Category: Dave’s Blog

Al Roker’s homemade version of McDonald’s McRib Sandwich

FOR THE PATTY MIXTURE

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork ‘picnic’ or pork butt, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

TO ASSEMBLE SANDWICHES

2 cups tangy-sweet red BBQ sauce (preferably Hunt’s Original)

4 soft hoagie-style deli buns, split lengthwise

2 large dill pickles, each cut into 4 lengthwise slices

1 cup sliced yellow onion

To make the patties: Place ingredients for the patty mixture into a food processor and process until mostly smooth, about 1 minute.

Line a sheetpan with parchment paper and spray lightly with oil spray.

Divide patty mixture into 4 equal portions and place onto parchment, spaced apart.

Shape each portion into a flat rectangle about 6 ½ x 3 ½ inches.

Use a chopstick or the handle of a table knife to make 5 crosswise impressions in each patty, forming ‘ribs’. Press down firmly, without going all the way through the patty.

Place sheetpan in freezer for 2-3 hours until patties are frozen solid.

(Do ahead: Patties can remain frozen for up to 1 month, tightly wrapped.)

To cook the patties: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 or 2 frozen patties rib-side-down and cook 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn over and cook another 3 minutes to brown the other side.

Repeat until all patties are browned.

Transfer to sheetpan and generously coat with bbq sauce on both sides. Cook in oven about 6 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and thickened.

To assemble: While patties are in oven, toast the inside of the buns in the same skillet the patties cooked in. Remove patties from oven and place one patty in each bun. Top patties with sliced pickles and onions, close the top of the bun and enjoy.

Ruthie’s Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup sliced green onions (or more to taste)

For the sauce:

½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

4 cloves garlic , minced

½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

⅓ cup apple juice

1 ½ tablespoons honey

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup ketchup

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

¼ cup water

¼ cup Bourbon (I like Maker’s Mark)

¼ cup soy sauce

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Egg noodles, cooked per package instructions, for serving

Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over top. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or on high 3 hours, or until chicken is nice and tender.

Remove chicken and chop into bite sized pieces and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine 3 tablespoons water with cornstarch. Turn slow cooker up to high. Whisk cornstarch slurry into the sauce. Cover and allow to thicken, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Stir chicken back into the sauce and add in green onions.

Serve over egg noodles.

Not a Philly Cheese Steak

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches::

4 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, halved and slice into thin half moons

1 lb large fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 red or green bell peppers, sliced into long strips

1 pound rib-eye steak, frozen for 45 minutes, then thinly sliced

Hot pepper sauce (I like Pickapeppa)

6 slices good quality provolone cheese

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 good quality, soft hoagie rolls, buttered and toasted

Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion; cook and stir until tender. Push onion to the side of the pan, and add the mushrooms. Cook and stir until softened, then add the bell pepper and cook just until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Don’t clean the pan, just let it heat up a little bit. Place the sliced steak in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. The steak cooks really fast, just a couple of minutes. Once the steak is mostly browned, return the onion and pepper to the pan. Cook until heated through.

Turn off the heat, and place the slices of cheese over the top of the pile and cover the skillet so they can melt. Separate and scoop the piles into the toasted bread, making sure to pour some of the juices onto that wonderful sandwich. Hit the sandwiches with a few dashes of the pepper sauce.

Chorizo-Shrimp Tacos

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. chorizo, bulk or cut from casings

1 lb. medium shrimp-peeled, deveined, tails off

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 can diced pineapple

1 bunch scallions, sliced on an angle

2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

1 handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 shots silver tequila

Juice from one lime

Lime wedges, for squeezing

12–16 6-inch corn tortillas

Red or green cabbage, shredded

Your favorite hot sauce, for serving

In a large skillet, or on your Blackstone, heat oil over medium-high to high heat. Add chorizo and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until crispy at the edges, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper; add pineapple and toss with tongs until the shrimp is opaque in the centers and the pineapple is lightly browned, about 3 minutes more.

Add scallions, jalapeños, cilantro and garlic; toss until the garlic is aromatic and the scallions wilt, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the tequila; stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Add lime juice and remove from the heat.

Char the tortillas directly over a gas flame or on your Blackstone.

Serve the shrimp filling with the tortillas, cabbage, hot sauce and lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Chicken Parmesan

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 large eggs

1 cup panko bread crumbs, or more as needed

1 cup grated Parmesan, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more if needed

Olive oil for frying, as needed

1 cup jarred or homemade Marinara sauce

Fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Fresh basil

1 cup provolone, grated

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Using a sifter or strainer, sprinkle flour over chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides

4. Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan in a separate bowl, set aside. Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in the beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.

6. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons of sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella, fresh basil, and provolone. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top and drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

7. Bake in the oven until cheese is browned and bubbly and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees.

Beer Braised Ribs

2 racks ribs

1 cup brown sugar

2 packs of fajita seasoning (It’s weird, but it works)

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 can or bottle of beer

4 cloves garlic, minced (I use Christopher Ranch in the jar)

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Your favorite BBQ sauce, for serving

Mix the brown sugar, fajita seasoning, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika in a bowl. Rub both sides of the ribs with the rub. If you have the time, place the ribs in a large baking pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, just let the rubbed ribs set at room temperature for at least an hour.

Preheat an oven to 225 degrees. Whisk together the beer, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a bowl. Set aside.

Tear off 2 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil and lay them shiny-side down. Place a rack of spareribs on each sheet, meaty-side up. Tear off 2 more sheets of foil and place them on top of the ribs, shiny-side up. Begin tightly folding the edges of the foil together to create a sealed packet. Just before sealing completely, divide the beer mixture evenly into each packet. Complete the seal. Place the packets side-by-side on a large baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until the ribs are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Carefully open each packet, and drain the drippings into a saucepan. You may only need the drippings from one packet. Set ribs aside. Simmer the drippings over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Brush the thickened sauce over the ribs.

Finish the ribs on the grill or under the broiler for just a few minutes.

Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Rib Eyes with Red Wine Mushroom Pan Sauce

2 boneless rib-eye steaks, about 2 inches thick

Extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

8 sprigs thyme

Garlic salt, to taste

Red Wine Mushroom Pan Sauce

Extra virgin olive oil

1 stick unsalted butter, separated

8 ounces shiitake, cremini or white mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, finely diced or red onion, halved and sliced into half-moons

4 cloves garlic, finely diced

8 sprigs thyme

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt, to taste

Fire the grill for two-zone grilling at about 500 degrees. While the grill is warming up, coat the steaks on all sides with olive oil and liberally season with garlic salt.

Place the steaks on the grill over the fire. When you see a nice crust form, move the steak to the indirect side of the grill and top with butter and thyme to finish cooking.

Remove the steak from the grill when it reaches your desired internal temperature. For rare, remove when it’s 120 degrees at the thickest part of the steak and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Red Wine Mushroom Pan Sauce

Place a cast iron skillet on the grill over direct heat and add the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When it’s melted and slightly smoking, add the mushrooms. The pan will be hot, and you will hear a sizzle. Let the mushrooms sauté for about 3 minutes and then begin stirring them. After 3 – 5 additional minutes, the mushrooms should be browned. Next, add the shallots or onion and stir for 2 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.

Add the wine. It will immediately start to simmer. Then add the broth, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and salt. Stir and close the lid. Let the sauce come to a simmer and reduce by half (about 4 minutes).

After the sauce has reduced in half, remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to melt the butter. The sauce will start to thicken. Serve the sauce over the steak.

Chicken Enchiladas Rojas

Red enchilada sauce, homemade or canned

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded, skin and bones discarded

1 7-ounce can diced green chiles

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

8-12 taco size, corn tortillas

2 ½ cups Mexican blend cheese or your favorite

Optional, assorted toppings…cilantro, chopped tomatoes, minced jalapeno, sliced black olives, sour cream, diced avocado.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. If making enchilada sauce, prepare and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until soft. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Now add the black beans, shredded chicken, green chiles, and 2/3 cup enchilada sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix everything together over low heat for a couple of minutes.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 60 seconds in damp paper towels or a tortilla warmer pouch.

Spread 1-2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon a line of the chicken mixture across the tortilla and sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas up and place them in a baking dish seam side down. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are heated through.

If desired, garnish with additional toppings like cilantro, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, minced jalapeno, chopped avocados, and sour cream.

Enchilada Sauce

2 tablespoons ground chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

In a small bowl, whisk together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside for a few minutes. Whisk the tomato paste with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth; set it aside for a few minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, cooking for 1 1/2-2 minutes. Whisk in the spices cooking for 1 minute. Whisk constantly so it does not burn. Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly so there are no lumps.

Whisk in the tomato paste/chicken broth mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes stirring and whisking frequently.

Air Fryer Cod Sandwiches

Four 6 ounce cod fillets

3 Eggs

1 1/4 cups Panko

2 tbsp Parsley

1 cup All purpose flour

1 tsp garlic powder

Kosher salt, to taste

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1 tsp smoked paprika

Good quality buns

Hot sauce

Coleslaw

4 cups pre-chopped coleslaw mix

2/3 cup Mayonnaise

2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

Juice from one lemon

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 tbsp Granulated sugar

2 tbsp Sriracha

For the coleslaw, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar and sriracha. Stir it well until a dressing is formed. Add the coleslaw mix to the bowl and toss in the dressing. Set aside in the fridge.

To make the fish, pat dry the fillets and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Using three separate bowls, prepare the breading ingredients. In one bowl whisk the egg with hot sauce, in another bowl mix together the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. In the third bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and parsley.

Dip each cod fillet into the flour mix, next into the egg then the panko breadcrumbs until well coated.

Transfer the breaded fillets to a preheated air fryer and spray each with cooking spray. Cook at 400F for 10-12 minutes.

To assemble your sandwich, spread some of the guacamole on the bottom of the bun, add the fried cod and hot sauce if you like it spicy then finish with the Cole slaw. Cover with the top bun and enjoy with a side salad or chips.

Grilled Guacamole

3 avocados, halved and pitted

2 large jalapenos, halved and seeded

2 medium cloves garlic, ground into a paste with kosher salt or grated

1 small red onion, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt, to taste

Heat a grill pan to medium heat and place the avocados and jalapenos in the pan cut-side down. Grill until the avocados and jalapenos start to char, 3 to 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, douse the garlic and onions with the lemon and lime juices. Season liberally with salt and set aside to allow the flavors to marry.

Scoop the avocado flesh from the skins. Place a metal cooling rack over the bowl. Working with one half at a time, place the avocado cut-side down on the rack and press down, pushing it through the rack.

The rack will dice it as its being added to the bowl. Repeat for the remaining halves. Finely chop the jalapenos and add to the guacamole. Mash with a fork until fairly smooth. Adjust the salt, and then serve.

Meatball Subs

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork (not sausage)

Kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Splash of milk

1 egg

3/4 Panko

3/4 cup fresh-grated Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley

32 ounces homemade or jarred marinara

Fresh Mozzarella

4 French or hoagie rolls

Giardiniera, for serving

Butter

Mix ground beef, pork, salt & pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning Panko, parsley, egg, milk and Parmesan in a bowl. Use your hands to mix.

Roll the meatball mixture into large balls, depending on the desired size. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the meatballs and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning to brown all sides.

Meanwhile, make your own homemade marinara sauce or heat jarred marinara sauce in a large pot. Once the meatballs have browned, remove from the oil and place in the pot of simmering marinara sauce. Let cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Cut bread in half, making sure not to cut all the way through. Spread butter over both sides of the bread. Put oven on the broil setting. Heat until the butter is completely melted and remove from the oven. Watch carefully as it can easily burn.

Place cooked meatballs and sauce onto the bread and generously cover with mozzarella. Return to the oven and cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Top with fresh Italian parsley and serve immediately with extra sauce on the side for dipping. Top with giardiniera, if you like.