories; 368g Fat
(57.6%
calories from fat); 157g Protein; 452g Carbohydrate; 40g Dietary
Fiber; 617mg Cholesterol; 8336mg Sodium. Exchanges: 26 1/2
Grain
(Starch); 15 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 63 1/2 Fat.

The Galveston County Daily News

2006-02-22T12:56:00.000-06:00

The Galveston County Daily News: "The secret to good barbecue is in the rub
By Linda Fradkin
Correspondent

Published February 22, 2006
When it comes to barbecue, the secret is not in the sauce, but in the dry powder rub, the smoker, the wood and, of course, the technique.

That’s the flame-cooking philosophy promoted by League City’s Robert Ruiz.

Ruiz should know. After all, his Valero Gasoline Alley Cookers have been participating in barbecue cook-offs for more than 20 years.

This week, Ruiz and his friends are headed for one of the prime cook-offs of the year: the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The event takes place Thursday through Saturday at Reliant Center."

Hanger Steak

2006-02-17T09:41:00.000-06:00

Hanger Steak: "Definition: The Hanger Steak is a thick strip of meat from the underside of the beef cow. It hangs (hence the name) between the rib and the loin. It is part of the diaphragm and, like a skirt steak is full of flavor but can be tough if not prepared correctly. The hanger steak has a grainy texture which is great for many dishes like fajitas or bulgogi. While you can use most any method to prepare the hanger steak it does have a tendency to dry out and get tough when exposed to dry heat. When grilling or broiling you need to use a marinade first to keep it moist. This is a very tasty steak and you will really enjoy it as long as you prepare it correctly."

Building a Fire - All Great Cooking starts with the Fire

2006-01-25T16:42:00.000-06:00

Building a Fire - All Great Cooking starts with the Fire: "One of the keys to good grilling is an even fire. The only variations in heat should be the ones you plan for. Randomly spreading hot coals in your charcoal grill will make a series of hot and cool spots. Even distribution of coals reduces this variation to a minimum. This is important to get even grilling, especially if you have a large amount of food on the grill.

Once you have mastered even heating its time to step up to the professional level. Chefs like to have controlled temperature variation, meaning a hot area and a not so hot area. In grilling we call this a two level fire. If you imaging a dual burner gas grill set one burner on high and the other on medium. The advantage of this is that you have an area to sear foods and an area to cook them through. In a charcoal grill you will want to set up half you fire grate in a single layer of coals and the other half in two or three layers of coals. This will give you the hot and medium areas to do your cooking. This method is also good if you are cooking different types of foods. For instance if you were grilling up some fajitas, you could sear the steak over the high heat and cook the peppers over the lower heat. Once you have mastered the two level fire you will definitely see the advantages.

Another fire you need to know how to bu"

Tips from Willie Crawford's Soulfood Recipes

2006-01-21T13:37:00.000-06:00

Slap yo' Momma butt Rub

Perfect for Boston Butts
Ingredients:
• 1c Cup sugar (can be split into ½c brown ½ white) • 1 Tbs
garlic pepper
• ½ Cup salt (can be split into ¼ kosher ¼ table) • 1 tsp
cinnamon
• ½ Cup garlic salt • 1 tsp coriander
• ½ Cup spanish paprika (hungarian will work) • 3 tsp cayenne
pepper
• 1 Tbs chili powder • 1 Pinch love
• 1 Tbs black pepper

Preparation Directions:
• slap it all together and mix it up
Cooking Directions:
• rub your butt and throw it on the egg. cook low temp 225 or so
and let the temp in the meat get to 180. Pull meat once it has
cooled and sprinkle with the rub for additional flavor.
When cooking I suggest getting a squirt bottle filled with equal
parts apple juice and cider vinegar.
Spray yo' butt with it and it will help open the muscle striations
up and give it a good sweet flavor.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/19/2006 | Nuggets from Nugent

2006-01-19T10:47:00.000-06:00

Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/19/2006 | Nuggets from Nugent: "Nuggets from Nugent
The rock star/ hunter/ conservationist/ organic carnivore/ TV host/ cookbook author/ would-be politician loves to speak his mind. As he will this weekend in Fort Washington.
By David Hiltbrand
Inquirer Staff Writer

'Jerry [Garcia] got high and Jerry's dead. I went hunting and I'm still Ted.'

- Ted Nugent addressing an NRA convention.

He's a walking, stalking contradiction: a long-haired, head-banging rocker who is also on the National Rifle Association's board of directors, a guitar god who has never ingested drugs or alcohol, a Detroit-bred guy who espouses a primitive, hunting-gathering lifestyle.

As the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent has sold more than 30 million albums. But at 57, he is increasingly better known as a latter-day King of the Jungle.

'It's irrefutably the right thing to do to be a hands-on conservationist, to monitor the good Mother Earth's health,' he says on the phone from his spread in Crawford, Texas, a few miles from the presidential ranch. 'Not to mention the joys and stimuli of the shooting sports, of being independent and gathering your own food and shelter and medicine.'

It's early in the morning, but Nugent already has taken his all-terrain vehicle out to check the trap lines on his property. 'I trapped a beautiful red"

Weber Smokey Mountain - Smoker Review

2006-01-11T15:50:00.000-06:00

Weber Smokey Mountain - Smoker Review: "Guide Review - Weber Smokey Mountain
The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker/Smoker is truly the ultimate inexpensive smoker on the market. Basically it is a standard vertical water smoker, but the design of the fire pan and the top and bottom mounted air vents gives this smoker superior temperature control and the ability to hold an even temperature for many hours. The large smoking areas give you plenty of room to prepare a barbecue feast for a large party. You have room for a 20 pound turkey, a full sized brisket or a large pork shoulder. If you need more than this you'll have to spend a lot more money to get a smoker this easy to use.

At around $200 there are a lot of vertical water smokers out there that cost less, but they simply do not work on the level of this smoker. The Weber, is, well a Weber. It is the best of its type and you will probably save yourself a lot of trouble and discouragement if you just buy this unit instead of wasting your time on lesser smokers that cost less.

The Weber Smokey Mountain has been known to hold steady temperatures for more than 20 hours and has several websites dedicated to it."

Some good tips from Weber

2005-12-27T15:18:00.000-06:00

Here are some good pork BBQ tips from Weber.

Welcome to Weber.com: "Weber Recipes
Pork. It doesn't get any better than when it's done on the grill. Our recipes run the gamut from the traditional to the adventurous. Try them all!
PORK GRILLING TIPS
Most barbecue sauces contain sugar, which easily burns, so don't sauce your ribs until the last 10 to 20 minutes of grilling time.

Don't parboil your ribs! You'll just boil away all the flavor. Instead, cook them low and slow over Indirect heat.

Chops 1-inch or thicker are best for the grill. For the most flavorful chop, lightly coat the chops with oil and sear them like you would a steak. Finish them up over Indirect Medium heat.

Tenderloin can be safely removed from the grill at 155F if it is covered with foil and allowed to rest for 5 minutes before carving. During that time, the temperature should rise to a perfect 160F. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. "

FWWeekly: Cafe Reviewed: Wednesday, December 21, 2005

2005-12-22T15:09:00.000-06:00

FWWeekly: Cafe Reviewed: Wednesday, December 21, 2005: "Big Wheels A-Turnin?

Chuck wagon cooking is becoming an ?in? thing to do for traditionalists and kitsch-lovers alike.

By DAN MCGRAW
files\2005-12-21\eats.jpg
Ought-Zero cook Skillet Wiginton gets ready to serve up some ?chuck? on the prairie.

One evening this past summer out in Big Sky country ? otherwise known as Westover Hills ? yokels dressed in fancy suits and cocktail dresses dined on prime rib, beans, fruit cobbler, and biscuits, along with some really strong coffee. The entire meal, which had been cooked over a good ol? fashioned fire pit, was prepared and served by grizzled-lookin? guys in cowboy hats and boots, leather vests, and denim. With enough booze in ya, you could squint your eyes and believe the year was 1882.

The wild, wild people catering this party were local professional food industry workers (from this time period, yes). Unlike their colleagues who work in buildings, these cooks and others who share a similar, powerful interest in Western heritage work on chuck wagons. Events like the party in Westover Hills are getting more popular across the country ? here you can find dozens of catering companies doing chuck wagon food. As you can imagine, in a city whose nickname is ?Cowtown,? the stuff is catching on."

Goose - Grilled or smoked to perfection

2005-12-21T12:16:00.000-06:00

Well, pardner here's another great recipe from
our favorite guide Derrick Riches

I really enjoyed fixing this one and hope you do to.

-Tom

Christmas Goose

Whether you want to prepare the traditional Christmas Goose or just enjoy a wonderful bird anytime or year, the open fire is the way to go. Domestic geese are so heavy in fat that you need to be able to allow that fat to drain away during the cooking. The grill and the smoker let you do that easily.

A store bought goose will weigh in anywhere between 6 and 20 pounds. The smaller, younger birds are generally considered better tasting. However, you will need to plan on about 1 1/2 pounds precooked weight per person. Once the fat has been rendered and the meat carved you will get considerably less bird than you paid for.">Goose - Grilled or smoked to perfection: "Search
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Goose
Your Guide, Derrick Riches From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
Stay up to date!
Grilled or smoked to perfection
Whether you want to prepare the traditional Christmas Goose or just enjoy a wonderful bird anytime or year, the open fire is the way to go. Domestic geese are so heavy in fat that you need to be able to allow that fat to drain away during the cooking. The grill and the smoker let you do that easily.

A store bought goose will weigh in anywhere between 6 and 20 pounds. The smaller, younger birds are generally considered better tasting. However, you will need to plan on about 1 1/2 pounds precooked weight per person. Once the fat has been rendered and the meat carved you will get considerably less bird than you paid for."

Grilled Sweet Potato, Apple, and Shallot Salad

2005-12-16T11:24:00.000-06:00

Grilled Sweet Potato, Apple, and Shallot Salad

1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 2 medium
2 golden delicious apples
6 ounces shallots, about 4 to 6 large
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch round slices. Core the apples and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Peel the shallots, divide into 2 pieces or cut in half through the stem. Thread the shallots through their sides onto metal skewers. Coat the potatoes, apples, and shallots with oil. Season evenly with the salt and pepper.

With the lid closed, grill the vegetables and apples over Direct Medium heat (400 to 450°F), turning every 5 to 6 minutes. The vegetables are done when they can be poked easily with a knife, about 10 to 12 minutes for the apples and shallots, and about 20 minutes for the sweet potatoes. Remove from the grill and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the dressing.

In a small bowl whisk the dressing ingredients.

Cut the sweet potatoes and apples into bite-sized pieces, cut the shallots into thin slices, and combine them in a serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and apples while they are still warm and toss with a fork to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings

Bridgeville Area News, Bridgeville Pa

2005-12-15T10:58:00.000-06:00

Bridgeville Area News, Bridgeville Pa: "Two Brothers BBQ is heaven on wheels
By Kristy Graver, Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 14, 2005

When JP Mackovich was 9 years old, he whipped up a five-course meal for his family.

'I just grabbed a bunch of Betty Crocker cookbooks and got to work,' he says. 'It took me all day, but it was actually edible in the end!'

The Wisconsin native -- whose gravelly voice still carries a hint that midwestern inflection -- juggled jobs as a rancher, US Airways flight attendant, textile manufacturer and Marine Corps sergeant, but always kept his food obsession simmering on the back-burner.

One day, while driving his daughter to school in Upper St. Clair, he heard an otherworldly voice urge him to 'Do the barbecue.'

After convincing his best friend, Dean Dryden, that he wasn't insane, the pair joined forces to write a business plan. Five months later, Two Brothers Bar-B-Q was born."

Grilling Ham - Don't just warm up your ham, grill it for flavor and character

2005-12-14T12:44:00.000-06:00

From Derrick Riches

Don't just warm up your ham, grill it for flavor and character
Everyone loves those sugar coated, glazed hams you stand in line for around the holidays. These hams are actually very easy to prepare on your own with a good grill. The secret is to get the sugar to melt and camelize to the surface of the ham. The advantage you have is that you can heat the ham and coat it at the same time so it is fresh off the grill when you serve it. The best method is to use a rotisserie to cook your ham because you can expose the entire surface of the ham to the heat you need to create that crust.

To start out you want a good ham that isn't going to give you a lot of trouble on the rotisserie. This means that the ham needs to be well proportioned so that it is easy to get balances. If you choose a bone in ham you might have a little more challenge but if you are careful and take your time getting the balance right you shouldn't have too much trouble.

College Sports BBQ Branding Irons

2005-12-07T10:54:00.000-06:00

College Sports BBQ Branding Irons

Branding Irons from many college teams. Our college branding
irons make a unique gift for college sports fans, and are especially fun when
tailgating. The deluxe versions have handles that match the team colors!


LSU BBQ Branding Iron	Texas A&M BBQ Branding Iron	Georgia BBQ Branding Iron	Nebraska BBQ Branding Iron

Texas Longhorns BBQ Branding Iron	Colorado BBQ Branding Iron	Oklahoma BBQ Branding Iron	More Teams BBQ Branding Irons

Fish: Grilling - Hot and fast, the best way to cook fish

2005-11-04T08:53:00.000-06:00

Fish: Grilling - Hot and fast, the best way to cook fish: "Search
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Fish: Grilling
Your Guide, Derrick Riches From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
Stay up to date!
Hot and fast, the best way to cook fish
I get a lot of requests for information on how to grill fish right. The first rule I've found is to not think about it that much. Fish is meant to be grilled. The direct heat cooks fish fast, easy and without removing moisture. Grilled fish is flavorful and juicy. The second rule about grilling fish is to make sure it doesn’t stick. Whether you oil the cooking surface or brush the fish with a little oil, make sure that you have a non-stick surface to work with.

Apart from that, "

Grilling Chicken Breasts - Pound it flat, brine it and grill hot and fast.

2005-10-21T09:28:00.000-05:00

Grilling Chicken Breasts - Pound it flat, brine it and grill hot and fast.: "Pound it flat, brine it and grill hot and fast.
Few things seem easier than grilling a skinless, boneless chicken breast. However, grilling a tender, juicy and flavorful chicken breast can be a difficult task. Without the chicken’s protective skin and because of the uneven thickness, you frequently end up with a dry piece of meat by the time it’s done. Pounding the chicken breast to an even thickness, brining and grilling it over a high, direct heat will solve this problem.

When you buy skinless, boneless chicken breasts they have a tapered shape and attached tenderloin. For grilling purposes it is best to remove the tenderloin since it’s thin shape will cook much too fast to be any good before the rest of the chicken is cooked. To even out the meat, pound it to about 1/2 inch thickness. This will give the breast a uniform thickness and break up the meat, which will allow the brine to permeate the meat quickly.

To brine the chicken, dissolve 1-1/2 tablespoons of unioniz"

London Broil - If you think you know what this is, you’re probably wrong

2005-10-19T11:15:00.000-05:00

London Broil - If you think you know what this is, you’re probably wrong: "If you think you know what this is, you’re probably wrong
London Broil, despite what you might find at the local meat market is not a cut of beef but rather a method of cooking. It was one of the first recipes to become popular in early restaurants and so the name London Broil because synonymous with a cut of meat. Originally that cut of meat was flank steak, but over the years the name has been applied to almost any cut of beef that is very lean and less tender. Hence you might find London Broil being a steak or a roast that comes from the sirloin or round sections of cattle. This of course makes the whole thing very confusing."

Pace Foods: Cowboy Cooking

2005-10-16T16:42:00.000-05:00

Pace Foods: Cowboy Cooking: "The primary feature on the wagon is the chuck box, complete with cupboards, drawers, shelves and hooks to hold everything a cook might need including: salt, flour, beans, sugar, molasses, coffee, lard, canned goods, salsa, dried fruit, bacon, fresh beef (wrapped in tarps), tableware, some basic medical supplies and a coffee grinder nailed to the side of the wagon. A cowhide harness, or �coonie,� hangs between the axles to carry firewood and the bottom cupboard, or �boot,� holds crocks, Dutch ovens, skillets and stewpots."

Grilling Tomatoes - Release the flavor with the grill for everything Tomato

2005-10-12T11:17:00.000-05:00

Grilling Tomatoes - Release the flavor with the grill for everything Tomato: "Release the flavor with the grill for everything Tomato
I know you’re thinking that grilling tomatoes sounds at the very best a little strange. Grilling a tomato does so much for the flavor. You simply have to try it to understand. In fact, try this: Take a tomato, cut it in half, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, grill, cut side down for about 5 minutes. Now, take a bit. The flavor of the tomato becomes intensified by grilling it. You also get a great flavor from the browning of the tomato. Since tomatoes are naturally high in sugar the grill caramelizes those sugars and gives the tomato some really great flavor."

Southwestern Grilling - Chilies, limes, cilantro and a while lot of flavor

2005-10-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

Southwestern Grilling - Chilies, limes, cilantro and a while lot of flavor: "Chilies, limes, cilantro and a while lot of flavor
With the growth on giant restaurant chains something that passes for Southwestern Cooking (sometimes called Santa Fe Cooking) is being pushed out across the world. This typically means Nachos and Fajitas are on the menu. Authentic Southwestern Food however isn’t as much a specific set of dishes as it is a way of preparing food and the ingredients that are used. Southwestern Food is a mixture of traditional American cooking with Native American ingredients and a lot of Spanish and Mexican influences. Chief among these ingredients are chili peppers, whether hot of mild, fresh, frozen or ground into a fine powder.

There are a lot of different kinds of chilies out there and they have a wide range of heat. Now believe it of not, there is a scale for testing the heat of a chili.
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It’s called the Scoville Unit and it uses high pressure liquid chromatography to measure the heat that a chili has. Okay, you don’t need to know the science behind it "

2005-10-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

Guided Turkey Hunting in Texas

In Texas as in many other states the hog is considered as a nuisance animal and may be hunted 365 days year 24 hours a day.
You can use most any legal weapon or trap that suites your fancy.Even though hogs are open season with no restrictions, the number of hogs is still ever increasing.
Even with this more lenient approach to hunting the hogs are still winning.The hog populations may be slowing down in some areas but that could be due to the amount of hunters in the local area.
Near larger cites this appears to be the case.But with litters of up to 9 piglets it�s going to be hard to cull their numbers.
You may see lots of fresh hog signs when you are deer hunting but will you rarely find the hog.You always seem to be one step behind the critter.The difference is in the habits of the white tail deer and the hog.
Most hunters have been trained in the ways of the deer.But the habits of the hog are totally different.This lack of makes guided hog hunting in Texas a must.
Deer have one to two fawns per season.But the wild sow will have a litter of three to five piglets per year.The offspring will more that likely be bred at around the six month mark period again having four or five piglets.
It is a good idea that you read all the material you can find on the wild hog.With the information you find you will be better prepared for the wild hog hunt you are planning.
No matter what state you hunt the hog in be prepared for a thrilling chase.This cunning adversary will test the limits of your knowledge. He will surprise you and

Jest click on that thar blue link up top for the rest of this story.

That was a goodin. Thank you, pardner, for stopping by. Come again.
Sit a spell, next time.

Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

Fish on a Plank - Grill fish on a wooden plank for ease and flavor

2005-10-05T09:55:00.000-05:00

Fish on a Plank - Grill fish on a wooden plank for ease and flavor: "Fish on a Plank
Your Guide, Derrick Riches From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
Stay up to date!
Grill fish on a wooden plank for ease and flavor
Grilling on a wooden plank is a lot like using a pan, except this pan will produce smoke and can catch fire. This method is great because it gives you a good stable surface to put foods on while giving you authentic smoke for flavor. This is particularly good if you are grilling something delicate like fish fillets. In fact it is for fish that this method came about, though you really can put most anything on a plank and grilling."

John Travolta to step into JR's cowboy boots? - Movie News - Time Out Film

2005-09-29T12:40:00.000-05:00

John Travolta to step into JR's cowboy boots? - Movie News - Time Out Film: "John Travolta to step into JR's cowboy boots?
Rumours circulate as to who will play the leads in the forthcoming 'Dallas' film.
September 28 2005
Could this be the new JR Ewing?
Could this be the new JR Ewing?

Speculation is rife regarding who will star in Robert Luketic's big-screen adaptation of super-soap 'Dallas'.

Although production company New Regency are refusing to make any casting decisions until Sacha Gervasi delivers a rewrite of Robert Harling's script, Variety has nevertheless released a list of the front-runners.

The most high-profile role – that of super-villain JR Ewing – appears to be a four-way battle between box-office heavyweights John Travolta, Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner and Tommy Lee Jones.
"

Cook's Exchange by Veronica Hill

2005-09-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

Cook's Exchange by Veronica Hill: "Cook's Exchange by Veronica Hill
How to get in on the chuck wagon scene
Artisan Real Estate

Q. My husband and I watched a chuck wagon cooking competition on the Food Network recently. We are very interested in attending some of the competitions. Could you give me some information as to where some of the competitions are held and when? Do you have some web addresses that I could visit to get more information about these chuck wagons? — Sharon Rachal"

2005-09-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

Try Guided Dove Hunting in Texas

Guided dove hunting in Texas can be a safe and fun sport to try.You will have better odds of a success with a guided tour than you do with the Texas lotto.Did you know a dove�s diet is mostly of seeds from the fields and the weeds along the fence lines?Doves usually do not

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes Google Cowgirls Get The Blues

These gals like to check up on what�s new in the cowboy world, what the newest fashions are, where the next rodeo is, and where all the google cowboys are hiding.
When they get tired of surfing they wonder down the old corral chat board where they can talk up a storm with the google cowboys.
The conversations are fun and informative ranging for new roping techniques to how to tame that wild mare.This is also where these great songs often originate.After all if cowboys can get the blues so can cowgirls right?
Have you heard the words to the rodeo song?Fun little tune but is a bit on the raunchy side.So are you wondering what the words are to this soon to be song?Glad you asked, here are the first two verses you decide if it�s a keeper.
Well it's late and Suzies computer has crappedSo if sh

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

Texarkana Gazette: News and Classifieds From Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas

2005-09-22T10:34:00.000-05:00

Texarkana Gazette: News and Classifieds From Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas: "City approves blues/BBQ festival
Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:50 AM CDT

Huckabee designates cookoff as official state championship

By JODI SHERIDAN
Texarkana Gazette

Texarkana, Ark., city directors paved the way for the second annual Downtown Blues and Barbecue Festival at a board meeting Monday night when they approved the request by Main Street Texarkana to hold the festival.
"

cowboy cooking

2005-09-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

Pace Foods: Cowboy Cooking
In the early days of chuckwagon cooking, getting the cowboys well-fed and back
... With a Texan President fond of tacos and chili, cowboy cooking is getting ...

Red Snapper - A great fish, just make sure it’s really Red Snapper

2005-09-21T13:35:00.000-05:00

Red Snapper - A great fish, just make sure it’s really Red Snapper: "Red Snapper
Your Guide, Derrick Riches From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
Stay up to date!
A great fish, just make sure it’s really Red Snapper
Red Snapper is one of the most popular of all white fish. In fact snapper is increasingly becoming a generic term for white fish. Red Snapper can be found all over the world with most fish being harvested in the Gulf of Mexico and Indonesia. The high demand has led to a high price and the high price has led to fish fraud. A University of North Carolina class project found 17 out of 22 fish they bought labeled as Red Snapper was actually some other kind of snapper. This if of course illegal, but get the USDA to enforce it."

2005-09-20T21:27:00.000-05:00

The facts About Texas

The Texans are a mighty friendly group that live in 254 counties covering from the Gulf of Mexico to the plains and the mountains.You will not find a friendlier or more interesting group of folks.
All the modern conveniences you will ever need can be found in the large cities like Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso and the capital Austin.
Texas�s large cities have one advantage over other large cities because they have maintained that wild west charm from an era gone by.
There are also many historical sites found all over Texas.And there is never any worry about finding the true nature of Texas and its residents.The wild west is in their blood.
Did you know that a Virginian Sam Houston was president of the Republic of Texas for two separate terms?Houston was president from 1836 to 1838 then from 1841 to 1844.He also was governor of the state of Texas from 1859 to 1861.
Did you know that Jos� Antonio Navarro the signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and one of the founders of the Constitution of the Republic, was a Texas native?
He was born in San Antonio in 1795.Navarro also served in the Republic of Texas Congress and the Constitutional Convention in 1845.Navarro County was named in his honor.
The first Congress of the Republic of Texas convened in October 1836 at Columbia which is now known as West Columbia.
Texas history is as big as their Texan hats.Texas has a wealth of history including the last battle of the civil war of America.
You could spend a life time looking at a

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-20T07:05:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

Flood asked him if he wanted the lead, but Wilson waived his right in his open, frank manner, saying, "If I had as long-legged cattle as you have, I wouldn't ask no man for the privilege of passing.
Why, you ought to out-travel horses. I'm glad to have met you and your outfit, personally, but regret the incident which has given you so much trouble.
As I don't expect to go farther than Dodge or Ogalalla at the most, you are more than welcome to the lead.
And if you or any of these rascals in your outfit are ever in Coryell County, hunt up Frank Wilson of the Block Bar Ranch, and I'll promise you a drink of milk or something stronger if possible."We crossed the Wichita late that afternoon, there being not over fifty feet of swimming water for the cattle. Our wagon gave us the only trouble, for the load could not well be lightened, and it was an imperative necessity to cross it the same day.
Once the cattle were safely over and a few men left to graze them forward, the remainder of the outfit collected all the ropes and went back after the wagon.
As mules are always unreliable in the water, Flood concluded to swim them loose. We lashed the wagon box securely to the gearing with ropes, arranged our bedding in the wagon where it would be on top, and ran the wagon by hand into the water as far as we dared without flooding the wagon box.
Two men, with guy ropes fore and aft, were then left to swim with the wagon in order to keep it from toppling over, while the remainder of us recrossed to the farther side of the swimming channel, and fastened our lariats to two long ropes from the end of the tongue.
We took a wrap on the pommels of our s

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-19T11:42:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

Not waiting for any reply, Flood turned away, and the double outfit circled around the grazing herd and began throwing the sea of beef cattle into a compact body ready to work.
Rod Wheat and Ash Borrowstone were detailed to hold our cut, and the remainder of us, including Honeyman, entered the herd and began cutting.
Shortly after we had commenced the work, the mixed outfit, finding themselves in a lonesome minority, joined us and began cutting out their cattle to the westward.
When we had worked about half an hour, Flood called us out, and with the larger portion of Wilson's men, we rode over and drifted the mixed cut around to the southward, where they belonged. The mixed outfit pretended they meant no harm, and were politely informed that if they were sincere, they could show it more plainly.
For nearly three hours we sent a steady stream of cattle out of the main herd into our cut, while our horses dripped with sweat.
With our advantage in the start, as well as that of having the smallest herd, we finished our work first. While the mixed outfit were finishing their cutting, we changed mounts, and then were ready to work the separated herds.
Cowboy Log -On the Brazos and Wichita

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-18T22:27:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

The first herd disclaimed all responsibility, holding that the stampede was due to an unavoidable accident, their cattle having grown restless during their enforced lay-over.
The indifferent attitude of their foreman, whose name was Wilson, won the friendly regard of our outfit, and before the wagon of the mixed cattle was reached, there was a compact, at least tacit, between their outfit and ours.
Our foreman was not blameless, for had we taken the usual precaution and camped at least a mile off the trail, which was our custom when in close proximity to other herds, we might and probably would have missed this mix-up, for our herd was inclined to be very tractable.
Flood, with all his experience, well knew that if stampeded cattle ever got into a known trail, they were certain to turn backward over their course; and we were now paying the fiddler for lack of proper precaution.
Within an hour after daybreak, and before the cattle had reached the camp of the mixed herd, our saddle horses were sighted coming over a slight divide about two miles up the trail, and a minute later McCann's mules hove in sight, bringing up the rear.
They had made a start with the first dawn, rightly reasoning, as there was no time to leave orders on our departure, that it was advisable for Mahomet to go to the mountain. Flood complimented our cook and horse wrangler on their foresight, for the wagon was our base of sustenance; and there was little loss of time before Barney McCann was calling us to a hastily prepared breakfast.
Flood asked Wilson to bring his outfit t

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-17T08:32:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

"Hell's fire and little fishes!" said Joe Stallings, as we clambered into our saddles to return, "it's not supper or breakfast that's troubling me, but will we get any dinner to-morrow? That's a more pregnant question."
It must have been after midnight when I was awakened by the braying of mules and the rattle of the wagon, to hear the voices of Forrest and McCann, mingled with the rattle of chains as they unharnessed, condemning to eternal perdition the broken country on the north side of the Brazos, between Round Timber ferry and the mouth of Monday Creek.
"I think that when the Almighty made this country on the north side of the Brazos," said McCann the next morning at breakfast, "the Creat

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-16T18:58:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

The kneeling cattle were cutting the bank viciously with their horns and matting their heads with the red mud, but on discovering our presence, they curved their tails and stampeded out as playfully as young lambs on a hillside.
"Can you sabe where the fun comes in to a steer, to get down on his knees in the mud and dirt, and horn the bank and muss up his curls and enjoy it like that?" inquired Strayhorn of Blades and me.
"Because it's healthy and funny besides," replied Bob, giving me a cautious wink.
"Did you never hear of people taking mud baths? You've seen dogs eat grass, haven't you?Well, it's something on the same order. Now, if I was a student of the nature of animals, like you are, I'd get off my horse and imagine I had horns, and scar and otherwise mangle that mud ba

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-16T05:02:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

Much as he regretted to leave the herd for even a single night, our foreman finally consented to go. To further his convenience we made a long evening drive, camping for the night well above Buffalo Gap, which at that time was little more than a landmark on the trail.
The next day we made an easy drive and passed Abilene early in the afternoon, where Flood rejoined us, but refused any one permission to go into town, with the exception of McCann with the wagon, which was a matter of necessity.
It was probably for the best, for this cow town had the reputation of setting a pace that left the wayfarer purseless and breathless, to say nothing about headaches. Though our foreman had not reached t

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

Barbecue and Grilling Recipe of the Week: Santa Fe Steak

2005-09-16T04:49:00.000-05:00

Barbecue and Grilling Recipe of the Week: Santa Fe Steak
Derrick Riches from Derrick Riches

Santa Fe Steak

1 1/2 pounds top round steak, 1-inch thick
1 large avocado, diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup frozen margarita drink mix, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine margarita mix, cilantro, vegetable oil, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons of mixture and pour remaining into a resealable bag or non-reactive container. Add steaks to mixture, turning to coat. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Remove steaks from marinade and discard the marinade. Place steaks on a preheated grill and cook until done, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Meanwhile combine 2 tablespoons of mariande with avocado and onion. Toss until evenly mixed. Remove steaks from grill and carve into thin slices. Serve with avocado salsa.

Southwestern Grilling
Southwestern cooking combines the best of Mexican, American and Native American into one fusion that will satisfy anyone who loves flavor. Learn how to add the hot, the sweet and the savory in a way that is both distinctive and sure to please.

2005-09-14T17:11:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

Come on, and no false moves or funny work or I'll shoot the white out of your eye.
Surround this layout, lads, and let's examine them more closely."
At this command, every man in our outfit whipped out his six-shooter, the Rangers leveled their carbines on the rustlers, and in less than a minute's time they were disarmed and as crestfallen a group of men as ever walked into a trap of their own setting.
Hames got out a "black book," and after looking the crowd over concluded to hold the entire covey, as the descriptions of the "wanted" seemed to include most of them.
Some of the rustlers attempted to explain their presence, but Hames dec

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-14T01:40:00.000-05:00

Log of a Cowboy

Chapter VII - The ColoradoSeveral of our outfit rode up at this juncture in time to hear Flood's reply: "If you think you're equal to the occasion, hold them up yourself.
If I had as big an outfit as you have, I wouldn't ask any man to help me. I want to watch a Colorado River outfit work a herd,I might learn something. My outfit will take a rest, or perhaps hold the cut or otherwise clerk for you. But be

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-13T11:32:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Log - Chapter IV

Joining Honeyman, I took the first horse which came within reach of my rope, and with a fresh mount under me, we rushed the saddle horses past the wagon and shortly came up with our foreman.
There we rounded in the horses as best we could without the aid of the wagon, and before McCann arrived, all had fresh mounts and were ready for orders. This was my

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-12T21:16:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Log - Chapter IV

For a few minutes the attempt promised to be successful, but our cordon was too weak and the cattle went through between the riders, and we soon found a portion of our forces on either side of the herd, while a few of the boys were riding out of the rush in the lead.
On finding our forces thus divided, the five or six of us who remained on the right contented ourselves by pointing in the leaders, for the cattle, so far as we could tell, were running compactly. Our foreman, however, was determined to turn the run, and after a few minutes' time rejoined us on the right, when under his leadership we circled the front of the herd and collected on the left point, when, for a third time, we repeated the same tactics in our efforts to turn the stampede.
But in this, which was our final effort, we were attempting to turn them slowly and on a much larger circle, and with a promise of success. Suddenly in the dark we encountered a mesquite thicket into which the lead cattle tore with a crashing of brush and a rattle of horns that sent a chill up and down my spine. But there was no time to hesitate, for our horses were in the thicket, and with the herd closing in on us there was no alternative but to go through it, every man for himself.
I gave Nigger a free rein, shutting my eyes and clutching both cantle and pommel to hold my seat; the black responded to the rowel and tore through the thicket, in places higher than my head, and came out in an open space considerably in the lead of the cattle.
This thicket must have been eight or ten rods wide, and checked the run to a slight extent; but as they emerged from it, they came out in scattering flies and resumed their running. Being alone, and not knowing which way to turn, I rode to the right and front and soon found myself in the lead of quite a string of beef cattle. Nigger and I were piloting them where they listed, when Joe Stallings, hatless himself and his horse heaving, overtook me, and the two of us gave those lead cattle all the trouble we knew how. But we did not attempt to turn them, for they had caught their wind in forcing the thicket, and were running an easy stroke.
Several times we worried the leaders into a trot, but as other cattle in the rear came up, we were compelled to loosen out and allow them to resume their running, or they would have scattered on us like partridges. At this stage of the run, we had no idea where the rest of the outfit were, but both of us were satisfied the herd had scattered on leaving the mesquite thicket, and were possibly then running in half a dozen bunches like the one we were with.
Stallings's horse was badly winded, and on my suggestion, he dropped out on one side to try to get some idea how many cattle we were leading. He was gone some little time, and as Nigger cantered along easily in the lead, I managed to eject the shells from my six-shooter and refill the cylinder. On Joe's overtaking me again, he reported that there was a slender column of beef cattle, half a mile in length, following.
As one man could easily lead this string of the herd until daybreak, I left Stallings with them and rode out to the left nearly a quarter of a mile, listening to hear if there were any cattle running to the left of those we were leading. It took me but a few minutes to satisfy myself that ours was the outside band on the left, and after I rejoined Joe, we made an effort to check our holding.
There were about fifty or sixty big steers in the lead of our bunch, and after worrying them into a trot, we opened in their front with our six-shooters, shooting into the ground in their very faces, and were rewarded by having them turn tail and head the other way. Taking advantage of the moment, we jumped our horses on the retreating leaders, and as fast as the rear cattle forged forward, easily turned them.
Leaving Joe to turn the rear as they came up, I rode to the lead, unfastening my slicker as I went, and on reaching the turned leaders, who were running on an angle from their former course, flaunted my "fish" in their faces until they reentered the rear guard of our string, and we soon had a mill going which kept them busy, and rested our horses.
Once we had them milling, our trouble, as far as running was concerned, was over, for all two of us could hope to do was to let them exhaust themselves in this endless circle.
It then lacked an hour of daybreak, and all we could do was to ride around and wait for daylight. In the darkness preceding dawn, we had no idea of the number of our bunch, except as we could judge from the size and compactness of the milling cattle, which must have covered an acre or more.
The humidity of the atmosphere, which had prevailed during the night, by dawn had changed until a heavy fog, cutting off our view on every hand, left us as much at sea as we had been previously. But with the break of day we rode through our holding a number of times, splitting and scattering the milling cattle, and as the light of day brightened, we saw them quiet down and go to grazing as though they had just arisen from the bed ground.
It was over an hour before the fog lifted sufficiently to give us any idea as to our whereabouts, and during the interim both Stallings and myself rode to the nearest elevation, firing a number of shots in the hope of getting an answer from the outfit, but we had no response.
When the sun was sufficiently high to scatter the mists which hung in clouds, there was not an object in sight by which we could determine our location. Whether we had run east, west, or south during the night neither of us knew, though both Stallings and myself were satisfied that we had never crossed the trail, and all we did know for a certainty was that we had between six and seven hundred head of cattle.
Stallings had lost his hat, and I had one sleeve missing and both outside pockets torn out of my coat, while the mesquite thorns had left their marks on the faces of both of us, one particularly ugly cut marking Joe's right temple. "I've worn leggins for the last ten years," said Stallings to me, as we took an inventory of our disfigurements, "and for about ten seconds in forcing that mesquite thicket was the only time I ever drew interest on my investment. They're a heap like a six-shooter--wear them all your life and never have any use for them."
With a cigarette for breakfast, I left Joe to look after our bunch, and after riding several miles to the right, cut the trail of quite a band of beef cattle. In following up this trail I could easily see that some one was in their lead, as they failed to hold their course in any one direction for any distance, as free cattle would.
After following th

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Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-12T13:58:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Log - Chapter III - The Start

It would take me two days yet, poking along with heavy packs, to reach the hunters. Well, I hadn't made over eight or ten miles the first morning, when, as I rounded a turn in the trail, a man stepped out from behind a rock, threw a gun in my face, and ordered me to hold up my hands.
Then another appeared from the opposite side with his gun leveled on me. Inside of half a minute a dozen men galloped up from every quarter, all armed to the teeth. The man on leaving had given me his gun for company, one of these old smoke-pole, cap-and-ball six-shooters, but I must have forgotten what guns were for, for I elevated my little hands nicely. The leader of the party questioned me as to who I was, and what I was doing there, and what I had in those packs. That once, at least, I told the truth. Every mother's son of them was cursing and cross-questioning me in the same breath. They ordered me off my horse, took my gun, and proceeded to verify my tale by unpacking the mules. So much ammunition aroused their suspicions, but my story was as good as it was true, and they never shook me from the truth of it.
I soon learned that robbery was not their motive, and the leader explained the situation.
"A vigilance committee had been in force in that county for some time, trying to rid the country of lawless characters. But lawlessness got into the saddle, and had bench warrants issued and served on every member of this vigilance committee.
As the vigilantes numbered several hundred, there was no jail large enough to hold such a number, so they were released on parole for appearance at court. When court met, every man served with a capias"--
"Hold on! hold your horses just a minute," interrupted Quince Forrest, "I want to get that word. I want to make a memorandum of it, for I may want to use it myself sometime. Capias? Now I have it; go ahead."
"When court met, every man served with a bench warrant from the judge presiding was present, and as soon as court was called to order, a squad of men arose in the court room, and the next moment the judge fell riddled with lead.
Then the factions scattered to fight it out, and I was passing through the county while matters were active.
"They confiscated my gun and all the ammunition in the packs, but helped me to repack and started me on my way. A happy thought struck one of the men to give me a letter, which would carry me through without further trouble, but the leader stopped him, saying, 'Let the boy alone. Your letter would hang him as sure as hell's hot, before he went ten miles farther.'
I declined the letter. Even then I didn't have sense enough to turn back, and inside of two hours I was rounded up by the other faction. I had learned my story perfectly by this time, but those packs had to come off again for everything to be examined. There was nothing in them now but flour and salt and such things--nothing that they might consider suspicious. One fellow in this second party took a fancy to my horse, and offered to help hang me on general principles, but kinder counsels prevailed.
They also helped me to repack, and I started on once more. Before I reached my destination the following evening, I was held up seven different times. I got so used to it that I was happily disappointed every shelter I passed, if some man did not step out and throw a gun in my face.
"I had trouble to convince the cattle hunters of my experiences, but the absence of any ammunition, which they needed worst, at last led them to give credit to my tale. I was expected home within a week, as I was to go down on the Nueces on a cow hunt which was making up, and I only rested one day at the hunters' camp. On their advice, I took a different route on my way home, leaving the mules behind me. I never saw a man the next day returning, and was feeling quite gala on my good fortune.
When evening came on, I sighted a little ranch house some distance off the trail, and concluded to ride to it and stay overnight. As I approached, I saw that some one lived there, as there were chickens and dogs about, but not a person in sight. I dismounted and knocked on the door, when, without a word, the door was thrown wide open and a half dozen guns were poked into my face. I was ordered into the house and given a chance to tell my story again.
Whether my story was true or not, they took no chances on me, but kept me all night. One of the men took my horse to the stable and cared for him, and I was well fed and given a place to sleep, but not a man offered a word of explanation, from which I took it they did not belong to the vigilance faction. When it came time to go to bed, one man said to me, 'Now, sonny, don't make any attempt to get away, and don't move out of your bed without warning us, for you'll be shot as sure as you do. We won't harm a hair on your head if you're telling us the truth; only do as you're told, for we'll watch you.'
"By this time I had learned to obey orders while in that county, and got a fair night's sleep, though there were men going and coming all night. The next morning I was given my breakfast; my horse, well cuffed and saddled, was brought to the door, and with this parting advice I was given permission to go: 'Son, if you've told us the truth, don't look back when you ride away. You'll be watched for the first ten miles after leaving here, and if you've lied to us it will go hard with you. Now, remember, don't look back, for these are times when no one cares to be identified.'
I never questioned that man's advice; it was 'die dog or eat the hatchet' with me. I mounted my horse, waved the usual parting courtesies, and rode away. As I turned into the trail about a quarter mile from the house, I noticed two men ride out from behind the stable and follow me. I remembered the story about Lot's wife looking back, though it was lead and not miracles that I was afraid of that morning.
"For the first hour I could hear the men talking and the hoofbeats of their horses, as they rode along always the same distance behind me. After about two hours of this one-sided joke, as I rode over a little hill, I looked out of the corner of my eye back at my escort, still about a quarter of a mile behind me. One of them noticed me and raised his gun, but I instantly changed my view, and the moment the hill hid me, put spurs to my horse, so that when they reached the brow of the hill, I was half a mile in the lead, burning the earth like a canned dog.
They threw lead close around me, but my horse lengthened the distance between us for the next five miles, when they dropped entirely out of sight. By noon I came into the old stage road, and by the middle of the afternoon reached home after over sixty miles in the saddle without a halt."
Just at the conclusion of Bull's story, Flood rode in from the herd, and after picketing his horse, joined the circle. In reply to an inquiry from one of the boys as to how the cattle were resting, he replied,--
"This herd is breaking into trail life nicely. If we'll just be careful with them now for the first month, and no bad storms strike us in the night, we may never have a run the entire trip. That last drink of water they had this evening gave them a night-cap that'll last them until morning. No, there's no danger of any trouble to-night."
For fully an hour after the return of our foreman, we lounged around the fire, during which

Jest click on that thar blue link up top for the rest of this story.

That was a goodin. Thank you, pardner, for stopping by. Come again.
Sit a spell, next time.

Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-11T22:23:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Log - Chapter III - The Start

Well, we were twenty miles on our way, and as it would take some little time to go back and return with the loaded mules, I volunteered, like a fool kid, to go on and take the packs through.
"The only question was, could I pack and unpack. I had helped him at this work, double-handed, but now that I was to try it alone, he showed me what he called a squaw hitch, with which you can lash a pack single-handed.
After putting me through it once or twice, and satisfying himself that I could do the packing, he consented to let me go on, he and the messenger returning home during the night. The next morning I packed without any trouble and started on my way. It would take me two days yet, poking along with heavy packs, to reach the hunters. Well, I hadn't made over eight or ten miles the first morning, when, as I rounded a turn in the trail, a man stepped out from behind a rock, threw a gun in my face, and ordered me to hold up my hands.
Then another appeared from the opposite side with his gun leveled on me. Inside of half a minute a dozen men galloped up from every quarter, all armed to the teeth. The man on leaving had given me his gun for company, one of these old smoke-pole, cap-and-ball six-shooters, but I must have forgotten what guns were for, for I elevated my little hands nicely. The leader of the party questioned me as to who I was, and what I was doing there, and what I had in those packs. That once, at least, I told the truth. Every mother's son of them was cursing and cross-questioning me in the same breath. They ordered me off my horse, took my gun, and proceeded to verify my tale by unpacking the mules. So much ammunition aroused their suspicions, but my story was as good as it was true, and they never shook me from the truth of it.
I soon learned that robbery was not their motive, and the leader explained the situation.
"A vigilance committee had been in force in that county for some time, trying to rid the country of lawless characters. But lawlessness got into the saddle, and had bench warrants issued and served on every member of this vigilance committee.
As the vigilantes numbered several hundred, there was no jail large enough to hold such a number, so they were released on parole for appearance at court. When court met, every man served with a capias"--
"Hold on! hold your horses just a minute," interrupted Quince Forrest, "I want to get that word. I want to make a memorandum of it, for I may want to use it myself sometime. Capias? Now I have it; go ahead."
"When court met, every man served with a bench warrant from the judge presiding was present, and as soon as court was called to order, a squad of men arose in the court room, and the next moment the judge fell riddled with lead.
Then the factions scattered to fight it out, and I was passing through the county while matters were active.
"They confiscated my gun and all the ammunition in the packs, but helped me to repack and started me on my way. A happy thought struck one of the men to give me a letter, which would carry me through without further trouble, but the leader stopped him, saying, 'Let the boy alone. Your letter would hang him as sure as hell's hot, before he went ten miles farther.'
I declined the letter. Even then I didn't have sense enough to turn back, and inside of two hours I was rounded up by the other faction. I had learned my story perfectly by this time, but those packs had to come off again for everything to be examined. There was nothing in them now but flour and salt and such things--nothing that they might consider suspicious. One fellow in this second party took a fancy to my horse, and offered to help hang me on general principles, but kinder counsels prevailed.
They also helped me to repack, and I started on once more. Before I reached my destination the following evening, I was held up seven different times. I got so used to it that I was happily disappointed every shelter I passed, if some man did not step out and throw a gun in my face.
"I had trouble to convince the cattle hunters of my experiences, but the absence of any ammunition, which they needed worst, at last led them to give credit to my tale. I was expected home within a week, as I was to go down on the Nueces on a cow hunt which was making up, and I only rested one day at the hunters' camp. On their advice, I took a different route on my way home, leaving the mules behind me. I never saw a man the next day returning, and was feeling quite gala on my good fortune.
When evening came on, I sighted a little ranch house some distance off the trail, and concluded to ride to it and stay overnight. As I approached, I saw that some one lived there, as there were chickens and dogs about, but not a person in sight. I dismounted and knocked on the door, when, without a word, the door was thrown wide open and a half dozen guns were poked into my face. I was ordered into the house and given a chance to tell my story again.
Whether my story was true or not, they took no chances on me, but kept me all night. One of the men took my horse to the stable and cared for him, and I was well fed and given a place to sleep, but not a man offered a word of explanation, from which I took it they did not belong to the vigilance faction. When it came time to go to bed, one man said to me, 'Now, sonny, don't make any attempt to get away, and don't move out of your bed without warning us, for you'll be shot as sure as you do. We won't harm a hair on your head if you're telling us the truth; only do as you're told, for we'll watch you.'
"By this time I had learned to obey orders while in that county, and got a fair night's sleep, though there were men going and coming all night. The next morning I was given my breakfast; my horse, well cuffed and saddled, was brought to the door, and with this parting advice I was given permission to go: 'Son, if you've told us the truth, don't look back when you ride away. You'll be watched for the first ten miles after leaving here, and if you've lied to us it will go hard with you. Now, remember, don't look back, for these are times when no one cares to be identified.'
I never questioned that man's advice; it was 'die dog or eat the hatchet' with me. I mounted my horse, waved the usual parting courtesies, and rode away. As I turned into the trail about a quarter mile from the house, I noticed two men ride out from behind the stable and follow me. I remembered the story about Lot's wife looking back, though it was lead and not miracles that I was afraid of that morning.
"For the first hour I could hear the men talking and the hoofbeats of their horses, as they rode along always the s

Jest click on that thar blue link up top for the rest of this story.

That was a goodin. Thank you, pardner, for stopping by. Come again.
Sit a spell, next time.

Tom Strayhorn

Cowboy Cooking

Weber.com Recipe of the Week - Chicken Wings with Thai Sweet & Hot Chili Glaze

2005-09-09T12:13:00.000-05:00

Chicken Wings with Thai Sweet & Hot Chili Glaze

Glaze
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot chili-garlic sauce, such as sriracha
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

16 chicken wings, wing tips removed
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients.

Trim excess skin from the edges of the wings. Lightly brush or spray with the oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grill the chicken wings over Direct Medium heat until the skin begins to crisp, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Brush the wings with the glaze and continue to grill until the meat is no longer pink at the bone, 8 to 10 minutes, turning and brushing with the glaze 2 or 3 times. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings

Pace Foods: Cowboy Cooking

2005-09-08T03:57:00.000-05:00

Pace Foods: Cowboy Cooking: "Even the President Likes a Good Cowboy Meal. With a Texan President fond of tacos and chili, cowboy cooking is getting more attention than ever. In fact, when hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin at their ranch, President and Mrs. Bush hosted a traditional Texas ranch party, complete with a cowboy band and an authentic, upscale chuckwagon dinner including peppered tenderloin, fried catfish fillets, guacamole salad with black beans and roasted corn and new potatoes tossed with poblano peppers.

This historical information on the tradition of the cowboy chuckwagon comes from Tom Perini's book, Texas Cowboy Cooking, and from the Pace® Family Recipe Round-Up: 50th Anniversary Cookbook"

Weber.com - Recipe of the Week

2005-09-04T07:11:00.000-05:00

Weber.com - Recipe of the Week: " more recipes Pork Burger 'Sliders' with Roasted Onion Relish

Relish
3 medium yellow onions, unpeeled
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Burgers
2 pounds lean ground pork
2 tablespoons ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce

Extra virgin olive oil
8 small dinner rolls, cut in half

To make the relish: In a medium bowl, coat the onions with the olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Loosely wrap each onion in aluminum foil and grill them over Indirect Medium heat until soft, about one hour. When cool enough to handle, peel the onions. Cut off and discard the stem and root ends. Cut the onions in half lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2-inch pieces or smaller.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the onions, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the ketchup, wine, vinegar, and Tabasco sauce. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. "

Barbecue and Grilling Recipe of the Week: Three Pepper Stuffed Steaks

2005-09-02T09:11:00.000-05:00

BBQ Burgers

2005-08-25T09:55:00.000-05:00

BBQ Burgers: "BBQ Burgers
by Concita Demicoli

Thursday, 25 August, 2005

It is still, for most of us, BBQ season and since we have been BBQing for the past weeks, I have received some emails asking me for fresh ideas on what to do. Last week I gave a shot at some home made beef burgers and they turned out to be very easy to prepare and simply delicious. I'm sure that the frozen shop-bought ones are very convenient for most of you, but I still suggest you give these a try. "

Barbecue and Grilling Recipe of the Week: Ethiopian Spice Rub

2005-08-19T12:36:00.000-05:00

Gmail - Barbecue and Grilling Recipe of the Week: Ethiopian Spice Rub: "Rub Recipes
Dozens of great recipes for wet and dry rubs. These recipes will help you add flavor to any kind of dish you want to grill or smoke. "

MySA.com: Metro | State

2005-08-18T08:28:00.000-05:00

MySA.com: Metro | State: "
Metro | State

AIMYahooEmail this story Print this story
NEW: Man behind Cowboy Breakfast dies at 70

Web Posted: 08/17/2005 12:11 PM CDT

Amy Dorsett
Express-News Staff Writer

Cecil Lankford, the man behind the city's popular Cowboy Breakfast, died Tuesday.

Lankford, who would have turned 71 on Monday, was a former smoker and had battled lung cancer since last fall.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Mission Park Funeral Chapel South, 1700 S.E. Military Drive.

In November, doctors had predicted that Lankford would only live six more weeks, but he bounced back and was able to attend this year's Cowboy Breakfast, the unofficial kickoff of the rodeo season, in January.

On that cold Friday morning, Lankford reflected on what would likely be his last Cowboy Breakfast, an event he'd help plan since its second year.

He served as chairman for the past seven years and engineered many of the gigantic meals' cooking techniques. He designed an enormous grill capable of cooking 1,200 egss at a time and used paint mixers as egg beaters."

Recipes : Cattle Drive Beef and Bean Man-wich : Food Network

2005-08-18T08:16:00.000-05:00

Recipes : Cattle Drive Beef and Bean Man-wich : Food Network: "Home > Recipes
Cattle Drive Beef and Bean Man-wich
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003
Show: Emeril Live
Episode: Cowboy Cooking

Emeril Lagasse
Check out these features:
Travel tips
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Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

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2 pounds beef chuck, cubed
1 1/2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
1/2 pound salt pork or thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 cups chopped yellow onions
4 large jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and their juices
1 (12-ounce) beer
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Water, as needed"

Low Carb Barbeque Sauce

2005-08-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

Low Carb Barbeque Sauce
Author: Hans Deker
Is there such a thing as low carb bbq sauce recipes? The answer is yes! You can enjoy all that barbequing has to offer with several different low carb barbecue recipes.

The main item in BBQ sauce that causes the high carb levels is of course sugar, so you should look for recipes that do not have any sugar or substitute the sugar with a substitute like Splenda. You can make your sauces sweet if you like, but not all barbeque sauces have to sweet to be delectable.

Try this one on. You will need:
1 minced onion,
1 small can of tomato sauce,
2 cups of water,
� cup of apple cider vinegar (one with no sugar),
� cup of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, paprika,
chili powder,
cinnamon,
cloves,
salt and pepper all to taste.
Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes. All done and you have a low carb barbeque sauce that everyone at your dinner party is sure to love.Of course you can adjust if you are serving seafood, beef, pork, chicken or plain hamburgers.

For any barbacue sauce you will need some type of tomato product such as tomato sauce, ketchup, or a combination of tomato puree and tomatoes. Then all the other ingredients are pretty much taste.
You can add onions, green pepper, red pepper, jalapeno peppers, orange juice, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or anything else to enhance the flavor and aroma of your barbeque sauce. But, to keep it low in carbs stay away from sugar or any items that have sugar added. Some ketchup�s have sugar added, so be sure to read the label before you purchase the items to prepare your BBQ sauce.
Enjoy your low carb cookout!

About the Author

Hans is author of Steaks, Seafood and
Barbeque Recipes at Steaks-Guide.com

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Indoor Grills Featured in Steven Raichlens Newest Book

2005-08-14T17:33:00.000-05:00

Indoor Grills Featured in Steven Raichlen's Newest Book
Author: Laura Ciocan
With a great number of city people living in condos, with no possibility to grill outside, Raichlen's latest book, "Indoor! Grilling" covers a topic of large interest, especially that grilling is a tradition in America, some sort of a national custom. So, this theme surely relieves a lot of frustration for the part of audience that had been previously left out!

Steven Raichlen is a cooking teacher, lecturer, author, journalist and TV host. He founded the Carribean cooking school Cooking in Paradise. Raichlen's TV show, Barbecue University debuted in 2003 on public television. The same year he was named the "cooking teacher of the year" by Bon Appetit magazine.

Participating in a "barbecue battle" on Japanese television and defeating Iron Chef Roksbura Michiba attracted him nicknames such as the "Michael Jordan of Barbecue", as Howard Stern called him or, like Oprah put it, the "Gladiator of Grilling".

Raichlen published over 25 books of which best-sellers such as Barbecue Bible Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Beer Can Chicken, Healthy Latin Cooking, Miami Spice, Big Flavor Cookbook and the famous first and foremost book on grilling, The Barbecue Bible, that appeared in 1998. It was the first guide on grilling, a study of barbecuing around the world and a course on live fire cooking techniques. His writing won 3 IACP awards and 4 James Beard Awards and was translated into ten different languages.

To write "Indoor! Grilling" Raichlen intensively studied these appliances and the technique to cook using them. Although the public of this category is familiarized with the many types of indoor grills, Raichlen treated them in a detailed manner, starting from the very beginning, from contact grill, grill pan, built-in grill to freestanding grill and fireplace grill. And to do this, he largely improved his knowledge about how indoor grills actually work. He tested the 270 recipes in the book on each type of grill.

What really takes grilling steps further is what the experimenting Raichlen does with sandwiches, vegetables and desserts in the recipes section.

About the Author

Laura Ciocan writes for http://www.natural-gas-grills.info where you can find articles, buying tips and reviews of popular gas grills.

Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared; mailto:lauracio@gmail.com

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How to Put Some Sizzle in Your Summer Parties

2005-08-13T16:43:00.000-05:00

How to Put Some Sizzle in Your Summer Parties
Author: Kim Kristofferson-Magnusson
5 Ways to be a Gracious Host and a Great Guest

Now that the hot weather is finally here, we are looking forward to long, lazy days on the beach and hot summer nights that heat up after dark. Here are a few tips from lifestyle guru Kim Kristofferson-Magnusson on maximizing your fun in the sun!

1) For family celebrations�KEEP IT SIMPLE!!

Whether you�re hosting a graduation party for 20 or a family reunion for 200, remember that it�s your day to have fun too! To make the most of your time visiting with family and friends, take a vacation from your oven and corral your �grillmaster� of choice out on the patio. Prepare a variety of cold salads ahead of time, pick up some fresh bread, add a frozen dessert, and voila� dinner is served! A buffet-style offering is wonderful outdoors, just roll up flatware in festive napkins, stack up some bright and shiny plastic plates, and all your guests can easily serve themselves.

2) When you�re the guest�get in the �Theme� of it!

If you have a much-anticipated invite to THE party of the season, don�t show up empty-handed� if the party has a particular theme (most of the SUPER-FUN ones do!), bring the host/hostess a little something that shows you appreciate all their efforts and planning. For example, if your host is a poker-aficionado planning a �Casino Night�, try filling an ice bucket with playing cards, dice, poker chips, shot glasses, and poker themed cocktail napkins. If your hostess is a pampered princess who is hosting a �Girls Night Out� (who, me??), she will love you forever if you fill an oversized basket with some bath salts, perfume samples, delicious smelling body lotion, a steamy novel, and an eye mask�just go the extra mile, and your invite will be the first to go out next year!

3) When you�re the host, think of all the party-goers�

When you�re hosting a �bring your whole family� outdoor soiree, don�t forget to think of the �little people��if the children are happy, the moms and dads are happy too, so be well-prepared with activities to keep little hands busy. Try setting up a ping-pong table on the patio, where the future sports stars can organize a tournament. Croquet is an old, lady-like game that even the toughest of tomboys will love. Even a sprinkler will do in a pinch�

4) Favours are not just for weddings!

Don�t you just love those little �take-me-home�s� at weddings�little seedlings to plant, inscribed golf balls to better your score� When hosting a BBQ or outdoor event, favours are a perfect end to the evening and will serve as a reminder of your fun and frivolity. Why not try making your own BBQ sauce or marinade for guests to take home? Buy a bunch of brightly-colored plastic sand pails to fill with shells and rocks collected on your stretch of beach, or even a festive silk lei, sure to bring warmth over the long winter ahead.

5) Have Fun!!

The most important part of any great party is that you celebrate your wonderful family and friends who have come together. You don�t need an excuse, just gather your pals for great laughs, good music, and reminiscing, and voila�the stage is set for some sizzling!

About the Author

About the Author:
Kim Kristofferson-Magnusson
lovergirl@lovergirlpromotions.com
http://www.lovergirlpromotions.com

Kim Kristofferson-Magnusson is the founder of Lovergirl Promotions, a company that designs fun and funky Tshirts for women celebrating �life�s little luxuries�. Sign up for our popular monthly newsletter at http://www.lovergirlpromotions.com for a chance to win a free Tshirt.

...

How to Choose the Right Smoke for the Right BBQ Dish

2005-08-12T14:12:00.000-05:00

How to Choose the Right Smoke for the Right BBQ Dish
Author: Bob Quinn

BBQ smoke is one of the easiest ways to add a nice touch of flavor to a grilled dish. You'll be amazed at how many different flavors there are! Knowing which smoke is the best match for different BBQ flavors can be a challenge though. Here's a handy guide to help.

There are dozens of different types of wood to use over a BBQ. Each has their own flavor, and some are milder while others are pretty strong. Just like wine, there are some guidelines about which type to use with different meats.

Mesquite:
Mesquite is one of the most commonly used wood for BBQ smoking. It has a strong flavor and can be used with all types of meats. One word of warning � make sure to use mesquite that has been well cured. Green mesquite burns sap which tastes awful.

Hickory:
Hickory is another of the classic BBQ flavors and many sauces are advertised with this included. Hickory is a strong flavor and works well with all types of meat, although it does tend to taste better on red meat.

Black Walnut:
This is a less common BBQ flavor. Most fruit and nut woods are mild, but this one also has a strong flavor. It tastes best with grilled beef or pork recipes.

Apple:
Apple is the other fruitwood that has a very strong flavor. It's great when used on the BBQ with anything except seafood.

Pecan and Oak:
These nut trees both produce wood that has a nice mild flavor when used on the BBQ. Their flavor complements all types of recipes, including seafood.

Cherry And Sassafras:
These are both milder flavors. If you plan to BBQ any beef, chicken, or pork, you might consider either one of these flavors. Sassafras tends to be more difficult to find, but is a nice unusual flavor.

Orange and Mulberry:
These two fruitwoods are also mild, but both of these work very well with seafood on the BBQ. You can also use them for chicken or pork, but they are not strong enough to flavor beef.

Sugar Maple:
This wood has a sweet smoke, of course, and a mild flavor. It's a favorite among those who enjoy pork or chicken on the BBQ.

Alder or Cedar:
These two woods have mild flavors and are perfect for seafood. Native Americans from the Pacific Northwest have been using them for centuries to cook their catch, and it's easy to taste why.

Using smoke to flavor a BBQ dish is really easy, but knowing which to use can be a challenge. If you really want to experiment, buy a variety pack and see which you like best.

For more information on how to grill with specialty wood, visit:

==} http://www.BBQRecipeSecrets.com/specialtywood.html

If you love to BBQ, discover Barbeque Bob's recipe secrets and find his useful, practical and helpful BBQ tips at: http://www.bbqrecipesecrets.com/index.html

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