Some folks tell us they leave the grilling to the
experts. They say they can never get the temperature right; the food is burnt
or raw—or both! They say the meat and chicken turn our dry and tough and can
only be cut with an electric saw. They say their vegetables burn or fall
through the grates. They say their food sticks to the grill and they end up
losing half of it every time.
We say, don’t give up quite so easily. With just a few
simple tips and some handy ideas and tools, grilling can be enjoyed by everyone
in your family; even the one who ends up standing at the grill.
1-Gas or charcoal?
The answer will depend on a few factors.
The first is convenience. A charcoal grill will get your food on the table faster
but what you get in speed you may lose in taste.
The authentic smoky, off the fire taste of grilled foods is strongest with
the original heat source, wood. But waiting for hardwood or even charcoal to
heat properly takes time.
Another factor is taste. However, in a recent taste test, groups of tasters
were presented with burgers and steak cooked on gas and charcoal units. No one
could tell the difference between the charcoal and the gas when it came to the
hamburgers, but they could tell the difference with the steak. The charcoal
grilled steak had a distinct smoke flavor.
Finally, there is the issue of cost. Gas grills are generally more
expensive than charcoal. If you don't want to spend a lot of money then
charcoal might be the answer. However, charcoal is the more expensive fuel. You
can easily spend $5.00 a cookout on charcoal, while gas might cost around $.20
per cookout. So you’ve got to decide which one is right for you.

3-Use a good quality grill brush. A grill brush is
necessary both before and after cooking. Once your grill is hot use the brush
to clean the grates of any missed spots from your last barbecue. Bits of ash on
your food are both unattractive and unhealthy. Food will stick to grill grates
that are not clean. After you are done grilling, use the brush to clean the
grates while they’re still hot. This keeps the grill in better shape longer. It
also keeps away animals because food residue is the number one attraction for
uninvited creatures.
4-Oil your grill grates. Even on a clean grill, lean
foods may stick when placed directly on the rack. Reduce sticking by oiling
your hot grill rack with an oil-soaked paper towel: hold it with tongs and rub
it over the rack. Remember; never spray cooking spray on a hot grill. If you
are preparing large batches of food, oil the grates again during cooking to
keep your food from sticking.
5-Keep it safe! Food safety is a top priority, so keep
these simple rules to avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting
boards, utensils and platters for raw and cooked foods; refrigerate foods while
marinating; and never baste with the marinating liquid. Make extra marinade
just for basting or boil your marinating liquid first.

7-Is it done? How can you tell if your food is ready? The
best and most professional way is by using an instant read thermometer. The
internal temperature of the food will tell you if it’s done to your liking.
Chicken parts should be about 165 for the breast and 175 for the dark meat
while steaks should measure 140 for medium and 150 for well done. Ground beef
burgers should be 160 on the thermometer before they are safe to eat. If you
are not using a thermometer use these approximate times for cooking:

Chicken breast: 3-4 minutes per side for thin cuts, 7-8
minutes per side for thick cutlets.
Chicken thigh: bone in—about 50 minutes in total,
boneless—about 35-40 minutes.
Steak: thin cuts will cook in 5-6 minutes for side while
thick cuts need about 18 minutes in total. In general it’s easier to tell when
thin steaks are done.
Beef burgers: about 5 minutes per side. You should see
beads of sweat on the burger—that is a sign the meat’s cooked inside.
These times are approximate and will always vary with the
thickness of the cut. If you are not sure you can make a small cut in the
center of the meat; it should be vaguely pink. Pink is good—it shows you the
food is not overcooked. Too much pink, however, means it needs a few more
minutes. Remember, food continues to cook even after it’s removed from the
grill due to internal heat.
8-Use a two level cooking method. On one side of the
grill, crank the heat up high; keep it low in the other. This way you have a
really hot zone for searing beautiful grill marks in your food while the cooler
side, or indirect side, offers gentle heat to ensure meat or chicken parts are
cooked internally before the outside burns. On a gas grill this is easily done
by setting one burner at high with the other at low or even off. On a charcoal
grill, pile the coals higher on one side to give you high heat and lower on the
other.
These simple tips and techniques will help you become a
grilling expert too!
Next week; our favorite grilling recipes.
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