Whole Grilled Chicken ~ A Real Winner

I LOVE a roasted chicken on the grill. I have also cooked this butterflied Chicken in the oven, 350 degrees, about an hour.

This technique includes slicing the bird down the backside to remove the backbone before cooking. This makes a chicken more flexible so you can flatten the bird out, insuring that all parts cook evenly. Removing the backbone can be done with a sharp knife, but is easiest with kitchen shears. Some cooks may take one step further by also breaking the wishbone (clearly visible once you remove the backbone) and then cutting out the keel bone, which is the dark breastbone in the middle of the chicken. My chicken always cooks evenly when I only remove the backbone, so why bother with an extra step?

The chicken can be seasoned or marinated any way you like, but you’re definitely going to want to give this dry rub a try. More aromatic than spicy, this blend of salt, pepper, sweet paprika, chili powder, garlic and turmeric brings deep color and flavor to the bird. The skin on this grilled chicken, layered with flavors from all the spices and cooked to crispy perfection, just might be our favorite part.  Who knew grilled chicken – even the breast meat -  could be so moist?

Butterflying the chicken is largely responsible for this, but keeping the grill at a steady heat without any flare-ups is important too. If your grill has a temperature gauge, and you’ll want to keep it between 325-375 degrees Fahrenheit. I cook my chicken over white-hot lump charcoal on the barbecue (sometimes with smoke chips) and I roast the bird near the fire, not right on top of it.  Sometimes we cook our chicken on a gas grill, lowering the heat when needed and moving the chicken away from direct flames, with equal success. The last thing to remember is that the bird should be turned every 15 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.  Flipping the bird will help the chicken cook evenly and prevent burning.  “The challenge is to get the outside nice and crispy!”

A 3-4 pound chicken should take just over an hour, which gives you plenty of time to relax outside with friends in the great outdoors while your chicken roasts to juicy perfection on the grill.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper (try a mix of white and black)
• 1-2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika (or just sweet paprika if you can’t find the smoked variety)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder or dried minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions:

Get the grill started first, so it comes up to at least 325 degrees Fahrenheit before you put the bird on.

Mix the dry ingredients together and set the rub aside.

Set the chicken breast-side down and remove anything that’s inside the cavity. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut down each side of the backbone to remove it.

The backbone runs right down the middle of the chicken. When the backbone is removed, the chicken will fold open.

Rub the bird with olive oil then rub the spice mix generously all over the bird.

Cook the chicken with the grill lid on, checking and turning the bird every 15 minutes. Watch out for flare-ups and try to avoid letting the chicken come in direct contact with flames. Cook until an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.

ENJOY  ~~Shelly

Every Loves Smoked Pork Butt

This is my pork shoulder recipe from bringing home a pork shoulder, to preparing it with a rub, to smoking it up delicious. Of course, I always start with the very best meat I purchase from Harter House Supermarket.

The actual pork shoulder is very big and most of us usually only smoke a pork butt or a pork picnic roast which is the two parts of an actual pork shoulder.

I Prefer the bone in pork butt which normally runs about 8 pounds or so. They say the meat is sweeter when it cooks with the bone in and I happen to agree.

Apply the Rub with Mustard

I always rub the pork shoulder down with a light layer of French's yellow mustard to help the rub to stick better throughout the smoke and apply about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of my favorite rub to the outside of the meat being careful to massage it into every nick and cranny.

Note: the mustard will lose its flavor during the smoking and will only leave a nice brown crust so you need not worry that your pork will taste like mustard.. it won't.

Smoke the Pork Shoulder

Prepare the smoker as you normally would to maintain a 225 degree temperature and lay the pork shoulder right on the grate for the long smoke.

How Long Does it Take?

Pork shoulder cook time can be figured at approximately 1.5 hours per pound so a 8 pound shoulder will require at least 12 hours in the smoker.

The pork is probably cooked in a few hours, but it takes much more time to reach fall-apart tender. If you end up hovering around 225 or less, shoot for 20 to 24 hours.

I have a friend who only leaves the shoulder in the smoker until it reaches the 140 degree mark and then wraps it in heavy duty foil and finishes it off in the oven for convenience. And that is fine if you need the convenience.

In either case, for the final two hours, wrap the pork butt in aluminum foil. This will give the meat a last minute steam that'll make it a little more succulent.

Some options include injecting the pork with apple cider, but definitely I keep a pan of water and apple juice underneath the shoulder to keep the exterior of the meat as moist as possible during the long cook time. That might sound like a lot, but it really isn't. The hardest part of smoking could be getting up in the middle of the night to stoke the coals and add a little more wood (which you could do every three to five hours) or I will tend to the smoker just before bed and restart the coals in the morning. The Smoker should stay around 100 degrees overnight.

200 Degrees.. Not a Moment Sooner

When the pork shoulder reaches about 200 degrees, pull it from the smoker and bring it into the house for a resting period. I like to let it rest for 45 minutes or better before I pull it to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

Pull the Pork

I then use two forks to pull the meat apart into chunks.. be sure and add in the brown bark for added flavor and it makes the finished product look really good.. I have to say that because I have seen folks discard the outside bark thinking it is burnt or something. It is the best part.

Check out this vibrant pink smoke ring!

The simple Recipe Ingredients

• 1 (5-pound) or larger bone-in pork butt

• 1/4 cup BBQ dry rub, homemade or store-bought

• 1 cup apple juice in spray bottle

• Special equipment: Charcoal and hickory and apple wood chips soaked in water 1/2 hour prior to cooking

Directions

Season heavily with dry rub. Place in plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Remove pork from refrigerator 2 hours prior to cooking to come to room temperature.

Prepare smoker to temperature of 210 to 220 degrees F and place 1 handful of hickory chips and 1 handful of apple chips on hot coals.

Place pork butt in smoker and smoke for 14 to 16 hours adding 1 handful of hickory and 1 handful of apple chips every 4 hours. After 5 hours in smoker, begin spraying generously with apple juice every 2 hours.

Pork will be done when the internal temperature reaches 185 to 200 degrees F. Pull or chop meat as desired and top with your favorite sauce!

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Choose a favorite store bought Rub and Sauce from Harter House Supermarket and Harter House World Flavors, or make your own special rub and sauce. Here are my favorite home made recipes.

Making the Spicy Rub
Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1 cup Paprika

1/2 cup Celery Salt

2 Tbs. Granulated Garlic

1/2 Tbsp. Mustard Powder

1/2 Tbsp. White Pepper

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

2 tsp. Ground Thyme

1/2 tsp. Salt

Instructions:

Sift all ingredients into bowl. Mix well.

Smoky Barbecue Sauce1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup chipotle ketchup

3 Tbs. Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 Tbs. Yellow Mustard

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together and simmer for 10 minutes in a sauce pan.

Leftovers?

Pulled Pork Sandwich, pulled pork tacos, and Oh, I make an awesome pulled pork pizza.

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

Well, I'm obviously ready for some spicy grilled jalapenos today.  So I thought I would share!

Of course, you'll find everything you need at Harter House and Harter House World Flavors, along with whatever your choice of grilling meats may be!!

Cheese-stuffed jalapenos are always popular when I serve these as appetizers. There’s a flavor explosion in each crisp and tender pepper.   There are many ways to spice them up.   I also have made a bacon-wrapped version.  If you scrape the jalapenos clean, they won't really be spicy, just a little heat afterwards but definitely not 'burn your mouth run screaming for a glass or five, of water'. The trick with these is to grill them slowly. If you try to cook them over the hottest part of the grill, you'll end up with crispy bacon and raw peppers.

If you're not into grilling, (But who is not into grilling?) you can bake these in the oven, I'd say about 15-20 minutes at 350, then you can finish them under the broiler if you want. 

You could also cook them in the smoker.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
• 10 jalapeno peppers

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cut a lengthwise slit down each pepper, leaving the stem intact; remove membranes and seeds. Fill each pepper with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture.
• Prepare grill for indirect heat. Place peppers in a disposable foil pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Serve warm. Yield: 10 appetizers.

 Note: You may want to wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

 

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Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Peppers

5 large jalapenos (or more if they're smaller)1/2 c cream cheese1 c shredded cheddar

1 teas salt

pinch of pepper

3/4 teas smoked paprika

1 clove garlic, crushed

5 slices bacon

Slice your jalapenos from stem to tip of the pepper. Carefully open the peppers, and scrape out the seeds and white membranes. Gloves again recommended. Set the cleaned peppers aside. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. Stuff each pepper with as much cheese mixture as you can. Wrap each pepper tightly in a slice of bacon, and secure with toothpicks or on a skewer.

Grill on the side of the grill, where it's not too hot, for anywhere from ten to twenty five minutes, depending on how hot the grill is. You can grill them on foil, so you don't ruin your grill grate with cheese. These peppers need slow heat and a little time. Let them cook so that the peppers are cooked.

Serve with ranch dressing. Or just eat as is, they're perfect.

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Here's a different idea;

Beth took a few recipes and combined them to make these. She mixed cheddar cheese and cream cheese to stuff in some Jalapenos and put a little smokie in some of the others and then covered them with cream cheese. The first picture was taken before the ones with smokies had cream cheese on them and they were wrapped in bacon. She grilled them and then put them under the broiler for a bit to crisp up the bacon.

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

jalapenos

cheddar cheese

cream cheese

little smokies

bacon (cut each slice in half)

Cut jalapenos in half, taking seeds out. Mix equal parts of cream cheese and cheddar cheese and 'stuff' into peppers. Wrap with bacon. For the ones with smokies: Put the smokie in the pepper, cover with cream cheese and wrap with bacon. Grill until bacon is crispy.

 

 

 

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 OK, so this isn't grilled Jalapenos exactly, but it looked SO GOOD I thought I would share it also.

Grilled Jalapenos and Corn

with ParmesanThis is an extremely easy yet tasty side dish to prepare. This is only fun on the grill, when you can just toss all the ingredients into a strip of tinfoil, wrap it up and toss it on.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cup corn (frozen corn works great)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon diced scallions
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon red pepper

Cooking Directions

• Heat a grill to medium heat.
• Add all ingredients to a long strip of tinfoil and fold the foil up around the ingredients. It should look like a big Hershey’s Kiss.
• Set on the grill’s top rack and grill 12-15 minutes, until ingredients are nice and hot.
• Stir and serve!

Grilled-Pineapple Salsa

I do love Pork topped with a fresh fruit salsa.

This Grilled Pineapple Salsa is one of my favorites. It's super simple and healthy! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

5 (1-inch) slices fresh pineapple (about 4 1/2 pounds)

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

Cooking spray

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced crystallized ginger

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

Preparation

Preheat grill.

Place first 3 ingredients on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side. Discard stems and seeds from bell peppers; then dice pineapple and bell peppers. Combine pineapple, bell pepper, onion, and remaining ingredients; toss gently.

Almond Crusted Stuffed Chicken Breast

I am always looking for new ways to eat chicken.

I recently prepared this recipe on a KOLR-10, Ozarks Live segment.  Perhaps you saw it.
The recipe is really easy to make. 

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts thinned to about 1/4 inch thick (I put each chicken piece in between two pieces of saran wrap and pounded them with my mallet)

1 onion (yellow or white), chopped

1 cup chopped spinach

2 cloves garlic

4 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled into smaller pieces

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

coarsely ground almonds (I used my Magic Bullet.)

Toothpicks (to hold the chicken together!)

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onions and garlic for about 5 minutes.  Add spinach and bacon pieces, cook a few minutes more until it looks something like this…

Take your thinned out chicken breasts and place them on a cookie sheet. Divide the spinach onion mix and spread onto the chicken. Like this…Except my chicken breast was more flat this this picture.

Roll chicken up and secure with a couple toothpicks. Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Have  your coarsely ground almonds (I put my whole almonds in the food processor and gave it a couple grinds until they were in small little chunky pieces). Roll your chicken into the almonds and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 30 – 35 minutes.  When it comes out of the oven it will look something like this…

ENJOY

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread is awesome, there’s no denying that…but lemon zucchini bread?? It’s unbelievably good.  This fruitier, sweeter, denser loaf makes a pretty perfect addition to any brunch or dessert buffet.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 (6 oz.) container lemon Greek yogurt
3 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated, drained and squeezed dry

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl or mixer, beat together sugar and canola oil, then mix in eggs and Greek yogurt.
4. Once eggs are fully incorporated, mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
5. Gradually fold in dry ingredients until incorporated, then gently fold in grated zucchini and lemon zest.
6. Pour batter into greased loaf pan, then place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs.
7. Remove from oven and let cool.
8. For the glaze: whisk lemon juice into powdered sugar until smooth, stirring in lemon zest, if desired.
9. Once cake has fully cooled, pour glaze over cake and let set until hardened.
10. Slice, serve and enjoy.

Chicken Parmigiana

This is definitely one of my favorite recipes.

I know you will love it also.  ~Shelly

Tender pieces of crumbed chicken are topped with homemade tomato sauce and grated cheese, and then oven baked until the cheese is golden and melted. The tomato sauce and crumbed, uncooked chicken can be prepared in advance but it is best to cook the chicken and assemble the dish just before it goes into the oven.Serves 4

Tomato Sauce

Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 can crushed/diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, firmly packed
Salt and pepper

Chicken

4 skinless chicken breast fillets or tenderloins
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1/3 cup plain flour
About 1 cup pamko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan
About 1/2 cup oil, for frying

Cheese Topping1 1/3 cups, Fresh Mozzarella OR grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup, lightly packed grated tasty provolone cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Fresh Basil


Heat oil in a heavy-based medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until onion has softened but not browned. Add tomatoes, basil and brown sugar, increase heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reached the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for 10 minutes, and then puree sauce in a blender or food processor.

Trim any fat from chicken. If using chicken breasts, cut them in half horizontally. Cover chicken with a freezer bag and lightly pound with the flat side of meat mallet to flatten. © exclusivelyfood.com.auWhisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. Coat one piece of chicken in flour and shake to remove excess. Then dip the chicken into the egg and milk mixture ensuring that all of the flour is moistened.

Then coat the chicken in pamko breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to ensure crumbs adhere. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.



To fry chicken, heat some of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. We cook the chicken in two batches using 1/4 cup of oil for each batch (the number of batches will be determined by the size of your frying pan and you'll need to divide the oil evenly between each batch). Fry the chicken in a single layer, without overcrowding the pan, until golden brown.  They will not yet be cooked through.

Wipe the pan out with paper towels between each batch of chicken to remove any crumbs. This prevents the overcooked loose crumbs adhering to the next batch of chicken.

Drain cooked chicken on paper towels.

Place cooked chicken in a large baking dish and spread with sauce. Sprinkle with combined cheeses and basil.

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees fan-forced) for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden. We sprinkle the chicken parmigiana with chopped parsley before serving.

recipe adapted from

www.exclusivelyfood.com.au