A Pineapple and a Turkey Walk Into A Bar

Having smoked a turkey or two on our trusty Weber Grill  -- and being delighted with the results --  we can only image what the mouth watering outcome would be in the hands of professional smoker Mr. P, aka Chris Palmatier.

We are happy to report that Mr. P has been testing a few big birds in his mighty smoker in advance of the big ramp up to Turkey Day. And Mr. P shared with us his secrets as to how he will be preparing his birds for Thanksgiving.

“We inject each bird (with a professional turkey injector) with a mixture of oil, spice and hard apple cider. In our first test we let the bird sit for an hour, but that can go anywhere up to six,” Mr. P told Schroonlaker.com.

But hold onto your hats folks – for this next step, that Mr. P says will guarantee a deliciously moist bird.

“We then stuff the bird with a fresh pineapple and place it into a pan and into the smoker. The heat produces juice from the pineapple which keeps the bird moist and at the same time also steams the bird.”

So where did Mr. P come up with such a bird brained idea?

“Over the summer I was talking to a customer about our plans for smoking Thanksgiving turkeys. He told me about the pineapple and I ran with it.”

Mr. P’s latest experiment on Thursday was on a 20 pounder that cooked at 212 degrees for about 14 hours. Lucky diners got to sample that on a roll with lettuce and chipotle mayo. We are drooling as we write this.

Mr. P is  offering a variety of birds and other yummy comestibles for T Day. Check out all of their specials here.

Mr. P's Smokehouse 1106 Route 9  -- opposite the Grand Union just  up from the Strand -- 518 532-4300



Rubbing Chicken The Right Way

This week we told you about the good natured rivalry over at the Schroon Lake Fish and Game Club between those who barbecue the chickens, and those who boil the lobsters, for their annual end of summer bash.

Joe Steiniger, of the chicken crew, cried fowl a few years back when the lobsters got top billing at the event. You can read Joe’s very funny post on his North Country Rambler blog.

It was in that blog post  Joe revealed one of the secrets that make the chicken he and his crew barbecue taste so good – a dry rub that is applied to the birds the night before they hit the grill.  Joe’s recipe is stunningly simple:

Standard Dry Rub Recipe:

5 parts Kosher salt.

3 parts (each) freshly ground black pepper, light brown sugar, and sweet paprika

1 part (each) dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, dried oregano.And you can use whatever measurement you want for “a part”   --  a cup, half cup, or as Joe points out “a hat”.

Once I read the rub recipe, I had to try it. I applied it to bone in chicken thighs with the skin removed. So eager was I that  I didn’t follow Joe’s advice to let the chicken sit the night before of morning of with the rub. My chicken had barely an hour with the rub.

I grilled it over direct heat over white hot charcoal, searing each side for a few minutes, before finishing it off on the other side of the grill on indirect heat. The Weber kettle cover was on for about 20 minutes.

The chicken was stunning – extremely juicy, with the heat of the chili powder, combined with the smoky paprika and garlic and onion powders and other ingredients giving these thighs a very authentic barbecue taste. The flavors of the rub, tenderizing the meat, elevated these birds into something memorable. This rub makes the case that you really don’t need a barbecue sauce.

We did try a piece with some of the new sauce offerings from Schroon’s Mr. P’s Smoke house and the experience was enhanced by the shear heat of some kick butt peppers Mr P uses in his sauces. Yes, we do like it hot!

Got a barbecue rub or sauce recipe you wanna share? Tell us about it in comments.



Shirley's Diner

At a first blush, as you pass through the screen door, Shirley’s Diner seems like your average non descript breakfast and lunch joint. But there’s a lot more to this place than meets the eye.

On a recent visit I was very hungry – and for those who know me – I was in a “meat mood”.  So it was a natural that I settled for the “Meat Lover’s” omelet. My buddy, Dr. Ed, was in the mood for hash and poached eggs.

The word “torpedo” comes to mind when I try to describe the size of my sausage, bacon, ham and Swiss cheese stuffed omelet. I ordered it with a side of wheat toast.

Dr. Ed’s order arrived with perfectly poached eggs – and so-so hash, but with what turned out to be one of two of Shirley’s “food jewels”.

The good Dr. Ed ordered his eggs with what turned out to be home made white bread – which arrived toasted, just right. What we are talking about here is no measly thin sliced excuse for bread, but a big thick cut slice  -- which when toasted and slathered with just a dab or two of butter --  then dunked into the runny center of the poached eggs -- becomes  breakfast heaven Cue the angels singing!

My omelet  -- which contained the meat from a small pig --  was both filling and delicious.With the kids at home, we decided to bring back a treat of a dozen homemade donuts: plain, chocolate and the house specialty – chocolate drizzled with peanut butter. We also grabbed a loaf of the white bread to go. The kids went wild for the donuts. A tad heavy for my tastes, they hit the spot for the teens in our house, washed down with a nice, frosty cold glass of milk.

Does summertime lakeside living get any better? Yes – and we found that out when we had that loaf of white bread sliced up to make sandwiches with some cold cuts for lunch…not a crumb left, I kid you not. Shirley’s has a decent menu of typical diner breakfasts, daily specials and what appears to be a solid lunch menu. Definitely worth checking out.

 

Shirley’s Diner 1091 Main Street is open from 5 am to 2 pm. Call 518-532-9449 to make sure they have the bread.

Schroon Lake's Big Ass Steak

We all had the craving. While we’d done our share of  burgers and chicken on the barbecue, we were all hanging for a thick, juicy steak. Where could we be satiated?

Witherbee’s Carriage House, where we soon realized the beef lover won’t be disappointed -- but rewarded!. For a while, we’ve been hearing about the famous Witherbee’s “Big Ass Steak” – a humungous 32 ounce certified Angus Top Sirloin char grilled bad boy.

The menu describes it as steak for two, or “One Bubba”. Could my wife Annette and I even make a dent in this thing? On behalf of all steak lovers, we’d give it out best shot.

We ordered the steak rare. The “Big Ass” comes covered with caramelized onions and mushrooms. It’s served with a soup or salad for two and potato and fresh veggie of the day.

Our kids and my parents all opted for the Witherbee’s Top Sirloin, an 8 ounce cut char grilled to your liking.

A short time after our appetizers – salad for me and New England Clam Chowder for Annette, she described as “delicious” -- the “Big Ass” was delivered by our waitress Patty (the “other one”, not the owner).

That thing was huge! “Anyone ever finish one of these?” I asked Patty?.

“We had three guys come in and they each ordered it. Only one finished it,” Patty said.

Annette took the first bite of a large piece. “Wow. Mushroom and oniony and succulent and juicy,” she said. “Unabashedly rare.”

Indeed, the kitchen delivered us an extraordinary tasty and juicy cut of meat. I cut a large section off, and savored every tasty mouthful. The endorphins were on overload.

When you are craving a steak and you get something this good, you say to yourself: “There is no way I could ever be a vegetarian.”

The veggie of the day was green beans with almonds and roasted potatoes. Both very good. So did we finish that cow?

No – there is so much steak there, you can get your fill and take home leftovers for either a steak salad or sandwich. We think the “Big Ass” is a very good deal at $38.95 for two people (which could actually feed three!).

The rest of the family who ordered the 8 ounce Witherbee’s Top Sirloin at $16.95, also had high praise.

“That’s as good as any steak I’ve ever had,” my dad said.

Witherbee’s Carriage House 581 US Route 9. 518-532-9595.

What's Smokin' in Schroon?

Before you even set foot in Schroon Lake’s newest barbecue mecca -- Mr P’s Mountain Smokehouse --  you ‘ll probably get a hint of what awaits you as the sweet smell of burning oak wafts from the giant smoker out back.

Once inside you’ll be greeted by either the affable Mr P, Chef Shelby or a smiling server who will walk you through their extensive menu. After a long drive from down south, we were ravenous. We settled for a full slab of St Louis Ribs, served with their signature blue cheese coleslaw and spoon bread ($18), a half smoked chicken with fries ($17) and a pulled pork sandwich with a side of hazelnut green beans. ($12)

The ribs –smoked with a dry rub - were meaty and not greasy or fatty. “There’s a lot here to chew on the bone,” my wife Annette said. There was more than enough on the large slab to feed Annette and my mum.

My dad’s chicken was smoky and moist, with the smoke done just right. There was a lot on his plate, so we all sampled. 

My pulled pork sandwich was simply stunning on its own – not too dry with just the right amount of fat  -- and once I added some of the house barbecue sauce, the “Sweet Smokey Satisfaction Sauce”, I was in heaven.

While everything that comes out of the smoker gets star billing, it’s the sides that really got our attention. The coleslaw is nothing like we’ve ever tasted. Mr P’s serves it with blue cheese and the combination tang of the slaw and cheese makes this memorable. The spoon bread is crumbly and moist with whole corn kernels topped with a rasher of smoked bacon. True to its name, you have to eat it with a spoon.

And as we were licking our fingers, finishing up, our waitress offered us a sample of smoked salmon with a chipotle cream cheese on a just baked gluten free wafter. Yummy. Sadly, we didn’t even have room for dessert.

The restaurant – opened just two days when we visited – is owned by Chris Palmetier and Shelby Davis. Most everything is gluten free (just ask) and Chef Shelby is planning on expanding her gluten free baked goodies. This is a very welcome addition to Schroon's dining options and sure to be a popular destination for locals and the summer crowd.

Mr P’s Mountain Smokehouse. 1106 Route 9.  Two doors up from The Strand cinema. 518 532-4300. Open year round.