Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

This uses four different cheeses.  I've also done it in the oven. Not quite as good but if you aren't running the smoker it's a nice option.

• 16 ounces (1 package) macaroni

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 cup  flour

• 3 cups milk

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

• 1 t salt

• 1/2 t black pepper

• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

• 8 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded, divided

• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (do NOT use the powdered stuff)

Directions are just a straightforward mac and cheese.

1. Cook the pasta til it is al dente (slightly chewy when you eat a piece)

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Whisk in the flour and bring it to a boil (whisking constantly) for one minute.  This is important because it eliminates the flour taste.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese, s & p and wisk til smooth.

3.  Combine 2 cups each cheddar and Gouda, parmesan, pasta, and sauce and mix it all up.

4. Coat 9 x 13 aluminium foil baking dish with cooking spray (you are putting in the smoker so you want the aluminium dish) and dump the whole mixture in.  Cover with foil.

5. Smoke for 45 minutes (if you are doing meat  you'll have a temperature somewhere between 210°F and 250°F), then take off the foil, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, and stick it back in the smoker for another fifteen minutes.

Lamb Shawarma on the rotisserie

From the NY Times cooking blog, I did this on a countertop rotisserie that friend's gave me, it was incredible.

Marinade

2 t black peppercorns
5 cloves
1/2 t cardamom pods
1/4 t fenugreek seeds
1 t fennel seeds
1 T cumin seeds
1 star anise
1/2 cinnamon stick

Dry roast in a small cast iron pan until they begin to pop.

Add:

1 T grated nutmeg (about a half a nut if you are grating your own)
1/4 t ground ginger
1 T sweet paprika

Toss for a few seconds, transfer to a spice grinder (a well cleaned out coffee grinder will work fine), and grind to a powder.

Add:

1 T dried sumac
3/4 T kosher salt
3 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or crushed
3/4 cup chopped cilantro (leaves and stems is fine)
4 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup peanut oil

Stir it all together.

I used a boneless leg for this since it's going to be in the rotisserie.

Rub marinade all over the leg and then tie it up thoroughly with butcher twine.  You don't want it falling off the rotisserie because it isn't secure.

Rest overnight in the fridge.

Fire up the rotisserie and follow it's directions.  Cook to an internal temperature of about 125° for medium rare, up to 145°F for well done.  DO NOT cook it to 160 which the little chart on some thermometers recommends.  It will be dry and horrible.

Let it rest for about fifteen minutes with a sheet of foil over it, then slice and serve.  I like this with Rosemary Potatoes (cook small red potatoes, quartered with some rosemary, garlic, and butter in a sealed foil packet for about an hour)

Smoked pork butt

Can't believe I've never posted this or some of my other smoker recipes so I'll have to try to catch up.

My favorite (and only since I cleared out some recipe books) is Smoke & Spice by the Jamisons.  This is from that book and if you are going to buy a smoker you should pick this one up.

My go to recipe from this book is a pork butt:

Rub:
1/2 c ground black pepper
1/4 c paprika
1/4 c raw (Turbinado) sugar
2 T salt
2 t dry mustard
1 t cayenne

6 to 8 pound butt

Rub all over and refrigerate overnight.

I try to keep my smoker between 210°F and 250°F.

It will take about 10 to 12 hours so get up early (I have read 1 1/2 hours per pound but can't confirm.

I use an oven thermometer with a wired probe to track to the meat temperature, that way I don't have to keep opening the lid to check the temperature.

I also use a mop, or basting solution.

2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
3 T black pepper
2 T salt
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T paprika
1 T cayenne

Shake it up and mop the meat every hour or so.

I then added a bit of sugar to the leftover mop and used it as a vinegar BBQ sauce.  Mm, mm, mm.

Here's the Coleslaw recipe that I serve with this, the only coleslaw I've ever actually liked.

As usual, I am not good at remembering to take pictures, but I did manage to get one of the rubbed butt and the smoker setup so there you go.

Coleslaw

The only coleslaw I've ever actually liked.  I make it every time I do pork in the smoker.

1 cup half and half
1/2 cup sugar
6 T cider vinegar
2 T mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t salt

1 medium cabbage, grated
4 medium carrots, grated

Shake up the dressing ingredients, mix with vegetables.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.