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Cowboy Grits ToTry

Posted on by June 16, 2026

From Southern Living magazine at https://www.southernliving.com/cowboy-grits-11980958

A smoky, cheesy bowl of comfort built for serious appetites.
By Erin Merhar | Published on June 07, 2026

Ingredients

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
4 large (1 oz. each) scallions
2 medium-size (1 oz. each) red Fresno chiles, seeded and chopped (about 1/3 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup uncooked regular white or yellow grits
1 1/2 cups frozen fire-roasted roasted corn (from 1 [10-oz.] pkg.)
4 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

Directions

Step 1 – Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 8 to 10
minutes. Transfer bacon to a small paper towel-lined plate, reserving drippings in pan; set
aside.
Step 2 – Meanwhile, slice scallions, separating dark green parts from light green and white parts; set
aside.
Step 3 – Heat reserved bacon drippings over medium. Add chiles, garlic, and white and light green
scallion parts; cook, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce
heat to low. Stir in paprika, black pepper, chile powder, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until
fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add stock and cream; bring to a boil over medium-high.
Step 4 – Whisk grits into stock mixture, and return to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to low to
maintain a bare simmer. Cook grits, stirring and scraping bottom of pan often, until tender,
about 25 minutes. Stir in corn and cheese; cook, stirring constantly, until corn is warmed
through and cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes, adding more stock 2 tablespoons at a time if
grits are too thick.
Step 5 – Divide grits evenly among 4 bowls; sprinkle with reserved cooked bacon, and garnish with
dark green scallion parts.

Uses for bread-and-butter pickle brine

Posted on by June 8, 2026

Chefs often treat bread-and-butter pickle brine as a ready-made seasoning ingredient because it already contains acid (vinegar), sweetness (sugar), salt, and pickle spices. Here are some of the most common uses:

Marinade for Chicken

One of the most popular uses is marinating chicken.

  • Use 1–2 cups of bread-and-butter pickle brine per pound of chicken.
  • Marinate 2–8 hours in the refrigerator.
  • The salt helps retain moisture.
  • The vinegar lightly tenderizes.
  • The sugar promotes browning during cooking.

Because bread-and-butter brine is sweeter than dill pickle brine, it works especially well with:

  • Grilled chicken thighs
  • Fried chicken sandwiches
  • Pork chops
  • Turkey cutlets

Avoid marinating more than about 12 hours, or the texture can become mushy.

Quick Salad Dressing

Chefs frequently use pickle brine in vinaigrettes.

Example:

  • 3 tablespoons bread-and-butter pickle brine
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • Black pepper

Good on:

  • Potato salad
  • Coleslaw
  • Cucumber salad
  • Green salads with bacon or ham
Potato Salad and Deviled Eggs

A tablespoon or two added to:

  • Potato salad
  • Macaroni salad
  • Egg salad
  • Deviled egg filling

adds acidity and sweetness without needing extra vinegar and sugar.

Coleslaw Dressing

Mix brine with:

  • Mayonnaise
  • Sour cream
  • Black pepper

The pickle spices often complement cabbage better than plain vinegar.

Barbecue Glaze

Reduce the brine in a saucepan until syrupy, then mix with:

  • Barbecue sauce
  • Mustard
  • Butter

Brush on:

  • Pork ribs
  • Smoked chicken
  • Grilled sausages
Sandwich Spread

Many delis mix a little bread-and-butter brine into:

  • Mayonnaise
  • Aioli
  • Thousand Island dressing
  • Remoulade

The result is tangy, sweet, and pickle-flavored without having to finely chop pickles.

Braising Liquid

A small amount can be added to:

  • Pot roast
  • Pulled pork
  • Braised cabbage

Typically only ¼–½ cup is used because the sweetness can become dominant.

Vegetable Quick Pickles

The leftover brine can be reused once for quick refrigerator pickles:

  • Sliced onions
  • Cucumbers
  • Radishes
  • Jalapeños

Pour the brine over the vegetables and refrigerate for 24–48 hours.

Cocktail Ingredient

Some bartenders use bread-and-butter pickle brine in:

  • Bloody Marys
  • Whiskey cocktails
  • Bourbon-based drinks

The sweet-sour-spicy profile can be surprisingly effective in small amounts.

Bean Dishes

Since you’ve previously asked about cannellini beans, one particularly good use is adding 1–2 tablespoons of bread-and-butter brine to cooked white beans just before serving. Adding acidic ingredients after the beans are fully cooked avoids toughening them during cooking and brightens the flavor.

A common chef’s rule is to think of bread-and-butter pickle brine as a combination of:

  • Vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Mustard seed
  • Turmeric
  • Onion flavor

Any recipe that could benefit from those ingredients individually may benefit from a small amount of the brine. Start with about 1 tablespoon per quart of food and adjust upward to taste.

Mary’s Fish and Vegetables; a Stir-fry

Posted on by June 8, 2026

6/5/2026 – Mary wanted to make a dish but was tired of looking for recipes; so she just did the process she knew using what we had. The next day, to get Tom off her back, she wrote down what she did. This was a great meal served with Jasmine rice.

Ingredients

  • 4 – Pacific Whiting Fillets (frozen from Publix)
  • Fish – Pat dry and season with blackening seasoning, Salt and Pepper, and Piper’s Jalapeno seasoning.
  • ½ shallot, small diced
  • 4 garlic cloves – small diced
  • Olive oil – enough to slightly cover the bottom of a #8 non stick skillet
  • White wine – enough to deglaze the pan
  • 4 Tablespoons of butter
  • Mixed vegetables sliced for stir fry.  Carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, ½ Vedalia onion. Cut the vegetables to equal sizes and place in a bowl.  Spray with avocado oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Directions

  1. Cover the bottom of a non-stick skillet with olive oil.  Heat til it just starts to smoke. 
  2. Place the fish skin side down in the skillet till slightly browned.  Turn over and brown the remaining side.
  3. Remove from pan and set aside.
  4. Place the shallot in the skillet and stir for about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds – until you can smell it.
  6. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook down by about half.
  7. Add the butter. Cook until melted.
  8. Add the vegetables to the pan and stir fry until they reach the desired doneness.
  9. Add the fish back to the pan and mix until the fish is warmed back up.

Serve with Jasmine rice

Links for Pickle Juice Marinate for chicken ToTry

Posted on by June 1, 2026

This post has 6-8 recipes but the one that looks like the sandwich at the Blind Mule is immediately below.

Super-Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Seasoning boneless, skinless chicken thighs with a classic Southern fried chicken spice blend and dill pickle brine makes for the juiciest, crunchiest fried chicken sandwiches.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/super-crispy-fried-chicken-sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 2 (16-ounce) jars dill pickle chips, 1/2 cup brine reserved and about 60 pickle chips reserved, divided
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
  • 1 cup buttermilk or well-stirred plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (about 17 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • Peanut oil, for frying

    Directions

    Gather the ingredients.

    Stir together 1/2 cup pickle brine, 1 tablespoon salt, paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.

    Place chicken thighs in a gallon-size zip-close bag; pour in pickle brine mixture. Seal bag and massage until chicken is evenly coated with brine mixture. Place in refrigerator; let marinate at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours or overnight.

    Whisk together buttermilk, 1/2 cup water, and egg in a large bowl. Remove chicken from brine; discard brine. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon black pepper in shallow dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 200°F. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet; heat oil over medium to 350°F.

    Working in batches, remove three or four chicken thighs from buttermilk mixture and place in flour mixture. Cover chicken with flour mixture, pressing to adhere.

    Lift from flour mixture and gently shake off excess. Carefully place chicken in hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd skillet. Cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature of 350°F and turning every 1 to 2 minutes using tongs, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thigh registers 165°F and breading is golden brown and very crispy, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Remove chicken from skillet and place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated oven to keep warm while repeating frying process with remaining chicken.

    Spread 1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise onto cut sides of each bun. Arrange 5 to 6 pickle chips on each bun bottom; top with one fried chicken thigh, 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, and, if desired, one tomato slice. Cover with bun tops.

    https://homecookedharvest.com/pickle-juice-marinated-chicken

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup dill pickle juice
    • 3 large garlic cloves minced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh dill weed chopped
    • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
    • 3 small boneless skinless chicken breasts 6 ounces each or two 8 ounce
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • fresh dill for serving optional

    https://www.scrambledchefs.com/pickle-brine-chicken-breast-recipe/#mv-creation-225-jtr

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 cup pickle juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    1. Cut the chicken into strips or small pieces then season with salt, pepper, and cover with pickle juice then refrigerate for 2-6 hours;
    2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 445°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with water.
    4. Using 2 more shallow bowls, fill one with flour and one with breadcrumbs. 
    5. Dip each piece of chicken into flour first, then eggs, then breadcrumbs.
    6. Place them into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
    7. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly golden and cooked through.

    https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/pickle-juice-chicken-marinade

    INGREDIENTS 

    2 cups dill pickle juice

    1 tablespoon light brown sugar

    1 teaspoon sea salt

    ½ teaspoon black pepper

    1 tablespoon hot sauce I used Franks Red Hot

    ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

    3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

    https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a21530330/pickle-chicken-recipe

    Ingredients

    1/3 c. plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

    1/4 c. pickle juice

    2 tbsp. dijon mustard

    1/4 c. freshly chopped dill, plus more for serving

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

    4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

    1/2 c. pickle chips, for serving

    https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/280851/grilled-dill-pickle-chicken-thighs

    Ingredients

    • 4 skinless chicken thighs
    • 1 ½ cups dill pickle juice
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon freeze-dried dill
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Directions

    Place chicken thighs in a gallon-sized resealable bag. Pour pickle juice over the chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate for 4 hours.

    Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

    Whisk olive oil, seasoned salt, paprika, dill, and pepper together. Remove chicken from pickle juice; discard the juice. Brush all sides of the chicken with the seasoned oil.

    Country-Style Ribs, May 2026

    Posted on by May 10, 2026

    5/10/2026 – Mother’s Day

    This cook began by referring to the cook at https://cooking.sundown360.com/country-style-ribs-2025/.

    1. The night before, salted and covered the “ribs” in a typical 10×10 inch tray bought at Rouces on sale and put in the refrigerator for smoking today.
    2. About noon, after getting home from CU and having lunch, removed the heavy fat and was left with a double handful of tasso pieces and half-length pieces; i.e. there was a lot of fat thrown out.
    3. Seasoned the small “rib” pieces with Piper’s jalapeno ____ and a light dusting of 6POGS. Seasoned the tasso pieces heavy with 6POGS.
    4. 1-PM – Put in the Recteq smoker at 220°.

    Cilantro Pesto

    Posted on by April 30, 2026

    Author: Isabel Orozco-Moore, https://www.isabeleats.com/cilantro-pesto/
    Servings: 12 servings

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups loosely packed cilantro
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
    • 1/3 cup cotija cheese. Don’t have cotija cheese? Use crumbled feta or shredded parmesan cheese instead.
    • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
    • 3 tablespoons lime juice – about 1 1/2 limes
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until mostly smooth.

    Notes

    • Makes about 1 1/2 cups pesto.
    • When measuring the cilantro, there’s no need to remove the leaves from the stems. Simply remove
    • and discard any extra long stems, and then loosely pack the cilantro into a measuring cup.
    • Don’t have cotija cheese? Use crumbled feta or shredded parmesan cheese instead. They both have a
    • similar flavor and the perfect amount of saltiness like cotija cheese!
    • Instead of sliced almonds, you can use pine nuts. Or if you have whole almonds, just give them a
    • quick chop before measuring them out.
    • Don’t have red onions? Use white onions instead, or you can completely leave them out.