Cleatarrior wrote:
> Desideria wrote:
>> Y'all know I'm a grilling newbie, and I purchased Steven Raichlen's
>> "How to Grill" book because it was my impression that his books are
>> highly recommended.
>>
>> I'll agree that his how-to techniques are helpful. But does anyone
>> else find his recipes a bit over-fussed-with?
>>
>> For instance, the first thing I made with his recipes was hamburgers
>> with garlic butter inside, so you've got a fat burger with something
>> in the center. Admittedly, my garlic butter was only about
>> half-frozen, but when I put them on the grill I had terrible flareups,
>> to the point where the outsides were black and the insides were still
>> raw--and that was quite a bit after the time that Steven said to cook
>> them on each side.
>>
>> Today I tried his basic (?) chicken breast recipe. Calls for
>> sprinkling sea or kosher salt, cracked peppercorns and hot pepper
>> flakes on both sides of each breast, then pressing chopped garlic and
>> chopped rosemary onto each, then marinating them for 30 to 60 minutes
>> in lemon juice and olive oil.
>>
>> Again, I made a mistake in cooking them today instead of yesterday, so
>> they marinated for a bit less than 24 hours--but until now, I always
>> found that the more marinating, the better. I grilled the breasts and
>> tried some, and I can't even taste the chicken, much less the
>> smoke!!!! The flavor is so intense that I have to eat slices of the
>> breasts in salad to be able to handle them.
>>
>> What's the opinion here? Am I causing these problems myself, or are
>> Raichlen's recipes too zesty for even a zest-lover like myself?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>> Desideria
>
> I've never had any problems with his recipes, but understand he does go
> all over the world to come up with stuff, so some of the flavors can be
> a bit intense.
>
> I think the key any time you make a new recipe is to follow it to the
> letter the first go and then adjust to fit your taste.
>
> Keep on cooking, you'll develop a style and feel for what works for you.
>
> But yes, marinades that stay on too long can be a bit much.
>
> Take a look at his brined Buccaneer chicken - lost of flavors but not
> too overwhelming (in BBQ Bible)
>
> http://www.bbqu.net/season2/205_4.html
>
> Or his iced tea chicken:
>
> http://www.bbqu.net/season2/208_4.html#iced_tea_chicken

Found a link for Buccaneer chicken, this seems identical to Raichlen's,
but I don't have the book here to do and A/B compariosn.

http://tatu-bbq.com/2007/04/08/bucca...-boucanee.aspx

Yes, store-bought sugar cane carefully splintered (let it dry out 1st)
in the smoke box does some wonderful things.