5 Proteins to Grill
Something about a grill out feels so essentially “summer.” Maybe it’s because we’re cooped up for so long in the winter, that grilling our food outdoors feels really special! It can be easy to get stuck in a rut when you are grilling; burgers, chicken, or maybe the occasional steak. We have a few ideas to spice things up on your grilling menu with these 5 grilling ideas.
Boneless Skinless Amish Chicken Thighs
Chicken breasts may be the star of the show when it comes to grilling but don’t forget about chicken thighs! This cut is great for the grill as there is more dark meat and they are less likely to dry out like chicken breast tends to do. We love to marinate or brine the thighs prior to grilling for ultimate flavor. One popular recipe is Huli Huli Chicken. The story goes that in the 1950s a Honolulu businessman served some farmers grilled chicken using his mother’s secret teriyaki-style marinade sauce. It was a huge hit! The chicken is named “Huli-Huli” after the Hawaiian word “turn” which refers to the technique of turning a grill rack halfway through the cooking. This simplified version is adapted from a New York Times recipe.
Huli-Huli Chicken Thighs
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar'
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
1 ½ - 2 lbs pounds of Boneless Skinless Amish Chicken Thighs
Mix all of the ingredients except for the chicken thoroughly together in a bowl. Reserve half of the marinade for basting. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl with the marinade and stir to thoroughly coat the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat the grill to medium (you’ll know it’s ready when you can hold your hand 5” above the grill for 5-7 seconds). Add the chicken to the grill and cover, cooking for 25-30 mins. Turn the chicken every 5 minutes and baste with the remaining marinade until cooked through. (Meat should not be pink, and the juices should run clear). Serve with rice and garnish with grilled pineapple and chopped green onions.
Thousand Hills Ground Beef
Thousand Hills is 100% grass-fed beef and does not use or give their cattle hormones, antibiotics, grains, GMOs, confinement, or grain byproducts. Thousand Hills uses regenerative agriculture to raise their cattle. This grazing process helps to solve the problem of soil destruction by applying the rule of thirds: graze a third, trample a third and leave a third.
Most people have their preferred techniques for grilling a burger. Here are a few tips to level up your burger game.
Use an 80/20 beef mix to prevent your burger from drying out.
Make sure the patties are the correct size. They should at least be the same size as the bun you plan to use and ¾ - 1” inch thick.
Make a divot in the center of your burger. The meat expands and changes shape while it cooks. The divot will help it maintain its patty shape.
Season your patties just before they go on the grill. Adding salt too early to the meat will dry it out.
Leave the patties alone. To ensure a nice sear, don’t flip too early. Also, don’t press on the patty as it grills. Pressing squeezes out all of the juice that keeps the burger moist.
Free Range Eggs
Hear us out…The grill can be used for more than just grilling! We’ve recently discovered a new use for our charcoal grill. Cold smoking food. Pick up a carton of free-range organic eggs from any number of local vendors that supply the Co-op with farm-fresh eggs. Follow the steps below for a super tasty treat that will be gone before you know it and have your friends and family begging for the how-to.
Hardboil the egg using your preferred method. Peel the eggs, rinse with cold water and set aside in a bowl.
Boil one cup of water and add that to ¼ cup of salt in a small bowl. Stir until the salt completely dissolves.
Add ¼ cup of Worcestshire sauce to the salt water and stir to combine. Pour this mixture over the eggs then add enough cold water to completely cover the eggs.
Brine for at least 24 hours.
Ready your grill by adding hardwood pellets (we like applewood) to a pellet smoker tube, and placing the tube underneath the grill grate. (You will not use any charcoal or heat). Light the pellets using a torch or lighter and leave them lit for up to 10 minutes. Gently blow out the flame so the pellets are still smoldering and produce aromatic smoke.
Add your eggs to the grill grate and cover the grill. Smoke the eggs for up to 3 hours.
Heritage Breed Pork Chops
We can all agree on this - local heritage breed pork has superior meat quality, rich flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. It’s also suitable for long cooking and also high temperature cooking. The next time you’re planning to grill, make sure to pick up some chops at from the Co-op.
If you plan to grill a pork chop, make sure you pick up a bone-in cut that’s at least 1” thick. Coat the chops with olive oil and then season with a blend of paprika, salt, and pepper. Be sure to sprinkle liberally over the chops and rub the spices in. Grill the chop over high heat for two minutes on each side. Then, move the chop or place it on an upper grill rack for indirect medium heat to finish up the cooking: approx 15 minutes. Actual cooking time will depend on the heat of your grill and the thickness of the pork chop. Pork needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tofu
While tofu might not be the first thing you think of when you want to grill, don’t overlook this amazing source of protein! The beauty of tofu is that it can take on a multitude of flavors through marinating and basting. Grilling will amplify those flavors! Try these tofu skewers the next time you want to grill.
Grilled Marinated Tofu
Soak 8 skewers in water for 20-30 mins
Cut a block of extra firm, pressed tofu into 1”x1” cubes.
To create the marinade, whisk 2 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar, ½ tsp garlic, 1 tsp sriracha (or another hot sauce), and 1 tsp rice vinegar in a small bowl.
Toss the tofu cubes in the marinade to thoroughly coat. Set aside the remaining marinade.
Skewer the tofu cubes leaving a small space between each piece.
Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side, basting with the leftover marinade.
Service with a spicy peanut sauce.