Pineapple, Pork and Vegetable Kebabs

I've lately been trying to use some of what we have in our freezers, so as to not let them be claimed by freezer burn (and thus go to waste) and also to clear up space for other things.   I recalled that awhile back I'd  purchased a huge, whole pork loin roast and had it cut into smaller segments for freezing.  I still had one big piece of that roast left, and I definitely didn't want to let that go to waste.   As usual this time of year, when thinking about what to do with a hunk of meat, my default answer this time around was "grilling."   And so I decided I'd cut up the roast and make kebabs.

Grilling chunks of pork on their own wouldn't result in something very flavorful, I knew, and this was especially the case with a super-lean cut like a pork loin roast.   Typical kebab recipes and traditions offered some good ideas how to boost the flavor of the meat, though.  Marinades and rubs of some sort are commonly used to give meat kebabs flavor, and cooking the pieces of meat along with something else flavorful is a basic kebab technique.   The key is to pick something to pair with the kebab meat that won't end up being burnt to an indelibly crisp or mushy mess before the meat is done.   Small onions or chunks of onion are one common pairing with kebab meat, but neither Juli nor I particularly enjoys eating big chunks of onion, grilled or otherwise.  Considering other options, I remembered a classic partner to pork:  Pineapple.  That gave me ideas for the marinade as well:  I'd go with tropical and Asian seasonings.

Since I was going to be grilling anyhow, I decided I might as well cook as much of the meal as I could on the grill, so I considered vegetable options that I could cook while cooking the pork and pineapple kebabs.  Tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini all grill up nicely and all take around the same time to grill (though one has to be careful the tomatoes don't overcook).  Better yet, since they all cook pretty quickly on a hot grill, I'd be able to cook them with indirect heat while I cooked the pork and pineapple over direct heat. 

With that all figured out, I made up a marinade for the pork, let it sit for a bit, then put everything on skewers.   The pork and pineapple went together on one set of skewers.  Marinated meat and juicy, fresh pineapple chunks are moist enough to grill without additional protection, and plenty flavorful on their own, so I just had to thread those on the skewers together.   The tender vegetables would be more prone to burning, though, even if I only cooked them with indirect heat, so they got a quick brushing with olive oil, plus a bit of pepper and kosher salt for seasoning.   That done, everything was ready for the grill.

The kebabs turned out great.  The meat and pineapple bore nice grill marks and just the right amount of browning, while the vegetables were tender without being mushy.  The only difficulty I ran into was that I didn't have quite enough metal skewers for everything, so I had to use some wooden skewers for some of the pork and pineapple, and even after soaking them, the wooden skewers didn't hold up well to the direct heat of the grill. Everything came out fine, though, and served together, it all tasted great.

Pineapple, Pork and Vegetable Kebabs

yield = 4-5 servings

2 1/2        pounds pork loin roast, cut into one-inch cubes
1              tablespoon rice wine
1              tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1              tablespoon pineapple juice
1              teaspoon minced garlic
1              teaspoon fresh, peeled and grated ginger
1/2           teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1              whole fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into inch-thick chunks
1              large zucchini, cut into one-inch chunks
1              pound button mushrooms, woody lower stems removed
2              pints plum or large cherry tomatoes
1              tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
                kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Combine pork, rice wine, soy sauce, pineapple juice, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a large zipper-lock plastic bag.  Shake to thoroughly mix, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Thread the marinated pork pieces onto skewers, alternating with chunks of pineapple.  Arrange on a baking sheet.

Thread the zucchini chunks, mushrooms and tomatoes on skewers.  Brush on all sides with olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and black pepper.  Arrange on a separate baking sheet.

Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking with medium-high heat by spreading the coals evenly over half of the grill.  Cook in batches, arranging the pork and pineapple skewers over the coals (direct heat) and the vegetable skewers on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat).   Cook, turning every couple minutes, until the meat and pineapple skewers are lightly browned on all sides and the vegetables have developed modest grill marks and are tender (about 10 minutes).  

Cover cooked skewers with foil and continue until everything is cooked, then serve.

Grilled Baking Potatoes with Chives

When I grilled Garlic Rosemary Lamb Chops last weekend, I wanted to serve them with baked potatoes, to take advantage of our fresh chives (I love baked potatoes with sour cream, minced chives and a bit of freshly-ground black pepper), but I didn't really want to heat up the kitchen to bake the potatoes.    I could have wrapped the potatoes in foil and baked them on the grill, but from experience I knew that took a long time, so I decided to try something new.

I knew from making Grilled Potato Kebabs that sliced potatoes can cook up great on the grill.  The Kebabs had a slightly crisped exterior but were soft and moist on the inside.   I figured I could do something similar with large russet potatoes, but without having to use skewers, by slicing large baking potatoes lengthwise into planks.  Since I was going for more of a baked potato flavor this time around, I didn't use the same mix of seasonings as I used with the Kebabs.  I was going to go with just salt, pepper and chives, then got the idea to toss on some dill as well.  That turned out to be a good choice, as the dill added another pleasant flavor element without overwhelming the chives.   Unfortunately, the high heat we'd been having did in my dill plant, so I had to go with dried dill.

The results were really quite nice.  Although the russets didn't brown as easily as the small potatoes I used for the Kebabs, they had the same pleasant texture, and the seasonings tasted great.   As we ate our meal, I remembered to add some sour cream, which provided an extra baked potato touch, but if you aren't as fond of sour cream (or simply want to avoid the extra calories), these potatoes also taste great without it.

Grilled Baking Potatoes with Chives

yield = 2-3 servings

2                  large baking (russet) potatoes
1                  tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1                  tablespoon minced fresh chives
1                  teaspoon minced fresh or 1/3 teaspoon
                       dried dill
                    kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper,
                       to taste
2                  tablespoons sour cream (optional)

Scrub the potatoes thoroughly.  Slice lengthwise into thirds.

Lightly brush the potatoes on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle on both sides with chives, dill, pepper and salt.

Grill over direct medium heat until lightly browned on the bottom side (approximately 5-6 minutes) then turn and repeat on the other side.  Serve as is, or with sour cream if desired.

Grilled Garlic-Rosemary Lamb Chops

Recently I picked up several packages of wonderful-looking lamb loin chops.  Along with rib chops, loin chops are probably the most delicious part of a lamb, with a meaty flavor and steak-like texture.  They aren't as tough as some other cuts, so they don't take a long time to cook, but they are surrounded thick fat that tends to give off a lot of smoke if they are broiled, baked or sauteed.   Together, those qualities make grilling the cooking method of choice for lamb loin chops.

Because of their excellent flavor - think prime steak - loin chops don't really require a lot of seasoning to be quite tasty.  I went really simple:  I combined some olive oil, some minced garlic and some chopped fresh rosemary, brushed that on both sides of the chops then sprinkled them liberally with salt and pepper.  After letting them sit at room temperature for about a half-hour, I tossed them on the grill, which was prepared for a two-level fire.  I cooked them for a few minutes on the hot side of the grill to lightly brown them and give them nice grill marks, then moved them to the cooler side to finish cooking without becoming overdone on the outside. 

The results were exceptional.   Tender, juicy, medium-rare lamb, nicely seared on the outside and seasoned to enhance the meaty flavor without overwhelming it.   Juli thought this was the best-tasting lamb she'd ever had.   I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it was certainly high up on the list. 

Lamb loin chops aren't cheap, but if you use this recipe and grill them, I think you'll find them well worth the price.

Grilled Garlic-Rosemary Lamb Chops

yield = 2 servings

4              lamb loin chops, about 1 1/4 inch thick
2              tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1              tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2           teaspoon minced garlic
                kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Combine olive oil, rosemary and garlic in a small bowl.  Brush the olive oil mixture on both sides of the lamb chops, then sprinkle both sides with pepper and kosher salt.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow the chops to marinate for 30 minutes (or up to 3 hrs, if refrigerated).  Meanwhile, prepare grill for two-level grilling.

Grilling Tip:  When cooking fatty cuts of meat like
lamb loin chops, be prepared for rendered fat to
cause flare-ups, as shown above.  Flare-ups can
ruin a good cut of meat by overcooking it on the
outside, making the exterior tough before it is done
on the inside.  Have a spray bottle of water ready
to put out fires as needed.

When the grill is ready, arrange the chops on the hot (direct heat) part of the grill.  Grill 2 minutes per side, then transfer the chops to the cool side of the grill (indirect heat).  Cook for 6-7 minutes, turning once.  Remove the chops from the grill.  Cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes, then serve.

Grilled Cinnamon-Sugar Peaches

I did some grilling a few nights ago.  I grilled some lamb chops and potatoes, but I'll write about those some other time.  This time around I want to write about what I grilled for dessert:  Grilled Cinnamon-Sugar Peaches.   They were simple perfection.

These are easy to make.  Mix up some cinnamon sugar, halve two peaches, dip the cut side of the peach halves in the cinnamon sugar, toss them on the grill for a couple minutes, turn them over, grill for a couple more minutes, then serve.   Fast, easy and delicious.

I served these with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The mix of flavors and the contrasting warm fruit and cold ice cream made for a fantastic dessert.  Good peaches - including our dependable favorites, Colorado peaches - are starting to show up in the stores, so I'm definitely going to be making these again. 


Grilled Cinnamon-Sugar Peaches

yield = 2 servings

1/4            cup granulated sugar
1               teaspoon cinnamon
2               peaches, halved and pitted
                 nonstick cooking spray

Prepare a grill for both direct and indirect grilling over medium heat. 

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Spray the cut sides of the peach halves with cooking spray, then dip the cut side of each peach half into the cinnamon sugar.  Let sit at least 10 minutes.

Place the peach halves cut side down on the cooler part of the grill (indirect heat).  Cook until they start to brown (about 2 minutes).   Turn the peach halves and cook them on the hotter part of the grill (direct heat) for 2-3 minutes (the bottoms and sides should be soft but not mushy). 

Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.   Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar over the ice cream and peach halves, if desired.

Tip: 
If you prepare the grill to cook with direct and indirect medium-high heat, by the time you finish grilling and eating the main course, the coals will have burnt down to the point of providing only medium heat, which is perfect for grilling peaches.  Just make sure to scrape the cooking grate with a grill brush before grilling the peaches. 

An Additional Note: 
The amount of sugar suggested in this recipe - a quarter cup for two peaches - may seem excessive, and it would be if all that sugar ended up on the cooked peaches.   However, since the sugar is put on the cut sides of the peaches, and they start cooking on the grill cut side down, much of the sugar ends up dripping off as the peaches cook. 

Grilled Potato Kebabs

Last weekend the local Hy-Vee store had a great deal on t-bone steaks, so I decided to buy some and grill them.   We often have baked potatoes with steak, but I was in a mood for something different.  Since I was planning to use the grill to cook the steaks, I decided I'd cook the potatoes on the grill also.  Considering my options, I decided to slice the potatoes, arrange them on skewers and cook them like kebabs.

From there, it was pretty easy to decide on the rest.   I'd brush the potato slices with some olive oil, then sprinkle them with seasonings.  The olive oil would provide a bit of flavor, but more importantly it would hold the seasonings to the potato slices and keep the potato skewers from sticking to the hot grill. 

I have to admit, when I tossed these together, I didn't give much thought to measuring the amounts of the various seasonings I used.  I just sprinkled on ample amounts and later tried to guess how much I used of what.  If you try out the recipe below, I'd encourage you to do the same, rather than worry too much about the amounts, as those listed are nothing but rough estimates.

I'm happy to say these potato kebabs turned out great.  They were nicely cooked - a bit crispy on the outside, tender on the inside - and they tasted great.   I served them with the steaks - which cooked up wonderfully using nothing but my Peppery Steak Seasoning - and some baked stuffed zucchini and summer squash (which I'll write more about another time).    In all, this made for a really satisfying summertime meal.

Grilled Potato Kebabs

yield = 4 servings

2             pounds red or yellow new potatoes, cut into slices
                   1/2 inch thick
2             tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2       teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2       teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2       teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1             teaspoon kosher salt

Prepare a grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. 

Thread the potato slices onto skewers.   Brush both sides of the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with basil, oregano, black pepper and kosher salt.  

When the grill is ready, arrange the potato skewers on the hot (direct heat) side of the grill.  Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned on each side, then move the skewers to the cooler (indirect heat) side of the grill.   Cover and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, turning once. grill and cover it.   Transfer the potato skewers to a serving platter and serve immediately.

Jalapeno Cheseburgers

This past weekend, I was in a mood for burgers, and I also wanted to use some of the wonderful hot peppers we've been growing, so I tossed together a new recipe:  Jalapeno Cheeseburgers.   They turned out great:   Lots of flavor with just a bit of mild, pleasant heat.  Juli and I both enjoyed them for lunch, and we had the leftovers for lunch the next day.   They were almost as good warmed up in the microwave as they were fresh off the grill.

I used fully ripe, red jalapenos in these burgers.  The red jalapenos impart a more complex, mellow and slightly sweet flavor than you get with green jalapenos, but burgers with green jalapenos would still be great, just in a different way and with a bit more heat.   Either way, you'll end up with a tasty, very memorable burger.

As usual, I used Cabot extra-sharp cheddar, which is our go-to cheddar cheese.  Big bricks of this cheese are available at Wal-Mart stores, and while the Cabot cheddar is a bit more expensive than your basic supermarket cheddar, the difference in flavor is more than enough to make up for the slightly higher cost.

Jalapeno Cheeseburgers

yield = 4 servings

1 1/2               pounds ground chuck (85% lean) beef
3                     ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1                     large (or two small) jalapeno peppers, seeded
                          and finely minced
1                     teaspoon ground cumin
1/2                  teaspoon minced garlic
1/2                  teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2                  teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed
1/2                  teaspoon table salt
1/4                  teaspoon onion powder
4                     hamburger buns, sliced
                       lettuce leaves and tomato slices to garnish
                          (if desired)

Add the ground beef to a large bowl, breaking it up to increase surface area for seasoning.  Add the cheddar cheese, minced jalapeno, cumin, garlic, pepper, oregano, salt and onion powder and mix the ingredients with your hands.  Separate the meat mixture into four even-sized portions.  Form one portion into a ball, then flatten it into a patty.  Press the center of the patty down with your fingertips, leaving an indentation.  Repeat with the remaining portions of the meat mixture.

Prepare the grill for medium-hot, direct heat.  When the coals are ready, cook the burgers for 4 1/2 minutes on each side for medium-rare.  Transfer cooked burgers to a plate, cover with foil and let them rest for a couple minutes, then serve.   Serve on buns, topping each burger with lettuce and tomato or other toppings of choice. 

Grilled Pork Chops with Asian-Spiced Honey Glaze

Today's recipe is one of three Chinese-inspired recipes I served recently as a memorable lunch.  I posted another of those recipes - Roasted Asparagus with Soy-Lemon Glaze - yesterday.  

The basics of this dish are pretty simple:  Season some pork chops, brown them on the grill, then brush with an Asian-flavored honey glaze and finish grilling them.   The results are exceptional:   Juicy, flavorful pork covered with a spicy-sweet coating.  This recipe is easy to make, and it cooks quickly.   You can do most of the prep while the coals are heating up. 

We really enjoyed these chops.  Every bite of the juicy, tender chops was full of flavor.  Served with the companion dishes, these chops made for a really satisfying and memorable meal.

Grilled Pork Chops with Asian-Spiced Honey Glaze

yield = 4 servings

4                   thick-cut, bone-in center-cut pork loin chops
                     freshly-ground black pepper
                     kosher salt
1/3                cup honey
2                   tablespoons rice wine
1                   tablespoon rice vinegar
1                   tablespoon hoisin sauce
1                   tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1                   teaspoon cornstarch
1                   teaspoon minced garlic
1                   teaspoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
1/4                teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Sprinkle chops on both sides with pepper and kosher salt.  Set aside and let chops sit at room temperature.

Prepare charcoal grill with all of the coals spread on 1/2 of the grill.  

Add honey, rice wine, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, ginger, cornstarch, garlic, sesame oil and crushed red pepper flakes to a small saucepan.  Stir together ingredients, then heat to boiling over medium heat.  Reduce heat and let simmer 2 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

Arrange the chops on the cooler side of the grill, cover with a disposable aluminum pan and cook 9 for minutes, turning the chops halfway through that time. 

Transfer the chops to the hotter side of the grill, directly over the coals, and brush with the glaze.  Cook 3 minutes, turn, brush the other side with the glaze and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted through the side of the chop away from the bone reads 135 degrees (about 2 more minutes).   Transfer the chops to a serving platter, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes.  Serve.

Indian-Spiced Grilled Pork Chops

This past weekend, I was in a mood for something Indian, but I was also of a mind to do some grilling, given it was a nice summer day.    So, I decided to do both.  I could have done something fairly standard - tandoori-style chicken, for example - but I decided to do something a bit more different than that.    I decided to grill some pork chops flavored with Indian spices.

I knew there was a recipe for Indian-Spiced Grilled Chops in The New Best Recipe, so I consulted that as a place to start.   I liked the basics of their approach, but I ended up going with a somewhat different spice rub.  Beyond that, that recipe called for brining the chops, but I didn't have time with that.   I still needed some salt in the seasoning, though, so I used some kosher salt, which works well for grilling.

The chops turned out really nice.   Perfectly cooked, with a deeply-browned, flavorful spice crust.   Since I used bone-in chops with a fair bit of fat, they turned out nice and moist despite not being brined and spending a bit of time on the grill.   I don't think they're exactly traditionally Indian, but they sure were good.

Indian-Spiced Grilled Pork Chops

yield = 4 servings

1                cup applewood chips (or 1 large chunk),
                      soaked for 1/2 hour or more
2                teaspoons fennel seed, ground
1                tablespoon ground cumin
2                teaspoons (packed) light brown sugar
2                teaspoons freshly-ground black pepper
1                teaspoon ground cardamom
1                teaspoon ground coriander
1                teaspoon ground mustard
1/2             teaspoon cinnamon
1/2             teaspoon kosher salt
1/4             teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4             teaspoon ground cloves
4                inch-thick pork rib chops

Soak the wood chips, then fill and ignite a charcoal chimney.

Grind the fennel seed in a mortar or spice grinder.  Add the ground fennel to a bowl along with the cumin, brown sugar, black pepper, cardamom, coriander, mustard, cinnamon, kosher salt, cayenne and cloves and stir to combine.

Dry the chops thoroughly with paper towels, then rub them thoroughly on all sides with the spice mix.  Let sit at room temperature.

When the coals are ready, pour 3/4 of the coals onto one half of the grill and spread the remaining 1/4 over the remainder of the grill.  Spread the wood chips atop the coals on the hotter side of the grill.  Brush and oil the grill rack and close the grill, leaving the vents fully open.   Allow the grill rack to heat for 5 minutes.

Place the chops on the hot side of the grill.   Replace the lid, grill for 4 minutes, then turn the chops, cover and grill for another 4 minutes.  Move the chops to the cooler side of the grill and cover with a disposable aluminum pan for about 5 minutes, then turn the chops, cover them with the aluminum pan and continue to grill until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees when stuck into the chop near (but not touching) the bone.

Transfer the cooked chops to a serving platter and cover with the aluminum pan or with foil and let them rest for about 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

Italian Burgers with Basil and Provolone + Grilled Vegetables

We've both been in the mood for burgers lately.  Juli wanted me to make some simple burgers with BBQ sauce, but I was in the mood for something a bit more novel than that.   I ended up making some Italian-seasoned burgers and topping most of them with melted provolone and fresh basil leaves from our garden, other than the one that I just covered with BBQ sauce while the burgers were still grilling, so Juli could have what she'd been craving.  These burgers were good.  Really, really good! 

Along with the burgers, I grilled some zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes.  I made the squash as I've previously described, save that I used only olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper and fresh chives as seasonings.  I topped the tomatoes with nothing but olive oil, salt and pepper.  All of the veggies grilled up really nicely, and they went great with burgers and a Caesar salad.

I used Barilla Spicy Marinara in and on these burgers, but any store-bought or homemade marinara would work just fine.   You could warm up the marinara before topping the burgers with it, but we found they tasted great without warming up the sauce. 

These burgers are fast and easy to make, they're really tasty, they're a great way to use fresh basil and they make for a nice change from ordinary burgers.   There's not much else to say about them, other than to include the recipe below and encourage you to give them a try sometime.

Italian Burgers with Basil and Provolone

yield = 6 servings

2 1/4           pounds 85% lean ground beef (chuck)
1/4              cup fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2                 tablespoons marinara sauce
1 1/2           teaspoons freshly-ground black pepper
1                 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4              teaspoon kosher salt
1/2              teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2              teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/4              teaspoon onion powder
18-20         medium to large fresh basil leaves
6                slices provolone cheese
6                hamburger buns or other large, round sandwich rolls
                  additional marinara sauce for topping

Prepare grill for medium-hot, direct grilling.

Add ground chuck, Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 tablespoons marinara sauce, black pepper, garlic, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, oregano and onion powder to a large bowl.  Mix ingredients thoroughly by hand, then form the meat mixture into six large patties.  Indent the middle of each patty slightly by pressing with fingers.

Place the patties on the grill, cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Flip, cover and cook for another 4 minutes, then top each burger with 3-4 basil leaves and one piece of provolone.   Cover and cook another minutes or so, until the cheese has melted. 

Transfer the burgers to a serving platter.  Top with marinara and serve on buns.

Grilled Tomatoes

yield = 2-3 servings

2                 large, ripe tomatoes
                   olive oil
                   freshly-ground black pepper to taste
                   kosher salt to taste

Core each tomato, then slice the tomatoes sideways into 3 or 4 slices of equal thickness, with the number of slices depending on the size of the tomatoes (I cut ours into three slices each).

Brush on both sides with olive oil, then season on both sides to taste with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper. 

Grill over direct, medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then turn and grill another 5 minutes on the other side.  Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.