From the Hearth

Summertime Grilling

Growing up in Texas, it was standard for this girl's family to cook on the BBQ several times a week in the summer. From grilled veggies to kabobs on skewers, to juicy steaks and grilled shrimp- the smoky, slightly charred flavor seems to improve whatever you cook. It’s also a perfect way to cook for large groups, and to offer a wide variety of foods with minimal cleanup.

The grill can also be very versatile. Besides the standard fare, delicate fish can be steamed over the grill in a tin foil package. Ears of corn smothered in herb butter can be roasted over the coals. Pizza dough can be grilled for a delicious flavor and texture, and topped with grilled veggies and smoked mozzarella. Extra grilled chicken breasts can make wonderful (and convenient) toppings for salads later in the week.

A few tips for enjoying grill season:

1. Take the time to prep the grill and your tools

A well maintained grill gives you a better end result, and makes the food easier to handle. Take the time to scour the grill with a wire brush or wadded up tin foil to remove built up charred remains (kaylee’s found brushing the grill works best while it’s still hot- the charred parts come off much easier). Lightly oil the grill before heating it. Wash and lightly oil any metal skewers you plan to use, and soak any wooden skewers in advance to prevent them from burning while over the flames.

If you marinate the meats, make sure you keep them in the refrigerator before use. Bring the meats up to room tempature just before placing them over the grill. Make sure you place all the cooked meats on a fresh clean plate to avoid any transfer of bacteria. Likewise, plan to use two sets of tongs - one set to turn over raw meat, and one set solely dedicated to cooked foods.

2. Select the right meats.

The right cut of beef makes a huge difference in how it tastes fresh off the grill. The ‘less lean’ cuts of beef are perfect for grilling- the fat drips off as the meat cooks, but it adds tenderness and flavor as it does so. Make sure that the fat is marbled evenly throughout the steak. The leaner cuts can often dry out over the grill, and may cook better using marinade, being grilled quickly, or topped with a sauce once cooked. Grill meats halfway before topping with barbeque sauces to avoid burning or over-cooking the sugars found in many of the sauces.

3. Set up different ‘heat zones’ on the grill.

Not all foods need to cook over the same temperature. Mound the coals higher in one section to create the hottest zone, another section should be slightly cooler to cook through the thicker meats without overly charring them, and a small area over the coals should be set up to keep the waiting meats warm until serving. This also works well for assorted grilled veggies since they do not all cook at the same rate.

NOTE: Make sure the grill is hot and ready to prevent food (particularly meat) from sticking.

4. Avoid over-flipping and over-cooking.

If you continually flip meats over the grill, the continual cooling of the meat’s surface prevents it from searing, which traps in the meat’s juices. Instead, keep a watchful eye as it cooks undisturbed for a while before flipping it once to the other side.

Lemon Rosemary Marinade for Fish or Chicken

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (save zest to add as well)
• freshly ground pepper

Grilled Mahi Mahi

• 4 (6 oz) Mahi Mahi fillets
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Wash the fillets, and pat dry, adding a touch of salt and pepper. Mix the garlic, ginger and olive oil, brushing onto the Mahi Mahi.
2. Grill the fillets for 3 minutes each side. Fish should flake when tested.
3. Can be served with mango salsa, or simply as it is.

Grilled Chicken with Dijon Mustard

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 3 pounds)
• 1 cup Dijon mustard
• ½ can beer (still in can)
• ½ cup Italian salad dressing

1. Wash chicken and pat dry. smother with mustard.
2. Add Italian dressing to can filled halfway of beer. Place can on baking sheet, and mount the chicken’s cavity onto the can (the chicken will be standing upright using the can of beer as a stand).
3. Carefully place baking sheet, can of beer and chicken onto the hot grill, and cook for one hour, covered, until juices run clear.

Barbeque Sauce

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1½ cups ketchup
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1. Heat vegetable oil, and saute onion and garlic.
2. Mix in all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Beef Kabobs

• 1 pound top sirloin steak -- cut into cubes
• 1 cup favorite marinade
• onion- cut into chunks
• cherry tomatoes
• green bell pepper- cored and seeded, cut into chunks
• mushroom caps

1. Place cubed sirloin in ziplock bag, add favorite marinade and toss to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Soak wooden skewers in water.
2. Thread meat and vegetables onto skewers. Grill over medium heat until desired doneness. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Grilled Pizza

• refrigerated pizza crust (available at grocer)
• extra virgin olive oil
• assorted toppings

1. Unfold the pizza dough and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Set onto baking pan while grill is heating.
2. Carefully move pizza round from baking pan onto clean, oiled grill. Let cook uncovered until bottom is lightly browned. Flip to other side.
3. Top with desired toppings. kaylee’s favorite is BBQ chicken pizza- light amount of BBQ sauce, diced grilled chicken, thin rings of red onions and smoky provolone cheese. Another popular one would be pesto, fresh basil, grilled artichoke hearts and mushrooms, topped with fontina cheese.