Blog Archives

Big Green Craig: Bloody Mary Shrimp 'n Grits

5/11/2016

I follow the National Food Holidays calendar because it's fun and I like to see the different "holidays." This is also a great way to change up menu ideas.

Yesterday was National Shrimp Day. My family loves seafood. It's quick, tasty and very healthy. I was busy most of the day so I needed something quick. Here's my take on shrimp n Grits.

C INGREDIENTS

1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 C celery diced
1/2 small onion diced
2 cloved garlic rough minced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbs prepared horseradish
1/3 C Ketchup
1/4 C Titos Vodka
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs Worcestershire
salt
pepper
butter
oil

DIRECTIONS

Set up for direct grilling. Dome temp should be around 400F.

Whisk together the all of the wet ingredients, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Dome temp should be around 400F. Preheat a cast iron skillet. Saute the celery, onion and garlic with some butter and oil until soft. Move the aromatics to the side of the skillet, add a bit more butter and oil and saute the shrimp until pink and opaque throughout. Mix in the onion, celery and garlic. Add the sauce and ensure that everything is coated and evenly combined. Allow to saute for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Serve over grits or rice.

5 Comments

Big Green Craig: Treating Mom Right

5/9/2016

0 Comments

Most of the United Stated celebrated Mother's Day yesterday. We honored my mother, my mother-in-law and her mother. It was a full house! We had a great day catching up and spending quality time together.

My mom requested a salmon dish for lunch. I wanted to do something new a creative instead of the same old grilled salmon. That's when I remembered a recipe that I wrote for the 2015 Sunshine State Eggfest. Everyone was very happy with lunch.

Mom was happy, everyone enjoyed lunch and a good day was had be all. Happy belated Mother's Day to all of the moms out there.

So, here's the recipe: HONEY WHISKEY PLANK’D SALMON

INGREDIENTS:
4                 Skin on Salmon Filets
2                 Cedar PLanks
1C              Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
1C              Water
6 Tbsp       Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
6 Tbsp       Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp       Soy Sauce (low Sodium)
1                 Zest of one orange
2 Tbsp       Fresh Orange Juice
5 Cloves    Minced Garlic
To Taste    Pepper

COOK TIME:
Approx. 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness.
The salmon should flake away easily with a fork.
BIG GREEN EGG SETUP:
Set up the Big Green Egg for direct grilling.
Target temp is 400-425F Dome Temp.Let the fire burn long enough so that there is no flame. The coals should be smoldering and grayed over.

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the 1C Whiskey & 1C water in a Ziploc bag and soak the cedar plank overnight. Starting with a hot skillet, sauté the garlic. Pour in the remainder of ingredients and whisk together. Allow the glaze to simmer and to reduce by half. Remove from heat. Remove the plank from the bag. Apply some EVOO to the skin of the fish and place on plank. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Brush the fish with the glaze and place the plank directly on the grill grate. Apply the glaze every 5 minutes while cooking. Cook for approx. 15-20 minutes. The salmon should flake easily with a fork.

0 Comments

Big Green Craig: Breakfast for Dinner

5/4/2016

1 Comment

Breakfast food has to be one of my favorite types of meals. The combinations and varieties are endless!

I like to start off with a mimosa!

Here's my take on a classic Eggs Benedict.

Let's get started!

I started with a 1 pound filet of skin on salmon. I mixed a very simple cure of 1/4 C of white sugar and a 1/4 C of salt, mixed it thoroughly, coated the salmon filet on all sides, covered it and refrigerated for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, the cure was rinsed off and the fish was brushed with a thin layer of maple syrup. and tossed in to the Rec Tec Pellet Grill cold smoker box and smoked at 79F for 24 hours. The results were fantastic!