Thirteen safety tips
1. Wash your hands often
2. Have hot pads close by
3. Have a spray bottle of fresh water near the barbecue
4. Start with a clean grill. Build up of grease can easily catch fire
5. Do not leave your barbecue unattended with food cooking
6. Know where your first aid kit is located
7. If you have someone using the barbecue who has little experience share with them safe practices when barbecuing.
8. Put cooked meat on a clean platter.
9. Be sure all the controls are in the off position when done cooking.
10. Use correct cooking utensils when barbecuing.
11. Cook meat, chicken and fish to the appropriate temperature.
12. Use separate cutting boards to cut up chicken and cut up vegetables.
13. When done eating put left overs in the refrigerator right away to prevent growth of bacteria.
Congratulations to my nephew Jerry and Kandy on the birth of their baby girl today at 8#11oz.
To read more Thursday Thirteen
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Thursday Thirteen Edition (#3 correction) #4
13 favorite items to barbeque
1. T-bone steaks
2. Thick pork chops
3. Salmon on cedar planks
4. Cod
5. Shrimp/scallop kabobs
6. corn on the cob
7. asparagus
8. hamburgers
9. skirt steak
10. Lamb chops
11. chicken
12. rotisserie turkey on the barbecue
13. mixed vegetables
To read more Thursday Thirteen
1. T-bone steaks
2. Thick pork chops
3. Salmon on cedar planks
4. Cod
5. Shrimp/scallop kabobs
6. corn on the cob
7. asparagus
8. hamburgers
9. skirt steak
10. Lamb chops
11. chicken
12. rotisserie turkey on the barbecue
13. mixed vegetables
To read more Thursday Thirteen
Monday, August 18, 2008
Not exactly as planned
Salmon was on the menu for Sunday night. Grilled salmon on cedar planks. However for whatever reason the grill was having an off night and the cedar plank caught fire and the salmon ended up overdone, however was still good. We try to have every attempt at barbecuing turn out a success sometimes ends up not exactly as planned.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Thursday Thirteen Edition #3
13 suggestions for selecting meat
1. Let your nose guide you. If the meat counter or fish counter smells offensive keep walking.
2. Look closely at the meat counter and processing area, is it clean? any flies?
3. Closely examine the meat, is it pink, fresh looking or old and dry?
4. Wrapped meat; is the packaging intact?
5. Look for the expiration date on the package. There should be at least 3 days before it expires.
6. Red meat should be pink not grey.
7. White meat often is a translucent light pink. As it ages it becomes more opaque and grey.
8. Fish when fresh appears slick, translucent and does not smell "fishy".
9. Fresh meat resists pressure, as a result is pliable but holds it shape.
10. Fat: Balance the fat. A little fat helps flavor the meat
11. Thickness of the meat and preference of cooking stage will determine the length of time the meat will be cooked
12. Choose meat selections that are uniform in thickness so cooking time is consistent.
13. If you do not see the meat you want in the meat case get the attention of the meat department staff and ask if the meat you want is available. Often times they will cut meat to a customers preference when asked.
To read more Thursday Thirteen
THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE THURSDAY THIRTEEN:
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener!
1. Let your nose guide you. If the meat counter or fish counter smells offensive keep walking.
2. Look closely at the meat counter and processing area, is it clean? any flies?
3. Closely examine the meat, is it pink, fresh looking or old and dry?
4. Wrapped meat; is the packaging intact?
5. Look for the expiration date on the package. There should be at least 3 days before it expires.
6. Red meat should be pink not grey.
7. White meat often is a translucent light pink. As it ages it becomes more opaque and grey.
8. Fish when fresh appears slick, translucent and does not smell "fishy".
9. Fresh meat resists pressure, as a result is pliable but holds it shape.
10. Fat: Balance the fat. A little fat helps flavor the meat
11. Thickness of the meat and preference of cooking stage will determine the length of time the meat will be cooked
12. Choose meat selections that are uniform in thickness so cooking time is consistent.
13. If you do not see the meat you want in the meat case get the attention of the meat department staff and ask if the meat you want is available. Often times they will cut meat to a customers preference when asked.
To read more Thursday Thirteen
THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE THURSDAY THIRTEEN:
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Thursday Thirteen Edition #2
13 steps 
to smoking first prize award winning meat
1. Select your meat for smoking. Pick pieces that are about the same size, so that all the meat will finish about the same time.
2. Flavor sele
ction – Choose the chip of choice. We have found hickory to be one of our favorites. Put the smoking chips in water to soak at least two hours before using. Wedge a large piece of wood on top to hold the remaining chips down in the water. Soaking allows the wood to swell with water and produce the smoke that will flavor the meat.
3. Get ready
for fire – Prime your charcoal chimney by crumpling newspaper and placing in the bottom of the chimney. Set it in the firebox. Fill the chimney with charcoal. Light the paper through the vents in the bottom and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. First spicing – Spice the side of the meat that will be lying on the rack.
5. Second spicing – Spice the fat side of the meat. The fat should be on top. During the smoking process, the fat will keep the meat moist.
6. Chimney sweep – Put on a glove
or oven mitt before taking hold of the hot chimney handle, empty the contents of the charcoal chimney onto a few soaked chips. Keep the coals concentrated to maintain the heat that was generated in the chimney.
7. On top of ol’ Smokey – add a few chips to the top of the charcoal pile. This will help generate smoke.
8. Now you’re cookin’ – close the lid to the smoke chamber and the fire chamber.
9. Now adjust the fresh air intake on the side of the fire chamber to regulate the heat. Adjust the smoke vent on top of the smoker to regulate the amount of smoke that fills the smoke/cook chamber.
10. Shuffling the deck – The smoke chamber has hot and cool spots. To make sure all the meat cooks evenly, rotate the pieces of meat from side to side.
11. Fueling the Fire – Smoking takes up to 4 hours to bring all the meat up to temperature. Add charcoal about every 30 minutes. Chips may burn faster, so a watchful eye never hurts.
12. When the meat has a beautiful rich dark brown color, remove from the smoker.
13. The slice of life – The meat needs to rest (set without being cut) for 15 minutes. This will allow the meat fibers to stabilize to
the point where they can hold their juices. So now the slice you select is not only delectable with the flavors of your favorite smoke, the slice is luxurious with a burst of flavor inundating your tongue.
To read more Thursday Thirteen
to smoking first prize award winning meat1. Select your meat for smoking. Pick pieces that are about the same size, so that all the meat will finish about the same time.
2. Flavor sele
ction – Choose the chip of choice. We have found hickory to be one of our favorites. Put the smoking chips in water to soak at least two hours before using. Wedge a large piece of wood on top to hold the remaining chips down in the water. Soaking allows the wood to swell with water and produce the smoke that will flavor the meat.3. Get ready
for fire – Prime your charcoal chimney by crumpling newspaper and placing in the bottom of the chimney. Set it in the firebox. Fill the chimney with charcoal. Light the paper through the vents in the bottom and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.4. First spicing – Spice the side of the meat that will be lying on the rack.
5. Second spicing – Spice the fat side of the meat. The fat should be on top. During the smoking process, the fat will keep the meat moist.
6. Chimney sweep – Put on a glove
or oven mitt before taking hold of the hot chimney handle, empty the contents of the charcoal chimney onto a few soaked chips. Keep the coals concentrated to maintain the heat that was generated in the chimney.7. On top of ol’ Smokey – add a few chips to the top of the charcoal pile. This will help generate smoke.
8. Now you’re cookin’ – close the lid to the smoke chamber and the fire chamber.
9. Now adjust the fresh air intake on the side of the fire chamber to regulate the heat. Adjust the smoke vent on top of the smoker to regulate the amount of smoke that fills the smoke/cook chamber.
10. Shuffling the deck – The smoke chamber has hot and cool spots. To make sure all the meat cooks evenly, rotate the pieces of meat from side to side.11. Fueling the Fire – Smoking takes up to 4 hours to bring all the meat up to temperature. Add charcoal about every 30 minutes. Chips may burn faster, so a watchful eye never hurts.
12. When the meat has a beautiful rich dark brown color, remove from the smoker.
13. The slice of life – The meat needs to rest (set without being cut) for 15 minutes. This will allow the meat fibers to stabilize to
the point where they can hold their juices. So now the slice you select is not only delectable with the flavors of your favorite smoke, the slice is luxurious with a burst of flavor inundating your tongue.To read more Thursday Thirteen
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Backyard Party
Today we will have a few friends over for an outdoor barbecue. The menu will include smoked lamb shank, smoked pork country style ribs, smoked beef tri-tip roast, hot dogs accompanied by macaroni salad, fresh fruit, rolls, ice tea, lemonade and chewy brownies for dessert. Having a barbecue on a beautiful summer weekend with good friends and family; life doesn't get any better than that. Check back on Thursday where my Thursday Thirteen will include 13 steps for perfectly smoked meat.
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