5 Local Recipes to Satisfy Your Meat Tooth

Try these five meat dishes to celebrate this Father’s Day

 

1. Roasted Berkshire Pork Chop

by Alex Chen, executive chef, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar

INGREDIENTS

•  2 Berkshire pork chops (approximately 13 to 14 oz each)
• 1 clove star anise
• 1/2 tsp caraway seed
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp salt
• Black pepper
• Pinch of Maldon sea salt

instructions

1. Grind up star anise and caraway seeds in a spice grinder until very fine.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. Season both sides of the pork with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
4. Dust spice mix lightly on both side of the pork chop.
5. Heat sauté pan on high heat until hot, then add in oil.
6. Heat oil until light smoke appears, then turn heat down to medium.
7. Sear pork for 2 minutes on each side.
8. Add in crushed garlic cloves and thyme.
9. Tilt the pan slightly on an angle and spoon butter over the pork.
10. Remove pork from oven once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 F.
11. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
12. Sprinkle with a few grains of sea salt.

Suggested accompaniments: Glazed vegetables, butternut squash purée and apple cider jus.

 

2. Herb & Garlic Beer Can Chicken

by Pasqual Stufano, head butcher, Two Rivers Speciality Meats

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 lb whole fryer chicken
• 1 tall can of your favourite beer (Phillips Blue Buck ale and Pilsner work well; avoid hoppy and bitter beers)
• 1 handful of your favorite fresh herbs (thyme, tarragon and Italian parsley are my go-to, but I’m also partial to copious amounts of cilantro)
• 1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled and cut in half cross-wise
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

1. Remove chicken from fridge and packaging and allow to temper for 30 to 40 minutes on counter.
2. Open beer and drink ¼ to a ½ the can (essential for the cook).
3. Rub chicken down with olive oil and season heavily with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, including cavity.
4. Pick or rough chop herbs and sprinkle all over bird, including cavity (leave a few herbs to stuff into the beer can also if you desire).
5. Heat your BBQ to medium-low heat.
6. Place bird securely on beer can, making sure the can has penetrated into the cavity as far as possible (we suggest purchasing a stand for this if possible, but it is not essential). Place half head of garlic on top of the bird and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
7. Place the “chicken on a throne” onto BBQ on indirect medium-low heat for approximately 35 minutes then turn up heat to medium high for another 15 minutes or until the bird has a crispy golden skin and the juices run clear or an instant-read thermometer reads 165 F.
8. Remove the chicken from the BBQ and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Remove from beer can apparatus and carve.
9. Arrange chicken pieces on a platter and garnish with roasted garlic, Italian parsley or cilantro leaves. Serve with grilled scallions or a fresh radish salad.

Serves 4

 

3. Chateau Whistler Mountain Burger

by Isabel Chung, executive chef, Fairmont Chateau Whistler

INGREDIENTS

•  2 lb medium ground beef chuck
• 8 slices applewood smoked bacon, thickly sliced
• 4 sesame brioche buns
• 8 slices aged white cheddar
• 2 vine-ripened tomato
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 2 medium-sized onion
• 6 tbsp soft butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp grainy mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup grape seed oil (or preferred oil)
• Salt & pepper

Method

1. For the caramelized onions: Place 2 tbsp of butter along with oil in a frying pan and place over medium heat. While butter is melting, peel onion cutting it in half tip to root, slice onions and add to pan tossing with butter/oil mix to evenly coat. Stir onions every 5 to 10 minutes ensuring they do not burn. Once onions have reached a rich caramel colour, remove from heat, allow to cool and reserve till needed. Caramelized onions may be prepared up to three days prior
2. For the mustard aioli: A preferred method for making mustard aioli is with a blender or immersion blender; however, it may also be prepared by hand using a whisk. Place egg and garlic clove in blender with lemon juice. Allow to blend five seconds before slowly drizzling in grape seed oil ensuring oil is being emulsified into yolk mix. Blend until oil is fully emulsified being careful not to over blend as it will cause mixture to split. Add mustard along with a pinch of seasoning to blender followed with a couple of pulses to ensure it is evenly mixed in to aioli. Pour into container for storing, cover and reserve in fridge until needed. Aioli may be prepared up to three days prior to use.
3. Cook your bacon strips as desired making them as crispy as you like.
4. Now it’s time to get grillin’! Turn your grill on to medium high heat and allow to preheat.
5. For the beef patties, divide the beef chuck into 8 equal 4 oz portions. Do not mix, kneed or squeeze the beef—you want to gently shape into patties and place on baking sheet. Before placing on grill, have all remaining ingredients prepared as things will go quickly once they go on the grill.
6. Cut brioche buns in half and butter with 1 tbsp each.
7. Slice vine-ripened tomatoes in half-inch thick slices and season with salt and pepper.
8. Now you’re ready to grill the meat! Season patties with salt and pepper and place seasoned side down on preheated grill. You should hear some sizzle; now season the other side. During this time, it is important not to play with your meat, just leave it be. After about 3 to 4 minutes of fighting that urge, it’s time to flip.
9. Gently flip each patty as they will be delicate since you did not beat, kneed or overwork your meat; however, if you find a patty does break in half, don’t worry—that is what the cheese is for.
10. Top patties with caramelized onion, crispy bacon and a slice of cheddar.
11. Toast your buttered buns, then spread a generous amount of mustard aioli on both the top and bottom pieces of the bun.
12. Stack two patties with sliced vine-ripened tomato and leaf lettuce on your toasted buns.
13. All that’s left is to climb that mountain….. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 burgers | Prep time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

 

4. Whole Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Green Tomato Salsa

by James Walt, executive chef Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar

This is a great outdoor dish. Although tenderloin is always a splurge, the lean meat pairs really well with the green tomato salsa. And the salsa is the perfect way to use up any tomatoes in your garden that no longer seem to ripen once the weather cools. Serve this recipe with the ricotta gnudi or your favourite potato or pasta dish. I even like it with a simple green salad, since meat does not always need potatoes.

Green tomato salsa ingredients

• 12 medium green tomatoes or tomatillos, cut in half
• 4 medium shallots, peeled and cut in half
• 3 cloves garlic, cut in half
• 1 green jalapeño pepper, cut in half and seeds removed
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup cilantro, leaves and stems
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, stems removed
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the barbecue or an indoor grill to medium-high heat.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes (or tomatillos), shallots, garlic and jalapeño with 3 tbsp of the olive oil.
3. Place these vegetables on the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the cooked vegetables to a plate and allow them to cool.
4. Once cooled, place the grilled vegetables in a blender or food processor along with the remaining olive oil and the cilantro, parsley and vinegar. Blend at high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and mix to incorporate.
5. Pour the salsa into a serving bowl and refrigerate until needed. This will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for about 2 days, after which it will start to lose its green freshness.

Grilled Beef Tenderloin

• 1 whole grass-fed beef tenderloin, 4 to 5 lb, peeled of sinew and silverskin
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil?
• 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
• Sea salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your barbecue or indoor grill to medium-high heat. Have ready some butcher’s twine and an instant-read meat thermometer.
2. Set the tenderloin on a clean work surface. Cut about 7 pieces of butcher’s twine, each about 8 inches long.
3. Starting at one end, tie a piece of butcher’s twine around the beef 2 inches from the end. Measure another 2 inches in from the first piece of twine and tie a second piece around the beef. Repeat every 2 inches until the beef is tightly rolled and tied. This step promotes even cooking by maintaining a similar thickness of meat throughout. (If the end is quite thin, fold it underneath to create a double layer of meat and tie it in place.) Drizzle the tied meat with the olive oil and season it with the pepper and a generous amount of sea salt.
4. Sear the tenderloin on the grill for about 4 minutes, then turn the meat over and cook for a further 4 minutes. Repeat to sear the 2 remaining sides. (You will sear the beef for a total of about 16 minutes at this stage.) Turn down the heat to low and cook the meat for a further 10 to 15 minutes, turning it every 2 to 3 minutes. To test for doneness, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin. Once it registers 125 to 130 F for medium rare, transfer the meat to a cooling rack and let rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes.

To serve: Using a sharp knife, slice the beef into 1/8-inch slices. Arrange the meat slices on a warm platter and serve with the green tomato salsa.

Serves 8

 

5. Slow-grilled Wagyu, Cauliflower Pomme Purée, Summer Vegetables, Jus

by Ken Nakano, executive chef, Market by Jean-Georges at Shangri-La Hotel

For the steak

• Wagyu strip loin, cleaned, cut into 4 oz California-style steaks

1. Season with salt and lightly brush with olive oil.
2. Grill the steak. Let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Cut in half diagonally and season with freshly ground black pepper before serving.

For the cauliflower pomme purée

• 1 lb cauliflower, Applewood-smoked, blanched in milk until soft and puréed
• 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, steamed
• ½ cup butter, unsalted

• ¾ cup 35% whipping cream

• 1½ tbsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper, ground

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Gently mash up the potatoes in the pot and mix.
3. Use a food mill and purée the mixture.
4. Season with salt and pepper.

For the summer vegetables

• 2 to 4 green asparagus, cut into finger-length pieces, peeled, blanched and tossed in hot butter
• 2 to 4 snap peas, cleaned, blanched and tossed in hot butter
• 1 watermelon radish, cut in half, slow-cooked in butter, seared to order
• 1 to 2 micro carrots, scrubbed, cleaned, slow-cooked in butter
• 1 shallot, roasted whole, tossed in hot butter

For the jus

• 250 ml veal jus
• 60 ml Merlot wine
• 3 tbsp black berry purée
• 1 to 2 dried Porcini mushrooms
• 2 thyme sprigs

1. In a sauce pot, add black berry purée and Merlot wine. Reduce by half.
2. Add demi glace, thyme and Porcini. Reduce by 10 per cent.
3. Strain through three layers of cheesecloth.