Grilled Barbeque
Almost everyone I know enjoys a good plate of Barbeque. Be it slow smoked ribs, pulled pork or smoked beef brisket, there is no meat more flavorful and tender. Achieving this kind of flavor and tenderness requires not only special equipment and knowledge of flavoring woods, but a passion for this great art of cooking and lots of time. And there is the “rub”. Most people do not have the 8-12 hours required to produce a nice, tender brisket or the 4-7 hours it takes to slow smoke a slab of ribs. That is the reason it is a bit pricey to eat at some of the barbeque restaurants in the area.
There is no reason you can’t have good quality barbeque at home using your own grill. And it doesn’t have to take all day to cook. I call this method of cooking “grilled barbeque”. The secret to grilled barbeque is using our grill as an oven to use a cooking method called braising. Braising means to cook, covered, using low/moist heat. We do this by first browning the meat on all sides over medium heat; place the meat in a roasting pan with a liquid such as wine or broth. We cover the meat with foil or a pan lid and bake at 300 degrees for up to 3 hours. The liquid produces steam that accelerates the cooking process almost as a pressure cooker does. This method works especially well with beef brisket. By using a dry rub and browning the meat over a charcoal or gas fire we create a mild, smoky flavor before we braise it for tenderness. To produce the flavorful, crusty outside edges similar to barbequed ribs or pulled pork, we grill roast the meat till almost done; then wrap in foil to braise the meat the last 30-60 minutes for that “fall off the bone” tenderness.
By using a combination of grill roasting and braising, we have reduced the time required to produce barbequed ribs and pulled pork from 4-7 hours to 2-3 hours and brisket cooks in 3 hours instead of 8-12 hours. Now you can enjoy good quality “Grilled Barbeque” in the comfort of your own back yard!
Texas Style Beef BrisketBasic Texas Beef Rub
Combine equal parts
Salt
Ground Black pepper
Sugar
Garlic powder
Paprika
Chili powder
Coat 5-6 pound beef brisket liberally with beef rub 2-12 hours before cooking. Pre-heat grill to medium heat. Brown meat on all sides then place into baking/roasting pan just large enough to fit. Add red wine, beef broth or beer till it reaches 1/3rd to ½ way up the side of roast. Cover tightly with foil. Place on grill* using indirect heat method and braise 3 hours at 300 degrees or until very tender. Allow to rest 40-60 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain. Serve with pan juices or barbeque sauce.
* you can braise in oven 3 hours at 300 degrees at this point.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
BBQ Bootcamp #3 Grilled Barbeque
Students will learn to create great "Barbeque" on their home grills in a fraction of the time it takes the "grill Masters".
Samples include Apple Smoked Baby Back Ribs, 90 Minute Pulled Pork, Texas Style Beef Brisket and more.Recipes Included
Class Time - 2 hours
Class Tuition $25($35 at the door)
Class Dates - August 7, 2008 from 6-8pm
August 23, 2008 from 2-4pm
Samples include Apple Smoked Baby Back Ribs, 90 Minute Pulled Pork, Texas Style Beef Brisket and more.Recipes Included
Class Time - 2 hours
Class Tuition $25($35 at the door)
Class Dates - August 7, 2008 from 6-8pm
August 23, 2008 from 2-4pm
Grill Roasting
As much as it costs to run the air conditioner these days, why turn on the kitchen oven? We cook tender cuts of meat on the grill using it as a broiler, so why not use the backyard grill as an oven?
When cooking less tender cuts such as roasts or poultry, try using indirect heat. By using one burner, left or right, and placing the food on the other side of the grill we turn the grill into an oven. If using a charcoal grill, we place the coals to one side and place the food on the opposite side. The food cooks evenly and produces a flavorful crust that people enjoy without the need for a sauce.
Before we can use the grill as an oven, we need to get to know our grill a little better. Hopefully your grill has a thermometer on the cover, but how accurate is it, and does it measure the temperature where the food is? The difference between where the food is and where the thermometer probe is can be up to 100 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, get one! It doesn’t take much effort to drill a small hole in the cover and use a clothespin to hold a thermometer in place and you will save ten times the amount you paid by not overcooking your food.
To get an accurate reading of the temperature where the food will be, pre heat your grill to high heat, place an inexpensive oven thermometer on the grid near the center and close the cover. Wait about ten minutes and record the temperature on the cover thermometer; this is your grills air temperature. Open the cover and record the temperature of the grid thermometer; this is your grills “grid” temperature. The grid temperature is important because that is where your food will be cooked. Noting the difference in temperatures between the air temp and grid temp allows you to keep the cover closed while checking the grid temperature. For example, the grills air temp reads 300 therefore the grid temp is 400 (roasting temperature). Just like an oven, when the grill cover is opened the heat escapes and it takes 5-10 minutes to recover the heat lost.
Grill Roasted Chicken Thighs
Season to taste one hour before cooking. Prepare grill for indirect heat, 350-400 degrees. Place thighs, skin side down on cool side of grill. Cover and maintain temperature for twenty minutes. Turn skin side up and cover for 20 minutes. Turn skin side down for twenty more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.
Don’t forget that side dishes can also be prepared on the grill, too! I use the upper rack of my grill to hold a baking sheet full of frozen French fries during the last 20 or so minutes of cooking time. When dinner is served, try baking some cookies for dessert on the upper rack of your grill!
When cooking less tender cuts such as roasts or poultry, try using indirect heat. By using one burner, left or right, and placing the food on the other side of the grill we turn the grill into an oven. If using a charcoal grill, we place the coals to one side and place the food on the opposite side. The food cooks evenly and produces a flavorful crust that people enjoy without the need for a sauce.
Before we can use the grill as an oven, we need to get to know our grill a little better. Hopefully your grill has a thermometer on the cover, but how accurate is it, and does it measure the temperature where the food is? The difference between where the food is and where the thermometer probe is can be up to 100 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, get one! It doesn’t take much effort to drill a small hole in the cover and use a clothespin to hold a thermometer in place and you will save ten times the amount you paid by not overcooking your food.
To get an accurate reading of the temperature where the food will be, pre heat your grill to high heat, place an inexpensive oven thermometer on the grid near the center and close the cover. Wait about ten minutes and record the temperature on the cover thermometer; this is your grills air temperature. Open the cover and record the temperature of the grid thermometer; this is your grills “grid” temperature. The grid temperature is important because that is where your food will be cooked. Noting the difference in temperatures between the air temp and grid temp allows you to keep the cover closed while checking the grid temperature. For example, the grills air temp reads 300 therefore the grid temp is 400 (roasting temperature). Just like an oven, when the grill cover is opened the heat escapes and it takes 5-10 minutes to recover the heat lost.
Grill Roasted Chicken Thighs
Season to taste one hour before cooking. Prepare grill for indirect heat, 350-400 degrees. Place thighs, skin side down on cool side of grill. Cover and maintain temperature for twenty minutes. Turn skin side up and cover for 20 minutes. Turn skin side down for twenty more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.
Don’t forget that side dishes can also be prepared on the grill, too! I use the upper rack of my grill to hold a baking sheet full of frozen French fries during the last 20 or so minutes of cooking time. When dinner is served, try baking some cookies for dessert on the upper rack of your grill!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
BBQ Boot Camp #2 - "Grill Roasting"
BBQ BootCamp #2 "Grill Roasting"
Students will enhance their skills by learning more advanced methods and dishes. Demonstrations / Samples will include Crispy Grill Roasted Chicken, Grill Smoked Bratwurst, Grilled Chicken Ranch Pizza and more.Recipes Included, Instuction book available.
Class Time - 2 Hours
Tuition $25($35 at the door)Class Date - July 19, 2008 from 2-4pm
Location - The Firehouse, 2011 Oak st. Wyandotte MI. 48192
Students will enhance their skills by learning more advanced methods and dishes. Demonstrations / Samples will include Crispy Grill Roasted Chicken, Grill Smoked Bratwurst, Grilled Chicken Ranch Pizza and more.Recipes Included, Instuction book available.
Class Time - 2 Hours
Tuition $25($35 at the door)Class Date - July 19, 2008 from 2-4pm
Location - The Firehouse, 2011 Oak st. Wyandotte MI. 48192
Independence Day
Many families may choose not to travel this Independence Day weekend due to the high gas prices. This doesn’t mean that your weekend can’t be a memorable one. Save your gas money and have a good old American Backyard BBQ! All of the time you save by not fighting traffic can be put to use preparing some great food right in your own backyard. A traditional favorite is the good old hamburger. I have spent 3 years developing what I believe is the perfect hamburger. This recipe was created because I have never found a burger that could live up to the promise of the name “Bacon Burger”. I could never taste the bacon due to the burger or the bun or both. Every “Bacon Burger” I tried left me disappointed until now. Some of the ingredients may surprise you, for instance cornstarch helps to bind the meat together as well as retain the juices in the meat. Bread cubes help to carry the flavor and create a steak like texture. Beef Bouillon and Worcestershire Sauce enhance the flavor of the meat. Another tip is to not pack the burger too tightly as they will become hard and squeeze out the natural juices.
Chef Brian’s Bacon Burgers
1-pound ground beef lean
1/4-pound bacon, hickory smoked, cooked & crumbled
1-teaspoon beef bouillon, powder, low sodium
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-teaspoon cornstarch
1/4-teaspoon black pepper
1/4-cup water
1-cup bread, cubed, 1/4"
In large bowl mix together Bouillon, Worcestershire Sauce, cornstarch, Pepper & Water. Toss in bread crumbs. Add ground beef and bacon. Mix gently. Form into patties.
Grill directly over medium fire (350-400) 4-5 minutes per side.
Serving suggestions: serve plain as ground steak with steak sauce or on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato & mayo for a " BLT" Burger. Serves 4-6
PS: If you need to satisfy your holiday camping “fix” you can pitch a tent in your backyard and have a campfire in a commercially made fire pit! (Check with your local fire department!)
Chef Brian’s Bacon Burgers
1-pound ground beef lean
1/4-pound bacon, hickory smoked, cooked & crumbled
1-teaspoon beef bouillon, powder, low sodium
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-teaspoon cornstarch
1/4-teaspoon black pepper
1/4-cup water
1-cup bread, cubed, 1/4"
In large bowl mix together Bouillon, Worcestershire Sauce, cornstarch, Pepper & Water. Toss in bread crumbs. Add ground beef and bacon. Mix gently. Form into patties.
Grill directly over medium fire (350-400) 4-5 minutes per side.
Serving suggestions: serve plain as ground steak with steak sauce or on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato & mayo for a " BLT" Burger. Serves 4-6
PS: If you need to satisfy your holiday camping “fix” you can pitch a tent in your backyard and have a campfire in a commercially made fire pit! (Check with your local fire department!)
Charcoal or Gas?
During the summer the subject of “charcoal or gas?” often comes up. My usual reply is that “it depends on what you are cooking - are you going to barbeque it or grill it?”
Yes, there is a difference. In 1997, 84% of American families fired up a grill 2.9 billion times. Most of them grilled. Grilling is described as cooking directly over high heat on a metal grill or grate. There are several broad categories of cooking methods--dry, wet, and a combination of both dry and wet. Sautéing is classed as a dry cooking method. Grilling also falls in the same category, in that it utilizes dry, intense heat to cook the product. During the summer months, grilling is the quintessential cooking method as it is done outside, thus not further heating up an already hot kitchen!
Due to the intense, dry heat radiating from below, the food is often cooked fast. Think of it as using the broiler upside down. I call it “grill broiling” because you are broiling your food on the grill.
The foods that are best suited for grilling? Just about anything including meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruit. The best meats for grilling are the tender steaks, since grilling is a fast cooking method that does not allow time to tenderize tougher cuts of meat. Choose tender cuts of meat (from the loin or rib), or slightly tougher cuts that have been tenderized with an acidic marinade or been pounded or chopped (i.e. hamburgers). Pork and chicken breasts are also great for grilling. Leave the skin on the bone – in breasts as this will not only be delicious, but will keep the meat from drying out. Be extra vigilant if grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts since they dry out quickly! Oily fish such as salmon and swordfish do well on the grill; if grilling leaner fish - like whitefish - brush it with oil and handle carefully. The worst thing you can do with any fish is over cook it!
Vegetables work quite well on the grill. Asparagus, peppers, squash and tomatoes caramelize for an intense flavor. Brush with a flavored oil and season with herbs or toss in Italian dressing and grill. Firm fruits like apples, pears and pineapples are simple and delicious; brush with honey and cinnamon and grill quickly.
Barbequing is a very different method of cooking that uses a much lower heat for a much longer period of time. Barbequing will be addressed in a separate article.
Back to our original question of, “charcoal or gas?” My theory is, when grilling, use whatever you like best! The actual “grilled flavor” is produced not by the heat source, but by the carmelization (slight charring) of the sugars in the food. Since the food is only exposed to the heat for a short period of time, it cannot absorb the flavors of the charcoal. Scientific studies show us that a major portion of that “grilled flavor” comes from our sense of smell.
Why not have it both ways? I have a gas grill that I use when I am in a hurry to get dinner on. I use the charcoal grill when I have the time to enjoy the outdoors with the family (and a cold beverage or two). If I run out of propane, I can finish cooking over charcoal.
Yes, there is a difference. In 1997, 84% of American families fired up a grill 2.9 billion times. Most of them grilled. Grilling is described as cooking directly over high heat on a metal grill or grate. There are several broad categories of cooking methods--dry, wet, and a combination of both dry and wet. Sautéing is classed as a dry cooking method. Grilling also falls in the same category, in that it utilizes dry, intense heat to cook the product. During the summer months, grilling is the quintessential cooking method as it is done outside, thus not further heating up an already hot kitchen!
Due to the intense, dry heat radiating from below, the food is often cooked fast. Think of it as using the broiler upside down. I call it “grill broiling” because you are broiling your food on the grill.
The foods that are best suited for grilling? Just about anything including meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruit. The best meats for grilling are the tender steaks, since grilling is a fast cooking method that does not allow time to tenderize tougher cuts of meat. Choose tender cuts of meat (from the loin or rib), or slightly tougher cuts that have been tenderized with an acidic marinade or been pounded or chopped (i.e. hamburgers). Pork and chicken breasts are also great for grilling. Leave the skin on the bone – in breasts as this will not only be delicious, but will keep the meat from drying out. Be extra vigilant if grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts since they dry out quickly! Oily fish such as salmon and swordfish do well on the grill; if grilling leaner fish - like whitefish - brush it with oil and handle carefully. The worst thing you can do with any fish is over cook it!
Vegetables work quite well on the grill. Asparagus, peppers, squash and tomatoes caramelize for an intense flavor. Brush with a flavored oil and season with herbs or toss in Italian dressing and grill. Firm fruits like apples, pears and pineapples are simple and delicious; brush with honey and cinnamon and grill quickly.
Barbequing is a very different method of cooking that uses a much lower heat for a much longer period of time. Barbequing will be addressed in a separate article.
Back to our original question of, “charcoal or gas?” My theory is, when grilling, use whatever you like best! The actual “grilled flavor” is produced not by the heat source, but by the carmelization (slight charring) of the sugars in the food. Since the food is only exposed to the heat for a short period of time, it cannot absorb the flavors of the charcoal. Scientific studies show us that a major portion of that “grilled flavor” comes from our sense of smell.
Why not have it both ways? I have a gas grill that I use when I am in a hurry to get dinner on. I use the charcoal grill when I have the time to enjoy the outdoors with the family (and a cold beverage or two). If I run out of propane, I can finish cooking over charcoal.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
