The waters teem with delicious seafood options, and the rolling hills provide ample grazing…
Irish BBQ has a reputation for being a bit of a joke, given that the auld sod doesn’t see a great deal of grilling weather. Citizens of the Emerald Isle have been known to claim that they only break out the barbecue one day a year, and it’s usually rusty and missing a wheel. Add to that the fact that the host typically engages in the “one beer for me—one beer for you!” routine, and the whole enterprise takes on a comedic quality.
All laughs aside, however, Irish cuisine serves as a fine template for grilling. The waters teem with delicious seafood options, and the rolling hills provide ample grazing opportunities for goats, sheep, and cows. Here are a few recipe ideas that will have your palate dancing a jig in no time.
1 Spiced Lamb Burgers with Sour Cream Dressing
The cool, tangy sour cream balances perfectly with the spicy ground lamb. This recipe makes 4 burgers, but it can easily be doubled if you need to serve more people.
What You’ll Need For The Burgers:
● 1 pound ground lamb
● 1/2 teaspoon neutral oil, such as canola
● 1 white onion, minced (about 3/4 cup)
● 1 tablespoon red curry paste (you can experiment with different flavors if you prefer)
● 1 teaspoon coarse salt
● Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For The Dressing:
● 4 ounces sour cream
● 1 tablespoon red curry paste (or whatever you used to make the burgers)
● 2 tablespoons minced scallions
● 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
● Coarse salt, to taste
Making The Burgers
Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, then add the curry paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool for up to 30 minutes.
Put the lamb in a large nonreactive bowl and add the onion mixture. Mix until thoroughly blended. Shape the mixture into 4 patties. (At this point, the burgers can be frozen if you’re saving them for another use.)
Heat the grill to medium-high. If you’re using a pellet grill (also known as a pellet smoker), set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the grill is hot, cook the lamb burgers until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit, about 4-6 minutes per side.
While the burgers rest, mix together the sour cream, curry paste, scallions, vinegar, and salt. Taste to make sure the seasoning is correct.
Serve the burgers on toasted Waterford Blaa Buns or muffins with the dressing on the side.
2 Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket with Smithwick’s Irish Ale
Because you’ll be using the “low and slow” cooking method for the brisket, we would recommend using the point cut (which is thicker and slightly fattier) rather than the flat cut. Ask your butcher to trim the fat to about 1/3 inch. You can also trim the fat yourself.
Note that the meat should be allowed to rest overnight in the refrigerator, so you’ll need to plan ahead.
What You’ll Need For The Rub:
● 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
● 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
● 2 tablespoons cumin
● 1 tablespoon coriander
● 1 tablespoon chili powder
● 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
● 1 tablespoon coarse salt
● Dash of cayenne pepper
For The Brisket:
● 1 point cut beef brisket (3 to 4 pounds), fat trimmed to 1/3 inch
● 1 large white onion, cut into thick slices
● 2 12-ounce bottles Smithwick’s Irish Ale
Cooking the Brisket
Combine all the ingredients for the rub. Generously season the brisket with the mixture. Set your grill to medium heat, about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the onion slices in a roasting pan and set the brisket on top of the slices. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
Reduce the grill temperature to 300 degrees. Add the beer to the roasting pan, then cover the pan tightly with foil. Cook for an additional 3-4 hours, until the meat is fork-tender. Allow the brisket to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
3 Slow-Cooked Leg of Goat
Goat meat is best when it’s cooked for a long time at low temperatures, making it a great
companion for the grill or smoker. You can use the meat as a filling for gyros or tacos, or
enjoy it with a side of grilled or roasted vegetables.
What You’ll Need
● 1 medium leg of goat (about 3-4 pounds)
● 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 tablespoon coarse salt
● 1 teaspoon cumin
● 1 teaspoon garlic powder
● 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking the Goat
Rub the goat leg all over with olive oil, then coat it with the seasoning. Place in a roasting
pan, cover, and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, set the grill or smoker to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the goat
leg directly on the grill rack and let cook for about 3 hours.
Raise the temperature to 225 degrees and cook for about one hour longer, or until the meat
reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. The meat should rest for 30-60 minutes
before serving.
4 Grilled Irish Salmon
With its rich pink flesh and meaty texture, salmon is one of the most popular fish in Ireland.
Serve with slices of fresh lemon and buttered new potatoes.
What You’ll Need
For the Whiskey Glaze:
● 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
● 2 tablespoons wildflower honey
● 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey (such as Jameson’s)
● 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
● 1 teaspoon lemon zest
● Dash of kosher salt
● Dash of freshly ground black pepper
For the Salmon:
● 2 pounds salmon fillet, cut into darnes (thick pieces)
Grilling the Salmon In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the whiskey glaze. Marinate the salmon pieces in the mixture for 30 minutes. Make sure not to let the fish marinate for too long, or it will be unpleasantly mushy when cooked.
Preheat the grill to high and lightly brush the grilling grates with oil. Remove the salmon from the marinade and pat dry.
Grill the salmon for 4-5 minutes per side, turning only once. After you flip the pieces, brush the top sides with the remaining glaze. Serve at once.
Bon appetit! or as we say in Ireland ithe suas (eat up)
Thanks to our guest blogger for this fantastic article, if you want to find out more about the best BBQ techniques and equipment… Click Here.
By Darren Wayland – www.bbqhost.com