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September 26, 2006
Burger Bacon Dog
Try this recipe for your next tailgating event.
Burger Bacon Dogs
Ingredients:
1 pound of hamburger
1 pound of thin sliced bacon
8 hot dogs (the real deal, no cheap ones!)
4 slices of cheese (split the slices of cheese in half)
1 egg
16 toothpicks
Tin Foil Wrap
Instructions: Combined hamburger, egg and your spices/seasonings to taste and form 8 hamburger patties. Spread out your bacon with every two slices being about 2” apart. Slice each hot dog from end to end, NOT completely through, maybe half through the thickness of the dog and insert one half slice of the cheese into each dog. Place the dog on one end of the hamburger patty and carefully roll the dog while wrapping it with the patty. Place this carefully at the ends of your bacon, which should be spaced 2” apart (2-2-slices of bacon per burger-dog). Carefully roll and wrap the bacon. Secure bacon to each burger-dog with two toothpicks.
NOTE: Leave each toothpick exposed on one side or the other in order to remove them
after cooking. Wrap your burger-dogs with tin foil and place on grill over medium heat,
but do not place directly over flame. Cook for half-hour and then CAREFULLY remove
foil from burger-dogs (HOT JUICE-Be Careful!). Place burger dogs back onto grill for
browning. Serve with any condiments by itself or on a large Hoagie Roll.
Tailgating 101
The more that TG researches this whole area of tailgating, I am finding that the most important thing you can do to be a successful tailgater is to develop a checklist with all the necessary items. It doesn't do you any good to take the grill if you forget the meat! (We use one for catering as well as a different one for competitions.)
Here are a few thoughts taken with permission from HPBA's "Tailgating 101"
The basics of a tailgate party prevail no matter where you tailgate -- whether it’s a college, professional or entertainment event. And one of the most important must-haves at every tailgate is the grill, according to two-fifths of Americans surveyed in the 2006 Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Tailgate Survey. In fact, nearly half of Americans agreed that forgetting to bring a grill or the food are the two biggest tailgate
blunders a host can make.
The Rookie
If you’ve never planned a tailgate before, keep things simple the first season with the basics:
• The Grill: Charcoal or propane – make sure it’s small and transportable
• Tools: Grilling accessories, propane, or charcoal and lighter fluid (if necessary)
• Set-Up: Table, chairs, cooler
• Food: Burgers, hot dogs, chicken, snacks, dips and dessert
• Drinks: Whatever quenches your thirst (don’t forget ice for the cooler)
• Other must-haves: plates, napkins, trash bags, cups and condiments
The Routine Rally
For fans who have tailgating down pat from seasons of practice, remember there is always room for improvement. Upgrade your tailgate spot with some new twists in addition to the tailgate basics!
• The Grill: Raise the stakes with a grill that has more room for more food.
• Set-Up: Bring a portable tent with your school colors and logo, or favorite NFL or other sport team paraphernalia.
• Entertainment: Get pumped up with your team’s fight song and/or alma mater.
• Real Time Sports: Invest in a generator to hook-up your TV and stay up-to-speed with rival teams and all the stats.
The Extreme Team
For serious tailgaters only! Being part of this team takes experience and a passion for tailgating and will keep your friends talking for years!
• The Grill: Upgrade from a stand alone grill and go all out with a tow-behind or attachable-to-vehicle grill.
• Vehicle upgrade: Rent a large van or RV, or bring multiple vehicles and claim two to three spots
• Bigger is better: Use large speakers and giant TV’s.
• Team spirit: Hang banners and team flags to show ultimate team spirit.
• Theme team: Give your weekly tailgate a theme.
For any tailgate
• Know all rules and regulations of the tailgate park.
• Make sure you have ample seating.
• Provide plenty of room around the grill for the chef.
• Get there early to set-up and get the grill going,
• Bring water along to extinguish the fire and make sure it is out before leaving the game.
Grill2Go
Good news came in yesterday. The good folks at Char-Broil have invited The General to NYC to preview their new line of grills and accessories for 2007!
In our discussions, I asked about the best item they make for tailgating. It is their Grill2Go.
This nifty little grill has some great features, not just for tailgating...but you can see why it would be a favorite for that sport!
Some of them are:
- A 308 square inch cooking surface...plus a Teflon coated griddle
- Folding sideshelves with tool hooks...and even a car flag holder
- Built in paper towel holder and on-board propane cylinder storage bin with trash bag holder
- Removable grease drawer
- Dishwasher-safe cooking grates
- Detachable legs for tabletop grilling
- Two independently controlled stainless steel burners
September 25, 2006
Tailgate 2006
Fall is officially here...even though the weather here is Savannah must be on a different calendar! It was 96* Saturday at the back of the pit. With the arrival of fall, football season is heating up and that means it is time for the tailgaters to get started grilling in the parking lots!
The General had no idea how large an activity this is until we were contacted by Rachelle representing the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. We even found out there is a self-proclaimed Commissioner of Tailgating who has been traveling the country for the past 11 years going from parking lot venue to parking lot venue. There is a wealth of information available on the HPBA website. Click on the Tailgate 2006 icon. You will find recipes, how-to's and even the schedule of the Commish.
Seems Michael, a friend of our son Ben, took some of our brisket to a recent Notre Dame tailgating party. The brisket was gone in minutes! When asked where he got it, Mike said he had a 'secret source in the South.' Maybe some day The General will be famous!
HPBA conducted a survey about tailgating and here are some of their highlights:
Neighborhood Rally - Americans revealed the real appeal to tailgating is the feeling of a neighborhood party, a time to see old friends and make new friends (49 percent).
Forget the Parking Spot and Get Grilling - Nearly half (45 percent) of respondents said that the number one reason a host must get to the game early is to fire up the grill. In fact, fans say having plenty of time to enjoy the food before the big game is more important than having a great parking spot for the party (45 percent compared to 34 percent respectively).
Invite Yourself - Americans admitted that they would crash a complete stranger’s tailgate party solely to eat great grilled food (28 percent).
Single in the Tailgate Lot – More than one adult out of five say they would crash a tailgate party purely to meet people of the opposite sex (21 percent).
Strangers Among Us - Men are more likely than women to invite themselves to a stranger’s tailgate (27 percent compared to 20 percent respectively).
Don’t Leave Home Without It - Tailgaters say forgetting the food or grill are the two biggest blunders a tailgate host can make. Bringing the grill but forgetting the food (28 percent) was the number one faux pas, followed by forgetting to bring the grill (21 percent).
Grilling Men vs. Snacking Women - Men are more likely than women to choose a grill as a tailgating necessity (20 percent versus 13 percent), whereas women choose snacks as a more important necessity (14 percent).
Bring on the Beef - Americans 65 years of age or older listed hamburgers, hot dogs and chili at the top of their tailgating must-have lists (35 percent); whereas tailgaters 18 – 24 agreed that the grill is as equally important as bringing hamburgers, hot dogs and chili (26 percent, 26
percent respectively).
September 22, 2006
Salsa Recipe for Michael
Our good friend, Michael, asked if I had a good salsa recipe.
Here is a great one:
3 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilis (10 oz each)
1 C crushed tomatoes
1/4 C chopped green pepper
1/4 C chopped yellow pepper
2 jalapenos minced (or serrano peppers if you want it mild)
1 hot banana pepper, minced (or can use milder pepper)
1/4 C chopped red onion
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 C fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t ground cumin
1 T Kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
Juice from one small lime
Yes, this one has no fresh tomatoes! Just mix and let sit for an hour.
September 17, 2006
Mimi's Pound Cake
TG found this recipe for my mother's (Mimi to us, Frances to the world) pound cake. Mother didn't believe in cooking much...(TG didn't get his cooking genes from either parent...so where did they come from???)...when she was growing up and 'growed' up cooking was left to "the help." She did like to make pound cake...and one of her friends must have found that so odd that they created a framed 'recipe card/picture' that I found when sorting through her things after she passed away.
This picture was lost again in our garage until this morning when I was sorting through some things. I have been saving BBQ posters from events for a long time, and every once in a while I have one I like framed....had quite a nice collection on the walls in TG's office in Atlanta, but since our move to Savannah they have been relegated to the garage.
Here is Mimi's recipe:
Cake
3 C sifted flour
2 1/2 C sugar
1//4 t soda
6 eggs
1 C Crisco
1 C sour cream
1 t vanilla
1 t lemon
Mix as listed and beat for 4 minutes at medium speed. Bake in a greased tube pan (use wax paper, too) at 350* for about one hour or one hour and ten minutes.
Glaze
Melt 1/2 stick butter, add 1/2 box powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spread. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring. Take cake out of pan and let cool a little, then put on glaze while cake is still warm.
Central Alabama's White BBQ Sauce
As TG travels around the country, I can easily spot regional differences in BBQ. Some variations are in the meat...such as Santa Maria style tri tip in California and in Owensboro, Kentucky, where they serve mutton. The biggest regional difference, though, appears to be in the types of sauces used to "dress" the BBQ'd meat.
Our friends from Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in central Alabama (Decatur) use a white sauce for its BBQ chicken.
Here is a recipe for a White BBQ Sauce:
3/4 C mayonnaise
2 T cider vinegar
2 T sugar
1/2 t prepared horseradish
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth, about a minute. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for at least one hour or up to two days
Posted by The General at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBackVinegar Cole Slaw Dressing
Looking for a new cole slaw dressing? Here's one The General has been using lately and I have been getting some great comments on it!
2 C apple cider vinegar
2 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 T vegetable oil
1/2 C diced onion
1/4 C diced bell pepper (any color you prefer...or have on hand)
3/4 t celery seed
1/2 t sea salt or Kosher
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t minced garlic
Mix all ingredients together and serve. Quick, easy, tart...very nice!
Posted by The General at 09:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBackBusy Week
This past week has been a busy one! It started with the Boeing party on Tuesday and then on Thursday we did a "show and tell" event at the Inn on Ellis Square. The purpose of the event was to showcase food for the holidays. The whole room was decorated for Christmas and about 12 local caterers were invited to show off. TLW even rescued our beloved "BBQ Santa" from the attic to use as a table decoration.
I don't want to sound arrogant, but I think I can safely say that The General's beef brisket stole the show.
We got several orders for next weekend's Roshashana holiday. BTW we picked up several Christmas party reservations.
Posted by The General at 09:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBackSeptember 11, 2006
Fish Stew Recipes
Here are two recipes for fish stew.
This one is from our neighbor 'Wild Bill' who loves this stuff.
Eastern North Carolina Fish Stew
1 lb. bacon, cut in 1" pieces
1 qt. tomato juice
6 potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 onions, sliced 1/4" thick
3 lbs. fish, cut in 1" cubes
1 dozen eggs
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t red pepper
Fry bacon and save 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the cooking pot or Dutch oven. Remove the bacon and set aside.
Put potatoes and onions in pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then let simmer until potatoes are done.
When potatoes are done, pour in tomato juice and let simmer until it smells like real food.
Add spices and stir.
Add fish chuck, making sure they are submerged.
(DO NOT STIR FROM THIS POINT ON!)
When fish becomes flaky and white, let simmer another 20 minutes or so.
Break eggs into stew, bring to slow simmer again.
Eat any time after eggs are done.
*************************************
Inaugural Fish Chowder
This recipe is from Legal Seafoods Cookbook. We love this restaurant and always visit it for its clam chowder when we are in Boston. They even have a spot at Logan Airport!
**It gets its name because it was served at Ronald Reagan's 1981 inauguration.
1/2 C butter
3 C diced onions
1/4 C finely grated carrots
2 t minced garlic
1/2 C flour
12 C concentrated fish stock
4 lbs. fish
2 C light cream
1/2 C finely grated Monterey Jack cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
**Legal says that one cannot duplicate their fish stock, so use any fish stock you have.
Heat the butter in a large saucepan until softened, and saute the onions, carrots, and garlic in it, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the flour. Return to the heat, and cook, stirring , for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, begin heating the stock in a large pot. Whisk the stock into the flour mixture. Bring the stock to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the fish and simmer about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the cream and cheese, and simmer until the cheese melts, about 5 to 8 minutes. (You won't distinguish the cheese as such, it is incorporated into the chowder.) Reheat the chowder slowly so the cream doesn't boil.
Carnival of the Recipes
Check out the latest version of the carnival...Indian Summer Edition...over at One for
the Road.
5 Things To Eat Before You Die
The General got tagged by Bigmista over at The Survival Gourmet to participate in the latest meme, Foodbloggers Guide to the Globe. The premise is that food bloggers from all over the world should list five things that they have eaten and think everyone should try at least once before they die. TLW and I have put our heads together and have come up with our list!
1. TLW's ultimate pick is an authentic Lobster bake...she says forget the fillers (corn, potatoes and sausage) and stick with the fresh steamed lobster and soft shell clams or "steamers" as she calls them. She remembers times on Nantucket and Cape Cod when a large hole would be dug in the beach and a fire was started in it. Then rocks would be thrown on the fire along with seaweed. Then all the food was thrown on top of the seaweed, covered by another layer of seaweed and then a tarp. This way everything steamed with the wonderful aroma of the sea.....
2. Salmon: If you have never enjoyed or had the pleasure of eating wild salmon it is 180* different from farm raised. It just doesn't get much better than Alaska's Copper River Salmon. Use this 50 year old recipe for a 30 minute marinade. The best!
3. Beef brisket cooked correctly is the best BBQ you can eat...although most folks like pork. Make this "brisket rollup" by using either blue cheese or ranch dressing, green and yellow peppers sauteed, mushrooms and onions sauteed, and thin sliced 7" flat bread along with brisket slices.
4. Cuban sandwich includes roast pork, ham, yellow mustard, Swiss cheese, and bread and butter pickles. Use Cuban bread with melted butter on top. Press the sandwich on a sandwich press or under a foil covered brick.
5. Bread pudding with Easy Bourbon Sauce
1 3/4 C sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla (pure)
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t nutmeg
3/4 C butter (melted)
1 C whole milk
1 C heavy cream
1/2 C raisins
1/3 C pecans
6 C bread (stale French) diced
Into large blender jar, add eggs and blend on medium speed 30-45 seconds or until eggs are lemon yellow color. Add sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter and blend on medium speed until thoroughly blended. Add milk and cream and mix. Fold in raisins and pecans.
Into large bowl add diced bread, along with egg and milk mixture. Fold until bread is completely soaked with egg and milk mixture.
Pour mixture into thoroughly greased cooking pan. Place in preheated oven at 325* and bake for 35-40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425* and cook until well browned...about 15 minutes.
Bourbon Sauce
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 C sugar
1/4 C water
1 large egg yolk
2 T bourbon
Combine all ingredients except bourbon in small saucepan. Mix well. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and continue cooking...about 3 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon.
September 09, 2006
Hello World!
Introducing grandchild number 5....Marjorie Grayson....How exciting for us!
Char Broil
Good news from the folks at Char Broil. TG never knows who is reading his blog. In this case it was a consulting firm for CharBroil who asked if I might be interested in trying out some new products they are coming out with this fall. Once I found out that they are testing a new infrared grill, not too much had to be said! That is exciting! More to come!
Posted by The General at 09:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBackPork Brine and a Little Rest
If you have ever competed in a competitive sport, like golf or tennis, you know how important it is to try to "keep it all together." It is sometimes quite a feat! For instance, in golf you may get your putting game down, but then all of a sudden your fairway shots seem to fall off. In tennis, your backhand might be killer, but your volleys never land where you want them to.
Such is the case in cooking competitive BBQ. The General has been whining bemoaning about not winning the Georgia State Championship last month by less than two points. After considerable agonizing, it seems as though our pork was a little off. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that might cause your product to go askew. I was reading the July/August edition of Cook's Illustrated and they had an article on Cuban BBQ Pork. In the article it stated that you should always allow your finished pork butt to rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow the juices to re-distribute through the meat.
All of a sudden, a bell went off in my head! Why have I been taking my pork straight from the pit and pulling it...not allowing the juices to re-distribute? TG knows better than this! Could this be my missing secret?
In the same article, they gave a recipe for pork brine that I think may be worth trying:
3 C sugar
2 C table salt
2 medium garlic heads, separated and crushed
4 C orange juice
Dissolve the sugar and salt in six cups of cold water in a stock pot. Stir in the garlic and orange juice. Submerge pork in brine and refrigerate eighteen to twenty-four hours. **Be sure to rinse off the brine before smoking due to the high content of salt and sugar.
Perhaps I can fix my pork?
This backs up the case that TG argues repeatedly (and doesn't always follow)...keep strict notes because when things start to go wrong you can always refer back to your notes!
September 04, 2006
Bread Pudding
Here is a good way to use leftover bread.
Try Mike Mills' recipe for "Comforting Bread Pudding" p. 277 in his book "Peace, Love, & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue" (Mike Mills, Amy Mills Tunnicliffe).
Another alternative is to use raisin bread and add a touch of Jack Daniel's.
1 1/4 pounds dry (to the point of crumbling) white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
8 large eggs
3 T melted butter
1 1/2 C plus 1t sugar
4 cups in any combination, whole milk, half-and-half, and/or heavy cream
1 T vanilla
2 t ground cinnamon (divided)
Preheat oven to 350*.
Fill a 13x9 inch pan with the bread crumbs...they should pile up in the dish.
Whisk the eggs, butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, milk vanilla, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl until frothy.
Pour the mixture over the bread and push the cubes down with your fingertips or the back of a large spoon. All the cubes should be moist. You should see some of the liquid mixture around the inside edge of the pan. If you don't, add more milk, half-and-half or cream.
Mix 1 t cinnamon and 1 t sugar together and sprinkle over the top of the pudding. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove pan from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and place in individual serving bowls. Serve with Praline sauce.
Praline Sauce
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
1 C water
4 T butter
1 t vanilla
Put the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and water into a medium saucepan and whisk together. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until clear...about 20 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the vanilla. Serve immediately.
Posted by The General at 10:22 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBackVinegar Sauce and Dressing
Eastern North Carolina is always noted for its 'vinegary' sauces. Now if you are a fan of the taste of vinegar, here are a couple of recipes that TG did over the weekend that were very successful.
Fat Johnny's Bastardized Piedmont Sauce
At the encouragement of TLW, I changed it by adding a second bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Sauce...the second bottle cut the potency of the vinegar down a bit.
If you like a vinegar-based cole slaw dressing, here is a good one from Mike Mills' book ""Peace, Love, & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue" (Mike Mills, Amy Mills Tunnicliffe) pp. 14-15. The recipe calls for 1 head of cabbage and a fourth a head of red cabbage. Frankly, TG buys the pre-cut cole slaw and it works just as well.
2 C apple cider vinegar
2 C sugar
1 1/2 T vegetable oil
1/2 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green bell pepper
3/4 t celery seed
1/2 t Kosher salt, finely ground
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t chopped garlic
Combine all the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Add the dressing to your cabbage until achieving a light saturation...too little is better than too much...you can always add more. Dressing will last 5 days in the fridge.
*For a creamy version, add Hellman's mayonnaise or Miracle Whip salad dressing.
