Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer vacation season and also wraps up National Barbecue Month. That means it’s the perfect time to fire up the grill.
Here are our favorite menu items from the folks over at Big Green Egg to make your Memorial Day barbecue egg-stra delicious.
Smoked Beef Short Ribs
Recipe courtesy of Chef Kevin Rathbun and Big Green Egg.
These smoked short ribs are a tribute to Rathbun’s appetite for beef. He takes a once-lowly cut of meat and with innovative seasoning, hickory chips and slow cooking, turns it into tender, tasty fare, sure to please even the most discriminating palate. Ask the butcher to cut the short ribs 2 to 2½ inches thick, because they shrink during cooking. And be prepared for everyone to ask for second helpings.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut 2 to 2½ inches thick
- 16 ounces lager beer
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups white balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
Instructions
Set the EGG for direct cooking at 225°F/107°C .
Generously rub the short ribs with the spices.
Place the hickory chips in a small bowl, cover with water and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain and scatter over the preheated charcoal. Using barbecue mitts, place the grid in the EGG.
Place the ribs on the grid; close the dome of the EGG. Let the ribs smoke 1½ to 2 hours. Once the short ribs have finished smoking, transfer the ribs to the baking dish.
Using the Grill Gripper and barbecue mitts, carefully remove the grid and add the ConvEGGtor and replace the grid. Raise the internal temperature of the EGG to 375ºF/190ºC.
Mix the beer and the chicken broth in a large bowl and set aside. Place the vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on the stove top over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
Pour the beef and chicken mixture over the ribs.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil; place in the preheated EGG for 2½ hours, or until the ribs are fork tender.
Warm the reduced vinegar over low heat. Using a whisk, add the butter a little at a time, stirring constantly, until the butter is emulsified. Do not boil. Transfer the ribs to plates, top with the sauce and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Rub Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Rub Instructions
Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, coriander and salt in a small bowl.
Bacon Mac & Cheese
This is a tasty way to serve Mac & Cheese, especially if you take advantage of the optional topping you can incorporate.
Recipe courtesy of Cabot Cheese and BigGreenEgg.com.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup Panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs
- 12 slices flavorful smoked bacon
- 3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- ½ cup Cabot 2% Plain Greek-Style Yogurt or Cabot Plain Greek-Style Yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 8 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar or Seriously Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 2 cups), plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium clove garlic, coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional extras (see below)
Instructions
Set EGG to indirect cooking at 350°F/177°C.
Heat oil on preheated Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle or a grill-safe pan. Add breadcrumbs and stir in pan until golden, about 1 1⁄2 minutes. immediately scrape into small bowl and set aside.
Add bacon to Half Moon Griddle and cook until crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble or chop and set aside.
In large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni according to package directions until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.
While macaroni cooks, combine yogurt and mayonnaise in blender; add cheddar, vinegar, hot sauce, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper; blend until the consistency of mayonnaise and nearly smooth, stirring and scraping down side of container as needed to help ingredients “liquefy.”
In large bowl, toss together macaroni, cheddar dressing and bacon in large bowl, mixing well. Serve topped with additional cheese and toasted breadcrumbs. Surround with bowls of optional extras as desired.
*Optional extras: sliced green onions, chopped Italian parsley, slivered fresh basil, raw fresh corn kernels, diced fresh tomatoes, diced bell peppers, thinly sliced romaine lettuce
Cooking with Peaches
Fresh peaches are very dynamic fruits, able to be made into the sweetest of dishes as well as complement the most savory foods, including pizza and fish dishes.
For this simple dessert, use ripe and juicy peaches, fill them with pecan praline stuffing, and bake in the EGG. Dessert doesn’t get any better or easier than this!
Recipe courtesy of Sweet Georgia Peaches and Big Green Egg.
Ingredients
- 4 ripe peaches, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3⁄4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 1⁄4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Set the EGG for direct cooking at 400ºF/204ºC.
Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Using a teaspoon, core the red centers from each of the peach halves. Dip the cut side of each peach into the lemon juice. Place the peaches in the baking dish, cut side up.
In a medium bowl, stir the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg until completely blended. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter to the flour mixture. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces of butter are pea size. Using a spatula, fold the chopped pecans into the flour mixture until the pecans and the flour mixture are completely combined. Place 2 tablespoons of the filling into the center of each peach half.
Put the peaches inside the 13×9 in baking dish and put the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the pan. Place the baking dish on the grid. Close the lid of the EGG and bake for 20 minutes, or until the stuffing has set and the peaches begin to soften. Remove the dish and let the peaches rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8
