For our friends:
We want to share some of our ideas and recipes that we have successfully tried and received positive feedback. Let us know how you like them in the reviews section on our website and social media venues. If you have specific comments or questions about our methods and recipes, please go to the “Talk to Us” form on the home page and let us hear from you. Thanks for your interest, and enjoy!
Bobby and Kay Jarrett Texas Flame And Smoke®
Recipes
Bobby’s Brisket
This article is for novice cooks who are interested in getting a good handle on the basic steps for cooking a brisket. We don’t go into the art and science of what happens with the meat as it cooks. That’s for all the experienced cooks out there who want to share their thoughts, because they have had their own successes and failures with cooking one of the toughest, yet best tasting beef cuts on the planet. They have delved into the science in an effort to improve. Just like anything else worthwhile though, practice, practice, practice is what it takes. You’ll find what works for you on your cooker, and the rewards will be greatly satisfying. Don’t get discouraged. I strongly encourage you to try this method, and if you are not satisfied with the results, go from here to improve!
Cooking for two people in a large, insulated smoker just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. So, I got a new little offset cooker and broke it in with a couple of cooks before trying my first brisket on it. The brisket was a nice choice eight and a half pound trimmed flat. Minimum trimming was needed since it was already trimmed by the butcher. It was rubbed down with Kosher Sea Salt and Butcher Grind Black Pepper, then finished with our Texas Ranch Brisket Rub found under the products tab. It was then placed in the refrigerator overnight to soak up the salt and lock in the flavorful meat juices.
The brisket was cooked by itself so I could concentrate on it in the new cooker. It was cooked fat side up*, low and slow (225-250 degrees-F) with live oak until it got well past the stall temperature. Cooking low and slow requires patience and the use of a constant-read meat thermometer is crucial, because the internal temperature of the brisket should reach 203-205 degrees-F to be fully cooked and tender. (The old cowboys used the “poke it til it wiggles method”).
The natural tendency is to assume the brisket is done because you’re using the time per pound method and it has cooked as long as you calculated necessary. Wrong! The stall has to be factored in. This one had a high stall temperature at 169 degrees-F, and it lasted a full two hours. (Stalls on briskets usually run anywhere from 155 to 170 degrees-F, depending on the water content in the brisket and your cooker’s air/heat flow pattern.) Once it got through the stall at about the 6 ½ hour point, it was pulled off the cooker and double wrapped in foil, then moved inside to the oven. This step can also be done simply by raising the temperature on your cooker.
The brisket was then cooked at 325 degrees-F (until the meat internal temperature reached 205 degrees-F), then pulled from the oven and rested for an hour while still wrapped. It was then unwrapped and let cool down a bit before slicing (always slice against the grain). Keep in mind that the meat continues to cook when resting, so don’t rest too long or your brisket will have a less than desirable presentation and will be harder to slice without tearing apart.
As you can see from the photos, a nice tasty black bark and beautiful red smoke rings were formed during the cook. I can attest that it was juicy and tender, and tasted as good as it looks. Total cook/rest time until slicing for this brisket was 9 1/2 hours. So, plan your brisket prep and cook times accordingly.
What do you do with leftover brisket? Well, you give some to your neighbors and you eat the rest. One suggestion is to wrap it in a flour tortilla and garnish it with home-made pico de gallo. Add a little Mexican Queso Fresco (substitute shredded Mexican blend cheese) and serve some fresh guacamole and Kay’s Texas Style Frijoles on the side.
*Fat side up/fat side down? The great debate. I’ve tried both and I prefer fat side up. Different cookers and different cooks get different results. (One caveat is if you are cooking directly over a heat source, cook with the fat side down to insulate the brisket from too much heat and over cooking the lean side. Indirect heat is best, no matter which side is up.) A lot of misconceptions out there have a tendency to get you confused, so try both ways and do what works best for you and your cooker. By the way, the best recommendation I can offer is from the master barbeque guru himself, Aaron Franklin. He subscribes to the fat side up because that’s what works best for him on his cookers. Method referenced on page 154 in his book, “Franklin Barbeque, A Meat-Smoking Manifesto” found on Amazon and at your local bookstores.
Thanks, and read on to find some of our other recipes and methods!
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
KAY’S TEXAS STYLE FRIJOLES (COWBOY BEANS)
(No Soak Instant Pot Pinto Beans)
Ingredients:
1 pound rinsed, dry pinto beans (approx. 2 cups)
1 can beef broth + enough water to = approx. 6 cups
2 strips bacon
1 small onion diced
½ tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Texas Flame And Smoke’s Southwest Fajita Seasoning
Directions:
(WHEN USING THE INSTANT POT BE SURE TO FOLLOW ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AS WRITTEN IN THE USER MANUAL)
- Turn Instant pot on SAUTE mode to render the fat out of the bacon. When hot, add the bacon and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the bacon and continue cooking. Add the onion and salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Add broth and water to deglaze the pot, then add sugar, fajita seasoning, and pinto beans.
- Place lid on and select MANUAL MODE with high pressure setting. Set timer to cook for 45 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally (about 15-20 minutes). (Refer to user manual)
- When pressure has released, carefully remove the lid (tilting away from you) as per user manual and let the beans rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Other flavor options:
- For Borracho beans substitute 6 oz of water with your favorite beer.
- Add either canned or fresh jalapenos to taste for a spicier flavor and throw in a little chopped cilantro and a small diced Roma tomato to make Charro Beans.
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
TEXAS FLAME AND SMOKE® SOUTHWEST or SOUTHERN FLARE STEAK SEASONINGS
All ingredients in dry rubs serve a particular purpose, but since meat has an extremely dense structure, salt, having a smaller molecule that the other ingredients in the seasoning, is basically the only agent that has a profound effect on flavor enhancement. The salt helps the proteins retain moisture, thus giving it a succulent enhancement of a well-cooked cut of meat. Initially the meat will sweat and give up moisture but will soon begin to reabsorb the moisture and take the salt back in with it. This process enhances the flavor of the meat internally.
The other herbs and spices won’t penetrate the meat more than a fraction of an inch, even when rubbed in. However, using dry rubs with different herbs and spices gives a flavorful surface and that nice “burnt” spice enriched bark that we all love.
Season the steak generously with Texas Flame And Smoke Southwest Steak Seasoning (mesquite flavor) or Southern Flare Steak Seasoning (hickory flavor) and allow it to set for about an hour per pound to absorb the salt into the meat fibers. It doesn’t hurt to allow a good beef steak to set out for an hour or so until it reaches near room temperature, but be ready to cook it at that point!
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
THE BEST WAY TO COOK A GOOD STEAK!
Rub down the steak with one of our steak seasonings and let it set until nearly at room temp. The thinner the steak, the less time on the grill! The following is for steaks around one to one and a quarter inch thick, depending on your preference for rareness.
On a gas grill, turn the heat up to max. When the temp is around 600F, throw the steak on and grill for one minute on each side, turn it 90 degrees and repeat one minute on each side.
On a charcoal grill, cook the steak over the flames and use the same procedure and cook time. You may have to experiment to get the rareness that you like, but no good steak should go beyond medium rare in my opinion.
Wrap with foil and rest a few minutes to let the meat juices pull back into the meat. (The meat will continue to cook during resting, so allow for that.)
REVERSE SEARING FOR STEAK, ANY CUT
Outside on the grill:
This technique is for a medium rare to rare 1 inch (plus) thick steak. An instant read digital meat thermometer is required if you want absolute accuracy. Adjust the internal meat temperature according to rareness desired and meat thickness. Thinner cuts require cooler internals before searing because searing and resting will increase doneness in the center.
Depending on your type of grill: Preheat your gas grill to 275°F. If you have a wood or charcoal grill, this may require building the fire on one side and cooking on the other side, or the cool side. Place the meat directly on the grill until the internal meat temp reaches 110-120°F. Turn only if necessary for even cooking. Then sear over the hot side of the grill for about a minute and a half on each side (or 400°F+ gas grill). Remove from the grill and allow to rest 3-5 minutes under foil.
Inside in the oven:
Same procedure and temperatures as above, just make sure you have a rack to set the steak on to allow the heat to surround the meat for even cooking. A catch pan or foil in the rack underneath will help keep the oven clean. The reverse sear is done in a hot cast iron skillet with a mix of olive oil and butter for about a minute and a half on each side. Enjoy!
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
NANA’S WORLD FAMOUS HUSH PUPPIES
Our granddaughter, Sara named this recipe when she was 3 or 4 year’s old. The name fits because everyone who has tasted these hush puppies love them and asks for the recipe. Enjoy!
The Recipe (makes 10 to 12 medium-large hushpuppies)
1) Mix dry ingredients:
½ cup cornmeal *
½ cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt and Black pepper to taste **
*I usually use the left-over cornmeal from breading the fish or shrimp if I am frying them. If the left-over cornmeal is used however, add less salt or omit entirely.
**Try substituting the salt and black pepper with our Texas Zest Lemon Pepper for a zesty option!
2) Then add:
2 tablespoons minced onion (fresh)
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno (fresh)
(The amount of onion and jalapeno may be omitted or adjusted to taste.)
3) Then blend in:
1 egg
Enough milk (approximately ½ cup) to make a thick batter
4) To Fry:
Mix all ingredients well. Form the hushpuppies by dipping out a tablespoonful for each and drop into hot vegetable oil to deep fat fry. Careful not to splash the hot oil with this step! Remove from fryer oil when golden brown and done on the inside.
Conclusion
This recipe is for hush puppies. Even though we don’t use our seasonings in the hush puppy mix per se, we do use our seasonings on the fish and/or shrimp for typical seafood type meals that include hush puppies.
We suggest that you use our zesty lemon pepper, “Texas Zest” or our “Southwest Fajita Seasoning” to add an enjoyable flavor boost to season your fish and shrimp. Or, if you desire a little sweet heat to your dish, use our “Chicken Ranch” Spicy Seasoning. Whether fried, grilled, baked, or blackened, we have your fish, shrimp, and hush puppies covered.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
COWBOY CAVIAR (Serves 12-15)
Mix together:
Black or Pinto Beans- one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
Black Eyed Peas- one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
Yellow Whole Kernel Corn- one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
Green Bell Pepper- ½ cup, diced
Yellow Bell Pepper- ½ cup, diced
Pico de Gallo to taste- 2-3 cups, blend in with other ingredients:
Jalapeno Pepper: 1-2 large medium hot
Roma Tomatoes: 3-4 large-medium
Red Onion: ¼-½ medium
Cilantro: ¼ cup chopped fresh leaves
Mango- Option, either Mango Salsa or mixed with Pico de Gallo
Top mixed ingredients with Avocado Slices: 2-3 Avocados
The Dressing:
TF&S Dressing (drizzle over entire mix, especially over the avocados)
Apple Cider Vinegar- 1 cup
Olive Oil- ½ cup
Texas Zest Seasoning– ¼ cup
Squeezed Lime- 1 large
Mustard Powder (or double prepared mustard)- 1 TBSP (or enough to emulsify oil & vinegar)
Option- Add 1 TBSP or to taste honey or brown sugar.
Serve With:
Tortilla Chips- 1 large bag. Enjoy!
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
COWBOY COLE SLAW (Serves 12-15)
Toss Together:
Red Cabbage- 3 cups shredded (1/2 head med)
Green Cabbage- 3 cups shredded (1/2 head med)
Carrots- 1 ½ cup shredded (3-4 med)
Red Onion- 1/8 cup thinly sliced (or substitute sweet onion)
Cilantro- 1/8 cup fresh chopped
The Dressing:
Mix liquid ingredients and dry ingredients separately, then blend together.
Mayonnaise- 1 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar- ¼ cup
Olive Oil- ¼ cup
Squeezed Lime or Lemon- 1 large
Texas Medley Premium Seasoning– 2 TBSP
Option- Texas Medley is a low sodium seasoning, so you may want to add more Kosher Sea Salt to taste.
Serve With:
Pulled Pork Sliders or BBQ Anything and Enjoy!
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
TEXAS GOURMET MARINADE for BEEF AND PORK
This marinade contains Texas Pecan Oil and Texas Olive Oil (Texana Brand is an excellent Texas olive oil and it comes in many infused flavors). Marinating with this marinade will prove to be a flavor enhancing success for the backyard chef. The recipe is simple: one, two, three, four; oil, vinegar, oil, vinegar. You can vary the recipe to only the olive oil and vinegar and get great results. This flavor enhancing combination in concert with our “Texas Ranch” (beef) or “Texas Hawg” (pork) dry rub gives the meat an exceptionally pleasing presentation.
1 part pecan oil
2 parts balsamic vinegar
3 parts Texana Olive Oil (your favorite flavor)
4 parts apple cider vinegar
Shake well before each use. Spray or lightly splash on the marinade mixture to wet the meat, then rub or pat in the appropriate Texas Flame And Smoke dry rub. Marinate for about one hour per pound of meat. Gallon freezer bags work well to seal smaller cuts of meat for marinating. Place larger cuts in non-aluminum pans and cover to seal. (The vinegar will eat through aluminum, so cover the meat with Saran Wrap or freezer paper while marinating.) Liberally apply one of our seasonings on both sides of the meat once marinated and ready to cook. Suggested cuts of meat for these flavor enhancing marinades:
Beef: Brisket, Flat Iron Steak, Flank Steak (Fajita), Strip Steak, Beef Short Ribs
Pork: Pork Loin, Loin Chops, Spare Ribs, Pork Butts
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
TEXAS TEQUILA SHRIMP
The Marinade
This marinade recipe is a game changer for people who normally do not like shrimp. We have had rave reviews and requests to bottle it. We won’t be marketing it, but the recipe is simple:
1 part Tequila (Jose Cuervo is my choice)
1 part Texas Flame And Smoke Habanero Honey or Tres Amigos Gold BBQ Sauce
1 part Zesty Italian Dressing
Throw in a squeezed lime or lemon for a little more twang
(Substitute this recipe with Tres Amigos Gold BBQ Sauce. It already has honey, tequila, and olive oil in it. Add a squeezed lime.)
Preparing and Grilling the Shrimp
Shell and devein the shrimp, then season liberally with our Texas Zest Seasoning (if you’re doing shrimp fajitas, use our SW Fajita Seasoning). Shake the marinade well before each use and pour the amount needed in a dish or gallon freezer bag. Immerse the shrimp in the marinade for thirty minutes to an hour in cold storage. Place the shrimp on skewers or on a perforated grilling pan to grill. Grill directly over hot coals for a couple of minutes on each side or until all of the shrimp develops a change in color, usually a pinkish-orange color on the lighter colored shrimp. Basting the shrimp with the spent marinade helps to keep them succulent during the short grilling time. Over cooking will make them tough and dry. Serve right off the grill or chilled over ice and cold pineapple chunks. Makes an excellent appetizer while you’re waiting on the main course. This is one of my favorite “redneck hors d’oeuvres”.
Selecting Your Shrimp
A word of caution about selecting your shrimp. If it smells “shrimpy”, shy away from it. Stay away from the imported shrimp if at all possible because of quality control, even though some US regulatory agencies are involved in inspecting the imports.* On more than one occasion I’ve opened a bag of imported shrimp, thawed it and immediately rejected it because of the smell. It makes good, but expensive catfish bait! Shop for shrimp harvested from the US waters, especially the Texas Gulf Coast, or find shrimp that has been imported from the Caribbean specifically by a local seafood market. Nowadays, because of the high cost of labor and the time and distances the trawlers have to travel, most shrimp sold in the US have the heads removed and is brine frozen onboard the boat as it is netted and hauled in. Once on land it is thawed, rinsed with fresh water and processed by refreezing in fresh water. Proceed with caution if you stop at the roadside for “fresh caught gulf shrimp”. Again, quality control. It’ll be on ice, but remember the smell test. It’s best to find a good local supplier of shrimp that you know you can trust and get the largest, best quality shrimp you can afford. We get wild caught jumbo Texas Gulf shrimp from our local grocers when available.
*Asian countries and Ecuador supply most of the shrimp to the U.S. market. http://www.fishwatch.gov/farmed_seafood/outside_the_us.htm
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®
TEXAS BBQ DRUMMETTES
Everybody likes little drum sticks (drummettes). The entire chicken wing can be prepared in the same manner, but I prefer cooking only the drummettes because there’s more meat to bone ratio. Good for what I refer to as redneck hors d’oeuvres. Preparing them depends on individual tastes. Either way, they’re always a hit.
These two BBQ recipes call for using one of our Southwest (mesquite) or Southern Flare (hickory) Chicken Seasonings with our Tres Amigos Gold Premium BBQ sauce. Use Chicken Ranch Spicy Chicken Seasoning and our Habanero Honey BBQ sauce for spicier wings. No matter whether you want them sweet or hot, or both, preparation and cooking technique is the same.
To prepare them, marinate with a 1:1 or as thin as 1:3 mix of one of our BBQ Sauces and your favorite beverage. Then lay the drummettes out on a flat surface and sprinkle a generous amount of Chicken Seasoning on both sides of the meat. Get as much seasoning under the skin as possible and rub it in. Let them set for a while in cold storage before placing on the grill for barbequing. For best results, marinate before applying the seasonings.
To cook, place them on the grill away from the hot coal side with indirect medium-hot heat. Indirect heat in the grill works best for barbequing without burning the meat. Grill the drummettes on both sides until nearly done, then apply your choice of BBQ sauce by brushing on or using a squirt bottle. As you finish cooking both sides of the drummettes, make sure they’re done by pulling the meat away from the bone on one of them to see if the juices are clear.
For mild wings or drummettes: Use one of our Chicken Seasonings and Tres Amigos Gold BBQ Sauce.
For hotter wings or drummettes: Use Chicken Ranch Spicy Chicken Seasoning and Habanero Honey BBQ Sauce.
Enjoy the BBQ and let us know how you like it on our website and social media.
Thanks for your business.
Bobby and Kay Jarrett
Texas Flame And Smoke®