No, it's based loosely on Keri's Hog Apple Beans. 3 or 4 slices bacon, diced 2 (16 oz) cans pork and beans, mostly drained 1/2 c. Blues Hog BBQ Sauce (or other sweet-spicy favorite) 1 lb. smoked leftover smoked pork or beef, or 1 lb crumbled cooked pork sausage 1 can apple pie filling (run a knife through the can to cut up the apples) 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 green pepper, chopped 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp. Mustard (prepared) 1 tsp chipotle or cayenne powder (optional, to taste*) 1 tsp Blues Hog barbecue rub (or your favorite du jour)
It's really good, I've made the full recipe a few times. Just throw in some pulled pork, brisket burnt ends or even ground beef and it's a meal all by itself.
I smoked two slabs of spare ribs today in my offset smoker using Cowboy brand lump charcoal and pecan chunks. I forgot to do my normal routing of slathering the with mustard and pouring on a rub the night before, so this morning I just grabbed a jar of Penzey's BBQ 3000 sprinkled it on and let it go. Normally I mix up my own spices but my piss-poor planning left me without the fixin's. No matter, they came out great and in fact, when my two boys saw me taking them off the smoker they came out of the pool and ran up to get some. We had more than one slab gone before they even got into the house. No sauce required. I didn't even manage to get a picture.
Looks like quite the cook going on there Tom. I approve I'm just getting into this charcoal game myself, and have successfully cooked a few things on my Weber 22 1/2. I really need to get a couple thermometers. One to mount in the lid an inch above the grill, and a wireless probe type for the meat. Looking to start smoking on this guy using the fire brick method. Going camping this weekend and taking it. Maybe some fish will make its way onto the smoker, see how it turns out.
Check out the Maverick ET-732 wireless thermometer. It has 2 probes and reports both the temp of the grill (with a little clip to hold it just above the grate) as well as the temp of your meat. I just got one in the mail last week and have used it once but really like it quite a bit. For someone that hasn't been doing a ton of grilling in my life, and that's new to charcoal this summer it took the guesswork out of whether or not my chops were done.
I think I'm going to surprise my wife with a little "surf 'n turf" this weekend for our anniversary by smoking some ribs over the coals and then grilling up a couple lobster tails.
I do like the look of that thermometer, but was thinking of getting something cheap just for the mean time locally, and get one of those later. I just picked up a BIOS Professional DT-300 digital single probe wired for $20, and a thermometer to mount in the side of the weber cover an inch or so above the grill. The only thing I'm not really sure on, is the probe. It says Stainless steel probe with 45" Silicone coated heat-resistant wire. I'm unsure what temperature heat "resistant" implies.
You might want to re-consider that DT-300 if it isn't too late. Just quickly scanning the manual, I saw these 2 warnings: - DO NOT place the thermometer's display in direct sunlight, or let it come in contact with moisture or hot surfaces. - DO NOT expose probe or probe wire to open flames of barbeque. Doing so can deteriorate the probe.
Wow, i didnt even notice that in the manual. This is why i posted about it before opening it. Back to the store it goes! I also got a screw in probe style thermometer that I was planning on putting in the dome, but right at the edge, so it would end up about an inch from the grate, at the front edge between the coals, and the water pan. I'm wondering if I should bring this back too, and just get the maverick.
Yeah, I was looking for an accurate thermometer for monitoring the temp of the grill and wasn't really worried about having a probe for the meat temp, but I couldn't find many options for the grill temp. Most thermometers are just for meat temp, and the ones that are for oven/grill temp usually are the dial type or work off the same 'expanding metal' principles and are not very accurate.
http://www.thetoolstore.ca/viewItem.asp?idProduct=14536 I figure one of those guys a couple inches or less from the grill would give me a good ballpark, so I dont need to set up the Maverick everytime. I did return the DT-300 though, and exchanged it for an instant read pen type one for now, until I get a maverick.
Yeah, that's the type of thermometer I was talking about. Because of the way that those dial thermometers are made, they are commonly off by as much as 50-100 degrees (farenheit).
My wife just gave me a partitioned cast iron grate for my 22.5" Weber kettle grill. This will make adding coals and changing out wood chips much easier during my rib smoke today! Perfect timing, thanks honey!!!
