Grilled Steak Compound Butter

 

Grilled Steak Compound Butter

(8 tablespoons)

 

Ingredients:

1 stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature

¼ tsp. Garlic Powder

¼ tsp. Onion Powder

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

¼ tsp. Paprika

¼ tsp. Chili Powder

¼ tsp. Thyme

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients until well mixed.  Transfer this mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log about one inch thick.  Wrap the plastic wrap around the log and twist each of the ends.  Refrigerate until firm or up to a week.  Freezes well too.  Use one tablespoon per serving.

Notes:              This compound butter is great on grilled beef. pork, lamb and chicken.

Notes:              This recipe is easily doubled or tripled too.

Ideas for Future Efforts

 ___________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

Lemon-Dill Compound Butter

 

Lemon-Dill Compound Butter

(8 tablespoons)

 

Ingredients:

1 stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 medium Lemon, zested

2 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tbsp. Fresh Dill, finely chopped

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed.  Transfer this mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log about one inch thick.  Wrap the plastic wrap around the log and twist each of the ends.  Refrigerate until firm or up to a week.  Freezes well too.  Use one tablespoon per serving.

Notes:              This compound better is great on fish, seafood, chicken and vegetables.

Notes:              This recipe is easily doubled or tripled too.

Ideas for Future Efforts

 __________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Compound Butters to Use

 

In cooking we like to do whatever is possible to improve or increase the flavors.  This is. Of course, to improve the taste we get when we eat and therefore our satisfaction.

One way to do this is to use “Compound Butters” which you make ahead.

Compound butters are mixtures of butter and supplementary ingredients.  They are used to enhance flavor and are similar to sauces.

You use softened unsalted butter and add herbs, spices and other ingredients.  What you use depends on what you are going to use this compound butter to enhance.

Compound butters work well on meats, fish and seafood, and an assortment of vegetables.  You can make your own or buy in stores and online.

If you haven’t tried them before, you need to try them sometime in the near future.

So, until next time, “Happy Cooking” and please help share this link with others.  Thanks.

Poor Man's Burnt Ends

 

Poor Man’s Burnt Ends

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

3-4 lb. Chuck Roast

2 tbsp. Favorite BBQ Seasoning

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

¾ cup Ketchup

½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

4 oz. Bourbon

1½ tbsp. Hot Sauce

1 tbsp. Brown Sugar

½ tbsp. Garlic Paste

½ tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

to taste Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Cube your chuck roast into about 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl.  Lather with canola oil and then season with bbq seasoning.  Place cubes on a baking tray with about ½-inch separation between cubes.  Place in refrigerator for 1 hour to set, then let come to room temperature 15 minutes before cooking.  Prepare your smoker or grill for two zone cooking (see notes) heating to about 275-degrees.  Add soaked wood chips for more smoke.  Place the meat right on the grates over the indirect heat area.  Cook for 1½ hours or until the beef starts to soften.  During this first cooking time, make the bbq sauce.  In a skillet over medium-high heat, simmer the bourbon for 30 minutes.  Nest, add the ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, brown sugar, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.  Let simmer over medium heat until thickened.  Once thickened and well incorporated, pull off heat and let cool.  After the hour and a half cooking, pull the meat off and place in a medium sized foil pan.  Top with some bbq sauce and mix to coat.  Cover pan with foil and place back on the indirect area for another 2½ hours.  Add more bbq sauce if needed as it cooks.  Once the burnt ends are tender and can easily break apart, pull then off and let cool 10 minutes.  Toss cooled burnt ends in some pans sauce, season with a little more bbq seasoning and enjoy.

Notes:             Two zone cooking is direct and indirect cooking.  Direct cooking has the heat source directly below.  Indirect has the heat source to the side.  For example, on a rectangle grill the left half would have the heat source on under it.  While on the right side, there would be no heat source coming from under it.  This allows you to cook the indirect side like an oven with no flames burning the food while it cooks.

Ideas for Future Efforts

 _____________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Steak Kabobs

 

Steak Kabobs

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

1½ lb. Steak (see notes)

¼ cup plus 2 tsp. Olive Oil. Divided

3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped

2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced

8 Baby Blonde Potatoes

4 slices thick-cut Bacon

½ cup Crème Fraiche

2½ tbsp. Prepared Horseradish

½ tsp. Dijon Mustard

to taste Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Place cut-up steak in a gallon sized zip-lock bag.  Combine ¼ cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp. rosemary, Worcestershire sauce and garlic.  Pour into bag with the steak.  Seal and refrigerate 2-4 hours before assembling kabobs, turning a few times.  Place potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic warp.  Microwave on high 2-3 minutes or just until partially fork-tender.  Immediately rinse under cold water, cover and refrigerate until needed.  To precook bacon, bring 1 ½ inches of water to a boil in a skillet.  Add bacon slices, return to a boil and cook 1-minute.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate until needed.  For dipping sauce, combine crème fraiche, horseradish and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and refrigerate until needed.  Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium heat.  Drain beef and discard marinade.  Halve and toss potatoes in remaining 2 tsp. olive oil.  Cut bacon slices in halve.  Alternating, thread bacon accordion-style with beef and potatoes on 12-inch metal skewers.  Grill kabobs for 8-10 or until medium-rare, turning kabobs halfway through or to desired doneness.  Transfer kabobs to a platter and serve with the horseradish sauce.

Notes:              I suggest you use sirloin or flat iron steak for this recipe.  You want it around 1-inch thick or slightly more.  Pat steak dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch thick or slightly more cubes.

Ideas for Future Efforts

 ____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Grilling Season is Here

 Grilling season is back.  So to help you do a better job of grilling, I have a few rules for you.

1.       Preheat the grill.  Just like an oven, a grill works best if you start it, then cover it and let the grate get hot.  Your food won’t stick as easily.

2.       Oil the food, not the grate.  If you rub oil on the grate, you can get flare ups.  It’s better to brush or spray the food then the grate.

3.      Take the chill off.  It helps to take cold food out 30 minutes before cooking to let it warm up a bit.  Longer if needed.  You want it close to room temperature.  By doing this, your food cooks more evenly.

4.      Understand the two-zone fire.  Whether it’s coals or gas, set up your grill with heat on one side and no heat on the other.  Sear a thin cut of meat directly over the heat.  Then move it away from the heat to finish.  Or start thick cuts and bone-in chicken pieces on the cool side.  Then move them over the direct heat to finish browning at the very end.

5.      Reverse the sear.  Conventional wisdom says you cook thick steaks (more than an 1½ -inches thick) over direct heat for several minutes per side, then move it to the cooler side of the grill to finish.  But if you want a juicy steak that’s rare to medium-rare in the middle, switch that around.  Cook it for about 20 minutes on the cool side and then put it over the heat and finish it.  Turning it over a few times until it has a nice, browned crust.

6.       Plan your fire.  Charcoal briquettes usually last about an hour.  If you’re cooking something that takes longer, set up a few rows of unlit briquettes on one side of the grate, touching each other.  After you light the coals on the other side, pile then next to the unlit coals.  They’ll light slowly and keep the heat going longer.

7.      Keep it safe.  Never put cooked food back on the same platter you used for raw food.

8.      Use tongs and not a fork.  Always use tongs to turn or move food on the grill.  Using a fork pierces the food and lets all the juices inside escape, making your food dry out and tough.