To celebrating the Halloween spirits, we are going to grill up some blackened chicken wings that look like bat wings. We are using Afire Gourmet Grilling Planks – Golden Alder to give these Halloween wings a sweet and light smoky flavor.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup plus 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 Cup light-brown sugar
1/4 Cup black bean sauce
15-20 Large Whole Chicken Wings w/ Tips
2 Afire Gourmet Grilling Planks Golden Alder

Directions:

1. Soak Afire Gourmet Grilling Planks in water for 30-60 minutes.
2. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and black bean sauce together. Set 1/3 cup soy sauce mixture aside. Turn bag until wings are evenly coated. Refrigerate, and marinate for at least 2 hours; turning chicken wings every 30 minutes to coat.
3. Heat grill up to 375 degrees. Remove wings from marinade, shake any excess marinade. Brushing with reserved 1/3 cup soy sauce mixture every 10 minutes.
4. Place chicken wings on plank and grill them over indirect medium low head for 20-25 minutes. Brushing with reserved soy sauce mixture every 10 minutes. If using tableQ, sear the chicken wing until outside layer is crunchy and crispy.

Enjoy this spooky dish and have a fun Halloween!

Source: Martha Stewart Bat Wing Recipe

Our Asian Spice Marinade increases meat’s moisture and flavor-absorption capacity.  Grilling over hickory wood chips adds a smoky dimension, from the crisp golden skin to the moist, tender turkey meat.

Ingredients:
16lb                       whole turkey (thawed)
45 g                       wood chips—hickory

Asian Spice Marinade
1 ½ tsp                 chili powder
½ tsp                    crushed red pepper flakes
6 Tbsp                   fish sauce
4 Tbsp                   sugar
1 ½ tsp                 five spice powder
1 tsp                      black pepper
2 ½ tsp                 garlic powder
5 Tbsp                   soy sauce
5 Tbsp                   salt
½ cup                   rice wine or white wine
1 ½ cup                water

Basting Sauce
¼ cup                   honey
¼ cup                   wine vinegar
¼ cup                   water

Instructions:

Prepare Marinade:
1.     Place all marinade ingredients into a food processor, adding 1 ½ cup of water slowly as the ingredients blend.
2.     Place marinade inside a glass jar and soak overnight.

Prepare Basting Sauce:
1.    Mix water, honey and vinegar in a bowl. Set aside for later use.

Prepare Turkey:
1.     If you are using a frozen turkey, thaw turkey safely (see instructions below).
2.     Clean out turkey cavity. Remove the giblets from their bag (stuck in the neck cavity) and the neck bone from the body cavity.*
3.     Rinse the turkey with cool water inside and out. Pat dry.
4.     Place thawed, rinsed whole turkey into a clean plastic bag.
5.     Pour marinade into the bag, turning bag as needed to cover turkey skin with marinade.
6.     Marinate the turkey for 24-30 hours, turning the turkey once to evenly distribute marinade.
7.     Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking (no more than that) to bring the bird to room temperature.
8.     Remove turkey from marinade and blot away all the herbs/spices from the turkey surface using a paper towel.
9.     Wrap the turkey legs with aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.

Prepare Grill:
1.     Prepare your grill with indirect heat.
2.     Place an aluminum roasting pan filled with chicken stock in between the charcoals.
3.     Soak hickory wood chips for 20 minutes in the chicken stock.
4.     Wrapped the moistened wood chips in an aluminum foil sheet poked with air holes.

Grill Turkey:
1.     Grill turkey for 2 hours at 350-400° F.
2.     Make sure the grill temperature doesn’t exceed 425° F.
3.     After 2 hours, brush the turkey with basting sauce.
4.     Grill for 30 more minutes.
5.     Allow cooked turkey to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Thawing in the Refrigerator (Recommended)
Leave the bird in its original wrapping and place it on a tray in the refrigerator. Allow 5 hours per pound or 3-4 days for a 14-19 pound turkey to defrost.

“Quick” Thawing
Place turkey in its original wrapping in sink and cover with COLD water. Change the water every 1/2 hour to maintain the temperature. Allow 1/2 hour per pound to defrost the turkey. Most turkeys will take from 5 to 10 hours to thaw.

*If desired, rinse the giblet pieces (heart, gizzard, liver) and neck bone under cool running water to remove bacteria. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside for use in making turkey stock.

Since I love the smoky taste that charcoal gives to food I chose to grill instead of roasting the squash this gives this recipe a little twist and will leave your guests wondering.

Ingredients:

For the Grilled Squash:

• 1 Large butternut squash
• Kosher Salt
• ½ Cup of unsalted butter – about one stick
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• ¼ cup of Chili Powder
• 1 tablespoon of peppercorn
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped sage leaves
• ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup dark unsulfured molasses

Charcoal away and set your grill to a medium temperature, for those of you using tableQ you can use the very center of the grill grid for medium heat.  In the mean time with a vegetable peeler peel the squash and cut I half lengthwise and remove the seeds. In a skillet heat the butter over medium to high heat until it turns to a light brown color. Immediately pull the pan off the heat and add brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, peppercorn, sage, vinegar and molasses. Mix well and simmer on low heat for a minute of two, brush mix generously over squash making sure it is evenly coated.

Place squash on the grill cut side down for about 20 minutes, then flip pieces over for another 15 minutes or until it is fork tender. Let it cool for a few minutes, puree with a fork and set aside.

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced carrots
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 medium diced jalapeño
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• Grilled squash puree
• ½ bar of cream cheese cut into squares– optional

On a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, jalapeño and cinnamon stick and sauté until the onion is clear and carrots are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the broth and bring to a boil, let simmer for several minutes. Add the squash puree and stir until smooth, cook for about 10 minutes and discard cinnamon stick. Let it cool and in a blender puree until smooth. Return soup to the pan and add cream cheese squares and stir on low heat until melted, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.

To serve pour soup into small carved pumpkins, garnish evenly with mascarpone cheese, pumpkin seeds and parsley.

Enjoy!

Nowadays organic products are the fastest growing segment of the agricultural market, what does that tell us? Are we becoming more aware and health conscious? I certainly hope so, but what does that really mean? Should we trust the labels or is there more to learn behind the actual industry definition of “Organic”?

According to The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

The problem with this industry terminology is the labels, for a product to be called “100% organic” it must contain all organic ingredients, but if the label just says “organic” then the story is a very different. When the label says “organic”, a processed food product can actually have up to 5% of non-organic ingredients (by weight) – these ingredients need to be on the USDA’s national list of approved non-organic ingredients. Back in 2007 38 non-organic agricultural ingredients were added to a list of only 5; 19 food colorings, 2 starches, casing for sausages, hops, fish oil, gelatin, celery powder and a sweetener within others. Although the Organic Trade Association received this expanded list with arms wide open some farmers were concerned about jeopardizing the credibility of the organic products out there.

With big the big food companies out there trying to capture a market that was created years ago to support smaller farmers and producers this can become really confusing for the day-to-day consumer. I personally find myself reading labels more often looking for all natural products instead of focusing so much in “organic” and instead of going to grocery stores I find it much more fun and simple to go to my local farmers market while supporting and promoting local and sustainable grown food.

Since November is prep time for Thanksgiving, the one holiday where people travel hundreds of miles to gather around the table with their families for one night, we decided to give you some colorful ideas for healthy side dishes that will leave your loved ones begging for more.

This amazing Grilled Corn on the Cob recipe gives this dish a very distinct sweet and smokey flavor that combined with the Mexican Chile heat and the final touch added by the cheese will leave your guests in absolute delight!

This recipe requires a barbecue with a lid, which works great with our newest product tableQ, the social grilling system.

You will want to heat your grill for about an hour staking your charcoal higher on one side for higher temperatures. If you have a tableQ just use the searing plate for charring the corn.

Ingredients:

• 8 corns on the cob
• 2 fresh red chile2, deseeded and finely chopped
• 14 ounces of Manchego cheese
• 1 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

While your grill is heating up, on a big bowl or bucket, soak all your corn on the cob in cold water. Once your grill is ready to go shake off any excess water and keeping the husks on the corn, place them on the cooler side of the grill. On your tableQ place the corn on the cobs on the center of the grill grid for lower temperature. Put the lid on the grill and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes and using tongs, with caution peel back only the papery husk; the skin should be blackened and it should have a sweet and smokey smell. Now is time to move your corn cobs to the hotter side of the grill, this time leaving the lid open. For some of you out there using tableQ use the searing plate for this step, keep turning them for 5 – 10 minutes until the kernels are lightly charred and don’t worry when the corn husks start to burn off – that is exactly what you are looking for.

In the mean time, chop your chile and scatter it along a large chopping board then grate the cheese over it and put aside for now.

Once the corn is ready, chop off the papery end place the cobs onto butter and roll until it’s coated, then one by one roll the cobs in the cheese and chile mix evenly and serve them hot with a wedge of lime!

I hope you and your guests enjoy this delicious side dish.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: Jamie Oliver Website

As we all know, green is a word no longer reserved solely for Kevin Garnett’s new jersey color in Boston. To the contrary, it’s a global term that has had an impact on virtually every industry worldwide. One of the companies leading the way in the tailgating sector is aFire, an environmentally conscious manufacturer that is offering alternatives to petroleum-based grilling accessories.

Launched 18 months ago in the Spring of 2006, Afire is exhibiting this coming January at the Sports Licensing & Entertainment Marketplace and Tailgate • Picnic Show in Las Vegas. According to Branding Manager Marlena Chang, the company is excited to make its industry debut.

http://www.licensingoutlook.com/archive/a/afire-11-06-07.html

http://atatailgate.com/home.asp

Get your grills, coolers, beer and coconut charcoal ready for a gourmet tailgate cookout.

Come visit us at The Tailgate • Picnic Show, initially conceived as a “sister show” to the Sports Licensing & Entertainment Marketplace in Las Vegas January 16-18, 2008 at Sands expo center, Neveda

aFire Inc. has introduced a new chimney starter in the market. It is flat, easy to storage and has a capacity bigger than any other chimney starters out in the market. Perfect for campers, tailgaors and serious grillers that needs tons of charcoal ready in as little as 15 mins. Please visit www.afireinc.com for more information.