Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu) � Take That, Take Out!

There are many unforgettable sights and sounds you experience walking through Chinatown for the first time, but I think it was seeing all those hanging chunks of florescent red meat that made the biggest impression. 

Sure, the Peking ducks were cool, but they actually sort of looked like roasted duck, where as the char siu looked looked like nothing I�d ever seen before.

So, it was a little disappointing to eventually find out that it was from copious amounts of red food coloring, which I�m pretty sure was toxic back then, and not from some ancient Chinese secret cooking method. Anyway, enough with the nostalgia; the important thing to remember is that in addition to its impressive, high-gloss appearance, and savory taste, this Chinese barbecue pork is quite easy to make at home, even if you don�t have a fancy ceramic grill.

If you happen to be using your standard, backyard kettle-shaped grill, push all your coals to one side, and place your meat on the other. To add an extra layer of protection, you can also put it in a roasting pan, and place that on the grill. Or, forget the great outdoors, and simply roast it in the oven. The only catch is, you�ll need to place it under the broiler at the end, to simulate the caramelization we get on the barbecue.

As long as you roast it between 275 F. and 300 F., and do so until you reach an internal temperature of between 185-190 F., the cooking method really does not matter, and you should have something that rivals the finest take-out in town. So, I really do hope you give this Chinese-style barbecue pork a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for six portions:

3 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 4 sections lengthwise

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Chinese rice wine (can sub sake, or dry sherry)

1/3 cup ketchup

4  garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon pink curing salt, optional

1 or 2 teaspoons red food coloring, optional

Kosher salt to season pork before grilling

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Grilled Hoisin Beef � Not Necessarily Mongolian

While this grilled hoisin beef features a very similar marinade to the one in our Mongolian pork chop video, I decided against calling it, "Mongolian beef," since I realized I�m not exactly sure what that is. Same goes for the chop, but since Mustard�s Grill coined the name, we're Grandfathered in.

Hoisin sauce is an underrated, and possibly underused ingredient. That's probably due to the fact that people aren�t exactly sure what it is. Far as I can tell, it's a thickened, fermented soy-sauce-like substance, flavored with chilies, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and, of course, exotic spices. That�s really all I feel like I need to know, but if you happen to do some more research, and find out something interesting, please pass it along.

Like I said in the video, besides a decent marinade recipe, I hope this serves as a reminder for just how great a cut of beef skirt steak is. Unless you horribly overcook it, it�s always juicy, and tender, as long as you slice it across the grain. So, whether you serve it with coconut rice or not, I really hope you give this grilled hoisin beef a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes two portions:
* as with all marinades, feel free to add more of everything!

1 beef skirt steak, about a pound

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons Chinese vinegar, or sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

4 cloves finely minced garlic

1 packed tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 green onion, light parts, minced

toasted sesame seeds

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Grilled Fava Beans � Flavor Flav, Indeed

I bet fava beans would be a lot more popular if people knew how to cook them, or even what they were. For many people, these are just those mysterious, semi-scary, oversized green beans that they�re not sure what to do with.

Which is a shame, since they�re not only delicious, and easy to prepare, but also very versatile. Fava beans shine in salads, and pastas, as well as on pizzas.  The also, as I demonstrated the end of the video, make for a wonderful spread.

By the way, the ingredient amounts below are pure guesses, since this is not the kind of recipe we're going to measure stuff for. Let your conscience be your guide, but remember what we're eating is inside that charred pod, so season generously.

Fava beans should be readily available this time of year, especially at farmers markets, where they tend to be much cheaper that your high-end grocery stores. Regardless of where you find them, I really do hope you give this great bean, and even better technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

2 pounds whole fava beans

olive oil, as needed

2 lemons

1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided

3 whole, peeled, bruised garlic cloves

red pepper flakes to taste

2 tablespoons freshly sliced mint leaves

- Grill over high heat for about five minutes per side, or until the pods are soft and charred, and the beans inside are just tender.

WARNING: Some people have an allergy to fava beans. Make sure you don't.

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Thai-Dipped Beef Tri Tip � Satay, Unskewered

There are so many examples of big foods being re-imagined into smaller, bite-sized versions, but going the other direction is not nearly as common. That's what I was attempting to do with this satay-inspired, Thai-dipped beef tri tip.

I enjoy beef satay way more than I do skewering small pieces of beef. Besides, I�ve never made satay, and not stuck a bamboo skewer into my finger at some point in the process. And not only did this involve less labor, but you can cook this in any number of ways.

I decided to go low and slow, over indirect charcoal heat, until I reached an internal temperature of 132 F.  If you�re in more of a hurry, you can cook tri tip over higher heat, and it�s perfectly fine, as long as it doesn�t overcook. You can also roast this in the oven at 325 F., just in case a thunderstorm tries to mess up your plans.

All the ingredients here are easy to find, with the possible exception of lemongrass. Most big city grocery stores carry it, but in other parts of the country, I�ve seen it sold as a tubed puree, displayed in the produce department. If you can�t find it, you can add some lemon juice and zest to adjust. Either way, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one beef tri tip roast:

2 1/2 pound trimmed beef tri tip top roast

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup chopped lemon grass (peel off woodiest parts, pound with back of knife, then chop)

3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons grated raw onion

1/3 cup fish sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

- Grill, smoke, or roast to an internal temp of 130 to 135 F.

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Grilled Greek Chicken � Happy St. Patrick�s Day!

Erin go what? On the surface, this may seem like an inappropriate St. Patrick�s Day recipe post, but I�ve always considered this holiday one of the official signs of spring, and since that means it�s grilling season, then maybe this is appropriate after all? Yes, I went a long way for that.

As I mentioned in the video, the secret to this simple chicken is a very powerful marinade. This is one of those rare recipes where, when in doubt, we add a little more. Above and beyond that, the only way to ruin this would be to singe the skin/marinade with too high, direct heat.

We really want to sort of roast these pieces on the grill. So, don�t build a huge fire, and wait for it to turn ashy, before using semi-indirect heat to slowly cook the meat through. This way we get a tender inside, as well as and a gorgeous, caramelized exterior.

This is so flavorful that you really don�t need a sauce, but some fresh lemon is nice, as is a spicy yogurt. Just squeeze a little lemon into some nice thick, Greek yogurt, spike it with hot sauce, and you have a perfect condiment. And speaking of St. Patrick�s Day, this stuff pairs wonderfully with beer. I really hope you give this grilled Greek chicken recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

For enough marinade for 6 chicken thigh/leg sections:

6 to 8 cloves garlic, totally crushed or very finely minced

2 tablespoons dried oregano and/or marjoram

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 generous teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

1/4 olive oil

about 1 tablespoon kosher salt to season chicken

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Grilled Bacon Meatloaf Burgers � Building a Faster Meatloaf Sandwich

I love meatloaf, but not as much as I love meatloaf sandwiches. In fact, I�ll make a meatloaf just for the leftovers. I�ll fry the cold slice in a buttered pan until hot and crusty, and enjoy it on toast with ketchup. 

This is basically that, plus bacon, in burger form. What it lacks in loaf shape, it more than makes up for by being faster and easier. By the way, even though we�re grilling this in honor of Labor Day weekend, I actually think it�s better pan-fried. While I enjoy the smoky char the grill adds, I miss the crust you can only get on a really flat, really hot surface. I feel this way about burgers in general.

Also, if you cook this in a pan, you could deglaze, and spoon a little natural jus over the top. Either way, you�re looking at a delicious burger, and a nice change of pace from your usual cookout fare. I really hope you give these bacon meatloaf burgers a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Bacon Meatloaf Burgers:

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder                       

cayenne pepper to taste

pinch dried thyme

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 pound ground chuck (85% lean)

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

2/3 cup chopped cooked bacon

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Grilled Mojo Beef � Rhymes with �Everybody Say Ho!�

I got a request for a Cuban-style mojo marinade recently, which sounded like something I�d enjoy making, but to be honest I wasn�t exactly sure what it was. I knew I was probably pronouncing it wrong, but other than that, I couldn�t remember having it anywhere.

I�d seen �mojo� sauces before, but they were at Spanish restaurants, and seemed to be chili-based; so I did a little of research, and of course, every single recipe I looked at was different. They all had garlic, citrus, and olive oil, but after that, the spices and seasonings varied greatly. So, this is basically a composite of what I saw, and it really came out well.

I think this would work great as an all-purpose marinade for just about any thing destined for the grill, but as I mentioned in the video, skirt steak would be my top choice.  Unless horribly overcooked, it always comes out juicy, and tender, as long as you slice it across the grain.  It also tends to really soak in the flavors of the marinade quite well, which I believe is due to it being such a well-marbled cut.

Once again, please excuse my makeshift brick grill, but I�m happy to report there�s help on the way.  So stay tuned for me to show that off soon, but in the meantime I really hope you get this delicious Cuban inspired mojo marinade a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:
2 pounds beef skirt steak, cut into smaller pieces

1 large navel orange, juiced

3 limes, juiced

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

6-8 cloves garlic, finely crushed

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro

extra lime wedges

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Yucatan-Style Grilled Pork � Surrounded on Three Sides by Flavor

If the early feedback from the YouTube channel is any indication, this may not actually be �Yucatan-style,� and I couldn�t be less surprised.  I did no real research into the traditional foods of the Yucatan peninsula, and based the name of this dish solely on a pork chop I once enjoyed at a sports bar.

They called it �Yucatan-style,� and it featured vibrant citrus/chile flavors, as well as a beautiful orange hue, which I figured out was from ground annatto. This is the signature ingredient in the famous braised pork dish, cochonita pibil, and can be found at any Latin market, or your larger, fancier grocery stores.

As I mention in the video, I think this easy marinade would work on all kinds of pork cuts, but the tenderloin is very user-friendly, and it�s mild flavor really takes to these ingredients. I think 4 to 6 hours is plenty of time to marinade the meat, but I�m guessing that overnight would probably be fine as well.

Once grilled, you have so many options for enjoying these. Sandwiches, salads, and tacos are all wonderful choices, and I�ve also heard from a reliable source that diced, they make for an epic pan of nachos. This weekend is the official start of summer grilling season, and what better way to kick it off than this tasty, possibly Yucatanian treat? I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 to 6 portions:

2 whole pork tenderloin, trimmed

2 oranges

2 or 3 lemons

2 or 3 limes

6 cloves minced garlic

1 rounded teaspoon annatto powder, plus more to sprinkle on before grilling

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil before grilling

- I garnished with cilantro, and pickled onions. To make your own, thinly slice some red onions, and cover them with red or white wine vinegar. Leave to soak for 4 hours or overnight, and that's it! 

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Bacon Ranch Chicken Skewers � Perfect for Tailgating and/or Vampire Staking

These bacon ranch chicken skewers were intended to star at your next football tailgate cookout, but since these are made with sharp, wooden sticks, they could be used to inflict the true death to smaller, slow-moving vampires at your Halloween party as well.

Regardless of your party�s theme, these tasty chicken skewers are easy, interesting, and incredibly adaptable. As I sometimes do when showing a new technique, I�ve kept this recipe ultra-simple, and only used ranch dressing and hot pepper as my marinade.

I was hoping that as you watched, your mind would be racing with ideas on how to make this already delicious meat-on-a-stick even more amazing. This is the kind of thing you could do a different version for every game of the season, and still not run out of ideas!

The part I hope you follow exactly is how to weave the bacon over the chicken. Using this method, you really get two kind of bacon. The exposed bacon gets beautifully caramelized and crisp, while the meat next to the chicken stays soft and fatty, more like a thin slice of pork belly.

Speaking of thin slices, don�t use extra-thick slab bacon for this. It will not cook before the chicken is overdone. I actually like to use the thinner, extra-lean bacon, as it has just the right about of fat to flavor and moisturize, without starting a raging fire on the grill. Anyway, next time you�re planning a game day tailgate buffet, I hope you give these a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 Bacon Ranch Chicken Skewers:

12 bamboo skewers

4 large (8-10 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/3 cup ranch dressing

1 tsp hot chili paste or any spicy condiment

12 strips bacon

24 pieces of red onion

salt and pepper to taste

extra ranch dressing to dip

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Grilled Swordfish Bruschetta with Thai Basil Cherry Tomato Salad - The End of a Great Recipe

This grilled swordfish bruschetta recipe is the type of thing I rarely think to film. Recipes that are so simple I assume there won't be any great technique or creative twist to feature. Of course, as soon as I serve it, I realize there was plenty to share, and end up eating with a large side of regret.

This time, I decided to not let that happen, and filmed the plating of the recipe, which gave me the opportunity to at least describe the recipe. There are only a couple ingredients, and as you'll see and hear in the video, the procedure could not be simpler.

There are two keys to this recipe: One is to add enough oil and vinegar to your tomatoes to make a good amount of "sauce," with which to douse the grilled fish and bread. Secondly, be sure to grill the bread very well over the coals. It should be golden brown with distinctive charred grill marks. The bitter hit from these stripes of charred bread actually makes the tomatoes even sweeter and more delicious.

I hope you give this a try while cherry tomatoes are at their peak ripeness. Below you'll see all the ingredients I used to make this incredibly simple, yet extraordinary meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 slices French bread, brushed with olive oil

For the fish:

2 swordfish steaks

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

* For the tomato salad:

1 cup cherry tomato halves

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly sliced basil

pinch of cayenne

* Mix and let sit out for at least 30 minutes

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North South East West Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce

The only thing I know for sure about Carolina-style barbecue sauce is that there isn't one. The base is usually always vinegar and pepper, but then depending on which part of the state(s) you're dealing with, there are countless additions and variations.

This one features fresh apple to add a little extra something, but otherwise it's a fairly straightforward, totally in-your-face with tang and heat barbecue sauce recipe. It was fantastic on a molasses-brined pork chop that you'll see in an upcoming video.

One note for those of you that pay particularly close attention to these videos; you may wonder why I mash the cooked apples in the saucepan, when I'm going to put the sauce in the blender anyway. Extreme sauce ugliness, that's why.

I was originally going to leave the sauce unblended, with the hopes the apple would basically disintegrate into the sauce, but when I stirred in the mustard the sauce suddenly looked like the opposite of something you'd want to eat.

Happily a quick trip to the blender made everything okay again, and I was blessed with a superb summer grilling sauce. It's beautiful for basting, or as a can't-miss condiment. It was really nice on these chops, but I think it shines brightest with pulled pork. I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 apple, peeled, cubed

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

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Barbecued Peaches Because You Have Ten Minutes

You've just finished grilling extra-thick pork chops, and like any good cook you're letting them rest. Not wanting to waste a nice smoky bed of still-hot coals, you take some ripe, juicy peaches, slather them in barbecue sauce, and grill them until just heated through. You serve them next to the pork, and while you eat, your guests shower you with praise, warming you like the mid-July sun.

I used Michele's SFQ barbecue sauce for this, but your favorite brand or recipe should work, especially ones that have a little spicy kick to them. Enjoy! 

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