Saturday, March 24, 2012

Can You Read Me Now?


Trying to make the blog a little easier to read... what do you think? I know it's still not perfect, but I'm not really blog-savvy enough to make it amazing. So is it better or worse than the other version?


Let's talk bbq! Tom likes it well enough, but he's good with having it once a week or less. The kids and I however, could eat it multiple times a week, but it is expensive!


So I'm hoping you guys could help me out: Do you have any recipes that make eating bbq at home easier, or tips on eating out for less $$?

11 comments:

  1. What kind of BBQ are we talking - ribs? Brisket? Pulled pork? We love baby back ribs in the crock pot but unless you find them on sale they can be very expensive. Costco sells them in very large quantities and Publix stores in the south have had their ribs on sale for weeks so I stock up. But I think depending on where you live BBQ means different things to different people.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Any kind of bbq! We don't have a Publix here, but there is a Costo a little over an hour away. Maybe I need to make a monthly trip just to stock up on pork.

      Delete
  2. Do you have Sprout nearby? They have good quality pork roast. I have a good pork rub that makes it amazing. Then add sauce as needed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Do you have a large freezer? If you want meat, pork or beef, look on Craigslist for a local producer selling a hog or a beef. If that amount of meat is too much, talk to neighbors and friends about splitting a side of beef or a hog.
    There are also periodic livestock auctions at the feed lots. My former boss used to buy a hog at one of those and then have it butchered and processed. He said it is cheap to do it that way.
    Once you have it in the freezer, do you smoke it or grill it? If you have a smoker, that is the way to do BBQ. If you have access to fruit trees, chips of green wood from those are great for smoking meat. As a substitute, I also put a dry rub on the meat, add a little liquid smoke, wrap it in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and put it in the oven at low temperature (275) for several hours. Country style pork ribs are killer that way as are spare ribs. Then, pick a sauce you like and it's dinner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we do have a chest freezer. Is it safe buying foods off of craigslist? I've never thought of that before.

      I don't have a smoker, but I really want one. We may have to stick with the oven technique for now.

      Thanks for the ideas!!

      Delete
    2. You are safe buying food off of craigslist. Just don't go out for drinks with the farmer afterward without first letting a friend know where you are. :) The meat has to be inspected by the Feds (USDA) by law when it is processed. It gives them something to do. A farmer is tied to his land. He isn't going anywhere.
      It isn't like you are going to go out to his farm a week later and everybody is gone. Fly by night hog farmers: It is a big problem that.

      Delete
    3. Spam. Spam. Spam. Spam. Lovely Spam. Wonderful Spam.
      Here is another tip for buying meat in bulk in your area. West of me and east of you is a little town called De Soto. There is a business there named Steve's Meat Market. On Saturday mornings farmers bring animals in to sell. You can meet the animal before it becomes dinner. The opportunity here is to purchase the animal from the producer and have it custom butchered by Steve's. They cut the meat to your specs and flash freeze it. The meat is USDA inspected. I bought half a beef off a former co-worker a few years ago and Steve's processed for me. Google "Steve's meat market, De Soto, Kansas." I plan on going out there this Saturday to see what is available in the area of a pig. "To market. To market. To buy a fat pig..." Anyway, they also have "freezer stuffer" packages. Go to the web site and look around.

      Delete
  4. I'm no help on the bbq, but I like the new look, especially the blue.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Like the new look! I'm enjoying reading about your adventures into clean eating; I have six kids still at home, and it is a challenge to feed everyone different things! Thanks for letting us in on your struggles and victories; I think your family is doing a great job!

    Lisa

    ReplyDelete