BBQ'd Teacher: What a Weekend!

What a Weekend!

Posted on Sunday, September 4, 2011 12:24 PM | By: Unknown

Category: BBQ , peppers , sausage , smoker

My brother-in-law requested the menu for this week's cook. After listening to what I know how to 'Que, he said, "I'll take one of everything."

My wife, Jenny, won't allow me to make "one of everything," but we did settle on a menu that included IBTs (Italian Buffalo Turds). Some people refer to these as jalapeno "poppers," but poppers makes them sound cheap. IBTs have so many different layers of flavor, that the profile goes far beyond "poppers."

Next, we went with Brown Sugar Bourbon Pork Skewers. We don't have photos, unfortunately because darkness had set in, and they didn't last that long, anyway. :)

This morning we went with a "breakfast fatty." Basically, take Jimmy Dean Maple breakfast sausage, and roll it flat into a square (I'll give details in a later cook). I think the photos will speak for themselves.

Tonight, I will spatchcock three chickens, use a wet rub to inject BBQ goodness, and smoke for 2-3 hours until done.

Enough talking....on with the food!

Item 1: IBT

Prep time makes this appetizer take longer than it might. Basically, jalapeno peppers, cream cheese, six-cheese Italian blend, BBQ rub, capocollo ham, brown sugar, and bacon.

The double racks allows me to fit much more food into the smoker than I otherwise might try.

This isn't so much about how "long" it takes to cook these peppers. You have to watch the peppers, and when the bacon crisps enough, you can eat.

The finished product always has a bit of "wow" factor to it. I made 48 of these beauties. I ran out of the ham and had to finish with pepperonis, but they turned out fantastic. I treated folks around my camper neighborhood, but my BIL manages to pack away 13 the first night and has samples some for breakfast this morning.

Item 2: Pork Skewers

Sorry, no graphic depictions of dead animals.

Item 3: Breakfast Fatty

I'll post more on this later (I have to prep the chicken for tonight's supper).

Item 4: Simply Marvelous Spatchcocked Chicken

The final item for our weekend does not seem to have the same "wow" factor of IBTs, ABTs, or a breakfast fatty. I think that is a shame. When done right, yardbirds taste fantastic. I made two wet rubs. One consisted of SM Sweet Seduction mixed with olive oil, a splash of water, and a tinch of basalmic vinegar. That went under the skin of two of the birds. Tossed each in a gallon ziplock, pouring any extra rub over the top. The third bird had SM Sweet and Spicy, also with oil, water, and basalmic. The results? My BIL took one bite and declared, "Dude! That's not chicken." Mission accomplished this weekend.

I LOVE when chicken makes the turn. This pick came after I had lowered the chicken to the lower grate. After 20 minutes......BOOM..... rich, caramelized chicken.