SETTING UP THE GRILL

With charcoal grilling, controlling heat is the constant challenge. The following techniques, all of which are matched to a recipe, will allow you to achieve the correct temperature for your dish. Instructions for gas grills are included as well. Adapted from Grill to Perfection by Andy Husbands and Chris Hart (Page Street Publishing, 2014).

HIGH-HEAT DIRECT GRILLING (ZUCCHINI SALAD)

On a charcoal grill: Spread an even layer of unlit charcoal (about one briquette or charcoal chunk deep) in the bottom of the grill, then fill your chimney with charcoal. Stuff 2 sheets of newspaper into the bottom of the chimney and light it. When the coals are fully engaged—you should see flames peeking over the top—pour them over the unlit charcoal. When you can hold your hand 5 inches over the grate for no more than 3 to 5 seconds, it’s ready.

On a gas grill: Turn all burners to high.

LOW-HEAT

DIRECT GRILLING (CHICKEN THIGHS)

On a charcoal grill: Spread an even layer of unlit charcoal in the bottom of the grill, then fill the chimney 1 ⁄ 3 full with charcoal. Proceed as described above. When you can hold your hand 5 inches over the grate for no more than 8 to 10 seconds, the fire is ready.

On a gas grill: Turn all burners to low.

TWO-ZONE (HIGHER HEAT/LOWER HEAT) GRILLING (RIBS)

On a charcoal grill: Pile a shoebox-size amount of unlit charcoal onto one side of the grill. Fill the chimney with charcoal and use newspaper to start the fire as described above. When lit, pour the charcoal over the unlit pile. One side of the grill should have an active fire going; the other side should have no charcoal at all. Cover the grill and leave the lid vents open all the way.

On a gas grill: Turn the burners on one side to medium-high. Leave the other side off.

LOW-AND-SLOW BARBECUE (BRISKET)

On a charcoal grill: Start the fire as described above, but bring down the temperature by partially closing the vents, about ¾ of the way, during cooking. On a gas grill: Turn the burners on one side to low. Leave the other side off.

are hot spots. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170°, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slather with Alabama white sauce and serve. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Grilled Ribs With Tangy Maple Basting Sauce

TO TAL T IME : 2 ½ HOURS

H ANDS- ON T IME : 30 MINU T ES

This north-meets-south dish layers sweettart flavors on ribs with a maple-vinegar mop sauce. Husbands cooks his ribs over a two-zone fire: hot on one side, cooler on the other (“cooler” being a relative term here). The ribs are placed away from the coals, allowing them to cook through without burning.

FOR THE RIBS

1 rack (2½–3 pounds) St. Louis–style pork ribs (see note)

FOR THE BASTING SAUCE

½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup water

¼ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon toasted ground cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE SPICE RUB

¼ cup paprika

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon dried thyme

½ tablespoon ground coriander

½ tablespoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon curry powder

First, prep your ribs: Using a paper towel, pull the opaque membrane off the back of the ribs to expose the meat. Rinse the ribs with cold water and place on a sheet pan.

Next, make the basting sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Brush the ribs generously on both sides with the sauce, and refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the spice rub.

Prepare your grill for two-zone grilling (see “Setting Up the Grill”). When the temperature reaches about 350°, clean the grill grate. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and re-baste with any sauce that has accumulated on the sheet pan. Sprinkle the ribs all over with 2 tablespoons of the dry rub, and place them near but not directly over the fire. Cover the grill and cook for 1 hour; if using charcoal, maintain a consistent temperature by adding a large handful of briquettes midway through cooking. After 70 minutes, test the ribs for doneness (they should tear apart easily). If not done, cook an additional 15 minutes, then test again. Remove the ribs from the grill and sprinkle generously with the remaining dry rub. Slice and serve. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Note: St. Louis–style pork ribs are spareribs that are trimmed to create a rectangular shape, which allows for more consistent browning and even cooking. You can substitute regular spareribs or baby back ribs, which are more commonly available but leaner and less meaty. Spareribs normally take up to 2½ hours to cook, but marinating them in an acidic sauce tenderizes the meat and speeds up cooking time. If using baby back ribs, check for doneness after 1 hour.

SLOW-ROASTED BEEF BRISKET WITH GARLIC-TOMATOFENNEL SAUCE

TOTAL TIME : 5 HOURS

H ANDS- ON TIME : 1 HOUR

And last, we have low-and-slow classic barbecued brisket. This recipe is different from the one that won Husbands’s team first place at the biggest barbecue championship in the world, the American Royal, where glory was achieved through multiple rubs, marinades, and injections. But even without such gilding, this is still a darned good cut of meat.

1 beef brisket flat (5–7 pounds), with fat

¼ cup yellow mustard

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly cracked white pepper (you can substitute black)

1 head garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup red wine

½ cup low-sodium beef broth

½ tablespoon minced fresh oregano

½ tablespoon minced fresh thyme

8 cherry tomatoes

½ fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise

½ sweet onion, thinly sliced crosswise

1 carrot, thinly sliced

Special equipment: aluminum drip pan, aluminum roasting pan, heavy-duty aluminum foil, probe thermometer

Brush the brisket with mustard, then sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Twenty minutes before you’re ready to cook, prepare your grill for lowand-slow barbecue (see “Setting

Up the Grill”).

ONLINE EXTRA MORE GREAT GRILLING!

For a bonus seafood recipe from Andy Husbands, go to newengland.com/ grilled-oysters.

When the temperature reaches 300°, clean the grill grate. Place the brisket on the cool side of the grill, with a drip pan positioned below it. Cover the grill and cook the brisket for 3 hours, rotating it once per hour for even cooking. If cooking with charcoal, add a large handful every 30 minutes or so. After 3 hours, insert a thermometer into the center of the meat; it should register about 170°.

Meanwhile, prepare the braising liquid: Take the garlic head and cut off enough of the top so that the tops of all cloves are exposed. Lay it on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap up into a package. Set on the cool side of the grill to roast until soft, 30 to 45 minutes; remove from grill. When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze each clove out of its papery skin. In a blender on high speed, mix together garlic, wine, broth, oregano, and thyme. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Layer the tomatoes, fennel, onion, and carrot in the roasting pan. When the brisket has cooked for 3 hours, place it, fat side down, on top of the vegetables. Pour the braising liquid over all and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Return to the grill and cook 2 more hours, when the thermometer should register 195° in the center of the meat. Remove the pan from the grill and rest the meat. Place the brisket in a large baking dish, then pour the braising liquid and vegetables into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour this liquid over the meat, tent with foil, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Slice the brisket against the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Serve with braising liquid. Yields 10 servings.

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