I know what you’re saying. “Where the heck you been, Cave?”. I don’t blame you … been WAY too long. No excuses here. Other than to say that, pandemic and other macro events aside, life has been very “interesting” the past few years.Instead of droning on about the details, how about if I give you a really simple, yet delicious recipe instead? Sure, it would have been better to give you this at the start of summer. But, while this tangy-sweet slaw is the perfect compliment to BBQ, it also goes great with, or on, deli sandwiches, burgers, dogs, fish tacos, and more. And, I promise, more new recipes soon. We good?
INGREDIENTS
15 Ounces Shredded Cabbage (I prefer the angel hair type) 3/4 Cup Mayonaise 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar 1/4 Cup Sugar 1/4 Tsp. Celery Seed Salt & Pepper to taste
RECIPE
Place mayo, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper into a small mixing bowl. NOTE: I don’t add any additional salt … the mayo already contains enough, for my taste.
Whisk until mixed well. Should have the consistency of a light dressing.
Place shredded cabbage into a large mixing bowl. Pour coleslaw dressing over cabbage. NOTE: I just buy the pre-shredded angel hair cabbage in the package, at the store. You can also buy the tri-color coleslaw, or get a head of cabbage and shred your own.
With two soup spoons, or salad tongs, toss well until all cabbage is completely covered.
Place coleslaw into an air tight container and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight is even better.
As mentioned above, serve with, or on, your favorite BBQ dish, deli sandwich, hamburger, hotdog, fish tacos, etc.
Prep Time = 15 minutes Refrigeration Time = 60 minutes, or more Serves 6-8
This is a simple Latin flavored, zesty, smokey rub that you’ll need for our Killer Chili Rojo Tamales. Also works great for a unique rendition of Carnitas, as well as many other South-of-the-border dishes.
Well, the big day isn’t until tomorrow, but the cooking almost certainly starts in earnest today. So, if you are looking for a few last minute Turkey Day ideas, I thought I’d share the annual standards we employ in the Cavehold.
I just posted my famous Cavey Gravy recipe the other day. But, you’ll need to put that gravy on something (though, some have considered just grabbing the gravy boat and a straw! 😉 ). Of course, the main event (ie. turkey) is a prime candidate to be smothered in that savory sauce, which calls for a start 24 hours before you pop it into the oven. That’s because we always use our T-day Turkey Brine to ensure a moist, flavorful bird. White wine, grapes, garlic, and rosemary are the mainstays of this magnificent marinade.
One thing that most Thanksgiving gobblers agree on: mashed potatoes are a must! Plus, they are another traditional landing pad for the gravy. But, if you are going to cook like a Caveman, you are going to have to bump it up a notch or two. We accomplish that with our tasty Garlic Mashed Taters. Milk, sour cream, and cream cheese are all combined into this recipe to create a creamy, delectable side dish … which does make it the “Angioplasty Special”. Though, if you are only cranking these spuds out once or twice a year, your cardiologist shouldn’t mind too much. I can attest that your taste buds won’t complain one bit!
Every meal calls for a vegetable. But, even the most anti-veggie attendee can’t turn their nose up on the Cavewoman’s incredible Super Spinach Soufflé. With eggs, two kinds of cheeses, milk, and butter it is plainly obvious that this is not a healthy dish, either. So, we try to cut out some of the fat by using non-fat milk and light sour cream. It works great, and there is plenty of other fat in there to more than make up the difference! I guarantee if you try this one at your T-Day feast once, it will become a regular participant in your family’s faire for years to come. HINT: I highly recommend that you get some Cougar Gold from the WSU Creamery for this recipe. It adds the perfect flavor that just pushes the entire dish over the top.
Holiday cooking has always been where my Mom shines brightest in the kitchen. Her creative mind is always at work … but, none more so than when she puts her signature touch on a recipe. This is plainly evident with her Cavemom’s Orange Yam Turkeys – an ingenious spin on the traditional Thanksgiving yams. This unique, colorful, and tasty dish has become a real favorite of the Cavekids … not just to eat, but to make as well. They really look forward to working in the kitchen on these with their Cavenana, and this year is no different! They’ve already been asking us if their grandmother was “bringing all the stuff to make Yam Turkeys”. Put one of these on your guest’s plate, and I guarantee they will be ooing and cooing about how cute they are. That is, until they taste it and start oohing and awing about how delicious they are! Yams, orange, pineapple, nuts, marshmallows, butter … I mean, what could be bad about that, right?!?!
You can’t call it a Thanksgiving meal without cranberry sauce. However, far too many call it “good” with a canned variety of the tangy berry relish. If you are in that crowd, I strongly advise you step out of your canned comfort zone and give my Cave’s Cranberry Sauce a go. It will only take an extra 20 minutes in your meal’s preparation, and you will end up with a C-sauce that will forever have you shunning the pre-made type in the future. Plus, it’s easy … just the recipe on the package with some molasses and either wine, port, cognac or brandy added. Best of all, you can make it a day or two ahead of time and refrigerate it until chow time – which actually also helps it to set up better, both flavor and consistency wise. The only problem with that is keeping everyone away from it until the big meal … the Cavewoman is our biggest offender on that!
Most of all, we wish you the sweetest of Thanksgiving Holidays, filled with laughter, love, and memories to last a lifetime!
Okay … beat me, whip me, make me write bad checks! It’s been so long since my last recipe here that I’m sure entire species have had the opportunity to evolve. I promise to have more coming in the near future. No … REALLY! 😉 For now, I’m back just in time to share my famous gravy recipe – a must for any Turkey-Day table. Best thing is that you can make this base ahead of time and then just reheat and add some turkey drippings on the big day.
INGREDIENTS
1 Turkey Neck and Giblets
4 Cups Vegetable Broth
2 Carrots Sticks – Peeled and Quartered
2 Celery Stalks – Quartered
3 Garlic Cloves – Sliced
1/2 Sweet Onion – Rough Chopped
1/2 Cup Mushrooms – Sliced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
RECIPE
In large saucepan, heat oil and garlic slices. Then, add turkey neck, giblets, salt, and pepper.
Brown neck and giblets. When you flip them to brown the other side, add carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms.
When neck and giblets are fully browned, and onions begin to get translucent, add stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 90 minutes covered.
When done, strain broth into suitable container and set aside. Also reserve 1/3 of each type of veggie. Remove neck and shred as much meat as possible off of it with two forks. Chop up liver into small pieces. Discard gizzard, heart, and remainder of neck.
Place reserved veggies, neck and liver meat, and reserved broth into blender or processor on “high” until ingredients are completely liquified.
This is your gravy base. It should have the color of dull mustard and should have the consistency of a milkshake. Place into an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
When you are ready to make your gravy, remove the base from the fridge about 20 minutes prior. Return to large saucepan, cover and heat over a low flame. Take drippings from turkey roasting pan (after having skimmed off the fat) and stir into base. BOOM … you have gravy!
Pour liberally over turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and anything else you desire (careful, though … it’s hot 😉 ). Most importantly, have a great Holiday with friends and family, being sure to give thanks for moments like these.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Prep Time = 20 minutes Cook Time = 105 minutes Serves 12-16
If I could choose to have only one salad for the rest of my life, this would be it! It’s a flavor explosion that goes well along side any number of dishes. This salad actually incorporates three different recipes, so it’s a bit more labor intensive than most of the concoctions you find here. But, man, is it worth it! Try it and you’ll be hooked, too!!
Here it is! The world premier of our new online video cooking series!! Please be sure to leave your comments, as we strive to improve the show with each and every episode. Also, be sure to view all the way through the credits for some added “bonus footage”. 😉
Being a Caveman and all, I love to put meat on the grill or in the smoker. That said, I must challenge the purists who insist that good Pulled Pork has to be cooked via one of those methods. This recipe will prove that this dish doesn’t always have to be made in the great outdoors.
Anybody who’s ever been to a bar (or frat party) knows that Rum and Coke go together like milk and cookies. But, who knew that Rum and Root Beer could team up for a phenomenal barbeque sauce? Well, oh my, do they! Although this was developed specifically to go with my BBQ Rub-a-dub and Dutch Oven R&R Pulled Pork, it really stands up incredibly well on it’s own! Ribs, chicken, tri-tip … you name it. This sauce will make your taste-buds do a victory dance!
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Root Beer
2 Cups Ketchup
2 Shots (3 Ounces) Dark Rum
1/4 Cup Molasses
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBSP BBQ Rub-a-dub (or the smokey rub of your choice)
1 Tsp Red Crushed Pepper
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Tsp Sea or Kosher Salt
RECIPE
In a medium-large saucepan, combine all ingredients.
Turn the heat on medium and stir or whisk well until all ingredients are fully combined.
Continue to stir occasionally until just before sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Be sure to continue stirring every 10-15 minutes.
When done, remove from heat for 15 minutes. Then serve, use to baste, or cover and refrigerate. Will last up to three weeks … but, probably not! 😉
Prep Time = 10 minutes Cook Time = 2 Hours Makes 1.5 Quarts
Usually, I like to use the proprietary rubs offered by the folks at World Spice Merchants. However, in a pinch (ie. when I have forgotten to place my order) I’m forced to come up with my own creations. This is one of my favorites, developed originally for my Dutch Oven R&R Pulled Pork made with R&R BBQ Sauce, but it’s also good for any pork, beef, or even chicken Q-ing needs. Best of all, it’s super simple!
SIDE NOTE: I realize that I haven’t posted any actual recipes in a bit since we were on our two week, 2900 mile jaunt up to Idaho. Sure, there have been a bunch of great Road Trip Hits posted (and there is one more coming), but it’s time to share more Caveipes. So, over the next several days, I’ll be posting a few seasonal BBQ recipes for you to enjoy.
In a small bowl mix or whisk all ingredients together well. Then, spread liberally on your intended target. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is better). You should have enough rub for 5-6 pounds of meat or two racks of ribs. Pictured here encrusting some Country Style Pork Ribs.
Prep Time = 5 minutes Cook Time = n/a Makes 4 Tablespoons
Wherever you travel in the Mediterranean, from Lebanon, to Israel, to Turkey and beyond, Hummus seems to be a mainstay as a side dish and/or appetizer. For good reason … it’s gooooooooood! And so easy to make, as well. So, it only seems fitting that we wrap up our weeklong epicurean excursion to the Middle East with this Caveman’s version of a classic regional dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 16 Ounce Can of Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
3 Garlic Cloves
3 Tbsp Tahini Paste
3 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Garbanzo Bean Juice
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Fresh Chopped Italian Leaf Parsley
RECIPE
Drain garbanzo beans, reserving 1/4 cup of the canning juice.
Squeeze and strain the juice from a fresh lemon until you have 3 tablespoons worth. About half a lemon usually does the trick. HINT: Again, I can’t stress enough how using Meyer’s Lemons in these recipes makes such a huge difference. Use them if at all possible.
Crush Garlic.
Place all ingredients, EXCEPT PARSLEY, into food processor.
Process on high setting for about 2-3 minutes, until mixture is creamy and semi-smooth.
HINT #2: This will never get as smooth as the Tahina Sauce. So, don’t over process it trying to get it to that consistency. A very slight grainy appearance is expected.
To properly plate when done, with a rubber spatula scoop out enough to more than cover the area of the serving plate. Smooth out the Hummus, kind of making a wheel shape out of the hummus. Be sure to leave a little round reservoir in the middle of the “wheel”.
Pour a little Olive Oil into the center reservoir. Then, dust dish with Paprika.
Finally, top hummus with finely chopped parsley and serve along side your favorite Mediterranean dish. Pictured here with Falafel, Pita Bread, Tahina Sauce, Caveraeli Salad, and Harif.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our culinary journey over the past week. We’ll be adding more recipes to this regional list in the coming weeks, including my promised Falafel recipe … I still need to try one more tweek before it is ready for public consumption.
Prep Time = 15 Minutes Cooking Time = n/a Serves 4-6
If you know me, you know that I love my hot sauce. From pepper sauces, to chili oils, to curries, I pretty much like ’em all! So, it should be no surprise that a Middle Eastern variety makes a showing in this continuing tasty trip. This sauce (pronounced ha-REEF) also works great with Mexican, Asian, and seafood, besides the usual dishes it traditionally accompanies. Best of all, it is sooooooo easy to make!
INGREDIENTS
5 Large Jalapeno Peppers
3 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Cilantro
1/4 Tsp Salt
RECIPE
Vein and seed jalapenos.
Chop cilantro.
Crush Garlic.
Place all ingredients into food processor.
Process on high for 1-3 minutes, until mixture becomes a coarse sauce.
Caution: Caveman Cooking 