A little over a year ago we moved to a lower-carb, no-trans-fat, no-high-fructose-corn-syrup, gluten-free, don’t-eat-it-if-you-can’t-pronounce-it way of eating. While it makes eating more complicated, it’s been worth it and we’re both feeling a whole lot better.

Cleaning up our diet doesn’t mean we don’t have a few guilty pleasures – bacon grease being one of them. We keep a jar of greasy goodness in our fridge and use it to enhance the flavor of a whole range of foods:

• Fry eggs – just adding a teaspoon or so to the olive oil we usually use  really bumps up the flavor of the eggs and helps get those brown, crispy edges.
• Use it in place of butter in corn bread recipes.
• Saute greens in it – spinach and garlic wilted in a little bacon grease with a touch of sugar and vinegar makes a quick side salad.
• Sawmill gravy – bacon grease (or sausage drippings) + flour = milk = heaven.
• Umami – looking for that chichi foodie “5th taste?”  Bacon grease is the mother of umami – adding a savory depth to a recipe.
• Beans – I doubt that there is a bean dish out there that wouldn’t benefit from a touch of bacon grease.
• Barding – turkey breast too dry? Slip a little bacon grease (or strips of bacon) under the skin before roasting.
• Sandwiches – my father fondly remembers eating brown bread, bacon grease, and molasses sandwiches as a child.

Not so much a recipe as an experience.

The second night of our vacation in Nevis was my birthday. We’d planned to do a big dinner out at one of the fancy plantation inns. But as the day wore on, we decided that it would be much more fun just to to hang out at the house that we’d rented.

What about dinner? While it wasn’t a Big Green Egg, there was a perfectly serviceable grill on the patio. A quick stop at the village grocery store and we had some nice-looking pork chops, a bottle of creole marinade from Trinidad, rice, and fixings for a salad.

I started the chops marinating and we hit the pool. When the sun started to head behind Mount Nevis, I made up a round of rum punch and started the grill. Once I had a nice bed of ash-covered coals, I put the chops on and let them cook about a minute. I rotated the chops 45 degrees without flipping and let them cook for another minute. Then I flipped them over and repeated the process.

We got out to some great restaurants later in the week, but for that night it just was nice just to be able to sit on our deck and grill.

We are outta here! I’ll be taking a break from the blog while we’re off to the little island of Nevis for some much-needed rest and relaxation.

We plan to spend some time lymin’, exploring, and enjoying the local food and drink. I hope to bring back some West Indian recipes to share here (and a good deal of rum that I’ll be keeping for myself).

I love grilled wings – crispy, sweet, spicy, tangy, juicy, smoky – what’s not to love? I just look for excuses to make them. This batch was an experiment in making my own wing sauce. I’ve tried a lot of the bottled sauces and been happy (sometimes ecstatic) with most of them, but I still wanted to try my hand at creating my own unique sauce.

3-4 pounds chicken wings (about 16-24 wings), cut at the joint into two pieces
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
4 tablespoons butter
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon medium chili powder
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the wings and the butter and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Add the butter and boil for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Makes about 2 cups.

In a large container with a lid, combine half the sauce with the wings and and shake to make sure that they are well-covered. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, turning the pieces occasionally.

Set up your grill for an indirect cook at 400°F. Use a pan under the grate to catch any drippings and further diffuse the heat.

When the grill is ready, put the wings on the grill and cook undisturbed for 30 minutes. Flip and cook for another 30 minutes, or until brown and crispy.

Pour remaining sauce into a large bowl Add the wings and toss to mix well. Move to a plate and serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks.

The Verdict

While these were some tasty wings, there’s plenty of room for improvement:

• They had just a little heat up front, but it lingered and built. I liked it, but by the 4th wing or so some folks found them a little overwhelming. Next time I’d go down to 1 teaspoon cayenne and add 1/2 teaspoon chipotle.
• Way too much vinegar. I’ll leave out the white vinegar entirely and double the balsamic and maybe add a 1/4 cup or so of beer.
• More sweet – double the brown sugar.
• Maybe a tablespoon of ketchup or tomato sauce to help meld the flavors.
• The grocery store was out of fresh wings,  so I had to use frozen -  never again, no way, no how – the frozen ones are much smaller and the texture just isn’t as good.
• To marinate or not marinate: that is the question. Marinating gets me a deeper flavor. Not marinating gets me a dryer skin, which means a crispier wing. Not sure which I like more.

Well, it looks like I’ll be be running a few more tests. The nice thing about experimenting with food is that you get to eat your mistakes.

We’re going to be busy getting ready for a trip next week, so we took advantage of a deal on crab legs and had an early Valentine’s Day dinner.

About an hour out, my dear wife set the oven at 350°F and put the foil-wrapped potatoes in to bake. I took the steaks out of the fridge and set the Big Green Egg up for a direct cook at nuclear temperature – 700°F plus.

I seasoned the steaks on both sides with a generous amount of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. When the grill was ready, I put the crab in the oven and the steaks on the grate over the hottest part of the fire.  I closed the lid and gave them a good 90 seconds of undisturbed searing. Then I flipped them, closed the lid and gave them another 90 seconds.

These New York strips were so thick that I flipped the steaks up onto one edge, closed the lid, and let them go for another 90 seconds. Then flipped them onto their other edge and did the same thing.

I like steak medium-rare, which is just about exactly what these were when I pulled them off and put them on a warm plate and covered them with another plate, and let them rest for 15 minutes while the crab finished cooking and I grilled the romaine.

Just about a minute on each side with the lid open to give them a little char, then rough chopped with some tomatoes and into the salad.

Steak, crab, baked potato, and salad with home-made Caesar dressing.

Life is good!

Pickapeppa sauce is kind of the Jamaican version of a Worcestershire or steak sauce. It’s a spicy/sweet/savory blend of tomatoes, onions, cane vinegar, peppers, mangoes, raisins, tamarind, and secret spices. While it smells a lot like jerk seasoning, it doesn’t have anywhere near the heat. Often called “Jamaican ketchup,” you can use it as a condiment, a barbecue sauce, or (as in this recipe) a marinade.

8-12 chicken thighs
1 bottle Classic Pickapeppa Sauce
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all of the ingredients, except the chicken, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Put the chicken in a Ziploc bag and cover with the marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight is better, 48 hours rocks.

Set your grill up for an indirect cook over medium-high  (400°F) heat. Put the thighs on the grill skin side down. Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes. Flip and cook  until the internal temperature has reached 180°F in the thickest part of the thighs, about another 40 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove it to a warm plate and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve with more Pickapeppa sauce and a Caribbean hot sauce on the side.

It’s cold and I’m on a chile roll. Slow-cooked pork shoulder in adobo (red chile sauce) is one of my favorite Dutch oven dishes. It’s a bit of work, but well worth the time and trouble. This recipe makes enough sauce for 2 batches, so I always freeze half of it in a food-saver bag.

12 Guajillo Chiles, dried
8 Ancho Chiles, dried
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup olive oil
12 ounces Mojo Criollo
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Achiote paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
8 pounds pork butt (shoulder roast)

Wearing rubber gloves, stem and seed the chiles. If you gently pull the stem off  it takes most of the seeds with it. Cut open the side of the pepper with kitchen shears, then spread it open and scrape out the remaining seeds and veins.

In a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat, fry the chiles in small batches for just for about 15-20 seconds a side until they start to change color and become fragrant. As they finish cooking, remove them to the bowl of water.

When all of the chiles are cooked and in the bowl, use a small plate to weight them down so they are completely covered in water. Let this sit 15 to 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Drain the chiles, discarding the soaking water, and add them to the onion and garlic. Stir in the water, Mojo Criollo, chicken broth, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender or food processor to blend the chile mix until smooth. Add the salt, sugar, cumin, and oregano. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to heavily coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool. Once cool, divide the sauce and freeze half for later.

Bone the pork butt and cut into half inch cubes, removing any excess fat or connective tissue. Place in a large, sealable container – a gallon-size freezer bag set inside a 9×13 baking pan works fine. Add the adobo, mix well, seal tightly, and refrigerate at least 24 hours (48 is ever so much better), turning often.

I gotta admit that (outside of maybe women’s beach volleyball) I have pretty much zero interest in watching sports. So I view the upcoming Superbowl as mostly an excuse to grill, drink beer, and hang out with friends. To that end, here are a couple of my favorite foods to serve for the big game:

Black Bean Chili

1 pound ground chuck (coarse grind if you can get it)
1 pound ground turkey (white and dark meat )
1/2 pound chorizo (I used Supremo)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes with liquid
1 can (15 ounce) diced tomatoes with liquid
3 cans (15.4 ounce) black beans, drained
2 cups beef broth
1 cup beer
2 ancho peppers, dried
4 guajillo peppers, dried
2 chipotle peppers, dried
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Chili powder to taste (I ended up using 1 tablespoon Penzys Chili 9000 and 1 tablespoon of their Medium Hot)

Wearing rubber gloves, stem and seed the chiles. This is easiest to do with a pair of kitchen shears. Gently pull the stem  until it pops off (taking  most of the seeds with it), cut open the side of the pepper, then spread it open and scrape out the remaining seeds and veins.

Get some ventilation going with an open a window or an exhaust fan. Fill a bowl about half full of hot water and have this ready beside the stove.  In a dry skillet with no oil, fry the chiles  in small batches over medium heat for just for about 15-20 seconds a side until they start to change color and become fragrant. When they are done cooking,  remove them to the bowl of water.

When all of the chiles are cooked and in the bowl, use a small plate to weight them down so they are completely covered in water. Let this sit 10-15 minutes.

Drain the chiles, discarding the soaking water. In a sauce pan, combine the chiles and the beef stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Blend the chile sauce until smooth. You can do this by running batches through a blend or food processor, but I find it easiest to just leave everything in the pot and use an immersion blender. Remove the pot from the heat and put it in the sink to help contain any splatters. Put the sauce aside to cool.

This is a recipe that is easier to start on the stove and then move to the grill. You could do it all on the stove top, but then you’re missing out on all the wonderful flavor that smoke brings to the dish.

Set your grill or smoker up for at least a 3 hour cook over indirect heat at 300°F. On the Big Green Egg that means filling the firebox with lump charcoal and using the plate setter inverted with a trivet on it to diffuse the heat. I used a little guava wood for smoke.

On the stove, brown all the meat  in a large dutch oven or other grill-safe pan. Drain if needed. Season with the salt and add the onions, garlic, and green pepper. Cook until the veggies go limp and the meat is fully cooked (about 5 minutes).

Add the adobo, mix and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the jalapeños, beer, tomatoes, and beans. Mix well and move the uncovered pan to the grill. Close the grill lid and cook for an hour. Stir and check your seasoning, adding chili powder, salt or pepper as needed. Cook for another hour, or until it has cooked down to the desired thickness.  Adjust seasonings again, and serve with a sharp grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of crema.

Grilled Buffalo Wings

3-4 pounds fresh chicken wings (about 16-24 wings), whole
1/2 cups  Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Season wings with garlic salt and black pepper. Lay wings out on a rack or jellyroll and let sit uncovered in the refrigerator while you set up the grill.

Set up your grill for an indirect cook at 400°F. Use a pan under the grate to catch any drippings and further diffuse the heat. I added a raised rack and to get the wings further up in the dome of the Big Green Egg.

Combine the hot sauces, butter, garlic powder, sugar, and celery salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until the butter is melted and stir to combine all the ingredients. Remove from heat, but keep warm.

When the grill is ready, put the wings on the grill and cook undisturbed for 30 minutes. Check for any hot spots, rearrange as needed, flip only if the wings are cooking unevenly. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until brown and crispy.

Pour sauce into a large container with a lid. Add the wings and toss to mix well. Move to a plate and serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks.

Our local Mega-Mongo-Mart had a sale on full pork loins, so I decided to cure a couple and replenish our dwindling supply of Canadian-style bacon.

Ingredients

2 boneless pork loins (8 to 10 pounds each)
1 tablespoon Morton Sugar Cure (Plain) per pound of loin
1 teaspoon white sugar per pound of loin
2 tablespoon black pepper, ground
1 tablespoon Dizzy Pig Raging River
1 tablespoon Dizzy Pig Red Eye Express
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons molasses

Instructions

Trim any excess fat from the pork loins, then cut them in half.

Just to jazz things up a little, I made up 2 batches of cure, one for each loin.

For loin #1:  combine the Morton Sugar Cure, white sugar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the pepper, and Raging River. Mix well. Place 2 of the loin pieces in a large freezer bag and coat with the cure. Rub the cure into the meat, covering all sides. Add the maple syrup, and turn the loins in the bag to distribute it. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal.

For loin #2:  combine the Morton Sugar Cure, white sugar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the pepper, and Red Eye Express. Mix well. Place 2 of the loin pieces in a large freezer bag and coat with the cure. Rub the cure into the meat, covering all sides. Add the molasses, and turn the loins in the bag to distribute it. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal.

Place both bags in the refrigerator for 5 days, flipping the meat over once a day. Liquid will begin  to collect in the bag almost immediately, indicating that the cure is working.

On the 6th day, remove the meat from the cure and soak in cold water for 1-2 hours to remove some of the salt. Dry off the meat and refrigerate uncovered for an hour – this helps the meat dry and form a pellicle, or glaze, to keep moisture in and help hold the smoke.

Set up your grill or smoker up for an indirect cook at 250°F for at least 4 hours. Once the cooker is up to temperature, add your smoking wood (I used pecan for this recipe).

Put the loins on the grate and cook until the internal temperature of the loin hits 160°F. Remove from the smoker and let cool before cutting into slices. I ran this batch through our food slicer and made both 1/4 inch slices for breakfast as well as some deli-thin ones for pizza topping and sandwiches.

Barbecue is all about the combination of smoke, heat, and meat.

Here are some of the smoking woods that I’ve used and what flavors they impart…

Alder has a light, sweet flavor that goes well with fish and poultry. I prefer alder to cedar for planking salmon as it adds a nice touch of smoke without overwhelming the fish.

Apple is mild with a slightly sweet and fruity flavor. Good with poultry. Great with pork, particularly ribs.

Cherry has a nice sweet and mild flavor that goes great with virtually everything. Very popular smoking wood. Can turn  meat a deep red.

Grapevines are good for a lot of tart smoke. Fruity, but can be heavy. Use it sparingly with poultry, game, or lamb. I like it for paella.

Guava is a fruit wood from the tropics. Very versatile. Its semi-sweet aroma goes well with beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and fish. My go-to wood for most smoking.

Hickory is the most commonly used wood for smoking. Sweet and strong, great for that heavy bacon flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.

Maple is mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, wild game, and cheese.

Mesquite has a strong earthy flavor. Can be overpowering, so it’s better for shorter cook times. Good with beef.

Oak is versatile and goes with just about any barbecue meat. Strong, but lighter than hickory and not overpowering.  Very good wood for beef , lamb, or pork.

Pecan is sweet and nutty, kind of a softer version of hickory. Great with beef, pork, and poultry.