$$$$ Dinner

The Community Health Foundation of Ponca City, OK has an annual fund raiser and I was asked to donate a BBQ dinner for the auction.  Surprisingly, some very generous people donated some cash, and in return they got an evening of BBQ delights from Nordy...

This was a fairly big cook for me as I had never really made a full meal for this many people before, but I was up for the challenge.  (OK, OK.... my wife cooked some of it too)  Unfortunately, I forgot to take many pictures... but I'll post what I've got.  

Menu - ABT's  (Atomic Buffalo Turds - a.k.a. Stuffed Jalapenos), Berry Spinach Salad, Pulled Pork, Brisket, Baked Beans, Roasted Red Potatoes, Dinner Rolls, and Triple Chocolate Cake.  

I really enjoyed the cooking... but enjoyed the eating and the evening more.  Thanks to all who donated to this great local foundation... you know who you are!

Two Butts Trimmed and ready for Injection

Brisket prepped and ready to go on the pit

Brisket and butts done - time for beans and ABTs

Got some great pics of the ABTs... 

Dinner time... this is a plate of meat, Brisket, Burntends, and Pulled Pork

Hey Chuck... Don't forget your veggies.... 

"RRIIIIIIBBBBBSSS!" and beans...

So some friends of ours have us over and make some crazy good beans... and they were nice enough to give me the recipe.  Knowing I can cook about anything on the PG1000, I could not wait to get them on the pit for a trial run! My three year old daughter Jenna went shopping with me for "supplies" for the beans.  As we were walking through the store I asked her "What should we make to go with the beans?"  Her reply, "RRIIIIIBBBBSSS!"  I'm pretty sure everyone in the store heard her... It was one of my proudest moments as a father.

The beans were great - I made them with some pulled pork I had in the freezer, and the ribs weren't bad either.

Jenna was happy with them anyway... I guess that's what matters.

Ribs and Rib Tips on the PG1000

Mixing up some beans

Beans Ribs and Glaze on the pit

Getting there

Ribs are glazed

Done

Jenna is all smiles with her "RRIIIIBBBBSS"

Jackson liked them too

Poor Kelli was out of town and missed all the yum!  Hope she had fun at her "scrap-booking convention" 

Chicken Breasts and Spaghetti Squash

Better late than never... I started this blog post about 3 weeks ago and never finished it!

There were some chicken breasts in the fridge... so I cooked them.  I hope my wife wasn't planning on using them for an upcoming meal...  They were first brined for about 4 hours in a new product called "Grill" from Butcher BBQ.  Then rubbed and tossed on the indirect portion of the PG1000 at about 300 degrees.  I cooked them indirect until they reached about 150 degrees internal temp then I tossed them over on the direct grate to take them up to about 165 degrees.  turned out really moist and flavorful.  Needless to say,  I will be brining breasts in the future.

I had honestly never heard of spaghetti squash... Thanks to Suzanne for both informing me on the beauty of the spaghetti squash, and donating one for me to grill. I halved the squash and cleaned out the seeds.  Seasoned with a little salt and pepper and cooked indirect with the chicken at 300 degrees.  When the chicken was moved direct I moved the squash over as well.  I ended up cooking the squash about 20 minutes longer than the chicken until it was soft.   The "noodles" of the squash were excellent.  It had a vegetable/pasta type taste with a little more "crunch" than pasta.  It was quite tasty, and at 40 calories per cup you can't beat it! (Well 40 calories per cup BEFORE I added a bunch of butter!)

Breasts in the brine

Spaghetti Squash

Squash halved cleaned and ready to cook

Chicken and squash on the PG1000

Finished chicken

Squash coming off the grill, prior to scraping it into "noodles"

Spaghetti Squash "Noodles"

Dinner

Thanksgiving in August

My kids love BBQ and food from the grill.  Jackson has been asking for "smoked turkey" for some time now.  As most turkeys this time of year are frozen I kept forgetting to buy in time to get it defrosted, brined, and ready to cook.

So now its time for a holiday turkey in August.  

First a 36 hour brine.  For this I used Smokin Okie's turkey brine.

Buttered and Rubbed above and below the skin

Turkey on the PG1000 - One probe in the Thigh and one in the Breast

Finished Product

Moral of the story...  Cook Turkey year round.  Why would I only make this on the Holidays?!?

Nordy