Thursday, May 31, 2012
Go Behind Americas Best BBQ Battle
If there were a church of pork, Memphis in May would be its Mecca. For 35 years barbecue aficionados have converged on the bank of the Mississippi River to demonstrate their mastery of ribs, shoulders, wings, whole hogs, and so on. Men’s Health is no stranger to the competition, and this year we once again signed on for three days of bacchanalian gluttony. Pigs were demolished. Beers were consumed. The details are hazy, but at one point there may have been an ice luge and a jug of moonshine. You will find few who will admit to this.
What isn’t hazy is the camaraderie and respect that competing teams showed each other during the three-day contest. Once the coals were glowing and the pork was seasoned, the world’s best pitmasters opened their doors to their rivals, offering them food and beer in exchange for stories and secrets. Only the top teams received trophies, but all teams left with full bellies and freshly charged inspiration to take back to their restaurants and backyards. Oh, and there may have been a hangover or two, but it wasn’t anything that eggs and thick-sliced bacon couldn’t cure.
In Memphis, baby backs dominate the rib category, but that’s not always the case. At The American Royal competition in Kansas City, for instance, spare ribs are more common.
Teams work quickly to get their ribs to the smoker.
David Bottagaro of The National Pork Board demonstrates how to butcher a hog.
The competition is held in Tom Lee Park, directly across the river from Arkansas.
The competition lasts only three days, but teams set up elaborate structures to welcome guests and judges.
A meat-loving festival goer competes in a Frank’s RedHot wing-eating contest. You’ve, um, you’ve got a little sauce on your … ah nevermind.
A hungry crowd attacks the table during a crawfish boil put on by The Fatback Collective.
Yep, there’s more than one way to cook a pig. This guy will hang here through the night.
Teams decorate their grills to impress the judges that come by to score the barbecue.
A team cooks down their sauce to concentrate the flavor and help it cling nicely to the meat.
Is this a perfect rib?
The teams cut carefully to extract the most pristine ribs for judging.
The Shed’s “Robo-Pig” makes for easy eating. Just reach through the skin and pull out a handful of warm pork.
You fellas know where a guy can get a bite to eat?
Via: Go Behind Americas Best BBQ Battle
MH Eats Pat LaFriedas Secrets To The Ultimate Steak
Let me tell you something you may not know. You know those guys behind the meat counter at your local supermarket? The guys shoveling briskets, T-bones, and porterhouses onto the shelves? Those guys aren’t butchers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calls these employees “meat cutters,” in charge of trimming and packaging proteins for retail sale. Now, look, there’s nothing wrong with a profession as a meat cutter. But a good butcher can offer you so much more. A good butcher can inform you of where the meat comes from, how it was raised, and the best way to cook it to perfection.
And a butcher like Pat LaFrieda, owner of Pat LaFrieda Wholesale Meat Purveyors and face of Food Network’s Meat Men, well, the wisdom he carries from the years he’s spent turning his New York/New Jersey butchery operation into a nationwide empire can change your life.
We asked Pat to take us on a tour of his three favorite steakhouses in Manhattan. He happily obliged, selecting steaks that he thought represented the three components of the ultimate steak. And then we ate. Well.
Steal these steakhouse secrets and grill up better steak all summer long.
Via: MH Eats Pat LaFriedas Secrets To The Ultimate Steak
Blend The Perfect Spicy Bloody Mary
Whipping up your own Bloody takes less than ten minutes, and the payoff is worth it: A salty, spicy, slightly tangy blend that you can tweak as you see fit. We snagged this recipe from the chefs at NYC's Cafeteria. The kicker: A charred Serrano pepper for a hint of smokiness and an extra jolt of heat. Top the drink off with skewered olives, a few turns of fresh-cracked pepper, plus a stalk of celery to serve as swizzle stick, and you're ready for action.
Cafeteria's Inferno Bloody Mary
What You'll Need:
For the drinks:
1 28-oz can of whole or crushed tomatoes
10 Tbsp lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons)
2-4 Tbsp horseradish
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 to 2 limes)
6 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
For the garnish:
6 Serrano peppers
Celery stalks
Lemon
Lime
How to Make It:
Blend all drink ingredients until smooth and set aside. Heat Serrano peppers, whole, on the grill or stovetop over medium heat until nicely charred. Place a Serrano pepper in each glass, top with ice, 1.5 oz vodka, and 6 oz mix. Garnish with lemon, lime, a celery stalk, and three skewered olives. Top off with a dash of pepper and serve.
Via: Blend The Perfect Spicy Bloody Mary
Discover The Secrets Of Americas BBQ Battle
If there were a church of pork, Memphis in May would be its Mecca. For 35 years barbecue aficionados have converged on the bank of the Mississippi River to demonstrate their mastery of ribs, shoulders, wings, whole hogs, and so on. Men’s Health is no stranger to the competition, and this year we once again signed on for three days of bacchanalian gluttony. Pigs were demolished. Beers were consumed. The details are hazy, but at one point there may have been an ice luge and a jug of moonshine. You will find few who will admit to this.
What isn’t hazy is the camaraderie and respect that competing teams showed each other during the three-day contest. Once the coals were glowing and the pork was seasoned, the world’s best pitmasters opened their doors to their rivals, offering them food and beer in exchange for stories and secrets. Only the top teams received trophies, but all teams left with full bellies and freshly charged inspiration to take back to their restaurants and backyards. Oh, and there may have been a hangover or two, but it wasn’t anything that eggs and thick-sliced bacon couldn’t cure.
In Memphis, baby backs dominate the rib category, but that’s not always the case. At The American Royal competition in Kansas City, for instance, spare ribs are more common.
Teams work quickly to get their ribs to the smoker.
David Bottagaro of The National Pork Board demonstrates how to butcher a hog.
The competition is held in Tom Lee Park, directly across the river from Arkansas.
The competition lasts only three days, but teams set up elaborate structures to welcome guests and judges.
A meat-loving festival goer competes in a Frank’s RedHot wing-eating contest. You’ve, um, you’ve got a little sauce on your … ah nevermind.
A hungry crowd attacks the table during a crawfish boil put on by The Fatback Collective.
Yep, there’s more than one way to cook a pig. This guy will hang here through the night.
Teams decorate their grills to impress the judges that come by to score the barbecue.
A team cooks down their sauce to concentrate the flavor and help it cling nicely to the meat.
Is this a perfect rib?
The teams cut carefully to extract the most pristine ribs for judging.
The Shed’s “Robo-Pig” makes for easy eating. Just reach through the skin and pull out a handful of warm pork.
You fellas know where a guy can get a bite to eat?
Via: Discover The Secrets Of Americas BBQ Battle
Grill A Killer Appetizer
There’s no grilling mistake greater than limiting the hors d’oeuvres to potato chips and pork rinds. Think about it: The best-tasting food in the world comes from a grill. And yours is already fired-up and ready to cook. If you’re not using it to it’s full potential, then you’re missing an opportunity.
So here’s a recipe to help you make good by the grill. The components are refreshingly simple; you need only dates, nuts, cheese, prosciutto, and something to hold them all together. Wooden skewers are best, but toothpicks make a close second. The payoff is a hit of honeyed sweetness from the hot dates balanced with crisp pork and the savory duo of cheese and nuts. It’s a nutritional powerhouse that’s guaranteed to impress a crowd of hungry friends.
Stuffed and Wrapped Dates
What you’ll need:
Wooden skewers or toothpicks
Dates
Goat cheese
Pecans
Prosciutto
How to make it:
1. Slice each date lengthwise to make a pocket. Spread it open, stuff in a pecan, and fill the remaining space with a small spoonful of goat cheese. Wrap the entire thing twice around with prosciutto.
2. Drive the skewer through the date, twisting slowly to work through the pecan.
3. Place the dates on the hot grill and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 or 3 and serve when the prosciutto is crispy.
Via: Grill A Killer Appetizer
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