Grill Cooking

[Billie]

Gabe and I bought a new Weber Grill today and I thought it would be nice to have a place to put up some grill recipes. We didn't do anything to fancy tonight just some butterfly chops but sharing some grill recipes for the coming spring and summer months would be fun! We also got a broiler pan with the grill, we are going to try to do bacon or sausage and pancakes outside when the weather gets nicer.

What about you, what are some things you have done on the grill?

Marinades?
Meat Types?
Briquettes or Hickory?
Fish?

Any of the above?

[Gaelen]

Billie, I'm thinking that this is what I'd like to do with a piece of lamb for my at-home easter celebration. This is a method I saw on Emeril Live, for Yogurt Marinated Grilled Leg of Lamb (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_14939,00.html). Emeril used leg of lamb, but I'm thinking that for me, it would work equally well with either a small rack, or lamb chops. ;)

It'll be briquettes...I'm a traditionalist with a large and a small Weber charcoal grill. And for dessert, I'm thinking some grilled pineapple slices will be perfect. ;)

[Billie]

Oh I love the idea of the grilled pineapple Pat, that sounds like fabulous. Anything other than slice and grill with those?

What we are learning is that there is so much you can do with a grill. Last night we had chicken breasts on the grill and then in a cast iron skillet, we added asparagus, red peppers, onion, mushrooms, a bit of tarragon, white wine and butter and sauteed that while the chicken was cooking.

Delicious low carb dinner--and no pans to clean up you gotta love it!

Tomorrow weather willing, we are going to try to do a whole brunch on the grill--ricotta pancakes, sausage and eggs. Could be very interesting. We bought a plate for the Weber that is for smooth on one side ala pancake style and grated on the other like for bacon or sausage.

[Gaelen]

Oh I love the idea of the grilled pineapple Pat, that sounds like fabulous. Anything other than slice and grill with those?

Billie, if you have carbs to spare, you can marinate the pineapple in a little orange juice, or some rum. :) I also like to sprinkle some cinnamon on each slice just before tossing it on the grill--but if they're fresh and sweet, they don't need too much more than their own goodness!

[Gaelen]

Okay, I may have a new easter menu item...the grocery store with the best fish market was giving samples tonight of grilled sardines (which are nothing at all like the nasty things that come in cans!) They were grilled very simply until the skins were crispity, and then dressed with a lemon viniagrette, and they were out of this world. I think a little dijon mustard in the viniagrette or some red chile flakes would be a nice touch, too. I liked it so much that I bought two sardines (each about 6-7" long, and half the width of my palm, and two sardines came in under 1/3 lb.)

Portugese-Style Grilled Sardines with Lemon-Pepper Viniagrette
12 fresh sardines (approximately 1 pound)
extra virgin plive oil
sea or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat grill. If sardines aren't cleaned, use kitchen shears to slit them from jawline to tail, scale if needed and rinse insides/outsides thoroughly.
Wash the sardines and soak in cold water for 10 minutes. Pat dry with a towel.
Grill the sardines for 3 to 5 minutes until just cooked through (but make sure the outer skin is browned and crispity.)

Lemon-Pepper Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small shallot, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup red onion--Gaelen)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Place lemon juice and shallot/onion in a blender and blend until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Add pepper and salt and blend for 5 seconds. Drizzle over the grilled sardines.

(Gaelen's notes: I only made up about a third of the vinaigrette, so just whisked everything together...no need to drag out the blender for a half-cup of dressing/sauce!)

[BethB]

Gosh Billie, there are soooo many great things to do with a grill.

Around my house in the summer, Sunday dinners are grilled steaks - mine marinated in Lawry's mesquite marinade (a lc option) with grilled zucchini. I wish you could see DD (almost 4) put away 1 1/2 med zucchini by herself!

We like beer can chicken too, although we do use an inverted stand since I don't want to eat the printing on the beer can! ;) Very simple, put light beer in the middle, put a chicken on top and go.

I adore grilled fish. We have done that a couple of ways. I have a fish basket which is good for whole fish, or really big fillets. We also cook fish in foil packets. Most of the time we leave the skin on.

The best part for us is that our grill is gas and is ready to go anytime.

How did the breakfast work out?

[Ottawa]

A friend introduced us last year to using cast iron pans in the BBQ. We liked it so much that I asked friends and relatives to look at yards sales for large fry pans and before I knew it had 5 of them for $7.00 including one large ranch-house style pan.

Using a barely oiled pan with a high temperature oil just wiped on you heat it up for several minutes on full heat, then add your meat or fish which is oiled/buttered. The meat sears immediately or in the case of fish, you see it go from translucent to white and the cooked line moves through the fish fast enough that you see it moving as it picks up the residual heat stored in the cast iron.

With a steak, it gets flipped after a minute or so of searing on one side and any veggies added then as well. A few more minutes and you transfer the steak to the grill rack to pick up some grill markings (for presentation) and serve.
It works especially well with fish since the surface is flat and with some thinner cuts you have to worry about flaking and breaking but in the pan it is on a solid flat surface.
We did get a larger cooking surface for Father's Day last year but it is a thinner aluminum surface that is anodized and it does not work the same for transferring heat although it is large enough to do a side of salmon.
I add prebutter or oil teh fish and put it on the metal and once flipped, add a few ounces of lime juice that has a 8-10 drops of SweetZfree (liquid Sucralose). It evaporates quickly leaving a sweet/lime coating on the fish.

[Gaelen]

Paula Deen made this recipe, using red snapper, that she started in the oven and finished under the broiler, to serve four. She called it Can't Miss Fish (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_29533,00.html), and since I didn't have red snapper, I made it with a frozen orange roughy fillet. I think these flavors would work with any white fish, or with lake trout or salmon.

I made it with a single orange roughy fillet, wrapped in foil and cooked on my George Foreman. I also eliminated the salt and added lemon slices to the 'rack' of veggies under the fish, used red onion instead of white onions (scallions or leeks would also work), and used all red bell pepper (all I had.) The recipe would work equally well in a cast iron skillet or wrapped in foil on an outdoor grill. I couldn't eat or cook much today, but this was very low effort and yummy.

Here was my single-serve variation:

Can't Miss Fish--grilled in a foil packet (adapted from a recipe by Paula Deen)

1 orange roughy fillet, about 6 oz. and approx. 1/2-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
3 slices of lemon, each about 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat grill to medium, or about 350 degrees F.

Season the fish with the pepper. Spread the onions, lemon slices and all but 1 tablespoon of the red pepper on a double-layer 12" square piece of foil.

Place the fish on top of the onions, peppers and lemon slices, and bring the sides and ends of the foil straight up around the fish. Dot the fish with pieces of the butter. Sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce and the grated parmesan cheese on top.

To make the foil packetL Bring the long sides of the foil together and fold or roll them down to the fish, being careful to crimp them tightly as you start to roll it. Roll each of the narrow ends toward the fish, making an envelope or packet. Crimp the ends tightly toward the fish.

Put the foil packet, seam side up, on the preheated contact grill and close the lid. Grill approx 6-7 minutes if the fish is thawed, 8-10 minutes if the fish fillet is frozen. There's no need to flip the packet on a George Foreman style grill with top and bottom cooking plates; on a standard barbeque grill, flip the foil packets to seam side down after 6 minutes, and cook another 6 minutes on the second side (12 minutes total)

Since I used lemon slices, Worcestershire sauce and parmesan cheese, I didn't add salt when seasoning the fish...you can add it if you prefer it more salty. In foil packets, there is also no need to baste the fish as Deen did when she baked it off in the oven.

If you don't like Worchestershire sauce, try soy sauce, lemon garlic or dijon viniagrette, basic Italian herb dressing or your personal favorite citrus-y barbeque sauce--they'd all work. This really is a can't-miss recipe for fish, and you can vary it any way that suits your personal tastes. Enjoy!

[cmcole]

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-barbecue-grilling/bbq-tips.htm#Steven-Raichlen-Tips-Grilled-Steak

Steven Raichlen’s Top 10

Tips for Great Grilled Steak
Choose the right steak. Rib-eye or flank, t-bone or top round – there’s a choice for every type of grill, fire, budget and taste.

Choose the right seasoning. Use rubs, marinades, sauces, butters and bastes to add an extra dimension of flavor. Even something as basic as sea salt and cracked black pepper adds a spectacular taste to beef.

Steaks partner deliciously with a world of interesting flavors – the possibilities are endless.

Build the right fire. Understand the difference between direct and indirect grilling and when to use each. Remember, every fuel and fire burn differently.

Cook it to perfection. It’s easy when coals and grill are the right temperature and you follow the basic cooking guidelines for the steak. (If the grill is too hot, the outside of the steak can overcook before the inside is ready; if too cold, you won’t get the right searing.) Use the "1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi method" to recognize when your grill is ready.

Know when your steak is done. Remember medium rare is 145°F; medium 160°F and well done is 170°F. Use an instant-read meat thermometer or the "poke" test to check for doneness. An instant-read thermometer gives you the internal temperature immediately.

Turn, don’t stab. Tongs are the most important tool in the griller’s workshop, enabling you to turn the steak without stabbing it. Look for spring loaded, long-handled tongs – 14 to 16 inches.

Give it a rest. After grilling, give the steak a rest for a couple of minutes to let the juices redistribute before cutting into it. A drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter gives the steak a handsome sheen and spectacular flavor and finish.

Keep it clean! Always brush your grill grate with a stiff wire brush to clean it. (If you don’t have a brush, use a piece of crumpled foil.) Clean the grate after preheating, and again, after grilling. Oil the grate with a folded paper towel dipped in oil and rubbed over the bars of the grate. Food will stick to a dirty grate and you won’t get those snappy grill marks.

Grill safely. Make sure the grill rests securely on the ground, deck, patio, or other surface. Never leave a lit grill unattended; don’t use it indoors or in a garage or carport. Always keep children and pets at a safe distance.

And above all, have fun! Don’t be afraid to try something new. That’s what grilling is all about.

Courtesy of Steven Raichlen, How to Grill (Workman, 2001)

National Cattlemen's Beef Association http://www.beef.org (http://www.beef.org/)

[cmcole]

Tips for Grilling Fish

I hesitate to recommend cooking times for fish or any other product on a grill. The reason for this is that every grill cooks differently, so my time on my Weber gas grill will be different than your charcoal grill or Hibachi.

But I'm going to give you a guideline anyway, because overcooked fish and seafood is basically "cat food" in my opinion! So here goes! These guidelines are based on direct heat cooking over a medium hot grill. See, confusing already!

Small whole fish will need about 7 minutes on each side. A little longer if stuffed.

Large whole fish will need about 15 minutes per side, again longer if it is very large or stuffed.

Fillets (like salmon) will need about 6-8 minutes per side. Trout fillets may only need 4 minutes per side.

Steaks (like halibut or salmon) usually need about 5 minutes per side.

Kabobs are usually cut into chunks a little over an inch thick and will need about 12 minutes turning often.

Remember Please: These are just guidelines to use in planning your meal. Every grill is different and will produce different results. Oh yeah! Remember to always cook fish and seafood like shrimp on a cleanly scraped grill that has been brushed with a little oil or fat. Do not "dry weld" your fish to a filthy grill!

Cook fish on an oiled grill skin side down for the first part of the cooking time. The skin protects the fish from burning and drying out. It also can provide natural oils to your grill, so when you flip the fish it doesn't stick.

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-barbecue-grilling/bbq-tips.htm#Steven-Raichlen-Tips-Grilled-Steak

[Gaelen]

I really miss Whole Foods now that I'm not in NYC every month (and William Greenberg's, and Central Park, and the Metropolitan Museum...but that's another post... ;)) I'd signed up for their newsletter because I really like their inventive vegetarian recipes, but they do a lot with organic foods in general, including meats and sustainably caught/raised fish.

This is the link to their Summertime Grilling Special Publication (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/list_grilling.html). Note that all of these recipes are copy-protected, so please post a link to the original recipe if you use it, unless you substantially alter the ingredients, directions and title to make it your own. The special publication on their website includes sections (and links to recipes kept on their site) for:

=============================================
Tips
Grill Like an Expert
Grilling with Dry Rubs
Natural Meat Selection

Beef, Lamb & Pork
Asian-style Baby Back Ribs
Beef Brochettes with Couscous
Favorite Stuffed Burgers with Gorgonzola and Smoky Bacon
Frontera Grilled Steak with Red Onions and Arugula
Grilled Caribbean Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Marinated Steak with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese
Grilled Pork Chops
Grilled Rib Roast
Hardwood Grilled Leg of Lamb
Marinated Ribeye with Lemon Pepper Sauce
Marinated Sirloin
Perfect Burgers
Persian Lamb Kebobs with Minted Pilaf
Picture Perfect Steak
Ribs, ribs...and more ribs!
Stuffed Burgers
Tuscan Style Steak
Ultimate Burger

Poultry
Beer-Steamed Grilled Chicken-Cilantro Sausages
Chili Lime Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
Garlicky Grilled Orange Chicken
Grilled BBQ Chicken
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Grilled Chicken Sausage and Red Pear Skewers
Grilled Chicken Under a Brick-Tuscan Style
Ginger-Marinated Grilled Chicken
Grilled Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas
Marinated Chicken Wings
Orange Chicken Skewers with Sesame Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Teriyaki Chicken
Turkey Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Salsa

Seafood
Firecracker Grilled Alaskan Salmon
Grilled Fish Tacos with Thai Slaw
Grilled Halibut with Mango Pepper Pico
Grilled Mahi with Arugula
Grilled Pineapple and Scallops Teriyaki
Grilled Red Snapper with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn and Avocado Salad
Grilled Shrimp on Lemongrass Skewers
Grilled Tilapia Piccata en Papillote
Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
Grilled Wild Alaska Salmon with Basil Butter Rub
Grilled Wild Salmon with Mustard Glaze
Jerk Shrimp with Cilantro Lime Rice
Mixed Grill of Mussels, Clams, and Shrimp
Sweet & Sour Grilled Fish

Vegetarian
Colorful Grilled Tofu Sandwiches
Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Salad
Grilled Summer Veggie Fajitas
Grilled Tempeh Kabobs
Grilled Tempeh & Mushroom Quesadillas
Grilled Veggie Pinwheels
Grilled Veggie Tostadas with Fresh Salsa
Marinated Teriyaki Tofu
Savory Grilled Tofu On-A-Stick
Spicy Grilled Tempeh

Marinades, Rubs & Sauces
Marinating Tips
Apricot and Tamari Grilling Marinade
Asian Fish Marinade
Indian Style Yogurt Marinade
Light Asian Seafood Marinade
Lone Star Dry Rub
North Carolina BBQ Sauce
Sweet and Savory Seafood Dry Rub
Tandoori Marinade for Beef or Lamb

Sides Dishes
All American Baked Beans
Organic Coleslaw
Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Cilantro Pecan Pesto-Grilled Yellow Squash and Zucchini
Grilled Corn with Chili Lime Butter
Grilled Halloumi Appetizer Salad
Grilled Mushroom Caps with Artichoke Hearts
Grilled Peppers with Herbed Goat Cheese
Herbed Two-Potato Skewers
Potato and Egg Salad
Tangy BBQ Baked Beans
Veggie Shish Kebobs

Desserts
Grilled Banana Split
Grilled Fruit with Pineapple-Mint Glaze
Grilled Pineapple & Mango with Balsamic Glaze
==========================================

NOTE: NONE OF THESE RECIPES HAVE BEEN "DE-CARBED," although many fit on plan as is, or with very minor substitutions. For instance, Cilantro Pecan Pesto-Grilled Yellow Squash and Zucchini (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/sidedish/zucchini_cilantropecanpesto.html) is 3g ECC and it sounds yummy. Enjoy!

[cmcole]

I'm only linking to these for ideas. They are not necessarily de-carbed or appropriate for your particular phase of the plan, but could be used as "jumping" points.

License to Grill (Food TV Canada) (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/Browse/browse_result.aspx?DropShow=68771)

Wood Grilled Steak & Vegetables (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6838) - Chef Michael Smith

Lamb Burgers (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6868) - Chef Michael Smith

Grilled Raddichio (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6894) - Chef Michael Smith

Grilled Pineapple Salad (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6892) - Chef Michael Smith

Grilled Veggies (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6888) - Chef Michael Smith

Veggie Burgers (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=6890) - Chef Michael Smith (this contains bulgar and bread crumbs, so needs adjustments)

[Billie]

Does anyone have luck with really thick cuts of filet mignon on the grill? I have a great oven recipe but haven't grilled filets in forever. Do you use the indirect method on those for a Weber, thinking directly on the coals it won't give much time for the filet to cook at all inside and we do like ours rare but I want it cooked somewhat?

Thoughts?

[LisaS]

I think we used to grill over direct heat to get the "char" and move to indirect to finish - much like pan sear followed by finishing in the oven. But that's been a few years --- soon, I hope, we'll have an outdoor grill to use again.

[Billie]

Lisa, thanks that is my recollection as well, we will give it a try next weekend, my Chicago son has his dinner request in already! :D

[Ottawa]

Does anyone have luck with really thick cuts of filet mignon on the grill? I have a great oven recipe but haven't grilled filets in forever. Do you use the indirect method on those for a Weber, thinking directly on the coals it won't give much time for the filet to cook at all inside and we do like ours rare but I want it cooked somewhat?

Thoughts?

Billie,
The problem with moving to indirect heat is that it will take longer and the meat will dry a bit, much like gramma's Sunday roast, a great piece of meat but served as dry grey boards when cut. With thicker cuts of meat on the BBQ this is easy to do on the outside surfaces as the meat gives up more of it's moisture during teh longer time on the indirect heating surface.

One way around this is to sear your meat directly then brush on an oil marinade for the slower cooking.
I use some large cast iron pans for the initial searing since they store a tremdous amount of heat and transfer it quickly searing an oiled piece of meat and cooking partway through in just under a minute for the first side and a few minutes to do the other side since the pan is cooler.
I remove from the pans, turn the grill to low and place them on the grill to pick up grill markings and cook just a little more on each side. I also brush some oil on to keep a bit more moisture inside. Use the thumb test to find out when they are done as you like them.

[Billie]

Thanks Randy we have a cast iron skillet so we might give it a try this weekend with the porkchops!

[Billie]

Well we are still working on perfecting recipes on the grill and what fun it has been. Polly (the dog) thought that Father's Day was a good day to get some more grill accessories! We are going mesquite tonight with some mesquite wood and have hickory as well, I thought hickory would taste good with pork chops or a nice pork loin roast. Bobbie Flay has a great cookbook out for grilling, I had it in my hands yesterday and then put it down and forget to purchase but I really liked some of the recipes that easily could be adapted to low carb, albeit I think he puts honey in about every sauce he makes.

Has anyone used the cedar planks for fish? That is next!

[Gaelen]

Actually, Billie, most of Bobby Flay's recipes are already well within PP guidelines...and although he does use tropical fruits and honey, you can get the same flavors by just using measured amounts (like a lot of cooks, he adds amounts by eye rather than by measure.) Until you get back to the bookstore to buy that cookbook, check out his free recipes at www.foodnetwork.com. Just choose one of his shows--"Boy Meets Grill" is the one that gives me the most inspiration--or search the recipes for his name. ;)

[Billie]

That is a great site, we are addicts here to food network and I find their site so easy to use. There are a few foodnetwork hosts that I would want to me in person, Bobby Flay is one of them.

[cmcole]

License to Grill is a Canadian show. I don't know if you get it there, but he does incredible things with a grill/bbq.

Perhaps if you go to foodtv.ca you can get some of his recipes.

He loves to smoke things, and makes such inspiring creations.

[LisaS]

recently, there have been several BBQ competitions featured on FoodTV. On one, we noticed that several competitors brushed their pork with yellow mustard and then applied their (secret) rub.

we tried this last night on chicken breasts. Brushed well with French's yellow mustard - and then sprinkled on a rub (commercial, Grill Mates "Barbeque") and they sat developing flavor in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. We grilled them rather slowly over medium heat and at the last few minutes brushed them with some KC Masterpiece low-cal (low carb) BBQ sauce. MMM. Next time we'll leave some unsauced to taste what the unsauced flavor is, but as it was, it was delicious!!

[Gaelen]

LisaS, mustard has always been one of my favorite 'ingredients' in either a marinade or as the base for a rub. You won't believe what it can do to a piece of fish, or tofu, or tempeh for that matter, and it's wonderful on grilled veggies, too.

[LisaS]

that's what else we grilled - carrots! just split a carrot and grilled it. Once done, added some butter and salt - O..my..goodness - who needs corn?

[bigjhays]

I actually used this marinade for lunch today. I have no idea on the amounts, I guess it really depends on your taste but it was fairly simple. Minced garlic, italian seasoning, olive oil, sea salt (kosher would work too), pepper, and lime juice. Whisk all the ingredients on a bowl. Add whatever meat or veggie you want and make sure to coat well. Let sit for 20-30 minutes. And grill. I actually used it with chicken breasts and it came out great. I added hot pepper flakes to the marinade for an added kick.

[Gaelen]

Make sure to visit this thread on Smoking (http://www.proteinpower.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1343) for a link to an article about smoking techniques and several barbeque sauce and rub recipes.

[Billie]

This weekend visiting family in DC area we had a chance to do some cooking with them. We tried something new to us that I thought might be fun for you to entertain with or enjoy with your family. Grilled salad greens. We had raddicio, argula, bok choy, spinach, red cabbage...just about anything would work cut in wedges. Sprinkled with salt and pepper and olive oil and grilled for about 4 minutes and then turning for another 3 or 4 minutes. Yes you have to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn but it isn't so difficult to do.

When we brought it in, we tossed with balsamic vinegar and a touch more olive oil, ground some fresh pepper and sea salt and it was not only delicious but also bright and colorful and just a new way to serve a side dish. The original recipe came from Giada De Laurentis, I cannot recall which of her cookbooks, but it is a keeper!

[maxlharris]

Welcome. As promised, this is a thread dedicated to all things grilling. Now, by grilling, I am inclusive, rather than exclusive, so I mean:

Charcoal (my preference)
Gas Grill
Broiler (it's just a gas grill turned upside down)
Foreman
Panini Press
Range mounted grill
Smoker
anything else that provides heat in a direct way to food.Of these, I have a charcoal grill, the broiler, a panini press, and a stove top smoker.

I'm gonna start the conversation with a series of quick marinades for chicken breast that I stole/borrowed from Men's Health.
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=nutrition&category=food.for.fitness&conitem=a06a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd____

2 Tbsp bourbon, 1 tsp deli-style mustard, 1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp bourbon; 1 tsp honey; 1 clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp white wine; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1/4 tsp thyme
2 Tbsp red wine; 1 tsp barbecue sauce; 1 clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp Coca-Cola, 1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette, 1/4 tsp rosemary
2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp plain yogurt, 1/4 tsp dill
2 Tbsp plain yogurt, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp curry powder
2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp orange juice, 1/4 tsp powdered ginger, 1/4 tsp cilantro
2 Tbsp orange juice, 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp pineapple juice; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1/4 tsp black pepper So, couple of weeks ago, I made a bunch up. I did #14 (awesome good). I did #11 (pretty good), #5 (w/ diet coke, was so so), and #4 (was not bad, but produces purple chicken).

Grilled over charcoal, with these tiny chicken breasts pieces which sucked.

That is the start. Let's keep it going.

[Missy]

YOU are the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D lol...I just KNEW MAX wouldn't have just done this casually! LOL I love it!!!!!!!

I adore you MAX! lol :D

[Missy]

Oh! #1 or #2 sounds interesting too!!!!!! :D

Okay...silly question...BUT I've never marinated before...yes, that's right, that's what I've said...ME NEVER....I've only bought pre marinated ones. SO? How long to marinate do you suggest? How little, how long?

[maxlharris]

Chicken breasts? Uhm, 30 minutes to overnight.
Steaks: 1/2 hour to, I dunno, 3-4 hours
Pork: 1/2 hour to I dunno.

The time you marinate is gonna depend on:
1- What you're marinating (size, shape, surface, etc)
2- What your marinating (permeability (chicken usually takes longer to marinate)
3- Goals (are you just flavoring, like chicken or ribeye or are you helping it out, like hanger steak or flank steak)
4- Marinade (An acidic marinade will work faster than a neutral, an emulsifying one, ditto (think Olive Oil))
5- Time available (If you only have half an hour, you only have half an hour)

Couple other things: The longer you marinade, the deeper it's gonna go in. And the more pronounced the flavor. So, if you have a lime/EVOO type of thing on a chicken breast, I wouldn't let it go too long, or it's gonna taste like lime and not much like chicken. Acid & Fat break stuff down fast.

[msgq]

Beef Marinate

2 T Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/2 c water
1/4 c oil
2 T Lemon Pepper

[maxlharris]

Does anyone have luck with really thick cuts of filet mignon on the grill? I have a great oven recipe but haven't grilled filets in forever. Do you use the indirect method on those for a Weber, thinking directly on the coals it won't give much time for the filet to cook at all inside and we do like ours rare but I want it cooked somewhat?

Thoughts?

I realize this is almost a year old, but this is how I roll:

1- load charcoal chimney to about 75% capacity. Light as usual.
2- When coals are ready, place grill grate on top of chimney (on a weber kettle, this works great if you put it on upside down)
3- Sear fillets 1 min per side & remove to a cutting board.
4- Remove grill grate from top of chimney, and dump coals in a corner of the kettle.
5- put grate on the kettle
6- close lid, vent properly, wait five minutes
7- Place fillets on the side w/o coals & lid it off.
8- I forget timing on this, but I like em rarified, so maybe 4-6 a side. Maybe 8. I forget. Use the poke test for doneness.

Very nice. High sear, low bake. Very good.!

[maxlharris]

Today's Subject: The Greatest Meat to Grill

Pork. specifically Tenderloin. I kid you not. This stuff is just heavenly. And not terribly expensive. I get 4-5 lb packs (has 4 tenderloins in them) at costco for <20 dollars if I recall correctly.

Why this is so good?
1- It takes very little prep/cleaning. Just peel the one strip of silverskin, and you're good to go. It does help to pin the ends, but you don't have to.
2- It's very easy to cook on the grill. Since it's roughly log shaped, you just toss it on, rotate 1/4 to 1/3rd turn every so often. No flip, no falling apart (fish, I'm looking at you), no lots of pieces (veggies, skewers, shrimp), easy.
3- It's tender. Think fillet mignon, only pork. Then, imagine a log about half a foot long, and two inches across. Very nice.
4- It's very lean (not that we care, but our guests, or my DW might care)
5- Most importantly, It's versatile. Pork takes flavor the best of any real meat (not thinking chicken here). If you have a chicken rub, put it on the pork. Beef treatment, pork will take it. Lamb rub? Rub it on pork. Veal marinade? Soak the pork in it. Tofu brine? yeah, that too. It's just that flexible.

I think tonight, I will make a couple. There are two packs of two in my fridge. I will call the wife, and have her defrost one of the logs. One, jerk rub (detailed this somewhere else. I don't make it. Nantucket Offshore Rasta Rub). The other, I dunno. Let's prove my point. Pick a chicken marinade from above.

Great thing about PTL. It's great in the oven too.

To serve, you cut it into little patties. Like little fillets.

Rock on.

[Missy]

"(fish, I'm looking at you)".....LOL....love it Max! lol

Pork...the OTHER white meat! lol

I agree with you Max...Pork Tenderloin is outstanding!! THANKS for your suggestions. Always helpful, and ALWAYS appreciated! :D

[msgq]

Okay, Max, you've convinced me to serve tenderloin - grilled - for Easter dinner. I've never grilled it, do you have an approximate amount of time it takes to cook. And, what is your best suggestion for a marinade. (I've never used a rub.)

Kathy
aka Ms.GQ

[maxlharris]

Okay, Max, you've convinced me to serve tenderloin - grilled - for Easter dinner. I've never grilled it, do you have an approximate amount of time it takes to cook. And, what is your best suggestion for a marinade. (I've never used a rub.)

Okay, first off, how many people are you serving. That will dictate how many you buy. They go about 1-1.25 lbs a tenderloin.

Marinades... hrm.
Whoops, can't look at How to Grill's interior pages with Amazon Search Inside.
Hrm.
The beauty thing here is that a marinade that works on anything from beef to chicken is gonna work in this spot. It really depends on how you wanna go with it.

Me, I like spicy latin flavors, so maybe something like:
Olive oil
Lime Juice
Cumin
Chile
Salt
black pepper ground
crushed garlic cloves
grated ginger

But, if you wanted something different you could go
bourbon
garlic
mustard
black pepper

Or even a yogurt, olive oil, dill.

Now, if you were very very slick, you could marinate for a couple hours in the fridge. Then, you could add a rub over the top. So, for my first one, I might use my standard hotter rub that I have premade:
Salt
Pepper
Chile
Cumin
Garlic
Onion
Paprika
(proportions to preference)

Sprinkle over the surface of the tenderloin, then pat in.

If you use an marinade that has a flammable ingredient (bourbon, olive oil), you want to towel it off before you go to the grill.

Next: Gas or Charcoal?
If gas: turn one half to high, the other half to low.
If Charcoal: Fire up coals, herd to 1/2 of the coal grate.

What you're gonna do is sear the outside over high direct heat. So, these things have 3-4 sides. Grill over the hottest part of the fire for 30-60 seconds a side. then, move to the slow cool part of the grill. If you use a meat thermometer, you want them to 145 minimum, and not over 170. If not, you want it medium rare at the rarest, medium at the donest. Do not take to well-done. It will be like marinated cardboard.

[msgq]

Good Questions:

How many am I serving? That depends on how hospitable we are feeling in the next day or so. Maybe as few as my immediate family, 2 adults, 2 kids, OR if we choose to invite my family over, it could be 7 adult, 7 kids – 2 of which are teenagers. So, that would be 14.

I like the marinade then rub idea. (I can handle being slick in the kitchen.) I think I’d tone the spices down if we invite the fam. If not, I might try your suggestion. How much do I worry about carbs for a marinade? :confused:

We use a gas grill. I’m familiar with searing. I sear my prime rib, aka standing rib roast, in the oven. Tasty. I’ve never seared on the grill, but it sounds easy.

Any idea how long to cook the tenderloin once it is seared? Are we talking hours? 30 minutes? Or somewhere in between? :confused:

Thanks for your help. I think this is going to be good!

[maxlharris]

So, 2 adults, 2 kids, I'd go with 2 tenderloins. 7/7, I'd either do 6 loins or maybe look at a bigger piece of meat (like a whole pork loin).

Carbs to marinade is a question I have trouble answering. The correct answer is: Figure carbs for entire marinade. Measure marinade before marination. Measure marinade after marination. Subtract after from before, then divide by before. Multiply carbs from total by that number. That's unreal, but the best way to do it. I figure maybe 25% of total carbs. That gives me a lot of margin of error on the high side. And that's the place to make mistakes, imho.

I did two in my oven the other day, they took less than 12 minutes of roasting. A thermometer is gonna be your best bet. With a gas grill, sear over high, then roast over low-medium. 12-15 minutes assuming your grill is roasting at 350. Poke test is a good way to figure here, recalling that you want no less done than med. rare and probably want it done to medium. As always, if you're really unsure, put a slit in the top of one and see how far it is to done. If it's just a wee bit pink, nice, take em off, let em rest 5-10 minutes.

I got, in the mail, this recipe for Pork Loin, which is a bigger, less tender piece of piggy. But, might be more suitable for 7/7 guests.

Pork Loin with Roasted Garlic and Uptown Slaw
Dressing
1/2 cup garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 boneless, center-cut pork loin roast, about 2 pounds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


To make the dressing: In a medium saucepan, combine the garlic and oil. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and then reduce the heat to low to maintain a slow sizzle. Cook the garlic until golden brown, about 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a food processor. Remove the pan from the heat to allow the oil to cool
Meanwhile, make the slaw: In a medium bowl, mix the slaw ingredients.
Pour the cooled oil into the food processor and add the remaining dressing ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour enough of the dressing (about 1/4 cup) over the slaw to lightly coat the ingredients. Mix well.
Allow the roast to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Season the roast all over with the salt, fennel, and pepper and then lightly brush all over with some of the remaining dressing.
Sear over direct medium heat until nicely browned, 16 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally (watch for flare-ups). Move the roast over indirect medium heat and continue grilling until the internal temperature reaches 155°F, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving. Serve warm with the slaw. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Two of that would feed 7+7.

[maxlharris]

Whoops, here's a link to a recipe from weber.com.
http://www.weber.com/bbq/pub/recipe/view.aspx?c=pork&r=248

They do theirs without the sear. It's plenty good without, but having just done them with, I think they might be a little better.

Tonight, my brother comes over, so Steak, possibly on the grill if the weather holds.

[msgq]

Max - I finally got around to grilling the Pork Tenderloin as you suggested. (Easter was too cold, so we did it for Mothers Day.) INCREDIBLE. It was soooooo good. I agree with you about the searing. That is just plain yummy. :)

[maxlharris]

glad you liked it.
Have been lazy with the grill. I bought two rubs from the supermarket that I am liking a lot. Spice Islands is the company I think. One is a Chipotle rub, the other is a garlic/herb rub. They come in something like a salt grinder. You can adjust for coarse grinding or fine (still figuring this out... I think coarse works better on the bbq, due to the heat... might look into fine as a table "blast", like salt or pepper).

Fanciest thing I've done recently was Arista Pork tenderloin from Bruce Aidells. Company loved it. I thought it was a little light on flavor.

[bigdawg_SLC]

Since Summer is here and going fast, thought I would rejuvenate this thread.

My grill came with a rotisserie, last Sunday I got brave. I've roasted a prime rib roast before ... but I had never put it on the spit and rotisserie'd it. It came out fantastic. A little Dry rub, with a drip pan underneath with organic beef broth that I basted about every 15 minutes.

The grill gets used at my house during all seasons. You should see me bundled up during the winter grilling ... my neighbors think I'm nuts.