Grilling 101
Making the most of that Memorial Day cookout
May. 24, 2013 @ 06:04 PM
TRIAD —
Throw on an apron, grab the tongs, and head out to the grill.
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of grilling season, and if you’re are hosting a Memorial Day party, you’ll want your picnic table filled with plenty of tasty grilled eats.
Luckily, honing your outdoor culinary skills is a lot more simple than it seems. Given the right tools, a little preparation, and a few tips on technique, you can be your own master chef this weekend.
Alan Romano, assistant professor of culinary technology at Guilford Technical Community College, has been sharing tips for grilling for more than 20 years.
Romano says to start clean, and in a good location.
“There is nothing worse than cooking on a dirty grill,” Romano said, adding that a dirty grill can change the flavor of the food.
Romano says to make sure to clean your grill grates and the grease catch pan on gas grills. Also, pick a safe location to start grilling, not in a garage or on a deck. Always pick a place that is an outside open space for safety reasons.
Romano suggests marinating whatever meat you plan on grilling. Romano suggested to drain the marinate or oil off before putting meat on the grill to avoid a fire flare up. An important tip to a successful piece of grilled meat is to stop flipping the meat. “Throw it on the grill and leave it; don’t keep flipping your meat,” he said. “Turning it over two to three times is enough. The key to flipping your meat is using tongs. Do not use a knife or a fork, just use tongs. Using other utensils tends to squeeze and poke your meat, then the juices will bleed out.”
Many grillers may like a smoke flavor in their food. For a good smoky flavor, keep the lid on, but open the top of the grill for the smoke to release.
Slow cooking is the key to a get a great smoked flavor in meat. Romano suggests slow cooking a large piece of chicken, pork loin or pork butt, and keeping it covered on a low temperature will improve the taste tremendously.
And don’t forget the vegetables. Romano said they can be a fantastic food to grill. Use your favorite olive oil or balsamic vinaigrette and some aluminum foil to grill your vegetables. Fresh corn, large green and red peppers, onions, asparagus, zucchini and squash all are easy vegetables to grill.
“Do not overcook the vegetables,” Romano said. “You have to watch them closely. You can always cook them more if you under cook them. But if you overcook your vegetables, there is no recovery. Just make soup out of them later.”
When grilling, prepare your grill and prepare your food, but also prepare your eyes for a feast.
“When you look at your food, you eat with your eyes first. You know it’s going to taste great,” Romano said.
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of grilling season, and if you’re are hosting a Memorial Day party, you’ll want your picnic table filled with plenty of tasty grilled eats.
Luckily, honing your outdoor culinary skills is a lot more simple than it seems. Given the right tools, a little preparation, and a few tips on technique, you can be your own master chef this weekend.
Alan Romano, assistant professor of culinary technology at Guilford Technical Community College, has been sharing tips for grilling for more than 20 years.
Romano says to start clean, and in a good location.
“There is nothing worse than cooking on a dirty grill,” Romano said, adding that a dirty grill can change the flavor of the food.
Romano says to make sure to clean your grill grates and the grease catch pan on gas grills. Also, pick a safe location to start grilling, not in a garage or on a deck. Always pick a place that is an outside open space for safety reasons.
Romano suggests marinating whatever meat you plan on grilling. Romano suggested to drain the marinate or oil off before putting meat on the grill to avoid a fire flare up. An important tip to a successful piece of grilled meat is to stop flipping the meat. “Throw it on the grill and leave it; don’t keep flipping your meat,” he said. “Turning it over two to three times is enough. The key to flipping your meat is using tongs. Do not use a knife or a fork, just use tongs. Using other utensils tends to squeeze and poke your meat, then the juices will bleed out.”
Many grillers may like a smoke flavor in their food. For a good smoky flavor, keep the lid on, but open the top of the grill for the smoke to release.
Slow cooking is the key to a get a great smoked flavor in meat. Romano suggests slow cooking a large piece of chicken, pork loin or pork butt, and keeping it covered on a low temperature will improve the taste tremendously.
And don’t forget the vegetables. Romano said they can be a fantastic food to grill. Use your favorite olive oil or balsamic vinaigrette and some aluminum foil to grill your vegetables. Fresh corn, large green and red peppers, onions, asparagus, zucchini and squash all are easy vegetables to grill.
“Do not overcook the vegetables,” Romano said. “You have to watch them closely. You can always cook them more if you under cook them. But if you overcook your vegetables, there is no recovery. Just make soup out of them later.”
When grilling, prepare your grill and prepare your food, but also prepare your eyes for a feast.
“When you look at your food, you eat with your eyes first. You know it’s going to taste great,” Romano said.
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