101 Things To Do With A BBQ
Bart King
101 Things to do With a BBQ
Digital Edition v1.0
Text 2005 Steve Tillet
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667
Layton, UT 84041
Orders: 1.800.835.4993
www.gibbs-smith.com
Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publishing Data
ISBN-13:978-1-58685-698-4
ISBN-10: 1-58685-698-7
1. Barbecue cookery. I. Title.
TX840.B3T554 2005
64I.5'784-dc22
2004021117
HELPFUL HINTS
1. Turn meat with tongs instead of a fork so you dont puncture the meat and let out the natural juices.
2. It is best to baste on the BBQ during the last 5 minutes of grilling. BBQ sauce burns easily, so this method will help to avoid scorching any type of marinade or sauce.
3. Boil leftover marinade in a saucepan over high heat. This kills any bacteria left by raw meat and makes it safe to use for basting during the last 5 minutes of grilling, or as a warm sauce for the finished dish.
4. Liquid smoke used in small amounts is a great way to make your food taste like it spent all day in the smoker.
5. When using aluminum foil to cover food, put food on the shiny side. If the shiny side is facing out, it will reflect heat and slow cooking.
6. Smoking foods on a gas grill is easy. The only things needed are wood chips and a smoker box. Pick up smoker wood chips from a local sporting goods store. Apple, cherry, hickory, or mesquite chips work well for pork, beef, or poultry. Try alder for any fish.
7. If you dont own a smoker box or dont want to buy one, they are easy to make. Follow these simple instructions:
Tear off a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, 12 inches long. Place wood chips in the middle and wrap securely. Poke holes in top of pouch with a meat thermometer and its ready to go. For large cuts of meat like roasts, place the wood chips in water and soak 30 minutes to 2 hours, then place wood chips in smoker box. For smaller cuts of meat, dry chips are fine. Place your smoker box under the grilling grate, directly over the flame. Turn grill to high heat until smoke begins to rise from pouch. Immediately turn grill down to desired cooking temperature. Cook your food on the appropriate temperature and let the wood chips go to work.
8. Meat is always more tender when cooked at a low temperature, no matter how high the grade. Also, meat served hot is usually more tender than meat served cold.
9. As a general rule, use approximately 1 1/2 cups of marinade for every 1 to 2 pounds of meat. Make sure it completely covers the meat. Let your meat marinate in a zipper-lock plastic bag in the refrigerator. Double-bag to prevent leaks. You can also freeze marinating meats for future uses.
10. Marinade is the quickest way to tenderize meat and add additional flavor. A quick 30-minute marinate will give meat a great flavor. Marinating even longer will give you more flavor. When marinating in the refrigerator, remove meat and let it come to room temperature before grilling.
11. Spray the grill with cooking spray, or wipe it down with oil prior to grilling to prevent your food from sticking. This will also make it easier to clean the grill once youre done grilling.
12. To clean the grill after using, lay a piece of foil over the grill, shiny side down, and turn to high heat for 5 minutes. This will burn off any buildup on the grill. Watch the grill closely, dont walk away. When the 5 minutes is up, gently brush grill with a wire brush.
13. For a grill that needs some serious cleaning, try using 2 tablespoons baking soda added to 1 cup water. Brush it on with your wire brush. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then scrub with the wire brush.
Beef: fillet mignon, steaks, ribs, roasts, etc.
1. Cook beef according to taste as times show below. (Table A)
Thickness | Doneness | Grilling Time (total) |
1 inch | rare | 6 minutes |
medium | 10 minutes |
1 1/2 inches | rare | 1012 minutes |
medium | 1518 minutes |
2 inches | rare | 15 minutes |
medium | 20 minutes |
2. Cook roast according to taste as times and temperatures show below. (Table B)
Rare | Medium | Well |
140 degrees | 160 degrees | 170 degrees |
20 minutes | 25 minutes | 30 minutes |
per pound | per pound | per pound |
3. To BBQ, turn grill to high heat. The hotter the grill, the better it will seal in the juices. Place beef on grill and sear 1 minute on each side, using tongs to turn it so the natural juices stay sealed. Then turn grill down to medium heat and finish grilling according to taste and desired doneness. Turn several times throughout total grilling time.
Poultry: chicken, turkey, etc.
1. The trick to grilling chicken is to do it slowly and turn it frequently. Approximate cooking time is 2030 minutes for chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs, and 20 minutes per pound if chicken is whole.
2. When cooking chicken with skin on, put a layer of foil on the bottom rack of the grill, and cook the chicken on the middle or top rack. This will reduce the flare-ups and decrease the chance of burning.
3. To check if chicken is cooked through, squeeze it. When the juices run clear it is probably done. Double-check by slicing open one of the bigger pieces when you think it is done.
4. To thaw frozen chicken, remove from freezer and place in the refrigerator the day before use. If in a hurry or for same-day use, place chicken in a bowl and fill with cool water. Allow to soak until thawed. Change water every few minutes to speed up the process.
Pork:
1. Pork is naturally drier than other meats. Do not to overcook it. Approximate cooking time is 3035 minutes per pound.
2. Marinades and brines will add a lot of flavor while helping to moisten your pork.
Seafood:
1. When grilling fish, do not turn it, and quickly remove it from grill when it is no longer opaque. Do not overcook.
2. Leave scales on bigger fish and cook scale side down. Salmon on the grill is best cooked in foil.
3. Grill trout over direct heat to add a hearty smoked flavor.
4. Other fish like swordfish, tuna, mackerel, and bluefish are great choices for grilling because their natural oils help keep them moist and flaky.
5. Thicker fillets stand up to the heat of the grill better than thin ones.
APPETIZERS
STEPHANIES FRESH GRILLED VEGETABLES
combination of cherry tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, and sweet bell peppers |
1/4 cup | olive oil (adjust as needed) |
salt and pepper, to taste |
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Clean and cut all vegetables except asparagus into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices or wedges. Sprinkle olive oil over top. Turn grill to low heat and place vegetables on rack.* Grill 23 minutes and turn over. Grill 23 minutes more, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with ranch dressing for dipping. Makes 35 servings.