 | | Mario Batali explains how a little charcoal and wood chips can make your race weekend smokin'! Credit: Contributed photo |
By Mario Batali, Special to NASCAR.COM
May 31, 2006
11:06 AM EDT (15:06 GMT)
In a world where speed is everything, it may seem a bit incongruous to be cooking at a pace closer to the truck that circles the track after a crash to pick up debris. But smoking not only has its culinary advantages, but once you get used to the pace, you may find it a comforting antidote Smoking is the process of cooking something over indirect heat, for an extended period, part of which flavored smoke is introduced from chunks or chips of hardwood. You will need a charcoal grill or a smoker for smoking. If you have a smoker, follow the instructions, or just do it like you usually do. If you don't have either a smoker or a grill, you'll either have to make an investment in one or use your neighbor's while he's asleep, making sure the sweet, pungent smell of the smoking hardwood doesn't waft into his window during the night. You can leave a few barbecued ribs in a wicker basket on his RV steps the next morning by way of thank you. Or not.  | | |  | MARIO TAILGATES | With easy recipes and clear, simple instructions, Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style is a source for tailgating for fans around the country. Included are ideas for breakfast, appetizers, main courses, desserts, and drinks, all incorporating ingredients found in almost any market.
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The Wood. The chips or chunks of hardwood can be hickory, cherry, oak or some combination. The most important step is making sure to soak them so they don't just flare up and burn out. The Dry Rub. Once you discover how much flavor you can impart to your meat with a dry rub, you will start looking for ways to dry rub your cereal in the morning. There are as many rubs as there are serious barbecue experts, especially since having your owb rub formula instantly makes you an expert. The simplest rubs are salt, pepper, and paprika. You can enhance that with garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, cumin, herbs. Cayenne, The soak. Brining chicken and pork will make it come out plumper and jucier after you finish smoking it. The basic recipe is1 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar to 1 gallon of water. Make sure the salt and sugar are completely dissolved before adding the meat. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24, though some down-home recipes call for a longer soak. Rinse the meat well and pat it dry before smoking. Don't over-smoke. Not too much smoke. You can over-smoke your food, in which case you will wind up with a slab of hickory ribs flavored with the merest hint of pork. There doesn't have to be a steady stream of smoke coming from the grill. Start with the amount of chips I suggest, then adjust according to your taste and the way your grill or smoker is working. The Charcoal. You only need a small pile of briquettes for your smoking heat. The key is adding to them every 40 minutes or so to keep the heat steady. The hinged flaps on the newer Webbers make this process a breeze. Drip pan. A rectangular aluminum pan with an inch of water is placed on the coal grate under the meat. This catches dripping fat and helps prevent flare ups. Here are a couple of dynamite recipes from my book. Long before it was home to the Kansas Speedway, Kansas City was known for its barbecue. And during the race, if one of the cars nicks the wall and gets a little banged up, I'll bet there's a bunch of guys in the Kansas Speedway grandstand thinking about how they could turn whatever's left of the car into a smoker. Serves 4 Marinade
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt Rub
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups wood chips, preferably hickory or oak.
- 4 pounds beef short ribs
- 1 cup favorite Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, plus more for serving • Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir together. • Place the beef ribs in a resealable freezer bag and pour on the marinade, making sure the ribs are coated on all sides. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. • Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and stir together. • Remove the chops from the marinade and discard. Pat the chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle on an even coating of the rub and press it gently into the ribs. • At least one hour before grilling, soak the wood chips in water. • Drain the wood chips. Arrange medium-hot coals around a drip pan placed in the center of the coal grate. Place 1/3 of the wood chips on the hot coals. Arrange the ribs on the grill rack directly over the pan. • Cover the grill and smoke the ribs for about 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Add 1/3 more wood chips every 20 minutes. • Place a large sheet of foil on the work surface. Transfer the cooked ribs to the center of the foil. Pour on the barbecue sauce so it evenly coats the ribs. Seal in the foil for 10 minutes to let the sauce infuse into the meat. • Unwrap and serve with more sauce. When the Texas Motor Speedway opened in 1997, it introduced Nextel racing to Texas. At the same time, Texas barbecue was introduced to racing. These ribs use a simple rub, but after a two hours smoking in the grill, , they emerge succulent and full of flavor. Serves 4 - 1/4 cup paprika
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 racks babyback ribs
- 2 cups hickory or other hardwood chips or 6 to 8 hickory or other hardwood chunks
- 2 cups Mario's barbecue sauce • Mix the paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, and cumin together and rub them into both sides of the ribs. Let the ribs sit for 2 hours at room temperature or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. • One hour before grilling, soak the wood chips in enough water to cover. • Just before grilling, drain the wood chips. Use three 12-inch sheets of aluminum foil to make neatly sealed packages of wood chips. Poke some holes in the top of the packages to release the smoke during cooking. • Arrange the hot coals on one side of the coal grate in as compact a pile as possible. Place a 9 by 12-inch aluminum pan on the opposite side of the grate. Add 1 inch of water. Place the ribs on the grill rack above the drip pan. Cover the grill with the vent positioned over the ribs. • Smoke the ribs for about 2 hours, adding more coals and another packet of chips every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, rearrange the ribs so the rack closer to the coals is on the outside edge. • Transfer the racks to a cutting board and cut them into individual ribs. Serve with some of Mario's Barbecue sauce. I find I need to give my barbecue sauce recipe again. Hey, why not? Anyway, I know after you make it three or four times it'll be infused with some of your own handiwork -- then you can call it your own. Heck, you can call it your own now, if you want to. The Roush/Yates team is known for their ability to build some of the best engines in racing. This sauce requires the same kind of attention to detail, but it's definitely worth the effort. Makes 3 cups - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 cups ketchup
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
- Pinch cinnamon
- Pinch ground cloves • Mix all the ingredients together in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. • Let cool and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Mario Batali is a renowned chef, restauranteur, television personality, and author of several cookbooks, including Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style, which is now available from Sporting News. Click here to buy the book. | 
