Dutch Oven Carnitas!!

This weekend here on Long Island was cloudy, chilly & rainy. Hey, why not, it's Long Island. At least I am not out there shoveling snow!

I had planned on trying my hand at a dutch oven recipe that I had seen on the youtube channel of Outdoor Cast Iron Cooking. Dean & Joanie have many excellent videos, all about 'cooking in the great outdoors'. Every video is filmed at some cool location while cooking some awesome food.

When I saw how Dean whipped up some pork carnitas I knew I had to try it out. Here is how it turned out, on a rainy Sunday in March.

The method was Brown - Braise - Broil.

This is a rundown of what & how:

Note! For the braising portion of this cook, Dean used charcoal. As this is my first attempt at a long Dutch Oven cook and I did not have a covered area to use charcoal out of the rain, I braised using a propane burner. I know, lazy huh?

I used a 12" Dutch Oven

Ingredients:

4 lbs Pork / cubed / from a large loin I found on sale

Tango Spice Chik N' Rib Rub

1 cup Dr Pepper

2 Oranges / sliced

2 Ancient Sweet Peppers / split & seeded

Some small onion / peeled

Cooking Oil

Browning Directions:

Place cubed pork on a parchment lined surface, coat with Chik N' Rib Rub (or your seasonings of choice) Then place in a a non reactive bowl.

Add enough cooking oil to cover inside bottom of dutch oven and preheat.

Add the pork in a single layer & brown both sides, turning once. This will take two or three batches depending on how much meat you have.

Remove browned meat, place in a separate bowl, brown the remaining meat.

Remove second batch of meat to the bowl with the first batch.

Braising Directions:

Scrape the brown bits left over with a wooden spoon, loosening them.

Add Dr Pepper & place pork meat into oven.

Place orange slices on top of meat and the split peppers on top of the oranges.

Add enough water to bring liquid level up to the top of the pork mixture.

Cover and braise for 2-3 hours until meat is tender.

After about one hour, remove the peppers, as they will be very tender. Remove the skin and use the pepper flesh to make a spicy paste*

After another hour, check the meat for tenderness. When you feel it is ready to shred, remove the pork from oven and place in a large bowl.

As you near the end of the braising time, start a full chimney of charcoal for the broiling portion.

Discard orange peels and remove the onions.

While meat is cooling, reduce braising liquid by two thirds, boiling and stirring using high heat.

While that is reducing shred pork.

Broiling Directions:

Remove the oven from the heat, place on a heat safe surface.

Place shredded pork back into oven, stirring it into the braising liquid.

Cover and broil meat for 10-15 minutes using a full chimney of coals on lid.

Once it becomes browned on top, remove lid from oven and discard coals.

Enjoy.

The meat was insanely good! This method does differ from Dean's so please check out his video for his version. You have to try this, it is SO GOOD!

Spice Up The Pork

Brown It

Add The Oranges

Top With Peppers

The Aroma Was Amazing

Shredded Perfection

Top The Lid With Hot Coals

Wow, Look At That

Dig In!

As Always, Thank You For Reading!

Tango Spice Company!

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Irish Barm Brack Bread

Greetings everyone and welcome to March 2012! Spring is just around the corner and Saint Patrick's Day is fast approaching! Around this time of year I search around for some new recipe to try, or even several recipes that will 'Get My Irish Up'!

I will admit that I have no interest in cooking 'corned beef and cabbage' as presented over the years. How over played is that tune? This is a day for celebration and who really wants to celebrate with with boiled meat and soggy cabbage? No offense meant to those who like the 'traditional' way it is cooked here.

In trying to expand my playlist for for St. Patty's Day I am going to see how many new things I can try this year. It is during the search for new & exciting I found the following recipe, and I am pleased to share it with you now.

Barmbrack is a tea bread popular in Ireland, especially around Halloween. I am presenting here because it is a great bread for any time of year and is a much more welcomed addicting to a Saint Patrick's meal that soda bread. Being a sweet rather than savory bread it can be eaten with a meal or as dessert or breakfast bread. Once you try it you are going to want it all day.

Makes one 8-inch round loaf

Ingredients

16 oz Long Ireland IPA (India Pale Ale)

2 Cups Dried Fruit / small fruits - raisins, golden raisins, cranberry, etc

1 Cup Milk / lukewarm (110-115°F)

2 1/4 tsp Yeast

2 tsp Sugar

2 1/2 Cups AP Flour

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1 Egg / beaten

1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter / softened

1 tsp Salt

Method

Place the IPA and dried fruit in a bowl and let soak overnight.

The next day when you start to gather your other ingredients drain the fruit and spread them out on paper towels until needed.

In a small bowl mix the yeast, warm milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar together and set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and spices. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, beaten egg, butter and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients and bring the dough together. Add a little more flour if the dough is too wet or a little more milk if it is too dry.

Remove the dough to a floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth but still a little sticky. You can also use a mixer and dough hook, which is what I did, as I was lazy that morning. Setting 2 or 3 is fine, for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the dried fruit a little at a time into the dough and knead until all the fruit has been incorporated.

Remove the dough to a large, lightly buttered bowl. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm corner until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and punch down to deflate. Knead lightly for 2-3 minutes. Form into a ball and placed in a buttered 8-inch cake pan. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled in size, 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until top is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. If bread starts to brown too quickly tent with foil.

Remove to a rack and cool.

The entire time, from needing to baking the bread had a wonderful aroma. This is a very tasty loaf of bread, something you can enjoy any time of the day. Pop a slice in the toaster and spread with a little butter and you have a very yummy snack.

Variations

Just before baking, brush the top of the loaf with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of milk beaten together. This will give the loaf a dark shiny crust.

Many barmbrack recipes call for "mixed spice." This could be equal parts ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Ground allspice can also be used. I will try differing spices as I continue to experiment with this loaf.

Long Ireland IPA & Fruit

A Little Left Over For My Glass

Sugar, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg  & Bran

Drunken Fruit

After First Kneading

After Second Rise & Oven Ready

Baking Away

Time To Cool Down

Wonderful Aroma

Irish Barm Brack!

Notes

Also known as barm brack, barn brack or baírín breac.

At Halloween, barmbrack is used to tell fortunes for the coming year. A pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a coin and a ring are all baked inside the bread. The one who gets the pea will not marry. The one who gets the stick will have an unhappy marriage. The piece of cloth fortells poverty, while the coin indicates riches. And finally, the finder of the ring will marry within the year.

As Always, Thank You For Reading!

Tango Spice Company!

Tango Spice On YouTube

15 Bean & Rib Soup / Stew!

The weekend before last here on Long Island the cookout day was downright COLD - temps in the 20's were tough, but we dealt with them and cooked outdoors. This past weekend the weather did bestow upon us sunny skies and temperatures in the 40's. The winter to spring change is in the air and 'unsettled' will be the forecast for a couple of weeks.

On Saturday I decided to do some more cooking with the new wood burning stove we are getting set up in the back. So far this has been a real good yard sale purchase. Not a bad way to let go of 20 bucks.

On the menu for the day was 15 bean soup. I had score a package at the store, because 15 beans sounded like a good number to me at the time. After watching a 15 bean video over at JB's YouTube Channel, I new I had to have a go at some bean soup. This was just any bean soup mind you, there were all sorts of other ingredients to add to this pot of goodness. I think it ended up being more of a stew than a soup. It's all good though, the aroma of this concoction was surely wafting about the neighborhood and everyone just wanted a bowl.

The main addition to the dish was cubed BBQ rib meat. Last weekend I smoked three racks of ribs, two of which went that night. The third one was saved for a future meal. This is that meal. Some places such as Restaurant Depot and BJ's Wholesale sell baby back ribs in three packs, cryovacced together. You really can't thaw out just one or two racks, you are pretty well committed to bbqing all three. Not a problem, left over rule!

Here are the ingredients: 

1 Package Hurst's® 15 Bean Soup

1 lb. Cooked Baby Back Rib Meat / large cubes

1 Large Russet Potato / large dice & skin on

2 Cups Parsnips / skinned & diced

1 Large Yellow Onion / rough chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper / chopped

2 Large Jalapeno / sliced

2 TBS Tango Spice Sante Fe Seasoning

Soaking - Rinse beans once or twice, then place in a large pot, cover with 2 quarts of water. Allow beans to soak overnight, or at least 8 hours.

After soaking, drain excess water, and add 2 quarts of fresh water.

Bring to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 2 hours.

After two hours, add the cooked rib meat and diced potatoes.

Keep and eye on the water level.

After adding the meat, in a separate pan saute parsnips, onion, bell pepper and jalapeno, saute for 5 or so minutes.

Add parsnip mixture, to the beans & simmer for 30 minutes.

At this time add the Sante Fe Seasoning and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Taste for seasoning, adding more Sante Fe - just because it is so good!

There you have it. The new stove is working out really well and this soup turned out very darn tasty! It really was a 'go for seconds' type of bowl. I will be trying this again, adding some garlic and maybe using some red onion instead of the yellow. Next time I will also try a different spice blend, just because.

As Always, Thank You For Reading!

Tango Spice Company!

Tango Spice On YouTube

Here is the action packed video - enjoy!

3-2-1 Ribs!

This post has to begin with this admission - By no means am I a rib master. Though I have been practicing bbqing and grilling ribs for a while now, I am not there, yet.. Someday, with enough ribs 'under my belt' I will be able to say I bbq some of the best ribs around. Always hold out hope!

As you look around the internet for 'bbq ribs' there are literally thousands of recipes and videos out there of the 'great rib method'. Some of them you can tell right away that it is best to pass them by, but there are many others which pique the interest and get the taste buds attention. One such method is simply named the 3-2-1 Method. I am not going to be able say this is the best way to do them, as I need to try all other way s too. This is one way which wanted to give a try try. To be honest, I have heard the foil portion of this method called 'the crutch'. For me, the end result is what tells the tale. If you end up with the best ribs you have ever eaten it's all good.

The basic premise for 3-2-1, from what I have read, is the following. This is a low & slow cook.

BBQ the prepared ribs for 3 hours

Place ribs & a little liquid in foil, put back in bbq for 2 hours

Remove from the foil, slather with sauce and back in bbq for 1 hour

This is the breakdown of how these ribs went from fridge to plate.

I started the smoker at about 8:15, heading for a temperature of 225 degrees by 9 am. This was tricky as it was only around 22 degrees outside. Just glad there was no wind. Of course, the trickiness was taken down a notch by using the propane option on the Brinkman offset. Have to say that having the option of going from stick burning to propane and back is very cool.

I prepped the ribs by first removing the membrane from the back then coating both sides with spicy mustard. After that a nice coating of our Tango Spice  Chik N' Rib Rub. Of course, any mustard and rub will do, but Tango is better than most - if I do say so myself. As the bbq came up to temp I  left the ribs out on the counter, covered with plastic wrap so they come to room temp before being placed in the smoker.

Once the smoker is at the desired temperature place the racks on the grates, bone side down. These I let go for just about 2 1/2 hours with the temp hovering between 220 & 225 degrees.

During this initial cook time I used a spray bottle and gave the ribs a good hosing with 100% apple juice every thirty minutes.

As the 2.5 hour time neared I ripped off three large pieces of foil, opened a bottle of Long Ireland Black Friday Imperial Stout. Placing a rack on each piece of foil, I formed a sort of bowl and added around a quarter of a cup of stout to each. Sealed the foil, but did not make it too tight. These were then placed back in the Brinkman.

The 'original method' calls for leaving them foiled for 2 hours but I decided to unfoil them after just 90 minutes. Some of the naysayers I had read voiced complaints about the ribs over-cooking, possibly turning out a bit mushy. So, to ere on the side of caution I had been cutting back a bit on the times. 

At the 90 minute mark the ribs were removed from the foil, put back in the smoker and coated with a generous helping of bbq sauce.

Here I did leave them to bbq for the entire 1 hour - again @ 220 degrees. At that point I took them off, placed them in a chaffing pan and covered with foil. Turn the smoker off and get ready to slice into these racks of goodness. The entire cook time was scented with the wondrous aroma of bBQ and by this time I had a mighty hunger.

I will say right up front that the ribs tasted awesome, but were far from the best I have ever cooked or had. They were cooked real well, but were just shy of the 'fall off the bone' that I enjoy. One thing I am thinking is that I could have done the entire 3-2-1 as it stood and not take 30 minutes off the starting 3 hours or 30 minutes off the foiled time.

So, this means that I really must bbq many, many more racks of ribs!

No Problem!

Also, I have to say the Long Ireland Black Friday Imperial Stout was Fantastic on the ribs and in the glass!

As Always, Thank You For Reading!

Tango Spice Company!

Tango Spice On YouTube

Check out the video of this tasty event!

The Ranch @ Los Colinas, Texas!

During my stay in Irving, Texas for Zest Fest 2012 I had the opportunity to dine at The Ranch. Being among so many folks who appreciate good food and the tastier side of life puts one in the mood for fine eating with just a bit of the 'out of the ordinary' fare.

I found The Ranch after checking the web, using the free wireless in to my room at ALoft. Doing a quick search for places nearby using three simple letters - 'BBQ' brought more than a few choices. Hey, this is Texas - if you can't find BBQ you are really not trying that hard. After looking at a few menus from several places I decided to head on over to The Ranch and have a bite.

As this was a Saturday night on the outskirts of Dallas the place was packed. Lucky for me I was traveling alone this trip and scoring a table for one was no big deal. Tried not to smirk as I past groups of folks waiting for tables. Got one of those high tables with the backed barstools with a great view of the place. People watching time.

Have to say a good word about the server, Brian. Super nice guy, always stopping by the table just when I needed something, yet never asking if everything was good just when I had a mouth full.

Sometimes when going to a new place I like to just get a few things listed on the appetizer menu to get a feel for the place. Here is a quick rundown of my first meal at The Ranch. I told Brian that I would be eating just a few 'starters' with a 'beer or two' and he said bringing the dishes out one at a time would be no problem. During the meal a couple of Texas brews were 'on tap' - yeah man! I just can't hang out at a bbq joint or a steak house without some of that amber goodness!

The first glass of beer was Rio Blanco Pale Ale. This fine beer is brewed by Real Ale Brewing in Blanco, TX. The write up said they use Czech Saaz hops. worked for me! Great flavor, served nice and cold, just the way I like it. The Pale Ale is a very clear beer not cloudy like some micro brews. The aroma is nice, not over-powering. Taste was not as 'hoppy' as some with a slight spicy bite to it. Most beer snobs may call it weak, but I liked it & I would highly recommend this beer.

First up on the appetizer parade: Venison Sausage Gumbo / This dish was nice and thick without being sticky. There was an underlying heat without being overly spicy. Though I am a spice guy, I like to taste the food and not just heat. In the bowl were lots of shrimp of the 31/40 size, nicely cooked and very crisp. The thin sliced sausage was smokey & had a nice meaty taste. I do not get to eat venison enough, and it sure is a treat to find that taste in this dish. The rice was not added as a filler and was thankfully not the center of the dish and the okra was fresh.

Round Two: Mini Kobe Beef Tacos / When the three tacos were placed in front of me I was surprised to see them filled with ground meat instead of cubed. This feeling turned aound as soon as I took the first bite. A snappy shell that did not completely crumble when bit into, nice! The beef ad an excellent taste, moist and full of beef flavor. Along with this was the warm heat of the spices, once again just right & not over done. This was not a plate of over sauced tacos that require a roll of paper towels to get through. The meat was really done well and was not dripping with sauce or grease that I have had in the past. Lightly topped with fresh tomatoes & onions which were snappy fresh. I could have gone for another plate!

The second glass of beer was a Fireman's 4 Blonde Ale, which is also brewed by Real Ale Brewery. Brian told me that this was the most popular brew in the house so I took his word for it and ordered one. Brian did say that if I was disappointed the glass would be 'on the house'. Sold. I could not lie and get a free beer, this was a nice brew. Had a good, clean taste. A clean & light taste which was very smooth. I could taste a hint of citrus in this well balanced beer. Yeah, two great brews from Real Ale!

Third Course: Smoked Brisket Stack / I had saved this for last and was glad I did. Three little sandwiches served on a mesquite log which made a real nice presentation. The brisket was sliced bbq perfection, tender and juicy ribbons of beef with just the right amount of smoke. The DrPepper sauce is something I would truly want to duplicate at home. There was just the right amount of sauce as well, it was a pleasure to eat without drenching myself. The slaw served on top was bright and tangy, and had a very big crunch to it, showing off it's freshness. All this was served on brioche buns, buttery & perfect for these sandwiches. I could have had two or three more helpings of these, they were so good.

Smoked Brisket Stacks w/ Fireman's #4 Ale

Good To The Last Bite!

In spite of the busyness of the night, there was not a rush to get me to get the meal done and get moving. Even though I was having items off of the appetizer menu Brian only brought the next one after the previous one was finished. That was really cool, and everything was steaming hot when I got to dig in.

One thing that was on the menu is something that I have been wanting to try for a long time but is a menu item I have yet to find at a restaurant. Chicken & Waffles! This is a combination that has always mystified me and from what I hear, is so darn good when done right. When I mentioned to Brian that I'd be in the following day for to try some more new things he told me that The Ranch was closed on Sundays! So, once again I was denied tasting for what has turned out to be the elusive Chicken & Waffles!

All in all, dinner at The Ranch was Very, Very Good. A happenin' place with a lively crowd. The staff was efficient and not at all pushy. Food and drink of the highest quality!

If you find yourself in the Dallas area, do yourself a favor and dine at The Ranch, just make sure you are not wanting a Sunday dinner.

As Always - Thank you for reading.

http://www.tangospice.com/

http://tangospice.blogspot.com/

www.youtube.com/TangoSpiceCompany

La Caja China Pork Butt

 

  Sunday January First 2012! The day started out so great that it would have been sad not to have cooked something out doors! The day started off really nice, with sunny skies and mild temps through the early afternoon.
  This was a great day to roll out the La Caja China and do some roasting. The test kitchen first brought in the Caja China after seeing a video showing that an entire whole hog could be roasted in about four hours. This was brilliant! The first go round was a huge success and will be repeated soon.

  For this cook a 13.5 pound pork butt was the ticket. Roasting up this much was a great way to make sure that there is a good amount of 'left overs'! After this roasting is done the pulled pork can be vacuum sealed and stored in the freezer for many a fine meal. Enchiladas, taco pie, empanadas, the list goes on. Preparing the roast started with an injection and a rub down with Tango Spice Cajun Rub.

Injection:
1.5 Cups Apple Sauce / unsweetened
1/4 Cup Orange Juice / no pulp
2 TBS BBQ Sauce / any brand
2 tsp Tango Spice Cajun Rub

  As per the instructions, the pork butt was placed in the box skin side down with a temperature probe inserted. Sixteen pounds of charcoal, in two piles, was placed on top of the grid then was set to blaze. After 20 minutes a nice ash formed and the coal were spread out. Start your timer now for 1 hour, after which another 9 pounds is added. Continue this pattern until the internal temperature of the roast is 180. Once the 180 is reached, you can open the box and flip the pork over, place the charcoal grid back on. This will now get a great crispness to form.

  When the pork was all pulled apart, I could not help myself and rolled a couple of pulled pork tacos! Wow were they tasty!

  I have to say that the box really is a cool cookin' rig. I am going to have to do more cooks so I can get the timing down and also try differing meats and cuts as well. Stay Tuned!

Ready To Roast

Injection Goodies!

All Shot Up!

All Rubbed Down!

Into The Box!

Light The Fire!

Do Some Relaxing!

A Blazing Fire!

Lookin' Good!

Lookin' Tasty!

Lookin' Crispy!

A Plate Of Goodness!

Ready For A Snack!

Can't Wait To Dig In!

Success!

  As Always - Thank You For Reading!

www.tangospice.com

www.youtube.com/TangoSpiceCompany

Plankin' The Rib Eye!

This past Sunday was one of the few glorious days we have had this year, and for 2011 glorious means that there was no rain. It was a perfect fall day for raking leaves and stokin' up some charcoal. Dinner was going to be baby back ribs so the outdoor test kitchen was in full swing early.

While the Brinkman offset was heating up I figured a little lunch on the Weber would be a great idea. Once again it was time to grill a big rib eye on a cedar plank. This time it was going to be a very thick 'slice' weighing in at a respectable 33 ounces!

To start I soaked a 15" X 5" X 1/2" plank in water for three hours. No specific reason for that time limit other than I remembered to put the plank in the water three hours before I was going to start the charcoal.

Before I started the charcoal the rib eye came out of the fridge and was lightly coated with Tango Spice Midnight Espresso. The last time I tried this combination the aroma and taste of the cedar worked like magic with the brown sugar, espresso ancho chile & coriander of the Midnight rub.

The charcoal of choice was Kingsford in the blue bag, one chimney worth. Got that fired up and poured it into a charcoal holder in the center of the Weber 22/5, placed the grates back on, and closed the lid. Once the temperature reached 520 degrees I placed the plank on the grill to heat up. It took just a minute on each side to heat up and scorch the plank. Once that was done moved it to the side and got ready to sear the rib eye. One minute thirty seconds per side to get nice grill marks and onto the plank it went.

This being such a large cut of beef it was going to take a little longer than a 'normal' rib eye. A temperature probe was inserted and the grilling commenced. The temperature in the weber, with the lid closed and vents opened hovered just around 500 degrees. At this temp you could smell the beef & cedar aroma and hear the plank cracklin'.

Once the rib eye was on the plank, it took 28 minutes to reach an internal temp of 130 degrees.

After a couple of minutes rest it was time to slice into this lunch time treat. As the knife slid through the meat you could really smell the Midnight rub & the cedar! The taste was amazing, everything a rib eye is supposed to be.

The grilling planks are still new to me and I have been having fun with them for sureI can see trying many different food stuffs on them, really stretch their capabilities. I also highly recommend Natures Choice Grilling Planks, so head on over and see Larry today!

As Always, Thank You For Reading!

Tango Spice Company!

Tango Spice On YouTube