Asian Chicken Wings

Recently, fellow blogger, Stephen Crout published his book A Cook's Book For Cooks.

You'll notice it doesn't say "cookbook".   That's because while it does have recipes, it's not your same ol' same ol' cook book.  It's more conversational than instructional.  Some of the recipes are structured in recipe format while others may just be narrative and both work.  

You see, Stephen is less about getting you to follow a set of instructions.  He's more about motivating and inspiring you to get in the kitchen and maybe stretch your cooking comfort zone a bit.  It's kind of like having him in the kitchen with you just kicking around possibilities.  In the process, he entertains with sharp wit and irreverent humor.  Here's an example from his bit on St. Louis-style Spare Ribs:

There is a membrane on the back side which some people* insist needs to be removed.  It's a little difficult to do and after a brief try I just said screw it.  It won't hurt if you are a bit more persistent than I was (56). 

He kids around a lot, gets on his soap box a few times, and encourages you to experiment on your own.  Here's a recipe I made from A Cook's Book For Cooks and in true Crout fashion, I didn't follow the directions exactly.  I knew he would want it that way....

Asian Chicken Wings

adapted from Stephen Crout's A Cooks Book For Cooks

Servings:  2

Ingredients

• 8 chicken wings, cut into wingettes and drummettes, tips reserved for stock
• 1/2 cup mirin cooking wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, sliced on a bias, divided between marinade and garnish
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup sweet Asian chili sauce

Instructions

1. Mix the mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, half the onion, roasted red pepper and black pepper together.  
2. "Marinate the wings in this for one day.  Don't have a day?  Fine, go for an hour (Crout 75)."
3. Set up your grill for indirect heat and preheat it to 375f.  This will be fire roasting instead of direct grilling.
4. Remove wings from marinade (reserve marinade) and fire roast them for 30 minutes.
5. Flip wings and roast another 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, put marinade in a preheated saute pan over medium high heat.  Rapidly simmer for at least 5 minutes.  Stir in sweet Asian chili sauce.
7. Toss wings in the sauce and return to the grill for 10 minutes.
8. Remove, garnish with remaining green onion, and serve.

Notes

• The book gives bake/broil method for doing this inside.  I'd tell you what it is but then I'd have to pay Stephen royalties.  Go buy the book, it's only $10.99. 
• Wing tip:  When placing wings on a grill, place their cut/open side down first.  This will help the rendered fat drip off/out easier.  Can't remember who I got that tip from but it works.

*Present company included.

[Standard Disclaimer]  Stephen Crout Industries, Inc paid me one kajillion dollars to write this review.  Just kidding I paid full price and received no compensation.  There, happy FTC? 

DivaQ's Chocolate Pig Candy Pretzels

This is as close to a "cookie post" that you will ever see on Nibble Me This.   I made DivaQ's Chocolate Pig Candy Pretzels (click for full recipe).  It's made of pretzels, chocolate and crumbled candied bacon.  Yeah, I know....right? 

Sweet, salty, and a bit smoky too.

Danielle Dimovski aka DivaQ has been one of my top favorite BBQ bloggers since I started my blog.  She's got a hilarious sense of humor, has great content & tips, and is one heck of a BBQ competition cook, as proven by her top finish in pork shoulder at the 2011 Jack Daniels.  If you don't already follow her, check out www.divaq.ca .  

Made my pig candy on my Green Egg. 

Improvised double broiler.

Dipped in chocolate, sprinkled with crumbled pig candy, chilled in fridge, dusted with powdered sugar.

We packaged these in foil cups and red straw inside of a clear plastic goody bag to give as gifts to co-workers, neighbors, etc.

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Blue Cheese Biscuits

Knoxville has been under a wet blanket of steady drizzling rain for the past two cool days and I was in the mood for comfort food last night.   Alexis had to work late so I made beef stew on my Big Green Egg while I baked blue cheese biscuits on her Egg.

Beef stew ladled over a split biscuit - extreme comfort food.

Speaking of our Eggs, my new next door neighbors also have an Egg and already knew this blog.  Their Egg is set up near our grilling area so John and I talk BBQ and grilling as we are cooking during the week.  He was cooking ribs on Sunday and I jokingly told him that I was going to sneak pictures of his food when he wasn't looking and post them on Nibble Me This for extra content.  

Back to beef stew and biscuits.  The beef stew was very similar to For The Love of Cooking's Beef and Barley Stew except I cooked it on my Egg in a dutch oven.  

325f direct - was covered during the cook except when browning the beef.

The biscuits were supposed to be a sour cream based biscuit but I was out, so I used thick homemade blue cheese dressing instead.  This should also work with chunky commercial brands but not thin, watery blue cheese dressings.  

 

Blue Cheese Biscuits

Adapted from White Lily's Peppered Sour Cream Biscuits

servings:  12 biscuits

Ingredients

• 3 cups self rising flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
• 1/2 tsp chives, diced
• 1 cup blue cheese dressing, thick chunky style
• 2/3 cup half and half
• 6 Tbsp butter, melted (divided 4T and 2T)

Instructions

1. Preheat your Big Green Egg (or oven) to 450f with the plate setter in "legs down".  
2. Mix the dry ingredients together.  Mix the dressing, half & half, and 4 Tbsp of melted butter together.  Stir together until it becomes a coarse dough.
3. On a floured surface, knead about 5 times.  
4. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Roll scraps back up and cut out more until gone.
5. Place biscuits on a floured pizza stone and bake 15-18 minutes.  Brush with the 2 Tbsp of melted butter during the last 5 minutes.

A little flour on the pizza stone keeps biscuits from sticking.

The pizza stone was not preheated.

There's a lot of flavor in these fire baked biscuits.

Comfort food that will put your butt in the bed...or at least plant it on a couch!

Grilled Pork Medallions with Apple Maple Glaze

Laws that prohibit sales of alcohol on Sundays make me blue (pun intended).  It never fails - I decide to make a recipe that will require wine or liquor and then realize it is Sunday and I can't buy it.  It looks bad going to a neighbor's house and asking, "I'm not trying to get my buzz on or anything, but could you spare a cup of brandy?"

I had this idea that I wanted to make this past Sunday and THOUGHT I had brandy when I came up with it.  Nope.  So I improvised and used Apple Pie moonshine.

Grilled Pork Medallions with Apple Maple Glaze
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin, sliced into 8 medallions
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

For the Apple Maple Glaze

• 2 tsp butter
• 1/4 cup almond slivers
• 1/4 cup shallot, finely diced
• 2 cup apple, cored, peeled, and diced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon, fresh grated 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, fresh grated
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup alcohol (I used moonshine but brandy is preferred) 
• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill for direct heat at 400f.  (I used the Big Green Egg, lump coal, and Craycort cast iron grates.)  
2. Season the pork medallions with the salt, paprika, pepper and powder.
3. Grill the medallions 4-5 minutes per side.  Temp check them to see if they are 140f internal.  If not switch to indirect heat and finish to 140f internal.  
4. Preheat a skillet over medium high heat.  
5. Add butter and almond slivers.  Allow to cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the apple, shallot, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne.  Cook for 5 minutes, tossing or stirring frequently.  
7. Flambe!  Safe Version - Remove skillet from heat, add the alcohol and immediately light with a long grill lighter.  (I just add alcohol and slightly tip the pan towards the flame - POOF!)  Let burn until the flame burns out, cooking off most of the alcohol.
8. Add the apple juice and maple syrup.  Simmer 5 minutes or until thickened into a syrup.
9. Place two medallions on a plate and top with some of the apple maple glaze.  Repeat.

You should get about 8 medallions per tenderloin.

The thin cuts of pork cook quickly, keep your eye on the temps.

Tried to get shot of the flambe, came out too blurry.  You can see the last of the flame in this shot.

The sweet syrupy topping with just a hint of heat from the cayenne & cinnamon was ideal for the rest of the family.  Personally, I would have liked to add some red pepper flake too for more kick to offset the sweet.  While this was a work in progress, we will definitely be making this frequently.  Can't wait to try it with brandy.

Does your area have blue laws and if so, has it ever messed up your recipe plans?

Flank Steak with Blue Angel Hair Pasta

Wow, time flies.

A week ago, Trevor and I were in Florida for our fishing trip with my father in law and waking up to this...

Sunrise at 6:something in the morning at Perdido Key.

Trevor piloting the boat until the no-wake zone ends.

It was windy with the marker buoy bells clanging and the fishing lines whistling.

Dolphins played all around us.

Look at the smile on Trev's face landing his first fish of the trip. 20 minute fight.

16.75 lb   33" black drum, caught on blue crab and released alive.

13.5 lb, 31" black drum caught on menhaden and released alive.

Fishing next to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, we saw prop training planes...

Chinook helicopters....

Jets practicing touch and go landings......

and even the Blue Angels practicing overhead.

All of that fun trip was the inspiration for last night's dinner.  A fish dinner?  Heck no, you know I don't care for fish.  I grilled a flank steak and served it with "Blue Angel" hair pasta.

Grilled Flank Steak with Blue Angel Hair Pasta
Servings:  4

Ingredients
For the steak

• 1 flank steak, scored 1/4" on both sides and left out at room temp for about 1 hour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp corriander
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chile pepper, ground

For the pasta

• 8 oz angel hair pasta, cooked
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp diced shallot
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup blue cheese 
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to 450f set up for direct heat.  Tonight I was using a large Big Green Egg with lump coal filled to the top of the fire bowl and a Craycort cast iron grate system.  But whatever you are using, make sure to allow enough time to get the grates fully preheated.
2. Mix the dry ingredients and season the steak, getting the seasoning into the scored cuts as well.
3. Grill the steak approximately 4 minutes per side or until it registers an internal temperature of 130f for medium rare.  
4. Remove and rest on a raised rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. 
5. While the steak is resting, melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat and saute shallot for 1 minute.
6. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 2-3 minutes to form a blond roux.  
7. Reduce heat to medium, add the half and half and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally until thickened.  
8. Add the blue cheese, celery seed, pepper, and salt.  Stir until blended.
9. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper if needed.   Toss with pasta to coat.
10. Slice steak thinly (1/4" strips at most) across the grain.  Serve with the pasta.  Garnish with extra blue cheese

Notes

• Scoring the flank steak with knife cuts maximizes surface area for seasoning and adds texture.
• The internal temp of flank steak won't rise as much during the rest period as a roast or a super thick strip steak will.  Count on about 5-7 degrees (f).  
• Resting your steak on a flat surface creates a steam effect that relaxes cell structure and releases more juices out of the steak.  The raised rack eliminates that effect and helps retain moisture.

The score marks open up once it starts cooking on the grill.

Served with grilled romaine salad and a garlic/herb yeast roll.

How cool.....they have special docking for grills! 

We finished the weekend with a boatside dinner at the Sunset Grille just as the sun was setting.  Hard to beat the view.

Grilled Turkey Breast

I know.  You just got over your turkey overdose.  Why in the world would I be making turkey now?  Because I didn't get to at Thanksgiving. 

Normally I like to brine my poultry but this breast was one of those "packaged with up to X% with a solution" so it was already pre-brined so brining it was not an option.  Instead I came up with an injection to build flavor. 

This turned out to be my favorite injection I have come up with for turkey and the family readily agreed.  The clarified butter has a cleaner texture, the infused herbs bring the flavor, and the sweet agave comes through in the final product. 

Turkey Injection
servings:  1 cup, enough for 1 turkey breast


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup clarified butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 sage leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup Agave Amber Nectar

Instructions

1. Heat clarified butter to simmering.
2. Add the garlic cloves, sage leaves, thyme, and peppercorns and poach for 5 minutes.
3. Remove and reserve the sage and thyme.  Discard the garlic and pepper corns.
4. Add the wine, Agave nectar, and salt.  Stir to mix.  Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.

Note:  Our local grocery store carries Agave Nectar.  If you can't find it, you could substitute honey and a little brown sugar.  But agave has much better flavor, in my opinion.

Grilled Turkey Breast
Servings:  6-8

Ingredients

• bone in, skin on turkey breast
• 1 cup turkey injection
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Sage and thyme reserved from cooking the injection.

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to 325 - 350f set up for indirect heat.  I was using a Smoke Hollow combo grill with 40 lit briquettes divided to each side with drip pans in the middle.  See pictures below for example.
2. Inject the turkey in several areas with the injection from inside the rib cage (the back side of the breast).  [For tips on injecting, see Five Tips:  Injecting Meat]
3. Make a rub with the salt, paprika, pepper, thyme and sage.  The thyme and sage should crumble easily.
4. Rub the breasts over and under the skin.
5. Place the breast on the grill over the drip pan, skin side facing up.  Grill for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the breast reaches an internal temperature of 155 to 160f.  Add a half dozen or so briquettes to each side occasionally as needed to maintain the grill temperature at 325 to 350f.  
6. Allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

• I used Kingsford Briquettes with Hickory (green bag) to get a little smoke flavor.
• Here's my time/temps chart.  [Update]  The grill temps listed were actual temps, not my target temperatures.  I was trying to hold a temp of 325f, which is much easier in my Eggs.

Time	Internal Temp	Grill Temp	Notes
0	46f	325f	Started with 20 lit coals on each side of a dripping pan
15 min	48f	300f	Added 8 unlit coals per side
30 min	61f	340f
45 min	84f	320f	Added 8 coals left side, 4 coals right side
1 hr	97f	320f
1 hr 15 m	120f	300f	Added 12 coals left side, 8 coals right side
1 hr 30 m	134f	325f
1 hr 45 m	145f	350f
2 hr	156f	315f	Removed turkey from grill

Poaching the garlic and herbs in butter draws out their flavor.

Kingsford with Hickory adds a kiss of smoke.

Injecting from the rib side (inside) avoids tearing and poking holes in the skin.

Indirect set up, coals pushed to the side to create a void, above which rests the meat.

Look how juicy!  I carve off half the breast and then slice that on a cutting board.

This disappeared quickly but I did manage to save some scraps for KY Hot Browns today.

Don't forget to entry the Drapers BBQ Gift Pack giveaway HERE.

[Standard Disclaimer]  I receive no compensation for this post from any of the brand names listed.

December Giveaway - Drapers BBQ Gift Box

Need a gift for the BBQ addict in your life?  Well you're in luck.

Drapers BBQ is giving away four of their 2011 Limited Edition BBQ Gift Boxes this week in a joint contest with Robyn, Wayne, and myself.

This gift box contains the following all neatly packed in a holiday box ready to go under the Christmas tree:

• 1 18-oz bottle of Draper’s BBQ Smokin’ Sauce
• 1 1-lb. package of Draper’s BBQ A.P. Rub
• 1 stainless steel rub shaker
• Recipes hand-picked by Shane Draper himself that work well not only during the holiday season, but all year round.

To enter, leave a comment below and tell me to whom you would give this gift box.  Then leave comments on the blog entries at GrillGrrrl and Big Wayner's BBQ Blog.  Let us know that you did all that in the Rafflecopter widget below, and you then have 4 chances to win!

The contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Sunday, December 11.  Good luck everyone!

If you don't want to take any chances on not winning, you can also buy this or one of Shane's other gift packages at Drapers BBQ.