Remember the old adage, "Where there's smoke,
there's fire"?
Truer words were never spoken when it comes to this hot class! Even the pouring rain could not dampen the intensity of Grilling 101 presented by Chef Doug McConnell.
I was joined by my son Trevor and his lovely girlfriend, Courtney.
And 10 other seekers of grilling enlightenment... As usual, we were not disappointed! Here are the finer points that Chef Doug gave us, along with the dishes that were prepared:
1. Grill over wood-Forget about the gas-versus-charcoal debate: Wood is the only fuel that adds real flavor to food.
2. Keep your cool-You don't need to bring steaks to room temperature before grilling. There is no appreciable difference in cooking time. Steak houses keep meat refrigerated until they are ready to cook it-for reasons of convenience and food safety-and so should you.
3. Line it up-Align the food on your grill in soldierly precision. This helps you keep track of which foods went on the fire first, so you can turn them and take them off in order.
4. Flip just once-You can't get killer grill marks (the signature of master grillmanship) or accurately gauge cooking time if you're compulsively turning over your steak every 10 seconds. To lay on a handsome set of crosshatches, rotate the steak 90 degrees after a couple of minutes
of grilling.
5. Season before grilling-You might have heard that salt "bleeds" the juices out of raw meat. It doesn't. Instead, it helps steaks form a savory crust as they cook. Just before putting the steaks on the grill, sprinkle on a generous amount of coarse salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Keep the grate hot, clean, and oiled-This is the grill master's mantra. Following it will prevent food from sticking and give it excellent grill marks. Before grilling, scrub the hot grate with a wire brush, and then rub it with a lightly folded paper towel dipped in oil. Scrub the grate
again when you are finished cooking.
7. Grill your veggies-The dry heat of a grill intensifies a vegetable's natural sweetness. Grill tender, watery vegetables such as bell peppers and onions directly over the coals. Grill dense or starchy vegetables such as potatoes and eggplant using direct heat, as far away from the coals as possible.
8. Grip, don't stab-Use a pair of tongs-not a barbecue fork, or worse, a knife-to turn meat or move it around on the grill. Forks and knives poke holes in the meat that can allow precious juices to drain out. If you must cut and peek to check doneness, make a small slit with a knife. 9. Know when it's done-For steaks, chops, and chicken, poke the meat with your finger: if it feels soft and squishy, it's rare; yielding, medium rare; only slightly yielding, medium; firm and springy, well-done. For large cuts of meat, use an instant read thermometer(even barbecue pros use them). Just don't let it touch a bone or you'll get a false reading.
10. Let it rest-When you grill a piece of meat, it's muscle fibers contract and drive the juices to the center of the cut. Meat served right off the grill will taste tough and dry, but a post-grill rest allows the muscle fibers to reabsorb the juices, resulting in a tender and succulent cut. Larger pieces of meat, such as leg of lamb and pork shoulder, need to rest longer than steaks and chops-for approximately 15 minutes.
Another satisfied customer~
And of course, desert! The perfect ending to another perfect class... Trust me: YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS!
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