Summer Fun & BBQ

I hope your summer has been as event filled and enjoyable as ours. We have fired up the BBQ pit almost every weekend since school let out and now I have become the family caterer. I really can’t complain because I get to practice on someone else’s dollar. Plus I have really been able to play with my recipes and rituals. Today, I have started to cook for a party my mom is having tomorrow. On the pit as we speak is a 14 pound brisket and a couple of 8 pound bone in Boston Butts. I don't have time to give you the details now, I have to prep a few chickens and 1/2 dozen racks of ribs.

Anyway, and more importantly, if you have a chance check out Panda Curry a great blog by a cool guy- Eric Patnoe.

I'll be back later with some pics and ideas about today’s BBQ.

...Ugly Gourmet

Forth of July Recipes

Well I have been away from the bolg for quite some time, so I thought I would ease back in slowly. Here are couple of recipes that have become two of my family’s favorite side dishes. I promised my emial subcribes that these would not be posted on the site anytime soon, but i don't think they will mind if I share them here.

These two recipes have been taken from one of my all time favorite BBQ cookbooks. I don’t sell books at UglyGourmet.com, but if I did Peace Love and Barbecue by Mike Mills and Amy Mills Tunnicliff would be first on my list. For me cooking has always been about celebrating life with family and friends and I think Mr. Mills feels the same way.

As with any recipe that comes into my backyard I have changed them- I just haven’t recorded my changes yet. This being said, the recipes below have been taken from Peace Love and Barbecue and have not been altered (I think).

Mike’s Crunchy Cole Slaw

1 head Napa cabbage (original recipe calls for green cabbage)
¼ head of read cabbage
1 carrot shredded

Dressing:
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 ½ tablespoon canola oil or other mild vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion (I use red)
¼ cup chopped green bell pepper (I use a whole yellow or red)
¼ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon finely ground kosher salt (I don’t grind it)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chopped garlic

***I never measure seasonings and use more garlic and onion than the recipe calls for I just don’t know how much more???

Toss the cabbage and carrot together in a large bowl.

Make the dressing in a different bowl, mix until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Add dressing a ¼ cup at a time and toss well until it tastes the way you want it too. I never use all of the dressing and you don’t want to add too much. You can save left over dressing for up to five days in refrigerator-- Tastes great on garden salads and fresh vegetables.

17th Street's Tangy Pit Beans

2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard (like French’s)
3 cups ketchup
1 cup diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup honey
1 to 1 ½ teaspoons BBQ rub (I often forget)
1 large can 28oz pork and beans (like Campbell’s)
1 19 oz can large red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
1 15.5 oz can chili beans (like Bush’s chili starter)
1 15.5 oz can large butter beans (rinsed and drained)
1 15.5 oz can of a 5th bean of your choice (rinsed and drained)
4 to 5 slices of bacon or a few cooked ribs or some shredded pulled pork

*** I always use different beans. It doesn’t really matter use what you can find!!!

Pre heat oven to 350°

Mix mustard, ketchup, bell pepper, sugar, honey, and BBQ rub in large bowl. Be sure to work out all of the lumps of brown sugar. Add beans, stirring gently just enough to evenly distribute the mixture. Don’t over mix because the beans will break and you will have a big pot of bean mush (tasty, but not pretty)

Pour into a 13 x 9 inch pan. Lay the bacon, ribs or pulled pork on top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minute. Remove foil bake another 15 minutes uncovered or until bubbly.

Will keep for a week in refrigerator and can be frozen for a month.