Vietnamese Shrimp Pops with Peanut Sauce

Here's a great recipe from Weber's Way to Grill. As far as technique goes, this is fairly easy, but it tastes like you put a lot of effort into it.

Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

WAY TO GRILL: direct high heat (450° to 550°F)
GRILLING TIME: 4 to 6 minutes
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Sauce
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, stirred
1⁄3 cup old-fashioned peanut butter, stirred
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Shrimp Pops
1 pound ground pork
¾ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
2 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Place over medium heat and cook (but do not simmer), whisking constantly, just until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes (the sauce will thicken further as it cools). Remove from the heat.

2. In a food processor or blender, pulse the shrimp pop ingredients and process until a chunky paste is formed. Pour the vegetable oil onto a sheet pan and brush it evenly all over the surface. Using 2 spoons, shape the mixture into small ovals or quenelles, placing them on the oiled sheet pan as you make them. Turn them, making sure they are well coated with oil. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up the texture.

3. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat.

4. Place a quenelle on the end of each skewer. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the shrimp pops over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until they are opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes, turning once or twice (cut one open with a sharp knife to test for doneness). Arrange the shrimp pops on a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

©2009 Weber-Stephen Products Co. Recipe from Weber’s Way to Grill™ by Jamie Purviance.

Grilled Jalapeno-Cream Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers

Recipe and photo courtesy of Kittencal

One of my favorite burgers! you may omit the jalapeno but don’t not omit the cream cheese feel free to season with your favorite spices…plan ahead the burgers need to be refrigerated overnight to blend flavors

Yield 8 burgers

Ingredients

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 garlic love, minced (can omit if desired if you are a garlic lover add it in!)

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 package dry onion soup mix (can use the whole package if desired)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Montreal Steak seasoning (or use fresh ground black pepper)

Instructions

In a small bowl mix the cream cheese with jalapeno and 1 minced garlic clove.

In another bowl combine the ground beef with 1/2 package dry onion soup mix (or use the whole package) 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning.

Divide the ground beef into 16 equal portions.

Pat each portion into about 1/2-inch thickness (doesn’t have to be exactly 1/2-inch).

Spoon a scant 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the center of 8 patties (do not spread).

Top with remaining patties pressing down the edges to seal the meat together. Make an indentation in the center with your thumb being careful to not destroy the seal. This will help when the patty is cooked and expands.

Place on a plate then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours or up to 2 days.

Heat grill to medium heat, then oil the grill grates.

Grill for about 10 minutes per side (do not press down the burger while cooking or the cream cheese mixture may drizzle out).

Succulent and Beautiful BBQ Beer-Can Chicken

Original recipe adapted and modified from Cook's Illustrated
Photos from Cook's Illustrated

We have done a lot of beer-can chickens in our day, but when I saw the techniques that the Cook's Illustrated Test Kitchen used, I was converted. Using these techniques have substantially improved the appearance and flavor of our chickens. Read all the way through the recipe and the additional info before you start. You are gonna be really glad you tried this!

TIPS:

• Bank the coals in the grill on either side of a disposable aluminum pan. The coals will cook the chicken evenly and the pan will catch dripping fat from the chicken.
• Open the top of the can wide open with a church key to allow the greatest amount of steam to escape. The normal hole is far too small.
• Lance the chicken’s skin with a skewer to make holes from which rendering fat can escape.
• Rub the chicken liberally with a spice rub on top of and underneath the skin.
• Coat the chicken with a sweet-tart glaze towards the end of cooking to improve the chicken’s flavor and color. If applied too early, the glaze will burn.
  

Makes 2 chickens, serving 4 to 6

Look for chickens that weigh between 3 and 3 1/2 pounds; if they are significantly larger, you may have trouble fitting the lid on the grill.

Spice Rub

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons Creole seasoning

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Glaze

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons beer

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Beer and Chicken

2 (12-ounce) cans beer

4 crumbled bay leaves

2 whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds each), patted dry

4 cups mesquite wood chips

1. For the spice rub: Mix brown sugar, Creole seasoning, and black pepper in bowl.

2. For the glaze: Stir brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, beer, and hot sauce together in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon spice rub.

3. For the rest: Measure out 1 cup beer from each can; take 2 tablespoons from measured beer and add to ketchup glaze. Prepare beer cans as shown in photo 1, and add 2 crumbled bay leaves to each can.

4. Prepare chickens as shown in photos 2 through 4.

5. Soak wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals, set cooking grate in place, cover, and let grill heat up 5 minutes.

6. Place chickens (on cans) on center of grate, using drumsticks to stabilize them. Cover and grill until skin is well browned and very crisp, 40 to 60 minutes. Brush with ketchup glaze and grill, covered, until thigh meat registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes longer. Wearing oven mitts or using wad of paper towels, transfer chickens (still on cans) from grill to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Hold base of can with oven mitt or wad of paper towels, insert tongs into neck cavity of chicken, and pull chicken off can. Carve and serve.

Flavor That's More Than Skin Deep

From its crisp, spiced skin to moist meat, beer-can chicken is flavored through and through. Here's how to get the ultimate beer-can chicken experience from your grill.

1. Use a church key can opener to punch holes in the top of the can; this will allow the maximum amount of steam to escape.

2. Loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs of the chicken by sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat.

3. Massage the spice mixture on the skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity.

4. Using a skewer, poke the skin all over to render as much fat as possible.

Grilled Spinach And Feta Turkey Burgers

Recipe courtesy of Kittencal

These are at their best when cooked on the outdoor grill but they are great oven-broiled also, plan ahead there is a 4 hour chilling time to blend the flavors the longer the better!

Notes from our test kitchen; for best flavor and texture it is recommended to use half white and dark meat, don’t omit the shredded carrot that’s the secret ingredient to keep the burgers moist and juicy

Yield 8 burgers

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey (if possible use a mixture of white and dark meat)

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup finely grated carrot (do not squeeze out the moisture from the shredded carrot)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and hand-squeezed dry (for a less stronger spinach flavor cook firstly according to package directions, rinse under cold water then hand-squeeze dry)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

seasoned salt (to be sprinkled on the patties while grilling)

Instructions

In a large bowl using clean hands mix all ingredients (except the seasoned salt) together gently until just combined.

Shape into 8 patties.

Place the patties onto a plate/s.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours (the longer the better!)

Grill over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes seasoning the burgers on both sides with the seasoned salt while grilling

Drunken Flank Steak

Recipe, photo, and commentary courtesy of Cook's Country

It's grilling season, so I wanted to share some great info from a great source. Cook's Country Test Kitchen explains a few techniques on how to make the perfect flank steak with great, bold flavor. One can change the this recipe easily to make killer fajitas meat. Use tequila for the liquor, substitute 2 tablespoons lime juice for the ginger, and sprinkle with fajita seasoning before grilling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A popular preparation at some restaurants and with backyard barbecuers, the idea is to get steaks “drunk” in a potent marinade of bold ingredients—typically soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, and of course, liquor—before grilling. We tried several recipes, but the flavor was all over the place—some steaks were barely tipsy while others had us picking a designated driver. Was there a happy medium? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Loose-grained steaks, like the flank steak in this recipe, are able to absorb more marinade, and thus more flavor, than tight-grained steaks. Scoring the surface of the meat with shallow slashes allows the marinade to penetrate into the steak without compromising the interior color or texture.
• Strongly flavored liquors, such as dark rum and brandy, were heavy and overpowering in the marinade. Tasters preferred the cleaner flavors of light rum and tequila. The soy sauce in the marinade not only adds intense flavor, but also keeps meat moist during cooking due to its salt content.
• The marinade’s sugar content (from the alcohol and the brown sugar) encourages a crust to form on the steak when it’s grilled. Patting the steak dry before cooking also facilitates the formation of the crust.
• Since the flavor of the marinade is dulled a little during cooking, refresh the flavor by drizzling a bit of reserved marinade over the rested and sliced cooked steak just before serving.

STEP BY STEP

Perfect Drunken Steak

Here are three important techniques to ensure boldly flavored steak every time.

1. Using a sharp knife, lightly score both sides of the steak at 1 1/2-inch intervals. This allows the marinade to flavor the meat more deeply.

2. The marinade’s sugar content (from the alcohol and the brown sugar) encourages a crust to form on the steak when it’s grilled.

3. Patting the steak dry before cooking further facilitates the formation of the crust.

Drunken Steak

Serves 4

Other thin steaks with a loose grain, such as skirt or steak tips, can be substituted for the flank steak. Avoid dark or spiced rum here—its intense flavor will overwhelm the steak. If using a gas grill, grill the steak covered for maximum heat output.

1	cup light rum
1/2	cup soy sauce
1	tablespoon dark brown sugar
1	tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1	garlic clove , minced
1	scallion , minced
1	flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds), scored on both sides at 1 1/2-inch intervals

1. Whisk rum, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in bowl until sugar dissolves. Transfer 1/4 cup rum mixture to small bowl and stir in scallion; set aside. Place remaining marinade and steak in gallon-size zipper-lock bag. Press air out of bag, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

2. Remove steak from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade. Grill steak over hot fire until well browned and cooked to desired doneness, 4 to 7 minutes per side.

3. Transfer steak to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Slice thinly on bias and against grain. Drizzle with reserved rum mixture. Serve.

Asian Chicken Skewers with Hot and Sour Mango Dip

Yield: 4 servings

1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins

Marinade:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBLS ground cumin
2 tsps chili powder
2 tsps paprika
2 tsps brown sugar
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup lite coconut milk

Hot and Sour Mango Dip:
1 tsp olive oil
4 scallions, minced
1 tsp minced jalapeno pepper
1 can (11.3 oz) mango nectar
1 TBLS brown sugar
¼ tsp allspice
1 TBLS lime juice
½ tsp kosher salt
2 TBLS chopped cilantro
3 TBLS chopped mint

Instructions

In large bowl, combine minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and lite coconut milk. Stir well to blend. Add chicken tenderloins, toss to coat, and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill.

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add scallions and jalapeno; sauté until barely translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mango nectar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, allspice, lime juice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer sauce about 20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half. Cool; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and mint. Set aside.

Thread one piece of chicken tenderloin onto a wooden skewer that has been soaked in water. Repeat until all pieces are threaded. Place on grill and cook about 3 – 4 minutes per side, turning once, until cooked through. Serve skewered chicken with Hot and Sour Mango Dip.