You're Reading It Right: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Meatz-a-rella Sticks

You read the title right.

I was watching YouTube one day and saw something truly interesting and wondered to myself how good this recipe could be if I decided to try it out. I do like cheese, meat, and mozzarella sticks but what if I threw them on the grill and made a meatz-a-rella stick (or twelve)? Here's what came of it.

All are within the meat budget.

INGREDIENTS

String mozzarella cheese

Jimmy Dean sausage

Fire and Smoke Society's The Usual barbecue rub 

STEP ONE. If you've ever wrapped cheese or stuffed things into meat, this is an easier take of it. Using one cheese stick, flatten what would normally be a sausage patty and wrap it around the cheese unitl it is completely covered. Set aside and repeat for how ever many cheese sticks you have. Once the meat sticks are stuffed with cheese, set them in the refrigerator to firm up for a few hours to overnight.

STEP TWO. Once you're ready, go outside and light the weapon of choice to 325 degrees. Allow the meatz-a-rella sticks to come up to room temperature before placing them on your grill. I tell you that time doesn't matter; therefore, let the sticks cook up to at least 165 degrees for food safety (we're working with ground sausage here) and pull when the color is there. If time is really a big deal, then earmark an hour or so to cook this appetizer.

STEP THREE. In the miracle of time, meatz-a-rella sticks are done. Give them a little time to rest before eating them! Peep the cheese pull...just like a gooey regular cheese stick. 

Who's your daddy? 

For all of the R&D I do during the week, I have never seen anything like it. Thanks to Bradley Robinson of Chud's BBQ for putting this recipe together on his channel and showing the ingenuity taken in making barbecue cheap again. With or without mariana sauce, meatz-a-rella sticks can be an additional star at your next tailgate party. As always, thank you for reading this post and your support. Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

Popeye Wants Da Dip: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Grilled Spinach Dip

I took last week off because I was tired and failed to prep. With a conversation my wife and I had the other night, I chose to rectify that part with grilled spinach dip.

INGREDIENTS

(2) 12 oz packages of frozen spinach

1 stick of butter

2 cups of Italian-style shredded cheese

(2) 8 oz blocks of softened cream cheese 

16 oz sour cream

1 tsp minced garlic

8 oz roasted bell peppers

Fire and Smoke Society's The Usual BBQ rub

1 package of onion dip seasoning mix

Eat spinach, flex the gun show like Popeye. #DubShackBBQ🏚️ #everydayisaGREATdayforbbq #pitmasterlife #igotthesauces #TailgatingForEveryone #spinachdip #DaDip pic.twitter.com/L8EJZXUgEB

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) October 29, 2022

STEP ONE. I kind of cheated a bit and I somewhat encourage it in this case, but hear me out. Melt the butter into into a skillet and add both packages of frozen spinach for five minutes or until it reduces down. Add the minced garlic and roasted bell peppers and stir until everything this nicely incorporated.

STEP TWO. Remember the softened cream cheese? Add and the sour cream to a mixing pan such as any cast iron skillet or an aluminum pan. Pour in the spinach mixture plus the onion dip seasoning and The Usual barbecue rub and mix the entire gang to a consistency.

STEP THREE. Get your grill lit to 325 degrees and set it directly above the charcoals. As it cooks down, don't forget to stir periodically to satisfaction - or in my case, creamy enough to give Applebee's a run for their money if not beat it down at its own game. Make sure all of the cream cheese is melted thoroughly before pulling it from the grill and let it rest for fifteen minutes before enjoying. Serve with chips, pita baguettes, or whatever you have that can stand up to your dip. 

I realized I had my Weber kettle for one year with this cook

All I can say is ooh, wee!

Find a bag of chips and a game to watch, and enjoy the heck out of your bowl! Thank you for reading this post; as always, be blessed, be safe, be careful, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

South of the Border, North of Hunger: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Smoked Chicken Enchilada Dip

I cannot believe I lost the contents to the post I planned on dropping this morning but here it is. Let's see how much I remember and how quickly this goes back viral to my satisfaction.

INGREDIENTS

Two 5 oz cans canned chicken*

12 oz enchilada sauce

15 oz golden corn, undrained 

15 oz black beans, undrained 

2 8 oz softened cream cheese blocks

8 oz Colby jack or Mexican cheese

Meat Church's Holy Cow barbecue rub**

*Because I'm lazy at times, I used canned chicken. The preferred move is grilling two chicken breasts and cubing them.

**Although you don't see the bottle, I really did use Holy Cow

STEP ONE. Grease the cast iron skillet and set aside. Mix together everything in a bowl reserving half of that bag of shredded cheese until they all look like they've played together outside all day. Once mixed to a consistency you're satisfied with, add it to the skillet and go outside.

STEP TWO. Give your grill a two-zone fire to work with and light it up! Once the temperature reaches 350 degrees, slide the skillet over and let the magic happen. Check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees after 25 to 30 minutes - even with melted cheese, an optimal temp is one where everything is melted and bubbly with a slight browning on the sides. If the dip is too thick, add more milk. If it is too thin, add cheese to thicken it up a touch.

STEP THREE. Pull after the cream cheese is fully melted. For some reason I really don't know why it has a higher melting point than regular cheddar and shredded cheese so stir thoroughly until it is fully melted in with the rest of the group. Add the remaining cheese, wait a few minutes and serve joyfully with a strong chip!

I lost the original content so if it feels a bit disjointed, please forgive me. Of course, make this your own: Don't like chicken? Use ground beef, chorizo, sausage, or whatever tickles your fancy. As always, thank you for reading this post. Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

The Freaks Come Out At Night: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Grilled Chicken Wings

If you recall the mango wings I made earlier this year during Super Bowl week, this is a similar method but different taste. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken wings

Fire and Smoke Society's Chicka Licka Bam Bam barbecue rub

STEP ONE. Using a wire rack, position all of the chicken wings that you think your party are going to eat and let them air dry overnight in the refrigerator. To aid the crispiness of those wings, you may add a bit of cornstarch before putting them to bed. One thing that absolutely does NOT need to happen is to let raw chicken sit outside with no regard because salmonella is a very real thing. 

STEP TWO. Light your grill in that two-zone fire we like so much. Since I haven't bought the compartment parts for my Weber Kettle yet, I used a few chunks of peach wood with charcoals on one side and the empty space to place the wings. In the meantime, season the wings with Chicka Licka Bam Bam on both sides allowing them to sweat it out for a spell. Once the temperature gets to 350, place those guys on the cooler side of the grill and let them work their magic.

STEP THREE. You don't have to stand over wings but be certain to check them for color after fifteen minutes with the Thermapen, and turn over for even color on both sides. Chicken is ready at 165 degrees but with this cut, they can go to 175 or 180 without any issue. 

STEP FOUR. Pull the wings from the grill, let them rest for about fifteen minutes, and enjoy!

You'd be amazed by what a different flavor profile does with wings. Since they turned out a bit spicier than I expected and my wife sent them away, I'll have to tone down the Cajun heat next time around. Y'all have to try them out - I put that on my Weber kettle - and tell me what they taste like. As always, thank you for your continued support of the movement. Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

I Ain't Going Over There. God Made Me Show Up Anyway.

Nearly a year ago, I left the church for a number of reasons not limited to the terms in the letter my former pastor received detailing the circumstances leading to my season's end. If you really want to know, check the records. For everyone else, time was up thus setting up the next eleven months of spiritual free agency. When asked about what happened, I tried to deflect and redirect the question as much as possible as to prevent getting angry all over again. I had dedicated nine years to a neighborhood who didn't know me from the man on the moon to serving this congregation for four years in the diaconate as faithfully as a man working the graveyard shift loopy schedule and all was physically able to show up every other Sunday morning for 11 am service.

From the earliest part of free agency: Thanks to Pastor Kevin Cunningham and the New Jerusalem MBC for such a welcoming spirit 

Remember in the Book of Jonah where our protagonist refused to go to Nineveh? Unlike him, I didn't get whooped around or swallowed by a whale; consequently, my family's departure made corporate worship a tougher pill to ingest at the moment and location. To me, it was within my right to be a proverbial turd in the punchbowl by slandering the leadership team namely the executive committee and "angel of this house" on the way out since their compasses were broken not irretrievably rather needed to be recalibrated but thankfully cooler heads (and the luxury of time) prevailed.

We love because God loved us first.

1 John 4:19

We all need this reminder.

Now back to the Book of Jonah. 

After he hopped the ship from Joppa for Spain to avoid Nineveh, the sea raged all about and it scared the sailors to the point they prayed to their gods for their own safety...until it was discovered - and Jonah admitted that he was the cause of this severe storm (Jonah 1:9-12). The sailors continued to row their way back ashore yet the storm worsened. With one option remaining, they did what some consider the unimaginable and threw Jonah off the ship and as a result, the sea calmed down. Although no additional information is provided about the crew, they did indeed pray to God and offer all sorts of promises (v. 16). Then we found out about God sending a whale to swallow Jonah in the following verse. One lesson that is often missed in Chapter 1 is that when trouble arises in the church, we tend to look at everything but the source of the issue until it is almost too late and the collective soul of the group finds itself at a crossroads of losing its very identity to maintain comfort, power, etc. 

I always told members that if I am the problem, just go ahead and get me on down the road. I'd rather be part of the solution and as remaining strong in the faith and daily walk in the face of hot mess becoming more tenuous fraught with members who donned rose-colored glasses, I had to do something.

Honestly, I'd prefer earthly discomfort than to take the easy road to hell. Reread what I just said.

So why am I back?

God isn't done with Deacon Ced yet. 

Catching up with my bro Jack and Greater Galilee BC. I need to take pictures in different shirts 

John 9:37 serves as my own reminder that there is still a whole lot of work in the field and although the laborers are few, I best get after it as long as I am reasonably able to DO what thus saith the Lord. It means DO a whole lot more than just show up with a large check to lord (note the lowercase l) over the leadership as a way to hold sway and undue influence. Certainly I understand fully that we cannot work our way into heaven because doing so minimizes the mystery of the gospel held and puts the entire concept of faith in question.

He said to his disciples, “A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers.

Matthew 9:37

Allow me to revert to Jonah avoiding Nineveh like the plague once again - or like Black folks staying out of Harrison or Cabot.

Once Jonah prays his prayer of desperation, the whale spits him out and as a result, that second chance is grace embodied. Since he didn't want to be there, God took him down through there and brought him out back to where he was supposed to be in the first place: Nineveh. In Chapter 3 he goes as commanded to the large city [population approx. 120K, about the size of Charleston, SC] sharing his message on foot which takes him three days to cross one side to the other side. At the end of the first day, Jonah declared that the city would be destroyed in forty days as a result of their sinfulness. 

Their response? See below.

After walking for a day, Jonah warned the people, “Forty days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed!” They believed God's message and set a time when they would go without eating to show their sorrow. Then everyone in the city, no matter who they were, dressed in sackcloth. When the king of Nineveh heard what was happening, he also dressed in sackcloth; he left the royal palace and sat in dust. Then he and his officials sent out an order for everyone in the city to obey. It said: None of you or your animals may eat or drink a thing. Each of you must wear sackcloth, and you must even put sackcloth on your animals. You must also pray to the Lord God with all your heart and stop being sinful and cruel. Maybe God will change his mind and have mercy on us, so we won't be destroyed. When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.

Jonah 3:4‭-‬10

The citizens immediately turned away from their sinful ways, fasted for an unspecified period, dressed in sackcloth, and prayed to be spared. In verse 10, we learn that God saved them and did not destroy the city after all.

Was everyone pleased? No. 

Can't keep everyone happy all the time, y'know.

Jonah began throwing a hissy fit in Chapter 4 instead of being overjoyed about the 120K souls saved from a certain damnation. He walked out of the city through the east gate and made himself a shelter just to see what was going to happen to the people of Nineveh. The Lord made a vine for Jonah's comfort which greatly pleased him but the next day, a worm began to eat the leaves drying it out. Later that afternoon, the sun came out and beat him down further enraging the onetime escape artist until he shouted "I wish I was dead!" The Lord knew Jonah was more upset about the vine withering away than the 120K saved souls who previously did not know right from wrong (or even cared). As a result, God indicts Jonah's indifference in verse 11 citing that he should show equal  compassion over a big city as a little vine, here for a season and gone the next. 

How does this apply to my journey? 

I gave my nephew communion the last time I went home to Greater Friendship MBC. For some reason, this shade of blue has always looked good on me 

I specifically remember stating I wasn't setting foot off in that building again until some significant housecleaning happened. When I said housecleaning, I meant these few words: EVERYONE GOT TO GO. My spirit could no longer allow for me to be the cover for all of the baloney and simultaneously bear the stresses and strains alone while the remaining folks either had fun watching the foundation crack or blindly followed the Pied Piper to a wilderness they might not have been able to return home from. Together, they were too busy playing church without trying to be the Church. 

Here are the two I have to really do this godly walk for - and at Mount Zion MBC 

It took returning for Communion Sunday a few months ago as a visitor to realize this is where we belong as a family. With some trepidation and because I had some more churches to visit (see Spiritual Free Agency), I wasn't exactly raring to jump back into the fold with both feet running like Usain Bolt. In addition, I had used the past eleven months to study even deeper for myself and began to question three-day theology plus other traditions unmentioned in the Bible (Sidebar: I know Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose three days later yet I have an issue when pastors lazily specify Friday as His death and Resurrection two days later on Sunday.) In keeping with relevant teaching, simply state on the first day He died, and on the third day, He got up with all power in His hands. By repeatedly stating this bit of misinformation, preachers continue this lazy at best study destined to infantize Bible study attendants rather than get down into the roots of theology and question some of the things we were always told - or conveniently skipped over.

In this adventure, I'm praying for growth across the board plus a better understanding of what lies in His word. Though the mystery of faith is something that should elude all of us - and that we treat it as such (1 Timothy 3:9), help us to comprehend that faith in God and the promise of eternity are both intertwined with our ordered daily steps and continued studies. Also, I am petitioning for the courage to stand on the Word not only in knowing but also doing and applying in situations that like Jonah I could run away from. 

Thanks for welcoming us back. 

Now let's go to work. 

Hot to Tot: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Could this be the next great easy recipe?

This may be one of the very few moments this season where going outside to light the grill is untenable per time constraints but don't let me stop the pellet cooking bros and pros from dodging raindrops. Remember, T4E is for everyone and there are plenty of items from last season and this season to let the neighborhood know game day is here. 

Wanna see how I did it?

INGREDIENTS

Regular cut bacon

Tater tots

Barbecue rub of choice (I used Fire and Smoke Society's Cherry Cola)

Dipping sauce of choice (I used my Dub Shack BBQ's Pop Da Cherry sauce)

Instead of Sweet Preacher and The O.G. getting the call, Cherry Cola and Pop Da Cherry are the rub and sauce combo for this recipe. 

STEP ONE. Before I get started, the reason why we use regular cut bacon is that it takes too long for thick cut bacon to fully cook when wrapped around most items such as chicken, vegetables, or pork chops. Using the regular cut bacon found in the dairy section of the grocery store, slice each strip in half and count out an equal number of tater tots. To wrap, simply roll the tot to satisfaction and set it aside.

STEP TWO. Once all of the tots are wrapped in bacon, add the rub. You're going to want one that offsets the saltiness of bacon such as Fire and Smoke Society's Cherry Cola rub to prevent that horrible feeling of licking a salt block but use any rub you desire. Make enough of these for the party - they're going away faster than the Pac-12's odds of remaining a viable football league.

STEP THREE. This is where I veered from my normal path of smoking and grilling everything. How? I threw these guys in the oven for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. For the pellet loyalists, set up the GMG/Traegar/Pit Boss/etc. to 425 - whatever flavor profile makes you happy works. Either way, they should finish between 25-30 minutes per the instructions from the bag of tater tots.

STEP FOUR. Wait a few minutes and enjoy them in any way you like - with ranch dip, ketchup, sriacha, Dub Shack BBQ's Pop Da Cherry barbecue sauce, or with nothing. The umami indeed is strong with this one!

You're gonna want to make a whole bunch depending on the size of the party and how much bacon is in the refrigerator. In this application, I only did forty for a couple of reasons: I didn't plan this out enough to have a ton of bacon laying around, and with a 5 lb. bag of tots, I needed to do something else other than fry and add chili atop them. As always, thank you for your support and checking out this edition of Tailgating For Everyone. Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

In Smoke We Trust: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Smoked Shotgun Shells

I ain't a killer but don't push me to smoking something killer for the next party - or another installment of Tailgating For Everyone from your friendly pitmaster. 

This week, I'm smoking shotgun shells!

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. ground sausage

2 lbs. ground beef

2 lbs  shredded cheese

8 oz cream cheese, softened (ricotta is a good alternative)

2 (or 3) packages of unbroken manicotti noodles

3 lbs regular cut bacon 

Barbecue rub of your choice (I'm using Fire and Smoke Society's Pork Perfect)

Barbecue sauce (Of course, I used my Dub Shack BBQ's The O.G.)

STEP ONE. Of course, having a clean surface area is critical but also make sure you have enough good manicotti shells before you get started. Even if one or two shells break (I broke two), the bacon will do a good enough job of holding in the mixture. Speaking of which, find the largest mixing bowl in the cabinet and add the ground beef and pork and cheeses to the bowl. I tend to season my meat at every stage - and this is completely optional - so get your favorite BBQ rub and liberally spread it around and put those two hands to good use helping everything in the bowl play nice. 

STEP TWO. Once the crew in the bowl is mixed to satisfaction, it is time to stuff the shells. Some people may use a piping bag to fill the air with the meaty and cheesy mixture or even cut the corner of a freezer bag to do the deed, and as a word of advice: If you stuff your manicotti shells by hand, be careful not to break them. Once this step is completed, wrap each noodle with bacon to not only cover them but also because bacon makes everything taste better. The reason why regular cut bacon is recommended over the more popular thick cut bacon is that it crisps up quicker; in this experience, I used two strips of bacon per shell so plan accordingly.

STEP THREE. Here is an unusual step in the process: Refrigerate the shotgun shells at least four to six hours preferably overnight to soften the pasta. Go to bed, go to work, out to play with the kids, do yardwork, etc. but don't think about them. Whenever your miracle of time occurs, bring them outside to warm up to room temperature and light the smoker to 325 degrees. This time around, I am using applewood splits although any wood that plays nice with pork will work for this recipe. They should cook for about one hour but make sure the internal temperature of each shell is 160 degrees since we don't play around with ground beef like that. 

STEP FOUR. Once the shells hit 160, use the side burner from the offset grill to crisp up the bacon. Following this step, add your own favorite BBQ sauces such as Dub Shack BBQ's The O.G. and paint them on all sides until desired color is achieved. Remove from the smoker, plate them up, and serve immediately!

I finally got around to hopping on a new barbecue trend - or is a permanent member of the repertoire like the smoked cream cheese or queso from the past two summers? With some prep work and planning ahead, this could be a killer tailgate item. After all, this is Season 2 of the Tailgating For Everyone series: I promise toward the end of this season, I'll leave an link to each recipe for the pitmaster in your life to use as a bookmark to peruse when cooking in the backyard gets mundane. As always, thank you for reading this post and as your friendly pitmaster, I really hope you go wow the socks off the next tailgate party. Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!