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Grilled Flank Steak

September 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Grilled Flank Steak

Grilled Flank Steak

Grilled Flank Steak

If you want a great piece of steak, but don’t want to spend big bucks, give flank steak a try. If cooked properly, it can be extremely tender and flavorful.

Grilled Flank Steak

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Flank Steak

¼ cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a metal bowl, and whisk until fully incorporated.

Add the flank steak, and cover. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least two hours.

Remove meat from the fridge, and let it come to room temperature.

Place on a 400 degree grill, and cook for 5 minutes a side, turning once.

Let the meat stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

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Smokey Bones, Pittsburgh

November 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Smokey bones, Pittsburgh

I had the pleasure of attending a friend’s wedding this weekend- it was one heck of a party. The bride and groom were happy, the music was hoppin’, and the guests were ready to eat after an hour of drinking and socializing. My girlfriend and I sat at the head table (not sure how we managed that) and began asking the happy couple questions… How many people are coming? Where did you hire the bartenders? Who’s doing the food? To the last question, the bride answered, “Smokey Bones.” I had heard of this restaurant in passing, but hadn’t actually eaten there before.

Dinner was being served buffet style, and we were ready to eat. As we watched the plates of food pass by, our eyes grew larger and larger, our stomachs growled, and the sweet scents of barbecue permeated our senses. Finally it was our turn; we took our place in line, and began placing mounds of fresh barbecue on our plates. There were many dishes to choose from- a nice mixed greens salad, barbecued chicken, pulled pork, braised brisket, corn, beans, garlic bread, and two different BBQ sauces.

I tried the pulled pork first; it was amazing. The meat was succulent, a little smoky, and extremely tender. As I chewed the slowly cooked meat I looked over at the groom and bride- they were equally amazed at the juiciness of the meat. Glancing around the room, I noticed the same look on the other guest’s faces- complete food ecstasy. I grabbed a pork rib next; it too was soft. The meat had been cooked so thoroughly and slowly that the bone had even started to become soft. The brisket was next; it was sliced paper thin, and loaded with tang and zest. The meat from the flat cut of meat was soft and sweet; my taste buds welcomed each piece with enthusiasm.

I have to admit, I probably never would have considered stopping into Smokey Bones for dinner. Now, I’m going to make sure to make plans to go enjoy some more of that authentic, delicious barbecue!

Congratulations Lisa and Billy!

Chef Chuck Kerber

Smokey Bones BBQ & Grill
www.smokeybones.com
6050 Robinson Center
Robinson Township, PA 15205
(412) 788-0123

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Smokey Bones Barbecue & Grill on Urbanspoon

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches

November 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Pulled pork sandwiches are delicious, and very easy to make. The beauty of these sandwiches is that they are full of flavor, tender, and fun to eat! Here is an easy recipe for you to try:

Pulled Pork Sandwiches:

Ingredients:

4- 6 pounds of pork shoulder, bone-in

1 large onion

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 peeled and chopped carrots

1 quart of barbecue sauce

1-2 quarts of chicken stock

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Place the pork shoulder on a clean surface. Massage the pork with the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place a large sauté pan on the stove over high heat. Place the pork in the hot sauté pan, and sear on all sides until golden brown. Remove the pork from the pan, and place in a roasting pan. Put the carrots, celery, and onions in the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Place the chicken stock in the pan to de-glaze, and pour the liquid and vegetables over the pork in the roasting pan. At this point the pork should be covered ¾ of the way with fluid for proper braising. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil, and place in the 325 degree oven for 4 to 6 hours, or until the pork falls off the bone. Place the cooked pork on a cookie sheet, or other flat surface and let cool slightly.

Heat the barbecue sauce in a small sauce pan over low heat.

When the pork is slightly cooled, begin removing the fat and bones from the meat. Shred the pork in a bowl, then add the warmed barbecue sauce. Mix the pork and barbecue until full incorporated.

Place the pork on a crusty bun, and enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Chef Chuck Kerber

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Filed Under: Recipe of the Day Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Secrets to Making Great Barbecued Ribs

March 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Secrets to Great Barbecued Ribs

Ribs aren’t always easy to make.  If you’ve ever been to a dinner party, and bitten into a gristly, tough rib, you know what I mean.  Everyone swears they have the secret to good ribs.  My neighbor swears that if you boil your ribs before grilling them, they become tender and soft.  The only problem is, all the good flavor from the ribs is going to be left behind in that pot of water.  I met another woman who sprinkled her ribs with lemon Kool Aid; her ribs were excellent!  So, if you’re looking for some ideas for great pork, baby-back ribs, give this a try.

First, take a trip to your local grocery store.  Ask your butcher to see his/her pork rib selection.  The ribs you purchase should be lean, but not so lean that there isn’t any fat.  The ribs should also red, and have a healthy appearance.  Obviously, they shouldn’t have any odor.   Remove the ribs from their wrapping, and lay them on a cutting board.  Coat the ribs with a small amount of olive oil.  Next, season the entire rack of ribs with a generous amount of salt and pepper.  Place the ribs in an oiled metal baking dish.  Next, take two or three lemons and squeeze the juice from the fruit over the ribs.  Carefully seal the ribs in the baking dish with aluminum foil.  Place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, and bake for three hours.  Remove the ribs from the oven, and let cool slightly.  Prepare, and light your grill.  Place the ribs on a 350 degree grill, and cook for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.  Do not put barbecue sauce on until the last two minutes of cooking, or the ribs will burn.  Remove the ribs from the grill, and add additional barbecue sauce if desired.

Happy Cooking!

Chef Chuck Kerber

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

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Getting Ready to Grill

March 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Getting Ready to Grill

The weather has finally broken- no more snow (hopefully), and the sunshine is on its way.  It’s also time to dust of the grill, take the cover off, and get it ready for some cooking! There are a few things that need to be done before that first steak, or piece of chicken is cooked.

The Grill:

The cooking surface needs to be cleaned first.  Light your grill (charcoal or gas) and let it heat up for 30 minutes.  When the surface is truly hot, it turns gray.  Take a wire brush to the grill and clean the surface until there are no pieces of grit, and the face of the grill is clean.  Next, dip a rag in some oil (vegetable or olive oil) and coat the grill.  Let the grill cool for a few hours, then remove any soot, or expired charcoals from the shell of the grill.  At this point, you can even wash the grill out with a hose to make sure it is completely clean, just make sure it’s completely cool, or the cold water will crack some of the grilling components.

Cooking on the Grill:

Light your grill.  If you’re using a charcoal grill, add a small amount of charcoal fluid- using too much fluid will make the food taste bad, so be careful.  If you’re using a gas grill, simply light it with an extended match, or lighter.  Make sure to light your gas grill right after you turn the gas on.  If the gas stays on too long, you risk igniting a pool of gas and causing an explosion.  Light your charcoal.  Make sure that the vents under the grill are open, charcoal needs oxygen to breathe.  The charcoal should cook for 20-30 minutes, or until it becomes gray.  If there are portions of black on the briquettes, it’s not ready.  If you’re using a gas grill, ignite the flame, and let it heat up for approximately 20 minutes.  If you have an external temperature gauge, it should read between 350 and 400 degrees.  If your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, one can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowe’s.  Now that the grill is prepared, and pre-heated properly, you’re ready to begin cooking.

Meat, Fish, and Vegetable Preparation:

If you’re cooking a piece of meat or fish, take it out 30 minutes prior to cooking.  It’s never a good idea to place cold meat on a hot grill; it can seize up and can become tough while cooking.  Coat the meat with a small amount of olive oil, the season with salt and pepper.  Next, season the grill.  Take a small rag, dip it in oil, and coat the surface of the grill.  Take your seasoned meat, and set it on the grill.  At this point, you may close the lid/cover.  Check the meat every three minutes- DO NOT continually flip, or move the meat.  If you’re cooking a piece of protein it should be flipped once.  If you want to make diamond grill marks on your meat, simply turn it 60 degrees, and let it cook for an additional 3 minutes on the same side.  Make sure the meat is done before moving it from the grill.  You can do this by inserting a temperature gauge into the beef/chicken (poultry should be at least 165 degrees), or if you’re experienced, it can be done by touch.  An undercooked piece of meat will feel soft in the center; a cooked piece will provide resistance.  This will take some time to learn, but it’s the most effective way of determining when to take meat off the grill.  One additional point:  Let your meat rest for at least 10 minutes.  If you cut it before that, all the juices will run out, and it will be dry and lack flavor.  For cooking vegetables, simply apply the same methods, but reduce the cooking times significantly.  Overdone vegetable are mushy, and can lose their nutritional integrity.

Points to Remember:

  • Always cook on a clean grill.
  • Make sure the meat you cook isn’t cold when you place it on the grill; it should be closer to room temperature.
  • Always season your proteins before cooking.  Use a small amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  • The grill needs to be pre-heated, then hot enough before the meat is cooked.
  • Don’t over-work the meat while it is cooking.  Flip it once, and remove it from the grill when it is done cooking.
  • Let the meat rest for five minutes before you serve it.
  • Don’t overcook your vegetables.

Happy Cooking!

Chef Chuck Kerber

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Filed Under: Cooking Tips Tagged With: , , ,
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