Apple Duck

Hubby has taken up water fowl hunting.  We have a Big Green Egg.  They go well together.  Even better, this makes just enough for two.

2 Duck Breasts
1 Cup Apple Cider

1 Tbl Kosher Salt
1 Clove Garlic, Crushed
1/2 Tsp Pepper

Mix cider, salt, garlic and pepper.  Pour over Duck.  Soak overnight.

When ready to cook, Prepare egg for indirect cooking.  Heat to 225 degrees.  Add soaked wood chips the put duck breasts on grate to cook.  Cook until duck breast is 170 degrees.  Enjoy!

Rubbed and Mopped Ribs

I know, I have promised more information on where to stay and where to eat when in Cape Ann, but we have been home for less than 24 hours and our Big Green Egg is back in service, so I wanted to share a recipe first.  The following recipe was what we used the first time we made ribs on our egg.  As you can see from this picture, I did not follow my own instructions and wait for the meat to pull back from the end of the bone.  They were still very good, they were completely cooked, but they just didn't fall apart like I wanted them to - patience is key with ribs.

  2 Racks Pork Spareribs                                                           

  ----Rub----                                                                              

  1/4 Cup Hot Hungarian Paprika                                                

  5 Tsp Black Pepper                                                                 

  5 Tsp Dark Brown Sugar                                                           

  1 Tsp Salt                                                                                 

  2 Tsp Celery Salt                                                                       

  2 Tsp Cayenne     

  2 Tsp Garlic Powder

  2 Tsp Dry Mustard

  2 Tsp Cumin

  ----Mop----

  1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

  1/4 Cup Yellow Mustard

  1 Tsp Salt                                                                    

Mix all rub ingredients, set aside.

Remove the skin from each rack of ribs.  Coat with dry rub.  Let sit for at least 4 hours.  If refrigerating, return to room  temperature before cooking.

Heat the grill to about 300 degrees, set for indirect heat.  Add wood chips for smoke per your grill instructions.  Arrange ribs, meat side up, on grate over drip pan.  Cover the grill and smoke for an hour.

Meanwhile, mix your mop sauce.  After the hour, open the grill and mop the ribs.  Cook until ribs are tender and meat has shrunk back from the ends of the bones - about another hour.

And now, back to Cape Ann.

Wood Plank Spice Rubbed Salmon

Next up on our egg - wood plank cooking.  I purchased and soaked a cedar wood plank per the package directions.

While it was soaking, I made a spice rub for the salmon.  I mixed together the following:

1 tbl light brown sugar
1 tbl kosher salt
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper

Once mixed, I started the grill and put it at about 325 degrees.

I had one large piece of salmon.  I rubbed the spice on the belly of the salmon.

I then let the fish sit while I put the wood plank on the grill for 3 minutes. 

After 3 minutes, the plank was turned and the fish was placed skin side down on the plank. 

The lid was closed and the salmon cooked about 20 minutes - the salmon flaked very easily with a fork.

Father's Day Pork Butt

On Mother's Day, Hubby cooks and I make dessert for any mother's we are celebrating with.  I usually cook on Father's Day.  This year, Hubby wanted to share some of the goodness that can be made on a big green egg, so he offered to cook a Pork Butt.  He did a fabulous job - his process is listed below.  Thank you honey!

The pork butt is listed as 7 lbs, but you can use anywhere from 6 to 8 pounds.  The best way we have found to shred pork is to use two large serving forks (they also work great as pastry blenders).

 Pork                                                                 Dry Rub 

  7 Lb Boneless Pork Butt                                      9 Tbl Dark Brown Sugar

 Injection                                                             1/4 Cup Hot Paprika

  1 Cup Apple Juice                                                1/4 Cup Kosher Salt

 Marinade                                                             1/4 Cup Chili Powder

  1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped                                       1 Tsp Dry Mustard

  1/4 Cup Water                                                     1 Tbl Black Pepper

  1/4 Cup Worcestershire                                        2 Tbl Old Bay

  3 Clove Garlic, Chopped                                       1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger

                                                                                  

Mix the marinade ingredients and set aside.  Mix the dry rub ingredients, set aside.

Inject the pork with the apple juice, spacing the injections about two inches apart.

Strain the marinade, rub the outside of the pork with the marinade then rub with the dry rub.  Place in a foil pan and let sit at least one hour.  Put your wood chips on to soak.

Heat the grill to 275 degrees.  (It looks really cool when you light it in the middle of the night).

Add the apple wood chips then add the plate setter (if using a big green egg) or whatever you need for indirect heat.  Place the pork, in the foil pan, on the grate and closed the lid.  Cook for 6 hours.  Pour 3/4 cup apple juice over pork, cover pan with foil and close the grill.  Cook the pork until it registers 210 degrees (about 2 hours).   Remove and let sit for 30 minutes.  Shred and enjoy.

Basic Pizza Dough

Next up on the big green egg - pizza.  Hubby doesn't prefer store purchased dough, so we make it.  The basis of the following recipe came from Paula Deen on the Food Network.  Once ready, we topped the first one with grilled pineapple, grilled peppers and proscuitto.  The second was topped with sopressata and pineapple.

  1 3/4 Cup warm water                                                             4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour

  2 1/4 Tsp Yeast                                                                        3 Tbl olive oil, plus more for bowl

  2 Tsp salt                                                                                 Cornmeal, for pan

  1 Tbl Italian Seasoning.

Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.

Measure out 1 3/4 cups warm water (it should be pleasantly warm on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and allow it to activate, about 10 minutes.

Put the salt and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. 

Pulse 2 times to blend. 

Add Italian Seasoning, pulse 5 times.  Pour in the yeast and water and pulse 5 times. 

Add the olive oil. 

Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, pulsing and scraping the sides of the bowl until well blended. 

As soon as the mixture is combined, dump it out onto a well-floured board and knead for 15 turns, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. 

Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size, then punch it down. 

Divide it in half; each half will make 1 (12-inch)  pizza.

Place on a cornmeal-dusted pizza stone, pizza pan, or cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, remove and top as desired.  

Return to oven (or Egg) and bake until crust is finished and cheese is melted.