Archive for: October 2008

I have had a number of people ask me about grilling vegetables. I have to admit I’m not a fan of vegetables. They would be slapping me in the head saying “Coulda had a V8″.

However, when I first grilled vegetables on the grill, I was pleasantly surprised. Try this recipe. But understand, colorful is not a requirement. You can do the same thing with carrots and potatoes and such.

Choose colorful ripe garden-fresh vegetables, like summer squash, eggplants, onions and different colored bell peppers. Cut eggplant, onions and squash on the bias into about 1/2″ thick slices. Cut peppers into 2 to 3″ strips or big scallops. About an hour or so before grilling, combine vegetables with any good olive oil-based vinaigrette or use balsamic vinegar and olive oil with added minced garlic or garlic powder, basil, pepper and salt.

Before putting these on the grill, drain vegetables well and grill on fine mesh BBQ grid. I have purchased some cookware with perforated holes and this works real well. Grill as slowly as possible until tender when pierced, turning several times and moving vegetables around with a fork so that they cook evenly. A little charring on the edges doesn’t hurt them.

18 oz Barbecue sauce (your choice)
16 oz Cranberry sauce, jellied
1/4 c Water
2 tb Brown sugar, packed
2 tb Chili powder
1/4 ts Garlic powder
1/4 ts Cloves, ground

Combine all the ingredients in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Brush on meat or chicken at end of grilling time.

You betcha!

When I do barbecue wings, I use a slow cooker and the wings cook over a 5 - 6 hour time period. They fall off the bones and are delicious. I have just found it too much work to put them on a grill.

Add a jar of barbecue sauce to the slow cooker and about 1/2 cup of water and mix. I like to also add salt and pepper and some honey and mix the sauce thoroughly.

Dump in the wings - I add them in frozen right from the fridge.

Sprinkle with Accent and set the cooker to low. I’ve found a minimum of 5 hours cooking time is best as it not only makes the wings tender, it also puts a crust on them.

Easy and delicious and I highly recommend you give them a try.

1) Never place food on the grill until the temperature is correct. The fluctuation in temperatures will cause your food to dry out or burn. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are completely gray before putting the meat on the grill. This will allow the temperatures to level out, and the majority of the lighter fluid to burn off. In addition, putting your meat on a grid not properly heated will cause it to stick.

2) Cooking with charcoal lighter fluid can be good or bad. The lighter fluid will cause the food you are cooking to taste different then with other types of grills. In addition, attempting to not use lighter fluid may cause a lot of frustration due to the fact that charcoal can be difficult, if not impossible to light without lighter fluid.

3) You must properly prepare the meat you are cooking, before cooking it. You should never attempt to cook meat on a grill when it is still frozen, or even partially frozen. Thaw your meat by sitting it out about 12 to 24 hours before you plan on cooking it, or by thawing it in a microwave. If you meat is thawed, but in the refrigerator, set it out long enough for the meat to get to room temperature.

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