Coal Tender
Cooking Tips for Gas Grills that Every Grillmaster needs to Master
Despite the fact that most people believe grilling is easy and that anyone can be successful on the barbeque grill, grilling is actually one of the most challenging of cooking methods. Now more than ever, savvy home cooks are looking for the best cooking tips for gas grills. As the weather starts to get nicer and the great outdoors beckons, attention starts to turn to outdoor cooking - and gas barbeque grills can't be beat for simplicity and convenience. But grilling only becomes EASY when you know the basic procedure for grilling and the important cooking tips for gas grills that ensure better results every time. The greatest challenge presented by grilling is that it is the most intense form of direct heat cooking there is. If cooking is like driving a car, grilling is like being strapped to a rocket ship! The good news is that grilling, like any basic cooking method, can be mastered. And these cooking tips for gas grills will get you started on the road to awesome grilling all year round.
Preparing Recipes for the Grill
When preparing recipes for the grill, the most important thing to consider is how the grilling method of cooking acts differently on different types of foods. To begin, careful product selection is extremely important. Marinating meats when making recipes for the grill is the best way to apply some tenderizing properties before cooking because the grill will not tenderize meats. You must start with a tender product if you want to end with a tender product. You want to also make sure the product you choose will be able to withstand direct high-heat cooking. Different products will handle this differently and some are just not the best choice for standard grilling. A very delicate fish, such as tilapia, will not perform very well on the grill because the high heat may burn the outside of the fish before the inside cooks at all. Vegetables all cook at different rates, too, depending on their texture and firmness. When cooking different combinations of vegetables together (as in skewering), you will achieve far better results by par-cooking the "harder" items prior to skewering so that all vegetables are the correct done-ness at the same time.
Once you have considered the differences in the types of foods you will be grilling and preparing them accordingly, the basic procedure for creating recipes for the grill is the same across the board. First, heat up the grill as hot as it can get. Brush the food item with the oil of your choice and place it on the hot grates - presentation side down. Leave the cover open and let the item cook. After a few minutes inspect the item. You are looking for the item to start to brown around the edges and to see pink (almost clear) moisture bubbling up to the top. This will be your signal that the item is 75% cooked on one side and that is the time to flip it. Do not use a fork to flip the item and do not puncture it in any way. This will allow precious juices to escape, drying out your product. The ONLY way to know when your product is finished cooking is with a thermometer - testing internal temperature. Because there will be some carry-over cooking, remove the item 5-10 degrees BEFORE the desired final internal temperature.
A Gas Grill Cooking Twist
Although GRILLING is always done with the lid cover open, gas grill cooking can incorporate additional cooking methods that make it preferable to cook with the grill cover closed. With the grill lid closed, the grill changes from a CONDUCTIVE cooking vehicle to a CONVECTIVE cooking one - more like your oven. Of course you could just use your oven for using these cooking methods, but outdoor cooking does have some advantages over indoor cooking - particularly in warmer weather. So how do you turn your dry heat, direct source cooking vehicle (the grill) into one that can utilize a moist convective cooking process? It's actually a pretty cool technique for gas grill cooking. This is a trick I use most often with delicate fish, such as tilapia. First, I turn the heat OFF on the side of the grill that my tilapia will cook. Then, I add a pan of water to the bottom of the other side of the grill - right on top of the heat elements. Keep in mind that this "water" can be any kind of liquid you like. I use shrimp stock sometimes with fish, but you can season it with chicken broth, wine - anything that is liquid and imparts nice, complimentary flavors to the product you are cooking. Then, the fish is placed either directly on the grill (if you have a flat grate option) or you can put it in a cast iron pan and put it on the grill grates. The rest of the procedure for this type of gas grill cooking follows the normal grilling process - cook with your eyes and observations, flip after 75% done, use a thermometer to determine final temperature and remove a bit "early" to allow for the carry-over cooking that occurs. And that's it, now you can consider gas grill COOKING in addition to standard GRILLING for great outdoor cooking results.
Gas Barbeque Grills vs Charcoal Grills
It is hard to argue that the charcoal grill provides opportunity for a deep, smoky flavor that is not fully achievable with the gas barbeque grill. But other than that all of the "pros" go into the gas grill's column. You may hear many self-proclaimed GRILLMASTERS insist that the traditional charcoal grill is far superior to the gas barbeque grill, but the gas grill has many advantages that make it a great choice for any outdoor cooking situation. For starters, gas barbeque grills provide consistent heat throughout the cooking process. With the charcoal variety, the cook has to really control the heat by actually moving products closer and further as heat increases and decreases. This takes some practice and experience to do well. The gas grill is also much easier and safer to start because it uses propane as fuel and starts at the press of a button. Charcoal grills can be easily started with lighter fluid, but this can be dangerous, and can impart an undesirable taste into the food. Nothing like the taste of lighter fluid to ruin a good steak! Plus, the gas grill turns OFF as easily as it turned on! No waiting for coals to cool so that you can empty and clean the grill and no messy coals to dispose of. For convenience, gas barbeque grills make it easy to grill outdoors everyday.
These cooking tips for gas grills seem simple but they truly are the difference between great grilling results and disappointing meals. The next time you get ready to grill, remember that careful product selection and a basic understanding of cooking methods is all you need to master the barbeque grill, creating outdoor meals and memories for life.
About the Author
Chef Todd Mohr is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur, educator and host of the “Cooking Coarse” video series. For more details on Cooking by Method and how you can cook better everyday at home, visit Chef Todd’s website http://www.I-hate-cooking-recipes.com where you can view over 150 free cooking videos and subscribe to the Free monthly e-zine “Burn Your Recipes.”
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Can I grill chicken using the "Indirect Method" on my charcoal BBQ? Any downside to this?
I like grilling indirectly - especially with Pork - because you get so much flavor. Things grill and cook very slowly and end up with a wonderful, tender, smoky taste.
This method works great with Pork and other meats - but what about with Chicken?
Is it okay to grill chicken that way? Or is it better to cook chicken more quickly and directly?
NOTE: "indirect grilling" means you are moving all your coals to one side and placing the meat on the grill in a space where there is NOT coal directly below it.
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Secrets to perfect chicken.
1) Bring your breasts (chicken breasts, that is) to room temperature. I usually place frozen chicken breasts in hot tap water to defrost. Once the water cools down, dump it and replace it with more hot water. Do this until the water only cools to room temp. The chicken should be close to room temp by then. Pat dry.
2) Always season with Johnny's Season Salt (Mmmmm)
3) Sear the chicken. This is something you do quickly. I prefer to BBQ everything, but you can do the same in a pan (cast iron, of course). On my grill, I always have two heat zones. Hot and low heat. Once the grill is hot, place the chicken breasts on the hot side. Give it 2-3 minutes to get a nice sear and flip it and do the same on the other side. This will help seal in the juices. Take the chicken off the heat for ten minutes to let it come back to room temp. This allows the chicken to cook more evenly.
4) NEVER USE A FORK! Use tongs to flip your meat. never poke it, or the juices will flow out. The meat will be dry and it will cause flare-ups.
5) Place the breasts back on the low temp side of the grill and close the lid. Flip to prevent burning. Notice the texture/consistency of the breast. When it is raw, it is floppy and soft. As is cooks it will firm up. Just as the chicken tends to spring back when you apply pressure with your tongs, take it off the grill and place it on a platter.
6) Tent your meat. Whatever meat you are cooking, ALWAYS cover it with foil and seal the edges. Leave it tented for at least 10 minutes. 15 minutes is be better. Don't peak. Let it rest. All the juices that were excited by the heat will now settle back into the meat and it finish the cooking process without drying out.
7) One other item, if your breasts have the skin on them, cook them with the skin up so it will baste your chicken while it is cooking.