Recipes – TrainerFamily

Js Original Rub

john — Fri, 01 May 2026 02:46:32 +0000

Here’s Waffle House at 2:17 AM, chairs allegedly airborne, written entirely inside the cook’s head while he never stops flipping food.

Cook’s Internal Monologue, 2AM, Somewhere Between Hash Browns and a Felony

Alright… chicken’s down. Flat‑top’s hot. Coffee’s burnt.
Why is that man standing on the booth?
Never mind—focus.

Sprinkle the rub.

Yeah. That’s it. Paprika first. Make it red. Make it look like it’s been somewhere rough. Smoked if we got it, regular if the truck was late. Ain’t asking questions at this hour. Chicken don’t care, chicken just wants purpose.

Pepper next. Good grind. Wake‑you‑up pepper. The kind that cuts through cigarette smoke, bad decisions, and whatever argument just started behind booth three.

CLANG.

That better not be a chair.

Garlic powder. Onion powder. Don’t measure. Measure with your heart. Garlic brings people together. Onion makes ‘em emotional. That’s just science.

Salt. Not too much. Folks already salty enough in this building. This is seasoning, not a declaration of war.

Chives. Yeah, I said chives. Don’t look at me like that. That’s my flourish. That’s how I let the universe know I still have standards.

Another CLANG.

Okay, that was definitely a chair.

Flip the chicken. Look at that color. That’s “you’re gonna be okay” color. That’s “even if tonight went sideways, at least this plate didn’t” color.

Somebody yelling about waffles is background noise. Been like that since ‘98. Ain’t stopping the cook. Ain’t stopping the rub.

This seasoning works at 2AM because it doesn’t judge.
Did you order chicken at breakfast? Fine.
Did you make questionable life choices between midnight and now? Same.

This rub shows up, does its job, and minds its business—unlike that guy trying to square up with a jukebox.

Plate it. Slide it across the counter.

That’s not just chicken.
That’s peace.
That’s order.
That’s paprika‑powered intervention.

And if another chair flies?

I’ll just make another plate.

Js Original Rub

Loosely based on Gunnars Original Gunpowder rub. Still tweaking this…

Smoked Chicken Rub That’ll Make Your Grill Proud

This here is the kind of rub you throw together when you want your chicken to taste like it knows its way around a campfire, a tailgate, or the back porch on a Sunday afternoon.

It starts with a good heap of paprika—smoked if you’ve got it, plain if you don’t. Either way, it brings that rich red color that lets folks know you meant business before the chicken ever hits the heat. Black pepper adds a little bite, not the sneezy kind—just enough to remind you that flavor is supposed to show up uninvited. Garlic and onion powder do the heavy lifting, because no respectable piece of chicken should ever be lonely in the seasoning department. Salt keeps it all in line, and the chives? Well, those are just there to fancify things enough that people think you planned ahead.

This rub don’t argue with chicken—it cooperates. Sprinkle it on wings, thighs, breasts, legs, or anything that once had feathers. Grill it, roast it, smoke it, air fry it, or cook it over something questionable you set on fire. It doesn’t care. It shows up and does its job.

It’s smoky without being pushy, savory without being salty, and flexible enough that you can tweak it without breaking the law of flavor. Use it as‑is, or add your own twist if you’re feeling bold—or after beer number three.

Bottom line:If you like chicken that tastes like it was cooked by someone who knows which end of the tongs to hold, this rub’s for you.

Course Rub

Cuisine American

Keyword Smoked

Prep Time 15

Ingredients

2 tbsp Smoked Paprika Use regular Paprika if you don't have smoked paprika.
1 tbsp Black Pepper Freshly ground for best flavor.
1 tbsp Salt Kosher or Sea Salt
1 tbsp Dehydrated Garlic powder
1 tbsp Dehydrated Onion powder
1 tsp Dehydrated Chives Optional, but adds a nice fresh kick.

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, black pepper, salt, dehydrated garlic powder, dehydrated onion powder, and dehydrated chives.
Mix everything together until evenly combined.

Use or Store

If using right away, simply rub it on your meat or veggies before grilling, roasting, or sautéing.
If storing, transfer the rub to an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry place. It should stay fresh for up to 6 months.

Notes

Tips:

You can adjust the salt and pepper based on your taste preferences.
For a spicy kick, you can add a pinch of cayenne or chili powder.
If you want it a bit smokier, use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika.

Crispy Pellet-Smoked Leg Quarters

john — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:30:26 +0000

Clean, Crispy Pellet‑Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

If you’ve got chicken leg quarters and a pellet grill, congratulations — you’re already halfway to greatness. This recipe is basically “set it to 400°F and let science do the heavy lifting.” Start bone‑side down, flip when it looks like it’s questioning its life choices, and keep going until the skin is crisp enough to shatter like your willpower at a BBQ buffet. Whether you’re going low‑cal, full‑carnivore, or chasing maximum crisp, this method turns humble chicken quarters into smoky, juicy, crispy show‑offs. No fancy tricks. No oil baths. Just heat, seasoning, and a grill that does what it’s told.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken, Smoked

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Servings 2 Quarters

Equipment

1 Smoker, Pellet I use a GMG Daniel Boone (2015), and my general pellets are Kirkland brand.

Ingredients

2 Leg Quarters
1 tbsp Rub of choice I like Gunnars Gunpowder, Hey grill hey's Sweet Rub, etc…
1/2 tsp Baking Powder Optional for crispier skin

Instructions

Prep the Chicken

Pat quarters very dry with paper towels. If you want ultra‑crispy skin, dust lightly with baking powder (⅛ tsp per quarter).

I like to pull the skin back to expose the meat and sprinkle a little rub inside.

Season

Liberally season both sides. Let it sit for 15-45 min… prep the rest of the meal.
1 tbsp Rub of choice

The Cook

Start cold, place quarters on the cold grill, bone‑side down. Set pellet grill to 400°F.
2 Leg Quarters
Cook 25–30 minutes without opening the lid. This renders fat under the skin and firms it up.
Flip meat‑side down and cook another 25–30 minutes until skin is crispy and internal temp hits 185–195°F (dark meat sweet spot).

For that burnt‑ish skin you like, leave meat‑side down for an extra 3–5 minutes.

Rest 5 minutes to keep juices in the meat.

Gulliver’s Cream Corn

john — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 05:58:40 +0000

This cream corn recipe is often sought after, it is from Gulliver’s Restaurants.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Gulliver’s Cream Corn

The chef gave This recipe to Nancy Carter (waitress) while working at Gulivers.

1 Lbs Corn Frozen corn
12 Oz W Cream Whipping Cream/Heavy Cream
1.5 Tbsp Clear Butter Clarified or not
1.5 Tbsp Flour
.5 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Sugar
.5 Tsp Accent Seasoning
3 Tbsp P Cheese Parmesan Cheese

Gulliver’s Cream Corn

The chef gave this recipe to Aunt Nancy C (waitress @ Gulliver's).

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Simmer 5

Total Time 1 5

Servings 6 people

Cost $7

Equipment

1 Caserole dish

Ingredients

1 Lbs Corn Frozen corn
12 Oz W Cream Whipping Cream/Heavy Cream
1.5 Tbsp Clear Butter Clarified or not
1.5 Tbsp Flour
.5 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Sugar
.5 Tsp Accent Seasoning
3 Tbsp P Cheese Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

Simmer corn (frozen) in cream for 5 minutes
Make a paste of Butter, Flour Salt & Sugar.
Add the paste to the corn mixture
Pour mixture into the Casserole dish and top with Parmesan Cheese
Bake at 325 F

Notes

Mom here – over –
Nancy worked at Gullivers and got this recipe from the chef. Babbette loved it & now makes it all the time. Enjoy

Smoked Wings

john — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 05:24:18 +0000

Sunday Funday, Gameday… What’s better than some wings and family. Dress them how you like.

Smoked Wings

Crispy smoked wings

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken, gameday, party, Smoked

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1 30

Rest 5

Total Time 2 20

Servings 3 People

Equipment

1 Smoker Grill Pellet, stick, or gasp gas if you have to.

Ingredients

18 pcs Wing Bits Kirkland wings are awesome for this.
2 Tbsp Baking Powder To crisp the skin
1.5 Tbsp Rub of choice
3 Oz Sauce of Choice Buffalo, BBQ, Asian Etc…

Instructions

Prepare the wings

Pat and dry the wings, I place them on a rack in the fridge for a couple of hours to ready for the rub. Mix the seasoning and baking powder in a 1 Gal bag, place the wings in the bag and shake them up to coat.

Preheat the Smoker

Fire up the smoker and set to 250.

Smoke those wings

Smoke the wings for at least 30 minutes or more to infuse the smoky goodness.

Increase the heat

Set the smoker to 425 degrees and continue to cook until the internal temperature of the wing reads 175 degrees F. You can rotate or flip the wings as needed to maintain even cooking and avoid any hot spots on the grill.
Remove the wings from the grill and serve. You can serve plain, toss in your favorite BBQ seasoning, or hot sauce.
Depending on sauce type being used, when the wings reach 165, this would be a good time to sauce and let them rise to 175 internal temp. This will help set the sauce and make it tacky.

Smoked Pulled Chuck Roast

john — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 03:53:02 +0000

Smoked Pulled Beef Chuck Roast is like best Sunday pot roast you’ve ever had with an extra kiss of smoked flavor you never knew you wanted. Tender, melt in your mouth, full of beefy flavor.

Smoked Pulled Chuck Roast

Chuck roasts are well-marbled pieces of beef with some really tight connective tissue. They tend to be a tougher cut of meat, but some TLC from the smoker can make them ultra tasty. By smoking a chuck roast low and slow, you allow that fat to slowly render and the low heat to break down and soften that connective tissue that can make chuck roasts chewy.

Smoked Pulled Beef Chuck Roast is like best Sunday pot roast you've ever had with an extra kiss of smoked flavor you never knew you wanted. Tender, melt in your mouth, full of beefy flavor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Beef, Pulled Beef, Smoked

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Rest 10

Total Time 8 25

Servings 6 People

Calories 567kcal

Cost $8

Equipment

1 Smoker Pellet, stick charcoal, it doesn't matter, just get er done your way.

Ingredients

1 Chuck Roast 3-4 Lbs
1 Onion Yellow or White, sliced
3 Cups Beef Stock 1 Cup spritz, 2 cups Cooking
3-4 Tbsp Beef Seasoning Rub or simply SPG (Salt Pepper Garlic)
6 Buns of Choice Brioche, Potato, Classic Buns

Instructions

Preheat the smoker

When ready to cook, start your smoker going at 225 degrees F and preheat with the lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Season the chuck roast

Season the roast liberally with the Beef Seasoning (or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder), using your hands to press the rub into every surface of the meat. (Optional, rub your meat the night before smoking and refrigerate).
1 Chuck Roast, 3-4 Tbsp Beef Seasoning Rub

Smoke the roast

Put the roast directly on your grill grate, fat-side up, and cook for 3 hours, spraying with 1 cup of the beef stock every hour (reserve the other 2 cups of stock).
3 Cups Beef Stock

Add the broth and onions

Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a large disposable aluminum foil pan and pour the remaining 2 cups of stock in the bottom of the pan. Transfer the roast into the pan on top of the onions and set the pan in the grill.
3 Cups Beef Stock, 1 Onion

Finish smoking

Increase your grill temperature to 250 degrees F, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (about 3 more hours). If you're watching a thermometer, you'll notice the temperature will stay between 155 and 165 degrees for quite a while. This is called the stall period and is totally normal.

Cover with foil

Once your roast hits 165, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and continue cooking until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers at least 200 degrees, up to 202 degrees F (this step can take another 3 hours). Every roast will be done at a slightly different temperature, so look for your probe to slide into the meat like it is sliding into softened butter.

Rest, shred, and enjoy

Remove the pan from the smoker and let rest for 15 minutes. Separate the roast from the cooking liquid. Shred the roast and separate the fat from the cooking liquid. Moisten the roast with the remaining cooking liquid, or make it into au jus for dipping, or turn it into gravy.

Assemble and Devour

Simply put some of the shreded beef on a bun, top with BBQ Sauce, or Slaw or any other toppings of choice. Or to stay KETO, serve straight up without the bun. Just enjoy.
6 Buns of Choice