How to Throw an Easy Backyard Bash

Cheesy Chomp burger. Photography by Angel Tucker.

Cheesy Chomp Burger

Tanner Larkin, executive chef at Chomp Kitchen and Drinks in Warren and Providence, shares a recipe for the Cheesy Chomp Burger, which includes a generous slathering of the restaurant’s new retail product, Chomp Burger Sauce. 117 Ives St., Providence, 537-7556; 440 Child St., Warren, 289-2324, chompri.com

12 oz jar of Chomp Burger Sauce (can be purchased at Dave’s Marketplace)
1 cup shredded yellow cheddar
1 lb 80–20 percent ground beef
3 Tbsp salt
1.5 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
3 potato or brioche buns
Shredded iceberg lettuce
6 pieces cooked bacon
Cherry pepper relish

Set your grill to high heat and close it until it reaches 400 degrees.
Mix together 4 Tbsp of Chomp Burger Sauce and shredded cheddar in a small bowl and set aside. Separate ground beef into three equal-sized portions and press with hands into burger patties, about half of an inch thick. Mix salt, pepper and sugar together and use mix to generously season both sides of the three patties. (The sugar will give a much better sear on the patty and really bring out that grilled flavor.)
Turn your grill down to low heat, put your burgers on and close it again.
In five to six minutes, flip the burgers and put a large spoonful of the sauce and cheese mix on each patty.
Place the buns along the outside edges of the grill (or warming rack if you have one) to toast and close your grill again.
After three to four minutes, or when the cheese has melted, pull the buns and burgers off the grill and let the burgers rest for two minutes before building the sandwich.
Place shredded lettuce on the bottom bun, followed by the cheeseburger and two pieces of bacon. Spread some more Chomp Burger Sauce on the top bun along with a healthy dollop of cherry pepper relish and finish the burger.

Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Summer Salad
Serves 4–6

Flat iron is a favorite cut of Ann Marie Bouthillette of Blackbird Farm. It is loaded with flavor and can be incredibly tender if you cook it to medium rare. Grill quickly on a dry grill over medium to high heat to an internal temperature of 130 degrees and allow the steak to rest for 5–10 minutes. Slicing against the grain in thin strips preserves that tenderness perfect for salads (like this one), in tacos or breakfast eggs.

For the steak:
2 lbs flat iron steak
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp tequila
Juice from one lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
6 slices watermelon
2 ears fresh corn, husked and silks
removed
6 cups arugula
¼ red onion, sliced thin
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Lime wedges

Marinate the flat iron steak. Whisk together the olive oil, tequila and lime juice. Sprinkle the flat iron liberally with black pepper and pour the marinade over the steak in a resealable bag. Allow the steak to marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Meanwhile, set up the grill for indirect heat and arrange the coals in a pile to one side. When the coals are ready, grill the steak, corn and watermelon with the lid closed, only opening to rotate the corn and flip the steak.
Grill it to 130 degrees before removing from heat and wrapping in foil to rest. Checking the temperature is the key to a good steak. Remove the watermelon from the heat once grill marks are formed on both sides.
Rotate the corn to get a good color on all sides. The kernels will take a golden hue. Once the kernels are tender, cut the kernels from the cob and cut the watermelon into bite-sized pieces.
Arrange the salad by tossing the arugula with the red onion, tomatoes, grilled water- melon and corn kernels.
When ready to serve, slice the steak thinly against the grain into strips. Lay over the salad and top with the blue cheese crumbles. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lime.