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Big Ed's Hot And Sweet BBQ Sauce

3 cans tomato paste

3 cans water #

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 12 ounce bottle of dark beer

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

5 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 medium onion (chopped fine)

5 cloves minced garlic

# after emptying a tomato paste can, use the can to measure the water

Simply combine everything into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer over low heat, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. This sauce goes equally well for pork, beef or chicken !

 

Big Ed's Dry Rub (great on ribs !! )

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

You can increase the amounts used by doubling or tripleing,etc, depending on the size of the piece of meat you use .Just make sure you have enough to cover the entire piece. Mix the ingredients using a fork. Gently rub or massage the mixture all over the meat. Let it sit for about an hour before cooking, this will let the flavors settle in. Remember, after cooking, let the meat sit for at least 20 minutes. It'll be juicier!

BBQ'ed Ribs

Depending on whether you're north or south of the Mason-Dixon line, BBQ is either a noun or a verb. To our southern brethren BBQ means pulled pork, or beef, mixed with sauce, sometimes topped with coleslaw (try it, it's really good), and served on a kaiser roll. To the rest of us BBQ means cooking something on a grill. Whether it be gas, charcoal (my favorite), or wood. As far as I'm concerned if you're gonna do it with gas you may as well just cook it inside and be done with it! Enough jibber jabber though. So you're grill is hot and you're ready to cook. I prefer the indirect method of grilling. No flare ups and generally slower cooking. Oh yea,did I say slow? You bet! The slower the better. Either dry rub your ribs or use the sauce method, which means FREQUENT basting with a brush. Whatever way your pleasure tends put the ribs on the grill and cook for about three hours, till the meat is ready to fall off the bone. I like to throw a couple of potatoes on to cook , they don't require as much time though. Serve with homemade beans, corn on the cob (you can do them on the grill too ,but that's another story), wash down with your favorite cold beverage, all while chillin' and grillin' to the sounds of your favorite music. I kinda favor the Grateful Dead, Hank Williams, Ralph Stanley and the Allman Brothers Band. But whatever floats yer boat.

 

Joan's Baked Sausage and Eggs

1 pound bulk pork sausage, hot or mild
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar, cheddar-jack blend, etc
1 dozen large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Brown the sausage with the onion, either in the microwave in a
casserole dish with a cover or on the stove in a skillet, stirring a
few times to break up the sausage. Cook until meat is evenly browned
and onion is soft, 10-12 minutes. While you're waiting to stir the
sausage again, mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl or
2-quart pitcher.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and drain fat from the sausage.
Distribute the meat in bottom of lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole or
similar size pan and scatter with half of the cheese. Add any
variations listed below, and pour the egg mixture over the top.
Scatter with remaining cheese.

Bake until browned on top and no longer jiggly in the middle, 45 - 55
minutes. Let cool slightly before serving with buttered toast,
pancakes, or whatever turns your key.

Variations
1) Tex-Mex. Add a 4oz can chopped green chilies, drained, to the egg
mixture and serve with warmed tortillas and hot sauce or salsa. Sour
cream and cheddar shreds are optional but a nice touch with this.
2) Vegies. Before pouring egg mixture over the meat, distribute 1 8 -
10 oz 'brick' thawed and well-drained frozen chopped spinach over top
of sausage. Can also add any or all of these: diced green or red
peppers, one drained diced tomato, diced lightly cooked broccoli and
more diced onions.
3) Diced smoked sausage or kielbasa can be substituted for the
sausage with equal results.

 

Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

6 to 8 slices leftover or deli ham, chopped (about 2 c chopped ham)
8 to 10 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
pepper and garlic to taste (optional)
1 1/2 cups (2/3 of an 8 oz bag) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup
paprika and parsley flakes

Put half of ham, potatoes and onions in well-greased Crock Pot. (Or
skip the greasing of the slow cooker and use a plastic crockpot liner
bag for easy clean-up.) Sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder
(optional), then 1 cup of the grated cheese. Spoon and spread the
undiluted soup over top. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Sprinkle with
remaining cheese, paprika and parsley 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

 

Baked Apricot Onion Pork Steaks

1 Tbsp cooking oil (or none if using a non stick pan)
2.5 to 3 lbs bone-in pork steaks (shoulder, butt, etc), fat trimmed
1 Medium onion, quartered and sliced
2 Garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 - 1 tsp from a jar of minced garlic
2 10oz cans Apricot nectar (or 2 - 2.5 cups from large bottle)
1/2 packet of dry onion soup mix, about 2.5 Tbsp (stir before measuring)
1 Tbsp dried parsley or 1/4 c minced fresh parsley, optional


Heat first amount of oil in large frying pan on med-high heat. Brown
steaks in batches, for about 2 minutes per side until browned.

Place in greased casserole dish.

Add onions, garlic, apricot nectar and soup mix to pan. Stir well
and pour over steaks. Turn until coated. Cover with foil and bake
at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove cover and bake for additional 45
minutes or until steaks are tender and sauce is thickened.

Add parsley and stir. Good with mashed potatoes and a green
vegetable, serves 4 to 6. We really liked this, good flavor and not
overly sweet. You can also thin apricot jam with water as a
substitute for the apricot nectar.
 

 

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Plan on marinating the meat for about six hours. Remember now, cooking is an art, not a science. All times and amounts are meant to be adjusted by the individual. I usually get a ziploc baggie to do the deed . Mix in the following: 1/2 cup red wine vinegar ( apple cider vinegar will do fine ), 3/4 cup olive oil, cup of water, tablespoon fresh sage, two tablespoons fresh parsley, tablespoon fresh oregano, tablespoon fresh thyme, five cloves garlic, one small onion, salt and pepper to taste. All the herbs should be finely chopped. A word to the wise is probably in order now. What, you say, you live in the city and don't have an herb garden? Fine, get some flowerpots, plant some seeds and there ya go. Or you can go down to your local Blue Seal Feed Store and buy the herbs already planted and growing. This way you'll always have them on hand when needed.

Throw in the tenderloin, stick it in the fridge and if the marinade doesn't cover the whole piece of meat, turn it over frequently. Massaging the meat occasionally will make it more tender. Thirty minutes before you're ready to start cooking, get your grill ready. Have the coals on one side of the grill and the meat on the other. Put a small roasting pan under it. Add a cup of water, this will help keep the meat moist and will catch the drippings so you can make groovy gravy. When the coals are ready place the tenderloin on the rack, covering it loosely with a piece of tin foil. This will keep the moisture in. Since pork is more lean then it was years ago I generally drape mine with a couple of pieces of Wilson Farm Meats Pepper Bacon, mmmmmmm good! Cook it till the meat thermometer reads 150 and remove from heat. I know, pork is supposed to be at 170 to be done. Well, the thing is, you're going to put it in a covered roasting pan and let it sit for 20 or 30 minutes. The pork will continue cooking and be perfect when ready.

Now, remember the roasting pan under the meat? By now it's filled with some delicious drippings and ready to turn into gravy. I empty the liquid into another container and put the pan on the stove, on medium low heat. Add 3-4 tablespoons butter or olive oil. When the oil is hot gradually add six tablespoons flour, whisking constantly. Stir in the reserved drippings ( it will probably be a cup ), still whisking. Next add a cup of milk or till the gravy is the desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste and you're ready to rock and roll. Serve with mashed potatoes, a fresh veggie, homemade biscuits and prepare to enter culinary nirvana!

 

BRATS IN BEER, 'N WINGS

Now this is how it's done in Wisconsin!! First ya need the right brats,Wilson Farm Meats,of course.You can choose your own from favorites such as Tailgater, Tarragon 'n Wine, Fresh,etc.The store bought pre- packaged ones will do in a pinch. Now get your grill nice and hot. While waiting for the grill to get up to speed simmer the brats in a pan, using a bottle of beer as the liquid. Remember, when cooking with beer use the same rule that applies to wine.Don't cook with anything you wouldn't drink! Oh yea, throw a couple of sliced onions in the beer too. Later, you'll be glad ya did. When the grill's ready put a couple of pounds of chicken wings on.Season them with onion powder, garlic powder, and some chicken grill seasoning .About 20 minutes later, put the pan of brats on the grill. Alternate browning them and re-immersing them in the beer. Do this a few times till your satisfied with the way they look and they're done. Now comes the important part, take the wings of and place 'em in a pan of melted butter and hot sauce. Make sure they're coated and that's it. The ratio of butter to hot is up to you. Go to the fridge and remove the potato salad ya made in advance, you know, the one with a tablespoon of green hot pepper sauce in it for flavoring. Don't worry, the green stuff isn't as hot as the red .Put a Willie Nelson album on the turntable, open up one of them good beers ya saved, and get ready for a veritable beggar's banquet.

FRESH PORK SHOULDER BBQ

It's time to go south of the Mason-Dixon line for this recipe. Get on down to Wilson Farm Meats Store on Wisconsin St in Elkhorn,WI. The friendly butcher will get you exactly what you need. I like to get a ten pounder. Wait a minute you say, my family can't eat that much, it'll get wasted. Hey, that's why God invented freezers When you're done with this meal, individually freeze the bone and two 1 1/2 bags of meat. One of those bags will become Pot Pie and the other, Pork Fried Rice. The bone turns into Split Pea Soup. How's that for recycling?

Place the roast in a baking pan , fat side up, on a rack. This is important 'cause we're gonna make a sauce to go with our BBQ. Put a cup of water in the pan. Score the fat, making criss-cross lines. Cut up a few cloves of garlic, and gather about a tablespoon of fresh sage. Stuff these into the lines you cut. Sprinkle some pork grill seasonings on the roast and then pour a little balsamic vinegar over it.Cover with aluminum foil, and cook in the oven at 225 degrees for ten hours or the meat is falling off the bone.When the shoulder is done remove from the oven and let it sit for about an hour on a serving platter. Meanwhile, take the roasting pan, put it on a burner and deglaze it with some apple cider vinegar. Get this mixture fairly hot and start whisking in some flour.Add a cup of BBQ sauce, and enough water to get the desired consistency. Now you're ready to do the meat. Cut off chunks and then either pull it apart with two forks or chop it up in little pieces.Put some meat on a kaiser bun, dribble a little sauce on it, and serve with cole slaw and oven fries.