Jul 06 2014
Our son got home last night from his six weeks in Las Vegas so today I fixed his favorite, Smokestack wings and potato salad. This finished my cooking for July 4th week-end. The wing recipe is from Saveur courtesy of Jack Stack BBQ, Kansas City, MO; I adapted to my pellet smoker. I think his first restaurant was called Smokestack. The potato salad is my adaption of Justin Wilson’s picnic potato salad for 2 ½ pounds of potatoes. The daughter in law brought dessert, a mix of angel food cake, blueberries, strawberries and some kind of whipped cream.
I made up the potato salad at 9:30 this morning and in the fridge to all get happy.
I had a package of 10 drummies to make some drummy pops wrapped in bacon with 6 of them and all seasoned with MoRockin chicken seasoning. I had 8 wings for the Smokestack wings. I made up the pops at noon and seasoned all the wings and in the fridge until time to cook. After one hour I gave the pops a coat of Kah’s BBQ sauce.
We were having my Boursin baked cheese dip with toasted flat bread for our appetizer. It is simply the cheese in a baking dish; about ¾ quart of Marinara sauce poured around it, baked at 350 deg. for 15 minutes. This time I put it under the broiler just until the cheese started to brown. I toasted the flat bread on my iron griddle.
I had the wings on my Traeger and the appetizer almost ready when the kids got here just before 5:00. I served them and the wife the appetizer while I tended to the rest of my cooking. I did manage to grab a couple pieces of the bread and cheese.
At 5:20 I turned the smoker up to 325 deg.; added BBQ sauce to the pops and sauced the Smokestack wings. All was ready to serve at 6:00. I nuked some sliced carrots, with a little butter, water and WOW seasoning for the daughter in law and grandson.
We all enjoyed the supper. I loved those pops but probably will not do them again. I fought and wrestled every drummy to get the skin off! They make it look so easy in the videos! Maybe using legs would be easier.
For the potato salad
For the wings
Veggie
Appetizer
Enjoying the appetizer
Dessert
After one hour
Wings sauced
Done
My supper
My dessert
Smokin Don
My adaption for 2.5 pounds of Justin Wilson’s picnic potato salad
Serves 6 to 8
2 ½ lbs. potatoes 3 celery stalks, small chop
3 hardboiled eggs, chopped ¼ cup parsley, fine chop
1/3 cup dill pickle relish ¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sweet pickle relish 1/8 cup yellow mustard
½ cup salad olives (optional) salt and pepper to taste
½ cup sweet onion, small chop hot sauce to taste
3 or 4 green onions sliced thin
Note: I like the potatoes about ½ to ¾ inch uneven dice. I can get this by holding the potato in my hand to do the dicing. According to the size of potato make 2 to 3 slices lengthwise then 2 or 3 slices 90 deg. opposite. You will be holding fat French fries. Then work it out the end of your hand and cut off the squares. I have never cut my hand but do this at your own risk!
I like the potatoes done but firm enough they don’t fall apart when mixing. Cover the potatoes with water and cook on high, when you start to see the water boil turn the heat down to med. high; cook for 10 minutes and check for fork tender, should not take over 15 minutes. You need a colander that will fit over the pan you cooked them in. Drain the potatoes in the colander then place the colander and potatoes over the pan and set on a cool part of the stove; cover with a clean dish towel and let set for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing up the salad.
Saveur
Smokestack's Chicken Wings
SERVES 6–8
1 tbsp. kosher salt
2¼ tsp. sweet paprika
1½ tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. dried thyme
1½ tsp. dried Oregano
¾ tsp. ground black pepper
¾ tsp. ground white pepper
½ tsp. dried sage
½ tsp. cayenne
2½ lb. chicken wings
Sauce:
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½ cup mild hot sauce
¼cup Old Bay seasoning Juice of 1 lemon
1. In a bowl, whisk together salt, paprika, garlic and onion powders, thyme, oregano, both peppers, sage, and cayenne. Toss wings with spices in bowl; chill
4 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Whisk together butter, hot sauce, Old Bay, and lemon juice in a large bowl, and then pour half into another large bowl; set both aside.
3. Prepare your grill using the kettle grill, bullet smoker, or gas grill
method, using oak wood chunks or chips. Grill your favorite way.
4. I do mine on my pellet smoker, one hour at 225 deg. coat wings in the sauce and then back on at 300-325 deg. for another 30 minutes I do not sauce at the end so I just make half the sauce.
