Picnic Perfection from the Experts
When you're looking to talk barbecue, the Neelys are experts on the subject.
Hosts of the Food Network's "Down Home with the Neelys" and authors of the new book by the same name, Pat and Gina Neely got their start in Memphis with a restaurant called Bar-B-Que. On "The Early Show" Monday the couple returned to what they know best, and showed how to make some of their famed down-home picnic food.
Barbecued Chicken
What's the secret to our barbecued chicken? We marinate it in Italian dressing! Then we cook it low and slow-that's chicken with the Neely brothers' touch. I love to cook chicken in two halves, because the bones and carcass help keep it moist. You can always cut it into individual pieces once it's done. I can guarantee you a great bird if you use our dressing, but feel free to use bottled Italian dressing in a pinch.
Two 3- to 4-pound chickens, halved
lengthwise (or 4 whole bone- in chicken breasts, or 10 bone- in thighs or legs)
1 cup Zesty Italian Dressing (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons Neely's Barbecue Seasoning
1 cup Neely's Barbecue Sauce, plus more for serving
Rinse the chicken halves in cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a large bowl or baking dish, coat with the Zesty Italian Dressing, and dust with Neely's Barbecue Seasoning. For best results, allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Thirty minutes before you're ready to cook the chicken, take it out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, then preheat the grill to 250°F, preferably over hickory and charcoal. Place the chicken halves on the grill, cavity- side up. Cover the grill, and cook for about 50 minutes. Flip the chicken over, and cook until it turns golden brown, and the wing and drumstick become very tender and pull easily away at the joints, another 15 to 20 minutes. Brush the chicken with Neely's Barbecue Sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking, and serve with additional sauce.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Spice Mix and Zesty Italian Dressing
This lively dressing begins with a wonderful spice mix. Make two batches: one to have on hand for several batches of salad dressing, the other to use as a seasoning for grilled or roasted chicken.
Spice Mix
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons spice mix
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt, and Cajun seasoning. Store the spice mix in a tightly sealed container, and use as needed. To prepare the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, water, and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
SEASONING
In the South, we have a tradition of ushering recipes from era to era and family to family. Secret sauces are passed down from generation to generation. That's certainly the case here. Our Barbecue Seasoning and Barbecue Sauce have evolved over time, and the versions that follow have benefited from the contributions of countless kin through the years. Now that we are passing our family secrets along to you, it's your job to share them with others. We enjoy changing up recipes and seeing what happens, and we encourage you to do the same. Who knows? You may come up with a secret sauce or rub that's better than our own! Of course, the keys to full flavored barbecue-indeed, one of the keys to any great tasting dish-are fresh ingredients and spices. Don't be reaching in the back of the cupboard for some tired old tin of paprika. You want great ribs? Start with fresh spices. Everyone down South knows that a good grill seasoning (or "dry rub," as it's called in Memphis) begins with paprika. We use the basic paprika that is not labeled "sweet" or "hot."
The flavor is subtly sweet, rich, and yet mild, so it blends beautifully with grilled meats. Sugar and onion powder provide a sweet and savory counterpoint.
Keep in mind that you will be cooking over charcoal and hickory (or your preferred wood), which will add tremendous flavor to the meat. For that reason, this seasoning blend is fairly simple and straightforward. For the best flavor, marinate the spice-rubbed meats overnight in the refrigerator, so they can absorb and "breathe in" the flavors.
1 1/2 cups paprika
3/4 cup sugar
3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder
Stir together the ingredients in a small bowl. Stored in an airtight
container in a cool, dry place, this seasoning will last up
to 6 months.
MAKES ABOUT 2 1/2 CUPS
Neely's Barbecue Sauce
Pat: My brother Tony has a terrific palate, and his true genius is in having developed the right "tempo" for our barbecue sauce-and, boy oh boy, he never lets us forget it! This recipe, which includes Neely's Barbecue Seasoning and eleven other ingredients, became one of the keys to our success as restaurateurs. Now it can be the base of your own kitchen success. Memphis barbecue sauce is known for its sweet and tangy tomato base. Ours keeps true to that tradition, striking a perfect balance between the sweet (we use brown and white sugar), the tangy (cider vinegar), and the tomato base (good ole ketchup!). Any self-respecting Memphis pit master will tell you that the sauce must complement the meat without overpowering it, and ours does just that.
At the restaurant we simmer the sauce for five hours, and we always taste the blend before cooking it, making sure we've got all the ingredients working. Over the years, we've learned that if it tastes good before it cooks, it's gonna be outstanding after a long, slow simmer.
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup apple- cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon Neely's Barbecue Seasoning
Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce temperature to very low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, cool, and use as needed. Stored in a tightly sealed container, this sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
NOTE: We never salt our Barbecue Sauce because of the sodium content in the ketchup and because other ingredients like onion powder and Worcestershire sauce provide so much flavor. Since our sauce is mostly used on grilled items (that are seasoned) and combined with other foods (like Barbecue Spaghetti and Molasses-Baked Beans), we don't want to end up with food that is too salty.
For potato salad and dessert recipes, go to Page 2.
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Potato Salad
Gina: Wow, life sure has a way of kicking you in the stomach when you least expect it. Ladies, I am sure you will understand what I'm talking about. You know that person who's been in your life all along and you've never really seen him? That's how it was with Pat and me. His mom and my mom went to school together, his brothers and my sisters were classmates, and, yes, you guessed it, we went to the same high school....Sometimes the best things in life are right in front of you (if you keep your eyes open). That's how I feel about my mom's potato salad. She always made it for us when we were kids, but I didn't truly appreciate it until I moved away. What is it they say about absence and the heart? That's when I knew I had to master this recipe on my own. The first time I prepared it for Pat, he recognized that this was one apple that hadn't fallen far from the tree. This potato salad remains a standout at all of our big family gatherings. Even if Mom can't make it to an event, her potato salad will always be there! Pat loves the richness that the big chunks of hard-boiled egg provide (and the way a little sugar brings out the flavors of the other ingredients).
5 large red potatoes (2 pounds), cubed
Kosher salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 hard- boiled eggs, 2 chopped and 1 sliced
One 10- ounce jar sweet-pickle relish, drained
2 tablespoons Miracle Whip
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
Paprika, for garnish
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cubed potatoes and a generous pinch of salt, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander, and cool. In a large bowl, combine the onion, celery, 2 chopped eggs, pickle relish, Miracle Whip, yellow mustard, sugar, and salt to taste. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the potatoes. Transfer the salad to a serving container, top with the sliced egg, and sprinkle with paprika. Cover the salad with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for the fullest flavor.
SERVES 6
Pucker-Up Lemon-Limeade
This strong, tart-sweet drink made with equal parts fresh lemon and lime juice-can stand up to plenty of ice, and the addition of chopped crystallized ginger gives each sip a tingly, refreshing heat.
1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice (from about 10 lemons)
1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lime juice (from about 15 limes)
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
4 cups cold water
Crushed ice
1 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish
1 lime, thinly sliced, for garnish
Combine the lemon and lime juices, sugar, honey, and crystallized ginger in a large glass pitcher, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cold water, and stir again until well combined. Add enough crushed ice to fill the pitcher and the lemon and lime slices, stir to combine, and serve in tall glasses.
MAKES 10 CUPS
Candy Bar Brownie Crunch
Pat: We all have our vices, and mine is brownies-particularly these brownies, which have candy bars and crunchy pecans baked right in. They are some of the most decadent brownies you will ever eat. When I have one of these at two in the morning, I'm tempted to let out a loud moan, but then Gina would probably throw me out.
Gina used to make them for me when we were courting-hence the seductive additions. They say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, so if you're looking for a sweet deal to spark a little romance in your house, take my advice: Light a fire, add the whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and silky chocolate shavings, and you'll be well on your way to a blissful ending!
1 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
10 chocolate caramel-covered wafers (we use Twix bars), chilled
1 recipe chocolate ganache (recipe follows)
1 recipe whipped cream (recipe follows)
Fresh raspberries
Chocolate shavings
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour an 8- by- 8- inch baking pan. Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat in a medium, heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt onto a mixing bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, use a wooden spoon to beat the sugar and eggs together until well combined, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour the sugar- egg mixture into the cooled chocolate, stirring constantly, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients disappear (do not overmix). Place the pecans and the chilled candy bars in a food processor, and pulse until coarse chunks form. Spread half of the brownie batter into the pan, top evenly with the pecan-and-candy bar mixture, then cover with remaining batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean. (While the brownies are baking, make the Whipped Cream, so it has time to chill.) Remove brownies from the oven, and cool completely. Run a paring knife around the rim of the brownies to loosen from pan.
Drizzle the brownies with ganache, and set aside for 30 minutes, until the ganache sets. Then cut the brownies into squares, and garnish with Whipped Cream, fresh raspberries, and chocolate shavings.
SERVES 8 to 10
NOTE: If time is of the essence, you can also make this recipe using a 21- ounce box brownie mix. Prepare the brownies as directed on the box for "cakelike" brownies, using three eggs total. The brownies will cut neater if you allow the ganache to set for at least 30 minutes once it is spread on the brownies. Be sure to chill the candy bars before chopping them, so they don't turn to mush in the food processor.
Chocolate Ganache
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 ounces best-quality bittersweet
chocolate, finely chopped
Warm the cream in the microwave, or in a small saucepan over medium heat, until it is very hot but not boiling. Combine the corn syrup and chocolate in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture, and allow it to set for 2 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, and the mixture is smooth.
Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat the cream in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it becomes frothy. Add the sugar and vanilla; continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks. Do not overbeat.
Refrigerate the cream, covered with plastic wrap, for no more than 1 hour if not using immediately.