Chef Ted Reader shares these great recipes for a tailgate feast on the barbecue.

Brooklyn Lager BBQ Smoked Pulled Pork with Green Apple Slaw

Ingredients:

  • Hardwood charcoal smoker
  • 8 lb (4 kg) 100% natural lump charcoal or charcoal
  • briquettes
  • 8 cups (2 L) hickory and apple wood smoking chips
  • (blended fifty-fifty) soaked in cold water for at least
  • 30 minutes
  • Rimmed baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil
  • Meat thermometer
  • 2 untrimmed bone-in pork picnic shoulder pieces (3–4 lb/1.5–2 kg each)
  • 4 bottles Brooklyn Lager 4 bottles
  • 8 cups cold water 2 L
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) kosher salt
  • 1⁄3 cup (75 mL) Bone Dust™ BBQ Seasoning
  • 12 soft hamburger buns, split and warmed
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Crushed red chile flakes, to taste
  • Apple cider vinegar, to taste
  • Brooklyn Lager, to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, combine Brooklyn Lager, water, and kosher salt.

Place pork pieces in brine, ensuring meat is covered. Cover, refrigerate,

and let brine, turning pork 2 or 3 times to brine evenly, for 24 hours.

Drain pork, discarding leftover brine, and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub Bone Dust™ BBQ Seasoning all over pork, gently pressing to adhere. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Following manufacturer’s instructions and using lump charcoal and 1/2 cup (125 mL) drained wood chips for smoker or 1 cup (250 mL) for BBQ, start fire and bring temperature of smoker or BBQ to 180 – 225 F(83 – 110 C). (Note: Since there are many varieties of smokers, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for smoking.)

Place pork on rack in smoker or BBQ. Cover and smoke, turning meat and misting with Flavour Mist every 45 minutes for 8 to 10 hours, or until bones pull cleanly from meat and thermometer inserted into centre of pork registers 185 F (85 C). (Note: Replenish charcoal and wood chips – in additions of 1/2 cup (125 mL) for smoker or 1 cup (500 mL) for BBQ – as required, to maintain temperature and smoke level.)

Transfer pork to foil-lined baking sheet and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel rind from meat and remove. Reserve excess fat from inside of rind. (Note: Trust me, this fat is key to your pulled pork.) Shred or pull pork into thin strands and small chunks, then add reserved fat and juices from baking sheet. Season to taste with kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red chile flakes. Drizzle to taste with vinegar and beer, then thoroughly mix. (Note: Taste it. If you go “mmmmm,” it is ready to eat.)

Mound pulled pork on buns, then top with Green Apple Mustard Coleslaw. Serve immediately. (Note: This recipe can be made a day ahead. Transfer pork and any juices to a baking dish. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, warm covered pork in a preheated 350 F (180 C) oven for about 30 minutes.)

Big Wheel Buttered Smoked Brisket

Ingredients:

  • Large, very clean, food-safe plastic bin, roasting pan, or self-sealing plastic bag
  • Smoker
  • Charcoal
  • Hickory wood chunks
  • Aluminum foil
  • 6 cans Amsterdam Big Wheel Deluxe
  • + 2 cans Amber (12 oz/355 mL each)
  • 4 cups (1 L) cold water
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL)kosher salt
  • 1 beef brisket (10–12 lb/4.5–6 kg)
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 12 crusty rolls
  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • 12 crisp dill pickles, sliced
  • 12 tsp super extra-hot-and-spicy prepared mustard

Directions:

In bin, combine 6 cans of Amsterdam Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, water, and kosher salt. Rinse brisket and pat dry with paper towels. Immerse, fat-side down, in brine, ensuring brisket is completely submerged.

(Note: Add an extra 1 or 2 cans of beer, if required.) Cover and refrigerate, turning brisket every 8 hours for even brining, for 48 hours. (Note: Sit back and relax for a couple of days.)

Prepare smoker following manufacturer’s instructions, preheating to 180 – 225 F (85– 110 C).

Drain brisket, discarding brine. Rub butter all over brisket. (Note: Yes, I just told you to rub the meat with butter. Yes, rich, delicious butter. Lip-smackin’ wonderfulness. So rub it with butter!) Rub Seasoning (see recipe on the next page) all over brisket, gently pressing to adhere.

Place brisket in smoker, fat-side up, and smoke, monitoring temperature and smoke levels, and drizzling with extra beer to keep it moist and flavourful, for 6 to 8 hours. (Note: Place a drip pan under brisket to catch the buttery juices, then use it them to baste the brisket while it smokes. Ahhh . . . butter basting!) Adjust vents and add wood chunks and charcoal if required.

Remove brisket from smoker, wrap in 4 layers of heavy-duty plastic wrap, then over-wrap with 2 layers of aluminum foil. Return wrapped brisket to smoker, increase heat to 200oF (95oC), and smoke for 4 to 6 hours more or until brisket is moist and tender.

Remove brisket from smoker. Let wrapped brisket rest for 30 minutes. Carefully unwrap, reserving juices accumulated in wrap.