Heyya Peeps!
Well, we’re countin’ down to Independence Day, and planning on what to grill up while Will Smith, once again, kick’s some serious alien butt.
I really want to play with my new oyster racks, and I’m jonesing for some grilled lamb, as well, so I cruised on over to the Food Network site to see what the big boys (and girls) were throwing on the fire.
Here are a few that had me droolin’ on my keyboard…
Guy Fieri’s Malibu oysters. Mario’s black pepper drumsticks. Paula’s easy BBQ chicken. Bobby Flay’s Smoked Ribs. Alton Brown’s Pulled Pork. Giada’s Grilled Lamb
Six top celebrity chefs’ favorite grilling recipes for the Fourth of July!
“Time to kick the tires, and light the fires, big daddy!”
Guy Fieri’s Malibu Oysters
Total Time: 30 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 8 oysters
Level: Easy
* 8 large oysters, BBQ size
* 1/3 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons Parmesan
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
* 1 cup fried potato sticks (recommended: Pik-Nik)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
* 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
* 1 1/2 cups baby spinach
* 6 ounces havarti cheese, sliced
* Rock salt, for baking
Preheat a grill to high. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Shuck the oysters and set aside in the refrigerator or on ice, keeping them in the shell.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, white vinegar, Parmesan, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, cayenne, and white pepper. Stir to combine, and then stir in the fried potato sticks.
In a small saute pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and red onions and saute for 3 minutes, and then add the spinach and allow to wilt. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
Top each oyster with the spinach mixture, dividing evenly, and then do the same with the mayo mixture. Top with the havarti and place on a baking sheet lined with a layer of rock salt. Roast in the oven until cheese is bubbly and oysters are just warmed through, 5 to 6 minutes.
Let cool enough to handle, and then serve right away.
Recipe Courtesy of Food Network, 2011
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Mario Batali’s Spicy Black-Pepper-Coated Drumsticks
(Serves 6)
Partly cooking the drumsticks in the oven ensures that they will cook through on the grill without charring. You can bake the chicken early in the day or even the night before.
12 chicken drumsticks
Kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, preferably chipotle
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a spice or coffee grinder
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 fennel bulbs
4 ounces Gorgonzola dolce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place the drumsticks on a baking sheet and season all over with salt. Bake unadorned for 20 minutes (25 minutes if your drumsticks are very large).
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, fennel seeds, and black pepper. Set a wire rack over a large plate or a small baking sheet.
As soon as the drumsticks come out of the oven, toss them, in batches, into the buttermilk mixture and turn to coat, then place skin side up on the rack to drain. Spoon a little of the mixture, with the fennel seeds and pepper, over the top of each one, and set aside. (The drumsticks can be baked and marinated up to a day ahead; leave them on the rack, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before grilling.)
Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Trim the fennel bulbs, cut lengthwise in half, and cut out most of the core. Cut into 1/4-inch-wide batonettes and toss into a bowl of ice water.
Crumble the Gorgonzola into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the red wine vinegar and stir with the fork until fairly smooth. Drizzle in the oil, stirring, to make a dressing. Pour into one or more shallow bowls for dipping.
Place the drumsticks on the hottest part of the grill, cover the grill, and cook, turning occasionally at first and then more often as they start to caramelize, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
Put the drumsticks on a platter. Drain the fennel sticks, pat dry, and place on the platter next to the wings. Serve with the Gorgonzola dressing.
Recipe Courtesy of Mario Batali’s Italian Grill (Ecco 2008)
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Paula Deen’s Easy After Work BBQ Chicken
Total Time: 40 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy
* 1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups bottled sauce or Easy BBQ Sauce, recipe follows
Prepare a medium-hot grill or preheat the broiler. If using the broiler, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken on the grill or, if broiling, put it on the prepared baking sheet. Grill or broil, 4 inches from the heat, turning once, for 10 minutes per side.
Put 1/2 of the BBQ sauce in a small bowl, for drizzling and serving. Reserve.
Baste the chicken with the remaining sauce and grill or broil for 5 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, drizzle with some of the reserved sauce, and serve with lime wedges and the remaining reserved sauce
Easy BBQ Sauce:
* 3/4 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons minced onion
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 1/4 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce, (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons chopped scallions (white and light green parts)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
* Lime wedges, for serving
In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, onion, mustard, hot sauce, and black pepper. Stir in the scallions, lime zest, and lime juice. Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Yield: 2 cups
Recipe Courtesy of Food Network, 2011
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Bobby Flay’s Smoked Ribs with Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce
Total Time: 19 hr 15 min
Prep: 30 min
Inactive: 12 hr 45 min
Cook: 6 hr 0 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Intermediate
Rub:
* 1/4 cup ancho chili powder
* 2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
* 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons dry mustard
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons ground coriander
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons chile de arbol
* 2 racks St. Louis-style pork ribs, 12 ribs each, membrane removed
* 1/4 cup canola oil
Mop:
* 2 cups cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
* Few dashes hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Mix of hickory and applewood chips
* 1 quart apple cider
* North Carolina Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
Carolina Style BBQ Sauce:
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 medium Spanish onions, coarsely chopped
* 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
* 2 cups ketchup
* 2/3 cup water
* 1/4 cup ancho chili powder
* 2 tablespoons paprika
* 2/3 cup Dijon mustard
* 2/3 cup cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
* 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 tablespoons molasses
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the rub:
Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Brush both sides of the racks with oil and rub with the spice mixture. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
In a large pot over low heat, add all the mop ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
Remove the ribs from the refrigerator 45 minutes before smoking to allow them to come to room temperature. Add the mix of hickory and applewood chips to the smoker according to package instructions. Heat a smoker to 220 degrees F. Put the apple cider in a small heatproof pan in the smoker.
Put the ribs directly on the smoker rack. Smoke for 6 hours, brushing the ribs with the mop every hour for the first 5 hours. During the last hour, brush the ribs with the North Carolina Barbecue Sauce every 10 minutes. Remove the ribs to a serving platter and serve.
For the BBQ Sauce:
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes.
Carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. Sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator, stored in a tightly sealed container.
Recipe Courtesy of Food Network, 2011
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Alton Brown’s Pulled Pork
Total Time: 24 hr 20 min
Prep: 20 min
Inactive: 13 hr 0 min
Cook: 11 hr 0 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Level: Easy
Brine:
* 8 ounces or 3/4 cup molasses
* 12 ounces pickling salt
* 2 quarts bottled water
* 6 to 8 pound Boston butt
Rub:
* 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
* 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
* 1 teaspoon whole coriander
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon paprika
Video: Watch Alton make this recipe
Combine molasses, pickling salt, and water in 6 quart Lexan. Add Boston butt making sure it is completely submerged in brine, cover, and let sit in refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours. 12 hours is ideal.
Place cumin seed, fennel seed, and coriander in food grinder and grind fine. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and stir in chili powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Remove Boston butt from brine and pat dry. Sift the rub evenly over the shoulder and then pat onto the meat making sure as much of the rub as possible adheres. More rub will adhere to the meat if you are wearing latex gloves during the application.
Preheat smoker to 210 degrees F. Place butt in smoker and cook for 10 to12 hours, maintaining a temperature of 210 degrees F. Begin checking meat for doneness after 10 hours of cooking time. Use fork to check for doneness. Meat is done when it falls apart easily when pulling with a fork. Once done, remove from pot and set aside to rest for at least 1 hour. Pull meat apart with 2 forks and serve as sandwich with coleslaw and dressing as desired.
Recipe Courtesy of Food Network, 2011
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Giada De Laurentiis’ Grilled Lamb with Salsa Verde
Total Time: 1 hr 25 min
Prep: 30 min
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Level: Easy
* 1/4 cup salted capers, soaked for 30 minutes, drained, coarsely chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
* 1/3 cup chopped scallions
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
* 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
* 1 cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
* 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
* 3 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (4 1/2 to 5-pound) butterflied boned lamb shoulder
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* Nonstick cooking spray
Stir the first 7 ingredients and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a large bowl to blend. Whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Set the salsa verde aside. Place the lamb in a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Rub the minced garlic, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes all over lamb. Pour 1/2 cup of salsa verde over the lamb, turning the lamb to coat evenly. Use immediately, or cover the dish and remaining salsa verde separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 day.
Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill the lamb until a meat thermometer inserted into the thicker parts registers 130 degrees F for medium-rare, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a work surface and let rest 15 minutes.
Cut the lamb across grain into thin slices. Arrange the lamb slices on a platter. Serve the remaining salsa verde alongside.
