Seasoning the steaks is essential for deep, savory flavor. Feel free to adjust the cooking time to reach your preferred level of doneness, from rare to medium. To take the guesswork out of it, I’ve included the internal temperatures below that you’ll need for perfect results every time!

The post Traeger Ribeye Steak appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

Forget everything you thought you knew about corned beef! This recipe transforms the traditional St. Patrick’s Day staple into something truly extraordinary. The mustard rub infuses incredible sweet and tangy flavor into the meat as it slow cooks, all finished with a creamy dipping sauce that will have everyone asking for seconds. 

Maybe you’ve seen the Wagyu Corned Beef at Costco? It caught my eye, so I grabbed one to bring home and smoke on the grill, and I’m so glad I did. The meat is so amazing – the texture and flavor is out of this world. With the leftovers we made this Reuben Dip that we served at a little neighborhood dinner party. Everyone loved it. We sliced it really thin and the flavor popped!

The post Wagyu Corned Beef  appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

While a high-quality store-bought spice rub adds convenience, there’s nothing quite like a homemade blend where you can balance the spices as you wish. I’ve included my own spice rub for these thighs that you can use too! Either way, seasoning the chicken thighs is a must for rich savory flavor. For the juiciest results, let the cooked thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving – this allows the savory juices to settle back into the meat, ensuring every bite stays moist and flavorful.

Smoking chicken thighs takes them to the next level, infusing them with a rich, woodsy aroma that oven roasting or quick grilling just can’t match. The low-and-slow method keeps the dark meat incredibly tender without the risk of drying out. Plus, it’s a hands-off process that lets the smoker do the work, leaving you free to prep sides or simply relax and socialize.

The post Traeger Chicken Thighs appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

A Smash Burger Salad is anything from boring since it tastes exactly like your favorite burger! If you’re craving a smash burger but also a lighter meal, then combine a juicy and delicious hamburger (make it a cheeseburger) with your favorite salad ingredients. Oh, and don’t forget the amazing Carmalized Shallot Dressing. We created this burger salad from Jessica Merchant’s new cookbook, Easy Everyday. You can read more info below!

The post Smash Burger Salad appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

This Mexican Chicken Marinade is my go-to marinade for chicken. But especially for any grilled Mexican meat (it’s also great on beef), the flavors are so bright and lovely, and the process is quite easy. To make the marinade, whisk together the ingredients in a bowl, and then poke the chicken all over with a fork. Pour the marinade over the chicken in a plastic bag without any mess. Pop the bag in the fridge to allow the chicken to soak up all the wonderful, warm spices.

The post Mexican Chicken Marinade appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

This Miso Steak Marinade has a rich and deep umami flavor, which is delicious with all cuts of meat. Try it with chicken, pork chops, lamb, and other cuts of beef (tenderloin is amazing!). I love to serve this in the summer months with summer grilling, with the burst miso (savory, with a hint of sweetness and toasty nutty flavor).

Miso Steak Marinade

The grilling process is simple! After marinating the steak (20-30 minutes max), the grilling process includes flipping, basting–repeating the process–until the steak is deliciously caramelized; about 10-12 minutes for medium-rare.

The post Miso Steak Marinade appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

I love Baked Beans with Ground Turkey, but I don’t love making them from dried beans. Instead, I take a few shortcuts using canned baked beans. A few other ingredients, some tasty ground turkey, and before long, you’ve got cooked-all-day-flavor ready to eat in under an hour–this post will show you how to make baked beans!

How do you cook beans from a can?

This recipe is so versatile! You bake them in a 9×13-inch baking dish so they make enough to feed a small crowd. But here’s the secret. You start with two large cans of baked beans, easily found the grocery store, and you add meat, spice, and more. Basicially you embelish the beans by adding simple ingredients, to make the best baked beans.

The post Baked Beans with Ground Turkey appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

I often splurge and buy New York Strip Steaks from Costco, and I use our simple steak marinade recipe that I’ve used for years. It’s one of my favorite grilling recipes (for all seasons!) that gives the best taste and tenderness, and it comes together in less than 10 minutes.

We love the leftovers in steak crostini (fun Friday night snack), and these ooey gooey cheesy Steak Quesadillas! It’s so tender and juicy!

The post New York Steak Marinade Recipe appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

These bison burgers are a simple, classic American burger made with lean ground bison instead of ground beef. Cooked perfectly either on the stove-top or grill, each pattie is juicy and loaded with flavor. My favorite is when the cheese melts, along with the delicious burger sauce, and then of course the onions. It’s an “out-of-this-world” burger that is always a crowd pleaser when we serve these to guests!

Bison Burgers

This Bison Burger recipe is a standout from Erin Clarke’s new cookbook, Well Plated Every Day. I love Erin’s approach to cooking because her recipes are just a little lighter but still pack that incredible punch, with flavor combinations that make every bite memorable.

As I flipped through the cookbook, I found myself bookmarking almost every page! These are recipes you’ll want to cook again and again, and the best part? Most can be on the table in under an hour, making them as practical as they are delicious. So grab Erin’s new cookbook.

Why I love this recipe

• We love a good burger, even in the wintertime.
• Love this recipe that you can cook on the stovetop (winter) or on the grill (summer). 
• You can replace the bison with lean ground beef if you prefer.
• The mustard sauce is the BEST.

Gather these ingredients

Caramelized onions

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Red onions – medium – thinly sliced
• Kosher salt

Creamy Dijon Sauce

• Greek yogurt – nonfat – plain
• Dijon mustard

Burgers/patties

• Ground bison – or 90% lean ground beef
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Sharp white cheddar cheese
• Canola oil – for grilling
• Brioche buns  – whole grain
• Lettuce
• Tomato 

How to make Bison Burgers

Caramelize the onions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook until the onions begin to soften and brown, about 8 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to low and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, 15-20 additional minutes. Remove from heat. 

Make the creamy Dijon sauce

1. Combine (in a small bowl) the yogurt and mustard (add more mustard for a zippier sauce). Set aside.

Cook the burger patties

1. Place the bison meat in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper. With a fork, gently stir to combine, being careful not to compact the meat (handle it as little as possible for the most tender burgers). 
2. Shape the mixture (gently) into 6 equal patties (about 3 ½ inches each). 
3. Season the outsides of the patties with the remaining ½ tsp of salt and brush lightly with canola oil.

Cook the burgers

1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high heat (375 – 400 degrees F) or cast iron skillet on your stovetop to medium-high heat (be sure the skillet is hot before adding the burgers). 
2. Cook the burgers until slightly charred on the first side, about 4 minutes. 
3. Flip and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes more, until the internal temperature of the burger reaches 130-135 degrees F (for medium rare). Do not overcook or the burgers will be dry.
4. Melt the cheese on top of the patty during the last minute of cooking.
5. Toast (if desired) the buns on a baking sheet in your oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. 
6. Spread the bottom bun generously with the Dijon sauce. Top with lettuce and tomato, the pattie, and then the caramelized onions. Finish with the top bun.
7. Serve and ENJOY every bite!

Tips & substitutions

• Toast the buns – burgers are always better that way.
• Use brioche or a whole grain bun – but of course you can use whatever buns you want, or make the burgers protein style (which means the pattie is between 2 lettuce leaves with no bun).
• If you can’t find bison at the market, use 90% lean ground beef. 
• Optional to use yellow Sharp Cheddar, or Provolone, Havarti or Swiss cheese.
• Make the mustard sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge.
• Use fresh tomatoes and lettuce for the juiciest burgers! Use what’s in season.
• Make the onions ahead of time, too. We love to doubel and triple the onion recipe, so we always have some in the fridge for burgers and sandwiches.

Serving suggestions

Serve these Bison Burgers with sweet potato chips or fries, and Chocolate Dump Cake.

Storage

Store any leftover cooked burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Check out these other burger recipes while you’re here

• Blackstone Smash Burgers
• Delicious Mint Lamb Burgers with Fig
• Hawaiian Burgers

Print

Bison Burgers

With bison, caramelized red onions, sharp white cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes and a zesty Dijon sauce, these juicy Bison burgers are the best! Grill or cook on stovetop! From Erin Clarke's Well Plated Everyday Cookbook. Makes 4 large burgers or 6 smaller burgers. OPTIONAL TO USE LEAN GROUND BEEF.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 790kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

For the caramelized onions

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium red onions thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

For the creamy Dijon Sauce

• ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

For the burgers

• 2 pounds ground bison or 90% lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp kosher salt divided
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 6 slices Sharp white cheddar cheese or 4 if making larger burgers
• Canola oil for grilling
• 6 medium whole grain or brioche buns or 4 if making larger burgers
• Lettuce and tomato

Instructions

• Caramelize the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook until the onions begin to soften and brown, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, 15-20 additional minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Make the creamy Dijon sauce: In a small bowl combine the yogurt and mustard (add more mustard for a zippier sauce). Set aside.
• Make the burger patties: Place the bison in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, Worcestershire, mustard, ½ tsp of the salt, and the pepper.
• With a fork, gently stir to combine, being careful not to compact the meat (handle it as little as possible for the most tender burgers). Gently shape the mixture into 6 equal patties (about 3 ½ inches each). Season the outsides with the remaining ½ tsp of salt and brush lightly with canola oil.
• Cook the burgers: Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high heat (375-400 degrees) or cast iron skillet on our stovetop to medium-high heat (be sure the skillet is hot before adding the burgers). Cook the burgers until slightly charred on the first side, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes more, until the internal temperature of the burger reaches 130-135 degrees (for medium rare). Do not overcook or the burgers will be dry.

Assemble the burgers:

• Add the cheese during the last minute of the cooking so the cheese melts.
• If desired, toast the buns on a baking sheet in your oven at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
• To serve, spread the bottom bun generously with the Dijon sauce. Top with lettuce and tomato, the pattie, and then the caramelized onions.
• Finish with the top bun and ENJOY every bite!

Nutrition

Calories: 790kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 236mg | Sodium: 1660mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1343IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 345mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Bison Burgers appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

We love summer grilling here in Oregon, and our Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon recipe is one of our favorites. We first smoke it on the grill, and then we top it with a homemade cashew and pesto topping, with graden heirloom tomatoes. It’s the ultimate summer dinner, on a warm evening, and for sure it’s company-worthy.

Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon with Pesto

Growing up in Oregon, I’ve enjoyed a lot of salmon recipes. My favorite has always been grilled salmon. There are so many ways to prepare the salmon, but this recipe today is the best. One reader recently wrote: “This is among the most delicious meals we have ever had at home. It was just so freaking juicy and GOOD.”

Why I love this recipe

• Salmon is so easy to grill – and easy for company!
• Make your own (dairy-free) cashew pesto!
• The flavor of cashew and pesto pairs perfectly with salmon and the tomatoes.
• The ultimate summer meal.

We recently served this Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon for dinner guests, with a side of Tennessee Onions, a Greenhouse salad, and Salted Watermelon Salad. We picked up the heirloom tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market here in Bend.

This is an easy salmon recipe, on the table in less than 30 minutes, perfect for a summer party!

Gather these ingredients

• Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon filet, we buy at Costco
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Ground cashews
• Olive oil
• Bunches fresh basil
• Black cracked pepper
• Salt
• Honey
• Garlic
• Lemon juice

How do you make Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon with pesto

1. Rinse and dry Wild Sockeye Salmon filets. Layer two sheets of foil together, large enough for the salmon, and fold up the sides to make a tray. Place filet on foil. (We used 3 trays, so 6 pieces of foil).
2. Make the pesto: In a food processor, combine basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, honey, and lemon. Process until smooth. Add in finely ground cashews and continue to blend until smooth.
3. Spread pesto evenly on fish. Slice tomatoes and place on top.
4. Place on grill at 300 degrees heat, for about 10 minutes, or until white areas appear on the top of the salmon. Cooking time will depend on thickness of fillet. Use the back of a spatula method to see if fish is done. (Press on the fish using the back of a spatula. If fish is firm, then it is done. If it is spongy, you need to keep cooking it:)
5. Remove from the grill and serve immediately!

How do you smoke salmon?

Using our Traeger grill, it’s optional to smoke the salmon first. You’ll want to cook it on low—170°F – 200°F . Use your favorite flavor pellets to get that nice smoky flavor. After smoking you can turn up the grill for a few minutes untilt he salmon is done (whiteness will form). Or if you don’t have a smoker, follow the recipe.

Tips and substitutios:

• The best wood for smoking salmon are hardwoods. Some of the best options include cedar, alder, apple, lemon, and cherry.
• You can buy Wild Sockeye Salmon at Costco or Market of Choice, Whole Foods, or even Safeway.
• It’s the best with heirloom tomatoes, but of course you can use any fresh tomatoes.
• Optoinal to use pine nuts in place of the cashew (to make your own pesto).
• Also optional to use store-bought pesto if you don’t want to make your own.
• We love that our pesto is dairy-free!
• Cook the bread on the grill the same time the fish is cooking.
• How do you know if the salmon is done? Use the back of a spatula method to see if fish is done. (Press on the fish using the back of a spatula. If fish is firm, then it is done. If it is spongy, you need to keep cooking it:)

How do you serve grilled salmon?

Summer meals are the freshest and so healthy! Serve this salmon with sliced watermelon or cantaloupe, a side of green salad, and a bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream (with fresh blackberries).

This meal was the essence of summer and good friendships, we all agreed.

More salmon recipes you may want to try while you are here:

• Grilled Lemon Dill Salmon
• Wild Rice Stuffed Salmon
• Pistachio Salmon with Lemon

Print

Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon

Delicious grilled Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon with dairy-free pesto and cashew is a favorite summer recipe, with fresh heirloom tomatoes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 393kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 2 pound Wild Sockeye Salmon filet we buy at Costco
• 3 medium heirloom tomatoes
• 1 cup finely ground cashews
• ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 large bunches fresh basil
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. honey
• 4-5 tsp. garlic
• 6 tsp. lemon juice

Instructions

• Rinse and dry Wild Sockeye Salmon filets. Layer two sheets of foil together, large enough for the salmon, and fold up the sides to make a tray. Place filet on foil. (We used 3 trays, so 6 pieces of foil).
• To make the pesto, in a food processor, combine basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, honey, and lemon. Process until smooth. Add in finely ground cashews and continue to blend until smooth.
• Spread pesto evenly on fish. Slice tomatoes and place on top.
• Place on grill at 300 degrees heat, for about 10 minutes, or until white areas appear on the top of the salmon. Cooking time will depend on thickness of fillet. Use the back of a spatula method to see if fish is done. (Press on the fish using the back of a spatula. If fish is firm, then it is done. If it is spongy, you need to keep cooking it:)
• Remove from the grill and serve immediately!

Notes

Reposted from May 2018.

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 437IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon with Pesto appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.