Tuesday Tidbit #7

Great Grillin'

I love it when it's finally stopped snowing and I can start grilling again.  I love to grill as much as I can because it's fast, easy, and practically no cleanup!  Here are some things I've learned for great grilling with a gas grill.

First, start with a clean grill.  A lot of stores sell wire or metal long handled scrub brushes to clean your grill.  I've learned the hard way that these are NOT ideal.  They take the coating off of your grill exposing the metal underneath to the elements which leads to rust that you then get to eat with your chicken and burgers.  We are now using a regular nylon kitchen brush to scrub off loose particles before we turn on the heat.  Then I spray the grill with a nonstick cooking spray such as PAM for Grilling and then I turn on the heat leaving it on High for several minutes to sanitize everything.

The next key is to cook your food Low and Slow. In order to fully cook the center of most meats without burning the outside on the flame you should turn the heat down very low.  Then, be patient.  Try to avoid too much checking and flipping.  Usually I wait 5-6 minutes before first flipping the meat.  If you try to turn it too soon it will either stick to the grill in the case of chicken or break apart if it's hamburgers.

Watch for Hot Spots.  Most grills don't cook perfectly at every spot.  I've learned the areas of my grill that tend to cook hotter and move my meat accordingly.  As I'm flipping I try to rotate my pieces through the different hot spots so they will all get cooked thoroughly and be closer to getting done at the same time.

Finally, Season with Care.  If I'm using a season salt I will sprinkle it on when I first put my meat on the grill and then again after the first flip.  Barbecue Sauces should always be applied during the last few minutes of cooking, basically when your meat is already done. The sugars in sauces burn very quickly when left over the flames. I apply my favorite BBQ sauce with this great brush then flip the meat and apply it again. Then I immediately remove the meat.  If you're using herbs such as Mrs. Dash treat it like a Sauce and put it on at the end.  Herbs burn very quickly also.

I hope these tips are helpful and wish you all a Great Grilling Season!