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Smoked Root Beer Ham

Brine the ham

OMG Smoked Root Beer Ham is so good, it only takes some time and extra effort for best tasting ham. The key is brine a bone-in ham with A&W root beer overnight. In this brine add mustard, worchesrshire sauce and brown sugar to a 2 liter bottle of A&W root beer. Note do not use diet root beer it doesn’t work, because of the sweetener used in making diet soda. A good long soak overnight builds flavors. Do not add extra salt the ham has plenty salt already added.

Smoking the ham

Smoking Root Beer Ham on Green Egg with Apple Wood Chips for 4 hours
Smoking Root Beer Ham on Green Egg with Apple Wood Chips

Slow smoking the marinated root beer ham using a drip pan. Fill the drip pan with a quart of marinate with some apple juice. Choosing the right pairing of wood chips will help give a great mild smoky profile finish. My favorite mild smoking chips is apple wood. These chips never come off to strong of smoked flavor profile. The Green Egg does a wonderful job of keeping smoke circulation around the ham. The trick is keeping heat as low as possible without charcoal going out. Keeping the temperature around 250°F works out best. All dampers are just about closed off. Second trick is soaking wood chips with water in a ziplock bag for a good hour. Using a half of ham it takes about 3 cups chips. Adding a hand full of chips every 20 to 30 minutes. I smoked half of a ham for about 4 to 5 hours to internal temperature reaching 150°F. It’s all about the glazeWhile the ham is smoking it’s time to make the glaze. I used the root beer marinate to make this glaze. By using a heavy duty sauce pan and reducing marinate into a thick syrup. Don’t try to rush reduction, just keep cooking at a good slow boil. When the bubbles become very large the syrup is just about ready. Don’t get fooled as the syrup cools, the glaze will get thick. Reducing the syrup too long will become too caramelized and that can have too strong of a burnt taste. Pour syrup glaze into a bowl

Brush glaze onto ham about half way into smoking process, the internal temperature of ham around 100°F. Every 20 to 30 minutes brush on some glaze and and more wood chips to coals. When the ham is finished it will have shiny glaze and golden color. Be sure to save the remainder of glaze to drizzle over ham as it is served. OMG it so good. My all time favorite is Swedish Buns with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam.

Swedish Buns filled with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam
Swedish Buns filled with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam
Nutrition Facts
Smoked Root Beer Ham
Amount Per 320g
Calories 320 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 1463mg 61%
Potassium 40mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Sugars 37g
Protein 25g 50%
Calcium 1%
Iron 9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Smoked Root Beer Ham
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Smoked Root Beer Ham is all time favorite. Using just 5 ingredients and long smoking time makes one very best hams ever.
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Smoked Root Beer Ham
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Smoked Root Beer Ham is all time favorite. Using just 5 ingredients and long smoking time makes one very best hams ever.
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Ingredients
Root Beer Marinate
Root Beer Ham
Servings: Servings
Units:
Instructions
Root Beer Marinate
  1. Combine together the root beer, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, prepared mustard in large stock pot or storage container. Whisk well until all ingredients are mixed and dissolve the brown sugar into the marinate.
    Marinating Ham in Root Beer, Mustard, Brown Sugar and Worcestershire
  2. Refrigerate the marinating ham overnight. If marinating a whole large ham marinate for at least 24 hours.
Smoking Root Beer Ham
  1. Prepare smoker. I like to use Green Egg Smoker/Grill. First get charcoal started this takes about 10 minutes. Caution don’t get charcoal too hot about 1/3 coals red hot. Get place setter with drip pan filled with 2 to 3 cups of marinate and 2 cups of apple cider or beer/wine. I like to set temperature proble on grill to read smoke chamber temperature. Add a good hand full of soaked apple wood chips.
  2. Place 1/2 ham cut side down onto clean grill grids. Then put into plate setter. Put the temperature probe into meaty section of ham. This probe will read the internal temperature of the ham. Close lid set dampers to almost totally closed.
  3. Adjust dampers so chamber temperature is 225°F to 250°F. this is tricky keep an eye on temperatures. Don’t let heat get over 300°. If gets too hot add more liquid to drip pan and close the dampers more. If you have too add some ice to drip pan get that temperature down.
  4. The key to successfully smoked ham check every 20 to 30 minutes add soaked wood chips handful at time.
  5. About 1/2 way into smoking time, internal ham temperature is near 100°F start brushing root beer glaze onto ham. Continue brushing root beer glaze every 20 to 30 minutes. Remember to add a handful soak chips to charcoal.
  6. When the ham reaches internal temperature of 150°F it’s done.
  7. Remove smoked ham from smoker and cover with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes or more.
  8. OMG this is outrageous good ham. Slice and drizzle some of the root beer glaze over ham. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes and green vegetables. Or make my flavor Smoked Root Beer Ham sliders on Swedish Buns with Cranberry Jam Yum.
    Swedish Buns filled with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam
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Country Ribs Cabbage & Potatoes

This recipe is a total one pot meal, featuring meaty country ribs cabbage & potatoes that can be done in 30 minutes using a electric pressure cooker. Inspired by my German Heritage remembering mom’s great one pot meals that simmered for hours in a cast-iron pot. I used both stove top pressure cooker and electric pressure cooker testing this recipe, both types of pressure cookers make wonderful comfort food that is full of flavor.

The new electric pressure cooker takes less watching over then stove top pressure cooker, the stove top cooker need to be babysit all through the process. The beauty of the new electric pressure cooker is once the lid is locked into place, your free to do what other tasks needs to be accomplished until timer goes off. One thing I did learn is not to leave food in the pressure cooker after it is done for too long of time. What every you have in the pressure cooker continues to cook even with no pressure, and can become over cooked. The cabbage can become overly soft, potatoes can become mushy. So if you know your going to leave pressure cooker unattended for over hour, adjust cooking time down by 10 minutes. The food can stay hot for a good 2 hours after timer shuts off, but longer it’s left in the pressure cooker the more it continues to cook.

Just remember when using stove top pressure cooker one very important thing. Never leave a stove top pressure cooker unattended!

Country Ribs Cabbage & Potatoes

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A total meal in one pot, featuring meaty country style ribs cabbage & potatoes that can be done in 30 minutes using a pressure cooker.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes

Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes

Country Ribs Cabbage & Potatoes

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A total meal in one pot, featuring meaty country style ribs cabbage & potatoes that can be done in 30 minutes using a pressure cooker.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes

Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes

Ingredients


Servings: people

Units:

Instructions
  1. Mise en place all ingredients, have all the ingredients ready to be cooked in the pressure cooker.

  2. Season the country style pork ribs with salt and pepper.

  3. Set the electric pressure cooker for 25 minutes or place stove top pressure cooker on medium high heat. Add minced garlic and olive oil into pressure cooker container. Stir until fragrant.

  4. Add the seasoned country style pork ribs to pressure cooker container and brown on both sides. Remove the browned pork ribs onto a resting plate.

  5. Add to the pressure cooker container the onions and carrots, sweat for 1 minute.

  6. Add to the pressure cooker container red wine, stirring with spatula to deglaze the container.

  7. Add the stock to pressure cooker container, then place country style pork ribs back into pressure cooker container.

  8. Sprinkle the caraway seed, dill weed, salt, pepper, brown sugar, cider vinegar and bay leaf over pork ribs.

  9. Layer the cabbage, potatoes and diced apples over top of pork ribs. Sprinkle more salt and pepper over vegetables.

  10. Put pressure cooker lid on and lock it into place. Made sure pressure valve is on steam. It will take about 10 to 11 minutes to build up pressure. Then steam for 25 minutes.

  11. After 25 minutes let pressure come down naturally, about 5 minutes.

  12. Remove lid carefully, steam is hot! Dump the Country Pork Ribs Cabbage and potatoes on large serving platter. Serve family style. Each serving should have a wedge of cabbage and 4 to 8 potato pieces, with one country pork rib.

  13. Garnish with dollop of sour cream and fresh herbs like dill or parsley.

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Cranberry Pie with Pretzel Crust

Cranberry Pie with Pretzel CrustInspired by making cranberry sauce and cranberry fluff for the Holidays. Creating a whole new light and tangy dessert, that has tartness, with tangy cheese and light fluff with crunchy salty pretzel crust. The Cranberry Pie with Pretzel Crust is not a sweet rich pie, but perfect balanced ending to traditional holiday meal, making everyone wanting another piece of pie.

Cranberry Pie with Pretzel Crust
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Tangy Sweet Cranberry Pie layer with pretzel crust with sweet and tart fruited cranberry sauce, followed by fluffy tangy cranberry cheese and garnished with whipped topping and mini pretzels filled with white chocolate and dried cranberries.
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 24 hours
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 24 hours
Cranberry Pie with Pretzel Crust
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Tangy Sweet Cranberry Pie layer with pretzel crust with sweet and tart fruited cranberry sauce, followed by fluffy tangy cranberry cheese and garnished with whipped topping and mini pretzels filled with white chocolate and dried cranberries.
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 24 hours
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 24 hours
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
Cranberry Fruit filling
Cranberry Fruit Cheese Fluff Filling
Garnishes for the pie
Servings: slices
Units:
Instructions
Pretzel Crust
  1. Pre heat oven to 350°F. Process the pretzels using food processor with blade attachment until ground fine, but not into powder. Add to ground pretzels brown sugar and chunks of butter, then process until well combined and wet like sand. This should take about 2 minutes.
  2. Spray the pie tin or spring form mold with vegetable spray, I like Pam Baking Spray works very well.
  3. Spread evenly the pretzel crust mixture over bottom and sides of tin. Press with cup measure to from smooth crust.
  4. Place crust into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven place on cooling rack, and cool pie crust. Set aside
Cranberry Fruit Filling
  1. Bring to boil in heavy duty sauce pan, cranberries, diced oranges, diced apples, mixed berries, sugar, tapioca and water. Cook this mixture stirring often with rubber spatula until cranberries burst and filling thickens. This should take about 15 minutes over medium heat. Remove from range top, set aside for next steps.
  2. Pour half of the cranberry fruit filling into pretzel crust pie, spread evenly and place the pie into refrigerator to firm up.
Cranberry Fruit Cheese Fluff Filling
  1. Heat the cream cheese in micro wave on medium heat for 30 seconds, stir cream cheese and repeat process. The mixture should be smooth creamy consistency.
  2. Place the remainder of the cranberry mixture into mixing bowl, add the soften cream cheese, mix with wire whisk until combined well, this should have a creamy but still texture mixture.
  3. Add to creamy cranberry mixture whipped topping, folding with rubber spatula until combined well. Should be light smooth and have good texture from cranberries and fruits.
  4. Remove cranberry pie from refrigerator and add the cranberry fruit cheese fluff mixture over top of cranberry fruit filling. Smooth mixture with spatula evenly distributing filling. Cover pie with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator over night to firm up.
Pie Garnishes
  1. Place mini pretzels with salted side up on sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
  2. Melt white chocolate in micro wave at 50% power for 45 seconds. Stir chocolate and micro wave again at 50% power for 15 seconds, stir chocolate. If chocolate is not totally melted do one more time 50% power for 15 seconds. Stir until chocolate is melted. Check temperature if over 105°F. Sir until cool to 82°F. Place back in micro wave 50% power for 10 seconds. Pour chocolate into zip lock bag or chocolate parchment cone bag. Cut small tip off corner of bag and fill each cavity of pretzels. Note do not over fill.
  3. Place dried cranberry half on each filled cavity of pretzel. Place pretzel garnishes in cool area to set up. This should take about 1 hour, depending on how cool area is. Could place in refrigerator for 15 minutes, the problem is condensation forming when humidity is high.
  4. Fill pastry bag fitted with star tip with whipped topping. Garnish pie with rosettes of whipped topping for each slice of pie. Place pretzel garnish on side of rosette in attractive manner.
  5. Keep pie chilled in refrigerator for 1 hour to make sure everything is set up well. Cut into desired slices of pie. 10" pie will serve 8 to 10 slices of pie.
Recipe Notes

This pie would work very well, by a using spring form mold instead of a pie tin, making it easier to cut and serve.

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BBQ Spice Seasoning

This summer let’s put a little spice into your BBQ, rather then go to the grocery store and buy a BBQ Spice Seasoning make your own. Now you can have a jar of your own BBQ Spice Seasoning, that you can grab quickly and put some kick into your BBQ foods. This recipe is a starting point for your custom blend, friends and relatives will say what is your secret? This BBQ Spice Seasoning will fill regular jar about 1.5 oz that would cost at least $3.50 to $4.00 for a famous brand and it will be better. So open up the spice cabinet and start making something with a little more “Oh Ya” in your Barbecuing!

 

BBQ Spice Seasoning
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BBQ Spice Seasoning works well with most meats and baked bean dishes adding just enough heat to say "Got Ya"!
Servings Prep Time
3/4 cup 10 minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3/4 cup 10 minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes
BBQ Spice Seasoning
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BBQ Spice Seasoning works well with most meats and baked bean dishes adding just enough heat to say "Got Ya"!
Servings Prep Time
3/4 cup 10 minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3/4 cup 10 minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: cup
Units:
Instructions
  1. Measure all ingredients properly to make BBQ Spice Seasoning.
  2. Combine together in bowl all the spices, herbs and seasoning until mixed.
  3. Place in air tight container. Label and date container, store dry cool dark area for 6 months.
  4. Sprinkle about 1 heaping teaspoon of BBQ Spice Seasoning on steak, chicken breast, pork chop and rub into meat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to infuse flavor for better results. This can be sprinkled on just before BBQ Grill and this will work well also. Placing 2 tablespoons of BBQ Spice Seasoning into Baked Beans to build the flavor and give it the kick it needs to say Got Ya! Enjoy
Recipe Notes

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Steak Seasoning

Steak Seasoning CartoonWhile I was walking through the isles at a famous grocery  store, looking at seasoning for steaks and burgers, I picked up my favorite brand Montreal Steak Seasoning. Then looking at the cost for one bottle of seasoning I went into shock at mount of $$$ it cost. I have all the spices and herbs possible to make a better seasoning. This is my version of that wonderful seasoning with my traditional extra kick. This should work with all beef and many pork steaks and burgers. When you take a bite into your steak or burger you can truly say “Ay, caramaba”!

 

Steak Seasoning
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Spices and herbs needed to make a spicy steak seasoning.
Servings Prep Time
16 steaks 10 minutes
Passive Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
16 steaks 10 minutes
Passive Time
10 minutes
Steak Seasoning
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Spices and herbs needed to make a spicy steak seasoning.
Servings Prep Time
16 steaks 10 minutes
Passive Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
16 steaks 10 minutes
Passive Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: steaks
Units:
Instructions
  1. Crush the black peppercorns, coriander seed and onion flakes into even smaller pieces using mortar and pestle.
  2. Combine all the crushed spices with remainder of the spices and herbs in small mixing bowl until uniformly mixed steak seasoning.
  3. Place the steak seasoning in jar with tight fitting lid. Label and date jar, keep in dry cool area away from light. This will keep for 3 to 6 months.
Recipe Notes

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BBQ Five Beans

BBQ Five BeansBaked beans are the standard side for many BBQ’s, and all to often we use easy short cuts. The BBQ Five Beans recipe is a all out full flavored baked beans side dish, using no short cuts. All beans used in this recipe are started from dried beans and soaked for 12 hours and slow cooked before making them into BBQ Five Beans. Then smoked on the Green Egg for 4 hours at 300°F with apple wood chunks. The result was spicy and smokey BBQ Five Beans, two thumbs up with “Oh Ya” end! This was tested out at Wright’s famous BBQ no fire extinguisher was needed.

BBQ Five Beans
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A five dried bean mixture that is soaked, and slow cooked then made into spicy Smoked BBQ beans. This recipe has just enough heat to say "Oh Ya!" But not so hot that a fire extinguisher is needed to put out the flames. The beans have a long cooking time but its more of a "set it and forget it" until the beans are done.
Servings Prep Time
16 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 hours 18 hours
Servings Prep Time
16 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 hours 18 hours
BBQ Five Beans
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A five dried bean mixture that is soaked, and slow cooked then made into spicy Smoked BBQ beans. This recipe has just enough heat to say "Oh Ya!" But not so hot that a fire extinguisher is needed to put out the flames. The beans have a long cooking time but its more of a "set it and forget it" until the beans are done.
Servings Prep Time
16 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 hours 18 hours
Servings Prep Time
16 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 hours 18 hours
Ingredients
Cooking Beans
BBQ Five Beans
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Sort through all the dried beans making sure no dirt, rocks or bad beans. Wash all dried beans with cold water well in colander.
  2. Place washed beans in slow cooker, add bay leaf, BBQ Spice Seasoning and chicken stock, cover with lid and set slow cooker on low and timer for 8 hours. Now let slow cooker do work and not worry.
  3. Remove bay leaf, and remove cooked beans from the slow cooker into mixing bowl. Now this could go into refrigerator overnight if you wanted to make beans a day ahead.
BBQ Five Beans
  1. Fry the diced bacon in skillet with olive oil and garlic. Remove bacon when crisp onto paper towel. Add the onions to bacon grease and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until onions are translucent.
  2. Add to cooked onions the crisp bacon pieces, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ spice seasoning, chili powder, garlic pepper, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, pepper flakes and brown mustard and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat. Turn heat off and remove from burner. This is BBQ Sauce for beans
  3. Add the cooked BBQ Sauce to cooked beans and stirring well. Place bean mixture in a heat proof casserole dish.
  4. Heat up smoker, with Green Egg want the dome temperature at 300°F. I used apple wood chunks for smoke. When smoker is up to temperature place on indirect heat close lid or door and smoke for 4 hours. Note check every hour on temperature and add wood chucks as needed.
  5. After 4 hours remove from smoker when ready for service. Enjoy with any traditional BBQ Foods.
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