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Drop Biscuits in a Lodge cast iron biscuit pan on a Big Green Egg
Fall and Winter are prime times to bake items that compliment our seasonal soups and stews. We’ve come across this old world style Drop Biscuit recipe and modified it a bit for the Big Green Egg.
We’ve got a small Big Green Egg that loves to hover at 400F with ease and decided to put it to use.
Tools: Big Green Egg or other BBQ cooker that can maintain constant 400F indirect temperatures. Lodge cast iron biscuit pan.
Cooker Temp: 400F, indirect heat.
Baking Directions: After making the dough, cut small 1/8″ thick pads of butter and set one pad into each void on the baking pan. Put equal parts of dough into each void on top of the butter. Be as consistent as possible and use up all of the dough – because it doesn’t keep well. Set the now filled iron pan into the preheated cooker and close the lid. Check the biscuits after 15 minutes and then again at 20 minutes. You will begin to see the biscuits brown slightly where they contact the cast iron. When they are sufficiently brown, pull them out and rest them. The biscuits should be somewhat crumbly and soft, but when given a slight turn in the baking pan, spin easily. (cooking times may vary with each grill – keep checking on them)
Dough Recipe:
Lodge Logic Cast Iron Drop Biscuit Pan
2 cups unbleached all-purpose four
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (and additional butter for the pan)
Victorine Valley Farms Butter Flavored Olive Oil (for drizzling)
Option: Feel free to add herbs of your choice to the biscuits as well.
Mixing Instructions:
- Wisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
- Mix the buttermilk and melted butter (8 tablespoons) together in a separate bowl.
- Combine the buttermilk mixture with the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until incorporated and batter pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Thanks to Victorine Valley Farms for providing the wonderful local Olive Oils for our recipes. Products can be ordered on their website here…www.victorinevalley.com
Green Leaf BBQ is officially open for business in Livermore California. Our new shop is part of Livermore’s historic “Blacksmith Square”. The Brick building offers a great courtyard for our BBQ classes and events. Our neighbors offer local botique wine tasting, olive oil tasting and a tapas style restaurant for anybody visiting the Square. The weather here is great for a backyard BBQ – offering true wine country climate with warm days and cool evenings.
Our shop is open Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm.
As always we feature and specialize in The Big Green Egg line of BBQ Smokers. We also carry Green Mountain Grills, Traeger Grills, Weber Grills, and other products from Lodge, OXO, Victorinox/Foschner, Wicked Good and many custom BBQ Spices, Rubs and Sauces from the professional competition circuit that simply are not available in other stores.
Check back for our BBQ Class and event schedule.
Consider this a hearty welcome to our shop – oh, and we’re pet friendly too
Come in for a visit!
Green Leaf BBQ Shop
21 South Livermore Ave.
Livermore CA 94550
(925) 449-2135
Santa Maria BBQ
Many have heard about our BBQ Competition on November 14, 2009. We are still taking enrollment for the contest at www.greenleafbbq.com for any interested individual or team.
This contest is open to all with no fuel restrictions – bring your best skills and grills to win a trophy and some cash.
Competitors will be using Traeger Grills, Big Green Eggs, Drum Smokers, Gas Grills, and perhaps even a few Weber kettle or WSM smoking all day.
If you’re interested in learning to BBQ or smoke meats, this is the place to visit and ask questions.
Our BBQ shop will be open during the competition, offering special deals on Big Green Egg, Traeger & Weber products in addition to our great line-up of BBQ rubs and sauces. Check out our website to shop early in our online store.
Here are the details:
Who: Professional and Amateur BBQ Enthusiasts and Teams
What: Three (3) Meat Contest – Tri- Tip, Pork Spare Ribs, Chicken Thighs
Where: Green Leaf BBQ Parking lot: 2054 Canal Drive, Turlock CA 95380
When: Saturday November 14, 2009 Set-up begins at 6:00 am Turn-Ins begin at 2 pm – Awards to follow
Signups: Email Tim at: oakpit@rocketmail.com – Please write “BBQ Team Sign-up” in the subject line.
You can also stop by or call our store @ 209-668-2452
Fees: $50.00 per meat category or $125.00 for all 3 categories
Prizes: $100.00 CASH per meat category & notoriety and publication on our website plus other great prizes being added weekly.
*No Fuel Restrictions – Charcoal, Gas, Pellet, Electric or Wood Allowed.
Thanks to all teams that have already committed to joining us!
-Tim
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- Big Green Egg BBQ Smoker
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- Big Green Egg
I know – this is a shameless plug for our BBQ shop. But, sometimes the information being delivered demands some attention – even if it is from within!
Our BBQ Shop is located at: 21 South Livermore Ave. Livermore, CA in the Historic Blacksmith Square. We regularly have Big Green Eggs on sale and offer prices significantly under retail. Please visit our website for more information at: www.greenleafbbq.com – We can drop ship special orders as well!
Here are 10 of the best reasons ever to invest in a Big Green Egg…
1. They can hover at the magic 250 degree mark for almost 24 hours with a good lump charcoal fire – making the “Low & Slow” style a reality.
2. They are supremely efficient users of fuel – Good charcoal is expensive and getting more so.
3. They can really do a great job as a grill – those temps can easily get to 500 – 700 degrees and stay there for over an hour – if you have a “steak night” for 15 folks, this will come in handy.
4. They look cool.
5. They make you cooler!
6. They will last forever & include a limited LIFETIME warranty – Parts are commonly available and easily replaceable.
7. The array of ceramic accessories will allow perfect indirect heating & a wonderful brick over flavored pizza on a Big Green Egg Pizza Stone.
8. There is nothing that cannot be cooked to perfection with a little practice of fire management & technique – a VERY forgiving BBQ.
9. Air flow is managed at both ends and the adjustments actually work, unlike junk grills that have air flow vents more for cosmetic reasons.
10. Cooking technique that is learned in a kitchen can easily be applied to this charcoal fired porcelain oven – learn fire technique & the world will be your oyster.
I don’t really need to go on any more – “Backyard Nirvana” is possible and now within reach.
Seriously, these are wonderful BBQ units that will be enjoyed for years…a true investment. Consider renting one from us for $50 a day – we’ll take the rental expense off of your bill should you decide to buy.
-Tim
BBQ Smoke Woods
Green Leaf BBQ is proud to announce the arrival of our newest BBQ product. “California Vineyard Smoke Woods”. These Oak wood pieces were infused with wine as they assisted in the process of making great California Wines. Green Leaf BBQ has partnered with many wineries to bring you a truly superior BBQ smoke wood. From small cubes to smoke in that gas grill, larger pieces to mix into the charcoal pile on your Weber and longer slats for that stick burning smoker rig.
Reviews have been coming in… John Ruloff, a Big Green Egg Rep. and BBQ competitor in Fairfield Ca. took some with him to the 6th Annual West Coast BBQ Championships this past weekend. Visitors chattered, “The wood was great” others, “With the right amount, the smoke flavor was unique and interesting”, another commented, “something different”.
Recommended Use: Place about 8 pieces on the fire as you are locking in the temperature of the BBQ. By the time things have settled down to the magic 250 +/- degree mark, the pieces should be producing a nice light smoke. Keep in mind, if the pieces are tossed on a huge flaming fire, they will just burn up. The burning isn’t what will give you a unique smoked flavor…so remember those Low & Slow cooking methods. Some folks soak them in more wine, others in water, others go dry. Experiment with what works best for you.
Big Green Egg & Weber WSM & UDS: Toss them or stir the pieces into the charcoal bed and catch the temperature you like. Remember it is easier to capture temps that are rising as the fire is growing – it is difficult to put the brakes on a monster hot fire and bring the temps down.
Weber Kettle: Set up for an indirect fire – add the smoke wood as the temps stabilize around the edges of the fire. I use foil covered bricks down the center of my kettle & make the fire on one side. The bricks radiate heat well – extending and stabilizing the length of a usable fire.
Gas Grill: Fill your smoker box with a handful of the small cubes – get them smoking – not burning – then add your meat. Some people dedicate a burner for the smoke box, it may be easier to moderate the burn/smoke rate to your tastes.
Smoke Note: NEVER try to smoke your food while the BBQ is billowing white smoke, thick white smoke will make your food taste like garbage and it will turn black and sooty. Please wait until there are nice clean wisps of smoke and heat – then add your food. (If your fire lacks oxygen – air flow – there will be continuous white smoke – add some air to stabilize the burning characteristics and clean up that smoke)
Availability: If you’re interested in purchasing California Vineyard Smoke Woods, visit our online store, Visit our website at: http://www.greenleafbbq.com and click “Shop Online”. First shipments go out Sept. 14th.
Wholesale interests: Please email: oakpit@rocketmail.com or call (209) 342-7878.
So we all know that steaks like to be cooked HOT. I’ve cooked plenty of steaks this way & as long as they have good marbling, they come out great. This usually means steaks like a Rib Eye in the USDA Choice category at a minimum.
Carrie and I stoked the Egg one eve and whipped out this amazing steak cooked at over 700 degrees in the Egg. Keep in mind that as long as the internal temps in a steak stay around 120 -125 degrees – the meat stays red and juicy inside. When the temps get higher than that, the steak begins to cook through. Your job as a BBQ master is to cook that steak in as little time as it takes to lightly char the exterior & leave a tender pink interior with as little grey around the edges of the pink as possible. Of course if the preference is more of a medium or we done steak -LOWER the temps at which you cook it.
For what is’s worth, many steak afficionados love the Medium Rare steak & that is my taste as well…
We used some of the Rub Co. “Santa Maria” product as our base & added butter, garlic & rosemary near the end. I like to add the herbal ingredients late in the cook so that the flame doesn’t just burn them off – you can see the coarse garlic & rosemary in the photos.
If you haven’t tried this style of steak cooking – it will probably take some practice – everything happens pretty fast. Don’t give up, as the reward is all the equal of a Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris etc. type of steak -except the price! So go fire that BBQ, get your self a great cut of meat and go to work!
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- Wood BBQ Fire
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- Santa Maria Red Oak BBQ Pit
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- Santa Maria Tri-Tip
“This sumptuous feast of barbecued sirloin, salsa, Pinquito beans, toasted French bread, and green salad has been called by Sunset Magazine, the “best barbecue in the world””
Simple aroma of the Red Oak burning in the bottom of an iron pit. The hot smokey air surrounds everything, changing everything. The deep crackle of the big oak logs, the fire is preparing to give up its gift. Men in jeans and boots, as authentic as the aroma itself prepare the 4″ thick Top sirloin “Block” steaks or tri-tips. Preparation is simple – shaking on some coarse garlic, salt & pepper. We have a few beers – waiting. We aren’t going to trim very much – the fire will need that. Families are happy, women talk. The fire wisps and cracks as we lower the iron grate on the rotating shaft. We control heat with the movement of the grate. This scene has been repeated thousands of times, more in this Central California region. We know nothing else. This is our lifestyle. Every important event. Every sad event. Grill marks, weeping, dripping fat into the fire, reddened meat, swollen. This is my BBQ. This is Santa Maria Style.
Families grill everyday in “backyard” California. Our weather is beautiful for 9 months of the year. Some slow smoke, others charcoal grill, others gas grill.
This style, like other landmark BBQ styles, is not the “only” way to BBQ, it is just the only true CALIFORNIA BBQ. It is ours. As simple as the corner of Mill and Vine streets in Santa Maria where the first Tri-Tip roast was discovered. Bob Shultz stumbled into the core of modern Santa Maria BBQ…only by accident. This discovery put Santa Maria BBQ on the map.
The fire lighting tips are simple:
Traditional Oak Pit: as pictured, load it with 5 or so logs and light it up. When those logs burn down, to coals, put one log in the back of the pit at the edge of the fire. This log will smolder and give you new coals slowly as the main fire burns down. Continue to add logs to the rdge of the fire as needed to continue making coals. Rake or drag the coals to the center as you BBQ. (If you have one of these pits, my information probably isn’t new or revolutionary. Have patience for those that are new.)
Charcoal grill or any “Stick Burner”: make a fire with BBQ oak wood chunks/small logs make a large pile, light them up, add more until you get a nice bed of coals 3″ thick. During this process, you probably won’t have seen your grill emit this much fire, so add sparingly to keep the fire manageable. A person could add charcoal to the BBQ chunks, but that isn’t what we’re talking about here. This is a process, enjoy it. Have a glass of wine, enjoy friends around that huge pile of burning oak wood.
Gas Grill: I don’t know what to tell you. Oak chips soaked in water don’t do it. Use this an excuse to buy another type of BBQ. After all, two or more isn’t bad.
Cooking Tips:
Let the coal bed rest until you can keep the back of your hand over the coals for about 2 1/2 seconds. It’s gonna be hot… On the charcoal grills, move the coal bed to one side, block the fire with foil covered bricks or something firm, creating a slightly indirect heat.
In this temp range, the term “indirect” sorta goes out the window. We could be looking at 600+ over the fire, and around 450+ on the “cold side” In a charcoal grill, where you don’t have much control of the heat/grill height. Wait until the heat is within the 350-400 degree range before even thinking about putting that $30 dollar 4″ Sirloin Block or tri-tip on the grate. If you have an Oak Pit, lower the grate as the fire cools to maintain the 350 degree range. Oh yeah, you probably aren’t going to need that lid on the charcoal grill or Big Green Egg, Weber etc. Cook this on the grate, moving it around as needed to keep things in line.
Lets see, what else…yeah, your arm hairs may be singed, and you eyes may sting from that cookable clear smoke – that’s a sign that everything is normal. Just keep that meat moving a bit, don’t burn it & make sure to serve it with a great salad (and strawberries if you can get them)
This BBQ Style will take practice, and will probably cause a newbie some degree of frustration at first. Stick with it, and you will begin to unconsciously begin to “feel” your BBQ & it’s sumptuous rewards.
We’ll continue to have more on Santa Maria Style BBQ in the future…
I saw this video and thought I’d pass it along. In case you haven’t noticed, I like to focus on techniques that create sound fundamentals. I’m aware that in order to get great BBQ, many additional techniques are advised that can only be applied when the fundamentals have been established. We’ll be adding a few of those expert tricks along the way to truly make great Q.
Notice that this guy uses a Weber WSM to cook these ribs. If a person is using a different style of BBQ, Like a Traeger, Big Green Egg, Horizon Offset or a Gasser etc…keep in mind that the attainable temps may be different and should be accounted for in overall cook time.
Oh yeah, don’t depend on your charcoals flavor – add wood chunks or chips to your BBQ to give it a unique flavor & use a fire starter chimney or paper to light that BBQ — Please no lighter fluid.
Green Leaf BBQ is excited to present a new online store – we’re even MORE excited to add more unique product. We’ve tried hard to locate quality spices and sauces. We carry complete lines of Weber, Traeger & Big Green Egg.
Visit us when you’re looking for an addition to your BBQ repertoire. We’re adding products every week so check to see what’s new. Store: http://stores.greenleafbbq.com/StoreFront.bok or website: www.greenleafbbq.com
Remember that our store is client driven — if you’d like to see something here, make a suggestion & we’ll try to make it happen.
Thanks!
Green Leaf BBQ Shop - Gourmet BBQ Products 