The Thrill of the Grill

[imec]

Well it's midsummer and I would guess that most everyone has got their grilling thing in full swing. Do you grill? What do you Grill on? Do you use gas (natural or propane)? Briquettes? Charcoal chunks? Electric burner? Infrared? What foods do you like to grill? Do you use sauces or bastes? Rubs? Do you do any "real" BBQing/smoking?

I have a beat up old gas (natural) grill which has been "souped up" so it gets so hot that it has begun to warp. I like my steaks nice and charred while still quite rare (somewhere between saignant and a point) so the high heat is essential. I like grilling vegetables and I love grilling very large shrimps. Every once in a while I'll smoke a pork butt. I braise ribs (a la Alton Brown) in the oven and only finish them on the grill - same with chicken tikka. Burgers make it on the grill at least once a week. Also fat smoked sausages we call smokies. And Italian sausages too.

As for sauces, I rarely make my own - too many good bottled versions available (although sometimes I'll doctor them up with some fresh ingredients - ginger, garlic and so on).

[Don Cuevas]

This:



picasaweb.google.com/doncuevas/AGrillOfALifetime53008451AM#
But haven't used it yet this year! Gotta get with it!

[imec]

Ooh, that's a beauty! Your tortilla picture reminded me I sometimes put a baking stone on my grill and do thin crust pizza. The stones tend to break with the intense heat I use though.

[Deleted]

In Florida, my father had recently bought a superb gas grill for the T-bone steaks and the spare ribs (the only two grilled items to which my family gave house room). The T-bones were always done to absolute perfection (all of us liked our steaks ultra rare yet ultra grilled), and the ribs were quite good as well. Actually, the ribs were a later addition to the menu, because I was the one who expressed a desire for them -- before then, it was 100% T-bone steaks, which probably meant using the grill once or twice a month at the most.

Then my father became feeble and also took some medication that caused an aversion to the beef, pork and chicken that he had always loved. I knew that the end was near when this happened, but I found things that he still enjoyed -- boiled pigs' feet, grilled sausages... and also barbecued ribs.

So the last time the grill was ever used, I graduated to head of the family (after many many years) and it was I who cooked the ribs while my father sat and rested (and nursed a Manhattan), and he was happy to eat them. And shortly thereafter, he was in the hospital where he died.

Jesus, why on earth did I write such a downer in this interesting thread?

Anyway, just know that even if you are about to die, wonderful grilled food can be one of your last pleasures.

Don Cuevas, your grill looks wonderful! What is your #1 item?

[imec]

Jul 29, 2009 17:41:54 GMT kerouac2 said:

Jesus, why on earth did I write such a downer in this interesting thread?

err, it supposed to be the "thrill", not the "chill"...

[Don Cuevas]

K2 wrote:
"Don Cuevas, your grill looks wonderful! What is your #1 item?"

Grilled vegetables. (eggplant steaks, sweet peppers, knob onions); but a nice steak or hamburgers would be welcome, if only we could get quality meat here.
(I heard from a friend that the Morelia, Mexico Costco has good meats.)

EDIT:
This thread has inspired us to fire it up on Saturday. We'll have the aforementioned grilled vegs, arrachera (skirt steak), and some grilled figs wrapped in bacon, possibly with slices of goat cheese in them, and dipped in a balsamic vin reduction infused with chile ancho.

(Wildly imagining...could turn out to be macaroni and potato salad..)

[traveler63]

We have a Charbroil propane grill. Yes!!!!! I know that there is a debate about gas vs. charcoal. However, my idol, Bobbie Flay, uses both so I think we have the answer to that.

Yes, we do grill, but here in Tucson right now with 103 -108 degree weather, we really take a little break.

The last thing grilled was for the wine party, sausages, andouille, sweet Italian, and lingueisa. We have also done two bone in pork roasts on the rotisserie both slathered in a dry rub and a wet Jack Daniels Whiskey mop. Yum!!!

[lagatta]

I was hoping to get imec about bison in the hamburger thread, but perhaps he'll answer it here. Bison has a lovely flavour - like beef but deeper and richer, however since it is very lean (hence a good choice for people with cholesterol problems or who need to watch their weight, but want their iron), one needs strategies to keep bison burgers from becoming too dry. I usually add some mild onion.

Imec, I find a lot of the prepared bbq sauces too sweet.

I only have a little Tfal indoor grill (though I use it on my balcony in summertime). Our major grilling is done at a friend's house, especially when their are friends from the South of South America (Chile, Argentina, Southern Brazil etc).

Aubergines/eggplants are lovely grilled.

[imec]

I really like the flavour of Bison, but as you say it is awfully dry. When it comes to burgers, I'm a bit of a purist and I don't like to add anything other than salt and pepper - but with Bison, I'm not above adding some fat like butter, olive oil or mayo before shaping and grilling (and being careful to not overcook).

I agree on the sauces - I tend to add things like vinegar to compensate for that.

Speaking of alternative meats for burgers - moose is fantastic!

[lagatta]

I'm quite a purist too but had stopped eating red meat for a while and returned to bison because I felt I needed the iron and because bison is not subjected to all the crap most beef is, unless you buy organic or can source beef directly from a small stock farmer (a friend in Saskatchewan does that).

I try to avoid eating much processed sugar in the first place - there are some PC sauces that contain very little sugar - the Piri Piri sauce is one - you have to read the nutritional content on the back.

(I am NOT a health nut, just trying to avoid certain problems that can arise in middle age).

[imec]

Yes, I used the Piri Piri to do pork tenderloin on Monday - I like that one.

I'm married to a dietitian by the way - we both subscribe to the "everything in moderation - including moderation" creed.

[auntieannie]

we don't have any outside area linked to our rented flat here, so if we want a barbecue, it is either at friends or in one of the numerous parks/play areas by the river Exe. we don't own a grill or anything similar. The nearest would be a griddle pan. ;D

Britain was supposed to have a "barbecue summer" this year, but the metoffice just retracted this forecast (after at least three weeks of mostly cold and grey weather - in this area at least) saying they had been misunderstood.

[Deleted]

I know that North Americans absolutely love to grill burgers, but that is about the last thing that I would want to see on a barbecue. "Chopped meat: who cares?" At the same time, the French (and probably a lot of other Europeans) absolutely love to grill sausages, and I feel the same way. "Chopped meat in a piece of intestine: who cares?"

I prefer real pieces of meat, fish, shellfish, vegetables or other such items.

[lagatta]

Yes, I doubt very much kerouac has a bbq either. Here in Montréal, balconies are much more common than they are in Paris, and most of the most modest old blocks of flats have them, but not all landlords allow them for fire reasons. We don't actually have a rule, but I'd hate to set our co-op ablaze!

We'll probably have a party in our very shallow back garden - it is the width of four Montréal triplex blocks and not very deep, as most of the "yards" here were just where there was a storage hangar for coal and later fuel oil to heat the said flats. These were no longer needed, and were a terrible fire hazard as unlike the dwellings, they were built of old wood and covered in sheet iron or other things. The city provided grants to have them pulled down, and nowadays a lot of these flats have small gardens behind.

We organised quite the grill session for a friend who was returning to his native Vienna after 30 years working in Toronto. Viennese flats are a lot like Parisian ones: bbqs are rare.

[bazfaz]

We eat meat but not large quantities so a BBQ seems inappropriate for us. But on Friday (the weather promises to stay good) we'll fire up the BBQ with local charcoal and put on it mushrooms, lamb chops, slices of courgette, and prevously baked potatoes. I'll put on lots of branches of rosemary. Even if it doesn't add to the flavour rosemary makes a good smell as it burns.

[lagatta]

I also prefer real pieces of food, Kerouac, but my budget doesn't necessarily. I adore grilled halibut darnes, but they are pricy.

Grilled sardines are the Portuguese classic, and not expensive, but very "fishy", so not everyone likes them.

How about méchoui? That is wonderful.

[bixaorellana]

That was a nice story, Kerouac, not a downer.

If you had enough people, it would be worth firing up the barbecue just for corn on the cob. If only a few people and you're planning to grill, try to get some good ears of corn. Don't shuck them, but let them set in water for at least a half hour prior to putting them on the fire. You'll have to experiment, but I'd say let the outermost leaves get black as you turn the corn. When they're done, the leaves and silk will come right off and the corn will have steamed its essence back into itself. I like it with just ground cayenne, lime juice, and a little salt.

[imec]

I grill corn often. I shuck it, and grill it hot so it chars a bit and I brush it with a mixture of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and melted butter - decadent!

[cigalechanta]

a local chef wrote the cookbook, The Thrill of the Grill. I don't grill, living alone, but I love grilled fish on fennel stalks and vegetables and most things. I don't eat hamburgers.

[hwinpp]

I haven't bought a grill yet!

Once I have I'll be grilling sausages and chops, probably pork chops, but also t- bone steaks and what Australians call cube roll. I always thought that was entrecote/ribeye but it seems to have no 'eye'.

Lagatta, you know mechoui? Do they have that in Canada? How did it get there?

[lagatta]

Yes, of course there is méchoui where I live - in Montréal, and in Ottawa, there is a very large number of people from the Middle East (in particular from Lebanon) and from the Maghreb; the latter have brought méchoui - well, they didn't bring the sheep with them.

But I think I first had méchoui in France. A Moroccan friend did two lambs for a big family party in a small village near Pontoise (very close to Paris, actually).

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2009 21:05:45 GMT bazfaz said:

We eat meat but not large quantities so a BBQ seems inappropriate for us. But on Friday (the weather promises to stay good) we'll fire up the BBQ with local charcoal and put on it mushrooms, lamb chops, slices of courgette, and prevously baked potatoes. I'll put on lots of branches of rosemary. Even if it doesn't add to the flavour rosemary makes a good smell as it burns.

I do this too with rosemary.
When you say "local charcoal", of what do you speak? Not briquets sold in the store? Am very curious about this. Thanks.

Also,the corn on the grill. We used to BBQ at the beach evenings growing up and used to soak the corn in sea water before grilling.

[Don Cuevas]

"When you say "local charcoal", of what do you speak? Not briquets sold in the store? Am very curious about this. Thanks."

That's what we use. Last year, about the time we bought our grill, we inquired of our landlords about where we could buy "carbón"—charcoal. I was told, "My son-in-law, Armando, will bring you some." A few days later, there was our landlord, lugging a huge sack of charcoal across our yard. It must have had 40 or more kilos in it. The price was $120 MXN, or under $10 USD at the time.
We ignite it with "ocote" or pitch pine kindling, although Mrs. Cuevas likes to get that going with veg oil.

[bazfaz]

Ah, Don, your question was asked of me.
Alas we don't have Armando or his like around here. We would get about 5 kilos for what you paid. And nobody brings it to us. But the bag does say it was produced near here.

[Deleted]

I know that often the best barbecuing in France is supposed to be with "serments de vigne" -- the gnarly pieces that are pruned from vineyards. I have not had the opportunity to use them myself, except at my friend's house in Gramat (Lot), but I was not in charge of the fire, only a lowly helper.

[bazfaz]

There are a lot of grubbed up vines around us as the old folks give up farming. Should I go out and bring back some of those for tonight's BBQ?

[bazfaz]

Our BBQ tonight was a classic.
It took 6 matches to get it lighted (France makes possibly the most feeble matches in the world). When the kindling had burned down sufficiently I put on the charcoal and went for a bath. It looked promising when I came out on the terrace. I gave it some blows from the bellows and put on: large mushrooms, previously microwaved potatoes, lamb chops, strips of red pepper, slices of overlarge courgettes (from our neighbour). I went inside to load the washing machine, looked out through the french windows and saw the lamb chops were on fire. This is normal. I finished loading the washing macihne and shifted the lamb chops to a cooler part of the grill.
I went and rescued Mrs Faz who was trapped talking to neighbours who had been using our pool.
I Left the slabs of courgette on to cook some more while we started with the rest. What with chatting and looking at the view and drinking wine it was some time before I remembered about the courgette. They were burnt black.
It was a good traditional BBQ.

[Deleted]

Bon appétit! Are the matches sold in France really made in France? I don't think I have ever bought a box of matches.

[bazfaz]

What do you do? Rub two sticks together?

[Deleted]

I use electricity.