The Derbyshire Invitational

My Posse’s on Breakfast Sandwiches (yikes)

This last week I was fortunate enough to receive into my kitchen two world class chefs visiting from their retreat in Vermont. Yes, both SmokeBerg and SmokeNor came to visit and while here, they made Yankee Breakfast Sandwiches. They are Yankee because onions and jalapenos went into the cream sauce. Also the recipe came straight from Bobby Flay, who as we all know is a Yankee. I’m not too sure if the word Yankee has any more social relevance but alas, I’ve already typed it and I’m sure as hell not going to go back and delete it. This is an amateur blog. Give me a break. I’m not going to do it.

The Process:

1) Green onions were added to a whole slew of eggs along with salt and pepper. They were scrambled.

2) Jalapenos and Onions were diced and placed in a pan to sweat.

3) Patty Sausage was cooked in a roasting rack of all places. Although not shown, bacon was cooked in the oven as well.

4) Grease from the sausage and bacon was added to the onions and jalapeños along with some milk and some a.p. flour. Brought to boil and then reduced.

5) English muffins were toasted with butter under the broiler.

6) The Sandwiches were assembled.

7) Deliciousness was had.

Thanks to SmokeBerg and SmokeNor for all of the pics and good times.

According to rumors and lies, Smoked Turkey Legs will be coming soon. I’m just sayin. Until next time Smokeheads.

-SmokeHopper

The Mystery of Wellington Balthazar

Alright stop, collaborate and Brussel sprouts. (suicide)



















So its Friday night, and I'm kicking it in with Psmoke and PLENTY of ladies. Plenty. Plenty. Anyway.....Brussle sprouts. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with red onions, rosemary, thyme and Spanish Paprika. I love Brussel Sprouts, and if you dont...I hate you. Get out.

Step one:
Get Hungry for delicious food. Hardcore.

Step two:
Phone your Nanna and tell her you wont be around next week because of that wedding.

Step Three:
Chop the stem off, Split in Half, put in bag.



















Step 4:
Get Some rosemary from my backyard. Chop it.


























Also Chop Thyme


















Next: Onion














































I'm trying to use less oil so I added a tablespoon for the whole bag. I probably could have gotten away with 2 teaspoons.























Add a bunch of salt pepper and the smoked paprika. (Pendery's) The paprika gives them a great color and a little kick. Fantastic.


















Mix it.


















Put the mix in a roasting pan.









































Oven at 450, for about 30 mins. They came out all Caramelized. Pretty Much Stunnin Like your Daddy.


















Serve like that, or with a vinaigrette of some sort.

Also Eat the Pan.


















More meat related posts soon. I got a new camera so pretty much i have the fever. The only cure more amateur blogging.

Arnold and Babe

Like I said in the editorial comment below, ambitiousness took a back seat to laziness and a good nights sleep in my bed. So the brisket didnt happen. That being said, I'll be damned if the ribs didn't turn out better than the last batch we did. Modified the rub a little, and made a little more for future use. Rub went as follows:

4 tablespoon chile piquin

4 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon smoked paprika

3 tablespoon mustard seed

I also used a Hawaiian coarse rock salt (pictured above at upper left) bought at Central Market and fresh peppercorns from Pendery's that added a lot of flavor. After Smokehopper turned me onto the benefits of fresh ground spices, I am not sure I will go back to that pre-packaged nonsense. Used the famous 3-2-1 method again. Once I pulled Arnold and Babe out of the smoker I covered Arnold in a thin layer of BBQ sauce to see how it complemented the flavor of the rub/spices. After trying both, I have to say that there was no sauce needed. The sauce aided in reducing the strength of pungenticity of the spices, but thats about it. The slab without the sauce was ridiculous by itself. Here are some pics:

(New Residence of El Smokeador)

(Piquins in grinder)

(Finished Rub)

(Arnold)

(Arnold and Babe rubbed sin mustard)

(Arnold con mustard)

(In their home for three hours)

(After three hours in the smoke and two in foil in the oven at 225. The kitty didn't get it)

(After 3 hours in the smoke, 2 in the oven and 1 more in the smoke)

(Sliced with flash)

(Sliced no flash)

Sorry the last couple of pics didn't turn out that great. I was having camera problems and was dealing with a cut on the ol' slicing finger. Some of those bones on the inside are incredibly tough to saw through, so make sure you have good knives.

I still have the brisket and plan on putting it on about 6 this Friday night ready to slice by 7 on Saturday. Pics might follow. I bought some new salt today and was told that it was a better smoking salt. I don't think the guy really knew what he was talking about, but neither do I so we will see. Till then, Green Acres is the place to be.

225 or the kitty gets it

t- 10 hours.  the longest blog post in the history of internet based bbq dfw related blog posts.  its coming.  someone should get smokehopper off his ass.  sorry parents and grandparents for saying ass. 

bought today :

11lb brisket

1 slab of rib

1 slab of rib

8 oz of Hawaiian sea salt

8 oz fresh peppercorn

8oz smoked paprika

1 candy cane (not used but in my stomach nonetheless)

8oz chili piquin

and some other stuff that we dont want to divulge.   it is arriving soon.  blog.

result? =>>???  greatness

editorial comment: didnt get around to the brisket today.  rib pics and not so longest post in the history of internet  based dfw bbq centric blogs coming tomorrow.

Winter Blast 2009

Be safe dear readers, tonight we will suffer through the worst storm since Winter Blast 2008. As of 7pm this evening the freezing rain has begun and without fail tomorrow work will be cancelled. All because of a thin sheet of ice that will no doubt melt by noon. Enjoy the time off. Tonight, for the sake of content, I made marinara sauce and angel hair pasta in honor of................ Chef Boyar G's.

That's from a throwaway sketch from this season of SNL. It has gotten progressively better as the weeks go on, eventually reaching this season's highlight, Gilley. But that is for another post. There will be several updates over the next couple of weeks as the Superbowl is this weekend and there will be much smoking of meats, especially ribs. I might do a brisket for good measure as well. We will have to see. Onto the marinara.

Ingredients:

(not pictured: Roma tomatoes and pasta)

Steps:

1) Halve 6 Roma tomatoes and cover them in olive oil, salt and pepper. Dont use too much olive oil unless you REALLY like olive oil, then do as you must. Roast tomatoes in oven for 1 hour at 375.

2) Chop 2 smallish white onions (I bought mine in a bag of 6 at the local grocer), 2 cloves of garlic and half a small container of portabella muhrooms.

3) With 15 minutes to go on the tomatoes, add chopped onions to 2 tablespoons of heated olive oil and cook (on medium high heat) until yellowish brown. Add sea salt as you go but not much. About a teaspoon will suffice.

4) After the onions are that yellowish brown stir in the garlic and cook for a few minutes.

5) Once you can smell the deliciousness of the onions and garlic, only a few minutes, stir in your chopped mushrooms, crushed red pepper (a bigger than small pinch) and cover on medium heat.

6) When the tomatoes have had a chance to cool down a bit, throw them in a blender and blend until you have a nice sauce. Six Roma's should give you about 2 cups of sauce. I like to use about 3 cups of sauce in my marinara, but this will be fine. Do the math yourself.

7) Once the tomatoes are sauced, add them to the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cut up one small hand fulls of chopped fresh parsley and add to the sauce. I also added a couple turns of the pepper cracker, but only because I got some new peppercorns from Pendrey's and wanted to use it. Stir it up real good and cover on medium heat.

8) Add pasta to boiling water and wait. I used angel hair, but you can do what you want. This blog is not intended to tell you how to boil water or what boiled water looks like, so there will be no picture for this step.

9) Continue to stir sauce until it has reduced a little and has more of a red tint to it. Repeat.

10) After about 45 minutes your sauce should be good and ready. Strain your pasta and add to sauce for 5 or 10 more minutes on the medium heat.

Put it on your plate and eat. Let it cool a bit or you will burn your mouth. That is it.

Ribs are coming.