BBQ season is all year round in Vancouver, so pick up Grilling with House of Q and continue on grilling!
The secret to good barbecue is a the proper grilling temperature, some great meat and Brian Misko’s new book “Grilling With House of Q”. For good measure a set of his sauces and rubs doesn’t hurt either.
Misko is a competitive BBQ’er, and this book is geared for the home BBQ’er who is looking to replicate those award winning flavours. It’s full of grilling tips, stores from his travels, and lots of amazingly simple recipes with endless flavour.
The book has everything from appetizers to vegetables and desserts, and is a step by step guide to getting more comfortable with your grill. While there’s lots of classics like ribs and burgers, there’s plenty of innovative dishes such as the Thai-style shrimp stuffed chicken breasts and cedar-planked brie too. There’s also a section on brines, sauces and spreads, desserts and lots of great grilling and prepping tips along the way. Sit down with this one and have a good read before heating up that grill and making many of these memorable dishes.
Here’s one of our favs!
The books….and ours….still looked pretty damn edible!
Bacon-wrapped Turkey Skewers
Start these turkey skewers early in the day so the meat has time to marinate before you grill it. Have ready some wooden or metal skewers, or look for more decorative, creative options such as sticks of rosemary.
Serves 4 to 6
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 to 2 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon or savory, leaves only
1/4 to 1/3 cup House of Q Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce or your favourite prepared mustard
1 to 2 lbs skinless, boneless turkey thighs, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 lb bacon, cut in thin slices
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the garlic, tarragon (or savory) and BBQ sauce (or mustard). Shake until well mixed, and then add the turkey cubes. Mix well to ensure the meat is well coated, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
Cut the bacon in half widthwise, and arrange the slices on a clean work surface. Place a turkey cube at one end of each piece of bacon. Roll the bacon around the turkey, and thread 2 or 3 pieces of wrapped turkey on each skewer for a small portion, or 5 to 6 pieces for a larger portion. Before discarding the marinade, make sure each skewer is well coated with the mustard sauce.
Prepare your grill for direct cooking, low to medium heat. Brush or wipe the grates with oil, if necessary. Place the skewers on the grill, close the lid and cook until the bacon has rendered and crisped. Turn the skewers over a couple of times to cook them evenly and give the meat some colour. The turkey is done when the meat has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
To serve, place the skewers on a platter, or plate them individually for your guests.
About Brian Misko
BBQ Brian is as an award winning competition cook and now a cookbook author. At the 2014 World Food Championships his team placed first in the rib category as well as being awarded the 2014 Team of the Year by the Canadian BBQ Society. When he is not on the competition circuit, BBQ Brian can be seen providing grilling tips on television, giving demos at national and international trade shows, and developing new products for his House of Q line of BBQ sauces and rubs.
