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By far, our most popular newsletter occurred last month where we talked about traditions handed down from our families and Smoky's and Pat's discussion of the pros and cons on the use of foil when cooking in the barbecue pit. If you were unable to read that HOT ISSUE, you can pick up a copy of it HERE.
Smoky's and Pat's focus on foil appealed to, and I'm sure appalled, many backyard and competition cooks around the globe, each of them having distinctly different outlooks on the subject. Well, the good news is the discussion continued, which you can pick up later in this newsletter. Your feedback is welcome both pro and con. The team names mentioned in the article were removed to protect the innocent/guilty.
We have lots to discuss this issue, so we will not dally any longer. We appreciate your support.
Wings 'n Things
So WHY are you putting your grill away?
We would be remiss in not following up on our suggestion of enjoying some great fall grilling. A perfect example would be wings while armchair quarterbacking. This fantastic finger food can be done the same day or re-heated. Either way, they'll be 1,000 times better than those frozen things at the grocery!
We're not talking diet matter here, so flavor is the goal. And as you may well know, the skin is, by far, the tastiest, and most sinful, part of the chicken. The wing has a high ratio of skin to meat thus more flavor!
Quiz: When and where were "Buffalo Wings" first prepared?
From Our Grills To Yours
Smoky's FAQ's
Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual
Hi {FirstName} & Welcome! Well, the cooler weather is here, Labor Day is gone and many misguided soles have stowed their pits. Its a serious shame as there are heaps of great barbecuing days still around the corner. Fortunately, each year we hear of more and more backyard chefs cooking all winter long. And, many of those are from Canada! You hearty guys and gals rock!
Great ideas for cool sizzling fun!
Smoky's Corner
Broiling is what about 99% of the 84% of American families who own grills do about 98% of the time when they light up their grills...As the grill transforms mundane food into mouth pleasing morsels, tantalizing odors assail the nostrils, exciting pleasure receptors into ecstatic anticipation, arousing jaundiced appetites to raging cravings.
Wings are also fast cooking items. You can cook tons of them in short order when cooking directly over the heat of your grill. Heat should be maintained at a medium level and 4-6 inches above the source so as not to burn the delicious skin! If you decide to use marinade, save some of the marinade to baste with (NOTE: Always bring the remaining basting marinade to a boil for 2-3 minutes before using as a baste). We like our wings with just a little bite (heat), not so much as to become a contest of endurance. We use a little red pepper flakes and fresh ground black pepper rather than cayenne which can get real hot real fast for most folks!
| Wings 'n Things Marinade | Blue Cheese Dippin' Sauce |
 4 pounds of wings 1 cup apple cider vinegar 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2 Tbs. olive oil - light 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbs. chili powder 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 tsp. hot red pepper sauce (optional) In a glass or plastic bowl, mix all ingredients except the salt. Place wings in plastic bag along with the marinade and marinate for 2-4 hours turning occasionally. Add salt to the marinade just before removing the chicken. Follow the directions below. |
1 cup crumbled blue cheese 2/3rds cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 clove garlic, minced 1 oz white wine 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp salt 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 tsp thyme plenty of celery sticks! Again, in a glass or plastic bowl, combine all ingredients using the salt and pepper to finalize the taste and the white wine to set the consistency. |
And don't forget the celery sticks! Cut them in 3rds 3 inches in length. Enjoy a great game and hope your team wins.
Answers:
When? 1964
Where? The Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY.
Yours for tender, moist, flavorful barbecuing!
| NOTICE: Six Gas Grill Recalls Sam's Member's Mark®, Weber's Summitt®, Weber's Vieluxe®, Char-Broil®, Kenmore®, and Thermos® brand Gas Grills |
| Smoky keeps his eyes pealed for your safety. He reports the following recalls on gas grill equipment:
Member's Mark® Gas Grills - Units: 50,000 Weber's Summit Gas Grills - Units: 43,000 Hazard: The glass cover and components on the grill's thermometer can break, posing a risk of injury to the user or those nearby. Sold at: Hardware, home improvement and appliance stores and specialty dealers nationwide sold the Summit from August 2002 through August 2003 for between $900 and $1,700. FOR MORE INFORMATION: CLICK HERE Weber's Vieluxe Gas Grills - Units: 1,450 Hazard: The glass cover and components on the private labeled grill's thermometer can break, posing a risk of injury to the user or those nearby. Sold at: Hardware, home improvement and appliance stores and specialty dealers nationwide sold the Vieluxe Gas Grill from January 2001 through July 2003 for between $4,000 and $6,000. FOR MORE INFORMATION: CLICK HERE Char-Broil® Kenmore® Thermos® - Units: 35,000 total for all 3 brands Hazard: : Marshall Gas Controls on all 3 brands - Some of these regulators were assembled with an undersized seat disc that could become dislodged and leak propane gas. Propane gas is highly flammable and could ignite causing a fire or explosion. Consumers should immediately close the valve on the service cylinder if LP-Gas leakage is detected. Sold at: Home and appliance stores nationwide from April 2003 through May 2003. FOR MORE INFORMATION: CLICK HERE |
| CURRENTLY ON SALE: The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual Smoky's Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual is now available. In fact, The Barbecue Store is the only place that you can get them! His book is one of the books we recommend, which sells 10 to 1 over all of our books. This book is now available only at The Barbecue Store. You can purchase the HARDBOUND version or the PAPERBACK. Smoky takes you to new cooking levels, safely and with tons of humor. |
Old Smokey Contest Winner
Winner of the Old Smokey Charcoal Grill
Each month we give away one heck of a grill to one of our lucky readers. By far, this is our largest selling portable charcoal grill because of its durability and ability to produce great tasting food. If you would like to know more, please feel free to read about the Old Smokey Grill - #18!
We have 33721 registered for The Smoke 'N Fire Enquirer and, if you are receiving this newsletter from us, you are automatically entered for this contest. There is only one winner each month! So, without further delay, the winner of this month's Old Smokey Grill - #18 is the honorable:
If you're seeking a new grill and would like to receive some catalogs, take a look at our special offer. Just fill out your information and we'll make sure you receive a Free catalog from the manufacturer.
If you're a manufacturer and would like to offer your
catalogs to our great readers, write us.
It's that time of the season to work on those renaissance style turkey legs for the upcoming season. No, they're not a weapon, but a great treat for kids and adults alike.
Presented from Cheryl & Bill Jamison's: Smoke & Spice
6 Turkey Legs
3 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. oil, preferably canola or corn
Two-Steppin' Leg Rub
2 Tbs. kosher salt
1 Tbs. coarse-ground black pepper
1 Tbs. onion powder
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cayenne
Two-Steppin' Leg Mop (optional)
Remaining Two-Steppin' Leg Rub
1 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs oil, preferably canola or corn
At least 4 hours before you plan to barbecue, and preferably the night before, begin preparations. Loosen the skin on the turkey legs by running your fingers under it as far as possible without tearing the skin.
In a small lidded jar, combine the Worcestershire sauce and oil. In a small bowl, combine the dry spices. Coat your fingers with the wet mixture and rub it well over the legs, getting as much as you can under the skin. Then sprinkle on the dry seasonings liberally, again rubbing as much under the skin as possible. Reserve any remaining dry rub. Place the legs in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200°F to 220°F.
Remove [marinaded] the turkey legs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
If you plan to baste the legs, combine the mop ingredients in a small saucepan and warm the mixture over low heat.
Transfer the turkey legs to the smoker. Cook until the legs are very tender and the juices run clear, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Mop the legs at 45 minute intervals in a wood burning pit, or as appropriate in your style of smoker. Serve the legs hot, to be eaten with your fingers.
Editor Note: Can be done in an electric smoker or gas grill (heat on one side and legs on the other).
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Pat from KC takes issue with Smoky ...
Gentlemen,
Ah, Smoky.
I'm relieved to find that the coast to coast tales of your arrogance are not unfounded. And, it's somewhat of a relief to know that no matter what I say, short of our Lord coming down and judging at the American Royal, Jack Daniels or Memphis in May and proclaiming to His q'uing children that "this is good barbecue," nothing will convince you that any method that varies from yours is evil. In fact, you'd probably argue with Christ Himself. Although I doubt He eats pork.
TEAM NAME OMITTED of Blue Springs, MO dominates the American Royal year after year. They cook with foil, Smoky. TEAM NAME OMITTED of Leawood, KS won Jack Daniel's cooking with foil. The list of smaller contests won by teams using foil is too long to list, and bull-headed "My Way or the Highway" types like yourself wouldn't bother with all that proof anyway. KCBS teams using foil win every weekend, all over the country. If that fact causes you some indigestion, stay away from KCBS contests. You can judge how you like, but please warn us if you are going to judge, because while I have no doubt you have good taste, I am positive your anal-retentive, self-absorbed attitude about barbecuing would benefit no one at a sanctioned contest.
Smoky, I've never turned-in mushy pork ribs. I don't know where you're getting these mushy ribs, but they weren't from anyone taught by the teams I listed above. Now, I've had some amazing meat cooked without foil. And I've had amazing meat cooked with foil. I've had Texas boot leather cooked without foil, and I've had mush cooked with foil. The spirit is in the different people trying different things, and having a great time together.
I know there are some who are "unable or unwilling" to try methods different from how they did things 50 years ago, and I pity them. Because there are many roads to take when making kick-ass barbecue, and people like yourself who see new methods as blasphemy are really missing out. Your brand of "purist" rigidity has nothing to do with the Spirit of Barbecuing. The Spirit of Barbecuing isn't only in the process - it's also in the fun. The idea that our process is inferior to yours because we throw our butts in foil when reaching a certain temperature is just more chest-thumping baloney. Our process takes no less work than yours - I've done plenty of meat without the foil. I like my recipes better. Sometimes the judges agree, sometimes they don't. But the KCBS rules are simple, and the playing field is quite level. Apparently the Big Book of Smoky's Definitions has a different meaning for the word 'level,' too.
You're talking about the Spirit of Barbecue? The spirit isn't in how the food is cooked, Smoky it's in the heart that goes into it. When I stand in the rain at 4:15 am and adjust a baffle by an eighth of an inch because the pit temperature is just a touch high - that's the spirit of barbecue. When my team trades piles of meat, cold brews and secrets with people we met just a few hours before - that's the spirit of barbecue. When I fatten my family up on brisket and send a stranger home with a half a rack of ribs better than he's ever had in his life, that's the spirit of barbecue.
If you're in KC, I'd be happy to let you sample some of our barbecue. In fact, most teams will be happy to give you samples - some with foil, some without. That’s the spirit of barbecue. Our bbq won’t involve skillets, crock-pots, or KC Masterpiece (although Rich Davis did more to get people cooking in their backyards than you ever will). But, what I feed you will have touched foil. And, I will take your self-righteous abuse with a smile, because all I want to do is have a good time - surly old bulls won't slow me down. But, I suspect you won't go for that, so put your meat where your mouth is: The American Royal is the first weekend in October. Compete.
Have fun.
Pat, it is so good to find that we agree on at least two things.
We both agree that the essence of barbecue is the sharing of time, our most finite resource, food and fellowship with others. If you had read either of my books or minimally perused the web site without the myopic, opto-rectal, foil-focused fixation, you would have discovered that.
And, we both enjoy pot roast. There are days that just call for a hearty pot roast. A good piece of meat, seared, then sealed to simmer in its own juices until it almost falls apart and served up with potatoes and carrots makes a delicious, nutritious and satisfying meal. (I don't cook in foil, however, because aluminum is unhealthy for the human body). Folk say that I do a pretty good pot roast but it would never occur to me to try to pass it off as barbecue.
But you malign me. I have never claimed to have discovered barbecue nor originated its definition. I do claim to have read the definition, understood it and am willing to accept that definition as accurate and authentic. A truth does not change, regardless of time. What was barbecue 300 years ago, is still barbecue today. What was pot roast 300 years ago is still pot roast.
From recorded history, those who were unwilling to accept the truth have always attacked the messenger. Could it be because they, themselves, deep down, have contempt for what they are doing? So, if my refusal to accept pot roast as barbecue causes me to be called arrogant by those who will not abide the truth, I willingly bear the stones.
Every year there are millions of dollars of counterfeit currency passed upon the naive as real. But, in truth, each bill is still bogus. If every winner of every KCBS contest for the next millennium cooked in foil it would still be pot roast, not barbecue. In human history, there have always been those who dealt in bogus goods. I suppose it should not be surprising that there are those who deal in bogus barbecue. But the dark, onerous burden that every counterfeiter carries is the knowledge that what they are producing is bogus merchandise.
Perhaps it is this burden that causes foilers to react so violently to the simple truth: pot roast is pot roast; barbecue is barbecue.
Have fun,
As we mentioned earlier, last month, we presented a burning issue involving the use of aluminum foil and the resulting discussion between Pat and Smoky. If you did not see/read the article or just want to refresh you mind, you may re-read it HERE. Quoting a famous guy....And here is the rest of the story....
For many, many years, 'ol Willie used a simple beer can filled with recipes of beer, wine, sherry, herbs and spices to flavorfully smoke-cook his chickens from the inside out. Occasionally, one of those suckers would turn over and he would have to take time and refill it. So Willie make one that won't turn over!
Willie's Chicken Sitters
Pat
Smoky
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Keep Those Fires Hot!
Well, {FirstName}, we've done it again, come to the end. We hope you enjoyed this SPECIAL EDITION of The Smoke N' Fire Inquirer. Keep on SSSSsmokin'. . . . . Again, if you have any comments, please send them to ..............
Charlie @ barbecue@nottingham.com
Sincerely,
Your Barbecue'n hosts,
Charlie McMurrey (a/k/a/ "PC") & And Smoky
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Hi {FirstName}, ... We know many people, in time honored tradition, have put their grills and pits away for the winter and begun to relax as arm chair quarterbacks to graze on chips and pretzels. What a shame to be so bound to tradition. You folks aren't enjoying your own spicy wings, really juicy burgers, melt in the mouth steaks, flavorful chicken and delicious pork chops along with the games. Got your attention?
