What to cook at a barbecue: Teriyaki chicken and beer bratwursts

Continuing from the previous post on the Labor Day barbecue, here are the other two recipes that made up our grilling festivities.

Note: Again, I apologize for the lack of photos on a food post, but the food just got to' up before John had a chance to snap some on his phone.

We grilled up about 25 chicken legs, and so to avoid monotony, I decided to use two different grilled chicken recipes. The last time I made this chicken recipe, it was a hit so why not go again for a crowd pleaser? The recipe is simple, requires few ingredients, and is easily adaptable according to how you feel like eating it. (You'll see what I mean in the recipe below.) Now make it and eat it. Don't you think it's better than that crap Jack-in-the-Box version?

Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken

Summary: Original recipe for the baked version from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. cold water
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. cider vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground or minced ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
2. If baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken in a 9"x13" baking dish. Brush both sides of the chicken with the sauce. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake for another 30 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear. Baste with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.
3. If grilling, cut chicken into 1" cubes and marinate chicken in sauce for at least 1 hour. Before cooking, skewer the meat. Heat grill to medium-low heat and oil grates. Grill until done, about 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time.

Quick Notes

If grilling, try also grilling pineapple slices. In either case, serve with rice.

Variations

On Sunday's barbecue, we used whole chicken legs instead of skewered chicken thighs. The preparation is all the same: marinate the skinless chicken legs in the teriyaki sauce for at least 1 hour. Grill time is obviously longer--about 60 minutes--and we suggest you baste frequently, at least once every 15 minutes or so. Turn the legs over halfway through cooking to ensure both sides are done.

Cooking time (duration): 70

Meal type: supper

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My next recipe is considered the soul food of Wisconsin. That's right, beer brats. "Bratwurst" is a German compound word--brat means "chopped meat" (but is often misconstrued as originating from braten which means "fried") and wurst means "sausage." I had no idea bratwursts were the pride and joy of Wisconsin until the best rated bratwurst recipe I found on All Recipes had "Wisconsin" right in its name. Then I dug around online and stumbled upon this page. Boy, do those Wisconsinites love their brats. Miller Park in Milwaukee is the only baseball stadium in the U.S. to sell more brats than hotdogs. Now I can add beer brats to the very short list of things that remind me of Wisconsin: the Packers, the Bucks, the Brewers, beer, cheese, and "That '70s Show."

While our brats did not taste as yummy as the ones from Austin's The Best Wurst on 6th Street, they were good in a sober Houston sort of way. And with Oktoberfest coming up, you can be sure this recipe would add just the right Munich touch to your festivities.

Recipe: Wisconsin Beer Brats

Summary: Original recipe from All Recipes.

Ingredients

• 12 bratwurst sausages
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 stick butter
• 3 (12 fl. oz.) cans or bottles beer (more if necessary to cover ingredients)
• 1.5 tsp. ground black pepper
• 12 hoagie rolls
• sauteed sauerkraut
• brown mustard

Instructions

1. Prick bratwurst sausages with a fork to prevent bursting while cooking. In a large stockpot, bring beer, onion, butter, and pepper to a simmer. Add sausages. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
2. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil grill grates, and cook bratwursts for 10-14 minutes, turning occasionally for even browning. Serve immediately in hoagie rolls with onions and sauerkraut and brown mustard.

Quick Notes

The recipe calls for hoagie rolls, never hot dog buns. I didn't get to taste one with any sauteed sauerkraut. Instead I had it with sauerkraut straight out of the jar, and boy, was that no good. Sauteeing the sauerkraut is a must--do it in a little bit of butter for optiumum results. You can even throw those onions leftover from the stockpot into the skillet. And always serve with brown mustard; yellow mustard is an abomination.

Cooking time (duration): 40

Meal type: lunch

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

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And that concludes our Labor Day cookout. As I always say, if the Blind can Cook, so can you.