It is time to dust off the barby and  start sizzling those ribs and other delectable  dishes on your grill.  Come join us next Wednesday,  April 18 at 5 PM for our fun, fun Barbecue class.  You will learn all manner of barbecuing--not just ribs, but also shrimp, chicken and beef.  You'll learn the difference in various rubs and when and why to use them.  Also, you'll  get to taste the difference in freshly, homemade sauces--all from my "Finger Lickin', Rib Stickin', Hot 'n Spicy Barbecue"  cookbook, newly republished and available for autographing--just in time for Father's Day giving.

I have had several people tell me they have literally barbecued their way through the entire cookbook.  Also, others have mentioned the book was an inspiration to stage a family and or friend barbecue cook-off!  Come, get in on the fun!

To make it easier on your pocketbook--we are offering all of our chile powders and rub on a special two-day, 25% off special.  Hurry and order yours today. 

For Mother's Day--we are creating a very special 25% off, two day discount on our Mother's Day weekend cooking class.  Set for May 11-13--what could be more fun than cooking and eating all manner of New Mexico's finest foods? 

We still have a very few spaces left for our very special Oaxacan Culinary tour June 5 to 11, 2018.  You can register now!

All of our cookbooks are great gifts for Mother's Day, graduation, weddings and friendship gifts,  and are especially nice, autographed.     

Here's some recipes and rub information  to enjoy this spring --

SWEETHEART BARBECUED CHICKEN

The tangy, honey-edged spiciness of these barbecued chicken thighs is wonderful. While the grill is heating, place some sweet potato rounds, cut 1/2 inch thick on it. To complete the meal, steam green beans, splashed with orange juice in the microwave oven.

Cooking Time: 8 to 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

8 chicken thighs, skinned and deboned, fat removed
1 teaspoon ground pure hot chile, or to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh spinach for garnish, optional

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Combine the chile, garlic, honey, and vinegar. Spoon or brush the mixture evenly over the chicken. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the grill, stovetop grill, or a heavy, seasoned skillet to medium-high. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn and grill the other side. The chicken is done when it is firm to the touch when pressed or a meat thermometer registers 185 degrees F. Serve on a bed of spinach, if desired.

DALLAS STYLE GRILLED FLANK STEAK

Flank steak is so easy to serve, it tends to be a pet of the barbecue bunch. Do remember some cardinal rules: Flank steak is very tough unless marinated in an acidic marinade and cooked only until medium rare at most—never well done.

Yield: 4 servings

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup finely minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 Tablespoons crushed Pecos Valley pequin chiles or other very hot chiles

1(1-1/2-lb.) beef flank steak

1 recipe salsa of your choice (optional)

1. Combine wine, onion, garlic, Worcester sauce, mustard, lime juice and chiles in a shallow bowl or a heavy plastic bag. Trim any excess fat or sinew from outside of steak and then place steak in marinade, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high or 450F (230C).

3. Lightly brush rack with oil and place steak on rack. Place rack 3 to 5 inches above heat.

4. Grill steak 3 to 5 minutes per side or until browned on outside and rare to medium rare on inside. Remove from grill and allow to stand about 20 minutes.

5. Cut on the diagonal into thin slices. Serve with salsa.

JUST RUB IT ON!

Chiles are so important to our health and well-being. You only have to eat a little bit of chile each day, say a half teaspoon or so of hot chile, to keep the chile level at a healthful amount in your system.

Rubs really are a terrific way of getting chiles into your diet and enhancing the flavor of meats and vegetables—even tofu. You can use a rub by itself or combine it with a marinade to add extra flavor.

If you are salt conscious, the salt can be cut back or left out, and if desired, a salt substitute can be used. You can add and subtract ingredients to suit your palate and what you have on hand.

FRESH LEMON ZEST CHILE-HERB RUB   This rub is wonderful on chicken, pork, or spareribs. You can also use it on any other cut of pork or poultry. With this rub, barbecue sauce quickly becomes optional. Yield: 8 to 12 ¼ cup salt ¼ cup sugar 1 Tablespoons each pure ground hot and mild New Mexican chiles  1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground Mexican oregano  1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 Tablespoon minced lemon zest 1. Mix all ingredients together, then spoon mixture lightly onto chicken pieces, or ribs—rubbing it into surface with your fingers. Freeze any leftovers.  ^Top

CHIPOTLE PRIME RIB RUB This rub is especially for ribs—the big prime rib variety! The mesquite flavor comes from mesquite powder, which is generally available. There are also mesquite sprays, and, of course, you can always grill or smoke over mesquite as well. For this rub, we used a salt substitute. Yield: about 1-3/4 cups 1/4 cup ground black pepper 3 Tablespoons ground pure mild New Mexican chile ¾ cup dried minced onion 4-1/2 teaspoons salt substitute ¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 Tablespoons chipotle powder 1. Mix all ingredients together, then spoon mixture lightly onto beef or other food, rubbing it into surface with your fingers. Never place your fingers in the rub and never apply a thick coating. Freeze leftover rub. ^Top

OUR WEST TEXAS—NEW MEXICO BORDER RUB Crushed caribe chile—the Northern New Mexican special red chile is a wonderful addition to this rub, rather than the cayenne or super hot ground red chile frequently used in Texas. The caribe chile adds heat, yet is not overpowering for grilled or smoked meat. Once you get started using a rub on grilled meats, you’ll be amazed how great they are! Also, try this rub on vegetables, pot roasts in the oven, and lots of other foods—even popcorn. Yield: 3-1/2 cups ½ cup crushed caribe chile ½ cup coarsely ground black pepper ½ cup dried minced onion ½ cup granulated garlic ½ cup salt 2. Mix all the ingredients together, then spoon mixture lightly onto beef or other food, rubbing into surface with your fingers. Freeze leftover rub.    ^Top