Dad, King of Kebab

georgehirsch June 18, 2026

My dad was the King of Kebab, not only my best friend but also the one who taught me everything a son needs to know. Fish, throw a fastball, and how to build an excellent fire. A TV series and one of my cookbooks, "Know Your Fire," are inspired by and a tribute to a great man, friend, and father. Dad, this kebab is for you.

One of the oldest cooking techniques in existence—the art of grilling meat on a skewer- was derived from medieval Turkish soldiers who used their swords to cook meat over an open fire. However, cooking on skewers with higher-quality meats was once reserved only for kings and nobility. Thank goodness things have changed. For the best cooking results, the skewered meat should be grilled on a very hot grill or with hot embers. The skewers should be frequently turned during grilling using caution so the melting fat does not drip directly over the hot burner or coals, causing a flare-up.

King of Kebabs

Makes 4 servings

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1 pound mixed beef, pork tenderloin, and chicken cut into two-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper

1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, dried oregano

1 Tablespoon each: fresh parsley and fresh mint

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Pinch Sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 fresh lemons, sliced, fresh Mint, chopped

1 cup plain Greek yogurt, optional

For Vegetables: any mixture of onion, peppers, squash, eggplant, and mushrooms, cut into 2-inch cubes, mix the cut-up meat and vegetables—grease metal skewers with cooking spray or oil. If possible, use long, flat metal skewers.

For Meat: Divide the meat mixture evenly on all skewers (depending on the length of the skewer). Push the skewer through the middle of the meat lengthwise, and alternate with a piece of onion on the skewer, spreading it evenly. Repeat with the other skewers. Season with garlic, cayenne, cumin, oregano, parsley, mint, black pepper, and salt in a bowl. Brush kebabs with olive oil. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill, and allow the seasoning to bloom with the meat. (grilling instructions below)

To Grill: Brush the outside of the meat with additional olive oil. Preheat the grill to high. Place kebabs on a scorching grill with lemon slices. After the lemon slices brown, place them on top of the kebabs while cooking for added flavor and moisture. Grill meat and vegetable kebabs for 5 minutes, turning frequently, or until cooked through to the desired doneness. Serve immediately with sides of Greek yogurt, grilled lemon slices, and freshly chopped mint.

TIPS: For the veggies, cutting up onion the same size as the meat is a good way to flavor meat on the same skewer; however, other vegetables should be grilled separately from the meat since vegetables will cook at different times.

Serving Suggestion: Serve on warm, grilled flatbread with dips.

Dips To Serve with Kebabs:- Warm hummus, Olive oil, grilled lemons, chopped olives, chopped fresh mint, Tzatziki, chopped cukes, garlic, olive oil, Greek yogurt, and dill.

Skewer Tip: Metal skewers work best because they do not burn and assist in conducting heat to make the food cook at a higher temperature, producing juicy results. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water first so they won't burn.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

AS SEEN ON PUBLIC TELEVISION & CREATE TV- SEASON ONE
FEATURING CHEF GEORGE HIRSCH DEMONSTRATING HIS SAVORY COOKING, BAKING AND GRILLING RECIPES; WITH HIS EXPERT CULINARY TIPS & TECHNIQUES, ALONG WITH VISITS TO HIS INSPIRING HAMPTON LOCATIONS.

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

From the original Grilling TV Series host, 200 Fabulous Recipe—Celebrating the joyous rituals of sharing food at year-round festivities, the star of PBS's Grilling with Chef George Hirsch provides a wealth of recipes and ideas for great party foods, plus advance preparation tips to ease the strain of last minute chores.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

This easy to live with lifestyle plan; with more than 165 of George's easy-to-prepare gourmet recipes, you can lose weight, maintain energy, look better, and enjoy a longer active life, by eating great food!
M.Evans and Company, Inc.

George Starts your year off right!

George Hirsch Living it UP
Recipes for a Healthy Active Life
Product Details
Hardcover: 240 pages; $24.95
Publisher: M. Evans and Company, Inc.; 2000
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0871319241
ISBN-13: 978-0871319241
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

Creative Cooking tips
Fast Easy recipes that allow for an active lifestyle
A 30-Day Menu Plan you can adapt throughout the year
Support and motivation for staying on a healthy eating & exercise routine
Tips for easy food shopping & eating healthy on the run

Each book is personally autographed by George Hirsch.

Grilling Corn 411

George Hirsch June 11, 2026

ENJOY George’s Tips + Recipe for baking perfect pie

If ever there is a time, this is it — farm-fresh ears of corn at your local farm stand or market this week. Buy extra to grill or roast; as leftovers, they are an ideal addition to many dishes. Cut leftover corn off the cob and use it in salads, salsas, soups, tacos, beignets, etc. Sufferin’ succotash - add grilled corn to lima beans and tomatoes. The charred kernels add a robust nutty flavor and an excellent texture. Fresh is where it's at.

I am sure you have heard a version of this tale.

"My grandmother learned from a farmer how to cook the best corn, start the water boiling, run to the corn field, pick the corn, run back to the pot, cook the corn, and eat immediately."

A good tip is to stress freshness. But how good is this advice if you don’t know how to select sweet and juicy-tasting ears?

Here's The 411: When picking: The kernels should be smooth and plump, and the juice inside the kernel should appear milky. The kernels should not be too mature, soggy, and doughy. The corn is good when there is a slight browning of the silks, and it is cool to the touch, full of the tip kernels, and firmness of the unhusked ears.

I’m still trying to figure out why people husk their corn at the market and leave husks everywhere. I may have to ask why next time. It helps the corn retain its freshness by leaving the husk on until right before cooking. Ears of corn should also be chilled as soon as possible after picking to slow down the sugar in the corn, as it turns to starch. Think of corn like fresh whole fish; the ears should be firm, moist, and chilled. I suggest taking a cooler to the market for the ride home.

- Begin by pulling the husks of the corn back, but do not remove them. Remove and discard the silk and then soak the whole cobs in a pot of cold water for 15 minutes.

- Preheat the grill to a medium temperature.

- Remove the corn from the water and brush the kernels with olive oil. Before you re-wrap the corn in the husks, add a little caramelized garlic, chopped onion, nutmeg, and black pepper.

- For a flavorful twist, try using herbs & spices such as cilantro, garlic, chipotle chili, and fresh lime juice.

- Then, reposition the husks over the kernels and tie each ear with a piece of loose husk or twine.

- Place the prepared ears of corn on medium heat, turning every 2 minutes.

- After a couple of turns, place the corn husk on indirect heat or the top shelf of your grill and close the cover.

- Allow the corn to roast for another 10 minutes slowly.

- You will know it is done when you press a kernel and it shoots out its sweet liquid.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

GEORGE HIRSCH’S SLOPPY GIUSEPPE BURGER

George Hirsch June 4, 2026

The weekend calls for a burger, but not just any burger. Grilled slider served on a potato roll, with pickled bourbon peppers, an Italian-style sweet sloppy Joe sauce, topped with crisp sriracha slaw made with farm-fresh veggies, and a side of garlic kettle chips.

Burger Bash Chef George Hirsch Beauty Plate

George's SLOPPY GIUSEPPE is a winning combination

Grilling a winning burger from the bun up takes time and the freshest farm-picked ingredients. For my SLOPPY GIUSEPPE, the peppers were farm-picked and pickled the same day, two months ahead of adding to my burger. I used a colorful mix of vine-ripen sweet and hot peppers, and the vinegary brine was topped off with bourbon for added zip. The Sloppy Sauce is a homemade sweetened Italian tomato sauce, and the slaw—is a mixture of crunch tossed at the last moment in a creamy sriracha dressing. With no compromise to the meat tossed on the grill, my signature special meat blend, and the only bun of distinction worthy for such honest “sloppy goodness’ is a soft potato roll.

SLOPPY GIUSEPPE BURGER

Makes eight quarter-pound burgers.

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

*Weight before cooking

1 3/4 pounds ground beef, short rib blend, 80/20 lean/fat ratio

3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Accompaniments: Potato Rolls, a mix of sweet & hot vinegar peppers, sloppy sauce, sriracha slaw,

In a 2-quart mixing bowl, combine the beef and sausage meat, then mix with a fork, taking care not to overwork the meat. Divide into 8 or 10 equal portions and form into 3/4-inch-thick patties. Use raw meat from two of the above-formed burgers for sloppy sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Sloppy Sauce

George Hirsch Lifestyle | chefgeorgehirsch.com

Makes about 2 Quarts or enough topping for 16 SLOPPY GIUSEPPE burgers.

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onions, sweet red peppers

8 cloves fresh garlic, chopped fine

1 - 15 ounces each of Tomato Sauce & Tomato Puree

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1 pint of IPA

1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano

2 bay leaves

2 cups water

Preheat a saucepot to medium temperature. Add olive oil and two burger patties, browning lightly; add onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes; do not brown the vegetables. Add all remaining ingredients using water to rinse out any additional tomato sauce left in cans. Simmer for 45 minutes. Keep warm until topping burgers.

For Slaw & Dressing as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

Vegetables: 1 small head of shredded white cabbage, 1/2 head of shredded red cabbage, two grated carrots, 1/4 of a sweet onion, thinly sliced, two cloves of finely chopped garlic, and three chopped green onions. Mix 2 cups of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/2 cup of sweet chili sauce, 1/4 cup of sriracha, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, pepper, and sea salt to taste. Add dressing to slaw thirty minutes before serving.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the burgers on a hot grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, turning once.

Serve on lightly toasted Potato Rolls, first the peppers, then the burger, sloppy sauce, and slaw. Serve extra Sloppy Sauce on the side, accompanied by plenty of napkins.

Note: If you don’t see ground short-rib beef in your butcher shop, by all means, ask for it. Whenever you’re mixing any ground meat product, it’s a good practice to have the meat and bowl well chilled. Not only will a chilled bowl help reduce bacterial growth, but it will also aid in binding the beef. If possible, use a metal bowl for mixing the ingredients and place it in the freezer beforehand. If your kitchen is warm, place the bowl over a bowl of ice when incorporating the meat with the spices.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Home Run Sticky Ribs

George Hirsch May 28, 2026

As the weekend approaches, you may be searching for just the right BBQ to serve. Go smokin'- like a 95MPH fastball, and you'll score with my homerun sticky ribs. However, you need to start early; they take time, but it's so worth the wait! Your friends and family will be so glad you did.

Ribs & Sauce a perfect relationship

Everyone has a favorite way to serve ribs. Some like it dry, with just a rub. Others will dip dry ribs and then wet them down with a vinegary sauce or lather them up with a sugary, sticky sauce right before they come off the grill. Myself, I enjoy all versions. Variety is a good thing!

Ribs cannot be prepared in a hurry, so toss a burger on a separate hot grill while you wait. How to prepare the Ribs.

For Making Ribs with Sticky Sauce:

15 minutes before removing the slow-cooked ribs, lightly brush them with a little sauce to moisten and add flavor. Remove, cut, and serve ribs as is, or serve extra sauce on the side for pouring over ribs.

GH Rib Sauce

Makes 3 cups

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon thyme

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons fresh-grated orange zest

1 cup ketchup

1 cup tomato sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Place the onion, green onions, garlic, cumin, thyme, vinegar, orange juice, and sugar in a small pot. Boil until the vinegar is reduced by half. Add orange zest, soy sauce, ketchup, tomato sauce, and hot sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

$50.00

LIMITED OFFER, LIMITED EDITION, signed by Chef George.

Hardcover: 310 pages
Publisher: Hearst Books-HarperCollins; 1St edition (June 12, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0688142257
ISBN-13: 978-0688142254
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Grilled Pork Sliders as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch May 14, 2026

There’s nothing quite like classic, slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork, but sometimes life calls for a quicker fix. That’s where my Grilled Pork Sliders come in. With a flavorful rub and your favorite sauce, pork tenderloin transforms into something special in no time at all—right on your grill or even roasted indoors if that’s what you have. The beauty of cooking is making it work for you, wherever you are. So fire up your grill, gather your friends, and let your creativity lead the way. Trust yourself, savor the moment, and remember: every meal you make is a chance to share a little joy.

George's Grilled Pork Sliders

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/4 TO 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/4 cup Pork Rub

2 Tablespoons olive oil

12 soft potato slider buns

1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, or 1 cup slaw

1 cup Chipotle Sauce

One day before or at least two hours before cooking, dry rub the pork tenderloin.

Rub pork spices over the pork tenderloin and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Pork Rub:

2 teaspoons each of powdered garlic, paprika

1 Tablespoon each of black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and Chipotle rub

To Cook Pork: Preheat the grill or a cast-iron grill pan to high heat, or preheat a 375-degree oven.

Rub olive oil over the pork tenderloin. Place the tenderloins on high heat and grill to a golden brown, turning once on all sides (Use a roasting pan if cooking in the oven). Lower the heat to medium; cook until the pork is fully cooked, about 15-25 minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Slice pork tenderloin very thin and pile high on soft buns. Drizzle Chipotle Sauce over the meat, and top with finely shredded cabbage or slaw.

Chipotle Sauce

1/4 cup BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup Steak Sauce

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce (Chinese BBQ sauce)

2 Tablespoons ketchup

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons Chipotle roasted paste

Mix all ingredients. Heat up to warm, and serve the sauce warm or at room temperature.

If you are setting up for a BBQ or just a weekend social, an ever-popular menu for comfort recipes such as mac-and-cheese, crispy oven-fried garlic chicken, steamy waffles, BBQ pork sliders, and double-chocolate brownies!