For the short ribs:
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-8-pound) rack bone-in beef short ribs 4-6 short ribs)
Grapeseed oil

For the onion jus:
2 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
⅔ cup Pinot Noir
⅔ cup Madeira
¼ cup Cognac
1 small bunch fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
5 black peppercorns
5 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups beef or chicken stock

For the mashed potatoes:
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and halved
Fine sea salt
7 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
White pepper

For the mushrooms and bacon:
¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
12 ounces smoked bacon, cut into batons
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick
Fine sea salt

For the gremolata:
⅓ cup chopped parsley
Zest of one lemon
1 clove garlic, minced

Method:
1. Prepare the short ribs: Preheat smoker to 285 degrees. In a blender, combine coarse sea salt
and black pepper. Pulse until texture resembles rough sand. Sprinkle evenly all over short ribs.
2. Place ribs in smoker and cook until temperature on a thermometer inserted at thickest part
of meat reads 200 degrees or when beef can be pierced with a skewer with no resistance, about
4 hours. (Larger short ribs may require an additional 45 minutes.) Near the end of smoking,
preheat oven to 180 degrees. When ribs are done smoking, cover with foil, transfer to oven and
keep warm until needed.
3. Meanwhile make the onion jus: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in olive
oil. Add onions and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring
occasionally and adding butter if pan looks dry, until onions deeply caramelize, 30 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients to skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to
medium to maintain a lively simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer, and discard solids. Transfer jus to a saucepan and set aside.
5. Make the potatoes: In a large pot, combine potatoes and enough water to cover by several
inches. Bring to a boil and heavily season with salt. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a lively
simmer. Cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. Drain and return
potatoes to pot.
6. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter and cream and cook, stirring to combine,
until butter has melted, about 5 minutes. Pass potatoes through a ricer or sieve into a large
bowl. Stir in butter-cream mixture. Season with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.
7. Set a large skillet over low heat, and add olive oil and bacon. Cook until bacon has rendered its
fat and crisped slightly, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme. Transfer bacon mixture to a
paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
8. Raise heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook, stirring, until beginning to
brown, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt. Return bacon mixture to pan and cook until
mushrooms have browned, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, and leave ingredients in skillet to
keep warm.
9. Make the gremolata: In a small bowl, combine ingredients.
10. To serve, bringing jus to a simmer. Slice rack of short ribs into separate ribs. Divide mashed
potatoes, ribs and mushrooms among four shallow, warmed bowls. Ladle hot jus over ribs and
top with a generous sprinkle of gremolata. Pass remaining jus in a gravy boat.

—Adapted from Neil Rankin of Smokehouse, London

The post Smoked Short-Rib Bourguignon appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

• 4 onions, cut into 2cm rings
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The post Onion and Thyme Jam with Smoked Gouda appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

• 1 kg salmon fillet, skin on
• 1 tablespoon Bourbon
• 1 orange, zested and sliced into rings
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 cups dark brown sugar

Method:

1. Lay the salmon skin-side down on a cutting board. Remove any bones from the flesh and wipe clean of scales. Rinse the salmon with the whiskey and allow to air dry for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine orange zest, salt and sugar. Line a baking dish with plastic wrap, extending the wrap to allow for wrapping the salmon later. Sprinkle half of the salt mixture on the plastic wrap. Add the salmon and cover with the remaining salt mixture.
3. Lay the orange slices on top of the mixture. Wrap the salmon tightly in the plastic wrap and place in the back of your refrigerator for 48 hours.
4. Once cured, rinse the salmon in cold water. Place the salmon back into the refrigerator, uncovered, for 4 hours.

• 1 cup  Bourbon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup fig jam
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp dried mustard
• Pinch of garlic

Method for glaze:

1. For the glaze, bring bourbon to a boil over medium heat in a Cast Iron Sauce pot. Add the sugar and whisk, add the remaining ingredients, whisking to blend after each addition. Reduce heat to simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced by half.
2. Set the EGG for cold smoking at 10-20°C (watch the video for set up). Add the salmon to the grid and smoke for 1 hour. Baste the salmon with the bourbon glaze and smoke for an additional 2½ hours.
3. Slice and serve with crackers.

The post Bourbon-glazed Cold Smoked Salmon appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

• 1 free range beef brisket point, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 cup rub: Combine Brisket Rub Ingredients below
• ½ bag Jack Daniels wood chips, soaked overnight in water
• 10 portions house slaw – see recipe below
• 10 country loaf rolls – see recipe below
• 200g salted farm butter

Brisket Rub Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup ground espresso beans
• ¼ cup freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup garlic powder
• 2 Tbls ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbls ground cumin
• 2 Tbls cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

Brisket Method

1. Coat the brisket in an even layer of rub on all sides. Leave the meat to rest for 1 hour at room temperature or until the rub starts to turn pasty.
2. Preheat Big Green Egg to 100°C set up indirectly for smoking.
3. Place brisket, fat side up, on the grill. Maintain a temperature of between 90°C and 100°C. After 8 hours check meat periodically. Poke the meat n a few places; the fat should separate under your finger.
4. When you are happy that your brisket is cooked enough remove from the EGG onto a rimmed baking sheet and allow to rest for 30min.
5. Cut the brisket just before serving as it dries out quickly. Cut in 5mm slices across the grain.

Country Loaf Ingredients

• 500g stone ground flour
• 375g filtered water
• 7g fresh yeast
• 5g salt
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil

Country Loaf Method

1. Dissolve the yeast in half the water.
2. Put the flower and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture and the oil. Start kneading slowly adding the rest of the water. Knead by hand for 10min until firm and soft. Allow to rest for 1 hour or double in size.
3. Divide into 10 equal size rounds. Shape into balls and prove for 1 hour.
4. Heat the EGG to 200°C  with the convEGGtor and pizza stone in place. Heat the stone up before placing rolls 2cm apart on the stone. Spritz with water and close the dome. Maintain 200°C for the entire bake. Bake for 15min.
5. Remove and place on cooling rack.

Bardough House Slaw Ingredients and Recipe

• 150g green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 150g red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 150g carrots, cut julienne
• 50g dried cranberries
• 2 Tbls mustard
• 1 cup mayo
• Salt to taste

Mix all together and refrigerate.

Final Assembly

Cut the rolls in half. Butter on both sides. Add 100g sliced brisket and slaw. Eat.

Read Jason Lilley’s Big Green Egg review here.

The post Jason Lilley’s Smoked Brisket Roll appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

Ingredients: grilli

Rib eye

• 450-500g aged rib eye on the bone
• Salt

Oysters

• 12 sustainable oysters
• 4 pine cones

Asparagus

• 20 stalks of asparagus
• Canola oil
• Salt
• 30g pine needles

Pine dressing

• 60g pine needles
• 120g canola oil
• Salt
• 50g Apple cider vinegar

Hollandaise

• 200g clarified butter
• 100g bone marrow melted
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 egg yolks
• Salt

Method: 

1. Bring rib eye to room temperature and season liberally.
2. Set the EGG for indirect cooking and bring the temperature up to 80°C.
3. Place cones directly onto the coals until they start smoking.
4. Once smoke starts, place a perforated grid on top of the stainless steel grid (this will allow the smoke penetrate the oysters) and arrange the oysters on top.
5. Close the lid and allow the oysters to smoke for 5-8 minutes.
6. Remove and allow to cool before opening.
7. Shuck the oysters, saving the meat.
8. Raise the temperature to a warmer EGG, but not flaming as the asparagus will burn.
9. Place the pine needles on top of the grid and arrange the seasoned asparagus on top.
10. Cook the asparagus through and set aside.
11. Heat pine needles to release the oils.
12. In a high speed blender place the pine and oil and blend for 6 minutes.
13. Let the oil sit for 10 minutes before straining.
14. Whisk in the vinegar and season to taste.
15. The next part is tricky so you have to be quick! Place a Cast Iron Sauce Pot on the grid with a drop or two of water. Place the egg yolks in the pot and start whisking until they are thick. Slowly drizzle in the mixture of butter and bone marrow. Proceed as if making a mayonnaise. Adjust seasoning with lemon and salt and set aside.
16. Remove the convEGGtor and raise the temperature for direct grilling.
17. Grill the tempered rib eye to desired doneness.
18. Let the meat rest before quickly cutting the oysters in half.
19. To plate: drop a few dollops of hollandaise on top of the asparagus. Scatter 8 halves of the oysters on the plate. Carve and plate the steak and dress with the pine dressing.

Recipe courtesy of chef Vusi Ndlovu at The Marabi Club.

The post Vusi Ndlovu’s Grilled Rib Eye with Oysters and Pine appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

Ingredients:

• 250g Frozen strawberries, defrosted and cut in half
• 250g Cherry or apple wood chips, soaked in water for 20 minutes
• 15ml Castor sugar

Method:

1. Set your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at 120°C – 150°C. Scatter the dried wood chips amongst the coal.
2. Place the defrosted strawberries in an Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven and and smoke on the Big Green Egg for 20 minutes, giving it a stir to prevent the sugar from burning or crystalising to the sides of the pot.
3. Pour the smoked strawberries into a food processor or jug and blitz the mixture to create a smooth sauce or jus.
4. Decant the cooled mixture in a Mason jar and store in the fridge. Lovely stirred into ice cream, as a sorbet or cake topping.

Recipe courtesy of chef Gerhard Koekemoer.

The post Smoked Strawberry Coulis appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 T sea salt
• 3 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 4 slices of bacon diced
• 1/3 cup  beer
• 1 tsp black pepper

Method: 

1. Set the Big Green Egg  for indirect cooking at approximately 180°C and scatter some wood chips through the lit charcoal.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil sprayed with Cook ‘n Spray.
3. Combine all the ingredients except for the nuts in an Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven and let it come to the boil. Stir often for 10 minutes.
4. Add the pecans and transfer to the well sprayed and lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for between 15 and 20 minutes.
6. Transfer to another piece of aluminium foil and let cool. Serve at room temperature or in a sterilised glass jar as a gift.

The post Beer Glazed Pecan Nuts appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 large onion smoked in the Big Green Egg until completely soft
• 0.5 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 250 ml canola oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon juice

Method:

1. Place egg yolk, smoked onion flesh, mustard and vinegar in food processor.
2. Gradually add the canola oil until it thickens to resemble a mayonaise.
3. Season to taste with salt pepper and lemon juice.

Recipe courtesy of chef Maritz Jacobs of Longridge Wine Estate.

The post Smoked Onion Mayonnaise appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40 min

Accessories: Silicone BBQ Mitt, Jack Daniels Wood Chips, Stainless Flexi Grilling Basket

 Ingredients:

• 500 gr, fresh snoek fillets
• 1 cup jack daniels wood chips soaked in water for at least 1 hour/the night before
• 1 lemon, sliced.
• 1 tub (250gr) plain cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons thick plain yogurt
• 1 stalk celery, grated
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander
• Juice of one lemon
• Pinch of chili flakes
• Salt and black pepper to season
• Olive oil to serve

Method:

1. Fill the fire ring with charcoal and light with Greenfire Eco-Firelighters, allowing the coals to burn red.
2. Close the egg lid and allow temperature to reach 180 degrees Celsius.
3. Next, transfer the soaked Jack Daniels wood chips over the coals. Insider’s Tip: To pre-soak or not the wood chips is quite a personal choice!
4. Place the stainless steel cooking grid on top.
5. Dry the fillets with paper towel and arrange the snoek fillets in the Stainless Flexi Grill Basket with a few slices of lemon.
6. Next, position the basket with the snoek fillets on the grid.
7. Close the lid and allow the fillets of snoek to smoke for 40 – 50min, turning the basket with detachable handle, every 30 minutes. Cooks notes: Even though hot smoking fish (like salmon) can take a couple of hours, these fillets of snoek were quite thin and was done in less than an hour.  For a deeper, smokier taste, you can leave the snoek in the egg for longer. As the smoked snoek fillets will be shredded, there is no risk of overcooking.
8. After smoking time, remove the fillets from the basket and leave to cool.
9. Carefully remove the bones from the snoek and place the shredded fish in a food processor with the cream cheese, yogurt, celery, herbs and spices.
10. Pulse until you have a thick Pâté, season to taste.
11. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until use.

 Homemade Melba Toasts

Ingredients:

• 1 ciabatta loaf, sliced lengthwise
• ½ cup softened butter
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

Method:

1. With a rolling pin, flatten each slice of ciabatta until thin.
2. Mix the butter and basil in a mixing bowl.
3. Spread the bread on both sides with basil butter.
4. Place the slices of bread on the grid next to the flexi basket, for 5 minutes on each side, or until toasted.
5. Serve with Snoek Pâté.

Recipe courtesy of Anina Meyer of Anina’s Recipes.

The post Hot Smoked Snoek Pâté with Melba Toast appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.

Smoked Butter

Ingredients:

• 250 gr butter, refrigerated
• 1 cup jack daniels wood chips

Method: 

1. Place two pieces of charcoal on the bottom of the firebox.
2. Arrange a GreenFire Eco-Firelighter around the coal and light.
3. Wait for a few minutes for the coals to light. Insider’s tip: when smoking butter in your Big Green Egg, you don’t want the temperature to heat up too much.  
4. Once the charcoal is lit, cover it with wood chips and quickly place the butter (in a heat resistant bowl) on the grid – close the egg and close the vents at the top and bottom.Leave the butter for 10 minutes to smoke.
5. By closing the lid you are capturing the smoke from the lit charcoal and wood chips in the cooker.
6. After smoking time, remove the butter and set aside until use.

Oxtail and Potato potjie

Ingredients: 

• 15 ml olive oil
• 250 gr wood smoked bacon, chopped
• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 1 cup pearl onions, peeled and halved
• 1,5 kg good quality oxtail
• ½ cup seasoned flour ~ ½ cup flour, 5 ml smoked paprika, 5 ml cinnamon, 5 ml ground cumin, 5 ml chili powder, salt and black pepper
• 15 ml olive oil to brown meat
• 3 cups good quality red wine
• 3 cups good quality beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bouquet garni ~ sprig of rosemary, thyme and parsley tied in a bunch
• 2 bay leaves
• 500 gr baby potatoes, washed and halved
• 250 gr yellow patty pans, washed and halved
• 250 gr baby butternut, washed and halved

Method: 

1. Fill the fire ring halfway with charcoal and position the convEGGtor in the legs up (surface down) position.
2. Place a large, 6 litre cast iron pot/dutch oven on the grid to heat up and close the Egg.
3. Keep your vents halfway open to reach 150°C.
4. Carefully open the egg and fry the bacon, onion and garlic with olive oil. Use your mitt!
5. Once cooked, scoop these ingredients out of the pot and set aside.
6. Pat the oxtail dry and cover with seasoned flour.
7. Heat the next bit of olive oil and brown the pieces of oxtail.
8. Deglaze the pot by adding the liquids: wine, stock and tomato paste.
9. Add the bouquet garni and bay leaves.
10. Close the lid and allow the temperature to stabilize at 150°C.
11. Leave to cook for 3 hours.
12. After cooking time, open the lid and add some water if you need more liquid.
13. Arrange the baby potatoes in the bubbly sauce, and close the lid for one more hour of cooking.
14. After a total of 4 hours cooking time, arrange the last vegetables on top. Close the lid and prepare your stokbrood.
15. The potjie is ready when the vegetables are soft, but still firm. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.

Stokbrood

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 packet instant dry yeast
• ¾ cup lukewarm water
• Olive oil to handle

Method: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt together. Set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl, add the sugar, yeast and water and allow to become bubbly.
3. Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the flour and salt and mix through with your hands, while using the olive oil to manage the dough.
4. You can add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
5. Place the dough in a container, cover with clingfilm and allow to double in size.
6. Knock back the dough and leave to rise one more time. This will take about 40 minutes, while your potjie is bubbling away on the Big Green Egg.
7. When the dough has doubled in size a second time, drizzle a clean surface with olive oil and roll small, palm size balls.
8. Rub the firewire flexible skewers with a good dose of olive oil and skewer the balls of dough. Be sure the balls of dough are rubbed with oil as well, to avoid sticking to the grid.
9. Once your last veggies has been placed in the pot, you can start baking your bread.
10. Place each skewer on either side of the potjie, on the grid and close the egg lid for 5 minutes, with the steel side of the skewer hanging over the base.
11. Once the bread has baked for 5 minutes, turn it to cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.

Serve the stokbrood with the smoked butter as an accompaniment to the Big Green Egg cooked oxtail and potato potjie.

All ingredients were supplied Jacksons Real Food Market. Recipe courtesy of Anina Meyer of Anina’s Recipes.

The post Oxtail and Potato Potjie with Stokbrood and Smoked Butter appeared first on Big Green Egg Africa.