Al Dente

Pizza on the Grill 101

This seems to be the summer of grilled pizza. Not only was it one of the first grill season postings here, but every where I look, people are writing and blogging about pizza. I promised that my next posting would be on grilled pizza to celebrate the publication of a new grilled pizza cookbook that I wrote with my good friend, Bob Blumer. Bob is known to many as the Surreal Gourmet and you might find a few surreal touches in our pizzas, but it is flavor and technique rather than presentation that stars in this book. The essence of grilled pizza is in the crispy, slightly smoky crust. We advocate using coarse-ground corn meal ( a.k.a. grits to me, polenta to others) to give the pizza a rustic crust and added crunch. There are a couple of important things to keep in mind when you are grilling pizza.

Pizza Dogs—a twist on the classic summer frank

It’s that time of year again. Even if the weather is cool where you are—it’s cool where I am—we can’t help ourselves, we want, we need, a great grilled dog to kick off the summer! 

Last week, I couldn’t wait any longer, I went to my local Trader Joe’s and loaded up on Hebrew National franks, soft bakery buns and all the toppings. But at the last minute, I had a thought.  Since it was so cold outside, I was in the mood to try something different. I put the buns and toppings aside and grabbed pizza dough, sun-dried tomato tapenade and mozzarella cheese. All the ingredients needed to make Pizza Dogs, where America’s favorite dog meets pizza! I went to a friend’s house for dinner and announced that I would be making the appetizers. Everyone looked at me politely but skeptically—but no matter, I moved ahead. Fortified by a stem of Laurent Perrier, Rose Brut NV, I rolled the mozzarella-stuffed dogs in no time. 

I set the grill to a medium indirect-heat and in 20 minutes, I had hot, golden brown Pizza Dogs that were a hit! And the skeptics swore they would make them again and again for kids, for parties and of course, for themselves, as they gobbled up the tasty bites and washed them down with a little more rose champagne—it was an accidental pairing worth repeating!

Nod to Kansas City

If “barbecue” gave out patriotism awards, perhaps it would go to Kansas City…maybe that is because in Kansas City, they have a saying, “we barbecue anything that moves.” If I could have all the great barbecue and eat it too, I’d be pretty content…the only catch for me is all the thick red sauce. I prefer my meat without sauce or with just a tiny bit of sauce to accent the food. In my opinion, the sauce often over-powers the meat, and if the barbecue is done right, you don’t need the sauce. In my years of eating in KC and judging the American Royal, I can say that Kansas City really is a melting pot of barbecue.

My barbecue buddy, Carolyn Wells is the founder of the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) and she grew up in Memphis. In all her years at the forefront of Kansas City Barbecue, you know at least a little Memphis had to seep in! And, the Royal and the Jack (Jack Daniels Invitational) are the only two contests I know that have a dessert category. The Royal has a sides category as well and I have judged many a smoked onion cup filled with peas and carrots! 

On one “research” trip to Kansas City a few years back, I was inspired to create a barbecue sauce that uses Dr. Pepper to sweeten it. The tradition of cola-sweetened sauces is rich in the barbecue world, but I had never had a sauce made with Dr. Pepper. Since Dr. Pepper originated in Texas, this is really my TexKan sauce. Sweet like Kansas and Spicy like Texas and Dr. Pepper. Use it for chicken, ribs or brisket. My favorite way to use it is on Beer-Can Chicken. It is best brushed on sparingly during the final minutes of the cooking time and served as a dipping sauce. And, if you like a ketchup-topped meatloaf, substitute this sauce for the ketchup and you’ll have a meatloaf surprise that just might make you a hero in the kitchen all week long.

Ribs: Mike Mills Style

So, we’ve touched on Texas, and North Carolina. Now how about a little rib action? I have never met a man, woman, or child who isn’t crazy about my good friend and rib master Mike Mills. 

I first met Mike on the banks of the Mississippi. It was my first year at the Memphis in May International Barbecue Contest and, as it turned out, it was his last year competing. I was a neophyte and he was the Grand Master. That year, he won his final Grand Championship and retired from competing.

That same year, I had my barbecue epiphany. It was the first time I ever had real pit-cooked ribs. I couldn’t believe how sweet and succulent and smoky they were. At that time, most rib restaurants steamed their ribs until they fell off the bone and then slathered them with sweet sauce—often accented with liquid smoke. And as hard as it is to believe, even today a lot of restaurants prepare ribs this way.

The best news of course is that you can make them yourself on a backyard grill or go to restaurants that use actual smokers and slow cook the meat before serving. This brings me back to Mike. In his retirement from the barbecue circuit, Mike has worked even harder to spread the good word of championship ribs. He operates 7 restaurants in southern Illinois (17th Street Bar and Grill) and Las Vegas (Memphis Championship Barbecue) and he consults with Blue Smoke in NYC. In his spare time, he runs a “best of the best,” barbecue contest in Murphysboro, Ill., and cooks at special events like the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. If you are ever anywhere close to any of these venues, you must stop by for a chat and a chew of his award-winning ribs.

In the meantime, here's a recipe for his trophy-winning rub and a recipe for making the ribs in your own backyard. Mike uses apple wood for his ribs, and I have to agree that the apple wood makes a big difference in the sweetness of his ribs. Use a low heat (about 275-300°F) to cook the ribs and take them out when they feel done. It may take you a little longer or a little less time than the recipe states.

The ribs should have a mahogany color, a nice dark crust, and a little “spring” to the meat when you fold the rack back on itself. You should be able to tear the bones apart, but you still want some “chew.” If the bone slips out easily, without any meat on the bone, the ribs are over-cooked. Finally, no matter what you do, never, ever, par-cook the ribs in a pot/pan of water. That technique will remove all the fat, and fat is flavor! Besides stripping the ribs of all of it’s flavor and color—the meat will turn grey—you’ll have one horrible pot to wash.

Happy ribbing!

On the BBQ Road

What I know about barbecue is shining through in all your comments. I wish that I could answer each one of the postings. Better yet, I wish we were all in one place and we could sit at a long table, eating (BBQ of course!) and drinking and arguing the finer points of low-and-slow cooked meat. That would be a perfect evening.

Reading all the comments was the next best thing; I learned of a few new places and a great new turn of phrase…”we serve everything from the rooter to the tooter!” But most of all, your comments re-affirmed what I know and love about barbecue. It’s like religion and politics. Regardless where you stand, everyone is passionate about it. And, historically, barbecue is closely linked to both religion and politics—especially in the South. The truth is 99.9% of the time, your favorite barbecue is the style that you grew up with. But, that doesn’t mean that the other styles aren’t legit. They all have their merits. I have a friend from the [barbecue] circuit who says that he’d rather eat “bad barbecue” than anything else—meaning even bad barbecue is worth eating—to some!

Because barbecue is such a hot button, I am going to take a blog trip down the barbecue trail in the coming weeks. I don’t promise that it will be exhaustive, but I do promise that it will be tasty. I’ll also take my cues from your comments. This week, I promised that we would delve into North Carolina “pulled pork.” Here are a few musings and a recipe.

First, I have to give a little shout out to Stamey’s. I have many, many favorite places and many BBQ Buddies along the trail. Last week’s response was not a slight to any of them. Wayne Monk’s restaurant is my favorite because of family tradition, but Stamey’s not only has spot-on barbecue but the best Brunswick Stew money can buy. Not as good as my mother’s of course, but the best I’ve ever had that wasn’t made by myself or my mother!

I Love Barbeque

I love barbecue! And I love all the opinions that barbecue stirs up. I never imagined that my Monster Potato post would elicit so many comments.

First, a little barbecue background. I grew up in North Carolina so the mighty pig  (specifically a vinegar-doused pulled pork sandwich topped with vinegary green slaw) is my emotional touch point. If someone dares to serve me a “North Carolina” barbecue sandwich made with purple cabbage and mayo on a sesame-seed bun, I’m apoplectic! 

That said, when barbecue became my life’s pursuit, I traveled all over and became an equal opportunity barbecuer. I truly believe that all the authentic styles/regions should be critiqued in their own region—99.9% of the time, people prefer and fight for the barbecue they grew up on. If I had to choose between a pulled pork sandwich from Wayne Monk’s restaurant in Lexington, NC, or anything else, I’d choose Monk’s sandwich! Once you embrace all the barbecue styles and cultures, your life only gets richer (and maybe your waist gets a little thicker!).

It’s "old hat" to some, but topping a baked potato with chopped smoked meat and barbecue sauce was news to me—and I see from the comments that there are fans from all over. As far as being “real” barbecue…the potato is topped with real barbecued meat, smoked over post oak low and slow. And, obviously, top your potato with as much or as little as you like—my recipe is only a point of departure!

For the past four years, I have been involved with a barbecue restaurant share group that includes the top restaurants/joints/dives in the country. Believe it or not, there are all kinds of other non-traditional dishes on most barbecue menus that utilize the smoked meat. Some of the most popular are Barbecue Pie, Barbecue Pizza, Barbecue Nachos, Barbecue Chili, etc. Guess why? These pitmasters and restaurant owners are trying to make a buck and an item that can get people talking (like the potato) brings cash and folks into the restaurant. I expect that you will find a Monster Potato on my menu at Hill Country sometime soon!                                                                         

Restaurateurs don’t necessarily want you to eat the whole thing; they are giving us what we’ve asked for. Americans don’t like restaurants that serve small portions. Whether they eat it all or should eat it all is another matter; consumers vote with their dollars and like it or not, American consumers love and buy big portions. As far as cooking the potato, I agree wholeheartedly! My mother taught me to prep a “baked potato” by rubbing it with a little Crisco and pricking it a few times with a fork. I’ve never done it any other way for russet and/or sweet potatoes. I’d never use foil myself, but most restaurants do it for sanitary reasons. 

No matter how you cook it, how you see it, or how you feel about it, the plain truth is that it is good eatin’! Be sure to come back next week when I give a little face time to a North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwich! In the meantime, tell me about your best barbecue experience in the comments!

Texas Barbeque and Monster Potatoes

A few weeks ago, I was in Dallas and since I am always on the lookout for new barbecue joints, I took the recommendation of a friend and went to visit Mike Anderson’s. I wasn’t familiar with this Dallas institution and so when I arrived at 2 p.m., they had just shut their doors. The restaurant serves lunch every day and that’s it.  We were out of luck, but Mike and his wife were nice enough to open the doors, offer us a beer and talk about their ‘Que. 

The restaurant has been in operation more than 20 years and serves all kinds of barbecue and home-style sides.  But the thing that I was most curious about was their "Monster Potatoes." Mike told me that they had served 500 potatoes on this regular Friday—in addition to all the other barbecue offerings.  That blew me away…and started my craving for a Texas Monster Potato. 

The stuffed baked potatoes are made using 2-pound potatoes that are about 7-8 inches long and about 4-inches wide. At Mike Anderson’s they are split and stuffed with every imaginable combination of cheese and sour cream, bacon, onions, jalapenos, olives etc. and then topped with chopped beef, pork, chicken, ham, sausage, etc. and a healthy dose of barbecue sauce. I couldn’t decide if I thought that sounded heavenly or a little too much, but I was intrigued.

Fast forward to this week. I went to Austin to speak (and visit my buddies) at the National Barbecue Conference. We took a tour of some of Austin’s finest BBQ restaurants and low and behold, Smokey Mo’s Bar B Que had a big ole stuffed baked potato! I couldn’t wait to try it. The counter person suggested I try the potato with their chopped smoked turkey. In a blink of an eye, they presented me with a steaming baked potato, split and stuffed with a tower of butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chopped scallions and the silkiest, moistest, smoked turkey that I have ever eaten. The trick is to put enough of each topping on the potato so that you can taste everything with each bite, but not so much that you drown out the potato. I am sure there is a fine line here, but Smokey Mo’s hit it with perfection. The heat of the hot potato melts the butter and cheese and warms the meat. The fluffy potato takes the place of bread and when you get a bite with a little bit of everything, the raw crunch of the scallion mixed with the richness of the potato, cheese, butter and sour cream make a perfect bed for the smoky toothsome meat. I shared this potato with my table and we still couldn’t eat all of it. I used to dream of brisket and sausage when I went to Texas, but now it is the Monster Potato that is at the head of my list!

A Toothbrush that “Erases” and a Recipe for Short Ribs

What’s a toothbrush got to do with a food blog?  For starters, we all have one and we all need a good one. And, for all espresso loving, red-wine drinking, blueberry-eating folks, it's an essential piece of equipment.

I certainly didn’t think that I would ever wax on and on about a toothbrush, but when I was looking for a new one, I was intrigued by the electric Hydra Brush. It promised whiter teeth because it cleans so well that the stains don’t have time to set. 

In today’s world of day-glo white teeth, if a toothbrush can deliver whiter teeth without any high-peroxide gel, I’m all for it. But the thing that really sold me is that you bite into the brush and the four round brushes on the front and the back of the brush-head rotate to clean the back and front of your teeth like a car wash.

I don’t know if my teeth are whiter, but I do know that they feel clean as a whistle—so good that I’ve been doubling my red-wine consumption. I’m drinking and eating my wine!

Enjoy this recipe for Red-Wine Braised Short Ribs. They’re just the thing to make you feel snug and cozy when it’s cold and wet outside. I serve them atop coarse-ground Garlic Cheese Grits, but they are equally great on old-fashioned noodles or mashed potatoes. Since they taste even better on day 2, this is a great recipe to make in advance!

Elizabeth Karmel's Recipe for Heart Brownies

I first created this recipe for my oldest nephew, August. When he was a year old, he exhibited an interest in cooking, and his doting aunt (me) jumped at the opportunity. I didn’t want to make a traditional kids recipe because that wouldn’t be any fun to eat]for the adults so I came up with this one-bowl recipe that can be stirred together simply with a blending fork or a wooden spoon. It features adult-friendly ingredients like lots of bittersweet chocolate—I like Scharffen Berger or Green & Blacks, 70 and 72 percent, respectively—and walnuts. 

Initially, we made the brownies in a Lekue Silicone Heart Muffin Pan just for fun and because it was close to Valentine’s Day. However, we all loved the result of the individual baked brownies because each piece had great chewy edges and a soft, fudgy inside. Besides tasting great, they look so cute and the individual heart shapes elevate the simple brownie from an afternoon snack to a legitimate dessert.  Needless to say, they became a tradition and August’s favorite sweet.

When I made that first batch, I had no idea that these brownies would become one of my signature recipes. Almost immediately, I started making the brownies with dried cherries and pecans because I love the combination of tart dried cherries and dark chocolate. And, as a Southerner, pecans are like salt and pepper—you put them in everything! I also started adding bits of dried ancho chiles to the mix for a really sophisticated “barbecue” brownie. In fact, these brownies are served at the Manhattan restaurant Hill Country where I am the Executive Chef. But they aren’t made in a heart muffin pan! Those brownies are reserved for family and friends. Click to read the recipe...

Put Away the Pigskin and Put Out the Pig Candy

OK, the Super Bowl is over so now you have to get back to eating right. Right? Well, I’ll tell you what eating right is: a little delicacy called Bacon Peanut Brittle.

It is absolutely addictive and a great thing to do with any leftover peanuts from Sunday’s game. I created this “pig candy” a few years ago for a “pork-in-every-course” class that I was teaching called Swine and Wine. The brittle was the after-dessert mignardises. It was a whim when I first made it, but one that I have seen catching on lately.

Because it is smoky, sweet, salty and savory all in one bite, it makes a great snack, appetizer or dessert. And because it is so satisfying, you really don’t eat that much of it—I mean, your teeth would be aching and your jaw would be sore if you sat down and ate a whole batch at once. I love making it and bringing it to friends as a hostess gift or setting it out with assorted nibbles and bits when I have people over for drinks. When the brittle is cool, I place the shards in an old-fashioned mason jar, but you could give it away as a party favor in plastic bags and I am sure no one would complain!

The key to making the brittle crystal clear (see picture) instead of cloudy is making sure that the bacon is not over-cooked or burned (dice raw bacon and cook slowly over low heat) and that all the excess fat is drained away from the bacon. I do this by wrapping the drained bacon in a few layers of paper towels and gently wringing it out. Other than this, there is no trick to making the brittle.

If you want to really up the ante, make it with Schaller and Weber’s double-smoked bacon. It is by far the best bacon I have ever tasted and I have tasted them all! If you don’t live in the New York area, you’ll have to order it by web or mail but it is well worth the wait! Click the link to read the recipe.