Baby, you can light my fire!

With the approach of warm weather, blue skies, spring bulbs and lambs, our thoughts turn to grilling. It’s time to dust off the barbecue and uncover the patio furniture. Here are our top ten tips for enjoying hearty meals hot off the grill.

It all boils down to how do I get it started? and when is it done? Everything in between should be simple and fun. Dan and I prepare appetizers on the grill for hundreds of people on wine festival weekends. For the most part, we’ve had great success, except when I set fire to the barbecue itself (a feat Dan didn’t think possible), or the time our friends decided to use walnut firewood to start a twelve-hour barbecue fire, good for dinner and breakfast.

We use a Weber kettle-style barbecue, because we like the intense heat produced by coals, as well as even heating when the lid is closed. Our 26" Weber can get up to 600° very quickly with the lid closed. We don’t actually grill at that temperature, in our saner moments, but we can grill on cold, windy evenings while we’re working on the crush pad, without losing heat to wind and frigid outdoor temperatures. We also have a gas grill, which is a great backup for busy grill evenings, but we’ve found that in cold, windy conditions gas flames just cannot keep the grill hot enough, even with the lid closed. Gas emitters clog with grease and ash, and since we grill often, that’s extremely inconvenient. So we stick with our trusty Weber, piling coals in the middle for a nice hot center, and leaving the edges open for radiant heat, or piling them to one side if we’re going to rotisserie. We can also use moistened wood chips and herbs in a coal barbecue.

Here are our ten simple steps for successful and enjoyable grilling:

Give yourself plenty of time.

Time to get the coals started, time to prepare and marinate the meat, time to cook the meat slowly over medium-hot coals. Grilling is not an activity that should be rushed. Give yourself an early start so you can visit with guests and enjoy a leisurely pace.

Set up a comfortable work area

Grilling is fun, and it should be relaxing, so there’s something to be said for starting the evening with dry coals, a clean grill, a grill brush that still has plenty of wires on it, and a lighter that works. We purchased a Rubbermaid storage unit to hold all our grilling detritus like extra coals, paper grocery bags, old pots, drip pans, mesquite chips, wooden skewers, and toothpicks for serving sausage. It keeps everything dry and out of sight, and gives us extra counter space next to the barbecue.

If you're not already a grill god or goddess, make sure you’ve got space nearby for a cutting board, spices, a knife, and barbecue tools. It's more fun to hang out comfortably by the grill with everything you need than to scurry in and out of the house fetching tools.

Use a starter chimney

We suggest using a grill chimney to start the coals. Lighter fluid and self-lighting coals impart a chemical flavor and aroma to grilled foods. Plus, they’re generally more expensive. With practice, a chimney makes starting coals easier (and in some cases safer) than any other method.

Paper mashing is an art. Don’t mash too much paper into the bottom of the chimney or air won’t be able to feed the flames. If the chimney paper and coals don’t cheerfully ignite, just tip the chimney at an angle for a minute to allow air to flow under the flames and paper.

Keep the grill clean

At Dover Canyon, keeping the grill clean is a matter of debate. Dan prefers plenty of "char" on the grill, making it less likely that food will stick. Mary says congealed, half-life grease looks nasty when black bits of it show up on seafood. Therefore, we keep an old grill and a new one on hand, so there’s always a clean grill, or one that’s relatively easy to brush clean, for fish, shellfish, and lighter meats.

To remove excess char, get the grill hot over the coals, then brush vigorously with a stiff wire brush. A painter’s wire brush will work better and last longer than the fussy versions sold as barbecue accessories.

Go for the allover sear

To keep red meats tender and juicy, it’s very important to turn your meat frequently, over fairly hot coals, for the first few minutes. Even a slight sear will help to seal in moisture. Light meats and fish do not need a charred exterior, just a quick sizzle on each side. Thicker cuts of meat benefit from being turned frequently at first while the coals are still hot so they get that yummy, crusty exterior with the pretty char marks. Marinades and bastes are very important for this step—a little extra sugar in the marinade will help it adhere, and the meat will caramelize quickly, sealing in moisture, juice, and heat. Tilt cuts of meat on their edges briefly to seal all sides of the cut.

There are two camps on basting philosophy—one camp claims that basting prevents crispy caramelization, and the other camp claims that basting keeps grilled cuts moist. Our findings, after hundreds of field trials, are that red meats should be allowed to caramelize over high heat, then moved to the edge of the grill to continue roasting. Fish, on the other hand, should be grilled over lower heat, with frequent basting to keep the fish moist and succulent. We encourage you to perform your own field trials.

Don’t overcook

Always err on the moist, underdone side. Grill temperatures can be quite hot, and after food is removed from the grill, it will continue to cook in its own retained heat. You can always return meat to the grill, so if you think it’s almost done, place the meat on a cutting board and let it rest for several minutes. Cutting a thin slice off the end will give you a good idea of how the center is doing..

While turning meat to caramelize the exterior, remember that barbecue sauces have quite an impact at this stage. The more sugar in the sauce, the faster the exterior will seal. Move large cuts of meat slightly off center to continue cooking near, but not directly over, the hottest coals, or all the way out to the edge to heat all the way through without boiling out the meat juices.

After searing, grill your meat on each side of the cut for an additional two to ten minutes, depending on the thickness of the cut. A T-bone steak one to two inches thick would need to cook an additional four to five minutes on each side, while a triangular tritip cut would need at least ten minutes on each side.

Feeling for doneness—the "jelly test"

Grilling is not always done in early evening, with warm breezes wafting through a chartreuse canopy of spring walnut leaves. We enjoy those evenings, but we’ve also been known to grill a roast in the kitchen window’s castoff light on a cold, crisp November night while waiting for a star shower. We recommend the use of a good meat thermometer, but if you don’t have one (or can’t find it), another way to test grilled meat for doneness is to give it the "jelly" test. If it feels wiggly when you squeeze it with tongs, it’s a long way from done. When meat starts to firm up, it’s hot and probably cooked through. Remove the meat to the radiant heat portion of the grill and check the interior by slicing it slightly open with a knife.

Remember the radiant

When meat is removed from the grill, it will continue to develop toward doneness, just as a roast would, from its own retained heat. Keeping this in mind is doubly important if you use a sweet marinade to sear the meat. Your grill meat will have an "envelope" that not only holds in juice, but heat as well.

To ensure the center of a large cut is done, cover the meat with two layers of aluminum foil and a kitchen towel for 10-15 minutes. If the meat is done on the outside, but you would like the interior to cook a little more, this technique allows the center to heat through without applying more char to the exterior.

Keep a bag of mesquite chips on hand

Soak mesquite chips in water, so you don’t set the barbecue on fire. If your coals have died down, a single dry wood chip or two will help flame up new coals without the chemical off-gassing of lighter fluid, but don’t—trust me, don’t—add more than one or two.

Wet mesquite added to coals will create soft, smoky flavors during radiant heat cooking. Since you only need to use a few chips at a time, one small bag should last through several grilling sessions.

Soak herb wood for laying on the coals

If you have an herb garden, this is a great way to use deadwood from perennial herbs that need to be pruned back. Harvest an armful of overgrown wood, soak them in a bucket of water for an hour, and apply a handful at a time to very hot coals. We usually perform this step after caramelizing the exterior of large cuts, and right before we close the lid.

Tarragon stems contribute a heady licorice scent which is nice with fatty red meats. Lavender has a floral, slightly bitter and pungent aroma, terrific with lamb. Oregano gives off a spicy, Italian scent, and rosemary creates a romantic, mouth-watering incense.

Grilled Portabellas with Gorgonzola

Easy to make, yet hearty and satisfying, great with a robust syrah.

• 6 to 12 medium-size portabella mushrooms, about 4" across
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 6 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
• Mild, colorful peppers, seeds removed and diced (optional)
• Serves 6, or 2 winemakers

Combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and whisk. Baste the mushrooms lightly with the olive oil mixture. Sprinkle a spoonful of Gorgonzola over each mushroom and top with diced peppers. Grill over medium coals with the lid partially closed, until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are soft but still firm enough to lift. Carefully lift from the grill with a wide metal spatula and allow to cool slightly before serving. Large mushrooms can be cut into quarters for serving as finger food.

Serve as an hors d’oeuvre, or a side dish with grilled meats.

Wine suggestion:  pinot noir, sangiovese, cabernet, or syrah.

Grilled Chile and Cheese Sandwiches

Roasted chiles and caramelized onions give this version of our beloved toasted cheese sandwich a decidedly adult twist.

• 1 loaf shepherd’s bread, ½" thick slices
• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 white or sweet onions
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 anaheim pepper
• 1/2 pound Longhorn cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• Serves 4

Peel the onions and cut into thin slices. Warm 6 tablespoons olive oil in a large frypan, and caramelize the onions over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until brown and sweet. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Halve the peppers and remove the seeds. Cut each half into 1" wide strips. Grill the pepper segments in a grill basket over hot-medium coals, basting with remaining olive oil, until soft, aromatic, and beginning to char. Remove to the radiant heat portion of the grill, and toast the bread over medium coals until lightly browned on both sides.

Assemble the sandwiches by stacking one slice of bread, ¼ of the cheese, mixed slices of pepper, ¼ of the caramelized onions, and another slice of bread. Lightly baste the outside of each sandwich with olive oil. Place on the grill over low coals, close the lid, and heat for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just beginning to drip.

Slice the sandwiches into small wedges to serve as hors d’oeuvres, or for dipping into chili, soups, or bouillabaisse. Or just carve them in half for hungry crush crews.

Wine suggestion:  a cold brew or a spicy zinfandel.

Comments

[wineguy]

You use charcoal? Come on down the road to Santa Maria and we will teach you to grill on oak wood! Nothing beats it.

[Mary Baker]

Wineguy, I have to agree, nothing beats Santa Maria barbecue--but we keep trying!!

[thebizofknowledge]

I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research. I think many people are unsuccessful when they attempt to grill because they don't follow the steps you outline here. A little prep work can make all the difference!

[Collin]

I just found your blog & have now been intent on catching up. It is such a good read!

Do you have the recipe for the salmon poctured above?
It looks delish!
Did you soak the herbs before putting them on the grill?
Thanks in advance!
-Collin