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Chef Tom shares his tips & techniques for preparing a delicious hummus from scratch, including a recipe for fire roasted jalapeño and red bell pepper hummus, finished with a quality extra virgin olive oil and everything bagel seasoning.

Roasted Pepper Hummus

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Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper


• 2 jalapeños


• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed


• 3 tbsp basil, minced


• 3 tbsp tahini


• 3 tbsp lemon juice


• 2 tbsp Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1/2 tsp cumin


• Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt, to taste

For serving:

• Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning

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Instructions

Roast the peppers over direct high heat (450ºF+), turning to blacken all sides. Place in a zip top bag and seal. Let steam 10-15 minutes. Remove from the bag. Peel the skin off of the flesh. Remove and discard the seeds and stem. Chop the flesh of the pepper.

Place half of the roasted peppers and all remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

You might also enjoy: Ribeye & White Bean Hummus Pizza

Serve topped with remaining diced roasted peppers, a drizzle of Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a shake of Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning.

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Chef Tom shares the process of preparing and utilizing a brine from scratch in order to maximize the flavor and juiciness of your grilled and smoked meats.

Basic Brine

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• 1 gallon water, room temperature


• 6 oz (1 cup) Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt


• 3 oz (1/2 cup) brown sugar

Poultry Brine

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• 2 quarts water


• 6 oz (1 cup) Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt


• 3 oz (1/2 cup) brown sugar


• 2 bay leaves


• 4 sprigs thyme


• I head of garlic, cloves smashed


• 1 tsp red pepper flakes


• 4 lb ice

Barbecue Brine

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• 2 quarts water


• 6 oz (1 cup) Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt


• 6 oz (1 cup) brown sugar


• 2 ancho chiles


• 4 cloves garlic, crushed


• 1/2 tsp celery seeds


• 1/2 tsp red pepper Chile flakes


• 1/4 tsp whole cloves

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Instructions

For the Basic Brine:

Combine all ingredients in a Briner Bucket, and whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. The brine is ready to use immediately.

You might also enjoy: Buttermilk Barbecue Smoked Chicken

For the Poultry Brine and Barbecue Brine:

Combine all ingredients in a pot, except for the ice. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let the brine simmer for about one minute.

Place the ice in a Briner Bucket. Transfer the hot brine to the Briner Bucket. Stir to melt ice and chill water. The brine is ready to use as soon as the liquid is cold.

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Chef Tom & Chef Britt do a side by side taste test of tomatoes grown inside the San Marzano region on Italy vs. those grown elsewhere.



Tomatoes from the San Marzano region of Italy are often touted as the best canned tomato you can get your hands on, especially when it comes to making red sauce for pizza. In this video Chef Tom & Chef Britt find out for themselves if the San Marzanos live up to the hype!

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You might also enjoy: How to Make Pizza Dough

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In this week's episode of Tips & Techniques Chef Tom takes us back to barbecue basics, once again, and teaches us how to make a sweet tomato based barbecue sauce from scratch.

Sweet Tomato Based Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Yields about 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 (28 oz) can Ciao Italian Peeled Tomatoes


• 1/2 cup brown sugar


• 1/2 cup Noble Saltworks Maple Smoked Turbinado Sugar


• 1/2 cup Reida Farm Wildflower Honey


• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar


• 1/4 cup pineapple juice


• 1/4 cup Grannie’s Jalapeno Mustard


• 2 tbsp smoked paprika


• 2 tbsp black pepper


• 2 tbsp Noble Saltworks Whiskey Barrel Smoked Salt


• 4 tsp garlic powder


• 4 tsp onion powder


• 2 tsp cayenne powder

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Instructions

Combine all ingredients in the Vitamix Blender. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a Lodge 6 Quart Enamel Coated Dutch oven (or sauce pan).

Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until thickened to desired consistency, about 15-20 minutes.

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This week on Tips & Techniques, Chef Tom takes us back to barbecue basics with this All Purpose Barbecue Rub. This seasoning is on the sweeter side, with just the right amount of salt, pepper, savory and smoky flavors. Perfect on your favorite barbecue foods, from chicken to pork to beef!

All Purpose Barbecue Rub

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Yields about 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown sugar


• 1/4 cup Noble Saltworks Maple Smoked Turbinado Sugar


• 2 tbsp Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Flaked Salt


• 1 tbsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt


• 4 tsp fresh ground black pepper


• 4 tsp smoked paprika


• 4 tsp onion powder


• 4 tsp garlic powder


• 2 tsp ground mustard


• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

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Instructions

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Use to season you favorite barbecue meats. Works well on chicken, pork or beef.

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Chef Tom shares the Tips & Techniques required to make your very own Italian Sausage from scratch at home, then grills the Italian Sausages on the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for that wood fired flavor!

Italian Sausage

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Ingredients

• 3 lb Boston Butt Pork Shoulder


• 6 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning


• 3 tbsp roasted garlic, minced (recipe video here)


• 1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon red wine

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Instructions

Slice the pork into 1” thick strips. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes, along with the grinder components.

Assemble the grinder on the Ankarsrum base.

Using a 6 mm die, grind all of the pork.

Take half of the pork and place it in the refrigerator. Mix the Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning and roasted garlic into the remaining half. Grind the seasoned pork a second time.

Place the unseasoned once ground pork and the twice ground seasoned pork in the bowl of the Ankarsrum mixer. Add the red wine, as well.

Using the single wire whip (or paddle attachment of stand mixer), whip the meat over high speed until it becomes tacky and holds together, about one minute. This creates the “primary bind” and is essential in creating the sausage texture.

Package and refrigerate or freeze the sausage according to your needs.

You might also enjoy: Italian Roast Pork Shoulder

If stuffing the bulk sausage into links, prepare your natural hog casings (32mm-35mm). Soak the casings in warm water for at least 30 minutes. Discard the water and rinse the casings, inside and out.

Fill the sausage stuffer with the sausage, pressing out any air pockets.

Place the casings on the horn of the sausage stuffer.

Push the sausage to the end of the horn. Tie off the end of the sausage casing. Being to fill the casing, taking care to not overstuff, as this can cause a blowout. When all of the sausage is cased, tie off the last casing.

If preparing links, use the “pinch-pinch-twist” method (demonstrated in the video). Pinch the sausage at the desired link length, then pinch again at the end of the next link and twist the link formed in the middle. Repeat this to the end of the sausage rope. You should be twisting in the same direction every time.

Alternatively, you can simply leave the entire sausage in a coil, if you plan to cook it all at the same time.

A three pound batch of Italian Sausage with yield about 9 (1/3 lb) sausage servings.

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We all want to care for our cast iron as best we can. In this video, Chef Tom walks you through the Tips & Techniques required to keep your Yoder Smokers Reversible Cast Iron Griddle looking pretty and cooking perfect!



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Tips & Techniques

• Rinse the griddle under very hot water.


• Use a Lodge Pan Scraper to remove cooked on food.


• Wipe dry with a cloth towel.


• Use mild dish soap sparingly, if needed.


• Warm the griddle in the grill or oven at 350ºF until warm, but not smoking hot. Add a small amount of vegetable oil, or Lodge Seasoning Oil to the griddle and wipe/work into the cast iron with a cloth towel.


• Store the griddle in a dry place.

 

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Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is a handy little condiment to have in your repertoire. You can put it on everything from burgers to salad to pizza. Some people even like it on a steak. Who are we to judge?

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sour cream


• 1/2 cup buttermilk


• 1/2 cup mayonnaise


• 1/4 cup parsley, minced


• 1 tbsp fresh chives, minced


• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced


• 1 tsp lemon juice


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt


• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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Chef Britt shows you how to make bacon fat flour tortillas by hand, without having to knead for long periods of time. This is a great utilization for any rendered fat you've been saving! And after you learn this recipe, you'll never want a store-bought tortilla ever again.

Bacon Fat Tortillas 

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Yields approximately 20 fajita-sized tortillas, 10 burrito-sized tortillas, or 30 small taco tortillas

Ingredients

• 600 grams (about 4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour


• 350 grams (about 1 1/2 cups) warm water


• 10 grams (about 1 tablespoon) Jacobsen Pure Kosher Sea Salt


• 113 grams (1/2 cup) melted bacon fat, duck fat, lard, or rendered animal fat of your choice

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Instructions

• Melt your fat in warm water. Combine liquids with flour and salt in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or spoon until no dry patches are present. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.


• After that initial ten minutes, give it a few kneads until it is slightly smoother in appearance. Let rest covered for another ten minutes and knead a few times again until pillowy and smooth in texture. (It shouldn't take long at all.)


• Cover one more time and let rest for at least 30 minutes before scaling into 50-gram portions. As an option, you can keep them covered and resting at room temperature for much longer if you prefer.


• Round out your dough portions and allow to bench rest for 15 minutes, covered. Use this downtime to preheat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Surface temperature should read about 350°F-400°F.


• Using a rolling pin and a well-floured surface, roll out your dough balls to your preferred thickness, but thinner is often preferred, about 1/8" thick or less.


• Dust off any excess flour from the tortilla using a pastry brush and immediately cook on the hot, dry cast-iron skillet.


• These should cook up relatively fast, with some characteristic air pockets that balloon after 20-30 seconds have elapsed. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side. From here they are ready to serve, or to be held for further use.

**Recipe Notes**

This recipe utilizes the theory of autolyze: a process where the dough is allowed to rest after the initial mixing to encourage hydration of the flour, which will in turn naturally release enzymes and develop the gluten bonds to form without any unnecessary kneading.

For burrito-sized tortillas, portion out 100-gram dough balls. For street taco-sized, portion 35-gram dough balls.


 

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There are a number of ways to make Roasted Garlic. Today, Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill and shares three techniques for roasting garlic on the grill, including how to make garlic confit.

Three Ways to Roast Garlic

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Roasted Whole Head of Garlic:

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 300ºF, set up for indirect grilling. Slice the pointed end (opposite the root) off, exposing the ends of the cloves of garlic, but keeping the head of garlic in tact.

Place the head of garlic on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in the foil.

Place the foil wrapped garlic on the grill and cook until tender, about 40 minutes.

Roasted Cloves of Garlic:

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 300ºF, set up for indirect grilling. Divide the head of garlic into individual cloves, but leave wrapped in their skins.

Place the cloves of garlic on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in the foil.

Place the foil wrapped garlic on the grill and cook until tender, about 30 minutes.

Garlic Confit:

Place 2 dozen cloves of peeled garlic in a Lodge 8" Cast Iron Skillet. Cover with olive oil (about 1 1/2 cups).

Cover the skillet with a lid and place on the grill at 300ºF.

Cook until the cloves of garlic are tender, but not browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the grill.

Strain the garlic from the oil. Reserve the oil. Store the garlic and oil separately in the refrigerator for up to a week.