Korean BBQ Beef (Bulgogi)

I first had bulgogi in Chicago's Koreatown with my college roommate. The tender, flavorful beef, grilled tableside and accompanied by panchan (side dishes) and rice and lettuce for wrapping, was delicious and memorable. I've made it a few times recently on the grill, and I love it, in spite of the messy production it is to eat it.

If you have a Korean grocery store near you (like Super HMart), you can buy bulgogi beef. Otherwise, use sirloin or flank steak (my choice). Slice the steak thinly - no more than 1/4 inch thick. Cut it against the grain and marinate it overnight or all day if possible. It will cook in a few minutes on the grill.

Serve the meat with steamed white rice, red or green leaf lettuce, and hot sauce (chili-garlic sauce like Sriracha).

Bulgogi

1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place the beef in a shallow dish. Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onion, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
3. Quickly grill beef on hot grill until slightly charred and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Greek Chicken

A couple of weeks ago we had Greek Mythology week at our house. One night we had a Greek dinner, with Greek salad, Greek chicken, ambrosia (food of the gods), pomegranate juice (in reference to Persephone), and honey cake for dessert. The Greek salad was our usual favorite, but the chicken was new: garlicky, lemony, and outstanding. I made it a few weeks later for my in-laws and my father-in-law said, "I can't stop eating this chicken!". That's high praise for the lowly chicken, I think.

You can marinate the chicken for up to a day or as little as an hour. Try to loosen the skin of the breasts and legs to let the marinade really soak in.

I started the chicken on the grill, then when the weather turned stormy I finished it in the oven, basting it with additional marinade. You can roast it, grill it, etc., but I liked having both the charcoal start and still getting the juices from the chicken as it finished in the oven. I spatchcocked this chicken, but you can cook it whole if you like or cut it up into pieces.

Greek Chicken (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 4 lb. chicken, whole, cut up, or spatchcocked

1/2 c. olive oil

2 lemons, juiced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 T fresh oregano or 1 t. dried oregano

1 T fresh rosemary or 1 t. dried rosemary

1 T fresh thyme or 1 t. dried thyme

2 t. kosher salt and pepper to taste

Put marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour into a gallon ziploc bag, add chicken, seal, and smoosh it around to combine. Marinate for at least one hour, flipping the bag from time to time. Roast or grill as desired.

Steve Raichlen's Barbecued Brisket

This is a picture of our grill, though it also has a smoke box on the end. It takes up more than half our deck, but it has a burner, a gas grill, a charcoal grill, and a smoker. We love it. We've only had gas grills in the past, but now we really only use gas when we are grilling for lots of people and need the space in addition to the charcoal side. The smoker is awesome: we've made smoked turkey, brisket, and pulled pork. Pictured above is Steve Raichlen's smoked beef brisket. His book, How to Grill, is a fantastic resource for all kinds of grilling - everything we've made from this cookbook has been 5 stars.

We barbecued Texas-style brisket a couple of weekends ago. It's a great thing to do when the weather is nice and you don't mind being outside all day. Actually, you really are in and out once an hour; it's not that difficult, but for brisket to turn out well you need to cook it low and slow. Brisket is a cheap cut of meat and will turn out tough and flavorless if you rush it. Try to choose a brisket with a layer of fat on the bottom to keep it from drying out. Serve with rolls or toast and barbecue sauce.

Barbecued Brisket

Main Ingredients:

1 trimmed beef brisket (5 to 6 pounds), with a layer of fat at least 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mop Sauce:
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup apple cider/juice/broth/beverage of your choice
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper

6 cups wood chips, preferably hickory or oak
1 aluminum foil pan (disposable)

Directions:

1.Rinse brisket under cold water, blot dry. Combine ingredients for rub. Rub onto both sides of brisket. Cover and let stand in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight; if you don't have time, it's okay to start right away.

2.Soak wood chips in cold water to cover for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Combine mop sauce ingredients in a glass bowl; stir well. Set aside.

3.Set up the grill, gas or charcoal, for indirect grilling. Pre-heat gas grill to high, place wood chips in a smoker box or small aluminum pan. Set in lower left of grill under the rack. When you see smoke reduce heat to low. For a charcoal grill, arrange medium-low coals around a drip pan that is placed in the center of the grill. Place 1/4 of the wood chips over the coals. During cooking you will need to add fresh coals and 1/2 cup woodchips every hour or so. Keep the temperature around 250 degrees.

4.Place the brisket, fat-side up, in an aluminum foil pan and place in the center of the hot cooking grate, over the drip pan. Add 1-cup water to pan to start. Cover grill. Open vents slightly on charcoal grill. Baste the brisket with the mop sauce every hour. Plan for 1 hour cooking time for each pound of brisket, but use a meat thermometer for best results. (Cooking time will depend on size of brisket and heat of the grill.)

5.When brisket reaches an internal temperature of 160F on an instant-read meat thermometer (after 3-4 hours), remove it from the grill; double wrap in foil, leaving an opening at top so you can continue basting. Return to grill. It is finished when it is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 180F to 190F. Transfer brisket to a cutting board, let stand for 10 minutes.

6.Thinly slice across the grain with an electric knife or sharp caring knife. Put slices on a platter and pour pan juices on top. For extra flavor, add a little ketchup to the pan juices. Serves 10 to 12.