Just as spring
blossoms are popping out earlier than usual this year, the covers are
coming off gas grills heralding an early start to the grilling season.
This article sponsored by:
Safety First
Whether you’re dusting off an old grill or firing up the latest brand new
model, remember to look at your grill’s instructions and conduct a leak
test first. The Grillman advises that you leak test your system even if it
was delivered fully assembled. Grillman tests their grills before they
leave the shop and when they’re delivered.
Also, before you go to refill your old propane tank you might want to
visit www.Grillman.com to review the
latest propane tank regulations.
Start Simple
Don’t start out with a fancy recipe if you’re just breaking in a new
grill. Learn about the capabilities of your grill first and start out with
basic hot dogs and burgers. Starting out with a complicated recipe that
turns into an overdone disaster is guaranteed to provide a frustrating
experience and discourage you from gradually experimenting with your
grill.
Cook Don’t Burn!
The real secret to successful grilling is the use of indirect cooking,
which is also the biggest advantage to gas grilling. Don’t light the gas
element directly under the food to be cooked, light the opposite side, or
the front and back elements of the grill, depending on the grill type.
Keep the lid down and you’re on your way to successful grilling! To crisp,
open the lid and briefly position food over the lit portion of the grill.
A simple, but different recipe to try using indirect heat:
Drunken Chicken
Season a whole chicken as you would before baking, rubbing your favorite
seasonings on the outside. Pop open a beer can, (place) stand the beer can
over the unlit portion of the grill and place the chicken over the beer
can, with the beer can filling the cavity of the chicken. Cook the chicken
on indirect heat at 350 degrees, for about an hour to an hour and a half,
until a meat thermometer inserted in the chicken breast registers 170
degrees. Remove chicken from the grill and discard the beer. The beer
steams up into the chicken providing a delicious new flavor. You could
also fill an empty soup can (label removed) with your favorite marinade
and use in place of the beer when cooking the chicken.
An Outdoor Oven
Anything you can do in a toaster oven you can do outside on the grill.
Place two or three pieces of brick on the cooking grids (grill), set the
temperature to low, put cookies on an insulated cookie sheet (tin) on top
of the bricks, prop open the grill about one inch, and bake as usual. Or
try a pie, in a glass pie pan, using the same method!
A Kid Pleaser
An easy desert for the kids is a gas-grilled version of a campfire
favorite:
Banana Boats
Place (an equal amount of banana slices) half of a sliced banana, some
chocolate chips, and marshmallows into a piece of heavy foil formed into a
boat shape (an oven proof casserole dish could also be used). Turn the
grill down to low heat, place the boat on the warming rack, and heat for
about 10 to 15 minutes, until the marshmallows melt. Add a scoop of ice
cream for a desert sure to please all the kids!
For the adult “kids at heart” try a special treat:
Amaretto Pineapple
Cut a fresh pineapple into ½ or ¼ inch rings, leaving the core in. Soak
the slices in Amaretto, just enough to cover, for about a week. Orange
juice could also be used as an alcohol free marinade. Put the pineapple
directly on the cooking grids (on the warming tray) of a hot grill and
heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pineapple; turn the grill down to low, and
lightly toast slices of pound cake or angel food cake. Slice the pineapple
into chunks, place on the cake and drizzle with the reserved marinade.
Be Daring
As you become more familiar with your grill, don’t be afraid to
experiment! Use the techniques outlined above and enjoy the pleasures of
outdoor grilling for an extra long grilling season. Stop by Grillman for
all of your grilling needs, including a variety of utensils, sauces, rubs,
and flavored wood chips to enhance your new grilling techniques.
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