Emerald Eats: Making wine marinated skewers with cherry bourbon glaze
Emerald Eats: Making beef and squash skewers with Vindulge
Vindulge stopped by Studio 13 Live on Wednesday to make two different types of skewers!
WINE MARINATED BEEF SKEWERS WITH CHERRY BOURBON GLAZE RECIPE:
This is one of our favorite appetizers to serve at events. We can prep everything in advance, skewer them up in unison, keep them in a cooler until it’s time to grill, and then cook to order so they can be served hot and fresh. The savory marinade and intoxicating cherry BBQ sauce is quite an unexpected treat at the end.
MAKES 14 TO 16 INDIVIDUAL SKEWERS; 6 TO 8 SERVINGS AS AN APPETIZER OR 4 SERVINGS AS A MAIN COURSE:
For the cherry-bourbon glaze:
- 1 ½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup cherry jam
- 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the marinade:
- 1 cup dry red wine
- ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 stems fresh thyme
For the skewers:
- 2 New York strip steaks (1 ½ pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (15-ounce) package cremini mushrooms
- 1 large red onion, sliced into large pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes ¼ cup Beef Rub (recipe follows)
Special tools:
- Immersion blender
- Small wooden skewers
- One hour before cooking, soak the skewers (if wood) in water in a large dish or ziplock bag.
Intrusctions:
To make the glaze, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and then add the onion. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are softened but not caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ketchup, vinegar, bourbon, jam, molasses, sugar, salt, and cayenne and bring to a simmer. This should take roughly 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce to liquefy the onions and garlic, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the glaze simmer (but not boil) for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool and then store in the refrigerator. The glaze can be made in advance. To make the marinade, in a 1-gallon ziplock bag, combine the wine, broth, onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. To prepare the skewer items, remove the stems from the mushrooms, wipe them clean, and cut them in half or quarters based on the size of the mushroom. Place the steak, mushrooms, and onions in the bag of marinade. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Prepare the grill for direct/indirect cooking. Remove the steak, mushrooms, and onions from the marinade and discard the marinade. In a large bowl, add the steak, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes. Sprinkle half of the dry rub into the bowl, and mix with your hands. Add the remaining dry rub and mix again to evenly coat. Remove the wooden skewers from the water. To assemble the skewers, start with one tomato, then add one mushroom, one onion slice, and one steak cube. Use one of each item per small wood skewer for appetizer portions. Place the skewers on the direct side of the grill, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes until you see grill marks. Flip, then grill for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until you see grill marks. Move the skewers to the indirect heat, apply the glaze liberally to both sides of the skewer, cover, and continue cooking until the steak reaches the desired internal temperature. We like to pull at 130 degrees F, or an additional 4 to 6 minutes on indirect heat (covered). As soon as you pull the meat, glaze one last time. Let rest 5 minutes, or until the skewer is cool enough to handle. Enjoy as a bite.
WINE PAIRING: The char from the grilled steak, savory marinade, and sweet sauce make these excellent pairings for malbec, zinfandel, or even grenache. Stick with a fruity and bold red to stand up to the bold flavors of the meat and cherry glaze.
BEEF RUB For big and bold beef flavors, we like to keep it simple when seasoning the king of meats. This rub is also great for big, rich veggies like portobello mushrooms.
MAKES 2 CUPS DRY RUB 2/3 cup kosher salt 2 teaspoons paprika 2/3 cup coarse ground pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2/3 cup granulated garlic In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.