Do It Yourself

BASTING SAUCE FOR PORK

1 qt. apple juice
1 qt. apple cider
1 C. salt
1/2 C. garlic powder
1/2 C. onion powder
1 C. Worcestershire sauce
1 C. light oil
1 T. ground thyme
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 C. prepared mustard

Baste the pork four to six hours before cooking, almost as a marinade, and every 30 minutes while cooking. Be sure to use a sanitized brush each time you baste to avoid cross contamination.

CHARLESTON SHRIMP PIE

2 lbs. shrimp
2 C. breadcrumbs
2 C. tomato juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3 T. butter
1 T. hot sauce
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 C. ketchup

Boil shrimp until orange and then peel. Mix all of the ingredients together and bake in a casserole dish for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Serves eight.

GRILLED CORN

Melted butter
Dry dill
Salt and pepper

Soak corn for several hours to moisten shuck. Peal the shuck back one at a time until the corn is exposed. Remove all of the silk. With a brush, coat the corn with the melted butter and sprinkle with dill. For a kick, add BessingerÕs Rub. Carefully close the shucks around the seasoned corn. I prefer to tie the end of the corn to keep it together.

Grill the corn, turning frequently until done. This usually takes about 30 minutes. The shuck will turn dark brown or black. Peal and eat to your heart’s content.

GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

3 Portobello mushrooms

In a blender set on medium, combine the following ingredients:

1/4 C. light olive oil
3 T. chopped onions
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Coat mushrooms liberally and marinate for 30 to 60 minutes. Cook in indirect heat at 225 to 250 degrees for eight to 12 minutes or until the top can be easily pierced with a knife.

HOPPIN’ JOHNS

4 bacon strips, diced or pork
2 cups fresh black-eyed peas
2 C. water
1/2 C. of uncooked white rice
1/4 C. onions, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional)
2 tsp. hot sauce
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. salt

Cook bacon in Dutch oven with onions and peppers until bacon is crisp and vegetables are soft. Add peas, rice and water. Cover and simmer until rice is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Also add hot sauce to taste.

KICKEN’ BBQ SHRIMP

Marinate shrimp for several hours in:

1/4 C. light olive oil
3 T. chopped onions
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

After marinating in a Ziploc bag, toss the shrimp together with 1/2 tablespoon of Bessinger’s Barbeque Rub. Place all of the shrimp on skewers and cook until done. Brush red sauce onto shrimp a minute or two before taking off the grill. (Note: Be careful not to brush the red sauce on too soon or while on high heat, as that can cause the shrimp to burn due to the sugar in the sauce.)

TURKEY INJECTION MARINADE

1/4 C. water
4 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic
1 T. sage
1/2 T. thyme
1 T. Bessinger’s Rub

Bring mixture to a boil and add 1/4 cup of corn oil. Let cool and inject into turkey prior to cooking. Continue to baste the turkey periodically with stock left in cooking pan.

SMOKED TUNA

Use 1- to 2-inch thick tuna steaks. Wash thoroughly and wipe dry. Salt the flesh side, leaving one side with skin. Let sit for six to eight hours. Rinse off salt and hang for four to six hours until a shiny film forms. Hot-smoke six to eight hours, but don’t over cook.

GRILLED ONIONS

Take your favorite style of onion — Bessinger prefers white or Vidalia onions — slice them, dash them with Bessinger’s BBQ rub, grill and enjoy!

GRILLED VEGGIES

Marinate vegetables — zucchini, summer squash, peppers and tomatoes are my favorites — with light olive oil, or your favorite oil (just enough to keep the veggies from sticking), Worcestershire sauce, a couple of splashes of balsamic vinegar and Bessinger’s Rub in a Ziploc bag for a few hours. Place on the grill and sprinkle with additional rub. Cook at a low temperature.