The family that sugars together, eats together! If your family is anything like ours, though, it is made up of people with different dietary restrictions and preferences. If you are juggling vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diets as well as serving committed carnivores, you are not alone! Grilling with maple syrup can help. Here are some maple-forward recipes for the grill that, taken together, everyone can enjoy.
When grilling with maple syrup for a mixed crowd, it helps to have a lot of grilling space. That way, you can make two mains – one for the vegan or vegetarian, and one for the committed carnivor – as well as several sides that appeal to all. That’s one of the things that makes the Sapling Everything Grill so handy; with a 20″ x 30″ grilling space, the more really is the merrier. And once you have discovered (or rediscovered) grilling over wood or charcoal, there’s no going back!
So, here’s a meal of recipes inspired by grilling with maple syrup for a family like ours; a mixed group that eats together, no matter what. A few of them are inspired by recipes we have foraged for you from the internet before and have modified for our own purposes. Others are truly home grown!
Maple and Black Pepper Pork Chops
3 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 Tablespoons shallots, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
2 cloves garlic, mnced
2 teaspoons freshly and coarsely ground black pepper
6 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons coarse salt
4 pork chops
In a small saucepan, combine the butter or oil, shallots, thyme, garlic, and pepper. Cook over low heat until the garlic is golden brown. Stir in the vinegar, maple syrup and salt. Continue to cook until slightly thicker and then remove from the heat. Lightly oil grill grates over medium heat. Lightly salt the pork chops on each side and grill for 6 minutes per side. Brush the glaze on both sides of each pork chop. Grill until the pork chops have an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
Maple Barbecue Grilled Tofu
1 brick extra-firm tofu
salt, pepper, and olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
worcestershire sauce
cayenne or red pepper flakes
Mix together maple syrup, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar. Add a few shakes of worcestershire sauce, and cayenne or red pepper flakes to taste. Set aside. Slice brick of tofu into 8 slices of 1/2″ each. Cover in olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove and cover in barbecue sauce. Grill over medium heat for 3-5 minutes per side or until you achieve desired firmness.
Grilled Maple, Pineapple and Jalapeno Slaw
1/2 fresh pineapple, sliced into 1″ rounds
1 jalapeno
2 cups shredded green and/or red cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup vegan mayo (Helmans is great.)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoons celery seed
Slice jalapeno the long way and grill jalapeno and pineapple over high heat until they are charred on both sides. This will take around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix vegan mayo, rice wine vinegar, dijon mustard, cilantro, maple syrup and celery seed and set aside. Remove the seeds from the jalapeno pepper and mince. Dice the pineapple. In a large bowl mix pineapple and jalapeno with cabbage, carrot, and dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.
Maple Grilled Broccoli
1 clutch broccoli heads
1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce
1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon olive oil
Sesame seeds and/or red pepper flakes
Slice a clutch of broccli heads into large slabs. Mix together soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil, and toss broccoli in the mixture. Grill over medium heat until soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Sprinkle sesame seeds and/or red pepper flakes on top to serve.
Grilled Russets with Maple Butter
4 russet potatoes
olive oil, salt & pepper
1/2 stick of butter or 1/4 cup vegan butter spread (Earth Balance is good.), softened
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
Cut potatoes in half the long way and put face down in a shallow mixture of olive oil, salt and pepper. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Grill over medium heat for 20 minutes (15 minutes face down and 5 minutes face up), or until easily pierced with a fork.
Whip or whisk together butter or vegan butter spread with maple syrup and either dollop on potatoes in their serving dish or serve on the side.