BBQ recipes, product reviews, & how-to's
Ever since I got into smoking meat, I’ve been told that brisket burnt ends are the pinnacle of barbecue. To be honest, I never had much of an interest in making them. After waiting 12-14 hours of smoking a brisket, then letting it rest for…
This smoked shrimp recipe is one I have been longing to post ever since I first made it. I usually like to try the recipe out a few times to make sure I’ve got the best taste possible. I love this smoked shrimp recipe so…
Do you love pulled pork, but don’t have all day to smoke it? Did you know you can get the same salivating results in about half the time? The hot and fast pulled pork method will shave hours off your cook time and give you…
Baked beans are a classic side dish for any barbecue. They pair well with smoked brisket, pulled pork, and ribs. Most baked beans recipes will require soaking dry beans for hours then simmering all of the ingredients together for a few hours more. While the…
If there is such a thing as dessert comfort food, then apple pie would be it! The balance of sweet and tart in the apples, combined with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in the smell of it coming fresh out of the oven or grill makes…
This smoked cream cheese with apple cinnamon is the ultimate cream cheese dessert recipe! This dip is very easy to make and is sure to vanish fast at your holiday party or any other gathering! Let’s dig into the process.
Cream cheese is often used in desserts due to its unique flavor, creamy texture, and appearance. Adding a hint of cherry wood smoke adds another element of flavor!
To begin, preheat your grill to 250 degrees with cherry wood over indirect heat. While the grill is preheating, take out two 8 ounce bricks of cream cheese and place on a greased cookie sheet. I prefer to use the premium brands of cream cheese as the quality makes a difference in the taste. If you would like a savory smoked cream cheese dip, follow this recipe.
Score the top of the cream cheese with 1/4 inch cuts that are an inch apart in a diagonal direction. Cut diagonally the other direction to make hash marks. We do this to get more smoke flavor into the cream cheese.
Season the cream cheese with a blend of sugar and cinnamon. I like to make this mix in a small bowl by doing four parts sugar and one part cinnamon. Mix together and sprinkle on top of cream cheese. Place the cream cheese on the grill and smoke for 90 minutes.
Tip: line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Take a 28 ounce can of apple pie filling and pour it onto a cutting board. With a knife, take the apple slices and cut them into fourths. We do this to get more apple bits with each dipping into the smoked cream cheese dessert.
Do a light sprinkle of cinnamon on your apple pie filling to enhance the flavor. When done, place the filling in a medium sized bowl and pour evenly over the two bricks of smoked cream cheese while they are on the grill. Close the lid and smoke for another 30 minutes to get the apple cinnamon dessert warm.
If you prefer to make an apple pie filling of your own, then by all means do it! I have a recipe for that here. Doing the canned version saves time and is more convenient.
The final step in the smoked cream cheese dessert recipe is to make the icing. This is simply done by combining one cup of confectioner’s sugar, two tablespoons of milk, and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small bowl. Stir with a small whisk until ingredients are well mixed together.
Drizzle the icing over the apple cinnamon smoked cream cheese and serve immediately. This recipe is best while it is warm.
Tip: for thicker icing, add more confectioner’s sugar. For thinner icing, add more milk. Also, add a pinch of salt for balance.
This dessert dip goes great with baked bread slices such as crostini and bagel chips. Feel free to venture out and dip with fruits such as strawberries and …more apples!
While it is possible to eat this dip chilled, the cream cheese firms up and will be tougher to eat as a dip. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds or until soft.
This smoked cream cheese with apple cinnamon is the ultimate cream cheese dessert recipe! This dip is very easy to make and is sure to vanish fast at your holiday party or any other gathering!
Note: Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
This smoked pork belly recipe is an absolute must try for any BBQ lover! This pork belly brisket uses simple ingredients and cooks in less time than the traditional beef brisket. As a bonus, it also costs less. Let me show you the process. Watch…
Texas style smoked spare ribs are an absolute must for anyone who enjoys BBQ! All you need for this Texas style ribs recipe is smoke, salt, and pepper. In this recipe, I’ll walk you through the of making the best pork ribs! Ingredients for Texas…
Queso fundido is the easiest dip to make and only takes two ingredients. Also known as queso flameado or chorizo con queso, this melty, cheesy dip recipe is one that you’ll love!
This Mexican dip only takes two ingredients:
That’s it. That’s the list!
The first step is to cook the chorizo in a medium or large sized skillet. How much chorizo you cook depends on how much cheese you plan to use. I prefer to have more cheese than chorizo for the dip. So if you’re cooking eight ounces of chorizo, then use at least 10 ounces of that melty Oaxaca cheese.
Cook the chorizo over medium heat until it starts to brown. Easily break up the chorizo by using a meat masher like I use in the video in this recipe. Drain the grease in a colander or use paper towels to soak up grease in the skillet while the chorizo is still in there.
Turn the heat source for your skillet down to medium-low heat and add the cheese. Oaxaca cheese is a mild cheese with a similar taste to Monterey Jack, but more melty. Which make this perfect for dipping.
Oaxaca cheese comes in a ball and can be picked apart and put into the skillet. I usually see Oaxaca come in 10 oz. portions and use the whole thing. It melts quickly and should take about three minutes. Once it’s done melting, serve right away!
This dip is best served with tortilla chips, pretzels, and vegetables such as carrots for dipping. While the cheese is melty, it is thick so using a thicker tortilla chip is preferable. Queso fundido can also be served as a topping on tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and even taco salads.
If you don’t have Oaxaca cheese, Monterey jack is very comparable and can be used instead. Another common cheese that can be used is mozzarella, for it does melt well and has a similar taste. Other Mexican cheeses, such as queso fresco or asadero, can be substituted as well.
This Mexican dip is good for up to four days when stored in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator. Can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or even on a stovetop.
Griddled Chorizo Breakfast Burritos
Chorizo Jalapeno Poppers with Bacon
Queso fundido is the easiest dip to make and only takes two ingredients. Also known as queso flameado or chorizo con queso, this melty, cheesy dip recipe is one that you'll love!
Note: Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Pickles have grown in even more popularity recently and the fried pickle dip recipe is now the perfect dip to try! This easy pickle dip recipe stands out as it uses smoked cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon. And dill pickles, of course (amongst other…
Do you love chili dogs? If you’re like most people, then yes! This hot dog chili recipe is surprisingly easy to make! It has the perfect balance of savory, heat, and a little sweet. Let me walk you through the process. What is the Difference…
Party ribs are the viral sensation in which ribs are cut into individual pieces and smoked, giving you that soft crust and saucy flavor on all four sides (instead of two). They cook faster this way, in only three hours. Serve them up for a party or for yourself!
Here are the ingredients needed to make BBQ party ribs:
There are two types of pork ribs: baby back ribs and spare ribs (the latter is what’s used to trim down to St. Louis ribs). The main difference is which section of the rib cage they come from. Baby back ribs are closest to the spine of the pig (hence baby “back”) and are shorter and curved. Spare ribs come from the sides of the pig and are longer and more straight.
Other differences are spare ribs have more meat between the bones and generally have more marbling (fat interwoven within the meat). Baby back ribs are leaner and have more meat on the tops of the bones.
Removing the membrane from baby back ribs is quite easy. Membrane can make the ribs chewy and tougher to bite through. Removing them allows for a more tender bite and more smoke flavor to hit them.
To remove the membrane, turn the rack on it’s front, with the membrane side up. Grab from underneath the center of the rack and pull up, with the rack forming an arch. On the thicker side of the rack of ribs, use your finger to pull back the edge of the membrane. As you start to get deeper, wedge another finger under the filmy substance work your fingers through to the other side of the rack.
With the center portion of the membrane loose, grab it with one hand and use your other hand to press down on the rib rack. Pull up on the membrane and it will peel off the rack on both sides completely. That’s it! No knife, no extra paper towels needed!
With the membrane now removed, cut the ribs into individual pieces. Each rack of baby back ribs should have 12 to 14 bones. I find it easiest to have the bones of the rack facing up at me so I can cut in between them easier.
With that done, apply mustard on the ribs, followed by the BBQ rub. I prefer to use Sweet Rub from Hey Grill Hey on these. Make sure to apply mustard and rub on all four sides of the ribs.
Make sure your grill is preheated to 250 degrees using indirect heat. I personally like cherry or pecan wood for these. Place the party ribs on the grill and make sure they’re not touching. Smoke for 90 minutes, flipping over once during the process.
To keep the ribs from drying out, spritz once with a mix of equal parts apple juice and apple cider vinegar. I mix two ounces of each.
Now here comes the fun part! After the ribs have smoked for 90 minutes, remove from the grill and place them in a foil pan. For this step, I make them like my brisket burnt ends recipe. Start by putting in four tablespoons of butter, three tablespoons of brown sugar, and two tablespoons of honey. Next, put in a half cup of BBQ sauce along with my secret weapon, four ounces of Dr Pepper.
Mix all the ingredients with the ribs together in the pan and cover the top with aluminum foil. Place back on the grill for a total of 90 minutes, removing the foil cover after an hour. Cooking the ribs uncovered for the last 30 minutes helps the sauce on the ribs set in and get sticky. Remove pan of ribs from the grill and let sit out for 15-20 minutes to cool down. This will also help the perfect level of sticky to set in.
Cooking the party ribs at 250 degrees during the process, the ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature between 180 to 190 degrees. This will make for a clean bite through.
If you prefer fall-off-the-bone ribs, cook them until internal temps reach between 190-205 degrees. At these temps, the meat will still be juicy and not dried out.
The best way to measure temps is to use a trusty digital thermometer like the Thermapen ONE from Thermoworks. I use mine on every single cook to get the best results.
Ribs are a great tasting protein that are awesome as a main dish. But they also pair perfectly with chicken! I have a smoked spatchcock chicken recipe that will compliment it well.
As far as sides go, smoked mac and cheese is the perfect for any BBQ! A cast iron skillet full of green beans, bacon, and onions will bring some balance to your plate.
St. Louis Ribs: A Complete Guide
Party ribs are the viral sensation in which ribs are cut into individual pieces and smoked, giving you that soft crust and saucy flavor on all four sides (instead of two). They cook faster this way, too!
Note: Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
Crack burgers are very addictive due to the tasty combo of flavors such as bacon, ranch seasoning, and cheddar. This burger gets its name, as well as most of its ingredients, from crack chicken. The recipe is simple and the end result is addicting…hence the…
Baked beans are a classic side dish for any barbecue. They pair well with smoked brisket, pulled pork, and ribs. Most baked beans recipes will require soaking dry beans for hours then simmering all of the ingredients together for a few hours more. While the…
If there is such a thing as dessert comfort food, then apple pie would be it! The balance of sweet and tart in the apples, combined with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in the smell of it coming fresh out of the oven or grill makes…
This smoked cream cheese with apple cinnamon is the ultimate cream cheese dessert recipe! This dip is very easy to make and is sure to vanish fast at your holiday party or any other gathering! Let’s dig into the process. The Ingredients Why Cream Cheese…
This smoked pork belly recipe is an absolute must try for any BBQ lover! This pork belly brisket uses simple ingredients and cooks in less time than the traditional beef brisket. As a bonus, it also costs less. Let me show you the process. Watch…
Texas style smoked spare ribs are an absolute must for anyone who enjoys BBQ! All you need for this Texas style ribs recipe is smoke, salt, and pepper. In this recipe, I’ll walk you through the of making the best pork ribs! Ingredients for Texas…