In the art of food development, I am the equivalent of a finger painter; and my results, though heartfelt and zealous, are loved only by those who love me. Last weekend marked my second attempt at grilling…the first being a drawn out affair with charcoal claiming to be ignitable, but failing, sadly, to live up to those claims. Thanks to the clever application of lighter fluid, this time I was able to manage a happy, roaring blaze…all foodstuffs produced a satisfying sizzle when plunked onto the grill. About 30 seconds later I scraped the charred, blackened mess off the grill and microwaved some Ball Park Franks for the kids.
We Brentwoodians love a good BBQ, do we not? Looking for grilling solutions, I turned to my dear friend David Navarrette, who knows everything, and asked if he would kindly share a bit of his magic. If you’ve been to a large BBQ function anywhere in East Contra Costa County, chances are David had some hand in it…he is highly renowned and sought by many.
David says:
Summer is here and it’s time to light up, plug in or turn on your gas grill. Whatever your preference, a few basics will always apply:
Ø Keep your grease or drip pan clean. Dirty drip pans are a fire hazard!
Ø Have a spray bottle fill with water handy at all times.
Ø Periodically change the lava rocks in your gas grill.
Ø Always check the hoses and fittings on gas grills before lighting.
Ø Barbeque away from your home, in an open area.
Ø Exercise extreme care when using lighter fluid.
When cooking for a large crowd my choice is beef tri-tip and boneless, skinless chicken breast. Allow 1/3 to 1/2 pound of tri-tip and 1/2 pound of sliced chicken breast per person.
Follow these tips so you can cook and still enjoy your party:
Ø Marinate the meat in advance.
Ø Cook the tri-tip 15 minutes on first side and 10 minutes on reverse side.
Ø Immediately put the meat in a clean dry ice chest (you might want to purchase a small ice chest exclusively for this purpose). The beef will stay warm and continue to cook for 1-2 hours.
Ø Grill the chicken for 5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 on the reverse. Put the chicken in an ice chest as well.
Ø When you’re ready to serve, slice and drizzle the meat with the drippings left in the ice chest. You will have plenty of rare, medium and well done pieces to serve your guests.
Ø Clean the ice chest thoroughly after use and fill with a solution of bleach and hot water to prevent staining and disinfect, then dry and store it until your next party.
For more tips see, www.bbqu.net.
Want to cook a whole pig? www.lacajachina.com
Have a happy and safe BBQ season!
