email this pageWith great curiosity and a palate that never wears out, Steven Raichlen has traveled thousands of miles tasting, collecting recipes and learning all there is to know about barbecuing. If his latest book, Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs (Workman, 2006) doesn’t prompt you to fire up the grill, nothing will!
Tips from a Pro
Steven Raichlen’s Five Rules for Perfect Grilling
1. Get organized: Have food, marinade, sauce, equipment and fuel ready before starting.
2. Prepare grill: Preheat the grill to the correct temperature, and clean and oil the grate before cooking.
3. Cook correctly: Turn meat with tongs, not a fork. A fork pierces the meat, allowing juices to escape. Baste meat with sugary sauces, which burn easily, toward the end of cooking time; brush on other mixtures anytime. During the last 3 minutes of grilling, do not baste with marinades in which raw meat has been soaking.
4. Keep grill covered: Lifting the cover while cooking allows heat to escape and increases the cooking time.
5. Let rest: For juicy meat, let the meat stand a few minutes after taking it off the grill before serving.
First-Timer’s Ribs
Here is Steven Raichlen’s idea of the perfect rib, fragrant with spice and smoke and tender enough to pull apart with your fingers. Adapted from Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2006). Note: Indirect grilling is when food is cooked, covered, over a drip pan.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Mop sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons bourbon, or 3 more tablespoons apple cider
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Rub and ribs:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 racks baby back pork ribs (4 to 5 pounds total)
Barbecue sauce, choose your favorite
Charcoal cooking:
1 1/2 cups wood chips, soaked 1 hour in water to cover
Instructions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons bourbon, or 3 more tablespoons apple cider
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Rub and ribs:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 racks baby back pork ribs (4 to 5 pounds total)
Barbecue sauce, choose your favorite
Charcoal cooking:
1 1/2 cups wood chips, soaked 1 hour in water to cover
1. To prepare the mop sauce, melt butter in a saucepan; stir in remaining ingredients and keep warm.
2. Combine all rub ingredients, except ribs and barbecue sauce, in a bowl. Remove papery membrane from back of ribs. Set aside 1 tablespoon rub mixture; rub remaining mixture over ribs. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium (325F to 350F). Brush and oil grill grate. Place ribs, bone sides down, in center of grate away from heat. If using charcoal, toss chips on coals. Cover and cook 45 minutes. Mop with mop sauce; cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, mopping every 15 minutes, or until meat shrinks from ends of bones about 1/4-inch. Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, place directly over fire and grill until sauce is browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill, let rest a few minutes, and cut in half or individual ribs. Serve with barbecue sauce and remaining rub. Serves 4.
Adapted, with permission, from Raichlen on Ribs, Outrageous Ribs (Workman, 2006).
2. Combine all rub ingredients, except ribs and barbecue sauce, in a bowl. Remove papery membrane from back of ribs. Set aside 1 tablespoon rub mixture; rub remaining mixture over ribs. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium (325F to 350F). Brush and oil grill grate. Place ribs, bone sides down, in center of grate away from heat. If using charcoal, toss chips on coals. Cover and cook 45 minutes. Mop with mop sauce; cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, mopping every 15 minutes, or until meat shrinks from ends of bones about 1/4-inch. Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, place directly over fire and grill until sauce is browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill, let rest a few minutes, and cut in half or individual ribs. Serve with barbecue sauce and remaining rub. Serves 4.
Adapted, with permission, from Raichlen on Ribs, Outrageous Ribs (Workman, 2006).
Sweet and Garlicky Pork Chops
Seasoning grilled meat with garlic and a sugary marinade produces a
Thai-style barbecue that works well with pork loin or chops. Adapted from The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 1998).
Ingredients
Thai-style barbecue that works well with pork loin or chops. Adapted from The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 1998).
Ingredients
4 (1-inch thick) or 8 (1/2–inch thick) pork chops (2 pounds total)
1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Asian fish sauce or soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons rice wine
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Asian fish sauce or soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons rice wine
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Make 1 or 2 cuts in fat side of each chop to prevent curling.
2. In a food processor, combine garlic and sugar; process to a paste. Add fish sauce, honey, wine, sesame oil, ginger, salt and pepper. Spread over both sides of chops, place chops in baking dish, cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill to high. Brush and oil grill grate. Place chops on grate and grill until brown 6 to 8 minutes per side for thick chops and half that time for thin, or until temperature on an instant-read thermometer is 160F. Serves 4.
2. In a food processor, combine garlic and sugar; process to a paste. Add fish sauce, honey, wine, sesame oil, ginger, salt and pepper. Spread over both sides of chops, place chops in baking dish, cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill to high. Brush and oil grill grate. Place chops on grate and grill until brown 6 to 8 minutes per side for thick chops and half that time for thin, or until temperature on an instant-read thermometer is 160F. Serves 4.
Balinese Shrimp Satés
In Thailand, satés (“stick” or “skewer”) are tiny pieces of meat or fish marinated and grilled on skewers. Raichlen likes to cook these satés on lemongrass or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 40 minutes. Metal skewers can be used instead. Adapted from The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 1998).
Ingredients
Ingredients
24 extra-large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
Instructions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1. Rinse shrimp; drain and blot with paper towels.
2. In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, molasses, garlic, coriander, lime juice, sugar and 1 tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.
3. Preheat grill to high. Thread shrimp on skewers. Oil grill grate. Place shrimp on grate and grill, brushing with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, until brown on outside and firm inside, about 2 minutes per side. Serves 4 as a main coarse, 6 to 8 as an appetizer.
2. In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, molasses, garlic, coriander, lime juice, sugar and 1 tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.
3. Preheat grill to high. Thread shrimp on skewers. Oil grill grate. Place shrimp on grate and grill, brushing with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, until brown on outside and firm inside, about 2 minutes per side. Serves 4 as a main coarse, 6 to 8 as an appetizer.
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