Rocktober! Lets blow the contest out of the water theis week!

[Big Poppa]

OK The days of pleasant smoking weather are over for most of you....(not me!)

Lets tear it up!

$25 store credit for first
$15 store credit for second
$10 store credit for third
$5 for everybody else that enters....has to be minimum of six cooks to pay out....thats not 6 posts six different members entering1`

 

[squirtthecat]

85° and Sunny here! Let's light this candle..

 

[Deb]

Pizza night!

I never make really thin crust pizza and when I made the dough last night for tonight's pizza it wasn't what i was intending.......but I wasn't thinking and scaled the recipe for a 14" pan, mixed the dough, into the fridge for a long slow rise, took it out of the fridge today about 3 hours before i wanted to bake it. After an hour I pulled out the pan i wanted to use - it's 16", I don't have a 14" pan - dilemma - make a 14 inch pizza in the 16 pan or do a thin crust pizza - my intention was to do a mix of two New England pizza styles - Greek and Bar - the bar pizza has the cheese spread all the way out to the edge of the pan where it melts and browns and gets crispy. I decided to go 16" since I wanted to keep the brown, crusty cheese . Olive oil on the pan, dough spread out in the pan, it's thin, you can see the pan through the dough in a few spots

brushed the dough with Annie's roasted garlic olive oil, covered with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours

while that was rising I prepared the sauce - the greek pizza sauce is a slightly sweet cooked sauce, I used crushed tomatoes, sugar, lots of oregano, garlic, & crushed red pepper

sauced the dough, then roughly 1/2 mozzarella & 1/2 white cheddar , then topped with pepperoni & homemade hot italian turkey sausage

the traeger was preheated on high, this picture was the first time I checked it, it was browning in the back so I spun it a few times

looking better

out of the grill & sliced

the crust

dinner

sometimes mistakes turn out to be happy, this pizza is one I will do again......

 

[ht01us]

Cedar plank salmon

Today was a beautiful fall day so Carla and I thought we ought to try cooking some fish on the grill. A few cedar shakes blew off the roof so it was the perfect time to try cedar plank salmon. I had grocery shopping duty this week and got to go into the new New Season's market. The fish there is fantastic and I got a nice fillet. There were some planks there and they looked a little bigger than the shakes that blew down so I thought I'd splurge.

We soaked the plank for about an hour; I think 2 hours is more the norm. The shakes from the roof were plenty wet, I could have saved time if I used them. We rubbed the fillets with EVOO, salt, and pepper.

You can see I had to cut the fillet into pieces to get it to fit. Heck; the cedar shakes are smaller still. Good thing I went for the store bought.

Fired the MAK up to 400 using Oak pellets.. I put the salmon on and closed the door for 20 minutes.

Nice thing about the Remote Boss; I didn't have to go outside to monitor things

After 20 minutes the little piece was ready but the 2 big hunks needed about 5 more minutes to get to 125

All done and ready to serve

Carla made a salad with a homemade Siriracha dressing

Dinner is served. Henriët, our DIL-to be from South Africa introduced us to chutney as an accompaniment for salmon. We had mango chutney tonight.

Great dinner; easy and delicious. This will go on the regular rotation.
(Yes I know I shouldn't cook salmon on roof shakes)

 

[Chili Head]

Bacon Roasted Chicken with Baked Zucchini de Provence and Homemade French Bread

The ingredents for tonights meal:

Tonight the first thing I did was bake the french bread in the MAK at 400º for 35 minutes burning oak pellets.

While the bread was baking I prepped the chicken and the zucchini.
For the chicken I used:
2 TB butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 ts thyme
2 carrots
paprika to taste
8 slices of bacon
2 cups of beef broth
1 medium sized onion

I stuffed the carrots and onion in the cavity and tied the legs together. Then I tooth picked the skin closed to close the cavity.

Next I rubbed the butter over the chicken and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the chicken breast side up and lay the bacon over the chicken and sprinkle on some paprika to taste. Then pour the beef broth into the pan but don't pour it over the bacon. You want to crisp the bacon so it can be crumbled later.

The bread is almost done!

Just enough time to get the zucchini ready.

 

[Chili Head]

For the zucchini de Provence I used:
3 zucchini cut into 1/4 inch rounds
3 TB EVOO
2 ts ground sea salt
1 ts herbes de Provence
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup of shredded parmeasan cheese
ground black pepper

Arange your zucchini in a pan and drizzle with EVOO and season with the de Provence and sea salt. Repeat the layering until the zuchini is used up.

The bread is done! I love the smell of home made bread!

continued..

 

[Chili Head]

Time to put in the chicken!

At 450º bake the chicken for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 350º. Every 15 minutes baste the chicken with the beef broth. Continue to roast the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 170º when taken in the thickest part of the thigh.

When the chicken is almost done put in the zucchini.

Bake the zucchini at 350 for 30 minutes. While the zucchini is baking mix up the breadcrumbs, Parmeasan cheese and 3 TB EVOO in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Once the zucchini has baked for 30 minutes sprinkle the cheese mixture over the top and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese mixture develops a crust.

Time for the chicken to come out! This smells so good! I wish you could smell it!

Take the bacon off of the chicken, crumble it up and set it aside.

Here we go! Time to plate it all up.

Place a piece of chicken on the plate with some carrots and onions. Add the zucchini and a piece of the home made French bread with a pat of butter. Sprinkle some of the crumbled bacon on the chicken and veggies then garnish it with a bit of Italian parsley. Time to enjoy some of the best chicken I have ever had! A glass of cherry and berry wine complimented this meal perfectly.

Now you know I cant stop there!!

continued..

 

[Chili Head]

How about some dessert kabobs!
Strawberry shortcake and piña colada.

For these I used some strawberries, pineapple, bannanas, shredded coconut and angel food cake and whipped cream. This is so easy and tastes so good and takes no time at all to prepair!

Just slice your berries in half, cut the cake into 1 1/2 inch squares and slice your bannanas into 1/4 inch pieces. Thread the pieces onto your skewers and put them over the flame zone at 400º for 5 minutes turning them to keep them from burning. I did mine with 1 strawberry to a piece of angel food cake and repeated. The other skewer got bannana and pineapple then sprinkled with the shredded coconut. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a cup of coffee and you're ready to enjoy!

I have to say this chicken was super moist and seasoned perfectly. The beef broth and bacon added that WOW factor we all look for in a meal. The zucchini had a nice crust and was tender and flavorful. The carrots and onion with the side of home made french bread hit the spot on this one.

The dessert kabobs couldnt have been better. I must be in heaven!!
There's something about grilled fruit over raw fruit that just makes it better! The smoked angel food cake was outstanding! The sugars in the cake carmalized along the edges and the crusty edges tasted like sweet candy is the only way I can describe it.
It was just heavenly! I know it sounds corny but it was perfect!

If you're looking for a chicken dish to try you owe it to yourself to try this one!

Enjoy!

 

[FLBentRider]

Pork butts 2 ways
I had 2 pork butts, and these players

Cajun on the Left, Mojo on the right

Onto the 2 Star with Perfect Mix, programmed the pellet boss for 4 hours on "Smoke" then 215F

I put them on about 2130 (9:30PM). The next afternoon:

One was done (IT 195F) before the other, so into FTC it went. the other went a few more hours

Out of FTC:

Pulled

Plated with a corn muffin::

Home made Cheese cake for dessert:

The pork was excellent, the cajun has just a bit of heat, and the mojo brings some citrus to the party.

 

[smoker pete]

Comfort Food ... MAK Meatloaf

Used my favorite Meatloaf recipe: 1½ lbs of Ground Beef, 1 lb of Jimmy Dean Sausage, sautéd onions/red peppers, garlic, spices, Italian Bread Crumbs, eggs, and Tomato Sauce. Formed 2 loaves and into a preheated 350ºF MAK.

Pulled the loaves when the IT hit 160ºF. When the IT was 150º I topped off the Meatloaves with the remaining Tomato Sauce. Many people use Ketchup and other things but you might want to try using Tomato Sauce, it adds a different element to your Meatloaf.

The money $shot ... A slice of Meatloaf and Steamed Potatoes topped with Mushroom Brown Gravy served with a side of corn ...Life is good!!

 

[JimmyDings]

1st ever cook on a real pellet fired smoker

OK Deb, you talked me into it.....lol
Although I see alot more yummy looking than mine

1st cook on the mak 2 Star



Ok 1st and foremost let me say i am a BBQ and Pellet fired smoker virgin!

1st cook on the Mak 2 Star was Boneless chicken breasts cut in half, marinaded in Coke a cola, onions and garlic.
wrapped in Bacon, and cooked @ 325 for 1 hour using 1/2 Oak and Cherry Pellets. Receipe came from Myron Mixon's "Smokin" Book

Finished with a brushing of Dinosour BBQ sause.

The family truly enjoyed my 1st try and are wanting me to do more and more......which I plan on! I truly look forward to learning and enjoying as much of this as I can.


View attachment 898View attachment 899View attachment 900
Served with Mac & Potato Salad and Garlic Beans.........Yum!

 

[sparky]

friday night dinner.

i call it pork butt yummy. and away we go.

1 pork butt rubbed down w/ some CT and then seasoned w/ LL w/P.

onto #36 @ smoke setting.

the next morning i wrapped w/ apple juice at 170º and put back on #36.

pulled at 203º and ready for cooler time.

let rest for 2 hours or so. ready to get pulled.

good color and deep smoke ring. very moist. one of the best of have done.

next night i cooked up some onions, bell peppers, mushrooms w/ some LL w/P, soileau's and evoo.

dumped in some Big bob gibson habanero red sauce and mucho pork butt.

it looks great. taste even better.

it was a great meal. just me and the mrs w/ a 1/2 case of FT. a good night had by all.

.

yummy, yummy. and thats all i got to say about that.

 

[Deb]

Pretzel Rolls
this one is Rip's fault, I have been thinking about the pretzel dogs he did a few weeks ago. Every once in awhile I try making pretzels, I have never done one that I am 100% happy with and probably never will find the ultimate because I don't want to play with lye This recipe is the best that I have found so far, I wish I had shaped a few into pretzels and not done them all as rolls.....

mixed up the dough this morning, let rise for about an hour, cut into pieces and shape into rolls (or pretzels if you want), cover with plastic wrap and into the fridge for a few hours (you can go longer, the longer the go the better the flavor is going to develop)

get the oven (or grill , my heat source of choice) ready . Boil 4 qts of water and gradually add 1/3 cup of baking soda into the water - it bubbles up

turn it down to a simmer
drop the rolls/pretzels into the water for 15-20 seconds per side, take out with slotted spoon and onto the baking sheet , sprinkle with kosher salt
bake at 350 degrees

little lunch - while it was still hot I added some ham & cheese

 

[TentHunter]

OK Folks here's the first cook on MAK 1 star General #171.

The Mrs. got to fire it up for the first cook. She loved that the push of a button is all it took and a few minutes later #171 started putting out smoke and then roared to life.

Sparky said bacon for the first cook, The Mrs. wanted Tri-tip... I said why not both?

One tri-tip was seasoned with Little Louie's w/Black Pepper. The other with some Soileau's (thanks Squirt) and some of Rip's homemade R.I.P. Hot Pepper (thanks Rip). I love the label!

When the bacon came off, some frozen corn with butter & Little Louie's went on. The tri-tips were pulled off at an internal temp of 143°. A dish of mashed potatoes went on with some cheddar and the crumbled bacon and I kicked the MAK up to High.

Ahhh... the finished shots.

The trip-tips were both sliced thick...

The potatoes got a sprinkling of chives...

...and a dollop of sour cream, and both were served with the buttery, slightly smoky corn.

A simple meal cooked on a great grill and it turned out delicious!

 

[squirtthecat]

Soileau's "Bayou Skyline" Chili Dogs

Time for some post season Cardinal's baseball! Figured I would fix something special to munch on while watching the game..

Start with some Snake River Farms Kobe beef franks.

Hit with a couple hours of smoke, and then back in the fridge overnight to soak it up.


Now, some Cajun chili with a nod to Cincinnati. ;D

(didn't use the tomato paste after all)


1.25 pound Ground chuck and 1/2 an onion into the Griswold, on the MAK at 325°.

Brown it down. Cut the temperature, and add 1/2 the packet of Soileau's chili mix.

Stir it in good.

Cube up 8oz of Velveeta and incorporate.

3 cups of Macaroni, cooked and ready to go.

Stir in it, and add 1/2 cup milk.

I let it sit in the MAK on 'smoke' while I finished watering the flowers, and getting the franks and buns ready.
Picked up a little more color.

Plate it up.

Grab a folk, and Play Ball!

 

[HogSmoker]

Ahhh not so good a cook this time all on me and not the MAK.

Baked beans

Beans in the pot and no whole cake a baking.

St Louis style ribs on the MAK

Ribs around the 2 hr mark before the foil love.

After some brown sugar Sparky style their wrapped and back on the MAK

Baked beans are done they were better than the ribs.

Ready for the plate

Ribs were so so not proud of them at all need to stick with the better meat.
Now the best part of all this.... I had a blast cooking them I LOVE my MAK 1 Star General S #133.

 

[ITFD#15]

Thanksgiving

Its Thanksgiving weekend for us Canadians so my big cook is today.
Warmed up the Traeger with a couple of nice T-bones, potatoes in foil and a can or two of Rolling Rock. O ya dont forget the Morals and onions yummy.

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Marinated a couple of nice West Grey Premium Beef T-bones with pressed garlic, Lea & Perrins EVOO, and Firehouse rub. Placed the steaks and mixure into a zip lock bag and set aside for a couple of hours.

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Next is the potatoes and onions in foil, added Parmesan cheese, butter, and Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning.

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Some morals sauteed with onions for a topping.

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This was an great meal and a good start to a long weekend. Anyone that hasn't tried steak on the grill is missing out.
Temp set at 225 with 50/50 cherry, hickory mix produces a nice flavor.

Keep your stick on the ice.

 

[bflodan]

Another great week!! So many good cooks makes it really hard to judge but somebody has got to win... Sorry to make this so short but my 8 week old isnt really cooperating to well...Here goes

3rd: Deb: Pizza and pretzal rolls
Im a sucker for good pizza and that looks excellent and those rolls Im going to have to try

2nd:Chili: Chicken, zucchini, french bread and desert kabobs
Now that is a complete dinner!!! Have never done desert kabobs before, I will be now... Great cook!!

1st: Tent: 1st cook
The Tri Tip looks amazing but those potaoes are what sold me...Looks Delicious

Thanks BP for making this happen!! Great week everybody..

 

[ITFD#15]

Good show everyone nice cook, congrats to the winners and thanks BP for putting on the show.
Your all lucky that the contest has closed cause I am doing my Thanksgiving feast today lol

Sparky I haven't forgot about ya just working on the new crop... Might work well on your pulled pork mission.

 

[FLBentRider]

Congrats to the winners, and thanks again BP!