Smoker

The Other White Chili

/ Claire / 3 Comments

Sunday evening was a cold, wet, chilly time that called for one thing and one thing only: chili.

The best thing about our smoker (aside from its delicious smokiness) is that it stocks us with a week’s worth of meat. This could be because we never can seem to pick anything less than a eight pound cut (hey, when it’s on sale how can you pass up a deal? I bought a six pound corned beef for $3 after St. Patrick’s Day…but hey again! That’s a heckuva deal! And you know we will eat it.)

The pork butt we cooked over a week ago is still good and fat in our fridge, needing to be used. We have been adding it here and there to our meals (I might have overdosed on pork while Jamey was gone last week), but  I suggested a white bean chili as our next leftover pork venture in lieu of chicken.

Based on a recipe by the Pioneer Woman, I bring you Jamey and Claire ‘s Other White Chili.

Ready to dig in?

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Soaking in the sun.

/ Claire / 2 Comments

Sarby did arrive soon after my post on Friday, and we immediately hit the town for some Charleston fun. Somehow we ended up taking very few pictures (which, if you know Sarby and me, is very uncharacteristic of us when we get together). But in this town it’s hard to have your eyes behind the shutter all the time when there is so much scenery to take in and fun to be had, which is exactly what occurred.

Sullivan’s Island on a very hoppin’ Saturday.

This photo doesn’t really do justice to how many people were out soaking in the sun on Saturday. You can start to see the Sullivan’s lighthouse in the distance and the crowd farther down near Station 22, but I always tend to go where the crowds are fewer. Our area was just perfect, along with the sun, sand and company.

Our food expeditions were once again fruitful. Jamey cooked Greek burgers, which we topped off with feta and red peppers on Greek buns. (I don’t know where Jamey got these, but they were definitely a good low-carb option. Apologies for not taking pictures.) After a luxuriating day at the beach, we returned to a pork butt in the smoker – my favorite smoking option, of course – and polished off our meal with garden sours (oh, and you so know I documented this whole affair – future post to come!)

Great weekend once again? I think that’s a hearty yes. And this coming one is already something I greatly anticipate, but you’ll find out more about that come Friday.

Pork butt and dominoes

/ Claire / 3 Comments

Apologies for our lack of posts around these parts; the real world has been interfering with a blogger schedule.

However, Jamey and I did manage to make time for a little dinner, games and fun this past weekend.

The pork butt and all its juicy goodness.

Saturday night, our friends Brigid and Kyle came over (and brought their new baby Connor!)

Jamey got up at 8 that morning to put a pork butt in the smoker, and arguably it was the best we’ve tasted yet with that contraption. (The pork we previously smoked was also delicious, as was the smoked chicken we worked with last week.)

Honestly, the food we put into this thing just keeps getting better and better. Our next attempt will probably involve some sort of stuffing, which we plan to mix with the mortar and pestle Jamey also got for Christmas. (I told you he got a bunch of cooking contraptions this past holiday, for which we are extremely grateful.)

We paired the meat with a side salad, some fresh green beans, a delicious sampler cake that Brigid and Kyle brought, and of course plenty of spirits.

You can read more about Brigid’s take on the night on her blog, as well as see some interesting pictures of Jamey and me. (It’s ok, we are secure in our level of attractiveness…although Kyle, Brigid and Connor’s normality may make us seem that much more ridiculous.)

But Connor chilled on our floor all night! It was more than precious.

We finished up the evening with a game of Mexican train dominoes, and I dare to say that we might have started a new board game addiction for the Hines family. (I think the Lenenskis and Monahans can truly identify. 2 a.m. domino games anyone? Dad?)

Dominoes by candlelight (and wine).

All in all, it was a stellar evening for an all-around relaxing weekend. Can’t wait to do it again.

Smoke ’em if you got ’em

/ Jamey / 6 Comments

I got a smoker for Christmas from my parents that is absolutely fantastic.

Smoker!

Fully assembled and heating up for the initial run.

The first item we smoked was a Boston butt. I rubbed it with what I can only describe as nectar of the gods in barbecue rub form.

I discovered Uncle Yammy’s with my friend Cameron last Spring when we went up to Pawley’s Island. Cameron discovered it in the store there and it was a hit.

I had to go to seven grocery stores to find it in Charleston, but find it I did!
It is a standby.

Here’s the initial Butt in the smoker: Continue reading →