Author Archives: Paul R

Beer and Hot Sauce Marinade quickly adds some spice to your BBQ this week!

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One of my favourite and super easy marinades to make, especially on short notice, is the following.

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup Franks Hot sauce (original recipe works best)
  • ¼ cup beer
  • A few shots of lime juice
  • 3 large cloves of fresh garlic finely chopped
  • ½ cup finely fresh chopped cilantro

Combine ingredients using a whisk, Magic Bullet, or even a hand blender with a whisk attachment.

I use this one to marinade chicken thighs with the skin off and bone in or ideally, boneless skinless chicken thighs. Either way, make sure you poke lots of holes in the meat, and use a glass or plastic bowl to mix the marinade.

I like to put the meat in a glass or plastic container, pour the marinade over the meat and use 2 forks to poke lots of holes in it. Then pour everything into a ziploc bag and let it sit for about an hour.

With chicken, once it goes onto the grill, a light layer of seasoning salt can be sprinkled on the meat.

Grill the meat at medium heat  (about 400 degrees) usually about 10 minutes turning once at about 5 minutes but check for doneness to be safe.

Paul’s BBQ Bonanza: Easy Grilled Drumsticks

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The last thing anyone wants to do on the Canada Day weekend, is to spend a lot of time preparing food. Barbecued chicken drumsticks are one of the most versatile and nutritious alternatives to the same old hamburgers off the grill.

The key to having chicken drumsticks turn out perfectly every time you grill them is to cook them on the warming rack of your grill – not on the regular grilling surface -and to cook them at a medium heat. This method prevents the skin from sticking to a grill surface that is too close to the heat source, and also prevents the fats and drippings from catching on fire and burning the meat.

A word about portions

Chicken drumsticks are delicious. They are a great source of protein, and the skin comes off easily when cooked. Because they are so good, it’s easy to get carried away. A good guide is to plan on 3 pieces per person, as drumsticks shrink a bit when cooked.

Preparing the grill

Preheat your grill to 350 to 400 degrees Farenheit for about 10 minutes, and brush off any residue from the grilling surface, as well as the warming rack.

Preparing the meat

Paul's Easy Grilled Chicken DrumsticksRinse 6 large chicken drumsticks under cold running water, and then pat dry with paper towel.

Lightly coat a tray or large plate with a thin layer of olive oil, and place the drumsticks on it twirl them around to get a little of the oil on them. The trick here is to place one drumstick with the large meaty end facing away from you, and the next one with the meaty end closer to you. Continue to alternate this way, until all the meat is on the tray or plate and sprinkle on your favourite seasonings or rub, but do not add any barbeque sauce.

Grilling the meat

Place the drumsticks on the warming rack of your grill in the same alternating position, and close the lid of the grill. Do not place them on the normal grilling surface. The temperature should still be at 350 to 450 degrees farenheit. The drumsticks will now roast slowly in their own juices, and most of the fat will liquefy and be vaporized inside the grill. Although the lid should remain closed as much as possible, it’s a good idea to quickly check on the meat every 10 minutes or so. You will notice that after about 20 minutes, the skin will be turning a light golden brown, and that the juices inside the meat are sizzling. Keep checking them to make sure that they continue roasting evenly. You will not have to turn them. Each situation can vary slightly, but this dish usually takes 40 to 45 minutes to cook completely. If in doubt, remove one drumstick, and cut it with a knife on a plate, exposing the meat inside. The juices should run clear, and the meat should be cooked completely through.

About barbeque sauce

Many of us have a favourite barbeque or grilling sauce. These sauces are optional, and with this dish, can be added during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Most of these sauces contain sugar, and are prone to burning.

Completing your Canada Day meal

This long weekend dish is best served with a large tossed salad that includes generous portions of mixed greens, spinach, green peepers, red peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and broccoli florets. A big salad will keep your lunch high in nutritional value, low in calories, and simple to prepare. While the chicken drumsticks are roasting on the grill, you can be putting your salad together. That way, when the meat is ready to come off the grill, the rest of your lunch will be ready to go.

Paul’s BBQ Bonanza: Grilled striploin and veggies

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Summer is the perfect time for barbecue meals that are nutritious and easy to prepare. A great example of this is a fast beef and grilled vegetable dinner that can be ready in less than 15 minutes and is perfect for two people.

You will need a set of tongs to handle the food and a grilling pan made for cooking veggies in the grill.

Grilled steak and vegetablesIngredients

  • One 8 oz strip loin steak with fat trimmed – should be about 1-¼” thick.
  • One each of green and red pepper- both cleaned and cut into slices
  • One small red onion – peeled and cut into wedges
  • 10 broccoli florets – each one should fit into the palm of your hand
  • 2 large zucchini  – each with the ends cut off, and then sliced lengthwise into planks
  • Handful of parsley and basil
  • Clove of garlic
  • Dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the striploin

Preheat the grill to high heat (450 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit).

Spray the steak lightly with olive oil, and rub in your favourite seasoning – both sides.

Preparing the veggies

In a large bowl, combine the peppers, onion, and broccoli with 1 oz olive oil, 1 clove of crushed garlic, a handful of chopped parsley and basil, a pinch of salt and set aside.

On a large plate, lay the zucchini planks flat, and brush with a light coat of oil, and sprinkle on some oregano and coarse black pepper. Any Italian seasoning blend will also work well here. It’s OK to improvise!

Grilling the steak

Once the grill is hot and you have cleaned the grates with a wire brush, lay the steak on the grill at a 45 degree angle, or pointing to the 2 o’clock position and close the lid.

Grill for 2 – 3 minutes, then reposition the steak on the grill pointing to the 10 o’clock position and close the lid.

Grill for another 2- 3 minutes. This will give you those cool grill marks that criss-cross the meat!

Finally – Turn the steak over, and continue grilling for another 3 – 4 minutes with the lid closed. Your beef can now come off the grill and go on a plate. Cover the meat with a bit of foil, and set aside.

Grilling the vegetables

Vegetables are best grilled in a pan made for grilling smaller items that might fall through the grates. They have lots of small evenly spaced holes in them, and are very easy to clean.

Bring the heat down to medium (350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit) and put the grill pan onto the grill for 1 minute.

Add the vegetable mixture into the pan and close the lid for 1-2 minutes.

Continue cooking the vegetables with the lid open, stirring frequently. Once the colours of the veggies start to deepen, you know they are starting to cook.

Depending on how crunchy you like your veggies, they will be done within 5 minutes of hitting the grill. When they are done, scoop them out of the pan, and put in a bowl.

The zucchini will not take very long to cook at all. Lay them on the grill across the grates and cook for about 1 minute on each side. This can be done once your veggies in the pan begin to deepen in colour. A set of tongs will really help out when turning the zucchini.

Hope you enjoy this simple meal from the BBQ!

Nutrition information

Serves 2. Per serving: 385 calories. Total fat: 12g. Total carbohydrates: 31g. Sodium: 169mg. Protein: 43.9g.

BBQ Bonanza: Marinated chicken, asparagus and carrots

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Get ready for May 24 weekend with this mouth-watering recipe from the grill master himself, resident blogger Paul.

BBQ chickenSummer is almost here and that means one thing — backyard BBQ parties. Why not try something a little more adventurous and nutritious this year? Fire up the grill and enjoy this marinated chicken with asparagus and carrots. It’s deliciously healthy and easy to prepare. Serves 4.

Ingredients

  • 12 carrots (about 8 inches long)
  • 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • a generous pinch sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 package of powdered Italian salad dressing mix
  • 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 32 pieces of asparagus

The carrots

To prepare the carrots, peel them and trim the stems so that there is about an inch of stem left on each carrot.

Blanch them in boiling water until they just start to get a bit soft.

Stop the cooking process by removing them from the boiling water and put them into a pot of cold water. Once they are cool, set them aside until it’s time to grill.

The glaze

Melt the butter in the microwave and combine with honey, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and chopped fresh parsley. Set aside.

The marinade

To prepare the marinade, combine 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, and the package of powdered Italian salad dressing mix in a bowl. Mix well.

Trim all visible fat from the chicken thighs.

In a large zip loc freezer bag, add in 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs. Pour in the marinade and try to remove as much air from the bag before closing it.

Turn the bag over several times to coat all of the meat with the marinade. Place the sealed bag in a bowl and refrigerate for an hour.

Lovely asparagusThe asparagus

To prepare the asparagus, rinse them off in cold water. Remove the bottom inch of each stalk by snapping them off.

Pat the asparagus dry with a paper towel and arrange them on a plate or tray so they are side by side, narrow tips pointing in same direction.

Brush them with olive oil so that they are evenly coated and sprinkle on some sea salt and pepper.

Grilling time

Fire up the BBQ and wait until the temperature hits about 350F. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade bag with a fork or tongs, and place them on a plate. Discard the rest of the marinade.

Using the tongs, place each piece of meat on the grill so that it lays flat and cooks evenly. The chicken will cook fairly quick because thigh meat is relatively thin — usually 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Once the chicken is done, set it aside on a plate and cover it with foil so it stays warm.

The asparagus will also cook quickly. Using tongs, lay the asparagus on the grill so that the tips are pointing off to one side at a 45 degree angle.

Once they start to turn a dark shade of green (usually 4 minutes or so), test them for doneness. They are best when still a bit firm.

The carrots will also take 4 to 6 minutes on the grill, so you can cook them alongside the asparagus if you have room.

Before they go on the grill, coat them evenly with the glaze mixture in the bowl. Once they are done, drizzle them lightly with the mixture and sprinkle on the chopped parsley.

Set the table, toss together a big green salad, crack open a beer and enjoy your long weekend.

Nutrition Information

4 servings. Each serving contains 3 chicken thighs, 8 asparagus, and 3 carrots. Per serving: 718 calories. Total Fat: 44.5g. Total Carbohydrates: 37.1g. Sodium: 411.3mg. Protein: 45.8g.

Behind the Blog: Under the sea

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Like many of my friends, completing a scuba certification was something I had heard about, but never seriously pursued.

The opportunity presented itself when a state-of-the-art aquatic centre partnered with a local dive shop and offered a comprehensive and fully accredited program conducted by professional instructors at a very reasonable price. I signed up along with my girlfriend, for what would turn out to be a life changing experience.

We had to purchase a mask, fins, and snorkel, but the rest of the required equipment and course materials were provided by the dive shop. So for 2 nights per week, for the next eight weeks, our class of 1o people met to learn all about the other seventy per cent of the planet living underwater.

The classroom portion of the course was extremely detailed, and the instructors were highly entertaining. Although there was a great deal of very important information to absorb, it was also incredibly interesting. Above all else there was a great deal of emphasis placed on safety, and adhering to established procedures. As the course progressed, we all got to know each other better, and it wasn’t long before we were meeting for group dinners after class.

Once the practical sessions started in the pool everything stated to accelerate. Over time it became second nature to complete all of the equipment safety checks, and master the various procedures that could save your life in the event of an emergency.

Scuba is an activity that required you to have a buddy within arm’s reach at all times. You learn very quickly that working together as a team makes everything much easier and efficient, and that you have to be able to rely on each other.

The weeks of pool sessions were followed by a practical test in an open water environment. That’s when the instructors evaluate all of your knowledge and practical skills in a body of water other than the controlled environment of a pool.

In our case, a freshwater lake is where we did our test. It was really quite amazing: floating effortlessly and gracefully in slow motion with lots of space to explore.

But nothing could have prepared us for our first descent into warm salt water in Cozumel Mexico.

We were awed by unlimited visibility in a spectacular marine environment teeming with colourful tropical fish and coral. Slowly floating downward into a magnificent world like nothing I had ever seen before. I was immediately struck by how incredibly peaceful and beautiful that other seventy per cent of our planet can be. So much so that the 10 days in Cozumel passed far too quickly, as did the three dives that we completed every morning.

If you ever thought about getting your scuba certification, but backed away from doing it for some reason, I strongly advise you to reconsider. You will make new friends, and see things you cannot see any place else.