When it comes to Big Green Joe Ribs I prefer them Kansas City style (just like pulled pork) – sweet and sticky with some subtle heat underneath.  There are three things you need: rub, sauce, and a great way to cook them (you also need the ribs themselves – see the ‘Cooking Method’ section below for details).  I’ve traveled the world (wide web) in search of the perfect ribs and here are my borrowed secrets …

Rubs for Ribs

There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of rubs you can buy but I prefer to make my own Kansas City Rib Rub.  Note that I cut the salt in half but it’s just personal preference.  I generally make a big batch and freeze it so it’s ready when needed.

Rib Sauce

Ideally I make a homemade KC Classic Barbecue Sauce.  This sauce is so good I usually eat half of it with a spoon before it ever makes it to the grill.  The downside is it takes some time to prepare and will really stink up your house.

If time is of the essence I will go to a store bought sauce.  I’ve found Ted Reader’s World Famous Crazy Canuck Sticky Chicken & Rib Sauce is a guaranteed winner.  It’s a decent sauce on its own but it really shines when you give it a few minutes on the grill.

Cooking Method

There are many ways to cook a rib.  I’ve found the hands-down winner to be the 3-2-1 method.  You can find details on this Competition Ribs & 3-2-1 Method on the Major League Grilling blog.   It also includes some great pictures to tempt your taste buds.

Summary

There’s no right or wrong way to make ribs.  Just follow your taste buds and experiment.  Hopefully this gives you some great ideas.  Here are some pictures from my last rib session…

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Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter…whatever the holiday it seems Turkey is always the go-to protein.  It’s abundant, affordable, tasty, and usually easy.  I only cook one kind of turkey – the Big Green Egg Turkey.  An oven-roasted turkey tends to land somewhere on a spectrum of ‘bad’ to ‘good’.  A Big Green Egg Turkey can only land from ‘great’ to ‘out-of-this-world’.  I haven’t done it on a kettle grill yet but I’m sure the results will still beat the oven.

There are many different recipes out there.  I’ve developed my own hybrid recipe from the version found in the Big Green Egg Cookbook and a series of YouTube videos posted by Patio at Penn Stone.  I’ve been modifying it over the past few holidays and I think it’s now ready to publish.

I’ve also found some great direction and advice from the Turkey Farmers of Canada.  You can follow them on Twitter @TastyTurkey.

Here are the steps to win some fans at your next holiday dinner:

Preparation

Ingredients

• *1 Turkey
• 1 Gallon of water
• 2 cups of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of kosher salt
• 3 yellow onions
• 4 oranges
• 4 lemons
• 2-4 stalk of fresh thyme
• 3 heads of Garlic
• **Scoop of butter
• Salt & Pepper
• Apple wood and hickory chips

*Use this handy Turkey Calculator to determine the size of bird you’ll need.  A large Big Green Egg can easily accommodate a 20Ibs / 9kg turkey.

**The size of scoop depends on your health quotient but since you’re soaking a bird in sugar and salt I’d say it’s low – so scoop away!

Hardware

• Plate setter (Big Green Egg only)
• V-rack to place the bird on
• Drip pan
• Aluminum foil
• Meat Thermometer

Directions

Brine the Turkey

The day before your feast you can prepare brine for the turkey.  This is a crucial step if you want your turkey to fall on the ‘out-of-this-world’ side of the flavor spectrum.

1. Remove all the extra stuff from the turkey (giblets, neck, etc.).
2. Mix the following together until everything is dissolved
   1. 1 gallon of water
   2. 2 cups of brown sugar
   3. 1/2 cup of kosher salt
   4. Rind from 1 orange
   5. 2 quartered onions
   6. 1 halved garlic head (fully separate if you have time)
3. Add the brine and turkey to a pot or bag large enough to hold it all.  Keep as much of the turkey submerged a possible.  Flip the turkey half way through to ensure all of it gets the treatment.
4. Let sit in the fridge overnight.

Prepare the Turkey

1-2 hours before you need to start cooking your turkey (lean toward 2 if eggnog will be a part of the preparation process – I highly recommend it with El Dorado 12 year rum and a dash of nutmeg) you can start to get the bird and barbeque ready.

1. Rinse the turkey.
2. Stuff it with the following:
   1. Lemons (cut in eighths)
   2. Oranges (cut in eighths)
   3. 1 yellow onion (cut in eighths)
   4. 1 head of garlic (halved or fully separated)
   5. Thyme
3. Crush 3 cloves of garlic and mix with butter.  Separate the turkey skin from the meat with your hands and spread the garlic butter between the skin and breast.
4. Brush the outside of the turkey with olive oil.
5. Salt and pepper the outside of the turkey.

Prepare the BBQ

1. Add apple wood and hickory chips to water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes.  Use a large amount because you’ll need to add more throughout the cook.  You can substitute other types of wood (pecan for example) but these are my favorites on turkey.
2. Heat the Big Green Egg to 500-600 degrees to clean it and prepare it for the plate setter.
3. Add the plate setter at the low height (no grate is required).  If you’re using another type of grill get it ready for indirect grilling.
4. Bring the temperature back down to 300-350 degrees (25% intake) before you add the bird.

Cook the turkey

1. Place a drip tray on top of the plate setter.
2. Put the turkey on the V-rack (usually breast up – although there are different opinions on this) and set it over the drip tray.
3. Add the wet wood chips to the coals.  The temperature may dip slightly when chips are added but will come back up once they burn up.
4. Cook at 300 degrees. I tend to cook a bit lower around 250-300 degrees although I think this may be due to a mis-calibration of my thermometer.
5. Cook the turkey to an internal temperature of 170°F / 77°C in the breast and 180°F / 82°C in the thigh.  For an idea of how long this will take for your turkey visit the Turkey Farmers of Canada Cooking Times & Temperatures page.  I only cook a turkey when I have a good-size crowd to enjoy it so my birds tend to come in around 20Ibs / 9kg and take about 5.5 hours to cook.
6. Check the bird half way through cooking to ensure the skin isn’t burning.  If so, tent it with tin foil.  Don’t get lazy and skip this step.  It will greatly increase the visual appeal of your turkey and prevent your dinners from avoiding the black mess you set on the table.

Carve the Turkey

I’m about 100 times better at cooking a turkey than carving it.  For some directions on carving your bird and storing your leftovers take some advise from the experts…

Enjoy your bird and be sure to share your experiences and other great turkey recipes in the comments section below.

Happy Holidays!

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Today marked the first real snowfall in Waterloo, ON.  Despite the cold temperatures and howling wind I will still be firing up my Big Green Egg and grilling some steaks.  For the best way to grill a steak see Last Nights Perfect Steaks.

So here’s to the hardy, die-hard Canadian Grillers out there.  May your grill heat your food, your hands, and your taste buds!

The post Great Canadian BBQ appeared first on Big Green Joe.

I spent many hours scouring the Internet and flipping through cookbooks to find the perfect combination of components that would come together for this feast.  Below is the final recipe.  It needs no further modification and will long live as my standard pulled pork recipe.

Big Green Egg Pulled Pork: Kansas City Style

Like all great barbecue there is no easy way to great taste.  It’s not as simple as throwing some meat on a flame then eating it.  This recipe has several components that all work together to make this masterpiece:

1. Meat
2. Dry Rub
3. Sauce
4. Injection Fluid
5. Cooking & Pulling

Meat

I go with the standard cut for pulled pork – a Boston Butt.  Despite the name, this is actually pork shoulder.  I prefer bone-in with a thick layer of fat.  The size depends on how many people are eating but I find about 8 lbs is usually a nice, tasty size.  I get mine from Brady’s Meat & Deli in Waterloo, ON.

Rub

I found a great Kansas City dry rub by Derrick Riches on About.com’s BBQ & Grilling site.  You can find the recipe here.  I cut out the salt because I’m pretending to eat healthy but I’m sure it taste great with it too.

The afternoon or evening before cooking I cut the blanket off the pork leaving as much fat as possible.  Then I ‘rub the rub’ into the shoulder and pop it in the fridge until it’s time to cook.  At this time I also prepare the sauce and injection fluid.

Sauce

The only way I can describe this sauce is ‘stupid good’.  When I was cooking up my first batch I became worried I had over-dosed on vinegar because of the strong smell (this is actually normal).  I tasted a spoonful to make sure I was still on track then proceeded to eat a bowl of the sauce – it’s really that amazing.  It gracefully slides into your mouth with a thick, sweet taste courtesy of the brown sugar and molasses.  Then it gently punches your taste buds with a fist full of heat that quickly disappears leaving you wanting more.  This sauce will forever more have a place in my fridge.

I came across the recipe on AmazineRibs.com.  You can find it here.  I use about 3/4 of the listed vinegar.  You can increase/decrease depending on how tart you like your sauce.  You can also raise or lower the heat depend on your preference.  This sauce is designed to be double-cooked; once when it’s mixed then again on your meat while it’s cooking.  However, I find it’s just as good slathered on meat after it’s been cooked.

Injection Fluid

This component is by far the fastest and simplest to prepare.  I simply mix the ingredients in a jar and it’s done.  The actual injection doesn’t happen until right before the meet goes on the Big Green Egg but it’s nice to have it ready before hand.  I’m not sure where I came up with this concoction but I assume it’s a hybrid of several different recipes.  Here’s what I use:

• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire

Cooking & Pulling

The final steps are where everything comes together.  I get up at 2:30am to get things going.  First I mix wood chips and set them to soak.  I use hickory, apple wood, and a touch of maple.  Next I light the Big Green Egg.  While it’s warming I inject the meat with the injection fluid.  When the temperature is up to about 250 degrees I drop in about a third of the wood chips, load the plate setter, place a drip pan on it, place the grill on top, and add the pork.  There’s a long-standing debate about whether to place the fat cap up or down.  I’m not married to either method so I just add it whichever way it happens to be sitting after I run it.

With the addition of the wood chips and plate setter the temperature drops a few degrees.  The goal for the pork is to reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees.  At this temperature the connective tissue in the meat breaks down making it easy to pull.  To get to 195 degrees I cook at about 210-225 degrees for 1.5 hours per pound.  At 8 pounds it’s a 12 hours cook.

I don’t touch the meat for the first 4-5 hours (mainly because I’m back in bed sleeping or feeding kids breakfast) but I check it occasionally after that.  Each time I spray the shoulder with apple juice and add some wood chips.  For the last few hours I don’t add any more smoke.  At this point in the cook the pores in the meat have closed due to the heat so smoke won’t be absorbed and can even give the meat a chemical taste.

Once the meat is at 195 degrees I pull it off the Big Green Egg and wrap it tin foil.  I let it rest at least an hour or even longer if the rest of the meal isn’t ready.  The meat holds the heat for a long time so there’s no rush.

Just before the meal is served I unwrap the shoulder and place it in a serving dish.  Then comes the best part of the process: I pull out the bone.  You have to do it to truly appreciate the beauty.  The bone is lodged in there before the cook but after it slides out like it’s coated in butter.  Then I squash the meat with my hand and watch it fall to pieces.  I finish by pulling the remaining chunks of meat into smaller pieces using a pair of forks.

To serve I pile the pork on a warm bun and douse it in the sauce.  Then it’s chow time!  I usually put back a pile without the bun just to get a pure taste of the masterpiece.  I’ve cooked a lot of things on m Big Green Egg but this is by far my favorite.  It’s an investment in time to prepare and cook but it’s well worth every minute.

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My pork experiment was to inject a pork loin roast with seasoning.  Not a groundbreaking technique but a new one for me.  The final result was a moist roast loaded with flavor.  This recipe is based on Steve Raichlen’s Sweet & Garlicky Pork Chops from his book The Barbeque! Bible.  Here’s how it went…

Ingredients

• 1 Pork Loin Roast
• 5 cloves of Garlic
• 5 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
• 1/3 cup of Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Sesame Oil
• 3 tablespoons of Honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground Ginger powder
• 2 teaspoons of finely ground Black Pepper

Directions

1. Combine garlic, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.  Blend in a food processor or grind to a paste with a mortar and pestle.
2. Inject the paste into the roast using a meat injector. 20-30 injection points should give a good spread.
3. Combine the remaining brown sugar and pepper.  Rub over the roast.
4. Let roast sit in fridge overnight.
5. Heat your Big Green Egg to 350-400 degrees (medium indirect heat if you’re not using a Big Green Egg) and soak apple wood chips.
6. When ready to cook, drain the apple wood chips and add to the coals.  Spread them around so they burn with the charcoal throughout the cooking period.
7. Place the roast on a rack and place in a drip pan and place directly on the grill (you can also use a plate setter if you wish).
8. Cook the roast for 1-1.5 hours to at least 160 degrees.
9. Once at temperature, remove the roast and let sit for 20 minutes.
10. Slice the roast and serve!

The post Sweet & Garlicky Pork Loin Roast on The Big Green Egg appeared first on Big Green Joe.

I grilled it over 325° heat and used a mixture of apple wood and hickory wood chips to give it a little smoke.

As you would expect from anything wrapped in fat, the chicken turned out perfect; juicy and smoky.  Bacon makes it better!

Let’s eat!

The post Bacon Makes Everything Better appeared first on Big Green Joe.

Nashville Style Hot Chikan Shak Chicken

The General’s Southern Fried Chicken – kicked up ten notches! We fry a jumbo marinated and smoked chicken thigh in our secret spicy coating, then douse it in our “Fullilove” Hot BBQ Sauce. Served open-faced on a Portuguese bun with pickles on top – just like at Prince’s Hot Chikan Shack in Nashville!

Surprisingly, it’s the pickles that bring everything together.  Each element is great on its own but the pickles tie a knot around it all and take it to another level.  I can’t get enough!

The next time your at Hog Tails or the Lancaster Smoke House make sure to try this dish.  A+!

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Last night I gave this ‘perfect method’ a try on some tenderloins and it delivered big time.  I won’t post the process in detail but you can view it on the True North Barbeque blog: How to Grill Perfect Steaks.  The steaks were also accompanied by some great sides; roasted potatoes with onions, asparagus, and baby garlic (which ended up slightly overcooked).

I fell short in a couple areas of the ‘perfect method’ and learned a few lessons…

1. My ‘death sear’ on the Big Green Egg was only about 650-700 degrees so I left the steaks on a few seconds longer.  When I say a ‘few’ I mean it literally.  At a recommended 1000 degrees the ‘death sear’ is not a joke.  Think of holding your breath – a few seconds at the end can make a world of difference.  Next time I’ll use some cocoanut charcoal or a hair dryer to get the temperature up to the recommended 1000 degrees.
2. I over seasoned during the rest period.  I’m used to seasoning steaks before they are seared so I’m fairly liberal.  When using the ‘perfect method’ you season before a low cook, which does not burn off the seasoning.  Next time I’ll be more conservative.
3. My theory that seared meat does not absorb smoke as well as raw meat was disproved.  I swear I could taste smoke in the pink middle.

When all was said and done we ate world-class steak last night.  Given this was my first attempt at the perfect method (there is still lots of room for improvement in my execution) and it turned out so well, I’d say this method is an absolute winner.

A big thanks to @truenorthbbq for the great advice and many tasty nights ahead!

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At some point in my BBQ career I had imagined I’d try tossing some cheese, fresh veggies, maybe some pre-cooked ground meet, and salsa on nachos and baking them on my Big Green Egg.  However, after a recent trip to The Lancaster Smokehouse in Kitchener I’ve had my eyes opened to an entirely new method of BBQ nachos – a true BBQ version of this tasty dish.

Here’s what The General does at the Smokehouse…he sprinkles shredded cheese on top of nachos and serves sliced peppers, fresh salsa and sour cream along side.

Oh wait, I almost forgot to mention they pile about 45 lbs of the juiciest pulled pork you’ve ever tasted on top of the nachos.  It melts the cheese and adds about four inches to the height of the dish.

45 lbs may be a slight exaggeration but I can guarantee this is the meatiest plat of nachos you can get.  Besides being extremely tasty and filling, this also comes in at the standard nacho price making it the best value when it comes to maximizing your meat intake.  Don’t be fooled – this is not an appetizer.

I’m looking forward to my next trip to KW’s best BBQ joint!

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Low and slow is less harsh and leaves the meat tender and juicy as long as you don’t go too slowly.  Time can range from 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the steak, temperature of the grill, and your preference.  This method also allows you to add some smoke to the meat – I always use mesquite for steaks.

Searing is the complete opposite.  The goal is to get your grill as hot as possible.  A Big Green Egg will usually get up to 600 degrees on it’s own (see video below).  Adding some additional air via a hair dryer can jack it up to 700-800 degrees and potentially higher.  This intense heat is used to sear the outside of the steak locking in all of the juices.  A few minutes on each side and the steaks are ready.  You can even take this method to the next level and toss the meat right on the grill like Mad Meat Genius.

Most grillers I talk to swear by one of the methods above.  They can talk for hours about how well their methods works while calling the opposing camp crazy…even though they’ve never tried it.  This leads me to believe that both methods work great.

A quick note – no matter which method you use ALWAYS let your steak sit for 5-15 minutes after you take it off the grill.  This gives the juices time to migrate though out the steak so it’s equally juicy and tender all around.

I typically sear my steaks.  However, I’ve always been disappointed that I can’t add some smoke.  Since a large volume of oxygen is required to get the high temperature, any smoke that’s generated quickly goes out the top.  To get around this I’ve been using a hybrid method.  I sear my steaks for 2-3 minutes a side then drop the temperature and let them soak for another 5-15 depending on this size.  During this soaking period I can smoke the hell out of them.  I typically add mesquite chunks (not chips) to the coals before adding the meat.  Because of their large size they can survive the sear period and still throw up some smoke during the soaking period.

The problem I run into is my smoke absorption theory.  This theory is backed by absolutely no scientific data or any experience whatsoever.  The theory is this; raw meat will absolve smoke flavor better than cooked meat.  This means my hybrid approach of smoking the meat after it’s been seared is not going to be as effective as I’d like.  I’ve lived with it and enjoyed some great steaks but I’ve always wished there was a way around this.  Well, now there is…

On a recent trip to Canadian Tire (or as I like to call it ‘the black hole where my bank account goes to die) I came across natural mesquite charcoal.  I immediately filled my cart and proceeded to the checkout.  This brilliant idea allows me to impart a fantastic mesquite flavor on my steaks while I sear the raw meat.  Excellent!

The downside is this particular brand, Nature’s Grilling, is not cheap since it’s all-natural and doesn’t contain all the toxic additives found in some other brands.  The good news is that, at the time of posting this, it’s on sale!

A quick Google search revealed an endless list of mesquite charcoal brands which tells me this is an old idea that is new to me because of a recent mesquite distribution expansion.  Either way I’m pumped.

If you’re a fan of cooking steak over charcoal I highly recommend grabbing a bag and giving it a shot.

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