Mushroom and Red Wine Beef Stew

My trip out of town was canceled so we decided to fire up the Egg, like that is unusual around our house :).  We still had a venison roast in the freezer so we substitued the beef with venison.  This was a really good Sunday meal and easy to make.  This is one of those meals were the leftovers are even better.  I am already looking forward to lunch tomorrow.

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef, cubed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or seasoned salt
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or other spicy, beef-appropriate rub
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole onions, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 potato, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup red wine
1 can beef consommé
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Noodles or rice – cooked and drained
2 tablespoons of flour

Measure flour, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, beef rub, and flour into a zip top bag and mix thoroughly. Place meat in bag and shake to coat meat with the spice mixture. Let sit in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Put butter and oil into the dutch oven, and brown the meat, working in batches if necessary. Remove the meat to a plate once brown.  I do this on the stove top because it is much easier.

Add onions and garlic to the pan (without cleaning) and sauté until onions are translucent, about 2-4 minutes. Add beef back to the pan, along with the wine and consommé. Cook with the lid off for about 30 minutes at 300-325 degrees. Stir every 10 minutes.

Add carrots and potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes. You may need to add water during this time. At the end of this period, add mushrooms and any other vegetables. Also season with salt and pepper to taste, and add any fresh herbs, such as the rosemary I used. Stir thoroughly to incorporate all the ingredients.

Cover the pot, and simmer for 30-45 minutes at 300 degrees (if continuing on the Egg), or on low heat on the stovetop.

Check the consistency of your stew. If it is too thin for your taste, mix 2 tablespoons flour with a small amount of water, and stir into the stew. Allow to cook and thicken for another 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to sit, lid on, for another 10-20 minutes before serving. Serve over noodles or rice, and with some fresh bread to dip in the stew.

July's Product of the Month - Kramer's BBQ Sauce

This is my second time purchasing Kramer's BBQ Sauce, Kramer's, which means my family really likes this sauce.  I would much rather make my own sauces and rubs that purchase them, but this sauce really taste like a good homemade sauce.

Kramer's also sent me some rubs to sample.  I have not had the opportunity to try them yet, but if they are as good as the sauce I can not wait.

First, when you receive the sauce it comes in a beer bottle with a cool looking label with Melvin the Chicken and a cork to reseal the sauce (if there is any left).

To date, we have used Kramer's on ribs, chicken and thick bone-in pork chops.  These three things are the staples around our house when we want something basted with sauce on the grill.  Overall, the sauce has not disappointed.  We have all been impressed.  Sweet with not a lot of heat so the kids enjoy it as well.

The first thing I did before even ordering this sauce was to check out the ingredients.  All of the ingredients wherethe standard items that most people have in the pantry.  There were not any chemicals listed, which is a big plus in my book.

The consistency of the sauce is pretty thin.  For basting I would rather use thicker sauces, but for a thin sauce it has a lot of good flavors.

The sauce is tomato based and has a sweet, peppery flavor.  You can definitely taste the different layers of flavor as you are eating the sauce.  While Kramer's did have a little spice to it there was not much.  I really enjoy spicey sauces, but if it is too spicey I will be eating the meal by myself.  This had a good temperature level for the kids who do not like spicey food at all.

Overall, Kramer's BBQ Sauce added a great flavor to the ribs, chicken and chops.  I would give this sauce 5 stars  and will definitely purchase again.

The only downside to the sauce is also one of the items we liked, the beer bottle.  This sauce is not inexpensive and it goes really quickly.  I hope they sell it in larger sizes very soon.

Teriyaki Grilled Salmon with Corn-Peach Salsa

I thought the salmon has a very good flavor, but I was not crazt about the salsa.  My wife really enjoyed the salsa though.

Ingredients:
3 tsp. Teriyaki Sauce
2 tsp. lime juice
4 1/2 tsp. honey
2 salmon fillets
2 ears corn, grilled and removed from cob
1 fresh peach, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 onion, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 tsp. each of red wine vinegar and lime juice
Lime wages, for garnish

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine first 3 ingredients in baking dish, stir well and marinate salmon 5 to 10 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients together for salsa; set aside for 1 hour.

Remove salmon from marinade; discard marinade. Grill Salmon uncovered over medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until flakey.

Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

 

Barbeque Chicken

Barbeque Chicken, pasta salad and baked beanshas been a traditional Sunday meal in my family for as long as I can remember.

Ingredients:
Enough chicken pieces to feed everyone (thighs are our favorite)
2-3 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue rub (Wild Willy's)
Kramer's BBQ Sauce

At least 2 hours before cooking, dust the chicken with the rub, lay them out in a single layer on a sheet pan, and let them sit uncovered in the fridge. This step seasons the chicken and also helps to dry out the skin a bit to keep it crispy.

Set the BGE up for a raised direct cook at 325°.  Grill the chicken for around 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear, flipping around every 10 minutes.

During the last 10 minutes brush on BBQ Sauce once or twice. 

Other than my homemade sauce Kramer's is becoming our new favorite.  I will go into more detail once we are back from vacation and I have the time.

 

Maple Breakfast Sausage

This is a great way to cook your breakfast sausage. It is fantastic on biscuits or with eggs.  It was a great way to start off yet another rainy day in Georgia.

Ingredients:
1 pound of your favorite breakfast sausage (hot if you can find it)
1 1/2 tablespoons of your favorite run (we used Wild Willy's)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
Extra sauce to glaze

Spread the meat out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle on the rub and add the maple syrup. Form into a log (about 12 inches) and refrigerate overnight.

Sprinkle with more rub before cooking.

Cook at 300°,  to 170°-175° internal. Brush on more maple syrup for the last 20 minutes. It takes about 45-60 minutes to get the color, crust and fat rendered.

Barbequed Baby Back Ribs

Who doesn't love ribs.  It is the perfect meal for a rainy July 4th.  We topped off the ribs with one of my new favorite sauces Kramer's BBQ Sauce.  I will be trying this sauce on chicken this weekend and will provide feedback then.

Ingredients:

2 racks Baby Back Ribs

Yellow mustard

Your favorite rub

Kramer's BBQ Sauce (a good sauce that also comes in a very cool beer bottle)

Rub:
3/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne
Mix the spices thoroughly in a bowl. Store covered in a cool, dark pantry. Makes about 2 cups.

Using a meat thermometer or dull knife, slide the tip under the membrane covering the back of each rack of ribs. Lift and loosen the membrane until it breaks, then grab a corner with a paper towel and pull it off.

Allow the ribs to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Coat ribs with your favorite rub.  I always use Wild Willy's Rub (from the Smoke and Spice cookbook).  It is a staple around our house.

Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat is pulling away from the bone. Brush on the BBQ a couple of times in the last 15 minutes.

Allow the ribs to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing