Archive for February, 2010

For the next 4 weeks Ill be revisiting all of my competition notes, procedures and meat prep. Looking forward to the Little Rock competition I really want to just do better. Last year we came in 47 out of 129 teams. We got a 19th in chicken, 43rd in ribs, 55th in pork and a dismal 84th in brisket.

This year we are driving with all of our equipment to this comp. All 18 hours. Last year I used borrowed equipment that I had never used before and it really showed. My goal this year is to be in the top 20% or higher. I am going through my bx pictures form last year and the notes I made. I can really see lots of room for improvement.

This week I am focused on chicken. Just getting my timing down. I am still not sold on muffin pan chicken and I will stick to my own style of trimming. However I am going to modify my flavor profile.

Hi all just passing this on. I personally have signed it already.

To:  Kansas City BBQ Association

We, the undersigned KCBS members, formally petition the KCBS to allow members to have access to all non-executive session meetings via electronic media, including, but not limited to, pod-casts, web-casts and streaming audio. This is not to disparage the KCBS or any member of the Board of Directors, but to provide us, as members the fullest information on rules, standards and the agenda of the Board to make us more active participants and have a stronger and more informed participation in all KCBS related business and the promotion of BBQ throughout the world.

Sincerely,

The UNDERSIGNED

Ok so today is that magical day of the year when you are supposed to be all lovey and dovey with your significant other. You are supposed to magically transform yourself into a Goddess of love or whatever. Seriously WTFlip.  I hate Valentines Day. Well not so much hate as it really annoys the crap out of me.

How is it possible that this one day of the year is supposed to have some super meaningful significance?? There are 364 other days of the year it should be just as equally important.  I am not a huge fan of jewelery or flowers. In fact even my husband Vlado will tell you with some chagrin that for the last 7 years of our marriage I have returned just about every gift of jewelery he has ever given me. Why? He keeps trying. Seriously its not my thing.

However I will tell you this I have never once returned a video, book, bbq or wood product he has ever bought me. He is good like that. He knows me. Today on this supposed magical day of love (ack) he downloaded for me videos and clips and programs from the net all about BBQ. BBQ clips from Texas, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Memphis and hell even some clips on Canadian BBQ. Total monetary cost ; Zero. Nada Zip Zilch.  Total Value to me : PRICELESS!

I think this is so much better than some fake sugar coated flowery piece of prose on a hallmark card. Seriously unless those words have actually come out of his mouth I really don’t want them. Unless he personally grew those overpriced roses I really don’t want them.  Unless he did it himself and learned how to cook I also don’t want dinner reservations. Just not my thing. Not today at least. Seriously want to impress me? Do my laundry. Clean my house. Believe me there is nothing sexier to me than a clean house and no laundry to do. Ohh Baby that is a pure aphrodisiac right there.

Valentines is such an over-hyped overly produced holiday it makes me want to gag.  I hate walking into stores that show you every bobble and widget all dolled up for Valentines. Like you can buy LOVE? Please spare me. Love is hard work. Love is enduring the tough times and the good times. Love is showing compassion and kindness. Love is NOT a prepackaged heart full of crap chocolate. I have so much love for my husband and family that the one day is just never is enough. Same for the way I feel about my dear friends. So Valentines Day you can just go suck a lemon. I don’t need you for one day of the year. I am going to go bake some cookies with my kids, practice my competition chicken (thanks to my husband who also bought me 24 chicken thighs) and make a nice Sunday dinner. I will sit down with my family like we do every meal time, and at the end of the day I will tuck them in and tell them how much I love them. Like I do everyday.

When I was travelling through the US last week I came across two items not normally seen in my everyday shopping and 0f course I had to buy them. Why? because they were bacon inspired. Anything with Bacon is pretty much good in my books so these could not be passed up.

First up bacon Gumballs. Because who doesn’t like a mouthful of bacon. ?? 32 pieces of bacon flavored gum. !!!

Second bacon Gummy strips. <<<<MMM I love gummy candies.  These are not good gummy candy. I’ll stick with the gummy worms. Sadly no bacon flavor just the visual effect of eating a slice of bacon. Not a good strawberry taste either. What cracked me up about this was the very stern instructions on the back:  Do Not attempt to fry or microwave.  WTflip.

Whole lotta patriotism is pulsing through my veins…My family is such a mixture. My grandparents were French Russian Polish English & American. My husband is Macedonian. However above all I consider myself Canadian ….Je Suis Canadien and I am damn proud of it.

“We Are More” by Shane Koyczan
When defining Canada
you might list some statistics
you might mention our tallest building
or biggest lake
you might shake a tree in the fall
and call a red leaf Canada
you might rattle off some celebrities
might mention Buffy Sainte-Marie
might even mention the fact that we’ve got a few
Barenaked Ladies
or that we made these crazy things
like zippers
electric cars
and washing machines
when defining Canada
it seems the world’s anthem has been
” been there done that”
and maybe that’s where we used to be at
it’s true
we’ve done and we’ve been
we’ve seen
all the great themes get swallowed up by the machine
and turned into theme parks
but when defining Canada
don’t forget to mention that we have set sparks

we are not just fishing stories
about the one that got away
we do more than sit around and say “eh?”
and yes

we are the home of the Rocket and the Great One
who inspired little number nines
and little number ninety-nines
but we’re more than just hockey and fishing lines
off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes
and some say what defines us
is something as simple as please and thank you
and as for you’re welcome
well we say that too
but we are more
than genteel or civilized
we are an idea in the process
of being realized
we are young
we are cultures strung together
then woven into a tapestry
and the design
is what makes us more
than the sum total of our history
we are an experiment going right for a change
with influences that range from a to zed
and yes we say zed instead of zee
we are the colours of Chinatown and the coffee of Little Italy
we dream so big that there are those
who would call our ambition an industry
because we are more than sticky maple syrup and clean snow
we do more than grow wheat and brew beer
we are vineyards of good year after good year
we reforest what we clear
because we believe in generations beyond our own
knowing now that so many of us
have grown past what used to be
we can stand here today

filled with all the hope people have
when they say things like “someday”

someday we’ll be great
someday we’ll be this
or that
someday we’ll be at a point
when someday was yesterday
and all of our aspirations will pay the way
for those who on that day
look towards tomorrow
and still they say someday

we will reach the goals we set
and we will get interest on our inspiration
because we are more than a nation of whale watchers and lumberjacks
more than backpacks and hiking trails
we are hammers and nails building bridges
towards those who are willing to walk across
we are the lost-and-found for all those who might find themselves at a loss
we are not the see-through gloss or glamour
of those who clamour for the failings of others
we are fathers brothers sisters and mothers
uncles and nephews aunts and nieces
we are cousins
we are found missing puzzle pieces
we are families with room at the table for newcomers
we are more than summers and winters
more than on and off seasons
we are the reasons people have for wanting to stay
because we are more than what we say or do
we live to get past what we go through

and learn who we are
we are students
students who study the studiousness of studying
so we know what as well as why
we don’t have all the answers
but we try
and the effort is what makes us more
we don’t all know what it is in life we’re looking for
so keep exploring
go far and wide
or go inside but go deep
go deep
as if James Cameron was filming a sequel to The Abyss
and suddenly there was this location scout
trying to figure some way out
to get inside you
because you’ve been through hell and high water
and you went deep
keep exploring
because we are more
than a laundry list of things to do and places to see
we are more than hills to ski
or countryside ponds to skate
we are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can’t wait
we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes
a country that is all the ways you choose to live
a land that can give you variety
because we are choices
we are millions upon millions of voices shouting
” keep exploring… we are more”
we are the surprise the world has in store for you
it’s true

Canada is the “what” in “what’s new?”
so don’t say “been there done that”
unless you’ve sat on the sidewalk
while chalk artists draw still lifes
on the concrete of a kid in the street
beatboxing to Neil Young for fun
don’t say you’ve been there done that
unless you’ve been here doing it
let this country be your first-aid kit
for all the times you get sick of the same old same old
let us be the story told to your friends
and when that story ends
leave chapters for the next time you’ll come back
next time pack for all the things
you didn’t pack for the first time
but don’t let your luggage define your travels
each life unravels differently
and experiences are what make up
the colours of our tapestry
we are the true north
strong and free
and what’s more
is that we didn’t just say it
we made it be.

Was craving a comfort dish so decided to make my ultimate Mac n Cheese. I only make this dish about once a year. Its a real treat to eat it. This year I made one for tonight and another for the freezer. It freezes and keeps well for about a month. (1 month is about as long as it has ever lasted in our freezer)

Ingredients

• 1 lb dry elbow pasta cooked (*please do not boil past about 7 minutes this should be just a little harder than al dente)
• 6 cups Colby Cheese Shredded
• 1 cup Cendrillon Goat Cheese Shredded
• 1/2 lb bacon
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c butter
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons dried chives
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon fine grind black pepper
• 3 cups skim milk
• 2 cups 1/2 & 1/2 cream
• salt to taste *depending on the cheese you use this can vary wildly

For the topping

• 1 pkg 170 gr panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

I start by melting the butter then adding the flour on medium heat. I cook the flour and butter mixture for about 5 minutes. Then I add the milk and cream. Make sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch the mixture. I usually have it on about medium low.

Fry the bacon in small pieces. Remove from the bacon fat. Fry the onion in the bacon fat. Don’t even think about draining in the bacon fat from the onions.  Bacon fat is wickedly good in Mac N Cheese. Just add the onions and the warm bacon fat to the milk and cream mixture and whisk to combine.

Really it is really simple from this point on. Add everything else (other than the cooked bacon) and cook until all of the cheese has melted. I prefer the Colby and the Cendrillon since they give it a great deep cheesy flavor. I consistently whisk this making sure there are no lumps.  This is where you should be taste testing for salt. Since the salt levels can vary so much in cheese it will be left up to you to determine how much.

I used two corelle dishes for layering.I use a layer of macaroni, a layer of the cheese mixture then sprinkle on some of the bacon. Repeat until both dishes are full.

For the topping simply melt the butter and mix with the Panko breadcrumbs and the smoked paprika. Spread liberally on both casserole dishes.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Make sure to let this rest at least 10-15 minutes.

This is great cold the next day or even made into mac balls rolled into flour then an egg wash and even more panko then deep fried. Its creamy bacon cheesy goodness.

I really enjoy the format of this show. Round table discussions are always fun. In this episode there was Huck Sr. Huck Jr and Big Mista from Bigmista’s Barbecue, owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Neil and Phyllis Strawder

In the Hut Episode #11 is up.. Stream http://bit.ly/bcFATR or itunes sub here http://bit.ly/c5Z7bW

Just a reminder you can find Huck’s Hut and other great BBQ podcasts & shows on the BCRN Network

J.M. From Celebrity Grill has me on his latest Podcast available on iTunes.

Also be sure to check out his website.

Lots of Fun!! Anytime to talk about BBQ is a good time. Check it out!!

Remember Life is too short for bad BBQ ®

 

Well I recently had the opportunity to try Kosmo’s Q Chicken soak. I thought it would be best to do a simple test to see if the Chicken Soak made a substantial difference vs. regular brining. I consistently have been using a brine for turkey or chicken at home and also in competition.

 

I used 10 lbs of chicken pieces for each test. 10lbs for each application for a total of 20 pounds chicken pieces.

 

These two plates were for the Kosmo’s test. It was a mixture of chicken thighs legs and wings some with skin and some without.

 

The ingredients listed on the package are:

 

Salt, Brown Sugar, Worcestershire Powder, Dextrose, Hydrolyzed Soy & Corn Protein, Citric acid, Caramel Color, Natural Flavor

 

The package of chicken soak weighed 8.6 oz. Thats .6 oz. more than the listed weight.

 

 

In one bucket I used the Kosmo’s Q Chicken Soak 1/2 lb sample mix cost – $4.95 plus shipping- I mixed it according to the directions on the package (doubled for 10 lbs) – Mix 3/4 cup with 64oz (1/2) gallon of liquid. For this test I used plain old tap water for Kosmo’s and the standard brine.

 

 

 

 

* this was the color of the Kosmos at 5lbs then I added the remaining chicken and soak mix. It mixes up very easily as the particles are very small.

 

My Standard Brine

 

In the second bucket I mixed a standard brine I make for Chicken Brown Sugar, Kosher Salt, Peppercorns and All spice berries – cost $2.25 approx for enough brine for 10lbs chicken.

 

 

• Both sets of chicken were left in their mixtures for the recommended 4 hours.
• They were both rinsed thoroughly afterwards with tap water.
• They were both then rubbed with my own personal chicken rub.

 

**The only difference I noticed on the chicken when they came out of the brine was that the Kosmo’s chicken had some very fine red particles that adhered to the chicken. I could not rinse it off. I also could not get a clear picture of it. They were very tiny.

 

For this test I used my Traeger Texas Style with hickory pellets. The grill was set at 300F. All of the chicken parts were taken to 165F.

 

All of the pieces looked great. Nice color on both. They were glazed with my own competition sauce.

 

 

After the chicken came off I rested it on a plate uncovered for 10 minutes.

 

Here are two pieces the one on the right is from Kosmo’s and the one on the left is my own standard brine.

 

 

Now for the all important taste/tenderness test picture:

 

 

Picture of the chicken with standard brine (juices on the plate very moist and tender):

 

 

Picture of Kosmo’s Q Chicken(juices on the plate very moist and tender):

 

 

Even after an additional 15 minutes both chicken pieces were still tender and moist.

 

Conclusion:

 

Kosmo’s Q chicken soak works. So does regular brining.

 

I could not find any discernible difference between the two other than cost and convenience.  There was no taste difference whatsoever. Nothing stood out.  They were both tender and moist.

 

Personally I’ll be sticking with my own brine.

So we all have our travelling nightmare stories. So I thought I would let you all know why I now HATE Air Canada “customer service.”

It started out with my trip home from Memphis. The plane I was taking (United) was broken and we got delayed a few hours. That meant I would miss my original Air Canada flight.  So off to the service desk where I was put on a later flight to get back to Canada.

 

No problem right>> I mean really a few extra hours in the airports isn’t so bad.No I really enjoyed sitting on the floor next to one of the few outlets that work in Chicago. Honestly though I met a great guy named Tim who made me laugh at it all. He and I sat on the floor sharing this outlet and made the best of it.

 

 

So I finally got back to Canada only to find that my bag was still in Chicago. No problem right>?? Went to another service desk was assured that my bag would be on the next flight. (*Seriously are you kidding me???) So two days later I get a call from Air Canada. They have found my bag and will deliver it by courier. Now for two days I have not had my boots or my winter coat or any toiletries but I was happy nonetheless since I was at least going to get them back and all of the BBQ stuff I had purchased.

 

Right…WTFlip was I thinking.

 

No I got my bag – yes I did. Thanks to those lovely people at Air Canada I got my bag back smashed. So smashed in fact that one wheel is in multiples of pieces and the other is rammed up so hard it doesn’t moved. On top of the lovely cuts into the bag and the fact it looks like it was run over by the plane itself. GREAT. Just GREAT. So I look through the bag and I am missing a boot and my toiletries and a few other things. Great just great.

 

 

So I do what everyone else would do in this situation. I call Air Canada. What I should have done was take some prozak and a few shots of tequila and called it a day.  But no I called Air Canadas Delayed & Damaged Customer Service number. Well they answered the phone at least. I thought I had the wrong number to be honest. Since the people answering the phone are in India. YES India. Now I am sure they are lovely people and all but they should at least be able to speak ENGLISH when you call.

 

I know I am asking a lot. A Canadian Company that has their customer service in INDIA> cause that makes a WHOLE lotta SENSE. Huh. So I can’t understand her and she can’t understand me. That makes a LOT of sense Air Canada. So she tells me a number it took multiples of times to get it clearly. I am beyond frustrated. I go to their website. you would think somewhere there I could find the golden ticket. The place where I could talk to a real person. A real live English speaking person.

 

No I am not angry at all by this point I mean I have only wasted an hour or so. Then I finally find on their website a number to call. Once again it gives options to book tickets and other pre recording robotic answering crap. So I start a search on the net. God bless Google. I love Google. I find another number that warns you will have to press zero three times before you can get to the person. Yes because making it easy to talk to a person in customer service is such an accomplishment from Air Canada.

 

So I get through. Its a miracle. Well I only had to wait for 41 minutes. Thats all. I mean heck I din’t need those 41 minutes or that hour. Its not like I have laundry to do children to talk with blogs to write recipes to work through.

 

 

But wait. It gets better. After finally getting through to a person they disconnect. Are you flipping kidding me.?????? So I call back and once again I am on hold. This time for 20 minutes ad I give up. I give up because my kids needed me more than I needed to yell at Air Canada.

 

So Air Canada this is my open letter to you. You suck. Big time. I hope all of your customers go to West Jet. I know I will be.