EDF Cooking Contest--Grilling Challenge

[Mermade]

BBQ Chicken



Cut up a chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with rub. (I don't remember what I put in the rub. I make large quantities and put it in a shaker. If I were to guess it probably has kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sometimes I put a bit of allspice/cinnamon in there sometimes a touch of oregano. Anyway, add the rub and let sit until the coals are ready. (You could rub and put in a large plastic bag press the air out and refrigerate for a few hours for the chicken to absorb more of the flavors, but I never think to do this ahead. Mostly because I cook by poking my head in the fridge around dinner time and deciding what I'm going to do then.)

I cooked the chicken directly over the coals, then I coated the chicken in sauce both sides in turn while they are over direct heat. I like to get the sugars in the sauce to do that flavorful deliciousness that happens when its exposed to the flame. I moved the chicken off the coals and gave it a bit more time.

Sauce was just on the fly--I tossed a bunch of jalapeno and hungarian wax peppers from the garden with a small chopped onion and sauteed with a little butter until approaching tender. Then, I added granny smith apples. I'm experimenting with apples since El Sapo turned me onto it.
I added organic tomato paste and bit of ketchup, I added some red wine vinegar, but then wanted more sweetness and also added some white balsalmic vinegar (it's lighted than typical balsalmic, I think, but has the characteristic sweetness), I accidentally added too much vinegar and added some apple juice to counter the acidity with some additional sweetness. To this I added cumin and a little chili pepper, generous salt and fresh black pepper. Actually, I thought this was going to be a little average. I thought the sauce was a little confused in its conception and still had a bit too much acidity. It worked amazingly well though. I was really pleased. It absorbed into the chicken and gave it great flavor. The sugars really came through and did their little miracle. Yummy.

I know edamame isn't the most obvious of sides, but it was what was in the fridge. It was well seasoned and its salty beaniness was actually good with the chicken. There were also cucumbers and a variety of cherry tomatoes from the garden.

[ElSapo]

NY Strip, roasted red pepper sauce, mashed potatoes with smoked farmers cheese.

For the sauce: grilled three red peppers, removed the skin, diced them and sauteed with a little olive oil, garlic, chicken stock, tequila, cumin and chili powder. Then ran it all through the blender until it was pureed, added a touch of honey.

Steak is seasoned simply, grilled and then sliced.

Potatoes are made with garlic and a smoked "farmers cheese" from a local creamery. The smoke fflavor makes the cheese a little overwhelming to eat on its own, but it works great in dishes. I molded the mashed potatoes, and then stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes for color.

I need bigger plates.

I can post photos from the process but it was relatively simple.

[Mermade]

<font color="brown"> El Sapo--Grilled Corn and Thick-cut Pork Chops </font>



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<font color="brown"> Brett Weir--Tenderloin with Grilled Asparagus and Grilled Onion-cheddar Polenta </font>




<font color="brown"> ElSapo--Beef Ribs with Apple-Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Sweet Chutney and Chili-Mashed Potatoes</font>




<font color="brown"> Mermade--Grilled Herbed Chicken Thighs and Corn on the Cob</font>



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<font color="brown"> Jingleheimer--Eggs and Sausage</font>




<font color="brown"> Mermade--Brats</font>




<font color="brown"> Mermade and Jingleheimer--Spit-grilled Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Baby Pears, Fire-Roasted Potatoes w/ Red Grapes</font>




<font color="brown"> Mermade--Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Broccoli </font>




<font color="brown"> ElSapo--Grilled Stuffed Chicken breast With Brown Rice and a Roasted Zucchini Soup </font>




<font color="brown"> Mermade--Grilled Endive Salad with Quail Egg </font>




<font color="brown"> slamdunkpro--Pulled Pork </font>




<font color="brown"> Pappa Perry--Pulled Pork </font>




<font color="brown"> SamIAm--Fajitas </font>




<font color="brown"> SamIAm--Grilled Fruit &amp; Scones with Honey-Whiskey Custard </font>




<font color="brown"> ElSapo--Arepas de Puerco </font>




<font color="brown"> milliondollaz--Steak and Asparagus with Tomato </font>




<font color="brown"> million dollaz--Steak and Veggie </font>




<font color="brown"> milliondollaz and his girl--Steak, Zucchini/Squash, Onion, and Fingerling Potato </font>




<font color="brown"> milliondollaz--Steak and Onion </font>



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<font color="brown"> Mermade--BBQ Chicken </font>




<font color="brown"> El Sapo--NY Strip, roasted red pepper sauce, mashed potatoes with smoked farmers cheese </font>



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edited to add brats and eggs/sausage for complete summary. I won't add them to the poll though, since it's just brats and eggs.

[Mermade]

I've got to run and do something quick, poll will go up in about an hour...

[ElSapo]

Just scrolled through the entries while I sit here eating some cereal my girlfriend bought that seems to be largely made of twigs and bark.

Cereal now seems even less satisfying that it did before.

[Mermade]

Here's the poll. Please base your vote on grilling technique, creativity, execution, and presentation. If you are not familiar with this thread, it is recommended to go back and read the posts. There you will find additional photos, recipes, and commentary that will make your vote more informed. Pick your top three entries.

[Mermade]

Just some comments about the poll...We discussed having different divisions (amateur and more experienced cooks). I hope to do that next month or whenever we get more entrants with varying skill levels. This month that would have kept almost everything the same, but put all of milliondollaz (self-categorized amateur) entries up against each other, which seemed a little silly. The only thing I hesitated with was the idea of putting ElSapo and my stuffed chicken breasts and Pappa Perry and slamdunkpro's pulled pork up head to head. If anyone is interested, we can still do that as a bonus.

[BK_]

Excellent job all. I enjoyed this challenge a bunch even though I couldn't get my hands on a grill.

[Mermade]

BTW, I'd like to start the next competition right away. So far, it's pumpkin with a vote of 2 to 1 against apple. BK, I'll give you a few more hours to lobby other voters for the pro-apple side. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Go pumpkin!

[ElSapo]

I liked the open nature of this, and it especially worked great with the general "grilling" theme, but I wonder if it doesn't make sense to add a little more of OOT's structure back in. I always liked idea that people had to make two parts to a complete entry/dish ...