Before I met Charles, I did not have an outdoor grill, or a smoker for that matter. Life was very sad in that regard. Which meant getting a bit creative: indoor grill pans that invariably set off my smoke detector, and every now and then using a wee bit of liquid...
I can’t remember the first time I decided to make a pot roast. I think it had something to do with wanting to use my big old Le Creuset pot. What I do remember is getting this dish tossed into the oven, leaving the house for a few hours, and coming home to this...
This recipe plays homage to my Irish heritage. At least for me, there’s something incredibly comforting about bangers and mash. Maybe it’s the thought of ducking into a pub in Ireland on a cold and rainy day and ordering up a plate of these, or just the fact that any...
Mmmmmm . . . spaghetti. When I was a kid, I called it Ba-scetti. Don’t act like you nailed this one right out of the gate. The Italians call this stuff “sauce.” We spend at least one weekend a year canning tomatoes and tomato sauce (without the meat added at that...
If you should ever have the chance to go on a rabbit hunt, I highly recommend it. The exhilaration of waiting for them to run out in front of you is something you need to witness firsthand. My first rabbit hunt was on Gene Hartman’s farm in east Tennessee. It was an...
Many years ago, I shot my first deer on some family land of ours in Alabama. My 30/30 lever action Winchester was the weapon of choice, as it was a gift from my dad, who was with me on the hunt. I remember my heart thumping out of my chest, taking a big deep breath...
This is not a recipe you decide to make for dinner at lunchtime. It takes an investment of time. The good news is that most of the 20–24 hours this takes are not labor intensive. The recipe calls for 5–10 pounds of meat. If you’re toward the heavier end of that...
I’m reasonably sure that my dad could make a living cooking things. His tailored smoker has seen its fair share of cooking endeavors. For years the Mayfield-Fisher Fourth of July Hog Cookin’ was a must-attend for many of our friends. My earliest accounts of this party...
The slow cooker is a fantastic tool for the busy wanna-be chef. They come in really handy for soups, roasts, chops, shanks, and any other cut of meat that is best braised. Most slow cookers these days will automatically switch to a warm setting once they have finished...
There are four main reasons I asked Julie to marry me: her curry abilities, incredible good looks, extremely caring heart, and her passion for bringing happiness to others (these are in no particular order). Julie’s curry recipe was the first time I had ever tried...
