Grilling is the perfect summertime meal solution because it’s relatively fast, simple, and a great way to enjoy the gorgeous weather we look forward to all year. Clean-up is a cinch because there are no pots or pans to scrub and somehow, a juicy burger or steak makes even Chinete feel like fine dining when you’re enjoying dinner on the patio.
When grilling there are a few things to keep in mind. First, as with all other culinary endeavors, you will need some basic tools:
*2 sets of tongs with long handles. One is for raw meat. Remove cooked food from grill with the clean tongs to avoid cross-contamination.
*a clean vessel on which to transport fully cooked food to the serving table. For food safety reasons, do not transport cooked food on the same platter you used to bring the raw foods to the grill.
* a stiff grill brush for cleaning grilling surface (I just bought a nice one at HomeGoods)
* an old kitchen towel or washcloth, rolled up and tied with butcher’s twine for oiling grill
* a rectangle dish for canola oil to dip the cloth in for oiling the grates
* an instant read thermometer (an essential tool for all of your cooking exploits)
Grill Preparation
1. pre-heat grill, preferably with 2 heat zones – one for searing items and one for longer, slower cooking or finishing . This ensures that the proteins you’re grilling are nicely browned on the outside and completely cooked on the inside. Many times, people char the outside and the interior of the meat is raw!
2. Wipe the grates several times with the towel roll that has been dipped in the canola oil (use the tongs to do this). You will find that you need to do this several times.
3. Use the grill brush to brush the grates as needed to prevent food from sticking.
Mirepoix offers several grilling classes to suit your tastes. Our July, August & September schedule will feature grilling classes for chicken, beef & seafood.
