Rosemary Dijon Grilled Pork Chops or Chicken

Rosemary Dijon Grilled Pork Chops or Chicken

Well, it may be a raining, drizzly miserable day right now in St. John's but we did manage to get some sun earlier in the week to have our first meal of the season off the back yard grill. We enjoyed these delicious pork chops which use a very simple marinade suitable for either chicken or pork. The Dijon and fragrant rosemary go very well together and I think are very complimentary to the pork chops. The touch of honey is meant to balance the tart mustard but it also helps create great grill marks and add caramelized flavor to the chops as well. It is a quick marinade and really doesn't need much more than 20 or 30 minutes before grilling.

Makes enough marinade for 4 to 6, 3/4 inch thick pork loin chops.

Marinade

• 3 tbsp whole grain Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove finely minced garlic

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together and pour over the pork chops in a glass dish or Ziploc bag. Turn the chops occasionally in the marinade.

Marinate for 20-30 minutes, covered at room temperature. You don't want cold chops to hit a hot grill or they are more likely to dry out.

Grill on a medium high temperature grill until fully cooked. I like the brush any remaining marinade over the pork chops as they grill. The internal temperature of the cooked pork chops should be 150 to 160 degrees F on a meat thermometer. (or 165-175 degrees F for chicken pieces)

Rosemary Dijon Grilled Pork Chops or Chicken

Crispy Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Crispy Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Pizza night is always special at our house and a favorite meal for kids and adults alike. Crispy, thin crust pizza is everyone's  preference around here. We also use it for entertaining, letting guests top their own pizzas or cutting individual pizzas into small slices and serving them as hors d'ouevres.

The pizza sauce recipe is a hybrid tomato and barbecue sauce.  You can use a smoky BBQ sauce from the store or try this homemade version.

I love turning almost any pizza into a calzone. Here I used a half ball of dough, about 4 1/2 ounces, and rolled it out to about a 8 inch round. I then  added about half the amount of toppings that I would use on a pizza, keeping them on one half of the dough about an inch away from the edges. Pinch the edges together and roll and fold the edge of the semicircle toward the center to seal. Cut a couple of small slits in the top with the tip of a sharp knife and cook on a pizza stone as you would the pizza for up to 12 minutes.

Barbecue Chicken Calzone

Pizza Dough

Makes Sufficient for six 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 4 thicker crust pizzas

• Approximately 6 cups 00 Tipo Flour (the recipe will work with all purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional, omit for crispier crust)

Mix dry ingredients together except for two cups of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.

You may need to use a little more or a little less flour, just don't add so much that the dough gets too stiff. Dough that forms into a ball easily but remains soft and a little sticky to the touch is ideal. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 2 hours, covered in a warm place or until doubled in size. Knead again for 5- 10 minutes and split dough into 2 - 6 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling or stretching your dough into the desired size.

NOTE: Although not completely essential, I always make my pizza dough a day ahead and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. To do this, immediately after the second kneading, when the dough is formed into balls, place it in a long plastic container that has been lined with parchment paper and then well dusted with flour. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.

BBQ Pizza Sauce

In a large saucepan sauté for one minute

• 4 cloves minced garlic in
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil

Add:

• 4 cups San Marzano canned tomatoes, pureed (or canned plum tomatoes)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp sweet basil
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ cup of your favorite smoky barbeque sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional) or 1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Simmer all ingredients together over low heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Toppings choose any you like :

Grilled boneless skinless chicken breast cut in slices.
Pre-cooked bacon
Kalamata olives
Roasted red peppers
Sautéed red onion
Cheese: Use any combination you like cheddar, mozzarella, parmasean or monteray jack cheese

Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 450 degrees F.
Stretch or roll your pizza dough into rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the crust plus a little cheese. Add desired toppings.This type of thin crust pizza cooks very fast (only 8 minutes in my oven) so a single layer of toppings is best. Resist the temptation to pile the toppings high on this particular pizza.

I use cheese that's cut into small cubes rater than grated because it stands up to the heat better in the high heat. Grated cheese may actually burn or brown too much at this heat.

 Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.

Bake for 7-10 minutes depending upon your oven. Bottom and top crust should be nicely browned. Allow pizza to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Updated. Originally published October 5, 2007.

Coffee Chipotle Rubbed Grilled Steak

Coffee Chipotle Rubbed Grilled Steak

I first sampled a version of this flavorful steak at a restaurant quite a few years ago when coffee rubbed steaks were a bit of a rage. I loved the earthiness of the coffee with the smoky spices; it is a delicious complement to the flavor of a good quality steak. I've tweaked my version of the recipe a few times and now make it with chipotle powder as the main spicy element rather than the chili power in my original version because I like the smoky flavor so much but you could easily use the chili powder if you like a bit milder spice.

Makes sufficient dry rub for 4  twelve ounce striploin steaks.

Mix together until well blended:

• 3 tsp very finely ground coffee (I grind whole beans to a very fine powder)
• 1 tsp granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp chipotle powder (more or less to taste, depending on how spicy you like it)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp powdered ginger

Rub each of the steaks on all sides with about

• 1 tsp olive oil

Sprinkle both sides of the steak and the edges with the coffee and spice rub. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or even overnight. Before you are ready to grill the steaks take them out of the fridge to warm up for at least a half hour.

I used an oiled cast iron grill pan to cook this steak but a lightly oiled cast iron skillet also works well if you are not using the back yard grill.

Grill over high heat until your desired internal temperature is reached. I like medium rare at about 135 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Tent the steaks loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken Wings with Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce

Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken Wings with Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce

With the Superbowl coming up, wings are almost a certainty on most game day menus. Here's my latest version of crispy baked wings which may save a few fat calories but are more convenient to serve on the day too. I often make these a couple of hours ahead of time and simply warm them on a wire rack over a cookie sheet at about 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or so when it's time to serve.

I sometimes find molasses based BBQ sauces to be a little too strongly flavored, so this recipe uses honey as well to maintain the sweetness of the sauce while mellowing the flavor or the molasses.

• 3 pounds chicken wings, washed, trimmed and cut in pieces

For the dredge, mix together:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp dry oregano
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tbsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Dip the chicken wings into an egg wash made from whisking together:

• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp milk

Dip each wing into the flour dredge, then in the egg was and back into the flour dredge again.
Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and lightly drizzle or spray the tops with a little more canola oil.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the wings. Flip the wing pieces at half way through the cooking time. Serve with Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce.



Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce

• One 14 ounce can plain tomato sauce
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
• 1/3 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tbsp ground fennel seed
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground dry oregano
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Simmer all ingredients together slowly for about a half hour or until the sauce thickens sufficiently. Stir often as the sauce simmers.

Beer and Bacon Jam

Good morning from Washington D.C.! Rock Recipes is on the road. The house sitters/cat butlers are settled in back at home and our family is on a road trip in the Southeast United States for the next couple of weeks! Don't worry, we have plenty of new recipes lined up while we are away and may even include a few updates on what we are eating along the way as we gather a little southern hospitality recipe inspiration for when we return. Be sure to join us on our Facebook Page for more road trip updates. 

I saw a version of today's recipe on one of the roadside diner shows a couple of years back but I can't remember which one. I remember that recipe being more complicated than this one but I wanted a stove top recipe that may take a little time but is well worth the effort.

This "jam" is a wonderfully flavourful condiment that has many flavour components. Sweet, smoky, slightly salty with and quite earthy, this delicious concoction is terrific on pork chops as pictured but is also very good on grilled steaks, burgers and chicken too. Try it at your next weekend barbeque and I know everyone will want the recipe for this unusual, conversation starting "jam".

Makes about 2 cups.

1/2 pound smoked bacon

Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and fry slowly over medium low to medium heat until all the fat has been rendered out and the bacon is crispy, resembling bacon bits. Drain off all the fat and add:

3 tbsp butter
6 large finely diced red onions
6 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cook over medium low heat for about 20 minutes until the onions have reduced considerably and caramelized. Add:

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 ounces dark stout beer (or one cup brewed coffee works very well)
1/2 tsp dry thyme

Simmer and reduce this mixture for several minutes until it reaches a jam-like consistency. Serve warm.

This jam will last for several days in sealed container/s in the fridge or for much longer if you choose to make a large batch and follow proper canning/bottling procedures.

Mango Rum Barbeque Sauce

Mango Rum Barbeque Sauce

I've been wanting to try this idea for a grilling sauce for a while now so when we planned some simple juicy grilled pork chops for dinner last week and with some ripe mangoes on the counter top at the ready I decided to give it a shot. Boy was it ever good! The sweet and tangy sauce with fragrant rum and spices was perfect with the thick juicy grilled pork chops that were simply marinated for just a half hour in garlic, lime juice and a pinch of cumin. If you'd rather not use the rum, some orange juice would make a good substitute. I can't wait to try it on chicken and maybe some grilled shrimp too.

In a medium saucepan heat over medium heat

• 3 tbsp olive oil

Add:

• 1 chopped white onion
• 3 cloves chopped garlic

Sauté together until the onions have softened but not browned. Add this to a food processor along with 

• 2 very ripe mangoes, diced

Puree together until very smooth. Add the puree back to the pot and add:

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup rum
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (Optional or use more or less to taste)

Simmer together very slowly over low heat stirring every few minutes until the sauce thickens naturally into a consistency that is easy able to be brushed on whatever you are grilling. As you get nearer the end of the cooking time stir the sauce constantly to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Store in mason jars or airtight containers.

Jalapeno and Queso Fresco Stuffed Burgers

The great grilling continues with another winning combination in a stuffed burger. This time some locally made queso  fresco artisan cheese from Five Brothers Cheese gets layered with diced fresh jalopeno peppers and stuffed into extra lean ground beef flavored with garlic and even more jalopenos! This is a very flavorful burger with plenty of punch. Plenty of crisp bacon was the only thing my inner meat-a-tarian needed to complete this burger but next time I'm trying it with some fresh homemade salsa as a condiment.

Makes 4 burgers

Mix together:

2 lbs extra lean ground beef

1 or 2 finely diced jalapeño peppers

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin

4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Form into 8 individual burger patties. On four of the patties, place about 

2 ounces thinly sliced queso fresco cheese layered with a sprinkle of diced jalapeño peppers between the layers of cheese.

Place the remaining four patties over the cheese and pinch the edges together to seal.

Grill over medium high heat  for 4-5 minutes per side or longer if you prefer well-done. Serve on well toasted burger buns with plenty of crispy bacon.

Spicy Barbeque Pork Chop Tacos with Chunky Avocado Salsa

Spicy Barbeque Pork Chop Tacos with Chunky Avocado Salsa

Last night I planned to make simple grilled pork chops using my Maple Chipotle Barbeque Sauce but number one son, Noah, had a yen for tacos. No problem, we combined the two into a very delicious dinner; compromise is what brings family harmony after all.

As the expression goes here in Newfoundland, we all went "face and eyes into it"! We had both hard and soft shell tacos on hand and they were both fantastic. We added some simple homemade chunky avocado salsa to the tacos too which made them even better. I'm always up for a quick, easy dinner idea and this was a particularly good one that I know we will be making again soon.

Spicy Barbeque Pork Chop Tacos with Chunky Avocado Salsa

Serves 4-6

Grill 

8 center loin pork chops

In the last minutes of grilling brush on a good spicy barbeque sauce. You can find my recipe for the Maple Chipotle Barbeque Sauce that I used here.

Let the chops rest covered in aluminum foil for 5 minutes before thinly slicing them across the grain.

Add the sliced pork to either warm soft or hard shell taco shells and top with the salsa.

Chunky  Avocado Salsa

Coarsely chop

2 small tomatoes

1 small red pepper

1 avocado

1/2 small red onion

Add

1 clove minced garlic

finely grated zest of one lime

juice of one lime

1 tbsp chipotle powder

1/2 finely minced jalapeño pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

season with salt and pepper

Toss together well.

Chicken Souvlaki Wraps with Tomato Avocado Tzatziki

Chicken Souvlaki Wraps with Tomato Avocado Tzatziki

We are having a lovely summer here in Newfoundland, which is a welcome relief after the wettest, coldest summer in decades that we experienced last year. The great weather is providing plenty of warm evenings for grilling our evening meals and this one from late last week was a particularly delicious one.

We used our favorite souvlaki recipe to marinate thin cuts of chicken breast and served it on warm grilled flatbreads with creamy tzatziki. We added tomato and  avocado chunks to our tzatziki for extra flavor and texture. Some crumbled feta cheese and fresh salad completed these terrific wraps dor a delicious and very satisfying dinner.

Serves 4

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and cut them in half horizontally to crate two think portions.

Souvlaki Marinade

• 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 rounded tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour over the chicken in a Ziploc bag. Toss the chicken around well in the marinade to coat on all sides. Marinate in the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes. Cook on a preheated grill at medium high heat for about 3 minutes before turning over and grilling for an additional 3 minutes on the opposite side or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

.

Tzatziki

• 3 cups Greek yogurt, drained

Draining the yogurt removes much of the liquid and produces an end product about the consistency of thick sour cream. To drain the yogurt, line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth (or in a pinch, several large coffee filters) Pour the yogurt into the colander and place it in a large bowl or in the sink for an hour or two. this should produce about 2 cups of thick yogurt.

• 6 inch piece of English cucumber

Peel the piece of cucumber and remove the seeds and pulp at the center with a teaspoon, then dice the outside flesh of the cucumber into small cubes of  1/8 inch or less.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt over the diced cucumber and toss together well. Let this rest for about a half hour , stirring occasionally. This process removes some of the liquid from the cucumber so that it will not water down the consistency of your finished tzatziki. Drain all of the liquid off the diced cucumber before adding it to the drained yogurt along with

• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt and pepper to season

Mix well, cover and store in the fridge for at least a half hour before serving.

Before serving, stir in:

• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 medium tomato with the pulp removed, diced

Get our recipe for grilled flatbreads here. We sometimes use store bought pizza dough to make flatbreads in a hurry.

Add some Greek salad on top of the flatbread before topping with the chicken and tzatziki. Some crumbled feta cheese makes a nice addition on top as well.

Honey Chili Barbeque Chicken

Honey Chili Barbeque Chicken

If you have never made your own barbeque sauce before, you should definitely give it a shot. I make several kinds of barbeque sauce and am always experimenting with making them a little more or less spicy, tangy or sweet. With a good tomato base you can develop your own signature sauces by varying the three key elements.

There is endless variety in the herbs and spices you can add to create fragrant or spicy versions. Smoked spices like chipotle powder and smoked paprika can add an additional smoky hint. Use different vinegars in varying amounts to play with the tangy side of your sauce; I've used everything from rice wine vinegar to balsamic in my sauces. Finally, for the sweet side there are also many options; honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar are some possibilities all of which will add a unique flavor component to a good barbeque sauce. 

Honey Chili Barbeque Sauce

Today's sauce takes its taste inspiration from a pot of chili con carne, using chili powder and cumin as the base spices for a very fragrant spicy sauce. One of my favorite ways to use a homemade barbeque sauce is to add honey to the finished sauce to create an awesome barbeque glaze for chicken or pork. Simply add honey in about a 4:1 or 3:1 ratio of sauce to honey to create a sweet sticky barbeque glaze that is especially awesome on some well grilled chicken wings. Several coats of the glaze in the final minutes of cooking time will make for some of the best you will sample this grilling season.

• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Saute all together in a medium sized saucepan until the onions have softened. Add:

• 8 large very ripe diced tomatoes with the skins removed ( or a 28-32 ounce can crushed tomatoes)

Saute together until the tomatoes begin  break down and get mushy (or until the sauce is reduced by 1/4 if using canned tomatoes), then add:

• 1 1/4 c ups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup malt vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 4 tbsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Simmer all together over low heat for about a half hour or until the sauce reaches the consistency of a good barbeque sauce. I like mine a little thicker than most because it is easier to brush on whatever is being grilled.
Store in airtight mason jars in the fridge.

To make Honey Chili Barbeque Chicken, take one cup of this sauce and blend in 1/3 cup good quality honey. Grill your chicken pieces until almost completely cooked, then start brushing on the glaze, turning the chicken pieces often and continuing to brush multiple layers of the glaze onto them.