FAMILY FEATURES
Weekend barbecues, birthday celebrations and family reunions are in full swing, so up your grill game from basic to bold with a few ideas to leave your guests wanting more.
Step outside your comfort zone and create some “wow-worthy” dishes with big flavors with these recipes from McCormick and chef Roger Mooking from Cooking Channel’s “Man, Fire, Food.”
Get started with these ideas:
Once ribs are grilled until tender, use a sharp knife to carefully slit skin on the back of each rib for easier bone removal. Make a giant cheese-stuffed burger by lining a 9-inch round cake pan with foil. Add in half of the ground beef followed by a cheese layer. Top with remaining ground beef and shake on seasoning for maximum flavor.
Brine pork chops in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours before grilling to infuse with flavor and help make tender and juicy. Top with caramelized apples cooked in a cast-iron skillet. Find more summer recipes and tips at GrillYourBest.com.
Smokehouse Maple-Brined Pork Chops Servings: 4
1/3 cup sea salt
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons and pinch, McCormick Grill
Mates Smokehouse Maple Seasoning
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
8 cups water, divided
4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (3/4-inch thick, about
2 1/2-2 3/4 pounds total) vegetable oil
1 lemon, cut in half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples, each peeled, cored and cut into six wedges
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives (optional) In medium saucepan, whisk salt, 1/4 cup seasoning, 1/4 cup sugar and 4 cups water. Bring to simmer, whisking constantly, until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour in remaining water and mix thoroughly. Transfer brine to large container with lid and cool to room temperature. Add pork chops to brine. Cover and refrigerate 8-10 hours.
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with oil. Season both sides of pork with 2 tablespoons seasoning.
Grill until bottom side of pork chops are well marked and charred, 7-9 minutes. Flip and grill 4-6 minutes, or until cooked through and internal temperature registers 145 F. Let rest under tented foil.
Place large cast-iron skillet on grill. Juice one lemon half into small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and remaining sugar to skillet and stir with heatproof spatula until mixture resembles wet sand. Cook with grill open, stirring frequently, until sugar melts and deepens to amber, about 8 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Once foam subsides, add apples. Close grill and cook, stirring gently to coat apples in caramel, until apples are tender-crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add remaining lemon juice and pinch of seasoning; stir gently.
Arrange pork chops on platter and top with apples. Zest remaining lemon half over dish. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.