Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons (38 page)

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Authors: Colleen Rush,Gary Wiviott

BOOK: Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons
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For the tortilla strips, adjust the oven rack to the middle position; heat oven to 450°F. Spread the tortilla strips on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the strips with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle them with salt. Toss until evenly coated. Bake until the strips are deep golden brown and crisped, about 10 minutes, shaking the strips halfway through the baking time.
While the tortilla strips bake, bring the stock, 4 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, and epazote to a boil over medium-high heat in a stock pot; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes. Pour the stock through a strainer and discard the solids.
Purée the tomatoes, the 4 remaining onion quarters, the 2 remaining garlic cloves, the jalapeño, the chipotle chile, and 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce in a food processor until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the tomato-onion purée and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has darkened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the strained stock into the tomato-onion purée and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, about 15 minutes. Taste and reseason with salt and additional adobo sauce as needed.
Add the shredded chicken and simmer the soup until heated through, about 5 minutes. To serve, place tortilla strips in the bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup into bowls. Top with garnishes.
SMOKY CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
 
You could use leftover smoked chicken in this soup, but I can justify firing up the smoker exclusively to make this dish. Use the Cajun Marinade (page 63), and while the chicken is smoking, put together the roux and trinity base. (“Trinity” refers to the Cajun “holy trinity” of onion, celery, and bell pepper.) If you can’t find andouille, throw some hot links, kielbasa, or spicy Italian sausage on the cooker with the chicken to use as a substitute.
 
SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER OR 4 AS AN ENTRÉE
 
¾ cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onion
1½ cups chopped celery
1½ cups chopped green bell pepper
1 pound smoked sausage (
andouille
or kielbasa),
cut into ½ -inch slices
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 bay leaves
6 cups water or chicken stock
1½ pounds smoked chicken (dark and white meat),
skinned, deboned, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon filé powder (optional)
Steamed rice, for serving
French bread, for serving
 
Heat the oil in a heavy (preferably cast-iron) pot over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the flour and blend with a wooden spoon. Break up any lumps with the spoon until the roux has a smooth, paste-like texture. Stir the mixture slowly and constantly until it reaches a color between peanut butter and chocolate brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not leave a cooking roux unattended! A burned roux, no matter how slightly burned, will ruin an entire gumbo. If you burn it, start over.)
Stir the onion, celery, and green pepper into the roux. Cook 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water or stock and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Skim off the excess fat that rises to the surface. Add the chicken and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Ladle the gumbo over rice in bowls. Sprinkle with filé powder. Serve with crusty, buttered slices of French bread.
INGREDIENT FINDER: FILÉ POWDER
 
Filé is made from the ground, dried leaves of the sassafras tree. It is used to thicken gumbo, and has a faintly smoky, woody flavor that adds depth and richness to this classic Creole dish. Specialty spice stores like Penzey’s and The Spice House carry filé powder, and some supermarkets stock the bottled Zatarain’s brand. Because overheating filé changes the texture of the ground herb, it should be stirred in after the soup is removed from the heat, or sprinkled on as an accent—like salt or pepper.
 
COLD SESAME CHICKEN NOODLES
 
My favorite brother, Lory, spent a few years in New York City during his medical residency, and I am convinced that he wouldn’t have lived to practice medicine without ready access to the inexpensive and ubiquitous “peanut butter” cold sesame noodles offered at Chinese restaurants across the city. This recipe, inspired by the dish that spared him starvation, is a family favorite. For an unusual twist, substitute shredded Asian pear for the bean sprouts.
 
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
1 pound spaghetti or lo mein noodles
½ cup chunky peanut butter or ⅓ cup tahini
(sesame paste)
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups shredded smoked chicken
½ cup mung bean sprouts, divided
¼ cup green onions, finely chopped, divided
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, divided
1 tablespoon sesame oil
 
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
Drain the noodles, reserving ¼ cup cooking water. Do not rinse the noodles. Set them aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and reserved cooking water until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Add the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt, white pepper, crushed red pepper, and sugar. Mix thoroughly; if the sauce is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon warm water. Add smoked chicken, ¼ cup bean sprouts, 2 tablespoons green onions, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.
Add warm noodles to peanut butter sauce and stir to coat. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of warm water.
Garnish with reserved bean sprouts, green onions, and sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil.
SPARE RIB FRIED RICE
 
As unlikely as it seems, you may become weary of eating ribs while you practice the rib cooks over and over. Mother Nature practically designed ribs to be eaten hot off the cooker and right off the bone, but if by chance you have a half rack or so left over from a cook, there’s no better way to use them than in this delicious fried rice. The beauty of fried rice is that it is infinitely variable. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand, or even substitute chopped pulled pork for spare ribs.
 
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 large eggs, whisked with 1 tablespoon water
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fermented black beans (Chinese style)
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and diced (optional)
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
¼ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups cubed smoked spare rib meat, stripped
from bone
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
6 cups cooked rice, cooled (day-old is best)
5 green onions, chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved
for garnish
½ cup sugar snap peas
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in the eggs to make a thin, lightly-cooked omelet. Remove and set aside.
Wipe the wok clean with a paper towel. Return it to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, fermented black beans, and jalapeño, if using. Sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute, then add mushroom, carrot, oyster sauce, water, and soy sauce. Reduce heat and gently simmer the mixture until the water is mostly evaporated. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 tablespoon oil, the spare rib meat, and the white pepper. Increase heat to high and sauté, stirring vigorously to mix ingredients. Break the rice into clumps, add to the mixture, and stir until heated through. Add the green onion, sugar snap peas, and omelet. Stir until thoroughly mixed and heated through. Taste for seasoning and add oyster sauce or white pepper as needed. Transfer to a large bowl and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame oil and the reserved green onion.
SOUTHERN GREENS AND SMOKY BONES
 
These Southern-style greens get an extra hit of pork and heat from leftover spare ribs. Fair warning: you may find yourself running an extra smoker just to satisfy your greens craving.
 
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
2 pounds assorted greens (mustard, turnip,
or collard greens)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and minced
½ rack smoked spare ribs, cut into individual
bones and halved
2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
 
Rinse the greens in cold water multiple times to remove any soil or grit. Greens should be pristinely clean. Trim tough stems. Roll a stack of leaves into a tube and cut it crosswise into 1-inch strips. Heat the oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapeño in a large pot set over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the spare ribs. Sauté until the rib meat starts to caramelize, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Add the greens in several batches, allowing each batch of greens to cook down before adding more. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover and gently simmer for 1 hour.
Transfer the greens and bones to a serving bowl. Serve with the pot liquor, corn bread (page 212), and a sprinkle of Bob in Georgia’s Eastern North Carolina Dip (page 193) for accent.
PULLED PORK TACOS
 
Minimalist tacos are happily consumed all across Mexico and are simple to make. They’re not only delicious, but also perfect for a quick lunch or snack. Americanize to your heart’s content with sour cream, Smoked Salsa (page 219), and shredded cheese.
 
SERVES 4
 
½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup minced white onion
1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound smoked pulled pork
¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock
8 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
Cholula Hot Sauce, to taste
 
Combine the cilantro, onion, lime juice, and salt and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pork and stock and heat until meat is warmed.
Place a griddle or skillet over low heat to warm. Brush with the remaining oil, as needed, and warm the tortillas in batches.
Top each tortilla with ⅛ cup of the heated pulled pork and garnish with the cilantro mixture and hot sauce.
SPICY SMOKED CHILI
 
I am not a chili purist of the Texas variety. As a native son of Milwaukee, I consider beer and chiles the only standard ingredients, and the occasional bean finds its way into my bowl of red. To shake things up even more, I often use pulled pork for an interesting variation on traditional ground beef.
 
SERVES 8
 
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds pulled pork
2 tablespoons Toasted Mexican Pepper
Blend (page 18)
1 teaspoon toasted and ground whole cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups water or vegetable stock
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (12-ounce) bottles Pilsner beer
 
In a stockpot, sauté the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add the pulled pork, pepper blend, cumin, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir until the spices and meat are thoroughly mixed. Add the water or stock, tomatoes, and 1 bottle of beer. Gently simmer for 45 minutes over medium heat.
Drink the remaining bottle of beer.
Serve with additional beer, grated cheese, chopped onion, jalapeño, crackers, or corn bread (page 212).
PULLED PORK PIZZA
 
The possibilities are infinite in what you can put on a pizza, but pulled pork as the star topping is a good place to start. Likewise shredded smoked chicken or even rib meat. This pizza uses pre-made pizza crust for a no-time-flat meal or snack, but don’t let me stop you from using a homemade crust.
 
MAKES 1 (12-INCH) PIZZA
 
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
½ cup sliced mushrooms
¼ cup thinly sliced onion
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup barbecue sauce
1 (12-inch) prepared pizza crust
½ cup shredded pulled pork
½ cup shredded pepper Jack or Colby Jack cheese
 
 
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the mushroom and onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring.

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