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Learning to ‘Que

February 3, 2010 by arfoodie

Competition BBQer Troy Black demonstrates preparation of a mean set of ribs.

Competition barbeque champion Troy Black didn’t have a great week in Arkansas, at least not until the last night.

On Monday, Jan. 25, the award-winning ‘que chef and Southern Living “BBQ on Tour” spokesperson rolled into town in his competition rig, doing the media circuit for his “Learn2Q” class at the Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School, which was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 30.

And then, the cold came.

After shivering in his underinsulated trailer all week, the campus ended up being closed on Saturday, delaying his class until Monday of this week (Feb. 1). And that morning, while cooking the last of the savory smoked meats for the class to sample, his competition smoker burst into flames when the extreme cold clogged its grease drain. (Black said the manufacturer has cited a malfunction and agreed to replace the smoker.)

Nevertheless, about 100 hungry barbecue fans and wannabe competitors gathered to hear Black’s musings on smoke, rubs, cuts, cookers and clashes with classically-trained chefs.

Black brought the crowd into his world of competition barbeque, recently made more popular by the TLC show, BBQ Pitmasters. He knows all the folks on the show, and he’ll even tell you which one his wife avoids at competitions because of his language (if you watch the show, you can guess).

Making the information more relevant to the home cook, Black went through every conceivable smoker type and price range. His favorite for home smoking was the Weber Bullet (also known as the Smokey Mountain Cooker), in the $300 price range for the 18.5 inch model. He also referenced the homemade terra cotta model made by Alton Brown on Good Eats, which made this writer and Alton fan very happy.

He also covered which hardwoods to use, and what meat that wood pairs with best. He said to always avoid any sort of fuel-based firestarter when lighting a smoker as it can impact the flavour. He spoke highly of these bear mountain pellets and said pellets like these can add an extra flavour to your meat.

As for sources, Black generally shuns specialty stores for product, getting most of his competition meat and spices at Sam’s Club. For ribs, he recommends baby back style for beginner home cooks, but also demonstrated preparation of St. Louis and spare ribs. He also prepared brisket and pulled pork for the audience, which hastily took notes and devoured samples.

“They usually don’t teach barbecue in culinary school,” Black said, referencing a difference in the way barbecuers and classically-trained chefs view the cooking process. “Even at the Culinary Institute of America, where the Bobby Flays of the world come from, it’s a one-hour course.”

Black will return to North Little Rock next month for the USA Barbecue Championship at Smoke on the Water, a national barbecue competition and festival to be held March 19 – 20. The event boasts the barbecue circuit’s largest prize purse at $100,000.

Black promoted the upcoming release of his DVD, Real BBQ Know-How, which he created with a Food Network producer, as well as an upcoming barbecue book produced by Southern Living, to be released in April. Also, after seeing an unexpected great interest in competition tips, Black said he’d attempt to schedule a session of his “Road to the Winner’s Circle” competition class in the Little Rock area. Updates, as well as recipes and other info, are available at Black’s website, Learn2Q.com.

Tips:

  • Buy a good knife for meat preparation; Black recommends the Victorinox Butcher Knife. He also recommends a serrated knife with curved teeth for cutting finished product.
  • Only use pure charcoal (he recommends Royal Oak or Kingsford briquettes) or natural lump charcoal (excluding any brands labeled “South American hardwood”).
  • Allow rubs to sit on meat for about 10 minutes before smoking.
  • Most meats cook at 250 degrees F. in the smoker. Generally, the more expensive smokers maintain temperature better. If you’re looking at trying this recipe but you don’t already own a smoker, make sure you do plenty of research to ensure you’re buying the Best Portable Smoker for your needs. A good quality smoker is bound to improve any BBQ!

Recipes:

Pork Rub

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar (pourable style if you can find it)
  • 1/2 cup granulated garlic
  • 1 cup paprika
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 2 T granulated onion
  • 2 T cayenne powder
  • 2 T chipotle powder
  • 2 T sweet ancho pepper (found at Mexican markets)
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1 T ground cumin
  • 1 T black pepper
  • 1 T dry mustard

Mix well and sprinkle liberally over Boston Butt (pulled pork) or ribs before smoking. Can be stored in cool, dry place for 3-4 months.

Pork Finishing Sauce

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 2 c apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 T kosher salt
  • 2 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

Cook just until a boil and remove from heat. For use on pulled pork. Can be stored for several months in the refrigerator.

Brisket Rub

  • 3/4 cup paprika
  • 1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 T chili powder
  • 2 T granulated garlic
  • 2 T granulated onion
  • 2 T ground cumin
  • 2 tsp. cayenne powder

Mix well and sprinkle over brisket before smoking. Can be stored in cool, dry place for 3-4 months.

Brisket Sauce

  • 1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
  • 2 T unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 T onion powder
  • 1/2 T granulated garlic
  • 1/2 T cumin
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

When brisket is finished (205 degrees internal temp), remove from cooker and place in foil. Pour in a slurry of one cup beef broth and two tablespoons of the above sauce. Rewrap and hold until serving, at least 10 – 15 minutes for juices to redistribute. Slice and serve with more sauce as desired.

Photos:

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Filed Under: learning, PTC_ACS Tagged With: barbecue, BBQ, brisket, pulled pork, ribs, rub, rubs, sauce, Southern Living, Troy Black

Braised Pork Country Ribs from Heaven

October 2, 2009 by arfoodie

Hey folks!

I have been out of the habit of posting my recipes and meals, but I had to share this one with you. Several of my recent attempts at fancy pants home cookin’ have ended up with some critical error that I didn’t want to confess. But tonight…

Pork braise

Yesterday, on a quick trip through Kroger, I came across some pork country style ribs that were on special. I don’t think I’ve ever bought country ribs before, and I usually steer away from pork anyway…but it was a deal too good to pass up.

Today, I looked for a recipe that wouldn’t take all day to cook, seeing as how I didn’t get started until mid-afternoon. I found this recipe by Emeril, my first foodie love. It’s been a long time since we cooked together, Em, but today was magic.

One problem quickly arose: I didn’t have a few of the ingredients. My 2YO wasn’t feeling well, so I wasn’t able to stop back by the grocery store as planned. What to do?

Instead of ditching the whole thing, I decided to move forward. One of the things I’ve learned is to not be chained to a recipe, but rather to the method (sometimes), flavor profile, and general idea of what you want to make. So.

The recipe calls for a typical cajun “trinity,” or combination of onions, celery and green peppers. I didn’t have the peppers, and I’m allergic to onions. I also didn’t have any chicken broth left (made risotto last night), and also no parsley.

I just left out the peppers, used dried onions (which, for some reason, don’t bother me so much), made “ghetto broth” from bouillon (I know!), and used the yummy leaves from the celery in place of parsley. In case you didn’t know, they have a wonderful flavor, especially in soups and stews. Don’t throw ’em out!

I also snipped in about half of one of those fabulous smoked cayenne peppers from Sparkling River Farms, and at the end, I used just a teaspoon or so of Ferneau Seasonings rather than Emeril Essence. Nom.

One more note: My simmer must have been a little low, because it took about 45 minutes longer than anticipated for the beans to cook. But it was worth it — by then the meat was falling apart, the sauce was thick and yummy, and the house smelled like awesomeness.

In case you hadn’t figured it out already, this was one of the best meals I’ve made in a while! The meat was moist, tender and flavorful. The sauce was thick and savory, with just enough heat to be interesting. The beans were creamy and yummy. (Some of the reviews of this recipe on Food Network said they could do without the beans…methinks they didn’t cook it long enough. Or they just don’t know what’s good.) As recommended in the recipe, I served it over white rice, which was a perfect complement. The sauce mixed into the rice and made an absolute killer side to the pork.

Are you hungry yet?

I don’t think I’ll retype the recipe, because mine is pretty much similar to Emeril’s. Just check his link up above. But remember not to be tied down to a recipe or list of ingredients! Unless it’s something like forgetting the chocolate for brownies, you’re pretty much OK. Just think Fancy Pants!

Filed Under: Main Course Tagged With: beans, braise, country ribs, nom, pork, ribs, rice

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