Mostly the fruits of what would have been my poetry collection Dry Humor, Wet T-Shirt. AD&AD is also my creative outlet that includes projects and initiatives I have been successful with in the past.
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Shaka Zulu
Monday, April 19, 2021
More of What They Won't Tell You
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Bites
Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Bites
Whisk 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons bourbon together in a small bowl. Season 2 pounds thick-cut New York strip steaks cut into 1-inch cubes with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add steak cubes and sear until browned, flipping halfway through, 6 to 8 minutes total. Add brown sugar and bourbon mixture and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves.
Monday, April 12, 2021
The Youruba People of 1919
Friday, April 9, 2021
Get Healthy: Dub Shack BBQ Does Honey-Garlic Salmon
Over the past year of enduring the coronavirus and all of the mandates, recommendations, and staying our butts at home, surely some of us would have made a lifestyle change or two – or gladly supported the new small business ventures that have sprung. I have not quite gotten healthy as the pandemic is aiding me in gaining at least fifteen more pounds from everyone’s good food, cold beer, and stronger friendships [no word on the Springhill Manor cookout yet but the Girls’ Day In event was a success] yet I found time to work in something from the water: fish. I have always been against grilling catfish mainly due to being a native Arkansan who only enjoyed bottom-feeders one way: deep fried and battered with a slew of sides such as the Brisket Baked Beans recipe that should have posted before now, but it may be worth the effort to try one day. If it works, look for me to evangelize in this space about the virtues of grilled catfish.
Today, we eat honey-garlic salmon!
Enough of me flapping yap: I need to punch the clock!
Ingredients
·
Salmon (can be
whole or filets, steer away from the canned stuff)
·
Kosher salt
·
Black pepper
·
Cayenne Pepper
(if heat is an issue, use paprika instead)
·
Dub Shack BBQ’s Get
Honey barbecue sauce or a honey barbecue sauce of your choice
STEP ONE. Thaw out the salmon. Unless you just purchased
it from the fishmonger of your choice (ex. Kroger, Whole Foods, anyone local),
allow it to thaw out overnight in the refrigerator. This step cannot be rushed!
STEP TWO. Once thawed, use a clean countertop or
cutting board and season the fish with kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne
pepper. You do not have to season it heavily as we respect our proteins and
wild salmon beats its farmed counterparts seven days a week and twice on Friday nights; it is also important to treat it like chicken regarding cross
contamination. If that breeds trouble, then light your grills before seasoning
it. No one should get sick from your food.
STEP THREE. If you have not already done so, go light your
grills. Give it a two-zone fire: one hot
side, one cool side. Salmon does not take all that long to cook, and by the
time you get a beer cracked opened, it may be time to put it on the grill. Once
the coals ash over, place them on one side with a couple of cherrywood chunks
and bring out the fish.
STEP FOUR. Salmon does its best work skin-side down minding its own business, so go ahead and place it on the cool side skin-side down. Depending on the size of the fish (mine was roughly the length of a computer keyboard), allow it to mingle with the smoke as it cooks and come back to turn it in fifteen minutes. If you ended up purchasing the freshest salmon Whole Foods or Kroger or your local fishmonger has, chances are you have the pieces will be wrapped in Saran Wrap and in a Styrofoam tray. That is perfectly fine – the end result is what matters here. With the smaller pieces, turn them at five to seven minutes to ensure even cooking. Once it changes from the pink look you paid for to where it looks flaky, pull it from the grill.
Where does my Get Honey sauce
come into play?
Use it as a glaze to set an additional
layer of flavor and allow it to rest about ten minutes before serving. If it is
your prerogative as everyone cooks a little bit differently, keep the bottle
around and enjoy it as intended.
Serve this with mashed or loaded baked potatoes, broccoli or asparagus, or something that will get the stamp of approval from your doctor and dietician.
I have written about my own health
challenges over the past few years – the ‘COVID15’ is very real, and now I have
suits I cannot wear at this time. Doing this recipe is a quick dinner that
allows me to hang out in the backyard and depending on where Little Miss
Sunshine is, I can also watch her play with her friends. As always, thanks for
checking out what your friendly pitmaster is doing – remember that every day is
a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ and be blessed!
Sunday, April 4, 2021
Dub Shack BBQ Goes to Prepare a Boneless Leg of Lamb
To some of you, the title is a bit of sacrilege due to the date I grilled this little guy – and if you are, then stop reading now and resume eating ham for Resurrection Day dinner. For everyone else…among the sides and sandwiches I have been sharing on the favored blue bird platform in addition to this one, I have also stepped up the quality of meat for special occasions. Certainly, smoking prime rib in the snow on Valentine’s Day sounded nice in theory except for the snow-covered backyard that prevented me from walking uphill to the grill and smoker. Ask my wife how it turned out but not the price tag of admission.
The boneless leg of lamb seen below ended up in my
basket at Sam’s Club at a really good price and tucked away in the deep freezer
for another special moment – now.
Enough of the fluff; it’s time to punch the clock!
INGREDIENTS
·
1 boneless leg of lamb (mine was a
little over two pounds)
·
Minced garlic
·
Olive oil
·
Oregano seasoning
·
Dijon mustard
·
Kosher salt
·
Black pepper
·
Butcher twine, if available (I kept the
netting on)
STEP ONE. Normally
I would have the meat on a cutting board ready for its seasonings at room
temperature, but this time, I am going to light the grill first. Using a two-zone
fire, position the charcoals to one end and leave the other side alone. Once it
gets to a temperature of 350 degrees, that is when the lamb goes for a smoke
bath.
STEP TWO.
Let us go back inside and prep the meat. Mix all of the ingredients below in a
bowl before massaging the leg ensuring you get every nook and cranny of the
lamb that made a sacrifice for today’s dinner – and the eventual gyros later in
the week. Because I cannot find the butcher twine anywhere in the kitchen, I
resorted to keeping the netting on my protein to maintain its shape.
STEP THREE. Once the charcoals ash over and your hot zone is established, bring out the lamb – but don’t forget to add a few chunks of cherry or applewood as you do not want to overpower the star of the show by using hickory, oak, or mesquite wood; maple or peach woods are considered solid alternatives. An optional step is to sear all sides for a few minutes before placing in the cooler zone for its cook following which allow the grill to do its work. Do not walk away from the meat as it cooks for much more than a bathroom break, and it is not the product to consume multiple beers! Please don’t screw up a good leg of lamb! It is ready at the internal temperature of 135 degrees (that is medium rare) and bring it inside to rest for fifteen minutes before slicing and serving with mashed potatoes and a light salad or springtime vegetables.
If you happen to have leftovers, make yourself a gyro for lunch this week for work, school, a snack, or another night’s quick dinner.
Thank you for giving this a quick read and the
chance to expand the palette a bit further than the normal spiral-cut ham that
everyone seems to eat for Resurrection Day dinner. There are times when
stepping up our barbecue abilities for something legendary that can be talked
about for years to come, and this is one of those occasions. Enjoy the day with
your loved ones and remember that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! Stay safe and be blessed!