NorCal MexiCali Carne Asada

Carne Asada is so California Mexican. Its strange to me coming from a place where Mexican food is smothered and homey. Mexican food in California is fast and convenient, MexiCali  Really much more like street food, taco trucks with tacos and burritos you can eat with your hands. Its different here but its still Mexican so that means its good. Carne Asada is a very thinly cut skirt steak. You can ask them to cut it in the market for you. Make sure you marinate the meat for a long time before you grill.

Ingredients
2 lbs skirt steak, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 handful cilantro chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 jalapeño chopped
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 C olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/3 C soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 tbsp brown sugar

Method 
In a ziplock or bowl, combine all ingredients and marinate for at least 24 hours.

Grill
Serve as tacos or burrito filling or even Carne Asada Fries

Beer Steamed Chicken

I have been Christmas shopping for my man and I keep picking up BBQ stuff, My Daddy LOVES his girl. Hehe I meant grill! I found a fun gadget on zulilly. It was a rack for a beer can for a whole chicken. Wow I thought he would love that. I bought it, and I hid the gift in my big box o gifts.
We were lying in bed and he says "Baby, Lets make a beer chicken for Labor day"...... Hmmmm this is the second gift I have had to pull out because I read his mind on a regular.
We made the chickens without the rack we used 40oz cans and they sit straight up on the grill just fine. They came out so moist and delicious!!

Ingredients 
1 whole chicken 
1 can Beer

Spice Rub
4tbsp garlic salt 
1/4c  brown sugar
2tbsp smoked paprika
1tsp cayenne pepper

Method
Season chicken with Spice Rub, Make sure you rub down chicken under skin too.. I put mine in a zip lock bag over night

Pour out (or drink) half of beer.Insert into cavity of chicken.

 

Prepare grill for high, indirect heat charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill and put drip pan on empty side;  Add water to pan to a depth of 1/2". Place cavity of chicken, legs pointing down, onto open can so that it supports chicken upright. Place can, with chicken, on grill over indirect heat (and above drip pan).

Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 45-60 minutes.  Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.