Smoked Beef Ribs

So, there I was cruising the isles of our local Restaurant Depot when I found my way to the meat locker. Some people say that you should never food shop while hungry. I will say that even on a full stomach a walk through the meat department at an RD brings on a barrage of ideas for grilling & BBQ. This is one of those time when you just look and think about how much you can fit in the truck in one trip.

I decided to be good and just selected a three pack of beef ribs. In the test kitchen I BBQ a lot of pork ribs, but for some reason I do not prepare beef ribs except on rare occasions. Time to put a stop to those long intervals.I had recently watched a video on beef ribs on an offset smoker, of which I have one, and this was a great opportunity to give these a go. Thanks to Greg over at Ballistic BBQ for that video.

Once it was time to get the ribs ready for the smoker, I did a minimum of trimming, as the racks looked real good to begin with. Of course, I pulled the membrane off the back. This is a lot easier than on pork ribs. Before adding and spice blends to the ribs you want to coat them with a binding agent. Pretty much anything goes here, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, light soy sauce. What I decided to use was the juice from a can of Ortega roasted green chilies. This juice has a nice chile aroma and I have been experimenting with it in a few things. You open up a big 32 oz can and there is a about 2 cups of this liquid, shame to waste it.

After rubbing the ribs with chile juice, it was time to pick the spices. These ribs were going to be a walk down memory lane, or dinner on memory plates. A lot of times you can find me looking for new ways to use Tango Spice blends. Seeing how they can be used in baking as well as BBQ. Today was a 'back to basics' day. Spices, Ribs & Fire!

One Rack With Midnight Espresso - a little java heat is always tasty!

One Rack With Sante Fe - that paprika heat is oh so good!

One Rack With Hot 2 Trot - time to really heat things up!

Into the Brinkman offset they went, with a temperature of around 225 degrees. Ballistic BBQ has a great video about making some modifications to the Brinkman that I REALLY need to get done. This is a pretty good smoker, for the price I paid @ Kmart. Been a nice smoker and I have had it for over 17 years. Yup, 17 years, I think it is time for an extreme makeover.

After three hours - adding a few hickory chunks along the way to bring on a little smoky flavor, I wrapped the ribs in foil. Also going intp the foil was a mixture of apple juice & apple cider vinegar. Back into the smoker they went. Checked them for tenderness after an hour, thought that they could use some more time so I added another 30 minutes. Now they were nice and tender so off came the foil.

I placed the ribs back into the smoker, slathered them with some Miss Julia's BBQ Sauce which I purchased out at North Sea Farms. Kept the temp at 225 for 30 more minutes, then slathered them with some more Miss Julia's. After 30 more minutes I took them off, cover them with foil to rest.

20 minutes later we were enjoying some super ribs! I have no idea why it had been so long between the times beef ribs had made an appearance in the Test Kitchen, but that is going to change!

Thanks for stopping by, now you can enjoy some pics!

Today's Trio Of Flavor!

Nice Rack!

All Spiced & Ready To Go!

We Have Smoke Signals!

Ready For The Foil

Foiled & Juiced

Worth How Many Words?

Sauced & Smokin!

Close To Chow Time

The Pull Says It All

Ready To Dig In

Plate O' Plenty!

Buffalo Throwdown!

In my last post here, Kickin' Kole Slaw, I mentioned two meat dishes which were the main attractions for that crunchy side. Here is the first of the two tasty proteins. This one actually was prepared for my first ever entry into a BBQ Brethren Throwdown. Darn exciting stuff!

The BBQ Brethren is a super forum for all things BBQ. Their tag line says, 'From The Backyard To The American Royal'. If you like to read about BBQ, if you are crazy for smokin' great food in your backyard or you are a catering god with a truckload of trophies, this place is for you.

I had been lurking there for a long while, picking up hints, tips and an appetite from all the discussions and photos. One page I came back to time & time again was the Brethren Throwdown. Each week there is a new theme posted, and you have a week to prepare a dish, take some great pics and submit for peer voting. The themes were incredibly varied and I have to say the entries were amazing! Each week I viewed with wide eyes and a rumble in my stomach.

In the past Tango Spice Company has been a vendor at The Battle Of The BBQ Brethren cook offs here on Long Island. We have gotten to know a couple of the folks and a nicer group of people would be very tough to find. We even bumped into WesTexBBQ at the 81 Thunder Run Chili Cookoff, where he placed second. Wes was using Tango Spice - 'Just Sayin'… While there we got to talking about The Brethren and after I told him I was perusing the forums he told me to get out of the shadows and join the fun. So, that is what I did. Two weeks after joining I jumped in and tried my first Throwdown. It was a blast just to get out there, find the key ingredient for the challenge and get to cookin'

So, as stated earlier, once the the theme or the ingredient to be used is posted, you have a week to prepare, photograph and post your entry. The first one that I decide to enter is Buffalo. Excellent, I love the taste of buffalo, and this is a chance to enjoy it again and have some fun. Well, finding it took a little more time than I thought. Once I did find a purveyor of this fine tasting meat I was pleased to see that it was not too far down the road. 

If you are on Long Island, particularly in Suffolk, head on out to Tweed's Restaurant & Buffalo Bar in Riverhead. You can eat in, or take fresh packed buffalo steak home to grill yourself.

Now by this time it is two days to deadline, better get cookin'! Here is the rundown of how I prepared my Throwdown entry.

Be kind, it is my first time!

Buffalo Hanger Steak Sammies!

Ingredients / Steaks:

1 cup Guinness Stout

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Sweet Onion

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce

2 TBS Molasses

1 TBS Minced Garlic

2 tsp Tango Spice Midnight Espresso

1/4 tsp  Worcestershire Sauce

2 16 oz Buffalo Hanger Steaks / 1.5 to 2 inches thick

Ingredients / Sammies:

4 Roasted Green Chile Peppers / seeds & stems removed & dried on paper towels

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Tango Spice Midnight Espresso / to taste

2 Ciabatta Rolls

Preparation

Combine beer, sweet onion, soy sauce, molasses, garlic, Midnight Espresso and Worcestershire sauce in a large sealable plastic bag. Add steaks, squeeze out the air, seal & refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Mine was marinated for four hours but can be held up to 18 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve 1 cup marinade (discard the rest). Place the steaks directly on the grill rack over the coals, sear for 2 minutes per side. Move the steaks to the opposite side, away from the coals for indirect grilling. Steaks are medium-rare when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 125°F.

Meanwhile, place the reserved 1 cup marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced by about half, 7 to 10 minutes. Keep this warm as the steaks and veggies cook.

As the steaks approach temp, brush green chiles and onion slices with oil, sprinkle with Midnight Espresso and place on the grill directly over the hot coals, turning often until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes or so. Grill until you like the way they look. 

When steaks get to temps, remove from the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Lightly grill the bread to get that toasty taste.

Divide the chilies and onions among the pieces of toast and drizzle each with about 1 tablespoon of the reduced sauce. Slice the steak; divide among the sandwiches and drizzle with more sauce. Pour any accumulated juice from the steak over the sandwiches and serve with a fork and knife.

There you have it, my first entry in the The Brethren Throwdown. 

This was a blast and will not be the last!

Until next time, thank you for taking the time to read this post!

Stay Hungry My Friends!

Good Stuff - Ready To Go

Hear The Sizzle

Indirect Heat At The End

Onions & Midnight Espresso - Yeah Man

Chiles & Onions A Grillin'

Buffalo - It's Whats For Dinner

Grilled Veggies - Meats Best Friend

Layin Down The Base

Layer On The Buffalo

Now That's A Sammie!

Kickin' Kole Slaw!

  Over the Memorial Day Weekend we were going to be grillin' & smokin' some buffalo hanger steaks and beef back ribs and needed a few good side dishes. One menu item that always goes over great with any type of grilled meats is a good cole slaw. Now I am not talking about that runny, pale, limp 'slaw' that comes in 5 gallon pails down at the Megahuge Ultramart. No Siree!

  A good slaw, in my humble opinion, should be snappy, spicy & have a pronounced crunch when ya bite into a fork full. This is why you really have to be makin' your own when you want the best.

  Here is a simple recipe that is very tasty, has that snap I like, and is a breeze to prepare. When you have a cook out planned, add this to your menu, you will be very glad you did.

Kickin' Kole Slaw

Slaw Ingredients:

1/2 Head Green Cabbage / shredded

1/2 Head Red Cabbage / shredded

1 Med Red Onion / thin sliced

1 cup carrot / matchstick size

4 Jalapenos / matchstick size

A Few Sprigs Of Cilantro

Marinade Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar

1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1/2 cup Sugar

2 tsp Sea Salt

2 tsp Tango Spice Hot 2 Trot Spice Blend

(if you do not have Hot 2 Trot, sub your favorite hot spice rub)

2 tsp Celery Seed

1 tsp Dry Yellow Mustard

Slice the green and red cabbage thin, cutting longer pieces into 2 to 3 inch strips.

Quarter the red onion, then slice thin.

Julienne the carrots matchstick size.

Julienne the jalapeno very thin.

Mix these ingredients in a large, non-reactive bowl, set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, Hot 2 Trot, celery seed & dry mustard. Bring this to a boil, stirring often. 

Remove from burner and allow to cool for five minutes, keep stirring.

Pour over the cabbage mixture, toss to coat. The heat will soften the cabbage just a bit, yet allow it to retain the crunch you enjoy.

Place the slaw in a one gallon ziplock (fits perfectly). Refrigerate until chilled.

Once it is chilled, pour out into a serving dish, toss to coat again.

Serve and enjoy the compliments!

Super Crunchy Cabbage

The Colors Look Great

Toss To Coat

See, Fits Perfect In A One Gallon Bag

Top With A Sprig Or Two Of Cilantro ~ Enjoy!

A Midnight Goose Egg!

The Sign Of Good Things!

Saturday morning 'dawned' with a deep, misty fog. The air was so thick I could barely see across the street and when the dew dripped off the leaves it sounded just like a spring rain.

This morning I was headed out to the eastern fork of Long Island, on a Tango Spice road trip. Destination, North Sea Farms to meet Julia. I had received an email from Julia a couple of days before and she expressed an interest in samples of Tango Spice. From reading Julia's blog I knew I was in for a treat, North Sea looks like one of those ideal little gems which really must be experienced in person. I was looking forward to a drive out her place, and the destination. 

The night before heading out to the farm I had read one of Julia's posts, this one about Steaming Goose Eggs, which included instructions for steaming them and a picture which just made me hungry. While in the shop at North Sea I asked if there were any goose eggs available and as luck would have it, there were two. Those two had my name on them and were soon in a sack of goodies I was going to take home.

Ok, let's get to the egg! This being my first experience with goose eggs, I decided to follow Julia's post about steaming. Well, I was going to follow the directions until I strayed, which I usually do.

The first thing I noticed was the size and heft of the goose egg. Even if compared to a jumbo chicken egg, these would make the jumbos seem like quail's eggs. Also, when you crack the shell, it does take a little bit more force to get to the goodness awaiting inside.

Here is what I had gathered for this test run.

One Goose Egg

Butter

1 TBS water

Tango Spice Midnight Espresso (see, already straying)

Good frying pan and a lid that will fit down in the pan, and cover the egg.

Heat the pan over a medium flame until water drop dances. Add a little butter, enough to insure the egg done not stick. I would say a TBS should do the trick. Have your water and lid at the ready.

Crack the egg into the pan, then pour the water around the edge of the egg, then cover with the lid. Let the egg steam for about a minute, or until it is done to your liking. Lift the lid and take a peek at the yolk, if it is still a bright yellow, replace the cover and steam for a few more seconds. During this look, I sprinkled some Midnight Espresso on the egg, and oh what an aroma this created! 

Once the egg is done, just slide it off onto a plate and enjoy with a cup of coffee and some toast.

Well, I will be the first to admit that I made a couple of novice goose egg cookery mistakes. First, I had the heat up a little too high, and this crisped the edges a little more than some folks like. Not wanting to complain to the chef, I did not tell myself about the crispness. Another thing is that I did let it steam just a little bit longer then I should have. I am a runny yolk fan, and this yoke was just a tad past that stage. Either way, it tasted great.

As an egg fan, I can say that I am totally into the taste and texture of the goose egg. One thing you notice when you crack one of these into a pan is the shear amount of egg you are cooking. The yoke alone looked bigger than an entire large chicken egg. The white expanded out and I thought to myself that this would make a great egg sandwich on extra wide sourdough bread.

The texture was also a pleasant surprise. The only way I can describe it is that it was more 'meaty' than a chicken egg. Perhaps it has to do with the amount of white and yoke you get, but it felt more substantial than I expected. As for the taste, if you are an egg fan and have yet to try a goose egg, then treat yourself to a big egg taste sensation. Everything good about eggs is just amplified, I am hooked. I will have to head out to North Sea often or get myself some geese!

I was also pleased with how the Midnight Espresso went with the goose egg. The flavor of the espresso coffee, the ancho chile and the brown sugar was excellent. Heck, it is like eggs and coffee in one tasty plate.

North Sea Farms is going to be a place I stop out at time and again. With free range chicken, farm fresh vegetables and my new friend Goose Egg how could I not go back? If you are ever out on the east end of Long Island, head to the north fork and stop by and say hello to Julia.

North Sea Farms

1060 Noyac Road

Southampton, NY

631-283-0735

Lil Smokey Loves Eggs!

Steaming Right Along!

A Little Too Hot, Yet Oh So Good!

Midnight Espresso & Goose Eggs - Oh Yeah!

2011 New England Regional Chili Cook Off!

Team Gad~Zukes Reporting! 

It was just like a family reunion! The kind of reunion where there are faces you recognized and are happy to see again and family members you are meeting for the first time. This is what it feels like to be part of a chili cook off, a crowd of like minded chili-heads all there for a good cause, good times and great food!

The 2011 New England Regional Chili Cook Off was held in beautiful Somers, CT. When I say beautiful, I am not exaggerating! The drive down from the hotel in Enfield brought us through some spectacular pastural scenery. Over hill & dale we went until just over a rise it came into view, all the colored tents and a beehive of activity. Excitement was in the air for sure.

This being only our forth time cooking in a chili cook off, the newness was still there. What was a big help was how well the entire event was run. From set up to cooks meeting, serving the hungry crowds all the way to judging. the awards and break down, everything seemed to move in a frenetic, yet orderly fashion!

Fist off I want to thank (blame) Mike & Kat Freedman for getting us more involved in cooking for 'the cause'. After meeting them at last year's Long Island Rocking Chili Cook Off we were hooked. Their enthusiasm for all things chili is quite a sight to behold. The way the NERCC turned out so great is testament to their dedication. Of course, they make it look easy, but they put in A LOT of work, hat tip to you both.

Two more faces we are getting to know are Audrey & Steve Falkowski. We also met them at the Rockin' Chili and more recently when we were at the NYC Cook Off in Staten Island. Wow, these two people are very much into chili and it shows in the professional way they go about the 'business' of chili! Bravo to you both!

Now, as for the cook off itself, WOW what a great event to be a part of! The shear number of teams competing in all categories was much larger than we had anticipated. Red, Verde, Salsa & People's Choice! This was only the second time Team Gad~Zukes had competed in all four categories and I will be the first to admit, what a RUSH! Get your tent set, get your tables and tools set, get ready, Fire Up Those Stoves. Love It!

The day started off with sunny skies, warm temps and excitement in the air. As the chili began to heat up the aroma which wafted around the booths was incredible. All the differing meats, veggies, spices all melding together into the sweet smell of chili cooking in the great outdoors!

Throughout the day the sun shone and the crowds were very enthusiastic. Everyone we met was enjoying a perfect spring day and some of the best chili ever cooked. As the day sizzled on the skies darkened a bit, then opened up. The rains came and went rather quickly and were not enough to 'dampen' the spirits of the crowd or the cooks. As quickly as it started, the rains moved on and the cooking and eating continued.

All in all it was a spectacular day! I would like to ask everyone, if you see an ICS Chili Cook Off in your area, head on down and have yourself a great time. Not only will you be meeting some of the friendliest folks ever, you will be supporting a local charity as well. That's right, all this fun and food does have a superb side benefit. Worthy charities are well taken care of through your enjoyment of 'a cup of red'! The NERCC was speeding the love to two such organizations, the Somers, CT Fire Department and the Patriot Guard Riders!

Yep, Chili Folks Are Great Folks!

Now, let's head to the winner's circle! 

Best Booth - Reading (MA) Hot Chili Peppers (Firefighters)

People’s Choice – Alison and Mario Sacciccio CT

“Jim Heywood Yute division” – Max Tankis

Salsa

1st Place - Wendy Hennesey – NH 

Wendy will be representing the New England Regional at the 2011 WCCC

(her first time going to the WCCC)

2nd - Fran Bergami - CT

3rd - Jason Frechette - CT

Chili Verde

1st Place - Steven Stark - MA 

Steven will be representing the New England Regional at the 2011 WCCC

(his first time going to the WCCC)

2nd place -  Mike Scranton - NJ

3rd Place - Linda McGrath - CT

Red Chili

1st Place - Judi Omerza - PA

Judi will be representing the New England Regional at the 2011 WCCC

2nd Bob Hall - IL

3rd Patrick Sweeney - CT

4th Marc Frechette - CT

Thank you for taking the time to read about this super event, see you on the Chili Trail!

Team Gad ~ Zukes Gets Cookin' 

Presenting The Colors

Somers Finest

Big Jim & Uncle Mike

Booths Of All Shapes & Sizes

Miss Connecticut Stopped By

Drawing A Crowd

Booth Decorating Was An Artform

Wild Coyote Hot Sauce

The Eats Kept On Comin'

The Higher Ground Band Rocked

Hey, It's FUMBLES The Clown (on the left)

Ominous Skies Did Not Stop The Awards

Mad Mike Being Mad Mike

The Lovely & Gracious Judi Omerza - Red Chili Champ

13th Annual 81 Thunder Run!

Hello Spice Lovers!

This past Sunday, May 1st, Tango Spice Company was fortunate enough to be able to have booth space at the 13th Annual 81 Thunder Run chili cook off in Bohemia, NY. We here at Tango Spice would like to thank Rod from the Hell's Angels Long Island for getting us into this super event and also the Mixed Blood Line MC for hosting  the festivities at their club house.

The day started off just a little chilly, but the sun prevailed and kept the clouds at bay. We were on site early to set up our booth and our spices in anticipation of the hungry crowds who would be coming in for a great day of hot chili, rockin' music by The Buzzards, cold beer and great camaraderie.

All morning the site was full of action as the teams set up their stations and started to get cookin'. In no time the air was filled with the incredible aroma of sizzling beef, pork and of course bacon. Add to this all the spices and we knew this was the beginning of a great day!

I was pleased to hear from quite a few contestants who told us that they knew who Tango Spice is and were glad to see us. Even better was when a couple of the cooks told me that certain blends from our stable of bottled goodness had made their way into a few chili pots. 

When this event rolls around next year I do believe that not only will Tango be there supplying some great spice rubs and blends, we will have our stoves lit and chili pots full as well. 

Here are the results, top five people's choice and all the judged chili in order of finish!

Peoples Choice

1) Queensboro MC

2) TnT Dynamite BBQ Team

3) Restless Spirits MC

4) Trashed MC

5) Sacred Steel MC

Judged

1) Sparrow Tattoo

2) Wes Tex BBQ - BBQ Brethren

3) TnT Dynamite BBQ Team

4) The Baldwin Butt Burners BBQ Team

5) The Babylon Grill Billies - BBQ Brethren

6) Team Renu

7) Leather Necks MC

8) Mixed Blood Line MC

9) Fat Heads Bar

10) Mutt & Geoff Chili Champs

11) Restless Spirits MC

12) Road Reapers MC

13) Bridge Runners MC

14) Iron Heads MC

15) Queensboro MC

16) The Hot Dawg Truck Team BBQ

17) U.S. Veterans MC

18) Demon Knights MC - west

19) I Dont Know MC

20) El Guapo Chili Team

21) Trashed MC

22) Sacred Steel MC

23) Mortal Skulls MC

You have to give a hat tip to Sparrow Tattoo of West Hempstead for their first Place finish! They were located directly across from or our booth and we had the chance to talk to them a few time, great folks!

I'd also like to thank Wes Tex BBQ, The Baldwin Butt Burners, The Babylon Grill Billies, Team Renu, Fat Heads Pub and Trashed MC for treating Tango Spice real well. Great cookin' by you all!

The ultra cool Gas Tank Trophy went to the Leather Necks MC. Their name will be put on the tank and it will be kept at there club house for the year. This is like the Stanley Cup of chili, only way cooler! Next year the tank will be returned at the next chili cook off to be taken by the winner in 2012.

I have to mention again The Buzzards. This rockabilly band SMOKED the place. Excellent music by a real powerhouse trio, If you see that they are playing somewhere, do yourself a favor and check them out! Guaranteed Great Time!

So there you have it, a great day was had by all, and we were very glad to be a part if The 81 Thunder Run 2011!

And Now For A Few Pics!

Tango Spice - Ready To Go!

Super Cool Trophy!

The Awards Table!

These Were Excellent Medallions!

The Banner Says It All!

Hungry Crowds Gettin' Their Fill!

The Buzzards!

Trashed MC Doing Green Chili!

First Place Winner's Sparrow Tattoo!

TnT Dynamite BBQ Team!

Big Crowds & Blues Skies!

Best Knife Holder Ever!

Gathering Around The Buzzards!

Getting Ready For The Winners!