As you know, today is the Fourth of July. A day for getting together with family, cooking out, shooting fireworks, giving thanks for the land we live in, watching the Fourth Gala on the Mall in Washington DC, or Keith Lockhart conducting the Boston Pops. The Fourth is never dull or boring and is full of tradition.
My Grandpa Dalton, who I have introduced you to in this spot previously, will have a birthday on Saturday. If he were still alive, he would be 113. He died when I was 15, in February of 1973. He was 60. Gone way too soon. Like I mentioned in my Father's Day blog about how much I miss my dad, I miss my Grandpa Dalton as well. I was the first grandchild and got to spend a lot of time around he and Granny in my younger days. He was the one who instilled a love of baseball in me, so blame him, and he also taught me how to grill, or as we would say, barbecue. I don't want to leave Dad out, because he was a prolific griller as well.
One of my favorite memories of my grandpa is sitting with him in his backyard on a hot, sunny, Sunday afternoon after church. He would still have on his dress pants and shoes, but having removed his dress shirt, he wore a white, tank-top t-shirt. He had a grill that needed charcoal, and he always had that fire going in no time. He had the patience to let the coals get just right before putting the meat du jour on the grill. There was no cover, and the grill on which you placed your hamburgers or steaks, would spin around, so you really didn't have to get up. While all of this was going on, we would be listening to Jack Buck and Harry Caray broadcasting Cardinal baseball on KMOX. He always had a portable radio handy so he could listen to ball games.
One thing I failed to mention, while we were waiting for the coals to get hot, we would head back inside and make the BBQ sauce. He and Granny never bought BBQ sauce, he always made it, and I learned how to make my own sauce, which I still do at times, by watching grandpa. I always loved sticking a finger in the sauce to make sure it was alright.
After Grandpa died, Dad did all the grilling, though Barry and I would do some. On the Fourth, it seemed like Mom and Dad's friends, Don and Ann Staggs and their daughter Paige, and Bob and Mona Childs. and their daughter Lisa would always come over. They were our extended family, and it was great having them over.
One safety tip if you are contemplating, or perhaps already have bought fire works for the kiddos. Don't be like Barry and I. I can remember several Fourth of July celebrations where, once it got dark, the fireworks came out and the real fun began. We always had several dozen bottle rockets, which we may or may not have fired at each other. Sometimes we would just put them in the Coke bottle, light the fuse and run. We also had Roman Candles, and I can remember Barry and I having Roman Candle fights. We would be on opposite sides of the yard, each of us holding a trash can lid as a shield and firing Roman Candles at each other. It is a wonder we didn't hurt each other, or burn each other, or the yard up. Our Guardian Angels got battle pay and overtime on the Fourth.
Well, we have talked about grilling, so thought I would finish out the blog discussing my favorite cuts of meat and what I most enjoyed consuming.
Pork Steaks - Kind of like gooey butter cake and toasted ravioli, pork steaks are primarily a St. Louis thing, and for the life of me, I have no idea why. True story, M and I moved to the Shoals in the fall of 2014. A few years later, not long after the Publix in Muscle Shoals opened, I was there looking for pork steaks. I didn't see any. The butcher, a young man around 30 or so, saw me staring frustratingly at the meat counter. He asked if he could help me and I responded he could. I told him I was looking for pork steaks, but didn't see any. He said he wasn't sure what those were. I explained they were from the pork shoulder (butt) and sliced into steaks. He still wasn't familiar with them but said he would slice some for me. He asked how many I wanted and how thick. I told him what I wanted, and he said, "ok, give me 15 minutes." I like my pork steaks with a sweet, smoky sauce.
Ribs - Who doesn't love ribs, I mean seriously. When I am eating ribs, baby backs are my rib of choice, I feel like Cro-Magnon man when I am eating them, or Carnivore Man. It doesn't matter if they are dry (no sauce), or wet (with sauce). Ribs are ribs and I love them. About 40 years ago, I was in a rib-eating contest at a BBQ establishment in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Actually, now that I think about it, it wasn't a contest, but an "all-you-can-eat" night. There were about 15 or so of us on our way to Spring Sing at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. The establishment lost money on our group. I actually ate 24 ribs and came in third place, beaten out by my friends Cliff Eatherly and Jeff Richardson. It was epic.
Pulled pork - Pulled pork is exactly what it says, pork pulled off the bone. Some restaurants will then finely chop it, while others just leave it in chunks. I prefer the latter. I have had pulled pork everywhere from Hawaii to the Czech Republic, and the pulled pork at OK Corral in Muscle Shoals is some of the finest I have tasted. They also have incredible slaw. You know, if I were running the country, I would sign an Executive Order mandating slaw must be put on every pulled pork sandwich. Their pulled pork comes with slaw and their own barbecue sauce on the side. I love their slaw but will pass on their sauce. Too runny and vinegary for my taste. As I said earlier, I like my sauce sweet, smoky and thick.
Brisket - A well-smoked brisket is like a symphony in your mouth. It just melts like M and M's. Shaffer Meats, up in Ethridge, Tennessee, just north of Lawrenceburg, has some of the best brisket around. It is like being back in Texas. Now, I do not want sauce on my brisket, well, maybe just a little on the side. I have actually driven the 60 miles up there on more than one occasion just to buy a couple pounds of their brisket. I have to thank Rick Hamm for enlightening me about this place.
Pork loin - My brother Barry, my brother-in-law Stan Dauck, and old friend Steve Hatch all love smoking meats. Low and slow is the saying when smoking. Stan smokes pork loin with great regularity, and I must say, they are quite good. The process of smoking is somewhat different than grilling, and barbecue sauce is definitely foreign to a properly smoked pork loin. It just doesn't need it. Smoking takes time, and the meat has to be babied, but it is so worth it.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and brats - What Fourth of July feast and celebration would be complete without these three classics. Go ahead and admit, there is something special about a hamburger grilled over mesquite, or cherry or oak or applewood charcoal or pellets. You know, even if you are grilling pork steaks or something else, it never hurts to throw a few hot dogs or brats on there to cook. You'll be glad a few days later when you're eating a couple of them for lunch you did. I've been to a couple of Cardinal games on the Fourth, and having a smoked brat at the ballpark almost brings tears to your eyes.
Corn-on-the-cob - I love grilled corn on the cob. The smoky aroma just enhances the corn. Cooked with the husks still protecting the corn, or naked with the husks pulled back, grilled corn-on-the-cob is a culinary treat. You'll thank me later you tried it.
I plan up the Pit Boss pellet grill and grilling some pork steaks for M and I this afternoon, lathering some Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Smoky sauce on right before they come off the grill. We will probably have some potato salad and beans to go with it.
I hope you have opportunity to do some grilling or barbecuing; whatever you want to call it this July Fourth. Enjoy the process, and enjoy time spent with family and friends. Thanks for spending a few minutes with me on this holiday. Be safe and be nice to each other.
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