Recipes

How To Smoke A Fatty, BBQ Sausage Recipe Edition
Jul 07 0 Responses

How To Smoke A Fatty, BBQ Sausage Recipe Edition

For those who don’t barbecue, call grilling, barbecuing, or have an affinity for non-clogged arteries, you may have never heard of a sausage fatty. Basically, a fatty is bacon, wrapped around breakfast sausage, wrapped around cheese and other goodness. That’s as American as it gets.

The beauty of smoking a fatty (and yes, that’s how you say it) is it’s really quick by BBQ standards. You can go from the fridge to fully smoked in 2-3 hours. A few people have asked me how to do it, so here are the steps to BBQ a sausage fatty.

1. Put breakfast sausage into a 1 gallon ziplock style bag. Any sausage will do, but I like to use Italian flavored.
Baggie

2. Seal the bag and roll the sausage out flat with a rolling pin.
RolledOut

3. Cut the top of the ziplock off and transfer the sausage to wax paper.
CutOpen

4. Add the cheese (I’d recommend using 6 slices. 9 was too cheesy).
Cheese

5. Add additional goodness. This could be sautéed mushrooms or onions, spinach, really anything you think would make for a good stuffing.
Onions

6. Roll up the sausage fatty using the wax paper then transfer to cling wrap and wind tight.
SausageRolled

7. Make a bacon weave on wax paper. Not only does this look cool, but it’s very simple to do. (I prefer the thick cut bacon in a 6×6 grid.)
BaconWeave

8. Unwrap sausage fatty from Step 6 and wrap with bacon weave. Then move from wax paper to cling wrap and roll tight.
BaconWrapTight

9. Allow the fatty to refrigerate for at least a couple of hours and up to an entire day. Then, unwrap and place on your smoker.
OnTheGrill

10. Allow to smoke for 2-3 hours at 200 – 250 degrees F. You’re looking for the sausage to get to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Once it hits this temp, you’re done. Remove from the smoker.
OffTheGrill

Allow to cool. Cut up into discs. Serve.

Total prep time is about 30 minutes then a couple of hours on the smoker. A BBQ fatty is about the easiest way to get started using your smoker.

Roasted Asparagus with Panko Bread Crumbs
May 15 0 Responses

Roasted Asparagus with Panko Bread Crumbs

Roasted asparagus with panko bread crumbs is a simple side that will taste like it was much more complicated to put together than it actually was.

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb Asparagus
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 ClovesGarlic
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/3 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 425˚ F
  2. Cut and throw away bottom 2 inches of Asparagus
  3. Cut remaining Asparagus into 1-2” lengths
  4. Mince Garlic
  5. Place Asparagus in mixing bowl and toss with Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, Garlic, and Pepper
  6. Spread Panko Bread Crumbs in a 13”x9” metal cake pan and place in 425˚ oven for 2 minutes
  7. Remove Bread Crumbs from oven and add to bowl with the Asparagus mixture
  8. Toss the bowl to combine the ingredients
  9. Add the entire combination to the cake pan and place in oven for 12-14 minutes
  10. Remove from oven, toss in Parmesan Cheese, and serve
May 15 0 Responses

Truffled Potato Mash

A full flavored mashed potato that has all the characteristics of a more traditional recipe but with enough flavor difference that your guests will be saying ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but something makes this the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had.’

Ingredients:
  • 3 lbs Redskin Potatoes
  • 1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream
  • 6 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Truffle Oil (buy at Amazon)
Directions:
  1. Cut potatoes into 1-2” cubes
  2. Place potatoes into pot and cover completely with water
  3. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender (about 25 minutes)
  4. Drain water from potatoes and return to low heat for 2-3 minutes to dry up excess water
  5. Put the cream and butter in a small saucepan and place over medium heat until butter is melted
  6. Using a masher and fork, mash the potatoes in their pot
  7. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and the cream/butter to the potatoes and stir until mixed
  8. Stir in the truffle oil and serve
Notes:

Truffle oil can be very expensive and you don’t always get what you pay for. After a lot of research and testing, La Tourangelle Infused White Truffle Oil is an inexpensive solution that has all the flavor of it’s more expensive counterparts.

May 15 0 Responses

Grilled Bouquet Garni Pork Loin

You’ll have your guests thinking they’re eating at a fine dining restaurant with this sweet, earthy dish.

Ingredients:
  • 1 Boneless Pork Loin (2-4 lbs)
  • 1-2 Tbsp Penzey’s Bouquet Garni
Directions:
  1. Brine Pork Loin for 2 hours per pound
  2. Remove Pork Loin from Brine, wash under water, and pat dry
  3. Generously apply Bouquet Garni to the pork loin
  4. Wrap Pork Loing in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 60 minutes
  5. Preheat and oil grill with coals placed to the sides of the grill
  6. Place Pork Loin over coals allowing to brown for 2 minutes on each side
  7. Move the Pork Loin to indirect heat and allow to cook until internal temperature reaches 145 -150° F
  8. Remove from heat, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes
  9. Slice into ½” thick discs and serve
Notes:

Bouquet Garni comes in many different forms, but Penzey’s just seems to do the trick better than any others I’ve come across.

May 15 0 Responses

Pork & Chicken Brine

The secret to juicy tender lean meats like pork tenderloin and chicken breasts is brining.

Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 Gallons Water
  • 2 1/2 Cups table salt
  • 2 Cans Sprite
  • 3 Lemons Halved / Squeezed
  • 1 Tbl garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tbl black pepper
  • 16 oz Pancake Syrup
Directions:
  1. In a cooler add the ingredients and stir together.
  2. Store at refrigerator temperatures
Notes:

This recipe can be cut down by a third with the same results. Modifications that aren’t exactly divide by 3  include: 1 Gallon Water, 1 Cup Salt, and 1 Can Sprite.

The Best Steak Recipe
Mar 21 0 Responses

The Best Steak Recipe

Whether you’re trying to impress your significant other or cooking for one, everyone wants to know how to make the best steak. Originally, this recipe was overly complicated with a lot of ingredients that took away from the great steak flavor. After years of tweaking it became obvious, the way to make the best steak is to let the steak be the star.

Here are two cooking variations to the best steak recipe in the world. Once you nail this recipe and technique, your Black Label Steak will be embarrassingly better than even steaks from finest of restaurants.

Ingredients

  • 2-3″ thick cut of your favorite steak (filet, porterhouse, ribeye, strip, etc.) Just remember, sirlon is a great addition to a hamburger, but life’s too short to eat sirloin steaks.
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter
  • Kosher Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper

Grilling Directions

  1. Start coals on grill.
  2. Add a chunk or two of your favorite sweet smoking (fruit or nut tree) wood to the coals.

Stove Top Directions

  1. Set your oven top to high heat and put a cast iron skillet on it.

The Technique

  1. Completely cover the steak in Kosher salt (should look like a cow lick) and let sit for 7 minutes per inch of thickness.This pulls water out of the steak to enhance the beef flavor. It also has the nice side effect of adding just the right amount of salt flavor.
  2. Wash all of the salt off the steak and pat dry.
  3. Melt butter and set aside.
  4. Crack pepper and apply to steak.
  5. Start preheating oven to 375° (if you’re grilling, put your cast iron skillet in the oven to heat as well).
  6. Generously coat 1 side of steak with butter and place coated side down of the grill or skillet.
  7. Allow to cook for 2 minutes (if you’re on the grill, you may want to turn 45° about 1 minute in for a nice grill mark presentation). All you’re trying to do here is get a nice crust. Contrary to popular belief, searing does not “lock in the juices”, but it does add a great flavor.
  8. Apply butter to top of the steak (the side you haven’t buttered yet) and flip.
  9. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes.
  10. Move steak to the oven by either moving the cast iron skillet from the stove top or by placing the steak from the grill on the heated cast iron skillet already in the oven.
  11. Cook in oven for another 4-8 minutes (depending on desired doneness) flipping half way through.
  12. Remove steak from cast iron skillet and place on a plate, or I prefer a wire cooling rack.
  13. Tent the steak with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  14. Serve.

Notes:

  • Once you get this down, it will ruin eating steak at restaurants (you’ve been warned).
  • If you don’t have a good seasoned cast iron skillet, you need one. They’re less than $20 at Amazon.
  • You can use a cheap 2-4″ paintbrush to apply the butter, but for less than $10 you can pickup a silicon basting brush from Amazon and not worry about having little brush hairs end up in your steak.
Smoked Meat Rub – The Top Secret Recipe of Champion Smokers
Apr 24 0 Responses

Smoked Meat Rub – The Top Secret Recipe of Champion Smokers

This is the smoked meat rub recipe you’re not supposed to see. It’s been on award winning BBQ ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. This recipe is so close to what some of the most famous smoking meat champions use on their meats, I’ve had to deal with cease and desist orders trying to get it removed from the internet.

I’m a big fan of everyone having access to the best tasting food they can get their hands on. So top secret or not, here is a sweet meat rub with just a hint of heat. Whether you’re smoking in your backyard for friends and family or entering a big cook off, this versatile rub is all you’ll need.

If you’re using it to make pulled pork, check out this pulled pork finishing sauce recipe.

Smoked Meat Rub Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Cup Paprika
  • 3 Tbs Course Black Pepper
  • 4 Tbs Kosher Salt
  • 3 Tbs Garlic Powder
  • 3 Tbs Onion Powder
  • 2 tsp Chili Powder

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce Recipe
Apr 24 2 Responses

Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce Recipe

Pulled pork finishing sauce is the secret ingredient in the best pulled pork. You you pull a pork shoulder, be it a picnic or a Boston butt, there are portions of the meat that are gamier than other parts. This pulled pork finishing sauce recipe mellows the gamier portions of the pork and gives the meat a juicier sweet flavor.

Pulled pork is one of the most forgiving meats you’ll ever smoke, and this finishing sauce guarantees it will be the star of your BBQ.

If you don’t already have the pig on the smoker, be sure and check out the best rub you’ll ever put on your smoked meats.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Tbs Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning
  • 1 Tsp Course Black Pepper
  • 1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

  1. Heat Apple Cider Vinegar and Brown Sugar until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  3. Pour liquid into a shakeable bottle or tupperware. Shake well.
  4. Mix into pork with gloved hands.
Oct 28 0 Responses

Durwood Kirby Burger

If there is a such a thing as a flawless hamburger, this is it.

Ingredients:
2 lb Ground Chuck
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 tsp. McCormick’s Montreal Steak Rub
4 oz.    Beef Broth

Directions:
In a large bowl mix all ingredients together.
Form into patties.
Grill.
Put on a bun, and optionally add cheese and preferred toppings.

*If you have the ability to grind your own meat, a good chuck arm roast will give you a noticeable flavor improvement.