Easter Dinner

What’s on your Easter menu?

We’re hosting my in-laws this year. I know I’ll be doing a ham on the Weber, but I am looking for ideas for side/apps/etc.

Mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, sweet potatoes, pickled beets, cooked pineapple, fresh baked rolls, green bean casserole, a nice wine or two

Scalloped or Au Gratin potatoes are a must for smoked ham. Horseradish & beet spread for the ham and the deviled eggs.

My mother makes that sweet potato recipe that includes a layer of melted marshmallows. If I could deliver a spoonful to all the world leaders… world peace would break out.

Boogerbreath wrote:

My mother makes that sweet potato recipe that includes a layer of melted marshmallows. If I could deliver a spoonful to all the world leaders… world peace would break out.

My sister mashes the sweet potatoes, adds walnuts or pecans and then melts the layer of marshmallow over the top. Makes a guy that isn’t crazy about sweet potatoes shovel them down.

They just had whole ribeye at Fareway for $6.99 lb. going to get it on the weber to smoke for 2 hours then finish in the oven.

It might make me sound like I’m 12 but I really like some mac n cheese with my ham.

Billy’s mom makes a great cheesy hotdish in the cockpot with crunched up corn flakes on the top. And my mom makes the world’s best deviled eggs!

i’m still celebrating Christmas being over with and now we gotta start looking at easter
have no idea yet but usually get stuck going to moms!!!

Well, as for our household I think,

A family gathering with as many that may make it from all corners to whom ever will house us this year, we will be blessed with family.

Usually we do “Double Smoked” hams either my me or Thielen Meats of Little Falls, MN.

Smoked mac with a mix of 4 types of soft white cheeses. Or my sister makes our mothers traditional oven baked mac&cheese with Colby and cheddar’s.

We try to come up with a new variation for a veggie baked dish or two.

My niece (the pie maker and my daughter the cream cheese pie emperor) for the deserts!

There are always filled ribs of celery, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli along the relish trays. Spinach artichoke dip with a favorite bruschetta. My list can go on, and on, and ,,,,,,

Prime Rib is reserved for Christmas, Turkey for Thanksgiving. Summer holidays are smoked ribs, grilled burgers, smoked or grilled yard birds, deer, pork, and well, I think you may get the notion now.

Be blessed with your family around you! That is what I really wish to have for this Easter!

This year my contribution will be smoked leg of lamb, roasted smashed red potatoes, the last of last year’s carrots and corn. The rest is up to the rest of the family when they come over for lunch.

Art Green wrote:

This year my contribution will be smoked leg of lamb, roasted smashed red potatoes, the last of last year’s carrots and corn. The rest is up to the rest of the family when they come over for lunch.

The whole leg? How do you treat the leg in the smoker (meaning step / step) I’m interested. I love lamb the wifie not so much.

Denny O, Give me a day And I will fill you in, just not enough time right now to give you the whole scoop.

A typical bone-in leg of lamb that I purchase will usually be in the 8 to 9 pound range. After trimming off the fat and removing the shank and aitchbone, you’ll have a hunk of meat weighing about 6 pounds. You could also use a boneless leg. There will be about 20% shrinkage while cooking. Also watch out for the gland near the knee- you want to remove it before cooking if you can.

I always dry brine the lamb using kosher salt, I like about a ½ teaspoon per pound of meat, and brine it wrapped in plastic and in a pan. I usually let it brine a minimum of 12 hours but not more than 18. Do not rinse off the salt!
I use a paste rub- you can also use the seasoning dry if you prefer- to coat the lamb a couple of hours before it goes on my smoker. Here’s a list of what goes in my paste for a whole leg:
Ingredients for the rub:
2 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves, broken or crushed a bit by hand
1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground bay leaves- You may have to grind it yourself from whole leaves. Sometimes I can get it ground, sometimes not.

10 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed, or minced- I like garlic, sometimes a toss in a few extra cloves.
To make a paste add
6 tablespoons water

That’s the hard part. I then smoke the whole thing at 225° for 2-3 hours until it reaches 115-125° in the thickest part and move it to a hot grill to sear it and to get some good color on all sides and internally the temp hits 145°. I like my lamb pink and juicy, if you prefer it more well-done, leave it on the smoker longer and then sear it to your preferred temperature.
When I put the leg on the smoker, I also start to make what is a version of a “board sauce” that the meat will be coated with when it is cut. You don’t have to use it but it adds a little something extra.
Board Sauce
12-18 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil
12 large fresh sage leaves
6 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems
5-6 medium cloves of garlic
1 fresh red jalapeño- chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper- I use smoked pepper corns ground fresh-Mmmm,mmmm .mmmm!
Coarsely chop the sage, thyme, garlic, jalapeño, and black pepper, and put it in a bowl. Drizzle the oil on the pile and let it sit while you cook so the oil can draw out some of the flavor.

Pour the herb and oil mix onto the cutting board right before pulling the meat off the grill. Make sure it is level or it will spill over onto the table. A board with routed out channels is best or a use a pan to hold it all in. Place the lamb on the oiled herbs and coat both sides. Do not let the meat rest to reabsorb the juices, start cutting immediately. Let the juices run! Cut slices of tender meat about 1/2″ thick across the grain and make sure they all get a light coat of sauce. This is just as messy as it sounds but well worth it in my opinion!
I think you know what the next step is!

I prefer hickory for the smoke process, but sometimes I use pecan for a slightly different flavor.

Wow! Sounds nice. This post makes me miss Easter dinner. Used to be a tradition until everyone died.

suzuki wrote:

Wow! Sounds nice. This post makes me miss Easter dinner. Used to be a tradition until everyone died.

Life certainly changes for all of us. I love to cook for any occasion but thought that I might be in the mood for an Easter Buffet this year.

Those all sound great…..Who’s got a couple open seats for the woman and I?

Did a whole ham with honey and brown sugar glaze on the Weber, and it turned out great! I am stuffed.

Attachments:

1. 

   DSC_0950.jpg
   

2. 

   DSC_0949.jpg
   

Smoked pig butt

Nice work to both Art and Ralph. You guys get an A+ for effort.

We did a spiral cut ham. It’s kind of cheating, but the kind they carry at Sam’s Club is just so damn good. We only do half of it and then we’ve got a quick dinner+ some other time as well.

Today was, to me, the typical MN Easter. Dame, cold, etc. I see all the sale flyers for weeks beforehand showing all the short/light Easter clothing as if Easter is some kind of summer celebration… Easter in MN is a winter sport most of the time.

Grouse

Just Ma and I this year so I took her to Perkins. The shrimp dinner was wonderful and no dishes to clean up. She made her knock-out strawberry smoothies for tv time. No complaints. Sometimes simple just beats out everything else.

Did the whole ham on the Weber with applewood and cut a large bean can down to fit under the grate, filled it with cider beer and nestled it into the coals. Cook for 4 hours the last hour keep glazing with honey, sriracha and lime juice, makes a wonderful glaze.

Attachments:

1. 

   image-87.jpeg
   

Nice! How big was that one, Chomps? Mine went 17 lbs. I started it in the oven while we were at church and did the last 2 hours on the Weber with some apple wood. I glazed with a honey/brown sugar glaze.

about 14 pounds, just a John Morrell ham, but a Weber can do some amazing things