August Newsletter, 2002
Cooking Class....Chicken
& the Indirect Cooking Method.
Indirect grilling falls someplace in between slow BBQ and throw it on a hot grill--ready to eat in five minutes systems. Perfect for grilling large cuts of meat, such as roasts, turkeys, whole chickens, ducks and the like. However, it works very well for small cuts such as chicken breasts, wings, and legs.
One major complaint I get from unhappy grillers is that poultry has a tendency to dry out on the grill. That is because grilling a steak and grilling chicken just isn't the same. Most of us like our poultry well done, but not dried out. Well, indirect grilling is perfect for us.
If you are using "charcoal" to cook, you want to cook next to the coals, not over them. If you are using a gas grill, I have found that turning on one side of the grill....searing the chicken on both sides over the hot side and then moving it to the cooler side to finish the cooking process works quite well. Indirect grilling means food is cooked by hot air circulating around the food, much like a convection oven.
KEEP THE GRILL COVER CLOSED!
I know you feel you need to stand there and watch the entire process...and even though that is a good idea, this is not like driving....you don't need to keep your eyes on the road at all times. With a little practice, you are going to be able to estimate how long each side is going to take. If you require a little help from the start, take a look at the links below.
Ever time you open the grill cover, the trapped heat escapes. It's just like opening your oven door. You lower the heat and you might as well be starting all over again.
You still have to turn things over to get even cooking, but with the lid down you reduce the cooking time and cook through to the center faster than you would with the lid up.
Story:
My next door neighbor loves to cook slowing on his grill. The top is always open. It takes him 3 or 4 times longer to cook a piece of chicken and he probably goes through 3 times as much propane over the summer months. Lesson learned!
Like a Little Smoke?
One of the advantages of grilling is that great smoky flavor. To smoke on a charcoal grill, soak a couple of cups of chips in cold water for 1 hour. Drain, then toss them on the coals. If you are using a gas grill, use the smoker box, if your grill came with one. If it didn't, wrap the chips in foil, make a few holes in the pack and place it under the grate and directly over one of the burners. Start cooking when you start to see a little smoke.
The Drip Pan Trick!
When working with coals, get them hot and then either spread them out on either side of the grill or in a circle. In the center, place a drip pan. Cook the poultry over the pan. The food will now cook indirectly and the pan will catch all the juices.
A couple of sites to help you out.
Turkey Grilling tips and Charts
Beer Can Chicken Recipe & Method
2.The Great Charcoal vs. Propane Debate.
I'm going to say this up front. I like cooking with gas. Cooking with charcoal takes talent and patience. For some reason, when it comes to charcoal, I lack both. I like results and quickly. I don't want to fuss with the lighter, the coals, the matches, the charcoal starter or anything else. However, I do know what I'm missing out on. But it is the price I am willing to pay.
Cooking over charcoal is an art form. It involves architectural design of the coals and decision making when dancing the food from one spot to the other to avoid over or under cooking. Granted, I loved cooking over coals or wood while camping as a kid, but as an adult, its mystique has worn off. Now my idea of "roughing it" is a hotel with slow room service.
Choose the Right Charcoal.
Use natural lump charcoal. It is made from kiln baked logs. Commonplace charcoal briquettes can contain coal dust, petroleum binders and other ingredients you don't necessarily want in your diet. Natural charcoal is sometimes called charwood.
Lighting the Fire.
Invest in a chimney starter. Looks like a small chimney that is partitioned in the middle. Put the charcoal in the top, a crushed pieces of the Sunday paper in the bottom. Light the paper and in about 10-15 minutes you have charcoal that is evenly lit. Beats using lighter fluid.
Be Prepared.
Collect everything you need. All the equipment, all the utensils. Once you start cooking over hot coals, your free time is a little more limited. Be prepared to dance. When cooking over coals, the only way to adjust heat is to move the food from hot to cold spots.
There was some good stuff, right?
Yes, there was. There is something about the flavor achieved when cooking over coals that just doesn't happen when cooking with propane. It's that great smoky flavor that results from cooking over a home made fire. Cooking over charcoal turns dinner into an event. Cooking over gas just means that you don't have to cook in your kitchen.
Some Extra Help...
Kingsford Site for Charcoal Questions
3.
Be Gentle......Squeezing Causes Bruising.
Perfect fruits and
vegetables cooked on a grill is a matter of handling and timing. The outsides
should be just golden and the insides tender but still firm. The impossible,
you say? Look at it as another challenge.
Grilling vegetables requires a perfectly clean grill. Most of us are all ready out of the running! Life is easier using some of the commercially made gadgets, such as mesh grilling baskets or my favorite, a grilling wok. Looks a lot like a squared off wok with holes in it. Just big enough for smoky heat to get through and small enough so dinner doesn't wind up in the fire.
Some of this is common sense. Small, water filled veggies cook quickly and large, dry ones....like potatoes take a great deal of time.
Story
Let's pick on the neighbor again.
He loves doing "baked" potatoes on his grill. And on top of it, he selected the largest potatoes he can find. Needless to say, his grill is pumping out propane for at least and hour just for the potatoes. So he doesn't burn them, he wraps them in foil. Now, if you have been following along for the last couple of months, you should know that he is not really grilling his potatoes.....he is steaming them. If you have every wondered why restaurant potatoes aren't crispy on the outside, this is the reason. In order for them to have some shelflife, wrapping them is the best option.
Is There another way?
Of course. Consider either simmering them in a pot of salted water for 20 minutes, or slicing them into 1/2 inch slices, brush them with a touch of salt & oil and then place them on the grill.
A Place to Start
Good General Info About Grilling Veggies
Meat & Vegetable Grilling Chart
Great Vegetable Grilling Chart
Roasted Corn Chowder from Soupsong.com
Cold & Tangy Red Pepper Soup from Soupsong.com
4. Keeping the Grill Clean and the Chicken
Safe!
I'll bet I'm not the only one that doesn't clean their grill after every use.
I even cheat. If I doing fish, I put foil on the grate. I know every company
in the world want to sell you a brush, but unless I'm grilling on a restaurant
style grill I stay away from them. Made for restaurant grills are not wire racks.
They are a wide, heavy duty bar type. Brushing them will never hurt them and
they are made to last a life time.
However, my made for "home use" grills are a little different. My last one had a regular wire grate. Needless to say, I beat the heck out of it with a brush. OK, I got what I paid for!
My current gas grill has porcelain grills. Not inclined to use a brush on this either. If a brush is your thing and you own the same type of grill, please consider a plastic or nylon scouring pad.
I'm a soaker. I wait until the grate cools off and I soak it in water. Cold water as a matter of fact. Cold water will release the starch in the food and the grate cleans up easily.
I don't like using any kind of oven cleaner, detergent or anything that came via an infomercial on TV. Sure it's messy. But I don't need to worry about what I'm adding to my food.
If you are the brushing type, then after every use, turn your grill on high for 10-15 minutes with the lid closed. Turn off the grill and let it cool slightly. Loosen the residue from the grill rack with a brush. This not only prevents sticking, but also helps to avoid flare-ups. When the grill is completely cool, wipe the inside and outside surfaces of the grill with a soft cloth and warm, soapy water. Rinse with clean water and wipe dry.
Help on the Web:
Getting Your Grill Ready for the Season
5.
Market Watch...Going Shopping?
Dairy:
In case you haven't noticed, cheese prices are on their way up. Most buyers
are stocking up to get ready for when cheese really hits the fan. Sometimes
it just doesn't make any sense. Butter prices are mixed, depending on where
you are in the country. Warm weather doesn't agree with the cows, so supplies
become less.
Seafood: Fresh:
If you are on the West Coast, you are experiencing higher prices for swordfish
and Caribbean tuna. Prices are still very high for soft-shell crabs. Salmon
is expected to go a bit higher. The only shinning light seems to be scallops
out of New Bedford and farm raised catfish and tilapia are still in good supply
and reasonably priced.
Seafood: Frozen:
Shrimp production is on the rise and supplies are abundant. Warm water lobster
tail prices are still high and not expected to lower anytime soon. Good variety
of grilling fish available for cookouts.
Meats:
Ground beef is down again and top round cuts are still a good buy. Baby Back
Rib are abundant and the prices should be good. Chicken is chicken...not much
happening there. Lamb prices are through the roof with no end in sight. Veal
has taken a little bit of a dip and could be a good buy in your local markets.
Produce:
In case you haven't noticed, prices of head lettuce are looking good. This is
because Canadian lettuce has appeared in our markets. Lots of asparagus around...your
store might choose to pass on the savings. Eastern peaches in full swing with
excellent quality. Plums and nectarines from the West have a wide range of sizing
due to the high temperature, but quality reports are good. Demand is good for
strawberries, but availability is not...there for prices are going to remain
up. Broccoli prices will be up slightly this week because of less supplies.
Make sure you take a good look at this stuff. There have been reports of small
size and loose crowns. And last but not least....Jersey Tomatoes are in...get
them while their hot.