BBQ 101

BBQ 101

It's BBQ time so when I ran across these tips I decided to share. (From May 2012 - dashrecipes.com)

Chicken

Grill boneless, skinless breasts for 8-12 minutes on direct medium heat, covered, turning once.  Drumsticks or bone-in thighs take 36-40 minutes (6-10 minutes on direct heat, plus 30 on indirect heat).  All chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Tomatoes

Slice in half, then brush the cut sides with a little olive oil.  Grill for 6-8 minutes over direct medium heat, covered.  Grill whole tomatoes for 8-10 minutes, turning a few times.  Thread cherry tomatoes on skewers, brush with oil, and grill for 2-3 minutes turning once.

Corn on the Cob

Soak in water for 15 minutes, then remove the husk and silk, or leave the husk on (for moister corn) and remove the silk only from the tops of the ears.  Either way, grill ears over direct medium heat, covered - husked corn for 10-15 minutes and corn in the husk for 25-30 minutes.

Flank Steak

Grill a 3/4" steak weighing 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. for 8-10 minutes on direct medium heat, covered, turning once.  cook to a temperature of 145 degrees F for medium-rare, 160 degrees F for medium, or 170 degrees F for well-done.  Let steak rest 5-10 minutes before carving.  Be sure to slice very thin.

Hamburgers

Grilling time varies by thickness.  Make all of your patties the same size so you only have to check one for doneness.  In general, grill burgers for 8-10 minutes over direct high heat, covered, turning once.  All burgers should be cooked to 160 degrees F.

Peaches

Slice in half and remove the pit, then coat the cut side with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.  Grill, cut side down, over direct medium heat for 8 minutes.  Drizzle with honey before serving.  Grilled peaches will keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

Pineapple

Cut into 1/2" thick slices or 1" thick wedges, then coat with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.  Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.  Grill on direct medium heat, covered, for 4-8 minutes.  Drizzle with honey to serve.

Shrimp

Peel and devein the shrimp; you can leave the tails on or remove them.  Grill for 2-4 minutes on direct high heat, covered, turning once.  Cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp.  You want them to look opaque but not shriveled, a sign of overcooking.

Shrimp and Spaghetti

If you like shrimp this dish is one you must try.  It's simple, of course or I wouldn't be posting it, it's delicious and all of my food testers that were lucky enough to give it a try loved it.  So, check out my recipe for Shrimp and Spaghetti.

Say Yes to Shrimp!

Did you know that 8 jumbo shrimp have 13 grams of protein, with 63 calories and less than 1 gram of fat?  The calories and fat associated with shrimp and shrimp dishes actually come from the manner in which you fix it or the sauce that you serve with your shrimp.  (facts taken from Ted Rogers' Fit & Fast Food). 

This is good news to me because I love shrimp just about any way you can prepare it.  This gives me the green light to enjoy my shrimp as long as I work on a healthy dip or sauce.

How Long Can You Keep It? - Fish and Seafood

Lean Fish - Fillets/Steaks:
  Cod, Sole, Halibut, Orange Roughy, Flounder - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 6 months
Fatty Fish - Fillets/Steaks:
  Catfish, Perch, Salmon, Whitefish - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 2 - 3 months
Crab, Cooked - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 3 months
Scallops/Shrimp:
  Uncooked - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 3 - 6 months
  Cooked - refrigerate 3 - 4 days - freeze 3 months
Leftover, Cooked Seafood - refrigerate 3 - 4 days - freeze 3 - 6 months

Refrigerator - 34 - 40 degrees
Freezer - 0 degrees

Shrimp Toast

This is my version of Shrimp Toast.  I made it with pepper jack cheese to give it a little heat but you can tone down the heat by using cheddar.  These can be made up in about 5 minutes plus 15 minutes in the oven.  See the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Shrimp & Scallops Over Rice

This is a quick dish to make for seafood lovers.  The flavor of the finished product is a combination of Shrimp Scampi and Shrimp and Grits.  Changes you might add would be a little nutmeg and maybe a splash of Sherry.  Also, you can serve this over grits.  It's rich, creamy and delicious!  Find the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Potato Chip Shrimp

Remember the Potato Chip Chicken recipe?  Well, I decided to try it using shrimp.  I did eliminate the French fried onions because I didn't want to cover up the flavor of the shrimp but give it a try if you want.  These are really good!

Find the Potato Chip Chicken recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.  Follow the recipe using shrimp instead of chicken.

Dirty Rice and Shrimp

The original recipe called for regular rice, I wanted the different textures so I used the wild and long grain rice.  I also had a list of 6 different seasonings but I had just bought a jar of Zatarain's Jazz it Up Seafood so decided to try it instead.  I used 1 Tbsp. but wanted just a bit more heat so I added an extra teaspoon which is optional.  I also bought my shrimp already cooked which saved time.  All-in-all, it turned out wonderful!


Think With Your Taste Buds - Use Polish Sausage or chicken instead of the shrimp.

View the recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet

Pace Stuffed Baby Bellas

Foodbuzz's Tastemakers and Pace Picante sent me 2 free jars of Pace's Original Picante Sauce to work up a dish suitable for a Super Bowl party.  I didn't make up one but 3 that I think will tantalize the taste buds of just about anyone who loves mushrooms. 

36 Baby Bellas
1 jar (8 oz.) Pace Picante Sauce
Medium size, pre-cooked shrimp
Wheat Crackers
cracker size cuts of cheddar cheese
Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Gently wipe off your mushrooms.  Carefully, using the tip of a paring knife, cut around the stem without cutting through into the cap of the mushroom.  Pop out the stem and set aside for other dishes.  For those made without crackers, spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Place mushrooms, cap side down into each tin.  Fill each cap with Pace Picante Sauce.  Top with shrimp and sprinkle with pepper jack cheese.  For those made with crackers, line a cookie pan with foil, spray with non-stick spray.  Assemble - cracker, cheddar cheese square, mushroom cap, Pace Picante Sauce and pepper jack cheese.  Bake 15-20 minutes. 

I passed these around to some of my Food Testers.  They were a great hit!  I personally like those made with shrimp best but I love shrimp.  Those made with crackers are delicious but are 2-3 biters so you must remember the Pace Picante sauce is inside and can spill out.  But it's worth it!

Pictured - Top left - Crackers with cheddar, Pace Picante and Pepper Jack
                Top Right - No crackers with Pace Picante and Pepper Jack
                Bottom - No crackers wit Pace Picante, Shrimp and Pepper Jack

Enjoy!