Great Personal Recipe

[t951]

I have decided to try and master one recipe. After much thinking I am going to work on mastering the art of Chili.

I have tried so much chili recently that my wife is:

a. sick of it
b. desperate for fresh air
c. become very picky

Do you have a personal recipe that you consider your ultimate?

I feel that when it came to grilling my level jumped up dramatically when we got a Big Green Egg. Far tastier than our webber. Is there a piece of equipment that sets of your recipe?

Thanks!

t.

[onlycafe]

a good book on the subject of chili is, "a bowl of red" by frank x tolbert.

[KFC911]

Check the archives...I seem to recall some personal chili recipes being posted before.

[Super_Dave_D]

Dude, its a 100deg outside - who the hell is thinking about chili!!

[KFC911]

Yeah, but it's a WET heat . I was in the grocery store yesterday, and happened to notice all of the nice, CHEAP peppers on display, and thought to myself: "why are the prices triple that, in the winter, when I want to make chili?" Maybe he's onto something...

[legion]

Ribs.

I cook the best baby-back ribs.

Slow-cooked and smoked for 2 hours at around 150º. They are tender and juicy and bursting with flavor--a slight hint of ham. They are not bland and soggy like restaurant-boild ribs. I like to glaze them with some Jack Daniel's BBQ sauce to finish them off.

[tabs]

Well as far as BBQs go...the Weber is about the best for Grilling which is a quick hot method of cooking. It is easy to use and clean.

For true BBQ.. a slower method of cooking is used. The Big Green Egg is a step in the right direction. However it does have its limitations. Capacity is one of them, a second one is that your not able to use a Wood Generated heat source, your more or less stuck with using Charcoal whether it be Hardwood or Briquet.

However the Big Step up in Class came when I bought a Texas Style BBQ Pit by David Klose. He has refined his design over years, paying attention to little details that make its use more satisifying. The big advantage is the Gauge of the Metal...1/4 Steel Plate of the Cooking Chamber and 1/2 Plate for the Firebox...Its all about HEAT RETENTION..it makes it much easier to maintain constant temperature over a long period of time without using alot of fuel.

That said recently I have gone to smoking the Ribs for about 2 hours at 200* to 250* and then wrapping them in foil and letting them cook for another 2 hours at the same temp. The result is a Rib where the meat just falls off the bone without being mushy. Also I have been backing off the length of smoking time to make the smoke flavor more subtle. I have grown tired of meat that has an overpowering smoke flavor. Next I will probably start backing off on the spice mixture I use as a Dry Rub, in favor of the philisophy that less is more.

[tabs]

OHHH and for the price of Peppers being cheap in the Summer...ahhh when do they grow? Summer you say and NOT in the Winter...Hmmm maybe that is why they are cheaper in Summer??? Its True Genius at work here Boyz....

[rouxroux]

tabs is right on, as usual. I am also a ceramic fan (Green Egg, Primo), but capacity is the main drawback. If I only cooked for 2, it would be the only thing I'd ever need. And I admit, I cheat...Dry Rub from Renezvous is the way to go.

[craigster59]

Damn Tabs, the only thing green in that backyard is the "Egg"...

[t951]

I really want to get good at a food item. So I can say, "wait until you try my famous chili!"

I know its hot out, but its still tasty, and what better time to practice.

I thought about wings, or ribs, or something, but chili seemed to be a good choice.
I didnt realize it before, but all the top chili recipes have chocolate in them....wow.

As for the Big Green Egg, its incredible, but you are right, its small. Its just my wife and I so thats ok.

[gassy]

Chris,
I as well make killer ribs--with my own BBQ sauce recipe. Experimenting with BBQ sauce recipes only means we get to eat more ribs.