Man, I had a great time tonight! Dave P. and I have joined forces with Team PHAT for a BBQ competition. "Team PHAT" is a name that is funny to me...I'd never have picked it, but I get a kick out of being involved. We're thinking about T-shirts with a Buddha on it eating ribs.
The captain of the team, Eric, cooked a brisket for about 20 hours or so, and I made two different sauces for the team to try. It turned out that we liked them combined together, and we've decided that this will be the perfect sauce for the brisket. I was a bit nervous about the sauces, but I was happy to hear that they liked them after all.
Our next team meeting is next Wednesday, where we'll be working on ribs and chicken.
Here's the deal: this is going to be a blast!
Oh, and I'm in charge of desserts. I brought the chocolate Guinness/Irish Cream cake tonight, and they liked it, but decided to work on a different presentation. Next week, I'm going to make some individual three berry tarts or pies, to see what we think of those.
It's all a recipe for fun.
Showing posts with label BBQ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBQ. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Ribs
I made a batch of ribs tonight. Well, I started this afternoon, and took them off the grill at around 7:30 tonight. They were done on the gas grill, which isn't as good as over wood charcoal, but I was able to bring some apple wood smoke to the party with some smoldering apple wood pellets I bought years ago. I cooked them on low for about four and a half hours, with indirect heat. I used a dry rub from the Central St. BBQ in Memphis, and turned and sprayed the ribs with a mixture of apple juice, cherry wine vinegar and raspberry port every half hour.
When I pulled them off the grill, they were a nice rosy pink from the wood smoke. I let them sit for about 15 minutes, then cut into them, and they were falling off the bone tender, with the juices dripping all over the cutting board. I figured these were going to be tasty, and I wasn't disappointed.
I've got a couple of half slabs in the fridge, waiting for lunch and dinner tomorrow.
Life is better with pig.
When I pulled them off the grill, they were a nice rosy pink from the wood smoke. I let them sit for about 15 minutes, then cut into them, and they were falling off the bone tender, with the juices dripping all over the cutting board. I figured these were going to be tasty, and I wasn't disappointed.
I've got a couple of half slabs in the fridge, waiting for lunch and dinner tomorrow.
Life is better with pig.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Yankee Ribs
I had a hankering for ribs today, and knew of a place on the edge of the hood that I've been meaning to try. I swung by today, optimistic and hopeful. The only problem is that when you've tasted the best, it's hard to meet those kind of expectations.
That's not to say that the ribs I had today were bad. They were decent enough, and if you were at a backyard BBQ, you'd tell the cook that they were tasty, partly because it's BBQ and because it's pork, (always a good thing) and partly because no one ever has enough ribs to make having ribs be anything other than something special. "You're offering me ribs? Why thank you...they're fantastic!"
But here's the rub: I've had the best, on numerous occasions now--so much so that the college kids down in Illinois started calling me the pork sommelier. I'd just call myself a pork and rib connoisseur. (OK...I'm a pork snob, really, but I've got no problem with that, and in fact carry that badge with honor. You stick with me, and I won't steer you wrong.) With the eye of the pork sommelier, these ribs were lacking.
First off, I've decided that I'm a baby back ribs man. Less gristle, more tender meat, smaller bones and bigger chunks of meat to savor. These were spare ribs, and those have been all of I've cooked myself in the past, but I'm making the switch. And let's talk cooking techniques. These puppies were just a little too dry, and though they had decent smoke flavor, it wasn't consistently spread throughout the meat. There were pockets of smoky flavor, and then some pockets that were overwhelmed with smokiness, while some parts of the meat didn't have much smoke at all. I think they needed to be turned a lot more frequently, with a mindfulness towards rotating them on every other turn to make sure they get even treatment. One thing I'm convinced of as well about smoked ribs: the ribs should never have char on them, evidence that they've been licked with flames. Low and slow, and primarily indirect heat is the key to tasty and tender ribs. These had chunks of char on them that added a flavor profile I like on the crunchy bits of grilled chicken, but not on my ribs.
Now let's talk sauce, perhaps the most subjective part of rib cooking. I like all kinds of sauces, from tangy and spicy, to smoky and thick, to thinner, more vinegary and mustardy sauces. I'm just not a fan of overly sweet sauces, since they bring a cloying element that commands the attention of your taste buds, and takes away from the main event: the meat. When meat primarily becomes a vehicle and showcase for the sauce, I think the package has fallen short. The ribs should taste great on their own, and light up with a touch of sauce. The sauce should be something you'd like to dip your fries in again and again to sample, but when you put it on the ribs, ideally you have an experience where the two work in concert together perfectly. Not so with these ribs, which were doused in a sauce that, though nicely tangy, was far too sweet and overpowered the ribs. I found myself wiping it off with a paper towel.
Bottom line: I'm thinking that if I want ribs like I had down in Illinois, I'm going to have to be guided by Mike Mills, and practice a lot. On that score, I'm happy to fill in my practice card.
That's not to say that the ribs I had today were bad. They were decent enough, and if you were at a backyard BBQ, you'd tell the cook that they were tasty, partly because it's BBQ and because it's pork, (always a good thing) and partly because no one ever has enough ribs to make having ribs be anything other than something special. "You're offering me ribs? Why thank you...they're fantastic!"
But here's the rub: I've had the best, on numerous occasions now--so much so that the college kids down in Illinois started calling me the pork sommelier. I'd just call myself a pork and rib connoisseur. (OK...I'm a pork snob, really, but I've got no problem with that, and in fact carry that badge with honor. You stick with me, and I won't steer you wrong.) With the eye of the pork sommelier, these ribs were lacking.
First off, I've decided that I'm a baby back ribs man. Less gristle, more tender meat, smaller bones and bigger chunks of meat to savor. These were spare ribs, and those have been all of I've cooked myself in the past, but I'm making the switch. And let's talk cooking techniques. These puppies were just a little too dry, and though they had decent smoke flavor, it wasn't consistently spread throughout the meat. There were pockets of smoky flavor, and then some pockets that were overwhelmed with smokiness, while some parts of the meat didn't have much smoke at all. I think they needed to be turned a lot more frequently, with a mindfulness towards rotating them on every other turn to make sure they get even treatment. One thing I'm convinced of as well about smoked ribs: the ribs should never have char on them, evidence that they've been licked with flames. Low and slow, and primarily indirect heat is the key to tasty and tender ribs. These had chunks of char on them that added a flavor profile I like on the crunchy bits of grilled chicken, but not on my ribs.
Now let's talk sauce, perhaps the most subjective part of rib cooking. I like all kinds of sauces, from tangy and spicy, to smoky and thick, to thinner, more vinegary and mustardy sauces. I'm just not a fan of overly sweet sauces, since they bring a cloying element that commands the attention of your taste buds, and takes away from the main event: the meat. When meat primarily becomes a vehicle and showcase for the sauce, I think the package has fallen short. The ribs should taste great on their own, and light up with a touch of sauce. The sauce should be something you'd like to dip your fries in again and again to sample, but when you put it on the ribs, ideally you have an experience where the two work in concert together perfectly. Not so with these ribs, which were doused in a sauce that, though nicely tangy, was far too sweet and overpowered the ribs. I found myself wiping it off with a paper towel.
Bottom line: I'm thinking that if I want ribs like I had down in Illinois, I'm going to have to be guided by Mike Mills, and practice a lot. On that score, I'm happy to fill in my practice card.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Best BBQ in the country?
It's quite possible I've eaten the best BBQ in America. Or at least one of the top five, and it just happens to be 15 minutes away from where I'm living. Who knew that southern Illinois was the BBQ capital of the world? There's a little place called the 17th Street Bar and Grill in Murphysboro, IL, run by a man who is the only three time Grand Champion of the Memphis World Barbecue Championship. In BBQ circles, he's known strictly as "The Legend."
I've eaten there four times, and it's absolutely fantastic, and I plan to go back a few times before I leave. The ribs have the perfect amount of bite, which gives way to the tenderest of meats, with a pinkish hue that shows the care with which they were smoked. And when you taste it, you taste the perfect amount of smoky flavor--not overdone, just right. When I ate there last, I was by myself, enjoying my meal in happy solitude, without the distraction of conversation, and I heard someone say behind me, "how can these by so good?" No one leaves that place without uttering those same words. These are the best, and they have opened my eyes to what ribs can be.
To give you an idea of what the culinary world thinks of "The Legend's" ribs, you need to turn to Blue Smoke. This is the first ribs restaurant to open up in Manhattan in years, where the ribs are actually smoked on the premises. It was the brainchild of Danny Meyers, a big time New York restaurateur, (who happens to run the restaurant Eleven Madison Park, where my friends and I received a slew of free desserts when we went to Carnegie Hall, if you happen to remember that story). He grew up in the south, and so did one of his partners. They often found themselves itching for a taste of the south, in the form of good ole southern BBQ, the one food that couldn't be found in New York. They tossed around the idea of opening a rib joint for a few years, and then went on a rib tour throughout the south. When they tried Mike Miles's ribs, they knew they had found their rib guru. The restaurant opened in 2002, and I remember hearing the buzz back then in all of the food magazines. I was excited when I realized that the ribs I was eating here in Illinois are from the guy behind the rib wizardry that every reviewer in New York was raving about.
He's written a book that I just purchased, called Peace, Love and BBQ. It really looks like a great read, and I can't wait to get home and try some of the ideas, recipes and tips that are strewn throughout the book. I'll be on a mission when I return, to get as close to this level of perfection as I can. This summer's going to be the summer of The Rib. I can't wait to get back and fire up the smoker!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Beale St. Blues
I think the biggest drag of being away from home for three weeks is that my raspberries will be ripening while I'm gone. This is going to be a banner year, and they were just starting to show their colors as I left. Torey, Alison and Co. are apparently going to be picking them, so I'm glad they're not going to waste. I hope you guys enjoy them!
I had a great time in Memphis tonight. Melvin, a helpful janitor/tour guide at the welcome center told me to head to Beale St. tonight, which was tons of fun. He gave me the head's up on some good BBQ places in town, which were confirmed by some trombone players I met at a bar where I was listening to their band. Dinner tonight was BBQ, and so will lunch and dinner tomorrow. When in Rome, right? That will be five times I've had BBQ down here in about as many days. Life is good.
Anyway, off to bed, since Dan Fogelberg just popped up in the music here in the lobby, the only place for wi-fi in a hotel that advertised free wi-fi in their online description. Dan Fogelberg is too high a price to pay to surf the net, so I'm signing off--I gotta get outta here!
I had a great time in Memphis tonight. Melvin, a helpful janitor/tour guide at the welcome center told me to head to Beale St. tonight, which was tons of fun. He gave me the head's up on some good BBQ places in town, which were confirmed by some trombone players I met at a bar where I was listening to their band. Dinner tonight was BBQ, and so will lunch and dinner tomorrow. When in Rome, right? That will be five times I've had BBQ down here in about as many days. Life is good.
Anyway, off to bed, since Dan Fogelberg just popped up in the music here in the lobby, the only place for wi-fi in a hotel that advertised free wi-fi in their online description. Dan Fogelberg is too high a price to pay to surf the net, so I'm signing off--I gotta get outta here!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Southern Sojourn
I'm down in the bottom corner of Illinois right now for a three week music festival. It's a long time to be away from home, and musically it's not going to be very satisfying, but I'm going to make the best of it and hopefully have some fun in the process.
I had the day off today, so I decided to explore and see what the day would bring. I really enjoy getting in the car in another part of the country, and just seeing where the road takes me. Today turned out to be pretty spectacular.
I decided to head to a town I heard about called Peducah, in Kentucky. On the way, I saw a sign for the largest Superman statue in the world, in the little burg of Metropolis, IL. I couldn't resist stopping by to see something kitschy like that, so I veered off the beaten path, into the heart of the Metropolis.
The statue was clearly a gimmick of the city fathers years ago, and it seems to work. That statue pulls scores of people off the road into a village they would probably not visit (except for the casino just down the road). I have to say, however, that I believe they should have included something in the city ordinance that stated clearly that if any other larger-than-life statues were ever to be built in Metropolis, they couldn't be taller than the man of steel. He needs to be like St. Mark's Cathedral in Florence, or the Washington Monument in D.C., the pinnacle of height in Metropolis. At least that's what I think, but it's clear the city fathers in Metropolis weren't thinking ahead.
It seems that the Big John grocery store chain wanted to get in the act, so they commissioned a statue of Big John the Grocery Man. You see Big John on the way to see Superman, and I have to tell you that Big John sets the bar pretty high. He's a bigger dude, all the way around, than Clark Kent ever hoped to be. Bottom line: I think Big John could kick Superman's heiny. in the super hero vein, I tried to imagine what Big John's schtick would be. After he broke open a villain like a scrambled egg, he'd slap a bar code on the guy's rear end, shine the laser scanner in the dude's eyes, and when he was done, he'd holler over his shoulder, "Clean up on aisle ten!"
I think though that the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Water, MN would kick both of their butts.
On the way out of town, I saw a little shack selling chopped pork BBQ. I couldn't resist, so I grabbed a sandwich, with some terrific beans and tasty potato salad. I talked with the grizzly owner at length about his techniques. What loosened him up was my admitting right from the start that Yankees don't know squat about BBQ. That got the juices flowing, and he proceeded to expound upon BBQ across America. He's clearly under the impression that his is the best, and I admire that. He had reasons to brag.
I headed down to Peducah, a town on the shores of the Ohio River. It's OK, but nothing really worth going out of your way to see. Unless you're a fan of quilts, which I'm not. America's Quilt Museum happens to be located in Peducah, KY. I must admit that I stopped at the museum, only to capture the following photo, which I think perfectly sums up the art of compromise that needs to be employed in a good marriage.
On the way out of town, I decided to try some more BBQ, this time ribs. They were very tender, but the flavor was only so-so, and the beans and hashbrown casserole weren't fit for human consumption. I'll be sampling lot's more BBQ while I'm down here. I view it as field research.
After dinner, I looked at the map, hoping to find something that I could squeeze in on my way back home. I saw a flier for a place called the "Garden of the Gods," a collection of stunning outcroppings of rock in a state park in Illinois. I decided to go for it, and turned my car in that direction.
It's absolutely beautiful there, and instead of trying to describe it, I'll post a few pictures.
I had the day off today, so I decided to explore and see what the day would bring. I really enjoy getting in the car in another part of the country, and just seeing where the road takes me. Today turned out to be pretty spectacular.
I decided to head to a town I heard about called Peducah, in Kentucky. On the way, I saw a sign for the largest Superman statue in the world, in the little burg of Metropolis, IL. I couldn't resist stopping by to see something kitschy like that, so I veered off the beaten path, into the heart of the Metropolis.
The statue was clearly a gimmick of the city fathers years ago, and it seems to work. That statue pulls scores of people off the road into a village they would probably not visit (except for the casino just down the road). I have to say, however, that I believe they should have included something in the city ordinance that stated clearly that if any other larger-than-life statues were ever to be built in Metropolis, they couldn't be taller than the man of steel. He needs to be like St. Mark's Cathedral in Florence, or the Washington Monument in D.C., the pinnacle of height in Metropolis. At least that's what I think, but it's clear the city fathers in Metropolis weren't thinking ahead.
It seems that the Big John grocery store chain wanted to get in the act, so they commissioned a statue of Big John the Grocery Man. You see Big John on the way to see Superman, and I have to tell you that Big John sets the bar pretty high. He's a bigger dude, all the way around, than Clark Kent ever hoped to be. Bottom line: I think Big John could kick Superman's heiny. in the super hero vein, I tried to imagine what Big John's schtick would be. After he broke open a villain like a scrambled egg, he'd slap a bar code on the guy's rear end, shine the laser scanner in the dude's eyes, and when he was done, he'd holler over his shoulder, "Clean up on aisle ten!"
I think though that the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Water, MN would kick both of their butts.
On the way out of town, I saw a little shack selling chopped pork BBQ. I couldn't resist, so I grabbed a sandwich, with some terrific beans and tasty potato salad. I talked with the grizzly owner at length about his techniques. What loosened him up was my admitting right from the start that Yankees don't know squat about BBQ. That got the juices flowing, and he proceeded to expound upon BBQ across America. He's clearly under the impression that his is the best, and I admire that. He had reasons to brag.
I headed down to Peducah, a town on the shores of the Ohio River. It's OK, but nothing really worth going out of your way to see. Unless you're a fan of quilts, which I'm not. America's Quilt Museum happens to be located in Peducah, KY. I must admit that I stopped at the museum, only to capture the following photo, which I think perfectly sums up the art of compromise that needs to be employed in a good marriage.
On the way out of town, I decided to try some more BBQ, this time ribs. They were very tender, but the flavor was only so-so, and the beans and hashbrown casserole weren't fit for human consumption. I'll be sampling lot's more BBQ while I'm down here. I view it as field research.
After dinner, I looked at the map, hoping to find something that I could squeeze in on my way back home. I saw a flier for a place called the "Garden of the Gods," a collection of stunning outcroppings of rock in a state park in Illinois. I decided to go for it, and turned my car in that direction.
It's absolutely beautiful there, and instead of trying to describe it, I'll post a few pictures.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Culinary Experiments
I did a little mad scientist routine in the kitchen today. Two things on tap: ribs and mint chocolate cookies.
I think I've stumbled upon a quick and easy rib method that I'll use from now on, with a few modifications here and there. Here's my rib technique: rinse the ribs, then pat them dry with paper towel. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, and a dry rub of your choice. I used Penzey's Southwest Seasoning, which I think will become my standby rub.
Then it's easy: just throw 'em on a grill set on low, flip every 20 minutes or so, and cook them like that for at least an hour and a half. At that point, you can start basting every ten minutes or so with the BBQ sauce of your choice, being sure to flip them each time you baste. A store bought sauce works just fine, but today, I cooked up a quick and easy BBQ sauce, simply because I love making something up. This one was pretty tasty, so I want to remember what I put in it this time around. (This is one of those blog entries that's more for me than anything else.)
Ingredients for the sauce:
1/2 of a red onion, minced
minced garlic--about four cloves
Can of diced tomatoes
Ketchup--probably 1/3 of a cup or so
Gulden's mustard--probably two or three tablespoons
chipotle pepper--maybe 1 and 1/2 tsp
ancho chile pepper--probably 1/2 tsp
cumin--probably a teaspoon
smoked Spanish paprika--about 1/2 tsp
cherry wine vinegar
raspberry wine vinegar
(enough of both to give it a nice zing, though could've used red wine vinegar)
liquid smoke--probably 2 tsp or so
brown sugar--probably 1/4 cup, maybe less
maple syrup--probably a tablespoon
plenty of black pepper
juice of half a lemon
Method: saute onions and garlic, then mix in the rest. Let simmer for awhile, then season with salt. Blend it all together to form a thick sauce.
The second experiment was to create some Mint Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies.
I made up a tasty recipe, but decided to delete here, since I'm going to be entering a contest. Don't want anyone using Google to stumble upon the winning recipe! :-)
It was immensely satisfying for me to make these today. Experimenting in the kitchen could just be my favorite hobby.
I think I've stumbled upon a quick and easy rib method that I'll use from now on, with a few modifications here and there. Here's my rib technique: rinse the ribs, then pat them dry with paper towel. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, and a dry rub of your choice. I used Penzey's Southwest Seasoning, which I think will become my standby rub.
Then it's easy: just throw 'em on a grill set on low, flip every 20 minutes or so, and cook them like that for at least an hour and a half. At that point, you can start basting every ten minutes or so with the BBQ sauce of your choice, being sure to flip them each time you baste. A store bought sauce works just fine, but today, I cooked up a quick and easy BBQ sauce, simply because I love making something up. This one was pretty tasty, so I want to remember what I put in it this time around. (This is one of those blog entries that's more for me than anything else.)
Ingredients for the sauce:
1/2 of a red onion, minced
minced garlic--about four cloves
Can of diced tomatoes
Ketchup--probably 1/3 of a cup or so
Gulden's mustard--probably two or three tablespoons
chipotle pepper--maybe 1 and 1/2 tsp
ancho chile pepper--probably 1/2 tsp
cumin--probably a teaspoon
smoked Spanish paprika--about 1/2 tsp
cherry wine vinegar
raspberry wine vinegar
(enough of both to give it a nice zing, though could've used red wine vinegar)
liquid smoke--probably 2 tsp or so
brown sugar--probably 1/4 cup, maybe less
maple syrup--probably a tablespoon
plenty of black pepper
juice of half a lemon
Method: saute onions and garlic, then mix in the rest. Let simmer for awhile, then season with salt. Blend it all together to form a thick sauce.
The second experiment was to create some Mint Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies.
I made up a tasty recipe, but decided to delete here, since I'm going to be entering a contest. Don't want anyone using Google to stumble upon the winning recipe! :-)
It was immensely satisfying for me to make these today. Experimenting in the kitchen could just be my favorite hobby.
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