June 2017 Home Cooking DOTM - GRILLING/SMOKING

Cooking Discussions Cooking, Cookbooks, Ingredients
#1

It seems unanimous, so no voting this month. Grilling/smoking for the June win!

As discussed, grilling/smoking is a technique, but by choosing this particular technique, it allows us to celebrate all the bounty of the season.

Be inspired to try something new or different! (You can always throw some hotdogs on the grill if it’s an epic failure :wink:).

And by all means, share family favorites, and your tried and true outdoor cooking dishes.

Please put the name of your dish in ALL CAPS. Please do not quote recipes verbatim from any copyrighted material.

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What's for Dinner #22 - 06/2017 - June is Bustin' Out All Over Edition
#2

Fabulous. I am looking forward to many meals cooked in the great outdoors this month. We have a smoker and a propane grill, but I am thinking of buying an inexpensive charcoal kettle as well, just to have the option when I have plenty of time to get coals started. The flavor really can’t be beat!

#3

I can only use my stovetop grill pan, as neither gas or charcoal grills are allowed in my complex and I haven’t yet sprung for an electric grill. Can I still play in the DOTM sandbox this month?

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#4

I don’t see why not. I have charcoal grills, but for some busy nights, I don’t think I have time or energy to make a fire before eating.

#5

Of course! But if you cook it inside, you have to eat it outside. :wink:

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#6

It’s still grilling. I think stove-top griddles are better than electric. I mean the taste of the cooked food.

#7

Got this on as soon as I got home from the pub today. A most simple BBQ but we enjoyed it.

French cut Bavette. “Flank steak” according the the interwebs.

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The Weber.

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There were also boiled barley alongside.

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#8

Flank steak is a nice choice for the grill - the flat shape and relatively even thickness mean it cooks pretty evenly. Takes marinades and sauces well, too. I like to grill it whole, but it also makes good satay (or kebabs of any nationality) if you slice it thinly against the grain and weave the slices onto skewers, then grill really hot and fast for just a few moments per side. Speaking of which, I need to order some flat steel skewers for kebabs - bamboo isn’t going to cut it!

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#9

Yeah, I’m going to get more flank steaks tomorrow. Kebabs are on the horizon.

I do have some (flat) metal skewers. Bamboo as well. Need to be used up. The Turkish butchers all have big flat skewers but they are way too long (like 1m long). Maybe they are for grilling over a huge camp fire.

#10

1m long?! Do they grill for multiple people at a time? I have only seen those that are maybe 40cm long, enough meat for one order of kabob.

Speaking of grill, I need to finally get some grilling going. Grill has been sitting idle.

#11

I’ve seen them pretty long, definitely more than one serving. It depends on the size of the grill, and how many people you’ve invited to your party. :slight_smile:

#12

I have seen the 1m type at Middle Eastern restaurants - definitely meant for feeding a crowd! I just received the two sets I ordered - one set is 17" long (with about 3" of that being handle); the other is around 12" long with about 2" of handle. I think the shorter ones will be perfect for use on my smaller indoor cast iron “grill,” and the longer ones will see more outdoor use.

#13

Stocked the fridge for the week at Costco this morning and came home to grill lunch. Some fat asparagus spears (the season is probably technically over but what Costco had from Mexico looked pretty good) and a new-to-me chicken sausage from Premio - mild Italian links with kale. They’re nothing special, but fine for an easy meal. DH is starting a higher protein, lower fat diet for weightlifting this week so the leftovers will go with him for lunches.

These just-okay sausages reminded me that I really need to get out my grinder and stuffer and stock the freezer with sausages of my own making. They’re just so good on the grill.

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#14

Flank is one of my most favorite steaks, and it also makes surprisingly good burger meat. I know it’s a leaner cut, but ground up it makes a very juicy and flavorful burger, too.

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#15

The Ardsley DeCicco’s which isn’t’ too far from you or Costco has better than
average for supermarket, housemade chicken burgers and chicken sausage. The only difference
is that the burgers are made with breadcrumbs. They offer a variety of each, if you order
more than 2 lbs at a time they will custom make what you want.
pepper and onion
pepper onion and kale
spinach and mozz
spinach and romano
broccoli rabe …
EDIT: they do turkey too

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#16

Good to know - I will have to stop in! I went to the Port Chester Costco today, actually - my husband was singing in CT and it was closer. Plus, it’s WAY less of a zoo than Yonkers!

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#17

A few things on the Weber today:

Lamb chops.

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Lamb merguez and prawns.

Dinner in the sun.

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#18

Lovely. All of it looks wonderful!

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#19

More grilling for dinner - this time skirt steak, sliced and served atop a spicy (almost too spicy, I kind of overdid the fresh serranos) red cabbage and fennel slaw with tons of fresh cilantro and serranos, and a lime juice, mayo and toasted coriander dressing. Flavor was good but the steak was incredibly chewy, despite being cooked to medium rare and sliced thinly across the grain. I have been having very poor luck with skirt steaks from Costco lately - in fact, I feel like the quality of their beef has slipped in general. I’ll probably grind the last piece from this package and try Restaurant Depot for skirt steak next time.

#20

Thank you, LindaW!

Bionda, that’s disappointing. I wonder if you could tenderise it before cooking, maybe it’ll help a bit. Yeah, try another source for the same cut.

“Food is a pretty good prism through which to view humanity.”

― Jonathan Gold