Favourite firepit songs?

Sitting around the fire listening to the radio, iPod, CD, or if you're lucky someone who knows how to play the guitar (or banjo or kazoo) is an integral part of the whole firepit experience.

My top 10 songs (in no particular order) to listen to with a cold beverage in front of a hot fire are:

1. "Wish You Were Here" - Pink Floyd
2. "Asshole" - Dennis Leary
3. "Long Way To The Top" - AC/DC
4. "La Grange" - ZZ Top
5. "Wishlist" - Pearl Jam
6. "Faster Horses" - Tom T. Hall
7. "Early Morning Rain" - Gordon Lightfoot
8. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
9. "Islands In The Stream" - Dolly Parton + Kenny Rogers
10. "Gin + Juice" - Phish

If you have any addiions feel free to post them.

Stay warm.

Clint

Beer can chicken...over a fire! (or in the oven if you really have to)

 

This beer can chicken recipe has a fantastic garlic and lemon flavor. Remember, the beer can needs to remain at least 1/3 full inside the bird (so leave some beer in it).

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours (3 hours if over a fire / coals)

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
• 1 12 ounce can beer
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1 head garlic, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Rub:

• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

 

In oven:

Combine all rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. Wash and remove giblets and the neck from chicken. Pat dry. Rub chicken with half of garlic, half of lemon, and olive oil. Apply some of the rub onto chicken. Open can of beer and discard half of it. Place remaining rub into the can. Make sure to pierce two more holes on the top of beer can. Place chicken on top of can. Preheat grill. Place birds grill balanced by the beer cans. Grill over indirect medium heat for 2 hours, or until internal temperature of thigh is 180 degrees F. Remove chicken when finished cooking and let sit (with beer can still intact), for 10 minutes before carving.

 

Over a fire:

Bird preparation is the same as above but about an hour before you would like to begin cooking start a fire (preferably with tamarack or oak as you're going to need those hot coals later). As the fire burns down continue to add more wood to it and scrape those nice not coals into a pile by the fire (a shovel or rake works well for this, a canoe paddle does not). Put rocks, stones, bricks and/or other non-combustible items around the embers to keep them piled up and have something to put your grill on.

The goal here is to create a pile of coals the chicken will cook over. The live coals are actually hotter than the fire itself so this is how you'll roast that bird.

Once you get a pile of coals about 6" deep or so put the grill over top of them (resting on the rocks, bricks etc.).

Cover the bird with tinfoil (for more even heating) and then stand it upright over the grill with the whole bird resting on the beer can (you may have to adjust the legs to help balance the bird). Oven or snowmobile mitts come in handy here to protect your hands from the heat.

As the coals burn down replace them with new coals from the still burning fire (if someone has to sit around the fire,and prepare other beer cans for future cooking use this is a price they'll have to pay).

I like to keep the coals out from directly under the bird for more even cooking in from the sides.

My rule of thumb is you shouldn't be able to hold your hand near the grill for longer than 2 seconds for the best grilling heat.

No need to turn the bird but dont't worry when the skin starts to blacken and may actually start burning, a little beer (or preferably water) will take care of that.

As above, internal temperature of a thigh should be at 180 F prior to consumption.

The finished beast will look blackened (we call it cajun style) but as soon as you open it up you'll see that skin sealed in all the juices and you'll have one of the most tastiest, juiciest chickens ever.

Also works for turkeys...just takes a bit longer, and larger "King Can" type beer cans.

 

This is great for camping or a party, everyone is sitting around the fire anyhow...might as well dazzle them with your culinary skills.

 

If you have any questions or another wood-fire based recipe just let me know.

 

Have fun and stay toasty my friends....

 

Clint

Upside down fire starting method...

Now admittedly I had my doubts about this till I tried it. Now that I have I wouldn't start a fire any other way (don't tell my Grandad). Quick to start, quick to heat and very little smoke...and works indoors in the wood stove / fireplace as well as it does outside for the bbq or firepit. Please see the link below for a complete tutorial. If you have a better way of starting a fire that doesn't involve diesel fuel and missing eyebrows please let me know.

http://www.strawbale.com/burn-an-upside-down-fire-for-efficiency

Thanks to my friends at http://www.strawbale.com/ for the link. If you're looking for an energy efficient, environmentally friendly and locally grown method of home / outbuilding / cabin / playhouse construction you can build yourself please take a look at their website.


Stay warm.

Clint

Evaluating a 2011 F-250 Lariat SuperCrew for Firewood Delivery = Super Duper

I got the opportunity to drive a 2011 F-250 Lariat SuperCrew for four days
this February and since I already own a 2011 F-250 extended cab XLT I
wasn't expecting much of a difference...I was wrong.

The first thing I noticed was the smoother than extended cab ride (even
while unloaded, throw a couple hundred pounds in the spacious box and it's
even better). I dont expect a touring sedan smooth ride when driving a 3/4
ton truck but Ford has really smoothed things out...even over rough gravel
roads. The longer wheelbase of the SuperCrew really lessens the bounces I
felt vs. my extended cab.

Secondly, when backing up with a fully loaded 12,000 lb. trailer I was
 expecting the longer SuperCrew to be cumbersome but didn't notice a
 difference compared to my shorter extended cab. Thanks to Ford's very
 generous turning capacity maneuvering is a breeze.

As with all new 6.7L Ford diesels this one was quieter than most gasoline
 trucks from even less than 5 years ago. Diesels are traditionally known
 for towing power (which the F-250 has no shortage of) and noise (which
 thankfully now is lacking). I spoke to a customer mine through the open
 driver's side window with him standing 10 feet away and didn't have to
 raise my voice to be understood...try doing that with any other diesel!

I deliver firewood and as such routinely haul upwards of 12,000 lbs of
 wood in a bumper hitch trailer and another 1500 lbs in the box. Of course
 you know the added weight is there but the combination of horsepower,
 torque, 6 speed automatic, trailer tow assist settings and elecronic sway
 control go a long ways to helping out...be it on the highway or
 maneuvering through small city back lanes and parking lots.

The leather seats, sunroof, amazing stereo sysem (complete with Sirius
 satellite radio) all help to make the work day seem that much shorter.
 Especially if your "office" is the cab of the F-250.

About the only thing I would change is the complexity of the onboard GPS
 system. Entering a destination feels like it takes about 3 more steps than
 it should but that may be because I'm used to my trusty portable Garmin
GPS. Though having the coordinates / display right there on the console
certainly made navigation a breeze.

Overall, a great truck....be it for work or cruising around showing off
 all that size and chrome.