Grill TipsGrills, Barbecues & Food

Grilled seafood can be a delightful culinary experience if done right. Many people shy away from seafood because they dont know what to do with it. Seafood makes a tasty, healthy meal on the grill. Did you know most fish has less than half the fat of beef? I would rather put a nice salmon fillet on the grill any day. Grilling great seafood does takes a little practice. Ive put together 10 tips to help you get started.

1. Always start with fresh fish if possible. You will have a better grilling experience. Previously frozen fish will also work; its just harder to work with. Plan on 6-8 ounces per person for fillets and 8-12 ounces per person when buying whole fish.

2. When grilling directly on the grill it is best to use a firm fleshed fish like grouper, marlin, salmon or tuna. A special fish and vegetable grid will make grilling easier. The finer mesh will help keep your food from falling through. You may even want to use a wire grill basket, especially for those more delicate fillets. This way you can turn your fish over without worrying about it breaking apart. You can even stick lemon slices between the fish and basket, if you wish.

3. Always make sure your grill is clean and well-lubricated with oil to prevent your fish from sticking. Fish breaks apart easily. If it sticks to your grill, you will have nothing but little pieces to serve. I like to saturate a paper towel with cooking oil and wipe down my grill before putting my food on. I havent tried it yet, but PAM also has a cooking spray made just for grilling.

4. If your fish came with the skin on, leave it on. Always place your fish fillet flesh side down first. This will sear the flesh, locking in the flavor and moisture. Turn over one-third to halfway through the grilling.

5. Always grill your fish over a hot to medium-hot fire. To test this, hold your hand about 5 inches above your heat source. Your fire is hot if you can only hold it there for about 2 seconds. 3-4 seconds would indicate a medium-hot fire. When cooking whole fish instead of fillets, you will want a slightly lower temperature as the cooking time will be longer.

6. So how long do I leave my fish on the grill? A good rule of thumb is about 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but your recipe should note this if that is the case. Fish is done when its color turns opaque and just begins to flake with a fork. A little underdone is better than overdone as your fish will continue to cook after taken off the grill.

7. Marinades are great to add additional flavor to fish. Marinade your fish for only 30-60 minutes before grilling. Because of their lack of connective tissue, fish absorbs marinades easily. Do not over marinade or the flavors may overpower the flavor of your fish.

8. Do I need to baste my fish? When grilling, baste lean fish periodically with your favorite basting liquid or olive oil. This will help keep the fish from drying out. Basting is not really necessary with fattier fish but you may wish to do so for more flavor.

9. I love to grill with skewers. Lightly marinated shrimp are great! Use fairly large shrimp for this. Chunks of fish also work well as long as they are firm fleshed. Alternate with chunks of your favorite vegetables for great kebobs. If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will keep them from burning up on your grill.

10. One last tip. Tired of your hands smelling like a tacklebox long after youve washed your hands? Try rubbing some lemon juice on your hands. Then wash with soap and water. This will also help get rid of onion or garlic odors.

Grilling seafood isnt really very hard if you follow these tips. With a little practice you will be grilling perfect seafood in no time. Your stomach will thank you for it, as well as all your friends and family. So slap a nice fillet of salmon on the grill today.

This article was written by Shane Bryan, aka Chef Shane. Chef Shane has his own cooking site at http://chefshane.com. Visit today for great recipes, cooking articles, food trivia, and much more. If it has anything to do with food you may find it here. http://chefshane.com

Written By: Shane Bryan

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice of meat (or in some cases vegetables), the creation and choice of sauce, and of course the flame. Once the components are gathered together, then the real talent starts with the maintenance of the flame, smoke, turnings and sauce applications.

We are going to focus on the flame, and the types of flame sources for our barbecue. There are basically three main sources in use today: Wood, Charcoal, and Natural gas or propane.

Natural gas and propane

Gas grills are easy to light. The heat is easy to control (via knob-controlled gas valves on the burners), so the outcome is very predictable. They result in a very consistent and tasty result, although some charcoal purists argue it lacks the flavors available only from cooking with charcoal. Advocates of gas grills claim that gas cooking lets you “taste the meat, not the heat” because it is claimed that charcoal grills may deposit traces of coal tar on the food. Many grills are equipped with thermometers, further simplifying the barbecuing experience. However propane and natural gas produce a “wet” heat that can change the texture of foods cooked over such fuels.

Gas grills are significantly more expensive due to their added complexity, and higher heat. They are also considered much cleaner as they do not result in ashes (which must be disposed of) and also in terms of air pollution. Proper maintenance may further help reduce pollution.

Charcoal

This generally begins with purchasing a bag of processed charcoal briquettes. A charcoal chimney starter is a traditional (but generally underused) method for getting a consistent heat from your coals. Alternatively, they can be lit in a pyramid directly inside the charcoal grill after presoaking with lighter fluid.

After all coals are ashed-over (generally 15-25 minutes), they are spread around the perimeter of the grill, and the meat is placed in the center for indirect cooking. For additional flavor and attractive appearance, thicker cuts of meat may optionally be seared over direct heat (outer perimeter of grill) prior to indirect cooking in the center. Water-soaked wood chips (such as mesquite, hickory, or fruit trees) are often added atop the coals for an extra smoky flavor. The temperature of the grill is controlled by the amount and distribution of coal within the grill and through careful venting.

An alternative to charcoal briquettes is lump charcoal. Lump charcoal is wood that has been turned into charcoal but unlike briquettes it has not been ground and shaped. Lump charcoal is a pure form of charcoal and is preferred by many purists who fear that artificial binders may be used to hold briquettes in their shape.

Wood

The choice and combination of woods burned result in different flavors imparted to the meat. Different types of wood burn at different temperatures. The heat also varies by the amount of wood and controlling the rate of burn through careful venting.

The type of wood chosen is really what sets this method apart from the others. This is where the gourmet can really experiment. Let’s go through some of the woods available to get a feel for the differences we can expect.

Golden Birch is very delicate & slightly sweet, typically used with fish, pork, lamb, goat, poultry, and light-meat game birds. As a smoke source Golden birch would be used to smoke Salmon.

Wild Apple is slightly sweet with a fruity smoke flavor. Used mainly for beef, poultry, game birds, and pork (particularly hams).

Sugar Maple has a mild smoky, sweet flavor. Good with lamb, goat, pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables and small game birds.

White Cedar has a fine light smoke, and doesn’t add much in the way of other flavors. Ideal for cooking fish, beef, and pork.

Wild Black Cherry, is hard to get a hold of but offers a distinctively sweet and fruity smoke. Great with beef, poultry & game birds.

About the Author

Jerry Powell is the Owner of a Popular site Know as Gourmet911.com. As you can see from our name, we are here to help you learn more about different kinds of Gourmet food and Wines, Coffees from all around the world. http://www.gourmet911.com/

Written By: Jerry Powell

There is not much better in this world than sitting down to eat a perfectly grilled, tender, and juicy Porterhouse or T-Bone steak. There are many opinions and techniques available regarding the best way to master cooking a steak including whether or not to marinade or use a rub, how long the steak should be grilled, and how to correctly grill the steak. In my book there is only one way to grill a steak, and you will find instructions below for grilling a Porterhouse steak, which will also work for a T-Bone steak.

The Perfect, Grilled Steak

Choosing the Cut of Meat:

1. The first step is to choose a great cut of meat to grill. You will probably need a good butcher’s help to do this. He or she can cut the steak for you. Choose a steak that is at least 1-inch thick, up to 1.5 inches thick. The Porterhouse needs to be fresh, not previously frozen, and it should be a nice, med-dark red color.

Marinade and Seasoning:

2. When you marinade a steak, you are not trying to change the flavor of the steak, you are trying to compliment the delicious, natural flavors produced by grilling and already present in the meat. You do not have to use a marinade, but a good marinade will help in tenderizing the meat.

Steak Marinade:

1. 12-ounces of a dark beer such as Amber Bock 2. 3-Cloves of Garlic, Peeled and mashed 3. 1/4-Cup Chopped Onion 4. 1-TSP Fresh Ground Pepper 5. 1/4-TSP Salt 6. 1/4-Cup Vegetable Oil 7. 1/4-TSP Cumin 8. 1/4 TSP Dried Thyme

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all Ingredients 2. Place steak in a safe container, such as Tupperware, and pour marinade over the steak 3. Turn the steak over, put a lid on the container, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours

Grilling the Steak

1. Remove the steak from the marinade, and let it sit for about 1 hour before you grill it. This will bring the temperature of the meat closer to room temperature.

2. Before lighting the grill, spray on pam to prevent sticking.

3. Gas Grill Method: If you are using a gas grill, hopefully it has two burners. Heat the grill by turning one of the burners on high, and the other on low. This will allow you to sear the steak and seal in the juices. Place the steak on the hot side of the grill for 1.5-2 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook for 2 minutes. Move the steak to the cooler side of the grill and cook it for about 7-8 minutes for medium rare. The internal temperature should reach about 135F degrees.

4. Charcoal Grill Method: Build a fire in 1/2 of the pit, and let the charcoal burn down; they will turn white, and you should not be able to hold your hand over the top of the grill for more than 1-2 seconds. Place the steak on the hot side of the grill for 1.5-2 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook for 2 minutes. Move the steak to the cooler side of the grill and cook it for about 7-8 minutes for medium rare. The internal temperature should reach about 135F degrees.

5. Let the steak rest by placing it on a plate and covering it with foil for about 5 minutes or so. This will help in making the steak tender and juicy because if you cut the steak too early, the juices will be hot, causing them to ooze out.

Steak Toppings:

1. Sauteed mushrooms and onions are two of my favorite steak toppings.

Directions:

1. Heat 4-TBSP of butter in a non-stick frying pan. 2. When the butter melts, add sliced onions and cook for 4 minutes 3. Add mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes or until onions are opaque.

Options:

1.You can add 3-TBSP of heavy cream when you add the mushrooms to produce a creamier topping

2. Add 1-2TBSP of Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to butter.

Eat Up!

About the author:

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs. Visit http://www.thesmokerking.com to find many great barbeque recipes and techniques.

Written By: Aaron Ralston