I am just getting into grilling often. Let me hear some of your favorite tips and resources.
Grilling tips
Discussion in 'Travel Forum' started by TomVols, Apr 19, 2002.
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Gas or charcoal?
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Tom - I use an old gas grill that's about ready for the dump, but throw a little mesqite or hickory on it. Buy a bag about the size of a charcoal bag for a coupla bucks, and it'll last a summer.
But the flavor it gives to chicken breasts or London broil makes cheap meats seem tastier.
+ I have my own secret sauce for marinading and for basting.
And no, I'm not going to share that with ANYONE! :eek: :eek: :eek: -
If you're using gas, it's important to use high heat initially so beef will sear properly. Otherwise it'll cook to death before you get a nice surface.
I love barbecued chicken: Remove the skin from thighs and cook, then put on barbecue sauce (my own, and I will ;) share) shortly before it's done. It's tasty and fairly low in fat -- and chicken fat tends to flame up.
London broil is very nice; I use a marinade of Italian dressing. Yes, Dr. Bob, there are several cheaper cuts that can be made to taste fabulous on the grill. Grilled veggies go nicely -- bell pepper, onion, tomato, zucchini work well.
Pork steak cooks well on the grill; just add some barbecue sauce. Ribs will cook as well, but they really deserve to be slow-cooked over charcoal.
And keep a mist bottle nearby to extinguish the pesky flare-ups.
[ April 20, 2002, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: rsr ] -
Grilling is good, but smoking is the greatest. Last Thanksgiving, I smoked a 14 lb. turkey for 25 minutes per pound. The smoker lets you put charcoal in the bottom (and you can add smoking chips if you like) a pan of water in the middle (I substituted water with N/A beer) and the bird on the top rack and a tightly sealed lid. Mmmm!
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Clint, I think there is some verse in the Bible that requires pork to be smoked; obviously, it's got to be in the New Testament.
I've never tried a turkey -- mostly ribs (family style) and briskets. How do you keep the fire hot enough so the bird will cook through. I know you can add charcoal, but don't you have to start them before they go into the smoker? Otherwise, don't you get oversmoked.
I'd love to try it; probably start out with a big chicken, though, just to get my bearings. ;) -
Dad made a home-made smoker from an old refrigerator and we used the racks inside to smoke lake trout and coho salmon from Lake Michigan.
Boy, howdy, is that good. Since I don't want my backyard to look like Appalachia, what brand of commercial smoker do you recommend?
Also, anyone have a favorite gas grill? Mine is shot and as of March 1, the gas tanks need a special $30 valve or they won't be refilled. Might as well get a whole new unit for $100, with the new tank and valve . . -
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I've been there and there is NOTHING there.
Mike -
After smoking my bird for about 4-5 hours, I had to add more charcoal and I had to add more NA beer as well as it had all evaporated. If you add the coals to the ones already burning, you don't have to re-start the fire. Also, the outside temperature does affect the cooking time. I really can't use my smoker on a very cold day. T-Giving here in PA was about 50 degrees outside & the smoker worked great. My smoker is a Brinkman brand & I payed about 25-30 bucks for it at Wal-mart. Nothing fancy. BTW, the smoker does look like Appalachia come to think of it. Now all I need is to replace the NA beer with some moonshine & I'll be set! Let's see, where did I put that still...
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My dad made a still out of an old refrigerator, too. That's another story.
:rolleyes:
And don't listen to those folks who dis Wyoming. Just because we don't clutter up our scenery with people or trees, and most of our vehicles are trucks with gun racks (and four tires) - we are a long way from hillbilly holler in CainTuckey! :eek: -
My best grilling tips?
Get invited over to someone's house.
Help them grill out.
Get the guys to do it. -
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Clint Kritzer Active MemberSite Supporter
Clint's grilling tip:
As the fat drips off of your meat (mmmmmmm, can ya smell it?) it will tend to catch fire. You don't want the flames licking the meat too much. Keep a used gatorade sports bottle with one of thos pop up tops filled with water handy. You can squeeze the bottle and extinguish the fire under the meat with no problem. -
My dad uses a Holland Grill. It doesn't flame up. You set a timer and walk away. Even chicken is great. Of course, we're beginning to feel a little clucky at my house since dad's favorite is BBQ Chicken. CLUCK!
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Here is the recipe for smoking a turkey that I used this past T-Giving. It's called Smoked Jerk Turkey
Ingredients:
1 12-16 lb turkey
1/2 cup onion powder
2 tblspns allspice
1 1/2 tblspns cayenne
2 tblspns brown sugar
1 1/2 tblspns thyme leaves
1 1/2 tblspns cinnamon
1 1/2 tblspns nutmeg
5-10 wood chunks (hickory or mesquite) soaked in water for at least 1 hour
Beer (optional)
Directions:
IN a small bowl, combine onion powder, cayenne, brown sugar, thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently loosen the skin from the bird and rub the jerk mixture all over the bird, under the skin and all over outside of bird. Refrigerate tukey until smoker grill is ready or overnight. Prepare smoker grill for cooking, adding wood chunks and filling water pan about 2/3 full with water and/or beer. Bring smoker up to 180-220 degrees. Place bird on grate over water pan. Smoke cook approximately 6 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the breast reaches 170 degrees. Check water & charcoal while smoking and replenish if necessary.
And have a happy Thanksgiving! -
:D
I grill anything that will let me on any thing they let me.
Really. -
The best way to grill (with gas or charcoal) is to prepare a two layers-tray from aluminum foil - turning up the edges to keep the juices in. Grill over medium flames, so as not to burn the meat. Occasionally you can soak up the fat with paper towel. Use Lawry's seasoning lightly on both sides. Tasting is permitted. Turn the meat (chicken, steak, pork, sausages, ham, or whatever) as needed. The end results are exquisite, or should I say hum, finger licking good! ;)
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Dr. Griffin, Get a Weber gas grill. I just purchased the Genesis Silver C model and I love it! It cost around $500 but it's well worth it. The grill has a lifetime warranty and Weber is one of the most reputable grill manufacturers around. Check out their website. http://www.weber.com/Public_Weber/homepage.asp
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