BBQing Tips From Deep In The Heart Of Oregon!

Wood Pellet Grill Spare Ribs

2011-09-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Want to do spare ribs on your wood pellet grill? If you do lets get cookin'!

First, always look for spare ribs on sale. I see them hovering around the four dollar range a pound, but many times they are on sale for $2.99 or even $1.99 a pound.

Spare ribs are not real ribs, per say and are located between the real ribs (baby backs) and the stomach area of a hog. The word “spare” is loosely translated from the German word that means “spear” ribs. Way back when folks use to spear the meat and cook it over a fire.

Not much has changed, dude...you going to follow suit and cook the meat over a fire, too? It's just that the spearing thing comes later.

Wash the ribs thoroughly and rinse. Place in a safe marinating container. A sturdy plastic bag that you can close will work but I prefer a Tupperware Marinating Container. Health-wise, do not use metal or aluminum containers to marinate anything.

You can use any quality Rub you want, however for this particular session on my Traeger Wood Pellet Grill I used Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Barbecue Seasoning. This is an “out of sight” Rub! And, it's economical and readily available.

Sprinkle on the Rub generously and rub in thoroughly on all parts of the ribs. Sprinkle on a second time but don't rub it this time. Cover in some type of an airtight container and re fridge over night.

Next day, let the spare ribs sit out on the counter while you heat up your wood pellet grill. Once lite, let it get up to high and leave it. I used Cherry pellets, but Apple is excellent also. When you put the ribs on the grill the temperature will meander down to 350 degrees or so from high...keep it there!

You can grill spare ribs directly on the grill, but I prefer to slow cook them in a shallow pan. This helps keep the moisture in. Also, it doesn't hurt to have a metal dish filled with water or brew sitting next to the ribs for additional moisture and/or taste.

Cooking time is about two hours or 175 degrees. In the last fifteen minutes of cooking, get yourself a squirt bottle and fill it with a half a cup of orange juice and about a quarter cup apple cider vinegar. Mist the ribs slightly...don't go berserk with the misting. Turn em' over and mist the other side, too.

You can additionally smoke the ribs by going into the “Smoke Mode”, but I think it drys them out. Take them off the grill immediately when done and wrap them in foil for fifteen before serving.

OK, some folks like a dipping sauce, so try to make this if you do. If it ain't hot enough add more Tabasco. If it really isn't hot enough, forget the Tabasco and substitute Habanero sauce.

Just remember the whole premise is to be able to taste the meat!

Your Very Own Spare Rib Dipping Sauce

1 cup Ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes Tabasco

1 cup Water

1/4 cup Distilled Vinegar

1 tbsp Brown sugar

1 tsp Salt

4 tbsp Finely Chopped Celery Leaves

1 tbsp Minced onions

Do I have to tell you to put all this stuff in a pot and cook it? Cover and bring it up almost to a boil and then simmer for two hours.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you only send a little! See the Donate Button upper right. It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads. Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Bratwurst Recipes | Real Simple

2011-09-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

There are probably hundreds and hundreds bratwurst recipes...here's just one!

The first documented bratwurst, the very first Brat, dates back to the year 1313 A.D. Which means they date me by just a few years.

All this empirical and grand documentation took place in Nuremberg, Germany which is a little east of Mt. Angel where Oregon's super-cool annual “Octoberfest” is held and the Brats are in abundance.

Years ago, I use to head-up an annual picnic for the paper mill I worked for. There was all kinds of meats served....grilled steaks to order, grilled chicken, bratwurst and whole hogs barbecued up.

By far the most popular was the bratwurst. They were boiled in beer and spices in super large pots and then put on the grill.

Folks ate them by themselves, or with a special wheat bun, with or without mustard, horseradish , sauerkraut or whatever. Nothing disappeared faster than the Brats.

Personally, I have tried many ways to fix Bratwurst but I always get back to the best way and that is to boil them in beer until they turn grayish. You can add a fair amount of peppercorns to the beer for an additional taste. Then grill those suckers!

You can just boil them in beer until cooked and then serve them. Forget the grilling and peppercorns.

Add a good sauerkaut and mustard and you've got it! I've looked at many recipes on the net. Some require that you spend all day preparing bratwurst...doing this and doing that. You will find that simple is better.

One of the keys is finding good bratwurst. Ask around and you will get some good answers.

Another post on the subject: Grilled Bratwurst Recipes

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you only send a few dollars! See the Donate Button upper right. It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads. Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. Semper Fi to all Marines!

Finding a good mustard is a must! I favor the Beaver Brand...no fancy packaging, just good taste.

Country Style Pork Ribs | Go For The Meat

2011-09-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Above is a pic of a whole bunch of Country-Style Ribs that have just got off the barbie and are all squished together like sardines in a can.

Lets get right to it, not to mess up your day but Country-Style are not really ribs, but they're kind of real close to where the actual ribs are on a hog. They even look like the real thing!

Baby Backs are the real ribs, and probably more popular, especially in BBQ joints, maybe because of the presentation thing. The preparation of both types is the same except with Baby Backs you will have to remove the membrane which is not all that big of a deal.

If you are thinking about Country-Style Pork Ribs look for them on sale. Often you can get a good price on them if you shop carefully. Try to get a minimum four pound package of ribs. This usually consists of five huge ribs.

Wash the ribs and pat dry. There are hundreds of "Dry Rubs" that you can use on ribs. You can make and use your own, but there are some excellent ones like Paul Prudhomme's "Pork and Veal Magic" or his "Barbecue Magic" that are extremely cost effective.

And, I don't think you could buy all the ingredients and make them any cheaper or better. Chef Paul does his homework!

Get yourself a marinating pan, something like a Tupperware Marinating container or a large, heavy plastic bag. I prefer the Tupperware because you can use it over and over. And, I like the fact it stores easily, and when not marinating it stores home-made cookies extremely well. Is the brain starting to rally? Any lights starting to turn on? Is the engine starting to fire on all cylinders?

Place the ribs in the container and sprinkle Dry Rub on all sides of the ribs and rub in thoroughly. Next apply plain old mustard. I mean plain old yellow mustard to all sides of the ribs. The wimps may want to use a small brush to apply the mustard so they don't get their gorgeous mitts all yucky.

Yellow mustard had some neat ingredients in it that makes it an excellent marinade like, for example: vinegar, turmeric, paprika. Apply more Dry Rub, but don't rub it in this time. Cover and place in the fridge over night.

Next Day: Get out of bed! Get your ribs out of the fridge! Let them sit out on the counter for a half hour. Meanwhile, get the oven or grill up to 325 degrees.

For the grill, you want to do your ribs on "indirect heat". You'll burn them if you don't. It's not like grilling a steak.

Yes, you can grill ribs over direct heat. But, when I cook them I am after moisture and tenderness and the only way I know how to accomplish that is through slow cooking.

I cook ribs two ways. On my Traeger Grill, I place the Country-Style Ribs in a shallow pan lined with aluminum foil. The Traeger naturally cooks on indirect heat and there is no problem with burning.

On my gas grill, also using a shallow pan, I light only one side of the grill and cook on the cool side with the hood down. But the best way is using a water pan with a grill on top of it to cook the ribs.

This is patterned after the ancient Chinese method of steaming and more recently the Water Smoker grill. This method of cooking is self-basting and adds moisture and taste to whatever you are cooking.

You can add things to the water and that is absorbed by the meat like onions and spices. You can substitute cola, root beer for the water...adds taste and puts a nice glaze on things. (See this post)

Put the hood down and leave it down for an hour. A low two zone fire on a charcoal grill should get the same results.

Whether it is an oven or the grill, the ribs should be done in about an hour or until they reach a temperature of 170 degrees.

Take them off the grill or oven and drain off the fluid. You can coat them with a quality barbecue sauce, but I like to coat them with "Fischer and Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce" and put them back onto the grill or oven for 15 minutes.

You can add smoke to Country-Style Pork Ribs for these last fifteen minutes also. On a gas grill, you will have to get a "smoker box".

Follow the directions on the package. Smoke the ribs for the remaining 15 minutes. With the charcoal grill, add chunks of fruit wood rather than chips.

The latest craze has been to boil the ribs first before you BBQ them. Best advice...don't do it! You'll screw them up!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you only send a few dollars! See the Donate Button upper right. It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads. Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Chickens On Wood Pellet Grills

2011-09-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

The two chickens shown above are about to be cooked on a Traeger Grill. Wood pellet grills like the Traeger are one of the best ways to BBQ chicken or any other thing, period!

If you are like me you like to experiment with different Rubs and marinades. I make a lot of my own Rubs but I also like to use other folks' as well, and my favorites are almost any type of seasoning that comes from Chef Paul Prudhomme's kitchen.

Now, as far as I know he is not regarded as the King of BBQ, but if you familiar with him you might regard him as one of the Kings of Spice and Hot. And, of course any of the food he prepares is extremely colorful and good tastin'.

On my Traeger Grill when I do chicken I like to do two at a time. Just one chicken doesn't get it.

Rinse the entire chicken, inside and out with warm water and pat dry. Place in a marinating container like Tupperware or a plastic bag.

On one chicken, I used Prudhomme's “Little Italy Seasoning” as a Rub and Catalina Dressing as a marinade. On the other, I used Prudhomme's “Poultry Magic” as a Rub and Fischer and Wieser’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce as a marinade. Naturally, you can do both chickens the same but that may be boring. See below on where to get all this stuff.

On both chickens, generously pour on the Rub and rub it in, dude, all over the chickens and into the cavities. Get those mitts messy!

Pour on the respective marinades and brush on thoroughly. Pour an extra amount into the cavity.

Pour on some more Rub, but don't rub it in this time. Cover and place in the fridge over night. Don't marinate anything in aluminum or metal containers for health reasons.

Next day, you are ready to cook! Get your wood pellet grill started, get it up to a high temperature and then bring it back down to a medium temperature of 325-350 degrees. Make sure the chicks sit out on the counter for at least 15 to 30 minutes before they go on the grill.

Cooking time will very from an hour and a half to two hours, but whatever you do make sure you use a meat thermometer to see that they are done. Place the thermometer under one of the wings and make sure it reads 190 degrees. If not, shut the hood and cook em' some more.

I use a shallow pan, lined with foil when I do chickens. With all that marinade I don't want it all over the grill. Also, just a theory, keeping the juices in a pan while cooking adds more moisture to the meat.

When the chickens are done, bring up the foil so that it completely covers the chicken and let it sit out for fifteen minutes before serving.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you only send a little! See the Donate Button upper right. It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads. Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Catalina Dressing makes an excellent marinate. It has all the right ingredients to add exquisite flavor and even color to your chicken. Another is the Fischer Chipotle Sauce. Not only a super marinade but make for an excellent salad dressing.

Unless you're going to BBQ for an entire Marine Corps Regiment I recommend a smaller wood pellet grill. You will be surprised what you can get on the smaller Traegers. Personally, I have had huge turkeys on my own Traeger while doing a huge ham at the same time. Although, I don't think I would buy the Junior Traeger...it's just too small.

Purchasing Chef Paul Prudhomme's spices is very economical...sixteen ounces for around eleven something. The Little Italy product link says $23 but that's for two 16 oz. cannisters. You get a lot for your money.

The Tupperware containers are a must if you marinate things more than twice a year. They are heavily constructed and airtight. When not in use they are great for storing cookies...is the brain lighting up?

How To Cook Beef Bottom Round Roast

2011-09-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

“Ladies and gentleman...boys and girls, step right up to this here platform and get your beef bottom round roast at only $2.99 a pound while they last! Y'all better hurry or y'all goin' miss out !"

Actually, watch the ads! Beef roasts like this are on sale quite a bit of the time at $2.99 and even less at your local butcher's.

Why pay $9.99 a pound for deli roast beef when you can prepare and cook your very own beef roast that's going to surpass most over-the-counter sliced deli meat in taste and quality?

Whether you cook this in a kitchen oven or put it on the grill you can come out with something that will knock folk's socks off. So knock their socks off!

I started out with a three and a third pound beef roast. Butchers like to label beef roasts a little differently but look for something like:” Beef Round Sirloin Tip Roast”, or something similar. Capisce?

I like to season it and marinate overnight to tenderize it a tad. We don't want it to turn out tough do we?

Wash it and pat dry. Poke numerous holes in it with a big ol' fork to help the seasoning and marinade penetrate the roast. Still awake?

For this one time, I used Chef Paul Prudhomme's “Little Italy Seasoning” as a Rub. Poured it on generously and rubbed it over the entire roast. I also used a generous amount of a cool product, "Apple Valley's Huckleberry Pear Grilling Sauce” as a marinade. Love fruit flavors!

Now, you can do what I did. But, any quality seasoning and marinade will do the trick. For example, Italian dressing makes for an excellent marinade. You can even skip the Rub because Italian dressing has all the necessary ingredients to flavor and tenderize your beef.

When you marinate something it's wise to use a plastic bag or plastic container to marinate things in the fridge overnight. Metal, aluminum and marinade are a bad combo health-wise.

I favor a Tupperware Marinating Container. They seal airtight and are heavy duty and I have had one of my two containers for over 30 years.

Next Day: While getting up to a medium temperature...325-350 degrees, let the roast sit out on the counter for one half hour before cooking.

If cooking in the oven place the roast in a ribbed roasting pan that keeps it elevated away from the bottom of the pan or it will burn. Add more marinade to the pan so you have some liquid at the bottom.

On a grill cook on indirect heat. Meaning: Light one side of the BBQ and cook on the other with the hood down at a medium temperature.

Cooking time is around two hours for a three plus pound roast or 140 degrees for medium rare, longer for medium and well done.

Use a meat thermometer, don't guess!

Before carving, let the roast sit out for fifteen minutes before carving. Slice thinly at a slight angle.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

I'm a big fan of Chef Paul! He's one of the best right along with Chef Hirsch. His products are superb and very cost effective. You look at the Amazon Product Link and it says,"$23", but that is the price for two 16 oz Containers. Unless you run a restaurant that will last you a millenium and a half.

The thing about his spices is that they are all unique. His "Little Italy" isn't "Italian Seasoning" like you find in the grocery store...it's about ten times better and I personally use it for all kinds of dishes...including using it as a Rub like I did with this Beef Bottom Round Roast. Ooh, use it in your marinara sauce too!

There is a cool restaurant in Portland called Henry's Tavern, home of the old Henry Weinhard Brewery...you know, "Hey, there where y'all going with all that beer"? Anyway, they have a macroni and cheese dish that's to die for! I asked for the recipe and guess what they use as a spice? Paul Prudhomme's "Seafood Magic Seasoning"! Off the wall, but you won't believe what it does for Mac & Cheese.

Personally, I have purchased and used about all the different spices that he makes and they are all good.

Grilled Pizza Tips | Fit For A Vegan

2011-08-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made a grilled pizza? If you haven’t here’s your big chance to be cool…maybe shock all kinds of folks with a new skill…your very own grilled pizza on the BBQ! And, this pizza is vegan!

And, this is going to be real simple pizza…nothing that will blow your mind. There’s no making pizza dough from scratch, which means there’s a bit of cheating/deception involved. But, we won’t tell anybody.

Tip 1: Go buy a Boboli Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (Don’t show the packaging to anyone. You can’t! Do you want to be known as a cheat?)

Tip 2: Boboli Pizza Squeeze

Tip 3: Fresh Spinach, Red Onion, Artichokes, Mushrooms and Black Olives

Tip 4: Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomatoes w/Zesty Peppers

Tip 5: Feta, Mozzarella Cheese or Shredded Sheese for Vegans

Tip 6: Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Pizza & Pasta Magic

Now it’s time to make pizza, mon! To grab the brass ring, dude!

You don’t really need a pizza grill pan to put on the grill, but it makes things a little easier if you use one. I have two: A pizza grill pan and an old Papa Murphy Stone.

Ok, the first thing is to squirt on the pizza squeeze. Brush it on the entire Boboli
Pile on a generous portion of fresh spinach. It will cook down, so pile it on
Drain and shred a can of artichokes on top of the spinach
Add sun dried tomatoes on top with the peppers, cut up mushrooms*, onion, olives
Non-Vegans shred Mozzarella and spread on top along with chunks of feta
For Vegans use Shredded Sheese (Geez, get a grip!)

*I sauteed the mushrooms before I added them to the pizza.

Start the grill on high and bring it down to 350 degrees. The Boboli(s) are pre-cooked and there is no need to turn the grill up any higher. The idea is to get the spinach to cook down and the cheese to melt. It goes fast! Keep the hood shut while cooking!

Watch how long you have the pizza on the grill. Anything around ten minutes and you will start to have a crispy crust. Place pizza on a cutting board and cut with a pizza cutter. As an option, sprinkle on Prudhomme’s Pizza & Pasta Magic.

This recipe makes for an impressive, tasty pizza. For non-vegans, you can add meat. The one in the photo has grilled chicken on it. But, it’s excellent without any meat.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

Vegan Grilling Ideas | Get A Life, Dude!

2011-07-31T07:43:00.000-07:00

Challenging, maybe more than barbecuing and grilling meat is coming up with ideas for grilling veggies and getting healthy!

En Eefecto: Vegan folks like to grill as much as their meat-eating friends. For me grilling veggies and fruit can be both challenging and rewarding. Plus, it should be part of the “total meal experience”.

The closest many of the pure meat lovers get to vegan grilling is a shish kabob…a couple of cherry tomatoes, a green pepper and maybe some chunks of pineapple. Well, at least it’s not all meat.

I will have to admit, I blog more about barbecuing meat than I do about grilling vegetables and fruit. However, in reality I grill more fruits and veggies than I do meat, especially when they are in season.

The above photo is of four zucchini (2 yellow, 2 green), two ears of corn and a head of cauliflower, fixed a very special way. I think you will like the recipe for the cauliflower.

I cut the zucchini length wise and rubbed EVOO (only olive oil safe for vegans) on them so they would not stick to the grill. I husked the corn and also rubbed EVOO on it.

I am a big fan of Chef Paul Prudhomme. I used his “Vegetable Magic” on both the zucchini and the corn.

Before I put the corn on the grill I zapped both ears for 4 minutes in a covered pie plate, and poured a tad bit of water into the dish. I figured that this saves a lot of grilling time, and the idea is to have everything cooked and done at about the same time.

Clean a head of cauliflower and brush on Spectrum non-egg mayo and yellow mustard. Next, finally chop up a couple tablespoons of red onion and distribute over the entire head. Sprinkle on Prudhomme’s Vegetable Magic. Cover and zap for 4 minutes, with a little water at the bottom of, like a Corning Ware dish.

Place the cauliflower in a separate pan and place shredded “Sheese”, a non-dairy type of cheese over the top before putting on the grill. Actually, the cauliflower is cooked, but the Sheese is not completely melted. Hey, anyway, it’s going to look cool on the grill.

Light up one side of the grill to medium heat or 325 degrees. Place the cauliflower in a metal container, lined with foil and place on the unheated side. Close the hood periodically to help melt the Sheese.

Place the corn and zucchini on the heated side. This will go fast! Flip the zucchini after a couple of minutes on the grill. If overcooked they will become soggy. The corn is less sensitive. Make sure you get the cool grill marks.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

Grilled Bratwurst Recipes | With Brew Dude

2011-07-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

Letting Bratwurst soak up some suds, spices and then grilling them is a real blast. A griller's delight! However, a real pay off (maybe a major goal thing for the entire year) is being able to sink your teeth into one as it comes off the grill! "Holy Jumpin' Up And Down, Martha!"

But first dude, you have to get yourself happily involved into a premium Bratwurst like Johnsonville, or “Brats” as many people call them. If you going to grill and eat Brats…buy the best, don't be "A Skimpy Dude"!

Just As Important If Not More Important: Purchase a bottle of beer for cooking the Bratwurst. Geez, maybe get a whole bunch more beer so that you can stay extremely focused and cool during this whole cooking and grilling process.

Music: And in the meanwhile, get with some funky music. Blues, jazz... “something that cooks a little!” Motivation and excitement stuff!

I used a bottle of "Henry Weinhard’s Blackberry Wheat Ale" to cook the Brats in. I hope you remember some of their great commercials, “Hey there, where y'all goin’ with all that beer?” from the Oregon Border Patrol guys.

Some folks prefer using a dark beer, or ale when cooking the Bratwurst, and that’s cool! Actually, you could probably use a nice wine as a substitute. But Brats and beer kinda go together. Are you startin' to get it?

Recipe Time: (I’m assuming that if you have read this far, that you are still alive)

One Beer (Just one? You got to be kidding? Get a grip, dude! Chill!)
Package of Johnsonville Brats (A five pack. If you do this right 5 ain't goin' be enough)
Maybe Some Spice like Luzianne Cajun ('tis 1 of the best seasonings out there, period)
A Pan (Spring for the Bayou Cast Iron one at Amazon)
Any Kind Of BBQ Grill (One that lights up, dude)
For You… (A six pack of cold beer to get thru all the dark periods of grilling ...golly gee, like you never know when a minute flare-up might occur. Be prepared!)

I have a first-class shallow cast iron pan (like the Bayou below) that I can use on the barbie. It takes a little longer to warm up than a normal pan, but they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Ok, you don’t really need a cool cast iron cookware pan like the Bayou necessarily, but they come in handy for other things, like using as a casserole or lasagna pan. Plus, Amazon has a great price on one.

Sure, you can buy flimsy, expensive aluminum foil pans all the time, but it won't take long before you realize you could have easily afforded the Bayou pan in the first place. What were you thinking? Don't be "A Skimpy Dude"! Geez!

Getting To The Gritties: Light both sides of the barbecue: For a gas BBQ, medium even low for the pan, between medium and high on the other side. For charcoal, push the coals to on side and put the pan on the other. For the Traeger Grill place directly over the middle on high heat.

Place a brew in the pan, place a brew in you. Let it get to a simmering type of temperature. Some folks add onions, peppercorns and all kinds of things. That's cool! Like maybe use your imagination. But, I hope it's not a first, dude!

I added bunches of Luzianne Cajun Seasoning to the pan. Place the Bratwurst in the pan and cook on both sides until they turn grayish. You will see that the seasoning sticks to the Brats as they are simmering.

Crunch Time: The whole idea, the premise, your goal for the week is not to destroy the Bratwurst. So let’s be cool and gently cook them in a simmering temp. You do not want the casings to break.

Some people cook them for about ten minutes. It takes me more like 20 minutes. I cook them real slow.

Once you get the grayish look, it is time to grill them. Hey, not to hot of a grill. You don’t want them to split. Is your brain starting to rally? Do you have the situation within reach?

What you want is nice grill marks on your Bratwurst. Move them around on the grill to insure even cooking, turning only once. Again, watch the heat, you don’t want them burned on the outside and not cooked in the inside...that sucks big time!

So have fun with Bratwurst. Sure, you can grill the proverbial and cheaper weenie (dude, you don't ever want to know "what's in dat weenie") and, do you really really want to be known as "A Skimpy Dude"??? Get with the Brats!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

Another post on the subject: Bratwurst Recipes

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

BBQ Grill Accessories | Things You Need

2011-07-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

Listed are just some of the BBQ grill accessories I feel are necessary for having around. Some will make you a better barbecuer and griller. Some just make it easier to barbecue. Some are just gift ideas.

Number One: If you do any serious-type barbecuing you are going to have to marinate and store things. My best choice is a Tupperware Season-Serve Marinating Container.

They are best for marinating fish, chickens, pork, beef and lamb roasts in. I also use them for marinating fruit and vegetables. You can get a pretty good-size chicken or roast in one.

They are heavy-duty plastic and seal extremely tight. One of the main features is that you can flip the containers over and over again while marinating to assure even distribution, and without spilling marinade all over you and the floor. They measure approximately 12 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches.

Personally, I have two Tupperware Marinating Containers. One I have had for over twenty years, and I use it constantly…it’s still like new. Hint! When not in use for marinating things make sure to let someone know about it. They are fabulous for storing cookies in.

Number Two: Everybody has different needs around the grill, but I use a grill brush constantly. Do you?

One of my pet peeves is, once you find a good grill brush, you want to be able to replace just the wire brush part without having to buy an entire new unit.

One such brush, and a rather excellent one at that, is the “Grill Daddy Pro Grill Brush”. It’s all business folks, and you can get replacement brushes for it!

The premise is to find a grill brush that actually “cleans the grill”. The Grill Daddy does it a little differently. It actually works like a “steam cleaner”. It utilizes the heat from your grill and, believe it or not, uses water to steam clean the grill. People that have them, just love'em!

If there is a fault, it’s because they are made out of plastic. But, it gets back to possessing something that actually cleans the grill and you can get replacement brushes for.

Number Three: A good set of barbecue tools that work and will last for years. Such a set is Weber’s Pro-Grade Tool Set.

It’s a three piece set that consists of a pair of 18 inch long tongs, spatula and fork. A couple of my gripes are: that most sets are awkward to handle because they are too heavy, or too big, or hard to store.

These are not. You also want stainless steel and something that looks cool. The Weber Tool Set fits the bill. These are not those cheapie chrome jobs, dude that won’t last.

Number Four: If your only grill is a gas one and you want to enhance the tastes that come off the grill, there are some things that you can invest in. To start with purchase a quality “smoker box” like the “Outset Cast Iron Smoking Box”, and wood chips.

Another item to consider real strongly, along with the smoker box, is a Brinkmann Water Pan and extra grill that fits over the pan. You are going to be shocked, stunned and incapacitated for a week after you find out what you can accomplish taste-wise with this setup on a gas grill.

I have written articles, numerous posts on the super results…additional tastes you can get from using a water pan, adding spices, garlic, onions, beer, wine and other things to it, in between the heat and what you are cooking, and guess what?

As far as I know, nobody that I know has ever tried the water pan thing on their gas grill! “Geez! Holy Jumpin’ Up And Down, Martha!” Like Tony sez, “Maybe Take Some Action, Dude!”

One guy told me: Ok! Hey! I’ll pass it on to my uncle who barbecues a lot…Golly Gee, thanks…that’s real swell!

I guess if you don’t ever want to improve your grilling skills that’s ok. However, if you are interested in improving them leave a message on my blog and I’ll help you in any way I can. I won’t bite either.

Number Five: A meat thermometer! Ok, you can go out and buy the fanciest digital one on the market. Or, you can buy just a very simple manual one that you stick in whatever you’re cooking that tells you when it’s done.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

A Pork Loin On The Traeger

2011-07-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Was there some other type of a grill you were thinking about doing a pork loin on? Well, if you are a Traeger owner, or want to be a happily involved Traeger owner soon, you've got it made.

In the meanwhile dude maybe get a pork loin. Get a big hummer and cut it into manageable chunks for the grill.

Think lean, because that is what most pork loins are like these days…maybe healthier for you and family than many other meats out there.

Now, you can just stick this baby right on the Traeger out of the package and it will turn out good. But, with a little more prep on your part it will turn out superb! But, try this simple little recipe:

First, get yourself a cool marinating container like a Tupperware one. (below) Rinse the pork loin with warm water and pat dry. Pour on a generous portion of Paul Prudhomme’s Pork & Veal Magic, or his BBQ Seasoning all over the pork and rub it in thoroughly.

Pour generic yellow mustard over the roast and brush it in. Sprinkle on more Pork & Veal Magic, or BBQ Seasoning but don’t rub it in this time.

You’ll find that plain old yellow mustard makes for a fine, superb marinade. It has all the right ingredients to help make your pork loin come out cool!

You can fool around with different marinades until the cows come home, and mind you there are some really good ones out there, but try plain old mustard just this one time.

Put the pork loin in the fridge over night. How hard can that be?

Next day, dude! Get the pork out of the fridge. Sit it on the counter. Crack a brew!

Start your Traeger Grill on “Smoke”. Once started, turn to High, let it get up to temperature and then turn down to Medium.

I prefer a fruit wood pellet for pork…Apple, Cherry. You can use any flavor or combine pellets.

You can place the pork loin directly on the grill. I like to place it in a shallow pan, fat side up.

A little theory here: A lot of liquid comes off whatever you are cooking on the Traeger, and if placed directly on the grill, the juices run off onto the deflection plate and into a bucket…lost forever, dude. And, you got to empty and clean the bucket, not to mention disposing of the now yucky aluminum foil you put on the deflection plate.

But, if all those juices justed stayed in a pan, and because you have the cover closed on the grill, those juices will boil, steam and circulate throughout the unit to help permeate the meat, adding flavor, and helping to keep it moist…like self-basting.

This is kind of like the Chinese method of steaming food except we are only interested in self-basting and not steaming anything. I know of Traeger owners who like to add a pan of water off to the side when barbecuing. Is the brain starting to rally?

In reality, anything you cook on a Traeger stays pretty moist, especially if you mist in the final stages of cooking, which adds a crust and helps keep in moisture. But, if you have an additional source of moisture, like water or juices from whatever you’re cooking you are really starting to cook.

Your pork loin is going to be done from about an hour and a half to two hours or 170 degrees. Stick a meat thermometer in it, dude and find out.

Ok, the misting thing: In the final stages of cooking, an hour and a half, or so, using a spray bottle filled with a cup of apple or orange juice, and about two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, lightly mist the pork loin. Shut the hood!

After it's cooked, to gain a further taste you can put your Traeger on “Smoke” mode for 15 minutes or so. Wrap in aluminum foil for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Traeger Electric Barbecue Grills-A Smoky Dude

2011-07-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

The way I got interested in a Traeger Barbecue Grill was through a local hardware store in Willamette, Oregon…not far from my home.

This is a old fashion hardware store. They have every thing that you need, including exceptional customer service. In other words, you walk in with part A, but don’t have part B, not only will they have part B in stock, they will show you how to connect them. My kind of place!

One thing you wouldn’t expect out of a hardware store is to have them serve pulled pork and brisket sandwiches. They have several Traeger Grills outside the store, barbecuing up a storm during working hours.

The aroma from the Traegers was overwhelming! You can smell the barbecuing from 500 hundred yards out.

Duh Time! Their premise is taken from a basic, much overlooked, nobody-ever-pays-any-attention-to- marketing course! (Basic Marketing Strategy 101)

Was it the aroma thing that me lead to walking into the store? Maybe, leading to, and sampling one of their brisket sandwiches? Golly, Gee!..."Did you BBQ that on the grills that are outside?

Did their aroma and taste thing work? Duh! I am now a proud owner of a Traeger Lil’ Tex Elite Grill.

Get Happily Involved, Dude: The Traeger works through burning a special wood pellet as fuel....a wood burning smoker grill. In order to do this proficiently, the pellets are feed through a hopper via an auger which transports them to a small fire pit.

To run the auger you need electricity and this is where the “electric” part comes into play. You also need electricity to run the control which starts the unit and controls the temperature.

My unit has a digital read out control for the different settings. It also has a professional grade temperature gauge which tells me the exact temperature of the cooking area.

What sets Traeger Grills apart from many other barbecue grills is that they cook on indirect heat. There are several plates, which deflect the heat, between whatever you are cooking on the grill and the fire box.

This allows you to barbecue things for quite a spell without burning the heck out of something. A must for slow cooking and good taste.

The wood pellets come in all kinds of flavors: Apple, Cherry, Mesquite, Hickory, Oak and so on. I cater toward the fruit woods. I like that kind of taste. Some Traeger owners mix different flavors together for unique tastes.

The pellets are real wood, and through a unique manufacturing process, no adhesives or chemicals are added. They contain a natural adhesiveness that keeps each individual pellet in tack.

My Elite has a small footprint and is ideal with those with limited space. I can still put a monmouth turkey on and cook other things at the same time, like a good size ham and four or five baked potatoes.

The Traeger needs to be vacuumed out on a fairly regular basis. If you don't things get plugged up. It's kind of a no-brainer, common sense thing...every BBQ grill needs to be cleaned on a regular basis.

If you decide to get happily involved with a Traeger Grill, a cover is a must. They are not that expensive, and will protect your grill for years.

You can live without the digital read out control, but I would spring for the professional grade temperature gauge. It’s good to know the exact temperature you are barbecuing at.

If you are in a hurry to barbecue, impatient with everything in the world...get a gas grill! A Traeger isn't for you. Traegers are all about having a nice brew, or glass of wine, relaxing and slow cooking.

If you are interested in how good your chow can be, something that will impress family and friends, buy a Traeger. Your food will turn out superb.

The Traeger Owner's Cook book is a must to get you going though. Follow a couple of their recipes and everyone will think you're a genius. It's that simple, folks!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Ways To BBQ Chicken

2011-07-15T06:09:00.000-07:00

There are thousands of ways to BBQ chicken. Here we are just going to show you one.

And, this involves cooking whole chickens on a gas grill.

If you can, try to find whole chickens on sale. Personally, the bigger the better…maybe in the five pound range.

When you are cooking anything meat-wise the emphasis, besides tasting good, should be retaining moisture in the meat. If you didn’t do anything else like marinate it or season it, moisture is critical.

The key is to cook/BBQ on indirect heat to retain the moisture. Well, how do we do this?

You simply turn on only one burner on your grill and cook on the unheated side. Making sure that you place whatever you are cooking in some type of a container.

If you don’t, you will have the mess of a lifetime on the unlit burner. You will need to close the cover on the barbecue to retain the desired temperature, and keep it closed, except to mop or mist it in the final cooking stages.

Back to chickens: Make it worth you while. Try to do two chickens at a time.

Empty the cavities and flush with warm water. Wash the rest of the chicken, rinse and pat dry. Rub a little EVOO over the entire chicken.

I then pour a generous amount of Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic into the cavity, and all over the bird and rub it in. Pour more on more seasoning but don’t rub it in this time.

Marinate over night in the fridge in a Tupperware container like below, or large plastic bag.

Turn on your gas grill to high and then when it reaches temperature turn down to medium or 325 or 350 degrees. Let the refrigerated chicken sit out at least 30 minutes on the counter before the grill gets to temperature.

Cook for several hours until you reach 190 degrees using a quality meat thermometer. Remember only one lit burner….cook on the other.

Put a small container of water next to the pans and keep it filled during the cooking process. In the last 15 minutes or so of cooking brush lightly with your favorite BBQ sauce. Don't put on a sauce before that or all it does is burn.

I prefer to mist, using a squirt bottle containing a cup of apple or orange juice along with a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in the last fifteen minutes.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Tupperware Season-Serve Marinating Container

2011-07-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Geez, you really can't have enough Tupperware Season-Serve Marinating Containers! Especially, if you do any serious marinating...and some other things. Now. read this whole post, dude, cause we're going to do a test thing later.

My wife bought two Tupperware Marinating Containers for me in the late eighties at a Tupperware party. And, I have had them ever since.
They are 10 ½ wide by 12 ½ long by 5 inches high. And, it’s amazing how much they will hold.

Of course, you are not going to get a twenty five pound turkey in one. What were you thinking? But, you can easily place a really big chicken or roast in one.

Shock time: Besides the marinating thing, they also hold a whole bunch of my wife's home-made chocolate chip cookies, keeping them extremely fresh in a airtight container for days. Of course, you aren't the least bit interested in doing the fresh tasting cookie thing, are you?

Hey, back to marinating: Once the lid is closed you can turn the container over and over again, which is one of the ideas behind the container, to thoroughly slosh marinade all over whatever you are marinating without spilling a drop.

The Tupperware containers are constructed out of heavy duty plastic. Mine are like new after twenty years of constant use. Duh! Are you starting to get a clue, yet?

They wash up good after use. I never use soap to clean them, just wash them out with real hot water and let them air dry. How hard can this all be, get a grip, dude?

They store easy when not in use. You simply reverse the lid and place it inside the other part for easy storage.

Sure you can marinate things in plastic bags, but that can get expensive after a while and are cumbersome to store in the fridge. In the long run, you’ll find that a Tupperware Marinating Container will more than pay for itself. Now, after all this lengthy verbage here, a clue here and there, maybe the grip thing, is the brain starting to rally?

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

How To Cook A Pork Loin

2011-06-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

If you eat any type of meat you may find that a pork loin is one of the healthier cuts of meat that you can eat. Most are lean and economical to buy.

If you did nothing but stick a pork loin all by itself into the oven, or on the grill for a couple of hours they would turn out to be very good. But, if you should happen to prep them just a tad they just may turn out to be superb.

When I purchase a pork loin I try to find the biggest one I can and one that is on sale.

I find that Safeway, Costco and Fred Meyer stores are just of a few places that have them on sale on a consistent basis. Check your local stores for sales.

A large one is somewhat cumbersome to get onto the grill or into the oven, so I normally cut it into thirds and cook one at a time. You can easily freeze the other two.

First thing you might want to do is rinse it with hot water and place into some type of marinating container like a Tupperware season-serve marinating container (below) or a plastic bag. No aluminum pans or foil.

Put a little EVOO on all sides of the meat and then sprinkle on a generous portion of a rub such as Paul Prudhommes Pork and Veal Magic (See Below).

Don’t spare the rub. Rub it in on all sides and ends of the loin. Put more on, but don’t rub it in this time.

There is a question of some type of marinade other than a rub. You really don’t need to, but there are things that you can do at the end of the cooking process to add more flavor and retain moisture.

After the applying the rub, refrigerate over night. It does miracles.

Start, the oven, gas grill, Traeger Grill (Apple Pellets are superb!), charcoal grill and maintain a temperature of at least 325 degrees. If gas, or charcoal grill, you will want to cook on indirect heat. In other words, heat one side of the grill and cook on the other.

Before placing on the grill or oven, let the pork loin sit out for at least 30 minutes. If cooking in an oven place in a Dutch oven or a clay pot (fat side up). You can go berserk and add all kind of vegetables, slices of apple laced with cinnamon to these containers and further enhance the taste of the pork loin. Sprinkle on Emeril’s Original Essence (See Below) on the veggies for an additional taste.

For the grill I like to line a shallow baking pan with a lot of foil (fat side up). Cleaning up messes sucks big time and in the end you are going to want to wrap the loin in foil.

Cooking in an oven or on the grill should take anywhere from hour and a half to two hours. Use a meat thermometer ….done is at least 170 degrees.

In the last fifteen minutes of cooking time mist with a concoction of orange or apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Get a spray bottle. Lot’s of juice and not so much the vinegar.

The spray thing is not as critical when cooked in the oven. You’ll find that a clay pot or a Dutch oven do a fantastic job of retaining moisture in meat. ( I have both a Schlemmertoph Clay Pot and A Lodge Dutch Oven. You will have to get up way before breakfast to beat them out for the price.)

Once cooked, wrap in aluminum foil and let it sit out for about fifteen minutes prior to serving. Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! Jeez, it really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure.

How To BBQ Filet Mignon

2011-06-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

Actually you grill Filet mignon....not the BBQ thing. The idea is to grill them fast on high heat so that you seal in the juice and the flavor.

So if you are still with us…whatever you do start out by getting a good cut of meat!

Filet Mignon is French for “dainty fillet”. It is a steak cut taken from the tenderloin section of a beef which is the part that is squeezed between the sirloin and the top sirloin section.

So that you know there is a multitude of liberties taken by folks who butcher them up and label them. Meaning you can pay a rather steep price for Filet Mignon that may look good but comes from an inferior part of a beef and not the tenderloin.

It gets down to….do you really trust your butcher? Interrogate them under bright lights and/or the “nail thing” until they confess.

Back to grilling: Many Filet Mignon cuts I have seen come wrapped in bacon. There are just as many exceptions. It’s no biggie one way or the other. It gets down to your preference.

You can also marinate them. I don’t, but if you prefer to do so use Newman’s Own “Family Recipe Italian” (See Below). Marinate over night in a closed plastic bag or a "Tupperware season-serve marinating container" (below).

If bacon wrapped I would remove while marinating and reattach with toothpicks when you are ready to grill.

Take out the steaks out of the fridge at least thirty minutes before grilling. In the meanwhile set you grill to high heat.

The idea is to sear the cut five to eight minutes (depends on thickness) on each side on a gas, or charcoal grill (Two Zone Fire). If you have a Traeger Grill, you will want to grill at least eight minutes or even longer. Time it, don’t guess. Turn steaks only once.

Before the time is up, stick a meat thermometer in one of the steaks. One hundred forty degrees is rare….160 is medium. If you want, (simple recipe) serve with Blue Cheese on top and garnish with a jumbo green olive inserted into the top with a toothpick.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey it's OK if you do! If not, check out my sponsors and ads.... helps keep up the blog! Thank you! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure!

Pork Ribs Recipes

2011-05-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Above is a photo of a bunch of bones. This is what results when you prepare pork ribs this cool way!

Of all the rib cuts, many folks will tell you the best ribs are the ones that come from the upper loin part of the hog. These are the baby backs. The bones are curved versus the sparerib bones which are located in the lower part of the loin.

Sparerib bones are flatter, spread further apart and contain more meat than the babies. But, there is much more marbling.

Quiz time for the rednecks…..The marbling thing, can this possibly mean: “Is this what’s goin’ on when ya all be drinkin' suds and shootin’ marbles?”

I started out with 3 pounds of ribs which worked out to about four dollars a pound. I bought baby back ribs, but you could also use spareribs.

First thing is to remove the thin membrane from the underneath side of the ribs. There is an excellent video on how to do this at: Removing Membranes For the rednecks: No, no, not the brain!

This is not my vid….Just don’t forget to come back to my page.

Ok, you have the membrane off. Well, you don’t have to remove it, but you will be chewin’ till the cows come home if you don’t.

Wash and rinse the ribs with water and place in some type of a marinating container like a Tupperware one (below) that you can cover. Do not use any type of metal container or aluminum foil to marinate in.

For the pork ribs I used Paul Prudhomme's Pork & Veal Magic (See Below). Sprinkle on both sides and rub in thoroughly.

Sprinkle on again, but don’t rub it in this time. Cover and place in fridge overnight. You can get away with a minimum thirty minute marinating time but, that’s for wimps.

After you put the rub on and marinate it overnight your done and we are ready to cook.

Fortunately, I have a Traeger Grill but you can use a water smoker, gas grill to get things cookin’. If you want further info on how to do this on a gas grill leave a note on my blog.

Set out the pork ribs at least 30 minutes before cooking. On a Traeger, start the grill on “Smoke”, with the lid open. I used apple pellets. Once started, close the lid and place on “High”.

Wait for the high temperature. Reduce to medium heat and stay there.

Place ribs, bottom side down on the grill and cook for a least two hours or until they reach 170 degrees. Once I open the grill to check the temperature I like to mist the pork ribs with apple juice and apple cider vinegar mix…more juice than vinegar. It adds a golden crust.

Reduce heat to the smoke setting for another 30 minutes. When done wrap the ribs in foil and let them sit out 15 minutes before serving. For the rednecks: This means holding your breath for a really, really long time.

My personal feelings are that you can mess up any taste the ribs may have when you dip them, or put any type of BBQ sauce on them. When I was in the Marine Corps there were certain food types that we dipped in ketchup to kill the taste of….if you do these ribs right you won’t have to kill anything. On the other hand, folks will kill to get at em' and eat em'!

Lot's of folks like dipping and BBQ sauces! But, try your ribs without a sauce first. If you don’t like them this way you didn't do them right so go ahead and smother em' with something to kill the taste.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend , George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! Jeez, it really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure.

Beef Round Bottom Roast Recipe

2010-10-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

I keep harping about buying a beef round bottom roast when they are on sale. The local Safeway seems to always have them on at least once a month, anywhere from $1.99 to $2.99 a pound…regular $4.80 a pound.

Number One: Compare the quality of these cut of meat to sliced deli roast beef at about $10.00 a pound. From what I can tell the beef bottom roasts are higher in quality and much leaner. And, without funny additives. Geez, you can’t even buy fatty hamburger for $1.99 a pound!

Number Two: Decisions about buying a beef round bottom roast versus the deli roast beef? So, what to do, what to do, what to do? Are you going to be a lazy and buy the deli beef at a high inflated price…big dollars, big pesos, big euros, or are you going to make a resounding effort to purchase, prepare, barbecue/cook up one of these beautiful roasts?

Beef Round Bottom Roast Recipe Time:

Buy one
Wash with warm water and pat dry
Place roast in a safe marinating container (see below) and puncture thoroughly with a fork
Rub on Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic (see below)
Pour on Newman’s Own Lemon Pepper Marinade (see below)
Sprinkle on more Chef Prudhomme, but don’t rub in this time
Marinate overnight in the fridge

Take the roast out of the fridge at least thirty minutes prior to cooking. Set and warm up the BBQ, or oven to 350 to 375 degrees. I cooked this particular roast on my Traeger Grill and it cooks on indirect heat. On a charcoal or gas grill, heat one side of the grill and cook on the other.

I don’t do messes, so I cook things like this in pans. Have to admit I went berserk and cooked an Acorn Squash and six potatoes at the same time as the beef bottom roast. Well, why not? You can too. Live a little!

Here’s a simple recipe for BBQ Acorn Squash:

Cut in half and core, trim a tad off the bottoms so they sit up straight in the pan
Place a pat of butter in the cavity
Fill up the cavity about ¾ with brown sugar
Pour a bit of maple syrup on top the brown sugar
Place a slice of raw bacon over each cavity

Whether you cook the beef round bottom roast, acorn squash and potatoes on the grill, or in an oven, things should take about two hours. For the roast, use a meat thermometer, 140 degrees is rare, 150 is medium and 160 is well. Wrap in foil and serve after 15 minutes. Get a good sharp knife and carving fork and slice very thin at an angle.

For the squash, stick a fork in it to make sure it’s done….same with the spuds (Once you experienced baked potatoes that come from the barbie you will never want to microwave them again.) The acorn squash comes off like a dessert!

I don’t know why but things always taste better when cooked/barbecued outside. I hope you enjoy these simple recipes. Now, I didn’t serve the potatoes and squash in the same meal. Wrap the spuds in foil, stick in the fridge and warm as needed.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Tuna Melt Recipe

2010-09-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

Get going with a grilled tuna melt! Here is a simple recipe. Well, do you want all recipes you run across to be complicated?

I have been using a rather large ribbed fry pan. But, it's too small to hold over two sandwiches, and there's not really enough space in the pan to turn them over easily.

Better would be some thing like the Lodge cast iron reversible griddle like below. These sandwiches are just to messy to put directly on a grill.

Besides with a cool cast iron griddle you can be grilling things like pancakes, eggs on the smooth side and hamburgers, sausages, steaks on the ribbed side.

Make enough tuna that it’s worth your while. One can of tuna doesn’t get it. You can inhale one can of tuna all by your lonesome.

Here we go:

Two to five cans of tuna
Mayo to taste
Chopped dill pickle to taste
Chopped dill weed to taste
Yellow or white cheddar
Frozen bread, preferably sour dough
Butter or substitute

Mix all the tuna ingredients and put in the fridge for at least two hours prior to making up the sandwich. Lay out the bread and lay the cheddar on all the slices.

Use a soup spoon to scoop the tuna onto one side of the bread and press down to firm it up a tad. Make sure you have the cheddar on the outside of the tuna and not in the middle of the sandwich or you'll be grilling till doomsday to melt the cheese.

Put the sandwich together and butter the outside.(lately I have been brushing on EVOO and skipping the butter. It works fine!) Use frozen bread. It’s much easier to butter (spread EVOO on) and to handle the sandwich….any light bulbs beginning to light up?

Grill away! The tough part is turning the sandwich over as you grill. Use a nice big sturdy spatula for the job.

You can add chopped celery, onion or anything you want to the tuna melt….there are no rules, only that you enjoy your creation. As a family, we have a tendency to pour on the cheese and pour on the tuna.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend , George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! Jeez, it really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure.

Grilled Corn On The Cob Wrapped In Foil

2010-09-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

The sun is bright!

The corn is ripe!

Deep In the Heart of Oregon!

Microwave corn, you got to be kidding sport fans? We Oregonians grill our Oregon grown corn on the barbie. Real guys and gals grill corn on the barbie.

First though, and for the uniformed: Oregon is located in the “Real West”….located just west of the Snake River. (It got its name because there’s a whole lotta mean snakes in it to keep tourist from swimmin’ across and sneakin’ into Oregon.)

Ok, here we go! Grilled corn on the cob:

There are choices when cooking corn on the grill. You can cook it with the husks on, or you can cook it wrapped in aluminum foil.

I prefer cooking it wrapped in foil because I pre-butter each ear of corn (you can substitute EVOO). I use foil because there is less chance of leakage, and foil keeps the corn hot, hot, hot.

After pre-buttering you can put any kind of spice you like, but I prefer shaking on “Emeril’s Original Essence”. It’s a very mild spice, but adds a lot of flavor to veggies or meat.

Set the grill at a medium temperature, lighting only one side and placing the corn on the other either in husks or foil. Shut the hood! Cooking time is thirty minutes, or until the corn is soft.

Optional: (How to grill corn.) If you want, you can remove the corn from the aluminum foil, or peel back the husks and place directly on the hot side of the grill. Rotate until you have some nice grill marks on all sides. (Be careful, you are going to have some real hot corn, use mitts and tongs.)…

Return the corn to the foil, or pull the husks back over the corn.

Grilled corn on the cob is literally no hassle. It’s an impressive and healthy “side” to anything you care to serve it with. This may sound corny, but you’ll never boil corn again!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend , George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! Jeez, it really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure.

Frittata Recipe

2010-09-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Although this recipe was made entirely on the grill, it can easily be made on a stovetop, and using the broiler in the oven.

This is an easy frittata recipe (Could it be Italian?)…don’t make it complicated. The hardest part is cleaning the pan. Get a life, Dude! Make your "Significant Other", the kids clean it.. Bet, they will just love it!

I have a Calphalon pan that I specifically use for the oven or the grill. It has two aluminum handles....the pan and handles won’t melt when you stick it in the oven. Got it?

Basic Frittata

2 Tablespoons of EVOO (An abbreviation made famous by the fastest cook on the planet)
2 gloves of chopped garlic
½ chopped small onion
8 eggs
2 or more ounces of cream cheese
Whipping cream (optional)
12 ounces of shredded medium white or regular cheddar cheese

Frittata Add Ins

Mushrooms (To enhance the taste drown 'em with a cool spice such as Emeril's Original )
Bunches of fresh spinach to taste (it'll cook down, Dude!)
Hash browns or cottage potatoes (Same: To enhance the taste drown 'em in Emeril's Original)
Precooked breakfast sausage to taste, or Italian Sausage is an absolute"Gas"
Precooked crumbled bacon to taste
Precooked chopped ham to taste
Feta cheese
Sliced black olives, sun-dried tomatoes (Maybe you're starting to get a clue? Geez!)

The Frittata you end up with can be a veggie one (Not bad!), or meat oriented. You will find out that the vegetable one can be super exciting just by adding mushrooms and/or fresh spinach, potatoes and just Feta. I have even done numerous Frittatas using "fake eggs"....works to perfection. It doesn't hurt to do the health thing, Dude.

So Let’s Have A Go:

In a large oven proof dish, or skillet: Caramelize the onion and garlic in the EVOO.

Then, add and cook whatever you want in your Frittata....except, later with the spinach.

Egg Time: Cool the pan and add the eggs. If the pan is too hot you’ll fry the eggs. (This is not an egg frying contest!)

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch: Turn the broiler to high.

Cut up cream cheese into small pats and add. Stir a little crazy to mix in the cream cheese. Add a small amount of whipping cream to give the eggs some consistency and /or some of the shredded cheese. Again stir, but we are not making scrambled eggs. So cool it! Things should be a little runny at the top.

Now, let the eggs start to coagulate (big word) a tad. Now's the time to do the spinach thing. Remember that spinach cooks down....so, don't be a stupid, stir a slug of it in with the eggs.

Note: that the eggs will not be fully cooked on top…stick ‘em under the broiler for a minute or two to get them cooked, Duh! Once cooked on top it’s time to cover the top with Feta and shredded cheese. Stick back under the broiler again until all the cheese has melted.

On the grill, I simply place the pan on the cool side of the grill to cook the top, melt the cheese. To master this complicated procedure: Shut the hood, have a brew, open the hood, and guess what?

Once done, let things firm up for awhile, and then it's time into eight equal slices…like a pizza, man. In closing: You’ll find that this recipe for a Frittata is perfect for "Something"!....

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Grilled French Fries Recipes

2010-09-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Grilled French Fries make a good “side” for just about anything that comes of the barbecue grill, period! But, can fries possibly taste good, and maybe be a lot healthier for you at the same time? Yes!

First, sure you can go out and buy frozen French Fries and stick them on the grill…but “Holy Cow, dude”, get a grip! The whole idea is to find out what happens when you make these puppies from scratch and grill ‘em! Delicious is what happens!

For this recipe I used Russet potatoes. You can use any kind of potato you want. Sweet potatoes, red and Yukon are more than excellent choices.

You will find out that one medium size potato is about all you need per person….for “lunchers"…maybe two.

I placed four medium potatoes, with jackets, in cold water, brought them to a boil and par boiled them for ten minutes ( really speeds up the cooking process), drained those suckers and poured in cold water and some ice cubes. Let ‘em sit around for a while.

When they cool down, slice the potatoes up kinda like what you would want a French Fry to look like, with or without the jackets, and place them back into cold water and ice cubes…ideally for about an hour. This helps remove the starchy taste. Rinse them!

I set the heat to high on the grill and brought it down to medium temperature. You can place your cut French Fries directly on the grill (medium heat) by rubbing EVOO on them, but I prefer using a ribbed grill pan, preferably like a Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron one. See Below!

A Good cast iron ribbed pan like the Lodge brand will pay dividends. You can not only do the French Fry thing, you can grill steaks and hamburgers and a multitude of other things. Oil and grease sinks to the bottom of the ribs. Maybe take it camping with you, too!

Place the cut fries into the pan and generously cover them with EVOO. Next, lightly sprinkle on something like Chef Paul Prudhomme's Vegetable Magic (mild ) or Luzianne Cajun Spice for a bolder taste on the fries and toss.

Place on burner and let them cook. You’ll get some nice grill marks with the ribbed pan, although the above photo doesn’t show this because they are not fully cooked yet.

Once the fries are a golden brown, pat them with a paper towel to remove excessive oil.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

BBQ Gift Ideas

2010-09-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

BBQ gift ideas for Xmas, Birthdays, Fathers Day, Mothers Day...Any Day:

(Please keep this site active by checking out my quality advertisers!)

If your significant other’s BBQ comes off the grill so bad that even the “dog” won’t get in line, maybe it's time to step in and give them some help!

The goal is to get them happily involved with the right BBQ books, accessories, or whatever tools it takes to get them to “Rock Star” status on the grill.

Here are some of the best BBQ books out there:

How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques...."Steven Raichlen might as well be called the guru of grilling, so well versed is he in every aspect..." -- Family Circle

Next: Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces: 175 Make-Your-Own Sauces....If you are really serious about barbecuing, Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces will help you learn about slow-cooking meat over smoke and teach what you need to know to start approaching barbecuing like a pro.

Next: Barbecue America: A Pilgrimage in Search of America's Best Barbecue ....This is a delightful read for those who submerge themselves in the lifestyle of the BBQ-er, and even those who merely observe.

You have to have a super Meat Thermometer! I have had a Taylor Theomometer for years. You can easily carrying around in your pocket and it is reasonably priced.

Sure, you can go out and buy a cheap set of barbecue tools! Don't! Theses are heavy duty and will last for years. Plus, they come with an awesome carrying case.

There are marinating sauces and then there are sauces. Next to beer (just kidding), there are no better sauces made than what Fischer and Wieser make! You buy them in six packs...6 twenty ounce bottles. They come in a variety of flavors...I kind of like the Raspberry-Chipotle, especially over pork. It also makes for an awesome salad dressing. I use it as a marinade and finishing sauce. You can even use it as a dipping sauce.

I can give you a lot more BBQ gift ideas with books and grilling accessories, but this should get you started in the right direction. If you have any questions, please leave a comment on my blog.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef, best griller in the world, and friend George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

BBQ Soup Recipes

2010-08-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

If you had the gall to simply say, “Let’s go ahead and cook up a soup on the BBQ grill”, old Billy Bob (the “Q” Dude) would probably go ballistic.

But, hey, actually even old Billy Bob might come around and chow down on a really cool soup that is entirely done on the barbie. In fact, you can bet he would because everything is cooked and grilled outdoors. No, it ain’t goin’ be slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork to him, but it’s going to be super delicious and it’s going to be something that your family and friends....and good old Billy Bob are just going to love! Plus, it's very economical to make.

Personally, whether it is a soup or a casserole I like to cook things in stages, meaning: For example, you will want to make sure a onion and some garlic are caramelized first and then start adding other ingredients along the way as they are grilled separately. You are going to get very distinctive tastes and colorful looks in your soup because you bothered to take the time to do this.

So, like Clint E. the Movie Director would say, “Action!” Ok, he wouldn’t say that, he would say, “Let’s get started now!” Actually, if Clint said “Action” Rachael would have had this soup recipe all cooked before he got the “ion” out.

Let’s get started now:

1) On a gas grill: Turn one burner to medium high. On a charcoal grill probably a two zone medium fire.

2) In a medium to large stock pot add lots of EVOO and cook one whole chopped onion and 3 to 4 finely chopped gloves of garlic until just about golden brown. You want to have enough oil in the pot that the onion and garlic seem to float. Remove from fire.

3) Rub three whole stalks of celery, three whole peeled carrots, one Anaheim pepper, one skinny yellow squash or zucchini with EVOO and grill them on medium high. Don’t go berserk, just get the veggies to the point that you have nice grill marks, remove them from the fire and cut em’up. Dummies can look at the picture above to see how veggies look when they are cut up! Grill a nice Kielbasa sausage and cut that Dude all up, too.

For The Brain Dead: This is what a Kielbasa Sausage looks like....veggies don't really look like this!

4) Add all of Number 3 (For the Rednecks: that’s a number that comes before four (4) ) ….add them to the pot and return the pot back to the fire.

5) Everybody likes to sauté veggies until they look like mush. Don't do this! Think crisp! Don’t cook all the nutrients out of them. So, cool it! You want “Crunch and Munch”!

6) Start adding 32 to 64 ounces of chicken broth to the pot. If you want more of a “Stoup” stick with the 32 ounces to start with. I tend to make my own or buy the best that I can buy (Chef Paul Prudhomme makes broth to perfection). Hey, I also added 16 ounces of a nice beef broth to the pot. It adds a real different dimension to the soup.

7) In a separate pot cook Buitoni Tortelloni, or something that looks like it, per directions, and add to the pot.

8) You’re done, Dude! No need to simmer until all the cool nutrients are cooked out and have gone away.

I'll make no bones: I have two chefs that I think are way above all others…Chef Paul and Chef George Hirsch. I don’t know Chef Paul personally, but I do Chef Hirsch. Both are down-to-earth and super nice folks. You can tell! And, they were cookin', grillin' fantastic chow before most of the FN stars were born.

My very favorite is Chef Hirsch! He might, he just might communicate directly with you (if you are nice) and he'll give you more ideas about living, traveling, cooking, grilling than Carter has pills...

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BBQ Chicken Recipes | Dum Dee Dum Dum

2010-08-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

What were you girls expecting in my very own kitchen photo...a closeup shot of Paul Newman? Get real! Get a grip!

Ok! Here are two simple BBQ chicken recipes that are so easy that even you might...well, maybe, be able to do yourself without having to call Martha, Rachael, Ina, Chef Paul or Chef George (not Clooney) to bail you out :

1) Get a whole chicken, or two (one chicken ain’t enough...but just do one if you want)

2) Now, it's time to get with it! Hunker down, knuckle down and clean those suckers with some warm water...and pat dry

3) Get Chef Paul Prudhomme’s “Poultry Magic” (see bottom of post) and rub on the chicken, both on the outside and in the cavity (Beside Chef George Hirsch, Paul P is right up there with good chow and good luvin' and livin'!)

4) Get Newman’s Own Lemon Pepper Marinade or Fischer and Wieser’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and use as a marinade. How hard can this be? Maybe get the brain to rally just a tad!

5) Put the chicken(s) in a plastic bag or Tupperware Season-Serve Marinating Container
and pour a generous amount of marinade on the chicken and into that super marvelous cavity

6) Sprinkle on more Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic, but skip all the rubbing it in thing this time

7) If you are still awake, place those poor little fragile chicks into the fridge over night…”over night” for rednecks means: “Tat the time y’all out huntin’ possum and dat big gator, dude!”

8) Set the BBQ grill at 325 degrees, let the chicks sit out for 30 minutes while the grill gets up to temperature

9) We goin’ cook on indirect heat…meaning: If you cook it on directly on the grill it will be a real crispy critter on the outside and “real rare” on the inside. For the rednecks: "We dig dat real, real rare possum meat, dude!"

10) On a gas grill, turn on one burner and cook on the other side at 325 with the hood shut. I prefer to cook the chickens in shallow pans...messes that drip thru your grill really suck, dude!

11) On a charcoal grill, a two zone fire set on low heat with the hood shut

12) On a pellet grill don’t sweat it

13) The chickens are going to cook until they reach a internal temperature of 190 degrees…”That real hot in da the swamp, Mon”

14) Cooking time is anywhere from two and a half to three hours

15) After one and a half hours lightly "mist" with a concoction 1 cup of orange juice and a tad bit of apple cider vinegar. Put it in a squirt bottle and mist the chicken lightly. De Rednecks: Put all dat concoction in dat gator's mouth...he squirt it back all misty real soon!

16) When done, Let those now fabulous, beautiful, gorgeous chicks set out for at least 15 minutes before serving

BBQ Chicken Recipe Using Fischer and Wieser’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

BBQ Chicken Recipe Using Newman's Lemon Pepper Marinade

Nothing here should be a great big out-of-control-thing, dude! What were you thinking? These are easy BBQ chicken recipes, dude. Relax! Get a grip!

Get all your ducks lined up! Get all your beavers chewin' on the same tree! Get all the Viking to roll your boat! Maybe this simple: Like just, sip on a nice Oregon-made brew or an excellent glass of Oregon-made wine while you're doin' all those chickens.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Lodge Cast Iron Cookware

2010-08-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I bought a Lodge Enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven for my wife. It cost a fraction of what the so-called “cool” designer brands of the day sold for at the time. Hey, I wasn’t sure (because of the low price) that it would hold up over the years. However, it soon became obvious that, not only would it hold up, it would probably exceed many of those so-called "designer brands” in quality and cooking results.

For over 100 years Lodge has been making cast iron cookware and, except for certain lines of Enamel-coated cast iron ware, the majority of their products are made in the USA. All their products, regardless where they are made, conform to super strenuous standards. You will still find that a lot of their cookware manufactured generations ago are still in kitchens today.

Lodge isn’t a fancy "in" foreign sounding name, but its has super quality that the so-called designer brands just might learn a few things from.

We have used the Lodge Dutch oven constantly for years and it still looks and performs like brand new. The cooking results are phenomenal! One of our favorite things to cook in it is a pot roast, with carrots, potatoes, garlic, celery, mushroom soup, Lipton's Onion Soup.

You can put the Dutch Oven in the kitchen oven, or on the side burner (or cook on indirect heat with the lid closed) of your barbecue grill for a couple of hours or longer and you are set. In fact, it's super impressive to be cooking up things on the BBQ grill.

Another super dish in particular is Chef George Hirsch's "Cuban Stew". You are grilling sausage, peppers, onion, plum tomatoes and chicken on the grill and then combining them after grilled with rice, caramelized garlic, chicken stock, saffron, kidney beans, Tabasco, cumin in the Dutch Oven that's on the side burner. Talk about a conversation piece with family and friends!

Hey, here's a photo of our Dutch oven!

Lodge Cast Iron is family owned and operated. They produce the most extensive selection of quality cast iron goods around. This includes: Dutch ovens, cast iron skillets, deep fryers, country kettles and also cast iron camp Dutch ovens, griddles, combo cookers and grills.

Lodge Sportsman Hibachi Charcoal Grill

You'll have to get up before breakfast to beat out the Lodge Cast Iron Product line for quality and cooking results. In fact once you finally start cooking breakfast with their cast iron cookware, other folks will have to "get up before breakfast to beat you out"!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!