National grilling expert Jamie Purviance has grilling tips for the big game.
• T-Bones with Avocado Salsa
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: 10 to 12 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Salsa ingredients:
2 medium Haas avocados, finely diced or mashed
1 cup finely diced tomato
4 scallions, white and light green parts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced jalapeño chile pepper
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 T-bone steaks, 1 to 1-1/4 pounds each and about 1-1/4 inches thick, trimmed of excess fat
Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. In a medium bowl mix the salsa ingredients. Set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.
2. Make a little pile of the garlic on a cutting board. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salt over the garlic. Finely chop the garlic and use the side of the knife to crush the garlic and salt into a paste.
3. Fill a Weber® RapidFire® chimney starter to the rim with charcoal and burn the charcoal until it is lightly covered with ash. Spread the charcoal in a tightly packed, single layer across one-half of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, and preheat the grill for 10 minutes. Leave all the vents open.
4. Lightly coat the steaks on both sides with oil. Smear the garlic paste over both sides. Season evenly with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
5. Brush the cooking grate clean. Sear the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, for about 6 minutes, turning once and swapping their positions as needed for even cooking. Then move the steaks over indirect high heat and cook to your desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes for medium rare. By rotating the steaks so the tenderloin section is facing away from the hot fire, you will protect that meat from overcooking. Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Carve the steaks. Serve warm with the salsa.
• Classic Baby Back Ribs
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Rub ingredients:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons paprika
4 teaspoons granulated garlic
4 teaspoons pure chili powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 racks baby back ribs, 2 to 21/2 pounds each
4 medium chunks hickory wood, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Barbecue sauce ingredients:
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure chile powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mop ingredients:
1 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (from above)
Method:
1. In a small bowl mix the rub ingredients.
2. Using a meat thermometer or dull knife, slide the tip under the membrane covering the back of each rack of ribs. Lift and loosen the membrane until it breaks, then grab a corner of it with a paper towel and pull it off. Season the ribs all over, putting more of the rub on the meaty sides than the bone sides. Do not press the spices into the surface of the meat. Arrange the ribs in a rib rack, with all the ribs facing the same direction.
3. Prepare a two-zone fire for low heat, making sure the charcoal covers no more than one-third of the charcoal grate. Place a large, disposable drip pan on the empty side of the charcoal grate. Fill the pan about halfway with warm water.
4. Drain 2 chunks of hickory and place them on top of the charcoal. Put the cooking grate in place. Place the rib rack over indirect low heat (over the drip pan) as far from the charcoal as possible, with the bone sides facing toward the charcoal. Close the lid. Close the top vent about halfway. Let the ribs cook and smoke for 1 hour. During that time, maintain the temperature between 250˚F and 300˚F by opening and closing the top vent. Meanwhile, make the sauce and the mop.
5. In a small saucepan mix the barbecue sauce ingredients. Simmer for a few minutes over medium heat, and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
6. In another small saucepan mix the mop ingredients. Simmer for a few minutes over medium heat to melt the butter, and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
7. After the first hour of cooking, add 8 to 10 unlit charcoal briquettes and the remaining 2 hickory chunks (drained) to the fire. At the same time, lightly baste the ribs with some mop. Leaving the lid off for a few minutes while you baste the ribs will help the new briquettes to light. Close the lid and cook for another hour. During that time, maintain the temperature between 250˚F and 300˚F by opening and closing the top vent.
8. After 2 hours of cooking, add 8 to 10 unlit charcoal briquettes to the fire. Remove the ribs from the rib rack, spread them out on a clean work area and baste them thoroughly with some mop. Put them back in the rib rack, again all facing the same direction but this time turned over so that the ends facing down earlier now face up. Also position any ribs that appear to be cooking faster than the others toward the back of the rib rack, farther from the charcoal. Let the ribs cook for a third hour. During that time, maintain the temperature between 250˚F and 300˚F by opening and closing the top vent.
9. After 3 hours of cooking, check to see if any rack is ready to come off the grill. They are done when the meat has shrunk back from most of the bones by 1/4 inch or more. When you lift a rack by picking up one end with tongs, the rack should bend in the middle and the meat should tear easily. If the meat does not tear easily, continue to cook the ribs. The total cooking time could be anywhere between 3 to 4 hours. Not all racks will cook in the same amount of time. Lightly brush the cooked ribs with some sauce and, if desired for crispiness, cook them over direct heat for a few minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and tightly cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with the remaining sauce on the side.
• Arthur Sampson's Beer-Showered Littleneck Clams
Prep time: 5 minutes
Grilling time: about 8 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 dozen littleneck or manila clams
1 cup beer (in a spray bottle)
1/2 cup good-quality cocktail sauce
Tabasco® sauce
Method:
1. Prepare a two-zone fire for high heat.
2. Brush the cooking grate clean. Grill the clams over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until some of the clams begin to open, 2 to 3 minutes. As they open, move the opened clams to the opposite side of the cooking grate, where no coals are directly underneath them. Spray the opened clams a few times with a little beer and keep them warm while the others cook over direct heat. After 6 to 8 minutes, all the clams should be opened, moved to other side of the grate, and sprayed with beer. If any clams haven't opened after 8 minutes of cooking, discard them (they are unsafe to eat).
3. Transfer the clams to a large bowl or platter. Spray them once more with beer. Serve right away with cocktail sauce and Tabasco® sauce.
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