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Carne Adovada — A Taste of Heaven

September 24, 2008 by Big Dan · Leave a Comment 

My area of expertise in barbeque is building and maintaining a steady fire that will hold temp for extended periods of time. However, I would like to venture into the realm of recipes for this post. While recipes are not my forté, this is one recipe I developed that I must share.

About three years ago I helped a friend with a project and was taken out to dinner in repayment of the favor. She took me to a place here in Phoenix called Dick’s Hideaway, which is about the coolest restaurant in Phoenix (George W. Bush ate there a couple years ago when he was in town). They specialize in New Mexican cuisine and they do an amazing job with it.

I ordered Carne Adovada, which I had never even heard of before, and I was blown away – I had never in my life eaten anything this good — or this hot. Pork marinated for days in a chile marinade then smoked over a pecan wood fire, cut into cubes and simmered in a chile sauce then slathered with a layer of cheese that has melted down into the sauce — oh, man, that was good eatin’! But what really knocked my socks off was the perfect marriage of pecan wood smoke to the recipe. I truly believe that God created pecan trees just so they could be used to make Carne Adovada.

The next day I began my quest for a recipe. I found many versions of Carne Adovada but none even came close to what I had a Dick’s. So I pulled a little from here – a little from there – and corresponded with a lovely lady in New Mexico and came up with a recipe that not only was like Dick’s, but was actually better.

I have made this many times for many people and every single person has said that it was absolutely the best meal they’ve ever had. My niece said if she had a choice, Carne Adovada is the only thing she’d eat for the rest of her life. I was even invited on a Phoenix cooking show to prepare my recipe on television.Chili Ristra
This recipe calls for dried chilis – the kind you find in a ristra. The finets of these chilis are Hatch Valley chilis grown in Hatch Valley, New Mexico. While other chilis will work just fine – for the best final product use Hatch Valley chilis if you can find them. Typically these chilis are available in mild, medium and hot (medium can be hard to find outside the Southwest). Be sure you use the hot chilis.
The recipe:

CARNE ADOVADA

RED CHILE PUREE

1-2 cups water 8-10 dried red New Mexico chile pods

(Hot) - (get Hatch Valley if you can)

Tear tops off of chile pods and use knife or finger (use plastic food preparation gloves to protect your fingers as they will start to sting a bit — do not touch your eyes with your fingers until you’ve washed them) to clean out seeds and veins inside of each one. Place pods in medium sized pot and cover with water. Heat to boiling on high heat. Boil several minutes until pods are soft stirring occasionally to make sure they boil evenly. Place drained pods (save liquid) in blender container, then pour 1/2 of liquid into blender (keep the rest in the pot and add more water for the next batch) and blend until smooth, add 1-2 cloves garlic if desired. Add more water if needed, but keep in mind this is a puree, thicker than sauce or juice. When pureed, pour into a large stock pot. Sometimes you might need to pour thru a mesh sieve to remove any skins that did not blend up in the blender. NOTE: You will want to make several batches of puree.

CHILE COLORADO (Basic Red Chile Sauce)

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

2 C. red chile puree (see below)

2 C. chicken broth

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. garlic powder

Dash oregano (use Mexican oregano if you can get it)

Heat butter in medium-size saucepan on medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1minute. Add red chile puree and cook for about another minute. Gradually add broth and stir, making sure there are no lumps, a whisk works best. Add seasoning to sauce and simmer at low heat for 10-15 minutes.

THE MARINATED PORK:

4 cloves garlic

1 T. salt

1 T. oregano

2 recipes or more of the Red Chile Puree (above)

3-5 lbs. (approx.) pork tenderloin roast

Add garlic, salt and oregano to chile puree. Cut pork loin into four large pieces (slice in half once horizontally and once vertically) and put them in a large, glass baking dish (even better, a stainless steel stock pot) and pour chile puree over to cover — turn meat to cover completely. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours (36-72 hours or more is even better — I like to marinate mine for a week). It is a good idea to stir it around once a day or so to make sure that every part of the pork soaks in the marinade.

FINAL ASSEMBLY AND COOKING:

Place marinated pork pieces in smoker or barbeque and cook using the indirect method to keep the marinade from burning(for best results, use some pecan wood chunks or chips for smoke flavor — pecan smoke is incredible with this dish but be careful not to over smoke) and cook until internal temp reaches around 150 (use a meat thermometer).

Remove pork from smoker and cut into cubes ½” to 1″ square and put into baking pan/dish about 3″-4″ deep. Pour chili colorado over pork cubes (the pork should be “swimming in it”) and put baking pan/dish into smoker – crank up the temp to around 325 (you can do this part in the oven inside if you want) and let it simmer (for best results, seal tightly with foil so the sauce doesn’t boil off and get too thick) for at least an hour – 2 or even 3 hours would be even better (if you simmer longer than an hour you must seal with foil or the sauce will boil off).

About 5 minutes before removing from smoker, remove the foil and layer on top (fairly thickly) a good amount of pre-shredded Kraft Mexican blend cheese. When the cheese melts (about 5 minutes) remove from smoker, let it cool for 5 minutes or so and serve with rice and beans and warmed flour tortillas.

NOTE: This recipe can be cooked in a regular oven (use a baking pan) instead of a smoker – you lose the pecan wood flavor but it is still incredibly delicious.

Big Dan

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SMOKING THE SHOULDER

July 5, 2008 by homebbq · Leave a Comment 

 
Pork shoulder is really two cuts of meat, the butt portion or “boston butt” and the picnic. Typically the shoulder is used for pulled pork, and rightfully so, if cooked properly this meat will practically pull itself. If you have heard the term “low and slow” it definately applies here. This cut of meat loves time. Ok, lets get started!
Smoking The Shoulder
 
Description: Pork shoulder is really two cuts of meat, the butt portion or “boston butt” and the picnic.Typically the shoulder is used for pulled pork, and rightfully so, if cooked properly this meat will practically pull itself.

If you have heard the term “low and slow” it definately applies here. This cut of meat loves time.

Ok, lets get started!

If I buy a shoulder, I will try to get them to take as much of the skin off as possible, without removing the fat cap.

Its very difficult to use a rub when there is alot of skin.

I like to use my Florida Rub (listed under rub recipe’s). It does a great job on this cut of meat.

1. Thouroughly coat the shoulder with yellow mustard.
2. Liberally cover the meat on all sides with the rub.
3. Let marinate over night covered and refridgerated.
4. I usually soak my hickory chunks over night as well.
5. Bring the smoker up to a temperature between 200 - 225 degrees.
6. Place shoulder on V-Rack in drip pan (BGE), or directly on the rack in water smokers and offsets, and place it in the smoker (make sure you add your wood chunks to the fire).
7. Smoke the shoulder for about 75 to 90 minutes per pound, depending on what temperature you are cooking at, type of pit, and the physical size of the piece of meat
8. About half way through the cook, remove the shoulder from the smoker and wrap in heavy aluminum foil.
9. Either place it back into the smoker, or in the oven at 225 degrees.
10. Let cook wrapped until the internal temp reaches 194 to 200.
11. When finished, let stand wrapped for about 10 to 20 minutes, and then start pulling it apart.
12. Now its time to add a finishing sauce, I like to use the Vaunted Vinegar sauce (from Smoke and Spice), or STUBB’s spicy.
13. Place back into the oven at 200 degrees covered for 30 to 60 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven and serve

This should make you a hit at any party.

Cooking times will vary based on the type of smoker you are using. Make sure to read the manual.

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SWEET AND SPICY BONE-IN PORK LOIN ROAST

June 20, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

HomeBBQ.com

This recipe uses the HomeBBQ.com Old Florida Key Lime Jerk Seasoning, and a Cider Vinegar Marinade. Its real good, let us know what you think.

Items Needed:
2 - 3 lb Bone-in Pork loin roast
1 Jar of HomeBBQ.com Old Florida Key Lime Jerk Seasoning

Marinade Ingredients:
2 cups of Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp of brown sugar
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

Mix Marinade Ingredients in non-reactive bowl. Place pork roast and Marinade in a sealed container or plastic bag, and let marinate for a minimum of 1 hour to a maximum of 4 hours.

Remove the pork roast from the marinade, and discard the marinade.

Season pork roast liberally with HomeBBQ.com Old Florida Key Lime Jerk Seasoning.

Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking.

This roast needs to be cooked indirect at a temperature of 350 degrees for approx. 20-25 minutes per pound. The internal temp of the roast when finished should be 160 degrees.

After removing from heat, let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. This will let the juices settle inside the roast.

This recipe can be used for cooking in the oven, smoker or grill.

Enjoy!

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GRILLED SWEET ORANGE PORK TENDERLOIN

June 20, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

HomeBBQ.com

This recipe uses HomeBBQ.com Sweet Orange Habenero Seasoning

Ingredients:
2 - Pork Tenderloins
1 - Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 - Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 - tsp Chopped Garlic
1 - Jar of HomeBBQ.com Sweet Orange Habenero Seasoning

Combine Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, chopped Garlic, and 2 tsp Sweet Orange Habenero Seasoning in a non-reactive bowl.

Place Pork Tenderloins in sealed container, and pour in Vinegar and Oil mixture. Let marinate a minimum of 4 hours, preferrably overnight.

Remove tenderloins from marinade, and season liberally with HomeBBQ.com Sweet Orange Habenero Seasoning. Let stand for 15 minutes. Discard remaining marinade.

Grill Pork Tenderloins over medium-hot fire turning occasionally, for 15 to 25 minutes, until internal temp reaches 155 to 160 degrees.

Remove from heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

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The Renowned Mr Brown

June 20, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Leonard Heuberger

In old Southern Slang, Mr Brown is the dark, smoky outside part of the barbequed pork, usually the shoulder. This is the traditional cooking style, perfected by generations of pitmasters to give Mr. Brown his deserved renown.

Southern Succor Rub
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne

6 pound to 8 pound Boston butt

Southern Sop (optional)
Remaining Southern Succor Rub
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne

Serves 8 to 10

The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Massage the pork well with about half of the rub. Transfer the pork to a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Before you begin to barbecue, remove the pork from the refridgerator. Pat down the butt with another coating of rub. Let the pork sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes.

Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200 degrees F to 220 degrees F.

If you plan to baste the pork, stir any remaining rub together with the mop ingredients in a saucepan and warm the mixture over low heat.

Transfer the pork to the smoker and cook it for about 1 1/2 hours per pound, or internal temperature reaches 170 degrees to 180 degrees.Mop the pork about once an hour in wood-burning pit, or as appropriate for your style smoker.

remove the pork from the smoker and let it sit for about 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle.Pull of chunks of the meat, and either shred or chop them as you wish. Make sure each serving has some of the darker chewier Mr. Brown along with the lighter interior meat. If you wish, serve the pork with Golden Mustard Barbeque Sauce, Carolina Red, or Vaunted Vinegar Sauce.

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