MIXED GRILL PARTY MENU
INGREDIENTS
THE MEATS
+ 1 lb spicy roasted garlic sausages
+ 1 lb cheddar bratwurst sausages
+ 2 ny strip steaks
+ 3 lb asado whole chicken
SANTA MARIA SALSA
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 green bell pepper seeds removed medium diced
1 anaheim pepper seeds removed medium diced
1/4 yellow onion small diced
3 garlic cloves small diced
1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp hot sauce
RADISH BUTTER
1 lb butter
3/4 cups radishes blended
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garlic minced
1 tbsp kosher salt
LEMON THYME ASPARAGUS
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunch thyme
2 lemons
1/4 cup evoo
salt & pepper, to taste
maldon sea salt
POTATO SALAD
2.5 lbs red skin potatoes, skin on
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
1 bunch parsley, finely diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup dill pickle relish
salt & pepper, to taste
evoo
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: GRILL YOUR MEAT
To heat your grill, we want 3 different sections of heat. On one side, heat it to around 450*, in the middle, keep it at about 350*, and on the remaining portion, keep the heat off. We will be using direct heat and indirect heat for these recipes.
The first protein we want to get going is the Whole Chicken. Begin by placing the chicken on the side of the grill that does not have direct flame underneath it. We are going to want to cook this chicken over the indirect heat slowly for 45 minutes to an hour. The low and slow heat will retain a maximum amount of moisture inside the chicken, as well as slowly crispy up the outside without burning any skin, rendering too much fat, and drying out the meat. Doing this on indirect heat will also prevent any flare ups that can scorch our chicken, creating unwanted flavors. Keep the chicken covered with either the lid of the grill, or some aluminum foil if your grill does not have a lid. Once it has reached the internal temperature of 165*, remove it from the grill and allow it to rest on a cooling rack for a minimum of 5 minutes.
While our chicken is slowly cooking and about 20 minutes from completion, wipe down the hot side of the grill with a oiled towel, and place your seasoned steaks over the high heat. We want to get a good char/crust on these steaks, so the standard “diamond” shaped grill marks aren’t super important here. I prefer to rotate my steaks every minute or so in a circular motion of about 25* for about 6-7 minutes on one side, then flip over and do the same for the other side. For a Medium Rare, the internal temperature should be around 130*-140*. Once you have reached your desired internal temperature, remove your steaks from the grill and allow to rest on a rack for a minimum of 5 minutes. We don’t want to slice our steaks too early as the protein hasn’t had proper time to relax from the trauma of the flames, therefore not allowing the juices to slowly re-disperse throughout. It is okay to rest your steaks for a while and then toss them back on the grill for a second before slicing to bring up the external temperature again.
Lastly when we are about 15 minutes from completion of our chicken cooking process, place your sausages on the medium heat in the middle of the grill. Just like with our steaks, I prefer a constant rotation of the sausages to allow the most surface area of the meat to get some nice char and caramelization. These should take about 4-5 minutes on each side, and with any ground meat product such as sausages, it is important to reach an internal temperature of 160*. Remove the links from the grill and add to your resting rack to hang out for a minimum of 5 minutes.
STEP 2: SERVE IT UP
Once all your proteins have reached the required internal temperatures, and have properly rested, it’s time to create our Sizzlin’ Summer Meat Platter!
Begin by breaking the chicken down into smaller parts. First, we want to cut the wings away from the breast. There is a soft spot of cartilage right at the joint where you should be able to easily take your knife through to separate them. Next, we want to split the two halves off by cutting right in between the two breasts. This is done more easily by having the skin side down on your cutting board and cutting through the underside of the chicken. Once the chicken has been split in two, cut through the skin and connective tissue in between the bottom point of the breast and the leg meat. This should separate quite easily. From there, you have the option to either take the Drumsticks off from the Thighs, or you can leave the legs whole. Up to you! Depending on how many people you are serving, you can also slice the breast into a few 1-inch portions as well. Place these all nicely along the outside rim of your serving apparatus.
Now onto the steaks. To remove the NY Strip from its bone, stand the steaks upright with the shorter, bottom bone flat on your cutting board. While holding the meat with one hand (at few inched from your blade), slice downward from the top of the steak just along the inside of the vertical bone. Keep your knife angled just slightly towards the bone itself. This will both help guide you all the way down, as well as help you get the most beef off the bone. Once you have reached the bottom of the bone, turn your knife 90* (while keeping your other hand away from the blade), and continue to cut your away from the bone. Once your steak has been released, slice it from the top down in half inch slices. The steak looks great fanned out along next to the chicken, and once its plated, you can lean the bone up against the meat for a sweet look!
Finally for the sausages, this is the easy part! Slice your rested sausages on a slight bias in half inch slices. Once completed, fan them out next to the steak, creating your own personal beefy buffet.
Leave some room on the board/plate for some containers of the accompanying sauces, as this adds to a great look as well as delicious functionality.
SAUCES & SPREADS
SANTA MARIA SALSA
Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir well so that everything gets evenly distributed. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Portion into a small bowl and place it in the middle of your board for dipping.
RADISH BUTTER
Bring the butter to room temperature. Puree the radishes in the blender until smooth. Mix the butter in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment. Fold the remaining ingredients in with the butter. Portion into a small bowl and place it in the middle of your board next to your salsa.
THE SIDES
LEMON THYME ASPARAGUS
Remove the asparagus from the rubber band and lay out evening on cutting board. Using a sharp knife, remove the white portion of each stem from the bottom of each asparagus stock. These are woody and not delicious.
Once all the asparagus is cleaned, place on a sheet pan, or any other flat container. Pour over the EVOO, Zest both lemons, and spinkle on the picked thyme leaves from the stem. Season with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Place on a preheated grill and cook until the stocked begin to bend freely when picked up. Remove from the heat, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some flakey sea salt.
GRILLED POTATO SALAD
Take all of your red potatoes and slice them lengthwise about half an inch thick. Place your potatoes in a mixing bowl, and coat evenly with EVOO. Sprinkle in a couple hearty pinches of salt (potatoes love salt) and a pinch of black pepper.
Evenly place all your slices of potatoes on a preheated grill over medium heat. Flip the potatoes after 4 minutes, and cook another 4 minutes on this side. If the potatoes are not yet soft in the middle, reduce heat and continue to cook until they are no longer crunchy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Place the potatoes on your cutting board and chop them to a medium sized dice. Combine the diced potatoes with all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Taste for seasoning and acid, and adjust if needed.
Serve a room temperature, or cold if you prefer.