Category: Dave’s Blog

  • Rib-Eyes with Smoked Shallot Butter and Barbecued Oysters

    Rib-Eyes with Smoked Shallot Butter and Barbecued Oysters

    The weather in Redding this weekend is going to be epic! I say we celebrate the beautiful spring weather with surf-n-turf. 

    To prep the grill:

    2 large handfuls of mesquite wood chips

    Small disposable foil pan 

    For the butter:

    Kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    1 shallot, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters

    1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

    1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

    1 stick unsalted butter, softened1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

    2 teaspoons dry sherry

    1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest 

    For the steak:

    Montreal Steak Seasoning, to taste

    Bone-in or boneless rib-eyes, 1-1 ½ pounds each

    Extra-virgin olive oil Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.

    Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium-high heat In a small disposable foil pan combine the shallot quarters, oil, and paprika. Drain the chips and add one handful to the charcoal or to the smoker box of a gas grill, and close the lid. When smoke appears, place the foil pan with the shallot over indirect medium-high heat, close the lid, and cook until the shallot is tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool for 10 minutes. Mince the shallot, transfer to a small bowl, and add the remaining butter ingredients, including salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Lay the butter on plastic wrap. Roll it up to form a log and twist the ends. Place in the freezer for an hour to solidify.Lightly brush both sides of the steaks with oil and season with the steak seasoning. Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes before grilling. Drain and add the remaining wood chips to the charcoal or smoker box. When smoke appears, sear the steaks over direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. Then move the steaks over indirect medium-high heat, close the lid, and continue cooking to your desired doneness, about12 to 14 minutes more for medium rare. Using a digital thermometer, I like to pull mine off the grill at about 135 degrees. About a minute before pulling the steaks, place a generous pat of the butter on each steak. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm, topped with more butter. 

    Oysters & Butter:

    12 Raw Oysters, shucked

    ¼ cup Clarified Butter

    1 tbsp Chopped Parsley

    2 tbsp. Garlic, minced

    2 tbsp Grated Parmesan

    1 tbsp Chopped Basil

    ½ medium Lemon juiced 

    As the steaks are cooking, add a cast iron basting skillet with clarified butter. Let that melt, then add your minced garlic to brown for about a minute. Finally, add your parsley, Parmesan, basil and lemon juice. Mix and let simmer for 1 minute, then pull off and let cool. Add your shucked oysters to the grill and *carefully* add a spoonful of the butter to each oyster. Be aware of flare-ups as they can occur with this part of the process. Let the oysters simmer for 30-45 seconds, then pull them off to cool for 2 minutes.

    Slice up your steaks, serve with the oysters and enjoy!

  • Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Wings

    Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Wings

    I love Hawaii. As soon as you step off the plane, you get leid! 

    Wings:

    4 lbs. Chicken Wings  

    Marinade:

    4 cups Soy Sauce low sodium

    4 tbsp Brown Sugar

    2 tbsp Black Garlic Sauce or garlic paste

    2 tbsp Ginger Paste

    4 tsp Garlic Powder

    4 tsp Smoked Paprika Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste  

    Sweet Pineapple BBQ Sauce:

    2 cup Ketchup

    1/4 cup Pineapple Juice

    4 tbsp Sriracha

    4 tbsp Honey

    3 tbsp Dijon Mustard

    3 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

    4 tsp Black Garlic Sauce  

    Garnishes:

    Chopped Parsley

    Sriracha Sesame Seeds  

    1. Begin by adding your chicken wings to a food safe bowl/container along with all the ingredients for the marinade. Mix thoroughly then cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

    2. Preheat a grill for medium high heat (around 350) for direct cooking.

    3. Pull the wings out of the fridge and discard any excess marinade. Place the wings over the flames about 6-8” away from the heat and cook until they reach 175 internal temp (about 20-25 minutes). Once they are done, pull them off and let them cool for 2-3 minutes.

    4. While the wings are cooking, heat up a basting skillet over the fire. Add all your ingredients for the Sweet Pineapple BBQ Sauce. Let simmer over the flames until it thickens and is well incorporated (about 20 minutes). Pull off the heat and set to the side. When the wings are done, pull them off and toss them in the BBQ Sauce. You can also garnish them with sesame seeds, more sriracha and chopped parsley.

    5. After the wings are ready, serve ‘em up and enjoy!

  • Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Tacos

    Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Tacos

    Happy Taco Tuesday! Let’s stay on that Hawaiian Chicken jag.  

    Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Tacos  

    • 2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

    • Corn tortillas, warmed or charred on a grill or gas flame

    For the marinade:

    • 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar

    • 1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

    • 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Ginger

    • 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Garlic

    • 1/2 cup Pineapple Juice

    • 2 tablespoons Ketchup

    • 2 teaspoons Sriracha Sauce

    • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

    • Lime wedges, for squeezing  

    For the Pineapple Pico de Gallo:

    • 1 cup Pineapple, chopped (fresh or canned)

    • 2 tablespoons Chopped Red Onion

    • 1/2 cup red, yellow or orange Bell Pepper, diced

    • 1 tablespoon Chopped Cilantro

    • Juice from one lime  

    Mix all Pico ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until using.

    • Prepare the marinade by combining the sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, pineapple juice, ketchup, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce together, add ingredients to a large resealable plastic bag and whisk together.

    • Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and store in the refrigerator to marinate for 2-4 hours.

    • After marinating, preheat a grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill the chicken for about 5-7 minutes. Then flip and cook the other side for another 5-7 minutes. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°

    • Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove from grill. Set on a cutting board. Let it rest for a few minutes to cool slightly. Chop the chicken into strips or cubes.

    • Make the tacos by filling the corn tortillas with the cut-up chicken, top with the pineapple Pico de Gallo and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

  • Hawaiian Style Chicken

    Hawaiian Style Chicken

    Happy Monday. Five more days of workin’ for the man. Make dinner easy tonight.  

    HAWAIIAN STYLE TERIYAKI CHICKEN  

    3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

    1 cup of soy sauce

    1 cup of pineapple juice

    1 cup of brown sugar packed

    5 cloves of mashed garlic.

    1 inch knob of fresh ginger, grated on a micro-plane grater  

    In a large bowl, mix the pineapple juice and soy sauce and add in the sugar to be dissolved. Add the desired amount of ginger and garlic then add in the chicken. You can soak the meat in the marinade for up to 3 days, if you are in a hurry, you need to soak it for at least 24 hours. If you can’t wait, boil the chicken in the sauce right after you make it. Bake the chicken in a 425 oven for 50 minutes, brushing with sauce every 10 minutes. When in doubt, pull out your digital thermometer. The chicken is done when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165.

  • Roasted Garlic Butter Rib-Eye Steaks

    Roasted Garlic Butter Rib-Eye Steaks

    Hi-O, Hi-O, It’s Off To Work We Go. Another five days of workin’ for the man!  

    Roasted Garlic Butter Rib-Eye Steaks 

    4 Rib-Eyes

    Olive oil

    Montreal Steak Seasoning, to taste 

    Roasted Garlic and Herb Butter

    1/2 shallot, diced

    1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

    1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 bulbs garlic

    4 tablespoons olive oil 

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the tops off the head of the garlic bulbs (enough to expose the top of the garlic cloves) and remove any loose papery outer layers.

    Place garlic cut side up on enough foil to wrap the garlic. Drizzle oil on the exposed surface of the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the sides up and place the foil wrapped garlic onto a baking tray.

    Roast in the preheated oven until golden and soft, about 45 minutes or up to 60 minutes. Roasting time will vary based on the size and type of garlic.

    Set aside to cool, then squeeze out the soft cloves.

    While the garlic is roasting, season the steaks with Montreal Steak Seasoning and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

    Get a stick of softened, unsalted butter in a bowl and begin adding the roasted garlic (8 or so cloves), rosemary, thyme, shallots, and salt & pepper. Mix and set aside.

    Grill, BBQ or air-fry the steaks to your preferred doneness. I like mine medium-rare.

    On the last flip of the steaks, top them with a teaspoon, or so, of the roasted garlic butter. Remove the steaks when done and top them with more butter. Tent them with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes, enjoy!

  • Opening Day Beer Brats

    Opening Day Beer Brats

    Happy Opening Day! The Giants open their season in Cincinnati, the A’s are in Seattle and the Dodgers host the Tigers. Bust out the brats and enjoy! 

    Opening Day Beer Brats 

    3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)

    2 pounds of brats

    2 onions, halved and sliced into half moons

    4 cloves of garlic, minced

    2 bottles of a good craft beer

    1 teaspoon caraway seeds

    1 teaspoon nutmeg

    1/2 cup Stone Ground mustard1 tablespoon honey

    2 teaspoons cider vinegar 

    In a large skillet on medium high heat brown the brats on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    Add the other 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet and cook the onions on medium heat until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic, nutmeg and caraway seeds and cook until fragrant, and then add the beer, and mix in the mustard, vinegar and honey.At this point, if you want to do a smoker or grill version, put everything into an aluminum foil pan and set your smoker or grill to 250. Let everything stew and cook for about an hour.Add the brats back into the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes or until brats are done.

    Remove the brats to a serving platter and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Boil until onion mixture is thickened – stirring frequently.

    Serve on brat buns or hoagie rolls topped with the onion mixture.

  • Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce

    Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce

    Pork steaks are on sale at my favorite meat store in Redding. So…

    Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce  

    4 boneless pork chops or pork steaks Paprika, to taste

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 tablespoons butter, divided

    1/2 cup olive oil, divided

    8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

    1/2 small yellow onion, diced

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

    2 Tablespoons all-purpose Flour

    2 cups chicken broth

    Minced parsley or chives, for garnish  

    Season both sides of pork chops with paprika, salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and half of the olive oil. Sear both sides of the pork chops until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove pork chops from pan and set aside. In same skillet over medium-high head add remaining the butter and olive oil. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they are golden and browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and mustard and cook for about 1 minute until garlic becomes fragrant. Stir in the flour, cooking stirring to remove lumps. Slowly add the broth, whisking until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste Return pork chops to pan and cook for a couple of minutes or until they are heated through. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley or chives.

  • Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

    Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

    Happy Weekend! If you have some shrimp in the freezer, bust ’em out and get to work! This tostada is tasty, refreshing and pairs well with a bloody Mary!  

    Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas  

    For the Shrimp Ceviche:

    1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped into small pieces

    3/4 cup fresh lime juice (enough to cover the shrimp and “cook” it)

    1 diced cucumber

    2 diced Roma tomatoes

    1 finely chopped red onion

    1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano peppers, finely chopped Handful torn

    fresh cilantro, chopped

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste  

    For Assembly:

    6-8 tostada shells

    1 or 2 avocados, sliced

    Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

    Lime wedges

    Hot sauce  

    In a large glass or ceramic bowl, add the chopped shrimp and cover it completely with the fresh lime juice. Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink and opaque (the lime juice “cooks” the shrimp). Once the shrimp is ready, drain off some of the excess lime juice, leaving a bit to keep the ceviche moist. To the marinated shrimp, add the diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeños and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to combine. Place a few avocado slices on each tostada shell. Spoon a generous amount of shrimp ceviche on top of the avocado. Garnish each tostada with fresh cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.  

    Ingredients for one bloody cocktail

    8 ounces V-8

    3 ounces vodka

    A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

    1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

    A couple of dashes of hot sauce ( I like Crystal)

    A couple of dashes of Pick-A-Peppa pepper sauce

    Fresh ground pepper to taste

    A couple of dashes of celery salt plus more for rimming

    Ice cubes

    Fresh lemon or lime juice for garnish and rimming  

    Garnish suggestions:

    Celery stalk

    Pickled green bean and/or asparagus

    Cocktail onions

    Dill pickle spear

    Sweet gherkins

    Pepperoncini

    Cooked pepper bacon

    Salami

    Fried or grilled chicken wing

    Grilled, sauteed or boiled prawn Garlic

    stuffed green olives

    All of the above  

    In a pounder glass, stir together V-8, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, Pick-A-Peppa, celery salt and pepper. Rim another pounder glass with a lemon or lime wedge and celery salt. Fill that glass ¾ full of ice, then pour mixture into that glass. Stir well. Garnish with suggested garnishes.

  • Korean BBQ Bulgogi Beef Tacos

    Korean BBQ Bulgogi Beef Tacos

    Happy Friday!I found my recipe for Korean tacos. I’m gonna fire the Ninja this weekend.  

    3 pounds boneless beef short ribs

    Flour or corn tortillasLime wedges, for squeezing Marinade

    1 cup sodium soy sauce

    1/2 cup mirin

    1/2 cup brown sugar

    1/4 cup sesame oil6 cloves garlic

    6 scallions

    One inch knob, peeled & grated

    fresh ginger 

    Asian Slaw

    Napa cabbage roughly chopped

    Matchstick radish or daikon

    Matchstick carrot

    Chopped scallions

    Fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped 

    Soy Lime Dressing

    2 limes juiced

    1/4 cup soy sauce

    2 tablespoons mirin

    2 tablespoons Sriracha

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    Trim any excess fat from the meat, then thinly slice into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Place in a 1-gallon size plastic bag.In a food processor or blender, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, scallions, and ginger. Pour half into the bag with the sliced meat and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.Place the other half of the soy mixture into a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thickened and reduced by at least half. It should get darker and thicker.

    Place the cabbage, radish, and scallions in a large bowl.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, mirin, and Sriracha. Do not dress slaw until right before you plan on assembling the tacos. Toss the dressing on the prepared cabbage.

    Heat a griddle, cast iron skillet or grill over high heat. Flash-sear the meat in a single layer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat (keep warm until you assemble the tacos).Grill your tortillas for approximately 30 seconds on each side.

    On top of the grilled tortilla, pile the Asian slaw, and cooked beef, drizzle with the reduced marinate, and a splash of Sriracha.

  • Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Thighs

    Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Thighs

    It looks like it’s gonna be really nice this weekend in Redding. So…fire the grill!

    Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Thighs 

    The Meat and Marinade

    4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

    1 C. packed light brown sugar

    1 C. soy sauce6 cloves of garlic, chopped

    1-2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

    1 onion halved and sliced into half moons

    1 stick salted butter Marinade Directions

    In a bowl, mix the brown sugar and soy sauce together. Keep mixing until almost all the sugar is dissolved in the soy sauce.Add in the garlic, ginger and onion and mix.

    Let the mixture sit for a few minutes.

    Put meat into a zip lock bag and pour mixture over it. Depending on how much meat you have you may need to make more marinade and split this into 2 different bags. Let this marinate for at least 4 hours. For the Grill13×9 Pyrex dish1 stick of butter1 bunch green onions sliced small1 bunch coarsely chopped, fresh cilantro Grilling DirectionsFire the grill to medium-high heat.

    Place Pyrex dish on the top shelf of the hot grill.

    Add the butter to the Pyrex so it starts to melt.

    Add the meat to the grill and cook to perfection.

    When the pieces of meat are done place them in the Pyrex to let swim in buttery goodness until all are done and add the green onions and/or cilantro.