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This is one of my favourite recipes to cook short ribs. The bitterness of the dark ale works well with the sweetness from the caramelized vegetables, and the beef is simply succulent. This recipe is abridged from Cooking Meat, available at the shops or wherever fine books are sold.

Short Ribs with Dark Ale

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

1 cup                    all-purpose flour

6                          flanken cut beef short ribs

To taste               Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp                  vegetable oil

1 cup                    chopped onions

1 cup                    chopped carrots

½ cup                   chopped celery

½ cup                   chopped leeks

4                            garlic cloves, minced

1                            herb bundle (4 sprigs thyme, 4 sprigs rosemary, 4 bay leaves) tied together

2 Tbsp                  tomato paste

2 L                         Beef Stock

1 L                         dark ale

¼ cup                   fancy molasses

¼ cup                   malt vinegar

¼ cup                   cornstarch

¼ cup                   cold water 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Fill a bowl with the flour. Liberally season the ribs with salt and pepper. 

2. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Dredge the ribs in the flour, rolling them around to coat them and shaking off any excess, before placing them in the pot. Brown the ribs, one or two at a time, then transfer them to a plate. 

3. Turn down the heat to medium-low and return the pot to the heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and garlic and stir, scraping the dark brown bits of cooked meat from the bottom of the pot. Cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper. 

4. Add the herb bundle to the pot, along with the tomato paste. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes. Add the stock, ale, molasses, and vinegar, and bring to a simmer. 

5. Return the ribs to the pot, making sure they are completely submerged. If not, add more stock or a little water. Cover with a lid, place the pot in the oven, and braise until the beef is soft and just coming away from the bone, 2 to 2.5 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and allow the ribs to cool, covered, in the liquid at room temperature for a few hours. 

6. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and reserve, keeping warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, discarding the solids. Bring the braising liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce it by half, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium-low. 

7. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry. Starting with half of the slurry, slowly drizzle into the sauce and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, adding more slurry if needed. Season with salt and pepper. 

8. To serve, arrange the ribs on a serving platter and coat with some of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into a gravy boat and serve alongside the ribs.

Pita bread is a leavened flat-bread, common in the Mediterranean, Levant, and neighbouring areas. Like many in Toronto, I was introduced to pita via Greek restaurants, where it would be grilled and either served on the side of a meal or wrapped around garlicky souvlaki skewers. I have tried many pita breads, and we are lucky in Toronto to have so many bakeries making great versions.

My favourite pita bread used to be made by a restaurant called “Fat Lamb Kouzina”, who unfortunately no longer supply retailers. The pita would be toasted in a skillet and would come out so warm and fluffy, they were the thing of pita dreams. In any case, I wanted to recreate that at home, and I’d like to share my version with you!

Pita Bread

Makes 6 pita bread

Ingredients:

360g                     lukewarm water
3 tsp                     dry instant yeast
1 tsp                     sugar
500g                     bread flour
1 tsp                     salt
2 tbsp                   olive oil, divided

Method:

1) In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the water, yeast and sugar until the yeast dissolves. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until yeast froths.

2) Add the flour and salt and mix using the dough hook for 6-8 minutes.

3) After mixing, the dough should become an elastic, and easily pull away form the sides of the bowl.

4) Remove dough from mixer and place in a bowl. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and rub all over. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in a warm area of your kitchen for 20 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

5) Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured work area. Divide dough into 6 evenly sized balls. Place dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for an additional 15 minutes.

6) Use a floured rolling pin to form each dough into a disc about 10” in diameter.  You can also form by hand stretching. If desired, make dimples in the dough with your fingertips.

7) Add a bit of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Pan-bake each pita for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden. Use a lid to cover the pan during cooking – this will allow the bread to steam slightly. Repeat until all pita are complete!

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Meatballs are a great, versatile, menu option: you can stuff them inside crusty bread, pile them on a mountain of spaghetti, or simply eat them on their own without the sauce. This recipe is abridged from my book “Cooking Meat”.

Makes 15 to 20 meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound               ground beef
1 pound               ground pork
1 ounce               prosciutto, finely diced
¼ cup                  finely chopped onions
2 Tbsp                 chopped garlic
2 Tbsp                 grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 Tbsp                 chopped Italian parsley
1 Tbsp                 salt
1 tsp                    pepper
1 tsp                    dried oregano
4 cups                 Sanagan’s Tomato Sauce (any of your favourites will also work)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, with a clean hand mix together the beef, pork, prosciutto, onions, garlic, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano until well combined, and slightly tacky (the action of mixing extracts protein from the meat which acts like a glue). Pinch off bits of the meat mixture and roll them into balls about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Place the meatballs on the baking tray, set it in the oven, and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, turning once during cooking.
3. Heat the sauce in a large pot over medium-low heat until it is simmering. Add the baked meatballs, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours.
4. To serve, remove from the heat and enjoy.

 

 

When I left high school, I went straight to work in restaurants. Unlike my siblings who left home to study at university, I was surrounded by good food and never went hungry. Then, as now, many students moved away from home barely knowing how to heat a can of soup, let alone eat well on a budget. This recipe is for them and other cash-strapped reluctant cooks, as well as families looking for an easy recipe that the kids will (probably) love!

Abridged from Cooking Meat

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp                   salt (divided)
1 Tbsp                               olive oil or vegetable oil
1                                        medium onion, cut in medium dice
½ tsp                                  pepper
2                                         garlic cloves, finely diced
1 pound                              ground beef
1 Tbsp                                paprika
1 pound                              pasta of your choice (small noodles work best)
1 (10 ounces) can              chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp                                tomato paste
3 Tbsp                                sour cream
1 cup                                  grated cheddar cheese
½ bunch                             green onion, chopped

Method

1. Fill a large pot with water, add the 1 Tbsp of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, set your biggest frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. When it’s hot, add the 1 tsp of salt, the onions, and pepper. Turn down the heat to low, cover the pan, and allow the onions to cook, stirring every minute or so, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. Add the beef, then turn up the heat to medium. Using a spoon, mash the beef with a spoon so it browns all over. Stir in the paprika and cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until the beef is no longer red.
4. When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta, stir, and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. Stir the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste into the beef mixture and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
6. Stir the sour cream into the beef mixture and turn down the heat to low. Stir until the beef is well coated and saucy, then add the drained pasta and cheese, stirring well to allow the cheese to melt into the sauce.
7. To serve, scoop the hamburger helper into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

I am a traditionalist when it comes to my hamburger accoutrements. Lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and of course ketchup and mustard. That was until we developed this recipe for burger sauce that removes the need for both ketchup and mustard and adds in mayonnaise for some extra flavour. We sell tons of it at the shop, but I thought I’d share the recipe with you in case you want to whip up a batch at home.

Sanagan’s Burger Sauce

Makes one liter

Ingredients: 

2 cups                  mayonnaise
1.5 tbsp                tomato paste
1 tsp                     Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp                   grainy mustard
2 tbsp                   dill pickles, chopped finely
1 tsp                     prepared horseradish
pinch                    sumac
pinch                    onion powder
pinch                    garlic powder
1 tsp                     hot sauce
to taste                salt and pepper

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to incorporate. Store in fridge for up to two weeks.

Our housemade jerk chicken is on sale this weekend, but I also wanted to share our process for making it; you may want to continue jerking meat all summer long! This marinade works great with chicken, pork, lamb, beef, vegetables…basically anything you want to have a little island flavour. This recipe is adapted form my book Cooking Meat, which has all kinds of marinades and tasty tips for meat-cooking success!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Marinade

3 Tbsp chopped garlic
1½ Tbsp seeded and chopped Scotch bonnet pepper
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
3 cups chopped green onions
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2½ Tbsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg

Chicken

4 chicken legs, skin-on and bone-in, split between the thigh and the drumstick
½ cup sliced green onions

 

Method

1. To make the marinade, place the garlic, Scotch bonnets, and ginger in a food processor and process at high speed until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl. Place the green onions in the food processor and purée. Stir this purée into the garlic mixture and pour it all into a blender. Add the soy sauce and oil, followed by the sugar, allspice, thyme leaves, salt, dried thyme, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and purée on high speed until well combined. Measure ½ cup of the marinade into a clean bowl and refrigerate the rest, reserving it for another use. It will keep fresh in your fridge for 4 weeks.
2. Place the chicken in a nonreactive bowl, add the ½ cup marinade, and toss well. If you prefer a healthier dose of marinade, help yourself. Stir in the sliced green onions. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat the barbecue to medium-high on one side and medium on the other. Place the chicken on the hotter side of the grill to sear, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer it to the cooler side to finish cooking, about 20 minutes. The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
4. To serve, arrange the legs on a platter and serve immediately.

A whole brisket weighs between 9 and 12 pounds on average and consists of two ends. The flat—also known as the single end, first cut, or thin end—is usually about 2 inches thick with ½ inch of fat cap. The point—also known as the double end, second cut, or fatty end—consists of two muscles separated by a layer of fat with another inch or so of fat cap on top. This thicker end is on average 4 to 5 inches high. If you’re feeding lots of people, use the whole brisket and offer your guests the choice of fatty or lean cuts.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

3 Tbsp                  salt
2 Tbsp                  pepper
2 Tbsp                  packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp                  sweet paprika
2 Tbsp                  onion powder
1 Tbsp                  garlic powder
5 pounds             brisket
5 cups                  chunky wood chips

 

 

Method:

1. Mix together the salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Place the brisket on a baking tray and, using your hands, massage the rub evenly into the meat. Refrigerate, covered, for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Remove the brisket from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Soak the wood chips in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
3. Set up your charcoal BBQ. Light about 15 pieces of lump charcoal. When hot, place them in three even piles around the circumference of your grill. In the empty center of a grill place a catch pan made of either a small stainless-steel bowl or an aluminum tray and fill it ¾ of the way with hot water. Place the grill on top of the charcoal and catch-pan and close the lid, bringing the internal temperature of the grill to 250°F.
4. Place the brisket on the grill above the catch pan and place a handful of wood chips on each pile of charcoal. Close the lid and adjust the temperature to reach 225°F. Every hour, continue to add fresh hot coals and soaked woodchips to maintain the heat and the smoke.
5. When the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 190°F (after about five hours), remove it from the grill and wrap it tightly in either heavy duty aluminum foil or butcher’s paper. Let it rest, wrapped, for one hour to allow the residual heat from the brisket to continue cooking it in a moist environment.
6. After the hour is up, unwrap the brisket, slice it thinly against the grain, and enjoy! BBQ Sauce is optional here. I prefer it Montreal style – with lots of mustard

I’ve cooked many foods on my charcoal barbecue, but one of my favorite ways to do so is slow-roasting pork butt using plenty of wood chips to impart a strong smoky flavor. A pork butt comes from the shoulder of the pig and runs from the top of the pork rack to the base of the head. This recipe is adapted from Cooking Meat.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

1             (7-8 pounds) whole boneless pork butt
½ cup    brown sugar
½ cup    salt
3 cups   wood chips

Method:

1. Rub the meat all over with the sugar and salt. Place the pork in a bowl or casserole and refrigerate, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight.
2. In the morning, soak the wood chips in water for 20-30 minutes. Preheat your charcoal barbecue to 300°F. Once the coals are piping hot, arrange them on one side of your barbecue.
3. Remove the pork from the fridge and drain off any liquid, then place the pork on the cooler side of the barbecue, away from the fire, with a drip pan underneath to catch any fat. Throw a handful of the soaked wood chips directly on the hot charcoal, then close the lid of the barbecue and adjust the air vents so the temperature inside remains around 300°F. Smoke for 5-6 hours, adding more charcoal and wood chips every couple of hours and checking the temperature and the smoke periodically.
4. Once the meat is fork-tender, transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and rest for about 20 minutes.
5. To serve, cut into slices and arrange on a serving platter.

Beer-Roasted Chicken
(recipe abridged from Cooking Meat)

I first heard about beer can chicken when I was younger, but cooking a chicken on a painted aluminum can just doesn’t sound so great. I still want to use the beer, obviously, because it makes the moistest roast bird imaginable without imparting too much flavor, but I use a small mason jar instead of a can. A jam jar that’s been thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed of all labels and glue bits also works well.

 Serves 4

Ingredient:

¼ cup                   BBQ Dry Rub or salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp                  vegetable oil
1                           whole chicken, trussed
1 cup                    beer (a pilsner or lager is good here)

 

Method:

1. Preheat the BBQ to 375°F. Have a roasting pan ready.
2. Mix the spice rub and oil together in a small bowl. Using your hands, slather the mix all over the chicken, making sure you get it into all the little crevices.
3. Pour the beer into a clean mason jar just large enough to fit into the chicken’s cavity. Place the jar in the roasting pan, then press the chicken, butt down, over top. The jar should fit almost entirely in the chicken’s cavity, allowing the bird to balance standing up.
4. Roast the chicken in the closed BBQ until an internal thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (about 25 minutes per pound). Remove the roasting pan from the BBQ, tent the bird with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest in the pan for 30 minutes.
5. Using either tongs or a carving fork pierced far enough into the bird to lift it, and a kitchen towel (to pull off the jar), carefully pull the jar out of the chicken. A lot of hot juice may come out with it, so be careful. Discard the beer.
6. To serve, carve the chicken, arrange it on a platter, and pass the plates!