Comfort food!

I made this with beef, because that is what I had for leftovers, one could certainly use chicken or turkey, just adjust the broth type accordingly. If planned right this can be made as a one pot meal and I have done this camping many times. Just remember to boil and drain your taters first. Then move forward with the rest of the cook. I was baking bread in the DO, so I used a CI pan instead for this cook.

Put whatever veggies you have into the mix. I had frozen corn, fresh carrots, celery, chopped onion, minces garlic, and not pictured frozen diced zucchini from our garden.

Boil the taters in seasoned water. We like our mashed taters skin on so we don't peel them. Why waste the best part!

Over medium heat saute the onion, carrot, and celery in olive or grape seed oil until they have softened. Make sure and season with salt and pepper.  Add the minced garlic and saute for a few more minutes.

De-glaze the pan with a good smokey porter or stout. I used about half the bottle for the pan and the other half I used for myself!

While all the other stuff is boiling and sauteing prep the meat for the pie. I prefer mine to be about 1/2"-3/4" cubes. I used the leftover beef from my "Where's the Beef" smoke.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/156098/wheres-the-beef

Add the cubed beef and frozen veggies to the pot. You also want to add enough broth at this time to almost cover everything in the pot. I had left over Smokey Au Jus from the other night so I used that. You could use beef broth, or V-8, or Spicy V-8. If making chicken version use chicken broth. Let this all simmer together for 15-20 minutes or until the broth starts t thicken. If it is still to thin add corn starch (mixed in water) a tablespoon at a time and continue to simmer until you get the desired consistency. Once you get where you want, top with mashed taters. Drizzle or brush butter onto the taters and put the lid on the DO and set the coals for 400°-425° for 20-25 min. or until taters are golden brown. I used the oven since I wasn't doing the DO thing. If using the DO in the oven, don't cover.

To bad I didn't have any bacon fat to add to the mix!

There it is out of the oven ad ready for the plate.

ENJOY!!!!

Spatchy Chicken and sliced crispy taters

Cranked up the Mini-WSM with 365 Lump, cherry wood. I took out the clay diffuser and poured on the heat

Look at that nice TBS!!!

Seasoned with chipotle powder, garlic, Smoked Serrano Salt, and CBP.

Golden brown Crispy skin delight!

Devil Bird!!!

Slice the taters about 3/4 of the way through. Coat inside and out with EVOO, Smoked Serrano Salt, CBP.

Onto the gasser @ 450* for 45mins-one hour.

Crispy skin taters!!

Dripping goodness!!!

Enjoy!!!!

Grilled Tri-tip!

The last couple days I took a break from the Mini-WSM and have been using the gas grill that I have been neglecting the last year or so! I bought another bulk pack of tri-tip from our local wholesaler and one of the tips was small so I felt it would be great grilled. We also had a head of cauliflower that I needed to use up so I threw that into a foil pan with some smokerd serrano salt, cumin, pepper EVOO. We reheated a couple twice baked hatch chile taters too.

Enhanced.

Enjoy!!!

Grilled Burgers, Smoked Serrano salt, Basil Corn and Crispy skin taters

Feeling bad for the gas grill I fired her up last night and cooked everything on it. We did use smoked pepper jack on the patties. The corn is coated with butter, fresh boxwood basil, and smoked serrano salt. Wrapped in foil and onto the grill. The taters were covered in EVOO pepper and smoked serrano salt, direct grilled.

Enjoy!!!!

Crispy skin Twice baked taters

Using Mr T's crispy skin tater recipe I whipped up a bunch of twice baked taters to vac pac and freeze. They freeze and reheat easily, In fact you can reheat them right in the vac pac bag. You can add all kinds of different ingredients to suit your tastes. We like spicy foods so we like the peppers. Since these are to be frozen it is best to not put milk or sour cream in at this time. You can add the sour cream after reheating.

Oiled and seasoned. I did six taters total. Seasoned three at a time.

Crisp Baked Potato

Ingredients:

1 large russet potato (If it looks like Mr. Potato Head, you've got the right one.)

canola oil to coat

kosher salt

Preparation:

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat to 450°. Wash potatoes thoroughly with a stiff brush and cold running water then dry, do not pierce.  Place in a bowl and lightly coat with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potato on middle rack of oven. Place a baking sheet pan on the lower rack to catch any drippings.

Bake 45 minutes (depending on size) until skin is crisp, but flesh beneath feels soft.  Serve by creating a dotted line of holes from end to end with a fork, then crack the spud open by squeezing the ends toward one another. It will pop right open so be aware of escaping steam.

Chef's note:  If cooking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the cooking time by up to 15 minutes.

Out of the oven and ready for scooping and mixing.

Fresh chives from the garden

Chopped Smoked Hatch Chile. Also added smoked pepper jack and smoked cheddar.

Ready for the freezer. You need to freeze these prior to vac-packing! A couple hours or overnight will do.

Packed and ready for the freezer. I use the premium bags  from Vacuum Sealers Unlimited. They have a pouch that you can slip a label into prior to sealing. Works better when the food you are sealing is flat!

If you do not have a vacuum packer wrap each tater in saran wrap and then place as many as you can fit into a gallon size ziplock bag and freeze.