Sweet Tea

Lemonade

Coffee / Tea

North Carolina Style (cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, chopped pork skins)

Pork Rib

Sautéed Fire Cracker Jerked Jerk Chicken

Smoked then grilled to perfection and basted with Emestine's BBQ Sauce

Party Shrimp

Jumbo Wings

Smoked Party Wings

Sweet Potatoes

Ollies Triple Beans

Dahmil's Cornbread

Mixed Grilled Vegetables

Miss Dean's Potato Salad

Black Eye Peas and Rice

Mac & Cheese

Collard Greens

Black Eye Peas

Tuna Mac Salad

String Beans

Yellow Rice

Cabbage

Catfish

Sweet Potatos

Whiting

Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil. Place 6 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or large heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags, fully submerging them. Steep for 5 minutes for a full-bodied flavor (6–8 minutes if you prefer stronger tea). Do not oversteep more than 8 minutes to avoid bitterness.

Brew the tea

Remove the tea bags, pressing gently against the side of the pitcher with a spoon to extract liquid (avoid squeezing too hard to prevent bitterness). While the tea is still hot, add 3 cups granulated sugar and stir briskly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Tasting a small spoonful will confirm the sweetness level — adjust only now if you prefer slightly less or more (reduce by 1/4 cup increments).

Sweeten while hot

Add 6 cups cold water to the sweetened hot tea and stir to combine. This both cools the tea and brings it to drinkable strength. Allow the tea to come to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour or until cold.

Dilute and chill

Fill tall glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup per glass). Pour the chilled tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a mint sprig if desired. Serve immediately.

Serve over ice

For less sugar, start with 2 cups of sugar and add more to taste when the tea is still warm. Substitute part of the sugar with honey (use 2 1/2 cups sugar + 1/2 cup honey) and dissolve while warm. To make a pitcher with stronger flavor for iced storage, steep 1–2 extra tea bags and remove after 6 minutes.

Notes and variations

black tea bags

boiling water

granulated sugar

cold water

lemon slices (optional)

fresh mint sprigs (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. If using, add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the pan to infuse aroma.

Combine sugar and water

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is just simmering. Do not let it reach a hard boil.

Heat to dissolve

Remove from heat. Let the syrup steep with the zest for 10 minutes if used, then strain out zest through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof container. Allow the simple syrup to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) before using. Refrigerate any unused syrup (keeps about 2 weeks).

Cool and strain

Roll the lemons on the counter firmly to loosen juices. Cut lemons in half and juice until you have 1 cup (about 4–6 medium lemons). Strain the juice through a fine sieve into a pitcher to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer a clearer lemonade.

Juice the lemons

To the pitcher with 1 cup lemon juice, add 1 cup cooled simple syrup and 3 cups cold water. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust: add more water for a milder lemonade or more syrup for sweeter.

Combine liquids

If desired, add a pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) of salt to brighten the flavor and stir to dissolve.

Season (optional)

Refrigerate the lemonade for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. If serving immediately, add 2 cups of ice to the pitcher to chill quickly (this will dilute slightly as ice melts).

Chill

Fill glasses with ice as desired, pour lemonade over ice, garnish each glass with lemon slices and 2–3 fresh mint leaves. Stir briefly before serving.

Serve

water (for syrup)

lemon zest (optional, for extra aroma)

fresh lemon juice (about 4–6 lemons)

simple syrup (from above)

ice cubes

lemon slices (for garnish)

fresh mint leaves (optional garnish)

salt (pinch, optional to brighten)

Bring at least 420 ml of filtered water to a boil, then let it rest for 30 seconds so temperature falls to roughly 92–96°C (197–205°F). Preheat your brewer and serving vessel by pouring 60 ml of hot water through the brewer and into the cup, then discard that water.

Prepare equipment

Weigh 18 g of coffee beans. Grind to a medium-coarse texture for pour-over (similar to kosher salt). If using automatic drip, grind slightly finer (medium).

Grind beans

Place a filter in the brewer (paper or metal). Add the 18 g of ground coffee and gently level the bed so grounds are evenly distributed.

Set up filter and add grounds

Start a timer. Pour 40–60 ml of hot water evenly over the grounds to saturate them. Let the coffee bloom for 30–45 seconds to release CO2 and improve extraction.

Bloom

After bloom, pour the remaining hot water in slow concentric circles, aiming to finish pouring by 2:30–3:00 minutes total brew time (for pour-over). If using drip, simply start the machine and allow it to complete the brew (usually 4–6 minutes).

Continue pouring

Once brewed (target 360 ml in cup), remove brewer and discard grounds. Taste the coffee. Add up to 60 ml milk or alternative and up to 1 tsp sweetener as desired. Stir and serve hot.

Serve and adjust

Adjust coffee dose ±1–2 g or grind size to taste — coarser for faster flow/less extraction, finer for slower flow/more extraction. Use fresh, filtered water for best flavor.

Notes

Bring at least 420 ml of filtered water to the appropriate temperature: 95–100°C (203–212°F) for black/herbal teas, 80–85°C (176–185°F) for green teas, and 90–95°C (194–203°F) for oolong. Preheat the teapot or cup by rinsing with 60 ml of hot water, then discard.

Prepare water and teaware

Place 1 level tsp of loose leaf tea (or 1 tea bag) into the teapot or an infuser. For stronger tea, add an additional 1/2 tsp.

Measure tea

Pour 360 ml of hot water over the tea. Steep time depends on tea type: black tea 3–5 minutes, green tea 1.5–3 minutes, herbal tea 5–7 minutes. Cover while steeping to retain heat.

Steep

Remove the infuser or tea bag to stop brewing. Taste and add up to 60 ml milk (for black milk teas), up to 1 tsp sweetener, or a lemon slice for herbal/green teas. Stir and serve hot.

Finish and serve

For iced coffee or tea, brew double strength (use twice the grounds or tea) following the same method, let cool to room temperature, then pour over a glass filled with ice. Add milk or sweetener to taste.

Iced variation (optional)

freshly roasted whole coffee beans

filtered water (for brew)

filtered water (for preheat)

coffee filter (paper or metal)

milk or dairy-free alternative (optional)

sweetener (sugar, honey, syrup) (optional)

loose leaf tea or tea bag (black, green, or herbal)

milk (for milk tea, optional)

lemon slice (for herbal/green tea, optional)

Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and trim excess fat. Cut the rack into 4 bone sections so they will fit easily in a roasting pan or Dutch oven.

Prepare ribs

In a bowl combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir until sugar and salt are mostly dissolved.

Make quick brine/marinade

Place ribs in a nonreactive container or a zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Press to ensure ribs are submerged. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (can be up to overnight for more flavor). If refrigerating longer than 4 hours, reduce salt to 1 teaspoon to avoid over-salting.

Marinate

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Remove ribs from marinade and reserve marinade. Pat ribs lightly dry; season any exposed areas with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Preheat and prepare for braising

Place ribs bone-side down in a tight-fitting roasting pan or Dutch oven. Add the reserved marinade plus 1 cup water. Cover tightly with lid or heavy foil and transfer to oven. Braise for 2 to 2.5 hours, until meat is very tender and pulling back from the bone.

Braise ribs

Remove ribs from oven. Transfer ribs to a cutting board and tent with foil to rest 10 minutes. Pour the braising liquid into a saucepan, skim any excess fat, and simmer until reduced slightly (3–5 minutes). Reserve 1/3 cup of the reduced liquid to brush on the meat when assembling sandwiches.

Reduce liquid and finish

While ribs are braising, make the North Carolina-style vinegar sauce. In a small saucepan combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring so sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes to marry flavors. Taste and adjust heat (add more crushed red pepper) or sweetness as desired. Remove from heat and set aside at room temperature.

Split the sandwich rolls and butter the cut sides lightly. Toast in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 1–2 minutes per side, or under a broiler for 30–60 seconds—watch carefully.

Toast buns (optional)

Using two forks or a knife, remove meat from the bones and roughly shred or chop into sandwich-sized pieces. Discard bones. If desired, toss the shredded pork with 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved reduced braising liquid to keep it moist.

Shred the ribs

Lightly toss or brush the shredded pork with 2–4 tablespoons of the prepared vinegar sauce depending on desired tang. Reserve extra sauce for serving on the side.

Apply sauce

Place a generous portion (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of sauced shredded pork on the bottom half of each toasted roll. Add 2 pickle slices per sandwich and a handful (about 1/4 cup) of chopped pork rinds for crunch. If using, add a scoop (about 1/2 cup) of coleslaw on top of the pork rinds for creaminess. Cap with the top roll.

Assemble sandwiches

Serve immediately with extra vinegar sauce on the side for drizzling and additional chopped pork rinds for garnish. Each sandwich can be finished with a final sprinkle of crushed red pepper if extra heat is desired.

pork spare ribs (trimmed, bone-in)

apple cider vinegar

water

packed light brown sugar

crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt

black pepper, freshly ground

worcestershire sauce

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

pork rinds (skinned chicharrones), chopped into small pieces

soft sandwich rolls (kaiser or brioche)

dill pickle slices

unsalted butter, softened (optional, for toasting buns)

coleslaw (optional, for serving)

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Make 2 shallow slashes on the thickest part of each piece to help the marinade penetrate.

Prepare chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce (2 tbs), brown sugar (1 tbs), 2 tbs vegetable oil, salt and black pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Remove chicken from fridge 20 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.

In a small food processor or blender, combine scallions, scotch bonnet (or habanero), garlic, ginger, thyme leaves, allspice, cinnamon, smoked paprika, brown sugar (1 tsp), soy sauce (1 tbs), rice vinegar, hot sauce, neutral oil, and kosher salt. Pulse until you have a coarse, spoonable paste. Scrape down sides and pulse once more. If paste is too thick, add 1–2 tsp water to loosen.

Make the paste

Taste carefully and adjust heat or salt to preference. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the paste for finishing sauce and set aside.

Heat a large heavy skillet (cast-iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil and 1 tbs butter. When the fat is shimmering, remove excess marinade from chicken (discard marinade) and place chicken skin-side down in the skillet. Sear 4–6 minutes without moving until skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and brown the underside 3–4 minutes.

Brown the chicken

Reduce heat to medium. Push chicken to the sides of the skillet. Add remaining 1 tbs butter to the center and spoon 2–3 tbs of the prepared firecracker jerk paste into the melted butter to bloom the spices for 30 seconds, stirring. Return chicken to center, spooning the paste onto the skin and under slices. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water) to the pan, cover loosely with a lid, and simmer 8–12 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 74°C (165°F) and juices run clear. Baste chicken occasionally with pan sauce.

Cook through with paste

Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil to rest for 5 minutes. With the skillet over medium heat, stir in the reserved 2 tbs jerk paste, honey, and any resting juices. Simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Swirl in remaining tablespoon of butter to gloss the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or a squeeze of lime if needed.

Finish the sauce

Slice or keep pieces whole for starters/platters. Spoon the firecracker jerk sauce over the chicken, sprinkle chopped cilantro and sliced scallions, and scatter sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or drumsticks)

lime juice (fresh)

soy sauce (low-sodium)

light brown sugar

vegetable oil

sea salt

black pepper (freshly ground)

scallions (green onions), roughly chopped

scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded for milder heat

garlic cloves

fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)

allspice (ground)

ground cinnamon

smoked paprika

brown sugar (packed)

soy sauce

rice vinegar

hot sauce (preferably Caribbean-style)

neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

unsalted butter

vegetable oil (for skillet)

chicken stock or water

honey

fresh cilantro, chopped

scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

lime wedges (to serve)

optional: sesame seeds

Rinse the shrimp under cold water, pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Keep tails on for presentation and easier grilling.

Clean and dry

In a medium bowl combine olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper and lemon zest. Toss shrimp until evenly coated. Let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature to absorb seasonings.

If using skewers, thread 3–4 shrimp per skewer, curve side in so shrimp lie flat and cook evenly. Reserve any remaining seasoning in the bowl to brush lightly during grilling if needed.

Prepare a smoker or an indirect-heat charcoal/gas grill for low smoke at about 220°F (105°C). If using a gas grill, create a foil packet with soaked wood chips and place over a burner on low. If using a smoker, load soaked wood chips into the smoker box.

Set up smoker or indirect smoke

Place shrimp skewers on the smoker or on the cool side of the grill, cover and smoke for 10–12 minutes, until shrimp are slightly pink and beginning to curl but not fully cooked. The goal is to impart smoke flavor without overcooking.

Remove shrimp from the smoker and let rest 2–3 minutes before final sear. Increase grill heat to medium-high (about 425–450°F / 220–230°C) for finishing.

Heat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high. Combine Emestine's BBQ sauce, unsalted butter and fresh lemon juice in a small heatproof bowl and warm briefly (microwave 15–20 seconds or warm on a small saucepan) to melt the butter and make a glossy baste.

Place smoked (or raw, if you skipped smoking) shrimp skewers over direct heat. Grill 1–2 minutes per side, brushing the top side once with the warmed BBQ baste after flipping. Total grilling time should be 3–4 minutes until shrimp turn opaque, firm, and register 125–130°F (52–54°C) internal temperature; avoid overcooking to keep shrimp juicy.

During the final 30 seconds, brush a last light coat of the BBQ baste to create a sticky glaze. If using individual shrimp (no skewers), move shrimp briefly across hot grill to get char marks, then immediately baste.

Transfer shrimp to a warmed platter. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the glazed shrimp and arrange lemon wedges alongside.

Serve immediately as a starter or part of a platter. Provide extra Emestine's BBQ Sauce on the side for dipping.

large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined, tails on

extra-virgin olive oil

garlic powder

lemon zest

Emestine's BBQ Sauce

fresh lemon juice

fresh parsley, chopped

lemon wedges (for serving)

wood chips (apple or hickory), soaked 30 minutes

skewers (if using wooden, soaked 30 minutes)

If whole, remove wing tips or ask your butcher to split into drumettes and flats. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture — this ensures a crisp fry.