We make pulled pork about once or twice a month. Usually smoke a big fatty pork butt or shoulder. Unless we’re having a backyard patio party, we have a few pounds leftover. Sometimes we vacuum seal and freeze the leftovers for a weeknight delight. Getting “porked out” usually isn’t a problem around our house. But when you have a day old heap of pulled pork sitting in your fridge, what to do with it?
We like to make Bahn Mi Pulled Pork Sandwiches! Here’s how…
Everyone in our house loves steak. We also love tacos. As regular readers know, we make both. A lot. But besides sweet potatoes, asparagus, and potatoes — we’ve never really tried smoking many vegetables.
Last night, we expanded the playbook, and think we finally nailed it. So we put together this quick little how to video for you…in under 60 seconds …
If you’re entrusted with cooking the bird on Thanksgiving, you’re probably looking for a risk-free, no-fuss tried and true recipe. Have a reoccurring nightmare about dry turkey, or sweet dreams about crispy, herb-crusted turkey legs?
If you’re on a wood pellet grill, this Traeger Turkey Pellets Blend might be for you:
We did a 20-pound test bird this weekend, and were cooking for 16 people. It was your typical friends-giving feast (with no less than 4 other Traeger-owners coming, NO PRESSURE!).
Again, we were looking for an easy, but proven, method and recipe. After skimming a dozen articles on spatchcocking, brining, injecting, rubbing, etc — we said: “Meh, nothing exotic.”
That’s when we turned to the wisdom of the Traeger Grills family. We had two bags delivered from a Traeger Instagram contest (“BBQ Hero of the Week”) over the summer.
The results were nothing short of amazing. “Best turkey I’ve ever had,” raved one friend. “OMG, moist, zesty, and great smoke flavor,” commented another. “Got to try that for our family Thanksgiving now, ” said one of our Traeger brethren.
Now, most everything that comes off the Traeger at our house is good. But that’s “most” not all. Not ashamed to admit we have a few hiccups every now and again. So these were pretty strong endorsements. What’s the secret? We followed Traeger’s included Smoked Bourbon & Orange Brined Turkey recipe to a T. Here are the basics (minus the booze):
Brine overnight (bag comes inside the pellets bag, fish it out!)
Pat dry, apply rub (again, included in the bag)
Put turkey directly on the grate (we put in a disposable roasting pan)
Set Traeger to smoke for 2 hours (for us, 180F)
Turn up to 350F for 2-3 hours (or until internal temp reaches 165F)
WHERE TO BUY?
You can pick up the Traeger Turkey Pellets Blend at your local dealer, or order from Amazon. If you HURRY, you select one-day or two-day shipping for Prime members, to still get in time for Thanksgiving.
Watch our mid-cook Facebook LIVE video from TraegerFanatics.com for some laughs:
Editor’s Note: This post contains affiliate links.
We are on a beef kick here at Rendezvous. Our go to cut for the grill as of late has been the Tri Tip. Grilling this meat to perfection, however, requires a bit of practice. The best place to start is with a good seasoning.
RELATED: 21 Essentials for Traeger Owners: http://bit.ly/TraegerEssentials
You can’t go wrong with Traeger’s Santa Maria Tri Tip recipe.
But if you want to try your hand at rub-making, give this Mexican Dry Rub a try.
If you like it on beef, try it on chicken and pork too. We love this recipe so much, we keep a small batch of this rub mixed and ready to go in our pantry.
Pro-tip: This rub can pack a punch. If you are keeping several pre-mixed rubs on hand, a label is a must.
If you’re grilling or smoking the Tri-Tip, a good char and crust will provide lots of flavor. But this cut is very easy to overcook. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer.
RELATED: Digital Thermometers Buying Guide: http://bit.ly/BestThermometers
Here’s a helpful “how to” from Traeger on carving up your creation (once you’ve tented it, and let it rest appropriately):
How to Carve a Tri Tip by Traeger Grills
Here’s what the result should look like:
While vacationing on Kauai a few years back, we stopped at a food truck called Al Pastor. The truck is named for the vertical rotisserie method they use to cook the pork.
The first go round, we went for the “fish taco,” which is hawked on sandwich boards all over the islands. It was grilled, a little mushy, and ultimately underwhelming. Not ones to give up, the next time we were passing by, we stopped in and ordered the truck’s eponymous dish: Tacos Al Pastor.
The three tacos were devoured in minutes, and left us wanting more. Soon we were wondering: Could we make those at home on the grill?
Related Post: 21 Essentials for Traeger and Pellet Grill Owners
Looking into vertical rotisserie grills online, we were less than impressed. Industrial-sized kitchen options abounded, but the in-home selection was a little thin — even QVC could do better. So for our first go round, we went with the bamboo skewer. But all that meat is too much for one skewer.
Doing some more browsing, we found the Brazilian Gaucho Skewer ($39.95). Made from stainless steel, it’s a durable accessory — easy to clean, and no fuss set up.
Our friend Bennie Kendrick recently gave the Trompo King a spin, and it looks like a decent (though more expensive at $79.99) option as well.
These were our results using the Super Skewer:
Here’s the recipe we followed, enjoy from our friends at Tasty!
Here is what you’ll need!
Homemade Al Pastor
Serves 10-12INGREDIENTS
5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
3 tablespoons achiote paste
2 tablespoons guajillo chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
¾ cup white vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
1 pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1-inch rounds
1 thick wooden skewer, trimmed to the height of your oven
10-12 small corn tortillas
1 white onion, chopped finely
1 cup cilantro, chopped finely
1 cup salsa of your choicePREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-cm slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl.
In a bowl, combine the achiote powder, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps.
Pour the marinade over the pork, then toss the pork slices to make sure that they are all coated on all sides. Wrap the dish/bowl in cling film then marinate the pork for at least 2 hours, up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, place down a slice or two of the pineapple. Take a wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple.
Remove the pork from the fridge and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
Bake for about an hour and a half, until slightly charred on the outside and deep red.
Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of the pork.
Slice off thin pieces of the roasted pineapples as well.
To assemble and serve, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkle of onions, a pinch of cilantro, then a small spoonful of the salsa.
Enjoy!
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