msdarlinjoy
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2004
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LESSON NUMBER 2 - "Seasoning the meat" - Each person has confronted the statement "If I told you what was in this seasoning, I''d have to kill you!" The truth of the matter is that most seasonings, and this would include liquid marinades, contain many common ingredients found in your spice rack and refrigerator. For the beginner, we recommend start by using someone else''s premixed rubs and marinades. These are available in the local grocery store or butcher shop. Read the labels and then try several to determine which one works for your pallets. Later, you may want to visit our "World of Spices Pages" [currently under construction] and begin preparing your own secret mixtures.
Additionally, we want to dispell some misconceptions that are prevalent in the beginning of each barbecuer''s evolution. Everyone knows dried out meat and wants to avoid it at all cost. The most common mistake involves the use of barbecue sauce being spread on the meat while it is cooking. Our advice: DON''T DO IT! Most commercial barbecue sauce is made with sugar and tomatoes. Both of these items burn at very low temperatures. Use them only when the fire has been either turned off [gas grill] or the charcoal is almost out. Allow the temperature to drop significantly before adding barbecue sauce to the meat. The temperature should only be hot enough to dry the liquid out of the sauce, not cook/burn it.
I can hear it now . . . . "So what do I use to keep the meat from drying out?" There are several options to consider. You can use a barbecue sauce that does not contain sugars or tomatoes and thin it with water, apple juice or beer/wine. Many salad dressings make excellent marinades. We would also thin these in the same manner. Play around with different ideas and see what fits your palate. But don''t burn the sauce!
LESSON NUMBER 3 - "Temperature of the Fire" - Is my fire too hot? Not hot enough? Am I doing this right? Soon, and with some practice, you will learn the answers to these questions. Two factors are in your favor, for adjusting for the proper amount of heat . . . . . First, it is always possible to add additional charcoal or turn up the gas when the fire is not hot enough [this is not usually the case with gas grills]. On charcoal grills, there is normally an adjustable cooking grid that may be lowered closer to the heat.
Secondly, if things are too hot, Raise the meat on charcoal. You can also close the air intake holes and slow down the fire. Do not close the ones on top unless you desire to kill the fire entirely. On gas grills, first turn down the amount of gas being applied to the fire. If this is not enough, then you can open the door about an inch and place a piece of metal to hold it open. Adjust opening size accordingly. OK, now that we can adjust the heat levels, how hot is it at the cooking service?
"Simple" is the answer. Just set someone''s hand on down close to the grills cooking surface [the grates] CAREFULLY! and only after reading the following guidelines for determining the approximate temperature of the heat.
DEPENDING UPON HOW LONG ONE CAN MAINTAIN AN OPEN HAND IN PLACE WILL DETERMINE THE APPROXIMATE TEMPERATURE [ROUGHLY] OF THE SURFACE OF THE GRILL
Careful attention needs to be paid to the meat when grilling. Grilling as opposed to "barbecuing" requires much higher cooking temperature, because grilling needs to cook the meat quicker to prevent it from being dried out. Remember one important fact, the meat is located directly over the heat sources and as such, has the direct effect of offering large quantities of dry, hot heat to the entree. Therefore, the possibility of burning is much greater than when "barbecuing".
LESSON NUMBER 4 - "Open or Closed Lid Cooking" - When grilling, we recommend using the grill with the lid in the up position. The reason is that when cooking with the grill lid down, it has the tendency to smother the fire, create soot and thus taint the meat. The lid is, however, useful for putting out the fire when flame-ups occur.
LESSON NUMBER 5 - "Time vs. Temperature - A Discussion" - Over and over, we are asked "How long should I cook a ________?" The truth of the matter is that we don''t know! Now that may seem a little strange at first glance, but here is the truth of the matter. To even attempt to answer that question, we have our own questions that must be addressed . . .
LESSON NUMBER 6 - "When do I turn the meat?" - is a favorite question received by us. It usually varies depending upon what is being cooked and how hot the fire is. Our "catch all" answer is you turn the meat after the meat begins to turn color [usu. browning occurs] and after the meat is released from the cooking grates [i.e. when it does not stick to the surface any longer]. Turning frequently does not hurt or harm the meat, however we try to obtain a good cooking on each side before turning it over.
LESSON NUMBER 7 - "When is the sucker done?" - Simple again . . . . it is a matter of relationships of temperature, heat and time. To get a handle on the internal meat temperatures and doneness, we strongly suggest visiting the Barbecue''n''s Cooking Temperatures. We''ll discuss "doneness" in more detail later on.
The common denominator to great outdoor cooking is to cook the food the same way every time. In order to obtain this consistency, we strongly recommend using a bi-therm instant read thermometer. These thermometers, when inserted into the meat, will determine the meat''s internal temperature. No guess work, no under cooked chicken which can be dangerous to eat. As you can see from the thermometer to the left, they have a narrow probe that is inserted into the meat and after 10 to 15 seconds, can tell how far along the meat is done. ONLY in this manner will you really know if the meat is cooked to the desired doneness. One of these thermometers costs about $10 to $12 and will save hundreds of dollars in meat which might otherwise be ruined on the grill or in the pit.
One additional tip thrown in here dealing with when the meat is done . . . . always take the meat off just before the meat reaches it''s doneness because it will continue to cook for several minutes after being removed from the grill and while the places are being taken at the table.
And for those of you who would like to estimate the doneness of the meat [with less consistency], we have another slight of hand trick for your use. Try pushing against the meat with a fork or spatula and check it''s elasticity.
If the meat is very elastic and soft, the meat is probably between raw and rare. Next, if the meat is somewhat firm but maybe described as having a spring to its feel, it is probably equal to a medium doneness. Following this, if the meat is very firm yet still has some movement to it, the meat is medium-well to well done and needs to be removed from the grill before death and disaster take over. Finally, if the meat does not move and is rock hard firm, call in the mortician, it is dead. Although we must admit, some folks like ''em that way.
yanno i didn''t cook that day, we were at a friend''s house but i think she did put it directly onto the grill...the main part. but the flames don''t necessarily REACH the grill part...she probably had it on lower heat. i will have to ask but i remember her handing me the pyrex dish, i took it out to the gal on the grill and then it was served in the same dish so i figured it was cooked on the grill in the dish!!Date: 6/18/2006 6:25:40 PM
Author: Mrs Darlin Joy
Mara,
Did you actually put a pyrex dish on your grill??![]()
My first reaction was ''And it didn''t break or crack''
Was this on the med-low flame temp and not over a direct flame?
In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic and stir with a fork to mix. Brush this mixture on the asparagus rafts on both sides. Season the asparagus with a little salt and lots of pepper.
When ready to cook, place the asparagus rafts on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds as they grill. You can serve the asparagus as rafts or unskewered.
Movie zombie ~Date: 6/19/2006 2:11:05 PM
Author: movie zombie
i''m going to read your link with great interest!
Fire & Ice ... I feel the exact same way! I feel like chucking it!Date: 6/20/2006 5:31:42 PM
Author: fire&ice
Yeah, all meat should really stand before slicing/cutting - whole chickens needing at least 15 minutes.
We hate our grill and are thinking about throwing it over the porch. It wasn''t cheap either. I just loved the exterior look of it. Should have bought the Weber - no one I know who has the Weber has been unsatisfied - gas or charcoal. The flare ups are the worst on our grill.
Regarding Ribs - being married to a southerner - I had to learn to cook them. Really, they are best when you precook them in the oven for about an hour. Let them stand - then throw them on the grill for a bit.
Grilling is an art that must be experimented. Hubby is still learning & has had some successes & failures. One just always must have something else in reserve to eat!
I''m not a big fan of marinades. I like the beef to taste like beef - I just squirt w/ a light garlic olive oil & salt and pepper it. For chicken - something simple - like a mixture of BBQ sauce & balsamic vinegar OR Garlic olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Meat do take longer to flavor than chicken - 5 hours tops for chicken or else all the flavor will be the marinade.
Cept not applying a sugar based BBQ sauce until the end, what can one do to controll the flareups - or do we have that sucky a grill?
Also, I''ve heard the reverse - that meat should be coldest before cooking - in fact, frozen is good! So, the current thought is that the meat should be closer to room temp?
Hey MZ ~Date: 7/7/2006 11:48:47 PM
Author: movie zombie
how''s it going Mrs Darlin Joy?
i''ve been playing with the weber and have had good results....some better than others but all eatable. i even soaked/brined my own fresh ham and then cooked it over indirect heat....geez, that was good. i had to keep reminding myself that it wasn''t nitrated ham!
however, i broke down this week and bought the weber cookbook as i figure i can''t have too much advice. i''m sort of alternating yet to see what works between indirect and direct grilling.
then i found this: http://new.cbbqa.com/grilling/chicken_grilling_faq13.htm
lots of good info all around the website....these people have even rated charcoal brands.....and tell how to make your own charcoal! while we have more oak wood cut and stacked than we can possibly use in the next 5 years, i don''t see myself sitting down and reducing it with a hatchet to pieces the size of my fist.
movie zombie
that''s what the link above says.....for parts, that is. whole chicken is a different story. my project tonight is a whole chicken....and i''m going to pull tips from a variety of sources. oh, and according to the link above, it depends on if you have skin on or off, too!Date: 7/8/2006 1:01:08 PM
Author: hlmr
Hi Mrs. Darling Joy:
Here is a great tip for BBQ''ing chicken so it won''t turn out burned on the outside and raw on the inside.
Grill chicken pieces over indirect medium heat until juices run clear (approx 25 minutes) and then transfer to direct heat to crisp and colour (approx 5 minutes).
Happy grilling!!!!!![]()
none of the above is indirect heat! those are merely temperatures.Date: 7/8/2006 4:15:23 PM
Author: Mrs Darlin Joy
Hi ya''ll ...![]()
Thanks for all your help ... trust me ... I need it.
Ok, I have a question. Which of the below would you consider indirect heat?
One Second (or less) = Very Hot Fire - 600 degrees or higher
Two Seconds = Hot Fire - 500 to 650 degrees
Three Seconds = Medium Hot Fire - 450 to 550 degrees
Four Seconds = Medium Fire - 400 to 500 degrees
Five Seconds = Low Medium Fire - 300 to 400 degrees
Six Seconds (or more) = Very Low Fire - 300 degrees or less
Maybe I''ll try it again. And I''ll try to be patient, and have a good attitude for some better tasting ''Karma Burgers!''![]()
Thanks, and have a great day!
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