Month: December 2021

Smoked Prime Rib

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Medium Rare Smoked Prime Rib

I, like most meat eaters, love a good prime rib. I have tried different oven cooking methods, including the one where you cook it at 500 degrees for about 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and let it cook for a couple more hours – just don’t open the oven door. I haven’t had much luck with that method as it’s hard to determine exactly when it will be done.

When I got a smoker, I decided to try my luck with smoking prime rib. It is now the only way I cook prime rib. It is an easy way to cook prime rib, plus I always know when it will be cooked to a perfect medium rare. 

I also put a pan of Au Jus under the prime rib while smoking it. The seasonings and the juices drip into the Au Jus and add additional smoky tastiness to it.

Another bonus to smoking prime rib is it frees up your oven to cook any side dishes that you want with the Smoked Prime Rib.

Prime Rib Ready to Season

Mix together the dry seasonings and put the beef stock in a pan. I by inexpensive foil pans that I use specifically for the smoker, but a metal pan will work too.

Rub the Worcestershire sauce around the outside of the prime rib and then the dry seasoning.

Now prepare your smoker according to the manufacture directions. I like to use hickory chips but use what flavor chips you like. 

Set the smoker to 225 degrees and an internal food temperature to 140 degrees, and do a chip burn.

Put the pan of beef stock under the prime rib. This will catch any drippings from the meat and flavor the au jus. 

Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It’s ready to start cooking.

I put my prime rib in the smoker fat side up. This way the fat drippings drip down through the meat and help flavor the meat as it cooks.

Prime Rib Wrapped in Butcher Paper

Once the prime rib reaches 100 degrees, wrap it in Butcher Paper. I found mine on Amazon.

Put it back in the smoker and cook until it reaches 140 degrees.

Wrapping it in butcher paper isn’t completely necessary, but it does have it’s benefits. Butcher paper helps the meat retain moisture and it’s more breathable than foil, so it doesn’t create a steaming environment for the meat.

A very important step is to let it rest for 1/2 hour; this helps ensure all of the juices don’t run out upon cutting. You will still have some of the juice run out, but the meat will remain moist and tender.

I purchased an inexpensive foam cooler that I use for resting food from the smoker. I found if I put an old, clean towel in the cooler, then the meat, and close the lid it helps keep it warm during the resting phase.

Smoked Prime Rib Dinner

Now you are ready to carve your perfect medium rare prime rib and enjoy your holiday meal. Don’t forget the Au Jus!

I like to serve prime rib with Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction, or Gingery Green Beans and Mushrooms. Holiday Wild Rice is also a perfect side dish for prime rib and it can be made a day or 2 in advance to save time and stove/oven space.

Enjoy!

Medium Rare Smoked Prime Rib
Print Recipe

Smoked Prime Rib

Prime rib is a great cut of meat to smoke. Put the Au Jus in a foil pan in the smoker to have a delicious, smokey Jus to serve with the Prime Rib.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Prime Rib, Smoked Prime Rib, Smoker
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 709kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Smoker
  • Foil Pan
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Butcher Paper
  • Cooler to rest Prime Rib in
  • Hickory, Mesquite, or wood chips of your choice

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds prime rib with bones
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups beef stock

Rub Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

  • Combine rub seasonings.
  • Rub Worcestershire sauce on outside of prime rib then rub with the seasoning mixture.
  • Put beef stock in a foil pan.
  • Fill wood chip pan 1/3 full of hickory chips or chips of your choice.
  • Prepare smoker according to manufacture directions. Set cook to 225 degrees and internal food temperature to 140 degrees and do a chip burn.
  • Insert meat thermometer into prime rib, then put in the smoker over the pan with the Au Jus. This will catch the drippings from the prime rib and help season the Au Jus.
  • Cook until the prime rib reaches 100 degrees. Remove and wrap with butcher paper. I use some masking tape to help keep the paper closed.
  • Return to smoker and cook to 140 degrees.
  • Remove from smoker, keep it wrapped in the butcher paper, and let it rest for ½ hour before slicing.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

I have a disposable cooler that I line with old towels that I rest my prime rib in to help it stay warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 709kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1120mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 4mg

Lemon Pepper Linguini with Chicken and Veggies

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Lemon Pepper Linguini with Chicken and Veggies

Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies is a dish that I often throw together in a pinch but never wrote down a recipe. Kind of like my Chicken and Veggies Pesto Pasta. These are 2 dishes that you can use almost any vegetable you have on hand and is extremely easy to throw together.

Friends started requesting the recipes so I thought it was about time to put one on paper and make it official.

The first step is to cook your noodles, doesn’t have to be linguini, just use whatever you have on hand that you like. Cook them to the package directions for al dente.

Lemon Pepper Linguini Sauce

While your noodles are cooking, mix together the sauce ingredients and prepare the rest of your other ingredients. Use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand. I sometimes replace the zucchini with broccoli.

When the pasta is cooked to al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, it will be used later to help create a sauce, and strain the noodles. Toss the noodles in with the lemon pepper sauce you just made.

Chicken Mushrooms Zucchini

Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Toss the cubed chicken in with the flour and lemon pepper. Add the oil to the pan and the chicken. Sauté the chicken until it starts to brown.

Add the mushrooms, zucchini, and onions. Sauté until the mushrooms and zucchini soften.

Now it’s ready to finish off.

Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veg

Add the rest of the ingredients, including the reserved pasta water. Stir until the spinach wilts and the pasta is hot.

Lemon Pepper Linguini Ready to Eat

This is a great dish to serve family style. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top and serve with lemon wedges and warm garlic bread or toast.

Enjoy!

Lemon Pepper Linguini with Chicken and Veggies
Print Recipe

Lemon Pepper Linguini with Chicken and Veggies

Lemon Pepper Chicken Linguini is a light pasta dish with refreshing ingredients that tastes great hot or cold and can be enjoyed any time of the year.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Dinner Ideas, Lemon pepper chicken, Linguini, Pasta, Whats for Dinner
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 256kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • 6-quart sauce pot
  • Large saute pan
  • 2 medium bowls
  • Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

  • ½ pound linguini

Chicken

  • 2 each chicken breast cubed
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tsp lemon pepper

Veggies

  • 2 cups mushrooms sliced
  • 1 each zucchini or yellow squash sliced in half moons
  • 2 tbsp yellow onion fine chopped
  • 1 can artichoke hearts drained and chopped
  • 2 each roma tomatoes fine chopped
  • 3 handfuls spinach kale and/or baby chard

Sauce:

  • 1 each lemon zest and juice
  • 1 tbsp parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp garlic fresh, minced
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp sea salt

Other ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Cook linguini according to package instructions until al dente, about 10 minutes.
  • Combine sauce ingredients and prepare vegetables.
  • Once linguini is cooked, drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water, and stir linguini into sauce. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour and lemon pepper, cut up chicken. Toss chicken in the flour and lemon pepper.
  • Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat, add oil and chicken, brown chicken, about 5 minutes.
  • Add mushrooms, zucchini, and onions, sauté until mushrooms are brown, zucchini has softened, and onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, spinach, butter, reserved pasta water, and linguini with sauce. Stir and cook until spinach is wilted and everything is nice and hot, about 2 minuutes.
  • Serve and top with Parmesan cheese.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Using a nonstick sauté pan versus a stainless-steel pan:
A nonstick pan will ensure nothing sticks to the bottom, but the chicken and veggies won’t brown as well.
A stainless-steel pan will create a brown layer on the bottom of the pan that can easily be scraped up when the liquid is added and enhance the flavor of the dish.
My preference is stainless steel, but a nonstick has the benefit of not having to scrape or scrub the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 480mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1602IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

Holiday Wild Rice

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Holiday Wild Rice

Wild rice is a wonderful accompaniment to a holiday meal. This salad has ingredients that remind me of the holiday season – cranberries, mandarin oranges, and nuts – dressed in a light and zippy dressing. It is served cold so it can easily be made a day or two in advance and not take up any precious stove or oven space or your time on the day of your gathering.

Wild Rice

Start with measuring out the rice and stock or water. I generally us a vegetable or chicken stock to impart flavor in the wild rice. To keep it vegetarian, use vegetable stock or plain water.

Toasting Wild Rice

While not a necessary step, I like to toast the wild rice first. It helps bring out a more nutty flavor. No need to use oil, just dry toast the rice over medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. You’ll hear it popping and see it starting to brown. Careful not to over toast, you don’t want it to taste burnt.

After toasting, add the stock or water. Be careful, the pan is already hot and the liquid will bubble and pop when you first start adding it to the pan.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook the rice for about 45 minutes until tender.

Wild Rice Dressing

While the wild rice is cooking, whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss in the onions and parsley.

Toasting Nuts

Over medium high heat, dry toast the nuts. This step is also not necessary, but toasting brings out the nutty flavor. Once the nuts start browning, remove from heat and set aside. 

You can also peel and segment the mandarin oranges, measure out the cranberries, add the nuts, and set this aside.

Wild Rice Cooked and Strained

When the rice is done, if there is still liquid in the pan you can just strain it.

Wild Rice Dressed

Mix the rice in with the dressing and put in the refrigerator for about an hour to cool down.

Holiday Wild Rice

Once the rice is cool, mix in the oranges, cranberries, and nuts. It’s ready to eat. This can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or 2 before you are ready to eat it. When you are ready for your holiday meal, put it in a serving container and pass it around.

Enjoy!

Holiday Wild Rice
Print Recipe

Holiday Wild Rice (or Nutty Wild Rice Salad)

This Nutty Wild Rice Salad is a great accompaniment to any holiday meal. It doesn’t take oven or stove top space and can be made up to a few days in advance. While vegetarian and mostly allergen free, the nuts could be omitted if necessary.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: holiday wild rice, wild rice
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Knife and cutting board
  • Large bowl and whisk
  • 4 to 6 quart stock pot
  • Small non-stick sauté pan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wild rice uncooked
  • 3 cups vegetable stock water, or chicken stock
  • 4 each mandarin oranges
  • 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1/3 cup almonds sliced
  • ½ cup cranberries dried

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp ginger fresh, minced
  • 2 tbsp red onion minced
  • ¼ cup parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Put a 4 to 6 quart sauce pan on the stove and turn on heat to medium high. Add the rice and dry toast for 3 to 5 minutes to brown.
  • Add the water or stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes until rice is cooked. If there is excess liquid, drain rice.

While rice is cooking:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients.

Prep the rest of the salad ingredients:

  • Dry toast (don’t use any oil) the nuts over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until they start to brown. Remove from heat immediately.
  • Peel and segment mandarin oranges and get ½ cup dried cranberries.
  • When the rice is done (strain it if there is any liquid left), add it to the dressing and mix well. Put in refrigerator for about 1 hour to cool down.
  • Add the rest of the salad ingredients and mix well.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Makes 6 cups

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 628mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 481IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg