Upcoming Project (Rib-Redo)

I was not very happy with the tenderness of the previous ribs in the first post that got this entire blog started, so I enlisted the assistance of Mr. Al-Repp for his favorite (seen below) and I really want to get started on the tonight...

Ingredients

• 6 pounds pork spareribs
• Dry rub:
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno seasoning salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Mop Sauce:
• 1 cup apple cider
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups wood chips, soaked

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, kosher salt, cumin, cinnamon, jalapeno seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Rub generously onto the pork spareribs. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
2. Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect heat, or preheat a smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). While the grill heats up, prepare the mop sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, lemon juice, jalapeno, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper.
3. When the coals are gray and ashed over, place 2 handfuls of soaked woodchips directly on them. Place the ribs on the grill grate bone side down. Cover, and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Add more coals as needed. Baste with the mop sauce, and throw handfuls of soaked woodchips onto the coals every hour. Keep the temperature of the grill or smoker from going below 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Ribs are done when the rub has created a wonderful crispy blackened 'bark', and the meat has pulled away from the bone. Discard any leftover mop sauce. 

-Thank you Al-Repp

Drunk Chicken

So, while mowing, I decided that I was not busy enough and smoked a chicken.  I placed my dry rub under the skin and all over the entire bird.  Results were mixed for me.  I'm going to try Dr. Pepper next time instead of beer.  I used an instant meat thermometer instead of the iGrill.  Maybe after they get it working reliably I'll go back to it, but the instant worked almost as well.  Total cooking time was 2.5 hours and I used four pieces of hickory (fist size).  Could have used one more I think.

The pictures below are from zero to two hours and thirty minute increments.

The yard looks great and I even fixed the side yard where Jen went "Muddin after Midnight".

Burgers and COTC!!!

We kept it simple tonight, Gouda cheese, Bourbon, and Beer burgers and Corn on the cob. I used my old rub for the meat and corn.  35 min for the corn and 8 min, each side for the burgers...

Dinner for four

We had some friends over and I cooked out (chicken, asparagus, corn, and rice).
CORN INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1/2 ts dried minced onion, 1/2 ts dried parsley flakes, 1/2 ts paprika, 1/4 ts salt, 1/4 pepper, 4 medium ears of corn (naked), and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Combine everything, spread on corn, wrap in double layer of aluminum foil, grill over medium heat for about 30 min or until corn is tender.  Turn occasionally.  Then...Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Salad

This is from a while back.

Cinnomaon Struesal

I got hungry and so I made a cinnamon struesal.

(My first) Creole Smoked Pork Ribs

Purchased from Target (that's where we were), I used a recipe from Williams-Sonoma cook book.


Rub: 2 TS Paprika, 1TS thyme, 2ts brown sugar, 1.5ts onion powder, 1ts garlic powder, 1ts dry mustard, 1ts ground celery seeds, .25ts ground cayenne pepper, and salt/pepper to taste.

35 min. into the smoking process.

 

About 1:15 min. I flipped them over.