David Berry – Chef de Cuisine, Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting
We’ve put together an all-American Memorial Day dinner for the whole family. Follow these directions and you’ll be surrounded by happy faces and full bellies!
Cole Slaw
For the Base:
½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbs Coleman’s Dry Mustard
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Cup Dukes Mayonnaise
Combine the vinegar, mustard powder and sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved. Add the mayonnaise and mix until completely smooth. Transfer to a storage container and set aside
For the Slaw:
2# Green Cabbage
1.5-2 Cup Slaw Base
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Shave the cabbage as fine as possible then give it a rough chop. Combine in a bowl with the base (enough to your liking) and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, wrap and refrigerate until use.
Potato Salad
For the Base:
2 Cup Mayonnaise
4 Tbs Whole Grain Mustard
3 Tbs Dijon Mustard
2 Tbs Sour Cream
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and well mixed. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate until needed.
For the Potato Salad:
3 # B Red Potatoes
Potato Salad base from above
Kosher Salt To Taste
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
3 Tbs Minced Fresh Chives
Wash potatoes well and remove any ugly spots. Slice potatoes into ¼ inch rounds and place in a pot. Cover with cold water and add 3Tbs kosher salt to the water. Bring potatoes up to a boil, then turn down to a high simmer. Cook potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork but not falling apart. Drain potatoes, spread out onto a baking tray, and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, carefully mix the base, chives, cooked potatoes, pepper, and salt to taste. Once combined, transfer to a serving dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Additional base can be made if you like your potato salad to have more sauce.
BBQ Chicken
For the Brine:
¼ cup Kosher Salt
½ cup Light Brown Sugar
2 each Bay Leaf
6 each Garlic Cloves
1 Tbs Black Peppercorns
1 Gallon Water
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a rolling boil. Turn off and set aside to cool completely.
For the Rub:
2 Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1tsp Coleman’s Dry Mustard
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
3 Tbs Light Brown Sugar
Combine all ingredients well. Transfer to a storage container until ready to use.
For the Chicken:
The day before cooking, open chicken and remove the neck, gizzard, and liver from the cavity. Place chicken/chickens in a non-reactive pot and pour the brine over the top making sure that the chicken is completely submerged. Place in refrigerator overnight. The following day, remove the chicken/chickens and allow them to drain. Cover the chicken with the spice rub and place back in the refrigerator until ready to cook. To cook the chicken, get your smoker or grill fired up to 250 degrees and maintain that temperature throughout the cooking process. Place rubbed chicken on the grill/smoker grates a good distance from the actual heat source. Close the lid and throw several chunks of hickory wood into the coals and let the chicken smoke. You will want to maintain a nice even smoke throughout the process; every so often add another chunk or two of hickory. You may or may not need to add more charcoal to your fire. Be careful not to add too much as this can cause temperature spikes. Remember low and slow. Continue to smoke the chicken until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads a minimum of 165 degrees. We like to also take the temperature of the bird at the joint between the leg and thigh. During the last hour of cooking, start lightly basting the bird every 15 minutes with your favorite BBQ sauce. Once the chicken/chickens are fully cooked, remove from the smoker and allow to rest for 30 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
Do you need assistance with advice on recipes for your family? We’re here to help! Contact us today, and let’s chat.