The trick is to smoke the meat and not make the meat smoke
GS3-2011_Blog_Header-HDR-960x500

2011 Blog Archive

Here is the ARCHIVE OF BLOGS for this year with links to all of the entries listed chronologically.
Comments

Site Metrics & Metric Measurements

First Image
I’ve made an improvement to the site to make it easier for folks visiting from outside the US. This change was triggered by three independent events occurring in the last two weeks. The first event occurred when was I was talking to someone from Spain about making Paellas. While I have a passing knowledge of metric units, my new friend didn’t have any knowledge of Imperial units. Between my limited metric knowledge and the KITCHEN CALCULATOR app on my iPhone we got by, but it wasn’t pretty. The second event was my looking at a recipe that was all in metric measurements and I was rather lost. I had no gut sense for the quantities being used in the recipe. The last event was my looking at the Google Analytics for my site. I was very surprised to find out that 1/3 of my site’s visitors come from outside the United State.
Read More...
Comments

iPhone BBQ Buddy-Kitchen Calculator

First Image
In the past I’ve written other blog entries about apps I use on my iPhone to help me with my cooking tasks. Somehow I managed to overlook this very handy app even though I use it more than all of the other apps. Perhaps it is because it works so easily and seamlessly I don’t even think about using it. The app is called Kitchen Calculator, by Forward Leap, LLC and it costs $1.99 at the iPhone app store. There is a Kitchen Calculator Pro that adds some features I personally don’t need, like recipe conversion and favorites. I use YummySoup on my Mac to do this type of thing. This short blog entry will describe & illustrated the features of Kitchen Calculator (Standard). You can look into Kitchen Calculator Pro to see if the additional features are something you need. Read More...
Comments

Winter Direct Grilling - 2011

First Image
This blog entry will describe some recent cooks where I pushed the envelope a bit and did some direct grilling with the lid up in the cold weather. I had learned back in 2008 that my grill was up to doing more than just indirect grilling in the cold weather. But to be honest I never imagined I’d be able to grill food AND keep the lid open for long periods of time. The last 3 cooks I have done have actually shown me it is possible, at least under certain conditions. I will still need to see exactly what the limits are, but that is a blog entry for another day. Read More...
Comments

Staggered Multi-Meat Cook

First Image
About 10 days ago I posted a blog entry on how BALTIMORE PIT BEEF was a great make ahead food to bring to a party (see PARTY FOOD SUGGESTION). I made it for a holiday party this past week. It marked the first time I’ve grilled the Eye of the Round in the Winter and I learned a couple new things I figured I’d pass on. The biggest one is a lesson about carry over cooking and the cooking temperature used. But I also learned how to cook these roasts in one overlapping session vs. two separate sessions. Read More...
Comments

Blog Comments Active For All Years

First Image
The main point of this blog entry is to let folks know that I have turned on Blog Commenting for all years and to encourage people to use it. If you want to move on to a cooking related entry you can. For those who want a little more background information, please read on there is a little more to it than that. Blog comments and how they have not worked well for me, has been a sore point with me throughout the life of this site. It isn’t that I don’t like blog comments, I do actually. Please post away and let me know what you like and dislike about a blog entry. It has been the way blog comments were implemented within the site in the past that I didn’t like. Read More...
Comments

Zyliss Mandoline Slicer

First Image
This blog will talk about mandoline slicers in general and the one I use specifically. I’ve owned my mandoline for 8 years now and frankly it has turned out to be a better investment than I imagined. I’ve used it more than I’ve expected, it has performed better than I’ve expected and it really has helped speed up my prep tasks. You also must take into account safety issues since the mandoline doesn’t care if it is your finger or a carrot that goes past it’s blade. Read More...
Comments

Party Food Suggestion

First Image
One of the results of my improving my skills at this hobby is I will often get asked to bring something for a party, and they don’t mean chips and dip. Actually some folks might say I bring some dip with me everywhere I go - but I digress. The hosts would like me to bring something grilled or smoked. In the summer this isn’t too tough because the weather is cooperative. In the cold weather around Christmas time or Superbowl Sunday it can be a challenge to do a long term smoke. For the last two years I have had a great grilled dish that I’ve brought to 4 different parties, that is relatively easy to make, can be made ahead, doesn’t need any elaborate reheating at the party and is an appropriate party food. The grilled dish in question is Baltimore Pit Beef Sandwiches. When I decided to make it the other day for a holiday party, I decided it was also worthy of a blog post. It is perfect for folks looking for something to make for the many upcoming parties this winter, or any other time of year for that matter. Read More...
Comments

Looking Back, Looking Ahead - 2011

First Image
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
This marks the 6th year where I am writing a blog near the end of the year summing up the past year. It contains several “Top 5” barbecue related lists from prior years: “Top 5 Cooks”, “Top 5 Things I’ve Learned”, “The Top 5 Mistakes Made”, and a list of “Top 5 Goals for the New Year”. In 2009 I made a change to the format and added a new list. In the past 3 years, I was lucky enough to have made some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. Since these items were also some of my favorite foods, they would automatically have to be listed as the Top 5 cooks this year. There were a lot of other great meals I made that deserved so acknowledgment. So the category I added in 2009 for “Top 5 New Items Cooked” returns again in 2011. It is intended for recipes using new foods or new techniques that turned out great. Last year I added the category: “Top 5 Grilling/Smoking Related Events”. I am keeping it but it will have a slightly different focus this year. I was not able to get out and attend and festivals, but I will list some items that were important to my pursuit of this hobby. Lastly one of my past goals had been to multi-item cooks where I grilled or smoked the entire meal, including dessert. In 2011 this finally happened in a big way and as a result I’ve added a new category for “Top 5 Sides & Desserts”. Read More...
Comments

Turkey Bone Gumbo

First Image
I had a really fun cooking experience the other day which is the subject of this blog: Gumbo. More specifically Turkey Bone Gumbo. If you’ve ever thought about making gumbo, read on. I will attempt to explain what I learned along the way. This meal attracted me on many levels. The first is I was interested in seeing what a New Orleans style gumbo really tasted like. I have a cousin who spent 15 years in New Orleans and while he hated the humidity and complained about it all the time, he Love, Love, Loved the food. Next the gumbo would make use of the left over turkey carcass I had sitting in the fridge. It used a homemade turkey stock and I’ve never made my own stock before. Another attraction was I already had many of the veggies, herbs and spices in, so it would be a relatively low cost cook. Another attraction is this recipe called for a major league roux that would take nearly 30 minutes. I’d never made made more than a 5 minute “quickie” roux and this would be a whole new ball game. So I had means, motive and opportunity. Read More...
Comments

Out of This World Mashed Potatoes

First Image
In honor of Thanksgiving, this is my second blog entry on some tasty side dishes. The TART CRANBERRY DIPPING SAUCE, an Alton Brown recipe that I wrote about in my last blog, is not a grilled or smoked side dish. But instead it substitutes for gravy for turkey or chicken. This next dish, which can be used year round, is also from an Alton Brown recipe. This time was from his Good Eats TV show and is called Out of This World Mashed Potatoes. 3 years ago, I was making what proved to be the best pork roast I’ve ever had and I wanted to make my own mashed potatoes. At first I was put off by the fact the recipe called for the use of a Food Mill, a piece of equipment I did not own. Nor did I intend to own one. As I searched through recipes I found most of the best ones called for the use of a food mill or ricer. So it was back to Alton Brown’s recipe and I bought a food mill. I have never regretted that decision, since the recipe makes the best mashed potatoes I have ever had. Read More...
Comments

Tart Cranberry Dipping Sauce

First Image
No this item isn’t grilled or smoked, but it is the perfect compliment to a grilled or smoked turkey or chicken. So much so that while I’ve had jellied cranberry sauce around the last two years, it has stayed in the fridge due to lack of interest. The recipe is easy to make, but their are a couple gotcha’s I need to tell you about along the way. Read More...
Comments

Brining 101

First Image
This blog entry is too late for this Thanksgiving, but there is still Christmas and New Years and other holidays to come. The reason I am writing this blog is the large amount of people I’ve run into who have heard brining is a great way to do turkey, but haven’t tried it. These folks are afraid of it for one reason or another: it’s too hard, too much work, the turkey will be too salty etc. I was one of those folks myself up until about 5 years ago. Now I would never make a turkey without brining it. There are already some great tutorials on brining at sites like Cook’s Illustrated and the Virtual Weber Bullet. I am not going to go in great depth into the science of brining. I am going to model this a bit after my recent Cold Weather Smoking blog entry where I go through the various phases and list the key things to know. Some of these items are from the “School of Hard Knocks” and some will be tips. Read More...
Comments

Dutch Oven

First Image
Did you ever have something that you really didn’t think you needed, but then you get it and you wonder why you went so long without it? This blog is about a pan I use in both indoor and outdoor cooking, that I never knew I wanted almost right up until the point I bought it. That pan is the Dutch oven. This heavy cast iron pan can go from the stove to the oven to the grill or any combination of those in any order. It is VERY versatile in terms of what you cook in it. It is good for boiling, baking, braising, frying, roasting. plus other types of cooking and is quite easy to clean when you are done. Read More...
Comments

To Know Where You Are Going, You Must Know Where You’ve Been

First Image
For too many reasons to mention, I haven’t been grilling lately. I was trying to come up with something to write about for a blog entry and was drawing a blank. This morning I was surfing some BBQ related related message boards and a post I read gave me my topic. I might call it Mods Mania, but let me not get ahead of myself. The post in question took a CG Trio, which is CG’s combination gas grill, charcoal grill and offset charcoal smoker and used the cannibalized guts of a gas grill to add gas grill burners to the SFB (Side Fire Box) for the offset smoker. This got me to thinking about the many posts I see by eager new owners unboxing their grills and then rushing to pimp them out. They end up adding almost anything and everything. One of these days I am sure I will see an AM/FM stereo. I will use the CG in this blog because that is what I own, but the same is true of any other grill. This blog isn’t going to necessarily discourage you from doing non-sanctioned mods to your smoker, but it is going to suggest a wait and see approach. I’ll also touch on gas and charcoal grill mods too. Read More...
Comments

When Life Hands You Lemons-Make Maple Wood Chunks

First Image
Once again events outside my control have kept me away from the grill and smoker. Those of you who live in the Northeast know all about the October Nor’easter that tore it’s way up the coast on October 29th of this year. Here in Massachusetts this was the earliest we’d ever gotten this much accumulating snow. Now normally 8” of snow is not a problem around here. But where this snow storm was nearly a month earlier than normal, the leaves were still in the trees. The snow was of heavy wet, sticky variety. It stuck to everything. It that wasn’t enough, try throwing in strong winds with gusts in the 40’s. The forecasters had warned of power outages and my lights were out only 2 1/2 hours into the storm. Normally I have lots of branches come down from the 100 foot plus pine trees in the woods in my backyard, but strangely not this time around. For this storm it was primarily the hardwoods, which still had their leaves, that took the majority of the damage. Around here we were without power for 4-5 days, but fortunately it got into the 50’s about a day after the storm. So for most folks in the state, they didn’t have to worry about their pipes freezing due to lack of heat. The big problem, which has kept me busy for 8 days straight after the lights caee back on was tree damage. But this problem is also an opportunity. Read More...
Comments

Cue Calendar 2012 Posted

First Image
This year marks the 6th year of my doing a calendar of pictures from my Previous years grilling and smoking efforts. I’ve just posted the pictures from this coming year’s calendar to the Calendars section of this site. The calendars have proven surprisingly popular. Several years ago I added the Calendars section to this site based on feedback from folks who had seen the calendars in person. The calendars are made using Apple’s iPhoto and the first year I made one more out of curiosity than anything else. After that first year I started getting requests, first from family and then friends to get a copy of the calendar. As of this year I will be having 12 printed up.
So here is the direct link to the 2012 Cue Calendar picture pages and a link to a previous year’s blog entry on making calendars in iPhoto.

RELATED PICTURE ENTRIES:
  CUE CAL 2012 -2012 CUE CAL PICTURE ENTRY
  CALENDARS - PICTURE ENTRIES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS CALENDARS

RELATED BLOG ENTRIES:
  CALENDARS WITH IPHOTO 2008 Blog Entry

  BACK TO BBQ BLOG 2011
  ARCHIVE OF BLOGS: 2011
  INDEX OF BLOGS: ALL YEARS
Comments

Cold Weather Smoking - 2011 Version - Part 2

First Image
In Part 1 of this blog on Cold Weather Smoking, I talked about some of the big picture items you needed to have in place or think about before smoking in the cold weather. Part 2 below, picks up where Part 1 left off and covers the day you are actually smoking your food. Read More...
Comments

Cold Weather Smoking - 2011 Version - Part 1

First Image
I was recently answering a question on a message board about Winter smoking and I was thinking of keeping it simple and referring to several blogs on Winter smoking that I’d written here in the past. When I read those three entries I saw there was some good information in all of them, but my thinking on some of these items have evolved over time. Plus I’ve also learned some more since then too. So I hit the high points in my message board reply and I’ve been thinking about doing a more comprehensive blog entry on Winter smoking ever since. It took me a while but here we go. It ended up getting lengthy enough that I am going to split it up into two entries. The first part will be about some big picture items you should have in place before you begin smoking in the Winter. It will also talk about steps to deal with the weather. Part 2 will discuss the actual process of smoking in the Winter and the changes you will need to make to your normal routine. Read More...
Comments

A New Hard Drive Doesn't Have to Be Hard

First Image
WARNING: This blog entry is on the GREAT experience I just had replacing the hard drive on my 17: MacBook Pro Early 2009 laptop and the company that helped make it great. It also discusses the cause of the major slowdown I experienced. If you are looking for a que-based topic go to the next or previous topics. Read More...
Comments

BBQ Blog Archive - Site Improvement

First Image
While I definitely like Version 2.0 of this site, created in RapidWeaver, far better than the iWeb version; there are still things that I’ll have to admit I like the way iWeb did it better. One of them is the Blog Archive page type. On the blog archive page type was a chronological listing of all of the blog entries for that blog. In my case, where I split the blog up by years, it was a chronological listing from most recent to oldest. I finally got around to adding a Blog Archive this weekend, and it gives you another way to access and find the blog entry you might be looking for. Read More...
Comments

Reynolds Foil for the Grill

First Image
This quick blog entry is on a new type of aluminum foil that I’ve been using since the spring. In the last few days I’ve been using it quite a bit and two things occurred to me. First this new product may not have shown up on some folks radar screens. Particularly if you tend to really stock up on foil like I do, or if you aren’t the person who does the food shopping. Secondly this foil might be worth a blog entry. Read More...
Comments

These Cups Measure Up

First Image
This past Sunday I was making Paella and I had 4 different tasks to do which I used the same tool to them with. I had to measure out some liquids, I had to measure out some rice, I had to heat a small amount of liquid to a boil and I had to melt a small amount of butter. For all of these I used my metal measuring cups. It occurred to me it might be worth a short blog entry on this most useful prep tool, whose benefits you might not be aware of unless you’ve actually used them. Behold the metal measuring cup. Read More...
Comments

Getting Misty-Misto Mister

First Image
As I was making the NAAN WITH CUMIN recipe the other day, and I started using two of my Misto Olive Oil Sprayers, it occurred to me they would be a suitable blog topic. I write blog entries from time to time about gear that makes my cooking or prep chores easier or better. I’ve been using Misto sprayers steadily for 8 years now and I wouldn’t want to be without them. I actually have three that I keep filled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Olive Oil and Canola Oil and they get used all the time. Read More...
Comments

Grilled Cod Escabeche

First Image
This blog entry is on a very interesting Fish recipe from FIRE IT UP! called GRILLED COD ESCABECHE which I made recently. The recipe interested me on several levels. First of all it used a very spicy sounding rub and marinade, which always a plus for me. But what I found even more interesting was the fact the marinade wasn’t used before the cod was grilled, but after. Yes you read that right the marinade went on after. That was more than enough to get my interest. Read More...
Comments

Fire It Up! - Cookbook Review

First Image
There are three cookbook author’s whose newest efforts I will always buy without even looking inside. The first author is Stephen Raichlen, the second is Jamie Purveyance who authors Weber’s cookbooks. Lastly is Andrew Schloss and David Joachim whose last cookbook MASTERING THE GRILL is among my top three favorite cookbooks. Fire It Up! is their second effort. I was walking through Barnes & Noble and saw this book on a shelf with other new offerings I turned it over to read the description on the back cover. When I saw it was by the authors of MASTERING THE GRILL, I simply started walking to the cash register. Read More...
Comments

Grate Foods - Part 4 - Cedar Planked Grilling

First Image
This 4 part blog entry on Grate Foods will conclude with Cedar Planked Grilling. Many people think of salmon or fish when they think of cedar planked grilling, but it can be used with almost any type of food. Thus far I’ve plank grilled salmon, chicken thighs and meatloaf. The big picture definition of the process is a flat cedar plank is soaked in water for a minimum of an hour. The plank is then preheated on the grill for about 10 minutes until it is beginning to smolder. The food is then placed on top of the plank and is basically indirect grilled with smoke while sitting on top of the plank. The cedar smoke imparts a wonderful flavor to the food. The cedar plank serves a multitude of purposes. First it serves as a “pan” to cook the food on and protect it from the harsh direct heat of the grill. Next it imparts a great smoke flavor to the food. Lastly it serves as an interesting serving platter when the food is cooked. Read More...
Comments

Grate Foods - Part 3 - Pinwheel Roasts

First Image
Grate Foods - Part 3 will cover pinwheel roasts. This tasty treat typically consists of a piece of flank or skirt steak which has been butterflied to make it even thinner than normal so it can be rolled easily. Into this large thin piece of steak goes a thin but continuous layer of any variety of tasty fillings. The steak gets rolled up and tied and it is off to the grill. What comes off the grill is a hearty roast, bursting with flavor. Each bite is a little different from the last. If this sounds interesting please read on. Read More...
Comments

Grate Foods - Part 2 - Koftas

First Image
This blog entry with the corny name is Part 2 of a series of entries where I discuss items that I”d never heard of or tasted before I began getting serious about grilling. This entry is on the kofta. The kofta is known by various names across the world. Koftas are typically a minced meat such as beef or lamb, highly seasoned and often mixed with onions. There are many variations including fish or vegetable koftas, but I plan to discuss meat koftas. In the Middle East they are often mixed and then hand-shaped into a cylindrical shape around a skewer and they get grilled. Since they are meat on a stick, I have classified them on this site as kebabs. I have made koftas several times know and I can tell you they taste incredible! That part I have down is the flavor. It is getting them to hold together while grilling, is what I am still working on. Read More...
Comments

Steve Jobs

First Image
It is now about a week since Steve Jobs announced his retirement as the CEO of Apple Inc. I’ve debated whether to do this blog entry about my thoughts about the man, who has influenced the lives of just about every person who uses technology. After all this is a website about BBQ and grilling. But the bottom line is: This is my site after all, so I can write about anything that strikes my fancy. Apple products have been a part of my daily business and personal life for the last 22 years. I simply couldn’t let this sad announcement go by without a comment. If you are looking for BBQ please move on. Read More...
Comments

Grate Foods - Part 1 - Paella

First Image
Please pardon the corny pun. The inspiration of this blog was a picture post I made recently to the Barbecue Bible Message board. Many folks that posted replies said they had never tried paella but wanted to try one soon. This got me thinking about what were some of the other types of food I’ve tried on the grill, that were new to me. If they were new to me, they might be new to you and you might be missing out on something good. After doing some thinking I came up with four such foods: Paellas, koftas, pinwheel roasts (matambre) and cedar planked foods. I will spit this entry into 4 parts covering one of these foods per part. I strongly encourage you to try your hand at any and all of these items you may not have eaten. Our lead off item is Paellas. Read More...
Comments

Grillin' & Smokin' v2.0

Grillin & Smokin v2-Blog-420x200
Welcome to Grillin’ and Smokin’ version 2.0. Repeat visitors may be a little surprised to see the new look of the site. Believe me I am just about as surprised about it as you. A little over two months ago I never would have imagined this myself. But then Apple announced they were going to eliminate their Mobile Me web hosting service. Plus they seem to be no longer updating the iWeb software that I used to create this site. I basically had a year to find a new host and it seemed to make sense to switch to a new software package that was being actively developed. So after a couple months of work using new software and finding a new web host I am opening the doors to a new version of this site. There is a longer version to this story which I may make the subject of a future blog entry, but for now this blog will be the short version of the story, where I tell you what’s new or different with this site. Read More...
Comments

Same Site New URL

05-22-11-B-Same Site New URL-log-420x200
Effective last week this website has a new URL you can use to get here: http://grillinsmokin.com.

This new URL is shorter and much easier to remember than http://web.me.com/jmahoney . The old URL will still work, but I found folks had trouble remembering the original URL. It certainly wasn’t what I would have picked if I had my choice in the matter. So please feel free to visit often using either the new or the old URLs!

Comments

Name Games - Just Say No to GoDaddy

05-21-11-Name Games - Just Say No to GoDaddy
WARNING: This blog entry is a rant about what happened when I tried to rename this site so the URL that folks used was easier to input. Now if you are reading this entry for something about Grilling or Smoking, you won’t find it here. The only smoke you will find is any still coming out of my ears, because I am still angry. But if you are thinking of finding a host for your new or existing website or renaming your site, read on. Let me warn you it isn’t pretty. It is the tail of two companies, one company that can’t seem to stoop low enough and one which is the exact opposite.
Read More...
Comments

Serious BBQ

05-15-11-Blog-Serious BBQ
This blog is a review of Serious Barbecue by Adam Perry Lang which I’ve used to make some of the best grilled or smoke meals I’ve ever done. Some of the dishes I’ve made from here are head and shoulders above the previous best versions of these dishes I’ve made. But it is not all perfection, this book has some flaws and downsides to it as well. Read More...
Comments

Flat Top Griddle Grate

IMG_1037-Full-Version 2-Blog-420x315
This blog describes the flat top griddle grate that I bought with my grill and until the last year rarely used. It explains why I’ve suddenly seen the light. I’ve had my grill for 8 years now, almost 9, and one of the big selling features for me was the modular grill grates that could be replaced by other items, a cast iron drip pan, a cast iron pan with a cover and a flat top griddle. The flat top griddle could be flipped to use a side with ridges to put “grill like” marks on the cooked food. For 7 of those nearly 9 years I used the griddle a grand total of twice. For the last year I’ve begun to use it regularly and really appreciate it’s usefulness. So why the change? Well to be honest I can sometimes be a bit rigid in my beliefs and sometimes I try to color inside the lines at all times. Now if you are wondering why you should care, let me mention that while my griddle was a custom accessory meant to replace a grill grate - they also make grill griddles intended to sit on top of the grates of most any grill. Read on to see why you might want to invest in a griddle. Read More...
Comments

Where in the World? BBQ Trail Map

Screen shot 2011-05-13 at 7.17.44 AM-Blog-420x315
I’ve added a new area on this site showing on a map where some of the recipes on this site originate from. It began from a general curiosity on my part to see where the things I’ve made come from. Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 7

A Few of My Favorite Things Part 7-Col-420x200
This entry will conclude the A Few of My Favorite Things series and cover my favorites from the Kebabs, Other, Soups & Stews, Salads, Sides & Desserts Sections of this site. I was torn on the best Stew so I picked two. Clicking the Link for the recipe name will take you to the picture page for that recipe, where you can learn a little more about the recipe plus get the Cookbook name, Recipe name & Page Number for that recipe. Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 6

A Few of My Favorite Things Part 6-Col-420x200
Picking back up and continuing where I left off from the blog entry A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 6, this blog entry will cover items from the Vegetables Section of my site. I will mention to people that I tend to be a meat and potatoes kinda guy when it comes to veggies. So besides having two potato entries, this list may be the most personal one of this entire blog series. Other than grilled corn which is another favorite, the rest of these tend to fall in the category of: “Well if I have to have a veggie, I like these. So I guess what I am trying to say (and not very well so far), is you might want to try some of the other entries in my Vegetables section, because many of them were big hits with the true veggie lovers. Each item has the recipe name and a thumbnail of the cookbook the recipe came from. In the case of a thumbnail with a generic web link symbol, the recipe came from an internet source. Clicking on the recipe name link will bring you to the picture page for that recipe, where you can learn more about the recipe and its source-either the cookbook name, and page number or a link to the website. Read More...
Comments

Be My Guest-New Guestbook

05-02-11-Blog-420x200
I’ll be taking a temporary break from my blog series A Few of My Favorite Things to announce I am using a new Guestbook service for this site. Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 5

04-28-11-Blog-A Few of My Favorite Things-05-420x200
Continuing on from the blog entry A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 4, this blog entry will cover items from the Pork Section of my site. Clicking the Link for the recipe name will take you to the picture page for that recipe, where you can learn a little more about the recipe, plus get the Cookbook name, Recipe name & Page Number for that recipe. Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 4

04-26-11-Blog-A Few of My Favorite Things-04-420x200
Continuing on with this blog series A Few of My Favorite Things, Part 4 of this blog entry will cover items from the Fish and Lamb Sections of my site. I was debating whether to include a grilled fish entry, since there is only one grilled fish item on my site. I decided to go ahead and include it, because while there is only one item of the site, I’ve grilled quite a bit if fish in the days prior to my site and the item I am listing is the best grilled fish I’ve turned out. Clicking the Link for the recipe name will take you to the picture page for that recipe, where you can learn a little more about the recipe, plus get the Cookbook name, Recipe name & Page Number for that recipe. Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 3

04-25-11-Blog-A Few of My Favorite Things-03-420x200
Continuing on from the blog entry A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 2, this blog entry will cover items from the Poultry Section of my site. These items will be various Chicken or Turkey recipes only. I didn’t include any duck because I’ve only made 2 duck recipes and that is hardly a wide range of things to chose from. I will add that those two recipes were in fact excellent. Clicking the Link for the recipe name will take you to the picture page for that recipe, where you can learn a little more about the recipe, plus get the Cookbook name, Recipe name & Page Number for that recipe. Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 2

Few of My Favorite Things-Pt 2-420x220
Following on the heels of A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 1, this blog entry will cover items from my site that are served on some form of bread: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Panini, Pizza, Quesadilas or Sandwiches. Clicking the Link for the recipe name will take you to the picture page for that recipe, where you can learn a little more about the recipe. Clicking the Cookbook thumbnail will bring you to the Recipe source page where you can get the Cookbook name, Recipe name & Page Number for that recipe.
Read More...
Comments

A Few of My Favorite Things - Pt. 1

My Favorite Things-Pt 1-Collage
I made some chicken wings the other day from a recipe called: CALGARY HOT WINGS, that I felt were in the Top 3 best Wings I’ve ever made. This got me to thinking: What were the best wings I’ve made and that led to the idea for this blog. What were some of the best items and recipes I’ve made over the years? This blog entry will cover the Beef Section of my site. Clicking the Cookbook thumbnail will bring you to the Recipe source page where you can get the Cookbook name, Recipe name & Page Number for that recipe. Read More...
Comments

Coring Roma Tomatoes - Quick Tip

IMG_4587-Blog-420x315
This is one of those blog entries where I’ve realized something I’ve been doing, and taking for granted, may not be general knowledge. People see something in one of the pictures I share and ask me about it. In this case no less than 3 folks all spotted the same thing in one picture of Roma tomatoes I was using in a batch of CHICKEN & VEAL ARABIATTA. The recipe called for the tomatoes to be cut in half and cored and seeded. I used a method I’ve been using now for several years to make quick work of this task and it turns out it was of interest to 3 different folks. Sounded worthy of a blog entry to me. Read More...
Comments

Bowled Over

IMG_0902-Blog-420x200
People are always commenting on my use of glass bowls to measure out my various ingredients. Most of the time it is in the form of a back handed compliment, about how they wish they could stand being that organized or that all of the extra dishes are not worth it. Well I may be crazy, but not with regard to using the bowls. There are some very sound reasons for doing this which I shall attempt to explain in this blog entry.
Read More...
Comments

Immersion Blender

IMG_4625-Blog-420x200
It took me awhile to appreciate the need for an Immersion Blender. These handy devices are also known as Stick Blenders or Hand Blenders. After all I already owned a very good Braun Blender and a Cuisinart Food Processor, what would an Immersion Blender do for me? Not having a concrete answer for this question is what kept me from getting an Immersion blender for years. This year I finally took the plunge and used some Christmas money to buy one in January. This also corresponded to when I started making a lot of soups or stews. Now that I’ve owned one for a while I wouldn’t want to be without it. This blog will cover my selection process and what I’ve learned using my Immersion Blender.
Read More...
Comments

5 Years and Counting

Picture 13-Blog-420x200
I was recently adding some banner graphics to some of the pages site to help freshen up the picture pages, and I noticed that the dates for the first picture posts on the site were January 26, 2006. This meant the site had been live for over 5 years now. Though I’d managed to miss the 5th anniversary date, I still figured some words were in order. This blog may be of interest to me and me only, but it is my site so complaining to the owner about it isn’t going to help. Read More...
Comments

Grilling Season is Around the Corner

03-14-11-IMG_3825-Blog-420x315
This blog entry is one part celebration that warm weather and the so-called “Grilling Season” is just around the corner, and two parts rant that the “Grilling Season” even exists. Every year I get frustrated that you have to jump through hoops to grill or smoke through the Winter. To those who say “Grilling Season” is around the corner, IMHO Grilling season is year round. Read More...
Comments

Webers Time to Grill

shapeimage_2-1
I’ve written blog entries about cookbooks I’ve liked before, there is nothing new about that. But this time out I am writing a blog entry about a cookbook I haven’t even used yet. I am so excited about this particular cookbook, I can’t wait to get the word out. It is Weber’s Time to Grill by Jamie Purviance, author of Weber’s line of grilling cookbooks. I am a big fan of Jamie Purviance’s Weber cookbooks dating back to Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. I have made over 50 recipes from his books and they have all been very good, if not excellent. That is why after looking through this book yesterday I can recommend it without even trying any of the recipes. Let me first give a little background before talking about this latest book. Read More...
Comments

Smoked Stews

IMG_4234-Full-3648x2736-Blog-420x315
In 2009 I’d discovered the wonders of grilled soups as documented in my 2009 blog entry SOUPS ON. It has been a year or so since I made some soup on the grill, but circumstances forced me to find a good one pot meal that could go on the road. You see my mother and father had both suffered unrelated injuries which made it difficult to get in and out of the car. Rather than cancel our regular Saturday afternoon dinners, I said I would figure out something to make that I could bring over to their house. All they had to do was sit down and eat, I would take care of all of the food. Grilled soups immediately came to mind. I could make them and bring them over in the pot and if needed, continue to heat them on the stove. My parents don’t have a grill or smoker in their backyard, but everyone has a stove or oven. Yes I did say oven, more on that later. As it turned out instead of grilled soups, I began making stews using the smoker. I managed to find a bunch of stews and one soup that were different enough from each other our meals didn’t turn into too much of a good thing. This blog will describe what I’ve learned about the wonders of smoked stews and stews in general. Some it will be old news to folks who regularly make their own soups, but perhaps you’ve never used your smoker to make a great thing better. Read More...
Comments

Veggie Chopper

CRW_8965-Blog-420x315
I have been using this Williams-Sonoma veggie chopper for about a year and a half now and I certainly wouldn’t want to go back to the days before. In talking to folks about them and reading user comments about various models, I find they are a very personal tool. The same tool can be the greatest thing since sliced bread for one person and a dud for someone else. In this blog I will talk about the one I use: The Full Sized Vegetable Chop & Measure by Williams-Sonoma. Read More...
Comments

Electric Knife - MVP

CRW_9007-Version 2-Blog-420x315
I’ve owned and used an electric knife for 25 years and I’ve yet to find a better knife at any price that does a better job carving not only meats, but bread based meals. There are some tasks I’ve found impossible to do without the use of an electric knife. Interestingly I run across so many people who say they own an electric knife, but never think to use it. This blog entry will attempt to persuade you why you should own an electric knife and why you should use it.

I have developed a real Love/Hate relationship with this knife due to ongoing reliability problems. I discuss these in a 2014 blog entry called FAILS & QUALIFIED SUCCESS Read More...
Comments

Know Your Limits - Smoker

IMG_4015-Blog-420x200
As I mentioned in my previous blog entry KNOW YOUR LIMITS - GAS GRILL, I recently did two cooks that pushed the limits of what I could do with my current gas grill and smoker. In the case of my grill, I simply couldn’t wait for warmer weather to try a GRILLED BREAKFAST PIZZA that wasn’t really a good candidate for cooking in cold weather. The smoker meal was a case of ignorance and sad to say arrogance. I have gotten to the point where I feel like I can cook on the smoker in all but the most extreme weather. This has led to my not paying attention to the weather like I used to. For last Saturday’s dinner with my parents, I picked my meal without even knowing what the weather for Saturday was going to be like. As a result I picked an inappropriate recipe and committed to making it before I knew what I had actually gotten myself into. Read More...
Comments

Know Your Limits - Gas Grill

IMG_3905-Full-3648x2736-Blog-420x200
Within the space of a week I’ve had two different cooks, one on my gas grill and one on my smoker, where I’ve pushed the envelope of what I can do with this particular equipment at this time of year. I couldn’t have done it without the knowledge I’ve built up over the last few years and I learned a few new things in the process. One borderline cook was due to my impatience to try a particular recipe that was better left to warmer weather. The other was a case of my not paying attention to the weather forecast until it was too late. This blog entry will cover the GRILLED BREAKFAST PIZZA I made on my gas grille. A future entry will cover the WILDLY STUFFED TURKEY BREAST and BBQ RICE PILAF that I made on my smoker. Read More...
Comments

Fish Spatula

IMG_6688-Blog-420x200
This short blog reflects a recent, and somewhat surprising experience I recently had. I was out shopping with a friend and we swung by the grilling department in a couple stores. I wanted to see what charcoal they had in during the Winter. My friend is a griller too, but I’d call him a casual griller. We we over looking at the grill accessories to see what was new and I spotted a fish spatula. I was looking it over to see how it compared to the Steven Raichlen Best of BBQ Fish Spatula I already owned. As I was looking it over I asked my friend: “You have a fish spatula don’t you??” I was rather surprised at the answer: “No, but I don’t really cook fish on the grill.” Now I don’t cook a whole lot of fish on the grill, but I do get a lot of use out of my own fish spatula. As I was explaining some of the uses I put my fish spatula to, it occurred to me that others may think the same way. Read More...
Comments

Winter Grilling - 2011

IMG_3825-Blog-420x315
This has been a strange Winter around here. Our first snow didn’t come until a couple days before Christmas. Most years we can have snow anytime from a week or so before Thanksgiving on. This year our first snow was a dusting three days before Christmas. But starting the day after Christmas with a blizzard and continuing through January, we have had medium to large sized snow storms every couple days including another blizzard. I’ve been using my smoker throughout the Winter ever since I got it. In the Winter of 2008/2009 I discovered my current gas grill could also be used throughout the Winter. This has meant as long as I am willing to go out in the cold or snow, there are very few items I can’t make year round. I actually don’t mind the Winter cold and I like it better than the extreme heat of the Summer. You can simply add more layers of clothes and stay warm in the Winter. This is as opposed to Summer, where at some point you have no more clothes to take off. About the only thing that I can’t make in the Winter is paellas, because with Paellas you spend a large amount of time with the grill open. Thanks to a new recipe, I’ve even grilled pizzas 3 times this Winter. This blog will describe some of the new lessons I’ve learned, plus reinforce some old lessons.
Read More...
Comments

Another Year Another Charcoal

IMG_3797-Blog-420x315
I am beginning to get a bit frustrated because every time I find a charcoal I like, it suddenly becomes hard to find. The latest charcoal I am trying is Stubbs All-Natural Hardwood Briquettes. This blog will talk about the benefits of all natural briquettes and my first impressions of Stubbs. Read More...
Comments

What is in it For Me

IMG_6663-Blog-420x315
Bad weather and some other circumstances have kept me away from the grill and smoker more than I would have liked recently. I’ve been itching to get back outside on the grill, but this lull has also given me time to think about what I like so much about grilling and smoking. That train of thought was the seed of this blog entry. Read More...
Comments

Expect the Unexpected - 2011 Version

01-12-11-Blog-420x200
My last cook of 2010 was a wonderful Lechon Asado (Barbecued Pork). The pork shoulder was bigger than I originally wanted and I was expecting a very long cook. Fortunately I decided to cover my bets and instead of resting and starting the sides and the bread later in the morning, I got them started as soon as I got the pork shoulder on the grill. When the roast finished up 3 hours early, I was able to scramble a bit and get everything done. This blog will describe this cook which had multiple surprises and how it pays to expect the unexpected. Read More...
Comments