Copycat Famous Dave’s Country-Roasted Chicken

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.

I’m a big fan of Famous Dave’s. I didn’t think I would be. I love my local BBQ joints, so I was skeptical of a big national chain, no matter how much I think Dave is a nice guy. Well, I’m not skeptical any more. Everything I’ve ever ordered there has been fantastic and the service has always been friendly. I highly recommend you stop in and get you some ribs (or pulled pork, or brisket, or country-roasted chicken) and don’t pass up on the wonderful sides. They have some of the best sides I’ve ever had at a BBQ joint. And, since I’m also a big fan of my Char-Broil Big Easy, I could not pass up making a copycat version of Famous Dave’s country-roasted chicken.

Copycat Famous Dave's Country-Roasted Chicken

It Couldn’t Get Any Easier

I took bone-in split chicken breasts, marinated them overnight and then tossed them into a lit Big Easy until done. The result was tender, juicy, and oh so very flavorful. And nothing could be easier to make than this copycat Famous Dave’s Country-Roasted chicken. I left the skin on the chicken. You can remove it before marinating and applying the rub if you wish.

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You can’t go wrong with poultry on the Big Easy. Also try my copycat of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s roasted chicken. And for an even easier, Famous Dave’s copycat, just grab some of the chain’s seasonings and make chicken in no time with no fuss!

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

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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!

Copycat Famous Dave's Country-Roasted Chicken
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4.50 from 2 votes

Copycat Famous Dave’s Country-Roasted Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

I took bone-in split chicken breasts, marinated them overnight and then tossed them into a lit Big Easy until done. The result was tender, juicy, and oh so very flavorful. And nothing could be easier to make. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken, roasted
Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 13 hours 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 399kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the overnight marinade

For the pre-cook marinade

For the spice rub

For the chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts large bone-in

Instructions

For the overnight marinade

  • Place the chicken in a large resealable bag or container.
  • Add the Italian dressing and toss to coat.
  • Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

For the pre-cook marinade

  • Three hours before you are ready to cook, add the lemon juice to the marinating chicken and toss to coat.

For the spice rub

  • Combine the ingredients.

For the chicken

  • Fire up your Big Easy. You’ll need a Bunk Bed basket (see below) to keep from overcrowding the chicken.
  • Shake any excess marinade from the chicken.
  • Dust with the rub. Use a little or a lot.
  • Place chicken in the Big Easy basket and lower into the cooker.
  • Cook until done and golden brown, about 10 minutes per pound.
  • Remove and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

You can skip the overnight marinade and just combine the Italian dressing and lemon and marinate for 3 hours just before cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1988mg | Potassium: 910mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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

Quick Fix Copycat KFC Twisters

I try to cook just about everything from scratch. But sometimes, that just doesn’t happen. But, even then I try to do something different. I could’ve just heated up some precooked frozen chicken strips, and had them with Ranch dressing and called it ‘good enough’. Or I could make these crazy good (no, really!) quick fix copycat KFC Twisters. Heck, I’ve never had the real thing, but if they’re nearly as good as these homemade ones, I’d order some.

Quick Fix Copycat KFC Twisters

Choose your chicken

I made two different versions of these quick fix copycat KFC Twisters: one with crispy chicken strips, and one with Buffalo chicken strips (my favorite). You can make other variations by dunking the strips into your favorite sauces. BBQ, Nashville hot chicken, garlic Parmesan…. You name it. Any sauce you like for dunking chicken nuggets or slathered on BBQ will work here

Yummy sauce

There’s nothing fancy going on here, but these were tasty. The Twister sauce is pretty darned good, and would make a great sauce for sandwiches or burgers. And the sauce is also mighty easy to make.

Why is it cheating?

So why do I refer to these as ‘cheater’? Because I used precooked chicken. If I’d made the chicken from scratch, they’d be the real deal. Nothing wrong with the un-real deal, though, sometimes.

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If you prefer to skip the wrap and just make the chicken strips, you’ll want to serve them up with my copycat Chick-fil-A dipping sauce.

Cheater Copycat KFC Twisters
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4 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Copycat KFC Twisters

Heck, I’ve never had the real thing, but if they’re nearly as good as these homemade ones, I’d order some.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken fingers, crispy, wraps
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 197kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

For the KFC Twisters

  • frozen chicken strips
  • 4 tortillas 10 inch
  • Twister sauce see below
  • green leaf lettuce
  • 1 medium tomato chopped

For the Twister Sauce

Instructions

For the KFC Twisters

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Place chicken on a baking sheet and cook 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in a large skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Spread a 3″ wide strip of sauce across the middle of each tortilla, starting 1″ from the left edge and ending at the right edge.
  • Add the lettuce, tomato, and chicken over the center of the tortilla, over the sauce, still leaving the leftmost 1" edge empty.
  • Fold the left edge over and then roll up the tortilla. The right edge will remain open. Serve seam-side down so it doesn’t unrolled.

For the Twister Sauce

  • Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 267IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Copycat Joe’s Crab Shack Popcorn Shrimp

I love shrimp. Cooked any way, any time. Like the guy in Forrest Gump who listed off the many ways to enjoy shrimp. They’re all good. This copycat version of Joe’s Crab Shack popcorn shrimp is crazy good. There’s a nice crunchy breading. Tender tasty shrimp inside.

Copycat Joe’s Crab Shack Popcorn Shrimp

Get To Dippin’!

I made up a batch of these copycat Joe’s Crab Shack popcorn shrimp and served them easy style, with two bottled sauces, both from Louisiana Fish Fry Products. The remoulade sauce has a hit of horseradish. It’s almost salad dressing-like, but with a kick. The seafood sauce definitely has a kick to it. Like grown-up cocktail sauce. Of course you can just serve them with good ole store-bought cocktail sauce, spicy or regular. I like to get mine good and cold so I put it into the fridge the night before I make the shrimp.

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

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.

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Also try my copycat of Applebee’s Sriracha shrimp. Either shrimp recipe would also be delicious in my fiesta shrimp tacos.

Copycat Joe’s Crab Shack Popcorn Shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Joe’s Crab Shack Popcorn Shrimp

I love shrimp. Cooked any way, any time. Like the guy in Forrest Gump who listed off the many ways to enjoy shrimp. They’re all good. This copycat version of Joe’s Crab Shack popcorn shrimp is crazy good.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, crispy, popcorn shrimp
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 281kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Put the shrimp into a resealable baggie or container.
  • Add the garlic powder, brown sugar and hot sauce. Seal and shake gently to coat. Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Set up three large bowls (I used pie pans).
  • In the first bowl place the corn starch.
  • In the second bowl, beat the eggs with the water.
  • In the third bowl mix together the cracker meal, breadcrumbs, Creole seasoning, flour and paprika.
  • Heat oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven. You’ll need at least 2″ of oil.
  • Working in batches, coat shrimp in corn starch.
  • Shake off excess then coat in egg wash.
  • Shake off excess then coat in breadcrumb mixture.
  • Fry until golden brown (the shrimp will float to the top of the oil when done).
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 368mg | Sodium: 1064mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 349IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp

These little yummy bites are a copycat version of the Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer available at the Bonefish Grill. These shrimp have a fantastic crunch to them. The batter is not too thick or overpowering – you can still taste the shrimp. A little kicked-up dipping sauce and you have a great dish.

Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp

No Dinky Shrimp Please

I used 18-22 count US wild-caught shrimp, which were the perfect size for an appetizer version of this copycat Bang Bang shrimp. For me, at least. I love shrimp. No reason to use the dinky sized ones in something as good as this. I like to have a good handle to grab them by. That way I don’t get myself all messy when I dunk them into the sauce.

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.

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Also try my copycat of Applebee’s Sriracha shrimp, Bayou fried shrimp, coconut fried shrimp, and southern fried shrimp. Did I mention how much I love fried shrimp?

Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp

These little yummy bites are a copycat version of the Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer available at the Bonefish Grill. These shrimp have a fantastic crunch to them. The batter is not too thick or overpowering – you can still taste the shrimp. A little kicked-up dipping sauce and you have a great dish.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, deep-fried, shrimp
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 948kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce

For the shrimp breading

For the shrimp

  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 16 medium shrimp peeled, deveined
  • 1 green onion green part only, chopped

Instructions

For the dipping sauce

  • Whisk together all ingredients.

For breading

  • In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup of flour.
  • In another shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
  • In another shallow bowl, stir together the remaining 3/4 cup flour, panko, salt, pepper, sage, onion and garlic powders, and basil.

For the shrimp

  • Working in batches, roll shrimp in the flour.
  • Next, place shrimp in the egg and milk mixture and roll to coat. Shake off any excess.
  • Finally, coat shrimp in the breading.
  • Transfer to a large plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  • Heat 2″ of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350.
  • Working in batches, fry shrimp 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Serve shrimp garnished with green onion, with dipping sauce on the side. Note: The Bonefish grill lightly coats the shrimp in the dipping sauce. I found it easier (and less messy) to serve the shrimp with the sauce on the side.

Notes

Make extra dipping sauce. If by chance you have any leftover, it’s also great for dunking chicken nuggets!

Nutrition

Calories: 948kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 311mg | Sodium: 2505mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 388IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Cin Chili

I’m a huge fan of Cin Chili Texas-style chili mix. It has a tremendous southwestern flavor with just enough kick, but not so much as to scare anyone off. Whenever I’m in Cincinnati I swing by Jungle Jim’s and grab a few packs of mix. But, sadly, sometimes I can’t make it to Jungle Jim’s. So I searched around and came across this copycat Cin Chili recipe. This mix makes downright good chili. It’s mighty close to the original. Close enough. There’s nothing but good flavor in this chili.

Copycat Cin Chili

Beans. Yes I Added Them. Don’t Hate Me.

I add beans to my chili. I know, I know. Texas chili supposedly doesn’t contain beans (or ‘filler’ as some refer to it). If I was serving this chili over hot dogs I’d probably leave the beans out.

This copycat Cin chili is super easy to make. I whisk each spice mix in small bowls so I just add them in when needed. In no time at all I’m enjoying great chili.

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Also try my copycat of the chili from Wendy’s.

Copycat Cin Chili
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Cin Chili

This mix makes downright good chili. It’s mighty close to the original. Close enough. There’s nothing but good flavor in this chili.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, chili, copycat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 356kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Spice mix #1

Spice mix #2

Spice mix #3

Instructions

  • Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot.
  • Add meat and brown. Drain excess fat.
  • Stir in the beef broth and tomato sauce.
  • Stir in spice mix #1. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in spice mix #2. Add beans if using. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If chili gets too thick add a little water.
  • Stir in spice mix #3. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve garnished with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Make it at least once the way it’s written. Then you can play with the ingredients after that. This is a delicious chili. If you can get the original, then get it. If you can’t, make this copycat!

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1724IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Five Guys Fries

Who doesn’t love a batch of hot, crunchy, salty tasty fries? No, not the kind that are deep-fried just once. Not the ones that have been sitting under a heat lamp for the better part of a day. No! We want fries hot out of the fryer, the ones that have been twice-fried. The crunchy ones! Perfectly delicious. Like these copycat Five Guys Fries!

Copycat Five Guys Fries

The Keys To Success

I made sure that all of my fries were the same size so that I got nice consistent cooking. I like mine thin. And I don’t peel the potatoes either. You can if you want. You also need to be sure that the fries cool completely between the first and second frying. Then you’ll end up with crazy-good copycat Five Guys fries (that go perfectly with my copycat White Castle burgers!).

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

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…

I also make a killer copycat of McDonald’s French fries.

Copycat Five Guys Fries
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Five Guys Fries

We want fries hot out of the fryer, the ones that have been twice-fried. Perfectly delicious. Like these copycat Five Guys Fries!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, fries
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 90kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat oil to 375 F in a Dutch oven or deep fryer.
  • Place the fries into a large bowl and add ice cold water.
  • Agitate the fries and drain.
  • Repeat until the water runs clear of starch.
  • Dump fries out onto a large towel and pat dry.
  • Working in batches, deep fry the fries until they turn a light brown color.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Let fries cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes.
  • Working in batches, add the fries back to the still hot oil and fry until they reach the desired color and crunch.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, like ketchup and yes, even mayonnaise!

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Heinz Ketchup

Well, by-golly, this copycat of Heinz ketchup is darned good ketchup! Whether you’re trying to replace the store-bought version or just looking for a nice base recipe to start with for making your own special ketchup, this is it. I highly recommend at least doubling this recipe. It’s good stuff. Mighty good stuff.

Copycat Heinz Ketchup

Start With A Little Celery Seed

I found the honey to really add a very nice sweetness, almost floral hint to the ketchup. I really liked that. And the celery seed also added a really nice twist. I love celery seed, I use it in a lot of sauces but mostly in meat rubs. A few people have commented that it changes to the taste too much. Start with a little and see how you like the flavor before adding the full 1/4 teaspoon.

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I also made a french fry dipping sauce the other day that is rather nice if I say so myself. Check it out! And nothing, absolutely nothing, is better than a copycat of the classic McDonald’s hamburger topped with homemade Heinz ketchup!

Copycat Heinz Ketchup
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3.67 from 3 votes

Copycat Heinz Ketchup

Well, by-golly, this copycat of Heinz ketchup is darned good ketchup!
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, ketchup
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 279kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely before refrigerating.
  • Ketchup gets even better the next day.

Notes

Stir or shake before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1223mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Copycat McDonald’s McRib Sandwich

Now, it has been a long time since I’ve had a McDonald’s McRib sandwich. Years. Decades, actually. But, boy did I eat a lot of them in my younger years. So I was happy to run across this copycat McDonald’s McRib sandwich that really brings back (food) memories.

These copycat McRib sandwiches come out very tender, and very tasty. The great taste is thanks to a fantastic sauce. The sauce is so good that I doubled the ingredients to make a bigger batch, enough to serve over boneless wings (awesome!) later. Even if you don’t make these sandwiches, make the sauce. It’s the boss.

Copycat McDonald's McRib Sandwich

The Perfect Smokiness

The addition of chipotle peppers to the sauce is what gives it that fantastic smoky flavor, with just a little kick. Real McRib sandwiches are also topped with chopped onion, which I omitted because I felt that there was enough onion in the sauce. This copycat McDonald’s McRib sandwich was deeelish!

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And yes, you need to make some McDonald’s fries to go with your McRib!

Don’t have time to make this recipe? Try my quick fix version instead!

Copycat McDonald's McRib Sandwich
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3 from 2 votes

Copycat McDonald’s McRib Sandwich

This copycat McDonald's McRib sandwich comes out very tender, and very tasty. The great taste is thanks to a fantastic sauce.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, ribs, sandwich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 755kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce (which is great on anything!)

For the sandwich

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepot over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and saute until soft, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir.
  • Bring to a simmer and continue simmering until the sauce is thick, 15-20 minutes.
  • I prefer the sauce to be chunky, so I used the sauce as it was at this point. If you want a less chunky version, blend the sauce using an immersion blender or transfer (after cooling) to a blender to puree.

For the sandwiches

  • Preheat a large skillet or Griddler to medium-high heat.
  • Form the pork into thin rectangular patties that are the size of the buns. Season with salt.
  • Cook 3-5 minutes on one side then flip and cook until pork reaches 165 F.
  • Brush pork with sauce and flip. Brush other side with sauce. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until the sauce sets up.
  • Meanwhile, combine butter and garlic salt and brush onto insides of the rolls. Place rolls butter side up under broil for a minute or two to get a little brown.
  • Serve pork patties on rolls topped with dill pickle slices and onion, if using.

Notes

The sauce is great for dipping nuggets or on wings!

Nutrition

Calories: 755kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1635mg | Potassium: 1014mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Subway Bread

I made a copycat version of Subway’s Italian BMT sandwich early last year. And it was good, mighty good… But, I used a loaf of French bread I picked up at my local grocery store. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it just has been nagging at me ever since. It just wasn’t quite like the real Subway bread. I felt a bit like I was cheating myself. But this copycat Subway bread is like the real thing. And it makes all the difference in the world. Every sandwich I made with this bread was to die for. Perfect.

Copycat Subway Bread

Even I Can Make This

I should add that I can’t bake. I’ve had numerous failures. Many more failures than successes. But, I don’t give up. This recipe for a copycat Subway bread is actually very easy, though not quite fool-proof. Even if you’re a bad baker like I am you can pull it off.

The hardest part of this recipe is kneading the dough. It’s a workout. I’m sure there’s a mixer version of this recipe somewhere I could have a little paddle do all that work for me, but this is the one I have so I rolled up my sleeves and got at it! After 5 minutes the ball of dough was noticeably softer. The outside was smooth. Super-smooth. Like glass. I had the perfect ball of dough, ready to make into loaves!

Toasty Warm

You have to let the dough rise in a warm place. That can be hard to do in our house during the winter. If your oven has a proofing setting, use that. Ours does not (but boy, our next oven will!). Instead I use a downstairs room that has a heater vent. I close the door and let the room get toasty warm. It works perfectly for proofing dough!

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If you’ve even been to Schlotsky’s, try my copycat of their bread and signature sandwich too. If you’re jonesin’ for a Subway classic, make my copycat Subway chipotle southwest sauce.

Copycat Subway Bread
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4.60 from 5 votes

Copycat Subway Bread

Every sandwich I made with this bread was to die for. Perfect.
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Keyword bread, copycat
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 3 loaves
Calories 762kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place warm water, yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil into the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook and let stand for 5 minutes until well bloomed.
  • Add 1 cup of all-purpose flour and mix for 3-5 minutes until combined.
  • Add 1 more cup of flour and mix until combined.
  • Continue adding flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is nice and soft, about 8 minutes. It should not stick to the sides of the bowl, but will stick a bit to the bottom. If it crumbles and falls apart, it is too dry, so add water (a teaspoon at a time) with the mixer running until the consistency is correct.
  • Lightly flour a work surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and soft. This took me 5 or so minutes. It’s a workout, too, but worth it. Don’t give up!
  • Wipe out the mixer bowl and wipe with a paper towel that has been very lightly oiled.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and return to the mixer bowl. Cover with wrap and let rise in a warm place for one half to one hour or until it has doubled in size.
  • Line a baking sheet pan (or two) with parchment paper.
  • Dump the dough onto your lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equally sized pieces.
  • Shape (roll) each dough piece until it is a 9″ long loaf that is roughly the same thickness all over. Mine came out about 1 1/2″ – 2″ thick.
  • Transfer dough to the baking sheet, keeping them 2″ apart. I needed two pans.
  • Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed lightly with non-stick spray.
  • Place in a warm place and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
  • Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 F.
  • When loaves have doubled, remove plastic wrap and bake for 25 minutes.
  • When loaves are done, remove from the oven and immediately rub the tops with the stick of butter. You don’t need much, but you do want to rub the entire top of the loaf. This will give the loaves the perfect crust and texture.
  • Cover with a clean towel and let cool for 30 minutes.
  • Slice as desired and enjoy!

Notes

This bread also makes for great garlic bread!

Nutrition

Calories: 762kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1341mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 983IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Primanti Brothers Sandwich

Ever since my wife and I went to Pittsburgh a few years ago and had lunch at Primanti Brothers, I have been jonesin’ bad for another one of their sandwiches. Good sandwich meat, warm fries, and the best part, fantastic slaw. All on good fresh bread. Soft on the inside, with a chewy crust, bread. Time to make a copycat Primanti Brothers sandwich, by golly! Time to bring back those great memories. Oh how I wish there was a Primanti Brothers here!

Note: There was a restaurant in Indianapolis for a brief time, and I was lucky enough to eat there a few times. That’s where I also discovered Terror Tots! You need to make those too!

Copycat Primanti Brothers Sandwich

One Great Sandwich

Some folk complain about these sandwiches getting a bit soggy. I’ve never had one last long enough for that to happen, but if you drain the slaw really well you shouldn’t have a problem. That’s the beauty of making a copycat Primanti Brothers sandwich at home. You can tweak it to your liking. But I gotta say, make it like it’s written and you’ll enjoy the heck out of this sandwich. I sure did.

Squeeeeeze

I like to squeeze my sandwich before I eat it. They a bit thick. Oh, I don’t mean that in a bad way, nope. But I like to pile my toppings high and well, it’s hard to get my dainty (ha!) mouth around them. So I put a hand on top of the bread and push down and give it a good squeeze first!

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 Real Mayonnaise, Homestyle Mayo For…
  • Real Mayonnaise Made Like Homemade: Time-honored…
  • A History of Delicious: Our simple…

Before you dive into your sandwich, serve up a batch of Primanti Brother’s Terror Tots.

Copycat Primanti Brothers Sandwich
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4.50 from 2 votes

Copycat Primanti Brothers Sandwich

Good sandwich meat, warm fries, and the best part, fantastic slaw. Time to make a copycat Primanti Brothers sandwich, by golly!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, fries, sandwich
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 1 sandwich
Calories 1547kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the sandwich (makes 1 sandwich)

  • 1 splash vegetable oil
  • 4-6 slices sandwich meat thin slices of your favorite
  • 2 slices Italian bread thick
  • 2 slices provolone cheese
  • mayonnaise
  • 1 handful French fries cooked, warm
  • 1/4-1/2 cup coleslaw see below
  • 2 slices tomato

For the coleslaw (makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches)

Instructions

For the coleslaw (makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches)

  • Bring the vinegar and oil to a slow boil in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
  • Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  • Place slaw mix and onion into a resealable container.
  • Add in the vinegar mix and stir well.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the sandwich (makes 1 sandwich)

  • Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the sandwich meat and heat for 1 minute.
  • Flip the meat over, top with cheese, cover, and heat until the cheese melts.
  • Slather one side of each slice of bread with mayonnaise. Add meat and cheese.
  • Add fries, tomato, and slaw. Top with other slice of bread.
  • Enjoy.

Notes

Serve with even more fries on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 1547kcal | Carbohydrates: 123g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 101g | Saturated Fat: 67g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1855mg | Potassium: 1106mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 104g | Vitamin A: 806IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 383mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.