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Posts Tagged ‘cooking’

  1. Friends with Benefits

    April 2, 2012 by BBQ Jim

    Food with friends

    If you have friends then you’ve been on one side of this situation: You are tired of screwing something up yourself so you call someone that knows what they are doing to help you out. Like Stevie said, that’s what friends are for.

    When a friend told me that her and her husband were tired of burning their food on the grill I knew I’d be asked to step in and "put out the flames." The arrangement was simple; they would provide the food, drinks and grill I would show them the ropes.

    First we talked about what the issue was. It was the most common request I hear; I want to stop burning food. Solving this is the simplest to explain and hardest to implement. Simply lowering the cooking temperature is the solution but what comes next is where the challenge comes in.

    Learning how to tell when food is ready to be turned or taken off the grill where most people struggle. The cues can vary greatly depending on what is being cooked and what flavorings are being used such as dry seasonings or marinades.

    The best way to learn is trial and error. Think of it as a scientific experiment and take multiple pieces of the same food prepared the same way. Turn each piece at different intervals and observe how the food reacts. Look at the coloring and constancy of both the top and bottom corners of the food as it cooks.

    Simple rule of thumb is that if the food sticks then it is too soon and if it breaks apart then it is way too late. Unless you are cooking to a well-done temperature, food should still be moist to the touch. Expect food to be singed slightly but not charred of the surface more than 25% just like  lightly toasted bread.

    Next comes what I like to call "lid control." Whether you leave the lid up or down depends on whether you are willing to watch over the food carefully and whether or not you are using direct or indirect heat to cook.

    Using no lid at all means that you will want to use a low, direct heat. This is best for fruits, vegetables, boneless meats and fish. Lid down you will want to use indirect heat as much as possible. This is best for bone-in meats and adding smoked flavors.

    With these tips in place the ground work is laid to head down the road of better cooking. Next time you grill see if following these steps equates to better food coming off the grill.


  2. Happy 4th and Safe Grilling

    July 3, 2011 by BBQ Jim

    It’s 4th of July weekend which means fireworks and grilling.  Whether you choose to have one or attend one make sure you enjoy yourself safely.

    Also whether you’re grilling this weekend or not, head over the Home Depot and pick up a 2-pack of 20 lb Kingsford Briquettes for $7.97 until July 7th.  That’s almost half price so stock up for the summer!

    Briquettes


  3. Porks’ new look

    May 26, 2011 by BBQ Jim

    The UDSA lowered the recommended temperature from 160 ºF to 145 ºF citing increased production methods as a reason for creating safer meats for consumption.  The reason for the original recommendation was to kill off the natural bacteria in the meat to a safe level.

    It’ll be an interesting change for those of us that learned the cooking temperatures for cooking meat.  It will be an even harder change for those of you that relay on thermometers such as this for cooking.  They’re now obsolete and will more than likely replaced by newer models in the coming weeks in time for the summer season.