I like to smoke...

I borrowed a friend's smoker to smoke a pork butt for my birthday last month and cannot get enough of it. I am smoking meat at any chance I get. Last week it was bone in pork chops. Last night was chicken and tonight was pork loin chops. The smoker is such a beautiful thing. The slow cook and the infusion of smokey goodness produces great flavors and textures that you cannot get when you grill on direct heat. Sure you need to have time and patience, but if you plan ahead you can easily produces high quality smoked meat for your family and friends.



For this chicken I rubbed it down with some ground rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, ground mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and a little paprika. I chose to use hickory chips for the smoking process to get that great hickory flavor. The bird was in the smoker for about an hour and a half before I flipped it over and continued to smoke. Unfortunately I had to finish this particular bird in the oven because the natives were getting restless, but I would have smoked it for another hour and a half on the second side. For the pork chops I went with a real simple salt, pepper, mustard, and onion rub. It allowed for the porky goodness to really come through on the plate. With about thirty minutes left I spread a liberal layer of my apricot dijon mayo (courtesy Pioneer Woman) and allowed the chops to finish on the smoker. Both meats, when removed from the smoker were tented in foil and allowed to rest for a good ten minutes.



A smoker is not complex cooking, but can produce some incredible results. The rub and the sauces that you pair with your smoked meats can be equally as important to your end product. This apricot dijon mayo was extremely easy and well worth the effort. You simply use equal parts apricot preserves, mayo, and dijon mustard. Whisk them all together and bam, your sauce. Smoking is a cooking method that all people love and is not used by many people at home. If you are interested in the smoking look out for a smoker at your local garage sales, you could score a real gem. Happy smoking!!

Mix it Up

If variety is the spice of life, then it is also the measure of a good salad. Last week I put together a pretty killer Italian chicken salad with a great mix of greens, veggies and cheese. In an effort to expand outside of my typical romaine lettuce box I purchased some arugula. The salad started with some sliced red and green peppers, red and white onion, poblano pepper, and some mushrooms that I had cut into 6ths. These veggies were sauteed up in some EVOO and placed to the side to await inclusion into the salad party.



For the chicken I pounded it out nice and thin before dusting it with some basil, oregano, salt and pepper and then cooked it in some EVOO. I think that it is good to have more surface area for a chicken salad so that you can spread the chicken to as many bites as possible. I let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes and then sliced it thin.



For the lettuce mix I opted for some chopped romaine, a few mixed greens, organic spinach, and some arugula for great texture and peppery undertones. The greens were all tossed into a bowl and topped with the veggies and chicken. To finish off the salad I added a little light Italian dressing with some mozzerella and parmesan cheese. The heat from the veggies and chicken melted the cheese slightly and made for one delicious salad. Salad does not just have to be something you eat to feel good about the rest of your meal. Salads can be fun and exciting with countless flavor combinations. From one who didn't start eating salad until recently, trust me, salad can be the best meal of your day. The key is to just mix it up!!