WEEK 9 TOP CHEF Competition Challenge - BBQ

bayoutider said:

Ditchdoc you might not believe this but I called my butcher and ordered a small pig. There is an active volcano at the north end of the island where I can get some lava rock, actually they probably sell it in town. I got this covered its a variation of one of my been there done that pig pickin parties. 8-10 people can polish off a small pig.

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This does not surprise me one bit.:wink:

Glad your on this BT! In the ground (to me) is even mo better than on a spit! The "fruit cocktail" mix is left open. Kind of like watching grandma cook, she never measured anything. It's recipes like this that I feel I am in my true element. And yes, you can buy the lava rocks at the store, (any place that sells gas grill supplies should have them) but if you can get them from the source, that is awsome!!!

Edit: Just re-read your post, i guess when you say they are selling Lava rocks in town, you don't mean at "Lowes."

bayoutider said:

No we don't have a Lowe's here but we do have Mt. Pelee which back in 1902 erupted and destroyed the town of Saint- Pierre killing about 30,000 people the north end of the island still has black sand beaches. I live way down south away from the volcano.

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Ol' Baldy?:biggrin: (The Volcano, not you!):biggrin2:

bayoutider said:

...The next competition is "Fourth of July Food" for those left.

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This makes me very happy:biggrin2:...if I am one of the ones left:conf2:!!!

Ditchdoc said:

This makes me very happy:biggrin2:...if I am one of the ones left:conf2:!!!

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I get back the 29th. I wocan get an enty in by the 1st. I appeciate it if it is not to late.
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bayoutider said:

OK we will wait on you.

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Great News!!!:smile:

bayoutider said:

Down to the final four, I need a competition not a drop out list. The judging will be harder this week and more harsh. All the judges will be making comments from here on out.

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So, can I keep my recipes up for this week or do I need to start over?? Great news on WAW4.

Headed to Destin tomorrow...will be posting my recipes when I return (before the deadline). Hope to get some coastal inspiration for my grilled dishes. :tongue:


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Cousin Eddie: I don't know why they call this stuff hamburger helper. It does just fine by itself, huh? I like it better than tuna helper myself, don't you, Clark?
Clark Griswald: You're the gourmet around here, Eddie.

Just to completely clarify, what is the time/date of the Week 9 deadline?

So I am married and tan thanks to the honeymoon, and now ready to get back into the swing of it with some unreal BBQ recipes. (Saving some tricks in case i get to WOW the America out of you with 4th challenge) I am thinking you will all like these dishes. There is even a dish in here for BamaPeppy…it is not a one pot wonder but as close to one as you can get through BBQ methods. Thanks for waiting…and hope you think it was worth the wait. Unless otherwise noted, any grill will work for the recipe.

Grilled Corn del Profundo Sur (deep south as in Mexico)
8 corn cobs (husks and silks removed)
3 limes
2 jalapenos
¼ cup of crumbled queso fresco
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Sugar

Zest one the limes, then in a blender combine the juice of the limes and both jalapenos, then strain and reserve the juice. Heat the grill to medium heat and oil the grill grates. Oil the cobs of corn and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sugar. Place the cobs on the grill and allow to cook until the bottoms begin to blacken, then roll the cobs to the right and allow to blacken slightly on all sides. Then move the corn off the heat either to the side or a higher rack and shut the lid for 3-5 minutes. Remove and place on a flat plate and then sprinkle with the jalapeno-lime juice and more salt and pepper and sprinkle with lime zest. Top with queso fresco and enjoy.

Grilled King Mackerel (swordfish or mahi mahi will work fine) with Grilled Fruit Salsa
4 King mackerel Filets (skin and bones removed) preferably from larger fish…thicker filets
2 meaty slices of cantaloupe (1 ¼ inch thick) leave rind on
2 meaty slices of honeydew leave rind on
1 meaty pineapple slice lengthwise rind intact
1 poblano pepper
1 anaheim pepper
2 peach halves skin on
3 tbs lemon juice
1 lime zest first and reserve the zest
1/8 cup honey
1 tbs chopped cilantro
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp sugar
¼ of a red onion
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Light the grill and set to medium. Place the poblano and the anehiem peppers on the grill and let blacken on all sides. Remove and let cool. When cool remove the black skin and the top, bottom, and seeds. Dice both peppers. In a bowl mix together the honey, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, the juice of lime and the zest, the paprika, the allspice, cilantro and sugar. Salt and pepper to taste. Gently brush all of the fruit with olive oil on both sides and then salt and pepper. Place on the grill and let cook just until grill marks appear on the fruit and then flip. When they have cooked, remove from grill and then dice the fruits, discarding the rinds. Mix in the peppers and diced ¼ onion. Pour 2/3 of the honey, juice mixture over the slaw and refrigerate…reserve the other third of the mixture. Brush each filet with olive oil and then salt and pepper. Lay on grill and cook for 3.5 minutes then flip and brush with the juice mixture. Cook for 2.5 minutes more. Remove and cut each filet into half. On the plate, put the fish in the middle, top with the salsa, and then drizzle the remaining juice mix around the fish.

Grilled Grass Fed Bone In Ribeyes with Herb Butter and Onion Bombs
So I understand most grill masters have a preference when it comes to steak, and recently my preference for grass fed beef has developed after meeting a man named Will Harris, who has a grass fed beef farm in Georgia. I know that putting a steak on the menu is a very subjective thing to judge because everybody like steak cooked differently. I am a believer in doing nothing more than salting and peppering a quality piece of meat and that marinating a good piece of beef is a sin. This steak however brings extra panache to the normal ribeye with the butter and onion bomb.

4 grass fed bone in ribeyes (as thick as you can get them, the ones I buy are like 24 oz each)
Butter
1 tbs minced fresh chives
1 tbs minced shallot
1 tbs minced parsley
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
½ pound unsalted butter (let sit out to soften)
The night before mix the butter and the other ingredients above and then lay out on a piece of plastic wrap forming a log. Wrap up and refrigerate overnight.
Onion Bombs
4 small Vidalia or Spanish onions
Worcestshire Sauce
Lawry’s seasoning salt
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Tabasco
1 stick of regular butter
Cut the bottom off each onion so it is flat. Then cut the top off and peel of the skin. On the top of the onion cut out a chunk in the middle until you reach the core. Fill the middle of each onion with butter, all the seasonings, the worcestshire and the tabasco and wrap in tin foil.

Light the grill and set to high heat. Put the lid down to ensure that the grill retains the heat and cleans off the grill grates. Put the onion bombs on the grill and let cook for 1.5 hours over the direct heat, rotating occasionally. Now cover each steak with olive oil and liberally with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Lay the steaks on the grill and do not move for 7 minutes. Flip and then lay some slices of the herb butter on the steaks. Watch for flame ups. Cook another 7 minutes. Flip and use more herb butter..cook for another 2 minutes…flip butter cook for 2 minutes and remove. Serve the steaks with another bit of butter and unwrap the foil and place the onion bomb on top of the steak. The onion should be very delicate and basically just fall apart.

The Greek Hobo
This is for BamaPeppy. I was taught to make hobo meals in camp and have always liked the idea of these. A hobo meal is when you take whatever you have and put it into a tin foil pouch and then put it directly in the coals of a fire and cook everything together. You eat it out of the tin foil bag. This dish is a play on a hobo meal.
8 tin foil bags
2 pounds of ground lamb
1 red onion cut into eighths
2 red bell peppers sliced thin
2 yellow bell peppers sliced thin
8 cloves of garlic sliced
32 cherry tomatoes halved
8 ¼ tsp dried oregano
8 ¼ tsp dried parsley
8 ¼ tsp dried rosemary
8 ½ tsp vinegar (red wine or sherry)
8 ¼ tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
24 oz crumbled feta
8 pita bread rounds

Divide all the ingredients and put in each of the 8 bags except the feta and pita. In the bottom of a charcoal grill or hole in the ground or light a camp fire. Wait until the main flames have gone doen when the charcoal is fully lit and glowing orange, and with a stick or something create a hole in the charcoal pit and put the 8 pouches then recover with charcoal. Cook for thirty minutes and remove. Empty the contents of each bag onto the pita and top with feta and enjoy!

I'm titling my submission this week, "Things Often Overlooked on the Grill". I'm staying away from burger, steaks and pork and using other ingredients. I agree with Jack on the issue of charcoal versus gas (but have both at my house due to the ease of gas grilling). For the purposes of this competition, I will be using my Weber One Touch Silver charcoal grill with lump charcoal.


Grilled Grouper Sandwich with Ginger Aioli

My dad lived for several years in the Tampa area and during that time, I fell in love with grouper sandwiches. Here's my twist on the classic.

Aioli
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons crushed garlic, or more if you wish
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of pepper
1 cup olive oil (or vary the oil for different flavors)

You should have all of the ingredients at room temperature before you start. Make this in a bowl that is heavy enough that it won't move across the counter as you're mixing, or make it in your food processor.
Mix the garlic, ginger, egg yolk, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a heavy mixing bowl with a hand mixer until the yolk lightens and thickens slightly (about 1 minute).
Start adding the olive oil, drop by drop, mixing all the while with your hand mixer. You can add it a bit faster as you go along, but as with mayonnaise, the key to success is going very slowly. When you are done adding the oil you can adjust the seasoning as suits your taste.
This makes 1 and 1/2 cup.

For the Grouper:
4 grouper filets (6 to 7 ounces)
Juice and zest from two tangerines
2 tablespoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon course ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced scallions
2 tablespoons red bell peppers (diced)
fresh herbs to garnish
Prepare the citrus marinade, zest both tangerines and mince fine. Combine the zest, olive oil, juice from one tangerine, white wine, herbs and course ground black pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Place the four grouper filets in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the fish, marinade for two hours. Pour the marinade off the fish and into a small bowl and reserve for basting.
Clean the grill well before getting it hot, this will help insure the fish will not stick while cooking. Start with a grill brush and remove any burnt on material. Afterwards with an old towel that has been slightly oiled with plain vegetable oil rub the grill down.
Preheat the grill for 5 minutes over high heat. Once the grill is very hot reduce the flames to a medium setting and grill the grouper fillets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the fish as reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
I like my grouper on a hogie roll, which has been slightly charred on the grill. Serve with aioli, a slice of tomato, some lettuce and a few rings of red onion.

Fennel Crusted Seared Tuna with Simple Balsamic Reduction

It is important for this dish to use HIGH quality (sushi grade) tuna. I like my tuna with a sear on the exterior but very rare on the inside.

Fennel Dry Rub
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon minced lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Two 1 1/2 to two inch thick tuna steaks (approx 1 pound each)
Olive oil in a spritzer bottle
Lemon wedges for garnish

Prepare dry rub and coat tuna steaks at least 1 hour prior to grilling. Wrap them in plastic wrap (you may refrigerate up to 4-5 hours prior to grilling but need to let them come out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to gilling.

My trick on how to really get a good high temp sear on tuna steaks is to use the chimney charcoal lighter. Start your fire as you would normally in the chimney starter and let the charcoal become gray. Place a circular cooking grate (either one from your grill or cheaply purchased at Lowes or Home Depot, etc) over the end of the chimney lighter and voila! Now, this method is like cooking over the afterburner of an F-16, so you better be ready to move the meat when required.

Just before grilling, spritz the tuna thoroughly with oil. Transfer to a well oiled cooking grate and grill about 90 to 120 seconds per side. This should give you a nice red center and a very nice sear on the exterior. If desired, you can transfer to a regular grill and cook for longer, but this does just fine for me. Drizzle with balsamic reduction (recipe follows)

Balsamic Reduction
In a small pot, combine:
1 ½ cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

Bring to a moderate boil, and boil 5 minutes to reduce mixture by half. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened (about as thick as pancake syrup). Remove and discard garlic, and serve. Makes about ¾ cup. (Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.)

Mint Julep Lamb

I ran into this recipe several years ago and it reminded me of my college days at Bama....can't say why.

Mint Julep Marinade
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup minced fresh mint
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

8 loin lamb chops, about 1 inch thick

Kentucky Sauce
1 cup Worcesterchire sauce
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt to taste

Prepare the Mint julep marinade and pour over lamb chops. Store in a zip top plastic bag and marinate for 3 hours. To prepare the Kentucky sauce, combine all ingredients in a small nonreactive saucepan and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Drain the marinade from the chops, but retain as much of the mintas possible clinging to the chops. Grill chops until they have an internal temp of 150 degrees (medium). Serve chops with a drizzle of Kentucky sauce.

Grilled Pineapple With Rum Reduction Sauce

Ingredients
1 pineapple, ripe
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

Directions
Cut the pineapple into wedges, remove core and rind with a knife.
Place the wedges into a freezer bag with the brown sugar, seal the bag and massage brown sugar onto the wedges.
Allow the pineapple to macerate in the brown sugar for anywhere from two hours to two days; refrigerate if macerating more than a few hours. The pineapple should release enough juice to dissolve the brown sugar completely.

Heat the grill to medium heat. Add the vanilla and rum to the bag, seal and shake. Remove the pineapple from the bag and place it on the grill. When the pineapple becomes caramel colored on the bottom side, rotate it. Repeat for each of the 3 sides of each wedge, then remove from the grill.

Pour the juice from the bag into a saucepan and reduce over medium heat to a thick syrup (be careful of flare-ups during the first minutes since there will be alcohol from the rum and vanilla extract).

Serve the pineapple alongside a main dish or serve with ice cream and drizzle with the reduction sauce.

Fingers crossed that the judges enjoy my entries, I have some great food planned for the Fourth of July.