Grilled Chicken and Vegetables

Instead of using my dutch ovens I decided to barbecue today.  Using a charcoal grill I off-set my heat by placing all the hot briquettes onto one side of the Weber Kettle and cook the chicken on the the opposite side.  I added a handful maple wood chips to the briquettes for extra flavor, don't add too much or your meat will just taste like wood.  Make sure when place your lid on that the vent is over the chicken and opened half-way for medium heat.  This is not as fast as if you grill a chicken over direct heat but it makes for a juicy, perfectly cooked and tastes like you have been smoking it all day.

When I normally use my smoker I make a homemade rub. but today I wanted to use this Smokehouse Maple rub and it was delicious.  It has a smoky sweet flavor with just a little bit of heat.  I used bone in skin on chicken thighs for this recipe.  I rubbed a little bit of oil on the chicken and then generously covered the chicken with the seasoning.   Place the chicken on the opposite side of the hot briquettes and cook it for 2 hours or until your chicken is almost done (use a meat thermometer to check, it should just be under 165°)  and then brush your favorite barbecue sauce on.  You don't want to put the barbecue sauce on too early because the sugars in the sauce will make it burn.  Cook 10 more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°.

For the vegetables I did the same thing as the chicken, added little oil and rubbed with the seasoning (today we used onions and squash but any vegetable would be great).  I placed them directly over the briquettes when I put on the barbecue sauce on the chicken and cooked until tender.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking! 

Dutch Oven Super Potatoes

My wife has been asking me to make her Nana's Super Potatoes in the dutch oven for Easter.  These are a family favorite and you cannot attend a holiday dinner with her family without having these potatoes.   The recipe is super simple but they make for a great side dish to any meal.

Super Potatoes
6 large potatoes (boiled, peeled and shredded) You can also use frozen hash browns
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
2 Tbs butter cut up

Toss all ingredients and put in a greased 12 inch dutch oven.  Top with cut up butter and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the sides and top have started to brown and the cheese and butter are melted.

Thanks for reading, and get out there and get cooking!