Poor Man’s Burnt Ends

Burnt ends are an absolute treat that I only get to enjoy on occasion. They’re normally made from the point of a beef brisket, smoked low-and-slow for hours and hours. But, you can get that same magical tender juicy beefy bite using a much cheaper (poor man’s burnt ends so-to-speak) cut of meat, a chuck roast. The process is the same. Smoke for hours, cut into pieces, add a bit of sauce, and smoke some more. That’s it. Every bite just falls apart. Great by themselves, on a roll as a sandwich, or my favorite, served over cheesy grits.

Poor Man's Burnt Ends

You do not want to use a heavy, thick BBQ sauce when making poor man’s burnt ends. Use a milder sauce that doesn’t have a lot of sugar or molasses. Less is definitely more. You can always add sauce to them when you serve them.

You can also just smoke a chuck roast as you would any other large piece of meat, such as a pork shoulder or butt. It makes for the perfect shredded beef sandwich. Check out my post on smoked chuck roast here.

If I’m reaching for a bottled BBQ sauce, I often go for Sweet Baby Ray’s.

Poor Man's Burnt Ends
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Poor Man’s Burnt Ends

Burnt ends are an absolute treat that I only get to enjoy on occasion. They’re normally made from the point of a beef brisket, smoked low-and-slow for hours and hours. But, you can get that same magical tender juicy beefy bite using a much cheaper (poor man’s so-to-speak) cut of meat, a chuck roast. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, smoked
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 204kcal

Instructions

  • FIre up your smoker for 225 F cooking. Use a few chunks of hickory or a lighter wood.
  • Season the chuck on all sides with the rub and place onto the smoker.
  • Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 185 F.
  • Carefully remove the chuck and wrap in foil. Let rest on your counter for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the chuck roast from the foil and transfer to a cutting board.
  • Cut into 3/4″ cubes and place into a disposable aluminum pan.
  • Lightly (very lightly!) drizzle the meat with the BBQ sauce. You just want the flavor from the sauce. Toss gently to coat.
  • Sprinkle with more of the rub and return to the smoker for 1 1/2 more hours.
  • Devour.

Nutrition

Calories: 204kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 376mg | Vitamin A: 15IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Olives

I had my Weber smoker fired up the other day, making a nice batch of smoked pork chops. There was a little extra room on the top rack. Since I try to always use up every inch of space, I grabbed a jar of olives and a few other ingredients and in just a bit over an hour we were enjoying some garlicky, smoked olives.

Smoked Olives

Smoked olives have just a small kick to them thanks to the red pepper flakes. You don’t have to worry about them being too hot for you even if you aren’t as big a fan of spicy as we are.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple wood chunks to smoke these olives.

For another great snack idea, try my smoked Chex Mix. Or skip the smoking and make some spicy roasted olives instead!

Smoked Olives
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Smoked Olives

Since I try to always use up every inch of space, I grabbed a jar of olives and a few other ingredients and in just a bit over an hour we were enjoying some garlicky, smoked olives.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword olives, smoked
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 3 cups
Calories 281kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for smoking 225 – 275 F. Use a mellow wood such as apple.
  • Place the olives in a shallow aluminum pan.
  • Combine the garlic, pepper flake, and oil and pour over the olives.
  • Smoke for 45 minutes.
  • Remove and let cool before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2101mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Shrimp Cobb Salad

Farm-fresh vegetables and fruits scream Cobb salad to me. Add a few smoked shrimp and a great (spicy!) creamy dressing and I’m a happy guy. Any toppings will do, and the more variety, the better. You can make a smoked shrimp Cobb salad any way you want to suit your tastes. Just don’t forget the star of the show, the smoked shrimp!

Smoked Shrimp Cobb Salad

The spicy shrimp and cool, but still spicy dressing really go well with the coolness of the vegetables and the pop of the cherry tomatoes. There’s no point in having a boring smoked shrimp Cobb salad.

I think artichoke hearts (and hearts of palm for that matter) should be a required ingredient in every Cobb salad. And shrimp. The shrimp don’t have to be smoked, of course, but that smoky flavor really changes up a salad.

My favorite salads when I eat out are the Buffalo chicken salad at Max and Erma’s, their Santa Fe chicken salad, and the tossed Cobb at The Ram, topped with Buffalo chicken. Yes, I like spicy salads.

Also try my grilled shrimp Cobb salad.

Smoked Shrimp Cobb Salad
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Smoked Shrimp Cobb Salad

Course Main or Side
Cuisine American
Keyword salad, shrimp, smoked
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Author Mike

Ingredients

Your favorite Cobb salad ingredients, I used

  • Green leaf lettuce
  • Chilled canned small artichoke hearts drained, chopped
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Chopped radishes
  • Boiled eggs halved
  • Diced avocado

Instructions

  • Arrange ingredients on a platter and serve.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Hamburgers

One of my favorite things to make on my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker are smoked hamburgers. After a long smoke session (some lasting through the night), there’s usually still a good bit of charcoal burning in the smoker. No point in wasting all that fuel. I toss a few burgers and a little more smoking wood into the cooker. I let the patties smoke a bit. Then I transfer them to a super hot grill to get a nice char on them. The end result are great, super moist, tasty burgers.

Smoked Hamburgers

You can skip the step of finishing the burgers on a grill, but I’d suggest that you don’t. Smoked hamburgers have a different texture than burgers that have been cooked over high heat for a short amount of time. It’s not a bad texture by any means. If your guests are expecting that great grill char, let the burgers spend a little time over high heat.

Smoked burgers also freeze well. If your smoker is already going, why not load it up with a bunch of patties? Then you’ll have plenty to enjoy later.

While your burgers and getting done, grill up a batch of potatoes with onion and garlic for the perfect side dish.

Smoked Hamburgers
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Smoked Hamburgers

Smoked hamburgers have a different texture than burgers that have been cooked over high heat for a short amount of time. It’s not a bad texture by any means, but if you and your guests are expecting that great grill char, you’ll want to let them (the burgers) to spend a little time over high heat.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, smoked
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 288kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for cooking 225 F- 250 F. Use a light smoking wood, such as apple.
  • Form beef into patties and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Place burgers on smoker and cook 60-990 minutes or until beef reaches desired doneness (at least 150 F).
  • Note: Burgers will not have a char on them like you get when cooked over high heat. To get that great char, remove the burgers from the smoker when they reach 120 F and transfer to a hot grill to finish cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 306mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Barb’s Royal Brownies

I had my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker going the other day to make some Tasso ham and to smoke some beans. After the cooking was done, I decided to whip up this great recipe for Barb’s royal brownies that I found in the most recent copy of Chile Pepper magazine (sadly, no longer around!).

Since this came from a magazine devoted to all things zesty, I knew that the brownies would have some great kick, and they did. They were fantastic! Chewy, chocolatey, a hint of smokiness, and just a bit of kickin’ spice. Absolutely great with some of my homemade Neapolitan ice cream.

Barbs Royal Brownies

The ‘Barb’ in this case is Barbara Milroy, one of the owners of Texas Rib Rangers Products. Pick up a few bottles of their rubs and sauces, you’ll love them. And tell them how much you love Barb’s Royal Brownies.

Making dessert on the grill or smoker is fun. Also try my grilled strawberry shortcake with lemon cream.

Barb's Royal Brownies
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Barb’s Royal Brownies

Chewy, chocolatey, a hint of smokiness, and just a bit of kickin’ spice. Absolutely great with some of my homemade Neapolitan ice cream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword brownies, smoked
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 378kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Note: Make sure your smoker is sitting on level ground so that your brownies cook consistently throughout.
  • Fire up your smoker for 275 F. You can also use a grill, cooking over indirect heat.
  • Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour into the bowl of a mixer.
  • Add the sugar, flour and cayenne.
  • Turn mixer on medium and add the eggs, one at a time.
  • Add the vanilla and continue blending until well blended.
  • Spray a 9″ x 13″ aluminum pan with non-stick spray.
  • Pour in the brownie mixture.
  • Smoke for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Pepper Stout Beef

I love smoking chuck roast. It’s a cheap cut of meat that takes on great smoke flavor, while still having that great beefy taste. It’s usually fuss-free and doesn’t take too long to cook until fall-apart tender. I’ve done a few variations before, including a Cajun-style chuck roast to an incredible smoked pot roast. This smoked pepper stout beef is as great as any I’ve ever made. Great peppery flavor with a hint of the beer and incredibly tender. Perfect on a sandwich or by itself with mashed potatoes.

Smoked Pepper Stout Beef

For our simple smoked pepper stout beef on-a-bun sandwiches I mixed up a batch of creamy horseradish sauce. The sauce is incredible, with just a hint of horseradish. It goes perfectly with any beef-based sandwich. I added a few slices of provolone, which continue that slight smoky flavor you’ll get from the sandwich. You could also serve the au jus on the side, serving the sandwiches up as a take on a French dip. Perfect!

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple for smoking this beef.

I love smoking chuck roast. It’s an expensive cut that takes on flavors without a lot of work. Also try my Asian-inspired smoked marinated chuck roast.

Smoked Pepper Stout Beef
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Smoked Pepper Stout Beef

I love smoking chuck roast. It’s a cheap cut of meat that takes on great smoke flavor, while still having that great beefy taste. It’s usually fuss-free and doesn’t take too long to cook until fall-apart tender. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, smoked
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 347kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for cooking 225 – 250 F. Use a light wood such as hickory or a fruit wood.
  • Season the beef heavily with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy with the pepper.
  • Smoke until the beef reaches 165 F.
  • Add remaining ingredients to an aluminum pan and place the beef on top. Cover with foil and continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 200-205 F, or the beef is completely fall-apart tender.
  • Remove from smoker and let cook slightly before shredding the beef.
  • Pour the sauce from the pan through a sieve and transfer to a pot. Add the beef and simmer until slightly thickened.
  • Serve as desired.

Notes

Serve this fantastic beef on rolls with our creamy horseradish sauce! It’s out-of-this-world good!

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Black Pepper Bacon

After my first time making homemade bacon (a very successful first time, I must say), I decided I’d up my game and try different flavors beyond maple. The maple bacon was a little sweet, as you’d expect, so this time I went a more savory route by making this black pepper bacon. The end result was absolutely fantastic. My goodness, what great bacon. A great pepper flavor, but not overwhelming. Not only great for breakfast, but this bacon easily made for the best BLT sandwich I’ve ever had.

Some of the credit for the success of this black pepper bacon goes to my butcher, Moody’s Butcher shop. The folks at Moody’s got me the most fantastic pork sides ever. They were absolutely perfect for making bacon. I mean, look at that slab. That’s just gorgeous bacon!

Black Pepper Bacon

Making bacon at home is actually really easy, much easier than I had ever expected. I love making it and eating it. And don’t worry about slicing it, just get your knife really sharp (I sharpened my Wusthof knives with the sharpener below) and you can cut bacon thick or thin, like it’s butter!

Also try making my Sriracha bacon and my chipotle bacon.

Black Pepper Bacon
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Black Pepper Bacon

Making bacon at home is really easy, much easier than I ever expected. I love making it and eating it. And don’t worry about slicing it, just get your knife really sharp and you can cut bacon thick or thin, like it’s butter!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon, homemade
Prep Time 7 days
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 7 days 2 hours
Servings 2 pounds
Calories 3967kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. Place into a large resealable container or baggie.
  • Combine the remaining ingredients and rub over all sides of the pork.
  • Seal container and place in fridge for 7-10 days.
  • Rinse the belly well to remove any remaining cure. If you want you can sprinkle it with additional freshly ground black pepper.
  • To smoke, fire up your smoker for cooking at 225 F. Use whatever wood your prefer. I used apple.
  • Smoke the bacon for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 150 F.
  • Store smoked bacon in a plastic bag or container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  • Remove belly from smoker and let cool slightly before placing in the fridge for an hour.
  • Slice bacon as desired. Bake, pan fry, or use however you wish!

Nutrition

Calories: 3967kcal | Carbohydrates: 114g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 361g | Saturated Fat: 132g | Cholesterol: 490mg | Sodium: 14398mg | Potassium: 1518mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 107g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Teriyaki Jerky

After making homemade bacon on my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker, I figured the next logical thing to try would be making homemade Teriyaki jerky. The curing process for jerky is similar in ways to curing bacon, but it doesn’t take as long. The smoking process is different, since the jerky needs to dry out on the smoker.

Teriyaki Jerky

The end result was fantastic. This Teriyaki jerky has great Asian-inspired flavor. The meat was tender, with a little bit of tug, as you’d expect from jerky. We loved it. Everyone loved it.

The most important things to keep in mind when making jerky is to start with a lean cut of meat (I used a lean top round), sliced super thin, and smoke at a fairly low temperature, 150 – 175 F.

I lit just a handful of charcoal using my charcoal chimney. The easiest way to do that is to turn the chimney upside down, putting the charcoal where you’d normally put newspaper, and putting newspaper where you’d normally put charcoal. I put just enough unlit charcoal in the bottom of the WSM to cover the bottom grate.

To make slicing the beef easier, I sat it in the freezer for about 30 minutes first. Then I used a very sharp knife to get very thin slices.

To fit as much jerky on my Weber Smokey Mountain as I could, I suspended the meat on skewers. I was able to fit 3 pounds of jerky on my 18″ cooker (I made two different flavors). I could’ve probably fit 5 or so pounds on without any trouble.

Jerky on the Weber Smokey Mountain

Also check out my black pepper jerky. It has a really great peppery bite to it, with a little heat.

Teriyaki Jerky
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Teriyaki Jerky

This Teriyaki jerky has great Asian-inspired flavor. The meat was tender, with a little bit of tug, as you’d expect from jerky. We loved it. Everyone loved it.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword dehydrator, jerky, nesco snackmaster pro, Teriyaki
Prep Time 2 days
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 2 days 6 hours
Servings 2.5 pounds
Calories 2621kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Note: Freeze the meat for at least 30 minutes to make slicing easier.
  • Whisk together the remaining ingredients.
  • Place the meat in a large resealable baggie or container. Add the marinade. Stir to coat well.
  • Refrigerate for 2 days, stirring occasionally to make sure the meat gets well coated.
  • Fire up your smoker for cooking 150 – 175 F. Use a light wood, such as apple or pecan.
  • Shaking off any excess marinade. Place the meat on paper towels (use lots of them) and pat dry.
  • Place meat on the smoker (I skewered ours so I could hang it, see the picture above) and smoke for 5-6 hours or until the meat is dry.
  • Let cool for an hour before devouring.

Nutrition

Calories: 2621kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 168g | Fat: 185g | Saturated Fat: 70g | Trans Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 644mg | Sodium: 7401mg | Potassium: 3171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 293mg | Iron: 23mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches

I can’t say that I eat a lot of bologna. But when I do, I do it up right. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a good ole slice or two of bologna on bread with mustard. In fact, they were a staple of mine back in the day when I fished and camped quite regularly. You can’t get any easier. But smoked bologna sandwiches are where bologna dreams of being.

Smoked bologna is just about as easy to make. No fancy brines. No fancy wood. Just a little seasoning and onto a smoker at 250 F for 1 1/2 hours. You could use your grill too, just add some smoking wood and cook over indirect heat.

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches

I had the guy behind the deli at my local grocery store cut chub bologna thick, about 1/2″. I then cut slits around the edges. This prevents the bologna from curling up. A little Cajun seasoning, and 1 1/2 hours later, they were done.
The sandwiches were straightforward. Lightly toasted buns, thin sliced Vidalia onion, mustard, and dill pickles. These smoked bologna sandwiches were delicious.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple for this bologna.

If you’re feeling adventurous, smoke an entire bologna chub!

Smoked Bologna Sandwiches
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Smoked Bologna Sandwiches

The sandwiches were straightforward. Lightly toasted buns, thin sliced Vidalia onion, mustard, and dill pickles. These smoked bologna sandwiches were delicious.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich, smoked
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 252kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for 250 F cooking. Use a light smoking wood such as apple.
  • Sprinkle both sides of the bologna slices with the seasoning.
  • Place onto the smoker and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Lightly toast the buns if desired.
  • Add bologna slices. Top with onion, plenty of mustard, and dill pickle slices.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 3199mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 592IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Pecan Smoked Shrimp

II had my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker fired up the other day, cooking a bunch of turkey breasts. After they were done, the fire was still nice and hot, so I grabbed a pound of gulf shrimp, seasoned them, skewered them, and put them over the smoke. Shrimp don’t take long at all to be cooked, so in about 30 minutes they were done. I let them cool slightly and served them in a great Cobb salad. These pecan smoked shrimp were only lightly seasoned. I didn’t want the shrimp to be particularly spicy so they didn’t overpower my salad. And I didn’t want to bury the shrimp so I didn’t even notice them any more! If I was going to use them in shrimp cocktail I would’ve increased the cayenne just a little more, and used cocktail sauce to cool off the heat.

Pecan Smoked Shrimp

I used 21-25 count shrimp, which are a little big for a salad, but still quite ok. Of course, bigger shrimp are easier to skewer. There are fewer of them in a pound so they shell and devein quicker. Small or large, pecan smoked shrimp are delicious!

Also try my NOLA smoked shrimp.

Pecan Smoked Shrimp
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Pecan Smoked Shrimp

Shrimp don’t take long to cook, so in about 30 minutes they were done. I let them cool slightly and served them in a great Cobb salad.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword shrimp, smoked
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 3
Calories 315kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place bamboo skewers in water and let soak.
  • Place the shrimp in a medium bowl.
  • Drizzle with the oil.
  • Add remaining ingredients except the wood. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
  • Fire up your smoker for low-and-slow cooking, 225 F. Add a few chunks of pecan wood.
  • After the smoker is ready, place shrimp on skewers.
  • Transfer to smoker and smoke for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 381mg | Sodium: 1370mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.