[responsive_youtube v=4uJ--GcsyoE]

Chef Britt brings home the bacon by showing you exactly how to cure and smoke pork belly entirely from scratch!

Smokehouse Bacon

---

Ingredients

For the cure (dry rub):

• 3 oz LEM Cure


• 28 oz Jacobsen Salt Co. Pure Kosher Sea Salt


• 17 oz Brown Sugar

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

• Using a scale, weigh the ingredients accordingly and mix together kosher salt, brown sugar, and LEM Cure thoroughly to make the cure mixture. The quantities specified in this recipe is enough to cure roughly 56 lbs of pork belly. Simply dividing each quantity in half will yield enough mixture to cure approximately 28 lbs of raw pork belly.


• Wash belly with warm water and dry. Pierce the fat (skin) side with the tip of a paring knife. This will allow the cure mixture to penetrate the pork faster. If the skin is present on your pork belly, leave it on for the entire process of curing and smoking.


• Using a scale, get the total weight of the pork belly. Then calculate 24 grams of the cure for each pound of belly you have. For instance: a 5 lb. belly will need 120 grams of cure.


• Rub the bellies with the cure mix, making sure to cover all areas. Stack the bellies skin-side down in covered plastic or stainless-steel non-reactive containers.


• Refrigerate the pork covered for 7-10 days to cure. Overhaul every other day by re-rubbing them with the liquid that is released from the curing process. Rotate as needed.


• Rinse the bellies in slightly warm water. Soak in fresh warm water for 30 minutes and blot dry. Place the bellies on a wire rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate them uncovered for 12-18 hours to air-dry and form a pellicle.


• Set your Yoder Smokers Ys640s Pellet Smoker to 200℉ and hot-smoke the bellies until they reach an internal temperature between 150-160℉. If skin is present on your pork belly, removing the skin should be done immediately after smoking.


• Allow the bellies to cool before slicing/cutting the slab as needed for grilling, sauteing, or baking.


• The bacon may be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for 2 months before use.

Carbonara is one of the easiest and tastiest dishes that can be quickly prepared for a perfect weeknight meal!







This Carbonara Bucatini recipe keeps it pretty simple, featuring our homemade smoked bacon, two of our favorite Italian cheeses and the thick and filling bucatini noodles. Whether you want to throw in some broccoli, asparagus or spinach right into the pasta, serve it with a salad on the side or just keep it simple, the results are tasty every time!



It all starts with Chef Britt's cured and smoked bacon. Traditionally Carbonara is made with guanciale or pancetta, both of which are cured cuts of pork from Italy. Bacon makes for a great substitution!



While spaghetti may be the most popular pasta for Carbonara, my personal favorite is Bucatini. Bucatini is a thicker pasta, similar in shape to spaghetti, but hollowed out in the center.



The eggs and cheeses create the sauce that Carbonara is known for. The eggs thicken the sauce, adding richness, while the cheeses define the flavor. You will typically find Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano or a combination of the two cheeses in Carbonara. We snuck in a Pecorino Tartufo with little bits of black truffle worked into the cheese to really bump up the flavor!



As the egg and cheese mixture combines with the bacon fat and is worked into the warm pasta it forms the sauce that coats the bucatini, creating the magic that is Carbonara!

Carbonara Bucatini

---

Ingredients

• 4 oz bacon lardons


• 8 oz bucatini pasta


• 2 tbsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt


• 1 1/2 oz pecorino tartufo (truffle)


• 1 1/2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano


• 2 eggs


• 1 egg yolk


• Black pepper


• 1/4-1/2 cup pasta water

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Place the bacon in a cold Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Beginning rendering the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the bacon is beginning to crisp, turn off the heat.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt. Add the bucatini pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente, about 7 minutes. The pasta should be cooked but still have some bite to it.

Remove the pasta from the water with tongs and transfer directly to the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with the bacon and bacon fat. Toss the pasta in the bacon fat to coat the noodles.

Combine the cheeses with the eggs and yolk and mix well with a fork. Season the mixture generously fresh ground black pepper.

You might also enjoy: Bacon & Asparagus Pasta Salad

Transfer the egg and cheese mixture to the pasta and toss to coat. Thin with reserved pasta water, as needed.

Taste the Carbonara Bucatini and adjust seasonings as needed.

[responsive_youtube v=S-0G241YWfE]

Chef Tom fires up the Kamado Joe for this smoked Pork Belly Banh Mi with scratch made pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro and jalapeños stuffed into a baguette spread with Sriracha mayo. Your taste buds will thank you!

Pork Belly Banh Mi

---

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork belly, skin off, sliced into 2” strips


• Dizzy Pig Pineapple Head


• Baguettes


• 1 cup cilantro leaves


• 1/2 cup cumcumber, sliced


• 1/2 cup jalapeño, sliced

For the marinade:

• 1 cup Kim’s Asian BBQ Sauce


• 1/2 cup soy sauce


• 1/4 cup fish sauce


• Juice of 1 lime

For the Pickled Carrot & Daikon: (12 servings)

• 4 oz carrots, peeled, julienned


• 4 oz daikon, peeled, julienned


• 2/3 cup warm water


• 2/3 cup rice vinegar


• 2 tbsp sugar


• 2 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt

For the Sriracha Mayo:

• 1/2 cup Kewpie Mayonaisse


• 1 tbsp Sriracha

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

To make the marinade, combine the Kim’s Asian BBQ Sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice and whisk well to combine. Place the pork belly in a large zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the pork. Squeeze the air out of the bag and massage the marinade into the pork. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

To make the pickled carrot and daikon, whisk the salt and sugar into the warm water until dissolved. Add the rice vinegar. Pour the pickling liquid over the carrots and daikon, in a sealable container. Make sure the carrots and daikon are totally submerged. Cover. Refrigerate overnight before using.

Preheat your Kamado Joe Classic II to 300ºF, set up for smoking. Place a fist sized chunk of pecan wood on the coal bed.

Remove the pork from the marinade. Remove most excess marinade from the surface. Season with Dizzy Pig Pineapple Head. Transfer to the grill.

Smoker the pork belly strips until they reach an internal temperature of 200ºF, about 1.5- 2 hours. Remove from the grill and rest 10 minutes before slicing into 1/4”-1/2” strips.

Combine the ingredients for the Sriracha mayo and mix well.

To assemble the Pork Belly Banh Mi sandwiches, slice the baguette open horizontally, leaving the bun hinged (attached on one side). Spread the Sriracha mayo on the top and bottom buns. Cover the bottom bun with cilantro leaves. Lay out slices of cucumber on top of the cilantro. Lay out strips of pork belly over the cucumber. Top the pork with the sliced jalapeños and pickled carrots and daikon. Close the bun around the fillings.

[responsive_youtube v=t8jzXCxTOD0]

Chef Tom fires up the Kamado Joe Classic III Ceramic Grill for this charcoal and pecan wood smoked Carolina Pulled Pork, mopped in a vinegar and tomato based sauce, in the Lexington style.

Carolina Pulled Pork (Lexington Style)

---

Ingredients

• 10 lb Boston butt pork shoulder


• Killer Hogs TX Brisket BBQ Rub


• Plowboys BBQ Tarheel Tang

For the mop sauce:

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar


• 1/2 cup ketchup


• 1/4 cup brown sugar


• 4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt


• 2 tsp crushed red pepper

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Build a large charcoal base in the Kamado Joe Classic III. Stabilize the temperature at 300ºF, set up for smoking. Add two large chunks of pecan wood to the charcoal.

Trim the surface tissue (not meat) from the crevice of the pork butt. Rub a thin layer of Plowboys BBQ Tarheel Tang sauce on the surface of the pork. Season generously with Killer Hogs TX Brisket BBQ Rub.

Transfer the pork to the grill. Smoke for one hour before mopping.

To build the mop sauce, combine the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt and crushed red pepper in a quart sized mason jar. Place a lid on the jar and shake well. Reserve some of the sauce for saucing the pork after the cook, if desired.

Using a sauce mop, mop the pork every hour with the sauce, until the pork is tender enough to pull the blade bone out by hand. The internal temperature will be about 205ºF.

When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred by hand. Remove the fat cap and dice into small pieces and mix into the shredded pork.

Serve the Carolina Pulled Pork with Plowboys BBQ Tarheel Tang, or reserved mop sauce.

[responsive_youtube v=PCOdV3e4b8k]

Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for Chinese Barbecue Pork Char Siu. Smoky, sweet, salty & savory, this one checks all of the boxes!

Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu)

---

Ingredients

• 5 lb pork butt (or belly)


• Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub

For the marinade/glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups Kim’s Asian BBQ Sauce


• 1 cup Reida Farm Red Pepper Honey, DIVIDED


• 3/4 cup soy sauce


• 1/2 cup Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)


• 1/2 cup Fermented Red Bean Curd (tofu cubes & sauce)


• 2 tsp Chinese five spice


• 2 tsp fish sauce


• 1/4 cup garlic, minced


• 1/4 cup ginger, minced

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredients in the Vitamix Blender. Add only 3/4 cup of the Reida Farm Red Pepper Honey. Save the remaining 1/4 cup for later. Blend until smooth.

Reserve one cup of the marinade. Store in the refrigerator. Pour the remaining marinade into an 8 quart Briner Bucket.

Cut the pork into 3” thick strips and place in the Briner Bucket with the marinade. Let soak overnight.

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 350ºF, set up for indirect grilling.

Remove the pork from the marinade. Wipe off excess marinade from the surface of the pork.

Sesaon the pork on all sides with Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub.

Roast the pork on the second shelf of the grill for one hour.

After one hour, mix your one cup of reserved marinade with the remaining 1/4cup of Reida Farm Red Pepper Honey. Whisk well to combine. Using a silicon brush, baste the pork with the glaze.

You might also enjoy: Filipino BBQ Pork

Repeat the glazing every 30 minutes until the pork has reached an internal temperature of 195ºF (total cook time: about 2-2.5 hours).

Remove from the grill. Rest the Char Siu 15 minutes before slicing to serve.

When Tex-Mex meets the all-American backyard cookout what do you get? It's The Queso Dog!





The hot dog is a staple of the BBQ cookout, but often overlooked for its simplicity. Well, there’s more than one way to make a dog, and with the right ingredients you can a turn a boring ol’ hot dog into the most popular protein at the party!

The Queso Dog

---

Ingredients

• Hot links


• Holmes Made Marty’s Roasted Green Chile Salsa


• Kansas Flavor Bread & Butter Jalapeños


• Smoked Queso (recipe here)


• Fresh cilantro


• Hot dog buns

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Preheat your grill for high heat (450ºF) direct grilling.

Thread a skewer thought the center of the hot link. Using a paring knife, starting at one end of the hot link, slice down to the skewer at a 45º angle to the link. Continue cutting down the hot link, one long continuous cut, so that the cut spirals down the hot link until you reach the other end of the link. Remove the skewer.

Grill the hot link until browned on all sides. The spiral cut will allow the link to open up, creating more texture and crevices for the condiments to cling to the link.

Lay the fresh cilantro inside the hot dog bun. Place the hot link on the bed of cilantro. Top the dog with the smoked queso, Holmes Made Marty’s Roasted Green Chile Salsa and Kansas Flavor Bread & Butter Jalapeños.

You might also enjoy: Easy Smoked Queso

There is a reason why the classics are classics. Sometimes quality ingredients in familiar flavor combinations are exactly what you need! This is The Classic Hot Dog.





The hot dog is a staple of the BBQ cookout, but often overlooked for its simplicity. Well, there’s more than one way to make a dog, and with the right ingredients you can a turn a boring ol’ hot dog into the most popular protein at the party!

The Classic Hot Dog

---

Ingredients

• Hot dogs


• Kozlik’s Dijon Classique


• Holmes Made Dad’s Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles


• Diced yellow onion


• Hot dog buns

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Preheat your grill for high heat (450ºF) direct grilling.

Thread a skewer thought the center of the hot dog. Using a paring knife, starting at one end of the hot dog, slice down to the skewer at a 45º angle to the dog. Continue cutting down the hot dog, one long continuous cut, so that the cut spirals down the hot dog until you reach the other end of the dog. Remove the skewer.

Grill the hot dog until browned on all sides. The spiral cut will allow the dog to open up, creating more texture and crevices for the condiments to cling to the dog.

Spread one side of the hot dog bun with the Kozlik’s Dijon Classique. Place the hot link in the bun. Sandwich the Holmes Made Dad’s Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles slices between the hot dog and bun on the other side. Top the hot dog with the diced yellow onion.

You might also enjoy: The BBQ Dog

If your dog needs more sweet and spice, let us introduce you to The BBQ Dog.





The hot dog is a staple of the BBQ cookout, but often overlooked for its simplicity. Well, there's more than one way to make a dog, and with the right ingredients you can a turn a boring ol' hot dog into the most popular protein at the party!

The BBQ Dog

---

Ingredients

• Hot links


• Red onion, sliced into slabs


• Big Rick’s Chipotle Ketchup


• Kozlik’s Carolina BBQ Sauce


• Holmes Made Cowboy Candy Jalapeño Relish


• Hot dog buns

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Preheat your grill for high heat (450ºF) direct grilling.

Thread a skewer thought the center of the hot link. Using a paring knife, starting at one end of the hot dog, slice down to the skewer at a 45º angle to the dog. Continue cutting down the hot dog, one long continuous cut, so that the cut spirals down the hot dog until you reach the other end of the dog. Remove the skewer.

Grill the hot link until browned on all sides. The spiral cut will allow the dog to open up, creating more texture and crevices for the condiments to cling to the dog.

Grill the slabs of red onion until lightly charred and slightly softened.

Spread one side of the hot dog bun with the Big Rick’s Chipotle Ketchup and the other side with Kozlik’s Carolina BBQ Sauce. Place the hot link in the bun. Top the hot link with the grilled onion rings and Holmes Made Cowboy Candy Jalapeño Relish.

You might also enjoy: The Hawaiian Dog

Sweet, salty, savory and umami. The Hawaiian Dog has got flavor for days!





The hot dog is a staple of the BBQ cookout, but often overlooked for its simplicity. Well, there's more than one way to make a dog, and with the right ingredients you can a turn a boring ol' hot dog into the most popular protein at the party!

The Hawaiian Dog

---

Ingredients

• Hot dogs


• Fresh pineapple, diced


• Green onion


• Colonial Chile Crunch


• Hot dog buns

For the Luau Sauce:

• 4 parts mayonnaise


• 2 parts Kim’s Gourmet Bourbon-aki Sauce


• 1 part Sriracha

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Preheat your grill for high heat (450ºF) direct grilling.

Thread a skewer thought the center of the hot dog. Using a paring knife, starting at one end of the hot dog, slice down to the skewer at a 45º angle to the dog. Continue cutting down the hot dog, one long continuous cut, so that the cut spirals down the hot dog until you reach the other end of the dog. Remove the skewer.

To make the Luau Sauce, combine all ingredients and mix well.

Grill the hot dog until browned on all sides. The spiral cut will allow the dog to open up, creating more texture and crevices for the condiments to cling to the dog.

Place the hot dog in a bun. Top with the diced pineapple, green onion, Colonial Chile Crunch and Luau Sauce.

 

[responsive_youtube v=-imH2rFc680]

Chef Tom fires up the Clementi Wood Fired Oven and bakes an amazing Wood Fired Calzone, featuring scratch-made dough, mouth watering filling, cheese for days and a red sauce for dipping!

Wood Fired Calzone Recipe

---

Yields 3 large calzones, 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 batch pizza dough (recipe here)


• 1 lb Italian Sausage


• 12 oz baby spinach


• 1 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta


• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced


• 1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Tuscan Steak Seasoning


• 6 slices provolone cheese


• 1 cup low moisture mozzarella, grated

For the tomato sauce:

• 2 tbsp Olitalia I Dedicati Meat Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• 1 (28 oz) can Ciao Italian Tomatoes


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1/4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt

[display_magento_products]

Instructions

Divide the dough into three equal sized dough balls. Rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Build a fire in the Clementi Pulcinella Wood Fired Oven. Move the fire off to the left side of the deck. Add hickory wood to the fire to maintain a 450ºF temperature on the thermometer on the right side of the oven.

To make the tomato sauce, combine all ingredients in a Lodge 10” Cast Iron Skillet. Cook over low heat until reduced to desired consistency, about 20 minutes.

Brown the sausage in a Lodge 10” Cast Iron Skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and seared on the surface and the internal temperature surpasses 165ºF. Remove the sausage from the skillet, but leave behind the fat.

Place the baby spinach in the skillet with the sausage fat. Cook until wilted. Remove from the skillet.

Combine the ricotta, parsley and Cattleman’s Grill Tuscan Steak Seasoning in a bowl. Mix well.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12” wide circle.

Place 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture on one half of the dough. Leave a 1” border around the edge of the dough.

Top the ricotta with 1/3 of the cooked sausage and 1/3 of the cooked spinach. Then add two slices of provolone and 1/3 cup mozzarella.

Wet the border of the dough with a little water. Fold the naked half of the dough over the fillings. Press the dough together at the edge. Crimp and fold the dough over itself to enclose the fillings. Cut a few vents in the top of the calzone.

Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to produce 3 calzones.

You might also enjoy: Surf n Turf Pizza

Using a floured pizza peel, transfer the calzones to the right side of the wood fired oven (opposite the fire). Close the door on the oven and let cook until browned on the fire side, about 4 minutes. Spin the calzone 180º and continue cooking until the dough is fulled browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes total (these times are estimates and can vary depending on the grill/oven your are cooking in and the size and temperature of the fire/oven).

Serve the Wood Fired Calzone with the tomato sauce on the side, for dipping.