Taste of Home - Taste of Home: Grill It! : 343 Recipes and Secrets for Flame-Broiled Success

A TASTE OF HOME/READERS DIGEST BOOK

2010 Reiman Media Group, Inc.
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All rights reserved.

THE READERS DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC.

International Standard Book Number (10) Epub: 0-89821-980-9
International Standard Book Number (13) Adobe: 978-0-89821-980-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2009934706

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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

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Pictured on the back cover: .

Wood Grain photo: Chen Ping Hung/Shutterstock.com

Printed in China
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ITS EASY!

PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TRICKS UP YOUR SLEEVE. CONSIDER THESE COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS; THEN TURN THE PAGE AND GET GRILLING!

Q UESTION:

How do the pros get diamond-shaped grill marks onto steaks?

A NSWER:

The trick is to sear the food just long enough to get good grill lines, then rotate the food 90 degrees without flipping it. Continue searing until you have the second set of lines.

Generally, only one side of the steak has grill marks since too much time over high heat will dry out the food. Once the steak is nicely marked, move it to a cooler area of the grill to finish cooking.

Q UESTION:

Can marinade be added to uncooked meat and frozen for later use?

A NSWER:

Uncooked beef, chicken and pork can indeed be marinated and frozen. In fact, when youre ready to use it, the marinade will flavor the meat as it defrosts.

For the best (and safest) results, use only freshly purchased meatnothing that was previously frozen or has been sitting in the fridge. Fill a resealable freezer bag with the meat and marinade. Carefully squeeze out any air before sealing the bag.

Keep in mind that marinated, uncooked meats have a shorter freezer storage life and should be used with 2 months. Always defrost the meat in the refrigerator, and drain and discard the marinade from the meat.

Q UESTION:

What does it mean to slice a piece of meat against the grain?

A NSWER:

Bundles of long muscle fibers give meat texture; the grain refers to the direction these fibers run. Slicing in the opposite direction of the grain, or against the grain, shortens the fibers, making the meat tender to chew.

Not all cuts of meat have fibers that run vertically or horizontally. Some fibers run diagonally, while others have multiple muscle sections. In this case, carve each section separately.

Q UESTION:

What do medium-rare, medium and well-done steaks look like?

A NSWER:

A medium-rare steak has a slightly pinkish-red color in the center and is slightly brown on the exterior. When a steak is medium, it has a pink center and is brown toward the exterior. Well-done steaks are uniformly brown throughout.

Consider purchasing an instant-read thermometer to help assure accurate doneness. See the guide at right.

Q UESTION:

Why do hamburgers dry out on the grill?

A NSWER:

Juicy burgers start with 80-85% lean ground beef. Anything leaner has too little fat to stay moist while grilling. Anything fatter shrinks the patty, causing flare-ups that can dry out the burger.

If your recipe requires you to combine the beef with other ingredients, dont overmix it. Combine the ingredients gently, and lightly form the patties with your hands.

Grill burgers over medium-hot heat for 5 to 8 minutes, turning once. Resist the urge to press on the burgers with a spatula as they cook.

Q UESTION:

Can a large variety of sausages be grilled at one time? If so, how long should the sausages be cooked?

A NSWER:

You can grill a variety of sausages at once, but they likely wont be done in unison. Always keep them well separated on the grill so you can best monitor their cooking times.

Be sure to cook any uncooked sausages, such as Italians or bratwurst, in water or beer before setting them on the grill grate. Grill these items over direct medium heat until they are nicely browned and reach an internal temperature of 165.

Fully cooked smoked sausages, like hot dogs and kielbasa, should be grilled over direct medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and heated through (7 to 10 minutes).