Steak ‘n Shake Frisco Melts (Copycat Recipe)

What makes a great patty melt? Well, melted cheese, of course. And a tangy sauce. A perfectly seasoned and cooked patty. Well-toasted thick slices of bread. But the most important thing is they have to be messy. Very, very messy. I want stuff dripping out. All over the plate, all over my shirt. Into my lap. Onto the table. You get the point. Messy. That’s a great patty melt, and that’s what these copycat recipe Steak ‘n Shake Frisco melts are: great.

Steak 'n Shake Frisco Melts (Copycat Recipe)

Turn It Into A Frisco Melt Dip!

I go the extra mile to get these copycat recipe Steak ‘n Shake Frisco melts even messier. I make a little extra sauce and put it into some small sauce bowls and dip my sandwich in it. Yep, Frisco Melt Dip. Perfect. No point in being halfway messy. Take it to the messy extreme!

There’s nothing fancy going in here. Just great flavor. I’m pretty sure that Cuisinart designed my Griddler just for these sandwiches. Sure, I could’ve gotten out a skillet and toasted these little beauties. But I appear to be challenged at flipping sandwiches in a skillet. It’s the sides that throw me off. The Griddler is just that, a griddle. Wide-open flat spaces. Plenty of room for me to flip and flip well!

Cuisinart Panini Press and Grill, 1500W 5-in…
  • SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE: The Cuisinart Griddler…
  • 5-IN-1 COOKING: This Cuisinart panini press and…

Also try my copycat of Applebee’s classic Patty Melt.

Copycat Steak 'n Shake Frisco Melts
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4 from 1 vote

Steak ‘n Shake Frisco Melts (Copycat Recipe)

What makes a great patty melt? Well, melted cheese, of course. And a tangy sauce. But the most important thing is they have to be messy. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, copycat, sandwich
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Calories 980kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the Frisco Sauce

For the melts

  • ½ tablespoon canola oil
  • ½ large sweet onion sliced thin
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 8 slices American cheese
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
  • 8 slices sourdough bread I used Italian bread
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

Instructions

For the Frisco Sauce

  • Combine the ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the melts

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and caramelize, cooking for about 20 minutes, stirring often. The onions should turn a nice golden brown. Remove from the pan.
  • Divide the beef into 4 equally-sized patties. Cook them as desired in a skillet or on the grill.
  • Add 1 slice of Swiss cheese and 2 slices of American cheese to each patty and let melt.
  • Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the butter has melted and the bread is golden crispy.
  • Make sandwiches by spreading Frisco sauce on the unbuttered sides of the bread. Add the patties and onions and top with another piece of bread. Serve.

Notes

Try to flatten your patties out so they cover the bread as much as possible.

Nutrition

Calories: 980kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1573mg | Potassium: 600mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 661IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 662mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Boston Market Tuscan Herb Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat recipe for Boston Market Tuscan Herb chicken is exactly why I bought my Char-Broil Big Easy: crazy good chicken. Sure, I cook a lot of things on my Big Easy, but it cooks poultry like you’ve never had. Perfect every time and easy as you can possibly get. These split chicken breasts were packed with herb flavor. The skin was insanely crunchy and soooo tasty. And oh-so-moist meat. This may be the best chicken I’ve ever made. It certainly disappeared quickly!

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

Boston Market Tuscan Herb Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy (Copycat Recipe)

Any Chicken Cuts Will Do

You can use skin-less chicken breasts if you prefer, just rub the herb mixture over the meat. The original recipe was for a whole chicken, which you could also do. But make sure you check the meat temperatures in several places before removing the full bird from the cooker. I prefer split chicken breasts when I make this copycat recipe of Boston Market Tuscan herb chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy. They’re a bit easier to handle than a whole bird.

More Room, More Chickie!

One of the beauties of using split chicken breasts is that I can really, really load up my Big Easy. I use Bunk Bed baskets. I can fit several into the basket that came with my cooker.

Charbroil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket…
  • Expands the cooking space of The Big Easy
  • Perfect for cooking two chickens at once

It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.

Char-Broil 2425514W12 Big Easy Grease Tray…
  • MATERIAL: Disposable aluminum liners made…
  • SIZE: Measures 6” x 10” across the top and…

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and all 3 of my huge free Big Easy eCookbooks!

Also try my KFC roasted chicken and my citrus herb marinaded chicken, cooked up easy and delicious on the Big Easy.

Copycat Boston Market Tuscan Herb Chicken on the Char-B roil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Boston Market Tuscan Herb Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat Boston Market Tuscan Herb chicken is exactly why I bought my Char-Broil Big Easy: crazy good chicken. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 271kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your Big Easy. Spray the basket with non-stick spray.
  • Using your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the chicken meat, creating a pocket between the skin and breast.
  • Combine the oil and the basil, oregano, rosemary and garlic.
  • Rub the mixture between the skin and meat. Be generous with it.
  • Salt and pepper the outsides of the breasts.
  • Place into the Big Easy cooker and cook until the breast meat reaches 165 F. Depending on conditions and the size of the chicken breasts, plan on 10-15 minutes per pound.
  • Remove and devour.

Notes

You’ll need the Char-Broil Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket if you want to cook more than 2 split chicken breasts at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1197mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Charbroil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket…
  • Expands the cooking space of The Big Easy
  • Perfect for cooking two chickens at once

Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille (Copycat Recipe)

We both really enjoyed this copycat recipe of Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille sandwich. I had plenty of smoked turkey on hand after smoking a few turkey breasts. The light smoke flavor of the very tender turkey, along with gooey cheese and the best part, a bit of smoky BBQ sauce, really made for a great sandwich. It’s like a grownup take on a grilled cheese.

Applebee's Clubhouse Grille (Copycat Recipe)

BBQ Sauce On A Sandwich Is A Good Thing

Any ‘plain’ sandwich can have that little extra something just by adding a bit of BBQ sauce to it. Like this copycat recipe of Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille. Not a lot, you’re not making a pulled pork sandwich. But just enough so you know it is there. You’ll remember it more than just a sandwich with just say, mayonnaise. Remember it the next time you make any sandwich.

I like to cook sandwiches like this one on my Cuisinart Griddler. It gives me the perfectly crispy bread and melted cheese!

Cuisinart Panini Press and Grill, 1500W 5-in…
  • SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE: The Cuisinart Griddler…
  • 5-IN-1 COOKING: This Cuisinart panini press and…

Also try my copycat of Applebee’s classic patty melt.

Copycat Applebee's Clubhouse Grille Sandwich
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4 from 1 vote

Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille (Copycat Recipe)

We both really enjoyed this copycat Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille sandwich. I had plenty of smoked turkey on hand after smoking a few turkey breasts. The light smoke flavor of the very tender turkey, along with gooey cheese and the best part, a bit of smoky BBQ sauce, really made for a great sandwich. It’s like a grownup take on a grilled cheese.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, sandwich
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Calories 1002kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 slices bread nice and thick
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoon mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons your favorite BBQ sauce
  • 3 slices ham
  • 3 slices turkey
  • 1 slice extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 slice Jack cheese
  • 2 slices bacon cooked
  • 2 slices tomato
  • iceberg lettuce
  • avocado sliced, optional

Instructions

  • Warm a skillet over medium-high heat or fire up a griddle on your grill.
  • Spread butter on one side of each slice of toast.
  • Place butter side down onto the skillet and cook until the butter is melted and the bread is golden brown.
  • Remove to a plate, butter sides down. Slather one bread slice’s un-buttered side with mayonnaise and the other slice’s with the BBQ sauce.
  • Add ham, turkey and cheeses to skillet all in a pile.
  • Heat until the cheeses start to melt.
  • Remove and place on top of a bread slice.
  • Top with bacon, tomato and lettuce and serve.
  • Optional: Add a few thin slices of avocado!

Notes

Texas toast holds up great to these loaded sandwiches!

Nutrition

Calories: 1002kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 2112mg | Potassium: 738mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1366IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 514mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Shake Shack Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

I was jonesin’ pretty bad for a diner burger the other day. Ya know, messy, with traditional toppings. With a great sauce. So I did a quick search around and came across this copycat recipe of the sauce at the Shake Shack. It’s very easy to make, using ingredients that I always have on hand. It really adds a nice, smooth, flavor to a burger. It’s not a big change from what you would normally put on a burger, it just has all the great tastes in one sauce.

Shake Shack Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

Making Burger Sauces Is Fun!

I love making simple, yet delicious, sauces for burgers like this copycat recipe3 for Shake Shack Sauce. They’re a great way to kick up what might be a simple, ‘the usual’ burger.

Also check out my copycat McDonald’s Big Macs, with that awesome McDonald’s sauce. Or my grilled burgers topped with Nancy’s Special burger sauce. It’s similar to McDonald’s sauce, but with a great spicy twist.

Ocapind 2 Pack 3 Hole Squeeze Bottles for Sauces…
  • 【 Materials】This set includes two 300ml…
  • 【Multi-hole Design】This pancake syrup…

Also try my BBQ Thousand Island burger sauce.

Copycat Shake Shack Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Shake Shack Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

I was jonesin’ pretty bad for a diner burger the other day. Ya know, messy, with traditional toppings. With a great sauce. This is it.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword burger sauce, copycat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings 1 cup
Calories 1738kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 1738kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 171g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 12887mg | Potassium: 1385mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 3499IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 565mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Tony Roma’s Blue Ridge Smokies Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat recipe for Tony Roma’s Blue Ridge Smokies sauce is fantastic. It has some of your ‘standard’ BBQ sauce ingredients, such as ketchup and brown sugar. Those aren’t what made it so special to me. It’s the red wine vinegar. The vinegar really adds a nice edge to the sauce. It’s like a nice combination of a KC BBQ sauce with a little North Carolina vinegar-based sauce. This is a great finger-licking sauce that screams ‘put me on a rack of smoked ribs’. So that’s what I did!

This sauce is great on anything smoked or grilled. So make plenty extra. Oh and you bet it’s great on wings too! Grilled, deep-fried, air-fried, doesn’t matter. BBQ sauce on wings is great!

Tony Roma's Blue Ridge Smokies Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

The Perfect Sauce For Ribs

My first experience at Tony Roma’s was in Salt Lake City, Utah. Many, many years ago. I instantly fell in love with their ribs. Ribs, ribs, ribs. Tony Roma’s started my love of ribs and I now make them often at home on my own smoker. I rubbed a rack of ribs down with a copycat Famous Dave’s rib rub, let it get happy overnight, then tossed the ribs onto my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker for 6 hours. I then slathered on some copycat recipe Tony Roma’s Blue Ridge Smokies sauce. The end result was tender, tasty, and finger-licking amazing.

Spicy Tony?

If you want a little heat to your BBQ sauce it’s easy enough to add it. You can go the hot sauce route. I’d use a classic hot sauce, and not one that is going to really fight with the rest of the flavors of the sauce. Frank’s RedHot or Cholula would be my recommendations. You can also use cayenne pepper. Or for a smoky spicy twist, use chipotle chile powder.

Heavy-duty BBQ Basting Brush by HQY – Silicone…
  • Heavy-duty BBQ Basting Brush by HQY – Silicone…

If you don’t like liquid smoke, substitute smoked salt and leave out the Kosher salt instead.

Try my copycat Tony Roma’s ribs made on the Char-Broil Big Easy.

Copycat Tony Roma's Blue Ridge Smokies Sauce
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5 from 2 votes

Tony Roma’s Blue Ridge Smokies Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat Tony Roma’s Blue Ridge Smokies sauce is fantastic.  It’s like a nice combination of a KC BBQ sauce with a little North Carolina vinegar-based sauce.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword barbecue, BBQ, copycat, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 491kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved.
  • Sauce gets better when refrigerated overnight. Warm slightly before using.

Notes

Stir before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 118g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1719mg | Potassium: 1125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 111g | Vitamin A: 617IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Denny’s Club Sandwich (Copycat Recipe)

This is ALMOST a copycat recipe for a Denny’s club sandwich. I had to add a slight twist. After enjoying a copycat of Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille sandwich, which has BBQ sauce slathered on the bread, I just had to do the same with this club sandwich. Otherwise, yeah, it’s a spot-on fantastic copycat of the classic. So don’t hate me that it’s “almost” a copycat. It’s darned close.

I love the tang of the BBQ sauce. I used a hickory-smoked flavored sauce, which I think is the perfect sauce for this sandwich. What? You never thought of putting BBQ sauce on a club sandwich? Me either. But I’ve changed since I did. I’m much happier now. Club sandwiches need that little ‘twist’. You’ve been having the same sandwiches for years and years now. Make a simple change that has a huge impact on the flavor!

Denny's Club Sandwich (Copycat Recipe)

This Is The Perfect Club Sandwich

Now, if BBQ sauce isn’t your thing, substituting Sriracha instead would make for a totally different (and yummy spicy) copycat recipe of a Denny’s Club sandwich. In fact, that’s a great idea. I am going to make my next club sandwich with Sriracha on it instead! I’m glad I thought of it! Again, it’s not a ‘copycat’ exactly, but darned close!

I like to keep some pre-cooked bacon on-hand for sandwiches like these. I grab a few packs at the store and bake them up. It’s super-easy to do. After they’ve cooled off I wrap them in paper towels and put them into a container that goes into the freezer. When it’s time to use them, I just pull out whatever I need, wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave it for about 10 seconds. Boom! Great crispy home-cooked bacon!

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Blue Plate Regular Mayonnaise 30 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
  • Real Mayonnaise Made Like Homemade: Time-honored…
  • A History of Delicious: Our simple…

Also try my deviled egg salad sandwich.

Copycat Denny's Club Sandwich
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5 from 1 vote

Denny’s Club Sandwich (Copycat Recipe)

This is ALMOST a copycat version of Denny’s club sandwich. I had to add a slight twist.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, sandwich
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 sandwiches
Calories 743kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bread
  • 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons your favorite BBQ sauce
  • 4 ounces turkey breast thinly sliced sandwich meat
  • 4 ounces ham thinly sliced sandwich meat
  • ½ cup Iceberg lettuce shredded or leaves
  • 4 slices bacon cooked
  • 4 slices tomato

Instructions

  • Toast the bread as desired.
  • Slather one side of two of the slices of the bread with mayonnaise.
  • Top with some lettuce, a slice of tomato, a slice of bacon, and the turkey.
  • Top each sandwich stack with a piece of bread.
  • Add more lettuce, tomato, another slice of bacon, and the ham.
  • Slather one side of two other slices of the bread with BBQ sauce (optional).
  • Add to sandwich.
  • Secure with toothpicks or skewers and serve.

Notes

For a nice twist, use a spicy BBQ sauce!

Nutrition

Calories: 743kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1790mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 618IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Applebee’s Sriracha Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)

We recently grabbed a quick lunch at the Applebee’s in Springfield, Ohio, meeting up with some old friends before heading over to one of our favorite places, the Heart of Ohio Antique Center. We knew we could rely on Applebee’s for good food and a nice environment to sit and chat for a bit. I decided to have an appetizer, so I ordered the Sriracha shrimp. As soon as I bit into one I knew I was going to make a copycat recipe of Applebee’s Sriracha shrimp when I got home.

I hope our friends didn’t think that I hadn’t eaten in days. But I put a hurt on these shrimp like I’d been starving for sure. I couldn’t help myself. I probably even talked with my mouth full. I apologize for that if I did. Again, I couldn’t help myself.

Applebee's Sriracha Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)

Sorta Spicy, Definitely Great

Lightly battered shrimp, lightly fried, then tossed in a great Sriracha mayonnaise sauce. This is exactly as I remember except I left the Sriracha sauce on the side for dipping.

Sauce On The Side

The nice thing about keeping the sauce on the side is that these copycat recipe of Applebee’s Sriracha shrimp stay nice and lightly crunchy, instead of getting a bit soggy when covered in the sauce. You can serve it whichever way you like, of course. I also used larger shrimp because… I love shrimp.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

Also try my copycats of Applebee’s fantastic Buffalo wings and peppercorn and garlic shrimp and (the new defunct) Joe’s Crab Shack popcorn shrimp.

Copycat Applebee's Sriracha Shrimp
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4.50 from 4 votes

Applebee’s Sriracha Shrimp (Copycat Recipe)

Lightly battered shrimp, lightly fried, then tossed in a great Sriracha mayonnaise sauce. This is exactly as I remember except I left the Sriracha sauce on the side for dipping.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, shrimp, spicy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 222kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the shrimp

For the Sriracha dipping sauce

Instructions

For the shrimp

  • Preheat 1/2″ of oil in a Dutch oven to 350 F.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne and garlic powder.
  • Whisk in the club soda until smooth.
  • Add the shrimp to the batter and coat well on all sides.
  • Shake off excess batter and add to hot oil.
  • Fry shrimp 3 minutes, then flip and fry another 2 minutes.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

For the Sriracha dipping sauce

  • Whisk together all ingredients.

Notes

The dipping sauce is also great for dipping chicken nuggets!

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 907mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Wendy’s Chili (Copycat Recipe)

My wife and I were on our way to Gatlinburg, TN, tootin’ along down the interstate, when lunch time crept up on us. A glance at the GPS showed that our choices were pretty much fast food or nothing. A hankerin’ for a Wendy’s burger came over me, so into Wendy’s we went. It was a cold fall day. My wife got the chili and when she wasn’t looking I took a few bites. And it was good, which of course meant that I instantly started searching for a copycat recipe of Wendy’s chili. And here it is. A little thicker than the real deal served at Wendy’s, but definitely a great copycat of the fast food favorite.

Wendy's Chili (Copycat Recipe)

Easy And Delicious

This copycat recipe for Wendy’s chili is about as easy as you can get to make, yet it is quite tasty and has great texture. It’s not hot, but it can be by just adding cayenne or substituting hot chili powder for the mild. You can also substitute cubed chuck for the ground beef for a more traditional chili. Cincinnati chili lovers need only add a bit of cinnamon. And yes, if you like your chili with pasta, you can serve it over pasta.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this chili and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Amazon Basics Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Pot…
  • OVEN SAFE DESIGN: Withstand temperatures up to…
  • EXCELLENT HEAT RETENTION: This heavy-duty cast…

The Beans

Oh I’ve heard it. The argument that you don’t put beans in chili. Ok. Cool. If that’s you guess what? You can leave the beans out. No harm, no foul. I don’t think you can get your Wendy’s chili without beans though. They might look at you a bit strange at the counter. And they might just tell you that it’s up to you to take them out!

Also try my copycat of Cin Chili, the best chili mix ever.

Copycat Wendy's Chili
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5 from 1 vote

Wendy’s Chili (Copycat Recipe)

Here it is. A little thicker than the real deal served at Wendy’s, but definitely a great copycat of the fast food favorite.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chili, copycat
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 483kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef in a large pot. Drain.
  • Add the water. Bring to a boil, then drain completely to remove more fat.
  • Add remaining ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 3 hours, stirring often.

Notes

Top with a cooling dollop of sour cream!

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 1104mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1049IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Long John Silver’s Fish-and-Chips (Copycat Recipe)

As a kid, my hands-down favorite fast food place was Long John Silver’s. And although I loved the fish and fries, I have to admit my favorite things were the little crunchies. You know, the little pieces of fried batter that would end up in your food basket. I loved them. I would even ask for ‘extra crunchies’ when I ordered. Fortunately, I can get all the crunchies I want when I make this copycat recipe for Long John Silver’s fish-and-chips.

Long John Silver's Fish-and-Chips (Copycat Recipe)

More Crunchies. More Better!

If I want extra crunchies I just add a few drops of batter to the oil and in seconds… extra crunchies! So, don’t waste that extra batter you might have after you’re done dunkin’ and fryin’ your fish. And don’t forget the hush puppies! No Long John Silver’s copycat meal is complete without them, too! This copycat recipe for Long John Silver’s fish-and-chips dish will bring back memories of the last time you stopped by the restaurant! And for me, it brings back memories of screaming in delight when I heard that mom and dad were taking me to LJS for dinner! I always hoped that I’d get a paper pirates hat while I was there!

Malt Vinegar

You gotta serve the fish with malt vinegar. It might be bordering on criminal if you don’t. Me, I usually use a lot. I don’t know what it is about me and malt vinegar, but I gotta have a lot of it. Not so much that my fish gets soggy though.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

For something a bit different, dip your fries in my malt vinegar aioli instead of good-ole ketchup.

Also try my copycat of Captain D’s batter dipped fish!

Copycat Long John Silver's Fish-and-Chips
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4 from 2 votes

Long John Silver’s Fish-and-Chips (Copycat Recipe)

Now I can make my own copycat Long John Silver’s fish and chips. And if I want extra crunchies I just add a few drops of batter to the oil and in seconds… extra crunchies! 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, fish, fries
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 1092kcal

Ingredients

For the batter

For the fish

For the fries

Instructions

For the batter

  • Combine all ingredients. Whisk until smooth and there are no lumps.

For the fish

  • Heat a few inches of oil to 375 F in a Dutch oven or deep fryer.
  • Pat fish dry and coat well in the batter.
  • Working in batches, slowly lower the fish into the oil and fry on both sides until golden brown.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate
  • Serve with tartar sauce and malt vinegar.

For the fries

  • Reduce oil temperature to 325 F.
  • Fry potatoes until starting to turn golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry.
  • Increase oil temperature to 375 F and add the fries back in. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain, sprinkle with salt, then serve immediately.

Notes

Serve with plenty of malt vinegar and tartar sauce!

Nutrition

Calories: 1092kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 170g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 387mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 5078mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 363IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Famous Dave’s Rib Rub (Copycat Recipe)

I was hankerin’ for some tender, almost-fall-off-the-bone smoked pork ribs, and lo and behold, spareribs were on sale at our grocery store. So I grabbed a few racks, trimmed them up St. Louis-style and started contemplating how I was going to cook them. Normally, it means an overnight rub down with some Memphis rib rub, then onto my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker using the 3-2-1 cooking method. This time, I decided to try a copycat recipe of Famous Dave’s rib rub (the one they use in the restaurants for making their totally outstanding ribs) and cook the ribs low-and-slow for 6 hours.

The seasoning is just part of turning out great smoked ribs. You want to get that part right, though. And this was right. More than right, actually. There’s a lot going on here. Lots of flavors. This isn’t a one-note seasoning. It’s perfect for everything smoked or grilled.

Famous Dave's Rib Rub (Copycat Recipe)

The Perfect Rib Rub

This copycat recipe of Famous Dave’s rib rub is outstanding. It has a little heat, a little sweet, and a little saltiness. And celery seeds, which I think are just about required in any rub in my opinion. I really like the flavor that celery seeds add. And just a hint of cloves, which I don’t think I’ve seen in a rub before. I ended up liking the flavor from them much more than I thought I would. It’s amazingly complex, and oh so good.

I keep my rub in air-tight containers in the pantry. Away from any moisture, too. I don’t like clumpy seasonings. No one does.

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Although I sauced my ribs, I easily could’ve eaten them ‘dry’, without sauce. I cannot wait to use this same rub on a pork butt in the very near future. With just one cook it has become my go-to rub.

Also try some copycat Famous Dave’s Country-Roasted chicken.

Copycat Famous Dave's Rib Rub
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4.10 from 11 votes

Famous Dave’s Rib Rub (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat Famous Dave’s rib rub is outstanding. It has a little heat, a little sweet, and a little saltiness. And celery seeds, which I think are just about required in any rub.
Course Spice Mixture
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, ribs, seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 cups
Calories 482kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Note: The version of this rub stated above uses less salt than the version you’ll find on the internet. Add more (or use less) salt as you desire.
  • Combine all ingredients.
  • To use, spread liberally on ribs (or pork shoulder or butt), wrap in foil, and let refrigerate 12 hours before smoking or grilling.

Notes

Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 23719mg | Potassium: 549mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 97g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.