Sausage From The SmokeHouse

Made a trip back home last weekend to do a number of things....
- trail ride to test new quad
- scout for moose in the forest reserve...and trails...(dern forest companies closing roads down)
- try out new sausage stuffer
- try out Dad's new Smokehouse by doing a 1/2 batch of Sausage

Well....all was successful....other than burrying the Quad in the first Muskeg hole (thanks to the winch for getting me out). Both Kallie and Jordan had fun on the Quad. Got to scout out some nice trails.

As for the stuffer....."WOW"...that thing works slick....

As for the Sausage.....in the words of my wife..."that might be the best sausage you made to date". Another "WOW".

All we did was a half batch of our regular Ukrainian recipie....10lbs lean ground beef and 5 lbs 70/30 ground pork.....then dad heard about this other guy who adds in some ground cured bacon....so we added about 1lb....and I too must say a very nice mild well balanced sausage came out of it.

Now if only I can get a couple deer and maybe a moose this fall and were set for the year with sausage.

BBQ and the RIDERS!!!!......Like Pilsner and Clam....

For those who are full bore stick burners....or the backyard amateur griller like me.....and in addition....are die hard RIDER FANS!!!!

Spiff up ur grill and git on over to Taylor field to watch the Riders vrs BC on the big screen. While they are on the road they are having a little 'ol BBQ competition around the stadium...

....check here for further details....Good Luck!!

http://www.pileofbonesbbq.com/

Smoking Ribs and Jerky

Finally had to unload the camara of over 600 pics from early July....

Found a couple of pics of my sisters Ribs and my Jerky in Dads Smokehouse. As previously posted below they went well for the first smoke by us.

Pork Ribs.....Low and Slow?

Sobeys had some pork ribs on sale with breast attached. Bought 2 large bulk paks and a pack of Maple Leaf back ribs as well.

I rubbed 3 of them Friday nite and did them with indirect heat on the VC natural gas grill. Added a stick of Black Alder for flavour. They took the full 3hrs. Last 20 min I put some heat under them just to take them through to the end and brushed them with some Sugar Ray BBQ Sauce.

I thought they were an improvement from before same as the wife said. She wanted a bit more sweetness to them then I remembered I forgot to add some Maple Syrup to the BBQ sauce. Since I saved one slab for tonite. I am going to slow heat it with the sauce for supper.

For texture.....they were just right....I read somewhere that the meat should just be slightly hanging on the bone....and not falling off. This is what these were.

So slowly....little by little improvement. The rub......I think is good....if anything a slight tweeking.

The BBQ Bible....

I would proly say that most every guy or gal that is semi serious into good Q knows who Steven Reichel is.....

....thus.....when the wife and I took a trip to Minot this week I snatched his book "BBQ Bible" off the shelf of Barns and Noble.

With over 500 recipies...I should be good for a while.....

Smoking Good Time.............

Well was back home to parents last week and first thing I did was pick up a couple of roasts to make jerky out of. I had to test the new Smoke House out as Dad had already done some bacon.

The Jerky turned out okay.....(no thanks to mom who's pantry was out of certain essential jerky spices). My sister was their and now she is into BBQ too in Calgary....she purchased some baby back ribs and she put a rub and we smoked them a bit then put to freeze to bring out on the Q in Calgary.

Overall the Smoke house worked great....Dad says he has to make air holes a little bigger but it held right at 160 for my Jerky for a good 3hrs.

NEW WALK-IN SMOKEHOUSE

My dad.....closing in on 80yrs old missed his smoked bacon and sausage too much since selling their acerage and the old smokehouse along with it.

This spring he started construction on a new one and this past weekend I took a trip back home to help him finish it off. All steel construction consisting of steel studs and sheeting. Sheet metal wrapped door and a new wood burner fire box.

Dad can't wait to get his famous bacon cure going again....

TWO CHICKENS.....One Half Empty Coors Lite Can

Okay.....went for the old staple of BBQ today....BEER CAN CHICKEN....plus for comparison one whole chicken on the grill indirect heat.

Long and short.....Beer Can chick was "slightly"....more moist. In the end it was a waste of a beer for me.....next time....I will drink the whole beer and keep with the indirect method for doing chicken.

They were on for about an hour and 20 minutes. Lathered on a mix of Bulls Eye Hickory BBQ Sauce and good ol' Canadian Maple Syrup for the last 15 minutes. Very very good skin. Almost to the fall off the bones state.

Now tomorrow is ribs......

Long Time No Post ....Need More Food Porn

Okay...nuff is enuff.....gotta stop drooling over the Grillin food and take pics before I devour it.

Soooo.....have in the fridge as we speak......

Two chickens to do beer can style tomorrow nite.......nuttin fancy just some Kelly Rub, EVOO, Orange Juice on one....the other....similar Kelly Rub....some extras. Will see how it pans out tomorrow............

For Tuesday.....two racks of very meaty pork ribs.....special rub....on both.....

...to be continued

Perfect..Perfect...Grillin'

Well...have used the new Grill lots over the last week. Ribs, chicken breast, wings, burgers, steak.

All I can say is wow....this thing provides mega even heat source. All foods cook evenly and quickly. I just have to keep leaning the proper temps to cook at. So far ...(as the Mcdonalds Commercial states)....I'm Lovin' It!!

Now I gotta try some smoking on it.

First Burn with the New Vermont Castings Grill

Well....got the natural gas line installed Friday.....assembled and first burn done today....up to 560F it got....ouch. Will try steaks tonight. Took me about 2hrs to assemble. Hardest part is getting that stupid blue plastic wrap off all the Stainless Steel.

Looking forward to having this one for a long time.

NEW VERMONT CASTINGS GRILL!!!

Well...a deal to good to pass up.....we are now a proud owner of a Vermont Castings 5027N Signature Series Grill. Picked it up Saturday from Wheatland Fireplace in Regina for a $1000. Regular price on these are $1800 and local guy wanted $1300.

http://www.vermontcastings.com/catalog/view_product.cfm?ProductId=280

Came in a huge...heavy box. Have to get my local plumber to hook up the Natural Gas....thats right...no more running out of propane.

Comes with 5 burners, infrared burner, rotiserie, cover, SS burners and all around, Ceramic coated lid, side burner, front bun warmer, and LED LIGHTS and BACKLIT Burner controls for Grillin' in the Dark!!!.

Cannot wait to fire this thing up.

NEW GAS BBQ....SOON??

Well The ol' Fiesta BBQ has served its time....couple of new burners, 2 or 3 igniter wires...quite a few selections of new lava rocks....and oh....a little cleaning out occasionally. The wife and I believe it is time to bring home a new BBQ for the back deck this time it WILL be a natural gas unit.

God I just hate running out of propane.............#**^#**

Well we have begun the hunt and I am limiting myself to three brands.
A Napoleon Prestige II PT485RB or similar model....tah daa!!(Nice "Ted Reader" Edition at Cdn Tire)
Vermont Castings Experience 400 model
or a Weber Genesis S 320
Local dealers are around for all of them....so hopefully with a price tag around $700 to $900 I can round one up.

My Dad still wants to build a new walk-in smoke house this spring....I was going to make a barrel unit this summer but if I can get one of the above units with 3 burners and plenty of grill space I can make due to do some offset smoking.

Stay tuned!!!

Pulled Pork ....Crock Pot Again....

Yep...simple...easy....tasty and not much monitoring time needed. Did a pork leg in the crock today....added a jar of Diana's Gourmet BBQ Sauce and some orange juice. I have always like her sauces proly cuz they resemble what I really like.....basic sweet bbq sauce. (I always add some Maple syrup to add an extra finger lickin' kick)

Turned out good....however.....the only bottle we had left was the "Cracked Pepper" kind. Well I guess when you slow cook for 5hrs the pepper really comes out. It was a little too peppery for me...and waaaay to much for the kids and wife.

Ol well.....I put the left over in the freezer to bring out and reheat. Will add some more sauce to lighten the pepper taste the next round.

Long Winter....2008 BBQ SEASON HAS STARTED!!!!

I am far from a diehard BBQ guy....no -40 temps and standing out tending the fire....nope....

Weather is nice here....plus 10 today...snow is melting....proly gone by weeks end.

Saturday I grilled some pork ribs.....sorry no pics....did a quick rub of oregano, cayenne, rock salt, fresh pepper, brown sugar, onion and garlic powder. Added some soy sauce, Worchestershire(sp?), orange juice and Extra Virgin Olive oil. Let that rest for 6 hrs or so then did then on extreme low heat my gas BBQ. Mixed up some BBQ sauce and Nice Canadian Maple Syrup and lathered them up a couple times before taking off. They turned out quite good....A little on the over done side but I liked the crunch.

So I start the 2008 BBQ season...this (yesterday) March 8, 2008 here on the prairies.......