With the new Barbecue season coming on, with the grills and smokers coming out again, I am going over some tips that have come up from replies to my Gulf Coast Post column which I do twice a month and other questions that come my way. If you are one of those that replied to me about my article, thanks for taking the time and your question.
1. Don’t let those barbecue flare-ups put out the flame in your heart for outdoor grilling. There are several reasons why barbecues will suddenly flare up, turning your meat to ashes. Luckily, there are also several ways to fight back. Here are some suggestions: Move your meat away from the fire by raising the level of your grill. Some flare-ups are natural. By keeping your meat a bit higher, the flames may not reach the grill.
Use a grade of meat with a bit less fat. Most of the time, it’s the dripping fat that causes the flare-ups.
Use a marinade or barbecue sauce with less sugar. Sugar in the marinade not only attracts the flames, but will burn on the surface of the meat.
Give the fire a bit less air to feed on by closing the vents down a bit.
2. Use an enclosed barbecue with a removable lid. This will allow you to both grill and smoke. Keep it covered: When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, use indirect grilling or barbecuing. Keep the grill lightly covered and resist the temptation to peek – every time you lift the lid, you add five to ten minutes to the cooking time!
Resist the temptation to lift the grill lid, unless you’re turning or adding items, to keep heat from escaping. Just remember that every time you lift the lid, you lose heat.
3. If you want your grill to multitask, bank up the fire on one side and leave the other half of the grill charcoal-free. You can regulate the temperature of the interior by opening and closing the flue on the top. Closing completely will result in a slow-burning fire and a low temperature – perfect for smoking. Using Indirect Heat for tougher meats that need to be cooked slower, like roasts, whole chickens and slabs of ribs. You cook the meat indirectly by placing it away from the charcoal or burner. You then cover the grill so the meat cooks slowly and the heat stays in the grill.
4. Working the vents on your barbeque grill is an important aspect of controlling the temperature. The vents on both the top and bottom are used to control airflow into the grill. The more air allowed into the grill the hotter it will be. Generally you want to always leave the bottom vent open to allow air for your fire and control the temperature by manipulating the top vent.
We will be publishing more tips throw-out the year, here in the Gulf Coast Post.
Grilled Brats Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups sliced peppers
- 2 cups sliced onions
- Favorite barbecue rub
- 10 brats (good quality)
Lay the brats on your grill grate and season them with your favorite rub. Grill the brats over direct heat until they are well browned on two sides.
Once the brats are cooking on the grill, put a skillet on the stovetop or an outdoor burner, such as your grill side burner. Brown the butter in the skillet, then add the peppers and onions. Stir these often to keep them from burning. After it cooks down add a liberal sprinkling of rub. Mix it well.
Serve the grilled brats on hotdog buns with the topping and sliced cheese. You may also enjoy ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce and other condiments with your sandwiches.
Extremely easy and edible!
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Enjoy!
Fla Panhandle BBQ Society 