Smoked Kansas City Burnt Ends

Smoked Kansas City Burnt Ends

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

4 lb. (give or take a little) Fresh
        Beef Brisket Point
3 tbsp. BBQ Rib (your own or favorite)
½ cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 bottle Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce
1 loaf Sliced White Bread
as needed Oak Wood Chips

Directions:

Soak wood chips in very hot water for 10 minutes and then drain.  Start smoker and set for 225-degree.  Use wood chips and water pan as directed by manufacturer.  Trim fat to ¼ inch and rub brisket all over with rub.  Place the brisket fat side down, on rack directly over the water pan.  Close up smoker and smoke for 4-6 hours or until it reaches 165-170-degrees internally.  Wrap brisket tightly in uncoated butcher paper and return to smoker.  Continue smoking without adding anymore wood chips for 7-8 hours or until an internal temperature of 195-205-degrees.  Unwrap brisket.  Transfer juices to a 9x13 foil pan.  Cut brisket into 1 ½ inch cubes and place in pan with any more juices from cutting.  Sprinkle brown sugar and drizzle barbecue sauce all over cubes.  Use a brush to make sure cubes are evenly coated with brown sugar and barbeque sauce.  Place pan, uncovered in smoker.  Smoke for 1-2 hours or until brisket begins to caramelize and is very tender.  Remove pan from smoker and cover loosely with foil for 10 minutes.  Serve burnt ends with the white bread and enjoy.

Notes:              That final step of covering with foil for 10 minutes is critical to the outcome.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Smoked Texas Short Ribs

Smoked Texas Short Ribs

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

4-5 lb. English-Style Beef Short Ribs
            (4-6 inches long, 1-2 inches thick)
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
as needed Oak or Hickory Wood Chips
1 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tbsp. Coarse Black Pepper
2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Onion Powder
1½ tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Ground Mustard
½ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

Trim fat to a ¼ inch and rub with Kosher salt.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Soak wood chips in hot water for 10 minutes when you start up the smoker.  You want the smoker temperature to be about 225-degrees.  Use wood chips and water pan as directed by the manufacturer.  In a bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dry mustard and cayenne pepper.  Rub seasoning all over the short ribs.  Place ribs in smoker on the rack, bone sides down over the water pan.  Close smoker and smoke for 8-10 hours or until meat thermometer reads 200-205-degrees.  Remember to add wood chips as needed to maintain smoke.  Remove ribs and wrap tightly in a double sheet of heavy foil.  Then wrap in a heavy bath towel.  Let ribs rest for 30-60 minutes before serving.

Notes:              If you would like to try, lightly coat ribs with Worcestershire sauce or oil before coating with salt.  The coating acts as a binder for the salt.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Smoking with your Grill

Most people who try smoking meats, use a smoker of some kind.  There are all kinds of smokers.  I have one and love using it.  But if you don’t have one, it doesn’t mean you can’t smoke your food.

Today I’ll try and help you smoke with your “Grill” to feed the masses.

You can smoke with either a gas grill or a charcoal one.

For a gas grill, you will need one that has burners running front to back for best results.  You will need a smoker box of some type for the gas grill.  Place the smoker box with soaked chips on the burners you are going to use.  To do this, you will need to remove the cooking rack and then replace it.  Then start the burners on that side of the grill leaving the other half off for a cool zone.  Adjust temperature to that needed for the recipe.

If smoking less than 30 minutes, a water pan is not needed.  If over 30, place warm water pan with ½ to 1 inch of water over the lit burners (direct heat).  When you have achieved a steady stream of smoke, place food on the cool end of grill and close the lid.  Depending on the length of time smoking, you may need to add more soaked wood chips and/or warm water.

Now for a charcoal grill, you want to bank briquettes to one side of grill grate(s).  Light and wait until coals are ashy and glowing.  Place a foil drip pan about the same size as what you are smoking the side opposite of coals.  Place a couple of wood chunks or scatter soaked wood chips onto coals.  Replace cooking rack and close grill.  When there’s a steady stream of smoke, place food on cooking rack over the drip pan (cool zone).  Add you may have to add more wood or water depending on how long you are smoking.  You may also have to add more briquettes to keep heat even and going.

There is always more to learn about smoking on a grill, but I hope this at least gets you started.  Smoking on a grill or even with a smoker is a learning process.  There will be good and bad moments, but don’t give up.  Have fun learning and trying different ideas.

“Happy Cooking” until next time.  Please help share this link with others.  Thanks.

Garlic-Cheese Asparagus

Garlic-Cheese Asparagus

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

1¾ lb. Fresh Asparagus, trimmed
3 tbsp. Olive Oil
4 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
1½ tsp. Italian Seasoning
¾ tsp. Kosher Salt
¼ tsp. Black Pepper
1¾ oz. White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
¾ tsp. All-Purpose Flour
¼ cup Milk
2 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
2 tbsp. Caesar Croutons, crushed

Directions:

Spread asparagus on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Brush this mixture over the asparagus.  Place baking sheet in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp.  Remove from the oven.  Pre-heat broiler to high.  For sauce, combine flour and cheddar cheese and set aside.  In a sauce pan, bring milk to a simmer over medium heat.  Add cream cheese whisking in and do the same with the cheddar cheese mixture.  Lower heat to low and cook stirring until cheeses are melted and sauce has thickened.  Spoon sauce over asparagus.  Top with the Parmesan cheese.  Broil for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove and sprinkle with the crusted croutons and serve.

Notes:              If you don’t have parchment paper, spray the baking sheet before layering the asparagus.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Asparagus Cheese Tart

Asparagus Cheese Tart

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
½ cup Gruyere Cheese, grated
1 lb. Fresh Asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, chopped
to taste Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Sprinkle flour onto work surface and roll out pastry dough to 14x9 inch rectangle.  Trim dough for neat edges and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Score the pastry dough lightly with a 1-inch border on all sides.  Pierce the interior dough with a fork.  Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove pastry from oven and sprinkle with the cheeses.  Place asparagus on the interior of the tart alternating with the ends and tips.  Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, scatter thyme on top and season with salt and pepper.  Bake until puff pastry is golden and asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:              You can use less expensive Swiss cheese for the Gruyere.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Spring Asparagus

Asparagus season is here.  It really is great to see spring coming and knowing that the best asparagus of the year is available.

Whether it is coming out of your home garden, the Farmer’s Market or your favorite grocery store, it can’t be beat.

So this week we have two new recipes for you to try.

Wednesday’s recipe is “Asparagus Cheese Tart” and uses puff pastry for a base.  Then on Thursday, try “Garlic-Cheese Asparagus” with a delicious cheese sauce over it.

I know this pandemic is no fun.  But hopefully you are taking advantage of it by doing more cooking at home.

Remember there are over 800 recipes on my “Cabana Boy Blog” for you to check out.

“Happy Cooking” and we’ll be back in a couple of weeks.  And please help spread this food blog to others.  Thanks.