One Less Choice for Pulled Pork BBQ

What? Can it be so? I just heard the news that Lindsey's, my favorite barbecue place in Arkansas (my former state of residence), was forced to close after a fire.

Ugh. I will be traveling there in the coming months, and I had been looking forward to paying a culinary pilgrimage there.

I guess the best remaining choices are Sim's, Whole Hog, and a place called Mr. Mason's (which I have never tried, but hear is excellent).

A Nostalgic Detour

I'm visiting friends and family in Arkansas, and this past weekend a few of us went to Oaklawn Park to watch thoroughbred racing. En route to the racetrack in Hot Springs, we made a pilgrimage to one of my favorite barbecue eateries in the world.

It had been more than 20 years since I last stepped into one of the booths at McClard's Bar-B-Q. They've added tamales to the menu since the late 1980s, but longtime patrons seem to go there to eat one of two entrees: the ribs or the pulled pork.

For the past 82 years, McClard's has been tickling the tummies of patrons. Interestingly, McClard's most popular entree when the restaurant opened in the late 1920s was barbecued goat.

Enjoying the "Worst BBQ in Texas"

With a week off to play before my next job, I'm visiting friends in Austin, Tex., reacquainting myself with the excellent eateries in this city. One such no-nonsense place is Rudy's Bar-B-Q. Each Rudy's location adjoins a Shell gas station, which may seem off-putting to non-Texans, but here in the land of oil and cars, that's a handy thing. Rudy's produces brisket, pork spareribs, smoked turkey and sausage. All are good, especially the brisket (which, of course, is the core meat of Texas BBQ).

As they approach the counter to order, diners at Rudy's grab their favorite beverage out of large tubs that are filled with ice. Then you order your sides and meat (generally by the 1/2 pound). Food is eaten at family-style tables. Rudy's strange tagline (displayed on its sign) should be off-putting to customers: "Worst BBQ in Texas." But anyone who has eaten at Rudy's knows this is a case of self-deprecating humor.

BBQ Sandwiches: Perfect for Winter

I don't know how any parent manages to put meals on the table week after week for a family without having a crockpot or another type of slow-cooker. I don't have kids, and even I am using my slow-cooker more and more. Last night, our meal was a simple one: barbecue beef sandwiches.

Some people think of barbecue as a summer entree, but not me. On a cold, wet winter afternoon or evening, few meals hit the spot more than barbecue. Here is the recipe I used with my slow-cooker:

SHREDDED BEEF BARBECUE (makes 7 to 10 sandwiches)

• 1 beef chuck roast or beef sirloin tip roast (3 lbs.)


• 1/2 teaspoon of salt


• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper


• 1 tablespoon of canola oil


• 1 cup of ketchup


• 2/3 cup of water or beer


• 1/2 cup of chopped onion


• 4 tablespoons of molasses


• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce


• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice


• 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar


• 2 teaspoons of dry mustard*


• 2 teaspoons of celery seed


• 1 teaspoon of chili powder (optional)


• Kaiser rolls or toasted hamburger buns

* - feel free to substitute 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard.

NOTE: I prefer using chuck roast, but either cut of beef will work. An ingredient such as celery seed may seem like something you could do without. Think again. I've made this recipe both ways -- with and without the celery seed, and I strongly encourage you to add it, even if it means an extra trip to the grocery store. It definitely enhances the flavor. I also think the beer adds a depth of flavor to the beef, but either water or beer will work fine.

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the beef roast with the salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet, add the canola oil and turn the burner on medium-high heat. Wait until the skillet and oil are hot -- then add the beef, browning it on all sides. This should take a total of 7 or 8 minutes.

2. Place the beef roast into a 5-quart slow-cooker. Turn the slow-cooker on low. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (except the rolls) and stir together.

3. Pour the barbecue sauce over the beef roast and cover the slow-cooker. Set the timer for 8 hours. After eight hours, test for doneness. The meat should be tender enough that it shreds without much effort.

4. Remove the meat from the slow-cooker and turn the temperature down to "warm." Use two forks, one to stab and hold the meat, and the other to shred the fibers of the beef. Shred the beef into small pieces or strands. Then return the shredded meat to the slow-cooker and stir it well with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

5. Wait 10 to 15 minutes and then spoon the meat onto the Kaiser rolls. Use a slotted spoon if the sauce is a bit watery. Baked beans, potato salad or cole slaw are excellent side dishes to consider.

Grilled Orange-Barbecue Chicken

A few days ago, I had written this post about trying to find the recipe ingredients for Grilled Orange Barbecue Chicken. Well, I wasn't able to find the original recipe, but I reconstructed a recipe for the sauce, and it all turned out marvelously. The orange gives the barbecue sauce a nice but subtle citrusy flavor.

Best of all, it's very simple. Here's what we did.

We bought 5 lbs. of chicken with both skin and bone -- a mixture of breasts, thighs and drumsticks. We salted and peppered them a little, and then we fired up the gas grill.

Below is the recipe I used to make the Orange Barbecue sauce:

• An entire 18 oz. bottle of KC Masterpiece Honey Smoke Barbecue Sauce
• 4 oz. of frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed and not diluted)*
• Zest of one navel orange
• 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice, squeezed from the navel orange
• 3 tablespoons of molasses

* - Orange juice concentrate usually comes in a 6-oz. can so just use 2/3 of a can.

Directions:

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well integrated. Pour 2 cups of the Orange Barbecue Sauce in a separate, smaller bowl and set aside. (This will be used at the table by those who want to add more sauce to their chicken.)

2. Start the grill and then add the pieces of chicken, starting with the breasts (which will take longer to cook). Brush the surface of all chicken pieces with the Orange Barbecue Sauce.

3. Once you flip the chicken pieces, brush the other sides with sauce. Consult a grilling guide for details on cooking time.

4. Serve chicken with the reserved bowl of Orange Barbecue Sauce.

Orange BBQ Chicken

We're hanging out with family this weekend, and the dinner I've planned will be built around Orange BBQ Chicken.

I guess it would help if I could find that recipe I once used. I think it's from my Southern Living cookbook, but who knows? First, you brine the chicken so that the breasts don't dry out on the grill. As I recall, there weren't many ingredients besides the chicken.

If I had to improvise, I suspect that I could. Let's see -- a container of good barbecue sauce, frozen orange juice concentrate, zest from 1 orange and some dried or fresh ginger. Maybe a tablespoon of bourbon?

That should work. But if anyone out there in cyberspace should happen to have such a recipe, don't be shy. Please share it with me.