Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs
Dry, please.
My favorite ribs in the whole world, serve with a variety of sauces but don’t be surprised if you dip less and less with each bite…
2 3 to 3 1/2 pound slabs St. Louis-style spare ribs
2-3/4 cups Memphis-Style Dry Rub (recipe below)
Trim bottom side of ribs of white membrane and trim excess fat. Pat both sides of the ribs so that no meat is visible. Wrap and refrigerate over night, or at least an hour or two.
Preheat the grill to 250. If using gas, run one side. If using wood or charcoal, gather them on one side of the barbecue. Place ribs meat-side down on the side not over direct heat. Put a handful of pecan or apple wood chips in a perforated foil packet and place over direct heat, holes facing up. Have another handy if smoke runs out.
Smoke for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, then flip for the last 45 minutes to an hour or until an internal temperature of 155 is reached. Set out for at least 10 minutes before chopping the ribs.
Serve with baked beans and tangy slaw.
Memphis-Style Dry Rub
Makes about 3 cups
1 cup Paprika
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
3 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons toasted, ground coriander seed
2 tablespoons toasted, ground cumin seed
2 tablespoons toasted, ground tellicherry pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Combine thoroughly and store in an air-tight container.
Return of The Rock Cafe Imminent
Food Network star Guy Fieri’s visit to Oklahoma coincided with the one-year anniversary of the tragic burning of Stroud’s Rock Cafe, which “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” featured on a previous visit to the state.
“It’s just so tragic what happened there. We were really saddened to hear the news that it burned.”
He went on to say that he recently had a conversation with Pixar wizard John Lasseter, who was responsible for basing a character in the movie “Cars” on owner Dawn Welch, and that they discussed the loss of original Pixar artwork that was mounted on the walls.
Guy Fieri spoke about The Rock Cafe tragedy during his recent visit.
“John told me to let Dawn know that he would replace any Pixar artwork that she lost…And I know they’re gonna be reopening soon.”
Guy’s right about that. Dawn told me today that the official reopening is scheduled for May 29. On Friday, they will start offering tours of the rebuilt Rock Cafe and offer beignets and coffee in the morning and hot dogs in the afternoon to those interested.
She also said they will be hosting a reunion for the local communities on Memorial Day Weekend, which will act as a test run for the Grand reopening.
FIRE DAMAGE: Collapsed roof after a fire gutted the Rock Cafe on Main Street in Stroud on Tuesday, May 21, 2008. BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN
The historic Rock Cafe on Route66 burned one year ago tomorrow, May 20.
It’s at 114 W. Main St. (Route 66) in Stroud.
Pizza Design Contest!
HIDEAWAY PIZZA ANNOUNCES “TWEETZA” DESIGN-A-PIZZA CONTEST
Twitter competition allows customers first chance to directly influence menu
Hideaway Pizza today launched a pizza design contest by sending this link to the more than 1,400 people who follow @hideawaypizza on the popular social networking tool Twitter.
The Hideaway Pizza fan who assembles the most delicious pizza using any combination of toppings, sauces and cheeses currently available at the restaurants will receive a $100 Hideaway Pizza gift card and their creation will be featured on the next specialty pizza menu insert under the name “Tweetza.”
Deadline for entries is noon on June 1.
This Twitter-based contest is significant to Hideaway Pizza because it’s the first time customers have had a chance to create a pizza for the menu. All pizza’s previously featured on the specialty menu insert – which serves as a test market for the permanent menu – have been designed by Hideaway Pizza employees as part of an ongoing contest.
The specialty menu is updated approximately every six months. Pizzas on the specialty menu that stay in the top 10 in overall orders during the six-month period become part of the permanent menu.
Employee-designed pizzas currently on the specialty menu include:
The Blue Shroom
Pistol Pete’s Smokehouse Combo
Rosie’s Italiano
Buffalo Chicken
The Hideaway Sub-Committee on Pizza Taste Perfection (a highly-trained group of Hideaway Pizza making and tasting professionals which includes co-owners Brett Murphy and Darren Lister) will select the winning “Tweetza” as early as mid-June. The contest winner will be announced on Twitter.
The original Hideaway Pizza location opened its doors in 1957 near the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Primarily through word-of-mouth promotion from its devoted clientele, Hideaway Pizza has expanded to offer nine additional full-service pizzerias in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas and a seasonal location at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Oklahoma City RedHawks.
For more information, please visit www.hideawaypizza.com.
More on conversation with Guy Fieri
Guy Fieri at Ingrid's Kitchen.
It was enlightening meeting Mr. Food Network eeeearrrrrly Tuesday morning.
I was impressed and a little inspired by his passion for food, family and being an ambassador for the hospitality industry.
Here are some director’s cut-style notes that didn’t make it into the story with Guy Fieri about his current visit to Oklahoma.
How does he stay in shape? He goes to the doctor twice a year and works out 2 to 3 times a week.
He says he does it for his health but mostly because he has two boys that he wants to set the right example for. Plus, he doubts anyone wants to see him at 350.
The hair: It’s the product of his longtime hair-stylist in Santa Rosa. He’s “rocked it” for about 10 years. Before that he was rolled with various breeds from the Mullet family.
On his goals growing up: He wanted to be a rock star but couldn’t really sing or read music. When he decided to go into the food industry, he wanted to be a restaurateur. “I wanted to have my own band, not just be a singer.”
Best advice: My dad told me when I went on “The Next Food Network Star” just to stay true to myself, no matter what. It hit me later what that meant.
“I kept telling the producers, I’m the only person that’s going to blow this thing for me. If somebody hits a ball at you in the outfield, it doesn’t matter who hit it. What matters is can you catch it? Is it within you?”
How much time does he spend on the road: More than 220 days last year, but his new contract with Food Network will cut it back to about 12o.
His restaurants: Johnny Garlic’s and Tex-Wasabi’s in California.
Where else has he eaten in town? He ate at Bolero on Tuesday and came away impressed with the food. “Chef Vinny took care of me,” he said. Great cat.”
The “Trans-Am”: A nickname given to our videographer Tanner Herriott, who shot video of Fieri, by chef Ryan Parrott for his neo-mullet coif. Fieri immediately gravitated to Tanner’s hair, so I felt obligated to share the name. His response: Awesome! His final words to Tanner: Take it easy Trans-Am.
The shoots: Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives shot at Mama E’s on Saturday and our Brandy McDonnell was there. They shot at Cattlemen’s Saturday, Eischen’s and Nic’s yesterday, Ingrid’s today, another Mama E’s shoot today. The Diner is scheduled for early tomorrow in Norman.
On Nic’s: ”I told him if he doesn’t have picnic tables by the time I get back, I’m buying them for him!”
Where all has DDD been? Click here to find out.
Buckaroo Beans
Texas cattlemen are all descendents of the vaqueros, Spanish for cowboys. They wrote the book on cattle herding and surviving long hauls on that hard-scrabble prairie. But the word vaquero, pronounced bockero, gradually became buckaroo to the tongue-tied Tennesseans and other assorted Southerners who showed up looking for a good deal on land.
Pinto beans are a mainstay in Mexico. Most barbecue-rich regions, including Oklahoma, are more likely to serve baked beans with their cookouts. But in Texas, pinto beans in a thick, chile-based sauce are more common. The Ranch Style company has made a pretty nice livin’ off them.
Buckaroo beans are Robin to any Texas barbecue's Batman.
Two cups pinto beans
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 tablespoons Texas-style brisket run
3-4 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup vegetable broth
Soak the beans over night in water, making sure the beans are covered by at least an inch. In a hurry? Put the beans in the same amount of water, bring to a boil, cut off heat and cover tightly for one hour.
Discard water and clear any pebbles or unfavorable looking beans.
Cover with enough water to immerse water by two inches. Bring to a boil and simmer with lid half on until beans are soft, about 90 minutes, and adding water as liquid cooks off.
Once soft add remainging ingredients and cook at least another 30 minutes, but the longer they simmer they better they will be.
Smoked brisket, in a hurry.
A nice rich crust with juicy center.
I know, I know it’s an oxymoron. But speed is relative when you’re dealing with brisket. The only way to speed up the process is to cook a smaller hunk or meat, and that’s what I’ve got here for you.
This is my interpretation of a Texas-style brisket, using ingredients common in Mexican and German cuisine as well as those traditional flavor-enhancers for brisket. This one packs so much flavor you’ll never dip it in sauce. IMPORTANT NOTE: You MUST slice across the grain to get the desired effect.
Ingredients:
1 2-3 pound flat-cut brisket
4 tablespoons Texas BBQ rub (recipe below)
2 cups Texas BBQ mop (recipe below)
1 cup pecan wood chips
foil
If using a wood or charcoal grill, light them and burn them to their hot, glowing embers. Make sure you’re wood or charcoal is on only one side of the barbecue.
You can do this on a gas grill if you’ve got multiple heating elements. To start, light all elements and heat until you’ve got 400-degrees constant temperature.
Work the rub into the brisket on all sides, pressing in firmly. Place the brisket over direct heat for 7-10 minutes on both sides to creat a nice crust.
While the meat is cooking, put the chips in the foil and wrap tight. Poke holes in the top of the pouch.
If using charcoal/wood, move the meat to the side without direct heat. If using gas, turn off the elements beneath the meat. If you have four elements, turn off all but one. Try to maintain temperature between 250 and 300 degrees.
Place the wood pouch over the direct heat and mop the brisket. Let the meat smoke for about 2 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 155. Mop every 20 minutes or so. Let stand 10 minutes before carving, it will still be cooking in that time and will be plenty hot when you cut into it.
Sliced brisket, buckaroo beans topped with avocado-tomatillo salsa with sliced kosher dills and plenty of fresh, sliced red onion.
Serve with buckaroo beans, sliced kosher dill pickles and fresh onions, red, white or green all work.
Sauce is optional, but trust me you won’t need it. But if you must, just use some Head Country.
Texas-style brisket rub
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chile powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh toasted and ground cumin seed
1 teaspoon fresh toasted and ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon fresh toasted and ground white peppercorns
1 teaspoon fresh toasted and ground black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chile de arbol powder
Mix well and enjoy.
Texas-style brisket mop
1 12 0z. bottle German beer
12 oz. apple juice
1/2 cup vinegar
2-4 shallots
3-5 dried red chiles
2-3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Texas-style brisket rub
Put all the ingredients in a pot and boil until about 1/4 of the liquid has reduced.
Mom’s old digs downtown
Heading north on Harvey, just before arriving in Heritage Hills, travelers circa 1916 to 1952 couldn’t miss the Juprenka Apartments.
Mom didn’t learn to make chicken curry there, but she did fall in love with the coke float.
