We're looking at a brand new year, here. Some folks are asking new questions and others are struggling with the same old ones. But let's get to it.

W1KPN writes:I would appreciate a recipe for blackened chicken. Thank you.

Okay, W1KPN. Give this a try:

Cajun-Style Blackened Seasoning

• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Annamae writes: I'm using a gas grill. When cooking beef steaks, should they be cooked on high heat? When cooking pork steaks, should they be cooked on low heat?. Thanks for your input. Anna

Anna: Cook the beef and pork steaks the same way, over high heat. Theory is, the heat will seal the outside and leave the inside juicy. If you get into steaks over, say, three-quarters of an inch think, sear them over the high heat and then cut the heat down to finish cooking them. This will avoid charring the meat. You don't want to char the meat. Hope this helps. Thanks for writing.
Dr. John

Larry writes: Hi, Dr. John. First, thank you for your input and wealth of knowledge. I am living in Korea presently. (I'm in Korea serving with 1-2 Aviation Regiment as an AH-64D Longbow Helicopter Platoon Sergeant). My wife is in Texas, but I am from North Carolina. I noticed in a thread that a writer was asking for a recipe for North Carolina barbecue. I, too, long to taste the barbecue of North Carolina. I really like Texas and North Carolina barbecue, but need a recipe for North Carolina barbecue. Any help is much appreciated. God Bless America.

Hey Larry: Good to hear from you. Let's start with recipe for NC sauce:

• 2 quarts apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup salt
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper (cayenne) 3-tablespoons, red pepper flakes 1-cup, light brown sugar 1-tablespoon, hot sauce (Tabasco) Mix all this together in a non-reactive container, and let it set for three hours before using.

  Next, check out http://www.northcarolina.com/stories/bbq.html If that don't make you homesick, nothing will.

  Barbecue is barbecue no matter from where. The process of cooking is the same. Only here, you would use the NC sauce for baste while cooking. I don't think the story says, but I think hickory would be the wood of choice for cooking. If you need anything else, give a holler. And thanks for watching Korea while the others is busy in the Mid-East.
  Dr. John

  P.S.: The NC sauce is also good for removing rust from old freighters.

  J.D. writes: My boss recently went on a wild boar hunt in Texas. Apparently, he got one, to our amazement!! The sow weighed out at about 48 pounds, fully dressed. My problem is that when he had it dressed, he had the feet head and skin removed. We're wanting to smoke this thing (which ended up being my responsibility somehow) for our company Christmas party. Without the skin on, I'm afraid the thing will fall apart before it gets done. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

  J.D.: No problem, it ain't gonna fall apart. If it was mine to do, I'd reduce it to smaller size portions so it wouldn't take so long to cook. If you do the whole hog and have a smoker big enough, just give it a good mopping with a good mop sauce about every hour. Shoot for an internal temperature of at least 160 in the thickest parts. Thanks for writing.
  Dr. John

  Wesley writes: Hey, Dr. John. I have entered some small cook-offs in my area and was wondering how I could get a deeper smoke ring on my briskets. Maybe more spice? Or I have thought about using red food coloring. Thanks.

  Hey Wesley: Some folks put too much value on the smoke ring. You don't need a real deep one to have good barbecue. The only way to get a real one is to expose the meat to smoke for a long period of time. Those who think they can get a smoke ring without all the work use Morton's Quick Salt. It gives a deep ring, but I can spot one a mile away, and I deduct points for them. If you want to try it, you can find it in most supermarkets. Use according to directions. You will have to wash it off before putting the meat on the smoker. Thanks for writing.
  Dr. John

  John M. writes: Hi Doc. I have a smoker all built, and I now need a thermometer to insert into the meat that I can read without opening the smoker. I am also looking for a propane heat source that can be regulated from outside also. Any idea where I can find these items?

  Hey John: All right. Got a new smoker. There is a great remote thermometer out. You plug the sensor into the meat and run a wire out to the box. I think they come from Radio Shack. As for the propane dealie, check with your local fireplace store and/or with your propane dealer. I'm gonna see if I can find that thermometer. If I find it before you do, I'll holler back. If you find it, let me know so I'll have it for future reference. Thanks for writing.
  Dr. John

  Uncle Dave writes: Dear Dr. John: I got a couple questions about cooking a goat of the "this way" or "that way" type. I suspect that it don't make hardly any difference which way, but I thought I'd ask anyway. I'm doing them like Willie told me, but I'm not quite clear on a couple things. #1. This calls for soaking the varmint over night covered in a water vinegar solution with plenty of salt. Is there any difference or preference in white or cider vinegar, other than the cider vinegar costs more? #2. Should the Thousand Island Italian dressing be basted on the meat when it is first on the pit or added just before you wrap it tight for the last several hours at about 250 degrees? I'll be standing by the mailbox waiting for your answer. Thanks. Uncle Dave

  Uncle Dave: Use white vinegar, as the cider type has a taste some folks won't like on their nanny. Are you sure it's Thousand Island dressing? Could it be Italian style? In either case, use it as a baste, then add some when wrapping. Thanks for writing.
  Dr. John