Author: astarthoraolcom

Baked beans with bacon pieces and jalapeño slices in a ceramic baking dish

Easy (but delicious) Baked Beans

I have often found that the hard work and time devoted to making baked beans from scratch is a wasted effort when the tasty, and already prepared Bush’s beans, simple sit on the grocery stores shelves. I’ve worked on many recipes over the years and after experimenting multiple times in […]

Bowl of creamy grits topped with cooked shrimp and garnished with herbs

Kentucky Shrimp and Grits

I’ve tried many grits recipes and experimanted forever. I finally came up with a recipe we think is as good as restarant quality grits, though the Riverhouse in Louisville may have a solid rival. These grits are simply frickin delicious and even better with brown butter shrimp on top. Grit […]

Two coiled rattlesnakes resting on desert ground near bushes and rocks

Rattle Snake Bites (What?)

A rattlesnake bite is a hot dog that has been scored to look like a rattlesnake tail, which I will admit sounds insane when written down. It is not insane. The cuts are the whole point—without them you have a hot dog, which is fine, but with them you have […]

Dad’s Best Dry Rub Combo for Ribs or Anything

I have spent years in a deeply personal and occasionally humiliating relationship with dry rubs. A few were genuinely terrible. Several were so spicy that my wife left the kitchen without a word and did not come back. This one, however, is the rub I keep coming back to—for ribs […]

Juicy steak cooking on charcoal grill with rosemary sprig

Easy Kabob, or Steak, Tips for Flavorful Grilling

If you are thinking of making kabobs this summer, or even just grilling a good steak, this marinade will light up your life. The acid in the lemon juice breaks down the muscle fibers just enough to let the oil and garlic move in, and after a few hours in […]

Grilled hot dog in bun with green relish on wooden board with chips and drink

Our Perfect Hot Dog

The perfect hot dog starts with an all-beef dog, grilled until the skin blisters and splits and the ends curl up just slightly, caramelized in its own fat. Nestle it into a toasted brioche bun—soft and buttery, with just enough structure to hold its ground—and finish it with my relish […]

Kentucky Cheddar Biscuits

What makes a true Kentucky biscuit rise above all pretenders? Butter so cold it numbs your fingertips, worked into flour until the mixture resembles a January field dusted with snow. The secret lies in folding that dough—over and over until layers form that will later separate with a gentle pull. […]

Kentucky Apple Fritters

I’ve never done much baking, but after driving twenty miles one way to satisfy my craving for a decent apple fritter, I finally snapped. Two days and six pounds of discarded dough later, I’ve perfected a recipe that would make my grandmother weep with pride. These golden-brown beauties emerge from […]

A “REAL” Pork Roast!

It’s funny how things change over the years, and how few people remember. One of those things is the great flavor of a “REAL” pork roast. You know, the ones with the bones still in them and that glorious ivory-colored fat cap on top that crackles and browns like caramel. […]