Know Your Fire

Join me several times weekly on CreateTV + plus check local PBS listings

Be very careful saying BBQwhen you should be saying grilling - especially in BBQ country.

BBQ: It's a science of cooking protein by indirect heat, with dedication. I emphasize the word dedication because there is NO speedy way to BBQ. Two words, low and slow. I spent many years teaching the art of heat and fire, and in this case Q. There really is so much to learn and each Q occasion is always an unique experience with many factors; like air temperature, humidity, moisture, wind, etc. One of the best ways to Know Your Fire is to experience it first hand. It's one of those things you intrinsically feel and only come to understand when you are in the fire pit - so to speak. I tip my hat to all pitmasters. 

Grilling: This is the way most people will cook with their backyard grill; grilling proteins such as burgers, steak, chicken, seafood, as well as veggies. This is the use of direct heat cooking at a higher temperature for shorter cooking times over the fire. Again, practice makes perfect, so there's no time like the present to learn or expand your current grilling skills. 

Every Friday I will dedicate Daily FOOD posts to Know Your Fire Fridays; which happens to be the title of my fourth book and fourth PBS TV series. So whether you are a weekend griller or well seasoned in Q - I will be glad to share my tips and tricks with you right here.

This week let's start off with my Bourbon Sauce. I dedicate this recipe to my friends in Kentucky; the inspiration for this recipe. I've used this as a great finishing sauce for most proteins; including beef, pork and chicken.

Hope you have a great weekend! 

Bourbon Sauce

Makes 5 cups

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 cup Dijon Mustard

1 cup steak sauce

1 cup bourbon 

1 cup honey

1 cup ketchup

1 Tablespoon orange zests

Juice of one lemon

Juice of one orange

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients; simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. Serve with ribs, steak, or grilled meats.

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Double Grilled Comfort

enjoy GHL six times weekly T,W,TH & F on Create TV

Comfort foods never go out of style. Stuffed baked potatoes are an ideal accompaniment from todays show with meatloaf and pan gravy. Prepared traditionally in an indoor oven or max the flavor on the grill. Either way is a comfort winner.

George’s Grilled-N-Stuffed Potatoes

Makes Four Servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

6 large Idaho potatoes, scrubbed

¼ cup virgin olive oil

sea salt

½ cup chicken broth

8 cloves caramelized garlic

2 egg yolks

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 Tablespoons chives

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Pre heat grill or oven to high or 400 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes with a fork, rub outside of potatoes with oil, sprinkle with salt and place on a hot grill. Bake for 45-minutes to one hour, turning every ten minutes. Remove potatoes from grill when they are fully cooked. With a small paring knife, test by piercing through skin, when knife slips out easily they are done. Cool potatoes slightly.

Hollow out potatoes by cutting around the top edge on an angle lengthwise, using caution not to cut through the bottom skin of potato. With a large spoon hollow out the inside of the potato, saving pulp in a separate bowl.

Mash potato pulp with a fork and add caramelized garlic, broth, egg yolks, 1 ¾ cup cheese, chives, hot sauce, and back pepper. Blend all ingredients well and stuff back into four of the hollowed out potato skins, slightly mounding filling over the top. Top potato with remaining cheese and drizzle with a little olive oil. 

Place potatoes back on a hot grill on the top rack and heat until potatoes are hot. 

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for Gameday, Grilled Schweinefilet Sandwich

enjoy GHL six times weekly beginning Tuesday Feb 2nd on Create TV

Gameday, just wouldn't be the same without some slow cooked version of pork; however here's a quick version if you don't have the time.

Grilled Schweinefilet Sandwich

Makes four Sandwiches 

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Adapted from Adventures in Grilling cookbook

1 1/2 pounds pork loin cutlets, trimmed

Juice of two lemons

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons ketchup

6 cloves caramelized garlic

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon each: chili powder, dried rosemary, dried thyme, sea salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Place the cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound thin with a meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy skillet. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, ketchup, caramelized garlic, paprika, chili powder, rosemary, thyme, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Add the pork cutlets and refrigerate for one hour, turning the meat occasionally.

Pre heat the grill to high. 

Remove the meat from the marinade and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, basting occasionally with the remaining marinade. Remove meat from the grill and allow meat to rest 2-3 minutes. Serve on favorite breads such as ciabatta, kaiser roll, baguette,  focaccia, or sliders.

Optional Fillings for Sandwich: Grilled peppers, sliced tomatoes, pickles, arugula, micro-greens, or  Top with Dill Sauce or favorite dressing.

Optional Side: Savory Slaw Recipe

For the Dill Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard, juice from one fresh lemon, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, 1 Tablespoon caper, 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, and fresh ground black pepper.

TIP: Pork can be safely cooked to medium rare at a final internal temperature of 145 degrees F, as measured by a food thermometer, followed by a three minute rest time. NOTE: Ground pork, like all ground meats, should be cooked to 160 degrees F.

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Gameday Ribs

Tune-in GHL 7:30AM + 1:30PM Tuesdays and Thursdays on Create TV

The most important ingredient in cooking champion ribs is time. Ribs cooked slowly with a dry rub = Q heaven! But, don't forget to add a little moisture; by misting or brushing with water, or better yet my secret, with apple juice. Over the years, I’ve offered several ways to cook ribs in my books. Caution - speedy versions that cook at temperatures hotter than 225 degrees just boils the flavorful juice out of the ribs, basically dry bones. The bottom line, great ribs cannot be prepared in a hurry. Good practice of patience. 

Pork Rib Rub

recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 1/2 cup

1/4 cup paprika

2 Tablespoons each dry thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, brown sugar, cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

In a small bowl combine all ingredients. 

…….……………………...…………….

Ribs with Pork Dry Rub

Makes four servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 slab of St. Louis Style meaty pork ribs, with 14 ribs, about 3 1/2 pounds

1 recipe pork rib rub

2 cups apple juice

3 cups pork ribs wet sticky sauce, see sauce recipe.

Coat the entire rack of ribs with pork rib rub, wrap ribs tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Pre heat a grill to low temperature (approximately 225-250 degrees F). Place ribs meat side up on grill and cook for 2-3 hours. The lower temperature keeps the meat from drying out and becoming tough. After 2 hours begin to baste or spray the ribs with apple juice. The juice keeps the meat moist and from becoming dry during the long cooking.

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Grill Skewers

Tune-in GHL Tuesdays and Thursdays on Create TV beginning July 14th

Forty years ago people were afraid to enter the water at the beach... the movie Jaws has had an everlasting effect since. But I say - no worries, just skewer and marinate. Today, I'll opt for grilling swordfish which is ideal when topped with a highly seasoned marinade for flavoring, not tenderizing. The fish is marinated for under 30 minutes making for a quick fix from kitchen to grill.  

Have a great weekend!

Use this vinaigrette as a marinade for vegetables, meats, or seafood and as a basic vinaigrette for salad greens.

Chef George's Grilling Vinaigrette

makes about 1 cup | from  George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook

 chefgeorgehirsch.com

1/2 cup tomato or vegetable juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon horseradish

2 Tablespoons pitted green olives, chopped

4 cloves Caramelized Garlic

1 green onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Fresh ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients until well blended. Cover and alow the vinaigrette to sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.

Swordfish Skewers

makes 4 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/4 pounds *swordfish, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 green pepper, cut into 2 inch cubes

1 red pepper, cut into 2 inch cubes

1 sweet onion, cut into 2 inch cubes

1 lemon, cut in quarters

1 lime, cut in quarters

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Arrange the swordfish, peppers, onion, wedges of lemon and limes on skewers. Pour Grilling Vinaigrette and olive oil over skewers; marinate for 30 minutes, in the refrigerator.

Preheat the grill. Grill for 2 or 3 minutes on each side on high. Baste with the marinade, then cook over a lower temperature for several minutes until done.

*Optional: use mako, jumbo shrimp or sea scallops. And chicken.

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