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It’s summertime and that means backyard
and rooftop barbecuing. Why? Because food straight off the grill just
tastes better. Yet, guys who would never think of cooking something on
a stove have no problem stoking up a fire and blazing some burgers or
steaks. It seems crazy, but it happens every summer. This year, Be
Better Guys wants you to know what you’re doing when you have a
cookout.  What does knowing what you’re doing mean?
It starts with building the fire, includes prepping and cooking the
food, and ends with lots of backslapping and full stomachs. Knowing
what type of meats and other foods are good for grilling help, too.
With that in mind, Brian and David offer this quick and dirty lesson on
grilling basics. We start with preparation and then move on to
application. If you do a fair amount of outdoor cooking or just want to
learn virtually everything there is to know about grilling and
barbecuing (yes, there is a difference), then the Cook’s Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue: A Practical Guide for the Outdoor Cook is a good book to have.
Tools of the Trade
You’ll need a few things, some of which you already have lying around (hopefully):
- Metal Tongs
- Spatula
- Turning Fork
- Meat Thermometer (Yes, you will need this)
- Basting Brush (Necessary only for sauces)
The World Lit by Fire
Some
go for the Human Torch “Flame on!” style of drowning charcoal in
lighter fluid, which will get the fire department at your place in
minutes and probably cost you an eyebrow. You can buy lighter
fluid-soaked charcoal briquettes, which will catch fire, but they burn
out too quickly. Either way, you wind up losing time dealing with the
charcoal and inconsistent heat. We offer 2 suggestions:
One,
you can wad up two sections of newspaper. Place one in the bowl of the
grill beneath the lower grate and place the other on the lower grate.
Build a pile of charcoal (about 20 briquettes) around the piece on the
lower grate, then drizzle lighter fluid atop the pile and light the
newspaper. You’ll have graying charcoals in about 15-20 minutes. Add
more charcoal depending on how much cooking you plan to do.
Or...
Two,
you can buy a chimney starter. It’s basically a can with a handle and a
metal screen. Full, it holds 5 ½ lbs. of charcoal briquettes, more than
enough to grill multiple steaks, burgers, and anything else your heart
desires. Put newspaper in the bottom and set it on the grate where the
coals will eventually set. Put charcoal in the top, light the newspaper
through the holes in the sides of the chimney starter and in about 20
minutes, you’ve got ash-covered charcoal.
Regardless
of which technique you use, spread the coals evenly over the grate to
ensure even cooking and don’t skimp on the charcoal! Open up the air
holes at the bottom of the grill bowl. Fire needs air to thrive
(remember that from 4th grade?). For searing things like
burgers and steaks, use more coals, but that means paying closer
attention to your food so that it doesn’t burn. To give your food that
smoked wood taste, get hardwood chips (mesquite or hickory), soak them
in water for an hour before you start your fire, drain the water off,
and toss them onto your perfectly burning coals. This will give your
food a richer flavor and make your neighbors jealous. It’s all about
the details. Have a gas grill? Well, you’re prep
time is cut way down and you’ll have more control over the temperature.
You can still use hardwood chips to get that smoked taste and flavor;
your grill’s directions will tell you the best way to use hardwood.
Truth be told, though, there’s nothing like good old charcoal (but
that’s my opinion).
Check Your Grill
When
you do put the cooking grate in place (wait until the coals are grey),
let it warm up for a few minutes before putting any food on. Also, use
the tongs and a folded paper towel to wipe the grate down with
vegetable oil so that the food doesn’t stick. How
hot should the grill be? It depends on what you’re cooking, but
grilling steaks and burgers takes more heat than cooking ribs. If you
can hold your hand 6 inches over the grill for more than 5 seconds, the
heat’s too low for searing meat. Keep an eye on your charcoal and add
more necessary. So now what? It’s time to pick out the meat, poultry, or seafood you’ll be grilling up. |
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