This winter has been a tough so far.  Pretty much put an abrupt halt to any grilling for a while now due to the extreme weather so far.  With all the ice and snow we have received, it has been tough to get the grill out.  Today we had a brief break in the weather though and I was able to get the grill out in time before the ice started again.  I decided to a simple Blackened Cajun Chicken Sandwich recipe that I have been wanting to try lately. The night before prepare the Cajun mayonnaise... Read Full Story

I recently tried Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce.  I am generally not a big fan of the generic sauces such as A-1 or Heinz 57.  I am a firm believer that most of the time there is a sauce that you can make or buy that is specific to the dish you are making.  For the most part I hardly ever use Heinz 57, except in the occasional meat loaf.  The only things I use A-1 for is to pour on some mash potatoes or dip some Texas style toast in. But either way, I decided to give this one a shot.  The... Read Full Story

When smoking a turkey there a few things that you should be aware of: Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator at all times. Don't buy that large of a turkey, keep it in the 10 - 12 pound range.  Larger turkeys stay in the danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees too long. Brine the defrosted turkey for 48 hours, and keep in the refrigerator during this time. Place in a hot smoker, at least 250 degrees and a maximum of 300 degrees. Smoke the turkey until the breast meat is at 160... Read Full Story

It is two days before Thanksgiving, which means time to brine the turkey.  Brining a turkey has many advantages, but the big one is that it helps keep the turkey moist through out the smoking process.  A good brine can also add flavor and reduces the amount of cooking time since water is a heat conductor.  The turkey brine recipe I am a big fan of is the Smokin' Okie Holiday Turkey Brine created by one of the key contributors of the Cookshack forums. Ingredients: 1 gallon water 1 cup... Read Full Story

There are many factors that one needs to look at when buying a smoker.  The price ranges for a smoker can be anywhere from fifty dollars to many thousand dollars and there are numerous different types of smokers out there.  Once you get into the market for a smoker it does get very confusing on which one to buy. Considerations: How busy are you?  This one is probably one of the more important factors.  Certain types of smokers require more attention than others.  A wood/charcoal smoker... Read Full Story

I have been wanting to do this for a while now, and I finally did it, a meatloaf smoked in the barbecue.  I was pleasantly surprised with the taste, not too smoky.  The key is not to use to much wood and you will end up with a perfect meatloaf. Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef (80-85% lean) 3/4 packages of crackers (crumbled) 1 egg 1 green pepper, chopped 3/4 white onion, chopped 4 tablespoons BBQ Rub 2 tablespoons granulated garlic 1/2 cup ketchup 2... Read Full Story

This is my favorite homemade chili powder recipe.  Many ask why I make my own chili powder, and the reason is simple, has a lot more flavor and you control the heat factor, plus it is simple to make. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, whole 4 dried ancho chilies 4 dried guajillo chilies 6 dried de arbol chilies 2 tablespoons granulated garlic 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano, ground In a small skillet, toast the cumin seeds over medium-high heat until browned.  This... Read Full Story

My boss at work found these cookies for me from the local newspaper.  The original source of these cookies are from William Mueller, Babblin' Babs Bistro.  The recipe calls for mostly organic ingredients, but I just used non-organic ingredients.  Cookies with  bacon sounds kind of strange, but these cookies were amazing.  These cookies are  outstanding, the bacon is more lake bacon candy. The is a two part recipe, the first part is to make Praline of Bacon.  Ingredients: 1 teaspoon... Read Full Story

This simple, but great recipe came from a good friend of my wife. Ingredients: 8 oz softened cream cheese 1/2 bunch chopped green onions (more or less to taste) 1 can crabmeat Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy.  For an added punch add in some granulated garlic or garlic powder. Read Full Story

This is one of my favorite marinades for anything chicken.  This marinade is full of flavor and provides a nice punch. Ingredients: 4 cups orange juice 2 limes, juices and 1 tablespoon zest 1/2 cup honey 5 chipotles in adobo diced with drippings from adobo sauce 1/2 C low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon cumin, finely ground Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan Heat to boil and simmer to reduce marinade for about 20 minutes Marinade meat from 4... Read Full Story