It’s Barbecue season. If there is one exemplar of American cuisine it’s Barbecue permeated with smoke and spices. Barbecue is celebratory. Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolution was honored with a massive barbecue when he visited Millledgeville, Georgia in 1825. Barbecue has healing qualities. Thousands of former enemies came together in friendship for the Blue-Gray Barbecue at Crawfish Springs on the Chicamauga Battlefield in 1889. And each October, Barbeque teams from U.S. states and foreign countries gather in Lynchburg, Tennessee for the Jack Daniel’s International Barbecue Competition.
JIM SANDERS GEORGIA BRUNSWICK STEW
This heritage dish is a cherished part of the Deep South’s Barbecue tradition and can be served as a main course or side dish. This is the finest recipe I’ve enjoyed.
Ingredients:
1 four-pound baking chicken
4 pounds ground pork
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1-tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup red wine, preferably Rhone style
3 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings
36 ounces tomato juice
4 ounce tomato catsup
3 cups cut shoepeg corn
Kosher salt and black pepper
Preparation:
Boil the chicken until it is very tender, cool, de-bone and chop the meat finely. Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, braise the pork until half done. Add half the chopped onions, one chopped garlic clove, chili powder, thyme, cayenne pepper and a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Continue to braise until the meat is well browned, stirring every few minutes to break up any lumps and combine with chicken. Add the tomato juice and catsup and simmer for 11/2 hours. Add the rest of the chopped onions, another chopped garlic clove and simmer for another 30 minutes. Taste for salt and spoon off the fat before serving.
MICANOPY COLE SLAW
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon finely grated onion
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 16 ounce bag of coleslaw mix plain cabbage or tri-color deli style
Instructions:
In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder, and celery seeds. Add the shredded cabbage and toss until well coated. Refrigerate for an hour before serving and up to 2 days. Toss again right before serving.
CEDARTOWN CORNBREAD
Ingredients:
1 cup Logan Turnpike Cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease and lightly flour an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and honey together until completely smooth and thick. Then, whisk in the egg until combined. Finally, whisk in the buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Avoid over-mixing.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center is cooked through. Use a toothpick to test. Edges should be crispy at this point. Allow to slightly cool before slicing and serving. Serve cornbread with butter.
Sir Verde’s Wine Suggestion: A Cru Beaujolais like Morgon goes well with Brunswick Stew. It doesn’t fight the spices and is refreshing.
Be happy. Bonne dégustation. Love one another.
