Like most everyone else, your friendly pitmaster needed to reset upon the new year and as usual, that reset included cleaning the grills and smoker before covering them for the January break. With the snow and ensuing ice, I wasn't going back outside to stand around in 8 degree weather cooking dinner as the dog whimpered to return inside from his bathroom breaks. Yet, I still needed a break from barbecue: I had cooked weekly since mid-August for not only Tailgating For Everyone but also multiple turkeys for Thanksgiving, the traditional Christmas ribs, pork loins for a catering job or two, rib tips to welcome 2024, a slew of pork butts, shoulders, and briskets, and the sauces.
(Come take some of these sauces off my hands - my wife wants a built pantry for our kitchen).
January was that break.
Once we turned the page to February, the off-season (for however brief it was) ended. It's time to get back to work.
The first official cook of 2024 is an easy one, and potentially a midweek classic for the repertoire: chicken cordon bleu.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken breasts
Sliced deli ham
Swiss cheese
Your favorite chicken rub (in this cook, I used Fire and Smoke Society's Sweet Peeper)
STEP ONE. After taking the chicken breasts out of the packaging, pat them dry and set aside. Begin to cut a slit in each piece deep enough to add the ham and Swiss cheese but try not to slice completely through the bird. Butterflying each breast leads to a pretty flat surface; pounding them down into an even state is your prerogative but I wanted to do a quick meal.
STEP TWO. Roll the ham and Swiss cheese up before stuffing it into the chicken pocket you created with the cut from the previous step. To do this, get one slice of ham and one (or two) slices of cheese atop the ham and roll it up evenly and stuff it into the cavity. Repeat with as many slices and breasts as needed.
STEP THREE. Don't forget to season all sides of the chicken breasts. Following the Sweet Peeper love fest, insert toothpicks or skewers into each piece to hold the stuffing in there.
STEP FOUR. Light your grill. This is a direct over fire cook, so give the cooker time to get ready. My PK and bag of lump charcoal got today's assignment, so here we are - feel free to use whatever outdoor weapon you own. Once it gets to 350 degrees, bring on the chicken and place it directly over the coals turning once at fifteen minutes. Your chicken cordon bleu is ready when its internal temperature reaches 160. Give it about ten minutes to rest before diving in!
Going back to work never tasted so good!
As always, thank you for reading this post. Throughout the year, new recipes will be worked into the rotation as well as a revision or two of the classics plus perhaps even a secret or two of how the neighborhood goes wild for great barbecue. If there is anything unique that you haven't seen, let me know and not only will I try it but also give appropriate credit when the recipe drops. Y'all be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!
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