Barbecue Tips – Grilling Tips

Well, this isn’t a tip that’s gonna make your next barbecue an instant success. No secret barbecue recipe that will knock your socks off.

In fact, I doubt this is even going to inspire you to head outside and light up the gas grill.

I just thought this was an interesting observation. In the winter, despite my urgings , it seems there simply is not that many people who venture outdoors to grill. Well – if I toss my gas cannisters in the van and head over to get them filled up – - – - -

Nobody is ever in front of me! Never! I’m loving it. I’ll make sure to get a refill before February ends because I’m sure, once March rolls around, people will remember they have a grill.

I picked up my 5 year old grandson yesterday from day care and we decided hamburgers was the meal of the day. Now, there was about 10″ of snow on the ground and we had to fight our way to the grill, then remove the snow so we could open the lid. The temperature was 6 degrees, so it took some work to loosen the knobs to turn on the gas.

Luckily no wind so it lit and held the flames with no problem. As we let it heat up, my grandson loved it because the steam was coming from the grill as the snow was melting.

When the temperature got around 450 degrees, I opened the lid and cleaned the grids. Tossed on the burgers and closed it and the temperature had dropped to 300 degrees because of the cold.

No major problem. I opened it once to flip the burgers, then once again to flip and add cheese. Next time I opened, it was time to eat.

Don’t let the weather stop you from grilling!!!!!!!!!!

If your cast iron is used, the surface must be free of heavy dirt or rust. There are cleaning methods to remove excessive rust or dirt depending on the material that stuck on the cookware surface. After ensuring that the surface is clean, the seasoning process can be started based on the following procedure.

1. Apply a thin layer of fat ( shortening, lard or oil high in saturated fat)

2. Put the cookware up side down in an oven heated to 425degF for one to two hours. There must be an aluminum foil under the cookware to catch the excess oil that has melted off. The excess oil can contaminate the oven.

3. After turning off the oven, let the cookware remain inside to cool down.

4. Use or store the cookware.

Seasoning is an easy and simple way to preserve the cookware and maintain an easy cooking experience for a long time.

2 cups beef or veal stock
2 cups dry red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
1/2 cup garlic cloves — roasted
1/2 cup shallots — chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley — chopped
1 dash salt — to taste
1 dash fresh ground black pepper — to taste
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds — chopped
2 pounds beef tenderloin — cut in 8-oz steaks
2 tablespoons olive or corn oil
4 sprigs fresh parsley — for garnish

STEP ONE: Making the Red Wine Sauce– In a large saucepan, combine the stock, red wine, 3 tablespoons of roasted garlic, shallots, and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced to coat the back of a spoon, probably about 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into another saucepan, then adjust the salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining parsley, then reduce heat to low.

STEP TWO: In a small bowl, combine the remaining garlic, sunflower= seeds, and 2 tablespoons of the Red Wine Sauce. Mix well. Rub the surface of the steaks with the oil.

STEP THREE: Grilling the Steaks – Grill until well-seared on the surface, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until you reach desired doneness, about 4 minutes for medium-rare, depending on the thickness.

STEP FOUR: Brush the tops of the steaks with a small amount of Red Wine Sauce. For a fancy presentation, you can put the steaks on serving plates and spoon the remaining sauce around them, garnishing with parsley sprigs.