Grilling out is one of the world’s favorite past-times. Almost anything can be grilled to add a new level of flavor, or to infuse a smokiness to existing foods. Everyone has their favorite grilling secrets. But here are some tips you might not know about to take your cue to a new level.
Chicken on the Grill Made Tastier
Paul Kirk of www.finecooking.com recommends a few things when it comes to grilling your chicken: Lower the heat and let the chicken cook longer. Leave off any sauce that you are going to put on until the end, and use spice rubs to fuel the flavor of your meat. The sauce is usually the culprit behind a charred glaze on chicken. Here are some different flavoring options to try:
• Try a marinade of jellies, jams, and hot sauce. Fruit and pepper taste great on chicken. Coat the chicken on the grill, and set some of the mixture aside for dipping.
• For easy teriyaki, combine brown sugar, Worchestershire and mustard. Use the mixture to baste the chicken while it’s on the grill.
• For a slightly Italian flavor, soak the chicken in vinaigrette overnight. If you don’t have vinaigretta, simply combine vinegar, oil, and sugar water, and soak the chicken in the mixture overnight.
Fish Is Great on the Grill
According to Chef Zakary Pelaccio, there is a few things to keep in mind when grilling fish. First, you don’t want to pick the wrong kind of fish. The firm flesh fish like salmon and snapper is a great way to go. One big problem when grilling fish is that it sticks to the grilling surface. Before you slap a fish on, clean and oil the grate. Oil the fish thoroughly and add seasoning. You want to grill your fish with the skin still on the meat. It’s ok to char your fish when it’s on the grill. In fact, Pelaccio recommends you should be burning the skin of your fish when you grill it. Here are some flavor ideas for fish:
• For a whole fish, such as tilapia, an ordinary rub of salt and pepper, with whole olives and sliced lemons in the fish cavity lets the flavor come through.
• Thicker, denser fish such as swordfish can be cut into steak-like portions, grilled on mesquite, and served with steak sauce.
• Shellfish such as muscles, shrimp, and oysters can be grilled right on top of the coals or wood, no metal grill is necessary. Use grill-safe tongs to pluck them out.
New Ways to Spice up Beef
• Everyone loves a filet. Instead of slicing your tenderloin, try grilling it whole. This will keep the inside of the tenderloin rare and more juicy than grilling it in cuts.
• Want an Indonesian flare? Rub your beef cuts with garlic and ginger. Then cut thin slices of garlic and ginger and put them into slits cut into the beef before and during grilling.
• If you want to make your beef more tender, and you like a zing, try marinating the beef for an hour in citrus juice such as orange juice or lime juice.
Hot Dog!
• Want a juicier dog? Soak it in beer overnight. The beer will infuse the dog and make it fatter and juicier on the grill.
• Grill the dog on one side. Flip it, cut it lengthwise (not all the way through), and put sliced green peppers inside the dog. The pepper flavor will infuse the dog and make it taste like a philly steak dog.
• Want a cheese dog without paying the high grocery store price? If you have a pastry bag, you can try this trick. Hollow out the center of the dog with a straw or metal tube. Take a pastry bag and fill it with soft or melted cheese. Before the cheese hardens, squeeze the filling into the dog hollow, and grill.
Summer is almost here, don’t settle for a subpar grilling set up. You are going to need quality cooking material for quality food. You can get specialty gas house barbecues in Columbus, OH for a pretty good price if you know where to look.
