The Grill Deal

Photos by Amy Jo Osborne

Grilled Skirt Steak

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 1/4 lbs. skirt steak (2 steaks),
  each halved crosswise

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with kosher salt. Stir together spices in a bowl, then stir in garlic and oil until a paste forms. Pat steak dry, then rub all over with paste. Marinate steak in a sealed large plastic bag, chilled, at least six hours. Bring steak to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

While steak comes to room temperature, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is hot when you can hold your hand five inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, for 10 minutes, and then reduce heat to moderately high.

Grill steak on lightly-oiled grill rack, uncovered, turning over once, 4 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare. Cut steak diagonally across grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Photos by Med Dement

Reverse-Seared
Standing Rib Roast
in the Big Green Egg

• 1 standing rib roast
  (1 rib per person for sizing)
• 3 Tbsp. spicy deli mustard
  (enough to coat roast)
• 4 Tbsp. ground Montreal
  steak seasoning

Rub rib roast with spicy deli mustard, then cover with a thick layer of seasoning rub. Prep your Big Green Egg with lump charcoal. Regulate Egg to 250-270 degrees. Add hickory and apple wood at the same time as meat. Use indirect plate in Egg. Allow to smoke until internal meat temp is 100 degrees (about 12 minutes per pound). Remove roast from Egg. Remove indirect flavor plate. Raise Egg temp to 450-500 degrees. Sear at high temperature until internal temp is 140-165 degrees, depending on how well done you like your meat. Allow meat to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Photos by Med Dement

Pork Tenderloin

• (2) 3-4 pound pork tenderloins

Marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup Hoisin (Japanese barbecue) sauce
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Whisk together marinade ingredients. Place tenderloins in a glass or ceramic dish (or in a large freezer bag) and pour in the marinade. Leave overnight in the refrigerator. Heat up grill to medium heat and place tenderloins on the grates. Turn meat every five minutes for 20 minutes, until center reaches 145 degrees. Brush or pour on remaining marinade each time you turn the meat. When the digital meat thermometer reads 145, remove from grill and store under aluminum foil before serving.

Photos by Dave Lang

Baby Back Ribs

• 2-3 slabs of baby back ribs
• 1 jar Dale’s Steak Seasoning
• 1 can Dr. Pepper

Cut slabs in half and brine overnight with  Dale’s in a covered aluminum pan. Add a can of Dr. Pepper to pan. The next day, place pan in 250-degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let rest. Heat grill to 350 degrees. Place ribs on grill and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side. After searing both sides, brush with sauce and sear a few minutes more. Coat with sauce of choice (Texas Pete, Carolina sweet sauce, and mustard-based are Brewer’s picks) and serve.

Bone-In Ribeye Steak

• 2-inch thick bone-in ribeye
• 1-2 Tbsp. Montreal steak seasoning
• 1-2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Cover steaks heavily with Montreal steak seasoning and kosher salt. Refrigerate uncovered overnight (or up to several days). Before grilling, remove from fridge and let sit for a few hours.

Preheat grill to 375-400 degrees. Sear meat 10 minutes per side on indirect heat and then move to direct heat for two to three minutes. While on direct heat, top steak with a long, thin slice of butter to help create a crispy exterior. After it has cooked, let meat sit under an aluminum foil tent.

Photos by Michael Hampton

Barbecue Chicken Thighs

• 18 chicken thighs with skin
• Salt and pepper, mixed
• Two containers of Parkay
  Squeeze margarine
• Two aluminum half pans with covers
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce (recommended: Holy Smoke barbecue sauce)

Pre-heat smoker to 290 degrees. Take heavy-duty scissors and cut off big end of the bone that goes through the chicken thigh. After cutting off bone, place chicken thighs in an aluminum half pan skin side up, nine to a pan. Squeeze Parkay onto each thigh and rub all over. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over entire batch of thighs. Squeeze more Parkay around chicken thighs where they touch the pan. Go around twice. Place thighs into smoker and let thighs cook until they reach about 140 degrees; it will take about 45 minutes. Once thighs have reached 140 degrees, pull from smoker and place cover over the half pan and return pan to the smoker. After about 30 minutes, remove pan from the smoker and place a thermometer into each piece – 165 degrees means they’re ready. While the chicken thighs are still in the pan, cover them with barbecue sauce. Serve with tongs onto plates.

Photos by Med Dement

Sweet and Spicy Wings

• 2 Tbsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (add more to preferred heat)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup rice cooking wine
• Sesame seeds
• 3 lbs. split chicken wings or drumettes

Toss rinsed chicken wings in baking powder, salt, garlic, and cayenne mixture and coat thoroughly 4 to 6 hours prior to cooking. Place on open rack skin-side up in the refrigerator. This will create a crispier skin while grilling. Cook the chicken at 325 degrees on indirect heat on grill. Charcoal is the preferred option. Cook skin-side up until most of the fat is rendered and they are 80% done (about 30 minutes). Turn them skin-side down and cook until skin is brown and crisp, approximately 10 more minutes. Temperatures and grills can vary. Dice roasted red pepper and place in the oil in a deep pan. Simmer until tender and then add ginger, soy sauce, chili sauce, honey, sesame oil, vinegar, and rice wine. Whisk all ingredients together at a warm, but not boiling, temperature. Toss and thoroughly coat cooked chicken wings in the Asian sauce and plate while hot. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Photos by Med Dement

Grilled Dove with Bacon and Rosemary

• 1 bottle Italian dressing
• Fresh ground pepper
• Garlic salt
• Seasoning salt
• Crushed rosemary or fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• bacon, cut into 1/2 strips
• bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
• sweet onions (preferably Vidalia), peeled, with layers cut into 1-inch squares

Rinse cleaned dove breasts in cold water and place in a large, sealable bag. Cover with Italian dressing and let marinate in refrigerator overnight.

Season doves moderately with equal amounts of pepper, garlic salt, and seasoning salt. Sprinkle liberal amount of rosemary on breasts; use more than you think you need, as leaves tend to fall off during cooking and handling. Stack one pepper square and one onion square directly on top of each breast. Stretch out 1/2 bacon strip and wrap around breast, bell pepper, and onion. Secure with toothpicks. Let sit for 30 minutes, allowing meat to reach room temperature and flavors to marry.

Heat grill to low/medium heat, and place bacon-wrapped breast on grill; the bone-side of the breast should be down/facing the flame. Rotate breast, grilling three to four minutes on each meat side. Continue rotating until bacon is cooked, but not blackened. Do not overcook. Let breast rest five to seven minutes. Serve with fresh or roasted vegetables and warm bread.