January 10, 2012 · 6:32 am

Finnan Haddie – The Real Deal

I would like to preface this post with some explanation to my approach. I touch on history, personal family experiences and times as well detailed process with probably more explanation than needed but keep in mind this dish touches the soul, so I hope you enjoy what I have written and more importantly fall in love with this dish as much as I have.

 

As with any family, there are those special dishes that are steeped with childhood memories and stories of generations past forwarded down. For me, Finnan Haddie, a lightly smoked fillet loin of haddock, was one of those dishes, introduced by my father, stemming from his strong New England family roots, Gloucester and Charlestown, Massachusetts, dating back to the late 1600’s. The dish originated in Scotland, from the town of Findon, aka “Finnan”, and migrated to New England during colonial times, with its natural preservative benefits derived from brining and smoking, all typical processes along with salting meats and fish prior to the introduction of refrigeration.

This dish was a Christmas morning tradition, served in a wonderful cream sauce over toast points.  My sister, brothers and mother weren’t huge fans, meaning there was more for Dad and I – a good thing -while the others suffered through country scrambled eggs and fresh ground sausage from  Catina’s, http://www.hamptons.com/News-Business/The-Bottom-Line/2313/Catenas-Where-Family-Business-And-Memories-Mix.html  , a meat market in Southampton, L.I.   The sausage was formed into ‘Sargent’ size patties,  accompanied with Thomas’ english muffins, buttered and popped under the broiler for that golden crispy goodness…The sausage was not to be believed. It was ground and seasoned with a little red pepper flake, likening it to more a southern style sausage with a bit of heat, made by  a passionate meat cutter, from traditions of recipes handed down in the Catina family trade….I recall the smell from the saw dust on the floor, and have fond memories of a display counter that showcased crown roasts, rib roasts with fat cap’s tied on, racks of lamb, butterflied meats to order, spoon roasts, veal, pork and lamb chops, scaloppini, calves liver, and many more of the traditional cuts and selections that are becoming less known or available today… all of which would bring delight and a smile to anyone’s face who loved good food and, more importantly, loved to cook. Yesterday’s meat cutters were not only masters of their trade, they were also very adept at cooking all types of dishes utilizing methods that more often than not determined how they would ultimately cut and trim the meat for the customer…..if I could only click my heels…! Sorry to digress. Back to the Finnan Haddie..

The same story holds true for the older, more traditional fish markets that would carry the wonderful thick loin or ‘captains’ cuts of smoked haddock procured from their specialty purveyors. The best market that I frequented over the years is Bon Ton Fish Market  http://www.bontonfishmarket.com/   a Greenwich, CT institution dating back to 1902, and one of  Dad’s favorite haunts where he would get his smoked haddock. I would follow later in his footsteps even after we moved to Portland, Maine, having them cold pack and ship it fresh overnight. An expense, yes, but the result was well worth it… until the price started to exceed $14.00 a lb. I recently called Bon Ton out of interest to see what the availability was and they freely offered they now carry it only frozen and are no longer able to get the thick cuts. My jaw dropped when I asked the price, not having purchased from them in years, and was told $19.99 a lb.

The absolute best finnan haddie I have had at restaurants that were true to the dish, outside of my own,  was when I had it  served to me at Locke Ober’s of Boston http://www.lockeober.com/about_cp.htm or Sweets http://www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org/index1.aspx?BD=9149 , an historic restaurant dating back to the mid 1800’s until its close in early 1990’s, a seaport staple located in lower Manhattan’s Fulton fish market district. Finnan Haddie was a signature dish of both restaurants back in the day.

On and off over the past 10 years, I have ventured out of my comfort zone and tried various vendors substandard  attempts at replicating the art of the delicate brine and smoke required for this dish. I would have given up if it weren’t for my love of smoking fish, emanating back to smoked blue fish pate, scallops and mussels when we lived in Maine. This is where I was first introduced to Duck Trap seafood products http://www.ducktrap.com/index.html  out of Belfast, a tremendous smoke house and vendor well known today for various smoked varieties of fish, shell fish and pates.

In continuing my search for the traditional processes and recipe, it was clear the trick would be finding the right true method worthy of the dish’s heritage, remaining true to its roots.

I have spoken to many people, read many articles, and tried numerous brines and smokes. Finally, after about 5 years of  inquiries and trials, I can honestly say I have found it… and yes, this Christmas, smiles donned the family faces once again…..….Ohhhh yeah, here’s to you Dad! I know he was smiling too!

Now to share -first the process:

Smoking involves two optional processes, a light to moderate heat smoke or, alternatively, a cold smoke method. For this recipe, I used a light heat smoke. I will however be addressing in a future post smoking methods and these processes in greater detail with illustrations and hot links as reference points.

The recipe calls for thick loin or captain cut of haddock. Cod can be substituted if haddock is unavailable. The fillets are first brined, then air dried, smoked and lightly poached, at a simmer. A cream sauce is made, optionally using part of the poaching liquid for its smokey richness, flaking large chunks of fish with a fork, and, finally, folding the fish into the cream sauce letting it steep a bit prior to plating it up. I have broken down the recipe into 5 phases, starting with the brine, then smoking, preparing the cream sauce, and plating.

RECIPE

5 -6  lb thick loin cuts of haddock or select Atlantic cod, skin on or off, based on personal preference. If skin on is preferred, remove after the fish has smoked and allowed to chill. Jimmy Turner of Turner Seafood in Gloucester, MA  http://www.turners-seafood.com/History.html  is my go to Seafood market for the freshest and best of cuts and seafood selection, as illustrated with the beautiful fillets of haddock……a slice of the old world where the passions of the family trade rich in tradition are still carried on today at Turners still available to us here in Gloucester,MA.

Haddock Fillets from Turners Seafood, Gloucester, MA....

  1. Prepare the brine:
  • 1 Gallon water
  • 1 ½ cup  Kosher salt
  • ½ cup Light Brown sugar
  • 3 Bay leaves
  • 1 tsp Black peppercorns

Combine the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves and black peppercorns in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Let cool to room temperature, and transfer brine mixture to a non-reactive dish, glass or plastic bowl of your liking, making sure fillets are able to be completely immersed.

Place in refrigerator for 1.5 hours.

Here Fillets are shown with skin in brine mixture

Remove filets from brine and place on lightly greased smoking rack.

Fillets after brining now air drying

Allow fillets to dry, forming a pellicle and tacky to the touch, roughly 2-4 hours. You’ll note, as illustrated I made a simple tiered smoking rack which works great and was simple to build, not to mention inexpensive, allowing for an upper level for smoking or bbq’g, maximizing the cooking surface on my Big Green Egg.

2. Smoking the Haddock

Prepare the Big Green Egg, making sure bowl/tray and all vents are clear of ash. For chips or chunks, the recipe calls for alder or cherry. Both are true to the traditional dish and provide a little latitude depending on preference and taste. I used alder and was impressed with the results more so than cherry.

I use the funnel starter with paper and BGE lump charcoal. If you are using your own barbi other than an Egg and are unfamiliar with lump hardwood, I would encourage you to try it with this dish, preserving natural flavors free of any distillates found in the more commonly used briquettes, a product I gave up using 10 years ago and never turned back. You won’t either!

Fill the funnel  ¾, or equal amount, ignite and burn until well lit. Open bottom vent 1/3 and the center pin wheel to the open position. Take two good handfuls of chips or 3 to 4 chunks. I use the chips on short smokes as they tend to bring on a quicker, fuller smoke, getting going sooner. Place racks in and close……..

Racked, brined, air dried after 15 minutes of smoking

………being sure to monitor smoke and heat level, maintaining lower than 150 degrees if possible so you get a good long moist smoke without drying out the fillets. The bowl of the Egg is deep enough where the heat dissipates a bit especially when monitoring vents. On other grills, light small amount of charcoal, add chips on top, and cook indirectly, monitoring your temp. Estimated time depends on heat -  anticipate anywhere from ½ to 1+/- hours, I know this sounds like I am a politician, but variables of filet thickness, heat, amount of smoke are all determining factors in the fish reaching a nice golden brown, as illustrated.

Flakes are showing sign of slight liquidy seperation and are golden brown right to the touch

I recommend testing with your finger, looking for a little give similar to pressing the palm of your hand closer to the heel. The fillet should be draining a bit of fluid through its flakes, as seen in the illustrations. If edges are getting a darker brown, pull it. Remember, once the fillets are cooled, they are lightly poached, adding another step to the cooking process. So when in doubt, if they have a nice golden brown color, pull them.

3. Poaching the Haddock

Let fillets cool……

Off the grill cooling

……remove skin if any, place in pot, and add milk to cover. Bring to simmer/light boil for 15 minutes, drain and set aside. When cooled, gently separate large pieces of fish with a fork, leaving nice chunk/bites. Be careful not to shred.  Larger chunks provide nice texture and preserves the natural flake of the haddock.

4.  Time for the Cream Sauce

Bechamel or White Sauce (makes 2 cups of sauce)

  • 4 tbs butter
  • 4 tbs flour
  • 2 cups milk (can use poaching milk – if not too salty)
  • 2 tsp  Outerbridge’s  Bermuda Sherry Peppers ( of special note: I can’t speak more highly about this condiment and their other products….. used for practically anything…. If you love to cook check out their site http://www.outerbridge.com/  my father helped to open up marketing and distribution of Outerbridges Sherry Peppers in the US  back in the 70′s and worked very closely with its founder Yeaton Outerbridge who he was very fond of.)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste (go light on the salt because of the brine & add to taste)

Whisking and heating the cream sauce to a smooth, not too thick consistency

In a sauce pan or saucier melt butter & whisk in flour over medium heat, cooking the flour without browning. Add milk about ½ cup at time, making sure to allow the mixture to smooth out as it thickens, thoroughly cooking the flour, remember taste, taste, taste, if its flowery at all it will rob the final product of all its natural goodness.

Lightly folding the flaked haddock into the cream sauce

Gently fold the sauce into the fish, being careful not to mash the fish. You don’t have to use all the sauce as you want it to cover lightly and not blanket the fish, hence favoring a lighter cream sauce. Cover and warm. Let everything meld a good 20 minutes or so allowing everything all flavors to reach their peak.

Save the tradition by trying this great dish and passing it on, its one of the best rich in heritage……

…cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

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December 13, 2011 · 7:12 am

Grilled Duck Breasts with Cumberland Sauce

This recipe is cooked with domesticated duck, now readily available in markets, both breasts and leg thigh cuts packaged separately.  However, my first experience with duck, the wild variety, is much leaner and has a gaminess flavor not found in the farm raised store bought kind, which I now regularly cook. My experience with the wild duck was as a youngster when my father would come back from his hunting trips, usually Maryland, when not hunting in duck blinds on day shoots out in Long Island Sound. He was a good shot, especially with his trusty Parker side by side with 36″ barrels, modified and full chokes (offered for those hunting enthusiasts- a great duck and goose gun)…  Ah… goose! A topic for another post! My father, loving all aspects of the sport, from working with a good hunting dog, walking up fields or sitting in blinds with a cold driven northerly sheet of wind and sleet  in one’s face, usually off Mecox Bay, telling me “This is really living Mikey Day” while opening an old Stanley Thermos that was filled with hot consomme and a wee bit of shooting sherry to warm the cockles, for me to try later on at an older age……I miss those times so very much. Out would come the duck call, not his best skill set I must say, trying to coax the fly by’s to turn and bank into our raft of decoys, usually driving them only to higher altitudes, with some outings holding good success and other times, not so successful, but always leaving with wonderful memories of our time spent together and laughs shared….On those shoots where we had some luck, we knew a great evening was to follow, with warm fires, cocktails, wild duck breasts wrapped in bacon, wild rice, mustard glazed carrots and Cumberland sauce…only to be further complimented with several  bottles of Mateus wine, a rose  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mateus_%28wine%29 that in those days was very popular, came in a clay bottle and was not a high end wine, but rather a good value at reasonable price…Oh man, was this living large!!

This selection is a favorite I want to share as I endeavor to continue to try and offer a variety of recipes and dishes off the mainstream, hopefully motivating all of us to venture out of our comfort zone and experiment, experiment, experiment!…..So here it goes… a true favorite of mine that I encourage you to try….

The ‘before’ wild duck, a much less fatty bird than a domesticated farm raised bird, requiring the aid of bacon wrapped around the breast while cooking to self baste the meat…..

The ‘before ‘domestic duck…much, much fattier requiring a rendering of fat off the bird by placing in a fry pan, skin scored, flesh side up, searing 3-4 minutes before placing on grill, cooking indirectly, my proffered method when not roasting, as explained in  further detail in the recipe.

THE AFTER

Mise En Place or "All the Fixins"

The Mise En Place or “All the Fixin’s” Post Feather!!!!

The breast, as shown, breast side down and up, show the plumpness of the meat and illustrates the  skin after being scored in a cross work pattern. The reason for this is that you want to allow the fat to render off the flesh and reduce before putting on the grill, being careful to cook indirectly to avoid flare ups!! I have always been a fan of heavy cast iron pans for distribution of heat and, as shown here, am searing the breast skin down to reduce fat content and crisp the skin…be sure your exhaust fan is on, as it can get a bit smokey….

Skin side down searing and rendering the fat…

You want to be careful here not to over cook the breasts, so watch the sides. If you start to see some greying, then its time to pull them allowing for the full cook on the grill with its smoke enriched goodness…This is what you are looking for….

Nicely seared, crisping the skin with a smoked charcoal flavor

The breasts have been removed from the skillet and put back to rest and cool in the marinade….flipping several times back and forth. Be sure not to discard the duck fat in the pan as it is “black gold” to any cook for its added special flavor, which we like with Brussels sprouts, blanched, then added with salt, pepper, and bacon bits (or pancetta) in the pan until lightly browned, a great compliment to any dish…..or our braised sprouts…sooooo good!! Recipe to follow in future post…..

Marinade…was reviewed in an earlier post for whole roast duck, which is another great dish that you should visit in the archives..

http://thegreeneggandi.com/2011/07/19/roast-duck-on-the-green-egg-with-cumberland-sauce/

The marinade: (there are many different options of what you can do here depending upon the mix of flavors you want to achieve.This marinade I developed to compliment the Cumberland sauce that I would also be serving with the dish.)
1 tbs Soy Sauce
1 tbs Hoisin Sauce
¾ cup fresh squeezed orange juice, 2-4 oranges
¼ tsp Garlic salt

Cumberland Sauce (more like a glaze):

½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice with the pulp
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs dry sherry
1/3 cup currant jelly (use more/less of the current jelly to thicken the ‘glaze’)
Salt (not much, as the soy adds salt to the dish)
Fresh ground pepper (to personal taste)

Heat orange juice, soy and sherry in a sauce pan over medium heat until bubbling. Let reduce by ¼ to intensify flavor. Add currant jelly to thicken into a syrupy glaze. Season to taste.

Medium rare to rare sliced on the bias ready to plate with Cumberland sauce……

All the ingredients used compliment duck from Peking with Hoisin to oh-la-orange with zest of the orange, current jelly to add the natural sweetness of fruit, with sherry to fortify, but not overwhelm the sauce or marinade…really a symphony of feel good flavors that come together with a smoke seared and grilled duck breast cooked to a rare to medium rare texture, being sure to let rest 10 minutes and finish by cutting on the bias in thin slices. Here you will see both the medium and the medium rare to rare between the two breasts and different cooking times applied, which is my “go to” recommendation for all that cook on the grill, especially for those with varied tastes, easier to please when you offer some variety when cooking several pieces and slicing together….

The ticket with any main dish is to make sure it’s complimented with side dishes that work….for me, when it comes to duck, it’s mustard glazed carrots, wild rice, braised Brussels sprouts, garlic roasted green beans…… Looking forward to this meal on a lovely evening with a crackling fire good friends and family…takes me to a happy place…like Dr. Feel Good Pots did when I last visited Memphis, in search of new venues…

A nice rose goes well with this or Shiraz…nothing heavy..

…cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

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December 1, 2011 · 7:11 am

The Poor Man’s Rib Eye

How could this particular cut of meat escaped my clutches for all these years? In my view, it has 90% of the rib eye qualities as one of the finest cuts, but at a fraction of the price. I recently purchased two nice steaks at $4.79 a lb versus the $11. to $12. per lb typically charged for the rib eye….Hence, the chuck eye is commonly referred to as the “Poor Man’s Rib Eye” and a welcome option in an economy where everyone seems to be cutting back. But here you can cut back on costs and not quality in flavor and texture, only further highlighted by the intense cross marbling in the captioned picture. I owe this discovery to a very dear friend that commiserates with me over cooking techniques, dishes and experiences primarily but not solely centered around the grill, and who recently shared his new find of this cut, recommended by his “go to” butcher. Thanks Keith!

Here you have a beef chart, illustrating the various cuts and sides of beef, which serves as a very informative and helpful visual  aid when trying various types of cuts and learning more about where they come from…a great reference that I hope you find helpful as well, and download to your archives…. place cursor over hotlink below hit shift and double click, voila!!

beef_cuts_poster_4047

I was so excited when I picked these little puppies up, each boasting  1  1/2″ thickness and marbling that was second to none, ensuring a juicy and flavorful steak. The chuck eye is the next cut after the rib eye and, depending on quality of the eye, a good butcher can get at least two nice cuts, maybe more. Jimmy, my “go to” friend who slices, trims, butterflies, rolls and ties like know one else I have seen, having had the benefit of years of practice and training in the trade, way before meats were broken down/processed to the point that they are today, will not put a chuck eye out in the case billed as “eye” unless they are really good. So, fair warning, be sure you ask for steaks only with a good eye and structure when placing your order.

The moo moo and Jimmy have done their job. Now I have to do mine and deliver the final product and hopefully not blow it…

Steps:

  • First I lightly apply several drops of EVOO on each side of the steaks, rubbing all over.
  • Then I season with my “Holy Trinity”  for steak….finely chopped rosemary, course sea salt and  cracked Tellicherry peppercorns. Apply sea salt on one side only, then liberally apply cracked pepper and rosemary on both sides, rubbing into meat and let rest an hour or so before grilling…note: steaks should be brought to room temperature prior to seasoning, allowing for the essence of seasons to absorb nicely.

The Barbi or, in my case, the Big Green Egg has been prepped for direct cooking, the cast iron grate, lightly oiled with wire brush, is in place and coals slowly getting that nice golden glowing embers evenly covering the cooking surface…..allowing me enough time to poor myself a little glass with that amber liquid/nectar of the gods (Scotch that is…) over ice with a splash of water….grilling is such arduous work!

Coals are perfect and the steaks hit the grill!

Off the grill after 2-3 minutes a side, searing in the juices, naturally basting, and the lump charcoal smoke providing that natural smokey grilled goodness that keeps bringing us back, begging for more!!!…Off the grill and let rest, drawing the juices back into the meat….before slicing!…….. about 5-10 minutes lightly covered and then slice it up…on the bias and thin…..

One steak cooked rare, my preference and one medium appealing to others making for a happy meal all around killing any potential of naysayers!….I have learned well over the years of grilling ha, ha, ha…….

If you try this, and I hope you do, I think you will agree the flavor is amazing for the price, which is why I have a standing order every  Saturday when Jimmy cuts fresh for the weekend display case for two nice 1 1/2 – 2″ chuck eye’s, if he has them…..

…cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

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November 3, 2011 · 7:37 am

Grilled Pork Chops with Carmelized Onions and Apples in Stubs Pork Marinade

This dish came to me from one of those moments when you are rummaging through the icebox… I know, I am dating myself !… looking for combinations, salivating while mentally tasting everything you see, waiting for the right combination of flavors to come to you as your creative juices surge…..Until it hits you…..as it did to me, with what was to become a new dish, adding to our growing collection of favorites. Who can argue that grilled pork chops with sauteed apples and onions, all basted with a spicy marinade, providing a wonderful combination of bite, tang and sweetness, isn’t a perfect trinity …..This recipe is not only quick and easy, reaping tremendous rewards in grilled moist smokey flavor, but it’s also easily complimented with so many side dish options that makes it, in my book, an easy ‘go to’ recipe when you want a great grilling experience without a lot of fuss. With this dish we elected to go with thin roasted asparagus spears. For the sauce, we chose Stubb’s Spicy Pork Marinade,   http://stubbsbbq.com/ which I think is among one of the best brands when you don’t have the time and are looking for a short cut to your own blends, for a quick and easy marinade, BBQ sauce, rub or mopping sauce, often found in local supermarkets…check it out!

Real easy – here it goes:

  • Start up your Green Egg, or favorite barbi as it may be, and get coals nice and ready, reaching dome temp of 350-400 without the place setter, cooking directly over coals.
  • Depending on number of chops, add equal amount of apples to onions – figure one large apple and onion for two chops. Peel, core and chop apples. Peel and slice onions length wise.

A healthy rough chop and portion of apples and onions

Saute onions & apples for smokey goodness on the Green Egg

  • Lightly oil pan. As you can see, I used my black cast iron. Place on grill, keeping a careful eye, with lid closed. Open to check and add chicken stock a bit at a time as needed until the onion get that nice translucency and caramelization is reached, stirring as needed, until desired texture is reached and remove from grill.
  • Choose your chops. For me, I prefer a thicker cut of  1 1/2″ to preferably 2″ bone in loin cut, which makes for a moister chop, allowing for the grilling charcoal goodness to penetrate the meat. The size of the cut helps to self baste with its natural fat, leaving a slightly pink moist center, much preferred over the toss and flip and off method for the 3/8″ cut .

Loin chops ready for the grill with basting marinade

  • Place the chops on the grate, let sit for a good minute or so, then flip, repeating this step on the other side, giving the meat a good sear, and basting after each flip, roughly 3 to 4 minutes a side, depending on thickness.  Test for done-ness by pressing on meat – a little firm like the heal of your hand at the base thumb for slightly pink center , a good reference tip.

Ready to take off and let sit smothered in caramelized onions and apples with a, tangy marinade!!

  •  I add the chops right to the pan, (which had since been taken off the grill), with the onions and apples, adding any remaining basting sauce, being careful not to add too much, combing the mixture and allowing the juices to meld nicely while smothering the pork chops in smokey goodness – rich in a tangy sweetness with a slight bite, perfectly married over the charcoal grill…..nothing better!……

…cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

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October 20, 2011 · 7:56 am

Braised Short Ribs

Beef short ribs are a favorite, but always a cardiac concern, with the amount of fat that weaves through the multiple layers of meat surrounding the bone… not to mention all the great flavor it provides by basting the meaty flesh with its own natural flavors of pure goodness. The trick here is to render the fat, leaving the meat to cook low and slow indirectly with a drip pan or braise in a smoke filled chamber, which is my preferred option on the Green Egg……If you try this method, like any other, it’s a step in the cooking process and every step should offer a layer of flavor. So, with this in mind, we chose our flavors that we wanted to add to this recipe for the braising liquid  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braising. Our preference here was to drain off the fat with the liquid when done for a slightly healthier version rather then the more traditional method of browning, for example, first in a dutch oven on the Green Egg with choice of vegetables, seasonings and then covering with wine and beef stock,reserving this as the basis for a sauce when fully rendered or finished, much like a coq au vin (another culinary must if you haven’t already tried it).

Recipe called for 6 lbs of beef ribs, allowing for two to three per person, serving approximately 4.

  •  1 lemon rolled to release juices and sliced in half
  •  3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
  •  1 tbs whole peppercorns
  •  1 large sprig of rosemary
  •  2 bay leaves
  •  1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  •  1 tbs coarse sea salt
  •  6 cloves (whole)

Braising Liquid

Process steps:

  • Start your  coals. Once they have caught and you have a good burn going, put in your place setter (on the Green Egg cooker)
  • Place ribs in aluminum pan with water to cover and add braising ingredients – recipe listed above.

  •  Cover and  and let ribs simmer at 350-400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, to render much of the fat off. Meat will have shrunken considerably on the bone as good indication when to take off the grill.

Braising nicely......

  • Remove ribs and place on paper towels to drain & transfer to a platter and cover.

Short Ribs ready to remove and drain excess liquid

  • Next is to make mopping sauce for a final 5-10 minute cook on grill
  1. The mopping sauce we chose had a base of tomato jam…….

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tomato-Jam-24297

We used this as a base to which we tweaked and added the following:

  • Caramelize the onions.
  • We used our garden tomatoes with seeds and skin on, finely chopped to measure – 8 large tom’s equals approximatly 14 ounces.
  • 2 cloves of roasted garlic (from original recipe,  increased by 1 roasted clove, not raw minced)
  • 1 tbs of thyme (increased by 1/2 tbs)
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes – heat first in dry pan to “awaken” the flavor
  • 1/2 tbs cider vinegar.
  • The recipe calls for less time simmering than we experienced to reach a “jam consistency” maintaining a lite simmer.

2.   To make the mopping sauce  used:

  • 1/2 cup tomato jam
  • 2 tbs honey mustard
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Reduce sauce in pan to about 1 cup, stirring often, being careful not to burn the ingredients because of their sweetness. When done, toss in bowl with ribs and place ribs back on grill…

Short Ribs freshly coated with Mopping Sauce and back on the grill!

…..for roughly 5 – 10 minutes. Continuing to baste with remaining sauce, removing when desired wellness is reached……

This recipe was delicious, providing the right texture, beefy flavor with a combined sweetness and nice tangy bite, neither overpowering the other in the mopping sauce. All the ingredients with the braising and mopping sauce blended well together and complimented the uniqueness of the short rib flavor.

Next time we may venture to Thai flavors for the mopping sauce….sooo many options… sooo many choices….soooo little time!

…cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

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September 29, 2011 · 7:37 am

Shredded BBQ Pork

I have to say while I love my ribs, I would probably sell my wife for two, not just one mind you as she is very special to me, BBQ pork sandwiches on  lightly toasted buns with some fresh cold slaw and a small bowl of baked beans as a side…and an ice cold frosty to wash it down with…Now that’s living large in my book!…..So, to set the stage for this posting, you should probably be aware that I had been separated from my Green Egg for a little more than two weeks while traveling with the family. The separation anxiety felt for the loss of grilling and cooking on my friend almost became too much to bare, which came to, as my wife said,  a slavish sight of disgusting devotion when we were once again reunited…at long last!

Back together again at long last....

After I had emotionally collected myself, I set out on lining up the grilling menu for the next 48 hours. This was in fact  governed by the need to empty the freezer to make room for the tomatoes that were overflowing in the garden, beginning the annual ritual of roasting tom’s, onions, garlic with basil and parsley – a canning recipe that keeps us fortified throughout the winter to add to soups, sauces, pasta, poultry and meat dishes, taking the flavors and textures to that next garden level, which can only bring a smile to one’s face. A complete outline of our recipe illustrated with wonderful pictures will be posted shortly on my Cooking Large site for all types and dishes outside the BBQ arena soon to be launched.

The freeze contained, much to my delight, two 5 lb Boston butts and 4 racks of ribs, purchased for some family cookouts in August, which seemed to have flown by without  the family stuff ever happening. I shared on a previous post my tips for cooking the ribs, which, by the way, were very tasty. So, for this post we are going to address my favorite: shredded pork. I have worked on this over the years, tasting and adapting mopping sauces and rubs, and have finally ended up with just the right mix that provides a bit of heat, but not too much, a little tang for tartness with slight hint of sweetness, being sensitive to making sure that one does not over power the other. So, as you explore and look up rubs and mopping sauces, try variations on your own, being careful to take notes and adding just a little at a time, constantly stirring and tasting. A reminder in cooking is to taste, taste, taste and then taste again. I can’t stress this enough, as it has been a hard lesson for me to learn until roughly the last ten years or so when I started to comprehend what cooking is really all about….it’s about cooking with passion and not being hesitant about exploring outside the comfort zone, norm or box, as it is sometimes referred to – melding different ethnic influences, be it Asian, Thai, French, Italian, Creole, or whatever into your dishes. It adds your own signature and dimension to the dish. And when someone says “that’s delicious what did you put in this…can I have the recipe?”, you will know what I am saying…..Now back to PORK…

Cooking at a low temperature is paramount to ensuring your pork butt is moist and not dried out. Take it out of its wrap, rinse and pat dry. Once it is completely dry, liberally apply your rub, place in a plastic bag and put in the fridge over night. If time is tight, then try to at least let it meld for a minimum of two hours prior to smoking.

As with ribs,, you will be cooking indirectly using the place setter for the Green Egg or opposite a nest of coals in a kettle or similar type grill. The next step is to soak your smoking chips, be it apple, cherry, maple, hickory, etc. Then mix the soaked chips thoroughly into the charcoal so you get an even smoke throughout the cooking process. This I found to be key. A Boston butt as a cut of pork has layers of fat that baste the meat while cooking. As this fat reduces, so should the remaining cooking time. To add a dimension of flavor to the meat with moisture, I have become a firm believer in injecting juices into larger cuts of meat and poultry. I use apple juice or stock, your choice: beef, chicken or vegetable as a base with herbs or spices depending on the selection and type of meat.  This added step can also be a lifesaver if the chef dozes a bit or is getting a bit distracted, usually around refreshment time- a good time to have a sous chef on hand as back up…get the coals going using your preferred method usually, electric coil starter or funnel and paper…never starter fluid….once coals have caught and are going close cover.

Take a pan – I recommend one that is designated as a juice pan for smoking. Add your liquids, spices, etc as mentioned and place the pan on the place setter, followed by the grate, and you are just about set to start. When the grill has reached a temp of 200-225 degrees you are ready to place the butts on the grate and close her up.

Cooking time can vary, based on temp and cooking method as some guesstimates run 1 hr to 1 1/2 hours per lb….I use a meat thermometer and look to an internal temp of 190 or so depending again on cut. You will note this is on the lower side of the temp range, usually 190-210, but I feel it continues to cook while wrapped and resting as well as when its shredded and put in whatever warming tray, etc for serving it not to mention it delivers what I feel is the moistest flavor, not dried out standing on its own with the added spiced injections delivering great flavor without the aid of lot’s of BBQ sauce.

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Just about done ready to wrap and rest

When you feel yours is done I recommend that you take it off and wrap tightly with tin foil and let rest for another hour or so…this will retain juices while allowing them to absorb back into the meat as it cools in temperature.

While it is still slightly warm start to shred the pork in small strips removing any remaining excess fat that hasn’t cooked off.

Separating shredded pork from chunks for course chop

I do this on a large surface as I separate the shredded pork from the chunks which I will give a rough course chop too and add to the shredded mixing thoroughly as shown. I find all of this shredding and chopping of juicy smoked pork causes a sharp tightening of my right arm muscles which usually results in pieces of pork being tossed at my open mouth an affliction that one has to suffer through in order to complete the process.

Well shredded and mixed with a close up you can see the moist texture which delivers a great barbecue taste and not a “choker”….Low and Slow cooking over panned juices never smoking with a dry heat….look what it delivers

OMG..where's the fork?

all shredded mixed and up close you can see the moistness of the meat and its pinkish tone from the rub and spiced injections off apple juice…emmmm sooo good…..!!!

Comments welcomed and encouraged……..cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

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September 21, 2011 · 10:59 am

Ribs, Ribs and More Ribs

Ribs, Ribs and More Ribs!

When I hear the expression “the meat just falls off the bone” I start walking the other way…what it says to me is that the ribs are way over done…and, while I still have my own teeth, I do enjoy gnawing on the bones and sucking the juices from the little tiny morsels still clinging on,  trying to stay away  from my rapidly encroaching  incisors ..…I like my ribs moist with some shrinkage from the bone, where the juices drip from the meat if you were to gently squeeze it between your fingers…

Tips:

Select the type of ribs you prefer, either Baby Back or St. Louis style…I am a St Louie guy personally. Just old-fashioned I guess, but have never turned down a baby back either as long as the meat wasn’t falling of the bone!!!

Prep the ribs…rinse and pat dry, remove the silver skin from the backside and trim off any excess fat…..

Choose your favorite rub…if you don’t have one, use the Big Green Eggs recipe -http://www.biggreenegg.com/bigtime.html  -  then select your  mopping sauce or BBQ sauce. If you are going to use a rub, be sure to let the ribs sit overnight in a large gallon sized freezer bag… the really ginormous ones. They are great for a number of racks with no problem. If you are electing to use a mopping sauce, then same would apply, allowing the meat to absorb all those great flavors…..

Well rubbed at least 2 hours before smoking

Prep the Green Egg or your barbi, and give it a thorough cleaning…With the Green Egg, clean out the ashes, removing bowl and collar. It is extremely important that this be done on a regular basis to maximize the cooking effectiveness and venting/air flow of the Green Egg, Weber or similar charcoal grill. Ribs cook directly, so you will need the place setter for the Green Egg or offset your smoking area away from the charcoal on other charcoal grills…. Add enough lump hardwood to fill bowl at least 2/3-rds full with a smoke chip mix of your choice. On Weber style grills, I add several lumps at a time, keeping the coals low during the cooking process.

Choose your smoke chips…apple, hickory, maple, mesquite, alder…whatever smoke you are trying to achieve. With ribs, I prefer the combo of hickory and apple…I will add maple at times. Alder is great with fish and apple with poultry. Personally, my wife (Jennifer) and I can’t stand mesquite…Jennifer refers to it as sheep dip…a good likeness in my opinion…Its right up there with fennel, yet another flavor we don’t enjoy…. Remember to soak the chips in water for at least 30 minutes prior to putting in the Green Egg, mix well with charcoal so you generate an even flow of smoke throughout the smoking process…

Always smoke with some liquid in a pan under your meats… It produces a moist smoke especially when smoking over long periods of time, so the meat will not dry out. With ribs or most pork products, I use apple juice concentrate and water,  putting a good amount  on the bottom – roughly 2″, add water or juice as necessary.  Put pan on place setter followed by grilling grate, as shown. Get yourself a pan that you can dedicate as your drip pan… This process will take its toll and you don’t want ruin a nice one, as I have discovered the hard way.

Pan with liquids of choice to moisten the ribs during smoking process

the trick is a great rub and/or sauce cooking with smoke, at a temp low and slow, slow, slow…..

Whether you’re cooking just two racks,

Frequently basting cooking slow and at low temp

or multiple racks, requiring flipping every 30 minutes or so…for even cooking/smoking and a bit more cooking time:

More the better!..don't worry about stacking. Just rotate and baste (6 BB racks-louis style wouldn't fit!)

When desired meat tenderness is reached, take off the grill, cover and let rest for 20 minutes, then slice them up, baste  and enjoy!

Lightly baste ribs and enjoy!

…cooking with passion and reaching out of the box….

Cheers!

 

 

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