This weekend's cookout and a giveaway (pics)

I've been invited to join with Bush Brothers to share my idea of a great
summer kick-off cookout. I'll be hosting a barbecue that will feature Bush's
Grillin' Beans. I've been a great fan of Grillin' Beans, and I look forward to
sharing how you can use them to add something special to your summer
grilling.



For my part I've chosen to host a "Pastor's Family Cookout". I'm forever
grateful for all that my pastors and their families have done, and I want to
honor their faithful service and sacrifice.

Here's the menu that I've put together:

• Steak Sampler - Three different cuts and preparations
• Bush's Texas Ranchero beans
• Grilled Salad
• Grilled Strawberry Shortcake
• Texas Toast
• Lemonade
• Iced Tea
• Water

But wait, there's more! The folks at Bush Brothers are providing a very nice
grilling gift pack for me to give away. You will certainly want to be sure to
enter when the time comes next week.



The package includes a French ceramic Dutch oven from Emile Henry,
tongs and a multi-purpose basting brush from Rösle, an apron, spatula and
can opener from Bush's, and a $50 Visa® gift card. It's valued at about
$350.

I will be posting all of the recipes and some photos of the event early next
week when I officially kick-off the giveaway.

Disclaimer: The cookout and giveaway are in partnership with Bush
Brothers & Company.

John

chambersuac said:

John,
Congratulations on getting chosen to do this for Bush Bro. & Co.

As a Pastor, though, I do have a question. What is this, "forever
grateful for all that my pastors and their families have done...?" Pastors don't get appreciated, right?

Click to expand...

Thanks. Pastors are absolutely not appreciated enough. I truly believe that
properly shepherding a flock is one of the hardest jobs on topside of this
Earth.

John

Oh, and thank you!

John

chambersuac said:

Thanks, John, I really wasn't fishing for a "thanks"...

Click to expand...

I didn't take it as fishing at all. I know what you meant.

As for the rest, amen, and again I say amen!

John

Well, the prep is in full swing.

• New 31" RiverGrille Cowboy pit assembled and ready - Check
• Strawberries cut and macerating - Check
• Strawberry-Balsamic vinaigrette made - Check
• Flank steaks in the cola marinade - Check
• Ribeye roast seasoned and ready - Check
• Prime Top Sirloin steaks standing by - Check
• All other ingredients on-hand - Check

For the ribeye I'm going to try what I hope is the ultimate reverse-sear. I'm
going to roast it whole in the oven (at about 250*) to about 115* internal.
Then on-site I'll slice it into 1 1/2" steaks, season and oil each side, and sear
them to the desired doneness.

The top sirloin is prime grade, so they'll just get salt and pepper then a
reverse-sear.

The flank steaks will be grilled rocket-hot to barely medium-rare.

For the grilled shortcake I cut 1" slabs of butter pound cake, butter them
lightly, then grill them just long enough to mark and toast each side. Then
they get a pile of the sliced and macerated berries (with a little ginger and
allspice), and a large dose of real whipped cream.

More to come later...

John

Well, my "Pastor's Family Cookout" took place last weekend, and we had a
great time.



I truly believe that pastors have one the toughest "jobs" that there is.
They deal with things on a daily basis that many of us never even
contemplate. What we might call a "job" is really a call to shepherd their
flock (congregation) humbly and sacrificially. So, I wanted to use this
opportunity to show my appreciation for all that my pastors and their
families do, most of which largely goes unrecognized.

Another thing about this cookout that made it even more special is that it
was the day before our church "graduation" where we went from a
missionary church plant to an independent self-supporting church.

We had such a wonderful time gathering in a local park to enjoy good food
and fellowship. I got to cook a bunch, teach a little bit about barbecue and
grilling, then stand back and enjoy what I love -- watching people eat and
enjoy themselves.

Here's what was on the menu, and some recipes:

• Steak Sampler - Ribeye, Flank, and Prime Top Sirloin
• Bush's Texas Ranchero Grillin' Beans
• Grilled Salad with Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Grilled Strawberry Shortcake
• Texas Toast

Note: I've scaled the recipes down to approximately four-person servings.

Cola-Marinated Flank Steak



Ingredients
1 Flank steak (preferably USDA Choice or better)
1 can Cola (leaded, no diet!)
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Black pepper, ground fresh
1 tsp Granulated onion
1/4 tsp Granulated garlic

Process
Dump all of the ingredients, except the steak, in a one gallon zip-top bag,
seal and shake well.

Add the steak to the bag, remove the excess air, and seal.

Lay the bag in a lipped pan (to catch any leakage), refrigerate, and
marinate 4-6 hours.

Remove the steak from the marinate, pat dry with paper towels, and let sit
at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While the steak is resting, prepare your grill for two-zone cooking (direct
and indirect) at high heat (about 500º).

Grill the steak just to medium-rare (no further than medium), then remove
it to a platter to rest for ten minutes.

Slice across the grain to about 1/4", and serve with Bush's Texas Ranchero
Grillin' Beans.

Grilled Salad



Ingredients
2 heads Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
1 cup Strawberry-balsamic vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Canola oil spray
Kosher salt
Pepper
Shaved Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)

Method
Split each head of lettuce lengthwise.

Spray the cut side of each half lightly with the canola oil, then season with
salt and pepper to taste.

Grill each half, cut-side-down, over a hot direct fire for about 90 seconds.

Remove to a sheet pan, sprinkle evenly with the cheese and let cool.

Drizzle each half with an equal amount of dressing, serve and enjoy!

Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup Strawberries, quartered
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Dried thyme
2 tsp Garlic salt
1 tsp Black pepper, ground fresh

Method
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender.

Pulse until all of the strawberries are pureed.

Refrigerate until serving.

Grilled Strawberry Shortcake



Ingredients
1 lb Pound cake (I used butter pound cake)
1 lb Fresh strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt (to aid in maceration)
1/8 tsp Ground ginger
1/8 tsp Ground allspice
Canola oil spray
Whipped cream

Process
Combine all of the ingredients, except the cake, in a large mixing bowl and
mix well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

If your grill isn't already hot, prepare it for direct cooking at medium heat
(about 350º).

Cut the pound cake into one-inch slices, and spray each side lightly with
the oil.

Grill the cake slices until they are toasty and have grill marks on each side.

Serve each slice topped with a good amount of the berry mixture and
whipped cream.

The Big Giveaway

For those interested, the giveaway is now open for entries at my blog until
noon May 31. The approximate value of the gift pack is $350.



-----

John

Thanks, my friend. I really appreciate your very kind and gracious comments.

It's a labor of love and service.

John

Thanks, guys.

John

NBBD said:

Excellent Pics and Post John!

(BTW we Grilled Artichokes for the first time last night thanks to your website-- delicious!)

Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm glad that you enjoyed the artichokes. I loves me some happy eaters.

John