Phase II. Outdoor bar with canopy

A while back I had decided in order to complete my dream outdoor kitchen, it would require the presence of a bar to top it off. So now that Phase I is done (Smoker, pizza oven, sink, island w/refer, and a roof) it was time to complete this already over the top project. The bar is 14' long, and is five blocks high. The bar top itself is oak planking that came from the floor of a semi trailer. With some sanding, routering and sealing it promises to hold dozens if not hundreds of bottles and cans of whatever the adult flavor of the day might be. For this project I plan to do a technique I have never done, and that is to stucco the bar front and sides. With the kitchen assembly and island veneered with brick, this time out I wanted to push the edge of my creative being. So, we will see how that one turns out.

Footnote: Since I have not posted much lately, I will just say that we have utilized every aspect of the kitchen. be it a pizza night...or beef briskets...pork butts... or my newest fave think to do is grilled chicken over wood fired coals. Suffice to say my bills and the butcher shop have gone through the roof.

First effort to blog

I figure that I better start out small with my first post. Ain't that apron a beauty! It's amazing what you'll find in basement storage when you do some long awaited cleaning.

4th of July Pizza

We decided to fore go the standard 4Th of July BBQ tradition of burgers, dogs, (tri-tips). A few days prior to the weekend I received my new pizza peel, so that mandated the pizza cooker be fired up. As I am of the school of thought that one must be able to crawl, before they can walk I cut corners and had the pizza place in town make us prebakes. Once I have mastered the baking part I will expand to making my own dough....The fire was started two hrs before the 1st pizza hit the bricks. That thing can easily maintain 500 degrees with out going gonzo on how much wood you put in it. I was turning out pizzas on the average of 7 1/2 mins a piece. I suppose you could aspire for quicker turn around times, but WTF...we are in WhiteCloud and who the hell is in that big of a hurry. On a serious note, the shit was good.

Great Wall of China Chicken

The past week the fence on the east side of my property, which is next to the orchards and stables, blew down. After 2 of my Arabians got out I knew I had to get that fence up ASAP. With a full day of work ahead of me, I marinated a broiler chicken the night before in a mixture of water, soy sauce, cooking sherry, green onions, garlic and Chinese 5-spice powder. While I busted my a** on the Great Wall of Jones the next day, I put the chicken in the grill, sitting on a can of Mountain Dew, and let it cook for about 2 hours @ 350 deg. The last ten minutes of grill time I brushed on some honey and then removed the bird and let it stand 10 minutes before carving and serving with fresh vegetables. The crispy skin was to die for. I am sorry to say that the chicken wasn't served with a fine micro-brew, but instead a couple of 16 oz. cans of "Contractor's Gatorade." Yes, a few ice-cold tall-boys of Natural Ice, while neither adding nor subtracting flavor from this delicous bird, replenished much needed potassium and nutrients while at the same time rehydrating me from my long-days work in the sun. While "beer-can chicken" or "drunken chicken" is sooo 2 years ago, the slow-roasting method was an easy way to prepare dinner while working away on the Jones estate.

They call him "The Captain"

Progress Report

Our oven is coming along nicely. The basic internal structure part is complete, minus the chimney. The plan is to tie the stack from the smoker and the pizza oven together and stub them through the roof as one vent. Originally my plan was to just vent them under the canopy, but after only a few smokes the underside is turning a dingy color (not to mention on a windless day you are over come by hovering smoke).

As the picture shows we have started what will be a series of small fires to dry out the mortar and perlite that insulates the sides and top of the oven. And yes that is a television set mounted up in the corner. Who doesn't want to catch the race while grilling?? Yup that's what I thought. Although I will admit it is a bit over the top!!

Starting Simple

The first BBQ occurred when a caveman held some meat and tubers on a stick over a fire. Thousands of years later, I continue that paleolithic tradition with some shrimp and steak kabobs. Turn a few times on medium heat, careful not to overcook them, and then serve on a bed of rice. Bloggers take note, every good BBQ should be partnered with an equally good craft brew, so don't forget to include the details in your posts ! Featured here is a fine pale ale from Full Sail brewery in Hood River, Oregon. A simple recipe, an outstanding beer, so easy a caveman could do it !