{"id":5416,"date":"2023-01-18T20:44:13","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T01:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/24-essential-grilling-tips-from-top-chef\/"},"modified":"2023-10-25T11:15:18","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T15:15:18","slug":"24-essential-grilling-tips-from-top-chef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/24-essential-grilling-tips-from-top-chef\/","title":{"rendered":"24 Essential Grilling Tips From Top Chef \ud83e\uddd1\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83c\udf73"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Whether you\u2019ve worked a\u00a0grill\u00a0before or not, the backyard appliance can be overwhelming to use. How high should you heat the grill? How long does it take for your\u00a0meat\u00a0to cook? What kind of charcoal should you use? One small\u00a0mistake\u00a0can take your\u00a0burger\u00a0from bangin\u2019 to blah, so we consulted with top chefs, grill masters, butchers, and other professional cooks to bring you the\u00a0best grilling tips\u00a0that\u2019ll make you the star of your summer block party.<\/p>\n\n

1. Preheat the grill<\/h4>\n\n

Just like ovens, grills need to be pre-heated to get the most out of your cooking. Chef Sean Brasel from\u00a0Meat Market\u00a0in Miami Beach says that charcoal grills tend to produce better overall flavor once the coals have reached optimum temperature and color. \u201cPutting your grilled items on too soon will produce a gassy smell in your foods, so make sure your coals are ready before cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

How high should the heat be? According to Josh Thomsen, the executive chef at the Vue 1913 and Edison at the\u00a0Omni Grove Park Inn, it should be at least 500 degrees Fahrenheit. \u201cWhen using charcoal, let it burn until it\u2019s covered with a thin coat of gray ash. Hold your hand about six inches above the grate. After three seconds, the [temperature] of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. When using a gas grill, preheat to high. This takes 10 to 15 minutes. When indirect grilling, preheat the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

2. Use gas grills for optimal char<\/h4>\n\n

If you prefer a charred flavor, Chef Brasel says gas grills are better than charcoal ones. \u201cGas grills can produce a higher heat, enabling better sear and char flavor,\u201d he says. But if you\u2019re using a charcoal grill, it\u2019s important to avoid greasing the coals too much to prevent fires and burning. Chef Michael Gallina of\u00a0Vicia\u00a0in St. Louis says that vegetables often cook quickly on the grill, so even a moment spent away can take you from perfectly charred to burnt.<\/p>\n\n

But if they end up burnt, don\u2019t throw your veggies away! \u201cYou can use them to prepare a charred vegetable stock, which adds a lot of great flavors to sauces and braises,\u201d Gallina says.<\/p>\n\n

3. Put a lid on it<\/h4>\n\n

The lids aren\u2019t just there to protect the grills; using them strategically will help you produce smoky flavors. \u201cWhat\u2019s neat about cooking on a charcoal grill is that different types of charcoal will produce different flavors in your foods. For example, mesquite and hickory charcoal produce a smoked flavor,\u201d Brasel says.<\/p>\n\n

4. Take advantage of the smoker<\/h4>\n\n

Brasel says that charcoal grills with a smoker are great for preparing multiple dishes for long periods because they\u2019re designed with different sections and are optimal for slower roasted foods such as brisket and chicken. \u201cMake sure there\u2019s enough water and humidity in your smoker before letting your food cook for hours. Brined and cured products work best in these conditions. Wrapping slow-roasted veggies in foil also produces an amazing confit effect on corn and sweet potatoes,\u201d Brasel says.<\/p>\n\n

5. Select the right meats<\/h4>\n\n

Chef Samuel Hess at\u00a0Grays Restaurant and Bar<\/a>\u00a0at the Hilton in Vancouver, Washington, tells us one of the most important steps before you even grill is choosing the right protein-packed meats. \u201cMeats suitable for quick grilling will yield to the touch and not spring back. Think of the difference between raw chicken breast and pot roast,\u201d he says. \u201cMeats that fit this description and have a little marbling are good choices for healthy grilling. Keep in mind that lean meats will overcook and dry out more quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

6. Go for grass-fed meat<\/h4>\n\n

We\u2019re all for saving money and watching our wallets, but it pays to spring for high-quality meat if possible. \u201cFree-range, hormone- and antibiotic-free and humanely-treated meat will always taste better than the Soylent Green factory meat most places serve,\u201d says Andy Harris, founder and owner of San Diego\u2019s\u00a0Grand Ole BBQ y Asado. \u201cSpend time doing your due diligence to ensure you are purchasing the best meat. Also, always use dry rubs and take your time to do it right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

7. Get acquainted with lesser-known cuts<\/h4>\n\n

Sirloin steak, beef tenderloin, and rib-eye steaks are exceedingly popular, but they\u2019re hardly the only tasty offerings around. Joe Heitzeberg, CEO of\u00a0Crowd Cow, a marketplace that sources small-batch, craft meats from independent farms, says, \u201cThere are lots of lean cuts on a cow you may not have heard of, and they can be incredibly tender and delicious if you know how to prepare them right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

One of Heitzeberg\u2019s favorites is the petite tender, also known as the teres major. \u201cThe petite tender is a little-known muscle cut from the shoulder that\u2019s flavor-rich, lean, and second only to tenderloin in terms of tenderness. It\u2019s best grilled quickly over high heat,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

8. Safety first<\/h4>\n\n

Executive Chef Cory Hoekstra of Disney Springs is a big proponent of staying safe while grilling, and that extends beyond watching yourself (and others) near an open flame. \u201cIf you\u2019re unsure about how to use the equipment, always read instruction manuals,\u201d Hoekstra says. And to avoid any kind of cross-contamination, Hoekstra recommends using different utensils with different types of proteins.<\/p>\n\n

9. Cook on a clean surface<\/h4>\n\n

\u201cThe first step to achieving any kind of healthful grilling\u2014or cooking for that matter\u2014is to start clean,\u201d says Alex Benes, culinary director of\u00a0Wood Ranch restaurants<\/a>\u00a0in California. \u201cUse a wire brush to clean the grates and remove any food residue or char on them. Then, wipe them down with paper towels or cloth using some vegetable oil. This will also scoop up any broken-off brush bristles,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

10. Make the grill naturally non-stick<\/h4>\n\n

Many people coat their grills with oil to create a non-stick surface for food. But there\u2019s an easier way to create a non-stick surface, says Teddy Bricker, an award-winning chef and the owner of Soursop\u00a0in Austin. \u201cHalve a potato and rub the hot grates with them to avoid using a lot of oil. This will make the grill naturally non-stick,\u201d Bricker says.<\/p>\n\n

11. Let your meat rest before grilling<\/h4>\n\n

If you\u2019re going to grill some meat, don\u2019t take it out of the refrigerator just before you plan to throw it on the fire. \u201cLet your steak rest out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking,\u201d says Josh Tanner of\u00a0New York Prime Beef. \u201cThis is important for larger, thicker cuts like a porterhouse or a big, bone-in ribeye. If you throw a cold steak on the grill, it won\u2019t cook as evenly and will dry out much more easily.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

12. Use your thumb for even cooking<\/h4>\n\n

Grilling utensils will help you flip your meat and veggies to ensure even cooking, but sometimes all you need to get the job done is your thumb. \u201cTo ensure the meat cooks evenly, make a thumbprint indentation into each patty before it goes on the grill,\u201d says Chef\u00a0Julie Harrington, RD and culinary nutrition consultant. \u201cThe indentation helps the patty hold its shape, rather than swelling, as it shrinks during the cooking process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

13. Invest in a meat thermometer<\/h4>\n\n

Thermometers are typically mounted on the grill lid because heat rises, but that also means that they can register 50 degrees hotter than they would if placed on the grill itself. \u201cAn instant-read thermometer is your best friend when it comes to grilling. Use it to check the internal temperature of your meat,\u201d says Donatella Arpaia, chef and partner at Prova Pizzabar in New York City.<\/p>\n\n

Arpaia says that cooking times will vary slightly based on many factors, including wind, the thickness of the food, the starting temperature of the food, the grill preheating time, and the temperature of the fire.<\/p>\n\n

14. Get a nice pair of tongs<\/h4>\n\n

Thomsen recommends investing in a good pair of tongs to put food on the grill and to also move it around while it\u2019s cooking. \u201cHeavy-duty, long-handled, spring-loaded tongs act like an extra pair of hands,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

15. Establish different grilling \u201czones\u201d<\/h4>\n\n

When working with a grill, particularly one with a large surface on which you may be cooking multiple items, Josh Evans, executive chef at\u00a0LongHorn Steakhouse, advises establishing different \u201czones,\u201d especially if you\u2019re using your grill to cook multiple things. \u201cCreate cooking zones by keeping one section at a lower temperature,\u201d he says. \u201cAs your meat and vegetables start to cook through, you can move them to a cooler area to slow down the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

16. Take it low and slow<\/h4>\n\n

\u201cA common mistake when folks are grilling is that they get the grill super hot and try to cook at extremely high temperatures,\u201d says Chef Michael Patria, an executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta and\u00a0Bar Margot. Instead, Patria advises taking it slow and low. \u201cLearn how the vents on your grill work, so you can better control the temperature,\u201d he says. \u201cResearch reverse searing, and explore other slow cooking techniques to achieve different flavor profiles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

17. Don\u2019t move your food around too much<\/h4>\n\n

Although it\u2019s tempting to move your food around the grill as it cooks, Nate Hereford, a JUST chef and former executive chef at Niche in St. Louis, advises against it. \u201cAvoid moving your food around on the grill too much. Let it sit on the grate as long as possible so that it cooks through evenly and gets nice grill marks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

18. Try the Robatayaki Method<\/h4>\n\n

If you want to impress your guests, Chef Tomonori Takahashi at\u00a0Robata JINYA\u00a0in Los Angeles, suggests trying the Robatayaki method. \u201cThe Robatayaki\u2014or Robata\u2014grilling method is a traditional Japanese technique where skewered meats, vegetables, and fish are slowly grilled over charcoal to perfection,\u201d he says. \u201cSlow grilling is a great way to build layers of flavor in simple meat and vegetable dishes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

19. Add BBQ sauce at the end<\/h4>\n\n

Rocky Stubblefield, barbecue expert and grandson of C.B. \u201cStubb\u201d Stubblefield, who founded the Texas-based\u00a0Stubb\u2019s Legendary BBQ sauce company, cautions not to put the BBQ sauce on the chicken until it reaches a certain temperature. \u201cAt 160 degrees, I baste the chicken with Sweet Honey & Spice BBQ sauce,\u201d he says. \u201cYou only want the sauce to cook on the grill for a few minutes. If it stays too long on the grill, it will burn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

20. Season with a dry rub in advance<\/h4>\n\n

If you\u2019re not crazy about BBQ sauces or marinades, Isaac Toups, chef and owner of\u00a0Toups Meatery\u00a0in New Orleans, is a fan of a flavorful dry rub\u2014as long as you plan your meal ahead of time. \u201cDry rubs are a great way to add a huge punch of flavor without adding a ton of calories and fat to your meats,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

One easy way to keep your meat extra flavorful? Add salt to your dry rub. This will help penetrate the meat and allow the rub to season the meat all the way through. \u201cFor a rub to do anything worthwhile, you need to rub your meats 12 to 24 hours in advance,\u201d Toups says.<\/p>\n\n

21. Dip your meat to infuse flavor<\/h4>\n\n

\u201cTruth be told, I\u2019m not a big proponent of marinades, but if you\u2019re into it, you should be dunking,\u201d says Joe Frietze, chef de cuisine at Chicago\u2019s\u00a0Publican Quality Meats. Take your typical favorite marinade, and thin it out with water for a consistency similar to soy sauce. Dunk your meat in it, and start cooking it on the grill.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cFor every couple of minutes, take your meat off the grill and dip it into the marinade. Then put it immediately back on the grill,\u201d Frietze says. Not only will this method reduce the calorie count of your marinade, but it will also give your meat a tasty boost. \u201cThis method adds the marinade in thin layers to the meat, so you get full flavor without the full amount of sugar,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n

22. Cook for presentation<\/h4>\n\n

Is there anything better than seeing some fresh grill marks on a nice piece of meat? Courtney Rada, the host of\u00a0Carnivorous\u00a0on Genius Kitchen, loves the picture-perfect presentation, which is surprisingly easy to achieve. \u201cI\u2019m a fan of creating proper grill marks so that the meat looks as good as it tastes,\u201d she says. \u201cTo do this, the meat should be placed down at a 45-degree angle to the grill grate. If you want to create a crosshatch pattern, sear the meat at a 45-degree angle, then rotate the meat 90 degrees and sear it again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

23. Undercook fish on the grill<\/h4>\n\n

Ayesha Curry, chef of\u00a0International Smoke\u00a0in San Francisco, author of\u00a0The Seasoned Life: Food, Family, Faith, and the Joy of Eating Well, and star of the Food Network show\u00a0Ayesha\u2019s Home Kitchen, says that the residual heat from cooking is enough to cook fish when it\u2019s off of the grill. \u201cRemove your salmon right before medium-rare. By the time it\u2019s ready to serve, it should be a perfect medium,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n

24.\u00a0Let the meat rest after grilling<\/h4>\n\n

As tempting as it may be to slice into your steak when it\u2019s fresh off the grill, it\u2019s crucial to let the meat rest for a few minutes. \u201cAfter grilling a beautiful piece of meat, most people cut into it without letting it sit or rest,\u201d says Joseph Madzia, executive sous chef of\u00a0Stickney\u2019s Restaurant\u00a0at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire. \u201cTo taste the quality, you should always let the meat rest for about four minutes before cutting it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Source:\u00a0Eathis.com<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019ve worked a\u00a0grill\u00a0before or not, the backyard appliance can be overwhelming to use. How high should you heat the grill? How long does it take for your\u00a0meat\u00a0to cook? What kind of charcoal should you use? One small\u00a0mistake\u00a0can take your\u00a0burger\u00a0from bangin\u2019 to blah, so we consulted with top chefs, grill masters, butchers, and other professional […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5417,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized-en-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5416"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5930,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5416\/revisions\/5930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boyerbrush.ca\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}