Steak Sauce Recipe That Even Texans Purists Would Love

WARNING: This blog post could get us in trouble with most Texans, as serving steak sauce with steak is not only against the Texas State Constitution, but it could get someone jailed, or worse!

You see, as one of our GrillJunkie founders explains, 

"Steak, in Texas, is served with nothing but salt and pepper, a.k.a. S and P.  And it is only grilled long enough to make it appear cooked, rather than rare. We Texans take our steak VERY SERIOUSLY, in steak-land.  Tell someone you ate your steak with steak sauce and you're in danger.  It’s just not done that way in Texas."

With utmost respect to all Texans, we have 3 excuses to continue writing and share our steak sauce recipe! 

1. We love steak sauce.  

2. Four of us were raised in raised in New Mexico.  And old habits die hard.

3. It's fun and easy to make...and it is delicious!

This Homemade Steak Sauce is heartier and sweeter than the acidic steak sauces that come in the bottles from the grocery store.  And we like it that way.  It’s thick and hearty, and it’s the perfect companion for a nice, medium-rare hunk of irresistible meat.  But, don’t take our word for it.  Make some for yourself!  It’s easy to make and is ready in mere minutes!

Homemade Steak Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 8 shakes of hot sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until well-combined. Allow flavors to meld for at least an hour before serving.

This Homemade Steak Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed jar for up to a month. But believe us…it won’t last a month. This Homemade Steak Sauce is worth going against the accepted “law” of steak-land. You’ll throw the steak purists out of your way to get to this simple sauce! Just be respectful. We're all Americans and we're all in this together.

Pizza on the Grill - Yes Pizza Can Be Grilled!

Pizza on the Grill! 

Grills mimic a wood fired oven than your conventional indoor oven. Whether using charcoal or gas, the smoke from the grill will help give your pizza more flavor. It’s also dead easy. No, the pizza dough does not fall through the grill grates. Assuming you've properly heated the grill, your dough will form a lovely lightly charred crust. The trick is that you cook the plain dough first, on one side, on the grill. Then remove it, flip it, brush the grilled side with sauce and toppings, and return the pizza to the grill for final cooking. It's a great idea for having the kids make their own pizza, a fun Halloween grilling activity, or anytime of the year!

Ingredients

Dough - Enough for 3 (16-inch) round pizzas:

• 16 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for countertop, peel and rolling
• 1 envelope instant or rapid rise yeast
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 10 ounces warm water, approximately 105 degrees F
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons for bowl
• 1 tablespoon malted barley syrup

Roasted Tomato and Basil topping - Enough to top 1 (16-inch) round pizza:

• 1 large ripe tomato, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices
• 5 to 7 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves roasted garlic, minced (see our recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2-ounce grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 ounces part skim mozzarella, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated
• 4 to 6 large sweet basil leaves, shredded

Tools and Equipment

• Gas or Charcoal Grill
• Long-Handled Grill Tongs
• Pizza Peel
• Stand Mixture
• Patience

Preparation/Directions

Dough:

• Combine the flour and yeast in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt, water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and malted barley syrup. Start the mixer on low, using the hook attachment, and mix until the dough just comes together, approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 15 minutes.
• Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disk. Gently stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the bakers windowpane, or a see-through, taut membrane has formed. The dough will be quite sticky, but manageable. Fold the dough onto itself and form it into a smooth ball.
• Oil the bowl of the stand mixer or other large canister with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and roll it around to coat with the oil. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to double in size, approximately 1 hour. The dough will rise and double.
• Split the dough into 3 equal parts using a knife or dough scraper. Flatten each piece into a disk on the counter top. Form each piece into a ball. Roll each ball on the counter until they tighten into rounds. Cover the balls with a tea towel and rest for 45 minutes.

To shape and cook the Roasted Tomato and Basil pizza:

• Fire up and preheat a gas grill to high and make sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris.
• Toss the tomato with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
• Lightly flour the countertop and flatten 1 of the dough balls. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 16-inch round, rotating and stretching the dough as you go. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel and stretch to re-shape if necessary.

• Oil the grill grates, by rubbing the grates with an olive oil soaked paper towel held by long-handled tongs. Decrease the heat to medium. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and flip onto 1 end of the hot grill, leaving room for the tomatoes on the grate.
• Carefully place the prepared tomatoes on the grill, close the lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. 
• Brush the raw (un-grilled) side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then immediately flip using the peel. Top with the grilled tomatoes, smashing and spreading the tomatoes to create a sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, mozzarella and basil. 
• Close the lid and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, another 1 to 2 minutes. Using the peel, remove the pizza to a cooling rack and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.

Smile and Enjoy your addiction to grilling and your newly found skill as the neighborhood Pizza GrillJunkie!

Burger Recipe: Mango and Watercress Salsa Burgers

Mango and Watercress Salsa Burgers

This refreshing burger starts with our Basic Burger recipe and caps it off with a delicious and texture‐rich Mango Salsa and Watercress mix. A great summer treat or something to warm your soul during the Autumn and/or Winter.



Recipe taken from our GrillJunkie - Burger-a-Day Cookbook available at Amazon

Ingredients:

For the Mango Salsa:

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon and 2 limes
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1‐2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 1 large, ripe mango, peeled, stoned and chopped very finely (see tip in preparation)
• 1 teaspoon red chili pepper, chopped very finely
• 6 onions, chopped very finely
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 1 medium sized bag of Watercress, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns

For the Burgers:

• 1 & 1/2 pounds ground Chuck ‐ 80 % lean
• Sea salt or Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons of light olive or canola oil
• 4 hamburger buns or soft Kaiser rolls, split

Preparation:

For the Mango Salsa:

1. Take the mango and stand it on its end. Using a sharp knife carefully cut down each side of the flat "pit‐stone", keeping the knife as close as possible. These halves are known as the "cheeks" of the mango. Cut each "cheek" into quarters then carefully slice away the flesh from the skin. Finely chop into small pieces.

2. Place the mango into a large glass bowl or stainless steel bowl. Add the lemon and lime juices and zests, garlic, sugar, chili, onions, olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well. Cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Just before serving you will add the Watercress, mint and coriander.

For the Burgers:

1. In a large bowl, gently divide the meat into four equal portions. Each patty should consist of approximately 6 ounces of ground meat.

2. Carefully and loosely form each divided portion into a patty that is ¾ ‐1 inch thick and about 4 & 1/2 inches in diameter being careful to not overwork the meat. Make a deep depression in the center of each of the meat patties with your thumb.

3. Once formed, place patties on a clean plate, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

4. Prepare the grill to medium‐high heat and coat grill grates with cooking oil so as to avoid patties from sticking.

5. Remove patties from refrigeration, brush the burgers with light olive or canola oil, and place the patties on the hot grill.

6. Grill and sear patties over medium‐high heat for 4‐5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness being sure they are cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove grilled patties from grill and let them rest for 2‐3 minutes.

7. Add the Watercress, mint and coriander to the Mango salsa and mix well.

8. To serve, stack each patty on one half of a hamburger bun, top with some Mango Salsa and Watercress mix and cover with remaining half of bun.


Smile and enjoy!

This recipe and 364+ more available from our GrillJunkie - Burger-a-Day Cookbook available at Amazon

Grilled Flaming Pineapple Recipe

Grilled Flaming Pineapple Recipe

A true Grilling Addict's delight, and a new trend these days is to grill fruit on the trusted backyard grill. You trusted us with Grilled Pizza right? Trust us on this one too! One of our favorites is Grilled Pineapple.

Pineapple has the ideal texture and substance to take the heat of the grill! To add more fun to the experience, be sure let everyone gather around when you are ready to throw these pineapple slices on the grill. As always, be careful..when the rum hits the fire it will flare-up, so keep you're your cool and your eyebrows out of range and let everyone be awed by your grilling skills.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pineapple cored and cut into ½ inch slices
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• Scoop of Vanilla ice cream

PREPARATION:

Combine Worcestershire sauce, honey, butter, sugar and rum in a deep medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, making sure to stir constantly so as to avoid burning the mixture. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool.

Preheat and oil your grill (a light olive oil works best). Brush pineapple pieces with sauce and place on grill. Cook for about 5 minutes turning occasionally. Surface of the pineapple should brown. Remove from grill, top with ice cream and the remaining sauce.

Hoot, holler, and enjoy!

Winter Grilling Cleaning and Prep Up

Winter Cleaning and Preparation

Get your grill ready for winter.

As winter approaches each year, some of you may begin to think it's time to pack your grill away until signs of spring appear. There are a few things that should be done besides simply forgetting and just letting your grill sit under a foot of snow all winter. Of course that’s not what anyone plans on doing, however due to the quick onset of winter, especially in the Northeast, it frequently happens that way. The following will help you prepare your grill for winter and avoid finding your trusty barbecue rusted and populated with squirrels and field mice next spring. 

To those of you in warmer climates, we offer you the best of wishes during those mid January cookouts. Be sure to send pictures to encourage the rest of us GrillJunkies that hope is just around the “seasonal” corner. Those of you that live in lands of snow however are presented with a choice. You can pack the grill carefully into a nice dry corner of the garage or shed, or face potential frostbite by cooking outdoors in a foot of snowfall. 

After a long summer of grilling you probably have a good build up of black, greasy gunk in your grill. This gunk should be removed prior to winter storage. You will be glad you did come spring when that ad hoc cookout request comes along. In addition to cleanup, you should also make note of any part that is rusted through and is in need of replacement. It is always safe to assume that you may not be able to find those parts in the off season but you will know exactly what you need when the stores roll out their barbecue and grilling accessories selection next year. 

With the shell and all the components clean you can reassemble the grill, being sure that all gas connections are made you are leak free. Then Fire It Up one last time to make sure that it is completely dry. Now you can go over the metal parts with some cooking oil or spray. This little trick helps to repel any moisture that might build up during the winter. Now you should cover your grill and park it in a place where it will be sheltered from the elements. An important note about gas grills is that while a dry corner of the garage is the perfect place for the grill, it is not the place for the gas tank!. Never store propane tanks in an enclosed area. Even the slowest of leaks can flood an area with explosive gas. It's best to keep the tank in a well ventilated area, protected from the weather. 

If you have a charcoal grill the same basic rules apply. But because of the simplicity of a charcoal grill, you’ll have a much easier time of it. Charcoal grills and smokers tend to only need a light coat of oil over the cooking grates and don’t need to be oiled down like a gas grill. When spring arrives always let your grill or smoker heat up completely before you cook. This will burn off this protective oil covering. 

Be safe, be clean, and be prepared. Enjoy!

Claim your Steak with Grill Charms!

Hey there fellow GrillJunkies!

Have you ever been in this situation?: You are grilling for a gathering of family and friends, so there are a gamut of things on the grill; steaks, burgers, chicken, etc. The problem is that one person wants theirs cooked medium rare, while another likes things well done. Another person may have an affinity to spicy food, while another likes things plain or may have a food allergy. Once things are on the grill, it is next to impossible to keep track of who wanted what.

Well, there's a solution. Our friend, Leslie Haywood, invented Grill Charms!

Grill Charms™ are similar in concept to the wine charm. These dime-sized solid stainless steel charms are placed in your food BEFORE grilling. The stems are serrated to hold securely while grilling, moving and flipping. Grill Charm™ your food PRIOR to cooking to distinguish spices and flavors, steak temperatures, or to avoid health or allergy issues. When dinner comes off the grill everyone knows which one is theirs!

• No more cutting into 5 steaks to try to find the rare one


• No more offering only mild BBQ because too few guests like it spicy


• No more confusion with health or allergy concerns


• Serrated to stay in securely while grilling, flipping and moving


• Made of high quality heat conducting stainless steel


• Food cooks evenly around charm


• Stress free grilling for grill master and guests


• Works with Burgers, Chicken, Steak, Pork, Fish and more!

You can link to the Grill Charm site or directly at http://www.grillcharms.com/

What do you think?