Ready to Roll

Well, last weekend we held our last practice before our competition this weekend at the Roc City Ribfest.  We cooked a full spread to finalize recipes and to get timing down.  To deal with all of the food, we invited a bunch of friends of to graze throughout the day.  Here is the day in pictures...

Up at the butt crack of dawn...

Brisket and butt, all rubbed and ready for the smoker.  Yes, that is coffee...

Butt and brisket, safely tucked away at 5 am, smoke rolling.  It really freaks you out when you hear a pack of coyotes howling at the bottom of the hill...

Checking on the brisket...

Ribs, ready to roll...

Ribs ready for cutting...

We are a bit nervous, wondering how we will do this weekend.  But, all we can do is our best and have a lot of fun at the same time.

We'll have an update on the results next week.

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill

Penguin Ribs

Before you get all bent out of shape, no, we did not buy penguins from some black market, back street, exotic butcher that deals in spotted owl as well.  We just made a few racks of spares for our last practice and gobbled them up while watching a Penguin playoff game.  What goes better than ribs, beer, and playoff hockey?

Were were trying some different rub and sauce combinations.  We couldn't make a choice before, so this was sort of like a single elimination contest between our top four combinations.  What were the combinations?

1.  Oakridge Pork and Chicken rub, Franks Sweet Chili during foil time, Blues Hog Regular with Blues Hog Tennessee Red for the sauce.

2.  Oakridge Pork and Chicken rub, standard foiling technique, Blues Hog Regular with Blues Hog Tennessee Red for the sauce.

3.  Oakridge Beef and Pork rub, Franks Sweet Chili during foil time, Blues Hog Regular with Blues Hog Tennessee Red for the sauce.

4.  Oakridge Beef and Pork rub, standard foiling technique, Blues Hog Regular with Blues Hog Tennessee Red for the sauce.

I know, doesn't sound like a lot of variation, but there was.  The Oakridge Beef and Pork rub has an extra kick of heat that the Pork and Chicken rub does not.  Also, the Franks Sweet Chili sauce adds a nice level of sweet to the ribs, along with a nice chili flavor.

Trimming up the racks...

Rubbing my racks...

Just about ready for the smoker...

Gotta love that red color...

A little ribbon of Franks before the foil...

Finished product...

We cooked these spares at 235 F with apple, hickory, and pecan.  Three hours on the rack, one hour in foil, and one hour back on the rack with sauce for glazing.  Which combo won you ask?  Well, it was #3: Oakridge Beef and Pork rub, Franks Sweet Chili during the foil, Blues Hog sauce combo.  The very slight bite from the rub is balanced perfectly by the sweet from the Franks and Blues Hog sauce.  All throughout you get the undertone of chili that comes from the Franks as well.  A winner for sure.

Oh, who won the Penguin game?

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill

Smoked Scotch Eggs, Breakfast Style

What is a Scotch Egg you ask?  Well, I have made them before.  At good English pubs, they are hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and deep fried.  They are then served with a side of some sort of dipping sauce.  I was in the mood for them and I had the smoker fired up, so I went for it...

First, I took 3 lb of bulk breakfast sausage, mixed in 1 Tbsp of sriracha sauce and wrapped a hard boiled egg inside...

Then, I smoked at 350 F with hickory wood until the sausage was cooked, about 40 minutes or 165 F internal...

The next morning, I cut into thick sliced and pan fried until hot...

Then, I topped with a fried egg and made all of the trimmings...

How was the combo?  Outstanding.  Runny, dippy egg with some hard boiled texture mixed in as well.  The smoked sausage and sriracha added a nice spicy complement to the usual breakfast.  I will be doing this again when I am feeling decadent for breakfast in the future.

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill

Thai-Phoon Pork and Shrimp Burgers

I really can't decide what cuisine I like the best.  Is it Asian?  Is it Mexican?  Is it Caribbean?  Well, a weekend or so ago I was in the moon for some Asian flavors.  So, I give you, Thai-Phoon Pork and Shrimp Burgers.

First, I took two pounds of ground pork, 1 lb of diced, cooked shrimp, and mixed with 2, Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of sesame oil, 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp of sriracha sauce, 1 tsp of ground dried ginger, and 1 tsp of onion powder, then I mixed thoroughly and put in the frig to chill...

While that mixture was chilling, I marinaded sliced pineapple and sliced sweet onion in olive oil, garlic,  salt and pepper.

Once the meat mix had chilled, I broke in my new burger patty maker and pounded out some patties, then placed them in the frig to firm up...

Then, I lit some charcoal and got a screaming hot grill going.  Once it was hot, I placed the patties on direct heat and the pineapple and onion on indirect heat...

I flipped everything after 7 minutes and put some fresh Kaiser Rolls sprayed with olive oil and garlic on the top rack to toast...

While cooking, I mixed up some sriracha mayonnaise.  The mix was 1/4 cup of mayo and sriracha sauce to taste.  When done, I placed a burger with pineapple, grilled onion, and a dollop of sriracha mayo.  I even made some Asian Slaw for the side...

This was a winner.  The perfect mix of hot and sweet with Asian flavor.  I will be making this again for sure.

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill