Fiery Teriyaki Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

I love making jerky on my dehydrator. I’ve been using ground top round for my ground beef jerky, but any lean ground meat will work. This fiery Teriyaki ground beef jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro combines two of my favorite things: a nice tangy Teriyaki flavor and heat. I love a little kick to my jerky, and this has it. Not overwhelmingly hot, just enjoyable. It is definitely one of my favorite jerky seasonings. The meat has the perfect ‘bite’, just a little tug.

Fiery Teriyaki Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Rotate Your Trays

Make sure you rotate your trays every 2 hours or so when making fiery Teriyaki ground beef jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro. The bottom trays will not dry as quickly as those on top. Rotating the trays will give you nice, even drying and perfect jerky on every level.

I like to load up my dehydrator. To do that I picked up a handful of extra trays. They really add a whole lot more drying space! Since I have to rotate my trays, I write a number on each one on a piece of blue painter’s tape so I can keep track of them.

Also try my mandarin teriyaki jerky.

Check out my guide to using the Nesco Snackmaster Pro. You will be making fantastic jerky at home in no time at all!

Fiery Teriyaki Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro
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Fiery Teriyaki Ground Beef Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

This fiery Teriyaki ground beef jerky combines two of my favorite things: a nice tangy Teriyaki flavor and heat. I love a little kick to my jerky, and this has it. 
Course Dehydrator
Cuisine Jerky
Keyword BBQ, beef, dehydrator, jerky, nesco snackmaster pro, sweet
Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 14 hours
Servings 1 pound
Calories 2304kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • NOTE: The package for the Eastman Outdoors jerky seasoning states that it makes up to 5 pounds of jerky. I personally feel that the flavor is too mellow, so I use just about an entire package for 1 pound of jerky. I end up with a little left over seasoning, which I store in a labelled air-tight container. I’ll eventually mix it with more seasoning. I think I can get 3 pounds of well-seasoning jerky out of two packages of Eastman Outdoors mix.
  • Place beef in a resealable bag or container.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the seasoning, curing salt and water. Pour over the meat and seal. Shake to coat.
  • Refrigerate the meat for up to 8 hours, shaking or massaging every hour or so to get the marinade distributed and absorbed evenly.
  • Remove meat from the marinade and add to a jerky gun. Squeeze out onto Nesco trays. Do not overlap meat.
  • Add the dehydrator top, set to maximum temperature setting and dehydrate for 5 hours, rotating the trays (bottom to top) every 2 hours or so.
  • To test for doneness remove a piece and let cool slightly. Try to bend the meat. If it gives and starts to tear at the bend it is done. If it bends without tearing return to the dehydrator and let it run another 15 minutes and test again. If the meat is crunchy it is overdone but still good. It’s really personal preference as to how you like your jerky. Soft, chewy, crunchy. There’s no wrong here.
  • Let cool before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

This recipe is for starting with 2 pounds of meat. You’ll end up with about 1 pound in the end. You can easily double/triple/etc this recipe for large quantities of meat, however 5-6 pounds is about all you can fit onto a Nesco Snackmaster Pro fitted with 12 trays (the unit comes with 5).

Nutrition

Calories: 2304kcal | Protein: 156g | Fat: 181g | Saturated Fat: 70g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 79g | Trans Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 644mg | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 2449mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 18mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

I can’t even begin to say just how much I love this roasted garlic salad dressing. Great roasted garlic flavor tamed by Dijon and honey. And not overly mustardy, either. That’s a good thing because for me, there is a such thing as too much mustard. The perfect consistency, not too thick that you need to cut it with a knife, and not too runny so that it just rolls right off your salad.

Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

Also A Great Marinade

This roasted garlic salad dressing would also be outstanding as a poultry marinade, specially for chicken destined for the grill. It is packed with flavor.

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

I usually serve my dressings from a bottle or sometimes I use these little dipping cups. They’re the perfect size for salad. They’re also great for dipping wings, nuggets, tenders and even vegetables. And they’re easy to clean, too!

You can make roasted garlic in the oven, or even in your slow cooker!

Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing
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Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

I can’t even begin to say just how much I love this dressing. Great roasted garlic flavor tamed by Dijon and honey. And not overly mustardy, either. 
Course Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic, homemade salad dressing
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 220kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients except for the olive oil into a blender and process until smooth.
  • Keep the blender running while slowly adding the oil.
  • Process until smooth and incorporated.

Notes

Stir or shake before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1229mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Nachos on the Char-Broil Big Easy

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 cannot stop using the cooking rack for my Char-Broil Big Easy. Not only does it give me up to 6 levels of cooking, I figured out I can add 9″ pie pans and cook things I could never cook before. Like nachos. Crunchy nachos, with melted cheese. With all of your favorite toppings. You’ll be really happy with how great the chips for crisp up! Nachos on the Char-Broil Big Easy are perfect!

Nachos on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Just Heat And Enjoy!

You’re not cooking the nachos on the Char-Broil Big Easy, just melting the cheese and warming and crisping the chips. If your favorite toppings include cooked crumbled sausage or Mexican ground beef, cook the meat first before adding it to the nachos. My creamy nacho cheese sauce is also outstanding on these nachos.

Check out my write-up on the cooking rack for tips and tricks!

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

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Nachos on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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Nachos on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Crunchy nachos, with melted cheese. With all of your favorite toppings. You’ll be really happy with how great the chips for crisp up in your Big Easy. They’re perfect!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Add the tortilla chips to the pie pans. Do not overcrowd the chips.
  • Top chips with shredded cheese.
  • Lower basket into the Big Easy.
  • Cook until the cheese melts.

Notes

You’ll need a Big Easy Cooking Rack and 9″ pie pans to make these nachos.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Brutus Hot Dogs

A hot dog doesn’t have to be complicated to be great. I came across the idea for these Brutus hot dogs while looking at the menu for Duke’s Gourmet Dogs which was (now closed) located in Minster, Ohio. These little yummies pack sweet relish, spicy jalapenos, crunchy onions and good ole ketchup and mustard into every bite.

Brutus Hot Dogs

I Didn’t Know That I Like Sweet Relish

Oddly, neither my wife or I like sweet relish, but it really, really works on these Brutus hot dogs. The sweetness gets offset by the heat of the jalapenos and the bite of onions. These are actually very, very yummy and really, can you get any easier?

Also try my Cajun hot dogs. Crazy good, crazy easy!

Brutus Hot Dogs
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Brutus Hot Dogs

Brutus hot dogs pack sweet relish, spicy jalapenos, crunchy onions and good ole ketchup and mustard into every bite.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Top cooked dogs in buns with the relish, jalapenos, red onion, ketchup and mustard and devour!

Notes

There are no rules here. Use as little or as much of each topping as you want.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Onion Powder on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Onions were on sale here last week. I hate passing up on a deal, so I bought a few nice big onions, and proceeded to make homemade onion powder using my Nesco Snackmaster Pro. The end result has a slightly different texture than store-bought onion powder, but a much more onion-packed flavor.

My first use of my onion powder was in a rub for rotisserie-style chicken. You can definitely tell the difference between onion powder made on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro and the stuff in a jar. Wow!

Onion Powder on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Grinding Into Powder

After drying the onions for 24 hours I ground them using a blade coffee grinder (not the burr grinder). Not all of the onion pieces would go thru the grinder (they were still a bit moist) so I returned them to the dehydrator for just a bit.

Storing The Powder

The final product went into Mason jars with lids and then vacuum-sealed using a jar attachment for a vacuum sealer. You just have to remember that after you open the jar to remove some of the powder you’ll need to re-seal it. No big deal and well worth the effort.

I like to load up my dehydrator. To do that I picked up a handful of extra trays. They really add a whole lot more drying space! Since I have to rotate my trays, I write a number on each one on a piece of blue painter’s tape so I can keep track of them.

Bell pepper powder is also great when made on your Nesco Snackmaster Pro.

Onion Powder on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro
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Onion Powder on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro

Onions were on sale here last week. I hate passing up on a deal, so bought a few nice big onions, and proceeded to make homemade onion powder using my Nesco Snackmaster Pro. 
Course Spice Mix
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 15 minutes
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • Onions sliced or chopped thin (try to make the pieces consistent in size)

Instructions

  • Place the onions into the dehydrator. Make sure they do not touch or overlap.
  • Dry at 165 F for 18-24 hours, or until the onions are crispy. Smaller pieces will take less time. I cut mine big, so they took the full 24 hours.
  • Let cool completely then grind using a blender or blade coffee grinder (not a burr grinder).

Notes

Keep in an air-right container. I place mine in a Mason jar, cover it, then use a vacuum-sealer attachment specifically for jars to remove all of the air.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Southwestern Macaroni-and-Cheese

Does macaroni-and-cheese with tomatoes and black beans in it make it healthier? I’m not sure. Probably not. I am sure that this Southwestern macaroni-and-cheese was fantastic. You take your pretty favorite standard recipe and add a few things. That’s it. It’s something totally different than the usual. Still creamy and still cheesy, just different.

Southwestern Macaroni-and-Cheese

Just A Kiss Of Heat

I use Cholula hot sauce in recipes like this southwestern macaroni-and-cheese because I find it to be a great, fairly mellow, hot sauce. It’s not in-your-face hot and it has a great peppery flavor. It’s perfect on just about anything. Don’t worry about adding hot sauce to your mac-and-cheese. You don’t have to add much. But I recommend that you don’t leave it out. It’s that subtle taste that makes a big difference!

Also try my Civil War mac-and-cheese.

Southwestern Macaroni-and-Cheese
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Southwestern Macaroni-and-Cheese

Does macaroni-and-cheese with tomatoes and black beans in it make it healthier? I’m not sure. Probably not. I am sure that this Southwestern macaroni-and-cheese was fantastic.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, southwestern
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 7kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare the macaroni and cheese as directed. Keep warm.
  • Stir in the beans and tomato along with the Cajun seasoning or hot sauce, if using.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

You can use this recipe with prepared boxed mac-and-cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 7kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Dallas Burgers

My rule for sandwiches also applies to burgers: The messier, the better. One glance at these unbelievably messy Dallas burgers and you know they are going to be crazy good. You know that all sorts of wonderful things are going to run down your forearm when you pick them up. You know you’ll be scraping yummy goodness off your plate with your fingers (ok, use potato chips for scraping if you wish).

Dallas Burgers

Cheese On The Bottom?

Wondering why I put the cheese on the bun bottom instead of on top of the meat (and believe me, there’s some in there)? To keep the bun from getting so soggy you end up an open-faced burger, eating with a knife and fork. No, the cheese won’t get all melty gooey down there, but the trade-off is worth it to me.
I used your pretty-much-standard deli slaw on these Dallas burgers, but a broccoli slaw or even a jalapeno slaw would be just as great. Or try my roasted poblano slaw.

I like to use a burger press when I make burgers. It, in combination with some patty papers, enables me to crank out a whole bunch of equally-sized burger patties in no time at all with little cleanup.

Also try my Oklahoma fried onion burgers.

Dallas Burgers
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Dallas Burgers

My rule for sandwiches also applies to burgers: The messier, the better. One glance at these unbelievably messy Dallas burgers and you know they are going to be crazy good.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 572kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill.
  • Season beef patties with garlic salt and black pepper.
  • Cook burgers as desired and toast the buns if you wish.
  • Assemble burgers by placing cheese on bun bottom (I prefer the cheese underneath the patties to help keep the bun from getting soggy, but you’re certainly welcome to put the cheese on top!).
  • Add the pattie, BBQ sauce, a good spoonful of slaw, a few pickle slices and some chips.
  • Serve with lots of paper towels.
  • Shape your ground beef into 6 patties. Make in indention in the middle of each patty. This helps the patty to end up cooking nice and flat, rather than getting all puffy in the center.
  • Liberally season both sides of the patty with garlic salt and pepper. If the garlic salt scared you, just go with regular salt.
  • Grill the patties until fully cooked.
  • Add the slices of cheese to the patties and allow to melt.
  • Remove patties from the grill.
  • Assemble burgers on the buns and top with the remaining ingredients.

Notes

Serve with a whole lot of napkins!

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 3188mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 904IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 450mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Southwest Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

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 sure do love making chicken on my Char-Broil Big Easy. It doesn’t get any easier or tastier. Any time I need chicken for a dish, or I just want to enjoy a nice piece of chicken, I fire up my Big Easy. I don’t normally brine my chicken, but this time I did. The end result is very flavorful and moist. And though this is a southwest-inspired chicken recipe, it’s not overly spicy at all. Southwest Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy has just a hint of citrus and a slight kick. I’d call it just right.

Southwest Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Flavor-Packed Perfect Chicken

The brining process can mean you won’t get super-crispy skin like you normally do with the Big Easy. That’s ok, because this southwest chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy more than makes up for it with tremendous flavor and tenderness. You could remove the skin first, but I prefer to keep it on to help keep the chicken even more moist.

You can use this recipe on split chicken breasts, as I did, or whole chickens. Or legs. Anything. The Char-Broil Big Easy makes great poultry no matter what.

To make this chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy I used a bunk bed basket. It lets me double or even triple the amount of cooking space I have.

Also try my fiery chicken breasts on the Big Easy. Big flavor, but crazy easy.

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

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Southwest Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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Southwest Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

I sure do love making chicken on my Char-Broil Big Easy. It doesn’t get any easier or tastier. Any time I need chicken for a dish, or I just want to enjoy a nice piece of chicken, I fire up my Big Easy. I don’t normally brine my chicken, but this time I did. The end result is very flavorful and moist. And though this is a southwest-inspired chicken recipe, it’s not overly spicy at all.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken, southwestern
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 5 hours
Servings 4 servings
Calories 964kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken
  • 2-3 cups water
  • cup Kosher salt
  • 12 bottle Mexican beer I used Corona
  • 1 large orange juiced
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 small sweet onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce or more
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons Fire-Eater rub or substitute any southwestern-influenced seasoning

Instructions

  • Trim chicken as desired and rinse well.
  • Place water into a large resealable baggie or container.
  • Add the salt and stir until dissolved.
  • Add the beer, orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic, hot sauce, oregano. Stir to combine.
  • Add the chicken and turn to coat. Seal the container and refrigerate for 4 hours.
  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Remove chicken from brine and rinse well.
  • Pat dry and sprinkle with the rub.
  • Add chicken to the Big Easy basket and cook for approximately 15 minutes per pound or until it reaches 165 F.

Notes

Be careful removing the chicken from the basket as it (and the basket) are hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 964kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 9690mg | Potassium: 903mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 429IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Anchor Bar Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

Eating wings at the Anchor Bar is on my bucket list, and not near the bottom of the list either. It would be somewhat of a pilgrimage for me. Until I can get there to devour some original Buffalo wings, I’ll have to ‘settle’ for my homemade wings tossed with the real-deal-authentic-wing-sauce. I don’t consider it settling at all, because these wings were fantastic. Just the right amount of heat and absolutely great seasoning. This is bottled magic right here. I could’ve definitely had more. And more.

Anchor Bar Wings

A True Classic

I ordered Anchor bar wing sauces online. I found the prices to be quite reasonable as was shipping. They now have a number of different varieties available, from the mild to the hot. And even a delicious BBQ-inspired wing sauce! Don’t be shy, back up the truck and get as many sauces as you can fit into your pantry. They won’t last long.

Also try my kickin’ Bayou Blast wings.

Anchor Bar Wings
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Anchor Bar Wings

These wings won’t last long.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Buffalo wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include rub or sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Sweet Corn Grits

I don’t make grits often. Certainly not often enough. But the grits I made with some grilled cedar planked shrimp the other day really got me into grits-making mode. So much so that I was thinking about grits while I was shucking some fresh sweet corn. That’s when it hit me. I bet roasted sweet corn would be beyond awesome in grits. And you know, it is!

Roasted Sweet Corn Grits

That Great Roasted Flavor

I threw a few shucks ears of corn onto the grill until they started to char. I cut off the kernels with a knife or use a corn peeler and added them to my go-to grits recipe. The corn kernels add a nice ‘pop’ texture to these roasted sweet corn grits. You don’t have to roast the corn, but the added smokiness is a nice change.

Also try my cheddar ranch grits.

Roasted Sweet Corn Grits
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Roasted Sweet Corn Grits

I threw a few shucks ears of corn onto the grill until they started to char. I cut off the kernels and added them to my go-to grits recipe. The corn kernels add a nice ‘pop’ texture to the grits.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword corn, grits
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 596kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the grits

For the sauce

Instructions

For the grits

  • Roast the corn-on-the-cob on a grill over direct heat or in the oven under the broiler.
  • Let the corn cool slightly before cutting kernels (cut about 2/3rd of the way thru) from the ears.
  • Bring the broth and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan.
  • Slowly whisk in the grits.
  • Cook for 5 minutes, whisking constantly.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, heavy cream, corn, and the cheese.
  • Keep stirring 2-3 minutes or until the grits are creamy. If they get too thick add more broth or cream.
  • Remove from heat.

For the sauce

  • Melt butter in a large skillet.
  • Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until the mixture is thick and has turned light tan in color, about 10 minutes.
  • Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and cream. Cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Stir.
  • Remove from heat and serve.

Notes

You can substitute pepper jack cheese for the cheddar for a little kick.

Nutrition

Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 904mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1693IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 263mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.