Smoked Pork Loin... as tender as fresh bread!

Smoked Pork Loin is an incredibly simple BBQ meal to make, and the time requirement involved is a heck-of-a-lot less than brisket! As easy as this is, the results are deliciously similar to a good brisket (not that it tastes like brisket), and I suspect I'll be making this for Saturday lunch or dinner a lot more frequently.

I marinated two pork loin's in zesty Italian dressing with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and some coke. I wanted to use apple juice as well, but I was out, and simply forgot to buy more, so this pork had a different taste than usual. Not bad, but I wish I had used apple juice too.

I rubbed each one with a thick layer of rub, and once the smoker was up to temperature, it was a simple matter of placing the meat on the upper rack and walking away. The trusty remote digital thermometer kept me informed, and after about an hour I needed to slow things down a little. The temperature of the meat was rising a little faster than I wanted, so I closed the vents a bit more and watched the temperature... it leveled off and the pork loin stayed around 140 degrees for quite some time.

I'm smoking my food with hickory considerably more often than with mesquite lately. Mesquite and hickory both do very well with pork, as do cherry and pecan. Any of these favorite smoking wood choices will last longer if they are pre-soaked in water for at least 20 minutes. Otherwise, even very large pieces will burn off very quickly. After soaking, remove them from the water to drain off the water prior to use.

Pork has a "well done" temperature of 170 degrees. Rather than rush quickly to this temperature, it's best to slowly and steadily climb to that temperature. Rarely have I ever taken pork to it's well done temperature on my smoker. I prefer to pull the meat off at about 160 degrees and wrap it up tight in heavy aluminum foil where it will rest in my oven (no heat) to gradually warm up internally, then ease back down slowly.

Smoked Pork Loin cooked in this fashion yields ultra-tender, flavorful meat with a sweet, spicy and crispy crust. It cuts like butter with a sharp knife. The rest period of about 40 minutes seemed to be PERFECT!

Rub you the right way

I recently came up with what I now consider my favorite rub... it's great on brisket, pork loin and ribs too!

Remember that I don't measure anything, so the object of the game is to taste test as you mix...

In a small bowl I pour about 1/2 cup or so of light brown sugar. This is the base for the rub I love. Then I shake in black pepper, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and paprika. If I want it spicier, I'll sometimes use Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning as well. I don't use a lot of garlic salt, but that's up to you.

Shake/stir this stuff up well (and grind it together if you have lumps of brown sugar). When you taste test the rub, it will be hotter prior to cooking, so if you think it might be too spicy, it's pretty close to perfect in my book!

Rub this on a brisket and wrap it up with plastic wrap for about 12-24 hours. For ribs you can just rub it on prior to smoking.

The brown sugar will caramelize nicely, and it will tame down the heat just enough... sweet and spicy is a great way to rub!

Brisket by dinner time

On Tuesday the 20th of January I stopped by the HEB and picked up a smallish brisket (about 9 lbs trimmed) and plopped it in a big pan. I shook the bottle of HEB brand Italian Dressing and poured it over the top, along with some soy sauce and apple juice and covered the it with festive red plastic wrap left over from Christmas. It took me a few minutes to clear out the needed space in the refrigerator, but once I was satisfied the pan would fit, I pushed it in and closed the door.

Wednesday evening about 9:30, I pulled out the brisket and drained off some of the marinade potion to add some Coca Cola and teriyaki sauce (and just a little balsamic vinegar). Pe'ko, my Alexandrine Parrot called out from atop his cage "Whatareyoudoing?!" and I answered back "I'm making the brisket taste yummy!" to which he answered "Pe'ko good boy!". After re-covering the pan, it went back in the fridge to wait for it's Thursday muscle rub.

Thursday, right after work, I grabbed my trusty cheap plastic bowl and filled it with about 3/4 cup of brown sugar. To this I added ground pepper, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and a little bit of salt. After a few good shakes, I used the glass pepper shaker to grind it all together and stir it up well. A tiny pinch for a taste test revealed that this rub is sweet and spicy... very spicy for now!

Once again, I drained the marinade from the pan, this time in its entirety. With the fat cap down on the pan, I poured almost half the rub right on top of the brisket, noting the direction the muscle fiber was running (so I'll know the direction to cut it), then rubbed the mixture all over the top and sides. A gentle flip to the other side allowed me to apply the rest of the rub to the reverse side.

I wrapped the brisket up tight with plastic wrap to lock in the rub and let it penetrate the meat and put it back in the refrigerator to stay until Saturday morning when the smoking will begin.

Griller's Log: Smoke-Date 1.24.09 6:12 AM CDT
Still 90% asleep, I yanked the brisket from the fridge and unwrapped it carefully, leaving it to sit on the counter to slowly warm up. I stepped outside wearing a plain white t-shirt and blue-jean shorts and the chilled 24 mph wind sent me running back in the house like a cat running from a polar bear. Three minutes later, wrapped in a wind breaker, I poured Kingsford briquettes into my charcoal chimney and loaded several wadded-up newspaper pages into the bottom. After striking about 12 matches, a lucky wind-lull allowed me to ignite the paper and I cheered quietly in the darkness and ran inside. Peering through the blinds I noted that flame was coming from the top of the chimney, which assured me that the coals would be whited over in 30 minutes or so.

At 7:20 AM: The smoker temperature has been steady at 175 degrees for a while so I carry the brisket from kitchen to smoker.

7:50 AM: I just realized there is far too few wood chunks to last... So i put the remaining wood on the fire and jump in the truck to run to the store. A giant bag of Mesquite chunks, a bag of Mesquite Chips, and a new grill brush go into the shopping cart. Then I spot it... a wireless digital thermometer... and it's on sale!

8:30 AM: Only after stealing 4 AAA batteries from the kids TV remote was I able to get the thermometer working. The brisket's internal temperature is 111 degrees, and the smoker is making too little smoke. The coals are just too hot and the wood is burning too fast. I choke off the oxygen for a while to let it stop burning up my wood.

10:15 AM: It's 38 degrees outside, the wind is still whipping at about 20 MPH and the pit thermometer says it's shy of 135 degrees in there. I think it's the outside temperature and wind that's causing the bad readings, because the meat temperature is steadily climbing... we're now at 135 internally. I'm mildly worried about the temp rising too fast, but the smoke is great. I haven't opened the pit in a really long time, I like not having to disturb the pit to see how the meat is cooking.

1:09 PM: Meat temperature is 138 F, wind chill is 3000 below zero... I can handle cold days, but sheesh, the wind is really bothering me. I still haven't opened the pit, but the grill temp is still reading too low. It's just not possible for the temp of the grill to be less than the meat, so I'll get over it.

2:13 PM: Although nobody has complained, I'm quite sure I smell like a piece of burned up hickory...

2:51 PM: Smoke has done all it will ever do... I've wrapped that rascal in foil to lock in the moisture.

4:45 PM: Dinner time, the brisket is resting and the neighbors are on their way over...

As luck would have it, I never thought about grabbing the camera to take pictures of the cooked cow... so the next one then!

Beer Bread (don't tell anyone its this easy!)

Beer bread... mom made it every year around Thanksgiving, and this stuff is so easy to make, I'm surprised it's not made all year round! You're going to love the crunchy golden top crust that hides the fluffy white bread underneath.

Grease a 9 x 5 bread pan and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pull out that large mixing bowl and dump in 3 cups of SELF RISING FLOUR. You can sift it if you want. (sifting helps prevent packing the flour which some say will make your bread more like a biscuit... and we don't want that!)

Open a 12 oz can or bottle of beer and resist the urge. Pour the beer, yes, all of it, into the bowl along with 3-4 tablespoons of sugar. You can also add a teaspoon or so of salt if you like (not 100% required).

Mix it all up (wooden spoon style, not with your hands) until you have a sticky blob of dough... flop that sucker into the bread pan (remember, the one you greased earlier) and shake it around so it spreads into the pan. There's no need to wait for the dough to rise.

Using an oiled, single edge razor blade (thanks for that tip Jim!), cut a slit down the middle of the dough length wise. This is to make a split-top where you'll pour melted butter (or margarine if that's how you roll) along the split about 40 minutes into the baking. You can also try a bit of honey with that butter for a sweeter version!

Baking time is between 50 and 60 minutes depending on how you like your bread. Be warned! Your kitchen is going to smell really, really good! Remember to set the timer for 40 minutes so you can butter that split-top!

SERVE WARM with Butter or Honey Butter! You better make more because I know you'll eat half of this yourself! I like to slice it thick and put too much butter on it. I'm just that kind of guy.

Much Better Burgers

Everyone knows how to grill a burger. Its not rocket science. But few people know the benefits of garlic powder and soy sauce!

To make a much better hamburger than you usually grill, put away all the spices and sauces except these two gems (garlic powder and soy sauce).

I'm talking about real hamburgers, not those thin pre-pressed patties that come in a box of 40. Use 80/20 ground beef, 90/10 even...

In a small bowl, mix a tablespoon (woops, i used a measurement) of garlic powder with about 1/5 cup of soy sauce. I prefer to use low sodium soy sauce, but use whatever you like!

To form a quality hamburger (intended for the grill), make a ball of beef in your hand about the size of a baseball, then flatten it out with a solid smack between your hands. Shape the edges so the burger does not fall apart.

Place your patties on a hot grill (charcoal people, it's great!) and baste the top side with your soy/garlic... wait about 2 minutes then flip and baste again. Cook to taste. Just before you're ready to put the cheese on them, baste both sides once more.

Juicy and delicious burgers are SOOO SIMPLE TO MAKE!

Ribs that fall off the bone

You've waited for it long enough! I'm finally letting it out. I cracked the code on making super-tender smoked ribs. Juicy, delicious, sweet and spicy baby-back ribs that will have your guests singing your praises. It is ridiculous how easy this is!

First, head down to the grocery store and grab a few racks of baby-back ribs. They don't really cost that much! It's good food on a budget!

You're going to need a few things, I should list them first...

• Apple juice (don't question me!)
• Italian dressing (i like cheap store brands for this)
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Ground pepper
• Other seasonings that you like (Tony Chachere's is perfect here)
• Soy sauce
• Garlic Powder

In a large oven safe pan, (lined with foil) pour in about a cup of apple juice, a few table spoons of balsamic vinegar and Italian dressing and stir it around. Place your ribs in with the meaty side up. Wet the meat with soy sauce, then season the meat with ground pepper, Tony Chachere's and garlic powder.

Pour in more Italian dressing around the sides of the meat, but don't wash away your seasonings from the meat!

Wrap the foil up so the moisture does not escape. Pre-heat your oven to 180-220 degrees f. (NO HOTTER!). Put the ribs in and set your timer for 2 - 4 hours, depending on your time frame.

When you've got about 15 minutes left on the timer, go make a fire in your smoker. Have your favorite smoking wood (mesquite, hickory, apple, pecan, whatever you like) ready.

The oven just went beep, beep, beep... so grab the pan from the oven and yank your ribs out. You probably noticed they smell great, and they are super-tender. Put those babies in your smoker and smoke-em up for at least an hour, being sure the heat is low and the smoke is high!

If you have bbq sauce made from my first post, you're probably thinkin' bout using it... put some on the side to dip the ribs in!

You'll thank me later!

The Best Fried Shrimp Ever

Ok, I'm going to put it to you straight... coconut shrimp is NOT the best. It's everywhere, it's becoming cliche, and it's a cop-out (IMHO). Give me flavorful, slightly spicy, crunchy fried shrimp any day over coconut shrimp!

Here's how I make mine, every time! Keep in mind that I almost never measure anything... well, ok, that's not true. I NEVER measure.

First, peel and de-vein (if you care to) your shimp. Keep the raw shrimp chilled. Pre-heat your oil to about 380 degrees. If you have a deep fryer, its easy to set the temperature of the oil. On the stove, it's a little harder. 380 degrees is hot, don't be a dork and burn yourself or the spectators in the room!

In a large bowl, crack an egg (two if you're making more than 50 tails) and pour in some whole milk... just a little, maybe a little more. Stir it up with a fork like you would if you were making scrambled eggs.

On a large plate dump out a mound all purpose flour. YES FLOUR! NOT CORN MEAL DANG IT!

Add a few shakes (3, 4 maybe) of garlic powder. Garlic powder is white, and so is flour, so pay attention... you want to flavor it well, without going over-board. Now shake 10 or so shakes of season-all and 5 or more shakes of Tony Chachere (how DO you spell it?) Cajun seasoning.

Now shake the plate around to disperse the ingredients around some. Grab a hand-full of shrimp tails and drop them in the bowl of egg and milk, making sure the shrimp tails are all covered in egg/milk. Pull a few out and drop them into the flour and flip them a few times so they are well coated. No shrimp flesh should be visible! Move the already coated shrimp to the outer edge of the plate and grab more from the egg/milk bowl. do this until you can't fit any more shrimp around the edge of your plate.

Is the oil hot yet? Test it by dropping in some flour from the plate. It will sizzle nicely if the oil is up to temperature.

Be careful now, grab a few tails and carefully put them into the oil. There should be some serious activity from the heated oil meeting the chilled milk/egg/shrimp/flour! Wait a few seconds and stir those tails around! (you don't want them to stick together). Soon, they will be golden brown and begin to float a bit. Take them out and place the tails on a seperate plate. Its a good idea to fold up a few paper towles and put them on the plate to soak up any excess oil... there will be quite a bit.

I like MY fried shrimp to cook just a little longer, golden brown is ok, but I admit I like them darker than most people.

People will be very pleased with this shrimp! Now you're a hero!