Barbeque in Greece has a history. Cooking on coal was the most usual way to make things back in the old days. There are several areas in Greece where coal cooking is in the center of the attention.
In Athens and everywhere else there are places called tavernas where most of the menu is cooked on coal. It is very usual for a family or friends to go out on Sundays and end up eating in a taverna steaks, burgers, chicken lamb chops or whatever else you can think of always made on coal.
Many homes especially the ones with gardens or large patios have a barbeque made of brick and clay on which they cook from chops to a whole lamb especially during Easter. We have one too because my paternal grandfather owned a taverna back then and he taught everything he knew to my father who in turn tried to teach everything he knew to my brother. Although my father is in his 80s now and the barbeque has become idle, I have a small one that can cook a portion enough for my family and I use it almost every weekend provided it doesn’t rain.
I love making meat in my barbeque because the taste is so profound and so different than the one under the broiler. Weekends is my opportunity to make something different, something that requires more time and effort. During weekdays I usually cook simple, quick food for everybody. But weekends, oh weekends I let myself carried away and make all sorts of difficult and new things.
Last weekend I bought some beef chops so tender and delicious and I thought I should make something delicious with them for everybody to enjoy. We all love Jack Daniels sauce over at TGIF and, so I decided to go ahead and clone it so as to spread it on top of the chops. I also made some fantastic mashed potatoes and let me tell you there was not a chop or spoon of potato left. It was a truly fantastic meal perfect for a family lunch on a weekend day.
I would like to wish to all of you and your families Very Merry Christmas! Love and be loved, cherish and be cherished, hug and be hugged! That is what Christmas is all about! See you all on Tuesday 26th of December!
- 6 beef steaks
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp pineapple puree
- ⅔ cup water
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Jack Daniels bourbon
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 kilo / 2 lb. potatoes, peeled
- 100 gr. / 4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 80 gr. / 3 oz. melted butter
- ½ cup warm milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- Prepare the sauce by placing everything in a pot and bringing it to boil.
- Let it cook in medium/low heat.
- If the sauce is somewhat runny, thicken it with 1 tbsp. of corn flour dissolved in 1 tbsp of water.
- Put it aside.
- Boil the potatoes until they are soft.
- Drain them and return them to the pot.
- Place the pot on stove at the lowest temperature your stove has.
- With the masher, mash them.
- Add the butter and whisk to incorporate.
- Pour the milk and incorporate.
- Add the cream cheese, salt and nutmeg and whisk to incorporate.
- Salt and pepper the steaks.
- Bake the steaks either in barbeque or broiler.
- Serve with the sauce and mashed potatoes.
- 6 μπριζόλες γάλακτος
- 1 φλ. χυμό ανανά
- 1 κ.σ. πολτό ανανά
- ⅔ φλ. νερό
- ¼ φλ. σάλτσα teriyaki
- 1 κ.σ. σάλτσα σόγιας
- 1 φλ. καφέ ζάχαρη
- 3 κ.σ. χυμό λεμονιού
- 1 κ.σ. Jack Daniels μπέρμπον
- 1 κ.σ. κρεμμύδι σε σκόνη
- 2 κ.γ. σκόνη σκόρδου
- 1 κιλό πατάτες, καθαρισμένες
- 100 γρ. τυρί κρέμα σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου
- 80 γρ. λιωμένο βούτυρο
- ½ φλ.ζεστό γάλα
- 1 κ.γ. αλάτι
- 1 κ.γ. μοσχοκάρυδο
- Ετοιμάστε τη σάλτσα τοποθετώντας όλα τα υλικά σε μια κατσαρόλα και βράζοντάς τα.
- Χαμηλώστε τη φωτιά και αφήστε να σιγοβράσει.
- Αν η σάλτσα είναι κάπως αραιή, δέστε τη με 1 κουταλιά κορν φλάουρ διαλυμένο σε 1 κουταλιά της σούπας νερό.
- Βάλτε τη στην άκρη.
- Βράζουμε τις πατάτες μέχρι να μαλακώσουν.
- Τις στραγγίζουμε και τις επιστρέφουμε στην κατσαρόλα.
- Βάζουμε την κατσαρόλα στην εστία στη χαμηλότερη θερμοκρασία που υπάρχει.
- Τις λιώνουμε με το εργαλείο για τον πουρέ.
- Προσθέτουμε το βούτυρο και ανακατεύουμε.
- Ρίχνουμε το γάλα και ενσωματώνουμε.
- Προσθέτουμε το τυρί κρέμα, το αλάτι και το μοσχοκάρυδο και ανακατεύουμε.
- Αλατοπιπερώνουμε τις μπριζόλες.
- Ψήνουμε τις μπριζόλες στο μπάρμπεκιου ή στο γκριλ.
- Σερβίρουμε με τη σάλτσα και τον πουρέ πατάτας.
