Please pat me on the back for making it up at 7:30 this morning to feed the kitties. And pat the kitties on their heads for allowing me to sleep that long. What pals they are!
Of course it’s good to be alive. Life did not humble us Auburn people last night after all. The Tigers won a season opener under the pressure of high expectations. Just eleven more games left to the SEC championship game. We’ll take them one game at a time and Mississippi State is next up. They certainly will put up more fight and defense than our opponent did last night.
The butt turned out ok yesterday. I used more hickory than normal and as a result the meat had a ton of smoke but too much black color for my taste. It pulled marvelously however as the blade came right out with no effort and meat fell apart in my hands. I was correct for complaining on the cut – the butcher should have left it alone. I think that will be my last butt from the butcher as my local market has produced some fine butts and picnics for me recently.
The menu last night:
- 6.5lb Boston butt on a 16 hour rub and 7 hour smoke.
- Cowpoke pinto beans. I found this recipe in my smoking bible and it turned out to be a hit. More of a western style but great!
- Fresh Cole slaw. Can you say “Bam!”?
- Country mustard potato salad.
- AU Cake from our friends at the Bittersweet Bakery in Staunton. Sheila and her crew are from Mobile, Alabama and can make just about anything upon request.
- Simple summer bourbon cocktails: 3 parts bourbon, 1 part honey syrup, 1 part lemon juice. The secret to mine is the local honey that I buy right off the farm and I float some freshly squeezed lemon juice in the glass as well.
Our friends, Mike and Liz, from next door came over to watch the game. We really enjoy their company. He is a former demolitions/explosives/mine sweeper guy from the Navy who now works on heavy machinery for John Deere. She is a vet tech at a local animal hospital so Tracey enjoys having the conversation about life in that arena. I have no aptitude for machinery but Mike and I always seem to find tons of stuff to talk about. Can you believe that Mike has never been to a big time college football game? We need to work on that one!
I can’t wait for breakfast this morning. Aside from the double smoked bacon I got at the market, John brought me real grits at lunch on Friday. He and Nancy made a trek to Wade’s Mill and brought back real stone ground grits. It was everything I could do to keep Tracey out of them yesterday. She wanted to change the entire tailgate menu but I talked her out of it with the bacon. So we’re having real grits this morning to go with our double smoked bacon, and organic eggs. I only wish I had learned how to make biscuits from my grandmother! I miss my grandmother.
Have a good day everyone! I hope the weather is as beautiful where you are as it is here.
