Texan BBQ

Texan BBQ

'I have a deep sense of pride for the Texan way of life that influences what and how I cook." – Robert Murphy

In 2015 Robert, and his daughter Lynzey, stole the spotlight on the hit TV series, My Kitchen Rules. The show gave him the opportunity to share his love of Texan cooking with a wider audience.

In this beautifully illustrated book, Robert -Texas' Murphy will share with you authentic Texas-style barbecue recipes, some of which have been handed down from his cattle-ranching ancestors. These tasty recipes include sticky, luscious ribs, juicy steaks, tender brisket that will simply melt in your mouth, with a variety of side dishes to complete your meal.

There's no doubt that Texans are passionate about their barbecued food - once you've tasted the -real deal' you'll never forget it!

Robert Murphy was raised in Breckenridge Texas and spent his youth hunting, fishing and cooking his own food in the outdoors. After attending universities all over Texas, he found himself back in the outdoors working as a cattle rancher, horse trainer and oilfield worker.

Self taught in the art of cooking, Robert is passionate about sharing his love of outdoor cooking, his recipes from his childhood.

Texan BBQ
New Holland
Author: Robert Murphy
RRP: $45.00

Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 6

Enchiladas originated in Mexico, where the practice of rolling tortillas around other food dates back to at least Mayan times. This is an easy version that is so good you could eat them off the bottom of your boot, although I don't recommend that you do.

Ingredients
12 fl oz (375 ml) canned creamy chicken soup
8 oz (250 g) sour cream

8 fl oz (250 ml) chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
3 jalapeños, seeds removed and diced
1 medium chicken, boiled, de-boned and diced
8 oz (250 g) grated cheese
10 corn or flour tortillas
1 red chili, seeds removed and thinly cut, for garnish
Pico de Gallo (page 127), to serve
corn chips, to serve

Method
Preheat barbecue or oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
Put the chicken soup in a saucepan and heat slowly while stirring. Add sour cream and chicken stock.
In a frypan, sauté the onion and jalapeños and add, with the diced chicken, to the chicken soup. Add half the cheese to form a thick, creamy consistency. Allow to cool slightly.
Put some of the mix on each tortilla, roll the tortillas up and place in an ovenproof dish. Pour the remaining mix over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese on top. Cover with foil.
Place on a covered barbecue on indirect heat (or in the oven) for 20 minutes. Uncover, garnish with chili slices and a bit more cheese and place under the grill for 5–10 minutes, or until it starts to get some good color.
Serve with Pico de Gallo or any other salsa (pages 169–172) that you like and corn chips.
Note: Enchiladas can be filled with meat, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, seafood or combinations of just about anything really.

 

Interview with Robert Murphy

Question: What have you been working on since My Kitchen Rules?

Robert Murphy: Texan Barbecue: cooking it, eating it and writing about it!

Question: What did you learn about participating in the 2015 series of My Kitchen Rules?

Robert Murphy: The true meaning of the word STRESS


Question: Which of the recipes featured in Texan BBQ holds the most memories, for you?

Robert Murphy: Dr. Pepper Ribs: I was drinking lots of Dr Pepper when I was a little boy. Nobody knew anything about sugar or caffeine, they just were amazed at how much energy I had and how fast I was!


Question: Which of the side dishes complements steaks, best?

Robert Murphy: Baked Beans with Chorizo and Bacon or Roasted Vegetables. Throw in some Pico de Gallo for a perfect meal.


Question: Can you share a couple of your top tips for barbecuing, with us?

Robert Murphy: Invest in an internal temperature gauge and get your family and friends involved!

Interview by Brooke Hunter

Dr Pepper Ribs

Serves 6

The soft drink Dr Pepper was originally sold as a medicine even though it has no medicinal value whatsoever. It just makes you feel better, probably because of the sugar hit. It is not really sold as a marinade, but it makes a surprisingly tasty marinade when combined with a few other things. This version of beef short ribs is hard to beat.

Ingredients
6 beef rib racks, cut 1 inch (2½ cm) thick
2 batches Dr Pepper Marinade (page 177)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
6 tablespoons water
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Quick Barbecue Sauce (page 154), to serve
mayonnaise or aioli (optional), to serve

Method
Place rib racks in a large plastic container or in a zip-lock plastic bag and add one batch of Dr Pepper.
Marinade to cover. Leave in the refrigerator for 3 hours or preferably overnight.
Wrap the ribs tightly in tin foil and cook at 225º–250ºF (100º–125ºC) away from direct heat on your barbecue for at least an hour.
Unwrap the ribs and dip them into the fresh (second batch) marinade. Set them directly over the fire until they are a deep reddish-brown with a crust on both sides.
Combine maple syrup and warm water in a small bowl to make a glaze. Lightly brush the surface of the cooked ribs with the glaze and season the ribs lightly with salt and pepper.
Serve with barbecue sauce, mayonnaise/aioli or any other favourite sauce or condiment.

This dish can be served whole to serve 6 people as a main, or cut each section in half and serve 12 as a starter. If you really must use ribs -off the rack', they will be three times larger than this recipe requires. This will affect the cooking times and will involve cooking the wrapped ribs very slowly on a low, indirect heat until the internal meat temperature is about 180ºF (80ºC).

Roast Spicy Vegetables

Serves 5

This dish would make you want to turn vegetarian. As much as I like to cook and eat meat, this is an alternative that is just as good or better. We all need to eat more fresh vegetables. Make sure you buy them when they are best at their peak.

Ingredients
5 small potatoes
5 baby carrots
5 yellow pumpkin (squash) pieces
2 large red onions, peeled and cut in quarters
3 medium beetroots, cut into quarters
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ bunch cilantro (coriander), chopped
¼ bunch parsley, (chopped)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper

Method
Preheat hooded barbecue or oven to 250ºF (125ºC). Wash and dry all the vegetables. Peal and cut the pumpkin into pieces twice the size of carrots and small potatoes so they all cook at the same rate. Place the vegetables in a large baking tray.
Drizzle vegetables with half the oil and move them around a bit to make sure all the surfaces are covered. Combine garlic, cilantro, parsley, paprika, cumin, chili (if using), salt and pepper. Sprinkle about half of the spices over the vegetables.
Put the vegetables onto the barbecue with hood down and cook for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Drizzle with the remaining oil and sprinkle the rest of the spices over the vegetables.
Place back in covered barbecue to continue cooking for about 20–25 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, test with a fork to see if vegetables are cooked. Allow a few more minutes if not.

Serve hot.

 

Texan BBQ
New Holland
Author: Robert Murphy
RRP: $45.00