Recipes

Grilled Green Beans with Sun Dried Tomatoes

2011-02-20T19:57:21Z

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grill Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients
8 cups fresh or frozen green beans
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In order to grill smaller vegetables on a regular grill you will need a vegetable grill pan or tray. You can find one just about anywhere grill accessories are sold or Amazon.com also has a great selection.

Preheat the grill (with the vegetable tray) to medium (about 400 degrees)

While the grill is preheating, toss the green beans with olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, and sliced almonds. Once the grill is heated add the beans onto the tray and let grill for 2 - 3 minutes, then toss with tongs and grill for another 2 - 3 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness. (I prefer mine to still have a little 'snap' to them) Remove from grill and season with salt and pepper and serve.

Apple Wood Smoked Baby Back Ribs

2010-05-26T01:01:24Z

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Grill Time: 4 - 5 hours depending on temperature

Rub:
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper (I like to add this first before the rest of the rub)

First prepare your ribs by removing the membrane from the back if it has not already been done, this will allow the ribs to absorb the smoke and make the meat easier to eat. (If you don’t know how to remove the membrane you can find instructions on line or simply click here)

After the membrane has been removed coat the ribs with the rub and let sit for 15 - 20 minutes.

Set up your smoker or grill for indirect heat, using a temperature of 250 - 275 degrees. Use apple wood chunks or wood chips to provide the smoke to flavor the ribs. Once the wood is smoking you can add the ribs to the heat. Cook for 4-5 hours, being sure to check the ribs and the temperature every hour.

You can apply a mop or barbecue sauce as you like, I add a mop every hour or apply a thick barbecue sauce about three hours in. You can also wrap the ribs in tin foil for the last hour to insure they don’t dry out. Ribs are generally cooked to 160 - 170 degrees, although that will vary depending to your personal taste. A good way to tell when ribs are fully cooked is that the bone will be showing through the end of the meat, this is good as it also gives you a place to hold while eating.

White BBQ Suace (Alabama Style)

2010-05-09T15:51:44Z

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

Wisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, if you like a thinner sauce you can add 1/4 cup water and still get the same flavor. White BBQ Sauce is great on chicken, pork, and fish.

Turkey Bacon Guacamole Burger

2010-04-07T05:00:27Z

1 lb ground turkey (makes 4 burgers)
12 oz bacon
4 frescata buns
4 slices pepper jack cheese
Lettuce

Guacamole:

2 large avocados
1 clove garlic
1 small tomato
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
1 teaspoon lime juice

When making any type of bacon burger I like to start by cooking my bacon first, I do this because I like my bacon extra crispy, (not to be confused with burnt). I also like to set it aside for a few minutes on some paper towels to soak up any extra grease.

After the bacon is cooked separate the turkey into 4 patties about one quarter pound each. I prefer to make my burger patties a bit on the thick side, but that is just what I like. Some people prefer thinner patties; just keep in mind that while cooking the meat will shrink causing the meat to pull to the center, causing the burger to be thicker than when you started grilling. Also, thicker patties will take longer to cook through to the center. Season the meat with salt and pepper and grill over direct high heat, as with any poultry you will want to cook to a temperature of 160 – 170 degrees. Add the sliced pepper jack cheese the last couple minutes if you like to have it melted on the burger.

While the burgers are grilling you can throw together the guacamole. Mix 1 teaspoon of Adobo seasoning with 1 tablespoon of water, add to two mashed avocados. Mince garlic and dice the tomato and add to the guacamole mix along with 1 teaspoon lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

As the burgers are finishing up, lightly toast the buns if desired. Assemble and enjoy!

Brined Smoked Turkey

2010-02-17T00:54:34Z

Prep Time: 30 min + overnight for brining
Grill Time: 3 - 5 hours (about 15-20 minutes per lb)

Brine:

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 gallon vegitable stock
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoon candied ginger

Aromatics:

1 red apple
1 onion
1 cinnamon stick
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
6 sage leaves

Smoked turkey is a wonderful thing, but to create a more tender and more flavorful turkey I suggest you try brining the turkey beforehand. (This method works equally well with whole chickens) The day before you plan on smoking your turkey make sure the meat has thawed all the way through. Combine all the brine ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil for 5 - 10 minutes, this will help all the dry ingredients dissolve. Remove the brine from the heat and let cool. You will need a large enough container to hold the turkey along with the brine. I find the best thing to use is a 5 gallon bucket. Place the turkey breast side down, add the brine, and then add some ice water, just enough to cover the turkey completely. You will want to let the turkey brine anywhere from 12 - 24 hours covered and placed in a fridge or a cool place.

30 minutes prior to smoking remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and allow to rest before smoking. Meanwhile you can prepare the aromatics. Combine the ingredients with 1 cup of water and microwave for 5 minutes. There are two ways you can use the aromatics, you can either place them inside the turkey cavity, or if using a water smoker you can add them to the water pan, leaving the turkey cavity for stuffing if you desire. Truss the turkey and prepare for smoking.

Smoking a turkey is pretty straight forward, using a grill you will want to grill using indirect medium heat, if using a water smoker you will want to place the turkey directly over the water pan. Cook the turkey at a temperature close to 350 degrees, at this temperature the bird will require 15 – 20 minutes per pound of meat. Add your favorite wood chips to provide smoke; I prefer to use a fruit wood such as apple when smoking poultry. You will know the turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast reads at 165 degrees F with a thermometer. Once the desired temperature is reached, remove the turkey and cover loosely with tin foil and allow it to rest 15 minutes before carving.

For tips on carving the turkey check out this video from Alton Brown.

Natalie's Cornbread

2010-01-23T00:14:35Z

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 - 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon soda into buttermilk and let sit. Beat butter, eggs, and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Add buttermilk to the butter mixture and stir. Add dry ingredients and mix until a smooth dough. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Double the recipe for a 9x13 pan.

Note: This recipe was given to me by a co-worker of mine, I'm not sure if this is her recipe or not but I'm giving her credit for it, and it is by far some of the best corn bread I have ever had. The bread comes out nice and moist, unlike the dry crumbly stuff that usually passes for corn bread. This is a perfect side dish to any type of barbecue, and even great to eat on its own. As always its best right out of the oven with a little bit of butter and honey spread on top!

Smoked Pork Roast

2010-01-14T02:47:41Z

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Grill Time: 4 hours (depending on size of roast)

Rub:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon orange peel
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add or subtract to taste)

Apply the rub to the pork roast, making sure to cover all sides top and bottom, and let sit for 30 minutes. During this time you may want to add your wood chips to some water and let them soak as well. Preheat grill and add wood chips to start smoke. Grill over indirect medium heat (300 degrees) for about an hour per pound of roast, this will vary on the actual temperature of the grill and the cut of the roast. The important thing is to hit an internal temperature between 160 and 170 degrees. This will insure the roast is cooked clear through while keeping the moist tender texture you are looking for.

Once the desired internal temperature has been reached remove the roast from the grill and cover in aluminum foil and let rest for 10 - 15 minutes. Slice roast against the grain of the meat about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Serve alone or on a bun with barbecue sauce for some great smoked pork sandwhiches!

Vinegar and Ketchup BBQ Sauce from Webers Real Grilling

2009-12-21T18:27:14Z

Ingredients:

1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan add all ingredients along with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Note: This is a great BBQ sauce that you can use to start to play around with and build your own recipe from. Some people like a bit of kick and will add more vinegar, others like less and will cut back. If you like a sweet sauce try adding more sugar or molasses, even a can of your favorite cola can add a little something extra. (Its been rumored that Cafe Rio uses Dr. Pepper for their pork barbacoa). Creating your own BBQ sauce can be fun and very rewarding.

Shredded BBQ Chicken From Weber's Real Grilling

2009-12-21T18:00:25Z

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grill Time: 15 minutes

Use 1 boneless skinless chicken breast per serving.

Sauce: (makes about 4 servings)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce

To make the sauce melt the butter in a medium sauce pan, add onions and cook until soft. Add all other ingredients, stir and let cook for 3 - 5 minutes.

Lightly oil both sides of the chicken breast, salt and pepper to taste. Grill over direct medium temperature (350 to 450 degrees) for 10 - 12 minutes or until firm to the touch and meat is no longer pink in the middle. Remove from grill and let stand for 3 - 5 minutes. Using a fork shred the meat and add to the sauce, heating through over medium heat.

Patrick's Famous Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2009-12-20T18:09:00Z

Prep Time: 15 - 30 min

Grill Time: 5 - 6 hours (about 1 hour per pound of meat)

Ingredients:

5lb Pork Shoulder Roast, Blade Roast, or 'Boston Butt Roast'
Patrick's Pork Rub
Patrick's BBQ Sauce

Pulled pork sandwiches are easy to make, if you have the time, patience and the right equipment that is. Pulled pork is not something that can be rushed. Barbecuing a pork shoulder could easily take more than 5 hours. The trick to barbecuing a large piece of meat like this is to use indirect heat. Check out the BBQ 101 section for more information.

Meat Preparation:

After selecting and prepping the pork apply the rub to the whole surface, I generally use 1 tablespoon for each pound of pork. If you don't have Patrick's Pork Rub available a simple rub can be created by mixing equal parts brown sugar, kosher salt, and chilli powder.

Grilling:

Place the pork on the grill using indirect medium heat (350 - 450 degrees). To get a more 'smoky' flavor you can add wood chips to your grill, I usually add mine about an hour into the grilling. Simply soak your favorite wood chips, I prefer a fruit wood either apple or cherry for pork, for thirty minutes then place in a smoker box and add to the grill directly over the flame. If you do not have a smoker box you can wrap the wood chips in tin foil and puncture the bag a few times with a fork to let the smoke escape.

About three hours in you can start checking the temperature of the meat. Stick a meat thermometer into the center of the roast, be sure not to place it directly on the bone as this will give an inaccurate reading. You want to reach an internal temperature of 190 degrees. Bringing the meat to this temperature slowly with allow the meat to break down and give you the soft juicy texture you are looking for. After you have reached the desired temperature remove meat from grill and allow to sit covered with tin foil for 1 hour.

Once the meat has cooled you can begin to pull and shred it. Some people like to use their hands to do this which will result in a 'chunkier' meat texture, others prefer to use a pair of forks which will give a more 'shreaded' texture. Be sure to remove any bits that may have gotten burned past the point of your liking and also any bits of extra fat throughout the roast. After the meat has been pulled add Patrick's BBQ sauce, or substitute with your favorite sauce of choice. Be sure to check out the 'Vinegar and Ketchup BBQ Sauce recipe on this site from Webers Real Grilling'.

Note: Another easy way of making pulled pork is by using a Crock pot. Be sure to use a cut of meat that has less fat like a pork loin instead of a pork shoulder. Place meat inside the Crock pot, cover with water, add season to taste and cook on medium for 6 - 8 hours. Drain water and excess fat, shred, and cover with your favorite sauce.