Go beyond hamburgers and hot dogs for your summer barbecues
Is it even summer if you aren’t out on the patio grilling?
According to BBQ Revolution, seven out of 10 adults in the United States own a grill or a smoker. A survey on the website showed that 72% of consumers love grilling for the flavor it adds to food, while others cite the entertainment factor, convenience and healthy aspects.
Not surprisingly, the Fourth of July is the number one summertime grilling day, with Memorial Day and Labor Day also in the running.
Survey respondents said they’re most likely to grill meat — particularly steaks, burgers, hot dogs and sausages. But just about any food, from pizza, fish and seafood to fruits and veggies, can be good on the grill or in the smoker.
Mushroom magic
Grilling is a way of life at El Diablo Brewing Co. & Wood-Fired Kitchen in Greensburg. All of the meats — and many of the other dishes — are prepared on a wood-fired grill.
There’s nothing like adding a little smokiness to your meal, say owners Ray and Rachel Flowers. Here is an appetizer from Chef Ray’s repertoire.
Grilled portobello mushrooms
The mushrooms are marinated, grilled, then topped with a basil pesto before serving.
- 2 medium-sized portobello mushrooms, washed and stems removed
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Basil pesto (ingredients and directions below)
- 2 plum tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
- ¼ cup fresh spinach
- ¼ cup flaky Asiago-Parmesan cheese blend
For the marinade: Combine the balsamic vinegar, dried basil and Dijon mustard.
Coat mushrooms in marinade, leave for 24 hours.
For the pesto: combine ½ cup fresh basil leaves, ½ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons crushed garlic, ¼ cup pine nuts (if desired) and a pinch of kosher salt in a blender. Pour into a bowl and whisk in ¼ cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese.
Place mushrooms on preheated grill, stem side down to allow cooking. At the same time, add halved tomatoes to the grill until they have grill marks. Turn mushrooms over, top them with tomatoes, spinach and Asiago-Parmesan cheese.
Close the grill to help cheese melt. When melted, remove mushrooms to serving plate and drizzle with basil pesto.
Smoked mac ‘n cheese
Michelle Preston of Unity “looked at a bunch of recipes on Pinterest” before devising her own simple, smoked version of this classic comfort dish.
“A lot of them had you cook the macaroni beforehand, but I’m like, no, I want it to cook in the smoker,” she said.
- 1 pound uncooked macaroni
- 8-ounce block each of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, shredded
- 8-ounce block of cream cheese
- Milk
Directions
Mix macaroni and cheeses in a 9-by-9-inch aluminum pan. Add enough milk to cover. Place in smoker set to 225 degrees. Cook for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 to 60 minutes until mac is tender.
Preston said you can substitute Velveeta for one of the other cheeses for extra creaminess — or if you want to get extra fancy, use a smoked Gouda or cheddar. She says some people season the dish with dry rub or smoke flavoring, but her preferred hickory wood gives it a nice smoky flavor on its own. (And it can always be seasoned to taste.)
If you precook your macaroni, you don’t have to stir the dish, and cook time will be reduced. In that case, you can top it with bread crumbs and more shredded cheese for a nice, crunchy topping.
Brisket Philly cheesesteak
Barbecue is a culture, said Jamar Sheffey, owner of Tastefully Blessed Kitchen & Smokehouse in Springdale. He uses hickory wood in his smoker and said it is important to buy the freshest ingredients and to take proper care of the meat after it is cooked so it doesn’t dry out.
Sheffey has a catering business and opened a brick and mortar store in Springdale five months ago. He has learned some of his barbecue skills by watching the techniques of chefs located in the south who post on YouTube. The store is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
The menu includes brisket, pulled pork, baby back ribs, chicken, wings and smoked sausage. He sells various sandwiches and smash burgers for dine-in or takeout.
“I’ve gotten inspiration from watching those guys down south barbecue,” Sheffey said. “My goal is the bring the culture of barbecue to Pittsburgh.”
Brisket
- 12½ pounds of fresh brisket (cooks down to 6-7 pounds)
- ¼ cup mustard, vegetable oil or olive oil binder
- 1 cup restaurant ground pepper
- ½ cup kosher salt
Directions
Light your smoker to 250 F. Trim brisket fat cap down to a quarter inch.
Add your desired binder to your brisket. Evenly distribute your pepper and salt rub and pat it onto brisket, first starting with the sides then to the top and bottom of brisket.
Place brisket on smoker with the point side towards the heat source if possible.
Maintain 250 F throughout the smoking process. It is recommended to at least get a minimum of six hours of smoke onto brisket.
Once the internal temperature has reached 155 to 165 F, remove brisket from smoker and wrap tightly with foil. You can either place brisket back on a smoker or an oven until internal temperature reaches 201 F. Once brisket has reached 201 F, let brisket set for a minimum of three hours before serving.
Brisket Philly cheesesteak
- 3 ounces of sliced tri-color bell peppers
- 3 ounces of sliced white sweet onions
- Dash of salt
- Dash of pepper
- Dash of dry ranch seasoning
- Dash of rub you used on brisket
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1½ pounds of smoked, chopped brisket
- Your favorite barbecue sauce, optional
- Two slices of American cheese per sandwich
- 5 6-inch hoagie rolls
Directions
Saute peppers, onions and a pinch of rub and a dash of dry ranch seasoning in your choice of olive oil or butter.
Add brisket for 10 seconds.
Place two slices of cold American cheese on a hoagie roll. Top with brisket mixed with sauteed peppers and onions — the cheese will melt.
If desired, serve with barbecue sauce on the side.
Keep it simple
A barbecue menu doesn’t have to be fancy, according to Aislinn Poulich of Hempfield. She and her husband, Angelo, own Poulich Pit BBQ in New Stanton. She said something as simple as fresh corn on the cob can be done on the grill and is the perfect side dish.
When grilling corn on the cob, it is best to keep it on the upper shelf of the grill.
“Corn on the cob is super easy and inexpensive when you buy it at a farmers market,” Aislinn Poulich said. “Make sure the husk has a stem on it.”
Corn on the cob
- 6 ears of corn on the cob
- 3-gallon bucket of cold water
- One stick of butter
- Salt, pepper, garlic salt, Cajun seasoning or seasoning of your choice
Directions
Peel each husk down and remove the silk. Pull husk back up. Let the corn sit in the 3-gallon bucket of water for 20 minutes so the husk gets wet.
Make sure the husk is closed as tightly as possible and place it on the top shelf of the grill for 10-20 minutes.
Flip it a few times. When the outside husk looks brown, it’s ready. Open a little at the top, and if the kernels feel warm, it’s done.
Pull the husk back and roll it on a stick of butter. You can then sprinkle salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like.
Baby back ribs
You can never go wrong with baby back ribs for a cookout, said Nanette Schmidt, event and wedding coordinator for Pittsburgh Barbecue Co., which has locations in Pittsburgh and Delmont. If this is your first time barbecuing this year, make sure to clean your grill and that you have all the needed tools — such as a propane tank for gas grills and charcoal for charcoal grills.
Baby back ribs
- 3 pounds of baby back ribs, thawed
- Pittsburgh Barbecue rub (comes in a 4-ounce jar)
- Pittsburgh Barbecue sauce — regular or spicy (available in small, medium and large)
Directions
Lightly sprinkle baby back ribs with rub on the front and back. Place in smoker for 3½ hours on low.
After an hour, flip the ribs. When they look brown, check temperature with a meat thermometer — it should be 165 F or higher.
Remove from the smoker and let them rest 10-15 minutes. Top with desired amount of barbecue sauce.
Pork belly with kimchi coleslaw and Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
“Here is a fun and adventurous summer recipe that your friends and family will be sure to enjoy,” said Michael Diethorn, pitmaster at Pit Take BBQ in Greensburg. “The combination of sweet, savory, salty and sour flavors works very well together and will have your taste buds jumping with delight.”
2 pounds pork belly
Pit Take BBQ Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Pork belly spice rub
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1⁄3 cup kosher salt
- 1⁄3 cup granulated garlic
- ¼ cup black pepper
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- ¼ cup ground coffee
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
- 1½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Yields 2 cups of seasoning.
Easy kimchi slaw
- 1½ pounds freshly made cole slaw from your own favorite recipe
- 2 cups kimchi (found in the international section of grocery stores)
Blend cole slaw with kimchi. You can add more or less kimchi based on your spice preference. Makes 8-10 servings.
Directions
Set smoker for 265 F (can also be cooked in 265 F oven, but smoker is preferred).
Lightly and evenly slather a thin coat of Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce on all sides of pork belly, covering completely. Season all sides of pork belly with a thin layer of Pork Belly Spice Rub, and be sure to coat evenly.
Place pork belly on smoker. Maintain 265 F temperature and smoke for 2-3 hours, until the pork belly reaches an internal temperature of 185 F.
Remove pork belly from smoker and wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil and let rest for 30 minutes.
Cut pork belly into pencil- width slices and lay against a bed of kimchi slaw. Drizzle with Pit Take BBQ Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce.
Feeds 8-10. This recipe can also be used for sandwiches. Simply layer between your favorite bun/bread.
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