Smoked Turkey Legs... Yup, they're better than the ones at Disneyland!

That's right, I said it.  Disneyland ain't got nothin on these Turkey Legs!  

First thing's first, when you are going to make these little beauties, don't get the ginormous legs that look like they came from an Emu.  Choose the Turkey legs that one person can finish without needing a second stomach.  Another good reason why you should have a great relationship with your butcher.  You can always ask if they have what you want in the back, or they can order it for you.

The Brine that I use, I got from my Grandpa.  This is the brine that he uses for all of his Turkey.  I honestly don't remember him brining chicken in anything other than in buttermilk, but I think this would be lovely for chicken or pork too!

These babies need to relax in the brine for 24 hours- 72 hours.  So, plan ahead.

The Brine

1 orange cut in half and the juice squeezed into the brining container

2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary (on or off the stem, it doesn't matter)

3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic that have been smashed

3/4 Cup Salt

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Peppercorns

2 Whole Bay Leaves

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 Tbsp whole Juniper Berries (found in the dry spice aisle in your market)

2 Cup Apple Juice

1 Gallon of water 

In a large pot combine the Rosemary, Garlic, Salt, Brown Sugar, Peppercorns, Bay Leaves, Cinnamon Stick, Juniper Berries and water.  Simmer until the Sugar and salt have been dissolved. Let cool for 30-45 minutes.

Depending on how many Turkey Legs you will be Smoking, (I suggest one per person) that will help you determine how big of a resealable container you will need.  An unscented trash bag in a cooler with ice works too, just don't forget about refreshing the ice periodically.

Add the Brine, the Orange and the Apple Juice into the Brining Container with about 8 Cups of ice.  You have to be sure that you don't poach the Turkey Legs... That would be sad.  

Your Smoker:  

Are you one of the lucky few that have a smoker?  No?  Do you have a grill?  Yes?! You can turn your grill into a smoker totally easy!  In your gas grill you can use a Smoker Box.  Before I had Bertha (my Big Green Egg) I used a Smoker Box like this in my Gas Grill:

You can get one for really cheap at Amazon.com, or even at your local Hardware Store.  Just fill it up with some Wood Chips (mesquite is my favorite) that have been soaked in water for about 15 minutes and put it on your grill on the one side that you will have the burner on and there you have it!   

If you have a charcoal grill, like a Weber, all the better!  Here is a link with some great instructions on how to Smoke on your Charcoal Grill.  

Now, back to the Turkey Legs!  After they have brined for your desired time, you have the option of rinsing the legs off or just throwing your legs on the smoker.  Either way is fine by me, you might get different answers with whomever you speak to.

Bring your smoker to 250 degrees (It helps to have an Oven Thermometer for this.  The temperature is INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT when smoking anything, you get this by only using one burner on gas stoves and adjusting the vents on a Weber grill), try to not inhale when you open your smoker. Make sure you have a small metal pan with water in it in your grill.  This will ensure that your items that you are smoking won't get dried out.

Smoke the Turkey Legs at 250 for 4 hours.  Then use a Meat Thermometer to check the internal temperature.  The internal temperature of any Turkey when cooked is 165 degrees.  BUT! When you cook meat and let it rest with a little foil on top, the meat will continue to cook about 5-10 more degrees, so I would PULL THE LEGS OFF AT 158 DEGREES, THEN WRAP IN FOIL FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES.  Here's what the finished product should look like:

The skin gets really tough, so to eat the meat, you might want to peel the skin off when you sit down to eat.

I hope you were inspired by this post.  I hope you now know that you don't need an expensive smoker to smoke meat, fish or vegetables!  Have fun!  Play with your food, you might be surprised by what you create!  Cheers

Some of my Favorite Side Dishes and Salads

A meal just isn't a meal without side dishes. A Bar B Que just isn't complete without some killer sides. The plate only has one thing on it, I think it's just sad.  I love a good salad and I have a wonderfully easy dressing recipe (I will post on that later).  Here are some of my favorite Side Dishes and their recipes:

Watermelon Salad

This Watermelon Salad recipe I kinda stole from one of my favorite restaurants, but I made it my own (my favorite thing about cooking).  Here is the recipe:

1 small Seedless Watermelon peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1 Jalapeno Pepper (or Fresno Pepper) cut into small dice

1 tbsp chopped Parsley

1 Shallot minced

1/8 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

The longer this salad sits, the better.  This is a great make-ahead dish for potlucks or Bar B Ques.  After cutting up all of the ingredients, you throw it all in a bowl, stir it up and throw it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.  

Orzo Salad

This is my summer go-to.  It is ridiculously easy to make and it travels so well.  Orzo is a rice-like pasta.  This salad taps into my Italian roots, with its simplicity and freshness.  This salad would be lovely with Quinoa or Wild Rice too!  Just substitute the Orzo with whatever you would like.  Here's how I make it! 

Dressing

2 Cloves of Garlic that have been Minced

1 Shallot that has been minced

1/3 Cup of Chopped Parsley

1/3 Cup Chopped Basil

1 Tsp Black Pepper

1 1/2 Tsp Salt

6 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Cooking the Orzo 

(I have found that cooking the Orzo in 1/2 Chicken (or Vegetable) Stock and 1/2 water adds so much flavor!)

2 32 Oz Containers of Unsalted or Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock

64 Oz Water

2 Tbsp Salt (This is why the recipe calls for Unsalted or Low Sodium Stock, I like to know exactly how much salt is going in my dishes.)

1 1Lb Box of Orzo

Cook to the directions on the Orzo package

The Salad

1 Lb Organic Cherry Tomatoes Halved

8 Oz Mozzarella Pearls or 1/2 lb Grated Mozzarella Cheese

Your Cooked and strained Orzo

All of the dressing

The Instructions

1.  In a large bowl combine Dressing and the Tomatoes and let them hang out a little while, about 5 minutes.  You can do this while you are straining off your Orzo.

2.  Add the warm Orzo to the bowl and toss in the Mozzarella Cheese.

3. Stir it all together and taste to see if it needs anything more.  You might like it a bit spicy, so you can add a little Red Pepper Flakes or minced Jalapeno Pepper. That's what's great about recipes, you can make them your own!

4.  I prefer to eat this salad at room temperature or after it was just made, but my husband likes to eat it straight out of the fridge.  Whatever you prefer!  This salad keeps very well.  Keep it refrigerated, it is always better the next day (Aren't most things?)

I hope you enjoy this Salas as much as my family and I do.

Lemony Spring Onions

I love Spring Onions.  They liven up anything when they are raw and chopped up, baked potatoes (to me) aren't complete without sour cream and spring onions.  But when they are sauteed, they get sweet and the tips get crunchy, a perfect snack!  One of my girlfriends made these for me and I can't get enough of them!  I add a little kick, here's how I do it:

1 tbsp Grape Seed Oil

2 bunches Green Onions

1 lemon 

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Chipolte Powder or Chili Powder (totally optional)

1/8 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Take the Green Onions (or Spring Onions) and peel off the outer layer (sometimes it has already been done for you) rinse them off and cut about 1" off of the green tip.  Cut the Lemon into quarters.

In a skillet (I like to use Lodge Cast Iron) add the Grape Seed Oil, add the Onions and Lemons (flesh side touching the skillet, trust me, Sooooo worth it).  Sprinkle the Onions with the Spice and S&P.  Turn the skillet on MEDIUM Heat.

Keep an eye on the skillet, turning the onions so they don't burn.  Also turn the Lemons getting the flesh side nice and caramelized.  

When the Onions are golden and soft, squeeze the lemon over them.  It's very hard to eat these with a fork, so using your fingers is totally acceptable.  Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad

This is one of my Dad's favorites.  It is so simple.  Please allow at least 1 hour for this salad to sit and get happy.  I think the theme of my salads that I post is Simplicity and Ease.  

The Ingredients

2 Hothouse Cucumbers Cut in quarters longways and then sliced thinly.

1/2 Purple (or Red) Onion Sliced thin (You could totally chop this up if you like, but I keep them on the bigger side for my youngest son to be able to take them out)

2 Tsp Dry Dill or 1 Tbsp Fresh Dill

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

In a bowl that is large enough for the whole salad combine, Dill, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes.  As you chop the Cucumber and Onion, add them into the dressing.  Toss and let rest in the fridge for 1 hour at least.

I love this salad with something rich like Breaded Pork Chops or Meatloaf, the freshness and tang cuts through the richness of those dishes.  You could take the dressing (Dill, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes and Onions) and add 4 Tsp Olive Oil and it would be a wonderful dressing on just Tomatoes or Arugula.

I hope this gives you some easy ideas for when you are invited to or you have your next Bar B Que or Potluck.  Salads don't have to be Lettuce, Tomatoes and a Bottled Dressing.  Have fun!  Play with your food!  You might create something that will knock your socks off! 

Herb Rolled Flank Steak

I saw this recipe in a magazine somewhere, but it had mushrooms in it, and since I have a mushroom allergy, I had to make it mine!  Another reason I love cooking:  You can see recipes and if you don't like something, you can make it yours!

I think Flank Steak is unbelievably under used.  It takes to marinade so well.  Grilling Flank steak is a must try!  Taco's, salads, sandwiches, fajitas, Flank Steak is so versatile!  Here is the way I used Flank Steak this week:

I got two Flank Steaks.  Frank, my Butcher at Handy Market he suggested that I have the meat Tenderized.  It is the same as pounding it with a mallet, but it takes 5 seconds.  What Frank suggests, I do!  

The filling for these little babies is very simple!  I didn't do it this time, but I HIGHLY suggest sauteing the filling until all the onion and garlic is not as pungent and letting it cool before you put it on the meat.  It was a little strong for my 8 year old, but he still loved it!

Here is what was used for the filling:

1 tbsp Fresh Thyme Minced

1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary Minced

1 tbsp Fresh Parsley Minced

1 lg Shallot Minced (1/4 cup)

6 Cloves of Garlic that have been Minced (2 tablespoons)

1/2 cup Vegetable or Grape Seed Oil (an oil that doesn't have too much flavor)

1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Smoked Sea Salt (Regular Kosher Salt works too)

Chop everything super fine and then squish it all with a mortar and pestle.  After everything has become all combined, not necessarily a paste, but almost, this would be the time to throw it all in a saute pan.  Saute for about 5-7 minutes and let cool completely.  

Lay the Tenderized Flank Steaks out on the paper they came in (to save on the mess) and spread the filling only on one side.

Then roll it and tie it with string.  (I learned this tie from my Grandpa, but tying it with 4 separate strings works too.)

Sprinkle the outside with Salt and Black Pepper then let the meat rest and get happy with its filling.

I thought these babies would be really good with some grilled Carrots (I was right), but grilled corn, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, sauted spinach would all be perfect too!

These Flank Steak Rolls can be cooked two ways, you can sear them on the outside in a Cast Iron Skillet then let them finish off in the oven, or you can do it this way:

1.  Get your grill screaming hot (400-600 degrees)

2.  Add the Flank Steak rolls and let them sear on all sides.  About 4-5 minutes on each side.

3. Then close the lid, close off the vents most of the way, and let the Rolls cook for 7-10 minutes on each side. Or if you are using a gas grill, turn down the heat to Med-Low.

4. This is a good time to probe the rolls.  For Medium Rare, pull the rolls when the internal temp is 130 degrees.  

5.  When the rolls are to the desired temperature, remove them from the grill, put them on a cutting board or baking sheet, top with a pat of butter (optional) and cover with foil (NOT optional) and let rest for at least 20 minutes.  Covering with the foil, will ensure that the juices get sucked back into the meat, right where you want them. 

6.  Remove the ties and slice the rolls in 1/2 inch slices. 

Isn't it pretty?

This is the reason that I only cut one roll: Because it makes delicious leftovers the next day!  Two dinners with one night of cooking, PERFECT!  Here's what I love to make with leftover steaks.

This sandwich is super easy, here's how:

1.  Slice a focaccia in half (You can also make this on a baguette)

2. Spread with herbed butter or horseradish or a thin layer of Mayonnaise or a thin layer of Dijon Mustard, your choice.  I used herbed butter.

3.  Slice the meat as thin as you possibly can.  Putting the Flank Steak Roll in the freezer for 5-7 minutes before slicing will make the roll harder and easier to slice.

4. Top the bread with the sliced meat and some fresh greens you might have.  Thinly sliced Purple Onion would be perfect on this sandwich also.  So would some Cherry Tomatoes quartered.

5.  To make the Sandwich perfect, I add shaved Parmesan Cheese (using a vegetable peeler, you "peel" the Parmesan Cheese, Super easy!) for a salty bite.

6.  Don't waste the left over drippings, pour that on top!  It's all flavor!

Slice this bad boy up and enjoy!  This is great for Game Day, a Lunch with Friends or a Picnic at the Beach!  Enjoy!  I hope you make this!  If you do, please tag me on Instagram!