About Gas Grills

Bill Garlough asked:


 

Perfect Pairings

June 26, 2008 - As published in the Beacon News & Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

Grilling tends to be the domain of men who offer their contribution to the family meal process with this summertime activity. Men dust off their grills and the backyard deck furniture is readied for Americans to socialize.

Grilling tips

While our country’s regions offer different styles and tastes with outdoor cooking, there are some basics that apply everywhere.

• Selecting a grill: Try charcoal grills when you have the time and desire to build fires and tend to the coals. Gas grills, while not as hot, offer a quicker and cleaner approach.

• Adding smoky flavor: Soak hickory, apple or mesquite wood chips for a half hour and toss directly on hot charcoal or place in metal firebox in your gas grill before lighting.

• Prepare the grill: Start with clean grill grates, brush or spray with olive oil or vegetable oil and start the grill on high heat. Plan to grill at a moderate heat level.

• Direct vs. indirect heat: Cook burgers and steaks directly over heat. For poultry and pork, it is best to cook slower over indirect heat. This is accomplished by having less to no charcoal in the middle of your grill or, if you have a gas grill, do not use your middle burner.

• Prepare your steaks: Hand rub with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper or a Montreal-style seasoning.

• Cook times: Timing depends on your preference for doneness and the thickness of the meat you have selected. For best results, avoid slicing into the meat as you will lose the meat’s natural juices.

You can test for doneness by using a thermometer (135 to 140 degrees is medium rare). Experienced cooks have learned how done a steak is by how firm the meat is to the touch. A quick way to learn is by touching the tip of each finger to your thumb. Feel the fleshy part under the thumb. It goes from softer to firmer as you progress through your fingers (forefinger is rare, next finger medium rare, to medium to well done by the time you use your pinky).

A thin steak (1/2-inch thick) only needs two to three minutes per side. A traditional 1-inch cut cooks properly in four to six minutes per side. Thicker steaks take longer.

• Grill marks: Create attractive cross-hatching by placing your steak for half of its cook time per side on higher heat, then move to a medium heat area and give the steak a quarter turn. Flip the steak and repeat the process. After removing the meat, immediately scrape the grates with a wire brush to easily clean it, preparing it for next time.

• Flavorful, juicy steaks: It is essential to let the steak rest at least half the time it was cooked before it is served. If you cut into the steak right off the grill, the juices will seep onto the plate and leave you with a drier, tougher experience.

Wine pairings

A quintessential American food and wine pairing is steak and California cabernet sauvignon. Good cabs are described as big, dense, chewy and offer immense structure. This style stands up to the meaty texture and spicy bold flavors of grilled beef.

Other favorable factors for this pairing are the charred oak flavors of barrel aging and cabs have cassis, pepper and oregano notes to provide a great match with steak seasonings. An additional benefit for this pairing is cab’s tannic nature, which helps cut though beef’s higher fat levels as you taste the meat, and the tannic acid also aids in digestion.

Bill’s Picks

Milat Cab - Napa: $20

J. Lohr - Paso Robles: $15

Martin Ray - Napa: $18

Twenty Bench - Napa: $18

Provenance - Napa: $32

Kenwood - Sonoma: $12

Avalon - California: $8

 

For more from Bill Garlough’s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.

 



Stanley

abhimehr asked:


I am planning to buy a BBQ grill this summer. We are two at home and sometimes expect a few more couples. We dont want a very big or expensive grill. Charcoal is a strict no-no and Natural Gas Grill is not an option in the rented apartment. So its come down to Propane and Electric.

Ernest

Crackah asked:


The noise sounds like it’s coming from the regulator on the grill side of the hook up. I just had the tank filled yesterday, and it was working without any noise right before that. It gets louder the higher up I turn the gas on the grill. Is it normal?
By the way, I have already checked for a leak. No leak in the connection, or anywhere for that matter.
It only makes the noise when the gas is on. No leaks, I’ve already checked.

Jesse

Maryjane asked:


My boss has a family and is looking for a gas grill for summer bbqs! They’re not looking for anything too fancy, just a quality grill with storage, side surfaces, and possibly a side burner at a reasonable price.

Oscar

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


You can organize a gret event for your family and friends by prepairing delicious and hot barbecued foods using free outdoor cooking grills. Grilling refers to the technique of cooking food in which intense heat is given to form a crust on the outer surface of the food. Outer surface seals the juices in the food and results in deliccious meals. You can make your menu scrumptious with some seasoning or basting during the preparation of food.

Before you start grilling your food it is important to ensure that the grill is clean. To cook appropriately you need to heat the free outdoor cooking grills first of all and then place seasoned foods on its metal rack so that it can receive appropriate amount of heat required to cook the food. Grilling only demands a little preparation and is not a difficult or time consuming process. One who had food cooked using grilling cannot forget the delicious tast of this food and the enjoyment of cooking. E.G. Kingsford is credited as the major force behind grilling tradition.

The two major types of free outdoor cooking grills are as follows:

1) Outdoor cooking gas grills: Outdoor cooking gas grills are widely used nowadays by most of the people as it does not involves use of charcoal. Liquid petroleum is used by these gas grills to grill the food. The heat is radiated to heating elements of the grill directly which helps in grilling the food. Different types of cooking gas grills are available with various sizes and shape to suit your requirements.

2) Outdoor cooking charcoal grills: It has a metal disc and comprises of hollow metal hemisphere that is surrounded by its three legs. The food to be cooked is placed in the upper grate while metal disc helps ash by holding the charcoal which is in the lower grate. Various types of grills are available to suit your requirements. You may choose from rectangular, round or square shape of different sizes are available widely. Grills with various features are available, some grills are loaded with lid while others are without lid. Some types of grills have venting while others do not support this feature.

Brazier grills are the most widely used outdoor cooking charcoal grills. These grills are not expensive and are easily available. Hibachi Grills is another subdivision of charcoal grills which was originated in China. Some other examples of charcoal grills are Ceramic Cooker andn Kettle Cooking grill.

Cooking grills are also available with freestanding grills which are convenient to move the cooking center from one place to another as per your needs. You can place your cooking center under a canopy during the rainy days. Fully equipped free outdoor cooking grills are also available that can work as a kitchen. Your grill can handle variety of menus with the combination of several features and capability that are available to you.

Therefore, whenever you are planning to purchase a cooking grill, it is advised to figure out your individual requirements. Outdoor cooking is prevalent in almost all parts of the world and selection of correct type of grilling equipment would ensure more comfort.



Lee

Jason Collmorgen asked:


So you’re planning on doing some grilling, huh? Well remember, it’s all about the heat, and building your charcoal fire is more than just dumping in the charcoal and dousing them with lighter fluid. This may be how many people do it, but do it that way and you’ll probably end up with burned burgers or raw chicken.

Even heat is the key to great grilling. The only time you should have any variation in heat is when you plan for it. If you evenly distribute the coals you can minimize any variation and get good, even grilling. This is very important when you are cooking a large amount of food on the grill. If you just dump your coals in randomly you will have hot and cool spots.

As a general rule of thumb, plan on using about 30 charcoal briquettes to cook 1 pound of meat. You want to make sure that you have enough briquettes to cover the grill’s pan in a single layer and extending out about 2″ beyond the area of the food on the grill. The first step is to place the briquettes in the grill’s pan to determine the quantity and then stack them up in a rough pyramid shape to light. Soak the briquettes with approximately 1/2 cup of lighter fluid, and let set for a few minutes before lighting.

After the coals have begun to burn and ash starts to form (usually around 15-20 minutes), you will then need to arrange them with long handled tongs into a single layer keeping the coals tight together. This will provide you with an even, direct heating surface all ready to go for whatever meat you’re in the mood for.

The indirect heating method is an alternative to cooking your food directly over the heating area. The simplest way to do this is to put all the coals on one side of the grill and no coals on the other side. On a gas grill this is equivalent to turning the burner on one side on and leaving the other off, but with a charcoal grill you can do even more than that. If you are using a kettle style grill, you can use a method know as “The Ring of Fire”. All that is required for this method is to push the coals to the outside of the coal grate leaving the middle empty after the coals are hot. This gives you an even heat around the entire grill and a good indirect cooking space.

To add a little something extra to your food, you might want to consider using slow burning hardwood chips in your coal fire to infuse your meat with a smoky flavor. All you’ll need to do is add a few pieces of the hardwood chips to your coals. To make things a little simpler, you could even pick up some charcoal briquettes that are manufactured with hardwood chips built right in.



Beverly

hottotrot1_usa asked:


Its a standard gas grill like we have throughout the USA. The hose runs from the grill to the tank. Its one of those tanks you can get refilled at the convenience store. The connector on the hose is stuck on the tank.

Mike

creative rae asked:


I am trying to find a recipe to make beef (or whatever kind of meat) in our gas bbq grill outside. I need to make jerky for a kids class on pioneers so the recipe needs to be the kinds of spices they would have had on a covered wagon.
Recipes or websites would be great. Thanks

Lydia

Kirk W. Nobbe asked:


Why the refrain waits for spring is. Why wait for a ruined barbecue evening party or meal? Summer is short enough. Now is the time to clean and check your barbecue grill.

Amazingly people never think of servicing and maintenance of their trusted barbecue. After all when falls arrives it is time to put away the trusted barbecue safely away and forgotten. When the barbecue is unused it is put far out of reach and mind in a cold closed garage or shed. Or even away at the cabin or camp at the lake or beach.

Here are the common gas grill problems and easy solutions to fix any problems that commonly arise,

1)Burners on the barbecue that will not light or do not give much heat. When the barbecue burners will not light there is most likely an obstruction in the fuel supply line. This normally occurs in the gas line in the area between the off-on valve on the barbecue and the barbecue gas burner itself. Guess what just like a computer glitch it usually a “bug” in this case a poor dead insect who wandered the Wong way. Even when the valve is off, insects can get into and nest in the line.

How to fix this event: First turn off the propane or fuel tank completely. That is completely. Disconnect that fuel line. Next immerse the fuel line in cleaner and use a long, soft narrow wire to thoroughly clean the inside of the fuel tube. You can try standard soap and water - from a high pressure garden house or an auto parts cleaning or paint thinner type solvent. Do not use a highly flammable liquid like gasoline. It is more than dangerous and can ignite in less than a flash.

Ensure that the line is dry. Leave it out over a couple of days or blow it clean with an air compressor.

It is wise to replace the parts that were removed only after spraying them with soapy water on the connections to check for and ensure that there are no leaks on the connections on in the hoses. The leak will quickly and clearly be evident as the soapy water will bubble and show evident bubbles.

2)Uneven Heat From the Burner When Barbecuing. If you are experiencing uneven heat from the burners on your barbecue you can almost be sure that some of your burners are corroded or rusted away. The metal in a barbecue burner rusts just like a hammer or saw left out in the rain. The more expensive and large your barbecue is the more burners you will have and the more likely the problem of rusted and corroded burners.

When a burner is brand new all of the holes in the barbecue metal burner itself are all the same size. As you use the barbecue and enjoy it the grease and food somehow find their way to the bottom of the barbecue. As a result the silt and grease works to partially or even fully clog these barbecue burner fuel holes. Rust as well from summer rains wetting the metal burners works similar magic to result in uneven heat from the barbecue burners.

What to do. It is all very low tech and standard. It just takes a bit of time for routine maintenance. With an ordinary wire brush, such as you would use for paint scraping and an ice pick or thin screwdriver simply clean out the holes to make them as if they were all the same size and new again

Summer is short enough. Why waste your time and energy towards frustration at the summer barbecue whether it is in the backyard, at the beach or at the summer cottage or camp? Now is the time for a little routine maintenance and service of your trusted summer barbecuing utensil - your gas barbecue.



Terri

Brian Hill asked:


Marinating meat before grilling helps tenderize it and adds wonderful flavor. Tenderizing agents often used in marinades include acidic ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, yogurt and even wine. Fresh papaya, ginger and pineapple contain tenderizing enzymes, and they add exotic flavors as well. Marinades are wonderfully versatile flavor enhancers for the outdoor chef. The marinade recipes you can come up with are only limited by your imagination. You start by selecting your acid or tenderizing ingredients, and add additional ingredients. Popular choices include herbs (oregano, thyme), garlic, shallots, brown sugar or honey, soy sauce, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and mustard.

You can also take something you already have in the refrigerator, such as standard Italian salad dressing, and build additional flavor through adding fresh herbs like cilantro, or spicing it up with chili powder.

Timing is important to get the most out flavor out of your marinade. Marinating for too brief a time doesn’t allow the flavor of the marinade to penetrate the meat. Overlong marinating time results in softening the texture of the meat too much. Here are some guidelines:

Tender beef cuts can be marinated for as short as 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours. These include Porterhouse, top loin, tenderloin, ribeyes, top sirloin. Less tender cuts need to be marinated at least 6 hours or as long as overnight. These include flank, skirt, top round, and chuck shoulder steaks. If you marinate longer than 24 hours, the surface texture of the meat can be softened more than you want. Meat with a mushy texture when you cut into it is not what you’re striving for.

For tender cuts of beef–Porterhouse, top loin, tenderloin, rib eyes, top sirloin-the marinade will do its job in as little as 15 minutes, or you can go as long as 2 hours with the marinating process. Less tender cuts need substantially more marinating time, at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. Flank steak, skirt steak, top round and chuck shoulder steaks all benefit from longer marinating.

You should marinate the food in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Never reuse a marinade. It should be discarded after you remove the meat from it. Some marinades do make great sauces to serve with the dish. But do not use the marinade that has been in contact with the meat. Simply reserve some of the marinade for use in the sauce, and use the rest as the marinade.

The goal of marinating is to have the liquid in contact with as much of the surface of the meat as possible. If you are using a food-safe plastic bag for marinating, make sure that it is a fairly tight fit over the meat, so the marinade will be forced over more of the food’s surface. Similarly, it you prefer to use a nonreactive container like a glass dish, make sure it is large enough so the meat can lie flat, but again is a tight enough fit so the marinade will be in contact with as much of the meat as possible. It’s a good idea to turn the plastic bag over several times or turn the meat in the dish, in order to have uniform exposure to the marinade.



Jay