Ok, so we should probably all be eating more fish for the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids.  And the American Heart Association recommends we eat fish at least two times per week.   Browsing through grilling books for fish recipes, I found a great book that has some of my favorite fish recipes.  “Fish & Shellfish, Grilled & Smoked” by Karen Adler & Judith M. Fertig (ISBN #1-55832-181-0).  Page 93 details the “Barbecued Salmon Wrapped in Foil” recipe as follows to make 4 servings:

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Here are my top grill accessories.   These are the ones that really make my life of grilling simpler. 
Top 10 Accessories 

Tongs - I own about 5 pair of 12″ locking tongs.  I will usually use 2 in any given grilling day (I am not very good about cleaning as I go). The longer ones are just a bit too long, and difficult to manage large cuts of meat.  Since their are locking, I can lock them and they will stay in my pocket easily.  Never turn your meat with a fork as you will lose valuable juices.  Not sure where I got these, but they are dishwasher safe. Click to continue »

There are 2 things I cook a LOT.  Ribeye’s (my favorite, so you should see a blog on this soon) and Beer Butt Chicken. 

Sometimes I will tear up the chicken meat and make chicken fajitas with black beans, salsa, cheese, lettuce, etc.  Other times, I will just cut up the chicken with kitchen scissors into drumsticks, thighs, breasts, and wings.  The kids always love the drumsticks.

Depending on ingredients that I have around the house, I might switch a few ingredients and/or leave out the smoked wood chips but, here is a good recipe you can work from.  Click to continue »

What, you say!  Blasphemy!  This is the Grilldude’s site, G-R-I-L-L-dude!  Well, Grilldude, when you find something you like, you gotta tell someone, so let me tell what I learned because I wanted to try out searing in a new Scanpan non-stick pan.  First, let me say that I wanted to try it out because experience tells me not to try to sear, or braze, or do much of anything except eggs in a non-stick pan.  But this isn’t “Non-stick-pan-dude,” so I’ll move on.  Assume that you need either a scanpan nonstick pan, or some “stick” pan like a good stainless steel or old fashioned cast iron fryer, DO NOT DO THIS ON CHEAPY TEFLON/PTFE NON-STICK cookware, you’ll ruin it and probably kill your parakeet.   Now, on to the recipe and, more significantly, the technique.  You will need:

A rub:  I used an even mixture of dried basil, thyme, paprika, and twice as much pepper.  Improvise, it will work.  I like sage sometimes, and when i want spicy, i throw in little red pepper flakes.

Some kosher salt: about a tablespoon

A teaspoon or less of regular olive oil or some other good cooking oil

A steak: preferably rib-eye, 1 to 1.5 inches thick

Beer: see other posts, preferably Guinness Draught

Rub the beef with the rub. 

Start by opening the beer and drinking it.  Follow this immediately by opening another. This one, you will nurse through the cooking process.

Now, spread half of your salt evenly in the pan.

Next, heat your pan on a med-high to high heat until you can’t hold your hand 2 inches from the cooking surface for more than a couple of seconds… pretty hot.  Now, rub the oil on the steak, and throw it in your pan, and sear it for about 2 minutes (2 for a thin steak, 3 for a thick steak).  While it’s searing, throw the rest of the salt on the top evenly.  Turn and sear the other side.  Note the appearance of the first side after you flip it.  It should have a nice dark crust.  If it doesn’t, your medium-high heat isn’t.  Do the other side a little longer. 

After turning off the smoke detector, immediately throw your steak(s) on the pre-heated grill, where you’ve been cooking your potatoes, corn, vegetables, or other inconsequential side dishes, and let it continue to cook until the internal temperature is whatever the bacteriologists tell you it should be.  I usually go 6-10 minutes, turning once about 2/3rds through (6 for me, and 10 for my significant other).  Naturally, times vary with method and BTU.  It should not flare much if you crusted it well during the pan searing, but try to keep the flaring down if it does, since you already have it seared.  If you punctured the fat when moving it, it will flare up and lose some of the goodness.

Pair with Guinness, or if you’re into wine, I like a peppery Zin like Zingaro, or any decent Pinot Noir.

This is actually pretty easy, what I like the most is that it let’s me put on a good crust, without having to rely on inconsistent grill flare-ups.  If you’re not looking for a crusty rib-eye, this is not for you.

Gobble, Gobble! 

Great timing for this topic.  Each year, Thanksgiving dinner rotates between family members which means that I don’t cook the turkey very often (and don’t get leftovers).  This has given me the chance to try to perfect my grilled turkey on my household without risking a catastrophe on a larger family event…..AND, I have an entire turkey’s worth of leftovers. Click to continue »

Today marks my entry into the blogging world.  I created this blog to share my interest in grilling, to to see how blogging works and what kind of interaction I get.  I don’t claim to be a Bobby Flay or Stephen Raichlen, however, their books have really helped me along the way.  I am just a regular guy who loves to grill and I fire up my Barbeques Galore Turbo 3-4 times per week.  Weather in Arizona gives me plenty of opportunity to enjoy year round grilling (and yes, I will even grill in 115 degree weather).  Gas has been my choice fuel source for about 15 years.  If I have to, I can cook on charcoal, but that is just too much work for as often as I grill.  I know there is probably a religious debate on gas vs. charcoal/lump coal, but it is too much prepwork for me and the ROI isn’t there for me.   Oh, grilling really doesn’t have anything to do with my career (and I won’t bore you with tales from the big company IT department).  Anyway, stay tuned!