Let’s talk Goldens' Cast Iron

What if I told you that you could buy one grill today that would provide superior heat retention, unsurpassed quality, and that it would be passed down from Generation to Generation? You would probably think I was crazy! I’m talking about the new Goldens’ Cast Iron Kamado Grills. Fully made in America by an American Manufacturing legend, the new Goldens’ Cast Iron Kamado Grills offer unsurpassed durability while also being incredibly simple to control.

 Goldens’ Cast Iron is the consumer division of Goldens’ Foundry and Machine Company, founded in 1882. A 5th generation family-owned company with 138 years of American-made industrial cast iron experience, producing durable, top quality machined ductile iron castings for companies, worldwide, including our durable cast iron kamado grills, fire pits, kettlebells and dumbbells, all of which will outlast and outperform any other similar product on the market! Built by our family for yours! Work out, grill out, and chill out with American made cast iron! Goldens’ Foundry began operations in Columbus, Georgia in 1882 as Goldens’ Brothers, founded by John Poitivent “Porter” Golden and Theodore Earnest “Theo” Golden. At the beginning of 1889, Goldens’ Brothers was incorporated, with the financial support of Abraham Illges, and renamed Goldens’ Foundry and Machine Company. We have been in continuous operation at our Columbus, GA facility since then.

Goldens’ Cast Iron offers a superior 20.5″ kamado grill with Trex® Composite Shelving and a full 20.5″ cooking area, constructed of high-quality, durable American-made cast iron that last generations!

Features: Superior construction, Increased Durability, All-Weather High-Temperature Powder Coat Finish, Integrated Hinge, Single-Piece Cast Iron Firebox, Cast Iron Searing Plate, Two Tiered Cast Iron Grates, Thermometer ±1% Accuracy, Dual-Disc Cast Iron Top Vent, Stainless steel intake. Heavy Duty Cart, Cast Iron Wheels, Solid Wood Handle and more! Cast Iron Divider Plate sold separately.

Come to Fleet-Plummer today to see what the buzz around Goldens’ is all about and Join the Iron Age.

We are proud to be the exclusive Goldens’ Cast Iron dealer in the Triad.

Grilled Veggies

These grilled veggies are one of our favorite grill recipes!

 Instructions

Heat a grill to medium-high and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the vegetables into similar sized chunks and thread onto 4 metal skewers. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. They absorb the salt as they cook, enhancing their inherent sweetness. 

Grill the skewers for 8 minutes per side or until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred. Remove from the grill, season to taste, and serve. They absorb the salt as they cook, enhancing their inherent sweetness or you can serve with desired sauce or dressing.

Grilled Romaine Salad

CAUTION: You may never want a non-grilled salad ever again!
This quick & simple recipe will change the way you think about salads! Using the grill transforms an ordinary salad to extraordinary.
Grilled romaine lettuce is amazingly flavorful!

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk 1/3 cup oil, vinegar and seasonings. Set aside.

2. Brush the onions, tomatoes, cucumber and romaine with remaining oil. Grill the onions, tomatoes and cucumber, uncovered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until onions are crisp-tender. Grill romaine for 30 seconds on each side or until heated through.

3. Chop the vegetables; place in a large bowl. Whisk dressing and pour over salad; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

YIELD: 12 servings.

Duck Fat Potatoes

Holy hell. If there’s one potato recipe you make before the end of the year, let it be these duck fat potatoes.

They’re ridiculously crispy, have creamy insides, and go well with practically any dish! Seriously, you cannot beat the crunch!

Here’s why the recipe works:

• We both parboil and then roast the potatoes.

• The potatoes cook in alkaline water (a mix of water, Kosher salt, and baking soda), which helps to break down their starchy exterior.

• The potatoes get a good shake once drained, helping to form a thin, mashed potato-like layer around the surface area of the potatoes, which crisps up in the duck fat.

• Long, slow roasting time. We’re usually in favor of super quick cook times, but with this recipe, longer exposure to high heat = the crispiest potatoes EVER.

How To Make Duck Fat Potatoes

To make the best duck fat potatoes, you first have to start with perfect roasted potatoes. The method we follow for ensuring each potato is the crispiest possible comes from Kenji Lopez.

First, parboil the peeled, cubed potatoes. The secret is to add both salt and baking soda to the water with the potatoes. Even when we don’t make duck fat potatoes — and simply want crispy roasted ‘taters — we follow this method! Cook at a rapid boil under fork-tender, about 10 minutes.

Next, drain the potatoes, then immediately return to the hot pan. This will help any excess liquid evaporate. Place a lid on top, then shake the pan vigorously. Really rough ’em up!  They form a thin layer on top that is similar to mashed potatoes. This is what gives the potatoes an edge when they cook in the oven!

Finally, place in a preheated skillet with melted duck fat or, if using, Cornhusker Duck Fat lightly spray the skillet, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 30 minutes undisturbed, then toss and cook an additional 40 minutes.

Your patience will be greatly rewarded!

Don’t Use Too Much Duck Fat!

You might think that more duck fat makes for crispier potatoes, when in reality all it does is make the potatoes harder to crisp up and taste more like duck. Moderation is key!

Tips For the Best Potatoes

• It’s worth repeating, do not use too much duck fat! We’ve tested this and the potatoes don’t crisp up as well and taste way too ducky. Less is more!

• Let the potatoes cook undisturbed for the first half hour.

• Toss with fresh herbs (chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, or oregano!) just as they finish cooking. Want to add in a few minced garlic cloves? Not one single person will complain.

• Give the potatoes a sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving.

 I cannot even begin to put into words how delicious these crispy duck fat roasted potatoes are. The texture is on another level. You’ll never make potatoes any other way again!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Place rendered duck fat or if using Cornhusker Duck Fat lightly spray a large cast iron skillet, then place in the oven to preheat.

2. Place potatoes in a large pot, then cover with water. Add 2 Tbsp Kosher salt and baking soda, stir, then bring to a rapid boil. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, or until tender enough to pierce easily with a knife. Drain potatoes, then immediately return to the pot to help evaporate any excess liquid.

3. Place lid on top, then secure by holding it firmly in place. Shake the pot vigorously, about 20-30 seconds, until the potatoes form a thin layer on top that has the consistency of mashed potatoes.

4. Carefully remove the preheated skillet from the oven, then spoon the parboiled potatoes into the pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp Kosher salt and black pepper. Cook undisturbed for 30 minutes, then toss potatoes. Cook an additional 40 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown on all sides, flipping the potatoes once more about halfway through. Garnish with finely chopped fresh herbs (if using) and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving immediately.

NOTES

·         Do not skip the baking soda! This helps to break down the surface of the potatoes so they have that creamy exterior which crisps up beautifully in duck fat.

·         Don’t cut the potatoes into super small pieces or they will burn and won’t have a creamy center!

*Recipe complements of Well Seasoned Studio

BOURBON BBQ WINGS

Other tools

• Instant Read Thermometer

Prepare your Smoker
Prepare your smoker (or grill setup for an indirect cook) at a temperature of 375. If using a smoker or pellet grill, we recommend mesquite, hickory or pecan for this cook. 

Cook the Wings
Place the wings in your smoker. They will take ~45 minutes to cook depending on size. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure your wings are at least 165. Poultry is done and ready to eat at 165 internal temperature, but we prefer to take wings to 185 - 190 to allow them to crisp. While the wings are cooking prepare your Bourbon BBQ sauce. 

BBQ Bourbon Sauce prep
Combine the BBQ sauce, TX Bourbon and mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes stirring constantly. 

Prepare your wings
If you have whole chicken wings, remove the tip and separate the drumette and wing from each other. Pat them dry. Season the wings moderately on all sides with our Holy Gospel. Allow the seasoning to adhere for 15 minutes. 

Sauce the Wings
Remove the wings from the smoker and toss them in a large mixing bowl with the warm Bourbon BBQ sauce.

Toss & coat them completely.

Return wings to the smoker for 7 - 8 minutes.
This will allow the sauce to tack up. 

Remove from the smoker.
Allow to cool & enjoy!

Friday's Recipe - Banh Mi Burger

Are you as obsessed with Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches as we are? We are so in love with the unique combination of savory, salty, tangy flavors and chewy, crunchy textures that a single bite of banh mi delivers. These burgers will be your new fave!

1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients for pork meat patties until fully combine and separate into 4 equal parts. Using your hands, carefully form each patty until even in thickness all the way around is achieved and set aside. You want it about ⅓” thick.

2. In a small bowl combine ingredients for sriracha mayo and whisk until smooth. Can be made ahead and stored for up to a week.

3. Preheat grill to medium/high heat. Add pork patties to the grill and allow to cook without moving for 5 minutes. Flip the patties and repeat with the other side. If the meat isn't cooked through, flip every minutes until cooked to avoid burning. If you don't have a grill heat a large cast iron skillet over medium/high heat and coat lightly with sesame oil. Working in batches of two add prepared pork patties to the skillet and cook without moving until edges begin to crisp. About 5 minutes. Flip and repeat with the other side. If the patties aren’t cooked through flip every minutes until done to avoid burning. Continue with the remaining patties and set aside.

4. To prepare the burgers toast the brioche buns in the toasted or under a low broil in the oven. Add sriracha mayo to both sides of the bun and top with the pork patty, cucumbers, jalapeños, cilantro and plenty of pickled vegetables. Serve immediately.

Sriracha Mayo

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 3 green onions, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp Sriracha

Quick Pickled Veggie Topping

• 1 lb carrots, cut into matchsticks

• 1 lb daikon radish, cut into matchsticks

• 2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

• 1 cup water

1. In a large bowl combine carrots, radishes and salt. Using your hands, gently massage carrots and radishes until they begin to get tender, about 4-5 minutes.

2. In a saucepan, heat water, vinegar and sugar until sugar has dissolved.

3. Pack prepared vegetables into a quart size jar and pour the warm vinegar mixture over the top.
**These quick pickled vegetables are ready for use as soon as they cool down, roughly 2 hours after placing in fridge.

*The recipe for Pork Bahn Mi Burgers comes from themodernproper.com

Memorial Day Grilling

 It never fails. As soon as I begin to think that summer has finally arrived, Mother Nature reminds me that she ultimately holds the cards here in North Carolina where 80-degree sunny days give way to 55-degree blustery days at a moment’s notice. Now, I must confess that I do not subscribe to the idea of a “grilling season” as many do. One of the many positives to living in the South is a climate that is temperate enough to operate pretty much any type of grill or smoker with minimal modification due to the weather year-round. That being said, not everyone shares my opinion and traditionally Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of summer, and therefore, grilling season for most people.

            Burgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts, steaks, baked beans, corn on the cob…these items make for a good old fashioned American cookout. Like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. This is fine and dandy, but what if we want to turn the traditional American cookout up a level? Something a little less traditional…maybe more of an Andy Warhol than a Norman Rockwell? What if we start to look at our grills and smokers as an extension of the kitchen and less of a method to prepare a main course? Elevating your grill game is as easy as utilizing the grill in its full capacity. Don’t limit the capabilities of your grill to your perceived ability…rather, stretch those creative muscles and learn a new way to do something! All grills and smokers, generally speaking, can do a ton more than the occasional main dish. Mac and cheese, a medley of grilled veggies, potatoes au gratin, smoked three-bean salad, grilled peach salsa, grilled watermelon, the possibilities are endless.  Utilize the fresh produce from your local farmer’s market and transform it into the unexpected and you’ll be the life of the party at your next cookout.  You can even bake items on the grill, including the most decadent cinnamon rolls you have ever tasted or, fortunately for me, my wife makes a smoked oreo cheesecake that will leave everyone wanting seconds.  These are all examples of how you can stretch the boundaries and not get into a rut this grilling season. Seek inspiration from unusual sources and, most of all, DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL! Some of the best recipes I have ever developed came from multiple failures and tweaks.  After-all, everything in life, including grilling, is a process. Be sure to follow @fleetplummer and @greensborogrillcenter for tested & loved recipes you can try. As always, feel free to call the shop for help or ideas!!!

Ketchup Tomorrow, Relish Today!

~John 

Let's talk about Worcestershire

What’s the ingredient most frequently used in barbecue sauces? Ketchup is a no brainer. But I’d put my money on a condiment that comes in a paper–wrapped bottle: Worcestershire sauce. (And according to Nielsen, it is one of the fastest growing sauces in sales dollars.)

This thin, brown, sweet-sour condiment turns up in barbecue sauces of all stripes and types—from the tomato-based sauces of Kansas City to the butter sauces of New Orleans to the black dips of Kentucky. The reason is simple: Worcestershire sauce contains something for everyone—sweetness in the form of corn syrup and molasses, acidity from tamarind and vinegar, saltiness provided by soy sauce and anchovies, with garlic and cloves for spice.

Like mushroom ketchup and A.1. Sauce, Worcestershire was born in the heyday of the great English table sauces. According to David Burton, author of The Raj at Table: A Culinary History of the British in India, the recipe originated in India and was brought back to England by a former governor of Bengal, Lord Marcus Sandys.

In 1835, Lord Sandys took his recipe to the chemist shop of John Lea and William Perrins on Broad Street in Worcester and asked them to brew up a batch. The resulting mixture was so fiery, it “almost blew the heads off Mrs. Lea and Perrins,” according to Burton. They deposited the barrel in a back corner of the cellar and promptly tried to forget it. The chemists stumbled upon it a few years later, and, morbidly curious, they tried it again. With age, the Worcestershire had mellowed into an extraordinary sauce. The recipe was hastily purchased from Lord Sandys and in 1838, commercial Worcestershire sauce was born.

According to Adrian Bailey and Philip Dowell, authors of Cooks’ Ingredients, the original Lea & Perrins recipe contained walnut and mushroom ketchups, sherry, brandy, and even pork liver, which has been eliminated from the American formula. Today the sauce is enjoyed all over the world. Many companies manufacture Worcestershire sauce today, but no one makes a better one than Colonel Pabst. Head into Fleet Plummer today and see our entire selection of rubs and sauces including Colonel Pabst Worcestershire sauce.

Ketchup tomorrow, Relish today

~John