I can’t believe how beautiful it was today, up here in Wisconsin. The sun was shining, the temperature hovered in the mid 60′s and the neighborhood was inundataed with the aromas of people cooking out and enjoying the day. Not what I usually think of as a normal day in mid March. Not that I’m complaining. It was great! The best part is renewing old friendships that kind of go by the wayside during the winter months was most of us seem to hibernate as much as possible. Friends that we spend almost every weekend with, during summer, become strangers in those long, cold winter months. That is until the big snow storms when we all meet up, as we are digging ourselves out, and discuss how we can’t wait for summertime and resumption of our weekend rituals (which usually consist of endless games of Washers and copious amounts of beer).

With this unexpected good weather the wife suggested we do steaks on the grill. Being me, I never turn down the opportunity to cook up…and eat a steak. But this was the first major grill out of the season and I wanted to make it something special and to me that meant Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

Now, when us Americans think of Italy the last thing that often comes to mind is grilled steak, but let me tell you the Italians know how to do it right. We’re not talking some lame old 10 oz. filet or 12 oz. NY Strip. Heck no! We’re talking Porterhouse, and not just any old Porterhouse but a 2+ inch, 2-3 pound behemoth, grilled until it develops a wonderfully dark, crispy crust yet still rare inside so that you can taste the beef as it was meant to be.

Here in the US it is almost impossible to truly replicate the Italian Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The reason is the breed of cattle used over there is the Chianina steer which hasn’t really seen widespread breeding here. Also, over in Italy, most of the cattle is still allowed to graze and isn’t force fed a lot of growth hormones and drugs. This means that the meat has a more pronounced flavor but also will be more prone to drying out when cooked past medium rare as it doesn’t contain the amount of marbling that our beef does.

As there really aren’t many ingredients to producing Bistecca alla Fiorentina this is really going to more of a “how-to” so I won’t be following my normal, standard recipe format.

First we need to gather up everything we need. Your top priority is finding a butcher you can trust and ordering your Porterhouse. While I often recommend purchasing “Prime” meat if you want the ultimate in flavor for this application “Prime” is really too well marbled. Ask your butcher to cut your Porterhouse from “choice” preferably Angus. Or better yet, if you can get your hands on a cut from a local farmer raising grass fed steer then jump on it! More important that weight is the thickness. You want a cut that is 2-3 inches (or approximately 3 fingers) thick. This will yield a Porterhouse that will weigh somewhere in the range of 2 1/2-4 pounds. You will also need a pepper grinder (please no pre ground pepper), some sea salt (kosher will would also be acceptable but stay away from table salt as it is both too fine and fortified with iodine which leaves an off taste) and a bottle of good, extra virgin olive oil. You will also need a bag of lump, hardwood charcoal, or if you are really feeling ambitious then hot coals from a hardwood fire that you allowed to burn down. Please forgo the charcoal briquettes for this and don’t even think about gas. Yes, I use a gas grill, as well as a charcoal grill, and yes you do get a better flavor from charcoal. You are going to have paid a hansome sum for that Porterhouse you just bought. You…and the steak deserve to do this up right. Don’t skimp on quality on any of these ingredients because that’s all there is. No garlic, no herbs and no way to hide poor quality ingredients.

Six hours before you are ready to cook, remove the steak from the packaging, place on a cooling rack set over a plate or sheet pan and return to the fridge. This will allow the surface of the steak to dry out somewhat, helping the in the development of the nice crust.

Three hours before cooking remove the steak from the fridge and allow to warm to room temperature. This step is very important in ensuring that the meat cooks properly.

15 minutes before you are ready to cook light the lump charcoal, using a chimney starter. Please avoid the use of any form of chemical firestarter as it can contribute off flavors to the steak. Once the coals are ready pour them out into the grill. Spread the coals out so that you will be grilling over a medium high heat. Replace the grate and allow the grate to heat up for 5 minutes. Clean the grate and place the steak on top.

You’ll notice that I did not oil either the grill or the steak nor did I season the steak before cooking. When I first learned this style of preparation I was confused as it went against just about everything I had learned about grilling, but trust me it works. You will grill the Porterhouse for 8 minutes on the first side, adjusting it’s position after about 3 minutes and then every 2 minutes after that. We are not looking for the traditional “grill marks” that mark an expert grillsman, but instead are looking for a nice consistent crust all over. After 8 minutes, flip the steak, season with a sprinkling of salt and fresh ground black pepper and cook for another 8 minutes, again spinning the steak regularly. Flip, and season this side of the steak then, holding the steak on edge, sear all the sides that didn’t get well seared before.

Stand the steak upright, with the bone in contact with the grill and grill for 4 minutes. Finally, give each side another 3-4 minutes on the fire, seasoning after each side comes off of the flame. In all, it will take about 25 minutes minutes for a steak this size to reach rare to medium rare. Cook longer if you want it more done.

Now comes one of the most important steps; allow the steak to rest for, at least, 10 minutes. This gives the muscle fibers time to relax and allows the moisture to redistribute throughout the meat. If you don’t allow this resting time and slice the meat immediately you will lose most of the juices to the cutting board.

Once well rested, remove each lobe of meat from the bone and slice against the grain. Arrange on plates and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Use a light touch or the oil will overpower the beautiful steak flavor. Offer your guests fresh ground black pepper and the sea salt, but chances are they won’t need it. Enjoy!!

I’m a pig and a glutton, sometimes. I admit. It’s true.. The other day, for example, I made a wonderfully simple salsa, packed with the fresh flavors of late summer. That, in and of itself, doesn’t make me a glutton, but the fact that once I started eating it, I didn’t stop until I had polished off half of a family sized bag of tortilla chips does. In fact, for 2 nights salsa, chips and PBR (that’s Pabst Blue Ribbon-beer- for those not in the know) was my dinner. I look at it this way; at least I got my vegetables for the day!!!!

Seriously though, I love salsa in all its forms, from the simple pico de gallo, to complex mole like creations involving 15-20 ingredients or more, though I don’t make it as often as I should. Instead, I often take the lazy way out and just pick up a bottle at the store. Yes, I am ashamed of myself, especially as I so often gripe about people buying stuff at the store when it is so easy to make at home.

This time of year though, I’d be a fool not to make my own salsa. With so many of its ingredients at their peak of ripeness there is no way store bought can even come close to the beauty that is homemade salsa. A quick stroll through my local farmer’s market and I had all I needed to make some killer salsa, and at a fraction of the cost of the store bought stuff.

Grilled Vegetable Salsa
makes about 1 quart

4 pounds tomatoes
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
3-6 jalapenos, depending on how hot they are and how hot you like your salsa. I used 3 as my wife likes her salsa only medium hot.
1/2 bunch cilantro
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt

Preheat your grill. Peel the onion and remove the core. Cut it into 3 thick slices. Use 2 Tbsp. of the oil to lightly oil the tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. Grill until lightly charred and slightly softened.

When done, core the tomatoes and remove the stems from the jalapenos. Roughly cut the tomatoes into 1/6ths or 1/8ths. Place the vegetables in a blender, along with the garlic and blend until well blended but not completely smooth. You will need to do this in 2-3 batches. You shouldn’t need to add any liquid if you place the tomatoes in first. Meanwhile add the remaining oil to a large skillet and heat until smoking. Add the puree to the skillet-be careful as it will sputter and spit-and cook for 10 minutes or until the salsa thickens slightly and turns a darker red. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. While the salsa is cooking finely chop the cilantro and add when cool. Season with salt. Place in the refrigerator and allow the flavors to mature for at least 1-2 hours before serving.

As I stated in my previous post, work has been keeping me pretty busy the last few weeks. Not only am I working 6 to 7 days a week, but I am also working 10-12 hours each day. That has left precious little time to do much serious cooking, though I have occasionally found the time. Where it really hurts is when it comes to grilling. My grills (1 gas, 1 charcoal and a smoker) have all remained more idle, for the past few weeks, than I like. Summer usually finds me grilling out at least a few times a week, if not more often, unfortunately that hasn’t been the case during July.

What I missed in quantity though, I’ve tried to make up in quality. This past weekend I pulled out one of my old Jerk Chicken recipes. I don’t make it often as my wife is not a big fan of really spicy foods, and for me, personally, there is no sense in making Jerk Chicken unless it is “melt your face off” hot! But, I was jonesing for a Jerk fix and seeing as I hadn’t been doing much grilling, I wanted to do something fun and beyond the norm.

While I like my Jerk extremely spicy, this recipe can easily be made without the chile peppers and it still yields a fantastically flavorful dish, so you have no excuse not to try this recipe.

Normally, I am a breast and wing man when it comes to chicken, but occasionally I prefer leg and thigh quarters. This is one of those recipes. While it works well for any piece of bone in chicken, I find leg and thigh quarters do best in this preparation.

For those not familiar with scotch bonnet peppers, they are very similar to habaneros. Like habaneros, they are extremely hot, and if you have sensitive skin you might want to wear gloves. Also do yourself a big favor, especially if you don’t use gloves when handling these things; please wash your hands numerous times before you consider going to the bathroom. I have seen numerous cooks, both male and female, fall prey to extreme burning of the nether regions because they didn’t take enough precautions. You have been warned!!!! For most people 1 scotch bonnet or habanero will provide enough heat. If you are a true chile head then consider leaving the seeds and ribs intact (this is where most of the heat is concentrated) or even using 2 peppers. If you like heat, but are still rather wimpy then consider substituting the scotch bonnet with 3-4 serrano peppers. If you are still at a loss as to how hot a scotch bonnet is, let me explain it in scientific terms. A jalapeno (which most people are familiar with) averages around 5,00-7,000 scoville units (the units used to measure the heat of a chile). A scotch bonnet can average 250,000-300,000 scoville units. Choose wisely.

Jerk Chicken

2 cloves garlic
1″ piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 orange, juiced
1 lime, juiced
4 green onions
1-2 scotch bonnets, seeds removed (or substitute-see above)
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1/2 Tbsp. whole allspice
8 each whole cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

6 chicken leg and thigh quarters
salt

Place all ingredients, except chicken and salt, in a blender and blend until smooth. Place chicken into a 1 gallon zip lock bag and pour puree over. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible and knead to evenly distribute puree over the chicken. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate overnight.

The following day, set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling,with coals under only half the grate. When charcoal is ready remove the chicken from the bag, but do not wipe off excess puree. Place on grill directly over the coals.

Cook, turning frequently, to avoid burning, until the skin is brown and crispy. Remove chicken to other side of the grill (without the charcoal), cover and cook until -chicken is cooked all the way through, 165°F, about 20-25 minutes longer. Remove from grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes then serve with plenty of ice cold beer.

I came to a conclusion this weekend. I am terrible at keeping friends. It’s not that I am a mean or vile person. I am very personable and make friends quite easily, but I am terrible at keeping long term friendships alive. I have moved around alot in my life, both somewhat as a kid and more so as an adult and I have come to the realization that I tend to close out chapters of my life, when I move, to the point of letting old friendships fade away. You psychologist types out there would probably tell me that I do this to protect myself from the pain of leaving friends and loved ones behind as I move on with my life, and you’d probably be right. It’s a coping mechanism that has suited me well, in the short term, but I am now realizing that, in the long run, it wasn’t such a great thing.

So what has brought about this epiphany? Well, this weekend we got together with a couple of my old friends from culinary school, who are now married to each other. It was a fun time, hanging out, at the park, grilling out for Father’s Day, and enjoying the company of old friends, but as conversation turned to others we went to school with I realized I had pretty much lost touch with everyone and only knew about their lives by what they posted on Facebook. I then realized that it was the same with many other chapters in my life. I had made many wonderful friends, but, with a few exceptions, had allowed all those relationships to fade away.

Thanks to Facebook, I now have the chance to try and reestablish some of those friendships, but I wonder if that is even possible. I’m not the same person I was years ago and neither are they. We’ve had so many years to grow in different directions I wonder if there would even be any common ground any more. But even more importantly, I hope I have learned my lesson, and will not follow the same path as I have in the past.

But enough of my maudlin, introspective mood. That’s not what you came here for. You can to check out the new dishes I have created and the recipes I have come up with. Well, the next few posts will revolve around some of the food I prepared for our Father’s Day picnic/cook out.

These skewers that I am sharing with you today are pretty simple but require a little work the night before which leaves you with more time the day you are preparing them. Make sure, if you are using bamboo skewers that you start soaking them the night before you plan on cooking. If you don’t they will go up in flames and your skewers will fall part during cooking which is a pain!

Onion Balsamic Glaze
1 onion, large
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar

Peel and slice the onion. Place in a sauce pot along with the oil and saute until just starting to brown. Add the water and cook until almost all of the water has evaporated. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly then blend until almost smooth. Chill.

Beef and Mushroom Skewers with Onion Balsamic Glaze
makes 16 skewers-serves 6-8
3 pounds sirloin roast, trimmed of all fat and silver skin
24 cremini mushrooms, large
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
5 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced and lightly crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
salt
Onion Balsamic Glaze
16 skewers (I use bamboo, but if you have metal skewers they can be used also)

Cut beef into cubes approximately 1-1 1/2″ square. You should end up with about 48 cubes. Place beef, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil in a zip lock bag. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste and close bag. Gently massage bag to evenly distribute oil and seasonings over beef. Place in fridge and marinate overnight. Soak skewers, overnight, in water.

The following day, cut mushrooms in half. Make skewers using 3 pieces of beef and 3 mushroom halves, starting with a mushroom half and alternating with the beef. The mushrooms will have a tendency to split apart when being skewered. To avoid this press them gently, but firmly down on the skewer while roating the skewer. This will prevent most of the mushrooms from splitting. Season with salt and more pepper, if desired and grill over medium high heat, trying to keep the bottom, exposed, part of the skewer from sitting directly over the coals.

Grill for 3-4 minutes then flip the skewers over to cook the other side. After 3-4 minutes longer brush with glaze and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Longer than that and the sugar in the glaze will have a tendency to burn. If you like your meat a little more done, cook longer before adding the glaze. When done remove from grill and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

I am often reminded how wonderful the simple things can be. This past Sunday was beautiful, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the low 60s. The day begged for firing up the grill so that’s exactly what I did. It was nothing fancy or complicated, just bratwursts and a hobo pack filled with potatoes, bacon, onions and garlic. It was a simple affair for me, my wife, and my daughter, who ate some potatoes but has yet to develop a taste for any sausage type food beyond hot dogs and breakfast sausages. Yes, I know….it’s something I need to work on. Especially living here in Wisconsin. Most people up here are born with an instinctual love for the almighty brat!

Hobo packs are a camper’s and griller’s best friend; packets of aluminum foil filled with all sorts of goodies left to cook over an open fire. Add a good amount of oil and butter and the vegetables both steam and fry creating a great side dish to any grilled meat, or even taking the place of the meat all together. Hobo packs can be simple and straight forward, or they can be filled with exotic vegetables and spices. Most start with a base of some starchy vegetable, usually potato, yams, taro, turnips, carrots, or any other root vegetable. Other vegetables, aromatics, herbs and spices are added to taste and the whole thing is wrapped in a few layer of foil and allowed to cook over an open fire.

This recipe is for a very simple hobo pack, made with ingredients almost everyone has lying around the kitchen most of the time. This makes this a great recipe for last minute meals or an “on the fly” cookout. Feel free to add any touches and flourishes you wish.

A word about cooking hobo packs. First don’t make your packet too thick or it will take forever for it to cook through. I usually spread the ingredients out so that they aren’t more than 2 inches deep. It is best to use a covered grill as you can then cook by indirect heat (placing the coals on 1 side of the grill and placing the packet on the other side. This way you only need to flip the packet about every 10 minutes. If you don’t have a covered grill you will need to cook the packet over direct heat, which will require you to flip the packet every 4-5 minutes to ensure that nothing burns.

Potato Hobo Packs
serves 4

3 slices bacon, thick cut, chopped
4 medium potatoes, skin on
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. butter
Salt
Pepper

Light your charcoal and let it burn down until covered with white ash. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp.

Remove from skillet and drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. of the rendered fat. Mix the butter, bacon fat, and garlic in a small pot and heat until the butter is melted. While the bacon is rendering slice the potatoes about 1/4″ thick. Slice the onions also.

Take 2 18″ pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil and lay them on the counter, one lengthwise the other one on top and perpendicular to the first one. Lay half the potatoes on top, along with half the onions. Season liberally with salt and pepper and drizzle with half of the butter, bacon fat mixture. Place the cooked bacon over this, then repeat with the remaining potatoes, onions, and butter mixture, again seasoning liberally. Tightly fold the top piece of foil then the bottom piece of foil to make a secure packet. Take another piece of foil and laying the packet seam side down, wrap the foil around it. This seems like a lot of foil, but I often use this much to make sure I have no blow outs, which can send potatoes pouring all over your grill. You can get away with just 2 sheets, but you need to be extra careful when flipping the packets. Spread the coals out on 1 side of the grill and place the hobo pack on the other side. Cover the grill and cook for 30-40 minutes, flipping the packet over every 10 minutes. Insert a knife into the packet to test the doneness of the potatoes. When they have just the slightest amount of resistance remove from grill and allow to finish cooking, off the heat for 8 minutes longer. Unwrap and serve.

Barbecue…barbeque…BBQ; no matter how you spell it, that word makes me giddy. I’m not talking when it is used, in the generic sense, meaning any type of cooking on a grill, or over an open fire, but real, god honest barbecue; the kind done slow and low that can turn some of the toughest cuts of meat into melt-in-your-mouth morsels, bursting with smoke flavor. Not that I’m against cooking out, in any of its forms. In fact, a rather large portion of the food I cook is done one a grill, but there is something special about making true barbecue, whether it is ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork or any number of other items that benefit from a long slow cook while being bathed in smoke.

Let’s set the record straight though, before we begin. Grilling and barbecuing are not the same thing. Yes, they can both be done on a grill, but grilling is done over a relatively high heat, directly over the heat source. It’s this high heat that sears and chars the meat providing plenty of flavor, and it works best for tender pieces of meat such as steaks, chops, chicken, etc. Barbecuing is done at much cooler temperatures, away from the heat source, and requires hours of cooking. It is used on tough cuts of meat such as brisket, ribs and shoulder cuts to transform them into a tender finished product. While most people use the the words interchangeably, they really are 2 different styles of cooking, and believe me, the easiest way to tick off a serious barbecue aficionado is to talk on and on about how you like to fire up the grill and barbecue some steaks and burgers.

I am no barbecue expert. That’s evidenced by the fact that I do not, yet, own any type of barbecue pit or rig. I do all my barbecuing on my Weber kettle grill. There are those in the barbecue community that will scoff and say that I can’t truly barbecue with a set up like that, but I think I do all right. Sure, there are some issues to overcome, and I certainly won’t win any major competitions with my set up but it works for me and I like to believe that I make some pretty good ‘cue. And I have a number of fans that would agree.

While I am not a snob about barbecue, like some that I know, I will say that unless you own a smoker, barbecue pit, or at the very least a kettle grill, you can stop reading here. Sorry but a gas grill is not going to cut it for the recipe I have, nor will a regular grill, even if it has a lid. It needs to be a kettle style grill to create a proper smoke chamber. A regular grill keeps the meat too close to the coals and doesn’t allow for the proper convection of heat.

As for charcoal, lump charcoal is always the preferred charcoal of choice for those serious about barbecue (unless they are using logs to fire their pit), but for some people, in some areas, lump charcoal can be hard to find. If you must use the standard briquettes it is imperative that you always burn them down before adding them to your grill. If you don’t, the chemicals and fillers used in these things will contribute nasty, off flavors to your final product. Always start them out in a chimney starter and don’t add them to the grill until they have burned down and are completely covered with white ash.

A few more things before I get into the recipe. The recipe as written is for making 1 pork butt. Most of the pictures will show 3 butts being made. I was doing this for my brother’s wedding reception and was feeding many people. 1 pork butt should easily feed 20 people with some to spare, unless they are big eaters. Also, plan on making a day out of it as this is going to take about 6-8 hours to cook. You don’t need to sit there and watch it all the time, but you will need to regularly replenish charcoal and do a few other things as the meat cooks. You can do other chores, or even run a few quick errands, but you need to stay close. Or you can do like I do…make a big production out of it, convince your wife that this delicate procedure takes constant vigilance then sit around all day drinking beer with a buddy or 2 and watch the grill…don’t tell! Finally, it just dawned on me that some people might be wondering why the hell I would want to cook pork butt. In culinary terms pork butt refers to a cut taken from the shoulder area of a pig. Don’t ask my why they call it “butt.” I have no clue. Anyone want to chime in?

Pulled Pork

1 pork butt, 7-9 pounds, bone in
2 Tbsp. paprika
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. black pepper, ground
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup apple juice
2 cups wood chips (your choice-I often use hickory, apple, cherry, mesquite, or hickory nut hulls)

Four hours before you want to start barbecuing, remove the pork butt from the refrigerator. Combine the paprika, salt, mustard, cayenne, black pepper, and sugar. Rub all over the pork, using every last bit. Allow the pork to remain at room temperature. Soak wood chips in water. 20 minutes before starting to cook, fire up about 25 charcoal briquettes in a chimney starter. When ready, and covered in white ash, place charcoal coal in a ring along the outer edge of the grill. In the center place an aluminum pan or pie plate (don’t use one of your wife’s good ones or there will be hell to pay) filled with a couple cups of water. Place the cooking grate on the grill and allow to heat up briefly. Place pork in the center of the grate.

Place about 1/2 cup of the soaked chips directly on the charcoal and cover the grill with the lid.

Sweet Smoke

For proper heat control and air flow, if you have bottom vents make sure they are only open about 1/3 of the way. You want to allow oxygen in to keep the charcoal burning but you don’t want too much oxygen to allow the fire too get too hot. On the top vent you want it opened about 1/2 – 2/3 of the way open. This allows the smoke a relatively quick exit, which you want. You don’t want the smoke to become trapped in the chamber for too long or it will deposit many of the particles suspended in it onto the meat.

After about 35-40 minutes of cooking you want to start another batch of charcoal, in the starter chimney. This time use about 15-20. When ready add to the grill, again placing them in a ring around the meat, on top of the almost spent charcoal. Add another 1/2 cup of soaked wood chips. This process is much easier if you have a grill grate with hinged sides. If not you will need to remove the whole cooking grate, pork and all to accomplish this. Do this quickly to prevent the pork from cooling too much and adding considerable time to your cooking.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar and apple juice. Once you hit the 3 hour mark, brush the meat every half hour with this mixture, making more if necessary. Continue adding charcoal, at the same intervals throughout the cooking process. We are looking to maintain an approximate temperature of about 225-230°F throughout the cooking process. Keep adding the wood chips when you add new charcoal. Once the wood chips are gone don’t worry abou them anymore, the pork has probably taken in all the smoke flavor it’s going to anyway.

After about 5 hours start checking the temperature each time you add new charcoal or mop the meat with vinegar mixture. You are looking to pull the meat at about 190°F. This may seem awfully high, especially if you are used to cooking steaks and eating them MR to medium, but this temperature is important for a nice and tender product and don’t worry, with the amount of fat and connective tissue in this cut of meat it will still be plenty moist. A quick warning though, at about 180°F you might run into a problem with what some people refer to as the “stall” or “plateau” were the temperature refuses to climb. It is a waiting game, but the temperature will eventually start to rise again. If you seem to have a problem with an exceptionally long stall (over an hour) try adding an extra 5-10 briquettes the next time your replenish your heat.

Once the meat hits 190°F remove from the grill, cover loosely in foil and allow to sit for 15 minutes, at least. Once the meat is just barely cool enough to handle start pulling and shredding the meat by hand. If cooked properly this task can be done almost completely by hand, though you may need to use a knife to chop a bit of the innermost meat.

Serve however you like and with whatever sauce you choose, but I’m partial to the way they serve it in North Carolina, on a big, soft, white bun drizzled with a North Carolina style barbecue sauce.

North Carolina BBQ Sauce

1 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Combine all ingredients. in a nonreactive saucepot, bring to a boil, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

This sauce may seem rather sour compared to the sauces that most people are used to, but it’s a great sauce for pulled pork as it cuts through the richness of the fat laden meat. Just remember, you don’t need to dump it on like regular barbecue sauce. It just takes a good drizzle over the meat.

It’s getting close to midnight and although I sat down at the computer about 2 hours ago I’ve now started to type up this post. Instead of writing I got sucked into yet another bunch of political debates….okay, arguments. Without getting into politics here on my blog, let me just say that some people really piss me off. Our country has become so divided between the right and the left, the liberals and the conservatives, I sometimes wonder if we haven’t passed the point of no return. Of course, each side blames the other for spreading the hate and fear mongering, but both sides engage in this type of rhetoric and discourse. I have my political leanings but even those I support are part of the problem. Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to vote them all out of office and start all over again.

But enough of my ranting. You haven’t come to a food blog to read about politics, but don’t worry, the recipe I have today is worth wading through that short sidebar. Once again, I turn my sites to the humble hog for inspiration, because, come on, what’s not to love about pig! Pork is such a flavorful and versatile product. Virtually every last bit of the pig can be used, literally from snout to tail and from the tops of the ears down to the hooves. And the pig has given us one of mankind’s greatest gifts – bacon!!!! What’s not to love about bacon; crispy meat, rich, juicy fat and a deep sweet smokiness. I truly feel for those people whose religion forbids them from not ever knowing the joys of bacon. But I digress, again. I blame it on the late hour and too much cyber debating.

Moving on. This recipe calls for pork chops. It doesn’t matter which type of chop you choose, but choose chops with the bone in. All chops come from the loin section, a part of the pig that lies along the middle of it’s back. This location doesn’t get used much by the pig, compared to other muscles so the whole loin is pretty tender and moist. My personal favorite for chops is a rib chop, which contains a large round eye of meat surrounded by fat on three sides and a rib bone on the other. But you may use whichever chop you like best or better yet, whichever type is on sale.

Coriander Crusted Pork Chops with Lime Glaze

4 pork chops, thick cut (about 6-10 oz each)
salt
pepper
coriander seed, whole

1/2 cup Lime Marmalade**
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Grind the coriander in a spice mill or mortar and pestle until coarsely ground, leaving some larger pieces in the mix. Season the chops with salt and pepper and generously season with the ground coriander.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile combine the marmalade, vinegar, honey, cayenne and chili powder and stir to combine. Preheat your grill. Clean and oil the grates and place chops over high heat. Cook for about 6 minutes.

Flip and cook another 6 minutes. Remove to a cooler part of the grill. Brush 1 side with glaze, cover grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, brush other side with glaze and cook 3 minutes making sure the bottom isn’t burning. Continue this until all the glaze has been used up and the pork chops are cooked through, about 150°F. Watch the chops carefully as the glaze will burn if the heat is too high. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

**Note: Use the provided link to make your own lime marmalade or you can substitute any other marmalade for the lime marmalade. Any citrus flavor would compliment the other flavors in the recipe well.

I remember 10 years ago when hardly anyone knew what ceviche was.  Unless you were well versed in Latin American cuisine or were following the pioneers of Nuevo Latino cuisine in the US then it was not a word or a dish that you came across.  Nowadays, the dish is everywhere and on the verge of being passe.  Just look at the last few episodes of “Top Chef.”  There have been numerous ceviches offered up.  It’s too bad that the dish is in danger of becoming a cliche because it is a wonderful, light dish, full of vibrant, fresh flavors.

At its heart ceviche is seafood that is marinated in an acid, most usually some form of citrus juice, lime juice being the most popular.  The seafood is diced into small pieces and allowed to marinate in the citrus juice (acid) which denatures the protein in the flesh, “cooking” it.  While this is typical, it is not the case across the board.  Most shellfish ceviches start with cooked shellfish, though not always and ceviches that include octopus usually use cook the octopus first.  The preferred method for cooking the shellfish is usually poaching though grilling can bring new layers of flavor to the dish.

Additions to the ceviche are numerous and regional variations are endless. Some countries like to use coconut water or cream of coconut in their ceviches, others wouldn’t dream of making it without American style ketchup. Chile peppers range from jalapenos, in Mexico, to Aji peppers of Peru and the Andes mountains, to fiery habaneros, across the region. Some ceviches are white, some red, and others a cacophony of colors and can include the addition of avocados, tropical fruits, onions, garlic, etc. The list is virtually endless.

Grilled Shrimp Ceviche

6 oz. Shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail off
1 each Lime, juiced
1/2 each Orange, juiced
2 Tbsp. Red Onion,
1/2 each Tomato, ripe
1/2 each Avocado
1/2 each Mango
2 each Jalapeno, seeded
Salt
Pepper

Skewer the shrimp on bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 1 hour (you don’t have to do this but it makes grilling the shrimp much easier). Place on a preheated grill and grill just until barely cooked through, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp. Remove from skewers and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Place in a bowl and toss with the lime and orange juice. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate at least 1 hour and not more than 3 hours. Just before serving dice the onion, tomato, avocado and mango into 1/4 inch pieces. Finely mince the jalapeno. Toss these with the marinating shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add a little more lime juice if necessary. Serve alone, with tortilla chips or as they do in South America, accompanied by popcorn. This makes enough ceviche to serve 2 as a first course or about 8 people as part of a spread of hors d’oeuvres.

For many of my friends, Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer, and with that, the end of many summery pasttimes. For some of them that means closing up the cabin, winterizing the boat, emptying the pool, and for some that even means contemplating the end of BBQ’ing for the season. Me, I’m just getting started. While I grill throughout the summer, I look forward to cooler temperatures, when I can enjoy sitting outside, tending a slow fire, without having to worry about passing out from heat stroke. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but I really do prefer BBQ’ing in the cooler weather when I can enjoy being outside, not when it is 90+ degrees and all I want to do is jump in a pool. For me, summertime is a time for quick grilling of burgers, steaks, chicken wings, etc. while spring and fall are when I enjoy spending hours nurturing the long slow fires required by true barbecue and smoking. This weekend I was hungry for some ribs and it being Labor Day weekend, it just seemed right to spend a part of it outside tending a grill. I the rub and the sauce I present to you today are just 1 of the many I have in my arsenal of rubs and sauces, many of which I hope so share with you in the future. When it comes to sauces, I have many that I make completely from scratch and others that start with a base of BBQ sauce that I then modifiy beyond the point of recognition. This sauce is one of those. Don’t be put off by its start as a bottled product. The end result is damn good.

Barbecued Ribs with Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Dry Rub
3/4 cup Sugar, granulated
3 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp. Paprika
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Curry Powder
2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1 tsp. Dried Mustard

4 racks Baby Back Ribs

Mix all ingredients together and set aside. Flip the ribs so that the bone side is facing up. Using a paring knife, start to peel the thin, tough membrane from the bones. Once you have it started you can just grab it with your hands and pull it off. Generously rub half the dry rub into the ribs. Flip them over and use the rest of the rub on the tops of the ribs. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate for 3 hours for more.

Meanwhile make the sauce.

Bourbon BBQ Sauce
1 Onion, peeled and thickly sliced
1 Jalapenos (1 to 2)
1 cup Bourbon
1 qt. BBQ Sauce (your favorite store brand)
1 1/2 cups Coke
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup Yellow Mustard
2 Tbsp. Bourbon

Grill the onion slices until lightly charred. Grill the jalapenos until the skin is blackened, then using a paper towel remove as much of the skin as possible. Don’t worry about removing it all. Roughly chop the jalapeno and onion, removing the jalapeno seeds first if you want a milder BBQ sauce. Place in a nonreactive saucepan with a little vegetable oil and cook over medium heat until the onions have wilted. Carefully add the bourbon, using extreme caution as it might flame up. Add the coke and the remaining ingredients. Simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened again. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp. of Bourbon.

20 minutes before you are ready to start cooking. Light 20 charcoal briquettes or the equivalent amount of lump charcoal and allow to burn until coated with a light layer of grey ash. Set the grill up for indirect cooking by placing the charcoal along 2 sides of a kettle style grill. Place the ribs in the center, between the the charcoal. Add about 1/4 cup of soaked wood chips to the coals, and cover, adjusting both top and bottom vents to maintain temperature and good airflow so that the smoke doesn’t sit in the chamber too long. As the heat starts to wane add 20 more briquettes that have been burnt like the first, until covered in a light layer of grey ash. Continue adding charcoal as necessary to maintain a temperature of approximately 220-225 degrees, the optimal temperature for BBQ’ing. Add fresh wood chips every 15 minutes for the first hour and then whenever you add more charcoal. Flip the ribs occasionally. At this temperature the ribs will take approximately 2-2 1/2 hours.During the last 20 minutes brush the ribs with the sauce, glazing both sides of the ribs.

I don’t know why I don’t prepare artichokes more often. Every time I make them I swear I am going to start eating them more often, but usually don’t get around to making them again for 5 or 6 months or more. It’s not that they are difficult to prepare. Sure they can be a little time consuming if you want to grill them as in the recipe below, but they can also be made without much fuss. Just peel the stems, pop off a few of the outer leaves then simmer them in acidulated water until tender. It’s then up to the diner to do the work of peeling off the leaves, one by one, and scraping away the “meat” at the bottom of the leaf. It’s messy, but a fun, interactive meal. This is the way my wife usually prepares them, then sits down to eat a couple, as her entire meal, dipping each leaf into mayo before eating. While I am perfectly happy eating artichokes this way, I was in the mood to do something a little more. I wanted to “jazz” them up a bit and since I hadn’t done much grilling lately that was the obvious choice.

The recipe contains a range for the crushed red pepper. Using only 1/2 tsp. will result in artichokes that are only mildly annoyed, 1 tsp. will result in making them rather perturbed, 2 tsp. will give you angry artichokes and 1 Tbsp.+ are going to make them pretty damned pissed. I’ll let you decide which kind you want to deal with. (continue reading…)