Searching for Johnny Trigg

 

      I have been indirect wood pit smoking for about 31 years now.  I have screwed up more food than I care to admit, but THAT IS HOW YOU LEARN.  I have pretty much perfected most meats to my wife's and my liking.  Ribs are probably her favorite and I have been through many different recipes, rubs, and sauces till I finally satisfied my bride about 3 years ago.  

      Well, I stepped back and decided to upset the apple cart once again by trying something new.  We are fans of the TV show BBQ Pitmasters and especially enjoy Johnny Trigg and his Smoking Triggers Crew.  He has been Uber Successful with his ribs for many years and competitions.  Nicknamed the Godfather of BBQ Ribs, he is a two-time Grand Champion of the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational and Kingsford BBQ Pitmaster Grand Champion.  This past year he revealed his long-time secrets of his recipe for ribs.  I have been yearning to try these and that is where this is going.  For this cook I used Baby Back Ribs (Barb's FAV).  

1-2 racks of pork ribs (your choice of baby backs or spares) 

Honey

Parkay Squeeze Butter

Rib Tickler Rub or KOSMOS Dirty Bird Rub

Apple Juice (for spritz)

1 Tbsp. Tiger Sauce 

Brown Sugar

Choice of BBQ Sauce

Peeling membrane from back of ribs

      Rinse ribs and remove membrane from back.  Sprinkle the first (light) SPG rub, then finish with a liberal covering of KOSMOS Dirty Bird Rub.  Rest the ribs for 2-3 hours.  Heat pit to 275F.  I like oak and cherry wood.

Rubbed out and ready

Into the pit

      Place ribs in pit and smoke for 3 hours, hourly spritzing with the apple juice.  Remove after 3 hours.  Lay down foil and squeeze down 3-4 Tbsp Parkay; sprinkle brown sugar over the Parkay.  Place ribs on foil and layer with honey.  Shake out about 1 Tbsp. Tabasco/Tiger Sauce.  Make sure to mix the ingredients and rub over ribs.  Seal and place back on pit for 2 hours.  

Coat with Parkay, brown sugar on bottom; honey and Tiger Sauce on top

Wrap with foil and return to pit

BBQ Glaze & Return

      After 2 hours remove ribs from pit and mop with BBQ sauce of choice.  Return to pit un-foiled for 30-60 minutes.  Ribs are done when meat begins to recede from bone.  Slice and serve.  

Sliced and plated

      I served this with Bush Beans and Grandma's PA Dutch Potato Salad.  We found these ribs to be good but didn't care for the BBQ sauce glaze prior to pulling.  Times and temps were perfect; the meat receded from the bone and were nearly fall apart in your mouth good.  This recipe is a keeper, but next time will serve BBQ sauce on the side upon completion and plated.  

   

"The more natural the charcoal, the better your food will taste. Rather than briquettes, use lump charcoal, which is is all-natural. Lump charcoal will cause your grill to get much hotter than briquettes. Also, briquettes have chemical filler which holds saw dust together and can change the taste of the food."

Johnny Trigg

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Blue Bonnet Cafe, Marble Falls, TX

 

      We discovered this place a few years back when we were exploring Texas for property.  It is located on the right side of highway 281 just north of the river in Marble Falls.  We did not dine there as we were just passing through.  Since we have heard many a good story about the great food there, mostly the best pie selection in the state.  The classic cafe that earned a worldwide reputation for good food and friendly service opened in 1929 on Main Street in Marble Falls, Texas. The Blue Bonnet Cafe moved to its current location on Hwy 281, blocks from Lake Marble Falls, in 1946. Contrary to common belief, the restaurant is named after a blue "bonnet" or hat, not the popular Texas wildflower. The legendary reputation of Blue Bonnet Cafe has traveled far and wide. Blue Bonnet Cafe  You do have to watch your approach into the parking lot as it is a busy intersection and easier to enter parking lot from the rear off 3rd street.

The reputation of this restaurant is known far and wide and has been recognized with the following awards.

Best Breakfast in Texas - Texas Highways Magazine

Top 10 Restaurants in Texas - Texas Highways Magazine

Top 100 Breakfasts - Travel & Leisure Magazine

Best Restaurants Coast-to-Coast - Road Food Magazine

Best in Texas - Ride Magazine

Best Breakfast in Texas - Ride Magazine

Best Restaurant Within 60 Miles, Runner-Up - Austin Chronicle

      The menu is divided into the usual suspects, but with a fantastic 'specials' selection, and of course the pies.  They offer breakfast, specials, salads, sandwiches, burgers, Mexican, and a wonderful children's menu.  Menu — Blue Bonnet Cafe

      Marble Falls is located just 147 miles north of us just outside Round Rock, TX.  We picked a date in mid-December to make an 'overnight day trip' out of it.  We stayed at a local motel and enjoyed both dinner and breakfast.  

      For dinner Barb ordered the small chicken fried steak while I selected the Pot Roast w/gravy.  Each meal came with 3 sides of which Barb choice redskin mashed taters, corn o' the cob and a salad.  I chose salad, corn o' the cob, and a bowl of the soup of the day, hot Gumbo.  

German Chocolate Pie

Chocolate drizzled Peanut Butter Pie

      The next morning we arrived HUNGRY for breakfast.  Their selection is pretty standard for a Southern cafe.  I got French Toast with ham, and egg, and coffee while Barb decided on the 2 egg omelet with sausage and cheese along with biscuits and gravy. She didn't eat her hash browns, the guy who bought her breakfast did.   

      In the end we absolutely loved our meals and especially the pie.  I swear each of us made noises with every creamy bite.  The service was some of the best we've ever experienced.  You never lacked for anything.  Our total for dinner was $42.80 and breakfast was $24.50.  The cafe was full or very nearly for each of our visits.  It's reputation is well earned.  It was well worth the 130 mile overnight 'Day Trip' we made to enjoy this.  If you're ever in this area, I can't say enough the food is great and the pie is nothing short of the best you'll ever have.  Bon Appetite'. 

“Cooking is an art and patience a virtue. Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing - love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist"

Keith Floyd

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The Seasonal Larder Project

 

      First weekend of the winter in Leakey and I'm already firing up the pit for some goodies.  I will be making not only smoked corned beef and pastrami, but some Maple Smoked Bacon.  This is all for our larder to be enjoyed over not only this winter, but hopefully a bit into next year.  Yeah, it's cruel.  

      First, each meat (4 packs) is thawed.  Then the pork belly is rubbed out with seasoning and wrapped in several zip loc bags for the fridge for 7 days for each inch thickness of meat, turning every day.  After curing for 2 weeks the belly is removed from the bag and thoroughly rinsed to rid it of the extra salt.  Lesson learned here unless you like REALLY SALTY BACON.  Return meat to fridge uncovered for 24 hours to form a 'pellicle'.  This protects the meat from bacteria.   When done, rub belly thoroughly on all sides with more maple sugar and lay to rest.  Smoke the belly over oak, pecan, or lump charcoal.  Keep the cooking temp as close to 200F or below.  Remove when internal belly temp is 155F.  

Rubbed out pork belly about to go in fridge to cure for 2 weeks

INSERT PELLICLE MEAT PIC HERE

       For the pastrami and corned beef, I have Cryovac'd brined briskets that I use to save an additional step.  After thawing each needs to be soaked for about 8 hours to remove as much salt as possible.  The cure is still intact, but excess salt will change the flavor.  Change the water in the soak several times.  Another lesson I learned the hard way.  

2 Cryovac'd briskets soaking to remove excess salt

      First to cook will be the corned beef and pastrami.  I will use the same fire, but the rubs and seasonings are different.  I use a mixture of oak and pecan.  It only takes about 3-5 hours smoking time depending; meat internal temp at 160F.  Remove from pit, wrap in foil and return to pit till internal temp is 200F.  Rest.  

Corned Beef and Pastrami meet the wood pit

Slice as thick as you like, or not

Sliced pastrami

Sliced corned beef

     Once the pork belly has cured it also goes into the wood pit, but with a last rub down of maple sugar.  It smokes, also over oak/pecan till the internal temp reaches 155F.  For bacon the pit temp here is crucial as I keep the fire itself about 200F TOPS.  We're not cooking the meat, just finishing the cure.

Rollin' Smoke

After cooling, slicing is easier

11 lbs ready for wrap

NOTE:  IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EACH PIECE OF MEAT RESTED OFF THE PIT BE COOLED SIGNIFICANTLY OR EVEN PLACED IN FREEZER FOR A SHORT TIME JUST TO FIRM IT UP SO THAT IT SLICES BEAUTIFULLY.  I HAVE A COMMERCIAL SLICER FOR THE BACON, BUT YOU CAN DO IT BY HAND IF DESIRED.  WE LIKE OUR DELI MEAT THICK.  

      This entire project takes more than one day, and I like to space it out over a week to 10 days.  In fact the final smoking took place on a rainy day, never really much fun.  Oak and pecan wood works well, but so does good lump charcoal.  In the end we have 23 lbs of Pastrami, Corned Beef, and Bacon in the freezer.  Of course, our efforts here every winter will not result in a total assimilation into the self-sufficient community, but for us it's a labor of love.  My next project this year is to work on a good recipe for Cottage Bacon.  

"Bologna is a deli meat for people with eyes"

Mitch Hedberg

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Mill Creek Cafe Leakey, TX

 

      In a town of a modest 315 folks with more seasonal upscale cafes, bistros, and shops designed to attract the tourist eye, this is one of a kind.  If you will, the original hometown cafe.  Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner it caters to the population that lives and works here.  They don't portray any pretentious atmosphere, menus, or other things.  Simply good food at reasonable prices.

       We have eaten here several times already, but always seem to gravitate towards the newer, more eclectic offerings elsewhere.  This never lasts as these places offer only higher priced atmosphere and food that is only marginally better, if that.  

 

      Located on Hwy. 83 on the south side of town just across from the Stripes Truck Stop it offers lots of parking and dining space inside.  We most often eat breakfast here, but they offer more.  Additionally, they offer many specials for all meals.  They are open 7 a.m. till 9 p.m. 7 days a week.  As you can see the menu is not diversified, but very reasonably priced Online Menu of Mill Creek Cafe Restaurant

      In addition to the menu they often offer a buffet line featuring enough food to keep anyone happy.  Additionally, on Veterans Day they offer a free meal to any veteran who served our great nation.

      From our present experience I can only say that the breakfast menu is full and very tasty.  For our visit we chose to eat supper.  We arrived to a nearly empty room, but soon after lots of locals began to arrive.  Barb chose the Chicken Fried Sandwich with a side salad while I decided on the Pepper Steak.  

 

Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich

Pepper Steak with Green Beans & Mashed Taters

      We enjoyed the meal, but there were several issues with dryness and our waitress never checked on us after the meal arrived.  I expected the typical pepper steak, but this was chopped beef covered with jalapenos and cheese.  It was, nonetheless, good.  The total for our meal was $33.39.  On a scale of 1-5 stars, we rated the Mill Creek Cafe: 

"Good food warms the heart and feeds the soul. Good food doesn't mean fancy food, good friend doesn't mean fancy friend, good life doesn't mean fancy life. We eat only to survive, forgetting that healthy eating is the key to survival. Just as dressing well is good business, eating well promotes good health."

Anonymous

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Morel Miso Pasta

 

      Each year in the spring on our return to NW Michigan we look forward to the harvest of local wild morel mushrooms.  You can find these in the woods in select areas (which can be more secret than your favorite fishing hole) and in our case even in our yard.  The paradoxical part of this is my wife is allergic to mushrooms but loves to hunt them with/for me.  At the end of the season, we have (minus the fresh sautéed) about 1 quart jar of dried morels for our year.  This method of storage works the best for us with our yearly travels.  For us this constitutes the "Cook' Choice" night.  Since Barb is allergic she will eat whatever she wants on this night.  

      I love to enjoy these at my leisure during our winters in Texas and pasta seems to work the best.  They are delicious with Venison Stroganoff.  I just need to rehydrate what I need and then utilize them in whatever I choose.  This recipe is my first attempt at this and is very simple and enjoyable, especially with garlic bread. 

8 ounces of fettucine

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 cup dried morels, soaked in large pieces

1/4 cup butter

2 tsp miso

1 cup hot pasta water

1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese

dash of black pepper

pinch of parsley 

       In a large pot bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook till al dente.  Save 1 cup pasta water.  

       In a skillet saute' mushrooms with olive oil, garlic, and shallots.  Saute' till fragrant.  Season with salt/pepper and set aside.  

      In the same pan add 1/4 cup butter and simmer till melted.  Add in 1/2 cup pasta water and 3 tsp miso and whisk. Whisk in the cheese till creamy, adding more pasta water if necessary to maintain consistency.  Maintain a reasonable amount of thickness. 

      Place the pasta into the miso mixture and mix.  Then add the mushrooms and sprinkle with black pepper.  Plate and sprinkle with parsley.  The pasta is divine and the mushroom sauce is warm, earthy, and perfectly complements the entire meal. Serve with garlic bread. 

Plated

"Dining on morels is one of the

 finest ways to appreciate Mother Nature"

Rich Hilts

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