Grilled Chicken with Barbecue Sauce

Here's another quick "non-recipe" post. 

Two weeks from know, I will be attending Kingsford University in Vegas, learning from pit master, Chris Lilly.  To say I am excited would be a massive understatement.  I feel like a kid the night before Christmas...and dagnabit I want coal in my stocking NOW!  It is a gorgeous day today so maybe some grilling will "take the edge off" of waiting for the next two weeks to pass. 

I received a sample jar of Albukirky Seasonings BBQ Rub from fellow Egghead and blogger, Kirk Muncrief.  (See?  His name is Kirk and he lives in Albuqurke....um...Albuqurque....ah forget it, Albukirky is easier to spell anyway!)

I'll do a full post about it later after I have tried it a couple of times but couldn't wait to try it today.  The boys wanted "bbq chicken*" sandwiches for lunch so I seasoned a few boneless skinless chicken thighs with the Ablukirky rub.  

I fired up the Big Green Egg to 350f direct heat and grilled them for about 6 minutes per side.  Then I glazed them with some Smoky Mountain Smokers Barbecue Sauce, moved them to the cooler spots of the grill and let them cook another 2-3 minutes to let the sauce "set" onto the chicken.  

Only add bbq sauce in the last few minutes of grilling so it won't burn.

The boys loved the chicken and it disappeared.  I tasted a piece and it was quite good.  The rub is either sugar free (I'll find out) or low in sugar which made it perfect for grilling (won't burn).   That is why I used a sweet sauce like Smoky Mountain Smokers at the end to balance out the flavor.

Here are my quick tips for grilling boneless, skinless chicken thighs:

1. Trim excess pieces of fat from the thighs but don't stroke out over getting it all.  A little fat is a good thing.
2. Wipe the chicken as dry as possible.
3. Season with your choice of rub and let rest while starting your fire.
4. Grill over direct heat (preferably charcoal fire) at 350-400f for 5-6 minutes per side.
5. Often, one of the thighs in the package is the runt of the litter and it will cook faster than the others.  Keep the runt in one of your cooler spots.  
6. When grilling, tuck that little flap of chicken on the back under the thigh.  This piece may fall off near the end of cooking.  If so, move it to a cooler spot of the grill so it doesn't burn and dry out.  When no one else is looking, pop it in your mouth and eat it.  Chef's treat.  
7. Glaze with your choice of BBQ sauce and move to indirect heat or the cooler areas of your grill.
8. Remove at an internal temperature of about 170f in the fattest part of the thigh.

*What most people call bbq chicken is actually grilled or oven roasted chicken with bbq sauce.  True "bbq chicken" is smoked.    I'm just pointing out there is a difference.  I'm not a hard core traditionalist that is going to correct someone for calling their grilled chicken "bbq chicken".  I know what you mean.

Odds and Ends

Fire Day Friday
I have my Fire Day Friday guest post up over at Our Krazzy Kitchen where I was experimenting last night with a pulled pork/tamale cake appetizer.

Deconstructed Tamale Appetizer Thingy

Kitchen Tools
Want to know one of my favorite kitchen tools?   A dry erase board. 

I know that sounds weird.  But I use a dry erase white board in my kitchen almost every time I cook.  I bought a simple black framed white board and the way it is mounted in the kitchen, you really don't notice it unless you stand directly in front of it. 

I use it to brainstorm ideas for an ingredient.  I write a base recipe on it and the modify it while cooking so I remember what I did.  I sometimes diagram my preparation ideas.

I even draw out what I THINK the dish should look like when finally plated, as you can see on the board from last night's tamale cake.

Grate Expectations
I was excited to get one of the small Craycort cast iron grill grates this week.  It fits a small/medium Egg, a Weber Smokey Joe, or similar sized grills. 

But my primary use of it will be for extreme high temp searing by using a spider rig on my large Big Green Egg.   That rig gets the grate right next to the super screaming hot coals.  I have my rig ordered and should have it shortly. 

Jala-Cherry-Berry BBQ Sauce

I like grilling pork tenderloins because they are easy to grill in a short time and mix well with a variety of flavor profiles.

Pork tenderloins are easy and quick to grill.  My basic process for grilling pork tenderloins is 18 minutes over a 350f (medium) fire, turning them three times.  I try to keep the skinny tapered end away from the hottest part of the fire.  I like to pull them off when they hit about 138-140f internal temp in the thickest part of the tenderloin.   Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to let the temp come up to 145f and the juices redistribute.  This produces a juicy and tender result consistently for me.

Pork tenderloins are flavor friendly and get along with almost any flavor profile, which makes them fun to experiment with.   You can use a variety of rubs, marinades, and finishing sauces.  Yesterday I wanted to try something new so I adapted the following BBQ sauce from Smoke & Spice.  I used a commercial BBQ rub (Billy Bones Original) for my dry rub.

A must have book for anyone serious about the art of BBQ.

Jala-Cherry Berry BBQ Sauce
Adapted from Jalapeach Barbecue Sauce in Smoke & Spice

1 cup Peterson Farms Cherry Berry Blend (dried cherries, blueberries, and cranberries)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup shallot, finely diced
1-2 serrano chilies, seeded and diced
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, minced  (I used Hobo Howey's Jalapeno Treats)
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp  chutney (I used Hobo Howey's Pineapple/Jalapeno Chutney)
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp McCormick's Roasted Cumin
1/2 cup simple syrup (1:1 sugar/water)

To make the simple syrup, bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil and add 1/4 cup of sugar, stirring until dissolved. 

Also, roasted cumin makes a difference.  If you don't have the McCormick's, toast your cumin in a saute pan over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring until it becomes fragrant as it releases it's oils.  

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Simmer for 25 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Blend the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth.

There are a lot of sugars in this sauce so do not put it on until the last few minutes of grilling and keep a watchful eye on your meat.  It is also a nice finishing sauce.

We liked this sauce.  It went perfectly with the pork tenderloin and would also pair well with any roasted or grilled pork.  It is fruity with a kick.  It had a nice thick texture but if you like thinner, you could thin it out with more simple syrup.

Grilled Flank Steak with Hubba Hubba Sauce

Valentine's Day is coming up so you think this post would be about the sweet delicious Hubba Hubba sauce that I made tonight.

But in actuality, this post is about punctuality, productivity and "put-it-on-the-table-ivity".   Alexis is in the middle of her three 12 hour shifts, Brett is just getting over the flu, and Trevor is in the middle of the flu.   Thanks to several short cuts, I got this on the table in 1 hour flat.  

Shortcut 1:  I normally marinade my flank steaks for 4-6 hours to load them up with flavor but tonight I relied on a strong rub of S&P and a rich sauce to build extra flavor on the back end.

Shortcut 2:  Multitask - Take advantage of "down time" when you are normally waiting.  I started the grill at the same time I started the water boiling for the pasta, then prepped the ingredients while they came to temp.   I made the sauce while the steak was resting.

Shortcut 3:  Don't be too proud to use the jar.  My side dish was a total cheat since I simply cooked some vermicelli (6 minutes once water boiling) and tossed it with some Classico Pesto.  I also used demi-glace in a jar from Williams Sonoma in the Hubba Hubba sauce.  

Grilled Flank Steak with Hubba Hubba Sauce

Source:  NibbleMeThis

1 ea flank steak (mine was 1.85 lbs)

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp butter

1 small shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup marsala wine

2 Tbsp demi-glace

1/4 cup beef stock

1 Tbsp chives, chopped

Fire up your grill for a direct heat cook at 500f.  I prefer charcoal but I won't hate on you if you use gas or a broiler.   (But charcoal is better.....I'm just sayin'.  I won't bash you for using gas, don't bash me for being right.)

Score the flank steak at 1" intervals (Click here to see my video tip on How To Score Meat) and season with salt and pepper.  Instead of "just" pepper, I used some of Richard FL's Indian River Rainbow Pepper which ABSOFREAKINGLUTELY rocks with flavor.  Too bad you can't buy it, he just makes it for a few fellow Eggheads (Big Green Egg owners).  But you could use one of those tri-color pepper blends or even "just" pepper.

Grill the flank steak for 3 minutes.

Flip and cook another 3 minutes.  Flip the steak that is.  I don't expect you to do a front or back flip.  Unless you feel so inclined, then have at it.  But if  you aren't a trained gymnast and you have to say, "Here, hold my beer" first, I'd recommend against it.

Flip and cook for 1 minute.  Ever notice that some flank steaks look like you are grilling a beaver's tail?

 

Flip and cook for 30 seconds and them temp check.  It should be about 125f now, which is PERFECT for medium rare flank steak.  If you insist on ruining....errrr....if you prefer a medium steak, cook another minute or two.

Pull the flank steak and rest it on a raised rack.

While the steak is resting, heat a pan over medium heat and THEN add 1 Tbsp of butter.  The THEN is a major difference.  I used to throw oil (butter, oil, etc) into a cold pan and bring them up to heat together.  It makes a huge difference to preheat your pan first as shown here:

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Saute the shallot for 4-5 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Deglaze the pan with marsala wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes.  

Stir in the demi-glace and simmer for 1 minute.  

Kill the heat and add the chives.

Slice the steak thinly across the grain in 1/4" slices and top with the sauce.

For a dinner that was only intended to be time efficient, the Hubba Hubba Sauce was, well....."hubba hubba".  Flank steak signed up for e-Harmony.com and this sauce was his perfect match!

Unfortunately for flank steak, Hubba Hubba sauce isn't as selective.  It would go excellently with any steak such as fillet, ribeye, or a porterhouse.

Fire Roasted Hassleback Sweet Potatoes

Curiosity.

A part of dinner last night was those cute Hassleback potatoes and after dinner, Alexis wondered aloud if we could do that with sweet potatoes.  Why not?  So I tried it for lunch.  You could also cook this in the oven at the same time and temps, but fire roasting adds that extra touch.

Plays well with a grilled ribeye!

Fire Roasted Hassleback Sweet Potatoes
source:  Nibble Me This

2 ea sweet potatoes, washed and dried
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Agave nectar (or honey)
1/4 tsp cinnamon, fresh grated
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Light your charcoal.  Set up your charcoal grill for an indirect set up (cooking over a void with coals to the sides) at 425f. 

Slice the potatoes almost all the way through in 1/8" intervals.   I picked up a trick that makes that easier somewhere on the Internet and can't remember where.  So I can't give appropriate credit but I didn't come up with this genius idea.  

When cutting the potatoes, lay a chopstick on both sides of the sweet potato like this:

That way, you won't cut all the way through by accident.

Drizzle the 2 Tbsp butter and salt over the potatoes. 

Place on the grill and roast for 40-45 minutes at 425f.

Veggies + Fire = Good

Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.  You might need a wide spatula to remove them without breaking.

Meanwhile melt the 3 Tbsp of butter and add the agave nectar (or honey), cinnamon, and red pepper.  Drizzle the butter mixture over the potatoes and serve.

I'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, I usually make them because my life loves them (this was a practice run for Valentines and our anniversary coming up).    But I really liked these.  The fire roasting enriched the flavor and the velvety butter sauce has sweet with a subtle heat to it.  

Deep Fried Hassleback Potatoes

While that was cooking, curiosity struck again.  I wondered if you could deep fry small russets done hassleback style so I tried it with two of them.  I deep fried them for 3 minutes at 375f.   As soon as they came out of the fryer, I hit them with kosher salt.

I topped them with melted butter, garlic, parsley, and chopped bacon.

They were good but I prefer them baked.  The petals or slices open up better during baking whereas the frying happened so quick that I had to "reslice" some of the pieces to open them manually before salting. 

Playing with your food....it's not just for kids anymore.

Yellow Rice and Chorizo

One of the first things I wanted to do to "get back to normal" after being in bed with the flu since Friday was to cook last night.   Even though I had been without fever for 12 hours,  I wore a dust mask and nitrile gloves just to be on the safe side.  Yeah, I'm not kidding and yes I looked like a dork.  

Since I hadn't gone shopping over the weekend and wasn't about to go to the store, I did a pantry/fridge dive and came up with the following.  I mention Johnsonville by name because they are my personal favorite.  Johnsonville sausages are consistent, flavored right, available, and I have never had a problem with a single package I have bought over the years.  I know what I'm getting when I get my chorizo or italian sausage from them.  Plus the company supports grilling and BBQ events all summer log. 

Yellow Rice & Chorizo

Source:  Nibble Me This

12 oz Johnsonville Mexican Chorizo (3 links)

1 cup long grain rice (not instant)

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup water

salt to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 ea cherry pepper, seeded and diced (or 3 Tbsp diced red bell pepper)

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/4 to 1/2 cup fire roasted tomatoes (see last night's post for how to fire roast tomatoes)

Set your grill up for direct heat at 300f (medium to medium low).  Grill your sausages for 25 to 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until they hit an internal temp of  at  about 180f or so.  They won't get dried out at this temp and it renders the fat so you end up with a succulent grilled sausage.

Lower temps will cook them evenly without exploding and burning.

Meanwhile, bring your water and stock to a boil.  Add the rice, turmeric, and season with salt.  Cook according to the rice directions (covered 18-20 minutes in most cases).

In the last 10 minutes, add the diced pepper.

Don't forget to keep flipped the sausages!

 In the last 5 minutes add the peas.

When done, fold in the chopped fire roasted tomatoes, cover and let rest for at least 5 more minutes.

Remove the sausages from the grill (if not already pulled).  

Slice the sausages on a bias in 1/4" pieces and serve with the rice, garnished with cilantro.  

Weeknight timing with weekend flavor!

This was a quick and easy dinner for my first night back behind the grill.  Well, it would have been quick if I didn't have to fire roast the tomatoes for an hour first but let's just pretend I did that part ahead of time.   But the home made fire roasted tomatoes really put it a step up.  This would also be great chopped up and rolled in a burrito with some queso sauce!

You could do this same recipe but cook the sausages stove top according to package directions.  You could also substitute canned fire roasted tomatoes but add 1 clove of minced and sauteed garlic for flavor.

[Standard Disclaimer]  I have no affiliation with Johnsonville, receive no compensation from them and pay full retail for their products.

Tip: How To Fire Roast Tomatoes

I hate winter tomatoes. 

They are flavorless, expensive, and only local if you define "local" as - "on the same continent".   They might be red but they aren't even really ripe.  They just have been exposed to ethylene (C2H4).  That reddens the skin but it isn't going to ripen the insides much, if at all.

One of my favorite blogs, hilarious content.  Check Russ out.

But there is a way that you can concentrate the flavor that they do have and enhance them with additional flavor.  Fire roasting.   And that is what I did tonight because I couldn't bear using weak winter tomatoes in the dinner I was making.  

Most people fire roast tomatoes over direct flame, but I don't.  I think that doing them indirect does a better job of concentrating the flavor.  Here is the process I use, it's a variation of Wolfgang Puck's Oven Dried Tomatoes from his book Live, Love Eat! .  I use fire instead, raise the cooking temp, and do a few slight adjustments.   You could do the same thing using your oven.

Fire Roasted Tomatoes

adapted from Live, Love, Eat! by Wolfgang Puck

4 ea tomatoes (Roma works best, I used "cluster" tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Fire up your grill for an indirect heat set up at 300f.  If using a pizza stone, have it in there preheating.  If using a baking sheet, you'll put it in later.

Score a 1" x across the top of each tomato.  It only has to be deep enough to go all the way through the skin.

Blanche the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute and then shock them by submerging them in an ice bath.  Let them sit for a few minutes.

Cut out the core end of each tomato with a sharp paring knife.  Peel the skins off of the tomato and discard them. 

Cut each tomato into wedges.  I cut romas in fourths, larger tomatoes in sixths.  Cut out the seeds and discard.

Place the cleaned wedges on parchment paper on a baking pan (or in my case, on parchment paper on a pizza peel used to transfer them to the grill).  Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the olive oil.  Sprinkle them with the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and sugar.

Place in the 300f grill and cook for 1 hour with the lid closed.

When they come out, you may have a few black spots but that is fine. 

Let them cool and then place them in a glass bowl.  Top the bowl off with the rest of the olive oil (as much as needed to cover) and seal tightly.  They will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. 

These are great on pizza, in rice dishes, or just about anything you might want to use a tomato for.


Tropical Island Gourmet Giveaway
I was supposed to do the drawing last Wednesday to give away Fire Ant Juice and Pineapple Jalapeno Chutney.  That was before three out of four of use came down with influenza.  So tonight I drew the winner from the eligible entries using Random.org.  And the winner is:  

Chilebrown

Don't forget you can still get a free bottle with each order you place between now and whatever date I put in this link here (I'm too lazy to look it up right now!).  Just include "Nibble Me This" in the comments section of the order form and Chef Wayne will hook you up.