According To Smoky

Smoky will be offering his talents, techniques and secrets discovered over the last 150 years, or so. He will be to the point, pull no punches and if you suffer through the process, you will become a much better outdoor cook, turning out masterpiece meals for friends and family alike.

In this column, Smoky doesn't waste any time getting into the meat of the matter. Today, Smoky give you the tongue! . . . . . take notes!

So, with no further adieu, we turn the mike to Smoky. You're on Smoky . . . . .

OUTDOOR COOKING WITH SMOKY HALE

On Dealing with the Discovery of a Culinary Masterpiece

By Smoky Hale

The annals of cookery and cuisine honor the rare occurrence of a masterpiece of gustatory creation. These giant, quantum leaps of inspiration that would earn Nobel prizes in other fields, earn immortality on the palates. Memorable dishes that exploded from a sparks of genius bear names like Beef Wellington, Crab Louie, Chicken Marengo, and sprinkle our repertoire of foods like brilliant stars on a clear night.

Few of us are rewarded with the opportunity of witnessing the birth of such a stellar creation. Fewer still can participate. But, what I offer to you now is such a spectacular creation that it must, even by the severest standards, be considered a member of that galaxy. Only my inherent modesty controls an effusion of adjectives. Pride demands that I let you judge, so as to hear the sweet sound of superlatives from your lips.

Like most premier creations, this one arose from a combination of different and unlikely ingredients. As charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur combine their bland identities into explosive gunpowder, so these humble elements meld to push the palate to cry "havoc!"

Those of faint heart and frail disposition perhaps should read no further. This noble viand demands a hearty commitment to enjoyment. The auspicious alimentary arrangement begins with beef tongue, fully effused with flavor, sensuously draped within a filmy sheath of particular pork, gently grilled in the musky mist of savory smoke.

With more care than normally exercised in the selection of a spouse, one should choose a worthy beef tongue. Scrub it vigorously in clear running water. Then simmer it gently, for two hours, closed in a fragrant bath of two quarts of water flavored by: three bay leaves, two cloves garlic, one medium onion, two ribs celery, 1/4 a medium bell pepper, ½ tsp. thyme, twelve juniper berries, two whole cloves, 5 whole allspice, 1 t. each, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and remove the skin.

 There is a select, savory section of pork, noted for its normal use of accompanying black-eyed peas in a traditional New Year's Day meal. Called the jowl, it comes from the frontal portion of the porcine carcass - the cheek, so to speak. Select a choice cut and chill it so that it can be sliced thinly. Then slice it into strips 2 to 3 inches wide, 6 to 8 inches long and about 1/8th inch thick. Warm the strips to room temperature so they will become supple.

Stucco the beef tongue with a mixture of dijon mustard and fresh horseradish mixed with the juice of one lemon. Cloak it comfortably and seductively in a chemise of the slices of jowl secured with toothpicks. Sprinkle the covering generously and caress it warmly with a mixture of:

One-half teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder,
rubbed sage and ground thyme.
One-fourth teaspoon each of ground bay leaf, celery seed,
black pepper, cayenne pepper

Cook this creation on the grill at barbecue temperatures (190-220 degrees) in the soft, smoky medley of the coals of your favorite woods. As the creation cooks, the jowl will reduce to a lacy golden crust. Remove after 1-1 ½ hours and allow to cool 10 minutes.

Slice thinly across. Serve warm or chilled on thinly sliced french bread rounds with fresh ground horse radish and course ground mustard. Formidable!

A magnificent hors d'oeuvre! Only my inherent modesty has allowed me to resist the clamor to christen this startling creation "Tongue Smoky." I merely call it "Tongue in Cheek."

Smoky Has A New Book The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual 416 pages of great information and wonderful recipes. @ The Barbecue Store

© 1997 by Smoky Hale
Smoky
C. Clark Hale
8168 Hwy 98 E.
McComb, MS 39648

Smoky's 5th basic position for really great barbecue'n.

'According to Smoky' is © by C. Clark Hale
who is solely responsible for its content. Comments
should be addresses to cchale@bellsouth.net