If you like garlic, you are going to love the traditional Latin condiment Chimichurri sauce. Although there are many different variations, it is basically a simple combination of parsley, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and some seasonings.

Although Chimichurri sauce originated in Argentina, it has become popular throughout the Latin American countries and now here in the United States. My friend told me in Argentina they use it as commonly as we use ketchup. He said there is always a bowl on the table and when it starts to run out they just make another batch and add to what’s there.

You can buy it commercially, but don’t bother. It is so easy to make and so much better fresh than anything you’ll find in a jar.  If you don’t use it all one night, save the leftovers to serve with something the next night. It goes great with chicken, steak, pork, fish, just about anything. I have a slightly different variation for the sauce at my recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.

There are lots of stories how the name Chimichurri came about. I like the one that says it was invented and named after an Irishman whose name was Jimmy McCurry. The local Argentineans could not pronounce his name correctly so instead they called him and his sauce Chimichurri. Not sure if that is true or not, but it makes for a good story.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

This recipe came from one of my favorite cooking magazines, Cuisine at Home. No advertising, just recipes and techniques. Basically you are cutting up pork tenderloin into 2-inch pieces that cook very quickly and can dry out if you are not careful. They wrap bacon around each piece of meat to add flavor but it also prevents the pork from grilling too quickly.

The bacon-wrapped pork chunks are skewered, basted with the Chimichurri sauce and grilled. In the article, they warn you not to put too many chunks of pork on a skewer and to be sure to leave some room between the pork pieces so the bacon is exposed and will cook evenly.

I didn’t follow their directions very well and had to spread them out while I was cooking. It would have been a whole lot easier to just use a few more skewers. And speaking of skewers, they suggest threading the pork on two skewers instead of one. Adds stability, making it easier to flip them without having the pork spinning out of control.

I did follow their instruction and they are right. It is easier to turn them and I’ll be trying this technique on all future shish kabobs.

Basting the Pork

The recipe says to brush the Chimichurri sauce on to the pork pieces just before grilling. I tried that and next time I will make a batch of sauce, reserve ¼ of it to serve on the side and then add the rest to a shallow cooking pan big enough to hold the skewers.

This way I can put the skewered pork right into the sauce and baste them with less mess. I’ll use whatever is left in the pan to baste the pork while grilling. I lost a lot of the sauce down into the grill doing it their way and didn’t think the coverage was as good as it could be.

Warning - Incredible Flavor BUT You Better Love Garlic

Remember, the reserved Chimichurri sauce isn’t cooked so the garlic is raw. It tastes great when you’re eating it but there’s a good chance you are going to smell of garlic the next day even after a shower. I walked into my gym and my trainer told me I smelled of garlic. It was even worse after I started working out. I know, MITN (more information than needed)

As Good As It Gets

I always distinguish good recipes from great recipes as “As Good As It Gets.” My wife took one bite of the grilled pork with this sauce and announced this is one of the best meals I’ve cooked. I’ll take that as a “Good As It Gets.”

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Banana and Pineapple

I served the suggested side dish mentioned in the Cuisine at Home article. I never would have thought to combine banana and pineapple with sweet potatoes but it worked out great. I’ll try to post the recipe tomorrow.

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Makes 1 cup of sauce

Ingredients: their recipe calls for chopping and mincing all these ingredients first. I just threw them all into the food processor and it worked out fine plus saved a lot of time.

• 2 tablespoons garlic (I used about 5 – 6 cloves)
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves (be sure to wash it well, my fresh parsley had a lot of sand in it.)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water

How to Make Chimichurri Sauce

I started with the garlic and processed it with a few pulses until it was minced then added the washed parsley and processed it with a few more pulses. Add the oil, vinegar, water and seasonings, pulse until you have a well-blended, smooth consistency.

Transfer ¼ of it to a separate bowl to serve on the side. The rest can be used right away to baste the pork or refrigerated until later.

BACON WRAPPED PORK FILETS

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloins
• Bacon strips (enough to wrap each chunk of pork tenderloin)

How to Prepare

• Preheat your grill to medium heat.

• Trim off any excess fat and silverskin. I cut off the narrow tips at the ends and cooked them separately without the Chimichurri sauce for my youngest daughter. Cut the remaining tenderloin into 2-inch thick filets.

• Wrap each pork filet with a piece of bacon. You can overlap the bacon by an inch but no more. Trim off any excess.

• Skewer 3 or 4 filets being sure to leave room in between them. Don’t make my mistake by putting to many on one skewer. For stability, stick a second skewer through the meat.
  Repeat until all the filets are skewered.

• You can brush the pork with the Chimichurri sauce or try my sauce in a pan technique as described above. Just be sure there is some extra to apply when cooking.

• Grill the skewers of meat with the grill cover on for about 4 minutes per side. Four sides means a total of about 16 minutes. You are looking for an internal temperature of about 145º F. Remember, each time you turn the meat, baste with some of the Chimichurri sauce.

• When done, remove and serve.

Delicious.

For those of you who are barbecuing today, here is a special treat from Chef Terrell Garrett. It is his very popular barbecue sauce that has been ten years in the making and according to Chef Terrell is close to perfection. This bbq sauce starts with a dry rub that Chef says is an integral part of the recipe.

As you can see from the ingredient list, this is going to make a large amount of sauce. Chef Terrell says it needs to be refrigerated and depending on how much barbecuing you do, you may consider cutting the recipe in half. Alternatively, if you have the equipment and experience, you can always bottle some for better storage or even gifts.

I think you are going to enjoy this sauce and would love to hear your comments. If you have your own special barbecue sauce, please tell us about it in the comments section below.

Chef Terrell Garrett’s Barbeuce Sauce Recipe© 2007

The dry rub is listed first.

• 1/2 cup chile powder
• 1/4 cup hickory flavored salt
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Mix thoroughly and save in a glass jar or zip-lock bag.

Barbeque Sauce Recipe

• 4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 6 cups water
• 6 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup prepared yellow mustard
• 1 1/3 tablespoons  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup spice rub,(see previous recipe)
• 4 each lemons (juice of)
• 8 cloves minced garlic
• 3 cups chopped white onion
• 1/4 lb. unsalted butter

Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Turn heat to medium and stir well to melt sugar and dissolve mustard.  Bring to a boil carefully (stirring often), reduce heat to medium low and allow mixture to simmer until onions are done stirring frequently. (approximately 20 minutes.)

Then add:

• 10 cups ketchup
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup liquid smoke

Stir mixture well and bring back to a simmer for approximately 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Let stand to cool, overnight is best.

Caution!

1. Always cook this recipe in a well-ventilated area.  The smell can be overwhelming.

2. Stirring is very important to prevent the sugar from scorching or burning.

3.NEVER substitute another vinegar for apple cider vinegar.

4. Don’t spend a lot of money on ketchup, the cheaper the better.

5. To add heat add 1-1/2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes.

6. The sauce can be bottled for longer life but must be processed in a canner, which gives it an indefinite shelf life.  However, when opened, the sauce must be refrigerated.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

A lot of you may be grilling and barbecuing this weekend so I wanted to tell you about an award winning barbecue sauce.

I’m not sure if he was trying to send a message, but it’s called Grumpy’s and as you can see by the label, the company who makes it, is having a lot of fun. This stuff is good. It won 1st Place at the 2007 Scovie Awards and was a 2nd place winner at the America’s Zesty Best Food Contest.

What I like about it is the name and the packaging. I know a whole bunch of people I want to send a bottle to including my Grumpy older brother and my buddy Barbecue Bob.

It comes in four different “heats” including Not So Bold, Bold XX, Goodnight Irene and Black Label. I only have tried Not So Bold and Bold XX and they are both excellent. You can read more about them at their web site.

This is a really good price plus you can pick up some highly acclaimed More Than Gourmet stock reductions for $5 bucks a piece too including one of my favorites, Glace de Fruits de Mer (Lobster Stock) normally $7.50.  A really good deal.  The sale ends midnight Sunday, June 10, 2007.

Grumpy’s Shrimp
Serves 4.

I borrowed this recipe from their web site. It’s from Chef Lezlie L. Ringland and features Grumpy’s Barbeque Sauce but I’m sure you can substitute your own favorite commercial sauce or your own homemade bbq sauce but I would definitely give Grumpy’s a try.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of Grumpy’s Barbeque Sauce® (your favorite flavor)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove of garlic minced fine
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
• 1 lb. peeled & de-veined medium to large shrimp
• 2 to 3 scallions chopped

How to Prepare

Mix all ingredients except shrimp in a bowl.

Heat pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of oil, cook shrimp.

When shrimp become pink (about 3 to 5 minutes) lower the heat & add the sauce.
Heat long enough for all the shrimp to becomes coated in the sauce.

Serve over Jasmine Rice.