Bacon Blue Cheese Dogs with Samuel Adams BBQ Sauce

Summer is definitely here and funny, it’s not even summer yet.  As the seasons change, so does my taste in beer.  As Marzens turn to Porters, and Porters turn to Scotch Ales, summer typically calls for pilsners or hefeweizen.  IPAs, of course, are year round.

Available now, nationwide, are both Summer Ale, and my continued favorite easy drinker, Porch Rocker.  I’ve been a fan of Summer Ale since it was first released over what, 15 years ago?  Porch Rocker is an equally enjoyable summer quencher.  While I tend to steer clear of the shandy scene, Porch Rocker works for me, especially that it is now available in the Sam Can. Thumbs up for great beer. Thumbs up for portability.

In celebration of summer, Samuel Adams teamed up with Chef David Burke to create three unique pigs in a blanket recipes.  

I, of course, choose to adapt one for the grill.

Bacon Blue Cheese Dogs with Samuel Adams BBQ Sauce

Recipe by Chef David Burke, adapted for the grill by Another Pint Please

1 lb high quality cocktail frank
1 lb sliced bacon
1 cup blue cheese
1 sheet of puff pastry
2 t jalapeño peppers, minced
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 t cumin
1 t coriander seed
1 t celery seed
1 t chili powder
2 t paprika
1/2 cup soy sauce

1 cup Samuel Adams Porch Rocker (about 3/4 of a bottle.  Take a few swigs to get it in the ballpark)
32 oz ketchup
12 oz chili sauce
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
juice and zest of 1/2 orange
1/2 bunch of cilantro
eggs, for egg wash
salt and pepper to taste 

The sauce:

In a large pot, toast all of the dry spices (cumin, coriander seed, celery seed, paprika, chili powder) over medium-low heat.  Once the spices are toasted (you’ll begin to smell their aroma,) add the honey and brown sugar, and cook until it beings to caramelize.

Once the mixture beings to caramelize, add the red wine vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, chili sauce, and Samuel Adams Porch Rocker.

Continue to add the lemon juice and zest, orange juice and zest, and reduce until the mixture thickens.  

Season the mixture with salt, pepper and cilantro.  Let it stand for two hours, then strain through a fine-mesh, conical sieve. Place in a serving bowl and serve room temperature to warm, as a dipping sauce for the Bacon Blue Cheese Dogs.

The dogs:

On a baking tray, cook the bacon at 375° F for about 12 minutes, until slightly brown but still pliable (which is exactly how I like my bacon!).  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Before rolling the cocktail franks in puff pastry, mash together the blue cheese and minced jalapeño peppers.  

Unfold the puff pastry.

Crumble the mixture onto the puff pastry.  

Cut the puff pastry into 1 inch wide strips.  

They should be wide enough to roll a cocktail frank and leave some overlap per frank.  The size of the pastry strips is really “frank size dependent,” if you get my drift.

Place a piece of bacon on top.

Begin rolling the first Pig in a Blanket, leaving enough puff pastry to fold over and seal the cocktail frank.  Continue rolling the cocktail franks in the puff pastry, cutting and sealing as you go.  

Place the rolled Pigs in a Blanket, seam side down, on a parchment lined sheet tray, and brush with egg wash.

Prep the grill for indirect medium-high heat.  Oil the grates with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and a long pair of tongs.  It helps to keep the puff pastry from sticking.  Grill indirect for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is nicely browned.  Remove, and serve with the sauce.

The sauce is super sweet, but still well balanced. Although the original recipe called for Boston Lager, Porch Rocker, which I had on hand, worked effortlessly.  The dogs were so good, the plate was empty before the afternoon was over.  That’s my kind of appetizer.

Note: Samuel Adams provided me with their Beers of Summer.  The thoughts above are my own.