Wings! Wings! Wings! (part 2)

Growth and popularity of Chicken Wings

The city of Buffalo officially declared July 29, 1977, to be Chicken Wing Day.

Buffalo wings have become a popular bar food and appetizer across the United States and Canada. Large franchises specializing in Buffalo wings have emerged, notably Buffalo Wild Wings founded in 1982. As the market got larger, restaurants began to use a variety of sauces in addition to buffalo sauce. These sauces generally take influences from Chinese, Japanese, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines. Because of the mess caused by eating Buffalo wings, it is now common for restaurants to offer boneless wings that can be eaten with a fork. These are essentially chicken nuggets coated or spun in sauce. Many American-style restaurants in other countries will offer Buffalo chicken wings on their menus, especially if they also function as a bar.

Buffalo wings are used in competitive eating events, such as Philadelphia's Wing Bowl and at the National Buffalo Wing Festival. It has also become commonplace for restaurants to offer a contest featuring a customer eating a certain number of wings, coated in their hottest sauce. Many bars and restaurants intentionally create an extra-hot sauce for this purpose, and customers are usually rewarded with a picture on the wall or free meal.

On television

The first mention of Buffalo wings on national television may have been on NBC's Today show in the 1980s. The dish gained prominence nationally after the Buffalo Bills' four consecutive appearances in the Super Bowl from 1991-1994 focused considerable media attention to the area for an extended period of time, giving Buffalo cuisine significant nationwide exposure. Clips showing cooks preparing the dish continues to be featured on nationally televised sporting events involving the Buffalo Bills and to a lesser extent the Buffalo Sabres. The Toronto performer MC Abdominal recently composed a ballad to the history of the chicken wing.

Variations

The appellation "Buffalo" is also now commonly applied to foods other than wings, including chicken fingers, chicken fries, chicken nuggets, popcorn chicken, shrimp, and pizza that are seasoned with the Buffalo-style sauce or variations of it.

The flavor of Buffalo wings is replicated by a number of dishes. A common variation on the "buffalo" sauce flavor is found in potato chips produced by a number of different companies. Many of these "Buffalo Chips" also incorporate a blue cheese flavoring to simulate the complete Buffalo wing experience.

Today, there are many flavors of prepared wings (wingettes and drumettes) available, besides the original hot Buffalo style. Flavors include barbecue, lemon pepper, pepper Parmesan, garlic, sweet-and-sour, and honey mustard. Since the first introduction, restaurants have introduced hundreds of different flavors of chicken wings.

More Wing Recipes

Honey Bbq Wings

       Sauce:
1 1/4 c ketchup
1/3 c white vinegar
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c honey
1 t liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 t salt
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t chili powder
      other:
6 c vegetable oil,up to 8
20 chicken wing pieces
1 egg,beaten
1 c milk
2 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t salt
3/4 t pepper
3/4 t MSG

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until ingredients are well-combined and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
As sauce is simmering, heat up 6 to 8 cups of oil in a deep fryer set to 350 degrees.

Combine the beaten egg with the milk in a small bowl.

In another small bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper and MSG.

When oil is hot, dip each wing first in the flour mixture, then into the milk and egg mixture, and back into the flour. Arrange wings on a plate until each one is breaded.

Fry the wings in the oil for 9-12 minutes or until light, golden brown. If you have a small fryer, you may wish to fry 10 of the wings at a time. Drain on paper towels or a rack.

When the sauce is done, brush the entire surface of each wing with a light coating of sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 2-4 servings (20 wings).


Sweet and Sour Wings

 12 chicken wings, tips removed
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 cup sugar
Cut each chicken wing in half. In large sauce pan, place chicken wings; add water to cover. Cover, simmer 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup broth. In plastic bag, combine cornstarch and garlic salt. Dip chicken wings in egg; shake in bag to coat. In large skillet, brown coated chicken wings in oil; drain. In small bowl, combine sugar, reserved 1/2 cup chicken broth, ketchup and vinegar. Heat oven to 375o F. Place chicken wings in ungreased 13 x 9” pan; pour sauce over chicken. bake at 375o F. for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated, basting once. Makes 24 chicken wings.

 . . . a pile of wings

   Whisk in a bowl:
11/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mustard
2 tspn sambal oelek
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup kecap manis
30–40 chicken wings

Prepare by cutting off tips (and discarding) and then cutting in half at joint.Toss in marinade and refrigerate overnight, mixing a few times. Next day, cook on an oiled BBQ plate, brushing generously with marinade as you do so.

Kookaburra Wings

10 chicken wing drumettes,
48 oz Shortening,or 6-10 cups oil
   Wing coating:
2 T all-purpose flour
1 T kraft macaroni & cheese cheddar,cheese topping
  or 1 T molly mcbutter cheese
   sprinkles:
1 1/4 t salt
1 t chili powder
3/4 t black pepper,Ground
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/8 t cumin,Ground
dash clove,Ground
2 T crystal louisiana hot sauce
1 t water
   On the side:
bleu cheese dressing
celery sticks

Preheat 48 ounces of shortening (1 large can), or 6 to 10 cups of vegetable oil (use the amount required by your fryer), to 350 degrees.

Make the spiced breading for your wings by combining the wing coating ingredients (flour through clove) in a medium bowl. Stir well.  Dip each wing, one at a time into the breading. Give each one a light coating of the stuff. Arrange the breaded wings on a plate and let them sit uncovered in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.  When the oil is hot, lower the wings into it. Fry for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the wings are brown. While the wings are frying, mix the hot sauce and water together in a small bowl.  When the wings are done, drain them for a moment on paper towels or a rack. Drop the hot wings into a large plastic container with a lid. Pour the sauce over the wings. Cover the container and shake it to coat the wings with sauce.  Use tongs to remove the wings from the container. Arrange them on a plate with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Wings! Wings! Wings!

A Buffalo wing, Buffalo chicken wing, hot wing, or wing, in the cuisine of the United States, is a chicken wing section (wingette or drumette) that is generally deep-fried, unbreaded, and coated in vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter in the kitchen.

 

They are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and/or carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Cayenne pepper hot sauce and melted butter or margarine are the basis of the sauce, which may be mild, medium, or hot. Typically, the wings are deep-fried in oil (although they are sometimes grilled or baked) until they are well browned. They are then drained, mixed with sauce, and shaken to coat the wings.

 

There are several different claims about how Buffalo wings were created.

One of the more prevalent claims is that Buffalo wings were first prepared at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, by Teressa Bellissimo. who owned the bar along with her husband Frank. Several versions of the story have been circulated by the Bellissimo family and others:

1. Upon the unannounced, late-night arrival of their son, Dominic, with several of his friends from college, Teressa needed a fast and easy snack to present to her hungry guests. It was then that she came up with the idea of deep frying chicken wings (normally thrown away or reserved for stock) and tossing them in cayenne hot sauce.
2. Dominic Bellissimo (Frank and Teressa's son) told The New Yorker reporter Calvin Trillin in 1980: "It was Friday night in the bar and since people were buying a lot of drinks he wanted to do something nice for them at midnight when the mostly Catholic patrons would be able to eat meat again." He stated that it was his mother, Teressa, who came up with the idea of chicken wings.
3. There was mis-delivery of wings instead of backs and necks for making the bar's spaghetti sauce. Faced with this unexpected resource, Frank Bellissimo says that he asked Teressa to do something with them.

However, a long article about the Anchor Bar in a local newspaper in 1969 does not mention Buffalo wings.

Another claim is that a man named John Young served chicken wings in a special "mambo sauce" at his Buffalo restaurant in the mid-1960s. His wings were breaded. Young had registered the name of his restaurant, John Young's Wings 'n Things, at the county courthouse before leaving Buffalo in 1970.

Marketing materials for Frank's RedHot claim that it was the hot sauce used in the Bellissimos' original recipe.

 

 

Hot "Buffalo" Wings

Recipe #1

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce
dash ground pepper
dash garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teas. paprika
1/4 teas. cayenne pepper
1/4 teas. salt
10 chicken wing pieces
vegetable oil for frying

 

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375. You want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely; an inch or so deep at least.

Combine the butter, hot sauce, ground pepper, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well-blended.

Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne powder, and salt in a small bowl. If the wings are frozen, be sure to defrost and dry them. Put the wings in a large bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over them, coating each wing evenly. Put the wings in the refrigerator 60-90 minutes. This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.

 

Put all the wings in the hot oil and fry 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown. Remove from the oil to a paper towel to drain. Don't let them sit too long, because you want to serve them hot. Quickly put the wings in a large bowl. Add the hot sauce and stir, coating all of the wings evenly.

 

Recipe #2

1 c all-purpose flour
2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika
1 egg
1 c milk
2 chicken breast fillets
4 c vegetable oil,up to 6
1/4 c Crystal (or Frank's Louisiana) hot sauce
1 T margarine

Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a medium bowl.

In another small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.

 

Slice each chicken breast into 6 pieces. Preheat 4-6 cups of vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.

 

One or two at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the breading blend; then repeat the process so that each piece of chicken is double-coated.

 

When all chicken pieces have been breaded, arrange them on a plate and chill for 15 minutes.

 

When the chicken is done resting, drop each piece into the hot oil and fry for 5-6 minutes or until each piece is browned.

 

As chicken fries, combine the hot sauce and margarine in a small bowl. Microwave sauce for 20-30 seconds or just until the margarine is melted, then stir to combine. You can also use a small saucepan for this step. Just combine the hot sauce and margarine in the saucepan over low heat and stir until margarine is melted and ingredients are blended.

 

When chicken pieces are done frying, remove them to a plate lined with a couple paper towels.

 

Place the chicken pieces into a covered container such as a large jar with a lid. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the container, cover, and then shake gently until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce. Pour the chicken onto a plate and serve the dish with bleu cheese dressing and sliced celery on the side. Serves 2- 4 as an appetizer.

 

Recipe #3

2 lbs. chicken wings (disjointed - discard the tips)
1/4 Lb. Margarine (do not use butter!)
8 Oz. "Frank's" Hot Sauce (also labeled as
Durkee Hot Sauce. NO SUBSTITUTIONS!!!)
Oil for frying

Melt margarine in sauce pan until barely liquid. Add hot sauce, mix, and put aside.
Deep fry wings until brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Put wings in a large bowl that has a cover. Pour sauce over all, cover, and shake to coat the wings. Serve with celery sticks and Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Dressing. Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your desire.

 

Barbecuing, Beer, and the Fourth of July.

The following originally appeared on the Dances with Dogs blog. Republished with permission of the author.

It should be noted that Freedom, Sarah, and Macky Rae (who have dialog) are actually his three little dogs. Apparently, not only do they talk, the assist in writting the blog.

With Independence Day (the 4th of July) coming up, I thought I would do a blog entry on one of the traditional rituals of the holiday: Barbecuing!

I ♥ BBQ

Barbecuing is a great pastime. It is a word-wide phenomena, a universal commonality that transcends borders and oceans, ethnicity, religion beliefs, and social status. Most cultures have some form of barbecuing tradition, stemming from the fact that before kitchens and stoves, everyone cooked with fire.

Traditionally, barbecuing has been considered a "man's activity." Even when cooking was considered "woman's work," it was the man who was responsible for the barbecue (although side dishes were usually the responsibility of the woman). But as our culture becomes more enlightened, the number of barbecuing women is increasing. Having participating in the activity frequently, I can assure you a penis is not required for barbecuing, and that having a vagina in no way impairs one's ability to barbecue.

Fire was discovered 125,000 years ago by Ogg "Sparky" O'Brien.

An hour later ,a few friends dropped by with a pig, and barbecuing was invented.

Barbecuing is a great pastime. It is a word-wide phenomena, a universal commonality that transcends borders and oceans, ethnicity, religion beliefs, and social status. Most cultures have some form of barbecuing tradition, stemming from the fact that before kitchens and stoves, everyone cooked with fire.

The word barbecue derives from the word barabicu, a Caribbean word  translated as "sacred fire pit." The word describes a grill for cooking meat, consisting of a wooden platform resting on sticks.

Traditional barbacoa involves digging a hole in the ground and placing some meat (usually a whole goat) with a pot underneath it, so that the juices can make a hearty broth. It is then covered with maguey leaves and coal and set alight. The cooking process takes a few hours.

The definition of barbecue vary The bylaws of the American Brotherhood of the Barbecue loosely define "barbecue," the primary requirements being:

• outdoors (covered patios are acceptable)
• a grill (or a fire pit); and
• a dead animal.

The preferred "dead animal" varies from culture to culture. In the U.S. the top choices are cow, pig, and chicken.

Muslim nations do not barbecue pig, but sheep and goat are common. Vietnam has an annual rat barbecue. The most bizarre (IMHO) is tribes in South America that roast tarantula on an open fire.

In New England, Clam-Bakes are popular. Some purists argue that a "clam-bake" is not barbecuing. But in that it fulfills the outdoors/fire/dead animal requirement, the Brotherhood acknowledge (reluctantly) that clam-baking is a form of barbecuing - much the same way that the Armed Forces acknowledges (reluctantly) the Coast Guard as a part of the military.

The term buccaneer derives from the

Caribbean Arawak word buccan, a

wooden frame for smoking meat,

preferably manatee. From this derived

the French word boucane and hence

the name boucanier for French hunters

who used such frames to smoke meat

from feral cattle and pigs on Hispaniola

(now Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

 English colonists anglicised the word

boucanier to buccaneer.

---

Barbecuers of the Caribbean: About 1630, some Frenchmen who were driven away from the island of Hispaniola fled to nearby Tortuga. The Spaniards tried to drive them out of Tortuga, but the buccaneers were joined by many other French, Dutch and English and turned to piracy against Spanish shipping, generally using small craft to attack galleons in the vicinity of the Windward Passage. Finally they became so strong that they even sailed to the mainland of Spanish America and sacked cities.

English settlers occupying Jamaica began to spread the name buccaneers with the meaning of pirates. The name became universally adopted later in 1684 when the first English translation of Alexandre Exquemelin's book The Buccaneers of America was published.

---

Theodore J. Barnes

In all fairness, I must defend my Uncle. Granted, he provided a beer to a 13 year old, but it wasn't as if he was giving me whiskey.

He didn't give me hard alcohol until I was old enough. Sixteen.

I was initiated into the BBQ Brotherhood at the age of 13 by my Uncle, Theodore J Barnes, who decided it was time that I became a man, and that I needed to know manly things.

He introduced me to the paraphernalia of barbecuing (spatulas, tongs, etc.) and demonstrated their usage, explained how (and how not to) start a barbecue, and dissertated on the various edible animals, and the best way to prepare and barbecue them.

He presented me with my first apron, along with a baseball-style cap (Seattle Seahawks) and a pair of tongs. He looked me over, paused, then decided something wasn't quite right. After a moment of thought, he discovered what it was, reached into the cooler, and handed me a can of beer, proclaiming my appearance now to be perfect.

"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer."          ~ Frank Zappa

Beer is an integral part of barbecuing, as well as the Fourth, Americana, and World Civilization as a whole. In fact, some believe beer was the reason for civilization. A summary of the arguments goes like this:

The Fertile Crescent
(Cradle of Civilization)

---

  I ♥ Beer   

---

If you remember from school, civilization began some 10,000 years ago in the middle east when nomad tribes settled down and began farming. But there was an abundance of food available in these areas, and there would have been no motivation to become agricultural.

Why work, when food is readily available?

Some archaeologists believe that beer was the catalyst for civilization. To brew beer, one needs to settle (at least temporarily) in one place. Inventing agriculture allows the settlement to continue after naturally occurring food sources are (quickly) depleted - as well as creating more grain to brew more beer. Pottery is developed (storage for grain, and beer), animal husbandry (animals for barbecuing), architecture (storage buildings for grain, and beer), and so on. Before you know it, you have civilization.

---

Fire was discovered 125,000 years

ago, where as beer was only invented

10,000 years ago, which means that

for 115,000 mankind was forced to

barbecue without beer.

SARAH: So how does beer relate to the invention of a written language?

ME: I'm not sure.

MACKY: Maybe they invented writing to label beer cans.

SARAH: They didn't have aluminum cans back then.

FREEDOM: Beer bottles?

SARAH: The didn't have bottles, they had clay pots!

MACKY: So they invented it to label clay pots.

ME: Why did do that?

MACKY: So they would know which clay pot had regular beer, and which had light beer.

---

Fireworks are also a traditional part of the Independence Day celebration. We fondly remember from our childhoods not only the city's annual firework show, but our own personal show with sparklers and other legal fireworks purchased at the firework stand.

And for those of us with "Uncle Theos," the illegal stuff purchased on the Indian reservation.



[Independence Day] ought to be

solemnized with pomp and parade…
bonfires and illuminations (fireworks)...
   (Letter to Abigail Adams,1776)

I wonder what John Adams would have

thought if he knew how much fire

damage (and personal injuries) occur

due to the misuse of fireworks.

On behalf of us dogs, thank-you to

all the firefighters who have to deal

with all the stupidity every year.

Even as adults we enjoy the city's annual show, as well as memories of the Independence Day barbecue, beer, Uncle Theo's illegal pyrotechnics, that trip to the ER with 2nd and 3rd degree burns...

Alcohol and fireworks don't mix.

That is probably why personal fireworks are becoming illegal.

That, and the grass fires.

The very first celebration of Independence Day was in 1777, six years before Americans knew whether the new nation would survive the war; fireworks were a part of all festivities. In 1789, George Washington's inauguration was also accompanied by a fireworks display. This early fascination with their noise and color continues today.

Macky Rae, my youngest dog is confused by this. He understood patriotism, he just didn't understand the need to blow things up with fireworks in order to celebrate. And quite frankly neither do I.

But he does love barbecue!

Although not mentioned by the founding fathers, barbecuing has become a traditional part of celebrating the Fourth. Independence Day is one of the three "official" barbecuing days of summer recognized by the American Barbecuing Brotherhood (the other two being Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Speaking of the Revolution...

Independence Day marks the official signing of the Declaration of Independence which spelled out out grievances with Britain. The American Revolution was started on two things: Terrorism (the Boston Tea Party) and Armed Rebellion (Lexington and Concord), two acts that the United States will not tolerate today.

Viva La France!

And the armed rebellion would have been lost, except for one thing: we decided not to follow the rules of war.

In other words we cheated.

And even then, we probably still would have lost had the French not decided to come to our aid.

More colonist supported Britain than those who supported Independence. And the majority of colonist really didn't care one way or the other as they were more concerned with the day to day affairs of making a living - who actually would govern them was not a major concern.

And as for Taxation without representation: An offer was made to allow colonist to send representatives to Parliament. Due to the low population of the colonies compared to the high population of Great Britain, the few representatives that the colonies would be entitled to would have negligible impact. The rebels decided against accepting the offer, preferring armed rebellion.

---

 You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

          ~Erma Bombeck

---



Barbecuing during the summer is not restricted to these "official" days. The bylaws of the American Barbecuing Brotherhood allows for barbecuing on any day (summer or no), and calls for "sanctions" or members who fail to barbecue when an opportunity presents itself.



Last Independence Day, I  barbecued for me and my dogs. After going to the store for hamburgers and hotdogs, I began my preparations. I pulled the grill out of storage, loaded it with briquettes, doused them with starter fluid, and lit them ablaze The dogs watched with some interest as prepped my tools (tongs, spatulas, etc.) and, when the coals were ready, began cooking. The smell of cooking meat, smoke, and starter fluid permeated the air. As they finished cooking, I transferred the burgers and wieners to serving dishes, and it was then I noticed my canine trio heading across the street. "The food is almost ready" I hollered. "Where are you going?" "We got invited to the Johnsons' barbecue" Macky informed me. "Why? We're having our own barbecue. We got burgers and hotdogs."  "Yes, but the Johnsons are barbecuing a whole pig!"



The Orion Nebula, which Macky Rae

believes to be the residual smoke of an

intergalactic barbecue

In Where are the Aliens? I mentioned that Macky Rae enjoys science and science fiction. He believes that there is a race of dog-like aliens living on a planet around one (or both) of the dog stars. According to Macky, their primary form of recreation is barbecuing.

"Do they have beer?" I asked.

"Probably not, Dad."

"Why not?" 

"Dogs do not drink beer" he told me. "But they do have a football team." 

Have a Happy and safe 4th of July!!!

Dances with Dogs is the periodic humor blog of off-the-wall observations by a man and his three little dogs.

 

Jacks Old South Bbq Recipes

Jack's Old South Meat Marinade Recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts apple juice
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup orange juice
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt

Preparation

Heat and whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.


Jack's Old South Competition Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne -- (1 to 2)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper -- (1 to 2)

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl, mixing until the sugar and salt dissolve. Taste for seasoning, adding pepper as needed.

Transfer to a clean, sterile jar and refrigerate. This vinegar sauce will keep for several months.



Jack's Old South BBQ Rub

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

 

 

Jack's Old South Meat Marinade Recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts apple juice
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup orange juice
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt

Preparation

Heat and whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.



Jack's Old South Competition Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne -- (1 to 2)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper -- (1 to 2)

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl, mixing until the sugar and salt dissolve. Taste for seasoning, adding pepper as needed.
Transfer to a clean, sterile jar and refrigerate. This vinegar sauce will keep for several months.



Jack's Old South BBQ Rub

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

About the Author Lewis Theakson

Jacks Old South BBQ recipes are popular for a very good reason, they taste great! If you would like some more great tasting barbecue recipes, head over to Barbecue Party, for daily BBQ news, reviews, competition schedules, guides, delicious barbecue sauce recipes and much more.

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Barbecueing (part 1)

What is Barbecueing?

Barbecue (also barbeque, BBQ and barbie) is a cooking method and apparatus. In the United States, to grill is to cook meat relatively quickly using the direct heat imparted by a charcoal or propane fire, while barbecue is similar to baking and is a much slower method utilizing the indirect heat imparted by the smoke of a wood-fueled fire, often requiring an extended period of several hours.

While there is a vast degree of variation and overlap in terminology and method surrounding this form of cooking, the generally accepted difference between barbecue and grilling is in the cooking time and type of heat used: grilling is generally done "hot and fast" over direct heat from low-smoke fuels (with the flame contacting the meat itself), while barbecuing is usually done "low and slow" over indirect heat from high-smoke fuels (with the flame not contacting the meat directly).

The term as a noun can refer to the meat or to the cooking apparatus itself (the "barbecue grill" or simply "barbecue"). The term 'barbecued' is used as an adjective and refers to foods cooked by this method. The term is also used as a verb for the act of cooking food in this manner. Barbecuing is usually done in an outdoor environment by smoking the meat over wood or charcoal. Restaurant barbecue may be cooked in large brick or metal ovens specifically designed for that purpose. Although barbecue has become largely identified with Southern cooking in the United States, barbecuing has numerous regional variations in many parts of the world.

Entymology - orgins of the word "barbecue"

Most etymologists believe that barbecue derives from the word barabicu found in the language of the Taíno people of the Caribbean and the Timucua of Florida, and entered European languages in the form barbacoa. The word translates as "sacred fire pit". The word describes a grill for cooking meat, consisting of a wooden platform resting on sticks.

Traditional barbacoa involves digging a hole in the ground and placing some meat (usually a whole goat) with a pot underneath it, so that the juices can make a hearty broth. It is then covered with maguey leaves and coal and set alight. The cooking process takes a few hours. Olaudah Equiano, an African abolitionist, described this method of roasting alligators among the Mosquito People (Miskito people) on his journeys to Cabo Gracias a Dios in his narrative, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.

It has been suggested that both the word and cooking technique migrated out of the Caribbean and into other languages and cultures, with the word (barbacoa) moving from Caribbean dialects into Spanish, then Portuguese, French, and English. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the first recorded use of the word in the English language as a verb in 1661, in Edmund Hickeringill's Jamaca Viewed: "Some are slain, And their flesh forthwith Barbacu'd and eat." It also appears as a verb in the published writings of John Lederer, following his travels in the American southeast in 1672. The first known use of the word as a noun was in 1697 by the British buccaneer William Dampier. In his New Voyage Round the World, Dampier writes: And lay there all night, upon our Borbecu's, or frames of Sticks, raised about 3-foot (0.91 m) from the Ground.

Samuel Johnson's 1756 dictionary gave the following definitions:

• "To Barbecue – a term for dressing a whole hog" (attestation to Pope)
• "Barbecue – a hog dressed whole"

While the standard modern English spelling of the word is barbecue, local variations like barbeque and truncations such as bar-b-q or bbq may also be found. The spelling barbeque is given in Merriam-Webster and the Oxford English Dictionary as a variant.

In the southeastern United States, the word barbecue is used predominantly as a noun referring to roast pork, while in the southwestern states cuts of beef are often cooked.

Events and gatherings

The word barbecue is also used to refer to a social gathering where food is served, usually outdoors in the late afternoon or evening. In the southern United States, outdoor gatherings are not typically called "barbecues" unless barbecue itself will actually be on the menu, instead generally favoring the word "cookouts". The device used for cooking at a barbecue is commonly referred to as a "barbecue", "barbecue grill", or "grill". In North Carolina, however, "barbecue" is a noun primarily referring to the food and never used by native North Carolinians to describe the act of cooking or the device on which the meat is cooked.

• Often referred to as "The World Series of Barbecue", The American Royal Barbecue Contest is held each October in Kansas City, MO . This event comprises two distinct competitions held over the course of four days. The first contest is the Invitational Contest, with competing teams being required to obtain an invitation by winning other qualifying contests throughout the year. The second competition is an open contest that any team can compete in. This open contest is the largest championship barbecue competition in the world, with the 2007 event attracting 496 teams.
• The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is held annually in Memphis, Tennessee, during the Memphis in May festival. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the world's largest pork barbecue contest.

Other barbecue competitions are held in virtually every state in the United States during the warmer months, usually beginning in April and going through September. These events feature keen competitions between teams of cooks and are divided into separate competitions for the best pork, beef and poultry barbecue and for the best barbecue sauces.

To be continued...

Barbecue How To's and Two BBQ Recipes

Barbecue How To's and Two BBQ Recipes

Barbecuing is a widespread and honored tradition. Three out of four American families own a barbecue grill and use it, on average, four to five times per month. What better way is there to have fun with friends and family than to have a barbecue?

Before putting the meat on the barbecue it is a good idea to set it out of the refrigerator for about an hour to let it warm up. This will make the meat cook quicker and it will be juicier.

Food safety is an important issue so always be sure that you cook the meat thoroughly. Cut the meat in the thickest part to be sure that the juices are clear to be sure that it is completely cooked. Always be sure to keep utensils used to handle the raw meat separate from those you use to handle the cooked meat. Cross contamination of bacteria can be as dangerous as eating raw meat. You want your barbecue to be both fun and safe for everyone so always be careful.

Barbecued Spare Ribs are a classic American barbecue meal, made from pork. This version is cooked in the oven, not on a barbecue, and uses a barbecue sauce with a distinct Asian flavor, featuring soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic.

Remember to give your barbecue a good cleaning after each use. If you have a gas grill, you can turn the grill on for ten or fifteen minutes to allow it self clean. Charcoal grills need to be cleaned with soap and water using a stiff wire brush.

Here are a couple really good barbecue recipes you can try at your next barbecue

Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 thick rib pork chops, (1" to 1 1/4" thick is best)
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
Large pinch dried and crumbled rosemary
Large pinch dried and crumbled marjoram
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt and/or pepper to taste

Make several shallow cuts in each pork chop with a knife.

In a large bowl mix the breadcrumbs, herbs, butter, onion, garlic, and salt.

Stuff the mixture into the cuts you made.

Grill the pork chops at medium to high heat for ten minutes on each side side. To make sure the chops are evenly cooked they should be turned several times. Grill them for five minutes or so then turn them over and let that side cook for 5 minutes. Repeat this process two or three times or until the chops are grilled to your satisfaction.

Barbecued Spare Ribs

Here is a classic American barbecue with a twist. This version uses a barbecue sauce that has a distinct Asian flavor, featuring soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork spare ribs
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons hoisen sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoons sake
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Put the spare ribs in a large casserole dish in one layer.

Using a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour this mixture over the spare ribs being sure to completely coat the meat. Let this marinate overnight, baste occasionally unless the meat is completely covered.

Throw the ribs on the grill and let them cook to your satisfaction. Turn them several times during the process and baste them with the marinade sauce a few times.

About the Author David Slone

Be sure to check out the Barbecue Recipe Collection for delicious barbecue recipes. For more recipes you can use at home or publish on your own website, ezine, newsletter or blog visit Good Cook outdoor cooking and many other categories of recipes - http://www.goodcookrecipes.com/.

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