Grinding Peppercorns

Most rubs call for more pepper than you might want to grind by hand. A quick way to get the quantity needed is to use your coffee grinder. Just be sure to wipe it out before making your next pot of coffee!

Brisket on the Bone

Steven Raichlen gets the credit for these succulent ribs -- I followed his recipe from Project Smoke. I was concerned the large amount of hot red pepper flakes in the rub would make the bark a little too spicy, but the heat was perfectly balanced with the flavorful meat and smokiness.

You probably won't find a rib plate readily waiting for you on the shelf at the grocery store. I picked up these short ribs, produced by Painted Hills Natural Beef, at Gizmo's Butcher Shop in Woodinville.

The Rub (quantities are for a single rack of 3-4 ribs):

3 tbs coarse kosher salt

2 tbs cracked black peppercorns

2 tbs hot red pepper flakes

Cooking:

Smoke at 225 F to 250 F until meat reaches a temperature of 199 F (8-10 hrs)

Transfer ribs into a pan with 1 cup of beef stock (warmed)

Cover with foil, wrap with a towel, and place in an insulated cooler for 1 hour

Remove from cooler, carve and enjoy!

BBQ Pork Sliders

Apple wood smoked pork shoulder on King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls with Calhoun's sauce and Mammow's Coleslaw.

Mammow's Coleslaw

On a recent visit to Tennessee I sifted through my grandmother's recipes and found her secret to good coleslaw: sweet pickle juice. I made a batch to go with pulled pork today.

Apple is my favorite

My favorite choice of wood for smoking is apple. An aggressive pruning on the tree in my backyard has produced four buckets of chips!

A must-have for the serious BBQ'er

A remote dual-probe thermometer is essential for "multi-tasking" while smoking. One probe measures internal meat temperature while the other monitors temperature inside the smoker. An alarm will sound if your smoker temperature gets too high or too low (you set the desired band) and it will notify you when your meat reaches the desired internal temperature. Once your smoking is underway, just "set it and forget it" and carry the remote receiver with you as you go about other chores. The alarm will sound if you lose flame or overheat, and will make sure you know when the cooking is done.