Fleishigs Magazine Issue 008 - July 2019

M E D I U M D O N E W E L L A W E ’ R E

HIS BARK IS AS GOOD AS HIS BITE. SMOKE, NOT MIRRORS WITH IZZY'S BBQ.

page 34

page 54

page 14

ISSUE J U LY 2 0 1 9

OVER THE BORDER, THROUGH THE WOODS: MEXICAN FIESTA.

N 008

BRISKET: THE OG OF JEWISH EATING.

Stay tuned for our refreshing new products.

If you take advantage of this offer, you’ll have issues.

Get a year of Fleishig goodness & save up to 24% off the newstand rate.

($66 value)

l Deasubscription Bes2t year

22

ISSUES

only

$

99

00 *

($132 value)

Mail information to Fleishigs LLC, 530 Arlington Rd, Cedarhurst NY 11516. email hello@fleishigs.com for more information or visit www.fleishigs.com to subscribe. *Includes shipping in the U.S. Outside the U.S. Standard Shipping Rates apply.

Canada: $22 per year, International: $35 per year.

D O N E

55

00

W E L L

$

Gift Subscrition

Personal Subscrition

Name Address City/State/Zip Phone Email Credit Card Information (or pay by check or money order) Credit Card Number Expiration Date

Security Code

A

only

A R E

11

ISSUES

*

W E

1 year subscription

M E D I U M

Enjoy the discount, and getting the inside scoop on all things meat before your sister-in-law, your mother-in-law, and the yenta next door. Hmmm, delicious.

Visa / Mastercard / American Express Name on Card Address City/State/Zip

order online: fleishigs.com | email: hello@fleishigs.com

CONTENTS

8 10

26

EDITOR'S LETTER

BE EQUIPPED Smoking Tools

14

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING A Beginner’s Guide

GARDEN SALADS

Salads worth salivating over

54

MEXICAN GRILL See what's cooking South of the Border

23 31 34

GARDENING 101 INTERNATIONAL MARINADES

BUTCHER’S CUT: BRISKET The OG of Jewish Eating

40

SOUS VIDE Sous vide for the grill

46

RESTAURANT CHRONICLES Chef Isaac’s New Project: Gruit

51

TRAVEL Cancun

62

64

FESTIVALS BBQ Competition Season Has Arrived

66

L’CHAIM Summer Wines & Mexican Beers

SALSA: A COLLECTION

68

COOKBOOK REVIEW No Crumbs Left by Teri Turner

Put the jar away; it’s time for some real salsa.

70

FOOD TRENDS Charcuterie

74

MODERN HEIMISH Slay Summer Slaws

76

RESOURCE GUIDE Charcuterie & Smokehouses

78

INTERVIEW The Grub Company

80 82

RECIPE GUIDE

A DAY IN THE LIFE BBQ Pitmaster

Esty Wolbe has become well known for her infectious, authentic and fun cooking style. She started the popular Facebook group, I Don’t Cook But I Give Out Recipes, an Instagram page (@cookingwithtantrums) and blog www.cookingwithtantrums.com (as a mom of 5, there are many) and hosts a popular show on www.kosher.com entitled Easy Does It. Look for her marinade article and cooking tips throughout the issue.

6

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

e xplore 96 points

Well-known for its majestic views and breathtaking scenery, the Pacific Northwest is also home to one of America’s premier wine growing regions.

Benefiting from the warm stable weather of the West Coast, mixed with the cooler nights of northern latitudes, wines from Oregon and Washington feature lively ripe fruit of New World wines mixed with the refreshing acidity that Old World wine. Open a bottle of Pacifica wine and explore the tastes of the Pacific Northwest.

editor's letter

THE BBQ ISSUE

" N O O N E I S B O R N A G R E AT C O O K , O N E L E A R N S BY D O I N G " —J U L I A C H I L D

T

he first time I had legit barbecue was in 2011 in the Flatiron District of Manhattan and it was simply unforgettable.

Standing in the streets of the city, chowing down Ari White's (of Wandering Que) legendary smoky, savory, sweet, tender pulled brisket sandwich topped with tangy red cabbage slaw was truly a memorable experience. There’s something magical that happens with meat cooked low-and-slow and back in the early 2000’s real-deal barbecue was something completely new to the kosher palate.

Since then I’ve been a lucky judge at quite a few barbecue competitions (see pg. 65 for a list of similar, upcoming competitions around the country) and have enjoyed the magic of low-and-slow cooking at Ari White’s famous street fairs and Izzy’s Smokehouse in Crown Heights. But barbecue was always reserved for outside the home. Despite conquering my “fears” and starting a small home garden (see how you can too with Melinda Strauss’ guide on pg. 23) and tackling sous vide (even using it to prep for the grill, see pg. 40), smoking was something I was simply too intimidated to undertake. I thought I needed expensive equipment, hard to find gadgets and a lot of time.

this feature that as a bonus, you can also head to our YouTube channel and watch Sruli demo the process from start to finish.

Beyond smoking, I love summer for the produce, warm weather, chill vibes and especially grilling. I absolutely love to grill. Rain or shine.

It is so relaxing and culminates in a feast that brings everyone together in the best way.

This summer, I’m definitely using Esty Wolbe’s international marinades (pg. 32) as my guide for grilling proteins and Chef Isaac’s slaws (pg.

74) will be stocked in my fridge for the perfect cool, crunchy component to richly grilled fare.

If you’re a travel junkie, check out our article on Cancun (pg. 51) along with our feature on Mexican salsas (pg. 62) and beers (pg. 67), all perfect accompaniments to your summer gathering. And when I just want to catch a break (this summer is dedicated to producing the most epic Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot issues), you may or may not find me lounging in the beer garden of Chef Isaac’s new restaurant, Gruit (pg. 46).

Be sure to subscribe so you can be part of our exclusive email list and receive one-of-a-kind content that doesn’t make it into the magazine.

Tried one of our recipes? Let us know!

8

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

@Fleishigsmag

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Shlomo Klein EDITOR Elisheva Taitz PROOFREADER Chana Weiss DESIGN estudio-5.com PRODUCTION estudio-5.com PHOTOGRAPHER Schneur Menaker FOOD STYLIST Shifra Klein TEST KITCHEN MANAGER Suzi Gornish MARKETING & BRANDING Mann Sales Co. TEST KITCHEN SPONSOR Gourmet Glatt RABBINICAL AUTHORITY www.ok.org

www.fleishigs.com

Bitayavon,

Shifra When quite a few readers requested we do a smoking guide, I finally had an excuse to get Sruli Eidelman (a.k.a. Izzy himself) into our backyard to demonstrate how to actually smoke at home without investing too much time, money or resources. Read all about how to start smoking at home (pg.

14) and the tools you’ll need to get going (pg. 10); it is so much easier (and cheaper) than you’ll ever imagBBQ Competition in Fairfiled, CT, circa 2015. From L to R: me, Shlomo Klein, Mordy ine. We were so into Stricks, Mendel Segal, Elan Kornblum, Jonathan Margolin and Ari White.

Hello@fleishigs.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Shifra Klein

@Fleishigsmag

Comments & Questions: Hello@fleishigs.com Advertising & Partnerships: Shlomo@fleishigs.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

Fleishigs magazine assumes no responsibility for content or kashrut of articles and advertisements in the magazine, or for the content of books. Fleishigs magazine is not responsible for typographical errors.

Thank you to Fishs Eddy for providing many of the beautiful dishes used to photograph recipes for this issue. Visit www.fishseddy.com or their store located at 889 Broadway at 19th Street in NYC for flatware, dining ware, kitchenware, silverware, linens and more.

@Fleishigsmagazine w w w.f leishigs.com

Top rated Grow & Behold favorite

Dry Aged 2” Cowboy Steak I wish there was a rating higher than “The Best.” Based on the price, it was hard for me to justify this purchase. I’m so glad that I did ...

I have never had a kosher steak as delicious as this one ... Worth every penny!

Jody D., AZ

Find your favorite. growandbehold.com 1-888-790-5781

Pasture Raised

No Hormones or Antibiotics

Family Farms

™

2

8 9

3 4

7

6

SMOKING TOOLS 10

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

BE EQUIPPED

1

1

Kettle Grill

The kettle grill is composed of a lid, cooking grid, charcoal grid, lower chamber, venting system and legs. The lower chamber that holds the charcoal is shaped like a kettle, giving the grill its name. We used the Weber 22-inch and liked its large size (fits 13 burgers at once), ability to retain heat well and the easy-to-clean grate.

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch, Black • $165.00 • www.weber.com

2

Chimney Starter

The quickest way to achieve crackling briquettes and the nostalgia of charcoal grilling starts with one simple, yet amazing tool. Weber’s chimney starter has a two handle design which provides more control when pouring lit charcoal.

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter • $16.99 • www.weber.com

3

Gloves

Hand protection is crucial when smoking. There are so many scorching hot elements to smoking that call for protection.

Trudeau Oven Gloves • $28.99 • www.amazon.com

5

4

Plastic spray bottles

A pitmaster’s secret to keeping meat moist throughout the process is a simple spray bottle filled with apple juice, beer, soda or even water. The large 32-ounce sized bottles are great to carry you through a long smoking process.

Pinnacle Mercantile Plastic Spray Bottles Pack of 3 • $12.98 • www.amazon.com

5

Tongs

Everything you need to smoke at home

Tongs are THE tool to aid in effectively maneuvering meat on and off the grill. We recommend stainless steel, long handled tongs. The All-Clad model we used has extra long handles, is dishwasher safe and has a lock for compact storage.

All-Clad Outdoor Tongs • $39.95 • www.all-clad.com • www.williams-sonoma.com

6

Wood Chips or Chunks

Chunks burn slower and are recommended over chips for that purpose. You can find both chunks or chips on Amazon or at home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Kingsford Wood Chunks or Chips • $5.97-$8.97 • www.homedepot.com

Thermometer

 A good thermometer is essential for any kind of meat cookery. Engineered for precision and accuracy, OXO’s Chef’s Precision line of thermometers offers professional-grade results with at-home ease.

OXO Good Grips Thermocouple Thermometer • $99.99 • www.oxo.com

7

Lump Charcoal or

8

Charcoal Briquettes

Both forms of charcoal add that unique flavor many crave. Lump charcoal is heated under controlled conditions to remove impurities and has no fillers or chemicals. It is more natural but does cost a few dollars more and may not burn as long and consistently as briquettes.

Briquettes are made from sawdust and left over wood that is burnt down the same way as lump charcoal. Unlike lump charcoal, additives can be found in briquettes which is why they are cheaper and maintain a steady temperature for a longer time.

Royal Oak 15.44 lb. 100% All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal • $12.97 • www.homedepot.com Royal Oak 15.4-lb Charcoal Briquettes • $6.99 • www.lowes.com

9

Fire Starter

Skip the lighter fluid and light your charcoal the natural way! Simply break off a piece, tuck into your charcoal pile and light.

Pine Mountain StarterLogg Select-ASize Fire Starting Blocks • $9.44 • www.amazon.com

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

11

Your Butcher is Waiting to Hear From You! Prefer to have your meat order processed directly through the butcher department? Have a question about a particular cut or cooking method? Who better to reach out to than your local Gourmet Glatt meat department manager?

It’s time to take flavor & tenderness to a whole new place.

Email your questions, comments or meat order any time of the day or night.

YOUR BACKYARD. BBQ season is here again and Gourmet Glatt is ready with an amazing selection of grill-friendly meats and poultry – including specialty cuts and an ever-expanding line of ready-to-grill items that guarantee incredible results every time you fire up the grill. cedarhurst

woodmere

boro park

lakewood

137 Spruce Street Cedarhurst, New York T: 516-569-2662

1030 Railroad Ave Woodmere, New York T: 516-295-6901

1274 39th Street Brooklyn, New York T: 718-437-3000

1700 Madison Avenue Lakewood, New Jersey T: 732-961-1700

Shop online at GourmetGlattOnline.com

/gourmetglatt

butcher@gourmetglatt.com (Cedarhurst) butcher@gourmetglattwoodmere.com (Woodmere) butcher@gourmetglattbrooklyn.com (Boro Park) butcher@gourmetglattlakewood.com (Lakewood)

14

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

CULINARY SCHOOL

BY SHIFRA KLEIN Spearheaded by entrepreneur and passionate barbecue aficionado, Sruli (a.k.a. Izzy) Eidelman of Izzy's BBQ Smokehouse (Crown Heights, Brooklyn), has put kosher barbecue on the restaurant map. Inspired by Texas-style barbecue and what he learned from Ari White of Wandering Que, Sruli operates one of the most popular kosher restaurants in the country.

Traditionally, barbecue was synonymous with grilling, a quick-cooking method that relies on high heat, utilizing a gas or charcoal grill, common mostly in the summer months.

Texas or Southern-style barbecue is truly the opposite of grilling, utilizing a wood-burning fire for delicious, smoky flavor, as well as a low-andslow cook time for tender, melt-inyour-mouth textures.

experience and trial and error. Sruli himself started out of his Brooklyn apartment, preparing brisket and ribs for family and friends. While you can’t become a pro overnight, there are some easy ways to create a similar result at home. One of our most requested features was how to smoke at home, so we called in the expert.

Sruli suggests starting with a typical charcoal (kettle) grill and adding wood chips to the mix. You can smoke chicken, brisket, ribs, or even corn and fish using this method. Cooking time varies.

The type of wood used when barbecuing (or smoking) greatly impacts the flavor of the meat, so barbecue pitmasters (experts in this style of cooking) each have their own favorite wood or wood combination. Sruli prefers oak and cherry woods. He says that combining a hardwood and fruit wood creates a great balanced smoky flaWhere there’s vor that he loves. smoke, there Becoming a professional pitmaster takes years of

can be you.

Remember, a charcoal grill will not work as perfectly as a proper smoker, but it is a great way for the home cook to impart a smoky flavor in an inexpensive, foolproof way. And as Sruly wisely shares, "It is a chill process, so have fun with it and don't take it too seriously."

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

15

CULINARY SCHOOL

BE IN T

HOW TO SMOKE BRISKET WITH A BASIC GRILL: H

N E K OW

First or Second Cut? Sruli’s recommendation for home smokers is the second cut brisket. Plenty of fat makes it more forgiving than first cut, which takes a real pro to get nice and tender. Ideally, you want meat with the fat cap on. Most butchers remove it since it is unnecessary when cooking brisket in an oven as it doesn't dissolve or add much in flavor, making it unnecessary. On a grill, however, the fat offers another layer of protection to ensure tender results and it does eventually melt away when cooked low-and-slow. If you are going the first cut brisket route, definitely use one with somewhat of a fat cap intact.

Not every brisket is equal:

Use vents to control the heat of the grill.

Some animals have lived better lives than others, and the meat can be more or less tender as a result. Even on a first cut brisket, there are varying qualities which can be identified by the marbling. Brisket with more marbling will be more tender.

You want to maintain a temperature of about 225°F. The grill may not maintain a perfectly consistent temperature, but that is okay.

Have Fun...It Takes Time To Become a Pro: It may take some trial and error to get the results you are looking for. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

You Don’t Need Much: All you need is salt, black pepper and a thin layer of mustard to help the seasoning adhere. We had butcher’s cut pepper, but Sruli actually prefers to use finely ground black pepper because it breaks down easily and is more pleasant to eat. You can add whatever spices you prefer or use your favorite rub.

16

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

Sruli hangs with fellow BBQ pit master (and executive chef at Backyard BBQ in Surfside, Florida) Mendel Segal. Read more about Mendel on pg. 82. w w w.f leishigs.com

GET ON with THE PARTY

WWW. TOWN APPLIANCE.COM

732.364.5195

SHOWROOM HOURS ALSO IN THE FIVE TOWNS

516.303.8338 ext. 6010

Fast and Free Delivery in the Tri State Area

KN

OW Y O

CULINARY SCHOOL STEP

UR

S

1:

Remove top grate from grill. Pour charcoal onto one side of grill. Pour some charcoal into the chimney starter as well. Set chimney starter aside.

2:

Light starter and paper on grill (the side that doesn’t have charcoal) and place filled chimney overtop. Let charcoal burn for about 20 minutes.

1

3:

While charcoal heats, brush brisket on each side with a little bit of mustard, then season generously with salt and finely ground black pepper.

4:

Dump charcoal from chimney onto the side of the grill that is filled with charcoal, creating direct and indirect heat spots.

5:

Add a pan of water, beer, or apple juice to the side of the grill without charcoal. The pan of liquid will steam and add necessary moisture to help achieve a tender result.

6: 7:

5

6

Place the top grate on the grill.

Add wood chips or chunks on top of the charcoal by opening up the grate.

(Weber makes a grill where the grate can be lifted to add additional charcoal or wood as needed.) Sruli recommends chunks, as they burn more effectively than chips. Add a new batch of wood every hour or so, basing the amount of wood and frequency on how smoky you want your meat.

8:

Place brisket over indirect heat, above the pan of liquid.

9:

Spray brisket with apple juice every hour or so. Add a new batch of charcoal into the grill every few hours to maintain heat.

10

10:

After 6-8 hours, check the internal temperature of the meat using a meat thermometer. When the brisket reaches 160-175°F, remove from heat and wrap well with butcher paper.

11:

Place the wrapped brisket back on the grill for another 2-4 hours. You can also cover and place in a 200°F oven for another 2 hours or so. The brisket is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 200°F.

18

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

11 w w w.f leishigs.com

2

3

4

7

8

9

UNWRAP, SLICE, ENJOY! JULY 2019

Fleishigs

19

T FUSION ATERING. SE AND C G STEAKHOU OUTSIDE CATERIN OM & O E R S G U O DININ & IN H . PRIVATE AVAILABLE ULL OUTDOOR DECK WITH F TING FOR 80 SEA BLY. COMFORTA

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM AND STAY IN THE LOOP: * NEW HEAD CHEF ZACK HESS * NEW PARTY MENUS AVAILABLE * STAY TUNED FOR BIG NEWS COMING SOON!!

Summer Menu + BBQ

3223 Quentin Rd

Plenty outdoor seating Stay Tuned for some Big news

718-627-8325

Brooklyn, NY 11234 USA www.tfusionsteakhouse.com Under the hashgacha of Rav Yisroel Gornish

er s

Ga r

g n i n e d or

f

n n i g e B

PRODUCE

I’m calling this article ‘Gardening for Beginners’ because I like to keep my garden as simple and hands-free as possible. I believe that anyone can plant a garden, even if you’ve never done it before. I started gardening only 4 years ago because a corner of my yard was sitting unused and I really don’t like any non-functional space. How to make it function? Create a garden, of course. I truly had no idea what I was doing so I asked my gardener, Robert, for practical advice. He helped me every step of the way during my first year as a new gardener. Beyond his guidance, I can tell you that Google has been my best friend, but it can be overwhelming to look through tons of articles with thousands of tips and hundreds of plants to choose from. Year after year, I learn new tips

BY MELINDA STRAUSS

and tricks and my garden gets bigger and better. THAT is what inspired me to write this article. I want to keep it simple, give you practical tips and help you get your green thumb on.

GET YOUR GREEN THUMB ON JULY 2019

Fleishigs

23

w o n k to

ow

Wh a

t ore ef

r you g b

1

No pressure,

just plant

You don’t need to plant an entire garden all in one day or even in one season. If you’re not sure where to begin, just pick a few plants and a few herbs. Once you get the hang of it, you can add more to your garden. The truth is, sometimes we get so overwhelmed by other people’s gardens or the amount of plant options out there that we freeze up and don’t plant at all. I say start small so you actually start! I like to buy my plants from a nursery or home improvement store instead of growing them from seeds because it’s one less step to take. You can certainly start your plants from seeds but make sure you do your research on how early in the season to plant them, how often to water them and whether they should be in the sun or not. Personally, keeping it as easy as possible includes someone else starting the growing process for me.

24

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

2

Before you plant, plan

Pay attention to where the sun hits your yard before choosing the spot for your garden. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sun every day in order to grow and thrive. If you have a sprinkler system, try to plant your garden near a sprinkler head and time your sprinklers to water the plants once or twice a day. You can manually water your garden as well, but that will definitely take more work on your part.

PRODUCE

3

Control your grow

No matter what plants you pick, please make sure you do an online search for how much space you’ll need in the garden. Some grow tall and skinny like peppers and eggplant, some grow wide like tomatoes and squash and some like to climb fences and attach themselves to everything like green beans and cucumbers.

4

You have two options for your garden; in-ground or raised-bed. An in-ground garden is definitely easier for beginners because there’s less equipment involved and less money to spend building beds. You just need to choose your plot of grass, dig it up, add in nutrient-rich garden soil that you can purchase at any home improvement store or gardening outlet and start planting. The biggest downside to an in-ground garden are the stubborn weeds that can pop up. You are literally planting your garden in the native soil (i.e. your backyard) and unless you’re testing it for contamination and quality, you’re working with what you’ve got. That’s why it’s beneficial to add garden soil with added nutrients to your dirt to help the plants thrive. I have an in-ground garden and I’m very happy with the results, despite the potential weeds.

LET’S TALK DIRT

A raised-bed garden involves building containment units, which are usually made of wood, rock, or concrete and vary by size. It involves extra labor and cost to build, but is easier to maintain since you can fill it completely with the soil you choose to work with and have more control over weeds.

5

MAN PLANTS, HERBS LAUGH

This is a big one, people! There are some plants that grow like weeds and if you plant them right into the ground, they will take over everything.

I mean EVERYTHING! I plant mostly in-ground but I also have a few planters in my garden for this reason. I like to keep all of my herbs in planters but if I can tell you one herb to watch out for, it’s mint because it grows wild and can take over your entire garden.

Just ask Naomi Elberg (a frequent Fleishigs contributor) about her backyard of mint.

6

BUILD THIS WALL

I don’t have experience with animals eating from my garden but I’ve received so many questions about this, so I did a little research. The best way to grow a garden with wild animals living nearby is to put up a cage or a fence. There are tons of options available online at all different price points so I suggest not spending too much until you get a feel for gardening. Just search for ‘garden fencing’ online. If you’re worried about small critters, there are a few options that can help such as sprinkling coffee grounds or hot pepper flakes into the garden. Planting lavender is another great option and as a bonus, lavender repels mosquitoes.

Here are a few tips I’ve learned from my own personal garden that have helped me year after year: Give squash lots of space. The leaves grow huge to give squash natural shade so they take up a lot of real estate in the garden.

Peppers and eggplants grow tall and the vegetables are very heavy. I like to put a support cage around each plant to keep them upright through the summer and fall seasons. Be patient with these vegetables because they grow later in the season.

Tomato bushes grow wide and heavy, so I like to buy plant support cages to keep them from falling over. You can prune the bushes to keep them lighter but as I said before, I like a hands-off approach. I love watching the tomatoes grow wild! If you’re on your second year of planting, rotate the location of your tomatoes to avoid a garden disease common to this plant that lives in the soil.

Strawberries are a beginner’s friend.

At the request of my daughter, I bought one strawberry plant and after some research I learned that it’s typical for a strawberry plant to not produce in the first year. What we did learn, however, was that the “mother plant” sends out little runners to produce “daughter plants” wherever they end up. A few years later, that’s how I ended up with a beautiful strawberry patch, to my daughter’s delight.

Guest Editor Esty Wolbe's Gardening Thoughts: Use your hands. Every year I say I'll start a small garden, but it never seems to happen. Enough procrastination! There's no time like the present. Since I don't have much space, I'm planting some herbs to start. If all goes well, I'll expand on it next year using the inspiration I’ve gained from Melinda’s gardening feature.

Melinda Strauss is the creator of the popular food blog Kitchen Tested (www. kitchen-tested.com), founder of the annual Jewish Food Media Conference, and Certified Optavia Coach. Melinda is deeply passionate about empowering others to believe in themselves. She shares her own personal growth journey, along with delicious healthful recipes every day on Instagram @therealmelindastrauss.

PLANTER TO PLATE.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

25

go ver

Sa w

s d a l orth

n i t a v i l a s

There’s nothing a BBQ benefits more from than the balance of a fresh summer salad inspired by summer produce. I love playing with sweet and savory flavors so I came up with these 2 salads that are sure to be a hit at your next summer gathering. Any of these salads would pair perfectly with grilled meat and the citrus dressing acts as the perfect marinade.

Marinate your protein of choice in some of the dressing for 30-60 minutes, then grill. Use the rest to dress the salad.

26

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

PRODUCE

GRILLED SALAD Serves: 6 3 ears fresh corn 1 bunch asparagus 1 red onion, peeled and halved 3 peaches or apricots, halved and pitted 3 clementines, halved 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Kosher salt Black pepper ¼ cup Citrus Dressing (recipe follows) Radish sprouts, for garnish (optional)

CITRUS DRESSING Yields: 1 ½ cups dressing The awesome thing about this all purpose dressing is that it pairs perfectly with both fruits and vegetables and works as a marinade too. ¼ cup orange juice Zest of one orange ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, grated 1 tablespoon honey ½ teaspoon kosher salt Pinch of black pepper

Mix ingredients well to combine.

Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.

Note: If you plan to make the dressing in advance, omit the dill and add the day you are using the dressing.

Heat grill to high heat (500°F).

Brush oil over corn, asparagus, red onion, peaches and clementine halves; season with salt and pepper.

Grill the peaches, red onion and clementines, cut side down, alongside the corn and asparagus for 3 minutes per side with the grill closed.

Slice corn off the cob and dice the onions, asparagus and peaches to your preferred size. Toss with the dressing and serve with the clementine halves.

Top with grilled chicken or steak, if desired.

Serve with grilled clementine halves.

Garnish with radish sprouts.

YOU SAY GARDEN, WE SAY SALAD. JULY 2019

Fleishigs

27

28

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

PRODUCE

STRAWBERRY SALAD Yields: 1 ½ cups dressing This salad is inspired by my strawberry patch. Combining sweet, slightly acidic strawberries with creamy avocado, crunchy snap peas, lettuce and sunflower seeds creates a magical combination. Top it with a protein to make it a complete meal.

1 head butter lettuce 1 pint fresh strawberries, quartered ¼ cup sunflower seeds 1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced 1½ cups sugar snap peas, thinly sliced ½ cup Citrus Dressing (pg. 27) Fresh dill (optional)

Combine all ingredients together. Top with grilled chicken or steak, if desired.

Serve immediately.

REAP WHAT YOU SOW. JULY 2019

Fleishigs

29

GRILLING GUIDE

The thing I love most about food is its ability to transport you to another time or another place. Aromas waft through the air, teasing and enticing, then you take that first bite and you know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re back in your grandma’s kitchen or on a tropical island you’ve never actually been to yet, or anywhere in between. Because, you see, we’re all foodies and this new-age term describes all humans who enjoy great food and the unspoken journey we embark on when we eat it.

Marinades infuse flavor deep into the protein of choice, far better than a spice rub could ever do, so every bite is as delicious as the last. The longer you marinate, the bolder the flavor will be. However, after the maximum recommended time frame, any acid in the marinade will begin to break down or essentially “cook” the chicken, so always keep that in mind when choosing your ingredients.

When it comes to marinating meats, there are no major rules. Anything pretty much goes. Mix and match flavors in a way that feels right for you.

On the following page, I provide an ideal cut for each marinade, but feel free to customize however you like.

All recipes require that the grill be covered during the cooking time listed.

If you don’t have access to a grill, or it is pouring rain outside, you can easily make the following recipes indoors either by broiling in the oven or using a stovetop grill pan. Follow the same cooking time as you would for an outdoor grill. While it won't have the exact same flavor, it will come pretty close.

The best way to avoid overcooking your chicken or meat is to use a meat thermometer. You can get one for as little as $10 on Amazon and it will eliminate all the guesswork. You’ve been there. Is it cooked yet? *slice* Nope, still pink. With a thermometer, you’ll know that as soon as the chicken registers at 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken, it’s perfect and you can pull it off the grill, intact.

Allow to rest for a few minutes so the juices can redistribute and you’ll be rewarded with the juiciest grilled chicken you’ve ever had. Pinkie swear.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

31

MARINADES

RECIPES BY: ESTY WOLBE

STICKY KOREAN SHORT RIBS

I know, the apple sauce is throwing you off. Just trust me on this. The apple sauce not only lends sweetness to the marinade, it also acts as a natural tenderizer, making this marinade wonderful for tougher cuts of meat as well. Pineapple juice or puréed kiwi can be used in its place. Feel free to decrease the quantity of the gochujang if spicy food just isn’t your thing.

Gochujang Note: Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste. If you can’t find it, you may substitute with 2 tablespoons miso + 2 tablespoons sriracha.

INDONESIAN COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN RECIPE BY: SUZI GORNISH

During our shoot in the Fleishigs test kitchen, we felt like we could use another exotic marinade. Suzi Gornish, our test kitchen chef, came up with this Indonesian Coconut Curry marinade on the fly and we were blown away with the results.

BELGIAN ALE RIB STEAKS

The inspiration for this recipe comes from my favorite beer, Blue Moon.

The beer is traditionally served with an orange slice as a nod to the orange peel used in the brewing process. The orange zest in this marinade serves the same purpose.

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB CHOPS

The bright flavors in this marinade carry you right to the Mediterranean Sea. No passport required. I like to use frozen garlic cubes here because they “melt” into the marinade more easily.

SPICY THAI CHICKEN

Thai flavors take your palate on a trip. Spicy! Salty! Sour! Sweet! Herbaceous! They all come together here so you can visit Thailand without ever leaving your kitchen. Don’t like cilantro? No worries, you’re not alone. Use parsley instead.

NORTH AMERICAN MAPLE CHICKEN

I remember the first time I tried real maple syrup and thought, "Oh, those poor pancake syrup makers. THIS is what they were going for?!” Needless to say, there is a world of a difference and you should only own the real stuff. Use it here, on pancakes, brushed onto facon.. the possibilities are endless, eh?

32

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

GRILLING GUIDE Yields: 1 cup | Combine 1 tablespoons sesame oil, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup apple sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, ¼ cup gochujang, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or 1 frozen ginger cube), 1 small onion (minced or puréed) and 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds, in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add 3 pounds Miami ribs or Korean short ribs, seal and gently massage to coat all pieces with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, flipping the bag over midway through. Remove ribs from the marinade and grill over high heat, 3-4 minutes per side.

Yields: ¾ cup | Combine ½ can coconut milk, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, zest and juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ jalapeño and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, seal and gently massage to coat all the chicken pieces with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, flipping the bag over midway through. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill over high heat, 6-8 minutes per side.

Yields: 1½ cups | Combine 3 tablespoons oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 shallot (minced), 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 bottle light beer in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add 2-4 1-inch rib steaks, seal and gently massage to coat with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, flipping the bag over midway through. Remove meat from the marinade and grill over high heat for 5 minutes per side for medium.

Yields: ¾ cup | Blend ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 3 cloves garlic (minced), ¹⁄3 cup black olives, 1 tablespoons tomato paste, ¼ cup fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (stripped), ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper together using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender. Combine all marinade ingredients in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add 8 baby lamb chops, seal and gently massage to coat all the pieces with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, flipping the bag over midway through. Remove lamb from the marinade and grill over high heat, 4 minutes per side for medium.

Yields: ½ cup | Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon sriracha, ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, 1 cup cilantro (chopped), 2 tablespoons lemongrass (finely chopped) and juice of 1 lime in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or legs, seal and gently massage to coat all the pieces with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, flipping the bag over midway through.

Remove chicken from the marinade and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes per side. After 10 minutes per side, move chicken to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking, until an internal thermometer reaches 165°F. Yields: ²⁄3 cup | Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, ¼ cup dijon mustard, 2 cloves garlic (minced) and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seal and gently massage to coat all the chicken pieces with marinade.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, flipping the bag over midway through. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill over high heat, 4-5 minutes per side.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

33

THE OG OF JEWISH EATING.

BY NAFTALI HANAU

A

s soon as Purim is over, the calls and emails start: “Do you have brisket?”

“I need brisket for Passover!”

Brisket has come to be synonymous with Jewish holiday feasts, from Passover to Rosh Hashanah and even Shabbat. Once thought to be a “lesser” cut (it’s much tougher than say, a rib steak), brisket now occupies an exalted place, so intimately woven with family recipes, nostalgia and Jewish life that it’s hard for some to imagine a holiday without it.

Which is why if you’re cooking your first brisket, you might be a little intimidated. There is no need to fear! Briskets can be large, so you may need a bigger roasting pan, but other than that, with some basic knowledge, cooking skills and proper ingredients, you’re on your way to a delicious meal.

34

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

BUTCHER'S CUT

What is brisket?

A whole brisket is made up of two muscles from the breast of the steer; the “first cut” or “flat cut,” is larger and leaner, the “second cut” or “point cut” is smaller and fattier. These pectoral muscles get a serious workout during the animal’s lifetime, which is why they must be cooked at a low temperature for a long time to convert the collagen in the meat into gelatin, making it tender and unctuous.

Which cut of brisket should you choose?

It all depends on your preference. First cut or “flat cut” brisket is the most common brisket cut used for braising in traditional Ashkenazi cuisine. Its long, thick fibers run lengthwise across the whole muscle. Cooked to tenderness, first cut brisket can be sliced against the grain to produce tender, melt-in-your-mouth results.

Cooked a little longer and those strands will separate, leaving you with meat that is ready to “pull” or shred, slather with BBQ sauce and enjoy.

Since the first cut is leaner, a lower grade/quality first cut brisket can dry out quite easily.

However, it is not by definition a “dry” cut. With quality meat and attention to detail, you can prepare an incredible meal with first cut brisket. It is most commonly braised; it can also be pickled and made into corned beef.

Second cut brisket can be braised like first cut, but since it is more marbled and has a different grain, the results will be more tender and much richer. It also doesn’t slice as “cleanly” as the first cut, since it’s a smaller and thinner muscle. However, those chunky bits are delicious, and can be smoked or roasted with extra sauce to make “burnt ends,” a BBQ classic. Everyone has their preference; a whole brisket, much like a whole chicken, will satisfy everyone’s preferences around the table. Preparing either a first cut or a second cut will ensure you have only the kind of meat you love best.

W

Second Cut

KNO

First Cut

YO

UR

MEA

T.

What about smoked brisket?

Smoking is another method of slow cooking that is extremely popular for brisket, in and beyond the Jewish world. A long, low, 10+ hour gentle cook in a smoker will yield tender, smoky, delicious BBQ-style smoked brisket. For smoking, we recommend using a whole brisket with the fat cap intact – a thick layer of fat that bastes the meat while it cooks and keeps it from drying out. You can trim it off before serving.

We offer “Packer Cut” (the thickest fat layer) and “Deli Cut” (slightly less) whole briskets, both ideal for smoking.

Read more about smoked brisket on pg. 14 where Sruli Eidelman of Izzy’s Barbecue shares a guide on smoking for the home cook.

MARCH JULY 2019

Fleishigs

35

BUTCHER'S CUT

Secrets of the well made.

1. Sear first to build flavor.

Heat fat in a large Dutch oven or roasting pan and add the brisket (pat it dry first). Leave it to sear for 3-5 minutes without moving it, until it releases on its own. The crust that forms will add great flavor to the finished dish.

2. Braise low-and-slow

and don’t let the meat dry out.

This means making sure there is enough liquid in the roasting pan and sealing it tightly with a lid or foil; if you open it to check and the liquid is low, add more to avoid a burnt pan and tough meat.

3. Braised brisket is always easier to slice

when chilled and it actually tastes better when reheated the next day, as the flavors have a chance to meld. Cool your brisket after cooking, skim fat as desired, then slice cold. Arrange in a pan covered in sauce and reheat slowly before serving. Remember that the first cut will slice more evenly than the second cut; if using both, put the second cut on your platter first, then place the sliced first cut on top.

4. Cut against the grain,

otherwise it will be tougher to eat.

Cutting against the grain of the meat will break up the muscle fibers, which means less chew and more of that melt-in-your-mouth effect good brisket is known for.

5. Assume a half-pound per person.

That’s the best estimate to determine just how much meat to buy (or how many people to invite to dinner) — unless there are hungry teenagers involved, then all bets are off!

6.

Try a similar, brisket-esque cut to save a few bucks.

(See the following page) Braised brisket is a staple of Ashkenazi Jewish holiday tables, following a long-honored tradition that was born when briskets were one of the cheapest cuts of meat due to their relatively large size and toughness. Today, in part due to the popularity of brisket in Jewish cuisine and the increased demand for briskets created by the BBQ craze, brisket is in fact one of the more expensive cuts!

Naf Hanau is the CEO of Grow & Behold, which specializes in expertly-butchered premium-quality kosher meats that are delivered nationwide. Naf’s passion for kosher meat led him to learn shechita before founding Grow & Behold, which produces beef, veal, lamb and poultry raised on pasture with no hormones or antibiotics. Find out more at www.growandbehold.com/fleishigs.

36

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

BUTCHER'S CUT

38

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

Cuts That Come Close: Top of the Rib: This cut is a cross between first and second cut brisket, with a more savory flavor. It slices beautifully (doesn’t shred like a second cut) but has more fat than the first cut, making it harder to dry out.

Typically available at 2.5-4 lbs.

Brisket Recipe Guide: 1. Braise

(see recipe below)

Deckel: This leaner cut from the

2. Sous Vide

shoulder is similar to a first cut brisket and takes incredibly well to braising. A great lower cost alternative to first cut brisket that could fool most diners!

3. Smoke

Brisket Strip: This small cut

RECIPE BY SHIFRA KLEIN

is really a perfect "mini brisket" for 2.

With the same muscle structure and marbling as a first cut brisket, it’s a great way to get the comfort food you are craving, without having to cook an entire 4+ lb. first cut brisket.

(pg. 43)

(pg. 18)

Leftovers?

Simply pull or shred with a fork, heat in a pan with barbecue sauce and serve.

THE

COMPETITION

IS ON

FIRE

Montreal Spiced Braised Brisket Serves: 8 Depending on your preference, use a first cut for a leaner roast or a second cut for a fattier roast. You can also make this recipe with minute roast, top of the rib roast or French roast.

1 (4-pound) brisket 2 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning 2-3 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil

2 Spanish onions, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup barbecue sauce ½ cup apricot preserves 1 cup beer

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Rub steak seasoning all over the brisket.

Add oil to pan and sear for 6-10 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Remove the brisket from frying pan and place in a 9x13 baking dish.

Add onions and salt to frying pan and lower heat to medium. Add more oil, if necessary.

Sauté for 15 minutes, until onions are softened and lightly golden brown. Add beer to the pan to deglaze and pick up all the flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add barbecue sauce and apricot preserves to the pan to create a smooth sauce. Pour onion mixture over brisket.

Cover pan tightly with foil and braise for 3 hours.

Allow roast to cool in pan before refrigerating or slicing.

For best results, refrigerate overnight and slice when cold.

Slice roast, reheat and serve.

exclusively on

Sous Vide Don’t just u p you ater.

JULY 2019

the w

Fleishigs

ut of

40

w it o e, blo

BY B-SH

r gam

& Grill

w w w.f leishigs.com

ous vide cooking may not be the obvious choice for summer cooking, but it is actually the perfect technique to get the best from your grill. The ability to transform a cheap, tough cut of meat into a juicy flavourful masterpiece without turning the oven on is where the sous vide truly shines.

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is a French cooking technique whereby food is sealed under vacuum and then heated in a water bath to a precise temperature. This precision allows for unique textures not available with other cooking methods. The one downfall of cooking sous vide, however, is the lack of the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction is that roasty, caramelized flavor you get from high heat and its interaction with proteins and natural sugars.

Why Finish on the Grill?

This is where the marriage of sous vide and BBQ excels; by tenderizing proteins in a sous vide and then finishing on the grill or smoker, you are able to ensure perfectly cooked meat every time and still get the charred goodness you can only achieve through fire.

Even better, you are now able to take a cut that was previously seen as too tough for the grill and prepare it with nothing more than your sous vide and a hot grill.

So, all this waxing poetic is great, but let’s talk business: here’s what we are going to do to make the best BBQ ever.

Option 1: Brisket Our first contender will be the brisket.

This king of beef has an immense beefy flavor and a beautiful fat content but it is tough, like shoe leather tough, and this is where we turn straw into gold. However, it takes patience. The brisket needs to bathe in the sous vide for 3 days. Yes, I said 3 days - as in 72 hours, as in 4,320 minutes, as in 259,200 seconds long. The reason for this is that collagen is what makes the meat tough. It takes time and a low temperature for the collagen to convert to gelatin, thus softening the meat. After you patiently wait and then wait some more, the meat will finally be ready, which means it’s time to grill. Like I said earlier, the meat will be perfectly cooked to an exact temperature, but it will lack one thing, the crispy crust we know and love. This is where the grill comes in.

WHO IS A

CUT ABOVE

THE REST?

Option 2: Rib Steak I can hear the questions even as I write this article, wondering what to do if you didn’t plan ahead or don’t have three days to devote to this task. The answer is rib steaks. Nice, thick cowboy-cut rib steaks cooked at 131°F for 3 hours, then shocked in ice water, patted dry and seared for one minute will yield the perfect medium-rare from edge to edge every time. Since it is cooked over high heat only briefly at the end of the process, you won’t have the thick band of grey on the outside. The steaks will now have more of the medium-rare goodness everyone looks for, as well as the moisture and juiciness we all crave from a good steak.

Bosh Boshnack (a.k.a. B-Sh) began his culinary journey at 16 years old in an oldschool butcher shop. It was there he learned techniques for meat butchery and cooking skills from 3 generations of butchers. He smokes and cures meat as a hobby and currently consults various restaurants and caterers in the art of smoking and curing meat. Expect some pop-ups featuring B-Sh in the near future. Follow Bosh on the popular Facebook group Kosher Sous Vide and on Instagram @boshsmeat.

Take a lesson or two from your kids:

Guest Editor Esty Wolbe's Cooking Approach:

1. Don't be afraid to play with your food. This makes cooking fun and exciting. Tailor food to suit your taste by using your own preferences in terms of flavor profiles (spicy, sweet, salty etc.).

2. Color outside the lines.

Follow your instincts and take risks in the kitchen and beyond. When it becomes less about following the precise recipe, you uncover a whole new dimension of cooking.

exclusively on

SOUS VIDE

42

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

kosher salt, divided 2 tablespoons + ½ teaspoon

black pepper, divided 1 (4-pound) beef brisket,

any cut 2 tablespoons oil Season the brisket all over with salt and pepper, about 2 tablespoons each for a 4 lb. brisket. Seal the brisket in either a Ziploc bag or a vacuum sealed bag, and place it into your pot or basin. Fill the pot with water and set the sous vide to your desired temperature. For brisket I prefer 135°F for a steak-like texture and a medium-rare brisket that is only possible with sous vide.

Let the brisket cook for 72 hours.

Take the sealed bag out of the hot water bath and drop it into ice water for about one minute to cool the outside of the meat, so it doesn’t overcook while you sear it on the grill. Then open the bag and pat the outside of the brisket with paper towel to allow for a better sear and a nice crust on the meat. After preheating the grill, sear the brisket for about 1 minute per side. Let it rest for 10 minutes and slice against the grain as you bask in the praise of your friends and family for serving the best piece of meat they have ever eaten.

No time? try this.

Sous Vide Brisket

Quick Sous Vide Second Cut Brisket

BY CHEF ISAAC BERNSTEIN

This method works best using a second cut brisket.

Place the brisket in a Ziploc or vacuum bag and place in a large pot filled with water.

Set your sous vide to 155°F. Let the brisket cook for 24 hours.

Take the sealed bag out of the hot water bath and drop it into ice water for about 1 minute. Preheat the grill and sear the brisket for about 1 minute per side. Let it rest for 10 minutes and slice against the grain.

A Hilarious and Delicious

NEW

COOKING COMPETITION Hosted by Comedian

ELON GOLD

TIP: Take the sealed bag out of the hot water bath and drop it into ice water for about one minute to cool the outside of the meat, so it doesn’t overcook while you sear it on the grill.

A sous vide can be controlled by an app on your phone, which also assists in finding the perfect temperature for whatever you may be cooking.

exclusively on

R G U 46

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

T I U

RESTAURANT CHRONICLES

bringing elevated junk food munchies-style to the masses

BY ELISHEVA TAITZ

O

n the corner of Rogers Avenue and Empire Boulevard in the outskirts of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, sits an unassuming storefront one could only describe as a modern, rustic-looking hut.

So tiny from the outside, yet seats 70 indoors, with a huge outdoor space that seats 100. The recently opened Gruit, run by the notable Chef Isaac Bernstein (a Fleishigs Magazine regular) and some other experienced partners, seeks to fill a void in the kosher food scene. A beer garden and restaurant that celebrates what Chef Isaac is best known for, heimish cuisine with a real modern twist, Gruit’s seasonal menu is conceptualized around their beer and specialty cocktail offerings.

Chef Isaac is confident that this is food anyone would want to eat, describing it as, "An homage to the Jewish diaspora and kosher restaurants of yore. We aren’t hiding from our Jewish identity, but the goal is that you wouldn’t know it’s kosher.”

A small-plates concept where sharing (and possibly eating with your hands- we won’t tell!) is encouraged, Chef Isaac is particularly proud of the price point of the menu, with dishes ranging from $9-$36. “I wanted to bring elevated junk food munchies-style to the masses, a place I’d want to eat and have a beer with the boys,” he explained. Using ‘cheaper’ ingredients without skimping on quality is where Gruit shines. For example, the homemade charcuterie is not aged (an expensive process) like most charcuterie is. Rather, it’s prepared in a way that simply elevates classic deli meats without going too far out-of-the-box. Additionally, one of the dishes utilizes brick steak, a tough cut from the French roast, but it’s cooked for 24 hours to make it tender. Chef Isaac also prides himself on the idea of “modern preservation,” repurposing leftovers and making sure that nothing goes to waste.

JULYL 2019

Fleishigs

47

AN HOMAGE TO THE JEWISH DIASPORA AND THE KOSHER RESTAURANTS OF YORE

48

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

RESTAURANT CHRONICLES

S

easonality is also at the forefront at Gruit, shifting the menus based on the season. For example, the pickled rhubarb on the charcuterie board that’s being served now will quickly be replaced with another seasonal accompaniment when rhubarb season is over. These concepts allow for the price point Chef Isaac is so proud of, making dining at Gruit accessible to all.

You might be scratching your head asking, "But what is gruit??” Gruit (rhymes with “fruit”) is best known as a combination of herbs used to flavor beer before the use of hops was popularized in the 14th or 15th century. Chef Isaac said Gruit (the place, not the herbs) is, “beer garden first, restaurant second,” and what better way to call a place like that than with the origins of beer-making in the name itself.

Moreover, what just seemed like flowery wallpaper on the walls, one of the partners of the restaurant explained that the flowers are actually gruit flowers and that the wallpaper was imported from England via Canada. If that’s not dedication to a concept, then I don’t know what is. The decor keeps to the homey, diner vibe, which is apropos, being that the location

With 9 beers and Nitro cold brew on tap, 7 variations of bottled beer and 5 canned, many varieties of wine, spirits, signature cocktails, beer cocktails and frozen margaritas (virgin too), there is truly something for everyone. Alongside some of these drinks, we sampled the creamiest chicken liver mousse served with a braised plum/white wine compote and crusty hunks of sourdough bread; twice-cooked gribenes (fried chicken skins) that received a standing ovation from Mr. Fleishigs himself, Shlomo Klein; a charcuterie board that included a homemade beef cheek terrine, pastrami tongue, and veal porchetta with the classic charcuterie accoutrements; the crispiest veal schnitzel; and beef cheek stuffed cabbage, which was definitely not like your Bubby’s.

Wanting to appeal to everyone, Chef Isaac also has some vegetarian options on the menu, including a stellar beer-battered fish and chips with mashed minted peas, and fried lemons (such a seemingly simple garnish, though I could’ve eaten a dozen of them); an heirloom tomato salad with almond ricotta (which we featured in the Shavuos issue) and balsamic reduction; and a Caesar salad with homemade torn croutons and a fantastic creamy dressing.

“BEER GARDEN FIRST, RESTAURANT SECOND.” was a diner for many decades. In fact, as we were styling the plates, an older (non-Jewish) man who works and lives within a few blocks of Gruit walked into the restaurant and seemed overjoyed to see the space completely revamped. “This was my stomping grounds back in the day,” he noted, referring to its roots as a popular Brooklyn diner. He grabbed a menu and headed out the door with a smile on his face and a “God bless.”

All of the food was familiar yet simultaneously new and utterly delicious, where the concept of “elevated junk food” really came through. Chef Isaac’s final words were, "This was the easiest menu I ever wrote. It’s what people want to eat. I’m not looking to educate anyone. We just want to satisfy.” Well, I can say with confidence that we definitely left with full, satisfied stomachs as we were already planning our next trip back to Gruit on the ride home.

Gruit is located at 252 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11225 (347) 846-0622 www.gruitbk.com Instagram @gruitbk Elisheva Taitz is a wife and mother to 3 children, full-time Payroll/ HR Manager by day, food writer and recipe developer by night.

Most recently, Elisheva joined the Fleishigs team as editor. Find her on Instagram @thatswhatshemade.

JULYL 2019

Fleishigs

49

TRAVEL

CANCUN Mexico

Cancun is one of the most popular vacation destinations in America and with the variety of kosher options, it makes for the perfect getaway.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

51

CANCUN The Cancun area is part of the Yucatan Peninsula, which stretches along the Caribbean Sea on the Eastern coast of Mexico. It is divided into a few main vacation spots: Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, the islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel and the newest tourist hot spot, Tulum.

Cancun as a tourist destination was funded by the Mexican government in 1970, when only 3 people lived there and investors were wary of taking too high of a risk. As its popularity increased, the outlying areas such as Playa del Carmen, attracted investors who expanded hotel options and tourist friendly activities which added to the appeal of Cancun as a destination getaway. Each area has its own unique qualities and its own source of kosher restaurant and Shabbos meal options, thanks to the local Jewish communities and Chabad houses.

CANCUN Along with being one of America’s top vacation destinations due to its white sand beaches, Cancun is also an incredible spot for kosher tourists as there are 4 kosher restaurants.

Famous for super fresh fish and chips and homemade personal pizzas, Dag Dag is a great spot for a filling lunch or dairy dinner option.

Red Heifer Grill and Ember Kosher are two upscale local restaurants that offer a fusion of American and Mexican cuisine. Keep in mind that it is not New York upscale, but still wonderful Glatt kosher options for a night out. The Kosher Hotspot is a delivery-only spot that offers burgers and shawarma and is run by the local Chabad. All restaurants offer sit-down Shabbos meals and the Chabad of Cancun offers communal and catered Shabbos meals as well (www.jewishcancun.com). The Costco in Cancun is fully stocked with kosher food, as are many other markets too.

52

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

PLAYA DEL CARMEN

ccess to kosher food and synagogues makes Cancun a hot destination for the kosher traveler looking for the perfect beach vacation.

Cancun’s close proximity to most major cities in the United States (just over 3 hours from NYC) makes this exotic locale still accessible to most.

With its wide range of hotel options, variety of activities from beaching, boating, spas and shopping, to hiking and visiting historical sites, Cancun is the ultimate getaway spot.

w w w.f leishigs.com

TRAVEL

ISLA MUJERES

When dining at DAG DAG, you may get lucky and experience dinner and a show from the owner and chef who spontaneously breaks out in song during dinner service.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN COZUMEL

An hour South of Cancun is Playa del Carmen, which is a bit quieter than Cancun and is most widely known for its scuba diving, water sports, palm tree-lined beaches and coral reefs. The Chabad of Playa del Carmen offers fresh, catered meals for lunch, dinner and Shabbos, delivered right to your hotel (www.kosherrivieramaya.com). You can get fresh pastries and light dairy fare at Mas Pan (open until 2 AM) and fresh falafel at Falafel Bar or Doctor Hummus.

Hotel 770 has a kosher restaurant, mikvah and synagogue.

ISLA MUJERES TULUM

A 15 minute ferry ride from Cancun takes you to this tiny, laid back island that can be walked in 90 minutes from top to bottom. Most travel by foot, bike or golf cart and it is a true oasis filled with Mayan ruins (Hacienda Mundaca), stunning coral reefs to snorkel and scuba dive, as well as a turtle sanctuary. There is even an underwater museum called MUSA Underwater Sculpture Museum.

You can enjoy falafel and Israeli fare at El Rey Del Falafel and a full kosher menu and Shabbos meals from Chabad of Isla Mujeres (www.chabadisla.com).

COZUMEL A 45 minute ferry ride from downtown Playa del Carmen, Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean island and is great for nature lovers. The famous 2,500 acre park, Punta Sur Ecological Park is full of exotic birds, crocodiles, sea turtles, beautiful flowers and beaches. Moreover, there are plenty of hotels and kosher food options. Chocolatte Espresso Bar (same owners as the one in Crown Heights, Brooklyn) and Cafe Rimon both offer a light dairy menu; Rimon also offers fresh pizza and pasta. The Chabad of Cozumel (www.chabadcozumel.com) has an Israeli restaurant, Jerusalem. Sombrero Falafel is a kosher vegetarian falafel joint on the island, offering kosher tourists a fantastic lunch option while exploring the beautiful island of Cozumel.

TULUM Tulum has recently become a popular tourist destination. A 2 hour drive from the Cancun airport, Tulum offers pristine beaches and is known for being eco-friendly and wellness centered. Its unique cenotes, a.k.a. diving caves (Cenote Dos Ojos is a popular choice) and spectacular Mayan ruins are excellent sites for history buffs. Chabad of Tulum (www.jewishtulum.com) offers fresh catered meals delivered directly to your hotel room. You can also book Shabbos meals at Chabad and the local supermarket, Aki, offers many kosher options as well.

LOCAL KOSHER SYMBOLS JULY 2019

Fleishigs

53

TRAVEL VIA COOKING

mexican grill by Shifra Klein

Photography

by Schneur Menaker

Let’s see what the south is cooking What comes to mind when considering Mexican food? Ortega taco shells, salsa and guacamole were the most common responses I received.

The truth is, these famous and delicious dishes are more an American adaptation of Mexican food known as Tex-Mex cuisine.

In reality, there is a world of Mexican cuisine, flavors and spices that many don’t even know about. Mexico is about five times larger than California and has a diverse topography, economy, lifestyle and ingredient list.

Some regions surround water while other, more inland regions have more of a ranch and farm lifestyle. As such, ingredients, cooking styles and food completely varies by region and results in Mexican food diversity.

Many classic Mexican foods like mole, tacos al pastor and acidic spicy salsas have not yet made their way onto the typical kosher dinner table, which is why we were committed to making this feature as authentic as we could.

54

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

TRAVEL VIA COOKING

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

55

TRAVEL VIA COOKING

The Regions & Food: Northern Mexico The cuisine in this area is largely based around ranch culture, resulting in beef and cheese as extremely popular ingredients. Flour tortillas are most commonly used in this region as well as refried beans. This is also where the burrito was born.

Western Mexico Western Mexico includes Baja California (Tijuana) and Jalisco and is located along 200 miles of coastline, making this region very well-known for seafood.

Here is where tempura fish tacos, ceviche and margaritas are most famous. Caesar salad was invented here and this area is also full of vineyards.

South Pacific Coast of Mexico While northern Mexico favors beef as its main source of protein, the south prefers chicken.

Corn tortillas are a staple to this area and are served at almost every meal. Black beans and plantains are also typically used ingredients.

Oaxacan cuisine is also famous for the many types of mole it produces. Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce usually made up of over 20 ingredients cooked in many steps and blended at the end to create a mysterious, complex sauce that is second to none. Chocolate is another major product of the region and is usually hand ground, combined with almonds, cinnamon and other ingredients and consumed as a beverage or used in mole as a savory ingredient.

56

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

Yucatan Peninsula Cancun, a great vacation spot for the kosher consumer, is part of the Yucatan Peninsula, located along the eastern coast of Mexico, facing the Caribbean. Some of the food in the Yucatan is notable for its influences from Asian and Arabic cuisine. Al Pastor is a spit-roasted shawarma-style meat dish introduced by Lebanese immigrants who also inspired kibis, a kubbeh-like treat sold in street-food carts throughout the region. You can also find a lot of native Mayan ingredients such as chaya, achiote, hard-boiled eggs, turkey, deer and honey.

w w w.f leishigs.com

TRAVEL VIA COOKING

(pg. 80)

PULL THE TRIGGER ON SOME FIRE LIVER

ASADA OH YAH!

MASTER THE AL PASTOR

(pg. 59)

(pg. 59)

SUMMER IN A TACO

(pg. 63)

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

57

TRAVEL

Chicken Al Pastor Al pastor is a dish developed in central Mexico inspired by the shawarma spit-grilled meat that was brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants. The protein is marinated in chili and pineapple, stacked like shawarma and cooked over an open flame, making this ideal for the grill. Traditionally made with pork, this version is made with boneless skinless chicken thighs and uses tomato paste in place of annatto seeds, which are hard to find kosher.

58

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

TRAVEL VIA COOKING

Chicken Al Pastor Serves: 8 3 dried guajillo chilies 1 tablespoon schmaltz or vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon cumin Juice of one orange 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups chopped pineapple, (fresh or canned) ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs 1 medium onion, sliced, for garnish 1 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish Lime wedges, for garnish Grilled pineapple, for garnish Place chilies in a bowl of hot water.

Set aside for 15 minutes to soften.

In a medium saucepan, heat schmaltz or oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the oregano and cumin; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Remove chilies from hot water and discard stems. Add the chilies to the pan and stir until blistered, about 30 seconds. Add orange juice and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a blender, add pineapple and purée until smooth.

Season with salt. Transfer marinade to a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken and turn to coat. Set the bag in a small baking dish and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with oil.

Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Serving Options: 1. Serve whole, garnished with cilantro and sliced onion.

Carne Asada Chuck Steaks Probably one of the most tender results I have ever had with chuck steak. You can use this marinade and cooking instructions for any meat you like to grill. Try rib steak, Denver steak or hanger steak.

Serves: 6 6 (4-6 ounce) chuck steaks ¼ cup fresh lime juice 4 cloves garlic ¼ cup chopped onions ½ cup of orange juice 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon salt ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 jalapeño, stemmed 2 tablespoons white vinegar ¼ cup vegetable oil Place chuck steaks in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. Set aside.

Blend remaining ingredients.

Pour marinade over steaks and marinate in fridge for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat grill to high heat and grill chuck steaks for 4 minutes per side.

Allow steaks to rest.

Slice and serve as is or with your choice of salsa.

Alternatively, serve in tacos with shredded iceberg lettuce, salsa and lime wedges.

2. Dice chicken and serve on grilled corn tortillas. Top with cilantro, chopped onion and grilled pineapple. Drizzle with hot sauce.

3. Grill kebab-style, skewered with fresh pineapple chunks and red onion.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

59

TRAVEL VIA COOKING

Jicama & Mango Tajin Small vendors around the markets in Mexico are known for selling mango and jicama in little plastic bags or on sticks, served with lime juice and chili spice.

Popular now on the streets of NYC and LA as well, it is a delicious sweetsavory snack that makes a wonderful BBQ appetizer or light Shabbos dessert.

We used Korean chili flakes, available by McCormick, but Tajin or Trader Joe’s chili-lime spice is a great shortcut as well.

1 jicama, peeled and cut into large sticks 1 mango, peeled and cut into large sticks 1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes Zest of 1 lime Juice of 2 limes Mix everything together.

Serve chilled.

60

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

WHEN SUPPER BECOMES DINNER Leah batters her baked

CHICKEN

with Truffle Mayo before baking it Shloime dips his grilled

VEGGIES

into Truffle Mayo

Raizy serves her fried

TILAPIA

with a shpritz of Truffle Mayo Chaim tops his oh so famous

FRIES

with Truffle Mayo

TRAVEL VIA FOOD CH

AR

RED

TOM AT ILLO SALSA

SA

LS

A

Salsas Put the jar away; it’s time for some real salsa.

B L AC K B E A CHILTO

C N&

OR

N

MA TE

CR

EAM

Y TO M ATI LL OS

AL

FR

SA

U

S IT

AL

SA

XNI

PE

CS

A

LS A

HE

RB

S AL

SA

62

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

Salsa is a classic condiment served alongside most dishes in Mexican cuisine. Often tomato-based, salsas vary in taste, texture and heat-range, with the common ingredients being onions, chilis, acid and herbs. w w w.f leishigs.com

Herb Salsa

Chiltomate

Yields: 1½ cups

Yields: 2 ½ cups

3 tablespoons fresh parsley 3 tablespoons fresh mint 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon 2 tablespoons chives 2 tablespoons dill Small red onion 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar ¾ cup olive oil Pinch of kosher salt, to taste Finely chop herbs, capers and onion. Combine with vinegar, salt and oil.

Store in fridge.

Xni Pec Salsa Yields: 1½ cups Xni Pec (pronounced “shnee pek”), translates to “dog’s nose” in Mayan, which implies you will sweat like a dog’s nose when you eat it. Use jalapeño for a milder version, similar to pico de gallo. Use gloves when handling any chili pepper. The spicier the pepper, the greater the burn!

2 tomatoes, finely chopped 1 medium red onion, finely diced 2 habanero peppers 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice ½ teaspoon kosher salt Place chopped tomato and onion in a medium-size bowl.

Remove seeds and veins from the habanero pepper and mince finely. The heat lies in the seeds and veins so if you want the salsa to be very spicy, leave some intact.

Add to the bowl along with chopped cilantro.

Stir in orange juice, lime juice and salt; mix gently to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

A smoky combination of charcoal roasted chilies and tomatoes (traditionally charred directly over hot coals) makes for the perfect salsa. Used to accompany many Yucatecan dishes, it can be enjoyed with tortilla chips or on its own. Use jalapeño for milder heat in place of the habanero.

4 medium tomatoes, cored 1 habanero chili pepper, stemmed and seeded 1 onion, cut into quarters 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste ½ cup fresh cilantro ½ cup fresh parsley Preheat oven to 500°F or grill to high heat.

Place tomatoes, chili and onion on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast without turning until chili is browned in spots, about 20 minutes.

Allow to cool and then purée everything in a food processor or blender along with olive oil, salt and herbs until desired consistency is reached.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature with chips or warm through and use as a condiment.

Corn Salsa Yields: 2 cups 1 cup corn ½ cup black beans 1 tomato, diced ¼ red onion, diced 1 jalapeño, finely diced ¼ cup chopped cilantro Juice of 1 lime 1 teaspoon salt Combine all together.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Creamy Tomatillo Salsa Yields: 2 cups The avocado adds a unique creamy texture to the salsa.

1 ripe avocado 1 jalapeño, seeded 3 tomatillos, outer papery layer and stems removed 2 cloves garlic 1 small onion ⅓ cup fresh cilantro Juice of half a lime ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon cumin Blend everything in a blender or food processor until fully combined.

Store, covered, in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Charred Tomatillo Salsa Yields: 2 cups 1 jalapeño, seeded 3 tomatillos, outer papery layer and stems removed 2 cloves garlic 1 small onion, outer peels removed ⅓ cup fresh cilantro Juice of half a lime ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon cumin Preheat oven to 500°F and place jalapeño, tomatillos, garlic and onion on a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes.

Alternatively, grill over high heat until charred.

Blend charred vegetables in a blender or food processor with remaining ingredients until fully combined.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Liver in Chipotle Serves: 6 ¼ cup schmaltz or vegetable oil 2 Spanish onions, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 chili in adobo (available canned) 1 package broiled chicken livers (we recommend Meal Mart) Herb Salsa (recipe to the left), for garnish Chives, for garnish Heat schmaltz or oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and caramelize the onions for 20 minutes until golden and tender. Add salt.

Finely dice chili and add it to onions; cook for 3 minutes.

Chop liver into 1-inch chunks.

Add liver and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Serve on crackers or tacos topped with pico de gallo or chives.

Fruit Salsa Yields: 2 cups Use any summer stone fruit or grilled corn as an alternative to the mango.

3 ripe mangos, diced 1 small red onion, finely diced ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup lime juice) ⅛-¼ teaspoon salt, to taste Combine all ingredients together. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

63

HAS ARRIVED

BARBECUE COMPETITION SEASON

FESTIVALS

BY GABRIEL BOXER

T

he sizzling sounds. The aromatic flavors. The camaraderie. As a kid, I always loved what barbecues represented. This love of barbecue only grew with time from at-home smoking, to proudly attending barbecue competitions, to emceeing cook offs. After hosting dozens of BBQ competitions, I created the Holy Cow BBQ Competition on Long Island in NY. Real-deal barbecue is all about the low-andslow cooking time. True barbecue cookoffs require competitors to spend close to 24-hours outdoors slowly cooking up brisket, ribs, chicken, beans and turkey without much more than wood, fire and pantry basics. Authentic barbecue competitions are sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) which standardizes the way competitions are run and provides the structure for judging to secure fair outcomes. It is a serious sport with serious rules.

Kosher barbecue has recently become more legitimate with the KCBS officially sanctioning kosher competitions. Credit for this belongs to Mendel Segal a.k.a. RabbiQue. Mendel initially got involved in 2012 when he helped brainstorm fundraising ideas with the Vaad of Kansas City and came up with a kosher BBQ competition, a no-brainer for Kansas City, one of the BBQ meccas of the nation. Andy Groneman from Smoke on Wheels, a professional team in Kansas City, was Mendel’s mentor and taught him the ins and outs in these early years when Mendel began competing and setting up competitions.

“Kosher BBQ competitions are always amazing fundraisers that bring in tons of people.

64

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

The biggest issues facing these competitions are the availability of meat and the expense. KCBS-sanctioned BBQ requires briskets which are costly and supply isn’t so easy to come by,” says Warren Rochmacher a.k.a. the “Godfather of Kosher BBQ!” Warren created and introduced one of the first BBQ competitions in the tri-state area known as the Southern New England BBQ Competition in Connecticut in 2014 which was more than successful. So much so, his guidance is what contributed to the success of the Fired Up competition in Boca, FL in their first year and Warren was instrumental in helping me set up the Holy Cow Kosher BBQ competition in Long Island.

In 2015, as kosher BBQ competitions continued to grow in popularity, Mendel met with Carolyn Wells, Executive Director of the KCBS, to share his vision of instituting a kosher division for the KCBS and he was pleased to find Carolyn in agreement. Over the course of that year, Mendel, Carolyn and her team created all the rules and regulations to have official, KCBS-sanctioned kosher BBQ competitions. The four categories to compete in kosher competitions would be brisket, chicken thighs, beef ribs and turkey breast.

The biggest challenge they faced when creating a KCBS-sanctioned BBQ was the judges. All the judges in the KCBS are certified and trained on how to taste the foods.

They judge the smoked and BBQ beef and poultry based on appearance, texture and taste. It was great to have official kosher rules for the cookoffs, but with non-kosher judges, what was the point? It seemed to defeat the entire purpose of total inclusion.

Together as a team, Mendel was able to w w w.f leishigs.com

FESTIVALS put together a Judging Course in order to have kosher BBQ judges. Segal’s dreams have come to fruition with kosher KCBS-sanctioned competitions held nationwide in New York, Florida, New England, Dallas, Philly, Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis thus far. This is the benchmark that strengthens us in numbers and solidifies the legitimacy of our talents.

At many competitions, Ari White of the famed Wandering Que rolls up with his trailers to show the guests at these events how BBQ is done and sells out his famous smoked meats to the masses. Ari is surely a staple in the grilling world.

My favorite part of the whole competition is the night before where you see the camaraderie, the unity. You see strangers at first glance becoming friends an hour later where you support and help one another by exchanging tips and laughs. There’s a feeling of brotherhood with an occasional “l’chaim” or two. The beauty of emceeing these competitions has given me the chance to get to know many genuinely great individuals like Warren, Mendel, Ari and so many more. When you sign up to compete, you join a “brotherhood” of the grill. If competing isn’t your thing, simply attend one of the competitions. They are usually family-friendly, fun-filled days. Show up for your neighbors, friends and communities. The competitions are usually to support a great fund or organization so great fun, food and doing a good deed...that sounds like a solid day to me!

UPCOMING BBQ COMPETITIONS: Gabriel Boxer, a travel and restaurant pro, a.k.a. Kosher Guru, shares the top 5 kosher BBQ competitions

1  JUNE 23, 2019 HAVA NAGRILLA Wynnewood, PA

Mendel Segal (pictured here with one of his BBQ awards) is the creator of Rabbi-Q barbecue sauces and is an award winning pitmaster who currently holds down the fort at the popular restaurant Backyard BBQ in Surfside, FL.

FOLLOW THE KOSHER GURU on Instagram & Facebook @kosherguru, on Twitter @thekosherguru, his blog at www. thekosherguru.com, or subscribe to his YouTube channel. Tune in to “The Nosh” (a kosher foodie and restaurant radio show on 620AM in the NYC area) with Kosher Guru airing every Thursday evenings at 9:30 P.M. You can also check out his popular Facebook group @KosherGuru’sKosherNation.

2

 JULY 14, 2019 ADATH ISRAEL KOSHER BBQ COOK-OFF AND FESTIVAL Cincinnati, OH

3

 SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

7TH ANNUAL ATLANTA KOSHER BBQ FESTIVAL Atlanta, GA

4

 OCTOBER 27, 2019 5TH ANNUAL KOSHER BBQ CHAMPIONSHIP Dallas, TX

 JANUARY 1, 2020 FIRED UP Boca Raton, FL

5

BIG NEWS! BBQ is making its way over to international borders! Make sure to check out the first ever Kosher BBQ competition in Ottawa, sanctioned by the Canadian BBQ Society and hosted by Ottawa Torah Center on September 8, 2019.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

65

Y

GA B RI GELLE

R

SUMMER WINES

EL

B

General Rule: Dry and off-dry whites, rosé and light reds are optimal wines for grilled foods and fruit forward dishes.

Our Current Favorites: Best Summer Dessert Wine: Tabor Adama Barbera Rosé 2018 – A delicious, flavorful rosé with notes of strawberries and sour cherries that can stand up to all your grilled fare!

Best Value: Pacifica Riesling 2017 – An affordable, complex off-dry Riesling with layers of flavors and vibrant acidity, a thirst quencher with class. I personally asked for this wine to be made and I am thrilled with the result!

Best All-Purpose: Vitkin White Israeli Journey 2017 – A delightful, inexpensive, dry, floral, unique and refreshing unoaked blend of Mediterranean grape varieties with notes of citrus, tropical and stone fruits.

It’s great paired with grilled fish, wings and even salad.

Best for Steaks & Brisket: Cuvée Hautes Terres de Fourcas Dupré Listrac-Médoc 2015 – A serious Bordeaux that doesn’t break the bank and pairs perfectly with with juicy, grilled steaks.

Wings And Burgers: Baron Herzog Zinfandel 2015 – a fun, fruit-forward, mediumbodied Zinfandel.

66

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

N

othing screams summer and grilling more than a cool, crisp bottle of beers and shot our 7 favorite beers. Mexican lagers are the most popular beer imports in the U.S., accounting for more than twothirds of outsourced brews in 2017.

Most Mexican beers share similar flavor profiles and taste qualities. They are light, pale in color and refreshing with a slight bitter note and will pair perfectly with a squeeze of lime, serve very chilled. The Negra Modelo stands out as it has a deep caramel color and strong malt flavor.

For information on the kashrus of beer, visit www.ok.org.

XX

SESIÓN

OS

NEGRA MODELO

PAICIFICO

BOHEMIA CLÁSICA

D

CARTA BLANCA

MODELO ESPECIAL

MEXICAN BEERS

L'CHAIM

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

67

COOKBOOK REVIEW

NO CRUMBS LEFT T

erri Turner has created a modern day success story where the nice girl comes out on top. In 2013 she began her @nocrumbsleft Instagram account, which began as a forum to share her travels and food adventures with her 2 college-aged children, family and friends. Her contagious and authentic personality quickly attracted a growing Instagram following of 291,000 followers which inspired her to start a Facebook page that has amassed a following of over 450,000 people. These platforms culminated in the creation of her blog www.nocrumbs left.com.

Teri’s newly released, 304 page cookbook entitled No Crumbs Left, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is Teri’s way of inviting the thousands of people who follow her daily to join in on her kitchen adventures.

Although not Jewish, she has that "yiddishe mama" vibe and has inspired thousands of people to start cooking with joy. Getting people excited about cooking is what motivates Terri and her unique zest for life truly comes through in her book.

One of the biggest standout qualities of the book is the family-style theme presented throughout. This quality makes the book super relatable, specifically to the kosher cook who is constantly on the lookout for Shabbos inspirations and recipes that are crowd pleasers. The cover photo of the Fajita Steak Platter is a glimpse into the stunning platters featured throughout. Other standout platters we are drooling over include the Tropical Cobb Salad and the Chicken Finger Salad. Both of these salads just happen to be kosher for Pesach as well, which brings us to the fact that this book is endorsed by Whole30, a lifestyle plan that focuses on whole foods and eliminates dairy, added sugars, most legumes and grains from the diet.

While not completely Whole30 compliant, the endorsement allows the book to reflect an overall healthy, whole foods approach.

To be clear, the book isn’t a kosher cookbook and does have some non-kosher seafood 68

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

and pork recipes which can be easily adapted to fit the kosher diet. However, about 90 out of the 120 recipes in the book happen to be kosher by nature, so keep that in mind when deciding if the book is right for you.

Teri kicks off the book with an outstanding introduction, then leads the reader into her pantry basics and kitchen tools, then she dives right into the cooking. Teri shares 18 of her “Magic Elixirs” including her famous Marinated Onions, Smoky Pepitas, Stir Fry Infuser, Pistachio Pesto, 999 Island Dressing, Golden Onion Sauce, among others. These elixirs are essentially flavor bombs that Teri suggests to keep on hand at any time to essentially transform any recipe on the fly.

The book then has a section dedicated to breakfast (all kosher), followed by soups and sandwiches where her Quick Rotisserie Chicken Soup is a standout. Her full page on how to become a “spectacular sandwich maker” is truly informative.

Teri includes tips on creating fabulous salads with 14 stunning, family-style recipes. The What’s for Dinner chapter includes 23 full dinner recipes (out of which, 16 are fully kosher) and includes recipes like Roasted Grapefruit Chicken (see opposite page for the recipe), Southeast Asian Curry Chicken, Mediterranean Chicken Artichoke Stew, Spicy Pepperoncini Beef, and Lucja’s Stuffed Cabbage. The Seafood chapter (the least kosher chapter in the book) is followed by the Family chapter filled with recipes by Teri’s family and friends. The book ends with Vegetables & Side Dishes (with 9 being fully kosher) and Building Blocks (like homemade mayo, ranch, potato croutons, jammy eggs).

If you are a fan or follower (or “crumble”- if you know, you know), you will love this book.

If you are looking for a whole foods style cookbook with fresh, approachable recipes, this book is the one for you. The No Crumbs Left movement is one that inspires and makes us realize that it’s never too late to have an impact and that being true to yourself can effect change and bring success.

Recipe and Photo reprinted with permission from No Crumbs Left By Terri Turner, with Ann Volkwein Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Photographs by Tim Turner w w w.f leishigs.com

COOKBOOK REVIEW Serves: 4 1 tablespoon plus 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds) 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ¾ cup fresh grapefruit juice (reserve one of the juiced halves) 3 large carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into thirds 3 cups quartered red potatoes (about 1 pound) 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges 5 garlic cloves

ROASTED GRAPEFRUIT CHICKEN Here’s my spin on an everyday roasted chicken. I’ve changed it up by using a grapefruit. I will not name names, but I know a vegetarian or two who will sneak a piece, because it is simply so delicious, with its crispy, citrusy, browned skin. Part of the trick to this great one-dish meal is the spice blend, which you can make and sprinkle on the chicken in the morning before you go to work or even the night before. The roasted vegetables absorb the dripping chicken juices as they cook, and there’s something about the combination of the chicken fat, spices, and grapefruit that transforms the vegetables.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the black pepper, granulated garlic, marjoram, paprika, and cayenne. Set aside.

Put the chicken on a baking sheet or large plate and coat the skin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the spice blend on all sides of the chicken to liberally and evenly coat.

Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Set the chicken on the lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, stir together the grapefruit juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic cloves with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat evenly. Distribute the vegetables evenly on the baking sheet around the chicken. Fold the juiced grapefruit half and stuff it inside the chicken.

Bake the chicken for 30 minutes, then baste it with the grapefruit juice mixture. Return it to the oven and bake for a total time of 80 to 90 minutes (or 20 minutes per pound), basting every 15 minutes. If the chicken becomes too brown, loosely cover it with aluminium foil.

Serve.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

69

BRI

BA CON

N

H G

E H ( B T E E E F) M O

BY CHAVA WITKES

Y

ou may have seen it on Instagram or overpaid for it in fancy restaurants; it’s a category that’s as broad as it is hard-topronounce: charcuterie. The curated selection of smoked meats includes everything from the humble hot dog to the most expensive veal bacon. The magical drying process is what every carnivore out there has to thank for glorious flavors worthy of starring in any holiday or Shabbos meal. As meat-lovers, we’re not taking it for granted that the kosher world is seeing some avant-garde action on the dried meat front. Companies like Meal Mart offer up flavored sausages, beef bacon, hot dogs and salami; but recently charcuterie options have expanded to specialty cuts and provisions by visionaries bringing these exceptional treats to consumers.

Pictured from top left to top center(above mustard): Smoked lamb bacon, carnecetta, sweet fennel salami, sweet Italian salami, pastrami veal breast, godfather pepperoni, Cajun andouille (center ring), German bierwurst (red ring), Spanish chorizo.

70

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

TRENDING The Wandering Que Does it get any better than a traveling food truck full of kosher meat? The Wandering Que is a mobile barbeque restaurant born at NYC street fairs and music festivals. The feast-on-wheels can show up at farmers markets or the Hamptons—and keep your eyes open, out of towners, because they are coming for you, too. In the next few months, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore, Boston and Detroit will all be visited by the nomadic carnivores behind one of the original traveling kosher food trucks. “We want to be there for people who don’t access to good, kosher meat,” says Ari White, who founded Wandering Que in 2012. According to the 40-yearold pitboss who grew up in El Paso, Texas, “after our one kosher butcher shut down in the 80's, there were no options.” Reading this out there in the boondocks?

Ari feels your pain—he recently expanded Wandering Que to ship anywhere in the United States.

Ari started drying his own meats because, honestly, he was “sick of being held captive to whatever was on the market.”

After all, flavored hot dogs don’t equal sausages. The small-batch ones at Wandering Que are made with natural casings that allow them to be hung up and dried the old fashioned way. (Think Italian or French butcheries with meat hanging in the windows.)

As the meat dries out and the moisture dissipates, what’s left is beef and spices that get “super intense.” Ari’s most wild creation, a "carnecetta" (like pancetta, but kosher) is aged for 9 months. As far as the name? “We Jews have been wandering the world for centuries,” Ari says, “we have to carry our traditions with us."

You can find out about events and order online at www.wanderingque.com or on Instagram @wanderingque.

Clockwise from top left corner: Merguez snack sticks, cracked pepper beef jerky, lamb pancetta, rolled veal pancetta, spicy pepperoni sticks, veal prosciutto, barbecue beef jerky, beef bresaola, lamb prosciutto, cherry coke beef jerky, duck prosciutto, flat veal pancetta.

Emes Kosher Charcuterie Elly Miller started his dried meat company, based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, because he wanted to serve a show-stopping centerpiece for the kiddush after his daughter was born.

“No way could I affort that much charcuterie, so I decided to do it myself.” He salted roasts in his own home and hung them up in his basement. Elly was pleasantly surprised with the results. “My house smelled treif from that smoked veal bacon.” At the kiddush, people went crazy over those boards. But starting a business still didn’t seem like a good idea. Elly says he, "never thought the juice would be worth the squeeze." The market just seemed too small.

So this ex-plumber built himself a dry curing chamber with temperature and humidity controls using parts ordered online. “I wasn’t going to drop $30,000 on a commercial dryer.” Twenty pounds of meat were hung up as an experiment, and three months later Elly vacuum-sealed 120 packages for sale. It was a Thursday when he launched the product via Instagram, with

the help of Esty Wolbe, creator of the popular Facebook group “I Don’t Cook but I Give Out Recipes” and @cookingwithtantrums on Instagram. By that Sunday, the first batch had all sold out.

The time had come to obtain hashgacha. “I thought I would just sell to family and friends, but only 5% of my first customers were people I knew,” says Elly. Even with all the growth, Elly’s still the kind of guy who does everything himself—down to the deliveries.

“I like to connect with the customers one on one.” And in case you were wondering, he doesn’t miss plumbing at all. “I’m in the kitchen morning to night; I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed work this much.” His next big meat project? Lardo—cured and dried beef fat, along with deboned duck legs rolled in coriander and mustard. If Eli seems like the role model of success, he doesn’t take the credit. “The secret is my wife. She supported me before I supported myself.”

You can order Emes Kosher Charcuterie through Instagram @emeskoshercharcuterie.

Chava Witkes doesn't want to be just one thing. She's an aspiring writer, foodie, motivational speaker, and hostess. Keep up with her journey on Instagram @aspiringeverything.

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

71

TRENDING

IVE

N NI

WAR

A ICT

Imagine your doorbell rings on a Friday afternoon. But this time it’s not another bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers— it’s a board full of mouth-watering meats. Meat and Board, a brand new mom-and-pop based out of Lakewood, New Jersey, arranges their house-made cured meats on boards ready to be gifted and delivered (oh, and shipping nationwide coming soon). Yehuda Birnbaum was inspired to open his charcuterie business after spending almost $100 on a restaurant version that was “frankly, disappointing.”

He knew it wasn’t what charcuterie was supposed to be. So last year he started juggling his full-time gig as a therapist with a side hustle meat venture. “It started with me putting fancy cold cuts on a wood cutting board at my house for shabbos lunch,” he admits. But that habit soon evolved to curing and drying the highest-quality bresaola and capicola. Now, the father of 4 gets calls all the time for sholom zachors, corporate events, even date nights. “When people ask me what size board to order, I try to explain that a small board can feed around 8 people...or one very hungry guy.”

Heed his warning: the stuff is addictive, and there won’t ever be any leftovers. In January, Yehuda quit therapy to go all in for Meat and Board. His vision for the company? “To become the new kosher standard. We want to expand until we’re in all the big cities.” So if you live in Chicago or LA, keep an ear out, because sometime soon your doorbell might ring with an exciting delivery.

You can follow Yehuda’s ventures and order his boards on Instagram @meatandboard or check out their selection on www.meatandboard.com.

G

IS STUFF IS

DD

Meat and Board

H !T

Clockwise from top: Spicy beef sticks, pepperoni sticks, liver pâté, bresaola, pastirma, pancetta, biltong, meat candy, beef jerky, duck rillettes, soppressata, capocollo, duck prosciutto.

WALKING ON THIN SLICE 72

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

slay summer

slaws Slaw and summer go hand in hand. Grilled meat of any sort is elevated when paired with cool, crunchy slaw. These three varieties are quick and easy to make, adding just the right contrast to grilled chicken, hot dogs and steak.

OLD BAY SLAW This slaw is all about the slightly spicy, savory Old Bay seasoning.

We also love to sprinkle Old Bay on fish or fries.

Serves: 6

G O B AC K TO YO U R R O OT S.

3 cups shredded red cabbage 3 scallions, thinly sliced 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced (yields about ¼ cup) 2 carrots, peeled and julienned 2 stalks celery, finely diced

¾ cup mayonnaise 1-2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients together.

Refrigerate for up to two days.

R

Y.

S L AW O F T HE

CE

N

TU

Celery Root Remoulade

Old Bay Slaw

74

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

w w w.f leishigs.com

B R I N G C A B B A G E T O T H E S L A W G H T E R . B Y C H E F A N D PAT R I A R C H I S A A C B E R N S T E I N .

CELERY ROOT REMOULADE

FENNEL SLAW

Amazing for hot dogs and a great light alternative to potato salad. The truth is, you can easily swap out the celery root for cooked potatoes and make a flavor-packed potato salad with the dressing.

This light and fresh slaw pairs perfectly with lamb. The cumin provides a Mediterranean-inspired boost of flavor.

Serves: 6 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced (discard the top and bottom) 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Zest and juice of 2 lemons 1 teaspoon cumin ½ cup chopped olives ½ cup minced cilantro ½ cup minced parsley ½ cup olive oil (preferably extra virgin) ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Fennel fronds or dill, for garnish

Serves: 6 1 cup mayonnaise ¼ cup Dijon mustard ¼ cup whole grain mustard ½ cup minced chives ½ cup minced parsley ¼ cup red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 3 cups grated or julienned celery root ¼ cup fresh tarragon, chopped ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped Additional herbs, for garnish

Combine all ingredients together. Refrigerate for up to two days. Garnish with dill or fennel fronds.

coo ol l and crunchy

Combine mayonnaise, mustards, chives, parsley, vinegar, salt and pepper together.

Add celery root to the dressing and mix in tarragon and parsley, reserving some for garnish. Stir to combine.

Refrigerate for up to two days.

Top with more herbs when ready to serve.

Fennel Slaw

N N E L S L AW .

YO U ’ V E R E AC H E D T H E F E

s

MODERN HEIMISH

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

75

RESOURCE GUIDE

Charcuterie Smokehouses I n addition to Izzy’s smokehouse and the charcuterie produced by Wandering Que, Emes and Meat & Board, there are many other expert producers of great barbecue and charcuterie. With the help of our Fleishigs Instagram family, we compiled this resource guide. If we missed anyone, please reach out, we are happy to include you in future issues.

AUTHENTIC KOSHER SMOKEHOUSES:  ‘Que Smokehouse & Brew in Toronto ‘Que specializes in authentic Texas-style smokehouse meats including smoked brisket, Dino ribs, craft burgers, steaks, wings and unreal fried chicken, plus they have a full beer and wine menu.

1100 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario M6C 2E2, Canada www.theque.ca | (416) 785-1727

 Mainhouse Barbecue Rustic spot for kosher BBQ in various regional styles, plus craft beer and wine.

6001 Strickland Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11234 www.mainhousebbq.com | (718) 673-8773 | @mainhouseny

 South Side Sandwich Shop Classic barbecue and fusion creations. The menu consists of a variety of cuisines, from heimish, to Asian, to some of the best BBQ. 315 Cedarbridge Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701 (732) 961-6126 | @southsidesandwichshop

 Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed From their smoked-on-site meats to the vegetarian options, this family-friendly spot will please any palate.

3411 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657 www.miltsbbq.com | (773) 661-6384 | @miltsbbq

 Graze Smokehouse Graze offers reasonably priced barbecue, sides and sandwiches for dine-in or takeout, as well as some really awesome jerky and charcuterie.

529 Central Ave, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 www.grazesmokehouse.com | (516) 828-5000 | @grazesmokehouse 76

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

We love Blue Hill House jerky (@bluehillhouse on Instagram) for its stunning packaging and great texture.

w w w.f leishigs.com

RESOURCE GUIDE

AUTHENTIC KOSHER SMOKEHOUSES (CONT.)

 Five Fifty

 306 BBQ

Hailed as New York’s premier kosher smokehouse, Five Fifty offers a fine dining menu and a full line of smoked meats and charcuterie options and tons of freshly sliced smoked fish.

550 Central Ave, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 www.fivefiftyny.com | (516) 374-0550 @fivefiftyny

306 BBQ is a kosher smokehouse and southern-style family restaurant in Monsey, NY, serving signature meats and barbecue classics, with a side of hospitality.

455 NY-306, Monsey, NY 10952 www.306southernbbq.com | (845) 777-9227 @306southernbbq

CHARCUTERIE RESOURCE GUIDE:  Aufschnitt Meats

 David’s Jerky

Aufschnitt Meats was founded by two brothers-in-law with a passion to continue their family tradition started in Europe over 75 years ago. Where most jerky companies opt for automation, mass production and unpronounceable ingredients, Aufschnitt focuses on artisanal, small batch production for a unique taste every time. www.aufschnittmeats.com | @aufschnittmeats

Produced by a 16-year old yeshiva Lakewood student, David’s jerky is a Glatt kosher prime beef jerky brand certified under KCL supervision. Order by calling or texting (347) 907-5082 or via Instagram @davidsjerky.

 Mia-Meat Charcuterie Mia-Meat Charcuterie is a young company based out of Miami Beach that specializes in authentic French Charcuterie. www.miameat.com | @mia.meat

 Harbour Gourmet Harbour Gourmet is a subsidiary brand of The Harbour Grill & The Harbour Bistro, restaurants in Surfside, FL. They produce all natural charcuterie, deli and smoked meats using traditional artisanal methods. You can purchase at The Harbour Bistro by slice or vacuum sealed packaging, or visit their website www.harbourgourmet.com.

 Riven Gourmet Hudi Riven, a gourmet NY-based private chef, has started selling custom charcuterie boards, which include specialty items like maple glazed lamb bacon, duck prosciutto, duck rillettes and aged salami. Under CHK. Available nationwide. Order online at www.rivengourmet.com | @riven_gourmet

 Candy and Cattle Beef Jerky Candle and Cattle is known for its sweet and savory jerky. Available in many kosher supermarkets and online. www.candyandcattle.com | @candyandcattle

 Grow & Behold Charcuterie Made using grass-fed beef and natural ingredients, Grow & Behold offers a variety of charcuterie from jerky, salami, beef and lamb bacon. Their beef bacon jerky is a must try. Nationwife shipping available.

Order online at www.growandbehold.com | @growandbeholdfoods.

 Wasserman & Lemberger W&L is an old-school kosher butcher that produces high quality charcuterie and boards for sale to local customers.

Definitely worth a stop if you’re in the Baltimore area. 7006 Reisterstown Rd, Baltimore, MD www.wandlkoshermeats.com

 Blue Hill House Jerky If you like jerky that is packed with flavor and not-too-tough, this one is for you. Their top quality Glatt kosher beef, generously coated in spices is available for orders. @bluehillhouseny

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

77

INTERVIEW

Yudi & Motty of The Grub Company What is biltong?

MOTTY: Rest assured there’s absolutely zero tongue in this South African treasure.

It’s just sliced, spiced beef that is air-dried to perfection. When you dehydrate meat, something amazing happens. You get these fantastic slices and chunks that are packed with concentrated flavor and an indescribable texture that feels like a party in your mouth.

YUDI: In short, It’s half tender, half tough, crazy flavorful, super healthy and extremely addicting.

How did you get started making biltong?

MOTTY: Biltong was always that food we’d

South African Jerky Is Gaining Ground with The Grub Company 78

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

eat because a friend’s brother came back from South Africa with a secret stash that was smuggled through customs; we’d have a couple of bites and wait for the next time someone would bring some back. Then, I finally had the opportunity to go to South Africa (thank you, DansDeals) and was in biltong heaven. w w w.f leishigs.com

INTERVIEW

Do you make biltong full-time?

MOTTY: Eating biltong is so full-time that The 10kg stash I smuggled back to the states didn’t last very long. Needing to satisfy my addiction, which was now my wife and children’s addiction too, I began experimenting with random cuts and a small, homemade biltong box. Hundreds of YouTube videos and online articles later, I had it down to a science. I invited Yudi on board to help with marketing and taste testing and together we founded The Grub Company; the rest is tasty, tasty history.

YUDI: Attending yeshiva in South Africa as a 15-year-old was life-changing in more ways than one. Besides for meeting two of my best friends to this day, I was exposed to the greatest snack ever created. From my first bite, I was hooked and it wasn’t uncommon to see me snacking on biltong from 10am to midnight. Biltong is the quintessential snack- it’s tasty, addictive, healthy and unlike anything else. So when Motty made his first batch and hooked me up with a little bag, I knew he was on to something.

Lots of late nights, trial & error and pounds of meat later, we were in business, literally.

What is the process like?

YUDI: You signed that NDA we sent over right?

MOTTY: From start to finish, the average batch takes about 10-13 days. The meat needs to be cut, spiced and hung to dry.

Then comes the slicing, packing and eating (finally). It’s incredibly hands-on and our attention to detail comes through in every bite.

Any challenges?

YUDI: Just opportunities.

One of our primary goals is to educate the American palate on what biltong is. We hear a lot of people say “oh so you’re making jerky?” The answer is %*#& no. Air-drying meat rather than slow cooking it in sugary marinades leads to a fundamentally different, much healthier and better-tasting product. American jerky is dry, leathery and often made of mystery meat.

I’ve given up milchigs (although my wife will tell you I’m just allergic) and as you know, “when it rains it pours” so sometimes it feels like we’re making biltong full-time.

Sleep is overrated anyways, right?

What do you do when you're not making biltong?

YUDI: When we’re not making it, we’re eating it.

All joking aside, I’m a copywriter at a remarkable agency called Mann Sales Co. You can see our work throughout these pages and I also do the fun micro copy for everyone’s favorite kosher food magazine (yes, the one you’re currently holding in your hands).

MOTTY: Ok Yudi, we get it, you love your job and blah blah blah…

Hmm, where to start… so out of a 24 hour day, I spend about 3 hours with my wife and kids (does the hour trying to get my kids to bed count?), sleep for about 4-5 hours (depending on where the biltong is at) and between my full-time job managing a team of Release Engineers, helping my brother with his TorahTreasure projects (highly recommend you check it out) and The Grub Company, there isn’t much more time in the day.

All I can say is that I’m incredibly grateful for my wife, she’s the rockstar of our family and also takes care of all the biltong orders and

customer service, allowing me to focus on the other aspects of TGC. Having Yudi as a co-founder has been extremely rewarding and we wouldn’t be where we are today without either of them.

How can people purchase your biltong?

YUDI: Online at www.thegrubcompany.com.

We also offer a convenient subscription service, so our customers can get their monthly or bi-monthly fix at 10% off.

Use discount code “FLEISH” for 10% off through July.

Is there an ideal way to eat biltong?

YUDI: Yes, often and with friends :)

MOTTY: But seriously, it’s the perfect snack or meal on-the-go. It’s packed with protein and is highly addictive. It’s mess-free, stores well and can be enjoyed at your desk, on the couch, or in your car.

How about a drink pairing?

YUDI: Biltong doesn’t discriminate, it goes well with beer, wine, seltzer... Anything, really.

Most interesting feedback:

MOTTY: “... so I just jammed half that bag in my mouth”.

What’s next for The Grub Company and what should we look out for in the future?

MOTTY: We have some exciting new flavors we’re currently testing (you didn’t hear this from us, but bourbon may or may not be in one of them), we’re about to enter stores and with the overwhelmingly positive feedback, we’re very excited for our next chapter.

YUDI: Sign up to our mailing list to stay up to date on what’s cooking at TGC (we’re spam in a can and in your mailbox free). www.thegrubcompany.com | @the_grub_company

JULY 2019

Fleishigs

79

RECIPE INDEX

WHAT TO GRILL 27 Grilled Summer Salad 33 Sticky Korean Short Ribs 33 Indoesian Coconut curry Chicken 33 Belgian Ale Rib Steak 33 Mediterranean Lamb Chops 33 Spicy Thai Chicken 33 North American Maple Chicken 43 Sous Vide Brisket 59 Chicken Al Pastor 59 Carne Asada Chuck Steaks

WHAT TO SMOKE 18 Smoked Brisket

Heirloom Tomato Tacos

PERFECT SLAWS 74 Old Bay Slaw

Warm tortillas on a grill or oven. Top with herb salsa (pg. 63), sliced heirloom tomatoes, red onion, avocado, salt and pepper.

75 Fennel Slaw

SALSA OPTIONS 63 Herb Salsa 63 Xni Pec Salsa 63 Chiltomate 63 Creamy Tomatillo Salsa 63 Fruit Salsa 63 Tomatillo Salsa

TACOS 59 Al Pastor 59 Carne Asada 63 Liver in Chipotle 80 Heirloom Tomato

SO EXTRA 27 Citrus Dressing 29 Strawberry Garden Salad 39 Montreal Spiced Braised Brisket 60 Jicama & Mango Tajin 69 Roasted Grapefruit Chicken

80

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

ONE LAST BITE

75 Celery Root Remoulade

Allow your sweet tooth to benefit from the grill as well. Try these quick fixes for a light and satisfying summer dessert: � Slice store-bought pound cake, brush with oil and grill for 1 minute per side. � Defrost store-bought cookie dough, press into a cast iron skillet and grill in a closed grill set at 350°F for 15 minutes. � Grill fruit (see how we do it for a salad on pg. 27) and serve with whipped cream and fresh mint. w w w.f leishigs.com

www.AdventuresinJewishItaly.com (coming soon) www.AdventuresinNorthernItaly.com (our sister company) info@adventuresinnorthernitaly.com +1 347 5605848 | +972 525025089 | +39 3286978083

JEWISH HERITAGE, GOURMET KOSHER TOURS & UNIQUE EVENTS IN ITALY Adventures in Jewish Italy offers tailored "Bella Vita" and kosher gourmet travel experiences throughout Italy's most beautiful cities and spectacular countryside, focusing on the fascinating, ancient Italian-Jewish heritage. We are able to provide luxury villas for Passover & year round, and we are specialized in designing exclusive Jewish weddings in stunning locations.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

BBQ Competitor

COMPETITION DAY

Finalize remaining marinades and rubs, trim ribs, chicken, turkey and prep the beans.

5:00 A SUNRI

7:00 A M Turkey goes up, then chicken follows soon after.

Noon is when things start getting fun. Briskets are usually almost ready by now as the crowd starts to roll in.

There is usually a lot going on for people to do, including food trucks or stands selling barbecue, as well as familyfriendly activities like pickle or hot dog eating contests.

Fleishigs

JULY 2019

NOON

Technique and time management is crucial and comes to light at this point. You really need to have it down to the second; it’s the key to award winning BBQ. Tray up your chicken and without missing a beat, work on the ribs, get them carved and glazed up.

1:30 P

THE DAY BEFORE

Anywh betwe ere 8-10 P en M

Trim meat, prepare rubs and marinades. Most of the focus is on the brisket in the beginning. It is the cut that needs the longest time and is the hardest to get right.

82

SE

Daven.

11:00

Once the station is fully set up and the brisket is up and running, many competitors catch up and say a l’chaim or two before getting back to work.

M

Ribs go up. Wrap brisket.

Disclaimer: Real professional competitors keep everything secret from their brisket rubs, to marinades to glazes. Even the exact time they place the meat on the grill is kept under wraps, as timing is everything when it comes to award winning brisket. Keep in mind that the times presented below are estimations.

Most competitions take place on Sundays, which means that teams start meeting up right after Shabbos is over. This is when the competition officially begins. Competitors begin to set up their stations, organize and fire up their grills.

GHT

1:00 5:00 A M

Alternate between napping and working. It takes a lot to produce competition-level meat, especially brisket, so you need your energy. Competitors come in groups and some alternate by taking 1-3 hour naps or sleeping in shifts.

Competing in a barbecue competition is no joke. Most people don’t realize the passion that goes into it, as a BBQ competition requires a nearly 24-hour camp-out around a kettle grill, constantly maintaining and preparing. A typical BBQ competition requires competitors to present brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey and beans; all must be prepared at the competition location, outdoors, with no official kitchen and only basic tools and ingredients on hand. Gabriel Boxer chatted with Mendel Segal, who has competed and won many a BBQ competition. He shares a typical day in the life of a competitor.

Come prepared with a game plan, schedule and specific timing. When you will place the brisket on the grill. When you will trim the brisket, chicken and ribs. When you will make your rubs. What ingredients will you use. What equipment you will need. This is all crucial information that needs to be resolved and planned ahead of time.

MIDNI

11:30

PM

PM

M

The first cut to be judged is brisket and that is usually served up at about this point in the day. Once brisket is served, it is followed by turkey, chicken and ribs. There are specific ways competitors are required to present or “turn in” the meat to the judges. You can’t put chunky sauce or serve sauce on the side, nor can you add herbs or garnishes. It is truly about the meat. No distractions.

Minimalistic.

2:00 P

M

3:00 P

M

At this point, it’s a waiting game. Competitors socialize with one another and offer up samples for the crowd to taste.

Award ceremony. This is when the winners are announced and packing up to leave begins. While everyone wants their meat to be the winning fare, even those who don’t walk away as official winners still feel incredibly proud and accomplished. Onto the next... w w w.f leishigs.com

fire up the grill, u o y n e wh

e r u s Ke a m u'RE yo

Safe

. r e h s o K

OK.ORG

and