Smoked Eye of Round

Over the weekend, I wanted to try some new brisket flavors on something cheaper than a brisket.  So, I picked up a nice eye of round and tried my new flavor profile...

First, I injected with 1/3 cup each of the following:

Moores Marinade

Beef Stock

Canola Oil

Then, I dusted the outside with Oakridge Santa Maria Rub...

Then, I heated up the Stretch to 350 F and put some hickory in the ash pan for some smoke.  The eye of round went on the top rack...

When the meat hit 100 F internal, I flipped over to crust up the other side.  Then, when the meat hit 145 F, I pulled and let rest for 5 minutes, then sliced.  Total cook time was about two hours...

Served with some red potatoes that I roasted with butter and garlic.  I placed on a cookie sheet and put on the bottom rack of the Stretch.  About 40 minutes of roast time...

Served with a side of horsey sauce for the beef...

I love the Santa Maria rub from Oakridge.  Nice garlic flavor with a bite.  There are also some other flavors that just go well with beef.  I think I have found a new brisket rub.  Everyone at work loved the slices on crusty bread with cheddar cheese and horsey sauce!

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill

Football is Here! Time for some Wings!

Well, real football is finally here.  Seems like the wait was forever.  So, to celebrate the start of another season, I fired up the Stretch and made some chicken wings two ways:  Salt, pepper and garlic seasoning and some with Quaker Steak and Lube Louisiana Licker Sauce...

First, Hope rinsed and patted dry some split wings.  Then, I lightly coated the wings with olive oil and pulled the wings for the garlic seasoning out onto a cookie sheet.  The got a healthy grind of sea salt, fresh pepper, and garlic powder.  The ones in the bowl just got the sea salt and pepper...

I fired up the Stretch and brought the internal temperature to 350 F.

Then, I placed the wings on the middle rack for 1 hour with some hickory in the ash pan...

Pulled out a bottle of my favorite wing sauce.  I like the Louisiana Licker sauce because it caters to any ones palette:  Slightly sweet, with a bit of a Cajun kick.  Perfect for anyone, regardless of spice tolerance...

After 1 hour, the wings destined for the sauce were put in a bowl and the sauce dumped on top.  I made sure the wings got a good coating and put them back in the Stretch for 15 minutes at 350 F to set the sauce.  Then, off the smoker and into my mouth...  ;)

The ones on the left are the sauced wings and the ones on the right are the garlic seasoned wings.  Hope loved the crispiness of the seasoned wings and Ty and I devoured the Louisiana Lickers.

A great start to the football season!

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill

Restaurant Review: Jim and Nick's BBQ - Plattville, Al

A friend of mine and I were down in Plattville, Alabama over Labor Day and had a chance to try and Jim and Nick's BBQ.  Let me tell you, it is worth the visit...

First off, I started with one of the local beers.  I started with a Naked Pig Pale Ale from Back Forty Brewing Co.  This was a nice, crisp ale that started smooth and finished clean on the palette with hints of citrus.  Perfect for BBQ in my opinion...

My friend Jamie had the Kudzu Porter.  He loved it.  Not too heavy, not too sweet.  Perfect for a porter in his opinion.

As we were waiting, we started sampling the sauces available for our feast.  Jamie was partial to the Habanaro BBQ Sauce and so was I.  It was a nice back end heat that was satisfying, without that heat that can come with Habanaro sauces that grabs you by the tongue and ruins your BBQ.  Someone did their homework with this sauce...

For dinner, we both had the Pick Three platters with brisket, pulled chicken, and pork hot links.  For sides we both had collards.  Jamie had the beans, I had the mac and cheese.

The brisket was nice, tender and tasty.  Could have used a bit more smoke, but why be picky when the brisket is fork tender.  The chicken was perfect.  Not dry and seasoned well.  I asked for a side of Alabama White Sauce to give it a try.  I loved it!  The perfect accompaniment to the chicken for sure.  I will be trying this at home.  The pork links were outstanding as well.  Moist on the outside.  Crisp skin on the outside.  Just the right amount of kick.  We both thought the collards were the best we had ever had.  You just can't get them like that up North.  The mac and cheese was good as well and that is coming from someone who is picky about their mac and cheese.  Jamie liked the beans as well.

Our bartender September was friendly and knowledgeable.  A treat to talk with.  The front end staff was great as well.

This was a great experience and one that I recommend.  If I am ever near a Jim and Nick's BBQ in the future, I will be making dinner plans.

Overall, 3.5 out of 4 stars...

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill

There is more than One Way to Pull your Yardbird...

Last weekend, I had a taste for some smoked pulled chicken.  This is one of our favorite ways to eat chicken anymore.  Hope will even eat dark meat from a bird that has been brined and slow smoked.  So, here is how we did it...

First, make yourself a batch of Poultry Brine and cool it down:

BOS's Chicken Brine:

Ingredients:

1 gallon Water
¾ cup Kosher Salt
¾ cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
¼ cup Orange Juice
⅛ cup Worcestershire Sauce

Mix and bring to boil.  Cool and place in frig overnight.

Two roasters, into the pool for an overnight swim:

After the overnight brine, I pulled the birds out of the pool and let them drip dry.  Don't rinse.  Then, I pulled the skin back on the breasts and seasoned with Weber Montreal Chicken Seasoning and put the skin back in place.  Then, the body cavity got a healthy dose of seasoning as well...

Then, I fired up the Baby and brought her to 250 F and put some apricot wood in the ash pan for smoke.  I placed the birds on the third rack down on a four rack Baby...

Two hours into the cook...

The birds were done after three hours of cooking time.  I pulled them off and covered with foil and let them rest for an hour...

After resting, Hope pulled them apart and we split into 3 equal portions...

Then, we made pulled chicken, three different ways...

On the left, we just drizzled some Pipers Pit BBQ sauce.  Nice and simple.  Good, smoky BBQ flavor.

In the middle, I made the Curried Chicken Salad that I saw on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives...  The basic dressing for that is 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1/3 cup of mayo, and 1 tsp of curry powder.  I also added 1.5 ribs of celery and 1/2 of a small red onion.  Loved the curry flavor with the smokiness of the chicken.  Good stuff.

Finally, on the right, I made a traditional chicken salad with 1.5 ribs of celery and 1/2 of a small red onion.  I also used the yogurt/mayo mix.  This stuff puts deli chicken salad in second place for sure.  

We will definitely be making any of these again.  The smoky flavor was great with all three salads.  Just be sure to use a mild wood such as apricot or peach.  I think hickory would overpower these salads.

Thanks for stopping by...

Bill