Grilled Rack of Lamb
By: Jack Mancuso
Date: April 22, 2024
I confess. I love making rack-of-lamb on the grill. While people seem to set it aside for special occasions, there’s no reason not to pull out some chops (you can cut them from the rack). You could also make something vibrant and texturally inviting, like Herb-Crusted Leg of Lamb. If you’re nervous about making a Grilled Rack of Lamb, it’s not really that hard. Grilling is an art, and at first, your jitters are normal. Just stick to a tried-and-true recipe, and you can’t really go wrong. What Is Rack of Lamb This product is an unsplit primal rib cut. If you’re looking at a cow outline, this piece comes from ribs six through twelve. These will become two rib roasts. If you want to make a crown, the two roasts must be sewn together so that when they stand up, they look like a crown. Note: your butcher will help you, or they may even have one prepared during the holidays. Tips for Success Treat the rack with marinade and, if you wish, barbecue rub. Both help keep the rack tender. If there are any exposed bones, wrap them in foil so they don’t burn. Watch your lamb like a hawk. It should not cook beyond the medium rare stage for the best results Place your lamb on the grill fatty side down initially. ** ** People disagree on this point, but this is how I roll. Ingredients 8-bone rack of lamb ½ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 5 garlic cloves 10 mint leaves ½ tbsp oregano ½ tbsp basil 2 tsp pink salt 1 tsp cracked pepper Honey mustard Cuso’s Grass Seasoning Instructions Combine everything but the honey mustard and Cuso’s Grass Seasoning in a blender. Transfer this to a coverable container Lay out the rack of lamb inside If you are in a hurry, leave this in the refrigerator for 5 hours. Otherwise, marinate overnight. Preheat the grill to 500F (close the lid) In the meanwhile, remove the lamb from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Cover the rack of lamb with a thin coat of mustard Sprinkle the meat all over with Cuso’s Grass Seasoning.** Place the lamb on the grill, starting with the fat side down. Grill for 5 minutes and then flip. Wait another 5 minutes Check the meat’s temperature using a probe at the thickest part of the meat If it’s not 135F (medium rare), move it to indirect heat for a little longer. Be careful. Lamb can go from perfect to overcooked in the blink of an eye. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. ** If you’d like something with a kick, use Cuso’s Hot Honey Seasoning instead. PitMaster’s Memo: Lamb in History Lamb has been part of humankind’s diet for thousands of years, starting in Mesopotamia. It was from there that people in Central Asia and Africa obtained their meat. In pastoral society, lamb played an important role. It was not simply food. You could get lamb milk and use their wool, for example. Christopher Columbus brought ewes and rams to America with him. As time passed, lamb became somewhat of a delicacy reserved for special celebrations and important guests. Some European aristocrats even requested it over beef Sides Asparagus with brown butter Chickpea feta salad Greek lemon potatoes Minted baby peas Roasted Mediterranean vegetables Desserts Fruit compote Lemon bars Mint mousse Poached pears with caramel sauce Sticky toffee pudding From the Bar Amber ale Chamomile tea Mint julep Shiraz Single malt
Buffalo Pork Ribs
By: Jack Mancuso
Date: April 15, 2024
In 1964 the Anchor Bar & Grill in Buffalo began using Frank’s Hot Sauce for grilling chicken wings. A new sensation (Buffalo Wings) was born. But this hot sauce tastes great on all kinds of things, including pork ribs. In this recipe for Buffalo Pork Ribs, I combine Frank’s Sauce with a little brown sugar and a tasty Cuso’s all-natural rub for that sweet-heat balance. Then, a layer of smokiness rounds out a delicious main course. Ingredients 2 slabs baby back pork ribs Olive oil ¼ cup Cuso’s Smoky Garlic Buffalo Seasoning 1 tbsp brown sugar (if you want more sweetness) 1 tsp liquid smoke (for extra smokiness) 1 cup Frank’s Original Red-Hot Sauce 1 stick unsalted butter Instructions Turn the ribs over and remove the silver skin from the underside Mix the Cuso’s Seasoning with the brown sugar (if you are using it) Pour a scant amount of olive oil on each rack of ribs Spread it all over Dust the ribs with Cuso’s Smoky Garlic Buffalo Seasoning Wrap the racks individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight The next day, bring the ribs to room temperature Preheat the smoker to 250F Cut the ribs individually. A cleaver comes in handy here. Spread them on the smoker grate Leave for 3 hours Check for doneness (205F). If they’re not quite ready, let them smoke a bit longer While the ribs smoke, make your sauce Combine the hot sauce, liquid smoke, and melted butter together Toss the ribs lightly in the blend and serve PitMaster’s Memo: Getting Saucy When you have people over who are not fond of hot sauce, you can change the flavor profile of this dish easily. Rather than Cuso’s Smoky Garlic Buffalo Seasoning, use our classic Roasted Garlic Onion Seasoning. Toss the pork ribs with a favorite barbecue sauce, Asian-style sauce, or perhaps honey mustard. Other Cuso Cut’s Rib Recipes 3-2-1 Ribs Taco Ribs How to Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Bourbon Jam Baby Back Ribs Sides Bacon bowtie salad Black-eyed peas and greens Brocolini Cajun potato salad Roasted cherry tomatoes Desserts Banana pudding Bourbon praline cake Brown sugar molasses pie (Shoofly) Honeyed cornbread Peach Crisp From the Bar. Fruit punch (non-alcoholic) Gin and tonic India pale ale Peach bourbon Zinfandel
Southwest Grilled Vegetables
By: Jack Mancuso
Date: April 11, 2024
If you like roasted vegetables, then you’ll like them fresh off the grill, too. This recipe for Southwest Grilled Vegetables has a Mexican-leaning edge that brings out bright, individual flavors. I’ve used one of my all-natural seasonings for this recipe: Southwest Sand. Some people prefer grilling vegetables over charcoal for smokiness. However, you can use a smoker just as easily. Plus, you can pick the vegetables you like the most and swap them out (or add to) the ingredient list. Got leftover veggies in the fridge? Cook them up! Options: Vegetables that work great on the grill (besides those in this recipe) are: Asparagus Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Green beans Eggplant Hot peppers Mushrooms Poblano peppers Potatoes (baby) Romaine Serrano peppers Shishito peppers Squash Zucchini Mushrooms Sometimes, when you skewer vegetables, some fall off and into the fiery abyss. So, I advise using a grilling basket for this fare. By turning it, your vegetables cook on both sides. Once done, you can use the vegetables as a side dish. Top off some rice with them for a hardier fare. They’re also great in eggs, wraps, fajitas, and on top of burgers. This is enough for 2-3 people. Ingredients 1 small yellow squash, peeled and sliced 1 red onion, cut into bite-sized chunks ½ orange sweet pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks 1 cup (or more) baby onions 1 cup snap peas Fresh Corn sliced into ½-¾ inch pieces 4-6 button mushrooms Seasoning: 1/4 cup olive oil ½ tsp Cuso’s Southwest Sand Seasoning Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: Preheat the grill to 425F Prepare your red onion and peppers, cutting them into relatively same-sized pieces Set aside in a large mixing bowl Add all the other vegetables Blend the oil, Southwest Sand Seasoning, salt and pepper together. Toss the vegetables with the oil. Coat evenly. Spray the grilling basket with oil Evenly lay out the vegetables Place on the grill for 10 minutes with a closed lid Check the vegetables. If they have a slight char, see if they’re tender If they’re not quite tender enough, leave them for another two minutes. Be careful. Vegetables can burn easily. PitMaster’s Memo: Sauces for your Southwest Grilled Vegetables If you would like serving or dipping sauces for your vegetables, try some of these: Aioli: key ingredients garlic and olive oil Chili-lime Butter: Unsalted butter, lime zest, chili powder, cilantro, salt Garlic Cesar: Garlic, anchovy, lemon juice, dijon mustard, Worcestershire, mayo, Parmesan-Reggiano, salt and pepper Green goddess: Mayonnaise, sour cream, chervil, chives, anchovy, tarragon, lemon juice, and pepper. Peanut sauce: Peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar Tahini: Sesame seed and grape seed oil Tatziki: Yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, fresh herbs Sides Cheese board Chicken wings Focaccia Salmon and rice Shrimp skewers Desserts Carrot cake Cherry cheesecake Fruit tart Pumpkin rice pudding Strawberries n’ cream From the Bar Chardonnay Cognac Pilsner Root beer Star Gazer
Southwest Pork Skewers
By: Jack Mancuso
Date: April 08, 2024
Grilling season can be year-round, and there are so many selections. In celebration of adding Cuso’s Southwest Sand seasoning to our all-natural collection, this recipe creates that unique flavor profile using boneless pork. Skewers are a great way to cook and serve food. They’re a “utility” and a presentation tool all in one! If pork isn’t your thing, this recipe works as well on chicken. I like the vivid colors of this recipe too. It perks up the dinner table. Picking the Right Pork Don’t be tempted to reach for that glorious tenderloin. It’s too lean, meaning your skewers will turn out dry. On the flip side, cuts like pork shoulder and but are too fatty for this treatment. So, instead, look for boneless country-style ribs, which will turn out succulent. Marinade Ingredients 1 cup Modelo Especial 1 large, seedless orange juiced 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tsp ginger 1 tbsp basil (fresh chopped if possible) ½ tsp each ground salt and pepper ¼ tsp orange zest (from the previously listed orange) Pork Skewer Ingredients 2 lbs boneless pork ribs 1 large red onion ½ Green pepper ½ Yellow pepper ** 8 tomatillos Mushrooms (optional) CusoCuts Southwest Sand ** For a little more zing, use hot banana peppers Southwest Pork Skewer Instructions Cut the pork using a good Chef’s Knife into 1-inch squares (perfectly bite sized). Using a food storage bag or airtight food storage container, mix all the ingredients for the marinade together. Toss in the pork, mixing thoroughly Let the pork sit in the marinade for 4 hours in the refrigerator, mixing after each hour point to ensure even flavor In the meantime, cut up the onion and peppers into 1-2-inch squares ** Set your grill to 400F If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water so they don’t burn Drain the pork pieces, patting them dry with a paper towel (let the pork come to room temperature) Sprinkle Cuso’s Southwest seasonings evenly over each side of the pork Start threading the skewers with alternating meat and vegetables (the tomatillos slide on whole) Place the pork on the grill. Wait three minutes and turn. Wait another 3 minutes and turn again. Turn once more (a total of 9 minutes) The pork skewers are done when they read 145F on a meat thermometer. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve ** You can add the peppers to the marinade in the previous step to provide extra flavor. If using mushrooms, skip marinating them (they get mushy) PitMaster’s Memo: Keen Kebabs The first time a dish like kebabs showed up in texts was in 9 AD. Mind you, people were likely making them much earlier. It’s commonly held that kebabs started out in the Persian Empire. They were street food! Kebab aptly means “to fry.” The original meat for skewers was lamb. As merchants traveled through the region, they took the idea of kebabs with them. By the 18th century, kebabs arrived in India, and had the reputation of being fit for royalty. Turkish immigrants introduced kebabs in Europe in the 19th century, but it took Lebanese immigrants to introduce them in America. Nonetheless, the approach remained pretty much the same. Warm up a fire, and cook! Sides Green chili baked beans Pineapple Pico de Gallo Sauteed red cabbage Southwest stuffing Wild rice pilaf Deserts Caramel apple chichimanga Churros Corn pudding Grilled peaches & pecans Honey Sopapillas From the Bar Bourbon lemonade Negra Modelo Pinot Noir Rum apple cider Sparkling orange juice
How to Make Chimichurri
By: Jack Mancuso
Date: April 04, 2024
If you watch my videos, you’ll find me using chimichurri sauce all the time. I’ve used it for lemon-pepper wings, picanha, and even a Tomahawk steak! There’s no question that fresh chimichurri is going to taste fantastic, and it’s easy to make. Is Chimichurri Pesto? The key ingredient in homemade pesto is basil. Chimichurri uses flat-leaf parsley. Additionally, chimichurri brings some zesty acid with lemon juice and vinegar, and results in having a chunkier texture than pesto. Get Out Your Mortar & Pestle If you want to make chimichurri the authentic way, you will use a mortar and pestle. You will mash all the herbs together to make a paste in the receptacle. From there, you add liquids for the sauce texture. Mind you, a decent blender or food processor will make this light work. What Does it Taste Like? The parsley and cilantro in chimichurri create an herbaceous undertone. Garlic packs a wallop, as do the red pepper flakes. It, like aioli, can brighten up dull foods. For example, use it as a pasta dressing, as a pizza topping, mix it into a vegetable dip, or toss a little into your batch of scrambled eggs. Ingredients 1 c Italian parsley leaves ¼ c fresh basil ¼ c cilantro leaves ¼ oregano leaves ⅓ c red onion, chopped ⅓ cup shallots, sliced 3 large cloves of garlic 1 Fresno hot pepper ½ c olive oil ⅛ c white vinegar ⅛ c red wine 1 lemon, juiced 1 tsp salt Cuso’s Lemon Pepper Seasoning (to taste) Cuso’s Tequila Lime Habanero Spice (optional) Instructions Using a Chef’s Knife for precision, finely mince all the herbs. The size doesn’t have to be perfect—just small enough so you get a little of everything in one bite. In a bowl, whisk the herbs with the oil, vinegar, wine, and lemon. Season with salt, lemon pepper seasoning, and our all-natural Habanero spice to personal taste. Place in a container that has an air-tight seal Place it in the refrigerator for at least two days before using (the flavor improves greatly) PitMaster’s Memo: Chimichurri History There’s some argument about how (and when) chimichurri received its name. One bit of folklore begins with James (Jimmy) McCurry, a 19th-century Irish immigrant who loved Worcestershire sauce. In true food-lover fashion, he decided to create his own condiment. The sauce took his name, Jimmy Mccurry, which turned into chimichurri in the Argentinian language. Mind you, many Argentines claim it was really their grandmother who created the sauce. Truth be told, they probably made something similar or created their own spin on it.