Recipe courtesy of Mary Cressler and Sean Martin, Vindulge. Adapted from their cookbook Fire + Wine by permission of Sasquatch Books. Photo courtesy of Dina Avila.
This dish is an example of Mary and Sean’s recipe philosophy – nothing “exotic” or hard to find. “We don’t want our recipes to be too ‘chefy,’” says Mary. “We want home cooks to read a recipe and feel that they might already have the ingredients in their house and that nothing is unfamiliar. Grilling in general can be intimidating for some people; we don’t want our recipes to be intimidating.”
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs (680 g) New York strip steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 15 oz (425 g) cremini mushrooms
- 1 large red onion, sliced in large pieces
- 1 pint (480 ml) cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup (60 ml) beef rub (see recipe below)
Instructions
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 for at least 2 hours or overnight.
One hour before cooking, soak the skewers (if wood) in water. Remove the steak, mushrooms and onions from the marinade; 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, add one mushroom, one onion slice and one steak cube. Use one of each item per small wood skewer for appetizer portions.
Set the EGG for direct/indirect cooking with a half convEGGtor stone at 400°F/204°C. Place the skewers on the direct side of the grid, 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 and continue cooking until the steak reaches the desired internal temperature. We like to pull at 130°F/54°C, or an additional 4 to 6 minutes on indirect heat. As soon as you pull the meat, glaze one last time. Let rest 5 minutes, or until the skewer is cool enough to handle.
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.
Makes 14 to 16 individual skewers – 6 to 8 servings as an appetizer or 4 servings as a main course.
Marinade Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
- ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup (120 ml) diced red onion
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 stems fresh thyme
Marinade Instructions
In a 1-gallon resealable bag, combine all of the marinade ingredients.
Cherry-Bourbon Glaze Ingredients
- 1½ tsp (8 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) ketchup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) bourbon
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cherry jam
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) blackstrap molasses
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark brown sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Cherry-Bourbon Glaze Instructions
Set the EGG for direct cooking without a convEGGtor at 350°F/177°C. In a cast iron skillet, 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 remaining ingredients 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. (can be made in advance)
Beef Rub Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) kosher salt
- 2 tsp (10 ml) paprika
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) coarse ground pepper
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cayenne pepper
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) granulated garlic
Beef Rub Instructions
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Makes 2 cups (480 ml) dry rub