Nashville hot cauliflower

This lip-tingling cauliflower gets deep flavour from a buttermilk marinade and then a long smoke roasting on the barbecue, brushed with a garlic, onion and cayenne baste.

Nashville hot cauliflower. Credit: Planet Fire

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1:15 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower (preferably organic)

Buttermilk marinade

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1½ tbsp cayenne, or to taste
• 3 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp granulated garlic
• 2 tsp granulated onion
• 2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 45 ml vegetable oil

Baste

• 1½ tbsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
• 42 g unsalted butter, melted (or more olive oil)

Sauce

• ½ cup marinade (reserved from above)
• ¾ cup sour cream

Marinating time: 4-12 hours.

You’ll also need: hardwood chunks or chips (if using the latter, soak in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain). This recipe can be grilled over charcoal or gas.

Instructions

1. Pull any green leaves off the cauliflower. Trim the stem so the cauliflower sits level. Prick the cauliflower all over with a fork, knife, or metal skewer. (This fosters the absorption of the marinade.) Place the cauliflower in a jumbo resealable plastic bag or deep bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the buttermilk, cayenne, paprika, granulated garlic and onion, salt, pepper and oil and whisk to mix. Pour this mixture into the bag over the cauliflower. Seal the bag and marinate the cauliflower for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator, turning it a few times so it marinates evenly.
3. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high (200°C /400°F). Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
4. Meanwhile, make the baste: Place the cayenne, sugar, paprika, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to mix. Whisk in the vegetable oil and melted butter (or more olive oil). The baste should be thick, but pourable.
5. Drain the cauliflower, reserving about 1/2 cup of the marinade. Place cauliflower on the grill grate over the drip pan away from the heat. Add wood chunks or chips to the coals and close the grill lid.
6. Indirect grill the cauliflower until browned and tender, 1 to 1½ hours, brushing with the baste every 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine the reserved marinade with the sour cream and whisk until fairly smooth.
8. Transfer the cauliflower to a platter and spoon the remaining basting mixture over it. Cut into slices, wedges, or florets for serving with the sauce spooned over it or served on the side.

Note

This dish is inspired by hot chicken, the deep-fried spicy chicken dish that is a specialty of Nashville, Tennessee. Here, instead of frying, the cauliflower is smoke roasted.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.