Wednesday, June 30, 2010

A trio of new barbecue books adds sizzle to the grill



It's summer time and the living — or at least the entertaining — is definitely easy. After all, what could be easier than hosting a barbecue for the Fourth of July when you can fire up the grill, dry rub the steaks and whip up some side dishes, slathers and slops, with a little help from our towering pile of new barbecue cookbooks.

This season's crop of BBQ cookbooks features expertise from Southern grill masters and pork devotees, as well as Spike Mendelsohn of "Top Chef" fame and world champion pitmaster Chris Lilly, culinary consultant for Oakland's Kingsford Charcoal.

It's an inspiring, overwhelming array. So we enlisted the help of a few foodie friends and started plowing through the books, testing recipes, tossing aside anything that required digging pits, roasting whole pigs or expending 14 hours on a single meal.

When all was said and done, we were left clutching just a few, sauce-spattered books, whose interpretations of sliders, slabs and sides knocked our socks off. Here's what we're serving at our next barbecue.

When Spike Mendelsohn first appeared on Bravo-TV's "Top Chef" with his signature pork pie hat and larger-than-life personality, he was riding high as the chef de cuisine of New York City's Mai House, the critically acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant run by prolific restaurateur Michael Bao Huynh (who is slated to open an Oakland eatery later this year). But these days, Mendelsohn is all about comfort
food as the chef-owner of Washington, D.C.'s Good Stuff Eatery, a burgers and shakes joint frequented by the Obamas.

His "Good Stuff Cookbook: Burgers, Fries, Shakes, Wedges and More" (John Wiley & Sons, $24.95, 256 pages) may not be a barbecue book per se, but everything in it will wow guests at your next grill fest. And each flavorful component does double duty in other dishes. For example, the homemade chipotle barbecue sauce you use to top his Colletti's Smokehouse Burger, which we served as sliders, adds sizzle to Big B's Baked Beans, an incendiary bacon, molasses and chipotle-spiked side dish. And the zesty pickled carrots and daikon that top his Vietnamese-inspired Blazin' Barn slider give a neon-hued, mint-flecked Red Cabbage Slaw unbelievable pop. You may never make traditional coleslaw again.

Chris Lilly, executive chef of Alabama's Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q and holder of 10 world barbecue championships, takes a more traditional approach with his "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book" (Clarkson Potter, $24.99, 256 pages). We took a pass on his recipe for whole pig (it takes 14 hours and serves 70), and we groaned over the number of ingredients required for his Memphis-Style Championship Red Sauce. While we're still not convinced that you need 23, the resulting sauce is sweet and zesty and gave our grilled baby back ribs a glossy, succulent shine.

Lilly may be a Southern gentleman, but he's got Bay Area connections, too, as spokesman for Oakland's famous charcoal company and an instructor at "Kingsford University," the company's barbecue school. And Lilly's suggestions for honey-balsamic-glazed grilled vegetables and a layered chopped salad that evokes everyone's favorite Seven-Layer Dip would be at home at any California barbecue, especially if you add some chopped romaine to the layers of cornbread, salsa and beans.

Florida grillmaster and Food Network regular Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe has condensed 20 years of barbecue know-how into "Ribs, Chops, Steaks & Wings" (Chronicle Books, $19.95, 132 pages), a tidy little hardcover with tasty photos by San Francisco photographer Leigh Beisch. We eyed Lampe's recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Chicken Wings with something akin to horror. But his instructions for chili-rubbed rib eye steaks with cilantro butter and barbecued ribs are clear winners. And you can use his Rib Rub #99 on just about anything.

By Jackie Burrell
Contra Costa Times

july 1


this pic was took the sunday before july 4th.
looks like it will be cloudy for a day or so.
hurricane alex is headin in to the coast just in time for the weekend. great.
will cook inside the garage if need be. oh well. s h.
pik up meat from lewisville sat morning.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Ms DivaQBBQ on the Today Show!!!













click on the header to go to the "Today's Show DivaQ" link.
she has been a great friend, and a super big help to my bbq cookin.
and she will forever be in my debt. sr

here is her Today Show Recipe...


As seen on the Today Show Diva Q Sweet n Sassy Chicken Lollipops
June 29th, 2010
Recipe: Diva Q sweet and sassy chicken lollipops with jalapeno bacon cheese dip
Ingredients


* FOR MEAT: 2 lbs. chicken drummettes
* 1/8 cup Butcher
* 1/8 cup Smokey Mountain Smoker
* FOR GLAZE: 1/2 cup Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
* 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray Hickory & Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
* FOR DIP: 2 packages cream cheese (16 oz)
* 1 cup shredded aged old cheddar
* 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
* 1/2 cup finely minced smoked bacon
* 1/4 cup finely minced chives
* 1 tsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
* 1 tsp Smokey Mountain Smoker
* 1/2 tsp. black pepper
* 3 jalapenos seeded membrane removed finely diced

Baking Directions

With a paring knife, cut around the thin tip of each chicken drummette. Separate the skin and tendons attached to the narrow end of the drummette and push the meat down towards the thick end. You now have a “lollipop.” Repeat procedure for the rest of the drummettes.

Generously sprinkle the drummettes with Butchers BBQ Honey Rub and Smokey Mountain Smoker’s Chipotle Rub.

For a gas or charcoal grill: On medium high heat (approx. 400 F) grill the chicken wings for 15 minutes, turning often. Glaze the wings with the Sriracha hot chili sauce. Return to grill for an additional 5 minutes to set the sauce. Close lid. Then Glaze the wings with Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar BBQ sauce. Return to grill for additional 5 minutes to set the sauce. Close lid. Remove from grill. Internal temperature of the wings should be at minimum 165 F.

For the dip:Mix all ingredients in a disposable aluminum pan. Place on the grill on medium low heat stirring often until the cheese is melting bubbling and hot. Serve with chicken lollipops.

***************************************************************************************

Recipe: Grilled BBQ Cornish game hens, California style
Chef: Jeff Henderson
Ingredients

* 1 cup cilantro
* 1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
* 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
* 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, finely chopped
* 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* Juice from one lemon
* 4 small Cornish game hens
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
* 1 1/3 cups ketchup
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 cup (packed) light dark brown sugar
* 1/4 cup molasses
* 1/2 cup of orange juice
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon of Tabasco sauce
* Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Baking Directions

In a large bowl, combine the cilantro, parsley, jalapeño pepper, one tablespoon of garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice (for the pesto rub). Stir well and set aside.

Place hens on a wire rack with a drip pan underneath. Rub hens thoroughly with pesto rub. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat your grill for 275 F.

In a large saucepan, add butter and stir until melted. Add onions, one tablespoon of garlic and sauté until tender. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, molasses, orange juice and liquid smoke. Let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once glaze has slightly thickened, remove from heat. Add apple cider vinegar and Tabasco sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove hens from the refrigerator. Place hens on grill skin side down. Cover grill and cook for 30-35 minutes. Turn the hens over and grill for 15 to 20 minutes or until hens are golden brown or test done about 175 F.

Using a sauce brush, start brushing the hens with barbecue glaze. Remove hens from grill and place on a serving platter. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

***************************************************************************************

Recipe: Hickory-smoked pulled pork sandwich topped with Southern-style coleslaw
Chef: Deac Tiley
Ingredients

* Coleslaw
* FOR COLESLAW: 1 medium green cabbage, cored and sliced very thin
* 1 small carrot, shredded fine
* 3 tablespoons of diced bread-and-butter pickles
* Dressing
* FOR DRESSING: 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons honey mustard dressing
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Sandwich
* FOR MEAT: 1 boneless pork butt ( 7 to 9 lbs. average)

Baking Directions

For coleslaw: Combine ingredients in bowl and mix with dressing.

For meat: Place in smoker (fat side up) and rub outside of butt generously with dry rub.

Slow smoke over hickory wood at 210 F for 8 to 10 hours. Let cool. Pull apart, discarding all visible fat. Portion onto roll, drizzle with BBQ sauce and top with coleslaw.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

north carolina pig stickin dippin/ sweet & spicy #4/ chipotle/ and south carolina mustard sauce...


ready for next weekend's july 4th block party cookout.

everybody do luv stickers...

"Leon" 062710





Grilled Chops with Apple-Cranberry Maple Glaze...

Brine

1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 tbs kosher salt
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs cracked black pepper
1/2 tbs dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
6 dried allspice berries
1/2 bay leaf

Glaze

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tbs spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/16 tsp cayenne pepper

combine brine ingredients and stir well.
place chops in a resealable plastic bag and pour in brine.
fridge for 12 to 24 hours, turning once or twice.

combine glaze ingredients, heat over medium until warm.

grill chops for 8 minutes ea side.
during last 3 minutes of cooking, baste both sides of chops with glaze.
drizzle last of glaze over chops at table and chow down.
best chops i ever had.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

livevideo.com/FIVE


what can i say.
finger lickin good. sr

Memphis Style Sweet Sauce...


1 1/4 cup heinz ketchup
1 cup water
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 tbs honey
3 tbs molasses
4 tsp kosher salt
4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbs applesauce
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp ground cumin

if you prefer a less sweet sauce, reduce the honey and molasses by two tbs ea.

Memphis Style dry rib-rub...


2 tbs dark brown sugar
1 tbs sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ground cumin

Big Bob Gibson's Peach Pork Shoulder dry rub & injection/ my favorite...

woods/ hickory-peach-pecan

dry rub

1 tbs dark brown sugar
1 tbs raw sugar
1 tbs sweet paprika
2 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sweet cayenne pepper

injection

3/4 cup peach juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs salt
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
combine all injection ingredients and heat in sauce pan until sugar dissolves.

Mustard Sauce/ Derrick Riches, About.com


If you haven't tried a mustard based barbecue sauce then you are really missing out on something. This sauce works well with almost anything, but particularly pork.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:

* 1 cup prepared yellow mustard
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. If your making this sauce for a whole hog multiple the ingredients by about 8.

Copycat/ Chili's Baby Back Rib Sauce... with a little twist from me...

SAUCE RECIPE

* 3/4 cup water
* 1 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup tomato paste
* 1/2 cup heinz ketchup
* 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
* 2/3 cup domino dark brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder/ or fresh chopped garlic
* 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
* 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemmon juice

Directions

Make the barbecue sauce by combining all of the ingredients for the sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer sauce, stirring often, for 45 to 60 minutes or until sauce is thick.

Friday, June 25, 2010

"pain" animalpak.com




chigger creek wood products



Chips
RETAIL BAGS (12/200 CU. IN., APP 2# EA.) ** APPLE - ADD $7.00 PER CASE ** VARIETY PACKS - ADD $2.00 PER CASE BULK BOXES (2,600 CU. IN., APP 25 - 30 #) ** APPLE- ADD $7.00 PER CASE

COST PER CASE $28.00

CS $24.50 CS
Chunks
BULK BOXES (2,600 CU. IN. APP 40 - 45#) - AVAILABLE IN ONLY CHERRY, MAPLE, PECAN, HICKORY, OAK, PERSIMMON, & SASSAFRAS ** APPLE - ADD $7.00 PER CASE **VARIETY CASES ALSO AVAILABLE IN BULK CHUNKS - ADD $2.00 PER CASE COST PER CASE $30.00
LOGS
12" OR 16" - AVAILABLE IN ONLY OAK, PECAN, CHERRY, HICKORY, SUGAR MAPLE, PERSIMMON & SASSAFRAS.

COST PER CASE $29.00

CS APPLE -- ADD $7.00 PER CASE
Charcoal

10# BAG (72 PER PALLET)

20# BAG (35 PER PALLET)

40# BAG (18 PER PALLET)
$ 7.50EA.
$11.00 EA.
$16.00 EA.

Contact Us
Chigger Creek Products
4200 Highway D
Syracuse, MO 65354
660-298-3188

Fax: 660-298-3189
Email us

Service Area
Syracuse, MO and surrounding areas

Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday
7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sweet and Smokey...

If you're searching for an innovative taste for your barbecue, look no further than Chigger Creek Products! Our "Sweet 'n Smoky" woods are the best barbecue smoking woods on the market, because we take great care to use all-natural scents with no artificial additives. All of our woods are stored inside a clean, dry facility and processed from freshly cut trees to preserve maximum aroma, which is why we've earned such an incredible reputation for quality smoking wood. Additionally, we supply and distribute natural hardwood lump charcoal for your grill. This charcoal is made of oak and hickory wood, perfect for any barbeque or smoking!
Your Favorite Smoking Wood Store

All logs, chunks, and chips are neatly packaged and prepared for shipment to anywhere in America or abroad from the heart of Missouri. We have been a family-owned business for over 20 years and we work hard for our customers, so you'll get the wood you need delivered on time with the best shipping rates possible. From the backyard barbeque to the commercial distributor, your business is appreciated, and satisfaction is guaranteed. Contact Chigger Creek Products today to discover the difference we can make for you!

Call Us Today For Wholesale Information at 660-298-3188!

Here at Chigger Creek Products we offer: Bulk Wood, Wood Logs, Different Wood Blends and much more.

Try Our Different Blends:
Hickory • Apple • Persimmon • Cherry • Pecan • Sassafras
Grape • Sugar Maple • Oak
• Sweetwood Blend • Cherry/Oak • Apple/Hickory

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Sicilian Style

Ingredients
• 2 large pieces chicken breast, bone-in, skin-on, halved across
• 4 pieces dark meat chicken, bone-in, skin on, thighs and/or legs
• Salt and pepper
• 5 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, about 2/3 palmful, optional
• 4 small ribs celery and leafy tops from heart, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
• 6-8 small ripe plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
• 1 handful large golden raisins, optional
• 1 1/2 cups Nero D’Avola Sicilian red wine or other spicy red wine
• 1 lemon
• 1 loaf crusty bread, such as ciabatta


Preparation/
the better the wine, the better the recipe.
Preheat cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat and the oven to 400˚F.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper liberally on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in the skillet, one turn of the pan. When oil smokes, add chicken and brown a few minutes on each side then remove and turn heat down a bit.
Add some EVOO to pan, 2 turns of the pan, and add fennel seeds and stir; add celery, peppers and onions, season with salt and pepper and soften 3 - 4 minutes. Then add garlic, red pepper flakes and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add tomatoes and golden raisins if using, stir to combine, then stir in wine to deglaze pan. Set chicken back on top of pan and transfer to oven.
Roast 15 to 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve from pan at table and pass arugula dressed with lemon and EVOO, salt and pepper and crusty bread for mopping.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Black Pepper Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey

turkey glaze

1 1/2 cups pomegranate molasses
3/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained
3 tbs Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

mix all and let rest for at least 30 minutes before using.
during the last 15 minutes of turkey roasting, brush the entire
turkey with glaze. remove turkey and let rest for 10 minutes and brush
with rest of glaze. let turkey rest for about 5 more minutes before slicing.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Texas Home Style Chili

Texas Home-Style Chili

* 2 pounds ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 cup sliced celery
* 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, un-drained, cut up
* 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons red morita chili powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper




1. In a large saucepan brown ground beef and onion; drain.
2. Add celery, bell peppers, tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, garlic, salt, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour.
5. simmer until thoroughly heated.



1. Slow-cooker method:
2. Brown ground beef and onion in skillet; drain.
3. Combine beef-onion mixture, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, garlic, salt, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and pepper in slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Yield: 7 (1 1/2-cup) servings.

Note: For additional "heat," add one (10-ounce) can whole tomatoes and green chilies (such as Rotel), un-drained, cut up, along with other tomatoes.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Texas Style Smoked Baked Beans

60% bush baked beans
40% dark brown sugar
1/4 cup worst sauce
1/8 cup liquid smoke
1 cup bbq sauce
1 thick cut white onion
1 cup yellow mustard

mix brown sugar, worst sauce, liquid smoke and yellow mustard. mix well.
add mix to beans, then add leftover chopped brisket or pork shoulder and onions.
cook in smoker uncovered for about 3 hours at 225 to 250.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce 4 Grilled-Chicken

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh black ground pepper

combine the vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a
blender and blend until smooth. sauce can be made 1 day in advance, covered and refrigerated. room temp before serving.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Simple Smoked Ham Recipe


rub hams with worst sauce
sprinkle with Butt Rub
buttrub.com
25% pineapple juice & 75% Honey for ham glaze
Pineapple juice for spray
sprinkle dark brown sugar after glaze and spray

smoke for about 5 hours at 225-250 until ham is at 115 to 120 degrees.
do not go over 120 degrees.
apple and or cherry wood for smoke.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Apricot Ginger Dip

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

For the Bacon wrapped Shrimp:
1 (16 ounce) Shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined (about 32 shrimp)
16 pieces bacon
16 toothpicks
For the Apricot Ginger Dip:
1 jar (9.5 ounce) Apricot Spreadable Fruit
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon warm water

DIRECTIONS
FOR THE BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut bacon in half, lengthwise. Wrap a piece of bacon around each shrimp and secure with a toothpick. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Serve with apricot ginger dip.

FOR THE APRICOT GINGER DIP:
Combine the fruit spread, vinegar, ginger, thyme, garlic powder and water. Mix well. Add a little more water if the mixture is too thick.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ South Carolina Mustard Sauce

makes 1 3/4 cups

3/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs dark brown sugar
2 tsp worst sauce
1 tsp louisiana original hot sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black ground pepper

combine all ingre. and mix well. make 24 hours before usage for best flavor.

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Texas Style Pecan Pie & Old School Pie Crust Recipe

Pie Crust

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup water/cold

in a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
stir in water until mixture forms a ball. divide dough in half and shape
into balls. wrap in plastic and fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
roll out dough on flour counter top or cutting board.
do not overwork.

1 tbs flour
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup karo light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 cup pecans

350 in oven for 1 hour

Smokin Ronnie's BBQ Green Onion Slaw Recipe/ bobby flay

1 cup coarsely chopped green onions, white and green parts
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbs honey
2 serrano chile's
3 tbs mayo
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black ground pepper
1 small purple & white cabbage shredded
1 small purple onion thin sliced
2 tsp poppy seeds

to make the dressing for the slaw, combine the green onions,
vinegar, honey, chile's, mayo, oil, salt & pepper to taste in a blender and blend until emulsified.

combine the cabbage, onion, and poppy seeds in a bowl.
add the dressing and stir until combined.
cover and fridge 1 hour.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

OH! THOSE WONDERFUL PORK RIBS


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 lets 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 you
may enjoy baby backs (loin back) or some of you 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 who 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.

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 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 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 ½ and
under" referring to the weight of the rack before it has been
trimmed but don't worry if the ribs you find are larger than
that. Just look for racks of ribs that are nice and meaty, with
some fat content showing on the meat side of the ribs. 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 (an extra flap of meat
attached to the rack) (sometimes referred to as the brisket) 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 more
fatty. But they usually cost ½ as much as baby backs. I don't
cook as many baby backs ribs as I do spare ribs simply because I
love the taste of the spare ribs over the baby back ribs, but
this is a personal choice so chose the rib you like and go for
it.

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 by trimming
the sides of the rack of ribs. Again, this choice is yours and
you may have to trim your ribs due to space limitations on your
pit. If you do trim the ribs don't throw away the trimmings. Rub
them down and cook them using the simple 1-2-3 method and serve
them as finger foods while you are finishing out cooking the
trimmed ribs. These riblets are wonderful tasting and cook faster
than the whole rack of ribs so you can start the party off with
the riblets as an appetizer.

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 2 pounds. They are somewhat meatier 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 6
to 8 hours for spare ribs and 3 ½ 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. The ribs will be done when you see them pulling away
from the top of the bone about ½ of an inch or so. You can also
pick them up and twist the ribs to see if you see the meat start
tearing away from the bone. 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.

To add a great finishing sauce to the ribs try Texas Pepper Jelly
(my personal favorite is pineapple habanero). You can order some
by visiting their web site at www.texaspepperjelly.com .


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. The ribs will need to be
turned over to expose both sides to the fire. 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.
Finish off with a BBQ sauce or finishing sauce if desired.

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 off 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.

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
rib 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.

Baby Back ribs: For the smoker, use the same method but cut your
time to say 11/2 hours on the smoker unwrapped, 1 hour wrapped,
and then 30 minutes back on the smoker uncovered to tighten the
ribs back up.

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.


Order Texas BBQ Rub right now so you will have it in the pantry
for that next time you cook ribs. You can order it at
www.texasbbqrub.com/shopping.html . Trust me you will love it and
our 100% money back, no questions asked guarantee is the best in
the industry. You owe it to yourself, so go ahead and order some
now. You have nothing to lose, if you don't like our rub, just
send us and email and we will cheerfully refund the money you
paid for the rub.

article by bill cannon
www.texasbbqrub.com

pic from 1st place ribs/ little elm tx. bbq contest 2009 smokin ronnies bbq
www.smokinronniesbbq.com

Monday, June 21, 2010

father's day 2010

Cooking: Chili's Shiner Bock BBQ Sauce

Here's the recipe for Chili's Grill & Bar Shiner Bock BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

* canned chipotle peppers in adobo
* 1/4 cup mushroom soy sauce
* 1 cup tomato paste
* 1/4 cup canned chicken broth
* 1/3 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1/2 Shiner Bock beer, bottled
* 3/4 cup malt syrup
* 1 1/2 cup water
* 1/3 cup minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1/8 cup onion powder
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 3 1/2 cup light brown sugar
* 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt

1. Puree the chipotle in adobo mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth and place 1/4 cup of the can in a medium sauce pot.

2. Add all liquid ingredients to sauce pot and whisk to mix thoroughly.

3. Bring sauce to a very slow simmer.

4. Stir occasionally. Add minced garlic and all of the dry ingredients, whisk to mix thoroughly.

5. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every four to five minutes to ensure the sauce doesn't stick or burn to the bottom of the pot.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Rib Dry Rub Recipe courtesy Central BBQ




Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon cumin
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
* 1 tablespoon granulated onion
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Pack on the dry rub onto your next rack of ribs.

six years ago i e-mailed craig blondis of central bbq, after being on bbq with bobby flay food network show to ask about the rib rub recipe. two days later he called my house to make sure i had it correct. have never forgot that. ty sir very much. sr

big bob gibson's chris lilly at the 2010 big apple bbq block party