Spatchcock Smoked Chicken + Claret Pairing

“My favorite fall meal has to be a simple roasted chicken. There is just something about roasting your own chicken and vegetables that screams 'fall' and 'home' to me.” - Chrissy Teigen

The absolute best way to enjoy a whole chicken is to spatchcock it. What is spatchcock you ask, let me break it down for you (no pun intended).

The spatchcock (or butterflying) technique, drastically cuts the time it takes to smoke, roast, or grill a whole chicken. During this process you’ll remove a chicken's backbone so that it lays flat. This process is really fantastic. You’re able to evenly distribute seasonings all over the protein, and enjoy your bird at a much quicker rate than keeping it whole.

---

---

Spatchcock Smoked Chicken

This spatchcock smoked chicken goes through a lengthy preparation process. A two-day wet brine, followed by a two-day dry brine, ensures that the flavor of this chicken goes all the way down to the bone. Our dry brine is a sweet, spicy, and herb seasoning blend that gives this chicken such a unique flavor. In total this chicken has a four-day seasoning process before hitting the smoker.

When smoking this chicken, the goal is to have a nice hearty flavor. A mixture of mesquite and hickory wood is used during the cook time. This gives the protein a nice smoke flavor while promoting all of the wonderful sweet, spicy, and herb notes that the chicken was marinated in.

---

Linden Vineyards, 2016 Claret

2016 Claret

My recent trip to Linden Vineyards was a dream, and one of my absolute favorite wine trips during this pandemic. Their wines are simply lovely, but one of the standouts was their 2016 Claret.

This is a medium bodied red wine, and you’ll smell an abundance of raspberries, earth, and herbs on the nose. One of the descriptors Linden's winemaker used for this wine is 'sun kissed' - you most certainly can taste the ripe red fruit on this wine, giving it a well rounded body with subtle tannins.

This Claret is comprised of the following grapes:

• 50% Cabernet Sauvignon

• 25% Merlot

• 14% Cabernet Franc

• 11% Petit Verdot

The tannins on this wine are very soft, but present. Also, the acidity is almost refreshing, a compliment really to a smoked or roasted chicken. This pairing was really lovely, and the blend of four grapes were so balanced and a joy to drink.

I’d pair this wine with roasted or smoked chicken, braised lamb shanks, or grilled portobello mushrooms.

---

XO, Analise

Recipe: Smoked Bone-In Pork Chop

“Food brings people together on many different levels. It's nourishment of the soul and body; it's truly love.” - Giada De Laurentiis

A pork chop is not a protein we cook often in our home, but my husband was really determined to master this dish. We created a southern classic entree, and did our unique spin on it. The smoked bone-in pork chop was such a neat dish to make, and sides we made really helped round out the meal.

Below I’m sharing all of the things you’ll need to recreate the dish at home.

---

What You’ll Need

• 1 bone-in pork chop

• 2 tablespoon salt

• 4 tablespoon brown sugar, divided

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon of cracked black peppercorn

• 1 tablespoon of butter

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 2 tablespoons of coffee dry rub

Instructions

STEP 1: Place the pork chop in a wet brine for 24 hours, and cover it in the fridge. The brine should include salt, brown sugar, cracked black peppercorn, and bay leaves.

STEP 2: Once the brining is complete, remove the pork chop from the fridge, and cover the meat with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and coffee dry rub. Ensure you have enough seasonings to completely cover the meat.

STEP 3: Place the seasoned pork back into the fridge, covered, for a minimum of 8 hours.

STEP 4: When you are ready to cook your protein, remove it from the fridge for at least one hour prior to placing on the grill and smoking.

STEP 5: While the pork is getting to room temperature, this is the best time to prepare your grill setup.

• The grill setup contains a “hot and cold side”. On the “hot side” is the fire, a mixture of charcoal and mesquite wood. On the opposite side, the “cold side”, creates an indirect smoke for the pork chop to cook at a consistent temperature.

STEP 6: Once, the temperature of the grill reaches 250-300 degrees, place the pork chop into a buttered and oiled cast iron on the grill’s “cold side”. This process takes about 10-15 minutes or until the pork chop’s internal temp reaches 140 degrees,

Pro Tip: Use a digital thermometer during the cook process. You’ll get a more accurate cook on the protein.

STEP 7: After, the pork chop reaches the ideal internal temperature on the “cold side” of the grill, move it to the “hot side”, and begin searing both sides of the pork, approximately 2 minutes on each side.

Pro Tip: Searing it on both sides allows you to create a nice crust from the brown sugar and coffee dry rub.

STEP 8: Once the pork chop is seared, remove the cast iron from the grill, and let the protein rest for 5-10 minutes.

Pork chop from the cast iron during the resting process.

Flavor Profile

• The brown sugar and coffee dry rub combination allows the pork chop to have a sweet and salty flavor.

• Also, by smoking the protein with mesquite wood, it gives the pork chop a hearty flavor component.

• This protein could be compared to the style and taste of candied bacon.

Cutting swiss chard to sauté and use as a side dish for the pork chop entree.

Pork chop on top garlic herb mashed potatoes with a side of swiss chard.

XO, Analise

Recipe: 30-Minute Cast Iron Stir Fry

“I love to take something ordinary and make it really special.” - Ina Garten

Fried rice with egg, green onion, carrots, ginger, garlic and topped with short rib.

What You’ll Need:

serves 2-4 people

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 3 large eggs

• sea salt

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided

• cracked black pepper

• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

• 4 stalks of green onions/scallions

• 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp peeled or minced ginger

• 1 cup cooked leftover long grain rice

• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Fried rice with egg, green onion, carrots, ginger, garlic and topped with a jumbo lump crab cake.

Instructions:

Step 1: Cook your rice ahead of time, either the morning of or day before. For this recipe, basmati rice was used - follow your packaged rice instructions, and afterwards store the cooked grains in a container, and put away in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Step 2: Once you are ready to make your stir fry, grease your cast iron with olive oil. Get the cast iron nice and hot on top of the stove, then add three eggs. Begin to scramble the eggs in the cast iron, and chop the eggs finely. Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, remove them from the cast iron into a small bowl.

Step 3: After the eggs are removed, add in a little bit of olive oil, as well as, chopped green onion, carrots, ginger, and garlic. Sauté these items in the cast iron for about 2-3 mins.

Step 4: Once your veggies have finished sautéing, add back in your scrambled eggs, and cooked rice from earlier. Mix all of the ingredients in the cast iron skillet.

Step 5: Next, add in sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper into the stir fry. Add additional seasonings to taste. Let the mixture stand in the cast iron for about 5-10 minutes, to ensure all the flavors blend well together.

Step 6: Serve and plate with your favorite protein!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Grilled Lamb Lollipops

“Cooking is an expression that crosses boundaries.” - Ranveer Brar

Lamb lollipops marinating in olive oil, salt, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

What You’ll Need:

• 8 lamp lollipops

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 

• 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary 

• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme

Grilled lamb lollipops, thinly sliced russet potatoes, and sautéed swiss chard.

Instructions

Step 1: Generously pour olive oil over the lamp lollipops to ensure the protein in evenly coated, and then add on the seasonings. Gently massage the seasonings into the protein to make sure everything is distributed all over each lollipop.

Step 2: Place the lamb lollipops into a bowl or dish and cover it with plastic wrap. Afterwards, place the lamb into the fridge for 24 hours for the marinating process to begin.

Pro Tip: The marinade is essential for a protein to have the best flavor possible - you’ll want the flavor to get down to the bone of the meat.

Step 3: After the meat has marinated, let the lamb rest on the counter for 30 minutes, or until the meat is room temperature.

Step 4: Ensure your grill is hot, the optimal temperature is 400 degrees. You’ll want to use a cast iron skillet to cook your lamb in - so make sure to have one handy! Sear each lamb lollipop for two minutes on each side in the cast iron on your grill. Once the searing is complete, let the lamb cook for about 20 minutes on indirect heat. For a medium rare temperature you’ll want your lamb to reach 135 degrees for its internal temperature.

Pro Tip: After you sear the lamb over the direct heat, offset your cast iron, and move it to the side where the heat/flame is not directly underneath it. This offset (indirect heat) cooking approach will smoke the meat, and act as a oven, thus not overcooking your lamb.

Step 5: Once your lamb reaches the optimal internal temperature, remove the cast iron from your grill, and at minimum let the lamb rest for 15 minutes. You’ll want to cover your cast iron with aluminum foil, so that the lamb stays warm.

Step 6: Serve and enjoy!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Smoked Prime Rib

“I love the culture of grilling. It creates an atmosphere that is festive but casual.” - Bobby Flay

When my husband had the grand idea of smoking a Prime Rib I was super excited for him. He was able to put his grilling and smoking skills to the test. G loves experimenting with new recipes, and always loves including me in his process.

As many of you know, I no longer eat red meat, but watching my hubby dabble with a new recipe and smoking technique was super fun to watch, as well as be included in. We are really excited to include this dish for the upcoming holidays, and share it with our friends and family.

Without further ado, here is our experience and process of smoking a Prime Rib!

Step 1: Select a cut of Prime Rib from your local grocery or butchery

Choice 4lb. Prime Rib

It really all starts with selecting and purchasing a great cut of meat. G prefers going to a local butcher shop and preferably ordering a high USDA grade of meat. For this recipe, we went to our neighborhood grocery and purchased a Certified Choice Angus 4lb. cut of Prime Rib.

Step 2: Season and cook your protein

Seasoned Prime Rib - before the grill

Once, G was ready to smoke his Prime Rib, he removed it from the fridge, and took it out of the plastic. From there he placed it on a cutting board and began patting the Prime Rib dry. It is essential to remove any excess water from the cut of meat. Then, he generously added olive oil all over the Prime Rib, before placing his signature coffee dry rub on.

Once, the seasoning was evenly distributed along the protein, G topped it off with fresh herbs - rosemary and thyme. Then. he secured butcher’s twine on the Prime Rib. He tied each twine approximately 2 inches along cut of meat. You simply tie the twine like you’re tying your own pair of shoes.

After, everything was added, G placed the protein into the fridge, uncovered, and on a wire rack to marinate for 24 hours. If you are in a hurry you can shorten the timeline to 8 hours.

The next morning, G removed the Prime Rib from our fridge 2 hours before cooking time. This allows the meat to achieve the optimal room temperature. It is so important for your protein to be room temp as it will help the meat cook evenly throughout.

While, the Prime Rib was waiting to be cooked, it was the perfect time to setup our grill. The grill setup contain a “hot and cold side” in the grill. On the “hot side” was the fire, which G created using a mixture of charcoal and mesquite wood. On the opposite side, the “cold side”, he inserted an aluminum pan underneath the grill grates, so that the drippings from the Prime Rib had a safe place to fall. Also, he brushed olive oil on the grates, for the Prime Rib to be placed on. The purpose of the hot and cold sections, was to create an indirect smoke for his Prime Rib to cook at a consistent temperature.

Once, the temperature of the grill leveled at 300 degrees, G placed the Prime Rib directly on grill grates on the “cold side” of the grill. Then, he inserted a digital meat thermometer into the center of the Prime Rib, closed the grill, and let it smoke for about 3.5 hours. Once the digital meat thermometer reached an internal temp of 130 degrees, G knew he achieved the perfect medium rare cook. From there he removed the Prime Rib from the grill to begin the resting process.

Step 3: The finished product

Coffee Dry Rub Smoked Prime Rib

Next, he covered the pan with foil, and waited an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour. This step was crucial as it allowed time for the meat to be juicy and get the best flavor possible. During this time, the Prime Rib leveled off around 135 degrees for its internal temp.

After, the resting time was reached, G removed the foil, herbs, and twine. Then, he carved the Prime Rib, plated, and paired with desired sides, as well as, sauces.

Dinner is served: Smoked Prime Rib paired with au jus + horseradish sauces, Sautéed Kale, and Beer Battered Onion Rings

XO, Analise