This recipe is going to be pretty simple. But the star of the show is this delicious apple salsa. It was my first time trying it and WOW! What a great combination with the grilled pork chops! Cilantro and red onions are already one of my favorite food pairs, but throwing in the sweetness of the apple and lemon juice are just magical and sort of sophisticated. And don’t worry, the kids loved it too.

The first thing you’re going to make is the apple salsa.

I used this handy tool from OXO to help me chop the onions and apples. It’s such a fun tool! All you do is half your apple or onion, place it on the grid and press down for perfectly chopped veggies and fruit!

Place it in a bowl and add lemon juice and cilantro.

Next, you’re going to prep your pork chops for the grill. I like to start them on the stove and then finish them on the grill but you can cook them fully on the grill if you like. All you need to season them with is salt and pepper! Nothing fancy.

I don’t usually get a chance to jump on the grill because my husband always beats me to it! He cracked open these beautiful BBQ tools from Schmidt Brothers to help him finish off the pork chops. This grill set is made from the same wood used for baseball bats and it’s just so handsome!

Guys love that masculine look and the ash wood mixed with the stainless steel is so classy! It also comes with its own storage box too.

Once you’ve finished grilling, you’re ready to eat!

Plate and serve the pork chops with the apple salsa and fresh lemon wedges.

This is the perfect fall and winter grilling recipe! Let us know if you try it by tagging us on Instagram!

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Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Salsa

Keep grilling year round with these Grilled Pork Chops and Apple Salsa. Make the perfect grilled dinner the entire family will enjoy!

Keyword Dinner, Grilling & barbecue, Pork

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 5

Calories 380kcal

Ingredients

• 5 pork chops (bone in)
• 4 tbsp butter (stick)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Pork Chops
• Apple Salsa
• 2 gala apples cored, halved and diced
• .5 cups red onion diced
• .5 cups cilantro chopped
• .25 cups fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• For the Pork Chops:
• In cast iron skillet over medium-high heat add 1/2 stick of butter until melted. Place pork chops in skillet and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes or until a nice golden color appears.
• Flip on the other side and do the same.
• Turn down heat and allow the pork chops to cook fully until they reach 145 degrees or finish on the grill.
• Finish on the grill by heating the grill to 300-350 degrees and cooking the pork chops until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
• For the Apple Salsa:
• Plate and serve the grilled pork chops and top with apple salsa.
• Rinse and dry pork chops with paper towels.
• In a bowl combine diced apples and red onion. Add lemon juice and stir. Add in the cilantro and mix well.

Nutrition

Serving: 5g | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 18.4g | Fat: 29.2g | Saturated Fat: 13.4g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 501mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 7.8g

The post Keep Grilling Through Fall & Winter with These Grilled Pork Chops and Apple Salsa appeared first on The Inspired Home.

This fall we’ll be using our Himalayan Salt Plank every time we fire up because it adds a wonderful umami (well rounded) flavor and infuses the food with over 80 health-promoting minerals. I like to think of the Himalayan block as I do the cast iron pan – it can withstand high heat and distribute it evenly (which is a must for cooking fish over the grill!), it’s naturally nonstick, the seasoning only gets better with time, and it adds flavor to the food. The only thing that makes salt planks better than cast iron is that it can be used as much more than a cooking surface. Cook, chill, serve, and cure – salt planks are definitely a kitchen equipment must-have.

In our home, we try to cook salmon once a week. Not only is it a wonderful health-promoting fish (hello protein and omega-3 fatty acid!), it’s simple to prepare and tastes great. One of my favorite flavors to pair is lemon caper compound butter. It complements the fish nicely and has a way of pulling everything together on the plate.

My simple compound butter will elevate any dish, but it definitely makes an easy grilled salmon that much more special, without complication. This recipe takes only four ingredients and requires nothing other than a bowl, a spoon (or, if you’re like me, your hand!), and a piece of parchment paper. I like to use a cultured butter for a better flavor and the healthy gut-promoting bacteria it contains. Don’t worry, cultured butter can be found at any grocery store!

A Few Notes on Cooking with a Salt Plank

Note there’s no salt used to season the salmon directly. The Himalayan salt plank will add salt while cooking, and the lemon caper compound butter has many complex and salty flavors.

Himalayan Salt Planks are very easy to use; however, they do take a few extra minutes to prep. It’s important to bring the block up to heat slowly to avoid breaking, without direct heat exposure. Once the grill’s thermometer reads 400 degrees with the hood closed, let the plank continue to heat for 10-15 more minutes. There should be a searing noise with each piece of salmon as it gets set on the plank. If it does not sear, the plank has not yet reached temperature.

When cleaning your plank, think of it as a cast iron. Best to scrub off large debris, and avoid water as much as possible. If your plank does get wet, make sure to wipe it down and dry fully before putting it away.

Serve this easy meal with a lightly dressed leafy green salad, your favorite side, and a gin and tonic with a sprig of thyme and a slice of lemon!

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Salt Plank Grilled Salmon with a Simple Lemon Caper Compound Butter

Just because summer has come to an end doesn’t mean it’s time to put away the grill. Serve this easy salt plank grilled salmon with a lightly dressed leafy green salad, your favorite side, and a gin and tonic!

Course Fish & Seafood

Keyword Fish, Grilling & barbecue

Skill intermediate

Servings 4

Calories 437kcal

Ingredients

• 4 6-oz. pieces of salmon (center cut)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stick cultured butter, room temperature
• .5 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp capers
• .25 tsp flaked sea salt

Instructions

• Place the Himalayan salt plank on one side of the grill. Heat the opposite side on low, slowly increasing the heat until the grill’s thermometer reads 400 degrees. If using a gas grill, this means heating only 2 burners. If using a charcoal grill, place charcoals to one side. Once the grill is at temperature, let the salt plank catch up in temperature for another 10-15 minutes
• While the grill is coming to temperature, prepare the compound butter. In a small bowl mix butter, lemon juice, capers, and flaked salt. Using a clean hand or a spoon, mix until well incorporated. Let sit for about 5 minutes in the extra lemon juice. Give it another mix, and drain any remaining juice. Place butter mixture on a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log shape. Place it in the freezer until ready to use. To make ahead, chill in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.
• While the compound butter sets, rinse the salmon filets and pat dry. Season with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and set aside outside of the fridge until the grill and plank have come up to temperature.
• When ready to grill, place salmon skin-side down on the plank with an inch of space between pieces. Close the grill and let cook for about 10-12 minutes until the salmon is opaque in color 2/3 of the way up.
• Once the salmon is cooked over half way, flip it and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes. When the salmon is done it should be firm but still a bit “bouncy”. Make sure to test by gently squeezing the sides, rather than poking the top or bottom.
• Remove the compound butter from the freezer and cut into ¼” slices. Garnish the grilled salmon with 2 slices each, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.8g | Protein: 33.4g | Fat: 33.8g | Saturated Fat: 16.3g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 437mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g

The post Salt Plank Grilled Salmon with a Simple Lemon Caper Compound Butter appeared first on The Inspired Home.

I have used this little portable Berghoff Table BBQ countless times this summer! I really had no idea how fast it is to set up and the flavor that comes from charcoal is unbeatable! Our patio area is my favorite place to be this summer and I love that I can sip ice-cold rose and bbq at the same time! Plus, it doubles as the best way to make s’mores.

We have been doing tons of fresh fish marinades and recipes this summer. When the temps get super hot I crave light and fresh food. Basically I could live off watermelon slices and things on a stick in the summer!

I love doing skewer recipes because their super easy ‘walk-around-with-food’ and great for parties. These Wüsthof skewers are my fav because they have this amazing handle on the ends. You won’t even need tongs when grilling up these skewers!

The marinade that we used today comes together super easily and only has to marinate for about 30 minutes. This is one of those salmon recipes that you can pair with anything! This salmon recipe is perfect for summer barbecues and delicious on top of pasta too. Be sure to include this recipe in your next summer dinner line up!

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Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary Salmon Skewers

This is one of those salmon recipes that you can pair with anything! This salmon recipe is perfect for summer barbecues and delicious on top of pasta too. Be sure to include this recipe in your next summer dinner line up!

Course Lunch & Dinner Recipes

Keyword Bbq, Fish, Salmon, Summer

Skill intermediate

Servings 3

Calories 412kcal

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb cubed salmon chunks
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• juice from 1 lemon
• .5 tbsp fresh minced rosemary
• 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• .5 tsp black pepper
• Thin Lemon Slices for skewers

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Add in salmon chunks and coat well with marinade. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
• Place charcoal briquettes into grill on a pyramid. I put two small pieces of paper stuffed in between the briquettes and lit the paper to get the fire going.
• Allow your briquettes to burn for 10-15 minutes or until the flame is out and the coals are grey.
• Lace your salmon skewers alternating between two salmon chunks and a lemon slice until skewer is full. Place on grill. Leave salmon skewers to cook on each side until they no longer stick to the grill. Flipping early will cause your skewers to stick and potentially fall apart. I grilled each side about 6-8 minutes.
• Serve immediately as the perfect summer main dish!

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.9g | Protein: 47.7g | Fat: 22.4g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 894mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1.9g

The post Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary Salmon Skewers appeared first on The Inspired Home.

With 3 kids under 6 now including an 8-week-old, my brain cells are fleeting and everything I cook has to be easy, fast but also delicious to woo those kids over. This coconut curry chicken fit the bill perfectly! The curry flavor is mild enough that they didn’t fuss over the heat at all (though you could totally crank it up if you love a good spicy curry).

Start off with getting your chicken nice and crispy in a good cast iron pan. I am loving this Sabatier Cast Iron Grill Pan I love that it has grill ridges on the bottom to help sear things but it’s also nice and deep so you can simmer in it easily as well. The lid that comes with it is made out of glass too which is a lovely addition so that you can easily monitor dishes in it too!

After you sear the chicken, add in the curry powder, coconut milk, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and chicken stock to the pan.

It goes into the oven to cook while you busy yourself around the house (I can’t be the only one who has to catch up on dishes while dinner cooks right?!). I really love this recipe because you can keep the oven hot and cook it fast, or turn the oven down and let it cook slower if you want to draw it out a bit more to get more accomplished.

Remove your herbs and thicken up your sauce a bit when it comes out and walah! A perfect easy dinner that everyone will love!

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Crispy Coconut Curry Chicken

This coconut curry chicken fit the bill perfectly! The curry flavor is mild enough that they didn’t fuss over the heat at all (though you could totally crank it up if you love a good spicy curry).

Course Lunch & Dinner Recipes

Keyword Chicken, Dinner

Skill intermediate

Servings 4

Calories 335kcal

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cups full fat coconut milk
• 10 cloves garlic, whole with skin removed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• handful of cilantro
• juice from ½ a large lemon or 1 small lemon
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Serve with: cilantro, lemon slices and rice.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In an oven safe pan sear the chicken thighs in olive oil until nicely browned.
• Add curry powder, coconut milk, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, chicken stock, and salt and pepper to pan. Bring to boil.
• Place in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes. Or for up to an hour in a 300 degree oven if you prefer.
• Remove cinnamon stick, parsley and bay leaves from pan. Remove chicken to plate.
• Squeeze lemon juice into cup and add a splash of chicken stock to it (about 2 tablespoons). Add cornstarch and whisk quickly to incorporate so it does not form lumps.
• Whisk cornstarch slurry into sauce. Boil sauce for 1-2 minutes until nicely thickened. Season to taste.
• Return chicken to pan and serve with cilantro, lemon slices and rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.8g | Protein: 18.5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10.2g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 274mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1.6g

The post Crispy Coconut Curry Chicken Recipe appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Before the last hot day of summer hits and the days get shorter, grill up some pineapple. Cut it up and throw it on with some chicken, or burgers. Or better yet, serve it up with some ice cream and make yourself a Pineapple Upside Down Cake, like we did. We did all the prepping in our kitchen. We used a sturdy cutting board with a rim to catch all the pineapple juice.

Before we put the pineapple on the grill, we used a perfect pan to sprinkle them with a bit of sugar and cinnamon for some extra flavor.

We love using this Schmidt Brothers Tray to give the pineapple a nice smoky flavor without burning the sides. We left the pineapple on for about 15 minutes.

Last we threw them back on the grill so they could get those pretty grill lines!

Serve them on a plate with a drop of ice cream, pound cake, whipped cream and caramel!

Yummy!

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Grilled Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Keyword Cakes, Desserts, Grilling & barbecue

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

The post Grilled Pineapple Upside Down Cake appeared first on The Inspired Home.

During the summer time we used to make a grilled peach appetizer at one of the restaurants I worked at. It was similar to this one except for we served it up with grilled truffle toast and a few other things. I really like grilling peaches because the sear that takes place over the flame brings out all of the natural sugars in the peaches, caramelizing them which gives them exceptional flavor.

Once the peaches are done grilling it’s as simple as serving them up with some creamy cheese and salty bacon. I used brie cheese because it’s a little milder in flavor but if you like intense flavors then you may want to try a bleu cheese or something of that caliber. To cut the sweet peaches and tangy cheese I used slices of prosciutto ham but you can absolutely use crispy bacon or pancetta.

I finished of the peaches with some reduced balsamic vinegar, chopped parsley and thyme. Once you take a bite with everything on it your taste buds will be singing. The wonderful combination and balance of flavors is spot on and beyond perfect to serve up as an appetizer this summer! Happy grilling!

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Grilled Peaches with Brie and Prosciutto Recipe

Keyword Fruit, Summer

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

The post Grilled Peaches with Brie and Prosciutto appeared first on The Inspired Home.

A Great Grill

The first and most important piece of equipment for grilling is of course the grill itself! When looking for a grill make sure it is powerful enough to get a quality sear on your food, look for a grill with at very least 12,000 BTU. This summer I have been grilling on the Cuisinart CGG-240 which packs a whopping 15,000 BTU into an easily portable grill. With a rolling/folding cart and the ability to use either 20lb propane tanks at home or the small 1lb propane tanks on-the-go this grill is easy to take with you anywhere you want.

Great Grill Tools

A good grilling experience ends with seared food, not fingers! Make sure you have a set of long tongs for flipping food on the grill. I also love using skewers for grilling veggies. To prevent foods from sticking to the grill make sure you scrub the grilling surface clean with a grill brush before or after each use.

Quick Prep

Marinating is one of the surest ways to increase flavor! Marinating infuses meat or veggies with flavor ensuring a delicious end result without having to coat your perfectly seared food with sauce. The negative of marinating is that it can take hours, that’s why I recommend using this vacuum powered Instant Marinater from Tomorrow’s Kitchen. It is easy to use with both veggies and/or animal proteins. The Instant Marinater creates a vacuum which opens up pores and fibers in your food and allows the marinade to absorb quicker.

Marinated Veggie Skewers

Grilling veggies is a great way to add more produce your plate this summer! The sauce is incredibly versatile so feel free to experiment with a variety of your favorite veggies and protein sources to make these kabobs!

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Marinated Veggie Skewers

Keyword Grilling & barbecue, Vegetarian

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

Grilled Watermelon

Grilled watermelon?! It’s totally delicious, give it a try!

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Grilled Watermelon

Keyword Grilling & barbecue, Vegetarian

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

The post 2 Delicious Vegetarian Grilling Recipes for Your Next Cookout appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Since grilling weather isn’t year-round in most of the U.S., we have to make good use of the season. I’m excited to show you a few fun products from Charcoal Companion that have stepped up my grilling game this year.

I love cooking food on cedar planks, which imparts a unique smoky flavor to meat, fish, and veggies. The 3-Tier Plank Holder makes excellent use of space, especially for a small grill. The planks stack up on the metal holder, allowing everything to cook evenly. Since the planks flavor the food, I just used olive oil, salt, and pepper to season sockeye salmon, fingerling potatoes, and asparagus. The smoky, woodsy flavor that the planks imparted was out of this world and I still had more room on the grill.

While you might not think of the grill for cooking bacon, this might just change your thinking. The Flame-Friendly Ceramic Bacon Bowl is a dish that creates edible bowls made completely of bacon. You heard that right! You can stuff them to your heart’s delight, like I did with rice, beans, salsa, and a fried egg. I used about 3 slices of bacon per bowl, which I wrapped around the inverted dish. It goes on the grill for 40-50 minutes with the lid closed, or until the bacon is crisp. The dish easily catches all of the grease and once the bowls are cool, you have a delightful vehicle for serving breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Now there are some folks who like to barbecue and others who like to grill. Some like to get fancy and others keep it simple. But if there’s one thing in common for everyone, it’s that they are cooking with some serious heat! Backyard grills can easily reach temperatures of over 450¬∞F. Enter the Pit Mitt, a heat-resistant glove that covers your hand and lower arm, protecting you from temperatures up to 475¬∞F. While you should proceed with caution with anything hot, I easily used it to pick up the 3-Tier Plank Holder and to transfer the Bacon Bowl off the grill. It’s also great to use with tongs, protecting your hands and arms when you reach to the back of the grill.

Now that I have a few fun tools for cooking on the grill, here’s a fun accessory that steps up my game even more. The Soundbeam Grill Light with Bluetooth Speaker is a handy 2-in-1 device that attaches to the top of your grill. It wirelessly connects to your mobile device or tablet to crank your favorite tunes for summertime grilling. As the sun goes down, flip on the grill light so you can see what you’re doing, all while the music continues to play.

I can see each of these items becoming a hit at many a backyard barbecue this year. Here’s to a long grilling season filled with delicious food!

The post You’ll Wonder How You Ever Grilled Without These Tools appeared first on The Inspired Home.

I love to cook it, I love to smoke it, I love to eat it, heck I love looking at it, and there is nothing I enjoy more than a delicious sauce to finish off my home smoked BBQ with! Smoked meats by themselves are very good, but once you mop it with a sauce or finish off some pulled pork with a delicious sauce then it’s done. The cool part about BBQ is that there are several different kinds of sauces. From vinegar based to sweet to spicy to smoky, you name it and I’m sure there is a sauce out there for you.

Within the world of BBQ sauces there seems to be 3 that really stand out, the North Carolina Vinegar Based BBQ Sauce, the Traditional BBQ sauce — you can make this one smoky or sweet, and then South Carolina Mustard Based BBQ Sauce.

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North Carolina BBQ Sauce

Keyword Dips, Dressings and sauces, Grilling & barbecue

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 1

There are also a few different variations on how to make these recipes, but the 3 that I created are pretty traditional. They all are delicious and would go great with a variety of meats and I recommend trying all of them and figuring out which sauce goes with which smoked protein. Once that that’s certain is that the North Carolina vinegar based sauce goes amazing on French fries! You’ll thank me later for that one!

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Sweet BBQ Sauce

Keyword Dips, Dressings and sauces, Grilling & barbecue

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

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South Carolina Sauce

Keyword Dips, Dressings and sauces, Grilling & barbecue

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

BBQ is all about testing and tuning until you find the perfect method that works for you. If you are looking for a great ribs recipe, then be sure to check out this Smoked Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Recipe.

Happy BBQ’in’!

The post 3 BBQ Sauce Recipes to Try Out This Summer appeared first on The Inspired Home.

It isn’t BBQ unless you are smoking some sort of delicious meat and leveraging the time it takes to get that wonderful smoky flavor. Sure, you can toss a pork shoulder in the slow cooker with some BBQ sauce and call it BBQ, but the flavors, and tradition, of smoking meat is infinitely superior. Obviously smoking meat is a process and well you need a smoker.

Believe it or not my BBQ smoking experience isn’t incredibly extensive. Back when I was in the restaurant industry we smoked turkey and shrimp. Not exactly barbecue. I really started smoking BBQ style foods about 3 years ago and haven’t looked back. I have had the time of my life smoking food ranging from traditional style smoking to trying tons of new smoking techniques and ideas.

Smoking has become incredibly feasible these days with the invention of digital smokers. Sure, you should keep an eye on your digital smoker, but no more going to your wood burning smoker checking temperature, smoke, etc. Nope, now you just adjust the temperature, the smoke and walk away until it’s finished.

When making this Smoked Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Recipe I used something call the “3-2-1” method. It translates to unwrapped and smoked for 3 hours, then wrapped and cooked without smoke for 2 hours, then unwrapped BBQ basted and smoked for 1 more hour. This process creates a delicious crust, then sort of braises them while being wrapped making them tender, and then toughens up that crust 1 last time before serving.

This method renders phenomenal ribs and is literally fool proof in the smoking world. If you’re new to smoking and want to give ribs a try, then I definitely recommend going with the 3-2-1 method, or better yet, just follow along in the video for this Smoked Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Recipe.

Happy Smoking!!

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Smoked Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Recipe

Keyword Dinner, Grilling & barbecue

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

The post This Rib Recipe Is the Reason You Need a Smoker appeared first on The Inspired Home.