Prime Rib and Pulled Pork

Prime Rib and Pulled Pork Infrared Cooked

So for Christmas I received a CharBroil Infrared Turkey Fryer.  It uses dry infrared heat to cook.  This weekend I decided to cook a Prime Rib and Pulled Pork.  Wow it was great.

Doctored BBQ Sauce

1/2 bottle Kraft Honey Hickory BBQ Sauce

1/2 small bottle Famous Dave's Rich and Sassy BBQ Sauce

4 oz favorite beer (I used Guinness)

1 tbsp liquid smoke

7 lb prime rib

2 sticks butter

2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp steak seasoning

1 tbsp rosemary

Bring the butter to room temp and mix in seasonings.  Use this rub all over the prime rib.  Let sit for 8+ hours for best results.

2 3 lb pork roasts

For the dry rub I used the rub that my wife bought me from CharBroil.  You can use anything that is low sugar.  I have also used the BBQ rub from McCormicks and it works very well.  Cover the roasts very liberally with the rub.  Let sit for 8+ hours for best results.

When finally ready to cook the meats pull out of fridge 2 hours prior to cooking.  This will allow for more even cooking.

I did another layer of Johnny's Seasoning Salt on the prime to cover the whole thing then put the prime in the main basket of the fryer and the 2 pork roasts on the rack above (the rack is an extra accessory that did not come with the fryer but available from CharBroil).  Put the basket in the fryer and start it up.  

Let cook for approximately 2 and a half hours.  Be sure to periodically check the temp of the prime.  When the prime hit 100 degrees internally I pulled the pork roasts and wrapped in foil with 1/2 my doctored BBQ sauce in each one.  The pork continued to cook for about an hour and the prime was done at about 3 hours (I should have taken it out after about 2 hours 45 minutes for a good medium rare).  Let everything rest for 20 minutes then dig in. 

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

It's getting to be that time of the year that I enjoy a good bowl of soup.  I love Casa Mia's Minestrone Soup and I know that there wasn't much to it so thought I would try this one out.  Even better this is a crock pot meal.

1/2 lb cubed chuck steak

1 can diced Italian tomatoes

1/2 can beans (I used red beans)

2 carrots diced

2 zucchini diced

1/4 onion diced

1/3 lb noodles (I used shells)

1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning

5 beef bouillon cubes

4 cups water

This is going to be really basic.  Drain water from beans.  Add everything EXCEPT zucchini and noodles to crock pot.  Set on low for 7 hours.  After 7 hours add zucchini and noodles.  Let cook for another hour or so until noodles are soft.  Serve and enjoy.  Casa Mia adds a dollop of pesto when serving.

Oatmeal cookies

Oatmeal Apple Cookies

Since I work at Toyota of Tri-Cities now I have to smell fresh baked cookies most of the day from our Loyalty Lounge, so I broke down and decided to make some oatmeal cookies... Well I didn't bother checking to see if we had enough oats left.  So here is the recipe that I used and wow did they come out epic.

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla 
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
2 packages apple cinnamon instant oatmeal
1 cup raisin (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.  Cream butter with both white and brown sugars.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Mix 1/3 at a time the dry ingredients in to the butter and sugar mix.  When this mixture is smooth add in the oats, instant oatmeal, and raisins.  Drop tablespoon size amounts on a cookie sheet and cook 8-10 minutes.  Let sit on cooling rack and then enjoy (with milk).

Jambalaya

Jambalaya

Been a while since I have posted anything but I had to post this one.

1/2 onion

2 celery stocks

1/2 red bell pepper

1 tsp garlic

1 lb andouille sausage

1 large pork chop

3 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 bottle beer (I used a hefeweizen)

2 cups chicken stock

1 can stewed tomatoes 

1 can kidney beans

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika 

1 tbsp italian seasoning

Chop onion, celery, garlic, and red bell pepper and sweat in pot with butter.  Add chicken, sausage, and pork to pot and cook for 10 minutes.  Add beer, stewed tomatoes, and seasonings and let stew for 45 minutes.  Rinse rice and add to pot with chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and let simmer covered for about 20 minutes stirring a couple times.  After rice is cooked uncover to let cool and fluff rice.

We has some honey biscuits with it to offset the heat and it was amazing.

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake

So here is a variation on my Two Layer Cheesecake recipe.  Sadly I did not have a spring form pan for this as it was at my wife's work and not sure where my other one has gone.  Hard to find spring form the day before Thanksgiving.  This actually worked out in the end as well.  For this recipe omit the Key Limes and in the base add 3/4 of a large can of pumpkin pie filling.  Then cook as directed.  For the topping again omit the Key Limes and and sugar and add 1/2 to 3/4 tub of prepared caramel (this is found next to the apples in your grocery store).  Be careful while cooking the topping as the high sugar content in it will cause it to burn much more rapidly. 

For the design on the top I used the little display label that came in the pre-made pie crust and folded it several times and made basically one of those coffee filter snow flakes we used to call make.  I applied that to the cheesecake after it had fully cooled making sure to try to get it to lightly stick to the topping.  Then I sprinkled a little bit of sugar-cinnamon mix on the top (always have this around for my son to put on his pancakes and waffles instead of syrup).  Then take a knife to the edge of the paper and slowly lift up the whole thing.  Gave a great design on the top and the extra cinnamon flavor was great.

Herb Rubbed Lamb

Herb Rubbed Lamb

 

2 Lamb shoulder blade chops (I have used multiple cuts of lamb for this but I always use something bone in)

2 tsp Dried Italian seasoning

2 tsp Dried rosemary

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp Chopped garlic

¼ cup Olive oil

Combine all ingredients in either bowl or plastic bag and let sit for 15+ minutes.  Make sure to rub down the meat to even distribute herbs.

Grill on medium heat until medium-rare (135ish degrees it will carry over cook a few extra degrees after taken off the grill) roughly 5 minutes per side.  Let rest covered with foil for 5 minutes for juices to redistribute.

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

5-8 Red potatoes

6 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup milk

4 tbsp butter

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup sour cream

Hopefully you are cooking these with something that you are grilling i.e. my Herb Rubbed Lamb.  Wrap garlic, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a teaspoon of salt in foil and put on grill for 5-7 minutes.

Peel potatoes if desired.  Cut in to uniform size pieces.  Put in large pot with plenty of cold water.  Using cold water will help the potatoes come up to temperature slowly and promotes more even cooking.  Also you want to use a lot of water to give plenty of room for the starch to come out of the potatoes.  Cook until fork tender. 

Drain potatoes and add butter, milk, parmesan cheese, and roasted garlic.  I use a hand masher to control how mashed the potatoes get.  If you over mash them you will produce more gluten which results in wall paper paste.  Mix in sour cream and taste for salt. 

These potatoes I don’t actually pre salt.  The reason for this is that parmesan cheese is quite salty and hard to judge how salty it will be in the end.  Remember to just taste for seasoning often.