The sweltering heat of summer means to take it easy in the kitchen. It's time for grilling, salads, and icebox desserts. Cool, crisp salads are refreshing, no-bake icebox desserts are easy on your air-conditioning bill, and grilling is my answer to getting dinner on the table fast. I love to grill, and I'm sharing some tips today to make you the master of your grill.
When we lived in Illinois, I grilled all year long. Through rain or shine, snow or humidity so thick, you could cut it with a knife! I would shovel a pathway to my awesome 5-burner, gas, Dukane grill. Gosh, I loved that grill! Grilling, for me, was how I got dinner on the table, and fast.
I am no pit master, by any means, but I have learned a few things about grilling through the years. Number one, is to keep your grill clean. Sounds pretty simple, yet, no one does. If you don't clean out the grease tray and under the grates you will start to have flare ups or worse. I know this first hand because last summer we started a small fire in our grill. There was so much ash, debris, and grease built up that it ignited and there were flames coming out of the grill from all angles. It was pretty scary! Not only is it important to keep the "belly" of the grill clean, you need to keep the grates clean as well.
Before you cook, let your grill warm up for about 10 minutes and then, using a wire grill brush, clean the grates. You don't want to cook on last weeks burgers. Really get in there and scrape off all the charred, BBQ sauce, and bits of meat that are on there. Using a rag, oil the grates to prevent food from sticking. I don't usually do this part, even though I know I should. I always use olive oil on any raw meat or chicken before I cook.
Number two, don't be a grill hero. What I mean by this is, have the right tools for the job. Don't get cocky and think you can get by. For example, get a grilling basket for veggies so they don't fall through the grill grates. Have tongs and a spatula long enough so you don't burn your arms. Also, a pair of extra long, heat resistant grilling mitts are a great idea too. They make all kinds of grill accessories to make grilling life easier. Invest in these tools and you will never complain about falling onions, or having your fish stick to the grates.
Now, that you're grill is clean, and you have all the proper tools, let's get cooking! So, number three is, learn how to marinate. Foods can react with what you are marinating with. So, you have to know your ingredients. Some people think marinating longer is better, and that is not the always the case. As you know, marinating is used to infuse your food with flavor, though sometimes this can back fire on you. If the marinade you are using has some sort of acid in it, such as lime juice or vinegar, this will actually start to cook your food. You can tell if this is happening by looking at the outer edges of what you are marinating. If its white, you are cooking it, in a sense. With the right marinade you can tenderize a tough cut of meat, but sometimes all you need to do is pound it with a meat mallet. By the way, I always pound chicken breasts, so they are the same thickness. This way, they cook evenly. If you don't have one, I highly recommend that you get one. Check out this article from Fine Cooking - Marinades Add Flavor but Don't Always Tenderize. Another great article is by Jessica Gavin - Marinating: A Guide to How it Works and What it Does. She describes the science behind marinating if you're into that stuff.
Number four, learn to cook on a grill without a thermometer. I use the finger test method. Do you know about this? If you aren't familiar with the finger test, it is a way of determining the doneness of your meat without using a thermometer. Now, a roast is another story. I still use a thermometer for a roast or a turkey, but when I'm grilling steak or chicken, I don't want to poke a hole in the meat and let all the juices flow out, drying it out. Also, you have to pay attention while you're grilling. An extra minute or two too long can change the outcome of a good steak or pork chop. If somethings not done, you can always throw it back on the grill, but you can't fix overcooked or burnt.
THE FINGER TEST
If you touch the fleshy part of your hand, below your thumb, this is what raw meat feels like.
Now, touch that same area when you gently put your thumb and index finger together, this is rare.
Put your thumb and middle finger together, and you've got medium rare.
Medium feels like when you gently put your thumb and ring finger together.
Finally, when you touch your thumb to your pinky finger that muscle below your thumb becomes like a rock. That's well done. In my opinion, this is not how you should eat steak.
Now, you can start grilling like a pro. So, start your grills and get cooking!
Until next time, friends. XO!
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