Smokey Barbecued Buffalo Wings

Wings are one of the best things ever. Make these.

MEAT:
Package of about 25 chicken wing segments, rinsed

RUB:
Teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder

SAUCE:
1/4 stick butter or margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons medium hot sauce, such as Frank's
1 teaspoon Sriracha (optional, for extra zing)
1 teaspoon honey

STEPS:
1. Melt butter and pour into a large bowl with other sauce ingredients.

2. Mix together and apply rub to chicken wings.

3. Fire up the smoker, with the grill grate closer to the coals to obtain a temperature of 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Cook wings for 45 minutes or until well browned, turning once halfway through. Internal temperature of wings should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Toss wings in sauce until evenly coated.

Though we're not always traditionalists, we at Sizzle Grove like to enjoy wings with celery sticks. It's healthy, it's crunchy, it's refreshing, why not. Serve with your favorite blue cheese dressing if you're into that sorta thing.

You know what goes great with these? A cool glass of NY-brewed imperial India pale ale.

BREWERY SPOTLIGHT: Captain Lawrence

The battle rages on... east coast vs. west coast...

No, we're not talking about gangsta rap. We're talking beer. A lot of American craft beer fans enjoy the citrusy, high-octane, mega-hopped ales of the west coast, but the east certainly has some incredible contributions to the beer world. One of our favorite up-and-coming breweries is Captain Lawrence Brewing Company in Pleasantville, NY.

We've had several chances to visit this brewery and sample a variety of their beers, from their flagship pale and brown ales, to limited releases such as "Smoke From the Oak" aged porter and Cuvee de Castleton sour ale.

Being the hopheads we are, one of our favorites is their "Captain's Reserve Imperial IPA." Here's our review:

Translucent orangey color, pretty decent head. Big hop and fruit aroma. Huge apricot, pineapple, and grapefruit flavors. Some nice grassy hops too. Not overly sweet and malty and 'barleywine-ish' like a lot of DIPAs these days. Just the right sweetness, and a generous hop bitterness, but not tongue-biting.

$13.50 for a new growler, $10.50 for a refill

Overall score from Beer Advocate reviews: A-

Captain Lawrence Website

Try pairing this with some smokey barbecued buffalo chicken wings. Wait a minute, do we have a recipe for that???

BBQ SIDES: Herbed Garlic Toast

We at Sizzle Grove are garlic enthusiasts. Did you know garlic is believed to have an aphrodesiac effect? I mean, as long as your teeth are thoroughly brushed.

Here's a delicious side dish to serve with your favorite barbecue, or to be used in place of a roll for a brisket sandwich:

WHAT YOU NEED:

A big loaf of rustic bread, cut into thick slices
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Small handful chopped fresh parsley

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Mince garlic with a knife, or use a garlic press. Put minced garlic into a little microwaveable dish.

2. Put butter into dish with garlic.

3. Microwave for about thirty seconds, or until butter mostly melts.

4. Stir butter and garlic up, then add in olive oil, pepper, and parsley.

5. Refrigerate for a few hours, until mixture is congealed.

6. Spread herbed garlic butter onto bread slices.

7. Grill, bake, or toast at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit until edges of bread start to brown and crisp a bit.

If you'd like, try other herbs such as oregano, basil, or a combination!

BBQ BASICS: Charcoal Chimneys

A charcoal chimney starter makes it easy and efficient to start coals. It's possible to light said coals without lighter fluid, but using a little bit may help them catch a tad bit faster. Generally, a chimneyfull of briquettes takes about an hour to light.

1. Place a small amount of crumpled newspaper in the vented underside of your charcoal chimney.

2. Pour coals to the top. If you're using lighter fluid, drizzle that in and shake the coals for even dispersement.

3. Set the chimney on the grate or charcoal pan of your smoker/grill, and light the newspaper at the bottom. If the grill is unavailable, set your chimney on a flat concrete surface, with a bucket of water nearby for emergencies. Asphalt, depending on how freshly it was laid, may melt from the heat underneath.

4. Once the smoke is continuously billowing... GREAT SUCCESS! This means the coals are lit. If they are not lit, lift up the chimney using an oven mitt, carefully add another crumpled newspaper to the bottom, and relight.

5. After a while, flames will be visible at the top of the coals. This means you're almost ready. In about ten minutes, the top coals should be whitish colored and the flames should no longer be visible.


6. Unlike our friend Rob here, always use an oven mitt to carefully pour your coals in the charcoal pan of your smoker/grill. Wait five or ten minutes or so with the smoker open, to keep the coals oxygenated and help "pre-heat" your smoker. Isn't "pre-heat" a dumb phrase? I refer to it as heating. Pre-heating is when I think to myself "I want to cook something."

7. Start placing soaked wood chunks or chips onto the hot coals to produce savory smoke, place the grill grate in the appropriate spot, and start a-cookin.

Remember, keep your smoker on a hard, flat, non-flammable surface with a bucket of water nearby just in case. Always use an oven mitt when handling coals or your grill grate.

BBQ SIDES: Tangy Cole Slaw

Part of enjoying barbecue is having delicious sides to both complement and enhance the smokey, tangy, spicy, and sweet flavors. Cole slaw makes for a perfect side dish.

We at Sizzle Grove like our cole slaw with plenty of mustard. Mustard, we believe, is a fantastic staple of awesome barbecue. Here's our recipe:

CABBAGE:
*Half of a medium-sized cabbage
(May substitute a half pound bag of pre-shredded cole slaw)

DRESSING:
1.5 tablespoons mayo
1.5 tablespoons mustard
1.5 teaspoons olive oil
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch smoked paprika

STEPS:
1. In a large bowl, combine mayo, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and paprika. Mix well with a spoon until a consistent dressing is formed.

2. Either shred or finely dice large cabbage. Be sure to remove the tough, thick white sections underneath.

3. Mix cabbage into dressing until everything is well incorporated.

4. Transfer to a smaller dish with a lid, store in the fridge for a couple hours for all the flavors to blend together. The acids in the mustard and spices will help break down and soften the shredded cabbage.

Serve either on the side of your barbecue or ontop of a pulled pork sandwich. More side dish recipes to come. Let us know what your favorite recipes are too!

Barbecuing Pork Shoulder

Pulled pork and chopped pork are a staple of almost all barbecue regions, particularly South Carolina and Tennessee. Whether shredded up and topped with a thick, sweet, tomato-based sauce or chopped up and pile high on a sandwich with a spicy vinegar sauce and topped with cole slaw, pork shoulder is delicious.

Of course, the best way to get pulled or chopped pork is by doing whole hog barbecue. This way, the juices of all meat portions, including the bacon cuts, seep into each other as it cooks. As we all know, bacon is one of the greatest things ever.

However, a smoker that can handle a 100 pound pig is not a luxury most of us possess (and yes, usually such smaller pigs are used). Pork shoulder (also called pork butt for some reason) is the next best thing. This one is inspired by Carolina barbecue, with a thin, very peppery sauce. As usual, measurements are approximate, so tailor it to your own liking.

WARNING: NOT FOR THE IMPATIENT

MEAT:
Bone-in pork shoulder, if you can find it

BRINE:
One cup vinegar (cheap stuff is fine)
One cup water
Two tablespoons salt
Two tablespoons sugar
A few dashes of hot sauce if you like

SPICY SAUCE:
Half cup apple cider vinegar
Half cup white vinegar
Tablespoon dijon mustard
Tablespoon brown sugar
Two teaspoons black pepper
Teaspoon cumin
Teaspoon garlic powder
Teaspoon onion powder
Teaspoon paprika
Teaspoon ground mustard

COOKIN' THE MEAT:

1. Obtain bone-in pork shoulder if you can. These generally weigh 8+ pounds. Do not trim off the fat, but rather score it with a knife.

2. Prepare your brine. Boil a cup of water, a cup of vinegar, and two tablespoons each of salt and sugar, let it cool, then set the pork shoulder in a container with this mixture. Try to find a container that allows the mixture to cover the meat.

3. Fire up your smoker with a medium batch of coals, plus some soaked hickory wood chunks... or whatever wood you like. You'll probably need to light a few small batches of coals as the pork cooks.

4. Pork shoulder does not necessarily need a thick rub like the one pictured on the left, especially if it's been brined, as a lot of Carolina chopped pork recipes include a zippy blend of vinegar and spices added after cooking. It all depends on the recipe, and all styles are valid!

5. Cook for about an hour per pound, adding coals when the heat goes down. At a temperature of about 225-250 degrees, it should take about an hour per pound. The pork shoulder will be done when a dark crust, or "bark," covers the meat. It may appear burnt, but it isn't. Internal temperature should be about 195 Fahrenheit.  Wrap in tinfoil after the first 4 hours or so.

6. Let meat rest about 10-15 minutes. It may not necessarily fall apart easily and be fork or finger shreddable, unless you wrap it in foil and cook for an additional hour or two at a higher temp. We like to do that, but it's fine to pull apart segments and chop the meat up with a cleaver. This is NOT cheating! Real barbecue gurus do this all the time.


MAKIN' THE SAUCE:

This sauce need not be cooked.

1. Combine all dry spices and mix up with your fingers to break up brown sugar lumps.

2. Mix vinegar and mustard together with whisk or spoon until well blended.

3. Mix in dry spices. Pour everything over the chopped pork and mix it all up. Try the chopped pork on a sandwich roll with mustardy cole slaw.

GOT YOUR OWN PULLED PORK OR CAROLINA CHOPPED PORK RECIPE? Send it to Sizzle Grove. Don't forget to snap some pics!

(Raw pork shoulder photo licensed by Creative Commons)

Connecticut Barbecue

Among all the barbecue regions of America, Connecticut is easily the most..... uh......

Okay, there is no such thing as "Connecticut barbecue," in terms of a particular style indigenous to New England or the northeast whatsoever. However, some establishments around the nutmeg state give a nod to the nation's barbecue regions with their own renditions of such well-established styles.

Wilson's in Fairfield, CT is one of the most well-known Connecticut barbecue joints, once featured on the Food Network's popular Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. Their menu offers the standard ribs, brisket, sausages, and chicken, though they tend to pay homage to every region of American barbecue. Various types of sauces, such as Kansas City style sweet barbecue sauce, to the peppery bite of Tennessee-style vinegar based sauce, are all included here. Texas style brisket, Memphis and St. Louis style ribs, and Carolina style pork shoulder are all found here. Check out their website.

The Cookhouse in New Milford is a well established Connecticut barbecue and country food joint not to be overlooked. And it's big. Their menu features all the favorites, including pulled pork smoked for 15 hours, and a cut of brisket known as "burnt ends." Being a favorite of some of our friends at Sizzle Grove, burnt ends are almost exactly what they sound like... the darkest ends of a smoked brisket. They are, however, far from actually being "burnt." Visit The Cookhouse website for more info.

Sizzle Grove correspondents recently had a chance to visit a less-known barbecue establishment in Groton, called Chester's Barbecue. We had the chance to sample their spare ribs, after staring for about ten minutes at their extensive menu. The ribs are served smoked with a minimal dry rub, with either sweet or spicy sauce served on the side. Of course, we chose spicy rub. The ribs were tender with a balanced smoke flavor... not smoked all day, but not rushed either. Chester's Barbecue has some great reviews online from their visitors. A banner on their website boasts "Barbecue is not the sauce, it's what the sauce goes on." We couldn't agree more.

Just about twenty minutes down the road from Chester's is the massive Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville. Among the dozens of restaurants on the upper level near their "Earth Casino" area is Big Bubba's BBQ. While staying in eastern Connecticut, we thought maybe we'd try out this place too. What sets Big Bubba's BBQ apart from most barbecue we've had is their pulled pork and barbecued beef. What we expected to be a sandwich with some pork shoulder and some brisket slices on it turned out to be brisket cooked so long, it turned into pulled beef. A variety of sauces were offered to us on the table, but the beef and pork sandwiches needed none. Their spice rub was so rich and flavorful, with meat so moist and juicy, their barbecue literally seemed to make its own sauce. Smoke flavor was fairly mild, but the overall impression surely wasn't. They're online too.

There are certainly other barbecue establishments in Connecticut and the northeast. Got any favorites? Send us your review... but keep it positive, we don't do negative posts at Sizzle Grove. Our temporary email address where we accept submissions under the subject line "sizzlegrove" is ndplasty@hotmail.com

(Scenery photo licensed by Creative Commons)
(Cookhouse photo permission granted by Rob at The Cookhouse)

Salsa Is Good. Make Some.

If we can recommend hot sauce with barbecue, why not salsa? A pulled pork taco? Hell yeah! A smoked brisket enchilada? Word up! Besides, chips and salsa pairs very well with a sharp, punchy India pale ale or a crisp, hoppy pilsner.

Here's what you need:
1. A food processor
2. Two medium to large tomatoes
3. One jalapeno (with seeds for heat, without seeds for not so much)
4. Small bunch of cilantro
5. Half a lime
6. Pinch of salt and pepper
7. A clove of garlic (optional)
8. Two thin slices of red onion

Here's what you do:
1. Cut the tomato into manageable pieces, and remove most of the seeds and tomato goo.
2. Also cut up the jalapeno a bit, and the cilantro a bit.
3. Put tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic clove, salt, pepper, and the juice of half a lime into the food processor.
4. Pulse very lightly, until it's all chopped up together thoroughly, but not pureed into mush.
5. Take your thin onion slices, and cut them up into little bits with a knife. Mix these into your pureed salsa, rather than pureeing them in. Trust us, it works better that way.
6. Wait at least a couple hours for all the juices and spices and acids to seep into each other, then enjoy!

**Also, cumin is a nice spice to add, particularly when mixed with fresh oregano. Try putting those in your salsa if you like. For a smokey kick, add some chipotle powder or hot smoked paprika.

Barbecued Brisket Basics

One of my favorite barbecue gurus, television show host and cookbook writer Steve Raichlen, describes brisket as "the Mount Everest of barbecue." He is not wrong.

Brisket is a cut of meat that comes from just below the neck on a cow. Due to it's toughness and high fat content, it absolutely must be cooked thoroughly. This is not a cut of beef you want rare. Undercooked brisket will be completely tough and chewy and almost inedible.

Because of this fact, it's also quite easy to overcook brisket, as you may constantly think to yourself "I better let it cook more" until you've gone too far. This will result in dry, leathery meat.

Properly cooked brisket, however, is delicious and juicy and flavorful. You got it right when it's so tender you can practically carve it with a butterknife.

SO HOW IS IT DONE?

Purchase as thick a cut of brisket as possible. The flat cut briskets often available at supermarkets are easy to dry out. Of course, thick briskets are usually giant, so make sure you have plenty of friends coming.

First off, a brisket is best prepared with a dry rub. You've seen Sizzle Grove discuss coffee rubs in previous blog posts, which makes for an excellent brisket rub. Try mixing together coffee, black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and a bit of cumin. If you like some sweetness, bulk it up with brown sugar too. Be liberal with the coffee. If you don't want to try all of these things, try going as minimal as possible. Salt and pepper. Bam. Done.

Apply plenty of rub to the meat. Some barbecuers say this should be done right before cooking, as to ensure a nice crust. We at Sizzle Grove, however, like to put our rubs on hours (or even a day) beforehand in order to create rub marinade... a "rubbinade," let's call it. Sounds dirty.

You will probably need to light a few batches of coals to cook your brisket through. Start with a large batch of coals, then after a couple hours, light a half batch, rinse, and repeat. Be sure to stock your smoker with your favorite hard wood chunks each time you light coals to infuse the meat with flavorful smoke.

TIME AND TEMPERATURE ARE KEY! Cooking your brisket at around 220 degrees for about an hour per pound will do the trick. Wrapping the brisket in foil at the halfway point is also quite helpful for getting that perfect, tender texture.  Once the bark toughens, it isn't likely to absorb much more smoke flavor anyway.  And, if you run out of coals and finish it in the oven, I promise I won't tell.

Another helpful hint for keeping your brisket moist is the use of baste. Each time you light new coals, baste the meat. A simple baste, or "mop sauce," consists simply of half vinegar, half water. However, if you want to be creative, add some hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce or dry spices to your baste. If you want to go with our beloved coffee theme, add a shot of espresso to your baste!

As always, let us know if you have a favorite brisket recipe, or let us know the results if you try any of our ideas. Don't forget to send pictures! Any submissions may be sent to sizzlegrove@hotmail.com with the subject line "sizzlegrove."


(Brisket photo licensed by Creative Commons)

Making Hot Sauce

What we find pairs best with certain types of barbecue, rather than a thick typical barbecue sauce, is a nice hot sauce. Smoked chicken wings, brisket, and sausages are particularly delicious with a nice dab of hot sauce.

Most people don't realize it, but hot sauce can be made at home. All you need is some chili peppers, water, salt, and vinegar. However, other ingredients may be included too, such as garlic, onions, a bit of sugar, and even pureed carrots for some sweetness.

Here's how Sizzle Grove's Thai chili hot sauce is made:

1. In a saucepan, put about 20 thai chilis (stems removed), plus one garlic clove, in a half a cup of water and a half a cup of vinegar.

2. Add two teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of sugar.

3. Bring these to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until everything softens.

4. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor which has proper ventilation at the top for handling hot liquids. Add about a quarter cup each of fresh cold water and vinegar, in order to help bring the temperature down.

5. Puree until smooth. Some tiny bits of chilis or garlic in your sauce is fine... gives it character.

6. Funnel your sauce into a glass storage container, and keep in the fridge. This will keep almost indefinitely!

Send us your hot sauce recipes, or your results from trying this one out!