The Last Turkey

Turkey is funny. First, the bird itself is very dumb. Small brain. However, the wild variety is still smart enough to elude many hunters, including myself several years ago. When it comes to turkey on the table, the anticipation of Thanksgiving always makes me look forward to a delicious turkey dinner and the ensuing leftovers. However, after Thanksgiving, I don’t care if I eat turkey again for another year.

For the purpose of the archives, here is my 2007 Thanksgiving recipe:

Rotisserie Style, Dry Brined Turkey Breasts

The dry brine was 1 C dark brown sugar, 1 C kosher salt, 1 T rosemary, 1 T thyme

I used two, 3# boneless fresh turkey breasts

I coated each breast heavily with the rub and refrigerated overnight in a plastic bag.

In the morning I rinsed in cold water and then threaded on the rotisserie.

I banked my Weber kettle using Lazzari M esquite Lump Charcoal and lit the coals using fire starting cube at 8:15 am. It was cold and windy so I anticipated a longer cooking time.  I was wrong.  At 9:00 am, set the turkeys in the kettle and then let the rotisserie do it’s magic.  I planned on 90 – 100 minutes of cooking time.  But I was wrong.  The pure heat of the lump charcoal and the sudden calming of the winds created the perfect storm.  The turkey was done (165 internal temp) at 10:05! (don’t worry about the internal temp being low….it continues to cook….and I think 180 degrees is a recipe for dry bird.)

With dinner planned at 1:30 (at grandmother’s house, over the river, through the woods, etc. etc….1 hour drive) I did not panic.  I rinsed out a small cooler with hot water, place a towel in it, and then triple wrapped the turkey in tin foil.  Place in cooler and left for Allegan.

I pulled the turkey at 1:00, the bird was hot and moist.  (the skin loses a little crispness using this method).  Sliced and served.  Very good indeed.

 

Bobby Flay- Throwdown this!

Who would of thought that “chefs” would become pop culture icons? Thanks to the Food Network, Rachel, Emerill, Bobby, and several other foodies are now celebrities.

Good or bad?

As much as many reality TV shows are now nothing more than brain-numbing exercises in self indulgency, there are a few shows, especially on the Food Network that remain entertaining (anyone remember Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet? Where would he of been  with a cable deal…and none of the other stuff) 

There is something about Iron Chef that is very entertaining. Even with the soon-to-be-very annoying Alton Brown (who was OK at first on his own show but now borders on serious lameness), Iron Chef is fun to watch.

Bobby Flay is another celebrity that approaches annoying, but hasn’t jumped the shark yet. He comes across as a cocky prima donna, and a bit over produced, but his Throwdown show isn’t bad.

The concept is actually terrific. Almost biblical (think David vs. the big guy).  Rocky-esque. Young Skywalker vs. the Death Star.

Inspiring.  In fact I want a piece of Bobby.  Do you hear me Bobby? Let’s throwdown on some wings. Anywhere, anytime.

If any of you know Bobby, forward this challenge to him! This middle-aged, midwesterner with a slowly expanding midsection can do a mean wing.

Bring it on Bobby boy!

Win the Adoration of Thousands Rub

 I got this recipe from one of Steve Raichlen’s first cookbooks…an awesome, overlooked cookbook. (for the uninitiated, Steve has a written a series of cookbooks for grill enthusiasts.  They remain some of the premier grill books on the market.)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1885183100/ref=sib_dp_pt/002-7686950-8400061#reader-link 

An All Purpose, Impress Your In-Laws, Get Promoted, and Win the Adoration of Thousands Rub  (my name for it)
3 Parts Kosher Salt
1 Part White Pepper Seeds
1 Part Cumin Seeds
1 Part Granulated Garlic

Roast pepper, cumin and kosher salt in dry skillet until smoking.  Cool.  Add garlic and then pulverize in food processor.  It becomes a powder.

I have used this dry seasoning on pork, chicken and steak.  It is terrific.  Although I have no scientific data, I do think it would be absolutely delicious on a turkey.  Different but delicious.

I like using a simple lime juice and olive oil marinade prior to applying this rub.  The cumin is really distinct…

Gobble Gobble! Turkey on the Grill

Here is the lowdown on turkey on the grill. You have several options for both seasonings and techniques. I’d be lying if I would say all are good, but generally speaking, an “average” turkey on the grill, is better than one from the oven (at least it is more fun!)

You can basically forget the traditional stuffing going the grill route.  Still make it, but do it inside.

Here are a few thoughts about the process:

Seasoning choices range from brining (wet and dry) to injecting to dry rubs. Brining does add extra flavor and prevents the meat from drying out, but sometimes I detect a hammy flavor with brines. A great site for brine recipes is http://www.cookshack.com/ .

In a nutshell a wet brine is salt, sugar and water. I always use a ratio of 1 C salt, 1 C sugar and 1 gallon of water. You can be very creative with this…and substitute various sugars (honey, syrup, molasses, etc.) Plus add herbs and other seasonings. A dry brine I like is 1 C salt, 1 C brown sugar and about 2 T of rosemary. I rub the turkey inside and out, let stand overnight and then rinse before grilling.

For injecting, you can use melted butter (w/garlic, lemon, etc.) or buy a commerical injectable. I really like Louisiana Fish Fry- Cajun Butter .http://www.louisianafishfry.com/ Not spicy. Flavorful. Inject about 8 oz. per bird.

A basic seasoning technique I like is to coat the bird with butter and then rub it in. Great rubs are easily found on the web with a modicum of searching. Match your tastebuds with the main ingredients.

A few ideas on “how”to do your bird.

Rotisserie. This is easy and fun. The Weber kettle rotisserie is one of life’s best secrets. Bank the coals on both sides, place a drip pan between the two sides of coals, thread the bird with the rotisserie, balance and then walk away. There is no sound in the world like the hum of a rotisserie. It has the qualities of  Tibetan Monks chanting…lulling you into a better place. And what makes it better than monks chanting, is that you have a great meal and terrific leftovers.

You need a deep grill for this technique; On the Throne, but it can be done. Like “beer can chicken”, you basically take a small bird (10-12 pounds) and then insert a Foster’s Beer can into the cavity, and place the bird back on the grill, feet down.

Other than that, you can always deep fry the bird (quick, tasty and theatrical) . But I have seen garages full of left over oil. Clean up is a drag too.

Great sites I recommend for turkey advice:

Weber

Big Green Egg

Just search the recipe area and forums. Enjoy.

(Please post any comments with your Thanksgiving experiences)

Thanksgiving Turkey on the Grill

Advanced Turkey Techniques

With over 90% of households having a grill, reinvent Thanksgiving and present your main course with a beautiful smoke ring and crisp, dark skin. Plus, it saves your oven for sweet potato pie.

To learn more about turkey on the grill, I will be demonstrating advanced turkey techniques at Herman’s Boy, in Rockford, MI this Sunday (Nov. 18) from 2-4. Learm more about turkey’s, brining, The Big Green Egg and more…

Wings on the grill

Here is the step by step story of wings on the grill.

1. Buy quality wings, tips removed. (Go to a butcher or anfarmer’s market vendor)

2. Season with favorite rub. I use several commercial brands…no real favorite yet.

3. Create a hot fire. I use lump charcoal. Burns about 150 degrees hotter than briquettes. You need the heat to crisp the skin. Also, use indirect heat…creating a safe zone for the wings after the grilling stage.

4. Begin grilling. This is not for the feint hearted or multi-tasker. You need to be focused like a laser beam during this 15-20 minutes of grilling, turning, switching. You want the skin crisp, not burnt. Chicken skin burns easily and is very problematic for many folks to grill. (regarding skin…sorry, skinless chicken is not the most flavorful. OK for fajitas and sandwiches, but not much good for grilling.  This blog is not about eating healthy)

5. Once you have skin crisp- move off the coals. I use a tin foil landing pad, but you don’t need too. I then put the lid on and then basically turn the grill into an oven. About 45 minutes. Or more. I will check the wings out and place back on the coals to crisp as needed.

6. Create the sauce. I used Frank’s and Cherry Jam. I small bottle plus about 4 oz. of jam. I warmed in a pan to get the jam to blend.
7. Take off the grill and toss with the Cherry infused Franks and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I would rate this batch of wings a 7 on a scale of 1-10. Good. Not perfect. I would recommend a little more crisping on the grill. Perhaps add another 5 minutes to direct heat and another 10-15 minutes to indirect. Chicken is very subtle. It needs a lot of attention.

Pulled Pork

This show represents how you season, bbq, and finish a small butt (5-7lb) on a kettle.  A bit simplistic but you begin with a slather of yellow mustard, season w/your favorite rub.  Place on a grill, indirect heat.  Add several chunks of wood (pecan, apple, cherry, sassafras are my favorites) and slow cook.  Traditionally you would do about 1.5 hours per pound.  I cook a bit higher and faster on the kettle because of the grill and hardwood charcoal I prefer.  A bit non-traditional.

I bbq for about 3-4 hours until it looks “good” (art, not science) and then foil.  No liquids added, but I might in the future.  Wrap tight for another 2-3 hours, until internal temp hits 195 +/-.  Take off and let set.  You should be able to slice, chop and/or pull depending on your preference.  Sometimes pulling is the only option.  It is an imperfect art.  Still tastes good.

I sauce it after I pull/chop/slice.

Tasty…had a few ribbons in my time…no trophies.  Yet.

Chicken Wings- on the grill

I am under pressure to deliver some grilled wings better than BW3…not hard but still must deliver the goods to my class.

I posted a question the bbq forum for great, Buffalo style wings, here is one comment I like:

 ”I rub/season to taste, grill slowly with a few wood chips or smoke in a hot smoker (300+) and toss in the hot sauce before serving. I like Franks, butter and honey to taste with maybe a little extra rub mixed in. I like that heat and vinegar with a little sweet, Smuckers seedless raspberry jam is also very good instead of the honey. Make a couple different batches, one hot honey and another hot raspberry. Guaranteed to be a hit.
Jon”

This is the ticket….

(At one time, I used a marinade called Rogue River Red. It was a product made for my business, The Outdoor Cook, by Carp River Trading Company in Traverse City. I liked the marinade, and private labeled it…but never knew the recipe. I know it was based on Frank’s and cherry concentrate. To make a long story short, this was the ULTIMATE marinade for wings….and I need to recreate the magic in the next 10 days…)

Technique

I didn’t want to get to far away from my brisket posts, so here is an outline of the technique I used. First, I have bbq’d briskets for several years. It certainly is not my specialty. Briskets are not what a native born Michigander typically barbecues. However, as a required category in the KCBS circuit, I will do a half dozen every year.

My preferred piece of equipment for a brisket is a Big Green Egg or Hasty Bake. The Egg is perfect because of it’s ability to maintain a steady temperature “forever”. The Egg is also a high moisture grill, so I don’t worry about drying out the meat.

With that said, I have been focusing on simplifying my bbq style. I wanted to be able compete (and win) with the basics…which led me to adapt all my recipes to a basic Weber kettle.

I have always tried to do my briskets at 2 hours per pound. Grill temp at around 225 degrees +/-. The kettle is an imperfect piece of equipment. Stripped down to fuel, grate and vents. More of an art form. No thermostaticly controlled pellet auger   I also have three young kids at home. Long cooks are almost out of the question. My challenge became, how can I do a brisket in the shortest possible time, but still get it fork tender and moist.

My “aha”moment for brisket came in reading a recipe for beef short ribs. Basically braised in a beef broth, wine and bbq sauce solution. Cooked in the oven at low temps. I tried the recipe and it was great. Now how to adapt for a Weber.

This is what I ended up with. A six pound brisket, seasoned with the rub posted earlier. A Weber kettle, lump charcoal banked on both sides. Four chunks of pecan wood. Once the coals were hot, I placed the brisket in the middle, directly on the grates and added the chunks to the coal. Vents open. Four chunks of pecan create a heavy smudge in a kettle…very heavy. After two hours, I opened the lid. The brisket looked like a meteorite. Burnt in it’s descension to earth. In other words, perfect.

At that point, I layed the brisket out on a piece of heavy duty foil. Big enough to wrap twice. I then poured on a concoction made of beef broth, spicy bbq sauce (Orgasmic Slabs brand) and a bottle of Harp beer. ( I bagged the wine from the original recipe). I crimped the foil lightly, allowing for some steam to escape and placed back on the grill. I did not add any more fuel. Closed the vents slightly and walked away. About 3.5 hours later I returned and closed off the vents. 45 minutes later pulled the brisket and let rest. 30 minutes later, sliced and served.

The words to describe it: moist, flavorful, smokey, and beautiful. A six pound brisket, in just over six hours, that kicked some serious .ss! I have duplicated this several times.  

Brisket Rub

All right, here is the rub I used. You need to figure out proportions though:

-Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and chile powder (mild).

That’s it. I got the recipe from a great BBQ book: Smokestack Lightning by Lolis Eric Elie.

I used about a 6 pound brisket (tip) and coated it generously with yellow mustard before applying the rub- fairly heavy.

A future post will outline the technique.