Category: Dave’s Blog

Italian Sausage Sandwich

Extra Virgin olive oil, for frying sausages

1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage links

2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 good quality hoagie rolls

8 slices provolone

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages in half. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage and sauce.

Top the sandwiches with two slices of cheese each and place on a baking sheet under your broiler for one minute or until cheese is melted.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Garlic-Lime Mayo

FOR THE TACOS

Juice of 3 limes

Chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

t tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

Olive oil

Zest of 1 lime

Kosher salt, to taste

2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Tortillas, warmed, for serving

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Plastic squeeze bottle, for drizzling the garlic-lime mayo

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, onion & garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, olive oil, lime zest and season with salt. Add shrimp, toss and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate 20 minutes in refrigerator.

Preheat grill your to medium heat. Grill shrimp (I use skewers) until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes per side.

Build tacos: add the salsa, then a few shrimp and a drizzle of the garlic-lime mayo to each taco. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Pineapple Salsa

2 cups diced pineapple

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup cilantro leaves packed, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 small jalapeno, finely minced

Kosher salt, to taste

In a bowl combine pineapples, tomatoes, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, cumin and minced jalapenos. Add salt, to taste. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

FOR THE GARLIC-LIME MAYO

1/3 c. Mayonnaise

2 tbsp. hot sauce (I like Tapatio)

Zest of 1 lime

1 tsp. garlic powder

Kosher salt, to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk and season with salt.

Chili Verde

4 pounds boneless pork butt extra fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch chunks,

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Olive oil

2 medium yellow onions diced

1.5-pounds tomatillos husked and quartered

12 ounces canned, diced green chilies, not drained

1 bunch cilantro

6 garlic cloves

2 jalapenos seeded

2 poblanos, seeded

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

4 cups chicken stock, divided

Flour tortillas, for serving

Toppings:

Fresh cilantro

Sour cream

Radish, cut into matchsticks

Diced onion

Avocado

Hot sauce or Sriracha

Grated cheese

Fresh lime wedges, for squeezing

Pickled jalapeno slices

Preheat oven to 400. On a baking sheet, toss tomatillos, jalapenos and poblanos with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until browned. You might have to pull the jalapenos and poblanos earlier so they don’t completely fall apart.

Season pork with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

When the oil is hot, add half the pork to the pot and brown. Set aside. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and brown the remaining pork. Set aside.

Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes or until softened. (Reduce heat if they begin to brown). Remove from heat.

In a blender add tomatillos, canned green chilies, cilantro, garlic, jalapeños, poblanos, oregano, cumin, and 2 cups chicken stock. Puree on high until smooth.

Pour the blended mixture, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and browned pork along with any juices and remaining 2 cups of chicken stock into the pot.

Stir to combine, turn on to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally.

Cook 3 to 4 hours or until the pork is fork tender and starting to shred.

Serve with your favorite toppings and warm flour tortillas.

Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

20 mini white corn tortillas, warmed on the grill

For the Marinade:

4 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

2 teaspoons paprika

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Toppings:

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Yellow onion, chopped

Pico de Gallo

Radish, thinly sliced

Jalapeno, thinly sliced (seeds and ribs removed for less heat)

Cotija or queso cheese

Sour cream

Hot sauce (I like Tapatio)

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Make chicken marinade by combining all marinade ingredients. Place thighs in a zip lock bag and pour in the marinade

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Oil the grill with canola oil or spray generously with cooking spray. Remove chicken from the marinade and place on hot grill.

Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once (thickest part of the chicken thigh should register about 165 degrees).

Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for a few minutes before chopping into small pieces.

Layer two warmed mini corn tortillas together. Top with chopped chicken and whatever toppings you like. Squeeze a little bit of lime juice on your taco and finish with a pinch of Kosher salt.

Big Kahuna Chicken Teriyaki Sandwiches

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Teriyaki sauce (recipe follows) or your favorite bottled sauce

3/4 c. brown sugar (if using bottled sauce)

4 slices deli ham

1 can pineapple rings

4 slices Swiss cheese

Red onion, halved and sliced into half moons

4 large Hawaiian or onion buns

Place meat in a large Ziploc bag. Combine bottled Teriyaki sauce and brown sugar until sugar dissolves. Add 1/2 of the sauce to the bag with the chicken and seal tightly. Place bag in refrigerator for at least 2-4 hours.

Pre-heat your grill to medium-high.

Separate remaining Teriyaki sauce into 2 separate bowls (to prevent cross contamination use 2 separate brushes too) one for the pineapple, one for the chicken. Place chicken and pineapple on the grill (medium heat).

Brush with Teriyaki sauce every few minutes until chicken and pineapple are done.

Heat up the ham on the grill until it becomes nice and hot. Slather teriyaki sauce on both sides of the bun.

Place a piece of cooked chicken on each bottom bun. Top with cheese, ham, grilled pineapple and bun top. Serve immediately with remaining grilled pineapple.

Teriyaki Sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1 cup white sugar

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch knob fresh ginger, grated

Fresh-ground pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Combine ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat and you’re good to go.

Smoked, Sweet and Sticky Riblets

4lbs pork riblets

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ rub

½ cup light brown sugar

1 stick cold, salted butter cut into thin pats

6 ounces vinegar sauce

¼ cup honey

Your favorite BBQ sauce, for serving

Heat your smoker to 275. If you have a pellet smoker, I like to use something sweet like pecan, apple or cherry, or a combination of two of the three. If you are using a BBQ, start with lump charcoal and add some pellets or chunks of wood to the fire.

Season the riblets with salt and pepper and your BBQ rub. Let the riblets set at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Arrange the riblets on the cooking grate and smoke for 90 minutes.

Place the smoked riblets in an aluminum pan and add the brown sugar, pats of butter, vinegar sauce and drizzle them with honey.

Cover the pan with foil and place back on the smoker for one hour.

After an hour, remove the foil and dredge the riblets in the pan juice and place directly on the cooking grate of your BBQ or smoker. Leave the lid open so the fire flares up and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Remove the charred riblets, place on a cutting board and cut them into 2 bone portions. Pile them high on your cutting board and serve with your favorite BBQ sauce for dipping.

Steak Fajitas on my Blackstone

2 pounds flank steak or steak of your choice

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper sliced

1 yellow bell pepper sliced

1 yellow onion sliced

4 cloves garlic minced

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Flour tortillas

Fajita Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Mix fajita seasonings in small mixing bowl until combined and set aside.

Slice steak against the grain into small slices about half inch thick. Place into bowl or resealable on gallon sized bag and add 1 Tablespoons olive oil, toss to coat. Then add half of mixed fajita seasoning to meat and toss to coat.

In another bowl or resealable gallon size bag add vegetables and remaining olive oil. Toss to coat then add in remaining fajita seasoning and mix until coated.

Preheat the Blackstone for about 5 minutes over medium high heat. Pour vegetable oil on preheat griddle and spread out.

Put the steak and vegetables on hot, oiled griddle. Cook for 8-10 minutes, tossing the steak and vegetables a few times. You want these to be slightly charred and cooked through. During the last few minutes add garlic.

During the last minute of cooking place tortillas on griddle to warm.

Remove the steak, vegetables and tortillas from griddle and serve.

Smoked Tri-Tip Grilled Cheese Sandwich

For the Sandwich:

4 slices thick sourdough or Texas toast

Smoked tri-tip, sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 slices provolone or smoked gouda cheese

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

2 tbsp butter (for grilling bread)

Olive oil (for caramelizing onions)

1. Caramelize the Onions:

Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Add sliced onions and cook slowly for about 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft.

Add a small splash of water or balsamic vinegar to deglaze if needed. Set aside.

2. Assemble the Sandwiches:

Butter one side of each slice of bread.

On the unbuttered side, layer: cheese slice, brisket, caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, and another slice of cheese.

Top with the second piece of bread, buttered side facing out.

3. Grill:

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Grill sandwiches until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted — about 3–4 minutes per side. Press down slightly with a spatula for that crispy crust.

4. Stack & Serve:

Slice in half and stack them up for that epic look.

Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

Optional Add-Ons:

Jalapeños or pickled onions for heat

A fried egg on top

Crock-Pot Kielbasa Hoagies

1 yellow onion – diced

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 ⅔ cup sparkling apple cider – can use beer in place of the apple cider

1 cup + 1 tablespoon light brown sugar – packed

Kosher salt, to taste

3 pounds polish kielbasa

32 oz sauerkraut – drained

Good quality hoagie rolls

Cut the kielbasa into links. Place in a slow cooker.

Add the drained sauerkraut to the slow cooker.

In a medium sized saucepan over medium low heat add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the diced onion. Cook for 10 minutes or until soft and lightly browning.

Add the brown sugar, apple cider (or beer), and salt to the saucepan. Stir and continue cooking over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Remove from heat and pour the sauce into the slow cooker over the kielbasa and sauerkraut.

Cover. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Serve on hoagie rolls.

Marinated Thai Glazed Chicken Thighs

FOR THE MARINADE:

1 c. sweet chili sauce

6 tbsp. soy sauce

Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp. honey

4 tsp. freshly grated ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. sriracha

FOR THE CHICKEN:

8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

4 tsp. vegetable oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Chopped peanuts, for garnish

Cooked rice, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 425º. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the marinade. Add chicken thighs and toss until coated. Let marinate 20 minutes.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat vegetable oil. Add thighs and sear until charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to oven and bake until the thigh’s internal temp is 165 degrees, 20-30 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, bring the leftover marinade to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced.

Just before the chicken is done, glaze the chicken with the reduced marinade.

Garnish chicken with green onions and peanuts and serve with rice and limes.