Olive oil, lemons, and oregano are staples on Mediterranean tables. They combine beautifully in a simple sauce Sicilians call "salmoriglio". Not limited to fish, the sauce is also excellent on grilled meats or vegetables as well as roasted potatoes.

Serves: 4
Recommended Pellets: Alder

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for oiling the fish
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon brined capers, drained (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 swordfish, halibut, tuna, or salmon steaks, each 6 to 8 ounces and 1-inch thick

PREPARATION

Make the olive oil sauce: Put the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Whisk in the lemon juice and hot water. Stir in the garlic, parsley, oregano, capers (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. (Go easy on the salt if you're using capers.) Keep warm. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 400 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes. Brush the fish steaks with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on the grill grate and grill until the fish is opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork, about 18 minutes. (If you prefer your tuna or salmon on the rare side, cook them for less time.) Transfer the fish steaks to a platter or plates and drizzle with the warm olive oil sauce. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

It was our privilege one day to cook two brisket flats side by side. We applied rub to both. One received a mustard slather (see below). The other one was periodically sprayed with a thin mop sauce. There was a marked difference between the two slabs of meat at the end of the cook: The brisket that received the mustard "moisturizer" was much juicier. Do not skip the resting period once you take the brisket off the grill. Cooking times are approximate. Each brisket is different.

Serves: 6
Recommended Pellets: Hickory, Oak, or Pecan

INGREDIENTS

• 1 brisket flat, 5 to 6 pounds, fat trimmed to 1/4-inch
• Traeger Prime Rib Rub, or your favorite barbecue rub
• 1/2 cup yellow or brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons dark molasses
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 8 to 10 strips of bacon
• Traeger Regular BBQ Sauce or your favorite barbecue sauce

PREPARATION

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Season the brisket on all sides with the Traeger Prime Rib Rub. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce. Apply the mustard slather evenly over all surfaces of the brisket. Place the brisket, fat side down, directly on the grill grate. Drape the top with the bacon slices. Smoke for 1 hour. Increase the temperature to 225 to 250 degrees F. Continue to cook the brisket until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, approximately 3 hours. Tightly wrap the brisket in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Return to the grill and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Transfer the foiled brisket to an insulated container and cover it with thick clean towels (old beach towels work well) or several layers of newspapers. Allow the brisket to rest for at least 1 hour. Remove the brisket from the foil, saving any cooking juices. (If desired, you can stir some of the juices into the barbecue sauce.) Discard the bacon. Using a sharp knife, cut the brisket into 1/4-inch slices against the grain. Shingle on a warm platter and drizzle with some of the reserved cooking juices. Serve barbecue sauce on the side.

Here's a great way to use up the garden's abundant yield of zucchini. The bread can be tightly wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to one month.

Serves: Makes 2 loaves
Recommended Pellets: Pecane

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 large or 2 medium zucchini
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

PREPARATION

Grease and flour two 9- by 5-inch bread pans, preferably nonstick.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 350 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Spread the walnuts on a pie plate and toast for 10 minutes, stirring once. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Set aside. Trim the ends off the zucchini, then coarsely grate into a colander set over the sink on a box grater (or use the shredding disk on a food processor). You'll need 2 cups. Sprinkle with the salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Press on the zucchini with paper towels to expel excess water.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves in a mixing bowl or on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper. Combine the eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix on medium speed. (You can mix the batter by hand, if desired.) Add half the dry ingredients and mix on low speed; add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and zucchini by hand. Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans.

Arrange the pans directly on the grill grate and bake for 50 minutes, or until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center of the breads comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the breads from the pans. For best results, let the breads cool completely before slicing.

As kids, we used to pick through the canned pork and beans scouting for the promised pork, which usually presented itself as a small pale cube of fat. One. We invite you to try the meaty version below that gets a triple blast of porky goodness from smoked pork shoulder (feel free to substitute rib meat), a ham hock, and bacon. We've also added applesauce and a shot of bourbon to up the flavor ante.

Serves: 8
Recommended Pellets: Hickory or Apple

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound dried beans such as red kidney or chili beans, pinto beans, navy beans, frijoles Colorados, or pink beans
• 3 strips bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups water, plus more as needed
• 2 pounds pork shoulder, smoked at a previous grill session, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 meaty ham hock, smoked at a previous grill session, or more pork shoulder
• 1 cup Traeger Regular Barbecue Sauce or ketchup
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup prepared mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

PREPARATION

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 300 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes. Put a cold Dutch oven on the stovetop and add the bacon. Turn the heat to medium low and sauté the bacon, stirring occasionally, until it begins to render its fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the 6 cups of water and the beans, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Bury the pork shoulder and ham hock in the beans so they are covered with liquid. Put a lid on the Dutch oven and carefully transfer it to the grill grate. Bake the beans for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the barbecue sauce, applesauce, brown sugar, and mustard. Recover the pot and continue to cook for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed to keep the beans from drying out, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. (Remove the lid from the pot if the sauce needs thickening.) Retrieve the pork chunks and ham hock from the beans and shred or dice into bite-size pieces, discarding any bones, fat, skin, etc. Stir the meat back into the pot along with the bourbon, if using, and add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to bake for a few more minutes to reheat the meat.