Char Siu McRib

Makes 2

4 tablespoons soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine) , or everyday dry sherry is an ideal swap
¼ cup hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon five-spice powder
½ teaspoon black pepper 
¼ cup brown sugar

1 rack pork back ribs

1 egg white

2 McRib style buns

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber, English or Persian if possible cuz there’s no of those millions of gross wet seeds

1/4 cup diced green onions

• Put all ingredients except the pork in a bowl and mix well

• Reserve about 1/3 the mixture, then put the ribs and remaining marinade in a zip lock bag (making sure all the is well covered) and refrigerate overnight

• The next day, remove the ribs from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and place the ribs on a wire rack on a baking sheet, add vinegar to the sheet pan and cover with tightly with foil - cook 2 1/4 hours,

• While they cook, beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water, brush over the top of the buns, sprinkle with cornmeal and put in the oven with the ribs - bake 6 minutes then remove

• When ribs are done, remove from oven and pull out the bones: grab the end of a bone, twist and pull…yay!!

• Brush racks with reserved sauce, and either put under the broiler, on put on the grill until beautifully caramelized

• Build: mayo on the bottom bun with any remaining reserved marinade, the now-boneless ribs and top with cucumber & finally the green onion

Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

3/4 cup yellow mustard

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons Heinz chili sauce, or something similar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

• Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine

• Use the hell out of it!

Carne Asada Tacos

This is an absolute MUST MAKE dish.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch cilantro (no stems) finely chopped

• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon each Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 cup neutral oil

• Zest & juice of one lime

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 pounds skirt, flap or flank steak (I like skirt and flap)

• 1 medium tomato, diced small

• 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced small

• Street taco sized flour tortillas

• Avocado Cream

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine cilantro, garlic, cumin, brown sugar, salt & pepper, oil, lime zest & juice and soy

2. Mix well, then put steak and the marinade into a large zippered bag, zip shut and squish around really well to make sure steak is well covered - refrigerate 1-4 hours

3. Combine diced tomato & onion in a small bowl and set aside

4. Heat grill to high and grill steak approximately 3 minutes a side or as necessary until approx 130 degrees

5. Remove from grill, cover with foil and let rest about 10 minutes before cutting across the grain

6. Heat tortillas, add some avocado cream, the chopped carne and finally a little of the tomato/onion mix

7. Serve, eat, devour, whatever - just do it!

MISO MARINATED FLANK

Sometimes I forget how good flank steak is – this just brought the memories flooding back.

Ingredients

• One 2 pound flank steak

Marinade:

• ¼ cup white miso paste (available at most supermarkets)
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced

Basting sauce:

• 2-3 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and whisk until thoroughly mixed
2. Put the flank and the marinade in a ziplock bag, seal and refrigerate 8 hours up to overnight
3. Take steak from fridge 30 minutes before cooking
4. In the meantime, add basting ingredients to a small bowl and mix until well combined
5. Pre-heat grill to medium high for at least 10 minutes, remove flank from bag (throw away marinade) cook about 4 minutes on first side for medium rare. Flip steak over and brush the top with basting sauce, and cook 2nd side cook about 3 minutes or so, flip again and baste with more sauce.
6. Take the steak off the grill, brush with more sauce, cover lightly with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes
7. Slice into thin strips across grain to serve.

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Baked Beans

What’s not to like?

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• ½ small onion, diced small

• ½  green pepper, diced small

• 1 - 28 ounce can baked beans

• ¼ cup chili sauce (like Heinz, not the spicy version)

• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 tablespoons chipotle peppers, minced

• ⅓ pound bacon, cooked halfway (not crispy)

• Big pinch Kosher salt

• Chopped green onions, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. In a large oven proof pot (that has a lid) cook onion, green pepper and bacon until beginning to soften and brown

3. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, cover and bake about 45 minutes to an hour or until bubbly

4. Garnish with green onions

5. Serve hot.

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Herbed Butter Chicken

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

I know what you're thinking, and if you thinking buttery, delicious and amazing… you're right. If that's not what you're thinking, maybe you should try this first.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup Finlandia butter*, room temperature
• ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley, 4 tablespoons
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill to high
2. Put butter, parsley & black pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine – set aside
3. Place chicken breasts one at a time into a zip lock bag, add a little olive oil to each side and close bag
4. Using something heavy like a bottle of olive oil or vodka (my favorite btw) pound them carefully to an even thickness - approx 1/2'' thick
5. Remove from bag, season each breast well with Kosher salt and put on hot grill
6. Place chicken on the heated grill, cook approximately 3 minutes then turn 45 degrees to create cross hatch marks – cook another 2 minutes
7. Flip chicken over and spread another tablespoon of butter mixture on each breast
8. Cook until bottom is just cooked, then flip and give the top side a coating of butter
9. Take chicken off grill, brush with softened butter one last time and serve – in a sandwich, sliced on some pasta or use on a salad.

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*Finlandia Butter can be found at Vons, Albertsons and Safeway. Finlandia Cheeses are also available, in Southern California at Costco and other fine retailers.

Asian Grilled Chicken Tacos

There’s just something about making tacos on the grill – and when they’re Asian inspired they’re even more special. Try this version for a great change.

Makes 6 ‘street’ size tacos

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons Sambal chili sauce

• 2 Tablespoons honey

• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/3 cup sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt

• 1/3 cup shredded red cabbage

• 2 chicken thighs

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 6 flour tortillas - ‘street’ taco size

• Chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Put 1/3 cup of the chili sauce, honey and soy sauce in a medium bowl and mix well - remove about 1/3 to a small bowl and set aside

2. Add chicken to the medium bowl with the marinade, submerge to cover and refrigerate at least an hour to overnight

3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of the Sambal to the sour cream or yogurt, mix well and set aside.

4. Remove chicken from fridge about 30 minutes before cooking

5. Heat grill or grill pan to medium high, spray with cooking spray and add chicken

6. Cook until well marked on both sides and cooked through - using set aside sauce to brush with

7. Remove from grill, slice the chicken, spread some of the sour cream on a tortilla, add the cabbage and the chicken, and finally a little chopped cilantro.

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Brisket Burgers with Poblanos & Onions

If you can find ground brisket for half of this, you'll be very happy cuz it'll add a ridiculously good beefy flavor.

Makes 6 burgers

INGREDIENTS

• 3 poblano peppers
• 2 - 1/2” thick slices yellow onion
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds ground beef, or
• 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground brisket (ask a butcher, you’ll be so glad you did)
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Ground cumin
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 large clove garlic, minced fine
• 6 slices Muenster cheese
• 6 buns - and use something good like a brioche

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat grill to medium high
2. Lightly oil peppers and onions slices, and place on the grill
3. Cook until peppers are fully blackened and onions are well marked - remove
4. Let peppers sit until cool enough to handle, then using a paper towel, pull off blackened skin, cut in half and remove seeds
5. Rough chop peppers and onions together - set aside
6. While they cook, combine beef with brisket if using and season with salt & pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin and shape into 6 patties
7. Put burgers on a medium hot grill and cook until desired temp (which should be medium rare, just sayin) adding cheese in the last few minutes of cooking
8. Combine mayo, cilantro, garlic, pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon cumin - mix well
9. Lightly oil buns, and place on the grill for color
10. Build by putting some sauce on a bun, the burger with cheese, some of the peppers and onions and the top bun

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BEST CARNE ASADA FRIES, EVER!

Serves 4-6

A Southern California classic… never had em? You are in for a treat.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch cilantro (no stems) chopped
• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon each Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Zest & juice of one lime
• One flank steak – about 1.5 pounds
• 1-28 ounce bag frozen French fries
• About 2 cups shredded colby/jack cheese
• Guacamole, and sour cream for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt & pepper, olive oil, lime juice and zest – mix well
2. Put flank and marinade into a large Ziploc bag, zip shut and squish around to make sure flank is well covered
3. Refrigerate 1-4 hours
4. Heat grill to high and grill flank about 5 minutes each side
5. Meanwhile, cook french fries according to package directions
6. Slice flank into thins strips then rough chop into smaller pieces
7. Put on top of cooked fries and top with cheese
8. Microwave 30-60 seconds or until cheese melts
9. Garnish with guacamole and sour cream

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Maple Chipotle Wings

Makes a pound

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound chicken wings, I like to cut off the wing tip & separate the wing from the little tiny leg kinda thing
• 1 cup maple syrup (or if ur feeling cheap pancake syrup will totally do)
• 3 chipotle peppers, minced fine
• Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat broiler to high
2. Combine syrup & chipotle peppers, mix well and put on med/high heat
3. Bring to a boil, and turn down to a simmer - let go about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened
4. Meanwhile put wings on a foil covered baking sheet, and place baking sheet about 6 inches below glowing coils - broil about 10 minutes per side until done
5. Remove, put some wings in a large bowl, add some sauce and toss well
6. Serve & right fricking now!!!! 

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Kewpie shrimp

INGREDIENTS

• 30 raw shelled Shrimp (size: 21/25)
• 2-3 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo) 
• Nanami Togarashi (Japanese Mixed pepper seasoning) *
• 1-2 tablespoons EVOO
• Kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• wooden skewers, soaked in water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill
2. Pinch tails off, skewer each shrimp so it is straight, see photo  
3. Drizzle EVOO, sprinkle with big pinch Kosher salt
4. Grill 2 minutes maximum, each side, remove from grill
5. Brush on Kewpie mayo to one side, sprinkle with Togarashi 
6. Place back on flaming hot grill for 15 seconds, until a little blacked, or if you have one use a gas torch, that's what I use.
7. eat

* If you don't have this seasoning, you can sub, with a mix of fresh Kosher salt, Paprika and  fresh black pepper.

RECIPE FEATURED ON "NEW OUTDOOR KITCHEN DAY" EPISODE OF SAM THE COOKING GUY SHOW

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Huli Huli Chicken

Serves 6

We made this when we were shooting Livecast in Kauai and went crazy for it

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon Sriracha

• 3 pounds chicken wings & legs

• Greens onions & sesame seeds to garnish

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, mix well

2. Add about 3/4 of the marinade to chicken in a large bowl - set the rest aside

3. Make sure chicken is well covered and refrigerate up to a couple hours

4. Heat grill to medium and grill chicken until done the way you like it - which hopefully is not dry & burnt

5. You can use the remaining marinade you set aside (before you added the raw chicken!) as a dip - awesome.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES

MUSTARD RIBS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 racks pork ribs

• 1/3 cup white vinegar

• 2 Tablespoons butter

• 1 small yellow onion, diced small

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 3/4 cup yellow mustard

• 3/4 cup whole grain mustard

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup hot sauce (Cholula is ideal btw)

• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350

• Place ribs in their racks (I just mean do not cut them) on a large baking sheet, add vinegar and cover tightly with aluminum foil

• Bake 75 minutes or until very tender – but while they cook

• Melt butter in a small pot and add onions & garlic – cook until soft, about 5 min

• Add mustards, brown sugar, vinegar, hot sauce and season with s & p

• Simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes

• Remove ribs from oven and carefully lift off tin foil - watch out for steam

• The ribs are now fully cooked and just need to be 'sauced' finished' and you have 2 options:

OPTION 1:

• Heat bbq to medium and place ribs meat side down without sauce but you can baste the back with the sauce

• Cook until they start to develop grill marks, and turn over - now baste the top

• You could stop here after they grill a bit on this side, or you could baste them a bit more and then give them a couple more minutes meat side down - that's what I do, or

OPTION 2:

• Heat broiler to high and place ribs on a baking sheet about 4 inches from the heat source and brush top of the ribs well with the sauce and cook until they start getting a bit brown - then flip to the back, sauce and cook some more. Flip back to the top (sauce again) and cook until they get that beautiful rib look

• Then, no matter how you cooked them, give 'em one extra baste them after they've been removed and just before you serve them

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Grilled asparagus

Super simple! Healthy grilling.

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb asparagus 
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 lemon
• 2-3 grinds fresh black pepper
• 1 big pinch Kosher salt

DIIRECTIONS

1. preheat your grill to high
2. Remove 1-2" bottom of the stalks
3. toss in 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. grill 3-4 minutes, keep turning
5. dress asparagus: squeeze of lemon juice, drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, pinch salt and fresh black pepper and grated Parmesan

GRILLED HALLOUMI CHEESE & TOMATOES

Serves 3-4

I love this simple appetizer: grilled cheese, literally. You’d seldom think to use an outside grill for cheese because it would just melt all over, but Halloumi is a super hearty Greek cheese that’s just perfect for grilling. And served alongside some grilled tomatoes it’s even better.  

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounce block Halloumi cheese
• 6 roma tomatoes, halved
• Extra virgin live oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Fresh ground pepper
• Baguette, grilled for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat grill to medium
2. Slice cheese in half to make 2 half inch thick pieces
3. Brush both sides of each cheese and grill until well marked on all sides
4. When you flip the cheese, oil tomatoes and add to grill cut side down
5. Cook tomatoes until softened and marked – remove to serving plate with cheese
6. Sprinkle cheese & tomatoes with oregano, drizzle with a little extra oil and serve with bread

Kalua Pork

Serves 4

Bruddas & sistas – I made this when on vacay in Maui. It’s way damn delicious – and simple of course.

INGREDIENTS

• 3-5 lb pork butt or shoulder, it’s the same thing

• 2-3 tablespoons Hawaiian Alea Salt or Kosher Salt

• 2-3 tablespoon liquid smoke

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325

2. Cover pork with liquid smoke and apply salt generously

3. Cover in tin foil and place on baking sheet cook for or 4 1/2 - 5 hours, until approx 200-205 degrees

4. Serve everyway you can think: in a sandwich with crispy cabbage, as a taco, the filling for a cheesy quesadilla or in place of the ham on a benedict – it’s all good

Turn them into Kalua Pork Sliders - why the hell not!

The Hawaiian Dog

Serves 4

This tangy hot dog packs a punch full of flavor – dogs will never be the same again.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 red onion, sliced thinly

• 8 strips bacon, cooked, crispy & crumbled

• 4 slices fresh pineapple, 1/2'' slices cut lengthways 

• 4 Kosher beef hot dogs, sliced down middle leaving a hinge – aka butterflied

• 4 hot dog buns

• 6 tablespoons Kewpie (Japanese) mayonnaise

• 4 tablespoons thick teriyaki sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. In large skillet on medium heat add oil and cook red onion about 10 minutes, or until beautifully softened

2. Pre-heat griddle or skillet on medium heat, and cook hot dogs and pineapple slices, until each have good grill marks – about 5 minutes each side

3. Grill buns in pan until golden then build hot dogs: bun, 1.5 tablespoons kewpie mayo, tablespoon of teriyaki, hot dog, pineapple, bacon and top with red onions

4. Eat happily, and thank me later…

Grilled Corn, Onion & Goat Cheese Quesadilla

Makes two 8 inch quesadillas

You've got the juicy crunch of the corn, the beautiful sweetness of the onion and the not too melty tangy goat cheese... what can I say?

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ear corn, husk removed
• 1 medium red onion
• 8oz goat cheese crumbles
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 pinch Kosher Salt
• 4 - 8 inch tortillas

Directions

1. Have your grill ready on medium heat.
2. Peel onion and slice into 1/2 rounds
3. Lightly brush red onion and corn with olive oil and place on grill
4. Cook until well marked on both sides - the onion shold take about 7 minutes, and the corn about 25
5. Cut kernels off the corn and dice onion
6. Put both in a bowl with goat cheese, red pepper flakes and salt
7. Cover two tortillas with 1/2 the mixture then top with other tortillas - press down
8. Gently place on the grill, cook for 2 minutes, then turn 90 degrees, then flip over and do same to other side
9. Cut into wedges and enjoy.

Tri Tip with Tomato Pepper Sauce

Makes approx one 2 pound tri tip

This trip tip is crazy good by itself, but served with the tomato/pepper stuff...it's insane.

Ingredients

• One trip tip, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds

• 1 tablespoon each: Kosher salt, ground pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried rosemary and celery salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 green pasilla (poblano) pepper, diced

• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced

• 10 strips ready bacon, diced

• 1 large garlic clove, crushed

• 1 - 14oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

Directions

1. Remove tri tip from fridge 30 minutes before cooking, let come to room temperature

2. Combine all herbs in a small bowl, mix well

3. Rub oil into tri tip, then rub well with herb mix

4. Cook over direct heat 4-5 minutes a side to sear, then move to indirect heat and continue cooking until 130 degrees for medium rare

5. While it cooks, put one tablespoon of oil in a medium pan and add onion and diced pepper - cook until softened, about 5 minutes

6. Add bacon, cook until a little crispy

7. Then stir in garlic and cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant and add tomatoes

8. Stir well, turn down and let simmer, about 10 minutes

9. When beef is done, remove, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing & serving with tomato/pepper sauce

Grilled Pineapple

Serves 4

This is the easiest thing in the world to do with just a few basic ingredients, it has to be tried. And, you can keep the sauce in the fridge for a week.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 can Pineapple rings (or fresh if you like)
• vanilla ice cream
• powdered sugar to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat grill to medium high
2. In a small pot melt butter with sugar - add rum and let warm through and thicken slightly
3. Drain pineapple slices, dip in the sauce and place on grill cook until well marked, 2-3 minutes
4. Baste each slice then flip and cook on other side, baste again cooking until golden 
5. Plate, add a scoop of ice cream, a little more sauce and a dusting of powdered sugar