| TIPS FOR THE PERFECT BBQ
To pull off a grilled meal, map out your menu. Think of foods like grilled vegetables,
that can be served at room temperature. Keep in mind how much grill space you have and
budget an extra hour when barbecuing. Sometimes it just takes longer than planned.
Keep your cooking grate clean and oiled- A lot of people forget this step. To help
prevent sticking, scrub your preheated grate with a grill brush (we recommend the Grill Wizard BBQ Brush, as does Cooks Illustrated magazine) then
quickly wipe the grate with an oiled paper towel just before adding the food. You
can also spray your grill grate with Pam prior to lighting to prevent sticking.
Don’t walk away when grilling- People sometimes forget that they’re cooking.
They will throw food on the grill and then come back after a while. That’s like
putting a pie in the oven, spinning the dial to any temperature, and coming back when you
are in the mood for dessert. You don’t need to hover over the grill, but do monitor
the heat and check your food periodically.
STEAK:
When choosing meat, the flesh should be bright red, and there should also be a fair amount
of fat, or marbling, in it- 20% would be great. For many the perfect steak is a rib-eye or
filet with two inches of thickness. Prior to cooking apply a dry rub of your choice which
adds awesome flavor and helps create a crust. You really want to get a really nice crust
on the outside of the steak and a juicy inside. That creates a contrast of textures and
the perfect steak. The meat benefits from direct heat from the grates and the flame, so
leave it alone. Don’t touch it. Let the grill do its job:
don’t flip things over and over!
CHICKEN:
Choose some thicker boneless skinless chicken breasts or regular chicken breasts on the
bone. Marinate with your favorite marinade (we prefer a soy based marinade like Basque Norte) for
at least one hour. Place the chicken on the cool side of the grill, with the thicker side
facing the coals. Cover the chicken with a disposable aluminum roasting pan: cook 6-9
minutes. Flip the chicken so thinner sides face the coals and continue grilling, covered,
6 to 9 minutes. Finish cooking the chicken over higher heat coals until dark grill marks
appear, 1-2 minutes on each side. If you did not marinate prior to grilling then this when
you can add some bbq sauce (we recommend Head Country’s
original BBQ Sauce) to each side and still cook 1-2 minutes on each side.
PORK:
Our favorite is the pork tenderloin. (preferably the smaller ones up to 2 inches diameter)
Prior to cooking apply a dry rub of your choice which adds awesome flavor and helps create
a crust. Allow to cook for approximately 20 minutes on each side and then check the
internal temperature to ensure that it has been cooked thoroughly. (Pork internal
temperature should be 160 degrees F) Moist and tender pork tenderloins every time!
BURGERS:
The most flavorful burgers are made predominately from ground chuck roast. Leaner meats
are healthier but some flavor is lost. Start off with a 8 ounce sized meatballs, then
flatten them. (They will shrink.) We don’t recommend adding anything to your
hamburger meat. If you put onion or garlic in your meat there is a good chance that it
will burn. Just dust with coarse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, literally the
second before you put it on the grill. Leave for four minutes on each side for a nice even
char. For toppings we like to use Head Country’s
original BBQ Sauce, arugula, fresh tomato and gruyere cheese.
Try our Burger
Mate - for the Perfect Burger !
RIBS:
First marinate the ribs overnight in a picante sauce or beer. When ready to grill, season
liberally with a dry rub of your choice. The best flavored ribs are cooked over mesquite
wood or soaked wood chips. Place the ribs over a medium heat grill, maybe 275 degrees F.
(It will take about 3 hours, so start early!) After 2 hours, slather the ribs with your
favorite BBQ sauce (we recommend Head Country’s
original BBQ Sauce), wrap the ribs in foil (or place them in a disposable aluminum
roasting pan and cover) then add some water. This will help cook the ribs faster and keep
them very moist. Wrapping meat or ribs holds in the natural juices and steams the meat.
The ribs are guaranteed to be moist and tender.
GRILLS
56% of those surveyed own a gas grill because they light up with the touch of a button and
are ready in about 20 minutes.
Experts recommend buying a gas grill with at least 2 burners so you can grill using the
indirect method, which is necessary for preparing long cooking foods such as whole chicken
or spare ribs. (Direct heat would char these foods on the outside and leave them raw on
the inside) - Check out the Tool Box
Grill - Pro Gas Model !
Charcoal grills take longer to heat up (about 35-45 minutes) but 44% prefer the taste
it gives meat. The briquettes should be glowing orange in the center and have a
coating of ash. The thinner the ash coating, the hotter the fire. When they’re hot
enough, spread the coals in an even layer- but not over the whole grate. Leave one quarter
to one third of the grate ember free so that you can move the food if it starts to burn.
(For indirect heat, rake the coal into two mounds at opposite sides of the grill and cook
the food in the center). - Check out the Tool Box
Grill - Pro Charcoal Model
Or, for the really big BBQ's - Check out the Tool Box
Grill - Jumbo |
