OUTDOOR GRILLING: PART 1

You can tell it’s spring when the delicious aroma of the neighborhood grills fills the air. There’s just something about the smell of food cooking on the grill that says winter’s over and summer is on its way!

So, are you ready for a brand new season of grilling? If not, don’t worry – Designing HOME Lifestyles is here to help! In this issue, we’ll cover the best ways to grill beef, lamb, seafood and shellfish. In the next issue, we’ll cover veal, pork, chicken, vegetables and fruit.

We always try to make sure that the entire meal is produced right at the grill. With that in mind, the key to a successful complete meal right from the grill lies in your preparation. If you properly prepare the day before, you will almost always have great success.

To be able to cook and plate straight from the grill takes some practice, but it’s fun once you get the hang of it. The trick is to time your grilling so that all the various foods are completed at the same time. For consistency and timing, try to keep all of your meat, chicken, and seafood items close in thickness to make it easier to cook. (Note: Be careful to not overcook your meat and fish items.)

It takes some experience to be able to tell a meat’s degree of doneness simply by touching it. Many of my guests enjoy watching me cook steaks on the grill and giving them the exact degree of desired doneness just by touching the meat.

Here is the easiest way I’ve found to help you judge if the meat is rare, medium or well done. Step One: Hold your hand straight out with no tension. Feel the area between your thumb and index finger. Push that area feel how soft it is in the V-shaped area – this is “rare.” Step Two: Close your hand to make a fist, but not too tight. Feel that same area as you did before – this is “medium.” Step Three: Make a tight fist and feel the same area between your thumb and index finger – this is “well done.” Some will tell you to use your cheek (rare), nose (medium) or chin (well done). (Personally, we like the hand method the best.) Pushing on your nose can be a distraction, but it will still give you a good indication on what to expect. (Note: Avoid cutting into steaks while on the grill to check doneness).

Beef: Nothing is quite like tenderloin of beef, strip or porterhouse steaks straight from the grill. Porterhouse, in our opinion, is the best of the bunch. This type of steak is usually cut thin, economically priced, and grills quickly. In addition, the porterhouse bone helps enhance the flavor. Try using a rub or a 50/50 mixture of A1 and Heinz 57 sauces to coat the steak while grilling. You can also use the A1-Heinz 57 sauce mixture to coat your burgers. This will add some intense and unique flavor to your burgers. If you are not interested in using a sauce while cooking, try using sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to season your steaks or burgers.

Lamb: Lamb chops are fantastic on the grill. We suggest trying lamb kabobs, using boneless lamb leg or shoulder cut into 1.5-inch cubes. When making kabobs, use only the meat on the kabob (no vegetables). And if using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water so they will not burn as easily. Most vegetables will burn before the meat is cooked, so if you want vegetable kabobs, just grill them separately. We suggest trying rack of lamb on the grill. Coat the lamb with a mixture of chopped rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic, salt and black pepper.

Fish: This is for the more adventurous griller. Some fish – like swordfish, mahi-mahi and salmon – are perfect for grilling. Just be sure to take great care while grilling fish. You must make certain the fish is cooked completely and that it remains whole while grilling. Many stores offer wooden planks to grill fish. They add a smoky flavor and are easy to use. Take a piece of tilapia and place it on a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and white pepper to taste on the fish, place three or four slices of lemon on top of the fish. Pour one ounce of white wine (something you’d actually drink) and a drop or two of your favorite hot sauce inside the aluminum foil; fold so that none of the liquid will escape and it is airtight. Place it directly on the edge of your grill where the heat is not as intense. In about 7-10 minutes you are in for a real treat.

Shellfish: The obvious is grilled shrimp on skewers. Just remember to soak the wooden skewers in water the night before so they will not burn as easy. Marinated grilled shrimp is awesome as long as you do not overcook the shrimp. If you want something different, use the method above for the tilapia and replace with scallops. Our favorite is grilled lobster tail. Split large tails and put a nice grilled mark on the flesh and finish grilling the shell. This will put a smile on your guests’ faces for sure!

So, get out there and fire up your grill and have fun experimenting with various items.

Also, check the Designing HOME Lifestyles archives (www.designinghomelifestyles.com/04summer_grilling.php) for great grilling recipes, including our rib recipe, Hog’s Mouth Rub recipe and Hawaiian Chicken recipe. Enjoy!

This sauce is perfect for grilled beef and pork. It is served cold usually in a ramekin or directly on the meat. Horseradish Sauce is one of those things that you either love it or hate it.

• 4 Tbsp Prepared Horseradish
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 2 tsp Hot Sauce (your favorite)
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• Salt and White Pepper To Taste
• 1 Tbsp Chives (chopped)

Method

In a mixing bowl, beat Heavy Cream until it starts to thicken. Fold in all other ingredients. Can make ahead of time. Refrigerate after making.

The nice thing about compound butters is that they can be prepared well ahead of time and they add great flavor to just about anything off of the grill. Use your imagination and create (invent) some of your own recipes. If you love butter and herbs…give it a try to add a little “zing” to your grilled food. Crumbled blue cheese and grilled meat go very well together.

• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola or your favorite crumbled Blue Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Black Pepper (fresh ground)
• 1 tsp Sea Salt

Method

In a mixer or food processor, work the butter until smooth then add all other ingredients and mix well. Once well mixed, place a piece of plastic wrap on your work service and place your butter mixture on the wrap. Fold the ends closed and roll into a log. Refrigerate until ready to use.