We are going to break stride here for this post slash recipe. Yep, we’re are going to prepare a dish that is not only delicious but can also be classified as simple, quick and maybe even healthy. This is purely coincidental I assure you.

When it comes to cooking true Asian cuisines, I am pretty much a noob. Oh there have been a handful of successful excursions like Spicy Asian Pork Dumplings and Asian Hot & Sour Fish. But we want to go further, deep into the traditions and ultimately utilize what we learn to fuse with other spicy cuisines. Or to just learn to make a good spring roll. This simple (but tasty) Beef Stir Fry recipe is good basic training for me.

Since this is recipe is not comprised of layer upon layer of flavors, I am going to focus primarily on texture and technique. This exercise in attention to detail will hopefully serve me well as I venture into cooking more complex Asian dishes at home.

I love all types of spicy food, but I am especially fond Asian (Thai, Sichuan, Korean etc..) and I have always wanted to be able to fire up these great cuisines in my own kitchen so expect  more “attempts” at authentic spicy Asian dishes from CCF. Stay tuned and learn from my mistakes. Nervous smiley face.

P.S. If you have expertise in Asian cuisines, please help out by adding your two cents in the comment section. Thanks!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 lb sirloin or flank steak, trimmed of almost all fat
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing or any Chinese rice wine
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh peeled ginger
• 1 teaspoon grate fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• canola oil
• sesame oil
• soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 – 4 tablespoons Smabal Oelek garlic chile paste (up to you but every tablespoon equals a level on the heat factor below)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 2 large green onions, halved length and cut into 1 inch strips
• 1 cup mushrooms (shitake work well but I used baby bellas)
• 1 1/2 cup fresh, chopped broccoli florets
• 2cups cooked rice

PREPARATION:

Mise en place has never been so important than when you are stir frying. Make sure to prep everything and have all components ready, along with necessary utensils and adequate empty plates or bowls before you heat up the wok.

Let’s talk a bit more about prep. For the beef. Make sure to trim 95% of the fat away and then slice the meat against the grain on a bias about 1/4″ thin. You can slightly chill the steak in the freezer to assist in achieving such thins slices. Cutting the veggies into small portions helps them to cook quicker and more evenly. I steamed the peppers and broccoli for about 3 minutes as part of prep, but this is optional. I like my veggies to be tender with just a snap while other prefer them to have more of a crisp.

1. Mix the cornstarch, rice wine, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a medium bowl. Add the beef strips and stir to coat. Set aside.

2. Now mix together the ketchup, chile paste, hoisin sauce and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Now pour about 2 tablespoons of canola oil into a very hot wok. Water droplets should dance, when sprinkled on to the wok. That’s when it is hot enough to add the oil.

Deal Breaker Moment.

Why? Because this beef will quickly become tough if even just slightly over cooked. It is going back into the wok after this step to finish cooking so don’t allow it to sizzle away for more than a minutes per side.

Quickly add about 1/2 of the beef and cook for about one minute then quickly flip the strips for another 45 seconds. You want the meat to still have a hint of pink in the middle. Remove to a bowl along with any reaming liquid from the wok.

4. Now add about 2 tablespoons more of the canola oil and cook the mushrooms, broccoli and peppers until tender. About 4 minutes but this is however you prefer your veggies. Now add the beef and liquid back to the wok and pour in the chile paste mixture and throw in the green onions. Stir and cook until the liquid begins to thicken, about 2 -3 minutes and remove from heat. Add a splash of soy if required. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with more green onions.

Technique and texture.

The end result should be tender strips of beef (not dry and or chewy) with fresh colorful yet tender veggies with a snap, along with a wonderfully spicy, distinctively Asian sauce. You can sub pork, chicken or shrimp for the beef. Just remember to whatever protein small enough for faster cooking.

Serves 4

Heat Factor: This gets a heat level equal to the amount of full tablespoons of the Sambal Oelek you add. 1 tablespoon equals Heat Factor 1. 4 tablespoons equals Heat Factor 4

I have seen many variations on this light but satisfying Mexican soup recipe. Some include rice, some are more stew like while others center on a veggie trio of potatoes, carrots and zucchini. My version is kind of a simplified fusion of these with the main focus being on the meatballs.

If you have never heard of Albondigas it is, as you probably have guessed, a Mexican meatball soup and by far the best meatball soup of any cuisine. (IMHO) We make rich meatballs of ground beef and pork, cotija cheese and cream soaked bread crumbs seasoned with fresh parsley and Mexican oregano. Then we sink these tender tasty bites into a silky, earthy tomato soup. Enough said.

While it is summer, and this is a warm soup, it still works because tomatoes are best during summer months. Just in case you needed an excuse to make this.

INGREDIENTS:

For the soup

• 2 – 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 Serrano pepper, stemmed and chopped (include the seeds)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (preferably Mexican)
• kosher salt

For the meatballs

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 large white onion, minced
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups of REAL breadcrumbs (see below)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese, grated
• 3 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano (Mexican if you can)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• kosher salt

PREPARATION:

For the soup

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Next add the skinned tomatoes, garlic, oregano and Serrano and sauté for another 4 – 5 minutes more. Now pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. When cool enough to handle, pour the mixture into a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and reheat. Whisks in the cream and add the salt to taste.

For the meatballs

1. Let’s start with the bread crumbs. Please don’t use the bread crumbs in the can. Buy a baguette or you favorite loaf from the bakery. Stale is good or buy it the day before you need it. If it is not stale, cut it in half lengthwise and put it in a hot oven for a few minutes, just until it dries out. Pluck out the fleshy part of the bread in small chunks until you have about 1 1/2 cups. Now throw these into a food processor to break them up unto smaller crumbs. They will not break down as small as breadcrumbs in the can but that’s ok. Place the bread crumbs in a bowl and pour in the milk and cream and allow them to soak.

2. On to the meatballs. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. In a large bowl, mix the meats, eggs, cheese, herbs, cumin and about 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix until just incorporated. You can over work ground meat by pressing and mashing causing it to be dry and tough when cooked, so only handle it as much as required. Now add the soaked bread crumbs and onions and again mix by hand just until incorporated. Form the mixture into meatballs about 2 1/2 – 3 inches in diameter and set aside.

3. You can pan sear these , then bake them until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, but today we will steam these babies first, then sear them. I learned this trick from the book Dona Tomas and it makes the meatballs crispy on the outside and tender and juicy in the inside. Bamboo steamers work great but I simply place a colander over a large soup pot of boiling water and cover. You will likely have to work in batches but steam them for 25 minutes or until they have reached internal temperature of 165°F.

4. Next heat the remaining oil in a large skillet or saucepan and gently sear the meatballs on all sides until browned and a bit crispy. Drain on paper towels. Add 2 or 3 meatballs to each bowl and ladle on the tomato soup. You can sprinkle on some more cotija if you like.

Serves 8 plus

Heat Factor

Did you know that beef jerky was one of mankind’s first inventions? No one really knows when we the people began drying and curing meats but historical reference and archaeological anthropologists findings point to a long history of humans using this method to preserve food. So step back in time with me, no not that far back in time. We are using an oven to dry the meat rather than the sun anyway, but hey you do what want.

I love jerky but I REALLY love homemade jerky. Its texture is not as tough as the jerky you buy at the store. Plus you can infuse your flavors into the jerky according to your tastes. Throw on the fact that it is a super easy set it and forget it process and now you have no reason to not try this at home. I give three of my favorite beef jerky recipes all with a hint of heat because that’s what CCF is all about anyway. I used flank steak but you can use any thing you really want, just that the flanks steak an London broils make nice sized strips. Look for a 2 – 3 pound cut of beef.

The preparation method for each is the same as follows:

1. Trim the meat of fat then slice the meat into very thin strips either with or against the grain, depending on your preference. I like to cut it against the grain. (Tip: You can put the meat in the freezer and chill it but don’t freeze it to help with the slicing it thin.)

2. Mix or puree the marinade ingredients in a food processor then marinade the beef strips in the mixture in a shallow dish in the fridge for 6 hours. No more, no less.

3. Preheat oven to 160°F. Remove the strips from the marinade and completely dry them with paper towels. No place baking racks, spray with Pam or lightly rubbed with olive oil, onto a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the strip evenly onto the racks leaving space in-between. Bake until the strips are dry but still just a little tender and not completely dried out. This could take like 5 – 7 hours or even longer.

4. Dust the finished jerky with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

TRADITIONAL BEEF JERKY  Emeril Lagasse

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

Heat Factor

SPICY ASIAN BEEF JERKY

• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons dry sherry
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1  teaspoon white pepper

Heat Factor

MEXICAN BEEF JERKY Rachel Graville of Iris Cafe - Brooklyn, New York

• 2 large jalapeños, stemmed, halved and seeded
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 quart Mexican beer, such as Corona or Tecate
• 1/2 cup soy sauce

Heat Factor

Father’s Day is just around the corner. If you want to treat your father or the father of your children to a great cookout but you just don’t know your way around the grill, then this post is for you. This is a complete, easy, great tasting grill menu that anyone can pull off. The recipes are listed in the order that you should prepare them so that everything is pretty much ready or still warm at the same time.

Hot & Sour Coleslaw

What’s a cookout without coleslaw, right? This is my go to slaw recipe when I need a super quick and easy side that goes well with all types of grilled meats. It is done in minutes but like all slaws, it will taste better if chilled for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld and the cabbage to wilt a bit.

• 4 – 6 cups shredded cabbage (shredded carrots are optional)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Creole mustard (or grain mustard)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
• kosher salt to taste

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl, and then fold in the cabbage.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Now onto the second side. These grilled sweet potatoes will take the longest of any of the other menu items, if you don’t count the marinade time of the flank steak, but still they are quick and very easy.

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cleaned 
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Start by cutting the potatoes into slices, lengthwise about 3/4 of an inch thick. Bring a large pot of water to boil and boil the potatoes until they just begin to soften up. While those boil, preheat the grill to medium low heat. Now mix the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together and brush over the potatoes. Grill the potatoes for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, or until they are soft in the middle and browned. Cover with foil to keep them warm.

Dr. Pepper® Flank Steak 

I have seen this recipe floating around the internet and since I have conjured up some pretty good ribs and chicken wings using Dr Pepper, it was only a matter of time before I gave it a try. Turns out it makes a great sweet marinade. You will have to start this the day before but again like the other recipes, it’s super easy.

• 1-1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
• 16 ounce bottle Dr. Pepper® (some stores have DP made with real sugar rather than HFCS)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled 
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried granulated garlic
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground thyme

Watch how easy this is. Mix everything together except for the flank steak. Now place the flank steak in shallow dish, pour in the mixture (make sure it covers the steak completely), cover and refrigerate over night. Take it out of the fridge and out of the marinade about 30 minutes prior to grilling so that it can get close to room temperature for even cooking.

Crank up the heat on the grill to really high heat. Grill the flank steak for only 3 – 5 minutes per side. It will be medium rare. If you cook it past medium rare it will become very tough, so don’t do it. Remove the flank steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes, no less. Now slice it across the grain and at a 45° angle. (Check the picture above)

Grilled Texas Toast

Now that everything else is done and you are letting that steak rest, it’s time to make the garlic toast.

• 1 fresh French loaf
•  1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dries parsley
• salt
• pepper

Melt the butter in a small pot and the garlic, dried parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut the French loaf in half lengthwise, like you are making a sub sandwich, and brush the butter mixture over the top. Now place the bread on the grill until it is toasty on one side, then flip and toast the other side. Watch for flair ups when the butter side is down. Cut it into smaller pieces for serving.

There you have it, a great tasting super easy cookout menu than anyone can execute. Dear old dad will be very proud.

Serves 4

You’ve heard me say it before, great hamburgers are 90% technique. That’s right, if you want to graduate from grilling ho hum ordinary hockey puck burgers to OMG Burgers, it will take practice.  We will review the key steps that make up that 90% as well as arm you with a couple of kicked up condiment and topping ideas to help take your burgers over the top.

First let’s start by talking about how the perfect burger should feel. Yes, I said feel and not how it feels in your hands but rather in you mouth. Let’s face it, most hamburgers taste good and everyone has their own opinions on how to dress them so texture is really difference between a good burger and a great burger.

Well executed, a hamburger is mostly about textures. A mild crunch followed by a cloud like softness of a quality fresh baked, then lightly grill toasted bun. The crispness of fresh green leaf lettuce. The juiciness of a thick slice of a beefsteak tomato. Then snap of red onion slices or dill pickles. A lot of textures are present in every bite but one texture is more important than all the others, the texture of the hamburger patty itself.

Yes this is the 90% we spoke of. What you want is a slightly charred crust on the outside of the patty with a soft warm pink medium rare juicy center. This my friend is not as easy as to pull off consistently as it may sound. Think about it. If you have a cookout you will want every burger you serve to be the perfect burger, not just one or two of the eight you threw on the grill.

So here we go. Follow these steps to achieve… wait for it… THE OMG BURGER!

Grind Away:

Two reasons to grind your own beef. First, it taste awesome. Second, food safety. Some grocers no longer grind their own beef but buy it from a third party that will mix beef from multiple slaughter houses to make a single product. Not that the mixed beef is tainted but your chances of dealing with a food born illness are almost nil if you hand pick a cut of beef or two and grind it yourself.

You can use a food processor by cutting the beef into small cubes, then pulsing the cubes 4 – 5 times until the beef is chopped. You don’t want to over chop it though. You can also pick a cut out and have your butcher grind it for you.

Use the Right Stuff:

You will want a cut of beef that is approximately 20% fat. This will make the patties nice and juicy. I use skirt steak with a little short rib mixed in but you can use brisket, sirloin, flank, rib-eye even hanger.

Patty Making 101:

Simple enough but keep a few things in mind. Don’t over work the meat. Mildly press it into form. If you over work it you can actually press the oils out which will mean dry burgers. Also make an impression the size of a quarter on the top of one side. This will prevent them from puffing up too much. Season both sides using salt and pepper liberally to help form the crust. IMPORTANT! Let the patties rest for about 15 minutes before grilling.

Get Your Grill On:

Heat your grill to high heat. You shouldn’t be able to keep your hand 2 inches from the grate for more than 2 or 3 seconds. That’s when you know it is hot enough. Carefully place the patties, impression side up, onto the grill. Leave enough space in between them so they can cook evenly. DO NOT press on them with a spatula or anything else. Just wait, with the grill lid open, watching for flare ups.

After a few minutes you will see the top of the burger begin to sweat and the edges will begin to draw up. Now gently attempt to slide a spatula between the grill grate the patty. If they are still pretty well stuck to the grill just back off and wait a bit longer.

You know they are ready for flipping when they are sweating on top, the edges have drawn up a bit and the grill grate releases the flesh easily. Flip them and flip them only once. Let them cook a minute or two them add your favorite cheese. Once the cheese melts, about 3 – 5 minutes, they are done. They do not need to cook as long on the flipped side. IMPORTANT! Move them to a plate and let them rest for 5 – 10 minutes, covered in foil. This will keep the juices from running out after the first bite.

Other Helpful Tips:

Use “real” fresh baked buns from a real bakery and toast them on the grill on both sides.

Kick things up by making chipotle aioli by mixing 1/2 cup mayo with 1 minced chipotle in adobo and a squeeze of lemon. Or roast a red pepper on the grill, let it cool, remove the skin, stem and seeds and puree the flesh with 1 cup of ketchup. These two condiments together on the same burger taste tremendous.

Try different cheeses. I love the tartness of Gorgonzola especially when juxtaposed to premium apple wood smoked bacon. Get creative with all the toppings just don’t add too many to a single burger. A burger bar for dressing the burgers is always a good idea.

Speaking of apple wood, soak some wood ships for 30 minutes or so and throw them over the coals before the burgers go on. Apple wood works well because it will not over power quick cooking foods like chops and burgers.

Oh and finally always serve your burgers with “real” French fries.

Well that’s all for now but by following these steps you too can churn out OMG Burgers at will and your friends and your family will love you for it. Tender, juicy burgers packed with wonderful tastes and textures. Happy grilling.

It was Albert Einstein who proved that time is relative and explained his hypothesis by telling a story about two twins. One twin travels at the speed of light into outer space while the other stays on earth and smokes a brisket. When the space twin returns everyone has passed away from old age and the brisket still isn’t done.

Time is relative so, to me, a quick beef brisket is any brisket that is cooked in less than 6 hours. Now don’t get me wrong, nothing compares to a well-executed slow smoked bbq brisket but I don’t always have 11-12 hours to kill. With this relatively quick cooking method, you can be enjoying delicious, tender bbq beef brisket in no time. Relatively.

I like to use the “flat” cut of the brisket as opposed to the “tip” or “point” cut as it is less fatty. Most meat markets only offer the flat cut anyway so even better, but the tip taste just as well if that’s all you can get your hands on. Serve it country style with Crazy Barbara’s BBQ Sauce, white bread and dill pickles.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large flat cut briskets
• 1/4 cup Ted Readers Bone Dust BBQ rub (recipe found here) or your favorite rub
• 2 cups water
• 1 bottle beer (your favorite)
• 1/2 cup Crazy Barbara’s BBQ Sauce or your favorite

PREPARATION:

Rub the brisket and allow them to rest covered at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the briskets on a rack (important) fat side up (also important) in a roaster and pour the water and beer in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour. Add more water to the bottom of the pan if needed. Then tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil and lower the temperature to 275°F. Cook for another hour. Now remove the pan from the oven, discard the foil covering the pan, and carefully wrap each brisket tightly in aluminum foil and place them back on the rack in the pan and then back into the oven. Now let them cook until they reach an internal temperature of 210°F. This will take about 2-3 hours. When done, keep them tightly wrapped in the foil and allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Slice them against the grain and chop.

Heat Factor

For the uninitiated a Po’ Boy is a traditional Louisiana sandwich, somewhat like a sub sandwich. But what makes it so different from a regular sub, grinder, hero, hoagie, wedge, zep, torpedo, bocadillo or roll? The bread. Some may argue but Po’ Boys must be made with fresh baked French bread. This alone separates this sandwich from the also ran’s.

Now a Po’ Boy can come in many flavors. Shrimp, oysters, soft shell crab or crawfish, Italian cold cuts and even sausage. All are great in there own right and will most likely be featured in upcoming post, but today we focus on the Roast Beef Po’ Boy.

In fact a Roast Beef Po’ Boy recipe that was inspired by a sandwich from a little place in the Garden District of New Orleans known as Parasols. Arguably the best Roast Beef Po’ Boy in the city and that is saying something seeing has how much folks from New Orleans love their Po’s Boys.

Nola Cuisine did the groundwork here by deconstructing the sandwich from an episode of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives where he featured Parasol’s and their signature sandwich. This is as about as close as you can get to the real thing so enjoy. But if you ever do find yourself in the Big Easy, make sure to plan a visit to Parasols and pay homage to the King of Po’ Boys.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs beef, chuck roast, bottom round, whatever
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet®
• 4 cups beef broth, reserved from boiling the beef
• 2 cups shredded lettuce (must be shredded)
• sliced tomatoes
• mayonnaise
• Creole mustard
• dill pickles, sliced
• 1 loaf French bread, cut in half lengthwise and then halved to make 2 sandwiches

PREPARATION:

1. Trim the beef of any excess fat and cut into large chunks. Place the beef into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour or so. Remove the meat and place it into the fridge, reserving the broth.

2. In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of the broth to a boil. Whisk in the flour a little bit at a time until well blended and no lumps remain. Next whisk in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, oil and Kitchen Bouquet until well blended. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook the gravy for about 20 minutes. Add more salt, and pepper if necessary.

3. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Slice the cold beef into very very thin slices and against the grain if you can. Place the beef slices in a baking pan and cover with the gravy. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the beef is so tender it just falls apart. Keep the oven on.

4. To make the Po’ Boys, line both side of the bread with mayonnaise and Creole mustard. Then pile on the beef / gravy mixture, then the lettuce, then the tomatoes (maybe a little salt and pepper) Flip the top piece of the bread on and put the whole thing into the oven for just a couple of minutes or until the bread is a bit crispy and toasty.

Serves 2

Heat Factor

This isn’t so much of a recipe as it is a technique. Inspired by Ted Reader who has several cook books featuring this method, we inject juicy rib-eye steaks with a mixture of butter and alcohol. In this case butter and Kahlua, since I still had plenty left from making the chili. But you could also use cognac or whiskey.

OK I know what you are saying to yourself right now. “But Chili, you told us to never play with our meat!” Yes poking holes in a beautifully marbled rib-eye dose run contrary to everything I know about grilling beef,  (remember I encouraged everyone to throw away the fork from your BBQ utensil set) but how else can we get this succulence into the meat. What we are doing is injecting a liquid so any loss of natural juices is offset, plus the taste is frickin amazing.

This method works even better with filet mignon primarily because the filet, while very tender, lacks a lot of the flavor of other cuts which makes it a better candidate for sauces and injections.

To make this even better be sure to soak a fist full of wood chips and toss them over the hot coals and throw on the steaks on just when they begin to smoke. Oh and of course you will need an injector which can be found at any Bed Bath & Beyond etc. type store. Happy grilling!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 rib-eye steaks (or filet mignon)
• 1/2 cup Kahlua
• 1/2 cup melted butter (clarified works best)
• 2 – 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 – 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

Preheat your grill to high heat. Throw on those wood chips so they can get to smoking. Mix the Kahlua, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce together. Inject this mixture into the steaks. Generously salt and pepper the steaks and allow them to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bringing food closer to room temperature before grilling or roasting promotes even cooking. Grill the steaks to your desired level of doness. Click here for more tips on grilling. Serve with my Blackened Potatoes from Hell.

Serves 2 (Did I really need to type that?)

Heat Factor