Gameday Chili

George Hirsch January 30, 2025

Entertaining a crowd during Gameday Season?

Then, it's time to fire up the cooktop and start chopping. Those flavors will come together deliciously by gameday. This recipe calls for one bottle of IPA beer, my favorite from my local microbrew. I always advise you to use only what you would drink!

This basic chili recipe combines several flavors of the Southwest.

Options: Turkey and pork can be substituted for beef and combined for ultimate flavor. To make it vegetarian, use eggplant, squash, and extra onion in place of the meat.

IPA Chili

Makes 6- 8 servings

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2 pounds sirloin or chuck - cut into 1/2 inch pieces or a ground beef combo

4 slices maple cured bacon, chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 fresh serrano chili pepper, chopped

1 Tablespoon each: cumin, oregano, basil and thyme

1 teaspoon cinnamon

12 ounces of a good microbrew IPA

2 cups canned plum tomatoes with juice, chopped

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 16-ounce can of red beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tablespoons cilantro

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add bacon and allow the bacon to get a light golden color. Add garlic, onion, olive oil, scallions, jalapenos, and serrano, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef and cook until becomes lightly browned. Drain off any excess fat. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes, and cinnamon.

Add beer and reduce liquid for one minute; add tomatoes and vinegar.

Lower the temperature to a gentle simmer. Stir, cover pot, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add beans and cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

**LISTEN SATURDAY Feb 10th and SUNDAY Feb 11th at 10AM**

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George's Gameday One Love Wings

George Hirsch January 23, 2025

There is nothing better for a group than my One Love Wings. Period!

At one of this country’s most celebrated celebrity chef events, patient guests stood in line for hours to sample this winning recipe from GHL. My culinary Team was stellar, staying in the game and preparing hundreds of pounds of the most talked-about dish that evening. It is amazing how a few well-prepared wings with good seasoning, grilled and tossed in a made-from-scratch sauce, win every time!

George Hirsch's Caribbean-style grilled chicken wings, tangy fresh lime juice sugar cane glaze, and a bit of heat, chillin’ with a savory slaw.

George’s One-Love Wings

Makes 32 pieces

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16 chicken wings

1/4 cup olive

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, paprika, granulated powdered garlic

pinch ground nutmeg and allspice

fresh ground black pepper and sea salt

Cut off and discard wing tips. Cut the remaining wings in half.

Season with thyme, oregano, paprika, powdered garlic, black pepper, and sea salt. Add olive oil and hot sauce, and toss. Cover and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the grill to medium temperature.

Place wings on the grill. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat, turning frequently. As wings begin to brown, continue slowly cooking on indirect heat until thoroughly cooked.

Toss wings in George’s One Love Sauce when fully cooked and crispy. SEE RECIPE BELOW

George’s One Love Sauce

6 cloves Caramelized garlic, puree with knife

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon cane syrup or dark corn syrup

1/4 cup fresh lime juice1/4 cup honey

2 Tablespoons ketchup

1 green onion chopped

2 Tablespoons Flat leaf parsley, chopped

Mix all ingredients well.

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Buttermilk Apple Pancakes

georgehirsch January 18, 2025

Why Buttermilk? Once the acids in the buttermilk come into contact with the baking soda or baking powder in the batter, a giant fizz-fest takes place. The reaction with the baking soda (or powder) cancels out the sourness of the buttermilk, leaving our baked goods airy, tender, and tasty beyond reckoning.

No Buttermilk? No problem, make your own. Read the recipe below:

Buttermilk Apple Pancakes

Makes eight pancakes

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon pure cane granulated sugar

*1 1/4 cups Buttermilk milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

3 Tablespoons sweet butter (unsalted), melted

1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, and chopped small

* To make Buttermilk

1 scant cup of whole milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

To make buttermilk:

Measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened, and you will see small curdled bits. This substitute will not become as thick as regular buttermilk.

In a large bowl, mix together well with a whisk of all dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar—in a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients; the milk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter.

Add the wet to the dry and stir with a spatula until the dry ingredients have incorporated. There may still be a few lumps. Do not over-mix, or pancakes will become tough.

Preheat a nonstick pan or lightly grease a griddle over medium-high heat at 375 degrees F.

Tip: Test the temperature by dropping a drop of water on the surface of the pan. Water will dance across the surface when at the correct temperature. Test one pancake.

Pour one 1/4 cup scoop of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. If adding any fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, or blueberries, add at this time. You will see bubbles form on the top side when brown on the bottom, flip, and brown on the second side. Serve hot with syrup or your favorite topping.

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George’s Cheddar-N-Jack Mac

George Hirsch January 14, 2025

It's that time of year again; cooler evenings, more events going on and tailgates to organize. That's when I turn to my crowd-pleasing Mac-N-Cheese. You can make my mac-mix ahead if you're grilling at a tailgate. Chill it, then just bake it right on the grill. It's good time food.

Use my recipe as a guide, and feel free to add smoked ham, cooked bacon, grilled chicken, or grilled shrimp to make your own home spin.

George’s Cheddar & Jack Mac

Makes 6 servings

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2 Tablespoons Butter

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon hot sauce

pinch fresh grated nutmeg

2 cups half & half

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Jack cheese, shredded

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 pounds uncooked elbow, shells, or other small pasta

Melt Butter in a large soup pot or saucepan. Add onion, and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the broth, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the bay leaves, thyme, diced green chilies, hot sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the half & half and heat to a simmer. Slowly add the Cheddar, Jack, and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until they melt and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the cooked pasta. Place in a serving dish and eat immediately or sprinkle with Mac Topping, and bake five minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Optional Additions:

1 cup each Chorizo, chopped plum tomatoes

For the Mac Topping

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

6 Tablespoons bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon each fresh cilantro & parsley, chopped

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

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Irish Soda Bread

georgehirsch January 12, 2025

Various forms of soda bread are popular throughout Ireland. Soda bread is made using wholemeal, white flour, or both. The bread is sweetened in some regions, while it is more savory in others.

In Ireland, flour is typically made from soft wheat, so soda bread is best made with all-purpose or pastry flour, which has lower levels of gluten than bread flour. In some recipes, buttermilk is replaced by live yogurt or even stout. Because the leavening action starts immediately with baking soda (compared to the time taken for yeast bread to rise), it requires a minimum amount of mixing of the ingredients before baking; the dough should not be over-mixed.

George’s Irish Soda Bread

Makes one large round loaf

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4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 3/4 cups cold *buttermilk, stirred

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Optional: 1 cup dried currants or plumped raisins tossed in a teaspoon of flour (To plump raisins, add 2 tablespoons of water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.)

1 teaspoon of caraway seed

Line a heavy-duty 9-inch cake pan or baking sheet pan with parchment paper or grease and lightly flour the surface. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a very large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add cold butter to the flour and blend in by hand until the butter resembles fine crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and beaten egg, and toss in plumped raisins. Mix just until all ingredients are combined. Mix by hand until a dough forms. It will take about one minute of kneading until the flour is absorbed. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Form in the shape of a ball; do not over-knead. Place the round dough on the pan. With a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough across four times, dividing it into equal pieces.

Immediately bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, reducing the temperature to 350 degrees F until the dough sounds hollow, a sign it is fully baked. Allow to cool fully before slicing.

*To make Buttermilk: 1 cup milk, 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar; wait 5 minutes.

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