Tag: grilling

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Where’s the Beef?

By Fran Hill

Our farm isn’t home to cattle or hogs. We feed lambs. South Dakota ranks fifth in U.S. sheep production, and my husband is one of those producers. Roughly 10,000 lambs per year are fattened in our feedlot, and a couple of them usually end up in my freezer.

I didn’t always cook with lamb. It wasn’t something that I grew up eating. The first time Hubs brought home a package of ground lamb, he told me to use it as I would hamburger. As I browned it up one evening to make chili, the pungent aroma made it clear that it was not beef. Lamb has a distinctive flavor that is delicious when prepared properly, but chili isn’t really its thing.

Greek-Style Lamb Burgers showcase the unique character of ground lamb. Garlic, shallots, and mint enhance the lamb, and the resulting burgers are mouthwatering. Tzatziki is a creamy traditional topping, along with thinly sliced red onions and tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese. Each bite is delectable.

I will never give up great beef cheeseburgers, but grilled lamb burgers are a summer tradition in our home, and I hope that you give it a try with some outstanding American lamb.

When prepared properly, ground lamb burgers are just as tasty as traditional beef.

Greek-Style Lamb Burgers

2 slices whole grain bread, crusts removed and cubed

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground lamb

olive oil

Preheat grill.

Moisten bread with milk in a bowl.

Mash to form a paste, and combine with shallots, garlic, mint, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well.

Add the ground lamb and carefully combine. Do not over mix, or burgers will be tough.

Form into 4 to 6 burgers patties.

Drizzle patties with olive oil and rub to coat.

Grill patties, about 4 minutes on each side.

Serve on a toasted bun (or in a pita pocket) with crumbled feta, thinly sliced red onion and tomato and tzatziki. (Serves 4-6)

Tzatziki

2 cups sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

1 seedless cucumber, grated and squeezed dry

2 cloves garlic, grated with microplane

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients.

Cover and chill for about an hour for flavors to blend.

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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Just Grill It

By Fran Hill

Schools have dismissed and Memorial Day has passed. While neither the calendar (June 21 is the beginning of Summer Solstice) nor the weather (brrr; that rain has been cold, hasn’t it?) is yielding to it, the general consensus is that summer is here — and it is time to grill.

Many South Dakotans don’t heed the seasons for grilling. We fire up the propane grill and tend the glowing charcoal embers year round. But when summer approaches, the need to cook outdoors is overpowering.

We love nothing more than juicy charcoal grilled burgers, fire-charred hot dogs, barbeque sauce glazed chicken, cedar-planked salmon, skewers of shrimp, smoky pork chops, marinated lamb kabobs, and big, juicy steaks seared over the flames. Everything on our plates boasts grill marks: corn on the cob, zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli and colorful peppers. Even fruit gets tossed on the grill to bring out the delicious sweetness of peaches, pineapple, apples and bananas. If we eat it, we grill it.

Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa is a great meal that aside from a little chopping happens almost entirely … you guessed it: on the grill. I serve warm flour tortillas on the side, but this classic pork and pineapple pairing would also be great with some of those sweet Hawaiian rolls. Don’t be afraid to make extra salsa. This fruity side dish with a jalapeno kick is great to dig into with tortilla chips.

Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

(adapted from Cooking Light)

4 pork chops, about 1/2-inch thick (boneless center-cut, bone-in loin chops, or rib chops work best)

juice of 1 lime, divided

1/2 of a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2-inch thick, about 4-6 slices

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1/2 of a fresh jalapeno, seeded and sliced (leave the seeds, if you want more heat)

salt and pepper

Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.

Toss the pork with a couple tablespoons of the lime juice; let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush grill with oil and add pineapple and onion.

Cook 4 minutes on each side, until onion is tender.

Coarsely chop the pineapple and onion and combine with jalapeno, a tablespoon (or so) of lime juice, and salt (to taste).

Season pork with salt and pepper.

Add pork to the grill; cook 5-6 minutes on each side until done (145 degrees).

Remove from the grill; allow pork to rest about 3 minutes before serving. (serves 4)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their two dogs ranch near Colome.