In 1997, David Letterman dedicated one of his top ten lists to
the top ten signs you're at a bad barbecue. Unfortunately (I'm
sorry Dave) they just weren't all that funny...so I whittled it
down to a short list. Look for them throughout this newsletter.
I have to be honest here - before starting this newsletter, I
thought that cooking anything on a BBQ was considered
"barbecuing" - however, this is a common misconception (or
maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel less BBQ-
challanged). What most people are actually doing on their
Barbecues is grilling their food. So, what's the difference? It
really boils down to temperature, time and distance (don't
worry - no physics calculations involved!)
Grilling Grilling is best used for smaller pieces of meat and
veggies and usually takes under 25 minutes to cook the food.
It involves cooking the food over high direct heat, usually over
350 degrees, with the heat source directly below the food.
Charcoal or propane are the typical cooking fuels of choice for
grilling. So when you throw a couple of steaks on your
charcoal BBQ, they are actually grilled, not barbecued (sorry!).
Barbecuing
Requiring more than 25 minutes to cook,
barbecuing is usually
reserved for larger pieces of meat, such
as roasts, whole chickens
and briskets. Barbecuing is a slow-
cooking method, using indirect
heat and smoke from a wood
fire to cook the food. This also gives
the meat the delicious
smoky flavor we have all come to associate
with true BBQ.
You Know You're at a Bad Barbecue When... To avoid burning, chicken breasts are covered in Coppertone.
3 out of 4 U.S. households own a BBQ - and cook an average of
5 times a month on it! Unfortunately though, many people
don't take the time to learn how to properly use, clean and
maintain their outdoor grill, which can lead to accidents,
illness or a shortened life for your BBQ. So, do yourself (and
your eyebrows) a favor and read the following safety tips to
enjoy a summer full of safe barbecuing fun!
**The following list is by no means exhaustive, but I'll add
some detailed sites in the link section - above all, just use your
common sense when cooking outdoors.
Preventing Accidents
~ Keep children and pets away from the BBQ while your
cooking AND after you've shut it off (it stays hot long after
you've turned it off and no one wants little Fido to hurt
himself!)
Propane Safety:
~ You should perform a leak test every time you change a gas
component (including the tank itself) or after a period of
storage or non-use. For instructions on how to do a leak test,
see: www.cbs.gov.on.ca
~ If a burner fails to light or if the flames go out, turn off the
BBQ. Wait about 5 minutes (so any accumulated gas can
dissipate before you try to light it again - not listening to this
one has resulted in many a singed brow!). If it still won't light,
you may need to clean or replace your burner.
Cleaning/Maintanance Safety:
~ Clean your venturi tubes (the tubes that extend from your
burner to the control valves) at least once a year - insect nests
(commonly found in the venturi tubes) are the number one
cause of gas barbecue fires.
~ When shutting down your BBQ, shut off the propane tank or
gas first and then shut off the burner control valves. This
sequence prevents residual gas from being left in the system
under pressure.
For more information on safety and maintenance of your BBQ
parts, check out this great site: http://grillparts.com/howto
Preventing Illness
~ Make sure your raw meat and fish do not come in contact
with any other food. If you are doing a surf & turf, surf with
one plate, turf with the other (ie. use separate cutting boards,
cutlery and dishes when preparing your food).
~ Use 2 separate sets of plates - one set for your raw meat and
the other for after it's been cooked. Using the same plate for
both could allow the bacteria from your raw meat to
contaminate your cooked meat.
~ When using an acid-based marinade, only use containers
made of glass, ceramic, stainless steel or plastic zip-lock bags.
Do NOT use an aluminum container as it will create a chemical
reaction that can darken your food and the aluminum
container (and it's probably not too healthy for you either!)
~ Wash often - make sure you wash your hands and any
counter area before and after coming in contact with raw
foods (well, let's be honest here, you should do this even if it's
cooked!)
Preventing Premature BBQ Death
~ When your BBQ isn't in use, remember to keep the lid closed
to prevent any rain or water from getting inside (and to keep
it clean - you wouldn't want to eat off a plate that you left in
your backyard for a couple of weeks) - a BBQ cover works well
for this!
~ There's really no such thing as a self-cleaning BBQ - make
sure to properly clean your BBQ before and after each use.
The easiest time to clean your BBQ is while the grill is still hot,
so grab a heavy-duty pot holder and a long handled stiff wire
brush to clean the grill right after cooking.
~ If you have a dual valve control, alternate sides - some BBQ's
have right and left burner control knobs. If you can, only use one
of the burners -
your BBQ will be more fuel efficient - and if you alternate
which side you use each time, you can extend the life of your
burners!
~ The instruction manual won't bite - you should read the use
and care manual that came with your BBQ. It will tell you
exactly how to use, clean and maintain your BBQ so that it will
have a long, happy and productive life.
You Know You're at a Bad Barbecue When... The three-legged race is won by a three-legged guy
So if you already always cook the perfect steak, corn or fish
on the BBQ, then you probably won't need this section - for
everyone else, who at one time or another found themselves
with a piece of meat burnt on the outside, raw on the inside -
read on...
1. Plan Ahead - Unlike an oven, where you can leave your food
to bake or broil on its own, grilling food needs constant
attention, leaving you little or no time to prepare the rest of
your meal. Take time before you start the BBQ to prepare your
ingredients, make your side dishes and get everything you'll
ready that you'll need (and BBQ always tastes so much better
right off the grill, so setting the table beforehand is a great
idea too!)
2. Rub Some Flavor In - Dry rubs enhance flavor and keep the
meat from drying out. They are usually a mixture of herbs and
spices, which are rubbed into the surface of the meat. BBQ
rubs are generally recommended for meats that only require a
short cooking time. And yes - our BBQ rub is perfect! Check it
out at:
http://www.ed-foods.com/onlineorders_seasonings.html
3. The Perfect Burger - Don't over-mix or compact ground beef
when making fresh hamburgers. This will result in firm, dense
and tough burgers when you cook them. As well, don't flatten
them while cooking, as this drains out all the flavorful juices,
resulting in dry burgers. To give a little kick to your tastebuds,
try adding an envelope of our instant tortilla soup mix to your
meat before forming the patties - yummy!
4. Keep The Fat - Leave a thin layer of fat on steaks and roasts
during cooking, as this will preserve the juiciness. You can
trim the rest of this layer off after cooking. (Remember to
only leave a thin layer, as the fat dripping on the fire may
cause flare-ups or burned meat)
5. Get To Know Your Food - When cooking a variety of foods
(such as a shish kebob), you'll need to pay attention to the
water content of your food...the more water, the less time it
takes to cook. So grill your tomatoes (high water content) for
only a short time and give your potatoes (low water content) a
little extra grilling attention.
6. Salt is Not Your Friend - Many people salt their meat before
grilling to add flavor. However, this will actually dry out your
meat while it's cooking - salt leeches out the moisture, leaving
your meat tough and dry.
7. Marinate in Moderation - Marinating your food may sound
like a great idea, but it must be done correctly. Firstly, don't
marinate already-tender seafood or poultry for more than a
1/2 hour - it will either turn out tough or mushy. If marinating
a steak or chicken, cut small slits into it so the marinade will
soak into the meat, not just sit on the surface.
Make sure you don't marinate your food in any sauce that
contains sugar, honey, syrup or a tomato base - this will cause
the food to burn quickly on the outside, while not cooking
properly inside. These sauces should only be added in the last
5 minutes of cooking (much like cheese on a cheeseburger)
You Know You're at a Bad Barbecue When... The 'cole slaw' is just mayonnaise and lawn trimmings.
The best and safest way to tell if your meat is finally grilled to
perfection is with an instant read thermometer. Simply insert
the thermometer into the meat for 10-15 seconds and
compare to the handy chart found on barbecuen.com (more
on this fantastic BBQ site in the links section).
If you don't have a thermometer or prefer to guesstimate, here
are some homegrown ways to see if your meat's done yet.
However, please be very careful - uncooked or undercooked
meat can cause serious illness - it's worth the effort and
money (around $10-$12) for a thermometer to be sure all
your barbecues end happily.
Fish
There is quite a difference between varieties of fish. However,
fish will turn from translucent to opaque during cooking.
When it's done, you should be able to insert a toothpick in the
thickest portion with no resistance and the toothpick should
come out clean.
Steak
Steaks are a lot harder to visually check, and it will take some
practice to get the hang of the commonly used 'pressure' test.
Basically, when you think your steak is done, press down on it
with a fork or spatula and check it's elasticity - if it's very soft,
the inside is probably between raw and rare, if it's somewhat
firm (with some 'spring' in it's step), it's probably medium. If
it's firm, you have a well-done steak and if it's rock hard, you
should probably start thinking about what else you can have
for dinner.
For a great article on 'grilling the perfect steak', visit: http://bbq.about.com
Chicken
Unlike the other items I've mentioned so far, I am not going to
recommend you check for the doneness of your chicken in
any other way than with a thermometer. Many people cut it in
half and check to make sure there's no more pink meat, but
when you're outside with the sun shining (or not out at all,
depending on the time of your BBQ), it's extremely hard to tell
if your chicken is done - and I don't want anyone getting
salmonella. So please use a thermometer and make sure your
chicken is at least 77 degrees C (170.6 degrees F) before
serving.
Hamburgers
I feel the same about hamburgers as I do about chicken - you
can't tell if they're done by looking at them...brown doesn't
equal cooked. The internal temperature should be at least 71
degrees C (160 degrees F). For a more detailed article on why
temperature is the only safe way to judge your hamburger's
doneness, please go to: http://www.safetables.org/Policy_&_Outreach/Testimony
1 single serve instant O.G. Tomato Soup Mix
1 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1. Prepare the instant tomato soup according to directions.
2. Mix in the sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
3. A few minutes before taking your food off the grill, baste
your chicken, fish, tofu (I've tried this - it's really good!) with
the sauce and enjoy!
1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, orange juice,
sugar, wasabi powder and ginger.
2. Pour sesame oil into a shallow dish and add the asparagus.
Sprinkle with pepper. Roll asparagus in oil to coat. Grill
asparagus over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, or until crisp
tender.
3. Place shredded cabbage on a serving platter. Arrange grilled
asparagus on top, and pour dressing over asparagus and
cabbage.
Found on McCormick.com (along with other great BBQ
recipes!)
4 pounds pork spareribs
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup chile sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 dash ground black pepper
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cut spareribs
into serving size portions, wrap in double thickness of foil,
and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap, and drain drippings. Place
ribs in a large roasting pan.
2. In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce,
Worcestershire sauce, rum, chile sauce, garlic, mustard, and
pepper. Coat ribs with sauce and marinate at room
temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat grill for medium heat. Position grate four inches
above heat source.
4. Brush grill grate with oil. Place ribs on grill, and cook for 30
minutes, basting with marinade.
Recipe found on allrecipes.com (along with other great BBQ
recipes!)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
Rind from 1 lemon
1/3 Kraft Classic Herb Dressing (or any herb dressing of your
choice - this was a Kraft recipe, so must give credit where it's
due)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and
blend until almost smooth.
2. Cut small slits on the chicken breasts to allow the marinade
to soak in. Spread half the pesto over the chicken and
marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Grill on the BBQ until the chicken is cooked. Serve
remaining sauce with the cooked chicken.
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
10 large mushrooms, cut in half
2 green onions, minced
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1/2 lb sliced thick cut bacon, cut in half
8 ounces pineapple chunks
skewers
1. In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar, honey,
olive oil and green onions. In a smaller bowl, pour about 1/4
of the mixture and place in the mushrooms. Place the chicken
into the remaining mixture. Cover and marinate both
overnight (or for at least a couple of hours).
2. Preheat grill for high heat. Place your skewers in a bowl or
tall glass of water (this keeps them from burning on the grill
and makes it easier to take the food off after)
3. Wrap the chicken chunks with bacon, and thread onto
skewers so that the bacon is secured. Alternate with
mushroom halves and pineapple chunks.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange skewers on prepared grill.
Cook 15-20 minutes, brushing occasionally with soy sauce
mixture, until bacon is crisp and chicken juices run clear.
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 medium nectarines, halved and pitted
3 medium peaches, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon almond or orange liqueur
1 tablespoon lime juice
1-1/2 cups red or green seedless grape
1. Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a disposable
13 x 9-inch aluminum pan. Add nectarines and peaches; toss
to coat evenly. Arrange fruit in a single layer.
2. Place pan in center of cooking grate. Grill 12 to 15 minutes
or until fruit is firm-tender, turning fruit pieces once halfway
through grilling time. Cool slightly. Cut fruit into thick slices.
3. In small saucepan, combine orange juice, liqueur, and lime
juice; heat through. Combine fruit, juice mixture, and grapes;
toss lightly. Serve warm.
http://www.barbecuen.com
This is the best BBQ site I've come across - it has it all -
information for beginners, casual grillers and the BBQ
professionals. Fun for all :-)
"I use your spice and seasoning mixes on all my meats, chicken
and fish...I'm not a very good cook so I need all the help I can
get ;-) Your easy recipes and seasonings give some taste to
what I do cook."
Wendi Maroon, ON
"I love your 'rub', the steak spice is excellent and the cole slaw
mix is addicting - it's all the best there is..."
Larry Cole, CA
"Your Montreal Steak Spice is the best! I purchased a 10 lb.
pail months ago and wound up giving a lot of it away. Everyone
loves it after they try it. I ran out and tried several different
ones from the store (at a much, much higher price), and
found that NOTHING else compares. Thanks!!
Joe Henn, IL
"I tried the cole slaw mix and was so happy with the taste and
how easy it is to prepare. It was a big hit at a family BBQ. Keep
up the great work!"
Jackie Schneider, CA
"My husband, who is used to almost everything from scratch,
said that your Santa Fe dip is "Delicious". As a man of few
words, that speaks volumes. I would hope to be able to tell you
in my own words how delicious it is, but as I have not had a
chance to taste it (he ate the ENTIRE bowl of dip in one sitting)
I don't know."
Lauren Birch, IN
"I used your dip mix on some oven roasted potatoes and they
were fabulous! Thanks!"
Jody Hines, OH
"My kids really enjoy using your dips for many things, like
chips, fritos, and veggies. The dip was thick and had great
flavor. Thanks!"
Amy Grassette, MA
"Really loved the bacon and cheese dip. Wasn't too sure about
a dry mix with bacon and cheddar, but it was fantastic! I mixed
it with light sour cream and it was so tasty! I would definitely
serve this to guests. My next order will certainly include it!"
Kelly Beach, ON
Share your latest creations or favorite recipes with us - it could be featured in our next newsletter, and might even appear in our Customers Recipe section. Click Here to send us your recipe.
Chicken Coleslaw
I use apple cider vinegar with the coleslaw seasoning pouch
and toss in preshredded cabbage from Dole. Then I toss in
cold chicken and turn it into a wonderful salad and a nice
change of pace. It's quick and easy, tastes great, and the bonus
is that it's a weight watcher's dream come true. It is delicious.
Rhonda Guss, NY
Cream of Asparagus Recipe
"I cooked the creamy asparagus with some added fresh
broccoli, blended it once and cooked it with a bit of sharp
cheddar. It was full of body, luscious and flavorful. What a
natural product."
Vernyce Dannells, HI
Creamy Potato Soup Recipe
"I made the potato soup according to directions, except that I
used 1 cup of 2% milk instead of water. I also added in some
cooked chicken, brocolli, mushrooms, corn, green onions and
lots of fresh chopped garlic while it was simmering. Right
before serving I sprinkled a generous amount of shredded
cheddar cheese on top. It was absolutely delicious!!!"
Lucy Thompson, AZ
"My youth group has 6:00PM Soup Night, twice a month, for
members of our church. E.D. Soups have always been a hit.
The diners think that the soup is made from scratch! When we
use one of your soups at these event all of the soups have to
be as good; or the people will only eat E.D :-) The kids like the
ease of preparation, which allows them to make some great
breads and desserts in the after-school time frame that they
have."
Donna Mims, IL
There will be 2 one-liner sections today, so get ready to laugh :-)
Part 1:
I had amnesia once - maybe twice.
All I ask is a chance to prove money can't make me happy.
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
One nice thing about egotists ... they don't talk about other
people.
Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and,
when he grows up, he'll never be able to edge his car onto a
freeway.
A flashlight is a case for holding dead batteries.
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
Is it my imagination, or do buffalo wings taste like chicken?
Part 2: In a previous newsletter, I directed your attention to a
great site that will send you daily inspirational (or humorous)
quotes. I opened my inbox today and just couldn't resist
adding in today's quotes - all from Lawrence Peter "Yogi"
Berra, a catcher for the NY Yankees from '46-'63. You can sign
up to receive your own daily quotes at: http://www.qotd.org
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they
aren't.
Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was
broken.
The future ain't what it used to be.
When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.
If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up
somewhere else.
If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's
going to stop them.
Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't go
to yours.
