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As the days get longer and the weather grows warmer, grilling is a great way to get dinner on the table and have fun doing it.
While, in my opinion, it doesn’t get better than a perfect burger with an ice cold gluten-free beer on a hot summer night, the grill can be used for so much more. My Asian-Inspired Pork Tenderloin is sophisticated yet simple, bringing grilling to a whole new level. The grill can also be used in place of your oven for a perfectly juicy and flavorful roasted chicken.
Asian-Inspired Pork Tenderloin
(Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free)
Brine the tenderloin overnight in the refrigerator. Before you go to work in the morning, put the tenderloin in a plastic food storage bag with the marinade. When you get home, your pork will be juicy and packed with flavor.
Serves 6
For the brine:
- ¼ cup kosher or sea salt
- (do not use table salt)
- ¼ cup raw or turbinado sugar
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 (1-1¼ pounds each) pork tenderloins
For the sauce:
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 (½x1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
For the marinade:
- ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 (1×1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 2 cups water
Combine the brine ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the pork tenderloins to a large food storage bag and pour the brine over. Seal and refrigerate overnight or for 8-10 hours.
In the morning, remove the pork from the brine, discard the brine, and rinse the tenderloins with cold water. Place the pork into a clean food storage bag. Combine the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over the pork. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Prepare the sauce by combining the ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reserve.
With the cover of the grill closed, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, discard the marinade and pat the pork dry with paper towels. Place on the grill and cook for 16 minutes, turning the tenderloins a quarter turn every 4 minutes. Remove from the grill and place on a large sheet of foil. Pour half the sauce over the tenderloins, seal the foil and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve the pork sliced with the rest of the sauce on the side.
Low & Slow Herb Roasted Chicken
(Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Refined Sugar-free)
Roasting chicken on the grill is a great way to create this traditional Sunday dinner staple without heating up the kitchen.
Serves 4
- 1 (3 pound) whole roasting chicken
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups gluten-free Italian salad dressing
- 2 whole lemons (preferably organic), divided use
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season the cavity and skin with salt. Place the chicken in a large food storage bag. Combine the salad dressing with the juice of 1 lemon and pour the mixture into the bag with the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Combine the rosemary, thyme, sage, shallot, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Let sit while the chicken is marinating (at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours).
Preheat the grill to low, about 325ºF. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the marinade, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Insert the remaining whole lemon into the cavity of the chicken. Rub the herb oil mixture generously over the top of the chicken. Place the chicken on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 45 minutes over low heat or until the juices run clear when the thigh is poked with a knife. Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes, remove the lemon from the cavity, and serve.
(Gluten-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Refined Sugar-free, optionally Grain-free and Dairy-free)
The secret to a great burger is simplicity! Start with a combination of good quality ground chuck and sirloin (preferably coarsely ground) and season very simply with salt and pepper. Take care not to over-work your meat when mixing and forming patties. Making an indentation in the center of the patties will help keep your burgers flat, leading to even cooking. No matter what, resist the urge to press on your burgers while they cook. Pressing on them will force the juices out and yield a tough piece of meat. A final brush with melted butter or olive oil adds the perfect finishing touch!
Serves 6
- 1½ pounds ground chuck
- ½ pound ground sirloin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 gluten-free hamburger buns, optional
Preheat the grill to medium-high.
Combine the ground chuck, sirloin, salt and pepper. Gently mix with your hands, being careful not to over-mix. Divide the meat into 6 equal portions. Shape into flat, uniform patties. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each patty.
Cook 5 minutes per side for medium burgers. Before taking the burgers off the grill, brush them with melted butter or olive oil.
Toast the buns on the grill if desired and serve with the burgers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dustin Kicinski, a gluten-free grilling enthusiast, is a successful commodities trader, husband, father, and the head chef in his family. Dustin has logged hundreds of hours over a hot grill. His grilling skills are the envy of his friends and family (which include his mother, the editor-in-chief of this magazine).
