Celebrate the cue

Did you know the first White House barbecue was hosted by Texan Lyndon B. Johnson? As of the end of 2022 Kansas City, Missouri, was considered the barbecue capital of the world, although St. Louis, Missouri, eats the most barbecue per capita in the U.S., followed by Kansas City, Chicago, Illinois, and Springfield, Missouri. Lastly, with more than 700 awards, Famous Dave’s is considered America’s best barbecue chain.

Hopefully all of this information has inspired you to head out to the grill or smoker to make magic of your own. Although not truly barbecue, all these grilled dishes are close enough.

Yucatan-Style

Grilled Pork

Yucatan-Style Grilled Pork is packed with flavor and easy to make. A fresh salad and warm bread are perfect sides.

Ingredients:

2 oranges, juiced

2 or 3 lemons, juiced

2 or 3 limes, juices

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 or 2 teaspoons dried chipotle powder, to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Prep:

Place orange, lemon and lime juices in a large bowl. Add garlic, salt, chipotle pepper, cumin, cayenne, oregano and black pepper. Whisk until blended. Cut tenderloins in half crosswise and then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place pieces in the marinade and thoroughly coat each piece. Cover with plastic wrap with wrap touching the surface of the meat to seal out all air. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.

Transfer pork pieces to a paper towel-lined bowl to absorb most of the moisture.

Discard paper towels and drizzle oil and more chipotle powder on the meat.

Preheat the grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grate.

Place pork on the heated grill and allow the meat to sear until it can be easily turned, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the meat over and grill another 4 to 5 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 135 to 140 degrees. Transfer meat to a serving platter and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Grilled 5 Spice

Chicken

Grilled 5 Spice Chicken is so flavorful and pretty simple to make as well. Jasmine rice and a veggie of your choice are perfect sides for this dish.

Ingredients:

1 5-pound whole chicken, cut in half

½ lime, juiced, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon fish sauce

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

2 teaspoons hot chili paste

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Prep:

Score the skin side of each chicken half 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep. Whisk together lime, fish sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, Chinese five-spice, chili paste, ginger and soy sauce in a large bowl. Pour into a zip-close bag. Add chicken and coat evenly with marinade. Squeeze out the air, seal the bag and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grate. Remove chicken halves from the bag and transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Pat chicken dry. Reserve marinade in a small bowl.

Grill chicken, skin side down, for 2 minutes. Turn and brush each piece with reserved marinade. Move to indirect heat. Grill, brushing with the glaze, turning over every 10 to 15 minutes until well browned and no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat should read 180 degrees. Drizzle with more lime and serve.

Grilled Hoisin Beef

Grilled Hoisin Beef is a great way to use a less expensive, tougher cut of meat without sacrificing flavor.

Ingredients:

1 pound beef skirt steak

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce, your choice

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 green onion, white parts only, minced, plus more for garnish

Toasted sesame seeds

Prep:

Whisk hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Cut skirt steak crosswise into 4 or 5 smaller pieces. Put steak in marinade, stirring to thoroughly coat the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and transfer meat to the pan, mopping off some of the marinade with additional paper towels. Preheat grill to high, coating the grate with oil.

Transfer steak to the grill and cook to medium rare or medium, 4 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer should read between 130 and 135 degrees.

Your thinner pieces will cook faster. Transfer steak to a warm plate to rest 5 minutes. Place on a serving platter, pouring any accumulated juices over the steak. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seed and sliced green onions.