June has arrived and with it, summer. Fire up your grill and join us for the perfect backyard party. We feature signature barbecue recipes from Bellingham-based chef, Mike Siggers, using locally sourced ingredients from Addies Angus Ranch, Skagit’s Own Fishmarket, and The Community Food Co-op. With expert drink pairing advice from Dan “The Wine Guy” Radil, sommelier and nationally ranked beer judge Neal Tognazzini, and Total Wine’s Amanda Riese, we have your refreshments covered. From must-have tools and outdoor living tips to grilling advice, side dishes, vegan options and everything in between, this outdoor entertaining guide will make your next summer party a hit!
Electric
Pros
• Not prohibited by city regulations
• Can be used indoors or outdoors
• No fuel needed
Cons
• No grilled or smoky flavor
• Must be connected to a power source
• Not big enough to serve a large party
Charcoal
Pros
• Smoky flavor
• Higher temperatures
• Inexpensive
Cons
• No temperature control
• Cleaning and replacing charcoal
• Use of lighter fluid
Gas
Pros
• Quick to start
• Minimal maintenance
• Temperature control
Cons
• Less flavor
• Lower temperatures
• Flammability
Wood-Fired Ovens
An outdoor kitchen is perfect for these wood-fired ovens that reach extreme temperatures. Make authentic-style pizzas and bake or cook a bunch of other foods (fire-roasted cauliflower is delicious).
Fire Pit Tables
Summer nights are best remembered when spent gathered around the fire. With a fire pit table, there are no ashes to clean up and no smoke smell in your clothes or hair. Easily put the cover on when not in use to revert to a table.
Smokers
Enjoy that smoky flavor over grilled? Go for the smoker. It may take longer to cook, but the taste can’t be matched. Try burning different woods for different flavors.
Stovetop/Burner
Not everything needs to be grilled. Plus, you can keep the action all in one place for easy monitoring, and making everything outdoors means more time in the sunshine with family and friends.
Mini-Fridges
Use a mini-fridge outdoors to store your grill-ready meat before cooking. No more walking back and forth to the kitchen. Also use it to store drinks for outdoor parties, allowing easy access to refreshments.
Pork might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think “barbecue.” But this underdog will be a surprise sensation at your next backyard gathering. When cooking pork, different cuts can take different times. Most important—get to an internal temperature between 145 and 160 degrees F and let the meat sit for three to five minutes before serving to allow juices to absorb. Enjoy!
Grilled Stuffed Pork Loin
by Chef Mike
Ingredients
About 3 pounds pork loin, butterflied
Baby spinach
Prosciutto, sliced
Cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
Red bell peppers. julienned
Goat cheese
Roasted garlic
Greek seasoning
Directions
• Use a sharp knife to cut almost all of the way through the direct center of the meat. From there, pull open the pork loin and slice down the length of each side, maintaining an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness, rolling it out flat on your cutting board as you go. Cut slowly and evenly. Tenderize the flattened loin before stuffing.
• Layer spinach, prosciutto, mushrooms, red bell pepper, roasted garlic, and goat cheese covering the flattened pork. Leave yourself a small edge around the meat for securing purposes.
• Roll the pork into a pinwheel and secure with bamboo skewers soaked in water to avoid charring.
• Season all sides with Greek seasoning.
• Grill pork loin, rolling on all sides evenly, to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Remove from grill, slice and serve.
Vegan Options
Substitute an acorn squash or pattypan cut in half, cleaned, grill face down about 10 minutes, flip, layer vegan-friendly filling and grill additional 20 to 25 minutes or until desired tenderness.
Drinks
For a white wine, try the Richland-native Goose Ridge Winery’s Pinot Gris. Rosé wines are great with fish as well, like the William Grassie Wine Estates Coral Rosé. A Pilsner is the perfect summertime barbeque drink: Pick up a 6-pack of pFriem’s Pilsner, now sold in cans. Apple flavors pair well with pork, so try sipping the classic Dry Cider from Seattle Cider Company.
Restaurant
Burnt Ends Restaurant in Lynden features a stand-out grilled kielbasa sausage. Live-fire grilled over alder and mesquite, this dish is sure to curb your summer barbecue craving.
Shop Local
Carne, Alluvial Farms, Samish Bay
Cheese & Whey More
With ingredients like fresh pineapple, chopped peanuts, and hot red chili sauce, send your taste buds on a Thai tour of flavor. These kebabs are great at a barbecue. They’re easy on and off the grill. Just remember to soak your skewers in water.
Thai Chicken Kebabs
BEST-EVER MARINADE
This marinade recipe has been dubbed the “best ever” and “the only marinade you’ll ever need” by others who have tried it. Make sure you don’t add any salt; it has a tendency to dry out the chicken. Instead, if you find it needs that extra pinch of flavor, sprinkle on top after grilling.
Ingredients
6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¹⁄8 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
• Combine everything in a large zip-close bag. Add chicken to the bag and place in a bowl (to prevent mess if leakage occurs). Place in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight before grilling.
Vegan Option
Replace chicken breast with large cauliflower pieces, cut marinade time to 2 hours.
GRILLED CORN WITH COMPOUND BUTTER
By Chef Mike
Directions
• Soften 1/2 pound of salted butter. Mix with finely chopped red bell pepper and parsley and season with pepper.
• Roll shucked and rinsed cobs in foil and add 1 tablespoon compound butter.
• Grill for about 10 minutes or until corn is tender.
Drinks
A good tip to follow is “lighter meat, lighter wine.” For chicken, try a dry white, such as the Chateau Ste. Michelle 2017 Dry Riesling. The hops in a blonde ale, like Kona Brewing Company’s Kanaha Blonde Ale, will complement the mild flavor of the chicken. For more of a flavor punch, try Lost Giant Cider Company’s Elderberry Cider.
Restaurant
Liberty Bistro in Sedro-Woolley has a few delicious chicken options, and these guys know their way around a bird. Let them handle the chicken and do the dishes for you!
Shop Local
Claus Meats, Skagit River Ranch,
Draper Valley Farms
Steak can be prepared in so many different ways, and there are so many recipes out there inspired by different cultures. From Southern-style steak—with either a bit of a kick from chili powder or slathered in barbecue sauce—to Japanese teriyaki steak, or French steak-frites, or Mexican carne asada. So many different places throughout the world prepare their steak in different ways, but one thing remains common: it’s delicious.
Hawaiian Petite Sirloin
By Chef Mike
Ingredients
4 eight-ounce petite sirloins
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
Directions
• Mince garlic and ginger. Combine remaining ingredients and whisk until brown sugar has dissolved.
• Prepare grilled pineapple salsa and red pepper coulis.
• Grill petite sirloins to desired temperature
GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALSA
Ingredients
2 cups diced pineapple
¼ cup diced red pepper
¼ cup diced red onion
3 teaspoons parsley, chopped
3 teaspoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
• Combine all ingredients. Use as garnish.
RED PEPPER COULIS
Ingredients
2 red peppers
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon Sriracha
Salt & pepper
Directions
• Roast peppers in the oven at 425 degrees F until skin is blistered. Move peppers to a glass bowl and cover. Sweat for 10–15 minutes.
• Combine the sugar and water and boil until sugar is dissolved.
• Peel skin off the peppers and discard seeds.
• Puree the peppers and slowly add the sugar water (you won’t need all of it) until desired taste and consistency is reached. Season with salt, pepper, and Sriracha to taste.
Caribbean Jerk Steak
By Chef Mike
Ingredients
2 pounds flank steak
¹⁄³ cup flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lime
1 small onion
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 jalapeno
1 red bell pepper
Directions
• Chop parsley, garlic, onion, thyme, and green onion. Add to food processor with the rest of the marinade ingredients. Marinade steak for at least 4 hours.
• Grill steak to desired temperature.
MANGO RELISH
Ingredients
1 small mango, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno, diced
2 teaspoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
Directions
• Combine all ingredients. Serve atop steak.
COCONUT RICE & BEANS
Ingredients
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 & 1/2 cups short grain white rice
1 onion
1 & 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 & 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
• Sauté onions and garlic. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, and salt. Combine beans with rice and cover until cooked thoroughly, about 25–30 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Veggie Option
Substitute egg plant steaks for the flanks and cut marinade time to 30 minutes.
Ree Drummond Cold steaks make it hard for the heat to permeate the meat’s center. Allow the steak to warm for 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
Martha Stewart Don’t fear over-seasoning. Aggressively coating the steak will give it a better sear. Season, then let it rest so flavors can sink in.
Larry Olmstead Let it sit again for 10 minutes after cooking. Allowing a rest time will redistribute the juices throughout for better flavor and texture.
Mike Siggers Using fresh meat yields better results. If you do use frozen, thawing it properly can increase quality.
Name a more classic American summer cuisine than burgers and hot dogs. We’ll wait. Hamburgers are a summertime staple, and we’re here to help you make the perfect one. And hot dogs aren’t just for kids anymore; with ingredients like peanuts, jalapenos, and cream cheese, adults can get in on the fun, too.
God bless America.
Drinks
Any red-meat friendly wine, like a cabernet sauvignon, would pair well with a juicy burger. Pick up a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Dynasty Cellars. An IPA is great with a burger or a hot dog, like the Seattle- brewed Elysian Space Dust. Even people who don’t often reach for IPAs claim to love this one. If you want to balance saltiness with a little sweet, grab a can of Single Stroke from Herb’s Cider.
Restaurant
Let’s face it, sometimes it’s easier to leave the grilling to the experts. If you’re in this boat, don’t worry! The Filling Station in Fairhaven has you covered for any and all of your burger needs.
Hot dog toppings are as versatile as the human palette. Upgrade your hot dogs from kids’ food to culinary masterpieces with some of these unconventional toppings:
Roasted Peanuts Combine the two best foods at baseball games. The saltiness of the peanuts complements the savory flavor of the hot dog.
Mango Salsa The fruit adds some natural sweetness and the salsa’s other ingredients provide a little heat.
Peaches The surprising satisfaction of sweet-and-salty will leave you speechless.
Popcorn Back to the ballpark: Popcorn adds a crunch and butteriness that complements the ‘dog well.
The Texas Dog Jack up your hot dog with all-meat chili and top with jalapenos.
Washington Classic Slather the bun in cream cheese, add the hot dog, and top with Sriracha. Just try it.
Salmon has such a strong influence on our cuisine here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a milder fish, making it easy to prepare to anyone’s taste. Salmon also comes in a surplus around here, so it’s always easy to find at a reasonable price. Whatever you’re in the mood for, fish is a great summertime barbecue entree.
Dijon-Glazed Salmon
by Chef Mike
Ingredients
2 pieces fresh Coho salmon
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoon mayo
2 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
• Grill salmon to about 140 degrees F, (approx. 8 minutes each side). For best grill marks, bring your grill grates to temperature and brush or spray olive oil on them. Cook presentation side down first and then flip to finish.
• Brush on Dijon glaze to cover entire piece. Salmon may be grilled with or without skin, according to preference.
Side Salad
A fresh, flavorful salad is great for summertime. For a salad with lots of color, try the salad Chef Mike Siggers made to accompany his Dijon glazed salmon.
Ingredients
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1 jalapeno, diced
1 orange, supremed
1 cup arugula
1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions
• Combine the avocado, red bell pepper, jalapeno, and orange with the arugula. Add the olive oil and toss. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.
Vegan Options
Make a fishless filet by mashing chickpeas and finely chopped veggies with brown rice breadcrumbs to form the filet. Mimic tastes of the ocean by incorporating kelp, Old Bay Seasoning, and lemon juice.
Drinks
GLM Winery’s Rock Flour sauvignon blanc will pair well with the more mild, white fish. A rosé, like the 2017 from Maryhill, will also complement seafood. As for beer, go with Aslan’s Classic Light Lager. Lost Giants Cider Company’s Pineapple Cider is the perfect companion for white fish on a summer day.
Shop Local (fish and shellfish)
Skagit’s Own Fish Market
Community Food Co-op
Lummi Island Wild
Seafood Producers Cooperative
Taylor Shellfish
Finkbonner Shell Fish
Restaurant
Few places in the Pacific Northwest do fish better than those in the San Juan Islands. Cask & Schooner Public House & Restaurant in Friday Harbor has cast their net over a wide array of tasty seafood dishes.
Preparing shrimp is easy, it’s tasty, and most people love it. At the stores, you can buy shrimp raw or pre-cooked, with or without tails, marinated, dipped, topped, and pretty much any other preparation you can think of. However, nothing beats throwing some shrimp on the barbie for that warm, fresh-grilled flavor.
Cajun Shrimp Scampi
by Chef Mike
Ingredients
20–25 jumbo shrimp peeled, tail on
1 pound andouille sausage
1/2 pound salted butter, softened
4–5 cloves of roasted garlic
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Parmesan, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for one pound shrimp
Directions
• Grill shrimp to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, set aside.
• Grill andouille sausage and slice diagonally, set aside.
• Combine garlic, herbs, and olive oil in a food processor until finely chopped. Saute with butter until blended evenly. Add sausage first and mix well, allowing butter to absorb sausage flavor.
• Add shrimp last and remove from heat while mixing to avoid overcooking.
• Optional garnish: tomato concasse and slivered green onions.
Vegan Option
Replace the shrimp with pieces of canned jackfruit in brine, rinsed and core removed. Use Tofurky Artisan andouille sausage to keep the Creole flavor in the dish.
Lobster
Grilling lobster tails at home is actually quite easy. The hardest part is making sure you have sharp enough tools to cut through the hard exterior and not cut yourself in the process. Making lobster at home can be relatively inexpensive as well. Just like with crab, use a concentrated combination of butter and lemon for dipping.
Restaurant
Friday’s Crabhouse in Friday Harbor is a must for shellfish. You can’t go wrong with a heap of fresh oysters or Dungeness crab while you watch for whales in the waters just outside.
Drinks
A sweet white wine will pair well with all shellfish. Try the 2016 Sweet Riesling from Vartanyan Estate Winery or the Rosé from Dynasty Cellars, both local to Bellingham. Two beers that would pair great with shellfish: a low- ABV hefeweizen, like the classic from Pyramid, or a fruity gose, like Kulshan’s Blood Orange Gose.
Raspberry Mango Sangria
Ingredients
1 bottle semi-sweet white wine, like Samson Estate’s Chardonnay
2 cups mango nectar
2 cups ripe mango, diced
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup peach schnapps
1/4 cup packed mint leaves
1–3 tablespoons sweetener
Directions
• Add all ingredients to a pitcher. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Pour seltzer water on top to serve.
Strawberry-Peach Moscato Slushie
Blend half a bottle of Moscato with 2 cups of frozen peaches and 2 cups of ice. Fill glasses half full. Blend the second half of the Moscato with 1 to 1 1/2 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of ice. Pour on top of the peach in glasses to create a color-block effect.
Strawberry Mint Vodka Lemonade
Combine vodka, like Chuckanut Bay Distillery’s Wheat Vodka or BelleWood’s Vodka, with lemonade, a 3/4 cup of sliced strawberries, and a pinch of chopped mint leaves. Muddle until the fruit is slightly mashed and juicy. Fill a glass with ice and add more strawberries and mint on top. Pour the vodka mixture over.
Rum Punch
Fill a wine glass with ice. Combine 1 ounce of a white rum with 1 ounce of a mango rum and pour over the ice. Separately, combine 1 1/2 ounces of cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and orange juice. Add to the glass. Garnish with pineapple slice. Drink up, me hearties.
Tequila Kiwi Smash
In a mixing glass, muddle a kiwi, some mint leaves, and 1 teaspoon of sugar (or agave nectar). Transfer to a shaker and add 1 1/2 ounces of tequila. Blue Spirits Tequila, based in Chelan, makes a great lime tequila. Add a handful of ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a chilled glass, straining optional. Top with club soda.
Mermaid Lemonade
Put 1/4 cup of ice in each glass. Pour a splash of blue curaçao and 1/4 cup of Valley Shine Revolution Rum (or your favorite brand) into the glass, then add another 1/4 cup of ice. Mix in a 1/2 cup of lemonade. Skewer a lemon slice and two maraschino cherries on a paper umbrella for garnish.
Grilled Peaches with Crème Anglaise and
Raspberry Sauce
by Chef Mike
Cut two to three peaches in half and pit. Spray grill grates with non-stick spray and grill peaches face down until you have your grill marks. Flip the peaches, reduce heat to low and move to cooler part of the grill. Grill slow and low until tender. Remove from heat and immediately dust with granulated sugar.
RASPBERRY SAUCE
Ingredients
4 cups raspberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1⁄8 cup water
Directions
• Combine 1 cup of water with the sugar and lemon. Bring to a boil.
• Puree the raspberries and add.
• Bring mixture to a light boil. Combine 1⁄8 cup water and mix.
• Slowly add cornstarch to pot. Sauce will thicken. Remove from heat and strain to remove seeds and any inconsistencies.
CREME ANGLAISE
Ingredients
3 egg yolks, refrigerated
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup milk, whole or reduced fat
1 cup heavy cream, thickened
Directions
• Combine sugar, vanilla, milk, and cream in a pot and bring to a simmer. Be careful not to boil as it will cause the milk to break. Put the egg yolks in a separate bowl and refrigerate.
• Remove pot from heat and slowly incorporate the cream mixture into the chilled egg yolks by whisking quickly. Don’t add the hot mixture too fast or you’ll cook the eggs.
• Add the entire mixture back to the pot and continue whisking quickly. Heat very slowly until the mixture begins to thicken.
Pirate Pineapple
Soak pineapple disks in a marinade of rum, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract for at least 30 minutes. Grill on low heat for three to four minutes on each side. Spoon vanilla ice cream on top.
Strawberry Shortcake
Grill pound cake slices on medium-high heat for only two minutes per side. Top with whipped cream and strawberries. Eat with a fork, or use a second slice of pound cake to eat it like a sandwich.
S’mores
Whether you’re at home or at a campsite and only have access to a grill, you can still enjoy the best summertime treat. If you’re craving a s’more, simply remove the grate from the grill and roast the ‘mallows over the flame. Assemble and enjoy as always. Something my family does: Add some fresh strawberries for a fruity contrast to the rich chocolate.
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