Spicy, lemony wings – hot, but not too hot and perfect for Halloween snacking.  The  fiery, fragrant marinade is a peri peri sauce.  Peri peri (or piri piri) originates in Mozambique and Angola from a time when Portuguese settlers created dishes from the chilies they brought (called piri piri in Swahili).  Today it appears in Portuguese and African cooking alike.

I used habanero chilies, but don’t be scared. Remove the seeds and membranes and you get the not too spicy, fruity flavor of the chile – yes, chilies actually have a flavor other than hot! If you do this the the spiciness isn’t much hotter than a jalapeno. You want it spicier, then leave some or all of the membranes inside the chile. Note: If you are at all sensitive to chilies, be sure to wear rubber gloves when handling and don’t touch yours eyes or your “bathing suit area”, because you’ll definitely be sorry!

Red Devil Wing

Serves 4

4 pounds chicken wings
2 habanero chilies, seeds and membrane removed and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic. pressed or minced
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves
1/4 cup hot paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Put wings in a large zip-top bag. Add the chilies, garlic, ginger, marjoram, and spices to a food processor. With the motor running add just enough lemon juice to form a paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then again, with the motor running, slowly add the remaining lemon juice and the oil. Once combined, measure out 1/2 cup marinade and reserve covered in the refrigerator for later. Scrape remaining marinade into the bag with the wings, squeeze out the excess air and seal the bag. Massage around until everything is combined and coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.

Remove wings from marinade and shake off any excess; discard the marinade. Allow wings to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off.

Set up your grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. Make sure your grates are cleaned and oiled before you start cooking. Grill for 12 to 18 minutes or until cooked though, basting with reserved marinade and turning occasionally.

Remove wings from the grill and brush with remaining marinade, if there is any left. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Cheers and Happy Grilling -

j

Unbelievably moist, rolled up with stuffing spiked with pears and sage, and basted from the inside with bacon, this turkey will shine on your holiday table or buffet.  Please, however, don’t be daunted by the length of this recipe because it is three recipes in one – turkey, stuffing, and gravy!  The toughest part may be removing the bone from the full breast, but even that is easier than it sounds, plus if you don’t want to bother with that, you can always have your butcher do it for you.  Just make sure he keeps the skin and breast each in one piece.  And remember to keep the bones for making the gravy.

To make it seem like less of a task, prepare the stuffing the day before and store in the fridge until you’re ready for it.  If your guests are big fans of stuffing, and this is a good one, double the recipe and bake the unused portion separately — Place the remaining stuffing in a clean, buttered aluminum foil drip pan.  About 45 minutes after you start the turkey, swap this for the drip pan beneath the turkey.  Drizzle juices from the drip pan over the stuffing. Stuffing temperature should reach 165 degrees F. to be safe to serve.

Rolled Turkey Breast with Pear and Sage Stuffing

For stuffing:
2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for turkey
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 cup celery, diced
2 pears, peeled and diced
3/4 lb pork sausage (not just ground pork), casings removed
1/3 cup Poire William (pear brandy) or white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
3 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 2 teaspoons for seasoning turkey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus1 teaspoon for seasoning turkey

For turkey:
1 turkey breast, whole (2 halves), boned (see note*)
1 pound sliced bacon
Kitchen twine

For gravy:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Reserved bones from turkey breast, roughly chopped
1 small Spanish onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
8 cups cold water
2 sprigs fresh sage
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup flour

For stuffing:
Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown; about 15 minutes.  Add celery and pears and sauté 5 minutes more until softened. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.  Wipe out pan with a paper towel and crumble the sausage into pan. Brown the sausage, stirring frequently, breaking into small pieces until cooked. Return sautéed vegetables back to pan and add the pear brandy, sage, and walnuts.  Cook for 2 more minutes, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. (The stuffing may be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)

For turkey:
Carefully remove the skin from the breast in one piece by working your hand under the skin starting at the neck; set aside. Cut away the bone the from turkey breast (see note*), being careful to keep it intact; reserve the bones and any small pieces of meat.  Lay the full turkey breast skin-side down on a plastic wrap covered cutting board. Roll the tenderloins out to the sides leaving them attached. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and with the smooth-side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a small pot; pound the turkey breast to an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness.  Sprinkle the both sides of the breast with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper (1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper per side). Spread the stuffing in a 1/2-inch-thick layer over the meat, leaving a half-inch border on all sides – don’t add too much or turkey will be difficult to roll. Starting at one long end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll.

Spread out the skin (outer side down) and line with half the bacon. Place rolled turkey breast in the center and wrap to make a compact cylinder (another set of hands here is a huge help!).  Lay remaining strips of bacon over any areas (the ends) that might not get covered by the skin.

Set up grill for indirect cooking and stabilize at medium heat (325°F) by setting the two outside burners to medium. No direct heat beneath the turkey; place a drip pan in the center over the unlit burners.  Place turkey on grill over drip pans and cover grill.

For gravy:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add the chopped turkey bones and sauté until browned (and no blood is seeping from bones).  Add the onions, celery, and garlic and continue cooking until softened. Add water and herbs; bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Reduce liquid by half to 4 cups.  Meanwhile, knead together the butter and flour to a smooth paste; set aside. Once reduced, strain the stock and return to pot. Return stock to a low simmer and whisk in butter-flour paste a little at a time until gravy reaches desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.

Start checking the temperature of the turkey at 1-1/2 hours. It should take 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160- to 165- degrees F; keep watch because the turkey breast will dry out quickly the higher the temperature.  The carryover cooking will raise the internal temperature another 5- to 10- degrees.  Carefully remove the turkey to a cutting board and tent with foil for 15 minutes before slicing.

Slice into 1/2-inch pieces and serve hot with gravy.

Cook’s Note: (This is so much easier than it sounds!)  Once the skin has been removed, place the breast bone side up.  Using a small, very sharp knife (not a chef’s knife), and using short strokes with the tip of the knife against the bone, cut and scrape the meat away moving towards the middle of the breast. Cut around any shoulder and collar bones, including the wishbone. When you get to the center, stop and do the other side. Cut the keel bone away from the breast meat at the middle, leaving the breast in one big piece. The two tenderloins will be lying next to the breast meat at the edges – leave them attached.

Brining you holiday turkey is a great way to ensure that you have a moist and flavorful bird after all of the time and effort you’ve put into it.  The addition of bourbon and molasses will not only produce a great tasting turkey, but also a beautiful mahogany color and sweet and salty crisp skin.

Brining is akin to marinating your turkey in a slated water solution.  This changes the cell structure of the meat, allowing it to hold more moisture.  Plus as it is absorbing more moisture, it is also seasoning the turkey.  Do not us a kosher or self-basting turkey as they have already been injected with a salted broth and will produce an over-salty bird.

 A whole turkey must brine for about 24 hours, so plan accordingly.  Also, a brined turkey will brown faster, so have plenty of aluminum foil on-hand.

Bourbon and Molasses Turkey Brine

7 1/2 quarts cold water (4 cups = 1 quart)
2 cups bourbon
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
2 oranges, sliced
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 garlic bulb, cut in half through the cloves
1/4 cup black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh sage
1 bunch fresh thyme
5 stems fresh rosemary

5 gallon bucket (clean) or a container large enough for brine and turkey
1 (12 to 15 pound) natural turkey – not self-basting or kosher, thawed

Use a large pot or stock pot and add 1 1/2 of quarts water, bourbon salt, sugar, molasses, oranges, onions, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until salt and sugar have dissolved. Transfer to clean container and stir in remaining 5 quarts of cold water and the fresh herbs. Cool completely to room temperature.

Remove turkey from fridge. Remove the neck and giblet and reserve for giblet gravy. Submerge turkey in brine. You may have to find a heavy object (I used a grill press) to keep the turkey fully submerged.

Place the container in the fridge to brine turkey overnight (12 to 16 hours) – you’ll probably have to move racks around. One hour before grilling, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. You’re now ready to grill your turkey!

Grilling your turkey is not only easy and convenient, but it will also free up your kitchen for everything else that is usually going on at the holidays. By using the indirect method of grilling (no heat source directly underneath the food), you can think of your grill as your outdoor oven!

Since I tempted you with an alternate turkey preparation, Rolled Turkey Breast with Pear and Sage Stuffing, I thought you should have an option for a more “traditional” holiday turkey…

Feel free to adapt your favorite turkey recipe and use this as a guide to grilling your holiday turkey.  I would, however, brine your turkey first, regardless of how you’re cooking it, for maximum deliciousness!

Grilled Whole Turkey

Serves 8 to 10

Bourbon Molasses Brine
Whole turkey (12 to 15 pounds), thawed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 orange, sliced
1 bulb garlic, cut in-half to expose cloves
Fresh herbs – sage, thyme, rosemary
4 celery ribs, cut into chunks
2 yellow onions, thickly sliced
2 carrots, cut into chunks

Remove turkey from the brine one hour prior to cooking. Pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Discard the brine. Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Loosely stuff the cavity (and neck cavity) with orange slices, garlic, and herbs – save some herbs for the roasting pan. Tuck wings under and truss turkey – even if you just tie the legs together. Trussing keeps everything close to the body of the bird so that it all cooks at the same rate.

Scatter the chopped celery, onions, carrots, and remaining herbs in the bottom of a foil roasting pan. You can either place the turkey directly on top of the vegetables or on a roasting rack above the vegetables (I used the Bull Stainless Steel Reversible Roasting/Rib Rack and the bird sat there perfectly).

Set up your grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (300° to 350°F). Place the pan so it is not directly over any heat. Close the grill cover and cook until the skin is nicely browned* and the juices at the thigh run clear. About 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours (12 to 15 minutes per pound). To test for doneness, the temperature of the thigh, away from the bone, should be 170°F and the breast should be between 155° to 160°F.

Transfer turkey to carving board and tent with foil for 20-30 minutes before carving.

TIP:  It’s best to remove all the meat from the bone, even if you are not serving it. Turkey left on the bone will continue to cook and dry out.

*Have plenty of foil on-hand as a brined turkey will brown a lot faster than one that has not been brined. If your turkey starts looking too browned, too early, just loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue roasting.

Stay tuned next week for Sides, Sides, Sides (side dishes)!

Cheers and Happy Grilling!
- Jeff

Perfect for any holiday cookie assortment, these brownies are so rich, fudgy, pepperminty cool and decadent that nobody will ever believe they came from the grill!  You will definitely want to make a second pan for yourself if you are planning on giving them away.  Here’s a little secret — they’re even better if you keep them in the fridge

Peppermint Patty Brownies

Makes 24 (2-inch) brownies

Brownie batter:
1 cup flour
2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Peppermint patty filling:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup flour

Chocolate glaze:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 tablespoon butter

Set up grill for indirect cooking over medium heat and stabilize temperature at 350°F. Spray 9″x 13″ foil pan (metal baking pan) with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  In a double-boiler, melt together the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally.  Transfer chocolate to a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, eggs, vanilla and peppermint extracts.  Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.  Spread into prepared pan.

For peppermint patty: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a small mixing bowl.  Beat in the egg and peppermint extract until combined, and then beat in the flour. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula.

Place foil pan in a second foil pan for stability and insulation.  Place on hot grill away from heat.  Cover and grill/bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted 2-inches from the edge of the pan come away almost clean.  Rotate pan halfway through baking.  Remove from grill and cool completely.

For chocolate glaze: melt together the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, stirring until combined.  Pour over cooled brownie.  Chill in refrigerator until set.

Cheers and Happy Grilling!
- Jeff

Rotisserie prime rib… nothing at all wrong with that!  Let’s face it, prime rib is expensive and if you’re going to make it a home, then you want to be sure that it is tender and juicy.  Give it the rotisserie treatment!  The meat bastes in it’s own juices and because it is constantly moving past the heat source, it cooks nice and evenly as well.

Rotisserie Rib Roast with Bleu Cheese-Horseradish Sauce

Makes 8 servings

4 pound boneless beef rib roast
Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 cups beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
1 onion, thickly sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

For the sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1/4 cup fresh or prepared horseradish (not creamed horseradish)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Pat roast dry with paper towels and trim away excess fat.  Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 2 hours.

For the sauce: meanwhile stir together the sour cream, bleu cheese, horseradish, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.  Set aside, covered in the refrigerator, until ready to serve.

Prepare the grill for indirect/rotisserie cooking by lighting the infrared rotisserie burner to low and the outer burners to medium-low.  The inside temperature of the grill should be 300°F to 325°F.  The idea is to cook the meat slowly so that it is the same degree of doneness all the way through.  Add the stock, onions, and rosemary to a foil drip pan.

Skewer and center the meat onto the spit and secure tightly by tightening the screws.

Place the loaded spit onto the motor, over the drip pan. Cover grill and cook for 50 to 60 minutes. Stop rotisserie motor and check the internal temperature with an insta-read thermometer, be sure not to touch the metal rod.  Once the roast hits 115°F, turn off the outer burners, turn motor back on, and turn the rotisserie burner up to high.  Leave the cover open and baste the roast often with the juices from the drip pan until internal temperature is is 5 to 10 degrees short of your desired degree of doneness.  The temperature will continue to rise that much while the meat rests.

Turn off rotisserie motor and transfer the spit and roast to a cutting board.  Leave on the spit.  Tent the roast loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes before removing the spit and slicing.  Serve warm with Bleu Cheese Horseradish sauce.

Cheers and Happy Grilling!
- Jeff

Admittedly, I was that kid that really liked Brussels sprouts — I still do.  Until a few days ago, my favorite way to have them is roasted in a hot oven with a little bacon. They get a little bit of that smoky goodness from the bacon and the hot oven makes the outer leaves a little crispy char around the edges. So what better way to get that smoky char than on the grill?  I also wanted that crispy, salty pork goodness to go with it, but I didn’t want to worry about bacon cooking or having to par-cook it first… enter prosciutto. And why not glaze them with a sweet and sour honey mustard?

An important thing to remember about Brussels sprouts is not to overcook them. This is why most people dislike them. Overcooking Brussels sprouts turns them a grayish green color and they develop a pungent flavor. When choosing Brussels sprouts, be sure to get all the same size so that they cook evenly.

Honey Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto

Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, all similar in size
3 ounces Prosciutto di Parma, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Metal or bamboo skewers

Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Brush and oil grate before cooking.

Trim away any yellowed or discolored leaves score the stem end. Drop them into a pot of boiling salted water and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.   Alternate sprouts, with the stems facing the same direction, with Prosciutto pieces on skewers (if using bamboo skewers, soak in water at least 30 minutes). Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place on hot grill, stem side down and cook for 5 minutes. Rotate and cook 4 to 5 minutes more on each side (four sides total). Meanwhile, combine and heat the remaining ingredients in a large skillet over medium low heat. Once the stems of the sprouts can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, they ready to come off the grill. Carefully slide the sprouts and Prosciutto off the skewers and transfer to the pan with the warm glaze and gently toss to coat.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.

Cheers and Happy Grilling!
-Jeff

I have been making a version of this cornbread pudding at the holidays for years with varying cheeses and sometimes adding jalapenos if I’m feeling particularly spicy that year.  I have to say that this version is pretty delicious.  The tang from the goat cheese is a great counterbalance to the sweetness of the cornbread and the slight smokiness of the grilled corn and onions.  I usually make the cornbread, but this year I bought a pre-made piece from Whole Foods.  You can also make this in a 9- x 9-inch baking dish in the oven, but don’t miss out on the that little extra layer of flavor from the grilled corn and onions.

Skillet Cornbread Pudding

3 cups cubed cornbread
3 ears or grilled corn, kernels removed from cobs
1/2 sweet onion, grilled and chopped
2 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat and stabilize grill for indirect cooking at 350°F.

Place cornbread cubes in at the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the grilled corn, chopped grilled onion, and herbs over the cornbread, then pinch off and dot the top with pieces of goat cheese.  Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the top of the cornbread and let sit for 10 minutes while the cornbread absorbs some of the milk and egg mixture.

Place on the grates away from the heat and bake until set and golden; about 40 minutes. Rotate the skillet 180 degrees halfway through cooking. Serve hot.

Cheers and Happy Grilling!

~Jeff

I have made a lot of versions of pecan pies and bars over the years and this one truly combines the best of all! These start with a crumbly buttery cookie base made with brown sugar and ground pecans. The topping is jam-packed with layers of flavor… not only from the pecans (duh), but also chunks of dark chocolate accented by rich espresso powder, browned butter (accidental but oh, so good!) and a big shot of bourbon because why not? It’s the holidays!

Every year I make a holiday dessert on the grill. Not because it has to be made that way, but because oven space is always at a premium during the holidays. Your grill can act as a secondary oven just by employing the indirect heat method of grilling. These decadent Pecan Chocolate Bars can be made in a conventional oven as well; the oven temperature is listed as a guide for heating your grill.

Pecan Chocolate Bars

makes one 9″ x 13″ pan

For the base:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the topping:
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted (browned) butter, cooled
2 tablespoon bourbon or whiskey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Method:
Indirect grilling

Set up and preheat grill for indirect grilling with medium to medium-low heat (350°F). Butter or grease a metal or aluminum 9″ x 13″ baking pan and line with kitchen parchment.

Add flour, brown sugar, pecans, and salt to a food processor fitted with a metal bade and  blitz until well combined and the pecans have ground into the mix. Add the butter and pulse to completely blend the butter into the flour and the mixture starts to pull from the sides of the bowl.

Transfer cookie base into your prepared pan and press crumbs into an even layer. Place pan on grate over unlit burners, close grill cover and bake with indirect heat (no heat source directly under the pan) for 20 minutes, rotating pan front to back halfway through for even cooking. Remove and cool completely before adding topping.

To make the topping, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, except the pecans and chocolate, until well combined. Stir in the pecans and chocolate. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture over the cooled cookie base. Return to preheated grill, close cover and bake with indirect heat until set at the center – about 25 to 35 minutes total depending on your particular grill and the temperature outside. Again, rotate front to back halfway through for even cooking.

Remove and let cool completely before cutting and removing from the pan.

Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~ Jeff

Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!

Sometimes it’s just nice to have a little extra white meat…

A little something on the side to go with those mashed potatoes…

When you push away from the table, take a little treat with you…

… It’s not pie, so it doesn’t count! ;-)

Here’s the thing – meats and poultry are amazing when they spin while cooking. Think about it, rotisserie grilling is one of the oldest methods of cooking. Up until sometime in the 1950’s, people still used the rotisserie as their number one way of cooking large pieces of meat outdoors.  The dome-shaped lid of kettle-style grills changed all that and soon you could cook a large cut of meat on the grill with indirect heat.

By the way, if you don’t have a rotisserie attachment… get one! Just kidding (no I’m not). Check out my post for Ancho and Sage Rubbed Turkey for how to grill roast a turkey with indirect heat.

So why have a rotisserie? Because meat, cooked on a spit slowly turning above the heat achieves a flavor and tenderness that it pretty much unequaled.  That is why rotisserie chicken restaurants are so popular. Food is not actually grilled when cooked on a rotisserie – it roasts. The meat is more evenly cooked and becomes juicy and tender because of the self-basting action that happens while constantly turning on the spit.

I didn’t brine this turkey and it was moist and delicious due to the self-basting action. Feel free to brine your bird and use whatever seasonings you’d like, however, the seasoning in this recipe is easy and foolproof.

Note: brined birds brown faster, so keep and eye out. If the turkey is browning too quickly, stop the rotisserie and wrap the bird in foil. Start the motor and continue cooking.

Lemon-Herb Rotisserie Turkey

One 12 to 14 pound fresh or thawed turkey
2 tablespoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons fine herbs or poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Extras:
Rotisserie attachment
Butcher’s twine
Drip pan

Method: indirect rotisserie grilling

Set up grill for indirect medium heat (maintain temperature from 325°F to 350°F). Center drip pan below where the turkey will be spinning on the rotisserie. I leave the grates off for maximum clearance. It takes a couple hours to cook so make sure you have enough gas in the tank! If using charcoal, bank the coals on both sides of the drip pan.

Remove neck and giblets from the cavity of the turkey; set aside of side for my Classic Giblet Gravy. Rinse the bird inside and out and dry with paper towels… inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Remove the wing tips by cutting through the V of the joint. The tips have a tenancy to burn; set aside with the neck and giblets.

Mix together the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Season the cavity with a couple teaspoons and set the remaining rub aside while you truss the turkey.

Trussing the bird is essential to not only keep things from flopping around, but to also keep the extremities from burning and keeping the turkey as juicy as possible. Admittedly, I do not present a whole roasted turkey at the table, I bring it out already carved. This method is easy, but will leave a line across the breast. If presentation is important to you, check out this video for classic trussing technique.

If it doesn’t matter to you, start by cutting a 4-foot length of butcher’s twine. Center the string and tie the drumsticks together.

Run the string between the drumsticks and breast. Catch the elbow of the wing and cross underneath the turkey. Come back around to the top and catch the rest of the wing. Tie off on top or cross under once more and tie. Trim extra string.

Season the turkey on all sides with the remaining rub. Be sure to get between the drumsticks and breast and around the wings.

Place  one set of tine on the rotisserie spit and figure out the center position for the turkey. Tighten into place; I use pliers to make sure that it is tight, otherwise it could come loose and the bird will stop spinning.

Run the spit through the cavity from neck to tail and stay as close to the breast as possible. Since the breast side is the heaviest, this will give the best balance on the spit. You will probably have to use a counter balance weight on the back side. Push in the tines and secure.

Test the balance by rotating the spit in your hands. If it’s unbalanced, re-thread it and tighten the prongs.

Insert the spit on the grill. Start the motor and close the grill cover.

After 45 minutes, check to see how it the turkey is browning. Mine was browning too fast at the neck, so I lowered the heat on that side and raised it a bit on the other.

Total cooking time should be around 12 to 4 minutes per pound. To test for doneness, the temperature of the thigh, away from the bone, should be 170°F and the breast should be between 155° to 160°F. Remember – carryover cooking will continue to raise the temperature of the turkey another 5° to 10° after it comes off the grill.

Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff

For Easter this year, I have decided to change things up a bit. I am going to take the traditional ham that we tend to cook every year and put a twist on it, literally! I want to grill something new and exciting within the pork family, and what sounds more exciting than brined pork tenderloin grilled on the rotisserie?

I love pork tenderloin for many reasons. It is the most tender cut of pork and is considered one of my go-to quick meals. It doesn’t take longer than 30 minutes to cook, and within that time, I can prepare a wonderful meal and have plenty of leftovers. Speaking of pork tenderloin leftovers, there are so many delicious options for meals for the rest of the week. Slice it thin, and you have a delicious deli sandwich or use the griddle and make a hot, cheesy Cuban sandwich. I will even slice the tenderloin on the thicker side, and then cut into thin strips to make street style tacos. So many wonderful meals all from the pork tenderloin!

For this recipe, I place the pork tenderloin in a brine to give it additional moisture and flavor and cook it on the Bull BBQ Rotisserie, rotating it slowly into a grilled “pseudo ham,” or what I call “pork perfection.” By using a brine, you can say goodbye to what can be a dry piece of pork tenderloin if cooked for just a few minutes too long. By adding this simple step, it not only assures you a perfectly moist and flavorful piece of meat, but it also eliminates the fear of overcooking and drying the meat out.

The brining solution is simple. The basic rule of thumb is for every tablespoon of Kosher salt, add one cup of room temp water to dissolve the salt. I like to add aromatics and dry spices to boost the flavor. Some of my favorites are bay leaves, black peppercorns, crushed whole garlic, lemon rind and juice, and even a fresh rosemary sprig. The world is your oyster, so experiment and find what aromatics you enjoy the most when it comes time to creating your brining solution. Whether it is chicken, a pork chop, or in this case the pork tenderloin, be sure to make enough solution so that the entire piece of protein is submerged in the brine. Since the pork tenderloin is so lean wth little fat, it does not require that much time to soak in the brine before it is ready to cook. A minimum of 30 minutes up to 90 minutes works nicely. Soaking this particular cut of meat for more than 2 hours is not recommended because the brine can start to break down the proteins in the meat and turn it into mushy consistency. Important note – once the tenderloin is removed from the brine, rinse it off and pat it dry with a paper towel to avoid the meat becoming too salty.

Once on the Bull BBQ Rotisserie, step it up another notch and use the Bull Basting Brush to add a sweet jam glaze as it slowly turns. Evenly coat all sides of the tenderloin, allowing it to form a crispy outer layer with additional sweetness from your jam of choice. Add a grilled seasonal veggie along with the grilled pork tenderloin, and your entree is complete.

My husband is a farmer and brought home a box of beautiful Delta Queen asparagus. My general rule of thumb with any grilled veggie is simple: toss with evoo, and season with salt and pepper. I like to grill asparagus until the spears have nice color on them, but still a little bite in texture. Top with Parmesan shavings and enjoy!

How about another twist on our traditional holiday meal? I would also like to teach you how to cook a berry crumble in the Bull BBQ. That is right, baking dessert in the bbq! Start with a Bull Pizza Stone on top of the grill, and then place a stainless steel cooling rack on top of the stone to elevate the dessert pan. This turns the grill into an oven! With the bbq lid closed, you can adjust the fire and use the temperature gauge on the lid to control the heat as though you were cooking it in your own oven in the house! Just make sure to use enamelware pans (even disposable pans would work). I like to use a cast iron pan to bake my berry crumble.  I find using the cast iron pan a nice touch for presentation, served with some vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream!  Important note: my cast iron pans are seasoned very well and are less likely to react to the acidity of the berries. If you have cast iron pans that are new and less seasoned, use something else to avoid this acidic reaction.

As a final touch for this year’s twist on the traditional Easter meal, I want to share one of my favorite aperitifs, the Aperol Spritz. It is the perfect cocktail for the spring and summer seasons. This cocktail is packed with tons of flavor, and with very little alcohol content, it is the perfect drink for the hot days of summer ahead of us.

I recently went out to dinner with my family and was reminded by a dear friend how delicate and delightful this drink can be. It will give the traditional mimosa a run for its money on those hot spring and summer days ahead! The Aperol Spritz is the perfect balance of sweet, slightly bitter, and bubbly all in one glass, a true definition of the Italian Aperitivo, and it is incredibly easy to make.

I prefer to use a large, oversized wine glass, adding ice and an orange slice before pouring the drink contents. Aperol is an amazing product from Italy.  It is made with amaro botanicals like bitter orange, cinchona, gentian and rhubarb. Just like with cooking, you can mix and match Aperols for flavor variety. Some of my favorites are: on the rocks or as a variation of the Negroni, substituting the Campari for the Aperol. I also prepare it like a highball, with bubbly, with vodka, or even with fresh citrus added to it. Be adventurous this spring and summer and come join me for an Aperol Spritz!

I love holidays like Easter because they bring family together, amazing food to the table, and create many memories to cherish as we grow older. I hope my Easter holiday meal will bring as much enjoyment to your table and family as it does mine. This Easter, while we are sitting at the table enjoying the meal, I plan to ask each family member to share one of his or her favorite all-time meals. Perhaps it is a recipe they have created, or one that their grandmother cooked for generations and they enjoyed as a child. I urge you to do the same. It will open the door to endless conversation, wonderful memories, and recipes to be shared! Don’t forget to toast with your Aperol Spritz to great health, lots of laughter, and to fun times grilling with Bull BBQ!

Buona Pasqua & buon appetito!

-Chef Amy Aberle-Rogan

Brined Pork Tenderloin

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

Chef’s Note: Before you brine the tenderloin, be sure the pork is not labeled as “enhanced.” This is a term used in the industry for meat that had already been injected with a brining solution.

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Holiday Meal

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin, 2.5-3 pounds, 2 small pieces to a pack
• 1 small jar fig spread, Dalmatia Brand is good to use
• Salt and pepper
• For the Brine:
• ¼ cup salt, Kosher
• 4 cups water, room temp
• 1 small lemon, rind and juice
• 4 black peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed skin removed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary

Instructions

1. Place room temp water into a bowl.
2. With a whisk, add the salt and stir until it has dissolved.
3. Add the remainder of the ingredients: lemon rind and juice, peppercorns, crushed garlic, bay leaf and rosemary sprig. Then pour and completely cover the tenderloin in a small glass or plastic container for 30 minutes.
4. Once ready, rinse the brined pork tenderloin under fresh water, pat dry with a paper towel and season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer the fig jam into a bowl and add a little water to loosen, stirring with a spoon. This will make it easier to brush onto the pork as it is turning on the rotisserie.
6. Remove the grill grates directly under the pork and place a disposable aluminum tray under to catch the dripping. Place the tenderloin on the rotisserie spit and place into the rotisserie motor. Review the video Bull BBQ Rotisserie if you need to refresh your memory.
7. Turn the rotisserie burner on to high. Also, turn the rotisserie motor to on to start the rotisserie, continuously turn.
8. After 20 minutes, lift the lid and with the basting brush, evenly distribute the fig jam onto the tenderloin. Adjust the temperature as needed, if too high, lower it a notch. Close the cover and let it continue to cook.
9. Once 30 minutes has passed, lift the lid and do the same procedure with the jam and close to cover with the lid.
10. At around 45 minutes, turn the rotisserie off, stopping it from spinning, and with the Instant Read Flip Tip Digital Thermometer, take the temperature in the center part of the pork tenderloin. If the temperature reads 145 degrees, the pork is done.
11. Turn the heat off, carefully remove the pork from the rotisserie spit, and let it set on the Bull Bamboo Chopping Block to rest before slicing and as you grill your veggies to pair with pork tenderloin.

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Aperol Spritz

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Chef’s Note: Champagne can be substituted for Prosecco if needed. If you own a Soda Stream at home, this will come in handy for this cocktail, always having fresh soda water at your fingertips!

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Cocktail

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 3 parts Prosecco
• 2 parts Aperol
• 1 part Soda Water

Instructions

1. Fill a large, oversized wine glass with ice.
2. Add an orange slice.
3. Add the drink mix of 3,2,1 and enjoy! Cin Cin!

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Berry Crumble

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Chef’s Note: If your crumble is browning too quickly, turn your heat down and place foil on top to prevent it from potentially burning. Right before it is done, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• For the Filling:
• 4 cups of fresh berries of your choice. I like to use 1 cup blackberries, 2 cups blueberries and 1 cup raspberries. (If you are using frozen berries, thaw and drain off excess liquid so that your crumble doesn’t get too watery.)
• ⅓ cup sugar, granulated
• 1 small lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Crumble Topping:
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup flour, all-purpose
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Place the pizza stone on top of the grill and then the stainless steel cooling rack on top of the stone.
2. Preheat grill to 350 degrees, turning all four grill dials just a little past low.
3. For the filling: in a large bowl, gently toss the three berries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon zest. Transfer to the cast iron pan. If you are not using a seasoned cast iron pan, grease the baking dish that you are using before placing the berry mix in.
4. For the topping, in a Kitchen Aid using the paddle, combine the oats, flour, salt and brown sugar and stir on low. Add the butter and work completely incorporating all the ingredients together, resembling a coarse meal.
5. Evenly sprinkle the crumble on top of the berry mixture in the pan.
6. Place the skillet on top of the rack and close the lid. Let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the berries are bubbling and the crumble is medium brown in color.
7. Remove and let it cool till ready to eat.
8. Serve with vanilla ice cream. I bet you can’t eat another piece!

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Some of the fondest memories I have from my college days are those special weekends when my parents would come down to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for a visit. Reunited with my family, we would head down to the Thursday afternoon farmers’ market in charming downtown SLO.  Without fail, my father would immediately make a bee-line to his favorite booth – slow cooked turkey legs, lined up in rows on the BBQ for everyone to see as they passed by. I swear at times I would see grown men salivate, tugging on their wives’ sleeves as though they were kids, begging for them to stop and get one. I still have images of my father, standing curbside, anticipating that first bite.  He would stand there with this huge, primal piece of BBQ’d flesh and bone in his hand, happy as a kid, and my mother and I would giggle and enjoy watching him devour the thing.

Growing up, people called my dad T-bone. This was his nickname and the name of his fishing boat, fitting for a butcher of 33 years. He even had painted on the side of his boat a T-bone steak caricature holding a fishing pole, anticipating his next big catch!  When I was a kid, I saw this T-bone character as my superhero – strong, hard working, stopping at nothing that passes its way, the same way I also looked at my father.

So for this Father’s Day, I thought it would be fitting to pay tribute to my “daddio,” and to teach you all how to make delicious, slow-grilled turkey legs, featuring the Bull Large Easy Fill Smoker Box. This is the perfect gift for all the BBQ-loving fathers out there! It will take their BBQ experience to the next level not only in flavor, but in fun too! The choices are endless when selecting wood chips or pellets. Some of my favorites are hickory, apple, cherry, and whiskey wood chips.  I did say fun, didn’t I?

This recipe is perfect for the grilling season and for Father’s Day. It is inexpensive compared to other cuts of meat and steaks, not to mention it is dark meat,  which is a plus in my father’s eyes.  Turkey can often disappoint due to its size and blandness, making it an intimidating dish for some. With the combination of grilling low and slow, and the savory, thick smoke from the smoker box and wood chips, these smoked turkey legs will become a show-stopper for your party!

Tips from the Chef when using the Bull Smoker Box:

• I recommend to soak the wood chips for at least 30 minutes prior to use. If not, you take the risk of the wood chips igniting and burning too fast. By soaking them, the wood chips will release a savory thick smoke and will last much longer. I use a plate to weigh down any of the pieces that are floating on the surface. Fill the smoker box as full as you can, making sure you can still place the lid on top.
• Once the soaked chips are ready, it is as easy as placing them into the smoker box and then in between the two burners on one side of the grill.  After that, just turn the burners on. The nice v-shape at the bottom of the smoker box makes it an easy fit between the two burners. Watch this great video on how to use the Bull BBQ v-shaped smoker box to get you started. Note: this smoker box is half the size of the one we are using in today’s recipe, but essentially the exact same process, but with more wood chips. I am also adding a container of water to help keep the turkey legs moist and from drying out.

• Turn on both burners to high to get the wood chips going. This may take a good 10-15 minutes. Once they are going, turn one of them off and the other down to medium-high heat.
• For this recipe we should only be cooking the legs for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until clear juices flow from the turkey leg or until the digital thermometer reaches 165 degrees. If you are cooking a larger roast that needs longer to cook, you will need to add more soaked wood chips to the smoker box and repeat the steps above.
• Important: Keep the lid closed as much as possible! With the lid closed, no smoke can escape, therefore more flavor enhances the food. Every time you open the lid, all the smoke, not to mention heat, will escape and therefore the meat takes longer to cook.  Opening the lid also jeopardizes losing the maximum smoke flavor into the food. I find using a remote roasting thermometer helps out tremendously, especially when cooking low and slow, with indirect heat. You will always have the current internal cooking temp of the meat in your hand without having to open the lid and letting all the smoke and air out. Using this type of thermometer is as I call it, fool proof.
• For this recipe I am following the KIS (keep it simple) rule and will use olive oil, salt and pepper.  However, to enhance the flavor of the turkey legs, you could put them in a brining solution overnight before grilling or towards the end of grilling them, basting with a flavorful bbq or marinade of choice.

Father's Day Smoked Turkey Legs

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

90 mins

Total time

1 hour 45 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 each turkey drumsticks
• 4 ounces olive oil
• Kosher Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Coat each turkey leg with olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Follow the tips from the chef along with the video to get your smoker box set up and ready to go.
3. On the other side of the grill, place the turkey legs next to the smoker box to cook using indirect heat.
4. Place the remote cooking thermometer into the thickest and largest part of the turkey leg, making sure not to hit the bone.
5. Cooking time will depend on how hot your grill temperature is and the size of the turkey legs. The turkey legs I used in this recipe were smaller, so it took around 1.5 hours total cooking until clear juices ran out and the internal temperature of the turkey leg reached 165 degrees. If you desire more color on the legs, you can even turn on the heat (direct cooking) to get a little more color on the turkey skin if desired.
6. Note that the legs will continue to carry over cook a bit after you take them off the grill.
7. To plate, place the beautiful turkey legs on butcher paper on a sheet tray for that primal feel and it will surely get your guests hungry for more!

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♥ Chef Amy

I love the Fourth of July. When I was a kid, this holiday brought the entire family together for a day of endless fun and wonderful food. The day started early for the men, setting up the bbq for a glorious day of cooking. The women played Tetris in the fridge, carefully balancing their jello molds and relish platters, while us kids ran around and played endless games for the day. One family favorite was lawn darts! You know, the darts with an 8-inch metal tip that I would toss sky high and manage to land inside the ring, inches away from my sister’s head. Two points!

Once the smell of grilled meat hit the air, we knew it was going to be an amazing day. The men put a good dent in the beer stash from the garage fridge, while the women were busy little bees humming along and orchestrating the food to their own holiday symphony. As more smoke filled the air and the aroma of grilled ribs hit our noses, we knew dinner was close!

Once it was time to eat, our entire family sat down at long tables to enjoy the feast. Memories like these are priceless for me as an adult. This holiday symbolizes not only family coming together, but also the amazing food at our table. Before we began to eat, I remember my father would ask, “Aren’t we lucky?” as we would all look around at one another. As an adult, I often think of that simple question, and it makes me realize how lucky I really was growing up. I was extremely fortunate to have such an amazing family who loved me and took the time out of their busy lives to make sure us kids understood how important it was for family to spend time with one another on holidays like this.

Today, as I sit here typing this recipe as a professional chef, I realize how lucky I was to have a family who spent hours, if not days, preparing the food and putting such love into cooking. I can say with confidence, “I AM LUCKY” to have these memories of the Fourth of July because these memories and my family have fostered my love and passion for cooking, and I couldn’t be more grateful!

The three recipes I am sharing with you today are great for feeding a large group and, most importantly, allow you to get the prep done ahead of time! The potato salad you can do the day before, which I highly suggest for optimum flavor. The granita can also be prepared the day ahead. I love serving granita as a dessert because it is light and cleanses the palate after a meal rich in flavor. That leaves just the ribs to slow cook the day of. Just a few simple steps of prep for the ribs, and you can sit back and enjoy your company as the ribs slow cook in your Bull BBQ. I will top the ribs with Bull BBQ Sauce before placing on the grilled bread and slicing for my guests. Jazz up the rib sandwich by offering additional fun toppings, such as caramelized onions, sweet slaw, pickled red onions, or a jalapeno and cilantro mix. Be safe, enjoy the holiday, and may you create wonderful memories with your family and friends.  Don’t forget to ask, “Aren’t we lucky?”

Chef’s Note: If you do not own a gas grill or charcoal bbq, the ribs can be cooked inside your home oven. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and cook the ribs wrapped in foil for 3 hours. When it’s time to add the bbq sauce, set the oven on broil, and place the ribs back in for 5 minutes to caramelize the sauce on top before serving. While the ribs are resting, set the oven back to 350 degrees and bake the bread to serve. Also, try grilling your fruit for the granita to give a smokey flavor! 

Slow Cooked BBQ Rib Sandwich

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours 10 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 rack of baby back or spareribs, beef or pork
• 4 tablespoons Bull Sweet Heat Dry Rub
• 1 cup Bull BBQ Sauce
• 1 loaf bread of choice, ciabatta or french loaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Turn the grill on low and preheat to 300 degrees.
2. Place the ribs in foil and generously season both sides with the Bull Sweet Heat Dry Rub.
3. Enclose the ribs within the foil and place on the grill.
4. Close the lid and let the ribs cook on low, around 300 degrees, for 3 hours.
5. Carefully open the foil and check the ribs for doneness.
6. Brush on the Bull BBQ Sauce on top of the ribs and leave open for 10 minutes to caramelize the sauce on top inside the grill.
7. When ready, remove the foil from the grill. Carefully remove all the bones from the rib meat with a pair of tongs or with your hands using a towel.
8. With a long spatula, carefully remove the de-boned rib meat from the foil and place onto a sheet pan.
9. While the ribs are resting, brush the olive oil onto the sliced bread, and grill the bread for a couple minutes.
10. To serve, place the rib meat inside the grilled bread, and cut into slices for your guests. Place some more bbq sauce and fun toppings, like caramelized onions, and enjoy!

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Simple Potato Salad

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 6 # yellow potatoes, small
• ½ cup mayo
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon dill, minced
• 3 green onions, cleaned, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled, shredded
• 3 eggs, hard boiled, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

Instructions

1. Wash the potatoes well. Place them in a pot of cold water and place on top of the stove.
2. Bring to a boil and add salt.
3. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium to a soft boil.
4. After 2o minutes, gently cut into the center of the largest potato with a knife to check for doneness. The potatoes must be fully cooked for the salad.
5. Once done, pour the cooked potatoes into a colander to strain off the liquid and let them cool.
6. Place them in a container and put into the fridge to further cool.
7. In an extra large bowl, add the minced dill, thinly sliced green onion, shredded carrot, roughly chopped hardboiled eggs, sweet relish, mayo and sour cream. Mix well.
8. Cut the potatoes into a small-medium dice and add to the bowl and mix well.
9. Season with salt and pepper and transfer into a container. Cover and set overnight.
10. The day of, taste and adjust seasoning. The mixture usually needs a little more salt.
11. To serve, place in decorative bowl and top off with some fresh dill. Enjoy!

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Watermelon Granita

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours 15 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 cups watermelon, seedless, cut into cubes
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 lemon, juice only

Instructions

1. Puree all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Place mixture in a metal container and place into the freezer.
3. After one hour, with a fork, scrape the mixture and set back into the freezer for another 2 hours.
4. Use the fork to scrape the mixture one more time to form flakes of watermelon ice.
5. To serve, place in a clear glass and top with a piece of mint. Serve immediately!

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With Labor Day just ahead, the extended weekend, for many Americans, is a way to savor the end of summer by grilling with family and friends. Relaxing with the day off is our last chance to send summer off with a bang. With peaches in season and as succulent as ever, I thought I would create a peach-theme holiday menu to share with you all! On the menu – Grilled Peach Bellinis, Bacon and Blue Cheese Burgers topped with Caramelized Onions and Peach Spread, and for dessert, Grilled Peach Sundaes.

Chef’s Note: When it comes to grilling peaches, I highly recommend purchasing them slightly firm to touch. If they are too soft, they tend to fall apart with the heat of the grill.  

Grilled Peach Bellinis

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Brunch

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 peaches, halved, pit removed, grilled
• 1 lemon, grilled, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon honey or liquid agave in the raw
• 1 bottle Prosecco, chilled

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill on medium-high heat. Place the peaches and lemon face side down and allow to grill for 5 minutes.
2. Allow the peaches and lemon to cool down completely. Cut the peaches into a large dice.
3. Squeeze the juice from the grilled lemon into a bowl.
4. Put the grilled, diced peaches, grilled lemon juice, and the honey into a food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
5. With a sieve, slowly pour the ingredients through, discarding of any solids.
6. To serve, put 3 tablespoons of the mix into a Champagne/Prosecco glass and slowly fill with the cold prosecco. Garnish with a slice of grilled peach or lemon and serve immediately.

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Bacon and Blue Cheese Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Peach Spread

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Caramelized Onions and Peach Spread
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup peach jam
• Kosher Salt and pepper to taste
• 
  
• For the Burgers
• 2 pounds ground beef
• Kosher Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces blue cheese, sliced, local preferred (Point Reyes)
• 4 ea hamburger buns
• 8 slices bacon (cooked)

Instructions

1. For the Caramelized Onions and Peach Spread: In a thick bottom pot, preheat on medium-high heat. Once the pot lightly smokes, add the butter. It will turn brown right away.
2. Add the onions, salt and pepper and mix well. Allow the onions to sit and cook without touching for about 4 minutes.
3. Stir the onions and allow to cook another 4 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Add the peach jam and mix well. Allow it to finish cooking for another minute and turn off the heat.
5. Allow the spread to cool down before serving with the burgers.
6. For the Burgers: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, salt and pepper and form into four patties.
7. Preheat the Bull grill to medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
8. Place the burgers on the grill and let them cook for 5 minutes.
9. Turn the patties over and cook for another 3 minutes.
10. Remove the patties from the grill and carefully add the blue cheese slices onto each patty. This will allow the meat to rest and the cheese to slowly melt.
11. To serve, place the bacon on top of the melted cheese/grilled burger on bottom half of bun. Top off with caramelized onion and peach spread and enjoy!

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Grilled Peach Sundaes

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 peaches, halved, pit removed
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
• Chocolate syrup, for drizzling
• 4 tablespoons chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Heat the grill to high heat. Clean the grill grates and wipe with an oil rag to prevent sticking.
2. Grill the peach halves for about 5 minutes, until char marks form.
3. Remove from the grill and allow to cool.
4. To serve, place a grilled peach half in a bowl, top with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle with chocolate syrup and finish with chopped pecans.

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Caramel on apples

And warm, spiced red wine

Jumping into leaves and trussing roasts with twine

Lighting the fire while hummingbirds sing

These are a few of my favorite things….

The fall season has me fluttering about, singing my own lyrics to Julie Andrews’ classic, “My Favorite Things.” Call it magical, if you will. Our home is filled with delicious aromas throughout the days and nights as the season snuggles in. Some of my fall food favorites include pomegranates, persimmons, pumpkins, figs, pears, brussel sprouts, and more!

The cooler weather that settles upon us in the evenings has me craving grilled lamb. On the menu this week –  grilled rack of lamb, sliced into what I call “lamb pops,” served with a mouth-watering cranberry and pomegranate sauce.

Chef’s note: To protect the bones on the rack of lamb from burning while searing on direct, medium-high heat, wrap them heavily in foil. Another option is to roll a foil ball to rest under the bones, propping them off the grill.

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate and Cranberry Sauce

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• For the Sauce:
• I (12-ounce) bag cranberries, fresh, rinsed
• 16 ounces, pomegranate juice in bottle
• 1 (8-ounce) container pomegranate seeds, cleaned, fresh
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 
  
• For the Lamb:
• 2 racks of lamb, 1.5 - 2 pounds each, frenched
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. For the Sauce: In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients and cook over medium-low heat.
2. Allow the sauce to cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Make sure to stir on occasion to prevent the sauce from sticking to bottom and burning.
4. Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool down. It will thicken up as it comes to room temp.
5. Serve along with the grilled rack of lamb and enjoy!
6. For the Racks of Lamb: Preheat the Bull BBQ on medium-high heat.
7. Remove any residue and wipe the grill grates with a well oiled rag to prevent any sticking.
8. Trim the racks of lamb if needed.
9. Allow the racks to sit out 30 minutes prior to grilling, coming to room temp.
10. Brush the lamb with evoo, salt and pepper.
11. Place the rack on high direct medium-heat, allowing them to sear about 4-5 minutes per side.
12. Reduce the heat to medium and move the racks of lamb to a cooler part of the grill (the top rack on the Angus grill.)
13. Cook for an additional 20 minutes, covered with the lid, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees, for rare meat.
14. Transfer the racks to a half sheet pan and allow them to rest and carry over cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
15. To serve, cut the ribs into individual chops or pops and serve with the cranberry and pomegranate sauce.

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I find myself anticipating the arrival of this year’s holiday season as the perfect time to showcase my Bull Pizza Oven to family and friends. I love the versatility this pizza oven has to offer, and I plan to use it to cook ALL my holiday meals.

With the intense heat of the fire, pizza and calzone are a definite must on this year’s appetizer list. Allowing hot embers or coals to form and slow cooking the holiday roast next to the fire enhances the flavor of the meat that is to die for. Close the shoot halfway, and place the oven door in front, and I have an oven to roast and create one of a kind desserts. Once my meal is served, I’ll add another few logs, so we can all sit and enjoy our after dinner drinks of choice next to the warm fire and finish the evening with laughter and cheer! If it’s not already on your holiday wish-list this year, make sure to add the Bull Pizza Oven – a “must have” this holiday season!

Every fall, my husband and I take a day trip to Apple Hill in the foothills to see the changing of the season and to grab some tasty treats to bring home. I love fresh apple juice, and nothing beats a freshly picked, crisp apple from the tree. If I am lucky, I will also come home with some firewood for the pizza oven!

This week’s recipe is the perfect motivation to get us up to the foothills ASAP! On the menu, fire roasted apples, cooked in my Bull pizza oven, finished with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with chocolate syrup and roughly chopped pecans.

Chef’s note: For best results, the apples should be firm to touch, crisp, and tart. I highly recommend, if possible, to plan your foothill adventure to an apple farm on a weekday. The weekends can be very hectic with lots of traffic!

Fire Roasted Apples

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 large baking apples, Braeburn, Jonagold, Fuji or Honey Crisp
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• ¾ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat the pizza oven to 450 - 500 degrees. Watch this short video to show you how to get your pizza oven started.
2. Allow larger pieces of wood to catch fire and turn into hot embers. This may take around 30 to 45 minutes to form.
3. Watch the oven, and once it is around 375 degrees, it is ready to go.
4. While the pizza oven is preheating, wash and core the apples with a melon baller.
5. Make sure to leave enough of the core at the base in tact to prevent the filling from spilling out.
6. Combine the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and chopped pecans.
7. Fill each apple evenly with the mixture.
8. Fill the Bull Non-Stick Square Grill Pan with the water. There should be enough so that the base of the apples are covered.
9. Carefully place the apples into the Bull Pizza Oven and close the oven with the lid, creating an oven.
10. Using the Pro Perforated Peel that comes in the Professional Kit, check the apples at 45 minutes. They are done once soft, make sure not to cook too long turning mushy. If using a extra large apple, they may take up to an hour total.
11. Serve the apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, top them with some chocolate syrup and roughly chopped toasted pecans.

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♥ Chef Amy

This week’s recipe features Bull’s Stainless Steel Potato Rack, the perfect grilling accessory for changing the way you barbeque for the holiday season. Imagine biting into a perfectly cooked baked potato, fluffy on the inside, and crispy skin on the outside. Add another dimension of flavor by using Bull’s Stainless Gas Grill V-Shape Smoker Box, and the infusion of wood smoke takes this baked potato bar to the next level!

Bull’s Stainless Steel Potato Rack accommodates four large baking potatoes or sweet potatoes. The metal tabs that pierce into the middle of the potato will cook them faster by transmitting the indirect heat into the center of each potato. Change it up this Thanksgiving dinner, and give yourself a break from slaving away over the traditional mashed potatoes. A simple scrub of the skin to clean, season with olive oil or butter and salt, and you are ready to go! Try adding Bull’s Dry Rubs to the potato skin before you cook for an additional kick in flavor.

The prep for the grill is simple. Turn on the two outside burners of the grill to medium-high heat, leaving the two burners in the center off for indirect grilling. Allow the grill to preheat prior to adding the potatoes, and it is ready to go! If you decide to add presoaked wood chips using the smoker box, place the v-shaped box next to one of the lit burners so that the wood chips can get hot and start smoking while preheating the grill.  Arranging the potato rack in the center of the grill, away from the two outside burners, allows the potatoes to cook to perfection using indirect heat.

Chef’s Tip: Try picking out 4 potatoes/sweet potatoes uniform in size to ensure even cooking.

Grilled Baked Potato Bar

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes, rinsed and skins scrubbed clean
• 2 tablespoons olive
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• *toppings for baked potato bar based on preference: chopped cooked bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes, butter, chives, etc.

Instructions

1. Wash and scrub potato skins well.
2. Prepare grill for indirect grilling, read above for further explanation.
3. Prepare grill for Bull's V Shape Smoker Box. Click here to review tips for lighting and using the smoker box. * optional
4. Pierce each potato onto the rack and season with olive oil and salt.
5. Place rack in the center of the grill for indirect cooking and cover grill lid.
6. Organize your potato bar as they are cooking.
7. At the 45 minute mark, check the potatoes. To check for doneness, squeeze the potatoes, and if the are soft, they are ready to go. May take up to one hour depending on size of potato.
8. Carefully remove the potatoes from the rack using your Bull Pit Mitt. Cut them in half lengthwise, allowing the hot steam to escape. Enjoy with your preference of potato bar toppings.

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T-minus 13 days, 8 hours, 42 minutes, 4 seconds, and counting.  When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I am all about the planning. I have finalized my menu, started my shopping list, organized what prep will be done on which day the week of, and most importantly, I have decided what to make for our company arriving the day before! The holiday sneaks up on us fast, so this easy, yet delicious meal is perfect for a large crowd, making it one of my go to meals!

This week on the menu, salsa verde chicken enchiladas roasted by the fire in Bull’s extra large pizza oven. I will use Bull’s Non-Stick Square Grill Pan to make and serve the enchiladas tableside to my guests. The handles on the side of this pan make it incredibly easy to maneuver and turn when cooking by the fire. Watch this short video and listen to the cheese bubbling by the hot fire. You can see for yourself how delicious this dish is!

The chef in me loves to make as much as I can from scratch when creating recipes. However, I kept in mind time and convenience when cooking and shopping for this meal. My goal was to create a recipe with a manageable ingredient list and one that requires only 30 minutes to cook. Prepping for and assembling the enchiladas does take a little time, but I kept this into consideration with the sauce and chicken. Purchasing the cooked rotisserie chicken at the store cuts down on prep time tremendously! Buying canned sauce and salsa and adding a few ingredients to jazz it up is a huge time saver, compared to making a salsa verde sauce from scratch.

Chef’s Notes:

• If you do not own a pizza oven, this dish can be baked using your gas grill! To convert your gas grill into an oven, place a pizza stone in the center of the grill on top of the grill grates, turn the outside burners on for indirect heat and close your lid! Depending on temperature, it is important to do this step above to preheat the grill and adjust the dials as needed to get to your desired temperature.  
• This dish can be made and placed in the freezer ahead of time. Just make sure to wrap it up well to avoid freezer burn.  Place it in the fridge the night before cooking to completely defrost, and it is ready to bake in the oven! An easy, yet delicious meal for the night before Thanksgiving!

Salsa Verde Enchiladas

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Salsa Verde Sauce:
• 1 (28-ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce, mild
• 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde, mild
• ½ small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, cleaned
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
• 
  
• For the Enchiladas:
• 1 store-made cooked rotisserie chicken, all meat taken off the bone, skin removed, shredded
• 3 cups Mexican 4-cheese, shredded
• 12-16 corn tortillas
• Salsa verde sauce

Instructions

1. Light and preheat your Bull Pizza Oven to 350 degrees or Bull's Gas Grill with Bull's 15" Pizza Stone placed in center, lighting two outside burners for indirect heat to 350 degrees. Click here to review how to build a fire.
2. For the Sauce: Place the onion and garlic in a food processor and blend until a liquidy paste forms. Scrape the sides a couple times during the process.
3. Place a saucepan on medium-high heat.
4. Add oil, onion/garlic mix and saute for five minutes until all the liquid has cooked off.
5. Add the enchilada sauce, salsa verde, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add the minced cilantro, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
7. After ten minutes, turn the heat off and set the sauce aside.
8. For the Enchiladas: In a large bowl, place all the shredded chicken, 1 cup of shredded cheese and ½ cup sauce and mix well. Taste mixture and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
9. Create assembly line of ingredients to make enchiladas: stack of tortillas, clean plate for sauce-soaked tortillas, salsa verde sauce, shredded chicken mix, bowl with remaining 2 cups shredded cheese and baking dish for enchiladas.
10. Add ½ cup sauce to coat the bottom of 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
11. Dip the corn tortillas in the sauce to soften, one at a time, and place onto a clean dish.
12. Take a sauce-soaked tortilla, add chicken mix, carefully roll and place into baking dish, seam side down. Repeat until all the enchiladas are made.
13. Add the remaining sauce to the top of enchiladas. With your hands, carefully push down on the enchiladas to submerge under the sauce.
14. To finish, add remaining 2 cups of the cheese to cover the enchiladas and sauce. If you like, add black olives or whatever fun topping you desire before baking.
15. Take a piece of foil and spray Bull's Non-Stick Spray to the bottom of the sheet.
16. Place the coated foil onto baking dish and crimp sides to cover.
17. Place the enchiladas into the pizza oven or on top of the pizza stone, lid closed and allow to cook for 20 minutes.
18. For the last 5-10 minutes, remove foil to brown the cheese. If cooking in the pizza oven, keep a close eye to make sure the top does not burn.
19. Allow the enchiladas to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

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I love the fall and winter time, when some of my favorite fruits are in season! Pomegranates and persimmons not only add bold, bright colors to a salad, but they also are a great combination of sweet and tangy/tart, making this salad a perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast!

Using your Bull BBQ to grill the persimmon slices for this salad will give them a unique, smoky, caramelized flavor, perfectly balancing out all the delicious flavors in this salad. Who says winter salads have to be boring? I guarantee this salad will have your dinner guests raving and wanting more! Better yet, print this recipe on decorative paper and have it ready to hand out to your guests, a guaranteed hit!

I absolutely LOVE grilling fruit for my salads. The hot flames from the grill caramelize the sugars from the fruit, taking the raw, sweet fruit to the next level in flavor and texture. I prefer salty over sweet any day of the week, so combining the sweet grilled flavors of the persimmon with the saltiness of the feta cheese and sea salt, creates a flavor bomb in your mouth!

Fruit 101:

• When it comes time to purchase your persimmons, make sure to grab the Fuyu persimmon. These small, apple-like persimmons are great to eat raw and especially in winter salads. Leaving the skin on and slicing into pieces like an apple for a salad is perfectly fine. The skin can also be removed as well, using a paring knife or a peeler.
• Hachiya persimmons, a larger, more narrow persimmon with a pointed bottom are used in baking. For best results, let these persimmons ripen until super soft before using. The ripe, flesh of the fruit can be pureed, placed in a plastic ziplock bag, and stored in the freezer to hold until time to make those delicious, spiced persimmon cookies for the Holiday season.
• There are many ways to de-seed a pomegranate without it looking like a crime scene in your kitchen! This you-tube video demonstrates the fastest way to clean a pomegranate. I suggest placing the bowl in the bottom of the sink for easy clean up. If you have more time, there is the peeling technique, which I prefer to do. As I open and unfold the wedges, it is as though I have discovered a treasure, with beautiful ruby red jewels awaiting to be devoured. Whichever way you decide, this is one labor of love that in my opinion, has delicious results!

This week on the menu, grilled persimmon slices, paired with tangy pomegranate seeds, salty feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion, earthy toasted walnuts and frisee lettuce, topped with a honey-champagne vinaigrette.

Chef’s Note:

• Try experimenting with other winter greens for additional flavors. I will often interchange my greens, using bitter arugula leaves, sweet butter lettuce, or various chicory leaves, such as radicchio, belgium endive or Treviso.
• I love grilling my chicories, giving the bitter lettuces additional flavors. Before grilling, dress the chicory with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar along with salt and pepper, grill over intense heat on your Bull BBQ and this salad just entered a whole new dimension in flavor and texture!

Grilled Persimmon Salad

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Author: Amy Aberle-Rogan

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Vinaigrette:
• ¼ cup champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fleur de sel, coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• For the Salad:
• 4 medium Fuyu persimmons, sliced into ¼” rounds
• 5 cups frisee, or lettuce of choice
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup walnuts, toasted in oven

Instructions

1. For the Dressing: Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.
2. For the Grilled Persimmons: Turn the Bull Grill on high to preheat. After 5 minutes, use the Bull Dual Handle Mega Monster Brush to remove any residue.
3. Oil the grill grates before placing the persimmons down to avoid sticking.
4. Place the persimmon slices down and do not move, allowing nice grill marks to form. After 4 minutes, flip over and finish. Total time 8 - 10 minutes.
5. For the salad: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 8 - 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they do not burn! Once done, remove and allow to cool.
7. See notes above for cleaning the pomegranate.
8. In a large bowl add the cleaned frisee lettuce.
9. Next add the thinly sliced red onion, feta cheese, pomegranate seeds, toasted walnut and grilled persimmon rounds, cut down into smaller pieces or leave whole with the salad mix on top.
10. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and mix well.
11. To plate, divide the salad evenly between four plates and enjoy!

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