Big Green Egg Stainless Steel Vent Cap - Big Improvement

BGE Stainless Steel Vent Cap - Looking Sharp and Working Better Than the Floor Model Vent Caps

The Big Green Egg smoker ceramic grill is a premium outdoor cooker. People who own them love the BGEs, and many who don't own one have the Big Green Egg on their ultimate "wish list."

One part of the BGE has always been a bit of an issue, and that's the vent cap. The green ceramic cap will fall off if you open the lid, and it (being ceramic) can break pretty easily falling from that distance. The cast iron cap which is used for actually smoking to adjust temperatures gets really hot, and if you open the lid, the weight of the cast iron metal vents will open or close them after they've been set where you want them to keep your heat steady.

Matthew Merritt noted the issues with the caps on the Big Green Egg and decided he'd come up with something that would work better. The result was his stainless steel BGE vent cap which fits the BGE (medium, large, and x-large) as well as other ceramic cookers like the Kamado Joe (classic and Big Joe), and Primo (Oval Jr. and Oval x-large).

Benefits of the Stainless Steel BGE Vent Cap

 

There are a number of benefits to adding the stainless steel vent cap starting with the weight. This cap is easier to carry around and work with than the heavier caps. This may not be a big deal for a big guy. For me, it's great to have a smoker vent cap that doesn't weigh so much.

 

The lighter weight also means that the settings hold. The vents do not slide due to the heavy weight of cast iron. You can lift the ceramic lid, and the vents there on the cap hold position. Those who smoke know that it takes work to get a steady temperature, and it's a pain to lose the perfect venting when checking out the food. On top of this, the stainless does not get so hot. Touch cast iron, and you are going to get burned. Unless you're at a really hot temperature, you don't have that problem with stainless steel.

 

The design of the vent with the side adjustments mean that rain (or snow) don't get in if you are smoking out from under a cover. There is nothing like rain dripping in your smoker to mess up the temperature (and make a mess in general). This takes care of that problem.

 

Another plus is that you can leave the vents open, since they are placed on the side. If you lock down a BGE, then you may open up the unit to a big old moldy mess. That is not a pleasant surprise. I'm from North Carolina where it's really humid, and it's a real pain to have to clean out mold (which I'm also allergic to). But, you sure don't want to grill or smoke up food with mold in the outdoor cooker. Now, that's gross as you all know.

I also think it's great that the vent cap can go in the dishwasher, although I do not have a dishwasher. Maybe one of these days . . . Anyway, it's not hard to wash the cap, since it's small enough to easily fit in the sink.

 

How Does the Stainless Steel Vent Cap Work?

 

It's super simple to add the stainless steel vent cap to your BGE or other ceramic smoker. All you have to do is put on the gasket as below. Wash the unit first, so it sticks well. Then peel off the paper and wrap it around. Cut off any excess. Then put on the vent which fits snug but can be lifted back off without any problems.

 

 

Big Green Egg Accessory Vent Top with Gasket Installed

 

Once you have the base on, you slide on the vent top. This again is super easy as you can see below.

 

 

Stainless Steel Accessory Ceramic Cooker Vent Cap

The fit is perfect, but it's still easy to slide the vent to get the right amount of air flow going and set your temperatures. Then, you're set, because the cap stays on, and the vents stay as placed.

What Are You Waiting For? This is a Great Product for Your BGE.

This accessory vent works like a charm, and it's attractive as well. It matches the lower vents on the BGE in terms of the metal, so it does not look like an add-on.

The Big Green Egg vent cap is sold by Eggware online. They sent me a sample. It was packed well and shipped out quick. I wasn't sure what I'd think of it, since I'm used to the cast iron topper, but I definitely like this vent cap better for all the reasons mentioned.

Mattew is working on a smoking pan and vegetable basket. If they are great as his BGE vent cap, then I can't wait to see those.

Good News if You Order Before June 15, 2013

You can save 15% off the vent cap if you order before Father's Day 2013 (June 15th). Just use the code: DAD. You can surprise Dad plus save money, or you can even treat yourself.

"All Fired Up" by Southern Living and Troy Black - Excellent BBQ & Grilling Book

All Fired Up: Smokin' Hot BBQ Secrets from the South's Best Pitmasters

I was really excited when Aimee emailed to see if I'd like a copy of the brand new barbecue book All Fired Up to review. First of all, my Mom has always subscribed to Southern Living, so I've been reading and loving the magazine for years. Then, I saw that Troy Black worked on the project, and he's one of my FaceBook friends.

I try not to make up my mind before I actually see something, but I couldn't imagine that this outdoor cookbook would be anything other than great, and I was not disappointed. It's a big, beautiful cookbook with amazing photos, lots of help and barbecue grilling tips, and the recipes are sure to impress no matter what you want to do on the grill or smoker.

Understanding Grilling and Smoking

All Fired Up starts out with some really great help guides. Often people fail at grilling or barbecue, because they don't understand the concepts behind the art. Troy is spot on with his guides, and I'd strongly recommend sitting down and reading the front sections before moving on to the recipes.

The Secret is in the Barbecue Sauce

Another often overlooked aspect of barbecue is the sauces. The sauce can really make or break the grilled dish, so I'm glad Troy gives a nod to sauces and the variety across the country. I'm a fan of all the various sauces, and learning how to make a mustard or mayonnaise based sauce means that you can use the same meats and have a totally different tasting product.

 Yum! I Love the Grilled Shrimp Recipe.

Of course, most people buy a cookbook for the recipes, and these are great. Maybe it's our Southern roots, but Troy grills many of the same dishes I've been doing that I don't see very often. He even has grilled nachos which are a family favorite here. And he does seafood which many people are afraid to tackle on the grill, but it's actually easier and quicker to do seafood than most other grilled favorites. The shrimp you see above are my favorite from the entire book, although I've not tried any recipes that disappointed in any way.

 Grilled Meals - From Start to Finish

I really love that All Fired Up has a range of dishes from appetizers to desserts. I'm waiting on the peaches to come in here, so I can try out Troy's grilled peaches you see above. My mouth starts watering just looking at the picture and thinking about peaches with a hint of smoke. That would have to be some good eatin'.

What Did Barbecue Master Think of This Barbecue Cookbook?

It's probably pretty obvious that I was impressed with this grilling smoking book. It's the kind of outdoor cookbook I'd put together if I was looking at writing a barbecue book. It covers the critical information needed to be successful and has easy to make recipes that are absolutely mouthwatering.

All Fired Up is definitely a thumbs up. It would be great to have on your shelf or to give as a gift. It is one of the best outdoor cookbooks I've reviewed.

Win a 6-pack of Garland Jack's Secret Six BBQ Sauces - ends 6-8-2013

Win - Garland Jack's Secret Six

If Your Favorite Part of BBQ Isn't Eating, You're Doing it Wrong!

 

 

 

THE WINNER OF THIS CONTEST WAS RICHARD FROM GEORGIA! CONGRATS! KEEP WATCHING. I DO CONTESTS OFF AND ON. THANKS - CYNDI

It's been a while since I did a barbecue sauce giveaway contest, and I'm excited about this one - Garland Jack's Secret Six and a t-shirt to boot.

Garland Jack's uses only sugar in these rich barbecue sauces, and you really can taste the difference.

It's a cool collection with the Original flavor, Country Honey, Hickory Spice, Squealin’ Hot, Sweet Brown Sugar and Sweet n’ Sticky Molasses. Something for every barbecue lover. Gotta love the variety, and they are all included in the giveaway contest.

How to Enter to Win The Barbecue Sauce Collection and Shirt

As always, I keep my giveaway contests simple, and I NEVER spam you. I don't collect your data. I just contact the winner.

To enter, just leave a comment telling me which Garland Jack's barbecue sauce you think you and your crowd would love best and why. Check out Garland Jack's BBQ sauce site if you need more information to decide.

Some people like extra entry chances, so you can share the post on FB, Twitter, Google + or other social media outlets for extra entries. Stop back and let me know where you shared, so I can add the extra slip(s) in the draw bucket. Do a new post for each entry, although I'll read them all and add if someone forgets.

I will need some way to get in touch, so include something so that I can follow up on the winning slip. Usually this is an email, but if you're on any of my social media lists, you can leave a handle and where to look you up.

Contest Details for Free Barbecue Sauce

I'll take entries through June 8th (2013) at 10 pm EST and draw either late on Saturday or on Sunday.

I do make paper slips and put them in a hat or bucket, and a family member or neighbor (not connected to the blog in any way) draws.

I'll contact the winner, and Garland Jack's will send out the prize. It's a nice big box with the full line of sauces and a t-shirt. I'm hosting, but the company takes care of the prize. Thanks Garland Jack's.

I also got the six pack of sauces, but I'm not paid to do a contest. I just enjoy seeing readers get a chance to try out some of the great products I try out at home.

Get back by Tuesday June 11th (2013), or I'll need to draw another name. I've never had to do a second draw, but it makes sense to have a time on that.

Good Luck! This is a really great prize and just in time for summer grilling season.

Cub Scouts Enjoy Learning How to Grill Sausages

Grilling with Cub Scout Pack 320

My friend from work, Lori, invited me to visit with Cub Scout Pack 320 last week. The boys were working on the communication loop, and I thought they'd be interested in new technology like my blog. Since it's a grilling blog, it seemed like a good idea to break out the grill for some hands on fun.

Cub meetings only last an hour, so I needed something quick and easy. My grilled sausage appetizers take only a few minutes on the grill, so I knew that would work for a short meeting. I also knew that there were steps where the boys could help out which is more fun than just sitting there listening.

I was going to pick up everything, but Lori insisted on getting the supplies (thanks - that was really nice). Our local IGA grocery store has the best (and also inexpensive) bulk smoked sausages. They are pre-cooked, so that's what makes this a quick grilling project. Kielbasa or any pre-cooked sausage works.

It's Great to Have an Involved Audience

I sliced the sausages, since I didn't want to chance any Cubs getting cut, but the rub shaking part was perfect for this age group. The sausages go in zip lock bags with barbecue rub or seasoning, and then they just need to be shaken around until the sausages have a nice coating. I used one of my favorite rubs - Dizzy Pig. It's mild with a wonderful flavor, and my boys (actually young men now) love Dizzy Pig.

As you can see, I had no shortage of volunteers. That's one really fun part of working with Cub Scouts. They are excited about helping out. You never have to ask twice for volunteers.

Shaking the Sausages with Barbecue Rub

My son who is an Eagle Scout and headed off to graduate school at the end of the summer helped the boys get the sausages in the bag with the rub, and then they took turns shaking and tossing the bags. I had a few bags going at once so several boys could help out at the same time.

 

Stirring the Grilled Sausages

I used my grill wok (which is super handy), because I can do a lot of sausages at once and they can be stirred rather than turned. One of the Cubs sprayed down the wok with non-stick spray, and then others helped out on the stirring. This gave them a chance to work with grill tongs without having to worry about sausages rolling off the grill (which can be a challenge for adults too).

Yum! Grilled Sausages

Since the sausages are pre-cooked, they just need to be heated and for the rub to crisp up. This doesn't take long (just minutes), and then another batch can go on the grill. We were able to do the program, prep the sausages, and grill two batches in an hour.

 

 Cubs Love Grilled Food

The Cub Scouts were excited to dig in and eat the sausages. Food is always a hit with Scouts. I've been working with Cub and Boy Scouts for years now, I don't think you can ever have too much food.

 

Cub Scout Enjoying Sausages

As you can see, this little guy (armed with toothpicks) is thinking about a few more sausages. He and all his Pack buddies were gentlemen and made sure everyone had food before getting extras.

Cub Scout Pack 320 - Woodleaf, North Carolina

Visiting and working with the Cubs was great fun. I'd like to thank Pack 320 for the warm reception and a wonderful evening. I'd also like to thank Lori for inviting me and all the leaders and parents who helped out and are doing such a super job with these little guys.

I encourage everyone to spend some time with youth groups in your area. It's very rewarding to help (even in a small way), because these kids are our future. They are full of energy and excited about learning, and they need more of us to step up.

Aloha Hawaiian Lei Company - Real Flower Leis Shipped Fast

 

Aloha Hawaiian Lei

James emailed to ask if I'd like to check out an Aloha Hawaiian Lei company's lei. I'm guessing he'd seen my luau grill out for my son's graduation. We had leis but just the plastic kind that you can get at the Dollar Store. He said he'd send one out if I'd like to see one and give an honest review (as always).

I'm not sure if James was aware that I live on the east coast, and I wondered how a real flower lei would fare with that kind of trip. They have some of the pretty nut shell leis which would have been the safe way around that, but Aloha Hawaiian actually packed up a real flower lei and sent it to North Carolina.

My son was home when the lei came in, and he put the box in the refrigerator as the box said perishable and keep cool or something along those lines.

I carefully opened the box and lifted out the lei which was wrapped in soft paper and packed with an ice pack.

The lei, as you can see above, was magnificent. Absolutely perfect. It also was in one of my favorite colors - purple (which the company could not have known).

In addition to being beautiful, the Aloha lei smelled like flowers. I find that a lot of the fancy flowers these days do not smell like flowers or anything. This lei smelled like a flower garden.

These Aloha leis are pricey. With real flowers and shipping, you would expect as much. But, I would have to recommend Aloha Lei Company for a special occasion where you want real flower leis right from Hawaii. The leis are really special, and the company packs nicely and ships fast.

I was not so sure a real lei would arrive this far away looking great, but it did. And, I enjoyed getting to wear something so pretty out there at the PK grill.

Tastefully Simple Barbecue Dip Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce

Barbecue Grilled Country Ribs with Tastefully Simple Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce

I've been a fan of Tastefully Simple for quite a while now. I made some really terrific white barbecue chicken with their luau dip mix (which was also a great chip and veggie dip as well).

Tastefully Simple checked to see if I'd like to try out some of their new products for this grilling season. I'm usually game to do so and give an honest opinion.

I've always loved raspberries. When we visited the relatives when I was a kid, they would take me picking berries (mostly eating for me) and would keep getting me to say what they were. I called them RAUS-berries. So, the relatives all thought I sounded very city-fied, and I cracked them up with my mini foodie self.

Of course, I had to break open the Tastefully Simple Raspberry Sauce which does have jalapenos but not enough to run off many. You get just a hint of heat but not really any hot which works for me on this flavor combo.

Raspberry Jalapeno sauce is billed as a barbecue sauce or a table dipping sauce. I'd have to agree that it works both ways, so even if you don't barbecue grill, you can still get some great flavor here.

Grilling Country Ribs

Of course, I was going to grill with the Raspberry barbecue sauce, because . . . hey . . . that's what I do. And, that's really the only way I know how to tell you how a barbecue sauce really tastes. Fire up the grill and use it.

I had some country ribs which are an odd cut and inexpensive but with a lot of meat for the money. The flavor is close to pork chops. Also, these are not true ribs, so they don't have to grill or smoke for near as long. These were on maybe 45 minutes to an hour on low heat.

First I smoked the ribs until close done. This can be done with charcoal or gas (just low on the temperature). The last fifteen minutes or so I added the Tastefully Simple Raspberry BBQ sauce.  Sauces with sugar will burn if you put them on for the entire grilling time.

Having smelled and taken a little bite of the barbecue sauce beforehand, I sauced only one side of the country ribs. This is a sweet sauce, and one side was just perfect for us. If you have a real sweet tooth, you could go heavier and sauce up both sides. I'll stick with one side as the balance was just right here.

What Did We Think of the Raspberry Barbecue Sauce?

First, I must say that this is a beautiful barbecue sauce. I rarely go there on the blog. But, if you look at the photo at the top, you'll see what I mean. Wow. That's just a point and shoot camera on my front porch and no PhotoShop. The ribs looked just like that (or better).

The flavor was as good as how the country ribs look. Although I do suggest going light on the amount with the sweetness, the overall flavor was something to write home (or on FaceBook) about. The rich raspberry flavor with the hint of heat was spot on. 

I love a lot of grilling seasoning, spices, rubs, oils and sauces. There are just a very few that I count top picks. This is one, so you know I loved it. Then again, I do go way back as a raspberry fan, but I do think it would be hard not to love this special barbecue or dipping sauce.



Here is the bottle for those looking for Tastefully Simple Raspberry. I know it helps me when I know what to look for on the shelf.

How to Grill a Bone In Ham on the Barbecue Grill

Grilled Smoked Ham - Bone In

Eli won a ham at the turkey shoot. If you're not Southern - not to worry. They do not shoot turkeys. The guys shoot paper targets. The one who gets closest to the center gets a prize. In this case, Eli won the ham turkey shoot prize.

Of course, I'm thinking grilling when Eli comes home proud with his haul. Actually it's smoking with a larger cut of meat that is not pre-cooked as this ham butt as it's called. Don't stress if you don't have a smoker though. You can also do this on a grill with a few tips.

Now if you want a super easy grilled ham, then get you a pre-cooked ham and just grill smoke it up to temperature. I've already written about super easy grilled ham. An uncooked one is not so hard though, so stick with me here. If you can bake a ham, you can grill one.

Getting the Ham Ready to Grill

First I got the ham out of the package. They have a flavor package in there, but I've had those . . . and well no thanks. That packaged stuff is not very good. You can find much better flavors right in your refrigerator or cabinets.

As you can see, I used a toss away pan to have moisture going in the grill. Some people wrap the ham in aluminum or tin foil (as we say in the South), but then how does the smoke flavor get in there? So, I'm open grilling but with moisture under, so I know I'm getting some smoke flavor.

I put the ham in meat side down and then added half and half water and apple cider up to around one inch around the meat (which is why I put the meat in first). You can use water only. I just happened to have some cider going begging and a chance to use it rather than waste it (plus apple juice or cider gives a nice flavor kick to ham).

Then, I had a bag of oranges, and we often don't finish a whole bag, so I decided to slice one up and float it in the water. Well, now that was smelling yummy.

Next up, I stuck cloves in the ham. You can score the ham (little criss-crosses with a knife). My Mom always did that. I was running a little behind so just randomly placed whole cloves around on top.

Sometimes I rub the ham with mustard (which you can't taste - just acts like glue on grilled meats) and add various seasoning or rubs. That always works out well, but we had this bottle of Bacardi Peach that I could not pawn off on anyone. The Bacardi Razz is good in a drink, but the Bacardi Peach is way too sweet. Hum . . .

I poured the Bacardi Peach rum over the top of the ham.

And, then I was ready to grill my bone in ham.

Grilling the Ham

What you want on a ham is a low temperature - say 250 to maybe 325. Ham is kind of forgiving, but try to keep it low on the grill or smoker temp.

I was using a Traeger pellet grill here which is super easy. Just turn it on and let it do its thing. Check now and then. But, a Traeger is about like using an oven except you've got burning wood pellets and that kiss of smoke flavor.

For other smokers, just work on the vents to get your low temperature.

With a grill, offset. Put the heat to one side (charcoal only on one side of the Weber for instance). Or, if you have a big gas grill turn the side burners on but not the middle one. Keep the heat low and the meat over the area without direct coals or burner flames.

How Long to Grill an Uncooked Ham?

With various grills, outdoor temperatures, and grillers, you get variations on times when grilling a ham or any large cut of meat. I always suggest allowing an hour more than you expect. If you do get done early, then just wrap the meat in foil and let it rest until meal time.

In this case, the ham was small. I was switching between smoke setting and medium on the Traeger which is a little low on smoke and a little high on medium (which is why I switched around). It took about three hours to hit the magic mark of 145 degrees F which is the suggested time for uncooked ham by the USDA. Actually I think I pulled it at 147 F.

I did use a thermometer, because you really can't eyeball a big cut of meat and tell. Steaks, burgers, pork chops - those I can tell by looking. Something like a ham, I check with a thermometer. My favorite outdoor thermometer is the Thermopen, but it's expensive. I have a Taylor that works fine (but takes longer) that was only $10 or so.

So, How'd the Grilled Ham Turn Out?

Yum. I think this is the best ham I've made. Everything just came together for a great taste, and that Bacardi Peach rum gave a nice glaze on the outside while holding in the moisture.

How to Grill Smoke Cabbage on the Barbecue Grill

Grilled Smoked Cabbage on the PK Grill

I sent the boys to get a head of lettuce for a salad, and they found a great price on a big old heavy head of . . . cabbage which they have never liked for some strange reason. I assured them that they were not going to like a tossed salad made with cabbage, but I can make lemonade if brought lemons (and again I do like cabbage).

Cabbage does take quite a while to cook no matter how you slice or dice it, unless you want to make slaw, and that's what the boys have never much liked.

Grilling caggage is not hard, and it keeps the cabbage smell out of the kitchen. It does take a little time, but I just put slower grilling foods like cabbage on the grill and then do other things while the meal is smoking along.

How to Get Cabbage Ready for the Barbecue Grill

There are a number of ways to grill cabbage. You can cut it up and do chunks or wedges. You can wrap cabbage in aluminum foil (a little quicker method - but losing a lot of the smoke flavor).

In this case, I decided to grill the whole cabbage head but add some meat for my meat eating guys. They are BIG on meat around here.

First, I cored the cabbage. Just use a knife and cut around the hard core from the bottom. Kind of bump the cabbage head with your hand or on the counter, and the core comes out.

At this point you sort of have a bowl (but a quicker grilling cabbage with the hard core out).

With the empty space where you cored the cabbage, you can do all kinds of things. Some people put in onions and butter. Very easy. Nice low cost dish that tastes great.

I got some cooked smoked sausage IGA brand (which is a family favorite and quite inexpensive) and rubbed sauage slices with Dizzy Pig seasoning which is a barbecue seasoning or rub and one of our favorites. There are many brands on the market, so play around. Just don't go too heavy on any barbecue product until you know it's a flavor that you really enjoy.

I put the sausages in the hole of the cabbage where the core had been.

I had a little bacon left from breakfast (uncooked), so I wrapped a couple of slices around the top of the cabbage (which I guess is really the bottom, but I had it sitting up that direction). I just drapped the bacon and pressed it down to make a pretty circle.

I also had some onion slices, so I put a couple of rings at the top to cap off the cabbage - for eye appeal and flavor.

Setting up the BBQ Grill to Barbecue Cabbage

I decided to use charcoal on the cabbage to give it a solid grilled and smoked flavor. In this case, I offset the charcoal. In other words, I had coals on one side of the grill going but not the other. This is indirect heat grilling and good for things you want to grill low and slow (foods that don't cook or grill real fast). You can do this over gas by only using the burners on one side - one side on and one side off.

I let the charcoal burn down with no flames and then put the cabbage on the cool side (the side without charcoal). It still has heat but not direct and real hot. The heat just circulates inside the BBQ grill.

To keep the cabbage in place, I took aluminum foil and just made a ring as you can see. That just keeps the cabbage standing up.

Grilling the Cabbage

I put the cabbage on the grill on the foil ring on the cool side, put the lid down on the barbecue grill, and opened the vents on the PK grill to allow the air to flow and keep the heat going to grill the cabbage but at a lower and slower temperature.

Then, I just checked the cabbage every 15 to 20 minutes to make sure it was still grilling (coals still going) and that things were not getting too hot and scorching the grilled cabbage. The PK (portable kitchen outdoor cooker) grill is great at holding temperatures, so this was super easy.

It took around 45 minutes to slow grill or smoke the cabbage. I just tapped the sides of the grilling cabbage with the tongs. If you have eaten cabbage, you can tell if it's soft enough or not (or you could cut a little chunk and taste to be sure). Your temperatures can vary in grilling, so do watch, because you could be done quicker, or it could take a little longer. The 45 minutes is a pretty good ballpark point.

If the cabbage is grilling faster, cut down the heat. You can also lay a little tin foil around the cabbage kind of like a tent to protect the outer leaves from getting too dark if it's grilling quite fast (but can also peel off those very outside leaves too).

Is Grilled Cabbage Good?

If I had to pick the best of all the ways I've had cabbage, I'd say grilled ranks first. The cabbage is not quite as strong on the cabbage taste, and that grilling smoke gives it a wonderful boost.

In this case with the sausages in the cabbage, then it's a full meal on the grill which is nice. We had meat, cabbage, a few bits of bacon all round and some onion. All these flavors came together and melded for a really great cabbage dish.

You can, of course, go veggie on the cabbage and have that on the side. Just change up the stuffing. But, you may want to add some butter or marinade if you don't have meat drippings from the sausage and bacon. Some type of moisture does help.

Don't be afraid to play around when you grill. You just want to go low and slow on cabbage and make sure it's soft in the end. The ideas for stuffing or seasonings is unlimited.

Farm Fresh Market Place in Salisbury, North Carolina - Must Check It

Farm Fresh Market Place - Salisbury, North Carolina

Added Note: One of my BBQ sauce friends provided a case of sauce to Jon Barber. Jon asked for a second and said to invoice. He did not pay up. Run him in Google and beware. 

 

Farm Fresh Marketplace has been on my "to visit" list since it opened. I just wasn't quite sure where it was located, and this has been a super busy few months. I want to buy better and fresher food, but when I'm exhausted, I just stop at the grocery store on the way home from work. I know. No excuses. But, life does have a way of getting in the way.

Farm Fresh really is not hard to find. You just get on South Main Street in Salisbury, NC and drive (toward Kannapolis) up close to Airport Road. You can, of course, GPS is at 3204 South Main St, Salisbury, NC (but I just got my GPS finally). For out-of-towners, then you get to Farm Fresh MarketPlace off I85 between Greensboro, NC and Charlotte, NC. It's a few miles off the highway, but it's worth the stop.

I was telling my younger son that I was going out there and explaining where I thought it was. He knew just where it was. This summer he had an internship, and he said he stopped at Farm Fresh to pick up lunch. He loves fruits, so he'd get a healthy and inexpensive lunch with local fruits. Why is the mother the last to know? Well, I never asked I guess.

My Son Loved Getting Fresh Fruit at the MarketPlace for Lunch Instead of Fatty Fast Food

I knew about Farm Fresh MarketPlace, because I'm FaceBook friends with Jon Barber who got this project started. We go a LONG way back. I kept the score for wrestling in high school, and he and his twin brother, Jim, were on the team.

Jon and Jim were older, athletes, and both quite stunningly cute (but fraternal - so each in his own unique way). This can be a recipe for being jerky (in just a few cases at my old high school). The main thing I remember is that both brothers were always super nice - to everyone. I've seen Jon a few times since graduation, and he always has been the same very nice and caring guy I remembered all these years.

I told Jon by Facebook PM about this wonderful North Carolina barbecue sauce from J. Paul Abrams with his Nephew's line of barbecue sauces. I bought a jar at Southern Seasons in Chapel Hill and was hooked. My son was a student at UNC-Chapel Hill and would pick it up for me, but he graduated. I was hoping Jon could carry the sauce, because Chapel Hill is a long drive, and shipping is expensive (but worth it for this sauce). Having it local - a dream come true.

Paul and Jon got to talking, and the next thing you know . . . yes . . . Nephew's barbecue sauce was at Farm Fresh Market Place. I love when things work out, and I encourage everyone to try out Nephew's if you get to Farm Fresh (which I really recommend). The Cherry Polte on slow smoked ribs is my favorite, but the rub and all the Nephew's BBQ sauces are top shelf. The pumpkin on pork loin is just fabulous too. Heck, all the Nephew's products are wonderful.

Yay! I Can Now Get Nephew's BBQ Rub and Sauce in Salisbury, NC

After Jon and Paul took the time to make this happen - my favorite sauce here local . . . you know I had to get myself out to Farm Fresh MarketPlace. Otherwise, I'm the one who looks like (and really is) a jerk.

I had no problem finding my way. I just don't go down South Main (old 29) often. It's an easy drive, and Farm Fresh was easy to find. I posted a photo at the top, so you will know just what you're looking for.

I thanked Jon for getting Nephew's barbecue sauce in. It really will be great to have it close my house. It's still about a half hour but way better than 2.5 to 3 (when I get lost in Chapel Hill for some reason even after four years).

Local Zip Lock Bags of NC Pecans at Fram Fresh

I looked at the local pecans at Farm Fresh. We still have a few left, but my Mom had to have the old trees cut this year. Our pecan supply is gone after these last are gone. I know where to get some now though. I'm going to miss our pecan trees and free pecans, but you don't want old trees falling over and crunching the house. 

This is not really garden season in North Carolina, so the main totally local (right here in town) produce was turnips. God bless everyone who loves turnips, but I've not developed a taste for them. The turnips were beautiful though.

 Local Grown Turnips - Not My Thing - But Very Pretty

I had my Nephew's cherry barbecue sauce, and Jon showed me his sample table which had Nephew's. I don't need to check Nephew's BBQ sauce, because I know and love it well. I did try some wonderful canned sweet potato butter. I've never had that, and it was really great. I am trying to watch my sweets though I'd loved to have bought a jar of that and eaten it with a spoon or on homemade biscuits. Jon also thought I might like the canned asparagus. OK. Yes. I love asparagus.

 

Ward Farms Pickled Asparagus - Boy That's Good Stuff

Next thing you know, I have the Ward Farm pickled asparagus up on the counter to buy. It's very early asparagus and super tender. There are hot peppers in there, so this is a HOT asparagus. Not like - kill you hot. But, you don't want this if you do not like a lot of zip. I do. I had to have a jar.

Keeping the selection small, local, and quality with some samples is right on target. I doubt I would have picked up pickled asparagus, because I don't like pickles. Then again, I'm not a cucumber fan. This pickled asparagus. Oh my goodness. My mouth is watering now thinking about it.

Yes. This Happy Chicken Lives at Farm Fresh.

I got my bag and headed out and said good-bye to the chicken out front. There will be an Eagle Scout garden going in beside the chicken soon. That will be cool, and a good way for people to see where their food comes from. Also, both my boys are Eagle Scouts. I'm glad Jon supports local kids on projects like this. It takes a lot of work to reach Eagle Scout, and they must have a big final project in the community. I can't wait to see this one.

I know this is a long blog post, but it is a complex story as are many in life. My Mom was our Brownie leader and always told use about friends: "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." I've know Jon most of my life, and I'm glad he has started Farm Fresh MarketPlace to feature local and North Carolina products. Paul is up near Raleigh, and I met him by way of his Nephew's Barbecue sauce and became FaceBook friends (so we're new buddies - and I've not met him in person yet). This all came together online, so . . .

1. If you're in Salisbury, NC, be sure to check out Farm Fresh MarketPlace, and if you're on I85, take the extra time to stop by a real locally owned and focused place to get real food.

2. If you're at FarmFresh or see Nephew's barbecue rubs or sauces, try them out. You know they are great, or I would not have lobbied to get them right here in town. If you can't find Nephew's near you, then the shipping price is worth it. I was in a crunch and ordered online for Christmas gifts, because this sauce is just that GREAT.

Cowboy Joe's Pit and Grilling Sauce - Vinegar Sauce Review

Cowboy Joe's Pit & Grilling Sauce on Pork Chops

Leslie got in touch. She'd found Barbecue Master and thought I'd like to try out Cowboy Joe's Pit & Grilling Sauce. They have just taken first place in the Austin, Texas "Man-Up" annual competition and then 4th in the National Barbecue Association competition with 600 entries.

Life has been crazy around here as some of you know with a kid out of the country and an airline take-over with some questions about when I'd get him back. I still had to eat, and this sauce interesting, since it's a vinegar, and North Carolina is the vinegar capital of sauces.

Leslie sent out samples of the mild and spicy, and made my quick and easy boneless pork chops. I also tried the sauce (or really a mop) on some chopped pork as well that I had from our last low and slow smoke.

Here's What Cowboy Joe's Barbecue Sauce Looks Like in the Jar
 

When I first opened the box, I thought I had what I'd call a sauce - thick like Kansas City sauce. In North Carolina, Bone Suckin' Sauce is a thick sauce billed as a vinegar sauce, but it's certainly not a classic North Carolina BBQ sauce. It's more like Kansas with a hint of vinegar.

The darker color was throwing me off, but when I opened the jar, this was what I call a mop. It's thin like a classic North Carolina vinegar sauce but with a sweeter smell. What this means is that you can use it as a marinade, and you can brush it on while grilling where on thick sauces you need to wait until the meat is almost done, or the sugars will burn, and your barbecue meat will be charred on the outside.

I did marinate the pork chops for about 20 minutes in Cowboy Joe's Pit & Grilling barbecue sauce. And, then I sauced a little. It does not take long to grill boneless pork chops, so I didn't need to mop much. Just on each flip.

On the chopped pork, I just heated the sauce and poured it over as we do here in North Carolina on pork butt or shoulder sandwiches.

This was a really robust and tasty sauce. Cowboy Joe's was sweet just as it smelled. So, it's not a North Carolina knock off which is almost totally vinegar in flavor with some heat (hot pepper seeds) and in the western area (piedmont) a little red (some form of tomato).

I love a wide range of styles of barbecue sauces, but I do associate vinegar with NC. Our sauce does seem to be an acquired taste though, and many kind of freak out on the big hit of vinegar.

You get a little vinegar flavor in Cowboy Joe's but more sweet than tang, so I'd have to say that it would be more mainstream and appeal to a wider audience. You get the mop style which is great for moisture as you can see in my pork chop photo.

I go thumbs up, unless you are looking for NC style vinegar sauce. Then I'd say go with Ralph's (very small batch) or Scott's (easier to find). If you're looking for your first vinegar mop sauce, Cowboy Joe's is much less tart so a great bet if you're not used to vinegar sauces.

I love our NC vinegar sauces, but I have to call things the way I see them. Our barbecue sauce here can be kind of a shock. You get something similar here with Cowboy Joe's Pit & Grilling Sauce but with more balance and less bite. Someone may come by and revoke my North Carolina citizenship card. But, I adore out sauce style. I just know it's a niche product. Cowboy Joe's would be broader in appeal.

On a side note, I did get my son back. Now, I need to make him some smoked pork with Cowboy Joe's.

 

How to Make Grilled Tex-Mex Meat Muffins

 

Grilled Mini Meatballs with Tex-Mex Filling and Cheese Toppings

I was in the mood for something sinfully delicious this weekend and decided to make some grilled meat muffins. As I thought about how I'd do them, I decided I wanted kind of a taco flare and also cheese (since my youngest son is a huge cheese fan).

I picked up a couple of the toss away mini muffin pans at IGA. I need to keep a look out at Good Will for the mini size. That's a good place to get inexpensive pans to use on the grill. They get smoked up, so I don't want to use my kitchen pans (other than old fashioned cast iron) on the grill, because I have already made quite a mess of one baking dish.

To make the base, I used between 1 and 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef (ground turkey would also work fine) mixed with 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning. You can use any brand, but I used Lucky A by Lucky's Smoke House. It's a premium mix and excellent.

Next, I rolled the meat into 24 balls about quarter sized and used my thumb to press each in a muffin tin hole as you see here.

Mini Meat Muffins Ready to Fill

After I got the ground beef in the pans, I mixed up the filling. Here is what goes in the filling for the meat muffins.

Ingredients for Tex-Mex Grilled Meat Muffins:

1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons taco sauce (I used medium - just go with the heat level you like.)
8 nacho chips crumbled up (Mine were the Scoops by Tostitos.)

After I got everything in the bowl, I stirred the stuffing mixture so that it was smooth, and then I put the sour cream mixture in the meat muffins which you see behind my bowl.

Here is what my meat muffins looked like as I was filling them with the sour cream mixture.

I topped off the Tex-Mex meat muffins with shredded cheese. I used around 3 ounces which I shredded myself from a bulk block. You can also buy the cheese shreaded. Although this doesn't sound or look like a lot of cheese, on mini muffins, these were actually quite cheesy I must say.

I put the meat muffins on the grill on medium heat (around 350 degrees) with the lid down so that the grill acts basically as an oven but holds in the smoke. At this temperature, it took around a half hour to grill the meatballs. You can check but using a spoon and tilting one to see if the meat is done as you like it. You also can still see some pink above which told me that I needed to grill them a bit longer.

Once the mini meat muffins were done, I used a grill glove and brought the pans in the house. I used a slotted spoon to take them out. Ground beef does have fat, so I did that to get the fat drained out.

These were quite delicious I must say. They had some zip with the taco powder and taco sauce. The chips gave the filling a little more body and texture, although you don't taste taco chip chunks. The inside is smooth in the end but with body.

There were only three of us eating, and we did not have a single meat muffin left. So, I'm sure we'll be grilling these again.

Giveaway Contest - Apron, Timer, and Alexia Bread (your choice) - Ends 3-9-2013

Win Alexia Bread Plus an Apron and Kitchen Timer

Elizabeth contacted me and asked if I'd like to try out Alexia bread and then host a contest if I liked the all natural bread. I was game, and she sent out sweet potato bread which I'd never had. I fell in love with this bread which is yummy enough to be dessert.

Although I grilled my Alexia rolls, they were not specifically designed for grilling. So, if you don't grill, don't click out on me. You can do these delicious rolls in your oven. That's what you'll see on the directions. Just a few minutes and nice hot bread. Got to love that.

Since the rolls were a thumbs up here, I'm rolling with the contest. I did get a bag of rolls to check out, but that's all. The contest is just a bonus for readers.

The Alexia Contest Prize Is:

· One free Alexia apron
· One coupon for a free Alexia product - so you get to pick
· One free Alexia kitchen timer


How Do You Enter?

I keep my contests simple, and I don't track your information or spam you.

Just leave a comment and some way to get in contact if you win. I just get in touch to get your snail mail, so Alexia can send you the prize. Easy as that.

Some people like extra entries on contests giveaways, so if you FaceBook or Twitter this post so others can have a chance at some great rolls, then do that and then post that you did either or both. Do a new post for each entry please, so I make sure to get them all. I'm still low tech and put your names on slips of paper and have a family member pull a name.

The contest ends 3-9-2013 with the winner contacted 3-10 (my last day of break), so be sure to get entered quick!

Free Rolls or Your Choice of Alexia All Natural Foods

With your coupon, you get to pick your Alexia natural food product. I loved the sweet potato rolls. They are sweet, so I'd call them right at dessert. Yum! But, you can pick what you want, since you get a free coupon and decide for yourself.

Follow Up: Jan is the winner of the contest. Congratulations Jan and enjoy your goodies from Alexia!

Yes. You Can Grill Bread. Alexia Sweet Potato Rolls. Yum.

Alexia Sweet Potato Rolls

A lot of people don't know you can do bread on the barbecue grill. As you can see, our Alexia sweet potato rolls turned out great this weekend.

I can't take credit for actually making these rolls. Katherine contacted me and asked if I'd like to try a free sample of these frozen all natural rolls and then host a contest for readers if I liked the rolls. It's spring break, so the timing was great. I said that I'd give them a try and see.

I had to take a look at the rolls to know what I'd do on the grill. You can do a range of breads in various ways. These turned out to be the super simple type of bread for grilling. They had been baked and lightly browned. They'd really just need heating.

You may wonder why you'd put bread on the grill. Well, if you're grilling and have the fuel going, then you save energy and don't heat up the kitchen if you do as much of the meal as possible right on the grill.

You can see here that I did our whole meal on the grill (a Traeger pellet grill in this case).

Forget the Kitchen. We Took it ALL Outside.

I made some garlic Greek potatoes (but added onions this time) along with some Tex-Mex sour cream meatballs with cheese and the Alexia rolls there at the end for the last 10 minutes.

All I had to do was heat the rolls as the other foods were close done. I flipped them once at 5 minutes. You do have to watch especially if you've not done bread before and don't know the temperatures on your unit. The key is to close the lid so the grill is like an oven for the last few minutes.

Rolls on the Grill - Yes - You Bet

Here is a close up. You can see that I just put the bread right on the grates. It was frozen. I think the directions called for a couple of more minutes, but I watched close to pull them when they were hot but not burned.

That's really the only way you can wreck pre-cooked breads on the grill. You have the heat too high and you burn them before they get hot. It does not take much practice to figure out the right temperature and times on your grill whether it be charcoal, gas, or pellet (as here).

There are lots of breads and types and ways to grill bread. This is your very easiest bread grilling. Ready in minutes and with a little smoke hint. Very nice.

As far as the Alexia sweet potato rolls, I was blown away. I'm a bread-aholic. OK. I confess. I am. I'm going to like most any bread, but I just loved these Alexia sweet potato rolls. The texture was great - outside kind of crisp and inside nice and soft. The flavor . . . Well, let's just say I had a roll for dessert. The sweet potato kick made them so yummy that I felt like I'd had a dessert although I buttered them like rolls. That would be the only warning I'd give. This is not a classic bread (but they do sell some). The sweet potato makes them . . . sweet.

I will look for these rolls at Food Lion and IGA. I hope they have them. These were some of the best grilled rolls I've made. I can't take the credit, since these grilled rolls were easy and just heat and eat. But, it's nice to have something yummy like this to impress your family and friends even when you did not have to do much work.

The Digest Diet Cookbook - Good Diet for a Griller

The Digest Diet Cookbook

Jennifer emailed to see if I'd like to try out The Digest Diet Cookbook. Ironically I had been thinking that I should lighten up a bit, so the timing was good especially since I'm not the dieting type. My Granny went on every fad diet that ever came out, and I remember seeing meal plans with things like soft boiled eggs and beets. Ugh. I've just always done the "cut back here and there" route.

Having always loved Reader's Digest magazine which was always beside the toilet at Poppaw's house and then a staple in my parent's home, I thought it was worth a shot to check out the book.

When The Digest Diet Cookbook arrived, I sat down and read it. Yes. I actually do sit down and read cookbooks. I suppose you could call me a food nerd.

First I'll say that this diet cookbook is very well written and organized so easy to follow and understand. I do suggest actually reading it (maybe not word for word on recipes until you're ready to make them), but read over the first part where Liz Vaccariello goes over her approach and how the diet comes together to work for most anyone - even barbecue masters.

Shake Things Up and Lose Weight and Inches

The Digest Diet Cookbook builds around (at the start especially) healthy shakes or smoothies (whatever you'd like to call them). They provide that "treat" factor with some sweetness and energy as well as ingredients that help release fat (per the research of the author).

I'm not a real shake type of person, but it is easier and quicker to start the day off with a healthy shake than to make a meal. And, I'm the type to skip breakfast. Yes. I know that's a bad habit. I'm working on it.

The first few days are shake and soup focused which kind of scared me to start with. Where's my meat? The theory though is that this kind of jump starts your body to lose weight and you get some quick results which is encouraging. I suspect it is a real downer to go on a diet and not lose but a pound or two in a month. So, the idea here is to start off successful with some quick results which would incline one to keep on a diet rather than quit after a day or two as I suspect many people are prone to do.

Now don't worry. You aren't drinking shakes the rest of the month or your life, although the author is big on these for starting off the day with adjustments to them across phases as you move toward a healthy and sustainable diet that fits most lifestyles.

A Griller Friendly Diet - Yay!

I was happy to see that grilling was specifically mentioned when talking about healthy cooking styles. You can do lean meats on a grill and have a low fat and calorie meal packed with flavor. I already knew this, but I don't recall anyone putting that in a book about dieting.

As far as the recipes, you can see above that there is a grilled lamb recipe which looks wonderful. Most of the recipes are designed and tested in the kitchen; however, most things that can be made inside can be made outside. You just need a few grilling accessories like a grill dedicated baking pan and a wok - inexpensive grilling items like that.

The way this diet works out (after the first few jump start days) would be that you have mix and match foods for burning fat. It's a broad list and not just some boiled beats like back in Granny's days of dieting. There were plenty of things that I could pick from and then combine as I liked just picking off the lists. Then, there were the recipes to help bump things up beyond just picking a lean meat and vegetable and so on.

The program is set up with three somewhat intense weeks and then you can follow the main guidelines and use the recipes and maintain the weight you dropped. They had several people featured in the book who lost weight and inches including one guy who dropped 26 pounds in 21 days. My barbecue apron is off to him.

My results were not as amazing, but I don't stay on track as well. (Those rib eye steaks and grilled butter tators get to calling my name now and then.) I can't give you an exact number, because I threw out my scales around 15 years ago. I can tell by my clothes when I'm up or down. By following The Digest Diet I was able to get back in a size smaller on my pants that had been sitting for a few months.

I must go thumbs up on The Digest Diet Cookbook and say that it's a good program for those of us who love to grill. I'd love to see Liz Vaccariello come out with another book focused on recipes just for the grill. Maybe some day . . .

This is the second book for The Digest Diet, and they also have a Digest Diet FaceBook page with ideas and support. I'll have to check out the first book, and I have been enjoying the FB page.

Lucky Smoke House has a Barbecue Rub or Seasoning for You

 

Lucky Smoke House Rubs and Seasonings - Something to Impress any Griller

First I'm sure everyone is impressed that I was able to stack so many barbecue rubs and seasonings without toppling them over. When I say Lucky Smoke House has something for everyone, I'm not just kidding as you can see.

Troy is my Facebook friend, and he and his wife, Elizabeth, are BBQ rub folks but also sell smoked foods like cold smoked salmon which I wrote about earlier and which is one of my new passions. Really great food does me like that, and that west coast salmon was heaven.

Troy was trying to explain that cold smoked salmon which is complex, so he said he'd just call and he did. We chatted about barbecue and smoking and about rubs/seasonings. He said he'd send me out some of his seasoning, because he knows I love to check out new ones and blog about them (the good, the bad, and the ugh - well I hate to tell you about the bad and ugh but fair is fair).

I did not realize that Troy had such a broad collecion of rubs and seasonings. Wow. He and Elizabeth have been busy as you can tell.

I decided to do some pork chops first, since I had some thawed out. I asked Troy what he'd suggest to season. He laughed and said: "Lucky Pig."

Of course.

But, his collection is NOT that simple. So, I pointed out that he had Panda, and I am pretty sure it's not legal to eat Panda. Correct me if I'm wrong. Either way, they don't sell Panda meat here.

"Oh," said Troy. "That's an Asian inspired seasoning."

It was not really intended for grilling panda. Whew. I do not have to go hunting or break any laws.

I decided to do Lucky Pig and Lucky Mad Panda (and the "mad" part in the collection just means spicy - but spicy here is a kick but not burn your tongue).

Pork Chops Resting with Lucky Smoke House Pig and Mad Panda

I put a little olive oil on the boneless pork chops which are a "go to" grill meal here, because they are quick and easy. They are also on sale quite often. I paid less than $4 for the meat here.

Both barbeque seasonings smelled quite fabulous but very different (you can even see the difference just in looking at the colors in the photo). In some large collections, I have a hard time telling one from the next. Every Lucky Smoke House flavor I've tried has really had its own unique smell and flavor.

Lucky Pig was a very classic pork type rub with a little sweet and heat and some extra umph which only comes with really balanced special rubs. I went light, because this could be a rub for a pork butt. So, something small like a pork chop does not need a thick coating - just enough to give some pop.

The Lucky Mad Panda had more bite. It worked across the table here, so I'll call it all purpose except for those who can't stand any heat. There was some kick, but it was the pleasant kind that you feel but don't cry about.

I loved both seasonings but especially the Lucky Mad Panda, since it was so unique. It did have some Asian notes (and I lived in Japan) and a nip of heat (which I love). I would not call this one classic for grilling, but it's one of my favorites in a long time. Very nice taste and really jazzed up plain, inexpensive grilled pork chops. We were eating large and feeling uptown.

Yes. These Pork Chops Were as Yummy as They Look!

It was fun picking out and playing with the Lucky Smoke House barbecue rubs. I'm still checking out these, since this is a big collecion. We had some Lucky Azz (changed the spelling so as not to upset the Google gods) on chicken. That one is billed for tacos and such versus donkey (do people grill donkey?), and it's great for stir fry in a grill wok and then served in soft taco shells or burrito wraps.

Troy has created a really interesting and broad range of BBQ seasonings and rubs. The collection is cohesive with clear balance or inspiraton but does not leave you wondering if you have the same rub with just a little change or two. No. They are all unique and each we've had tastes great.

Lucky Smoke House is a barbecue chef collection. I find a few great seasoning mixers but few who can pull off a big collection with each having a personality. Each bottle you open - you do get lucky just as the name of the barbecue rub line.