Welcome the outdoor cooking season with big, bold flavors
Folks grill year-round, but summer is the grilling season. There will be plenty of burgers, steaks, chicken pieces, hot dogs and ribs tossed on the grates — those are the top five foods for grilling, according to Weber's annual GrillWatch survey.
To kick off the season, we're focusing on the top three — burgers, steaks and chicken.
BURGERS
A good burger needs fat.
What to buy: Use an 80/20 blend of ground chuck — that's 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat. You can get by with 83/17 ground round.
Prepare: Season the meat as you like, but handle it as little as possible. Shape into C\v-inch-thick patties. To prevent burgers from puffing up like tennis balls, make a depression about ¼-inch deep and a half-dollar in diameter in the center of each.
Grill it: Brush oil on each side of the burgers; grill over direct medium heat until desired doneness, flipping once. And don't press down on the patties; it just forces the juices out.
STEAKS
Good marbling means good flavor, and a good sear seals in juices.
What to buy: Rib eye is a good choice for its marbling, but cuts like flat iron, strip and sirloin that don't have as much marbling can be great choices.
How to prepare: Season or marinate as you wish. Afterward, dry-age steaks in the refrigerator uncovered for a day or two. Always bring steaks to room temperature before grilling.
Grill it: Oil the meat and preheat the grill to high — 600 to 800 degrees. Sear the steak on one side, then flip it, turn the heat down to medium and move the steak to a cooler part of the grill. Finish grilling over medium heat to desired doneness.
To test for doneness, bring the tip of your first finger to your thumb, and with a finger of the other hand, press the base of your thumb — that's what a rare steak should feel like. Touch your middle finger to your thumb to replicate the feel of a medium-rare steak.
CHICKEN PIECES
Even chicken lovers get tired of the boneless, skinless variety. Get more flavor (and moistness) by leaving the skin on for grilling.
What to buy: Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs. Remove any excess skin to avoid flare-ups. Boneless, skinless parts will cook quicker.
How to prepare: Brine or marinate chicken at least 4 hours before grilling.
Grill it: Preheat or prepare the grill for medium indirect heat. Place chicken on the grill skin side down. Cook until marks are a nice brown, not charred. Turn over and continue grilling until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Use an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature without touching the bone should be 165 degrees.
1¼ pounds ground beef chuck or ground round1 teaspoon favorite all-purpose seasoning½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper8 slices (¼-inch-thick) red onionOlive oil for brushing on onions½ teaspoon kosher salt4 sandwich rollsLeaf lettuce2 ounces crumbled blue cheese (Use a good-quality blue cheese such as Gorgonzola.)Preheat or prepare the grill for medium heat. Oil the grates.In a bowl, mix together the ground beef, all-purpose seasoning and black pepper. Shape the mixture into patties, about 3 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Make a depression in the center, about ¼-inch deep and a half-dollar in diameter, so the meat has room to expand.Place the onions on a platter. Brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.Grill the burgers and onions about 8 minutes total or until the onions are slightly charred and the burgers are cooked to desired doneness. During the last minute or so of grilling, toast the cut side of the buns. Remove from the grill and place lettuce on the bottom bun. Top with a burger and place some crumbled blue cheese on top. Let the cheese melt slightly and then top with grilled onions and the bun top.Adapted from “Weber's Time to Grill: Get in. Get out. Get Grilling” by Jamie Purviance (Sunset, $24.95).
Seasoning mixture of choice (see below)2 whole (about 2 ½ pounds) bone-in chicken breasts, split, skin left on½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepperPreheat or prepare the grill for medium heat.Prepare one of the seasoning mixtures below.With fingertips, separate skin from meat on each breast half. Rub seasoning mixture under the skin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.Place chicken on grill over medium heat, bone side down, and cook about 25 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 15 minutes (depending on thickness) on the skin side to crisp the skin. Cook until juices run clear when thickest part of breast is pierced with tip of knife.Seasoning mixturesSun-Dried Tomato and Basil: In small bowl, mix 2 sun-dried tomatoes packed in seasoned olive oil, minced, and ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped.Garlic-Herb: In small bowl, mix 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel.Sage Butter: In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves.From “Good Housekeeping Grilling: More than 275 Perfect Year-Round Recipes” (Hearst, $24.95).
4 boneless rib eye steaks, about 1-inch thick and 8 to 10 ounces eachFor the sauce1 medium dried ancho chili pepper1 ½ cups dry red wine2 medium garlic cloves, peeled½ cup ketchup2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce½ teaspoon ground cuminFor the paste2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoons Dijon mustard1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano leaves1½ to 2 teaspoons kosher saltTo make the sauce: Cut off and discard the stem of the chili, cut it open and remove the seeds. In a small saucepan, combine the chili, wine and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until about 3/4 cup of wine remains, about 10 minutes. Set aside for 20 minutes, keeping the chili submerged so it softens. Transfer to a food processor. Process for 1 minute to puree the chili. Pour the mixture into a saucepan along with the remaining sauce ingredients. Mix well and heat over medium heat for about a minute; set aside.In small bowl, mix together all the paste ingredients and smear over both sides of the steaks. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature before grilling.Meanwhile, prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat.Grill the steaks over high direct heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to your desired doneness, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare, turning once or twice. If flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily over indirect heat. When done, remove from the grill and let the steaks rest 3 to 5 minutes. While the steaks rest, warm the sauce over low heat. Serve the steaks warm with the sauce.From “Weber’s Time to Grill: Get in. Get out. Get Grilling” by Jamie Purviance (Sunset, $24.95).
