A bead of sweat rolls down my forehead. I close my eyes tight and face the sun. I feel the colors. Hot and fruitful. I sense the raw power of heat. A hint of pain. Just as I lose my thoughts to barren and burnt times, I’m overcome by something else. A breeze. Now, I’m drifting in the current of a river. Moments painted with splashes of frolic and long strokes of pleasure.

Summer is taking flight!

And so is the Convivial Boar. Shall we celebrate the opening act of summer?

Wings of Summer

Summer is a time for savoring simple pleasures, like chicken. And I declare the wing as the most festive portion of our feathered friend.

Plan:

Cut the chicken wings into drumettes and flats. (Note: I freeze the tips for making broth). Generously apply kosher salt to the wings, and arrange them in a single layer in a sheet pan. Place them uncovered in a refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours. This step allows the salt to penetrate the skin which helps keep the meat moist and the skin crispy.

Next, generously season the wings a spices of your choice. Here’s my suggestion: black pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Let the wings rest at room temperature while you prepare the grill. For these wings, we want two heat zones: medium and low. (Need a refresher on fires click “here”).

Start by searing the wings a bit over the medium heat —just two or three minutes per side, being careful to minimize flare ups.

Once the wings are browned, place them in a foil pan and continue cooking over the hotter zone of your fire. Add a beer of your choice to the pan (and perhaps the feast-maker too). Allow the beer to come to a boil and stir the wings a bit as they braise.

After a few minutes (around 5) move the pan to the low heat zone. To complete our sauce, add barbecue sauce, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.

Stir the wings around in the sauce making sure to coat each with the sauce. Allow the wings to braise over the low heat for a few more minutes (around 10).

Next remove each wing from the sauce and caramelize them over the medium heat zone (about two minutes per side).

Allow the sauce in the foil pan to continue cooking down until it is thick and sticky (almost like a paste).

As a final step, add the wings back to the pan, coating each with our thickened sauce.

Take flight with summer, my friend.

Growing up in South Arkansas my childhood was filled with fresh-garden treats, and chief among them, were purple hull peas. I spent many a summer day, perched on the end of my grandparent’s Watermelon Table helping shell bushels of purple hull peas. (For the unfamiliar, a Watermelon Table is a large wooden outdoor table constructed for the purpose of eating watermelons —and shelling peas of course). And as many peas as I helped shell, I devoured more —and still do!

Mostly, purple hull peas should be prepared simply and enjoyed with cornbread. But this season, Eldest Son of Boar suggested a purple hull pea taco creation.

Who am I to refuse such an indulgence?

Purple Hull Pea Tacos garnished with Fried Okra and Zucchini Salad

Ingredients:

Purple hull peas (cooked in salt water until tender)
Habanero peppers (two, chopped)
Sweet Onion (one, chopped)
Minced Garlic (two cloves)
Ground White Pepper
Ground Cumin
Smoked Paprika
Corn Tortillas
Fried Okra
Fresh Tomatoes (chopped)
Zucchini (one medium size sliced paper thin)
Lemons
Olive oil
Honey
Balsamic vinegar (I used a Violet flavored)

Plan:

With a small amount of olive oil sauté the onion, peppers, and garlic over medium low heat until softened (ten to fifteen minutes).

Drain the cooked purple hull peas and add them to the pan. Add the seasonings and stir to mix being careful not to crush the peas.

Add about a cup of the liquid from the peas to the pan and simmer over low heat to allow the spices to meld (about twenty minutes).

For the zucchini salad season the slices with sea salt and black pepper. Toss with fresh squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, chop the okra into bite-size rounds and lightly batter with seasoned cornmeal (I use creole seasoning). Fry the okra in a small amount of oil over medium-high temperature until browned. (I like to use walnut oil as it brings out the nuttiness in the okra).

Assemble the tacos by putting a spoon full of purple hull peas into a warmed corn tortilla (may want a double tortilla as they tend to tear). Next, add a spoon full of fried okra, zucchini salad, chopped fresh garden tomatoes, and a slice of lemon.  Serve with slice or two of watermelon.

Indulge in the purple hulls, my friend.

As a rule, I like to eat the seasons —which in the summer mostly means simple, ripe, juicy pleasures. But the true joy of having a rule is it allows you to craft exceptions… One fun way to mix things up is to re-imagine an out-of-season dish. Here is the story of one such creation.

Osso buco, a classic Milanese dish of braised shanks in a hearty wine and vegetable based sauce, is a true favorite of the Convivial Boar —generally on a cool evening in the Fall (click “here” to read about venison osso buco). Now, let’s make it a summer dish by focusing on fresh garden vegetables and lightening the sauce.

Ingredients:

Small Pork Shanks (10 to 12 depending on size)
Vidalia Onion (2 medium onions sliced thin)
Carrots (four carrots sliced into bite-size pieces)
Celery (three stalks chopped)
Fresh Garden Tomatoes (I used one large Cherokee Purple Heirloom variety and a handful of grape tomatoes —so whatever you have handy —or can get your hands on)
Garlic (three or four cloves, minced)
Garden Peppers (I used four fresh habaneros but again, whatever you have handy and meets your spice threshold)
Baby Portobella Mushrooms (chopped finely)
Ale (I used one bottle of a lovely Southern Pecan Ale)
Chicken or Vegetable Broth

Plan:

In colder weather, I am fond of braising the whole shank portion for osso buco, but for this summer creation I opted for small cross-sections of the shank. I acquired mine from a local vendor at a farmer’s market, but most butcher shops have this cut of veal, pork, and sometimes lamb.
Season the shank generously with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Coat the shank in flour (this will help thicken the sauce).

Brown the shanks in a heavy skillet or pan using enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan (about five minutes per side). Brown them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once they are browned set them aside.

Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and peppers to the pan. Saute them over medium heat until they begin to soften (15 to 20 minutes).

Next, stir the mushrooms and tomatoes into the pan. Cook for another two or three minutes. Stir in a couple of tablespoons of flour to the vegetable mixture to help thicken the sauce. Cook for another couple of minutes to lightly brown the flour.

Deglaze the pan with the ale. (Note: in traditional osso buco red wine forms the basis of the sauce. Substituting ale makes for a lighter sauce, more fitting of summer).

Allow the liquid to come to a simmer and cook for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Be sure to scrape up all of the browned bits of goodness on the bottom of pan as you stir the vegetables.
Place the browned shanks back into the pan being sure to cover each with the vegetables and sauce. Add enough broth so that the shanks are completely immersed.

Bring the sauce back to a simmer on the stove top. Simmer for a few minutes (15 to 20) to allow the sauce to thicken a bit. Cover the pan and place in the oven at 250 degrees for at least three hours (I allowed mine to braise for about five hours).

If you desire the sauce to be thicker, remove the shanks from the sauce (note: you will need a slotted spoon to scoop them up as they will fall off the bone at this point) and bring the uncovered pan to a simmer on the stove top. Cook until the sauce is reduced to your desired thickness.
Place the shanks back into the pan and allow the dish to rest before serving. In the Fall, I serve osso buco piping hot, but in another nod to summer, I let this version cool almost to room temperature before serving.

Serve the osso buco over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice. (I went with roasted garlic-gouda-mashed-Yukon Gold potatoes —but that’s just me). Garnish with a fresh sautéed green vegetable, fresh grated parmesan cheese, and a crusty french bread to sop up the summer juices.

Re-imagine the seasons, my friend.

During the summer, Boar’s household has taco night pretty often because its fun, festive, frugal and flavorful —say that a few times fast! Here’s an example of taco night —Convivial Boar style (As an aside, these tacos were made during the time that I borrowed my neighbor’s PK 360. For a recap on that adventure click on Pepper-Bacon-Vidalia-Burgers; Turkey Talk; and Fourth of July Tower of Pork).

Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Tacos

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken Breast

Marinade for Chicken: garlic (chopped), onion (chopped), olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, white vinegar, cumin, and smoked paprika

Asparagus
Roasted Garlic
Red Sweet Peppers (whole)
Onion (sliced)
Red Bell Pepper (sliced)

Tortillas (flour and corn for my crew)

Plan:

Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least two hours (overnight works good too).

Prepare the asparagus for grilling by washing and breaking off the woody ends. Next, blanch them by placing them in a sauce pan with enough salt water to cover. Allow the salt water to come to a boil and cook the asparagus for three minutes. Remove the asparagus from the boiling water and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus is cool, coat with olive oil and season generously with sea salt, and black pepper.

Prepare the grill with lump charcoal on one side of the grill so that one zone will be for direct grilling and the other zone for indirect grilling. Need a refresher on building a feast-making fire click “here.”

Remove the chicken from the marinade a few minutes before grilling and using a paper towel wipe off any excess marinade.

Using a grill pan over direct heat, (Note: the Blue Moon Disk Pan would work perfectly for this creation), sauté the sliced onions and peppers in a small amount of olive oil. Once the onions and peppers soften and begin to brown (5 to 10 minutes) move the grill pan to the indirect heat zone of the grill.

Place the chicken on the grill directly over the coals. Grill until the chicken is charred and cooked through (3 to 6 minutes per side). Place the chicken on the grill pan.

Char the asparagus by placing it on the grill grate directly over the hot coals. Be careful to lay the asparagus perpendicular to the grill grate to avoid losing them to the fire.

Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place them on the grill (indirect heat) to warm (about 10 minutes). Add the roasted garlic and whole sweet peppers to the grill pan.

Don’t forget the grill works better when the chef has a proper libation.  May I suggest a crisp cold white wine for this creation.

Slice the chicken thinly and let the feasting begin!

Enjoy a summer taco night, my friend.

Friend of the Boar (aka “FOB”) Jim Jackson posted a comment on our recent Fourth of July Tower of Pork post requesting that I share a sauce he enjoyed at a pork chop feast last summer.  Some combinations just work. So it is for blackberries and pork. (And if you hurry there are still some fresh blackberries in the market).  When blackberries are out of season, I substitute blackberry preserves.

Before I get too far with the sauce, I must acknowledge that as obvious (and painful) as it seems now, there was a time when the Boar was unaware of the complimentary nature of blackberries and pork. Another FOB, Thomas Shurgar, first introduced the idea by suggesting we use a blackberry syrup as a finishing sauce for baby back ribs. Eureka!  Ever since, the Boar (and many a feaster) has been smitten with the combination--and my friend gloats that it was his genius.

a mound of ribs awaiting blackberry finishing sauce

Baby Back Ribs Bathed in Blackberry Syrup awaiting happy feasters

Blackberry Sauce for Pork

Ingredients:

Fresh blackberries (pint)
Onion (half of a small onion or use a shallot, chopped)
Garlic (three cloves, chopped)
Fresh rosemary (one sprig)
Fresh thyme (two or three sprigs)
Red wine (enough to deglaze pan, so a couple shots)
Olive oil (about two tablespoons)
Butter (two tablespoons)

Plan:

Pour olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add butter and allow it to melt and brown slightly. Add onions, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Saute until onion is soft but not browned.

Deglaze pan with red wine. Add blackberries and enough water to cover the berries. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook until the berries are soft and mushy (20 to 30 minutes).

Remove the pan from the burner and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, puree the sauce in a blender or food processor. Strain the sauce if you don’t want the seeds (I usually strain the sauce —sometimes multiple times).

When you get ready to serve, heat the sauce in a pan over low heat. It will be very thin. If you want it thicker make a little corn starch slurry and add to sauce. To make sauce a bit richer add another tablespoon of butter. Sometimes, just for kicks, I add a dash of cayenne.

Join me in celebrating combinations that work and friends that tell us about them, my friend.

What happens when Convivial Boar steals a grill!

Fourth of July is a perfectly convivial holiday—celebration, spirited-fellowship, and feasting! To the grill, my friend. (For a refresher on why we go to the grill, click “here”).

Last year, I suggested the independence of creating these baby back ribs. (Click “here” to see that post).

This year, I have a suggestion for the truly adventurous pork-inclined purveyor of the grilling arts: Tower of Pork!

That’s right, a pork loin piled on top of St. Louis-style ribs. All cooked to perfection on the new PK 360 grill —(the slow dance I referred to earlier).

St. Louis Ribs

St. Louis ribs are cut from the spare ribs and are generally longer than baby back ribs and not as thick. Like the baby backs, they have a membrane on the back side that should be removed before seasoning. Coat the ribs with olive oil. Mix together a spice rub (kosher salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, smoked-paprika-hot, black pepper, and white pepper) and season the ribs generously.

Pork Loin

Grilling a whole pork loin is easy and delicious. The main concern is because the loin is lean it will dry out if overcooked. To aid with the moisture and flavor begin by coating the pork loin in yellow mustard. Then season generously with kosher salt and a spice rub (same as above for the ribs except I added coffee: two tablespoons of finely ground dark roast).

As you know, I am in the midst of a ten day dance with the PK 360. We started fast with Pepper-Bacon-Vidalia Burgers. Then slowed a bit for Turkey Talk. And now for our swan song: The Tower of Pork.

We configure the grill for indirect heat similar to how we did the turkey (except you will note that I oriented the water pan differently to accommodate the length of the ribs and loin). Start a chimney of lump charcoal and once the coals are lit spread them around the water pan. Add a few soaked hickory chunks.

To construct the tower, I used a rib rack. I cut my two racks of St. Louis style ribs in half and placed them in the rib rack (even though the PK 360 is large enough to accommodate full racks of ribs, halving them allowed for more distance from the fire to the ribs).

Likewise, I cut the pork loin in half and draped it over the ribs. The lid of the PK 360 is designed to provide quite a bit of height, which allows for multiple levels of cooking through the use of racks.

For this slow dance with pork, I recommend keeping the grill around 250 degrees.

The pork loin will cook faster than the ribs. The recommended internal temperature for pork loin is 145 degrees. Once it reaches that temperature remove it from the grill to rest. The one featured in this post was done in about two and a half hours.

The ribs should continue cooking until they are tender (meaning you can bite freely through them without any pull, but they do not fall of the bone when you pick them up). A good way to test is to cut a rib off of the end and perform a highly technical taste test—or two if needed.

During the last hour of the cooking, you can baste the ribs with your favorite sauce. Adding sauce too early, especially sauces with high sugar content, can cause the ribs to burn.

These St. Louis ribs reached the desired tenderness after four and a half hours of cooking. The heat properties of the cast aluminum PK 360 with the control of the four vents allowed for this long-slow cooking process without adding any additional coals.

Rib and Fry Plate

One key with any long-cook process is not opening the grill anymore than necessary. I allowed the tower of pork to cook the first two hours undisturbed. After that I opened the grill about 30 minutes later to check and remove the pork loin. Then until I thought the ribs were about done, I only opened the grill every hour to check on them.

After my ten day dance with the PK 360, I place my stamp of approval upon it, and more tellingly, my wine.

Celebrate with a convivial tower of pork, my friend.