| When winter's chill is gone in most parts of this country, | | | | third. Sometimes there are leftovers. If such a thing |
| it's time to get the old bar-b-que grill dusted off after a | | | | actually happens, that's great. Almost anything off the |
| long stay in the garage or barn; where ever you have | | | | grill tastes great the next day, unless it's smoked sea |
| had it stored since last summer's cook out. If you left it | | | | urchin, but then no one in their right mind would serve |
| outside in the weather all winter, like many of us have | | | | smoked sea urchin in the first place. Yeech! |
| done, you just have to sweep off the spider webs | | | | Getting back to the basics of a good cookout, you |
| and old leaves, throw out the old charcoal from last | | | | have to start with perfect sauces, rubs or marinates, |
| year and you're ready to start cooking. Well almost! | | | | depending on the meat you're going to grill. |
| Think that is all there is to getting ready to throw a slab | | | | While there are many kinds of grills to choose from, I |
| of meat on glowing coals? Think again! Every "master | | | | prefer to use the old fashioned charcoal type. I get a |
| griller" knows there are 12 steps that anyone | | | | sense of history every time I smell the smoke |
| attempting the perfect cookout has to follow in order | | | | emanating from burning charcoal. Maybe this was how |
| to have the results expected of a grilling superstar! | | | | they did it back in the old west when cowboys |
| You gotta have a plan! Nothing great has ever been | | | | huddled around the campfire after a hard day on the |
| accomplished without some kind of a plan! I like to | | | | range punching cows. The cook, who had cool |
| have everything in order before I start, getting all my | | | | nicknames like "cookie" or "biscuit" would divvy out |
| ducks in a row as it were. Outdoor grilling can be an | | | | steaks, biscuits and scalding black coffee to the |
| awesome experience but you have to get it right the | | | | cowhands. Those were the good old days. |
| first time, because you only get one chance to | | | | Hamburgers: I like to keep my burgers simple. I usually |
| become a backyard legend, known far and wide as | | | | sprinkle a little salt, pepper and finely ground garlic on |
| "the master griller" | | | | the meat about an hour before I start cooking. |
| The beginnings of any wonderful weekend grill fest | | | | Although that's exotic enough for me, some folks like |
| starts with a quick look at The Weather Channel. You | | | | to stuff them with all kinds of things such as onions, |
| have to know what the weather will be for the | | | | peppers and even cheese. I'm old fashioned. I think |
| weekend. It's best to consult weather experts on such | | | | cheese should remain on the top of the burgers where |
| an important matter a couple of days before the big | | | | they belong. Burgers can be cooked to all degrees of |
| event. It wouldn't do to put in the time on strategic | | | | readiness, however, I like mine cooked well with just a |
| planning, then assembling the ingredients of a perfect | | | | hint of pink in the middle. |
| cookout, only to be forced inside at the last minute by | | | | Pepper and salt to taste. (Try using garlic salt on the |
| a steady rain. Us, who have survived many battles | | | | burgers instead of regular salt. It adds a little character |
| fighting the rain on Saturday afternoons, think of such | | | | to the meat.) |
| things as this! The more you read this article and | | | | The rest is equally simple. If you want to get fancy, |
| become familiar with the rules of the road us "master | | | | just cut little chunks or slices of whatever you want to |
| grillers" live by, then you too can become a "master | | | | stuff in the middle of the burger and stuff it! Just |
| griller"! | | | | remember that whatever you choose, it has to be |
| Next you have to decide just who will be invited and | | | | something that cooks in a hurry. Because it doesn't |
| how many there will be at your cook out. This is a | | | | take long to cook burgers, you want to be sure that |
| critical part of the planning exercise. The number of | | | | whatever you have crammed in that burger is also |
| people attending dictates whether you will have | | | | cooked. If it's not cooked well on the inside, you can |
| steaks, pork chops or chicken! It would cost a small | | | | get some funny looks from your guests, not to |
| fortune to provide enough steaks for twenty people. | | | | mention the threat of a law suit due to food poisoning. |
| Odds are there would be someone in the crowd that | | | | Cook each side 5-7 minutes over a medium high heat. |
| you didn't really like, anyway, so why would you feed | | | | Chicken: For me, a good hot marinade on the chicken I |
| this person a sizzling, delicious and scrumptious steak? | | | | cook on the grill is a must. Some folks however like it |
| Bar-b-qued chicken is the answer. Chicken is cheap! | | | | mild, so I always have some of both sauces ready to |
| Hamburger meat is cheap also! Either chicken or a lot | | | | use after the cooking is ¾ done. You can make |
| of burgers will satisfy a lot of people. There is no need | | | | your own sauce or buy it at the store. The hotter |
| to spend a lot of money on meat for someone you | | | | marinades you usually have to make yourself. I know |
| don't really like. Either one of these meat ideas will | | | | you can't please everyone but your friends will |
| satisfy a crowd without breaking the budget. | | | | continue to come over for a free meal if you don't |
| Basically what it comes down to is this: Do you like the | | | | sear their esophagus with a fiery chicken leg hot off |
| people in your party enough to buy at least twenty | | | | the grill! Give them a choice! |
| choice rib eye steaks or would it be better to have a | | | | Cooking chicken over a charcoal grill is not difficult. The |
| lot of hamburger meat, a box chicken quarters or a | | | | fire can't be extra hot because flames from the fat |
| few pork chops to throw on the coals. Whatever you | | | | dropping onto the coals will burn your chicken to a |
| decide, this is one of the first steps in planning for the | | | | crisp. Better to keep the fire at medium heat and add |
| backyard cookout. | | | | charcoal as you go along to maintain the proper |
| After the difficult decision of deciding on the meat that | | | | temperature. |
| the occasion deserves, you can then decide how | | | | When a meat thermometer is stuck between the |
| much to buy at the market. Not many people now-a- | | | | joints of a leg quarter reads 160 degrees, it's time to |
| days have enough meat in their freezer to supply a | | | | take the chicken off the grill. When the leg pulls easily |
| cook out without having to go to the market. | | | | away from the thigh, I say it's done. That's the lazy |
| IMPORTANT! Before you get too far along in the | | | | way of doing things. |
| planning, it's wise to decide on the appropriate time to | | | | Pork Chops: You can do many things with pork chops. |
| serve beverages. Adult beverages should be left in the | | | | Lemon pepper, Cajun spices or just plain salt and |
| cooler until after the flames have died. Bar-b-cuing to | | | | pepper or some of the marinades you can use to |
| us folks in the south is held in high regard, whether | | | | season pork chops. With red souses or great to use if |
| you're cooking for a crowd of twenty or for just a | | | | you wait until the meat is almost done. If you don't mop |
| few friends over on a Saturday evening. The | | | | the sauce onto the meat at the proper time, the chops |
| festivities should never be interrupted by the sound of | | | | will burn charcoal black because of the sugar in those |
| fire engines. I've heard that sound before at one of my | | | | sauces. |
| cook outs and it's not pretty! | | | | You can stuff them! You can grill them! You can |
| You've selected the meat and now you have to | | | | smoke them! Anyway you cook a pork chop on the |
| determine how much you're going to buy. This is not | | | | grill is good! Simply cook them on each side for about |
| really an easy thing to do. If you buy too little, your | | | | 6 minutes each until they are done. Larger chops |
| guests will think you're a cheap skate. If you buy too | | | | should be cooked a little longer. |
| much and have a lot left over, they will think you're | | | | Steaks: It's easy to mess up a good steak by cooking |
| throwing money away and you're just showing off. | | | | it too much. Don't do that! A good sprinkle of garlic salt, |
| Remember when you're a "master griller" the old rule | | | | a little pepper and you're off to the races. Throw the |
| of one steak or one pork chop per person goes right | | | | steaks on the grill and cook them one side for about |
| out the window. The food you prepare is so good that | | | | two minutes them flip them, sealing in the juices, making |
| it would almost be criminal to restrict each person to | | | | the meat more tender and delicious. Depending on |
| just one pork chop or one piece of steak! | | | | how thick the steaks are, cook them five to six |
| Of course the amount of meat you buy depends on | | | | minutes on one side. Leave them on longer if you want |
| the number of people invited to your cook out. A rule | | | | them well done. |
| of thumb I use is to multiply the number of people | | | | Every cookout can be an adventure, but when you |
| times one and a half if it's chicken. If it's pork chops or | | | | become a "master griller" every day you spend |
| steaks, I multiply the number of people time one and a | | | | outdoors with your grill or smoker is a vacation day! |