Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ

Taming the Flame\ \ By Elizabeth Karmel \ John Wiley & Sons\ ISBN: 0-7645-6882-5 \ \ \ Chapter One\ Poultry \ Bone-In Chicken Pieces 101 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 101 Whole Turkey on the Grill 101 Tequila Sunrise Chicken Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings Chipotle Chicken Thighs Chicken Paillard with Greek Farmer's Salad and Tzatziki Rose's Tandoori Chicken Classic Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Chinese Five-Spice Chicken Salad with Purple Grapes Sliced Chicken with Five-Sprout Salad Thai Chicken Salad Chicken Tortilla Soup Rubbed and Sauced Barbecued Half Chickens Rosemary Chicken and Red Potatoes "French Chicken" with Dijon Mustard and Scallions Roast Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic and Shallots "Kosher" Chicken The Original Beer-Can Chicken Beer-Can Turkey Orange-Brined, Maple-Glazed Turkey Wild Rice-Stuffed Cornish Game Hens Salt-Cured Duck Breast with Fig Jam Crispy Duck Stuffed with Apples, Oranges, and Onions Duckling with Sweet Dried Plum Glaze Big Bob Gibson-Style White Barbecue Sauce\ Poultry 101\ Rapid-Fire Checklist\ \ Preheat grill\ \ \ Trim poultry of excess fat\ \ \ Brush poultry all over with olive oil; season with kosher salt and pepper, if desired\ \ \ Place poultry on cooking grate and cover grill\ \ \ Grill all pieces except boneless skinless breasts using Indirect Heat\ \ \ Wait until the final 5 to 15 minutes of grilling time to brush with any sweet barbecue sauce\ \ \ Test for doneness with an instant-readthermometer: It should be 180°F in the thickest part of thigh\ \ \ Let all poultry rest a minimum of 5 minutes before eating (whole turkeys should rest 20 minutes)\ \ Tools of the Trade\ 12-inch locking chef tongs Instant-read thermometer Silicone or natural-bristle brush Heavy-duty oven mitt\ Common Problems\ Using the wrong cooking method\ Burned on the outside, raw on the inside\ Dry, overcooked poultry\ Flare-ups\ Cross-contamination of cooking and serving utensils (see page 33)\ Barbecued chicken is as all-American as baseball and apple pie. However, it is the food that gives backyard cooks the most trouble. It seems as if it would be easy to grill; but it often doesn't turn out the way the cook and the guests envisioned it. So what does a backyard cook need to know? First, start with the most basic seasoning: olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper (aka the Grilling Trilogy, page 19). Second, have patience.\ On the Fire: Direct or Indirect Heat\ A boneless skinless chicken breast takes just a few (five to seven) minutes on both sides over Direct Heat; but any piece of chicken with a bone in it (bone-in pieces) or a whole chicken will take longer. Anything that takes longer than 20 minutes to cook uses the Indirect Method. I sometimes refer to this method as grill-roasting, because you are essentially roasting a large piece of food on the grill. The Indirect Method is the most versatile, as it is how you "barbecue," "grill-roast," and "grill-bake." With Indirect Heat, the inside of the chicken will be done and still juicy at the same time as the outside turns a golden brown and the skin gets crispy. The added bonus is that you don't need to turn the chicken. Place the pieces bone-side down in the center of the cooking grate, and let the grill do the rest. This is what I call "walk-away" chicken because you put it on the grill and do other things while it cooks.\ This technique is basically the same for all whole poultry; but, remember, the larger the bird, the longer it will take to cook. Fattier birds like duck and goose need to be grill-roasted in a pan on almost every grill to prevent grease flare-ups. There are a few grills with advanced drip pan systems that can handle the excess drippings. But I love catching them in a foil pan because then I can use the drippings for sauteing and other recipes. Indirect Heat also reduces the incidence of flare-ups since there is no direct flame under the chicken. The juices and fats that are naturally rendered create a little smoke to flavor the food and then run into the drip pan system of the grill.\ Testing for Doneness\ Bone-in chicken pieces will take between 30 minutes for legs and 60 minutes for a large leg quarter or half a chicken over indirect heat. Depending on size, boneless chicken breasts should be done in 15 minutes over Direct Heat, and a whole chicken usually takes between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 hours to cook (Indirect Method). Because the timing depends on a set of variables including weight and size of poultry, heat of the grill, and weather (wind slows down the cooking time), I recommend using an instant-read thermometer. A thermometer will take the guesswork out of testing for doneness. Refer to the chart on page 35 for chicken or poultry end temperatures. For example, chicken is done when it registers 170°F in the breast and 180°F in the thigh. However, since the heat varies from grill to grill, start checking for doneness ten minutes before a recipe says it should be done.\ Give Your Bird a Rest\ Ever since my years working with the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, I have been a big believer in letting meat rest before carving or cutting into it. I watched as an army of turkeys were carved too hot, too cold, and just right in the Turkey University test kitchens. The turkeys that were carved after resting 20 minutes were just right-tender, juicy, and still warm. Here's what happens: As the bird cooks and comes to the right temperature (180°F in the thigh) all the juices are propelled toward the exterior of the bird. When the meat is taken off the fire, it "rests" as it cools, and the meat fibers reabsorb the juices, making each piece juicy. If you don't wait, you'll have all those juices pooling around your plate or carving board, and the meat will be dry.\ What Is Cross-Contamination?\ You should be careful not to cross-contaminate your food no matter what you are preparing, but it is especially important with poultry because about 25 percent of both free-range and conventionally raised chickens test positive for salmonella bacteria. The good news is that cooking to the correct end temperature kills the bacteria. Cooked chicken rarely infects us with salmonella poisoning. What causes the problem is crosscontamination.\ Simply put, cross-contamination means mixing raw juices with cooked food or contaminating cooked food with the juices from raw foods. For example, this can happen when you take a platter of chicken to the grill, cook the chicken, then put the cooked chicken on that same platter. Although it may seem convenient to use one dish, don't risk cross-contamination and mix the cooked with the raw. Another way that the raw juices get into other foods is when rinsing the chicken. Water and raw juices often splatter, and if you have other ingredients for the meal, such as salad fixings on the counter, you run the risk of contaminating them. For this reason, I never wash poultry, or other meats or fish, I will be grilling. The heat of the grill will cook and "clean" the food. If you are used to washing poultry, just be careful not to splash and spray the juices around your kitchen.\ You can prevent cross-contamination by using two separate platters or washing your prep platter immediately with hot water and soap. I have a set of four melamine (heavy-duty plastic) platters that I use to transport food to and from the grill. They were very inexpensive (under $5 each), and are lightweight, virtually indestructible, and go right into the dishwasher after each use. If you want to be extra careful, you can wipe your counters, platters, etc., with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water).\ Bone-In Chicken Pieces 101\ I recommend grilling chicken pieces over indirect heat so that they are cooked on the inside and golden brown on the outside at the same time. Cooking over direct heat can result in a raw interior and a burned exterior-especially if you put the barbecue sauce on too soon.\ Makes 4 servings\ Grilling Method: Indirect/Medium Heat\ 4 Chicken breasts or thighs, bone-in, or other chicken pieces Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper\ 1. Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Remove and discard any excess fat from the chicken. Pat it dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken, bone-side down, in the center of the cooking grate over indirect medium heat.\ 2. Cover and grill until the breast meat near the bone registers 170°F and the thigh meat registers 180°F, 35 to 45 minutes, depending on size. You do not need to turn the chicken pieces. If you don't have a thermometer, cook it until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear. If preparing barbecued chicken, season with your favorite barbecue rub and brush the sauce on the chicken during the last 15 minutes of cooking time to prevent burning.\ 3. Remove and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.\ Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 101\ The size of chicken breasts varies widely. Small chicken breasts will take six to eight minutes total. The larger and thicker the breasts, the longer they will take to cook-up to 20 minutes total cooking time.\ Makes 4 servings\ Grilling Method: Direct/Medium Heat\ 4 Boneless skinless chicken breast halves Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper\ 1. Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the center of the cooking grate over direct medium heat. Cover and grill for about 15 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Turn the chicken only once during cooking time.\ 2. If using barbecue sauce, brush on the chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking time to prevent burning. Remove and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.\ Whole Turkey on the Grill 101\ Once you grill your first turkey, you'll never want to prepare it any other way. The convection action of the grill cooks the turkey faster than a conventional oven and browns the skin picture-perfect! The turkey takes on a slightly smoky grilled flavor, and it is a cinch to smoke with wood chips if you prefer a more intense turkey. The grill will give the turkey that distinctive pride-of-barbecuers' pink smoke ring next to the skin-so don't think the turkey is undercooked if you see a smoke ring, just congratulate yourself for a job expertly done! This method works well with a whole breast of turkey, too.\ Makes 12 to 15 servings\ Cooking Method: Indirect/Medium Heat\ 1 whole turkey, 14 to 16 pounds, thawed Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper\ 1. Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Remove the neck and giblets; reserve them for other uses or throw them away. Remove and discard any excess fat. If desired, rinse the bird and pat it dry with paper towels. Twist the wing tips under the back-this is called "wings akimbo."\ 2. Brush the turkey with oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.\ 3. Place the turkey breast-side up on the cooking grate on a charcoal grill or on a roasting rack in a disposable foil roasting pan on a gas grill. The grill should be set for indirect medium heat. There's no need to baste it; the thin coating of oil will promote browning and keep the juices inside the bird.\ 4. Cover and cook 11 to 13 minutes per pound or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone) registers 180°F and the juices run clear. Transfer the turkey to a platter and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.\ TIP: Charcoal grillers will have to add about 12 briquettes to each side every hour; gas grillers don't need to do any tending; but about 30 minutes before the bird is done, remove the foil roasting pan and place the bird directly on the center of the cooking grate. This allows the bottom of the bird to brown. Use the drippings in the foil pan to make gravy. Make sure to bring the drippings to a boil before mixing them in with the rest of the gravy ingredients.\ Tequila Sunrise Chicken\ I never soak my food in anything I would not drink. Well, there is nothing like a tequila sunrise to make you smile, giggle, or fall down laughing-and this tequila sunrise marinade makes chicken sing with flavor, which is my way of saying that this is a very happy, snappy recipe. Make an extra pitcher of sunrises for yourself-just be careful to make sure only the chicken gets sauced!\ Makes 4 to 6 servings\ Grilling Method: Indirect/Medium Heat Special Equipment: Vacu Vin Instant Marinater\ 2 whole chickens, 3 to 4 pounds each 3 bunches green onions, trimmed 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice 1 cup tequila 1/2 cup grenadine 1 small white onion, roughly chopped 8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground pepper Olive oil Lime wedges\ 1. Use a large knife or poultry shears to split each chicken down the middle into 2 halves. Pat the chickens dry with paper towels. Place the chickens and green onions in a large bowl or 2 large resealable plastic bags.\ 2. Whisk together the orange juice, tequila, grenadine, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Pour the marinade over the chickens and onions and turn several times to coat. Cover the container and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or, preferably, overnight), turning the chickens several times. Alternatively, use the Instant Marinater and marinate for 30 minutes.\ 3. Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Remove the chickens and green onions from the marinade and discard it. Lightly brush the chickens and green onions with oil and season with salt. Place them on the cooking grate, skin-side up over indirect medium heat. Cover and grill for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chickens register 180°F in the thickest part of the thighs and the juices run clear. Remove the chickens from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes.\ 4. While the chickens rest, grill the green onions over direct medium-heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally until browned in spots and wilted.\ 5. Serve the chicken hot, garnished with grilled green onions and lime wedges.\ TIP: You can also use a rib rack or roast holder to hold the half chickens upright during grilling.\ Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings\ This is the easiest chicken wing recipe you're bound to encounter, especially since the wings don't need to be marinated. All the flavor and the traditional sweet heat are added to the wings once they've crisped up on the grill. In memory of my favorite Buffalo, New York native, Harold Herman, I call for serving them with Buffalo's favorite sides-blue cheese dip and celery sticks-but they are equally good on their own.\ Makes 6 to 10 servings\ Grilling Method: Combo/Medium Heat\ 4 to 5 pounds chicken wings or drummettes (24 pieces) Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 1 6-ounce bottle Louisiana hot sauce 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon honey Blue Cheese Lovers' Blue Cheese Dip (page 294) 6 celery stalks, cut into sticks\ 1. Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Coat them all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the wings in the center of the cooking grate over indirect medium heat, cover, and grill for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.\ 2. Meanwhile, combine the hot sauce, butter, and honey in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking occasionally, and reduce the heat to low. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the sauce, taking about 1/3 to the grill to brush on the wings, keeping the rest warm. Turn the wings over and grill for the final 10 minutes and remove them from the grill.\ 3. Switch to medium direct heat. Pour the remaining sauce over the wings and toss to coat them evenly. Take the coated wings back to the grill and place them on the cooking grate. Cover and grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until very brown and caramelized. Remove from the grill onto a clean platter.\ 4. Serve hot, with the blue cheese dip and celery stalks on the side.\ (Continues...)\ \ \ \ \ Excerpted from Taming the Flame by Elizabeth Karmel Excerpted by permission.\ All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.\ Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site. \ \

Introduction. GETTING STARTED. Telling Grilling Secrets. Flavoring the Fire. Tools of the Trade. THE MAIN EVENT. Poultry. Beef. Pork. Lamb. Burgers and Ground Meat. Sausages. Fish. Shrimp and Other Shellfish. Vegetables and Fruit. Pizza. Low-and-Slow Barbecue. BBQ Ribs, Rubs, and Sauces. ON THE SIDE. Nibbles and Bits. Salads and Sides. Libations. Sweet Endings. BBQ EXTRA. Menus. Grilling Dictionary. Sources. Acknowledgments. Index.

\ From the Publisherarmel brings a feminine flair to a masculine domain with this A-to-Z roadmap to grill-based cuisine—from fast, high-heat methods to slower roasts and barbecue that rely on an indirect flame. Some may disagree with Karmel's assertion that there's no taste difference between gas and charcoal, although she does give tips on using old-fashioned briquettes. Her extensive introduction to techniques, tools and pantry basics make up the meat of the book; the 350 recipes that follow, organized by ingredient, rely so heavily on the methods set earlier that novices will frequently find themselves flipping back and forth. Karmel aims to be encyclopedic, offering a guide to cuts and a cooking timetable in every section, and she's at her best with natural variations on grilling, from simple Chicken Paillard to ambitious Hung-Your-Momma Braised Short Ribs. Karmel has never met a dish she can't make on the grill, and her attempts at grilled versions of Pot Roast and Veal Scaloppini are unnecessary. Her chatty, "girlfriend" point of view leads to a few lapses: for example, the beef section omits "rare" from its cooking timetable, and Grilled Lobster 101 devotes more time to avoiding killing the lobster (getting someone else to do it being the top choice) than it does to cooking it. Overall, though, this is a welcome guide for members of either sex. Photos. (May) (Publishers Weekly, April 11, 2005)\ \ \ \ \ Publishers WeeklyKarmel brings a feminine flair to a masculine domain with this A-to-Z roadmap to grill-based cuisine-from fast, high-heat methods to slower roasts and barbecue that rely on an indirect flame. Some may disagree with Karmel's assertion that there's no taste difference between gas and charcoal, although she does give tips on using old-fashioned briquettes. Her extensive introduction to techniques, tools and pantry basics make up the meat of the book; the 350 recipes that follow, organized by ingredient, rely so heavily on the methods set earlier that novices will frequently find themselves flipping back and forth. Karmel aims to be encyclopedic, offering a guide to cuts and a cooking timetable in every section, and she's at her best with natural variations on grilling, from simple Chicken Paillard to ambitious Hung-Your-Momma Braised Short Ribs. Karmel has never met a dish she can't make on the grill, and her attempts at grilled versions of Pot Roast and Veal Scaloppini are unnecessary. Her chatty, "girlfriend" point of view leads to a few lapses: for example, the beef section omits "rare" from its cooking timetable, and Grilled Lobster 101 devotes more time to avoiding killing the lobster (getting someone else to do it being the top choice) than it does to cooking it. Overall, though, this is a welcome guide for members of either sex. Photos. (May) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.\ \ \ Library JournalSpring is coming-and so are the barbecue books! "BBQ Queens" Adler and Fertig like to wear tiaras when they grill. They are members of an all-women barbecue team that competes on the national barbecue circuit, and they give cooking classes and demonstrations throughout the country. In their latest book, they provide hundreds of recipes, including a big "A to Z of Grilled and Smoked Veggies, Cheeses, and Pizzas," along with tips, stories, and profiles of other "Grill Gals." Some readers may find the tone a bit precious (e.g., "this is really a girly-girl recipe, with ruffles and ribbons"), but the recipes are easy and appealing. For larger collections. The idea of New York City chef/Food Network personality Flay writing a healthy-eating cookbook, complete with nutritional analysis for each recipe, seems somewhat incongruous. Perhaps it has something to do with his recent 40th birthday-or maybe it was the number of carbphobic customers holding forth in his restaurant dining rooms. In this follow-up to Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill, Flay offers mostly simple recipes (including some based on "good carbs," as he refers to complex carbohydrates), from Zucchini Succotash to Beef Filet with Arugula and Parmesan to Grilled Apricots with Bittersweet Chocolate. He seems somewhat subdued in his latest effort, with the bold, lusty flavors that usually characterize his cooking style less in evidence. Nevertheless, this is sure to be in demand. The Jamisons are veteran cookbook authors and grilling aficionados (see Chicken on the Grill and Born To Grill, among others). This time, they offer easy recipes for casual backyard entertaining. The first chapter, "Spontaneous Combustion," provides tips for successful parties, and their flavorful recipes, from Butterflied Thai Pork Tenderloin to Shrimp with Lemon Chive Sauce, should keep both guests and hosts happy. For most collections. Karmel is another barbecue queen, a former spokesperson for Weber grills who's well known on the circuit (she's a member of a team called Swine and Dine, and she's frequently a judge at barbecue competitions). Her big book is packed with information and mouth-watering recipes. A thorough introductory section offers invaluable tips and techniques for all types of grilling and barbecuing, and each recipe chapter opens with a primer on the basic ingredient and a handy chart on cooking times and recommended grilling methods. Karmel refers to her "culinary schizophrenia"-the result of her "love [for both] down-home Southern cooking and traditional French cuisines"-but inspiration for her recipes comes from all over the world: Lamb Tenderloin with Hazelnut Butter, Gingered Tuna with Wasabi Dipping Sauce, and Smoked Oysters with Fresh Cranberry Horseradish Relish. Useful as both a reference and a source of delectable recipes, Karmel's book is highly recommended. Negrin (Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking) has a decidedly different perspective, as her early grilling experiences were at her family's weekend house in northern Italy. A food writer and cooking teacher, she now lives in New York City but leads cooking tours in Italy. Her appealing new book offers fresh, vibrant, and simple but sophisticated recipes for outdoor cooking, from Lobster, Lemon, and Mint Salad to Peppery Rosemary-Rubbed Rib-Eye Steak. Full-page color photographs illustrate many of the recipes, and, despite the book's small size, Negrin includes a vast amount of information on ingredients and techniques, along with other helpful culinary tips. Highly recommended. Sinnes's book is an updated edition of his gas-grilling book, originally published in 1996. He has revised the text and added 100 new recipes, but it has an oddly dated feel to it: he regards grilled asparagus as rather exotic, and, at a time when grilled vegetables are showing up on fast-food menus, asserts that "most home cooks think grilling vegetables is somewhat unusual." There are also several slightly old-fashioned recipes, and it's surprising that a book devoted to grilling would call for bottled jerk seasoning and store-bought barbecue sauce. Only for comprehensive grilling collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.\ \