GET YOUR GRILL ON

Family Features

Backyard chefs, get ready to fire up the grills and cook up some flavor for that Memorial Day picnic.

Whether you’re cooking just for the family or for all the neighbors, make sure you’ve got plenty of great recipes and grilling know-how. These recipes have a little extra yum thanks to all-natural Ac’cent Æ Flavor Enhancer, which boosts your ingredients’ already-delicious taste and has 60% less sodium than salt.

For more grilling recipes, visit www.accentspices.com.

Cajun Burgers

Makes 4 hamburgers

11/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper

4 teaspoons Red Devil Cayenne Pepper Sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Ac’cent Flavor Enhancer

1/2 teaspoon salt

In large bowl, combine all ingredients; shape into 4 patties. Grill or broil until beef is no longer pink. Serve, if desired, on hamburger buns and top with shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese.

Grilled Salmon

Serves 6 -8

1 6-ounce salmon fillet per person

2 tablespoons Ac’cent Flavor Enhancer

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1 tablespoon fresh ground black peppercorns

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons onion flakes

2 tablespoons dried oregano

Oil

Mix all dry ingredients together with a mortar and pestle until powdery. Rub all over salmon fillets on both sides and leave for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat a ridged grill pan, chargrill or BBQ until hot.

Spread some oil over the salmon fillets and place on the grill.

Cook for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until done. Test by poking a knife into the center of fillet and look inside; the fish should flake easily.

Serve with a mixed pasta salad.

Memphis-Style BBQ Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

The secret to this sauce is Grandma’s Molasses — it adds extra zest to the juicy ribs.

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

11/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup chili sauce

4 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons Grandma’s Molasses

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Wright’s Æ Liquid Smoke

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Ortega Chile Seasoning Mix

Dash cayenne pepper

Saut onion in butter until soft. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

BBQ Ribs

Serves 6-8

4 slabs (about 10 pounds) pork spareribs

Dry Rub

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

Rub on both sides of ribs and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, or overnight.

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Add 2 cups water to baking sheet. Place ribs on rack on baking sheet. Bake 4 hours or until very tender, adding water to pan as needed.

While ribs are baking, make BBQ sauce. Preheat grill to medium. Place ribs on grill and baste with sauce, turning frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Smokey Steak Kabobs

Serves 6

2 tablespoons Wright’s Æ Natural Hickory Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Ac’cent Flavor Enhancer

1 cup coffee

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup oil

2 pounds steak (rib-eye or sirloin), cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large green pepper, cut into chunks

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms

Cherry tomatoes

In a bowl, combine hickory seasoning, flavor enhancer, coffee, onion and oil. Add steak cubes and stir occasionally. Marinate 45 minutes. Drain.

Using long skewers, alternate steak cubes, green pepper chunks, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Place skewers on grill over hot coals. Grill 6 minutes, turn and grill additional 4 to 6 minutes.

Grilling Tips

Let meat rest for several minutes before slicing or serving. This lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat, which keeps it nice and juicy.

Slice flank steak diagonally across the grain, otherwise it will be too tough.

Know your ribs. Pork spareribs come from the outer edge and tend to be leaner. Baby back ribs are shorter and are cut from the back. Country style ribs come from the shoulder area and are meatier than the other cuts.

When buying shrimp for grilling, make sure you get at least jumbo sized (12 to 15 per pound), or colossal (about 10 per pound). If they’re much smaller, they will be harder to handle and will cook more quickly than the other ingredients on the skewer.