Everyone gets a chicken!!!

When we were in Branson last year, we took the kids to Dixie Stampede.  Part of the huge dinner that is served there included a Cornish Game Hen.  The kids liked the show... but also thought it was great getting their own chicken to eat.

I finally got around to cooking some Cornish Game Hens on the PG1000.  I brined and rubbed them with the same recipe I used in WIfe Says NO BARBEQUE THIS WEEKEND.  Hens went in the brine for about 2 hours, they then were rinsed and dried uncovered in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.  I then cooked them on the PG1000 at 225 degrees for about 30 minutes then increased the temp to 350 degrees until the breast was about 165 degrees and the thighs were around 175 degrees.  I also basted them every 30 minutes with some Parkay.

They had a nice garlic herb flavor with a mild smoke flavor.  Definitely will be cooking these again.

Cleaned and headed to the brine

Rubbed with the wet rub

After about 1 1/2 hours on the PG1000 

Finished 

Served up with Kelli's Roasted Broccoli, and Potatoes Au Gratin from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Butcher BBQ Honey Rub Smoked Shrimp

If you video it... they will cook.

Cookshack has done a great job lately posting weekly cooking videos on their YouTube channel.  This weeks was ButcherBBQ Honey Rub Smoked Shrimp.  Having had shrimp cooked this way at their cooking class in December, it was time to make it myself.    

I'll let the pictures do the talking.  Video by Cookshack C.E.O. Stuart Powell included at the end.

2 lbs shrimp - deveined, tails left on.  These are a little small... but worked

Shrimp coated with ButchersBBQ Honey Rub then with Parkay on top

Placed on the indirect side of the PG1000 at 225degrees for about 45 minutes

After some time the butter melts and the shrimp smoke in a butter bath.

Temp on the PG1000 was increased to 400 degrees and the shrimp

were grilled direct on each side for about a minute.

Finished product

EXTREME CLOSEUP

Dinner

Turned out great.  Excellent flavor.  No leftovers!

Here's the full recipe from Stuart Powell

Christmas Prime Rib

Merry Christmas - well... Happy New Year... or whatever holiday is nearest when you are reading this!  Christmas 2011 marked my first attempt at Prime Rib.  I've been wanting to try to cook a prime rib, but have been a little hesitant due to the cost... It's hard to experiment on a $100 piece of meat!  

First a little info on Prime Rib - or Standing Rib Roast.  This is a cut of beef from the primal rib.  It can include from 2 to 7 ribs.  The cut can be found both with the bones attached and with the bones removed.  Regardless of the status of the bones this cut will often be tied with twine to help hold the different muscles together during the cooking process.  Some will remove the bones and then reattach them with twine for cooking.  Prime rib sliced into steaks is also known as rib-eye steaks.  

I found a 5.25 lb boneless prime rib to try out my first cook.  It was choice grade meat and cost  about $60.  I then rubbed it with olive oil and then with cracked black pepper, cracked sea salt, and rosemary. I refrigerated it overnight wrapped in plastic wrap.  

I did a two stage cook on the prime rib.  I started cooking at 180 degrees in my FEC100 smoker for about 90 minutes then increased the temp to 225 degrees.  When the internal temp hit 135 I took the meat off and tented it with foil to rest for about 30 minutes.  During that 30 minutes I fired up the PG1000 to 500 degrees.  After the thirty minute rest I placed the roast on the indirect side of the PG1000 for about 8 minutes.  This crisped up the outside and gave a nice crust.  Since I didn't cook it directly over the flame it didn't char, but rather got a nice seared crust.   

So you may ask, "Why didn't you do the whole cook on the PG1000?"  I could have and usually would, however I needed to use the 2 stage cooking feature (cook and hold) of the FEC100 as I was not going to be immediately available to adjust the cooker temp.  

Overall the prime rib turned out really good.  It was more medium than medium rare, this pleased my wife who likes her meat well done (ruined) but my goal was a nice medium rare.  So... mistake made here was 1) removing from the first stage of the cook too late and 2)underestimating the "carryover" while the roast was resting (the effect of continued cooking and raising of internal temp during the rest).  Next time I would pull it to rest at a lower internal temp and hope to hit that medium-rare point.  Regardless, the meat was still juicy, flavorful, and tender. 

Rubbed and to the fridge overnight

Sear phase at 500 degrees on the PG1000

Sliced and ready to serve

  

Nordy's Video Debut - ABTs on the PG1000

Yes this is a repost from Feb 2011, but I wanted to add the video I recently did for Cookshack, cooking ABTs on the PG1000.  You can check out other great videos on the Cookshack Smokers YouTube Channel.

ABT = Atomic Buffalo Turd
Sounds yummy doesn't it...  Name aside these stuffed jalapeños taste nothing like a turd. Halved jalapeños filled with  a mixture of cream cheese, shredded colby-jack cheese, and hot sausage, then wrapped with some peppered bacon.  That cocoon of goodness is then smoked at low temp for about an hour, then the temp is increased to crisp the bacon, on the pellet grill.

ABTs - Post prep - Ready for the grill

ABTs on the indirect portion of the grill.  They are sitting on a 

frogmat.  Frogmats are completely non-stick mesh which prevents

delicate foods from falling through, or sticking to the grates. 

The finished product - Jalapeños plate nicely on a bread plate

The ABTs were spicy but mostly from the peppered bacon.  There is a little heat in the jalapeño but the longer you cook, the less heat they have.  Highly recommend these the next time you need some finger foods/appetizers.