These smoked chicken thighs are juicy, tender and loaded with flavor. The blood orange glaze adds a sweet and spicy kick that everyone will love.

Trimming and Preparing Chicken Thighs

Since this is just a backyard recipe we don’t need to do anything crazy when it comes to prepping the chicken thighs. When I compete in KCBS competitions it is a painstaking meticulous process involving a number of steps. Just look for any bone fragments or cartilage that may have been missed by the butcher. I also like to take off any big pieces of fat that are hanging over the thighs. Flatten out the thighs and square them up so they cook as evenly as possible.

After the thighs have been trimmed let them sit in the fridge uncovered for at least a few hours to dry out the skin. This will help the skin crisp up when it cooks. About 30 minutes before I am going to cook I will take the thighs out of the fridge and season them generously on both sides with a bbq dry rub of your choosing. I have been using the Yardbird dry rub from plowboys bbq for my chicken both in competition and at home.

How to Smoke Chicken thighs on a pellet grill.

Pellet grills are my favorite way to smoke meat at home.  You don’t have to tend to a fire or constantly add fuel. I personally have a RT-700 pellet grill from Rectec. It’s not only a great looking grill but it has great temperature control and can be monitored or adjusted from anywhere using the app connected to WiFi.

Chicken thighs absorb smoke quickly and are a much smaller cut than briskets or pork shoulders allowing you to cook at. Higher temperature. This will give you much crispier skin than if you were to smoke at a lower temperature. Another trick to getting crispy skin is to spray the chicken thighs with Avocado oil pan spray every 30 minutes during the cooking process. It's a little more expensive but avocado oil is much cleaner and has a smoke point above 500 degrees F.

Blood Orange Glaze

Blood oranges have been available in my imperfect foods box lately so I’ve been taking advantage of using the beautiful citrus fruit. Traditionally blood oranges are used in mostly Mediterranean cuisine but I find it also lends itself well to Asian recipes.  The flavor of blood oranges has notes of raspberry combined with a sweet & slightly sour finish. The combination of Orange Blossom honey and Blue Agave Sriracha from Yellowbird balances out the tangy bite of the blood orange. It also gives the glaze a glossy Lacquered finish when brushed on the chicken thighs.

What temperature to cook chicken thighs?

Poultry should always be cooked to at least 160 degrees F. to prevent salmonella and other food borne illness. That being said I prefer to cook my dark meat longer to around 185-190 degrees F. Dark meat has a higher fat content and will remain juicy even when cooked to a higher internal temperature. Cooking to 185 degrees F. will also give you that fall off the bone tenderness that I prefer from dark meat. I use the same rules when smoking chicken wings. When preparing chicken breast I only cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. otherwise it drys out very quickly. The probes that come with most pellet grills are ok but I always compare with an instant read thermometer. They're also the best way to check for tenderness when probing larger cuts like brisket.

More Chicken Recipes

• Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
• Chesapeake Garlic Parmesan Wings
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops 
• Buffalo Chicken Fatty

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Smoked Chicken Thighs w/ Blood Orange Glaze

Course Main Course

Cuisine BBQ, Chicken Thighs, Pellet Grill, Rectec

Keyword Blood orange, Chicken recipes, Chicken thighs

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 361kcal

Equipment

• Pellet Grill (I used the Rectec RT-700)

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken Thighs About 6 chicken thighs
• 2 Blood Oranges
• 2 tbsp Orange Blossom Honey
• 2 tbsp BBQ Dry Rub I use Yardbird from Plowboys BBQ
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Blue Agave Sriracha Yellowbird
• 1/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice

Additional ingredients

• 1 tsp Avocado Oil Spray
• 3 tbsp Butter

Instructions

• Trim chicken thighs, cut any extra pieces of fat or bone fragments. if possible let thighs sit uncovered in the fridge for a few hours to dry out the skin. Once its time to season coat chicken thighs on both sides with bbq rub then let come up to room temperature.
• Pre Heat pellet grill to 375 degrees F. once grill has come to temp smoke the chicken thighs skin up for 1 hour. Spray Chicken thighs with avocado oil spray every 30 minutes.
• After an about one hour move the chicken thighs to a pan with 3 tbsp of butter and cook until chicken has reached an internal temp of 160 degrees F. and skin is crispy.
• Brush chicken thighs with glaze every 15 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 185 degrees F.
• Pour glaze from the bottom of the pan over the chicken thighs before serving. I prefer to rest the chicken for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serving Size 1 Chicken thigh w/ Sauce

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

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Look in your pantry and you probably have everything you need to make this Beefy French Onion Rice & Beans. This is a fantastic way to feed the family on a budget costing less than $2 per portion. Home cookin on the cheap with beefy French onion goodness.

Rice & Beans Pantry RAID!!!

Lately I think we have all been cooking with what we have got on hand a lot more. Looking for inspiration with the ingredients we have on hand. Rice & Beans are two ingredients I have on hand at all times. I’ve always got a few different varieties of rice including white, brown and Aborio (for Risotto). I also keep a variety of beans on hand, some dry and some canned. Dry beans are great to keep on hand because they last forever but if I have my choice I use canned because it’s quick to make and I can control the consistency.

You can take these two simple ingredients and literally turn them into an endless possibility of dishes. I prefer brown rice because it fills me up and keeps me full longer. The down side is brown rice takes a lot longer to cook. If you make this recipe with white rice it will take about 20 minutes less time to prepare. I use the Risotto method to cook the rice by adding the liquid gradually throughout the cooking process instead of just pouring it all in at once. This helps you monitor the rice and make sure it’s not overcooked.

French Onion Rice & Beans: perfect way to feed a crowd 

Since most of us are stuck at home it’s nice to make simple one skillet dishes that are warming as well as satisfying. This is a recipe that I wouldn't make in late March but since it feels like i'm stuck home in a blizzard I’ve definitely been craving comfort food. Dishes like rice and beans are always great for meal prep. I made a batch on Monday and we ate it throughout the week. I garnished the skillet with the crispy fried onions that we all love but if you plan on eating this over the course of a few days just garnish each portion when you eat it so the onions don’t get soggy. 

Canned vs Dry Beans

I Always keep a bag of dry beans on hand in my Apocalypse box along with a few bags of pasta and rice. Truth be told I hate cooking dry beans. You have to soak them overnight and then when you cook them you have to keep a close eye so you don't turn the beans to mush. I prefer using the canned beans for most recipes because of how convent they are. You can use any variety of beans you like or have on hand to make French Onion rice & Beans. It just so happens that I had Black and Kidney Beans on hand and I find them to be some of the most common varieties of Legumes.

Homemade French Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Dry Minced Onion
• 2 tbsp Beef Bone Broth Powder
• 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tbsp Dry Chives
• 1/2 tbsp Dry Parsley
• 1 tsp White Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Celery Seed
• 1 tsp Granulated Garlic
• 1 tsp Granulated Onion

Instructions:

• Pour all ingredients into a small Masson jar, shake to combine. Store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months

More Casserole Recipe Ideas

• Meatball Parmesan Casserole
• Cast Iron Cuban Casserole
• Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
• Coney Dog Casserole

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French Onion Rice & Beans

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Budget Friendly, Casserole, Cast Iron

Keyword Budget recipe, Casserole, Cast Iron, French onion

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 12

Calories 506kcal

Equipment

• 12″ Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

• 2 cups Brown Rice
• 4.5 cups Beef Broth or Water
• 2 lb Ground Beef
• 1 cup Yellow Onion Diced
• 15 oz Kidney Beans 1 can
• 15 oz Black Beans 1 Can
• 1 pouch French Onion Soup Mix
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Additional Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Canned Fried Onions
• 1 cup Shredded Swiss or Provolone
• 2 tbsp Grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup Sliced Scallions

Instructions

• Brown off the ground beef and diced onions in butter until beef is almost fully cooked. Next ad in the brown rice and continure to saute until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
• Add Worcestershire, French onion soup mix and 2 cups of water. Simmer over medium low heat for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees F.
• add Another 2 cups of water and continue to simmer over medium low heat. Once the water has almost fully absorbed stir in both cans of beans. make sure the beans are drained and rinsed before adding. Pour in the final cup of water and stir.
• Place Skillet into oven to cook for about 15 minutes. Check to make sure the rice is cooked to you liking. Finally top withshredded swiss and grated parmesan. Bake for 10 more minutes until cheese is golden and fully melted.
• Garnish with sliced scallions and Canned Fried Onions

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 4mg

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New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp is a recipe that is loaded with the flavors of the French Quarter. Spicy Rich Buttery Sauce Smothering Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp Served w/ Pretzel Bread For Dipping

Barbecue Shrimp Without the “Que”

I know what you’re thinking, have those lovely people in the big easy had one too many cocktails on bourbon St. How in the world can you call something barbecue that’s not smoked or grilled, doesn’t have anything even slightly resembling bbq sauce and is served in a skillet full of butter. As the story goes barbecue shrimp first arrived in Uptown New Orleans at a restaurant called Pascal’s Manale in the 1950’s. A customer had just returned from Chicago on business where he had a dish loaded with shrimp, butter and pepper. The chef at Pascals attempted to recreate the dish and apparently exceeded the expectations creating an even tastier recipe.

Soon after other chefs around town began creating their own renditions of this now iconic Nola Dish. Today you will find the barbecue shrimp served all over town each with a rich buttery sauce and beautiful gulf shrimp. Worcestershire and creole or Cajun seasoning is commonly used to add flavor to the butter with white wine or beer rounding out the sauce.

My take on New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp 

I’ve traveled to New Orleans many times and my aunt even grew up just outside the city in Slidell. It’s a fantastic food scene with amazing bars and restaurants on every corner. As a Maryland native I have a fondness for all things seafood so barbecue shrimp is a dish right up my alley. When researching this recipe I figured why not start with one of the most well known recipes from the iconic Commander's Palace. I used beer, worcestershire and the best Cajun spice on the market Chef Paul's Redfish Magic.

What kind of shrimp to Buy

For New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp I think bigger is better. I recommend using at least a 16/20 ct. size shrimp but for my recipe I used even larger. 10/15 ct. If you're unfamiliar with how shrimp are sized and sold it’s the amount of shrimp it takes to make up one pound. For example 10/15 count shrimp will contain between 10 to 15 shrimp per pound.

Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp are the gold standard when it comes to a high quality shrimp. Most shrimp are frozen immediately after being caught so don’t be discouraged from buying frozen shrimp. I find that fresh shrimp are often a few days old and already have an off smell needing to be cooked immediately. frozen shrimp can be thawed quickly by running the shrimp under cold water. When possible buy shrimp that have the shell still on. This will protect them during the cooking process.

Tips For Preparing New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp

• Rinse the shrimp under cold water then pat dry before seasoning.
• let the shrimp sit in the seasoning for 10 minutes while your pan heats up to help the shrimp absorb more flavors.
• This dish cooks quickly so have all of your ingredients prepped and ready so you don’t overcook the shrimp.
• As soon as the shrimp are cooked remove them from the skillet. Then reduce the sauce by half.
• Remove the skillet from the heat before adding the butter 2 tbsp at a time. This will help thicken the sauce and prevent it from breaking.
• Whisk constantly while adding the butter.
• Serve With Crusty Toasted Bread for Dipping

More Awesome Appetizer Ideas

• Brat Roll Tailgate Appetizer
• Bang Bang Shrimp Dip
• Smoked Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings 
• Old Bay Honey Grilled Wings

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New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, New Orleans, Seafood, Shrimp

Keyword Barbecue, Shrimp

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 386kcal

Equipment

• 7″ Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 lb Jumbo Shrimp
• 1 Stick Butter
• 6 oz Beer
• 1 Lemon
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup Sliced Scallions
• 1 tbsp Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce
• 1 tbsp Parsley
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha Chili Oil or Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Redfish Magic Cajun Seasoning
• 1 tbsp Chopped Garlic
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Additional Ingredients

• Sliced Pretzel Bread Optional

Instructions

• Season Shrimp with sriracha chili oil, Redfish Magic Seasoning and Smoked Paprika
• Slice Lemon into about 6 wheels, chop parsley and slice scallions
• Heat up cast iron skillet to medium high. place shrimp in the pan and cook for about 30 seconds on each side then add, beer, Worcestershire, Hot sauce, garlic, lemon juice and lemon wheels, parsley and scallions. Simmer until shrimp are fully cooked. About 3-5 minutes
• Remove shrimp from the skillet and reduce sauce by half. turn off heat and begin whisking in the butter 2 tbsp at a time whisking constantly until the whole stick of butter is fully emulsified into the sauce. Add shrimp back in and coat with the sauce. Served with toasted Pretzel Bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 347mg | Sodium: 1328mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1961IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 4mg

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