Happy New Year!

Well this will wind up 2008. I can’t help but wonder if yours went by as fast as ours did. It was both good and bad. Betty had heart surgery on the 12th of December, and she is up and going strong. I finally got our new smoker finished and used it four times. It worked well and looks good. Now it is up to me to make championship Bar-B-Q again. I will be going down in Alabama the 17th of January to be certified as a K.C.B.S. judge and in Georgia the 3rd of April and finish my judging to be certified with M.B.N. I plan on entering 3 or 4 contests that are close to home. I can’t foresee being able to get enough help that can afford to be off many 5 or 6 day stretches. Most of the teams are at least 4 people. I will be getting into all phases of Bar-B-Q’ing after the first of the year. And make each of you that are interested a great Bar-B-Q’er.

I have always been told that it was bad luck not to have Black Eyed Peas and hog jowl for New Year’s Day. I have no idea where that came from but I don’t want to take a chance on it. So here is what I will do.

It’s a must for New Year’s Day to be able to ward off bad luck, bring good luck and have a happy life. You must start off the New Year with hog jowl, black eyed peas, fried cabbage and hot buttered cornbread!!!

Get some smoked hog jowl
Black eyed pea’s - frozen, canned or dry (if dry soak overnight in water)
Head of cabbage
Onion
A bunch of green onions

In a cast iron pot (or whatever) put 1 Tablespoon of hog lard (or whatever). Cut jowl into 1 inch blocks when the lard starts to smoke drop in the meat cook until most of the grease is cooked out. Then dump in the peas and cover about 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a good simmer. Cook until soft. When they are about done, add salt to taste.

Fried cabbage

Cut cabbage to about the size of a match folder. Chop some onion. Add a Tablespoon of hog lard to your cast iron skillet. Drop onion in first, stir a couple of rounds and add cabbage. Then add about 1/2 cup water and cover with enough heat to keep it steaming for about 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, cook the water all out, being careful not to burn.

Here’s wishing YOU the best of luck throughout the coming year,

DAVE