Smokin’ Good Holiday Favorites

Thanksgiving at the McLemore’s means celebrating traditions, tossing the pigskin, and gathering in the kitchen to prepare favorite family recipes. But what do you do with all the left-overs? Today, John McLemore returns to The 700 Club's kitchen to show co-host Kristi Watts, and our viewers, his favorite recipes for using up left-over holiday turkey and sweet potatoes from his new book, John McLemore’s “Dadgum That’s Good, Too!” – Smoking, Frying, and Grilling with Family and Friends (InPrint 2012). Those recipes are included below.

While on the book tour for his first book, John McLemore’s “Dadgum That’s Good!” – Kickbutt Recipes for Smoking, Grilling, Frying, Boiling and Steaming (Concept 2010), McLemore met many generous people who shared their favorite recipes with him. As a result, some of those recipes are included in his new book, John McLemore’s “Dadgum That’s Good, Too!” – Smoking, Frying, and Grilling with Family and Friends (InPrint 2012). You can even find a recipe by Gordon Robertson tucked within its pages!

Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Asparagus

You’ll Need
• 1 ½ pounds fresh asparagus
• ½ pound bacon
• 1(16-ounce) bottle French dressing

Instructions
1. Wash asparagus and cut off the bottom two inches of each stalk. Divide into 6 bundles. Wrap each bundle securely with a slice of raw bacon. Place bundles in a 12-inch square disposable aluminum foil pan. Pour dressing over and cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate and marinate for 4 hours.
2. Preheat smoker to 250°F.
3. Remove asparagus from refrigerator and discard the 1/2 cup of marinade. Re-cover with aluminum foil and pierce foil with a fork in the center and three other places.
4. Place pan on middle rack of smoker and smoke for 45 minutes. Asparagus should be fork-tender. Add one small handful of wood chips to smoker and smoke asparagus for an additional 45 minutes, if you prefer it to be more tender. Remove from marinade and serve.

Claire’s Sweet Potato Fritters

You’ll Need
• Corn oil for frying
• 1cup roasted, peeled, and mashed sweet potatoes
• 1cup whole-milk fresh ricotta
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked peppercorns
• ½ cup self-rising flour

Instructions
1. Fill deep fryer halfway with oil and heat to 365°F.

2. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, combine sweet potato, ricotta, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Fold in flour, a little at a time, until just combined.

3. Drop heaping teaspoons of mixture into hot oil in small batches and fry, turning as needed to brown evenly, for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and a pinch of salt.

Smoked Sweet Potatoes

You’ll Need
• 8 large sweet potatoes
• 2 1/3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ Tablespoons sea salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1cup smoked or toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat smoker to 275°F.

2. Wash and scrub each sweet potato well. Baste each with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle outside of each potato with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Place sweet potatoes in smoker and smoke for 1 hour. Remove from smoker, double-wrap each potato securely with heavy-duty aluminum foil and place back in smoker for an additional hour.

3. Remove potatoes from smoker and unwrap from foil. Slice potatoes in half and score flesh with a fork. Top each potato half with 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans.

Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Pecan Butter

You’ll Need
• 1 gallon cooking oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into thin fries

Maple Pecan Butter
• ¼ cup butter
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon chopped pecans

Instructions
1. Fill deep fryer halfway with oil and heat to 350°F.

2. Maple Pecan Butter: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir in pecans and cook 2 minutes more.

3. Fry sweet potatoes in hot oil in small batches for 4 to 6 minutes or until browned. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer fries to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with Maple Pecan Butter.

Masterbuilt® Court Pear Pies

You’ll Need
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 pears, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 gallon cooking oil
• 6 eggroll wrappers
• Cinnamon sugar or confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Instructions
1. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add pears and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until softened. If liquid cooks down and additional liquid is needed, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time. Set aside.

2. Fill deep fryer halfway with oil and heat to 350°F.

3. Divide pear mixture evenly among wrappers. Fold one corner of wrapper over filling, tucking tip of corner under filling. Pull side corners over the middle and roll entire pie toward the last remaining corner. Lightly brush remaining corner with water, press gently and seal.

4. Fry pies in batches, turning once, for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until golden brown. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with cinnamon sugar or confectioners’ sugar.

Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwiches

**NOTE: You can substitute leftover turkey to make turkey salad sandwiches!

You’ll Need
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons meat tenderizer
• ¾ cup pecans, very coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 (5-ounce) bag dried cranberries
• 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise (approx.)
• ¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 soft hoagie buns
• Red leaf lettuce

Instructions
1. Preheat smoker to 225°F. Fill water tray with water and add bay leaves.

2. Pierce chicken breasts with a fork and sprinkle with meat tenderizer. Place chicken on middle rack of smoker and smoke for 45 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

3. Meanwhile, place pecans in a small disposable aluminum foil pan, pour melted butter over top and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Stir well to coat pecans. Place pan on top rack of smoker during the last half of smoking time for the chicken. Smoke pecans for 30 minutes. Remove from smoker and drain on a paper towel. Remove chicken. Let cool, then chop.

4. In a large bowl, combine chopped chicken, pecans, celery and dried cranberries. Add 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise. Season with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. (Add additional salt and pepper to suit your taste, if necessary.) Lightly spread each side of the buns with mayonnaise, and place a large leaf of red lettuce on the bottom half. Place a generous amount of chicken salad on top of lettuce and enjoy!

Fact Resources

All information and recipes in this edition of A Closer Look are taken from the book John McLemore’s “Dadgum That’s Good, Too!” – Smoking, Frying, and Grilling with Family and Friends (Copyright ©2012 by John McLemore; Published by InPrint, LLC). All rights reserved. Used with permission. The book contains cooking tips and hints as well as stories and memories about family and friends. Not surprisingly, the book is lovingly dedicated to June Evelyn “Boots” McLemore, John’s mother, who passed away December 29, 2011. 

About the Authors

John McLemore is now sole owner and president/CEO of Masterbuilt® Manufacturing, Inc. He is also the author of two books, John McLemore’s “Dadgum That’s Good!” – Kickbutt Recipes for Smoking, Grilling, Frying, Boiling and Steaming (Copyright ©2010 by John McLemore; Published by Concept, Inc.) and his newest, John McLemore’s “Dadgum That’s Good, Too!” – Smoking, Frying, and Grilling with Family and (Copyright ©2012 by John McLemore; Published by InPrint, LLC). John is married to Tonya and the proud father of three children, Brooke, John, and Bailey.

Masterbuilt®

Masterbuilt® manufactures indoor and outdoor consumer cooking products and automotive aftermarket accessories. For more than 30 years, the company’s passion has been to design quality indoor and outdoor cooking equipment that is simple to use. From the first propane fish cooker, to the user-friendly Butterball® Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer, Masterbuilt® offers a complete line of outdoor and indoor cooking products designed with the consumer in mind. Masterbuilt® brings family and friends together. Check them out at www.masterbuilt.com.

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