Strawberry Mojito

This Strawberry Mojito is the perfect summer spin on a classic! When strawberries are at their peak, their sweetness (and pretty color!) offer a delightful twist on the traditional mojito.

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BBQ 101: How to Grill for Beginners

What Makes Food ‘American?’

What makes food “American?” When I first considered the question, my mind went to the obvious, expected place: burgers and fries, hot dogs, barbecue, fried chicken, chicken wings, meatloaf, biscuits and gravy, the BLT, macaroni and cheese, apple pie…the list goes on.

But aside from being a fairly uninspired and boiled-down caricature of American cuisine, catching myself, I realized that I wasn’t exactly answering the question at hand. It asks not so much about what dishes, but why and how certain dishes have come to be identified as American. Through that lens, the ingredients that have truly helped shape American cuisine are more abstract and ever so slightly less tangible: necessity, adaptability, ingenuity, and imagination.

The Melting Pot

“I think what’s most interesting about American food is that it’s truly the product of synergy, combined effort, and most importantly, immigration,” reflects Noah Fecks, a Brooklyn-based food and travel photographer, and author of “The Way We Ate: 100 Chefs Celebrate a Century at the American Table.”

“The unique beauty of this country is that it’s not only accepted generations of immigrants, it’s been a destination of choice for countless people. When you yourself are an immigrant, you’re likely to be traveling quite lightly; however, one thing that you bring with you is your customs. Both culinary and otherwise.”

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You could argue, then, that resources are the key variable in what transforms a dish from “X” to “X-American.” Because sure, you can carry recipes and taste memories from the homeland with you, but if you can’t find that one, signature, “authenticating” ingredient at your new local grocery store (so to speak) you’ve got to figure out a compromise. History offers myriad examples of this: the Austrian and German staple weinerschnitzel becomes chicken fried steak, which substitutes veal cutlet for beef, more widely available in Texas where the dish has ascended to icon status. Similarly, paella becomes jambalaya; the frankfurter is reinvented as the hot dog; Dutch olykoeks become doughnuts; Chinese fish sauce morphs into ketchup.

Necessity: The Mother of Americanization

As Fecks puts it, “Americanization” of a cuisine is “really that thing where you’ve got an individual who was socialized and raised in a unique environment, and they share food, dishes, approaches and recipes with family, neighbors, and friends.” He references a hypothetical example of a Thai immigrant to the United States. “The standard [US] supermarket pales in comparison to the vibrant, dynamic markets in Thailand that explode with color and variety. However, that same cook will find a way to make do with something from the supermarket, and prepare food in a way that is known to them. Light brown sugar becomes a substitute for palm sugar, cinnamon replaces cardamom…However there is no substitute for good Thai fish sauce I’m afraid.”

Read More: The Surprisingly American History of La Croix | How Cool Whip Became an American Icon

Examples of culinary cultural appropriation aside, I’d argue there’s also something to be said for a so-called “scrappy” approach to cooking that defines American cuisine. Legend has it that the cheeseburger came to be because a cook at The Rite Spot in 1920s Pasadena burnt the patty he was grilling and needed to cover his mistake. Invented in 1937 at The Brown Derby, the now-iconic Cobb Salad was an on-the-fly, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink amalgamation of refrigerator leftovers. Hell, we wouldn’t have soul food—hush puppies, chitterlings, oxtail stew, hoppin’ john, hoecake, collard greens—without that work-with-what-you-got attitude and sense of creativity.

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What also makes food “American,” you might also say, is an eagerness to play along; adapt to a perceived preference. Take the advent of General Tso’s Chicken, for example, with its loose roots in Chinese cuisine, completely adapted for the American palate (and now, ironically, more popular in China than the original today). Or the ever-pervasive California Roll, which came to be in the 1960s/1970s from a perceived Western aversion to raw fish and seaweed—hence its “inside out” structure and creamy avocado and cooked crab supplements.   

Long story short, we could go back and forth on the question of makes American cuisine “American.” Is it borrowed? Is it its own thing? Does it exist? Who knows. But at the very least, Fecks makes a great point: “Although this may change in the future, the USA is one of the few places where you can experience cuisine and dishes from practically every other nation on Earth. It positions America in a way that possibly no other country can.” So, you know, I say stop thinking and eat up.

Related Video: 5 International Foods That Are Actually American

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The Easiest Steak Sauce You’ll Ever Make

I’ve always been a saucehead—born and bred—and grilling season is no exception. In fact, my affinity for sauce is only heightened during these summer months, and this is one of the best (and easiest) steak sauces you’ll ever make.

With much to do in advance of your 4th of July BBQ, you might think a homemade BBQ or steak sauce isn’t worth the effort, but with Curtis Stone’s Homemade Smoky Steak Sauce you can make a finger licking-ly good sauce for steaks, chicken, and pork ribs in a snap with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

I had the pleasure of sitting down for a meal prepared by the celebrity chef for a preview of Chef Stone’s line of grill meats and sides for HSN, and watched him whip up the easy steak sauce in real time, and let me tell you it’s as easy as advertised. The recipe below can be done in less than 15 minutes, be made as many as three days ahead, and bottled or jarred (it only gets better on day two). The below serves about four to six people, so definitely multiply this recipe for a party or large group.

Related Reading: How to Cook 10 Common Steak Cuts | Japanese Potato Salad Is the Only Side You’ll Be Bringing to Summer Gatherings

Beyond the all-important bragging rights that come with a homemade BBQ or steak sauce, you can be certain it’s a sauce made with straightforward ingredients, with no added sugar, corn syrup, or artificial flavorings, like most grocery store brands. This one gets a pronounced sweetness from the brown sugar, zing from the garlic, and just the right amount of salty umami from Worcestershire sauce. I’m picky about my sauces and this one did it for me. Great balance and flavor without dominating everything it touches.

Curtis Stone's Easy Smoky Steak Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, butter, hot sauce, garlic, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a small saucepan.
2. Cook on grill over medium heat, stirring or whisking occasionally until hot and butter is melted.
3. Transfer to bowl or bottle and serve with your favorite BBQ and grilled meats.

Bonus Idea: Grab some of these great sauce bottles, make a big batch, and hand them out for folks to take home. This set comes with a handy funnel for filling and you can even customize your labels.

Sauce Bottling Kit (makes 14), $19.75 on Amazon

Make a batch of saucy gifts for your host or guests this summer.

Buy Now

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A Helpful Guide to 10 Common Steak Cuts & How to Cook Them

How to cook steak depends on what cut you’re dealing with, and when it comes to picking a choice piece of steak, you’ve got options. Which is the most tender piece of meat? How marbled should it be? Which is the leanest cut? What if I don’t have a grill?

Here’s a handy guide of what you need to know if you want to carnivore like a pro—and even if you’re just going out to a steakhouse, it can help you decide what exactly you’d like to order.

Filet Mignon

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Also known as tenderloin, filet mignon is the most tender cut you can find (and the most expensive!). Not attached to a bone, this lean and tender steak offers a mild and almost buttery flavor. Although smaller than most other cuts of steak, tenderloins are cut thicker than most (two to three inches).

The key to sealing in all the flavor and juicy goodness is to cook this cut quickly. We recommend searing the outside until browned (2-4 minutes each side) and then finishing it in the oven (5-10 minutes, depending on your preference). Their fine texture means they’re not particularly suited for marinades, but you can always add a bold sauce like a port wine reduction. For an even richer indulgence, get our Blue Cheese Butter Filet Mignon recipe.

Read More: Steak Sandwiches to Sink Your Teeth Into | Should You Buy Your Steak from Costco? | The Easiest Steak Sauce You’ll Ever Make

T-Bones & Porterhouse Steak

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Cut and sold bone-in, the T-Bone (porterhouse) is named for the distinctive T-shaped bone separating two halves of meat. Cut from the front end of the steer’s back, the T-bone is half tenderloin and half NY Strip (surrounding a vertebrae that separates them), and so offers the best of both worlds: the juicy beefiness of a strip steak paired with the succulence of tenderloin. (Porterhouses are similar, but cut from farther back).

Point of fact: in order to be classified as a porterhouse, per USDA regulations, the tenderloin portion must be 1.25 inches wide. That’s more than double the tenderloin you’ll find in a T-bone (only half an inch wide).

For this cut, we recommend searing each side quickly in a cast iron skillet with a generous amount of olive oil, and finishing it on the grill. Remember to keep the tenderloin side further from the heat source as it will cook more quickly than the strip side. You’ll know you’ve nailed  it when you take a bite of this mouth-wateringly marbled, medium rare masterpiece. Try this deliciously simple Porterhouse Steak recipe or our Bistecca Fiorentina recipe.

Related Reading: The Best Meat Delivery & Subscription Services for Steak, Pork, Chicken, and More

NY Strip Steak

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The measure of any good steakhouse can be taken by how well they prepare a New York strip steak. Also known as Kansas City strip, Manhattan, shell steak, strip loin, and club steak, the New York strip is characterized by the perfectly-balanced marbling that gives it its beefy full-flavor. This cut is often enjoyed rare or blue to showcase its natural tender texture, and is a great candidate for broiling, although it can certainly be grilled or pan-fried, too. Get our Caramelized Shallot New York Strip Steak recipe.

Related Reading: Fun Facts About the Country’s Oldest Steakhouses

Rib-Eye Steak

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Tender and moist, the rib-eye has long been a steak lover’s favorite. Also known as the Delmonico, the Scotch fillet, and the Spencer (to name a few), the rib-eye has heaps of fat marbling throughout. The central eye of the meat has a finer grain, with a looser and fattier outer layer. All that generous, fatty marbling gives the rib-eye a particularly gamey flavor that serious meat eaters enjoy.

While a rib-eye cut is boneless, its close cousin, the rib steak, is cut with the bone attached.

Does a little spice sound nice? If so, get our Akudjura-Crusted Ribeye Steak recipe or our Steak au Poivre recipe.

Tri-Tip Steak

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Cut from the bottom sirloin, sitting adjacent to the flap (a.k.a. the sirloin tip), tri-tip steak is also sometimes sold as Newport steak, Santa Maria steak, triangle roast, or bottom sirloin—but you can always spot it by its uneven triangular shape (proportioned sort of like an elf hat), and size; it generally falls in the range of one and a half to two and a half pounds. Most commonly cooked in the style of Santa Maria barbecue (dry-rubbed and grilled over oak chips on the central coast of California), tri-tip also takes well to most marinades—try our Harissa Marinated Tri-Tip or our Hoisin Marinated Tri-Tip for starters—and can be roasted or braised if you don’t want to grill. If you do, though, try our Argentine Grilled Tri-Tip recipe.

Related Reading: Dry Rubs vs Marinades | What Is the Difference Between Barbecuing and Grilling?

Flank Steak

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Flank steaks, from the hard-working abdominal area, need high heat and a thin slice to stay tender. By butterflying them, you cut them across the grain, solving the need to slice in one fell swoop. The resultant curtain of meat is perfect for stuffing and rolling up, so grab a good marinade and start packing! Or try our Teriyaki Grilled Flank Steak recipe.

Flat Iron Steak

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Also known as a top blade steak, flat irons, as their name implies, are a uniformly thick, rectangular cut taken from the shoulder. Cook them too long or over too low heat, and they can be hard to chew. But put them over a high flame for a quick sear on the grill, and you’ll wind up with a beefy, tender delight. They also take well to marinades (sensing a theme?).

Related Reading: Steak Frites, Perfected

Hanger Steak

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Thin, long, and ropy, hanger steak comes from a part of a cow’s belly that literally hangs low, hence the name. It’s similar to flank steak in texture and tender as long as you don’t overcook it. Go fast and high, either on the grill or in a skillet, and marinate the meat for extra flavor.

Related Reading: Chefs Share Their Favorite Meat Marinades

Skirt Steak

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Skirt steak, a long cut from the diaphragm, has big beefy flavor and a very loose grain (even looser than the flank) that sucks marinades right up (we especially like one with miso). But it can be on the tough side, so you’ll need to slice it thin or otherwise risk gnawing your way through it. These factors combined make it ideal for stir-fries, like our Beef and Broccoli Noodles recipe, or in classic Grilled Steak Fajitas.

Sirloin Steak

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The sirloin is the name for the general lower back area of a steer. There are a few different cuts that come from here, although most steak that’s sold as “sirloin steak” is taken from the bottom area, which is a bit on the tough side and moderately flavored. They’re fine as whole steaks, but perhaps better cut into smaller pieces and marinated for use in kebabs and such, like our Beef and Vegetable Kebab recipe.

Related Reading: Who Invented Steak Tartare?

Related Video: Learn How to Make a Wagyu Katsu Sando, the Most Expensive Steak Sandwich in America

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Where Do Hot Dogs Come From?

Let’s get frank.

“Where do hot dogs come from?” may not be a question you find yourself asking often (or ever, tbh), but it’s one asked by millions—yes, millions—of Google users during summer grilling season. And if you’re anything like one of the curious cooks who’s turned to the internet for increased hot dog knowledge, we know what you’re probably thinking: “ground-up American pork byproducts like stomachs, snouts, and hearts molded into a phallic shape.”

For that answer, you’d be partially correct. Hot dogs were named after a New York Journal cartoon depicting a dachshund nestled between two buns, but the term “frankfurter” actually comes from Frankfurt, Germany, aka the birthplace of the celebrated sausage wiener.

Related Reading: The History of the Kosher Dog

But what about the mystery meat?

While ingredients vary by company, The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council claims that most hot dogs start as “trimmings.” No, these are not your favorite Thanksgiving Day sides combined to create a casing-wrapped meaty treat. Instead, they’re the “lower-grade muscle trimmings, fatty tissues, head meat, animal feet, animal skin, blood, liver and other edible slaughter by-products.” Have you put down that bottle of yellow mustard yet?

Pixabay

Once trimmings (pork and beef being of higher quality than mechanically-separated chicken and turkey) are pre-cooked to help remove the meat from bone and eliminate bacteria associated with butchering, they’re ground up in a machine, emulsified into a paste, and then mixed with salt, starches, spices, and sweeteners. Water is added to for a smoother consistency, which makes the dogs easier for pumping into their respective casings (either cellulose or natural). Before inspection and distribution, cellulose casings are removed for “skinless” varieties while natural casings (the animal’s cleaned intestines) are left in tact. It’s how you get that “perfect crunch.”

And that’s basically it, folks. An American classic grilled, topped with the most random of condiments, and plopped onto a bun for your satisfaction.

Related Reading: Why Does Ketchup on a Hot Dog Piss People Off?

If we haven’t completely ruined your appetite, check out a few of our favorite hot dog recipes below. You may need to cover your eyes before consuming, but it’s the culinary patriotism that counts, right? Right.

Pizza Dough Dogs

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Anything tastes on good pizza, so pizza dough must taste good on anything. We’re not entirely sure if we agree with that logic, but in honor of the 4th of July (and National Hot Dog Day coming right up on July 17), we’re rolling with it. Literally. Get our Pizza Dough Dogs recipe.

Corn Dogs

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This is about as American as you’re going to get. Processed pork that is breaded, deep fried, and then dunked in sugary sauces? God bless us and all of our nation’s cardiologists. Get our Corn Dogs recipe.

Bison Chili Cheese Dogs

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Because meat obviously needs more meat. Go big or go home when it comes to hot dogs. Apparently that’s the only way to do them. Get our Bison Chili Cheese Dogs recipe.

Spiral-Cut Bacon Dogs

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Furthering that theory, witness the bacon-cheese dog, which is spiral cut to maximize its charred surface area and catch all those toppings. Get our Spiral-Cut Bacon Dogs recipe.

Banh Mi Spiral-Cut Hot Dogs

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The same method can be applied to even more madly delicious topping combos, like bahn mi-inspired pickled vegetables, mayo, and Sriracha. Get our Banh Mi Spiral-Cut Hot Dogs recipe.

Related Video: How to Spiral Cut a Hot Dog

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Why Does Ketchup on a Hot Dog Piss People Off?