Wow your friends and family with this smoked turkey recipe that everybody will be talking about for years? Ken and Patti Fisher of DateNightDoins. com have provided us with a simple 3 ingredient, can’t go wrong recipe, for cooking a turkey…backyard style!

They use only 2 ingredients, “Duck Fat” as a binder and GMG’s Poultry Seasoning (or your favorite poultry seasoning blend). That’s it! Only 10 minutes prep time, and that was just to rinse it off, mount it on the rotisserie and season it.

Smoke Blend Recipe

Patti and Ken also shared their famous “Smoke Blend” recipe. Just fill your smoke  hopper with fruitwood pellets. Then fill a Wedgie with a layer of cherry pellets followed by a layer of dried coffee grounds and then topped off with more cherry pellets for an Awesome kiss of smoke.

In the smoke for 4 ½ hours @ 250* (122c). Tender, juicy, beautiful, and delicious smoked turkey. Let me say again, we didn’t do anything but smoke and a dry rub, no brine, or injections. It can’t be any easier than that.

Easy 3-Ingredient Smoked Turkey

Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8-10

servings

Total time

4

hours 

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 14-16 lb Turkey

• 1 jar Poultry Seasoning Mix

• 1 Duck Fat cooking spray

Directions

• Pre-heat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees
• Rinse your turkey and pat dry with paper towels. (Don’t forget to remove the gizzards )
• Mount your turkey on the rotisserie. If you don’t have one you can place your prepped turkey right on the grill.
• Spray duck fat all over the turkey. Then rub on the poultry seasoning. Be sure to give it nice layer of seasoning.
• Cook on the grill @250 degrees for 4 1/2 hours (internal temp of 170-180)
• Fill a smoke wedgie  with 1/3 cherry pellets, 1/3 with dried coffee grounds and 1/3 with your cherry pellets .

More Recipes

• Deep-Fried Cajun Turkey Nugget Recipe
• David Bancroft’s Chicken Fried Quail
• Andy Morgan’s Grilled Wild-Duck Skewers

Our friends at DateNIghtDoins.com have provided us another great recipe for your grill. Smoked Creamed Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes are a great side dish for your next family gathering. Homemade creamed spinach that picks up the mesquite wood smoke flavor together with the warm soft tomatoes is really a great pairing. Lots of different textures and flavors complimenting each other. This dish could also work as a main dish if you add shrimp or leftover meat to the spinach mixture.

Smoked Creamed Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 5 Large Tomatoes

• 1 pound Fresh Spinach

• 6 slices Cooked bacon, chopped

• 1 cup Half and Half

• 2 tablespoons Flour

• 1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt (Country Bob’s or your favorite)

• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon dried garlic

Directions

• Slice off tomato top about ½ “down. Remove seeds with a teaspoon. Place tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain any juice.
  
• In medium saucepot cook bacon until crisp. Using slotted spoon remove bacon to paper towel.
• Whisk flour thoroughly into drippings.
• Slowly add milk, then seasonings. Simmer and stir until thickened. Mix in spinach and bacon. Spoon the spinach mixture into tomatoes and sprinkle cheese on top.
• Place the tomatoes on a baking tray and put on the grill or smoker. Cook for 60 minutes at 225 degrees.

This is a wonderful twist on pecan pie from our friends at DateNightDoins.com. Butterscotch chips and an extra whisper of pecan smoke from cooking the pie on the grill with  Green Mountain Grill’s Gold Blend pellets in a wedgie for that signature ‘Kiss of Smoke’ that Ken and Patti Fisher are known for, make this pie something to talk about. Yes, you read that right, we are going to show you how to make butterscotch pecan pie on the grill.

For this recipe, you will cook the pecan pie in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a smoker, you can place the skillet on a regular grill.

Butterscotch Pecan Pie on the Grill

Servings

8

servings

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Ready made pie crust

• 1 cup Dark corn syrup

• 1 cup Real maple syrup

• 2 1/2 cup Brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons Vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 6 eggs, beaten

• 2 cups chopped pecans

• 2 cups pecan halves

• 2 cups butterscotch chips

Directions

• Mix together all ingredients except for crust and pecan halves.
• Spray your cast iron skillet with a cooking spray.
• Pour filling into pie shell and top with pecan halves.
• Preheat the grill to 375* (190c) and place your Pecan pie directly onto the grill for about 60 minutes. When the crust is nicely browned pull it off the grill and let it cool. Be careful it is like molten lava and will stick to anything it may be spilled on. Let cool and serve.

More recipes:

• Easy Game Day Snacks and Sides
• David Bancroft’s Fried Green Tomatoes
• Joe Thomas’s Grilled Sweet Potato Slices

With the holidays fast approaching, you may be wondering how to make the most of your game meat—or, how to make a unique thanksgiving recipe. In this Backyard Life video, Joe Thomas shows us a unique Thanksgiving eat with his deep-fried Cajun turkey nugget recipe demo.

“I love turkey hunting in the spring,” says Thomas. But, what he loves just as much is setting aside some of the breast meat for a great meal. He uses it in the fall to make his Thanksgiving specialty: deep-fried Cajun turkey nuggets. These delicious, bite-sized treats are easy to fry at home, says Thomas. “You can use grouse, pheasant or even chicken.” But, it all starts with some good boneless, skinless breast meat.

Turkey Nugget Prep Work

Thomas gets started by cutting two large turkey breasts into bite-sized chunks about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. Then, he makes a marinade of milk and Frank’s hot sauce (and sometimes a little butter). However, if you’re really into heat, Thomas recommends cutting the milk and butter.

Thomas then puts the turkey nuggets into a large freezer bag with the marinade, allowing them to soak up the flavor overnight.

Turkey Frying Tips

Thomas pulls out the marinated nuggets the next day once he’s ready to cook them. But, there’s one more delicious step before these wild turkey nuggets hit the fryer.

Thomas pulls out the nuggets in batches of 6-8. Then, he dredges them in McCormick’s Cajun Seasoning straight out of the box. From there, he checks the temperature of his peanut oil. “You want it to be around 350-375 degrees,” he says.

To test the oil, Thomas uses an old trick from his grandma. “Put a little piece in the oil. If it starts to brown and floats immediately, you know you’re ready to go.”

Thomas then drops his first batch of nuggets into the fryer and watches to make sure they don’t end up under or overdone. His tip: “When that batter turns golden brown and they float up, you know that they’re good.” Then, he scoops them out onto paper towels and readies them for serving.

In all his years making them, there’s only one problem Thomas has encountered with the recipe. “By the time you get a batch out, everybody standing around the grill has already eaten them. And, now you have to start all over again!”

“Give this unique holiday eat a shot” says Thomas, and “I promise everyone who comes over this Thanksgiving will love them.” 

Serve as appetizer or with fries and biscuits as a full entrée. You can try Joe Thomas’s deep-fried Cajun Turkey Nugget recipe at home using directions below:

Print

Directions

• Cut boneless, skinless wild turkey breast into approximately 1-inch cubes and soak in a Ziploc bag with Frank’s hot sauce for a minimum of three hours.
• Take marinated nuggets out of the Ziploc bag and put directly into a clean bowl.
• In a second bowl place a box of McCormick’s Cajun seasoned batter mix. With a fork, roll marinated turkey chunks in McCormick’s mix.
• Take turkey chunks out of seasoning and drop 8-12 nuggets into a pan of boiling hot peanut oil (350 degrees). Cook until the meat floats to the surface and remove immediately with a strainer spoon or tongs.
• Place on a serving dish covered in paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat process until the entire batch is cooked. 

More wild game recipes:

• Game Day Grilling Tips From Michael Waddell
• Andy Morgan’s Grilled Wild-Duck Skewers
• David Bancroft’s Chicken Fried Quail

A behind the scenes look at the food prep behind our Prime Cuts: Grilled Rib Eye episode.

Join Prime Cuts chef David Bancroft at the prep table as guest chef Kevin Nashan discusses how he selects, cuts, and pre-seasons his steak, as well as how he concocts and shapes his homemade tater tots. Finally, get the inside scoop on the unique ingredients that go into his “sauce gribiche” (a.k.a. good-old egg salad) and mustard-seed condiments.

Hungry for more? Watch the all the Prime Cuts episodes to see more finished recipes

In the words of grilling expert David Bancroft, “Nothing brings people together quite like food. And, there’s nothing like preparing it in the comfort of your own backyard.”

In this Backyard Life video, we join Bancroft on the set of Prime Cuts. He and guest chef Kevin Nashan are cooking Nashan’s grilled ribeye, cabbage and tater tots recipe. (Yes, that’s right, we said tater tots.)

Getting Ready for Ribeye

David begins by asking Chef Nashan his grilling secrets. And, for him, it’s all about two things: the heat of the grill and the cut of steak. “Keep it simple,” Nashan explains as he seasons his center-cut ribeye with salt and pepper: “Really hot grill. Really good sear. Finish it off in the oven.”

Nashan offers up some other great tips, too. Like referring to coating the grill with grapeseed oil to prevent sticking his “insurance policy.” And, while he’s all about keeping the grill ultra-hot, he also says heat management is key. He likes to keep the back are the hottest. From there you can “get to know your grill,” and place different parts of the meal on the right places for optimum cooking. Almost like cooking with a heath.

“The common trend here with cooking in the backyard is confidence. Get confident with your vessel. Know your hot spots, know your cold spots.” Bancroft explains. And, Nashan agrees.

After they’ve cooked the ribeye for 10-12 minutes to a perfect medium rare, they’re ready to let it rest as they move onto sides, starting with grilled cabbage.

It may sound strange, but Bancroft and Nashan jokingly explain that Napa Cabbage “filets” stand up well to grilling. It’s actually part of the Horseradish family, creating a perfect side for this grilled ribeye recipe.

Time for the tater tots

But, you won’t find Nashan’s coming out of a freezer bag. These scratch-made tots are easy to make with some mashed potatoes and a kick from your favorite chilis. And, they’re easy to fry, too. All it takes is a pot of your favorite oil; just make sure it has a high flash point and a neutral flavor (Nashan likes grapeseed or peanut). Once the oil is at 350, you’re ready to go. Just when it seems this grilled ribeye recipe couldn’t get any better, Nashan takes it to the next level!

He walks Bancroft through caramelizing cippolini onions until they’re sugary sweet, and how to make a savory, fancy egg-salad called “Sauce Gribiche.” There’s also a delicious-looking mustard jus that’s easy to create at home.

Finally, Nashan’s ready to plate. He slices the ribeye steak thin, pulls the homemade tater tots out of the fryer, and layers on all the sides. This dish can only be described as mouthwatering—and perfect for any fall backyard grill out! If you can’t wait to try out this amazing grilled ribeye at home, don’t worry. Here’s the ingredients and outline for the tater tots and sauces, below. 

Prime Cuts Tater tots, sauce gribiche and mustard jus

Print

Tater Tots Ingredients

• white potatoes

• salt

• baking soda

• chili powder

• grapeseed oil

Print

Directions

• Peel and chop potatoes into one-inch cubes. Separate in half. Boil half the potatoes for XX minutes until soft (but, not falling apart,) then mash
• Combine cooked potatoes and raw potatoes in a mixing bowl. Mix in salt, chili powder and baking soda
• Roll potatoes into a cylinder in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until cool. Or, for homestyle tots, use a melon baller to make small balls.
• 4 Heat grape-seed oil to 350 degrees in an iron skillet and fry sliced or balled tots for approximately X minutes (until golden brown).

Print

Sauce Gribiche Ingredients

• tarragon

• capers (keep the liquid)

• shallots

• mayonnaise

• egg yolks

• rice wine vinegar

• salt

Print

Directions

• Peel, chop and divide shallots. Cook half in an iron skillet on medium-high heat.
• Mix remaining ingredients with shallots in a mixing bowl. Serve room temperature.

Print

Mustard sauce Ingredients

• mustard seeds

• pickling liquid from your favorite

Print

Directions

• Rehydrate mustard seeds by soaking them in water for X minutes. Drain off and sit aside.
• Mix seeds with pickling liquid from your favorite pickled food, such as dill pickles or rutabagas, for example. Refrigerate over night. Serve cold.
   

Watch Prime Cuts:

• Kevin Nashan’s Grilled Ribeye Steak
• Rob McDaniel’s Seared Venison
• Kevin Nashan’s Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
• Rob McDaniel’s Pompano with Pickled Peppers

Want insider access to more prep videos and grilling recipes? Then, start your FREE Backyard Life e-news subscription, today! Simply sign up (below) and we’ll notify you when this—and other bonus content—is waiting in your inbox.

As the weather cools, it’s a great time to thaw out those fish caught in the summer and fall, then get them on the grill. In this Backyard Life Video, Prime Cuts host chef David Bancroft and guest chef Rob McDaniel provide their contemporary spin on a Gulf-caught grilled Pompano recipe. And, this time they’re bringing the heat to chilly nights with some pickled peppers. 

Follow these prep and cooking steps to re-create McDaniel’s awesome grilled pompano recipe featuring pickled peppers and herb breadcrumbs!

Prepping Your Pompano for Grilling

To start, clean and fillet your Pompano. Then, apply a light coat of peanut oil, salt, and pepper to both sides. But, McDaniel cautions against applying too much, as doing so will lead to your fish tasting like burnt oil.

Heat your grill to 600 degrees. (For this dish, McDaniel opts for a Big Green Egg—not a traditional gas or charcoal grill.)

Place your fillets skin-side down on the grill. Don’t overthink things or panic. Let patience take over. Allow the fillets to cook until they’re nice and crispy on one side (essentially, the whole way through on the skin side) to achieve nice grilled char marks. Once the scales and skin are nice and crispy, flip and allow the flesh side to briefly cook. Then, remove the Pompano from the grill and allow it to rest while you prepare the other ingredients for your final plate-up.

Next, ready your pre-toasted breadcrumbs. (McDaniel opts for ones made from ciabatta bread for this recipe.)

Pickled Peppers and Plating

Now, it’s time to add your pre-pickled peppers. (McDaniel uses a variety of in-season peppers like aji dulce, Jimmy Nardello and jalapenos. He also adds a little fresh garlic and red onion for this recipe.)

Prepare your final grilled Pompano dish by lining the bottom of your plate with pickled peppers. Then, place a healthy portion of breadcrumbs on top of your Pompano before placing it atop your pickled peppers.

And, there you have it—one heck of a Pompano recipe that’ll knock the chill of any fall night! Settle in for a crisp and cool evening and get ready to enjoy this delicious Pompano. And, it’s made all the better with a spicy kick of peppers and a savory, breadcrumb crunch.

Maybe you’re prepping for the holidays, or just looking to up your grill skills this season. Either way, check out McDaniel’s grilled Pompano and pickled pepper recipe outline, below.

Print

Ingredients

• Ciabatta bread

• Stick butter

• Clove garlic (pressed)

• Parsley (chopped)

• Chives (finely sliced)

Process

1. Grind ciabatta bread into fine pieces.
2. Melt butter and mix in pressed garlic. Mix in ground ciabatta pieces until thoroughly coated and bake.
3. Combine chopped parsley, chives, and toasted breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl. Zest in 1 lemon.
4. Return to oven and bake until lightly crisp.

Pickled Peppers

Print

Ingredients

• 1 quart Pickled peppers

• 1 Onion

Process

1. Slice onion into thin slices.
2. Cover with your favorite pickled peppers.
3. Stir mixture together and warm over medium heat.

More Prime Cuts Episodes:

• Kevin Nashan’s Grilled Ribeye Steak
• Rob McDaniel’s Seared Venison
• Kevin Nashan’s Chicken with Brussels Sprouts