This year I was determined to get a new grill/smoker. I NEEDED one badly. Grilling is a great way to eat healthy and there’s only so many ways to bake/broil chicken/fish/beef/pork before running out of ideas or the ones left are really not healthy options (even though they’re probably the best tasting options other than grilling/smoking). Again this year after making sure bills were paid, repairs done and other important things purchased, I had a limited budget to work with. I was hoping to be able to swing yet another Char-griller as I have loved the previous 2 and always get 7 years or longer out of them. This year, I got a Char-Broil offset smoker American Gourmet Deluxe. Price was $158.00 and after purchase I quickly got it home and started to assemble it. I did read some reviews for it on WalMart.com (told you I had a tight budget) and had a good laugh at the ones that gave bad reviews because the paint pealed. well duh, it happens to ALL grill/smoker/COS unless you buy a custom made pro smoker like a Lang or similar. There’s a reason they sell high temp black spray paint in the same area.

The Char-Broil has more cooling area than the Char-Griller but it’s not as wide/deep. There’s more than enough room to lay 3 spatchcocked chickens side by side and not worry about crowding them. There’s a warming rack that can be easily removed which is a must when doing beer can chickens. It has porcelain coated steel grates for the cooking surface as opposed to the cast iron that the Char-Griller had BUT, it was $50 cheaper. So yes there are some trade offs for not getting a Char-Griller. But in the end I think I’ll be happy with it and if it lasts me 4-7 years I’ll probably think about buying another when this one gets worn out.  I know I’ll be doing some mods to the main smoking chamber to help make it perform better. One I have already done is plugging the holes that are there for a rotisserie. My Char-Griller had them, but they still had the sheet metal in them waiting to be knocked out for use. I don’t have a rotisserie so never knocked them out. The Char-Broil took care of knocking them out and that left me with a need to plug the holes. Simple enough though, a piece of aluminum foil wadded up and crammed in the hole works fine for now.  Another mod that I’ll do is a simple mod to lower the chimney inside the cooking area. A sleeve of sheet metal slipped inside the chimney base will do exactly that. Of course the warming rack will have to come out first, which isn’t a huge problem for me.

During assembly when it came time to attach the chimney it was a simple matter of bolting the base plate to the inside of the main chamber lid then attaching the chimney on the outside. In reality the designed press fit of chimney to base was poorly though out. The part that was poorly thought out was, the chimney fit WAY to loosely. Opening the lid would allows it to slide off. Again a simple fix. I folded some aluminum foil into a band that I wrapped around the portion of the base plate that the chimney was to be pressed onto. this provided the thickness needed and it took some effort to get the chimney in place. tight fit with a  good seal all around. Oh yeah, it doesn’t fall off when the lid is opened either. After assembly I followed the steps on the first page of the instruction manual for seasoning the grill. This is an important step and sadly it’s often over looked by first time buyers of a offset smoker/grill. The seasoning process helps cure the paint to the metal making it less likely that huge pieces will flake off. Note I didn’t say prevent it from happening, I said less likely for LARGE piece to flake off. It also treats the inside metal by allowing oil to fill the pores in the metal. This helps prevent rust from building on the inside. There will be rust eventually on the outside, but seasoning helps make it slower to appear inside and out. Seasoning can also make cleaning messes up a LOT easier. After seasoning and letting it cool overnight I wiped out the inside and lined the lower part of the main chamber with aluminum foil. This will make cleaning the grill easier down the road. When it gets real nasty from fat drippings and ashes just remove the foil and replace it. Removing the ashes is important as they are acidic when wet and will cause rust.

One thing I will REALLY miss from my Char-Griller is the slide out tray from the side firebox. That made cleaning a snap. Since the Char-Broil doesn’t have a slide out I’ll have to rely on scooping the ashes out. Since I have seasoned the firebox as well the main cooking area, once I get the ashes cleaned out I’ll line it with foil too.  This should help down the road with not only clean up but in helping to prevent rust from forming. After using a smoker if you wipe everything down with an oil soaked rag or even spray it with a non-stick cooking spray after cleaning it up will go a long way in rust prevention and making sure clean up is as easy as possible.

Now that I have my new grill/smoker I should be posting more frequently in here. You can also check out my other blog on brewing beer at home. What goes better with BBQ than beer?! Check out Mystic Brewing to learn how to do it yourself.

Smoke On!!

Pit Master

Yesterday was Memorial Day here in the US. That means one thing to a lot of people. It means the official start of summer. Summer in the US for a lot of people means BBQ season (I BBQ year round). For Memorial Day my neighbors came over and helped share a meal with my family. I supplied the Pork Spareribs they provided the Venison back strap, potato salad and brownies  Sweet Tea.

I rubbed the 2 racks ribs down with my standard BBQ rub (made special for me by the Mistress of Spice (my wife).

Once rubbed and placed in the rib rack (I love those things) I placed them in the smoker with a mix of apple wood, and hickory.

About 3 hours into the smoke my neighbors arrived and handed me a bag of back strap. It was cut and had been marinading over night. All I had to to do was place it in the smoker. Since it was cut into chunks and the ribs were close to ready, I placed the venison on the hot end of my smoker. After a total of 4 hours had passed on my ribs I grabbed one of the bones and gave it a twist. The bone pulled cleanly from the meat indicating that they were ready.  A quick check on the venison indicated that it was ready.  I cut the ribs into singles and doubles after removing the short ribs at the bottom of the racks. I also sliced the venison. I’ll let the pictures speak for me..This was a GREAT Memorial Day Feast and it is always fun spending time with my neighbors. (note. 2 of the pictures are a little washed out.

There you have it.. I hope everyone had a safe and fun filled holiday weekend and That the BBQ pits were going in full swing.

• 1 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

In a small sauce pan add the butter and hot sauce. Melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted stir in the honey. Once combined add the vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Since this was being cooked in the oven, I placed the chicken on a cooling rack suspended over a 9×13 Pyrex dish. This allowed heat to move around the entire chicken similar to how it does on a grill. It also made sure the fat that dripped off was away from the chicken and not all over my wife’s oven (she’d kill me).

Place the chicken in the oven that has been pre-heated to 400F. Cook for 50-60 minutes. Make to check the temp when you think it’s done. 180F on the thigh is done.  I pulled mine when it was 175F and let it rest for 10 minutes. The rest period allows the chicken to finish the remaining 5 degrees (carry over cooking is a wonderful thing).  You should have something like this:

Carve and serve. Corn off the cob  and fried cubed potatoes went well with the chicken as would rice. Just use your imagination:

Enjoy!!

Cooking on a grill or smoker is just taking a step back into time and cooking as our ancestors did. A cast iron skillet on a grill top works just as well as on a stove. you can fry foods, you can make soups and stews in a cast iron pot or dutch oven and yes, you can even bake in them as well. with a Dutch Oven you can set it directly in a camp fire and place some coals on the lid to cook or bake. It all boils down to having the right equipment of the job. For cooking on a grill or in a smoker, I suggest good ole cast iron. Yes it costs more money than modern non-stick pans. Yes, it’s heavy and yes, it isn’t dishwasher safe (it is but removes the seasoning). A good quality set of cast iron pots, pans and dutch ovens will last a few lifetimes if cared for properly. A properly seasoned cast iron pan is almost as non-stick as modern Teflon pans without the possible harmful chemical vapors being released. Cast iron also conducts heat very well. Because of this, make sure that you have appropriate protection for your hands when handling the hot pans.

Of course, cooking on a grill or smoker (or camp fire for that matter) isn’t as easy as cooking on a stove or in an oven. this is because it’s harder to maintain a steady temperature. While it may be harder, it isn’t impossible. The only thing that I can tell you since your grill or smoker will be different from mine is, it takes practice.  There will be a lot of failed attempts, but if you take notes of each attempt, you will learn what works best for you.

For a simple recipe of what can be cooked on a grill that would normally be prepared on a stove top I offer you this…

London Broil with Ale au jus

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• season a 1.5lb London Broil with salt and pepper then brown on both side.
• once browned remove meat from pan and add 2 onions that have been thinly sliced.
• add 1 x 12 fl oz beer (I like a nice brown ale for this)
• let the ale simmer with the onions and using a wooden spoon scrape any browned meat bits from bottom of skillet.
• return meat on top of onions and ale and simmer an additional 2-4 minutes (until meat is medium)
• remove meat to let it rest for 10 minutes.
• while meat is resting, this is a good time to grill some corn and let the ale reduce.
• Slice meat across the grain in thin slices

serve with grilled corn and/or rice  the onions and sauce go great with either.  serve with a nice cold brown ale, porter or stout.

For those that don’t know how to butterfly (or spatchcock) a chicken, please watch this video (not done by me but it’s the method I use)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-8tMEwBnSA

Since we were having 3 chickens, I wanted 3 different flavor profiles. I turned to my wife (aka the Spice mix master) for some custom rubs. what we ended up with was.

1. Garlic/Butter/Basil
2. Curry (not a hot curry, just full of flavor)
3. Lemon Pepper

I did my usual technique of placing the rub under the skin on the breast and thigh then rubbing eh remainder over the skin. A paste type rub works best in this case . If you only have a dry rub, add a little olive oil to it to make a paste.

While the chickens were letting the spices work their way into the meat I got the grill going.  2 chimneys full of charcoal and a couple nice pieces of Mesquite for a little extra flavor did the trick. Once the grill was up to temp I placed the chicken on. I have a Chargriller Pro which has a large grilling surface as was barely able to fit all 3 chickens on at once (each bird weighed in over 5.25lbs). Once the chickens were cooked to an internal temp of 165 and juices ran clear I knew they were ready to take off the heat.  After a rest period of about 15 minutes I cut the legs, thighs and wings off and sliced the breast meat.  We had homemade Potato salad and Banana Pudding to go along with it. In all it was a great way to spend a beautiful day. Great Friends and Great food, that’s what life is all about….Enjoy

Here’s a few pic of the chickens, both before and after.

Curry Chicken before hitting the grill

Garlic/Butter/Basil Spatchcocked Chicken

Lemon Pepper Spatchcocked Chicken

legs, wings, and thighs

a platefull of breast meat ready to serve

First I cut the backbone out, then the keel bone as described in the article on Moroccan Spatchcock Chicken. Trust me, it’s VERY easy.

Once the back bone is out it looks like this:

butterflied chicken

Next, my wife made a Pesto Basil that was spread under the skin of the breast and thighs. The remaining pesto was rubbed on the outside of the skin.

seasoned and ready for the grill.

While the coals were getting ready I let the chicken come up to room temp. Then it was grill time. I started the chicken skin side down. When grilling chicken NEVER walk away from the grill. Why you ask? Because chicken fat melts quickly and there’s plenty of it. As the fat drips off, it hits the coals and you get flare ups. As these occur you can simply move the chicken out of the way, or spray little water directly at the flames, or close off the air vents to choke the flames out. I prefer to choke them out and then move the chicken if needed.  flip the chicken over after about 10 minutes and cook another 10 minutes. Then flip it over again and repeat. I flip frequently in order to prevent the chicken from burning.

When done (about 45-50 minutes total cook time for a 5lb chicken. You time may vary ) the internal temp will be above 165F and juices will run clear at the thigh.  You should have something that looks like this.

Ready to rest and carve.

Take the chicken off the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. During the rest period the juice redistribute and carry over cooking finishes cooking the chicken.  Carve the chicken and serve. Good side offerings include corn (either on the cob or whole kernel off the cob cooked in butter), rice, mashed or baked potatoes and a nice fresh salad.

Fear not, making your own smoked salt is cheap and easy. Simply get some coarse salt (kosher or sea salt works great) and a low sided flat tray (even making a once use tray from foil works great). Pour the salt into the tray and spread it out. Don’t worry about having it in a single layer. Place the tray in your smoker and let it absorb all the smoke you can throw at it. I like to mix mine up every 30-45 minutes to make sure all crystals are exposed to the smoke.  Let it smoke for a couple hours or until you feel it tastes the best (you’ll be using it make it as smokey as you want).

Allow the salt to cool to room temperature and place in an air tight jar. I often toss a silica packet (available in many dried food products and electronics) into the jar to help keep the salt dry and clump free (rice doesn’t keep it dry).  There ya have it. A simple and inexpensive way to get smoked salt that is better tasting (in my opinion) than store bought. Use it in any recipe that calls for salt to add a smokey flavor to an otherwise plain meal.  (loading your salt grinder with smoked salt is a great idea, just clear it with the wife before doing it.)

Let me know if your give this a try.

Essential Habanero Hot Sauce
http://www.fiery-foods.com/component/rapidrecipe/essential-habanero-hot-sauce

• 1 ½ cups chopped carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cup lime juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped habanero chiles, about 12 chiles

1. Combine all the ingredients, except for the habaneros, in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft. (Adjust the heat by adding fewer habaneros – not by increasing the carrots, as this can alter the flavor.)

2. Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain for a smoother sauce.

3. Pour in sterilized jars and refrigerate.

Cured and Smoked Salmon with Habanero Sauce

Description

The key to preparing salmon this way is to make certain that your smoke is rather cool, about 100 degrees. If it is warmer, decrease the smoking time. This recipe takes a fair amount of time, but most of that is spent waiting rather than working. The selection of sauces served is up to the cook, so feel free to experiment. A horseradish sauce will work also. The salmon can also be served on bagels, as pictured here. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

For the Cure:

• 2.5 cups kosher salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed dill weed

For the Salmon:

• 2 large salmon fillets, about 2 to 5 pounds each, or 5 small but thicker fillets

For the Sauce:

• habanero hot sauce
• sherry pepper hot sauce
• spicy mustard
• creamy horseradish sauce

Methods/steps

For the Cure:

Combine the ingredients for the cure in a bowl and mix well. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on an aluminum baking pan and spread about a 1/8-inch thick layer of the cure blend and place the fillets on the plastic wrap. Top the fillets with 1/8-inch of cure. Cover the fillets with plastic wrap and cure in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours; a 4-hour cure is preferable. Remove the fillets from the wrap and rinse the cure off each fillet. Allow the fillets to air dry for about 2 hours.

For the Salmon:

Prepare a fire in the smoker’s firebox with pecan wood or other fruit or nut hardwood of choice, such as apple, apricot, peach, or walnut. When the fire stabilizes and the smoke is no longer hot, place the fillets skin-side down on racks or on the aluminum baking pan.

Smoke the fillets for 4 to 5 hours, depending on their thickness. Regularly check the fire and fillets to make sure that the fish is smoking, not rapidly cooking.

Serve the salmon over crackers of choice topped with any of the three sauces as an appetizer. Refrigerate any leftovers, which will keep for weeks.