Zimmy's Nook

@zimmysnook

Spicy

Grilled Chicken Wings/Drums with Korean BBQ Sauce

by 2 Comments

Oval platter of grilled chicken wings with Korean bbq sauce. Red chili peppers, sesame seads and koren chives surrounding the plate.

Grilled spicy Korean BBQ wings & drums. Topped with white & black sesame seeds, Korean chives, hot peppers and green onions. Toppings optional, but highly recommended!

INGREDIENTS
  • 4 lbs chicken wings
  • 4 tablespoons dry rub (see below* or use your favourite store bought)
  • 1 cup Spicy Korean BBQ Sauce (make your own or use your favourite store bought)
  • Sesame seeds, sliced green onions, sliced hot peppers, chopped chives – for topping wings
COOKING DIRECTIONS

Prepare your grill for two zone cooking – one side set for indirect cooking and one side for direct cooking. In a charcoal grill, place all the charcoal on one side, and for a gas grill just turn half the burners on. The interior temperature of your grill should be about 325ºF.

While the grill preheats, toss the wings in your dry rub and set aside.

Place the chicken wings over the indirect heat (no charcoal side or unlit burner section) and cook for 12-15 minutes per side.

After 25-30 minutes, move the wings to the direct heat side and cook for about 8-10 minutes total, flipping frequently. Until the skin to turns a golden brown. Once the skin is golden brown, toss (or brush) the wings with your BBQ sauce and return to the indirect section of the grill for 8-10 minutes to allow the sauce to set.

Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds, green onions, hot peppers (chives optional, but suggested!)

*** Make your own sauce or buy an imported pre-made sauce. (Example – CJ Chicken & Pork, Korean BBQ Original Sauce, Hot & Spicy Marinade – S. Korea) ***

SPICY KOREAN BBQ SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (not regular soy sauce)
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup gochujang
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 4 tablespoons mirin 4 tablespoons mild honey
  • 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
  • 2 green onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 of a ripe pear, any variety, peeled, cored, and grated on the finest side of a box grater
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Korean chili pepper powder (or crushed red pepper flakes)
SAUCE DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients, stir well while bringing to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

*DRY RUB – Mix together:

  • 3 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Oval platter of grilled chicken wings with Korean bbq sauce held by someone wearing a yellow sweater.

This recipe was created for Weber Grills Canada. Opinions in this post are my own.

Love wings? Here are a few other wing recipes of mine:

Piri-Piri Side Ribs

by Leave a Comment

When I’m planning a summer BBQ, the forecast typically looks something like this: “A hot, humid and changeable weekend is expected across most of the region, with a heightened risk for thunderstorms and severe weather right above ‘my’ backyard.”  

Yet, as the number of opportunities to host friends and family remains limited, I say, let the planning begin and the storms fall where they may.

Yes, backyard games, good music, lively conversations and refreshing beverages, are all important factors in throwing the ultimate summer BBQ bash, let’s not forget why everyone came… the ribs! Slow-cooked, moist, tender, slide-off-the-bone, finger-licking, lip-smacking, delicious pork ribs!

This Ontario Pork Piri-Piri side rib recipe takes these high-quality, local ribs and slaps them with a fresh, bold, tangy, spicy, flavourful variation on the sauce inspired by Portuguese settlers in Africa. With roots dating back to the 15th century, when the Portuguese first came across the African bird’s eye chili, this sauce likely has more recipes, than there are people in Canada!

So, I encourage you to seize a moment… gather your friends and family for a summertime BBQ, try grilling a new rib recipe, share stories, laugh until your belly aches, and as soon as it ends… plan another!

Ingredients

Piri-Piri Sauce

  • 1/3 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1 red shepherd pepper
  • 6-8 long red chili pepper coarsely chopped (remove seeds and membrane for less spice)
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 limes – zested and juiced (if limes are dry, use a 3rd)
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 8-10 small basil leaves large basil (4 large)
  • 2 tablespoon fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup olive oil

Dry Rub

  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Barbeque Pork Side Ribs

  • 3 full racks of Ontario Pork Side Ribs
  • 6 tablespoons dry rub (from recipe above)
  • 1 cup Piri sauce, with the remaining sauce set aside and served on the side (from recipe above)
  • Tin foil
  • Drip pan
Preparation

Piri-Piri Sauce: Preheat the grill on high. Place the shepherd pepper on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until blackened all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Place the pepper in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand 5 -10 minutes. Peel back the skin, remove the stem and seeds, reserving the flesh.

Using a Vitamix, blender, or food processor, add all the ingredients except the olive and process until very smooth. With the processor running on low, slowly add the olive oil until combined.

Portion one cup for basting and reserve the remaining sauce to be served on the side.

Make ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.

Dry Rub: Mix together all ingredients and store in airtight container

Pork Ribs: Prepare the ribs: trim off any excess fat and remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs (this is easily accomplished by using a piece of paper towel to grab the end of the membrane and peel it back slowly in one piece) Use 2 tablespoons of dry rub/rack and season both sides.

Ribs with membrane removed.

Prepare the grill: Place a drip pan filled with 1” of water in the barbecue – the ribs will cook above it. If using a gas grill, place the pan to one side and only light half of the burners. If using charcoal, get the coals hot and spread them out from the middle, creating a well for the drip pan to sit in.

Preheat the grill to 250° F. Place ribs on grill over drip pan, close barbecue lid and cook for 11/2 hours at 250° F. If using charcoal, add coals to maintain a steady 250° F (some fluctuation is unavoidable, but the goal is to stay between 235° F – 265° F)

For each rack of ribs, lay out tin foil (2 sheets thick) about 6” longer than each rack. Place ribs, meat side down on foil and wrap tightly. Return racks to the grill for 11/2 hours. Remove ribs from grill and leave in foil while increasing the temperature of the grill to approximately 450° F (maintaining a side of the grill not over direct heat).

Remove the ribs from foil and sear over hot grill 5 minutes/side. Using the Piri-Piri sauce, baste both sides of ribs and sear over hot grill, 3 minutes/side. Baste again and let cook another 10 minutes over indirect heat to let sauce set on ribs.

Place ribs on cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing individual ribs. Place ribs on platter and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

  • PREP TIME 30 MINS       
  • COOK TIME 3 1/2 HRS    
  • SERVES 6-9

This Piri-Piri Side Ribs recipe was created in partnership with Ontario Pork however opinions in this post are my own.

Spicy Jerk Frenched Ontario Pork Loin Chops

by Leave a Comment

Pork chops on a flaming grill. Frenched bones are covered with aluminum foil.

Spicy jerk pork chops over an open fire! Who wants one?

When I was a little kid, we didn’t have fancy gas grills that got hot at the flick of a switch. So, when my father pulled out the cast iron hibachi, filled it with charcoal, doused it with lighter fluid and set it ablaze, I sat and watched with great anticipation as the solid black briquettes, ever so slowly turned to grey. It seemed like it took FOREVER, but I waited patiently because I knew that we were in for a very special treat. To be sure, it was going to be an afternoon filled with finger licking good food, excessive story telling, by my brothers and me, followed by belly aching laughter.

From the time I bought my first grill, grilling became less of a planned event and more of a preferred method of cooking. Yet still to this day, the joy of a planning family barbecue with dad, remains just as special now as it was then.

So, this year I encourage you to plan a Father’s Day barbecue and create your own special memories for the family.

This lip-smacking Spicy Jerk Ontario Pork Chop recipe has everything you need to create a show stopping dish that will have everyone talking about it for years to come. I like cooking pork on the bone because it enhances the flavour and helps keep the meat moist. Using a Frenched chop elevates this delicious cut to something worthy of multiple Instagram posts.
Don’t forget to pick up Ontario Pork and support the nearly 1,200 local farmers. Many of whom were raised on the farm by their fathers or are raising their kids on a farm and certainly know a thing or two about creating lasting memories.

Ingredients
  • 6 to 8 Frenched Ontario Pork loin chops (8 – 10 oz, 1¼ thick) – bones tightly wrapped in tin foil
  • 6 Scotch bonnet peppers, sliced (if you prefer it less spicy, use 3-4 peppers)
  • 8 Cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 Medium onions, chopped
  • 2 Inch long piece of fresh ginger, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons thyme
  • 2 Tablespoons ground allspice
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons salt
  • 2 Teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ Cup soy sauce (sodium reduced)
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 Cup orange juice
  • 1 Cup white vinegar
  • ½ Cup olive oil
Frenched jerk pork chops on a wooden cutting board.
Preparation

Add the peppers, garlic, onions and ginger to the food processor and pulse until chopped into small pieces (not liquidized).

Add the balance of the ingredients (excluding the pork) and blend briefly to combine.

Reserve half the sauce for basting and serving.

Place the pork chops in a resealable bag and use the other half of the sauce to marinate the pork chops (4 – 24 hours).

Remove the pork from the fridge 20 minutes prior to cooking.

Prepare grill gas or charcoal grill with a high heat sear zone and an indirect cooking zone (not over direct heat).

Heat reserved marinade in a saucepan for 15 minutes (on med/low).

Place the chops over the high heat sear zone, cook for 2 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees, cook for 2 minutes, then flip. Baste each chop with the warmed marinade. Cook 2 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees while moving to indirect cooking zone. Close lid and cook to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (4 to 10 minutes, depending on actual thickness & temperature of grill). Remove chops to cutting board and tent with foil for 8 – 10 minutes before serving.

Finish with lime zest, serve with lime wedges and warmed sauce for dipping.

Spicy slaw, potato salad, corn & tomato salad are great side dishes for a delicious Father’s Day BBQ.

Six spicy jerk frenched pork chops shot top down on a wooden cutting board. Three colourful bowls are filled with different salads, beer bottles and glasse and hot pepers surround the board.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
  • Inactive Time 4 to 24 hours
  • Serves: 6-8

This Spicy Jerk Frenched Ontario Pork Loin Chops recipe was created in partnership with Ontario Pork however, opinions in this post are my own.

Grilled Chicken Tortillas with Spicy Guacamole

by Leave a Comment

A sheet pan filled with grilled chicken skewers, tortillas, peppers, jalapeños, corn, cucumber and tortilla chips.

Grilled chicken tortillas with spicy guacamole are a great lunch, dinner for summer entertaining or feeding the hungry family! Fresh, light, delicious and above all open to any combination of fixings you care to add the platter.

Suggested tortilla fixings:

  • sour cream, chopped peppers, cherry tomatoes (halved), cucumber slices, chilies, chopped lettuce & purple cabbage, cilantro, hot sauce (not shown) and tortilla chips… grilled corn optional but suggested!

Would you add anything different? If so, let me know in the comments below.

A sheet pan filled with grilled chicken skewers, tortillas, peppers, jalapeños, corn, cucumber and tortilla chips.

Grilled Chicken Tortillas with Spicy Guacamole

A great lunch or dinner for summer entertaining or feeding the hungry family! Fresh, light, delicious and open to any combination of fixings you care to add to the platter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Marinating time 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Course Dinner, Entree, Game Day Snack, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 -12 People

Equipment

  • 12 Wooden Skewers 8"

Ingredients
  

Chicken Skewers

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless/skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup cilantro minced
  • Zest & juice of one lime
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Spicy Guacamole

  • 2 avocados ripe
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 jalapeño roasted, grilled or charred – skin removed, diced
  • 2 cloves of roasted garlic
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions
 

Chicken Skewers

  • Add all ingredients (except skewers) to a resealable bag, seal and shake well to combine.
  • Refrigerate chicken in the marinade for at least 2 hours.
  • If using wooden skewers soak in water for 60 minutes.

Spicy Guacamole

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  • Char the jalapeño, then remove the skin and dice.
  • Place all ingredients into a molcajete (or bowl & fork) and mix to desired consistency
  • Alternatively, toss all the pre-chopped ingredients (except the avocados and cilantro) into a mini food processor and blitz. Then add the avocado & cilantro and process to desired consistency.

Grill the Chicken

  • Place chicken pieces on skewers (3-4 pieces/skewers).
  • Place skewers on grill. Cook 3-5 minutes/side until chicken is slightly charred and cooked through.
  • Remove to platter and serve with grilled tortillas, guacamole and all your fixings.
  • Suggested fixings: sour cream, chopped peppers, cherry tomatoes (halved), cucumber slices, chilies, chopped lettuce & purple cabbage, cilantro and tortilla chips… grilled corn optional but suggested!
Keyword chicken skewers, chicken tortillas, spicy quacamole
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

In addition to this Grilled Chicken Tortillas with Spicy Guacamole recipe, you can find more of my favourite taco and tortilla recipes here.

Hope you enjoy this recipe! We would love to hear from you, please leave us your feedback in the comment box below.

Have a delicious day! James (aka Zimmy) & Elaine

You can also follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Twitter.