TIPS FOR GREAT GRILLING
Memorial Day weekend is the first holiday of the season to kick
back, relax and invite friends over for a party.
Many of us are looking for something other than burgers to cook. Beef tenderloins, roasts, whole chickens, turkey breast, leg of lamb, or a slab of ribs are excellent choices for the grill.
Large cuts of meat need to be cooked slowly. Here are some tips:
• Place a charcoal briquette in a small cast-iron skillet in a corner of the grill. Add some mesquite chips that have been soaked in water. Light the briquette, which will provide smoke. Once you use the skillet for smoking, you won’t be able to use it for anything else.
• To cook on a charcoal grill, arrange coals on each side of the fire grate. Make certain coals are burning equally on both sides. Place an aluminum foil drip pan in the center of the fire grate between coals. Then place meat on the grid above the drip pan.
• Soak wood chips overnight in water. Add them to the fire as needed to keep a steady supply of smoke. You can drop them through the bars of the top grilling surface.
• If you kept the recipe book when you bought the grill, follow the cooking instructions. But if you've lost it, the rule of thumb is an hour a pound.
• A pork shoulder is done when it pulls away from the bone; a turkey is done when you can wriggle a leg and it comes off. When the outside meat on ribs begins to feather, they are done. With chicken, the meat is done when you can easily pierce the flesh near a joint with a fork.
• When you cut into the meat, you should see three layers of color. The outside should be black. Just under the black should be a pink layer. This doesn’t mean the meat isn't done. It's the smoke ring, created by the penetrating smoke. The innermost layer should be that of well-done meat.
• To be sure the meat is properly cooked, use a thermometer
to determine doneness. Remember that the internal temperature
of large cuts of meat will rise 5 to 10 degrees upon removal
from grill. Always allow a 10- to 20-minute standing time.
Barbecuing beef roasts
• Select an evenly shaped, preferably boneless roast that has some fat covering to protect it. Marinate if desired.
• Season to taste, but do not salt. Place meat on grill, centered over drip pan and close the lid.
• Cook using indirect heat over medium-hot coals on medium-high setting. Insert thermometer into center of meat after three-fourths of cooking time has elapsed, making sure it does not touch the fat or bone.
• Internal temperature should be 140 degrees for rare (15 to 20 minutes a pound); 160 degrees, medium (25 to 30 minutes a pound), 170 degrees for well (35 minutes a pound).
• Remove meat from grill and allow to rest 15 to 20 minutes
before carving.
Barbecuing lamb legs and racks
• Always use a meat thermometer. Overcooking dries out lamb. Internal temperatures for whole or butterflied leg of lamb should be 140 degrees for rare, 150 degrees for medium, and 160 degrees for well done.
• Let lamb leg stand, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.
• To barbecue lamb racks: Place racks bone side down on greased grill over medium-hot coals or on medium-high setting, and cook about 12 minutes. Turn racks and cook about 8 minutes longer for rare lamb.
• Allow 5 to 10 more minutes for medium or well done. To test
for doneness, press meat lightly with fingers protected by paper
towels. If it is softly springy to the touch, it's rare; if it's
very firm, it's well done. The lamb will be nicer if rare. Cut
between ribs to serve.
Barbecuing whole birds
• Barbecuing a bird on the grill works best if your grill has a cover. With a gas grill, place the whole bird on a rack in a shallow pan on the grill. Or place the bird directly on the grill with a drip pan underneath. With a charcoal grill, arrange the coals near the outer edges with the drip pan on the floor of the grill under the bird.
• Times: A 6-pound turkey, 3 hours; 8 pounds, 3 1/2 hours; 10 pounds, 4 hours; and 12 pounds, 4 1/2 hours.
• Chickens: 3 pounds, 1 to 1 1/2 hours; 4 to 5 pounds, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Poultry is done when thermometer reads 180 to 185 degrees.
Barbecuing pork
• The secret to perfect barbecued pork is to cook it over low to moderate heat. You should be able to hold your hand over the grill for 4 seconds for medium heat, 5 to 6 seconds for low heat. Anything less is too hot for pork.
Moore County dry rub
Here’s a recipe for a dry rub for beef or pork.
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
Combine ingredients and rub into meat.
Marinade
This marinade is great for chicken, pork, beef or seafood.
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Basting sauces
• Basting sauces can be as simple as an herb-flavored oil or melted butter to brush on meats.
• Basting prevents food from drying out while cooking and adds flavor.
• Thicker basting sauces for meat often have a high sugar
content; they should be used during the last few minutes of cooking
to avoid burning the food yet still give it an appetizing glaze.
