Don’t put that grill in storage yet! Autumn is (in my opinion) the best time of year to have an outdoor party. The 
weather has cooled off and the biting bugs have lessened.
To me the food is an important element in the autumn gathering – it adds enticement to the nose, eyes and palate. The flavors of cool weather are big and bold. Much of the meal can be cooked on the slowly on the grill. Side dishes of baked beans, potato salad and roasted fall vegetables make the meal complete.
Here are some fun recipes you can make for your backyard enjoyment.
Simmered and Grilled Bratwurst
2 pounds fresh bratwurst sausages
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup butter
Approx. 72 oz. chicken stock (or beer, if you prefer)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
10 hoagie rolls
Prick bratwurst with a fork to prevent them from exploding as they cook. Place in a large stock pot with the onions, butter, and chicken stock. Place pot over medium heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Lightly oil grill. Cook bratwurst on preheated grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Serve hot off the grill on hoagie rolls with onions, green peppers and favorite condiments.
Grilled Split Chicken with Rosemary and Garlic
1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting surface. Cut chicken in half lengthwise along backbone, cutting to, but not through, other side. Turn chicken over. Starting at the neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
Place chicken, breast side up, in a large shallow dish. Combine buttermilk and remaining ingredients except cooking spray; pour under skin and over surface of chicken. Cut a 1-inch slit in skin at the bottom of each breast half. Insert tip of each drumstick into each slit. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours.
To prepare chicken for indirect grilling, preheat grill to medium-hot using both burners. After preheating, turn left burner off (leave right burner on). Place a disposable aluminum foil pan on briquettes on left side. Pour 2 cups water in pan. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place on grill. Place chicken, skin side down, on grill rack covering left burner. Cover and grill 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 180°, turning halfway during cooking time. Discard skin before serving.
Savory Grilled Salmon
1 ½ to 3 pounds salmon fillets, skin-on (figure 1/3 to ½ pound per person)
Olive oil
Basic Marinade
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic minced fine
Place marinade and salmon in large zip-lock bag. Marinade fish for 20 minutes to 2 hours. Heat grill, remove fish from marinade and discard marinade. Spray both sides of fish with spray or brush fillets with oil. Place fillets on grill, skinless side down first, so that they can get nice grill marks on the hot grill while the fish is still firm. Close the grill lid. Cook 1-3 minutes on the first side, depending on how thick the fillets are. Look for grill marks on the fish and a small layer of opaque (cooked) fish where the fish is closest to the grill. Using tongs, and a metal spatuala if necessary, carefully turn the fish onto the other side, so that the skin side is now on the grill grates. Close the grill lid or if on open fire cover with aluminum foil. Cook 2 -5 minutes, again depending on the thickness of the fillets. Salmon should be just barely opaque throughout when done. Carefully remove the fillets from the grill.
These foods are full of flavor and wonderful to enjoy.
