Smoked Buffalo Wings

Shake Chicken wings in McCormick buffalo spice mix.

Let set for 45 minutes.

Smoke with hickory chunks indirectly at 275-300degrees F for about 60 to 75 minutes to meat temp of 165.

Serve with blue cheese dressing. 

Pulled Pork on the Char-Griller Akorn steel kamado

Recently I smoked an 8 pound boneless pork shoulder (pork butt).
After rinsing the butt with cold water and applying a coating of vegetable oil, I rubbed it with Pensey's BBQ 3000 rub and let it chill overnight in the refrigerator.
The next morning, I started the Char-Griller Akorn with Royal Oak lump charcoal lit in a charcoal chimney.
I used several chunks of cherry wood ( some soaked in water for 45 minutes and some dry). I planned on an oven temperature of around 250F and an estimated 8 hour cook time.
With some experience, it is easy to maintain the temperature with adjustment of the top and bottom drafts. Bear in mind that it is always easier to heat up than to cool down. I usually check the temperature hourly while cooking. Even after using this cooker for a few years, I lack the confidence to cook overnight while sleeping!
The roast was placed on the smoking grill over a water pan.

A dual thermometer probe ( CDN DSP1 Dual Sensing Probe Thermometer and Timer) to monitor internal meat temperature and oven temperature was used.

With smoke still pouring out, after 6 1/2 hours (a little sooner than I expected on a beautiful windless late July day in northern NY), the internal temperature hit 200F.

Then I double wrapped the butt in aluminum foil and placed it in an insulated cooler to rest for two hours. It then pulled very easily with Beast Clawz.

Topped with Carolina Gold Bar-B-Que sauce

and coleslaw on a kaiser or ciabatta roll

it makes a mighty fine sandwich!

Yet another pork spare rib recipe!

Recently I've used the system of cooking described below to do pork ribs several times with great results.
Using the Akorn Kamado Kooker setup for indirect smoking over water, bring the temperature to about 212F.
Using cherry, maple and/or hickory wood, apply your favorite rub and smoke the ribs for 3 hours. The meat will retract from the ends of the bones. 

"The Crunch" Then wrap the ribs in foil drizzling on a mixture of tea or coffee, bourbon whiskey,  chives or green onions and brown sugar( 1 oz. Tea: 1 oz. whiskey:1 tablespoon brown sugar: your preferred amount of the greens). 

Continue  cooking the foil wrapped rib bundle for 2 hours at the same temperature. 

Then open the bundle and cook the ribs on the grill (still indirect over water) for 30 minutes to lightly caramelize your choice of BBQ sauce applied at that point.

Yesterday, I did this applying Trader Joe's Carolina Gold Sauce (a mustard based sauce) with a very tasty result.

Direct charcoal

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/01/dining/steak-on-charcoal-cooking.html?_r=0

Another Kamado Rib Recipe

I spent time in the Denver, Colorado area in the 1960's and early 1970's.
Locally famous was Daddy Bruce's BBQ.

We found his sauce recipe in the Denver Post in the 70's. Here is a link to the recipe:
http://www.cooks.com/recipe/ku94s3l7/daddy-bruce-barbecue-sauce.html
Daddy Bruce was renowned for feeding the homeless and specifically for cooking many turkeys for them at Thanksgiving.
From that now lost Denver Post article, I devised a method of cooking ribs. I dredged that up from my memory and tried to duplicate it on the kamado.
At 230-240 F oven temperature I set up for indirect smoking over water. 

I used cherry wood .

I smoked 3 1/2 pounds of pork spare ribs for 2 1/2 hours. Simultaneously I cooked a corned beef.

The beef got to an internal temperature of 145F . I left it on and put the ribs in a stainless steel pot (with half of the above recipe for the sauce in the pot) on the grill.

 I turned the ribs every 15 minutes in the pot as the sauce only partially covered them.

After another half hour, the corned beef was up to 165F and I took it off.

 I let the oven temp rise to 350-400F to try to thicken the sauce. That wasn't completely successful as I had diluted it somewhat in a futile attempt to cover the ribs. Despite that, the result was delicious. The rib bones came right off the meat with no cutting required. A nice smoke ring was noted. I was cooking on a very windy night at an ambient temperature of 15-20F.

I was pretty chilled by the time I brought the ribs in the house. I was so chilled that I forgot to take a picture of the finished product! Maybe next time with thicker sauce!

Kamado Kooker Lamb Yogurt-Marinated, Grilled Za'atar-Rubbed

Working from a recently published recipe, last night, I grilled a butterflied leg of lamb roast on the Kamado Kooker.

The recipe from this source:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2013/07/17/yogurt-marinated-grilled-zaatar-rubbed-lamb/

MAKE AHEAD: The lamb needs to marinate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. The rubbed meat needs to rest at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling.

8 servings

Ingredients:

·                            2 cups plain regular or low-fat yogurt

·                            Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus fresh juice of 2 lemons

·                            7- to 8-pound leg of lamb, trimmed of fat, boned and butterflied by butcher (about 5 pounds boneless)

·                            2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·                            6 cloves garlic, minced

·                            3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

·                            3 tablespoons za'atar (see headnote)

·                            1 tablespoon kosher salt

·                            1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

·                            1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Combine the yogurt, lemon zest and half of the lemon juice in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Add the lamb and seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.

Combine the oil, garlic, mint, za'atar, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Remove the lamb from the marinade; discard the marinade. Use paper towels to wipe the meat dry. Smear the za'atar mixture all over the lamb. Bring the meat to room temperature, which will take about an hour.

Prepare the grill for direct heat. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (450 degrees). If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them under the cooking area for direct heat. You should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for 3 or 4 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames. Lightly coat the grill rack with oil and place it on the grill.

Grill the lamb (uncovered) for 10 to 12 minutes on each side or until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the thickest part of the meat registers 125 degrees.

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board. Pour the remaining lemon juice evenly over the meat. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and rest the meat for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board.

My notes and pictures:

The roast we had was about 3# so my wife halved all the ingredients and marinated for 36 hours.

Marinated lamb with the za'atar rub.

Based on my previous lamb roasting in the kooker, I chose to cook the roast indirectly at 475F

oven temperature according to the oven thermometer on my meat probe.

I didn't use any wood chips but cooked on lump charcoal only.

After searing.

I seared each side for about 2 minutes. The roast was done to 145 F internal temperature in 20 minutes.

It was superb but next time, I might quit at the suggested 125F or 135F for a bit more rare taste.

Covered with foil at the end, it cooks a little more.

On the table with sides of aloo palak and basmati rice pilaf with vegetables.

My wife said she would plan to add more mint next time as that flavor was not too noticeable.

She also thought that plain rice might be better as the lamb and juice had such a great flavor.

I loved it as it was. We also had a glass of Retsina Malamatina with this meal which was a delicious accompaniment.

Marinated pork tenderloin on the Kamado Kooker

We had company for dinner last week so my wife marinated pork tenderloin overnight.
We've done this often before but this was my first chance to cook it on the Kamado.
The marinade is as follows:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon minced garlic
Marinade at least 3 hours but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove from fridge and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until grilling.
I used a variation of the smoke and sear technique described very well here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/136656/pork-tenderloin-on-the-kamado-kooker-reverse-sear.
I did not use any wood chips trying not to spoil the rosemary and garlic flavor. I initially cooked the tender loins to an internal temperature of 120F over a pan containing water and beer.

Starting out over the pan of beer/water.

Then I opened the top and bottom drafts and moved the tenderloins  directly over the coals to sear and brown them.

I turned them a few times and in about 15 minutes, the internal temperature was 145F while the kamado was up to 400F.

.
Then I wrapped them in foil for about 15 minutes while we readied the table.

Here they are sliced. Very tasty and quite moist and still nice and warm when served with tabouli and fresh green and yellow beans with almonds. We also had  a California red wine Apothic Red--a lovely blend that was quite complementary.