Smoked Maple Cream with Candied Bacon

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Freeze Time: 20-30 minutes
Recommended Pellets: Maple or Hickory
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For the Candied Bacon:
8 slices of bacon
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

For the Ice Cream:
2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring (optional, but recommended)

For making the Ice Cream:
8-12 quart sized zip-top bags
5 pounds ice
2 cups ice cream salt or kosher salt

Preparation:

Start your Traeger on smoke with the lid open for 4-5 minutes to establish fire. Close the lid and preheat for 10-15 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon maple syrup to form a thick paste.

Spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray and then line with aluminum foil. Lay the strips of bacon on the foil.

Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the paste on each piece of bacon using the back of a spoon.

Place the sheet pan in the Traeger and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Flip the bacon using tongs. Be sure to drag the bacon through the carmelized sugar as you turn it over. Top each piece with the remaining brown sugar paste and cook for 5-7 more minutes until the bacon is firm and glossy from the sugar. The edges of your brown sugar will be extra crispy or burned. This is just fine.

Transfer the bacon to a cooling rack or plate and allow it to cool completely. When cooled, crumble your bacon (if desired) into a bowl and set aside. Turn the heat on your Traeger down to smoke.

In a 9x13 pan, combine all of the ingredients for the ice cream. Whisk until all of the sugar dissolves. Place the pan in your Traeger and allow to smoke for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Raise the temperature on your Traeger to 250 degrees and, using a thermometer, cook until the temperature of your cream mixture reaches 170 degrees fahrenheit, stirring occasionally. Do Not Exceed 170 Degrees, and do not allow your cream mixture to boil.

Take your cream mixture off the heat and allow to cool completely.

Divide the cream mixture into 4-6 of the quart sized zip-top bags. Seal tightly and then insert those into a second bag and seal. Fill a gallon zip-top bag with 1 pound of ice and 1/3 cup ice cream salt.

Shake vigorously and be patient. This step will seem like it is taking forever, but have fun with it. Toss it back and forth, bounce it on a trampoline or have a dance contest. The time will pass, I promise!

Keep adding ice and salt to the outer gallon bag as needed and drain the excess water.

When the ice cream mixture is frozen to your desired consistency, add in your bacon. You can mix it directly into the ice cream or sprinkle on top. Either way, enjoy!!

Tri-Tip Roast

Prep Time: 5 minutes, plus marinating overnight
Cook Time: 5-6 hours
Serves: 6-8
Pellet Recommendations: Alder, Cherry, Hickory, Maple, Mesquite, Oak, Pecan

INGREDIENTS:  
1 tri-tip roast
Traeger Regular BBQ Sauce
Traeger Prime Rib Rub or Beef Rub

PREPARATION:

Marinate the tri-tip in Traeger Regular BBQ sauce overnight in refrigerator.

Remove tri-tip from marinade, and lightly season with Traeger Prime Rib Rub or Beef Rub.

Start your Traeger on smoke with lid open for 5 minutes to get started, then place tri-tip on grill for 4 to 5 hours on smoke.

Remove tri-tip from grill and place in aluminum foil with 1/2 cup water. Please don't include measuring cup in your foil packet. That would taste bad.

Close aluminum foil and adjust digital controller to 350 degrees.

Place back on the grill for 45 minutes. Remove from grill and let rest for 15 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes-1 hour
Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
Serves: 4
Pellet Recommendations: Alder or Oak

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 pounds cleaned jumbo shrimp (18 to 20 shrimp), headless, tail on
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (the yellow outer rind)
1 clove garlic, finely minced 
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or parsley
10 strips of bacon

PREPARATION:

Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag or a bowl.

Make the marinade: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until combined.

Pour over the shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour

About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the shrimp, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 400 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.  Lay the bacon strips diagonally on the grill grate and grill for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bacon is partially cooked but still very pliable. Cut each strip in half width-wise. Leave the grill on.

Drain the shrimp, discarding the marinade. Wrap a strip of bacon around the body of each shrimp, securing with a toothpick.

Arrange the shrimp on the grill grate and grill for 4 minutes per side, turning once. Serve at once. (Diners can remove their own toothpicks.)

Artichoke and Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 8
Recommended pellets: Alder

INGREDIENTS
8 medium mushroom caps, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter
1 6.5-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
A few drops of your favorite hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Paprika

PREPARATION

Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Remove the stems and discard or save for another use.

Using a small spoon, scoop out and discard the inside (gills, etc.).

Combine the artichoke hearts, Parmesan, mayonnaise, garlic salt, and hot sauce and mix well.

Mound the filling in the mushroom caps. Dust the tops with paprika.

Arrange the mushrooms in an oven-safe baking dish. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 350 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bake the mushrooms (uncovered) until the filling is bubbling and just beginning to brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately. For a simple variation, stuff the mushrooms with your favorite bulk sausage and bake on your Traeger as directed above.

The process is so simple, you might just smack yourself for not thinking of it yourself. (And if you did think of it yourself, you can give yourself a pat on the back for being awesome) Also, we used peppercorns and rosemary to add a little extra something to our olive oil, but feel free to substitute any hardy herb that you prefer. The possibilities are practically endless.

Smoked Rosemary Peppercorn Olive Oil

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Smoke Time: 3-4 hours
Recommended Pellets: Any

Ingredients:
2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Select a high quality oil, it will make such a difference)
2 sprigs rosemary (or another herb of your choosing)
1 Tablespoon whole peppercorns

Preparation:

Start your Traeger on Smoke with the lid open for 5 minutes to establish fire. Leave the setting to Smoke and close the lid.

Pour the Olive Oil into a shallow baking dish and add herbs and peppercorns.

Place the pan directly on the grill grate and smoke for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. You can smoke longer if the oil hasn't taken on as much smoky flavor as you would like. The oil will begin to darken in color as it smokes.

Remove the pan from your Traeger and allow to cool to room temperature. You can either strain out the herbs and peppercorns or leave them in for a more intense flavor infusion over time. Transfer smoked olive oil to an air tight container.

Add to your favorite Traeger Recipes calling for Olive Oil to give them an extra little hint of that delicious smoky flavor.

All-American BBQ Spareribs

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: around 4-5 hours
Serves: 3-4
Recommended Pellets: Alder, Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Maple, Pecan

INGREDIENTS
2 racks pork spareribs, about 6 pounds, trimmed 
2 to 3 tablespoons Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub, or your favorite all-purpose barbecue rub
1 cup apple juice, cider, or beer
1 8-ounce bottle of Traeger BBQ Sauce, or your favorite sauce
You’ll also need: A clean spray bottle

PREPARATION
If your butcher hasn’t done so already, remove the tough membrane on the back of the ribs as it will impede the absorption of spices and smoke, not to mention that it isn’t very appetizing. When trimming your ribs, you can just trim the fat and leave the ribs as is.

Otherwise, you can slice off the end and rib tips, as shown below. This will make your spare ribs into St. Louis Style ribs. Be sure to use a very sharp knife and cut trough the cartilage where your ribs are pliable. Your rib tips can be smoked alongside the rest of your ribs and used later in these Pork Lover's Baked Beans, or as a midnight snack.

Sprinkle the ribs on all sides with the rub, applying it to the ends as well. 

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 250 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange the racks of spareribs on the grill grate, bone-side down. Cook for 3 to 4 hours.

After the first hour, spray the ribs with the apple juice, and spray every hour after that. 

When they are tender, the meat will have pulled away from the ends of the bones about 1/2-inch. Another test for doneness is to flex a rack (your hands protected from the heat, of course): the meat at the center should start to shred slightly. Or you can sacrifice an end rib and give it a taste test.

Brush the ribs on all sides with the barbecue sauce and return to the grill for 30 minutes to an hour to “tighten” the sauce. To serve, cut each slab in half or into individual ribs. Offer additional barbecue sauce on the side.

-Roasted Corn

-Edible Flag Vegetable Tray from Spoonful.com

-Cinco de Mayo Cocktails from Recipe4Living.com

-Coconut Tres Leches Cake from Mel'sKitchenCafe.com

The Decorations:

-Tissue Paper Banner from MarthaStewart.com

-Paper Flowers from LittleWondersDays.blogspot.com

The Activities:

-Mini Pinatas Craft from TodaysMama.com

-Free Printables for a fun Photo Booth from TheDatingDivas.com

- Nobody is ever too old for a classic game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Check out your local party supply store, they typically run from $5-$8.

The Invitations:

-Printable "Join the Fiesta" Invitations from OneCharmingParty.com

Hopefully this roundup of recipes and ideas will help you plan a fastastic party for your family and friends! And as you all know, no party would be complete without food fresh off of your Traeger. So get her fired up and spread some Cinco de Mayo love, Traeger Nation!

We are featuring Traeger's fantastic Carne Asada Marinade, but if you don't have any on hand, check out this fantastic list of Carne Asada Marinades from AllRecipes.com.

Carne Asada

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinade Time: 2-4 hours
Cook Time: 8-12 minutes
Recommended Pellets: Mesquite

INGREDIENTS  
1 flank steak, 1-1/2 to 2 pounds, or substitute skirt steak
1 cup Traeger Carne Asada Marinade
Juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano, preferably Mexican 
1/2 to 1 chile in adobo sauce (optional), minced
Warm flour tortillas for serving
Your favorite salsa (red and/or green), for serving

PREPARATION

1. Lay the flank steak in a baking dish large enough to hold it. In a small bowl, combine the Carne Asada Marinade, the lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chile in adobo sauce, if using. Pour the marinade over the steak, turning to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

2. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 450 degrees F (High) and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Lift the flank steak from the marinade (discard the marinade) and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the steak at a diagonal directly on the grill grate. Grill for 6 minutes, then turn with tongs. Continue grilling for 4 to 6 minutes more. (The exact time will depend on the thickness of your steak, but flank steak is best medium-rare.)

4. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly on the diagonal across the grain. Arrange on a platter. Serve immediately with the tortillas and salsa(s).

Smoked Coleslaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves 6
Recommended Pellets: Hickory

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup mayonnaise (for the dressing)

1/2 cup sour cream(for the dressing)

Juice from one lemon, about 1/4 cup(for the dressing)

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard(for the dressing)

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar(for the dressing)

1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish(for the dressing)

Salt and pepper to taste(for the dressing)

8 to 10 cups finely shredded cabbage (for the slaw)

1/3 cup diced red onion (for the slaw)

1 large carrot, grated (for the slaw)

1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced (for the slaw)

Smoked paprika or regular paprika (for the slaw)

PREPARATION:

Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small mixing bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

Put the cabbage and other vegetables in a metal kitchen colander or spread it out on a rimmed baking sheet.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Smoke the cabbage for 30 minutes.

Using this awesome food scoop from Chef's Planet transfer the veggies to a large mixing bowl.

Add the dressing and stir to coat the cabbage.

Taste for seasoning, adding more sugar, horseradish, or salt and pepper as needed.

Dust the top lightly with paprika. Refrigerate until serving time. Enjoy!

Pickle Brined Pork Chops

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Pellet Recommendations: Hickory, Oak, or Pecan

INGREDIENTS
4 pork chops, each 1 to 1-1/4 inches thick
About 3 cups dill pickle brine, or the brine from 2 jars of dill pickles
Coarse black pepper

PREPARATION
Put the pork chops and pickle brine in a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with black pepper.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 300 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the chops directly on the grill grate and grill, turning once, for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the chop is at least 145 degrees F. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.