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Thanks to Home Herb and Garden CEO Patrick OBrien
[Cooking] [Getting it Together!] [BBQ Tips] [A Few Gutbuster Recipes]
Cooking!
Direct cooking is when you use the grill or hot plate only to cook food. Steaks, chops, sausages and kebabs, etc are cooked by the direct cooking method. Indirect cooking is when you use a lid, and you can roast, bake, or smoke with this process. The lid, and the ventilation from the bottom, creates a convection oven, where the heat rises around the food, reflecting off the inside surface of the lid. The food is cooked evenly on all sides.
We need to mention something else here. Some people have a nasty habit of pouring beer on the steaks while they are cooking! It’s true! I know it’s hard to believe, but some people really do this! Please don’t do it. All it does is that it takes the heat out of the BBQ plate, and the steak will stew rather than grill.
Getting all happening together!
One of the most important and often overlooked BBQ tricks is to get everything happening together.
If the steaks are ready to serve, all the vegetables and trimmings must be ready too. To often when the steak or chops are done and ready to be served, the vegetables may not be quite ready, or the salad isn’t quite ready. That’s just not good enough!
If you have to leave steak sitting on the BQQ keeping it warm, it will be ruined. Try to plan your BBQ a bit, if you are having a few guests. Cook the sausages first, then if you have to heat them, or the kebabs up in the microwave a bit, that’s not so bad as trying to heat up a cold, ruined steak.
Don’t let anyone from the kitchen come running out just before everything is to be served, and want to put some more onions on the grill plate! It’s too late, when everything is ready to be dished up! Tell the kitchen crew what time the steaks will be ready, and then there is no excuse! Remember, just as the captain is in charge of the ship, (no, no, not the Titanic!) the cook is in charge of the BBQ! You are the Boss! If in doubt about this, just ask your partner.
Here’s a few BBQ tips!
If you are using a BBQ with a lid, after searing, cook with the lid down, to help keep in the juices. Grilling times are not always the same, weather will make a difference. Use a temperature probe when cooking roasts or joints of meat.
The more food on the grill plate, the longer it will take to cook.
Trimming fat off the steaks or chops will help stop the grill plate from getting burnt, and is better for the waistline. Don’t put too much marinade on the grill plate, it will burn. Just brush some on near the end of the cooking.
Don’t flatten hamburgers, you will lose much of the juices. Flatten before putting on the grill. Don’t turn the food too often, once on each side is enough. Don’t turn the food with a fork, puncturing steaks or sausages allows juices to escape. If testing steak to see whether it is cooked enough, just make a small cut with a sharp knife in the thickest part of the steak.
A few Gutbuster Recipes!
The secret to cooking fabulous low-fat BBQ’s is in marinating before cooking, and having plenty of tasty BBQ’ed vegetables. Interesting and tasty vegetables makes it easier to cut back on meat consumption too. Here are a few ideas, but experimentation is the name of the game. Don’t be frightened to change things, or add things!
Chicken thighs are the tastiest part of the chicken, and often the cheapest. Trim off skin and fat. Combine one I cup of natural low fat yogurt, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, and 2 tablespoons of green curry paste, or any other mixture of herbs and spices you fancy. Marinate for 30 minutes, then cook, spooning the marinade over chicken while cooking. Serve with a sauce of natural yogurt, chopped mint, coriander, and squeeze of lime juice.
Lamb kebabs. Soak skewers, and then marinate lamb pieces for 20 minutes in chopped mint, sliced shallots, ½ cup mint jelly, ½ cup red wine, pepper to taste. Thread onto skewers with vegetables if you wish, then cook on BBQ grill. Do not overcook.
Herb Beef. Combine 1 tablespoons each of fresh chopped rosemary, parsley and oregano, with 2 crushed garlic cloves and one tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Rub onto both sides of lean steak and cook on BBQ grill. Serve with lots of vegetables, and/or rice.
Fish is great for diet watchers, just remember not to add to much oil when cooking. If you cook in alfoil with some lemon and herbs, you don’t need to use oil at all.
There are many other ways to have a good healthy BBQ without stressing the waistline or the heart. Just go easy on the fat and oils, and cook plenty of vegetables!
About Patrick OBrien: Patrick is a retired Master Butcher and businessman who also has broad horticultural experience. He has owned a restaurant, commercially grown organic vegetables, and he operated a herb nursery for many years.
To learn more about home herbs, garden, health, and homebiz, please visit: http://www.home-herb-garden.com
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