It’s 6 a.m. on Chappaquiddick Island, Martha’s Vineyard—my favorite time of day. The sun rises, spilling golden flames over the horizon. The wind rustles the treetops, and in the distance I can hear the surf hit the shore at Norton Point. My family is still sleeping and the phones are mercifully silent. It feels like I’m the only person awake on the island. So I do what any barbecue-obsessed guy would do at daybreak. I fire up my grill. This chapter explores a grilled meal that may be new to you: breakfast. Grilled bacon and eggs. Breakfast burgers and morning quesadillas. Rise and shine and smell the wood smoke.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Method: Direct or indirect grilling
Prep time: None
Grilling time: About 6 minutes (direct grilling); 15 minutes (indirect grilling)
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. You also need a wire rack or a sheet pan lined with paper towels.
Shop: Use a thick-cut (ideally ¼ inch), real wood-smoked, artisanal bacon, like Nueske’s.
Insider tip: There’s really only one trick to grilling bacon—but it’s an indispensable one—you need plenty of open grate space. It’s highly possible the dripping bacon fat will cause flare-ups—especially on a charcoal grill. So you must leave plenty of maneuvering room and have a large fire-free safety zone where you can park the bacon to dodge flare-ups.
In my book Project Smoke, I explain how to cure and smoke bacon from scratch. Now I’m going to show you how to grill it. Wait, isn’t bacon fat highly flammable and won’t grilling it turn your grill into a raging inferno? Grilling is my favorite way to cook bacon, sizzling the strips, reinforcing the smoke flavor, and, above all, keeping the mess of spattering grease off your stove. (It even helps remove some of the excess bacon fat.) And as it turns out, the process isn’t quite as incendiary as it might seem. But due to its high fat content, grilling bacon requires more attention than most meats.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
1 pound thick-sliced artisanal bacon (or as much as you desire)
Direct grill method
1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. Be sure you have a fire-free safety zone covering at least 30 percent of your grill.
2. Arrange the bacon strips on the grate running diagonal to the bars of the grate. Leave at least 1 inch between the strips. Direct grill the bacon until browned on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. If you want to lay on a crosshatch of grill marks, give each slice a quarter turn halfway through. Move the bacon to the fire-free zone if flare-ups occur, then return to the part of the grill grate that’s over the fire. Turn the bacon with tongs and grill the other side the same way.
3. Transfer the bacon to a wire rack or to a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain. (If using paper towels, blot both sides.)
Indirect grill method
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
2. Arrange the bacon strips on the unlit portion of the grill running diagonal to the bars of the grate. Leave at least 1 inch between the strips. Indirect grill the bacon until sizzling, browned, and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. There is no need to rotate or turn the bacon.
3. Transfer the bacon to a wire rack or to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. The bacon will crisp as it cools. (If using paper towels, blot both sides.)
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Method: Indirect grilling
Prep time: 5 minutes
Grilling time: 15 to 20 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. You also need a wire rack and a pastry brush.
Shop: Use a thick-cut, real wood-smoked, artisanal bacon, like Nueske’s.
Insider tip: As you saw on the facing page, there are two ways to grill bacon: by direct grilling or indirect grilling. The former gives you more sear and better grill marks, and it’s faster, but you greatly increase the risk of flare-ups. Indirect grilling eliminates the risk of flare-ups, but it takes longer, and it, well, deprives you of the adrenaline rush of grilling one of the world’s most flammable foods. I’m a “no guts, no glory” sort of guy, so I usually direct grill my bacon. But candied bacon is different, because turning the bacon would disturb the sugar crust.
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect food than bacon, but candied bacon is just that—the salty, smoky, fatty, satisfying crunch of bacon enhanced in unexpected ways by the earthy sweetness of brown sugar and maple syrup. Think of this as a bacon dish you can serve equally well for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate and wire rack
1 pound thick-sliced artisanal bacon
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar, dark or light
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
2. Arrange the bacon strips on a lightly oiled wire rack over a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to facilitate easy cleanup. (It’s easier to move all bacon to the grill on a wire rack than it is to do it slice by slice.) Brush the top of each slice with maple syrup, then sprinkle generously with brown sugar, patting the sugar onto the meat.
3. Place the wire rack (reserve the prepared sheet pan) on the grill grate so the bacon is over the drip pan away from the heat.
4. Indirect grill the bacon until it is browned and crisp and the sugar is caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. (The bacon will continue to crisp as it cools.)
5. Return the wire rack to the sheet pan and let it cool slightly before serving. (Molten sugar can burn your tongue, so test a small piece before you bite into it.)
Yield: Serves 1 and can be multiplied as desired
Method: Direct grilling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling time: 7 to 9 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. You also need a wide-bladed spatula and 2 rimless sheet pans.
Insider tip: The only remotely challenging step in this recipe is flipping the quesadilla without losing the cheese and egg. If you don’t have a quesadilla grilling basket, slide a large spatula under the quesadilla and transfer it to a rimless sheet pan or the back of a rimmed sheet pan. Place another sheet pan on top, flip the quesadilla, and slide it back onto the grate. Or just take a deep breath and quickly turn it with a spatula. For even more flavor, top the quesadillas with extra sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and scallions.
For most of my life, the quesadilla has been a 5-minute lunch or a vehicle for leftovers—as Spartan or lavish as the ingredients in your refrigerator allow. And now, it’s about to make an appearance at breakfast with a filling that defies physics: a “fried” egg cooked right between the tortillas. If you do it right, following the simple instructions below, the tortilla will be crisp, the cheese melted and gooey, the egg white just set, and the egg yolk still runny. To up the ante, serve it with the Ember Salsa.
Ingredients
2 flour tortillas (each 8 inches in diameter)
1 tablespoon melted butter, bacon fat, or extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces (about ¾ cup) cheddar, Monterey or pepper Jack, or other cheese, coarsely grated
1 large egg (preferably farm-fresh or organic)
2 strips bacon, grilled and slivered or crumbled, or 2 ounces smoked ham (cured or cooked), cut crosswise into thin slivers
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, thinly sliced crosswise (optional; for a milder quesadilla, seed the chiles)
1 scallion, trimmed, white and green parts finely chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Vegetable oil for oiling the grate
Sour cream (optional) or Ember Salsa (optional), for serving
1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to medium-high. Have one section of the grill fire-free.
2. Brush one of the tortillas with half the melted butter and place it, butter side down, on the rimless sheet pan (or on the back of a rimmed sheet pan). Sprinkle two thirds of the cheese on top in a doughnut shape (more generously around the periphery), leaving a 3-inch space in the center for the egg. Crack the egg into a ramekin (fish out any stray pieces of shell), then carefully pour it into the center of the quesadilla. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over it. Sprinkle the bacon or ham slivers on top, followed by the chile, scallion, and cilantro (if using).
3. Brush one side of the second tortilla with the remaining butter and place it, butter side up, atop the quesadilla.
4. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. Position the sheet pan with the quesadilla just above the grate. Tugging from one end, gently slide the quesadilla onto the grill grate. Close the grill lid. Grill until the bottom is browned and the cheese at the edge starts to melt, 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat if the quesadilla starts to burn.
5. Slide a large spatula (or a rimless sheet pan) under the quesadilla and flip it over. (See the Insider Tip, for flipping instructions.) Continue grilling until the bottom is browned and the cheese is melted, another 2 to 4 minutes. Theoretically, the cheese will be melted and the egg will be cooked by the time the tortillas are browned. If not, slide the quesadilla to the unlit part of the grill with a spatula. Close the grill lid and indirect grill until the cheese is melted and the egg is just set—a few minutes longer.
6. Transfer the quesadilla to a plate. Serve with sour cream and/or Ember Salsa, if desired. Breakfast doesn’t get better than this.
with Prosciutto and Parmesan
Yield: Serves 1 and can be multiplied as desired
Method: Indirect grilling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling time: 7 to 10 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. You also need 2 hardwood chunks or 1 cup unsoaked wood chips (optional) and a small skillet or baking dish to cook the eggs. Two options come to mind: mini-cast iron skillets (available from Lodge) or cazuelas (shallow earthenware dishes from Mexico or Spain).
Shop: Organic eggs; homemade bread crumbs; Parmigiano-Reggiano. Perfection lies in the details.
Insider Tip: Wood smoke, although not necessary, adds an interesting dimension to the eggs. There’s no need to soak the chips—with 7 to 10 minutes total cooking time, you want to generate a quick blast of wood smoke. While you’re grilling the eggs, grill some thin strips of toast to go with them. (Thin, so you can jab them into the yolks.) Note: This recipe makes a single portion serving, but you can quadruple it, grilling 8 eggs in a 10-inch skillet to make breakfast for 4.
These grilled eggs are one of the simplest—and tastiest—breakfasts I know. They have something for everyone: creamy eggs, crusty bread crumbs, salty prosciutto, the umami flavors of Parmigiano-Reggiano—and that’s before you add the richness of heavy cream. They’re infinitely customizable: You could substitute Japanese panko for the bread crumbs, bacon or sausage for the prosciutto, cheddar or pepper Jack cheese for the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Ingredients
1 thin slice prosciutto or 1 strip cooked bacon
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
2 large eggs (preferably farm-fresh or organic)
2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese
2 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or scallion greens
Grilled toast (optional, but desirable)
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high.
2. Lightly brush the prosciutto on both sides with a little olive oil. Place it directly over the fire and grill until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
3. Grease a small heatproof skillet or baking dish with half the remaining olive oil. Crack in the eggs. Add the wood chunks or chips (if using) to the coals or place in the smoker box of your gas grill. Place the skillet with the eggs on the grill away from the heat.
4. Break the prosciutto into pieces over the eggs and cover with the cream. Sprinkle with the cheese and bread crumbs. Dot the tops of the eggs with the remaining olive oil or butter.
5. Indirect grill until the crumbs are browned and the eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. (The yolks should remain a little runny in the center.) Shake the pan to check for doneness—the eggs should wiggle, not ripple. Sprinkle on the chives and serve the eggs at once with strips or slices of grilled toast.
Pour the cream over the eggs. Note how the prosciutto grills directly over the fire. You can easily cook more eggs to serve a crowd.
Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the eggs.
Add the chives before removing the skillet from the grill.
Yield: Makes 4 burgers
Method: Smoke-roasting (indirect grilling with wood smoke)
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour for chilling the burgers
Grilling time: 30 to 40 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. You also need 1 full can of beer or soda, well chilled; sheet pan; silicone mesh grill mator aluminum foil; toothpicks; and 2 hardwood chunks or 1½ cups wood chips, the latter soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained.
Shop: There are several options for ground meat: breakfast sausage; sweet or spicy Italian sausage; or for a Latino twist, chorizo. Use a thick-cut artisanal bacon, like Nueske's
Insider Tip: Start with very cold ground meat and oil the chilled beer or soda can well. Grilling on a silicone mesh grill mat helps the burgers hold their shape. You can cook these burgers on a gas or charcoal grill, but you’ll get a more pronounced smoke flavor with charcoal.
Beer-can burgers rocked the barbecue blogosphere a few years ago, and while I liked the concept—molding a burger around the bottom of an oiled beer can to make a meaty cup for a filling—I don’t particularly enjoy hamburgers or any ground meat smoked low and slow. (It comes out heavy and tough.) But grill these sausage burgers at high heat as described below and the meat stays moist and tender. Fill the resulting burgers with eggs and cheese and you’ve got a belt-loosening, soul-satisfying breakfast.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil for oiling the silicone mat, beer can, and grill grate
2 pounds seasoned bulk pork sausage or sausage that’s been removed from its casings, well chilled
8 strips artisanal bacon
4 large eggs (preferably farm-fresh or organic)
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese or pepper Jack cheese
1 scallion, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced crosswise
4 English muffins, split and buttered, or grilled bread
1. Line a rimmed sheet pan with a silicone mesh grill mat or aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Divide the sausage into 4 equal portions (½ pound each). Wet your hands with cold water and form the meat into 4 balls. Arrange the meat portions several inches apart on the sheet pan.
2. Oil the bottom and lower third of the beer or soda can. (Don’t skip this step.) Firmly press the bottom of the beer can into one of the sausage balls to form a cup. The side of the cup should come about 1 inch up the side of the can. Carefully twist out the beer can and repeat with the rest of the meat. Use your fingers to mold the bottoms and sides of the cups into uniform thickness and to fuse any cracks in the meat. Wrap 2 bacon strips around the outside of each cup and secure with toothpicks.
3. Refrigerate the meat cups, uncovered, for 1 hour. The burgers can be prepared to this stage up to 8 hours ahead.
4. When ready to cook, set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. If working on a silicone mesh grill mat, simply slide it onto the grate away from the fire. Otherwise, gently pry the burgers off the foil-lined sheet pan and transfer, open side up, to the grate away from the fire. Add the wood chunks or chips to the coals if using charcoal, or place in the smoker box of your gas grill. Lower the grill lid.
5. Indirect grill the burgers until browned and firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Using paper towels, blot any excess fat pooled in the depression made by the beer can. Crack an egg into the cup of each burger. (If this makes you nervous, crack the egg into a ramekin and carefully pour it into the cup.) Sprinkle salt, pepper, grated cheese, and chopped scallions over each egg.
6. Lower the grill lid and continue indirect grilling the breakfast burgers until the sausage meat is browned, the cheese is melted, and the eggs are cooked to taste (I like them a little runny), 8 to 12 minutes more.
7. Remove the toothpicks and transfer the breakfast burgers to a platter. Grill the English muffins, cut sides down, directly over the fire, 1 to 2 minutes. Place 1 breakfast burger on the bottom of each muffin (I like to serve the burgers open-face) and get ready for one of the most outrageous breakfasts of your life.
Form a sausage cup with the oiled bottom of a beer can.
Ring the outside of each meat cup with bacon.
Secure the bacon in place with toothpicks.