Grilled Pork Sliders as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch May 16, 2025

You can’t beat traditional low-and-slow BBQ pulled pork. But what if you don’t have hours to Q? The solution is the Grilled Pork Sliders. Pork tenderloins benefit from a good rub and sauce, and they cook up quickly on the grill. In a pinch, the pork can be grilled or roasted indoors.

George's Grilled Pork Sliders

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/4 TO 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/4 cup Pork Rub

2 Tablespoons olive oil

12 soft potato slider buns

1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, or 1 cup slaw

1 cup Chipotle Sauce

One day prior or at least two hours before cooking, dry rub the pork tenderloin.

Rub pork spices over pork tenderloin and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Pork Rub:

2 teaspoons each of powdered garlic, paprika

1 Tablespoon each of black pepper, rosemary, thyme, Chipolte rub

To Cook Pork: Preheat the grill or a cast-iron grill pan to high heat, or preheat a 375-degree oven.

Rub olive oil over the pork tenderloin. Place the tenderloins on high heat and grill to a golden brown, turning once on all sides (Use a roasting pan if cooking in the oven). Lower the heat to medium; cook until the pork is fully cooked, about 15-25 minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Slice pork tenderloin very thin and pile high on soft buns. Drizzle Chipotle Sauce over the meat, and top with finely shredded cabbage or slaw.

Chipotle Sauce

1/4 cup BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup Steak Sauce

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce (Chinese BBQ sauce)

2 Tablespoons ketchup

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons Chipolte roasted paste

Mix all ingredients. Heat up to warm, and serve the sauce warm or at room temperature.

If you are setting up for a BBQ or just a weekend social, An ever-popular menu for comfort recipes such as mac-and-cheese, crispy oven-fried garlic chicken, steamy waffles, BBQ pork sliders, and double-chocolate brownies!

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Grilled Show Stopper

George Hirsch May 8, 2025

Try a new spin on an old salad recipe of mine—a great way to impress your guests or enjoy a quick mid-week fix.

This was one of those recipes I did for my PBS grilling shows that made people scratch their heads years ago. Here's the how-to on grilling up a delicious appetizer or side. And it only takes a few minutes! Serve with No Yolk Caesar Dressing.

Grilled Romaine

Makes four servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Adapted from Adventures in Grilling, 1996

2 heads of hearts of romaine lettuce, split in half & washed

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves caramelized garlic

A pinch of sea salt

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat the grill to high heat.

Cut the romaine heart in half lengthwise, leaving the stem end intact. Soak romaine heads in a bowl of cold water. Brush with olive oil.

Put romaine halves on a hot grill. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until lettuce begins to blister slightly and lettuce gets a slight char. Turn over and grill for 2 additional minutes.

Remove and plate cut side up. Top each with the remaining olive oil, balsamic, garlic cloves, Parmesan, prosciutto, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve while still warm. Optional: Serve with thinly sliced prosciutto.

Note: Serve Oven Fried Garlic Chicken with Grilled Romaine Salad for a perfect meal combo.

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

George Hirsch May 4, 2025

Would you like a bite of old-fashioned-style cake equally suitable for a morning coffee break, mid-day snack, and even dessert. If so, then this is it.

What I like about this coffee cake recipe is that it isn't overly sweet. I created this recipe using all-purpose flour, not cake flour, which makes a denser crumb with a nice texture. The dairy mix of sour cream, yogurt, and milk is a harmonious trifecta that achieves a light and flavorful addition to every slice. Use fresh eggs and butter, and you'll have a hit.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

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Makes about 18 muffins

For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons sweet butter, softened

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl and crumble together with your fingers until it forms a crumb mixture. Add in the nuts—reserve and mix the muffin batter.

For the Cake:

1/2 cup sweet butter, one stick softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind

Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (175 degrees C). Note: If using a dark-colored muffin pan, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Dark-colored pans absorb more heat while baking in the oven, become hotter, and carry heat faster than light-colored pans.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, and milk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately in three stages with the sour cream, yogurt, and milk mixture, stirring and scraping the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Mix until just blended. Do not over-mix.

Add half the batter into prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. With the back of the butter knife, swirl the batter slightly to mix the crumb mixture into the bottom of the muffin cups. 3/4 filled. Add the remaining batter, then the crumb topping, and bake.

Bake the muffins in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they test done. Cool for 15-20 minutes, and then remove them from the pan.

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My Favorite Risotto

George Hirsch April 18, 2025

Risotto is a traditional rice dish from Northern Italy, specifically Lombardy, Piedmont, and Veneto. It was introduced by Arabian people who dominated Sicily and parts of the Southern mainland in the late Middle Ages.

A mainstay of Milanese cuisine, Risotto is prepared using beef stock and saffron and served with Osso Bucco. When using rice to make a risotto, choose short-grained round or semi-round rice; the best rice for making risotto are Arborio, Vialone Nano, and Carnaroli.

I enjoyed many excellent risotto dishes. One of the most memorable was my cousin Mauro’s wife, Anna, in Rome. Anna’s risotto is made with pesto and is meant for basil lovers like myself. Her combination is culinary kismet, the perfume-rich tasty herb that coats every grain of rice. The other risotto master is my friend Chef Antonio Cereda, with his Porcini Risotto. Antonio, my friend from Northern Italy, is the Executive Chef on Princess Cruises. His Porcini Risotto marries the mellow earthiness of fungi with creamy velvety rice.

Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus

Makes 4 servings

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1 lb. uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons dried basil

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Fresh ground black pepper

1 small onion, chopped

4 slices Pancetta, roughly chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

2- 2 1/2 cups chicken, vegetable or shrimp broth, hot

3 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, and chopped

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 cup half & half

1 cup fresh asparagus tips or fresh baby spinach

Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Preheat a large saucepan to medium heat.

Season shrimp with basil, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add shrimp to pan, sear on each side for one minute, and set aside. Do not fully cook.

Add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil, onion, and pancetta in the same saucepan. Cook onion and pancetta for 4-5 minutes but do not brown. Add Arborio rice and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Slowly add 1/2 cup broth, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Lower the temperature to a low, gentle simmer. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently every 4-5 minutes or as the rice absorbs all of the broth until rice becomes tender.

Return the seared shrimp to the pan with the risotto and cook for two to three minutes, until fully cooked or until they turn pink.

The cooking time and amount of broth will vary from 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the pan's exact temperature.

Add half and half, and fresh Parmesan cheese to taste. Optional: Serve topped with steamed asparagus tips or fresh baby spinach.

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Rock Shrimp

georgehirsch April 10, 2025

Rock shrimp, which tastes like lobster, is a member of the shrimp family, a deepwater cousin of the pink, brown, and white Gulf shrimp species. The crustacean gets its name from its rock-hard shell; almost all the harvest is sold peeled. And it can easily be mistaken for a miniature lobster tail with the same sweetness. The shrimp are generally small; the largest size is about 21 to 25 shrimp per pound. Rock shrimp are found in waters from Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and the coasts of California to the Caribbean. It is frozen year-round and fresh from July through November, peaking in September.

Crispy Rock Shrimp Salad w/Microgreens, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Pesto, and Garlic Aioli

Makes four appetizers

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1 cup mixed vine ripen mini heirloom tomatoes

1 cup of microgreens or mini beet tops

2 cups Rock Shrimp or mini Shrimp

For the marinade:

In a medium-size bowl or dish, add 1 cup of buttermilk or make your own: 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice with regular milk.

A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, powdered garlic, red pepper flakes, dried basil, thyme, and fresh ground black pepper

Place shrimp in the marinade for 15 - 20 minutes.

Drain the shrimp well, but do not dry them. Add them to the corn flour mixture (1 cup of all-purpose flour mixed with 1 cup of extra-fine cornmeal).

Bread each piece of shrimp, coating well in the cornflour mixture.

Preheat a high-sided pan with olive oil to pan-fry. Add shrimp and turn each one when brown. Shrimp is cooked as soon as it browns. Shrimp will cook quickly.

Remove the shrimp with a wire strainer to drain. Do not place it on paper towels or in a crowd, as the shrimp will become soggy. Plate the shrimp with assorted cut tomatoes and microgreens. Finish the salad with a small amount of pesto and garlic aioli for dipping. Top the greens and tomatoes with olive oil.

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