Here are 2 easy BBQ recipes that will convince your friends you're a champion grill master

 

Summer has arrived a little early (sort of) and we’re not complaining. But there’s something that you can enjoy year-round regardless of the weather, and that’s a sizzling BBQ.

Fire up the grill throughout the year in, your yard, balcony, or patio, and get ready to enjoy a scrumptious meal.

Since we are mere mortals and need help improving our BBQ game, we’ve teamed up with Real Canadian Superstore to get some expert tips from Canadian National BBQ Champion, John Thomson. If you didn’t already know, Thomson who keeps his technique simple has won more than 120 BBQ awards in Canada and the U.S, including more than 20 first place wins.

He was recently named the Canadian National Champion, Canadian Rib Champion, Ontario Provincial Champion, as well as the American’s International Team of the Year. In short, he knows his way around a grill. And now he wants to share two of his easy-to-make recipes with you so that you can create award-worthy grilled dishes, all year long.

But first, Thomson’s must-know pitmaster tips:

• Pick quality cuts the best cuts of meat to prepare the best dishes.
• Brine your meats: Dry-brine your steak by sprinkling kosher salt over each side, then put it on a wire rack and let it sit in the fridge for two hours prior to cooking. Adding 1/2 tsp of kosher salt per pound of meat is a good ratio. Pork and chicken can be wet-brined for a couple of hours in a simple brine of 4 liters of cold water, 3/4 cup of kosher salt, and 2/3 cup of sugar. To increase flavour, add herbs and spices.
• Keep rubs simple: Thomson’s simple go-to rub is four parts salt, two parts granulated garlic and one part black pepper. It’s great on all your classic BBQ meats, especially beef. It’s also a great base if you want to develop your own rubs. You can add other ingredients like cumin, sugar, coriander seed, chili powder and ground thyme.
• Try the reverse sear technique: Cook slowly and then finish on a hot grill to lock in flavour.
• Use the right tools: A solid pair of barbecue tongs, a long-handled spatula, and an instant-read thermometer.

Grilled AAA Strip Loin with Garlic Herb Compound Butter

AAA steaks can be dry-brined with Thomson’s go-to SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) rub and then grilled to medium rare. On the cutting board, add a generous knob of herbed compound butter. As the butter melts over the hot steak, slice and serve.

Makes: 3 servings
Prep time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 4 hours, 40 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients – meat:

• 3 AAA Strip Loin Steaks, 3/4” thick

Steak rub (SPG):

• 4 tbsp of No Name Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp of coarse ground pepper
• 2 tbsp of granulated garlic

Compound Butter:

• 1/2 cup of No Name Butter, Unsalted
• 1/2 tsp of PC® Salt
• 1/4 tsp of PC® Black Pepper
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped PC® Rosemary
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped PC® Sage

Directions: 

1. Combine compound butter ingredients and mix well.
   2. Roll into a log using plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum 2 hours.
   3. Combine steak rub ingredients and mix well.
   4. Apply a very light layer of the steak rub to both sides of the steak (½ tsp per side).
   5. Allow steaks to rest and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. at the same time as the compound butter.

2 hours later

6. Remove butter from the fridge and slice ½” rounds.
   7. Allow butter to come to room temperature before cooking steaks.
   8. Over direct high heat, sear steaks for 2 minutes on each side.
   9. Remove steaks away from direct heat and continue cooking, indirectly, for another 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
   10. Cook until medium-rare when steaks reach 140°F.
   11. Remove and rest on a plate. Place 1 slice of compound butter on hot steak and let it melt.
   12. Slice and serve!

Grilled Chili Lime Chicken

These delicious, juicy chicken breasts are marinated for 3 to 4 hours and then grilled. Once cooked, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and green onions.

Makes: 4 servings   Prep time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ready in: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients – meat:

• 4 boneless, skinless PC® Free From® Chicken Breasts

Marinade:

• 3 tbsp of No Name Pure Olive Oil
• 3 tbsp of chopped green onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4 tsp of the juice of 2 fresh limes
• 1 tbsp of grated lime rind
• 1 tbsp of No Name Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp of fresh chopped PC® Cilantro
• PC® Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Combine marinade ingredients and mix well.
2. Add PC® Free From® Chicken Breasts.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
4. Remove chicken breasts from marinade.
5. Grill at medium-high, indirect heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until chicken breasts reach 185°F internal temperature.
6. Garnish with leftover cilantro and green onions.
7. Serve and enjoy!

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Recipes? Check. Directions? Double-check. Now all you need to do is get your ingredients. Thankfully, you can get them all in one place at Real Canadian Superstore at a great value.
Having a BBQ at any time of the year is true to a Canadian home grill master. It’s easy once you have quality meats and take a simplistic approach, locking in flavours with the right ingredients and BBQ techniques.

Your local Real Canadian Superstore carries a variety of quality meats, and all beef sold is raised in Western Canada and aged for a minimum of 14 days before it’s cut fresh in-store. Choose PC® Free From® chicken and pork that’s raised without antibiotics and added hormones, and choose between every kind of fresh veggie you can think of (at great value).

Let’s not forget about classic BBQ sides like corn on the cob, coleslaw, fries, and salad, all of which you can find at Real Canadian Superstore.