Looking for a more manly way to satisfy your sweet tooth? With Vanilla, Coffee and Jack Daniel’s Flavors, these cupcakes are sure to get your party started right.

Chocolate Jack Daniel’s Cupcakes
(adapted from piratecupcake on Bakespace)
Makes 12 cupcakes

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. brewed coffee
1/2 c. Jack Daniel’s
1 sticks of unsalted butter, cut in to one inch pieces
1 c.  sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla

Heat coffee, whiskey, butter and cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.

While chocolate mixture cools, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk together egg and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk into cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Batter should be thin and bubbly.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake at 325F degrees for 22 minutes.

The first rule to remember is if it bears a needle don’t cook with it. Pine and other resinous woods will do things to a smoker that make me shudder. Oh yeah, and if you eat this stuff the effects from the tar and resin will probably give a good old gut ache. The second rule is that if it bears a fruit or a nut it is okay to cook with. There are some limitations and guidelines to each type of wood but for the most part this rule holds true. Lets look at some common types of wood for smoking.

Oak- This is an excellent wood for smoking large pieces of meat. Oak is the most versatile of all hardwoods.

Pecan- My personal favorite. This wood produces a mild fruity taste and is similar to hickory wood, just a milder, smoother taste.

Hickory- Every great Southern BBQ tradition started with Hickory smoke. Hickory in moderation produces a sweet to strong hearty taste. Just remember, moderation.

Apple- This tree produces a mild and fruity taste. It is especially good for turkeys and chicken.

Mesquite- This is the bad boy of woods. Be careful, this can cause strong flavors quickly. It is best used in grilling and not in smokers.

Practice makes perfect when smoking meats. Always write down what you used and how much. In time you will have established which woods work best for you.

Gather up a few bbq tools that will make life easier when grilling vegetables. The first one you need is a basting brush to help keep the outside of the vegetable moist and the inside crunchy. Using some type of olive oil or oil based product to baste with will help to retain the colors of the vegetables also. Another item you might find handy is a grill basket. You can get them at any store that carries bbq products for about $10.00 or so. The basket will make it much easier for turning or cooking small vegetables.

Vegetables can be marinated but you need to watch out for how long. Try not to marinate vegetables over 15 minutes in a fluid mixture or you will start breaking down the texture of the vegetable itself. You will also find that just sprinkling some spices on the vegetables just before cooking will enhance the taste greatly.

There are not many vegetables you can’t grill but you do need to be concerned about the amount of time certain types of vegetables stay on the grill. For instance tomatoes are great but need only a couple of minutes per side and preferably not over a hot grill. Here are some more tips for vegetables.

Corn- Soak in cold water for 15 minutes with husks on. Place on hot grill turning constantly for 20 minutes or until husks begin to brown.

Peppers- Peppers can be cooked over a medium fire until tender. Coat the skin with olive oil before grilling.

Eggplant- Eggplant, which is actually a fruit, cooks well on the grill. Cut off both ends and quarter, then coat with olive oil and fresh oregano.

Onions- My favorite. Use sweet onions for the grill. Vidalia or Texas sweets are great for grilling. Use a little olive oil. Best if you use a grill basket.

Spring chickens are 1 to 1 ½ pounds and are about 35 days old. Broilers are 2 pounds and are around 40 days old. Fryers are 2 to 4 pounds and approximately 45 days old. Roasters are 4 to 5 pounds and are 45-60 days old. Some stores carry free range chickens that are raised on farms where no antibiotics or hormones are introduced into the feed or the animal itself. So now that we know our chicks, let’s look at what’s good for what.

Roasters, our personal favorite, are great for slow smoking or rotisserie. Expect 4 to 6 hours at 200 to 210 degrees to get good results. When preparing, here are some tips to enhance flavor. First, marinate it in Italian dressing for about 3 to 4 hours in the fridge. Then take your favorite spices or rubs and apply them to the outside. If you don’t have a favorite, simply use some seasoned salt. You might want to mix in some brown sugar in a 2:1 ratio with the seasoned salt. Try some cajun spice or rub for a little kick in the chick. There are lots of choices. Another place you want to apply the spice is under the skin. I suggest using rubber gloves when working with poultry to avert possible contamination. Work your fingers under the skin, breaking it away from the meat. This puts your spices under the skin and into the meat itself. For a little extra flavor you can inject the chicken. Injectors can be found at most grocery stores and look like large hypodermic needles. Use some of your rub mixed with chicken broth and inject into the breast and thigh region of the chicken. Some other choices for injections are orange juice, apple juice, dijon mustard and/or peach schnapps. Just remember: don’t overinject or your meal might come out mushy.

Chicken can be flavored to fit your needs. It can be spicy, tangy or sweet. It can be sweetened with fruits, jellies and glazes. Chicken is also inexpensive. Until next time, enjoy.

First you will need a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. These bags are great for marinating meats in because they don’t stain and they are non-reactive. Take your tenderloins and sprinkle with seasoned salt, then place in bag and add your favorite bbq sauce. Usually a sweet sauce works best. Allow this mixture to sit for about 4 hours, overnight is even better. You are going to be grilling these so your fire should be medium to hot. Take tenderloins out of bag and throw the bag away, do not reuse the sauce, bad pookie. Place the tenderloins on the grill and turn every 5 minutes until a dark crust start to appear on the outside of the meat. At this point you are at about 135ºF internally. Then take the tenderloin and wrap it in aluminum foil. You can then place it in the oven at 300ºF. Allow it to cook an additional 45 minutes. You can also finish cooking it on the grill if you have a spot not directly over the fire and can bring the temperature down to 300ºF. Now while this is cooking lets make our finishing sauce. This is very simple to make but adds immensely to the flavor of the meat.

1 cup of your favorite sauce
1/2 cup pineapple preserves
1/2 cup honey

Place this on the stove and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat. This will help break down the preserves so you have a lighter sauce. When the tenderloins are done slice them diagonally into medallions. Right before serving dribble the sauce over the medallions both for appearance and flavor. Do not overdo the sauce. The tenderloin medallions make great presentations for meals and should be served accordingly. You can also substitute other jellies and preserves in place of the pineapple. Try apple or raspberry.

The brisket might be the most difficult piece of meat there is to barbeque. The brisket itself comes from the front part of a cow (chest). This cut of meat is used mainly for walking and is thus naturally tough, containing two separate, distinct muscles separated by a layer of fat that does not render.

When selecting a brisket lets assume you are buying one already trimmed (if you have never trimmed a brisket before this would be the preferred method). The smaller the brisket the better. Smaller briskets come from smaller cows and are more tender. Another way to check for tenderness is to lay the brisket in one hand. If the sides flop over your hand that is a sign of a brisket that will cook out tender. If it remains stiff, then opt for another one.

Now that you have a trimmed brisket, let’s season it to perfection. First, take some yellow mustard and work into both sides of the meat. I know it doesn’t look natural but it really enhances the taste and the yellow color goes away quickly when cooked. It also allows the rub to stick better. Then take one of your favorite rubs, I suggest some type of steak seasoning since we are dealing with beef, and work it into both sides of the meat. By now you are looking at a gooey mess, but the end result will be fantastic. Let set for about 1 hour before placing in your smoker.

Now here is one rule to remember about brisket. It cannot and should not be cooked like pork. Pork is more forgiving of smoke than beef. Too much smoke on a brisket and your gonna get a bitter piece of meat. I suggest cooking the brisket in the smoke for no more than 4 hours. After 4 hours, wrap the brisket in aluminum foil and allow it to finish cooking. You should be cooking at 225ºF with indirect heat for a total of 10 hours. Example: a 10 lb brisket will take 10 to 12 hours to cook. Briskets need long and slow cooking times. If you’re using nothing but coals then you can leave your brisket in the indirect heat for ¾ of the cooking time and wrap toward the end of the cooking cycle. Finally when your brisket is done take a pastry brush and paint on your favorite bbq sauce. Allow the brisket to sit for about 1/2 hour before slicing. Slice in long, diagonal pieces. Enjoy, but think twice before giving it to the dog