Recipes
Spring Forward with These 8 Flavorful March Recipes
While known for its volatility (in like a lion and out like a lamb), March is a surprisingly great food month, with everything from winter squashes to ramps (wild onions) and asparagus to be found in the markets. There’s Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”), St. Patrick’s Day, and occasionally, grill-friendly weather. Below are some of our favorite seasonal recipes.
8 Seasonal March Recipes
3-2-1 Pulled Pork
Luscious and piquant at the same time, pulled pork is the perfect candidate for your first warmer weather project. Season it with homemade Basic Barbecue Rub or your favorite rub, then smoke it with Steven’s simple but genius 3-2-1 method, i.e., 3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped in foil, and 1 hour unwrapped. Then pull and pile on a grilled bun. Outrageously good, but deceptively simple.
Santa Maria Tri-Tip
Barbecue in southern California means tri-tip, and in the Santa Maria Valley, about three hours north of Los Angeles, this slab of bottom sirloin turns up at all manner of public celebrations and backyard cookouts, seasoned with garlic and spiced pepper, then oak grilled and thinly sliced. Unlike Texas brisket, the meat is tender enough to serve rare or medium-rare, so it combines the smoke flavor of true slow-cooked barbecue with the sanguine succulence of steak.simple.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Create a Caribbean getaway in your own back yard by grilling one of the island’s iconic dishes and its most important contribution to world barbecue. Born with the Maroons, runaways enslaved in Jamaica’s highlands, it features nutmeg, allspice, and other tropical spices; tongue-torturing doses of Scotch bonnet chiles; and rum and salt–originally added as a preservative. The final defining ingredient is the fragrant smoke of pimiento (allspice wood). If you don’t have the latter, toss a handful of allspice berries on the coals or add to your gas grill’s smoker box.
Meatballs with Parmesan and Herbs
Celebrate National Meatball Day (March 9) with these savory herb-inflected meatballs from Steven’s repertoire. Lightly smoked, these cheesy meatballs can be easily frozen for “March Madness” get togethers or an easy weeknight dinner. (Simmer in prepared tomato sauce and serve on cooked pasta.) They make great appetizers, too, when skewered on toothpicks.
Pastrami Reuben
It’s unlikely that St. Patrick ever ate a Reuben sandwich, let alone one made from pastrami, but we have no doubt he would’ve loved this St. Patrick’s Day favorite. Vault over the green beer crowd with this delectable sandwich. Extra points if the pastrami is homemade.
Mexican Fish Tacos with Cilantro Butter
Though originally deep-fried in the taco shacks of the Baja Peninsula, grilled fish is superior in terms of taste, and healthier, too. Serve with a chilled Mexican beer or a margarita.
Grilled Asparagus Rafts
Tender asparagus spears, often from California, first appear in markets in early spring. They are sublime when grilled and make an impressive side dish when pinned into raft-like shapes. This Asian version is lightly brushed with a mixture of sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic, then quickly grilled. The rafts are finished with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Grilled Pound Cake with Fresh Berry Salsa and Smoked Whipped Cream
his simple dessert, which showcases whichever berries are in season, has been enjoyed for years by attendees of Barbecue University, the intense 3-day program Steven teaches annually at the Alisal Ranch in Solvang, CA. And because it uses store-bought pound cake—we’ve found Sara Lee’s just holds up better on the grill than homemade—it’s incredibly easy to make and serve.
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