Category Archives: Beef…Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

All types of juicy beef platters here …for your taste buds.

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

Spicy Fajita Tacos on the grill

March 22, 2016 Kings Reyes Chapa

Spicy Fajita Tacos on the grill.

“Spicy fajitas on the grill?” That was something different for me. Let me tell you how that came about.

Back at work (Lowe’s) in Weslaco, Texas; we were planning our end of the year celebration and we were doing a fajita cook-off to see who had the best fajitas in town, or the store at least. Here is a small recap of that.

DECOR AT LOWE’S

Cowboy-decor...or Cowgirl? — Cowboy-decor…or Cowgirl?

Whoever decorated sure did a good job, but I had to run and light up the grill and what not. The outdoors beckoned at me, it was time to have some fun.

Grilling-time! Hope-none-of-my-hairy-chest-hairs-fall-on-the-grill!

“Yeah-yeah, it is a fake mustache! And yep! No chest hairs fell anywhere since I don’t have any!” As for the mustache, it never had a chance hanging around that big hot grill, it was fun while it lasted though.

THE COWBOY

Cowboy Rick; one of our ASM’s , who not only helps out at our cook-outs, but who also won the fajita cook-off. This fellow introduced me to smoking and grilling with Oak wood. More on that at a later post.

CHICKEN, A WHOLE LOT OF CHICKEN!

I was glad I showed up early to check things out. “Don’t tell anybody this, but most of the chicken was frozen solid! YIKES!” After we moved the Big grill into place I found it had a super big hole to the bottom right of it. “CA-RAM-BA!” No Texas size, super strong aluminum foil was gonna fix that. There was no time to waste. Things had to be moved into place and the fire started. Good thing this grill had a smoker so I wrapped most of the chicken in foil and tossed them in the upright smoker to thaw out (it was desperate times) and I’m sure some of you have gone thru some type of “near miss” experiences like that.

STONE COLD CHICKEN!

I put chicken everywhere to include the right side of the grill; above that useless hole.

FAJITA TIME!

We had too many fajitas and had to resort to adding a few at a time due to the grilling space. I put mine on the smoker after slightly grilling them to finish the cooking process and to get more flavor. We were grilling with Kings ford charcoal and smoking with Hickory wood. What is so great about been a cook is that you get a chance at tasting the food before anybody does. I sampled all the competitors fajitas and I gots to admit; they were all pretty darn good.

No need for explanation here, the horde came and devoured almost everything!

HEADING BACK TO THE RANCH!

Back-on-the-saddle-again! To the ranch we go!... "I wonder what happened to my mustache?" — Back-on-the-saddle-again!
To the ranch we go!…
“I wonder what happened to my mustache?”

One of the coolest things happening for the day was that our boss Richard hired this cowboy with a dancing horse. The cowboy was nice enough to let us mount the horse to take pictures. Well with a hard days work done, its time to head back. Back to the ranch that is and to that “Spicy Fajita Tacos on the grill!”

“Spicy Fajita Tacos on the grill!”

This fajita tacos have some bite to them, but they were good. So, for my spicy fajita recipe…I had marinaded over-night with the following. A 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 cup Apple cider vinegar, the juice of 3 Texas size Valley lemon (really big lemons), 1 tablespoon each of the following; coarse pepper and salt, Cheyenne red pepper, and paprika. I added 2 table spoons each of Chili Garlic Sauce, Sriracha hot chili sauce and 1/4 cup of soy sauce. The last 2 sauces can be very hot if added too much and has a somewhat sweet flavor to it. I finely chopped 6 jalapenos and 4 Serrano chili peppers, and 1 full onion.

THE FAJITAS

I sliced 8 pounds of old style fajitas into tortilla size portions. and added them to the marinade for an overnight bath. Normally 1 hour to 3 is what I would normally do, but I decided to leave them longer to give them more bite.

OAK WOOD BATHING

I soaked some chunks of Oak wood for 2 hours , could have been 3 and started cleaning out the grill.

SPICY FAJITAS

I started the fire and let the coals ash over , added the Oak chunks, waited for the smoke, and grilled one side of the fajitas for 7 minutes and flipped over and grilled an additional 7-9 minutes. This is after 14 minutes of grilling. I sliced them against the grain and returned some of them back to the grill.

Here the added spicy fajitas are grilled to the person’s preferences. Some like them like this and others like them fully cooked. It really boils down to who is eating them. Same goes for the spicy flavor, the smokiness flavor, and any other spice you might have added to them to get them the way you like it. While they might be perfect for you; some one else might not like them. So…if you don’t like Chile; I would advise you not to add them to the marinade.

Grilling and cooking to one;s taste is one of the main benefits of been the “Chief of the House!” Gotta love that! Til next time partners. “Giddi up !” Or something like that…

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

“BEEF…ITS WHAT’S FOR DINNER!”

April 12, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“BEEF…ITS WHAT’S FOR DINNER!”

“T-Bone steaks and french fries…can’t go wrong with that.” Especially on a beautiful Saturday evening with the temperature hovering around the mid-seventies; definitely a beautiful day to fire up the grill. Grilled over hot mesquite coals and slightly seasoned, this T-bone steaks were just what the Good Doctor ordered!

MEMOIRS; MY VERY FIRST T-BONE STEAK!

Back in 1992, before I left the military I was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, which is located in El Paso, Texas. I had the opportunity to visit an Indian Reservation in New Mexico where they had a most excellent restaurant. My friend Boian and his wife took me there for my going away gift. The place was out in the desert and took us an hour to get there, but it was well worth the trip. I had what must have been a grilled 2 inch thick T-bone steak with sauteed mushrooms in a red wine plus the usual sides. It was my first T-bone steak ever and my first mushrooms too.

I will never forget that place; they had this massive old hardcover sign-in book at the restaurant, it had a small zoo where they had rattle snakes and desert animals. We stayed there the whole afternoon and most of the evening. Even driving home was memorable, the stars were sticking out at us; especially since we were away from city lights. It had reminded me of the deserts of Arabia where the stars of the night appear so close like as if you can just reach out and grab them. Unforgettable.

TODAY’S T-BONE STEAK…

This is a lovely T-bone steak with just a little bit of fat on the sides. Standing just at 1 inch thick and only 14 ounces; it will be a perfect dinner with you choice of sides should you wish any.

GETTING DRESSED UP FOR DINNER

My choice when cooking meats, but any oil would be good to use. “Okay-okay-okay…DO NOT USE MOTOR OIL!” LOL. Just joking.

I had used enough olive oil to coat both sides of the T-bone steaks (roughly a tablespoon for each steak)and lightly seasoned them with McCormick’s Grill Mates. I like to use the Smoke House Maple type, its just sweet. This seasoning has a mix of really good spices and even molasses to give your grilled meats a really good flavor.

AT GRILL…

After the coals ash over clean the grill with wire brushes and do the final cleaning with half an onion. Cover grill while you get all the grilling utensils and the T-bone steaks out to the grilling area.

Grill T-bone steaks over direct heat over the hot mesquite coals for a total of 8 minutes, flipping over after 4 minutes (the halfway point).

When I am not in a rush, I like to get that X pattern on my steaks. They just really dresses them up. Start by placing the steaks on the hot grates and grill for 2 minutes, pick up steaks and turn 45 degrees or quarter turn and place on an unused grate area and grill an additional 2 minutes before flipping over for the additional 4 minutes. The time is set for medium-well steaks; so adjust your timing to suit your taste buds. I always leave the half onion to cook as well and chop it up to serve with the steaks, it just adds to extra flavor.

Here it is; “BEEF…ITS WHAT’S FOR DINNER!”

Enjoy, Kings Reyes Chapa Jr.

“BEEF…ITS WHAT’S FOR DINNER!”

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 38 minutes

Yield: 1

Serving Size: 1 steak

Calories per serving: 841 calories

Fat per serving: 24 grams

“BEEF…ITS WHAT’S FOR DINNER!”

Beautiful and savory on the outside; unforgettable outstanding flavor in the inside! These T-bone steaks are sure to impress the party with their good looks and their hungry busting powers!

Ingredients

1 T-bone steak per person
1 tablespoon olive oil per steak
McCormick's Grill Mates in Smokehouse Maple

Instructions

Fire up the coals and let them ash over.
Meanwhile; prepare T-bone steaks by lightly coating them with olive oil and seasoning.
When grill is ready; place steaks over direct heat on grill and grill for 2 minutes, pick up and turn 45 degrees or 1/4 turn to get those good looking X grilling pattern on them. Grill an additional 2 minutes for a total of 4 minutes. Flip over for the remaining last 4 minutes for medium to well done steaks. Adjust your timing to suit your taste buds.
Enjoy with your favorite sides...or alone!

Notes

30 minutes of the prep time goes to letting the coals ash over, so start the fire before prepping the steaks.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/beef-its-whats-for-dinner/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

“HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE STEAKS”

March 18, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE STEAKS”

These juicy pair of rib-eye steaks could have been called “The Pineapple Duo Rib-eyes!” or “Juicy Rib-eye Steaks With Flavors of the Tropical Islands!” Hmm, that doesn’t sound too bad? After all, does Hawaii even have pineapples or tangerines oranges?

Some time later…

Yes they do! Gotta love Google Search; its just super fast and awesome! So I will stick to the original recipe name of “HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE STEAKS” And why not?! Its my post and blog; also, I’m the CHEF OF THE HOUSE! Ha-ha!

The Creation of the Hawaiian Rib-eye Steaks

Hawaiian-rib-eye-steaks-in-a-pineapple-and-tangerine-orange-marinade.

Have you ever gotten the “I don’t know what kind of sides I should cook syndrome?” You sometimes don’t know what to pick, you cooked that side yesterday, that side the day before, and it goes on and on. We home cooks run out of ideas of what to cook as sides; to include cook those sides with what?

So, going over the cans and stuff of “I don’t know what I have in the pantry”; in our kitchen cabinets I ran into the pineapple and tangerine-orange cans, plus a Lawry’s Hawaiian marinade.

“BAM!” It hit me! Marinade those rib-eyes steaks with all both cans and the Hawaiian marinade and grill the fruits with the rib-eye steaks. As a side all I added where french fries, which I had prepared before the rib-eye steaks hit the grill and kept warm in my George Foreman oven.

Success! The “HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE-STEAKS” were an instant winner. I even saved some of the juices from the marinade and brought them to a low boil on the grill to use as a basting sauce during the last two minutes of grill time and a dunking sauce at the dinner table.

So…this is what I did… I combined the juices of the pineapple and tangerine-oranges in a big container. I added a 1/4 cup of the Hawaiian marinade, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white wine, and 2 tablespoons of McCormick Grill Mates in Smokehouse Maple. That’s it. I mixed the ingredients well and added the rib-eye steaks before I had started the fire on the grill to give more time to the rib-eyes to absorb the flavors of the marinade.

THE FIRE…

Todays fire was most successful; it was provided by Kingsford Hickory Charcoal which had Hickory chips imbedded in it. I also used my own Hickory chunks to add a more robust flavor.

“WHERE’S THE BEEF!?”

Final-cleaning-of-the-grill-using-an-onion.

After the coals got lit and ashen over, I used a stiff wire brush to clean the grates of the grill, and used half an onion to wipe down the grates for the final cleaning. I leave the half onion there on the grill; it tastes quite delicious, especially when thinly sliced and served with steak or chicken.

AT THE GRILL…

I grilled the rib-eye steaks for a total time of eight minutes. Four minutes per side for medium well. Adjust your timing to suit your taste buds.

FOUR MINUTES PLUS

I removed the pineapples on placed them directly on the grates to get grill marks on them. After basting the rib-eye steaks with the marinade for the past two minutes for a total of eight minutes of grilling time, the rib-eye steaks were ready to be removed and join the family at the dinner table. Another field goal scored! Yes! The HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE STEAKS were superb in taste!

“HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE STEAKS”

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 8 minutes

Yield: 1 rib-eye steak per person

Serving Size: 1 rib-eye steak

Calories per serving: 847 calories

Fat per serving: 63 grams of fat

“HAWAIIAN RIB-EYE STEAKS”

This Hawaiian Rib-eye Steaks are a major attraction at the dinner table. They are full of rich and tasty flavor that gets the family asking for more at the next BBQ time gathering!

Ingredients

1 twelve ounce rib-eye steak per person
1/4 cup of Lawry's Hawaiian Marinade
1 can of tangerine-oranges with its juices
1 can of sliced pineapples and its juices
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of white wine
2 tablespoons of McCormick Grill Mates in Smokehouse Maple

Instructions

Combine ingredients and mix well.
Add the steaks and marinade for one hour flipping the rib-eye steaks at the half way point.
Make sure to save some of the marinade and add to a grill proof sauce pan and heat up at the grill.
Grill rib-eye steaks over direct hot coals for four minutes and flip over and continue grilling an additional four minutes basting the rib-eye steaks during the last two minutes of grilling time with the marinade.
Serve and enjoy! You can use the remaining marinade as a dunking sauce.

Notes

The longer you allow the rib-eye steaks to marinade; the stronger and richer the flavor gets.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/hawaiian-rib-eye-steaks/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

“JUICY CHUCK STYLE BEEF RIBS GRILLED OVER MESQUITE COALS”

February 21, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“JUICY CHUNK STYLE BEEF RIBS GRILLED OVER MESQUITE COALS”

There is something about grilling that makes everything taste so much better. For example, those zucchinis which only had a light coating of olive oil, coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper. That was it; grilled for only 12 minutes (6 minutes per side) over medium to hot mesquite coals and “WOW!”

So…what about those “JUICY CHUCK STYLE BEEF RIBS GRILLED OVER MESQUITE COALS?”

“A little beef ain’t gonna kill us? and its what the chicken recommends for dinner.” The chicken says “…its the REAL MAN’s or WOMAN’s choice of meat!”

Of course, I wouldn’t follow the chicken’s advice on what to eat; check with your medical advisor for that. I will say that the chicken is right; beef does taste much better than chicken! Then again; its how you prep and cook your food that really makes a difference.

THE RECIPE

In a large bowl combine 1 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup of Pompeian’s Olive Extra Premium Oil (I use a Mediterranean Blend), 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, and I used 3 tablespoons of McCormick’s Grill Mates SmokeHouse Maple Seasoning.

Cut the chuck style beef ribs into 2 x 2 inch squares.

Marinade for 20-30 minutes; longer if you have time.

After the marinade, skewer the beef chunks either with wooden or metal skewers. “Caution, the ends of the skewers are sharp!”

AT THE GRILL

Grill over medium hot mesquite coals for 12- 15 minutes turning over during the midpoint of the grilling time.

Enjoy!

“JUICY CHUNK STYLE BEEF RIBS GRILLED OVER MESQUITE COALS”

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 18 beef chunks

Serving Size: 4 ounces

Calories per serving: 310 calories

Fat per serving: 26 grams

“JUICY CHUNK STYLE BEEF RIBS GRILLED OVER MESQUITE COALS”

An easy, tasty, and attractive dinner that will impress anyone who gets lucky enough to have a bite out of them!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons McCormick's Grill Mates Smoke House Maple Seasonings
3 strips of chuck style beef ribs (a package)

Instructions

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well.
Cut beef ribs into 2 inch squares and marinade for up to 1 hour (given the time you might have).
Skewer the beef chunks with either wooden or metal skewers.
Grill over medium-hot mesquite coals for 12-15 minutes turning over during the halfway grilling time (for medium to well done) or adjust your grilling time to suite your taste buds.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

The longer the beef marinades; the better the flavor, so if you have time marinade first then start the fire.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/juicy-chuck-style-beef-ribs-grilled-over-mesquite-coals/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

“FAJITA BEEF STEAKS GRILLED OVER A MESQUITE FIRE”

February 11, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“FAJITA BEEF STEAKS GRILLED OVER A MESQUITE FIRE”

“Wow..there is a cow in the grill Pedro!” Or Bob? Or just fill in the blanks. Anyways, there was chicken and sausages also to the lunch for that day. We must have done something really good at work to deserve these small feast! The fajitas came seasoned from the meat market were we bought this. Pretty cool, all we had to do is light up the fire in the pit; which belongs to a friend from work and grill the beef fajitas. We used mesquite wood charcoal which our store sells and to my surprise turned out to be real good to grill meats over.

FOR LUNCH OR DINNER

There are many ways to season fajitas and make them come out great tasting. One of my many favorites for fajitas is to fillet a slab in two and marinading them for an hour in a clamato marinade. Clamato is a juice normally used to make mixed drinks or cocktails and has an intense flavor. Seasoned with a mixture of celery, onions, tomatoes, onions, and spices; by itself taste great. I normally add a tablespoon of coarse salt and of fresh ground pepper as well.

THE GRILL

After the hour of marinading, I grill for 8-10 minutes in direct heat turning over after 4-8 minutes. Slice them up to taco size and enjoy. Remember to slice against the grain or to cross cut so the fajitas will not be chewy.

“FAJITAS STEAKS GRILLED OVER A MESQUITE FIRE”

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 3

Serving Size: 5 ounces

Calories per serving: 260 calories

Fat per serving: 12 grams

“FAJITAS STEAKS GRILLED OVER A MESQUITE FIRE”

This is a super easy meal to prepare and tastes really delicious by itself or in tacos.

Ingredients

1 slab of beef fajitas 16 ounces
1 bottle of Clamato juice
1 tablespoon of coarse salt
1 tablespoon of fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Fillet the beef fajita slab in two; lengthwise
Combine ingredients, mix, and marinade fajitas in a shallow pan or Ziploc bag. Marinade for 1 hour.
Discard marinade and grill fajitas for 8-10 minutes in direct heat turning over at the halfway time.
Remove fajitas and slice to size cutting against the grain and not going with it.
Serve with your favorite sides and beverages.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/fajita-beef-steaks-grilled-over-a-mesquite-fire/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

“SIMPLE CHUCK RIBS”

February 4, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“SIMPLE CHUCK RIBS”

Yes-yes; its a small little feast, but its about the…**BEEF**!

The Day

The day was perfect. With the temperature hovering at around 64 degrees or so…it was perfect for a late afternoon barbecue. Then again, most days are perfect for grilling; except those days. You know the ones in which the wind is just howling at everything you do. Thank God those days are rare!

Keeping it Simple

Today’s menu called for some chicken wings, drummettes, mixed veggies, and cross cut chuck ribs; and that is what we are after in this post. The simplicity of things is in the preparation; coated with a very light olive oil, coarse salt and freshly grounded pepper. That’s it. As usual, start the grill in advance, clean the grill, and bring the stuff you gonna need closer to the grilling area. While this is not the chicken section, I will say this about the subject…”I’m no chicken.” In a bowl mix about 3 tablespoons of light olive oil and toss around the chicken to coat. Shift over to a plate large enough to set the chicken flat and add a tablespoon each of freshly ground pepper and coarse salt evenly to the chicken making sure to get the seasoning all around. Cover until ready for the grill. For the veggies, all you do is lightly coat grilling plate so that the veggies won’t stick to the grilling surface. Lightly sprinkle fresh ground pepper and coarse salt to taste. I like to do the same to the beef going on the grill as I did the chicken, so that the beef doesn’t stick to the grill.

The Grill

At the grill I always put the chicken a couple minutes earlier then the rest of the meal; it takes longer to cook. Then I add the beef ribs and cook both of them for 10-12 minutes adding the veggies before the half mark of the cooking time. Remember to flip over everything in the halfway mark (5-6 minutes) in this case. Serve hot with your favorite beverage.

“SIMPLE CHUCK RIBS”

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 1 rib

Serving Size: 1

Calories per serving: 260 calories

Fat per serving: 8 grams

“SIMPLE CHUCK RIBS”

Simple and fast beef ribs that will impress anyone!

Ingredients

cross cut chuck ribs
1 tablespoon light olive oil per rib
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Lightly coat ribs with the olive oil.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Grill for 8-10 minutes turning over at the halfway mark or until desired.
Serve warm with your favorite side dish...or alone. Tastes delicious regardless!

Notes

As always, start the grill in advance. Charcoal normally takes 30 minutes to ash over but is worth the waiting.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/simple-chuck-ribs/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

“Holy Steaks Batman!”

February 2, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“Holy Steaks Batman!”

Steaks at work! Yeah baby! That’s what I’m talking about! We had won a contest and now we were celebrating with grilled sirloin steaks for lunch.

The barbecue pit belongs to one of my friends at work and that is what we normally use because of its size and because it holds heat pretty well. On the menu were just steaks and …more steaks!

As usual, start the fire in advance, we were using Cowboy Mesquite Charcoal which gave off that rich smoky flavor we all have come to enjoy here to my parts.

The sirloin steaks in the above photo came seasoned from the butcher at a local meat market, so all we had to do is prepare the grill and that was it. A quick marinade for something like this is to mix together 2 tablespoons light olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon fresh black pepper, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, and 3-4 tablespoons juice (orange or pineapple) and mix together. Add steaks for 20-30 minutes or if you have time an hour or 2 will be great. For the grilling times, we cooked them for 15-20 minutes turning over halfway through the grilling time. Keep in mind…the size of that BBQ pit verses what you may own. You may want to move over some of the coals ever so slightly to prevent charring the beef and not allowing the center to cook to your desired tastes. Serve and enjoy!

“Holy Steaks Batman!”

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 1 steak

Serving Size: 1

Calories per serving: 728 calories

Fat per serving: 20 grams fat

“Holy Steaks Batman!”

This sirloin steak with its marinade is sure to satisfy any hungry person in your home!

Ingredients

1 sirloin steak
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons orange or pineapple juice

Instructions

Mix ingredients in a large bowl and add steak to marinate for at least 20-30 minutes.
Discard marinate and grill steak for 15-20 minutes turning halfway through the cooking time over direct medium heat or until done to your desired tastes.
Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The cooking times always varies depending on the size of grill and how hot it is. Keep a sharp eye on the food on the grill and don't be hesitant to actually poke a steak while on the grill to check the color of the juices.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/holy-steaks-batman/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

Poor Man’s Cheese Burger…with a Spear of a Pickle.

February 2, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“Poor Man’s Cheese Burger…with a Spear of a Pickle.”

“Where’s the beef?!”, the old lady yelled…”Well… its at my place in my buns.” That doesn’t sound too good…does it? Nope! “Okay okay… Poor Man’s Cheese Burger…with a Spear of a Pickle” it is.

Memiors

When I a teenager back in the day, I would get tickled to death by that Wendy’s commercial and that old lady who would pull apart her hamburger buns and shout out loud; “Where’s the beef?!” Hmm, come to think of it…I don’t think I was even in my teens yet? Oh well, in a hundred years who is gonna care anyway.

Why?

“Why call this burger a poor man’s burger?” Well, we all make due with what we have don’t we? At the time of grilling these burgers I only had a pair of hamburger buns, and no tomatoes or lettuce. Not having all the ingredients should not stop us form grilling, in fact; if we were lacking the beef in our burgers…we could have cooked grilled cheese sandwiches. That sounds pretty good to me.

To the Firing Pit…or Grilling Pit.

Remember to start you barbecue pit at least 30 minutes in advance so that the coals ash over before you throw on the beef on the grill. Meanwhile prepare the hamburger beef to make patties. I use the 80/20 hamburger beef; it is tasty and doesn’t shrink as much. So…I have grated about 1 tablespoon of onion “sniff-sniff”, 1 tablespoon of garlic, (keeps vampires at bay…by the way; plus has many benefits), 1/2 teaspoons of the following; paprika, Cheyenne pepper, freshly grounded black pepper, Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, and lastly; a dash of coarse salt. You can use any type of barbecue sauce or even omit it all together. That is why it totally rocks to be your own cook! You chose what to add or omit in the recipes.

Work it baby

Press the burgers just a little bit bigger then the size of the buns so that when cooked they end up at just the right size as the buns. Mine burgers usually end up being 3/4 to 1 inch thick when cooked. I like pressing them into shape, but you can use a hamburger press if you like.

Off to the grill we go…

Cook on a medium to high heat grill for 8 to 10 minutes for medium turning over once past the 5-6 minute mark. Leave a little longer if you don’t want to see any pink juices; about 2-3 minutes longer. Go ahead and toast the buns as well, they taste so much better that way. I finished the hamburger with a 1/2 – 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip and a spear of a pickle.

To Health!…Well I guess that old Wendy’s lady can come back and say…”Where’s the lettuce?!”

Poor Man’s Cheese Burger…with a Spear of a Pickle.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 1

Serving Size: 1 cheese burger

Calories per serving: 750 calories

Fat per serving: 52 grams

Poor Man’s Cheese Burger…with a Spear of a Pickle.

This cheese burgers are really not poor at all...they are rich...rich in flavor that will make beggars of the people who eat them. "I want more please!"

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of grated onion
1 tablespoon of grated or chopped garlic
1/2 tablespoon Cheyenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon of Sweet Ray's barbecue sauce or other
1/2 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 pound of 80% ground beef
1 slice of your favorite cheese
1 pickle spear

Instructions

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together forming into a ball shape and press flat to a size a little bit bigger then the hamburger buns.
Cook over direct heat for 8-10 minutes for medium turning once past the 5-6 minute mark.
Place hamburger buns on grill and the slice of cheese on top of the patty in the last minute of grilling to lightly toast and melt the cheese.
Remove patties and buns from grill and prepare buns by lightly applying Miracle whip or other chosen dressing.
Garnish with A pickle and enjoy!

Notes

The prep time is the waiting time for the coals to ash over, so start that process first. I have clocked myself in the prepping time for the patties at around 10 minutes and 20 minutes taking my sweet time.

http://www.smokefirespice.com/poor-mans-cheese-burger-with-a-spear-of-a-pickle/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

Super Sweet Fully Loaded New York Steak

January 31, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“Super Sweet Fully Loaded New York Steak!”

As usual, start up that grill at least 30 minutes in advance to get those coals ashing over. For this dish I used alder chips that were soaking in water for 10 minutes. This prevents the chips from burning up too quickly and allows them to smoke for a longer period. I don’t add those wood chips until I am ready to throw those New York steaks on the grill.

Getting the grill ready ahead of time allows coals to ash over.

Meanwhile, I oiled, spiced, and let those steaks reach room temperature before hitting the grill. Having the steaks reach room temperature will speed the cooking process and will allow the steaks to cook more thoroughly. The oil gives the steak a little flavor as well and prevents them from sticking to the grill. I use about a tablespoon of light olive oil and sprinkled some of McCormick’s Grill Mates spice. The chosen one for today was Smokehouse Maple which I pressed onto the steaks with the sides of a kitchen knife. I only trimmed one steak though for a picky person.

Lightly oiled, spiced, and trimmed New York Steak.

After the coals had ashed over and I added the soaked alder wood chips I threw the steaks on the grill for 7 minutes turning only once after the 4 minute mark. As a side, I had split lengthwise, oiled, and seasoned some zucchini with some salt and pepper.

Super Sweet Fully Loaded New York Steak

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Yield: 1

Serving Size: 1

Calories per serving: 650 caloties

Fat per serving: 26 grams

Super Sweet Fully Loaded New York Steak

This New York steak recipe is sure to be a real treat to any beef lover's taste buds!

Ingredients

New York Steak 12 oz
McCormick's Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple
1 tablespoon light olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 zucchini

Instructions

Bring steak to room temperature, lightly oil,and sprinkle seasoning pressing them onto the steak with the side of kitchen knife or back of spoon.
Cut zucchini lengthwise and lightly oil and season with salt and pepper.
After coals ash over, throw in water soaked wood chips on grill and place steaks and zucchini on grill allowing room in between them.
Cover grill and cook for 7 minutes; 4 on 1 side and turn over for the remaining last 3 minutes. This is for medium well, so adjust your timing to your desired tastes. Enjoy!

http://www.smokefirespice.com/super-sweet-fully-loaded-new-york-steak/

Beef...Its what the Chicken recommends for dinner.

Barbacoa…Juicy beef tongue and cheeks taco with cilantro.

January 31, 2014 Kings Reyes Chapa

“Barbacoa…Juicy beef tongue and cheeks taco with cilantro.”

Barbacoa…Juicy beef and cheeks taco with cilantro.

Memoirs

Eating barbacoa always reminds me of my father (Reyes), who would dig a huge hole and light up a mesquite fire. He would let the mesquite flames die out, let the mesquite turn to red hot coals, and would lower a metal canister with a cows head wrapped in aluminum foil. He would cover the hole with metal sheets and throw dirt over them to keep in the heat. Let that sit overnight for some tasty barbacoa in the morning.

Days like those I considered a special occasion day. Kind of like Thanksgiving Day which as we all know only comes once a year…at least to my knowledge anyway. With me, I make barbacoa once every 3 months; unless my little Princess asks for some earlier.

Prepping

To the meal preparation we go. I like to rinse the beef tongue and cheeks in cool running water until clean, while the coals in my smoker are ashing over. I add a little coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and for this dish I added a sprinkle of dry parsley. That’s it. It goes directly in the top sections of my smoke box, which I had started 30 minutes in advance with charcoal.

Smoking

I added hickory logs for that smoky flavor afterwards and smoked the beef for 5 hours. This is how it looks after that time. Note that some smokers normally put a bowl of water underneath to keep in moisture, but I don’t because these types of beef holds a lot of water in them, even after 7-9 hours of smoking.

Slow

After the smoking, I cooked the beef for 7 hours in the slow cooker. In the slow cooker I added water to cover, set the dial to low, and by breakfast time it was ready.

I strained the beef tongue and cheeks to remove as much water from them, removed the tongue’s skin or outer layer with a fork and tongs and discarded.

I then used two knifes to shred both tongue and cheeks. “If only Edward was here!” “From Edward Scissor Hands.” lol

I add some more coarse salt to taste and chopped some cilantro to add to the tacos. You can eat this with either corn or flour tortillas; even by itself it taste so good. Call up the family, its dinner time! “I mean…its breakfast time!”

Who said beef was only for dinner anyway?

Barbacoa…Juicy beef tongue and cheeks taco with cilantro.

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: about 40 fully loaded tacos

Serving Size: 1 tortilla fully loaded with barbacoa and cilantro

Calories per serving: 250 calories

Fat per serving: 12 grams

Barbacoa…Juicy beef tongue and cheeks taco with cilantro.

These is a super easy and totally delicious dish to create that will impress any food picky person. The rich flavor from the smoke of hickory leaves a slight bacon flavor and an unforgettable taste that will have people coming back for more.

Ingredients

coarse Kosher salt
parsley flakes
black pepper
1 package of beef cheeks
1 beef tongue
enough chopped cilantro to fill a small bowl
tortillas; corn or flour your choice

Instructions

light up smoker with charcoal or hickory logs
Wash beef tongue and cheeks under cool water until clean.
Season beef with salt, fresh ground pepper, and parsley flakes.
Put on top section of smoker when charcoal ashes over for 5 hours and add hickory logs or chips to your coals.
After 5 hours put beef in slow cooker, cover with water, and cook for 7 hours.
Remove tongue skin and combine both tongue and cheeks in bowl and shred.
Add salt to taste.
Warm up tortillas and add barbacoa and cilantro; enjoy!

http://www.smokefirespice.com/barbacoa-juicy-beef-tongue-and-cheeks-taco-with-cilantro/

This site is about creating flavorful-mouthwatering dishes with smoke, fire, and spice that anyone can create to impress that special someone in your life…or just for yourself!