Weber's Real Grilling

Weber's Real Grilling
By Jamie Purviance

Ten Essentials for Better Grilling

The heart of grilling lies in the fire, within the grill itself, and what separates the master grillers from the masses is that the master grillers understand how the fire flavors the food. They know what kind of heat is right for each meat, fish, and vegetable. They know how to control the fire and sear the food with rich tastes and textures. They know how to capture the aromatic smoke that develops when juices and fats drip into the grill. Sure, recipes are important, but techniques matter most. Here is my top-ten list of recommendations.

1. Lighter Fluid: No Way!
   There is no reason, except maybe pyromania (and that's not a good one), to use lighter fluid anymore. It's a petroleum product, and who wants that and its foul chemical fumes under their food? Chimney starters and paraffin cubes are much cleaner and much more effective.
2. Preheat the Grill
   Preheating your grill with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes prepares the cooking grate. With all the coals glowing red, or all the gas burners on high, the temperature under the lid should reach 500˚F. The heat loosens any bits and pieces of food hanging onto the grate, making it easy to brush them off. A hot grate is also crucial for searing food properly.
3. Keep it Clean
   When bits of food have stuck to your stainless steel or porcelain-enameled cooking grate, and the grate is hot, clean it with a brass-bristle brush. This step is not only for cleanliness. It also prevents your food from sticking. Note: Use a steel brush if you have a cast-iron cooking grate.
4. Oil the Food, Not the Grate
   Oil prevents food from sticking. It adds flavor and moisture, too. Lightly brushing or spraying the food with oil works better than brushing the grate. You won't waste oil and you will avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
5. Know When to Be Direct
   Direct heat (when the fire is directly below the food) is best for relatively small, tender pieces of food that cook in 20 minutes or less. Indirect heat (when the fire is on either side of the food) is best for larger, tougher foods that require more than 20 minutes of cooking.
6. Keep the Air Flowing
   A charcoal fire needs air. The lid should be closed as much as possible, but keep the vents on the lid and below the charcoal grate open. Remove the ashes on the bottom of the grill regularly to prevent them from blocking the vents. A gas fire needs air, too, which it gets from openings below the grill.
7. Put a Lid on It
   For four important reasons, the lid should be closed as much as possible.
   1. It keeps the grates hot enough to sear the food.
   2. It speeds up the cooking time and prevents the food from drying out.
   3. It traps the smokiness that develops when fat and juices vaporize in the grill.
8. It prevents flare-ups by limiting oxygen.
9. Caramelization is Key
   One of biggest reasons for the popularity of grilled food is its seared taste. To develop this taste for maximum effect, use the right level of heat and resist the temptation to turn food often. Your patience will allow for caramelization, or browning. That creates literally hundreds of flavors and aromas. As a general rule, turn food only once.
10. Tame the Flame
    Flare-ups happen, which is good because they sear the surface of what you are grilling. But too many flare-ups can burn your food. If the flames are getting out of control, move the food over indirect heat temporarily, until they die down. Then move the food back. As always, keep the lid down as much as possible.
11. Watch the Time and Temperature
    The recipes in this book have been tested at 70˚F weather at average altitudes. If you are grilling in a colder climate or in a higher altitude, the cooking times will be longer. If the wind is blowing hard, it will lower a gas grill's temperature and raise a charcoal grill's temperature. Grilling is both art and science. Pay attention to each.