Special
Event - KitchenArt Hosts the BBQ Queens
|
Meet the BBQ
Queens in person at KitchenArt on:
Tuesday,
June 24th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
They'll be available to sign your cookbook and certify
your tiara. Karen Adler and Judith Fertig are the royalty of
the grilling world! They are currently celebrating their new
cookbook, BBQ
Bash. (Check out the recipes from their book excerpted
below). This latest book joins Weeknight
Grilling with the BBQ Queeens, and The
BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue as fantastic resources for
"all things grilling!" Karen and Judith will be hosting a
class that evening, "Black Tie Barbecue" which is fully booked, but
we hope you'll come by and help us welcome them to KitchenArt
during the book signing.
|
Marinade Magic
|
 Marinades are a great method for introducing
flavor into meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. Liquid in
nature, marinades have an acidic component, oil, and added
spices. The acids in the marinades begin the process of
breaking down the proteins in the meat. As well, the liquid is
absorbed at the cellular level, "plumping up" the food before
grilling.
Whether vinegar, citrus juice, or
wine, the marinade's acidic ingredient starts the process of
changing the food. The marinade's action, which produces a
more tender result, is particularly useful for tougher cuts of meat,
such as a skirt or flank steak.
The mild acidity
of yogurt and buttermilk create a delicate marinade particularly
suited to fish and seafood. These dairy products are known to
remove any hint of "fishy-ness" that might be present.
The marinade's oil component
keeps the marinated foods from drying out. As the acid breaks
down the proteins, the meat soaks up some of the oil helping to
preserve the food's natural moisture. Most marinades have 20 - 25% oil; too much oil will prevent the
absorption of the other flavors. Using an oil with a higher
smoke point, (canola, safflower, or extra virgin olive oil), will
prevent excess smoking when grilling.
The size and cut
of the meat impact the marinating process. Marinade a large
cut of meat overnight, a medium cut for 8 hours, and small cuts
(steaks, chicken breasts), for 2-4 hours. Fish and other
seafood protein structures are delicate and require no more than
15-20 minutes of marinating; beyond this timeframe the fish will
become mushy and unusable. Always refrigerate foods while
marinating.
When marinating any type of food, use a
non-reactive container such as glass, or stainless steel.
Periodically turn the meat in the marinade, or baste with excess
marinade. For smaller cuts of meat, it's hard to beat a zipper-type
plastic bag; it's easy to turn the contents within the liquid,
requires less marinade, and cleans up
easily.
|
Rub It
In!
|
 Rubs are another favored method for adding
flavor to grilled foods. A rub influences the surface of the
food by providing a flavorful, crusty complement to the food's
interior. By definition, rubs are comprised of salt, sugar,
and spices. From this basic formula, the combinations of
spices and herbs are nearly endless in generating flavors that span
the globe.
A rub combination is sprinkled on the
meat, poultry or seafood, then massaged into the surfaces with
fingertips. A rub applied just before grilling adds flavor,
but a rub added several hours earlier to meat or poultry greatly
deepens the flavors and adds a bit of curing action to the
process.
Toasting the spices prior to adding the
salt and sugar will activate the spices' aromatic oils, and allow
the flavors to bloom and transfer into the meat.  To toast spices, begin with whole spices placed
in a skillet over medium heat with no added oil or liquid. Let
the spices heat while stirring frequently or tossing often.
Once fragrant, remove from heat and immediately transfer the spices
from the skillet to a suitable bowl or plate for cooling. Take
care to only lightly toast the spices, avoiding any burnt or bitter
tastes that might result from excess heat.
Grind the
toasted, whole spices in a spice mill, impact grinder, or with a
mortar and pestle. Once mixed, most rubs may be stored in an
airtight container for several months.
While rubs are
generally thought of as a combination of dry ingredients, wet rubs
incorporate small amounts of liquid or wet ingredients, such as
vinegar, mustards, or lemon juice.  Paste-like in consistency, a wet rub differs
from a marinade in the quantity of liquid used. To try another
form of wet rub, apply a very light coating of oil or mustard on the
meat just prior to applying a dry rub mixture.
The
spices in a rub impart a huge amount of intense flavor to the
finished food. The salt inspires a taste intensity, and the
sugar's caramelization brings a flavor complexity and a delicious
brown crust.
|
Grilling
Gear
|
 If there's one thing that grilling inspires,
its innovation! The aficionado in all of us motivates a
perpetual quest to perfect our technique and a continual pursuit of
our outdoor cooking enjoyment. Our fellow experts have been
busy perfecting their craft and bringing their ideas to the rest of
us. The hottest new grilling gadget is a light that attaches
magnetically to your BBQ tools. Here are a few more of
our favorite additions to grilling gear:
Wood - This sounds rather
obvious, but as the saying goes, "what's old is new again!"
Flavoring your grilled foods with different wood flavors can be your
secret ingredient. Aromatic wood chips, paper-thin cedar
wraps, and cedar planks are some of the easiest ways to add classic
wood flavor to your charcoal or gas grill.
 Thermometers - The most common
grilling error is overcooking meat. A thermometer provides
confidence that the proper temperatures have been reached - no need
to give it an extra minute. Instant-read, remote, digital read
- there's a solution for everyone. One of our favorites this
season is an instant-read thermometer that doubles as a long-handled
BBQ fork. The large, easy-to-read, digital read-out takes away
all of the guess work.
Baskets - Variations on
grilling baskets only get better and better! Baskets and grill
mats allow for the grilling of delicate foods with all of the smoky
pleasures imbued, but without the loss of any food between the
grates. An interesting variation on the grill basket is the
grill wok - stir-fry meets the outdoors!
Tongs - If you're not adept at
using tongs in your cooking routine, grilling is a great time to
start the habit. Tongs allow a firm grip of the food for
turning, moving, and removing foods without the piercing and
subsequent moisture loss that a fork might cause.  Tongs with covered "claws" resist heat
transfer, ensuring a cool grip. Use one pair of tongs for
handling raw foods, another for cooked foods.
Grill Safety - Be safe around the
grill - use long-handled forks, spatulas, brushes and tongs for
placing, turning and removing foods. Long silicone mitts
reduce the possibility of a traditional mitt or hot pad catching
fire.
And that's not all! You'll find flavor
injectors, propane tank fuel indicators, wire brushes for cleaning,
steak knives, carving boards, burger presses, and loads of
ready-to-go marinades and
rubs! |
Smart
Grilling Tips
|
|
 Tip #1: Assemble skewers
with one type of food on a skewer. The like foods
can cook evenly instead of a mixed skewer where some foods overcook,
and others are undercooked. Disassemble cooked
skewers on a single platter and mix before serving.
Tip
#2:
Halve artichokes or endive and grill to tenderness with a
basting of olive oil.
Tip
#3: Use
a smoked salt in your rub for additional complexity.
Tip #4: Deploy an aromatic,
specialty oil, like walnut oil or truffle oil, in a light basting of
meats for extra flavor.
Tip
#5: Plan
on about one cup of marinade for every pound of meat.
 Tip
#6:
Finish a grilled steak with a modest dollop of a compound
butter - tarragon, shallot, chives, or basil.
Tip
#7: To
keep foods cooperative and not "twirling" on a skewer, use a double-pronged skewer, or two traditional skewers placed in
parallel. Flat skewers will also help prevent
spinning.
Tip
#8: Plan
on about two tablespoons of rub mixture for every pound of
meat.
|
Q & A's
|
|
Q:
What's the
difference between grilling and barbecuing?
 A: Both words are
often used broadly and interchangeably to mean cooking outdoors with
a fire. However, their culinary meanings are
distinct. Grilling refers to fast, direct cooking
over medium to high heat, while barbecuing implies slow, indirect
cooking.
Q: How do I use wood chips
to flavor my grill?
A: Aromatic wood chips add
wonderful flavor to any type of grilled food.
Choose a smoking hardwood, (pecan, cherry, cedar, hickory,
peach, apple, or several other types), and soak submerged in water
for about an hour. Place the chips in your
grill's smoke box, or on a piece of aluminum foil, wrapped and
pinched closed. Pierce a few holes in the top of
the aluminum pouch, and place in your grill directly on the charcoal
or lava rock.
 Q: Can I use the leftover marinade to baste
the meat, or as a sauce component?
A: No. Since the leftover marinade has been in
contact with raw meat, it is unsafe to use as a basting liquid, or
as a sauce. However, if the marinade is heated to
a boil for several minutes, it may be used. (Not
all marinades handle being boiled, however). Take
care to use a clean basting brush rather than one with raw meat
contamination.
|
Cookbook
Review
|
|
BBQ BASH,
The Be-All, End-All Party Guide, from Barefoot to Black
Tie by Karen Adler
and Judith Fertig. The Harvard Common Press,
Boston, MA. Copyright 2008.
 The BBQ Queens have done it
again! In the fine tradition of their earlier
books, The BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue and
Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens, the BBQ
Queens have served up a valuable compendium of recipes and great
ideas for entertaining in the outdoors. Each
recipe set is a party waiting to happen! Not only
are delectable menus set forth, suggestions are offered for setting
the table, perfecting food presentations, exploring variations, and
pairing the menu with the right wine. We were
particularly inspired by the theme ideas that ranged from "A Cozy
Dinner à Deux," to "A Black-Tie
Barbeque." The BBQ Queens round out their themes
with suggestions for decorating, creating a mood, choosing music,
and adding your own flair to the moment.
Entertaining well extends beyond the food to all of the above
- the BBQ Queens help us with all of the details that make for a
fabulous time with friends and
family.
|
Grilling
Recipes
|
|
Asian-Style
Pork Tenderloins with Grilled Broccoli
 Quick and easy, this simple marinade applied to
both meat and vegetables is full of flavor. The
marinade can be assembled in less than five minutes, and the
tenderloins and broccoli set to soak earlier in the day.
Light the grill at supper time and a delicious dinner is
ready in minutes. The Asian flavors complement the pork and broccoli
to perfection. This marinade will become one of
your standard favorites.
Click here
for to view the full
recipe.
Click here for a printable version
of the recipe.
Creole Coffee-Rubbed Filet Mignon with Silky
Crab Butter
 This rub
and the butter topping for fine steaks is like the Louisiana delta
colliding with the south of France, Creole meets Béarnaise.
The ten ingredients in the rub form a spicy crust with an emphasis
on pepper - three types of pepper to be exact! The coffee
provides a great structure for the rub, as well as a distinctive
flavor. The crab and herb butter topping is simply
decadent. Together, the combination of spicy rub, hint of
seafood, and a perfectly grilled steak make this recipe an
irresistible trio of flavors.
Click here
for to view the full
recipe.
Click here
for a printable version
of the
recipe.
| |
One thing
is true; there is
plenty of passion when it comes
to
flavoring grilled foods! In this
issue we'll explore the magic of marinades and rubs, discuss
the latest in grilling gear, and offer a couple of recipes to
try at your next grilling
event.
