Battle Barbecue

Two years ago Viking Cooking School and Culinary Shop opened in Glenview. Since that time I have attended 17 cooking classes. This week was a class on barbecue. There are two competitors for the best barbecue sauce. North Carolina sauce is vinegar based and Kansas City sauce is tomato based. In class we made both with 3 kinds of meat and a number of sides.

Pit Master's Fire and Spice Dry Rub
Fall Off The Bone Baby Back Ribs with Tangy Mop sauce
Low and Slow Pulled Pork with North Carolina Sauce
Bourbon Barbecue Glaze
Barbecued Chicken
Roasted Yukon Gold Potato Salad
Cast Iron Skillet Bacon Cheese Grits
Apple Brown Betty

The rub is made up of light brown sugar, black pepper, sweet paprika
chile powder, kosher salt, garlic and onion powder and cayenne pepper. The rub was used on 2 of the meats; the picnic shoulder for the pulled pork, the baby back ribs and in the marinade for the chicken.

The vinegar sauce uses apple cider vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, sugar, Worchestershire sauce, hot sauce, liquid smoke and a small bit of ketchup. Reserve some of the sauce to serve warm with the meat. The rest is used as a mop sauce for the pulled pork as it roasts in the oven for about 5 hours. Cool the meat slightly and pull apart with forks and serve with the remaining sauce. Put meat in buns or serve open faced.

The ribs are massaged with the dry rub, wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least 2 hours, 24 is better. Cook bone side down over indirect heat on a grill, turn meat about half way through. Cooking time is about 2 - 3 hours. Dry ribs need to rest 5 - 10 minutes. Wet ribs are 'painted' with Kansas City Rib Sauce: Ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar, olive oil, paprika, chili powder, garlic and cayenne. Brush the bone side first and then the meat side until lightly charred. Serve with more sauce.

Marinate chicken in apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes some of the dry rub, chopped yellow onion. Set aside about half of the marinade for mopping while chicken cooks. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Pat chicken dry and cook over indirect heat, skin side down to start and baste several times with remaining marinade until chicken is cooked about 45-50 minutes. Serve with which ever sauce your prefer or bourbon barbecue glaze: ketchup, chile powder, sweet Thai chili paste, brown sugar, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar and bourbon.


The sides were very good. The potato salad was my favorite. Roast Yukon Gold potatoes which have been cut in 1 inch pieces, tossed with EVOO and salt/pepper. While the roast, saute bacon in skillet and remove with slotted spoon. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings for the dressing. Whisk together Dijon mustard, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Add EVOO and bacon drippings. Season with salt/pepper. When potatoes are cooked place in large bowl with thinly sliced green onions, diced tomato, cooked bacon and chopped parsley. Add just enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season and serve at room temperature.

In a medium saucepan heat milk and chicken stock to boiling. Stir in stone ground grits. Reduce heat and cook stirring constantly with wooden spoon until thickened. Reduce heat again and continue cooking until grits are soft and creamy, about 25 minutes, stir occasionally so as not to stick. While grits cook, bacon is sauteed in a cast iron skillet until crisp, drain and keep the drippings. Stir cream into grits and heat through. Add 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, cooked bacon and 1 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese and one cup thinly sliced green onions. Season to taste. Pour grits into the cast iron skillet. Scatter 1/2 cup more cheese over top and brown under broiler. Garnish with about a quarter cup sliced green onions. and serve.

The Apple Brown Betty can be made ahead of time and put in the oven while barbecue is being consumed. Butter a round casserole. In a large bowl toss Granny Smith apples that have been peeled, seeded and thinly sliced with sugar cinnamon, nutmeg, a dash of salt and some apple juice. Pour into casserole and top with a mixture of crushed butter cookie crumbs, butter and light brown sugar. Bake until top is golden and serve with vanilla ice cream.

This was a wonderful meal and can be prepared inside or out. A great start to summer grilling season. Enjoy the warm weather and have a Happy Easter!