Nothing compares to the aroma of a steak or a rack of pork ribs sizzling on the grill. While some people might think that spring is still too far off to think about grilling, barbecue enthusiasts are already thinking about ways they can tune up their techniques before the season officially arrives. Here are some barbecue accessories that are sure to interest both beginning and expert grill chefs.
While many people have converted to the gas grill for its efficiency and ease of lighting, most will admit that only charcoal can give that classic grilled flavor. One popular solution to this quandary is the charcoal basket. Made of durable stainless steel, charcoal baskets are designed to sit right on top of a gas grill’s burners. This enables the coals to heat quickly and be ready for cooking in no time at all, providing the best of both grills: the simplicity of the gas and the great taste of the charcoal.
For a delicious wood smoke flavor, wood chips of many different varieties, including hickory, alder, maple or applewood, are available for grilling or smoking food. Each different type of wood imparts a different flavor. Many gas grills come with baskets or drawers that are especially for wood chips, or a basket for this purpose can be purchased separately.
The Rib-O-Lator is a great new gadget that can transform the inside of a grill into a rotisserie. Easily installed inside most medium to large grills, the difference between Rib-O-Lator and other rotisserie attachments is its four tray design. This accommodates many items that ordinary rotisseries can’t handle, such as ribs. Food on these trays is cooked by indirect heat, which has many benefits. It has been proven to seal the juices inside the meat, making it tender, moist and more flavorful than ever. The trays help to contain the juices, preventing dangerous flare-ups and keeping the grill cleaner. Furthermore, its trays afford space to cook a lot of food at once, and it requires much less supervision than traditional barbecue techniques.
Another interesting product is the Flavordome Barbecue Flavoring System, which is a set of grilling products that trap in heat, smoke, reduce fire and burn, and create cleaner smoke flavor. It comes with several excellent rubs and sauces to use in conjunction with the tools.
Grilling baskets are simple yet ingenious – a great way to grill delicate foods such as fish and vegetables without them dropping through or sticking to the grating. These baskets are like small cages that hold food securely, and come with a handle so that you can easily flip them. They come in regular and non-stick varieties as well as in many sizes. Use of a corn basket, for instance, can eliminate the all-too-common problem of charring when grilling whole corn ears. Larger grilling baskets can accommodate vegetables and smaller meat items at the same time. Many of these baskets feature long, detachable handles. This allows the grill lid to be closed during cooking to maximize flavor.
Iron brands for marking food on the grill make a unique gift for barbecue enthusiasts. Grill chefs will enjoy the fun of stamping a “signature” on their barbecue masterpieces. Brands might say Dad or Chef, but can also be customized with initials or names.
Grilling techniques from chef to chef are as unique as barbecue enthusiasts themselves, and everyone has their own tips and tricks for making that perfect steak or rack of ribs. Whether you’re looking for a way to reduce cleanup time or an entirely new method of using your grill, these tools offer something for just about everyone.
Posted in Food And Drink tagged Barbecue Enthusiasts, Flavor Wood Chips, Rotisseries by Stephen with No comments
Everyone knows that vegetables are an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. Unfortunately, many people have a pre-conceived idea that veggies taste bad, or that they lack flavor. In fact, numerous adults and children do not eat even close to the daily recommended amount of veggies because of these pre-conceived ideas, or because they have no idea how to prepare them to bring out all their flavor.
There are some really innovative ways to cook veggies, on the stove top, in the oven, and even on the barbecue using nearly any outdoor grill or smoker. One such product, the Rib-O-Lator, allows home cooks to prepare delicious veggies using a rotisserie system.
Unlike traditional rotisseries, the Rib-O-Lator can effectively be used for cooking nearly anything. The system utilizes four trays that mount on your grill’s existing rotisserie rod. Each tray has a solid bottom and side walls to hold food in place and prevent tasty juices from dripping away. This design makes the Rib-O-Lator perfect for preparing vegetable dishes. It is also very simple to use.
Other veggie cooking options on the BBQ include grilling baskets and skewers to kabob your food. The grilling baskets are excellent for smaller pieces of meats and vegetables because they are designed to allow you to flip or stir the food without fear of it falling through the grill. Using skewers to create veggie kebabs works well for larger chunks of most vegetables. The following recipe is just one of the simple and tasty options that you can make on the grill.
Rotisserie Eggplant Mixed Grill
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
2 TBSP Chopped Basil (Fresh)
2 TBSP Chopped Oregano (Fresh)
2 TBSP Chopped Parsley (Fresh)
1 TSP Salt
1/2 TSP Black Pepper
6 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Red Onion
18 Trimmed Asparagus Spears (if doing skewered veggies, you might substitute Zucchini)
12 Mushrooms (try Crimini for extra special flavor)
1-1lb Eggplant
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1. Cut the onion and bell peppers into wedges. Remove the stems from the mushrooms, and slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick rounds.
2. Combine olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large re-sealable plastic bag and mix well. Add onion, eggplant, bell peppers, mushrooms and asparagus (or zucchini). Seal the bag tightly and shake gently to ensure that the marinade covers all the vegetables. Place the bag in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Turn the bag over occasionally.
3. Preheat the grill to a high heat setting. If you are using the Rib-O-Lator, make sure you have it in place during the heating stage. Lightly grease the trays. If you are using vegetable baskets, it is advisable to lightly grease a grilling basket and place the veggies inside it. Wooden skewers, which would work great for the above recipe, should be soaked prior to skewering the veggies to keep the wood from catching fire.
4. Once the grill is heated, put the vegetable mixture in the trays, and turn on the grill’s motorized spit or rotate the spit manually. Allow the vegetables to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are tender. If using a grilling basket, you will need to flip your veggies halfway through cooking, and skewers could require even more attention since they are closer to the open flame. Depending on how hot the grill is, less cooking time may be required.
To add even more flavor to vegetables, why not try a grill smoking system? Pre-flavored wood chips (think flavors like apple, pecan, cedar, hickory) are readily available in stores and via the web. Adding these flavor enhanced wood chips in the grill create even more rich, unique taste sensations. Rotisserie cooking and cooking with flavoring accessories are perfect methods for preparing fresh vegetable dishes that are delicious as well as healthy.
Posted in Food And Drink tagged Asparagus Spears, Healthy Balanced Diet, Vegetable Dishes by Stephen with No comments
Deep fat frying is a culinary delight that is often debased because of the many examples of appalling deep fry cooking that bring the fine art into disrepute; this article aims to clarify things for those many cooks who might be understandably concerned and who wish to ensure that they get things right.
You’ll have heard that deep fat frying is a dry heat cooking method, this is because no water is involved. Deep fat frying is worth learning to do well. Deep fat frying cooks by sealing the outside of the food being cooked, then using the retained heat within the oil to cook the food through until it is ready for eating. Deep fried food, if cooked well should never be greasy. If it is there is a problem.
Using the right oil is important; never use unstable oils as nasty effects can arise. Always ensure that the oil is at the right temperature before you submerge food into the fat, typically most deep fat frying requires a temperature of 330 to 375 degrees F, [that's 160-190 Celsius]. If you have the wrong temperature the desired cooking effect will not be achieved and you’re likely to end up with frizzled or soggy food, or worse a fire. Get it right and the food will be golden in color, crispy in texture on the outside and soft on the inside and beautifully tasty; and as a bonus as healthy as ever you would wish.
It is important to change the cooking oil frequently, once a week under heavy use every 2 to 3 weeks if its just used with vegetables. Failure to do this will lead to food tasting all the same, fishy chips and ‘chippy’ fish!. It’s important to do this not only because of the products that remain in the oil after you have used it spoiling flavors but also because the high temperatures attained during the deep fat frying process itself can lead to partial decomposition of the oil and the formation of toxic side products.
Another simple question that often arises relates to whether the frying pan should be aluminium, stainless steel or cast iron. Which is best? In my view there are benefits associated with each and there is no clear winner. However, this said, I would suggest that when selecting your pan ensure that it is: easy to clean and of a deep and of solid construction.
As a general guide, don’t buy cheap! It isn’t safe, nor will it be economical over the longer term as cheaper pans just don’t last. As such a quality stainless steel pan or one made of cast iron are the long term winners albeit they tend to be more expensive.
So what cooking oils should be used? The general advice is that deep fat frying is only safe when stable oils are used. A stable oil is one with a high smoke point.
Personally as I live and cook in France for much of the year I use and much prefer olive oil. I believe this to be the best deep fat frying oil to use by the ‘proverbial mile’. The choice is yours.
To conclude, here are 10 simple healthy tips for when you’re deep fat frying next:
Take care when deep fat frying; accidents easily happen and without the right care your food will not turn out for the best; When deep fat frying always ensure that the fat is 350-375 degrees F and that you have a burner that can retain the required temperature after the food has been added to the oil. Use a deep fry thermometer to make sure the temperature is right. If you don’t have a thermometer you can use a half inch cube of white bread. The oil is ready for cooking when you drop this into the oil and it browns up in 60 seconds; If the oil is continuously smoking then it is far too hot at such a time its critical you turn off the source of heat immediately Cooked food should be kept hot whilst the fat is draining off onto absorptive paper after deep frying; to keep food warm keep put it in the oven at 180-200 degrees F Never leave a deep fat fry pan that’s being used unattended. Keep a constant eye on the pan. Above all watch for over heating. Keep a lid close by to cover your pan should it catch fire; When deep fat frying potatoes cook until they are just starting to crisp up, remove and drain on a rack.. When deep fat frying foods, inevitably particles from previous batches of food are left in the oil; these should be removed by straining as they will spoil the taste of the food cook thereafter; the oil should then be stored in a capped bottle; always discard your oil if it becomes dark in color; When deep fat frying always dry the food before you put it into the hot oil. Deep fried food needs to cook evenly so don’t overcrowd the pan; Never fill your pan too full of oil. There should be at least 2″ of space from the top of the oil to the top of the pan as the oil will fizzle up when the food is first introduced. And Do not allow water to come into contact with hot oil or there could be a violent and dangerous explosion.
Posted in Food And Drink tagged Celsius, Cooking Method, Texture by Stephen with No comments
Deep fried turkey, chicken and fish are great dishes to enjoy when coked outdoors; but what are the secrets to enjoying great tasting non-greasy deep fried food?
Deep-frying is fast and easy and the results are great, providing you follow some simple guidelines and providing you have the right equipment.
Regarding the best choice of outdoor deep frying equipment, our choice is the exceptional quality Bayou Classic range of turkey deep fryer and fish fryer kits that come in aluminum and stainless steel.
Coming as kits they provide all you’re ever going to need to deep fry; including: racks, hooks for lifting out the bird, the all important thermometer and injectors for inserting wonderful flavored marinades; and when you’re not using them for deep frying they can just as easily be used for steaming and boiling.
So what are the ten guiding principles to great deep fry cooking? They are simple, straight forward and as follows:
Its essential that you know the correct cooking temperature for the oil and the meat or fish that you’re cooking. If the oil is too cool then the water inside the food will not cook the food quickly and oil will begin to penetrate the meat spoiling the flavors and worse making it greasy, meaning unhealthy. Remember, it is not the oil that cooks your food it’s the water vapor inside the meat that the oil heats up that does the cooking so make sure you’re cooking at the right temperature; for this reason never deep fry without a deep fry thermometer . Never over cook meat in a deep fryer or again the oils will penetrate the bird after all the vapor has been used up within it; Make sure that you don’t over fill the stockpot. If you’re unsure about how much oil to use here is a simple test to get the level right. Put the bird into the stockpot whilst its still cold. Then fill the stockpot with cold water so that it just covers the bird. Then remove the bird and make a note of the water level; this is the level to which you should fill the stockpot with oil when preparing to cook; Make sure that you’re clear about the cooking time for whatever you’re cooking. Deep frying is much quicker than roasting three quarters of an hour will cook a bird of lbs; Get the oil up to the right temperature and then insert the bird on a dedicated rack, such as the Bayou Classic Chic Can Rack then cook the bird at the required constant temperature; do not let the temperature fall as the bird will become greasy and do not let it rise or it will be burnt on the outside and not cooked on the inside. So the rule is check you have the right temperature, put the bird in when it reaches that temperature, cook at a consistent temperature and take the bird out after its time is up; Always cook with the fryer lid closed to maintain the right temperature; Use a slotted spoon or frying tongs to take things in and out of the deep fryer it makes things much easier and far safer; Watch the fish carefully as they cook. They will begin to float as they become done, making it easy to observe the color of the pieces. When they are a golden to medium brown, remove them and allow the pieces to drain in a pan or cardboard box lined with paper towels. This is where a basket or strainer comes in handy, since all the fish can be lifted out at one time, the excess oil will drain back into the pot, and the pieces dumped into your holding container; When putting meats or fish into the deep fryer never try to over fill the stockpot, its much better to cook in batches as you will spoil the temperature and if you’re using batter if the stockpot becomes too full the batter won’t crisp up; With frozen foods remove as much of the external ice off the meat as possible; When removing your cooked food from the deep fryer place it on a paper towel covered plate to help remove excess fat; When cooking outdoors there are some simple safety guidelines that should be followed: Have a bucket of sand nearby and a fire blanket should there be a problem Cook on level ground away from any inflammable materials comprising a fire hazard Never ever leave it unattended; this is a seriously dangerous piece of kit if not treated and looked after with the greatest of care
Posted in Food And Drink tagged Deep Fried Turkey, Fish Dishes, Water Level by Stephen with No comments
