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.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

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.

Char-Broil 2425514W12 Big Easy Grease Tray, Silver- 5 pack

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!

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4.50 from 2 votes

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

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken, roasted

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 13 30

Servings servings

Calories 399kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

For the overnight marinade

8 ounces Italian salad dressing

For the pre-cook marinade

2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the spice rub

2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Original Blend seasoning

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

Nutritional values are approximate.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

Charlie Mac Hot Dog

This is another (fantastic) copycat of a hot dog that you can grab from the Dougie Dog food truck in Vancouver, Canada. Nope, I’ve never been there. But, I saw the Dougie Dog truck on a recent episode of Eat Street on the Cooking Channel and fell in love with their menu. They have some crazy great dogs. Like this Charlie Mac hot dog. This is one creative delicious idea for a hot dog.

My Goodness This Is One Great Dog

Everything about this Charlie Mac hot dog screams yummy. And I didn’t skimp on the buns, either. I picked up some fresh-baked hot dog buns from my local bakery, Taylor’s Bakery. All I have to do is call the day ahead and place my order. The next morning I’m picking up the most soft and fantastic smelling buns ever.

SLOTDOG – Hot Dog Slicing Tool – Stainless Steel Cutter Blades for Kitchen, Grilling, Tailgating, Camping and Backyard Outdoor BBQ – 10 inch – Red

Ooey gooey cheese belongs on a hot dog. Also give my Wiz dog a try. It’s loaded with cheese.

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5 from 1 vote

Charlie Mac Dog

Everything about this dog screams yummy.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword hot dogs

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 519kcal

Ingredients

4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
1 cup macaroni and cheese I made a batch of our favorite All-American Mac-and-Cheese
Nacho cheese sauce warmed (optional)
4 slices bacon cooked, crumbled

Instructions

Cook your dogs and warm your buns.
Place dogs in buns and top with plenty of the mac-and-cheese.
Add cheese sauce if using.
Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Notes

If you cut a shallow slit down the length of your hot dog before cooking it will open up slightly, giving the toppings a wonderful place to go!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

TableCraft 3-Piece Nostalgia Squeeze Bottle Set, 12-Ounce

Grilled Twinkies

You can grill just about anything and it’ll come out great. I grilled donuts and they were fantastic. Twinkies are no exception to the rule. Grilled Twinkies take only minutes to cook, so they make for a very quick and easy dessert you can make after grilling burgers or hot dogs. The Twinkies get a bit of a nice crunchiness on the outside. They have a slight grill flavor to them. The insides stay creamy, delicious. As simple as they are, they are very good.

Grilled Twinkies taste just like toasted marshmallows. They’re surprisingly tasty and highly addicting.

My homemade Neapolitan ice cream teamed perfectly with the Twinkies. They were also great drizzled with a bit of chocolate syrup and topped with toasted chopped pecans. Yummy! For a slightly different variation, try cooking the Twinkies on cedar planks instead.

I grilled these Twinkies on my Weber Q 1200, a small portable grill that is also absolutely perfect for cooking at home for two. It heats up fast, and is more efficient than my big gas grill.

Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket

Also try my grilled banana sundae.

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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Twinkies

Grilled Twinkies taste just like toasted marshmallows. They’re surprisingly tasty and highly addicting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mike

Keyword dessert, grilled

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 65kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

4 Twinkies

Instructions

Fire up your grill.
Toss the Twinkies over direct heat.
Let them cook for a just a bit on a side, until you see grill marks.
Roll the Twinkies over to the next side and grill until you see grill marks.
Repeat until all sides have grill marks.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Great by themselves or served with whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate syrup… all of your favorites!

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush

Pizza Hot Dogs

Yes! Give me some pizza hot dogs any day and I’m a happy guy! Great sauce and ooey-gooey cheese with a little basil. What is there not to like? I approach these dogs exactly like I would a pizza crust. I can put the same toppings on my hot dog as I can put on my pizza. Onions, mushrooms, pepperoncinis, it doesn’t matter what!

Add Greatness

I make a big batch of marinara sauce in our slow cooker and keep some on hand in the freezer for easy meals like these pizza hot dogs. Just warm the sauce a bit and spoon it over a cooked dog. Then add all of those great toppings.

This is also a great way to use up those last few tablespoons of jarred pizza sauce that we always end up with.

SLOTDOG – Hot Dog Slicing Tool – Stainless Steel Cutter Blades for Kitchen, Grilling, Tailgating, Camping and Backyard Outdoor BBQ – 10 inch – Red

Also try my salsa dogs.

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5 from 1 vote

Pizza Hot Dogs

Yes! Give me a pizza hot dog any day and I’m a happy guy! Great sauce and ooey-gooey cheese with a little basil. What is there not to like?

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword hot dogs

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

2 hot dogs or substitute halved Italian sausages for even more pizza flavor
2 hot dog buns
¼ cup marinara sauce I used our slow cooker sauce
4 slices Mozzarella cheese
pinch basil fresh, chopped, or substitute a bit of dried

Instructions

Cook dogs and warm buns as desired.
Place dogs on buns and top with sauce and cheese.
Place under broiler just long enough to start melting the cheese.
Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Notes

Cut a long narrow slit in your dogs before cooking to give the toppings a great place to go!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

TableCraft 3-Piece Nostalgia Squeeze Bottle Set, 12-Ounce

Pulled Pork BBQ

I have a few books that I consider to be essential to cooking just about anything on my smoker. Such as pulled pork BBQ. Smoke & Spice by Chery Alters and Bill Jamison is definitely one of them. It is full of recipes and approaches on all things smoking-related. I cannot recommend it enough.

Two of the recipes from the book that I use whenever I smoke a pork butt or shoulder are the ones for the Southern Sucor rub and the Southern mop. The two combined produce pork with tremendous flavor and a fantastic bark.

I Love My Smoker

I cook my pulled pork BBQ on my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker. It’s easy to fire up. It’s easy to keep running at a steady temperature. And it comes in 3 different sizes to fit anyone’s needs.

Most of the pulled pork I made this time went onto sandwiches, topped with a fantastic roasted poblano slaw. But, I kept a bit around for making an out-of-this-world good pulled pork poutine and a few pulled pork hot pockets.

Pecan Wood Chunks 4lb

You can also cook pork butt over a high-heat. If you prefer chicken, it’s just as easy to smoke and pull.

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5 from 1 vote

Pulled Pork BBQ

I cook my pulled pork BBQ on my smoker. It’s easy to fire up, easy to keep running at a steady temperature, and comes in 3 different sizes to fit anyone’s needs.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword barbecue, BBQ, pulled pork, smoked

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 12 10

Servings pounds

Calories 1218kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

7-8 pound pork butt or shoulder

For the Southern Succor rub (modified only slightly from Smoke & Spice).

¼ cup ground black pepper
½ cup paprika
½ cup turbinado sugar I used Sugar in the Raw
¼ cup kosher salt
4 teaspoons dry mustard
2-3 teaspoons cayenne

For the Southern sop (modified only slightly from Smoke & Spice)

1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ – 2 tablespoons Southern Succor rub from above

Instructions

Fire up your smoker to cook at 225 F. Use a lighter wood, such as hickory, apple or cherry.
Trim any large pieces of fat off the pork. You don’t have to be real picky about it, just get any large chunks.
Combine the rub ingredients. Rub all but about 2 tablespoons of the rub all over the pork.
Place the pork onto the smoker and cook until the meat reaches 185 F.
Combine the sop ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until dissolved.
Keep warm until ready to use.
Once the meat hits 185 F brush the sop onto the meat. I used a big basting mop.
Keep sopping every 5 degrees until the meat hits 200 F at which point you can remove the pork from the smoker.
Wrap it in foil and let it rest at least 30 minutes before shredding.

Notes

Leftover pork freezes well too.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Smoked Potato Chips

I had my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker set up for a cold smoke the other day. I was making a batch of smoked cheeses. Since I already had everything in place, I decided to throw on a bag of cheap, plain potato chips. In a short time I had a batch of fantastic tasting smoked potato chips! How easy is that?

Cold smoking can be a tricky endeavor. The key is to not get above 90 F. Though chips aren’t as picky as cheeses, you still don’t want to cook them over high heat or get too much smoke on them. They can definitely get overpowering.

It’s Actually Very Easy

My cold smoke setup for smoked potato chips is easy. I put 4 lit charcoal briquettes topped with a piece of apple wood. Once the wood starts to smoke I put on the chips or cheeses or whatever I am cold smoking. I monitor the temperature in the smoker, making any damper adjustments needed to maintain 90 F. It’s easier to do on a cloudy, cool day. I taste as I go, until I get the amount of smoky flavor I want.

You can also cold smoke with a smoke tube.

Pellet Smoker Tube -12″ Stainless Steel Wood Tube Smoke for Cold/Hot Smoking for All Electric, Gas, Charcoal Grills or Smokers – Ideal for Smoking Cheese, Fish, Pork, Beef, Nuts, Bonus Brush

Serve up even more smoky goodness by making some smoked onion dip. And don’t forget these chips go great with a pulled pork BBQ sandwich.

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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Potato Chips

I had my smoker set up for a cold smoke the other day, making a batch of smoked cheeses. Since I already had everything in place, I decided to throw on a bag of cheap, plain potato chips. In a short time I had a batch of fantastic tasting smoked potato chips!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword potato chips, smoked

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings bag

Calories 1230kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Disposable Pan

Ingredients

For cold smoking

4 lit charcoal briquettes
1 small chunk apple wood

For the smoked potato chips

1 bag potato chips plain

Instructions

For cold smoking

Place the 4 lit briquettes in the bottom of your smoker.
Add the wood chunk.
Once the wood is smoking, you can add the potato chips.

For the smoked potato chips

Place the chips in an aluminum pan over a cold smoke setup at 90 F.
Smoke 20-30 minutes, gently tossing once or twice, until the desired smoke taste is achieved.

Notes

You can store the chips in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Poblano Slaw

I made a big batch of this crazy good roasted poblano slaw the other day when I made pulled pork sandwiches. The crunch and heat from the slaw went absolutely perfectly with the sweetness and tenderness of the pork.

Pepper Flavor Without The Heat

Poblanos are one of my favorite peppers. This roasted poblano slaw is proof of their great flavor. Though they have a little kick to them, they aren’t overpowering. I can usually use them in any dish I am taking to a pot-luck or family get-together. And I don’t have to worry about someone screaming that their mouth is on fire. I consider poblanos to be just more flavorful versions of a green bell pepper.

This slaw will keep for several days and still keep its nice crunch without being too watery.

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 Chicken Salad to Deviled Eggs, 30 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

Also try my roasted Hatch chile slaw.

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4 from 2 votes

Roasted Poblano Slaw

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword cole slaw, coleslaw, peppers, roasted, slaw

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 54kcal

Equipment

Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

2 poblano chiles
½ head green cabbage shredded
¼ cup cilantro chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice you might want a bit more
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
Cotija cheese crumbled, for topping (or substitute crumbled Feta), optional

Instructions

Roast the chiles on your grill or under your broiler until the skin is blackened. Let cool slightly then remove the burnt skin. Remove the seeds and stem and chop.
Place the poblanos, cabbage and cilantro into a large bowl. Combine.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients not including the cheese.
Pour over the slaw mixture.
Serve topped with the cheese if using.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Homemade Tasso Ham

I love all foods Creole and Cajun. I love making jambalaya, étouffée, gumbo, and dirty rice. To really make authentic, unbelievably tasty dishes I like to add homemade tasso ham. Sometimes it’s hard to find tasso ham here in Indianapolis, so I set out to make my own and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

A Huge Success

Not only tender, spicy and tasty, but incredibly easy to make too, the homemade tasso ham was a success. All you need is a pork butt or shoulder, a few spices, and a smoker.

The process…

Homemade tasso ham takes 3-4 days to age before smoking. I started out with an 8 pound bone-in pork shoulder. Ideally you’ll want a smaller, boneless pork butt, but that day in the market a shoulder was all I could find. Cutting the shoulder into “steaks”, each about 1″ thick, I kept the bone section and smoked it at the same time I smoked the homemade tasso ham. The bone-in section will be great in a pot of beans at a later time.

The meat is generously covered in a cure and placed on a rack in the fridge for 3 hours. It lost a LOT of moisture during this process.

Curing…

Next, I rinsed off the cure and patted the meat dry. Onto a rack and back into the fridge for 3-4 days. The meat will firm up during this time.

Onto the smoker…

The last day, I sprinkled the meat with rub and put it onto a 250 F smoker over hickory for about 3 hours until the internal temperature reached 170 F. I removed it, rested it, and then sliced it thick for later use in jambalaya, beans, etc.

Yummy results

The end result is a spicy, almost-hammy meat that is absolutely fantastic. Although you could eat it by itself, homemade tasso ham is primarily used for flavoring dishes.

Pecan Wood Chunks 4lb

This homemade tasso ham is fantastic in my crispy shrimp in tasso sauce and spicy corn and tasso casserole.

Also try my smoked shanks and homemade Canadian bacon.

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5 from 2 votes

Homemade Tasso

Not only tender, spicy and tasty, but incredibly easy to make too, the homemade tasso ham was a success. All you need is a pork butt or shoulder, a few spices, and a smoker.

Course Main

Cuisine Creole

Keyword homemade, tasso

Prep Time 3 3

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 3 5 30

Servings pounds

Calories 1617kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

1 4 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt

For the cure

1 cup kosher salt
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon pink curing salt

For the rub

2 tablespoons cayenne
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

Slice the butt into 1″ thick “steaks”, each about a pound or so
Combine all cure ingredients and rub generously over the pork.
Place onto a wire rack over a baking pan and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Rinse cure off the meat and pat dry.
Return meat to rack in the fridge and let it age for 3 days.
Fire up a smoker for 250 F cooking. Use hickory or a lighter wood for smoking.
Combine the rub ingredients and spread gently over the meat.
Smoke for 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until the meat reaches 170 F internally.
Foil and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing thick.

Notes

Ham can be stored the freezer for later use. For best results, store in vacuum-sealed bags.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

D.Q. Curing Salts – Pink Salt – 1 bag, 1 lb

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Chimney-Fired Strip Steak

I actually came across the idea of cooking a steak over a charcoal chimney in a recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. There are variations of the idea of a chimney-fired strip steak on the web, but most of them use a small charcoal grate over a lit chimney of charcoal. This approach uses skewers, which I found to be a little less precarious and actually kind of fun.

Grab A Charcoal Chimney And Get To It

I lit up a large Weber charcoal chimney full about 3/4ths of the way with charcoal. I seasoned a boneless strip steak with salt and pepper while I was waiting for the charcoal to get going. You could easily do several steaks while the charcoal is still lit, or do what I did and just use the charcoal in your smoker. It’s a great way to make use of all that great heat while the chimney is getting going.

Skewer The Steaks

I skewered the steak and over the fire it went. It cooked fast, as you would expect. I had a few flare ups, but I dealt with those by temporarily lifting the steak (using a set of long barbecue gloves) away from the flames.

Flip And Rest

I flipped the steak after a few minutes and cooked it until the internal temperature hit about 120 F, and actually a little higher. Then I removed the steak from the skewers and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. It came out great. Perfect flavor with a bit of char.

Weber 3 Piece Stainless Steel Premium Tool Set, Black

If you want a little kick to your steak, try marinating it first. For more of a kick try my Cajun steak marinade. My favorite side dish for a great steak? My copycat of Outback Steakhouse’s green beans.

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5 from 1 vote

Chimney-Fired Strip Steak

This approach uses skewers, which I found to be a little less precarious and actually kind of fun.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled, steak

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings steaks

Calories 470kcal

Equipment

Charcoal Chimney

Ingredients

Instructions

Fill a charcoal chimney 3/4ths of the way with charcoal and light.
While you’re waiting for the charcoal to start, remove the steak from the fridge and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Once the charcoal is fully lit, skewer a steak and place on top of the chimney.
Sear the steak for 3-4 minutes per side, watching for any flare-ups.
Flip the steak and continue cooking until the desired doneness is reached.
Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

No steak sauce necessary!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush

Mushroom Swiss Melt Hot Dog

A different day, a different dog! This is another great idea from Dougie Dog from Vancouver, Canada. I’ve never been there, but I caught the truck on an episode of Eat Street and instantly knew that I was going to have to make my take on some of their dogs, like this mushroom Swiss melt hot dog.

Hot Dogs Elevated

You can’t go wrong with the combination of grilled, woodsy mushrooms, smoky bacon, Swiss and the kick of Dijon mustard. This mushroom Swiss melt hot dog is a mighty fine dog, easy to make, and definitely different.

I get my hot dog buns from our local bakery, Taylor’s. Their buns blow the store-bought ones away by a country mile. Why make a fru-fru dog and put it on a poo-poo bun? Oh, I might have to trademark that saying…

SLOTDOG – Hot Dog Slicing Tool – Stainless Steel Cutter Blades for Kitchen, Grilling, Tailgating, Camping and Backyard Outdoor BBQ – 10 inch – Red

Also try my New Jersey Italian hot dogs.

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4 from 1 vote

Mushroom Swiss Melt Hot Dog

You can’t go wrong with the combination of grilled, woodsy mushrooms, smokey bacon, Swiss and the kick of Dijon mustard. This is a mighty fine dog, easy to make, and definitely different.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword hot dogs

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 1592kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
8 ounces mushrooms sliced, grilled
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices bacon cooked, crumbled
Dijon mustard

Instructions

Grill or cook your dogs.
Warm your buns, if desired.
Place dogs in buns.
Top with mushrooms and cheese.
Put under the oven broiler or back onto the grill long enough to melt the cheese.
Add crumbled bacon and Dijon and serve.

Notes

Cut a long narrow slit in your dogs before cooking to give the toppings a great place to go!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

TableCraft 3-Piece Nostalgia Squeeze Bottle Set, 12-Ounce