Entries Tagged 'Grilling' ↓

I’ve said this before – I am not a big fan of boneless/skinless chicken breasts. They almost always end up being kind of dry and flavorless.  But my dear wife likes to have some around for lunches and chicken salad, so I decided to give this version from Adam Perry Lang’s  BBQ 25: The World’s Most Flavorful Recipes-Now Made Fool-Proof a try. I figure anything brined and basted can’t be all bad.

The Brine
8 – 12 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated or finely chopped red onion
2 cloves grated or finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 bunch fresh marjoram or basil
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Juice of one lemon
4 cups cold water

Combine everything but the chicken in a zip-top bag. Mix to combine. Add the chicken and turn to cover. Stash in the fridge for at least 3 hours, overnight is best.

The Glaze
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a shallow, flame-proof pan (a disposable 9×13 foil pan works great).

The Cook
Set your grill up for a direct cook at medium high (400°F) heat. Set the pan containing the glaze on the grill and heat until the butter melts. Stir the glaze to combine all the goodies, then remove the pan from the heat. I set mine right next to the Big Green Egg to keep it warm and handy.

Remove the breasts from the brine and put them on the grill. Grill the breasts 10 minutes on one side, flip and baste with the glaze. Grill 5 minutes on the second side. Brush with the glaze and grill for 5 more minutes. Flip, brush, and grill until just this side of done – the juices will be just a little pink  and the internal temperature of the chicken hits 155°F.

Remove the breasts from the grill and set them in the glaze pan. Turn them to coat with the glaze. Return the pan to the grill and heat until the glaze comes to a boil and the internal temperature of the chicken hits 160°F (about 5 minutes).

Remove the pan from the heat. Let the breasts rest for 10 minutes in the glaze before serving. Top with remaining glaze.

The Rating:
Another winner from Lang’s BBQ 25! The breasts stayed moist and tender from the brine while picking up all the buttery/herby deliciousness of the baste. They not only made an excellent dinner, but were also great for lunch the next two days. Even nuking them in the microwave at work didn’t dry them out. Now that’s the test of a juicy chicken breast.

Yet another excellent recipe I adapted from Adam Perry Lang’s  BBQ 25: The World’s Most Flavorful Recipes-Now Made Fool-Proof. I cut these 1-inch thick chops from the rib end of a whole pork loin. Brining the chops adds a ton of flavor and keeps them very juicy.

The Brine
6 pork chops
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/3 cup)
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cilantro
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic
3 green onions, chopped
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil

Put the garlic, salt, and and onions in a food processor and pulse until the garlic and onions are minced. Add the remaining ingredients, except the chops, and give them a whirl until everything is well-combined.

Put the chops in a zip-top bag and cover with the marinade.  Toss to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, overnight is better.

The Baste
Combine in a foil pan or heatproof pan and warm on the side of the grill:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
5 crushed garlic cloves
4 tablespoons finely chopped savory herbs such as rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano and/or sage

The Cook
Set up your grill for a direct cook over medium (350°F) heat.

Remove the chops from the brine and put them on the grill. Grill the chops 5 minutes on one side. Then flip, baste, and grill another 5 minutes on the second side. Flip again, baste, and grill for 5 more minutes. Flip one last time, baste, and grill another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork hits 140°F.

Remove the chops from the grill. Baste one last time, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

The Rating:
Wow! These chops were incredibly moist and tender with very rich layers of flavor. The original brine recipe called for fresh coriander, which we were out of, so I substituted dried cilantro – not the same thing. I’d use fresh next time as well as maybe a little diced jalepeño.

Adam Perry Lang is a classically-trained chef-turned barbecue pit master. He’s got 2 books out now – BBQ 25: The World’s Most Flavorful Recipes-Now Made Fool-Proof, and his first book, Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking.

While Serious is a considerable tome, BBQ 25 is described as a “BBQ survival guide”. It’s the top 25 barbecue (and by barbecue, Lang means grilling and well as smoking) recipes laid out in a slick, simple, visual manner. All of the recipes involve layering flavors – brines, marinades, mops, bastes, and sauces all come into play. There’s a lot of butter and oil involved too, but it’s mostly as a vehicle for moving the flavors around and getting them to work together.

Since I just happened to have a couple of nice t-bones waiting to hit the grill, I decided to start with the first recipe in the book for marbled steaks under an inch thick.

Marinade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons chile powder
2 tablespoons grated or finely chopped sweet white onion
2 tablespoons grated or finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup cold water
1 bunch fresh thyme

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag. Mix to combine. Add the steaks and turn to cover. Seal and stash in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but overnight is best.

Baste
Combine in a foil pan or heatproof pan and warm on the side of the grill:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
5 crushed garlic cloves
4 tablespoons finely chopped savory herbs such as rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano and/or sage

The Cook
Set your grill up for a direct cook over high (600°F+) heat. While the grill is heating up, remove the steaks from the marinade. “Glisten (Lang’s term)” them with oil and just a little kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

Put the steaks on for 90 seconds of undisturbed searing. Flip them, brush the top with the herb baste,  and let them go another 90 seconds. Flip them again, baste, and start checking for doneness.  I was looking for a nice medium-rare – 130°F with a hint of red and the center. It took one last flip and another 30 seconds a side to get there.

Put the steaks on a warm plate, baste them one last time, cover them gently with another plate, and let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

The t-bones ended up being totally luscious – rich and tender and wonderfully seasoned. I don’t usually use the word “floral” in connection with meat in a good way, but you could really taste/smell the herbs as a nice top note that complimented the meat. Lang recommends rubbing a little beef base into the steaks right before putting them on the grill, which I didn’t do.  But would definitely use it or a little Worcestershire next time to “ground” the steaks a little more.  Otherwise – this one one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.

Bayfield, Wisconsin is one of our favorite places to vacation. When we are there we often take the ferry over for a day trip to Madeline Island.  We love to kayak the lagoon at Big Bay Town Park, tour the island for a bit, and then hang out at Tom’s Burned Down Cafe.

So I was very excited to learn about Superior Planks on Madeline. The grilling planks come from trees that are sustainably-harvested, hauled out by draft horses, run by hand through their bio-diesel saw-mill, and shipped in 100% bio-degradable packaging. These guys are so green they make Kermit jealous.

I ordered up a 3-pack of their maple planks to give them a try. First up – wild Alaskan salmon!

I soaked the plank in water for 2 hours, then set the Big Green Egg up for direct cooking at medium-high heat (about 450°F).

I oiled the skin side of the salmon and seasoned both sides with a just little sea salt and a grind or two of black pepper.

I put the plank on the grill by itself for about 5 minutes, just until I could smell the wood smoke coming off the plank. I put the salmon on the plank, closed the lid, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. I like salmon when it’s on the  medium rare side, so I took the fillet off when it started to flake, but was still a little translucent red inside – about 130°F internal.

The verdict? While cedar is traditional for salmon, I also liked the sweeter, more subtle taste that the maple brought to the party. It enhanced the flavor of the salmon without masking it.  I think it would be great for a variety of foods, particularly pork. The planks themselves are very nice (and at $4 a plank, they had better be). They’re a good 1/2 inch thick and tightly grained. Twenty minutes on the grill barely charred the back side. I ought to get plenty of use out of these and it’s fun to be able to cook with something from a place we enjoy so much.

Kabobs have got to be one of my favorite summer foods – easy to make, quick to grill, and damn tasty to boot. This time I did a batch of Korean bulgogi and some spicy chicken thighs. I served them up with my take on Alton Brown’s Asian Slaw.

Step 1 – Get Everything Marinating

Bulgogi

1 1/2 pounds ribeye steak
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1 green onion (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Slice the steaks across the grain into thin slices. This works better if the steaks are still a little frozen.

Put the sugar, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and pulse until the garlic and ginger are minced. Add the remaining ingredients, except the steak, and give them a whirl until everything is well-combined.

Put the steak in a zip-top bag and cover with the marinade.  Toss to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, overnight is better.

Spicy Tamarind Chicken Thighs

10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup tamarind concentrate (ready-to-use, not paste)
1/4 cup Sriracha (a.k.a. Rooster) sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Put the salt and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the garlic is minced. Add the remaining ingredients, except the chicken, and give them a whirl until everything is well-combined.

Put the chicken in a zip-top bag and cover with the marinade.  Toss to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, overnight is better.

Step 2 – Assemble the Slaw

You can make this a day in advance to let the flavors blend.

8 ounces rice noodles, cooked according to the directions on the package, then drained and cooled
1 1-inch piece ginger
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nuoc nam)
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 head cabbage
1 red bell pepper
1 small cucumber
3 green onions, cut on the bias, all of white part and half of the green
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons mint, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Set a box grater in a large bowl. Using the fine holes of grater, grate the ginger. Switch to the coarse side and grate the cucumber. Switch to the slicer side and grate the pepper and cabbage. Remove the grater. Add the noodles, green onions, cilantro, mint, red pepper, and black pepper to the bowl and give everything a stir to combine.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, oil, and peanut butter. Pour dressing over the ingredients in the large bowl, then stir to combine.  Refrigerate the slaw until you are ready to serve it.

Step 3 – The Cook

You’ll need 8 to 10 bamboo skewers. Soak them in water for at least an hour.

Set the grill up for a direct cook over very hot (500°F +) heat.

Remove the meat from their respective marinades and thread onto skewers.  Grill chicken about 6 minutes per side. Grill the beef for about 3 minutes per side. In both cases you’re looking for some crispy bits on the outside without overcooking the meat.

Serve meat, slaw and some perfectly ripe sweet corn for an amazing summer treat!

I make a version of this chicken and veggie recipe about once a week while we’re getting nice, fresh veggies out of the garden. Once you get it set up on the grill, the components of this dish all work together really well – the chicken juices flavor the veggies while the veggie pan protects the chicken from direct heat.

To make this dish even more conevenient for the summer, I like to do 2 birds at a time. It’s not really much more work, and you end up with plenty of leftovers for no-cook lunches. This time I also bumped up the spice by saucing the birds with Suck Creek’s Original Hot Wing Sauce at the end of the cook.

The Veggies
6 small Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground back pepper to taste

Lightly oil a 9×13 baking pan. Add the veggies, drizzle with olive oil, season with the salt and a couple of grinds of pepper.

The Birds

2 3-5 pound roasting chickens
4  tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4  tablespoons of your favorite barbecue rub (I used John Henry’s Pecan Rub)
1/2 cup Suck Creek’s Original Hot Wing Sauce

Spatchcocking is easier than it sounds – place the bird in front of you, breast side down. Butterfly the bird by cutting up through the backbone with either a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp chef’s knife. You can repeat this to remove the entire backbone, but I generally don’t.

Spread the bird open like a book and locate the keel bone that sits between the breasts. Nick it with a knife to get it to open up, but don’t cut all the way through. Flip the bird over and press down on the center of the bird until it lies flat.

Clean and rinse the chicken, then pat it dry. Rub both sides of the bird with olive oil and season with the rub, making sure to work some under the skin.

The Cook

Set your grill up for an indirect cook over medium heat (350°F). On the Big Green Egg I use the plate setter to diffuse the heat and set the pan of veggies on top of that. Then put the grill grate on top of the pan and put the chickens, skin side up, on the grate.

Close the lid and cook the chicken and veggies for 30 minutes. Give the veggies a stir and flip the birds over.  Cook for another 30 minutes, then start checking to see if everything is done. The veggies are done when they are tender. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the the temperature has reached 160°F in the breast and 180°F in the thigh.

The veggies will most likely be done before the birds. Pull them if they finish first and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. When the chicken is just about done, baste both sides with the sauce. Cook 15 more minutes, and baste again. Cook until the birds are done (about 1 1/2 hours total cooking time) and baste one last time before removing from the grill.

Remove the birds to a cutting board and let them rest for about 10 minutes. Quarter the birds for serving.

I had such luck with the Cherry-Glazed Chicken that I thought I would continue with the meat-meets-sweet-spicy-and-savory theme. The noodle dish is a great complement to the chops and is quick and easy to make.

Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops

6 boneless pork chops
1 (10 ounce) jar apricot jam
2 apricots, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free Bragg’s Aminos
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Mix the jam, soy sauce, vinegar,  sweet chili sauce, garlic, and ginger in a sauce pan over medium heat until blended (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

Put the chops in a zip-top bag and cover with the marinade.  Toss to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, overnight is better.

Set up your grill for a direct cook over medium (350°F) heat.

Remove the chops from the marinade. Save the marinade into a small saucepan. Add the apricots and and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for about 3 minutes, until the marinade has thickened to the point that it will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Pour off 1/2 cup of the marinade to use for basting the chops. Save the rest to pour over the chops when they are done.

Season the chops on both sides with a little salt and pepper.

Grill the chops 10 minutes on one side, flip and grill another 5 minutes on the second side. Brush with marinade and grill for 5 more minutes. Flip, brush, and grill another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork hits 140°F.

Remove the chops from the grill and let rest 5 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved marinade before serving.

Peanut Noodles

You can put it together in advance and stash it in the fridge. Just take it out early so that it comes to room temperature for serving.

2/3 cup peanut butter (natural if possible)
1/4 cup soy sauce or gluten-free Bragg’s Aminos
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 – 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

3/4 pound dried spaghetti (use corn or rice noodles to make it gluten-free)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1/2 cup snow peas
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

In a blender, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, water, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, pepper flakes, and ginger. Blend until smooth (about a minute) then pour into a large bowl.

Cook the pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente (if you are going to let this sit in the fridge, shorten the cooking time for a little firmer pasta). Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water.

Add the pasta, veggies, and sesame seeds to the dressing. Toss to combine.

I was inspired by the Sriracha Pork Glaze over at Nibble Me This and had to try this sweet, spicy, savory glaze.  I used it to really light up some boring old chicken breasts.

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 (10 ounce) jar black cherry jam
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
1/4 cup  terriyaki sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Mix everything but the chicken breasts  in a sauce pan over medium heat until blended (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

Put chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and cover with the cooled marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and toss it in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.

Set up your grill for a direct cook over medium (350°F) heat.

Remove the breasts from the marinade. Save the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for about 3 minutes, until the marinade has thickened to the point that it will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Pour off 1/2 cup of the marinade to use for basting the chicken. Save the rest to pour over the top when done.

Season the breasts on both sides with a little salt and pepper.

Grill the breasts 10 minutes on one side, flip and grill another 5 minutes on the second side. Brush with marinade and grill for 5 more minutes. Flip, brush, and grill until the the juices just start to run clear or the internal temperature of the chicken hits 160°F.

Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with the reserved marinade.

Fajitas are a great, simple dish for summer. You’ve got your smokey meat, tender veggies, spicy chiles, and all without having to fire up the stove – what’s not to love? I used sirloin steak for this recipe, but it’s also excellent with flank steak, skirt steak, tri-tip, or cena.

The Ingredients

2-3 pounds sirloin steak
3 bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 large onion, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced into strips
Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

The Cook

Create a marinade by whisking together the lime juice, oil, chili, soy sauce, garlic, salt and oregano in a small bowl. Place the steak in a large zip-top bag and cover with half of the marinade. Squeezed the air out of the bag, seal it, and toss it in the fridge to marinate.

Put the peppers, onion, and zucchini in another large zip-top bag and cover with the remaining marinade. Squeezed the air out of the bag, seal it, and toss it in the fridge next to the steak.

Set your grill up for a direct cook over high (500°F+) heat.

Remove the steak from the marinade and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. We’re looking for medium rare with a nice char on the outside.

Remove the steak and set aside to rest. Put the veggies in a grill pan or veggie basket and grill until they are soft and just a little browned, about 5-10 minutes.

Remove the veggies from the grill and arrange on a serving platter.

Slice the steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain.  Arrange the strips on top of the veggies and give the whole thing a big squeeze of lime before serving.