weekend adventures in grilling
The weather decided to cooperate this weekend and NOT be 100+ degrees, so we ventured out to the backyard and fired up the grill for two wonderful meals.
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Now, I’d been excited to try it out ever since I first heard of it through the blogosphere on Doubly Happy. Then Nodakademic decided to give it a try as well last week. So when I saw our market’s grocery ad with free-range super-happy California chickens on the front page, I decided I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it out. (I’ll send you to check out their blogs rather than putting up lots of photos that mimic their lovely posts) I have had the pleasure of drinking beer out of a can for quite some time now, so we modified the recipe by popping open a bottle of Pacifico and filled up half of an empty Coke can. I slathered up the oh-so-happy chicken with a spice rub and olive oil, then put him under the grill for an hour in indirect heat.
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Now, even though I thought I only saw white liquid come out of the breast meat after an hour, I should have kept him there for another 15 minutes. Because while beer can chicken is super awesome and moist and yummy, microwaved beer can chicken is just “pretty decent” chicken. Yeah, I took it off too early and it was still a little too rare for Mr. M (or any sane individual’s) taste. But the leg meat that I noshed on pre-nuking was amazingly yummy… so I encourage anyone to go run and try some beer can chicken for themselves ASAP!
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I did succeed in cooking something properly though, and man was it 1) EASY and 2) oh so yummy in the tummy! Ina Garten’s amazing garlic bread is just amazing, trust me! You need fresh ciabatta, garlic, fresh parsley & oregano and olive oil. So simple, but really just insanely good. And it’s so green that you think you’re eating something healthy! It caused this spontaneous movie quote exchange as well:
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Kim: This is good garlic bread.
Mr. M:Yeah, I think garlic bread would have to be my favorite all-time food. I could eat it for every meal. Or just constantly, without stopping.
Kim: Then you’d get fat.
Mr. M: No, why would I get fat?
Kim: Because bread makes you fat.
Mr. M: Bread makes you fat?
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For Sunday night, we opted to nosh on a happy cow instead. What’s even better… is that this cow was grass-fed, California happy, and used for educational purposes throughout both its life and death. I’m pretty certain this might give us some vegan-like powers in a meat-eating household? (sorry… I shall stop the Scott Pilgrim references now… because for some strange strange reason, pretty much NO ONE has seen this amazing movie… what is your problem people?!?) That’s right, we purchased our lovely marinated skirt steak from the Meat Lab at UC Davis, and Mr. M threw it on the grill for a massive consumption of homemade fajitas!
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Fajitas at home are so darn simple to make and eat! Just grill up some onions and peppers (I went w/red and yellow bell peppers), put out some cheese, sour cream, guacamole, corn (Mr. M’s secret ingredient), and the best fresh tortillas you can buy! Trust me… you won’t be disappointed! And you won’t have to ration your meat or toppings like you do in the restaurant-portioned servings! Next time we make these, we’ll definitely be having company over, as 3 lbs of skirt steak is a bit too much for 2 people to finish off. Guess that means I’m indulging in left-over fajitas as well… yummy!
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So there you have it! A full grilling weekend menu. Nothing too crazy, but all so so good. Anyone else fire up the grill on Saturday or Sunday?
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9 Comments
Nodakademic
Now, why didn’t it ever occur to me to pour bottled beer into an empty can for this? You are SMART. And I’m going to have to try that next time.
kimberly michelle
LOL. More just an evolution of thought. I looked at canned beer and couldn’t stomach buying anything that was on the shelf!
Amanda
Beer can chicken is a capricious little sucker. My first try was awesome. My second was . . . burnt — totally opposite of your underdone chicken. Tricky little bastards! I’m so glad you tried it though.
kimberly michelle
ooooh tricky little devil! It was so freaking good though that I must try it again. And for a whole $5…. it’s worth the experiment. Then again, i could just buy a rotisserie chicken at the market for the same prices, save myself some propane and drink the beer instead? Nah… not as much fun!
EP
“because for some strange strange reason, pretty much NO ONE has seen this amazing movie… what is your problem people?!?)”
Maybe because movies are expensive, and so are babysitters…. ;)
I enjoy beer can chicken…haven’t made it in a long time. Maybe this weekend…but I think Jay would rather have his homemade chicken fajitas. Try black beans and rice as additional toppings. A necessity in our house…
kimberly michelle
Oh I completely understand that. I was more referencing the fact that it’s only scored $26 million in the box office… and people are seeing OTHER movies instead. Sadness. :(
We’re black beans & rice people… but only in on the side and (for Mr. M)in burritos. :) I always keep my fajitas more like arracheras. Oh boy… I should write a blog post on “what is Mexican food to you?” — Mr. M and I have major differences of opinion due to our favoritism of different states. So I’ll just stop writing here. :)
EP
Yeah, I know, I just had to give you a hard time! :) Though I would be one of those people who wouldn’t see it because I don’t really like that kid. But I will say, I have heard the movie is interesting.
And hell, I couldn’t tell you the difference between a burrito and a fajita. (Maybe one has peppers and onions, and one doesn’t???) Seriously. But, I blame that on me spending 21 years in South Carolina…and thinking that Taco Bell was Mexican :) Like most things, I say, whatever you enjoy, go with it, even if you don’t do the “right way.”
That is, unless it’s Meridian wine….there is nothing good or right about that stuff.
kimberly michelle
Exactly why I need a blog about it. How there is no “right or wrong” to [insert cultural food here]. That’s just foodie language to try and make others outsiders. I’m pretty sure no one else does corn in Tex-Mex country!
And you’d really like the movie, even if you don’t like Michael Cera. Awesome video game references and such. It’s fun and very nerdy. :)
EP
I’ll put it up on our Netflix then. :)
And I love corn salsa…mmmmm…