Grilling Recipes Gallore and a Giveaway Winner

My number one reason for continuing to blog with such enthusiasm is the community. Even after four years of blogging, I never fail to be amazed by the amazing people I meet online. As a foodie, I especially love to get inspired to try new recipes by others online and that's just what happened with all the entries for my Bush's Grillin' Beans Backyard Barbecue Giveaway.

The giveaway is now closed and a Gabby Lowe has been selected as the winner. Gabby's favorite grilling items are hamburgers and she plans on giving the barbecue tools and Emile Henry casserole to her husband to make magic with this summer. But as we kick off the summer grilling season, I wanted to share the many recipes that you entered in the comments. There were close to 200 entries and so many exciting grilling ideas were shared. You certainly got me excited to try some new things on the grill this summer.

Many of you loved to grill up some vegetables, something I need to get more adventurous with.

• JenV loves the combo of grilled asparagus, onions, and mushrooms. I toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper before grilling.
• Amy Marantino said that just the mention of a summer barbecue makes her crave fresh, sweet New Jersey corn on the cob.
• MCantu and MyFolly both love Potato Salad, a cold starch I definitely enjoy. 
• Rebecca swears by her bean salad:
  Bean Salad: 

1 can red beans (drained)
1 can black beans (drained),
1 can green chilis,
1 Tbsp olive or veggie oil,
1 med green or red pepper - diced,
1/2 tsp cumin,
1/2 tsp chopped cilantro,
3 chopped green onions,
salt to taste.
Mix well, let sit for 2-3 hours before serving. DELISH!

• That Shaker of Salt provided a copycat recipe for KFC cole slaw, definitely one of my weaknesses in the fast food department. KFC cole slaw mixed with popcorn chicken is irresistible. Here is her recipe: the Copy Cat KFC coleslaw
  6 cups cabbage, shredded
  1 cup carrot, shredded fine
  1/4 cup sugar
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  1/2 cup milk
  1 cup mayonnaise
  1/2 cup buttermilk
  1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  3 drops hot pepper sauce
  3 tablespoons instant minced onion
  1 Combine cabbage, carrots, sugar, salt and pepper.
  2 Pour milk over and chill for 30 minutes.
  3 Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients.
  4 Once cabbage mixture is chilled, combine with mayo mixture.
• Kat Bryan always has to make her kidney bean salad or her son has a fit. She doesn't have a real recipe other than throwing together beans, diced boiled eggs, diced onion and celery, sweet pickle relish, Miracle Whip and a little sugar. Tastes best when made ahead a few hours. 
• Rachel from Hounds in the Kitchen shared a link to her Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad. 
• Robyn Wright shared her Grilled Green Beans recipe.
• Sharon gives her corn the right kind of treatment. She shaves the corn from the cob and smothers it in bacon and onions.Yum!
• Cheryl serves her corn on the cob with little burnt bits, slathers them with sour cream, Lawry's season salt and lime juice.  
• Trixx shared a link to the corn mango salsa she always serves.
• Jude shared her recipe for Macaroni Salad, my husband's favorite. Macaroni salad has always been a bit mystifying for me, but I'll have to give this recipe a try! 

Macaroni Salad
Ingredients:
elbow macaroni,
red peppers,
tomatoes,
green onions,
pickles,
salt,
pepper,
mayonnaise
Italian dressing.

I also loved the many unusual meat grilling ideas you shared.

• TannaWings professed her love for Baby Back Ribs.
• Amanda from MarocMama talked about her love of Moroccan Mechoui - a lamb dish that is to die for!! Now that we've had our pig roast, a lamb roast is next on the horizon, and I'm inspired to play around with Moroccan flavors.
• Jennifer from Life with Four Kids' favorite are BBQ chicken legs. 
• Jessica loves to serve chips and Buffalo Chicken Dip. She didn't share a recipe, so here's my Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe.
• ACMommy3 shared her recipe for stuffed tenderloin:

Stuffed Tenderloin -- pork tenderloin sliced open and then brushed with olive oil (or butter), sprinkle on seasoning of your choice, layer on shredded or sliced cheeses, thinly sliced ham, fresh baby spinach (and sliced onion and mushrooms if desired), then rolled up and tied with kitchen twine and grilled. It is not really too hard to put together and is a great company dish. Delicious and moist!

Not too many of you talked about dessert, a really fun thing to explore on the grill, like the Grilled Pineapple and Brown Butter Poundcake I served for this Bush's Grillin' Beans Barbecue.

• MommaStaci loves to serve up fruit salad, a must for barbecues as far as I'm concerned, and she also loves to grill plums.
• Another interesting fruit grilling suggestion was strawberry and pineapple skewers. 
• The most mysterious dessert suggested was definitely strawberry pretzel jello salad. Wow.

How to Roast a Whole Hog, Make New Friends, and Fulfill a Fantasy

As the food blogger of the house, I'm generally the one in charge of planning and preparing meals. But when we decided to host a pig roast for Memorial Day, I was demoted by not only my husband, but all the men of the neighborhood. There's something primeval, caveman-like even about roasting an entire hog, and it turns men into little boys, giddy with excitement. I couldn't possibly compete against such enthusiasm, so I embraced my role of sauce maker and chronicler.

After 4 hours of cooking, the pig was golden and crispy.

My husband had been dreaming of hosting a pig roast for over two years, ever since we'd gone to one at a friend's house. It was high time to indulge his fantasy, and ended up being a bonding event the neighborhood will be talking about for a long time.

This video showing the first time we opened the box, perfectly captures the spirit of the day.

So how do you go about planning a pig roast? Especially when you've never hosted one? Carefully. Very carefully.

Step 1: BUY A PIG ROASTING DEVICE
First we ordered a Caja China, a massive pine box lined with metal to cook the hog in. It came unassembled, and my husband who normally runs away from an Ikea project, put it together in less than an hour, drilling happily in the backyard. We had ordered the large Caja China, large enough for a 100 pound pig, 18 whole chickens, 6 turkeys or any other large animal or group of animals in need of roasting. It's also a very effective threat device for unruly children.

A gruesome sight, but represents what you're in for if you undertake this journey!

The pig (or lamb, side of cow, chickens, turkeys, or any other animal you wish to cook) is spatchcocked and pinned between two racks that go into the Caja China. The lid is then closed over the animal and the charcoal goes on top of the box. Once the charcoal is lit, you leave the animal in the box for three hours undisturbed, without peeking. At the three hour mark, you flip the beast, score the back fat, and glaze the skin during the last hour of cooking. Caja Chinas are apparently very popular in Florida.

Step 2: FIND A PIG
When we first talked about hosting a pig roast, I imagined finding a local farm that raised pigs on acorns that we could travel to and pick out our pig. But as the date got closer, I gave up that fantasy and simply hit the phone calling local butchers and farmers, desperate to find anyone willing to sell us an appropriately prepared hog for Memorial Day weekend.

These were my requirements:

• Many hogs are over 100 pounds. I didn't want a small suckling pig, but I didn't want a monster either. Ideally, an animal between 50 and 70 pounds would do the trick, to yield about half its weight in edible meat.
• There are limits to my appetite for butchering thrills. The animal needed to be gutted and de-haired through scalding.
• Long term storage would be a problem. I needed to pick it up 24 hours before the roast.

We ended up purchasing the pig from Casey's Market in Western Springs. The cost was much lower than anticipated, at $2.20 a pound, our 65 pound hog cost $170. A helpful stock boy walked it out to our car, elegantly stuffed in a shiny black garbage bag. To retain the pig's dignity, he made sure the snout was poking up before slamming the trunk closed.

Step 3: BRINING THE PIG
The decision to brine the hog was not an easy one. Some websites, like Chicago foodie Steve Dolinksy, swore by it, others warned that the skin and flesh of a brined hog would have unappetizing pink streaks that would make our guests worry the meat was raw. We finally decided to go for it, voting for enhanced flavor, but as we poured our brining solution onto the pig, we still had misgivings.

We brined for 12 hours instead of 24 as a compromise, and saw no ugly pink streaks on the cooked meat. The skin crisped up beautifully and the meat was juicy and tender.

Pig Roast Brining Solution Recipe
We brined our 65 pound hog in 15 gallons of brining solution, mixing it in batches of 3 gallons of water.
Ingredients:
5 cups of Kosher salt
10 cups of sugar
15 tablespoons of peppercorns
1 2/3 gallons of cider
6 1/2 cups of cider vinegar
5 tablespoons of cumin
30 garlic cloves

1. Combine all ingredients in manageable batches of liquid and pour over hog until covered in liquid.
2. Then place the hog in some sort of brining container. We had the pig and the liquid in some ultra thick garbage bags, then in a new garbage can, covered with bags of ice.

Step 4: ROASTING THE PIG
Our party was scheduled to begin at 4:30, so we began roasting at noon, just to leave a little extra time. Before placing the pig in the Caja China, we rubbed it thoroughly with a spice rub, to give it extra flavor. Then we strapped it into the Caja China grilling rack, and set it to cook, backside down.

Lovingly massaging an aromatic sage rub into the pig before cooking.

Pig Roast Spice Rub
Ingredients:
2 cups of sage leaves, fresh
24 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of fennel seeds
6 tablespoons of Kosher salt
3 Tablespoons of black pepper
1/2 cup of olive oil

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it is a paste.
2. Rub all over both sides of the pig, both inside the chest cavity and all over the skin.

A 65 pound pig is not easy to maneuver, especially with a pregnant wife, but we were incredibly lucky to have neighbors who were as excited about the project as my husband. It would have been a crime to drop such a lovingly brined and rubbed pig on the dirty ground.

Once the pig was lowered into the Caja China, Steve closed the lid and placed the charcoal ash tray on top. He then poured charcoal over the top and lit it on fire. Then for the next three hours, he monitored the coals, adding more as needed to keep the grill hot. It was a relatively low-maintenance activity, especially compared to the labor involved with cooking a pig on a spit.

At the three hour mark, the charcoal tray was carefully lifted and placed on the ground so the pig could be flipped onto its stomach. With a sharp knife, Steve cut Xs into the back fat so that it would crisp up nicely. We finished the crisping prep by brushing a glaze all over the skin. He also covered the ears with aluminum foil to keep them from burning.

An hour later, the pig was ready to serve.

Asian Pig Roast Glaze
Ingredients:
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of mirin
1/3 cups of whisky
1/3 cup of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of ancho chili powder

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Heat on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduce by a quarter.
3. Brush onto the pig liberally.

Step 5: SERVING

Cutting up the pig turned out to be unexpectedly daunting.

Once the pig was cooked, and the pictures were taken with our now beautiful piece, the tough work began of cutting it up into small pieces for the crowd to enjoy. Our neighbor was a master here, expertly slicing the different parts of the pig and mixing them in large serving platters for a good blend of more and less tender cuts. We poured some of the grease tray contents on top of the meat to really make sure it was moist. The drippings were filled with the sage and garlic rub we had put on the pig and smelled wonderful.

We served the pig with small sweet Hawaiian rolls, cole slaw, and a pineapple relish. The sandwiches were a huge hit, both tangy and sweet, with hot, tender pig bites at the center. Kids and adults alike had seconds, amazed at how good the pig tasted. Unsurprisingly, little boys and big men were the biggest fans.

The pig meat paired beautifully with a pineapple relish and homemade cole slaw.

Pineapple Relish
Ingredients:
1 whole Pineapple, Cored and Cut into coarse chunks
1/3 cups of Whisky
1/3 cups of brown sugar
1/3 cups of soy sauce

1. Place the pineapple into a food processor and pulse until the fruit is in fine chunks. 
2. Pour the pineapple into a small saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld together and the alcohol boil gently away.
3. Serve at room temperature with the roast pig.

Lime Cumin Marinated Skirt Steak: the Runaway Barbecue Hit

Steve and I have been accused of going overboard with the food when we entertain. Just like the Christmas gift pile that keeps on growing in December, we worry that we won't have enough so we prepare more, and more, and more, until the table is straining under all the food presented. Whatever doesn't get eaten gets reworked as leftovers, and our anxiety that someone might go home hungry is kept at bay.

When we prepared for our first summer cookout of the year, we didn't buck the trend. Our menu was long to accommodate the tastes of the adults and kids in attendance. Our big ticket item were these beautifully marbled rib eye steaks that we crusted with a zesty salt blend. On a whim, we decided to also grill up some skirt steak, our favorite cut of meat, but a much less fancy one than the expensive rib eyes. We had no idea the inexpensive skirt steak would be the biggest hit of the barbecue!

We marinated the skirt steak in lime juice and a cumin heavy spice mixture. We thought we were taking a chance with this exotic spice mix, but our guests could not get enough of it. They loved the fresh and tangy taste of the marinade and thought it paired well with the great texture of skirt steak. Although the flavor was exotic, it was well complemented by the grilling beans provided by Bush's for our event, as well as the roasted fingerling potatoes and our fresh tomato and cucumber salad. Everyone asked for the recipe.

Lime Cumin Marinated Skirt Steaks
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
6 pounds of skirt steak, sliced into 6 inch long pieces
8 limes, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cups of olive oil
5 teaspoons of ground cumin (many recipes call for cumin seeds, but I don't like it when spices linger behind and get stuck in the teeth. I opted for powder. Just make sure it is not older than 6 months or it will have less flavor.)
1 teaspoon of ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1. Cut the skirt steak into individual pieces, about 6 inches long.
2. In a large bowl, juice the limes. Add the olive oil, diced garlic, and spices. Whisk until well blended.
3. Add the skirt steak and move each piece around to coat with the marinade. 
4. Marinade in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Grill on direct heat, medium-high flame, 3-4 minutes on each side. Skirt steak is best at medium rare. Resist the urge to peek at your grill marks, just flip it once and you'll have a beautiful looking steak.
6. Let rest for 5 minute before serving to let the juices redistribute.

As I've disclosed in earlier posts about this barbecue, I have received compensation from Bush's Grillin' Beans to host this event. I also received the Grillin' Beans to serve as well as a great assortment of grilling utensils and beautiful Emile Henry pan. I'm giving away the same grilling set as well as an assortment of Bush's Grillin' beans. You have a few more days to enter the Bush's Grillin' Beans Giveaway to win this gorgeous prize pack worth $300.

Buttermilk Cornbread wtih Pancetta, Green Pepper and Shallots

griWhen I moved to America, I discovered a whole world of foods. During that first summer, English was still a jumble of mysterious words, but the juicy burgers and sweet corn at barbecues at neighbor's houses were a language I could understand. I fell in love with cornbread that summer, whose sweet yet salty crumbs pair so well with some honey butter.

While plain cornbread is delicious, I love to sneak in some surprises in my batter, especially bacon and pepper. To not have to open a brand new package of bacon, I like to use the small packs of diced pancetta sold at Trader Joe's or just buy pancetta at the deli. Toss in a little diced green pepper as well and you'll have a rainbow of pretty colors and flavors in your cornbread. Serve it at your next cookout, and use any leftovers for a delicious base for roast chicken stuffing.

Buttermilk Cornbread 
with Pancetta, Green Pepper and Shallots
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of pancetta, diced
3 shallots, minced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 3/4 cups of cornmeal
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of buttermilk (use powdered buttermilk if you don't have any fresh)
1/3 cups of sour cream
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons of salted butter, cut into large chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a large cast iron skillet or pan in the oven.
2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium flame. Add a tablespoon of butter and melt. Add the shallots and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Now add the green pepper and the pancetta. Saute for another 3 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the pancetta is very lightly browned. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and pour in 1/2 cup of the cornmeal. Stir rapidly until you have a warm mush.
4. In a medium bowl, blend the remaining corn meal, flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
5. Add the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs to the warm mush and blend well with a spatula. Now fold in the peppers, pancetta, and shallots.
6. Once the oven has reached the desired temperature, remove the pan from the oven. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan and swirl to melt and grease the pan. Pour any excess butter into the warm mush mixture
7. Pour the dry ingredients into the warm mush and stir until just incorporated with a wooden spoon. Don't overwork the batter or the cornbread will be tough.
8. Spoon the batter carefully into the hot pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and delicious looking. Serve warm.

Brown Butter Pound Cake with Grilled Pineapple and Dulce de Leche Drizzle

When we're grilling, I love using the grill for the entire meal. Grilling caramelizes fruits and brings out the most interesting flavors. And I never complain that it keeps my husband cooking while minimizing my clean-up. Grilled fruits are delicious on their own or with a little ice cream, but this weekend, I kicked it up a notch by pairing grilled pineapple with brown butter pound cake and then drizzling it all with dulce de leche.

Browned Butter Pound Cake Topped with Grilled Pineapple and Dulce de Leche

Bringing together these three very different sweets worked magically. The pound cake had a lovely moist crumb and a very slight nuttiness from the browned butter. The pineapple with its caramel overtones really shone in contrast, and the creamy dulce de leche just took it all over the edge. This dessert is one you'll crave.

The Browned Butter Pound Cake, Cooled and Sliced.

Browned Butter Pound Cake 
(Adapted from Marcus Samuelsson's blog who adapted it from Gourmet)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 80 minutes
Ingredients:
2 sticks of unsalted butter
2 cups of cake flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Butter a loaf pan (mine is 6 inches by 11 inches)
3. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it turns light brown and emits a nutty aroma. Stir and keep a close eye on it, as you don't want to burn it!
4. Transfer to a shallow bowl and put in the freezer to congeal and cool, for 45 minutes to an hour.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
6. In a large bowl, cream the chilled browned butter and sugars together with an electric mixer. Beat them until creamy and light, at least 2 minutes.
7. Add the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla. 
8. Add the flour mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon until just mixed. You don't want to overmix batters once flour has been added as that increases gluten and makes for tougher cakes.
9. Transfer batter to pan, smooth out the top, and place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake until golden and the blade of a knife comes out clean, 60 to 80 minutes.
10. Cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out the pound cake onto a cooling rack.

Look at those perfect slices grilling. What a sight!

Grilled Pineapple
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pineapple
1/4 cup of vanilla sugar
1/2 stick of butter

1. Cut off the head and bottom of a pineapple and cut the body into 3/4 inch slices. Remove the rough skin and carefully cut out the tough middle. Be careful not to break your pretty round slices. Feel free to cut out stars or other patterns out of the middle if you're craftier than me.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave. Add the vanilla sugar. Stir with a spoon.
3. Place the slices in a large bowl. Cover with the vanilla sugar butter to coat each piece as best you can.
4. Grill over indirect heat, 3 to 4 minutes on each side, brushing with additional vanilla butter as needed. Keep a close eye on the pineapple slices to not burn them.

Dulce de Leche Drizzle 
Prep Time: 30 seconds
Cook time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1. Open a can of sweetened condensed milk and pour it into the top of a double boiler.
2. Cook, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for an hour and a half, until the mixture turns light brown.
3. Keep warm or reheat in the microwave.
4. Can be made a few days ahead and kept covered in the fridge.

Summer Fresh Corn Made Fresher with a Mexican Twist

My children's favorite summertime treat is sweet local corn. They start requesting it as soon as school lets out for the summer. To them the old "knee-high by the 4th of July" saying is just pure agony of waiting. When the corn starts showing up at local farm stands, they can each put away two to three ears in one sitting, smiles as wide as the corn cobs themselves.

I love the sweet simplicity of those kernels popping in my mouth. Nothing says summer like that first perfect ear of corn. But after a few nights of July corn for dinner, my mouth starts to crave a more sophisticated take on corn on the cob. My tastebuds want to be titillated by more than its juicy sweetness.

I first tasted grilled Mexican style corn at a little Cuban place in Soho, when I was pregnant with Bella. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones that embedded that exciting combination of flavors in my taste memory, making me crave them every summer. The corn is finished off with a quick browning on the grill, then lightly slathered with mayonaise and sprinkled with some Mexican Cortijo cheese. A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice completes the equation, layering summer corn with creaminess, tanginess, and tartness. It literally is finger-licking delicious.

Mexican-Style Summer Corn
Serves 4 as a side or appetizer
Ingredients:
4 Ears of local corn, freshly shucked
4 tablespoons of mayonaise (I used Hellman's)
1/4 cup of freshly grated Cortijo Cheese
1 Lemon or Lime

1. Preheat grill to medium heat.
2. Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Add corn. Boil for 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Remove the corn and place on the grill for one minute. Flip and heat for another minute to lightly brown evenly.
4. Place on a platter. Slather lightly with mayonaise. Sprinkle with cortijo cheese. Squeeze lemon juice on top.
5. Eat and enjoy!

Barbecue Braised Country Spareribs

Chefdruck's Tasty Tuesday
I love to turn to cooking magazines to get inspired to try new techniques or ingredients. This week, I'm experimenting with some recipes from the June/July edition of Fine Cooking. Their meat guru Bruce Aidells has a feature article all about using your barbecue to do double duty to both sear and braise meat. The article featured many different types of meat, and the pictures were so appetizing, I wanted to lick the page.

Last night, I tried the Barbecue-Braised Country Spare Ribs with Beer and Mustard Glaze. This was definitely not a recipe in the quick and easy category, but the end result, tender meat infused with smoky flavor sitting in a complex rich sauce, was delicious.

I was particularly proud because I used homemade chicken stock that I made by throwing the carcass of a chicken I roasted last week in water with a few veggies. This is one of the many budget saving ideas I got from the BlogHer foodblogging session I attended.

The technique calls for first searing the meat on direct medium heat on the grill and then braising it on indirect heat for a few hours before giving the meat one last sear to caramelize the tender meat. Later this week, I'm planning on trying the Barbecue-Braised Bourbon Beef with Mustard Glaze.

Of course, I underestimated the amount of time to make the recipe and we ended up sitting down to dinner at 9:30PM, Spanish time. I would suggest doing the recipe the day before, or on a lazy Sunday at home to not run into the same problem.

Barbecue-Braised Country Spareribs with Beer and Mustard Glaze (liberally adapted from the Fine Cooking Recipe)
Ingredients:
For the ribs:
3 lb country sytle pork ribs (the Fine Cooking recipe called for bone in. I could only find boneless. Finding bone in ribs would be better)
1 Tbsp of paprika
1 Tbsp of brown sugar
1 Tsp of dry mustard
liberal sprinkling of salt and sugar

For the braising liquid:
4 strips of bacon, cut into strips
3 small yellow onions, diced
3 medium cloves of garlic
1 medium carrot, diced
2 cups of chicken broth (homemade! Thanks Elise for the tip!)
1 12 oz bottle of dark beer
1/4 cup of cider vinegar
2 teaspoons of paprika
1 teaspoon of mustard
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
salt & pepper

For the glaze:
1/4 cup of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

The Night Before:

1. Combine the paprika, ground mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Rub all over ribs.
3. Refrigerate overnight.

Cooking Day:
Sear the ribs:

1. Preheat the grill, all burners, to medium heat.
2. Grill the ribs to brown on each side, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Set aside on a plate.
4. Turn off the middle burner and set others to medium/high.

Prepare the braising liquid:

1. On the stove top, in an oven-proof heavy-duty pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, until it just starts to crisp.
   
2. Add the onions and cook until soft and beginning to be translucent, about 6 minutes.
   
3. Add the garlic, carrot, paprika, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper and cook for another minute, stirring often.
   
4. Add the broth, beer, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Braise the ribs:

1. Place the ribs in the braising liquid. Cover.
2. Set the pot over the cool zone on the grill. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, flipping the ribs occasionally.
3. Remove the ribs. Save the cooking liquid by pouring it into a pyrex-type jar.

Final Sear:

1. Turn the middle grill burner back on and turn all burners to medium-low heat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce along with about 1/4 cup of the braising liquid.
   
3. Liberally brush one side of the ribs with the glaze and then place glaze side down on the grill. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Brush the other side of the ribs and flip. Grill that side for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove from the grill. Drizzle with the remaining braising liquid and serve immediately.
   

Wanna Kick Your Grilling Up a Notch?

Cornish game hens sound so fancy, like some sort of expensive European delicacy, but they're really a small very tasty chicken. They're not even very expensive, I just saw them at Peapod for $2.69 a pound, about $8 for 2. Throw them on the grill and you have a delicious knock their socks off dinner.

The grill is not usually my department, I'm not great at controlling the heat and I tend to burn things. But I can manage these cornish game hens. Mine came split down the middle. I put them in a large ziplock bag with vegetable oil and sprinkled a whole bunch of Penzey's Old World Seasoning (it's this great spice combo with a bunch of paprika. Makes poultry taste and look great). Then I just threw them on the grill at a medium setting and shut the grill. I kept flipping the birds every five minutes and they were done after a little over 30 minutes.

Also in the picture (in case you were wondering) are white sweet potatoes and grilled zucchini topped with parmesan. A little grilling feast!