Smoked Trout (or Salmon) Dip

I *LOVE* Hot-Smoked fish, particularly Salmon and Trout.  Did I mention that Salmon and Trout are very closely related?  Sorry, I digress... There is a significant difference between hot-smoked and cold-smoked fish, that's for sure.

 

Hot Smoked - The fish is cooked at a very hot temperature in a smoker.

Cold Smoked - The fish is preserved with the smoke, using a cold temperature. 

When I cook salmon or trout on the smoker, I usually cook a whole filet, which means I have leftovers, which means I can make DIP!!

You will need: 

• 3/4 lb (12oz) smoked trout (or Salmon)
• 1 Block (8oz) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (good mayonnaise)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp horseradish
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (or 4 cloves of garlic)
  
• 1 tsp lime juice
• Handful of chopped green onions (garnish) 

This recipe is super simple, but it's a bit tedious. First (here's the easy part), put all of the ingredients EXCEPT FOR the fish and the green onions into a food processor, blender, or bowl.  Process, whip, or beat the living daylights out of it until it's nice and smooth!  Transfer this mixture into a nice container that slide it into the fridge for awhile to "set up."

Now, to the fish...  For this recipe, I hot-smoked a couple of Rocky Mountain Trout that my neighbor Al caught for me on Steamboat like (you gotta love Al).  Note, they were cooked on the smoker until they touched 145 degrees F.  At this temperature, the spine and most of the bones just slide right out!  Note that I said "most!"

Here's the tedious part of the recipe. My wife was super duper helpful and volunteered to get her tiny little fingers dirty and she carefully pulled the meat from the fish and felt around for some additional pin-bones.  As you can see, she found quite a few.  I highly recommend that you spend the time to do this because you'll enjoy the dip so much more later (while you're watching the football game), if you don't have to worry about choking to death... Your patience will be rewarded!

Anyway, here's what 12oz of trout looks like, once you've picked it clean of bones, and placed it into a nice container. Can you use canned salmon or tuna or trout for this?  Sure, but it wouldn't be nearly as good.  Take the time to cook your own fish, if at all possible!  That link will take you to my own Smoked Salmon recipe... Try it, it's super simple!

Once you have 12oz of fish prepared, go and get your smooth dip back out of the refrigerator and fold it gently into the fish. Stir it, fold it, taste it, adjust it as necessary.  I like a little bit of heat so I diced some jalapenos with the green onions.

Add your green onion garnish, and serve or stir to your heart's content. This is GREAT stuff!  I like it on almost any cracker, and I was sorely tempted to eat it as a sandwich spread with a tomato!  Comment below if you come up with new uses or ideas...

 

 

Pellets vs. Logs; Results from an Impartial Cook on a Pellet Smoker and Stick Burner

I've been cooking BBQ over logs of wood for 40 years now, personally and professionally.  I couldn't begin to count the number of briskets, butts, ribs, and chicken I've smoked over the years, and I've always used logs of Pecan, Mesquite, Hickory, Apple, or Oak to cook it.  As I witnessed the rise of the pellet cooker, I always admired the "Automation" piece of it!  I mean, to set it up and to go to bed without having to get up to "add a log and adjust the fire" in the middle of the night did have an appeal...

Then again, I have rolled many pellets between my thumb and index finger and wondered, "Does this wood have as much 'punch' of flavor, etc, that a big log of oak does?  Is it even wood!?"  So far, I haven't forsaken my classic stick burner in favor of a pellet cooker, but as technology gets better, pellet pits do too...

Recently, I found a broken pellet cooker abandoned on someone's porch and I brokered a deal to give it (for free) to my buddy Ryan.  Ryan is a techie-wiz and in less than a week he had replaced the controller board and most of the other electronics.  He sanded and painted it, and it was running "better than new" in no time.  That's when I had an idea.....

I asked him if he was willing to do a little experiment.  I would rub and prep 4 big pork butts, and we would cook two of them over hickory pellets in his cooker, and I would cook the other two over hickory logs in my stick burner!  We would use the same methods and temperatures, and pull them off the pits at 195 degrees.  Then we'd trade ONE butt each, and have our families do a taste comparison.  Here are the results:

First, here is the equipment we used.  In Ryan's corner, the "Daniel Boone" model of the Green Mountain Pellet Cookers.

Advantages:

• Variable speed fan
• Fully automated
• Quality steel

Disadvantages:

• Uses electricity (susceptible to power failure)
• Required firmware updates

In my corner, the Yoder Smokers "Loaded Wichita" stick burner.

Advantages:

• Welded 1/4" steel
• No power required
• Burns traditional logs/wood

Disadvantages:

• Requires monitoring/tending the fire

Four pork butts (shoulders) were prepared.  They were all between 11 and 13lbs.  I put a light layer of yellow mustard on them, then I applied my own personal BBQ rub that has salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and brown sugar.  I wrapped them in cellophane and let them marinate.  I gave two to Ryan, and kept two for myself.  We each got a "small" one and a "large" one.

Ryan placed his into his pellet cooker at 2:15am.  The cooker was preheated to a temperature of 225 degrees.  He closed the lid and walked away from it.  

At 9:30am, the smaller butt was at 160 degrees and the larger one was 148.  A nice bark was starting to form and Ryan put a pan underneath them to avoid excess fat and grease from burning the sides/bottom of the pit and making a big mess.  It might be significant to note that most pellet smokers have a smaller capacity than a commercial stick burner, but this model does have a grease outlet and a collection bucket to use, and it may require changing when doing two large butts.

At 2:30pm, Ryan's butts hit 190 degrees.  The bark had darkened and things looked good!  He let them rest up to 195 and we pronounced them "done and ready to pull!"

Meanwhile, at my house, I got up at midnight to light the fire.  The butts were laid onto the pit at 12:30am.  I stayed up to let the fire burn down into some coals, put on another two smaller logs, adjusted the intake and the stack, and then I went back to bed when the temperature of the pit was 237 degrees.

Every two hours after that (I set alarms), I woke up to add wood and to adjust the fire to stay as close to 225 as possible.  At 7:02am, 7 hours after the start of the cook, my butts hit the stall at 162 degrees.  I was happy to note that both pits required 7 hours to bring the butts up to 160.  Temperature and convection, etc, seemed pretty even on both sides. The only difference is that I was a lot more tired than Ryan was!  :)

At 10:02am, ten hours after the start of the cook, I was happy with the color and texture of the bark on my shoulders.  I noticed they were quite a bit darker in color than the butts on the pellet cooker.  The butts were both at 185 so I only had ten degrees to go, then I pronounced them "done" and I wrapped them to rest.  Ryan came over to pick up his butt and it was time to compare the results.

The "Pellet Butts" pulled very well.  They were tender, soft, juicy, and they had a nice smoke ring!  My family was impressed and we all enjoyed eating it but.... the flavor wasn't the same AT ALL!  My brother-in-law Joe said, "It's not BBQ, it tastes like it came from the oven."  His son said, "It's crock-pot pork with a darker cover."  Personally, I was confused.  It looked and behaved exactly like great pulled pork, but it lacked the "punch" and aroma of the butts from the stick burner.

When Ryan came over to pick up the Butt from my stick burner, he opened the cooler it was resting in, and the smell hit him full in the face.  "THAT is BBQ," he said, "Night and DAY difference!"  I agreed.  After he got it home, he said the smell just filled his house.  The flavor definitely had more "punch" and "BBQ" notes to it.  It had darker bark, and it pulled apart as easily as the pellet shoulder did.

Conclusions... Here's where things get difficult.  People tend to stand by their pits and swear by them.  Many internet flame-fueled feuds are boiling between pellet-heads and stick burner people

Based on this experiment, I can't sit here and pronounce one better than the other because the fact is, Ryan's wife and kids (Midwest family, living in Colorado) preferred the milder taste of the pellet cooked pork.  Ryan and I prefer the smoky aroma and taste of the stick burner pork.  So there you have it... We did learn some things though:

• The difference is the smoke.  Hands down.  No butts about it, burning logs in a stick burner produces more smoke.
  
• The stick burner definitely produces more smoke, more smoke flavor, and a deeper bark.
• Finding good hard-wood to burn in a stick burner is expensive in Colorado!  I've been paying around $500 for 1/2 cord of Pecan or Hickory wood that is split and kiln dried.  I will continue to do so.
• Resident pellet cookers that I know, pester me relentlessly to learn of my methods.  I'm open and honest and I don't mind sharing 40 years of BBQ recipes, knowledge, tricks, etc, but they always tell me, "I don't know what you're doing, but yours is better." 
• Pellet cookers burn super clean!  Your house, sheets, clothes, patio furniture, etc, don't "smell like BBQ."  When the stick burner is rolling smoke, people BLOCKS away from my house call me to ask "What's cooking today?"
  

Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken

What's better than fried chicken?  Buttermilk Fried Chicken!!  Seriously, fried chicken is one of my "deserted island" foods, you know?  "If you only had one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Fried Chicken!

Anyway, the route to spectacular, crunchy, spicy, juicy southern fried chicken is easier than you think!  Let's do it:

You Will Need:

• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Tsp Salt
• 2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tsp Chili Powder (I like Jalapeno Powder)
• 2 Tsp Creole Seasoning (Tony Chacheres)
• 8 Chicken Pieces
• Buttermilk

Ok, this dish does require a modest amount of planning.   The chicken needs to soak in the buttermilk for at LEAST four hours.  Just layer your chicken pieces into a big Tupperware vessel between generous glops of buttermilk.  Make sure they're completely covered with the buttermilk before you snap on the lid.  Gently rock it back and forth to ensure good coverage, and park it in the fridge for 4 - 24 hours so the milk can do its work!

When you're ready to fry, simply mix all of the dry ingredients into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and shake it up!  Leave this bag on the counter and go get your frying vessel.

100% of all GOOD fried chicken cooked in the south is done in either a cast-iron fry-pan or in an old fashioned electric skillet!  Why?  Good question!  The answer is HEAT.  Cast iron holds it, so your oil doesn't drop in temp when you load it up with the chicken.  Electric skillets are awesome because they have thermostats and they're "smart" enough to maintain heat on their own, with you having to monitor and adjust it during the cook.  Whichever your choice, add an inch of vegetable oil or Crisco shortening and load it up to 350 degrees.

When your oil is hot and you're ready to fry, grab a piece of chicken out of the buttermilk.  It should be goopy and slick with buttermilk!  Hold it over the Tupperware for a few seconds to allow the excess to drip off, then drop it into the bag and shake it until it's completely coated.  Pull it out of the bag and lay it on a plate.  Work in batches so that when you have three pieces coated, you can lay them into the hot oil in the pan!

When you have three pieces ready, lay them gently into the pan.  Set a timer for ten minutes, then shake up the next three pieces so that they'll be ready when the first three come off.  When the timer goes off, use a fork to flip the pieces over, and let them cook for seven more minutes.  Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure you've reached 165.

At 165 degrees, you can remove the chicken and allow it to drain on a rack.  Repeat with the next three pieces, etc.

TIPS:

• Work with a small "Frying Hen."  If the pieces are too big, you'll burn them before they ever reach an internal temperature of 165.  The ideal chicken to fry weighs 3.5lbs before it's cut. 
• This recipe worked perfectly for 8 modest sized skinless boneless chicken breasts 
• Before the buttermilk soak, you might want to use a mallet to gently pound out a large boneless breast so that it's about 1.5" in thickness.
  
• Don't crowd the pan!  Allow for the hot oil to easily reach all outer edges of the chicken
• Keep an eye on the temperature of the oil, don't let it cool down too much as you add new chicken pieces. 
• A side of your favorite hot sauce is an excellent choice!
  

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, I'm not a fan of store-bought "Crunchy" chocolate chip cookies.  Sue me... They're just not that flavorful and if I'm going to blow a diet, I'm going to blow it on the perfect cookie!  A balanced, chewy, large, nut and chocolate rich cookie... Let's do this!

You Will Need:

• 2 Sticks of regular Salted Butter
• 12 Ounces of Bread Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 Ounces of white sugar
• 8 ounces dark brown sugar
• 1 Large egg + 1 egg yolk
  
• 2 Tablespoons Whole Milk
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 12 Ounces of Chocolate Chips or "Chunks."  Chunks are usually chocolate chips, but they could be anything you like.  I prefer 3oz Milk Chocolate chips, 3oz Dark Chocolate Chips, and 3oz Pecans.  As long as your chunks total about 12oz, you're good to go!

Assemble your stuff.  Note that I was out of Bread Flour when I made these cookies.  Yes, I was totally bummed about it!  Bread Flour makes a HUGE difference in the "chew" of this cookie, so make the effort to find/get it.

Start off by melting the butter.  I like to use the microwave, but keep an eye on it!  You don't want to boil/burn it so GENTLY melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.  

The best way to approach this recipe is with three bowls.  You'll have your melted butter bowl, a bowl for your flour, and a bowl for the egg mix.  

So... 

Sift your flour and baking soda together in a bowl, set it aside.

Whisk/beat your eggs, milk, and vanilla into a bowl, set it aside.

Combine the sugars and the melted butter into the mixing bowl of your cool stand mixer and strap on the paddle attachment.  Crank it up to medium speed and teach those sugars and butter a lesson!  Stir and mix them for at least two minutes.

Slow the mixer down a bit and dump in the egg/milk/vanilla bowl.  Spin it back up and let it ride for 2 minutes.

Use a silicon spatula to gradually slide the flour/soda from its bowl into the mix.  Keep the speed fairly slow or you'll have flour all over the kitchen!  Take your time and get it all mixed in there.  Scrape the sides of the bowl if you have to, but eventually you'll have a nice uniform cookie dough!  

Take the mixing bowl out of the mixer and fold in your chunks with the spatula.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and tuck it into the fridge for ONE HOUR!  Why?  Because the butter needs to get cold again.  Do NOT skip this step!  Your cookies will scoop, bake, and present so much better when you do this! 

Once the bowl is chilling in the fridge, preheat your oven to "Convection 350" or to 375 if you don't have a convection oven.

Time to scoop!  Meet my cookie scooper!  It's red for a reason... Many things in the restaurant industry are color coded, and serving scoops are no exception.  The red one is 1.5oz.  This recipe makes EXACTLY two dozen cookies if you make sure that each cookie uses 1.5oz of dough (and if you discipline yourself NOT to eat any dough during the process).

Place 12 cookies, 1.5oz each, onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or with parchment paper.  Don't mash them down, just line up your cookie balls so they all have equal space between them.  They'll fit!

Slide both sheets into the oven and set a timer for ten minutes.  They will NOT be done in ten minutes, but this is when you should turn on the oven light and start watching them.  You want to see a nice round cookie with a brown edge.  When the edges are nice and brown, pull them out and let them cool!

You'll be tempted to eat them immediately.  Don't!  Things need to cool and set for about ten minutes.  Good things come to those who wait!  

What you'll end up with is a nice firm chewy cookie!  It will still hold up to a dunk in a cold glass of milk!!