Spit-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Dijon Baste

Spit-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Dijon Baste

This delicious recipe was one of the factors in my TV show making the ratings that kept me on the air for 131 episodes. Our original contract was for 13 episodes. We used it on the cover of my book The Sonoran Grill This easy recipe is tangy and herbal with the correct amount of bite from the lemon and dijon to cut through the lamb and bring ou the delicate flavor. Serve it with a cold, crisp white Pinot and a loaf of my bread!

Fresh Rosemary for garnish

1 8LB Leg of lamb, de-boned and tied

1. Allow the lamb to rest in the marinade for 1-1/2 hours.

2. Place lamb on spit and roast over indirect heat, medium-hot coals, until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees or about 35-40 minutes of cooking time (for medium rare).

3. Remove lamb from spit and allow resting for 8-10 minutes before serving.

4. Garnish with Rosemary.

Rosemary Dijon Baste;

1-1/2 TSP Fresh rosemary, minced

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced or pressed

1/4 C Peanut oil

2 TBL Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 TBL Dijon mustard

1 TBL Soy sauce

PINCH Salt

1. Whisk all ingredients well. Use to baste or marinade lamb, poultry or pork.

Sweet and Spicy Red Cabbage Relish

Sweet and Spicy Red Cabbage Relish

Try this wonderful relish the next time you're in the mood for grilled brauts -- you won't be sorry.
 Makes about 2 quarts.

1 HEAD Red cabbage
1  Large white onion
1/2 LB Salt pork
3 TBL Sweet butter
1/2 C Jalapeno jelly
3 TBL Dark brown sugar
1  Bay leaf
1 TSP Fresh ground black pepper
1 C Water
1/3 C Cider vinegar

1. Slice the cabbage and onion very thin.
2. Saute the salt pork in the butter until it is soft.
3. Add cabbage, onion, jelly, brown sugar, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer; cook cabbage down, for 3 hours.
4. Turn off heat, remove salt pork and bay leaf.
5. Stir in vinegar and allow to cool.
6. Place in non-reactive container, covered, in refrigerator.

How do I know when it's Done?

How do I get from this…

to this?

I get this question, every time I speak on cooking.  Usually people are looking for a time in the grill or oven.  With the exception of fish, the way to think about this issue is not time, but internal temperature.  I suggest a digital meat thermometer.  They're cheap, fast and accurate.  Professionals often use the standard stem thermometer which can be quickly calibrated in a glass of ice water.  And I don't suggest gadgets that have a rare, medium and done setting,  just take the extra five minutes to remember this guide and you're on your way to knowing the nature of raosted grill meats.  Soon you'll just get a feel for where your foods are in the cooking cycle.
Use this guide as a starting place then adjust to your preferred doneness!  (Warning,The FDA suggests much higher target temperatures to avoid bacterial contamination.)   

Mad Coyote Joe's Grilled Meats, Fish and Foul, Target Temperature Guide.

Chicken

            Grill indirectly high heat, target temperature 165°f at the thickest part of the breast and thigh

Duck

            Grill indirectly, high heat, target temperature rare145°f, well done 165°f at the thickest part of the thigh breast.  If smoking or roasting suspend over a water bath.

Lamb

            Chops; grill directly, medium high heat, target temperature 145°f center of the chop

            Leg; grill indirectly, medium high heat, target temperature 145°f rare, 165°f well done, test at center of the leg

Pork

            Tenderloin and chops, medium high heat, target temperature, rare 145°f , well 165°f at center

            Roasts,  the old guys say, "low and slow", roast or smoke at 250°f to 325°f-target temperature done at 165°f but fall apart tender 192°f

Beef           

            Tender cuts (non-locomotive); Steaks, tenderloins, fillets and tender roasts like tri tip, quick sear, high heat indirect finish, target temperature rare 124°f, medium rare 128°f, medium 132°f, medium well 136°f, well 140°f

            Tough cuts; brisket, chuck roasts, pot roasts, long slow cooking, sear then braise, moist environment, target temperature, 192°f

Fish

            Direct grilling medium high heat, 10 minutes of grilling for every inch of thickness.

Allow all grilled meat and poultry to rest for at least 10 minutes after removing from heat.

Point Reyes Blue Cheese Compound Butter

I was sent this comment today;
A Mexican restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area serves tortilla chips and salsa with a blue cheese/butter mixture and it's fantastic. But I've never seen it served anywhere else. Your thoughts?

Give this a try, it's a good start.

Point Reyes Blue Cheese Compound Butter

3/4 lb sweet butter

2 Tbl. Dijon mustard

1 Tbl. Fresh thyme, chopped fine

Pinch Kosher salt or Flur de Mar

1/2 lb Point Reyes blue cheese, or your favorite blue cheese

Cut butter into small cubes and soften at room temperature for 15 minutes

Cream the butter working in the mustard, thyme and salt. Gently fold in the blue cheese until all ingredients are incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning

Form the butter into two eight-inch rolls, about an inch and a half in diameter, along the bottom edge of two pieces of waxed paper. Roll up and twist tight.  Place in the freezer or the fridge if using right away.

Soften a bit and cut ½ inch slices to top any grilled meats right off the grill!

More on Grilling Vegetables

Our blog had one of it's busiest days yesterday, so I thought I'd go a little deeper on grilling vegetables! 

Spicy Tropical Fruited, Soy Glazed Salmon Fillet with Habanero

Spicy Tropical Fruited, Soy Glazed Salmon Fillet with Habanero

In the freezer section of your grocery store they sell frozen fruit juice combinations.  This recipe works well with about any of them, but the Apple, Mango and Passion fruit takes this recipe over the top.  And whatever you do, do not omit the lemon juice and dill it really ties the flavors together. 

1-2 Lb. Salmon fillet, skinned

2 tsp. White pepper

vegetable oil spray

¼ cup Frozen apple, mango and passion fruit juice concentrate, thawed

¼ cup coarse grain Dijon mustard

1 Tbl. Soy sauce

2 tsp. Your favorite habanero sauce, use more for extreme heat

2 tsp lemon zest

1 fresh lemon

1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped

Light the grill.  Remove any pin bones from salmon fillet.  Rinse under cold water quickly and pat dry with a paper towel.  Cut fillet into 6 to 8 individual steaks.  Sprinkle both sides with white pepper.  Spray both sides with vegetable oil spray.  In a small mixing bowl whisk together the fruit juice concentrate, mustard, soy sauce habanero sauce and lemon zest. Turn grill to medium.  Place the salmon steaks on the hot grill with the side that had the skin up.  After about 10-15 seconds gently lift the salmon fillet up from the grill surface and set back down (This keeps the fish from sticking).  After 2 minutes gently turn the steaks and once again gently lift them to prevent sticking.  Spoon the glaze over the fish reserving some for the other side.  Depending on your grill you will need to cook the fish for about 8 more minutes.  The rule for grilling fish is 10 minutes of grilling for each inch of thickness…. more or less!  So after 8 more minutes turn the fish one more time spoon on the remaining glaze and let cook for 30 seconds and remove from grill.  Plate, drizzle a little lemon juice and top with fresh dill.

Serves 6-8

Red Hot, South Texas, Shrimp en Escabache

Red Hot, South Texas, Shrimp en Escabache

Although this is a great appetizer we love it on butter lettuce with a few slices of avocado, warm bread and a good crisp sauvignon blanc!

1 Lemon, sliced

1-cup celery tops

½ cup crab boil

1 ½ Tbl. Kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 ½ Lbs raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 medium white onions, sliced thin

12 bay leaves

1 ¾ cups canola oil

2 cups white vinegar

1 ½ Tbl. sea salt

1 Tbl. Crushed red chile

2 tsp. Pink peppercorn

1/3 cup capers, brine

¼ cup celery seeds

15 cloves garlic, cut in half

2 sprigs fresh thyme

8-10 pickled bird peppers or 2 pickled Jalapeno chiles, cut in quarters lengthwise

5 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. White pepper

1 tsp. Black pepper

Fill a stockpot half way and add the lemon, celery, crab boil, kosher salt and black pepper.  Bring to a rolling boil and then add the shrimp.  Stir well and then remove from heat.  Allow shrimp to stew in the hot liquid for 10 minutes and then remove shrimp and plunge in ice bath to stop cooking. Drain the shrimp well.  In a glass bowl layer the shrimp, onion slices, and bay leaves.  Emulsify the oil, vinegar and salt, either with an electric hand whisk, or in the blender.  Then stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour over layered shrimp.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, stirring every 6 to 8 hours. 

Serves 8 as an appetizer,

Easy Taco Sauce

Ever wonder how that great taco sauce, form the authentic Mexican restaurants is made?  Great with any Mexican dish or chips, it's easy and you can make it!

Grilled Chicken Cacciatore

This is another wepon in the "Cold War"... I mean, I'm fighting my annual chest cold and this will knock it out, like chicken soup. Besides it's delicious!

Grilled Chicken Cacciatore

If you want you can just brown the chicken in the pan and then follow the other directions but the grill browning really adds a new depth of flavor!

1 Whole fresh chicken, cut up

Sauce:

1/4 C Extra virgin olive oil

2 Medium white onions, peeled and chopped

6 CLOVES Garlic, peeled and minced

1 C Cabernet Sauvignon wine

3 C Plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

3 C Beef broth

1 8-OZ CAN Tomato sauce

1/4 LB Italian brown mushrooms, rinsed and sliced

1/4 C Green olives, medium, pitted

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3 TBL Sweet butter

1/4 C Fresh Italian parsley, minced fine

1 Bay leaf

1 TSP Rosemary leaf, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

1 TBL Fresh Italian parsley

1. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until outside is well browned, but do not fully cook. In a large sauté pan, over medium high heat, heat oil.

2. Cook onions until soft; add garlic and cook a minute or two more, to release flavor into the oil. Add chicken and stir. Add wine and simmer until liquid reduces to almost nothing (Be careful not to burn).

3. Add tomatoes, 2C beef broth, tomato sauce, lemon juice, butter, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, and then add mushrooms, and olives. Simmer for 10 minutes more. As sauce reduces, replace liquid with beef broth a little at a time. Garnish with parsley and Romano cheese.

4. Serve with boiled potatoes or orzo.

Tequila Ahh!! Tequila is good !

You'll find some of my favorite tequila recipes below. They are all amazing and will give your kitchen and bar a definite WOW factor!

Tequila Grilling Sauce

Enough for 4 6-8 OZ Mahi Mahi filets

3 TBL White Tequila

3 TBL Pineapple juice

2 TBL Chopped cilantro

2 TBL Fresh lime juice

2 TBL Olive oil

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced

1 Habanero, minced

2 TSP Kosher salt

1/2 TSP Dark brown sugar

PINCH Fresh black pepper

1. Whisk Tequila Sauce together. Drizzle over Mahi Mahi while grilling.

Jose Cuervo, La Reserva Tequila habanero-lime butter

This condiment is out of this world on vegetables and potatoes, and you won’t believe the flavor it gives grilled fish or pork. And on good bread WOW!

Whip all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Roll into a log in waxed paper and chill until firm .

1⁄2 cup sweet butter

1 habanero chile , minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon Jose Cuervo, La Reserva de la Familia, tequila

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon dark brown sugar

Pinch of fresh black pepper

Tequila Shrimp

My friends Ryan And Claire live in Houston. They often take a drive down to Corpus Christie and play in the surf with their baby boy, Layne. They sent me a T-shirt that says “The White Trash Rivera” along with this delicious recipe. It takes about 15 minutes to make. I think it tastes even better with a cold Margarita while I’m wearing that Shirt.

1 Tbl. olive oil

2 Tbl. Sweet butter

1 white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

20 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined

1/3 cup tequila reposado

3 Plum tomatoes, diced

2 Serrano chiles, chopped fine

Juice of 2 key limes

3 Tbl. chopped cilantro

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter, in a medium sauté pan. When the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned, add the shrimp and continue to sauté for 2 minutes on each side, until bright pink. Then add the tequila and flame the alcohol. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the limejuice, Serrano, cilantro and avocado. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with white rice

Serves 4

Cervezarita Negra

1 OZ Tequila blanco

1 OZ Grand Marnier

Juice of 1 Key lime

12 OZ Negra Model beer

1. Pour beer into a frosted mug. Mix liquor and lime juice together, gently pour over beer.

2. Stand back!

La Reserva Cocktail

Juice of 1 Key lime

Jose Quervo La Reserva Tequila

Dash of Mandarin Napoleon

1. Rim martini glass with lime and fill with ice. Gently fill glass with La Reserva, top with remaining lime juice and a dash of Mandarin Napoleon.

Mahi Mahi with Tequila Grilling Sauce

Mahi Mahi with Tequila Grilling Sauce

You've got to try this amazing grilling sauce. The complex tropical flavors with the addition of the blast of heat from the Habanero chile is out of this world! Try the grilling sauce on pork, poultry or any light fish!

4 6-8 OZ Mahi Mahi fillets

Tequila Grilling Sauce

1. Rinse the fish fillets under very cold water and dry with a paper towel.

2. Drizzle tequila sauce over Mahi Mahi while grilling. The rule for grilling fish is 10 minutes of grill time for every inch of thickness. I usually spray a little non-stick spray on both sides and then do 3 minutes on the first side then turn add the sauce and close the cover for 6 or 7 more minutes!

Tequila Grilling Sauce

Enough for 4 6-8 OZ Mahi Mahi filets

3 TBL White Tequila

3 TBL Pineapple juice

2 TBL Chopped cilantro

2 TBL Fresh lime juice

2 TBL Olive oil

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced

1 Habanero, minced

2 TSP Kosher salt

1/2 TSP Dark brown sugar

PINCH Fresh black pepper

1. Whisk Tequila Sauce together. Drizzle over Mahi Mahi while grilling.

Mesquite-grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Mesquite-grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken

This is the real deal, so hold on to your tastebuds!

6 Chicken leg-thigh quarters

Pure Mesquite charcoal (not briquettes)

Jerk paste

8-10 Habanero chiles, purÈed with seeds

2 TBL Powdered allspice

3 Chopped scallions

1 TSP Ground cinnamon

1 TSP Ground nutmeg

1 TSP Salt

1/4 C Yellow mustard

3 TBL Fresh-squeezed key lime juice

2 TBL Fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 TSP Mustard seeds

2 TBL White vinegar

1. Blend the jerk paste to a consistency a little thinner than ketchup (if too thick, thin with a little more lime juice or water). Cover and let stand for at least 4 hours to marry the flavors.

2. Use two-chamber smoker or build your fire on one side of the grill and cook the chicken on the other, away from the direct heat. If your grill has a lid use it to give the chicken that smoky flavor. Cook slow, this dish is best well done. When chicken is done, 165 f and the center of the thigh, cut pieces in half at the joint and serve immediately. This is great with simple white rice and ice cold Red Stripe beer.

Jalapeno Mustard with Lime & Wasabi

Jalapeno Mustard with Lime & Wasabi

I made this recipe for grilled brats, but I just love it with leftover grilled beef or pork on a sandwich.

1/3 C Dark mustard seeds; Use caution with fresh-ground mustard powder, it's very acidic and can burn

1/4 C Water

1 TBL White vinegar

1 TBL Lime juice

2 TSP Wasabi powder

1 TBL Dark brown sugar

2 Jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced fine

1/2 TSP Kosher salt

1. Coarse-grind mustard seeds with a spice grinder.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine mustard, water, vinegar, lime juice, and Wasabi powder. Stir well and allow to stand for 2 hours for flavors to blend.

3. Add all other ingredients; mix well.

4. Makes 3/4C mustard.

Joe’s World Famous, Extra Decadent, Kahlua Cheesecake

Joe’s World Famous, Extra Decadent, Kahlua Cheesecake

Easy to make and fabulous flavor!

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cups ground graham crackers (Try the chocolate or cinnamon)

6 Tbl melted butter

¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

Mix together all ingredients well with a fork or in a food processor. Press mixture into the bottom ½ an inch up the sides of a pie pan or a spring form pan (for the cheesecake use a spring form pan). Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up a bit. Use with cheesecake or other cream pies.

Cake:

The trick to making this Cheesecake so smooth and creamy is baking it in a water bath and letting it cool down in the oven.

2 lbs. Cream cheese

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbl. Kahlua or any coffee liqueur

Cut up the cream cheese and work it a few pieces at a time, until creamy, in the bowl of a tabletop mixer or food processor, on medium or high. Work in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl or processor with a rubber spatula between each egg. Then set on low and work in the cream, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the pan with the crust and smooth out the top. Drizzle the Kahlua over the top. Place a sheet pan or shallow baking dish large enough to hold the spring form pan in a pre heated 375ºf oven and then place the spring form pan in the sheet pan. Add cold water about ¾ on an inch deep be careful not to spill any of the water into the cheesecake. Bake for 20 minutes reduce heat to 300ºf and continue baking for 40 minutes more or until the center of the cheesecake sets. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour in the oven. Remove from oven allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes and then place in the refrigerator to cool fully. Work a pastry knife or butter knife around the edges of the spring form pan and remove the ring. Cut it up into pieces and eat it… Yumm!

Serves 12

Extreme Grill Lighting and Cleaning MCTV

Extreme Grill Cleaning and Lighting

Okay, you’re having a party in the backyard. You’ve marinated your famous Pollo Asado overnight and you’ve lit the grill. Everyone’s there and hungry. You go outside to toss the chicken on the grill and it happens… The grill’s not getting hot. The charcoal is lit but not really going… this happens to everyone. A clean charcoal grill is a grill that will perform well. In today’s video we see how to clean and light the grill… with blow torch!

Check your homeowners insurance before trying this as people have burnt their houses down!

Mad Coyote Joe