Mahi Mahi Mexican Style

We went over the the Lake Chapala area recently to check out the colonial highlands of Central Mexico.
The lake sits at 5,000 feet elevation surrounded by lush green mountains. The really big difference between this cooler elevation and Tulum where we have been living for the last year or so is low low humidity levels. It cools down at night every night to the point that you probably will sleep with a light blanket or quilt depending upon how big a wuss you are. To me it felt divine to open the windows on our apt. we were renting and feel that cool mountain breeze pouring in.

The lakeside area as it’s called is 3-4 hours away from the fishing ports along the Pacific ocean and many seafood products form the Gulf of Mexico. We went to several pescaderias (fresh fish markets)and all had incredible fresh fish like we were accustomed to in Hawaii like Mahi-Mahi, Swordfish, Tuna, Red Snapper, scallops, clams, sea bass – you get the idea.

We grilled fresh fish several nights on our deck overlooking the lake on the Weber bbq just hot coals and then fish with a little olive oil and spices to taste grill 3-4 minutes each side and then the garlic bread goes on the bbq, open the wine ok it was already open and half gone but who’s counting anyway. This isn’t our first bbq at Bubba’s, we never forget to have enough liquor on hand. There’s nothing like a few cold Pacifico’s with a slice of lime to help you get into the grilling mood grillin stuff is hot thirsty work and we believe in proper hydration at all times.

 

Whenever your in Mexico please do yourself a favor and eat the local fish it’s fresh and tasty and it’s good for you too. It doesn’t get any better than this.

It doesn't get any fresher -mahimahi for dinner tonight

Written on September 11th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags: , , ,
Hot chili peppers might help fight prostate cancer: Study

General Science : March 19, 2006

Eating hot peppers might save your life


Capsaicin, the heat-generating element in the chili peppers that delights spicy food lovers around the world, causes prostate cancer cells to kill themselves, researchers said Wednesday.

A team of US cancer scientists found in tests on mice that capsaicin could provoke apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in the cells behind human prostate cancer, the most common cancer among men in the United States.

According to the scientists at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the tests showed the potential of repressing the growth of the cancer cells in humans. “Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture,” said the institute’s Soren Lehmann. “It also dramatically slowed the development of prostate tumors formed by those human cell lines grown in mouse models,” he said.

To conduct their test, the researchers fed the heat-generating alkaloid found in all types of chilis orally to mice. Lehmann said the dose was equivalent to a 200 pound (90 kilogram) man eating from three to eight of the ultra-hot habanero peppers three times a week.

The heat of habanero peppers registers up to 300,000 Scoville units, compared to a maximum of 5,000 Scoville units for jalapenos and 175,000 for bird chilis popular in Southeast Asia and Africa, according to the Chile Pepper Institute of New Mexico State University.

Lehmann’s research team found that the capsaicin interfered with the cancer cells’ ability to avoid apoptosis, which occurs normally in many tissues as they replace aged cells with new ones. Cancer cells are able to mutate or change genes to avoid a programmed dying off.

The team found that the doses of capsaicin induced about 80 percent of prostate cancer cells to move toward apoptosis.

Prostate cancer kills about 221,000 people worldwide every year.

http://ushotstuff.com/Heat.Scale.htm

Written on September 7th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags:
Avocados Aren’t Just for Guacamole

Avocado's from Mexico


Excerpted from Mexico Insights by Judy King and Lorraine Russo (July 2009)

Here are some quick facts about the creamy, rich avocados so prevalent in Mexico:
• The fruits are ready to use when they are firm and give slightly to pressure.
• Avocados never ripen on the tree. They ripen once they are picked.
• Alligator pear is another name for the bumpy, green-skinned fruit.
• The pebbly-skinned black avocado is the Haas, the larger, longer variety, the Fuerte, is another common variety throughout Mexico.
• The Caribbean or Florida variety has a lighter texture, lower oil content and a fruity sweetness.
• The tiny wild avocados can be eaten, skin and all.
• In some vegetarian and cooking circles, avocados are called “green butter”.
• Toasted avocado leaves are used to season special Mexican dishes and some tamales.
• Ripen grocery store avocados in a paper bag for two or three days.
• If you hear the pit rattle when you shake an avocado, choose another fruit.

Following are some unusual and delicious recipes tried and tested by Judy and Lorraine:

Rosa Mexicana’s Guacamole
Seasoning paste:
1-2 teaspoons minced Serrano or jalapeño chiles (with ribs and seeds)
1 tablespoon minced white onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a molcajete (mortar) or heavy bowl. With pestle or back of spoon, mash mixture to a paste.

Guacamole:
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup ripe tomato cut into 1/2″ cubes
2 tablespoons white onion cut in 1/4″ dice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced Serrano or jalapeño chile, optional, to taste.

Add one half of the avocado to the seasoning paste and crush to a rough texture. Add tomato, onion, cilantro and salt, mixing lightly. Add the remaining diced avocado half and salt and fold into mixture, being careful to maintain the texture. Add chile if desired.

Putting the avocado pit into the serving bowl will help keep the mixture from turning brown.

Chilled Avocado Soup
4 avocados
1/4 cup lime juice
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cup heavy cream, crema or cultured sour cream
3 cups cooled chicken broth

Blend all ingredients well in a food processor or blender. Chill well. Garnish each serving with fresh Salsa Mexicana (Mexican sauce).

Tropical Shrimp and Avocado Salad
4-5 cups chopped lettuce or baby greens
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 cups cubed ripe (but firm) papaya
Optional: substitute orange segments or cubes of mango or pineapple for papaya
2 cups cubed ripe (but firm) avocado
6 canned hearts of palm, rinsed and patted dry and then cut into half-inch sections
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juice

Dressing:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Plunge cleaned shrimp into a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Reduce heat to simmer just until firm—one or two minutes. (Don’t over cook). Drain shrimp and transfer to a large bowl, adding oil, garlic and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Set aside to marinate and cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. The dressing may be made a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator until time to serve the salad.

Just before serving, add avocado, papaya and hearts of palm to the cooled shrimp mixture, tossing gently with the dressing.

Divide lettuce among four chilled salad plates, mounding dressed salad on lettuce. Garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley or cilantro.

Avocado Lime Pie
Pie filling:
1 1/2 cup mashed ripe avocado (about 1 1/2 large avocados)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Grated rind of one lime
3 egg yolks
Dash of salt
1 9-inch baked or graham cracker pie shell

Garnish:
Whipped cream
Avocado slices or balls
Chopped nuts
Toasted coconut

Combine milk, lime juice, grated peel, egg yolks and salt in blender, food processor or mixer and beat at high speed until mixture is thickened. Fold in the very well mashed avocado and then pour into the pie shell and chill for at least three hours. Just before serving, garnish the entire pie, or individual pieces with your choices from the above list.

Yummmm…..avocado-licious!!

Written on August 21st, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags:
Pico de Gallo, real fresh salsa

I spend part of my time here in Mexico, this year i’m in Tulum Mexico over on the Riviera Maya coast in the State of Quintana Roo. The town of Tulum is just off the Caribbean by a mile or so. Were about 25 miles south from Playa del Carmen. The water here is the best I’ve ever seen anywhere. If your looking to take a great vacation put this place on your list for sure.

I love Mexican food always have. Most of us grew up on chips and salsa maybe a little guccamole or nachos. Here’s the things you might actually like that can stuff but it ain’t salsa baby.

Real fresh pico de gallo is fast and easy to make and the taste is out of this world good. Here’s a quick recipe for making this tasty treat for yourself or friends.

Here’s what you need to make it, 6 fresh tomotoes,  1 bunch of cilantro, 1 large white onion, 1-2 limes, 1-2  peppers

1. Cut up your tomatoes into small peices

2. Dice up your onion

3. rough cut the cilantro

4. De-seed your pepper (unless your really like heat) fine cut this up pretty small. You might want to wear plastic gloves?

Mix everything up in a bowl and then squeeze the juice of 1 lime into it and add a little salt, stir and put into the frig for 30 minutes or just eat it right away with your favorite chips.

Now if you are feeling really ambitious cut up some fresh totortillas into strips or wedges and either bakes or fry.

This doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to make.

Fresh pico de galloChicken, pico de gallo with rice & beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be very careful here, you will never want to eat that jar stuff again

 

 

 

 

 

Written on July 31st, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags: ,
Beer Can Chicken

Traeger Smoker

Traeger Beer Can Chichen

If you haven’t tried this yet you must have been living under a rock my friend. Beer can chicken is easy and fun to make, funny to look at to. It always makes me laugh when I open up my Traeger Smoker to see the boy’s standing up there heck it looks like there ready to bust out dancing or something, ok maybe I had too much to drink but you tell me what you think when you see your first one.

It redicuosly easy to make this ultra tasty treat. All you need is some whole chickens and few cans of beer at least a 6 pack more than you use for the chickens- more on that later.

Get your smoker or barbique ready to go.

It doesn’t matter whether you use a smoker or bbq grill, once we got our Traeger smoker it became our preferred way over the grill as it locks in that flavor better in our opinion.

 

 

Another couple of sites worth visiting are the following,

www.the smokering.com  and  www.thebbqguy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Clean your bird removing the gizzards and such.

2. Wash your bird and pat dry with paper towel

3. Rub or spray some olive oil all over the bird

4. Rub on your favorite spices like Montreal, garlic, pepper or Johny Salt, you get the idea. don’t scimp here.

5. Add some more spices to the inside cavity

6. I like to add some onions and garlic to the cavity

7. Now your ready to load your chicken onto a can of your favorite CAN not bottle of beer.

They also make some nice stainless holders which makes this all easier, you just put the can of beer in the middle and just slide your bird over the can.

You might have to make some adjustments to get it to stand upright on the can of beer.

8. The beer keeps your bird moist and basted from the inside.

9. Your bird will take anywhere from 60-90 minutes or more depending upon the size of your chicken. Keep the heat medium

10. Time to remove your chicken, BE VERY CAREFUL here, the beer is near boiling and will spill and burn the hell out of you if your not careful. Use large tong’s and a plate to slide your chicken off your grill or smoker. This will take 2 hands or help from a friend till you get this part down.

Now back to the 6 pack of extra beer you will need to cook your beer can chicken, I know what your thinking ok so you pour some of the extra beer over the outside to baste it while its cooking. Hell no that beer is for you, this is hard work and you will need to stay hydrated and those beers will tide you over till your ready to eat. Now if you have family or friends over get more beer but you knew that didn’t  you.

No you can’t drink that can or beer that was sitting under your bird throw it away after it cools, it’s done it’s job.

Time to eat and your in for a treat, this is real easy and fast to make and you can’t screw it up. This will become a go to way to eat chicken year round off the grill.

You can even do this in your oven if you don’t have an outdoor grill, just remember to put a pan under the oven rack to catch the juices and beer drippings.

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Written on July 29th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags: ,
Weber Portable Grills

If you’ve been following Bubba”s Back Porch for long you know we love our grilling. We don’t care where we are or what time of year it is rain, snow hot or cold everything taste better grilled.

We’ve got 2 amazing units on Bubba’s back porch our Traeger smoker and our big bbq from Costco. Between these two we can grill and smoke up a storm for of dozens of family & friends at a time.

We seriously never give it a second thought to go out and shovel the snow off so we can grill or smoke some killer meat or fish in the winter. We do travel a lot in either our 5th wheel trailer or to our friends place over at the coast range where we have several small cabins that we have built over time or sometimes just a long day trip to the lake or ocean. Here’s the thing we wanted a small portable grill that was easy to take along easy to use and did a great job and would not rust out in a year or two.

We had been using our old trusty Weber – “Go Anywhere” grill it had done a darn good job for several years now but it was small. Then the fine folks at Weber came out with a whole new line of grills that we saw one day at the beach, one look at that and I knew I had to have one of those. They come in 3 sizes small, medium and a larger home unit. It’s a take off on their now famous dome grills that have been around forever it seems. We have had several over the years, it’s just that we have become accustomed to propane grills because their faster and easier to take care of in my opinion. Heck you hit a switch and your grilling in 5 minutes what’s not to like about that. I don’t want to hear all that nonsense about taste either I guarantee you’d never know the difference unless you already knew.

We now have 2 of these new Weber’s and their awesome. They have incorporated some aspects of the old kettle dome into the new design, it has a white ceramic dome lid on hidges and a cast iron grill an dthe body seems to be made out of some  kind of alloy too. Their pretty light weight and easy to take along with you. They also cool down fast for transporting.

We got the Q-100 for day trips and the Q-200 for the 5th wheel, it folds up nicely inside of my outside storage compartment in the trailer. We even took the little Q  to Mexico with us on vacation a few years ago, we sure got some looks from customs but hey now you still grillin on vacation right?

You will love this grill it heats up fast & it up grills like a Weber and cleanup is easy too. We grill at least 4 days week year round.

We never eat vegetables anymore unless their grilled, oh my god you really haven’t experienced how good asparagus, peppers, onions even broccoli can taste like, you spice em up with whatever you like and it will blow your mind. We have friends who don’t veggies all that much but now they do. I ask my wife to always grill off a big batch of onions and mushrooms so we can have them to add to almost anything we eat. Personally I prefer a little olive oil and then sprinkle on some Montreal seasoning and your ready to go, your veggies have just taken a giant step for mankind.

When ever I make omelets for breakfast I always add some of those grilled smoke veggies and wow it ads so much additional flavor, a little pepperjack or Tillamook sharp cheddar and man your livin the dream.

Weber Q series portable grills

Written on July 12th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags: , ,
Yoder YS640 Smoker Pellet Grill

Yoder Smokers are first rate.

http://www.the-greatest-barbecue-recipes.com/smoking-meat.html go here to watch a Youtube video showing unit.

 

 

 

Written on May 17th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags:
CleanFish from Mexico, plus two seafood recipes from Aaron Sanchez
  • May 13th, 2011 1:14 pm PT

Andrea Gray

CleanFish is a San Francisco-based company whose mission is to promote seafood that’s the best of the season by bringing together artisan producers — both fishermen and farmers — and champion these producers in the marketplace under traceable, transparent brands, and considers its, “network of artisans [as] stewards of their fisheries, and [themselves as] stewards of their stories as [they] connect producers to chefs and consumers in a celebration of fish you can trust with a difference you can taste.”

Named to TIME Magazine’s 2009 list of 25 Responsibility Pioneers, TIME noted that “ CleanFish [was created] to counteract the destructive, short-sighted practices of the fishing industry. The San Francisco firm advises 30 eco-conscious fish farms and wild fisheries on how to improve their operations andconnects them with like-minded distributors. With CleanFish’s help, the old adage about there being plenty more fish in the sea might remain true.”

Now, CleanFish founder Tom O’Shea is especially excited about The Aquapod Shrimp CleanFish, which he says, ” will bring to market is an ecological break through from Guaymas fishery. This product that deserves lots of kudos as the innovative producer really has forge new ground in raising the closest to ‘free range’ shrimp. We call it ‘ocean grown’ and it is the kind of innovation we look for, encourage, and promote with our producers” Guaymas, known as a shrimp-fishing port, is located in the Mexican state of Sonora and is the principal port for that state. For a list of CleanFish restaurants and markets, check their website : http://www.cleanfish.com/restaurants.

And Sonora is only one Mexican source for great seafood. According to Steve Dryden, an international wine, food and travel writer, and filmmaker, “gourmet food lovers might note that Ensenada is now home to some of Mexico’s top chefs, four culinary schools, over fifty quality restaurants, world famous fish tacos, and it is further blessed with an abundance of fresh seafood products. This charming seaport city is in the midst of a wine and culinary revolution, with local chefs and winemakers teaming up to match their artisan treasures into innovative marriages.” There, the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) is a leader in fisheries research and natural resource management, thus teaching a generation of intelligent young people in oceanography, environmental science, viticulture, wine making and culinary arts.

 

Dryen also notes that,  “unfortunately, the world of fine cuisine lovers isn’t really aware that Mexico now grows and processes the best oysters in the world at Bahia de San Quintin. These premium oysters are called Kamumoto, and they are winning gold awards throughout the world.

Here are two recipes to try, adapted from Aaron Sanchez, Food Network star and the owner and executive chef of restaurants Centrico and Tacombi, both located in New York City. The son of celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, “Aarón’s passion, commitment and skills have placed him among the country’s leading contemporary Latin Chefs…. He challenges and encourages the at-home cooks and foodies to Go Auténtico when preparing Mexican dishes”. (Cacique’s Discover How to Really Do Mexicanbooklet.

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Spicy Shrimp Enchiladas (recipe suited for novice cooks)

  • 1 package (10 oz.) Cacique® Enchilado cheese, shredded
  • 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (author’s note, we recommend CleanFish shrimp)
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, par-boiled or (11 oz.) can corn, drained
  • 7 oz. dry-roasted, diced poblano green chilies (for how to dry roast chiles, look here)
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced
  • green chile enchilada sauce (canned or make your own)
  • 1 dozen corn tortillas
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 9” x 13” or lasagna-size baking dish with cooking spray.In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, corn, green chilies, half of the green onions, and half of the Cacique® Enchilado cheese. Spray tortillas lightly with cooking spray, stack one on top of the other and wrap in paper towels. Heat tortillas in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through. Pour enough of the enchilada sauce in baking dish to cover bottom. Generously fill tortillas with shrimp mixture, roll up and place seam down in baking dishes. Spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining Cacique® Enchilado cheese. Sprinkle with remaining green onions and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Serves 6-8.

 

Crab and Shrimp Chile Relleno with Creamy Chipotle Sauce (recipe suited for more advanced cooks)

½ package (5 oz.) Cacique® Queso Quesadilla, shredded
1 teaspoon Cacique® Crema Mexicana
½ cup white or Mexican rice
6 oz. shrimp and crab, cooked and diced
¼ cup green onion, chopped
1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
6 Poblano chilies, roasted and peeled (for how to dry roast chiles, look here)
3 eggs, separated
1 cup flour for dredging
Oil for frying
Creamy Chipotle (recipe below)

 

Mix Cacique® Queso Quesadilla, rice, shrimp and crab, green onion, jalapeño, cilantro and Cacique® Crema Mexicana in medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make a small slit on side of chile and insert 1-2 spoonfuls of mixture per chile. Beat egg whites, then add yolks and beat until fluffy. Holding by the stems, carefully dredge each chile in flour, then dip completely into egg batter. Fry in hot oil, turning carefully, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve with Crema Chipotle on top. Serves 6.

 

Crema Chipotle:

1 cup Cacique® Crema Salvadorena
1-2 tablespoons Chipotle chiles in adobe
Mix 1 cup Cacique® Crema Salvadorena with 1-2 tablespoons Chipotle chilies in adobo.
Refrigerate one hour.
Mexico’s abundant shrimp

Continue reading on Examiner.com: CleanFish from Mexico, plus two seafood recipes from Aaron Sanchez – San Francisco Fusion food | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fusion-food-in-san-francisco/cleanfish-from-mexico-plus-two-seafood-recipes-from-aaron-sanchez#ixzz1MWcc3rAr

Written on May 16th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags:
Veracruz-style seafood and rice: Arroz a la tumbada

Veracruz-style seafood and rice: Arroz a la tumbada

by Karen Hursh Graber

 

One of my happiest dining memories is the first time I tried Arroz a la Tumbada at the King of Carnival restaurant in the city of Veracruz, where it is prepared to order for each diner and served in individual clay cazuelas.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons corn oil
  • 1 cup medium grain rice, washed and dried
  • 1/2 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 2 roma tomatoes, roasted, seeded, peeled and liquified
  • 2 1/2 cups fish stock
  • 1/2 pound raw fish filets, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1/2 pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 1/4 pound chopped, cooked octopus
  • 4 soft-shell crabs
  • 8 scrubbed clams
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

In a clay cazuela or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the butter and oil. Add the rice, onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is just turning golden. Add the liquified tomatoes and cook until they are nearly absorbed by the rice.

Add the fish stock, fish filets, shrimp, octopus, crabs and clams. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover tightly and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Remove lid, sprinkle with chopped parsley, bring the cazuela to the table and serve from it.

Serves 4.

http://www.mexconnect.com/regions/98-veracruz?type=Recipe

Written on February 16th, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags:
“Barbecue is the Mystical Communion of Fire, Smoke and Meat”

We’re the “Cookin’ Cousins”, love smoking meat, and have answered that question countless times in our 40+ years of backyard research developing smoker recipes with various meat smokers.

Yep, driving our neighbors nuts, smoking meat…it’s a primal thing! So how do we do it?

Well, there’s actually six secrets that we’ve learned to help you attain, in our humble opinion, one of life’s greatest pleasures. But first…

Did you know that, historically, barbecue is the method of roasting meat over hardwood coals, slowly, with low heat and a constant exposure to the aromatic smoke? Yessir, real barbecue! Read on, and we’ll put it all together, starting with…

 

 

The 6 Secrets to Smoking Meat

 

 

  1. Great Meat
  2. Great Spices
  3. Great Tools (smoker, grill, tongs, thermometers, etc…)
  4. Heat Control
  5. Timing
  6. Smoke

 

Secret #1…Great Meat

 

Beef

 

To get the best results smoking meat, buy the best meat you can afford. The quality of the meat does make a big difference, and we prefer “Prime” or “Choice” grades of beef for that beautiful marbling. You get the wonderful flavor that our primal instincts crave!

You want plenty of marbling (the white fat running through the meat). The more fat, the better it tastes! Health-wise, if you do not make high-fatted beef a frequent staple, you’re fine.

 

Pork

 

Fresh! Whether you want to roast a whole hog, or a shoulder cut, get the freshest meat you can find. Period. Now, which cut?

Spare Ribs, Country Style or Baby Back Ribs? It’s your choice! It’s all good but…we prefer traditional spareribs, especially St. Loius Style, for our smoker recipes.

 

For the “Cookin’ Cousins” barbecue pork recipe, we like the shoulder (12-16 lbs./5.4-7.3 kg). It has a ton of flavor and the fat needed to keep the meet moist and tender. Fat is good…especially when smoking meat for extended period of time. If you can find a whole shoulder cut, all the better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken

 

Are all chickens the same? Nope. If you were raised on a farm or before the ’70′s you know what we mean. When smoking meat, those yard birds are unbeatable for flavor!

We’re talking about “range chickens” where the birds range freely, have plenty of fresh water, exercise, and scratch the ground at will, with lots of grain for the peckin’. A good eatin’ bird will go to market at about 180 days. Most chicken today is fast grown (80 days)…

…stressed out and raised in confined cages, fed goodness knows what and “mechanically” processed for mass sale. No comparison in taste, so we like to buy “free range” chicken when it’s available.

No free-range chicken available? Well…get the freshest, plump, 3-5 pound bird you can find. If you don’t want to mess with cutting and cleaning, buy the chicken parts you most enjoy. Look for the freshest dates!

Frozen the only thing around? Buy the most recent dated package, suck it in, and we’ll make it taste great anyway!

 

Turkey

 

Are all turkeys the same? Well, basically. If you have ever eaten a wild turkey, you know that they have a very different flavor from the domesticated bird. However, either turkey taste great! Because most of us do not have access to that wonderful wild fowl, let’s talk about buying the readily available domestic breed.

Natural/Free range/Organic? Yes, there is a better flavor with a free range and/or a turkey fed organic feed. To say nothing of the potential health benefit. These turkeys are available both fresh and frozen. But there is nothing wrong with the mass produced bird, if cost is a real consideration.

Fresh or frozen? It’s actually a personal, or financial, preference.

Fresh, due to the shorter shelf life and special handling required to assure safe delivery to the customer, is more expensive. However, if preparation time is a problem (thawing), this is a good alternative.

Frozen turkeys are considerably less expensive. They are immediately flash frozen, after processing, to 0°F(17.8°C). So, once thawed, you have a turkey that’s as fresh as the day it was processed. We generally use frozen turkeys and defy any who can taste the difference!

Size matters!

Our smoked turkey recipes use only smaller birds (8-16lbs./3.6-7.3kg). Why? A large bird takes too long to heat past the danger zone of 40-140°F/4.4-60°C. You don’t want to ruin the occasion with sick folks!

We have found that 1.5lbs/.68kg per person feeds all, with enough left over to make us tired of turkey…for a while. If you need more, smoke two or…

If you have a big bird you can simply cut the legs and thighs from the breast and smoke them alongside. We’ve done it, and it works great.

 

 

Secret #2…Great Spices

 

Use the best quality, and freshest spices you can. There is a huge difference between the old, been-in-the-cupboard-way-to-long, “buck a bottle” spices, and the top quality stuff (this is one important difference between a “tenderfoot”, and top competitors). We learned this smoking meat secret the hard way!

You can review our rub secrets at our Barbecue Rub Secrets page.

 

Secret #3…Great Tools

We’ve all done it…bought cheap, paid dearly. From the barbecue grill, meat smoker, to our barbecue tool set, most of us try to “make do” with usually frustrating results. Well, now it’s time to upgrade! Let’s start with the smoker…

 

 

 

There are many great smokers out there, and only your personal needs should dictate your choice. You do not have to spend a fortune to get a great unit!

You may wish to consider portability, as some backyard smokers can weigh over 100 pounds.

We found that a large door in front is far easier to load, check temperatures, and unload.

You can get black steel, or stainless steel. Stainless steel doesn’t rust!

 

We used the following criteria for our favorite backyard smoker:

 

  1. Ease of use
  2. Ease of cleaning
  3. Portability
  4. Excellent value (economical, quality built)

 

Thermometer; Instant read and oven types – When smoking meat, it’s imperative you keep track of the inside temperature with an oven thermometer. Also, you need to check the meat towards the end of the cooking time, with a meat type “instant-read” thermometer, to ensure the meat is done to perfection. Nobody likes uncooked chicken or pork! And you don’t have to spend a fortune for the best…

Our very favorite fast read, accurate, instant read thermometer is the CDN Proaccurate Stainless Digital Thermometer.  The only instant-read thermometer that that we know to be faster, and another choice of professionals (albeit rather expensive), is the Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen – Instant Read Thermometer, Perfect for Barbecue, Home and Professional Cooking

 

A good oven thermometer is a must when smoking meat. Our two favorites are the Taylor Connoisseur Oven Thermometer. , and the Taylor Precision Classic Oven Thermometer. They are both very accurate, durable (stainless steel), and exceptionally reasonable in price.

 

Tongs - Long and strong is the secret! If your BBQ set didn’t come with a good pair, you’ll really appreciate our two professional grade choices; the Lodge Camp Dutch Oven 16-Inch Stainless Steel Tongs,  or the Oxo Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs.  Both are strong stainless steel construction, and long enough to keep your paws out of the fire!

 

Insulated Food Gloves These things are fantastic for handling, or “pulling” the finished meat! You can use the old “tried and true” technique of pulling the meat with fork-’n-tong, burning your fingers trying to remove the unwanted fat and gristle, but the ease of using food gloves will convince you that this is the only way to do it right. For any piping hot BBQ meat we love our insulated barbecue gloves.

 

 

Chimney Starter - For the charcoal grill folks, this is the best way to start, and maintain, the coals. If you’ve never used one of these ingenious tools, you’re going to love the experience! There are a grunch of these seemingly simple tools out there, but…

We believe that the best hassle-free starter made is the Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter. Period.

Turkey Cannon  Cook your turkey in half the time? Really sweet, juicy white meat? Yep! You can smoke, grill, or oven bake, an exceptionally succulent bird, with this ingenious tool. Our smoked turkey recipe can easily be adapted for this method. We love it! An extremely easy way to roast your bird to perfection every time. The Turkey Cannon’s unique infuser allows you to use your favorite beverage (wine, beer, apple juice, etc.) to infuse the bird with moisture, and the flavors, of any added herbs or spices.

Want to see how it works? Click here to download the instructions…Turkey Cannon Instructions

 

 

Secret #4…Heat Control

Boy, is this smoking meat secret important. All great barbecue recipes are predicated on controlling the heat! Follow the suggested temperatures in our recipes…religiously, and use a darn good oven and meat thermometer. Check that meat! Use an “instant read” meat thermometer to ensure safe minimum temperature.

 

Secret #5…Timing

The timing is directly related to temperature; the lower the heat, the longer to cook but, don’t cheat! Maintain heat control, and base the timing on the meat’s internal heat, period. This barbecue tip could have been titled, “Patience”. You will need a bucket-load of this to properly barbecue chicken, ribs, brisket, and prime rib, et al.

 

Secret #6…Smoke

The smoke gives the meat that incredible, “make-your-tongue-want-to-beat-your-brains-out”, flavor. But…

 

When smoking any meat, always use only seasoned (never “green”) hardwood chips/chunks like hickory, Oak, Mesquite, Cherry, Maple, fruitwoods, etc., to suit your taste. Generally these are readily available, in season, wherever barbecue accessories are sold, and we have found all to be good. If you can not find what you want, our underlined blue links are a great source.

 

Never use softwoods such as the conifers fir, pine, spruce, cedar, cypress, oleander, etc. They are bitter tasting and some trees and bushes/shrubs are toxic to humans, so stay with the known traditional woods used by the experienced “tongers” (those who wield the tongs at the fire).

So, whether you have a grill, or a smoker, we will guide you to your smoking meat fame.

 

Try our smoking meat secrets with one (or all) of our Great Smoker Recipes!

 

Barbecue Ribs on a gas grill? Great. We’ll show you a simplified method to smoked ribs nirvana, here.

Barbecue Ribs on a charcoal grill? You are just a few sure-fire steps away from barbecue rib heaven, here.

Barbecue Ribs in a smoker? Fantastic! Gas or charcoal, this is the easiest way to barbecue rib fame, here.

Barbecue Chicken on a gas or charcoal grill? Great. Real barbecue chicken with the least hassle!

Want to do Beer Can Chicken? Wonderful! One of the greatest American backyard culinary inventions!

 

Chicken in a smoker? Fantastic! Gas or charcoal, this is the easiest way to barbecue chicken fame, here.

Our Free Smoked Turkey Recipe For Your Smoker is Magic! A surefire smoked turkey recipe with no hassle at the grill or smoker.

 

 

 

Written on January 21st, 2011 , Bubbas BBQ and Recipes Tags: ,
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