Grilling: Balsamic Glazed Baby Back Ribs
These may look like everyday ribs, but balsamic vinegar makes a pronounced difference, thanks to a distinctive tang that melds well with the sugars and multiple peppers in the rub. More
These may look like everyday ribs, but balsamic vinegar makes a pronounced difference, thanks to a distinctive tang that melds well with the sugars and multiple peppers in the rub. More
The tang and robustness of balsamic vinegar dominates, but also finds a nice balance with barbecue sauce standards like ketchup, honey, mustard, and molasses. More
Fresh, fruity, salty and mostly mild, these little Spanish peppers are a perfect quick accompaniment to almost anything. More
This fresh, tangy, and fruity sweet pepper relish livens up a homely hot dog in a way fitting for the start of a new grilling season. More
A smoky flavor plus additions like cider vinegar, celery seeds, hot sauce, and paprika make for a delicious and unusual chicken salad. More
The strong smokiness, heat, and tang of this tomato-based salsa brava has an intensity that instantly transports you to the tapas bars in Spain. More
The warm, softened cheese made for a fine taco filling, providing the main heft, while the avocado and salsa did most of the work on the flavor. It was a quick and easy taco that will be in my Cinco de Mayo party line-up right along with al pastor and skirt steak fajitas. More
If you're looking for some salsa salvation from the tomato-based norm this Cinco de Mayo, this sweet and tangy orange-tomatillo salsa will certainly serve you well. More
The grill is the world's greatest sandwich maker—you can cook, toast, and press for a crowd all on one device, without much fuss or mess—and these spicy and creamy grill-pressed chorizo tortas prove this point. More
Mole verde retains a rich complexity, but trades the deep and earthy flavors of mole poblano for a bright and fresh profile and can be put together in about an hour. More
An earthy and spicy mole sauce crust these skirt steak fajitas their distinct character. More
Although originally billed as a "salsa," this isn't the type of sauce made for dipping tortilla chips, but rather, it's rich and complex character that's slightly bitter, sweet, and tangy, is a great match for hearty items like a grilled skirt steak. More
Chicken skewers are all too often dry and and flavorless, but a sweet and pungent marinade ensures this chicken satay is anything but. More
This spicy peanut sauce isn't hot just for heat's sake—it combines different types of hot spices to build complexity and create a delicious, multi-layered sauce. More
Sweet figs and salty meat is an automatic win, so there's not much more to say about that, but some little additions in this recipe make these go beyond the usual bacon-wrapped figs. First, the figs are dipped in Grand Marnier before being grilled. Then they get a topping of goat cheese and a drizzle of honey. More
A hot sauce in one of its purest forms, Indonesian sambal oelek is merely freshly ground hot red chiles with some salt and vinegar for flavor and preservation. Sure, it's simple, but it's also incredibly awesome and infinitely useful. More
Grilling each vegetable (and fruit, if you want to get technical), dicing them, and then finishing them with a dressing of herbed white balsamic created a medley of flavors and textures. Creamy eggplant, sweet and sharp onions, and acidic tomatoes all mixed with tangy vinegar and fresh herbs to create an excellent early taste of spring. More
In essence, this is a simple marinara with the addition of mint, but that one minor change makes a big difference. More
Bits of caramelized roasted garlic define in each bite of this stuffed leg of lamb, while a more mild mint pesto adds a touch of freshness and saltiness, making this a worthy holiday roast. More
This mint pesto is salty and bright with a mint flavor that's tempered to just the perfect amount so it doesn't overpower whatever it's used on, like lamb. More
Building on past pastrami success, I changed things up by using duck instead of beef. The salty, peppery, and luscious fat is something to lust over. More
The spicy and bitter bite of homemade mustard is lessened by brown sugar, while rye whisky imparts a dry character on this delicious mustard. More
All the deliciousness of a full-on shrimp-boil—shrimp, corn, andouille, and potatoes—on a single stick. More
Roasted carrots and tomatoes create a complex sweetness that serves as the backdrop to this different and surprising habanero hot sauce. More
A good blackening seasoning can make almost anything delicious to me. Take this catfish for example. Long time readers probably know that I'm somewhat fish-averse, but a liberal coating of a Cajun rub followed by a fast-cook over high heat on the grill quickly changed my mind about eating catfish. More
@mefoxlaw I believe the mangoes I used were unsweetened.
@leejay Yes, for a gas grill, light half the burners and leave the other half off. This will create a two-zone fire, the on burners are the hot zone, and off burners are the cool zone. With that set-up, you can then follow the recipe as written.
@Boerderij Kabouter So glad to hear you liked it!
@punkin712 I didn't think I'd see them once back, which is why I was so excited to find them. If you can't find these peppers, the best substitute are shishitos, which are similar in size and flavor and can be found more easily in the US (try looking for them in in Japanese/Asian markets).
@chanjying I found them at Whole Foods, prepackaged. They were actually grown in Mexico and not Padrón, but Spain got them from Mexico to begin with anyway.
@Robert D. Nope, that's just how long it should stay good if stored in the fridge, you can use the sauce right away.
@DCEats Not sure how the longer curing process would effect the end result. If it was a wet cure, I can see needing more time for the cure to fully penetrate the meat, but for the the dry cure in this recipe, 4-5 days was enough for the brisket to turn out red all the way through.
@scaramoche There's both a belly and loin in the recipe. The loin is brined and then placed in the belly which had been scored and spread with an herb and garlic rub. The whole thing is then tied into a roll and placed on the rotisserie.
@triplecatsink For this recipe I used a cheese simple labeled "Grilling Cheese" that's common in the Mexican cheese section at groceries. You can sub it out for halloumi though, which is the king of grillable cheeses.
@thesteveroller No, it's Mexican chorizo. I cooked it in the casing so I could use the grill for everything. You can cook crumbled on the grill too, just nestle a cast iron skillet in the coals, let it preheat, then add the sausage and it'll be done in minutes.
@mnvader I would go for the subs in the recipe over dried epazote. The dried is not of the same caliber as the fresh, and I think the subs of fresh herbs will work better here than trying to go with dried.
@reposado If using Morton Tender Quick, I'd use 2 tablespoons of that and omit the Kosher salt from the recipe.
@1sherman Sorry, that was just a mistake. I've fixed it.
@brbeats The cure fully penetrated in 3 days for me. The duck was reddish all the way through without injecting.
@scaramoche Yup, I fixed that typo.
@arbeck To 165°F.
@nova721 I didn't have problems with these spinning, but another option is using two wooden skewers spaced out a little. I use that method for asparagus and it works great.
@C Baughn I'd brine bone-in chicken breasts 45-60 mins.
@Scott569 Thanks for letting me know. The link is fixed.
@zowie888 Yes, the vinegar, straining, and cooking are all necessary. The vinegar add the tanginess and helps preserve the sauce so you can keep it longer. The straining creates the fine texture, and cooking thickens it to the right consistency.
@C Baughn I really love my cast iron grates (they're from Craycort). They take more TLC than the standard grates and are a little annoying taking and on and off to start the fire because of the weight, but they're so much better for getting grill marks and they retain heat really well. Best of all is their durability. I had to replace my regular grates every few years, but the cast iron should last a lifetime.
@MontanaWildhack My wife prefers the Vienna sausages, but I'm not a fan of them, so we go with Oscar Meyer wieners.
@GarySr Whoops, that was a mistake (accidentally copied over from an old recipe). I've corrected it, no more brick :)
@Delicious B I always opt for making meatball separate to develop a nice crust on the outside. For meatballs and spaghetti, I usually put the seared meatballs in the sauce as it simmers, but there isn't much of a need to do that here. You can if you like though.
Zucchini is my go-to veggie for the grill. The way it browns and softens over the coals makes it irresistible in both looks and taste. I've always thought a little olive oil, salt, black pepper, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes is all you need to make it perfect, but recently wanted to expand on the classic. I introduced some new flavors with Parmesan cheese and garlic chili oil (my Sauced column this week) which only left me loving it more. More
Al pastor on its own is pretty awesome, but on chicken wings—now that's something special. Guajillo and chipotle chiles give the baked wings an earthy heat, while pineapple, cilantro, and lime add freshness to create a combination that's hard to beat. This also marks our first post of Wing Week! Every day this week we'll be sharing a different non-Buffalo wing recipe for your Super Bowl parties next week. More
For the family who worships fiery food, this is a way to relish spiciness for Thanksgiving. Soaked in a habanero-filled brine, this turkey packs a punch you won't soon forget. If the family isn't totally on board for a spicy turkey, then pare down the brine recipe and use it for a chicken instead. More
Yesterday we had a Slice meet-up for A) the heck of it and B) well, to celebrate Slice's 7-year anniversary (October 13, for those keeping score at home). We met at DBA bar in the afternoon with the idea that Slice would order some pies in and that Slice'rs would bring a pie (or pies) from their local fave — or even make one of their own — to share. After a slow start, a nice-size crowd showed up — about 16 total, with five pizzerias represented — Rosario's on the Lower East Side of Manhattan; Sam's of Cobble Hill,... More
What seemed like a ton of onion, garlic, oregano and mint in proportion to the meat at first, ended up being just the right amount of flavor to make these meatballs taste distinctly Greek. Although they didn't necessarily need the accompanying tzatziki and lemon to make them delicious, put altogether, they were outstanding. More
The Eighth Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party rolled into town this past weekend, bringing along seventeen different pitmasters from all over the country—representing the the diversity that is American barbecue. As each pitmaster focused their attention on only their one strongest item, the barbecue found at the event truly represented the best of the best. More
To become a true "Master of the Flames," you'll need to know how to own a fire. Gauging and controlling the temperature is crucial in delivering the just right heat to your food—luckily, one of the easiest way to determine this is always at hand (literally). Just hover your hand above the cooking grate and count the seconds it takes until you're positive your skin will melt off. With the findings, you can determine if the heat is at high, medium, or low, and which foods should be cooked at each. More
Note: These buns are great for any burger, but go best with our recipe for The Spotted Pig's Chargrilled Burger. About the author: Become a fan of The Food Lab on Facebook for play-by-plays on future kitchen tests and recipe... More
The "velvet" in the title alludes to the chicken's texture after it emerges from the pot. While some poached chicken recipes come out stringy and tough, this one is cooked in a liquid that's barely simmering for 30 minutes. The result is perfectly cooked chicken that's beautifully tender and aromatic thanks to a particularly flavorful cooking liquid. More
"Ragù Bolognese is the king of all meat sauces." [Photos: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt] Following this week's ricotta-fest, I found myself with a few quarts of the stuff left over. There's only so much queso fresco, paneer, or ricotta salata one... More
What to do when you don't have the right chile. You know the drill. You've clipped or printed out a recipe that's supposed to be tonight's dinner. Except, the grocery store betrays you—not having those few essential items you need. As an editor at Chile Pepper magazine, for me that usually means a certain chile necessary to test or develop a recipe. For example, in certain regions, some chiles like cayenne are impossible to find fresh. The key to finding an adequate chile replacement is knowing its heat level, sweetness, and smokiness. We pooled our resources to come up with a substitution guide for whole chiles. While it focuses on whole fresh or dried chiles, you can always use a... More
New York has never been a first-class fried chicken town, but these days, it's popping up on more high-end menus than pork belly. And though we've eaten our fair share, we hadn't done an exhaustive survey. Until now. More
[Photograph: Blake Royer] I've long been on a search for a great macaroni and cheese recipe, so it was a thrill to see a version on Food 52 from someone I trust. Jennifer Hess of Last Night's Dinner, who I... More
"Pitmasters here represent the entire nation." [Photographs: Joshua Bousel] I had the most perfect Labor Day planned, a lazy afternoon next to the smoker filled with pork, some beers, and close friends. That was until I received an invitation to visit the The Best in the West: Nugget Rib Cook-off in Nevada. After a second pause contemplating whether I wanted to alter my ideal holiday, I thought better of my reservations, and before I knew it, I was on a plane headed for a weekend of pure barbecue bliss. If you're an East Coaster like myself, the Nugget Rib Cook-off may not sound familiar, but for the pitmasters and attendees alike, it's the biggest event of the year. The six-day... More
My wife and I spent the last week moving across the country in a big yellow truck from Brooklyn to Bucktown, Chicago, and along the way we relied on the kindness of friends and relatives for meals and places to... More
When I was a girl, French onion soup was the end-all be-all of my culinary existence. When I was in France, I would search high and low for the little restaurants that sold it. I just had to have French... More
The classic Thai dish of ground chicken and basil, with chili, fish sauce, and a touch of sugar is quick and simple to prepare. More
Photograph from Halima Ahkdar on Flickr In today's Cook the Book recipe, sweet and sour Vietnamese wings, chicken wings are marinated in an Asian all-stars concoction of fish sauce, mango nectar, ginger, lime juice, and lemongrass, before being oven-roasted to... More
I couldn't find one saag paneer recipe that resembled another. I went for a rather simple, almost comfort-food version, but you can jack the spices way up if you'd like.... More
@fwilger The yield field was added a few years ago, so older recipes like this one generally don't have the yield on it. This should yield 8-12 servings, depending on if you're serving other foods as well.