If cooking up traditional wings and ribs for your July 4th celebration sounds dull instead of delicious, grill master and author of “BBQ USA,” Steve Raichlen has the secret ingredients to make your menu sizzle. Check out the recipes here:
Chicago, IL
WINDY CITY MEXICAN GRILLED CORN
THIS MAY BE the most singular grilled corn you’ve ever eaten. I first tasted it at the central food market in Oaxaca, Mexico. Closer to home, it turns up at the Maxwell Street Market near the Mexican-American neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago. Mayonnaise, cheese, and corn may seem like strange bedfellows—you’ll just have to trust me that the combination tastes better than it sounds. The dish is wonderfully interactive: You and your guests get to slather and season your corn however you please.
Method: Direct grilling
INGREDIENTS
8 ears sweet corn in the husk
1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated Cotijo, Romano, or Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons pure chile powder
Lime wedges
You’ll also need: Butcher’s string
DIRECTIONS
Shuck the corn, stripping the husk back as though you were peeling a banana, but leaving the husk attached at the stem end (leave the stem on). Holding an ear of the corn in one hand, gather the husk together so that it covers the stem and then tie it with a piece of butcher’s string. This forms a sort of handle. Remove the corn silk. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn.
Place the mayonnaise, cheese, chile powder, and lime wedges in small attractive bowls. Have these ingredients ready on the table, along with butter knives for spreading the mayonnaise.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, arrange the corn on the hot grate so that the husks hang over the edge of the grill (this keeps them from burning) or place a folded sheet of aluminum foil under the husks to shield them. Grill the corn until nicely browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all), turning with tongs.
Transfer the grilled corn to a platter. To serve, tell everyone to spread mayonnaise on the corn, then, working over a plate or the platter, sprinkle the ears with cheese and chile powder. Squeeze lime juice to taste over the corn and eat the kernels right off the cob.
Yield: Makes 8 ears; serves 4 to 8
Note: I like to use chile powder made with ancho chiles. If you can’t find it in a store near you, you can order it by mail.
New Orleans, La.
GRILLED BANANAS FOSTER
To come to New Orleans without sampling bananas Foster at Brennan’s is a bit like visiting London and missing Big Ben. Hyperbole, perhaps, but bananas sautéed with butter, brown sugar, banana liqueur, and rum is a New Orleans culinary tradition, and its popularity can be judged by the staggering quantity of bananas Foster served at Brennan’s each year and the number of imitations it has spawned. Named for a local businessman (Richard Foster, owner of the Foster Awning Company in New Orleans), bananas Foster was created in the 1950s by Brennan’s chef Paul Blangé. Chef Blangé would probably be scandalized by the notion of grilled bananas Foster, but the smoky char of the fire makes a great dessert even better. Brennan’s serves its bananas over ice cream. Fire and ice—a combination I heartily recommend.
Method: Direct grilling
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11/2 pints vanilla ice cream
4 large bananas
1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans
You’ll also need: 2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably oak or mesquite), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained.
DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, banana liqueur, rum, and cinnamon, increase the heat to high, and let the sauce boil until syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. The butter sauce can be made up to 2 hours before serving. It does not need to be refrigerated.
Scoop balls of ice cream into 4 bowls and place them in the freezer. Set up the grill for direct grilling (see page 21 for gas or charcoal) and preheat to high (you need a really hot grill to caramelize sugar; preheat the grill, then preheat it some more before adding the bananas). If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to high, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.
Meanwhile, peel the bananas and slice each in half sharply on the diagonal. Reheat the butter sauce, if necessary. Lightly brush each piece of banana with a little of the butter sauce.
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the banana halves on the hot grate and grill until caramelized (darkly browned) on all sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side (6 to 12 minutes in all), basting with some of the butter sauce.
Be sure to reserve at least three quarters of the sauce for serving. Place the grilled banana halves in the bowls on top of the ice cream. Pour the remaining butter sauce over them, sprinkle the pecans on top, and serve at once.
Yield: Serves 4
Note: There are at least three ways to toast pecans. You can place them in a dry skillet (don’t use a nonstick one) over medium heat and cook until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan to ensure even cooking. Or you can arrange the pecans in a single layer in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan and bake them in a 400F oven or toaster oven for 8 to 15 minutes, again shaking the pan from time to time to ensure even browning. Finally, a grill maniac would place the pecans in an aluminum foil pan and grill them using the indirect method for 8 to 15 minutes.
Seattle, Wash.
ALDER-GRILLED SALMON WITH CITRUS BUTTER
Grilling salmon over alder is a Pacific Northwest tradition. It’s also the raison d’être for one of Seattle’s most colorful restaurants, Ivar’s Salmon House. The Ivar in question was Ivar Haglund, a Scandinavian restaurateur who was smitten by the local Squamish Indian way of roasting salmon next to an alder fire. He made the wood-burning pit the focal point of his lakeside restaurant, one of the most popular and picturesque dining spots in Seattle—go on a sunny day and arrive early so you can get a seat on the terrace. (For more about the restaurant see page 447.) Ivar’s grilled salmon isn’t so much a recipe as a way of life.
Method: Direct grilling
INGREDIENTS
4 pieces skinless salmon fillet(each about 6 ounces; preferably king or coho salmon)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
Lemon pepper
1 cup Citrus butter
You’ll also need: Alder wood chunks or logs for building a fire, or 2 cups alder chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained.
DIRECTIONS
Run your fingers over the salmon fillets, feeling for bones. Using needle-nose pliers or tweezers, pull out any you find. Rinse the salmon under cold running water, then blot it dry with paper towels. Generously season each piece of fish on both sides with salt and lemon pepper.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. In the best of all possible worlds, you’d build a fire with alder logs or chunks. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke. If using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.
When ready to cook, brush and generously oil the grill grate. Arrange the salmon fillets on the hot grate, placing them on a diagonal to the bars of the grate. Grill the salmon until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side, rotating the fillets a quarter turn after 11/2 minutes on each side to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks.
To test for doneness, press the fish with your finger; it should break into clean flakes. Baste the fish with some of the citrus butter as it cooks. Transfer the grilled salmon to a platter or plates and drizzle a little more citrus butter over it; serve at once.
Yield: Serves 4
Note: Lemon pepper is a popular barbecue seasoning made with dried lemon zest or lemon oil. One widely available brand is Lawry’s.
CITRUS BUTTER
A citrus butter is one of the best bastes I know of for seafood. (I’ve made this one a separate recipe for the precise reason that you’ll want to use it for many other dishes.) Cut the amounts in half if you want just enough for the Alder-Grilled Salmon. When you make it, to get the full effect you must use fresh lemon, lime, and orange juice. Clarifying the butter makes it less likely to burn on the grill. Ivar’s uses unsalted butter, but I like the additional flavor you get with salted. You’ll have enough for 3 pounds of fish.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1/3 cup fresh orange juice(from 1 orange)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice(from 2 lemons)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Clarify the butter: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, then pour it into a measuring cup and let it cool for a few minutes. Using a spoon, skim off the impurities that rise to the surface. Carefully pour the clear, yellow melted butter into a bowl, leaving behind the milky layer of water and sediment in the bottom of the measuring cup.
Stir the orange, lemon, and lime juices into the clarified butter. Season with pepper to taste. The baste can be refrigerated, covered, for several days. Reheat it to melt the butter before using.
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
JALAPENO JERK BABY BACK RIBS
I first tasted these fantastic ribs at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, but their tropical roots are obvious. The pineapple glaze and barbecue sauce evoke the cookouts of Hawaii, while the jerk rub will resonate with Jamaican communities (and Jamaican barbecue fanatics) from Manhattan to Miami. The idea is to play the sweetness of pineapple juice against the heat of the jerk seasoning and jalapeòo peppers.
Method: Indirect grilling
INGREDIENTS
Advance preparation:
2 to 3 hours for marinating the ribs
For the ribs
4 racks baby back pork ribs, (6 to 8 pounds total)
1 quart pineapple juice
1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed and coarsely chopped
4 to 8 jalapeòo peppers, thinly sliced
For the glaze
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the seasoning
Dry jerk seasoning or 1/2 cup of your favorite commercial brand
Pineapple barbecue sauce
You’ll also need: Rib rack
DIRECTIONS
Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of each rack of ribs: Turn a rack meat side down. Insert a sharp implement, such as the tip of a meat thermometer, under the membrane (the best place to start is right next to the first rib bone). Using a dishcloth or pliers to gain a secure grip, pull off the membrane. Repeat with the remaining racks.
Place the ribs in a large nonreactive roasting pan. Pour the 1 quart of pineapple juice over them and add the cilantro and jalapeòos. Let the ribs marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.
Make the glaze: Place the 2 cups pineapple juice, the vinegar, brown sugar, butter, and black pepper in a heavy saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Let the glaze boil until syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Set the glaze aside.
Drain the marinade off the ribs and discard the marinade. Blot the ribs dry with paper towels, then sprinkle the jerk seasoning all over them on both sides, patting it onto the meat with your fingertips.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium.
If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. When ready to cook, place the ribs, preferably on a rib rack, in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the ribs until tender, 11/4 to 11/2 hours.
When the ribs are done, they’ll be handsomely browned and the meat will have shrunk back about 1/4 inch from the ends of the bones. After 45 minutes brush the ribs with the glaze and brush them two or three more times before serving. If using a charcoal grill, after 1 hour you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals to each side.
Transfer the cooked ribs to a platter or cutting board. Serve them as whole racks, cut the racks into pieces, or carve them into individual ribs. Serve the barbecue sauce alongside.
Yield: Serves 4 really hungry people or 8 folks with average appetites
Variation: While I’m calling for the ribs to be grilled using the indirect method here, you can also smoke them. It will take 21/2 to 3 hours of cooking time at 250F.
DRY JERK SEASONING
Here’s a quick dry jerk seasoning, one you can make from scratch, and unlike many store-bought versions it contains no MSG.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground
Black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon habaòero
Chile powder or cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS
Combine the brown sugar, salt, coriander, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, and habaòero chile powder in a small bowl and stir to mix. (Actually, your fingers work better for mixing a rub than a spoon or whisk does.) Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat and light; it will keep for at least 6 months.
Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup
PINEAPPLE BARBECUE SAUCE
Pineapple juice makes a fitting base for a barbecue sauce. After all, barbecue originated in the West Indies and so did the pineapple (it was found by Columbus in 1493 on the island of Guadeloupe). In Colonial times, the pineapple became an American symbol of hospitality and appeared as a decorative motif, carved, for example, into moldings and banisters. The fruit’s sweet, musky acidity makes it a perfect foil for pork.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups pineapple juice
1 to 2 jalapeòo peppers, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Place the pineapple juice, jalapeòo(s), cilantro, and ginger in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce to the saucepan and stir.
Let the sauce simmer until richly flavored and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt). The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Yield: Makes about 3 cups
Seal Beach, Calif.
ARTICHOKES
In the Style of Walt’s Wharf I admit to being obsessed with grilled artichokes. I love the way hot dry heat sears artichokes without making them soggy or mushy. I love the way the convoluted leaves absorb the heady scent of wood smoke. I’m not alone in my obsession, for grilled artichokes are the house specialty of a restaurant in Seal Beach, California, called Walt’s Wharf. Walt’s steams the artichokes just enough to soften them, then chars them over the dancing flames of an oak-burning grill. And they replace the hollandaise sauce served atop artichokes in days gone by with a tangy Worcestershire cream sauce.
Method: Direct grilling
INGREDIENTS
For the artichokes
6 large artichokes
1 lemon, cut in half
Coarse salt (kosher or sea; optional)
For the garlic butter
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/4 cup white wine or vermouth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Worcestershire Cream Sauce
You’ll Also Need: 2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
DIRECTIONS
Using a sharp knife, cut off and discard the top third of each artichoke. Trim the bottom 1/4 inch off the end of each stem. Using kitchen shears, cut off and discard the spiny tips on the remaining artichoke leaves. Cut each artichoke lengthwise in quarters, including the stem.
Rub all of the cut edges of the artichokes with lemon to prevent them from browning. Cut out the fibrous centers, then rub the cut edges with lemon.
Set up a steamer (using a pot and a steaming basket) and steam the artichokes over boiling water until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, cook the artichokes in boiling salted water for 6 to 10 minutes. Drain the artichokes in a colander, rinse with cold water to chill, then drain well again.
Make the garlic butter
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and parsley, if using, and cook until the garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. The recipe can be prepared up to 2 days ahead to this stage. Keep the garlic butter and the steamed artichokes refrigerated, covered, separately and reheat the butter to melt it before using.
Set up the grill for direct grilling (see page 21 for gas or charcoal) and preheat to high. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 24) and run the grill on high until you see smoke. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to high, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.
When ready to cook, place the artichoke quarters on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned and sizzling hot, 3 to 6 minutes (6 to 12 minutes in all) per side, basting with garlic butter. Transfer the grilled artichokes to a platter or plates, pour any remaining garlic butter over them, and serve with Worcestershire Cream Sauce.
Yield: Serves 6
Notes: The stem (at least the couple of inches closest to the choke) of an artichoke is edible, offering the same anisy sweetness as the heart. So when I trim an artichoke, I always leave as much of the stem as possible.
Rubbing the cut edges of the artichoke with cut lemon prevents them from discoloring. Or, you can place the artichoke quarters in a bowl of water and lemon juice until you are ready to cook them.
Variation: The garlic butter and the cream sauce are an excellent accompaniment to just about any grilled vegetable, from asparagus to zucchini.
WORCESTERSHIRE CREAM SAUCE
Walt’s serves its grilled artichokes with a creamy sauce flavored with Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. (John Lea and William Perrins were nineteenth-century British chemists who developed Worcestershire sauce.) I like a sauce with a bit less sweetness so I’ve upped the amount of lemon juice, added a little mustard, and made the honey optional.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Asian (dark) sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
2 teaspoons Smelling Salts, or a commercial seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s
DIRECTIONS
Combine the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, honey, if using, lemon juice, mustard, if using, and seasoned salt in a nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice and/or Worcestershire sauce as necessary. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 4 days.
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Buffalo, N.Y.
BUFFA-QUE WINGS
Method: Indirect grilling
Advance preparation: 4 to 12 hours for marinating the wings
INGREDIENTS
For the wings and marinade:
16 whole chicken wings (about 31/2 pounds)
1/2 cup Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the mop sauce:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
1/2 cup Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
For serving:
Blue Cheese sauce or dressing
4 ribs celery, rinsed and cut into thirds lengthwise, then cut crosswise into roughly 3-inch sticks
You’ll also need: 1 1/2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory or oak), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the chicken wings under cold running water and blot them dry with paper towels. Cut the tips off the wings and discard them (or leave the tips on if you don’t mind munching a morsel that’s mostly skin and bones). Cut each wing into 2 pieces through the joint.
Make the marinade: Whisk together the hot sauce, lemon juice, oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large nonreactive mixing bowl. Stir in the wing pieces and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning the wings several times so that they marinate evenly.
Make the mop sauce: Just before setting up the grill, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir in the hot sauce.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat the grill to medium, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.
When ready to cook, drain the marinade off the wings and discard the marinade. Brush and oil the grill grate. Place the wings in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the wings until the skin is crisp and golden brown and the meat is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
During the last 10 minutes, start basting the wings with some of the mop sauce. Transfer the grilled wings to a shallow bowl or platter and pour the remaining mop sauce over them. Serve with the blue cheese sauce and celery for dipping and of course plenty of paper napkins and cold beer.
Yield: Makes 32 pieces
Recipes excerpted from “BBQ USA: 425 Fiery Recipes” from All Across America by Steven Raichlen. Copyright © 2003 by Steven Raichlen. Published by Workman Publishing Company. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt can be used without permission of the publisher.