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The Lounge => Media and Inspiration => Topic started by: Abyssal Maw on May 10, 2007, 12:55:29 PM

Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Abyssal Maw on May 10, 2007, 12:55:29 PM
I enjoy grilling things outdoors. I have a Weber "Silver" (thats the model name- it's actually black) tripod style grill-- we've had it for two years already and it is still in pretty good shape.

 The other day I made some chops and I usually do hotdogs for the kids no matter what we grill.

I don't like grilling chicken because I don't want to die of salmonella. But like, chops, steaks, and (my fave) italian sausages are great. Lately I kinda do the low-carb thing (although I'm a bit half-assed about it), so grilled meats is good.

I recently found out that the brand of charcoal actually matters. I got some generic charcoal and it was really smoky and smelled kinda bad. Usually charcoal smells awesome when you get it going, but this was stuff wasn't.

So lately, I'm back to using the Kingford charcoal. I think.

I will be grilling again this weekend.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Werekoala on May 10, 2007, 01:24:32 PM
Soak some wood chips (apple is my favorite - get them at Home Depot or whatnot) in water overnight, drain them, then when you get your coals down to red-hot, add some to the mix.  Add meat, cover the grill, and cook!

Mmm... smoky flavor.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: One Horse Town on May 10, 2007, 01:34:51 PM
Quote from: Werekoala
Soak some wood chips (apple is my favorite - get them at Home Depot or whatnot) in water overnight, drain them, then when you get your coals down to red-hot, add some to the mix.  Add meat, cover the grill, and cook!

Mmm... smoky flavor.


I just dribbled a bit...

I've got a barbeque on Saturday. Hurrah! I might just try the woodchip idea.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 10, 2007, 01:36:19 PM
I heart grilling but I suck at it.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: joewolz on May 10, 2007, 01:47:05 PM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
I heart grilling but I suck at it.


I felt the same way for years, and only used gas because I could not make charcoal light correctly.  But then I got a grill book as a wedding present, and it opened my eyes to this:

(http://www.pans.com/images/charcoal_starter.jpg)

Dude, this thing is PIMP!  Perfect coals every single time.  Best $8 I've ever spent!

Now I grill anything, on coals, with no worries.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: zomben on May 10, 2007, 02:22:37 PM
Quote from: joewolz
I felt the same way for years, and only used gas because I could not make charcoal light correctly.  But then I got a grill book as a wedding present, and it opened my eyes to this:

(http://www.pans.com/images/charcoal_starter.jpg)

Dude, this thing is PIMP!  Perfect coals every single time.  Best $8 I've ever spent!

Now I grill anything, on coals, with no worries.


"The Chimney" as we call that gizmo, is a Godsend.  Seriously, I could never figure out how to get the right amoutn of lighter fluid going... the 'light the coals, but not singe off my facial hair' ratio was always a mystery.

Ever since getting the Chimney about ten years ago, I've been the BBQ King.  Shit, I grill turkey for Thanksgiving now.  And yes, we're still using the same Chimney we got ten years ago.  Those things are damn-near indestructible.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Ronin on May 10, 2007, 02:31:15 PM
I love grilling. This week end I do believe will be my first grill of the season. I'm thinking T-bones and baked potatoes.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 10, 2007, 02:34:41 PM
I have "Grilling For Dummies", and St. Alton Brown, Almighty Cosmic Lord Of Stuff You Eat, uses one'a them there chm'neys you fellas are squirmin' about.  

I have a gas grill, but someday...
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: One Horse Town on May 10, 2007, 02:41:18 PM
Quote from: joewolz

(http://www.pans.com/images/charcoal_starter.jpg)



WTF is that! I hope that there's something similar in the UK, but i've never seen one.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Ronin on May 10, 2007, 02:44:49 PM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
I have "Grilling For Dummies", and St. Alton Brown, Almighty Cosmic Lord Of Stuff You Eat, uses one'a them there chm'neys you fellas are squirmin' about.  

I have a gas grill, but someday...

All hail Alton Brown purveyor of good eats!:emot-ham:
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: James J Skach on May 10, 2007, 02:46:43 PM
The one "cooking" show I can watch...as the guy actually explains why/how things work the way they do...
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: joewolz on May 10, 2007, 03:18:18 PM
Quote from: One Horse Town
WTF is that! I hope that there's something similar in the UK, but i've never seen one.


I'm so glad you asked!  I don't know if they are available in the UK, but I'll send you one, shouldn't cost more than £20 with shipping.  You can get them anywhere down here in So. Ill.

It's a charcoal chimney, there's a grate you can't see about 8-12cm from the bottom of it, separating the top part and bottom.  You pile it full to the brim of charcoal, and then stuff the bottom with a sheet of newspaper.

Light the newspaper and let it burn for about twenty minutes.  It'll smoke like crazy for about 10 minutes, but that's cool.  After another 10 minutes, the thing willl have all the coals glowing a uniform cherry red.  Using a potholder, just pour the coals into your grill, put the actual grill over it and cook!
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: arminius on May 10, 2007, 03:52:26 PM
For charcoal, may I recommend actual mesquite wood charcoal, instead of briquets. One brand is Lazzari, but you can find others. Mind, these aren't "flavoring chips", it's wood that's still recognizable but has been reduced to pure black 'coals'.

Why I like it:

First of all, I have to admit, it's fun. The stuff pops, crackles and sometimes puts on a show with a shower of sparks. Just be careful where you're grilling, and don't let hot cinders hit you.

Second, it burns hotter than regular charcoal. Seems to catch faster in a chimney, too.

Third, tasty smokey goodness.

Fourth, it burns completely leaving only fluffy white ash, not the clay-y binder materials which turn to cement if they get wet.

Fifth, it's all natural.

The downsides: well, it burns faster so you probably use it up faster. And it costs a bit more.

Cooking chicken on the grill is tricky but my wife likes to do it anyway; her method is to just cut slashes into the meat as it cooks, both to check for doneness and to expose more of the insides to the heat.

Two things to try in addition to the old standards:

1. King Oyster mushrooms (or other giant mushrooms). Slice them. Make mixture of melted butter (or olive oil), lemon juice (or balsamic vinegar), and some salt/pepper/herbs/spices. Brush it on the shrooms and grill.

2. Korean-style short ribs. Get ribs cut crosswise (like this (http://www.plateoftheday.com/food_blog/galbiKoreanBeefOnGrill.gif)) and marinate them the night before in the stuff that comes in a jar like this (http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/food/sauces/bbq.jpg). You might have to try a few different brands at your Asian grocery store. Look for ones that have pear in the ingredients. Grill to taste, but I think it's best when the outer edges of the meat are a little burnt so that the sauce itself caramelizes.

Oh, and about "chimneys", you can make one out of a coffee tin supposedly, but I haven't tried. I got mine at the hardware store where they sell barbecue supplies.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: joewolz on May 10, 2007, 03:58:04 PM
Thanks for the quick and easy recipe Elliot, I'm gonna try that!

Quote from: Elliot Wilen


Oh, and about "chimneys", you can make one out of a coffee tin supposedly, but I haven't tried. I got mine at the hardware store where they sell barbecue supplies.


According to legend, the coffee can is where the concept started.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Abyssal Maw on May 10, 2007, 04:07:54 PM
I'ma check out this chimney action.

The korean short ribs looked awesome too.

I remember the taste of mesquite well. I grew up in Texas and mesquite was pretty much everywhere, and nearly every place you could go from Houston-to-Lubbock featured "Mesquite grilled steaks" it seems like.  

I remember one time when I was in college we were part of a west-Texas archaeological dig (paleoindian), and there were several Europeans and canadians that had come down to take part. They were all wearing shorts and like flip flops. On the (overland) walk over to the digging site, they all got torn up by thorny mesquite brush, and a couple of them came down with actual mesquite poisoning.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: arminius on May 10, 2007, 06:01:21 PM
Hah, I didn't know mesquite had toxic qualities but it's confirmed, sort of, in this (http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Prosopis_juliflora.html) academic web page (which has a number of other tasty facts about the plant, such as the fact that it provides a good source of nectar for honeybees). Still, most of what's meant by "mesquite poisoning" is apparently cattle and other animals overdosing on the sugary bean pods and screwing up their digestive bacteria (http://texnat.tamu.edu/CMPLANTS/toxic/plants/mesquite.html). The first article does confirm that the thorns have some kind of irritating wax on them.

All in all, a very interesting plant. I'd like to try the beans sometime.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: J Arcane on May 10, 2007, 08:56:32 PM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
I have "Grilling For Dummies", and St. Alton Brown, Almighty Cosmic Lord Of Stuff You Eat, uses one'a them there chm'neys you fellas are squirmin' about.  

I have a gas grill, but someday...
Bobby Flay uses one too, and he is, supposedly, considered the king of the grill.

Alton Brown is still cooler though.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Mr. Christopher on May 10, 2007, 09:16:47 PM
Quote from: J Arcane
Bobby Flay uses one too, and he is, supposedly, considered the king of the grill.

Alton Brown is still cooler though.

Flay uses all kinds of grilling methods, and discusses the virtues of a gas grill in his intro for the "Boy Meets Grill" cookbook. Being a fan of propane myself he's preaching to the converted. :D
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Werekoala on May 10, 2007, 11:29:21 PM
Bobby Flay is not fit to wipe Alton Brown's tongs.

As it were.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Ronin on May 11, 2007, 07:06:50 AM
Quote from: Werekoala
Bobby Flay is not fit to wipe Alton Brown's tongs.

As it were.

Preach it brother!
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: arminius on May 11, 2007, 09:15:57 AM
What are the virtues of a gas grill? To me it sounds like you could accomplish much the same thing by installing a retractable roof over your kitchen range.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 11, 2007, 10:39:44 PM
Quote from: Werekoala
Bobby Flay is not fit to wipe Alton Brown's tongs.

As it were.
I'm so very sorry. Is Bobby Flay that guy on that show with Morimoto on it?
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: J Arcane on May 11, 2007, 10:45:57 PM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
I'm so very sorry. Is Bobby Flay that guy on that show with Morimoto on it?
Bobby Flay is the thinner of the two red-haired Iron Chefs.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Werekoala on May 11, 2007, 11:38:26 PM
Bobby Flay is the one who dishonored Kitchen Stadium (the real one, not that American-produced travesty) by jumping up on his cutting board at the end of his first match with Morimoto.

He has no honor.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 12, 2007, 06:43:20 AM
I still do not know this "Bobby Flay". I only know these Stateside Iron Chefs: Masaharu Morimoto, Cat Cora, Red-Headed Italian Food Guy and The Dick.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: JamesV on May 12, 2007, 06:54:54 AM
Living in a small two bedroom, it's impractical for me to own a grill. I have since learned, as late as last night, that I can still make one hell of a Strip steak with a really hot oven and my cast iron griddle. Combo that with a baked yam, and one is close to heaven.

"The Dick"? :haw:
I'm always a little surprised how many people feel that way. Including me.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 12, 2007, 08:38:31 AM
I'm being facetious of course, but that Flay guy does not impress me. His on-air persona at least is kind of superior and unapproachable, however skilled and talented a cook he may be.

Alton Brown, on the other hand, is charismatic, likeable, knowledgeable and self-effacing. His show isn't just entertaining, it's educational.

George Duran? Duran's awesome, too. Good sense of humor, sense of culinary adventure.

Sandra Lee? Tits on a stick. Sorry, but she's so very dull and fake to me, I can't watch her. Good recipes, but that's it.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Sosthenes on May 12, 2007, 09:30:55 AM
The only cooking show I managed to watch for more than two minutes was back in Ireland with that "Nigella" chick. Don't ask me what she was cooking, but daaamn... (And btw, worst. name. evah.)
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 12, 2007, 09:38:40 AM
Nigella Lawson is quite attractive, yes. Her show is fairly pedestrian, however.

I often wonder how these cooking show hosts live with themselves knowing that they cannot compete with Alton Brown. Are their pillows soaked with tears?
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Werekoala on May 12, 2007, 10:19:38 AM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
Nigella Lawson is quite attractive, yes. Her show is fairly pedestrian, however.

I often wonder how these cooking show hosts live with themselves knowing that they cannot compete with Alton Brown. Are their pillows soaked with tears?



(Cartman) Yessss... mmmm, let me taste those sweeet teeears! Ohhh yes! They're sweet! They're sweeeet! (/Cartman)
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: JongWK on May 12, 2007, 12:35:06 PM
Your average Uruguayan "asado" (BBQ) looks like this:

(http://images.montevideo.com.uy/data/media/7/01_7.jpg)
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Werekoala on May 12, 2007, 12:48:55 PM
Quote from: JongWK
Your average Uruguayan "asado" (BBQ) looks like this:

(http://images.montevideo.com.uy/data/media/7/01_7.jpg)


Just lost about a quart of saliva there, Jong .. (heads for the water cooler)
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Grimjack on May 12, 2007, 01:15:20 PM
Quote from: Werekoala
Bobby Flay is the one who dishonored Kitchen Stadium (the real one, not that American-produced travesty) by jumping up on his cutting board at the end of his first match with Morimoto.

He has no honor.


The original version is much better than the American version.  The fact that they have the guy who played in the TV version of "The Crow" as Chairman makes it a little too bizarre for me.  Although I do enjoy Alton Brown's commentary in the American version.

This thread makes me hungry every freakin time I look at it.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: J Arcane on May 12, 2007, 02:25:11 PM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
I'm being facetious of course, but that Flay guy does not impress me. His on-air persona at least is kind of superior and unapproachable, however skilled and talented a cook he may be.

Alton Brown, on the other hand, is charismatic, likeable, knowledgeable and self-effacing. His show isn't just entertaining, it's educational.

George Duran? Duran's awesome, too. Good sense of humor, sense of culinary adventure.

Sandra Lee? Tits on a stick. Sorry, but she's so very dull and fake to me, I can't watch her. Good recipes, but that's it.
I think people rather overstate Flay's attitude.  He's really not a bad guy at all, he's just got a touch of that New York attitude in him.  Throwdown, his new show, is a pretty good example of what he's like I think.  He challenges all these random people to these cookoffs, and he does talk a little friendly smack, but he's also a very gracious loser, and says himself on countless occasions that his real motivation for the show is just giving the folks he challenges a chance to show off their skills.

And George Duran is good fun too.  Apparently they've got him replacing the boring guy who used to host Secret Life Of on Food Network, so I might actually watch that show now.

Mario Batali's a really cool guy too, it's just that you really only see him on Iron Chef anymore, unless you get up at 10am on Monday mornings to watch Molto Mario.  Which is a shame, because his show is pretty good, in that you learn a lot about Italy and Italian cuisine, plus he actually gets some surprising guests on the show.  One time he had the entire Gyllenhaal family on there, and another time I think he had half the supporting cast of the Sopranos.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 12, 2007, 03:39:23 PM
I can still no like-a the Flay, right? Right? Right?

He's no Giada DiLaurentiis, I'll say that. Her, I can't even listen to.

And, no, I don't want to look at her, either.
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: J Arcane on May 12, 2007, 03:41:45 PM
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!
I can still no like-a the Flay, right? Right? Right?

He's no Giada DiLaurentiis, I'll say that. Her, I can't even listen to.

And, no, I don't want to look at her, either.
I will admit that, while I think he's a lot nicer guy than folks are willing to give him credit for, he's not a terribly entertaining TV personality either.  Throwdown's a fun show, but his regular stuff is just kinda dull to watch, and his recipes do get a wee bit on the monotonous side.

Giada however is my dream girl and I'll not have you speaking ill of her.  ;)
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: JongWK on May 12, 2007, 03:47:44 PM
Quote from: Werekoala
Just lost about a quart of saliva there, Jong .. (heads for the water cooler)


Come visit us for holidays, and we'll have one of those for you. :D
Title: All Up In Yo Grill
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on May 12, 2007, 11:04:45 PM
Quote from: J Arcane
Giada however is my dream girl and I'll not have you speaking ill of her.  ;)
You can have her. Just so I don't hafta hear her say "pan-CHETT-tah" over and fucking over again.  OKAY! YOU'RE ITALIAN! I GET IT!  Listen, listen, listen -- tah-kohs. tah-kohs.  Ehhh?  Ehhh?  See?  taah-maah-lehs.  taah-maah-lehs. I can do it, too.