Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with grilling

I'm not a chef, but I DID stay in a Holiday Inn last night...

matty — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:33:28 -0800

I recently made homemade chili rellenos. They were delicious. Yay me! However, the process of making them was tedious... Just about every recipe out there calls for charring the peppers on the grill or under a broiler. So I grilled them up nice and black and then put them in a paper bag to steam for about 15-20 minutes. Next step was to peel the charred skin off. It. Took. Forever. Almost 10 minutes per poblano to gingerly pick off the skin in tiny bits all the while trying not to tear through the super soft chili underneath. I now have a good idea of what it feels like to be a doctor in a burn-unit.

Did I do something wrong? Is there an easier way to get the skin off?

Searing inquisition.

Darth Fedor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:40:25 -0800

How do I obtain an Argentine chapa (cast-iron flat-top grill, set over a wood fire), as described by Francis Mallman in his cookbook Seven Fires? I imagine I won't be the only person looking for one of these after reading this positively eye-popping book of meat alchemy. But I did, and I am.

If I must, I am not wholly opposed to to putting a cast iron skillet on a grill. However, the chapa is so simple (and alluring in its simplicity) that I would strongly prefer to own or have made the real McCoy.

I've tried to search BBQ retailers on the web for a chapa or something like it, to no avail. Mallman himself, in the sources section at the end of Seven Fires offers no illumination other than the previously mentioned jury-rigged cast iron skillet on a fire.

I want one real bad. I lack knowledge and equipment for welding and forging, but am open to whatever's necessary if I can at the least obtain a 30-inch or so square piece of thick cast iron.

Thoughts? Help? So much meat to be cooked!

No fat, no sugar.. now grill it!

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:10:28 -0800

Grill Recipes for Father's Day - The catch? Dad's diabetic and a heart patient. So, this year it's my responsibility to plan Father's Day. I want to do a good old fashioned grill on the back lawn party... but my father has both diabetes and a heart condition. As I understand it, neither is a severe case, but he tends to eat strictly, and rarely has large amounts of sugar or fat... Help me with some recipes that are diabetic/heart patient friendly, grill-related, and still tasty. (Anon, because I can be tied to my father through online links, and don't care to broadcast his health conditions)

What's the best way to clean a panini press with non-removable sides?

melodykramer — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:56:38 -0800

Best way to clean a panini press with non-removable sides? I had a grilled cheese party last night (thanks AskMefi!) and now have to clean a few panini presses. The sides are not removable and I'm not sure how to tackle this. I've tried heating them up and then scrubbing, but there is still plenty of grease inside the grooves. Any tips? Best cleaning fluid? A secret old wives tale with rubber bands and a toothpick that I'm missing?

Insulate my grill hood?

markcmyers — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:22:18 -0800

Insulate my grill hood? The lid on my propane grill has far more headroom than I'll ever use. Should I fill the top half with insulation? How would you recommend I do it?

Grilling in DC sans permits?

garfy3 — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:24:10 -0800

Where can we grill outdoors, in a park-setting, in DC or Arlington -- without permits or law enforcement getting involved? We're dying to grill outside tomorrow, and live rather close to Rock Creek Park, but it appears one needs a permit in advance to do any grilling there. On further inspection, most parks in DC don't allow it, and it would take all the fun out of it to be looking over our shoulders while trying to enjoy the outdoors.

So where can we go that we *don't need a permit* and can just show up and tailgate / grill out?

We're even considering crashing some kids' soccer game if we can just join the sidelines and start grilling.

thanks!

Help me find a new barbeque grill.

electroboy — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:47:17 -0800

So....I need a new barbeque grill. Any recommendations? The Smokey Joe isn't really cutting it anymore, both in terms of size and versatility.

I like the idea of the offset smoker, but wasn't too impressed with the construction of the one at Home Depot.

I've mostly grilled with charcoal up to this point, and generally prefer it, but would like some propane recommendations too.

I'm willing to go as high as $400, but would prefer to stay around $200 or so, if possible. (Yeah, yeah, the big green egg is awesome and all, but unless you're willing to provide financing it's a nonstarter.) I'm also reasonably handy, and would be willing to buy a grill that needs to be modified.

Moving up to the Grilling Big Leagues

boots77 — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:24:10 -0800

Summer time is here and my grill has been cleaned and is ready for use. I need some summer grilling recipes and ideas. Hurry, the grill is hot! I always tend to grill the traditional hamburgers and hotdogs, but this year I want to try to leave the amateur ranks and try other foods on the grill. All meat, fruit, and veggie ideas are sought! And in particular, what do you do to give them a good flavor (rubs, sauces, etc...) Thanks all and happy grilling!

Public grills in SF?

sfdrew77 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:06:08 -0800

Public grills in SF? Maybe it's just this great weather that has me more inspired, but I really want to do some grilling. I'm in San Francisco, no longer have an outdoor patio/deck (a big regret of moving) and want to do some grilling. Where are some grills accessible to the public in parks?

Help me get to know my grill better.

A Terrible Llama — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:46:37 -0800

I want to understand how to use my charcoal grill better. What are your awesome grilling tips for charcoal grills? This is my grill.

Right now, I've basically got two modes, super hot, and not quite warm enough. I want to be able to cook w/more nuance, and for longer periods of time. Right now, I can cook: boneless chicken breasts, hot dog/hamburgers, and steaks. I would like to be able to cook cut-up chicken, or salmon, or larger cuts of meat. I would like to be able to grill halved peaches, which seem like they take a long time. I'd like to be able to grill other things, which escape me right now.

The current scenario is: I have a chimney that I use to start charcoal with. I tried hardwood charcoal first, but it was reduced to ash too quickly. Now I use the standard Kingsford (?) variety. I wait until it turns grey, dump it on the bottom grate, and shove it all over to cover one half of the bottom grate about two inches deep. So there I have super-heated side, and no-heat side. Bottom vents open all the way, because as I mentioned, I'm not cooking with much dexterity here.

So, some specific questions I'd like to know about, and I'm interested in any other tips/techniques/secrets:

1.) If I'm supposed to avoid fire at all costs, how do I cook for half an hour or more without adding more charcoal? It seems like it gets reduced to ash and requires more charcoal, but then there's this very small flap where you'd pour more charcoal in, but once you pour it in a) it's all going to be in a pile, so why not take the grill off and distribute it? and b) it will then be fresh charcoal.

2.) What are some better ways to gauge and control the heat than "really hot" and "not hot enough"? In the kitchen, for example, if I want to know how hot a frying pan is, I flick a little water on it--that gives me some idea of whether it's searing (scallops) or low-moderate (eggs). How can I evaluate this outside?

3.) If I want to start expanding my grilling horizons, what should I try first? Clams? Oysters? Spare ribs?

Generally speaking, I'm a good cook and can cook a lot of things, and I like all food. (Except sauerkraut, which holds a special place in my universe as the only food I've found 100% disgusting. So, please. No grilled sauerkraut.)

-sizzle-

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:53:45 -0800

What [vegetarian or fishy] foods can I grill? Living on the street filter: After moving out of my apartment I'm staying with a friend until she has to move out, too. She has a big gas grill that we want to use as often as possible. We paid to replace the propane tank near the end of last summer so the tentative goal is to grill enough to use it all up!

In the past I have made naan, salmon, tofu kabobs, portobello mushrooms, and corn on the cob. What other vegetarian or fishy recipes are there that can be made on a gas grill? I definitely like cooking projects so recipes can be as complicated as necessary.

Where can we find an hibachi?

Guy_Inamonkeysuit — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:37:43 -0800

Where have all the hibachis gone? Long time cooking! So my inamorata and I live in Doylestown, PA, and enjoy grilling food outside in the summertime. Although we have a decent charcoal grill we'd really like to purchase an hibachi. Trouble is -- we can't find one for sale anywhere! Home Depot, K-Mart -- nothing. I've Googled to no avail. Does anyone have a clue where we might pick one up in Bucks County (or even Hunterdon, in NJ)?

BBQ Rubs and Sauces

netbros — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:08:38 -0800

The barbecue season is upon us (at least in the northern hemisphere), and I'm now in a place that allows outdoor grilling, but I'm a neophyte when it comes to BBQ sauces and rubs. What are your favorite excellent BBQ/grilling sauces? I want to try them all; tomato based, vinegar based, I think there are even some made with mustard. Hot and spicy is good. DIY homemade would probably be even more fun, but if you've found outstanding stuff in a bottle, that's OK too.

I think the pros say there is a difference between barbecue and grilling. See, I don't know this stuff. Apparently, BBQ is done with a closed lid and a rub, while grilling is open lid. Is that right? Do you have any great rub recipes for the smoky kind of closed lid slow cooking? Since I have a chance now, I want to try all this great outdoor cooking.

Give me the New York lake of my Texas youth!

youcancallmeal — Sun, 25 May 2008 13:52:38 -0800

Seeking swimming hole at lake around NYC like the ones I used to go to as a kid in Texas. I'm looking for the kind of lake where you drive up with a car full of food to a spot with a grill and a muddy-banked lake for swimming. Nothing fancy, just not one of these lakes-with-beaches things that seem so prevalent around here. A little hiking to get to the spot would be okay. Doesn't need to be near public transportation, would rather it not be super crowded. Preferably about an hour's drive from NYC.

Grilled recipes wanted for volunteer meals

F Mackenzie — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:11:40 -0800

I need new recipe ideas for our grilled volunteer meals After our volunteer trail-building outings we provide a complementary grilled meal (aka BBQ in some circles, but we're grilling, not smoking). The food has typically been burgers or brats with a few side dishes such as potato salad, beans, chips and cookies. We also bring a few veggie-burgers along. I'm getting tired of the same food and would like to spice things up.

A few requirements for our meals-- 1) we need to cook things relatively quickly with minimal preparation, as we're tired and hungry after working on the trail all day; 2) we have about $5-$7 per person to spend; 3) we're in the middle of nowhere and our grocery options are limited (think WalMart-type stores).

We've got a 5' grill and typically cook for 15-20 people.

Where to find the right tongs

janell — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:23:13 -0800

Help my brother find a store that sells these tongs. My brother had several pairs of these grilling tongs and liked them a lot. Until, that is, they were severely charred in a fire. The photo he sent me has no scalebar, but I remember them being a little over a foot long.

My questions: what is the name for this tong shape? Where can my brother buy them online? Where might he buy them in the midwest?

Save my steak!

reeddavid — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:06:59 -0800

My gas grill won't light properly. I read about the Flow Limiting Device (FLD) but the steps to reset it seem not to work. What is my problem, and how do I fix it? The propane tank is full. I experienced this problem the other day until it just worked when my dad was the one to turn it on (he's not having the same luck tonight).

Grate expectations: Which is the best grate for my gas grill?

mosk — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 23:17:11 -0800

For an outdoor gas grill, which is the better cooking grid (grate) material, stainless steel, cast iron, or porcelain-coated cast iron? We grill a lot of chicken, fish, and veggies but very little red meat. I will be buying a new gas grill and need the benefit of the hive mind's grilling expertise. I've read this excellent article on the subject, and the author seems to really like his cooking grates to be cast iron, and he cites some good reasons: better heat retention/distribution, searing-ability, etc. -- mmmmm, makes my mouth water just reading about it. However, based on 44 years of self-knowledge, I'm not convinced I have the dedication to maintain cast iron to the degree that it needs to be maintained. It doesn't look hard, but I know me, and I'm lazy.

Stainless steel, on the other hand -- now, that's a metal I can work with! Easy to clean, no seasoning to maintain, and typically not susceptible to rust until the last half of its life cycle. The downsides are that it doesn't retain heat as well (so less searing ability), and it's expensive...but not prohibitively so. This is the choice I'm leaning towards.

Porcelain-coated cast iron, of course, is the other common grate material, and also worth considering. It's benefits are that it doesn't need the level of maintenance that naked cast iron does, but this comes with the cost of diminished searing-ability and poorer heat retention. Also, the porcelain will eventually chip, which will lead to rusting, etc. I can't cite a good reason, but I don't find this to be a particularly exciting option, and it's currently my third choice.

BTW, I hope I'm not making too much out of this. I'm not a foodie per se, but I've gotten pretty good at grilling the food we like to eat, and I enjoy it. I'll be upgrading our grill for the first time in 10 years, and I don't expect to be replacing it for another 10, so I plan on getting a good one. Since the grate is the only part that actually touches the food, this seems like an important detail.

Thoughts?

Where's the beef?!

drstein — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 20:28:15 -0800

[burgerfilter] - Has anybody used the Williams-Sonoma "Nonstick Hamburger Patty Press" at all? If so, were you happy with it? How big are the burgers? There's a bit I love making burgers, but when I mold burger patties by hand and grill them, they start out being 8" in diameter and wind up half that size when they're done cooking. My goal is to create burger patties that are actually the size of the buns.
If you're unfamiliar with the Williams-Sonoma patty press, do you own another burger patty press that molds decent sized patties? Help me build a better burger.

Burger recipes are also more than welcome in this thread - unless it's a veggie burger. :)

When clowns and pony rides aren't enough, then what?

FunkyHelix — Sat, 13 May 2006 17:57:43 -0800

I'm looking for easy outdoor party themes and ideas. Do you have a memory of a good outdoor party? What makes an outdoor gathering memorable for you? I finally have our font and back yards where I'm ready to have guests come, it's gotten warm enough, and I'm suddenly feeling social instead of socially retarded. Thus, I'd like to have a small outdoor party.

I'm looking at 13 guests plus the three adults and one toddler that lives here, and we've already stocked up on a case of burgers and hotdogs. Ideally we'll have chicken, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes too.

Break out Uno and board games? Roast marshmallows on the fire pit? Make a fancy dessert or punch? Do I make a little favor?

Ask me to throw a toddler's birthday, and I'm gold. Trying to do something cool for adults seems a bit harder.

"Come to Homer's BBBQ. The extra B is

beccaj — Tue, 09 May 2006 07:17:18 -0800

After a tree fell on my old gas grill 2 years ago I finally got a new one last night. I'm looking for your favorite recipes, techniques, how-to's for a gas grill.... I am a tad partial to non-meat items but I am just starting to eat some free range chicken (and I do cook for my omnivore boyfriend alot). I love to cook (really just learning) but I am a bit of a barbeque noob- I'm just hearing about the whole direct/indirect thing so feel free to assume i know nothing!

Help identify this mystery meat.

electroboy — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 06:15:37 -0800

[MeatFilter] What is the American equivalent of a cut of beef known as punta de anca in Spanish or picañha in Brasilian Portugese? So, the new engineer in our office is from Colombia and rhapsodizes about this particular cut of beef. He says it's a triangular/pyrimidal shaped cut, with a thick layer of fat on one side. It's prepared by skewering, coating with salt and grilled over high heat. Any ideas? The closest I could find was some sort of rump roast.

Veggie burgers with structural integrity!

keatsandyeats — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 13:27:56 -0800

VeggieBurgerFilter: Help me make a homemade veggie burger that wont fall to bits when I put it on the grill. There are a million recipes online, and most of them seem to work okay for frying, but whenever I've tried to put a homemade veggie patty on the grill, it's too mushy/liquidy/particulate to hold together and breaks up and falls through the slats.

Are there some key ingredients that lend the needed cohesion to a burger? I thought maybe tofu, TVP, eggs? How do the frozen commercial ones do it? Please, lend me your recipes (eggs and dairy are ok).

Disposing of hot charcoal at the beach

tomharpel — Tue, 22 Feb 2005 17:50:12 -0800

What is a safe and friendly way to dispose of hot charcoal at a sandy, lake side beach? With no fire pits or steel drums handy, should I just wait for the coals to cool and carry them out in the grill?

What's your technique for grilling steak?

beaverd — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 12:27:52 -0800

steak grilling: what's your technique? [mi]