Fire Up the Grill!

Fire Up the Grill!

There is nothing quite like the aroma of food cooking on the grill to let you know that summer has begun. And the taste of grilled food.... mmmmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The thrill of cooking over an open flame has been appealing since early man discovered fire. Modern-day grilling has been a summer tradition since the early 1950’s, when the Weber grill was made popular by George Stephen, the man who introduced quality grilling to the 'burbs’.

Do you want to be a summertime hero? Become a master griller! From fresh veggies to prime cuts of meat, and everything in between, here are some tips to great grilling:

• First, be sure you have the right tools on hand before you start grilling.
  Essentials include:
  o Fuel, as well as a fire extinguisher
  o Long-handled tongs, spatula and a basting brush
  o Pot holders and trivets
  o Clean plates for cooked meats. Always keep raw meats and their juices, including plates that held raw meats, away from your cooked foods.
  o Paper towels for unexpected (or expected) messes
  o Aluminum foil, which can be used on the grill for an easy clean-up, as a grease drip pan or as a heat reflector while grilling.
  o And what Grill-Master’s tool kit is complete without the perfect apron?
  At Sassy Scrubs, you can have your apron custom made for your Chef by choosing from hundreds of prints.

• Before firing up your grill, use cooking spray on the grilling rack to help prevent your foods from sticking. This can make your clean up quicker too.
• Using charcoal grills. When preparing a charcoal fire, a chimney starter is very effective. Fill the bottom of the chimney with newspaper and fill the top with charcoal. Remove the grate from the top of the grill and set the starter in the grill. Light the newspaper in a couple of spots and convection will suck the flame up into the chimney, igniting the charcoal. In 20 to 30 minutes the coals will be glowing and covered in ash. Turn the coals out into the grill, replace the grate and you’re all set to go! (Note: Have someplace ready to safely set your hot chimney starter down – like on a ceramic tile or a sturdy trivet)
• Don’t have a chimney starter? Here are a couple of cost-effective alternatives:
  1. Load charcoal up in a tin can, with both ends open, creating a short tube (ie a large coffee tin). Placing newspaper at the bottom of your stack of charcoal, in a circular pattern, will help ignite the charcoal. If you have your charcoal raised up and off from a flat bottom, like on the lower grill that charcoal normally sits on, this will form a natural draft and channel the hot air to the charcoal above it. Leave plenty of room between the charcoal in the tin and the bottom of the grill; this will allow more air to pass through, creating a bigger draft, and your charcoal coals will burn faster. Once your coals are glowing and covered in ash, turn the coals out onto the bottom of your grill.
  2. Fill an empty Pringle’s can, non-metal juice container or a cardboard milk carton with charcoal and place it on the bottom of the grill, open side up. Take some dryer lint and form it into a snake shaped rope and wind it down into the top of the charcoal briquettes. Light the dryer lint and the top of the carton. The wax lining slows the burn speed, allowing the coals to heat to the desired temperature. As the carton disintegrates, the coals will spread across the bottom of the grill.

• Using marinades. Marinating quickly tenderizes meat and enhances flavor.
  o Use about one cup of marinade for every pound of meat.
  o Be sure to trim all meat before marinating.
  o Marinate in a sealed plastic bag if possible; turning frequently to coat meat evenly.
  o Only marinate meat in the refrigerator. Never marinate meat at room temperature!
  o The use of marinades that include wine, lemon juice or vinegar, reduce marinating times. Any marinade that contains acid, alcohol or salt should not be used for very long, because it will chemically "cook" or denature the food in it. Marinate food in these marinades for less than 4 hours. Marinades that contain citrus juices, especially lemon or lime juice, should be used for only two hours or less. Marinades that contain no salt, acid or alcohol can be marinated overnight or, in some cases, longer.
  o Broil pork or poultry before marinating and grilling to reduce cook time on the grill

• Using barbecue sauces. Most traditional barbeque sauces contain sugar or tomato sauce, which can burn very quickly. Add these types of sauces and the end of your cooking time to help reduce the chances of burning the meat.
• Grilling vegetables or fish can prove challenging. Using aluminum foil helps to hold in natural oils and liquids, as well as protecting your food from charring. Aluminum foil pouches are a great way to keep tender foods moist while grilling.
• Use long-handled tongs to turn your food. Never use a fork! Poking holes in meat actually allows the natural juices to escape, causing your meat to lose flavor and become tough.
• For easy cleanup, heat the grill until the temperature is hot enough to kill bacteria. Then scrub the hot grill with a wire brush or crumpled aluminum foil.

Happy Grilling!
Jody E