I'm Smoking it

[Rajun Gardener]

Thanks Imp, I gotta eat so it might as well be good.

[Rajun Gardener]

I didn't really watch the game since the Saints got screwed on that no call but it did give me a reason to cook.

I made some ABT's, onion bombs, Buffalo wings, Deviled crabs and tried Shake-n-Bake wings on the smoker.

I used Ho made seasoned meatballs to stuff the onions and a few banana peppers.



Stuffing for the ABT's, cream cheese, mozzarella and Mexican 3 cheese mix with bbq rub.













The Shake-n-Bake wings came out nice and crunchy with a touch of smoke. All of it was good especially the onion bombs.

[Worth1]

Looks great.
LOTS OF BACON.
BACON
One way or another I will build or buy a good smoker that I can walk away from.
Right now I have other priorities.
Like a boat and motor or that milling machine I keep dreaming of.

[imp]

Wow, the shake and bake wings look so juicy yet! Now, I'm wanting some wings, LOL!!

[Rajun Gardener]

I cooked a few racks of ribs today for the family visiting from MS. I mixed up a batch of my rub and got to work.


Cleaned up and ready for rub, I'm cooking the rib tips too.


I had these on the smoker for 3 hours, I almost forgot to get a shot of the ribs before wrapping.

The wrapping process is a light layer of brown sugar, honey and squeeze bottle butter-Parkay.

Meat side down to soak up that sweet nectar.

All wrapped, if you look close there's 4 racks there. I had to buy another rack because "someone" gets heartburn from smoked foods so it was oven ribs.

Perfect cornbread for dressing

It's ugly but this is awesome dressing mix, ground meat, onions, bells, spices and a can of cream of mushroom soup.

This was a test and it's good but the tips are crispy from staying in long enough to get the bacon crispy.

The rib tips all sauced, I cooked these longer wrapped in that pan to render the fat then back on the smoker to set the sauce.

Ready to slice

I'm surprised there's no smoke ring but they were good


Oven ribs

Not bad but compared to a smoked rib it loses. These were hot and fast in the convection oven at 375 started 2 hours later than the smoked ribs and finished at the same time.

These were wrapped but not sauced. I sprinkled more rub when I put them back on the smoker. This came out better than expected and I might stop putting sauce on ribs, the flavor is better not covered up with a sauce.


Finally!! That's potato salad washed out by the flash with cornbread dressing and beans of course. The top rib is dry and the first one I ate in the pic below.


How's that for bite through ribs

[imp]

Oh man !!!! Geez, sometimes I could just hate you a little!! I am so yearning for some good ribs now...

Looking very good!

[imp]

La, rajun, you should write a cook book, no kidding! Between the pictures and your comments, you make it clear as to how and what you do to get such consistently good results.

[Rajun Gardener]

Originally Posted by imp

La, rajun, you should write a cook book, no kidding! Between the pictures and your comments, you make it clear as to how and what you do to get such consistently good results.

Thanks for the compliment but there's so much more I'd have to describe. Most of the things I do are on the net so it can be found. The hard part is teaching technique, I go by feel/looks and just knowing what to add and when to do it.

We have a meme about Cajun cooking that's been floating around facebook that really explains my process but it really applies to everyone that cooks.

[imp]

Yes, there is that, I understand. I tend to make many things that way, by taste, touch, smell or look; most of the bread I make is not measured closely, but by feel of the dough. But you are so clear in what and how you are doing each process and the why of it, that is being a good teacher.


The old Portuguese/Italian ladies would have said you have a "good hand". High compliment from them.

[Rajun Gardener]

I saw GrillGrates in all the SCA steak comps and thought well of course I need that.
It's made from anodized aluminum which is harder than stainless and it will get seasoned just like cast iron the more you use it. What's not to love?
It's like NASA engineering and I tested them out tonight with cheap bone in ribeyes and they worked just like a charm.

They come with this funky spatula but it works perfect, it fits inside the rails and there's no scraping off the grill marks and it's also great for scooping up asparagus.


The back side is smooth to use as a griddle, this is a game changer compared to a Lodge or flattop. Think flat top cooking with charcoal or smoke flavor if you drop a chunk in the coals.


I didn't have cooking spray to season them so I used canola oil on a paper towel to coat them, you can see where I spilled too much oil. It's already starting to get a nice seasoning.


Steaks on a screaming hot grill for 2 minutes then rotate 90 degrees for another 2 then flip and repeat except a 1 minute cook time then rest.

and the flip makes me hungry


These things cook so hot that you can hear the sizzle when you take it off and the smell of burnt beef fat is awesome.


Gotta have veggies too

I made sure I had all the sides done, roasted garlic, horseradish, sauteed onions and shrooms. You know the rest.



Get in my belly!!!


This was great for a first cook and it can only get better with experience and a nice thick ribeye.


The difference is: the grates get hotter and collect the heat even across the surface. The steak was more juicy and it had that restaurant high heat grill taste. Even the veggies came off with a charred smoke flavor and were still al dente but a perfect almost crisp bite.

[imp]

I could enjoy that steak, cooked nicely!! Veg looks good, too!!

[upcountrygirl]

been in a food funk...I know what's for supper! thanks, rajun! as always it looks awesome!

[Worth1]

Smoked crawfish.

[Rajun Gardener]

I planned on ribs and leg quarters today but this cold front is a little windy so I'm not sure what I wanna do yet.