I’ve prepared several whole chickens in The Big Easy. And a couple five or so turkeys. A few weeks back I cooked a turkey half-breast and thigh. But sometimes I want fried chicken. You know what I’m talking about. Like mom used to make for us on Sunday. She prepared it “pan fried” and it was all parts. Well, tonight for my Sunday supper I fried 4 thighs and 6 legs in The Big Easy and I’m very pleased with the results. I used the cake cooling rack that I’ve discovered fits near perfectly into the cooking basket to create a second shelf – aptly identified as the “bunk bed” technique so-named by Guest Chef & Pit Pirate, Mike Hedrick.

I placed the lightly seasoned (salt & pepper) chicken in the cooking basket: legs with the meat side out and joint in the center and positioned the thighs around with meat exposed to the sides.


Placed the rack into the cooker, turned it on and about 45 minutes later – voila!

When I removed the basket from the cooker, I checked the thigh meat with my instant read thermometer and it read a perfect 160F. So I took a couple of big bites all the way to the bone – DEE LISH US !!

Happy Grilling!

Today, December 30, is the birthday of the man who had the big vision of Coca-Cola, Asa Griggs Candler. He was born in Villa Rica, Georgia (1851) and grew up during the Civil War. He became a pharmacist’s apprentice because his family was so poor – thwarting his hope of becoming a doctor.

Candler was business smart and after purchasing the rights to John Pemberton’s original formula of Coca-Cola he formed the Coca-Cola Company in 1890. He built his business by keeping the name of his product in the public eye – on calendars, billboards, and posters. He sold the patent and went on to serve first as Atlanta’s mayor and, in later years, funded a teaching hospital for Emory University’s Medical School.

Char-Broil is owned by the W.C. Bradley Company of Columbus, Georgia. The two companies have a long history together.

Right away I want to assure all of the pork aficionados that I realize there is no such thing as a “boneless” baby-back rib. This recipe is more of a mock baby-back and it came about because I wanted baby-backs and the two local markets that are my best source of meat were both out! All I could find was a boneless pork loin roast and, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

Started out with a 2.5lb boneless pork loin roast

Butterflied like a “letter”

Seasoned it with bacon salt rub and placed it on a hot charcoal fire in my CB940X – temperature was about 450F degrees and perfect for “searing”

Cut into separate pieces

Sliced into “ribs” cross-grain and about 1/2 inch thick

Placed the “ribs” in a bowl and tossed with my favorite prepared BBQ sauce – but not too much!


Plated and served…I enjoyed mine with a knife and fork, my son used his fingers!

Not the same as real baby-backs, but certainly more affordable, more meat and a truly enjoyable way to serve pork!

Happy Grilling!

What are your most favorite “meal-time” moments from the recent holidays? Would you care to share your story – perhaps with pictures?

Here’s what Guest Chef Terry “Way Down in Alabama” was doing:

Well, I’ve been cooking since 4:30 am. for the office Christmas party. I cooked the “Turduckin” in the oven for 4 hours and finished it on the grill 2 more hours – uncovered the last hour so the pecan wood smoke could add a little flavor while it browned up. I did manage to get a little piece before they devoured it.

I tried two new stuffed mushroom recipes I came up with, got lots of good compliments although I didn’t get to try one of the flavors. The other I kept by the grill with my beer!!! See, old dogs can learn new tricks…It’s in the 70’s today so it doesn’t feel like Christmas but everyone seems in the right mood.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Terry
“Way down in Alabama”

And this is what Guest Chef Mike Stines prepared for Christmas Eve:

Hi CB – Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings!

Last night was a traditional Christmas Eve get-together at a friend’s home. It’s a time to renew old acquaintances and see folks we might not have seen all year. It’s also a pot luck appetizer buffet where everyone brings something to share. This year I was stumped what to bring –  it’s not a fancy cocktail party, just a gathering of old friends. I decided Thai Chicken Satays with a sweet garlic dipping sauce and Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms would work well.

Hope your Christmas is all you want it to be and that everyone has a safe, prosperous and healthy New Year. – Mike Stines

Of course CB & Son gathered round the grill!

Christmas Day dinner just me and my son = Charcoal Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks!

The just under 2 inch thick rib-eye was room temperature and seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – notice the moisture being drawn to the surface – contrary to popular belief using salt to season steaks about 15 minutes or so prior to cooking doesn’t “dry” them out. The moisture drawn to the surface is full of proteins and natural occurring sugars – these will be the agent that turns brown when you sear the meat.

While I would normally grill up just one steak on my conventional gas grill or infrared searing burner – tonight I wanted to grill on hardwood, and I also had another recipe I was preparing for the next evening…so t’wasn’t a waste!

The perfect searing temperature is over 400F degrees – and the CB940X allows me to heat the cast iron grates as well as adjust the height of the charcoal – to get to that temp. Note the grill thermometer reads smack dab in the middle of the “red” zone..


I seared the steak for about 3-4 minutes on both sides and then removed it to a holding tray, covered it with aluminum foil and a couple of kitchen towels and let it rest on the kitchen counter. The juices re-distributed – but when I sliced it cross grain some did run out – which I used as an ‘au jus’ to top off the steak before plating.

A medium-rare steak, a baked potato, a crisp salad & conversation with my son – a very Merry Christmas meal!

What did you prepare for holiday meals? Please share your comments below or write me at holidaymoments@charbroilgrilling.com Send pictures if you have them!

Thanks!

Best wishes to you and yours, however you celebrate!

Grilling is a joy for the person tending the cooker – when your guests make those happy “mmmmmm” sounds indicating the food is great. There are several ways to please the folks you host at your table – you can take them to a restaurant and pay the bill. You can bring take-out to their house and pay the bill. OR you can invite them over for a special meal you create yourself, prepared by your hands and cooked on the grill.

I love chicken just about any way you can prepare it.
Fried. Roasted. Baked. Barbecued. Smoked. Grilled.

This week the grocery where I most often shop had a special on chickens, two for one. I can’t resist the “BOGO” so I bought them. And when I got home I realized I wanted to try something out.

So I brined both birds and set about cleaning up the rotisserie I’d put away for the winter. I decided the next day I’d cook one chicken on the rotisserie and one in The Big Easy oil-less fryer – just to see if there was a difference. I decided to use a stand-up unit to hold the chicken upright in The Big Easy.

Here’s what they looked like before I started cooking:

And about an hour or so later, here’s what they looked like.

I confess to having a little “slippage” problem when I removed the one from the rotisserie and tore the skin and flesh a bit.

Equal cooking time and the results were interesting.
The chicken cooked on the rotisserie was a bit more “roasted” in texture, and the meat was falling off the bones – same thing that happens when you roast a chicken in the oven .
The chicken cooked in The Big Easy was a bit more “fried” tasting, like one of those pieces you buy at the “colonel” that squirts just a bit when you bite into it.

I enjoyed them both.

Here’s a recipe for the rotisserie chicken CLICK HERE

As for the recipe for cooking a chicken in The Big Easy. Here goes: Place the chicken in the cooking basket. Place the basket with the chicken in the cooking chamber. Turn on The Big Easy. In about an hour, list the basket and check the temperature. Repeat about every 5 minutes as you deem appropriate. Hey, it’s called The Big Easy!

Happy Grilling!

There are so many different ways to think of holidays. Depending upon your culture and your beliefs, you may celebrate the same name holiday – at different times and certainly in different ways according to family traditions. And I think that is a wonderful thing!

The only suggestion I would make is to enjoy food prepared on the grill! Here are some holiday recipes that you may enjoy making with or for your family:

Click on a recipe to find a printable version!

Alaska Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto

Bacon-Wrapped Pork and Apple Patties

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Blue Cheese Topping

Butterflied Curry Turkey Tenderloins

CB’s EZ Grilled Veal Chop Forestier

CB’s Classic Rotisserie Roasted Leg of Lamb

CB’s EZ Grilled Duck Breasts with Sweet Potato Frites

Drunk Chicken

Suzanne’s Deviled Eggs

Happy Holiday Grilling!

I just love the taste of well prepared grilled or barbecued meat. Give me a sliced brisket or pulled pork sandwich on a paper plate over just about any gourmet meal served on china. There is just something about the taste and texture of quality meat that has been slow roasted or barbecued that makes me happy!

And, as I’ve often written, except for select glazes on some roasts (like chicken or pork) I really don’t go much for “over sauced” meats – you know, the kind of sandwich where the meat is kinda like chunky texture in the sauce. But that’s my personal taste – and I absolutely respect your taste if you enjoy lotsa sauce.

Well that said, I came upon a couple of sauce recipes on the web site of our Everybody Outside Tour sponsor Canadian Mist – and had to make them for a steak I was preparing this past weekend.

ZOWIE!

Here they are:

Mist Marinade

* 1/4 cup Canadian Mist
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
* 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
* 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients with a whisk or in a food processor.

Smoky Mist Mustard Sauce

* 1 tbsp. butter
* 2 tbsp. chopped sweet onion
* 1 small clove garlic, minced
* 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
* 3 tbsp. Canadian Mist
* 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
* 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
* 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
* 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
* 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce or to taste

Sauté onion and garlic in butter till soft, add vinegar and Canadian Mist and reduce till only 2 teaspoons of liquid remains.

Add remaining ingredients and stir till smooth. Can be made a day ahead of time. Can be used on cold pork with great success and is also good grilled loin pork chops.

If grilled meats are on your holiday menu – consider these two great sauces to enjoy with your meal!

Happy Grilling!

p.s. If you are over 21 and interested, click on the Canadian Mist logo on the r-hand column of this page for more information.

Depending upon where you live in this great land you may at this moment be experiencing torrential rain, freezing sleet, snow, sub-zero temperatures or just plain cloudy skies. (P.S. – If you are lucky enough to be enjoying balmy temperatures – you have our deepest jealousy!) I attended an absolutely lovely family holiday party in rural Wisconsin where the overnight temperature was -5F degrees. Need I say more?

So when I happened upon a display of fresh Del Monte pineapple at my local Kroger store – I was inspired to purchase several. When I arrived home it struck me that I had no idea what I was going to do with them! Since I had planned on a pork loin roast for dinner I decided I’d use the pineapple as my primary accent ingredient. (more…)

While I was preparing the pineapple in The Big Easy for the Ambrosia and the Pork Roast Stuffing – I got kinda hungry. So I took some of that delicious & warm “just roasted” pineapple and mixed it in with a big ol’kosher-style hot dog hot of the grill that I’d smothered with chili con carne.

OH-LA-LA!