The Top Eleven Tips For the Best Barbecue Ribs You’ve Ever Had!
By TC McRae
When I think of great barbecue ribs I’m thinking of “real” smoked barbecue. “Real” being the kind of ribs that have been rubbed down with spice and spent 3 or 4 hours on the smoker. You know… the kind that have that smoky flavor and almost “fall off the bone” tenderness.
Most backyard cooks have trouble achieving that kind of perfection because they just don’t know the proper cooking tips for getting great results. By following the tips below the backyard cook can be the hit of the barbecue event and become the legend of the barbecue season.
For great ribs we assume that you are going to go the extra mile and cook them in a smoker. The best barbecue ribs are cooked over charcoal or wood…sorry gas grill aficionados but gas can’t compare. Now keep in mind that a smoker can take many forms and it does not have to be elaborate to get the job done.
The main point is that to smoke you don’t want to put the ribs over direct heat where the temperature is too hot. A good smoke temperature is between 225 and 250 degrees.
To get started let’s begin with preparation of the ribs:
1) Clean the ribs thoroughly and pat dry. Remove the “fell”….that thin membrane on the underside of the rib (concave side). Pry up a corner and take a paper towel to grab the edge and pull.
It pulls right off 90% of the time. If it doesn’t just grab another corner and pull.
2) Sprinkle the ribs with your favorite rub and cover the entire surface of the ribs, top and bottom.
3) Wrap the spice rubbed ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours but preferably overnight.
4) After marination let the ribs come to room temperature before putting them on the smoker.
5) Prepare your smoker by lighting the charcoal and letting the smoker temperature come to about 225 degrees. If you have a kettle or some other direct grill just be sure to arrange the coals so that cooking is indirect instead of direct.
6) You are going to need some wood chips or chunks for the smoke so be sure to soak them in water for about an hour before using.
7) Put the ribs on the smoker bone side down. Add a couple of wood chunks to the fire to get the smoke going.
Cook the ribs over the charcoal for about 2 hours and then wrap them in foil. Add a little apple juice to the foil and close. Don’t wrap them too tightly.
9) Cook for about another hour to an hour and a half. You can tell when they are close to being done when the meat starts to pull away from the bone.
10) If you like to sauce your ribs when they’re cooking don’t brush the sauce on until the last 15-20 minutes. Take them out of the foil, brush on the sauce, and place back on the smoker to let them glaze over.
11) When done remove them from the smoker and let them rest for 15 minutes. Slice the ribs along the bone into separate ribs pieces and serve.
If you would like to read more detail on how to cook great smoked barbeque ribs and other tips, techniques, and recommendations on barbecue cooking click here for the best “Q” resource on the net.
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Cooking For a Healthy Heart
We all know that heart problems are one of the most common ailments ailing modern man and that a majority of people today suffer from one or another kind of heart problem. However, do you know that heart diseases are the number one cause of deaths in the United States with more than a million people dying of coronary and cardiovascular diseases every year? Another startling fact is that more than a third of these deaths would not have occurred if people had incorporated required changes in their lifestyles and diets. Making food choices that keep your heart healthy is not just a necessity for people who are already suffering from heart problems but for healthy individuals who want to avoid getting a heart disease in the future. Incorporating simple changes in your eating and cooking habits can make a large amount of difference to the health of your heart and help you in avoiding heart problems. Follow our tips below if you want to keep yourself and your family heart healthy for life.
Change Your Cooking Medium: An unhealthy cooking medium is one of the most important causes of clogged arteries and heart problems. For making your food healthier, banish all kinds of animal fat and switch to using vegetable oils for all your cooking needs. Instead of choosing just any cooking oil, go for olive and seed oils since they are known to be heart friendly.
Get Vegetable Friendly: Food products from animals generally have high cholesterol levels and therefore if your meal consists mainly of meats, milk, eggs, cream, butter and poultry, then it is high time that you incorporated a variety of vegetables in your diet. Make it a point to serve at least one portion of vegetables with every portion of meat or poultry and you will balance the bad effects of your high cholesterol diet instantly. You can do this by making salads, stir fries and steamed veggies a part of all your menus. They are easy and fast to make and are tasty enough to be consumed by even hardcore non- vegetarians without too much of a fuss.
Lower Your Salt And Sugar Intake: Sodium from salt in foods, specially fried and packaged snacks is a major cause of high blood pressure. Therefore, try to cook with the minimum possible amount of salt and substitute packed snacks for home made ones. While sugar does not directly cause any heart problems, it causes obesity which is another major reason contributing to all kinds of heart diseases. Start making desserts that constitute mostly of fruits and have a low fat and sugar content. Fruit salads, sorbets, low fat fruit yoghurt and raw fruit served with dips are great dessert ideas that are easy to make and healthy to boot.
Switch To Low Fat “Everything”: Even salads can prove to be unhealthy for your heart if they are laced with cholesterol laden cream dressings. Apart from making a conscious effort to buy low fat milk and animal products for cooking, you should also do away with fat and cream products. Go for non-cream dressings for your home made salads and try to substitute non-cream gravies and dressings for cream ones in pasta and non-vegetarian dishes.
Cooking wholesome, healthy meals need not be time consuming and difficult. Try some of Lisa’s easy to follow crock pot recipes which are made from scratch. You can prepare something like her apricot ginger chicken crock pot recipe in minutes in the morning and enjoy a full meal at evening with no more work.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Paterson
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Emeril Green Recipes- Chicken Cordon Bleu
How Long do you Cook Chicken Legs on the Grill
A frequently asked question amongst home cooks and barbeque enthusiasts is: 
how long do you cook chicken legs on the grill?
It really isn’t possible to give an exact answer to this question as it really depends on the type of grill you are using, the grilling method and how big the chicken legs are.
It really is an excellent idea to invest in a good quality cooking thermometer. I personally own a voice alert electronic thermometer. It really is a fantastic little cooking gadget and I would be lost without it. It is extremely accurate and eliminates all guessing, and guessing is not an option when cooking meat, especially chicken.
Methods to Cook Chicken Legs on the Grill
Boil the Chicken Legs First
The goal with boiling the chicken first is so that it is cooked all the way through before it even goes on the grill. This eliminates the risk of food born illnesses and also cuts down the grilling time significantly. The downside to this method is a serious lack of flavor. Since you will be cooking the meat on the grill for a much shorter period of time, the meat will not have a chance to pick up that delicious grilled flavor.
Marinate Then Grill:
Marinating your chicken legs first is always a good idea. Not only does it impart an excellent flavor, but it also keeps the meat moist during the cooking process. For the best results, marinate the chicken over night. Below is an excellent marinade that I use often and it is quite versatile. It works well with seafood also.
CITRUS HERB MARINADE
INGREDIENTS
4 Chicken Legs
1/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
1/3 Cup of Freshly Chopped Parsley
1/3 Cup Freshly Chopped Cilantro
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon of Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the chicken legs. Add chicken to the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours, over night if possible.
Let’s Get Grilling
I have found that the best method for cooking chicken legs on the grill is to first sear the meat and then finish the cooking process over indirect heat. The result is a nice moist chicken leg with a delightfully crispy skin.
Step 1: Remove chicken from marinade and rinse. This will remove any ingredients from the marinade that are stuck to the chicken. If left on, this can burn. Coat the chicken with some oil to prevent it from sticking to the grill.
Step 2: Clean the grill. The best method for cleaning a grill is to turn the grill up high and allow the heat to burn off any grease and grime. Use your grill brush to scrape the grates clean. For charcoal grills, just light up the charcoal and allow the fire to heat up the grates and scrape the grates clean.
Step 3: Heat the Grill. We are going to set up our grill for a searing/indirect cooking method. For gas grills, this is pretty easy. All you do is turn one burner up high and leave the other off. For charcoal grills, it is a little more involved, but not rocket science. All you do once your charcoal is ready, is push all of your charcoal over to one side leaving half of the grill without charcoal. The side with charcoal is for searing and the other side is for the indirect cooking.
Step 4: Begin Cooking. Once your grill is good and hot, go ahead and put your chicken legs on the hot part of the grill and sear on all sides. Only sear your legs for a few minutes per side. You are looking for a nice sear, so avoid burning the skin. After you sear them, go ahead and move them on over to the cool side of the grill and cover.
Let them cook for a good 20 minutes and then get out your basting sauce. If you used the citrus herb marinade from above, try and find a thick basting sauce that compliments the citrus flavors . Baste the legs on all sides and then cover. After another 20 minutes or so, using your thermometer, go ahead and check for doneness. You are looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the legs are done, If they aren’t as crispy as you like, go ahead and put them on the hot side of the grill again for a few minutes before removing them from the grill.
Enjoy!
What is the Cooking Time for Meatloaf - How long do you cook meatloaf in the oven
So you are planning to make meatloaf for dinner tonight?
There is a question that I have received several times from ambitious home cooks:
What is the Cooking Time for Meatloaf? or How long do you cook meatloaf in the oven?
So I decided to dedicate an entire post that includes instructions along with delicious recipe that will answer the above question. I have also included a few videos that covers a few other methods for cooking meatloaf.
This is a very common question, but it really does depend on how many pounds your meatloaf is and the temperature at which you are cooking it.
Meatloaf, when prepared the right way, is a delicious dish. It should be firm, but juicy and should not break apart when you slice it.
In this post, I will provide you with a wonderful recipe and instructions for cooking the best meatloaf you will ever sink your teeth into.
Meatloaf is usually cooked two different ways: either in a bread pan or on a cookie sheet.
The bread will give you a juicer meatloaf and is much easier to prepare as the meat takes the shape of the bread pan.
The cookie sheet method will not be as juicy and you will have to put a little more effort into shaping the meatloaf and get your hands dirty.
I like to cook my meatloaf Italian Style. This is the way my Grandmother made it and she passed her recipe on to my Mother, and my Mother passed it on to me. It is by far the best meatloaf recipe in my opinion. It is much more flavorful then your basic meatloaf recipe.
SIMPLE ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups of prepared tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat a medium sized saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add your onion and garlic and saute until soft. Remove and set it aside on a plate to cool.
3. Grab yourself a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the cooled onions and garlic along with the the rest of your ingredients, except the tomato sauce, and combine. Mix together well with your hands and form into a loaf and add it to an oiled oven safe tray. Top the loaf with 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce. Make certain that you spread the tomato sauce evenly over the top of the loaf.
5. Bake for about 1 hour or when the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slice it up and serve.
Heat the remaining tomato sauce if desired and use for dipping.
Meatloaf Cooking Videos
Trader Joe’s Meatloaf - A Great Meatloaf Recipe
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