Smoking a cured ham gives the ham a double smoke. This cherry bourbon glaze takes a smoked ham to the next level giving it that extra wow factor! Find out how to double smoke your next holiday ham. I wasn’t much of a ham person growing up. We had one every year for Easter and…
Red Wines
Grilled Hanger Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce
How to grill a hanger steak and finish it with a decadent red wine reduction sauce. Hanger Steaks are an affordable alternative to more expensive cuts of meat, but are full of incredible flavor. Find out how to perfectly cook a hanger steak on the grill. Hanger Steaks are a go-to around here. They’re easy…
Back to Bourgogne: An introduction to Burgundy wines
A beginner lesson on the wines of the Burgundy (Bourgogne) region of France. Good Burgundies can be life changing. They are the kinds of wines that, in the 60’s and 70’s, motivated crazy folks to pack up and plant vineyards in Oregon, because they saw the potential for the kinds of life changing wines they…
Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches — Uses for leftover brisket
Another fantastic use for any leftover smoked brisket — Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches! (*UPDATE* — You can view us cooking up this combo of Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Smoked Tomato Bisque over on AM Northwest.) We get a lot of folk on social media who tease us whenever we publish a recipe…
Smoked Beef Short Rib Stew
How to cook incredibly tender beef short ribs on the smoker and finish them in a rich and indulgent stew. You’re going to go crazy for this Smoked Beef Short Rib Stew! I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth sharing again since beef short ribs were a game changer for me. Years ago, before we bought…
Thanksgiving Wine Guide (Updated)
Trying to figure out what wines to serve with Thanksgiving Dinner this year? You’re not alone. Below is a fool-proof guide to finding great wines in all budgets for your holiday meal. I haven’t written a “what to pair with Thanksgiving dinner” post in yeeaaarrrsss! This is because I am a traditionalist when it comes…
Grilled Chicken with a Cranberry Chipotle Citrus Glaze
Jazz up Grilled Chicken with a sweet and spicy Cranberry Chipotle Citrus Glaze. This chicken is sweet, spicy, tangy, and a perfect match for a bottle of Beaujolais! We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to jazz up chicken around here, especially when it comes to finding something to pair with a specific bottle…
Hazelnut Crusted Grilled Duck with Red Wine Sauce – The Perfect Cozy Fall Evening Dinner
Grilled Duck is decadent with a hazelnut crust, and then topped with an elegant and light red wine sauce. It’s the perfect pairing for a Chinon (Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley of France) and a cozy fall evening. This post was sponsored by Loire Valley Wines and Honest Cooking. As always all opinions, statements,…
The Best Italian Red Wines to Pair with a Great Steak
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Italian Trade Commission for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine. Ever wonder what to pair with a great steak other than Cabernet Sauvignon? I’ve listed some of my favorites, and you might be surprised. When it comes to pairing wine with a great…
Competition Style Smoked Pork Ribs – A Flavor Journey
What you need to know about Competition Style Pork Ribs, and an explanation of the “3-2-1 Method” of smoking ribs. Find a full video tutorial for these ribs below. Sean and I came from two different worlds of Smoked Ribs. I used to like them finger-licking juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender and drowning in sauce. He liked…
15 Awesome Summer Wines
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Smoked Pork Ribs with Asian Spice Rub
Inspired by a variety of Asian flavors, these Smoked Pork Ribs with Asian Spice Rub and Sauce are absolutely incredible! Barbecue can be a very subjective experience, especially if your lens for barbecue style foods is heavily influenced by one of the BBQ classical regions like the Carolinas, Memphis, or Texas. That said, the technique…
How to Smoke a Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill (Recipe)
A step by step guide to smoking a whole roaster chicken on a pellet grill/smoker. Smoked Whole Chicken is one of the most common things we cook on our smokers, and you’ll see just how easy it is to do on your smoker or grill. Smokers & Grills Our collection of grills and smokers are…
Smoked Pork Tenderloin Sandwich – And Beaujolais Wines Perfect for a Picnic
Jazz up your summer picnic with a Smoked Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. They pair fantastic with a glass of refreshing Beaujolais. This post was sponsored by Discover Beaujolais and Honest Cooking. As always all opinions, statements, and recipes are my own. Pin for later As much as we’re all about grilling and backyard barbecues around these…
Grilled Chicken with Ancho Chilies and Prunes
Before you say, “Whaaaaaa the? Prunes and chicken??” Just take a deep breath and trust me. The combination of grill roasted rich prunes and earthy ancho chilies mixed with grilled chicken is a winning combination! So, there’s an awesome group of wine bloggers I’m friends with and we get together (virtually) a couple times a…
Classic All-American Cheeseburger — With a Twist!
How to add another element of great flavor to a Classic All-American Cheeseburger. There’s something fun about an over the top gigantic burger with a million additions, but there’s something comforting about a classic. We’re doing a reverse sear method using a grill and wood chunks to give your burgers incredible smoked flavor and that…
Turkey Burgers with Bacon Paste – Jazzing up Turkey Burgers
How to add incredible flavor to boring turkey burgers. Turkey burgers can tend to come out dry and flavorless. Adding bacon paste to ground turkey adds not only flavor but great moisture lacking in most turkey burgers. I’ll be the first to admit, when I transitioned from a vegetarian back into a meat eater it…
February Wine Favorites
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Grilled New York Strip Steak with Coffee Marinade and Rub
Coffee adds great flavor to both a marinade and dry rub for a grilled New York Strip Steak. This recipe for coffee marinated steak is easy enough for a weeknight, but indulgent enough for a special occasion. For years I used to give Sean a hard time for being obsessed with visiting Starbucks on a…
Maple Chipotle Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon
Cedar Plank Salmon is amazing when coated with a sweet and spicy dry rub, cooked on the grill giving it that smoked influence, and finished with a maple syrup glaze. Sweet, spicy, and absolutely incredible. And if you don’t have a grill you can easily do this in a hot cast iron pan and finish…
Red Wine Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak
Grilled Skirt Steak is a delicious cut of beef that cooks up quickly and marinates perfectly in our savory red wine marinade. It is great for weeknight meals, or your next Taco Night. Since moving to the country we’ve had to get serious about weeknight dinners. Before, when we lived minutes away from several grocery…
Winter Reds — January 2018
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Smoked Meatballs in a Cranberry Pinot Noir Sauce (recipe and video)
Smoked meatballs braised in a sweet and savory cranberry Pinot Noir sauce is one of our all time favorite holiday appetizers. It’s always a hit at a party! Guess what? The mystery of the Cranberry Pinot Noir Meatballs has been solved!!! The first time I wrote about this recipe I told you about how we…
12 Wines for Fall Sipping
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
