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All Fired Up:
Decatur's Grillmasters
online supplement to the printed article from June/July 2001

Roast Leg of Lamb (Arni Psito)

1 4-5 pound leg of spring lamb (semi-boned preferred)
10 to 12 small garlic cloves
2 tablespoons salt and freshly ground pepper, mixed 2 to 1
1 lemon, halved
Crushed garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Bacon

Wash lamb with cold water and dry. Rub and juice thoroughly with lemon halves. Crush some garlic and mix with salt and pepper until paste-like. Insert small amount of garlic mixture through deep meat slits in the lamb, and follow with one garlic clove. Squeeze a little lemon on top of lamb when done. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to any remaining garlic mixture and rub on top of lamb. Place bacon strips lengthwise over entire lamb. Tie meat and bacon together with 4-5 strands of string.

Heat grill to 400 degrees. Place lamb in roast holder and set in middle of grill, thigh side up. Close grill, turn off middle burner, and sear for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook half-hour for each pound of lamb - usually about 2 hours.

Lamb should always be cooked until medium well to well done. After 2 hours, re-check temperature with thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Meat is done at about 170 to 180-degrees.

Tzatziki

A popular Greek appetizer, tzatziki is a great complement for lamb, or makes good use of leftover lamb.

32-ounces fresh, plain yogurt
Medium cucumber, peeled and coarsely grated
6 small fresh garlic cloves
1 tablespoon diced dill weed
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper to taste
Juice from one lemon wedge

Place yogurt in strainer and allow to drain overnight in refrigerator. Empty in to mixing bowl; set aside and chill until needed. Drain grated cucumber is same manner for at least one hour.

Mix all ingredients by hand. Chill one hour before serving. Mixture is ready when it can support a spoon upright.

To serve, place 3-4 tablespoons of dip on to flat salad plate. Make a small crater in the center and top with Greek olive. Sprinkle olive oil on top.

Spread small amount on top of fresh bread, pita, cracker or vegetables. If covered and refrigerated, tzatziki will stay fresh for 72 hours. Sprinkle with lemon juice to freshen flavor. Serves 6-8.

*To use with lamb:
Reheat some shredded lamb at 300 degrees for 8 minutes. Put lamb on pita or other bread with tzatziki, tomato, onion and pepper.

Beemer's Dirty Rice

2 pounds Bob Evans spicy sausage (red label)
1 large white or yellow onion, diced
Garlic seasoning
2 small cans mushrooms, with liquid
About 1/8 cup fresh ground black pepper
Endorphin Rush Spicy Sauce (available at Eagle's)
2 quarts Swanson chicken broth
1 quart rice (not Minute Rice)

In a 4-quart saucepan, combine sausage and diced onion; saute until brown. Add garlic seasoning, salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. Spicy Sauce.

In a 6-quart pot, combine 2 quarts of chicken broth, 2 small cans of mushrooms, with liquid, and bring to a boil. Add sausage/onion mix to chicken broth. Bring both to a boil. Add 1 quart of rice and cook, covered, for 20 minutes maximum. Don't overcook! Stir occasionally.

Beemer's Famous Pork Tenderloins

4 pork tenderloins
Fresh basil
Fresh thyme
20 garlic cloves (nothing less!)
Lawry's garlic salt
Olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper

Rinse tenderloins and place in glass plan. Crush the 20 cloves and work in to tenderloins. Add basil and thyme, working in to meat. Cover meat with garlic salt, sprinkle generously with ground pepper and place tenderloins in a zip-lock bag. Cover with olive oil and refrigerate for at least 2 days prior to cooking. Smoke tenderloins to a maximum internal temperature of 140 degrees.

Publisher's Note:
These recipes may be printed for personal use only.

This article originally appeared in the June / July 2001 issue of Decatur Magazine.
It may not be reproduced or redistributed in whole or in part without the publisher's consent.
© Copyright 2001 Decatur Magazine - First String Productions. All rights reserved.