Since this site’s Doug DuCap is going to compete in the Redwood Creek Campfire Classic Semi-Finals this weekend, we thought we’d focus a bit on the joys of outdoor cooking this week…

Cooking with a pie iron is one of the simple pleasures of outdoor cooking. Often made of cast iron, these long handled and inexpensive devices offer campers, RVers, backpackers, and other fans of outdoor cooking a simple and fun way for the whole family to make toasted sandwiches, campfire “pizzas”, cornbreads, and pies over an open fire or briquets.

Commonly available in single (pictured above) or double width (so you can toast two sandwiches or pies at a time), you can find pie irons in the camping, cookout, or kitchen section of most larger stores as well as at a variety of online retailers.

As the folks at ChuckWagonDinner.Com say:

“A Pie Iron is a mold of cast iron or aluminum, with handles. Each side also serves as a small skillet. Bread is placed in first and then the filling into the generous cooking cavity. The two sides close and are then placed over hot coals.

The solid cast iron design holds up to the rigors of the campfire best but must be watched closely to avoid burning. Pie Iron’s are fun to use, and make terrific sandwiches and desserts…Other terms for pie iron fare include: Toasties, Mountain Pies, Hobo Pies, Pudgie Pies and Pie Shams.”

Cast iron pie irons should be seasoned for best performance. You can find out how here.
KOA (Kampgrounds of America) has a delicious list of pie iron recipes, as does PieIron.com.

Also, here’s a few more easy pie iron recipes from ChuckWagonDiner.Com:

• Portabella Melts

• Grilled Salmon Sandwich

• Perfect Pie Iron Pizza

• Chili Cheese Cornbread

• Peanut Butter Cup Melt

• Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

• Grog Cakes

• Fresh Fruit Pies

If you live in the Ithaca, NY area, a small town in the heart of Tompkins County that’s home to Moosewood Restaurant (inspiration for the bestselling Moosewood Cookbook Series) and Cornell University, you might want to enter the Ithaca Journal’s Chili Recipe Contest.

Unlike Charleston, SC, Ithaca is a place where at least one pair of good winter boots and a strong shovel is obligatory and a woodstove is a godsend.

After weeks of breathtaking fall foliage, the first snows come to the Ithaca area in mid-November and the last snows often come in April when temperatures in the Low Country are starting to rise into the mid-70’s.

Snow (such as it is) is rare here, and I often think of Ithaca when we’re walking the beaches here in December, or running errands around town looking at palm trees and Spanish moss bedecked live oaks without an icicle in sight.

Our Former Backyard Just Outside of Ithaca, NY in November

Charleston, SC This December

(Please click on each of the images above to see a larger version of the flyer.)

Doug DuCap’s winning recipe for Charleston Chili is being featured in this week’s (1/1/2008) Piggly Wiggly supermarket flyer!

Today, with nearly 600 locations in 17 states, Piggly Wiggly is celebrating its 60th anniversary of service in the Carolinas. (There are 115 Piggly Wiggly stores in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Southeastern Georgia alone!)

Founded in Memphis, TN in 1916, Piggly Wiggly was America’s first true self-service grocery store. (You can find out more about the history of Piggly Wiggly here.)

As it says in Wikipedia:

“In the early days of retailing, all products had to be fetched by an assistant from shelves on one side of a counter while the customers stood on the other side and pointed to what they wanted. Many foods did not come in the individually wrapped consumer-size packages taken for granted today, so an assistant had to measure out the precise amount desired by the consumer. These practices were obviously labor-intensive and therefore quite expensive. The shopping process was slow, as the number of customers who could be attended at one time was limited by the number of clerks employed in the store.”

Leave a Comment and Join in on the Discussion »

Thu

13

Dec '07

Charleston Chili: The Grand Prize Winning Recipe in the Taste of the South Competition

Posted by webmaster in Uncategorized, Recipes, Cooking, South Carolina, Events, Food, Barbeque, Chili, Taste of the South Contest, Pulled Pork, Pork, Country Ham, Charleston, Doug's Recipe Corner, Meats, Supermarkets, eHow

Here’s the Grand-Prize Winning recipe, Charleston Chili by Doug DuCap, from the Taste of the South Recipe Competition which was judged by the Lee Brothers.

The recipe features pulled pork barbecue, country ham, boiled peanuts, and black-eyed peas instead of the usual beef and beans.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

5 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cups chopped green bell peppers (about 2 large)
2 medium poblano chilies, skin and seeds removed (see cook’s notes), chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced country ham
3 scallions, diced
3 cups shelled boiled peanuts, preferably green (about 4-5 pounds before shelling)
1 can (15-ounce) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 or 2 chipotle chiles, minced (see cook’s notes)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
4 cups pulled pork barbecue, divided for use (see cook’s notes)
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Salt to taste

Cook’s Notes:

Roast or char poblano chiles over a flame to blister the skin for easy removal.

Chipotle chiles come in a can packed in adobo sauce.

DuCap makes his own pulled pork barbecue, but other options are purchasing it or using leftover roast pork, pulled into chunks and seasoned with high-quality hickory smoke seasoning. His barbecue starts with a homemade wet rub for the meat — Boston butt and pork loin — that includes celery salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, cider vinegar and brown mustard. He hickory-smokes the pork for at least three hours and then finishes the meat in a 225-degree oven for another four hours or more.

Directions:

In a large, deep skillet or heavy casserole, saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in the paprika and cumin, then add the white onion, bell pepper, poblano, thyme and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are just softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

In the same pan, cook the country ham for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the scallions, peanuts and black-eyed peas. Stir for a few minutes to meld the flavors. Return the onion/pepper mix to the pan, add the water, and stir in the tomato paste, chipotle chiles, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Stir in 3 cups of the pulled pork. Bring just to a boil and reduce heat, simmering uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring regularly.

Remove from heat and stir in the mustard and honey. Add salt to taste, if needed. Stir in the remaining pulled pork just before serving.

Serve with Carolina rice, cornbread, biscuits or white grits…enjoy!

(Doug DuCap Tending the Pork)

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This article is also available in the following convenient format(s)…

Leave a Comment and Join in on the Discussion »

Wed

12

Dec '07

The Post and Courier: Winning Chili Gets Homey Accent

Posted by webmaster in Cooking, Recipes, Travel & Places, South Carolina, Events, Food, Barbeque, Chili, Press Coverage, Taste of the South Contest, Pulled Pork, Pork, Country Ham, Charleston, Supermarkets

(Photo by Wade Spees/ The Post and Courier)

Here’s a comprehensive article about the Taste of the South Contest that appeared in today’s (12/12/07) issue of Charleston, South Carolina’s The Post and Courier by Food Editor Teresa Taylor with photos by Wayne Spees.

There’s some great coverage of and interviews with all of the competition winners and judges as well as delicious recipes from Ron Ormrod, whose Little River BBQ Oysters won the appetizer category and Lorraine Hiltz, whose Pecan-Butterscotch Cheesecake won the dessert category.

(link)

Leave a Comment and Join in on the Discussion »

Tue

11

Dec '07

Forthcoming in Charleston’s Post and Courier 12/12/07 Food Column…

Posted by webmaster in Cooking, Events, Food, Barbeque, Chili, Press Coverage, Taste of the South Contest, Pulled Pork, Pork, Charleston

The Post and Courier is The South’s oldest daily newspaper and was founded in 1803.

Leave a Comment and Join in on the Discussion »

Sun

9

Dec '07

Welcome to Hugging the Coast.Com!

Posted by webmaster in South Carolina, Events, Food, Barbeque, Chili, Press Coverage, Taste of the South Contest, Cookbooks & Foodie Books, Pulled Pork, Pork, TV & Video, Charleston, James Beard Awards, Chefs, Cookbook Authors, & Foodie Experts, Meats

Welcome to Hugging the Coast.Com, a celebration of coastal life, food, fishing, & travel from Doug DuCap, Grand Prize Winner of the 2007 Taste of the South Recipe Competition which was judged by Ted & Matt Lee, authors of The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners.

Recently featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations Series on the Travel Channel, the Lee brothers contribute articles regularly to Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Martha Stewart Living, and The New York Times. The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook was named the 2007 James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year.

Coming soon…the grand prize winning recipe, Charleston Chili, made from pulled pork barbecue, boiled peanuts, country ham, and black-eyed peas!

(Left to Right: Matt Lee, Ted Lee, Darcy Shankland (Editor of Charleston Magazine), and Winner Doug DuCap)

Leave a Comment and Join in on the Discussion »

Hugging the Coast.Com
Doug DuCap
1643 Savannah Hwy. #277
Charleston SC 29407

E-Mail Doug: doug@huggingthecoast.com
E-Mail the Webmaster: webmaster@huggingthecoast.com

---

Hugging the Coast is updated via WordPress
RSS: Entries & Comments.
Atom: Entries.

3/27/08: South Carolina Site of the Day!