Ever since I started watching the show BBQ Pit Masters, where Myron Mixon cooks some amazing foods via the smoking process, I had to try cooking the Cupcake Chicken myself. It definitely looks good but I had to prove it to myself on the taste.
A couple days I finally gave Myron's recipe a try and it was all worth it. My wife and I hosted a dinner for some family after the birth of our son, Adrian. I smoked pulled pork and some chicken because some family members didn't eat pork. The meats of the day were pulled pork, cupcake chicken and full chicken legs (drumstick and thigh bone). Of all the meats cupcake chicken disappeared first and was the favorite. I honestly didn't get a chance to eat a whole one myself but had a couple pieces from my daughters leftover plate.
Its a very simple recipe and the results are great. Stay tuned!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
A PROUD FATHER!!
This post isn't about hiking, biking, food, or fishing. But in posts to come this little guy will one day begin enjoying all the fun adventures that dad likes to take.
My son, Adrian Nicolas was born on 6-17-13, all healthy and well, weighing 10.5 lbs. My wife and I are so blessed to have another gift from God and joy in our family. Here's my little guy!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
FATHER'S DAY RIBS!
I think anyone that does a little cooking makes a decision from time to time to modify a recipe or completely just create one from scratch as you go. Last fall I helped my mom cook some ribs on the grill and I have never prepared them with that recipe that I used nor did I cook them in such a fashion. Everyone that tried them last fall really enjoyed them and so when my mom asked me to help cook the ribs on the grill I said sure, and thought I will do them just like I did last year.
It would have been nice to remember some important things like the ingredients used for the rub or where my mom actually purchased the ribs. Well since I couldn't remember these important details, I didn't expect the ribs to come out as good.
The ribs were purchased from a local store but they had a lot more meat on them then those last year. For the rub I had used some of my favorite ingredients from M.Mixon's recipes and see how it would taste. I also used the same marinade that Myron suggests for his ribs and it worked out well.
The ribs stayed in the marinade over night. I then applied my rub prior to setting them on the grill which included the following ingredients of: brown sugar, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
On the grill, at medium heat, I had the ribs cook for about 30 minutes at 400 'F until they had some nice bark and grill marks. I then placed the ribs in a deep pan and covered them in Sweet Baby Ray BBQ sauce and set them into the preheated over set at 350'F. I cooked them for an additional 1.5 hrs until they were ready. I served them immediately.
Overall, I enjoyed the eating but they weren't the fall of the bone type of ribs that I really enjoy. However, the 3 full racks that I cooked were quickly licked up.
It would have been nice to remember some important things like the ingredients used for the rub or where my mom actually purchased the ribs. Well since I couldn't remember these important details, I didn't expect the ribs to come out as good.
The ribs were purchased from a local store but they had a lot more meat on them then those last year. For the rub I had used some of my favorite ingredients from M.Mixon's recipes and see how it would taste. I also used the same marinade that Myron suggests for his ribs and it worked out well.
The ribs stayed in the marinade over night. I then applied my rub prior to setting them on the grill which included the following ingredients of: brown sugar, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
On the grill, at medium heat, I had the ribs cook for about 30 minutes at 400 'F until they had some nice bark and grill marks. I then placed the ribs in a deep pan and covered them in Sweet Baby Ray BBQ sauce and set them into the preheated over set at 350'F. I cooked them for an additional 1.5 hrs until they were ready. I served them immediately.
Overall, I enjoyed the eating but they weren't the fall of the bone type of ribs that I really enjoy. However, the 3 full racks that I cooked were quickly licked up.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
ADK EXPLORER UPDATE!
There were 2 excellent reviews for road biking routes in the ADK Park. One of them is shown in a photo below: a 48 mile ride around Whiteface Mountain. I have traveled that route before via car and can completely agree that it is very scenic but I never considered it as a good road bike route.
Another topic that I have seen discussed before but this time in greater detail is hiking the mountains via slides. Since the ADK MTS have been hit by hurricanes Floyd, Irene, and Sandy in the recent years, the size of the slides on several mountains have increased in size and new ones that were created. Since reading this article, I began to think that it would be a nice alternative option to climbing the peaks in the future some time.
Overall I have been very pleased with the ADK Explorer magazine and the articles it had some far in the past 3 issues.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
SPLIT ROCK QUARRY RIDE
The weather has been in the high 60's and low 70's in Central NY for a few days and therefore it gave plenty of opportunities to do some real off road mountain biking. It was also nice to have a riding buddy, this time it was my brother.
Split Rock quarry is an interesting place to biking because of its history, location, and terrain. The quarry itself closed down in 1918 because of an explosion it the main TNT building. The explosion was so big that some people thought that it was an earthquake. The place was leveled, 50 people died,
and it really never reopened after that.
Its located in Camillus, NY in an area that is surrounded by housing developments. The Kasson Rd. entrance to the quarry is guarded by a disgruntled man that own's that piece of property. There have been legal wars on whether or not he can post off that property. So the word is out not use that entrance to the biking trails. Another bad entrance we learned while riding is at the end of Smoral Rd. There is a business at the end of the street and no good parking. Word has it that the owner has been calling the tow trucks to get ride of cars. The other entrance is on Wright Rd (dead end rd) off Split Rock Rd. The best place to park is at the King Memorial Park and bike up the road to the entrance.
When on the trail, after a little trial and error, its best to stay to the right instead of going left, which leads to someone's business off Smoral Rd. Biking to the right at the next 2 intersections will bring you to a nice rocky/cliff like area with plenty of trails to do that weave in and out of wooded areas. Beyond the rocky cliff area if you keep left, will bring you into a wooded area that has plenty of ATV trails with plenty of nice "adrenaline rush" areas. Eventually the area opens up to a very flat ride. There is a reason why the place is called Split Rock. The open and flat areas aren't that interesting and probably best for motorized vehicles. At the end of the flats there will be more woods but they belong to that wonderful guy off Kasson Rd. So bike there at your own discretion.
Overall, its good riding and that trip we did like 8 miles in about one hour.
Monday, June 10, 2013
ON THE BIKE AGAIN!
So the other day I began my quest for a nice beginner road bike. The future will tell how soon I will actually own one.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
THE BRISKET DONE WELL!
The Meat: there are 3 different cuts of meat: the "flat", the "point", and untrimmed which is both cuts. If I was going to use the untrimmed the meat would be around 15-20 lbs. So I bought the flat cut at a local grocery store which weighed 7 lbs. Look for the most marbled meat. Next thing that you want to do is trim off all of the fat that surrounds the meat itself.
Injection: this is an important step of the process. I used Myron's recipe which includes the following ingredients: water, beef bullion powder, and beef broth. Next I used a stainless steel injector to inject the marinade throughout the cut of meat. The meat was then allowed to sit in the fridge over night for about 7 hrs.
Rub: I decided to make my own rub because Myron's recipe called for many spicy ingredients which my family and I didn't favor too much. So my recipe includes the following:
2 Tbsp black pepper ground
1 Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
The rub was liberally applied to all sides of the meat. Then I set the meat into an aluminum single use pan.
Smoker: I preheated the smoker to 350 degrees F while I was making and applying the rub. I set a basin of water and wood chips inside to warm up as well. Then I set the meat with the temperature probe in the thickest portion of the cut.
Wood Chips: for the first time I used Mesquite.
Cooking: the meat was cooked at 350, well my smoker never reached that temp after the meat was inserted. But it was consistent at 250-260 F. Cook the meat for 2.5 hrs. Then remove the meat and place into a new pan and this time covering it up with foil. Cook for an additional 1.5 hrs or until it reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees F.
Myron recommended wrapping the meat in a blanket, so I used an old towel instead which was sufficient to hold the heat. The idea is to allow the meat to sit in its own juices before serving for about 1 hr. I had plenty to share so we invited my side of the family for dinner.
Injection: this is an important step of the process. I used Myron's recipe which includes the following ingredients: water, beef bullion powder, and beef broth. Next I used a stainless steel injector to inject the marinade throughout the cut of meat. The meat was then allowed to sit in the fridge over night for about 7 hrs.
2 Tbsp black pepper ground
1 Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
The rub was liberally applied to all sides of the meat. Then I set the meat into an aluminum single use pan.
Smoker: I preheated the smoker to 350 degrees F while I was making and applying the rub. I set a basin of water and wood chips inside to warm up as well. Then I set the meat with the temperature probe in the thickest portion of the cut.
Cooking: the meat was cooked at 350, well my smoker never reached that temp after the meat was inserted. But it was consistent at 250-260 F. Cook the meat for 2.5 hrs. Then remove the meat and place into a new pan and this time covering it up with foil. Cook for an additional 1.5 hrs or until it reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees F.
Myron recommended wrapping the meat in a blanket, so I used an old towel instead which was sufficient to hold the heat. The idea is to allow the meat to sit in its own juices before serving for about 1 hr. I had plenty to share so we invited my side of the family for dinner.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
SMOKING THE GREAT MEAT!
There is the good meat like pork and chicken that we eat more often. Then there is the great meat that we eat more on special occasion, such a beef. At least in our home, turkey and chicken are by far the most commonly eaten meats. Then comes pork and occasionally we will have beef.
So what is so special about beef? Its simply cooked but differently. According to Myron Mixon, beef or brisket in particular is "tricky and dense and tough and has to be cooked just right" or else it won't be a good tasty eating. So I though why not take on the challenge of cooking a brisket myself in the good old smoker I have.
And while at it, why not use the M. Mixon way. The reason I chose this why and didn't even bother researching another way is because its a faster way of doing it. The traditional ways are cooking at a low temperature and that means long time cooking--somewhere around 16 hrs or so. In his book, Myron states that he has developed a method that works really well at a much faster pace. Why not??
In order to use higher temperature, there has to be enough moisture in the meat and that is done by injection and a water basin is placed in the smoker to add more moisture in the smoker. Since I started smoking meats, I have all ways added a water basin and it has worked out well. These tasks aren't that challenging so it should work out well.
So what is so special about beef? Its simply cooked but differently. According to Myron Mixon, beef or brisket in particular is "tricky and dense and tough and has to be cooked just right" or else it won't be a good tasty eating. So I though why not take on the challenge of cooking a brisket myself in the good old smoker I have.
And while at it, why not use the M. Mixon way. The reason I chose this why and didn't even bother researching another way is because its a faster way of doing it. The traditional ways are cooking at a low temperature and that means long time cooking--somewhere around 16 hrs or so. In his book, Myron states that he has developed a method that works really well at a much faster pace. Why not??
In order to use higher temperature, there has to be enough moisture in the meat and that is done by injection and a water basin is placed in the smoker to add more moisture in the smoker. Since I started smoking meats, I have all ways added a water basin and it has worked out well. These tasks aren't that challenging so it should work out well.
Monday, June 3, 2013
THE TIOGHNIOGA RIVER
Another good stopping point is Marathon, NY. The river runs along several sports fields and there is a nice sandy place to land. There was a group of kayakers resting on the grassy bank during my trip. This is a shorter trip of about 15 miles. It could probably be done in around 3 hrs.
If a challenge is desired then paddling to Whitney Point could easily be added to the trip. With good conditions the trip can be achieved in an additional hour. Just beyond the I-81 bridges in Whitney Point is the landing spot I used also seen in the next photo. The corner at the landing spot is Rt. 11 and Main Street in Whitney Point which is also a mile or so from 1-81.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
TIOGHNIOGA RIVER PADDLE
Weather: Late May, 60's; partly cloudy
Kayak: Eagle Run 12'
Classification: Moderate
The decision to do this trip happened last minute, when the plans for Memorial Day weekend drastically changed and the opportunity presented itself. There were a couple things that I wanted to do prior to the trip which included getting a spray skirt and having a specific place to land in Whitney Point. However, I decided to go ahead with it anyways.
Yaman Park is a great place to launch. Very easy to find when coming off of I-81 South. The launching area is partly grass and gravel with a little dock. It's not immediately on the river but in a little cove so the water current is minimal.
After loading the gear into the kayak and starting my MAPMYRIDE app, the trip started out smoothly. The kayak conditions were very favorable because with NW winds at 20 mph, temperature in the 60's, and a fair current. It quickly became warm and I had to take off my light wind breaker.
The river winding through portions of Cortland then alongside farm pastures on the left and a railroad on the right. Some parts run alongside Rt. 11. The river between Cortland and Marathon was interesting and scenic. There were Class I rapids around turns and a couple Class II rapids on some straight runs. It was my first time in any kind of rapids and there is a slight learning curve of how to maneuver through them that I had to figure out. Towards the end of the trip I felt more confident.
I stopped about 12 miles into the trip for a 10 min break to stretch the legs and get off the butt. It would be nice to have a softer seat next time. Maybe a "donut" will work. My next stop was in Marathon right before Main Street bridge. There was a rocky/sand bar which was easy landing and launching site.
In Marathon I made the decision to continue paddling to Whitney point which was an additional 10 miles. I had plenty of snacks for the trip and my water supply was still good. A mile or two beyond Marathon, I quickly realized that it was going to be a boring part of the paddle. It was more wilderness with many long straight runs, minimal rapids, and not that scenic. Also I started to get a muscle spasm around both elbows. The current was still strong and I ended up taking more breaks and allowing the current to carry me along. My app indicated that without paddling, I was moving at 4.6 mph. When paddling it registered at 5.5 mph.
Along most the route there was plenty of wildlife which consisted of water fowl such as Canadian Geese, Ducks, and Herons.
Approaching Whitney Point, I-81 bridges cross the river once again. After the bridges I had researched on Google Earth that there was a grassy area not to far from a main road through town. However, never before traveling through that area. I wasn't certain where I was going to conclude my trip. It turned out easier than expected and the grassy area running alongside Main Street was the perfect spot. I pulled my kayak to the corner of Main St and Rt 11, which also has a HESS gas station. My ride was able to easily locate the place and it was really easy to load the kayak there.
Total Distance: 25.2 miles
Total Time: 4.5 hrs
Average Speed: 5.4 mph
Calories Burned: 1700
The river winding through portions of Cortland then alongside farm pastures on the left and a railroad on the right. Some parts run alongside Rt. 11. The river between Cortland and Marathon was interesting and scenic. There were Class I rapids around turns and a couple Class II rapids on some straight runs. It was my first time in any kind of rapids and there is a slight learning curve of how to maneuver through them that I had to figure out. Towards the end of the trip I felt more confident.
I stopped about 12 miles into the trip for a 10 min break to stretch the legs and get off the butt. It would be nice to have a softer seat next time. Maybe a "donut" will work. My next stop was in Marathon right before Main Street bridge. There was a rocky/sand bar which was easy landing and launching site.
In Marathon I made the decision to continue paddling to Whitney point which was an additional 10 miles. I had plenty of snacks for the trip and my water supply was still good. A mile or two beyond Marathon, I quickly realized that it was going to be a boring part of the paddle. It was more wilderness with many long straight runs, minimal rapids, and not that scenic. Also I started to get a muscle spasm around both elbows. The current was still strong and I ended up taking more breaks and allowing the current to carry me along. My app indicated that without paddling, I was moving at 4.6 mph. When paddling it registered at 5.5 mph.
Along most the route there was plenty of wildlife which consisted of water fowl such as Canadian Geese, Ducks, and Herons.
Approaching Whitney Point, I-81 bridges cross the river once again. After the bridges I had researched on Google Earth that there was a grassy area not to far from a main road through town. However, never before traveling through that area. I wasn't certain where I was going to conclude my trip. It turned out easier than expected and the grassy area running alongside Main Street was the perfect spot. I pulled my kayak to the corner of Main St and Rt 11, which also has a HESS gas station. My ride was able to easily locate the place and it was really easy to load the kayak there.
Total Distance: 25.2 miles
Total Time: 4.5 hrs
Average Speed: 5.4 mph
Calories Burned: 1700
Saturday, June 1, 2013
PULLED PORK GOODNESS
Take home messages on pulled pork!!
1. Use 6-8lb. cut of meat
2. Use fruit wood
3. Apple juice makes for a good injection ingredient
4. Using a rub is never a bad idea.
5. Make sure the internal temp is 205 F before taking meat out
6. Make sure you make enough to share!!!
7. The options are countless what you can do wit the meat!
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