Sooner or later we all get tired of grilling the same old run of the mill
burgers, dogs, chops, steaks and chicken.
So I am looking for 2 out of the ordinary
yet not too complicated main course meat ideas that can be grilled for a group of 6-10 people, while enjoying a beer and conversation at the same time. The weapon of choice is a 22-1/2" kettle. Something that everyone will enjoy is the reason for the selection from 2 meats. Any thoughts?

Seared Tuna.....Meatloaf...Boneless Leg of Lamb

The 'usuals' around here are steaks (rib-eyes, flat irons, skirts), duck breast, chicken, lamb (rib or loin chops, or as kefta or koobideh (ground lamb with spices packed on skewers), lamb kebabs, game hens, pork tenderloin, homemade sausage, and shrimp.

For two-meat cooks you can set up for indirect, piling coals on each side of the grill, and cook something indirect in the middle of the grill and something direct over the coals. Games hens stuffed with garlic, lemon and thyme in the middle with skewers of kefta or shrimp cooked direct (serve 1/2 hen/person with 1-2 skewers) or the like, or paste-rubbed pork tenderloins in the middle with chicken-turkey sausage patties cooked direct on the sides. Or spread the coals and do skewered stuff direct. You can easily do two (or more) meat and/or shrimp and or fish. You don't need to intersperse vegs with meat on the skewers unless you want to--you can do vegs as sides instead--or you can vary the vegs (and fruits) on the skewers or you can skewer vegs or fruits separately. You can marinate first if you wish or you can make up a flavorful baste. Shrimp, shark, sword, tuna; chuck top blade, rib-eye; boneless 'country-style ribs, blade-end loin; lamb leg or shoulder; chicken or turkey breast or thigh--all these things chunk and skewer well. Change the marinade/baste and you change the feel of the meal.

Well if I had been paying attention I would have posted this in Grilling instead of Charcoal Grills. Something caught my eye on
Kevins reply though. Homemade sausage and
shrimp could be a combo worth trying.
Thanks!

Souvlaki: Home made Gyros...goooood!

Pork or lamb chunks marinated in an ancient traditional mix, grilled on skewers, served in pita that has been lightly brushed with olive oil and grilled until toasted, topped with grilled onions and tzatziki, a yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill and olive oil sauce. I'll post the recipe for everything if there's interest.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Steve Cole,

Bob
Send me your email address and I'll send you some recipes that I do on the Q which work equally as good on the Kettle. (I've done most of them on the kettle already.)

I second Kevin's suggestion of a combination direct and indirect cook, Kevin knows what he is talking about. Just watch the timing for the different methods.

Regards

Hope this works - first time I am trying to post a web site - anyway Chris has a wonderful recipe for baked brie. I get rave reviews every time I do this.

BTW - I do this on my gasser at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes and have apple wood in my smoke box. The cheese does not need very long to pick up the smoke flavor. I also use mango chutney. Good luck.

Ray
baked brie

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Cole:
Souvlaki: Home made Gyros...goooood!

I'll post the recipe for everything if there's interest.

Steve. That sounds great. If you could post your recipe I would appreciate it.

Here are a few easy ones I love.. they are all quick grilled under high heat...


Fig and asiago cheese wrapped in prosciutto.

Taylors Pork roll and American cheese on hamburger bun. I also sometimes add a hamberger patty to this for a awesome burger at my tailgate.

Little neck clams and mussels in a weber foil pan with any combo of wine (or beer), garlic, olive oil, butter, basil, and salt and pepper.

All very easy, quick, and tasty.

1) Fajitas...put that Iron skillet right on the coals like Alton Brown does

2)BBQ Garlic Crab by Bobby Flay

3) Grilled Dungeness Crabs with Kicked Up Seasoned Butter by Emeril

I have done #3 and it was really good. You get the sweetness of the crab plus the smoky flavor

Portabella mushroom burgers!

I like to drizzle a little evoo over the stemless caps and grill 'em along with some red bell pepper, zuchini, green onions, and maybe some radiccio. Pile everything onto dressed sourdough rolls, crumble on some feta cheese, and drizzle with some balsamic italian dressing... good eatin'!

Another portabella favorite -- toss large prawns in garlic/olive oil/herb blend. Drizzle evoo on the stemless 'shrooms. Grill the shrooms and set aside. Grill the prawns till almost done. Crumble a little gorganzola cheese on the shrooms, place the prawns on top, and then a slice of fontina cheese. Place back on the grill until the fontina melts down over everything. Sometimes I'll add a basil leaf, or spinach leaves, or radiccio leaves into the stack. They're delicious.

The tzatziki sauce...

2 cups plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
2-4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried drill

Drain yogurt in fine mesh strainer (or hang in cheese cloth) for 2-3 hours. Grate cucumber and let drain for 2-3 hours. Mix with remaining ingredients, salt and pepper to taste and chill. This sauce is good on lots of stuff. There's lots of little variations too. You might search the web and see if there's any other options you want to try.

The souvlaki marinade...

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed

The souvlaki ...

2 lb lean pork or lamb cut into 1" cubes
8 loaves pita, lightly bushed with olive oil
1 purple or sweet onion: caramelized, grilled or sliced thin raw
1 tomato - sliced thin

Marinate cubes of meat in a large bowl for 2-4 hours. Place on skewers and grill, turning once, until done. Serve in a grilled pita loaf, topped with tzatziki, onions and tomatoes.

This is from Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet, in his Three Ancient Cuisines book

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Steve Cole,

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Etheridge:
1) Fajitas...put that Iron skillet right on the coals like Alton Brown does

Mark,

Skip the skillet and cook the meat in a grill basket over hot-hot charcoal with some mesquite mixed in. It adds a whole new dimension to the flavor of your fajitas.

Jim

quote:

Skip the skillet and cook the meat in a grill basket over hot-hot charcoal with some mesquite mixed in. It adds a whole new dimension to the flavor of your fajitas.

Jim is correct - This is great for a lot of different cooking, you can use it in a Gasser or a Kettle. Fish and Prawns done in this are fantastic. Fresh fruit cut up into bite sized chunks and done in this for 5 minutes, then sprinkled with brown sugar and done for another 2 - 3 minutes and served with whipped double cream is heavenly. My only suggestion is you have two, one for when you are cooking with smoke and one for without smoke. They can be a little hard to clean and get the smoke taste out of. Besides, he who dies with the most toys wins.

Regard

Turkey breast. Although not too unusual they certainly are simple and very tasty. Did these at work (day job) so I could bring them to work (night job). Brined the breast overnight. Used the 22.5 kettle with 3/4 of a chimney of charcoal divided between two charcoal baskets and some apple wood. Temps were about 300.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/contraptionist/WSM/Turkey.jpg

quote:

Originally posted by C. Main:
Turkey breast. Although not too unusual they certainly are simple and very tasty. Did these at work (day job) so I could bring them to work (night job). Brined the breast overnight. Used the 22.5 kettle with 3/4 of a chimney of charcoal divided between two charcoal baskets and some apple wood. Temps were about 300.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/contraptionist/WSM/Turkey.jpg

Those look great and I am cooking 2 of them on Monday I use my rotisseri and they always come out great. I marinate in apple juice with cinamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I also inject with some apple juice as well. I put the marinade in my water pan and smoke with apple wood I did one last year for the 4th and the thing was gone in 5 minutes so this year I will do 2 and hope that is enough along with burgers, dogs and sausage.