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Diggin' in

Does it get much better than pulled pork?

House-made roast beef.  Boneless rib-eye roast, rubbed in garlic and herbs, slow grilled over charcoal.  Chilled and sliced the next day.

Well, besides eat it for breakfast with just a little salt and pepper?

Here, I whipped up a flavorful relish to top some grilled salmon and summer squash.

Grilled salmon with avocado relish

  • 1-2 medium-sized and ripe avocados, cubed
  • 2-3 green onion stalks, diced
  • 3-4 radishes, finely diced
  • 1 handful torn cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Another trick? Try cooking your salmon unilaterally.  Don’t worry, it’s just a fancy way of saying don’t flip it.  Throw the skin side down on a medium-high grill and let it cook until the top just starts to cook.  A good piece of salmon should never be overcooked and this ensures a medium rare finish.  Enjoy!

R.I.P. to the guy that I followed around the kitchen while growing up, the guy that I learned to bbq from, and the guy that was always played Dad when I needed him to.

I’ll think of you every time I fire up that Weber.  Love you Dad - this paella’s for you.

Cedar plank-grilled halibut with smoked paprika, tomato and lemon

I get a certain bbq-geek satisfaction from being able to cook an entire meal outdoors on the charcoal grill.  There’s something so rustic, casual and yet sophisticated by being able to master the fire and produce a well-rounded meal minus a kitchen. 

Now that I’m armed with a gorgeous backyard and the sort of backdrop that makes being anywhere but outside tough, that multitasking has become my goal for the fast-approaching summer.

Here I one-upped things by preparing the next day’s meal as well.  On the grill went two bone-in chicken breasts, a boneless pork shoulder and a cast iron pot full of bacon, onions, white wine and rainbow chard.  Out came a perfect dinner for one night and a smoked shoulder ready for the week ahead. 

More pictures to prove it:

Moving.

For an entire week we ate terribly.  Fast food.  Snacks.  Donuts and coffee.  All those things that are good in moderation aren’t great seven days in a row. 

For that reason, and so many more, that’s why this dinner - the first at our new house - will be forever memorable. 

Good stuff.