Remember Me
forgot your password?

Barbeque On A Budget!

For those of us who wouldn't dare let a little snow and cold get in the way of outdoor grilling or smoking, we're now faced with an even more daunting adversary; a tightened food budget!  With all the sad economic news on television, it's no wonder that folks are afraid to spend extra money in such troubled times.

 Barbeque though, is not one of those things we should cut back on, because great tasting meat cooked on a smoker or barbeque grill actually improves your mental health.  It's a fantastic morale booster in that you have once again stood up against the elements and was successful in bringing home the grilled bacon.

Usually leftovers leave me cold, but by using some of the meat from your grilling, you can turn sad, unappetizing dishes into something unique. I've used the following recipes for years and they are easy to make and wonderful to eat, simply by using a little of the barbeque from the day before.
 
We all have to make meals go a little farther these days.  Here's how I do that with chicken for instance.  You can find a barbeque chicken recipe easily on the internet, so I won't include one here. After cooking the chickens thoroughly on the grill, I set aside about 1 ½ pounds of the freshly cooked meat and put it in a storage bag for the next day when I will make a chicken stew. 

There are many chicken stew recipes on the internet, but I like the simple one that I threw together for the family one day:

1 ½ lbs of chicken cut into cubes, a mixture of white and dark meat.  Leave the barbeque sauce on the meat.

2 cans of chicken broth
3 cups of Potatoes; cube and peeled.
1 cup Celery; diced 1 cup of Onion; chopped
1 cup Carrots; chopped
1 ts Paprika
1/2 ts Pepper
1 teaspoon Rubbed sage
6 ounce tomato paste
3 tablespoon flour, dissolved in one cup of cold water, then stirred into stew.

Mix all of the ingredients except the flour into a large cooking pot and stir.  I use a slow cooker that I set for four hours.  At that point I add the flour and cook for another 30 minutes.  You will have such a unique taste due to the smoke and barbeque sauce, you will have to bar the door to keep everyone out of the kitchen.  It's that good!

One of my favorite dishes made with leftover barbeque pork is Pinto beans.  After I have cooked a Boston Butt for nine to eleven hours in the smoker, I pull it from the bone, hence the name pulled pork.  I set aside about ½ pounds of lean meat for the beans, complete with barbeque sauce.

I'm too impatient to let the dried beans sit in water overnight, so I put a 2 lb bag of Pintos in a pot of boiling water and let them cook for 10 minutes.  Then they'll sit in the water for an hour, after which I will pour off the old liquid and add enough new water to cover the beans about 2 inches. To this I will add the following:

2 chopped onions
2 tablespoons of granulated garlic
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning
Salt to taste
Add water if necessary
Cook until the beans are tender.  

The transformation of the Pinto bean into a gourmet dish is due to the smoky flavor of the barbeque pork and the barbeque sauce.  These are just two ways to stretch your food dollar and enjoy a southern delicacy at the same time.

I buy most of the meat I cook on Mondays.  Most grocery stores get their meats toward the last of the week.  Any that hasn't sold over the weekend usually goes on sale at the beginning of the new week.  You have to save money where ever you can these days.

Bob Alexander

Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at: http://www.redfishbob.com http://www.bluemarlinbob.com

Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Food and Beverage Articles
  • More from Bob Alexander

Think Outside the "White Block" & Uncover 6 Easy & Super Fast Ways to Prepare & Enjoy Tofu

By: Ebony Johnson | 12/11/2009
There is more than one way to prepare Tofu. In fact, I know of 6 delicious ways to help you prepare and enjoy Tofu, the perfect plant based protein. Tofu doesn't have to be bland or intimidating to cook with. Discover 6 easy ways you can begin preparing Tofu for you and your family.

Global Organic Food market analysis

By: Bharat Book Bureau | 12/11/2009
Bharatbook.com included a new report on "Emerging Organic Food Markets" which provides the Factors affecting the growth of Organic Food Markets worldwide.

Breakfast Nook

By: arslan | 12/11/2009
Breakfast nooks are rising in popularity. Where do your guests usually gather when they visit. The kitchen, of course. There is something inherently comforting about sitting around a hearth, talking with family and friends over a hot cup of coffee or tea. A breakfast nook can be that hearth.

China is the fifth largest fast food consuming nation in the world

By: Bharat Book Bureau | 12/11/2009
Bharatbook.com added a new report on "China Fast Food Analysis" which gives a brief profiling on the major foreign and domestic players in the Chinese fast food industry.

Free Soul Food Recipes: Healthier Soul Food Holidays Expected

By: Roy Primm | 12/11/2009
Soul food recipes continues to go through changes this holiday season. They continue to grow healthier to meet a growing consumer demand. See how these changes are helping soul food lovers to not only have a happy holiday season but a healthier one too.

Have You Tried An Electric Smoker?

By: Ira Collins | 12/11/2009
Smoking your meat is a good way to add new depth to your beef's flavour. Electric smokers can help take the effort and fear out of smoking meats, especially if you have never smoked beef before. Many people that are considering buying an electrical smoker might be wondering what are a selection of the features that set electric smokers aside from a conventional smoker. Traditional smokers use wood or charcoal to supply a flame and smoke. This can be considered a little dangerou...

How to Buy Caviar

By: Kasan Groupe | 11/11/2009
If you think the unique and delicate taste of caviar is reserved only for the rich and famous, you’re wrong. Lots of regular people enjoy the interesting flavor and you can too. If you’ve never eaten or purchased caviar, then you’re in for a real treat. However, there are a few things to keep mind while out on your first caviar shopping excursion. Don’t be intimated, instead follow my tips and suggestions and you’ll be an expert in no time.

A few tips for beating the recession

By: David Harland | 11/11/2009
With many people feeling the effects of this drawn out recession its the best time to use morale building techniques to help your business, staff and families.

How To Catch Fall Crappie!

By: Bob Alexander | 12/10/2009 | Fishing
Fall crappie are a little harder to find, because they're generally in deeper water than in the spring and you have to use a bit of finesse to get them in the boat.

Don't Use Gasoline To Light Up The Barbeque Grill!

By: Bob Alexander | 12/10/2009 | Food & Beverage
After dumping a large amount of charcoal into the bed of the grill, he picked up the can of gasoline. By now the neighbors had begun to realize what Frank was about to do and began hollering at him to put down the gas can!

The Day I Caught My First Crappie!

By: Bob Alexander | 12/10/2009 | Fishing
I caught my first Crappie on a day when the fish weren't biting. The fisherman at the front of the boat can be hauling them in while the one in back is having a bad day!

The Day I Caught My First Crappie!

By: Bob Alexander | 12/10/2009 | Fishing
I caught my first Crappie on a day when the fish weren't biting. The fisherman at the front of the boat can be hauling them in while the one in back is having a bad day!

A True Big Catfish Story!

By: Bob Alexander | 28/09/2009 | Fishing
A fish this size has to be weighed and photgraphed or else it's just another tall tale about the one that got away.

How To Know If You Have Relationship Trouble!

By: Bob Alexander | 01/09/2009 | Breakup
You know you have relationship problems when she starts playing rap music!

Take Out The Trash! One of 4 Ways To Save Your Marriage!

By: Bob Alexander | 22/08/2009 | Marriage
Tips on ways to save your marriage by taking out the trash!

How To Make Compost Cheaply!

By: Bob Alexander | 22/08/2009 | Gardening
Making compost isn't labor intensive and you can make it without spending extra money! Just use what you already have!

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.24, 6, w1)