Classic Lasagna Recipe

This lasagna recipe is made with layers of bechamel sauce (a basic white sauce) rather than the usual ricotta cheese, making it rich and flavorful without being too heavy.

It also features "no-boil" lasagna noodles. These are a huge time-saver over ordinary lasagna noodles that you have to boil and drain. With the no-boil variety, you just assemble the lasagna with the uncooked noodles, seal it tight with foil and bake. As the sauce simmers, the noodles cook all on their own.

You'll need about a pint of bechamel to make this lasagna, so here's a recipe for a basic bechamel sauce.

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prepare the bechamel sauce.
Making the red sauce: Brown the ground beef and pork in a large skillet or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Drain excess fat (reserving 2 Tbsp for the next step), remove meat from pan and set aside.
Saute onion and garlic in reserved fat for 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, another 5 minutes or so.
Return meat to the pan and add the sauce and dried herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until everything is heated through. Remove sauce from heat and season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Assembling the lasagna: Ladle enough red sauce to cover the bottom of a 3-qt ovenproof baking dish.
Arrange a layer of noodles atop the sauce, then another layer of sauce. Drizzle roughly one-third of the bechamel evenly atop the red sauce.
Repeat the previous step two more times — noodles, red sauce and bechamel — until you have three layers in place.
Spread the shredded mozzarella evenly atop the lasagna, then sprinkle on the grated parmesan.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until the cheese on top has browned slightly.
Remove lasagna from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.Makes 6 generous servings.

Stock Pot

Tall and deep, stock pots typically range in size from 8 to 16 quarts, large enough to boil water for potatoes, lobsters or pasta, simmer big batches of soup and stew, make large quantities of tomato sauce and, as its name would suggest, make stock. The stock pot has straight sides and is typically taller than it is wide, so that it can fit on one burner and minimize the surface of the liquid, to reduce evaporation. Look for two sturdy, easy-to-grip loop handles and a tight-fitting lid. Most home cooks will find an 8- to 10-quart size is ideal for their needs. An ideal stock pot is made of medium-grade anodized aluminum and stainless steel. Boiling potatoes and other vegetables such as corn or beets, making stock, cooking soup and stews, simmering large batches of tomato sauce Smashed Potatoes

Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel 8-Quart Stock Pot

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Skillet Cooking a Steak

Preheat Cast Iron Skillet

Regarding BBQ Inc.To make this whole process work you need a smoking hot cast iron (or heavy duty) skillet. When I say smoking hot, I mean smoking hot. It also needs to be clean and without any oil (other than what a good cast iron skillet is seasoned with) or cooking spray. All the oil you need is already on the surface of the steak.

To test the heat, place a single drop of water on the pan. If it dances for a second before disappearing, the pan is hot enough. Make sure to have the steak, a clean plate, a heavy duty grill mitt, a pat of butter and a pair of tongs ready. You won't have a chance to step away once you start the cooking process.

Top 10 BBQ Sauces

Regarding BBQ Inc.

This is a classic Carolina style Barbecue Sauce. Typically, served on smoked pork (at the table), this thin, vinegar based sauce has tons of flavor. This vinegar BBQ sauce comes from the region of the Carolinas north of the mustard belt. This sauce gives food a tangy flavor, perfect for pork, but simply put, a great sauce for almost anything.

Barbecue Ribs on the Grill

The number one mistake people make when trying to grill ribs is too much heat. Barbecue Ribs should not be cooked quickly over a high direct heat source but low and slow. Now there are several ways that you can make great barbecue ribs on a grill and avoid making charred meat sticks. Your basic strategy needs to watchful patience. After that there are a few different paths you can take to make it easier for you.

First there is straight grilling. Like I said you will want to grill indirectly, meaning that you have a fire on one side and the food on the other. Actually you want a four part cooking area. Imagine four boxes stacked with two on the bottom and two on the top. In the top left box are the ribs. Below the ribs is a large pan to catch the drippings. In the top right box is another large pan filled with water. This added the moisture to the environment that will keep the ribs from drying out. Below the water pan is your fire.

Of course there are variations to this basic layout and you probably need to do a little experimenting to determine what is going to work best for you and your grill. A couple of variations include using wood chips, soaked in water and added to the charcoal fire, if you are using a charcoal grill, or in a smoker box if you are using a gas grill. This will add a good smoky flavor to your barbecue ribs, giving them an authentic flavor.

You will need to cook your ribs like this for several hours. You want the inside of your grill to hold a temperature around 200 to 225 degrees F. The ribs should not over lap the fire or they will burn and dry out. If you want the smoke flavor you will probably have to add more wood every hour. This is particularly important in the first two hours. Your ribs will be done when they become tender and the meat is loose around the bones.

You can also precook your ribs to speed up the process or to increase the tenderness of the ribs. Ribs cooked on a barbecue smoker at a low temperature for several hours will be very tender. Ribs cooked on a grill, especially a gas grill, will not be as tender even cooked indirectly. To make your ribs tenderer you can precook by either boiling the ribs for about 30 minutes or by placing them in a slow cooker. This will get the ribs going and not dried out. Once you are ready to grill then you can season the ribs and cook them indirectly until done. The disadvantage of this is that the ribs will not absorb the flavor of the smoke very well and you can literally boil out the flavor of the meat. Remember, if you boil, slow cook, or oven roast ribs it must be at a low temperature, around 200 to 225 degrees F.

Now when it comes to seasoning ribs you want to be very conservative. Good ribs have a great flavor all to themselves. It is also important to avoid adding barbecue sauce to ribs early in the process. Most barbecue sauces, whether store bought or homemade, contain some kind of sugar (tomatoes contain sugar). This can cause your barbecue ribs to burn, even cooked indirectly. I suggest using a good rub before you grill and maybe a barbecue sauce after the grilling is done. However if you want to use a sauce, try using a mop. A mop is a thin barbecue sauce (mainly vinegar or water) that you brush on during grilling to help maintain moisture and to add flavor. Sometimes you will hear it referred to as a baste.

So remember, keep the temperature low. A good grilling temperature for barbecue ribs is about 225 degrees F. Also keep a close eye on your ribs. Once the surface of the meat starts to burn there's no going back. Another good tip is to fill a spray bottle with a thin barbecue sauce. By thin I mean practically water. I use a mixture of paprika, water and a few other seasonings. By spraying the ribs with this mixture during grilling you will add moisture, reduce burning and add flavor to your barbecue ribs.

Shrimp

Pair of Shrimp on Bamboo Skewers

Regarding BBQ Inc.Shrimp are the most popular shellfish in the world and nearly the most popular seafood. Modern production and shipping get more and more shrimp to people's table than ever before. Too bad most people don’t know how to cook them properly. Of course by cooking I mean grilling. Getting the shrimp ready for the grill is just as important as the actual grilling.

First of all there is the issue of deveining. Contrary to what some say you do not have to devein shrimp. As long as the shrimp are properly cooked the vein isn't going to cause any health risks. On the other hand it is more pleasing to remove it. The best method is to use a small paring knife to split the shrimp down the back and then pick out the vein. A little practice and you'll find it pretty easy. This opening in the shrimp that you create to remove the vein is the best place to apply flavor. Any seasoning needs to reach this part most. The skin of the shrimp prevents marinades and seasonings from penetrating the shrimp, but the open cut allows it to sink it.

Now you might notice that some shrimp has a certain smell to it. This doesn't necessarily mean that the shrimp isn't fresh enough. Actually almost any shrimp you buy so going to be frozen so do not trust anything that says the shrimp is fresh. If you buy unfrozen shrimp don't freeze it again. Refreezing is about the worse thing you can do to any kind of meat or seafood. The smell is probably iodine. Iodine is plentiful in the plankton that shrimp feed upon. To eliminate the smell, soak the shrimp for about 10 minutes in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of water. Rinse in cold water afterwards. This draws out the smell and some of the iodine flavor that shrimp might have.

To properly grill shrimp it is best to place them on skewers no matter how big the shrimp. This makes them easier to control on the grill and easier to cook. There are several strategies to skewering shrimp. If you skewer them lengthwise you will reduce the natural curling of shrimp as they cook. This is good if you want your shrimp nice and straight. If you skewer each shrimp twice, once throw the top and then throw the bottom near the tail you will give the cooked shrimp a nice curved shape and make a more attractive kebab. If you use two skewers you will make a kebab that is easier to turn and hold onto the shrimp. As far as the cooking goes none of these really has an effect. The one thing to do is make sure you do not pack the shrimp tightly on the skewers. This will provide for more even cooking.

Shrimp are generally sold by weight and sized by the number of shrimp it takes to make a pound. So a 40 count shrimp gives you about 40 shrimp per pound. When it comes to portion sizes, if shrimp is the main course, plan on about 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person for shelled shrimp or 3/4 pound per person if the shells are still on. Which brings me to the final point. Grilling shrimp with the shells on will make them more difficult to skewer but helps them hold on to their natural shape better. However you will have the vein problem if you don’t remove the shells. Amongst many of the shrimp loving people of the world, it is considered a bad thing if you cook shrimp without the shells and without the heads. Shrimp that still have their heads are a better flavored shrimp. If you try it you’ll notice the difference. Of course, many people just don’t like the idea of a whole shrimp on their plate.

Now this brings us to the grilling. Shrimp are best grilled quickly but not over too high of a heat. This is especially true the smaller the shrimp. The worse thing you can do to a shrimp is to overcook it. If you are grilling small shrimp at high temperatures it will make it more difficult to get even cooking and to get them off the grill at the right time. Keep the heat about medium for your grill. You should be able to hold your hand over the heat for about 4 seconds.

Shrimp are done when the entire outside surface has changed color. There are a wide variety of shrimp and they do come in slightly different colors. Most shrimp you buy starts out gray, almost blue and turns pink as it cooks. Once the skin surface of the shrimp no longer shows any of its original color it is done. You need to remove shrimp from the heat the second it is done. Overcooked shrimp as a rubbery texture and loses a lot of its natural flavor.

Knife Skills 101

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Making Jerky in your Smoker

One of the first things people want to do with a new smoker is make jerky. Jerky is easily made in a smoker, oven, food dehydrator or even laid out in the sun. Making jerky in a smoker adds a great smoky flavor that you won't get any other way. However, it is easy to over smoke jerky since the meat it is cut very thin before being smoked. Do not use extra smoking chips in your smoker when making jerky.

Jerky, or jerked meat is long thin strips of meat that have been dried. Typically, the meat is beef and the traditional method of drying is in the sun. Jerky has remained popular for hundreds of years with people who need to carry their own food, including the trappers of old and hikers today. Jerky is tough and salty, but light weight and lasts for a very long time without refrigeration or very much care.

To make jerky, first start with a very lean cut of meat. You can use most cuts but I recommend starting out with a sirloin tip roast because it's generally lean and easy to work with. Trim all the fat from the meat. Fat will become rancid fast and will increase the drying times. Cut the meat across the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Now if you look at some of the recipes I have listed, you will see some different spice mixtures and marinades. Pick something that appeals to your sense of taste. However, if you choose to keep it simple, sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and start smoking.

When smoking jerky you need a low temperature and little smoke. Ideally, the temperature should be just under 150 degrees F. If you are using an electric smoker, you will introduce a small amount of smoke, but if you are smoking over a charcoal or hardwood fire, this will generate plenty of smoke. You need to smoke or dry your jerky until it is completely dry. Depending on how you do it and your climate, this can take 12 to 72 hours.

Trying to run a smoker for more than about 12 hours can be a challenge for many people. When it comes to jerky you are going to get the smoke flavor into the meat in about 3 hours. After this you can take the jerky out of the smoker and finish it off in a food dehydrator or the oven.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket

THE Best Crockpot Recipe EVER!!!, Member Kaldonia

Not only is this recipe simple to make with few ingredients, it's so yummy! Family and friends LOVE when I make this recipe. For those of you who would rather not have the expense of the brisket, I have also used skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6-9) and it's a hit as well.

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Grilling Eggplant

Eggplant Chips

Regarding BBQ Inc. Eggplant is one of those foods that is terribly misunderstood. This relative of the tomato and the potato is actually a berry and not a vegetable. Of course this berry is not sweet or really suited to be eaten raw. Properly cooked it is a great addition to many dishes and naturally high in fiber and low in calories making it a great, healthy alternative to many things. The natural meaty texture makes eggplant a good alternative to meats and allows you to make hearty dishes that are low in fat.

Eggplant comes in several different varieties and fortunately you can now get many of these anywhere. American: The most popular variety is the purple pear shaped kind. Italian or Baby: Smaller and more delicate than the American Variety. Oriental: Thin skinned with fewer seeds, this type is long and slender. Sicilian: Large, round and irregularly shaped, these are the sweetest and mildest. White: Tough, smooth skin with a firm flesh.

To select a good eggplant look for one that feels a little heavier than is looks with a glossy, even color. Avoid eggplants with soft or brown spots. The eggplant should feel firm and bounce back when you press on it. Eggplants become bitter with age. This is the number one complaint about eggplants. Try getting the freshest eggplants you can and store them, uncut and wrapped in the refrigerator. The longer you keep it the more bitter and unpleasant it will become.

To reduce the bitterness of eggplant, cut it to the size and shape you want and soak it for about an hour in a light salt water mixture. This will draw out the bitter flavor and lightly season it before you cook it. If you have a large or older eggplant soak it for about 2 hours.

Grilling eggplant adds a great smoky flavor. Eggplant is great at absorbing flavors and should be used to soak up flavor. To begin with eggplant will start turning brown the second it is cut. While this won't affect the flavor it does change the appearance so wait until the last second to cut it. For grilling it is best to cut small eggplants lengthwise into halves or quarters depending on the size. Larger eggplants should be cut crosswise to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Now, lightly brush with oil and season to your liking. Eggplant can absorb a lot for liquid so go easy on the oil or you'll end up with an oily sponge. Don't be afraid to add strong flavors to eggplant, especially if you are going to be adding it to another dish.

Finally, grill eggplant pieces for about 8 to 10 minutes turning occasionally. Eggplant usually holds together well on the grill so don't be too worried about it falling apart. The heat should be medium high and remove the eggplant when it is well browned and tender.

If you want a really great eggplant treat you will definitely want to try making Baba Ghanoush.

About Pulled Pork

Long ago, settlers brought pigs to the United States and left them to wander the wild. This climate where cattle perished was ideal for hogs, and therefore became the meat of the South. In this part of the world barbecue is synonymous with pork. Were you to mention beef barbecue in the Carolinas you are likely to be shown the door. Once the Texan has been shown the door over his pronouncements of the virtues of brisket, those left behind will most likely start a fight over all the variations of what is called the true barbecue.

Because this tradition is so old and every region has its own variations, it's hard to come up with a definition of exactly what pulled pork is. The most basic definition is pork cooked over a low smoky fire to the point where it can be pulled apart by hand. The variations are sauces, rubs, cuts, woods, toppings and serving style. As you read on you will find out about all the variations and be able to find out for yourself what is the best method and style for you.

Basic: On its basic level, southern style barbecue is smoked pork. It is often called pulled pork because of the way it is prepared. The smoked meat is simply pulled apart by hand, although it is also found sliced, shredded or chopped. But it is also more than a meal. One of the oldest definitions of barbecue is an event where people gather to share good food. These events were frequently prepared for political, religious or social gatherings.

Overview: The simplified version of preparing pulled pork is to take a pork shoulder and put it in your smoker. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 165 degrees F., the safe temperature for pork. However, higher internal temperature will make the meat easier to pull and more tender. Do not exceed 190 degrees F.in the smoker. You will want the meat to rest a minimum for 30 minutes. During this time the temperature will continue to climb, as much as 10 degrees F. more. By this time most all the fat will have melted away and the tough connective tissue called collagen will be broken down. The meat should be tender enough to be pulled apart by hand. Kept warm, the tender meat is served up on a white bread bun with a table sauce for the diners to add as they see fit. You will usually see it served with coleslaw, either on the side or in the bun.

Moving from the general to the specific you will need to know a little about the meat so you know what to buy and how to get it ready for the smoker. The smoke and the process of smoking is simple with pork shoulder, but you do need to know about the time involved and the kinds and amount of smoke needed. If you are so inclined there are a lot of great sauces for you to choose from so you can finish it off in style. The traditional way of serving pulled pork is in a sandwich. It makes a great meal no matter how you put it together, but there are some accompaniments that make it even better. Once you have the basics down, take a look through the recipes so you know all the variations involved.

Next Page: The Meat

Beer in the Butt Chicken

Whether it's "Chicken on the Throne", "Beer Can Chicken", "Beer Butt Chicken", or "Beer in the Butt Chicken" this technique for cooking is gaining popularity since it produces such a tender and juicy chicken. You can do this in your smoker, oven, or on the grill. Some people who try it once seldom go back to their old methods of roasting. So what is it?

Basics: The basic process is to take a half full can of beer with the top cut off. Place it where you are going to be doing the cooking and then place the chicken over it so that the beer can is inside the chicken. Since it's advent, people have begun adding all kinds of spices and extras to the beer to make it more flavorful. Generally, you will see garlic, cayenne, diced onions, or cumin added but almost any spice or herb can be used.

Why Beer?: So why does this work so well? First of all, you are adding a source of moisture to the chicken that keeps it from drying out. Second, you are adding beer. Now, more than the fact that beer is good, the yeast and malt found in beer reacts with the chicken, particularly the skin, making it thin and crispy while the meat remains juicy. For information on what kind of beer to use check out my friends Bryce's great article on The Beer in Beer Can Chicken. But you don't have to use beer. You can make this with wine or Garland Rome has suggested using crab boil, which works really well.

Grilling vs Smoking: Like I said, you can do this regardless of how you plan to cook the chicken. Of course, it will turn out differently if you put it on the grill versus in the smoker, but the basic principles still apply. Cook the chicken as you would normally. Always put something under the chicken like foil or a baking dish to catch the drippings.

Accessories: The biggest problem you might run into is the chicken tipping over. The weight of a half full can of beer just isn't enough to keep the chicken standing, especially if you are doing a large bird. But never fear, your fellow outdoor cooks have recognized the need and a host of products have appeared on the market to help you out. If you look in the "Elsewhere on the Web" section you will find a few variations to choose from.

Follow the step by step and try: "Making Beer Can Chicken".

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings

These chicken wings are one of the most popular appetizers at Super Smokers BBQ. The sweetness comes from honey and the kick comes from using the hottest, spiciest barbecue sauce your taste buds can handle. You will need apple wood chips and a disposable foil pan for this recipe. Make a dry rub by sifting the pepper, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and seasoned salt into a bowl to blend.

Place the chicken wings in a large zippered plastic bag. Pour in the dry rub and shake to coat the wings well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (at room temperature) or as long as 24 hours (in the refrigerator).

Prepare coals using 3 pounds of charcoal. Make sure the coals are in a pile to one side of your grill or smoker. After the coals have turned white, place 2 cups of soaked and drained apple wood chips on the pile of coals. Set the wings on the grate so they will cook by indirect heat -- in other words, not over the coals -- and smoke for 25 minutes. Turn the wings and smoke for another 20 to 25 minutes.

Mix the honey, barbecue sauce, and apple juice together in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until warmed through.

Place the wings in a disposable foil pan and pour the warm sauce over the wings. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and smoke for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is finished the way you like it. If you're using a grill, you can move the aluminum pan directly over the coals while you're glazing the wings.

Grilled Tri-Tip Roast

I used this simple recipe as a base for my dinner this evening. The only thing I added was a cup of marinade that I injected with the syringe that came with my turkey fryer. The mixture was 50% water and 50% tequilla. I then seared the meat on the grill and just followed the recipe. There was little leftovers....

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How to Buy a Gas Grill

So you want to buy a Gas Grill? You've gone to the hardware store. You've looked through the newspaper. You've looked at Weber, Char-Broil and a dozen more. You've listened to salespeople tell you about surface areas, BTUs, rotisserie burners, side burners, infrared burners, and a dozen things you've never heard of. Now you're more confused than before and what you need is a little friendly advice.

Price: The first thing is the price. Rule number one: You get what you pay for! If you drop in your local department or hardware store (even grocery store) you will see Gas Grills in the price range of around $150 to $300. However there are sources of residential Gas Grills that can run over $10,000. So you should decide how much you want to spend before you shop because you can spend as much as you want. There are literally hundreds of grills on the market each year, though your local stores may only carry a few, so having an idea of how much you want to spend will help narrow your search. Try my Gas Grill Reviews to get a feel for what's out there. When comparing prices, find out whether or not a propane tank is included. This can add about $20USD to $30USD dollars to your total cost if you have to buy it separately.

Fuel: The second thing to take into consideration is the fuel. First, do you want propane or natural gas? Natural gas requires a gas line at the location of your grill. Many grills can be bought in either configuration but you can't run a propane grill on natural gas or visa versa. Many lower priced grills do not have the natural gas option although more and more grills do these days. Watch the price though. Some natural gas conversion kits can cost between $50USD and $100USD. Of course natural gas will cost you less in the long run and save you trips to the propane store.

Material: Next is the material the grill is made out of. The main body of the grill is usually made from cast aluminum, sheet metal, cast iron, or stainless steel. Stainless steel is the preferred material of professional cooking equipment and the most expensive, but not all stainless steel is created equally. One thing to watch for is not just the body, but also the frame. There are many "stainless steel" grills that have painted steel frames that can rust. Once you decide on the material, look over the whole grill to see how it's put together. Is it all stainless steel (try using a magnet)? Or only parts of it. Rule Two: Manufacturers take shortcuts with metal! The truth is that cast aluminum will typically outlast any quality of stainless steel.

Size: Once you have these factors decided, you need to pick the size and features you want. For the size, think about the kinds of things you will want to cook on your grill and for how many people you might want to cook for. If you're planning on a large turkey or being able to cook up 40 hamburgers at a time you'll want a larger grill. If you just cook a few steaks or chicken breasts once in a while, you'll probably want a smaller one. Also look at the space you have for the grill. Get one that will fit safely and conveniently.

Features: As for features, do you want a side burner? How about multiple level cooking surfaces, or a smoker box, side burner, rotisserie burner, lights, or any one of a dozen things that get added to a grill these days. Remember that a basic grill will do lots of stuff and most of the extras get very little use. Rule Three: Features cost Money! Only buy the features you actually want.

Heat: Another factor is the BTU rating. This is a measurement of the amount of heat created by the burner. A grill with higher BTUs doesn't necessarily produce more heat. It is a factor of the heat created, the size of the grill and how well it holds and distributes that heat. Don't buy a grill just because it has a high BTU number. Compare that number with the size and the shape of the grill. Smaller more compact grills can produce higher cooking temperatures with lower BTUs.

Durability: Materials, thickness of metals, quality of parts play a major role in how long a grill will last. However, the biggest part of the lifespan of your gas grill is how well it is take care of. Rule Four: A well taken care of grill can last a long time!. The best grill out there will rust and fall apart if it is left uncovered and uncleaned. Of course a better grill will last longer, but you can get a long time out of a cheap grill is you take care of it.

So what features or grills will make the best cook-out? None. Practice and experience make great grilled foods. A gas grill is just a tool. The product depends on the cook. However, a good quality grill is a joy to use while a poor quality grill can lead to bad experiences the leave you less likely to cookout.

One way to separate the bad from the good is to look for name brand grills versus store brands. Ask the salesperson at the store you are shopping at if the grill you are looking at is one of there brands, or a national brand. Name brand grills have replacement parts, customer support and a company that will survive or not based on the quality of their products. Store brands change factories annually and lack the depth of support that will help keep you grill working for years to come, because if you take good care of it, it should last for many, many years. Just in case you are interested I have put together a couple of lists of the best gas grills on the market today. These are broken down by price and should give you a good idea of where to start.

Lamb Chops

The coming of spring not only heralds the beginning of the outdoor cooking season, it is also the traditional season of lamb. Ritualistically, I set aside one weekend every spring to grill lamb. Sometimes it's a leg or a rack, but frequently it's a pile of lamb chops. Of course, I always get the same excuses when I invite friends and family for this dinner. The truth is that most people think lamb has too strong a flavor. Many will tell you that they just don't like it. The average American eats less than one pound of lamb per year.

The real truth is that if most people had a taste of a good, properly cooked lamb chop, they would change their tune. I invite you to join me this year and try a good, grilled lamb chop. I bet you'll become a regular follower of this tradition. Here's how:

Selecting: Start by selecting the right chop. This requires a careful examination of the label and possibly a short conversation with a butcher. What you are looking for is a loin, rib or sirloin chop. If you get a shoulder or leg chop you'll need to use a marinade to make it tender. The chops you choose should have a light red, finely textured meat with smooth, white fat. Marbling is not as important with lamb as it is with beef, but the fat on your chops should be evenly distributed. Also, the chops should be a little bit more than an inch thick.

Flavor: The second thing you need to do is select your flavors. Lamb is excellent seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, fennel and mustard. Any rub, marinade or sauce made with these will enhance the flavor of your lamb chops. Begin with a thin coating of olive oil and then a light sprinkling of seasonings, but you don't need to go overboard. You don't want to cover the flavor of the meat; you only want to add to it.

Grilling: Lamb chops should be grilled on a covered grill over a medium-high heat. Ideally, you should grill them to medium rare or medium. There are few things worse than a dried out, over-cooked lamb chop, so keep a close eye on them and remove the chops from the grill when you reach an internal temperature of 140 F. And as always, let the meat rest for a few minutes before you serve it; in this case, five minutes will be good.

Spare Rib Rub

Excellent recipe, Member MMB1953

I used some fat pork spare ribs with this BBQ rub, absolutely try this again.

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Top 10 Small Grills

When exiled to a place where charcoal and gas are forbidden the griller doesn't have a lot of options other than electricity. The problem is that 120 volts isn't a lot of power to do high temperature grilling. Well, after some considerable development time Weber has managed to produce an electric version of its popular Q line of grills that runs on electricity. Capable of temperatures over 600 degrees F thanks to the efficiency of this design this grill can sear a steak, heat up quickly and recover its heat even faster after you lift the lid. While a small grill, if you are limited to electric grills, buy this one.

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings on the Grill

Regarding BBQ Inc.According to most, the modern "buffalo" wing was first served up at the Anchor bar in Buffalo, New York on October 30, 1964. Since then the buffalo or chicken wings have become a mainstay of bars, restaurants and kitchens around the world. There are literally thousands of recipes for chicken wings ranging from the traditionally "hot" wings to sweet and savory wings and every flavor and ethnic variation in between.

Cutting: To start out with, buy some chicken wings. You'll want a lot, so it's best to buy them in "family packs" or large bulk packs. You can buy chicken wings already cut up or whole wings and do the cutting yourself. If you don't mind the time and the cutting it can be cheaper to buy them whole. Cutting chicken wings is easy once you get the feel for it. Start by holding the wing at the base upright. Spread it out a bit and with a knife slice gently in between the bones. If you softly move the knife around you'll find the easiest way through. This way you don't splinter the bones. A little practice and you'll fly right through them.

Grilling: As difficult as it might sound, grilling is about the best way to cook chicken wings. Grilling allows the fat to drain away and gives you a nice, crispy wing without a lot of excess fat. Of course the real challenge in grilling chicken wings (beside them falling into the fire) is flare-ups and burning. To resolve this keep a medium flame. You don't want too high of a temperature. You will also need to turn the wings frequently to avoid burning. It will mean standing by the grill, but you can cook a lot of chicken wings in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Sauces and Marinades: Since you will need to pay some extra attention to you wings while they grill you can afford to use sauces that could normally cause burning. When it comes to chicken wings it's best to apply the sauce before or early in the cooking time. Marinades don't add a lot to wings. When grilling chicken wings you will want to turn the wings every 3 to 4 minutes. It is also a good idea to keep a portion of the grill clear in case of a flare-up that requires you evacuate your chicken wings to another location.

Finishing Up: A large batch of wings should be on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. As always with poultry overcook, don't undercook. Test your chicken wings when they are getting close by removing one and cutting it open. There should be no pink inside and any juices should run clear. Wings are best served hot from the grill so plan everything ahead to get it done on time.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

We loved this recipe. I used Splenda brown sugar and the sweet potatoes came out very good.

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Guide to Cookers

Rice Cookers, Pressure Cookers and Slow Cookers all have their place in a well-equipped kitchen. Each of these pieces of cooking equipment can help you prepare delicious meals more efficiently. Read on to learn what each cooker is best used for, and how to choose one that fits your needs.

What they do: Rice cookers, as their name indicates, are an electric appliance that can make perfectly cooked rice of all varieties. They contain a heating element that heats the rice and water until the water boils, and the combination of boiling water and steam cooks the rice. Rice cookers aren't for only rice, though – some cookers allow you to cook grains, porridge (like oatmeal or polenta). You can even steam or slow-cook food in many rice cookers.

How to choose: Pick a rice cooker that will be an appropriate size for the number of people you typically cook for – a 5- or 6-cup cooker will be adequate for a family of four. You'll also want to decide on what features you'll need. A basic one has little more than an on-off button, but more advanced models have programmable timers, "keep warm" settings and settings to cook different types of foods. If it's in your budget, splurge for one with "fuzzy logic," which can automatically adjust the temperature and cooking time as the rice cooks in the pot.

Recipes to try:

What they do: Slow cookers, the best-known brand of which is the Crock Pot, are an electric countertop appliance that cooks food at a low temperature (generally around 170 to 280 degrees) enclosed in a lidded pot, typically made of ceramic. This cooking method is great for less expensive cuts of meat the require long cooking times to make them tender, as well as for stews, beans and other liquidy recipes.

How to choose: As with a rice cooker, you'll want a slow cooker that will accommodate the size of recipe you'll typically make. A 6 quart slow cooker is a good size for a family of four, and you'll probably end up with a nice amount of leftovers. High and low settings and a keep warm setting are useful, and many slow cookers also have programmable timers, after which the cooker will switch to a "keep warm" setting.

Recipes to try:

What they do: A pressure cooker is a piece of cookware that has a sealed lid designed to allow pressure to build up on the liquid and food within the pot, so it heats food above the boiling point. The steam enclosed in the cooker is pushed through the food to heat it quickly and effectively, up to 1/4 to 1/3 the time of normal stovetop cooking.

How to choose: A pressure cooker with two settings ("high" and "low") will allow you to cook more recipes and types of foods. Also look for a pressure cooker with a quick-release valve, which will quickly release the steam pressure within. Most pressure cookers on the market today have lots of safety features to prevent the cookers from exploding, and to lock the lid in place until the pressure is sufficiently decreased. Some cookers come with multiple pot bases which allows you to cook different quantities of food.

Recipes to try:

Cranberry Beans, Kale and Sausage Stew Cream of Asparagus Soup Applesauce

Top 10 Beef Marinade Recipes

Virtually any cut of beef will benefit from a good marinade. Beef marinades should have some strength (Acid) to them to be effective against the density of this meat. Remember, when marinating beef, the time you marinade and the strength of the marinades needed depends on the toughness and the thickness of the cut.?

This marinade can be used on practically any meat or Mexican-style dish. You'll get a great lime and cilantro flavor without overpowering the flavor of the meat.

Top 10 Charcoal Grills

 Easy to use and highly durable, the Old Smokey 22 inch charcoal grill is perfect not only for your backyard barbecue, but can be taken most anywhere since it only weights 19 pounds, making it a great portable charcoal grill as well.. Made of aluminized steel, the Old Smokey #22 has no paint to peel or burn off and it taken care of can easily last for decades. Because of the tight construction you can hold temperatures down for low and slow barbecue. This charcoal grill comes from a small company in Texas (where it is still made) that has been in the same location, making quality products since 1923.

Brining Pork

Brining any meat can add a significant amount of water to it before you cook to make meats juicier and tenderer. You can actually increase the total weight of a cut of pork by 15% or more. While this is purely water weight it is liquid that takes time to cook out. Therefore the amount of water that remains in a piece of meat during cooking can increase greatly. This makes it moister and more tender.

The basic formula for a brine solution is 1 cup of salt (preferably without iodine) to one gallon of water. This is a very good rule to follow. While under-brining won't have a negative effect of foods, over-brining can be disastrous. Either using too much salt or brining for too long will leave you with a cut of meat that is too salty to eat. Don't worry about the 1 cup of salt that's only 1 tablespoon per cup or water. The solution should be salty to the taste but not thick with salt. This formula assumes that you are using regular table salt. If you are using a coarser salt, like kosher salt you will want to add more, about 1 1/2 cups per gallon. This is because kosher salt weighs less by volume.

When it comes to the amount of time you want to brine something it is more important not to brine too long than not long enough. While some cuts of pork can use days in a brine, even a relatively small amount of time can be helpful. Pork generally takes a long time to get the full effect. Now I wouldn't bother brining a cut of pork if you didn't have at least a few hours but with smaller cuts even 3 or 4 hours can do the trick. Do not; however go longer than the times on this chart.

Pork Chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick) - 12 to 24 hours
Whole Pork Tenderloin - 12 hours
Whole Pork Loin - 2 days

Brining times are not only determined by the weight and thickness of meat but also by the grain of the meat. Pork tenderloin takes less time to brine by weight than do pork chops because the long running grain pulls the brine into the meat.

The most basic seasoning that you want to add to your brine is a sweetener. This can be sugar, brown or white, molasses, or maple syrup. As a general rule add 1/2 cup of sweetener per gallon of brine. As for how much brine you will need, consider the size of the container you are going to use and the size of the meat you want to brine. A brine solution should be enough to completely submerge the meat you want to brine.

Additional seasonings can be derived from any recipe you might be using or your own preferences. Herbs and spices as well as garlic and onions will add flavor to pork. Try not to overpower the flavor of the pork but just add a hint of flavor. Garlic and onions should be minced or chopped to expose the maximum amount of surface area to the brine solution.

Barbecue Ribs on a Gas Grill

Cutting Spareribs

Regarding BBQ Inc.Cooking ribs with a genuine barbecue flavor using a gas grill is often a challenge. Gas grills are great for hot and fast cooking but, not so good when you need to turn a rack of ribs into tender, smoky barbecue. However, there are some tricks you can use. To get the best possible ribs from your gas grill, all you need is this three step process.

For this example, I am using a full rack of spareribs trimmed. You can use baby back ribs with this same method but reduce the cooking time about 5 minutes per stage. Otherwise, the total cooking time will be between 1 1/2 and 2 hours.

Your gas grill must be large enough and contain at least two burners, since these ribs will be cooked indirectly. This means the heat will not be below the rack of ribs, but off to the side of the grill. I will explain the set up in detail as we progress.

What you will need: one rack of ribs a good Rib Rub barbecue sauce 1/2 cup apple juice aluminum foil fuel for your grill wood chips for smoke a sharp knife

Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze

ropledople should learn to cook, Member NTR2DR

ropledople, if the bourbon taste was too overpowering for you, perhaps you should try it again and cut the bourbon in half before you give a less than favorable review. ALL RECIPES are merely suggestions, everyone has different taste and cooking styles. Tweak it and post what you did to improve it. I personally use this recipe and I ADD bourbon to it as I like it as a glaze for ribs. I personally use Jim Beam instead of J.D. See, I did my own tweaks and made it my own.

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George Foreman Fryer

The idea of a deep fryer that produces healthier fried food is a tempting one. And who better to develop such a product than George Foreman, who revolutionized healthy cooking with a line of fat-reducing grills?

Unlike a traditional deep fryer, the machine has a round fry basket that lifts out of the oil and spins rapidly, using centrifugal force to pull excess oil off food. The company put the product through its paces at an independent laboratory test to determine that the fryer did indeed remove more fat than traditional deep fryers. According to the test, onion rings had up to 38 percent less fat and breaded chicken, 55 percent less.

With a number of parts, the machine looks a bit intimidating and complicated, but a detailed instruction booklet makes it easy to assemble and use, and the booklet also contains helpful tips, a chart of cooking times for different types of food, and a few recipes.

A handle lifts and lowers the fry basket and locks it into position, all without having to open the lid. Dials set the temperature and cooking timer. The spin cycle has low and high speeds, and another dial sets the timer for the spin cycle, turning it off when time runs out.

The food I fried in this fryer (one recipe I tried: Fried Chicken Tenders with Creamy Salsa Cilantro Sauce) turned out crisp and perfectly cooked, and it did seem less greasy. What's more, the cover, with its built in vent, helped to cut down on the usual "fried" odor, and kept grease from spattering the area. On the spin cycle, the machine wobbled precariously, but nonskid feet kept it firmly in place on my counter. The George Foreman Lean Mean Spin Frying Machine sells for around $150, and is a good option for those who like to fry (slightly healthier) food with minimal mess.

The design of the machine presents a few drawbacks. For one, the cooking area is small, and the spindle in the middle (which holds the fry basket in place) cuts down on the capacity even more, and you can forget about frying anything very large, like a fish fillet.

The design of the machine makes it necessary to close the cover when you're frying, which takes some getting used to if you are accustomed to the open fryers. The cover makes it a little difficult to monitor the cooking process, and the viewing window quickly gets covered with condensation, which makes it impossible to see through.

I also wasn't fond of the dials that set the timers, because it seemed hard to know if you were setting them accurately. The button that opens the lid is also difficult to push, requiring a lot of effort, or requiring you to grip the sides of the machine in order to push it hard enough.

Rib-Eye Steak

Definition: The Rib-Eye is cut from the roast that sits at the top of the rib primal. As a roast is known as a standing rib roast or, more commonly, Prime Rib (though technically only if it is prime grade beef). The Rib-Eye is a boneless cut. When the bone is attached it is called a Rib Steak.

Because of excellent marbling in the meat of this cut it is loaded with flavor and remains tender during cooking. This steak is best grilled (ask anyone) and will remain tender up to medium, though it is still good at medium well.

This is THE steak. At least once in your life you need to go to the most expensive restaurant you can find and order a prime grade Rib-Eye steak, medium rare. When you go to take that first bite, close your eyes and roll back in your seat. Yeah, it's like that.

Rib-Eye Steak Recipes:

Chef Job Descriptions

When you go to a restaurant, you know who's making your food — it's the person in the white jacket and the big white hat. But what is a chef, anyway?

For that matter, what's a sous chef? And what about an executive chef? Here's a basic summary of some of the most common chef jobs and chef job descriptions, and what each one means.

In French, the word chef means "chief." This tells us that a chef is someone who's in charge of something. But what? A head chef, also sometimes referred to as "chef de cuisine" or "executive chef," is in charge of the whole kitchen.

Every part of a foodservice operation, including menu planning, purchasing, hiring and staffing, is part of a head chef's job description. That means he or she also has overall responsibility for all the food that comes out of the kitchen.

You may have noticed one key job function missing from a head chef's job description: cooking. That's right, the head chef typically doesn't cook.

You might see him standing around hollering at the line cooks (or expediting), but just as often it's a sous chef who does that. When you think executive chef, the key word is executive: The tools of his job are a desk, phone and clipboard, not a knife, whisk or saute pan.

The sous chef (pronounced "SOO chef," from the French word for under) is in charge of all the cooking. In some kitchens, sous chef's job is to directly supervise the entire kitchen staff, including the line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers.

While his or her job is still mainly supervisory, the sous chef may also do some actual cooking, for instance, stepping in to replace one of the line cooks if necessary.

A sous chef's job description also frequently includes expediting, or relaying orders to the line cooks and ensuring that the team works together to get all the orders right and get them out promptly.

A chef de partie ("chef duh-par-TEE") is the person whose job it is to work a station on the hot cooking line. Usually called line cooks, they're the ones doing the real cooking. Though every kitchen is organized differently, most will have, at a minimum, the following line cooks:
Saute Cook: Responsible for all sauteed items and sauces. Often responsible for cooking fish items, too, although there may also be a separate fish cook.
Roast Cook: Responsible for roasted and braised items. May also prepare broiled and grilled items, although there may be separate a separate grill station cook.
Vegetable Cook: Responsible for soups, starches such as pastas and potatoes, and other vegetable items.Some kitchens will feature various other chefs, such as a pastry chef who prepares desserts and other baked items, and a pantry chef or garde manger, responsible for cold food items such as salads and dressings, cured foods like sausages, as well as pates and terrines.

Some operations will also employ a separate chef whose job specialty is butchering and preparing meats and poultry.

Thinking about becoming a chef? Check out these 5 Tips for Choosing a Great Culinary School.

London Broil

London Broil, despite what you might find at the local meat market. is not a cut of beef but rather a method of cooking. It was one of the first recipes to become popular in early restaurants in the United States and so the name London Broil became synonymous with a cut of meat. Where this dish originated is unknown. It certainly didn't start in England, where the term "London Broil" has no meaning.

Originally London Broil was made with a flank steak, but over the years the name has been applied to almost any cut of beef that is very lean and less tender. Hence you might find London Broil being a steak or a roast that comes from the sirloin or round sections of the cow. This of course makes the whole thing very confusing.

To make matters worse the original method of the London Broil was simply a flank steak, pan fried to medium rare, cut cross grain and served. This method is perfect for a flank steak because it becomes very tough if cooked too long and by cutting it into strips you made it easy for even the dullest of teeth to get through.

Later the method was changed to include marinating the flank steak and then grilling or broiling it. This makes the name make a little more sense. Now the origins get even more confusing. The marinade traditionally used for London Broil has ranged anywhere from a simple mixture of olive oil with salt and pepper to a wide collection of ingredients. You need to remember that chefs in earlier days tended to mix seasonings, sauces, and marinade more from what was on hand than from a specific recipe. To get a good marinade for London Broil try a mixture of soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, ginger, balsamic vinegar and honey. This gives it the basic flavors that make beef great.

From here you need to grill the marinated flank steak, hot and fast and to no more than medium. Overcooking will make it tough no matter how long you marinated. When the steak is ready remove it from the grill, allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then carve, cross grain, and serve in strips. It's great on mashed potatoes (a traditionally favorite side dish). If you've been paying attention you will have noticed that most recipes that involve flank steak are prepared this way, from traditional fajitas to, well, anything with flank steak. This is generally a tough ct of meat, but it has great flavor and if you prepare it right, people will love it.

Okay, now for all those other things called London Broil. These cuts all have something in common, they are lean and tend to be tougher, so the same rules apply. You might find "London Broil" in anything from a 1 inch cut to a 4 inch roast. Marinate for 2 to 3 hours per inch and grill to no more than medium. On the thick roasts you will want to grill it directly for about 2 minutes per side then grill indirectly for about 30 minutes. The internal temperature should not pass 130 degrees F. Allow thinner cuts to rest for about 5 minutes and whole roasts to rest for 10 minutes. Resting allows the meat to relax and the juices to flow. Carve the London Broil cross grain and serve. It's a great way to get a really good meal out of a less expensive cut of meat.

All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker

A high-end waffle maker that produces thick, light-as-air waffles.

Part of cookware maker All-Clad's foray into kitchen electrics is the 4-Square Belgian Waffle Maker, exclusively available at Williams-Sonoma. A sturdy, heavy machine, this waffle maker is pricy, but makes thick, light waffles that are crispy on the outside and airy and tender inside.

The machine has a temperature dial, lights indicating the power and when it reaches temperature, and a beep signal when the maker is heated and when a waffle is finished cooking. The cooking plates are cast-aluminum and nonstick, although the instructions still recommend brushing them with oil.

The waffle maker emits steam while cooking; in fact, it's designed to release steam from the waffles to create the light, crisp texture. The deep square pockets in the inch-thick waffles also help to keep these waffles crisp; they didn't even seem to get soggy after sitting in the oven.

The one thing I don't like about this appliance is the drip trough. The back of the waffle grid is cut away to provide a runoff channel into a removable plastic trough designed to catch batter overflow. Even so, this makes a terrible mess and will likely need to be emptied if you're making more than a few waffles. What's more, the part of the waffle along the runoff didn't seem to cook as evenly as the rest of the waffle, and I had to cut away the gummy part of the waffle that spilled over. I found the drip tray messy to use and to clean (not to mention, difficult to remove from the hot waffle maker when it filled up before I'd finished cooking).

A little recipe book comes with the waffle maker. My favorite was the recipe for Yeasted Waffles, the batter for which is made the night before.

At $199.95 (or $179.95 for the 2-Square version), the All-Clad Waffle Maker is a splurge. But if you make waffles every weekend, this waffler might make some of the best you've ever tasted.

Michael Jordan's 23 Delmonico

What am I doing wrong?, Member whulsbergen

The steak saved the day, but what a strange recipe. - FAR too much ginger. Can't taste anything else in the sauce - reducing the vinegar? When you pour the vinegar, almost nothing is left to reduce. Or should I reduce after adding the broth? - with all the vegetables, no sauce can be made from this. Or should I blend it? - No seasoning of the steak? - The recipe says you should skewe the mushroom with the rosemary. This doesn't work, as the mushroom just breaks open. And should I eat the raw rosemary? No clue.

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Peruvian Roasted Chicken

Very tasty recipe, Member dbindley

Tried this for the first time today and it came out very well and the chicken was very tasty I had the grill set for 300 for the 1.5 hrs and it was not done. Cooked it for another 45 minutes and still not all of the way done. Took a total of 2.5 hrs. I dont think that 300 is the correct temp. to cook this dish, it probably should be 400. Will try it anyway and see how it goes.

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SodaStream Soda Maker

A fun tool that lets soda lovers make their own sodas.

My husband is a huge fan of soda, particularly those fruit-based, all-natural sodas they sell at gourmet and natural foods stores, and even just plain old seltzer water. The problem is, the cost of those sodas adds up, and lugging the bottles home from the store (plus out to the recycling bin when they're empty) can be quite a chore.

So when I saw the SodaStream C100 soda maker, I thought it would might be a good solution. And, for the most part, it is.

The SodaStream is a non-electric countertop device that pumps carbonation into water via a CO2 canister that is included with the machine (Note: Don't do as I did and try to either travel with or ship your SodaStream – CO2 cylinders are considered hazardous materials and are pretty impossible for the average consumer to transport). The SodaStream also comes with two 1-liter plastic bottles and lids. The bottles are BPA free and are reusable, which makes them very eco-friendly. Plus, they last for 3 years (bottles are even marked with the "use-by" date). Extra bottles are available for purchase separately, and once you've used up your CO2 canister, you can exchange it at an authorized retailer for a new cylinder, and pay only the cost of the gas (at my local kitchenware store, this ends up being only around $13, whereas buying the cylinder itself is twice that much). The company claims the carbonator will make 60 liters of soda water, depending on the amount of carbonation used for each bottle (A larger cylinder is also available that carbonate up to 110 liters of water).

Using the SodaStream is simple: You screw the CO2 cylinder into the back of the machine (the canister can stay in place until it's empty), then screw a bottle of chilled water into the front of the machine. Then, press the carbonating button a few times until you hear the machine buzz. Three buzzes will yield standard carbonation (which seems as fizzy as a just-opened can of soda), more or fewer buzzes will give you more or less carbonation according to your preference. Then, unscrew the bottle from the drinkmaker and either drink it immediately, or cap it and refrigerate it for later. The SodaStream can only be used to carbonate plain water, but for flavored soda, you can add syrups, juices or extracts to the bottle or to your glass.

I found only a few drawbacks of the SodaStream. For one, you need to chill your bottle of water first, which can be a drag if you are making multiple drinks and only have 2 bottles, or if you want a spur-of-the-moment beverage. Second, the bottles must be washed by hand. And finally, I wish the user manual had a few recipes for making your own soda concentrates. SodaStream sells its own line of soda concentrates, but they are all filled with artificial ingredients, which makes me itch to create my own (Although I do like that the sweetener for the diet versions is Splenda rather than aspartame). But for around $99 for the kit, I think the SodaStream is a fun and useful accessory for soda lovers.

Smoking Brisket

Long before Sam Houston moved to Texas, Mexican Cowboys would cook up a big bull's head in an underground pit. They called this Barbacoa de Cabeza. It remained a popular dish for cowboys on the cattle drive until German immigrants in Texas decided that brains and sweetbreads were too good to waste in a pit. They started the use of Brisket (usually a throw away cut) in Texas Barbecue. They found that cooked properly it was quite a delicacy. The proper way to cook Brisket is low and slow, with a good amount of smoke, a sweet or spicy rub and a tasty sauce. Throughout Texas and much of the mid-west, this recipe for Brisket thrives.

To follow this recipe requires the right equipment. You need a smoker. What kind of smoker (or pit as the Texans generally refer to them) is up to you. You can mortgage the house or go cheap. Whatever you use you need to know your equipment and know how to maintain a steady temperature for as much as 10 to 15 hours.

With the brisket prepared you need to get the smoker ready. You will want a fire of about 200 degrees F to 230 degrees F. (93 degrees C. to 110 degrees C.). At this temperature you can expect the cooking time to be about 1 1/2 hours per pound. Do the math ahead of time so you know how long you will need to keep the fire going. At this temperature range the collagen in the meat will breakdown nicely and make the meat tender and tasty.

Once you have the smoker ready place the brisket fat side up (read: Brisket - Which Side Up?)in the center of the cooking grate. If you are using a water smoker you can leave it fat side up the whole time. With an offset smoker you will want to turn it after a few hours to keep the bottom from drying out. You will also need to baste, or mop it every hour to keep the surface moist. Brisket can dry out even with a good fat cap so be prepared to mop it if necessary, or if you want to. If you are using an off set horizontal smoker you can add a water pan to the smoking chamber to help keep the moisture up.

Because of the drying problem, if you are planning on going very low and slow you might try wrapping the brisket after the first 5-6 hours. Though there are people who swear they go 20 hours naked to the smoke, most people find that the meat eventually dries out. Mopping helps but sometimes you just have to go the extra step of wrapping the brisket in foil to finish it off. It's important that you keep a good eye on it to make sure it is staying moist. I have heard some people complain that after about 8 to 10 hours that the meat can get too smoky. If you like a milder smoke flavor then you have another reason to wrap the brisket in foil.

Temperature: The general temperature to aim for is about 180 degrees F (80 degrees C.). You want to measure that with a good meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat being careful to keep it away from the fat. When you have reached this temperature the brisket is done. Actually the temperature of the meat will continue to climb before you carve it. You can continue smoking the brisket until it reaches 195 degrees F. (91 degrees C.) Some people will continue smoking, letting the fire die down a little and being very careful to avoid drying.

Wrapping: On the point of wrapping, many people have pointed out that if you are going to do this you might as well put the Brisket in the oven at 220 degrees F. (104 degrees C.) and finish it there. After all you have better temperature control in the average oven than you do in a smoker. Purists scoff at the idea of using the oven. The reason for the wrapping is to keep the Brisket moist. But if you have a good fat layer, your temperature isn't too high and you keep a good supply of water in the smoker you shouldn't have any trouble with the meat drying out.

Carving: When the brisket is done, remove from the smoker and let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then carve. There is something of an art to carving up the brisket. This is because with a full brisket the grain runs in different directions between the point and the flat. Lay the brisket, fat side down and carve off the point. If you look at the grain and fat line you should be able to see it pretty clearly. Then carve the remaining fat layers off, stack the point on the flat and carve across grain into thin, long strips, about the thickness of a pencil. You should get long rectangular pieces.

Oven Baking Bread

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Barbecue Sauces: Mustard

Mustard Barbecue Sauce

Regarding BBQ Inc.If you travel into South Carolina you will wander into mustard country. Here barbecue sauces are thick and yellow (orange sometimes) and to even mention tomatoes can get you more trouble than you want. Sauces made from mustard are perfect for smoked pork. In fact this is the traditional BBQ sauce of the South Carolina Pig-Pickin'. These sauces are prepared and set out for the diners to dip into as they pull smoked bits of pork from the whole hog.

Favored in the Midlands of South Carolina, Mustard based barbecue sauces have their origins in the 18th century when German immigrants brought this style of sauce from Europe and combined it with the indigenous pork barbecue. To this day you can still see the German connection in the names of the towns and BBQ joints where mustard sauce is still the only way to go.

Mustard barbecue sauces have a tangy flavor that is usually offset by sweet in the form of molasses or brown sugar. Often these mustard sauces are heated up with hot sauce which is typical of all Carolina barbecue sauces. Of course you can choose between the heat and the sweet as long as you keep the mustard at the heat of the sauce.

Some mustard barbecue sauces contain beer. This is a throwback to those German roots. While any beer will do I suggest you pick one that is not overly bitter and that you let it go flat before combining it with the sauce.

Like many barbecue sauces, mustard sauces should be allowed to combine before you serve it. Many of these sauces are cooked first, but the real secret is to give the sauce time for the flavors to mix. Therefore, it is best if you make up your mustard barbecue sauce a day or two before you intend to serve it. You really will notice the difference.

Cleaning a Waffle Maker

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Grades & Cuts

Prime Grade Beef

U.S. Department of AgricultureA great grilled steak begins with a great steak. But how do you tell a great steak from a regular steak? You go to the butcher whether it’s the corner meat market, supermarket or online store and find what can appear to be an unending row of steaks. There are a couple of things to look for when buying a steak. First there is the grade. The grade tells you about the quality of the meat based on marbling and age. The second factor is the cut. Different cuts have different qualities. Finding the right cut for what you want to grill is probably the most important part of an excellent steak.

Grades

Grading is typically performed by a third party organization or by a government agency like the USDA in the United States. The age of the animal and the marbling of the meat determine the grade of the meat. Beef are graded whole so you will find some variance in grades of an individual cut. In the United States grades are prime, choice and select with prime being at the top and select being the bottom. Actually, the lowest rated meats are not for general retail distribution and become things like meat by-products.

Prime grade beef makes up about 2% of all the beef produced in the United States and typically ends up exported or sold to fine restaurants. What you will normally find on the shelves at the store is choice and select. Since prime is difficult to find your best option is to purchase a choice cut. I suggest you try it because you will notice a difference. Since choice is superior to select you can buy a less desirable cut to compensate for the higher price.

One thing to remember about grading is that these designations are designed to by friendly to the multi-billion dollar Beef Industry. There is a considerable amount of thought into brand names and marketing that shows up on that label on the meat you so carefully read.

Marbling is an important factor in steak selection. To visually determine the marbling of a steak take a good look at the texture of the meat. If the meat is free of all fat then the cut has no or little marbling. Though this is leaner and often more tender, it is not as flavorful. Small streaks of fat through the meat will produce a more flavorful steak. When selecting a steak always take a look at the marbling. Remember, generally the more marbling the less tender but the more flavorful. This creates something of a balancing act to find the steak that is both tender and tasty.

Marbling should be thin streaks of fat. Thick lines of fat mean the steak contains a lot of connective tissue that will make it tough. What to look for in a good steak is the color. The meat should be bright red and the fat a creamy white and evenly distributed through the meat.

Cuts

Cuts of steak can be broken down into three sections. Starting on the upper back and moving down to the mid-back you have the rib, the short loin and the sirloin. The rib contains cuts such as the Rib Roast, the Rib-eye Steak and the back ribs. This is the least tender section of the three. The short loin produces the T-bone, Top Loin Steak, Tenderloin and the Porterhouse. The Sirloin gives the Sirloin Steak, and the Top Sirloin. Other steaks like the chuck, round and flank steak come from those respective areas and tend to be tough cuts of meat. Strips steaks, like the New York Steak is cut from the T-bone portion.

The tenderest cut of beef is the tenderloin. From this area you will get cuts like chateaubriand, filet mignon and tournedos. Though these cuts are tender they are less flavorful. The rib-eye, or rib steak are less tender but far more flavorful. The same holds true about the sirloin cut.

Top 10 Hamburger Recipes

Since the first fast food joint started turning out hamburgers for the smallest possible price this, greatest of sandwiches has taken it on the chin. We are obligated to turn up our noses at these lifeless, greasy disks and instead seek out the freshest ingredients, the best meats and make our own, greatest hamburgers. These 10 burger recipes are consistently the top of the list on my site here. Consider them a guide to building your own perfect hamburger. After all, with all the variations of meats, condiments, toppings and buns there really should be a burger for everyone.

This bacon cheeseburger has the bacon and cheese stuffed inside the patty. A little surprise for a great tasting burger. Don't worry about hiding the filling away inside the burger, just make sure that the burgers are not too thick and that they are well packed. This recipe comes from Janis Novak.

The real secret to this burger is the fresh herbs. They give the beef patty loads of flavor. So much that you will probably want to go light on the toppings. I like this one on a baguette (make smaller patties), but you can certainly put it on a regular hamburger bun. Top it with lettuce and maybe a nice mild cheese.

One point on this burger. Usually I tell you to use a fattier ground beef (like a nice chuck) for the flavor, but with this burger you want to go with a leaner grind because of all the ingredients in the patty. The leaner beef with hold up on the grill better and you won't miss the flavor.

This is another of Lee Custer's great recipes. Lee is something of a purist and suggest that you grill these patties over hardwood coals. I know that for many people this isn't possible, but if you have the ability (or at least the opportunity) you really need to try a burger cooked over a real fire. It's a radically different experience than hamburgers off a gas grill.

These burgers are an ooey gooey mess and wonderfulness. You might need a knife and fork the eat these, actually you might need a bowl too, but they are definitely worth the effort.

T-Fal ActiFry

This machine not only makes excellent guilt-free fries, but it lets you cook everything from stir-fries to risotto on autopilot. Too bad it's so expensive.

Originally introduced in Europe and just now making its way Stateside, the Actifry's biggest claim to fame is that it can make 2 pounds of crisp French fries with just a tablespoon of oil. But after putting this countertop appliance through its paces, I discovered that it can do a whole lot more – which is a good thing, considering that it costs around $300.

The ActiFry is fun and super-easy to use: There's an on-off button, and another button with a countdown timer. Just put the food in the pan (it holds about 2 pounds), drizzle it with oil, close the lid and press start. A paddle slowly stirs the food as hot air cooks it. I found fries and other foods to be cooked uniformly, thanks to the constant movement. Sure enough, the fries I made turned out crisp and delicious, and I didn't miss the extra oil one bit. I also made a stir-fry, which took longer to cook than if I'd done it on the stove, but was more convenient because I could let the machine do the stirring as I prepped the food and made the rest of my meal. When I saw the slow stirring motion, I knew the ActiFry would be ideal for making labor-intensive risotto, and I was right. While I still had to be nearby to keep adding the stock, and it took just as long as on the stove, making risotto in the ActiFry was far easier than doing it on the stove, and it turned out just as good (See the recipe for making risotto in the ActiFry).

The ActiFry isn't perfect, however. Customers have complained about shoddy constructions and materials, and while I didn't have any problems during testing, I did feel like some of the pieces were flimsy and could break easily. The countdown timer would also be more convenient if it actually turned the machine off. And being able to adjust the temperature would make it far more versatile. It's also a pretty bulky gadget to have on your countertop. But I think the main detraction is the price. At around $300 at the time of this review, this is a pretty expensive gadget just to make French fries, albeit delicious ones. But if you've got the money – and the counter space – to buy an ActiFry, I'm guessing you'll come up with plenty of excuses to use it.

Classic BBQ Rib Sauce

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Bacon Double Cheese Burgers

MOIST & FLAVORFUL, Member ROBERTSONJR

I MADE THESE LAST NIGHT AND EVERYONE THOUGHT THEY WERE DELICIOUS. THEY WERE MOIST, HAD GREAT FLAVOR, AND WERE VERY EASY TO MAKE. I DID NOT HAVE THE SALT THE RECIPE REQUESTED, I JUST USED PLAIN KOSHER SALT - I WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE THEM AGAIN.

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Panasonic Bread Maker Review

Panasonic's Automatic Bread Maker is a good all-purpose option for the beginning bread baker.

If you're new to bread baking, Panasonic's Automatic Bread Maker could be for you. The machine is easy to use and yields seemingly foolproof good results.

The settings are easy to use, and you can use the machine to make white, whole wheat, multigrain or French bread, or even make pizza dough or use the machine on a bake-only setting . The separate yeast dispenser means you don't have to worry about layering dry ingredients over wet ingredients. Instead, yeast is automatically dispensed at the appropriate moment in the process, ensuring perfectly risen bread every time.

Experienced bread-machine users might be disappointed that the control panel does not indicate at what stage in the process the machine is, and that there are no programmable settings for your own recipes. However, there is a "dough only" setting that enables you to use the machine to mix your own recipes, then remove them after the first rise and shape them to bake in a conventional oven.

A problem I encountered is that the loaf sizes in Panasonic's machine are "Medium," "Large," and "Extra-Large," when bread-machine recipes measure loaf size by pounds. Nothing in the manual offered a description of the loaf sizes. A call to Panasonic's excellent customer-service hotline got the answer (A "Medium" loaf is 1 1/2 pounds, "Large" is 2 pounds and "Extra-Large" is 2 1/2 pounds).

While the instruction manual is helpful, the recipes aren't quite as user-friendly. The ingredient measurements for some of the recipes are in strange amounts, like 4 7/16 cups of flour, perhaps due to converting the measurement from ounce measurements (which are also given). If you have a kitchen scale, you'd be wise to use it to measure your quantities.

The Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker can be found for under $130, making it an affordable option for easy homemade bread.

Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

EXCELLLLLENT!, Member lmixter2

Leave it to the south to come up with a great recipe using mayonnaise as a BRBQ Sauce! I also, put a little curry powder, it was great! Laurie

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Basil Pesto Recipe

Best Pesto Ever!, Member NetaWeber

I used toasted pecans instead of pine nuts and definitely included the butter, which I think gave it a creamier (yummier) texture and flavor. It is the best pesto I have ever made.

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Pineapple Marinade

I tried this marinade,and loved it.I would recomend it to any pork chop lover.

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Best Odds Pulled Pork

Of all the traditions of barbecue, Pulled Pork has held on to its roots far more than any other. Large cuts of tough and cheap pork smoked for hours slowly, then pulled apart by hand and served on a bun or in a pile. While pulled pork has held on to its tradition there is still a lot of variation out there. I've tried to bring together the best traditions and my own experiences to put together a method for the best odds pulled pork. While you probably won't win any competitions with this method you're sure to please a crowd.

The first step when making smoked pulled pork barbecue is deciding which cut of pork you want to use. Unlike brisket, pulled pork can be made from any fatty pork roast or from a whole hog. The best roast is the shoulder. High in fat and connective tissue, the shoulder is also the most flavorful part of the hog. The pork shoulder is typically cut into two parts, the Boston Butt and the Picnic Roast. You can use either or both, it won't matter a lot. What you do want is a fatty piece of pork. The fat will keep the pork moist while you smoke it. You should also pick a cut with the bone still in. The bone adds flavor and sweetens the meat.

Once you have your meat, trim off any loose fat and skin. These won't aid the pork much and will tend to just get in the way. With the meat ready you can apply a rub to flavor the meat while it smokes. A typical pulled pork rub will have sugar (usually brown), black pepper, cayenne for heat and either paprika or chili powder for color. Pulled pork, either through sauce or spice will have a reddish color to it. It's tradition. Work the rub deep into the meat and let it sit on the meat for at least an hour to mix with the juices from the meat. Now you're ready to smoke.

The smoke of pulled pork is provided by hickory and/or oak. While you can use any mild wood these are the traditional woods. You will want an even 200 to 225 degree F. fire. You need to keep the smoker temperature below 265 degrees F. no matter what. Too high of a temperature will make the meat tough. You want to smoke your pork roasts for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours per pound. This means you will be smoking for a long time. Get it, low and slow. You can remove the pork once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F., but it won't be tender. Continue until you can easily shred the meat with a fork. Now it's done. Of course if you have trouble smoking for this long you can use alternative cooking methods after a few hours. Wrap the pork tightly in foil and place it in your oven at 225 degrees F. until it is finished.

Once the pork is done remove it from the smoker and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Now you are ready to pull. Ideally the meat will be so tender that you can simply pull it apart with your hands. This allows you to separate out the meat from everything else. Place the meat in a pot over a low heat to keep it warm. Now you can add a simple vinegar sauce to the mixture to give it that authentic flavor. This sauce can be as simple as cayenne, paprika and apple cider vinegar. Mix it all together so that the meat is lightly coated and you are ready to eat.

Tradition also dictates that you provide your diners with a table or finishing sauce. This can be almost any kind of barbecue sauce, but again it would be typically served with a thin vinegar sauce. While this might sound like you'll have a sour dish, the meat will be sweet from the slow cooking and the sour of the vinegar (always apply cider vinegar) will be neutralized by that sweet. You can serve pulled pork on a plate or on a bun, it's up to you.

For more help do your Pulled Pork Step by Step.

How to Make Smoked Salt

Fancy salts are all the rage these days, and one of the salts that adds the most flavor to foods is smoked salt. But you don't have to spend a fortune on gourmet smoked salt. If you have a stovetop smoker, it's easy enough to make your own.

You can use smoked salt to sprinkle over raw or cooked vegetables (it's particularly good on grilled asparagus), mix into guacamole or salsa, season meat before cooking, or nearly any cooking process that requires the use of salt.

Smoking Chicken - Real Barb...

Smoked Chickens

Regarding BBQ Inc.So what's so great about smoked whole chicken? If you ask this then you've never tried it. Imagine a roasted chicken bathed in flavorful smoke and slow cooked to the point where it melts in your mouth. Got that? Then you're about half way there. I really think that smoking chicken is the way it was meant to be cooked. But then I think smoking anything is the way to go. While grilling can do wonders for chicken, the smoker adds so much more.

The first step in smoking a barbecue chicken is to find a good chicken. Don't pick up a shriveled, frozen bird at the supermarket. Pick out a fresh, plump bird, and avoid any chicken that is packed with "solution". Many chickens these days are mixed with a chemical brine to make it look good and plump. This makes them look good, but doesn't make them taste good. You want a good size because it's going to go fast. If you're cooking for more than about five people consider getting two. I usually try to find a 4 to 5 pound bird. Yes you can find them. If you can't find a fresh one, then follow the instructions for thawing.

Smoking one 4 pound chicken will take about 4 hours. Before you put the chicken in the smoker give it a good wash and trim off any lose fat and skin. Smoke at about 220 degrees F until the temperature at the center of the chicken breast reaches about 185 degrees F. Watch this temperature closely because you don't want to get to far above 185 degrees F.

If you do nothing with the chicken at this point but put it in the smoker you'll get a marvelous bird. However there are several things you can do to add additional flavor to this chicken. The low and slow method of barbecue produces a vastly superior chicken to grilling. Smoked chicken is easy whether you use a large offset smoker or a charcoal grill. This is a great recipe to start with if you are just learning about barbecue.

My favorite barbecue mop recipe is a good stout. I usually get a really big bottle of stout; use about 1/4 for the chicken and the rest for me. Pour some beer in a bowl; add some garlic and onion, maybe some sage, thyme and bay leaves, or cayenne, chili powder and paprika. Of course there are lots of great smoked chicken recipes out there.

For poultry a good barbecue rub usually has sage, thyme and bay leaves. These flavors go along way with chicken. You want to work the spice rub all over the chicken. Get it into every nook and cranny, including under the skin where possible. Try to harmonize your flavors by using the same combination in your rub or mop.

So how do you know when the smoked chicken is done? Use a thermometer. It is the best way to know that your bird is safe to eat. Chicken is cooked at 165 degrees F but when smoking you want to over cook it. Look for a temperature around 185 degrees F. Test the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken breast. A good smoked chicken will be very tender, have a late summer tan, pink meat and the juices will run clear. Make sure your bird has all these elements.

Making Rice Cooker Risotto

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Tp 10 Gas Grills \$1000 to \$2000

Gas Grills in this price range should be powerful, have good features, and quality construction. This doesn't mean complete stainless steel construction, but it does mean durable construction. Look for brand names and be prepared to look beyond the big box stores. The best place to find these gas grills is at a local Barbecue Products Specialty Store.?

Onward Manufacturing CompanyThe newly designed Broil King Imperial 90 Gas Grill is a big change for Broil King. Stepping away from the cast aluminum body, this grill is a combination of stainless steel, steel sheet metal and cast aluminum hood caps. This makes for a large, powerful grill that still has all the great cooking technology that makes Broil King one of the best grills on the market. The 4 dual tube burners give you a high, even heat and the linear flow control values let you produce precise temperatures. This grill also features a full rotisserie system and a side burner so you get all the features you need.

Stok 4-Burner Quattro SGP4330SB

Recently a major grill maker told me that the future was in accessories.. The Stok Quattro may just be the perfect design for this. With removable cooking grate sections you can convert to use a griddle, vegetable basket or pizza stone without turning off the grill or even stopping cooking. The unique design of this grill gives you a tremendous amount of versatility in a complete unit. The best part is that all these extras come standard so the $400USD price tag gets you everything. Hopefully Home Depot, the exclusive dealer, will have replacement parts and maybe even more toys to play with.The Stok Quattro is truly a unique gas grill. The two porcelain coated cast iron cooking grates have round, removable sections in the middle that can be swapped out for accessories like a pizza stone, a griddle, or a vegetable basket. The best part is that these accessories come standard and are not an additional expense. You even get a place to store these accessories in the cabinet and you get a special tool to remove them while hot. This means you can switch between the different components without turning off the grill or even breaking pace, with the exception of the pizza stone which cannot be gripped by the tool.

Beyond this, the Stok Quattro is a standard 4-burner gas grill. The 48,000 BTUs are plenty to heat the 475 square inch primary grilling space. The porcelain coated cooking grates are heavy enough to give you good heat transfer and grill marks though the pop up design makes using a spatula a little clumsy (probably not enough to bother you though). Though it doesn't have any other extras, the design is attractive and modern and the construction is fairly good.

This is a new grill from a manufacturer that hasn't had a lot of success in the U.S. market yet though they have been around for years. If successful we could be looking at a large product line. I would suggest that if you are only looking for a grill to cook burger and steaks that this might not be the grill for you. As a standard gas grill it is okay. It is the accessory system that really makes this gas grill stand out.

How to Clean Cookware

Don't use harsh detergents or abrasive pads on your cookware.

©2009 Jessica Harlan licensed to About.com, Inc.

Your cookware is probably the hardest-working cooking equipment in your kitchen, and it can also be the most challenging to keep clean. Follow these tips for how to clean cookware, from cast iron to stainless steel to nonstick. It's also a good idea to refer to the cookware manufacturer's instructions or website to find out specific recommendations on how to clean your cookware.

Use warm water, dish detergent and a sponge or a non-abrasive cleaning pad like a to clean the interior and exterior of your cookware soon after you're finished using it. Leaving dirty pots and pans overnight can cause food to dry and stick, which makes them harder to clean. Instead, if you know you won't be able to clean your cookware for a few hours, let the pot or pan cool slightly, then fill it with warm, soapy water and let it soak. Tough stains or stuck-on food can be tackled with a powdered cleaner called Bar Keeper's Friend. Make a paste with the Bar Keeper's Friend and a little warm water, then use a sponge or a soft cloth to scrub at the stains until they're gone. Rinse well with warm water, until you can no longer feel any grit from the cleaner. Some stainless steel cookware is dishwasher safe; check your manufacturer's instructions or website to check if you can wash yours in the dishwasher. Use warm, soapy water and a soft sponge or dishrag to clean nonstick cookware. For stuck-on food, try making a paste of equal parts baking soda and warm water, and rubbing the paste onto the nonstick surface with a soft cloth or sponge. You can also clean nonstick cookware with a plastic scrubber, such as a Dobie pad, but never use metallic or abrasive brushes, scouring pads or cleansers because it will scratch or corrode the finish. Some manufacturers advise against putting nonstick cookware in the dishwasher; the hot water and harsh detergents can pit or destroy the nonstick coating. Follow the instructions for cleaning stainless steel cookware. When copper starts to discolor, use a copper cleaner, such as Radiance, to polish the exterior of the pan. Cookware manufacturer Calphalon also suggests making a homemade paste from 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of coarse salt, which you can rub onto the copper with a sponge, and then rinse off. Cast iron cookware is at its best when it is seasoned or cured, which means it has developed a baked-on patina of oil which helps prevent rusting and also gives the cooking surface nonstick properties. To clean cast iron cookware without removing the seasoning, use a stiff brush, hot water and no soap or detergent, which can eat away at the seasoning. Lodge Manufacturing recommends loosening stuck-on food by boiling water in the pan for a few minutes. After washing, you should dry the pan (air-drying can cause it to rust) and lightly coat it with a little vegetable oil while it's still warm. If your cast iron cookware develops rust spot, these can be scoured off with fine-gauge sandpaper or steel wool, and the pan can be re-seasoned. Allow the cookware to cool before exposing it to cold water, which can damage the enamel. Then hand-wash it with hot, soapy water and a sponge or a soft abrasive pad or a brush. For stubborn residue, soak the pan in warm soapy water for awhile before scrubbing it with a soft, abrasive pad. Some companies, including Le Creuset, claim that their enamel cast iron cookware is dishwasher safe, but they warn that dishwashing can dull the finish of the enamel.

Big Green Egg (Large)

Can't go wrong with a BGE, Member jmaditto

First, I read the 3 negative comments and while their issues are legitimate, they are all from user error. They are doing it wrong! None of the issues listed cannot be addressed by simply either reading the manual, being more careful or a bit of practice?plain and simple. I have had my BGE (Large) for almost 3 years now. Much different from the typical Weber kettle or any gasser so it takes some practice to get use to it and learn how to smoke/roast/grill on it. It really is a versatile grill and with a lifetime warranty, you can?t go wrong. Customer Service is fantastic and they will stand by their product. I have smoked turkeys, brisket, chicken, ribs and all came out wonderful. I sear the heck out of steaks and then cool the temp down and roast until medium rare and my family just loves them. Anytime at a restaurant and they get a steak I hear the same comment, ?Not as good as yours dad.? Music to my ears I tell you. The BGE is expensive but it is worth it if you like to cook. I have a friend that is approaching year 15 with his BGE. This will be the last grill you ever need. Enjoy.

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Going Natural Gas

Over the last few years more and more outdoor appliances have shown up that are gas powered. Patio heaters, gas fireplaces, and of course gas cooking equipment. Also grills have gotten larger and larger and much more powerful. This means that you could be burning through propane tank after tank if you spend a lot of time in on the porch. So what are you going to do? Make regular trips to refill or exchange your empty propane tank? Why not go natural gas.

Natural gas has many benefits. First of all, depending on where you live it can be much cheaper, as much as a third the price of propane for each BTU. Since natural gas has half the power of propane it can actually cost a sixth as much or less than propane per volume, but since you use twice as much it's still a third the price. Also, natural gas burns much cleaner than propane. So natural gas is better for the environment and you don't get as much exhaust from the burning propane which can end up on your food and float around your party. Lastly, natural gas, connected to your house won't run out until the gas company does in 30 to 40 years. No more tanks to refill, no more worrying about running out in the middle of a big cook out and no more carrying those heavy tanks.

Most all gas fired outdoor appliances whether they are grills, smoker, patio heaters, or fire pits come in a natural gas version. For many of these the difference is just a few parts. As I said, natural gas has about half the BTUs (amount of heat generated) as propane. Simply plugging in a natural gas line to your propane grill won't work, even if you could get the connector. If you are in the market for a new grill, think about natural gas before you buy. Most stores will have them available or they can order one for you. If you already have a propane burning gas grill contact the manufacturer about getting a conversion kit. For many gas grill models you can make the conversion in a few minutes with little more than a wrench.

Now all you need is a gas line to a convenient location. There are two things in my house that scare me, electricity and gas. I don't mess with either one because I know both of them can kill me quickly and easily. Running a gas line to you backyard porch or patio isn't something you should do yourself, unless you are a certified contractor. Contact you gas company. They will have a list of certified contractors who can do the job for you. Get a couple of bids. The whole process is pretty easy and shouldn't take more than an hour or two.

On the subject, have your installer put in a quick connect gas line so you can plug in your gas appliance easily. One product I really like is Maxitrol's Plug 1 gas connector. This connector is the size of a regular electrical outlet box and works pretty much the same way. It has a drop down cover for the gas line so nothing can crawl in and nest. It also has a on/off switch so you can turn off the flow of gas some place other than the gas appliance. If you had an uncontrollable grill fire you could turn off the gas from a distance without having to get too close to the grill. It also turns itself off if the flow of gas becomes uncontrollable, like if the gas line to the grill got cut. It&'s a convenient unit and adds a lot of safety to your outdoor gas appliances. Tell your contractor that this is what you want and he'll think you know more than you do and won't try and jack up the installation price.

So, whether you are in the market for a new gas grill or what to get away from those trips to find propane, think about natural gas. Hey, it's even good for the environment. You'll find it really makes outdoor cooking and relaxing much easier.

Caring for Wooden Spoons

I've had my wooden spoons forever and now I'm starting to worry that maybe they're crawling with bacteria. Should I replace them? And how can I care for my wooden spoons, cutting boards and other utensils?Answer:

Wood is one of the oldest materials used to make kitchen tools, and for good reason. "Wood is naturally more antibacterial than any man-made object," says Brian Hayes, vice president of sales and marketing for Lamson & Goodnow, which owns the Treespirit brand of maple kitchen tools and accessories. "Trees naturally fight infection, bacteria and mold, and even though it's no longer a living organism, the properties of wood are still the same; wood still has cells that don't grow bacteria or mold."

When they're made, most wooden spoons, utensils and cutting boards are treated with mineral oils , which creates an inert, neutral surface that will not allow bacterial to reside.

To keep your wooden spoons and cutting boards in the best shape possible, follow these tips:

Hand-wash wooden utensils with hot water and mild dish soap. Although they could technically be cleaned in the dishwasher, it's not a good idea, because the high water temperatures can dry them out. If your wooden spoons or cutting board start to look dry or fuzzy, periodically rub them with mineral oil or a beeswax compound. Don't use food-based oil like vegetable or olive oil, since these can go rancid. Wooden cutting boards and spoons can eventually split as they dry out or are exposed to extreme temperature changes. Dispose of split wooden tools, because food could get trapped in the cracks. Stains or roughness can be rubbed away with a piece of fine sandpaper.