These are pretty much the best hamburger buns going. They're not quite as buttery and rich as a brioche bun but they hold together well with lots of fillings and they squish down well too.

Ingredients

serves 6-8 buns time 3 hours (including proving time)

• bread flour 3 cups
• white sugar 75g
• yeast 2 tsp
• egg 1
• milk 1/2 cup
• softened butter 1/4 cup, cut into cubes
• oil 1-2 tbsp (for the bowl)
• fine salt 1 tsp
• egg yolk 1 mixed with 1 tsp water
• sesame seeds 2 tbsp

Tang Zhong

• bread flour 40g
• water 200ml

Start with the Tang Zhong ingredients.

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat whisk the bread flour and the water until it becomes a smooth paste (if you want to get technical, heat it until it reaches 65°C/149°F). Cool until it reaches room temperature. This is the "Tang Zhong" which is a water roux paste. Let it come to room temperature before moving on.
2. Place the bread flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the sugar and yeast. Mix it all together.
3. In a separate jug, whisk the egg and milk together. Set the mixer on a low speed and add the milk mixture and the room temperature Tang Zhong paste.
4. Knead until it becomes elastic - about 5-6 minutes in the mixer with the dough hook then add the softened butter and then keep kneading for another 2-4 minutes until the dough is stretchy and elastic.
5. Shape into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and set aside for 60 minutes.
6. After the dough has proved knock it down and knead in the salt.
7. Line a tray with baking paper and divide the dough into six balls making sure that the surfaces of the buns don't have any creases or lines.
8. Oil a sheet of baking paper and place on top of the buns and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.
9. Brush with the egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

We picked up a nice Angus Reserve brisket on the weekend and decided that freezing it for later was a silly idea.

So, Sunday dinner was smoked brisket.

Things started early ... 6am!

Just a light rub of salt & pepper

4 hours in, starting to look good

Nice bark

Even better smoke ring

A snappy brisket burger. Brisket, Two Phat Dacks BBQ sauce, pickles and lettuce.

As you all know we have an appreciation of good food especially MEAT, mmmmmm yummy meat. So today was late lunch day & find a new spot, I think I succeeded.

Just a light dinner tonight. Reverse seared rib eye, blue cheese & brie sauce with cauliflower couscous followed by apple and almond tart with Golden North honey ice cream.

Steak was smoked low and slow until just under medium rare, rested and then seared over hot coals to finish.

Build Your Own Burger night tonight.
Cheese burgers cooked over charcoal with bacon, onion rings, sweet potato and potato chips.
One was enough.

I have had the pleasure of being able to utilise a Thermomix for a while, thank you Alicia. It is a little experiment for our kitchen, one that I am especially enjoying for this lovely little treat.

Ingredients

serves: 4 x 200gm jars, time: 20 mins

• title: Lemon Butter
• caster sugar: 150g
• lemon peel: 2 lemons
• lemon juice; 3 lemons
• eggs: 2
• egg yolk: 1
• butter: 100g

Directions

1. Place the lemon peel (using a potato peeler works well, mare sure you don't have too much of the pith in the peel) and sugar in the TM bowl on speed 9 for 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl as necessary.
2. Add the remainder of the ingredients into the TM bowl on speed 7 for 5 seconds.
3. Cook at 80, speed 3 for 8 minutes. If it is required cook for a few minutes longer, to about a soft peak consistency.
4. Prepare your jars (sterilise) whilst cooking.
5. Pour into jar whilst still hot.

After spending my Sunday in the kitchen trialling some condiments this very tasty, moreish, bacon makes everything better, jam is the end product. It is my second batch of experimenting with the delight of bacon jam. This one is worthy of printing. I hope you enjoy.

Directions

1. Render bacon on medium-high heat until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel. When cool enough chop the bacon.
2. Drain all but 1 teaspoon of bacon fat from the pan, add butter & melt.
3. Add onion and cook until transparent, add the garlic & spices, sauté until fragrant about 3-5 minutes. Add sugar & salt & pepper.
4. Return the bacon to the pan and stir until well combined.
5. Add the bourbon & sherry to the mixture and cook the liquid down for about 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
8. Remove 3/4 of the mixture to a bowl and blend with a stick blender, add the remainder of the mixture so that it still has some chunkiness.
9. This mixture makes approximately 4 x 200gm jars.
10. Serve warm or store in an airtight jar, in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

<!-- Ingredients

time: 2 hrs
serves: 4 x 200gm jars
title: Bacon Jam
bacon: 1kg
unsalted butter: 1 tablespoon
onions, chopped: 4 large
brown sugar: 2/4 cups
garlic cloves, chopped: 3
smoked paprika: 5 teaspoons
chipotle chilli powder: 2 teaspoons
mustard powder: 1 teaspoon
ginger powder: 1/2 teaspoon
cinnamon powder: 1/2 teaspoon
bourbon: 1 cup
Pedro Ximenez Sherry: 2 tablespoons
espresso brewed coffee: 2/3 cup
apple cider vinegar: 3/4 cup
maple syrup: 5 tablespoons
salt & pepper: to taste

-->

After scouring the internet, especially Pinterest, and trialling many recipes which I found to be a bit bland, I put pen to paper and am sharing here. This recipe can be a bit spicy, but when eaten with a good slaw and brioche roll/tortillas it doesn't get lost, the pork still shines as it should. PORK RULES

Ingredients

serves: 8, time: 6-8 hrs

• sea salt : 2 tbs
• brown sugar: 2 tbs
• onion powder: 1 tbs
• chipotle chilli powder: 2 tbs
• Chipotle in Adobo sauce: 2-3 tbs
• ground cumin: 1 tbs
• black pepper: 1 tbs
• smoked paprika - we use the Spanish paprika PIMENTON - los noios : 2 tbs
• hot paprika: 1 tbs
• dry mustard powder: 2 tsp
• pork shoulder without skin: 1.5 - 2kg
• garlic, peeled: 6 cloves of
• onions chopped : 2
• olive oil: 1/4 cup
• dark beer (stout or porter): 3 cups

Directions

1. In a bowl stir together the oil, salt, brown sugar, onion powder, chilli powder, chipotle in adobe sauce, cumin, pepper, smoked paprika and mustard powder together until combined.
2. Rub the entire surface of the meat with the spice mixture, using it all.
3. Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker and place the pork on top.
4. Pour the beer over the meat, cover. Cook for about 4 -5 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low until the meat is tender and falling apart.
5. Once the meat is finished, remove from the slow cooker. Place in a large bowl and use two forks to shred the pork .
6. The liquid will become your sauce for the shredded pork. This is were you can add more flavour to your sauce if you think it doesn't have enough.
7. If the sauce requires thickening, pour into a pot and reduce to a gravy like consistency. Keep in mind how much shredded pork you have and how much you will use with the shredded pork. The amount of sauce you use in the pork is your choice, you don't want a dry shredded pork though.

Serve on fresh brioche rolls or tortillas with coleslaw.

This method will give you the tastiest chicken wings ever.
It takes a bit of planning as you'll have to start the day before, or early in the morning on the day you want to eat them. The wings can be cooked in an oven, or for maximum tastiness they are best done in a smoker or a Weber over charcoal.

Ingredients

serves: enough for 6-8 people, time: 1 1/2 hours (plus prep the day before)

• chicken wings (tips removed): 3-4kg
• salt (fine ground): as required
• Two Phat Dacks BBQ Spice Mix: 1 batch
• Two Phat Dacks BBQ Sauce: 1 batch
• coriander coarsely chopped: 1 bunch

Method

The Day Before

1. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towel and lay them out in a single layer on trays you can fit in the fridge
2. Lightly coat the chicken wings with the salt
3. Place the chicken wings in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.This will make them nice and crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside when they are cooked.

On The Day

1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C.
2. Remove chicken wings from the fridge.Wipe off the salt with paper towel.
3. Coat chicken wings evenly with the BBQ Spice Mix.
4. Place a wire cooling rack in your baking pan.Arrange the wings in one layer on the cooling rack (this keeps the wings out of the fat that will render out of them).
5. Cook for 60 to 75 mins, check meat is cooked before removing from the oven.
6. Place cooked chicken wings in a large bowl or another baking tray.
7. Coat the wings evenly with the BBQ Sauce and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
8. Let the wings rest for 5 to 10 mins before serving, dress with chopped corriander
9. Serve with lightly dressed coleslaw and plenty of napkins.

Eating with fingers is highly recommended.

This stuff is dangerous, it'll be gone before you know what's happened. It takes a bit of patience to make, and a decent stick to keep the sea gulls away while it is cooling.

Make sure that you use good quality, full rasher bacon. Don't use short cut bacon, the fat adds to the flavour as well as looks awesome.

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C
2. Line a baking tray with alfoil and place a rack on top (a biscuit cooling rack will do)
3. Mix spices, mustard and maple syrup together in a bowl
4. Cut the bacon into strips about 10cm long
5. Dredge bacon through the maple syrup mix, make sure you coat both sides and place on the rack
6. Cook in the oven for about 40 mins, turning every 10-15 mins
7. Bacon is ready when the fat has rendered out and is starting to crisp up
8. Remove from oven and place on another cooling rack. Bacon will firm up as it cools.
   Be sure to keep wandering fingers away as it cools down.

Serve to those you deem worthy, or just hide in the shed and eat it all yourself!

<!-- Ingredients

title: Maple Bacon
time: 1hr
serves: should be 6, but really only 1 or 2!
good quality rasher bacon: 500g
maple syrup - the real stuff: 1/3 cup
dijon mustard (or hot English if you feel like it!): 2 tbsp
smoked paprika: 1 tsp
onion powder: 1/2 tsp
garlic powder: 1/2 tsp

-->

This one is not spicy but has nice depth. It is a very easy recipe to follow if you want to try.

Ingredients

BBQ Sauce

serves: 4 bottles, time: 1hr

• BBQ Spice Mix: 2 tsp (below)
• Bourbon: 2 tbls
• Apple Cider Vinegar: 4 tbls
• pepper freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
• Worcestershire sauce: 1/4 cup
• crushed garlic: 5 cloves
• brown sugar: 2/3 cup
• passata: 2 cups
• 1 tsp Maggi Seasoning

BBQ Spice Mix

• garlic powder: 2 tsp
• chipotle powder: 2 tsp
• dried chipotle chilli (chilli of your choice): 1 blitzed finely
• salt: 4 tsp
• ground pepper: 2 tsp
• caster sugar: 2 tsp
• dried oregano: 2 tsp
• dried thyme: 1 tsp

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a heavy based sauce pan, mix well bring to boil and reduce to medium- low heat.
2. Stir occasionally for approx. 30 - 50 min.
3. It is finished when the consistency and the flavour is to your liking, if cooked longer it will get sweeter.

Let it cool and pour into a sterilised jar, keep in the fridge.

Welcome to Two Phat Dacks, if you do not know what Two Phat Dacks is you haven't had the opportunity to enjoy our food experience. Sorry.

We love our food and the odd beverage or two, three, four, well you get my drift. We have created this page because we have had the odd request, “can you send me that recipe” or “tell me what you did there” etc.

So I thought this might be easier for us to just add as we go and share......so hopefully you enjoy our journey.