Phil's Grill

2011-03-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

We are back from the 2011 HPBE Expo held at Salt Lake City Utah. Great show! The new line of barbeque grill covers are exciting and so are some of the grills. One thing we noticed at the show this year was fewer gadgets and gimmicks. The big trend appeared to be built in system and custom system around your premium barbeque grill. Manufacturers and distributors were much more willing to talk with on-line retailers as viable partners notably one manufacturer quoted 120% increase due to online marketers. We are excited to see some of these changes and they will be effecting GrillingSpecialists

dessert to go with any barbecue

2010-01-31T13:57:00.000-08:00

This carrot cake recipe is the best I have made. The recipe was shared with me back in 1989 by a coworker. Enjoy and watch your guests light up with the first bite.
Carrot Cake
2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla
3 cups of shredded carrots
1 cup chopped nuts
Mix sugar and oil together and beat very well until the mixture looks fluffy. Add eggs then add dry ingredients alternately with the carrots, mix well. Add nuts. Pour into greased and floured 9X13 pan and bake at 350 degrees 45 to 60 minutes. Done when toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting:
1 8 oz. package creme cheese
1 stick butter
1 one pound box of powdered sugar (3 and 3/4 cups)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
dash of salt
chopped walnuts
Mix creme cheese and butter add rest of ingredients mix well. Frost cake. (little known secret the texture of the cake is better if frozen for a day and then thawed)

Barb-o-que Spareribs indoors

2010-01-21T16:59:00.000-08:00

This recipe was shared with me many years ago by a very good cook Carol Sherman. Although it is still cold outside these mouth watering spareribs are sure to stir the enthusiasm for thinking about grilling. Hope you enjoy.
Indoor barb-o-que spareribs
2 sheets of spareribs (about 4 pounds)
1 teaspoon of chilipowder
1 tablespoon of celery seed
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)
1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1 cup catsup or 8 oz. of tomato paste
2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons of liquid smoke
few drops of tobasco sauce (however hot you like it)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice (I use fresh lemons)
1 onion chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place ribs in a deep pan, sprinkle lemon juice on meat, salt & pepper, add chopped onion brown 30 minutes.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meat, reduce heat to 325 degrees bake about 2 hours or until liquid is absorbed.
Do not cover, turn occasionally.

Baked potatoes and a green salad are good compliments to the meat.

Be sure to check out the valentine baskets that will be given away to the first six 50 dollar orders on www.grillingspecialists.com website. These beautiful handmade baskets will not be available long, order your barbecue and grilling needs today at www.grillingspecialists.com

Beginning of a new season 2010

2010-01-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to Everyone. This year should be our best one yet. We have new products, providers and recipes to keep everyone looking forward to the next barbeque and backyard party.

Our new year advertising special is just in time for Valentines Day.
The first six - $50 purchases from www.grillingspecialists.com will receive one handmade crocheted lace bowl (total is calculated on the product dollar amount without shipping costs).

This bowl has been seen on other sites for $65.00.

Get this limited handmade beautiful crocheted lace valentine bowl while available. The first six qualifying orders will receive either an all red, red with white trim, or white with red trim bowl (our choice). The size of the bowl is approximately 26 inches around, 8.5 across and 4 inches deep. Because each bowl is individually hand-made, the size is approximate and may be larger or smaller than stated.

This bowl makes a beautiful center piece for your dining room table or dresser. It can be a thoughtful, stunning gift for someone special on Valentine's Day. Go to www.grillingspecialists.com now and be one of the first six to make a qualifying order.

Winner of the Grillin'opoly game!

2009-03-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to NJ who won the fabulous board game Grillin'opoly!
Thank you to all our readers who made this campaign such a huge success. We had several wonderful critiques to Grilling Specialists.com/which enabled us to improve the site and make it easier to navigate. We also added to our customer base extending to the east coast. '

Our 'Keep the enthusiasm building for Grilling' was so popular we are campaigning again for the month of March and the give away merchandise is a a six pack of cedar planks to use on the grill. If you have never eaten grilled salmon on a cedar plank you are in for one tantalizing experience. Included with the cedar planks will be recipes and instructions on how to best use the planks.

To be entered in the give away go to Grilling Specialists.com/then return to Phil's Grill blog and let us know you visited, that will give you an entry. If you make a statement about what you liked about the site or make a suggestion as to how to make the site more appealing to visitors (whether we use the suggestion or not) you receive a second entry. On the last day of March a random drawing will occur and you could be the next winner. Only two entries a day are allowed (sorry) however you can visit each day and browse to see what new merchandise we have added and if you return to Phil's Grill and let us know you visited, you get another entry.
Thanks again for all your support.

2009-02-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

Barbeque-rib-recipes by T Edwards

If you think barbequing ribs is hard, read this article. I have eaten barbeque in half of the 50 United States and I've been cooking it for over 20 years. My grandfather first introduced me to barbequing when I was just a kid. Some people call cooking meat on a grill "barbequing", some call it "smoking" meat, and some people just call it "grilling" meat. Believe it or not, these terms aren't really interchangeable. They are all different methods of preparing what is generally known as "barbeque" and cooking GOOD barbeque is NOT easy.
I could eat barbequed beef, pork, fish, or chicken every day. Good barbeque is amongst the best food on earth but my absolute favorite, bar none, is barbequed pork ribs. The smoky flavorful rib is untouchable when it's prepared correctly but really getting ribs correct can be easier said than done. It takes not only knowledge, but patience to get good barbequed ribs. Many people pull out the grill, throw some meat on it, slop sauce all over it, and call it barbeque. HA! Surely you jest!
Barbeque Ribs: The Basics
You probably need to get some practice before you really attempt to barbeque some ribs. Because of their relatively small amount of meat, they are very easy to mess up. It's probably best to start off with a bigger cut like a pork shoulder or Boston Butt. They are alot harder to burn and dry out and good choice to learn the fine art of seasoning. Yes, ribs can be difficult, especially if you try to rush them, but there is NOTHING better to eat. The pork spare rib, not the babyback, is my rib of choice. It's the first thing that people ask for when they ask for barbeque. There are a few ways to screw up ribs and I'll describe a few of them before you go getting any bright ideas about how you're going to prepare your own.

Boiling
This is the number 1 rib sin. I have known people to be arrested by the police and incarcerated for boiling ribs. In fact, some say that the reason the economy is so bad today is because members of Congress were boiling ribs in the White House.

Broiling
Using an open flame to cook ribs isn't barbequing, it's cooking. Many restaurants offer their "baby backs" prepared like this. Flame broiled ribs are kind of like crack cocaine: You may think you like it, but you really don't and it will ultimately kill you.

Baking
I have eaten ribs prepared in the oven but only because it was a choice between that and boiled squid. Anyone who tells you that they can get ribs from the oven that taste as good as ribs off a grill is either lying, crazy, or both. Ribs are prepared on a grill. Cake is prepared in an oven.

Frying
What?!?!?!?

Barbeque Rib Recipe #1:

If you didn't already know, barbeque is regional. It is different here in the South, than it is in Chicago or Memphis or New York. In the South, we prefer a dry rub on our ribs. Other parts of the country prefer them "wet" (more on that later). The main ingredient in just about any dry rub is paprika. Below is an easy dry rub for you to try. Some people don't care for a "spicy hot" barbeque so you can scale back the pepper or add some brown sugar to mellow it out.
1/2 cup of paprika
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of garlic salt
1 teaspoon of dry yellow mustard
1 tablespoon of cumin

You can also add some brown sugar if you want to mellow out the cayenne and black pepper.
Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl. Don't be afraid to taste your mixture. If it tastes bad on your finger, it'll taste bad on your ribs.

The first thing you'll want to do is rinse your rack (ribs) in cool water. If you're making spare ribs, there may be a boneless cut of meat on the underside of the rack. I usually trim that off and cook it separately. It cooks faster and makes for great samples or goes well in your baked beans. You'll also want to trim any excess fat off the ribs. Next, massage your rub into the ribs; don't be shy, get in there and rub 'em down good with the dry rub on both sides until you've got a good, thick coating. Next, wrap the slab up in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. Good barbeque is a two day process.

Slow cook your ribs away from the direct heat on your grill. Start them with the meat side up. A good cooking time is about 6 hours at about 180-200 degrees. Unless you have a "rib rack" in your grill, you'll need to flip them about three quarters of the way through. You'll know when they're done when the meat starts to shrink and pull away from the bone. To keep them from drying out, mist them with a mixture of half apple juice and water once or twice while they cook.
If you have a good barbeque rib recipe or have questions, PLEASE contact me at Tghini@gmail.com

About the Author
T Edwards has a PhD in BBQ. He's been eating barbeque for nearly 40 years and loves to add new recipes to his overstuffed recipe book. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and two barbeque pits. http://barbeque-rib-recipes.blogspot.com

Grillin'opoly game give away

2009-02-19T17:39:00.001-08:00

Grilling enthusiasts we are down to 9 days left until the drawing for the Grillin'opoly game. If you want to get in a few more entries go to / Grilling Specialists.com look the website over and comment on Phil's Grill. The drawing will be held February 28Th. The winner will be contacted by e-mail. Good luck to one and all.

2009-02-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

Bbq Fever!

By Richard Chan

Can you feel that grease dripping from the corner of your mouth onto your hands as you take a bite? You try to slurp in that gooey oil before it trickles down to your hands but instead you are forced to lick your fingers. How about those greasy fries layered in fat waiting to clog up your arteries. The juicy hamburger oozing with creamy mayonnaise intertwined with the thick sweet and sour sauce. Heck, we mind as well go the full nine yards and finish it off with a chocolate chip fudge sundae! I don’t know about you but I felt a little sick to my stomach just thinking about that grease earlier! Just another typical meal for most people on the go or picking up their food at a fast food joint.

What if I were to tell you this meal includes a beautiful scenery, fun event, taste great, served within 60 minutes, and most importantly it’s healthy! Since spring is here lets invite our friends, family, and neighbours for a delicious barbeque!

Let me begin with our entrée and this is one of my favourite dishes to start off my meal attack. Why I enjoy this one so much is because of the variety of meats and veggies on the skewer to get us warmed up.

GRILLED MEAT & VEGGIES ON SKEWERS

Choice of combination:

Combo 1: Vegetarian skewers-Zucchini, eggplant, pineapple, and peppers. Sauce includes 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped basil, and 1 teaspoon rosemary.

Combo 2: Boneless chicken with mushrooms, oranges, and peppers. Sauce includes 1 ½ cup of olive oil, 2/3 soy sauce, ½ cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons minced parsley.

Combo 3: Sirloin steak with onion, mangos, and peppers. Sauce includes 2 cups of salsa, 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.

Combo 4: Pork tenderloin with apples, onions and cherry tomatoes. Sauce includes ¾ cup cider vinegar, ¼ cup margarine, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

STEPS

1. Marinate the cubed meat in a healthy dressing you desire and ensure it is marinated for about 1-2 hours for more taste. Be creative with the sauce and you don’t have to use the ones I’ve recommended as you may have other ideas. Go ahead and design your own sauce if you feel you have something healthy that is brewing in your kitchen. Reseal the meat in a bag for 1-2 hours.

2. Place meat and vegetables/fruits on a skewer. Brush over the meat and vegetables/fruits with extra dressing.

3. Grill for about 15-20 minutes turning once. Optional choice to serve with brown rice.Voila the grilled meats and veggies are ready to be served to your guests! That is just the beginning and I am just starting to enjoy myself. Onto our next dish which is the grilled salmon with fiesta sauce. You can choose whatever secret sauce you want and in this case I chose fiesta because this is one of my favourites. I highly recommend you try it once and I know you won’t be disappointed! These days it’s so simple to make your own healthy marinated sauce rather than buying it in the supermarket. You can design your own family special sauce and who knows you may have a product that can be a hit on the market! All I have to say is it getting hot in here or is it me?!

GRILLED SALMON WITH FIESTA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1. Salmon Fillet

2. Fiesta Sauce includes ¼ cup light soya, ½ cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoon of lime juice, 2 tablespoon of rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of thai curry paste, and 2 teaspoon of fresh ginger grated.

DIRECTIONS

Brush each salmon with the fiesta sauce and grill it on a medium heat level. Flip the salmon over once it turns pink which is approximately 5-6 minutes each side. Once the salmon is done, drizzle the fiesta sauce over the grilled salmon again.

Alright, I didn’t forget about you seafood lovers! After two successful meals we can move on to something tasty and on the lighter side of things. Folks, how about some grilled lobster!

GRILLED LOBSTER WITH ASPARAGUS

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 (10 ounce) rock lobster tails

2. 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

3. ½ cup olive oil

4. 1 teaspoon salt

5. 1 teaspoon paprika

6. pinch of white pepper and garlic powder

7. 5 medium asparagus spears trimmed per serving

DIRECTIONS

1. The grill should be at a high heat

2. Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl and mix it in with the olive oil. Whisk both ingredients while continuing to add the salt, paprika, white pepper, and garlic powder. Split the lobster tails lengthwise and brush the flesh side of tail with the marinade. Brush over the asparagus as well.

3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Placing the tail flesh side down and cook for about 10 minutes. Turning once and continue to add the marinade frequently over the lobster and asparagus. The asparagus will be grilled about 4-6 minutes or until crisp tender.

A simple lobster dish that is delicious. There is no need for melted butter and the taste is unbelievable! Just make sure you really cut half way through the lobster meat lengthwise so it cooks in the middle. Also make sure you baste constantly to keep it moist.

Now, was I going to leave you helpless to not include the most important dish of the meal? I was just saving enough room for my stomach for the long awaited arrival of my beloved desert! We can finish it off with a fresh watermelon, fruit salad, fruit kabobs, and bowls of grapes or cherries to satisfy our needs. Or if you are like me we can make it a perfect ending by indulging ourselves in a sizzling fruit salad if that peaks your interest? Ok, let me dig into this a little further how simple this desert can be.

SIZZLE MY DIZZLE FRUIT SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1. Homemade Sour Cream-1 cup low fat ricotta cheese, 1 cup low fat yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, pinch of red pepper and salt, 1 tablespoon of Kool-Aid Orange Sugar Sweetened Drink Mix (combine ingredients in food processor and chill in refrigerator)

2. 1 medium pineapple that is peeled and cored. It is sliced into wedges.

3. 1 medium papaya that is peeled and seeded. It is sliced into wedges.

4. 2 medium bananas sliced diagonally

STEPS

1. Preheat the barbeque and ensure it is nicely greased at medium to high temperature.

2. Grill fruit 3 minutes per side or when it is lightly browned

3. Add additional toppings if you like with ¼ cup of blueberries and raspberries to the grilled fruit platter.

4. When done place the fruit on platter and drizzle the homemade sour cream mixture onto the fruit.

That was just music to my ears hearing the fruits sizzle. So, who needs cookies, pastries or even chocolates for desert? Just thinking about it, chocolates won’t blend with our party anyhow because we are too smoking hot! Our poor old chocolates will just melt away in the heat!

So, there you have it and that is a simple, fun and a healthy barbeque with our loved ones. I doubt there will be any leftovers but if you do have any, you can keep it in the refrigerator to have it the following day or store it for the week. Make your colleagues go crazy and bring it into work having them go delirious. One look at their own lunch that they just picked up at a fast food place will have them salivating over your food. One word of caution is to protect your food with your life and once you leave your lunch unguarded, I won’t be surprised if it’s missing from your desk!

About the Author: Richard Chan is a Health and Fitness Life Coach promoting harmonization with the mind, body, and soul. An individual that is keen in precision training to his clients resulting in optimal results. For more information you can visit http://www.flex-fitness.com.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=258496&ca=Cooking

Keep the Enthusiasm Building for Grilling!

2009-01-26T05:57:00.001-08:00

From January 15Th through February 28, 2009 visit / Grilling Specialists.com then return to Phil's Grill leave a comment on this post telling us if there are any items on the site that you would like that are not already there, include your e-mail address and/or mailing address. If you visit the commercial site a second time and leave a comment on Phil's Grill telling us how the site would be easier for you to use including your e-mail address and/or mailing address you will receive a second entry. If you put a link to http://www.grillingspecialists.com on your blog and leave a comment on Phil's Grill telling us you linked you will receive a third entry. On February 28Th at midnight a random drawing will occur from all the entries and you could be the winner of GRILLIN'OPOLY.

New Year Give Away instructions

2009-01-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Grilling enthusiasts! Phil's Grill is sponsoring a New Year's give away to keep the enthusiasm building for grilling. From January 15Th through February 28, 2009 visit / Grilling Specialists.com then return to Phil's Grill leave a comment on this post telling us if there are any items on the site that you would like that are not already there, include your e-mail address and/or mailing address. If you visit the commercial site a second time and leave a comment on Phil's Grill telling us how the site would be easier for you to use including your e-mail address and/or mailing address you will receive a second entry. If you put a link to http://www.grillingspecialists.com on your blog and leave a comment on Phil's Grill telling us you linked you will receive a third entry. On February 28Th at midnight a random drawing will occur from all the entries and you could be the winner of GRILLIN'OPOLY, a burger flipping, steak sizzling, property trading game.

Grilling Answers Ed. 2

2009-01-09T22:17:00.000-08:00

How do I effectively do beef brisket on a gas grill with a smoker box?

If you talk to my Texas friend, he would insist that it is sacrilege to take a brisket any where near a gas grill. He would insist the only way to smoke a brisket is over the coals. Indeed this is the effect that many of us want to produce while keeping the convenience of the gas grill. So can a respectable Brisket be produced on the gas grill with a smoker box?

I say, "Yes, you can."

The Meat:

Select your brisket. Make sure it has a layer of fat on one of the long, wide sides. This is essential in the brisket turning out properly. If you are not going to cut and prepare your meat, have your butcher do it for you.

Spicing:

Spice your brisket on top of the fat. The fat should be evenly coated with Sea Salt, Black Pepper (ground), onion powder, and garlic powder. In Grilling Answers Ed. 1 I suggest that steaks should receive only an 1/8th teaspoon on their faces. The difference here is that you are spicing the layer of fat and not the muscle fiber directly. Spicing the surface of the fat requires more spice and should resemble the look of the rubs you may have seen on television cooking shows. The fat that melts will take spice flavor with it into the muscle fiber. As the fat melts it will keep the muscle moist and impart the flavor of the spices.

The grill and smoke box:

The chips you choose will determine the flavor that is caught on the sides and back of the tongue when you eat the brisket. For brisket, I prefer the taste of Hickory or Mesquite wood chips. I have mixed these two flavors on one occasion and did not care for the results.

Most smoker boxes for the gas grill will accept only small flakes and not many of them. As a result, the smoke is generated for a brief period of time; and if you try to add chips, you loose the heat and the cooking momentum in the brisket. Most smoking boxes will produce good volumes of smoke for about 15 minutes. This is too short to get a good pink ring all the way around the edge.

You will need to create a smoke generator. This can be done using aluminum foil (several layers) and two to three cups of wood chips (well soaked). Place the wood chips in the middle of the layers of aluminum foil. Fold the foil over the mound of chips leaving a squared opening on top of the chips. This opening should be about 2 inches wide by 3 to 4 inches long. The net result is a mound that loosely looks like a volcano's caldera packed with wood chips. This will produce smoke and the large opening will fill the grill. The large mound of chips will last longer than the small smoker box. This packet is placed over the heat source under the grill grate.

Grill Heating:

If you are going to infuse the meat with smoke flavor, keep it moist, and cook it until it is tender, you are going to use an indirect grilling technique. In the smoking stage, you will have a grill hot enough to produce smoke on one side of the grill. Your brisket is on the cooler side over a drip pan. You maintain this arrangement until you have the amount of smoke flavor you want in your brisket.

At this stage the brisket is not done. Yes you can eat it, but you will experience the fiberous texture of the muscle. To truly be delectable, it needs to continue cooking. It is at this stage that you lower the temperature of the entire grill, place the brisket in a tightly sealed aluminum foil and allow the brisket to finish cooking.

I would smoke for a minimum of one hour (stage one). After the smoke generator stops, I wrap the brisket in foil and lower the over all temperature of the grill and continue cooking the brisket for 2 more hours (stage two), cooking time varies with the size of the brisket. Take the packet off the grill and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes (stage three). Cut and serve. Stage four is accepting the praise gracefully.

I like to make a honey-cracked mustard sauce to go with my brisket. Serve the sauce you like.

Answer to Grilling Questions Ed. 1

2009-01-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

When is there enough spice on a steak?

This has been the perplexing question that grillers face. Everyone's pallet is different. If you watch any of the modern cooking shows, you're encouraged to kick up the spice - usually with pepper flakes. Even large chain steakhouses make the mistake of adding too much spice. So what's backyard every man griller to do?

I rely on the 4 amigos - Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder. I usually rely on these spices in that order. I spice both sides of the steak. So while the steaks are on the plate side 1 is spiced. I place the spiced side to the flame and repeat the spices on the now up-facing side of the steak. This technique has proven time and time again.

Now how much spice? I use shakers to spice the meat. I shake until I have lightly spiced the entire side. For those of you who are more comfortable with measurements, each side of the steak would receive about 1/8th teaspoon of each of the four amigos (or for those of you with a size 13 ring on your 4th finger - a pinch between the forefinger and thumb).

This spicing works really well; however, the most important ingredient is the quality of the steak. Choosing a steak that has good marbling (small pieces of fat in the muscle) really makes the steak sing. One reason is that the fat helps to infuse the muscle fiber with the spices you placed on the surface. In addition, the fat rounds out the flavor in the mouth. This means that the fat helps your taste buds detect the flavor of the meat and the spices.

To achieve a similar effect, many restaurants add a dash of butter on the top of the steak before it is plated and served.

New Year give away #1

2009-01-08T16:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Grilling enthusiasts! Phil's Grill is sponsoring a New Year's give away to keep the enthusiasm building for grilling. From January 15Th through February 28, 2009 visit http://www.grillingspecialists.com then return to Phil's Grill leave a comment on this post telling us if there are any items on the site that you would like that are not already there, include your e-mail address and/or mailing address. If you visit the commercial site a second time and leave a comment on Phil's Grill telling us how the site would be easier for you to use including your e-mail address and/or mailing address you will receive a second entry. If you put a link to http://www.grillingspecialists.com on your blog and leave a comment on Phil's Grill telling us you linked you will receive a third entry. On February 28Th at midnight a random drawing will occur from all the entries and you could be the winner of GRILLIN'OPOLY, a burger flipping, steak sizzling, property trading game. A picture will be available soon describing the exciting game.

Thursday Thirteen #12

2008-12-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Thirteen What ifs

1. If you could, in retrospect, change one thing about your childhood what would it be?
2. If you could have stopped aging at any point in your life up to the present, how old would you want to remain?
3. If you could have chosen your own first name, other than your current one, what would it be?
4. If you had to describe the saddest thing that ever happened to you, what would you talk about?
5. If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
6. If you had to choose the single most valuable thin you ever learned what would it be.
7. If you could have invented anything from history what would you pick?
8. If you were to be successful in another profession, what would you want to do?
9. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
10. If you had to name your single worst fear, what would it be?
11. If you had to name the single most important quality of a good mate, what would it be?
12. If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?
13. If you could give your parents one gift, what would you give them?

To read more Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen #11

2008-12-10T18:39:00.000-08:00

Gifts that say, "Grill-on!"

1. A grill tool set that has your grilling specialist's team logo on it.

2. An apron that has been personalized to immortalize the grill master.

3. A grill light that illuminates the grill surface for these dark days.

4. An air tight spice box that can remain with the grill so that spices are always at hand.

6. One dozen salt shakers to be filled with the grilling specialist's favorite spices.

7. An add-on rotisserie to make the grill more versatile.

8. A synthetic cutting-board sized to fit the grill's wing table.

9. A wood chip box that allows the grill master to add smoke flavor to the gas grill.

10. A store and pour charcoal briquette bucket.

11. A fire starting chimney.

12. A grill wok.

13. A griddle for the gas grill.

Happy Holidays.

Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen #10

2008-12-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

Thirteen reasons a turkey on the rotisserie is a crowd pleaser.
1. The cook loves not having to mess with the basting, turkey bastes itself.
2. Kitchen is free of one less task.
3. The grill master extends his grilling season to the holidays.
4. It gives the family members who are not playing in the family superbowl a reason for not playing.
5. The turning bird mesmerizes looky lous.
6. The even gold brown skin instantly makes guests oh and ah like they did on the fourth of July.
7. People believe turkeys are difficult to cook, putting the bird on the rotisserie couldn't be easier.
8. One less pan to wash.
9. The breast meat remains flavorful, juicy and tender when cooked to 185 degrees and immediately removed from the spit.
10. Slice the entire breast off the turkey before slicing the breast.
11. Use a fork to keep skin in place when slicing so each guest will get a slice of the crackling.
12. Wait patiently for each person to taste.
13. Graciously accept the compliments and adoration your perfectly prepared turkey has brought you.

For more Thursday Thirteen Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen #9

2008-11-20T21:28:00.001-08:00

13 reasons to barbecue for Thanksgiving

1. Free oven space for other baked dinner items.

2. Use rotisserie to self baste the turkey.

3. Easiest way to get the grillmiester involved with making Thanksgiving dinner.

4. One less pan to wash.

5. Keep men folk out of the kitchen longer.

6. Place beer cooler by grill and men will self entertain.

7. Add a TV and you have yourself a tailgate party, not just another diner with the relatives.

8. Spicing the turkey skin is easiest with the rotisserie turned on.

9. Tell the kids to go ask the grillmiester "Is it done yet?"

10. Be sure to stop the rotisserie before temping the bird. Needs to reach 185 degrees.

11. The meat of the turkey will be like nothing you've experienced before, juicy and tender.

12. Be sure to have oven mitts on to remove the turkey and spit from the motor.

13. Grilling turkey on the rotisserie on the barbecue will produce the most beautiful turkey you will ever see.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday Thirteen

Thanksgiving Turkey

2008-11-18T17:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is almost upon us. We have our turkey in the freezer and will pull out the bird on Monday to begin thawing in the refrigerator. I will put the turkey on the rotisserie to cook for about 3 hours. Once we discovered the mouthwatering, moist, flavorful and easy was to cook the turkey on the spit, that's the only way to go. The turkey bastes itself. After washing the bird, I generously salt the inside, put the turkey on the spit and rub olive oil on the outside sprinkling a little sage, salt and pepper. Along with our turkey we will have raised dinner rolls, cranberry salad (family recipe), stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, relish tray and pie. We want to wish everyone a safe Happy Thanksgiving from Phil's Grill.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #8

2008-09-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

13 reasons to have a barbecue
1. Planning can involve everyone make it a family event.
2. Good reason to get together.
3. Allows you to show off your barbecue grill and tools.
4. Allows you to show off your barbecue skill.
5. The food is fabulous.
6. Clean up is a snap.
7. Get to be outside.
8. Gives the husband something to do.
9. The meal can be as simple or as elaborate as you want.
10. Opportunity to try new recipes.
11. Reason to buy a new barbecue tool.
12. Opportunity to fix something everyone enjoys.
13. Mom gets a night off.

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Thursday Thirteen Edition #7

2008-09-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Thirteen ideas to make a meal special from the wife of Phils Grill
1. Put fresh flowers on the table.
2. Use cloth napkins.
3. Purchase colorful paper napkins with matching paper cups & plates from the dollar store.
4. Use your holiday silverware for no reason, makes family members feel special.
5. Place some favorite music during dinner and turn off the TV.
6. Light candles.
7. Write each family member at the table a little note letting them know how special they are to you.
8. Put a special tablecloth on the table.
9. Begin the meal with a prayer and thank God for each person at the meal.
10. Make an event dessert like an erupting volcano cake.
11. Design a specific dinner topic to discuss such as what was the most unusual food you've ever tasted and what made it unusual? What places would you like to visit some day and why? What is your favorite movie and why?
12. Start your meal with appetizers.
13. Cook something you have never served before.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #6

2008-09-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Dill Salmon on a Cedar Plank http://www.grillingspecialists.com
Items needed:
Cedar plank - (GrillingSpecialists.com is running a fall special on cedar planks)
Filet of salmon uniform in thickness (aids in promoting even cooking and all areas finish cooking at the same time)
Fresh dill
Fresh lemon
Salt
Pepper
Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish filet)

1. Submerge the cedar plank in a container of water for 3 hours. Most plank packaging state soaking time as 20 minutes. We have found with a 20 minute soak, the plank begins to burn too soon. We weight the plank down in a container so that all the wood is exposed to the water and is filled with as much water as it will take. This protects the salmon and provides us with the longest window to cook the fish in.
2. When the plank is ready, preheat the grill or barbecue. In this case you want the grill hot enough to make the plank smoke – not burst into flames. Indirect grilling typically will not produce enough smoke to flavor the meat. However, direct grilling with a heat that will not allow you to keep you hand over the area for 2 seconds will ignite the cedar within 10 minutes. Your grill temperature needs to be between these two extremes.
3. Take the salmon filet place on plank and generously squeeze ½ of a fresh lemon on the filet.
4. Salt and pepper to taste. We use an oregano salt, but sea salt, kosher salt, or iodized salt are fine. Iodized salt is our last option because it can leave a detectable taste.
5. Chop the fresh dill and sprinkle over the salmon.
6. Slice the second half of the fresh lemon and put the slices on top of the salmon.
7. Turn the grill to low, place the plank with the salmon on the grill, close the lid.
8. Check in 10 minutes.
9. Have a spray bottle of water to spray the cedar plank if it catches on fire. Use a wide-blade spatula to move the plank to a cooler area of the grill if necessary.
10. The fillet should be done in about twenty to thirty minutes depending on the thickness. Fish is done when the flesh is opaque – no translucent area and you are able to flake the meat with a fork.
11. Tips: We like to remain close while the plank is on the grill. This way if we see too much smoke, we can keep the plank from burning and make any adjustments.
12, We have found this recipe to be a nice basis for a formal dinner and a quick meal for the family.
13. Add a fruit or green salad and you have a feast for the eyes and soul.

Enjoy.
Phil's grill
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Time Flys

2008-09-03T06:25:00.001-07:00

Well folks we are into September. Seems like we didn't have much of a summer here in Yakima with such a cold spring, the weather took forever to warm up. On Sunday 8/31 we had snow up on Chinook Pass, we may be getting an early winter. At any rate, it is always time for grilling. Please visit again on Thursday Thirteen where I will share with you a mouth watering recipe for dill salmon on a cedar plank.

Thursday Thirteen #5

2008-08-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Thirteen safety tips
1. Wash your hands often
2. Have hot pads close by
3. Have a spray bottle of fresh water near the barbecue
4. Start with a clean grill. Build up of grease can easily catch fire
5. Do not leave your barbecue unattended with food cooking
6. Know where your first aid kit is located
7. If you have someone using the barbecue who has little experience share with them safe practices when barbecuing.
8. Put cooked meat on a clean platter.
9. Be sure all the controls are in the off position when done cooking.
10. Use correct cooking utensils when barbecuing.
11. Cook meat, chicken and fish to the appropriate temperature.
12. Use separate cutting boards to cut up chicken and cut up vegetables.
13. When done eating put left overs in the refrigerator right away to prevent growth of bacteria.

Congratulations to my nephew Jerry and Kandy on the birth of their baby girl today at 8#11oz.

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Thursday Thirteen Edition (#3 correction) #4

2008-08-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

13 favorite items to barbeque
1. T-bone steaks
2. Thick pork chops
3. Salmon on cedar planks
4. Cod
5. Shrimp/scallop kabobs
6. corn on the cob
7. asparagus
8. hamburgers
9. skirt steak
10. Lamb chops
11. chicken
12. rotisserie turkey on the barbecue
13. mixed vegetables

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Not exactly as planned

2008-08-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

Salmon was on the menu for Sunday night. Grilled salmon on cedar planks. However for whatever reason the grill was having an off night and the cedar plank caught fire and the salmon ended up overdone, however was still good. We try to have every attempt at barbecuing turn out a success sometimes ends up not exactly as planned.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #3

2008-08-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

13 suggestions for selecting meat
1. Let your nose guide you. If the meat counter or fish counter smells offensive keep walking.
2. Look closely at the meat counter and processing area, is it clean? any flies?
3. Closely examine the meat, is it pink, fresh looking or old and dry?
4. Wrapped meat; is the packaging intact?
5. Look for the expiration date on the package. There should be at least 3 days before it expires.
6. Red meat should be pink not grey.
7. White meat often is a translucent light pink. As it ages it becomes more opaque and grey.
8. Fish when fresh appears slick, translucent and does not smell "fishy".
9. Fresh meat resists pressure, as a result is pliable but holds it shape.
10. Fat: Balance the fat. A little fat helps flavor the meat
11. Thickness of the meat and preference of cooking stage will determine the length of time the meat will be cooked
12. Choose meat selections that are uniform in thickness so cooking time is consistent.
13. If you do not see the meat you want in the meat case get the attention of the meat department staff and ask if the meat you want is available. Often times they will cut meat to a customers preference when asked.

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THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE THURSDAY THIRTEEN:
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener!

Thursday Thirteen Edition #2

2008-08-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

13 steps to smoking first prize award winning meat

1. Select your meat for smoking. Pick pieces that are about the same size, so that all the meat will finish about the same time.
2. Flavor selection – Choose the chip of choice. We have found hickory to be one of our favorites. Put the smoking chips in water to soak at least two hours before using. Wedge a large piece of wood on top to hold the remaining chips down in the water. Soaking allows the wood to swell with water and produce the smoke that will flavor the meat.
3. Get ready for fire – Prime your charcoal chimney by crumpling newspaper and placing in the bottom of the chimney. Set it in the firebox. Fill the chimney with charcoal. Light the paper through the vents in the bottom and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. First spicing – Spice the side of the meat that will be lying on the rack.
5. Second spicing – Spice the fat side of the meat. The fat should be on top. During the smoking process, the fat will keep the meat moist.
6. Chimney sweep – Put on a glove or oven mitt before taking hold of the hot chimney handle, empty the contents of the charcoal chimney onto a few soaked chips. Keep the coals concentrated to maintain the heat that was generated in the chimney.
7. On top of ol’ Smokey – add a few chips to the top of the charcoal pile. This will help generate smoke.
8. Now you’re cookin’ – close the lid to the smoke chamber and the fire chamber.
9. Now adjust the fresh air intake on the side of the fire chamber to regulate the heat. Adjust the smoke vent on top of the smoker to regulate the amount of smoke that fills the smoke/cook chamber.
10. Shuffling the deck – The smoke chamber has hot and cool spots. To make sure all the meat cooks evenly, rotate the pieces of meat from side to side.
11. Fueling the Fire – Smoking takes up to 4 hours to bring all the meat up to temperature. Add charcoal about every 30 minutes. Chips may burn faster, so a watchful eye never hurts.
12. When the meat has a beautiful rich dark brown color, remove from the smoker.
13. The slice of life – The meat needs to rest (set without being cut) for 15 minutes. This will allow the meat fibers to stabilize to the point where they can hold their juices. So now the slice you select is not only delectable with the flavors of your favorite smoke, the slice is luxurious with a burst of flavor inundating your tongue.

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Backyard Party

2008-08-02T07:04:00.001-07:00

Today we will have a few friends over for an outdoor barbecue. The menu will include smoked lamb shank, smoked pork country style ribs, smoked beef tri-tip roast, hot dogs accompanied by macaroni salad, fresh fruit, rolls, ice tea, lemonade and chewy brownies for dessert. Having a barbecue on a beautiful summer weekend with good friends and family; life doesn't get any better than that. Check back on Thursday where my Thursday Thirteen will include 13 steps for perfectly smoked meat.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #1

2008-07-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

Thirteen of Phil's favorite grilling accessories
1. Stainless steel 6 burner with infra red heat barbecue
2. Pig tail meat hook
3. 18" grill tongs
4. Grilling knife with 18" handle
5. Grill Griddle
6. Vegetable basket
7. Grill Wok
8. Cedar Planks
9. Spray bottle
10. Grill spatula with 18" long handle
11. Meat Fork
12. Thermometer Fork
13. Fish barbecue basket

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Thursday Thirteen

Smoking with wood

2008-07-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

Smoking with wood chips is a great way to add tremendous flavor to your meat. I've used several different types of wood and found hickory to be one of my favorites. Preparation for meat smoking is relatively simply and fills the air with delightful aroma. Here are some few simple steps to follow:
1. Select the flavor of wood chips you wish to use, put in a bucket, add water and allow to soak for at least 2 hours.
2. Select the cut of meat you wish to smoke.
3. When the chips have soaked for at least two hours, start your charcoal.
4. Remove the wood chips from the water and add to the top of the prepared coals.
5. Place your meat in the smoker.
6. Close the lid. In a few hours you will have smoked meat.

Grilling Specialties

2008-07-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Grilling for me doesn't happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Grilling for me is a 365 experience. There is nothing like the smell of charcoal and grilling steaks at 30 below to make all your neighbors jealous as they sit down for turkey or ham as their Christmas dinner. Some how a celebration like this for tels the promise of spring. What a gift! your neighbors inhale on that Christmas morning when they smell that steak pristinely in the crisp air. Similarly in the height of summer with the smoker blaring the scent of hickory or maple your neighbors will know that something delightful will emerge in a couple of hours.

Grilling 365 take seasonal cooking and creates a life style. We hope to explore that life style with you.