FATHER'S DAY BBQ

When I thought about a meal to honor all the father's in my life, I knew meat had to be a big part of the menu and the flavors had to be bold and delicious. What better way to celebrate father's than with an awesome BBQ spread?! On the menu for our Father's Day BBQ is: Smoked Pork Butt, Smoked Beef Brisket, Baked Beans and Caramel Apple Cheesecake.

 

So to my father, my husband, my father-in-law, my step father and all the dad's out there, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY and enjoy this menu.

 

LORINDA’S TOP TEN TIPS FOR SMOKING MEAT

I’ve smoked meat several times.  Each time my meat has been better than the last time and these are my tips for flavorful and succulent smoked meat. Also, I have a Brinkman Smoke and Grill Smoker so my tips relating to the smoker are for this smoker.

1. Trim excess fat from the meat.  Don’t trim it completely but you don’t want too much of a fat cap, because the fat will prevent the smoke flavor from really getting into the meat.
2. Find a great dry rub for your meat. Use a barbecue rub that you like or create a rub using some of your favorite spices and seasonings.
3. Consider injecting your meat with a marinade for additional flavor. I know there are several schools of thought on this but I’ve smoked meats both ways and I’ve found that the meat is more moist and flavorful when it’s injected with a marinade.  I’ve found apple juice works really well with pork and beef broth works really well with beef. Experiment; add some different spices and seasonings, even some of the dry rub.
4. Make sure you soak your wood chips. Chips should be soaked for at least 30 minutes before adding them to the smoker. If you don’t, they will catch fire and not smoke.
5. Use wood chips and charcoal. Again, I’ve tried both ways but I’ve found the fire stays hotter and you still get a great smoked flavor without the flavor being too strong when you use wood and charcoal.
6. Make sure you let your smoker get hot before you put your meat on. My smoker has 3 ranges of heat, warm, ideal and hot. Experience has shown me that you should wait until the smoke is in the far range of ideal or even hot because as soon as you take the lid off to add the meat, the temperature drops.
7. If your smoker uses a bowl of water for steam, make sure the water is hot before you add it to the smoker. I boil my water first. This helps the temperature of the smoker reach ideal or hot range faster.
8. Invest in a thermometer with a temperature probe. Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat but don’t let it touch the bone.  Also, figure out what temperature you want the meat to reach and take it out 8 – 10 degrees before it reaches that temperature. For example, if you want your meat to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees, then remove your meat from the smoker when it reaches a temperature of 150 – 152 degrees.  The carryover cooking time will cook the meat to the desired temperature. If you’ve allowed your meat to rest and it’s still a little dry, put it in a pan and add some water to the pan. Place foil over the pan and let the meat steam for 30 – 60 minutes.
9. Keep extra dry chips, soaked chips and charcoal handy.  If the temperature of your smoker drops down and it might, add some extra charcoal and some dry chips. Stir them in with the old coals to help them heat up. Once it starts to heat up and gets back to ideal, add some of the wet chips. Close the door to the smoker. (This is typically the time, you need to add more hot water to your bowl).
10. Outside temperature can affect your smoker’s temperature. When it’s really cold outside, you need a hotter fire and you will have to add coals and chips more frequently. Wind and rain can affect the temperature, also.  If it starts raining while using your smoker, if possible, move the smoker to a covered area to keep water from getting into your smoker.

VIDEO DIARY OF SMOKED PORK BUTT AND BEEF BRISKET

Be kind, this was my first time splicing video and everything.  I definitely learned a few things.  I totally have to watch my facial expressions (for one ; - )

SMOKED PORK BUTT

This meal took a while but it was totally worth, so moist, so flavorful, uhm, uhm, uhm.

TOTAL TIME: 17 hours

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook time: 6 – 8 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 – 8 pound pork butt
• Mustard
• Pork Injection (Recipe below)
• Rub (Recipe below)

NON-FOOD INGREDIENTS:

• Hickory Chips
• Charcoal
• Tea kettle of hot water
• Digital thermometer

DIRECTIONS:

Trim excess fat from pork. Inject pork with marinade. Slather outside of pork with mustard. Liberally apply rub to outside of pork. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Remove from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Soak wood chips in water. Heat a tea kettle of water.

Set up smoker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add soaked chips and charcoal to base of smoker. (If applicable, add hot water to bowl for steam. This depends on the smoker you use.) Allow smoker to heat up to the “ideal” to “hot” range.

Insert temperature probe into meat. Place meat on grate. Close smoker.

Smoke for 6 – 8 hours until pork reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees (temperature should increase to 190 degrees).

PORK INJECTION*

• ¾ cup apple juice
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and liberally inject marinade into pork. (Note: All the marinade will not go into the pork). *I modified this recipe from Chris Lilly’s injection.

SMOKED BEEF BRISKET

My co-worker said this reminded him of Famous Dave's Beef Brisket.  I don't know if it was that good but we enjoyed it.

TOTAL TIME: 17 hours

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook time: 6 – 8 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 pound beef brisket
• Prime Rib Rub
• Beef Injection

NON-FOOD INGREDIENTS:

• Hickory Chips
• Charcoal
• Tea kettle of hot water
• Digital thermometer

DIRECTIONS:

Trim excess fat from brisket. Inject brisket with marinade. (All marinade will not go into beef). Slather outside of brisket with vegetable oil. Liberally apply rub to outside of brisket. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Remove from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Soak wood chips in water. Heat a tea kettle of water.

Set up smoker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add soaked chips and charcoal to base of smoker. (If applicable, add hot water to bowl for steam. This depends on the smoker you use.) Allow smoker to heat up to the “ideal” to “hot” range.

Insert temperature probe into meat. Place meat on grate. Close smoker.

Smoke for 6 – 8 hours until brisket reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees (temperature should increase to 180 - 185 degrees).

BEEF INJECTION

• 1 can beef broth
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• Salt
• Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together. Inject into beef. (Note: all marinade will not go into beef). 

BAKED BEANS

I am not a huge baked beans person but these were good. My husband loves baked beans and he said these were some of the best he's ever tasted.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (28 ounce) Cans Bush's Baked Beans
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 package real bacon bits

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl.

Add bacon and mix to combine. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. It is very important that the beans “rest” for 30 minutes to one hour before you serve them.  This allows them to set.

CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE

I like caramel apples and I like cheesecake so I thought about combining the two. The recipe has quite a few different steps but it is well worth it. The caramel sauce comes from the Barefoot Contessa and the rest is all me. 

CHEESECAKE FILING

• 2 (8 oz. packages) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs

APPLE FILLING

• 3 small apples (peeled and sliced)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• 2 cups crushed cinnamon graham crackers (Or add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the crushed graham crackers)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Make caramel sauce. *

Pre-heat oven to 325°F.

Mix the crushed cinnamon graham crackers, sugar and butter together. Press graham cracker mixture into a 9 inch spring form pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Peel and slice 3 small apples. Coat the apples with the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs; beat just until blended.

Ladle caramel sauce into bottom of the pie crust.  Place apple mixture over caramel sauce. Ladle more caramel sauce over apples.  Pour cream cheese mixture over apples.

Bake for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Serve with whipped cream and extra caramel sauce. Garnish with sliced apples.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S CARAMEL SAUCE*

2005, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful – the mixture is extremely hot! Watch the mixture very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. Don't worry - the cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify. (DON’T GET SCARED. KEEP STIRRING).

Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. (IT TOOK ME LONGER THAN TWO MINUTES BUT I JUST KEPT STIRRING). Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.