Fathers' Day - Pulled Pork

Chicago has no shortage of great places to eat. It also has several places that do justice to slow-cooked smoky meat. But sometimes I get a hankering for the taste of NC-style pulled pork BBQ, and Fathers' Day gave me an excuse to take matters into my own hands. I am less than an hour removed from eating the meal, and the lingering flavor and aroma of mesquite and pig are still full and rich.

This meal was partly possible because I was able to talk my wife into stopping at the Paulina Meat Market on the way home from the zoo this weekend. It was my first trip there, and in all honesty, I had my heart and mind fixed on a pork shoulder from the start. I did eyeball some other meats, and it will not be long before I'm writing about some rabbit here, I'm sure. And while there is an excellent butcher shop not far from our house, I really wanted to give this place a try. I was not disappointed. I was reminded of the great butcher shops I had the occasion to visit as a kid, and it is good to know that there are still places that know how to deliver excellent quality meat with outstanding service.

I prepped the meat on Saturday night with a basic rub, the core of which involved brown sugar and paprika. I like a slightly-smoky, slightly-hot paprika in general, and it served me well for this particular rub. The 7-pound cut fit nicely in a gallon Ziploc, and spent the night in the fridge. I was treated to some fantastic pancakes for Fathers' Day breakfast (a big thanks to my wife for including both chocolate AND peanut butter chips today!), and as soon as we finished, I started getting the grill ready. It was my first time trying to really slow-smoke anything over gas. I had a can of mesquite chips on hand, and tucked them over the low flame on one end of the grill for about 10 minutes as the meat sat out shedding some of the chill from the overnight stay in the fridge. Once the smoke started to billow, I brought the shoulder out and placed it with the fattier side up, the heat as low as possible, and I watched periodically to make sure the heat did not get much higher than 250 degrees (F). My grill is a real powerhouse, it seems, and does not like living in the low end of BTU production, but in the end, I was able to get a nice steady low heat, and was able to walk away.

One of my favorite side dishes to make is also one of the simplest. I like making a carrot slaw, and mine uses a white balsamic and mayo (roughly equal parts) as a base. Today I was lucky to still have some peach-flavored white balsamic on hand, and with some craisins and shredded carrots (along with a few other flavorings), it was quick work thanks to the food processor. The only downside was, in my rush to get the work done, I did not handle the shredder blade with my usual care, and I opened up a nasty little nick on the tip of my middle finger. Carelessness in the kitchen is never a good recipe.

With that done, I turned attention to my barbecue sauce. I went for a compromise today, and took the best of the eastern NC and western NC traditions to heart, adding my own touch of balsamic vinegar to the mix (the real stuff, not the white stuff). The sauce was mildly hot, with a good mixture of vinegar, enough ketchup to keep the tomato-based touch in play, and even hint of mustard to tip my hat to the folks in SC (who sometimes serve up mustard-infused sauces with their BBQ). I should also mention that I prefer honey to sweeten most of the BBQ sauces I make, and this was no exception.

I figured with all this effort, it would be a shame to miss out on hush puppies, so I turned to Paula Deen's recipe as a starting point. She's a great go-to resource for many southern staples, and this particular recipe did not disappoint (although I'm already thinking about my own take for the next time; these were damn good, but I don't think they'd suffer from some modification). As an afterthought, I served up some buttery corn to round things out.

The verdict

An added treat tonight was sharing the meal with our friends Ali and Crystal. They seemed to appreciate the meal, and they brought good beer and hard cider to the table, which is never a bad thing! It had been entirely too long since we last shared a meal with them, and I'm glad that happenstance (running into my wife coming back from the playground with our daughter) led them to join us tonight.

The pork - fabulous. Juicy, smoky, just enough of the "crispy" stuff alongside tender strands of succulent pig. It is as close to real NC pulled pork as I have had since the last time I was in NC, and I'm not afraid to make that claim. There is simply no substitute for real wood smoke and slow cooking, and taking the time today was well worth the effort. The sauce was outstanding, too. Sauce can be such a debatable thing, and I don't know why folks need to get so uppity about one kind being better than another. I find that one of the best things about American food is the regional differences we get to celebrate, and I have not had too many sauces that I did not like. If made with thought, love, and enthusiasm, each has a place at the table, and mine was no exception. I don't know if I would replicate this one identically, and that's just fine with me. I'm sure that my next trip to NC will bring me at least one more take on the classic, and I will have a few new ideas to try out on my next pulled pork dinner.

The hush puppies were perfectly golden brown on the outside, and just right on the inside. I cannot abide over- or under-done hush puppies, and while they are not the food of my heritage, I've certainly had enough to know good from bad. Mine were good. Really good. I'm considering my options for the next time around, but I'm also open to suggestions from any hush puppy aficionados out there who care to chime in. The corn was fine, if forgettable, and that was about what I expected. No effort, no reward, and sometimes, no cares either. Just a little something to give you the excuse to eat a little butter.

The slaw was as good as always. I sometimes opt for golden raisins or plain old Sunmaids, but the craisins give a nice tartness that offsets the natural sweetness of the carrots. The slaw was the ideal complement for the pork, and was great both on and off the bun (I tried it both ways to make sure).

The real verdict today had nothing to do with the meal. The fact that I got to celebrate being a dad would have made any meal special. The fact that I got to spend the day with my amazing daughter (and wife), and with some dear friends was the most important thing. Having a meal that brought me comfort, provided me a modest challenge, and took at least intermittent focus to avoid screwing up the end product was an added treat. But it turned out so well that I'm sure I'll remember it for a while to come.

I hope other dads out there had comfort, love, and good food today, too.

Neighbors

It is never a bad thing when you have neighbors over for dinner. Of course, it is better when grilling is involved. When they bring margaritas, it is hard to imagine a bad time.

Last night I grilled some steak for fajitas. I also grilled onions and peppers. The steak marinaded over night, and I prepped the veggies early in the morning. No sense in working too hard late in the day if you don't have to.

I also made some "Spanish" rice. I've learned that what we Americans call Spanish rice is mostly a Tex-Mex concoction. I also have decided that the food I cook, eat, and enjoy need not have a pedigree, just good flavor, texture, aroma - the important stuff.

The gem in this meal was the refried beans. I used kidneys and pintos with a dash of cayenne. I have no problems using beans from a can (not pre-mashed, but whole beans). They taste just fine when smashed up and sauteed in butter. I also know that lard is the traditional fat, but it's just hard to feel right about buying a tub of the stuff, especially since my middle is not as middle-sized as I'd like it to be. I like to keep the beans on the coarse side when I mash them. There is a certain satisfaction in the rustic look of beans that have not been completely macerated.

The Verdict

The steak was ok, not stellar. I found the marinade I'd concocted to be a bit too bright and acidic. While I like the lime, the vinegar I used was a bit heavy. I also could have used more salt and cilantro to fill out the flavor. The peppers and onions were good, just a bit crisp but with a light grill-char. The rice was quite good, although not quite "authentic."

The beans were awesome, and any excuse to eat queso fresco is a good thing if you ask me.

More than anything, it was great to share some time with some fantastic neighbors, trade some stories, and enjoy each other's company. As much as I love the simplicity of dinner with just my wife and daughter, it is a treat to open up our home when we can and break bread - or tortillas - with another family.

Back to the Grill

I had a few days away; away from the blog and away from the grill. Mostly, I had a rough week at work, largely due to the erratic weather and power grid, and as a result, had little time to write, to cook, and on most days, no inclination to do anything because it was too blasted chilly for June.

I kept things simple for Sunday dinner, mostly because I have bigger plans for Monday, but also because the grill needed a good cleaning and that was time I could not spend on prep. Early in the afternoon, I cooked up some small red potatoes for a dill potato salad (with lots of chopped Claussen's and dill weed). I soaked some cheddar/jalapeño brats in some Goose Island ale, and left thing alone as I enjoyed time with the family.

The great treat was not the two items that took prep work. It was the asparagus that took almost no effort at all (not that any part of this meal was laborious). A quick pass through some butter, a shot of garlic salt and black pepper, and they went on the grill alongside the brats. The key to good asparagus, in my opinion, is to keep them from going completely limp. I find too many cooks want so badly to have beautiful grill marks on them, perhaps to prove they are grilled, that they overcook the poor veggies into a limp and bitter mess. I pull mine as soon as they begin to droop when lifted in the middle of the stalk with a pair of tongs. Another smattering of butter, garlic salt, and pepper (just in case any of them were missed, of course), and they were ready for the table.

Verdict

Not much more to say. The brats were good. I like sauerkraut on most any grilled sausage, so I added a bit, and it worked pretty well with the jalapeño. My wife can't stand the kraut, so she went without. The potatoes were predictably good. The star, as I mentioned, was that asparagus. Still just a bit firm, but fully cooked and warm throughout, just enough butter and seasoning - I am just sad that we didn't have more.

On a side note, our daughter has returned to eating fish at mealtimes again. She love smoked salmon, it seems, and ate it with some regularity until just around her second birthday. Now, after some time away, she's back. Maybe this means she will start trying other foods again, and maybe I can get her to eat more of what I cook instead of the usual fare she's settled on...

Nuts

I'm thankful that, as far as we can tell, our daughter is not part of the peanut allergy crowd. If she were, we would be making lots of changes in our house that I am really glad we don't have to make. Working in a school, I'm acutely aware of the sensitivity around the issue, and having friends with such allergies adds to my awareness. My own issues with shellfish heightens my understanding. But I have other reasons to be thankful about peanuts.

I spent several years unable to eat nuts (and seeds, and several other items) due to diverticulitis. Only after surgery about a year and a half ago was I, again, permitted to indulge in nuts that were still in solid form, and not reduced to buttery-slurry. That said, I did make a couple of batches of yummy pistachio butter at one point when I began to really miss the flavor of those particular delights; I was not completely deprived. But, it was a great treat a couple of weeks ago to buy a jar of dry roasted peanuts at the grocery store. I still indulge sparingly when I do indulge, and there was still a good fourth of the jar left Saturday morning as we ate breakfast. I saw the jar, and knew what I needed to make as soon as I was back at the grill this week.

I put together a Thai-inspired peanut sauce tonight that included yogurt, curry power, olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, some Thai chilies (and a bit of cayenne for an extra boost), a healthy dose of Smucker's natural crunch PB, and a bit of diced candied ginger (I wanted that bit of sweet in there as well). I marinated the chicken breasts for a couple of hours before grilling. I reserved some of the sauce and served it over the cooked chicken. I also prepared a simple yellow squash grilled with nothing but olive oil and garlic salt. Our bonus was a perfectly ripe pineapple which I cut into spears and grilled for a short while au naturel.

The verdict

The chicken was fantastic, and perhaps the greatest compliment was when my wife asked for more of the sauce. The chicken itself remained juicy and moist throughout, and the occasional pops of ginger and Thai pepper was spot on.

The squash was quite a let down. It was under ripe, I felt, and did not stand up well at all.

The pineapple made up for this, however. It was just warm enough in the center, was just a tiny bit crispy on the outside, and the result was like a small explosion of sweet goodness in every single bit. The sweetness was the perfect partner for the salty/spicy chicken, and needed no enhancement.

We drank some Ravenswood Chardonnay with this meal, and it held up fairly to the chicken. It went quite well with the pineapple. But mostly, it was cold and refreshing on a really hot day in Chicago.

Bacon cheeseburgers

Continuing my "Costco rocks" thread, I have to give proper thanks to them for the Kirkland (store) brand real-crumbled-bacon-in-a-bag that they sell. I have long agreed with the notion that bacon makes most things better, and having it already cooked and ready to add to a dish is really handy. I also like when it incorporates as easily into a dish as it does when making burgers. If you know everyone will want bacon on the burger, why not put it in the burger?

So I did this past Wednesday when I decided to grill up some burgers and dogs.

I also flashed back to some burgers that I recall from my time living at my Uncle Billy's house many years ago. There was some delivery service that used to bring a variety of freezer items, if memory serves me, and among them were pre-made frozen burgers with cheese already mixed in. I loved the concept (and, frankly the burgers), but always felt like too much cheese melted out of such patties when place on the grill. They work fine in a skillet or on a flattop, but on the grill, the cheesy-goodness just tends to melt away.

For my burgers, I decided to make a nice pocket for a nice half-inch thick slice of cheddar, and sealed the burger, bacon included, around the cheese. I had mixed in a hint of barbecue sauce as well, and with a bit of garlic salt and pepper in hand, I cooked these up alongside a nice packet of Hebrew National hot dogs. (I like the casings on their dogs; they work well on the grill or off, and keep just the right amount of snap when you bite into them).

The verdict

A simple meal - burgers and dogs - but I thought is was a nice little twist. The burgers turned out juicy, and the cheese was just melted enough to let a hint break the surface before I removed them from the grill. They were amazingly tasty, simple, and satisfying, as a good burger should be. I had mine with a nice Goose Island ale. Can't wait to make them again.