In a recent conversation with the venerable Peppermeister, he mentioned this thing called Pinterest.
“You should put your recipes on there,” he said casually.
With a bit of free time on my hands, I checked it out. I pinned a few extra-special Rachel’s Table recipes to a board called “Food, My First Love.” A few days later, I noticed a spike in blog views, thanks to Pinterest.
Taking a closer look at what seemed like all the pins on all the boards, I felt manic and overwhelmed.
So many pins, so much (crazy) internet.
Here’s a sampling. . .
Up-cycling at its best. Source
Pinterest states the obvious. But looks extra wise in black and white. Source
Nothing says summertime fun like a do-it-yourself PVC pipe organ! Source
Torture device? Crucifixion? Nope. Just a fun craft for the kiddos – send a paper hug to grandma. (Grannie’s gonna need a bigger fridge.) Source
Don’t label me, Pinterest. Source
Snuggies for the hipster crowd! (Okay, these look cozy.) Source
Ummmmmmm. . . Source
While I could mention countless crafts requiring the will power to glue a thousand plastic spoons together to form one stunning light fixture, or list a trillion recipes calling for the skills of Gordon Ramsay and all the food coloring in all the world, I won’t. Because ain’t nobody got time for that.
I’m wearing this right now. Source
Instead, I’ll offer you a summer grilling classic, and the very recipe garnering so much praise from the Pinterest pinners. Add these delicious chicken thighs to your summer cookout menu. They’ll go perfectly with that refreshing 18-step lemonade served out of cute mason jars, followed by those red, white, and blue tie-dyed sugar cookies you pinned last week.
These come with an instruction booklet, not a recipe. Source
Pin-Worthy Pepper-licious Grilled Chicken Thighs
(See the original recipe here. And see the inspiration recipe from Sean over at Skinny Girls and Mayonnaise here.)
8 local bone-in chicken thighs with skin
For the brine:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 cups water
For the dry rub:
(I keep this in a jar in the cabinet and use it to spice up poultry and pork)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the sauce:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons prepared chili garlic sauce
1 Cherry Bomb pepper, seeded and finely diced (optional)
Make the brine. In a large bowl, tupperware container, toss the chicken thighs in the brine, cover and refrigerate overnight. (Feel free to just brine the thighs quickly. I’ve brined for only an hour or so with much success.)
The next day when ready to grill, in a small saucepan, combine the vinegars, sugar, chili garlic sauce and optional Cherry Bomb pepper. Heat over medium until simmering and remove from heat.
Remove thighs from brine. Pat dry with a paper towel. Generously sprinkle chicken with the dry rub.
Heat your grill to medium high. (I used a charcoal grill and a chimney starter, dumping the coals in the grill when they just turned white hot on top.) Begin grilling chicken, skin side up. Use a pastry brush to baste the chicken with the vinegar sauce as it cooks. Grill for 8 to 12 minutes on each side, basting a few times as the meat cooks. (I always check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer – 160 to 165 degrees for poultry.)
This recipe may have the most steps of any recipe on Rachel’s Table. Figures. Pinterest, you ARE crazy. (But these chicken thighs are WORTH IT.)
Rachel's Table 
Be honest, how hot are cherry bomb peppers? You said it was optional and that scares me a little. And Jim wants to know. The recipe looks SO good.
And I want that “ain’t got time for that” t-shirt.
I was sucked into Pinterest by a few friends on facebook. I started up a few boards of my own, pinned a few random things, then completely abandoned it after a few days. Now if I actually cooked and had recipes to share, I could see myself getting back to pinning. But it’s more for crafty people and I am the opposite of crafty.
That particular cherry bomb pepper was grown by Peppermeister, so it was perfection in pepper form and very hot I believe that’s the one that go me on the first installment of Peppermeister Roulette.
The chili garlic sauce and all those dry spices makes it hot enough (its mild; I’ve served this more than once to a group of people with not complaints) so I don’t use the cherry bomb. Mostly because I don’t know where to find them, but I bet Peppermeister could suggest a conventional substitute.
Pinterest is good for a few things – like planning a party or finding recipes – but most of the time I find it NOT useful and overwhelming.
Score! We have chicken thighs in the fridge, and Peppermeister needs to pin something (um, that came out wrong).
That t-shirt is a-mazing. I think I’ve canceled it out, though, because I’m wearing it while playing my homemade organ and making tie-dye cookies. Yes. At the same time. It’s harder than it sounds, because I’m wearing a hipster Snuggie with limited access to opposable thumbs.
Ha! That snuggie is more like a blanket cave, really. Once you’re in that’s it. You’re not doing anything but lounging for the rest of the night.
Tell Peppermeister to pin away. IYKWIM.
My spicy thighs will be hitting the grill this evening. Any type of hot cherry pepper can substitute for the cherry bomb. You can usually find them in a fancy market with an olive bar. How are your Peppermeister plants growing?
So did Jules enjoy those spicy thighs??
I would rate my Peppermeister plants as “fair.” Too much rain maybe?
This was HILARIOUS!! good stuff! I am addicted to pinterest (I need help, do you know of a pinners addicted anonymous?) ha! FTR I adore a girl who likes food and is witty, kudos to you! The Chicken thighs look simply delish!
Thanks! There is just SO MUCH to look at on Pinterest. I can’t get over it. I could stare at food pins for hours, so I may have to join your Pinners Anonymous meetings soon. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for the shout, Rach. I’ve been confused/overwhelmed by Pinterest too (not to mention Twitter). My biggest question is how do people have time for all these things? Wouldn’t they rather be sitting at a café reading a newspaper and people watching?
I think Twitter is the WORST. It seems so simple and yet. . .not.
I know I’d rather be grilling chicken thighs (or wings 😉 ) with good friends whilst sipping a cold beer than trolling Pinterest for interesting pins.
I don’t even get the point of Twitter. So you can post whatever you’re thinking about in 140 characters!?? WHO CARES WHAT YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT!?? I’m with you, less virtual reality and more real reality. I’ll drink to that! (All by myself, but nonetheless…)
This is why I rarely update my facebook status. Who cares???
I’m drinking with you (in spirit)! Cheers!
Have you seen the buzzfeed articles on pinterest fails? Hilarious! And exactly how anything crafty I attempt to do turns out. http://www.buzzfeed.com/newu1085/17-pinterest-fails-654m
Your chicken is making me hungry. . .
hahaha. Thanks for the laugh. Those Pinterest wreaths crack me up – I saw one made out of a million thumb tacks! Ugh. Who has time for that?
Ain’t nobody got time for that!
The PVC pipe pipe organ! I died laughing. Too great!
Right??? Who had time to make THAT?