Nothing says summer like wiping the sweat, dripping off your forehead as you stand over a pit or grill. Then there are the endless amounts of carnivorously delicious smoke as steaks, burgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken and more barbecue their way to perfection. It is one of the most flavorful times of year!
Last month, I talked about food trends for summer. One focused on Weber’s latest innovation, a new pellet grill/smoker hybrid called the Searwood 600 Pellet Grill for $899.00 at (weber.com). I received a lot of emails about this story and wanted to follow up on some things, specifically around barbecue.
Backyard barbecuing is as American as Apple Pie. I spent many a summer weekend at my family’s country house learning how to barbecue from my Dad. By the time I was ten, I was grilling steaks to medium rare perfection, slathering ribs with homemade sauces and more. For me, who is fortunate enough to still have my father with us, those memories are some of my all-time favorites. But there are some key learnings I gleamed from my own almost 40 years of grilling that I wanted to pass along to our readers:
1 Not everyone is a pit master: There is nothing wrong with being a “weekend warrior”. As you spend more time over the grill, you will get better. As long as you approach barbecuing with an understanding of the grilling process, with safety in mind, you will still put out some delicious food! If you want to try new cuts of meat, or new sauces/rubs or even a new cooking method, go for it! But remember to try these new efforts on a small scale. After all, with today’s food prices you want to be careful!
2 Always cook more food than you need: Trust me on this one. I will typically barbecue 1.5 times what we are going to eat for a meal so we have leftovers. This way you can continue to enjoy that yummy barbecue char for the first couple of days of the workweek (and, to be honest, it also makes it a lot easier when planning quick meals during the week).
3 Vegetables and plant-based proteins are not your enemy: At one point in my life you couldn’t have paid me to put vegetables (other than the standard onions, corn, peppers, etc) on a grill. Same holds true for tofu/soy. That has all changed with age as I always include seasonal vegetables now, and even tofu on occasion
4 The Butcher: I cannot stress this enough…the quality and cut of meat is vital. Yes, you can buy wholesale amounts of ground beef for burgers. They will be okay, not great. That’s where the local butcher comes in. No, I don’t mean the guy behind the meat counter at Gristedes or D’Agostino’s. I mean a real local butcher who knows where their meats came from. In Manhattan, I will always recommend Esposito’s at 500 Ninth Avenue. It is a multi-generation family business I have been going to my entire life. Robert Esposito is the current owner, learning his craft from his Dad and Uncle. Brilliant guy who knows his cuts like no other! And if you don’t live near Esposito’s, there are plenty of other amazing services that deliver deliciousness. I love Wild Fork Foods (wildforkfoods.com) as they have SO much variety to choose from, especially around major holidays like Fourth of July. They also have some unique cuts of Bison and more! I am fairly new to Wild Fork, but I like them more and more each day! Lastly, I have known the folks over at DeBragga Meats (debragga.com) for a VERY long time. The owner’s wife is a lifelong friend of my mother’s and I have worked with them a handful of times. Brilliant company on every level. DeBragga Meats services the top restaurants and steakhouses in the tri-state area, so you know their product is top shelf. You are paying for serious quality and generations of experience. Worth every penny!
DESSERT
Who doesn’t love a deep, rich, velvety smooth chocolate cake? Moreover, who doesn’t love Bailey’s Irish Cream? I love both so I decided to combine them. OMG…this is a dessert that is THE definition of sinful. Enjoy at your own risk!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
· 2 cups granulated sugar
· 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
· 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 2 large eggs
· 1 cup buttermilk
· 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 1 cup boiling water
Irish Cream Buttercream
· 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
· 4 cups powdered sugar
· 1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream
· 2 tsp vanilla extract
· 2-3 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 375°F. Grease two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. I like to cut a round piece of wax or parchment paper for the bottom of the pan also, to make sure the cake comes out easily.
For the Cakev
· Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
· Bake for 25 - 35 minutes (depending on your cake pan size. The 9’’ pan takes less time to bake) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
For the Irish Cream Buttercream
· In a large bowl, beat softened butter until creamy.
· Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined.
· Add Baileys Irish Cream and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until fluffy.
If needed, add heavy cream to reach desired consistency. Frost the cooled cakes with Baileys buttercream frosting.
Bon appetit!