which allows guests to select four or five different types of dishes. Occasionally diners will inquire as to the name, giving us the chance to explain a little Southern tradition called pig pickin’ that has been making backyards tasty hangouts for hundreds of years.
Otherwise known as a pig roast, the event revolves around a large group of people coming together to literally pick away at a roasted hog. As for where this lovely activity evolved from, the contemporary version was born when churches and large communities would hold pig pickin’ feasts around the turn of the nineteenth century, when everyone would be allowed to come together for the day to enjoy pig roasts despite ongoing segregation laws.
But if you go back a little further than the 1800s, the true history of the pig roast can be traced to early Southern settlers. With food—particularly protein—scarce and fields not quite yet cultivated for farming, locals would turn pigs loose in their township’s woods. Considered a low-maintenance animal that required no daily care, the hogs could forage for their own food. And given that they’ll chow down just about anything, ample eats weren’t much of an issue.
When the settlers spotted a particularly plump porker sauntering nearby, it was time for a hunt. Because swine have a bit of intelligence and are rather quick, the pursuit wasn’t the easiest of feats and was typically a townwide event, with everyone lending a hand in trying to capture the savvy snouted beast. Once the townspeople overtook their foe, the pig was hoisted triumphantly on a pole and carried into town, where it was roasted. The resulting meal turned into a festive party to honor all the hard work that had gone into putting this fantastic meal on the table.
Thankfully, you don’t have to chase down and kill your own hog to get some tantalizing pork on your plate nowadays (although if you’re so inclined, Godspeed to you). So in the South, the impetus for bashes featuring a roasted pig shifted from celebrating the victory over a wild animal to celebrating a hopeful victory over an opposing sports team. We’re talking about tailgating.
In Southern culture, the tailgate is as much of a part of pork barbecue culture as pigs themselves. Particularly prevalent with college sports—which in the Bible Belt are sometimes more highly regarded than religion—the tailgate rituals are extreme and the mouthwatering food that’s churned out in parking lots will usually top what’s being dished out at nearby established restaurants.
Southern college rivalries run deeper and more dangerously than the waters of the Mississippi River. (Remember the Alabama fan who poisoned and killed the famed 130-year-old Auburn oak tree that served as the college’s unofficial mascot?) The big game is a perfect reason to break out the portable grill and some choice cuts of pork and pop open a few frosty brews. You can even put the suds in that awesome hard hat with the two cup holders and dangling straws for free-hands ability to man the sizzling grill, you party animal.
People will always join together in the common goal of beating a worthy adversary, whoever they’re pitted against, be it a crafty pig or a sports team. The spirit and verve that drive the passion behind tailgating parties are the same from the pig pickin’s of yesteryear. Both of which are precisely the embodiment of how our guests spend their nights at Brother Jimmy’s, particularly during pregame rituals (some of our customers have come to indoctrinate them as mandatory). Whether the NCAA tourney is in full swing or there is a Florida State versus Florida football game, the pregame prep is as insane in Brother Jimmy’s as if you were in the actual parking lot. We play the right music—including the collegiate fight songs—between time-outs and commercial breaks to keep the good times going.
We do such a solid job of re-creating the tailgate that our customers occasionally forget they aren’t actually at the game, which is most noticeable when they’re screaming at the TVs as though they’re sitting right on the fifty-yard line. We’d suggest you bring earplugs should you have the pleasure of experiencing this firsthand, but sometimes the shouts are rather humorous and worth a listen. Clad to the hilt in their team’s attire and jerseys under this umbrella of hospitality in this fun atmosphere, our patrons embrace the feeling of camaraderie with friends and family. They unite to eat merrily and celebrate life in our booths and tables. The main difference between a tailgate and Brother Jimmy’s is that in our restaurants we’ve handled the cooking for you. And we’ll crack your beers open.
When you take your turn in the kitchen, whether you’re roasting a whole hog in your backyard or dropping some ribs onto a small grill you’ve yanked out of your trunk in the stadium’s parking lot, the resulting meals can be equally awesome with our step-by-step directions to pork domination. Our famed ribs recipes—the Northern-Style Ribs, the Dry Rub Ribs, and our Southern Rub Ribs—are included, as is our staple slow-smoked Carolina-Style Pulled Pork. And we’ve turned the taste dial up with the simple addition of an array of fruits to a number of the dishes, as pork pairs astoundingly well with the likes of pineapples, peaches, and oranges. We’ve got dishes for game days and for any occasion. We’ve even included some seriously drool-worthy sausage-and-ancho chile-stuffed pork chops, because what’s better than pork with a hidden pocket of more pork inside?
We’ll go over how to smoke and grill everything to tender perfection, no matter how large or small your cooking apparatus. The cool thing about cooking barbecue at a tailgate is that you’ll have more than enough time to smoke the pork, figuring that you fire up the grill around noon for a 4 P.M. game. Just remember to pace yourself with the partying. It’s going to be a long day, so try not to get so wasted during the pregaming that you’re too hammered to be actually allowed into the stadium. No one likes that guy.
THE SURFARIS
WIPE OUT
OZZY OSBOURNE
CRAZY TRAIN
VAN HALEN
JUMP
RAM JAM
BLACK BETTY
KISS
ROCK ’N ROLL ALL NIGHT
THE WHO
PINBALL WIZARD
METALLICA
ENTER SANDMAN
GREEN DAY
BASKET CASE
OK GO
HERE IT GOES AGAIN
BLINK-182
WHAT’S MY AGE AGAIN?
JIMMY EAT WORLD
THE MIDDLE
JET
ARE YOU GOING TO BE MY GIRL?
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
CAN’T STOP
GUNS N’ ROSES
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
FOO FIGHTERS
BEST OF YOU
WOLFMOTHER
JOKER & THE THIEF
GOOD CHARLOTTE
LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH & FAMOUS
AC/DC
THUNDERSTRUCK
THE WHITE STRIPES
SEVEN NATION ARMY
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
INTERSTATE LOVE SONG
These are our most recognizable ribs because of the red sauce they’re slathered in. You don’t need special seasonings because the smoke and the sauce add more than enough flavor.
3 racks St. Louis-style ribs (see sidebar)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 to 4 cups Brother Jimmy’s Original BBQ Sauce (this page)
SERVE 6 to 8
1 Prepare your smoker or grill for barbecuing, using the indirect heat setup (see this page) with a drip pan in place, and preheat to 210°F.
2 Pat the ribs dry, then season with the salt.
3 Pour some water in the drip pan and place some presoaked wood chunks or a packet of presoaked wood chips directly on the hot coals. Oil the hot grate and place the ribs in your grill or smoker, meat side up. Cover and smoke for a total of 6 hours. After about 5 hours, begin to baste the ribs with the BBQ Sauce about every 20 minutes. The ribs are done when the meat cracks when picked up (with tongs) and they reach an internal temperature of 170 to 180°F.
4 To finish the ribs, throw them on the grill over direct medium heat to let the sauce caramelize. Baste between turns, and you’re done.
TRIMMING YOUR RIBS: I SUPPOSE I’M THE BEST GUY to talk about ribs, though I should mention that I’m doing this under serious protest. St. Louis-style ribs are pork spareribs that have been trimmed of the rib tips and skirt to create a uniform rectangular shape. If you can’t find St. Louis-style ribs in your market, ask your butcher to trim spareribs for you or prepare them yourself at home.
To prepare St. Louis-style ribs, place the spareribs bone-side up on a cutting board. Usually, there will be a flap of meat that runs along the slab, called the skirt. Remove the skirt; it can be cooked separately, and it’s a very flavorful part of us pigs. Remove the excess fat.
Cut along the end of the rib bones, cutting between the bone and cartilage, to remove the irregular-shaped portion of meat attached to the ribs.
Remove the tough outer membrane. Slide a butter knife under the membrane and pry it up, then grab a hold of it with a clean paper towel and peel it off. Last, remove the rib tips (they can be cooked separately) and the opposite end to square up the rack.
The method for making Brother Jimmy’s Dry Rub Ribs and Southern Rub Ribs are the same; only the rub is different. The Dry Rub has a dozen different herbs and spices, and because it is made with fennel seed, it’s reminiscent of Italian sausage. The Southern Rub is our Memphis-style rub, and it’s a bit sweeter, though there’s still some spice.
3 racks St. Louis-style ribs (see sidebar, this page)
⅓ cup Brother Jimmy’s Dry Rub (this page) or Southern Rub (this page)
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Pat the ribs dry, season with your choice of rub, and wrap the ribs in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to grill, pull the ribs out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature.
2 Prepare your smoker or grill for barbecuing, using the indirect heat setup (see this page) with a drip pan in place, and preheat to 210°F.
3 Pour some water in the drip pan and place some presoaked wood chunks or a packet of presoaked wood chips directly on the hot coals. Oil the hot grate and place the ribs in your grill or smoker, meat side up. Cover and smoke for a total of 6 hours.
4 The ribs are done when the meat cracks when picked up (with tongs), and they reach an internal temperature of 170°F to 180°F.
When we began working on the menu for our first franchise location, in Puerto Rico, we thought it would be fun to give “local flavor” to our ribs, and this is what we came up with. The meat has a true island taste to it that can’t be beat.
FOR THE MOJO RUB:
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1½ teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons granulated onion
1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
FOR THE MOJO MOP:
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup packed fresh oregano leaves
1 cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup minced red onion
3 racks St. Louis-style Ribs (see sidebar, this page)
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Make the mojo rub: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the rub.
2 Make the mojo mop: In a blender, combine all the ingredients for the mop except the onion and blend until the garlic and oregano are well chopped. Add the onion and refrigerate until ready to use.
3 Prepare your smoker or grill for barbecuing, using the indirect heat setup (see this page) with a drip pan in place, and preheat to 210°F.
4 Pat the ribs dry then season with the mojo rub.
5 Pour some water in the drip pan and place some presoaked wood chunks or a packet of presoaked wood chips directly on the hot coals. Oil the hot grate and place the ribs in your grill or smoker, meat side up. Cover and smoke for a total of 6 hours. After about 5 hours, begin to baste the ribs with some of the mojo mop about every 20 minutes.
6 The ribs are done when the meat cracks when picked up (with tongs), and they reach an internal temperature of 170°F to 180°F.
7 Serve the ribs with the extra mojo mop.
This is a staple, and we go through most of it during our ultimate sporting events—UNC versus Duke basketball games, for example—but it can be enjoyed whenever, wherever. It’s great on its own for example, or piled atop a bun with a little slaw for a delicious sandwich (as pictured here; see this page for the recipe). And, as a bonus, the blade bone can be used to flavor beans or soups.
1 recipe Brother Jimmy’s Dry Rub (this page)
1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in pork butt (also called pork shoulder or Boston butt)
1 cup Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce (this page), or to taste
SERVES 10 to 15
1 Generously apply the rub to the pork, patting it on all over the surface of the meat.
2 Prepare your smoker or grill for barbecuing, using the indirect heat setup (see this page) with a drip pan in place. Preheat to 220°F. Pour some water in the drip pan and place some presoaked wood chunks or a packet of presoaked wood chips directly on the hot coals. Just before you’re ready to cook, oil the hot grate. Place the pork on the grate and cook, covered, for 6 to 8 hours, until the internal temperature is 175°F to 185°F. Some smokers cook hotter or more efficiently than others, so the exact cooking time will vary. After 6 hours, start checking the temperature. If it has reached 175°F to 185°F, the pork is done.
3 Remove the pork from the smoker and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Once the pork has rested, get ready to start pulling. First, remove the blade bone (simply tug it out). Pull apart the larger pieces of meat and put them into a large bowl. Try to remove as many of the large pieces of fat as you can and discard them.
4 Once all the meat is in the bowl, break it apart into smaller pieces. Add the Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce and mix it all together to incorporate.
I’VE GOT TO clear up this misnomer. You’re not actually eating the butt of a pig—’cause that’d be gross. This cut is from the upper portion of our shoulder. It has plenty of fat to stay moist during long, slow cooking, making it a favorite cut for barbecue. This cut comes bone-in, which is preferable to use for superior flavor and moisture retention, and boneless, which will range from about 5 to 8 pounds. If you can’t find a bone-in pork butt, you may use boneless, though boneless meats cook faster than bone-in pieces.
If you have any leftovers, this grilled pork is great sliced up and tossed in a salad or between bread for a hearty sandwich.
2 pork tenderloins
(2 to 2½ pounds total)
FOR THE WET RUB:
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup grainy mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
SERVES 6
1 Trim the silver skin and any excess fat off the pork and place in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
2 Make the wet rub: Place the garlic on a cutting board and smash it with the side of a large chef’s knife. Place the salt on top of the smashed garlic and begin chopping together. Using the side of your knife, spread the garlic and salt around to smash it together. Continue smashing and chopping until you have a paste. (Salt acts like an abrasive, helping to grind the garlic to a smooth paste.) Place the garlic paste in a large bowl along with the remaining wet rub ingredients and mix well.
3 Add the wet rub to the pork, turning the pork until it is well coated. Get as much air out of the bag as you can, seal it up, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight. About 45 minutes before you’re ready to grill, pull the pork loin out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
4 Preheat your grill to moderate heat. Just before you’re ready to cook, place presoaked wood chips or chunks (we recommend apple or cherry) on the hot coals and oil the grate.
5 Remove the pork from the bag, place it on the grill, and cook, covered, turning to mark all sides, for 10 to 15 minutes, until it registers an internal temperature of 140°F. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving it.
Fruit and pork are a perfect marriage. Add rum and you have a flavorful threesome that can’t be topped. Just make sure most of the rum makes it into the recipe.
2 pork tenderloins (2 to 2½ pounds total)
FOR THE PINEAPPLE-RUM MARINADE:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup dark rum
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 pineapple (golden variety if possible)
Salt and ground black pepper
Olive oil for drizzling
FOR THE PINEAPPLE-RUM GLAZE:
1 cup dark rum
½ cup pineapple juice
1 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Reserved marinade (from above)
SERVES 6
1 Trim the silver skin and any excess fat off the pork and place it in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
2 Make the marinade: Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and add to the bag with the pork. As you seal the bag, remove as much air as possible. Set in the refrigerator and marinate for up to 4 hours only. About 45 minutes before you’re ready to grill, pull the pork loins out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature.
3 Peel and core the pineapple and slice into ¾- to 1-inch rings. Just before grilling, sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and oil.
4 Make the glaze: Combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small nonreactive saucepan and set aside.
5 Preheat your grill to moderate heat. Just before you’re ready to cook, place presoaked wood chips or chunks (we recommend apple or cherry) on the hot coals and oil the grate.
6 Place the pork on the grill. Add the marinade to the saucepan with the glaze. Grill the pork, covered, turning to mark all sides with the grill. Simultaneously, start to grill the pineapple, marking it on both sides until it is hot, about 5 minutes.
7 When the pork registers 140°F internally, after 15 to 20 minutes, take it off the grill. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving into it.
8 While the meat is resting, simmer the glaze and marinade mixture until it has thickened and reduced by about two-thirds.
9 Place the grilled pineapple on a platter with the sliced pork arranged beside it. Drizzle some of the glaze across the pork.
This marinated and glazed pork loin goes well with our Pickled Red Onions (this page). Because it’s sweet and spicy, it’d also be great with our Warm Potato Salad (this page), with a frosty beer beside the plate.
2 to 2½ pounds pork loin
FOR THE CHIPOTLE-ORANGE MARINADE:
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons Chipotle Puree (this page)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
¼ cup orange juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
FOR THE CHIPOTLE-ORANGE GLAZE:
Reserved marinade (from above)
½ cup orange juice
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Remove any excess fat from the pork loin and set aside.
2 Make the marinade: Place the garlic on a cutting board and smash it with the side of a large chef’s knife. Place the salt on top of the smashed garlic and begin chopping together. Using the side of your knife, spread the garlic and salt around to smash it together. Continue smashing and chopping until you have a paste. (Salt acts like an abrasive, helping to grind the garlic to a smooth paste.) Combine the garlic paste, Chipotle Puree, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and oil in a bowl. Mix well, making sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar.
3 Place the pork loin in a gallon-size zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Give it a shake and seal it tightly, squeezing out as much of the air as you can. Marinate 6 hours to overnight in the refrigerator. About 45 minutes before you’re ready to grill, pull the pork loin out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
4 Preheat your grill to moderate heat. Just before you before you’re ready to cook, oil the hot grates. Remove the pork from the bag (save the marinade), place on the grill, and close the grill cover. Turn the pork to mark on all sides and to avoid charring too much in one spot. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until an internal temperature of 140°F is reached. Remove from the grill and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
5 Make the chipotle-orange glaze: Pour the saved marinade into a small saucepan and add the ½ cup orange juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Brush the chipotle-orange glaze all over the loin.
In this dish, the bourbon shines through in the marinade and gives a nice little kick to the pork, balanced out by the sweetness of the ripe peaches. It’s a perfect summer meal and tastes great cold atop a salad (we recommend using a peppery arugula).
1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin roast
FOR THE MARINADE:
4 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup bourbon
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
FOR THE PEACHES:
4 ripe peaches
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Zest of ½ lemon
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Place the pork in a gallon-size zip-top bag or in a nonreactive container. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Pour the marinade over the pork. (If using a bag, remove as much air as possible when sealing the bag.) Let it marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator, turning or shaking it occasionally.
2 Make the peaches: About an hour before you’re ready to grill the pork, set a pot of water to boil. Make a small X on the bottom of each peach with the tip of a sharp knife. Place the peaches carefully into the boiling water and let boil for a minute or two. (Don’t let the peaches sit in the boiling water for too long—you don’t want to cook them.) Remove and place in a bowl of ice water to cool quickly, then peel the skin off where you made the X. When the peaches are all peeled, cut them into quarters.
3 In a large bowl, combine the thyme, lemon zest, oil, salt, and brown sugar. Add the peach quarters and toss to evenly coat.
4 About 45 minutes before you’re ready to grill, pull the pork out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
5 Preheat your grill to moderate heat. Just before you’re ready to cook, place presoaked wood chips or chunks on the hot coals and oil the hot grate. Cook the pork, covered, for about 45 minutes, until you have an internal temperature of 140°F. Let the pork rest while you prepare the peaches.
6 Remove the peaches from their marinade and mark each side on the grill until they are heated through.
7 Slice the pork and serve with the peaches.
TAILGATING GAMES: THIS MAY BE MY LEAST FAVORITE CHAPTER in the book, but I’m still going to help you have a blast while you’re tailgating by sharing some staple games folks can play. In fact, there are plenty of people who just go to tailgates in stadium lots with no intention of ever making it into the actual game. By no means should these showcases of drinking fortitude and shenanigans be limited merely to tailgating. Take it from someone who has a tail and knows best.
Some of the more popular games include: Cornhole, aka Bags (see this page), Washer Pitching (picture Cornhole, but with oversize washers instead of bags), Flip Cup, Dizzy Bat, and Beer Pong.
FLIP CUP is simple to set up, easy to play, yet hard to master. Line up two evenly numbered teams across a table and distribute a plastic cup to each player. Fill each with an equal amount of beer and then designate the starting side of the table and the ending side of the table. Once the game commences, participants have to chug their brew (avoid dousing the front of yourself because you’re overeager—that’s never a good look, and that’s coming from a bona fide pig), then place the cup upside down on the edge of the table and flip it so it lands upright.
Once you’ve stuck the landing, the next person in line downs his or her beer and flips his or her cup. The winning team is the first one to make it through all their members. Repeat until your vision blurs. A little tip from ol’ Reggie: Spill a drop or two of beer where you’re about to flip—the liquid makes the cup adhere to the table better.
DIZZY BAT is a fun little number in which the selected contestant gulps down a full beer out of the open end of a wiffle ball bat. Then that person has to spin around ten times with his forehead touching the end of the bat before attempting to hit a beer can pitched to him. If he swings and misses, he spins three more times before trying again.
Although the game is rather arduous for the participants, depending on how long the festivities have been going on for, it’s utterly hilarious for the onlookers because most dizzy batters face-plant catastrophically, nearly wipe out onlookers, and generally meet the ground in an untimely, comical manner. Just remember that if you’re going to lop off the end of the bat to drink from, you should smooth the edges down; no one wants to put his or her mouth where you’ve just bled.
BEER PONG is addictively awesome, from what I’ve heard. I don’t have thumbs, so I lack the dexterity to play. What makes the game so fun is the self-deluded idea that your skills rise as the rounds of games wear on. The setup is simple: six to ten cups filled with cheap beer (or fancy suds, if you’re so inclined—and if so, please invite me over) in triangle formation on either side of a Ping-Pong table or any flat surface. Teams consist of at least two players on either side with two Ping-Pong balls between them.
The basic goal in every game is to eliminate all your opponents’ cups before they do yours, without spilling. Every player should be aware of any “house rules,” or personalized clauses added to the basic idea of the game, which may surprise a player at an inconvenient moment of the game, forcing him or her to lose a turn, or a cup. If you aren’t sure, ask. There’s nothing worse than being asked to re-rack your last cups into a diamond after losing two cups on a bounce-back because you left your beer unfinished, right? Because that’ll happen if you don’t ask. Trust me.
The flavor of this loin roast is similar to our Puerto Rican Mojo Ribs (this page). It’s great hot or cold, and is perfect for making Brother Jimmy’s Cuban sandwich (this page).
1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless pork loin roast
FOR THE MARINADE:
6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 crumbled bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 large lime)
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Place the pork in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
2 Make the marinade: Place the garlic on a cutting board and smash it with the side of a large chef’s knife. Place the salt on top of the smashed garlic and begin chopping together. Using the side of your knife, spread the garlic and salt around to smash it together. Continue smashing and chopping until you have a paste. Add the garlic paste to the bag with the pork.
3 Place the remaining marinade ingredients in the bag and swish it around to mix well. Let marinate overnight in the refrigerator. About 45 minutes before you’re ready to grill, pull the pork out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
4 Prepare your smoker or grill for barbecuing, using the indirect heat setup (see this page) with a drip pan in place, and preheat to 240°F. When you’re ready to cook, pour some water into the drip pan, place some presoaked wood chunks or a packet of presoaked wood chips directly on the hot coals, and oil the hot grate. Cook the pork for about 2 hours, covered, until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F to 150°F. Let the pork rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Served with a chunky gravy, seasoned with thyme and bay leaf, this home-style rustic dish is the perfect comfort food. And as it’s rather simple and quick to make, you won’t be laboring all day in the kitchen. If you don’t have the time to make slow-cooked barbecue ribs, this rib recipe is a great alternative.
6 slices bacon (regular or applewood smoked)
1 extra-large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock (store-bought is fine)
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the ribs
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the ribs
3 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
3 tablespoons olive oil
SERVES 6
1 Slice the bacon into ½-inch pieces, place it in a large sauté pan, and place over low heat. Cook until it just starts to crisp around the edges.
2 Add the onion and thyme sprigs. Continue cooking over low heat until the onion becomes very soft and caramelizes.
3 Sprinkle the flour over the caramelized onion and cook, stirring well, to make a roux.
4 Warm the chicken stock and slowly add it a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all the stock is added, simmer for about 10 minutes, add the salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
5 Season the ribs with a little salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the ribs in the pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook on all sides for about 9 minutes, until they are done, when their internal temperature reaches 140°F.
6 Place the ribs on a platter and smother them with the gravy.
Double the pork, double your pleasure! This recipe is great and easy to do on the grill, but it’s just as good in a pan. The heat from the chiles isn’t so overpowering that you’ll miss the delicate flavor of the pork chop.
6 (1-inch-thick) center-cut pork chops (bone-in or boneless)
FOR THE STUFFING:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced Spanish onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt
6 ounces breakfast sausage, patties or links
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
SERVES 6
1 Take a pork chop and place it on a cutting board. With a very sharp boning knife or paring knife held parallel to the chop, make a small slit and move the knife around inside the chop, making a pocket-just be careful not to poke through the other side. Repeat with the remaining chops.
2 Make the stuffing: Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion, garlic, and ancho chile powder and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the thyme and salt. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
3 Break up the sausage into the stuffing mixture and mix well.
4 Preheat your grill to moderate heat and have some presoaked wood chunks or a packet of wood chips ready to hit the flames.
5 While the grill is heating up, divide the sausage stuffing into 6 equal parts. Taking a little at a time, stuff each chop. When they are all stuffed, take a toothpick and stick it through the meat, diagonally across the slit. With another toothpick, do the same in the opposite direction to create a wide X, sealing the hole.
6 When all the chops are stuffed and sealed, rub the 2 tablespoons of oil over them and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7 Just before you before you’re ready to cook, oil the hot grates. Grill for 6 to 7 minutes per side, to an internal temperature of 150°F, taking care to cook through the raw sausage in the center.
You’re bound to have a mound of leftover pork if you’re making these recipes, and one of the best uses for excess swine is to pile it between some bread for sandwiches. While the possibilities of fillings are literally limitless, depending on how crafty and creative you are, we’ve got three great sandwich recommendations for you. More over, peanut butter and jelly; you just got one-upped.
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
2½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon finely minced garlic
Pinch of salt
1 loaf French bread (at least 20 inches)
½ pound Swiss cheese, sliced
⅓ pound thinly sliced ham
24 pickle chips or Frickles (this page)
½ pound smoked pork butt (see Note) or Cuban-Style Pork Loin (this page), thinly sliced
Vegetable or olive oil for brushing the top and bottom of sandwich
SERVES 4 to 8
1 Combine the butter, mustard, garlic, and salt in a small bowl and stir until well combined.
2 Slice the loaf lengthwise all the way through and spread the mustard-garlic butter on both sides. Lay the cheese along the length of the bread, followed by the ham, pickle chips, then the pork.
3 Cut the loaf into four equal pieces, then brush with oil. Cook in a panini press following the manufacturer’s instructions, or cook on low to medium heat on a preheated griddle or large frying pan, with a weighted-down pan on top. When the cheese starts to melt, the Cuban is ready to eat.
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
18 slices applewood-smoked bacon (or any other smoky bacon)
1 to 2 cups canola oil for frying
4 green tomatoes, sliced about ¼ inch thick
Hellman’s mayonnaise
12 slices country white bread
6 large lettuce leaves (we prefer romaine)
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 Put all the ingredients for the fried green tomato coating in a bowl and mix well to combine. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the buttermilk.
3 Lay the bacon on a baking sheet (with sides) and bake in for 10 to 13 minutes, until crisp. Blot on paper towels to remove extra grease and let cool.
4 While the bacon is cooking, begin to make the fried green tomatoes. Pour 1 cup of the oil into a large sauté pan (preferably cast iron) and set over medium heat. You will need 2 to 3 slices of green tomato per sandwich depending on the size of the tomatoes.
5 Begin by dredging the tomato slices first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and then in the coating mixture, coating the slices well. Fry the tomatoes in several batches (take care to set them gently in the oil, away from you, to avoid splatters) so as not to overcrowd the pan, about 1½ minutes per side, until they are golden and crisp. Add more oil to the pan as needed and drain the fried tomatoes on paper towels.
6 To assemble the sandwiches, spread the mayonnaise on both sides of the bread, top each with 2 or 3 fried tomato slices, 3 slices of bacon, and a leaf of lettuce.
SERVES 6
Brother Jimmy’s Carolina-Style Pulled Pork (this page)
Creamy Slaw (this page)
10 soft sandwich rolls
Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce (this page), for serving
Pickles, for serving
SERVES 10 or more
1 Place a nice mound of pulled pork in each roll and top it with some slaw. Keep some extra BBQ sauce on hand for extra saucing.
2 Serve it up with a plate of pickles.
DRINKS: THESE CONCOCTIONS will work perfectly for your tailgating party:
MINT JULEP (Hair of the Dog) —This is our version of the mint julep. These go down quick and easy during any event, but are especially nice and refreshing during a hot afternoon of tailgating. See the recipe on this page.
CHARLESTON A.P.
Remember the Arnold Palmer? Let’s spike that bad boy. Half lemonade, half sweet-tea-flavored vodka, and you have the Charleston A.P. Because vodka can make any beverage better. See the recipe on this page.
RISE & SHINE
This concoction is made with orange juice, so you get your vitamin C, and it’s perfect for the “gating” because you can drink it pretty early on in the day. It’s a good start-off beverage before you get into the full swing of things. See the recipe on this page.
TAILGATING CHECKLIST: UNSURE OF WHAT TO PACK for your tailgate? Here’s my handy little checklist of the bare necessities:
A SMALL GRILL. You can pick them up for under 30 bucks at places like Walmart, Kmart, or any other mart.
FUEL FOR THE GRILL. Whatever the source of heat may be, make sure you can keep the fire sufficiently fed while you’re out in the parking lot. No one ever wants to make a run to the store for more propane halfway into a good tailgate.
WOOD CHIPS OR CHUNKS FOR SMOKING. If you’re doing something that involves smoldering wood, you’d best have wood on hand that’s able to smolder beneath your meat. Any wood will do, just make sure you’ve got enough so you don’t run out.
ENOUGH FOOD for wanderers. People are going to stop by and hang out. Make sure you have enough eats and drinks to share with your newfound friends. And when you finally run out of supplies, then it’s obviously your turn to stroll the lot looking for some freebies.
SALT. In addition to helping season the grub, it can double as a quick way to get beers in your cooler ice cold. See this page for that fun tip.
PLATES, CUPS, AND UTENSILS. Gotta have the various vessels for carrying the fare and libations, right? Don’t forget napkins, unless you want to wipe barbecue sauce directly on your jersey.
TEAM PARAPHERNALIA. Half the fun of the tailgate is drinking and eating; the other half is seeing how insane fellow fans can get with the team spirit. Feel free to adorn your car/body/face with your team’s flags, logos, and colors. And if you’re going to face paint, please do it while you’re still sober. Your penmanship deteriorates quickly as the day wears on. No need to walk around with half a mascot smeared on your forehead.
ACCOUTREMENTS FOR DRINKING GAMES. Be it a pigskin (does everything have to be named after my kind?), a Frisbee, a table for Flip Cup, or a bat for Dizzy Bat, make sure you have the right supplies to occupy yourself and your crew.
