Tag: recipe

Fire Pit Burgers

Burgers definitely don’t have to be complicated to taste great. But, they do need to be messy, in my opinion. When I take a bite I want a bit of juice running down my arm. And some tasty sauce dripping onto the plate. These fire pit burgers are definitely not complicated, and they are a bit messy thanks to plenty of chipotle mayonnaise, which brings just enough smoky heat to make for bite-after-bite of deliciousness.

Fire Pit Burgers

Want Spicy? You Got It.

For a little extra kick, mix some finely minced jalapenos in with the ground beef before forming the patties. You can also substitute habanero Jack cheese for the pepper Jack. That’ll definitely up the spice level on your Fire Pit burgers!

Whether I’m making a huge batch of burgers or just a few, I like to use my Weber press to get my patties all the same size and thickness.

Weber Original Burger Press, Black
Weber Original Burger Press, Black

Make sure you get your cheese good and melted! The key is to put it on top of the patties before they are done, timing it perfectly so the cheese is perfectly melted at the same moment that the burgers are done to perfection. A burger dome can help get your cheese melted a bit quicker, too!

Cuisinart CMD-108 Melting Dome, 9",Stainless steel
Cuisinart CMD-108 Melting Dome, 9″,Stainless steel

Also try my Cowboy Big Mac Smash burgers.

Fire Pit Burgers
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5 from 2 votes

Fire Pit Burgers

These fire pit burgers are definitely not complicated, and they are a bit messy thanks to plenty of chipotle mayonnaise, which brings just enough smoky heat to make for bite-after-bite of deliciousness.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 3 servings
Calories 784kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Applebees At Home

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef I prefer 85/15 mix
  • 3 hamburger buns
  • Chipotle mayonnaise make your own by combining mayonnaise and chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
  • Green leaf lettuce
  • 3 slices pepper Jack cheese
  • 6 slices bacon cooked until just starting to get crispy
  • 1 tomato sliced
  • 6 slices red onion

Instructions

  • Form beef into 3 equally-sized patties.
  • Cook as desired. I prefer to grill mine or cook them on a griddle.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Slather the buns with the chipotle mayonnaise. Don’t be shy with it.
  • Add the lettuce to the buns. I like to put my lettuce under the patties. It helps keep the bottom bun from getting soggy.
  • Top patties with cheese and add to buns.
  • Add the bacon, tomato and onion and serve.

Notes

I like to soak my onions in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding to the burgers to mellow them out a little bit.

Nutrition

Calories: 784kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 705mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 520IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 271mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cuisinart CSBP-100 3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press, Black
Cuisinart CSBP-100 3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press, Black

Apricot BBQ Sauce

Oh my goodness. I wasn’t even looking for another BBQ sauce to add to my list of homemade, fantastically-good sauces. I actually made this apricot BBQ sauce only because I found a jar of apricot preserves in the back of the pantry that needed to be used up. It was a sign because this is one of the top BBQ sauces I’ve ever made or tasted. The perfect combination of sweet and heat and just the right consistency to squirt or slather onto a rack of St. Louis-style smoked ribs without being too gloppy or too thin.

Apricot BBQ Sauce

Lightly Fruity

The apricot preserves add a light fruity flavor to the apricot BBQ sauce, but it’s there in the back with lots of other great flavors and isn’t so in-your-face. Now, if you want to have a more apricot-like sauce, feel free to add more. Since apricot (or peach for that matter) goes great with pork, add more sauce if you’re cooking pork. If you’re using this sauce on say chicken, you might want to use a little less.

Leftover Sauce

Remember that if you have to refrigerate any leftover sauce, let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, food with a cold sauce.

Kitchen Bottle Condiment Set 3 Hole Dispenser Lid Plastic Squeeze for Sauce Mustard Ketchup 12 oz. / 340 ML.
Kitchen Bottle Condiment Set 3 Hole Dispenser Lid Plastic Squeeze for Sauce Mustard Ketchup 12 oz. / 340 ML.

Also try my atomic BBQ sauce.

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5 from 1 vote

Apricot BBQ Sauce

This is one of the top BBQ sauces I’ve ever made or tasted. The perfect combination of sweet and heat and just the right consistency to stick to a rack of St. Louis-style smoked ribs without being too gloppy or too thin.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword apricot, barbecue, BBQ, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 881kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir and heat until the butter is melted.

Notes

Refrigerate any leftover sauce. Make sure to stir and warm it or bring it to room temperature before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 881kcal | Carbohydrates: 213g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 1742mg | Potassium: 792mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 154g | Vitamin A: 1598IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush
Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush

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‘Fried’ Chicken using the Vortex

This is the first time I tried making ‘fried’ chicken using the Vortex insert on my Weber charcoal grill. I use my Vortex a lot for making chicken wings, which are always fantastic, but I wasn’t sure how mimicking that great fried flavor would come out.

So Easy Yet So Amazing

My worries were completely unfounded since the chicken came out absolutely fantastic. I swore I was eating chicken right out of a deep-fryer. Great Southern-inspired coating, tender meat and yes, very, very crunchy skin.

Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Great Results No Matter What You Use

Since this was my first time I didn’t want to over-crowd my Performer with chicken. But now that I’ve got the process down, I could’ve easily added a few more pieces. And you don’t have to just use split bone-in chicken breasts like I did. Wings, legs, thighs… you name it, all will come out great ‘fried’ using the Vortex. Just don’t let the pieces overlap, because wherever they touch, they won’t get crispy.

See my full Vortex ‘menu’ by clicking here!

Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Making ‘fried’ chicken (some folks call it KFC – Kettle-Fried Chicken) really can’t get any easier. Also, check out my Nashville hot chicken recipe and my crispy fried chicken on the Vortex.

VORTEX (IN)DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size - For Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg
VORTEX (IN)DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size – For Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg

And nothing beats my fried chicken with gravy, also using the Vortex!

Fried Chicken using the Vortex
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5 from 1 vote

‘Fried’ Chicken using the Vortex

I swore I was eating chicken right out of a deep-fryer. Great Southern-inspired coating, tender meat and yes, very, very crunchy skin.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword fried chicken, Vortex
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Calories 437kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your Kettle grill with the Vortex loaded with charcoal. Don’t start cooking until the coals are all lit and starting to ash over.
  • Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
  • Mix the remaining ingredients in a large baggie.
  • Lightly brush the chicken with vegetable oil.
  • Working in batches, place chicken pieces in the bag. Seal and shake. Shake off excess.
  • Transfer chicken to the grill along the edges, skin-side up.
  • Cover and cook for 40 minutes, turning the lid 90 degrees every 15 minutes.
  • Lightly brush the chicken with more vegetable oil. Use caution as the grill will be hot. Note: If you are using pieces other than split chicken breasts, you’ll want to rotate the pieces at this time.
  • Cover and cook another 5 minutes or until the chicken hits 160 F.
  • Remove and let rest and come to 165 F before serving.

Notes

I really enjoy this dish using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs too!

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 2863mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado - 3 PC
Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado – 3 PC

Cedar Planked Twinkies

Grilled Twinkies are a great thing. Cedar planked Twinkies are a wonderful thing. Just a light hint of cedar takes a simple dessert to a new place. You can top them with whatever you have on hand. For me that meant Nutella (a good thing no matter what, but also good to keep your other toppings from falling off of the Twinkies), ooey-gooey marshmallows, crunchy toffee and of course, whipped cream.

Cedar Planked Twinkies

Load ‘Em Up!

Ice cream, toasted nuts, cherries, anything you can find while be good on cedar planked Twinkies. Just don’t leave the Twinkies on the grill too long or the cedar flavor might get too strong. You want that hint of cedar to kind of be lurking in the background and not jumping right out at you. You can also skip the cedar plank and grill the Twinkies directly on your grill.

Cooking on cedar planks can really change the ordinary into something special, which is why I do it often. For an appetizer, you’ll love my plank-smoked Camembert.

Cedar Grilling Planks - 12 Pack
Cedar Grilling Planks – 12 Pack

For something truly special you’ll want to make my red white and blue cedar planked Brie.

Cedar Planked Twinkies
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5 from 1 vote

Cedar Planked Twinkies

Grilled Twinkies are a great thing. Cedar planked Twinkies are a wonderful thing. Just a light hint of cedar takes a simple dessert to a new place. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cedar plank, dessert
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 814kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Soak plank in water for 1 hour.
  • Fire up a grill for indirect 300 F grilling.
  • Place Twinkies on the plank.
  • Slather tops with the Nutella.
  • Sprinkle with the marshmallows and toffee.
  • Place on the grill and grill for 15 minutes or until the marshmallows have started to melt.
  • Serve topped with whipped cream and whatever other toppings you enjoy.

Notes

Roast some peanuts on the grill. Shell them and sprinkle them over the finished Twinkies for a great crunchy treat!

Nutrition

Calories: 814kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 87g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cedar Grilling Planks - 12 Pack
Cedar Grilling Planks – 12 Pack

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Croutons 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.

Sometimes I take a break from the big dinners and just serve up some nice tasty salads. I do require croutons on my salad, though. And since it’s hot here, I decided to cook the croutons on the Char-Broil Big Easy. They came out tasty and crunchy, just like I wanted. It pays to think of your Big Easy as an outdoor oven.

Croutons on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Make A Batch

I used the Big Easy cooking rack (which sadly is no longer available) for making croutons on the Char-Broil Big Easy. So, to make croutons you’ll need a few bunk bed baskets. Depending on the size of your bread you might have to line the baskets with foil.

Depending on conditions, the croutons on the bottom may cook at a different rate than those on the top. Check them often after 10 minutes and remove any ones that are golden brown and crispy.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket
Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

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
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 my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Croutons on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Croutons on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Sometimes I take a break from the big dinners and just serve up some nice tasty salads. I do require croutons on my salad, though. And since it’s hot here, I decided to cook the croutons outside.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, croutons
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 164kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
  • 3 slices bread per pie pan

Instructions

  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Combine the butter and garlic salt.
  • Brush the butter mixture over the bread.
  • Cut the bread into cubes.
  • Transfer the cubes to the baskets and spread out evenly.
  • Place pans onto the rack and lower into the cooker.
  • Cook for 10 minutes then start checking the croutons every minute or so. Remove any croutons that might get done sooner than others.

Notes

Croutons may cook at different rates depending on if you have them higher or lower in the basket. Keep an eye on them as they cook quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 509mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket
Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

Roasted Hatch Chiles

I received an email the other day from our local Fresh Market saying they had cases of Hatch chiles available for order. Well, I thought, that’s something new for me, so I’ll do it. I’ve never prepared or cooked fresh Hatch chiles, I’ve just used the canned ones you get in the supermarket. My plan was to roast them all, and I did. I also got to find out how big a case of Hatch chiles is: 18 pounds. Over 150 peppers. Yep, over 150 peppers.

Roasted Hatch Chiles

The Perfect Char For The Perfect Flavor

I fired up my largest charcoal grill and got to work. Batch after batch, I roasted the Hatch chiles until lightly charred. My plan was to only use a few of the roasted chiles immediately, so most went into bags and then the freezer for use later. After I got a system down roasting them was actually very easy. And boy, did it ever smell fantastic on the desk.

I froze the chiles whole without removing stems, membranes or seeds. I found that they clean up quite easily when thawed and maybe (maybe) have more flavor that way. Plus, with 150+ peppers, I was definitely not up to cleaning that many peppers in one evening. Roasting them was enough of a chore!

Perhaps I should get one of those big chile roasters you see in serious pepper-roasting folk’s yards…. Hmmmm…. A new toy

Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket
Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket

Roasted Hatch chiles are fantastic in my pimento cheese sandwiches and my queso dip.

Roasted Hatch Chiles
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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Hatch Chiles

I fired up my largest charcoal grill and got to work. Batch after batch, I roasted the Hatch chiles until lightly charred. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword peppers, roasted
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 pounds
Calories 245kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds Hatch chiles rinsed, patted dry

Instructions

  • Fire up a grill for direct cooking. If using a gas grill add a few wood chunks or shavings to add a smoky flavor.
  • Place the chiles directly over the fire.
  • Roast the chiles until mostly blackened and slightly charred on all sides, rotating as needed. I tried to get the peppers about 80% charred so that they still had some of their pepper texture.

If using the peppers immediately

  • Place peppers in a large resealable bag, container, or bowl covered with plastic wrap.
  • Let sit for at least 15 minutes and then remove the stems, membranes, and seeds. Peel off the skin but do not rinse under running water.

If saving to freeze

  • Place the peppers in large resealable bags.
  • Seal and let sit out until cooled.
  • Open the bags and remove as much air as possible. Re-seal and freeze until needed.
  • To use, thaw the peppers then remove the stems, membranes, and seeds. Peel off the skin but do not place under running water.

Notes

This technique will work for roasting any kind of chiles.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Sodium: 3021mg | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin C: 109mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush
Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush

Carolina Hot Dogs

I love putting coleslaw on my pulled pork sandwiches, so why not take that same idea and completely amp-up a hot dog? A grilled all-beef dog. Tender moist smoked pulled pork. Tangy Carolina coleslaw. These Carolina hot dogs were a big hit in our house.

The idea for these Carolina hot dogs came from watching the show Eat Street, where the host does what I want to do every day: eat from food trucks. In this case, it was the Evil Weiner truck in Austin, Texas, that caught my eye. What a fantastic hot dog menu!

Carolina Hot Dogs

Crunchy Is Good

Don’t use a creamy slaw on these dogs. You want that vinegar hit from a good ole Carolina slaw. It’s easy to make or just pick up some pre-made slaw at the grocery store. Same goes for the pulled pork. I found some pulled pork in the freezer leftover from a recent smoke session, but if you don’t have any on hand, grab some from your local BBQ joint. They’d love to sell you a pound or two. Heck, grab some slaw while you’re there too!

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

Also try my cowboy hot dogs.

Carolina Dogs
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5 from 1 vote

Carolina Hot Dogs

I love putting coleslaw on my pulled pork sandwiches, so why not take that same idea and completely amp-up a hot dog? A grilled all-beef dog. Tender moist smoked pulled pork. Tangy Carolina coleslaw. These Carolina hot dogs were a big hit in our house.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 229kcal
Author Based on a recipe from The Evil Weiner food truck

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook the dogs as desired.
  • Toast the buns, if desired.
  • Warm the pulled pork in a saucepan. Add just enough of the BBQ sauce to get the meat moist, but don’t over-sauce it.
  • Serve hot dogs on buns topped with warmed BBQ pork and plenty of cold slaw.

Notes

A little prepared yellow mustard squeezed on top of these dogs is great too!

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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

Chipotle Pulled Pork Grilled Potato Skins

I am kind of addicted to these grilled potato skins. I’ve always loved potato skins, but I admit, I don’t think about them enough to really make them that often. Until now, when I decided to start making them on the grill. They’re one of the easiest appetizers (or side dishes) you can make, and they’re super tasty when made on a grill. These chipotle pulled pork grilled potato skins are seriously loaded with chipotle smokiness and heat along with one of my favorite things of all time, pulled pork.

Chipotle Pulled Pork Grilled Potato Skins

BBQ Greatness

There’s no such thing as a bad bite when you dig into these chipotle pulled pork grilled potato skins. You can also substitute pulled BBQ chicken or chopped smoked brisket, but make sure you keep that chipotle theme going by using a chipotle-infused BBQ sauce.

The bigger your grill, the more of these you can make!

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater, Kitchen Mandoline Vegetable Slicer with 3 Interchangeable Blades, Easy to Clean Rotary Grater Slicer for Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts
Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater, Kitchen Mandoline Vegetable Slicer with 3 Interchangeable Blades, Easy to Clean Rotary Grater Slicer for Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts

Also try my more traditional potato skins.

Chipotle Pulled Pork Grilled Potato Skins
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4 from 1 vote

Chipotle Pulled Pork Grilled Potato Skins

These chipotle pulled pork grilled potato skins are seriously loaded with chipotle smokiness and heat along with one of my favorite things of all time, pulled pork.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword potato skins, pulled pork
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 422kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 2 large baking potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • ½ cup pulled pork BBQ warmed
  • ¼ cup chipotle BBQ sauce don’t have any? Add chipotles in adobi, to taste, to your favorite BBQ sauce and mix, or make my strawberry chipotle BBQ sauce, leaving out the strawberries (or leave them in, they’re actually quite good!)
  • 3 strips bacon cooked, crumbled
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • sour cream

Instructions

  • Cut each potato lengthwise into four wedges. Don’t make the wedges too thick. If you are using very large potatoes you might have a center portion leftover for other uses.
  • Using a spoon or melon baller, scrape out the potato insides, leaving 1/4″ or so left.
  • Place on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 6-10 minutes or until tender.
  • Fire up your grill for direct and indirect cooking.
  • Combine the butter and chipotle powder and brush on all sides of the potatoes.
  • Grill the potatoes, cut side down, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until they start to char.
  • Turn potatoes over and top with cheese. Grill another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  • Combine the pulled pork and BBQ sauce.
  • Serve topped with the warmed pulled pork, bacon, green onions, and sour cream as desired.

Notes

Add a little diced jalapeno on top for a little heat!

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 908mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 596IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush
Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush

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Smoked Grits

Elliott Moss’ Buxton Hall Barbecue’s Book of Smoke is one of my favorite cookbooks. It actually contains more than just recipes, much more, but the recipes are usually very easy to make and yet still fantastic. Smoked grits are about as simple as you can get, but what you do end up with are grits (and I do so love grits) with just a nice hint of smoke. Not crazy overpowering smoke, you want just a hint of it.

Smoked Grits

Good Grits Make For… Great Grits

One thing I don’t go cheap on is grits. There are a number of small grist mills in Indiana. In fact my father-in-law once worked in the grist mill at Spring Mill State Park. It still operates today, selling freshly ground grits. You can also find quality grits in the grocery store. My motto is: don’t buy the cheap stuff. Grits are a magical thing and being cheap with them just isn’t necessary. To add even more great smoky flavor I use smoked grits to make my grilled corn grits.

Pecan Wood Chunks 4lb
Pecan Wood Chunks 4lb

I like smoking things that I haven’t smoked before, like these grits. I’ve also smoked peppercorns, which were a new thing for me too. They also came out great.

Also try my smoked tomato pimento cheese polenta.

Smoked Grits
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Grits

Smoked grits are about as simple as you can get, but what you do end up with are grits (and I do so love grits) with just a nice hint of smoke. Not crazy overpowering smoke, you want just a hint of it.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword grits, smoked
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 579kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Buxton Hall Barbecue’s Book of Smoke

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup grits coarse ground

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for 225 F. Use a light or medium wood, such as apple or hickory. Make sure you have a good amount of smoke.
  • Spread the grits out 1/2″ deep in a pan and place onto the smoker.
  • Smoke for 4 minutes.
  • Stir and smoke another 4 minutes.
  • Cook grits as you normally would.

Notes

Uncooked grits can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Nutrition

Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 124g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 334IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoke Tube for Pellet Smoker, 12'' Smoker Tube for Pellet Grill - Hot or Cold Smoker Accessories for Electric Gas Charcoal Grilling, Premium Stainless Steel Portable Barbecue Smoking Tube, Bonus Brush
Smoke Tube for Pellet Smoker, 12” Smoker Tube for Pellet Grill – Hot or Cold Smoker Accessories for Electric Gas Charcoal Grilling, Premium Stainless Steel Portable Barbecue Smoking Tube, Bonus Brush

Deluxe Peach BBQ Sauce

I do love a fresh peach BBQ sauce. Nothing screams winter is over like fresh peaches being available in our local grocery store. I’ve made a great peach-based BBQ sauce before, but this time I was looking for something that was a little bit different. Something with a smoky flavor and a little sweetness. More like a typical bottled sauce I might find at the grocery store. Nothing wrong with those store-bought sauces. Many of them are outstandingly good.

My original sauce was more like a traditional Kansas City sauce. This deluxe peach BBQ sauce brings a little kick to any grilled meat, like the split chicken breasts I made recently on my Char-Broil Big Easy.

Deluxe Peach BBQ Sauce

Peachy Perfection

As with any BBQ sauce, don’t apply it until your food is basically done grilling and almost ready to pull off the grill. Squirt it or slather it on right at the end. Any sooner and the molasses and peach nectar may start to burn. Just put it on and let the food grill a bit longer until the sauce has set. Then enjoy! And if you prefer the flavor of apricot over peach, try out my apricot BBQ sauce.

Kitchen Bottle Condiment Set 3 Hole Dispenser Lid Plastic Squeeze for Sauce Mustard Ketchup 12 oz. / 340 ML.
Kitchen Bottle Condiment Set 3 Hole Dispenser Lid Plastic Squeeze for Sauce Mustard Ketchup 12 oz. / 340 ML.

This sauce is also great on my sweet-and-sour meatball skewers.

Peach BBQ Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Deluxe Peach BBQ Sauce

I do love a fresh peach BBQ sauce. Nothing screams winter is over like fresh peaches being available in our local grocery store.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword barbecue, BBQ, peach, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 217kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Tiffani Thiesen

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
  • Remove from heat and let cool slightly before placing in a food processor or blender. Process until the desired smoothness is achieved.

Notes

Store any leftover sauce in the fridge. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 755mg | Potassium: 734mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

New Star Foodservice 28560 Smiley Faces Squeeze Bottle Set, Plastic, Red, Yellow, and Clear, 12 oz
New Star Foodservice 28560 Smiley Faces Squeeze Bottle Set, Plastic, Red, Yellow, and Clear, 12 oz