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Barbecue Or Bust!
Summer is upon us and with summer comes the barbecue.
Barbecue has many different meanings all around the world, but I use it
as a "loose" term for cooking on an open flame. There are so many
factors in a successful barbecue. I'm going to touch on a few
basic skills needed and present a couple personal favorite recipes.
Hundreds of flavorful combinations can be concocted for barbecue rubs,
sauces, mops and marinades. Which in my opinion are the most
important parts to a great barbecue.
Of course you need
a decent grill: gas, charcoal or electric can be used, good utensils and
a safe place to cook. First of all let's look at some of the different
heat sources inside the grill. Lump charcoal is a favorite of many
chefs, hardwood charcoal is also good. I don't recommend commercial
briquettes, because they contain coal dust, chemical binders and other
unnatural ingredients. The most important detail when talking about the
grill itself is nice even heat, even heat equals even cooking.
Rubs, sauces, mops and marinades: Rubs- there
are two types of rubs: wet and dry. Dry rubs are simply herbs,
spices and seasonings added to the outside of meat at least one hour
before cooking. Wet rubs are usually just dry rubs with the
addition of oil, use acids such as: lemon juice or vinegar to make rub
penetrate meat.
Barbecue sauces are added during
grilling and before eating. Containing all sort of sugars, these
sauces brown and caramelize forming tasty goodness. Mops or bastes
are added during cooking. Keeping the meat moist and building a
crispy crust are a mops purpose. Usually having some kind of fat
such as: oils and butter.
Marinades are liquid seasoning. Grilled items
are soaked in liquid and marinated until ready to grill. Marinades
with acids help break down muscle fibers and keep meat moist during
cooking. Marinades can be as simple as: oil, cider vinegar and
garlic or as diverse as: curry paste, lemon grass, oil, lemon zest and
white wine. Marinades can be injected in meats also, but be
careful not to smother your food with to many seasonings.
Remember write down what you do, good food is better
when you can reproduce it. Always pay attention to the food on
your grill it could go from perfect to charred within a few flare ups.
The following are a few recipes I enjoy cooking on the grill. Now
go out there, fire up that grill and begin grilling. Your
possibilities are endless, so experiment and have fun!
Lemon Pepper Scallop
Kabobs
Marinated Flank Steak
by Krazy Kurt, 2003
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