Barbecue Shrimp and Skirt Steak

From time to time, we need to change our basic BBQ fare.  I found these combinations, which work great.  I have two recipes for Skirt Steak.  Each handles the steak differently, but both are great.  The Barbecue Shrimp is from Tyler Florence while the Skirt Steak is from Michael Symon and Joseph Realmuto of Townline BBQ (All rights Reserved).   Enjoy

BBQ Shrimp - Tyler Florence
Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup sake
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Shrirachi Hot Chili Sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 scallions, sliced thin, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

Procedure

• Thread shrimp onto skewers and place in a shallow dish.  Pour 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sake and 2 tablespoons oil over the shrimp and season them with salt and pepper.  Set aside and let them marinade while you make the barbecue sauce.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes and sesson with salt and pepper.  Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and chili powder.  Cook until  the mixture has thickened, about 10-15 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to break the tomatoes up into a chunky sauce. 
• Heat a grill or a grill pan and cook the shrimp about 3 minutes per side.  To serve, spread some barbecue sauce onto a large platter and place the grilled skewers on top of that.  Garnish with scallions and lime wedges.  Serve extra barbecue sauce on the side.  

Grilled Steak - Michael Symon

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 to 2 pound Skirt Steak
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup Balsamic vinegar (make sure this vinegar is not too sweet)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 sprigs of Rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red chili flake
• Olive Oil

Procedure

• Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper.  
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, rosemary and chili flakes.  Add about 1/3 of a cup of olive oil.  Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade into it.  Marinade for a minimum of 2 hours and preferably overnight in the fridge.
• Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. 
• Wipe off the bits of marinade from the steak and drizzle it with a little olive oil.
• Please the steak on the grill and cook 2-1/2 to 4 minutes per side (rare to medium), or until the meat has grill marks.  Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice across the grain, garnish and serve.

Townline BBQ Sauce (All Rights Reserved)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 to 2 pound Skirt Steak
• 1/4 pound butter
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup minced garlic
• 2 lemons, zested
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4-1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons molasses
• 1/2 cup Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chili powder
• 4 tablespoons while wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chipotle puree
• 3 cups water
• Pinch kosher salt

Procedure

• Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, ketchup, tomato juice, brown sugar, molasses, Worchestershire sauce, chili powder, vinegar, chipotle puree, salt and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Grill the Steak for 2-1/2 to 4 minues per side (rare to medium).  Apply Barbecue sauce during cooking.  Be careful not to burn the steak during cooking.
• Let the steak rest for 10 minutes and slice across the grain and serve with extra sauce on the side.