Beef and Sausage Sunday Sauce (Ragu) Recipe

Click on Image to Enlarge

This is a really good recipe for a Sunday Sauce a/k/a Ragu compliments of Laura Vitale.

Recipe Ingredients

1 Medium Onion, diced

3 (28oz) Cans of Tomato Puree*

3 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 ½ Lbs Cubed Chuck Roast trimmed

1 ½ lbs Sweet Italian Sausage w/fennel, cut in half

1 cup of Beef Broth or Red Wine

Salt and Pepper, to taste

4 TBSP dried Basil, finish with fresh basil

Recipe Procedure

1) In a large pot over medium high heat, preheat the olive oil. Add the sausage and season lightly with salt and pepper, cook until brown on all sides. Remove to a bowl.

2) Add the chuck and brown. Then remove to the bowl with the browned sausage.

3) Add the chopped onions to the remaining drippings and add a bit more oil if necessary. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until they start to develop some color. Add all the meats right back in along with any accumulated juices. Add in the broth or wine and cook for 1 minute

4) Add the tomato puree along with 2 cups of water.

5) Bring to boil and reduce the heat to low, partially covered and let it slowly simmer for 4 hours or until the beef is very tender. Stir every 20 - 30 minutes with a wide wood, rubber or silicone spatula. Do not use anything that is spoon-shaped because it clearly is not designed to scrape the bottom of a pan. Add water as necessary. 


Serve over a thick pasta such as rigatoni, penne or gnocchi. 

Note: The last time I made this I used a 106 oz can of tomato sauce from Sam's and it made little difference from when I used Cento San Marzano whole tomatoes. In the future, I'll only use the "good" stuff strictly for a special marinara sauce.

Special note- if one was not enough. You will probably find that this recipe makes more sauce than you thought or intended so save the remaining sauce for another day as it will have all of those incredible flavors.  

Delicious Roast Pork Loin Recipe

This roasted pork loin is simple to make and the pan drippings are amazing. I used a recipe from The Kitchen Magpie and but I did make some alterations before it went into the oven and one that I wish that I had done.  

Recipe Ingredients:

3-5 lb boneless pork loin 
1/4 cup butter softened 
1/4 cup olive oil
7 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 Tbsp Kosher salt
3 Tbsp Herbs de Provence or chopped fresh rosemary or 1 Tbsp dried
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 lbs of chopped carrots, potatoes and onions. See notes for sizes

Recipe Instructions:
Soak the roast for about 4 hours in a water/salt solution (brine) using 4 Tbsp of fine salt to each quart of water. Add 1 Tbsp granulated garlic per quart of brining solution. Refrigerate

 
Remove the roast from the brine, rinse off  and transfer the roast to a cutting board or large plate and pat dry. Let the roast stand for 1 hour to come to room temp.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, oil, garlic, Herbs de Provence or rosemary if using, salt and pepper, and mix until a paste forms. (Note: Without doubt, this mixture is what makes this dish so tasty so if your roast is large you should give some serious thought to doubling the ingredient amount. 

Cut the carrots no wider than 1/2 inch, potatoes should be cut around 1/2 inch thick to ensure that they are cooked by the end of the roasting time. Quarter the onions.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

(Note: If you are making a small roast and have a large enough skillet brown the fat cap at med-high heat. Remove to the roasting pan and let it cool before proceeding).

Rub 2/3 of the seasoning mixture onto the roast, covering the top and sides.

Preheat your oven to 450° F. Place the roast on the bottom of a large roaster (don't use a wire rack).

Smear 2/3 of the paste on the top and sides of the roast and the remaining 1/3 dabbed on the vegetables. Sprinkle additional spice on the top and sides.

 
Place your vegetables around the roast. Dab the remaining seasoning mixture over the vegetables.

Roast in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 300° F. Do not open the oven!

Let the roast continue to roast for another 20-25 minutes per pound of meat until the internal temperature reaches 140° F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the middle. (I highly recommend that you use a corded oven thermometer so you can monitor the internal temp without opening the oven door to check).

 
Remove the roast from the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest 10 minutes (during the rest period the internal temp will rise to 145 degrees). 

With your oven turned off, return the roasting pan with the veggies to the oven to keep warm while the roast rests.

 
Plate the vegetables right before you carve the roast.

After all have been plated spoon the accumulated juices on the pork.

Enjoy!

  

Boneless Baby Back Rib Sandwich with Hot and Sweet Mustard Slaw Recipe

Click on Image to Enlarge

If you like baby back ribs, slaw and homemade bread then this recipe is for you! All three component parts are easy to make and the beauty of it is that you can [and I recommend] make everything the day before.

This recipe suggests that the 2 racks of ribs will serve 4 people but whomever they are they're big eaters. I made 1 rack and the portion pictured is 13+ ounces. Add the slaw and you have one whopper of a sandwich.

It is very important to watch the videos because they will include some important preparation tips. Also, making your own bread is the icing on the cake but if you are not so inclined then look for something suitable at your grocery store. 

Ingredients:

2 Racks of Baby Back Ribs

Dry Rub (this is a very good rub) or just use your own

1/3 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure:
Season the racks generously with a dry rub. Wrap in foil, and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Remove the racks to a cutting board until the bones have cooled to where you can handle them without getting burnt. After you pull the bones refrigerate the meat until cold, then cut, sauce, and grill to finish. Watch the video below. 

Hot and Sweet Mustard Slaw

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 pound cabbage, cut in 1/2 inch slices

1 tablespoon table salt

For the dressing:

1/4 cup mayo

2 tablespoons Dijon

1 tablespoon grain mustard

1 to 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

fresh chives to garnish

Watch The Video Below

Enjoy! 

Pork Tenderloin Medallions Pan-fried in Browned Butter

Click on Image to Enlarge

I have never found pork tenderloin to be terribly exciting so I tried pan-frying them instead and I must admit, pan-frying at med-high heat for just a few minutes made all the difference. The flavor was amazing and at the risk of overstating, I thought that I was eating mini filet mignon. 

1 lb. Pork Tenderloin (not pork loin) 

4 tbsp vegetable oil 

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Clove garlic peeled but left whole

Salt

Pepper

Remove the silver skin from a 1 lb pork tenderloin

Salt and pepper the tenderloin. See note.

Cut 2 inch thick medallions and then salt and pepper again the ends. See note.

Note: Don't salt if you are using salted butter. 

In a metal skillet, add the oil and butter and turn the burner to med-high. 

Turn on your exhaust fan and remember to use a splatter screen. Got it Rita? :)   

When the melted butter turns brown add in the medallions

When the medallions are brown as shown in the pic above, turn over 

When the second side is well-browned, turn the medallions on their sides to brown Note: I did not do this step, sure wish that I had.

When an instant-read digital thermometer registers an internal temp of 140 degrees remove the medallions to a plate.

Prepare your serving plates with pre-heated side dishes and pour any of the accumulated juices on the plated medallions. 

Enjoy! 

Barr's Texas BBQ Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
2 Cups apple cider vinegar
3 Cups water
2 Cups sugar
1 Cup honey
1/4 Cup yellow mustard such as French's
2 Tsp black pepper
2 Lemons (juice of) or 6 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
4 Clove garlic minced
1/4 Cup freeze-dried or 1 1/2 cups diced onion
1/2 Stick butter
1/4 Tsp cayenne
1/4 Cup chili powder
2 Tbsp table salt
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp paprika

5 Cups (40 ounces) of store brand ketchup
3 Tbsp Worchester sauce
1/4 Cup liquid smoke

Procedure:
Combine all of the ingredients in the first group of ingredients a large pot and stir to combine at medium heat to dissolve the sugar and until the onions are tender. About 20 minutes.

Add 5 cups (40 ounces) store brand ketchup, 3 Tbsp Worchestire sauce and 1/4 cup of liquid smoke.

Stir well and bring to a boil and then back off and simmer for about 45 minutes stirring frequently. Let stand to cool.

For best results once at room temp put the pot in the fridge overnight.

If my memory serves me right, this recipe makes about a gallon of sauce and it freezes very well although it really doesn't freeze solid.   

Cajun Gumbo Base

Who said that good Gumbo has to be made with a homemade roux. Well I'm here to tell y'all that it isn't necessary and this alternative actually has zero fat and zero cholesterol with only 30 calories per serving.

So why put yourself through all the fuss and mess when you can have great tasting Gumbo with little work in minutes vs. hours.

1 Lbs Cooked Chicken
1 Packet Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun GUMBO Base
1 Lbs. Andouille Sausage
1 cup diced Onions
1 cup diced Green Bell Pepper
2 Celery stalks diced
2 Tbsp Butter
2  Quarts Chicken Broth
Cajun/Creole Seasoning

Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and the sausage into 1/3 inch thick  rounds. Fry the sausage to get some nice color.

Place the diced onions, bell peppers and celery and butter into a pot and saute until the veggies are tender and then add 1 1/2 quart of chicken broth and the packet of the Gumbo base and stir to combine.

Add the sausage, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust for flavor and thickness and then add the chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Add in more seasoning if needed based on personal preference.

If you really want the best, let the pot of Gumbo cool and then refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight but if you do this do not add the chicken until after reheating with 10 minutes to go otherwise the chicken will over cook.

Serve over rice in bowls with a ratio of gumbo to rice 2:1

Creamy Scrambled Eggs and Homemade Fresh (not smoked) Kielbasa Sausage

Click on Image to Enlarge

Creamy Scrambled Eggs and Homemade Fresh Kielbasa Sausage

For the eggs:

4 eggs
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Half and Half
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbsp butter

For the Kielbasa:

8 ounces ground Pork
2 tsp. A.C. Legg Fresh Kielbasa Seasoning
1 Tbsp.Butter

Note: You can buy the seasoning at Amazon for about $6.00 which will season 25 Lbs of meat.

Place two, 4 ounce patties into a fry pan with butter and fry on medium-low heat until brown on both sides.

When the Kielbasa is about 1/2 done take a Tbsp of butter and put it into a small pot (non-stick is the best) until melted at low heat. With a rubber silicone spatula stir 4 whole eggs and the half and half until blended.

In order for this to be creamy as possible you must stir all the while and remove the pot from the heating element if it starts to cook too fast.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the patty on a bun then top with the egg.

I should be noted that because of the amount of butter in egg recipe your eggs will be glossy and give the appearance that they are "wet" or otherwise not thoroughly cooked. Don't be fooled.

The pic above is all 4 eggs and 8 ounces of Kielbasa. 

Pork and Veggie Stuffed Egg Rolls

Click on Image to Enlarge

Hot Mustard:

1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup dry Colman's mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp veggie oil

Using a whisk the mustard powder into the boiling water until smooth. Add in the salt and oil and mix until combined. 

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on medium heat until thick, stirring all the while.

The Filling:

1 Tbsp veggie oil
1 1/2 cup shredded carrot
3 cups cabbage chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried ginger
1/3 cup green onions
4 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 large egg white whisked
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
8 ounces of ground pork
12 egg roll wrappers, 7" x 7"
Veggie oil - enough to fry the the egg rolls

Heat a wok or large pan over medium heat
Add the oil and fry the pork and drain of any residual oil if necessary
Add the mushrooms and saute for 1 minute
Add the carrots and saute for 1 minute
Add the cabbage and cook until well wilted
Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds
Add the soy sauce and sesame sauce and stir to combine
Remove from the heat and let cool

Then stuff your egg rolls.

Italian Sausage, Peppers and Onion Recipe

Sausage, bell peppers and onions is a quick and easy meal that pays dividends in smiles.

1 Large Red Bell or Green Pepper
2 Large Onions
4 Mild Italian Sausage links (with fennel)
4 Tbsp Ounces Olive oil
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 Can Tomato Paste 
1 15 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
4 Large Garlic Cloves Minced
Salt
Pepper
1/4 Tsp Hot Pepper Flakes
1 Cup Marsala wine


Slice the sausages lengthwise and in a large tall sided pan heat the oil to medium heat and fry the sausage until brown. Then remove to a plate. At this point, the sausage should not be cooked through. Do not drain pan.

Slice the peppers and onions in 1/4 inch strips and mince the garlic.

Into the hot pan add the onions, peppers, garlic, basil, oregano, and a few sprinkles of salt. Saute until the onions begin to soften about 5 - 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine, then add the wine to deglaze the pan and finally, add the diced tomatoes.  

Add the sausage to the peppers and onions, cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat until the sausage is cooked through about 25 minutes. Adjust seasonings for personal taste. Remove the lid to let the sauce thicken.

Slice a nice Italian roll sliced lengthwise until almost cut through and tear out some of the soft bread on both sides to create wells to hold the mixture. 

Enjoy!

Italian Meatball Recipe

1 pound ground beef - 80/20

1 pound ground pork

1/3 plain bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

1 diced onion

2 Tbs olive oil

3-4 cloves crushed garlic

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 tbsp dried parsley 

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried Italian Seasoning 

In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs in the milk and let stand for 20 minutes, and then mix once again.  

Lightly saute the onions in the olive oil.

Mix all of the ingredients except for the meat into a paste. Then add in the meat and mix gently with a large spoon until well combined. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Roll into 2 inch balls and place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a preheated 425 degrees oven for 20 minutes or until done. 

Simmer with your favorite tomato sauce for about an hour.  

For a video of this recipe go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/220854/chef-johns-italian-meatballs/

Red or White Beans and Rice Recipe

1 lb. dried premium Great Northern or Red Kidney beans 

3 Tbsp butter

2 cups diced yellow onions

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced green bell peppers

3 bay leaves

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2+ Tbsp of diced garlic
1 Lbs. meaty smoked ham hock
1 Lbs. smoked sausage 
1/3 Lbs. pickled pork (optional)

Cajun/Creole seasoning

Steamed rice 

There are three fantastic variations to this recipe. Go to the Notes below for a surprise.

The Night Before -

Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with
salted water by 4" and a healthy dose of salt

Let soak for 8 hours or overnight, sometimes I do it for 48 hours. Drain, rinse 2 times if necessary and set aside.

Boil the ham hock in a saucepan for 50 minutes then add bite sized pieces of the pickled pork (if using) and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Total boiling time should be 60 minutes even if the pickle pork is not used.  Reserve the broth. 

Cut the sausage into 1/3 inch rounds and fry until brown in a large pot (I use a porcelain coated cast iron pot) then remove the sausage set aside.  

Add butter to the pot over medium-high heat. Add finely diced onions, celery and bell peppers to the pot and cook until tender, about 10 minutes adding water if necessary.

Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, stir. Add water to cover the beans by about 1 inch.  

Bring to a boil, stir again and reduce the heat to a slow simmer uncovered for about an hour stirring every 20 minutes. Make sure you scrape the cooked beans from the bottom of the pot with a wide wooden or plastic spatula. Add water as necessary. 

After 1 hour, remove the bay leaves and add the ham hock and pickled pork along with its juices. 

After simmering for another hour place the hock on a cutting board and separate the rine and bone from the meat. Put the meat back into the pot. 

Simmer until the beans cook down and become  become creamy, adjust the seasonings (if necessary) with Cajun/Creole seasoning.  

But remember, particularly with respect to salty seasonings, you can put it in but you can't take it out so be judicious and sprinkle in a little stir and taste until you are happy. 

Serve over steamed white rice and enjoy with catfish or not - better with! 

Note 1: I was messing around the other day and decided that I'd try something different so instead of using rice for my white beans. I boiled up some Fettuccine pasta, after draining I cut the strands into about 1 inch long pieces and mixed it in with the beans. It was an amazing departure from the standard rice.

Note 2: Serve red or white beans with catfish or any other white fish. 

I saved the best for last so here it is.

Note 3: A Cajun told me to pitch in a few pieces of fried chicken legs and/or wings in the pot of red beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Try not to knock off the breading as you stir the beans. When done, remove the chicken to a plate, put down a bed of rice in a bowl, and ladle the red beans on top. There is no doubt that this is the only way that I'll make them from now on. Yes, they were that good!  




  

BBQ Pork Belly

I have recently been reading several articles that spout the virtues of BBQ'd pork belly so I decided to give it a try but trying to find a pork belly is not the easiest thing to find in stock at your local grocery store. I checked a source two on the Internet and the prices ranged from 15-50 dollars per pound. For me these costs were outrageously outrageous. Seriously folks, how many of us can afford $50.00 per pound for fatty pork.

I made some inquires with grocery stores near my home (a few miles from New Orleans) when amazingly I found a Winn Dixie store who had one. The meat market manager told me that he had received an order from someone who wanted three belly's but since there were four to a case he had the remaining one in the freezer.

It was a tad bit more than 14 Lbs and much more than I had planned on buying and obviously that's a bunch of belly and I was worried about the cost. I had hoped that the per pound cost would be somewhere in the $5-$6 bracket I was shocked when he charged me $2.08 per pound.

Enough about that; so what exactly is a pork belly? Well its exactly that, the belly of a pig that is most often used to create one of the tastiness pieces of meat known as... Bacon.

To make bacon, the pork belly is cured and cold smoked, but for BBQ it is not cured or brined but smoked for hours until the fat had rendered and the meat is as tender as a fine steak. Just think of BBQed pork belly as high-end pulled pork from a pork butt.

I trimmed the belly into several manageable pieces leaving one large piece to cook but since this was the only piece of meat that I was cooking I used my Weber Performer Deluxe instead of my Weber 22 inch WSM.

I set up the Performer fueled with Kingston charcoal and hickory chunks and hoped to smoke the belly at 225-250 degrees but that was not working. Suffice it to say, 300 degrees worked without a hiccup.

After about three hours in the Performer the belly had a significant amount of smoke but was still tough, so I double wrapped it in foil and put it in the oven set at 225 degrees.

After about an hour I was enjoying the wonderful smell of BBQ pork in my kitchen so I pulled it from the oven. It was oh so tender so I stripped it of its foil and placed to on a cooling rack to set.

With fat rendered, the succulent and juicy belly meat was indeed a culinary experience.

Hot Dog - The Legendary Tubesteak

Click on Image To Enlarge

Nothing screams "America" more than baseball and hot dogs so in celebration of Independence Day 2015, I make this culinary tribute to the legendary tubesteak. 

You may have to ponder the many choices of toppings such as yellow mustard, spicy brown mustard or chili and cheese.  But life's too short for compromise so I went with them all on not one, but two, four ounce - 11 inch Schickhaus dogs.

Enjoy your Independence Day!  






  

Scotch Egg Recipe

In all honesty, I had never heard of Scotch Eggs before I saw them on Chef John's food blog but I immediately knew that I had to make them even if it were only for the experience.

In a nutshell, Scotch eggs are (at least in this case) steamed eggs with the shell removed, covered with Italian sausage, then rolled in flour, egg and Panko bread crumbs and fried one at a time in vegetable oil. 

At first blush you may think that it would be difficult to engulf the egg in a protective covering of sausage without piercing them but it really isn't all that difficult if you practice a little patience. 

Accompanied by a sauce consisting of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard this is a rich, savory and crispy treat.  Be careful when you go in for your first bite 'cause that pretty egg yolk can be as hot as molten lava. 

Ingredients:

6 large eggs from the fridge steamed for 6 minutes for soft yolks, peeled

1/2 cup, about 3.5 ounces of bulk Italian Sausage
for a total of about 21 ounces
A pinch of nutmeg
A pinch of cayenne
1/4 tsp of mustard powder
White flour
2 eggs beaten
and enough panko breadcrumbs to bread the eggs 

The Sauce:
One part mayo, one part Dijon and a sprinkle of cayenne. 

Procedure:
Steam the eggs, chill immediately in cold water and GENTLY peel and let cool. 

Take the sausage and mix well with the spices then with about 3.5 ounces of the sausage mixture spread out into a flat patty, place the egg in the center and with wet hands wrap the sausage around the egg.

Gently all around the egg until the egg is completely and evenly sealed by the meat. This may sound difficult but it is actually not. It's actually therapeutic in an odd kinda way.

After the egg and sausages have been formed, roll them in flour, then in the beaten egg and finally in the breadcrumbs. 

Heat a fry pan with sufficient amount of veggie oil to cover the eggs by 1/2 to 350 degrees and fry until browned, about 5-6 minutes and then plate and serve with the sauce.   

I found this to be a very rich meal so I found it to be satisfying served with a garden salad. 

Chef John's Scotch Egg Video Link      

Barr's Homemade Mayonaise

     

Asian BBQ Glaze for Pork

Glaze for 2 pork chops

1 Tbsp Ketchup
1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp Asian chili-garlic sauce
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Pork Tenderloin With Balsamic Vinegar / Mustard Marinade Recipe

1/2 cup veg oil

1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

2 TBS Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 TBS Guldnen's Spicy Brown Mustard
2 pound Pork Tenderloin

Dissolve the  steak seasoning in the vinegar.  Add in the oil and combine.

Put a pork tenderloin in a plastic storage bag, add the mixture, squeeze out the excess air and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Leaving the residual marinade on the roast, place the meat in a 500 - 600 degree preheated grill (use the upper rack if your grill has one) and roast until the internal temp is 135.  

Remove and let the roast rest for 5 minutes.

Tenderloin Tip:  These roasts come with both a thick and thin end.  To keep the thin end from becoming over cooked fold it back against the roast towards the thicker end and secure with two tooth picks.  

Note: Beyond the usual mashed potatoes and corn sides I decided to make a sandwich instead that consisted of two hearty slices of toasted home-made white bread, a bit of mayo on the bread (both of them) and a thin slice of Manteche cheese on both the top and bottom.  The roast was thinly sliced and mounded as I like.  I suspect that most any cheese that goes with pork would be a winner.   

(This is not my recipe)

Great BBQ

This 10 pound brisket was cooked for a total of 12 hours with hickory wood and I'm here to tell you neither teeth nor sauce were required to enjoy this tender and flavorful piece of meat.

My recommendation for the backyard smoker or someone who wants to make the best BBQ on the planet (I'm not sure which one but sounds impressive) is to buy the Weber Mountain Smokey Model 721001. I have been smoking meats ever since I left Texas, long enough to know the difference between a really good smoker and an inferior one. Actually, these are used by BBQers on the competition circuit.

Don't waste your time or money on one of those $175.00 smokers that you find in places like Home Depot or the like. They are not up to the task and you will most probably never achieve anything close to perfection; I know from personal experience. And if you think that you need a $1,000 or more smoker, think again. The added cost is not necessary unless you  need to smoke meat in very cold conditions. But for the majority of us, the Weber is all that you will ever need to produce championship quality BBQ for less than $300 (delivered from Amazon.com) and at the end of the day, this is what is all about.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-721001-Smokey-Mountain-Cooker/dp/B001I8ZTJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1247518263&sr=8-1

Personally, I like to layer of  briquettes and wood. One good solid base layer of briquettes, then some wood, and then another layer of charcoal and then a few chunks of wood on top. Do NOT use charcoal because it will burn way too too hot.

I say that one of the key requirements for great BBQ is a steady temp of about 225 - 250 degrees on the temp gauge of your smoker and again, that nice even consistent stream of smoke flowing from the top vents that should ALWAYS remain open. Monitor the temp and adjust lower dampers accordingly.

A digital thermometer is critical to good BBQ. Feed the probe down through a top vent and stick the probe in the thickest part of the meat, close the lid, attach the probe to the thermometer.

DO DOT OPEN THE LID TO SEE HOW YOUR BBQ LOOKS...NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MAY BE. Remember, the difference between okay BBQ and great BBQ is a steady temp. Every time you lift the lid you lose that edge and increase your cooking temp. The only time that you should open the lid is to either put meat in or take it off.

Note: It is my opinion that most meats absorb most of the smoke that they are going to after the first hour or maybe 1 1/2 hours. After that you're wasting wood and your meat won't taste good, not at all. 

What is a brisket? Flat/point, high fat content.Trim well

A brisket will take at least 12 hours for a 10 lb. flat cut. Place the prepared brisket on the lower rack and stabilize the temp to about 220-250 degrees based on the temp gauge on the lid and monitor the internal temp with the digital probe. They are done when they reach between 198 and 205 degrees

Here is another way I do things that differs than many. I like to BBQ my brisket at least the day before eating. I let it rest and cool to room temp and then refrigerate it. The next day, I slice it (across the grain)and warm it in the microwave. It carves easier than when hot and you can be assured that all of the juices will be rendered back into the meat after it has cooled making for a juicier end result. Let's be real...after cooking for 12 hours it's time for a tuna sandwich and bed. Better left for the next day.

As for pork or beef ribs use a rib rack. Smoker real estate does not come cheap so maximize your cooking area the best you can. As far as eating ribs I hold the minority opinion in that the meat should not be falling off the bone. I like a little bite and a little bit of a chew. Not much mine you, but enough where the meat will stay on the rib as you are holding and eating it. But this is my preference. It's kinda like Fillet Mignon vs. a rib-eye steak...gum it or chew it. Unfortunately, I think too many people rate BBQ pork/beef ribs by the fall-off the bone criteria. These should take about  about 4-5 hours.

Smoking whole chickens is a breeze. Season them with whatever you like making sure to season the cavity even more than the skin. Set your digital therm to 160 and stick the probe into the thickest part of a thigh or breast. They are practically impossible to mess up unless you over smoke them.

Note: Please remember to place only room temp meat on your smoker. To prepare the meat just rub on your favorite spice mix, no mopping is EVER required...remember the keep the lid closed rule?

Additionally, forgot to mention that I once cooked 8 whole chickens; and another time I cooked a 10 lb brisket and 4 chickens on my 721001 Model Weber. But to up the ante, they have a larger 22" model, the 731001 that costs less than $400.00 that can cook enough for a small army!

For pork/chicken BBQ I use Jake's Boss BBQ rub that you have to make (well worth the trouble) or Bad Byron's Pork Butt seasoning available online or in some stores. For brisket/beef ribs I use  Coopers "original" spice rub from Llano, TX  that can be purchased online.

I hope that you benefit from this article in your quest to make great BBQ.

Pork Chops w/ Brandy and Prunes (Cooks)

In this recipe, “natural” pork chops—not “enhanced”—work best; the liquid injected into enhanced pork inhibits browning. Electric burners are slower to heat than gas burners, so, if using one, begin heating the burner before seasoning the chops. When cooking the first side of the chops, use color as an indicator of when to flip them; to determine doneness, use an instant-read thermometer—do not go solely by cooking times.

Serves 4

Prunes
1/3	cup chopped prunes
1/4	cup brandy
Pork Chops
4	bone-in pork rib chops or center-cut chops, about 7 ounces each and 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, patted dry with paper towels, prepared according to illustration 1 below
1	teaspoon vegetable oil
	Table salt and ground black pepper
1/2	teaspoon granulated sugar
Sauce
1	teaspoon vegetable oil
1	medium shallot , minced
2	teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
3	tablespoons unsalted butter
	Table salt and ground black pepper

1. In a small bowl, cover prunes with brandy and let stand.

2. If using electric stove, turn burner to medium heat. Rub both sides of each chop with 1/8 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.

3. Place chops, sugared-side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, positioning chops according to illustration 2 below. Using hands, press meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet with chops over medium heat; cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes (chops should be sizzling after 2 minutes; if not, see "Do You Hear What I Hear" below). Using tongs, flip chops, positioning them in same manner. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until center of each chop registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 3 to 6 minutes (begin checking temperature -- as shown in illustration 3 -- after 2 minutes); chops will barely brown on second side. Transfer chops to platter, tent with foil, and let rest.

4. Pour liquid in skillet into small bowl. While chops are resting, add vegetable oil and shallot to now-empty skillet; set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots have softened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, add brandy and prunes; set skillet over medium-high heat and cook until brandy is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add pork chops’ juices to skillet. Off heat, whisk in thyme and butter until combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; spoon sauce over chops and serve immediately.

5. Do You Hear What I Hear? If you don't hear a gentle sizzle after the pork chops have been cooking for two minutes over medium heat,your stovetop is running at a low heat output. Raise the meat to medium-high to cook the pork chops uncovered (as directed in the recipe). Then reduce the heat to medium-low instead of low, cover the pork chops, and continue as directed.