beercanbbq

Easy bbq cooking and more

18 Apr 2012
5 Comments

Mid Week Special Easy Potato Salad

So while I was at the Wagon Wheel Market looking for my next dinner I realized that its hard to find great side dishes, so here is a great easy side dish for you. It’s a potato salad. I know there are a lot of recipes for potato salad but I bet this one is the easiest to make and has the best flavor.

I like to use Yukon golds for this salad.  I use around 5 lbs of potatoes, 2 cups of mayonnaise, 1/3 cup mustard, half pound of bacon, two sweet midget pickles, 2 tablespoons of the pickle juice and two hard boiled eggs. There isn’t a lot here, but every one of these ingredients is packed full of flavor.

So let’s start by pealing and cutting the potatoes and the bacon. I like to have the potatoes cut into 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch pieces and I like the bacon cut into small slices. Once the potatoes are pealed and cut place them in a pot and add enough water to cover all of the potatoes.  Now turn the stove on medium high heat and start to boil the potatoes.  Be careful not to cook them for too long or they will be too mushy. In a separate frying pan, start to cook the bacon. We don’t want the grease from the bacon in the potato salad, so we strain it out as soon as the bacon starts to get a nice crisp on it. While your frying the bacon you should boil your eggs in a separate, smaller, pot of water.

While you’re waiting for the bacon and potatoes to cook mix the mayo and mustard together. Chop up your pickles or if you have a food chopper use that.  Add the chopped pickles and the pickle juice to the mayo mixture.  When the eggs are hard boiled remove the shell and chop up the egg, yolk and all.  Add the chopped egg to the mayo mixture. Now the bacon should be done, add this to the mixtures well. Each time you add something mix it up. You cannot over mix.

By now your potatoes should be done empty the potatoes and water into a strainer.  Try to get as much water strained as possible.  Once you have strained the potatoes add half the potatoes to the mayo mix.  Mix the potatoes and mayo mixture then add the rest of the potatoes and mix them into the mixture.

The great thing about this potato salad is you can eat it hot or cold either way I’m sure you will love it.

Fill free to leave me a comment.

Ingredients

5 pounds potatoes

1/2 pound of bacon

2 cups of mayo

1/3 cup mustard

2 sweet midget pickles

2 Tablespoons pickle juice

2 hard boIled eggs

Posted in bbq, beeercanbbq, Food, Olive oil, seasoning and tagged , ,
16 Apr 2012
2 Comments

Coffee Tri Tip

Coffee and Tri Tip do they really mix? Well that’s the question that I was asking when I decided not to pour the cold Starbucks Tribute coffee had brewed hours earlier down the drain.  Instead I poured it into a 1gallon freezer bag and added a tri tip with Santa Maria seasoning from the Wagon Wheel Market.  I let the tri tip bath in the coffee over night.  All night I was thinking did I just waste a perfect piece of red meat, but would I share if it didn’t turn out great.

Now let’s help you prepare your own coffee tri tip or in some reagins coffee triangle roast.  So place your own 2 lb tri tip into a 1 gallon freezer bag and add 4 cups of brewed cold coffee to the bag along with your favorite seasoning. Close the zip lock bag up until its almost completely closed now squeeze out as much air as you can. Let the beef marinade over night.

Now let’s light the BBQ remember I use Kingsford charcoal and add cherry wood chunks. If you like a gas BBQ you can use it.  Now the difference in the 2 bbqs is your not going to get the added smokey flavor if you use gas.  Wait about 10 minutes for the coals to get hot then spread the coals out half to one side and the other half to the opposite side with no coals in the middle. Place your grill on and place the meat were there is no direct heat. If your using gas medium low heat is what you want to use.

So this meat cooks very fast for its size so be careful not to over cook it. If over cooked it will be a dry piece of meat that no one wants to eat. Wait 15 mins turn the beef to the opposite side and wait 15 more mins then remove from the BBQ.  Let the beef rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you slice the meat.

You are probably wondering what did the coffee do to this meat. Well you get a great tasting and juicy tri tip.  There is just a hint of coffee flavor to the meat but the coffee does something to make the tri tip extremely moist. I promise you that your friends and family well love this great tasting coffee marinaded tri tip.

Ingredients

2lb tri tip

4 cups brewed cold coffee

Santa Maria seasoning from the Wagon Wheel Market or favorite seasoning

comments and views welcome

Posted in bbq, beeercanbbq, Food, Olive oil, seasoning and tagged , , , ,
08 Apr 2012
6 Comments

BBQ Bacon Onion Burgers

Well, it’s been a busy week at my house.  With Easter week and all.  So I was thinking I’ll make something that everyone makes, but with a little extra.  This week is BBQ Bacon Onion Burgers. I promise the burgers well not disappoint.

Now let’s start by slicing the bacon and red onion into little places.  I like to use a half pound of bacon and half of a red onion, but you can use more or less of the two depending on your likes.  Now place them in a frying pan on medium heat.  As the stove starts to heat-up head outside and start the briquettes.  Now return to the kitchen and place the ground chuck in a dish that you can mix all the ingredients up in.  I then add J Lee Roy’s to the top of the hamburger along with one egg.  The egg is a binder for all the ingredients.

Don’t forget the bacon and onions on the stove.  That’s a funny thing to say because there is no way your nose is going to let you forget this mixture is cooking.  The aroma that fills your house will make everyone want to eat right now.  The mixture should take about 15 or so minutes to cook.  Make sure all the bacon is crispy this will help when the burgers are cooking.

I don’t like to add the grease from the bacon and onion mixture to the burger so I discard the grease.  Now I dump the bacon and onions on top of the burger mixture.  Now begin to mix with your hands the bacon and onion, J Lee Roy’s or your favorite BBQ sauce, egg and ground chuck together. Or you can teach your kids how to mix up the mixture.Once your done mixing the ingredients start making the Patties. I like to grab a hand full make them into racquet ball sizes and smash them to about a half inch thick patty. You should be able to make 7 burgers.

Your briquettes should be ready now. So spread them out evenly throughout the BBQ and place the grill on.  Now add your patties and wait 5 minutes then flip the burgers. Now wait 7 to 10 more minutes for these delicious burgers.  The last couple of minutes I like to add a couple of buns on the grill to make them a little crispy.  Add your garnish and enjoy a juicy BBQ Bacon Onion Burger. I bet you love them!

Posted in bbq, beeercanbbq, Olive oil, seasoning and tagged , , , , , ,
01 Apr 2012
2 Comments

Easy BBQ Pork (without the bbq)

The weather here in Northern California has been rain, rain and more rain, so it has been hard to BBQ.  The inclement weather has made me turn to the crock pot for this post.  I know this is not true barbecue but when you are jonesing for BBQ this is a great recipe. That is also very easy to make.

Unlike my past posts this one is all made in the kitchen.  I have chosen to use a pork butt and when the weather is good you can use this recipe on the barbecue also.  You replace the crock pot with a tin foil pan.  You can use your favorite BBQ sauce and beer in this recipe.  If you don’t like the beer option you can use water or apple juice.  I am using Sierra Nevada Porter beer, Lodestar Farms lemon olive oil, Santa Maria seasoning, a half of a red onion and BB Specialties Smokey Jalapeño Honey Sauce (hot). The last two are exclusively sold at the Wagon Wheel Market in Oroville, CA.

Now let’s get to the meat. I spray the frying pan with Lodestar Farms lemon olive oil. While I’m waiting for the oil to heat up I spray Lodestar Farms lemon olive oil all over the pork butt.  This adds a little lemon flavor, and it gives the spices something to stick to.  Remember I like Santa Maria seasoning but if you don’t have it, you can use salt and pepper. If you would like to order it just go to wagonwheelmarket.com and order your own.  When the oil is hot place the pork in the pan.  Using a spatula rotate the meat until all sides are brown.  This is easy and takes about 10 minutes.

Add a third of a cup of beer to the bottom of the crock pot.  Remember you can also use apple juice if you prefer.  Place the pork butt in the beer and then add seven ounces of your favorite BBQ sauce.  Today I have chosen BB Specialties from Wagon Wheel market. This sauce has jalapeños brown sugar and honey which are great with pork. This sauce has a hidden heat to it, all of a sudden you feal the heat of the peppers. Pour the sauce right on top of the pork. Place the lid on the crock pot, turn it on high and wait 4 to 5 hours. When barbecuing it takes 3 to 4 hours.

After four to five hours in the crock pot the pork is going to be very tender and you can pull it apart real easy with just a fork.  Once you have it all pulled apart add seven or more ounces of BBQ sauce.  Now place on your choice of bread or just eat it out of a bowl. I promise this recipe won’t fail you when you are jonesing for BBQ, but are unable to use an outdoor grill.

Posted in bbq, beeercanbbq, Olive oil, seasoning and tagged , , , , ,
25 Mar 2012
6 Comments

BBQ Fish

BBQ tilapia

Are you ready for BBQ fish?  You might be asking, “do you barbecue everything?” My answer is that I try to.  The whole BBQ fish thing started with fish Fridays at the McClure house a few months ago.  I don’t like baked fish and it just seemed weird to fry fish when we are trying to eat healthier.

The fish recipes I have chosen to share with you in this post are the two favorites in my house.  My personnel favorite is tilapia, because it does not have a real fishy taste to it. The salmon also gets top billing, because it is a favorite of my wife and oldest son. You my be asking yourself, “does he get his fish at the Wagon Wheel Market too?” and the answer would be, “yes”. I’m in there every Friday, because that’s when they get there fresh fish delivered. Fresh fish it makes a huge difference in flavor!  If you have access to a local fish market that’s the way to go.

So just like in the last two recipes I start with Kingsford charcoal and mix in a few small pieces of cherry wood. I then return to the kitchen were the fun of trying not to smell like a fish begins.  I start with the salmon because it takes about 10 to 15 minutes more to cook than the tilapia does. I begin by seasoning the salmon with sea salt because this neutralizes the fishy flavor I little bit.  Then I season the fish with Santa Maria seasoning from, yes you guessed it, the Wagon Wheel.  I also add lemon slices and rosemary from my yard. I top the fish off with lemon olive oil from Lodestar Farms.  Then I give the salmon a little more kick by adding dill and some capers. The capers are an important ingredient, because they are my wife’s favorite.  I add capers and dill to the tilapia, as well, but I wait until the salmon has been on the grill for ten minutes. I also like to dip my fish in J Lee Roy’s sea food sauce its has a nice heat to the fish.

Before you place the fish on the barbecue spread the coals in half with a space in the middle, so there is no direct heat on your fish. Burnt fish is bad fish.  Place a piece of tin foil on the grill that is big enough to accommodate all the fish. Then add Lodestar lemon olive oil to the tin foil before placing the fish on the grill.  If you can’t find Lodestar lemon  olive oil you can use a different high quality olive oil. Now place the salmon on the grill,wait ten minutes and then add the tilapia to the grill, as well. Once the tilapia is on the grill let both types of fish grill for thirty-five minutes. (forty-five minutes total for the salmon).  You will know the fish is done when it starts to split. The fish will have a crispy bottom side and a great moist and tasty center that you will love!

Posted in bbq, beeercanbbq, Food, Olive oil, seasoning and tagged , ,
18 Mar 2012
3 Comments

Easy BBQ Meatloaf

This isn’t your Mamas meatloaf.  This is a BBQ meatloaf.  Can you believe that, a  barbecue meatloaf? This is one of the easiest dinner recipes or lunch recipes out there, but it is also one of the best meatloaf recipes. Are you interested yet? This is how to make a meatloaf.

Just like any other meatloaf you start with hamburger.  I prefer ground chuck from, yes  my favorite meat market, The Wagon Wheel Market.  You can use any grade of hamburger, but I like a high grade of hamburger because there is less grease and also more favor.  The other ingredients you will need to make this epic meatloaf are carrots,catsup,BBQ sauce, bread crumbs, brown sugar, eggs and seasoning.

So while I am waiting for the Kingsford briquettes to get white hot I like to mix the meatloaf ingredients. I think this barbecue meatloaf is best when cooked at larger sizes so I like to use a pan big enough for two lbs of meat.  I mix in two cups of  catsup, one cup of BBQ sauce ( preferably J Lee Roy’s ). After the catsup and barbecue sauce are mixed together, I add 2 cups bread crumbs (add more for a denser meatloaf), 2 eggs and chopped carrots.  Yes, chopped carrots, but not too many. You only need about six to twelve baby carrots or one and a half whole washed and peeled carrots.  Before you start mixing the meatloaf don’t forget your seasoning. You can use salt and pepper to your likening, but I prefer to use both Morse Farms seasoning from Morse Mandarine Farm and Santa Maria seasoning from The Wagon Wheel Meat Market.

It is important to mix all the ingredient thoroughly.  Mix until you think it’s mixed and then mix it again.  This is the most enjoyable part of this easy meatloaf recipe besides the eating part. Once the mixing is done grab a small bowl and mix one cup of catsup a half cup of brown sugar.  I like to add J Lee Roy’s to the mix also.  The J Lee Roy’s gives the sauce a delicious “Sweet and Hot” flavor that I love.  You can add a half cup of your favorite bbq sauce if you want. Now mix together with a fork and when you’re done pour the mixture on the meatloaf and spread it out all over the top.

Now your charcoal should be hot, but before you put your meatloaf on the grill, push half the coals to one side and the other half to the other side. This is the time when I add chunks (not chips) of cherry wood to the coals.  This will give the bbq meatloaf a great smoky favor. It is better to use chunks of cherry wood rather than chips because the chips burn up to fast and don’t add any flavor. Now place pan with the meatloaf in it on the barbecue grill and wait for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Once the bbq meatloaf has finished cooking drain the grease from the pan and dig in. I promise you will love it!  If there is any left overs try a meatloaf sandwich the next day. They are awesome too.

Posted in beeercanbbq
07 Mar 2012
16 Comments

Best beercanbbq

Ok, so this is history in the making!  It is my first blog and it’s about two things I love, cooking and eating.  Some of you might be asking, “Why beercanbbq.com?” Well it’s simple, I have a couple of friends that love my beer can chicken, so after a night of devouring a few chickens, the idea for beercanbbq.com was born.

Let’s get started for real now. I prefer to cook with Kingsford charcoal on a traditional grill rather than a propane barbecue.  I just think traditional grills give a better flavor. I also like to mix a few blocks of cherry wood in with the briquettes to add more flavor. If your not sure as to how many briquettes to use, grab an empty tin coffee can and fill it up.

While I am waiting for the briquettes to heat up until they are white, I go back to the kitchen and start cleaning the whole chicken. I buy my chicken at a local meat market called, Wagon Wheel Market, but you can buy whole chickens at most grocery stores or your local meat market or organic chicken farmer. You start by cleaning the inside of the bird with lukewarm water. Make sure to press your fingers against the bones in the empty cavity of the bird and then rinse the bird really well again.  After the chicken has been thoroughly cleaned, place it in a dish. I prefer a disposable tinfoil pan.  Now you are going to get some olive oil and rub about 3 to 6 ounces of oil all over the bird. I prefer to use a quality local olive oil called Berkeley Olive Grove 1913 olive oil.  The olive oil will make the chicken’s skin crispy all over which my friends, myself and my spoiled Shih Tzu all love.  Once I’m done rubbing the bird down I grab some spice’s and sprinkle it all over the bird. Then just like you did with the olive oil start rubbing it into the bird.  You can use a simple salt and lemon pepper mix or a favorite spice mix that you created or purchased.  One of my favorite spice mixes is Santa Marie from the Wagon Wheel Market.  Since you don’t have the Wagon Wheel right around the corner you can order it online or you can use your own.  Now wash your hands and check on your briquettes. They should be ready. For my beer I like to use Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.  I fill the Sittin’ Chicken Steamer with beer. Then I place the bird on the Sittin’ Chicken Steamer. Use the big opening that’s already in the rear of the bird. Do not cut your bird. Now its time to spread the briquettes. You want to spread them out so that they are on 2 sides of the grill.  Don’t worry about the whole in the middle you don’t want the direct heat of the briquettes.  Put the grill rack in place sit your bird in the middle of the BBQ and wait for 1 hour and 20 minutes. When the time is up you will have the best beer can barbecue chicken ever, and your family, friends and spoiled dog will love it.

Posted in beeercanbbq and tagged , , , , ,

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