Ardie A. Davis - 25 essentials. Techniques for grilling

The Harvard Common Press
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Boston, Massachusetts 02118
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Copyright 2009 by Ardie A. Davis
Photographs copyright 2009 by Joyce Oudkerk Pool

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Printed in China
Printed on acid-free paper

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Davis, Ardie A.
25 essentials : techniques for grilling / Ardie A. Davis.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-55832-392-6 (case bound, spiral : alk. paper)
1. Barbecue cookery. I. Title. II. Title: Twenty-five essentials.
TX840.B3P688 2009
641.5'784--dc22
2008036448

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Book design by Elizabeth Van Itallie
Photography by Joyce Oudkerk Pool
Food styling by Jen Straus, with Alexa Hyman and Ashley Quintana
Props by Tabletop Prop

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

FOR DAVID F. EMMOTT, M.D.,
AND JOHN T. STRICKLAND, M.D.
friends and barbecue aficionados, as well as gifted, competent, compassionate
physicians and surgeonswith my deepest thanks

Thanks to my dad, Art Davis, and my uncle, Chuck Rains, for teaching me how to grill during my growing-up years in Oklahoma City. Rest in peace. Thanks also to my wife, Gretchen, for her endless patience and encouragement.

Grillingcooking food over hot coals or flamesis done everywhere, worldwide. It is the classic method of cooking food with fire. Practiced for thousands of years, basic grilling delivers rich, uncomplicated flavor.

The goal of each recipe in this book is to show you a particular grilling technique, whether straightforward direct grilling, planking, grilling with a kiss of smoke, grilling right on the coals, grilling indirectly, using skewers or a fish basket or a grill wok, or grilling under a brick. Along the way, you'll also learn how to use a rub, a marinade, a baste, or a glaze; how to manage flare-ups; how to grill and glaze bone-in chicken or pork without burning it; and how to get a steak just the way you like it, whether it's tender and juicy with good grill marks, has a smoky flavor, or is charry-crusted. You'll learn how to use your grill to grill bake a casserole, grill roast a whole chicken, or flash grill a boneless chicken breast on a busy night.

The techniques and recipes in this book are strong on simple flavors, with minimal extra seasonings. I believe that too much seasoning overpowers food's natural flavors. To my mind, the smoky flavor of charcoal and a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper are all that grilled food really needs; however, a finishing sauce, flavored butter, relish, or chutney can add color and variety.

Whether your grill is a basic charcoal kettle or a gourmet stainless-steel gas grill with all the bells and whistles, you can learn how to achieve acclaimed Memphis-style grilled ribs or a planked salmon fillet that will be the envy of your neighbors. It's all in how you manage the fire and add flavor.

So, let's get started!

Grilling is a hot and fast method of cooking food directly over hot coals or flames using gas, wood, charcoal, or charcoal briquets as fuel.

The fantastic flavors of grilling come from three sources:

• BEFORE GRILLING : Seasonings and marinades offer zest to food before they even get to the fire.
• DURING GRILLING : Many flavors and textures result from the grilling process itself. We're all familiar with the charry "grill marks" on our chicken breasts or burgers that result from the caramelization of the sugars in foods over high heat. In addition, smoky flavors from charcoal or wood chips, sweet and sour seasonings from barbecue sauce, or the woody aromatic taste from a wood plank are all flavors that can be added to food while it is over the flames.
• AFTER GRILLING : Finishing sauces, butters, or chutneys added after the food is removed from the fire can also greatly enhance its flavors.

If you're a charcoal griller, you'll get a smokier flavor from briquets than from hardwood lump charcoal, so that's good to know if you want a smoky flavor on beef, but not on fruit. But we're getting ahead of ourselves now. Don't worry, this book shows you how to do it all, and we'll get there in due time.

I have grilled in brick pits, offset fireboxes, grills made from 55-gallon drums, hibachis, improvised campfire grills, and various other grills. My grill of choice today is a 22-inch standard charcoal kettle grill. I also have an inexpensive hooded square cooker that I use for backup grilling. Gas grills are great when you're in a hurry. I limit my gas grilling to guest grilling at the homes of friends or relatives. But most of the recipes in this book work for any type of grill you might have.

Once you have your grill of choice, it's time to make sure you have all the essential tools.

• SHARP KNIVES : A sharp standard butcher knife is essential for trimming or slicing. Get the best you can afford. Check local restaurant supply stores for bargains on good-quality used knives.
• CUTTING BOARDS : My preference is for boards made of hardwood or bamboo. I recommend having at least two cutting boardsone for meat and one for fruits and vegetables. Thoroughly clean the cutting board between uses.
• LONG-HANDLED FORK : Keep one handy for when tongs won't do.
• LONG-HANDLED TONGS : Stainless-steel spring-loaded tongs work best. They are useful for spreading or moving hot coals in the grill, in addition to handling food on the grill.
• LONG-HANDLED SPATULA : A wide, long-handled spatula is especially handy for turning burgers, breads, and sliced vegetables such as eggplant.
• GRILL THERMOMETER : Unless you prefer to guess, use a thermometer to monitor cooking temperatures when grilling with the lid on. I use a candy thermometer in a vent hole at the top of the kettle lid, hooked on with baling wire attached to the handle. Higher-end gas grills come with built-in thermometers.
• MEAT THERMOMETER : When in doubt, use a reliable thermometer. Check standard charts for doneness temperatures.
• WELDER'S GLOVES : I use leather welder's gloves, available in hardware stores or online, to protect my hands from the heat of the cooker. Wear them when dumping hot coals from the charcoal chimney to your bottom grate (also known as the fire grate), when brushing a grill over hot coals, and at all other times when your hands are near fire.
• CHARCOAL CHIMNEY (FOR CHARCOAL GRILLS) : This is the fire-starting method of choice for most experienced cooks. See "Building the Fire" (opposite) for how to use one of these inexpensive and durable aluminized-steel starters.