Learning new tricks for old grills

As Father's Day approached, I looked for new grilling tricks that a smoky old dad, a fan of live fires, might employ. Leafing through a slew of new grilling books and testing recipes, I found several.

In retrospect, I see that most my insights would qualify as "Duh!" - or as Homer Simpson, one of my favorite father figures, might say, "Doh!" - moments. They involved simple changes in procedures and taking liberties with recipes.

For instance, one of the tastiest dishes I made was grilled shrimp flavored with a sauce made with Old Bay seasoning.

Usually any time I place raw shrimp on a hot grill grate, some of the shrimp fall through the grate into the fire, a loss I wrote off as an appeasement to the grill gods.

My "Doh!" moment came when, instead of trying to place shrimp on a hot grate over a sizzling fire, I removed the grate from the cooker. When the grate was cool, I placed the shrimp on it and could position them in safe spots without fear of burning my fingers.

Then I returned the shrimp-laden grill grate to the cooker. When it came time to flip shrimp, I used tongs. When the shrimp were done, I donned insulated gloves and carefully lifted the grate from the fire and dumped the bounty of cooked shrimp into a large bowl. There were no casualties, human or crustacean.

I liked the Old Bay sauce a lot. But the trouble was that much of it ended up on the shrimp shells, not on the flesh. I spotted a pool of the sauce at the bottom of the bowl and used it as a dipping sauce, dragging the peeled bodies of the shrimp in it. Eureka!

If form holds, a lot of us dads will be firing up, grilling shrimp and other fare, on Father's Day. Father's Day is the fourth-smokiest holiday of the year, trailing the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Memorial Day, says the GrillWatch survey sponsored by the makers of Weber grills.

Moreover, according to the big boys of barbecue that I spoke with, the current corps of backyard fire-starters is getting smarter and is wielding more gear.

Steven Raichlen, a Baltimore native and author of the recently revised 10th anniversary edition of The Barbecue Bible, told me that sales of barbecue paraphernalia pick up around Father's Day. Three top-selling tools on his Web site store are spring-loaded tongs equipped with LED lights, a grill cleaning brush that has the size and feel of a baseball bat, and the ever-trusty instant-read thermometer.

I have tried versions of them all. I love the big brush and the instant-read thermometer. But it was a sad night at my house when the lights went out on my tongs.

While many backyard barbecuers are self-taught, products of the school of several trials and many errors, there are also opportunities for higher learning. The day I spoke by phone with Raichlen, for instance, he was wrapping up a session of Barbecue University. These are three-day, $2,400-per-person classes at Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colo., for serious students of smoke.

Another big bubba of barbecue, Chris Schlesinger, who presides over The East Coast Grill restaurant in Cambridge, Mass., and along with John Willoughby has written Grill It!, the latest in a series of well-regarded grilling books, said that on the whole, American grillers are getting better. The grilled shrimp recipe I mastered, sorta, came from Schlesinger's new book.

"Nobody used to know what a multilevel fire was," he said, referring to the technique of layering coals in a grill to produce hot and cool zones. "Now that is a given."

Schlesinger also talked about the link between fathers and fire. "The grilling at cookouts," Schlesinger wrote in the introduction to his new book, "has traditionally been performed by dads who at other times have tended to treat cooking as a foreign realm of endeavor." In other words, if you build a fire in a backyard cooker, men will come. And occasionally, as I did, they will learn.

Another of my slap-of-the-forehead moments came when I read Raichlen's instructions for the great American hamburger. Even though the hamburger is, the GrillWatch survey reports, still the nation's No. 1 grilled food, I feel that cooking it is not as challenging as grilling a rack of lamb or a fillet of grouper. I rarely read a cookbook recipe for grilling burgers.

But the other night I did and was glad of it. Coat the hamburger patties and accompanying slices of onion with a little butter, The Barbecue Bible said, and you will be delighted with the results. The burgers and the onions had delectable crusts.

"We like butter," Raichlen said when I reported my success to him. His daughter, a nutritionist, tells him he could substitute olive oil for the butter, he said.

I fooled around with Raichlen's recommended way to grill corn on the cob. As instructed, I pulled back the husks, removed the silk and rubbed the kernels with butter. But instead of putting the corn directly over the coals, I first cooked them indirectly, with the lid on the kettle grill. Then after two to three minutes, I took the lid off the cooker and scooted the corn over to the section of the grate that was directly over the fire.

This steam-first, grill-second approach gave the tender kernels a crisp, brown crust. Good stuff.

No expedition into the world of backyard cookery would be complete without a bow to barbecued pork ribs. The ribs pictured in Sunset Magazine's new book, The Sunset Grill, looked gorgeous, so I gave them a try. I made a rub and applied it to a rack of spare ribs.

Massaging a rack of ribs with a rub, is, I believe, a wonderful form of therapy. I tightly wrapped the massaged ribs in foil, then let them sit in the fridge overnight. The next night, I cooked them over an indirect fire until they browned.

Then, following instructions, I once again wrapped them in foil and gave them another batch of indirect cooking until they were tender.

Members of my family mock my quest for the perfect barbecued ribs, saying I am never satisfied. True to form, I was disappointed by these ribs. They had good spice. They were reasonably tender. But they lacked the woody flavor I long for. I will have to try again.

I developed my taste for ribs while growing up in Kansas City, a mecca of smoked meat. When I spotted a recipe in BBQ Bash for whole grilled Umbrian chicken, I was drawn to it for several reasons. The authors, Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, hail from Kansas City. Secondly, I love olives and this recipe was stuffed with them.

It turned out that there was really no compelling flavor reason to stuff the chicken with green olives. A paste made with rosemary, sage, garlic, lemon and olive applied to the bird gave it a distinct, winning flavor.

Using the indirect method, I cooked the chicken perfectly in a kettle cooker, despite the sudden arrival of a thunderstorm.

When I heard the storm approaching, I moved my kettle cooker and the fireproof pad that it sits on onto a covered porch. The rains came, overflowing gutters, flooding the yard and providing quite a spectacle. But the Umbrian chicken continued to cook, safely stowed away.

As I sat down to supper, I remarked that a potential disaster, a rained-out chicken, had been averted. That, come to think of it, is what grilling - and a lot of fatherhood - is all about.

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Grilled Peel 'N Eat Shrimp

Serves 4

1 pound medium-large shrimp, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

6 dashes Tabasco sauce

Build a medium fire in your grill. Using a small sharp knife, slit the shell on the back of each shrimp and remove the dark vein.

Toss the shrimp with the oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Remove the grill grate from the cooker, place shrimp on the grate and then gently place shrimp-loaded grill grate back on the cooker over the coals. Cook until they are opaque, about 4-5 minutes per side. Turn with tongs. To check for doneness, cut off the shrimp at the thickness point to be sure it is opaque all the way through.

While the shrimp are cooking, combine the lemon juice, basil, butter, garlic, Old Bay, Tabasco, and salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix together well. Place a bowl on the table for the shells.

Here you have two options. Option one: When the shrimp are done, add them to the bowl and toss gently until the butter is melted and the shrimp are nicely coated. Serve.

Option two: Serve the sauce as a dipping sauce, and then let diners dip peeled shrimp in a pool of sauce.

-- Adapted from Grill It!, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby

Per serving: 270 calories, 24 grams protein, 17 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, trace fiber, 195 milligrams cholesterol, 621 milligrams sodium.

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Great American Burger

Serves 6

2 1/4 pounds ground round, chuck or sirloin

6 slices (1/2-inch thick) Vidalia or other sweet onion

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 hamburger buns

TOPPING:

iceberg lettuce leaves

sliced ripe tomatoes

sliced dill pickles

cooked bacon, 2 slices per burger

ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise

Divide the meat into 6 equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with cold water, then form each portion of meat into a round patty, 4 inches across and of even thickness.

Set up grill for direct cooking; preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil grill grate.

Brush both sides of onion slices with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Grill on grate until they are nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.

Brush one side of the meat patties lightly with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the burgers, buttered side down, on the hot grate and grill until the bottoms are nicely browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Brush the tops lightly with some melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, turn the burgers and grill until they are browned and cooked to taste, 4 to 5 minutes longer for medium. Meanwhile, brush the cut sides of the buns with the remaining melted butter and toast them, cut sides down, on the grill during the last 2 minutes that the burgers cook.

Set up the toppings. Put the burgers and onion slices on the buns and serve.

-- From "The Barbecue Bible, 10th Anniversary Edition" by Steven Raichlen

Per burger: 417 calories, 36 grams protein, 19 grams fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 114 milligrams cholesterol, 281 milligrams sodium.

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Umbrian-Style Grilled Whole Chicken

Serves 6

STUFFING:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

9 green olives, pitted

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

kosher sea salt to taste

HERB ANDGARLIC PASTE:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt or sea salt

CHICKEN:

one whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds

2 large lemons, cut into quarters

To make the stuffing, combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl. To make the paste, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken and rinse under cold running water. Stuff the chicken with the stuffing. Rub the chicken with the paste. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours.

Prepare an indirect fire. Using apple or cherry wood chips is optional.

Place the chicken, breast side up, on the no-heat side of the grill, close the lid (but keep lid vents open) and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook with lid on until the thickest part of the thigh registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 to 40 minutes more.

During the last part of the cooking process, toss lemons on the grill, over the fire, cooking on both sides until they have good grill marks.

Let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes, carve and serve drizzled with juice from lemon wedges.

-- Adapted from "BBQ Bash" by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig

Per serving: 385 calories, 28 grams protein, 29 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 3 grams carbohydrate, trace fiber, 89 milligrams cholesterol, 332 milligrams sodium.

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Barbecue Ribs With Chili Powder, Garlic and Cumin Rub

Serves 4

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon hot dry mustard

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 rack ribs, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds

2 limes, quartered

In a bowl, mix the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, mustard, salt, pepper and cloves. Skin the ribs, removing the thin membrane from the underside.

Rinse the ribs and pat dry. Rub the ribs all over with the spice mixture. Wrap air-tight and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Prepare an indirect fire for cooking. Place a foil drip pan on the side of the grill that is clear of coals.

Oil grill rack, then lay the ribs on the rack and close the lid. If using charcoal, open vents in the lid and bottom of the cooker. Cook until the meat is nicely browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning the ribs once midway through the cooking time. Wrap the ribs in foil, and return to grill. Cook until the meat is tender, another 30 minutes to an hour.

Transfer the ribs to a platter and cut between the bones. Garnish with lime wedges and squeeze over ribs to taste.

-- Adapted from "The Sunset Grill," by the editors of Sunset Magazine

Per serving: 456 calories, 29 grams protein, 35 grams fat, 13 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 138 milligrams cholesterol, 558 milligrams sodium.

rob.kasper@baltsun.com

Related topic galleries: Food and Dining Culture, Labor Day, Fencing, Public Holidays, Religious Texts, Coal, Father's Day

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