Redneck Recipe # 11 - "The Country Doctor and Jack Daniel" and Chicken Thighs and Spicy Potatoes Recipe
The Country Doctor and his Friend, Jack Daniel
From Gus’s Redneck’s Kitchen (Specializing in Bait, Tackle and Haute Cuisine)
For folks who like funny country stories and great country food all on the same plate
Downstate in a little town on the crossing of the north-south Highway 77 and the old Highway Alternate-90 running east and west, lived and practiced an old-timey country doc. To keep the guy from suing me, let’s call him Dr. Ringer.
Doc Ringer was done with medical college before you and I were born and probably before our mothers and fathers had even met. Dr. Ringer was not simply old. He was evidence of history like the kind monks wrote on scrolls using quill pens.
He was not fat. His cheeks were not red. He wheezed a lot when he breathed even though he did not smoke cigarettes, cigars or pull on a pipe. Everything about Dr. Ringer looked dissipated, everything, that is, other than his hands. They were trim, those hands, and they were slim, too, even muscular, one might be inclined to venture.
Like most doctors, Dr. Ringer lived by what some folks call the Hypocrite Oaf. Other folks call it the "Do as I say and not as I do" deal. Anyway, you all know what I mean.
Also, as most doctors tend to do, Dr. Ringer fancied himself to be more than just a fine country surgeon. He believed himself to be an astute businessman as well.
Dr. Ringer was invited to invest in a little company headquartered in his town. Part of the lure was that he would be elected to its board of directors, there to serve with such other local notables as Mr. Vereck, owner of the 2nd largest cotton gin in the state (we promptly nicknamed Brother Vereck "Texas' 2nd biggest chicken plucker") and Mr. Reidcamper who ran the town’s only gas station.
Doc Brought Jack Daniel to the Board Meeting
Doc Ringer had just arrived at a directors’ meeting one evening. As was his custom he reached into his black leather bag and poured himself a shotglass of some good Jack Daniel whiskey.
After taking a couple of swigs of the stuff, he boomed, " The meeting may now begin."
Right then one of the nurses from Ringer's’ little clinic ran into the boardroom and told Dr. Ringer that some kid had cut himself "sort’a good," and would Doc kindly come and stitch the kid back up.
Carefully pouring his whiskey back into its flask, out went Dr. Ringer on his mission of mercy.
When he returned, he told everyone that the kid would be OK, and "...just a moment, now!"
Out came the flask and Doc's shotglass for a reunion. Two swigs later, businessman and board chairman Ringer declared, "The meeting may now resume."
Chicken Thighs and Spicy Potatoes
This is one of those dishes that anyone can put together in a big hurry. It works in the outdoor smoker and in the kitchen oven as well.
The way we see the deal, God made the chicken, Rotel canned the tomatoes and green chilies, and Reynolds made those toss-away aluminum pans.
Place two rows of chicken thighs in an aluminum baking pan. In between each piece of chicken stick a very small; "new" potato or, if you don’t have any of those kicking around, put a slice or a chunk of some larger potato.
Shake spices over both the chicken and the potatoes. We favor our own special dry Redneck Rub®, but use any kind of spices you like. Brisket rubs and chicken rubs are good choices, as are lemon pepper plus some extra garlic powder.
Follow the spices with one or two cans of chopped tomatoes and green chilies. We don’t drain the liquid, but you can if you want to.
Get the smoker or the kitchen oven temperature to 350 degrees. In goes the pan. It takes a couple of hours - maybe up to 3 hours or so for everything to get cooked all the way.
Sure does make for some fine eating.
More of Gus’s Redneck Recipes are here on Hubpages, and you can get a free download of one version of his "Redneck Rub(R) Cookbook" at www.sampsonafb.com
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