If you pass through my neighborhood over the weekend, you are sure to smell the smoke from someone’s backyard grill. Yup, it’s that time of the year. Sunday brunch is my favorite time to grill, invite a few friends over, pair a good bottle of wine with whatever it is you are throwing on the grill, and, just relax!
The first step is to get the grill right. Please do not use regular charcoal, it adds very little flavor at all, but hardwood charcoal is a step up. The best fire for grilling is a hardwood fire (I prefer hickory or mesquite). Lay the wood out in a box pattern, using a fire starter if you like (just make sure to let the starter burn off before you start cooking), or make a base of small pieces of split wood that will burn easily.
Start your fire at least 20 minutes before you are ready to cook. Never cook over wood that is flaming, but let it burn down till it looks like charcoal. Don’t be too skimpy with the wood, or you will have a fire that is not hot enough and doesn’t burn long enough to cook your food.
The variety of good things to cook on the grill is vast, and I doesn’t have to be protein heavy. A mix of vegetables, sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper, and maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes, and tossed in a good olive oil and then seared on a hot grill can be just the right thing for a hot summer’s day.
If want a more traditional cookout, there is nothing is the world wrong with good quality hot dogs, or a nice sausage, just make sure to give them a good sear, so they have a little crunch. I love sausages of any sort with a good dab of hot of German mustard. It adds a wonderful zing.
Hamburgers or steaks are good as well, just make sure to get the seasoning right. I like Dale’s steak sauce for most meats, but the real trick to a good burger is to mix the meat with a little diced onion, jalapeno and bell peppers. It makes all the difference in the world.
My all-time favorite meat to grill is pork tenderloin. It really is very easy to get it right and doesn’t take long at all. Season the tenderloin aggressively, with a good Italian seasoning, freshly ground black pepper and, of course, good olive oil. Let it marinate for several l hours, or even overnight.
Once the fire is right, add the tenderloin, and grill till it has good sear marks on it. The finger test is the way to tell when it is ready. It should be firm to a finger poke, but not hard. With a little practice, you will get it right every time. Remember, there is nothing wrong with serving pork a little pink in the center. Overdone pork is not very appealing at all.
My favorite thing to serve with pork tenderloin is goat cheese, either plain or one seasoned with herbs and mac and cheese with grilled fresh corn!
