Grilling 101 From FoodFit

 Instructions and REcipes by SDteven Raichlen

Grilling is the ultimate high-flavor, low-fat cooking method—not to mention the quintessential taste of summer. The high, dry heat of the fire melts away fat, even as it imparts an inimitable, rich, smoky flavor. Grilled vegetables taste sweeter; grilled meats and seafood stay more succulent; and even fruit, like fresh pineapple, acquires a haunting smoke flavor when grilled. I'm of the school that, whatever you're serving (with the possible exception of ice cream), it probably tastes better grilled.

How To:

Before you fire up your grill, you need to know about two distinct cooking methods: direct and indirect grilling. Direct grilling is done directly over the fire at a high heat for a short time. This is the way to grill small or thin pieces of food, such as chicken breasts, fish fillets, steaks, vegetables, tofu, bread slices, pizza, etc.

Indirect grillingis done next to, not over the fire, and is used for large or tough cuts of meat, like whole chickens, turkeys, and briskets. To indirect on a charcoal grill, you rake the lit coals into 2 piles at opposite sides of the grill, or place them in your grill's side baskets. Place a drip pan in the center under the grate to catch the fat. In indirect grilling, you always cover the grill, which turns your grill into a sort of outdoor oven. There's another advantage to indirect grilling—it eliminates burning meat fat—a suspected source of carcinogens.

The Great Gas vs. Charcoal Debate:

So what's better, gas or charcoal? It's really a matter of your temperament. If you're a result oriented person who likes push-button convenience and a reliable, easy-to-control heat source, you'll be happier with gas. If you enjoy the process of building a fire, messing around the coals, and waltzing the food from hot spots to cool spots, a charcoal grill is your ticket. Gas grillers are destination oriented; charcoal grillers like the journey.

Come on Baby, Light My Fire:

If you opt for charcoal grilling, buy natural lump charcoal (sometimes called charwood), which is made from kiln baked logs or trees. (One good brand is Nature's Own, sold by People's Woods, 1-800-729-5800.) Commonplace charcoal briquettes can contain coal dust, petroleum binders and other ingredients you wouldn't necessarily want to cook over.

You should also invest in a chimney starter, a large, upright metal cylinder with a partition in the center. The charcoal goes in the top; a crumpled piece of newspaper in the bottom. You light the paper and in 15 minutes you have evenly lit coals without having to use a petroleum-based lighter fluid.

When I grill, I build a three zone fire. I pile the coals in a double layer on one side of the grill, in a single layer in the center, and leave the other side of the grill without coals. This gives you a hot zone to sear over, a moderate zone to cook over, and a cool zone, where you can move the food if it starts to burn.

Heat control is a snap on a gas grill: simply adjust the burner knobs.

Where There's Smoke:

One of the unique advantages of grilling (besides its low fat health benefits) is that it allows you to give foods an old-fashioned smoke flavor. To smoke on a charcoal grill, soak a couple of cups of hardwood chips (like oak or hickory) in cold water for 1 hour, drain well, then toss them on the coals. To smoke on a gas grill, place the soaked chips in the smoker box (if your grill has one), or wrap them in heavy duty foil, make a few holes in the resulting package, and place it under the grate, directly over one of the burners. When you see wisps of smoke, start grilling.

 The Ten Commandments of Grilling (adapted from the Barbecue Bible):

1. Be organized. Have everything you need—the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, and equipment—on hand and at grill side before you start grilling.
2. Gauge your fuel. There's nothing worse than running out of charcoal or gas in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals 3 inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you're planning to cook. When using a gas grill, start with at least 1/3 of a tank of gas.
3. Direct grilling is a high heat cooking method. Use the "3 second" test to gauge the temperature: Place your hand about six inches above the grate. You should be able to hold it over a properly hot fire for 3 seconds.
4. Keep it clean. There's nothing less appetizing than grilling on dirty, old bits of burnt food stuck to the grate. Get a long-handled, stiff wire brush and use it to clean the grate. Brush after you've preheated the grill, but the food goes on. Brush again, when you've finished grilling.
5. Keep it lubricated. Always oil the grate before placing the food on it. Dip a folded paper towel in oil, grab it with tongs, and rub it over the bars of the grate. Or grease the grate with a piece of bacon. (The flavor is great; the amount of fat negligible.) A well-greased grate keeps food from sticking and gives you handsome grill marks.
6. Turn, don't stab. The proper way to turn meats on a grill is with tongs or a spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork—unless you want to drain the flavor-rich juices onto the coals.
7. Know when to baste.Oil- and vinegar-, citrus-, soy-, or yogurt-based bastes and marinades can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking. (But not the last 5 minutes.) Brush on sweet barbecue sauces at the very end, so the sugar won't burn.
8. Keep it covered. When cooking larger cuts of meat, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb, or prime rib, use the indirect grilling method. Keep the grill covered and resist the temptation to peek.
9. Give it a rest. Beef, steak, chicken—almost anything you grill—will taste better and be juicier if you let it stand on the cutting board for a few minutes before serving.
10. Never desert your post. Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it's cooked. Most of all, have fun.

Remember that grilling isn't brain surgery. And that's the gospel!

Classic Burgers with Red Onion and Horseradish

This recipe serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
saltto taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef sirloin
1 red onion, sliced
4 onion rolls

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, combine the horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
(This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

2. Preheat the grill to medium-high.

3. Shape the ground sirloin into 4 patties, about 1/2-inch thick. Season the patties with salt and pepper.

4. Grill the patties on both sides until the burgers are just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

5. Toast the onion rolls on the grill.

6. Serve the burgers with sliced red onion and horseradish sauce on the toasted onion rolls.

Serving Size:1 burger

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Number of Servings: 4

Grilled Trout with Herbs and Citrus-Nut Oil Dressing

From Food Network Kitchens

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (about 5 ounces fish flesh to eat)

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless trout, each about 8 to 9 ounces, cleaned
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil

Dressing:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 small orange)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup hazelnut oil

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat an outdoor grill or preheat a grill pan to high. Pat the fish very dry with with paper or kitchen towels. Season the inside of each trout with salt and pepper, to taste. Stuff each fish with a quarter of the butter, shallots and tarragon. Tie the fish closed with kitchen twine, dental floss, or thread the fish closed with a skewer.

Brush the fish lightly with oil. Season the outside of the fish with generously with salt and the pepper, to taste. Grill the trout until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish registers 125 degrees F, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile make the dressing: Put the vinegar, orange zest, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a dressing.

Snip off the string or remove the skewer and serve each fish drizzled with some of the dressing.

Grilled Sea Bass Marinated in Sake

This is a simple grilled sea bass dish to prepare. Since you can marinate the fish overnight, this makes it a great make ahead meal.

At a Glance;

Prep Time : 10min

Cook Time : 10min

Course : Entree

Special : Easy, Few Ingredients

Type of Prep : Grill

Cuisine : Asian, Japanese

Occasion : Cookout, Family Dinner

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pieces of sea bass, about 4 ounces each
• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION:

Place sea bass pieces in a shallow glass dish. In a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Pour mixture over fish, cover, and allow to marinate in refrigerator for 3-12 hours. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.

Remove fish from glass dish and discard marinade. Place fish on grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning once. When fish is opaque and flakes easily, remove from heat and serve.

Tuna with Oregano - - Tonnu Rigatanu

Tonnu Rigatanu, or Tuna with Oregano: Another Sicilian grilled fresh tuna recipe. In the tradition of older Italian recipes it doesn't give quantities, but rather outlines a procedure. So it will serve as many as you buy fish for. Figure one fish steak per person.

At a Glance:

Prep Time : 1hr 

Cook Time : 25min

Course : Entree

Special : Easy, Quick

Type of Prep : Grill

Cuisine : Italian

Occasion : Summer

INGREDIENTS:

• Fresh tuna steaks
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Buy your fish cut into portion-sized steaks or cut it up when you get home. Make a marinade with olive oil, minced garlic (1-2 cloves), salt, pepper, and abundant fresh oregano, minced. Marinate the fish for about an hour, and grill the pieces, turning them repeatedly and basting them with the marinade. When they're done serve them with the remaining marinade on the side.

Fruited Fish Kabobs

You can use other fruits in this easy grilled entree recipe - try peaches, mangoes, or pears.

At a Glance:

Prep Time : 25min

Cook Time : 10min

Course: Entree

Special : Easy

Type of Prep : Grill

Cuisine : U.S. Regional

Occasion : Cookout, Party

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup fish stock
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 2 tsp. fresh minced thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb. cod fillets, cut into 1" pieces
• 8 green onions, cut into pieces
• 8 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
• 8 apricots, cut into halves

PREPARATION:

In glass baking dish, combine stock, oil, thyme, salt, white pepper, and bay leaf for marinade. Place fish in glass baking dish and pour marinade over. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Remove bay leaf from marinade and discard.

Remove fish from marinade and reserve marinade. Thread fish pieces, onions, and fruit on metal skewers, leaving a small space between each piece.

Grill or broil kabobs 6" from heat source, turning several times and brushing with marinade during cooking, until fish flakes easily when tested with fork, about 10-15 minutes. Discard any remaining marinade. 4 servings