Rules of a Texas Style BBQ

1.    Take it easy. (low and slow equals a long relaxing day)

2.    Find a good rub. (find some try them and then as you get better make your own)

3.    Meat is important. (Texas style does sausage and brisket along with your pork (ribs) and chicken)

4.    Temp and Time. (225 at 1.5 hours a pound is the default but this can change)

5.    Get a canopy  (rain blows)

6.    Get an alarm (if you can teach me how to smoke for 18 hours and have it ready by noon and not nap let me know)

7.    It takes the right wood (strong woods for red meat weak for things like chicken and fish)

8.    Having a helper when it’s time to pull is great.

9.    Stay hydrated in the summer (I have made the mistake of drinking beer all day when smoking not a good idea)

10.  Double your meat per person (if you do it right everyone will take some home, I myself do 3x so AJ and I have plenty)

So let’s walk through this coming weekend

All meat is rubbed 24 hour before the first piece goes on.

6:00 PM the 12 pound brisket goes on

2:00 AM the 2 - 7 pounders hit

5:00 AM the ribs go on

-Spray the ribs with apple cider every hour-

10:00 AM the sausage goes on

10:30 AM Start Rat Toes (tasty Bacon rapped peppers with a shrimp in the middle)  

11:00 AM Start saucing the ribs

12:00 Pull the meat (wrapped in aluminum foil in a cooler the meat will stay warm for over 2 hours.)

1:00 eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So since I like you guys so here is my spice rub *shh don’t tell*

5 tablespoons paprika

3 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon hot chili powder

Pimento Cheese

Another southern staple pimento cheese.  Most people have heard of this but many have not sampled it in the ways I have.  I have seen it prepared as Grill Pimento Cheese Fried Green Tomato BMTs at the old Decatur restaurant Crescent Moon, and the first place I had something like this was is the Varsity Grilled Cheese, which is not on the menu.  Either way this little spread is good even with crackers.  So let’s see how I did calories in half check, fat in half, check sodium….. Not so good but lower.  So below is the recipe but before that lets talk options.  Want a fresher spread use Red pepper instead of pimento, hotter ad a diced Jalapeno.  Want one of the grilled sandwiches I mentioned earlier? Don’t use butter but a thin coat of low fat mayo on the bread before grilling.  Hope you guys enjoy.

Pimento Cheese

Coming Soon

Been busy, my Grandmother in law has moved in, so I have not had a ton of time, but I plan to post two things before Friday, also what good is a life style change without a splurge from time to time.  Well this week I am going of the beaten path and posting how to host a Texas Style BBQ to go with the BBQ we are hosting for our Sunday School...  And yes burgers and dogs are called a cookout not BBQ.

My First Iffy

OK so I was busy over the weekend and so I could not cook until Monday.  Well The Fried Green Tomatoes came out ok, but having never baked them before I have to tweak it a bit they were under cooked but the taste was good.  I believe in quality with cooking, so once I fix the glitch I will post the recipe.  But keep an eye out I hope either today or tomorrow I will get my Baked Fried Chicken recipe up.  Using buttermilk and hot sauce this recipe makes boneless skinless chicken breast come out as juicy as the original version of fried chicken. 

Good Friday 2012

Tomorrow is Good Friday and we have off at work, so I am thinking it is time to work on lighter and leaner Fried Green Tomatoes…

Think I can do it?

Sweet Taters

Not a home run but a triple…. It was very good but I need to fix a couple of things.  One too much salt, everyone else said it was fine and they didn’t taste it, but I did and it was too much maybe ½ Tsp. Next when you use apple Sauce for butter in the crumble you get a paste not crumble.  Next time I may use Brummel & Brown.  Outside of that you would never miss the extra sugar, or butter as for taste.  All in all I am calling it a success, just need to fix the topping so that is more aesthetically (Spelling?) pleasing.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Music and Food

OK so as you can tell cooking is my passion, one of my other passions is music.  So my question this week is what bands or songs do you like to listen too as you cook.  Please limit to three, and I will start.

Green Onions by Booker T and the MG’s

Wabash Cannonball by The Carter family

Car Jamming by The Clash

This Week it is Sweet Potato Soufflé

OK This week it is Sweet Potato Soufflé.  For those that don’t know this it is a sweet potato casserole with a sweet nut topping.  We have had this in our family at every major meal since I was like 5.  So unlike last week this is a true Southern Alternative.  Everything is ready just have to throw it together this evening.  Wish me luck, below is the Nutritional value of the original.

So Whats Next

OK time to start working on next week, so here are the three options vote for what you want...

Fried Green Tomatoes with Remoulade
Deviled Eggs
Sweet Potato Souffle`

SA Buffalo Chicken Dip

OK so apparently I can tweak Franks Red Hot’s Buffalo Chicken Dip because I have gotten nothing but good reviews.  I was a bit scared it would not turn out good but I even liked it and I am my worst critic.  So let’s talk tweaks.  So to start off, I did simple things such as lite cream cheese and fresh boneless skinless chicken breast.  I substituted the blue cheese with nonfat feta, and made a blue cheese dressing substitute with low fat Greek yogurt and blue cheese crumbles.  The biggest tweak I was surprised about was the hot sauce.  I changed the Franks red Hot out for Texas Pete and lost just a little over 5000 mg in sodium….  *shock*  So that  said let’s talk Pro’s and con’s.

Pro:

Reduced the Calories by 1/2

Reduced Fat by 2/3

Made it with fresh chicken breast

Added a little fiber

Cons:

The Texas Pete made it spicier (con for some yum for me)

So be low is the breakdown of the Mine vs. Original and the full recipe is here.

Letting the cream cheese soften and baking the chicken.  First time so I am nervous, but I have faith I can do this. I forgot the link to the original so here it is.

http://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/franks-redhot-buffalo-chicken-dip-RE1242

Frank's Redhot Buffalo Chicken Dip

OK so my first attempt is an easy one, I plan to make a Frank's Redhot Buffalo Chicken Dip alternative with just as much flavor and creaminess.  Think I can do it?

Here is what the original looks like as for Calories and Fat..

Ideas

OK give me some ideas of what to tweak, don't hold back the greasier and sweeter the better...  I mean Fried Chicken and Chocolate Cake.

In The Begining

Hello my name is Daryl Jiles and I am overweight.  I have lost weight and gained it many times, but after getting over a pretty rough issue called a Pulmonary Embolism I have finally decided I am done with the up and down.  I have done almost every diet despite the fact that diets don’t work you need to make a lifestyle change.  So how does a food loving cook change his lifestyle?  Well that is what Southern Alternative is all about.  I plan to use this blog for two things first to have accountability for my weight loss, and second to try and share my discoveries.  Over the next few well years hopefully I plan to take classic dishes, (Especially the southern dishes I grew up on) and make them leaner and healthier.  After all I love to eat why not make what I eat healthier.  Either way I would love some ideas from people on what to make and I plan to make segments if you will, such as trips to the market etc.  Wish me luck guys, not just for the blog, but mostly on my journey.