The Win Report

Preparation:

I usually try to purchase a pork shoulder that weighs about 8 pounds. I have found
that larger shoulders are a little bit harder to smoke because the outer meat will dry
out before the inner meat is done if a good mop is not used to keep the shoulder
moist.

The night before you are going to smoke the shoulder, apply a thin layer of mustard
to the pork shoulder. This will create a paste that the rub will stick to. The next step
is to apply a rub. There are many great rub recipes out there, and you can find a
few at my website. Below is a rub recipe I use quite often.

Ingredients:

3-Tbsp Tony’s or comparable cajun seasoning

4-Tbsp Turbinado brown sugar (this type of sugar will burn at a higher temperature
than regular brown sugar)

1/2-Tsp Paprika

1/4-Tsp Cumin

1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 Tsp Onion Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

Instructions:

I usually mix and store all ingredients in an empty seasoning container.

Tips: If you need more, just double the recipe

After you rub the shoulder down with mustard, completely coat the shoulder with
the rub. I have found that it helps to pat the rub into the shoulder to make it stick
better.

Wrap the shoulder in plastic wrap, and refrigerate over night.

Take the shoulder out of the fridge about 1 hour before you are going to put it on
the smoker. This will bring the pork shoulder’s temperature down to room
temperature.

Cooking:

When the pit reaches operating temp, I smoke at 225 F, place the shoulder on the
pit and let it smoke for about one hour, fat side up.

Next, apply a good mop to the shoulder. Keep the outside of the shoulder moist
while smoking by applying the mop about every 45 minutes or so, but be careful
not to open the pit too much because the temperature will drop and you will have to
cook longer.

Here is a mop recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Cup beef broth

1 1/3 cups water

3/4 cup Worchestershire sauce

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon red pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a pot, and heat over med/low for 20 minutes.

2. Smoke the shoulder for about 1.5 hours per pound, or until the internal
temperature of the thickest portion of the shoulder is between 170-180 F.

I have smoked pork shoulders directly on the pit with no foil for the duration of the
smoking time, and I have wrapped them in foil after they have smoked for 6-7
hours. The wrapping method works well because you can control the moisture level
of the shoulder if the shoulder is sealed in foil. The mop, and the juices create a
very humid environment inside the foil wrapped shoulder, and I think that smoking
a shoulder this way produces excellent results.

Leaving the shoulder on the pit for the duration of the smoking time tends to
produce a firmer, drier crust on the shoulder, but the internal meat is very good.
You will just have to experiment both ways to find out which way you like the most.

Serving:

My favorite way to eat the shoulder is to make pulled pork sandwiches. Smoked
pork shoulders will literally fall apart, and making a pulled pork sandwich is fairly
simple. Shred the smoked pork shoulder with a couple of forks to prepare the meat
for the sandwich. The sandwich basically consists of two hamburger buns, some
good barbeque sauce, the pulled pork, a few onion and pickle slices, and whatever
else you think will taste good.

Pulled pork tacos are also very delicious. First, I heat up a couple flour tortillas.
Next, I sautee onions and bell peppers, and then I put the pork in the tortilla, along
with barbeque sauce and the vegetables.

Enjoy!

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is owner of Outdoor Cooking:
Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at http://www.thesmokerking.com. You
can find more
barbeque information and great recipes here.

Just south of the United States and bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, Mexico is quickly advancing both culturally and economically. The devaluation of the peso in 1994 threw the Mexican economy into a frenzy, lowering their per capita income to a mere quarter of that of the United States. Through repeated social and economic turmoil, the rich cultures of the original Yucatan civilizations has remained, though somewhat jaded after their emersion from under Spanish rule in the 19th century.

It isn’t hard to research the rich history of Mexican cuisine. When the Spaniards first landed in Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) they carefully chronicled every aspect of life there in Mexico, especially the food and cooking techniques of the natives. During their observations, they noticed that the Mexicans had a lot of corn-based foods. This was due to the fact that maize was Mexico’s chief crop at the time. A lot of these notes have carefully been preserved in the name of history–not that that is necessary. The Mexican culture has continued to live on through food, if through nothing else at all.

Be warned: Mexican food is not for the faint of stomach. Consisting of such rich, heavy foods as tortillas, chili peppers, and beans, many bodies cannot take the richness and spiciness of Mexican cuisine.

Mexican food is one cuisine that will always have a taste and sabor (flavor) all its own. Present-day Mexican food is a mixture of original Mayan and Aztec cuisine combined with the influence of the culture of the Spanish conquistadores. While Tex-Mex and local “authentic” Mexican restaurants have become very skilled in mastering the style of Mexican cooking, there is no comparison between the Americanized “restaurant” version and the real thing. Mexican food is known for its wealth of spices and intense, deep flavoring.

Tortillas are the staple of Mexican cuisine. Tortillas are made by curing maize in lime water, kneading the mixture into a dough, and cooking the thin patties on a flat grill. The most common tortillas in the United States’ version of Mexican food are made of corn, although this version of the corn tortilla is quite unlike the original, authentic version. Authentic corn tortillas are made by hand on a flat grill (called a comal). The corn is ground by hand, resulting in thick tasty tortillas that the grocery store versions pale in comparison to. Flour tortillas were implemented only after the Spaniards introduced wheat to the Mexican region.

Chiles are another staple in traditional Mexican cuisine, adding color and dimension to many traditional Mexican dishes. Bell peppers, tabasco peppers, and paprika peppers add the color and the flavor kick that Mexican food is so known for.

It is also important to take into consideration that Mexican cuisine varies in reference to the region it is coming from or being made in. Northern-style Mexican food normally consists of dishes with a lot of beef, while southern-style Mexican cuisine consists more of chicken and vegetables such as bell pepper, radishes, and broccoli, more than anything else. Veracruz is also another common style of Mexican food, coming from the coastal areas in Mexico. Veracruz cuisine, which was named after a state in Mexico and its largest city, consists of seafood such as fish and shrimp. More indigenous areas have even been known to incorporate spider monkey and iguana into their meals. Especially while in Mexico, “Mexican Food” does not always imply tacos and burritos.

Authentic Mexican cuisine is not to be confused with the Americanized Tex-Mex or New Mexican food (versions of Mexican food in Texas and New Mexico).

Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. Visit www.food-and-nutrition.com/ for more information on cooking delicious and healthy meals.

The juicer has come a long way from the simple utensil that your parents used to squeeze orange juice from an orange when you were younger. In fact, it is now one of the most essential appliances for many kitchens across the country. We have learned so much in the way of why we need to consume juices of various types. Now, with technology, we have some of the best equipment to make drinking that juice easier, more flavorful, and even more cost effective. All this from a juicer? Count on it and so much more.

There are several brands of juicers on the market, but what you will find is excellent features in all of them. Many of them offer a wide range of essential settings in which to use them. And, they all have something else in common as well. They deliver high quality juice just the way you want them to.

A Closer Look At The Options

Taking a closer look at juicer options will tell you that there is much to consider in your purchase. Don’t just head to the local store to purchase whatever they have on their shelves. On the web, you will find a wide range of high quality products that really will knock your socks off in quality and cost. Some of these machines are so easy to use that it is no harder to squeeze a glass of juice as it is to open the carton to pour some pre made juice.

Some of the things that you will find useful in juicers are the following. Did you know that many of the juicers you can purchase can be purchased to allow different types of pulp settings? Some will allow you to add ice to them to create more of an iced treat than juice? Others will provide you with a quick glass of juice that really pulls as much juice out of the fruit that is possible. Still there are more features. Some of these will help you to allow for easy clean up. Others will help you to mix various fruits to create smoothies and shakes.

Why Purchase A Juicer?

Many people do not get it. Why purchase a juicer when you can purchase juice already squeezed? The simple fact of the matter is that juice is full of essential nutrients that your body needs. When it is stored, these products break down and offer less of a value to your diet. Likewise, they also lose their flavor the longer they sit. Freshly squeezed juice is tastier and healthier for you.

Take a few minutes to check out the options that are out there. Find those juicers that offer just what you want to gain from that orange this time. And, look for easy to use equipment that is also easy to clean and maintain. What a great way to start the day with a juicer to give you the best juice out there.

For more information on juicers visit our site: www.fitnessbuff.info You’ll also find other great health related information and tips.

Everyone knows fish is good for you. It’s low in saturated fat,
and it makes you smart. So it’s no wonder consumers are confused
by headlines warning fish eaters of impending doom.

In late 2002, a San Francisco Chronicle headline warned that
eating fish can be risky because of the high content of mercury
in some deep-water fish. A physician in Northern California had
discovered that wealthy individuals eating expensive fish, such
as swordfish and tuna, were putting themselves at risk for
mercury poisoning — even as they were trying to eat healthy.

In one case, a woman suffered hair loss and high levels of
mercury in her blood. That spurred Dr. Jane M. Hightower, an
expert of internal medicine at San Francisco’s California
Pacific Medical Center, to fish around for answers.

Hightower studied her own patients, who were affluent and ate
plenty of gourmet fish — swordfish, sea bass, halibut and ahi
tuna. She found that patients who often ate these fish or were
experiencing symptoms of mercury exposure (fatigue, headache,
joint pain, and reduced memory and concentration) had
unacceptable levels of mercury in their blood.

Hightower retested these patients after they abstained from the
suspect fish for six months. The high levels of mercury
disappeared. Not surprising, the FDA has issued warnings about
high levels of mercury for some of these fish.

Fish remains tasty - and healthy

Fish is naturally low in cholesterol and has been the protein of
choice for cardiologists and weight-conscious Americans. It is a
fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown
to lower the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and
decreasing the stickiness of blood platelets. This means omega-3
fats can lower the risk for stroke.

Studies have shown conclusively that men and women who eat a
diet rich in fatty fish — salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies
and tuna — are less likely to suffer heart disease and stroke.
One study published in the journal Circulation (American Heart
Association) showed that eating fish regularly reduced the risk
of heart disease in diabetic women as much as 64 percent.

Researchers at Chicago’s Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical
Center found that older people who eat fish at least once a week
may cut their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by more than half.

It’s not necessary to eat fish every day to reap the benefits.
According to a study in The Journal of the American Medical
Association, men who ate about three to five ounces of fish one
to three times a month were 43 percent less likely to have a
stroke during 12 years of follow-up. Men who ate fish more often
did not reduce their risk any further.