By Dylan McDonough
Some of you over the summer like to barbeque. Here are some Grade A Tips to take your meat to another level.
1. DON’T USE A GAS GRILL.
Smoke is an ingredient in itself. Using gas means you are missing out on the nuanced flavor smoke gives.
2. USE WOOD FROM FRUIT TREES FOR EXTRA FLAVOR.
Try adding fruit tree wood chips to your charcoal. Fruit woods are mild in flavor and high in sap. You can choose from apple, cherry, grape, and peach.
3. SOAK WOOD CHIPS IN WATER BEFORE COOKING.
Soak for at least an hour or, even better, overnight, before draining them. Then wrap them in an aluminum foil “burrito” and put them in your grill. The water content makes the chips produce more smoke, which increases your flavor.
4. LET THE MEAT SIT BEFORE EATING.
After removing your meat from the grill, let it sit for a few minutes. This seals the juices and keeps the meat from drying out. When the meat is cooking, to turn meat, do not use forks which poke holes in the meat, but barbecue tongs or spatulas.
5. AVOID LIGHTER FLUID-FLAVORED MEAT.
If you’re using lighter fluid to get your charcoal fire started, make sure that the fire is completely out before you start cooking. If the fire’s not out, then there’s still some lighter fluid that hasn’t been burned away, and you do not want that taste on your food.
6. LAY DOWN ALUMINUM FOIL FOR EASY CLEAN-UP.
Line the inside bottom of your cooker with a couple sheets of aluminum foil before you put your briquettes in. This will make the clean up easier and faster.
7. SOAK WOODEN SKEWERS IN WATER TO AVOID BURNING.
Make sure to soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using to keep them from burning. If using metal skewers, wipe them with a piece of paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to stop food from sticking to them. If you’ll be doing a lot of cooking, you can soak a bunch of skewers for an hour, drain then, freeze them, and pull them out a few at a time as needed.
8. USE ALUMINUM FOIL AS A GRILL BRUSH.
Crumple a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil until it’s the size of a baseball and pick it up between chef tongs. The tongs will act as the handle. Holding onto the ball of foil, brush away.
