I f-ing suck. don't make anything special at all.

so let me know what your best prepped grilling dish is so i can work on this during the upcoming summer months. not your standard beer brats or polish sausages. give me your secret recipes.

Here is an older grill thread.

So, yeah. I grill just about every night.

Grilled Asparagus. Trim/break your asparagus (very abundant right now). Drizzle with olive oil. Hit it with some fresh cracked black pepper and kosher or sea salt. Sprinkle liberally with Herbs de Provence. Mix it up. Throw it on a hot grill for about five minutes. Delicious.

Greek chicken is my speciality. Cut up a whole chicken or use any pieces you prefer. Rub with salt, pepper, 1/4 cup crushed oregano, two sprigs fresh chopped rosemary, 3 cloves crushed garlic. Seperatley, freshly sqeeze one or two lemons into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and and about 2 more crushed garlic cloves. Grill the chicken for 5-10 minutes per side and then baste with lemon/olive oil. Keep turning and basting until chicken is done. It is awesome.

Edit: By the way, you don't want to marinate chicken in lemon or any other strong acid, it dries it up like like an old hag's coochy

thanks biggie. i figured i would catch the search nazi in here.

gotta put my weber to good use.

edit: and the greek chix sounds great lil jess!

Here is one of our favorite sides:

Grilled Butternut Squash.

Trim off the ends of the squash. Cut the neck away from the body (round part where the seed cavity is.) Peel both sections. Cut the neck into 1/2" discs. Cut the body into 1/2" sections, discarding the seeds as you go.

Melt a little butter. 2 tablespoons, maybe. Mix the butter and squash with some ginger, corriander, nutmeg, all spice, or cinnamon in a large pan or bowl. It doesn't matter what savory spice you use, they are all good. Maybe a little of a couple of these or just one. Don't go nuts and put all of them on, though. Don't want to over do it. Maybe throw in a pinch of brown sugar, too. Grill over medium high heat until you get some nice browning/grill marks on both sides.

Very good with grilled pork chops.

Open a bottle of wine. Chill out. Listen to some good tunes. This is what I'm doing tonight. I love this time of year.



Excelllent. I do almost this same thing with a lamb roast. Yum. Never thought of it with chicken. Sounds great.



What are you using, charcoal or gas?

If you like fish, try the planks they are amazing. I got a variety pack from Amazon.com that are out of sight.

another veggie idea:

take any vegetables you want: asparagus, shrooms, bell peppers, onions, etc.

wrap them in aluminum foil (double wrap if it's big), throw in butter, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, or anything you want really. put the whole package over high heat for at least 15 minutes.

yum.

I made ribs with grilled (baked) potatoes last night. I lined the grill with foil and poked some holes in it with a knife. Washed and left the potatoes soaking in salt water since the morning, double wrapped them in foil and threw them on the grill early (they take about an hour). Try to keep them away from direct flames. The ribs turned out less than perfect because I didn't make enough sauce. Live and learn.

My dad used to make baked potatoes by wrapping them and foil and throwing them right into the coals, no soaking, nothing.. His always came out perfectly, but the couple times I have tried this the skins are charred. Have no idea what his secret was. I asked him, and he was just like "I don't know. Through them in the coals, big deal. It's not rocket science."

I have a gas grill, now, so I really don't have to worry about it.

Man, I'm not good with recipes and such, but I'm coming off a fantastic grilling weekend--seriously, folks are still talking. The meat was top sirloin. I guess the marinade is kinda key here, but that's the wife-and-mother-in-law's department. I'm not sure how long I left the meat on the grill--maybe 12-fifteen minutes tops (and these were two huge slabs of beef)--good, hot fire but not a scorcher. I turn the meat pretty frequently too--I try not to let it sit for more than a couple minutes on one side.

ANYWAY, the sirloin was cut on an angle in strips and served on a bed of greens...there may have been sliced cherry tomatoes in there as well...I don't know, by this time I was pretty loaded. The recipe for all this may have come from Cooking Light, now that I think about it. The meat almost looked just a minute-or-so under-done when I brought it in--lots of juice--but everyone flipped. It was awesome. I think we passed a bowl of blue cheese crumbles too, for those who like that with their sirloin (count me among 'em--sometimes melt the blue cheese with butter in the micro right before serving). Served it with a 2003 Zinfandel, then got into a 2003 Cab...the Cab was killer! Great meal. Hope you have success as well.

Don't forget the little foil pouch of potatoes, cut up fairly small with olive oil, garlic salt, etc. This thread is gonna make me hella hungry.

Does anyone ever watch Barbeque America on PBS?

Wicked awesome show. This pretty huge guy goes around all over the country and literally stuffs his face with great barbeque. No shame about it. Dude loves barbeque.

I peaked too early this summer. I'm a shawarma fiend, but as in most cases where food is concerned, Reno is sorely lacking, so I took it upon myself. This isn't rocket science, but there are a few prep steps that are important and that take some time. But it's something that can be put together on a Friday night before a Saturday cookout.

Costco carries a great deboned and butterflied leg of lamb from Australia. Unroll it, pound it out a bit to be more even and trim it of most, but not all visible fat and sinew. Slice, against the grain, strips as long as possible and about a half inch thick. Set aside.

Do you have a coffee/spice grinder? If not get one. Into it, place the following:
8-10 caradamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
2 dried red chile peppers of your choice (or add pre-ground cayenne or chili powder afterward)
2 bay leaves

I suppose you can use pre-ground spices, but the fresh stuff really makes this sing.

Grind it all to a consistent powder. Place in a large mixing bowl and add:

1/2 teaspoon grated/ground nutmeg
1 tbs salt
4 garlic cloves-pressed or minced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Mix into a thin marinade and add lamb slices to the bowl. Not sure of the proportions since I didn't use all the lamb initially and made another batch once I realized how fucking good this was. Add enough lamb to be coated well by the marinade. Let it marinate for at least two hours and as many as 24 hours.

Place strips on a hot grill. For medium doneness, you'll almost be ready to turn the first ones on by the time you've placed the last ones on. The actuall grilling takes very little time at all, so have the following ready for your shawrama-fixin' bar:

chopped tomatoes
chopped
lemon halves (for squeezing)
torn parsley leaves
sliced jalapenos
plain yoghurt (or tzatsziki sauce)
warm pitas

I brought the strips to the table in a bowl and added a drizzle of more olive oil and more squeezes of lemon to moisten things up.

Make couscous or rice and grill some eggplant or zucchini for a fulsome meal. Get a good Aussie shiraz and dig on this. I've been eating these leftovers for the last four days and it keeps getting better.

Wicked. I have to go to Costco tomorrow anyway, so this is perfect timing.

BEST INTERWEB BOARD EVER.

Also, I recommend investing in some cast iron cookware. I have a pot I can cook beans in while I grill burgers. Also a flat pan for making fajitas and veggies

Oh, I got that leg of lamb at Sam's Club. Cut it into big 3 inch cubes and made an awesome souvlaki on the grill.

low and slow when it comes to ribs.

I usually set my gas grill (or oven to start) around 300 degrees, meanwhile I do a light rub with the ribs (stuff called "grub rub" that I got at Paulina Meat Market) Wrap the ribs in tin foil and throw them on the grill (or oven) for a few hours. Then drain them, baste them with your favorite bbq sauce and finish them on the grill for the fall of the bone perfection. Serve with bbq beans and Polenta.

do you ever watch Big Love?

I replace olive for sesame oil and add black and white sesame seed (toasted). Love it with a Pork Tenderloin basted in a quick and easy butter, soy, garlic and honey (again with sesame seeds) sauce.

And don't forget the skewers and make a green picket fence of the asparagus to make them easier to turn.

Can you post a basic recipe? Very curious. Thanks. I'm happy with one wife, though.

I've never needed to use skewers to turn the asparagus.

One turn and done. So much easier to use the time saved on other things. Yup.

Same thing as the chicken recipe but with some crushed basil added. Cut the lamb or pork into cubes, rub the crap on, skewer, grill and baste. lemon+oregano = greek style

For grilling, my absolute favorite dish is Alton Brown's seared tuna cooked over a chimney starter.

This is simply heavenly. As averse as I was to marinading a $13-$20/lb piece of tuna in soy sauce and wasabi powder, this actually worked amazingly well. Just make sure you get the best tuna you can get your hands on. In the Chicago area, either Dirks or Isaacson & Stein are the places you want to go. You basically need sushi grade tuna for this.

If any of you are into smoking and true southern style low-and-slow 'cue, get yourself a Weber Smokey Mountain, and follow this man's 5-step course. You will not be disappointed. Best ribs and pulled pork ever. This is for those of you who think Chicago-style boil-b-q ribs are a travesty. In my opinion, ribs are not meant to be cooked to the consistency of Jell-o and should retain a bit of meaty bite. If this is the style of ribs you like (think Memphis, KC, etc.), then the Weber Smokey Mountain is the perfect tool for you. I have a banana-leaf wrapped cochinita pibil (pork rubbed with achiote paste) and chicken leg-thigh quarters smoking as we speak.

I'm also a big fan of making cevapcici or pljeskavica (Balkan sausages and hamburgers, respectively). My recipe is to use 1/3 ground chuck (NOT LEAN! you want at least 20% fat), 1/3 ground lamb, 1/3 ground pork. Mix with finely chopped onion, garlic, some hot Hungarian paprika, Vegeta (a salty Croatian vegetable stock/seasoning), and pepper to taste. For cevapcici, mold into finger-sized sausages. For pljeskavica, form into patties. Grill. Serve with ajvar (a Balkan red pepper-eggplant paste), raw onions, and pita bread (or other flatbread).



What, no olive oil?

a given.

that's just insulting.

Olive oil was in original chicken recipe.

Alton Brown is my God. Local kingpin Gary Wiviott is a more minor deity, but no less important as a top-notch BBQ maven. I have smoked three pork shoulders using his 5-step method. Doing another Saturday/Sunday.

I don't think boiling ribs is a Chicago style thing...I think it's a lazy tasteless thing (although maybe it got its start in Chicago???). I hate ribs where the meet just falls of the bone....fucking gross.

As for my favorite q story..not really a recipe, but I went to the ND vs. Nebraska football game a few years back, and met a guy who converted a boat trialer into a flat top propane grill, with four huge insulated compartments for drinks and supplies.

Guy was making venison fajitas, with bacon. They were ridiculous.

holy carp. I remember watching him do that on a show once, but didn't pay attention to who or what channel I was on. I thought that was a great, simple recipe, but could never find it again. Thanks!!

You can par boil Beef Ribs to take off some fat, but I prefer baking when I'm being lazy about 'Q. Bake'em & finish'em on a grill.

I'm saying that the predominant form of rib in Chicago (Twin Anchor, Carson's--although Carson's does have a hint of smoke--etc.) is the parboiled/steamed rib. Chicago has a weird affinity for boil-b-q and the popularity of these types of places points to that. How many times have I heard "their ribs are so good, they just fall of the bone!" Who the fuck wants to eat ribs you can suck through a straw? It takes no talent to make fall-off-the-bone ribs, and you have to bury it in sauce because you've leeched all the good pork flavor away during your boiling. To make a good barbecued rib, though, does take a modicum of skill.

i've been wanting to grill a pizza....maybe this wkend. has anybody tried this? i'm sure the finished product will be cooked too fast and taste both hot and cold, and chew something like cardboard and gravel....but i have to know.

Cook's Illustrated had a feature about grilled pizza a few months ago. I'm not sure which issue it was, though. They might have something on their website about it.

Tried this over the weekend with some thighs. Very, very good.

OPA!

Did you set the cheese on fire & break the dishes? If not it's not really Greek Chicken, it's maybe just Cretan Chicken.

No, we didn't break any dishes last night, but our cat did.

I was loading some stuff into the dishwasher, and who happened to be sitting in the dishwasher when I turned my back but Mr. Whiskers. He was really going to town on some dirty plates, really enjoying himself. Well, when I scooped him up to remove him from the dishwasher, his big paws grabbed onto the edges of one of our plates, pulling it out of the dishwasher rack and onto the kitchen floor, cracking into about fifteen pieces.

OPA, indeed.

made some polish sausages last weekend -- grill on medium for 5 minutes, then add to an aluminum pan along with sliced onion & green pepper and a drained can of sauerkraut. add your choice of beer for liquid, and let everything sit for 30 minutes.
1/2 way through, i sliced the sausages in half lengthwise.

i've still got some frozen sausages in the freezer, i'm probably gonna make polish sausage & shrimp kabobs next weekend. that'll be grand.

So, how's the grill been treating you, -Blank-?

my mom bought me a boat load of planks for grilling on

I've been using them w/salmon. Just season the fish, medium heat, let it go for 20-25 minutes, perfect every time, no fuss no muss & yummy

They're great aren't they? So very, very, very, good.

Thanks, Injuns!

You're welcome

Spatchcock. Say it with me.

Spatchcock chicken is great. Spatchcock chicken is easy. It's flat, so it cooks quickly and evenly. Beer can chicken is old news. Viva the spatchcock chicken.

5 Things I Think:


1. Brine a whole chicken for several hours or overnight

2. Remove backbone and lay flat. This is really easy. Find the backbone, take a pair of badass kitchen shears and cut about an inch from both sides of the backbone all the way up until that chicken, she just opens right up like a book.

3. Season chicken as you like. I have been jonesing for the whole chicken served on fries from the Athenian Room on Webster, so I loosened the skin on the bird and packed a compound butter* all underneath the skin.

4. Throw the chicken skin side up on a hot grill. Most of the cooking can get done this way, which means the fat on the skin side just slowly melts and bastes into the whole thing. It also means the breast side is up off the direct heat, so it doesn't dry out. That is key. After twenty minutes or so, flip it and brown up the skin side--maybe another fifteen minutes, depending on the heat of the fire.

The chicken will look like this when it's done:



Good, right?

5. I cheated: bought fries from a local place here, spread them on a platter and laid the chicken right on 'em. Splashed a little white wine over the top, and that, along with the juices from the chicken and the melting butter soaked the fries into a glorious Messopotatoes. Damn.

Summer's still with us. Keep grillin'.

*Slightly soften a stick of butter and combine with juice from 1-2 lemons, a couple cloves of minced garlic, chopped fresh oregano (dried is fine) and lots of cracked black pepper. Shape it into a log and freeze or refrigerate for a couple of hours.

^This is how I roast the turkey at Thanksgiving. Butterflying is the way to go if you're roasting a whole bird, especially if you have a smaller oven.

that looks fuckin glorious cooler. this might be done on saturday.

I got a new gas grill on Sunday. 45,000 BTU's 675 total sq. in cooking area. Bring on the bbq's. It pisses me off though, I can't get the electric ignitor to work.

I'm pretty sure this will solve your ignitor problem. You really should have one of these anyway.

The SIZZLER
Ultra Power 500,000 Volt Stun Gun

Intimidates up to 20 feet
Explosive spark discharge
Curved head with pistol grip
Labelled with instructions
With safety switch

Is the ignitor sparking, but not catching, or is it just not doing anything at all?

No sparks. No noise. Nothing.

What brand?

Also, did you assemble it, or buy it put together?

It's a charbroil. hold up i'll post the linky

http://www.charbroil.com/consumerwebhome/PS463461007.aspx


There's a battery that came with the grill. I haven't tried switching that out yet.