Portable Kitchen Cooker (PK Grill) - Cast Aluminum Can't Be Beat

I am enjoying the heck out of my Portable Kitchen Outdoor Cooker AKA PK Grill. I grew up on a PK (which still works great after all these years), but I could not find one when I first went looking for grills. The reason I couldn't find a PK was because the company closed up, but another avid griller got in touch and worked out a deal for his family to revive the classic grills that work great and last virtually forever.

What makes the PKs different is that they are made of cast aluminum. That is kind of like cast iron but not so heavy and also cast aluminum does not rust. But, the long life and heat conduction are there. So, it is a brick house of a grill and much more versatile than most on the market.



Although the Portable Kitchen is called portable, it is sure not a tailgater size. It is full sized, but the body comes out of the frame. So, we do take it on the road with an SUV or truck. Since the frame does not fold or collapse down, it would difficult to transport this one with a car. But, if you have a really big car, the cart might fit in the trunk or back seat.



The PK is great for traditional grilled foods. The heat conduction is fabulous, so you can get those grill marks from a high sear temperature if that is what you are looking for. Many charcoal grills do not do that. This one does, since the heavy duty grates get nice and hot.



We grill steak, burgers, chicken, and brats on the PK.



And, we also use the Portable Kitchen as a smoker. Yes. It does work great for that. You just offset the coals (put them on one end) and then use the vents to lock in a temperature. The PK holds the heat and does a super job smoking.

The last smoke we did with the PK was MOINKs. Those are meatballs wrapped in bacon. They are smoked slow for around an hour and a half and taste like heaven. They are now one of my boys' very favorite grilled foods.

Sneak Peak at Grill of the Future with Tom from Char-Broil

Tom from Char-Broil drove out today, so I could test out a new grill they are looking at for the future. The company wanted a good down-to-earth griller with experience and big opinions (I guess), so they asked if I'd like to test drive this new one with a full day grill-a-thon.

First, let me say that Tom is a great guy and that testing a new grill is fun. And, then second, let me say: Whoa buddy I am full enough to pop. And I only took nibbles of all that food we grilled. I could not do this often without being a super fluffy chick. Even the boys maxed out, and that is unusual for teen boys.



Well, you can see the guys here chowing down, and I had to clear the table a couple of times just to have room for more grilled food. The table is a six footer in case anyone was wondering. Yeah. We had gear on there too, but this was a feast that ran several hours.



We started with nacho chips. Never grilled those? Neither had Tom. They are super easy and quick, and here is the Nachos on the Grill recipe. I bet the other guys at Char-Broil are gonna love them too.

We grilled so many foods that I can't recall them all, but we had chicken tenders, pizza, Lit'l smokies, and cake for a few.

I also got to try out the new Char-Broil barbecue sauces. They have a tomato and a mustard based sauce just out on the market. Plus, they have a Char-Broil rub, but we did not get to that. I have a bottle Tom gave me, so I'll give that a try and let folks know on it too.



Well - here we are the partners in crime (me and Tom) - or the crime of grilling more than a body ought to eat in a week. What fun! But, I am doing salads or something the rest of the weekend . . . maybe (-:

FlameDisk - My Students Had a Blast with Easy Grill Fuel Product

I am sitting here at my computer desk and thinking about this wild week. The exam in my Writing for Media class was to make a video. Since I am big into grilling and barbecue, I thought something in that line would be fun.

The great folks at FlameDisk which I carry at OpenSky now were kind enough to send out some FlameDisks for the project and also one for each student at the end of the project.

I had explained to my students (many who have never grilled or seldom done so) that FlameDisk is an alternative to charcoal. It is easy to use and safer, so it's a good pick for new grillers and tailgaters. FlameDisk is good for me too on nights when I'm tired and do not want to spend a lot of time working on a charcoal grill fire.

The students really liked the FlameDisks, the grilled out food, and a non-traditional exam. While it was more like a cook out party in some ways, the students worked hard and produced two neat videos about FlameDisk you ought to check out. I had a wide open class, so they went with humor, so folks will like these videos.

First, there is FlameDisk Boy. The hero swoops in and helps Amanda who has terribly burned up her hot dogs.



The second FlameDisk video project was a grill off between two students - one with charocal and one with FlameDisk.



Of course, it takes a village (or a pretty good sized group to do a good video), so thumbs up to the entire class who worked on the concepts, scripts, grilling, and editing.



And, thanks again to FlameDisk. You were a hit with my students. They liked the easy grilling, no mess, and green clean container at the end.

Diane's Sweet Heat Habanero Jam Will Jazz Up Your Grilled Foods

I've had some readers ask what the topping is on my grilled boneless chicken and vegetables dish here which is so easy to make and tastes absolutely fabulous.

When I grilled these chicken breasts, I used Garlic Gold olive oil to prevent sticking and to give a hint of extra flavor. Then, I put them on the City Grill which is a tailgate grill - so small but with a large cooking surface. It's my go-to grill for gas grilling, especially on the road.

As for the orange colored sauce on top, that is Diane's Sweet Heat jam. I have the Peach Habanero on my chicken in this shot. It may sound like an odd ingredient to put on my grilled chicken, but I love heat. Diane's jam really rocked my grilled chicken dinner.

If you have never had habanero pepper jam, then it is basically like a fruit jam, but it is hot (though not the bitter hot that I do not like). The fruit (peach in this case) gives the spicy jam a beautiful sweet contrast. So, it's kind of like candy with a bite and this peach heat was terrific on my chicken.

I was telling my brother about Diane's Sweet Heat, and he's more the gourmet type. He thought it sounded great too. I will try to save some for when he gets in. And, I can't wait to try some of the other varieties too.

Diane did send me the samples. We are both on Twitter. I noticed a broken link on a post she put up, so I just sent her a message. She wanted to send me some jams for taking the time to let her know. I wasn't sure how these would work with grilled foods, but they are terrific to add on top to get extra flavor. So, I just wanted to share my new find.

Grilled Chicken on the Weber Kettle with Nature Isle Caribbean Spicy BBQ Sauce

Last night we grilled whole chicken breasts on the Weber Kettle and sauced them with Nature Isle Caribbean Spicy BBQ Sauce. I won the sauce when I responded to a post on Twitter where you can find me listed as cyndiallison.



I often grill the little boneless chicken breasts. Around here, that's fast food. But, we went with the full chicken breasts tonight which take a bit longer. They are still easy to grill though.

First, we rubbed the chicken breasts with a little Garlic Gold olive oil and then sprinkled on some Chef of the Future Cajun Seasoning which I just had added to my OpenSky store. Don't let the "cajun" part put you off. This is just a very flavorful sprinkle season that is healthy and tastes fabulous but not hot.

Then we used the offset trays for the 22.5 inch Weber Kettle. You can get a similar effect by stacking the coals on each side with space in the middle, but it is really convenient to have the charcoal holders.

With larger cuts like the big chicken breasts, we grilled lid on or convection. It is much like baking at home. Vents both top and bottom were wide open for this barbecue grill session.



The total time for large bone in chicken breasts on the Weber with offset heat is around 45 minutes. The temperature should be around 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the chicken, and I like to use a very basic Taylor but accurate pocket thermometer. I do have some fancy probe thermometers that ring when the meat reaches temp, but I find the pocket version to be more convenient.



When the chicken was getting close done, we sauced them with the Nature Isle Caribbean barbecue sauce. The sauce goes on close the end - like the last 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, it burns. You just want the bbq sauce to set and not char and taste burned.



Boy, this chicken turned out pretty! And, it was just as yummy as it looks here. I never PhotoShop my photos. For starters, I don't know how (-:

The Nature Isle Carribbean is a sweet barbecue sauce with lots of flavor but no major heat. It is just a burst of flavor pleasure. The island theme makes sense. I could see sitting on the beach and eating this chicken sauced with Caribbean Spicy.

Try Out Garlic Gold - Great Grilling Oil and Garlic Sprinkles

I have been having a grand time playing with Garlic Gold organic olive oil, nuggets and garlic sprinkles. They are great inside or out, but I've been using my Garlic Gold mostly on the grill, because that's just what I do (-:




Tonight I used the Garlic Gold olive oil on my fish and vegetables grilled plank style with Elizabeth Karmel's cedar planks from Grill Friends. I just soaked the cedar plank in water and then loaded it up with tilapia, green peppers, and fresh yellow squash.



All these foods are mild, so the Garlic Gold oil gave a little kick. You might not guess garlic. It is pretty subtle but really nice. Adding on the garlic nuggets kicks it up. So, if you are a garlic fan (like me), then put those on too, and you get a nice blast of garlic flavor with a nice flavor crunch.



Earlier in the week, I tried out Garlic Gold on pork chops. The boneless pork chops cook up so quick and easy. Brushing on the Garlic Gold olive oil keeps them from sticking to the grill grates plus adds a really nice flavor. These chops were on and off the City Grill (my favorite tailgate sized gas grill) in 20 minutes, and the grilled pork chops were delicious.



My boys love potatoes, so I often make foil pack potatoes on the grill. I found that it takes a lot less Garlic Gold versus butter or margarine to make these foil packs, so that makes them much healthier. Then, the garlic in the oil adds an extra flavor punch.



These were some of the best hobo pack grilled potatoes I've ever eaten if I must say so myself. I went heavier on the nuggets on mine and lighter for the boys. I lived in Greece for two years, and I developed a real appreciation for garlic. The boys prefer lighter now, but garlic is definately growing on them. They said these were extra good foil pack potatoes, so this is a good way to lighten up without giving up flavor.



Garlic Gold is not specifically a grill product. It is an indoor/outdoor oil and flavoring sprinkles. So, I decided to try them with a family favorite Southern dish - cast iron fried potatoes. Again, I found I needed much less oil than I do with butter. But, these skillet potatoes were packed with flavor.

I can't imagine anyone who would not like the Garlic Gold Olive Oil. It is nice and mellow. It does have the organic garlic, but it is light and works for everyone I think. For those who like to hit it harder, get the Garlic Gold nuggets or Garlic Gold Sprinkles. They can be used in cooking or just like salt on food but much healthier.

If you can't get Garlic Gold in your area, then check out Garlic Gold online. It is sure worth looking up.

Big Acres Rich & Mild BBQ Sauce on Grilled Boneless Pork Chops

Yum! Yes, these pork chops with Melanie's Big Acres Rich & Mild Barbecue Sauce are just as good as they look.

I had my son check out the barbecue sauces in the cabinet tonight and pick the one he wanted to try out. I am a bbq sauce freak, so there were many bottles. He looked around and went with Melanie's gourmet Rich & Mild. This is a kid who does not like a whole lot of heat.



Big Acres Rich & Mild is a gourmet que sauce made small batch with natural ingredients. It has a sweet flavor with seasonings but is not a tongue burning bbq sauce. It's a good bet when you have friends and family over and do not know how hot folks may go. Just great flavor with a little sweet taste but not anything in there that would send folks running for water or the bathroom.



I have loved checking out Melanie's Big Acres sauces, and I added her gourmet barbecue sauce collection to my OpenSky outdoor cooking store. Every bottle has been a hit, and these new and interesting flavors are fun, healthy, natural, and they make old favorities like pork chops taste like something brand new on the grill.

Carnegie Hero Winners Meet Across Generations

My son won a Carnegie Hero medal last week. The awards are rare, and I have never met anyone else who has won one. Eli has not either, but tonight he did get a chance to meet another Carnegie winner who won her medal 55 years ago at age 11.

Dianne Kearney Scott was only 11 years old when she pulled her Nana out of the river. She was fishing with her twin sisters and had on wading boots so after one try she went back to shore and shed her boots and pulled out her caretaker who has passed out and fallen in the water. The woman she saved weighed over double Dianne.

Eli was at a grill out with the family when a teenager yelled for help. The Yadkin River was raging like the ocean, flooded by rain. There were at least 100 people on the banks, but he is the only one who jumped in to help. I can't say I blame anyone. The conditions were not fit for being in the water.

Both these stories over a half century apart had happy endings, but about 20 percent of Carnegie medals are awarded to families who lost loved ones trying to help out and do the right thing.

Mrs. Scott saw Eli's article in the paper and called West Rowan High School to see about making contact. She wanted to meet Eli. In all these years, she has not met another Carnegie medal winner. He went right over this evening, and he got to meet another hero and got to see her Carnegie medal (his has not come in yet).

I sent my camera and told him to see if he could get a hero picture, and someone shot one for us. I will always treasure that.

Mrs. Scott lives right across the road from where I work at Catawba College. I plan to go meet her and thank her for being such a great person too. Eli said she was the nicest lady he ever met. He was real impressed. I guess heroes are like that. They care day to day as well as when it is a life or death situation.

Stay safe on your cook outs and picnics or when you go fishing, but if something comes up, I hope you hve heroes like Eli or Mrs. Scott on hand. They are both quiet about what they did and just thought it was the right thing to do, but not many people who chance the same to help someone out.

Getting My Grill on with Garlic Gold Olive Oil and Sprinkles

I struck gold with Seven Oaks Ranch Garlic Gold olive oil. I don't think it is marketed for grilling specially, but then neither was Pam spray to start with (and now they have a grill version).

If you love garlic, you will be thrilled with the idea of brushing foods to grill with Garlic Gold Olive Oil. Even if you are not a big garlic fan, this oil is mellow. It just provides a great flavor while keeping foods from sticking to the grill.

I have used Garlic Gold Olive Oil on boneless chicken which can be bad about sticking but is healthy and also on lean pork chops and even vegetables. A little does it. Just brush it on lightly. You're good to go on the grill, but you can use this delightful olive oil inside as you would any olive oil (but with a little more flavor kick).

Seven Oaks also have roasted garlic in olive oil as well as garlic sprinkles, so you can go as heavy or light as you want on the garlic flavor before or after the food is grilled.

Sam Dog Yellow Barbecue Sauce on Boneless Chicken

What a beautiful spring day! I had to fire up the grill even if it is a weekend home alone.

I decided to make boneless chicken strips or tenders (can take boneless breasts and just cut them in half or thirds), since they are so quick and easy. And, I had been drooling about the Sam Dog Yellow BBQ sauce that came in last week. So, the barbecue menu was set.

Sam Dog Yellow is a sweet mustard barbecue sauce often seen in South Carolina on down to Georgia. So, it is a niche area sauce, but mustard bbq sauce is definately worth checking out.



I usually marinate boneless chicken to prevent sticking, but I just used Pam grill spray on the Weber Smokey Joe tailgate grill grate today. Then, I sauced the chicken with Sam Dog and put it on. I would wait until the last 5 minutes or so with bigger pieces of chicken, since most sauces will tend to burn if put on too early. Boneless chicken strips grill so quick, that is not a worry.

The sweet mustard barbecue sauce is a little thinner than table mustard but not real thick like grocery store tomato bbq sauces. It brushed on real easy, and it smelled good.



I like to test barbecue sauces on the grill and on chicken. Chicken does not have a strong flavor, so I get a real taste of the bbq sauce.

Sam Dog Mustard BBQ Sauce has the mustard flavor but a bit sweeter than hot dog mustard and just a little zip. It is a nice combination and is more sweet than heat but enough seasonings to give it that extra omph.

This is a barbecue sauce that I would serve to any family and friends. It has an excellent flavor but is not extreme enough to upset my meat and potato ketchup loving peeps who think brown mustard is exotic. On the other hand, it is interesting enough for my foodie buddies.

So, I say thumbs up to Sam Dog Yellow BBQ Sauce.

GOOD NEWS! Sam Dog just went on the market. October 2010. Now folks can see what I'm talking about. Congrats Jeff and family. I'm excited for you all.

Catawbapalooza 2010 - Fun in the Sun and Grilled Burgers and Hot Dogs

We always have a fun day at Catawba College each spring before the last couple of weeks of school. It's Catawbapalooza, and the students grill out and host games and enjoy some carnival rides set up in the back parking lot.

The grill guys were excited to have a new gas grill this year. It takes a big grill to crank out enough grilled food for a whole college. There are around 900 day students total, plus the students invite faculty and staff out to enjoy the day as well (THANKS!). A head count would be hard, but I can say it's a crowd. I've been to Catawbapalooza every year, and I would say this is the biggest turn out ever.

The guys rotated on grilling which was good, because it was a scorching sunny day this year, and it gets hot standing over a grill.



One real popular activity this year was Corn Hole. It's kind of like horseshoes, but it's more portable (wooden boxes that fold down). Also, you don't have to worry about beaning someone with a metal horseshoe. You throw bags filled with corn instead.



Everyone went back and forth to get food and drinks during the day. The big tent was packed at times, and Brandon and some of the other students were burning a trail up the hill to restock both food and drinks. If you don't have college aged kids, then I must tell you that they can pack away some food. I usually double amounts over what I do for family, unless it's mostly girls. Then, I don't grill as much, since most college girls eat like birds.



Speaking of the college girls, here is a whole hill of young ladies who found a little shade. They are definitely styling this event. Well, I don't have to point that out now do I?

Some of my best students are mixed in there including the newspaper editor. So, hi Aly and Jen! Hope to see some Catawbapalooza articles and photos in The Pioneer (our online student newspaper - brand new this year).



The students at Catawba are terrific! They are smart and funny, and they make my job something I care deeply about. I have to hang tough in class and make sure they get what they need for the future, and it is really nice to have a day where we can all let our hair down.

* I got over 100 photos of Catawbapalooza 2010, so if any students want to check those out, they are at FaceBook under my user name Cyndi Allison.

Barbecue Kid Wins Carnegie Hero Award

If you read my Barbecue Master blog, then you have heard about and seen my younger son, Eli Wittum. He's a great kid, and he puts together my new grills and helps me haul those around if I'm grilling on the road.

Last year at my Carolina Cook Out on the Yadkin River sponsored by Food Buzz, Eli rescued another teenager who was drowning, and he has just been awarded the Carnegie Hero award for doing that.

I still can get weepy when I talk about that day.

My Mom came up the hill to tell me that Eli had gone in the river and that they couldn't find him. Any parent can tell you that you do not want to hear something like that. I was stunned.

Eli would not try to go swimming in a river badly swollen from recent rains and churning like the ocean, so it didn't make sense. But, then someone told me that he went in after someone yelling "help." Then, it did make sense. He is the type of kid to go help even when about 100 people on the bank were just standing and looking.

For about 20 minutes, I did not know if my son was dead or alive, because the current was so strong that it pulled both boys down the Yadkin and out of sight. I was numb. I just refused to even think about maybe not having my son alive, or I tried to blank that thought out.

Finally, Eli came walking back up to the area where we were having the cook out. This is the first glimpse I had of him in the photo below.



The Carnegie Foundation saw the article about Eli in the Salisbury Post, and they put him in for that national award for bravery. The award dates back to 1904, and a little over 9000 people total have won a Carnegie medal. Around 20 percent of those getting the award die in the effort to save someone else, and I am so thankful that Eli is here to get the award and that I'm not accepting it on his behalf with him dead.

Eli was also awarded the Boy Scout Medal of Honor Cross Palms which is the highest award for heroism in the Boy Scouts in the United States, and the Rowan County United Way gave him third place for teens in the county last year for service to the community.



This is a photo I took of the Yadkin River before Eli went in and pulled out the other teen - someone he did not know and from the next county over. This is the roughest I have ever seen the water at the Bull Hole in Cooleemee. Usually, it is calm and about knee deep. It sure wasn't calm the day Eli went in. And, I will be forever thankful that Eli survived and that he was able to pull the other boy who passed out and went totally under out and get him to the bank.

Great Smoke Flavor with Baxter's Wood Chips for all Types of Grills

Michael sent me some wood from Baxter's Original. And, you can see that this company does a wonderful job in packaging goods. The burlap bags packed full of great smelling grill or barbecue wood were appealing. Of course, it is all about the taste when it comes to outdoor cooking, and I will get to that.

First, if you are not familiar with real wood chips for grilling or smoking, then you are missing out. Wood chips can be used on any kind of grill or smoker.

You soak your wood down for 20 minutes of so. Then, you can add the wood chips on charcoal or can make a foil pack on a gas grill. As the wood heats up, it gives off smoke which then adds extra flavor to grilled foods.



On this grill, I was at my Mom's house where she has the Char Broil Big Red gas grill which I gave her when she got married last year. My Dad died three years ago, and Mom married a boy she went to high school with. That's Harry, and he is a great guy.

I soaked a few Baxter's Original peach wood chips and made a foil pack to go in the back corner of the grill. On a foil pack with wood chips, do leave the top open a bit, so that the smoke actually gets out (-: Just saying . . .

With charcoal, just put the soaked wood chips right on the charcoal rather than foil packing it. Again, don't use a whole lot. You don't need a lot, and you don't want to put out the coals.

As the grill heated up and the pack begin to put out some smoke, the smell was great. Peach wood is more of a delicate wood so does not overpower foods, and it has a really nice smell and adds a nice hint of flavor to foods smoked on the grill or cooked longer on a smoker.



Here are the boneless pork chops smoked with Baxter's peach wood. I wish I could share a taste too. But, I can say they tasted every bit as good as they looked. The peach wood was also very nice with grilled chicken and hot dogs (for the kids).

I've used several types of wood for grilling and smoking, and I would rank Baxter's at the top. I like the Jack Daniels barrel chips made from the retired whiskey barrels. That's a nice smoke. But, Baxter's offers a lot more variety. I will be trying out some more flavors, but I can say that the peach is excellent. I want to try it next with grilled fish. I think that would be a great combo with the peach wood.

Duke Creek Outdoors Tanksetter - No More Barbecue Gas Bottles Sliding Around in the Truck

Bill from Duke Creek Outdoors sent me a Tanksetter to check out. A Tanksetter is a holder for gas bottles for folks who grill or smoke with gas. It holds the tank steady to go on the road or to take gas bottles to the store for refills. And, it is also pefect if you rig up your own gas burner outside to fry foods or make big pots of chili or stew.

The Tanksetter looks so simple that I wasn't sure if it would work as stated, but I put it to the test this past weekend when we headed over to Mom's house to grill up some chicken and hot dogs.

Although the Tanksetter is very lightweight and simple - a plastic ring with two screws to lock in the gas bottle - it does just what it is supposed to do. It keeps the gas bottle from sliding or rolling around. The shape and balance are just right, and when you put the gas bottle in, it stays put and steady.

The Tanksetter is easy enough for my cute little nieces to use (just turn the screws which is easy to do), although they would have trouble lifting gas bottles, and we do not let them play with the gas or grills yet. They did volunteer to model as you can see in my first photo. I think they will both soon be grillers in training.

My son (below) is actually the one who helps me out with refilling gas bottles and lugging them around when we are "on the go" grilling. He gave the thumbs up to the Tanksetter too. It's nice to have the gas bottle stable and not falling over and bumping around down the road. Safer too I'm sure.

I have added Tanksetter to Yes You Can Grill OpenSky. That is my small online barbecue shop where I carry the barbecue grills and gear that work for me, my family, and friends. Check out the Tanksetter and other great outdoor cooking products that have passed the home use test.

Happy 25th Anniversary BP of Salisbury, NC - Statesville Blvd - Hot Dog Cook Out

I enjoyed a surprise cook out today at the BP gas station in Salisbury, NC (across from the Salisbury Mall). That is one of my regular stops. They have really good prices on milk, eggs, and Pepsi. There is a special for the car wash every Tuesday. And, the ladies who work at the BP are always nice and friendly.

Today the BP was celebrating 25 years of business, so I want to say thanks for all the years of good prices and service. I can't believe I have been going there that long, but time does go by fast. They were my college stop back when they opened, and now my kids are driving and get gas there.



To mark the special occasion, BP had all kinds of treats like free ice cream, candy bars, Slushies, and a hot dog cook out. There were games for the kids like basketball in the parking lot and face painting.



The grill guy was quite a ham. It was hot outside and hotter still next to a grill for hours. But, he was dancing and rocking the hot dogs and sausages off the grill. And, he and all the other employees had smiles for all.



I was in town today on the weekend, because I had to work a few hours and needed to do some shopping. Finding a party - especially with grilled food - on my way home was a great treat.

Thumbs up BP and thanks for a fun afternoon! See you next week when I need gas or other little things on the way home from work. It's nice to stop where you feel welcome and where folks know your face.

Melanie's Big Acres Chipotle Maple BBQ Sauce on Chicken Tonight

It was fast food night here. That means chicken on the little gas grill. Grilled boneless chicken breasts or the little tender strips take only minutes.

I sauced the chicken with Melanie's Chipotle Maple BBQ sauce. It is part of a collection of gourmet sauces I carry at my OpenSky grill store. I only pick my favorites to go in the store, so you can always check out what I consider hot when it comes to griling and barbecue - or the products I can get in the store anyway.

The gourmet sauces taste fabulous. Instead of having a tomato flavor as most bbq sauces, you get a whole new flavor blast. With the Chipotle Maple, the sauce features pure maple syrup, natural honey, and dark molassas. Then, the pepper gives it a little zip. So, the chicken has a wonderful sweet taste with a little bite but not enough to rule it out for those who can't handle much heat. My younger son isn't big on tongue burning sauces, and he likes Melanie's barbecue sauces.

We also love Big Acres Chipotle Maple BBQ on pork chops and pork loin. It is also good and a change of pace on pulled pork sandwiches, although (being from North Carolina), we usually use vinegar based barbecue sauces on pork shoulder or butts.

I was in and out in 15 or 20 minutes with the gourmet grilled chicken with the sauce added the last five minutes so the natural sugars did not burn. Remember not to do thick sauces too soon on the grill. It does not take long to heat and carmelize thick barbecue sauces.

Grilled Turkey with Bacon Weave - Pretty Tricky Smoker Project

I decided I wanted to bacon weave a turkey to smoke. I'm pretty good at bacon weaving but usually do things like meatloaf or pork loin and just make a bacon weave and roll the meat into the weave. With the shape of a whole turkey, I thought I'd have to try something a little different. And, now I can tell you how not to bacon weave a turkey for the grill or smoker.



First, I thought I would weave the bacon on the bottom of the turkey which I seasoned with Pig Pen Seasoning which is made in my home town and which I carry in my OpneSky Barbecue Shop, since it is my favorite all purpose seasoning for grilling. Then I planned to flip it. Let me tell you bacon does not stick to turkeys, and whew boy that was a mess. You can see it going wrong here. I did not even have the heart to photograph the pile of limp bacon and sad looking turkey after the weave fell off.



Hum, I thought: Maybe I can make a weave and roll that sucker like I usually do with bacon weaves for the grill. BOMP! Wrong answer. That was another mess and a huge pile of floppy bacon.



OK. Third time is the charm. I did the bacon weave right on top of the turkey. I laid strips of bacon all along the turkey top and then went back and did strips in and out. That worked out OK, but I still had to handle the bird gently to get it on the Traeger smoker.



I was glad I did not do a tight weave on the bacon. As the turkey began to smoke, the bacon did draw up (of course), but the weave was loose enough that it was not a big problem.

The biggest issue was that bacon grills much faster than turkey (or a whole one), so I was closely babysitting this smoked turkey and spritzing it down with apple juice and putting aluminum foil over the top to keep the bacon from getting totally black.



My grilled smoked turkey did turn out nice as you can see, but it was a lot of work and a lot of checking to make sure I did not burn the heck out of the bacon weave.

As far as taste, this smoked turkey was fabulous. The grilled turkey picked up both the bacon and the smoke flavor and was super moist.

I would suggest doing just a turkey breast with bacon weave on the grill, so the timing is not so difficult. Also, it would be easier to just put a line of bacon across the turkey and then remove the bacon if it started getting too dark before the turkey reaches temperature.

In any case, we had a very yummy smoked turkey, and it looked pretty too. But, it took some real work to nail it. I doubt I'd do a full turkey with a bacon weave again, but it was fun to try out.