Category Archives: grilling

Grillin’ while chillin’

21 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by in grilling

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

We are having some of the most gorgeous weather.  Not a cloud in sight, but it is COLD!  The morning started with a good layer of frost and then as the sun came out, it warmed up to a balmy 41*.

chill grill 2

Since I didn’t get to my to-do list when my December vacation took a turn for the worse, I decided I would spend a little time in the yard on my MLK Monday off.  I spent the day smoking two (yes 2!) pork shoulders.  My vertical drum smoker took a little more baby sitting than in the prime of summer since we started in the dark when it was 31*.

I mostly smoked these to babies to stock my freezer, but of course I had to enjoy some right off the grill.  There is nothing better than fresh off the grill, melt in your mouth, pork shoulder.  I can easily be gluttonous standing in the kitchen and eat most of it right there.  But tonight, I made mini pulled pork sliders.  I love sliders, it’s built in portion control.

chill grill 1

 

yummmm… this week’s off to a good start.  Hope you have a good week (it just might not be as yummy)

it’s not a banana peel

03 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in grilling, pizza

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

I can’t promise this will be my last post on the awesomeness of pizza, but what I can say with just about 98% certainty, is that I will not make pizza in the oven again.

I can’t believe it has taken me this long to put my pizza stone on the grill.  But it finally happened and it will never go back to the oven.  ok, well for bread… maybe.

The thing I haven’t like about pizza on the grill is you don’t get that beautiful slightly browned cheese topping.  Crust is outstanding, but I also like the almost burnt cheese bubbles you get from the oven.

Tonight, I achieved my desired pizza on the grill.  crunchy edges, good crust, and browned cheese bubbles.  All on the GRILL!  But what I am certain made all the difference is my new, handcrafted pizza peel.My friend Rich is a bit of a curmudgeon on a good day (really- while we were having dinner he said “I like individuals, I don’t like people”).  He is truly a sweet man underneath that surly exterior (I may get in trouble for admitting that), so sweet that he MADE me this beautiful peel!  It is a blend of cherry and basswood and on the underside, has an insignia that he made it.  I can’t be more pleased with this beautiful gift!

Back to the pizza… I made the Roman pizza dough that has come to be my favorite recipe.  The recipe calls for the dough to be divided into 6 equal portions, but tonight out of sheer absent mindedness I divided it into 4.  Turned out perfectly, since my new peel is bigger than my old one.  I rolled the dough nice and thin, then dusted the peel with a little flour and built my pie.

I pre-heated my gas grill (all 5 burners on high for about 40 minutes) and it was at a solid 550* according to the gauge on top.  Because this pie is so thin, it cooks very quickly, not more than about 5 minutes.  Do not look away and don’t start something where you may forget.  I’m a big fan of a timer.  I’m a bigger fan of this pizza and it’s yumminess.

ta-dah!

deep south heads west, then far east

02 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in grilling, recipes

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

In our family, we don’t usually eat BBQ out because it isn’t as good as what we can make at home.  As much as I would love to have a Big Green Egg, all I have is a Weber and I make it work for me.

Brother Normal (I introduced you to the Normal family back at Thanksgiving) makes some of the yummiest bbq sauce and rubs around.  I don’t ask for the recipe, I just ask for another bottle.  Why mess with perfection?  I suppose when I open Lula Harp’s Eatery, I’ll either have to figure out my own recipe or hire him on full-time.  Until then, when he travels here, he brings the good stuff.  He and Mrs. Normal also man the 24 hour bbq help-line for little sister when she takes on a new recipe.

You have all been so patient, I now unveil the goodness I made for Sunday’s brunch.  Pulled Pork!  It was so freakin yummy!  Was?!  Still is!  I’m working my way through all that delicious goodness.

I started Thursday evening by applying a liberal coating of Brother’s special No Big Lip Rub to a 5 1/2 pound pork shoulder.  No Big Lip Rub?  Confession time.  I’m allergic to black pepper.  A little bit in a recipe doesn’t bother me, but a crusting of black pepper and I look like Angelina Jolie overdosed on botox the next day.  (at this point most people ask me why on earth I don’t eat MORE black pepper.  because it feels weird and uncomfortable.  I don’t understand why people pay for botox)

24 hours later, I set up the Weber for indirect grilling at 250* with a water pan below my shoulder.  I used apple wood chips from Home Depot for my smoke.

This is at about the 2 hour mark

At the 5 hour mark I HAD to go to bed, so I tucked her into a nice warm 200* oven to finish the job at hand.  After 6 hours, I pulled out this beauty.  If your counting, this was a total of 11 hours cooking.

I let it cool for about an hour.  I couldn’t wait another second to dive into this!  I went at it with 2 forks and shredded it and added a touch of Brother’s bbq sauce.

For the brunch I served it as sliders on little potato rolls, which were also my lunch today.  Tonight’s dinner though was where this southern delicacy headed to the far east.

Last week’s Food Day was all about miso.  There was a ginger miso dressing with noodles that caught my eye.  I’ve made this dressing twice now and it is outstanding.  If you can make it 30 minutes or an hour ahead, the flavors meld and it gets even better.  I reduced the sugar and increased the ginger and cilantro.  You know me, I don’t follow recipes, so here’s what I actually did:

Lula’s Gingery Ginger Miso Dressing
4T miso mixed w 4T hot water (put this in your jar and shake to mix then add remaining ingredients)
2T grated fresh ginger
8T rice vinegar
4T canola oil
4t sugar
Several tablespoons chopped cilantro (never too much for me)
3 squeezes sriracha (could have added another squirt)
Salt (2-3t-ish)

I added about 1/3 of the dressing to 1/4 of a head of freshly grated cabbage and tossed.  Topped with just warmed pulled pork and a dusting of cilantro.  The freshness of the ginger dressing cuts some of the richness of the pork giving a nice balance.

This pork shoulder is outstanding.  I have another serving left and not sure how I’ll eat it.  maybe just cold from the fridge.  The grill had begun to feel a little neglected, but I think she’s forgiven me for the time being.  I’ll have to think about what’s next…

mmmm pizza

27 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by in dinner, grilling, pizza

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

I love pizza.  I really wasn’t planning on being gluttonous and having it 3 nights in a row! But when I got the call to pick up Vivian (she’s doing much better, thanks for asking) I realized my timing for beans and rice was shot.

Just so happens, this morning I found a recipe for no-rise pizza crust over at the Faux Martha.  Since I have been on a pizza bender this summer I knew I had to try this.  And since I was trying to come up with a quick easy dinner I went with this.

The recipe came together very nicely.  I actually halved it (mostly).  I liked the recipe was a mix of whole wheat and all purpose.  Whole wheat always gives a nice texture to a pizza crust.  I rolled it out into 2 small discs (think smaller than a dinner plate) and preheated the grill to 400+/-.  The dough was nicely stiff, so I could stack both dough discs together to carry out to the grill.  My favorite thing about this dough was when I tossed the first disc on the grill, part of it fell between two grates and I was able to re-position it smoothly and without tearing the dough.

I grilled on the first side for about 4 minutes (long enough to grate the cheese, pick my cherry tomatoes and kick the soccer ball a few times).  Turned it over and added my toppings.  I was kinda slow on this part tonight so my cheese didn’t melt as much as I would have liked since I was worried about the crust burning.

I’m giving this an A-/B+.  Good solid recipe with a few interesting new tidbits (parmesan IN the dough) and will certainly improve as I play with it a bit more.  Definitely one you should try.  Thanks faux Martha.