Helpful Tips for Easier Grill Cleanup

As the barbecue season draws to a close, novice and expert grillers young and old will all share a similar feeling of grief; although some moreso than others. I'm not talking about sparking up that outdoor cooker one last time before season's close, I'm talking about the one thing every griller dreads but knows is inevitable; cleaning the grill. After a summer full of good times and good food with friends and family, the end result on your grill is usually a black, crusty compound, made up of mostly carbon and some unburned grease. For those of us who may not have gone to great lengths to clean our BBQ grill this summer, here are some tips to help make that cleanup job a little easier this year.

• Always allow grill to cool down to just above room temperature before cleaning. There’s the obvious risk of a bad burn by touching the metal, but beyond that, a wire whisk will fling specks of hot carbon onto your arms and face. Bad news. Cleaning liquids that come into contact with hot metal will vaporize, often producing toxic gases. Another bad idea. Waiting may make clean up a little harder, but it’s much safer.
• Take apart any removable sections from the grill like grill bars, drip pans and lid.
• Clean in layers; grease first then carbon build-up. It will make the job much easier.
• Modern oven cleaning sprays are your best bet to remove grease build-up
• Allow cleaner to sit a minimum of two hours. If you haven't kept up on cleaning all summer, allowing it to sit overnight is warranted.
• When removing oven spray, be sure to use lots of water, rinsing a sponge or towel frequently. Left-over oven spray/grease that dries will impart a foul odor and taste the next time you cook.
• When removing the remaining carbon build-up, there is no safe alternative to elbow grease. A proper scraper will help, but even with it, you are going to have to exert some force.

Clean the barbeque regularly and each clean up will be easier than if the job is only done every third time or once a season. Your food will taste better and your guests will be grateful because of it.

Couple Arrested for Using BBQ Grill As Weapon to Beat One Another

A man and woman found themselves in jail after beating one another with a barbecue grill. The attack on one another began after a heated argument, when the woman picked up the barbeque grill, and hit the man over the head with it. Stunned, the man picked up the same grill and retaliated by striking the woman over the head with the object. (At this point, there was concern about a disqualification, but the referee ok'd the object, and the fight continued.) The woman then picked up the barbecue pit and threw it though the back window of the man's car.
After medics treated the man and the woman (can someone say head wound?), both parties were arrested and charged with aggravated battery.

Drunk Uncle Attacks Nephew with Bottle and Knives at BBQ

A family barbecue turned ugly when an intoxicated 35-year-old man attacked his nephew with kitchen knives. According to the reports filed with the Salt Lake County Jail, the suspect had been drinking and began arguing with his nephew. He then began throwing beer bottles at the young man, a probable cause statement claims. The man then ran inside the home, grabbed two knives from the kitchen, and allegedly came after his nephew. Following the attack, the man fled the scene, only to be picked up a mile away by police. The man was booked on suspicion of aggravated assault and public intoxication.

BBQ Meat Smoking 101

Every grilling guru or barbecue lover knows there are few foods that cannot be improved by the smoky goodness of the outdoor grill. Thanks to our good friends at the National Barbecue Association, here are some tips on the popular grilling technique, smoking:

Smoking – addition of smoke to meat that will be finished by some other cooking method.

Cold Smoke
Smoking occurs at 70°F to 100°F, imparting flavor without firming proteins. Items may be cold smoked, then finished in the oven. 80 degrees is average in a smoke house. There will be slight dehydration but very little actual cooking.

Hot Smoke
Smoking occurs at 160°F to 225°F, imparting flavor and cooking the product. Temperature of smokehouse 160°F for all sausage (casings) 185°F for all solid meats.


Types of Smoking Methods

1. Conventional - More smoke flavor, due to less circulation of air. Product must be dry.
2. Convection - Less smoke flavor because the air is being circulated. Product does not have to be dry because of the air circulation.
3. Pan - Pan smoking gives a lot of flavor in short period of time. Can be done with no special equipment.


Key Cooking and Smoking temperatures
· 103°F Proteins begin to set or denature

· 137.5°F Trichinosis bacteria is killed

· 155°F Federal requirement for cooking pork

· 155°F All meats

· 160°F All proteins are coagulated

· 165°F Federal requirement for cooking all poultry

The Finger Test for Grilling Perfection

Cooking meat, especially steak, to a guests desired wellness is often challenging; especially without cutting into the center. To solve this problem, most grilling aficionados turn to their trusty meat thermometer. Meat thermometers, such as the stainless steel meat probe thermometer, are great for getting just the right temperature on a big roast.

However, to impress your friends and avoid cutting into the meat, do what most experienced chefs do and use the "finger test" method. While difficult at first it gets easier with practice. The next time you cook a steak follow the instructions below. With practice, you can be cooking steaks to perfection every time, and consider yourself among the ranks of the greatest chefs.

Open the palm of your hand. Relax the hand. Take the index finger of your other hand and push on the fleshy area between the thumb and the base of the palm. Make sure your hand is relaxed. This is what raw meat feels like. (Check this out the next time you have a raw steak to cook.)



Press the tip of your index finger to the tip of your thumb. The fleshy area below the thumb should give quite a bit. This is what meat cooked to rare feels like. Open up your palm again and compare raw to rare.





Gently press the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. This is medium rare.






Press the tip of your ring finger and your thumb together. The flesh beneath the thumb should give a little more. This is what meat cooked to a medium doneness feels like.


Now gently press the tip of your pinky and your thumb together. Again feel the fleshy area below the thumb. It should feel quite firm. This is what well done meat feels like when you press on it. (Check this out the next time you overcook a piece of meat.)

Meth Addicts in Search of Neighborhood Barbecues

According to Kansas City Law Enforcement, the propane tank you use to barbecue in your backyard could be potentially dangerous due to exposure from methamphetamine manufacturing.

The tanks used to store propane are sometimes used to store anhydrous ammonia, a dangerous compound that is used to make meth. The tell-tale sign a propane tank has been used to manufacture methamphetamine is the greenish blue color of the service valve on the tank. Once a tank has in fact come in contact with these meth compounds, the safety of the tank becomes compromised, and could turn deadly for an unsuspecting person gearing up for some grilling.

According to Police Lieutenant Ty Lewis with the Paso Robles Police Department, when a propane tank come into contact with meth manufacturing chemicals, “It'll break down the valve, obviously weaken it, and then poses a potential for the valve to break off. Since the contents are under pressure, it could potentially create a missile of sorts"

Law enforcement agents say it is especially important to check the valve on your tank if you are exchanging an empty one or a full one. In any case, if you pick up one of the tanks and the valve is bluish green, do not try to remove the valve yourself. Instead, contact your local police or fire department - it could save a life.

400 People Dead and Counting From Bad UK BBQ Food

Former French President Jacques Chirac once joked about the food in the UK, saying, "one cannot trust people whose cuisine is so bad". For a time, the cooking incompetencies of the British were merely punchlines, but authorities are now warning that their culinary carelessness can prove deadly. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the summer BBQ in England is largely to blame for poorly stored and cooked meat, leading to the biggest rise in salmonella and campylobacter cases in six years. The FSA goes on to say, 9 out of 10 Britons don't know how to store raw meat in preparation for cooking, others don't know how to cook it and two-thirds don't wash their hands after handling meat and fish. As a result, the UK has averaged over 120,000 reported cases of food poisoning, 400 of which result in death each year. Yes, death.

The ability of the Britons to turn the humble barbecue grill into a killing machine has prompted UK authorities to launch a national awareness campaign. The FSA has launched a 1950s-style horror movie poster campaign featuring killer bugs and a cartoon eyeball. Posters include "It Came From the Chopping Board", "Curse of the Uncooked" and "Terror Stalks the Fridge". Sound a little silly? Consider this. If death by barbecue is not bad enough, another report shows people in the UK were healthier in medieval times than they are today! More Brits are dying today from cholesterol and weight-related diseases than they were a thousand years ago, when they had to deal with the pox, the plague, and the occasional black knight roaming the forest. So perhaps the silly, vintage horror-style awareness campaign will help Britons take more care in handling and preparing their food, and help put an end to the 400 preventable deaths Britons suffer each year from their barbecue blunders.

How To Prepare Oysters on the Grill

Tired of grilling up the same food at every barbecue? Free yourself from BBQ redundancy and test your proficiency with some barbecue oysters! Oysters can be cooked in their shells on your barbecue grill. The heat from the grill steams the oysters and pops the shells open, while poaching the oyster inside. They're easy to cook and make great appetizers!

Before you get started, make sure you have the following utensils to handle the hot oyster shells: oyster knife (or equivalent ), gloves, hot pads and/or tongs. Also, be sure to have a pot of melted butter and garlic, hot sauce, horseradish, lemons, ect. for you and your guests to enjoy.

To cook:

Step 1: Place the oysters on the barbecue. Be sure and place the oysters on the grill with the cupped-side down. (Also called the bottom shell).

Normally, the oysters will cook open on their own. Sometimes, however, they cook without opening up. Check the oyster by tapping them with your knife. If they sound hollow, they're probably ready. Go ahead and pry them open with your knife.

Warning: Oysters sometimes pop open violently as they cook, spitting out hot oyster liquid and bits of shell. To avoid injury, try to aim the fluted end of the oyster away from you, or just place a lid over the barbecue.

Step 2: When the oyster opens up, you can serve them in one of two ways:

1. Sever the remaining muscles that connect the meat to the shell, and slide the oyster into your pot of melted butter.

2. Remove the top shell, sever the bottom muscle, and leave the oyster in its bottom shell. At this point, we suggest spooning a little of the butter/garlic sauce onto the oyster.

Top 5 Beers for Your Next Barbecue

According to Stephen Beaumont, veteran drinks writer and author of five books on beer, nothing pairs better with grilled chicken, burgers, and chops than a good brew. I tend to agree. Here is Stephen's list of the top 5 beers to enjoy at your next barbecue. And don't forget to click on the recipe links to learn how to make some delicious barbecue foods that go great with your beer. Enjoy!

1. Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel - German lager and grilled pork are natural companions; neither overwhelms the flavor or taste of the other. Expect a faintly roasty, lightly sweet - but still crisp - character with hints of coffee and cooked caramel and an off-dry (slightly sweet) finish.
Best Meat Recipe Pairing: Grilled Pork Chops With Classic Barbecue Sauce
Best Meatless Recipe Pairing: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich


2. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier - Arguably the ultimate in barbecue brews (at least in Germany), this thirst-quenching lager is brewed from barley malt that has been smoked over a wood fire. Bold, malty, and unquestionably smoky, with a slight hint of sweetness and a bit of licorice lurking in the background, this is not lager for the timid, but it is splendid when paired with red meats cooked over charcoal.
Best Meat Recipe Pairing: Grilled Spice-Rubbed Skirt Steak
Best Meatless Recipe Pairing: Grilled Pizza Margherita

3. Pilsner Urquell - This Czech pilsner has a malty, faintly buttery flavor supported by a crisp, palate-cleansing bitterness, which makes it an ideal foil to spicy barbecue sauce, especially when it's slathered over a nondominating meat like chicken or pork. The dry, lingering hoppiness on the finish makes it especially refreshing and easy to drink more than one.
Best Meat Recipe Pairing: Grilled Chicken With Root Beer Barbecue Sauce
Best Meatless Recipe Pairing: Grilled Corn On The Cob With Chile And Lime

4. North Coast Red Seal Ale - Patriots take note: If you're going to be cooking classic American grilled foods, like burgers, it's only fitting that you add a classic, born-in-the-USA pale ale to the menu as well. North Coast Brew Pub opened its doors in 1988 in Fort Bragg, California, and was a pioneer in the craft-beer movement. The Red Seal ale has a fragrant, herbaceous aroma and a body that balances lightly fruity, caramel-y malt with spicy, bitter hops.
Best Meat Recipe Pairing: Chipotle Burgers
Best Meatless Recipe Pairing: Portobello-Black Bean Burgers With Corn Salsa

5. Left Hand Milk Stout - Believe it or not, the most versatile beer for the barbecue is stout, in all its roasty, smoky glory. This sweeter version of the style, fortified with lactic sugars for richness and body, is particularly food-friendly and has a natural roasted-malt character mellowed somewhat by a mildly fruity, coffee-ish sweetness.
Best Meat Recipe Pairing: Grilled Sausages, Peppers, And Onions On Rolls
Best Meatless Recipe Pairing: Grilled Mushroom Salad With Frisée And Hazelnuts

Germany Declares War on Barbecue Season

The National GBU (German Barbecuers United) Party today declared war on this year’s barbecue season. To commence the attack, Germans have taken to the seas with the launch of the world’s first barbecue boat. The doughnut-shaped vessel, with a hibachi style grill at the center of a round table built to accommodate 10, has taken to the waters of Zeller Lake in Austria. The “Grill and Chill” runs on a battery powered, electric outboard motor, which provides up to 4 hours of noiseless and vibration free sailing. Incoming reports show mass consumption of Vienna sausages and vienershnitzel, producing noxious clouds of gas emanating from troops on these boats.

Grilling Etiquette 101

The basics of ‘how to grill’ prevail as universal, but when it comes to the rights and wrongs of hosting and attending cookouts, everyone has their opinion. For instance, when asked to attend a barbecue is it always standard to bring your own meat? If you are hosting the party should you invite your neighbors? And, how important is it to supply vegetarian options for non-meat eating guests? To ensure a blunder-free outdoor cookout, follow these dos and don’ts revealed from a national poll of Americans fielded by the Hearth Patio & Barbecue Association.

When invited to a barbecue:
• 49% of barbecue attendees say its acceptable to bring your own sauce.
• Expect the meat to be provided by the host, but pull your weight by bringing
some side dishes and beverages, enough to share with every else attending.
• 61% of those surveyed say only the host or hostess should ‘man’ the grill. As a guest you can look, but don’t touch.

As the host of a barbecue:
• 83% of those surveyed said the host should have all grilled food ready at relatively the same time.
• 66% said the host needs to offer a grilled vegetarian option.
• 33% said you shouldn't feel obligated to invite your neighbors even if they can see and smell your barbecue.

In general, when grilling with others:
• It's ok to start eating your food if your meat is finished before everyone else’s.
• It's ok to stake your claim at a community grill by laying out your grilling utensils or meat.
• Be considerate of others – it is only appropriate to flip your own meat and the
meat of others when manning a grill.

My Barbie's Gone All Vegan!

I just finished reading this really funny post from the Kurma blog. He talks about the Australian love of the barbecue mixed with his vegetarian diet. The post includes some good recipes for cooking veggies on the grill. You should check it out. I thought it was funny that he listed a whole bunch of words that Australians use but that we don't have a clue about. They included: Barbie, Hills Hoist and Vegemite. Ready for the translations...

Barbie means Barbecue. That was an easy one.
Hills Hoist means clothes line. Seriously I had to look that up at Wikipedia.
Vegemite is a food paste made from yeast extract. Gross!

Getting back to the subject of vegetable cooking on the grill. Market Merchants has the Charcoal Companion SpaceSaver Non-Stick Grilling Wok, which is perfect for grilling your vegetables.

Delicious Barbecue Prawns Salad

Taste.com.au has an amazing recipe for barbecued prawns with char-grilled capsicum dressing. I've never heard of capsicum but judging from the picture it is absolutely up my alley.

If you didn't know already prawns are a great source of protein as well as a bunch of vitamins. They are one of the easiest meats to prepare on the grill and go well with almost anything.

Market Merchants has this great Stainless Steel Grill Basket with Soft-Grip Handle, which is perfect for grilling up the prawns. It's just as easy to cook chicken pieces, steaks, prawns, or portabella mushroom. You just clamp down the cover, and you're set for even cooking on all sides.