The Best Thing You Grill/Smoke

[CouchCoach]

To go along with the best beverage, thought a food you brave the outdoors to prepare would be nice and a reference for future Ranching "Whatchyacookin?" gameday threads. One of my favorite parts of the Zone. I wouldn't mind a Food & Beverage Zone for us to share, maybe The Zoners' Café?

I have this pork marinade that I've been doing for over 40 years and I've used it on tenderloins, double chops and 3-4lb pork shoulders and made Asian tacos with grilled green onions, shredded cabbage, red and green, marinated chopped onion, cilantro, pickled jalapenos and lime.

Marinade
3 parts soy sauce, the real stuff, not the Lite
1 part toasted sesame oil
1 part honey, I started using Mike's Hot Honey a couple of years back and it adds a nice touch
4 cloves of chopped garlic
4 coins of ginger about 1/4" smashed with the side of a blade
10 rings of pickled sliced jalapenos and some of the juice.

After removing the food, and I've used this on boneless chicken breasts and wings as well, you can bring the marinade to a boil and reduce to a little thinner than a glaze, strain it and use as a baste. This creates one of the best aromas you can imagine when this hits the grill.

I smoke the shoulder but very lightly but you could leave the wood out altogether. I up the garlic, ginger and jalapenos when marinating the shoulders.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Probably tacos for me. Al Pastor, Asada, Carnitas, and fajitas are probably what I do best. I've always been good at cooking tacos, but the addition of a Blackstone griddle has taken them to a whole different level. I do some killer taco bars now.

I work seasonally as an outfitter and do all the cooking for my hunters/fisherman. I do almost all of it on an open fire over hardwood and with Dutch ovens. My menu varies with how long the guests are with us, but I almost always do the Texas trio brisket, sausage, and ribs day one since it makes great leftovers (machacado & chopped sandwiches) for the remaining days. Tacos as mentioned above is always a staple and I usually try to incorporate some wild game in those whether it be venison, elk, or feral hog. Tikka is one of my favorite things to grill and most of the red necks I deal with haven't ever touched Indian food to their mouths. It doesn't fall in the grilling/smoking category but I normally do a fish fry or shrimp/crawfish boil for my hunters too and have it down to an art.

It sounds weird but I always make grilled French bread with A-1 for my guests and it's a big hit. Split a loaf of bread, cut a garlic clove in 1/2 and rub all over the bread, then brush on a little EVOO and grill it. I serve it with some small plates of spicy hot tomato oil and A-1. The A-1 is always the biggest hit.

Ditto on the Food & Beverage Zone. Maybe just maybe no Romo/Dak threads would make it in there. I'd visit.

 

[Tabascocat]

Be easier to name what I can’t grill or smoke

My specialties are brisket, ribs and shrimp enbrochette.

 

[CouchCoach]

Probably tacos for me. Al Pastor, Asada, Carnitas, and fajitas are probably what I do best. I've always been good at cooking tacos, but the addition of a Blackstone griddle has taken them to a whole different level. I do some killer taco bars now.

I work seasonally as an outfitter and do all the cooking for my hunters/fisherman. I do almost all of it on an open fire over hardwood and with Dutch ovens. My menu varies with how long the guests are with us, but I almost always do the Texas trio brisket, sausage, and ribs day one since it makes great leftovers (machacado & chopped sandwiches) for the remaining days. Tacos as mentioned above is always a staple and I usually try to incorporate some wild game in those whether it be venison, elk, or feral hog. Tikka is one of my favorite things to grill and most of the red necks I deal with haven't ever touched Indian food to their mouths. It doesn't fall in the grilling/smoking category but I normally do a fish fry or shrimp/crawfish boil for my hunters too and have it down to an art.

It sounds weird but I always make grilled French bread with A-1 for my guests and it's a big hit. Split a loaf of bread, cut a garlic clove in 1/2 and rub all over the bread, then brush on a little EVOO and grill it. I serve it with some small plates of spicy hot tomato oil and A-1. The A-1 is always the biggest hit.

Ditto on the Food & Beverage Zone. Maybe just maybe no Romo/Dak threads would make it in there. I'd visit.

LMAO, might see "what would Dak cook, if he cooked"? And "did Romo cook in Cabo? Was that the problem?"

 

[CouchCoach]

Be easier to name what I can’t grill or smoke

My specialties are brisket, ribs and shrimp enbrochette.

Ya see, this thread is about bragging AND sharing. Like to hear more about that shrimp.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

LMAO, might see "what would Dak cook, if he cooked"? And "did Romo cook in Cabo? Was that the problem?"

Dak grew up in Louisiana so I'm going to guess he makes a mean pot of jambalaya and good boudin. Tony was a Wisconsin boy so I'm guessing he's mastered cheese curds and booyah.

 

[Tabascocat]

Ya see, this thread is about bragging AND sharing. Like to hear more about that shrimp.

16/20 or 20/26 shrimp
Bacon
Jalepeno
Lump crab
Bread crumbs
Any choice of cheese

I butterfly each shrimp first all the way to the tail(leave that on), then cut slivers of jalapeño and the cheese. I then make my seafood stuffing with the crab and seasonings, crumbs and a binder.

When prepped and ready, season each shrimp with seasoning salt and melted butter. Get about a TBS of stuffing with each side of the shrimp wrapped up the sides. Basically, the stuffing is inside the shrimp. Insert the jalapeño and cheese in the stuffing.

Then, cut each slice of bacon to about 3/4 length. I find that the whole slice doesn’t cook properly. Wrap it around the stuffed shrimp. Once all shrimp are made, brush each one with melted butter, can have it mixed with Lowrys salt or blackened seasoning, and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Transfer to grill or smoker and enjoy

 

[Rockport]

Probably tacos for me. Al Pastor, Asada, Carnitas, and fajitas are probably what I do best. I've always been good at cooking tacos, but the addition of a Blackstone griddle has taken them to a whole different level. I do some killer taco bars now.

I work seasonally as an outfitter and do all the cooking for my hunters/fisherman. I do almost all of it on an open fire over hardwood and with Dutch ovens. My menu varies with how long the guests are with us, but I almost always do the Texas trio brisket, sausage, and ribs day one since it makes great leftovers (machacado & chopped sandwiches) for the remaining days. Tacos as mentioned above is always a staple and I usually try to incorporate some wild game in those whether it be venison, elk, or feral hog. Tikka is one of my favorite things to grill and most of the red necks I deal with haven't ever touched Indian food to their mouths. It doesn't fall in the grilling/smoking category but I normally do a fish fry or shrimp/crawfish boil for my hunters too and have it down to an art.

It sounds weird but I always make grilled French bread with A-1 for my guests and it's a big hit. Split a loaf of bread, cut a garlic clove in 1/2 and rub all over the bread, then brush on a little EVOO and grill it. I serve it with some small plates of spicy hot tomato oil and A-1. The A-1 is always the biggest hit.

Ditto on the Food & Beverage Zone. Maybe just maybe no Romo/Dak threads would make it in there. I'd visit.

Where do you guide?

 

[CouchCoach]

Where do you guide?

Sorry, Rocky, but to participate in this thread you have to bring food.

JIMMY, please don't answer him until he offers up a recipe.

 

[Rockport]

Sorry, Rocky, but to participate in this thread you have to bring food.

JIMMY, please don't answer him until he offers up a recipe.

If you insist:
BBQ Thai Chicken
Marinate some boneless chicken thighs 4 hrs or overnight
1/2 cup lime juice
2 cloves crushed garlic
4 chopped Thai peppers
1/2 half cup fish sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tblspoons fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

Cut 2 slits in each chicken thigh and weave a 4 - 5” piece of lemongrass in each
Brush each side with a good sesame oil
BBQ on grill and enjoy!

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Where do you guide?

I don't guide anymore. I mainly handle food/beverage, transportation, gear transport, and processing. The last two years I've been in Texas only mainly on The Devils River near Comstock and during whitetail season in Irion County near Merton TX. Before that I worked some near Chama NM.

 

[Sammy]

Best thing I smoke is Super Silver Haze, a Sativa Dominant Hybrid - 80% Sativa / 20% Indica

P.S. I'm tragically disappointed that this thread has been up almost 8 hours and I'm the first to post this.

 

[aria]

It’s not necessarily the best thing I smoke, but close, how hard is it to screw up a pork shoulder? But it’s what I’ve been using it in lately. I make a southwestern green chili stew with mainly hatch chilis, a few other peppers , tomatillos and pork. What finally made it stand out, other than using several roasted hatch, was smoking a pork shoulder and using that meat instead of cooking it in the oven or crock pot first.

I’ve also started using the smoked shredded pork on my own little Texas twist of a traditional Cuban sandwich.

Of course than you have the more common uses such as tacos, omelettes, burritos, enchiladas or by itself with just a dab of bbq sauce (if any).

I recently started using Apple and Oak wood but think I may go back to hickory because I prefer the stronger, bolder flavor. Although the apple/oak combo was killer on the last batch of ribs I did, had just the right amount of smokiness and I only used a dry rub for seasoning.

 

[Tabascocat]

It’s not necessarily the best thing I smoke, but close, how hard is it to screw up a pork shoulder? But it’s what I’ve been using it in lately. I make a southwestern green chili stew with mainly hatch chilis, a few other peppers , tomatillos and pork. What finally made it stand out, other than using several roasted hatch, was smoking a pork shoulder and using that meat instead of cooking it in the oven or crock pot first.

I’ve also started using the smoked shredded pork on my own little Texas twist of a traditional Cuban sandwich.

Of course than you have the more common uses such as tacos, omelettes, burritos, enchiladas or by itself with just a dab of bbq sauce (if any).

I recently started using Apple and Oak wood but think I may go back to hickory because I prefer the stronger, bolder flavor. Although the apple/oak combo was killer on the last batch of ribs I did, had just the right amount of smokiness and I only used a dry rub for seasoning.

Try a mixture of pecan and mesquite on that pork, can even add in some hickory too. But, pecan is becoming my favorite for any pork for some reason.

 

[aria]

Try a mixture of pecan and mesquite on that pork, can even add in some hickory too. But, pecan is becoming my favorite for any pork for some reason.

Huh, interesting, might do that. I’ve used pecan straight up and mixed it several times with brisket but don’t recall doing it with pork. Good idea.

 

[Tabascocat]

Huh, interesting, might do that. I’ve used pecan straight up and mixed it several times with brisket but don’t recall doing it with pork. Good idea.

It produces a nice smoke ring and the flavor works on pork. I used to use it only for chicken and turkey legs. It is real similar to mesquite and hickory, just not as strong and a little less smoke.

 

[Hardline]

Pork ribs
baby back ribs
brisket
Cornish hens
turkey

 

[aria]

Anyone with experience smoking a ham? I’ve never tried and don’t know the first thing about it. Do just buy a regular store bought sliced spiral ham that is pre cooked and smoke it at a very low temp? How long? What temp?

I don’t jack.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Anyone with experience smoking a ham? I’ve never tried and don’t know the first thing about it. Do just buy a regular store bought sliced spiral ham that is pre cooked and smoke it at a very low temp? How long? What temp?

The spiral ham at Sam's Club is wicked awesome. Instructions right on the wrapping. Used it many times for the holidays or big family gathering. Everyone loves it.

 

[aria]

The spiral ham at Sam's Club is wicked awesome. Instructions right on the wrapping. Used it many times for the holidays or big family gathering. Everyone loves it.

Do you just cook it in the oven per the instructions or smoke it?