One of my missions in life is to discover the perfect taco. I find it a worthy mission, and if I ever find that perfect taco, I think that my life would have been lived well. I believe birria tacos (sometimes called “quesabirria”) deserve a spot among the all-time best and have gotten me much […]
West Texas Style Pinto Beans
Growing up in West Texas, I’d never tasted pinto beans with sugar in them. We ate a lot of pinto beans since they were cheap and healthy. They were always a savory side for things like cornbread or enchiladas. I never even tried sweet pinto beans until I moved to the eastern part of the […]
Homemade Bacon
Homemade bacon is a lot easier to make than you might think. With the right equipment, it’s almost effortless. I rarely buy bacon from the store. Homemade bacon is far tastier and cheaper than the stuff they have on the shelves. All you need to make it happen is a little curing salt, some wood chips, a meat […]
Red Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice is another meal that we like to keep on hand in the freezer. It freezes very well, and all we have to do on a long workday is cook some rice and microwave a container of red beans and rice. This isn’t just some mundane TV dinner, though. The rich, concentrated […]
Homemade Brown Sugar
I no longer buy brown sugar at the grocery store. Homemade brown sugar only requires two ingredients and takes only about a minute to complete. It’s simple to do, and if you make only what you need, you don’t have to worry about it drying out on you. All you need is some molasses and […]
Roast Beef Sandwich with Jus
A roast beef sandwich with a beef jus easily fits into the list of my wife and I’s favorite things to eat. The combination of the slow-smoked beef along with the jus makes them an explosion of big beefy flavor. I am lucky enough to have a couple of tools on hand that makes them […]
Sunday Gravy
My version of Sunday Gravy is a weekly thing for us. It tastes excellent and freezes very well. The challenge with a meal that gets eaten every week is that it can get old very fast. It better be good. For me, this one works. I do vary the kind of noodles I use, though. […]
Slow Smoked Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is one of the best things to make for a beginner to slow-smoked barbecue. A fatty pork butt is very forgiving. It’s almost impossible to mess this cut up if you follow a few simple instructions. Pulled pork can be done much more simply than this recipe, but I think that just a […]
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Southern-style coleslaw is the perfect condiment for a classic slow-smoked pulled pork sandwich. It is a classic for a reason. You don’t need to add extra ingredients or dress it up in any way. This classic Southern coleslaw recipe cuts all the frills out and sticks to the traditional. Below are a couple of notes […]
Salsa Ranchera
For most people, salsa ranchera is more of a spicy tomato sauce than a salsa, although the ingredients are the same. It’s generally made as a topping for huevos rancheros, but it goes great with any protein forward dish. Salsa ranchera is a fried salsa, which means that after blending the ingredients, you’ll pour them […]
