Father’s Day Meals (With Wood!)

Father’s Day is this weekend. It is a day when guys traditionally get ties, golf balls, or painted stones that say “You Rock!“. Don’t get me wrong! Any gifts are great, but how about something different this year? CLC Tree Services thought perhaps a home-cooked meal might be the way to Dad’s heart this year. And what better way to serve up lunch or dinner, than by cooking it with wood! Here’s a few suggestions to treat Pops this Father’s Day.

Father’s Day Meals (With Wood!)

If you can catch Dad before he heads out to his golf game, fill him up with this delicious  soup recipe from Allrecipes. This recipe makes 10 servings, so Papa can take the leftovers to work for lunch!

Alder Wood-Smoked Acorn Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 split pieces of alder wood
• 4 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 8 ounces sliced maple cured bacon
• 1 cup butter
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 quart water
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 4 cups sour cream
• 1 cup parsley
• 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare charcoal for smoking: Light and wait for the gray ash to cover at least 90 percent of the coals. Place the split wood on the coals and wait about 10 minutes before reducing the air flow to make it burn slower.
2. Arrange the squash halves cut side down on the grilling surface and close the lid. Slow smoke for 2 hours or less if you prefer them less smoky – as long as they are tender.
3. Place bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp; remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Once the squash are smoked, scoop the flesh out of the skins with a large spoon and transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth, adding butter and half of the water. Transfer to a soup pot and stir in the chicken broth and remaining water. Season with cumin, parsley and paprika; simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, a generous amount of crumbled bacon and cilantro. Dust lightly with cayenne pepper.

When Father arrives home from the links, he might be a bit peckish before dinner. How about this amazing appetizer from DadsCookDinner that uses a wood plank?

Plank Grilled Brie with Honey and Thyme

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) brie round (5 inches in diameter)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (1 large sprig)
• Maple Grilling Plank, roughly 6 inches by 6 inches (cedar or any fruit wood will work)

Directions:

1. Soak the plank for at least one hour, up to overnight. Weigh down to keep it submerged.
2. Set the grill for indirect high heat cooking. Preheat the grill for 15 minutes with all the burners on high, then turn off all the burners except 1 and 3, and put the plank over unlit burner #2 (This leaves burners 4-6 available to cook something else).
3. While the grill preheats, remove the plank from the water and pat dry. Carefully slice the rind from the top of the brie round. Leave the rind on the sides and bottom of the brie. Put the round on the plank, cut side up. Drizzle the honey on top of each round, then sprinkle with the thyme.
4. Put the plank on the grill over indirect heat. Cook with the lid closed for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sides of the brie are softened and brown.
5. Transfer the plank to a heat-proof platter and let it cool down for five minutes. Serve with crackers and a spoon for scooping.

And when Daddy is ready for dinner, fire up the grill once more with this recipe from Food.com that includes some of his favourite things; beer and wood. 

Smoked Chicken on a Beer Can

Ingredients:

Dry Rub

• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves

Chicken

• 1 roasting chicken (6-7 lbs.)
• 1 (16 ounce) can beer
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups mesquite wood chips

Directions:

1. Combine all the dry rub ingredients in a bowl and mix.
2. Prepare the marinade by placing the chicken stock, brandy, lemon juice, butter and 1 tablespoon of the dry rub into a small saucepan and warm gently until the butter melts then cool to room temperature.
3. Remove giblets from chicken along with any fat from inside the cavities, rinse then pat dry. Season the inside cavity with 2 tablespoons of the dry rub, and rub in 3 tablespoons of the rub all over the outside of the chicken.
4. Using a syringe style flavor injector, inject the marinade sauce into the breast, thighs and drumsticks until plump. Brush the outside of the bird with some of the melted butter and let it sit in the fridge to marinade for 3 hours.
5. After the chicken has marinaded for 2½ hours, prepare the wood chips for smoking by pouring half of the beer over them in a bowl and let them soak for a half hour. Use a sharp can opener to punch a couple more holes in the top of the beer can and set aside.
6. Prepare the barbeque for indirect cooking by placing a drip pan underneath the grate on one side and removing the grate from the other side, then turn on only the burner opposite of the drip pan to high heat.
7. Squeeze the excess beer from the wood chips and make a smoking pouch with tinfoil (wrap in foil then poke holes with a fork), or smoking tray or tube. Place wood chips directly over the burner that is on, close the lid and wait for smoke to appear. Once smoke appears, reduce to medium heat.
8. Hold chicken upright with body cavity down and lower onto the beer can then place onto the cool side of the grill over the drip pan and pull legs forward to form a stable tripod so it can stand upright on its own.
9. Brush with melted butter and continue to cook at 220°F with the lid down, basting every 45 minutes or so with the melted butter. If the chicken gets too brown on the outside before it is done, cover with tinfoil.
10. Remove chicken from the grill once it reaches an internal temperature of 180°F, about 2½ hours, cover with tinfoil and let rest for 10 minutes.

Happy Father’s Day!