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.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?!?!?!?
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
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.
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
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
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Grillin'opoly game give away
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.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Bbq Fever!
By Richard ChanCan 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
Monday, January 26, 2009
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.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
New Year Give Away instructions
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.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Grilling Answers Ed. 2
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.
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
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.
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.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
New Year give away #1
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.
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