Summer time is barbecue time

Bud Patterson
Posted 6/2/17

Graduation is over and Memorial Day is in the rearview mirror, which means it is officially summer, time to uncover the barbecue, scrape the charcoaled remains of last summers meals off the grate and load up on the fuel of choice, be it briquettes, pellet

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Summer time is barbecue time

Posted

TORRINGTON– Graduation is over and Memorial Day is in the rearview mirror, which means it is officially summer, time to uncover the barbecue, scrape the charcoaled remains of last summers meals off the grate and load up on the fuel of choice, be it briquettes, pellets, wood chips or propane.
One big advantage to moving meal preparation outside, even as daytime temperatures hit triple digits, is that cooking outdoors keeps temperatures indoors nice and cool. Another advantage is that with a little planning, the number of pots and pans needed to fix a meal can be minimized.
Unfortunately, the majority of summer chefs are actually mediocre barbecuers at best. There is a misconception that a few lumps of meat can be tossed on the grill to mysteriously cook to perfection while the cook and guests down a few beverages and play a game of tackle football, the result being a halftime meal of cremated hotdogs and hamburger jerky.
However, there are a few simple rules that can turn what could potentially be a three-alarm fire into a meal fit for HGTV.

First, outdoor cooking takes patience and attentiveness. Preparation before the food ever hits the grate is key to a chewable meal. Marinate, marinate, marinate. It does little good to marinate frozen food, so thaw the meat first, marinate for a few hours and continue to marinate every 10 or 15 minutes while the food cooks, that way it adds moisture, traps the smoky flavor and caramelizes the meat.
There are arguments for and against the use of charcoal, lump coal, wood chips, pellets and propane that are too expansive to settle on a final solution here, but the first tip, no matter your fuel choice, is to use the lid on you barbecue. A lid helps lock in the flavor, keeps the meat tender and moist, and helps regulate the temperature. Let’s face it, you won’t get the same results if your beer can chicken is sitting uncovered on an open fire versus basting under a well fitting lid.
Most newer barbecues have a built in temperature gauge, some more accurate than others, but there is a technique passed down from one Neanderthal to another for gauging the temperature of a cook fire that is fairly reliable. Hold your hand about six inches above the grill and see how long you can comfortably hold it there. Remember, this is not a dare or a contest, so if you are of the personality type who just has to see how long they can endure pain, get a thermometer.
If you can comfortably hold your hand six inches above the grill for more than five seconds, it is a low heat. Four seconds is equal to a medium heat, two seconds is high heat.
There is nothing worse than flipping a hot link or hamburger over the edge of the grill, or getting it stuck between the grates and turning to ashes. The most important tool need for successful barbecuing is a pair of long, heavy-duty tongs. Also a heavy-duty oven glove can come in handy as can a grill basket, which can be used to cook fish or vegetables without having them disappear into the embers.
Lastly, and it should go without saying, never try out a new recipe when trying to impress the in-laws or the boss. Stick to what you know, prepare ahead of time and stay out of the football game until after the dishes are done.