Grilled Artichokes | Fast Method
My husband has perfected Grilled Artichokes. We fell in love with them at one of our favorite restaurants (Houston’s) and he was determined to make them at home.
But Paul’s are now far better than Houston’s. And he’s figured out how to make them quick and easy! Plus, his dipping sauce is to die for!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A bite of a perfectly seasoned and grilled artichoke is like a party in your mouth. It’s a tender, rich, flavorful burst of yumminess. Bite after bite after bite after bite…
This recipe makes quick work of something that used to take way too long to make. (This is why people don’t often make grilled artichokes. It used to take a long time. Not anymore!)
You’ll enjoy this seasonal tasty treat so much that it will become part of your regular summertime food routine. And they go perfectly with my Air Fryer Chicken Wings!
What is the Best Way to Make Artichokes?
I’m one of the lucky ones… my mom often made artichokes for our family when we were kids. So I have been a fan for a long time.
Steaming and boiling are some traditional methods of cooking artichokes. That usually takes about 90 minutes and can sometimes leave you with a mushy, tasteless artichoke.
Enter the amazing grilled artichoke! Bursting with flavor and a smokiness that can’t be beat. But just grilling can result in an unevenly cooked artichoke that is undercooked in some places and burned in others.
And this is where Paul’s fantastic artichoke cooking method shines. Spoiler alert – he pressure cooks them before tossing them on the grill! Genius! And that, my friends, is the best way to cook an artichoke. Keep reading to see just how easy it is.
How to Pick a Good Artichoke
Primary artichoke season is March through May. But there is also a secondary artichoke harvesting season in late fall. The best (and cheapest) artichokes are found seasonally, although they are available year-round.
Look for grapefruit-sized, firm artichokes. You don’t want it to be soft or too narrow. You want it to have a nice, heavy feel with a rich, green color.
Ingredients for Grilled Artichokes
- Artichokes – Get round, firm, rich green artichokes. (See full recipe below for times and amounts).
- Butter – You can use ghee if preferred.
- Garlic Salt – Fresh garlic can burn on a grill so it’s best to use garlic salt.
- Pepper – Of course!
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Balsamic also works. This is used in the pressure cooking step.
- Mayo – The base for the dipping sauce. I prefer homemade mayo.
- Pickle juice – Adds a zing to the dipping sauce.
- Sriracha – Adds even more zing to the sauce.
- Dijon mustard – More flavor for the sauce (you can also use horseradish).
How to Cook Grilled Artichokes
Cooking perfect grilled artichokes is a two-step process. First, you pressure cook them. Then you toss them on the grill for a few minutes. This cuts the cooking time down significantly. (See full recipe below for times and amounts.)
- Trim the Artichokes – Wash then cut off the bottom of the stem, leaving approximately 1 inch of stem. Trim the excess leaves on the stem so it’s nice a clean.
- Cut the Artichokes – Cut them lengthwise (cutting vertically through the stem). Use a big, sharp knife.
- Season – Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
- Pressure Cook – Add water and vinegar to the pressure cooker and place artichokes cut side up into the inner pot. Pressure cook for 17 minutes.
- Scrape the spiky center out – Release the steam from the pressure cooker and carefully remove the artichoke halves. Scrape the inside “hairy” part of the artichoke. There are two ways to do this – Either use tongs to grab some of the thicker leaves on the inside of the artichoke just above the purple hairy part and pull. The center part that you don’t eat should easily come out. Or you can scrape it out with a spoon.
- Season before grilling – Using a pastry brush, slather the artichokes with the butter/garlic salt mixture.
- Grill – Toss on a 400 degree hot grill for approximately 1-2 minutes per side. You will get some flames from the butter. That’s ok. It adds to the charred flavor.
- Serve – Serve alongside a nice helping of the fabulous dipping sauce.
Watch Paul make it here on The Spicy Apron Cooking Show!
And now you know all the secrets to the perfect grilled artichoke. Eat it as soon as it comes off the grill. And don’t be shy with the dipping sauce!
Grilled Artichoke
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Grill
Ingredients
- 1 large artichoke firm, grapefruit size
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar can use balsamic
- 1 cup water for the pressure cooker
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard can sub with 2 teaspoon horseradish
- 2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
Instructions
- Wash the artichoke and cut off all but 1 inch of the stem. Cut the artichoke exactly in half lengthwise (stem to tip). Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Place the trivet into the pressure cooker inner pot and place the artichoke halves cut side up into the pot. (Layer as appropriate if making more than one full artichoke. A 3 quart pressure cooker will hold 1 large cut artichoke. A 6 quart can hold up to 3 cut artichokes. )
- Pour water and vinegar into the pressure cooker inner pot. Pressure cook on high pressure for 17 minutes then release the steam. The base of the artichoke should be fork tender, but not mushy. If it's too firm, add another minute of cooking time.
- Make the basting sauce while the artichoke is in the pressure cooker. Melt the butter and stir in the garlic powder until blended. Set aside.
- Make the dipping sauce while the artichoke is in the pressure cooker. Mix together the mayonnaise, sriracha, dijon mustard and pickle juice until well blended. Set aside.
- Carefully remove the artichokes from the pressure cooker when the cooking cycle is complete and the steam is released. Place on a cutting board, cut side up. Scoop out the inner-most part of the artichoke. You should remove all of the spiny, "hairy" parts using tongs or a large spoon. It should scrape out fairly easily. (See YouTube video for a demo.)
- Baste the cut side of the artichoke with the melted butter/garlic mixture using a silicone brush.
- Turn the grill on to high (approximately 400 degrees). When it is hot, add the artichokes, cut side down. Be careful because it will flame due to the butter. This is ok! This is what gives it the char flavor and texture you want. Flip to the other side when it is charred to your liking (about a minute or two). Char the other side for another minute. Remove and enjoy with the dipping sauce.