A Belated Thank You to a Fine Houston, Texas Gentleman.

Back in September 2014, I met a man passing through town that needed directions; not a problem for me and I happily gave him the information he needed. We struck up a conversation about the area and, per usual, food and restaurants came up. I lamented on how, when I had moved here, I was under the illusion that barbecue and smoked meats would be the norm, not the holy grail. How I had learned the techniques myself, owned two smokers, but time was not always on my side when in the mood for this most excellent type of food.

He then halted the conversation with a, "I'll be right back", went to his vehicle and began rooting around inside. He then returned with a plastic bag, handed it to me, and said, "This is for you." Inside was an approximately two pound beef brisket; he explained that it should be wrapped in foil and cooked for two to three hours at 200 to 225 degrees.  I was in shock and, at first, reluctant to take this man's food from him; he was going camping and hunting and this was one of his provisions.  He insisted, explaining how nice and helpful I had been; and he wanted to share something with me that he knew I would enjoy.

Since my hubby would be home for dinner that night; of course I was going to prepare this treat for us.  Wrapped in foil, oven preheated; it was the waiting that would be the worst.  Roy arrived home just as I had finished preparing red skinned mashed potatoes, a vegetable medley and the brisket.  The aromas wafting throughout the home were intoxicating!

The brisket had an evident smoke ring around it; you could taste the smokiness and I don't know what he used in his rub, but it was awesomely flavored!  It was very tender and melted in the mouth as we chewed; talk about food heaven!  As much as we wanted to eat the entire brisket in one seating, we did save enough for one more wonderful meal.

I allowed so many things to get in the way of my writing this blog post immediately, and I apologize deeply for the lateness of this thank you.  THANK YOU Travis Staudt (hope I spelled your name correctly) of Houston, Texas for your own kindness, and this generous gift you gave to my hubby and myself.  You are a fine gentleman, and this gesture will not be forgotten.

Mary Cokenour

Smoked Meat Lovers Haven in Dove Creek, Colorado.

L&M Smoked Meats at the Dove Creek Sinclair

419 US Highway 491
Dove Creek, Colorado, 81324

Phone: (970) 677-3300

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dove-Creek-Sinclair-Station/127811170599131




Only 20 minutes east of Monticello, along Route 491, is the small town of Dove Creek, Colorado.  Sinclair of Dove Creek may look like an ordinary gas station/convenience store, but they hold a foodie secret….smoked meats.  Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork and Ribs with meat so tender and delicious; you could swear you’ve gone to barbecue heaven.

 

The owners of the Sinclair, and L&M Smoked Meats, are Laurie and Mike Steele.  Originally from California, they moved to Dove Creek in October 2010 and purchased the Sinclair.  After buying the smoker, Mike got schooled in the art of smoking and opened up L&M in December 2010.  At first the decision to purchase and live in Dove Creek was difficult, but after sitting inside the station, watching and hearing all the friendliness shown by the locals; their decision hit home fast.

 

Mike uses oak wood for the smoking; you can easily smell the aromatic aroma the second you exit your vehicle.  He hand pulls and shreds the meats for sandwiches, taking out as much fat as possible, so you get a full mouth of meat.  The barbecue sauce used is Cattlemen’s brand; natural ingredients and spices that only enhance the smoky taste of the meat.  Looking for a unique meal for a party, reunion or simply a get-together; L&M does catering.  Need a reference?  Ask the San Juan County Sheriff’s department what they enjoy for their lunch meetings.

 

Currently the operating hours for the L&M section of the business is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 12 Noon until all the yummy smoked goodies are gone.  Mike is considering adding Monday to the schedule, but smoking meat to perfection takes time and he’s not rushing anything.  Besides seating inside the station, there are beautiful stone picnic tables outside; don’t forget to take your photo with the Sinclair Dino.
 

 

Love smoked meat?  Why drive hours to elsewhere, when you can fill your belly with the good stuff just next door?  L&M Smoked Meats at the Sinclair of Dove Creek; now that hits the spot!

Mary Cokenour

 

Smoky Brisket...Hoisin Style.

If you're a fan of this food blog, you know many of my recipes come from simple experimentation. Well Saturday I was craving a fresh made burger for dinner, but while in the local market I noticed that beef brisket was on sale. Fresh brisket, a lovely red color to the meat, just a 1/4 inch fat cap on top; so I picked up a two pounder. Once home though, I had to figure out what I wanted to do with it.  Too small for the smoker; too pretty to cut up for use in a recipe; what to do was a good question.

The answer came while I was gathering up ingredients to make my burger for dinner.   I saw the bottle of Hoisin sauce (yes, I keep a bottle on hand) on the refrigerator door shelf.  Hmmm, a smoky sauce with a multitude of flavors on a pretty cut of brisket; and the brain kicked in with an idea.  Haven't had good fried rice in awhile either, so I knew that would be my side dish; now I just had to wait till the next day.

I spent Sunday going through tons of photos for my travel blog, "The Southwest Through Wide Brown Eyes", and knew full well it would work me up to an "I want meat!!!" appetite.  During one of my stretching breaks from the computer, the numbers on the clock let me know it was time to prep the brisket.  Oh, you might ask, once you read the recipe, why the vinegar massage?  Brisket is a tougher cut of meat than say, eye round or top round; the vinegar will help to tenderize.  Two hours later though, time to put on the oven and get this cooking show on the road.  The final result was a tender, smoky, so full of flavor brisket; and the fried rice was all that much better by adding a little Hoisin sauce to it during its cooking process.  Got the photos I needed for my travel blog posts this week; got one heck of an intense dinner in the deal; overall good day!

Hoisin Beef (Brisket)

Ingredients:

2 lb beef brisket, trimmed of fat

3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp diced red onion

Preparation:

Two hours before roasting the brisket; rub the vinegar over all sides of the meat, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

 

Preheat oven to 325F; line roasting pan with aluminum foil.  Score top and bottom of meat with diagonal cuts, creating one inch diamond marks.  Mix together the ginger, white pepper and salt; rub on both sides of meat.  Place meat in pan and roast for 15 minutes. 

 

Mix together sauce, garlic and onion; turn meat over in pan, baste top and sides of meat with sauce mixture making sure to get sauce into score marks.  Return to oven for 30 minutes; turn over meat, baste and roast for another 30 minutes for medium-rare.  For medium; repeat turn and baste process, roast for 30 minutes more.  For medium-well; repeat turn and baste process, roast for 30 minutes more.

 

Remove meat to cutting board; rest for 5 minutes before slicing; spoon sauce from roasting pan over meat.  Serve with fried rice; when making rice, add one teaspoon of Hoisin sauce for every three servings to boost the flavor.

Makes 6 servings.

 

Mary Cokenour

Jimmers Gets Serious with BBQ.

Jimmers Back Country BBQ
                                                  
                                                                                         439 East Main (across from Burger Boy Drive-In)
                                                                                         Cortez, Colorado, 81321

                                                                                          (970) 516-1227

                                                                                          Website: N/A

Lets get to the gist of it, Jimmers is some of the best barbeque in the Four Corners Area.  Although I have tried the Serious Texas BBQ places in Durango, CO and Farmington, NM; Jimmers has got them beat hands down.

 

Upon entering Jimmers, there is a short, plain hallway with a beautiful antler chandelier.

As you turn the corner, there is a fireplace that is open on two sides; stuffed wild animals are on the wall in their predatory poses.






The main dining area resembles the great room of a hunting lodge; beautiful tables and benches; again wild animals displayed in their glory.

Towards the rear of the building you will see the kitchen area; off to one side, hanging off the back wall, is the menu written on a large chalkboard. Now if you need to know further information about any of the menu items, don't be shy about asking; the staff at Jimmers are very friendly and helpful.

Hubby and I settled on the "Feast For Two", so we would have a good sampling of the meats, poultry and sides. The pulled pork is tender and not dry; usually my hubby will not eat pulled pork unless it is swimming in bbq sauce, but didn't need it for Jimmers. The brisket was tender, yes there is a trend going on here, juicy and pulled apart easily. The turkey melted in your mouth; I made a sandwich with the soft bread and a little bbq sauce and was in heaven. Sides: Baked Potato Salad; chunks of baked potato in a sour cream, chive and bacon mixture...yum nummy! Cheesy Potatoes; diced, roasted potatoes with melted cheddar cheese throughout...very comforting! Baked Beans; beans and shredded beef brisket in a smooth sauce...very satisfying!

There are three types of bbq sauce: Original - mild heat, slightly sweet with a full bbq flavor.  Smoke - mild heat, but more sweetness than original and a slight tang.  Spicy - medium to hot in heat, slightly sweet, a slow burn develops overall in the mouth.  We stuck with the Original and Smoke as we felt these enhanced the smoked meats and turkey, while the Spicy hid their flavors completely.

When it comes to BBQ in the Four Corners Area; Jimmers Back Country BBQ is our new Mecca...try it when you're in Cortez, Colorado and hankering for really great BBQ.

Mary Cokenour

Serious Texas Bar-B-Q.

Serious Texas Bar-B-Q
650 S Camino Del Rio
Durango, Colorado 81301

(970) 259-9507
FAX: (970) 259-5460

Hours: 10:30am-9:00pm Summer
10:30am-8:00pm Winter

Website: http://serioustexasbbq.com/

With five locations (4 in Colorado, 1 in New Mexico), Serious Texas Bar-B-Q is making sure to please fans of smoked meats and poultry.


These restaurants are not fancy nor classy; they're meant for folks who want to park themselves down at a table and enjoy good barbecue. The food is placed on butcher paper and a tray; utensils are plastic and each table comes with a roll of paper towels and a large bottle of their signature barbeque sauce. Whether with family or friends, the atmosphere is very relaxed and comfortable for all.



The Durango, Colorado location has an outdoor patio that overlooks the Animas River. Directly attached to the restaurant is an outdoor miniature golf course; there is also a small bandstand for musical entertainment.


Now lets get to the food; first timers should try out "The Big Six" which comes with 1/4 pound each of beef brisket, pulled pork, pork loin and turkey; a link of sausage and two ribs. It also comes with a sample of each of there signature salsas: pineapple/jalapeno and cherry/chipotle plus relish. This is perfect for two to three people who want to try out a little of everything.


The ribs have a spicy, flavorful rub on them and are not doused in sauce; they're tender, but don't fall off the bone. They come in half or full racks; or you can buy per rib if you just want to sample one.















The Beef Brisket sandwich is piled high with tender, tender meat, pickles and onions; a simple sandwich with lots for your stomach and taste buds to love.



The Pulled Pork Sandwich is a large fistful of smoky goodness topped with cherry/chipotle salsa; several napkins are recommended.



While all the sides are good, we especially like the Cheesy Potatoes loaded with melted cheese and black pepper. A large order is a must!

Seriously hungry and in the mood for barbeque; seriously head out to Serious Texas Bar-B-Q.

Mary Cokenour

Briskets and Gravy.

As much as I love to grill and smoke meats, I am not one of those extreme die hards who are out there in any type of weather manning the grill and/or smoker.  What a quandry though when you are craving a good brisket, but don't want to deal with the cold weather outside.  That's where the crock pot comes in and becomes a best friend; always willing to help out and never complaininng.

After defrosting a four pound beef brisket and trimming excess fat off; I gave it a good massage with my All Purpose Rub. Sealing it inside an airtight container and popping it into the refrigerator, the preparations for Funeral Potatoes was begun. I didn't have any corn flakes on hand though, so a nice layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese became my topping. Covered with plastic wrap, into the refrigerator that went to keep the brisket company overnight.

Next morning I got the crock pot out; the brisket went inside with all the other ingredients needed. I knew that the onions, tomatoes, chilies and garlic would not just help enhance the flavor of the brisket, but tenderize and moisturize. The rub on the brisket would help season those ingredients also, so the resulting gravy would be awe inspiring.

That evening I knew when Roy would be coming home from work, so I put the Funeral Potatoes in the oven, so they would be ready at the same time as the brisket and gravy. Result? Between the "Hmmm's" and "Oh my's", Roy was able to tell me that this was one of the best meals he'd ever enjoyed. The gravy was stupendous and the threat to eat a bowl of just that was made; he absolutely could not believe how deliciously awesome it was. He kept telling me that the brisket just melted in his mouth, and I have to agree that it was the tenderest brisket I've ever eaten. The Funeral Potatoes were a perfect accompaniment; the flavors melding so well with the beef and gravy.

Ain't that a kicker though, a crock pot giving a grill a run for it's money.

Crock Pot Beef Brisket and Gravy

Ingredients:
4-5 lb beef brisket, trimmed of fat
½ cup all purpose rub
1 (10.5 oz) can French onion soup plus ½ can water
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies – mild
1 ½ Tbsp minced garlic
4 Tbsp flour

Preparation:
Thoroughly coat, and massage in, all sides of brisket with rub; place in airtight plastic container or bag and refrigerate overnight.

Set 6 qt crock pot on low; spray inside with nonstick cooking spray. Place soup, water, tomatoes and garlic in crock pot; whisk in flour until incorporated well. Immerse brisket into liquid, cover and cook for 8 hours.

Remove brisket to rest before slicing. Set crock pot to high; using an immersion blender in the crock pot, or placing liquid into stand blender, puree tomatoes and onions. Let pureed liquid cook for 15 minutes to thicken. Serve over sliced brisket; also good for a gravy over mashed potatoes and/or biscuits.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Mary Cokenour

My baby boy is one today; he deserves brisket!

Happy Birthday Tippy!  He’s made it to one year old, and deserves whatever he wants; he loves mama’s brisket.   The vet estimated that Tippy was 4 months old when I found him; abandoned, he had been wandering the streets of a neighboring town.  His breed is primarily Australian Shepherd with another breed mixed in, but can’t be sure which one.

The poor little guy was only 17 lbs., had stopped making red blood cells and was in the first stage of Parvo; he was given an 85% chance to live. His treatment was supposed to take two weeks, but surprisingly it only took one week before he was home once again.

Today, Tippy is a very happy, healthy dog; weighing in at 70 lbs, muscular and a wonderful bundle of love. He has deep brown eyes that can quickly put anyone under the spell of absolute cuteness. He is protective of his family and home; and his growls warn anyone to stay away if not invited. Yet, he is gentle with the cats, and lets our little Basenji, Nefertiti, roll him onto his back while she playfully mauls him; she’s only 15 lbs.

Tippy is my baby boy, but daddy’s buddy; you’ll always see Tippy sitting by Roy’s feet, or walking by his side.  Every night, when Roy comes home, he has to lift Tippy up onto his lap, and cuddle him like a father would his small child.  Yep, Tippy is one of the best little creatures that has come into our lives, and we love him dearly.  Happy Birthday Tippy, Love from Mommy and Daddy.

Now when I made the brisket, the weather kept me from using one of my smokers. Instead, I set my gas oven to 225F; seasoned a 4 lb. brisket with my homemade All Purpose Rub for Grilling and Smoking, previously posted on April 21, 2011, and wrapped it in aluminum foil. I placed it on the rack, inside a roasting pan, put it in the oven, and just let it do its thing for 8 hours. The next day, in 30F weather, I had the brisket on the barbeque, high heat, getting a good char on both sides and basted with my homemade barbeque sauce. Only took me about 15 minutes for the whole process, and the cold hands was worth it.

All Purpose Barbeque Sauce
Ingredients:

2 Tbsp peanut oil (if not available, use canola oil)
1 small onion, diced
1Tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground horseradish
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup dark molasses

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium-high heat; sauté onion and garlic till softened; be careful not to burn garlic. Add in remaining ingredients, stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes; sauce will thicken. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking or burning. If sauce thickens too much, stir in a tablespoon of water until desired consistency is achieved.

Use warm or cold; store in refrigerator in airtight container; will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 2 cups.

Mary Cokenour