Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

Newberry backyard bbq is long gone. Rocky sold it a long time ago and it was never really the same. Bounced to a couple different locations. Last one was in Jonesville, next to copper monkey. It’s gone for good now.

Rocky has done bbq for woodyard and bev’s diner, so they both use his methods. Think he’s still on again, off again at both. He’s kind of a mess.

If you like the old sliced beef they used to serve at Sonny’s, which was always my favorite and still pisses me off that they removed it from the menu, they serve it at bev’s and woodyard. They also have it at aikins out in bell. Kens in lake city is the best and most consistent for that style bbq. Derrick’s in live oak, which is an old ken’s, is a close second. Dianes in Hawthorne is run by Sonny’s daughter, they also have the original recipes and still do things right. They have the original sauce, beef, ribs, and beans. All things corporate sonny’s went away from almost immediately.

 

We had Mother’s Day brunch at the house this morning. Which means we’ll have a lighter dinner tonight. I’m sure we’ll roll with salads.

Picked up a 7.5 lbs pork shoulder, on sale, that will be on the menu for tomorrow. I’ve done an overnight smoke the last few times but don’t want to disrupt my wife’s sleep so planning on a 5am start in the morning.

Making potato salad & slaw a day ahead. I’ll do the bean’s tomorrow.

 

We’ve had a rain day here today so we’re going with chicken’n’rice and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Pure summertime temperatures and humidity here today.

However a tumbler of Four Roses Single Barrel has made everything bearable.

Life is good in Gator Nation!

 

Just started a nice big pot of chili.

Should I bake up some cornbread?

 

74, what veggies do you put in the rice?
Broccoli and a handful of spinach for me. Remember moms lectures about veggies.

Also I put in a can of cream of chicken soup to the rice and the results were unreal. Best tasting and moist rice I've ever had.

 

The handful of times I’ve done the overnight smoke I usually put it on around 10:00, then wait an hour to make sure it is steady between 225-250 before turning in. Set my alarm for 2, to check on it …then get up around 6. It’s ready to be pulled and wrapped around noon. With it being a work night, the 2am check was sure to annoy my wife which is why I went with an early morning smoke start this time.

I put it on at 4:45 this morning, then pulled it off & wrapped at 3. Served at 5. When you grab it with a couple of tongs and it just falls apart you’ve hit the sweet spot. Both kids came by …it was a great meal, along with the beans, Carolina slaw, potato salad and cob corn. They each took home some leftovers and I have enough left for a meal or 2 myself, and I’ll freeze some for Brunswick stew for sometime later.

I went with your recommendation @GatorLurker …on the buns. I went cheap store brand and have to agree …came out great.

 

I’ve used the cream of chicken soup with my chicken’n’rice my whole life but I don’t add any vegetables into it.

 

Grilled Korean short ribs, sautéed spinach, fried rice and pickled cucumbers & onions. It was outstanding.

 

Tonight I’ll be grilling chicken halves seasoned with coarse black pepper and Everglades Cactus Dust. Baked potatoes will be on the top rack.

Inside we’re going to have freshly steamed green cabbage and yellow squash & onions.

The back porch Yeti is full of longnecks and iced down. Ms. Jan’s wine is chilled and awaiting her.

Life is good in Gator Nation!

 

It has been awhile since I’ve done the Korean short ribs. I made the marinade a little thicker so it caramelized much better on the grill. Also, the Asian pear I used seemed to be a better tenderizer than the apples I’ve used in the past. But then again it could have just been a better cut of meat. Anyhoo, came it out really good.

For tonight, I have leftover fried rice and stir fried veggies… and we’ll have pork pot stickers that we picked up at Trader Joe’s. We bought a couple of bags from there some time ago and were really impressed. And really cheap.

Wife said she’ll pick at it as well, along with her salad.

 

Tonight we’re going with Teriyaki Chicken w/mixed vegetables over fried rice.

I believe it’s Moscow mules for Ms. Jan and Kentucky Mules for me tonight.

Life is good in Gator Nation!

 

With both kids being home for summer, Im back to making food for the week on Sunday evenings. They work crazy hours so its usually steak fajita meat and a bunch of chicken. Ive started doing chicken tenderloins on the blackstone as well as full chicken breasts on the Egg. Anybody have a top secret life hack to get those tendons out of the top of the tenderloins besides cutting them out?

 

Before that it was Press and Ed's, located back in the neighborhood. You are right about their goat and their hot sauce was fiery!
I am near Oban Scotland. Haggis, neeps and potatoes with brown ale and a wee bit of Islay for dessert.

 

That’s the only way I’m familiar with Nitro—you can take your chicken breasts and slice them up to a similar size and cook them in the pressure cooker for 20 minutes and have tender meat for your fajitas that way.

I guess you could put a little sear on them with your blackstone after that but they’re likely to crumble some when you turn them.

 

We really enjoyed the stir fry veggies the other night …so doing it again. This time with Chinese cashew chicken (thighs), paired with white rice. I made some Asian dressing, for the salads.

The wife has been easing off her bland dinner menu the last week or 2. So unless she calls an audible last minute, I think she’ll be ok with this. Here’s to hoping, anyway.