BBQ Pot Luck Chicken & Beef Riblets

Marinated Mexican Riblets, chicken, garlic, sweet onions and Popeye’s Favorite Twice Baked Potatoes all hickory smoked to perfection.

Riblets & Chicken
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Grill: Low Indirect Heat & Direct Medium Heat

Ingredients: Riblets & Chicken

3 lbs. marinated Riblets

4 chicken leg quarters

Sweet onions, sliced ¾ “

Garlic bulb, cut in half

Olive oil, for onions and garlic

The left side is Medium Direct Heat and the right is Low Indirect Heat. As the chicken gets near to being done move it over to a more direct heat to brown. Don’t leave it there or it will go up in flames.

Cooking Directions:

The chicken went first with low indirect heat for about 30 minutes. Slow cooking in the hickory and picking up all of those flavors. Place the potatoes on a cool spot of the grill. Every grill has one. They’ll take a little longer than the Riblets so let them hang out in the smoke about 10 minutes before the meat goes on. Keeping in mind that the potatoes are already cooked and you are heating them up and melting the cheese, still indirect heat. You will see on top were I set my garlic and onions. The last 15 minutes of cooking time for the chicken turn the heat up for the Riblets.

Check your hickory making sure you have plenty loaded.  Add the Riblets to the grill. Leave them alone. You want your char marks and if you try to turn it too soon it will stick to the grill. After 3 minutes check the meat to see if it is ready for you to it turn over. Then grill another 3 minutes. Now grill to your taste, for me it’s ready to come off. For Patti it was ready about five minutes ago. Keep in mind that all our grills heat differently, so what’s good for mine may not be for yours. I am just offering a guideline for the grill.

Popeye’s Favorite Twice Baked Potatoes

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Grill: Indirect Medium Heat

Ingredients: Popeye’s Favorite Twice Baked Potatoes

2 large baking potatoes

2 cups frozen spinach, thawed (press out excess moisture)

8 oz. shredded five cheeses blend

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. seasoned salt

Black pepper to taste

½ cup Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Directions:

Popeye’s Favorite Twice Baked Potatoes (or a sneaky way to get vegetables into those we love)

Wash your potatoes. Poke some holes in it so they do not explode when you put it into the microwave. Coat lightly with olive oil and put into the microwave for 5-7 minutes. Let cool enough so that you can handle them. Cut in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop the insides out into a bowl. Using a fork, mash the potato until smooth. Add the spinach, seasonings and shredded cheese and mix. Using a spoon pack the potato mixture back into the potato skins, pile it high and tight. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and you’re set…

I ran out of room on the grill so I just threw the onions up on the garlic. Still,  they’re good to go. I make these a lot and in various ways. But, the main thing is slice the onions thick leaving the skin on. Cut the garlic in half and put on a foil tray. I use a tray because I can’t find the big garlic and these guys tend to break apart and fall through the grill. Anyway just drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on them and you’re set.

Preparing Grill:  Low Indirect Heat

Preheat your grill to low heat (250-300) and turn off one side so you will be cooking with indirect heat. Add your wet hickory chips over the fire and oil the grill. A cooking spray is easiest for this. (Note: you can add your hickory directly to the grill or you can use foil smoke packets.(Two handfuls wet chips and one dry, fold foil into a packet, poke holes in it with a fork and you’re good to go.)

Note: I use a spray bottle when cooking on the grill filled with a Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke mix that keeps things moist and adds tons of flavors. (Mix is 3 parts Worcestershire with 1 part liquid smoke)

Remember that a recipe is simply an outline; it is not written in stone. Don’t be afraid to make changes to suit your taste.

Take it and run with it….

Enjoy,

Ken & Patti