Somewhat Off Topic - Miscellaneous Phone Pictures

I'm still recovering from surgery last week and hope to resume cooking this weekend.  

In the mean time here are a bunch of food pictures from the past year that were on my phone.  While they do not have the quality of my normal food shots, they show a little behind the scenes action.  

Filming of this season's BBQ Pitmasters finale in Tryon, NC.

The Bacon Payday and A Giveaway

Would you like to be paid with bacon?  No not that kind of bacon payday.

Recently, the Grilling.com editor, Clint, challenged us folks in the highly compensated* Grilling.com writing department to come up with some outrageous or best bacon recipes for the upcoming International Bacon Day.  I was standing at the dry erase board in our kitchen brainstorming ideas when Alexis said something brilliant.

"What about a Bacon Payday?" 

Her idea was to take candied bacon (aka "pig candy") and combine it with her version of a PayDay candy bar.  Game on!

The Bacon Payday

Ingredients

• 16 oz jar of dry roasted peanuts
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 of a 10 oz bag of peanut butter chips
• 1/2 can  condensed milk
• 1/2 16 oz bag miniature marshmallows
• 1 package bacon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp bbq rub*
• 2 Tbsp agave nectar*

Instructions

1. Preheat a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat to 375f.
2. Mix the brown sugar and bbq rub together.  Toss with the bacon to coat.  Drizzle with the agave nectar and toss again.
3. Cook the bacon on the grill until brown and crisped, about 18-25 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Finely dice enough bacon to make 1/2 cup.  That will only take 2-3 slices and I told you to cook a WHOLE package?!?!  Yeah, you now have a lot of extra candied bacon.  I did that on purpose because your family will want to eat it all right on the spot.  You can thank me later ;)
4. Place the can of condensed milk in hot water for 5 minutes.
5. Preheat a medium sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter and peanut butter chips together.  
6. Stir in the condensed milk, reduce heat and then stir in the marshmallows.  It will start out like a hot mess but keep stirring and it will blend.  Remove from heat.
7. Grease the bottom of an 8" by 8" baking pan*.  Pour one half of the peanuts on the bottom of the pan and then top with half of the diced bacon bits (1/4 cup).
8. Pour in the gooey nougat mixture and spread evenly.
9. Top with the remaining bacon bits (1/4 cup) and peanuts, pressing down with a spatula.
10. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  
11. Use a metal spatula to free the edges from the pan and invert.  Slice into 1" x 4" bars with a sharp knife and enjoy.

Notes

*Source - The Payday portion adapted from a widely repeated clone recipe on the Internet but we can't find the original source.  So many places have a version of this recipe but none that we found can establish themselves as being the original source.

*Highly Compensated - just kidding....we're paid in bacon.

*BBQ Rub - I used Mike Davis' UnBULLevable rub but you could use your favorite.

*Agave nectar - I used a vanilla flavored agave nectar.  You could substitute honey.

*Pan size - This size makes an extra thick, nougaty (just made that an adjective) candy bar.  You can use the same recipe in a 9" x 13" pan for a thinner and more like the original candy bar.

Benton's bacon is widely recognized as one of the best in the nation and it is produced locally.

A grill pan helps keep the mess down.

I was out front grilling the bacon when a neighbor asked what I was making.  When I said "Candy bars" you can imagine the befuddled look that I received.  I didn't bother to explain :)

RELEASE THE NOUGAT !!

More bacon.

Ready for slicing.

They are so filling that I can only eat one at a time.  

With my first bite, I knew we had nailed it.  I had thought about adding more bacon when first making it but the 1/2 cup was perfect because the sweet, smoky bacon flavor really shines without being overbearing.  The bacon adds to this candy bar instead of just being thrown in for bacon's sake.

Check out Grilling.com for grilling recipes and inspiration.

National Pork Board Giveaway

This is actually two giveaways in one and is sponsored by the National Pork Board.  It is a follow up to the series I did regarding sustainable pork farming.  Teresa and the gang at the National Pork Board gave me two wooden cutting boards and two grilling tool sets to give away.  The tool set carry bag doubles as an apron, how cool is that?

FREE STUFF !!

I am awarding the first board and tool set to the first person who gives the correct answer to the question:  At what time do narwhals bacon?  (Yes, that is bacon as a verb.)

The second set is going to the winner selected as follows:

1. Leave a comment that includes whether or not you knew that hormones are not permitted for use in American pig farming.   
2. Contest period runs from the time this is posted until Sunday, August 26, 2012 11:59pm.  
3. If you use an anonymous option for commenting, be sure to leave a way for me to contact you (email, forum name, etc).
4. You have one week to respond to prize announcements.  After that I will pick another winner.
5. Winner will be selected by random draw.
6. National Pork Board is sponsoring prize.  I am running the giveaway and set the rules, so I have final say on any contest matters.
7. I'm paying for shipping so prize winners must be in the continental US unless you want to pony up for the extra shipping charges.

Winners Announcement:  The first to reply with the correct answer was Syscokid and the random comment winner was Sleepy Headed Mom.  I have sent you two emails.  Congrats!

MOINK Balls, Armadillo Eggs and Sea Turtle Eggs

More March Madness food.  I swear we don't eat like this all the time. 

Barbecue folks have the best appetizers and best appetizer names.  That's what happens when it takes hours and hours to smoke meats.  You play around and cook snacks in the mean time.  Here are some of the classic BBQ appetizers.

• Fatty - Breakfast sausage chub stuffed with cheese, peppers, or whatever, seasoned with BBQ rub, sometimes wrapped in a bacon weave, and smoked.
• Atomic Buffalo T**** (ABT's) - Jalapenos stuffed with a cheese mixture, seasoned with BBQ rub, wrapped with bacon and smoked
• Stuffed Fritos - See my previous post
• MOINK Balls - covered in today's post
• Armadillo Eggs - covered in today's post

MOINK Balls

If you have ever spent 30 seconds on a BBQ forum, you have probably seen or heard of MOINK Balls because they are wildly popular.  They are the creation of Larry "The BBQ Grail" Gaian.  Here is the funny story behind the name.

Here's the Cliff Notes version.  If you don't have a smoker or smoke capable grill, you could cook these indirect at a very low heat on a gas grill.

Wrap meat balls in 1/2 strips of bacon, impale with a tooth pick and season with your favorite BBQ rub.  I used Drapers AP Rub.

Smoke at 250f for an hour.

Glaze with your favorite BBQ sauce.  Tonight I used Blues Hog Original.  Not my favorite but my family loves the super sweet sauce.  Smoke another 30 minutes.

Eat.  Wait....remove toothpicks first.

Armadillo Eggs

Did you know that an armadillo can grow as large at 132 pounds?  I do only because Trevor had to do a research paper on the armadillo a few weeks ago.  

Anyway, when I first started trying to learn about barbecue 10 years ago, I heard about Armadillo eggs.  They are a jalapeno (or jalapeno boat) de-seeded, stuffed with a cheese mixture, wrapped in sausage, seasoned with rub, and then smoked for an hour.  It's kind of like a spice Scotch Egg without the egg.  

We LOVE ABT's but since the jalapeno in Amradillo Eggs is wrapped in sausage, it doesn't cook as much.  That leaves it spicier and not as tender.  So if you like spicy, make them as Armadillo eggs.  

My family likes a milder version that uses a diced jalapeno/cheese stuffing.  Because they turn out round, we call them Sea Turtle Eggs.

Armadillo Eggs (oval) and Sea Turtle Eggs (round)

Sea Turtle Eggs

Source:  Nibble Me This

Serves:  Makes one clutch of sea turtle eggs

Ingredients

• 1 lb Jimmy Dean Sage Breakfast Sausage, cut into 10-11 slices
• 1/2 cup cream cheese*
• 1/2 cup shredded colby-jack cheese*
• 2 jalapeno chile, de-seeded and finely diced
• 1 1/2 tsp Draper's AP rub or your favorite BBQ rub (divided)

Instructions

1.  Preheat a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat to 250f.  Add a chunk or two of cherry, hickory or whatever smoking woods that you have on hand.
2. Mix the cream cheese, cheese, jalapeno and 1/2 tsp of BBQ rub together.
3. Place about 1 tsp of the cheese mixture on each slice of sausage.  Pull up the edges of the sausage and seal, forming it into a round, golf ball sized "egg".  
4. Season your "eggs" with the remaining 1 tsp of BBQ rub.
5. Smoke the "eggs" for about 90 minutes.

 Notes

• I used whipped cream cheese...new to me, that stuff is awesomely good.
• Feel free to sub any other cheese.

This an an armadillo egg being made.

Smoking with cherry wood.  Armadillo eggs in front, Sea turtle eggs in back.

Don't panic if you get a few ruptures.

Sea turtle egg cut open, armadillo egg in the rear. 

 Okay, so after that weekend of March Madness food, this week requires a diet of nothing but Shredded Wheat, veggies, and a lot of exercise.  But it was worth it.

DivaQ's Chocolate Pig Candy Pretzels

This is as close to a "cookie post" that you will ever see on Nibble Me This.   I made DivaQ's Chocolate Pig Candy Pretzels (click for full recipe).  It's made of pretzels, chocolate and crumbled candied bacon.  Yeah, I know....right? 

Sweet, salty, and a bit smoky too.

Danielle Dimovski aka DivaQ has been one of my top favorite BBQ bloggers since I started my blog.  She's got a hilarious sense of humor, has great content & tips, and is one heck of a BBQ competition cook, as proven by her top finish in pork shoulder at the 2011 Jack Daniels.  If you don't already follow her, check out www.divaq.ca .  

Made my pig candy on my Green Egg. 

Improvised double broiler.

Dipped in chocolate, sprinkled with crumbled pig candy, chilled in fridge, dusted with powdered sugar.

We packaged these in foil cups and red straw inside of a clear plastic goody bag to give as gifts to co-workers, neighbors, etc.

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Southwestern Chicken Fricassee

You know how I am always cooking on my grills but often say, "You could also cook this inside..." ?

Well tonight I actually cooked this inside, but you could cook this on your grill.  I had intended to cook most of this on the grill but a soaking shiver inducing rain invaded East Tennessee.  Being a big wimp, I cooked inside instead.

My parents gave me this great bowl set for my birthday over a month ago but I was waiting to come up with something suitable for them.  I wanted something Southwestern to match the festive colors but also something that reminded me of my childhood.  One of my favorite dishes that my mom made when I was a kid was chicken fricassee.  So I took a Southwestern spin on chicken fricassee. 

Southwestern Chicken Fricassee

Servings:  6 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 6 chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 cups cream of garlic soup

For the Cream of Garlic Soup

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup coarse chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1 shallot, coarsely chopped 
• 3 slices bread, crusts removed and cubed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flake
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup half and half or cream

Instructions

1. Preheat a wide bottomed pan and a large skillet over medium heat.  
2. Add 2 Tbsp oil to the pan and saute the garlic, bell pepper, and shallot for 2 minutes.  
3. Add the bread, toss to coat in the oil and continue cooking another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Stir in the broth, pepper, oregano and pepper flake.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile work on the chicken - season the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic.
6. Add 2 Tbsp oil to the skillet and brown the chicken thighs skin side down.  This took about 5 minutes for me to get a nice golden color.
7. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes. 
8. Add the 1 1/2 cups broth, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and braise for 25 minutes or until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 175f (I like my thighs done well).
9. Back to the soup - after 15 minutes, whisk the soup mixture rapidly for 1 minute to break up all of the bread into a smooth consistency.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.
10. Slightly beat the egg in a large bowl.  Whisk 1 1/2 cups of the hot soup into the egg.  Now whisk this mixture back into the rest of the soup.  
11. Stir in the cream, taste for seasoning, and remove from heat. 
12. Put it all together - Drain all but 1/2 cup of the juice from the chicken pan.  Add in enough of the cream of garlic soup to come up to the edges of the thighs.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.
13. Serve in bowls with plenty of the flavorful soup mixture.  

Notes
For a full meal and nice presentation, serve with a timbale of yellow rice and peas.
The cream of garlic soup is great on its own too!
If you like a spicier soup base, double the red pepper flake, add chipotle pepper, or use red serrano or jalapeno instead of red bell pepper.

When browning the thighs, a lot of fat will render out, don't be alarmed.

You could also finish the braise in a 400f oven.  Stove top was just easier.

This recipe was actually inspired by and created for this bowl.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

It was just the four of us eating but all 6 thighs, the extra soup and all the rice disappeared amongst grunts of satisfaction.  The recipe was a little more involved than most that I do but the results were well worth it.  One thing I wanted to add but ran out of time was some masa harina dumplings.  Maybe next time but it really didn't need it.  I can't wait to try this one on my Big Green Egg using a Dutch oven.

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Grilled Big Mac

Filed under:  "Hell, why not?"

I think that a lot of people can remember when they were a kid and had their first Big Mac. It was kind of a rite of passage, graduating from a plain small burger to a “grown up” burger (or so we thought).

The Big Mac isn't really a bad burger in concept. Usually it's execution that's the problem. So on a whim yesterday, I decided to make grilled Big Mac style burgers for lunch.   These are intended to be a Big Mac clone, just a grilled version of them.

Photo taken "Pre-smush".  To fit it in my mouth I had to "smush" it so it wasn't so thick.

Want the recipe? Here is is

two all beef patties

special sauce

lettuce

cheese

pickles

onions

on a

sesame seed bun.

What? Seriously that was about it.

The special sauce I made was an adaptation from TopSecretRecipes.com

½ cup Dukes mayonnaise

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon sweet pickled jalapeno, diced

1 teaspoon dill pickle, diced

1 teaspoon Vidalia onion, finely minced

pinch of salt

pinch of black pepper

Whisk it all together and put in the fridge for 1 hour.

Instead of just using chopped onions on the burger, I grilled some and chopped them up. Grilling them concentrates the already sweet flavor of the Vidalia onion.

I grilled my buns. I cut the top off of a top bun and the bottom off of a bottom bun to make two “middle buns”.

My buns are toasted!

I used my normal burger mix (1 egg, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce, and ¼ cup bread crumbs per pound of ground chuck) to make 3 ounce patties. Grilled them for 8 minutes total.

Then it is as simple as putting it all together.

I'll be honest. I grilled a Big Mac kind of as a spoof. I was killing time before I started to smoke a few pork butts overnight. Turns out it was a very good burger, not anything like what I've ever gotten at a drive through. Everyone devoured theirs and asked that I make these again sometime. 

It did put me in a “food coma” for an hour or more afterward though.