Let's Get Grilling, Girls!
Kingsford: Fueling Your Fire for 100 Years
September 2020 Issue
by Lindsay Gifford
Recipes, Photography and Information provided by Kingsford®
As September rolls in, nature turns her thermostat down ever so slightly, and steamy summer nights become bearable. In other words, it’s time to get grilling! Just imagine smoke-kissed meat and charred veggies, a flavor bomb only your grill can create. Can’t you just smell it, taste it? Get outside and “Fuel Your Fire” this fall with Kingsford!
Often considered the “man’s domain,” the grill can be intimidating. Girls, I feel you! I’ve never grilled in my life. But, it’s time to stop dismissing succulent skewers and juicy steak recipes only because they involve learning a new trick or two. Just like tackling your newest kitchen gadget, or DIY, it’s all in the research. But alas, look no further... The King of Grills—Kingsford—has everything you need to become a grill master! Check out www.kingsford.com for a plethora of step-by-step guides for every type of grill and cooking style, hundreds of recipes, grilling tips and so much more. It’s only a click away.
A classic American success story, beginning in 1920, Kingsford sparked a backyard revolution by transforming scrap wood from the Ford Model T into the first charcoal briquets. A century later, their products are still made in America with 100 percent North American ingredients! Today Kingsford converts more than one million tons of wood waste into briquets every year, making them the leading manufacturer of charcoal in the US. Their charcoal—from the Kingsford Original briquets you grew up with, to premium varieties used by competitive cooks,—has become synonymous with authentic grilling, good food and good times.
“The Fire Behind the Flavor,” Kingsford has a new line of flavored hardwood pellets—all-natural with no fillers, preservatives or binders —which deliver more hickory, cherry and maple wood flavors, all while incorporating the ease and quick start times of gas grills and ovens.
Their mission: "Real charcoal flames. Real wood smoke. Real fire-grilled flavor." is now YOUR mission. Log on, study up and let's get grilling, girls!
Smoked Oysters with Spicy Miso Butter
Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Servings: 24
24 fresh, live Oysters
6 Tbsps (¾ stick) Butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsps White miso
1–2 Tbsps Sriracha, more if you like it spicy
1 Tbsp fresh Lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 bunch Scallions, thinly sliced on a slight diagonal
Togarashi seasoning, to taste
Check to see if the oysters are alive by confirming that shells are tightly closed; discard any that are not tightly closed. Scrub oysters with a stiff brush under running water. Rinse well and refrigerate until ready to grill. In a small bowl, beat together the softened butter, miso, Sriracha and lime juice with a spoon. Add a few grinds of black pepper and set aside in the fridge.
Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling using Kingsford® Original Charcoal, and preheat to 450°F. Pry oyster shells apart with an oyster knife. Discard the top shell and loosen the oyster meat with the tip of the oyster knife. Leave the oysters in the bottom shells and place oysters directly over coals with their deeply curved half shells facing upward; grill for approximately 3 minutes.
Top each oyster with approximately 1/2 tsp of spicy miso butter; using a bit more for larger oysters, and a bit less for smaller ones. Place oysters back on grill for an additional 3 minutes. For your safety, please reference the USDA safe cooking temperatures. Serve in the half shell with the scallions scattered over the top and a sprinkled with few good pinches of togarashi. Serve with lime wedges.
Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail
Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 6 mins | Servings: 4-6
½ cup Ketchup
¼ cup Lime juice
2 Tbsps Cholula® hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 cup Pico de gallo
¼ cup Olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 Avocado, diced
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
2 lbs. jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on
2 Tbsps fresh Parsley or cilantro leaves
Metal or wooden skewers (soaked in water for 30 mins)
To make the sauce, whisk together the ketchup, lime juice, pico de gallo, hot sauce and olive oil. Gently stir in the avocado, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. Add more hot sauce if desired. Using Kingsford® Original Charcoal, prepare the grill for direct cooking and preheat to 450°F. Place shrimp in a large bowl, add the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to combine. Thread seasoned shrimp onto the skewers. Gently place the shrimp skewers on the grill. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes total per side. The shrimp is ready when bright pink and slightly charred. For your safety, please reference the USDA safe cooking temperatures. Serve the shrimp with the Mexican cocktail sauce, garnished with chopped cilantro.
Stuffed Burgers
with Pimento Cheese and Sweet Onion Marmalade
Prep time: 8 mins | Cook time: 19 mins | Servings: 6
Pimento Cheese:
1 pinch Garlic powder
2 oz. Pepper jack cheese, grated
¼ cup Mayonnaise
2 Tbsps Pimentos diced
6 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 pinch Black pepper
⅛ tsp Salt
¾ tsp Worcestershire sauce
Burger:
6 Hamburger buns
3 lbs Ground beef
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsps Butter (for the buns)
Sweet Onion Marmalade:
3 Tbsps Vegetable oil
3 large Sweet onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 Tbsps Butter
2¼ tsps Salt
¾ tsp Freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup Brown sugar
⅓ cup Red wine vinegar
Combine the pimento cheese ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix and refrigerate until needed. Form 12 ground beef patties about 1/4 pounds each and 1/2-inch thick. Then, using the pimento cheese, form 2½ Tbsps into a round patty about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat until 6 pimento cheese patties are formed. Place each pimento cheese patty on top of 6 burger patties. Cap each of these with the other ground beef patties. Press the edges of the ground beef patties together to seal in the cheese. Refrigerate until needed.
Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling using Kingsford® charcoal. Preheat to 400°F. Grill the onion slices over direct heat until they soften and brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the onions from the grill and dice. In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over direct heat. Add the diced onions, salt, pepper, and cook, stirring, until the onions become translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the brown sugar and simmer until the onions caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and simmer until most of the liquid is gone, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill. Season the burger patties on both sides with salt and black pepper. Put the burgers over direct heat and cook, until the juices run clear, about 3½ minutes on each side. Lightly butter the cut sides of the burger buns and put them over direct heat with the grill lid open. Cook until lightly browned and toasted, about 30 seconds. Serve the burgers on the toasted buns with your favorite condiments. Credit: Recipe created by world champion pitmaster Chris Lilly on behalf of Kingsford® Charcoal.
Smoked Caramel Apple Bacon Bomb
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Servings: 4
4 medium-sized Red apples, peeled
1 lb Bacon
2 cups Brown sugar
1 cup Butter
¾ cup Corn syrup
1 cup Milk
¼ cup Bourbon
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Preheat charcoal in a charcoal chimney. Once the charcoal has ashed over along the edges, set up grill for two-zone cooking by placing the briquets on one side of the charcoal grate to create a hot and a cool zone. Add 2–3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood and adjust the grill's bottom vents to bring the temperature to approximately 400°F. Wrap each apple tightly with overlapping slices of bacon, starting from the bottom and working your way up until completely covered. Secure the end of the final strip of bacon with a toothpick. Place bacon wrapped apples on the cool side of the grill, cover, and allow them to cook for approximately 20 minutes until the bacon is brown and crisp and the apple has softened. Remove the apples from the grill, insert popsicle sticks in to the top of each apple, and allow them to cool in the fridge. Heat the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, milk, bourbon and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Insert a candy thermometer into the saucepan making sure that it doesn't touch the bottom. Allow the mixture to simmer until it reaches a temperature of 245°F. Remove from the heat and stir for 2–3 minutes until the bubbles subside and the caramel has thickened slightly. Dip the apples into the caramel so that the bottom half is covered. (Note: you may want to insert a few toothpicks into the bacon to keep it in place as you coat the apple with caramel) Remove the apples and set on a greased sheet pan or plate and allow to cool before serving. Credit: Clint Cantwell
A Specialty Recipe
by Jess Pryles
Creator of Hardcore Carnivore and Kingsford Spokesperson
Jess is a live fire cook, author, TV personality and a professional Hardcore Carnivore. Born in Australia, she now resides in Austin, TX. Her expertise in the meat world grew from humble beginnings - a regular consumer who enjoyed the occasional steak at home, but frustrated by her own lack of knowledge on the different cuts available, and more importantly, how to cook them. She's spent years educating herself on all things related to meat. She now judges prestigious BBQ competitions worldwide and encourages others to pursue their own “meatducation”.
Vietnamese Style Grilled Pork with Lemongrass
Prep time: 6 hrs | Cook time: 15+ mins | Servings: 4
5 lb. Pork butt
1/3 cup White sugar
3 Tbsps Sambal chili
1 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsps Vegetable oil
1/2 cup Soy sauce
2 cups of Water
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Fish sauce
1 stalk Lemongrass, chopped
Start by cutting the pork butt up into thin steaks. Not all pieces will be the same size, but you can make them the same thickness, between 1/4 or 1/2 an inch. When cutting, remove and discard any larger seams of fat, or gristly pieces. Combine all remaining ingredients and stir with a whisk to combine well. Pour the marinade over the pork steaks and then place into the refrigerator for at least 6 and up to 24 hours. Overnight is best. Fire up a grill to medium high heat, about 450°F. Usually, you cook pork to a "safe" temperature but in this case we're looking to achieve great color and crust. When we have that external sear, the meat will definitely be safely cooked. Remove the steaks from the marinade, and lay them on the grill. You may need to work in batches. Flip the steaks every 1-2 minutes. Initially, they will develop a slight color, but as they cook and the sugars caramelize, the color will start to develop very rapidly, so keep an eye on them. I personally prefer a bit of char and crust around the edges. Cook the steaks, flipping frequently, until a deep brown grilled appearance has developed on both sides. Optional: Serve with sweet chili dipping sauce or Nuoc Cham.
Buffalo Chicken Burger with Blue Cheese & Carrot-Celery Slaw
Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Servings: 4
2 Carrots, peeled and julienned
2 stalks medium Celery, thinly sliced
1½ lbs Ground chicken
¼ cup Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® dressing
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup Hot sauce (preferably Texas Pete’s or Louisiana brand)
2 Tbsps Unsalted butter
4 slices Blue cheese
4 Hamburger buns
Prepare grill for medium-high heat cooking, approximately 400°F. Combine celery, carrot and ranch dressing in a medium mixing bowl and blend until vegetables are completely coated. Refrigerate while burgers are prepared. Form ground chicken into 4 burger patties. Season patties liberally on both sides with Kosher salt and ground black pepper.
Combine hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan and set on the grill. Allow the buffalo sauce to warm completely while burgers are grilled. Place patties on the grill and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Brush both sides of the burgers with buffalo sauce, top with blue cheese, then cover the grill and allow them to cook until the cheese has melted and they have reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Assemble burgers by placing the carrot and celery slaw on the bottom bun, followed by the buffalo chicken patty and top bun. Serve immediately. Credit: Clint Cantwell
Grilled Vegetable Flatbreads with Ricotta and Salsa Verde
Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Servings: 6-8
½ cup Parsley leaves and thin stems, lightly packed
¼ cup fresh Basil, lightly packed
¼ cup fresh Tarragon, lightly packed
¼ cup fresh Chives, lightly packed
1 Tbsp Lemon zest
2 Tbsps fresh Lemon juice
1 clove Garlic, smashed
1½ Tbsps Capers, rinsed and drained
2 Anchovy fillets (optional)
1 to 2 pinches Red pepper flakes, or more to taste
¾ cup Olive oil, plus more for brushing flatbread
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Zucchini, sliced diagonally 1/3-inch thick
½ lb. Asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
1 Red onion, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 lb. ball fresh or frozen Pizza dough, thawed
1 (8 oz.) cup Ricotta cheese
To make the salsa verde in a food processor or blender, combine all herbs, lemon zest, 2 tsps lemon juice, garlic, capers, anchovy (if using) and red pepper flakes. Process until leaves are finely minced. With machine running, slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil until sauce is a creamy yellow-green color. Salt and pepper to taste.
Build a two-zone fire, placing preheated Kingsford® Original Charcoal, briquets on one half of the bottom grill grate and leaving the other side void. Toss zucchini, asparagus and red onions (can substitute 1½–2 pounds seasonal vegetables of choice) with 3 Tbsps olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Grill over direct heat, turning often, until tender and charred in spots, about 5 minutes; transfer to the void side of the grill. Lightly oil grill grate and divide pizza dough in half. Gently roll and stretch each piece into a rectangle or oval about 14x8 inches and transfer to two lightly oiled baking sheets. (If it springs back, cover and let rest 10 minutes, then stretch again). Transfer dough to grill over direct heat. Cook until first side is lightly charred and dough is dry and stiff; one to two minutes. Turn and cook just until reverse side has a few light grill marks; 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to baking sheets and let cool slightly. Top charred side of dough with the grilled vegetables, dividing evenly. Dollop ricotta over the vegetables on both flatbreads and drizzle with the salsa verde. Cut each flatbread into three to four pieces and serve immediately.
Frito Pie Dog
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Servings: 8
8 hot dogs
1 (9.75 oz.) bag Frito corn chips
1 Hot dog chili
½ small White onion (diced, optional)
1 cup Cheddar jack cheese, finely grated
8 Hot dog buns
Prepare grill for medium-high heat cooking, approximately 400°F. Place a small saucepan on the grill and add the hot dog chili. Allow the chili to warm as you cook the hot dogs. Place hot dogs on the grill and cook for 4–5 minutes until cooked through, turning frequently to brown evenly. Remove the hot dogs from the grill and assemble by placing each one into a bun then topping with Fritos, chili, onions (optional) and shredded cheese. Serve immediately. Credit: Clint Cantwell
Caramelized Chicken Drumsticks with Peach Molasses Glaze
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 48 mins | Servings: 6
Dry Rub:
1¼ tsps Paprika
2 tsps Garlic salt
4 tsps Black pepper
Peach Molasses Glaze:
1 cup Peach preserves
4 tsps Molasses
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Soy sauce
10–12 Chicken drumsticks
Yellow mustard
Kingsford® Charcoal with Applewood
In a small bowl, add the dry rub ingredients and mix well. Paint each chicken drumstick with a light coat of yellow mustard. Season each drumstick with the dry rub mix (about 1 tsp per drumstick).
Build a charcoal fire for indirect cooking by situating the coals on only one side of the grill, leaving the other side void. When the temperature inside the grill has reached approximately 300°F, place the chicken drumsticks on the grill over the side void of charcoal. Close the grill lid and cook the chicken for 40 minutes with indirect heat, or until the internal temperature reaches 175–180°F. While the chicken is cooking, combine the peach molasses glaze ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend the glaze until smooth and pour into a shallow bowl. Remove the chicken from the grill, submerge each drumstick into the glaze, and place them back on the covered grill over indirect heat for 8 minutes or until the sauce caramelizes. Remove from the grill and serve. The apricot in the glaze is complemented by the apple fruitwood in the charcoal.
Grilled Mahi-Mahi Burger
with Chipotle-Lime Avocado Spread & Coleslaw
Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Servings: 8
Coleslaw:
1 pinch Black pepper
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Lemon juice
1½ tsp Vegetable oil
2½ cups Cabbage
3 Tbsps Rice vinegar
1 pinch Salt
1 Carrot, julienned
Burgers:
1 tsp Black pepper
1 cup Celery, finely diced
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp Paprika
2 cups Onions, finely diced
1 Tbsp Salt
4 cloves Garlic minced
3 Tbsps Butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tsps Lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh Parsley, chopped
8 Kaiser rolls
2 Eggs, lightly scrambled
1/2 tsp Curry powder
2½ cups Panko bread crumbs
1½ lbs. Mahi-mahi diced (½ inch)
1 cup Green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted butter
Chipotle-Lime Avocado Spread:
1 pinch Salt
1/4 cup Sour cream
2 Avocados pits and skin removed
2 Tbsps Cilantro
2 Tbsps Lime juice
2 Tbsps Red onion
3 Chipotle chiles
1 pinch Black pepper
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onions, green pepper and celery and sauté for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and starting to brown. Add in the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, paprika, curry powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook for an additional 4 minutes until the mixture is browned. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the diced mahi-mahi, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, scrambled eggs and lemon juice. Add in the sautéed vegetables and mix well. Then, hand-form eight mahi-mahi burger patties and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine all of the chipotle-lime avocado spread ingredients. Stir vigorously to mash the avocado and combine the mixture. Refrigerate until needed.
In a medium bowl, combine the all of the coleslaw ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until needed. Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling using Kingsford® charcoal and preheat to 400°F. Brush the cooking grates with vegetable oil and place the mahi-mahi burgers over direct heat and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until well browned. Remove the patties from the grill and set aside. Lightly butter the face of the Kaiser rolls and place them over direct heat with the grill lid open. Cook for 30 seconds or until the face is light brown and toasted. Dress each Kaiser roll with chipotle-lime avocado spread and coleslaw, add on a mahi-mahi patty and enjoy!
Charcoal Grilled Butternut Squash
with Chimichurri and Goat Cheese
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 6 mins | Servings: 6
Chimichurri Dressing:
¼ tsp Salt
3 Tbsps Extra-virgin olive oil
2½ tsps Red wine vinegar
1½ tsps Honey
¼ cup fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp Red onion, chopped
¾ tsp Dijon mustard
1½ tsps fresh Thyme
1/8 tsp Black pepper
1 clove Garlic chopped
Seasoning Paste:
¾ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tsps Kosher salt
¾ cup Dark brown sugar
1½ tsps Black pepper
¼ cup crumbled Goat cheese Kingsford® Charcoal with Mesquite
1 large Butternut squash peeled and seeds removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
To make the chimichurri dressing, combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, parsley, red onion, thyme, garlic, salt and black pepper in a food processor. Blend until the ingredients are coarsely chopped. To make the seasoning paste, combine the olive oil, brown sugar, black pepper and salt in a small bowl.
Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling using Kingsford® Charcoal with Mesquite and preheat the grill to 350 to 400°F. Apply the seasoning paste lightly and evenly to each butternut squash slice. Grill the butternut squash slices over direct heat until they soften and start to char, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and arrange the slices in an 8-inch round serving pan. Drizzle the chimichurri dressing over the grilled squash. Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve warm. Credit: Recipe created by world champion pitmaster Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que on behalf of Kingsford® charcoal.
Grilled Peaches & Cream Pizza with Salted Caramel
Prep time: 25 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Servings: 8
1 Egg
1½ cups whole milk
¼ cup Sugar
¼ cup prepared caramel sauce
1 Tbsp Flour
⅛ tsp salt coarse or flaked
⅛ tsp Salt
½ Tbsp Unsalted butter
½ tsp Vanilla
1 lb. pkg frozen Pizza dough thawed
1 tsp cornmeal
4 ripe Peaches, pitted and cut into 6 wedges
Sauce (enough for 2 pizzas or dipping sauce for the crust)
Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling using Kingsford® charcoal and place a pizza stone on the grill to preheat. In a small saucepan, heat half the milk until just simmering. Do not let the milk boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg together with the rest of the milk. Pour the warmed milk into the egg mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
In another bowl, stir the sugar, flour and salt together. Fold the sugar mixture into the milk and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Stir in the butter and vanilla and let stand for 10 minutes. Grill the peach slices over direct heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until grill marks appear. On a well-floured surface, divide the dough in two. Roll half the dough into a 12-inch circle. Dust a pizza peel with cornmeal. Place the rolled pizza dough on the pizza peel. Spoon half of the sauce evenly over the pizza and top with half of the peach slices. Slide the pizza on to the stone. Cook the pizza covered for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust has browned and looks crispy. Drizzle the pizza with the caramel sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with half the salt. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Credit: Recipe created by world champion pitmaster, Chris Lilly on behalf of Kingsford® charcoal.