Smoked Tri Tip

1 2-3 lbs Tri Tip
Your favorite dry rub

If it is pre-marinated then take it out of the package and place in disposable foil pan. If you are buying a piece of tri tip roast from the store look for one that is around 2-3 lbs. Once at home take the meat out of the package and rinse it well in cold water, pat dry really well with paper towels then apply your favorite rub. Make sure the meat is dry though, if it is not then the dry rub becomes a semi wet paste. Wrap the finished product in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight. Take it out of the plastic the next morning and place in pan. If there is a side that has a little more fat than another then place that side up, otherwise either way will work.

Pre-heat the smoker to around 180 degrees, that number will fluctuate with the rise and fall in ambient outside temp and any other weather conditions. A little variation in temps won’t hurt though, just make sure it doesn’t get more than 20 degrees above and less than 10 below. Once the smoker is up to temp and going slide the pan with tri tip in the smoker and let it go for about 3 hours, then cover the pan with foil and go another 3 hours at 200 degrees, lastly uncover the meat and add more wood chips to the pan and smoke for the last 2 hours. It’s safe to eat at 140 degrees but the internal temp should be around 190, at that point the connective tissues have broken down and should leave a tender piece of beef. Low and slow is the key with keeping an eye on the moisture content the real secret.
 

Dutch Oven Potatoes

Serves 10-12
Potatoes 6-8 medium sized bakers (2-3lbs)
1 medium yellow onion (sliced)
Mushrooms(optional)
Grated Cheese
1 stick of butter
1 can of mushroom soup (10oz)
Salt
Pepper

For 10-12 people I like to use a 10” Dutch Oven, it doesn’t seem all that big but when it comes time fill the pot with spuds and cheese you will see just how big it is! This dish is so easy but such a crowd pleaser. The Dutch Oven should be seasoned, if not then buy one that is, or do it yourself. The bagged baking potatoes work great, so look for a good bag of those, I use 6-8 medium sized potatoes for this recipe. Scrub and wash them, then slice. The thicker the slices the longer it has to cook, medium size slices are perfect for this dish. Start it off with slicing bacon into 1 inch pieces then frying in the bottom of the Dutch Oven, when the bacon is done remove it and place on a separate plate. Leave the grease in the bottom of the pot, it will be part of the dish. Layer the potatoes, onions, cheese, bacon and a couple pats of butter o each layer. You may also want to salt and pepper to taste. Three to four layers should fill the Dutch Oven at which point, mix the mushroom soup with about half a can of water then pour the diluted soup over the layers. Place the lid on the Dutch oven then used the preferred cooking method. It should take around 45 minutes to an hour depending on how much is in the pot.
 

Cornbread Wedges

1/4 pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the wedge pans. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Dump Cobbler

2 cans (21oz each) of peach pie filling
1 can (21oz) of raspberry pie filling
2 boxes of yellow cake mix
15-17oz of lemon lime soda
1/2 stick of butter, sliced

I use a 12 inch Dutch Oven for this particular recipe. The recipe can be adapted to just about any other size oven though. It has also been referred to as a dump cake, it can be just as simple as that. Open the cans of fruit and pour them into the Dutch Oven. Mix around the fruit so that the flavor isn’t lopsided and it gives a consistent color. Next open the bags of cake mix and dump them dry on top of the fruit, spread evenly. Carefully pour the liquid over dry cake mix then add the butter slices on top. Place the lid on the Dutch Oven and cook at around 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The dry cake mix should look like, well cake when it’s done.
 

Skookies

1 tube pre made chocolate chip cookie dough
1 Skookie Cast Iron Skillet

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure out 1/2 cup of the cookie dough and place in the middle of the skillet then spread evenly on the skillet until the dough nearly touches the edges. Place skillets in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes then remove skillets from the oven and let cool for a couple minutes. Serve with ice cream and your favorite toppings then enjoy!

Happy Trails,
Billy and Sue