With football season in full swing, wings make for great eating. There is less outdoor cooking time and more cheering time! Here's one of our favorite Wing Recipes. It's also great on all of your poultry dishes!

Today's Topic: Have you "slathered" lately?

 Cool New Store Items & Store Sale
 Old Smokey Contest Winner
 Free Basting Mop Offer Goes On!

Want to hear a particular topic? Let us know!

Did you miss our last issue? Read it here!
We talked about "Chicken on a Throne", "Best Burgers", "Burnt Ends"
and finally..."Perfectly Cooked Ribs". We'll be going into greater detail
on those items in future issues!

Keep On Barbecue'n,
Charlie McMurrey

P.S. FIRE UP THE GRILL!

Have you "slathered" lately?

We've had quite a busy summer and thus the newsletters have not gone out as regularly as we may have wished. Our transition to a new email program has been a little more problematic than we had wished and getting our list in good shape has taken a little longer than anticipated. We hope we are moving along a little smoother now. You don't want to hear all of this chatter, ... so, %CUST_1%, let's get on with the show ........

Over the next few months, we are going to discuss the differences, advantages and uses of Slathers, Dry Rubs, Wet Rubs and Marinades. They are all very different techniques for seasoning meats, veggies and just about anything else you might want to place on the pit or grill. They are great for use in both wood/charcoal units as well as the gas grills. In this issue, we are discussing the the use of a slather. So read, learn and then modify the technique to fit your particular outdoor cooking circumstances!

Slathers: This might be a new term to many readers, but there is a time and place to use slathers. Paul Kirk, the infamous "Baron of Barbecue" and winner of more than 400 barbecue awards and 7 world championships, in his new book, "Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue" defines slather as: "Slather: to spread on or cover thickly; to use great amounts of; to lavish." Who would not like to layer on fine flavors which both stay on the meat and help keep it moist?

More often than not, the base ingredient of a "slather" is made from plain old yellow mustard although some have used fancy mustards and even mayonnaise. If you were to imagine "slathering something", the first thing to come to mind might be getting large spoon, brush or basting mop and coating the meat heavily to the point of dripping and falling off. Ironically, that process is NOT exactly how it goes down.

In reality, the "slather" is a thin coating of the ingredients placed on all sides of the meat. The mustard portion of the slather really does not impart much flavor as the heat has a tendency to neutralize the flavor of the yellow mustard. The spices that you add to the slather (see slather spice possibilities below) will impart their wonderful flavor to the meats. The dry rubs you add after the slather has been applied to the meat will greatly enhance the overall outcome of your success. Consider the slather as a method to impart mild flavors to your meats and a conduit to holding on the dry rub ingredients.

Click for Large Image

Above is a slab of ribs with a slather applied. Note that the slather is a thin coating and not heavily applied. You can still see the meat.

Click for Large Image

Above is the same slab of ribs with a slather applied followed with the dry rub. Note that the slather is still visible through the rub and that there is very little of the rub which did not adhere to the slathered ribs.

So, the two-prong purposes of a slather is 1) to lightly season the meat and to create a method of keeping the meat moist and flavorful, and 2) to get the dry rub to adhere to the meat. For example, once you have rinsed the meat and patted it dry in preparation for seasoning, the dry rub seasonings have a greater tendency to not stick to the meat than to stick to the meat. The thin moist layer of slather holds the dry seasonings to the meat and there is less waste of the dry seasonings. Sort of a win-win scenario as we see it.

To Get A Copy Click Here

The Baron of Barbecue has 24 recipes for SLATHERS! Plus several hundred other award winning recipes.

What ingredients can you add to your slather-mix for that extra special flavor? Try one or more of the following: Louisiana hot sauce, fresh ground pepper, sea salt, dark brown sugar, granulated garlic and/or onion, soy sauce, bacon grease, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dark rum, orange juice, cayenne pepper and many more. You will note that of the ingredients we have suggested, none of them use fresh ingredients like onions, peppers and/or herbs. Use of those fresh ingredients will be talked about in future newsletters.

Another benefit of the slathering process is that it allows the meat's enzymes to accelerate the chemical reactions with the slather to form a delicious protective layer or "crust" or "bark" on the meat being cooked. The moistness of the mustard helps to keep the meat tender and juicy. Slathers are great on most beef, pork and chicken. It should be pointed out that: Using a slather is not intended for meats that you plan to grill over direct heat ... because you will die. Not really, but it will burn the mustard and after consuming scorched mustard, you may wish you were dead! It is only applicable to meats that you intend to barbecue or roast over indirect heat at temperature lower than about 250°.

Applying the slather can be done with a "basting mop" or a "basting brush". Simply apply a thin coat of the slather you have prepared to the meat and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes. During this time, the slather will begin to dry slightly to the point of becoming slightly tacky to the touch.

In summary, a slather adds mild flavors, is a binder for your dry rub and helps create a tender "crust" or "bark" for the meat. Ok folks, man your mops or brushes and begin your slathering!

Enjoy!

PS: You might also want to visit Smoky's Building a Better Brisket
....anyone reasonably familiar with a cow carcass will understand clearly that the front end of a cow is made for roping, the hind end is for branding and the middle part is for cooking on a grill. - Smoky Hale

REFERENCES & TOOLS:	Hooks, Paws & Tongs | Charcoal Starters | Hardwood Charcoal | Texas Brisket Rub | Meat Thermometers
OTHER IDEAS:	Don't keep secrets, tell a good friend to sign up for the newsletter! | Barbecued Pork Ribs | Shoulders & Butts | Building a Better Brisket | Beginner's Section

Looking for a specific answer? More than likely you will find that answer in one of the links below. If not, send your question to Smoky and he will take a stab at getting you back on the right track! Have fun and keep on keeping on Barbecue'n and Grillin'. Ask Smoky's - Collector's Edition FAQ's Ask Smoky's - New & Improved FAQ's

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NEW ITEM Platinum Rib Rack	NEW ITEM Rib Roasting Rack	NEW ITEM Riachlen Grid Lifter	NEW ITEM Wood Chip Soaker	NEW ITEM Smoked Salmon
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Kansas State Championship Mustard Slather---by Paul Kirk Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Book

Click for larger view

 3 cups prepared yellow mustard
 1 cup spicy brown mustard
 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
 1/4 cup gin
 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
 1 Tbs lemonade powder (I use Country Time; make sure whatever you use contains sugar and not an artificial sweetener)
 2 tsp fine sea salt
 1 tsp white pepper
 1 tsp granulated garlic
 1 tsp pure ground chipotle chile
 1 tsp ground ginger
 1 tsp dry mustard (I use Colman's)

Combine all the ingredients in a large nonreactive 2-quart bowl. Blend well with a wire whisk until the seasonings have dissolved and are incorporated into the mixture. Paint thinly over your meat before seasoning and cooking it. Enjoy!

Old Smokey Contest Winner
Each newsletter we give away one heck of a grill to one of our lucky readers. By far, the Old Smokey Grill is our largest selling portable charcoal grill because of its durability and ability to produce great tasting food. There is only one winner each month! The winner of this month's Old Smokey Grill - #18 is:
   Debbie Jackson     Hey Debbie, please send us the email address used when you signed up for the Smoke 'n Fire Enquirer and we'll validate your address. Congratulations! For everyone else, we'll have a new contest next month and will be drawing from the same list you are on!
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