Pit Masters Rub

Sometimes salt and pepper just isn't enough. Sometimes you want, no, you NEED to taste something more. The mere thought of that same mid-week chicken or pork chop dinner brings tears to your eyes. It's all too familiar flavor is a painful reminder that your still days away from the freedom of your weekend. With a little preparation you can do what I do and reach for some "Pit Master's Rub".

In the deep south where BBQ is treated more like religion than a cuisine, pit masters concoct secret blends of herbs and spices. These blends or "rubs" allow the pit master to create a very specific flavor profile. These can take years to perfect and no two are the exact same. They can be as simple as salt, pepper, and a little sugar or they can be an exotic mixture of twenty or more herbs and spices. A true pit master would rather give up his first born son than hand over the recipe for his rub. I too have a secret blend that even my wife doesn't know how to make. I highly recommend you take the time to experiment and create your own. In the meantime, feel free to use this excellent blend as a starting point.

This rub isn't just for meat either. Give it a try on your veggies too. The flavor profile is a balance of salty, savory, sweet and just a hint of heat at the end.

Two things I should mention about the recipe.  The rub tastes very different in it's raw stage from how it will taste once it's added to the food and cooked.  Lastly, if your rub looks slightly different in color from mine have no fear. It will depend somewhat on the brands of spices you use.  

List of Ingredients - (makes about 2 cups)     

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons smoked paprika (sweet paprika will work just fine)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Simply combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container until ready for use.  Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich With Coleslaw

Those who know me best know that I'm a fiend for good barbecue. When I see smokey, tender, juicy BBQ I feel like a 12 year old girl side-stage at a Justin Bieber concert. I'm all over it with reckless abandon. A couple years ago I started to work on mastering my own recipes for brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken and other BBQ classics. Many weekend nights were spent in a cloud of smoke on my back patio, watching over various hunks of meat with tender love and care. 

 It took a lot of trial and error, but I've learned the secrets to making some real "slap yo mama" quality BBQ. While I prefer to cook in an actual smoker, I discovered that excellent BBQ could be make right out of the oven. You just need the right ingredients and a little technique. This recipe is designed to be hassle free but tastes like you've been working on it all day.  

I also happen to come from the camp that thinks coleslaw on any BBQ sandwich always makes it better. If you haven't tried it trust me your missing out.   

 List of Ingredients - (serves 8)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
2 cups of BBQ sauce (use your favorite brand)
1-2 cups of water
2 teaspoons of seasoning salt
1 teaspoon of hickory liquid smoke
8 hamburger buns (I prefer the onion flavored ones for this recipe)
 1 package of your favorite coleslaw mix.

Your going to be braising the chicken so preheat your over to 325. I prefer to use a enameled cast iron dutch oven, but you can use any baking dish that has a lid. In your baking dish combine the liquid smoke, BBQ sauce, seasoning salt and 1 cup of water. Add the chicken breasts and make sure the liquid mixture comes to the top of the chicken.  You may need to add another cup of water depending on the size of the baking dish your using.  Cover and bake in the oven for 2 hours. You will want to check them for tenderness. Once they fall apart with little effort you know they are done. Remove the chicken from the braising liquid and shred. Combine the shredded chicken with as much of the braising liquid as you like to make it moist and flavorful.  op with coleslaw and and serve on your hamburger buns. I find that even the pickiest of eaters enjoy these BBQ chicken sandwiches  Enjoy!

Game Day Asian Wings

I have yet to meet another human being who doesn't enjoy a plate of good wings.  I always think of them as the great equalizer of game day foods.  Small and dainty they lure even the most figure conscious while simultaneously satisfying the hungriest of sports fanatics.  These wings are short on size but big on flavor.  Crunchy, salty, sweet... what are you waiting for?

List of Ingredients-(makes about 30 wings)

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups of teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon of chinese five spice powder
1 tablespoon of Sriracha for heat (Optional)

Breading:
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 of corn starch
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper

Other Ingredients
sesame seeds to garnish
vegetable oil for frying

In a sauce pan combine the teriyaki, soy sauce, honey, ginger and five spice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Preheat your oil to 375 degrees. Toss the chicken wings in the breading mixture until thoroughly coated.  Shake off any excess flour and fry in the hot oil.  Fry until golden brown and the wings float on the surface of the oil.  Drain the excess oil and toss the wings in sauce.  Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Apple Turnovers With Salted Caramel Sauce

 

 

When fall arrives I start getting excited for the holidays.  One of my favorite holiday treats growing up was my grandmother's apple pie. This version isn’t quite as good but it’s so easy to make. These are guaranteed to impress your friends and family. It’s the perfect end to any holiday meal.

List of ingredients- (Serves Eight)

1 box of frozen puff pastry

3 Granny smith apples

1 egg

The zest of one lemon

2 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon of brown sugar

2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

½ teaspoon of clove

The key to this recipe is keeping the puff pastry cold, so defrost the dough the night before in your fridge.  Dice the granny smith apples into roughly ½ inch cubes, immediately add the lemon juice and toss to prevent browning.  Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, lemon zest, flour and stir to combine well.  Make an egg-wash by beating one egg with a tablespoon of water.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

After you have finished making your filling and egg-wash take the puff pastry out of your fridge.  Cut both sheets into four equal squares for a total of eight.  Brush egg-wash around the edge of all 8 squares.  Place about 1/3 cup of the apple filling onto the center of each square and fold from one corner to the opposite to make a triangle.  Press the edges with a fork to seal.  Brush the top with egg wash and cut two small slits for steam to escape.  Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes.

Since this is about the easiest baking recipe I know it makes sense to cheat with the caramel sauce and buy one from the store.  I prefer to not go through the trouble of making one with a simple dessert like this. To transform it into something extra delicious simply add a large pinch of salt to a ¼ cup of caramel and drizzle over the warm turnovers.  Enjoy!

Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps With Pickled Cucumber

Let’s be honest, sometimes it’s fun to put the knife and fork down and eat with your hands.  If you’re looking for something a little more interesting for guests or just want to mix up your weekly dinners with something new, this will do the trick.  Fresh, light, sweet and tangy this lettuce wrap is satisfying and delicious. 

 

 List of Ingredients- (Serves four)

1 head of radicchio

1 cucumber

1 carrot stick

¼ cup cilantro

4 chicken thighs

1 cup of teriyaki sauce

1 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon of chopped ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon chinese five spice powder

 

In a bowel combine the teriyaki sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and Chinese five spice powder.  Add the chicken thighs and allow to marinate in the fridge for 4-8 hours.    

The next step is getting the cucumbers into the pickling liquid. Start by adding ¾ cup rice wine vinegar into a sauce pan with the brown sugar and ginger. Cook on medium just long enough for the sugar to dissolve completely. Let the pickling liquid cool, you can add a few ice cubes to speed up the process. Pour the liquid over thinly sliced cucumber rounds and leave them in the fridge for minimum 30 minutes, but no longer than 2 hours. 

I prefer to cook the chicken on the grill if possible, but baking them in the oven will work just fine.  325 for 45 minutes will allow for juicy chicken with crispy skin.  

Cut the core out of the Radicchio and carefully peel off whole leafs.  I find soaking them for a few minutes in an ice bath will add crispness to the lettuce and remove some of the bitterness.  Peel and cut your carrot into thin strips.   Once the chicken has cooled for 5 minutes take the meat off the bone and cut into bite size pieces.  Assemble your lettuce wraps and enjoy!