Friends, customers and grilling enthusiasts,

Welcome to the July, 2007 issue of Hot Off the Grill! July 4th is next week, and we have the perfect recipes for your holiday barbecue.

Please share your recipes, stories and photos with us by emailing hotg@kalamazoogourmet.com.

Hot Off The Grill! Archive

July 2007
Inside This Issue...

Mastering the Grill Winners

Your Questions Answered

An All-New Grill from Kalamazoo

Holiday Grill Menu

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

Planked Cheddar Burgers

Cowboy Coffee Burgers

Delta Blues Burgers

Grilled Onion and Gorgonzola Coleslaw

Blackberry Lemonade Virgin and Vodka Martinis

We Want To Hear From You

About Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet

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Who Won the Five Free Copies of Mastering the Grill?

Thank you for all the first-rate grilling and barbecue questions emailed in for our book giveaway. Later in this newsletter you can read the top five questions and answers. Congratulations to our winners.

Introducing the Edo

The new grill from Kalamazoo could easily be mistaken for a modernist outdoor table, but when the top glides open, you're ready to grill with all the power and performance of a Kalamazoo.

The hand-textured top serves as ample counter space when the grill is open. Liquid propane is standard, natural gas is an option. The LP tank is hidden within the base of the grill, and a pull-out tray makes changing the tank easy. Like every Kalamazoo, a convenient cleanout system makes cleanup a breeze. Learn more on our website.

Independence Day Grill Menu

Four burgers for the fourth. Serve them all or pick your favorites. Each is sure to please your guests. We have more burger recipes on KalamazooGourmet.com, including turkey burgers and Thai tuna burgers if you're looking for lighter fare. Just search for the keyword "burgers" in our recipes section.

Also on the menu is a twist on that favorite barbecue side, coleslaw, plus Blackberry Lemonade Virgin and Vodka Martinis. We hope you enjoy your holiday barbecues.

Cheers,

Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet

Burgers Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil

My wife loves goat cheese and tomato together, and this was her suggestion when I was working on four burgers for the fourth. The melted goat cheese is a welcome surprise when you bite into these burgers.

Author:	Russ & Kate Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Servings:	4
Ingredients:	1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef sirloin
	1/2 pound raw Italian sausage removed from the casing(s)
	1/2 teaspoon salt
	4 ounces soft goat cheese
	3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
	3 fresh basil leaves, sliced
	8 slices Italian bread, frozen overnight, cut from a loaf approximately 4-5" in diameter
	4 cloves garlic
	4+ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Mix the beef, sausage and salt together. Be careful not to over-work the mixture. It can be helpful to coarsely chop the beef and sausage with a knife and then loosely toss together before mixing more thoroughly with the salt.

Divide into four equal 1/2-pound pieces. Remove about 1/5 of each half-pound portion and set the small pieces aside. Use your hands to shape each of the remaining four portions into a "flattened bowl" shape into which you can put the filling.

Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil and slice. Place 1/4 of the goat cheese into each burger, and then top with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.

Flatten each of the four small reserved pieces of burger mixture into flat disks. Place a disk on top of the filling for each burger, and then work the burger mixture closed with your fingers. Flatten the burgers further as much as possible without risking breaking the seal to the stuffing.

Remove the frozen bread slices from the freezer. The bread should be hard. Rub the garlic cloves into one side of each slice of bread. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with the olive oil.

Grill the burgers directly over a medium-high fire for about 5 minutes per side. These burgers must be fully cooked because of the sausage used in the mixture. When the burgers are nearly finished, toast the bread briefly on each side directly over the flame.

Serve the burgers on the toasted bread directly off the grill. They taste great as they are, or with the usual burger toppings.

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Plank-Grilled Cheddar Burgers

Grilling burgers on a plank is a great way to keep them moist and add a smoky flavor. The plank also holds any melting cheese and makes for a unique presentation.

Author:	Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Servings:	4
Ingredients:	2 pounds ground beef from round
	1 teaspoon ground mustard
	1 teaspoon granulated garlic
	1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground sea salt
	1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
	1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
	4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
	4 small cedar planks, soaked for 3 to 4 hours
	4 hamburger buns or rolls

Directions:

Mix the beef, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and celery seed together, being careful not to over-work the mixture. Divide into four equal parts and form into patties about 3/4" thick.

Put the cedar planks on the grill directly over a medium-high fire. Wait until the planks begin to smoke, about 2 minutes, and then turn them over. Put the burger patties on the planks and cook with the hood closed for about 10 minutes. Flip the patties over, putting them back onto the same side of the planks. Close the hood for 5 minutes, and then add the cheddar cheese on top of the burgers. Close the hood and continue cooking to the desired doneness, about 5 minutes more.

Lightly toast the hamburger buns during the last couple of minutes.

Serve on the planks or on the buns with the usual condiments and garnishes.

NOTE: For more information on plank grilling, visit the techniques page of www.kalamazoogourmet.com.

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Cowboy Coffee Burgers

My favorite Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Grilling Rub is the ZaZa Barbecue Rub with organic Oaxacan coffee. That's where the idea to put coffle in these burgers came from. The name? Cowboys sitting around a campfire drinking coffee out of a tin cup. Why not? The coffee and coriander flavors in these burgers really shine through.

Author:	Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Servings:	4
Ingredients:	2 pounds ground beef from round
	1 teaspoon finely ground coffee
	1 teaspoon ground coriander
	1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
	1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
	1/4 teaspoon sea salt
	4 hamburger buns or rolls

Directions:

Combine the coffee, coriander, sugar, paprika and salt in a small dish. Mix together with the ground beef, being careful not to over-work the mixture. Divide into four equal parts and form into patties about 3/4" thick.

Grill directly over a medium-high fire, turning once, until cooked to the desired doneness—about 4 minutes per side for medium.

Lightly toast the hamburger buns during the last couple of minutes.

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Delta Blues Burgers

If you've tried the Big Bold Blue Barbecue Burgers recipe from our website, then you might not be surprised that this is my favorite burger from "Four Burgers for the Fourth." I think the combination of grilled red onions and blue cheese is a real winner. If you agree, then you'll probably like these Delta Blues Burgers, and you'll love the Grilled Onion and Gorgonzola Coleslaw.

Author:	Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Servings:	4
Ingredients:	1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef sirloin
	1/2 pound raw andouille sausage removed from the casing(s)
	2 medium slices red onion
	1/2 teaspoon coarse ground sea salt
	1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
	Cajun blackening spices (optional)
	4 slices blue cheese
	4 ciabatta rolls

Directions:

Grill the onion slices directly over a medium-high fire until well-marked and softened, about 5 minutes per side (NOTE: If you are making the Grilled Onion and Gorgonzola Coleslaw, grill all the onions at the same time). Once cool enough to handle, chop the onions.

Mix together the ground beef, sausage, onion, salt and pepper, being careful not to over-work the mixture. It can be helpful to coarsely chop the beef and sausage with a knife and then loosely toss together before mixing in the other ingredients. Divide into four equal parts and form into patties about 1/2" thick. For more of a flavor kick than the andouille provides alone, you can optionally coat the patties with cajun blackening spices.

Grill the burgers directly over a medium-high fire until fully cooked, turning once, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Because of the sausage, these burgers must be cooked to well-done. During the final two minutes of cooking, top each burger with a slice of blue cheese and lightly toast the ciabatta on the grill.

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Grilled Onion and Gorgonzola Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a favorite side at barbecues across America, so I've come up with this creation for the 4th of July. The grilled red onions, gorgonzola cheese and balsamic vinegar work very well together to set this coleslaw apart.

Author:	Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Servings:	8
Ingredients:	2 red onions
	4 cups shredded red cabbage
	4 cups shredded green cabbage
	2 cups shredded carrots
	2 fresno chiles, seeded and finely chopped
	1/4 cup golden balsamic vinegar
	1/4 cup turbinado sugar
	2 teaspoons fine sea salt
	1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
	2/3 cup mayonnaise
	1/4 cup sour cream
	2 tablespoons whole grain prepared mustard
	6 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Directions:

Slice the onions to about 1/2" thick. Grill the onion slices directly over a medium-high fire until well-marked and softened, about 5 minutes per side, turning once (NOTE: If you are making the Delta Blues Burgers, grill all the onions at the same time). Once cool enough to handle, chop the onions.

Combine the onions, cabbage, carrots and chiles in a large, non-reactive bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt, and then stir until dissolved. Stir the vinegar mixture into the cabbage mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and cheese, and then mix into the slaw. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 4 hours before serving.

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Blackberry Lemonade Virgin and Vodka Martinis

The base for these martinis can be used for very refreshing virgin martinis as well as vodka martinis. Instructions are included for both. The blackberry lemonade also works well with rum or tequila. I suggest you experiment carelessly and enjoy responsibly.

Blackberry Lemonade Base Mixture

Author:	Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Yields:	5 to 6 cups
Ingredients:	12 ounces fresh blackberries
	15 lemons
	2 cups raw blue agave nectar
Directions: Press the blackberries through a mesh strainer over a bowl. Use your hands or a large spoon to continue pressing the juice out of the berries until you have about 1 cup of fresh blackberry juice. The juice will be rather thick, but should be free of seeds. Use a lemon squeezer to juice the lemons. The lemons should yield about 2 1/2 cups of juice. Stir together the blackberry juice, lemon juice and 1 cup of blue agave nectar. Combine a small amount (about an ounce) of the Blackberry Lemonade Base with an equal amount of cold water to taste test. Add more blue agave nectar as needed to adjust the sweetness. I use two cups.

Virgin Blackberry Lemonade Martinis

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker half-way with ice. Add the Blackberry Lemonade Base and water. Shake vigorously for one minute, and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a blackberry or slice of lemon.

Blackberry Lemonade Vodka Martinis

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker half-way with ice. Add the Blackberry Lemonade Base, vodka, Grand Marnier and water. Shake vigorously for one minute, and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a blackberry or slice of lemon.

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Mastering the Grill Winners In last month's issue of Hot Off The Grill! we announced a giveaway of five free copies of the outstanding cookbook, Mastering the Grill. To win, Hot Off The Grill! readers submitted their grilling questions. The response was great. David Joachim and Andrew Schloss, authors of Mastering the Grill, and yours truly (Russ Faulk) answered all the questions received, and David and Andrew selected the five "best" questions. Here are the winners...

Frank V.

Question: Can Pinon Wood be used to smoke & grill meats?

Answer: The short answer is no. We recommend using hardwoods for cooking. Pinon is a pine tree and like other softwood conifers, it has a fairly high resin content. When the resin burns, it produces a strong smoke that can leave an unpleasant, acrid taste in food. The good news: even though the taste is unpleasant, the smell is wonderful. Pinon smoke has a pine-fresh, balsamic aroma that smells great wafting from fireplaces, fire pits, and campfires. And it helps to repel insects like mosquitoes. We recommend using pinon wood for fires but not for cooking.

Gil G.

Question: We have heard a lot about brines lately. Can you please address the following question - What are brines, what is the best way to brine meats/poultry, which meats/poultry are best to brine for grilling, and when grilling brined meats/poultry do you need to do anything different?

Answer: The intense heat of a grill tends to dry out food, especially delicate meats, like poultry, pork and seafood. Soaking these ingredients in a medium strength brine (about 1 tablespoon kosher salt dissolved in 1 cup liquid) for as little as 1 hour can increase the internal moisture in a meat by 10%.

Considering that most meats lose about 20% of their moisture during grilling, using a brine can cut those losses by half. The following gives you approximate brining time for common meats. Always use brines under refrigeration. Once removed from the brine, the cooking remains the same.

Bruce T.

Question: How does one prepare a steak like the one in the cover photo of Mastering the Grill (read~perfection!), meaning "charred/crispy" on the outside and succulent on the inside every time? Appears to be rare to medium?  Thanks!!   

Answer: Tips for the perfect grilled steak:

1. Let the steak rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. Warm meat sears better than cold meat.
2. Pat dry all surfaces of the steak before cooking. Dry surfaces sear better than wet surfaces. Coat the steak with a dry rub to absorb more moisture.
3. For cross-hatch marks, thoroughly preheat the grill on high heat. Look at your grill like a clock and point one corner of the steak at 10 o'clock. Sear until grill-marked (3-5 minutes), then turn the steak so it points to 2 o'clock. Sear again until grill-marked, then flip the steak over and repeat on the other side.
4. Sear both sides of the steak over high heat, then move to medium heat to finish cooking. This sear-and-move technique gives you a crisp crust and a juicy interior without burning.
5. Use an instant-read thermometer to test doneness. Stick it in through the side: 125ºF is rare; 135º is medium-rare; 145º is medium; 155º is medium-well; 170º is a hockey puck. If you don't have a thermometer, nick the meat with a knife and peek inside. Serve the nicked side down.  
6. Let the steak rest off the heat for 5 minutes before cutting. Resting allows the juices to redistribute through the meat so it tastes juicier. If you cut into a red-hot steak, the juices will dribble out onto the plate instead of into your mouth.
7. If possible, grill over charcoal or wood, which burn hotter and drier than gas and give your steak a better crust.

Bernard H.

Question: What is the best way to grill octopus to give it flavor and what size octopus are best to use.

Answer: That is a tough question indeed… mostly because octopus can easily become quite tough. I personally enjoy raw octopus at sushi restaurants. Try it at a few different places and you will likely soon experience a wide range of chewy versus tender pieces. With this much variability and the difficulty of sourcing good, fresh octopus, the grill becomes a rather small and simple variable. Cook it quickly over a very hot flame. As soon as it is the slightest bit firm, it is cooked. Try to use thin slices from larger octopus legs for the best results and be sure not to overcook them. As far as flavor, you can use preparations from Italy, Greece or Japan as good inspiration. I personally like the flavor of sesame and soy sauce with octopus.

Tom N.

Question: I read in the June issue of Saveur (the steak issue) that the steaks at Gene & Georgetti's in Chicago are cooked under an 800 degree broiler (without any seasoning, by the way). What is the difference between cooking a steak under that kind of heat in a broiler versus over it on a grill? 

Answer: If a cut of steak is cooked under a broiler or over a grill flame at exactly the same temperature, the rate of heat transfer will be greater using the grill. This is both because heat rises and because the grill grate itself transfers heat much more quickly than air. A 2-inch thick steak may be cooked under a broiler to medium rare at 800 degrees without necessarily over-charring the outside. On a grill, however, the same steak should be seared on both sides at 800 degrees, but should coast to temperature over a cooler part of the grill if you desire medium-rare without completely burning the outside.

Congratulations to all our winners, and thank you to all of our readers who submitted questions.

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We Want to Hear from You

As we continue our efforts to help you maximize the joy and satisfaction of your outdoor grilling and entertaining experience, we would love to know what you think:

• Share with us your favorite grilling recipes or outdoor gourmet entertaining tips.
• Provide us with pictures of your grill or grill setting.
• Tell us what you like most about your Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet product.
• Tell us which product features you would like to see added to or improved on our products.
• Let us know if there are any services Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet should offer.

Feel free to drop us a line at hotg@kalamazoogourmet.com with your thoughts on any of the above, or just to say hello.

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