Category: Grilling

Paella

Paella is Spain’s classic dish of saffron-infused rice combined with various meats and seafood. I love making this simple version on our Big Green Egg. It’s one of my favorite dishes to make for guests as an early dinner on Sunday afternoons.

It looks a little complicated, but it’s really only about a half hour or so of prep work, and another 45 minutes or so on the grill.

Ingredients

3 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound small raw shrimp, shelled
1/2 pound cleaned calamari, cut in rings
1/2 pound bay scallops
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 inch chunks and lightly salted
1/4 lb of Spanish cooking chorizo, cut in 1/4 inch slices
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 2 inch strips
1 1/2 cups Bomba or Calasparra rice
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons of sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon of saffron
Olive oil
Lemon wedges, to garnish

Heat the broth with the saffron and the paprika. Keep warm and nearby.

Get your grill up to medium-high (about 400°F). You want to provide a wide, even heat that can be maintained with the lid open. You don’t want any hot spots. You can do this on most grills by cooking indirectly, or by using a diffuser like a pizza stone under the pan.

Use a shallow metal pan with about a 13-14 inch bottom. I really like this enameled paellera, but you could also use a chef’s pan. Add enough olive oil to cover to the bottom well. Heat the oil for a few minutes and then add the chicken pieces and fry until brown. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes and cook until they break down and the mixture thickens and darkens. Add more oil if needed. This is the sofrito – it adds a lot of depth to the dish and provides a base for the rest of the dish.

Add the rice and chorizo and saute 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth and try to spread the rice out as evenly as possible. Once you have a relatively uniform layer, leave it alone. The rice needs to sit undisturbed on the bottom of the pan to developed the tasty brown crust called the soccarat.

Arrange the browned chicken, scallops, shrimp, calamari, pepper, and peas on top of the rice. Try to make it even and pretty. Close the lid and lower your grill temperature to 350°F degrees. Cook undisturbed until all the liquid is absorbed – about 30 minutes.

Once the liquid is gone, bump the heat up to 400°F and start listening closely. The paella will start to crackle, and you might smell a toasted odor that tells you the rice is browning and forming the soccarat. Test by running a spatula under the rice to feel for a slightly bumpy bottom. Once you feel this, remove the paella from the heat.

Let the paella rest 5  minutes before serving.

Buttermilk-Brined Chicken

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Buttermilk makes an excellent brine for chicken. It does a great job of penetrating the meat, so the chicken stays moist and the flavor of the spices go all of the way through.


Ingredients

3 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce (I used Frank’s RedHot Original)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 (3 to 4 pound) chickens, each cut into 8 pieces

Combine the buttermilk, salt, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and spices. Mix well. Add the chicken and turn to  coat. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight, turning the pieces occasionally.

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

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and put on the grill. Grill for about 40 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes or so, until the juices run clear or when a meat thermometer reads 180°F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.

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I served this with baked beans and a Summer-y pasta salad.

More Flat Iron Steak

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The flat iron steak is another one of those cheap, tasty and (relatively) unknown cuts of meat that is gaining in popularity.  Cut from the top shoulder of the chuck, it is as tender as tenderloin and as flavorful as a strip steak.

Ingredients

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 canned Chipotle pepper in Adobo, minced
1 tablespoon Adobo sauce from peppers
2 teaspoons kosher sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 flat iron steak (2 halves)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients, except steaks, in a small bowl. Mix to combine. Pour over steaks, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight if possible.

There’s lots of marbling in flat iron steaks, so I don’t mind cooking them a little lower and longer than I would normally do steak. Set your grill up for direct cooking over medium-high heat (450 to 500°F).  For medium rare, grill the halves for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, or until they reach 130°F internal. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Grilled Yogurt Chicken with Tumeric Sweet Potatoes

This marinade produces some of the tastiest chicken I have every grilled, and the sweet potatoes and peppers are the perfect side dish.  Don’t be afraid to use the full 2 tablespoons of salt. It seems like overkill, but the chicken is heavily spiced enough that it really brings out these other flavors.

Yogurt Chicken

1 cup plain yogurt (preferably whole-milk)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Aleppo or Ancho chili powder
1  (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Combine the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, salt, and spices, then add chicken and turn until coated well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, turning the pieces occasionally.

Sweet Potatoes

1 large sweet potato, peeled, washed, and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dried cilantro

Combine the pepper, onion, oil, lime  juice, salt, and spices, then add sweet potatoes and turn until coated well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

The Cook

Set up your grill  for a direct cook over medium-high (400°F) heat.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables to a vegetable basket or griddle, reserve the marinade.   Grill the vegetables for about 6-8 minutes, until grill marks appear and they begin to soften. Turn and grill the other side for another 6 minutes. Return vegetables to the reserved marinade, toss to coat and set aside.

Remove the chicken pieces from the yogurt marinade and put on the grill. Grill for about 40 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes or so, until the juices run clear or when a meat thermometer reads 180°F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.

How Hot is It?

How do you know how hot your charcoal grill is? You can rely on lid thermometers and remote probes (and I often do), but it’s hard to beat the “hand test” for a quick check on how the coals are doing.

Put your open hand, palm down, about 5 inches from the grate and see how long you can comfortably hold it there.

2 to 4 seconds – this is high heat, 450°F to 550°F. Great for searing steaks.

5 to 7 seconds  – this is medium heat, 350°F to 450°F. Good for general grilling – burgers, chicken pieces, or veggies.

8 to 10 seconds  – this is low heat, 250°F to 350°F. Use a drip pan or some kind of heat barrier and this temp this is great for ribs and pork butt.

Grilled Lamb

I have to admit that when it comes to lamb,  I’m good for a couple of gyros a year, but that’s about it. I don’t really have any objections to lamb per se. It’s just not something I grew up eating, so I don’t even think about it when I’m planning meals. But with Easter coming up there’s lots of lamb available, so I thought I’d give it a try on the grill.

Flattening the leg, instead of cooking it rolled up like a roast, decreases the cooking time and gives you more of the crispy, herby crust.

Ingredients

1 boneless leg of lamb, 4 to 6 pounds, butterflied
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon or strong brown mustard
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried spearmint
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

Unroll the leg of lamb and remove any excess fat. You want the leg as uniformly flat as possible, so you may need to cut into the bigger muscle to open it up a little. Score the fat cap with a sharp knife, making crisscross cuts every half inch or so to help the meat take in the marinade.

Combine everything but the lamb in a food processor and blend until it’s a thick paste. Spread the paste over all sides of the leg. Work the paste into the crevices and the cuts you made in the fat cap.

Wrap the leg in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Set your grill up for a direct cook over medium heat (350°F). Add wood for smoke (I like grape vine or apple for meats like lamb). Put the lamb, skin side down, on the middle of the hot grate. After 20 minutes, flip the roast and rotate it 180 degrees. Cook for another 20 minutes, then flip and rotate again.

Continue cooking until the leg reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees (medium rare), about another 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving against the grain into thin slices for serving.

Beef Sate with Peanut Sauce

Is there anything better than meat on a stick? Meat on a stick with a rich and savory peanut sauce, of course.

The red curry paste in this recipe is a real  time saver. It adds a lot of flavor without the need to crush your own lemon grass or locate kaffir lime leaves.

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless sirloin or flank steaks
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons lime juice (1 medium lime)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 cup peanut butter
1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, honey, red curry paste, lime juice, peanut oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and coriander in a large bowl and whisk well to combine.

Trim excess fat and gristle from the beef. Cover the roast with a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use the the flat side of a meat tenderizer or a heavy sauce pan to pound the meat until it it’s about 1/2 inch thick. Slice the meat against the grain into 1/4 x 3 inch strips.

Put the beef in a big Ziploc bag and add the marinade. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge, overnight is much better.

Soak skewers for at least an hour. Set your grill up for a direct cook over very high heat (about 500°F).

Pour the marinade off the beef and into a medium saucepan. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk. Stiring regularly, bring the peanut mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced by about a third. Remove peanut sauce from heat and keep warm.

Place steak on the skewers. Double skewer the meat so that it will be easier to flip. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. You want to crispy on the outside and medium on the inside. Serve hot with the peanut sauce.

Terikyaki Shrimp Skewers

Quick, easy, and tasty – what more do you want? These grilled shrimp work great as appetizers or as part of a meal. Double skewering the shrimp makes it easier to flip them. Feel free to add bell pepper slices or pineapple hunks to the mix.

Ingredients

1 lb large shrimp (26-30 count), shelled and deveined
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6-8 bamboo skewers

Directions

Place skewers in water to soak.

Set your grill up for a direct cook over high heat (about 400°F).

Combine teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, 5 spice powder, and garlic powder in a lidded container. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Skewer the shrimp – run one skewer through the head end and then another through the tail.

Grill 2 minutes per side, or until shrimp turn pink. Do not over cook.

Steak and King Crab on a Budget

We love to eat out, but with the way the economy has been, we just can’t afford to do it nearly as often as we’d like. Our solution has been to eat at home, but we still like our fine dinning experience.  By doing some bargain shopping and taking full advantage of our FoodSaver and freezer, we were able to put together this gourmet meal for a fraction of what it would have cost in a restaurant.

The Cook

Make sure your steak and crab are well-thawed. Pull the steak out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking.

Set your grill up for direct cooking at high heat (about 500-700°F).

Season the steak on both sides with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Put the steak over the hottest part of the grill and close the lid. Give it 60 seconds of undisturbed searing. After a minute, flip it over. If the steak won’t come away from the grill easily, give it another 30 seconds. Once flipped, close the lid and give it another 60 seconds of undisturbed searing.

Now open the lip and leave it open for the rest of the cook.  Flip the steak again – flipping the steak often minimizes flareup and maximizes the amount of steak that’s done the way you like it. Keep flipping the steak once a  minute until they are done to your taste. Press on the center of the steak or use an instant-read thermometer to determine doneness. I like mine medium-rare, which  is 135°F internal with a mostly pink center with a hint of red and yields easily to a little pressure.

Remove the steak the a warm plate and let it rest while you cook the crab and asparagus.

Decrease the heat of the grill to medium-high (about 400°F).

Place the legs on the grill with the spiny side up. Close the lid and let cook for 5 minutes. Flip the legs and add the asparagus to the grill. Leave the lid open and grill for about 5 minutes, turning frequently, until the spears begin to brown and caramelize and the crab is heated through.

Remove the asparagus to a plate and drizzle with olive oil and a little lemon juice. Keep warm.

Wearing food prep gloves, or using a thick disk towel, break the legs at the joints. Use a seafood cracker or pair of kitchen shears to further crack the leg segments. Serve with melted butter.

The Math

We bought 2 full clusters of crab legs at a significant discount from a local yuppiemart that had ordered way too many of them. We bought the value-pack of steaks from Cosco. Everything got separated into meal-sized portions, sealed in FoodSaver bags, and frozen.

5 pounds of King Crab clusters @ $9.99/pound = $49.95
5 pounds of beef tenderloins @ $6.99/pound = $34.95

So, for $80.90 we got enough steak and crab for 4 meals for 2. That’s $20.26 a meal. Add $10 for a  bottle tasty, mid-priced red wine, a couple bucks for the veggies and dessert, light a candle and we’re still talking fine dining at under $40 a couple.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is a quick and versatile alternative to grilling plain, old chicken breasts. The stuffing provides a lot of moisture and flavor to what could otherwise be a pretty bland piece of meat. I used a bacon, basil, and Parmesan cheese combination for this recipe. Other tasty combinations include ricotta, spinach, and prosciutto; or mozzarella, deli ham, and parsley.

2 (6-ounce) chicken breast halves
Kosher salt
Lemon pepper
2 slices bacon
2 thin slices Parmesan cheese
4 fresh basil leaves

Set your grill up for a direct cook over medium-high (400°F) heat.

Season both sides of the breasts with lemon pepper and a little salt. Put the breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound firmly with the smooth side of a tenderizing mallet until evenly flattened and about a 1/4 inch thick.

Remove plastic wrap and top with the fresh basil, bacon, and cheese. Roll up tightly and secure with a couple of toothpicks.

Grill the rolls seam-side up for 10 minutes, flip and grill until the rolls are done, about another 10 minutes. They should be golden brown and the inside temperature should be 160°F. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the rolls into 1-inch rounds for serving.

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