Sunday, May 8, 2011

Outdoor Cooking - Foil Packets!

I have to share a great idea I found in a magazine at the doctor's office this week.  I've been meaning to create a weekly menu of outdoor cooking ideas, but this one just can't wait ;0)   The magazine Just Fun had a spread about making foil packets on the grill. 

You start with one large square of heavy duty foil per person.  I would recommend having a can of cooking spray to spray the foil before putting ingredients on them, but that wasn't mentioned in the directions.  Then you put out a spread of the following ingredients for each person to customize their own layered creation:

1) the protein selections: any combination of chicken strips, steak strips, hamburger patties*, sliced kielbasa, uncooked shrimp  *(boost your burgers by adding 2T worchestershire sauce, 2T mayonnaise, 2tsp Montreal steak seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to 1 pound of hamburger - mix thoroughly and shape into patties)

2) add up to 2 cups of veggies - any combo: sliced raw potato, sliced red onion rings, sliced bell pepper rings, sliced carrot coins, sliced zucchini coins, sliced summer squash coins, cherry tomato halves, sliced mushrooms, asparagus spears, corn kernels, black beans...anything you wish!

3) the seasonings:   Herbs ~ add 2 tsp per foil pack:
    Regular: 2T chopped parsley, zest of one lemon, 1 clove of garlic, minced
    Asian: 2T minced cilantro, 2T orange zest, 1 1/2 tsp grated, peeled ginger, 1T sliced scallion greens
    Tex Mex: 3T minced cilantro, 2T minced chipotle in adobo, 1T sliced scallion, 1/2 tsp minced garlic
                    OR   Sauces ~ 1 1/2 tsp per packet
    Mustard Madness: 1 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard, 2T lemon or lime juice, 3T Vegetable oil, salt & pepper
    Vinegar Splash: 2T balsamic vinegar, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt & pepper

I'm thinking you could easily use A-1 sauce on steak and burgers or your favorite BBQ sauce on steak, burgers, chicken...again, here's your opportunity to be creative.
 
Once everyone has assembled the layers above, they fold and seal the foil to make packets - leaving no air space - it makes for better cooking ~ then write each person's name on theirs with a sharpie marker and place them in a pre-heated grill (high or 400 degrees) - and cook for 10 minutes each for shrimp or 15 minutes each for all other meat selections.

What is great about this is that you can really impress your friends with this casual cookout idea and get everyone in on the fun!!  Just have one awesome dessert ready and a signature drink or bottle of wine and relax!!

Enjoy!!

3 comments:

  1. I love grilling with foil packets! It makes for such easy clean up!

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  2. You said it!! We'll be doing this alot more this summer - food somehow just tastes better when cooked and eaten outside!!

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  3. Thanks you very much for sharing these links. Will definitely check this out.. truckee grill cleaning service

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