[Cody Dawg]

Well, it's barbeque time!

What's your best recipe for barbeque sauce, grilling, or making a kick-@ss burger?

I like grilling T-bones. I buy our meat from Costco, actually, since it's excellent quality there and rather affordable still compared to butcher shops. I rub softened butter on both sides of the cut of meat, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, crushed rosemary, and I also sprinkle granulated sugar on it also and let it sit while the grill gets going. Then I throw it on the piping hot grill - it should be very hot.

The butter and the sugar caramelize together and the juices from the meat combine with the rosemary and it's so fragrant and smells wonderful. Cook to your desired amount (I recommend medium rare) then pull it off the grill (with tongs and NOT a fork - never pierce beef with any implement because the juices will run out) and let it rest for about 10 minutes so that the juices settle back into the beef properly.

I promise if you cook your next steak on the grill that way that you and your family or guests will love it.



For burgers I never get fancy...about as exotic as we get is when we mix the ground round (for some reason ground round always makes the best burger for our tastes for some reason) with chopped green chile from New Mexico and we serve it medium rare and on big toasted bakery buns. Sometimes we fry up bacon to put on top or throw cheese on it, but that's about it.

[Gossamer]

My favorite thing is to take pork chops and marinate them in a store-bought Mesquite Lime marinade. I can't remember the brand, but it's really good. I put them in the hot grill, flip them every once in a while, take them off when they look done...they're so juicy and delicious.

[Cody Dawg]

One thing I want to try are the different wood chips. Like mesquite wood chips. I hear that soaking them in water then throwing them in the grill really does make a difference. I've taken big sprigs of rosemary and let them air dry upside down and then tied them together and have thrown those on the grill when grilling beef before and the aromatics from the burning rosemary really did infuse a wonderful flavor or scent.

[Dakar]

Now this is a good idea for a thread.

...too bad I don't like BBQ.

[Gossamer]

As a whole? Cause that's a lot of variety to dislike!

[Cody Dawg]

How can you not like barbequeing? It's just grilling outside on a grill!

[Dakar]

My mistake, I thought you meant more sauce oriented.

[Gossamer]

Ha, another quad post! We should make a club.

[Cody Dawg]

A club sandwich on the barbie?

[Y3a]

Chicken:
keep skin on
Salt & pepper and when almost done, add your favorite sauce and cook some more.

Steak(Filet)
Montreal spice from McCormick(I think)

B+ BBQ sauce;
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine
cayanne to taste
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1 TS chili powder
1/2 TBLSPN onion powder


To use as a maranaide swap cider vinager to balsamic..

[mindwaves]

How do you bbq hamburger patties without them falling through the grill? Just be careful or cook them over some pan or aluminum foil? Thanks.

[Gossamer]

If you buy the premade patties, it works fairly well to throw them on frozen. If you make your own, it generally works to pack them tightly enough so that they don't fall through.

[Cody Dawg]

You know, that's never been a problem? We have a Weber stainless grill and I just measured the bars and they are an inch apart. Our burgers are always large at about 5 to 6 inches across. Before we start the grill we use a stainless steel brush and wipe it down, then we take a rag and pour olive oil on it and rub down the bars of the grill before firing up the grill. I have a feeling that the olive oil helps a little.

Now, one thing I've noticed is that when we added more ingredients other than the meat, the more we added to the ground meat the more it was prone to fall apart, yes.

So, other than the occasional green chile, which is diced very small, we don't add anything at all. Nothing. We just make the burger, season it with salt and pepper, and grill it. Actually, come to think of it, we actually do rub each burger with olive oil THEN we salt and pepper it - pour a little olive oil in your palm, rub your hands together, then slick the burgers before seasoning them.

What we do afterwards is set out bowls of burger condiments including relish, mayo, ketchup, brown mustard (I hate yellow mustard), onions, sauteed mushrooms, bacon slices, cheese slices, thousand island dressing, bleu cheese crumbles, and even chopped green olives, and let people take a grilled bun and a burger and make whatever they want.

[IceEnclosure]

Bubba® makes my burgers generally.

NY Strip with a lil peppercorn sauce and mashed pot. Med-Rare, thanks.

[ambush]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Well, it's barbeque time!

What's your best recipe for barbeque sauce, grilling, or making a kick-@ss burger?

I like grilling T-bones. I buy our meat from Costco, actually, since it's excellent quality there and rather affordable still compared to butcher shops. I rub softened butter on both sides of the cut of meat, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, crushed rosemary, and I also sprinkle granulated sugar on it also and let it sit while the grill gets going. Then I throw it on the piping hot grill - it should be very hot.

The butter and the sugar caramelize together and the juices from the meat combine with the rosemary and it's so fragrant and smells wonderful. Cook to your desired amount (I recommend medium rare) then pull it off the grill (with tongs and NOT a fork - never pierce beef with any implement because the juices will run out) and let it rest for about 10 minutes so that the juices settle back into the beef properly.

I promise if you cook your next steak on the grill that way that you and your family or guests will love it.



For burgers I never get fancy...about as exotic as we get is when we mix the ground round (for some reason ground round always makes the best burger for our tastes for some reason) with chopped green chile from New Mexico and we serve it medium rare and on big toasted bakery buns. Sometimes we fry up bacon to put on top or throw cheese on it, but that's about it.

Yeah, adding spices & butter on grilled meat is really something new to me!

Thanks for your novel recipe.

[Cody Dawg]

Actually, come to think of it, I think that the sugar and butter caramelizing on the steak surface so quickly is why it's so great - it traps all the juices inside the steak. It's really great and people always asked how did we cook it or where the meat came from because they think it's something special, but it's not. The ground or crushed (we use crushed rosemary because it adds a slightly crunchy texture to the surface of the steak) rosemary is the perfect spice. We also use freshly ground coarse pepper, not that fine black pepper from a store. You can also buy a large sirloin and cook it the same way, but let it sit a little longer afterwards, then slice it up for THE BEST sandwiches you'll ever have. It's just a good technique and recipe.

[residentEvil]

I finally installed my island kit a few months or so ago. i use my grill more than my stove/oven. all year around, 3 or 4 times a week.

the latest receipe* was portabello/chicken ka-bobs. sure turned out good.

i'll post some photos of my setup tonight.

*i don't measure things, never the same twice and do everything off the top of my head/what tastes good. that is 1/2 the fun of cooking. i don't need no stinkin' receipe book

[Cody Dawg]

Oh, I'm jealous!

I want an island in my kitchen, too!

They're very nice.

[Railroader]

Actually, you guys are talking about grilling, NOT barbeque.

[Dakar]

See that's why I got confused.

[Cody Dawg]

Well, it's easy to get confused...you grill on a barbeque grill, no?

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by residentEvil

I finally installed my island kit a few months or so ago. i use my grill more than my stove/oven. all year around, 3 or 4 times a week.

I moved from the dorms to a regular house during the summer, so no more food service
I grill just about every day, it's great . Pork chops, charcoal steak (give me a break, I'm poor!), chicken, sausages, i've even done bacon on the grill once. If I don't grill, I'll throw together some pasta ($4 for four meals-worth is not bad, and it's easy to take to work for lunch) or if I'm reeeeally lazy I'll do a frozen pizza (only done that twice). But that's pretty much my entire summer menu right there.

[Cody Dawg]

What is charcoal steak?

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

What is charcoal steak?

It's beef but it's cheaper than a t-bone or sirloin, which is why I get it.
Done right they can be very tasty, I've had them both ways. I think they don't cost as much because it's not as good of a cut, maybe a little more fat and stuff. Either way, I'll gladly pay the $2.50/pound instead of $7-$15/pound for the better cuts.

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by Railroader

Actually, you guys are talking about grilling, NOT barbeque.

right or wrong, i use the two terms interchangeable.

but to me, grilling = fast, high heat. bbq = slow, low heat.

[Cody Dawg]

What cut of beef is it?

You know, I love to take beef stew meat, traditionally one of the most inexpensive types of beef you can buy, and I throw a little butter in a saute pan that has been preheated, toss in some teriyaki or soy sauce, and throw the beef in and saute it for a couple of minutes, just to medium rare, then take it out of the pan and set the pan with the juices aside. Meanwhile, I have some rice either precooked and set aside, or cooking, and I just throw that beef on the rice and pour the juices from the pan over the beef and rice. If you have any frozen vegetables you can mix those in with the rice also.

It's REALLY inexpensive, REALLY good, and REALLY good for you!

[Gossamer]

Ooo...I'll have to try that sometime, it sounds really good!

Top Blade Steak:
Located on the outside of the front shoulder next to the blade bone, on the side opposite the mock tender. Works well for grilling when left whole and vacuum tumbled and marinated. We recommend slicing very thin into medallions when serving. This muscle also works well for cube steaks, stirfry, chopsuey meat, stew meat, or buffalo chips. In beef this cut may also be known as on of the following: Finger Steak, Butter Steak, Charcoal Steak, Chicken Steak, Patio Steak, or boneless Short Ribs.

[Cody Dawg]

So, we're eating the same thing, just cooking it different ways, and calling it a different name!

[Gossamer]

Haha...sounds that way.

Mmmmm...I'm excited to try some of these. But tonight it's pulled pork and tomorrow I'm going to a different BBQ, so maybe Friday. Mmm...meat.

[Cody Dawg]

Anyone else here hate ribeye? Every time I eat it I find it too greasy and with a taste that is too strong.

[tooki]

@Mindwaves: if your burger is falling through the bars, there's either something wrong with the composition of the meat, or with the technique you're using.

Hamburger meat should be compressed fairly lightly, and usually you want a medium fat content ground beef. I agree that fillers increase the chance of it falling apart.

As for technique: perhaps you are trying to turn them too soon. Grilled meat, poultry and fish should only be flipped one single time. Do just over half the cooking on the first side, and then flip once and cook the other side. This allows a nice crust to form on the outside (sugar is not necessary to achieve this; fat is) which will also give it structure.

BTW, grilling ≠ barbequeing. The former is a fast high-heat cooking over hot coals. The latter is slow, low-heat cooking over smoldering wood, effectively a hot smoking method.

Other things to try on the grill:

Antonio's Grilled Scampi
->Tip: buy shrimp in multiples of 5, so that you can put that many on each skewer and not have any leftover ones.
First peel some big shrimp, devein them if you want (I don't bother), and put them in a bowl. Chop a bunch of fresh garlic and grind some pepper. Add those and some salt to the shrimp. Take some dry white wine, and slosh on just enough to wet the shrimp. Mix it all together, and then add some robust olive oil. Mix it again and let it sit for at least a half hour. (It's fine to do up to this step and then just let them marinade while you get the grill going, if you're using charcoal.) Once you've got a nice hot fire, put the shrimp on wood or bamboo skewers (pierce each one twice, to keep it curled). Do not crowd the shrimp on the skewers. You can soak the skewers in water if you want, but shrimp cook so quickly that skewers burning isn't a big problem. Cook the shrimp quickly over a blazing hot fire, just about 2 minutes per side (depending on the size), just until they've gone pink and are no longer translucent. Use tongs to turn the skewers, and DO NOT overcook!!!

Trust me, that recipe is a crowd-pleaser.


Grilled Eggplant
Wash the eggplant, and then slice into rounds about 3/8" thick. Don't bother peeling, nor salting and draining, which is a total waste of time.

Using a brush or sprayer (like a Misto), give each slice a thin coat of a good olive oil. It will absorb the oil like a sponge, which is fine. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides, then grill over a medium fire (watch for flare ups, these will burn easily) for a few minutes on each side until it gets browned on each side. Make a lot, this is also a crowd-pleaser (plus eggplant shrinks when it cooks, and it's very light to begin with).

Grilled Corn
Choose white corn (yellow sweet corn can burn too easily). Shuck it completely, but keep some husks for pretty presentation. Don't worry about getting off every single thread of silk, as it will singe off on the grill. Grill over a medium-low part of the grill, rotating regularly, until beginning to slightly brown. Then move to a hot part briefly to create a few toasty charred bits here and there. Serve on a piece of husk. To eat, take a halved lime, dipped in salt, and rub the corn all over while squeezing the lime a bit.

Grilled Onions
Buy the Biggest Freaking Onionsâ„¢ you can find. Red ones taste as good grilled as white or yellow ones, but will lose their purple color. Slice the onion into hearty 1/2" slices and then push a skewer carefully down the middle to keep the rings from separating. Rub generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over a medium-low heat until it's heated through, but still al dente in the center, and has nice grill marks and some browning. Serve with salt, pepper, and wedges of lime. This goes great with the next recipe.

Variation: Cebollitas asadas
Take green onions (scallions) and trim off any bad parts, then wash and dry. Rub or spray with a tiny, tiny bit of oil. Grill over medium heat until beginning to brown on all sides. Serve with coarse salt and lime wedges.

Antonio's Fajita Steak
-> Tip: get the meat in the marinade no later than the night before the cookout
Start with the tenderest skirt steak or flank steak you can find. Cut off any excess fat or membranes. In a large bowl, or a gallon ziploc bag, make a basic marinade of lime juice, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and LAST add vegetable or olive oil, whisked together until emulsified. The marinade should be strong and salty -- much stronger than salad dressing -- which the oil cuts down. But it really gets fun by adding spices before you add the oil. Chile powder and extra ground cumin are a favorite. But other variations I've made are cumin and sansho (Japanese peppercorn; the Chinese variety is Sichuan peppercorn); cumin and rosemary; Chinese black bean and garlic sauce; and cinnamon. Note that if you're making flank steak, the marinade should be a hair saltier than for the thinner skirt steaks.

Put the meat in, make sure it's thoroughly coated, and let marinade for at least 12 hours, 24 is better, and even 36 is OK. Much longer than that and the meat will begin to cure, which tastes a little different (though in no means unpleasant).

Grill over high heat to medium-rare, turning once only. These cuts of beef WILL turn to shoe leather if cooked past medium, so be careful! Remove to a large board and rest for 10 minutes or so, then slice across the grain into thin slices. Great with grilled onions and peppers in tortillas as fajitas, or just serve over salad or rice, quinoa, bulgur, etc.

Variations
Use the same basic marinades for chicken pieces, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or fish steaks like swordfish, tuna, or marlin. (If using for fish, marinade for no longer than an hour!)

Buen provecho! (Several of the recipes are from my Guatemalan family.)

tooki

[Cody Dawg]

Wow, tooki! When are you having us all over? You're some grillmaster!

[tooki]

Thanks Cody! I'm pretty good indoors, too.

Cooking and photography are basically the only arts I'm any good at, hehe.

But if I had a big ranch with a gigantic grill, and I were rich enough to afford feeding 1000 people, I'd have all the MacNN regulars over for a BBQ. (Even the ones who think they hate me would be invited. There's no better way to win people over than through their bellies!)

tooki

[Cody Dawg]

LOL!





Cooking is definitely an art. My husband is a better cook/chef than I am. I find that most men that like to cook are definitely better than women in the same department for some reason. My husband has taught me most of my grilling tips, in fact. If he's home when the grilling starts he's always the one who is cooking. He's just so good at it. In fact, you two could probably trade some recipes.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

LOL!





Cooking is definitely an art. My husband is a better cook/chef than I am. I find that most men that like to cook are definitely better than women in the same department for some reason. My husband has taught me most of my grilling tips, in fact. If he's home when the grilling starts he's always the one who is cooking. He's just so good at it. In fact, you two could probably trade some recipes.

There's just something about men and grilling. My grill calls to me when it's time to flip the meat. I'll just be sitting there watching TV and suddenly I'll jump up and flip them...at the perfect time.

[Cody Dawg]

It's a genetic throwback/caveman thing?

[Y3a]

BBQ rub is what you put on hamburger patties.

[Cody Dawg]

Some people say that, yes.

But, you know what? I really like the taste of the meat itself. I find that when beef is too seasoned it masks the taste of the beef itself, you know? It's the same reason why I don't use steak sauce and very little in the way of condiments (mayo/mustard/ketchup) on burgers also.

I have a friend who swears by putting Lipton's Onion Mushroom Soup Mix into the ground beef and making burgers that way. I've had it and I don't like it. I just think, "Why ruin a good burger that way?"

[tooki]

I agree. Though it also depends on what the seasoning is, and what cut of beef it is.

For example, filet mignon has so little flavor that you either need to add flavor (as the French often do with sauces, and wrapping with bacon), or have everything else be so bland that the filet's delicate flavor can be detected. Chuck, on the other hand, is so flavorful that it's delicious with just salt and pepper, yet can stand up to heartier seasonings.

The cuts in the middle, like round and sirloin, can't stand up to seasoning, really, and I think are best dressed simply with salt and pepper.

You can't go wrong with Montreal Steak Seasoning, which is basically coarse salt, pepper, coriander and garlic.

My favorite burgers are chuck, with cheddar, onion, lettuce, and tomato, then dressed with salt and pepper, and a small bit of dijon mustard and ketchup diluted with mayo (the mayo mellows out the mustard and ketchup and keeps them from drowning out the beef flavor).

tooki

[tooki]

Oh yeah, if you are looking for an offbeat cut of beef to try, try a hanger steak (aka hanging tender or onglet). It's really flavorful (close to chuck!!) but really, really tender like a NY strip or a ribeye. You will have to go to a butcher for it, because no supermarket ever carries it.

It has a single piece of gristle running down the middle of it. You can either strip the lean meat off either side before cooking, or just grill it whole and eat around the gristle. You'll love it either way.

I've also heard it makes great burgers, but I've never tried it that way.

tooki

[deomacius]

You people are making me hungry!

I prefer grilling burgers. I slice up a pineapple. Dip the rings in a combination of melted butter and brown sugar then grill till slightly browned. Perfect on burgers or just to eat alone.

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

If you buy the premade patties, it works fairly well to throw them on frozen. If you make your own, it generally works to pack them tightly enough so that they don't fall through.

1. Premade patties are...just not as good.
2. Freezing them takes away a little (not much, but a little) from the final product, but it's an even worse idea to put them on the grill before they properly thaw.

3. Do NOT pack your burgers tightly. In fact, shape them as gently and loosely as possible to ensure the juiciest, tenderest burgers you'll ever have and without even the masking taste of worcestershire.

-=-=-=-=-=-

MY USUAL BURGER:
- Freshly ground bison (yes, bison, VERY lean and double the protein), stuffed with a decent bleu (or a pad of butter for the cheeseless).
- Salt, pepper JUST before slipping on a hot grill.
- 2 to 2:30/side on my grill: cheese becomes nice and melty, meat is a nice medium-rare on the rarer side (safe if it's freshly ground and safer than beef in general; but CAREFUL: do not overcook bison, it's lean and will dry out if it sits on the grill too long, and though the cheese or butter will keep things moister, you're not going to want to cook these anything beyond medium).
- Meanwhile: grill buns (I use whole wheat).
- Top with slice of onion and, if you so choose, lettuce (maybe a tomato, if you also so choose).
- Sides: sweet potato, with rosemary and olive oil, either oven-fried in julienne form, or grilled in coins (readily dip in ketchup); grilled asparagus.
- Drink: hearty red wine (cab, zin); or a medium-dark, full-flavored beer (aim for the sweet side, like a belgian).

[tooki]

I've made chili from bison (which is normally sold as buffalo, even though the ones in USA are all bison), and it was amazing. Flavorful and super tender.

tooki

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Anyone else here hate ribeye? Every time I eat it I find it too greasy and with a taste that is too strong.

I prefer NY strip, dry-aged if possible (check Whole Foods). I read an article about dry-aging your own steaks over the course of a month in your refrigerator; I'll have to try that soon, as it's much cheaper.

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by tooki

I've made chili from bison (which is normally sold as buffalo, even though the ones in USA are all bison), and it was amazing. Flavorful and super tender.

tooki

Yeah, I love the flavor of bison (and prefer the burgers, most of the time, to beef). I also love turkey burgers, so I think I tend to sway towards less greasy meat that still has juicy flavor when cooked well.

[tooki]

Well turkey burgers only have flavor because they add it in.

tooki

[iREZ]

damn you all for making me want bbq while im stuck here at work...

damn you all to hell

(not really)

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by tooki

Well turkey burgers only have flavor because they add it in.

tooki

Secretly in the meat I've been buying? I season only with kosher salt and pepper just before grilling.

[Cody Dawg]

Turkey burgers can be quite tasty.

Also, I take turkey sausages, fresh, and I take them apart (mince them) and blend them into the ground turkey and they REALLY rock then...the seasonings in the sausage add a wonderful flavor to the burger that way, especially since they have to be well cooked because they're poultry. But they're a huge hit that way - we sometimes slather barbeque sauce on the bun in place of ketchup and it adds extra zip that way also.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Stradlater

Secretly in the meat I've been buying? I season only with kosher salt and pepper just before grilling.

All the ground chicken and turkey (both loose and in patty form) i've ever seen sold in this country, regardless of whether a regular store or a fancypants natural foods store, has "natural flavoring added".

tooki