The heat is on
Students prepare to sizzle this summer
by using tips to make grilled food a hot item
By KIRSTEN TATE
UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
Lighting up the grill and cooking outdoors is one sign
summer is on its way, but there is more to the activity
than slapping meat over a fire.
Mitch Phelps, owner of National Barbecue News and barbecue
expert, said despite popular thought, grilling and barbecuing
are not the same thing. There are three types of barbecue:
smoked, barbecued and grilled.
Smoked meat has an indirect heat source at low temperatures,
usually lower than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the smoke
that cooks the meat, so it takes a long time, Phelps said.
Barbecuing is the technique of cooking meat without direct
heat and at low temperatures. The range for cooking barbecue
is from 200 to 325 degrees, and the cooking takes a long
time to break the meat down and make it more tender, he
said.
To cook ribs, the average temperature is between 225 and
250 degrees for four to five hours. The heat source is
usually a fire box to the side of the meat, giving it
an indirect heat source, he said.
Grilling meat uses high heat and a much shorter cooking
time. This is usually for chicken or steak. The temperature
is anywhere from 350 to 600 degrees.
“You’re searing the meat to lock in flavor,”
Phelps said.
He said most people grill but think it is barbecuing because
they don’t know the difference.
One reason he said he thinks barbecuing and grilling are
so popular is because of the taste and tenderness.
“Most professionals make a rub to put on the meat
because it adds a lot of flavor,” he said.
Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible, has 10
BBQ Commandments that he uses every time he cooks his
meat.
One is to be organized.
“Have everything you need for grilling: the food,
marinade, basting sauce, seasonings and equipment, on
hand before you start grilling,” he said.
Two is to gauge the fuel.
“When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed
of glowing coals three inches larger on all sides than
the surface area of the food,” Raichlen said. “When
cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least
one-third full.”
Three is heat the grill to the right temperature.
“Grilling is a high-heat cooking method,”
he said. “In order to achieve the seared crust,
charcoal flavor and handsome grill marks . . . you must
cook over high heat . . . at least 500 degrees. Let the
charcoal burn until it is covered with a thin coat of
gray ash. On a gas grill, preheat to high.”
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Four is keep it clean. Chefs of the grill need to clean
the grate before and after cooking with a metal spatula
to get large bits of food, and a stiff wire brush to scrub
the grate.
Five is keep it lubricated. Chefs also need to make sure
the grate is sprayed with oil, away from the flames, before
cooking.
Six is to turn, not stab. Meat needs to be turned with tongs
or a spatula. Stabbing drains the flavor juices into the
coals.
Seven is know when to baste. Oil and vinegar, citrus and
yogurt bastes and marinades can be brushed on the meat throughout
cooking. If using a baste with a marinade used for raw meat
or seafood, the chef shouldn’t apply it during the
last three minutes of cooking. Sugar-based sauces should
be applied toward the end of cooking. Eight is keep it covered.
When cooking large cuts of meat, the chef should keep the
grill tightly covered because every look adds five to 10
minutes to cooking time.
Nine is give it a rest. Anything grilled will taste better
if it is let to stand for at least five minutes before serving.
Ten is never desert the post. Grilling demands constant
attention. The chef should never leave until finished cooking.
Craig Keddington, an avid griller, said adding a rub to
meat before cooking can add flavor. He said two of his favorites
are for steak and fish.
The salmon rub can be used for other types of fish as well.
The ingredients:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons dill weed
Place salmon skin side down in aluminum foil. Mix ingredients
together and pour over salmon. Grill skin side down until
done. The fish will be flaky throughout.
The steak rub can also be used for fish, Keddington said.
For one steak, use 1/4 cup brown sugar,
salt and pepper to taste,
3 tablespoons crushed coriander seeds
Mix together, and rub on both sides of the meat. Grill until
meat reaches desired tenderness. |
