Grilled Beef Skewers with Garlicky White Bean Dip

George Prior · April 8, 2016

If you’ve got a couple of 3″ thick rib eye steaks that you want to fancy up because you’ve been eating grilled steak every day for weeks, you may want to stuff them – and we recommend making it count, spice-wise.
Jalapeno, Garlic, and Mushroom Stuffed Rib Eye Steak:
1. Let steaks warm to room temperature.
2. Dice jalapenos, garlic, and mushrooms.
3. Slowly braise with butter in fry pay until reduced and brown.
4. Using sharp fillet knife inserted through single hole, cut a deep and full pocket in the steak without cutting through the sides.
5. TIP: When fat separates the steak meat, create a separate pocket in the other piece of meat from the opposite end.
6. Using mainly your fingers, stuff the steaks with the jalapeno mix. You may want to consider using rubber gloves if your jalapenos are really hot.
7. Grill to medium rare over hot charcoal with frequent flipping. The warm stuffing will reduce your cooking time compared to non-stuffed steaks, so don’t wander off.
Even if you’re not tired of grilled steak yet, this is probably worth the effort.

Red-Hot Charcoal · September 2, 2014

Grilled Beef Skewers with Garlicky White Bean Dip

Beef Skewers with Garlicky Bean Dip

Total recipe time: 25 to 30 minutes
Makes 16 appetizer

Ingredients

Grilled Beef Skewers:

1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
1 teaspoon garlic-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Garlicky White Bean Dip:
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sherry or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1. To prepare Garlicky White Bean Dip, place beans, water, vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic and salt in food processor or blender container. Cover; process until smooth. Spoon 1/2 of bean dip into clear serving bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon paprika and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Top with remaining bean dip, 1/4 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover; set aside.

2. To make the grilled beef skewers, start by soaking sixteen 6-inch bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile cut beef steak crosswise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Thread beef, weaving back and forth, onto each skewer. Combine garlic-pepper seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon paprika; sprinkle evenly over beef.

3. Place beef skewers on the grill so the beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Grill about 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once. Serve with Garlicky White Bean Dip.

Nutrition information per serving: 68 calories; 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat); 12 mg cholesterol; 215 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrate; 1.3 g fiber; 8 g protein; 1.9 mg niacin; 0.2 mg vitamin B6; 0.4 mcg vitamin B12; 0.8 mg iron; 7.6 mcg selenium; 1.2 mg zinc.

This recipe is a good source of protein, vitaminB6 and selenium.

Red-Hot Charcoal · August 14, 2014

Asian Inspired East Meets West Burger

This Asian inspired east meats west burger combines a zippy, savory rich flavor with the sesame-soy mayonnaise and a crispy cool crunch of the slaw topping making it a great addition to your grilling menu.

When you are looking for a fun and innovative way to class up your meal, look no further than this Asian inspired east meets west burger.

Total recipe time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (95% lean)
1/4 cup soft whole wheat bread crumbs
1 large egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split

Sesame-Soy Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion, green part only
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Slaw Topping:
1/2 cup romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1.Combine Sesame-Soy Mayonnaise ingredients in small bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.2.Combine Slaw Topping ingredients in small bowl, set aside.3.Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg white, salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties.4.Place patties on grid over medium ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 13 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 7 to 8 minutes), until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally. About 2 minutes before burgers are done, place buns, cut sides down, on grid. Grill until lightly toasted.5.Spread equal amount of mayonnaise on bottom of each bun, top with burger. Evenly divide Slaw Topping over burgers. Close sandwiches.

Nutrition information per serving, 348 calories; 15 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat); 7 mg cholesterol; 621 mg sodium; 26 g carbohydrate; 3.9 g fiber; 28 g protein; 6.9 mg niacin; 0.5 mg vitamin B6; 2.1 mcg vitamin B12; 3.8 mg iron; 41.9 mcg selenium; 6.4 mg zinc.This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 30, 2014

Fish Rub Perfect For Grilling

From: Meathead Goldwyn from AmazingRibs.com

The lemon peel brightens grilled fish. The recipe does not include salt, so can be used on brined fish. If your fish is not brined, add salt to taste.

Best Used On: Fish

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 Tbsp dried tarragon
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp dried chervil
1 Tbsp freshly ground dried green peppercorns*
1 Tbsp dried lemon peel, ground
1 tsp garlic powder

*You may substitute black peppercorns for green for a different flavor profile.

Directions: Combine all ingredients. Using a mortar and pestle, or bowl with a wooden spoon, crush all ingredients until they are of equal size. Store in a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid for about three months.

When ready to use, salt both sides of the meat lightly. Sprinkle the rub on the flesh side of the fish. For a fillet about the size of a business envelope, use roughly one teaspoon. If you plan to eat the skin, season it, too. Then lightly brush the fish with olive oil. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Fish Rub Originally found at Fix.com

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 26, 2014

Coffee BBQ Beef Rub With Cocoa

The flavors of coffee and cocoa work amazingly well with beef because they add additional savory tastes.

Use this rub for a delicious flavor addition to roasts or beef tenderloins.

Best Used On: Roasts or Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp ground coffee
½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp Kosher salt

Directions: Blend all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Find this Coffee BBQ Beef Rub With Cocoa and other interesting recipes over at Fix.com

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 21, 2014

Beef Rub For Blackening Beef

Here is a fantastic rub for blackening beef that will not disappoint. Spicy, versatile, and easy to make, this spicy mixture will work amazing on any kind of chops, cutlets, or steaks and should be fantastic on seafood too!

Blackening Beef Rub

From: Chris Grove NibbleMeThis.com

Classic blackening season creates a crust when seafood is seared using a very hot iron skillet.

Ingredients:
½ Tbsp paprika
1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp celery seed

Directions: Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

FInd more interesting recipes at Fix.com

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 14, 2014

The other weekend I had the pleasure of attending an Old Montreal getaway along with Karen of Tiny Bites, Mijune Follow Me Foodie, Jody of Mommy Moment, Jeannette Everyone Likes Sandwiches and of Tanis Redneck Mommythat was put on by Van Houtte. The weekend was filled with LOTS of good coffee and tasty food including a 14 course meal with a coffee theme at Saint-Urbain. All of the coffee inspire food got me to thinking that I do not use coffee as an ingredient when cooking nearly often enough. The timing could not have been better as I was just itching to make some coffee rubbed pork belly tacos that were inspired by a sandwich that made an appearance at the first Toronto Underground Market.

Pork belly is another ingredient that I do not use nearly often enough which is really a shame as it is so good and pretty inexpensive! It is a fattier cut of meat but when you slowly roast it a lot of that fat renders out and it helps to ensure that the meat is still nice and moist and tender and just full of flavour. For the coffee rubbed pork belly I went with a rub that focused in the coffee and then I built up some of the Mexican flavours with a few kinds of chilie powders, some cumin, coriander and oregano. I made sure to get my pork belly with the skin still on and I roasted at a high temperature for the first little while to ensure that the skin got all nice and crispy and turned into crackling.

I rounded the tacos out with a grilled pineapple salsa, pickled red onions and some queso freso. I figured that the sweet and tangy pineapple salsa and along with the pikled red onions would help balance out the richness of the pork belly and I always like to add cheese in some form to my tacos! I have to say that the coffee flavoured, super tender pork with its crispy crackling paired really well with the pineapple salsa and pickled red onions to create a truly magical flavour combination! Every time that I have used coffee as an ingredient in a recipe I have been pleased with it and I will definitely have to use it more often!

Coffee Rubbed Roasted Pork Belly Tacos

Roasted pork belly is so moist, tender and full of flavour and that crispy layer of crackling is just amazing. Rub the pork belly up with some Mexican spices and you have the perfect filling for some really mean tacos!

Servings: makes 4-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground coffee
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon chili de arbol powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon coriander, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 2-3 pound pork belly, boneless, skin patted dry and scored
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups grilled pineapple salsa
1 cup Mexican pickled red onions
1/2 cup queso fresco (or feta)
1/4 cup cilantro

Directions

Mix the coffee, chili powders, paprika, cumin, coriander, brown sugar, oregano, salt and pepper and rub it all over the pork.
Place the pork into an roasting pan and roast in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350F and roast for another hour.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Slice, assemble tacos and enjoy.

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 14, 2014

LAURIE MCNAMARA over at Simply Scratch made this amazing looking grilled lemon dijon, quick marinade chicken dish. I cannot wait to put this easy to make grilled chicken dish into heavy rotation!

Lemon Dijon Grilled Chicken {15-Minute Quick Marinade}

Who doesn’t like a six ingredient, 15 minute marinade recipe?

Who also doesn’t love it when they go out to grill only to find that their propane tank is e-m-p-t-y? Like all that I could hear was the click-click-click of the igniter and then nada, zip, zilch happened. I didn’t really want to believe I ran out of gas, secretly I was hoping my grill was broken because between you and me… I don’t love it. It’s just too small for my grilling tastes. I want a beast of a grill that can cook a huge meal over it and well, this one isn’t big, like at all.But yeah, it was just out of propane. Drat.

Luckily I have a cast iron grill pan to fill in for the job. But it did double my “grilling” time since I could only grill two pieces of chicken instead of all four at once. But oh-wells, at least my grill isn’t broken. Note the sarcasm.

This chicken marinade is pretty dang scrumptious. I know there are a lot of Dijon-lovers out there just like me and this recipe doesn’t disappoint. It literally takes 5 minutes to whisk together, pour it over the chicken and then an additional 15 minutes while the chicken comes up to room temperature. Easy-peasy.

Start by measuring and adding in a quarter cup of your favorite Dijon mustard.

Squeeze the juice from one good-sized lemon.

Do your best and avoid adding in the seeds.

Add in a tablespoon of olive oil. I like to use extra light when grilling or roasting, but you use what you have.

Next add in two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce… for some savory goodness.

A half teaspoon of marjoram. Italian seasoning would work well too.

Lastly add in a quarter teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper.

Get a whisk…

And blend until smooth.

When grilling chicken I like to do one of two things. I either slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so they are thinner OR I bust out my meat tenderizer, slip the chicken breasts between plastic wrap {or in this case a re-sealable bag zipped halfway} and pound the thicker part to match the thinner side. I base the decision to-pound-or-not-to-pound by my level of laziness.

So there it is, a flat…

…and super thin chicken breast.

I place the four pounded breasts into a bowl and poured the lemony Dijon marinade over top.

Now it just gets to chillax while you preheat your grill or grill pan. Whether you’re grilling in or outdoors, preheat to medium/medium high and cook for about 6 minutes a side. I adjust the temp as I go so I get good grill marks and not over cook the chicken. It’s a fine line, but I walk it daily.

That’s it. I grilled up four monstrous breasts, two I chopped up and added to a chopped salad. The other two I have other plans for that may or may not have something to do with enchiladas. To be continued. Ps. the extra charred one in front is MINE.

Enjoy!

Lemon Dijon Grilled Chicken {15-Minute Quick Marinade}

6 ingredients and 15 minutes. What’s not to love about this scrumptious marinade?

YIELD: 4 breasts

PREP TIME: 5

COOK TIME: 12-15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

1 large Lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon Extra Light Olive Oil

2 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon Marjoram

1/4 teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper

4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, pounded thin

DIRECTIONS:

In a measuring cup combine mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, marjoram and black pepper.

Place the thin chicken breasts into a bowl, pour the marinade over prepared chicken and toss to coat. Leave the chicken on the counter for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium/medium-high and grill for 6 to 8 minutes a side. Adjust the heat accordingly.

Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil and allow the chicken to rest for 5-8 minutes before serving.

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 14, 2014

Want to know the secret to making great tasting lobster? It is your backyard BBQ or grill of course!

Check out how Good Housekeeping shows off the secret to making great tasting lobster with the help of your grill here or read along for more!

The Secret to Making Great-Tasting Lobster

When you think lobster, you probably think Maine, but not everyone has a Maine vacation planned any time soon. Thankfully, a taste of the New England coast is pretty accessible these days — just take a trip to your local fishmonger.

Here in New York, we’re lucky to have one of the country’s best seafood markets. Its name, not coincidentally, is The Lobster Place. They know their way around claws and tails: In a typical week, they steam 7,000 live lobsters and use 400 pounds of meat to make lobster rolls at their retail market and its adjoining restaurant. Brendan Hayes, the Lobster Place Seafood Market’s President of Retail & Restaurant, recently offered up some of his top lobster-cooking knowledge. So read this, pick up a lobster or two and make your next staycation so much tastier.

What’s the best to cook lobster?
One of the great things about lobster is that you can use almost any cooking method, and it’s pretty difficult to screw up. For me, it goes back to my childhood and the way our family cooked lobsters in the summer. I was raised a boiler and continue to boil lobsters today. I find that by completely submerging the whole lobsters in a bath of salted boiling water, the meat cooks more evenly and you’re also able to get a slight saltwater brine in the flavor.

Any other key secrets?
Most seafood markets selling lobsters should have rockweed (or kelp) available for customers. It’s a seaweed that’s native to North America and is traditionally used in clam bakes or lobster bakes. When boiling or steaming lobsters, take a handful of rockweed and throw it into the pot. Not only does it have an amazing saltwater aroma when cooked, but it also adds a nice fresh ocean flavor.

What’s your favorite recipe?
There are few things tastier than a split-grilled lobster. The trick to this method is to first par-steam the lobster. Fill a large pot with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Add the lobsters and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the lobsters to steam for approximately 5 minutes, so the meat cooks to a medium-rare. Pull the lobsters from the pot and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, lay the lobster on its back and split it down the middle. Crack each of the claws with the backside of a chef’s knife (trying to leave them intact on the body if possible).

Preheat your grill to medium. While the grill is heating, melt 12 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add one teaspoon of lemon zest, juice from a whole lemon, a tablespoon of chopped tarragon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Once melted, brush the interior of the lobster with the lemon-tarragon butter and then lay each half meat-side-down on the grill. Cook for two minutes, until the meat is slightly charred and then turn over. Baste the lobster again with the lemon-tarragon butter and finish grilling until the meat is completely opaque and cooked through (another 1 to 2 minutes). Remove from the grill and dig in.

Want to become more of a lobster pro? Check out out the Maine Lobster website for purchasing, storing, and cooking tips. For example, did you know that lobster has less calories, less total fat, and less cholesterol than roasted skinless chicken breast? And, believe it or not, you can freeze it.

Of course, if you’re lucky enough that summer travel plans do include a trip to Maine, they have a great chart of where to stop for a crustacean fix. Depending on when you’re there, you can also try to get your hands on some new-shell lobsters. Like crabs, lobsters molt and lose their hard shell several times as they grow. They don’t travel well, but new-shell lobsters are said to be a bit sweeter, and are easier to crack.

Originally from Good Housekeeping

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 10, 2014

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 9, 2014

Maple Bacon Beer Burger Perfect For The BBQ

Maple, and Bacon, and Burgers, and Grilling. A nice sunny day and beverages chillin’. Charcoal and flames, and dogs with bad names. These are a few of my favorite things!

Some weeks, I think I could have a juicy burger every single day. I love all the ingredients here. But just like everything is better with bacon, marinading the ground beef in beer and Worcestershire sauce is nothing short of barbecue brilliance on a bun. The Maple Bacon Beer Burger should be perfect for your next barbecue. Or perhaps even your next meal!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound Ground Beef
1/4 cup beer
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
4 slices reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
4 extra-thick slices Maplewood smoked bacon, cut in half, cooked crisp

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAPLE-BACON BEER BURGER

Combine Ground Beef, beer and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties.
Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 7 to 9 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally. About 2 minutes before burgers are done, place buns, cut-side down, on grid. Grill until lightly toasted. During last minute of grilling, top each burger with cheese.
Place burgers on bottom of buns; top with bacon slices. Close sandwiches.
Enjoy

Original recipe courtesy of Beef it’s whats for dinner

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 8, 2014

If you have never had a Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwich, you are missing out. The juicy beef slices become even more flavorful with the addition of the Giardiniera broth for dipping. This recipe calls for roast beef slices, but I bet if you roast that beef over your BBQ grill, it will add an amazing amount of additional flavor!

The original recipe was found here

Total Recipe Time: 35 to 40 minutes

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces thinly sliced Deli Roast Beef
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth
4 slices provolone cheese, halved
4 crusty Italian bread rolls (each 6 inches long), split

Giardiniera

1 cup chopped vegetables such as carrot, celery, cauliflower and red bell pepper
1 medium jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, divided
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHICAGO-STYLE ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES

Giardiniera

For Giardiniera, combine chopped vegetables, jalapeño, vinegar, oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, sugar, salt and pepper in medium nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from saucepan; set aside.
Combine broth, remaining 3 garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon oregano in same saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Remove broth from heat and immediately add roast beef; stir. Let stand 5 minutes until heated through.
Drain vegetables. Drizzle 1 tablespoon broth mixture over roll bottoms. Place 1 slice cheese on bottom half of each roll. Using tongs, divide beef evenly over cheese. Top evenly with vegetables. Close sandwiches. Serve with remaining broth on the side.

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 6, 2014

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 3, 2014

Easy Bison Burger Recipe

When I am looking for ideas on how to cook bison, I often look to bisonbasics.com as a starting point. The way they prepare a bison burger is a simple, but flavorful way to enjoy bison in your own backyard!

A Basic Grilled Bison Burger That’s Simple and Tasty

Our Basic Burger is simply made from ground bison with some added salt and pepper. For best juiciness and flavor ground bison should be 80 to 90% lean (10 to 20% fat content). Less than 10% fat results in a less juicy, drier tasting burger. Bison burgers with more than 20% fat tend to be greasy tasting. Most ground bison used in our testing was close to 90% lean.Our preference is for freshly ground bison meat, but previously frozen ground is a very close second. Frozen ground will take about 2 days to thaw in the refrigerator. Never thaw meat at room temperature.Bison burgers are best grilled on the barbecue. Our first choice is gas, but charcoal or electric will work equally as well.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground bison, 80 to 90% lean, medium texture preferred
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
cooking oil (grape seed, peanut, or sunflower preferred) – DO NOT use Olive Oil*

Break the ground bison up into small chunks by hand; spread the chunks evenly over a baking sheet. Sprinkle the ground meat with salt and pepper.
Shape the seasoned ground into 5 patties measuring about 4 inches in diameter and little over and inch thick. Try not to handle the meat excessively while shaping it into burgers. Over handling or compacting raw ground can result in a cooked burger that just doesn’t have the right mouth feel to it. Density is increased and a lack of tenderness may be noticeable.
Place the bison burger patties on a baking sheet or large plate. Cover burgers loosely with some plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the patties to set. (Patties can always be made well in advance.)
To be absolutely safe, it is always best to cook ground meat until it is well done-to an internal temperature of at least 160F. At that temperature bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses, such as e-coli and salmonella, are rendered harmless. Bacterial problems are however more common to large scale commercial beef and poultry processing, not the bison industry. Buying bison from a reputable supplier, or GRINDING YOUR OWN AT HOME can minimize risks associated with consuming medium-rare to medium well done burgers (135F to 155F internal meat temperature).
Like all meats, cooking bison properly is best done with the use of accurate thermometers. Grill surface thermometers (coil or laser), even an inexpensive oven thermometer; can help ensure that your burgers are being cooked in a temperature range that is ideal for ground bison.

Red-Hot Charcoal · July 2, 2014

Food Networks 6 Hour Tri-tip Marinade

This 6 hour tri-tip marinade is now a finalist for my holiday weekend grilling menu. The lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and other ingredients should make your taste buds go wild!

Ingredients
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup soybean oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup black pepper
1/2 cup garlic salt (recommended: Lawry’s)
1/2 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped dried onions
2 (4-pound) tri-tips, trimmed

Directions
To make the 6 Hour Tri-tip marinade, mix all of the ingredients except for the beef in a large mixing bowl. Place the trimmed tri-tips in a plastic container and pour the marinade over. Let stand in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Heat grill to medium temperature.

Place tri-tips on grill at a 45 degree angle to establish grill marks and cook about 35 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Remove the tri-tips from the grill and let rest about 2 to 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Check out the way Food Network prepared it here.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 27, 2014

BBQ DRAGON PIC OF THE WEEK

So I was pretty blown away when I saw these photos! Chayton Altman used the skin of a pig he roasted at the Hemingway BBQ shag festival as a serving vessel to serve the delicious looking pork! For that- Clayton Altman you get honors for the BBQ Dragon pic of the week!

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 27, 2014

Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce for Barbecue

Say Aloha to Linda’s Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce for Barbecue Chicken and Ribs. Linda’s Busy Kitchen has a bunch of delicious recipes, but once I found this one, I looked no further.

Ingredients:

Servings:
6

1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce, I use Kikkomans
1/4 cup ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon ginger, minced

Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce for Barbecue

Directions:

In a lg. Dutch oven, combine ribs and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over med-high heat.
Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, garlic, and brown sugar.
Bring to a boil, stirring, over med-high heat. When it starts to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in ginger.

Remove from heat, and let cool.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 25, 2014

Grilled Bologna and Cheese with Mustard

I have seen Mister Grilled Bologna and Cheese with Mustard before, But Bob, Pitmaster of Bob’s Hogs shows us how to play with your food in style! Check this and some of his other amazing BBQ creations out at TheHogBlog.com. If you are not hungry when you click over that way, you will be in a hurry!

This was fun and easy and really tasty!The ingredients:1 five pound balogna
6 cheddar cheese sticks
Yellow mustard
Spice rub

Poke some holes with a honing steel and insert the cheese sticks. It’s easier if you stick half in from each end.

Score the outside and slather with mustard.

Hit it with your favorite spice rub and get it on the cooker.

Oops! One more ingredient, after one hour, baste with some pickle juice.

Another hour later, and it’s done. It has a nice smoky flavor and the spice goes great with the balogna and cheese. I can’t wait to fry a couple of those slices and put them on a sandwich!

__________________
Mister Bob, Pitmaster – Bob’s Hogs. KCBS CBJ #31759 – IMBAS Certified MOINK Ballerhttp://TheHogBlog.com

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 24, 2014

BBQ DRAGON WEEKLY PICTURE

This week Jeremy Cull submitted the BBQ DRAGON PIC OF THE WEEK with Drunken Chicken and Rib Slabs

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 23, 2014

Beer Candied Bacon

This one I have made before, and it is a show stopper. I prefer to add a few maple wood chips to my charcoal and cook the bacon outside rather than in the oven the way that Tide and Thyme originally made it.

Beer-Candied Bacon

I had my first taste of beer-candied bacon on a burger at my other favorite local brewpub, Evolution’s Public House. While I don’t really remember anything remarkable about the burger itself, that beer-candied bacon really resonated with me. And, I tucked it away in the “make sure to try at home” file.

So, when I went into bacon-hoarding overdrive during the Holidays – and had about three pound in the fridge after Christmas, I decided to give the beer-candied bacon thing a go to have for New Year’s Eve munching. Takes less than 1 minute to throw the glaze together, then some cooking time in the oven. Which, by the way, if you haven’t been cooking bacon in your oven you’re missing out. No grease splatter, no bacon sticking to the pan, no more uneven cooking. Just perfectly crisp bacon, every time. If you line a baking pan with aluminum foil, it’s super-easy cleanup too!

With the playoff games ahead of us, as well as Super Bowl, these sweet and salty little bites of heaven would “drop the bomb” on anyone who tried them. I served them in my favorite pint glass (yes, that’s a honey badger) which I thought was cute. It was almost like a bouquet of bacon; there’s an idea for Valentine’s Day, ladies! I used a stout for the glaze, but I think that most beers (maybe aside from an IPA) would work for this application. It’s a quick and easy appetizer that’s so fun and different – a great start to the new year in my book!

Beer-Candied Bacon

1 lb thick-cut, high quality bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp beer (I used Dogfish Head’s Chicory Stout)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine brown sugar and beer in a small bowl, whisking well to form a thin syrup. Set aside.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire cooling rack on top. Place the pieces of bacon on top of the rack, overlapping if necessary. Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and brush one side of the bacon with the beer syrup. Flip, and coat the other side with the syrup as well. Return to oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and repeat process another time or two more, until bacon is crispy and browned, and you’ve used all the glaze.

Cool on wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 21, 2014

Grilled peaches are something I love to cook on the grill. Yes, they are delicious, but when served to friends they become an unexpected delight because most people do not think of grilled fruit as a dessert. I make my grilled peaches a little differently, but next time I will make them the way that Alaska From Scratch shows us here-

Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Honey Butter

Do you have ripe peaches on hand? If so, I want you to slice them in half real quick and go put them on a hot grill (or in a hot grill pan on the stove, like I did). Go ahead, I’ll still be here when you get back. They only take a few minutes.

Then, I want you to go melt a couple of tablespoons of butter with some honey and cinnamon for a minute or two until it’s all hot and drizzly. While you’re at it, whip up some cream and sweeten it lightly. If you have some mint growing in your garden or in a pot nearby, grab a sprig or two.

Top the grilled peaches with whipped cream. Drizzle all of it with cinnamon honey butter. Place that sprig of mint on there tenderly like it’s a masterpiece you’ve been slaving all day over (when really it only took you ten minutes or less). Serve, consume, swoon.

Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Honey Butter

Yield: 4-6 grilled peach halves, 2-3 servings

Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Honey Butter

A quick and delicious summer treat of grilled ripe peaches topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream and drizzled with cinnamon honey butter.

Ingredients

2-3 sweet ripe peaches, sliced in half and pits removed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
lightly sweetened whipped cream
mint leaves (optional)

Instructions

Heat a grill pan on the stovetop (or a standard outdoor grill) over medium-high heat. Place the peach halves face down onto the grill, cooking for about 5 minutes or until nice grill marks are achieved and the peaches are warm and have softened a bit, turning the peaches 90 degrees halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the butter, honey, and cinnamon. Cook 1-2 minutes or until melted and smooth. Keep warm until the peaches are ready.
Put grilled peach halves onto serving plates. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and drizzle with cinnamon honey butter. Top with mint leaves, if using. Serve promptly.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 18, 2014

Terrorized Steak Recipe

As found in The Seattle Times

A recipe adapted from “The Rose Pistola Cookbook.”

A mound of garlic, sprigs of herbs and a splash of cognac are a wicked combination for grilled strip steak.

Makes 4 servings

Leaves from 6 sprigs marjoram, about 5 inches long

Leaves from 6 sprigs rosemary, about 5 inches long

8 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons cognac

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper

4 strip steaks, 1½ inches thick, about 8 ounces each

1. In a mortar or mini food processor, pound or process the marjoram, rosemary, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, cognac, olive oil and black pepper into a coarse paste. Rub paste evenly on both sides of the steaks. Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1½ hours before grilling.

2. Grill directly over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until crusty on the outside, about five minutes on each side for medium-rare. Allow to rest briefly before serving.

Adapted by St. Louis Post-Dispatch from “The Rose Pistola Cookbook,” by Reed Hearon and Peggy Knickerbocker

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 17, 2014

Beef Brisket Injection Recipe

Malcom from Killer Hogs BBQ shares his method for making an injection for brisket that is full of flavor and carries clout on the competition circuit. This beef brisket injection recipe will be a winner for you as well!

Brisket Injection I always recommend injecting Beef Brisket just because it will give your meat more flavor and it will help to keep it moist during – and after – the cooking process.

Beef Base (1 heaping tea)
Worcestershire Sauce (1 TBS)
Soy Sauce (1 TBS)
Accent (1 tea)
Water (2 cups)

Warm the water in a small sauce pan, add the beef base and whisk, then add the rest.

It doesn’t have to be boiling but you want to get it hot enough to dissolve the beef base.

You can find the beef base at most grocery stores in the soup isle next to the chicken bouillon.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 16, 2014

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 7, 2014

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 6, 2014

Memphis Style Barbecue Rub

You cannot make decent Memphis Style Barbecue without a good Memphis Style Barbecue Rub. By the looks of this rub it has some savory tang to it that will work well on your next adventure with barbecue.

In Memphis the Rub is the most important ingredient aside from the meat. Often ribs are served with only a rub and without sauce. This means that this barbecue rub has to provide all the flavor to make Memphis Style Barbecue. This rub starts with a generous portion of paprika and then builds a slightly spicy but definitely savory profile to help you make the most of your barbecue. This Memphis Rub is particularly good on ribs but can be used on any smoked meats.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup mild chili powder (use medium or hot to kick up the heat)
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons celery seeds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground allspice

Memphis Style Rub from About.com

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 6, 2014

Grilling Steaks Caveman Style

Meathead over at AmazingRibs.com shares how he likes goes about Grilling Steaks Caveman Style!

Here’s a showstopper. A bit of a parlor trick, but I know you will want to try it. Once you get your fire down to glowing embers, take a magazine and fan he coals so any loose ash is blown away.

Take a steak about 1″ thick, pat it really dry, salt it, and lay the meat right on the coals. You heard me. Right on the coals.

Surprisingly, when you turn it in about three minutes, there will be very little ash stuck to the meat, and it produces a very dark all-over sear in a hurry. But the operative words are very little ash. Every time I’ve tried it, small amounts of ash and even whole coals have stuck to the surface and there have been scorched dry spots. The ashes are easily brushed off, but I still can’t recommend this method. It is much better to place a wire rack on top of the coals or very close to them. Then you can check the meat, and there is less scorching and no ash. Live in the stone age if you wish, but know things are better in the iron age.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 5, 2014

So this is an amazing looking recipe for a sirloin tip roast! The way it was written from BS’ in the Kitchen, was for an oven preparation. I would recommend all the same seasonings, but grilling the beef over raised direct heat until the internal temp hits about 121F. Pull the roast and cover it with foil for a good 30-45 min before slicing. The carryover heat should have the meat perfectly pink and juicy with tons of flavor.

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Grilled Sirloin Tip Roast

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 15 mins

Total time: 2 hours 30 mins

This simple recipe will give you a juicy and flavourful roast everytime.

Ingredients

2.5 lb sirloin tip roast
2 tsp kosher salt or 1 tsp table salt
1½ tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (for extra spice use chili pepper flakes)
3 cloves of garlic (minced)

Instructions

Start off by salting the roast the day before you’re going to be cooking it (this will give a more flavorful, evenly salted roast). Evenly rub the salt over the roast, take plastic wrap and tightly wrap it around the roast, then place on a plate/bowl in your refrigerator.
The next day, remove the roast about an hour before cooking (allowing it to warm to room temperature).
Unwrap the meat from the plastic wrap, dry any moisture off with paper towel.
Place your oven rack in the middle and preheat to 250°F. While the oven is preheating, rub your roast with ½ a tablespoon of oil and minced garlic, then evenly rub with your spice mixture (pepper, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes).
In a large cast iron pan on medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil, sear each side of your roast until browned (3-4 minutes per side).
Once oven is preheated, place the roast on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
Cook the roast for about an hour and twenty minutes, or until the meat reaches 115°F on your meat thermometer (invest in one of you haven’t yet!).
Turn your oven off, leaving the roast in for about 30-40 minutes or until it reaches 130°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium. Leave the door closed this whole time to keep the heat in! I would recommend a meat thermometer like the one I have linked to below.
After the roast reaches your desired temperature, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Once the time is up, slice, serve and enjoy!

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 3, 2014

Adding soaked wood chips to roaring hot charcoal amplifies the smoky flavor of these chile-rubbed spareribs. This recipe first appeared in our June/July 2013 issue with Steven Raichlen’s article Secrets of the Grill: Ribs.

INGREDIENTS

2 racks (6 lb.) St. Louis-style pork spareribs
16 dried guajillo or ancho chiles, seeded
1½ tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground cloves
¾ cup white vinegar
¾ cup orange juice
¼ cup canola oil
16 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 sprigs cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups oak or mesquite chips, soaked in water 1 hour, then drained (optional)
Salsa, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place ribs in a roasting pan. Place chiles in a bowl and pour 4 cups of hot water over them. Soak until softened, 8-10 minutes; drain, reserving ½ cup soaking liquid. Purée chiles, soaking liquid, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, orange juice, oil, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth; rub mixture over ribs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high; bank coals or turn off burner on one side (see “Grilling 101”). Place soaked wood chips, if using, over coals or in a smoke box in a gas grill. Grill ribs until slightly charred and tender, 1-1½ hours. If the outside starts to burn before the ribs are fully cooked, move them to the cooler section of the grill and continue to cook until tender. Rest ribs 20 minutes; slice into individual ribs. Serve with salsa, if you like.

Red-Hot Charcoal · June 1, 2014

Congratulations to Matthew Dutton of Big Dutt’s BBQ on creating this amazing looking whole pig and getting picked for the BBQ Dragon Picture of the week!

BBQ Dragon Picture of the Week

Have something cool, fun, or different you cooked outside recently? Send it in to us for a chance to become our BBQ Dragon Picture of the Week.

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 29, 2014

Bourbon Barbecue Sauce SAVEUR Style

SAVEUR Magazine just knocked it out of the park with this Bourbon Barbecue Sauce recipe. It seems like the perfect blend of flavors that will compliment just about anything cooked outside.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, minced
¼ green bell pepper, chopped
⅔ cup chili sauce
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup bourbon
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. cayenne

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and bell pepper; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in chili sauce, sugar, bourbon, Worcestershire, vinegar, honey, mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper, coriander, and cayenne; simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 29, 2014

Bacon Sausage Rolls Perfect For The Grill

by Mr. B. Originally from: Bacon Today

If you haven’t heard of Big Fork Bacon Sausage, you don’t know what you’re missing. That’s right, it’s sausage. Made with bacon. Yeah baby! It doesn’t get much better than this.

Big Fork Bacon Sausage is made from nitrite-free, hardwood smoked bacon. It’s made from free-range piggies that are vegetarian fed. They contain no preservatives, MSG, nitrites, hormones, antibiotics or artificial colors or flavors. It’s just all-natural, bacon sausage goodness. Follow them on Facebook andTwitter.

This recipe for Bacon Sausage Rolls highlights the versatility of these sausages. Popular in the UK, sausage rolls are a staple of British cuisine. Once you try these, you’ll want to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

bacon sausage rolls

Bacon Sausage Rolls Perfect For The Grill

Serves: 8-12 appetizers
Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, whipped
1 pack Big Fork Bacon Sausage, raw, casing removed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. If Grilling, set up for raised, indirect.
2. Lay the puff pastry on a floured table. Slightly roll out using a rolling pin.
3. Brush the top of the puff pastry with the egg.
4. Roll the bacon sausage into a log almost the same length as the puff pastry sheet.
5. Wrap the puff pastry around the sausage log and press as necessary to seal the puff pastry around the sausage. Once sealed, wrap the log in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 20 min.
6. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and cut into ½ inch slices.
7. Place the slices on a baking sheet and cook for 15 min. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 min. prior to serving.

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 27, 2014

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 26, 2014

James Kearney submitted his BBQ photo and we selected his Steak and Planked Salmon as our BBQ Dragon photo of the week! Send us your best BBQ photo’s or what you are grilling to join James as our photo of the week winner!

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 22, 2014

BACON BOURBON BBQ CHICKEN KEBABS

So Morgan over at Host the Toast blog just shared this Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs recipe and frankly I am speechless! I just cannot wait to make this over the weekend and hope you are as excited as we are!

I once thought that recipes including bacon were pretty straight forward. You’d just fry up some meaty goodness in its own fat, crumble it up if you’d like, and mix it in. Then I found out about Bacon Jam, and then about using bacon grease in soups, and most recently, Bacon Paste. It’s a whole new world. (I’m just brimming with Disney references today.)

Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs. Probably the best grilled recipe EVER.

Bacon Paste sounds… eh… interesting to say the least, I know. When I first read about it, I imagined it coming out of a squeeze bottle and spread on toast, or something like that. But don’t worry, that is not the case!

Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs. Probably the best grilled recipe EVER.

Instead, to make Bacon Paste, we combine bacon and a bunch of our favorite spices in a food processor and then spread that stuff all over some chicken thighs before grilling them up. It’s even better than you’re imagining.

Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs. Probably the best grilled recipe EVER.

No, really. The bacon adds so much flavor and juiciness to the chicken, and when topped off with a little bourbon-infused barbecue sauce, there’s nothing better. My family demands that I make these again– not just once, but all summer long– because they are that good. They won’t have to ask me twice.

5-9-14-123

I think these kebabs would be perfect for Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July… any holiday where you can grill… pool parties… graduation parties… Mondays… I mean just make up reasons to make these if you have to. You need to try them.

BACON BOURBON BBQ CHICKEN KEBABS

PRINT

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

24 mins

TOTAL TIME

39 mins

Recipe slightly adapted from The Slow Roasted Italian

Author: Morgan

INGREDIENTS

16 oz barbecue sauce
¼ cup bourbon
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
6 slices raw bacon, cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS

Light the grill and heat to medium-high
In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce and bourbon. Mix well.
In a food processor, combine the kosher salt, white pepper, onion powder, paprika, dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, and bacon. Pulse until completely smooth.
Put the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl and then rub with the bacon paste. Once well-coated, thread the chicken thigh pieces onto skewers (pre-soaked, if they’re wooden).
Place the kebabs on the preheated grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until nearly cooked through.
Brush the kebabs with the bourbon barbecue sauce and cook for an additional minute on each side.
Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 20, 2014

SHOW US BBQ PHOTOS

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 19, 2014

Make In and Out Style Burgers At Home

Food Network Magazine did a fantastic recipe on how to make In and Out style burgers at home. The animal style burger is my personal favorite (with a few modifications of course) and I get at least one every time I am within a reasonable distance to an In and Out Burger location. Now after I have learned to make In and Out Style Burgers at home, I only have to travel to my local grocery store to get an In and Out Burger fix.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
2 large onions, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
2 pounds ground beef chuck (preferably 60 percent lean)
4 hamburger buns, split
1/4 cup sliced dill pickles
3/4 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
4 to 8 thin slices tomato
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup yellow mustard
8 slices American cheese

Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and 3/4 teaspoon salt, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft, about 30 minutes. (If the onions brown too quickly, reduce the heat to low.) Uncover, increase the heat to medium high and continue to cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 8 more minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, stirring, until the water evaporates, about 2 more minutes; transfer to a bowl and set aside. (The onions can be made up to 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate, then reheat before using.)

Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish and vinegar in a bowl; set aside. Shape the beef into 8 patties, about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat; lightly brush with vegetable oil. Toast the buns on the griddle, split-side down. Spread each toasted bun bottom with about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture, then top with a few pickles, some lettuce, 1 or 2 slices tomato and another dollop of the mayonnaise mixture; set aside. (Keep the griddle hot.)

Season both sides of the patties with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, put the patties on the griddle and cook 3 minutes. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard on the uncooked side of each patty, then flip and top each with 1 slice cheese; continue cooking about 2 more minutes for medium doneness. Top 4 of the patties with caramelized onions, then cover with the remaining patties, cheese-side up. Sandwich the double patties on the buns.

Read more here at: Food Network

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 13, 2014

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Grilling watermelon makes it warm and caramelized on the outside while leaving it refreshing and crunchy on the inside. Chef Brian Moyers serves this all summer at BLT Steak in Los Angeles. Try it once, and you’ll be serving it all summer at backyard cookouts.

from: Food Republic or Read more here

Ingredients

watermelon (red and yellow seedless, cut into 3″ by 1″ rectangles)
rolls
goat cheese
arugula (wild, washed well and dried)
spring onions (sliced paper thin on mandolin and put in ice water)
lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
extra-virgin olive oil
balsamic reduction (balsamic vinegar reduced over low heat until syrupy)
basil oil, (quickly blanch basil, squeeze out excess with a towel, then blend with grape seed oil and strain through coffee filter)

Directions:

Preheat grill.
Lightly season both color watermelon (one of each color per person) with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Grill the watermelon for 30 second then flip and grill other side for 30 seconds until you get nice grill marks but the watermelon will not be to hot in the center.
Set to the side while quickly preparing the salad.
In a mixing bowl combine (per person) a handful of arugula, a couple pieces of spring onion, a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper.
For each salad cut each watermelon into three square pieces and alternate them on a plate with the goat cheese balls.
Place the dressed arugula salad in the center of each plate.
Drizzle the basil oil & balsamic reduction over the watermelon and goat cheese.

Level of Difficulty:

Moderate

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

5 minutes

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 11, 2014

Grilled Lobster Tail for Mothers Day

Grilled Lobster Tails

This grilled lobster tail for mothers day is perfect for any occasion. If you don’t have a lot of experience grilling shellfish, then this easy recipe is for you. See more here

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 19 minutes

Yield: Serves 3 to 6

Ingredients:

6 lobster tails
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Cut lobster tails in half lengthwise, exposing flesh. Combine remaining ingredients in small mixing bowl. Brush mixture onto flesh side of lobster tails. Place lobster onto grill and cook for 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster tail. Make sure to turn once during cooking process. Remove from heat and serve.

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 10, 2014

Grilled Mushroom Merlot Burger

Grilled Mushroom Merlot Burger, what’s not to love?

All fantastic flavors that work well cooked over charcoal, hot coals, or however you like to grill burgers.

Recipe as seen in The Healthy Beef Cookbook, published by John Wiley & Sons. Find it here.

Total recipe time: 55 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (95% lean)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 large portobello mushrooms
4 slices French bread, cut diagonally 1/2 inch thick
2 ounces goat cheese (1/2 cup)
4 romaine lettuce leaves
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Sauce:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 cup Sutter Home Family Vineyards Merlot
1/4 cup ready-to-serve beef broth
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
1. To prepare sauce, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add shallots; cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until caramelized. Stir in wine, broth and thyme. Cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Combine butter and flour; whisk into sauce. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover; keep warm.

2. Combine ground beef, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties. Set aside.

3. Place mushrooms on grid over medium, ash-covered coals; grill, uncovered, 16 to 18 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. About 10 minutes before mushrooms are done, move mushrooms to outer edge of grid. Place patties in center of grid; grill 11 to 13 minutes until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally. Place bread slices on grid; grill until toasted, turning once

4. Reheat sauce, if necessary. Spread 1/2 of cheese on toasted bread slices. Top each with lettuce leaf, mushroom and burger; drizzle evenly with sauce. Crumble remaining goat cheese over tops; sprinkle with parsley, as desired

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 8, 2014

Easy Bacon Making Recipe- Making Bacon at Home

Yep- we love bacon as much as you do! But to keep up with the demand, I think we will try making bacon at home to keep our pantry stocked. Pork Belly is not that hard to find and that is a good thing. Because Meathead over at Amazing Ribs once again has shown us some knowledge when he shows off how easy it is to be making bacon at home. Click here for the recipe:

Maple Bacon with pink salt

Time. 2 hours prep, seven days of curing, 2 hours of smoking.
Makes. About 25 thick slices

Ingredients
1 pound of pork belly
1 1/2 teaspoons Morton’s kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Prague powder #1 (pink curing salt #1)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
1/4 cup water

Get the rest of the recipe directions for making bacon at home here.

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 6, 2014

A Gourmet Hot Dog for me can be a variety of things depending on the mood I am in. If I go somewhere that has a gourmet hot dog, I will often try one, and go with an old standby as a fall back just in case the fancy one does not work out. A gourmet hot dog does not have to be overly fancy, but it does have to taste good! Check out how these guys go on a quest to create a perfect topping for the gourmet hot dog.

Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings à la Andrew and Jack

While on the road this season, Andrew stopped off at his favorite open-air grocery store, the St. Paul Farmers’ Market, where he met up with Butcher & the Boar chef Jack Riebel for an old-fashioned throw-down. Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings

The object? The best tasting hot dog. The challenge? Search the market high and low for ingredients to cook up the most unique, most innovative and most tasty gourmet hot dog topping. Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings

The judges? St. Paul’s finest. The winner? Read on …Both top about a half-dozen dogs.

Andrew’s Spicy Harvest Chutney: 2 shallots 2 stalks wild celery 1 tablespoon brown sugar Handful baby cherry tomatoes One-quarter honeydew melon Few sprigs dill 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Pinch salt Pinch pepperJack’s Green Pie Apple Chutney 1 green pie apple 1 cucumber 1 yellow tomato 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Few squeezes local honey

Directions for Andrew’s Spicy Harvest Chutney: Sauté shallots, wild celery and brown sugar together. Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings

Once translucent, combine with tomatoes melon, dill, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss.Serve with stone-ground mustard.Directions for Jack’s Green Pie Apple Chutney: Chop. Sauté. Et voilà! Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings

Hot dog throw-down result: an honest-to-goodness tie.

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 5, 2014

If you enjoy a good steak, chances are that a grilled t-bone steak is one of your favorites! Check out this easy to make BBQ Rub for the next time you grill up some steaks. Using the BBQ Dragon is a fantastic way to get your charcoal to the temperature you like quickly and easily.

Total recipe time: 25 minutes
Makes 4 servings

BBQ Rub For a T-Bone Steak

2 to 4 beef T-Bone or Porterhouse steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 2 to 4 pounds)
Salt

BBQ Rub:

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Instructions

Combine BBQ Rub ingredients; press evenly onto beef steaks.
Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 16 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 15 to 19 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Remove bones and carve steaks into slices, if desired. Season with salt, as desired
Enjoy

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 4, 2014

Killer Hogs BBQ has been letting the competition have it on the BBQ circuit for some time now. As of now, they have 14 BBQ competitions scheduled on the 2014 calendar with no plans of going home empty handed. Check out how Malcom and the crew make competition style bbq sauce that is a winner on the BBQ circuit.

Killer Hogs BBQ’s Competition-Style BBQ Sauce Recipe

This is my recipe for my sweet and spicy barbecue sauce that I use at competition bbq cooks. Plus, it makes a great base to start your own BBQ sauce.

You can make this recipe and then add a few more ingredients to make it your own… or you can use it as-is (that’s what I do)!

16 oz Tomato Sauce
16 oz Ketchup
12 oz Chili Sauce
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Honey
1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBS Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Dry Rub
1 TBS Hot Sauce

In a large pot combine the above ingredients over medium heat.

Be sure to stir really well to incorporate the brown sugar and dry spices.

Simmer for 30 minutes and stir often.

I use this recipe for BBQ Ribs, BBQ Chicken and Pork Butt or Pork Shoulder at all the BBQ contests I cook. And it’s really great for pulled pork at home!

Red-Hot Charcoal · May 2, 2014

Grilling is a fantastic way to bring a lot of flavor to dinner while keeping things Lo-Carb. These Lo-Carb Grilled Jalapeño poppers are an amazing way to bring grilled flavor, while keeping it Lo-Carb.

Making these Lo-Carb stuffed jalapeños could not be easier, but I advise you take a few precautions. First off, wear disposable gloves. When handling spicy peppers, the oils can sink into your skin and wreak havoc if you end up rubbing your eyes or any other part of your body. By pretty much coring the jalapeno’s, removing the seeds and any internal white membrane it will make the peppers a little less spicy. I like to stuff with a mixture of cream cheese and sharp vermont cheddar and then wrap with bacon. Thinly sliced bacon works well, but if you have thick bacon just roast longer with a lower temperature. Here I roasted raised direct with a drip tray that also does double duty as a bit of a heat shield. I used the BBQ dragon to stabilize my Big Green Egg at about 350F. They cooked for about 55 min. You are left with a spicy, sweet treat. If done correctly, I guarantee you will not have made enough of these Lo-Carb grilled jalapeno’s.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 30, 2014

Crawfish Stuffed Grilled Alligator

I lose sleep at night thinking about new and different things to cook on the grill or backyard barbecue. But this crawfish stuffed grilled alligator BBQ Pit Boys cooked up is turning me into an insomniac with new ideas!

This beautiful looking (and probably tasting) dish is a skinned 5-foot alligator filled with a crawfish-based stuffing. Crawfish Stuffed Grilled Alligator is the creation of the BBQ Pit Boys, a barbecuing federation that teaches members how to cook food properly. The alligator was the centerpiece of a full Cajun gourmet meal that also included poboys, stuffed red snapper, and deep fried oysters.

I’ve had barbecued pork, chicken, turkey, and beef, but never alligator. The narrator says that it has the consistency of pork and the taste of chicken. That squares with my experience of baked alligator. By John Farrier – Check out more here

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 29, 2014

If you don’t already know, the BBQ Dragon is a fantastic tool to get your coals red hot for putting a hard sear on tasty meat, but have you ever heard of a reverse sear? Using Grilling Montana’s reverse sear method, you learn how to grill the perfect steak every time!

Grilling Montana’s How to Grill the Perfect Steak Every Time- Reverse Sear Method

When you set out to order a steak, it makes a statement. It says, “I am a go-getter, and I get what I deserve.” Not only does the steak evoke opulence, but winning a set of steak knives implies you have won the pinnacle of all prizes. Or at least the pinnacle of all consolation prizes.

Because the steak brings such strong emotion, when you are making a steak on the grill, there really is little room for error. If the steak is underdone, a fleshy pink center becomes a rubbery red chew toy that is hard to swallow. Keep the steak on the flame too long, and its overcooked, grey interior becomes as appealing as a rain delay at the ballpark. But if you have the skills to cook your steak somewhere in between the temperatures of fire and ice, you take the guesswork out of what flavors and texture you will achieve and end up with a steak that is simply sublime.

I have found that the best way to achieve steak perfection is through the use of a roasting thermometer. The method is often referred to as a reverse sear and it is the key to getting consistent results. This is how I reverse sear a steak:

Take your steak out of the refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature for about 45 minutes.
I like to trim off any silver skin that is easily accessible and will often cut off and discard any excessive bits of fat as well.
Get your grill heating up and make some preparations for cooking. Plan on having your grill stabilized at about 350F when you begin cooking.
Season your meat about 10 minutes before you begin cooking. I like to use a combination of a pre-made steak seasoning flavored with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and a favorite meat rub that has nuances of coriander, cumin, and coffee flavors. Seasoning is simply a matter of preference and at times salt and cracked black pepper simply works best. A word of caution to initially be sparing when using seasonings and rubs with salt added. The salt can often overpower the other flavors.
Insert a digital meat-roasting thermometer halfway up the thickness of the steak and slide it into the meat as close to the center as possible.
Because digital meat roasting thermometer probes are often 4 inches or longer, when inserted in the middle and center of the meat, you get a relatively consistent temperature reading throughout.
The meat will initially be roasted, and then seared before service. Start by roasting the meat indirectly, or not sitting it directly over the flames until your desired temperature is achieved.
My grill does not allow me to easily roast the meat near or next to the flame, so I have found that I can achieve the same effect by raising the steak vertically away from the flame. This allows the meat to roast and heat up without being directly charred until I am ready.
The Meat Temperature and Doneness Chart has beef steak cooked medium rare at 135F. Meat will continue to cook after it is off of the heat so I like to roast my steak to about 125F and pull the meat off the grill to rest.
Remove the meat thermometer and let the meat rest on a plate, covered with foil for a good 10 minutes. This allows the juices to re-distribute.
Resist all temptation to cut into the meat and instead go back to your grill and raise the heat. After the meat has rested, the grill should be between 500 and 600F, an ideal temperature for searing.
Searing the meat at a high temperature will give it a beautiful crust, additional grilled flavor, and fabulous grill marks. I hot sear the steaks at the high temperature for about one minute a side. Be sure to take precautions when searing at the higher temperature. Long tongs and gloves for hand protection are a good idea.
Plate the steak and serve!

By monitoring the internal temperature of the meat you know that it will be cooked to your desired doneness. Allowing the meat to roast slowly enhances the flavor of the meat while keeping it juicy. The reverse sear method takes the guesswork out of grilling the perfect steak. Now if I can just figure out how to pick the perfect glass of wine to go with it.

Check out more of what Grilling Montana is cooking using his BBQ Dragon over at his page GrillingMontana.com

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 28, 2014

Smoking Ribs 101

Mike and the guys over at Code3Spices have been putting out amazing competition rubs and spices for a few years now. What is fantastic about these rubs and spices is that they are so ideal for whatever you are prepared to BBQ. On top of that, Code3Spices is sharing a portion of the proceeds with charitable organizations that the men and women of the badge and armed forces benefit from directly. Check out how the crew at Code3Spices prep and are smoking ribs and learn how they do it here at BBQ Dragon.com, Competition style!

The guys at work have been wanting me to bring in some BBQ, and since I didn’t have a post on smoking ribs, I figured this was the perfect time to show everyone the basics of smoking ribs.

Smoking ribs are the most fun to do because there are hundreds of flavors that you can use. You can read articles for days about which ingredients are the best to use, but when it comes down to it, everyone does the same basic steps. The flavor profile is the main thing that differentiates a good rib from a bad rib.

I had been buying my ribs from Kelly’s 4-0 in Troy, IL, but since they always sell repackaged ribs, I decided to try the Novacich Meat Market in Collinsville. When I walked in, I saw that they had fresh pork ribs sitting in the cooler. Ribs are not particularly expensive, and that day they were on sale for $2.59/lb. The nice part is that the guy behind the counter removed all of the rib tips, cut them for me, and placed them into their own bag…nice service.

THE PREPERATION

I always like to start my ribs the day before. You find differing opinions on when to prepare ribs, butI find that when I am able to apply the rib rub the day before that it has a much better flavor. I usually start around 24 hours before they go on the smoker.

The first step is to flip the ribs over, and remove the skirt and rib membrane. The skirt is simply a flap of meat on the back of the rib rack. If it isn’t removed, then the ribs will cook uneven because they will be thicker on one end of the rack. Simply lift the skirt up (I can hear you snickering), take a knife and just cut that off.

There is a “skin” on the back of the ribs. Again, differing opinions, but I find that the ribs are not as tender if it isn’t removed. This part is the biggest pain to do, but I think it makes the biggest difference. In order to remove the membrane, take a knife or flat head screwdriver and insert underneath the membrane of the first bone to get it started

Once you have the skirt and membrane removed, you will want to trim any more visible fat. There is enough fat in the ribs that you want to trim the extra that you see. Before you start with any spices, you will want your ribs to look similar to below

Now is the time to start getting your rib rub put onto the ribs. I like to take a basic store bought rib rub and add flavor (such as cayenne) to get it to what I like.

Once they are rubbed, they are ready to go into the fridge. I cover them in foil and let them sit over night.

Once you have those done, you can start on the rib tips. When you buy a rack of ribs, there is a bone connected to the top that needs to be removed. This is actually part of the sternum which is in between each set of ribs. I follow the same process in that I trim the extra fat and then apply the rib rub.

I use the rib tips as an appetizer. They will smoke faster than the rack of ribs, and will be done way early. It gives you an early taste of what you are preparing.

THE COOK

Once the ribs have sat overnight, they are ready to go on the smoker. Each rack of ribs is different, but you can assume about 6-7 hours for a slow smoke anywhere between 225 and 275 degrees.

Since I was doing 5 racks of ribs, I used a rib rack because of space limitations on my smoker, I have a pretty big smoker, but it was a colder day out and the smoker wasn’t holding heat like I wanted it to. About once an hour for the first four hours, I will spray the ribs down with a mix of apple juice and apple cider vinegar. At the same time, I add some more wood chunks for smoke, but this will also help bring your temperatures back up. I like to use a mixure of apple and cherry wood chunks. They aren’t as harsh as mesquite or hickory, so there really isn’t a chance that you would have too much smoke, which would make the ribs bitter.

This is apparently the point where I also started to forget to take pictures. The next time I do ribs, I will take more pictures of the smoking process. Here the ribs are about 2 hours into the smoke:

Depending on where you live, there is an argument for dry ribs, sauced ribs, and ribs with a glaze. I like to do either dry (and allow the guests to add sauce if they feel necesarry) or I do a glaze, which I think gives it a great flavor. The glaze is sweet, so with the rub, you have a mixture of sweet and heat. For this recipe, I found a glaze recipe online which looked good. It contained apple juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, and a little barbecue sauce.

Be aware that if you choose the glaze or sauce route, that both of these contain sugar and will burn if left on the smoker too long. During the last 3o minutes, I apply the glaze about ever 10 minutes to give them a nice coating. Once the ribs hit between 180 and 190 degrees, they are ready to pull off the smoker. When you are done, you should have something like below:

After you take the ribs off the smoker, let them sit about 15 minutes to rest, and then slice between each bone. You will have some of the most tender ribs you have ever had. Get your place together, add the sides and you are ready to eat.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 26, 2014

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 26, 2014

Cedar Planked Grilled Lobster Tails

The charcoal grill is a great place to prepare lobster tails. This cedar planked grilled lobster tail recipe is easy and full of flavor. The folks over at Outdoor Gourmet show us how it is done!

Cedar Planked Lobster Tails Lobster Tails on a Cedar Plank with Chive Lemon Aioli

Ingredients

1 6″ x12″ cedar plank
5 6-8oz raw lobster tails
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Fresh chives roughly chopped
Salt and pepper

Method

Soak cedar grilling plank in water for at least one hour.

Preheat grill to 400Fº.

Cedar Planked Lobster Tails

Turn the lobster tails leg side up and carefully cut down the center cutting only the shell. Season with salt and pepper.

Cedar Planked Lobster Tails

Place the lemon slices on the plank and sprinkle with chives. Place lobster legs side down on top and move to the grill, closing the lid.

Cedar Planked Lobster Tails

After 10-12 minutes the plank will be smoking and the lobster meat will be firm in a bright red shell. Remove from grill.

Cedar Planked Lobster Tails

The tail meat can be pulled out of the shell after a few minutes to cool. We ate ours with Chive lemon aioli.

Chive lemon aioli
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 cup olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Handful fresh chives
Pinch of salt

Place eggs in a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds, with the machine still running very slowly add the oil in a thin stream. When the oil is incorporated the aioli will have thickened. Add lemon juice, chives and salt. Blitz until smooth.

Welcome To Your Weekend

~Chef Matt

Photo Credit: Ryan Zimer

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 25, 2014

After you’ve made this quick and easy chipotle en adobo sauce once, you’ll want to slather it on grilled chicken, steak, pork chops…you might never go back to the bottled stuff. I created it to top the Cheyenne burger, which was inspired by a rodeo I once went to in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I was thinking its layers of smoked cheddar, spicy barbecue sauce, and crisp fried onions would bring out the cowboy in anyone.–Bobby Flay

This thick, cling-to-your-ribs-or-burger, chipotle en adobo sauce has a sweetly spicy, sigh-inducing note that wooed us from the very first spoonful. And the second. And the third…

BOBBY FLAY’S CHIPOTLE en ADOBO BARBECUE SAUCE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
1 smallish onion, coarsely chopped (preferably a Spanish or other sweet onion)
3 small cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or substitute sherry vinegar)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 canned chipotle en adobo, chopped (note that this is 1 chipotle pepper from a can of peppers, not 1 can of peppers)
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon sweet Spanish paprika (pimentón)
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon molasses
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ketchup and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chipotle chile, ancho chile powder, paprika, brown sugar, honey, and molasses and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 10 minutes or until thickened. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
3. Scrape the barbecue sauce into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth or until the desired consistency. The sauce will be quite, quite thick. Let cool to room temperature. Taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly. You can start dousing and dolloping right away, although if you wait overnight you’ll be rewarded with a more complex, three-dimensional taste. (You can cover and refrigerate the sauce for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Read more about this and other cool recipes at http://leitesculinaria.com/81549/recipes-bobby-flays-barbecue-sauce.html#Omh8WjAOVDSGZVpG.99

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 23, 2014

These stuffed burgers really get my juices flowing! When I found the recipe here, I thought how fun it would be to fire up the grill and make these Bacon, Onion, and Cheese Stuffed Burgers this weekend if the weather looks good.

Now- I am starting to think I will make them regardless of the weather!

Stuffed Burger Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 burgers

1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 hamburger buns, split

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, salt, black pepper, barbeque sauce and garlic powder using your hands. Taking a small handful at a time (approximately 1/4 pound), shape into 12 patties. Lay patties out on a cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap; place patties in the refrigerator.
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Turn the heat down to medium and pan fry the onions in the remaining bacon drippings until soft and translucent and just beginning to brown. Mix together onions and bacon in a small bowl.
Prepare a grill or large skillet for medium heat.
As the grill heats, pull beef patties out of the refrigerator; top 6 of the patties with 1- 1/2 tablespoons of the bacon and onion mixture each, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Top each with one of the remaining patties and press the edges together to seal.
Grill or pan fry the stuffed and sealed patties until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve on hamburger buns with condiments of your choice.

Using a combination of charcoal, and the BBQ Dragon will add additional flavor to your stuffed burgers! What is the most outrageous thing you can think of to put inside your stuffed burger?

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 22, 2014

Do you love Texas style brisket? Me too! AmazingRibs.com really did the homework when they shared the in’s and outs of Texas style brisket. If you check out his article on Texas style brisket, it is interesting how many delicious ways it can be enjoyed. One thing I found particularly surprising is that simplicity is often considered the way to go when you season your Texas style brisket.

I do like a little more pizzazz than just salt and pepper so I am looking forward to trying out Meathead’s Big Bad Beef Rub the next time I pick up a packer. Using the BBQ Dragon helps get your BBQ to the temperature you want it so you can enjoy Texas style brisket wherever you are!

Big Bad Beef Rub Recipe

Makes. About half a cup
Preparation time. About 10 minutes

Ingredients
3 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili or ancho powder
1 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne powder

About the black pepper. Lately I’ve been grinding my black pepper and then sifting it. I use the coarse stuff, and put the fine stuff in a pepper shaker.

About the chile powders. I’m looking for complexity with two different flavors and two different levels of heat. Most American chili powders and ancho powders do not have a lot of heat, but good flavor. In fact, ancho is usually in a lot of American chili powders. Go with ancho if you can find it. It has a nice raisiny character. With chipotle or cayenne I’m after a kiss of heat. Chipotle has better flavor though.

Do this
1) Mix the ingredients together in a bowl.

2) Lightly oil the meat with vegetable oil. Many of the flavors in the rub are oil soluble and the oil helps penetrate the meat. So does the salt, so don’t leave it out. Spread the rub generously on beef brisket, not so thick on other, thinner cuts. You can apply it just before cooking, no need to let it marinate overnight. Fact is, like marinades, only the salt in rubs penetrates deep into the meat. The rest can’t get far past the surface.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 19, 2014

Poblano and Cheddar Elk Burgers with a Flavorful Twist

It is not often enough that people send me pictures and stories about what they are cooking on the grill. I love to hear about what others have grilling and especially when they add some local flavor to the fire. Jeremy and I knew each other two decades ago while living in Vermont’s rural Northeast Kingdom and attending Lyndon State College. It was a pleasant surprise to hear that he had also been living in the rocky mountains for some time and working in Boulder Colorado.

Recently, Jeremy made this poblano and cheddar elk burger with a flavorful twist and I thought it looked fantastic.

Ingredients:

2 lbs elk

1cup cheddar

3 strips of bacon minced to a paste

2 tablespoons sweet mesquite posse

1 tablespoon prepared dry rub

1 teaspoon chili powder

6 roasted poblano chilies cleaned and chopped

Panko breadcrumbs

Getting the coals hot with the BBQ Dragon

Start by making your bacon paste. Put three strips of bacon in the freezer for 15 minutes. Put the mostly frozen strips of bacon on a cutting board and cut into fine pieces over and over. As the bacon warms up and the pieces continue to get cut a paste like consistency will form. When added to the elk, it will bring additional flavor and moisture to the burgers. The bacon paste goes into a large mixing bowl with the cheddar, chilies, and rubs. The dry rub used here was a combination of sweet and heat with nuances of ground chills and brown sugar. The sweet mesquite posse seasoning is the same one I get from Costco. Mix all the ingredients together well and then add your elk meat. I prefer to mix the elk with the other ingredients by using my hands because I feel all of the spices and flavors get distributed more evenly in the meat than any other method. Adding the panko breadcrumbs is where you need to make a bit of a judgment call. You probably want to add at least a cup of the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the moisture from the poblano chilies and add body to the burger, but you do not want the breadcrumbs to take center stage. Grill over raised direct heat until meat is cooked thru.

With the brightness that the poblano chilies add to the cheddar elk burgers, Jeremy recommends a Happy Camper IPA from Santa Fe, New Mexico to wash it down with. I could not agree more. See this and other tales from the grill over at Grilling Montana.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 19, 2014

Grilled Spiced Spiral Ham with Citrus Glaze

Ingredients

6 to 7 pound fully-cooked bone-in spiral ham, trimmed
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup lemon marmalade, *
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

Cooking Directions

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-hot (375 to 425 degrees F). Prepare the grill for indirect cooking: For a gas grill, turn off the center burner; for a charcoal grill, bank the coals on either side; place a drip pan under the grate between the heat sources.

Score a diamond pattern into the spiral ham, about 1/8-inch deep into any fat. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the ham. Place the ham, flat side down, in the center of the grill over the drip pan. Cover and cook, adding briquettes to a charcoal grill as necessary to maintain the heat, until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours or 15 to 18 minutes per pound.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the marmalade, orange juice, and sugar.

Brush the marmalade mixture over the spiral ham. Cover and grill 5 minutes, until the glaze is lightly caramelized. Remove the ham from the grill, transfer to a cutting board, and let rest 15 to 30 minutes.

* If you can’t find lemon marmalade, substitute another citrus marmalade.

Serves 12-14

– See more at: Pork- Be Inspired

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 19, 2014

If you are still coming up with ideas for a great appetizer this weekend, then look no further than these grilled Beef and Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. Quick, and easy to make, they pack a wallop of flavor and can be prepared in advance and grilled just before service. Using your BBQ Dragon to get your grill up to temperature and quickly stabilized is the secret ingredient to these grilled Beef and Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms!

Total recipe time: 40-50 minutes
Makes 36 – 40 mushrooms

Ingredients

1/2 pound Ground Beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
36 to 40 small button or cremini mushrooms (about 1-1/2 to 2-inch diameter)
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup soft whole wheat bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced chives
1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning blend
Minced fresh chives (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat and stabilize grill to 375°F. Remove and reserve stems from mushrooms. Season mushroom caps with salt; set aside. Mince stems to yield 1/2 cup; discard remaining stems.
Combine Ground Beef, minced stems, blue cheese, bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons chives and steak seasoning. Spoon beef mixture evenly into mushrooms.
Place stuffed mushrooms on rack in broiler pan. Roast in 375°F grill 15 to 20 minutes over indirect heat. Sprinkle with additional chives, if desired.

Check out this recipe and others from the Montana Beef Council: -click here

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 18, 2014

Northwest Alder-Plank Grilled Salmon

Native Americans have been cooking salmon over roaring fires in the Pacific Northwest for quite some time. The combination of fresh salmon and alder wood makes a smooth and savory taste with nuances of the forrest. Although you could prepare whole salmon over a roaring fire like they do here in Tillicum Indian Village, using one of these alder grill planks is a much more manageable way to get the same wonderful flavor from your fish.

Ingredients

1 Alder grilling plank
1 Salmon fillet
½ Cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chile powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
½ Teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ Teaspoon salt Lemon

Instructions

Soak grilling plank in water for at least one hour, and up to eight hours.

Preheat grill or oven to medium-high, or 400ºF (190ºC).

Mix brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt together. Rub mixture on salmon.

Add to grill or oven. *When grilling salmon, keep the grill lid closed during cooking.

Cook until internal temperature of salmon reaches 145ºF (63ºC), or for about 20 minutes.

Remove from grill and serve on the plank with plenty lemon.

*Keep a spray bottle of water at hand for dousing flare-ups on the grill.

Keep your backyard barbecue, fire pit, or charcoal cooker at the temperature you desire with the BBQ Dragon! Buy one here-

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 17, 2014

Georgia Style Barbecue Rub Recipe

I am told that Georgia Barbecue has a style and flavor of it’s own. Known for pork and whole hog barbecue, enthusiasts of Georgia barbecue think that it is hands down the best of the bunch. The next time you want to get some pork going on your barbecue, give this Georgia barbecue style seasoning rub a whirl. It may become your favorite too!

Georgia Style Barbecue Rub Recipe

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Paprika

4 T Coarse Salt

3 T Coarse Pepper

2 t Onion Powder

2 t Garlic Powder

2 t Celery Seed

1 t Cayenne Pepper

Mix all ingredients and keep stored in an airtight container.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 15, 2014

GRILLED CRAB CAKE RECIPE

Crab cakes can easily be made on the grill picking up lots of flavor from the charcoal

Grilled Crab Cake Recipe

1 can Jumbo Lump crab or fresh crab if you can get your hands on it

1 egg

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

12 ritz crackers crushed fine

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Sriracha (or less based on your preference)

Combine all ingredients except crab, panko, and cracker crumbs in a large bowl. Whisk all ingredients together until you get a smooth wet mixture. Be sure to have the mayo and egg well incorporated. Fold crab meat into wet mixture taking care not to break up the lump crab as best you can. Sprinkle half the breadcrumbs and cracker crumbs on to mixture and fold again. Repeat with remaining crumbs. Form cakes with delicate care and try not to over handle. Bake at 350 until golden brown 20-25 min. Baking on parchment paper is not a bad idea. Also cooks fantastic on a grill over indirect heat.

What is so great about making crab cakes on the grill is the delicious flavor they develop. Using the BBQ Dragon will keep your crab cakes in the temperature zone you want so they are crispy and flavorful.

Check out more fun recipes for on the grill here-

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 14, 2014

Devils Sauce- An Easy To Make Steak Sauce Recipe

Have you tried your hand at making your own BBQ Sauce yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

Check out this easy to make recipe that takes only 25 min to prepare!

Read more about the recipe here: Devils Sauce

Original recipe makes 1 /2 cup

2 tablespoons raspberry jam
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato sauce

2 tablespoons malt vinegar
5 drops hot pepper sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a saucepan over high heat, blend raspberry jam, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, malt vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 13, 2014

I am in the minority on this one, but I just have NEVER liked eggs. Now pizza and bacon on the other hand are right up my alley! Even though I don’t do the egg thing, I do think these bacon and egg pizzas look delicious! Brian over at WinnipEGGHeads made this fantastic looking pizza that I would be proud to serve guests any old time!

Brian cooked these pizzas at 600F and mentions he had a hard time sustaining that temperature for this cook. One of the great things about your BBQ Dragon is how you can adjust the speed of the Dragon and cook your pizza at almost any temperature you wish!

BACON & EGG PIZZA

One Sunday morning, we decided that for brunch instead of just doing bacon & eggs, we would do them pizza-style on the Big Green Egg.

You will need:

Pizza Dough (your own recipe or ours)
Onion (sliced)
Bacon, cooked (as much as you like)
2 Eggs
Tomato (sliced)
Asiago Cheese
Olive Oil

We started by cooking up some bacon caramelized some amazing onions in the cast iron skillet while the pizza dough was rising.

Everything all kind of came together at the same time… the onions finished caramelizing, the dough finished rising, the bacon finished cooking and the Egg was up to temp and holding steady, so we finally got the pizzas going.

First on was some plain old EVOO and then some bacon

Then came the onions and then the tomatoes

Then some grated Asiago cheese

Next came the fresh cracked egg…

We then put on the Big Green Egg, one at a time. I didn’t do a good job cleaning the charcoal properly from the 2 previous cooks, so the Big Green Egg was having a hard time getting over 600F. We used the Super Peel for putting the pizza on the BGE and it worked great!!! We thought we might lose the raw egg, but it was perfect.

Now at this point the bottom of the crust was perfect, but because I was lazy in my fire starting and Egg cleaning we couldn’t the Big Green Egg hot enough to cook the actual egg on the pizza. I don’t like a runny egg, so I put it under the oven broiler while we cooked Jackie’s pizza.

Here are the finished Brunch Pizzas, my egg is now cooked more how I like, while Jackie’s was good and runny… what she calls “nature’s sauce”.

For next time I would get creative and maybe add some fresh herbs (basil seems like a natural fit) or you could even make a hollandaise sauce for it.

Happy Egging!
Brian

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 12, 2014

AmazingRibs.com shows how to cure a ham with an easy to make brine. Getting your cooker or smoker fired up with the BBQ Dragon is just as easy!

By Meathead Goldwyn

If you cure and smoke a ham and serve it fresh it will taste better than the best commercial ham you’ve ever tasted.

There are two methods of curing, dry or wet. To dry cure, you mix up your salt and spice mix and coat the meat and hang it in a temperature and humidity controlled space. If you don’t do everything right, the meat will spoil. Wet curing is more even, thorough, reliable, and easy.

Before you get started, I recommend you read my article on the Zen of hams, my article on cooking ham on the grill, and my article on the Zen of salt for background.

You will need a five gallon food grade bucket. It must be food grade if it is plastic, and if it is metal in cannot be aluminum. If it is not food grade, you can use five gallon food grade bucket liners if your bucket is not food grade. A very clean beer cooler will also work.

Makes. 1 whole ham
Takes. 10 to 14 days to cure

Ingredients
1 whole fresh ham, 15 to 20 pounds with skin
3 gallons cold water
4 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
20 ounces by weight of salt (about 2 1/2 cups of table salt)
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons pink curing salt #1
6 tablespoons pickling spices

Optional add-ins. Three or four stalks of lemongrass is nice. So is dill.

About the pink curing salt. You can substitute more table salt, but the meat will not have the typical rosy color when cooked, it will be tan. It will taste only slightly different, but it will not keep as long in the refrigerator.

Method
1) Remove the skin and most of the fat. You can use the skin to make cracklins.

2) Put 1 gallon of the water in a pot and add all the ingredients except the ham. Boil for a few minutes until the salts and sugar dissolve. Chill.

3) Get your 5 gallon bucket and add the remaining 2 gallons of cold water and the brine you boiled. Stir.

4) When the brine is chilled, inject the meat in multiple locations with the liquid part of the brine and put it back in the bucket and submerge it. Click here for more on injecting and injectors. If necessary, weight the meat down under a tupperware container filled with water. Put the bucket in the refrigerator and let the meat cure for 10 to 14 days. It should not smell funny or look cloudy or develop a scum.

5) If you don’t plan to use it immediately, smoke it at 325°F until it is 165°F in the deepest part. You can glaze it in the last hour if you wish, but I wait until I am ready to cook and serve it to glaze it. My favorite glazes are Chris Lilly’s Spicy Apricot Glaze or Danny Gaulden’s Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze. Make sure it doesn’t burn. You can refrigerate it for up to two weeks. If you vacuum seal it it will keep longer. Cooking will take 6 hours or more depending on how thick the meat is. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or so, or frozen. You can cut slices and grill ham steaks, or just warm it in the oven. The reason we cook at 325°F is to prevent the stall which will happen at lower temperatures.

If you want to serve it immediately, smoke the ham at 325°F until it is 145°F in the deepest part of the center. This will take up to 5 hours depending on the meat’s thickness. During the last hour, paint it with a glaze. Make sure it doesn’t burn.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 11, 2014

Cedar Wrap Sriracha Shrimp

Know what are really good? Shrimp. Prawns. Langoustines! Know what else is really delicious? Sriracha. Lots of it. I like to use so much Sriracha on my pizza, popcorn, eggs, pasta, or (in this case) shrimp, that it turns a nice bright, peppery, red.

I wanted the easiest possible way to get shrimp and sriracha together in an immediate kind of way. Enter the ever-faithful cedar wraps. Cedar wraps, which are also called cedar papers, are thin sheets of cedar veneer that add smoky, cedar flavor when used on the outdoor barbeque, or cedar flavor when used in the oven. Don’t tell my foodie friends; cedar wraps also work really well in the microwave. Technically, they are supposed to be soaked in water for 10 minutes, but sometimes I just dip the cedar papers in water (or beer in this case), get them wet and they still work fine.

Here’s the recipe that I came up with for my spicy-cedar-shrimp feast:

Ingredients

1lb (about 15) Jumbo Prawns. Shell-on, thawed
5 Cedar wraps/ cedar papers
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
6 Tablespoons Sriracha
2 cloves minced garlic
1 bunch fresh Thai Basil
1 lime

Method

Soak. Soak the cedar wraps in water, beer or wine for 5-10 minutes. We used beer.

Prep. Mix olive oil with Sriracha until it has an even consistency, add garlic. Toss shrimp in the garlic, Sriracha and oil sauce.

Wrap. Add three or four shrimp and some Thai Basil to each cedar wrap. Rolling with the grain of the cedar wrap; wrap the shrimp and tie with butcher’s twine.

Cedar Paper Shrimp ready to wrap up It’s important to leave the shells on the shrimp or prawns when you grill them. They keep the shrimp from drying and seal in the flavor of the Sriracha sauce.

Cedar paper shrimp wrapped and ready to grill Grill. Preheat the grill to 400ºF. Add cedar wraps to the grill. Grill the cedar wraps for between 7-10 minutes, or until they are pink and cooked through.

Cedar paper shrimp on the bbq

Dine. Serve the cedar wraps with a squeeze of lime and enjoy.

Welcome to Your Weekend!

~ EC

These cedar wraps add so much flavor and will impress your dinner guests time and time again! Using the BBQ Dragon to stoke your charcoal fire and cedar wraps to add flavor are a winning combination!

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 10, 2014

5 Ingredients: Roasted Avocado Guacamole

Author: www.wholesome-cook.com

Recipe type: Dip

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 2

While traditionally Jalapenos are used to add a spice factor to the dip, for a nice colour contrast I added red long chilli instead. To help lift the acidity of the dip and keep it green for longer, I also used baby cocktail onions instead of raw onion. Besides raw onion can leave you with bad breath, and I’m sure you don’t want that. As mentioned, you can omit the roasting / grilling step if you don’t have time, but I find that you can pre-heat the oven grill and roast them while getting all your ingredients ready.

Ingredients

For the Roasted Avocado Guacamole:

1 ripe avocado
½ red long chilli (seeds removed if you prefer), chopped finely
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander [cilantro]
5 mini cocktail onions, chopped finely
juice of ½ lime

Instructions

Preheat your oven grill to high (about 200C, 400F). Using the BBQ Dragon will get your coals nice and hot!

To roast the avocado:

Cut avocado in half and remove seed. Place halves, skin side down, on a roasting tray and grill for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

To make Roasted Avocado Guacamole:

Scoop roasted avocado into a bowl.
Add lime juice, chopped chilli, coriander and onions.
Mash around well using a spoon or mortar and pestle.

To serve:

Serve Roasted Avocado Guacamole with a side of corn chips, slices of fresh baguette.

To store:

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days and use on burgers and sandwiches.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 9, 2014

The marinade was incredibly simple to make because most of the ingredients go in the blender before you pour it over pork skewers. I used Raichlen’s recipe as a guide for my marinade with some minor modifications to suit my liking.

The raw pork marinated on the skewers for about two hours before they hit the grill, but I bet you could make them a day in advance without too much harm done if you are prepping for a party.

Lemongrass Pork Satay with Rice and Grilled Portabella Mushrooms

All marinade ingredients go into the blender

Feeling like a fun guy, I put a few heaping tablespoons of the marinade on the concave part of a couple portabella mushrooms and allowed them to pick up the Asian flavors. The pork skewers and mushrooms went on a 450-degree grill and cooked for about 6-8 minutes. As I turned the skewers to evenly cook the pork, they picked up a rich, caramel, charred color and I could smell the oils from the lemongrass releasing their citrusy aroma. When they were done, I dipped some crusty French bread in a mixture of butter, garlic, and paprika before it got grilled to make a rustic grilled crouton to accompany a salad. I plated the skewers with steamed jasmine rice and cut the grilled portabella mushrooms into ribbons, fanning them out on top of the rice. The mushrooms and rice could have stood on their own as an entrée, but with the pork and peanut sauce, it all became like a laser light show of smells and flavors.

Here is my interpretation of Steven Raichlen’s recipe which you can easily find if you check out his website. If you try to make this dish, I encourage you to have fun and play with the ingredients like I did.

Unless you radically derail the flavor train, this is an easy and fun dish that everyone will love!

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 lime zested, taking care to use the green, not the white
2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped
5 TBS garlic, coarsely chopped or minced
1 Serrano pepper, or another hot chili, seeded and roughly chopped
3 TBS Sriracha hot chili paste
3 TBS sugar
1/4 cup each Asian fish sauce and lite soy sauce
Juice of one fresh lime
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds pork loin or tenderloin

Put all ingredients except for the pork into a blender, and blend until smooth with small bits.

Cut pork into strips 4-5” long with a width the size of a die from a Yahtzee game.

Skewer the pork and slather on the marinade. Let it soak for a minimum of an hour, grill, and enjoy!

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 8, 2014

Having a nice T-Bone steak on hand is all the excuse we need to grab the BBQ Dragon and fire up the charcoal! The folks over at Beef It’s What’s For Dinner show us how they do T-Bones and three recommendations for saucing your sexy dinner! There is a sauce for every season so try them all on your next T-Bone or whatever your next beef dish is and let us know which one is your favorite!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRILLED T-BONE STEAK FOR TWO

Prepare desired Sauce(s); set aside.
Press steak seasoning evenly onto beef steak. Place steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 14 to 16 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 15 to 19 minutes) for medium-rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.
Remove bone; carve steak crosswise into slices. Serve with sauce(s).

Mole Sauce (Spring): Combine 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Carefully pour hot sauce in food processor or blender container. Cover; process 30 seconds or until smooth, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water to thin sauce, if necessary. Return to saucepan; keep warm until ready to use. Makes 1 cupLemon-Pesto Sauce (Summer): Combine 3 tablespoons basil pesto sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper in small bowl. Makes 1/4 cup

Wasabi Sauce (Fall): Combine 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1-1/2 teaspoons wasabi paste and 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger in small bowl. Makes about 1/3 cup

Coffee Sauce (Winter): Combine 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, 1-1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced by about half, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; keep warm until ready to use.Makes about 1/2 cup

Test Kitchen Tips
To broil, place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 15 to 20 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once.
Any leftover sauce(s) may be refrigerated and reserved for another use.

**We always prefer the flavor of Grilling our T-Bone steaks with the BBQ Dragon stoking the coals whenever possible!

Sexy Steak Sauces You Must Have On Hand To Go With Your T-Bone

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 7, 2014

I love beef, and I love sticky buns! Until I read this recipe from the Montana Beef Council, I would have never thought of pairing the two together.

Total recipe time: 1 to 1-1/4 hours
Makes 4 servings or 8 sticky buns

Ingredients

1 recipe Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage (recipe follows)
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
3/4 cup diced onion
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1 package (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 cup jalapeño pepper jelly, warmed (optional) or Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Prepare Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage, cooking mushrooms and onion with beef and spices. Add spinach to skillet; stir to wilt spinach. Set mixture aside 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is cooled completely, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Unroll pizza dough on flat surface; pat or roll dough evenly to 14 x 10-inch rectangle, pinching together any tears, if necessary. Spread beef mixture on dough, leaving 1/2 inch border on short side furthest from you. Starting at closest short end, roll up jelly-roll style, pinching to close. Slice dough into 8 pieces using serrated knife and careful sawing motion; place cut-side-up on greased baking sheet.
Bake in 425°F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove buns to cooling rack. While still warm, drizzle with melted jalapeno pepper jelly, if desired. Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage: Combine 12 ounces ground beef (96% lean), 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add beef mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 1/2-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. (Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.) Makes 2 cups crumbles Cream Cheese “Frosting”: Combine 1/4 cup softened reduced-fat cream cheese and 1 tablespoon milk in small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over warmed beef rolls.

Nutrition information per serving,

409 calories; 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat); 57 mg cholesterol; 1084 mg sodium; 53 g carbohydrate; 3.1 g fiber; 28 g protein; 4.5 mg niacin; 0.3 mg vitamin B₆; 1.6 mcg vitamin B₁₂; 2.8 mg iron; 17.8 mcg selenium; 4.1 mg zinc; 64.7 mg choline.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B₁₂, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber, vitamin

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 6, 2014

I love a good campfire! A campfire adds ambience to almost any event. It’s crackle and smell is the foundation of fantastic memories and a campfire is often the punctuation at the end of a day in the outdoors.

By using a little chemistry, you can add amazing color to your campfire or fireplace flames and paint a palate of color that will impress your friends.

For Colorful Flames

If you want colored flames, you can do the following — but it must be prepared well in advance:

Pick the color(s) you want your flames to be and get the chemical(s) needed to produce the effect. Chemicals can be gotten locally (sometimes from stores that deal with fireplaces) or online, such as from this place http://www.chemistrystore.com/. You only need “technical grade” chemicals, not the (more expensive) “purified grade”.

red flames	strontium chloride
carmine flames	lithium chloride
orange flames	calcium chloride (a bleaching powder)
white flames	magnesium sulphate (Epsom Salts)
blue flames	cupric chloride (copper chloride)
green flames	copper sulphate (blue vitrol)
yellow flames	sodium chloride
yellowish-green flames	sodium borate (borax)
purple flames	potassium chloride
violet flames	potassium sulphate (chromealum) mixed 3 to 1 with potassium nitrate (saltpeter)

Wear rubber glovers during this procedure. Now, add the chemical(s), singly, to a plastic container of water for each flame color — adding as much as the water will absorb (about a half a pound per gallon of water).

Soak your wood, “logs” made of tightly-rolled newspapers, or some pine cones in the solution(s) overnight (you can also use sawdust to sprinkle onto fire to make briefly burning colored flames. Just stir some liquid glue into the liquid, too, and then add the sawdust. The glue will allow chunks to form).

Take the wood/cones/sawdust out of the liquid, lay out on newspapers, and allow to dry thoroughly (for sawdust, spread out onto sheets and dry). Save the newspapers on which they’ve dried, and roll them up tightly to form “logs,” too, as they can produce pretty colors from the chemicals they’ve absorbed.

Just throw these things on to your fire for pretty flames (can also be used on indoor fires, but ventilation should be good). The chemicals can be thrown directly onto the fire, too, for short bursts of color.

Check out the full story on building a good bonfire here from the folks at Fisheaters website.

Using the BBQ Dragon will bring an extra bit of functional fun to your next campfire!

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 5, 2014

The folks over at Apron Strings seem to have mastered some amazingly delicious looking recipes that can be cooked over the campfire! The next time you get a campfire roaring with your BBQ Dragon, hitch your wagon to one of Apron Strings recipes and be ready for your friends and family to beg for the next campfire!

CAMPFIRE BLUEBERRY ORANGE MUFFINS

These babies are so delicious and so foolproof even kids as young a 5 can put them together with minimal help and throw them in the campfire.

Here is the entire recipe:

Stir up a box of blueberry muffin mix according to the package directions.

Cut an orange in half and scoop out all the orange flesh. Save orange flesh for another time, or strain and drink the orange juice.

Fill one half of emptied orange with blueberry muffin mix.

Just throw them in the fire. No, really. Literally toss them in the fire. I know, I know. This might be scary the first time you do it. But trust me – they will not burn! The orange peel will insulate the muffin mix from burning. The orange peel itself might blacken a little, but the mix in the middle will turn out steamed and delicious. Like a steamed pudding. With a delicious orange flavor. Yum.

Keep turning the aluminum balls over and over in the fire, every minute or so. It usually takes about 10 minutes, but go ahead and pull them out and check them once in awhile until they are firm in the middle.

Then unwrap and eat with a spoon!

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 3, 2014

People will drive long distances to get their hands on authentic Kansas City BBQ. And for good reason! Some of the best BBQ anywhere has been coming out of Kansas City for generations with recipes and techniques passed down thru the ages. Meathead Goldwyn over at Amazing Ribs is a wealth of knowledge and his version of Kansas City BBQ Sauce will take the misery out of store bought BBQ sauce.

Eve’s Apple Butter Pig Paint

Eve tempted Adam with apples, and if you want a great Kansas City style BBQ sauce with a twist, use apple butter to sweeten it and people will sin to get your ribs. This sauce would have Adam eating out of Eve’s palm, and sucking on her fingers. Yes, it has lumps. Strain it if you must. I say leave ’em in.

Recipe

Yield: Makes about 2 cups of sauce.
Preparation time: About 20 minutes
Keeps. Because it has a high acid and sugar content, it can keep for months in the refrigerator.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup apple butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons steak sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate (1/2 square)
1 teaspoon ground ginger dissolved in a few teaspoons of water
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
2 teaspoons of Chipotle Tabasco sauce for mild, 4 for medium, 6 for hot

About the Tabasco. I love the Chipotle version, but feel free to use the regular Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce and the amount you like. Just go easy unless you know everybody likes the heat.

Method
1) Melt the butter over low to medium heat.

2) Cook the onion and garlic until translucent, being careful not to brown the garlic.

3) Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low for ten minutes. I like to make two batches, one mild, one hot. Keep in the fridge and it will last for months.

When you get your grill fired up and these ribs all ready to roll, be sure to use your BBQ Dragon to keep the coals cooking the way you like em-!

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 2, 2014

Want to make Chipotle Chicken Marinade just like they do at Chipotle Mexican Grill? Following these step by step instructions could not be simpler thanks to the folks at Kitchen Daily showing us how it is done!

What is great about this recipe is that you can make up the marinade a day ahead of time and let the chicken party with all the herbs and spices until you are ready to grab your BBQ Dragon and fire up the grill.

Ingredients

2 oz dried ancho chiles or dried pepper of choice
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cuts of meat of choice, such as chicken or steak

Directions

Soak dry chiles in water overnight or until soft. Discard water. Remove seeds.
Add all ingredients except meat in food processor. Puree until smooth.
Spread mixture over meat and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
Heat grill to about 400 degrees, or if cooking inside heat small amount of oil in skillet or grill pan over high heat. Salt meat to taste. Grill meat about 4 minutes per side, depending upon thickness, until done.
Serve with rice, black beans or choice of side dish. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Or serve in a burrito
.

The BBQ Dragon is an ideal companion for grilling up this Chipotle Mexican Grill style recipe. Click Here for more information about the BBQ Dragon.

Red-Hot Charcoal · April 2, 2014

I love Oysters! Raw, on the half-shell, grilled, charbroiled, and especially dredged in cornmeal on a New Orleans style Po-Boy sandwich. From what I have read, Drago’s restaurant in Metairie, LA sets the bar for charbroiled oysters. And for good reason! Check out this easy to make recipe for Drago’s Style Charbroiled Oysters and device for yourself-

The Sauce:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, very soft
1 Pinch Kosher Salt
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
4 Tbsp Pecorino Romano
1 pinch Cayenne
1 pinch White Pepper
1 Spritz Lemon Juice
1 tsp Minced Italian Parsley

Whisk together all ingredients.

For the Oysters:

1 Dozen Large freshly shucked Oysters on the half shell (preferrably Louisiana) Watch my quicktime video on How to Shuck an Oyster
1 Recipe of the Sauce, above
Pecorino Romano to finish
Minced Italian Parsley for garnish
Fresh Bread
Lemon wedges

Mix together all of the ingredients.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill until very, very hot. Place the oysters on the hottest spot on the grill and let them cook in their own juices for a few minutes, just until they start to bubble and the edges curl.

Top each with a generous portion of the sauce, enough to fill up the shell. When the sauce starts to bubble and sizzle sprinkle each oyster with about a Tbsp of Pecorino Romano. Let the Oysters go until the sauce on the edges of the shells gets nice and brown. Garnish with minced Parsley.

Serve while still sizzling with Lemon wedges and fresh bread.

This recipe was found at nolacuisine.com. They are a great resource for cuisine from New Orleans, and other parts of Louisiana.

Are you ready to fire up some flavor and get your grill going for some charbroiled oysters? Click here to get your hands on the secret ingredient of this recipe- The BBQ Dragon

George Prior · March 20, 2014

Your life is now perfect. You have a BBQ Dragon.