Southern cooking and cornbread go hand in hand. Kind of like Italian cooking and focaccia bread. I love BBQ with cornbread, they complement each other.  Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s sweet and mellow cornbread is very tasty, even on its own but served with BBQ, it really takes it to the next level.

If you like your cornbread cheesy and with a nice kick, you can turn the already amazing cornbread recipe below into cheddar-jalapeno honey hush cornbread. Follow the recipe below but stir in one cup of cubed extra-sharp Cheddar cheese and two medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced, into the batter right before pouring it into the pan. Increase the baking time to 30 to 35 minutes and glaze with honey in the same way as the original recipe.

Enjoy!

This soup was created by Dinosaur BBQ spontaneously but became super popular and made its way into Dinosaur BBQ’s book of popular recipes. This soup is delicious and has a good Sunday vibe. A must try!

Roasting garlic takes a bit of time, while the soup can be made very quickly. You can prepare the garlic in advance and store in a fridge.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse by John Stage and Nancy Radke.

Dinosaur BBQ Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Servings 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper chopped
• A couple of pinches each kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 heads or garlic roasted
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes peeled and diced (or pureed)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 20 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

 

• To to prepare the roasted garlic, cut the garlic tops off, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper. Wrap in foil and bake at 375F for one our. Let cool, then squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins into a small bowl. Mash with a fork and set aside.
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil as the butter is melting. Add the onions and the bell pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, constantly stirring. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the flour, stir really well, then add the broth and mix. Stir in the tomatoes and the roasted garlic. Bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf. Drop the temperature to low, cover and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf, stir in the cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Tobasco sauce. Add the lemon juice, the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and half of the chopped basil leaves.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the remaining chopped basil and serve.

I spent a fair amount of time living in the South but never developed a passion for this iconic Southern dish – fried green tomatoes. Not until I tried the at Dinosaur BBQ restaurant in Buffalo, NY. I like this dish so much that the first thing I did the following day is to buy green tomatoes at the local grocery store and fry them. I hope you like this recipe as much as I do.

These tomatoes are absolute best hot from the skillet served with Dinosaur BBQ’s signature Cayenne Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

Dinosaur BBQ Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Ingredients

  

• 4 green tomatoes
• Creole seasoning
• 2 eggs
• A pinch plus 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups panko crumbs Japanese-style dried bread crumbs
• 4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil plus more as needed
• Grated Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish
• Cayenne Buttermilk Ranch Dressing for dipping

Instructions

 

• Core the tomatoes and cut off the ends. Slice them into quarter-inch rounds, and dry between several layers of paper towels to get rid of the excess moisture. Sprinkle lightly with Creole seasoning on both sides.
• Whisk together the eggs and a pinch of black pepper in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl or plate, combine the panko crumbs, salt, cayenne pepper and the remaining 2 teaspoons black pepper. Mix well. Dip the tomato slices in the egg mixture and then in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat on both sides and around the edges. Lift the coated pieces onto a rack set over a baking sheet. Pop them into the fridge for half an hour to set the crumbs. (Note: Panko crumbs are a bit coarser than other breadcrumbs. They’re definitely better for this dish. You’ll find them in the Asian section of your supermarket or in Asian grocery stores.)
• Grab a heavy 12-inch skillet and heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, slide in a few tomatoes without crowding the pan. They should sizzle and bubble around the edges. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until brown. Take them out of the pan, then add a bit more oil and get it hot before starting a second batch.
• After each batch becomes golden brown, drain the fried tomato slices on paper towels. Sprinkle with shaved Pecornio cheese, if desired.
• Arrange the tomatoes on your favorite roll, then top with a generous spoonful of buttermilk ranch dressing. Or, simply serve the tomatoes as is, and set a bowl of ranch in the middle for dipping.

This Dinosaur BBQ’s Creole seasoning recipe is as simple as it can get. I would be surprised if most of you didn’t have all the required spices in your spice cabinet. But it doesn’t mean that it’s nothing to write home about. The seasoning itself is very aromatic with amazing natural flavors. It will make whatever you rub it into earthy, spicy and complex.

To really make this Creole seasoning shine use the freshest ingredients. Especially the paprika. I like using smoked paprika, it adds a new dimension.

To get deeper flavors and more complexity grind up thyme, cumin and oregano in a mortar. Grind fresh black pepper. Make just enough of the seasoning for a couple of uses, then make fresh. Stale does not taste good.

The original recipe is big, it makes two and a half cups. I cut it down in half. Many Dinosaur BBQ recipes call for a teaspoon or two of Creole seasoning. Two and a half cups is an overkill. It only takes a few minutes to makes this, so it’s best to make it fresh and grind up the spices to extract the most flavor.

This seasoning is very versatile and is good for just about anything, not just grilled and barbecued meats. Use it for veggies and fish. Season pork chops with it. Try mixing it with bread crumbs before coating meats, or stir into casseroles. Dinosaur BBQ even adds it to their signature Cayenne Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

Dinosaur BBQ Creole Seasoning Recipe

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Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Servings 1 1/4 cup

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 2 Tbsp granulated onion
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 cup granulated garlic
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp white sugar

Instructions

 

• Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix really well. I like grinding up oregano and thyme in a mortar for better flavor extraction, but it's up to you.
• Store the seasoning in a plastic or glass air-tight container in a dry, cool place.