ChefTap

To all of you Foodie’s out there, how do you keep track of your recipes?  Old food splattered books on a shelf, index cards and boxes, junk drawer full of papers and clippings, Instagram, Google, etc?

A couple of years ago I discovered a wonderful app that is available to you on Android, iOS, and from any web browser, so if you like cooking with your phone or tablet or laptop, they have you covered.  You can compose and enter your recipes from any device, upload multiple photos, create the most complex recipes like how to make the sauce, entrée and other components.

But WAIT!  There’s more!  ChefTap was actually designed to gather recipes.  As in, you give it the URL to the recipe you just found on cooking.com and it goes after it, strips away all the ads other nonsense, grabs a photo, ingredients, and instructions and loads it all into your library, along with a link back to where you found it.  I’ve found that it works great just about anywhere, but just in case you can review and correct any errors the program made, like omissions or additions of other commentary.  I’ve never had to do that though.

This amazing gem is created and supported by two people.  Kate and Shawn, both programmers, and foodies with a passion for both and supporting ChefTap.  I’ve contacted them a couple of times and always got almost immediate response back, we’ve even carried on a few lengthy email exchanges.  They listen to the users and go above and beyond to help them, like recently when I was having a minor problem and thought I could just delete all my recipes and force them to sync back in… and I lost everything.  Despite it being “after hours” on a Friday night, Shawn jumped in the server and recovered everything I’d just deleted.

By the way, did I mention this app would also make up and help you manage your shopping lists?  YUP!  Finally you can tag your recipes, compile a list of ingredients and take your phone to the store to get what you need.  I haven’t used it but once, but it looks to be very powerful and helpful.  It even helps you inventory and manage those “staple items” that you should have a running stock of, like flour, sugar, salt, etc.

I know you’re wondering by now how much this life-saving app will cost you.  Any tool worth having is worth paying a fair price for, and this one is no different, except you can get totally free version with some limitations.  All in all it’s still a fantastic app, even as a free version.  However, for the low, LOW price of $19.95 a year you will be supporting a great app and pair of people and have no limitations and that awesome priority support I mentioned.

Go on over to http://ChefTap.Com and look around their website at what all you can do, they even have videos to show you how the app works.

Keep on Grillin’ and Chillin!

--Mike

I'm Lovin It!

(I call it the MikeRib Sandwich)

So, I created this gem about 4 years ago after discovering I could make a rack of ribs that I could extract the bones from after cooking without the whole rack falling apart. This treat will feed several people, is great on "Game Day" or "Just Because."  It will take some time to prepare though so start early.  The center point in this is putting a whole rack of ribs in a sandwich using an entire French Loaf.  The toppings I show are just a few of many you can have fun with.  As long as the ribs and bread are right, the rest should just fall into place.

For the ribs, carefully prepare a rack of St Louis style ribs.  If at all possible get ribs marked as "Extra Meaty."  Peel off the membrane in the bony inside, very important!  Season them how you like.  I like to use either mustard or a Carolina style (mustard) BBQ sauce to lightly coat the ribs to create a "glue" for the rub, then add in your usualy seasonings such as salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, etc.  Wrap and chill them for a few hours to let the seasonings get it.

Grill or smoke the rack over low temps, like 250-275 over INDIRECT heat, such as from an offset smoker.  Watch the meat begin to recede from the ends of the bones and get tender, but NOT so tender the rack falls apart when you lift or move it.  This is the tricky part.  The shorter rib bones on the ends might start coming out on their own when moved, but the meat should still be firm for the most part.

Carefully take them off the grill and lay them out on a cutting board, meaty side down.  Using a small but sharp knife (like a paring knife) slice down the middle of the bones and gently pull them out of the meat, trying not to tear or break apart the rack.  This is where having extra meaty ribs pays off.

Once all the bones and cartilage are are removed, trim up the sides and ends so they won't extend too far over the width of the French bread, and removing any remaining bits of bone or cartilage.

Toast the French bread in your oven (Or on your grill!) with a light coating of butter.  Then add whatever dressings you want to use on the bread, such as Mayonaise, Miracle Whip, Mustard, BBQ Sauce, etc.  Also brush on a light coat of BBQ sauce directly on the ribs as well.

Begin building your sandwich to taste, a little lettuce...

Tomato...

Onion...

However you like it, there is no right or wrong!  Put it all together, cut into manageable pieces and enjoy immediately!

Mike's Smokey Sweet BBQ Sauce Ingredients

For those interested, below are the ingredients I use in my Smokey Sweet BBQ Sauce, listed in order of quantity from most to least:

Ketchup,  Worcestershire Sauce, Apple Cider Vinegar, water, Brown Sugar, Agave Nectar (Or Honey), Smoked Sweet Onions, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Sea Salt

As always, shake well before using, refrigerate after opening.  If it looks or smells bad, throw it out, don't take the chance!


--Mike

Mike's Hellfire BBQ Sauce Ingredients

For those interested, below are the ingredients I use in my Hellfire BBQ Sauce, listed in order of quantity from most to least:

Ketchup, Agave Nectar (Or Honey), Apple Cider, water, Worcestershire Sauce, Brown Sugar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Smoked Jalapenos, Smoked Habeneros, Smoked Sweet Onions, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder, Wasabi Powder

As always, shake well before using, refrigerate after opening.  If it looks or smells bad, throw it out, don't take the chance!

Additionally for the Hellfire sauce I recommend it be kept away from children, eyes, and pets.  To some I know would prefer it hotter, but for many it's just too hot!  Please enjoy responsibly.

--Mike

This just in...

In the coming weeks and months I promise I'll be posting more recipes, ideas and information about my BBQ sauces now that I'm finally getting this site on track.

However I have to make this special announcement right now because I'm so excited!

A couple weeks ago I saw an ad on my Facebook page to join the "Smithfield Hog Wild Throwdown", so I went to check it out.  For the contest you submit an original recipe for grilling pork like a steak.  I figured I could do that, challenge accepted!

Prizes include a shot at a Ford F-150, a trip to Kansas City for the American Royal BBQ Competition, and maybe even meet some BBQ superstars like Tuffy Stone and "Big Mo" Cason, so that would be pretty cool.  At the very least I could try an original recipe and see if anyone liked it.

Well today I got the email that I was a semi-finalist!  One of ten!  Needless to say I am very stoked!  The second part of the challenge, that will move someone to the finalist stage are votes for the recipes so now I gotta find everyone I can to go to the website and vote for MY recipe so I can go to Kansas City in October.

To vote, you must be 21 or older, and go to http://www.smithfieldthrowdown.com/contest/vote and register and vote for "Mike C" in the "Backyard BBQ-er Division".  You can vote every day (PLEASE DO!) until 8/25.  Every vote you cast gives YOU a chance to win a Ford F-150, and there is also a daily "Spin and Win" contest on the site that can give you a prize as well as an additional entry to win that truck.

My recipe was truly an "original," made up on the spot just for this contest and uses my Bourbon Sauce/Glaze recipe as well.  Had I thought I had any kind of a chance to get this far I'd have written it up a little better, and good grief, made a better picture of the steaks!  It looks like the other 8 or 9 competitors are women and their plates look amazing!  I'm sure I lost a bunch of points on appearance and write-up of the recipe so the only way I'll advance is if I get a ton more votes. (Hint-Hint)

So help me out and vote for my recipe.  In fact, try it out too, I know I and my family really enjoyed it.  I'll post it here soon, but for now you can see it when you vote for it. ;)

Keep on Grillin and Chillin!

Bourbon Sauce/Glaze

Bourbon Sauce/Glaze

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Bourbon
• 1/2 cup Mikes Smokey Sweet BBQ Sauce
• 2 tbsp Mikes Spicy BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp Beef stock

Instructions

1. Combine BBQ Sauce, molasses, beef stock, and water in a sauce pan.
2. Heat on Medium-High stirring with a whisk until it comes to a soft boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Add Bourbon, do not stir.
5. Light sauce with long lighter, allow to burn off and go out on its own.
6. Whisk sauce, and attempt to re-light until sauce no longer ignites.
7. Remove from heat, whisk in and let cool on counter.
8. Use immediately or refrigerate up to one week.

Batch Notes: 7/31/2016

7/31/2016

Today's batch was "Hellfire", producing 19 pints of spicy BBQ sauce.  This batch is one of the first made with the "final" process of drying the Jalapeno, Habenero, Onion, and Paprika and grinding them to a fine powder.

The taste is exceptional, spicy, and should be the first of the most standardized processes I have created to-date.  All the "Hellfire" batches following this one should be very closely similar in taste, consistency, heat, and yield.

As always, "Shake well before using", "Refrigerate after opening", and in the case of the "Hellfire" recipe, "Keep away from children"  It's pretty spicy. Insanely so to some, just right to others, but to the sensitive such as children and those who are sensitive it can be very bad. Please enjoy responsibly.

Shelf life should be at least a year unopened, and several months after if kept refrigerated after opening.  If it looks or smells bad, please throw it out, its not worth getting sick over.  However the vinegar, acidity, and canning process should keep it preserved long after it should have been consumed under normal circumstances.


This sauce is great on beef, pork, and chicken for those who like a lot of kick. It's also great in marinades, mixed with vegetables, other sauces, and baked beans.  Mix to taste, its designed to challenge your palate!