What's cooking?

BBQ... for years I didn't do any BBQ brisket because where we shop sells trimmed brisket for $10/lb. I think that's outrageous and I'm not paying that for brisket. I can buy a rib eye for that. I really dislike our Super WalMart but we were in there today and I asked about the availability and price. They had no packers anywhere, but have some coming in and the price was less than 1/2 of where we shop. That works for me. BBQ brisket is back on the menu! So are home made hot dogs! I was working on that recipe when things got out of hand pricewise. Looks like I'm going to start buying from WalMart. Vote with my wallet.

I Southern BBQ'ed the brisket today. It's been possibly 15 years since I did one but it came out great. I put it on at 0830 and it came off at 1700. Of course I had to test a piece and shared it with the wife. She doesn't eat fat even if it's trimmed as this was. She ate the entire piece including the fat where the most flavor is, and pronounced it delicious. It'll do!

Next up, well, in the queue anyway, Walmart has corned beef for the same price. Since it's already corned that makes pastrami so much easier. I love pastrami!

I did a Labour Day pork butt yesterday on the pellet smoker. This is the first time I’ve done a bone out butt and I had to tie it up with butcher string. I prefer bone in. The smoke went smoothly. 

I'd take a serving of that!

The following was posted on "The Primo Forum" years ago. I copied it and post it here. I added notes because it's one of the 2 BBQ sauces that I make. The other is my recipe and is better than this according to everyone who tastes both. I sold mine for a time, locally, and did a good business. Anyway, a recipe follows. I like it on pork. But try it on beef also. Brians note: It cans (preserves) nicely and keeps, canned, for years. I hot water bath mine since the pH is so acidic.

Mr. Beal's 'J.K's Wild Boar Soul BBQ' Sauce

Yes, we have (all sorts of) real BBQ in Seattle. An eclectic mix of folks from lots of different places. In the 80's there was a tiny place up on Cherry St, called J.K's Wild Boar Soul BBQ. You had to watch out for the needles on the sidewalk, dark little room with years of smoke on it, you'd order a pile of meat, and get a side of incredible beans, and 2 slices of white bread wrapped in foil. And change for the pop machine if you needed it. The proprietors name was Beal, I believe. As I recall, a retired navy cook and utter BBQ maestro. His sauce was spectacular, and he's also use that sauce as a base for his beans.
When Beal quit in the mid 80's, I thought my life was over. There was no other BBQ that even came close here. And it was the sauce that shone.
So the other night, I'm at a guy's house, downing margaritas and sampling various hot sauces, and he says "Try this!" I immediately knew what it was..... Beals sauce! Amazing. This guy had eaten at the wild boar every week for years. He and his wife would bring in their attempts to duplicate the sauce, and after months of trying, Mr. Beal took pity on them and finally gave them his recipe. This is a "½" recipe, and makes 2 quarts.

Ingredients:
1/6 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup heaping packed brown sugar
2 cups (16oz) tomato paste (**Brian s Note**Sub 1 cup Tomato Powder)
1 cup Worcestershire
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup yellow mustard
1 cup beef bouillon strong
6 cups water (**Brians Note**Next time reduce this to 4 cups for less reduction)
1/2 cup Wrights liquid smoke. Yes, that's right.
Kitchen Bouquet to darken (Optional, don't worry if you don't have this)
Chili Powder (the real thing, powdered chilis is best), cayenne, Daves, whatever to add heat. Hatch ground chile is my favorite. I might try adding baby schezuan peppers or chili pequins next time. I also like to make a not too hot sauce, and serve with lots of sliced fresh jalapeno.

**Brians Note** 1st batch I added 1/4 cup Sriracha and 1/4 cup Hot Hung’ Paprika.

Directions:
Mix in a big pot salt, sugar, brown sugar, beef bouillon and water.
When sugar dissolves, add yellow mustard, white vinegar, liquid smoke,
Worcestershire, tomato paste, kitchen bouquet and chili powder.
Simmer bubbling slowly for 2 hours.... will reduce by 1/3 and darken.

Q&A's:
How Much Chile Powder To Add?
It's impossible to tell- some chile powder is as hot as hell, some's not, and some folks like
really HOT sauce, some can't handle it. But I think you can find out quickly..... if it's HOT, just add so much (1/4 cup?) at a time, and then taste. That's about the only way I know of not to get into trouble with Scoville!
Personally. I like stuff pretty dang HOT. But since not many of my friends do (weenies!), I make it pretty "weak", and then add the hot either by spice or by fresh chopped japalano or serrano, to my own servings. I've been using this stuff called Chipotle Morita lately (Kinda like rough chopped chipotle peppers). Or (my soapbox) seek out HATCH chile powder from HATCH N.M. Delicious deep red rich stuff.
OR...since it makes so much, I split it up and leave some of it "MILD" and make some of it "ROCKIN'".

How Much Kitchen Bouquet To Add?
Well, I haven't the vaguest, but the recipe says "Add to darken" so a few small pourings (3 TBS) seems to darken the sauce somewhat, so there I go!

How Long To Cook?
I watched a friend make this one weekend, and he got confused. He didn't cook it enough. You need to simmer, so it's bubbling at, gosh how shall I say it... a low to medium rate, for 2 hours. Stove set at 2/3 the distance between low and medium. It will lose about 1/3 of its volume, and get darker and thicker. When it's done, it's not thin like it started out, and it's not paste. Stir occasionally, but I've never had it stick. If it's getting sauce on your stove as it cooks, you
probably have it on too high!
Vaya Con BBQ!

I’ll have to make that bbq sauce recipe sometime




I made up Shrimp A La Creole for dinner today.

It takes a little extra time to make. But it’s worth it.

Ok, I did not make this. My wife did but I’m going to eat it. Streusel Kuchen  or plum cake in English. It’s delicious 

Just pulled these pork spareribs out of the smoker

I got a little crazy with the smoker last week. Armadillo eggs and Korean spiced pork belly burnt ends.  Not sure I’ll be repeating these dishes very often. Very tasty but very rich. 

Time for fall soups