11 minute read
Charcoal grilling perfection
CHARCOAL GRILLING
By Elizabeth Morse Read
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Tired of the old burger and hotdog BBQ menu? Why not host global-flavor cookouts with marinated meats, seafood, and veggies paired with made-ahead sides? The secret to perfectly grilled meats and seafood is all in how long you marinate them, how you prepare your grill, and how long you cook your food on the grill.
MARINATING MAGIC
The magic of marinating is that you can use a tougher, less-expensive cut of meat and still create a mouth-water ing dish, whether bone-in or on skewers (kebabs) –likewise with fish, whether whole, fillets, or steaks. Most marinades are made of an acidic base, oil, and herbs/ spices. The acid (like vinegar, wine, citrus juices, or fermented dairy products) ten derizes the meat by breaking down the fibers, allowing the seasonings and oil to keep the meat moist and flavorful. An acidic marinade also kills bacteria on the surface ofthe meat or fish. Surprisingly, the slight acidity of sour cream helps to tenderize meat, especially chicken and fish. Pineapple creates a fruity marinade which, when combined with cider vinegar, can turn any cut of chicken or pork into a masterpiece.
The length of time you keep meat or seafood in a marinade will determine whether you end up with an appetizing dish, a tough texture (if not marinated long enough) or a mushy texture (if mar inated for too long). Marinate your food in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and keep it in the refrigerator. Never marinate in aluminum foil, pottery, or metal con tainers, as the acid in the marinade may react with the materials and give an un healthy off-taste to the food. And do not
cross-contaminate your dinner by using the marinade that touched raw food as a basting sauce at the grill – make a double batch of the marinade at the start and use half of it as the basting sauce, but dis card the marinade you used on the raw ingredients.
CHARCOAL GRILL SECRETS
If you don’t have much experience with charcoal grilling, it may seem like a deceptively simple proposition – squirt some lighter fluid over charcoal bri quettes, throw in a match, then put all your food on the top grill until every thing’s cooked, right? Wrong!
Your charcoal grill needs to be properly prepped before you even think of putting food on the grill. Use all-natural lump charcoal set alight in a charcoal chimney, with the vents in the bottom and lid of your grill fully open –fire needs proper ventilation. Preheat your grilling grate by putting the lid on for 15-20 minutes once the charcoals are red-hot and ashy – this will sear your food more effectively and prevent it from sticking. Once the grate is hot, brush it down to remove any burnedon bits, then carefully wipe it with a highheat oil like olive, grapeseed or peanut oil. Now you’re ready to grill!
Unless you have a grilling grate the size of a pool table, you’ll have to cook your foods in shifts, making it hard to get ev erything on the table at the same time. So maybe you need to plan a different schedule for grilling those shrimp ka bobs than you will for the chicken legs or T-bone steaks.
The secret is perfect grilling is know ing the difference between cooking over direct heat versus cooking over indirect heat. Direct heat is when you spread the red-hot charcoals evenly along the bot tom of your grill – this is best for small, tender foods that will take less than 20 minutes to cook: burgers, fish steaks and fillets, boneless chicken, chops, kabobs, thin strips ofmeat, shellfish, and veggies. Direct heat is also best if you want to sear the outside of thick steaks or bonein meats that will then be cooked more slowly over indirect heat.
Grilling with indirect heat is when the blazing coals are pushed to the sides of the grill – you can put an aluminum drip pan between them to catch the drippings
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(and avoid a flare-up!). This indirect heat method is best for foods that will take more than 20 minutes to cook thoroughly: bone-in chicken, thick steaks, roasts, ribs, and whole fish.
Once you’ve calculated the total cooking time for each food based on its cut, thick ness, and weight, turn it only once halfway through – this will ensure even cooking. And keep the lid on! Don’t inter fere with the perfect cooking time by constantly taking off the lid off the grill to check the foods for “doneness.” Consult your recipe, cookbook or an online grilling guide for cooking time.
GRILL SEAFOOD!
Don’t be afraid to try grilling fish or other seafood – you’ll be amazed at how delicious they can be hot off the grill! But they’re more delicate than meat and can dry out or turn mushy very easily if grilled for too long or fall apart if mishandled on the grill.
Rinse all fish and shellfish in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel before marinating (or when grilling without a marinade). Deep-sea fish like salmon, hal ibut, tuna, or swordfish cut into fillets or steaks are the best for grilling. Grill fillets skin-side down to protect the flesh and to create a crispy crust, and use a wide, thin metal spatula for flipping (use that for flipping veggies, too). Fish steaks with a bone in the middle are more stable than fillets, but be careful ofbones when you plate them. Stick to simple butter, lemon, and herb basting sauces for fish –ifyou use a sugary marinade, it will create a bit ter taste when the fish is grilled. Use a high-temperature oil, like olive, grapeseed, or pea nut oil to prep your grill grates before grilling the fish and don’t flip the fish more than once. Fish is fully cooked when the flesh flakes and is opaque in the center, although some fish (like tuna steaks) are served rare in the middle, just seared on the outside. Shrimp and scallops should be grilled no more than two minutes each side – longer than that and they’ll be tough. (Tip: use two parallel wooden skewers to thread shrimp and scallops – it makes it easier to turn.)
COOK-OUT SHORTCUTS
You only have two hands, so you can’t be flipping six different items at different cooking time intervals without burning something – especially yourself. You can “cheat” by preparing some of your cook-out foods the day before in your oven.
For instance, want to serve crispy steak fries to go with those steaks? Peel and rinse russet pota toes, then boil them for five minutes – drain and rinse. When they’re cool enough to handle, cut them in to ¾-inch rounds, then cut each of those in half. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425º. Brush both sides of the cut fries with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning them twice, until crispy and brown on the edges. You can reheat them on parchment paper in a 250º oven for about 15 minutes while your steaks are done and “resting” for 10- 15 minutes to keep the juices in.
Or how about those veggie kabobs on skewers that always seem to get mushy or fall through the grill grate when you forget to turn them in time? Cut up your mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and onions in kabob-sized piec es, toss them in your chosen marinade or olive oil with some herbs, then roast them on parchment paper at 425º for 15- 20 minutes, turning once, until the edges turn brown. You can reheat them in the oven along with those steak fries.
And what about those beautiful ly charred pieces of corn on the cob? Who has enough space on their grill? Microwave an unshucked ear of corn on high for four minutes. When it’s cool enough to handle, cut off the ends, re move the husk and silk, then cut in half. You can oil/butter them and put them on the grill for 10-15 minutes while the meat is “resting,” turning often until evenly browned.
Want to garnish your steaks with a heap of sliced mushrooms, peppers, and onions? Forget about stir-frying them on the grill. Instead, sauté them in oil, garlic, and herbs on your stove the day before and reheat them in the microwave while the steaks are resting!
Happy grilling!
BBQ SAFETY TIPS!
Unless you want your wooden skewers to catch fire on the grill (or leave nasty splinters in your food!), make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes before you thread your kabobs.
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw meat or fish.
Always marinate your meats and seafood in the refrigerator for the recommended length of time – never leave it on the countertop to mari nate at room temperature.
Wear safety gloves when grilling, especially when touching the grill lid handles.
Never use the marinade that touched raw meat or fish to baste the food once it’s on the grill. Ifyou want to baste your meat or fish while it’s cooking, make a double batch of the marinade and boil half of it down on the stove over medium-low heat to thicken it. Discard the marinade that touched raw meat or fish immediately.
Never place cooked food on the same platter or serving dish that held raw food – the same goes for cutlery and serving utensils you used on the raw foods.
MIGHTY MARINADES
Mexican Marinade
Mix all of the ingredients and store it in a plastic or glass container with a lid for up to five days. Marinate beef, lamb, and pork for six hours; poultry for four hours; fish for 30 minutes; shrimp for 15 minutes. ⅓ cup white vinegar ⅓ cup fresh chopped cilantro ¼ cup water
Juice of 1 lime 1 Tbsp. cumin 1 Tbsp. dried Mexican oregano 1 Tbsp. sea salt 2 tsps. mild chili powder 2 tsps. black powder 1 tsp. ancho chili powder
Korean Beef Marinade
Use half of this as a quick marinade for thin slices of beef, then thread the beef onto skewers. Use the other half as a basting sauce. 2 Tbsps. sesame oil 8 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup soy sauce ⅓ cup sugar 3 Tbsps. rice wine or sherry ½ tsp. black pepper 4 minced scallions Heat oil in small saucepan; add garlic and cook for a minute. Add all other ingredi ents, except for scallions, and let cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until sug ar is completely dissolved. Add scallions, remove from heat, and let cool.
Pineapple Marinade
A tangy/fruity marinade for chicken, pork or seafood! Marinate pork for 3 hours; chicken for two hours; seafood for 30 minutes. Grill immediately. 1 cup crushed pineapple ⅓ cup soy sauce ⅓ cup honey ¼ cup cider vinegar 2 minced garlic cloves 1 tsp. ginger powder ½ tsp. ground cloves
Teriyaki Marinade
1 cup soy sauce or tamari ½ cup water ¾ cup packed brown sugar 1 Tbsp. white vinegar or rice vinegar 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 3 scallions, finely sliced (both white and green parts) 4 minced cloves garlic Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved. Marinate beef, pork and lamb for at least four hours; chicken for at least two hours; fish and vegetables for one hour.
Sour Cream Marinade
A tasty marinade for chicken or fish! Place food in a Ziploc bag, pour in mar inade and put it in the refrigerator. Marinate chicken for 3-4 hours, fish for 30 minutes. Grill immediately. ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup white wine vinegar 2 finely chopped scallions 2 tsps. mustard powder 2 tsps. lemon juice 1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. white pepper
Greek Marinade
You can use this to marinate any meat, but it’s particularly good on lamb. Marinate for 2-3 hours. Double or even triple the recipe for large quantities of meat or a whole leg of lamb.
Juice of 2 lemons ¼ cup olive oil 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tbsp. chopped oregano leaves 1 tsp. chopped thyme 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper Slowly drizzle and whisk oil into the lemon juice, then add all other ingredients and stir. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before adding meat. Tourmaline,
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