Mississippi Love BBQ Lasagna

tHERE’S oNE PHILoSoPHY ARoUND FooD that was instilled in me as a child that I’ve carried over into my career as a chef. That is to draw inspiration from my Southern roots as an African American and balance those culinary traditions with those of other cultures and flavors. In other words, take what you know combined with what you admire to cre- ate familiar yet unique flavors—and Mississippi Love BBQ Lasagna is just that! Here, I take a cue from my mom and blend traditional Italian lasagna ingredients with sweet barbecue sauce and use four kinds of cheese— ricotta, Parmesan, smoked provolone, and smoked mozzarella—to give this dish a smoky and tangy quality yet unmistakable lasagna flavor. Your taste buds will thank you!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1⁄2 cup small-diced yellow onion

1⁄2 cup small-diced green bell pepper

Kosher salt

Cracked black pepper
1 pound ground beef

8 ounces mild ground Italian sausage

3 cups Chef Jernard’s Smokey Whiskey River Barbecue & Steak Sauce made with Kurvball BBQ Whiskey

7 Roma tomatoes, crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano

32 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese

3⁄4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided, plus more for garnish

1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded smoked provolone cheese

2 cups shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Cooking Instructions

01

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready a 9 × 9-inch or 9 × 13-inch baking pan.

02

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, yellow onion, and green bell pepper and season with salt soft, 3–4 minutes. and pepper as desired. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the pepper is soft 3-4 minutes

03

Lower the heat to medium and add Chef Jernard’s Smokey Whiskey River Barbecue, crushed tomatoes, oregano, ricotta, and 1⁄2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine so that the cheeses begin to melt into the sauce.

04

To assemble the lasagna, spread a generous spoonful of the sauce in the bottom of the baking pan. Cover with an even layer of lasagna noodles, then spoon more sauce on top. Sprinkle with some of the provolone cheese, some of the mozzarella cheese, and the remaining 1⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue to make layers until you have reached the top of the dish, ending with sauce, provolone, and mozzarella.

05

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes (for a 9 × 13-inch pan) or 30 to 35 minutes (for a 9 × 9-inch pan). Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or so, until the lasagna is golden brown and bubbly