Grill Things

I am all about the grill. If there is any variation of a meal that can be cooked on the open flame, I'll do it.

[grillthings-blog]

Beer Can Chicken

I like chicken and I like beer. Why shouldn't they be put together? 

This recipe is very easy although slightly messy. It will take about 30 minutes to prepare and another hour and a half to cook, possibly longer depending on your BBQ.

Ingredients:

Original recipe makes 4 servings 1 cup of cherry wood chips (personally I have used hickory as well) 1 can of beer, half full 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup kosher salt 1/4 cup paprika 1/8 cup ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 cup vegetable oil 1 (3 pound) whole chickens

Directions: 

Do not forget to soak your wood chips for at least an hour...

Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, about 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix together brown sugar, kosher salt, paprika, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Place the half full can of beer on a baking sheet. Spoon 1 teaspoon seasoning mix into each can. **This will make the beer foam up and out of the can.** 

Rinse chicken under cold running water. Discard giblets and neck from chicken; drain and pat dry. Rub the chicken with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Rub the remaining seasoning mix over the entire chicken, inside and out. Fit the chicken over the can of beer with the legs on the bottom; keep upright.

Drain the wood chips and place them with the coals or in an aluminum pan (or foil) on or under the grill grate as directed by the grill's manual. Place the chicken, standing on the can directly on the grill. Close the lid and barbecue the chicken until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the grill and discard the beer can. Cover the chicken with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Having the right tools can make all the difference. These gloves can really help when it comes time to remove the chicken from the grill.

They are currently available on sale with Blue Orchid Home Essentials and www.amazon.com.

[grillthings-blog]

Favorite Steak Toppings

I have a weakness for blue cheese. I cannot think of a single piece of meat that doesn't get just a little bit better with the addition of the stuff. Currently my favorite use for it is on top of a deliciously cooked strip loin.

Blue Cheese Sauce is very easy to make and only takes about 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

6 oz of Blue Cheese

2 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 Cup of Cream

Directions:

Finely chop the cloves of garlic and add it to a pan with the cream and bring them to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add the blue cheese and stir until it is melted.

Pour it on your perfectly cooked steak and serve. 

The other easy topping I often use is just as simple but more time consuming.

Caramelized Onions takes just shy of an hour to make.

Ingredients:

5 Medium to Large Onions (Yellow or White)

5 tsp of Butter or Margarine (Butter is preferred)

Salt to taste

1 tsp of Sugar

Directions:

Slice the onions into half inch pieces. On a medium onion I prefer to keep the the entire length. 

Heat the butter on medium to high heat in a thick bottom saute pan until it starts to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions stirring every few minutes.

After about 10 minutes add the salt and sugar.

Continue to stir every few minutes until the onions start sticking to the pan and turn into a golden brown color. This should take about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat for a minute or two to allow it to thicken. Place on your steak liberally and serve. This should make close to two cups of caramelized onions.

[savagelydelicious]

This 'Western Barbecue Burger' looks amazing

[grillthings-blog]

10 Easy Steps to a Delicious Burger Patty

Picture from http://jswfarmchopshop.com/store/beef/

Step 1: Ground up a bottom sirloin cut or buy it freshly ground from your butcher. Remember that a little fat can add a lot of flavor. Enjoy your delicious burger.

Step 2: Make the dry seasoning. Anything with garlic powder works for me.

Step 3: Take your chilled ground beef and mix in your seasoning. Form the patties and refrigerate for an hour or don't. Keeping your patty cold before grilling prevents most of your patty from falling through the grate. On the other hand ... that is an extra hour without a burger.

Step 4: Preheated the grill on medium-high heat.

Step 5: Lightly oil the patties on both sides and toss on the grill

Step 6: The patties should be flipped only once. Depending on how thick you made it this should take about 5 minutes or when you see the sweat forming on top. Do not squish or cut the patty!

Step 7: A patty is done when it reaches 160°F. The second side will take a couple minutes less than the first.

Step 8: Add your sauce of choice and cheese if desired.

Step 9: Toast and make your buns.

Step 10: Enjoy your delicious burger!

[onlybestcooking]

[grillthings-blog]

From onlybestcooking:

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bits Everything is better with bacon http://magicskillet.com/recipe/bacon-wrapped-chicken-bits/

[blueorchidhomeessentials]

[grillthings-blog]

Great Silicone Glove sale from Blue Orchid Home Essentials

[grillthings-blog]

Grilling the Perfect Steak

Now that we have chosen the cut and how rare it should be we move on to how to cook the steak.

My first bit of advice is to wait until you are ready to cook the steak before adding the salt. Add it too early and it will pull out the juices and leave you with a soggy piece of meat.

The second is that no matter what temperature you decide to cook the steak at, preheat the grill on high, or as close to 600° F before hand. Starting with a cold grill will make it very difficult to judge when to flip.

And third, don't be afraid of the natural flavor. Beef is a delicious meat and choosing the right cut will only improve that. Instead of a strong marinade sometimes all you need is salt and black peppercorn. Adding a little olive oil to the steak instead of the grill will reduce the risk of the oil burning.  Adding melted butter or a creamy blue cheese sauce while after letting the steak sit for a minute adds a nice finishing touch.

Now for the grilling: Finding the right temperature may take a few tries but will save a lot of guess work down the line.

To avoid losing juice and to make a nice diamond grill mark I first turn the steak 45 degrees then flip 

and repeat the turn.

Is it done yet? Don't cut into the steak or pierce it. Make a circle with your thumb and the following fingers for each level. Press the thumb of your other hand to the meaty part of your palm.

Rare: Make a circle with your index finger and thumb. This soft texture will be the same as a rare steak. Medium-rare: Make a circle with your middle finger and thumb. This soft and springy texture will be the same as medium rare steak. Medium: Make a circle with your ring finger and thumb. This slightly tougher texture with the spring will be the same as a medium steak. Well done: Make a circle with your little finger and thumb. Steak this tough will be well done.

For anything thicker than 1 1/2 things start to change. Some may find it 'unsafe' but I like to have my thicker cuts sit out until close to room temperature. Also, adding salt earlier for these cuts can actually help to make a delicious crust by absorbing a bit, but no where near all, of the beef juice.

Many suggest flipping thick steaks often until they reach the desired texture. Personally I go with the searing on both sides then putting off to the side on indirect heat and allow it to cook slowly. Thick steak takes longer to cook. Grab a beer and enjoy it process.

[grillthings-blog]

How rare do you like your steak

    After covering the cuts of steak, I believe that knowing the difference between rare and well done needs to be covered. For the sake of this post I am going to keep the list of stages at six. This will cover blue to well done.

  Blue: This is as rare as it gets before you end up with a raw slab of beef. A blue steak is lightly seared on both sides, short enough that it is red and pretty well raw all the way through. It is hard and chewy with no juice.

Rare: For many this is the ideal way to serve a steak. Seared on both sides until the inside is only 3/4 red. A rare steak is still raw in the middle but when left a little after cooking will be tender and juicy. It should be warm throughout with a temperature of about 120°F to 130°F.

Medium rare: My personal favorite, medium rare is seared until only about half of the inside is red. Like rare, the steak is left tender and juicy. The outside will be slightly firm with nice, well placed, grill marks. The internal temperature should be around 135°F.

Medium: Seared until there is a thick band of pink in the middle. From this point on steaks will become a little more tough and the juices start to cook off. It will be mostly brown on the inside and a fairly dark brown on the outside. The temperature is 140°F to 150°F.

Medium Well: No longer considered seared, this steak is cooked until there is little to no trace of pink on the inside. The outside will be fairly charred but not burnt. The steak is now chewy and has very little moisture. The temperature will be 155°F to 165°F.

Well Done: In my opinion this is a huge waste of meat. With no juice and a tough texture, it no longer matters what cut of steak is purchased. This is possibly the most difficult to grill since the inside temperature should reach 170°F and, under no circumstance, should the outside be brunt.

[grillthings-blog]

Top 10 Cuts of Steak for Grilling

Strip Steak: For myself, this is the easy choice for my grill. I go for the New York strip, or strip steak, almost every time. This is a fairly tender steak marbled with fat and rich flavor. To avoid the visible gristle running through the middle I prefer a center cut over the first cut.

Filet Mignon: This cut is extremely lean. It comes from a part of the rib cage near the back and doesn't see a lot of action. The filet lacks the marble of fat that gives other cuts their flavor. If I am eating this pricey piece of meat I'll pair it with a very creamy peppercorn sauce or wrap it in a fatty piece of bacon.

Porterhouse: Can't decide between a New York Strip or a Filet Mignon? The porterhouse is a perfect mix of the two separated by a t-bone. Usually a thick cut seared dark on the outside and close to rare on the inside.

T-Bone: Consider this the little brother of the porterhouse. It has a similar set up to the porterhouse but I find the New York Strip side to be slightly more tender and the filet a little smaller. This should also be cut thick as it cooks similar to the porterhouse.

Flat Iron: A recently experimented and preferred cut of mine, the flat iron steak is a long tender piece of meat that is great for grilling. It is easy to grill and I find it is often well priced. If cut up into separate portions try to go against the grain.

Sirloin Steak: When I think 'sirloin' I am picturing a nice top sirloin. It is full of flavor, although a bit tough. One of my favorite burger recipes comes from grinding up a bottom sirloin cut.

Rib Steak: A Tender steak marbled with fat and full of juicy flavor. When you want to test your stomach on that 64oz steak at the Grill House, the rib steak is generally the cut. It is a little tricky to grill since it is quite a thick cut but when mastered will make a great addition to that over sized plate. Don't forget the gnaw on the bone after for a little more flavor.

Skirt Steak: A deliciously chewy cut, the skirt steak is a relatively cheap piece of meat that is full of beefy flavor. This cut is very easy and quick to cook and is perfect for quesadillas or wraps.

Flank Steak: A cut from the abdomen, this steak is fibrous and decently flavored. This is another piece of beef best cut across the grain. The flank should never be cooked beyond medium rare and should sit to allow the juices to settle. I prefer this served in thin slices.

Hanger Steak: A cut I do not have a lot of experience with, the hangar comes from below the diaphragm. This is a tough and fibrous piece of beef that requires high heat and fast hands. This should not be cooked for long. This is probably the most delicious smelling cut when on the grill but one that I do not visit often.

  Here is a great chart of different cuts that may help visualize the previous list.