Danny’s growth and usage has started a break down of his Bauer Vapor X55 pads. One strap has been cut, another is splitting and his catcher has had a few things let go. Needless to say almost 2 years out of them has been good considering his in them at least three times a week. So off we went to Perani’s as a necessary evil. He was able to choose pads and a color he wanted as a result he went with the Reebok Larceny L9 pads, blocker and Catcher. Here they are!
Recently I was a local Barbecue joint to pickup a lunch special. Out for a sample to taste was a Candied Bacon. Imagine this, smoked Bacon, covered in a sweet covering. It was heaven. I asked how they did this and they were kind enough to share it.
Well tired this at home…. and I was able to recreate it.
So this is what I did. I purchased a nice thick bacon. I created a sweet pork rub consisting of 3 cups of brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups of paprika, 3 tbls of onion powder and 2 tbls of garlic powder. This rub was ground down in a coffee grinder. The bacon was dredged through the rub and put on the smoker at 225 degrees for three hours. At the end of this I added more brown super to the bacon and raised the temperature to 300 to melt the sugar.
Here is a short video on the process.
As for the wood, I used oak chunks of wood for the smokey flavor. The result was a nice sweet bacon that left a very nice light aftertaste.
And here is the after effect!
Everyone who has tried this LOVES it!!! Remember to use Thick cut bacon!
The only thing I would do differently next time is to remove the pork rind before cooking it.
This is a receipe I found for a Dry Rub that I use like “Franks Red Hot Sauce”, I put that SH*T on everything. People ask me how do I get my BBQ to taste so good, well it always in the preparation. Sometimes, it takes a day to just get the meat ready but I love this rub. I always omit the salt however.
Ingredients
I really have become an individual who loves to cook over a hot fire and roast meats slowly. Nothing gives me greater pleasure in life than to watch people enjoy eating the things I’ve cooked. In two years of working with electric and wood fired cooking I see benefits of both, but prefer cooking over wood. The results are much nicer, the smoking is a wonderful effect and a really nice compliment to the meats.
I still use my electric smoker for things like smoked side dishes (Smoked Mac & Cheese, Smoked Baked Beans, etc) but have really focused on my wood fired BBQ. That is my pride and joy. While on a trip last fall to Disney I had a smoked corn chutney at Kozzina by Cat Cora. It was out of this world. That is going to be one of the things I try next.
So my honest to God desire is to open a BBQ place of my own… a little upscale but then again a little Honky Tonk…. with live Rock Blues. We has something a while back here in the Detroit area called Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, but closed down. Parking wasn’t great and the location although in an uscale area wasn’t the best. Food was okay for the fare but not the best BBQ I’ve had.
The best is what I want to provide. So I may start off with a few BBQ Competitions this summer. I need someway to transport my Grill and supplies…. Anyone got a trailer they want to get give me?
I made this last year and OMG was it good.
Here’s a recipe that works well with me and is enjoyed by all of my family:
2 – 16-oz cans of beans (in Kansas City I use Bush Baked Beans) Drain sauce out of can and discard.
3/4 cup BBQ sauce (I like a sweet sauce for this)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped smoked pork or brisket (or use bacon)
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Serves 6
Fold together all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to an aluminum baking pan. Place in smoker uncovered at medium heat (225 F.- 275 F.) for about 90 minutes or until heated though.
HINT: Next time you smoke a pork shoulder or brisket put some away in a freezer bag for use in your beans. I use apple wood but hickory and oak work well, you;ll have to experiment with your particular cooker.
Well for those few of you who follow me here, you may recall my earlier posting of Smokin’ BBQ in Clinton Township Michigan as a place that was well, slow. Well let me tell you, having been raised in a house with a mother who is a professional cook, I have a lot of compassion for the food industry. The opening was just first day learning.
Here we are, a month later. I have been to Smokin’ BBQ several times. I have NEVER been disappointed or has my order ever been wrong! Art and Jeff, the two owners of Smokin’ BBQ are great guys and work hard to ensure that each customer is taken care of. They make their own sauces and smoke the meat all on premises.
With their sauces, I personally have settled on my two favorites; Memphis Love and Whiskey Jack. I have yet to be disappointed with anything. One VERY important thing to remember, this is not a “Fast Food” restaruant. This is a sit down place so if you expect to walk in the door and be served in 2 minutes or less, you will be disappointed. I like to call my order in and then hit the pick-up window or walk in to speak with Art and/or Jeff.
As for my favorites, St. Louis style ribs, half rack! YUM!. Also as I posted in my last review the bark on the Beef Brisket is to die for!
My darling wife turned me on to a fantastic side dish; so good we get this for lunch at least once (often more) per week. It is a quart of the Smokin’ Chilli with two ounces of the Memphis Love BBQ sauce. OH MY GOD! This is the best. Thanks Anita for turning me on to this.
If you haven’t tried Smokin’ BBQ you need to get there NOW!
Well Danny got the nod to start this evening’s game against the Suburban Stars in Farmington, Michigan. The game got off to a rocky start with Suburban out playing the Hooligans. By the end of the second period, the Hooligans were down 3-0, but in the third period the Hooligans rallied back with four unanswered goals. A fifth goal was missed on an open net opportunity when the puck sailed high and over the open net.
