Memorable Memorial Day BBQ!

It's the official start of BBQ season, so dust off the BBQ, light those coals (or drag out the propane tank) and let's get cookin'!

Below, we've listed some of the best of the grilling recipes and easy, refreshing side dishes for your Memorial Day festivities. Whatever you're grillin' let Pollen Ranch Seasonings turn your backyard BBQ into a gourmet feast!

Grilled Fennel-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Recipe adapted from Recipes.com

Grilled Fennel-Pollen Crusted Rack of Lamb

Your neighbors will NEVER outdo this one!  The recipe, adapted from myrecipes.com version (http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/crusted-grilled-rack-lamb)
 is EASY thanks to Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen seasoning.  Instead of crushing Fennel Seeds (you could use our Pollen Ranch Organic Black Fennel
Seeds if you wish), just use 2 tablespoons of Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen instead of the seeds.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Pollen Ranch Black Organic Fennel Seeds
    OR (even easier) 2 tablespoons of Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
3 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - Try our Oliva di Vita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 racks American lamb (7 to 8 ribs each), bone ends frenched and all but a thin layer of outer fat removed*

1. Crush Pollen Ranch Organic Black Fennel Seeds, rosemary, and garlic with salt in a mortar, or chop as finely as possible.
Or, instead of Fennel Seeds, use 2 tablespoons of Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen. Mix with pepper and oil.

2. Generously apply lamb with marinade. Chill, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

3. Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling. Wrap bone ends with foil.

4. Heat a grill to medium-high (400°) with one area left clear of coals (for charcoal) or a burner turned off (for gas) to make an indirect heat area. Grill lamb, meat side down, over indirect heat 5 minutes. Turn over and grill 10 minutes. Turn again; grill 10 minutes more. Move lamb to direct heat, meat side down, and grill 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's crisp and browned and registers 140° (for medium-rare).

5. Let lamb rest on a plate 15 minutes. Cut between the bones to serve.

Next, here's a"less-messy" way to enjoy those BBQ'd ribs this Memorial Day--Memphis style!  Invented by Charles Vergos, the late proprietor Memphis restaurant Rendezvous,
these ribs feature a dry rub rather than stick, runny (albeit, yummy) sauce.  This recipe, adapted from Saveur Magazine originally featured plain-old ground fennel seeds, but we make it EASY with Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen!  So here goes!
 

Memphis Style Dry Ribs
Recipe Adapted from Saveur Magazine

Memphis Style Dry Ribs

Ingredients
6 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. celery seeds
1⁄2 tsp. cayenne
1⁄2 tsp. Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen
1⁄4 tsp. ground white pepper
2 racks St. Louis-cut pork spareribs (about 3 lb. each)
3⁄4 cup apple juice

Preparation is EASY!!

Mix together 2 tbsp. salt, sugar, Pollen Ranch Fennel Pollen, paprika, black pepper, oregano, garlic, onion, thyme, marjoram, parsley cumin, mustard, celery, cayenne, and white pepper in a bowl. Put aside about 2 tbsp of the spice mix and rub the rest all over the pork. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or chill overnight. Whisk together remaining salt and spice mixture with apple juice and ¾ cup water in a bowl; set basting sauce aside.

If possible, prep your grill or smoker with wood chips or chunks. Place the ribs top side down on grate.  Maintain a temperature of225° to 275° and cook, turning once and basting with sauce every 20 minutes, until the tip of a small knife slips easily in and out of the meat, 2 to 4 hours.

Carve, serve and enjoy!

Now for some side dishes to cool you off after all that hearty meat!

Tangy Cucumber Salad with Dill Pollen
Adapted From FiveHeartHome.com
 

Tangy Cucumber Salad

This refreshing salad is sure to be a hit, especially paired with one of the entrees above!  Once again, we're made the recipe EASIER by replacing the fresh dill with easy-to-store-and-keep Pollen Ranch Dill Pollen seasoning.  The dressing is easy:   white wine vinegar, Pollen Ranch Dill Pollen,  salt, pepper and sugar. Serve very, very chilled!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds cucumbers, sliced very thin (so you don't have to remove the skin)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt or sea salt
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar - our Honey Wine Vinegar would be GREAT in this recipe
• 1 tablespoon- Pollen Ranch Dill Pollen seasoning - then add more "to taste" if necessary
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Sprinkle salt over bowl of cucumber slices, tossing and making sure that all cucumbers are coated. Place salted cucumbers in a colander and allow to sit for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring.
2. In a large bowl, prepare dressing by whisking together white wine vinegar, fresh dill, sugar, and pepper.
3. Press down on cucumbers in colander to extract as much liquid as possible. Pat dry and add to bowl of dressing. Stir until coated and refrigerate for 15 minutes to 2 hours before serving chilled.
    

Low-Cal Ranch-Style Dill Dip
Adapted from Katlyn's Kitchen

Franch Style Dill Dip

Of COURSE you need dip for those chips! Here's a diet-friendly dip that's as hearty as your main course! No drippy dressing here.  And if you're eating healthy, you need to make those fresh veggies more appealing to the youngsters.  There's nothing cooler and more refreshing at a hot BBQ than the taste of dill--and we make it BETTER and EASIER than the original recipe.


Ingredients:
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (for the diet-conscious) or full-fat cottage cheese if you prefer
1 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt (you can use low-fat or full-fat as you wish)
1-2 tsp. Pollen Ranch Dill Pollen to taste (start with 1 tsp. and work your way up)
1 2/3 tsp. Celery Salt (as an alternate, try 1 tsp. Pollen Ranch Citrus Fennel Sea Salt for a citrusy-kick)
1/3 tsp. Onion Powder

Instructions:

Put cottage cheese in food processor with steel blade and process about one minute, until cottage cheese is well blended. (It will not be completely smooth.) Add yogurt, Pollen Ranch Dill Pollen, onion powder, and Celery Salt. Blend about 30 seconds more, until all ingredients are well combined. Chill several hours before using.

We wish you a wonderful Memorial Day 2016.

With eternal gratitude to our Veterans & Service Men & Women for their sacrifice and service to our country.