Pitmaster, p.12
Pitmaster, page 12
Our friend Mark McMann of The Little Pig 'n' Potato Pickling Co. here in Boston makes the best sour pickle we’ve ever tasted. He explains how he created them: “I moved to Boston five years ago and couldn’t find a proper traditional, New York deli–style half-sour pickle. This half-sour is a traditional Russian-Jewish–style brought from the Ukraine to NYC in the late 1800s. What makes this pickle different is that it is a cold fermentation pickle which allows it to retain its crunch through the lifetime of the pickle (as long as it's kept whole and cold). It also has a ‘softer’ spice to it and preserves the flavor of the cucumber while at its peak. After all is said and done, this pickle should taste like a cucumber, just a little more ‘effervescent.’"
Mark’s half sour pickle—which he calls “It’s Just a Cucumber”—was awarded first place in the Judges’ Pick and People’s Pick categories at the Boston Fermentation Festival in 2015.
Prep time: 20 minutes, overnight to cool brine, 24-hour brine, and then a 7-day cure
Yield: 1 pound (455 g) pickles
INGREDIENTS
4 cups (946 ml) water
3 tablespoons (54 g) table salt
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed gently
2 whole allspice berries
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons whole mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 sprigs of fresh dill
1 pound (455 g) whole Kirby pickling cucumbers
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Wide-mouth, quart-size (946 ml) Mason jar
METHOD
Combine the water and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Transfer the brine to a bowl or quart-sized (946 ml) Mason jar and cool completely. Then refrigerate overnight.
In a separate bowl, combine the garlic, spices, and fresh dill. Rinse the cucumbers and add them to the bowl of seasonings. Add ice water to cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, drain the ice water from the cucumbers and remove any leftover ice. Place the cucumbers standing upright in a quart-sized (946 ml) wide-mouth Mason jar. Add the spice mixture and pour the brine over the cucumbers to cover generously. Cover the jar and refrigerate for 7 days. Open the jar and enjoy. Pickles should be stored whole to retain their crunch. Slice them just before serving.
NOTE: Simply double the amount of garlic and fresh dill to make a fine kosher dill pickle.
STORAGE
Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 weeks.
“Barbecue Can Take You to a Different Place”
by Bill Durney
HOMETOWN BAR-B-QUE
I don’t have any lineage in barbecue.
I grew up in Brooklyn. My mother could burn toast and my father cooked everything to over well. The saving grace was my grandmother from Norway. She lived in this community and was quasi-raised by an Italian family, so I grew up eating authentic Italian food from my Norwegian grandmother. She was a master cook.
I didn’t know what barbecue was until seven or eight years ago. I had no idea that this world I am immersed in even existed. I was in the private security business. We travelled all around the world protecting A-list celebrities. I was traveling in South America and I saw people cooking over open fires. That inspired me. When I was on a protection assignment in Texas, we went to Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor. I was one step in the door and I said, “This is what I want my restaurant to smell like.” I’d never thought about opening a restaurant before that. That moment changed my life, defining who I was and what I wanted to be.
That’s when I started cooking. I ruined a lot of meat. Everybody ruins a lot of meat, so don’t start with big stuff like pork butts and brisket. Start with a sausage or a piece of turkey or chicken, something manageable. Light up your smoker and get a clean fire. Cook it through, slice it beautifully, taste it, and—wow. There are no secrets to barbecue; I’ll give anyone my recipe. For a whole hog, I use salt, 60-mesh black pepper, and white oak. I finish it with cherry if I can find it. And it’s 14 hours in the pit. That’s the recipe—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Barbecue can take you to a different place. That’s what I want Hometown Bar-B-Que to do. For me, though, it’s not Texas. It’s the streets of multiethnic Brooklyn. It’s the smells and sights and sounds I grew up with. What we do here is something completely unique to my experience, just like Sam Jones’s hog at Skylight Inn is unique to his experience. Sam can’t put Jamaican jerk baby back ribs on his menu. It’s not what he does. It’s not what his father did. It’s not what his grandfather did. But my granddaddy didn’t cook barbecue. I get to create something new, using traditional techniques.
There are no secrets to barbecue; I’ll give anyone my recipe.
We have Chinese sticky ribs on the menu. It’s a dish from Flatbush Avenue, where I grew up. I think that road had the most bars you can fit into a mile and there were just two restaurants open late at night: a pizzeria called Lenny and John’s and Kam Fung. At Kam Fung, we’d order Chinese spare ribs with white rice. You had to gnaw the meat off the bone. They certainly weren’t tender ribs but there was something about it that was so pleasing. It just worked. It made sense. I wanted to recreate that experience—but better.
I work 90 hours a week here and I never—not for one hour—feel like I’m working. If I could be on the fires every single night I would. That’s where I’m at peace. But we’re bigger than that now. Every single day we’re trying to make the best food we can make. Everybody talks about who makes the best barbecue in the country and everybody has a different opinion of what barbecue should be. That’s the beauty of barbecue. We can be part of that conversation.
◁ Hometown Bar-B-Que Chinese Sticky Ribs
This is one of the key recipes that tells the story of Billy Durney’s culinary journey at Hometown Bar-B-Que. Cook the loinbacks traditionally with a light seasoning until just tender. And instead of a Memphis-style glaze, hit them up with this glaze straight out of Chinatown. The glaze works well on grilled boneless pork chops or chicken thighs as well.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3 1/2 to 4 hours
Serves: 6 to 8 as part of a barbecue meal
INGREDIENTS
2 racks (3 to 4 pounds, or 1.3 to 1.8 kg each) pork loin back ribs, membranes removed
2 tablespoons (24 g) kosher salt
1 tablespoon (6 g) ground black pepper
2 cups (500 g) Sticky Chinese Barbecue Sauce (see below)
2 scallions, julienned
1 tablespoon (8 g) white sesame seeds
METHOD
Preheat your smoker for 275°F (140°C) using a fruit wood such as apple or cherry.
Sprinkle the ribs lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Place the ribs on the smoker meat side up. Smoke for 2 hours. Brush the ribs with the Sticky Chinese Barbecue Sauce and flip. Brush the bone side of the ribs with the sauce. Smoke for 1 hour. Open the smoker and brush the bone side again and then flip and brush the meat side. Cook for 30 minutes longer and then evaluate for doneness: the ribs should just start to break apart when lifted in the center with a pair of tongs. If they don’t, continue smoking for another 30 minutes.
Remove the ribs from the smoker and brush sauce on both sides. Flip onto a cutting board meat side down and slice between the bones. Pile the ribs on a platter. Drizzle with some more sauce and sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds on top.
STORAGE
Wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
STICKY CHINESE BARBECUE SAUCE
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 3 cups (750 g)
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
2 1/4 cups (510 g) packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups (535 ml) low sodium tamari
3/4 cup (175 ml) water
1/2 cup (50 g) diced scallions
16 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons (45 ml) rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons (45 g) sambal oelek (red chile paste)
2 tablespoons (60 g) gochujang (red pepper paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons (25 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon (8 g) grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
METHOD
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water to make a slurry; set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the slurry. Stir the sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes.
STORAGE
Refrigerate covered for up to a month.
“You Can Cook Great Barbecue Anywhere“
by Andy Husbands
I get the question all the time: “Where were born? Are you from the South?” And when I tell them I was born in Seattle, they ask, “Well, did you spend a lot of time in the South?” Nope. And that’s okay. You can cook great barbecue anywhere.
There’s a really strong Southern heritage and history to barbecue, and I think it is important to honor it. That means learning from those traditions. That’s one of the supercool things happening in barbecue right now. We’re seeing really talented cooks from all over the country recognize that this is a craft to be studied.
You don’t have to be Thomas Keller. I mean, you don’t have to have in-born talent to make great barbecue. I’m not saying you are going to get it right the first time. In fact, I guarantee you won’t. You have to practice and practice. I like ribs and I’ve been cooking them for years. To me, a perfect rib is just a really sexy, beautiful thing. And to get it just right—that’s my constant challenge. The smoker is a live creature, and every day is a little different.
A perfect rib is just a really sexy, beautiful thing.
My life has always revolved around food. Even in high school, I knew I wanted to be a cook. Chris and I were friends since we were in the same homeroom, and we spent a lot of time talking about food and drink. Later—this is 1991 or 1992—we worked together at the original East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with Chris Schlesinger. Next door was Jake & Earl’s, his barbecue place. I’d had barbecue before, but I didn’t really understand it until I started to work for Schlesinger. To eat meat like that, just out of the smoker, it blew my mind. And competition barbecue combined everything I loved: live-fire cooking, great food, a little bourbon, and weekends with my friends. Team IQUE grew out of that.
Chris and I were opening our first restaurant then—Tremont 647 in Boston, which I still own—and competition barbecue was an escape for me. We were doing 10 or 15 competitions a year; it was a passion. That’s the coolest thing about the barbecue community: People may not agree about anything when it comes to barbecue, but they are all passionate about it. And they want to learn from each other.
I never thought of barbecue as my business. It’s something I do with friends, but now I have a barbecue restaurant in Cambridge, The Smoke Shop. I wanted to share everything that I’ve learned about this craft in competition and to support and build the barbecue community. I don’t think that Boston will ever be as well known for its barbecue as Austin or Kansas City or Memphis. But just like you can find great pizza in Austin or chowder in Kansas City, you can find some damn good barbecue in Boston.
◁ Short Ribs and New England Lobster Roll
We’ve mashed up our New England backgrounds and love of Southern barbecue into a single bite. This dish is big in all ways: impressive looking with intense flavor. Brown butter is one of the secret ingredients to amp up the lobster flavor.
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 8 hours if cooking Central Texas Beef Ribs
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
Central Texas Beef Ribs
1/4 cup (60 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup (56 g) kosher salt
1/4 cup (24 g) ground black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper for seasoning
1 pound (455 g) freshly cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped
6 hot dog buns
METHOD
Either rewarm or hold your perfectly cooked Central Texas Beef Ribs.
Make a brown butter aioli for the lobster: Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, swirling occasionally. Once the butter starts to foam, stir it continuously until the solids in the bottom of the pan turn a light, toasty brown. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, pour the butter into a glass measuring cup, and taste it: There should be no burnt taste at all. (If there is, start over with fresh butter.) Add the oil to the butter and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
Combine the egg, lemon juice, garlic, and Old Bay Seasoning in a food processor or blender. Puree for 30 seconds and then very slowly stream in the butter mixture until the sauce thickens and forms a mayonnaise. (You may not need to add all of the oil.) Add the herbs and pulse in until combined. Place the aioli in a large mixing bowl. Season the aioli with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
Place the warm beef ribs on a cutting board. Slice the meat off the bone. Slice the barbecue beef into 1/4-inch (6 mm) slices.
Remove the aioli from the refrigerator and fold in the lobster meat.
Evenly distribute the sliced beef onto 6 hot dog buns. Top each sandwich with the lobster aioli. Serve immediately.
STORAGE
Wrap leftover beef and lobster separately tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
◁ City Ham
An entire book could be devoted to the art of making country ham from a whole pig leg. Our friend John Delpha of Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar in Somerville, Massachusetts, leverages pork loin for a much quicker yet also delicious “city” ham. Cut this ham in 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) slices for Canadian bacon and griddle with maple syrup and butter. Or slice thin and serve with room temperature goat cheese, warm biscuits, and wildflower honey.
Prep time: 30 minutes active, plus 6 days
Cook time: 3 hours
Serves: 20 sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
1 gallon (3.8 L) water
1 1/2 cups (336 g) kosher salt
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (235 ml) 100% maple syrup, amber grades preferred
8 teaspoons (48 g) Prague Powder #1, also known as pink curing salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 boneless chuck end pork loin (5 pounds, or 2.3 kg)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Hickory wood
METHOD
In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the water, kosher salt, sugar, maple syrup, pink curing salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Add the pork to the brine. Keep in the brine for 5 days, refrigerated. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry.
Preheat the smoker to 245°F (120°C).
Smoke the ham over hickory wood to an internal temperature of 155°F (70°C), about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the meat from smoker and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Slice into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) thick pieces and serve warm. Alternatively, refrigerate and slice the cold ham thinly for sandwiches.
STORAGE
Wrap leftover ham tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.
◁ Hot Links Bread Pudding
The smoky heat from the Hot Links adds a sublime layer of flavor to this classically rich dish. Sesame baguettes have the combination of flavor and texture we prefer for a savory bread pudding, but any type of sourdough bread will do. The vegetables can be changed to suit the season, too.
Prep time: 30 minutes active, plus 30 minutes inactive
Cook time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8 as a side
INGREDIENTS
8 cups (400 g) 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) bread cubes,
2 tablespoons (28 ml) vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 cup (235 ml) half and half
1 cup (235 ml) beef or chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups (455 g) seasonal vegetables (See suggestions below.)
2 Hot Links, cut in half lengthwise, then into 1/8-inch-thick (3 mm) half moons (see here)
1 cup (120 g) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 scallions, cut into thin rings for garnish
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Brush a 9-inch (23 cm) square baking pan with vegetable oil. Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake until golden and toasty, about 10 minutes.
