Chef Michael Symon's recipes for a Father's Day feast with fried chicken, barbecue corn ribs
Chef Michael Symon knows what dad wants this weekend, so he shared a lineup of recipes that are perfect for a Father's Day cookout.
The Food Network host of "Symon's Dinners Cooking Out," joined "Good Morning America" on Tuesday and shared three recipes below for the ultimate Father's Day feast complete with classic southern fried chicken.
Barbecue Corn Ribs
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
"For me this is just a much more fun way to do corn on the cob, especially with kids, as it's easier to eat. I also love the cob does really seem like a bone to the kids," Symon said about this dish.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 ears corn, cut in half then quartered into ribs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup Mabel's Kansas City-Style BBQ Sauce (recipe below)
Mabel's Kansas City-Style BBQ Sauce
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 red onion, peeled + quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled + smashed
1/4 cup bourbon
2 chipotle in adobo
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 1/4 cups ballpark mustard
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup molasses
4 ounces granulated sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Set up the grill with offset heat to 300 to 325 F.
Mix together the salt, pepper, celery seed and ground coriander in a small bowl. Brush the corn ribs with the mayo and season to taste with the spice rub. Place the ribs onto the offset side of the grill and close the lid but keep the vents 1/4 open to maintain a temperature of 300 to 325 F. Cook the ribs for 35 minutes, but open the lid at the 20-minute mark and baste the corn with the barbecue sauce. Move the corn to over the flames and baste one more time, and char the corn for 2 minutes per side.
For the barbecue sauce, add the apple cider vinegar, red onion, garlic, bourbon, chipotle in adobo, coriander seed and paprika into a saucepan. Place onto the grill over high heat and bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture reduces by half, about 10 minutes. Strain the liquid into a bowl and reserve. To the saucepan, add the mustards, maple syrup, soy sauce, molasses, granulated sugar, salt and pepper, then stir in the reserved liquid. Place the saucepan back onto the heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is nice and thick. You can also use your favorite barbecue sauce.
Sherla's Fried Chicken and Okra
"Marrying a woman whose mom is from the South definitely has its advantages, and this classic fried chicken is definitely one of them. My mom is a great cook when it comes to the Mediterranean, but Sherla definitely opened my eyes to the flavors of the South."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 8 1/2 hours
Ingredients
1 large 3 to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces*
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
Peanut oil, for frying
Pork lard, for frying
Hot honey, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish
Directions
Set up a large cast iron pot. Fill it halfway with equal parts peanut oil and pork lard. You can also just use canola oil to fry. Heat the oil over medium high heat and try to hold the heat between 325 to 360 F.
Pat the chicken dry. Whisk together the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt and hot sauce. Reserve 1/4 cup of the buttermilk mixture then pour the rest over the chicken in a resealable bag. Let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, but better for 8 hours.
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, black pepper, paprika, cayenne and a pinch of kosher salt in a large shallow dish. Add the reserved buttermilk mixture to the flour and mix with your fingers to get some craggy pieces of flour.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge in the flour, making sure to press it well onto the chicken. Shake off any excess before frying. Begin frying the chicken in batches, turning every couple of minutes until it reaches a deep golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
Remove the chicken onto a sheet tray lined with a rack and sprinkle with salt. Can be served with hot honey and lemon and lime wedges.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bars with Bruléed Marshmallow
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients
18 graham crackers (note: 2 sleeves of crackers which yields about 2 cups of crumbs or 10 ounces)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Pinch kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter (don't use the fancy stuff)
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
2 cups marshmallow cream
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with plastic wrap, leaving excess to hang over the sides.
Add the graham crackers into a food processor and pulse until finely ground, then add the powdered sugar and salt and give it a few more pulses. Add the melted butter and 1 cup of peanut butter. Pulse until incorporated, then pour the mixture into the baking dish and pat the crust into an even layer.
Melt the bittersweet chocolate over a double boiler, mixing frequently until all of the chocolate has melted and it's smooth, about 5 minutes, then whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter. Pour the chocolate over the crust and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then place into the refrigerator to set at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Once set, lift the bars out of the baking dish and cut into squares. Dollop the marshmallow cream over each square and brulee with a kitchen torch right before serving.
