Homemade salsa is amazing and the ingredients are easy to grow together in this Salsa Garden. You can make your own salsa using fresh ingredients from this planting plan.

How To Keep Ants Away

Spring and early summer are common for ant problems on the OuterBanks.  There are so many types of ants.  Sweet ants, carpenter ants, fire ants. That controlling them can seem daunting.  Here are some tips to try for your home.

  • Start with an outside perimeter treatment of your home. Pumps and granules from several makers will create a barrier that when the ants cross it will help to eliminate the ant issue at that point and even back at the colony.

  • Spray treatments can help you reach out of the way spots like under siding or in between bricks where you may see ants coming and going.

  • For ant mounds that you may have in your yard. You can treat the individual mounds as you see them with liquid and or granular products or treat the entire yard with a broadcast spreader.  If you choose the latter, make sure you follow the instructions on the container and keep your children and pets off of the lawn for the appropriate amount of time.

  • Indoors you can use ant traps and ant bait stations. Both are effective and both will initially attach more ants which seems counter intuitive.  But once the ants feed on the bait they take it back to the colony and after a couple of days the ant issue should be solved.

  • Finally inspect around your home to identify cracks and holes where ants may be entering and fill those shut and indoors.  A gap and crack filler works great.  Don’t forget to keep counter clean and food in cabinets and pantries tightly sealed.

Controlling Lawn Weeds

Learn three ways to prevent weeds from sneaking up and taking over your lawn. See how to prevent weeds from emerging. Find out how to treat a lawn that’s already been taken over by weeds. And, see how to spot treat those weeds that break through on your lawn.

 

Consult with our ACE lawn & garden experts at any of our 6 convenient locations🙂

 

 

 

How To Smoke Ribs On The Traeger

Chef Jason will show you how to make legendary smoked ribs!

Traeger Grills, Accessories, and Cooking rubs & sauces are ALL AVAILABLE AT OUTER BANKS ACE STORES!

 

 

Yield: 4 Racks of Ribs

Prep time: 20 Minutes Prep

Total time: 6 Hours Minute cook time

Ingredients

Measure     Ingredient                                                                                    Prep Notes     

4 Racks        Ribs, Pork, Baby Back or St. Louis Sparerib                Membrane peeled

Taste            Rub A Dub Rub, 5280 Culinary

Taste            Oink Rub, 5280 Culinary

Taste            High Altitude BBQ Sauce, 5280 Culinary                     Robust BBQ Sauce Flavor

or

Taste            Low Country BBQ Sauce, 5280 Culinary                     Carolina Mustard Flavor

Or

Taste            Happy Ending BBQ Sauce, 5280 Culinary                  Asian BBQ Flavor

Prep Directions:

  • Buy Fresh ribs and be sure to remove the membrane on the rib side of the rack
  • TIP – for easily removal of the membrane
    • Peel a corner of the membrane back
      • We use a dull butter knife to get under between the membrane and rib
    • Grab the membrane corner with a napkin or paper towel, grab firm
    • Pull the membrane back using a firm consistent pull
      • If membrane tears, don’t sweat it. Grab the dull butter knife and start again
    • Discard membrane
  • TIP – for a more robust flavor
    • Season the ribs, wrap and refrigerate for 6-12 hours (or overnight)

 

RIB Notes:

  • Baby Back Ribs
    • Most tender and most lean ribs
    • Connected to the backbone and nestled under the loin muscle
    • Slab usually contains 10 to 13 bones, bones tend to be curved
  • Spareribs AKA St. Louis Style or St. Louis Cut
    • Very tender and contain more heavier bones and more pork fat
    • Connected to the lower belly area
    • Trimmed of breastbone and rib tips/cartilage
    • Slab usually contains 11 bones

 

Cooking Directions:

  1. Rub Directions:
    1. Peel the rib membrane and place onto a cooking sheet
    2. Sprinkle the desired amount of 50/50 blend of Rub A Dub and Oink rub onto the meat side and allow to become tacky and wet
    3. Turn the ribs over and sprinkle the desired amount of 50/50 Blend of Rub A Dub and Oink onto the rib side and allow to become tacky and wet
    4. Allow the rub to sit for 20 minutes before smoking
      1. TIP – for a more robust flavor
      2. Season the ribs, wrap and refrigerate for 6-12 hours (or overnight)
    5. Traeger Smoking Directions:
      1. Fill hopper with your favorite pellets or pellet blend recipe – We used Big Game Blend
      2. Turn the Traeger ON to smoke setting and allow smoke to start
      3. Once smoke has started place the ribs meat side up and smoke for 3 hours with the lid closed
      4. At the 3 hour mark remove the ribs to the cooking sheet
      5. Close the lid to the Traeger and turn temp to 225 degrees
      6. Adjust the seasoning on the ribs if desired
      7. Brush both sides of the ribs with High Altitude BBQ Sauce, then drizzle with Low Country BBQ Sauce, then wrap tightly in peach butcher paper
      8. Ensure the ends and seams are well sealed to prevent leaking. We suggest folding seams and edges to face upwards
      9. Place the ribs back onto the Traeger and cook for approx. 2 hours
      10. Check the pellet hopper to ensure pellets are full
      11. At the 2 hour mark remove the ribs to the cookie sheet, meat side up and remove the foil
        1. Ribs should have pulled back from the tips of the ribs and have some resistence or pull. We like our ribs to have more chew versus falling off the bone
      12. Season, sauce or honey glaze as needed and place back onto the Traeger
      13. Cook for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour to set the sauce or glaze
      14. Enjoy

Grills / Grill Gear Used:

  • Traeger Pro 34 Ace SKU – 8474934
  • Traeger Big Game Blend Pellets Ace SKU – 8555021
  • Traeger Peach Butcher Paper Ace SKU – 8687162

Products Used:

  • Rub A Dub, 5280 Culinary Ace SKU – 8562050
  • Oink, 5280 Culinary Ace SKU – 8562043
  • High Altitude BBQ Sauce Ace SKU – 8560088
  • Low Country BBQ Sauce Ace SKU – 8560252
  • Happy Ending BBQ Sauce Ace SKU – 8560245
Grilled Oyster with BBQ Sauce Recipe for Traeger

Grilled Oyster with BBQ Sauce Recipe  for Traeger

The Traeger is a capable of so much more than you imagined.  It’s now time to bring your cuisine to new depths with grilled oysters! This recipe uses the exclusive Reserve pellets

Traeger Grills, Pellets, Accessories, and Cooking rubs & sauces are ALL AVAILABLE AT OUTER BANKS ACE STORES!

  • Difficulty: 3/5
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Serves: 4/6
  • Pellet: Reserve Blend

Ingredients:

  • One dozen large oysters, scrubbed clean

  • 1/4 cup Traeger Sweet & Heat BBQ Sauce

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1 tbsp prepared horseradish

  • 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire

  • 4 dashes Tabasco hot sauce

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 tbsp chives

  • Lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation

To make the sauce: In a small bow, combine BBQ sauce, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, Tabasco hot sauce and mix well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper

Scrub the oysters thoroughly removing any barnacles

When ready to cook, set the temperature of Traeger to high and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.

Place oysters directly on the grill grate and cook 7-10 minutes until they open removing one by one as they open up to ensure they are not over cooked.

Once they open up, discard the top part of the shell.  Spoon a bit of the BBQ sauce mixture into each oyster and place them all back on the grill to cook for 5 minutes longer.


Don’t miss our Traeger In-Store Demos at ACE! Come to Neighborhood BBQ Fest!

 

 

Traeger Grill recipe - carne asada

This Carne Asada Recipe recipe adds some great flavors to skirt steak.  Next, we add some wood fired flavor to get that caramelized taste we love in our Carne Asada.  Finish this dish off with some corn tortillas, roasted jalapenos, cilantro, cotija cheese and you have one epic dinner, lunch or party dish.

 

Traeger Grills, Accessories, and Cooking rubs & sauces are ALL AVAILABLE AT OUTER BANKS ACE STORES!

  • Yield: 8-People
  • Prep time: 20-30 Minutes – 24 hour Marinade
  • Cook time: 20-25 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

Measure                       Ingredient                                             Prep Notes

1/2 Cup                        Oil, Olive Blend

1 Tbsp                          Garlic, Fresh,                                        Crushed or to taste

6 Tbsp                         Bayou Dust, 5280 Culianry

2 Tbsp                         Fire Salt, 5280 Culinary                    or to taste

¼ Cup                         Soy Sauce

2 Ea                             Lemons, Fresh,                                      Juiced

2 Ea                             Lime, Fresh,                                           Juiced

¾ Cup                        Guava Juice,                                           Canned

3 lbs                            Skirt Steak, Choice,                             Peeled

Prep Directions:

  • See above for ALL prep instructions

  • Load Traeger with RESERVE BLEND PELLETS

Cooking Directions:

  • Remove skirt steak from package, peel any membrane and trim any connective tissue of excess fat.

  • Pay attention to the grains of the meat, this will help when slicing

  • Place into a large gallon size zipper bag

  • In a large stainless steel mixing bowl, add the first 8 ingredients and mix well

  • Pour the marinade into the zipper bag, mix well to coat the meat

  • Squeeze out any excess air and zip shut

  • Allow to sit in the fridge for 18-24 hours marinade

  • Pre heat your Traeger Ironwood grill to 500 degrees, Weber to 500 degrees or Big Green Egg to 500 degrees

  • Remove the skirt steak from the marinade and drain any excess marinade (this prevents flare ups)

  • Grill on both sides until desired doneness.  Medium is a great temp for this

  • Remove from grill, place onto a cutting board and let rest for 2-3 minutes

  • Slice against the grain

  • Layout the above Taco Ingredients

  • Build, serve and devour

Grills / Grill Gear Used:

Shopping List (Products Used):

 

Beer Can Chicken Recipe - Cooked On Your Traeger Grill

This Roasted Beer Can Chicken Recipe on the Traeger is simply amazing!  We have all the easy steps and ingredients for legendary roasted chicken.

Traeger Grills, Accessories, and Cooking rubs & sauces are ALL AVAILABLE AT OUTER BANKS ACE STORES!

 

  • Yield: 1 Whole Chicken
  • Prep time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook time: 60-65 Minutes – If you want to add smoke to the chicken prior, that adds some time as well

Ingredients

Measure      Ingredient                                                    Prep Notes     

1 ea             Chicken, Whole, Fresh, 2.5#                W/O Solutions/brines  

2 Tbsp        Oil, Olive                                           

Taste          Tiki Tiki Rub, 5280 Culinary               Season to taste

Or

Taste          Oink Rub, 5280 Culinary                      Season to taste

Or

Taste          50/50 Blend of Oink & Rub a Dub      Season to taste

Prep Directions:

  • Load Traeger with Reserve Blend (or choice) of pellets
  • Pre heat Traeger to 350 Degrees
    • If you want to add some smoke beforehand, turn Traeger to 180 degrees
    • Smoke for 30-45 minutes prior to roasting at 350 degrees

Cooking Directions:

  • Load Reserve Blend Pellets and Preheat Traeger to 350 Degrees
  • SEE ABOVE FOR INFORMATION ON ADDING SMOKE PRIOR TO THE COOKING PROCESS
  • Open Whole Chicken package and drain, then pat dry
  • Drizzle Chicken with about 2 Tbsp olive oil, on the skin
  • Season the outside of the cavity with Tiki Tiki Rub or 50/50 Blend of Oink/Rub a Dub
  • Lightly season the inside of the cavity
  • Be sure the Traeger chicken throne is clean
  • Select your choice of beer, Don’t Drink?  Try some Cola, Root Beer or Ginger Ale
  • Fill the throne about 75% of the way with your beverage
  • Tuck the chicken wings in and tie the legs forward
  • Place the chicken onto the Throne and carefully transfer to the grill
  • If adding smoke – SEE ABOVE
  • Once cooking the chicken at 350 degrees, load the iGrill 2 into the thickest part of the chicken and run the wire to the outside of the grill
  • Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from Traeger and let rest for 5 minutes.  Rested Temperature should finish right at 165 degrees, if not, return to Traeger and cook to 165 degrees
  • Once rested, serve with Camp Beans or potatoes
  • Serve with Fire Honey or baste with Fire Honey for a nice sweet heat

Grills / Grill Gear Used:

Shopping List (Products Used):

control lawn weeds

Learn Steps to Controlling Lawn Weeds from sneaking up and taking over your lawn. See how to prevent weeds from emerging. Find out how to treat a lawn that’s already been taken over by weeds. And, see how to spot treat those weeds that break through on your lawn.

Stop in at any of our 6 convenient Outer Banks locations and ask our lawn care experts about our special Outer Banks Grass Seed Blends – made specifically for the challenging conditions of our beach environment.

 

Need a Wall Repair? Come to our Wall Repair Demo.

Come to our In-Store Demonstration Days and Learn From Our Pros!

Join us in-store on March 16th for our Wall Repair Demo:)