All

Just in case you haven’t noticed, Sanagan’s is starting to look like a produce market. It’s the harvest season and our baskets are bulging with ultra-fresh garlic, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, heirloom tomatoes and corn all from local farmers. Already this year, I’ve whipped up a couple of crowd pleasing grill dinners featuring Sanagan’s meat and a couple of those Southern Ontario favourites, corn and tomatoes. Allow me to set the scenes: BACKYARD PARTY WITH BEEF COULOTTE AND CORN ON THE COB A bunch of friends are all gathered in the backyard. There’s lots of beer and sparkling wine and later, whisky. The play list is dodging between the raucous and the nostalgic. My contribution is to stay sober long enough to work the grill and cook up about 5 pounds of coulotte. This is the muscle that caps the top sirloin and it’s great for a group. It features the affordable, medium tender, mild-flavoured, fine-grained properties of the top sirloin but it comes in big flat wedge-shaped slabs. I grill-roast these (direct and indirect heat), rest them, slice them thinly across the grain and fan them out onto a big platter. It looks great, people can help themselves and because of coulotte’s tapered thickness, it’s possible to serve them with varying degrees of doneness. Not everyone wants rare beef. Prior to grilling the coulotte, there was some debate about the corn. Oh yeah, of course it would be great to grill it. Did anybody pre-soak it? No. Well you can just throw it right on the grill. Yeah, you can. But you know what? I’m trying to cook three large irregular-shaped steaks to perfection, drink both wine and beer and keep up with the conversation. Now you want me to also grill, like, 20 cobs of corn? We boil it. It’s sweet tender fresh Ontario corn. It tastes freaking fantastic. People gobble it up like there’s no tomorrow. THOUSAND ISLANDS DINNER WITH PASTA IN FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE Friends of ours usually rent a sprawling rustic cottage on a private island and this year, we were lucky enough to be invited. There were nine of us including kids, the weather was fantastic, the swimming glorious, all set in the splendor of St. Lawrence River. When I was in my early twenties and decided to get serious about cooking, I bought a book called the New York Times 60-Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey. When I was in my late twenties and decided to get serious about being happy, I got married. Ever since, my wife and I have made variations on two pasta recipes in this book that feature fresh, uncooked tomato sauces. It was this dish that we prepared for our designated dinner on Little Grenadier Island. Full disclosure: we used tomatoes purchased at the Brockville Farmers Market but the heirloom tomatoes we sell at Sanagan’s will be every bit as delicious as those beautiful throwback varieties we bought in the country. And a great deal to boot! This is the simplest most satisfying sauce but it demands fresh ripe in-season tomatoes at room temperature. You just chop them up as small as you please (or roughly food process if you prefer) add minced garlic, salt and pepper, chopped fresh basil and parsley and a glug of olive oil. Mix lightly and let the whole thing sit in a bowl on the counter to get all juicy. Boil the pasta, toss it with lots of olive oil, douse with the sauce and top with a snowcap of grated Parmagiano-Reggiano or Pecorino. Normally that would be more than enough but not when you work at Sanagan’s, so it’s on with the Italian sausage. Our Italian sausage is made with our house ground pork, garlic, roasted fennel and salt and pepper; hot or mild. As I grilled these babies up I look out over the deck at roughly 10 out of the Thousand Islands, observe an osprey family nesting across the channel and keep the flame on low. Our sausages have natural casings that will burst if you hit them with the high heat. You take that fresh sweet juicy pasta and add the savoury sizzle of perfectly grilled Sanagan’s Italian sausage? Let’s put it this way, the nine-year-old asked for the recipe.

Oh boy! Do you smell that? That aroma of fresh pencil case? C’mon, you know what I’m talking about – that smell that brings you right back to grade five, when you were nervous and excited to start classes again. Would this year be different than the last? Who would you sit next to? What did everyone do over the summer? I hope mom doesn’t make me wear that stupid sweat-shirt with my cousin’s rock band on it – no one even knows who they are! Yes, school is back in session and for many of our customers that means getting back into the habit of rushing everyone out of the house by eight, just to rush back home by six to get dinner on the table. A feat that is difficult at the best of times, and damn near impossible all of the time. Let’s face it – most of us don’t have the luxury of shopping at the market every day, sniffing at the peach bin for the best one, or sharing an espresso with the fishmonger and discussing the virtues of Ontario-farmed shrimp. Most of us are happy to get to the market once or twice a week with meal-plan in hand, getting a haul and making it home in good time to put your groceries away and share a conversation with your partner. With that in mind, I’m here to help with that meal-planning list. Let’s assume that you didn’t have time to batch cook a stew or a roast chicken on the Sunday before the beginning of the week. Here are five easy and quick dinners that can be on the table within 30 minutes of getting in the door. Relax, it’s been a stressful day. Throw on some smooth 70s pop-rock (Fleetwood Mac, I’m looking at you), fire up the essential oil diffuser, and get cracking at one of these recipes. _______________________________ Smoked Pork Chops with Green Beans, Mini Potatoes, and Dill Serves 4 Ingredient List 2 cups of green beans (about 2 handfuls), tops removed 1 cup mini red potatoes, cut in half 1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 smoked pork chops ½ red onion, sliced 2-3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped 2 tbsp mayonnaise Your favorite mustard to serve. Method 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over a high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for five minutes. Add the green beans to the pot and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until both the green beans and the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside. 2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the smoked pork chops, and sprinkle the red onion on top of the chops. Brown on one side, then turn the chops over and lower the heat to medium low, and cover the pan. Cook for an additional five minutes, or until the chops are hot all the way through and the onions are cooked through and slightly golden. Take the pan off the heat. 3. Take the chops out of the pan and keep warm. Add the potatoes and the green beans to the pan. Add the mayonnaise and the dill and stir well to coat the vegetables. Place the potato and green bean mixture into a serving dish and top with the smoked chops. Serve immediately with some mustard. _______________________________ Sausage and Peppers on Cous Cous Serves 4 Ingredient List 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 4 Italian sausages 1 red onion, sliced 2 red peppers, cored and sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced salt and pepper to taste 1 can (2 cups) of pureed tomatoes 6 fresh basil leaves 1 cup cous cous Method 1. Pour 1 tbsp of the oil into a large sauté pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the sausages in the pan and brown on one side, about five minutes. Turn the sausages over and add the onions, garlic, and peppers to the pan. Reduce the heat to a medium low, season with salt and pepper, stir well, and cover. Cook for ten minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes, turn the heat back up to medium, and cover. Cook for an additional ten minutes, then add the basil and stir well. 2. While the sausages are cooking, cook the cous cous. In a pot, bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil, and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and a tsp of salt. Put the cous cous in a large bowl. When the water comes to a boil, pour it into the bowl with the cous cous, stir once, and cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for fifteen minutes. Remove the plastic and fluff the cous cous with a fork, then place it in a large serving dish. 3. Place the sausages on top of the cous cous, then pour the tomato sauce and peppers all over the sausages and serve. _______________________________ Seared Tofu with Peanut Sauce, Roasted Broccoli, and Rice Serves 4 Ingredients 1 cup jasmine rice 1 pinch salt 1 tbsp butter 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided salt and pepper to taste 1 block of firm tofu, cut into four even slabs, about ¾ inch each 2 tbsp peanut butter 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp toasted salted peanuts 2 tbsp green onions, sliced and divided 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp butter Method 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 2. Rinse the jasmine rice by running it under cold water in a bowl, and shaking the grains with your fingers to release the starch. Rinse and repeat two more times. Strain the rice, and put it in a pot. Add 1.5 cups of water, the tsp of salt and the tbsp of butter. Bring the water to a boil over a high heat, stir the rice, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the temperature to a low heat. Cook for fifteen minutes, then take the pot off the heat and let sit for ten minutes before taking the lid off and fluffing the rice with a fork. 2. While the rice is cooking, make the broccoli. In a mixing bowl, toss the florets in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Lay on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and roast in the oven until golden, about fifteen minutes. Take the broccoli out of the oven and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce and butter and mix well to incorporate. Keep warm. 3. Pour 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet on a medium high heat. When hot, carefully lay the tofu in the oil and sear for five minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm. 4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, vinegar, and sesame oil. If too viscous, add a tbsp of warm water. Stir in the roasted peanuts and green onions. 5. To serve, arrange the broccoli on a platter and top it with the seared tofu. Drizzle with the peanut sauce, and serve with the rice in a bowl on the side. _______________________________ Broiled Salmon with Mushroom Trifolati and Polenta Serves 4 Ingredients List 2 tbsp vegetable oil 4 filets of salmon, 5-6 oz each, boneless salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp butter, melted 2 cups instant polenta 2 cups chicken stock 2 tbsp grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese 1 tbsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil 3-4 cups sliced mixed mushrooms (cremini, button, shiitake, oyster, portobello) 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 1 tbsp chives, chopped Method 1. Turn your broiler on a low setting. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, then spread the vegetable oil over the foil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, and brush them with the melted butter. Place in the oven on the second highest rack to broil. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until the salmon becomes firm. Remove from the oven and keep warm. 2. Make the instant polenta using the package instructions, using the two cups of chicken stock as the re-hydrating liquid. Once cooked, vigorously stir in the cheese and the 1 tbsp of cold butter and set aside, keeping warm. 3. Meanwhile, make the mushrooms. In a large mixing bowl, toss the mushrooms and the garlic with the olive oil. Season to taste. Preheat a large sauté pan over a high heat, then add the mushroom mixture to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have softened and start to glisten, about ten minutes. Stir in the parsley, then take off the heat and set aside to stay warm. 4. Pour the polenta on the bottom of a large platter. Top with the mushrooms, then lay the four salmon filets on top. Sprinkle the chives on top and serve. _______________________________ Top Sirloin Steaks with Blue Cheese, Fries, and Green Salad Serves 4 Ingredients frozen French fries 4 top sirloin steaks, 6 oz each salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp blue cheese, crumbled 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp chopped tarragon (optional) 1 head green lettuce, roughly chopped and washed 1 carrot, peeled and grated ½ cup sliced cucumber 4 radishes, sliced thinly 1 green apple, sliced thinly Method 1. Preheat the oven and cook the French fries as per the package directions. 2. Turn the broiler to a high setting. Preheat a large sauté pan over a medium high heat. Season the steaks with the salt and pepper and rub them with the olive oil. When the pan is hot, sear the steaks on each side until the desired internal temperature is met. For medium, cook for about five minutes per side. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Once cooked, place the steaks on the tray. Divide the blue cheese between the four steaks. Place the steaks in the oven on the highest rack and melt the cheese until golden, about 2 minutes. Take out of the oven and set aside, keeping warm. 3. Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, oil, mustard, and tarragon (if using). Season with salt and pepper, then dress the lettuce, carrots, cucumber, radish, and apple. 4. Serve the steaks on a platter, with the fries and the salad on the side.

August is time for Caribbean Carnival, or Caribana as many people still call it. But you know what? Every month here at Sanagan’s is Caribana month thanks to our Caribbean-Canadian customers who include us on their shopping list when preparing the traditional dishes enjoyed throughout the year but especially during Caribana. Here are a few popular dishes for which we’re often asked to provide the meaty foundations. If these favourites aren’t already in your repertoire, maybe this list will serve as inspiration the next you’re looking to bring some tropical flavours to the table. And, as a business in Kensington Market discussing Caribbean Carnival, it would be an oversight not to acknowledge the historic Caribbean presence in the neighbourhood that continues to thrive with businesses such as Caribbean Corner, Tribal, The Jerk Spot, Rasta Pasta, Genesis One and We Are Radar. If you doubt the Islands’ influence on the Market, come help me close the Kensington shop some night. As we lock the front door you will hear the sounds of U-Roy, Big Youth and Dennis Brown echoing out across the intersection of Baldwin and Kensington and beyond. OXTAIL STEW Oxtail is the traditional name for this cut that would be more accurately called cow tail. An ox is just a cow or a bull that’s used for farm work instead of eating or milking. To the best of my knowledge, none of our beef is ever hitched up to anything except extreme tastiness. Our oxtail, like all the rest of our beef, is from small Ontario, family-owned farms and can be cut to order or we’ll just grab whatever you need right out of the window. Stew that up in water or stock with garlic, carrots, green onions, beans and any number of personal variations and you’ll be hauling a lot of Island goodness. Check out Peter's recipe for it here. GOAT CURRY We get a limited supply of our Ontario-raised goat every other week from Beverly Creek farms, so please call ahead. It’s available as leg, shoulder and rib cuts, all suitable for stewing. Scotch bonnet, curry leaves, onion, carrot and curry powder (prepared or homemade) will get your goat (curry). STEW PEAS Stew beef, salt beef or salted pig tails (not available at Sanagan’s), red peas (kidney beans), coconut milk, and Scotch bonnet peppers are the starting points to this classic. If you can’t find salt beef or salted pig tails, a smoked ham hock is a great cheat-substitute. But don’t forget the spinners (dumplings). COW FOOT SOUP You won’t see cow feet in our display case. Just ask a meat hawker and we’ll retreat to Antarctica, otherwise known as the basement freezer, to rustle up some hooves for you. After that you’ll be adding some combination of pumpkin, carrots or okra, lime juice and pimento berries (allspice) to the big pot. As of press time, I can’t confirm if cow foot soup contains any of its purported aphrodisiacal qualities but it will embody all the protein goodness you can obtain from long-simmered beef bones. JERK CHICKEN You’re secret’s safe with us. “Oh, I’ve been working on this for days. I put in the Scotch bonnet, green onions, allspice, clove, cinnamon and a few other, ah, secret ingredients. Oh, and you have to use the best chicken. You know I love to make it for you”. We sell marinated drums, thighs and discretion; you can rely on Sanagan’s for your jerk chicken reputation.

If late 90's TV sitcoms (Home Improvement, Everybody Loves Raymond) have taught me anything, it's that most men/fathers are essentially cavemen. I wouldn't generally agree with that assessment of myself, with the notable exception of my burning desire to cook meat over fire.

Although I've been using a propane (and very occasionally a charcoal) grill since I was in my early teens, it's only in the last year or so that I've developed a fascination with American Barbecue.

The romantic vision I have in my head involves long, possibly overnight, cooks of full briskets, pork butts and ribs, using an offset stick burner. This would mean constantly monitoring temperatures, adding wood, controlling the fire, etc. etc. As much fun as I think this would be (and I do plan on moving in this direction at some point), with two kids 6 and under, I know that it's a very unrealistic view of how to make it work.

The compromise I arrived at was a pellet grill. Pellet grills have been growing in popularity and the simplicity of it is what really sold me. Essentially, they work electrically to create a consistent environment with temperature and smoke using pure hardwood pellets. It gives me a chance to focus on building flavours that I like and getting rough guidelines for time and temperature, without dominating my time managing the fire.

I went with a slightly larger model than I probably needed and picked it up on the Saturday before Canada Day with 20+ people booked for a BBQ the following day. For my first run through I decided to smoke a pork shoulder and a couple of boneless turkey breasts. I knew that if I ran into issues with my cook I'd be able to take steps to salvage them no matter how the smoker performed.

I needn't have worried. The pellet grill worked like a charm, and with just a simple rub (salt and pepper only for the turkey, a few more spices for the pork butt), smoke and time, we easily fed 20 guests without having to neglect them to prepare the meal. Two days later, I smoked a couple of tri tips low and slow (225 F for approx. 2 hours), rested them for 30 minutes, and finished them off on a hot propane barbecue, in what amounted to essentially a reverse sear. It was a delicious dinner for six that required almost no effort on my part. At this point in my caveman existence, that's about all I can ask for.

Biryani is a festive dish that is aromatic and flavourful, and a very popular to serve to large groups of people. This particular recipe feeds 8-10 people, but you can easily scale up if the party gets bigger! This is a great way of feeding a lot of people with a small amount of meat, as the rice really absorbs the flavour of the meat and becomes one with everything. This satisfying dish can be made with beef stew, chicken thighs, or even goat shoulder.

Serves 8 – 10

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced
3 tbsp clarified butter (see note)

2.5 lbs lamb shoulder, bone in, cut into 1" cubes
5 garlic cloves, pureed with microplane
2 tbsp ginger pureed with microplane
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp chili flakes/powder
1 tbsp chopped green chilies (jalapeno works fine)
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups yogurt
2 limes juiced

3 black cardamom
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 piece cinnamon sticks
6 cloves

1/2 cup clarified butter

1 tsp saffron
1 cup hot milk

2 cups basmati, soaked in plenty of warm water

*Clarified butter, or ghee as it is known throughout India and surrounding countries, can either be purchased as is, or easily made at home. To make clarified butter, slowly melt a pound of butter in a small pot over a medium heat. Skim any impurities that rise to the surface, and after about 30 minutes you should be left with the clear butterfat without the milk solids. It keeps in the fridge for six months.

Method:

1. In a large sauté pan over a medium heat, cook the onions in 3 tbsp of clarified butter until slightly brown and translucent.

2. Place the lamb meat into a large bowl. Add the pureed garlic, ginger, salt, chili flakes, fresh green chillies, mint, cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, and fried onions. Stir well.

3. In a large pan on a medium heat, toast the cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves until fragrant. Cool, then wrap and tie the spices in a cheesecloth or a large tea infuser ball. Add the spice pack to the lamb mixture, cover, and leave on the counter to marinate for one hour. Alternately, you can mix the spices into the lamb mixture loose, I just prefer being able to remove them before serving.

3. Soak the rice in 6 cups of cold water while the lamb marinates.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

5. Melt 1/2 cup of clarified butter in a large pot over a medium heat, then add the lamb mixture. Bring it to a simmer, and cook for thirty minutes or until the lamb is tender. Meanwhile bring a pot with 2-3 quarts of water to a boil. Add one tbsp of salt. Strain the rice and add to the boiling water, and cook for five minutes before straining.

6. Heat the milk in a small pot, then add the saffron. Allow to infuse for at least five minutes.

7. When the lamb is tender, pour the mixture into casserole. Spread the half-cooked rice evenly over the meat, then drizzle the saffron milk over everything. Cover with a tight lid or tin foil, then bake in the hot oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

8. Serve immediately, perhaps with naan bread and a yogurt-cucumber salad.

By: Anne Hynes One of the best parts of summer is all the amazing fresh produce available in Ontario. A great way to make the most of nature's bounty is with salad. Salad need not be limited to lettuce leaves in a bowl – it can include cooked vegetables, grains, pickles, or meat and can be served hot, cold or room temperature, and it can be served morning, noon or night (think fruit salad at breakfast!) Because salad is such a diverse and creative medium, I would argue the element that really makes a salad a cohesive dish is the dressing. Although I love a creamy dressing, my usual go to for salad is a vinaigrette. Vinaigrette is so easy to make and so versatile. As long as there is some in the fridge, there really is no excuse to not whip up a salad. But, why stop there? Try using vinaigrette on warm grilled vegetables at your next barbeque. How about using vinaigrette on some blanched green beans with cooked mini potatoes and fresh herbs at your next picnic? Why not drizzle some vinaigrette over slices of tomatoes and cucumber with thinly sliced red onion and torn basil for your next dinner party? You can even use vinaigrette to dress some good quality canned tuna and then simply add some finely chopped Vidalia onion and pickles for a lighter tuna salad – the sky really is the limit! Making vinaigrette is quite simple. The trickiest part is making an emulsion, which is why most vinaigrettes contain Dijon mustard. The following recipe is a base. Feel free to play with it by adding honey or finely chopped shallot or different flavours of vinegar, mustard and even oils. Or, try a bottle of our new Sanagan's House Vinaigrette, which is available at both the Kensington and Gerrard stores – you really can't get simpler than that! Basic Vinaigrette yield: about ½ cup Ingredients 3 tbsp lemon juice or 2 tbsp vinegar, like apple cider or white wine 2 tsp Dijon mustard ¼ cup olive oil* ¼ cup canola or grapeseed oil ¼ tsp salt to taste freshly cracked black pepper Optional Ideas: 2 tbsp minced shallot 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp fresh chopped herbs, like thyme ¼ clove garlic, minced Method: Mix vinegar, mustard, and salt in a small bowl. If using any of the optional ingredients, add them at this step. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, followed by the canola oil. Season with pepper. Taste to adjust seasoning. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to fourteen days. If separation occurs, shake well before using. *Olive oil can be bitter and overpowering if used as the sole oil in vinaigrette, which is why this recipe also calls for mild tasting oil like canola or grapeseed.

Make summer funner and not a bummer with our Sanagan’s Grilling Guide. I hope it will inspire you to consider all the backyard/back deck/back alley cooking options that are available to you and how our great, locally raised products can be transformed by a baptism of smoke and fire. GAS VS CHARCOAL GAS: Faster, easier to control, cleaner, and safer for settings like rooftop decks. CHARCOAL: Easier to refuel — you don’t need a car to buy a bag of charcoal, more affordable purchase options, and more flavourful, according to loyalist. Pro Tip: Not all charcoal is created equal. Use either pure hardwood lump charcoal (higher heat, quicker burning) or pure hardwood briquettes (lower heat, longer burning). Cheap charcoal may contain dubious non-hardwood fillers. COOKING TECHNIQUES DIRECT Steaks, chops, burgers, boneless chicken breasts, sausages, Miami short-ribs and skewers. Direct is the essence of grilling. The food is sizzled right over the flame, be it a pile of charcoal or a gas jet. Sear it, flame it, watch it smoke, listen to it hiss; get in-touch with your inner caveperson. Pro Tip: Reserve a not-hot-spot on the grill so if you get a fiery flare-up, food can be moved off the flame, avoiding incineration. INDIRECT Whole birds, larger roasts, briskets, pork shoulders, lamb legs, porchetta. You’ll need at least a standard sized gas or charcoal grill with a lid. With this method the heat source is not directly under the meat but burning off to the side, either by gas burner selection or positioning charcoal on the grill’s periphery. This technique allows for roasting and slow-cook barbecuing, in the Southern style. Pro Tip: As impossible as it may seem — at least in my case — try not to peek. Leave the lid closed except to check for doneness, adding more charcoal, or for basting/saucing. DIRECT/INDIRECT Bone-in chicken pieces, small roasts, thick steaks and chops. It’s the best of both worlds. Say your steak is extra-thick. Start it over direct heat to get that beautiful sear then move it off the direct heat source so it continues to cook evenly and thoroughly. Pro Tip: Remember to let your meat rest on a warm platter once it comes off the grill. This allows the juices to circulate through the meat and for you to partake of a sympathetic chilled beverage. MARINADES, SAUCES, AND RUBS You’ve got your meat — now let’s dress it up. Merinades are usually thinner preparations that are applied to the grillables ahead of time. In addition to adding flavour they often act as a tenderizer. Sauces are usually thicker and can be brushed on during the cooking process and also used as a condiment. Rubs are dry combinations of herbs, spices, salts and sugars. They are applied to the meat before cooking, often well ahead of time. There are thousands of D.I.Y. options for all of the above, from the simplest combos of ketchup and vinegar to complex long-cooked preparations. Or let the professionals do it for you. Sanagan’s stocks a full line of locally produced rubs, merinades and sauces, including our own POULTRY RUB, BBQ SAUCES AND SANGAN’S POPULAR MARINADES — JERK, TERIYAKE AND SOUVLAKI — NOW AVAILABLE IN 250ml JARS! Pro tip: If you want to apply any merinades or sauces after the meat is cooked, be sure to set aside a quantity that has not come in contact with the raw meat. SMOKE Smoke is an important part of so many great cuisines and, obviously, outdoor cooking is where you can smoke it up. Few things bring me more pleasure than the sight of my kettle barbecue wafting wisps of aromatic hardwood smoke as I stand by, beer/wine and-or cocktail in one hand and instant read thermometer in the other. Hardwood chunks or chips are the most suitable options for home smoking. With charcoal, you put the wood right on the coals. With gas you need a smoker box which can be an aluminum foil pan placed under the grill. Once you start smoking, prepare for a lot of research and trial and error. Remember, smoking is addictive. Pro Tip: After about four hours of smoking, feel free to move that big cut off the charcoal and into the oven, or just continue on the gas grill without any more smoke. It’s a relief from tending the fire and you can get on with the potato salad. And no one can tell the difference. TOOLS This can be an endless list but here’s the bare minimum for sensible, comfortable, reliable Q fun. Long-Handled Grill Tools: Really just a pair of sturdy tongs and some sort of sturdy flipper/spatula thing should cover most of the action. If you’re going to barbecue something huge, a fork would also come in handy. Instant Read Thermometer: Given the variables of grilling, almost all recipe cooking times can be imprecise. Save your meat and possibly your health with an accurate, fast-reading thermometer. Charcoal Chimney: Looks like a great big empty can with a handle and allows you to light your charcoal without stinky lighter fuel. Pro Tip: Soap and water is an excellent tool. A clean barbecue is a safer, more efficient, longer-lasting barbecue. Egalitarian Footnote: For you apartment dwellers with no home grill access, they’re a number of affordable portable grills that are entirely park-compatible.

I’ve never been to Vietnam, but I’m going to imagine they would appreciate my blatant rip-off/emulation of one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes – Com Ga Nuong. Many Vietnamese restaurants in Toronto serve this delicious dish of marinated and grilled chicken on steamed rice, with raw and pickled vegetables on the side. Always so good, especially on a hot summer’s day; cold beer in hand. I call this a rip-off, but really, it’s more of a mix of culinary ideas. Instead of plain steamed rice, I’ve added savory Chinese sausage and green onions to the mix, giving the rice an added depth that marries well with the chicken. Although, this marinade is so good, you’ll probably want to just use it on all kinds of meat, and serve it with whatever is kicking in your pantry. Serves 4-6 Ingredients Chicken: 1 chicken, about 3.5 lbs Marinade: 3 tbsp lemongrass, finely chopped 3 tbsp garlic, finely chopped 1/4 cup fish sauce 2 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp yuzu juice (or lime juice) 1 tbsp black pepper, ground 2 tbsp canola oil Ginger Stock: 1 chicken carcass 4 green onions, cut in half 1 tbsp ginger, peeled and chopped 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tbsp salt Rice: 1.5 cups broken rice, rinsed under cold running water until the water loses its cloudiness* 1.5 cups ginger stock 4 tbsp green onion, sliced 4 pieces Chinese sausage, sliced into rounds** 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp canola oil Method Ask your butcher to halve the chicken, removing the breast bone and carcass. Or, do it yourself: place the chicken on a cutting board, breast up and legs towards you. Using a sharp knife, slice on either side of the breast-bone. Slowly cut the breast away from the carcass bone. When you reach the joint between the leg and the breast, separate the thigh bone from the carcass. Cut the breast completely away from the back bone. Repeat on the other side. You should be left with two half-chickens – a boneless breast with leg and wing attached. Score the leg three times on each side – this will help with even cooking time. Set the chicken aside in a bowl. In a clean bowl, whisk all of the marinade ingredients together until the sugar dissolves. Don’t worry if you can’t find yuzu juice – it’s hard to get and not compulsory. Lime juice will work perfectly. Pour the marinade over the chicken, mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Meanwhile, make the ginger stock. Place the carcass from your chicken into a pot and fill with cold water. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1.5 hours, then remove from heat and cool. Strain and reserve the stock. Now to cook the rice. In a small pot over a medium heat, sweat the sausage in the oil for two minutes or until very fragrant. Stir in the green onion and the rinsed broken rice, and add the ginger stock and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, give it a good stir, then lower the heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for twenty-five minutes, then remove from heat. Keep the lid on for an additional ten minutes, allowing the steam to finish the cooking process. While the rice is cooking, start the chicken. Preheat the grill to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the hot grill, turning every so often until the chicken is cooked through (use an internal probe thermometer to test the doneness – it should read 180°F when plunged into the thickest part of the leg meat). You will need to watch the chicken as it cooks, as the sugar in the marinade could scorch if left unattended for too long. Remove the chicken and rest. Slice the chicken into serving pieces. Spoon the rice onto a platter and serve the chicken on top. Serve immediately with lime wedges, pickled vegetables, and a salad. Notes: *Broken rice is considered a sub-par rice that didn’t make the cut of being whole grain rice, and is therefore usually a little cheaper. I like it because it gives the dish a bit of a rustic feel. **Chinese sausage is a cured pork sausage that is traditionally steamed before consuming. It’s sold in most Asian supermarkets, but if you can’t find any, try a dried chorizo or cacciatore.

Pork sirloin is an interesting cut. It is the muscle that lives between the loin and the leg, right above the behind of the hog. Due to its location on the animal, it tends to be lean, but not as tender as the rest of the loin. This makes it a little tricky to work with, because it can easily dry out and seem tough if over-cooked. We cut the sirloin in a few different ways, depending on what season it is and what we think our customers would enjoy cooking. Boneless chops (called “buckeye”) are a great easy weeknight meal, but most commonly we tie the sirloin up into small roasts that can feed 2-4 people. As I mentioned, if overcooked this cut can come off as dry, but this is easily fixed with a nice brine or marinade. While most times I will brine meat with a salt-sugar-water blend, for the pork sirloin I like to use milk. The natural sweetness and acidity help add that necessary moisture to the roast, and it’s a pretty simple technique. This type of brine works very well with all cuts of pork, especially a shoulder roast. Pro-Tip: Here at Sanagan’s we have started jarring some of our most popular marinades for the barbecue season. You can slather your chicken with our jerk marinade and your beef short ribs with our teriyaki sauce. Or, as in this recipe, add a couple of spoons of our souvlaki marinade to your favorite meal. It’s a flavour boost that you will definitely want more of! Serves 2 to 4 people Ingredients: 1.5 lbs pork sirloin 2 cups milk, 2% or homogenized 1 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly ground pepper 3 tbsp Sanagan’s souvlaki marinade Method: Two days in advance of your meal, whisk together the milk, salt, pepper, and souvlaki marinade. Place the sirloin in a glass or stainless-steel bowl and cover it with the brine. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to marinate for two days, turning the pork over a couple of times to ensure the whole thing gets covered with the brine. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Take the pork out of the brine and place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up. Discard the brine. Put the pan in the center of the oven and cook for 1.5 hours, or until an internal thermometer stuck into the center of the roast reads 170°F. Take the roast out of the oven. Turn the broiler on high and let the oven get hot. Place the roast back in the oven and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until the top of the roast is a deep golden brown. Remove and rest for ten minutes before slicing thinly and serving.