Planning The Perfect Barbeque
by Bob Alexander
So you think you're ready
for a great weekend featuring your own unique talents at the barbecue
grill. Before you even think about throwing a slab of meat on smoldering
briquettes, there are important steps to follow in preparation for that
special cookout; steps that could make the difference between success
and failure!
You gotta have a plan!
Nothing great has ever been accomplished without some kind of a plan!
You should have everything in order before you start, getting all your
ducks in a row as it were. Outdoor grilling can be an awesome experience
but you have to get it right the first time, because each time you step
in front of the grill, spatula and tongs at the ready, you're putting
your barbequing reputation on the line. The beginning of any weekend
grill fest starts with a quick look at The Weather Channel. It's best to
consult weather experts on such an important matter a couple of days
before the big event. It wouldn't do to put in the time on strategic
planning, only to be forced inside at the last minute by a steady rain.
We, who have survived many battles fighting the rain on Saturday
afternoons, think of such things as this!
Next you have to decide just
who will be invited and how many there will be at your cook out. This is
a critical part of the planning exercise. The number of people attending
dictates whether you will have steaks, burgers or chicken! It would cost
a small fortune to provide enough steaks for twenty people. Odds are
there would be someone in the crowd that you didn't really like, anyway,
so why would you feed this person a sizzling, delicious and scrumptious
steak?
Barbequed chicken or
hamburger is the answer. They're both reasonably cheap! Either chicken
or a lot of burgers will satisfy a lot of people. There is no need to
spend a lot of money on meat for someone you don't really like. Either
one of these meat ideas will satisfy a crowd without breaking the
budget.
Basically what it comes down
to is this: Do you like the people in your party enough to buy rib eye
steaks for everyone, or would it be better to have a lot of hamburger
meat or a box of chicken quarters to throw on the coals. Whatever you
decide, this is one of the first steps in planning for the backyard
cookout. After the difficult decision of deciding on the meat that the
occasion deserves, you can then decide how much to buy at the market.
IMPORTANT! Before you get
too far along in the planning, it's wise to decide on the appropriate
time to serve beverages. Adult beverages should be left in the cooler
until after the flames have died. The festivities should never be
interrupted by the sound of fire engines. I've heard that sound before
at one of my cook outs and it's not pretty!
You've selected the meat and
now you have to determine how much you're going to buy. If you buy too
little, your guests will think you're a cheap skate. If you buy too much
and have a lot left over, they'll think you're throwing money away and
you're just showing off.
Of course the amount of meat
you buy depends on the number of people invited to your cook out. A rule
of thumb I use is to multiply the number of people times one and a half
if it's chicken, burgers or steaks. Sometimes there are leftovers. If
such a thing actually happens, that's great. Almost anything off the
grill tastes great the next day, unless it's smoked sea urchin, but then
no one in their right mind would serve smoked sea urchin in the first
place. Yeech!
Hamburgers: I like to keep
my burgers simple. I usually sprinkle a little salt, pepper and finely
ground garlic on the meat about an hour before I start cooking. Although
that's exotic enough for me, some folks like to stuff them with all
kinds of things such as onions, peppers and even cheese. I'm old
fashioned. I think cheese should remain on the top of the burgers where
they belong. Burgers can be cooked to all degrees of readiness; I like
mine cooked well with just a hint of pink in the middle. Pepper and salt
to taste. (Try using garlic salt on the burgers instead of regular salt.
It adds a little character to the meat.)
Chicken: For me, a good hot
marinade on the chicken I cook on the grill is a must. Some folks
however like it mild, so I always have some of both sauces ready to use
after the cooking is ¾ done. You can make your own sauce or buy it at
the store. The hotter marinades you usually have to make yourself. I
know you can't please everyone but your friends will continue to come
over for a free meal if you don't sear their esophagus with a fiery
chicken leg hot off the grill! Give them a choice!
Cooking chicken over a
charcoal grill is not difficult. The fire can't be extra hot because
flames from the fat dripping onto the coals will burn your chicken to a
crisp. Better to keep the fire at medium heat and add charcoal as you go
along to maintain the proper temperature. When a meat thermometer is
stuck between the joints of a leg quarter reads 175 degrees, it's time
to take the chicken off the grill. When the leg pulls easily away from
the thigh, I say it's done. That's the lazy way of doing things.
Steaks: It's easy to mess up
a good steak by cooking it too much. Don't do that! A good sprinkle of
garlic salt, a little pepper and you're off to the races. Throw the
steaks on the grill and cook them one side for about two minutes them
flip them, sealing in the juices, making the meat more tender and
delicious. Depending on how thick the steaks are, cook them five to six
minutes on one side. Leave them on longer if you want them well done.
While there are many kinds
of grills to choose from, I prefer to use the old fashioned charcoal
type. I get a sense of history every time I smell the smoke emanating
from burning charcoal. Maybe this was how they did it back in the old
west when cowboys huddled around the campfire after a hard day on the
range punching cows. The cook, who had cool nicknames like "cookie" or
"biscuit" would divvy out steaks, biscuits and scalding black coffee to
the cowhands. Those were the good old days.
About the Author
Bob Alexander is the
author and owner of this copyrighted article. He is well experienced in
the art of barbeque cooking, outdoor activities and leisure living.
Visit his sites:
http://www.bluemarlinbob.com
http://www.homeandgardenbob.com
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