Feast Following the Fast

Palm Sunday, and Lent is over and so is the Lenten Fast. Dinner tonight was a meat-fest, with chicken, lamb and bacon.

Smoked Chicken Thighs:
Marinaded and de-boned chicken thighs are placed in a muffin tin with holes drilled in the bottom and sides of the cups to allow smoke in and grease out. They come out evenly shaped and very moist with amazingly crisp skin. It was glazed with a mixture of honey and molasses. After 2 1/2 hours of smoke, they were removed from the tin and placed briefly on a hot grill. Since the glaze was not diluted in any way, I did not expose it to the grill surface.

Lamb Steaks:
Excess fat removed. (The bulk of the gamey flavor of lamb comes from the rich, dense fat. I like the taste, but my wife is not too fond of it)
Cubed, marinaded in oil, lemon juice, rosemary and garlic and quick-grilled. Take care to not overcook. It's that simple!

Bacon:
Thick-sliced Farmland brand smoked bacon, placed on the Traeger pellet smoker along with the chicken until done.

Rice Pilaf: 
I admit to cheating.  Schwan's makes rice simple and very fast. This was important tonight because with all the time I spent on the meat and beans, I forgot about a second side.

(Very) Simple Smoked Beans:

1 large can of pork&beans, drained, washed and pork removed
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon pork rub
1 chopped onion
1 cinnamon stick
Molasses to taste 

Placed in an open, shallow pan and smoked along with the chicken. Why a shallow pan? The cook time was unusually short and a shallow pan allows more surface area for the smoke to penetrate.

Orange Glaze for Ckicken

More and more, I am seeing the value in "glazing" grilled meats. A glaze adds a layer of flavor, but, perhaps even more important, it gives the meat a very appetizing shine. This, of course, is assuming one does not burn the glaze.

Glazes always have a sugar or sweet component to them. Sugar, burns quickly at high heat, and leaves the meat with a bitter flavor that is by most standards, undesirable. My method, learned after burning more than my share of chicken is simple.

I am assuming that the reader can cook a moist and flavorful piece of chicken. My chick breasts are always moist and juicy, even with the skin removed. I marinade the meat for at least an hour and then cook it slowly with indirect heat.. Then I post-sear it, that is, I put the grill-marks on after the meat is very nearly to temp. I do not bring it to temp because the searing will add several degrees to the meat.

Before I apply a glaze, I sear each side of the meat on the grill once over high, direct heat. Once each side has been seared with marks going in one direction, I apply glaze to the top side and then turn the flame down. I flip the meat in a way that puts marks in a criss-cross pattern. The smaller the piece of meat, the tighter I design the pattern.

I put glaze on the opposite side. I allow the meat to sear on each side for 30-90 seconds, depending on the flame level, checking often by lifting the meat on one edge and checking for the amout of shine I desire. When I am satisfied, the meat is removed and allowed to sit at room temp for at least 5 to 8 minutes. This is a period known as "resting". It allows for the juices tat have been forced to the middle of the meat by the high heat to re-disperse into the whole piece.

This make for an excellent presentation and very juicy chicken.

  Now, for the glaze.

Juice of 2 oranges (Valencia or Naval) If you want to use Clementines, then squeeze 3.
1-2 teaspoons orange zest, to taste
2 teaspoons Penzey's Arizona Dreaming
1 1/2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar, or 2 tablespoons honey.