Food cooked outdoors tastes great no matter what
Summer. It’s hard to believe such a simple word can conjure up
so many different images.
Yet it does. So many come to mind
– hot days spent on a beach or warm twilight walks through the
park with that special someone – it is hard to think of just
one.
One image that is seemingly universal is that of the outdoor
barbecue, friends and family sharing great food, good drinks and
fun times.
Food cooked outdoors tastes great no matter what
Summer. It’s hard to believe such a simple word can conjure up so many different images.
Yet it does. So many come to mind – hot days spent on a beach or warm twilight walks through the park with that special someone – it is hard to think of just one.
One image that is seemingly universal is that of the outdoor barbecue, friends and family sharing great food, good drinks and fun times.
“Barbecue” has become a catch-all word, however, for any type of meat that is cooked outdoors. But ask any Texan about barbecue – think ribs and brisket – and the differences will be clear.
Traditional barbecue features food that is cooked in a long, slow process using an indirect, low heat generated by smoldering – not burning – logs or wood chips that smoke the food. The fuel and heat source are separate from the cooking chamber, which heats up just enough to cook the food over a long period of time – sometimes days. The chamber fills with smoke, giving the food its characteristic flavor.
Californians may think they are barbecuing, but in most cases, they’re not – they are grilling.
Grilled foods are cooked over high, direct heat – temperatures range between 300-500 degrees Fahrenheit – searing the surface of meat to give it a browned and flavorful crust.
Authentic barbecue is great for beef or pork ribs, tri-tips or beef briskets. These less expensive cuts of meat must be cooked slowly to become tender. Barbecue also has a very distinctive flavor – a sharp yet spicy taste that can only come from the smoke created by smoldering wood.
With more expensive cuts of meat, such as Porterhouse steaks, grilling is preferred, as low-level heat sucks out moisture.
Whichever method one chooses, it is essential to learn the proper techniques. It may seem like almost anyone can grill a hamburger, but the truth is, grilling and/or barbecuing is a talent. One important “secret” to great outdoor cooking is knowing when to use high heat as opposed to hot coals. High heat works well with vegetables or meats cooked medium rare.
But for meats that need to be cooked thoroughly, to a certain temperature to avoid possible health concerns, hot coals work best. These meats can be cooked over high heat for up to five minutes per side to sear in the flavor, but then moved to hot coals or medium heat to finish cooking at a lower temperature that won’t overcook the food.
As grilling becomes more popular, its menu has expanded to include, well, almost anything. Fruits, vegetables, bread, tofu, salads and even desserts are finding their way onto the grill. Recipes range from grilled eggplant Parmesan and grilled Caesar salad (the lettuce is grilled beforehand) to grilled peaches with cream.
There are many different styles as well. For example, Santa Maria-style barbecue refers to a tri-tip seasoned simply with salt, black pepper and garlic powder and cooked over hot red oak logs, or charcoal mixed with oak chips. A true Santa Maria-style barbecue menu always includes a tossed green salad, pinquito beans (the crop is exclusive to the Santa Maria Valley) with salsa, toasted French bread with butter, macaroni and cheese and fresh strawberry shortcake (the “cake” is actually a sweet biscuit).
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to grilling is the difference between gas and charcoal grills. Gas grills have become extremely popular in recent years, simply because they are so easy to use. Most come with push-button starters and temperature controls, and gas grills get hot fast – which is great for those hungry people looking for instant food gratification.
Traditional charcoal grills may require a bit more effort, but for some, the difference in taste makes the effort worthwhile. Charcoal gives food a bit of that smoky flavor that brings to mind authentic barbecue. When starting a charcoal grill, the right amounts of charcoal and fluid are needed to create the perfect fire. A bit of patience is needed when using charcoal, as the chemicals in the fluid need to burn off to keep them from getting into the food.
Many charcoal cooks use simple chimneys, which hold charcoal while it starts with nothing more than some newspaper pages stuffed underneath. In either case, the fire is ready when the coals are gray. When using a charcoal grill, be on the lookout for flying embers – and never use a charcoal grill indoors due to possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Always use in a well-ventilated outdoor area.
Barbecuing and grilling aren’t really as hard as they may seem, in spite of their many differences. And honestly, who really cares if a grill is called a barbecue? It all boils down to the same thing – good food enjoyed with family and friends.
Laurie Lemmerman-Castañeda can be reached at [email protected].
Grilling Glossary
Barbecue – A method of cooking that involves long, slow, indirect cooking with low heat, usually in a pit or special cooking chamber that is allowed to fill with smoke to add flavor to the food. Meats that are tough or large in size are best cooked for longer periods of cooking time to tenderize the meat and add flavor.
Grilling – Food cooked quickly and directly over high heat.
Grill – A cooking device consisting of a metal grate or rack placed above hot coals heated by gas or charcoal briquettes. Food to be cooked is placed on the rack approximately 4 to 5 inches above the coals so the direct heat of the coals can cook the items being prepared. There are a variety of different grills available for grilling, such as charcoal grills using only briquettes, gas grills using LP gas, or electric grills using an electrical current as the fuel source to cook the food.
Grill basket – A grill basket is used when grilling delicate foods, such as fish and small pieces of meat, fruit and vegetables that cannot be skewered.
Grill grid – Utensil used to hold an array of small foods that may fall through the standard grill plates or racks when foods are being grilled.
Grilling plank – A wooden board used to hold food while it is being grilled, providing a moist and somewhat smoky flavor to the food as well as helping preserve the nutrients within the food.
Grill sauce – Any sauce intended to season meats and vegetables to be grill cooked. Barbecue, teriyaki, mushroom, and garlic sauces are all examples of sauces used for grilling foods.
Instant-read thermometers – Visit a restaurant kitchen, and chances are everyone but the dishwasher will have what looks like a ballpoint pen clipped into a pocket. The clips sheathe instant-read thermometers. One popular model, made by Taylor, has a scale that goes from 0 degrees to 220 degrees F. Restaurant staff members use them to make sure cold things are cold enough and hot things are hot enough for food safety purposes. But they’re great for grilling. Steaks look done? Check with a thermometer plunged into their middle. 125-130 degrees F for rare, 135-140 degrees F for medium. (Please don’t even consider well done.) Chicken needs to go to at least 165 degrees F – at 180 degrees F, it will be dry and almost inedible. It takes a lot of guesswork out of the job of grilling and ensures that you’ll never serve chicken that’s bright pink on the inside.
Marinade – A liquid, such as vinegar, wine or oil, with spices or other flavorings added to it, which is made for the purpose of soaking a food in it to add flavor or to tenderize. Marinade that has been in contact with uncooked meat should never be reused. If the marinade is to also be used for basting or in a sauce, be sure to set aside some from the batch before the uncooked meat is added.
Smoking wood – Many woods are suitable for use in a grill. Hardwoods are much better than softwoods because hardwoods burn longer and provide more heat. Hardwoods also add more flavor to foods through the smoke that is produced as the wood is burned. Softwoods burn quickly and add little flavor to food items. Popular woods include cedar, hickory and oak.
Paste – A type of seasoning used when grilling. Direct high heat changes the paste to a flavorful crust. Pastes are preferable to dry spice rubs when grilling because the oil in the paste helps to toast the spices rather than dry them out.
Glossary terms courtesy of Gourmet magazine and Recipetips.com.
