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Chef John McLemore Shares Summer Sandwich Recipes

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Chef John McLemore stopped by KCAL9 Friday to show viewers how to make a few summer sandwiches from his new book, "Dadgum That's Good, Too!"

Here are a few recipes he shared:

NANCY'S SMOKED MAC & CHEESE

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 (8ounce) package elbow macaroni

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

• 4 ounce Velveeta Cheese, grated

• 4 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise

• 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder

• ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

• 1 ½ cups crushed cheese crackers

• suggested: wood hickory

(It's not necessary to use wood chips if your smoker is well seasoned, and you would like a lighter smoke flavor.)

Instructions

1. Preheat smoker to 275°F.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions, adding olive oil to the water before boiling to avoid sticking. Drain and rinse with warm water. Add Velveeta and Cheddar cheeses, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion powder and Cajun seasoning, and stir together well.

4. Place mixture in a greased11-by 7-inch disposable aluminum foil pan, and top with crushed cheese crackers. Place in smoker and smoke for 1 hour. Remove from smoker and enjoy.

5. Add wood chips the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time (do not over smoke).

SMOKED CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

Serves 8

Folks in the South love chicken salad. There are so many different variations of chicken salad and you'd most likely find it on the menu at a baby or wedding shower! Well, once you taste this Smoked Chicken Salad, you won't want to wait for a birth or wedding to enjoy the goodness. You'll want it 7 days a week (and twice on some days!).

Ingredients

• 3 bay leaves

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 2 teaspoons meat tenderizer

• ¾ cup pecans, very coarsely chopped

• ¼ cup butter, melted

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup finely chopped celery

• 1 (5-ounce) bag dried cranberries

• 11/3 cups mayonnaise (approx.)

• ¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 8 soft hoagie buns

• Red leaf lettuce

• suggested: wood hickory

Instructions

1. Preheat smoker to 225°F. Fill water tray with water and add bay leaves.

2. Pierce chicken breasts with a fork and sprinkle with meat tenderizer. Place chicken on middle rack of smoker and smoke for 45 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

3. Meanwhile, place pecans in a small disposable aluminum foil pan, pour melted butter over top and sprinkle with kosher salt. Stir well to coat pecans. Place pan on top rack of smoker during the last half of smoking time for the chicken. Smoke pecans for 30 minutes. Remove from smoker and drain on a paper towel. Remove chicken. Let cool, then chop.

4. In a large bowl, combine chopped chicken, pecans, celery and dried cranberries. Add 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise. Season with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. (Add additional salt and pepper to suit your taste, if necessary.) Lightly spread each side of the buns with mayonnaise, and place a large leaf of red lettuce on the bottom half. Place a generous amount of chicken salad on top of lettuce and enjoy!

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

Serves 6 to 8

My brother Bill and niece Missy own Clearview BBQ in Columbus, GA. I tried and tried to get Missy to hand over their recipe for pulled pork sandwiches. She wouldn't surrender it, even for her favorite uncle! We developed this recipe for you, but if you're ever in Columbus, make sure you stop by Clearview and give their BBQ a try. (And ask Missy to give that recipe to her Uncle John!)

Ingredients

• 1 pork butt (4 to 5 pounds)

• 5 tablespoons "DaDgum that's good!"TM Seasoning (page 12), divided

• 1 tablespoon onion salt

• 5 cloves garlic

• 1 package large sandwich rolls

• 1 double recipe "DaDgum that's good!"TM BBQ Sauce (page 13) or your favorite brand

• 1(16-ounce) jar dill slices

Instructions

1. Preheat smoker to 250°F.

2. Rinse meat and pat dry. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the seasoning and onion salt. Rub dry mixture all over pork.

3. Cut 5 slits in top of pork butt and place a garlic clove in each. Place meat on middle rack of smoker and smoke for 2 1/2 hours. Remove meat and wrap in foil. Return to smoker and cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 195°F

THUMBS-UP FRIED GREEN TOMATO SANDWICHES WITH SPICY MAYONNAISE SPREAD

Serves 4

Ingredients

Spicy Mayonnaise Spread

• ½ cup sandwich spread mayonnaise mixture

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1tablespoon chopped red bell pepper

• 2 teaspoons pickle relish

• 2 teaspoons chopped green onions, white and green parts

• ½ teaspoon hot sauce

• 1 gallon cooking oil

• ½ cup self-rising corn meal

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 green tomatoes, thinly sliced

• 8 slices sour dough bread (1/2-inch thick)

• ¼ cup mayonnaise

• 4 slices bacon

• ½ up arugula or mixed greens

Instructions

1. Spicy Mayonnaise Spread: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, bell pepper, pickle relish, green onions and hot sauce. Use immediately as a sandwich spread or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

2. Fill deep fryer halfway with oil and heat to 350°F.

3. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, panko, salt and pepper. Place eggs in a shallow dish. Dip tomatoes in egg and then in cornmeal mixture.

4. Fry tomatoes in batches, turning once, for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain.

5. Place bread slices on a work surface. Spread 4 slices equally with mayonnaise mixture. Top equally with bacon, lettuce and green tomatoes. Top with remaining bread slices.

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