By: Tina Miller, Photographs by: Scott Peterson
Food Stylist:Sandra Cook, Prop Stylist: Alessandro Mortola; Burke/Jupiter Images (Tools) Get, Ready, Get Set, Get Grilling! With beautiful long days
and warm nights, our main
cooktop is often our
outdoor grill.
Fired Up
Grills don’t need to be elaborate
to serve up great food
- even simple hibachis
turn out terrific burgers. The fun is cooking
outside while enjoying the weather and
fabulous flavors. To prepare a charcoal grill,
open the vents on the bottom and make
a small pile of charcoal. Start the fire with
lighter fluid (let the vapors cook off before
grilling food) or a charcoal chimney. When
coals turn grayish white (about 15 minutes)
and you can hold your hand 5 inches above
the rack for only three to four seconds, the
fire is medium-hot and ready. Preheat a gas
or electric grill following the manufacturer’s
directions.
The most important grilling factor is
heat - and lots of it. When the fire is hot,
it will sear the outside of the meat, fish,
or vegetables, keeping the delicious juices
inside. If the grill is not hot enough, the
food will be dry.
Once the grill is heated, some spots will
be hotter than others. The center tends to
be hotter than the edges. Meat and firm
fish, such as swordfish, should stay on the
hot part. Vegetables and more delicate fish
should start hot, but then be gently moved
to the less hot area to finish.
Be sure to give food space to cook. The
more crowded the grill, the more chance it
has to cool down.
Timing Is Everything
The trickiest part of grilling is timing. Make
sure all the food preparation is completed
in advance so that when the grill is ready,
you are too.
Keep food oiled so that you can easily
move it around on the grill. Have vegetable
oil on hand either in a bowl with a brush or
in a spray bottle or aerosol can. Be careful
not to over-oil the food, as too much oil
could cause a flare-up.
Is It Ready Yet?
Have on hand an instant-read thermometer
to ensure that your meats are cooked safely.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends
that you cook seafood to an internal
temperature of 145°F, ground meats (beef,
veal, lamb, and pork) to 160°F, and ground
poultry to 165°F. Steaks and roasts should
be cooked to an internal temperature of
145°F for medium rare, 160°F for medium,
and 170°F for well done. Poultry should
be cooked to an internal temperature of
170°F for breast meat and 180°F for whole
birds. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, well
covered, within two hours of cooking.
Beverage Basics
Grilled foods can range from delicately
seasoned fish to hearty steaks, so beverage
pairings can be just as varied. A full-
flavored red wine, like a merlot or Syrah,
goes well with grilled meats, as does a
hearty brown ale, while pilsners, blond ales,
and lighter, crisper wines are good complements
for grilled seafood and vegetables.
