Bringing Back the Classics: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Beer Bratwursts

In Part 7 of the Tailgating For Everyone series, your friendly pitmaster cooks brats on the PK. 

During the course of this series, I'll be the first to admit that my ambitions don't always match up with our bank accounts or family's culinary needs and Costco might eff around and get me in some real trouble (but it's so cool, y'all) by bringing wagyu beef home or the planned bison hot dogs recipe fortunately aborted by my local store not carrying them in stock. I know, it's 2021; I could have simply ordered them online or chopped it up with the nice folks at Breitweisers in Benton but alas, that didn't happen. Snagging those dogs would have made backyard barbecue - and in this context, tailgate party food - too bougie for regular brothers like me. Remember, barbecue is for a good time not a contest to see who can cook the priciest foods. I'm more impressed by excellent food than expensive food but I'm just a workaholic with a careful eye on our budget. 

Now back to the classics.

INGREDIENTS 

Beer brats

Hot dog buns

Spicy brown mustard (regular mustard or Dub Shack BBQ's The Ancestors sauce are also popular)

One onion

One stick of butter

One beer to cover up everything in the pan

Optional:  bell peppers

Fire Society's Holy Garlic rub

Killer Hogs' The BBQ Rub

Disposable aluminum pan

STEP ONE. Slice the onions (or peppers - I had both) and set them in the bottom of the pan. To save time, I melted the butter and poured it into the pan but it can go onto the hot grill cooking until it is sauteed. Add Holy Garlic and The BBQ Rub to the vegetables and set aside.

STEP TWO. If you haven't already lit your grill, what are you waiting for? This is one of the very rare times I won't use a wood chunk for smoking flavor as that bag of lump charcoal does a fine job of getting hot but if you choose to, a couple of cherrywood chunks will give the color best associated with great barbecue. Get the grill to at least 350 degrees before bringing out the brats.

STEP THREE. On top of the onions and peppers, add the brats and beer making sure you cover it all with the beer. Whether or not you drink the rest of the beer is your prerogative; the name of the game is infusing the beer flavor in the protein. Close the grill and walk away for a bit until the sausages reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees.

Sidebar 👉🏿 In the meantime, I did a thing: Don't knock pizza dip until you rock it. Da Dips will release separately on Thursdays for the remainder of Henderson State (or Arkansas high school regular season) football.

I put my hand upon a chip

When I dip you dip we dip

STEP FOUR. In the miracle of time, the beer brats have reached 165 degrees and been seared off for those lovely grill marks. Using that beer sauna, take them off the grill and serve immediately! 

Wanna take this classic to a whole new level? Toast the buns. 

Thanks for reading and supporting the movement known as Dub Shack BBQ where every day is a GREAT day for barbecue! Bratwursts are a classic tailgating item that travels so easily and can literally be set up on the tailgate of a pickup - in my case, a weathered Ram quad cab eager to work. As this is homecoming weekend at my alma mater THE Henderson State University, stay safe, enjoy the weekend, be good to each other, and eat something awesome this week! 

Who Wants The Pork? Dub Shack BBQ Presents Pulled Pork Nachos

Part 6 of the Tailgating For Everyone series brings us to a classic:  pulled pork nachos. Use up some of those leftovers from the last cook, or if you've been blessed with it, freshly smoked pork butts and shoulders. If you need that recipe, click on the underlined link to take you there. 

INGREDIENTS 

Pulled pork 

Tortilla chips 

Melted nacho cheese

Barbecue sauce and rub of your choice

Salsa

Diced jalapeno peppers 

Rib tips weren't the only pork getting smoked that day 

STEP ONE.  This can go one of two ways: If the leftover pulled pork is frozen, thaw it out and slowly reheat it to at least 165 degrees and set aside. If you're fortunate enough to have a fully smoked pork butt or shoulder, keep it whole until you decide to pull the meat. Either way, it's gonna be good. 

STEP TWO. Using a bed of tortilla chips, spread them all over each surface of a serving platter, plate, or the paper boats from the restaurant supply stores (or Sam's Club - they tend to be a little cheaper there, FYI). Make sure there is enough coverage in the container but not so much it resembles the extra handful of chips you get disgusted with from the Nachos Bell Grande that Taco Bell employees sometimes go heavy on. How do I know? I'll admit I did that periodically to make the appearance of a full platter when I worked there eons ago. 

STEP THREE. Add in no particular order the pulled pork, nacho cheese, barbecue rub and sauce, salsa, and jalapenos along with any other toppings unmentioned in the above description such as sour cream and guacamole. Vegans know to sub out the pulled pork for jackfruit - your friendly pitmaster got love for you too - and of course, the alternative items can take their starting roles. 

STEP FOUR. Enjoy! 

Man, if you only knew how this tasted...

We are in the midway point of the Tailgating For Everyone series and I hope you've been cooking something good for friends, family, and yourselves each week. As the weather begins to cool, the food in the coming weeks will become heartier to your stomachs as standing for three hours at a time cheering on our favorite teams to victory. In the meantime, the fall sauces Dem Berries and Deez Apples will make a return to the roster replacing Block Party Pineapple and Blue MF, respectively. Thank you for reading and continue to support the movement that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

Dub Shack BBQ Makes Cheesesteaks

In Part 5 of the Tailgating for Everyone series, I’ll share my way for making cheesesteaks. Hint:  You don’t need to book a flight to Philadelphia for these delectable guys. Just do it in the backyard but due to the rain, I kept this one inside and worked it in a cast-iron skillet.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. shaved steak (or one ribeye steak, thinly sliced)

Bell peppers and onions

Hoagie buns

4 tbsp melted butter

Grapeseed oil

Kinder’s The Blend barbecue rub

Provolone cheese

Shredded mozzarella cheese (I used fiesta cheese because I left the store without mozzarella)*

*In lieu of shredded cheese, a cheesesteak more often than not uses Cheez-Whiz

STEP ONE. Normally I would have found a way outside to make this cook happen except for the forecast forced me inside – and proof that tailgating food can be prepared in the kitchen.

But seriously, here is Step One.

Heat up a cast-iron skillet with grapeseed oil and saute the vegetables for 3-4 minutes and put them to the side for a little later. Next, add the shaved steak to the same skillet and cook it until it is no longer pink on any side breaking it up into smaller pieces and place. Don’t forget to season the meat with a salt, pepper, and garlic blend such as Kinder’s The Blend barbecue rub, and do the same to the veggies.

STEP TWO. This is a next-level move and it is completely optional:  Toast the hoagie buns and slather them with melted butter. Throughout the course of this year, I have taken a liking for toasting bread on the grill; it is indeed really simple and adds a layer of flavor to the sandwiches. Of course, soft buns will suffice as this recipe can be altered to your preferences.

STEP THREE. After this bit of light work is finished, the time to assemble sandwiches is near! To do so – or see how I did it – look at the picture below:

With the first brush of butter on hoagies, add the following in order:  bottom half of the bun, provolone cheese, the steak, peppers and onions, more shredded cheese or Cheez-Whiz, and the top half of the bun. Repeat for the number of sandwiches necessary for your tailgate party, add a second brush of melted butter to the top half, and serve immediately!

From the first bite to the last, cheesesteaks are relatively easy to cook and put together plus a gameday favorite among so many of us. This is a recipe I have used off and on depending on time and event since it finds itself in the rotation as a variation of comfort food. As always, thanks for reading and supporting the movement known as Dub Shack BBQ where every day is a GREAT day for barbecue! If there is anything you'd like to see, let me know and I'll get it out to you.

Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other! Oh - and eat something awesome this week! 

 

Tip Sharing: Dub Shack BBQ Smokes Rib Tips

Just as a warning, this is my wife’s favorite part of spareribs – and what I normally keep for the family when I do catering jobs for friends and coworkers:  They are THAT GOOD. Once you try rib tips, you might not come back!

Ingredients

Rib tips

Killer Hogs's The BBQ Rub 

Mop

Apple cider vinegar

Water

STEP ONE. I’ve already done the prep work with a rack of spareribs that I smoked a few weeks ago meaning that all of the sizing up and membrane peeling is something not to worry about. However, if you have not gotten rib tips ready for smoke, then leave this window open and get to work. Once seasoned, set aside until your cooking vessel is ready to go.

STEP TWO. Rib tips do not take all day although they are certainly more than a ten-minute cook, so get your grill or smoker up to 275-300 degrees. In the picture below I am smoking these guys with the pork butts and picnic shoulder you will see in a forthcoming recipe and using applewood to make the neighbors slow down for a good time.

Don't mind me as I smoke butts and a picnic with rib tips

Once an hour, don’t forget to mop the tips. Normally I would add my own The O.G. barbecue sauce to the apple cider vinegar and water mixture but for a different twist I omitted the sauce in favor of equal parts ACV and H2O but if you have a preferred sauce, then by all means use it. In my words, make it your own. My tastes are for me, my family, and my friends – not always for public consumption – so do what works best for you.

STEP THREE. In the miracle of time (and 175-180 degrees) each, the rib tips are done. Bring them off the smoker and let them rest about ten minutes before slicing and serving for those who like them dry, or slice and sauce before serving.

Check out how Get Honey makes rib tips shine bright like diamonds!

Around central Arkansas, rib tips are not quite the thing like in the same vein the homies in the Chi revere them, and once you try this snack, you might mess around and ask for them at every barbecue trailer, cookout, or even the Tailgating for Everyone experience at a stadium near you. Thanks for reading this post and trying the recipe; if you’re wondering what is coming next in this space, keep your eyes peeled for something tasty that everyone can enjoy from one party to the next. Also, continue to support the movement and tell everybody that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!

Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other.  

 

I'm a Fry Guy: Dub Shack BBQ Makes Butternut Squash Fries

Everyone likes fries, most notably the potato variety from your favorite restaurants, drive-thru windows, or the big bags from the grocery stores we like best. However, what if I told you that I made some fries that were so good that I would have some issue with sitting in the McDonald’s drive-thru to procure for Little Miss Sunshine among others? It is known that I am pretty adventurous in the barbecue arena; therefore, the time to give the smoker a break and borrow my wife’s air fryer has come – as long as I clean it up and save her some fries.

In the quest of becoming healthier - and this week's chapter of the Tailgating for Everyone series, I have stumbled across a differing take on an American classic side item in fries. Check out this vegetable and see how they might move you below, and if it neither to your palette (nor desire to attempt), the reliable Russet potato is nearby.

Butternut Squash Fries

At least one butternut squash (more = merrier party)

Salt

Black pepper

White pepper

Cajun seasoning (optional)

Olive oil

Keep the bugs away and out of your body with whatever I am about to do to this butternut squash. pic.twitter.com/VfPMx0Okin

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) September 17, 2021

STEP ONE. The best butternut squashes are the ones that are dark beige. Two of the best ways to ensure your search is a success are no green patches as those are not ready, and they at least resemble the paint on your parents’ beige Camry LE models (Car enthusiasts should get that one – most shades of beige are inoffensive and boring) before the bumper dent.

As you peruse the farmer’s market or the local Kroger, also make sure they are thick in all the right places and have a hollow sound. Select the one(s) you like and bring them home for a nightcap.

STEP TWO. Once the butternut squash is home, cut the stem off and throw it away. As you cut it into pieces, be careful of how you cut the skin off – eating better hopefully does not lead to a trip to the ER – so watch your fingers. After the stem is removed, do the same thing to the bulb; the only difference with the rounded part is it can be saved and hollowed out for soup, or cubed for another recipe. In this application only the stalk [the long part] is needed so continue to cut the peel the skin off with a trusty knife or a potato peeler. Following this step, set the newly sliced strips aside on parchment paper or aluminum foil.

STEP THREE. Lay the butternut fries flat on the pan you lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and add salt, black and white peppers, Cajun seasoning, and olive oil over them. Be certain to coat them and set the oven to 350 degrees and roast for 25 minutes turning once at the midway point.

STEP FOUR. When finished, serve immediately with last week’s Juicy Lucy burgers or as a separate tailgating side item. They can be dipped with ranch dressing or sweet-and-sour sauce but the taste alone is good enough to eat hot off the presses.

Better make more next time

Wanna know my take? Mine tasted like the fries from Rally’s and they could have been a bit crispier if I had added five more minutes to the cook time. Butternut squash fries are definitely worth the trouble for something a bit out of the norm; be sure to prep more than one squash for the entire party to prevent a culinary FOMO.

 

Go Fish: Dub Shack BBQ Grills Fish Tacos

Sometimes when I write recipes to share, I tend to suffer from writer's block until I find my way to the smoker or grill. With Part 3 of the Tailgating for Everyone series, I share with you grilled tilapia tacos as a lighter alternative to the hot dogs, hamburgers, smoked cream cheese, and other foods whose scents permeate the tents and grills outside of our favorite football team's stadiums not far from the players ready to entertain the crowds for the next three hours. 

INGREDIENTS 

Tilapia filets

Pit Boss's Mango Magic barbecue rub 

Shredded lettuce

Shredded fiesta cheese

Mango salsa

Dub Shack BBQ's Dang! Oh, Mango barbecue sauce 

STEP ONE. Since this is a quick cook, go ahead and light your grills. Assuming the tilapia (or whatever whitefish you have nearby) is thawed, liberally give the filets a new lease on life with Mango Magic and allow it to adhere for fifteen minutes before bringing them to the cooking source of your choice. 

STEP TWO. Once the grill reaches 350 degrees, position the filets in a manner where they will not be crowded but since fish cooks quickly, do not go too far away as they will need to be turned every four or five minutes. The tilapia filets will be finished when they are no longer translucent; remember, we are grilling fish not making sushi.

STEP THREE. In the miracle of time (in this case, fifteen minutes), the tilapia filets are cooked. Put them aside. Next, wrap the flour tortillas in aluminum foil and warm them up on the grill for no more than five minutes to make them more pliable. Return to begin assembling tacos.

STEP FOUR. I got hungry and couldn't wait to take a big bite of this taco, and during that time, I forgot to take an assembled picture. You can do this part however you like - and for the sake of your friends, open a taco bar. I made this one with the following: the tilapia filet, Dang! Oh, Mango barbecue sauce, shredded lettuce, shredded fiesta cheese, and mango salsa. You've got to sample the mango madness!

Sorry...

Thanks for reading about the mango madness inside of today's fish tacos. As always, thanks for supporting the movement that is Dub Shack BBQ and don't forget to evangelize to everyone that every day is a GREAT day for barbecue! Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other. 

Hey Juicy! Dub Shack BBQ Makes Juicy Lucy Burgers

I don’t know why I haven’t tried to make this recipe yet, but in Part 2 of the Tailgating for Everyone series Juicy Lucy makes the cut for this week. You better make extras because they’re going fast!

INGREDIENTS

Ground beef

American cheese

Buns

Your own toppings

STEP ONE. Form your ground beef into burger patties:  If you choose to skip this step and buy the packaged hamburger patties from your favorite grocery store or meat purveyor, that is all right. The only difference is that the by making your own patties from 80/20 or 73/27 ground beef is portion control. As long as the cheese in the next step does not ooze out from the sides, then good work.

Speaking of cheese🧀…

STEP TWO. I know some of you are bougie when it comes to yellow American cheese (I’m not), but this is the ticket to the Juicy Lucy. Fold each slice of cheese into quarters and stack them atop each other in the middle of the bottom patty. Feel free to add your favorite burger rub – in this case, seasoned salt and black pepper will do the trick – and add another patty to cover the one with the cheese. Make sure you cover the cheese and as a pro tip, crimp the edges to make everything fit but not to the point that cheese melts from the sides. Think the cream filling in Twinkies if you’re confused. Repeat as needed.

STEP THREE. Go light the grill! In early September in Arkansas, it is still too hot to cook hamburgers inside, and even then, where is the fun in that? Like most ground beef products, the Juicy Lucy is finished at 160 degrees but due to the cheese, you can stop just short at 155 degrees and let them carry over to the optimal cooking temperature. Serve with your own toppings and enjoy with friends, family, fellow tailgaters, and hungry neighbors but please don’t forget to toast the buns!

Your friendly pitmaster got the game on lock #DubShackBBQ🏚 #everydayisaGREATdayforbbq #pitmasterlife #igotthesauces #TailgatingForEveryone pic.twitter.com/2Ne5AdbE3S

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) September 6, 2021

Make it your own way; this is just a guide for this cook. Vegan? Do it with Beyond Burger meat and vegan cheese.

I cannot tell you how I missed out by not making this simple recipe before today and how easy barbecue can be. For the fortunate who have eaten my product in person, vicariously through others, or in your dreams, this is something almost anyone can do at home without having to make a trip to Minneapolis/St. Paul where the Juicy Lucy originated for the sumptuous burger. As always, thanks for reading this post and supporting your friendly pitmaster at Dub Shack BBQ where every day is a GREAT day for barbecue! Be blessed, stay safe, and most of all, be good to each other.