A Black T-Shirt and a Grilled Crustacean or What's This Crap In My Shrimp?

Living on the coast, as I do, tourists are an inevitable (but sometimes regrettable), inescapable truth of life. Once these same tourists find out that I live here, I find myself suddenly elevated to the somewhat esteemed position of Local Authority. I take this responsibility pretty seriously as I too, was once a tourist before I became a resident. I am very aware of the many pitfalls that face those who do not know the area well. While it is never my intent to confuse these folks who are looking for a little inside information, there is one question that if, answered honestly, will bring looks of pure puzzlement to the face of the visitor and will require a somewhat lengthy explanation. The question?
"Where is the best place to get good shrimp?"
The honest answer? Check the freezer at the grocery store.
Let me explain. Back in the day, getting good fresh shrimp was simply a matter of going to our local port and meeting the shrimp boats as they came in. There, one could purchase delightfully fresh shrimp right off the boat at a fairly reasonable price. These shrimp did not disappoint as they were sweet, with a slightly briny flavor and a delightfully firm texture. Properly cooked, they literally popped in your mouth when you bit down on them with an explosion of great flavor and wonderful juiciness. Typically, they were iced down as soon as they hit the boat deck and were delivered to the docks within hours of being caught. This was largely due to the fact that the small, independent boats that plied the local waters for this beloved crustacean, had limited holding capacity. One large netful of shrimp were all that they could hold so fishing success meant short, productive trips and a quick run to the port to offload. This resulted in the fortuitous ability to purchase truly "fresh" shrimp and to treat one's self to some of the finest eating on the planet.
Within a few years, things began to change. First, the boats became larger. This meant bigger cargo holds that allowed the fisherman (sometimes called "shrimpers") to put much larger quantities of shrimp aboard their vessels. This resulted in longer trips as it is not cost-effective to keep running back and forth to the dock. Longer trips necessitated that a better longer-term storage solution aboard the boats be found. Initially, this took the form of freezing the shrimp into large blocks of ice made from clean, filtered sea water. You could buy a 5 pound block if you were feeding your family or you could buy a 20-50 pound block if you were feeding tourists in a restaurant. While many of us who were used to buying really fresh product off the smaller boats were dubious, this development proved to be a pretty good solution overall. The shrimp purchased in this manner were very nearly as good as those purchased in the older method and the fisherman benefitted by increased profits for their catch. This went on for a few years then something awful happened.
Sometime in the late 80's, the local shrimping industry was introduced to a insidious little chemical called STP. No, not the fuel additive made famous by the racing industry (though it is just about as appetizing) but a chemical preservative called Sodium TriPolyphosphate. In a process called "dipping" but in reality more like soaking, shrimp began to be treated with this chemical ostensibly for the noble purpose of assuring the shrimps freshness for a longer period of time. The actual reason is that this chemical allows shrimp to maintain a fresh appearance for longer periods allowing shrimp to be shipped longer distances and kept longer in the coolers of the local super-mega mart before having to be tossed.
Personally, I have a lot of issues with this practice, not the least of them being what this chemical does to the flavor and texture of this great food product. One of the (many) problems with this chemical is that once any product is treated with it, the flavor and texture become forever altered. The shrimp loses all sweetness and the texture is much less crunchy, almost mealy. Other issues include the fact that shrimp producers are not required to label such shrimp treated if they are sold as "fresh". In other words, the mega-mart may or may not know this shrimp has been treated and is not required to pass any such iknowledge along to the consumer.Additionally, in researching this chemical, I came across the federal governments Material Handling and Safety Data Sheet for it and found this little tidbit.
"This chemical should not be ingested."
Wait a minute! Doesn't that mean we shouldn't eat this stuff? If that is the case, why the devil are they putting it in my shrimp (oh yeah...scallops too!)?
Now, I am way too fond of shrimp to stop eating it, so I have a couple of choices. I can go out and catch my own (a hit or miss proposition at best) or I can search for untreated shrimp from some source.
This is where the grocery freezer comes in. Processed and frozen food products are required to list all ingredients. Thus, treated seafood clearly lists the inclusion of STP under the "Ingredients" listing usually found on the back of the package as well as the country of origin. A diligent inspection of these products can result in your finding untreated shrimp that have been individually quick frozen (the industry refers to this as IQF) and available in bags from 1 to 5 pounds. In addition, some of these shrimp will be labelled as "Product of the U.S.A."
Folks...this is as fresh as you are likely to get. IQF shrimp are coated in salted water (sometimes filtered seawater) and almost instantly frozen either by using dry ice or by using liquid nitrogen. The salted water protects the shrimp from cellular crystallization and this process almost always takes place within minutes of being caught.
These shrimp are nearly indistinguishable from those that are freshly caught and they are sometimes better as they can come from farther off shore than an individual (such as yours truly) can effectively catch them. This water is cleaner and cooler than inshore waters and the shrimp thus produced can be immensely sweeter and tastier. Some of these shrimp are available as "organic" which makes them fairly easy to find. It is worth the effort.
Okay, so you have found some untreated shrimp in your grocers freezer. You have thawed them out gently in your fridge and are ready to grill them. Not so fast there, gentle reader! We want to maximze their flavor and retain their sweet juciness. Believe me, there is nothing worse than chewy, dry shrimp. So, before you throw those beauties on that super-heated grill surface, why not invest a bit of time getting them truly ready to cook. I strongly recommend bring them first. This insures a moister product and allows you to introduce more fully any additional flavors you may want to add.
For 1 pound of unpeeled shrimp (the peel protects the shrimp and helps it to retain moisture), you will need about 1 quart of water, 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar. To this you may add Old Bay or chipotle peppers or white wine or rosemary or whatever flavors you like in shrimp. Place everything (except the shrimp) in a microwave safe container and nuke on high for 1 minute. Shake or stir the liquid to dissolve the salt and sugar and allow to completely cool (I make my brine in the morning and refrigerate it until needed). Now, 45 minutes before grilling, put your shrimp in the brine and soak for 45 minutes. Drain and rinse. They are now ready to grill.
Now, you've gone to the effort of finding untreated shrimp and brining them, the one thing that you don't need to do now is overcook them. For 26-30 count shrimp (the only size I buy) you will find that cooking them for about 2 minutes on one side then about 1 minute on the other will result in perfectly cooked shrimp. Of course, this depends on your grill, your fuel and the temperature so just watch them and check them. Once they are pink...they are done. All you have to do now is peel and eat and sit back to the adulation of your family and friends. Life is good!

North Carolina Barbecue or The Zen of Smoked Pork

Barbecue. To the rest of the country, the word barbecue is a verb. Something that one does. To wit; "Call the neighbors Matilda and tell them we are going to barbecue this weekend." The neighbors all gather, adult beverages are swilled and various meat products are thrown on the grill and cooked to various states of crispy burntness. The resultant products are likely to be slathered with a selection of store-bought gloppy sauces and everyone digs in. Nothing wrong with that idea except for the fact that it is...well...it is just wrong.
I was born, raised and live in North Carolina. To us, barbecue is a noun. Specifically it refers to pork that has been slowly cooked over a wood fire (hickory is traditional) until the succulently juicy meat literally falls from the bone. If properly done, it is then lightly dressed with a tangy sweet concoction of apple cider vinegar and spices. This is either served as a sandwich topped with coleslaw, hush puppies served on the side or as a plate with baked beans, potato salad and either corn bread or hush puppies (very much NOT the same thing).
Visitors to our area soon line up into one of two camps. As with any strongly flavored foods (and make no mistake; barbecue is not for those whose taste buds are pre-programmed only to enjoy bland, inoffensive foods) they either love it to the point of dragging pound after pound to their (mostly Northern) homes to freeze and consume at their leisure or they taste it, make a face and say "How can you eat that stuff?"
In my experience, the palate challenged second group is in the minority. I have made and served barbecue to a wide variety of people from places as far away as Australia and, invariably I am eventually asked how they can make their own as it is difficult to come across the stuff in places other than the Southern United States.
Now, most barbecue cooks (often referred to as pitmasters) are as loathe to give out their secrets as a politician, it is my belief that this centuries old tradition (there are published reports of barbecue in North Carolina going back to the late 1600's...yes...North Carolina invented barbecue as we know it today) must be passed on. As more and more of our best barbecue joints turn away from the time honored methods of slow cooking over real wood and resort to cheaper (and in NO way better!) gas fired pits with compressed pellets to provide smoke (and, unfortunately such mouth watering flavors as paraffin, starch and magnesium among other notable ingredients) it then becomes necessary for those of us who love barbecue to keep the old methods and the wonderful flavor of old fashioned, real barbecue alive and to pass those methods along to a new generation of smoke eaters so that this wonderful food product doesn't get lost forever.
So, what does it take to craft ones own home-made pulled pork barbecue? First, and most importantly, it takes patience. Lots of patience. Making barbecue is a process. If you want dinner at eight, then you are going to have to start at six. In the morning. That's right, good barbecue typically will take 10-12 hours of long, slow cooking to allow all the connective tissue in the raw product to turn into collagen and drench the meat in succulent goodness. It can be done on a gas grill but charcoal (or wood) is more traditional and results in the truer barbecue flavor.
Secondly, the meat itself. Pork. Yes, you can smoke beef or lamb but real barbecue is pork. For most home cooks, a whole pig (the historically traditional ingredient) is just too much trouble too handle, requires too much time and needs a grill slightly smaller than the average bathroom. For the serious home griller that wants to make barbecue, I recommend the pork shoulder, either whole (tastier overall but less cost effective due to the large amount of bone and waste) or what we refer to as a "butt" which, simply stated, is the place where the shoulder of the pig "butts" up to the body of the pig. This is often sold as a Boston butt. I don't know why nor do I care. The equivalent section of meat , if taken from a cow, is called a chuck roast.
Now, while perfectly serviceable barbecue can be achieved on a gas grill, our method is all about charcoal today. It is easier to work with than wood for the home cook and these days the availabilty of good, natural lump charcoal makes it a an acceptable substitute for the traditional wood fire that gives barbecue that smoky goodness. We will add this smokiness by the use of soaked hickory chunks which are also readily available. Now, I know that some folks prefer to make what they call barbecue with oak, apple, cherry or even pecan woods. Nothing terrible about that but hickory is not only traditional (and remember...we are passing along a tradition) but it has a unique flavor that cannot be duplicated by any other wood.
To make barbecue take 10-12 nice hickory chunks and place them into a vessel which will hold them and allow for enough water to cover the chunks. Do this the night before you plan to make barbecue. The next morning, place natural, lump hard wood charcoal into a chimney starter (no...you may NOT use lighter fluid...petroleum distillates are not a valid flavor note for anything) and crumple three full sheets of newspaper and place them in the bottom. Put this directly on your charcoal grate and light the newspaper. Once the newspaper has caught well, you have 20 minutes or so in which to season the pork. While simple salt and pepper is certainly acceptable, I use a home made rub containing equal parts of black pepper, ground cumin, good Hungarian sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, good ground allspice and 1/3 the amount of cayenne pepper. Liberally apply to your pork and pat it down to help it adhere to the meat.
Once the coals are ready (they should mostly be covered with grey ash and obviously hot) pour them onto one side of your grill. Keep them as far from the meat as you can with your grill. The size of your fire will be determined by the size of your grill. For my grill, a 54 inch long monster that can cook roughly 48 burgers at once, I use enough charcoal to come over the top of the starter. For a standard Weber type kettle grill, 2/3 of a chimney is ample to start. Remember...low and slow is the way to go. You want to try and keep the temperature over the meat at no more than 275 degrees Farenheit. So place the coals on one side of your grill, on the other side place a drip pan to catch the juices and fat from the pork, add 2-3 well soaked hickory chunks and place the cooking grate over this. Place the pork over your drip pan and put the lid on. You want to barely open the vents on the fire side and, if your grill is so equipped, slightlty open the vent on top. Now, go get that coffee (remember...it is early in the morning...while not necessarily too early for beer, I recommend holding off for a few hours in order to do your barbecue justice), find a nice shady spot and relax. Remember...this is a process!
Shortly nice, thick plumes of rich, fragrant smoke will begin emanating from your grill. This is a good thing and means that you are on the path to porcine enlightenment. At this point you are a bystander and may spend the next 30-60 minutes contemplating your belly button, reading the paper or just soaking in the fact that you aren't at work. Your choice. Once in a while you want to check the temperature of your grill. If your grill has a built in thermometer, check it. If not, then you will have to lift the lid. Be quick about it! You want to keep as much heat in the grill as possible. We want to maintain that 225-275 degree heat so that means that from time to time you will have to add more coals to the fire. In addition, you will need to add more hickory to keep the smoke going. In my case, I generally have to add a half-chimney of unlit coals every 45 minutes to an hour. Your situation will be different depending on your grill, the weather, your charcoal, etc. I only add more hickory with every other addition of coals. Obviously, this process means that you are going to have to stick around to keep an eye on things so don't attempt to make barbecue on a day when you have other commitments. Just relax and console yourself with the fact that A) you are going to be in for some fine eating, B) that you can take time to reflect on such questions as the meaning of life or if your dog is getting enough cheese and C) this is way more fun than mowing the lawn!
Eventually, after anywhere from 8 -12 hours, your pork will have achieved that state of grace which is North Carolina style barbecue. The meat will become fall apart tender, juicy, succulent and deliciously smokey. Now, open that beer and get ready for the final steps. Remove the pork from the grill and place on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap it tightly and place it on a platter to rest. Now...we make sauce.
Sources say that the traditional N.C. style barbecue sauce as done in Eastern North Carolina, is little more than water, vinegar, black and red pepper with a little sugar. Nothing wrong with that but I like mine which is as follows;
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 to 1 1/2 cups apple cider (depends on the sweetness of the cider. The sweeter it is the less you will need)
1 tablespoon each of black pepper and sweet paprika
1/2 tbsp. each of garlic and onion powders
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Place in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat off immediately and allow to stand for 15-30 minutes.
Once the pork has rested for at least 30 minutes, remove the foil, and begin pulling the pork apart with two forks. Again, the traditional way this is served is on a hamburger bun, a little sauce and a little cole slaw on top. Hush puppies on the side and good , cold beer or Southern table wine; iced tea.
While you sit back and enjoy the adulation of your now adoring fans you may congratulate yourself. Not so much on the fact that you have produced some truly fine eating but that you have learned a valuable lesson that applies to nearly every aspect of life! Good things do come to those who sit and wait!
Now, rejoice in the fact that, in one day, you have learned how to be patient...how to relax...and how to make barbecue!