Barbecue Secrets

SHOW NOTES In this episode I talk about building an authentic Jamaican-style jerk pit for this year's Brewery and the Beast in Vancouver, where I joined my friends from Johnston's Pork to serve up 14 delicious jerked pork bellies. A the same event, ninja chef Rob Belcham of Campagnolo restaurant outdid himself by spit roasting a whole 250-lb. farmed sturgeon using three whole octopi stuffed with chorizo as basting brushes. At the end of the episode I talk about an experience my wife Kate and I had a Jamaican resort a few years ago. Spoiler alert: contains nudism and vodka.

Here's a link to the recipe I talked about for Greek-Style ribs. 

Hey barbecue fans. I hope you enjoy this edition of the show. Here's a link to the recipes I talk about. Like Barbecue Secrets on Facebook and follow me on twitter. And if you haven't found me yet on iTunes, come here.  Get grillin'! Ronnie 

  I'm back with a new podcast! For some reason unknown to me, in the last couple of weeks the number of Barbecue Secrets listeners has jumped from about 40 to over 600 a day. Not sure what's going on, but I figure if there's that much interest in the show I'd better start producing some new episodes. I hope you like this one, and I'm looking forward to making more. For all you CKNW listeners, here are your recipes for this week. Enjoy! Beach-Friendly Snacks As soon as we get unpacked and set up at a picnic table, we like to put out an array of simple but delish appetizers. Obvious choices are a nice variety of stinky cheeses, cold cuts, pate and crackers, olives, fresh pita and hummus, sliced long English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pickled herring and so on.  Grilled Fresh Smelt This works best with smelt that have just been caught, but you could thaw frozen smelt and do the same thing. If you’re squeamish you can gut and behead the fish before grilling but, in my opinion, why do all that fussing and make a mess when they taste great whole? Makes a great beach picnic appetizer for 4 8 or more fresh raw whole smelt Sea salt (Fleur de Sel or Malden Salt would work best, but Kosher Salt would also work fine)  Pre-heat a portable grill for medium-direct cooking (I prefer The Cobb or a Weber Smoky Joe, but you can also use a hibachi or portable gas grill). Wipe the smelt with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Sprinkle them with the sea salt and immediately place them on the cooking grate (the fresh coating of salt should help prevent them from sticking to the grate, but if you’re worried about stickage lightly drizzle them with oil before you put them on the grill). If your cooker has a lid, leave it off. Carefully tend the smelt, turning them regularly, until they are slightly charred and a have a light golden colour. Remove them from the grill and eat immediately while they still have a crisp crust. Eat them whole – I know it sounds gross, but the crunchy head is the best part when it’s fresh from the fire. Grilled Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce and Fresh Mango and Jalapeno Salsa Makes 4 servings I like to make my own Teryaki sauce (see recipe below) but the bottled variety is also very good. To keep things very simple, and still delish, you can substitute teriyaki sauce with good quality Japanese soy sauce. For the salmon: 4 8-10 oz | 250-300 g pieces of boneless wild salmon fillets, skin on 1 cup teriyaki sauce For the salsa: 1 ripe fresh mango, diced 1 jalapeno, diced Juice of 1 lime Kosher or sea salt to taste Prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients. Marinate the salmon pieces in the teriyaki sauce for no more than an hour. I like to bring a big Ziploc bag to the beach and marinate the salmon on the spot. If you soak them in the sauce too long they get too salty and it masks the delicious taste of the salmon. Prepare your portable grill for medium direct cooking. Place the salmon pieces, skin-side down, on the cooking grate and cover the grill. When the salmon is done (internal temp of about 130F or springy to the touch), remove it from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before serving with the mango salsa and the rice salad on the side.  Rice, Asparagus, and Cucumber Salad Makes 8 servings (so you’ll have enough for leftovers the next day) This is a slight adaptation of a recipe from a 1994 Bon Appétit magazine. The salad tastes like summer itself and it’s one of our go-to beach picnic standards. You cannot make it once without making it again and again. 1 3/4 cups | 425 mL water 1 cup | 250 mL long-grain white rice 1 pound | 500 g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch | 2.5 cm pieces 11/2 cups | 375 mL long English cucumber, chopped into 1/4-inch | 5 mm dice 1/2 cup | 125 mL chopped chives 2 Tbsp | 25 mL Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp | 15 mL honey 1 Tbsp | 15 mL white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp | 2 mL dry mustard 21/2 Tbsp | 40 mL vegetable oil 1/4 cup | 50 mL chopped fresh dill 1 tsp | 5 mL finely minced lemon zest kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste large, intact leaves of green leaf or butter lettuce dill sprigs, for garnish Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and return the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook it for about 20 minutes. Place the rice in a bowl, fluff it with a fork, and let it cool to room temperature.             Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes, just until it’s  bright green and still slightly crisp. Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain it and pat it dry. Add the asparagus, cucumber, and chives to the rice.             Combine the Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, and dry mustard in a small bowl. Gradually mix in the oil and then mix in the dill and lemon zest. Mix the dressing with the salad mixture. Season the salad with salt and pepper. Line a large bowl with lettuce and mound the salad in the bowl. Garnish it with sprigs of dill.  The Perfect Beach Picnic Dessert: Black and Blue Berries with Lime Zest Confit Makes 6–8 servings This one’s inspired by a dessert from celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who had “Blueberries with Lime Sugar” on the menu at Les Halles restaurant in New York. It’s great with just blueberries, but Kate decided it would benefit from the addition of blackberries. The combination works beautifully and kids love it, too. Don’t forget to drink the juice! For the lime zest confit: 2 limes 1 cup | 250 mL water 1/2 cup | 125 mL sugar For the berries: 3 Tbsp | 45 mL sugar 2 Tbsp | 25 mL lime juice 3/4 pint | 375 g fresh blueberries 3/4 pint | 375 g fresh blackberries 1/4 cup | 50 mL fresh mint, finely chopped mint sprigs for garnish 1/2 cup | 125 mL crème fraîche or sour cream or enough vanilla ice cream for 6–8 (optional) To make the confit, remove the peel from the limes with a paring knife, being sure not to include the white pith. Slice the peel into thin pieces. (It’s much easier to zest the limes if you use a zester, which is a wonderful tool for all kinds of reasons.)             Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the zest and reduce the heat so the mixture simmers. Loosely cover the pot and let the liquid cook until it has reduced by half. Remove it from the heat, cool it completely, and strain it (or not, if you aren’t averse to shreds of lime). You can store the confit in an airtight container and refrigerate it until you need it.             To finish the dish, combine the sugar with the lime juice in a large, presentable bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the berries and toss them well, coating all the berries with the mixture. Add the fresh mint and the lime zest confit and toss the berries well again. The mixture is even better after the flavors have had time to marry, so refrigerate the berries for an hour or more. Garnish them with more fresh mint and serve them with crème fraîche, sour cream, or vanilla ice cream, if you like. BONUS RECIPE: Complicated but Delicious Teriyaki Sauce Makes about 8 cups | 2 L This homemade teriyaki sauce, which I have slightly adapted from an old recipe by famed Vancouver chef Trevor Hooper, has dimensions of flavor that make the extra work more than worthwhile. It stores for several months in the fridge, and it’s great as a marinade for meat or seafood, as a sauce for stir-fries, or just drizzled on steamed rice. 11/2 cups | 375 mL sake 11/2 cups | 375 mL mirin 2 cups | 500 mL brown sugar 4 cups | 1 L Japanese soy sauce 1/2 cup | 125 mL tamari soy sauce 1 small onion, chopped 1 shallot, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 2-inch | 5 cm piece fresh ginger, chopped 1 orange, chopped, skin on 1 small pear, chopped 1 small leek, split, washed thoroughly and chopped Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a low boil. Cook it until it’s reduced by about 20 percent. Cool it, strain it into a large jar or bottle, and refrigerate it. It stores indefinitely in the refrigerator.  

Welcome to episode 19 of the Barbecue Secrets Podcast. It's the last episode of the season, and it's a doozie! If you're viewing this on the podcast blog, click on the little "pod" icon to the left of the episode title above to listen to the show. Hope you like it! SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE 19 It doesn't get much better than this, my friends. This show starts out with an interview with my friend Brian Misko of House of Q, a barbecue champion many times over and maker of a great line of barbecue sauces and rubs. Brian tells some great stories from the barbecue trail and shares some killer techniques. Next up is a return visit from Meathead, the man behind the amazing website www.amazingribs.com. Meathead, who knows the art and science of outdoor cooking like no one else, has some fun busting another barbecue myth. Finally, I get to do a deep dive into the world of Kentucky Barbecue with Wes Berry, author of The Kentucky Barbecue Book. Wes is a university English prof who went on a journey of discovery through his great state. In the process he gained some insights into the history of barbecue in America and traced back the roots of a traditional Moore County dish, pork blade steak with a crazy "sop." He shares the recipe for that dish, along with another tasty sauce and something called cornbread salad. You can find the recipes in yesterday's blog post.   I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Back in May, with the help of producer/editor Darcy Reynolds, I relaunched this podcast with a vision of creating an entertaining, informative show about outdoor cooking with professional-quality sound. I wanted to showcase longer interviews with fellow barbecue fanatics and give listeners a richness and depth about the smoky world of barbecue that's hard to find anywhere else on the internet. Kind of a cross between a radio show and an audio book. Something that you can listen to in the car, or while doing chores or working out, or while you're getting ready to cook up some barbecue.  Did I succeed? I need your feedback to help me get ready for next season. Write me at rockinronnie@ronshewchuk.com, tweet me @rockinronnie, or post something on the Barbecue Secrets Facebook page. Let me know what you liked best about this season, and what I can do to improve the show. Tell me if there's anyone you'd like me to interview. And, if you know any potential sponsors, please connect me with them -- I'd love to start next season with a couple of marquee sponsors.  Thanks for listening! I'll try to post at least a couple of new shows over the winter. In the meantime, keep on making that beautiful blue smoke! OTHER WAYS TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW You can subscribe to the Barbecue Secrets Podcast for free on iTunes here.  You can also get a handy Android app to hear the latest show and dive into the back catalogue for only $3.99. You can get the app by visiting this link on your Android phone to the Amazon Appstore. Once you're there, search for Barbecue Secrets, pay using your Amazon account, and you're good to go!  

Welcome to episode 18 of the Barbecue Secrets Podcast! Click on the little "pod" icon to the left of the episode title above to listen to the show. You can subscribe to it for free on iTunes here. You can also get a handy Android app to hear the latest show and dive into the back catalogue for only $3.99. Find out how at the end of this post! SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE 18 In this episode I sift through the ashes of my team's spotty performance at the Canadian National BBQ Championships in Whistler, B.C. At some point I guess I'm going to have to start referring to myself as a former barbecue champion.  Although they can't ever take all those cheap plastic trophies away from me.  After a bit of post-Whistler soul-searching interspersed with some audio snippets from the contest, it's time to share my conversation with the Godfather of Zin, Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood Winery and California wine legend. Joel and I have done a couple of wine/food events together and he is one of the best storytellers I've ever met. I'm delighted that he agreed to tell my favorite from his youth -- a hilarious wine-making near-disaster that never fails to generate side-splitting laughter. Joel and I were written up in the local Whistler paper, The Pique. Check it out.  For this week's recipe, I'm sharing our team's Championship Barbecue Chicken, which, with a few tweaks from chicken master Vince Gogolek, saved our dignity with a third place finish. Oh. One more thing. Here's a pic of the giant tomahawk rib roast I mentioned in the podcast. It placed fourth in the chef's choice category, but it was number one in my books as a piece of over-the-top barbecue theatre.  I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Write me at rockinronnie at ronshewchuk.com, tweet me @rockinronnie, or post something on the Barbecue Secrets Facebook page. Hey, if I get enough good questions, maybe I'll do a special Q&A edition of the show! Get the Barbecue Secrets Android App! You'll need the free Amazon Appstore app, which you can get by visiting this link on your Android phone. From the Amazon Appstore, search for Barbecue Secrets, pay using your Amazon account, and you're good to go!  

Welcome to episode 17 of the Barbecue Secrets Podcast! Click on the icon to the left of the episode title above to listen to the show. You can subscribe to it for free on iTunes here. You can also get a handy Android app to hear the latest show and dive into the back catalogue for only $3.99. You'll need the free Amazon Appstore app, which you can get by visiting this link on your Android phone. From the Amazon Appstore, search for Barbecue Secrets, pay using your Amazon account, and you're good to go! SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE 17 This show features a conversation with another barbecue icon, the wonderful, wise and funny Karen Adler, who has written some fabulous cookbooks, many of them in collaboration with her friend and fellow Barbecue Queen Judith Fertig. Their latest is The Gardener and the Grill: The Bounty of the Garden Meets the Sizzle of the Grill.  In the show I asked Karen to name some of her favorite cookbooks. She recommends: Michael Chiarella's Live Fire America's Best BBQ Homestyle: What the Champions Cook in Their Own Back Yards, by Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk Smoking Meat: The Essential Guide to Real Barbecue, by Jeff Phillips, and Championship Barbecue Secrets for Real Smoked Food by Karen Putman and Judith Fertig.  You can get all these books online through the usual sources, but I recommend that you buy them directly from Karen's book distribution business, Pig Out Publications.  I also asked Karen to share a couple of her favourite recipes for the grill, which I posted on the blog last week. I encourage you to give them a try! I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Write me at rockinronnie at ronshewchuk.com, tweet me @rockinronnie, or post something on the Barbecue Secrets Facebook page.   

Welcome to episode 16 of Barbecue Secrets! Click here to listen to the show, or subscribe to it on iTunes here. SHOW NOTES In the first segment I talk about brisket. Here's a link to my brisket recipe (along with a bonus lamb dish). The second segment of the show features highlights of my trip to Central Texas a few years ago that includes behind-the-scenes visits to Smitty's Market and Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Que in Lockhart, Texas and Southside Market in nearby Elgin. I made a short YouTube video about my adventure that you can watch here.  I saved the best for last. Legendary pitmaster Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. Find Chris on Twitter @chrislillybbq, follow him on Facebook and buy his Big Bob Gibson BBQ Book. It's one of the best you'll ever see, full of great tips, stories and recipes.  I'd love to hear from you -- write me at rockinronnie at ronshewchuk.com, tweet me @rockinronnie, or post something on the Barbecue Secrets Facebook page. You can listen to this episode by clicking on the icon next to the title of this blog post, but one of the easiest and best ways to listen to the show is to subscribe to it through the iTunes store. The latest show will automatically download to your Mac, PC or iPhone. It's convenient, and it's free. Find Barbecue Secrets on iTunes here.   

Hey barbecue fans, welcome to edition #15 of the show!  I'd love to hear from you -- write me at rockinronnie at ronshewchuk.com, tweet me @rockinronnie, or post something on the Barbecue Secrets Facebook page. You can listen to this episode by clicking on the icon next to the title of this blog post, but one of the easiest and best ways to listen to the show is to subscribe to it through the iTunes store. The latest show will automatically download to your Mac, PC or iPhone. It's convenient, and it's free. Find Barbecue Secrets on iTunes here.  SHOW NOTES This week's show features a call with Peter Kapler, Executive Director of Meal Exchange, to find out about Canada's National BBQ Day, plus interviews with two old friends, Gary Johnstone of Johnstone's Barbecues and Parts and Denzel Sandberg, my partner-in-sauce and owner of Denzel's Gourmet Foods.  RECIPES OF THE WEEK - Planked Salmon Two Ways MORE LINKS Here's the official announcement of our new Canadian Maple flavour of Ronnie & Denzel's NATURAL CHAMPIONS BBQ Sauce. My cookbook Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! is available at fine bookstores and online through sites like chapters.ca and amazon.com. It's also available as an e-book from places like iTunes and kobobooks.com.  For more about me, visit www.ronshewchuk.com.    

Hey barbecue fans, welcome to the latest edition of the podcast! You can listen to this episode by clicking on the icon next to the title of this blog post, but one of the easiest and best ways to listen to the show is to subscribe to it through the iTunes store. The latest show will automatically download to your Mac, PC or iPhone. It's convenient, and it's free. Find Barbecue Secrets on iTunes here.  SHOW NOTES This week's show features talks with two legendary figures -- guitarist and blues icon Amos Garrett and fishmonger extraordinare Kosta Zogaris.  Please write me at ron@ronshewchuk.com with any questions or comments. I'd love to here from you! RECIPE OF THE WEEK Kosta’s Grilled Halibut Prepare your grill for direct medium heat. Make sure to scrape the grill before you put the halibut on.  A nice piece of boneless, skinless halibut Kosher salt or sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Olive oil Dried oregano leaves Lemon Season the halibut with salt and pepper and drizzle a little oil on each side. Just before you’re ready to cook, put some oil on a scrunched up paper towel and oil the cooking grates (be careful not to burn yourself). Place the halibut on the grill. As you put it on, use your tongs to move it back and forth along the cooking grate for the first few seconds to help avoid sticking. Turn it after just one or two minutes and close the grill. The halibut is done when it’s firm to the touch, or it reads 130F at its thickest part. Remove the halibut from the grill, let it rest for a couple of minutes and finish it with a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of oregano and a drizzle of oil.  Serve it garnished with a lemon wedge with some rice and grilled veggies. LINKS You can find Amos Garrett's home page here, and there's a great listing on Wikipedia, too. For more about Kosta, including links to lots of great seafood recipes, go here.  My cookbook Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! is available at fine bookstores and online through sites like chapters.indigo.ca and amazon.ca in Canada, and Amazon.com. It's also available as an e-book from places like iTunes and kobobooks.com. For more about me, visit www.ronshewchuk.com.    

Before I get into this week's podcast, I want to make sure you know about one of the best ways to listen to the show. Subscribe to it through the iTunes store and it will automatically download to your Mac, PC or iPhone. It's convenient, and it's free. Find Barbecue Secrets on iTunes here.  SHOW NOTES This week's show is a doozy. I have a long, boozy, smoky talk with Eric Lorenz of Lorenz Agave Spirits, along with another busted barbecue myth from Meathead Goldwyn of amazingribs.com.  Please write me at ron@ronshewchuk.com with any questions or comments. I'd love to here from you! RECIPE OF THE WEEK Oaxacan Daisy (Courtesy of Eric Lorenz) 1.5 oz Sombra Mezcal 1 oz. Cointreau .75 oz. Meyer Lemon juice Shake in iced cocktail shaker, then strain into coupe glass. Garnish with Meyer Lemon peel. Super easy but surprisingly delicious! BOOK OF THE WEEK This week I want to pay tribute to uberchef Rick Bayless for helping bring the flavours of Mexico to the North American home kitchen. Get his book, Mexican Everyday. Quick, easy recipes that make great-tasting meals -- many of which go well with mezcal! LINKS More information about all the delicious mezcals Eric Lorenz and I tasted can be found on the products page of Lorenze Agave Spirits.  You can find Meathead Goldwyn at amazingribs.com, on twitter @ribguy, and like him on Facebook. My cookbook Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! is available at fine bookstores and online through sites like chapters.indigo.ca and amazon.ca in Canada, and Amazon.com. It's also available as an e-book from places like iTunes and kobobooks.com. For more about me, visit www.ronshewchuk.com.    

When I launched this podcast back in 2006, I had some superb guests. I thought it would be fun to re-connect with some of them and find out how they've been up to. It was great fun to get caught up with Jackie Weight, the first and only non-American, and the first woman, to win the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue, way back in 2004. Jackie recounts the story of the contest that changed her life and talks about the evolution of Southern-Style Barbecue in the UK. I also touched based with Meathead Goldwyn, the founder of amazingribs.com. When I first talked with Meathead he had just launched the site, which has grown over the years to become the most popular barbecue destination on the internet. Meathead is a true barbecue geek. Maybe he's the king of all barbecue geeks. Obsessed with the science of outdoor cooking, he's assumed the role of a kind of barbecue iconoclast -- think of a cross between Alton Brown and Discovery Channel's Mythbusters. He's sharp, he's funny, and he's opinionated to say the least. Meathead is going to be a regular guest on the show, busting a new myth with each appearance. In this episode he deconstructs one of the most famous grilling techniques, Beer Can Chicken. LINKS Recipes of the week: Southwestern Style Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich and Tuscan Grilled Game Hens. Cookbook of the week: On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee. Jackie Weight is on twitter @MadCowsBBQ and you can find her company on the web at bbqconsultant.co.uk. You can find Meathead at amazingribs.com, on twitter @ribguy, and like him on Facebook. The recipes above are from Barbecue Secrets DELUXE!, which is available at fine bookstores and online through sites like chapters.indigo.ca and amazon.ca in Canada, and Amazon.com. It's also available as an e-book from places like iTunes and kobobooks.com. For more about me, visit www.ronshewchuk.com.  Photo copyright John Sinal Photography. Used with permission. All rights reserved.    

I'm BAAAACK! After a multi-year hiatus, the Barbecue Secrets Podast returns, better than ever. In this episode I connect with tech and barbecue geek Richard Campbell, who shares his recipe for Spanish-style Paella on the Grill and recounts his experience of regional barbecue in Romania, and I have an in-depth conversation with one of the leading lights in Canadian barbecue, Angie Quaale.  Here's a link to more about Richard, and here's the recipe for Paella on the Grill.  Here's more about Angie Quaale. If you'd like to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, click here.  You can buy my book, Barbecue Secrets DELUXE!, as an e-book or an old-school paper book in Canada at Indigo, and elsewhere on the net at places like amazon.com. One last thing -- send me your questions, comments and suggestions to rockinronnie@ronshewchuk.com, or post them on the Barbecue Secrets Facebook page and I'll respond in future editions of this podcast.  Hope you like it! Ronnie   One more thin

It's been almost a year since I went on a barbecue pilgrimage to Lockhart, Texas, home of the world's first barbecue joint. I've got lots more video, but I just had to get something up here to whet everyone's appetite and help offset the Canadian winter blues.

In this second teaser for Barbecue Academy at the Banff Springs, I show you a great technique I've been working on -- sliders on the grill. It's a great way to feed a bunch of teenagers with minimum fuss!

This is the first in a series of video vignettes about a trip my friend Rocco Ciancio and I took to the Northwest Territories this spring. I'm sharing it in conjunction with a travel piece that Rocco and I wrote for the Globe and Mail, which was published today.

Hey Barbecue Fans. I'm teaming up with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts to put on a weekend getaway with a barbecue theme. Check out this video invitation!

On August 11th I had a great time on the Christy Clark Show. In this episode I serve Christy the first-place winner in the Backyard Burger event of this year's Canadian National BBQ Championships in Whistler, B.C., my Beef Burger With Chile Butter Core. I also answer a bunch of great listener questions.

Just before Father's Day, my friend Gary Johnstone, owner of Johnstone's BBQs and Parts, and I talk about grills and accessories on Vancouver-based chat show Urban Rush. The cool charcoal cooker at the beginning of the segment is a Cobb cooker, my favorite portable charcoal grill/barbecue.

My friends Gary Johnstone of Johnstone's BBQs and Parts and Angie Quaale, organizer of BBQ on the Bypass, join me on a season-opening barbecue panel talking about outdoor cooking with broadcasting icon Terry David Mulligan, on his food and wine show, The Tasting Room.

Had a nice visit with Vancouver CKNW radio talk show host Christy Clarke and had a chance to take some great listener questions.

Hey barbecue fans! Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! is now on bookstands across Canada and I've begun the big cross-Canada media tour. My first TV appearance was May 2, when I visited Global TV B.C.'s Saturday Morning News program. Had a smoky and delicious time with anchor Sophie Lui, sports anchor/reporter Jay Janower and weekend meteorologist Kristi Gordon. On the program I took the opportunity to announce the big Barbecue Secrets DELUXE1 BBQ Tweet Contest, and I got an instant response. Here are some of the first tweets that rolled in:graemeb3@rockinronnie The easiest and most delicious BBQ salmon recipe: salmon covered in mild salsa placed on tinfoil. Great when camping too!walkingpoles@rockinronnie Thank you for the Awesome demonstration on the News this morning. Nothing like a good BBQ. Don Marshalldougflet@rockinronnie fav bbq appie: blanched asparagus with red pepper strips wrapped in prosciutto and grilled with maple bbq sauce.dougflet@rockinronnie What an awesome concept--using social networking to build your business. Very impressive! Good luck with it.carib1028@rockinronnie/saute onions, shitake/load on thin patty w/ cheese/top w/ thin patty/seal/grill w/ R&Ds BBQ sauce/serve on toasted bun/ooz'nerlewilliams@rockinronnie Grilled Squid 1lb squid .5c evo 6 garlic, minced 2 tbsp parsley, minced Juice of 1 lemon .5c mustard .5 tsp S&Pwendylangridge@rockinronnie side dish of mushrooms, foil them with chunky onions, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce.SusanMain@rockinronnie I am a big fan of the BBQ! My friends and fam have been @ my house many times. Still use charcoal - not propanewendymcleod10@rockinronnie I do my burgers with Gorganzola stuffed inside, instead of your herb butter, love BBQing, the man does not touch the BBQCortneyLessard@rockinronnie just saw you on the news, def making those ribs for the canucks game tonight!  GiseleLaRose@rockinronnie Hi Ronnie! My secret weapon in my homemade bbq sauce or hamburgers is sesame oil and cumin. Sooo good, you have to try it!8chocolate@rockinronnie When cooking fish on barbq, wrap seasoned fillets in cabbage leaves. Protects fish, keeps juices in and can eat the cabbage 2YVRBcbudz@rockinronnie I had real BBQ from a southern grandma the day the LA riots started and it was a coming together of races over pulled porkmrkeithk@rockinronnie try marinating in Tequila, lime and chili poweder for some Mexican flavorcodias@rockinronnie Mediterranean Burger w/ cucumber, red onion, feta cheese (in core of burger), diced green+yellow pepper, tomato+sliced olivesPlease feel free to join in the fun and tweet your own tip, recipe or story, or just post a comment (140 characters or less) as a comment on this blog post.

Here's the third installment of my interview with communications guru Steve Crescenzo.

Here's part two of my interview with old pal Steve Crescenzo (seen pictured on the right, with me and team mate Tom Masterson at the Nationals in Whistler in 2004). In this episode, entitled: Are You a Chicken or a Pork Butt, I get to the main courses of my barbecue-as-a-metaphor-for-communication theory.

In addition to my life as a barbecue fanatic, I am also a communication consultant. I have been working for years trying to find a way to put these two parts of my life together in perfect balance, and I'm coming close. This interview with me, in a recent podcast by my friend, communication guru Steve Crescenzo, has me talking about what barbecue can teach us about how to improve communication in the workplace. It's the first of three segments. Hope you enjoy it!

I recently had the pleasure of being part of a barbecue panel on Terry David Mulligan's new radio show, The Tasting Room, along with my fellow barbecue competitors Adam Protter (www.bigsmoke.ca) and Justin Kyllo (www.smokeandbones.ca). I've turned our segment into an episode of the Barbecue Secrets podcast.

Hey, barbecue fans. Welcome to another Barbecue Secrets video podcast.  This spring I was a guest on Vancouver's Global Morning News demonstrating plank cooking recipes from my new book, Planking Secrets. With the kind help of Sharron Bates of Global I'm re-broadcasting them on this podcast, and I'm posting the recipes from each show here on the podcast blog. This is the second of five segments.Planked Pork Loin Roast with Whisky-Apricot Glaze (From Planking Secrets)Serves 4 to 6In this recipe the aromatic, spicy, mildly astringent flavor of the cedar smoke nicely complements the sweetness and richness of the pork. The trick with plank-cooking a roast this big is to get the plank smoldering on a high or medium-high heat, and then turn it down to medium as soon as you get the meat on. Serve slices of the pork with roasted vegetables on the side and, if you like, some Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.1 cedar cooking plank, soaked overnight or at least 1 hourone 14-oz./398 mL can apricot halves in light syrup1/4 cup/50 mL Dijon mustard1/4 cup/50 mL Jack Daniel's whisky1/4 cup/50 mL brown sugar1/4 cup/50 mL apricot jampinch cayenne pepperone 3-lb./1.5-kg pork loin roast with a 1/8-inch/3-mm fat capkosher salt and freshly ground black peppersprigs fresh parsley and thyme for garnishOpen the can of apricots and drain the syrup into a medium-sized saucepan, reserving the fruit. Add the mustard, Jack Daniel's, brown sugar, apricot jam, and cayenne to the syrup. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring to melt the sugar and the jam. When it looks like a smooth, fairly thick sauce (about 5 minutes), take it off the heat and set it in a bowl of ice cubes to cool. Lightly score the fat cap of the pork loin in a diamond pattern. Season it with salt and pepper, and set the meat on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spoon half of the mustard-whisky mixture over the loin and pat it all over to coat. Wrap the foil around the meat, sealing it as best you can. Place the wrapped loin in the meat drawer of your fridge. Let it sit for a couple of hours at least, but overnight if possible. Combine the remaining half of the sauce with the reserved apricot halves, cover and refrigerate. Preheat the grill on medium-high for 5 or 10 minutes or until the chamber temperature rises above 500°C. Rinse the plank and place it on the cooking grate. Cover the grill and heat the plank for 4 or 5 minutes, or until it's starting to throw off a bit of smoke and crackling lightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Place the marinated pork loin on the plank fat side up. Cover the grill and cook for 1 hour, checking periodically for flare-ups. At the one-hour mark, take the reserved apricots out of the sauce mixture and place them on the plank next to the roast. Baste the roast with some of the sauce and cook for about another 10 or 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 140°C.  Take off the roast and lightly tent it in foil. Transfer the apricot halves to a cutting board and coarsely chop them. Warm the remaining sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave and add the chopped apricots. Let the roast rest for at least 15 minutes (while it's resting, roast some vegetables on the grill). Carve the roast into 1/2-inch/1-cm slices and serve on warmed plates with a spoonful of the apricots and sauce. Garnish with sprigs of parsley and thyme.Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Planking Secrets: How to Grill with Wooden Planks for Unbeatable Barbecue Flavor, and Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.

[Sorry if you had trouble viewing this podcast. I initially posted the wrong media file, and also, I think libsyn doesn't support video on its player in the right hand column of this blog. So, here's a link directly to the podcast download.]In this edition I follow pitmaster Adam Protter of Big Smoke Mountain Barbecue in Whistler, B.C. as he prepares, cooks and serves a whole hog at a special event at Dusty's Bar & Barbecue, home of the Canadian National Barbecue Championships. VIEWER ADVISORY: This podcast contains graphic scenes of raw hog preparation and is not for the squeamish.Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Planking Secrets: How to Grill with Wooden Planks for Unbeatable Barbecue Flavor, and Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and tasty barbecue recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.

Hey, barbecue fans! Welcome to the first Barbecue Secrets video podast. A couple of weeks ago I was a guest on Vancouver's Global Morning News demonstrating plank cooking recipes from my new book, Planking Secrets. With the kind help of Sharron Bates of Global I'm re-broadcasting them on this podcast, and I'm posting the recipes from each show here on the podcast blog. This is the first of five segments.Fred's Citrus Salmon with Sesame MayoServes 6 to 8Brian Misko is an enthusiastic barbecuer who recently took the plunge and started up a barbecue team, House of Q. Brian passed on this recipe, which he has cooked time and again for his family. "It was originally crafted after salmon fishing in Tofino with my in-laws," he says.  "I had never been fishing on the open ocean before, nor had Fred Kraus, my father-in-law.  Nonetheless, a nice side of salmon was decorated for the grill with whatever we had in the cabin." And they've cooked it that way ever since. "Serve with a wonderful fruity white wine and a salad and you have a nice west coast meal," says Brian. 1 alder or cedar cooking plank, soaked overnight or at least 1 hour1 orange1 lime1 lemon1 tsp./5 mL grated zest from the three fruits (optional)2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pushed through a press1/4 to 1/2 cup/50 to 125 mL olive oilkosher salt and freshly ground black pepper1 whole, boned fillet wild Pacific salmon (about 3 lb./1.5 kg), skin on Squeeze the juice from the three fruits into a nonreactive dish like a lasagna pan. Reserve a few slices for garnish. Don't worry about pulp or seeds in the marinade - it all adds flavor.  Add the zest, if desired, and the garlic and oil.  The volume of oil depends on how big your piece of salmon is. A larger one will take a bit more oil. Whisk all the ingredients together and pour over the salmon.  Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour at room temperature.Preheat the grill on medium-high for 5 or 10 minutes or until the chamber temperature rises above 500°F/260°C. Rinse the plank and place it on the cooking grate. Cover the grill and heat the plank for 4 or 5 minutes, or until it's starting to throw off a bit of smoke and crackling lightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Remove the salmon from the marinade and season it with salt and pepper. Place it on the plank and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fish has an internal temperature of 135°F/57°C. Halfway through the cooking time, spoon some of the marinade on top of the fish. When the salmon is done, serve it on the plank garnished with extra citrus slices.Sesame MayoThis is the perfect dip for roasted veggies, and it's also great tossed with rice noodles for a cool, creamy side to grilled Asian-flavored meats. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for extra texture.1 cup/250 mL mayonnaise1 tsp./5 mL toasted sesame oil1/2 tsp./2 mL soy sauce (or to taste)1 tsp./5 mL Chinese chili sauce or spicy Szechuan chili oil (or to taste)1 tsp./5 mL grated or finely chopped fresh lemon, lime or orange rind1 to 2 Tbsp./25 mL toasted sesame seeds (to taste)Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Use immediately or refrigerate. If you're using store bought mayo, it will keep for a week in the fridge.Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Planking Secrets: How to Grill with Wooden Planks for Unbeatable Barbecue Flavor, and Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.

Welcome to the fifth edition of the Barbecue Secrets podcast, a show celebrating the many pleasures of outdoor cooking. E-mail questions, tips and suggestions to barbecuesecrets@ronshewchuk.com. In this edition: 2:20 An interview with World Barbecue Organizer Rocky Danner who talks about how the people of the West Indies used empty U.S. Army oil drums to make the precursor of the modern back yard grill (the photo at the top of this post is an authentic Jamaican barbecue grill made from an oil drum) 12:41 Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn of amazingribs.com and I answer a couple of questions about ribs from listener Craig Jolly one about marinades and rubs, and another about the infamous "Texas crutch" 33:24 Competition Corner -- Jeff of Light My Fire BBQ asks about the merits of wood pellets and Glenn Erho of House of Q wonders if there's a better way to clean the cooking grates of his Smokey Mountain Cooker. Links Rocky Danner is a reporter for the National Barbecue News Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn is the creator of www.amazingribs.com and he has a special section on marinades at http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/marinades.html For more information about hardwood pellets, visit Traeger Industries' Web site at http://www.traegerindustries.com/tips6index.htmThere's a section of The Virtrual Weber Bullet, a Web site for afficionados of the famous Smokey Mountain Cooker, where they talk about cleaning the cooking grates of the Bullet. http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cleanup.html Podcast #5  Recipe: Marinade for Pork Since Craig and I talked about marinades, here's one of my favorites: Pork tastes great no matter how you prepare them, but this sweet, aromatic marinade nicely offsets the richness of pork and gives it an exotic edge. You can use this for ribs, chops or tenderloins. 1/4 cup/50 mL soy sauce2 Tbsp./25 mL dry sherry2 Tbsp./25 mL honey2 Tbsp./25 mL brown sugar1 tsp./5 mL salt1/2 tsp./2 mL crushed anise seed1/2 tsp./2 mL  ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp./1/2 mL ground cloves1 Tbsp./15 mL grated fresh ginger Combine ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved.  Cool before marinating meat in a sealable bag for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge if you want a stronger flavour. Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Planking Secrets: How to Grill with Wooden Planks for Unbeatable Barbecue Flavor, and Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Barbecue Secrets podcast, a show celebrating the many pleasures of outdoor cooking. E-mail questions, tips and suggestions to rockinronnie@ronshewchuk.com. In this edition: 2:45 An interview with Barbecue Queen Karen Adler 18:03 Talking with Johan Olsen of Cobb Canada about a great charcoal-fueled portable cooker, the Cobb 30:46 Competition Corner -- Tequilas at dawn Links Visit the Barbecue Queens' website. Find more info about the Cobb in Canada, or internationally. Podcast #4 Guest Recipe This divinely delicious recipe for grilling flak steak is reprinted with permission from The BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig (Harvard Common Press, 2005) Grilled Flank, Skirt, Hangar, or Other Thin Steak The whole steak scene had gotten a bit ho-hum. Very predictable. You knew what cuts were available: rib-eye, strip, sirloin, flank. You knew what to do with them. And then, all of a sudden, things changed. There were new cuts and names, such as beef bavette and skirt, hangar, flat iron, patio, and charcoal steak. Whassup? (as a hip-hop queen might ask). The change is partly a result of consumer interest in ethnic foods, hence the loose-grained skirt steak (the diaphragm muscle on a steer and the first choice for making great fajitas) and the beef bavette (cut from the flank for the French bistro steak and frites combo). Both can be hard to find at the grocery store but are readily available at butcher shops and from online vendors such as Niman Ranch. In addition, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, based in Colorado, has championed new �moderately priced� options such as the flat iron steak, cut from the beef chuck, and the western griller, cut from the bottom round. Cube steak, a.k.a. minute steak, has been around for a while. It is cut from the round and cubed twice to tenderize this tasty but tough piece of meat and make it great for grilling (a minute per side, not surprisingly). The hangar steak comes from the flank and is actually a thick muscle. It is much tougher than flank steak but is a bistro favorite and is also referred to as onglet. All of these steaks have a chewy texture but great beef flavor. You need to tenderize them either by marinating them for at least an hour (preferably eight hours) or pounding them with a meat tenderizer or mallet. Then you grill them over a hot fire to medium-rare. The final crucial step is slicing them properly to serve. Before you marinate a steak, locate the direction of the grain in the meat, which is easy to do. The grain consists of the lines of muscle fiber, which usually go in one direction. File that information away, grill your steak, and cut the meat against the grain, on the diagonal, holding your knife at a 45-degree angle (so it's slanted, not straight up and down). Perfecto! For the marinade, we suggest Garlic-Citrus Marinade and the Smoked Garlic Cilnatro Cream Sauce is an excellent serving sauce. They follow below. Serves 4 1 1/2 pounds beef bavette or flank, skirt, hangar, flat iron, or western griller steak 1. Place the marinade and steak in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. 2. Prepare a hot fire in a grill. 3. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then cut against the grain, on the diagonal and at a 45-degree angle, into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Serve warm. Garlic-Citrus Marinade This is a delicious way to marinate skirt, sirloin, or flank steak, but it's also good with chicken, pork, lamb, fish, or vegetables. Guess we like this with everything! Makes about 3/4 cup 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (4 to 5 limes) 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (1 to 2 oranges) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano Place all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake to blend. This marinade will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Smoked Garlic and Cilantro Cream Sauce Delicious served with grilled or smoked meats. If you don't want to use smoked garlic, substitute two minced garlic cloves for a sharper but still delicious flavor. Makes about 2 1/2 cups 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt 6 cloves garlic, smoked (see page 000) and peeled 1. In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth. 2. Transfer the puree to a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the sauce begins to bubble. Serve immediately. Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.

Welcome to the third edition of the Barbecue Secrets podcast, a 29:15 minute show celebrating the many pleasures of outdoor cooking. In this edition: 2:07 An interview with Jackie Weight of Mad Cows Barbecue (22:49) Answers to listener questions about warm-up time for your grill, (24:48) BARBECUE SECRET OF THE WEEK: how to avoid food sticking to the grill and (26:09) when to use granulated garlic (22:49) (27:00) Competition Secret of the week: one word: plenitude! Photo courtesy Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn. Links: Jackie and Rick Weight's website, visit www.americanbbq.co.uk. Also, please drop in and post a message at www.bbqforum.co.uk. This week's recipe: Stuffed Tenderloin of Pork Ingredients: 1 whole pork tenderloin (weighing around 1-11/2 lbs) 1 small red onion - finely chopped 5 oz. mushrooms - finely chopped 1 oz. butter or olive oil Pinch of dried sage Pinch of dried thyme 4 oz fresh breadcrumbs Grated rind of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1oz toasted pine nut kernels 4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 6 cardamom pods (seeds only - finely ground) 3 teaspoons of sweet chilli sauce (more if you like it hot) 4 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) 4 oz dried apricots - very finely chopped Fresh Spinach Black Pudding / Blood Sausage Butter for brushing the meat Bacon Fry the onion and mushrooms in olive oil or butter until tender, transfer to a bowl and add the sage, thyme, breadcrumbs, lemon rind, lemon juice, pine nut kernels, parsley, cardamom, coriander and chilli sauce; mix well, season to taste. Take the pork tenderloin and butterfly it (split lengthways). Place a piece of cling wrap underneath it and one on top and beat it out to a thin square. Remove the top piece of cling wrap, brush meat with butter and lay spinach leaves (remove any tough stalks from the spinach leaves) so that the whole meat surface area is covered. Take the filling mix and spread it over the spinach - use your fingers to get an even covering. Now take the black pudding / blood sausage, remove casing and cut in half lengthways, mould the finely chopped dried apricots to form it into a full sausage shape again and place along the length of the meat / stuffing area. Using the remaining piece of cling wrap to help you, roll the whole thing up (similar to a Swiss roll or roulade). Dispose of cling wrap. Once rolled, wrap the bacon around the whole piece of meat in a spiral so that you have completely covered the meat. Roll up with a fresh piece of cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook (best to leave this for at least 1 hour to allow the flavours to infuse). Cook in a roasting pan, over indirect heat on a barbecue, or in the oven at 350F for approximately 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted into the centre reads 170F. Deglaze the roasting pan with a little white wine and add 1 oz of butter to make a sauce if desired. Allow meat to rest for at least 15 minutes and serve cut into approx 3/4 inch slices. Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com and e-mail questions, tips and suggestions to rockinronnie@ronshewchuk.com.

Welcome to the second edition of the Barbecue Secrets podcast, a show celebrating the many pleasures of outdoor cooking. In this edition: 2:26 An interview with Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn of amazingribs.com Answers to listener questions about ribs (7:18) and rubs (12:37) 15:36 Barbecue Secret of the week: raise that table! Show notes: Guest interview: Craig Goldwyn, rib afficionado. For information about Craig, including lots of tips and recipes, visit www.amazingribs.com. Craig also posted a special page for us with instructions on how to cook the greatest ribs ever, www.amazingribs.com/recipes/greatest_ribs_ever.html. Listener questions: Gary Tobin's wants to know why his ribs turned black, and Jeff of Light My Fire BBQ has a question and a great tip. This week's recipe: Classic Barbecue Rub (a.k.a. Bob's Rub) (from Barbecue Secrets, Whitecap Books) Makes about three cups (750 mL) We call this Bob's Rub, and it's what we use in competition. Bob Lyon, the granddaddy of barbecue in the Pacific Northwest, shared this at a barbecue workshop that first introduced me to the joys of real barbecue and prompted me to become a barbecue competitor. It follows a rule of thumb that's worth remembering: a third, a third, a third. Which means one-third sugar, one-third seasoned salts, and one-third dry herbs and spices. Ingredients: 1 cup white granulated sugar 1/4 cup celery salt 1/4 cup garlic salt 1/4 cup onion salt 1/4 cup seasoning salt (I like Lourey's) 1/3 cup chili powder (Use a commercial blend, or if you want an edge, try a combo of real ground chiles like ancho, poblano, New Mexico or guahilla.) 1/3 cup black pepper 1/3 cup paprika To this basic rub add as much heat as you want using cayenne pepper, hot paprika or ground chipotles. Then add two or three signature spices to suit whatever you're cooking or your personal taste, like powdered thyme, oregano, cumin, sage, powdered ginger, etc. Add only 1 - 3 tsp. of each signature seasoning so as not to overpower the rub. Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.

Welcome to the first edition of the Barbecue Secrets podcast, a show celebrating the many pleasures of outdoor cooking. In this edition: The time for a barbecue podcast is NOW: The Barbecue Secrets manifesto. Nanook of the pork: the joys of winter grilling Our first listener question: to close the grill, or not? Barbecue Secret of the week: turn it down! And a great winter grilling recipe: Pork and Apple Kebabs Show notes: Guest interview: Ross Mikkelsen, owner of Barbecues Galore in Canada. For information about products and locations visit www.barbecuesgalore.ca. Listener question: Shel Holtz, co-host of For Immediate Release, a twice-weekly podcast about communication and technology - www.forimmediaterelease.biz. This week's recipe: Pork and Apple Kebabs (from Barbecue Secrets, Whitecap Books) Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 to 6 as a main course. This is a great winter grilling dish. Use the tangiest, firmest apples you can find. (I like Granny Smiths.) Serve as an appetizer, or with grill-roasted winter vegetables and mashed potatoes as a main course. To marinate the pork: 2 lb. (1 kg) boneless pork loin, cut into bite-sized chunks 1 tsp. granulated onion (or onion powder) 1 clove garlic, forced through a garlic press 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary 1 tsp. dried rosemary 1/2 tsp. allspice 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg pinch cayenne pinch clove 1/4 cup cider vinegar For the kebabs: 6 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized chunks Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil Combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and add pork, mixing thoroughly. Marinate for about an hour at room temperature or two or three hours in the fridge. Prepare grill for medium direct heat. Thread pork on skewers, alternating with chunks of apple. (Use eight long metal skewers or 12 pre-soaked bamboo skewers.) Oil cooking grate and grill kebabs for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until pork is just done. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little oil. Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of Barbecue Secrets: Unbeatable Recipes, Tips & Tricks from a Barbecue Champion, published by Whitecap Books. Find him, and more recipes, at www.ronshewchuk.com.