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OK, time to start grillin’!!
Here
are my 25 most important tips...
Brush
food with oil. This will prevent sticking. Olive oil is my
choice. Don’t brush the grill, it will burn your brush!
For
most meats, sear over high heat first, then move to lower
heat to finish.
Turn
often. I don’t care what the "experts" say! Don’t let too
much juice accumulate on the top of the meat…you will only
lose that juice once you turn it over.
When
seasoning, larger roasts should be seasoned and then wrapped
in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. Smaller cuts of
meat should be seasoned 1- 2 hours prior to cooking.
If
using a marinade to baste, BOIL it first!
For
burgers…….
Mix
the spices (salt, pepper, etc) before forming into patties.
Use
only ground beef that has at least 20% fat (usually ground
chuck). You need it for the juices!
Make
an indentation in the center of the patty. This will eliminate
the "plumping" in the middle.
Make
6 ounce patties that are 3/4-inch thick.
For
steaks.......
Use
only Choice or better cuts of meat.
Trim
all surrounding fat.
When
slicing, cut against the grain.
"Rest"
the meat before and after grilling.
Allow
the meat to come up to room temp prior to grilling. A
fter
grilling, let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Salt
just prior to grilling…..too soon and all the juices may be
drawn out.
For
poultry…….
Whenever
possible, keep the skin on. It will help to keep the meat
from drying out.
Season
all parts of the chicken.
Work
your fingers up under the skin and apply your rub/seasonings
underneath. Then replace the skin.
Also, apply rub to the cavity area.
As
far as flipping, generally, bone-in pieces need not be flipped,
while boneless pieces should be flipped half way through cooking.
Trim
all fat from exterior.
Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking skinless, boneless
breasts.
165 degrees F is done and that is attained very quickly.
Try brining or injecting for dispersing extra flavor and moistness
inside the bird. See article on brining.
For
seafood…….
Use fresh when possible, but "fresh-frozen" is just as good
and sometimes better than fresh!
Fish
is done when the flesh turns opaque (this includes shellfish).
This is a better indicator than the old test of flakiness.
Place a sharp knife between the meat sections and check.
When
grilling shrimp use the jumbo variety.
You
are less likely to overcook. Don’t use foil to cook your fish.
You
need to get that flame broiled taste.
There are a couple exceptions….sole, dory and flounder are
very thin fillets and will need some foil.
Well,
this should be a good guide to get you going. Keep in mind,
there are always a few exceptions to the tips above. But for
starters, these will do!
Enjoy!!
Kevin Taylor
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