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Chef Tom fires up the Kamado Joe Classic II ceramic charcoal grill for these Tex-Mex Steak & Bacon Breakfast Tacos, and utilizes every inch of the Divide & Conquer System. From the direct grilled flank steak to the half moon griddled eggs and cheesy tortillas, these tacos are packed to the brim with tasty goodness!

Steak & Bacon Breakfast Tacos

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6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb flank steak


• 1/2 cup Sweetwater Spice Ancho Chipotle Brisket Bath


• 2 1/2 cups water


• Killer Hogs TX Brisket Rub


• 8 oz bacon, minced fine


• Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning


• 1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice


• 1/2 cup 505 Hatch Valley Flame Roasted Chiles


• Colonial Chile Infused Oil


• 6 eggs


• 6 flour tortillas


• 12 oz cheddar and/or jack cheese, grated


• Cotija or queso fresco cheese, for serving

For the crema:

• 1/2 cup sour cream


• 1 1/2 tsp Flavolcano Smoky Red Pepper Hot Sauce


• 1 1/2 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning

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Instructions

Place the flank steak in a plastic zip-top container and add the Sweetwater Spice Ancho Chipotle Brisket Bath and water. Squeeze the air out of the bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Let soak for 30-60 minutes.

Build a hot charcoal bed banked to one half of your Kamado Joe Classic II. Set up the grill for direct grilling, with a regular grate set on the lowest setting of the divide and conquer system, directly over the charcoal and a half moon cast iron griddle set on the highest setting of the divide and conquer system, on the opposite side. Stabilize the temperature around 450ºF. Place a Lodge 8” Cast Iron Skillet on the grill to preheat.

To make the crema, combine the sour cream Flavolcano Smoky Red Pepper Hot Sauce and Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning in a small container and mix well to combine.

Remove the flank steak from the marinade. Wipe off excess moisture from the surface. Season with Killer Hogs TX Brisket Rub.

Transfer the steak to the direct side of the grill. Grill until lightly charred on both sides and the internal temperature reaches 125º-130ºF in the center. Remove from the grill. Rest a few minutes before liking thin across the grain.

At the same time that you start grilling the steak, place the finely minced bacon in the cast iron skillet, cooking until browned and the fat is rendered out. When the bacon starts to brown, pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon grease. Add the diced onions and cook until the begin to appear translucent. Add the 505 Hatch Valley Flame Roasted Chiles and cook to warm though.

You might also enjoy: Chorizo Breakfast Burrito

On the half moon cast iron griddle, add some Colonial Chile Infused Oil to coat the surface. Crack an egg on the surface and cook sunny side up or over medium. Place a tortilla on the griddle next to the egg and top with a couple of ounces of cheese. While the egg cooks, add the toppings to the cheesy tortilla, starting with the bacon/onion/pepper mixture, then the thin sliced flank steak, the egg, cotija cheese and top it all off with the crema.

Repeat the process of cooking the eggs and assembling the breakfast tacos, one after another.

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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

 

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No summertime cookout is complete without some great barbecue side dishes. That's why Chef Tom is sharing his recipe for Bacon & Asparagus Pasta Salad, cooked over a bed of lump charcoal on the Yoder Smokers adjustable flat top charcoal grill!

Bacon & Asparagus Pasta Salad

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12 servings

Ingredients

• 8 oz steak cut bacon, diced


• 1 lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed


• 3 garlic scapes


• 2 oz (1/3 cup) feta cheese, crumbled


• Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning


• 12 oz orecchiette pasta


• 2 tbsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise


• 2 oz (1/3 cup) feta cheese, crumbled


• 2 tbsp Saica Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• 1 tbsp lemon juice


• 1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning


• 1 tsp Killer Hogs Hot Sauce


• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

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Instructions

Place a Weber Chimney Starter inside in the charcoal tray of your Yoder Smokers Charcoal Flat Top Grill. Fill the chimney with lump charcoal. Tightly ball up some paper and place under the charcoal. Light the paper with a torch or lighter. Let the charcoal burn all the way to the top before dumping. After dumping the charcoal, place the grill grate back in place.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender. Strain.

Place the diced bacon in a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Transfer to the grill. Cook until browned. Remove from the grill.

Place the asparagus in a shallow dish or foil pan. Pour a couple tablespoons of the bacon fat over the asparagus. Season with Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning and toss to coat.

Transfer the asparagus and garlic scapes to the grill. Cook until charred and tender. Remove from the grill. Dice the asparagus. Mince the garlic scapes.

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, brussels asparagus, bacon, garlic scapes, 2 oz feta and dressing. Toss well to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed. Serve the Bacon & Garlic Pasta Salad immediately or chill for later use.

Chef Tom walks us through how to make an Easy Smoked Queso, packed full of flavor with flame roasted hatch green chiles and chorizo!





The A-MAZE-N Tube Smoker is a great tool for adding extra smoke to a dish. Just fill with your favorite pellets, light it up and let it slowly burn back while your food is cooking.



Sautéed onions & browned chorizo in the skillet, then it's "everyone in the pool!"



Smoke away, stirring occasionally, until everything is melted!



 

Easy Smoked Queso

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Ingredients

• 1 lb chorizo


• 1 cup yellow onion, small dice


• 1 lb white American cheese, cubed 1”


• 8 oz pepper jack cheese, cubed 3/4”


• 2 cups half n half


• 1 cup 505 Hatch Valley Flame Roasted Green Chiles


• 2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning


• Pickled jalapeño, for garnish


• Flavolcano Smoky Red Pepper Sauce, for garnish


• Sour cream, for garnish


• Minced cilantro, for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 225ºF, set up for smoking. Fill an A-MAZE-N Tube Smokers with your choice of pellets. Place the smoke tube on the main cooking grate inside the grill. Light the pellets with a torch. Allow to burn for about 30 seconds. Blow out the flame and allow the pellets to burn back slowly, producing smoke.

Preheat a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet over high heat on an induction burner. Add the chorizo and diced onion and cook until the liquid is gone, the chorizo begins to brown and the onions are translucent.

Add to the skillet the American cheese, pepper jack cheese, half & half, 505 Hatch Valley Flame Roasted Green Chiles and Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning. Stir gently to disperse the ingredients.

You might also enjoy: Chorizo Breakfast Burrito

Transfer the skillet to the second shelf of the grill. Smoke the queso, stirring every 20 minutes, until all of the cheese is melted and the internal temperature passes 165ºF, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Serve the Smoked Queso topped with sour cream, pickled jalapeños, minced cilantro and Flavolcano Smoky Red Pepper Sauce.