Tips For Outdoor Grilling

The Outdoor Grill

There is no better way to cook food than to have it in an outdoor grill. The healthy ambiance of being outdoors also compliments perfectly the great quality of food you would produce when grilling outdoors. While most people think that outdoor grilling is only for barbecues, they are not aware of the many things you can do with outdoor grills, some of those are baking, roasting, searing, steaming and smoking. Cooking it in a grill is not only more fun but also has a distinct grill flavor.

Even if you might not see it, your outdoor grill can do more things than your kitchen oven, you just need to know some techniques and some great recipes that you can cook outdoors. So to help you get more stuff done at your outdoor grill, here are some methods of cooking that you can do and how to do each right.

Classic Grilling

Grilling outdoors would never be complete without some foods that are classically cooked directly on the grill. Direct grilling is best for cooking steaks, chops, sausages, fish fillets, kabobs and chicken cuts. Not only does grilling these items make it easier for them to cook but grilling them directly would also give them a very pleasant flavor that only a grill could produce.

As for whole fish, chicken, turkey or ribs, you can use another grilling method which is known as indirect grilling. This method involves having only one side of the grill lit and placing the items on the other side of the burner that is not lit. Another way of indirect grilling would involve having an aluminum foil placed on the center to regulate the temperature, moisture and adding a different flavor to the items to be cooked. You can also place spices, lemon juice and other flavorings to enhance the flavor of items on the grill.

Roasting On The Grill

There are two main methods of roasting that you can do on the grill. The first is pan roasting; this involves having an aluminum foil pan on top of the grills surface and having meats such as ham, ducklings or large cuts of meat. This method allows the meat to be cooked by its own broth which would drip to the pan while cooking and would turn into vapor during the process. For added flavor, you can add spices, wine, lemon juice and other flavorings to enhance it.

The second method of roasting on the grill is called spit-roasting. This method is best used for poultry, meat and lamb and is known to give these meats taste more like themselves. The process is similar to pan roasting, except you have the item rotate over the heat having it constantly soaked in its own juices. The juices gathered here can later be collected and can be used as gravy.

Smoking

When grilling outdoors, fishes, meats, turkeys, whole chicken and game tastes really great if smoked. Of all methods of grilling, smoking is known to have the most distinct and pleasant flavor and it is quite easy to do. The process of smoking involves the use of firewood, this if which would give that smoky flavor to the items to be grilled. To prepare it, have the wood soaked overnight in water.

After doing so, place them in aluminum foil and prick a few holes on the side. Place holes facing upwards along briquettes and you are ready to get smoking.

Tips For Grilling Fish Outdoors

Fish On The Grill

One of the most popular items that most people would always have on the grill whatever the occasion is would be any type of fish. It could be that large bass you luckily caught while on a fishing trip, a lovely salmon steak or whatever fish it is that would do great on the grill. This is because grilling fish recipes would please most of our tastes and as well as the one who is cooking it since fish is fun and easy to cook. It also matches greatly with other common items on the grill such as peppers and other veggies.

So to make grilling fish easier as well as better tasting for you and everyone else who would eat it, here are some helpful tips to make it so.

Grilling Methods

For whole fish such as trout, snapper or salmon, the best way to grill it is through a hinged wire grill fish basket. It is also the best way to cook fillets of tender fish such as catfish or flounder. This is because the hinged wire distributes the heat evenly on the fish and the slight pressure that it will have on the fish cook much better, not to consider those pretty grill marks it would make after. You could also add herbs, lemon and other flavoring in between the fish and the grill for added flavor.

For firm fillets such as tuna and salmon, these are still very nice on the grill just make sure to handle them well to prevent them from breaking apart and falling into the grill. Make sure that you turn them only once while grilling; turning it back and forth every now and then will cause it to break apart. Also make sure that you watch the heat and make sure that it is always turned on to medium, take not that fish cooks quicker than most common items on the grill.

Marinating Fish

When it comes to marinating fish, you can come up with virtually anything you can imagine as long as it would taste good on the fish, just take note that liquid marinades are easier to absorb and would seep deeper into the fish as compared to sauces. When marinating fish, put the fish and the marinade together in a container and allow 30 minutes for the fish to soak up. Refrigerating while marinating is also highly advised, only bring out the fish when it is ready to be cooked.

If the marinade used on the fish should be used as a sauce, have it boil by itself for at least five minutes. Since the fish was raw when it was soaked in it, it could have traces of bacteria which we would not want on the sauce. Boiling it eliminates bacteria in it.

Plating Grilled Fish

Grilled fish is best served with other grilled seafood such as scallops, shrimps, crabs or lobsters. It also would also do well with grilled peppers, asparagus and onions. Grilled fish looks very appetizing when it has grill marks on the side, this of which is commonly noted as the mark of an expert when it comes to grilling.

This does not only look appetizing but is also a good way of judging that the fish is cooked right. Serving it with a salad and a soup would have everyone eating it have a good memory with grilled fish.

Tips For Great Fish On The Grill

Along with meats, vegetables and poultry, fish is also one of the most popular items anyone can put in on top of the grill. This is because fish has a very pleasant flavor, is quite easy and fun to cook and would offer a healthier option than most other items that are usually grilled. However, there are different methods and approaches to cooking different sorts of fish. Following these methods correctly would make your fish taste much better than how it has always been.

Take note that fish is to be classified into some categories when it comes to grilling and these are whole, fillet, firm and tender fish. These categories are what you should use as a basis to know how to cook it. So to further educate you with other guidelines you must follow when grilling fish, here are some helpful tips to guide you through.

Direct Grilling

Firm fish such as swordfish and tuna are much easier to grill since they do not crumble or break apart as easily as how some other fish would. Being that, you can have them cooked right on top of the fire, just make sure that there isnt too much fire that it would overcook it. Make sure the fire is set on medium when first having the fish grilled and you can later set it higher so that there would be pretty grill marks on the sides of your fish, these of which are the signs of a grill master.

It is also very important that you know how your fish should be. In being so, choose cuts that are at least 1 inch thick and are quite wide. Also when grilling those nice fillets, make sure that you turn them every once in a while or every 2 minutes or so. While you would want to have those nice grill marks, it is more important to have the fish cooked well.

Grilling Hygiene

When grilling, you would not want to have a nice sea bass on top of the grill cooked perfectly and later have it taste like steak. To avoid this, you should practice good grilling hygiene that is you should always see to it that your grill is clean and is fit for use. In grilling hygiene, there are three main guidelines to remember. The grill must be cleaned, it must be hot and it must be oiled too. Take note that fish could stick to the grills surface and damage it easier compared to other items.

First is you have to keep it clean, make sure that you scrub the grills surface each time before you use it and you have to make sure that there are no remnants of any food items on top of it. Another is that you have to keep it oiled. Before grilling, spray a small amount of vegetable oil on the grills surface to keep the fish from sticking to it later on. Last is you have to keep it hot, or pre-heated. Never toss fish on the grills surface right after setting the fire, wait for 15 minute before doing so.

Make Use Of Accessories

Accessories are now widely available to make grilling fish much easier and taste much better. A famous example of this is the fish basket which is a device which puts the fish into a cage like grill and makes it cook evenly on all sides easier. To enhance the fishs flavor, you can also add herbs, lemon and spices with the fish inside the grill for the vapor to sink deep into the fish.

There are a lot of accessories and you can use them depending on how you want fish to be prepared.

The Perfect Prime Rib

The Prime Rib Cut

When it comes to items on the grill or anything that the average American would think of when it comes to food, one of the most legendary items is the prime rib. Not only is prime rib one of the best cuts of beef there is around but it is also commonly associated with outdoor grilling we had as kids, restaurant dates and many other factors that would make it significant.

So if you happen to be into grilling, you can make this more meaningful by grilling prime rib yourself. With the wonders that you can make out of it, you as well as everyone who will get a taste of grilled prime rib is sure to be delighted by it aroma, its taste and is sure to be very full after having a full serving. Meanwhile, here are some tips on how to grill prime rib.

Picking The Cut

Because of its fame, people would tend to think that prime rib is quite difficult to cook, also considering that it is a favorite dish to be served by some of the best restaurants and chefs in the country. The truth behind this is that prime rib is not hard to grill at all in fact; people who are new on the grill could even have prime rib as some of their first few dishes. Prime rib does not only taste good but is also easy to grill, while that would also depend on the meat you get.

When picking a prime rib cut, choose one that has a good marble of fat in the meat. This marble of fat makes the meat tenderer when being grilled and another advantage of that is that it also adds a savory flavor to the meat itself. Lean meat is also good but it wouldnt be advised for grilling but rather for other dishes.

Marinating Prime Rib

To give your prime rib the best flavor possible, you have to marinate it for at least 30 minutes. A good example of a marinade would include tomato soup, water, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. To marinate it, put the mixture along with the beef in a container and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, only bring it out when everything is ready for grilling prime rib.

If you should use the marinade later for a sauce or if you should reapply it to the prime rib, have it boiled for at least 5 minutes by itself. Since the meat was still raw when it was soaked in the mixture, it could carry some amounts of bacteria. Boiling it for at least 5 minutes would eliminate the bacteria in it thus making it safe to use again.

Serving Prime Rib

Prime rib is just like any other cuts of meat, it can be served well done, medium-well, medium-rare or rare. For medium-well and well-done meats, it would be more appetizing to serve the prime rib with nice grill marks on the side. Not only are these done to make the meat look nicer but it is also an indication that the meat is cooked well.

Prime rib can be served at almost any occasion or even if there actually isnt any. Prime rib, since it is a heavy cut most of the time is served alone but to make the dining experience more meaningful, you could serve it with a nice salad, soup and red wine to make the event more romantic.

The Best Tools For That Perfect Grilling Experience

Importance Of Accessories

While we are already aware of the numerous pleasures that can be brought to use by simply the grill alone, we can even multiply that and make grilling tasks much more easier and faster by the use of some accessories. With grilling accessories, it is now easier to have items grilled evenly on all sides, have them cooked well and have grilling marks which is the mark of a true grilling master.

Grilling accessories are quite common and are most likely to be found on your favorite cooking shops. They are also usually quite simple materials and require little or no technology at all; they could even come quite cheap at some places. The best thing about them is you will be able to do more and make grilling tasks much easier with them.

Cleaning Accessories

When it comes to grilling, one thing that is just as important as grilling itself and does not have anything to do with actually grilling is cleaning the grill. After all, you would not want to put in a nice cut of prime rib and later have it taste like grilled seafood. So for you to be able to clean your grill easier and much faster, you can use wire scrubs and brushes that are custom fitted to clean your grills surface easily without damaging it.

Aside from that, there are also cleaning agents that are also made especially for your grills surface, typical detergents are too tough on the grill and could damage it. Use this along with the grill scrubs and brushes and cleaning your grills surface should be much easier than it has always been.

Accessories To Enhance Grilling

To even make grilling better, there are some accessories you can use along with grilling to make food cook or taste much better. Cooking fish is now much easier with the use of wire baskets and you can even use this to enhance flavor by having in the basket some spices, lemon and herbs. You can also use this for meat, other seafood and even vegetables.

The grill marks that are on the side have been considered as a mark of a grilling master, to make this easier, you can now have a grill press that would make this very possible. The grill press is a device which would allow you to push items into the grill and making the grill marks on the side appear much easier. With all those accessories, you are sure to have better experiences while grilling.

Other Accessories

While barbecue sticks have been long available ever since grilling became popular, it is now available to suit different types of items and is made to have them cook much better and much faster. Some sticks are made for marshmallows to make sure they do not fall of the stick while having them grilled and some are specifically made for kebabs to have them cook much easier and hold the pieces of meat in place while grilling them.

You can now also have a lot of options for grilling surfaces other than the basic, these of which are custom made to cook various meats effectively. For cooking ribs, you can now have a rack as a surface this of which would make it cook evenly on all sides and is also good for smoking.

With all these accessories available right now, grilling outdoors is sure to be much better and more memorable with you being able to do more with your grill.