Recipe Page

Ford Alison's Weblog (Online Diary)

You'll find some fun recipes here.

Smoked Beef Tenderloin

This is great for a Saturday morning breakfast at a BBQ contest. After a night of cooking it's just what a team needs to get thru the day.

Serve with toasted/grilled english muffins, an egg casserole, Mimosas and Spanish coffee or with buns for a sammich, beer and Irish coffee. Horse radish is optional and steak sauce is NOT allowed.

1 full beef tenderloin about 6-7 lbs

beef rub - your own or Dizzy Pig Cowlick Steak rub (see links page)

Trim tenderloin removing connective tissues and silver skin. Apply rub liberally to all surfaces and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 6-12 hours.

Optional step - one a hot griddle brown tenderloin. About 20 seconds per side max. This will give the meat a slightly brown color. Only do this if people will be upset to see meat that looks reddish on the outside when served.

Set probe alarm to 122F for rare. Insert probe into thickest part of the tenderloin. Place tenderloin in the pit making sure that the small end is wrapped back on itself. It works great if it's under the butts or brisket and you get a few drippings on the tenderloin. Cook until alarm goes off. You may baste once with some butter spray.

Place cooked meat on a wooden cutting board and tent with foil. Let it rest for at least 1/2 hour while preparing the rest of the breakfast. Slice and dig in.

Ham & Fontina Frittata - Modified from a Rachael Ray recipe on Food Network.

This one is great for a Saturday morning breakfast at a contest. Serve with toasted English Muffins, Beef Tenderloin, Mimosas and Spanish Coffee. It requires a higher heat cooker such as an FE100 that can be set at 400.

1 pound ham steak diced fine

1/2 sweet onion diced

1 roasted pablano pepper diced
1 tablespoon (1 turn around the pan) olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
12 extra large eggs
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
Salt and pepper
2 cups (8 to 10 ounces) Danish Fontina, shredded

Preheat smoker/oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with oven safe handle over moderate heat. Add oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and coat sides and bottom of pan evenly with melted butter and oil mixture. Add ham bits and onion to the pan and saute 3 minutes.

Whisk together eggs and milk or half-and-half. Break off tiny pieces of remaining 1 tablespoon butter and drop them into beaten eggs. Season eggs with a little salt and pepper and whisk again to combine. Pour eggs into skillet over ham. Stir eggs gently to evenly distribute bits of ham throughout the eggs.

As eggs set, lift up bottom skin that has formed and allow uncooked eggs to settle. Keep doing this as eggs brown until the eggs begin to set. Transfer the pan to the oven, and allow the frittata to cook 10 minutes, or until golden on top. Add a generous layer of shredded fontina to the frittata and leave in oven another 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and begins to bubble and brown. Serve frittata wedges directly from the skillet.