Smoked Turkey

The outdoor cooking device pictured above is a Traeger pellet fired grill.  This device is not very impressive when it comes to high temperature cooking but for smoking a turkey it is certainly capable of handling the job.  The unit is equipped with a thermostat allowing worry free cooking.  At lower temperatures you can basically set it and forget it.  Pecan wood pellets were used to cook and flavor the turkey.

The turkey pictured above was a fresh 12 pounder.  After rinsing and patting the bird dry, I brushed the skin with extra virgin olive oil.  I stuffed the cavity of the turkey with onion and lemon slices,  and several crushed garlic cloves.  I then seasoned the turkey using a mixture of equal parts Old Bay Seasoning and lemon pepper.  After preheating the cooker, the turkey was allowed to smoke for 3 hours at 225 degrees.  After three hours I increased the temperature to 350 degrees and continued cooking for another 1.75 hours.  The bird was finished when the temperature in the breast registered 170 degrees and the temperature in the thigh was 180.  Total cooking time was approx 4.75 hours.    

Grilled Chicken Breasts

It was only Tuesday but I was dying to fire up my gas grill and cook something.  So I headed out and filled my propane tanks.   On the way back to the house I stopped and picked up some boneless, skinless, chicken breasts.  Once home I fired up all three mighty burners on my little grill to high and began the process of preheating.  Inside I washed and dried the chicken breasts then lightly brushed them with extra virgin olive oil.  For the sake of time rather than make my own seasoning blend I used a commercially available spice blend from Weber called Kick 'N Chicken.  The mixture has some heat as it contains red pepper but would be considered by most to be only moderately spicy.  Once the grill was hot I placed the chicken breasts on the grill in the ten o'clock position.  I cooked them with the lid open over high heat for 2.5 minutes before rotating them a quarter turn clockwise.  I continued cooking them an additional 2.5 minutes before turning them over.  At this point I turned all three burners down to medium and continued the cooking process with the lid closed.  Total time on the grill was approx 16 minutes.  The result was fantastic.  The chicken was moist and flavorful.  If you plan ahead and make extra any left overs make for great meals throughout the week.  If I grill a bunch of chicken breasts I will end up using any extra in salads, sandwiches, and fajitas.

Sweet Tea with Mint

Sweet tea is a southern classic but may be enjoyed even out west. Below is my version using mint leaves from a plant in my garden. Relax and enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
8 cups boiling water
2 Family size Lipton Tea bags
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 gallon plastic pitcher filled halfway with ice cubes
lemon slices



Begin by adding equal parts sugar and water to a small pot. Heat over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. The finished simple syrup will eventually be used to sweeten the tea. For now, set the mixture aside. To a large measuring container add the two family size Lipton tea bags (The family size bags are much larger than the standard size. If using smaller bags use between 4-6.) and a half cup of fresh mint leaves. To this container add 8 cups of boiling water. Allow the mixture to steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags. Add simple syrup to sweeten the tea. The amount of simple syrup used is a personal preference so add whatever amount suits your taste. Strain the tea from the measuring container into a half gallon plastic pitcher to remove the mint leaves. A glass pitcher may be used but the tea would need to cool first to reduce the risk of cracking the glass. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve in glasses filled with ice and garnished with lemon slices.

Grilled Russet Potato Slices

I love potatoes and especially french fries. However, here is a healthier alternative cooked on the grill. Slice two large russet potatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tsp of dried rosemary, and approx 1 tsp of season salt. Toss the potato slices until they are evenly coated. Preheat a gas grill to medium high. Grill the potatoes until golden brown. To test for tenderness insert a knife into the potato slices. It should be easy to insert and withdraw. Total time on the grill was approx 15 minutes.

BBQ Chicken Thighs

Who doesn't love grilled chicken? What follows is a simple, fool proof recipe which will produce delicious mouthwatering results. The first step is to select the proper chicken part to grill. In this case the poultry body part of choice is the thigh. While not as lean as the breast the thigh has enough fat to remain moist. I also recommend buying the chicken thighs fresh and not frozen. Although using frozen chicken is acceptable the finished result will not be as good. Freezing has a tendency to reduce overall quality. Next, rinse the thighs under cold water and place them in a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Add one bottle of Italian dressing to the thighs, seal the bag and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 3- 12 hours. Remove chicken thighs from the marinade wipe off the excess dressing using a paper towel. Season the thighs with your favorite dry seasoning blend. Preheat your gas or charcoal grill to medium approx 300 to 350 degrees. The chicken should be cooked over indirect heat. This means the burners under the chicken are turned off. On my three burner gas grill the center burner is off while the two outer burners are set to medium. If using a charcoal grill the coals are raked to the sides of the grill and the chicken is placed in the center of the grate with a drip pan underneath. Grilling chicken over indirect heat prevents flareups caused by dripping fat. This allows the chicken to cook without burning. The total cooking time is approx 40 minutes but this is just a guide. The thighs are done when the internal temperature as measured by a meat thermometer reads at least 170 degrees. Trial and error has demonstrated the best results are achieved when the chicken is between 170 and 180 degrees. Any cooler than 165 and the chicken is not safe to eat, while temperatures higher than 180 result in a dry finished product. At this point the thighs are ready for the final step...BBQ sauce. Brush each thigh on both sides with your favorite sauce. Allow the thighs to cook for just a few more minutes just until the BBQ sauce is set. Adding the BBQ sauce at the end of the cooking process is an important step. BBQ sauce is naturally high in sugar and if added too soon the sugar would burn leaving the thighs looking like pieces of charcoal. Finally, remove the thighs from the grill and brush with sauce a second time. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the chicken thighs with your favorite sides and plenty of napkins.

Grilled Zucchini and Squash

Zucchini and Squash sliced in half, lightly brushed with olive oil, and seasoned
Place zucchini and squash flat side down on a grill which has been preheated to high.
Align the veggies so they're at approx 2 o'clock. Grill for two minutes and then rotate a quarter turn counter clockwise. Continue grilling for another two minutes before turning them over.


Grill for three to four minutes on the second side. The squash and zucchini are ready to remove from the grill when they are tender but not overly soft. The total cooking time is approx 8 minutes. The time on the grill will vary depending on the size of the vegetables, the temperature of the grill, and even environmental conditions. In this example the zucchini and squash were removed after 7.5 minutes.

The finished result hot off the grill. Allow the veggies to cool for a couple minutes before serving. The half slices may be served as is or may be chopped up into smaller pieces.

Proteins are not the only food items which are naturally suited for the grill. The next time you decided to fire up the grill consider throwing on some veggies too. The flavor of grilled vegetables is wonderful and a great alternative to steaming. This week the grocery store had yellow squash and zucchini on sale. After thoroughly washing them I sliced them in half. Slicing the squash and zucchini in half makes them easier to handle as well as providing one flat surface to achieve the perfect grill marks. Brush the slices with extra virgin olive oil and season with you favorite dry spice mixture. I often use kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. This time I sprinkled the veggies with a premixed season salt. Simply follow the steps outlined in the pictures above and you're guaranteed a delicious result.

Citrus Basting Sauce

This tangy basting mixture goes great with fish or poultry. It is intended to be applied during the cooking process to add flavor and moisture. Although the recipe calls for lemons feel free to substitute other citrus fruits for a different twist. If you like heat consider increasing the amount of red pepper too. The 1/2 tsp in this recipe provides just a bit of heat but is very mild.


Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1/2 tsp of ground red pepper (cayenne)
Finely chopped zest from two lemons
Juice from two lemons
4 cloves of garlic pressed

Combine all the ingredients in a small cooking vessel. Heat over low heat until the butter is melted. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until the mixture is blended. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to cool. This basting sauce may be used right away or can be stored covered in the refrigerator for a few days.