What follows is a compendium of preparations for the greatest dishes ever to appear at either an event or in the kitchen of one of our members. Some are original, some adapted, and some outright lifted. We’ve given credit where credit is due, and are always on the lookout for new things to cook. If you’ve got something to submit, Contact Us.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Korean marinated and barbecued meat known as bulgogi, we could tell you that it is an extremely delectable, mouth-wateringly tender, flavorful way to enjoy your favorite types of thinly-sliced meat. We could dazzle you with stories about how in the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, where bulgogi is thought to [...]
Once upon a time, I lived in Hawaii. While the eventual island fever brought me back to Chicago’s loving, wintry embrace, I never forgot how much I loved to eat while I was on Molokai. I was also a lot more physically active then, which meant I could eat stuff like this with impunity. When [...]
Manbque MEATings are always guaranteed to bring out some pretty great recipes and February’s winning recipe didn’t let us down. When I like something I taste it’s force of habit for me to immediately ask what ingredients they used, but the first bite of this burger rendered me speechless, which people that know me can [...]
Native American Fry Bread
2 cups buttermilk
Self-rising flour
Vegetable oil
Heat oil in heavy skillet to deep fry
Pour buttermilk into mixing bowl; add flower and stir with a spoon to make to thick dough consistency.
Here’s the secret: Pour onto a flowered surface and begin to knead. Knead continuously using flower on your hands; you can then begin to [...]
Fuckin Good Flank Steak Recipe
3 lb flank steak
1/3 c soy sauce
3 tbsp worcestershire
1 tsp dry mustard
5 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
Olive oil
1. Mix soy, worcestershire, mustard, Dijon, ginger, and garlic.
2. Place steak in marinade.
3. Remove from marinade and grill over medium-high coals for about 7 minutes per side.
4. Remove, rest, and [...]
Lion King’s Hanger Steak
2 lb hanger steaks
1 c sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp Vulcan Fire salt
1/4 c honey
Naga jolokia (ghost chili) flakes, to taste
1. Mix chili sauce, salt, honey, and chili flakes in a large plastic zipper bag.
2. Place steaks in bag with mixture and let marinate at least 45 minutes.
3. Remove steaks from marinade, shake [...]
Flipadelphia’s Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon Burger
2 lb ground beef
3 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
8oz creamy crumbled blue cheese
1/2 c minced chives
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground dry mustard
5 pieces diced bacon, cooked for a few minutes
1. Mix beef and all ingredients EXCEPT blue cheese.
2. Make 6 6oz patties.
3. Halve [...]
When the hated New England Patriots are vying for the NFL championship against the Tom Coughlin-led New York Giants, the only thing to root for is the chance to eat and drink enough for the rest of winter. Taco-flavored Doritos are the only thing that got me through the douchebaggy dominance of the mid-90s Dallas [...]
Once upon a time, you could get a decent burger at the most modest lunch counters or greasy diners. Now that frozen pre-made patties have become the cheaper option, most of your bar and diner burgers are going to suck.
At present, most of the better-made burgers tend to be offered in one of the many, [...]
I love sliders. Whether it’s the Krystal burgers of my college nights or White Castles over on Harlem Ave., there’s something about the combination of steamed beef, caramelized onions, sharp dill pickle slices, and melted artificial-as-hell American cheese that speaks to my very soul.
Notice I said nothing to the terms of “fried-ass tilapia with house-made [...]
Chicago’s one of the best places to eat Mexican food on this side of the border. Tacos in Pilsen, tortas at Xoco, and lengua on Lawrence Ave. are all great reasons to get out of bed in the morning. But let’s throw authenticity out the window for a moment. Today is all about respect where [...]
I am not the world’s biggest fan of kebabs, especially as they’re made in the backyards and on the wooden porches of our fair city. The problem with the familiar meat-veg ones is that a mushroom or bell pepper doesn’t cook at the same rate as a piece of steak. Just meat? Then you’d better [...]
This came from last month’s Man B Que, and I believe it may be the only way to get away with not using the grill at a MEATing. And that’s because if there’s one thing that matches the primal nature of meat seared over flame and embers, it’s beef in its rawest (non-mooing) state.
As a [...]
This summer, Man B Que introduced food judging to the monthly MEATings, with the most popular dishes winning, variously, t-shirts, gift certificates and whatever else sponsors and friends of MBQ give us to give you.
Judging between a couple dozen different meats is harder than you’d imagine. Best job in the world? Shit yes it [...]
Today’s offering is from Joey Grease, who knows damn well that adding a pound of bacon to any recipe is a foolproof way to succeed. Make sure to cook the bacon good and slow, because you’re building a lot of flavor into the chili with it. Charring it will jack up the taste of your [...]
These Italian-influenced burgers were featured at the last Man B Que, which may indeed be news to you. They disappeared so quickly that at one point I’d convinced myself that I’d dreamed their very existence. Rick has corrected this misconception and kindly provided the recipe.
The Setup
- 2 lb ground beef (90/10)
- 1/4 c basil pesto
- [...]
My first job out of college was at a tiny newspaper on a tiny island in Hawaii. Coming out of four years in the South, it was a huge change food-wise. The food there mixes the traditional island influences with the traditions of the large community of Asian-Americans that call the state home. Oh, and [...]
The first rule of a great steak is to leave it alone, let the steak speak for itself. I completely agree. But what they don’t tell you is that most of the time, you’re not going to be getting a great steak. Much as we’d all like to head down to the butcher and pick [...]
Sandwich creation is about as far into “fusion cuisine” as I tend to get. Whereas that term tends to indicate a level of fanciness far removed from how lazy I feel on a Tuesday night, splitting open a sandwich roll tends to free me to use the tastiest stuff in the fridge as quickly as [...]
The April Man B Que was amazing for a number of reasons. The temperature finally reached what non-MBQers might call “grilling weather.” The turnout was excellent. The food was phenomenal. And, to the point of this post, someone finally introduced baking into the Man B Que universe. It was bound to happen. Little did we [...]
Southerners – those of a mind for good food – often produce and self-publish inexpensive, plastic-spined cookbooks featuring collections of recipes from the local church, garden club, or family reunion. As the descendant of a very large, very Catholic, very Southern family, I have more than my fair share of these one-off recipe collections. As [...]
Ok, the three essential tools for surviving a snow day trapped inside are (in no particular order) World War 2 documentaries, a large bottle of Makers Mark, a hot chick in a bikini and chili. (Yes, that’s 4 things but you’re supposed to be reading, not doing math. Besides, you got a problem with a [...]
This is a long damn recipe. But by the time you’re eating it, you’ll have forgotten all about the time it took. I have a hundred great things I can cook in under an hour, but it’s this pain in the ass that haunts my dreams. It’s not even difficult so much as it is [...]
I’m not a big fan of the Sunshine State (aka America’s Wang) but to me, south Florida has one huge saving grace – the insane Cuban food I inevitably end up gorging myself on. Sure, people there may drive like extras in Mad Max, the heat may be unbearable, and their version of the pigeon [...]
Ed. Note: It seems that you people really wanted this recipe after sampling the burgers at the last Man B Que. You’ve begged, pleaded, and thrown bricks at us – which, in retrospect, seems a bit much. Rick’s burgers were just that addictive. He sent along the framework for the recipe, and I’ve done by [...]
Finding a regional specialty is harder then ever these days, due to hours and hours of programming on various food channels on the topic of what seems to be every food stand and Greek diner in the mainland United States. This process has largely democratized regional cuisine, which isn’t to say that’s a bad thing. [...]
In case you missed it – and I’d be surprised you would, given our constant Internet nagging – Man B Que’s last Monthly Meating was filmed as a segment for Chicago’s Best TV. A lot of food flashed by in the four and a half minutes of fury, so here’s a culinary recap for your [...]
I had no idea what a bahn mi sandwich was until I moved into an apartment overlooking a Vietnamese sandwich shop on Lawrence Ave. As it turned out, this nondescript neighborhood joint with the big $3 sandwiches was not only one of the finest meat-on-bread purveyors in our fair city, but also a major step [...]
The original version of this recipe was actually given to me by my friend George Economos over at the Palatine Whole Foods. I added some love to the rub (Insert joke here) and gave it more of a spicy kick, just to call it my own. It’s really easy to make and it comes out [...]
French food can seem intimidating – I think it’s the accents. In reality, French food is just as easy to make as most everything else. And far easier than you think. Even better, despite it’s snooty reputation, most recipes are just piles of meat loaded up with butter, cream, and pepper. I think we can [...]
My first job involved cooking for large corporate picnics. Nothing fancy, just burgers, chicken, and grilled corn. It’s where I learned how to cook. The food was nothing special, but there was plenty of it, and one of the biggest benefits was being able to cook your own meal for break. The same pre-made patty [...]
We’ve all had bad onion rings. In fact, I’d wager that you’re more likely to get a basket of greasy, sub-par freezer bag jobs than the real thing. Now even a bad onion ring is pretty tasty, but I suspect we’re all thinking of the same thing right now: you bite in, a slimy onion [...]
I bet you think we’d forgotten about our friend, the mysterious jar of kimchi, that we’d left it fermenting, forgotten and lonely, in that section of the fridge behind the leftover pizza and next to that hard cider someone brought over and never finished. But no, my friends. Not only have we achieved kimchi success [...]
This dish is a great example of why it’s impossible for me to get sick of pasta. Every time I’m convinced that I’ve had just about enough tomato, basil, and fennel, I find something seemingly out of left field that works in ways I’d never have predicted. I’d never have thought to pair the predictable [...]
We at Man B Que often focus on the giant, grill-scorched burger, often covered in cheese, peppers, or heaps of raw onion. And for good reason – a perfect two-fisted burger on the grill is very nearly a religious experience for us. But it’s our job as food writers to focus on the underrated as [...]
I’ve frequently repeated the assertion that the simple, hearty food of Cuba is criminally underrated. But one benefit that I’d never even considered until now was the simplicity of obtaining the ingredients for virtually any dish. I love all kinds of cuisine, from Korean to French to Southern. But with those, there’s often at least [...]
Everyone likes steak, and everyone likes pizza. Unless you’re a communist, then you probably only like food that’s of someone else’s labor, and free for the taking. In fact, you’re probably a dumpster diver, which means you never get steak or pizza, because only a retard would throw those [...]
Man B Que is a huge part of my life and I spend a lot of time promoting the whole concept. It’s great, I travel A LOT for work and everywhere I go I tell people about it and they always seem to respond with great enthusiasm. Never is this more true than when [...]
Are all sandwiches created equal? The existence of Vegemite suggests that the answer is a resounding, and disgusting, no.
Vegemite: Proving the mental illness of the entire country of Australia
The sandwich is a staple of lunches everywhere, from the PB&J in the Ghostbusters lunchbox of a child (or socially inept comic book store employee) to the [...]
What’s a good recipe without pop culture referencing?
There are those in our fair city that live without the luxury of a deck or porch. While this is not a lifestyle choice of which I approve (I’m wagging my finger in a fatherly way right now), this should not deprive them of their right to ridiculously [...]
Two tickets to paradise
So far as most people see it, a proponent of grilling has to choose one of two camps – charcoal or gas. The gas users say that charcoal is inconvenient and can provide inconsistent heat. The charcoal users say that gas doesn’t get quite as hot and doesn’t impart that distinctive charcoal [...]
Ed. Note: This post serves as the introduction to Man B Que’s newest food writer, Stuart. Yet, as we all know, there is no Man B Que without kickass nicknames. Seeing as how Stuart made his bones as a grounds intern for the 2007 Boston Red Sox and now works as a head groundskeeper in [...]
This is the original variation of the recipe that has been a Man B Que staple for years now.
It may be the best burger you ever make (However, if Rick Linus makes this, then it will be far superior.)
The Set-up:
Makes eight 6 oz burgers
2.5 lbs of ground beef
Half a stick of butter-melted
1 Egg
¼ cup of [...]
1/2 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 garlic cloves, pressed
salt, to taste
black pepper, fresh ground, to taste
1. Add all ingredients to a small jar, cover and shake for 2 minutes.
2. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
This marinade is great for pork and beef. I prefer to use it on skirt [...]