Art of the Grill

Grilled Cilantro Chicken Breast

1 pound (2 large breasts) boneless skinless chicken breast, butterflied
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoonsalt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Cilantro Herb Butter, recipe follows
Fresh parsley, optional, for garnish

Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat.

Lightly coat chicken with oil and sprinkle each evenly on both sides with the salt and pepper. Grill chicken breasts for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until thoroughly cooked; the meat should be solid white throughout and the internal temperature will read 165 degrees F. Remove from grill and immediately top with cilantro herb butter. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve as butter is melting.

Cilantro Butter:
Scampi Butter, recipe follows
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Follow the scampi butter recipe, but use only half of the garlic, and replace the parsley with 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro.

Yield: 12 servings

Scampi Butter (Base):
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash white pepper
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon white wine

In a bowl, whisk all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. Use the Scampi "base" to make different flavored butters.

Grilling Secrets For The Perfectly Grilled Steak

There is nothing quite like a good, juicy steak cooked on a grill. But, many people don't know grilling secrets such as the best cuts to use, what size they should be, how long to cook the steaks, and marinades to use.

Choosing the correct cut of meat is very important when grilling. Some of the best steaks for grilling are the premium cuts such as:

- Filet Mignon
The filet mignon is a stylish cut taken from the heart of the beef tenderloin that has outstanding taste as well as texture.

- Top Sirloin
The top sirloin is a juicy cut taken from the center of the sirloin - the tenderest part - and a great cut for grilling.

- T-Bone
The t-bone is a succulent cut that is a favorite of steak fans. It is both a strip sirloin (with the bone) and a tender filet mignon.

- New York Strip (sometimes known as Kansas City Strip)
The New York strip is such an excellent cut for grilling, many grilling experts refer to it as the "ultimate" steak for cooking out.

- Porterhouse
The Porterhouse is a very large steak that is actually a combination of two steaks: the New York strip on one side and a tender filet on the other.

- Rib Eye
Another classic cut, the rib eye has marbling throughout the meat - making it one of the juiciest cuts as well as very tender.

Thickness of the steak is very important. Each cut should be between 1 inch and 1 ½ inches thick. The strip steaks and top sirloin should be a little less expensive than the filet mignon, t-bone, porterhouse, and rib eye.

Many people like to marinate their steaks before cooking. You can purchase marinades in the grocery store (A1 brand offers several different types) or make your own. If you are not opposed to using alcohol, beer makes an excellent marinade. You can combine 1 12-ounce can of beer, ½ cup of chili sauce, ¼ up of salad oil, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 gloves of crushed garlic, and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Let that simmer for 30 minutes over a medium heat. Marinate your meat in the mixture overnight in the refrigerator to tenderize and allow the meat to absorb the flavor. You can also brush your meat with the marinade as you cook. Another great homemade marinade includes 1 ½ cup of steak sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1/3 cup of Italian salad dressing, 1/3 cup of honey, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Many people prefer to use a rub on their steaks rather than marinate them. A rub is a combination of spice and herbs that is rubbed on the meat about an hour before grilling. It adds a great flavor to the meat, but is quicker than marinade as it does not require the overnight soaking. An excellent recipe for a rub that will give your steaks a smoky flavor is 1 tablespoon of chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cracked black pepper, white pepper, and kosher salt plus 2 teaspoons of oregano, 1 teaspoon of coriander, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. If you use a rub, be sure to rub the mixture into the cut of meat, not just daub it across the top.

There are other options for cooking steaks other than marinades and rubs. Many times, filet mignons are served wrapped in bacon (held on by a skewer) or you can cut your steak and combine it on a skewer with vegetables like peppers, squash, and onion to make a shish kabob.

Coat your grill with non-stick kitchen spray before you begin to keep your steaks from sticking to the grill. Preheat your grill before placing your steaks on. Resist the temptation to put your steaks on before the grill is properly preheated. The proper temperature for grilling steaks should be around 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim any excess fat from the side of the cut to prevent flare-ups and curling when grilling.

You should only turn your steaks once on the grill to prevent drying them out. How long you will cook your steak depends on how well you want it cooked. You can use a grilling fork with a digital thermometer to see how well done your steak is. If you want your steak rare, the temperature should be no more than 150 degrees when done. If you want medium, the temperature should be no more than 160 degrees when done. Finally, if you want well done, you should have a temperature of at least 170 degrees.

After grilling your steak, allow it to set for five minutes before serving to let the juices settle. Serve with a baked potato, salad or other side dish and enjoy!

About the Author - Mike Sullivan is a grill master and meat lover. Read his most recent report on How To Marinate Steaks to put the most flavor into your next steak meal. buy-steaks-online.net/

What Are The Best Grilling Steaks?

You have just purchased the outdoor barbeque you have always wanted, and now you are ready to break it in. Your mouth is watering for a juicy steak, and you are anxious to impress your guests with your new barbeque and grilling skills. But do you know what the best grilling steaks are to use? You may have the perfect marinade in mind, as well as your own special blend of seasonings. Choosing the right type of meat is just as important as the type of flavoring you use.

While so much of steak grilling is subject to individual taste palates, some steaks lend themselves very well to barbequing endeavors. There are a number of factors to keep in mind when choosing cuts of beef for grilling. For example, one aspect to consider is the amount of marbling on the steak (i.e. how much fat the beef has running through it). While many people insist on avoiding the fat, it is actually this fat that contributes significantly to the flavor of the beef when its cooking. Some people instinctively choose top sirloin, because it is leaner and tends to be less expensive. However, because of its low fat content, sirloin steaks tend to also dry out faster and be less juicy, as well as a little tougher. On the other hand, porterhouse, T-bone, rib eye and rib steaks will have a healthy amount of fat, which will make the steak especially appetizing when grilled. In addition, the marbling on a steak helps to insulate the meat and keep it from overcooking.

In general, the most tender steaks available are tenderloin and strip (also called New York) steaks. But porterhouse and rib eye steaks can also be quite tender and flavorful, which means that you can have great-tasting grilled steaks for your guests without breaking the bank. Keep in mind that porterhouse steaks are especially flavorful, not only because of the level of fat, but because they also have a section of tenderloin on one side of the bone and a section of strip steak on the other side.

Another factor to keep in mind is the type of grade of the beef you are buying. The U.S. Department of Agriculture assigns specific grades to meat according the level of quality of the beef. Prime grades are considered the best, but these are widely used by restaurants and tend be bit a little harder to find in the average grocery store. However, many supermarkets have begun carrying some cuts of prime beef in small amounts, and you may be able to secure prime cuts from a local butcher as well. These cuts are a bit more expensive. They tend to have to most marbling in them, making them especially juicy. Alternatively, Choice grade steaks will work wonderfully for barbequing, as they still have a generous amount of marbling in them. Select grade beef will tend to be the least tender, they can dry out quickly, particularly if you are relatively inexperienced with your grill.

The thickness of the steak you choose will also determine the kind of results you will get when using the steak on a grill. A relatively thick steak will help to keep the meat from drying out too quickly or overcooking. As a guideline, you should always choose steaks that are at least ¾ of an inch thick. Ideally, you should shoot for steaks that are about one inch to an inch and a half. Finally, you should know how long the steaks have been aged. Beef cuts that have undergone some degree of aging are likely to have characteristics that is more tenderized and mellowed in flavor. Whenever possible, ask your butcher about the age of the steaks you intend to purchase.

Overall, it pays to know your cuts of beef and the quality of the beef. The more information you have about the steaks you intend to grill, the more effective choices you can make…

… and your guests will love you for it!

About the Author - David Beart is the owner of professorshouse.com. Our site covers such topics as cooking for a family, children, gardening and other household issues.

Best Ground Beef for the Grill

Ground beef at 75/25 and ground chuck at 80/20 make for the best fat and flavor ratio.

The Apple Treo Grill Roasted Chicken

Ingredients
1 whole grain fed roasting chicken
1 cup apple cider
1/8 cup Steph’s Java Rub or your favorite java rub
1 cored and peeled Granny Smith apple cut into 1/4 inch slices

Directions
Wash chicken with cold water and pat dry. Loosen skin from breast meat with fingers.
Dredge apple slices in Java rub and place under skin next to breast meat.
Fill meat injector with apple cider and inject chicken liberally.
Rub chicken with remaining dry rub and place on vertical roasting rack.
Place digital read thermometer in thigh of
chicken and roast until done 180º.
Remove from grill and let rest for 15 minutes under foil

Flank Steak on the Grill - Florida Orange Flank Steak

Florida Orange Flank Steak

INGREDIENTS
   One 12-ounce jar orange marmalade
   1/2 cup red wine vinegar
   1 tablespoon chili powder
   2 tablespoons A-1 steak sauce
   1/2 cup ketchup
   2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
   1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
   3 pounds flank steak
   Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix 'em up well.
   Set aside 1 cup of the marinade (see step #3 & #4) and add the flank steak
   to the remaining marinade and coat well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat your BBQ grill so it's pretty darn hot. Toss the steak on the grill
   pour some of the marinade on top. After a minute to get a good sear,
   flip the flank steak over and pour a bit more of the marinade on that side.
   Discard any leftover marinade (since it had been on raw meat).
   Turn the BBQ burner down to medium. Flip again after 4 more minutes,
   and then remove after 4 additional minutes. This will be fairly rare;
   add a 1-2 minutes per side for more well done.

3. While you let the flank steak sit for 5 minutes, microwave the cup
   of marinade that you put aside earlier so it is good-n-hot.

4. Spread half of the marinade across the steak and cut again the grain
   into thin slices. Provide the last of the marinade for those that want
   a little extra on their pieces, and start chowing down!

Submitted by John Meyers - Tampa

Keep the spray bottle handy!

Keep a spray bottle of water close at hand to douse flare-ups

Using Salt on Meat Prior to Grilling

You may have heard the myth that salting steaks prior to grilling dries them out, However the truth is that Salt (try coarse sea salt) forms a crust that locks in the beef’s flavorful juices.

Reaching High Heat on the Grill

Remember that "High" heat is at least 500°F.

Tips For Using A Charcoal Grill

A charcoal grill may seem a bit dated in these days of natural gas and propane fueled barbeques. But a charcoal grill can be great for anything from preparing a simple meal to smoking your favorite meats. There's nothing quite like food that has been cooked on grills to really offer a wonderful, natural taste.

There are a variety of grills available, the selection is really endless and there are grills that meets just about anyone's needs. A portable charcoal grill can be great for tailgating or other picnic like events, and then of course you have your larger grills that are stationary and used mainly for backyards and poolside barbecue.

When you pick out your charcoal grill, you really should know exactly what you expect of it. A charcoal grill can grill, roast, and/or smoke your meat and fish, depending on the type you choose and how you set it up.

One of the most important features of any grill is how easy is it to douse any flare-ups during cooking? It's inevitable that you can have small flash fires inside of the grill component. A model with water in the base below where the charcoal sits can allow for easier dousing of hot coals. It is a good safety feature that you may want to consider.

When extinguishing the overthrow, first close the lid of the charcoal grill so that you smother the fire by depriving it of oxygen. Once the charcoal has cooled a bit, use long handled tongs to safely transfer the charcoal into a metal container, you may even want to oust them in water first, or simultaneously immerse them in water to kill off burning embers.

A really important thing for your charcoal grill to have is good, strong sturdy legs – you don’t want your dinner toppling over into the dirt! And you certainly don't want it falling over and burning people or property. You also want a cooking surface that’s big enough for your needs – are you cooking for one or two? Or do you need enough space to cook for a veritable picnic full of people?

You must also, of course, pick up some charcoal. You can get charcoal briquettes, which will give your charcoal grill a more even and consistent heat if spread properly, or non-briquettes, which are just rough charcoal that tends to produce a lot of flavor and smoke which many prefer.

Safety is always a factor whenever you're grilling. Never, ever use gasoline to ignite your charcoal grill – lighter fluid is always the safer choice.

As far as temperatures are concerned it's a good practice to cook fish over medium heat, chicken and pork over medium to high heat, and steaks on a hot barbeque. It basically all depends on the thickness. Use a meat thermometer to be sure meat is cooked through. You can also use a knife to cut into them so you can physically see how well they've been cooked. Cook vegetables over medium heat, perhaps wrapped in aluminum foil.

Outdoor grills are the epitome of summer cooking. Grab some your favorite cold drinks, add a bag of crunchy snacks, and fire up the grill for a wonderful summer treat.

About the Author - Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding leisure and recreation. You can get informative information here at leisureandrecreationinfo.com