The Four Very Best Electric Smoker Models Of 2017!

The new year is here, and now is a great time to purchase one of the very best electric smoker models available in 2017!

Today, we are reviewing and recommending the best electric meat smokers that you may want to consider investing in. We will give you all the information you need to choose the right electric smoker for you and your family. Read on to learn about best electric smokers that you can purchase this year!

1. Masterbuilt 20072115 Bluetooth Smart Digital Electric Smoker

We recently reviewed this Masterbuilt electric smokers product because it was such a great electric smoker product. There are many things about this electric smoker that make it a great product and an excellent investment. This smoker features a LED control panel with Bluetooth capabilities. That means you can operate the smoker right from your mobile phone! How cool is that?

This smoker has wheels attached for easy transportation and portability. The smoker is made from durable stainless steel which looks as cool as it remains throughout the time that it operates. There is even a built-in meat thermometer for accurate internal temperature readings of the meat you are smoking. The smoker comes with a large internal cooking area so you can smoke meat for a large crowd or for just a few people. Overall, customers agree in their electric smoker reviews that this is an excellent product that is sold at the reasonable price of $399.80.

2. Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker

This electric smoker from Char-Broil is a great option for anyone who enjoys outdoor smoking. This electric smoker has a 725 square inch capacity. The smoker comes with 4 racks that can be adjusted or removed. It also comes with a removable thermometer for accurate internal temperature readings. Watch your meat smoke through the clear glass door on the front of the smoker. The smoker features a durable and attractive stainless steel exterior. Due to the large interior size of this smoker, you should get somewhere between 4 to 7 hours of meat smoking before you need to refill it. The walls of this smoker are double insulated for a well-contained smoke. Some additional features that customers were highly satisfied with include the removable temperature gauge, a removable grease tray, digital programmable controls, and a warming feature. This electric smoker retails for $210.04 on Amazon.

3. Masterbuilt 20075315 Front Controller Smoker

If you need a large smoker, the Masterbuilt 20075315 Front Controller Smoker might be just what you are looking for! This 40-inch smoker offers 975 square inches of smoking space. It features 4 cooking racks and a helpful internal light. It also has a built-in meat thermometer, wheels on the back for easy transportation, a simple to use wood chip loading system, and a stainless steel exterior. There is a clear glass door on the front so you can monitor your meat as it cooks. Overall, customers were very happy with their purchase of this Masterbuilt electric smokers product. You can purchase this smoker for $320.00 on Amazon.

4. Masterbuilt 20078616 Electric Bullet Smoker

If you would like to smoke your meats but are on a budget, then be sure to check out this Masterbuilt 20078616 Electric Bullet Smoker. This little smoker is a great option sold at a very reasonable price. It has 395 square inches of cooking space. It comes with a built-in temperature gauge in the lid that is easy to read. This smoker also features a wood chip tray, a water bowl, and a drip tray. Though this smoker does not have all the bells and whistles that some other, more expensive electric smokers have, it still does the job. This Masterbuilt is the best electric smoker option for anyone on a budget. This smoker retails for $79.85 on Amazon.

Don’t Cook Boring Christmas Meals – Grilling a Turkey With an Apple Cider Brine Like Bobby Flay

When grilling a turkey, one of the most important things to consider is making sure it doesn’t dry out. One way to do this is to brine the turkey before cooking. Brining means submerging the turkey in a salt water solution for several hours to add moisture. Various spices, herbs, and other foods can also offer a variety of flavors.

Grilling a Turkey With Apple Cider Brine

This recipe for turkey, from the BBQ Pit Boys, uses an apple cider turkey brine solution. They recommend letting the turkey soak for 18 to 24 hours. This guarantees that the meat soaks in the flavors that will be brought out during cooking, and you’ll end up with a juicy smoked turkey breast, as well as wings and thighs and legs.

Apple Cider Brine Ingredients:

• Whole turkey, 13-14 pounds
• Apple cider/Apple juice — 1 Gallon
• Kosher salt — 1 Cup
• Dark brown sugar — 1 Cup
• Garlic cloves — 8-10
• Sliced ginger — handful
• Orange — 4, quartered
• Apple cider vinegar — 1⁄3 Cup
• Water — as needed
• Chili pepper flakes — 2 Tablespoon
• Bag of ice

Apple Cider Turkey Brine – Smoked Turkey Breast

The first step for this is to heat the apple cider with the salt and brown sugar, hot enough to dissolve the salt and sugar but not too hot, don’t bring it to a boil. Mix all the ingredients in a bucket big enough to hold the turkey plus the gallon of cider and enough water to keep the turkey covered. Add a bag of ice to cool it down before covering for the night.

They recommend placing 2 sprigs each of rosemary, thyme, and sage inside the bird. You will also need extra virgin olive oil, butter, and a bottle of your favorite ale. The olive oil and ale are going to be used for basting and to add even more flavor. The butter will make the skin crisp and give the brined turkey a golden-brown color. The BBQ Pit Boys recommend cooking upside down for about the first hour, then flip it over to finish cooking. You can read the complete recipe here.

How to Smoke a Turkey in a Smoker

The feedback on this recipe is resoundingly positive. People have followed the recipe exactly or come up with their own variations. One of the easiest adaptations is cooking the turkey in the oven rather than on the grill or in a smoker. The BBQ Pit Boys recommend injecting liquid smoke if you’re using the oven. This recipe went over so well for many users, it has become a new part of their holiday tradition. You can watch the grilling a turkey video below, not only will it show you how to smoke a turkey in a smoker, but the narrator is also pretty entertaining.

 

How Using an Offset Char Broil Smoker Will Produce Juicy, Savory Ribs

Smoking meat is a great way to add flavor and lock in the moisture for juicy, delicious meals. Just about any meat, as well as some vegetables and cheeses, can be smoked. But when you talk about grilling or smoking meat, one of the first foods that comes to mind for many people is ribs.

These instructions and the following video will give you tips and tricks to help you learn to use a Char Broil Smoker to make perfectly seasoned and smoked ribs. You can also visit the Char-Broil website for recipes and recommendations for using the Char Broil Offset Smoker. If you need an offset smoker to do steps in this guide, check out our review of the Char Broil American Gourmet.

Use a dry rub to season the ribs. Let them soak up the flavors overnight, taking in all the spices and flavoring in the rub (or marinade if that’s what you prefer.

For this specific smoker and to cook ribs, the goal temperature is 225 degrees. It is best to check the temperature maximums for the specific offset smoker that you will be using. Cook time will also vary depending on what you are cooking. As with any meat, check the internal temperature before consuming any meat products.

It is important when smoking meat, to keep moisture content in mind and spray the meat frequently. He is using apple juice in this instance, but other liquids (e.g. beer, wine, fruit juice, etc.) can be used to add flavor as well as moisture to keep the ribs both flavorful and juicy.

After about three hours, he wraps the ribs in foil with more apple juice (or whatever liquid you are using for your ribs). Water is added to help even out and stabilize the temperature inside the smoker. It can also slow the cooking to let more fat melt off, while the condensation gives the smoke something jut sticky enough to hang onto.

After about 2 more hours, remove the foil and return the ribs to the cooking surface.

Start adding more wood to the firebox to increase the smokiness and the influence of the type of wood on the flavor. Some grillers and smokers will say that where the wood comes from means more to flavor than the type of wood being used.

After giving them another full hour to soak up the smoke and flavor, he is giving them a coat of barbeque sauce. He is using his own recipe here; you, of course, could use your own sauce or any of the wide variety available to buy in stores and online.

These may be a little dry and over done. As with anyone, it will take some time getting used to using a new smoker, like the Char Broil smoker, and/or working with different types of meat. Remember to always check the internal temperature to make sure it is thoroughly cooked and safe to eat.

You can watch the whole video here:

Secret Ways to Make Delicious Coffee

Coffee making is considered an art! The more you experiment with your taste buds the more perfect it gets for you! Every person has a different way of making their cup of delicious coffee!

Here are a few tips which can make your experience a thrilling one and can help you understand and cherish your love for the delicious drink.

Tips to Add Taste to Your Coffee

• Use great beans

The beans you use are the first step towards that perfect cup of coffee. It is said that the beans you pick for your cup of coffee is a very important part in the art of coffee making. Choose the beans very carefully depending on your taste. In the market today we have a great lot of choices. In case, you don’t get the raw beans choose the best possible brand and aroma. You can discover the perfect brand or choice of beans once you start experimenting. The secret you use is selecting that one brand or beans after you are through almost all those which suit your particular taste.

• Go for the lighter roasts

You might be a fan of the darker and strong roasts; however you need to take your leap for the perfect coffee by experimenting with the lighter roasts. The lighter roasts will sure come to your surprise and you will love your decision of the experiment. Lighter roasts redefine your love for the cup of coffee.

• Good grinder

This might sound too simple to be a secret, but it is one of the most important parts of making that one amazing cup of coffee that indulges your senses in the aroma and the taste. The normal grinders with the blades moving too fast heats the beans and grinds it in different sizes which makes the beans lose its aroma and taste to a great extent. So, the next time you put the lovely beans for the grinding, make sure the grinder is worth your love for the coffee. This will be a wise investment and a long term one.

• The water you use

The secret is to use the perfect water while making the coffee. You must go for the bottled water, however, not distilled, for your cup. Use of hot tap water boils the air bubble out of the coffee and makes the taste a little different and less pleasant. It also tends to leave some unwanted minerals in the water, which is a great compromise with your favorite coffee. Avoid the injustice that you were doing with your love.

• Do not boil the water

It is scientifically proven that boiling the water makes the coffee taste bitter and burnt. The advice of the various studies conducted is to heat the water at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The heating keeps the aroma and the natural taste intact and gives you a far more pleasant experience with every sip of it.

• Steeping!

This is an art which can be achieved with experience and understanding of your needs. Steeping your coffee for the right amount of time will surely differ according to your preference. The advice here is to know the right amount of time for the steep. The steeping may vary from 3 minutes to 4 minutes. Understand your taste, understand your love, steep for the right amount of time is the secret that leads to the right cup of experience.

• Keep your coffee maker clean

 

Apart from gaining the experience and knowing your taste and needs, the step of cleaning your coffee maker from time to time is the thing that you must never forget. If you fail to clean your coffee maker, it may lead to the formation of the scale in the apparatus which may add the unwanted minerals to your coffee which makes the taste a different from the desired one. It is very simple to follow and just requires vigilance. You can take this hard work to get the perfect experience. Isn’t it?

• Experiment!

The bond that you share with your coffee takes its flight with time and experience. You might like the cup of coffee as it is. However, experimenting helps you discover the secrets of your taste. Experiments help you know the art better and live your experience. It also keeps on giving you reasons to grow your love. This is a way in which you can explore the world of tastes and aromas. Your taste buds are not averse to experiments, you got to keep this in your heart and go on with the different methods

• Courses

Coffee is an invention of the 21^st century and thus, gives you many ways to understand coffee better. There are many programs which are launched; events which are celebrated for the coffee lovers. Different coffee festivals are organized throughout the world. If those programs and events cater to your love of coffee do participate.

• Coffee clubs!

Yes, you read it correct; there are clubs which are exclusively for the coffee lovers. Share your experience with all those who love coffee as much as you do. Understand their ways of defining the tastes, the methods they use and you will soon discover a different world.

• Let coffee become the factor which drives you

Instead of letting you define the taste, let coffee be the factor which drives you to experiment. The bonding that you share with the cup of coffee should never disappear and one way for keeping the love intact, admire the coffee gorgeous coffee and soon you will find yourself in the world of these amazing beans of magic.

• Let it serve your purpose

You may have different reasons for your extreme love that you have developed for coffee. If you take a sip amidst the stressful work schedule, the taste you would like may be different from the morning cup of coffee. It is very important for you to understand your purpose and then, derive the taste and the perfect method of preparation.

The last piece of advice is that understand it is an art and not just a cup of coffee you make to overcome the stress or start your day. You will feel the magic.

How Coffee Helps You Boost Your Productivity At Work?

Coffee and work are inseparable. The bond that they share is something extraordinary. Coffee can prove to be your best friend while at work! Every hardship that you face at work place, be it the boredom from a long stretch of hours or the pain in the body parts due to desk sitting works, coffee can be the rescue and a wonderful rescue rather. Coffee can transform your work experience completely. A cup of coffee can really be a stress relief dose for you. The connection between work and coffee can be felt only when you experience it.

Here are few ways in which coffee can prove to be your best friend.

Advantages of Coffee at Work

• Coffee increases work productivity

A person who consumes coffee at work proves to be more productive compared to the other people. If you are a coffee lover, all your worries must be kept aside. The wand for you is the cup of coffee! Coffee stimulates your brain and fights the tiredness after a long stretch of work. It makes you more active. It reduces the tiredness and the mental stress that you might suffer while working. Thus, you can work tremendously well if caffeine chooses to bless you with the magic. You can thank the cup of coffee every time, you find yourself far more productive than your co- workers

• It makes thoughts clear

Do you feel that you need something, anything which can just turn around your blur thoughts and make you think clearly? Coffee is the answer! Clear thoughts are a secret to the success while at work. Caffeine makes your thought process clearer. A caffeinated person can think more clearly and creatively as compared to the others. Thus, it adds glory to your work if you are a coffee lover. However, if you couldn’t experience the wonders yet, you must grab a cup of coffee to kick start your work. Take your flight!

• A caffeinated worker and non- caffeinated worker: The big difference!

Yes, there is a great difference. A cup of coffee creates an effective way to make your brain take work load. You can always shout victory once you sit for work after a cup of coffee. Caffeine is always said to be the reliever. Along with the taste, coffee provides you the right amount of caffeine that you need to prepare yourself to take on to the office hours.  Coffee sets a positive pace to your work. If you work in late night shifts and have a huge burden of work in the day, caffeine is said to reduce the number of errors you make generally. A caffeinated worker tends to make less error at work as compared to the non- caffeinated worker.

• Increase in heart rate

Today, whatever we do, whatever we like is directly derived from our understanding of how the thing works. So, here is a scientific answer as to why should you not miss that magic cup of coffee at work. Various studies and researches of the different institutes involved in the study of how coffee proves to be a worker’s friend says that coffee has a great deal of effect on the working our body. Consumption of coffee post lunch increases your heart rate, thereby reducing the laziness that might take a toll on you after lunch. Workers really find it hard to concentrate after lunch, however, after a cup of coffee the world would definitely seem alright. The cup of coffee will fight the fatigue that engulfs you after your lunch break and bring the best of the pace to your work. So, the next time, let this secret be your magic wand!

• The effects can be seen really fast

Coffee drives you to your work desk faster than any other alternatives to it. It works the fastest! Caffeine can be absorbed by your body easily and quickly, thus the energy is released really fast, within a few minutes. It caters to both your physical and mental energy needs and makes you work and think faster than ever. The fastest way to get over your tiredness is a cup of coffee. It can be your real life saver.

• Migraine? Coffee is your real hero

Ill health can be a really tough thing to cope- up with when you are working and need to involve all your attention to work! If your migraine comes in between your work and creativity, shred it away by a cup of coffee. Migraine can be a real hindrance at work for you, thus, the fastest ad the most effective tool to maintain your energy and efficiency at work is to go for a cup of coffee. Migraine can be reduced by restriction of the blood vessels and caffeine does dilate them.

• Reduces physical pain!

Coffee is your thing if you face issues like headache, wrist pain, neck pain and many more body stress due to the desk work you go through. Work place just doesn’t mean mental stress but the body also starves for some relaxation after all the pain it has to endure due to the desk work that you under take while at office. A cup of coffee can be that moment of bliss for your body. Coffee rewards you with the reduction or sometimes elimination of such pain due to rigorous physical stress. You can very easily overcome the pain that your body endures with a dose of caffeine which a cup of coffee gives you access to very easily. Now, when you feel that your body needs the moment of peace grab your cup of coffee.

• A life saver for the older people!

A cup of coffee can be a life saver for older workers. A study by an institute in the US shows that 3 cups of coffee can reduce 10% risk of illness. If you find it difficult to work long hours at a stretch, coffee will rescue you from the stress and will keep you healthy, rather at better off position.

Designing Your Kitchen the Feng Shui Way

There is nothing better than a safe and secure home. Shedding blood, and sweat- a house is built, and added investment of love, efforts, emotions, feelings, and happiness, a house becomes a home. Experts say that the nature of the surrounding radar inside and outside the house decides a lot about the level of happiness of its people. Many people experience negative vibes as soon as they enter a particular home. According to Chinese, perhaps it can be the actions of the ‘chi’ i.e. the energy surrounding the house.

Home is supposed to be the place you want to return over and over again. A place which gives a sense of protection and relaxation. There are homes characterized by the most gravitational spots and attractive paints and furniture, but the very essence of peace is lacking.

To dodge a few bad omens entering our house, and to make it look visually attractive, interior designers are now adapting Chinese practice of Feng Shui.

According to Feng Shui, by making some changes in our living space, kitchen and workroom, we can change our lives, the way we live, the way we think, and the way we breathe. It is the Chinese art of placement, of harmonizing objects with its environment in combination to inviting positive energies in our homes; The Feng Shui style does nothing but creates a web of positive energies throughout your house.

 Feng Shui in Kitchen

Big or trivial, kitchens are a great attraction. They are a holy place where food is cooked and stored. Placing and harmonizing kitchen equipment should be a vital motive. Healthy environment for the one, who cooks, energizes the person to cook well, leading to hard work, peace and prosperity. It provides serenity to the heart and boosts up the mind. It is a strong convention that a kitchen styled in Feng Shui design is likely to shower health and wealth to the family mates. According to Feng Shui:

The kitchen should contain these 5 elements

• Water-Can be considered as the water coming out from the tap, water signifies wealth
• Fire– fire from the stove
• Earth-granite or tile counters
• Metal- Appliances in the kitchen made of metal
• Wood– Wooden shelves in your kitchen

Experts say that these elements don’t just have to be present, randomly in any impromptu order, but in a planned manner, avoiding chaos and entry of negatives energies into the kitchenette.

• Get accessible

Instead of wishing for long hands, settle for a kitchen which accommodates stuffs you need on a daily basis in an easily approachable manner. Also, make sure that items which are used only on occasions are placed under well-built shelves to avoid them from dust and damage.

• Shirk out the old stuff

The saying ‘old is Gold’ does not apply when it comes to your holy cook house. Broken kitchen stuffs provoke negative energies. It is thus better to replace them with new ones. After all, a kitchen is not a memorabilia, shirking out old stuffs makes the kitchen look spacious and clean inviting positive ‘chi’ i.e. energy.

• Add color to your cookhouse by suitable colors

Color has a deep connection with the kind of energy it attracts. Cool colors like sky blue, white, pale yellow indicate the arrival of good omen in rivalry to fire colors like orange and red.  Yellow hue brings in a touch of sunshine, deviates the mind towards the act of simplicity in life and thus should be implemented.

• Proper location

According to Feng Shui style of design, the location of the kitchen is of immense importance and would affect the overall energy your kitchen is exposed to. Make sure that your kitchen is not located at the ‘Tai Chi’ i.e. the center of the kitchen, which attracts negative energy, also the gas stove should face the main door of the kitchen so that you can see the entry of people which is a vital thing according to Feng Shui style.

• Installing specific items

Installing living plants, flowers, leafy plants, fruits or vegetable, to keep yourself surrounded by greenery or fresh healthy eatable good, clean energy in the kitchen.

Kitchens are holy places. Gift your kitchen the power which not only allures the visitors, but also spellbinds the soul by adorning it with rich fruits settled in a bowl, plants and flowers. Cover your kitchen-walls under the facade of bright hues and bid farewell to the old items to make the kitchen appear organized. General problems of life is a semblance of normalcy and should be present as increases the love but Feng Shui would shirk out bad omen which otherwise could cause unnecessary mental strain and negativity, so hurry and install your kitchen as per the norms suggested by Feng Shui.

5 Easy Steps To Get Your Outdoor Kitchen Ready!

An outdoor kitchen is a very modern idea. It has its own share in adding the drama and a thrill to your cooking. The complete space to eat, cook and entertain at the same time is a dream come true for any cook that is provided by an outdoor kitchen. There are many forms of an outdoor kitchen; it may be a simple one with just grills and some seating arrangements or a complete replica of an indoor kitchen, catering to all your cooking needs.

Be it summer, winter or monsoon may be, a well-planned outdoor kitchen will never disappoint you. When we talk about how to plan it the best way, the foremost step is to hire a professional. He/ she may be a patio contractor, a concrete contractor or may be a landscape designer, a novice or an expert, the only thing that matters is to plan everything according to your needs and vision.

To help you get the complete idea as to which things must be on your list when you plan for the outdoor kitchen of your dreams, here are a few must to be followed tips.

• Flooring must be your first concern

An outdoor kitchen will provide you some of the best moments of your life. But undoubtedly, it also has to take the beatings of the harsh weather conditions. And the worst situations are faced by the floors. Thus, the flooring type that you choose must be very versatile, which comes with the promise of the long durability and lasting beauty. It is advisable to avoid the use of tiles and marbles as it might not be able to resist the weight of the appliances and stains. It might also get slippery and harder to work on during the rainy season.

• Pick an optimum location

Location is the thing we are talking about! If you plan this part of the kitchen plan well and perfect you will love the end result definitely. There are few things that must be kept in mind.

Firstly, always plan the location in a way such that it ensures the safety of your family. Locate it at a place in the yard near to the water source like the tap and make sure it is not a much closed space.

Secondly, make sure you don’t locate it too far from the indoor kitchen as during the parties, you would have to travel a lot carrying the items from one space to another which obviously won’t be very pleasant. While you choose the nearest location from the indoor kitchen, also make sure that you do not block the view of the yard from the indoor kitchen while planning for the outdoor ones. Try to figure out the perfect angle so that both the kitchens feel happy!

Thirdly, and very importantly, if you are planning for some renovations and touch up like retaining soils or adding a swimming pool in your yard to make the location perfect for the entertainment and parties and also a place to relax whenever necessary, do not forget to hire a professional designer. The designer will help you to sort things out in a perfect way. After all, you would not like a mess with your dream kitchen. Would you?

• Appliances too heavy? Plan the size of the kitchen accordingly

 

The size of an outdoor kitchen entirely depends on the number and size of appliances. If you are planning for a simple kitchen with just a grill and some seating arrangements, you can very happily go for a cute little outdoor kitchen. However, if you want a fully-furnished kitchen like refrigeration, grills, ovens, sinks etc., make sure you plan the size accordingly with a decent space for the movement in and around the kitchen. You might also include the cabinets if you are planning to keep some of your appliances inside drawers for safety reasons. Design the kitchen in a way so that the compatibility of the appliances with each other is not harmed. You can also add some space for the preparation of the food to be cooked and the setting of the plates for the celebrations. There is a requirement of some storing space if you are planning to keep some of your needs exclusive to the outdoor kitchen.

• Add the beauty

Beauty and the ambience will obviously be the product of your imaginations and will depend completely on your vision. Be sure, as to how you would like the look of your kitchen. It can be based on a theme or may be a simple one with some chairs and tables. However, you can plan the essentials according to your imagination and vision. The curtains if required, the color of it. The cushions and the covers, the lights and the things like flower pots, wall hangings, wind chimes and many other details can be prepared beforehand to add that dreamy touch to your kitchen.

• Hire a professional

This will add the icing on the cake. If you are too busy on your schedule and hardly have time to plan all the details, a professional designer will help you to plan it all very effectively. All you need is to give them the idea of what you want and how you want and it will be all done for you very perfectly and professionally.

Tickle Your Taste Buds With The Finest Baby Back Ribs

We all love baby back ribs, it’s a comfort food that really does bring out the smiles and happiness of any person who is tucking into a perfectly cooked bit of beef rib, or pork rib for that matter. When cooked to perfection baby back or spare ribs can be a delicious meal on their own or they can serve as a wonderful main component alongside salads, rice dishes and vegetables. At the end of the day whatever your choice of accompaniment, the baby back ribs need care and attention if you want to get them right, as these are going to be the centre part to any dish.

In today’s guide we are going to take you through everything you need to know to cooking the perfect rack of baby back ribs, from getting your ingredients together, to the equipment you are going to need, right through to some handy tips and tricks in how you can get the best results. And of course, the best results start with tender, moist and delicious tasting meat that you can be proud of.

Pans at the ready, as we are going to dive in…

Equipment and Ingredients for Cooking Baby Back Ribs

First things first we need to prepare our work area with the equipment and ingredients we need to so we are organised and have everything together in one area. In terms of equipment you are going to need a baking sheet, some kitchen foil, a wire cooling rack, a pastry brush and a sharp kitchen knife.

Set these all down to one side and then on the other side you want a 4-5lbs baby back rib, a quarter of a cup of Dijon mustard, some liquid smoke (optional), 1 cup of space rub, and 1 cup of barbecue sauce.

Now you should all be set to get on with preparing the ribs and then cooking them.

Preparing The Ribs With a Marinade

Preheat your oven to 300F to begin with so we get a nice disperse of heat that evenly works its way across the oven ready for us to add the ribs to. Then take a baking sheet and line it with some of the foil that you set aside earlier on, finally placing a wire cooling rack on top of that.

At this stage you can add the ribs to the rack as they are as we can dress the meat from here.

Take your Dijon mustard and the liquid smoke and use the pastry brush to brush the mixtures onto both sides of the baby back ribs, making sure that you evenly spread the mixture. You can then add the dry rub to the ribs by firstly sprinkling it over and the patting it into the meat.

Now you are ready to place the baby back ribs under the broiler and you only need to do this for around 5 minutes, making sure the meat side of the ribs are facing up towards the elements. When 5 minutes has passed you will notice that there is a brown colouration on the upper side of the ribs and this is where you can move the baby back ribs to the preheated oven to roast them.

Usually roasting a 4-5lbs baby back rib can take around 2 hours so you need to set aside that time. You can choose to cover the ribs with foil to start with or you can introduce the foil halfway through that 2 hour cooking time to allow the moisture to retain within the meat, keeping it tender and not allowing it to easily dry out.

During the last 30 minutes remove the baby back ribs and pick up your pastry brush again, and this time we are going to apply the barbecue sauce, and at this stage you can either coat it with plenty of sauce or you can be more reserved and just brush a light covering on top of the ribs. The choice is yours. Once you have done that just cover the baby back ribs up again with the foil and let them cook for that final 30 minutes until the 2 hour period is upon you.

Serving up The Baby Back Ribs

As with any meat just give it time to rest when you fetch it out of the oven so that the juices all disperse evenly around the meat which will just add to the moisture and tenderness of the baby back ribs. Once they have rested you can either serve them as they are or you can perform cuts between the bones in order to separate each section of the rib.

If you are adding any other ingredients make sure that these are cooked prior to taking the ribs out of the oven as you will want to eat them straight away, whilst they are hot.

Sauteed Beet Greens are The Best Cooking Method to Use

When it comes to cooking there are so many different cooking methods that it’s hard to get your head around. You have boiling, baking, grilling, griddling, sautéing, boiling, frying, barbecuing and so many other ways to cook foods. For some food however, certain cooking methods really do bring out the best when it comes to textures, flavours and general overall experiences and we have to say that when it comes to cooking beet greens there is only way method of cooking that really excels from all others, and that is sautéed beet greens.

If you haven’t tried beet greens or you haven’t tried them using this cooking method then stop what you are doing right now and listen up, as we are going to show you how to sauté beet greens and why they are so good when you use this method.

Getting Together What You Need

Beet greens are nothing without a few flavourings and seasonings thrown into the mix though, and it’s important that when sautéing them you know exactly what ingredients work and wont don’t. Sometimes experimenting is the only way to find out but we are going to list the ingredients you need here to save you time.

Get yourself a maximum of 3 bunches of beet greens and then set aside some extra virgin olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, a lemon, a shallot, some red pepper flakes and an orange.

Preparing the Beet Greens

To start with you should always wash vegetables like this under cold water which just takes away any grit, dirt or other foreign impurities that you don’t want on them. Also with beet greens its advisable to trim off the purple stems as these are very bitter in taste and even if you like them the chances are that a lot of your dinner guests may not, so it’s just thinking about them at the same time.

You will now be left with the green part of the vegetable and the best way to cut them into strips is to simply roll them up and then take your knife to them as you cut across the leaves. Generally you want to cut them into 1 inch segments, try not to cut them to large or too small and always remember that when they start cooking they will reduce in size so bare that in mind with the amount of bunches of beet greens you use.

Begin Cooking Your Ingredients

Now the beet green are prepared we want to begin cooking the other ingredients that we mentioned earlier on. So get a pan on the heat, and drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil until it becomes hot enough to begin adding your garlic into.

Once you have allowed the garlic to cook for a minute throw in your shallot (diced), your red pepper flakes and finally your beet greens. Allow them to wilt and cook for roughly 3 minutes, and just check to see if there is enough water to allow them to steam. If you see there isn’t enough water or find the garlic is turning brown then this is a tell-tale sign that you will need to introduce a few spoonful’s of water to the pan in order to finishing the cooking process off.

Serving up the Beet Greens

The finally step in our guide is serving up the beet greens, by now you have some incredible flavours that have enveloped the beet greens, with the garlic and shallot aromas adding to the taste. However, it doesn’t stop there as we want to combat the bitter taste of the beet greens by bringing together some acidic flavours and this is where lemon juice and orange juice comes in and plays its part.

Simply add lemon and orange juice to a pan and allow the juices to just simmer away with each other, you can also real intensify the flavour at this point by adding some vinegar as well. Once you have let the beet greens simmer in the orange and lemon for a couple more minutes you can then take them out the pan (the water should have evaporated nicely), and then serve them up on a plate.

Generally these beet greens are strong providers of sodium but you can add standard seasonings in the form of a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper if you feel that you need to combat some of the flavours.

Remember, this dish may not be for everyone but you should definitely give it a try as the garlic, shallot, acidic flavours and bitterness of the beet greens all come together and complement each other to provide you with a real taste sensation.

Living The Healthy Lifestyle with Nutritious Black Beans

 

Beans of any variety are packed full of healthy benefits and can complement everything from stews, to casseroles, to rice dishes and pasta dishes. They can even make up a substantial part of a fresh salad, but many people get put off cooking them because they don’t really know how to, or when they are cooked properly. The truth to cooking beans is that they are incredibly easy to cook and just like many foods it takes a couple of tips for you to master the art of cooking them and providing a new dish to add to your growing cookery arsenal.

Black beans in particular can be eaten on their own, and it’s not rocket science in cooking a creamy tender bowl of these fantastic beans. The biggest issue for many is that beans aren’t fast foods, they take hours to cook so if you are looking for quick meals then the 3 hour cooking time of black beans may put you off, but believe us when we say you have tasted nothing like the tender black beans we are going to show you how to cook today.

Preparing The Black Beans Ready to Cook

To get the perfect tenderness all the way through its key that you soak the beans prior to cooking them, this will give you a much better chance of having a more evenly cooked and tender bean dish. Plus, it can take some time off that 3 hour cooking time.

Right, so now we are ready to begin the cooking process so the first thing we need to do is get our equipment and ingredients together. Luckily there isn’t a lot to think about here, you just need a pound of dried black beans, some salt, a bay leaf, a couple of cloves of garlic, a chopped carrot, half a white onion, and some water to fill your saucepan.

Most of those ingredients above are simply to add to the aromatics of the liquid that surrounds the beans when it starts to evolve into a creamy dish.

Cooking to Perfection: Bringing The Black Beans to Boil

After you have soaked your beans (usually overnight) you will want to drain them, and its at this point where if you have the time you can pick out any odd looking beans, dried beans or other impurities that you don’t want to make it across to the saucepan for cooking.

Add your water to the saucepan and then shuck in all your aromatic ingredients that we mentioned above as these will help infuse the beans with delicate and captivating tastes when you come to eating them later on. All you need is a little bit of water as well so don’t go filling the entire pan, you want to cover the beans by about an inch and then set the temperature to a medium-high heat and then let them get to a boiling state.

Once you have hit boiling point reduce the heat down to a low temperature so that the beans are just simmering away. If you are looking to add the beans to soups or creamy dishes then adding a lid at this point will improve the tenderness of the black beans. If you leave the lid off the beans will be more crunchy and less tender, so you should only leave the lid off if you are looking to add the beans to salads or pasta dishes.

Leave the beans on a simmer for about an hour and then come back to just check them at that point. You want to make sure that the beans are still submerged in water so you may be required to add some more water at this point. Cover up the beans and then leave them for another hour or so.

Just before the end of the cooking process add a pinch or two of salt to add to the taste, as the black beans should now be tender.

Storing The Black Beans

Once cooked you should have a nice creamy black bean soup dish now with all those aromatics, but the best thing with black beans is that you can keep them refrigerated for 7 days, or frozen for up to 3 months so its always an idea to cook a good batch of them up if you are going to be spending hours cooking them, that way you add them to individual containers and add them to different dishes throughout the months before the need to cook any more.

Even if you aren’t fussed about the liquid, you should still keep it as it makes a great staple for sauces and soups, and because you have all that flavour and goodness packed into it, it really can add to other dishes you may cook so just pop it into a container and keep it stored in the fridge.