COCHON DE LAIT

COCHON DE LAIT

1 30 pound pig with feet, ears and tail intact (when dressed approximately 20 pounds) will fit in conventional oven

Paste:

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup cayenne

1 Tbsp. garlic salt

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup oil

Place pig in large pan.  Rub pig inside and out with paste.  Marinate overnight.  When you are ready to roast pig curl rear feet and extend fore legs.  Place tent of foil over pig, loosely.  Bake for three hours at 275°.  Remove foil, raise heat to 300° and bake for four hours or until done.  While pig is still hot,  glaze with pan drippings.  Insert apple in mouth.  Use dark grapes for the eyes.  Decorate around pig with fresh fruit and flowers.  Cover feet with parsley.  Place a gold paper crown on pig's head and tie Mardi Gras colored ribbon (purple, green, gold) around tail.

CONDENSED MILK PIE

CONDENSED MILK PIE

1 box of vanilla wafers, crushed

1/3 stick of butter

Mix and pat into a pie plate.

Filling:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup of pecans

Cook in double boiler until thick.  Add the 1 cup of pecans.  Pour mixture in vanilla wafer crust and refrigerate until cool.  Top with whipped cream or whipped topping.

8 servings

Flavor by substituting a different extract other than vanilla or a teaspoon pf any liqueur you choose.

CRABMEAT CASSEROLE

CRABMEAT CASSEROLE

3 cups lump crabmeat

1/4 pound butter

1/3 cup minced onion tops

1 Tbsp.  minced garlic

1 large whole bay leaf

1 Tbsp. parsley

2 Tbsp. flour

4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

2 cups water

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

in large pot melt butter.  Add flour, mix till smooth, add onion tops and garlic and cook till tender.  Add water, bay leaf, parsley, salt and pepper.  Boil slowly until sauce is thickened.  Fold crabmeat in carefully, cook slowly turning crabmeat in sauce, trying not to break up large lumps, about  10 minutes.  Put in casserole, sprinkle the top with bread crumbs anda dash of Parmesan cheese.  Bake in oven until bread crumbs are brown or sides are bubbly.

Serves 6

RICE DRESSING

RICE DRESSING

interchangeable with dirty rice

5 chopped medium onions

1 chopped bell pepper

1 chopped hot pepper

1 chopped mild pepper

2 stalks chopped celery

3 pounds ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1 pound finely chopped chicken livers

1 pound finely chopped chicken giblets

1 cup water

4 dozen oysters

1 quart green onion tops

3 cups cooked rice

Salt to taste

(chicken livers and giblets can be omitted)

Add onions, peppers, and celery to two kichen spoons of roux.  When wilted add pork and ground beef.  Let cook on very low heat two hours.  Add liver and giblets.  Cook thirty minutes.  Add water (1 cup) to keep it moist and not runny.  When you are ready to serve oysters and green onion tops.  Let cook until oysters are done (about 5 minutes).  Add rice to mixture.

The above mixture (without oysters) can be frozen for months.

16 servings

OYSTER BREAD DRESSING

OYSTER BREAD DRESSING

1 large loaf stale French bread

1/2 pound saltine crackers

1 cup milk

2 eggs beaten

2 pounds ground pork

1 large chopped onion

1/2 chopped bell pepper

2 stalks celery 

3 minced cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

2 Tbsp. oil

1 quart oysters, drained

2-3 Tbsp.  Parmesan cheese

Pimentos

Paprika

Soak crumbled bread and crackers in milk, mix well.  Add eggs and stir well.  Brown pork and add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic, and cook well until wilted.  Make roux with flour and oil.  Add to meat mixture.  Add cracker mixture and mix well.  Halve oysters and gently fold into mixture.  Place in large, shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with pimiento and paprika.  Cover with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350°.

12 servings

RUDELY DECADENT OYSTER DRESSING

RUDELY DECADENT OYSTER DRESSING

2 large chopped onions

6 bunches chopped green onions

1 bunch chopped parsley

6 cloves minced garlic

6 stalks chopped celery

1 1/2 loaves French bread, dried out

3/4 gallon oysters, (reserve water)

2 heaping Tbsp.  bacon drippings

Salt and pepper

Sauté all chopped seasonings in bacon drippings until tender.  Add oysters.  Cook 12 to 15 minutes, stirring.  In another bowl, moisten bread with oyster water, then crumble bread and add to seasoning and oyster mixture.  Cook 15 more minutes.  Place in large baking dish and bake at 350° for 1 hour. 

15 to 20 servings

If desired add chopped turkey liver to dressing before baking.

CHICKEN AND DRESSING CASSEROLE

CHICKEN AND DRESSING CASSEROLE

1 large chicken

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 pound pork sausage

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

2 chopped bell peppers

2 chopped onions

3 chopped celery ribs

1 can cream of mushroom soup

5 eggs

2 teaspoons black pepper 

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

2 teaspoons sage

6 slices white bread, cubed

9 x 13 inch pan crumbled cornbread (see recipe below)

Place chicken in large pot, cover with water, add bouillon cubes and boil until tender.  Remove from pot, reserve broth and debone chicken.  Sauté sausage in large frying pan until done.  Remove sausage from pan, add 2 Tbsp. cooking oil, and sauté onions, bell peppers and celery until tender.  In large mixing bowl mix deboned chicken, sausage, sautéed vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, eggs, seasonings, white bread and cornbread. Add chicken broth until mixture stirs easily.  Pour into greased Dutch oven and bake at 300 degrees for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until center of dressing is firm but not dry.  

Cornbread:

4 cups self rising cornmeal

2 eggs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. sugar

3 cups milk

Mix all ingredients, pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until brown. 

12 to 14 servings.

SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE

SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE

2 pounds washed and sliced (preferably yellow crookneck)

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup grated mild cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon sugar

1 egg, beaten

Fresh parsley, chopped, for topping

Freshly crumbled Ritz crackers

Cook squash in boiling, salted water until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain well.  Sauté onions and bell pepper in butter until wilted.  Combine with drained squash.  Fold in cheese, mayonnaise, sugar, egg, salt and pepper.  Pour into greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Top with parsley and crackers.  Bake uncovered in preheated 350° oven. 

Suitable for freezing.

Serves 8

MIRLITON DRESSING

MIRLITON DRESSING

3-4 fresh mirlitons (2 eggplants can be substituted)

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground beef

1 pound ground ham

1 large finely chopped onion

3 finely chopped green peppers

1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt

Italian bread crumbs

Peel vegetable pears (or eggplants), slice, and cook halfway submerged in water until soft.  Drain the water and mash well, either by hand or use a food processor.  In a large pot cook ground pork and beef until the pink is out.  Add ham, onion and green peppers.  Cook until the onions clear and then add the tomatoes.  Cook down until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Add remaining seasonings and salt to taste.  Stir in bread crumbs until desired consistency is reached.  Place in a large casserole dish, top with additional Italian bread crumbs, and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8

The basic dressing recipe is very versatile as it makes a wonderful stuffing for green bell peppers.  Use very small green peppers with the tops and seeds removed.  The stuffed bell peppers topped with breadcrumbs can be baked in a shallow pan filled with a little water in a 350° oven for 25 minutes.  If you don't have any mirliton or eggplant,the meat mixture does just as well wirhout it.

SHRIMP STUFFED MIRLITON

SHRIMP-STUFFED MIRLITON

4 (8 ounce) mirliton squash 

1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled

1/2 pound coarsely chopped (cooked) smoked ham

 1 chopped medium-sized onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning

11 Tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2 inch bits

I cup soft fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread

Drop the mirlitons into enough boiling water to immerse them completely. Cook briskly, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until they show no resistance when pierced with the point of a knife.  Drain the mirlitons and,

when they are cool, cut them lengthwise into halves.  Remove the seeds, and hollow out each half with a spoon to Mage boat like shells about 1/4 inch thick.  Invert the shells on paper towels to drain.  Purée the pulp.  Transfer the pulp to a heavy ungreased skillet and, stirring constantly, cook over moderate heat until all of the liquid in the pan evaporates.  Add 8 Tbsp. of the butterbits to the purée and when it melts, stir in the shrimp, ham, onion and garlic and continue cooking until shrimp is pink and onion is soft.  add parsley,thyme, cayenne and salt.  Taste for seasoning.  Spoon the shrimp and squash stuffing the reserved mirliton shells, dividing it equally among them and mounding the tops slightly.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the remaining 3 Tbsp.  butterbits over the mirlitons.  Arrange the shells in a buttered baking dish and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown.  Serve at once.  Serves 8

ITALIAN SALAD

ITALIAN SALAD

1large chopped tomato

10 chopped green stuffed olives

5 chopped black olives

1 Tbsp. capers

2 chopped green onions

1 small can anchovies, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 pods pressed garlic

1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and broken up by hand

Mix all ingredients except iceberg lettuce in a large salad bowl.  Refrigerate until ready to eat (about one hour).  Mix in the iceberg.  Salt and black pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

TORTILLA SOUP

TORTILLA SOUP

1 chicken (3 pounds)

5 quarts cold water

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1Tbsp. salt

1 large sliced carrot 

3 sliced celery ribs 

1 large chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse pepper

2 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons dried oregano 

Garnish:

Monterey Jack cheese

Lime slices

3 cups fried tortilla strips

1 1/2 cups diced avocado

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot.  Bring toa boil and simmer, covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Remove chicken from broth.  Remove meat from bones and cut chicken into strips.  Strain liquid, discard vegetables. And taste for salt.

When ready to serve, add to hot broth:

3 cups diced fresh tomatoes 

2 cups chopped green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro 

Chicken 

RED PEPPER SOUP

RED PEPPER SOUP

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp. fennel seed 

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/2 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

6 diced red bell peppers

2 Tbsp. minced jalapeño pepper (seeds removed)

1/4 cup flour 

5 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato (peeled and seeded)

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1/2-1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Sambuca liqueur to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat; add onions, fennel seed, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, basil, red bell peppers and jalapeño peppers.  Sauté over low heat until wilted, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add flour and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add chicken stock, whisking till smooth, along with the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook soup over medium heat, partially covered, for 45 minutes.  Purée in a blender or food processor.  At this point, soup can be frozen for future use. When ready to serve, add cream and simmer for 10 minutes.  Just before serving, adjust seasonings and a splash of Sambuca.

CUCUMBER CHILL

CUCUMBER CHILL

1 large onion, chopped

4 1/2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

5 cups canned chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 cup half and half

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Sauté onion and cucumber in butter until tender.  Reduce heat and gradually add flour, stirring constantly.  Cool 1 minute.  Add broth and bay leaf, stirring until it comes to a boil.   Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.    Pour into a blender and purée.  Pour into a large bowl; add sour cream, salt, dill and hot sauce.  Cool and chill.  Add half and half and lemon juice.  Chill until very cold.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 pound black beans  (dried)

2 quarts water

2 Tbsp. salt

5 minced cloves garlic

1/2 Tbsp. cumin

1/2 Tbsp. oregano

1 ounce white vinegar

5 ounces olive oil

1/2 pound minced onions

1/2 pound minced bell peppers

Soak beans in water overnight.  Add salt and boil beans until soft-crush garlic, cumin, oregano and vinegar together.  Heat olive oil adding onions, bell peppers and sauté till brown.  Add crushed ingredients cooking slowly.  Drain some water off of beans and add all ingredients together.  Cook for 20 minutes or until done.  Serve with rice if preferred.  I like a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt mixed with chopped green onion and cilantro to garnish each bowl.

CURRIED TOMATO BISQUE

CURRIED TOMATO BISQUE

1/2 cup finally sliced green onions

4 Tbsp. melted butter

4 cans undiluted tomato soup

5 cups water

3 teaspoons curry powder

3 grated or mashed egg yolks (for garnish)

Sauté onion in butter until lightly browned.  Add soup, water and curry.  heat thoroughly, stirring constantly.  Serve hot or cold, garnished with grated egg yolks.

8 to 12 servings

HOG'S HEAD CHEESE

HOG'S HEAD CHEESE

Stock:
4 lb. pork roast
3 c. onions, diced
3 c. celery, diced
2 c. bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 c. garlic, diced fine
2 whole bay leaves
1 tsp. dry thyme
1/4 c. whole peppercorns 

1/2 c. green onions, diced fine
1/2 c. parsley, diced fine
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 c. carrots, diced
salt and cracked black pepper
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 1/2 c. water

In a 4-gallon stockpot, place all ingredients up to and including the whole peppercorns. Add enough water to cover contents by 3-inches and bring to a rolling boil. Using a ladle, skim all foam and other impurities that rise to the surface during the first 30 minutes of boiling. Continue to cook until meat is tender and pulling away, approximately 2 1/2 hours. Remove all meat from the stockpot and lay on a flat baking pan to cool. Strain and reserve 10 cups of the cooking stock and discard vegetables. Return stock to a low boil. Add all remaining ingredients, except gelatin, salt and pepper. Boil for 3 minutes and remove from heat. Season to taste using salt and pepper. Add dissolved gelatin and set aside.


Once meat has cooled, remove all bones and chop in a food processor. Place equal amounts of the meat in 4 trays and ladle in hot seasoned stock. The mixture should be meaty with just enough stock to gel and hold meat together. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate to set, overnight. Head cheese is best eaten as an appetizer with crackers.

VENISON MARINADE

VENISON MARINADE

1 1/2 cups oil

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. dry mustard

1/3 cup vinegar

1 Tbsp. pepper

 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon parsley

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Add ingredients together in sequence, as listed, in large bowl.  Stir well, pour over venison, and allow to marinade 24 hours in the refrigerator.  This marinade may be used on venison that is to be barbecued or roasted in the oven.  If venison is barbecued, the venison may be basted with the   

Marinade as it cooks on the pit.

TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

2 large packages of softened cream cheese

4 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped green onions 

1/4 cup chopped jajapeño peppers

10-12 flour tortillas

Combine cream cheese, garlic, green onions and jalapeños.  Spread on tortillas.  Roll up Jelly-roll fashion.  Place Seam side down and slice in 1 inch pieces.  Serve with salsa or guacamole!

BAKED BRIE

BAKED BRIE

1 (6-8") round Brie cheese
Pie crust (homemade or store bought)
One of the following: 1) 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped pecans 

2) Apricot preserves
3) Hot pepper jelly and minced garlic

Roll out pie crust large enough to encase the cheese. Place 1/2 of 1), 2), or 3) in center of crust, then Brie and remainder of topping and gently fold crust together, pinching edges. Close all openings. Carefully turn over. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. A bit of extra pastry is usually wanted.

BOBBY SEALE RECIPES

HICKORY-QUED SALMON STEAKS

6 salmon steaks (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut 3/4 inch thick

4 cups Hickory Butter Lime Baste-Marinade (recipe follows)

1/2 pound hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

Lemon pepper seasoning, seasoning salt (from shakers)

TO PREPARE HICKORY BUTTER LIME BASTE-MARINADE

1/3 cup (3 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1/4 cup fresh lime juice, seeded

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon each liquid onion, liquid garlic

1 teaspoon each dry rosemary, crushed chives, lemon pepper seasoning, paprika, seasoning salt

1/2 cube butter or margarine

3 cups water

Set aside butter or margarine. Combine all other ingredients with water in a 2-quart pot on high heat. Stir and bring to a quick boil. Remove from heat. Strain and separate out 1 1/2 cups to baste-soak hickory wood chips. Add butter or margarine to remaining hot baste-marinade, stirring to melt.

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in reserved baste for 20 minutes and drain. Spread soaked chips over a close bed of 3-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out.

TO MARINATE SALMON STEAKS 

Pour buttered marinade over steaks in a rimmed container, covering both sides. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning and rearranging steaks for thorough marinating. Remove steaks from marinade and drain. (Retain used marinade for pit basting.) Place steaks on double-strength aluminum foil, turn up edges, and seal corners to make 2 or 3 shallow foil pans.

PIT BASTING

When pit fire is ready, place steaks in foil pans on grill 4 to 6 inches above pit fire. Liberally brush-baste every 3 to 5 minutes for 25 minutes. (Adjust dampers half open and close pit cover after each basting.) Steaks are done when they readily flake when poked with a fork in thickest portion. 

Makes 6 servings 

SMOKED SPICY HOT BARBEQUE CHICKEN

2 fryer broiler chickens, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds each, cut in quarters or eighths)

1 quart Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

3 cups Spicy Hot Chicken Sauce (recipe follows)

3 cups hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

TO PREPARE SPICY HOT CHICKEN SAUCE

3 cups V-8 juice

1/3 cup (3 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup hot jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

1 cup Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart pot. Stir thoroughly and boil gently for 25 minutes on medium heat, covered, stirring periodically. With a final stir remove from heat. 

Yields approximately 1 quart

TO MARINATE CHICKEN 

Place chicken pieces in sizable pot or bowl or use a plastic bag set in a rimmed container. Pour 1/2 quart of baste-marinade to submerge chicken. Cover pot or bowl or twist-tie plastic bag. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Turn occassionally for thorough marinating. 

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in 1 cup of Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade for 30 minutes and drain. Evenly spread soaked chips over a close bed of 40-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out.

PIT BASTING 

When pit fire is ready, remove chicken pieces from marinade and drain. (Retain used marinade and strain through a fine sieve for pit basting.) Place chicken pieces on lightly greased pit grill 4 to 6 inches above pit fire. Brush or spray-baste, browning and turning frequently for 50 minutes or until chicken is done the way you like it. Test to be sure the meat near bone is no longer pink when forked. Brush on Spicy Hot Hickory Chicken Sauce or tong-dip chicken pieces in sauce pot 2 or 3 times during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with remaining sauce. 

Makes 8 servings 

HICKORY-QUICK BARBEQUE BASTE-MARINADE

When you don't have a lot of leisure time but have a craving, try the following barbeque baste recipe for pit-baste smoking. It gives a hickory-smoke flavor to almost any meat or poultry entree you desire.

1 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, seeded (use rinds cut up in pot)

3/4 to 1 cup (6 to 8 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1 cup red cooking wine (optional)

1 tablespoon each liquid garlic and liquid onion (or chop

2 onions)

1 cup Worcestershire sauce or 1/2 cup of Teriyaki sauce

1 cup apple juice or cranberry juice

1 quart of water

Combine all ingredients with water in a 4 quart pot on medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil, cover and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain off lemon rinds or any cooked onions. Refrigerate if not ready to use immediately as hot marinade.

Strain and use in spray bottle for basting pit-smoked meats, especially pit grilled pork ribs, beef ribs, pork chops, pork and beef steaks, lamb chops, poultry, grilled burgers, and pork and beef roasts. The spray-basting also helps control flames in the pit-fire when not overused. For a real hickory-smoke flavor, pre-soak any amount of hickory wood chips in a cup or so of this basic marinade.

Yields 11/2 quarts

NOTE: Marinate meat in 200-degree hot marinade for 20 minutes for super-quick and tasty results.

SAUCY-QUED COUNTRY-STYLE RIBS

[Salt Free]

3 pounds country-style ribs

1 teaspoon (approximately) each: black pepper, onion powder, parsley flakes, blended seasoning (no salt, sugar, or MSG), celery seed, cayenne red pepper (from shaker)

1 1/2 quarts No salt Quick Baste-Marinade 

1 quart Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce

1/2 pound hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

TO PREPARE NO SALT QUICK BASTE-MARINADE

1 cup cider or red wine vinegar

1 cup fresh lemon juice, seeded

1/2 cup (4 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

2 tablespoons liquid garlic or 1 garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons liquid onion or 1 cup finely chopped onions 

2 bay leaves

1 quart water

Combine all ingredients in a 3-quart pot on high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Yields 1 1/2 quarts

TO MARINATE RIBS 

Place ribs in a tight-fitting container or in a sturdy plastic bas set in a rimmed pan. Pour half of baste-marinade over ribs. Cover container or twist-tie plastic bag. Marinate for 4 hours at room temperature or refrigerate over-night. Turn occasionally for thorough marinating.

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in a 2 cups baste-marinade for 30 minutes and drain. Spread soaked chips over a close bed of 40 to 50 white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into fire until flames are out. 

SEAR SEASONING 

When pit-fire is ready, remove ribs from marinade and drain. Retain and strain used marinade for pit spray-basting.) From shakers, sprinkle medium coats of blended seasoning, onion powder, celery seed, parsley flakes, black pepper, and cayenne pepper on both sides of ribs. With fingers and hands press seasonings into meat. Place ribs on lightly greased grill 4 to 6 minutes above hot pit fire. Sear and brown for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, sealing in coated seasonings.

PIT BASTING 

Turn and spray-or brush-baste browned ribs every 10 minutes for 60 minutes or until done the way you like them. Tong-dip ribs in Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce every 5 minutes during last 30 minutes of cooking time. Serve with remaining heated sauce. 

Makes 4 to 6 servings 

SAUCY HICKORY PIT-QUED CHICKEN

[SALT FREE]

2 boiler-fryer chickens, quartered

1 1/4 quart Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce

1/2 cup each: pure hickory liquid smoke, red wine vinegar, fresh seeded lemon juice

2 cups lukewarm water

6 to 8 cups hickory wood chips, water soaked

TO MARINATE CHICKEN QUARTERS 

Combine 2 cups Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce, the liquid smoke, vinegar, and lemon juice in slightly headed water and stir thoroughly. Place chicken in sizable container and pour saucy marinade over it. Marinate for 3 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Turn occasionally for thorough marinating.

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in water for 20 minutes and drain. Spread half of soaked chips over a close bed of 50-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out. Add second half of soaked chips midway through total cooking time. Adjust vents half open. 

PIT BASTING
When pit fire is ready remove chicken from saucy marinade and drain slightly. (Retain used marinade for pit basting.) Turn and baste or tong-dip in marinade every 10 minutes (closing pit cover after each basting) for 60 minutes or until meat is no longer pink near bone. Brush on Hickory-Herbal Barbeque Sauce every 10 minutes during last 30 minutes of cooking. Serve with remaining heated sauce. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

HICKORY-HERBAL BARBEQUE SAUCE

[Salt Free, Sugarless]

This is just one of Bobby's recipes available which is salt free and sugarless. It is a special sauce used for barbeques. The recipe emphasizes the use of herbs, fruits, vegatables and certain spices to create this wonderful barbeque sauce.

Vegetables and Fruit

1/2 cup each: onions, scallions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, finely chopped

4 medium-size tomatoes, chopped

1 medium-size green cooking apple, chopped

1 each: garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup hot green chili peppers, chopped [or less to taste]

Staples

1 tablespoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, spicy dry mustard

1 tablespoon each: black pepper, ground red chili pepper, celery flakes, 

parsley flakes, crumbled or powdered bay leaves, rosemary

1 teaspoon each: ground clove, ground ginger, basil

2 tablespoons or 3 cubes beef bouillon

Liquids

1 cup [8 ounces] pure hickory liquid smoke

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup each: lemon juice and lime juice, seeded

1/4 cup salt-free prepared mustard

1/2 cup dry cooking sherry cooking

3 cups water

Blender puree all vegetables and fruit together, rinsing blender contents with the 3 cups water into a quart pot on high heat [include water]. Add staple and liquid ingredients. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Boil gently uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, and covered for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently, for a total cooking time of 1 hour. Sauce should have thickened a little by then; cook longer if needed. Remove sauce from heat until ready to use, or store in refrigerator.

Uncle Tom’s BBQ Baste-Marinade

Vegetables

1 cups chopped onions

1 cups chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup chopped scallions (green onions)

1 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped hot peppers (optional)

Rinds of 5 to 6 lemon cut up (hold seeded lemon juice for liquid ingredients)

2 cloves garlic minced

Liquids

1 cup (8 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

      (use 1 1/2 cups for stronger flavor)

1 l/2 cups red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 quart apple juice

1 cup lemon juice (5 to 6 medium-size lemons)

4 quarts water

Staples

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons seasoning salt

2 teaspoons onion parsley salt

1 teaspoon garlic parsley salt

3 bay leaves

Place water in an 8-quart pot on high heat. Add all vegetable and staple ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stew for 45 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain off all stewed ingredients from liquid, and stir in all liquid ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 7 minutes, covered. Remove from heat. Room-temperature cool is fine for marinating meat for a few hours, and a 200-degree hot marinade is excellent for a quick one hour marinating.

Yields 4 quarts plus

​NOTES: For a stronger, more pungent baste-marinade, use only 3 quarts of water. For stronger still, use only 2 quarts.

​- You can prepare baste-marinade as much as a week in advance. Put it in a covered nonmetal container and store in refrigerator.

This 4-quart plus recipe of my Uncle Tom's all-purpose baste-marinade is enough for a barbeque cookout of ribs for 10 to 15 people. Uncle Tom's Baste-Marinade can also be used to marinate and pit-baste barbequed pork shoulders, butts, pork steaks, chops, poultry, and lamb.

Uncle Tom's Hickory Smoked "Bobby-Qued" Ribs

Sear Seasonings

1 tablespoon [approximately] each:

ground black pepper

garlic parsley salt

onion powder

onion parsley salt

paprika

celery seed

TO MARINATE RIBS

    With a meat cleaver, crack thick gristle bone in 4 to 5 places on each slab of ribs. Place slabs [whole or halved] in a sizable aluminum roasting pan or use a sturdy plastic bag set in a rimmed pan. Pour in approximately 1 quart of baste-marinade to submerge ribs. Cover pan or twist-tie plastic bag, pulling twist-tie in close to submerge the ribs. Marinate for 3 hours at room temperature, turning occasionally, or refrigerate overnight. A 24-hour refrigerated marinating gives excellent results. If using an aluminum or roasting pan, a hot, 200-degree, 30-minute marinating just before barbequing is also excellent.

PIT FIRE

    Presoak hickory wood chips in 2 to 3 cups of baste-marinade for 30 minutes and let chips drain slightly before they are used. Spread half of soaked chips over a closed bed of 60 to 80 white-hot charcoal briquettes. Let wood chips burn into pit fire until flames are out. Midway through 3 hour cooking time spread second half of chips over an additional 30-odd white-ash-hot briquettes. When ribs are placed on grill close cover and adjust pit damper vents three-fourths open.

SEAR SEASONING

As pit fire gets ready remove ribs from marinade and drain. [Retain used marinade and strain through a fine sieve for spray basting over pit.] From shakers, sprinkle light coats of black pepper, garlic parsley salt, onion powder or onion parsley salt, paprika, and celery seed on both sides of ribs. With fingers and hands press and rub seasonings into meat. Place ribs on lightly greased grill 4 to 6 inches above hot pit fire. Sear and brown, seal in

coated seasonings for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. For complete searing, rearrange slabs as they brown and close pit cover after turning.

PIT BASTING

    Liberally brush or spray-baste browned ribs and turn and baste again every 10 to 15 minutes for 3 hours. Close cover after each basting. To control any pit flames lightly spray douse them with baste or water and/or adjust damper vents three-fourths closed for a couple of minutes. Constant basting over a pit fire kept at 250 to 300 degrees is necessary for juicy, tender, moist hickory-smoked spareribs.

SAUCING

    During last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time brush on sauce or tong-dip cut ribs in sauce every 10 minutes [close pit cover after each saucing], or brush sauce on whole slabs every 10 minutes, then cut into single pieces. Serve with heated sauce.

Makes 7 to 12 servings

Makes 6 servings 

SMOKED SPICY HOT BARBEQUE CHICKEN

2 fryer broiler chickens, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds each, cut in quarters or eighths)

1 quart Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

3 cups Spicy Hot Chicken Sauce (recipe follows)

3 cups hickory wood chips, baste-soaked

TO PREPARE SPICY HOT CHICKEN SAUCE

3 cups V-8 juice

1/3 cup (3 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup hot jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

1 cup Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade

Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart pot. Stir thoroughly and boil gently for 25 minutes on medium heat, covered, stirring periodically. With a final stir remove from heat. 

Yields approximately 1 quart

TO MARINATE CHICKEN 

Place chicken pieces in sizable pot or bowl or use a plastic bag set in a rimmed container. Pour 1/2 quart of baste-marinade to submerge chicken. Cover pot or bowl or twist-tie plastic bag. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Turn occassionally for thorough marinating. 

PIT FIRE 

Presoak hickory wood chips in 1 cup of Hickory-Quick Baste-Marinade for 30 minutes and drain. Evenly spread soaked chips over a close bed of 40-odd white-ash-hot charcoal briquets. Let chips burn into pit fire until flames are out. 

PIT BASTING 

When pit fire is ready, remove chicken pieces from marinade and drain. (Retain used marinade and strain through a fine sieve for pit basting.) Place chicken pieces on lightly greased pit grill 4 to 6 inches above pit fire. Brush or spray-baste, browning and turning frequently for 50 minutes or until chicken is done the way you like it. Test to be sure the meat near bone is no longer pink when forked. Brush on Spicy Hot Hickory Chicken Sauce or tong-dip chicken pieces in sauce pot 2 or 3 times during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with remaining sauce. 

Makes 8 servings 

HICKORY-QUICK BARBEQUE BASTE-MARINADE

When you don't have a lot of leisure time but have a craving, try the following barbeque baste recipe for pit-baste smoking. It gives a hickory-smoke flavor to almost any meat or poultry entree you desire.

1 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, seeded (use rinds cut up in pot)

3/4 to 1 cup (6 to 8 ounces) pure hickory liquid smoke

1 cup red cooking wine (optional)

1 tablespoon each liquid garlic and liquid onion (or chop

2 onions)

1 cup Worcestershire sauce or 1/2 cup of Teriyaki sauce

1 cup apple juice or cranberry juice

1 quart of water

Combine all ingredients with water in a 4 quart pot on medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil, cover and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain off lemon rinds or any cooked onions. Refrigerate if not ready to use immediately as hot marinade.

Strain and use in spray bottle for basting pit-smoked meats, especially pit grilled pork ribs, beef ribs, pork chops, pork and beef steaks, lamb chops, poultry, grilled burgers, and pork and beef roasts. The spray-basting also helps control flames in the pit-fire when not overused. For a real hickory-smoke flavor, pre-soak any amount of hickory wood chips in a cup or so of this basic marinade.

Yields 11/2 quarts

NOTE: Marinate meat in 200-degree hot marinade for 20 minutes for super-quick and tasty results.

CRANBERRYAPPLE BASTE MARINADE FOR TURKEY

2 qts cranberry juice

1 qt apple juice

3/4  cup liquid smoke

1/2 c red wine vinegar or red wine

1/2 c fresh lemon juice

4 qts water

1cup each

Chopped celery

Chopped Onions 

Chopped bell pepper

Grated carrots

1 cup lemon juice

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon each

Black pepper, parsley, granulated onion, salt

Celery salt, poultry seasoning

Chicken base

1 pound butter add to base marinade in a spray bottle for use on the grill.

Stew 30 minutes,then strain

Put in plastic bag to marinade

Overnight

Seasoning to rub into bird just before grilling/ smoking, 1 Tbsp each:

Salt, rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, black pepper, onion powder, 

 Smoke, grill 3 hrs, in the foil pan with about an inch of base marinade in the bottom to keep it moist.  Spray after the seasonings take Hold w/marinade/butter mixture.  Finish in the oven after 3 hrs on the grill if necessary until bird reaches it of 165.

HONEY SEASONED COLLARD GREENS WITH HALF EARS OF CORN

4 qts water

4 lbs collard greens

Smoked turkey parts

1/2 cup liquid smoke

2 c chopped onions

1cup each chopped bell pepper and scallions

3 or 4 bay leaves 

1 Tbsp each of parsley, black pepper, garlic, seasoning salt

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup honey

3 cups pineapple juice

8 to 10 half ears of corn

 Boil together 4 hours

Add corn last ten minutes of cooking

Potato Salad

My mother used to make some very tasty potato salad. But it was more or less a tasty quasi-mashed potato salad which came from overcooking the potatoes and over mixing. Some years ago my wife Leslie and I hunk-cut the potatoes and eggs and added various crunchy ingredients.

6 medium to large baking potatoes, unpeeled

8 large hard-boiled eggs

[6 cut in quartered hunks, 2 sliced for garnish]

1 cup chopped purple salad onions

1 cup chopped celery

l/2 cup finely chopped scallions

1 cup diced dill pickle ...

1 cup finely chopped red and/or

green bell peppers...

seasoning salt

onion powder

oregano

brown mustard

light mayonnaise