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?