Savory Burger & Blue Cheese Roll!

Yet another use for Pillsbury dough! They should be paying me or something... :)


1. Cook 1# of ground beef, or moose, or whatever you have 150 lbs of in your freezer.



2. Unroll pizza crust dough on greased cookie sheet, spread with barbecue sauce, then spread layer of cooked meat.  Don't spread all the way to the far end - you want a little flap for closing the roll.


3. Top with crumbled blue cheese and shredded mozzarella.


4. Roll from near short end like a big jelly roll with closing flap last; this keeps it from unrolling while it cooks.  It will look like some kind of big white larvae from a sci-fi movie, but trust me that it will look better when it is cooked!

5.  Bake according to dough package directions.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella for last 5 minutes.



6. Slice to serve with bbq sauce.

Crockpot Pulled Pork!

I absolutely LOVE pulled pork sandwiches.

LOVE them.

New England winters are too cold to grill meat at the right temperature, but I can't possibly go 6 months without pulled pork...

What to do?


Trusty crock pot to the rescue!!

 For a better finished texture, use a pork butt roast instead of a loin cut.

Throw entire roast into crockpot.

Add one large bottle of your favorite bbq sauce and one can of cola.

Cook on low at least 6 hours.  I start it when I leave for work and it is ready to shred when I get home.

Remove roast from liquid.  Discard liquid - it will have blobs and floaty things and isn't good to use.

Shred meat, removing bones and stretchy bits.

Stir in enough fresh bbq sauce to make the meat sticky enough for sandwiches.

Serve with hamburger rolls and cheese.

Hot Beef Convection

This is a top round roast, smoked with hickory chips and basted with spicy bbq sauce to keep it moist.

It took about 3 hours, and went perfectly with fresh local sweet corn.

Leftovers were shredded and used to make BBQ Tacos -  heat shredded beef with a little bbq sauce. Serve in taco shells with cheese and coleslaw or fried peppers & onions.

Hungry yet?

Shishkebab is Easy! Just Marinate and Penetrate!

Shishkebab really is simple to prepare, but there are a few handy tips that can help:

If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes  - this will make them burn less on the grill so the ends don't break off when you handle them. Also, try going for double penetration. (ha)

Using two skewers for each gives more strength, and the food won't spin around when you move them.


Beef shishkebab needs to be cooked on high heat for 20 minutes, flipping once. Some veggies will accomodate this timeframe - onions, tomatoes, mushrooms.  Denser veggies like peppers or eggplant should be briefly boiled before skewering. Try shaking veggies in a plastic bag with a splash of salad dressing or white wine to give them a little zest.

Side dish suggestion: cold Greek Pasta Salad.

1 box orzo
1 pkg frozen spinach, defrosted and drained.
1 bottle caesar salad dressing (not creamy)
feta, green olives, tomatoes to taste

Cook orzo, rinse with cold water and drain well. Add remaining ingredients. Let blend in fridge for a couple hours.

It's Barbecue Season: Smoking The Kielbasa

Here is a bit more detail on meat smoking. It can be done with either your regular grill or with a specialty smoker like the one seen here. (this one was purchased by my grandparents in 1977) You can achieve similar results with a regular grill as long as the cooking temperature is maintained - it is important to only open the cover as needed to baste and turn. This enclosed unit has vent holes on top and bottom - circulation is important to good flavor without a sooty taste.

The key to the smoke flavor is to use wood chips, which  must be soaked in water for several hours before use. Chips that are too dry will just burn away, coating the food in soot.  Put the soaked chips into an aluminum can or make a little dish out of foil.  Place the container into the charcoal or next to the gas burner. Wood chips may be re-used several times.

Your meat handling technique will make all of the difference for a successful meat smoking session. Some meats will need more prep than others: sausages and kielbasa are ready to party right out of the package.  Unprepared meats like chicken, beef brisket or pork loin will need a bit more fluffing: first, circumcise away all the little flaps and loose bits and anything you wouldn't want in your mouth. Slather with sauce, or sprinkle with spice rub and spank firmly with generously oiled hands. Use a brush to baste every hour until done.

It's Barbecue Season: Smoked Pork Roast

Smoked pork roast can be done in a smoker, or on the grill with a few smoking chips. Soak the wood chips in water for an hour, then strain them out and place in an aluminum can with holes poked in the sides. Cover top of can with foil and set deep into the charcoal or next to the gas burner. *

This 5 lb loin roast was rubbed with spices and olive oil, then smoked on low heat for 4 hours with hickory wood chips.  Baste with barbecue sauce every hour.  Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F.

Grilled veggies are easy with aluminum foil! Place veggies on a greased double-layer of foil.  Top with another greased double-layer, then fold the edges tightly to seal.

Summer veggie bake: zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and onion, with olive oil and salt and pepper. 

Soft veggies only need about 30 minutes on low heat, flipping once.

Slow cooking a pork roast is so rewarding because the meat turns out so juicy compared to other cooking methods.  Spend only a few minutes on prep, then just turn and baste hourly.  Check with a meat thermometer, then carve and serve with extra barbecue sauce. 

*(more on smoking next time)

I didn't eat the onions, but they add a lot of flavor so I cooked them in anyway. Garlic is an appropriate substitute.

It's Barbecue Season: Ribs & Potato Wedges

If it seems tricky to get good ribs, remember this one and only rule: cook slowly. You can use any  kind of dry spice rub or marinade or sauce, and any type of ribs. Just cook them on low heat for at least a couple of hours, depending on thickness.

These are country ribs, which means there is only a small bone at one end but they are mostly all meat. I have rubbed them with dry spices and some olive oil, and then put them on a piece of foil with holes poked in it on the grill on low heat for three hours since they are thick cut.  Baste and turn them only once or twice during the entire cook time.


Potato wedges are easy too!  Use red potatoes - they don't need to be peeled.  Slice in half lengthwise, then slice each half into 4 or 5 wedges.  Put into a plastic zipper bag with olive oil and spices and shake until well coated. I used a packet of dry italian salad dressing spices and parmesan cheese, but you can use any spices or simply salt and pepper.

Spread wedges into single layer in a baking pan. I line my pan with foil and spray with butter flavored baking spray. Bake for 1 hour @425, stirring gently every 20 minutes.