Pepper Onion Beer Sauce

I had a bunch (and I do mean a bunch!) of ham leftover from cooking a big ham on my Char-Broil Big Easy. I could’ve made more sandwiches. Or I could dice up some ham for omelets. Instead, I decided to warm up some nice thick slices and top them with this wonderful pepper onion beer sauce. It looks like your pretty standard vegetable topping, but with a twist: orange marmalade. Whoa! I wasn’t expecting that!

Pepper Onion Beer Sauce

This pepper onion beer sauce really goes well with ham, but I also think it’d compliment grilled chicken just as well. Don’t like orange marmalade? I bet you could substitute your favorite marmalade or preserves.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this sauce and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Pepper Onion Beer Sauce
Print Pin
4 from 1 vote

Pepper Onion Beer Sauce

I decided to warm up some nice thick slices and top them with this wonderful pepper onion beer sauce. It looks like your pretty standard vegetable topping, but with a twist: orange marmalade.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword beer, sauce, vegetable
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 177kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ green bell pepper chopped
  • ½ red bell bell pepper chopped
  • ½ sweet onion chopped
  • 8 ounces beer
  • ½ cup orange marmalade
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • Hot sauce to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
  • Add the bell peppers and onion and saute for 5 minutes
  • Add the beer, orange marmalade, soy sauce and hot sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and continue simmering until the vegetables are softened and the sauce is reduced.
  • Serve over sliced ham or grilled chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 546IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Jalapeno Onion Steak and Burger Topping

Ok, I admit it. I sometimes buy cheap steaks on sale. They make for a quick lunch. Since I work from home I can just toss them on the grill and in no time I’m chowing down. But let’s face it. Cheap steaks aren’t the same as not-cheap-steaks so I often add a bit of something to kick them up a bit. This jalapeno onion steak topping was so good I ended up making another batch to top some hamburgers later in the week. Sweet lightly-caramelized onions in a creamy sauce with just a little beat of jalapeno heat.

Jalapeno Onion Steak and Burger Topping

Next time I cook up some hot dogs I’m going to make another batch of this jalapeno onion steak and burger (and hot dog!) topping. It’ll really crank up any grilled hot dog or smoked sausage. There’s not a tremendous amount of heat, so don’t be afraid that the topping is too hot. It’s quite mellow and packed with great flavor.

Jalapeno Onion Steak and Burger Topping
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Jalapeno Onion Steak and Burger Topping

This jalapeno onion steak topping was so good I ended up making another batch to top some hamburgers later in the week.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 379kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onions, jalapenos, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cover and cook 15-20 minutes until the onions are softened and golden in color. Stir often.
  • Add the heave cream and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1161IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Kraut-Stuffed Sausages

For years and years I have grilled my sausages after they spent some quality time in a ‘bath’ of beer and peppers and onions. And they are great, I admit it. But these kraut-stuffed sausages, well, they’re really beyond great. Tender, moist, and just packed with flavor. Such a wonderful texture in every single bite. I couldn’t stop eating them. Topped with plenty of mustard, these are now my only go-to grilled sausages.

Kraut-Stuffed Sausages

You have to use the right kind of sausages to make these kraut-stuffed sausages. Get the fresh sausages, with casings. You need to be able to poke your finger inside to make a cavity for the fantastic (but easy) filling. If you don’t have casings to help keep the sausage together you might end up bursting them. Then what will you do? Cry. I would. And unless your fingers are really, really long, don’t get really, really long sausages!

I suggested to Anita that we try adding other things to the stuffing, such as chopped roasted jalapenos, or poblanos or the like and she gave me a dirty look. The “don’t mess with this” look. So I won’t.

Also try my bratwurst bath. Perfect for getting brats ‘happy’ before grilling them.

Kraut-Stuffed Sausages
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Kraut-Stuffed Sausages

These kraut-stuffed sausages, well, they’re really beyond great. Tender, moist, and just packed with flavor. Such a wonderful texture in every single bite. I couldn’t stop eating them.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Calories 482kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh sausages Italian, Kielbasa, whichever you prefer, just make sure you get the sausages in casings. I used Johnsonville Italian sausages which come 5 to a pound
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large sweet onion cut thin
  • 1 pound kraut plus some of the juice
  • 1 cup shredded cheese Monterey Jack, mozzarella, any good white melting cheese will work
  • 5 sausage buns
  • prepared mustard

Instructions

  • Using your fingers, make a hole down the center of each sausage, creating a cavity that runs the full length of the sausages.
  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, kraut, and a bit of the juice from the kraut jar.
  • Stir and let cook until the onions are softened.
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  • Stir in the cheese. It won’t melt but it will help bind the kraut mixture together.
  • Fire up your grill for indirect cooking.
  • Using your hands, grab some of the kraut mixture and force it into the cavity in the sausages. Just keep packing it in. Don’t worry about being all pretty and what-not, just get it in there. But don’t shove so hard that you have a blowout!
  • Place sausages over indirect heat on the grill and cook for 30 minutes until nice and dark and done.
  • Toast the buns.
  • Add cooked sausages to the buns and top with plenty of mustard.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1541mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.