Grille Quick Tips 

(Recipes Below)

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BEEF

Steaks 
Trim excess fat to ¼ inch and score the fat to prevent curling. Sear both sides quickly over hot coals, then grill uncovered turning once with tongs. Brush frequently with fresh marinade. For medium doneness, grill a two-inch steak 10 to 15 minutes per side; a one-inch steak should take six to nine minutes per side. Don’t pierce the meat with a fork; you will lose the juices. To test for doneness, press the steak with your finger. If it feels firm, the steak is well-done; if it is somewhat firm, then it’s medium; if it feels soft or spongy, the steak is medium-rare to rare.

Hamburgers
Sear both sides quickly over hot coals, then grill uncovered over medium-hot coals four to six minutes per side, turning often with a spatula and brushing with fresh marinade.

Beef kabobs
Thread marinated beef cubes (1 to 1½ inches) onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Place the cubes close together for rare meat, farther apart for more well-done. Sear all sides quickly over hot coals, then grill over medium-hot coals, turning and brushing frequently with fresh marinade. Allow about eight minutes for rare; 10 minutes for medium; 12 minutes for well-done. (Grill marinated vegetables on separate skewers instead of alternating them with the beef; the vegetables cook more quickly and will be overdone by the time the meat is cooked.)

PORK
Spareribs 
First, partially bake them in a covered dish in marinade in a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes. Then grill over medium-hot coals about 30 to 40 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Or grill over medium-hot coals using the indirect method of grilling (pushing coals to the outer edge, with ribs in a pan in center and grill lid closed) for 1½ hours, turning and basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

Pork chops
Grill marinated chops that are at least one-inch thick so they won’t dry out. Sear both sides quickly over hot coals, then grill over medium-hot coals about 10 minutes per side, turning once with tongs. Brush occasionally with fresh marinade.


CHICKEN
Grill marinated chicken parts over medium-hot coals, turning once with tongs and brushing frequently with fresh marinade until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear when pierced. Begin with skin side down; for skinless chicken, lightly oil rack. If grilling assorted pieces of chicken, let the thighs and legs cook for 15 minutes before adding the breasts and wings. Estimated cooking times:
bulletWings: 15 to 20 minutes
bulletBreasts: 20 to 25 minutes
bulletBoneless, skinless breasts: 10 to 15 minutes
bulletLegs/thighs: 30 to 35 minutes

Kabobs 
Thread marinated boneless chicken cubes (1 to 1½ inches) onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Alternate, if desired with marinated fresh vegetable chunks. Grill over medium-hot coals eight to 10 minutes, turning and brushing frequently with fresh marinade.


SEAFOOD
Brush fish frequently with reserved marinade to keep it from drying out. As a general guideline, allow 10 minutes grilling — five minutes per side — for each inch of thickness of steaks and whole fish.

Steaks
Grill marinated steaks (tuna, salmon, etc.) over hot coals, brushing with reserved marinade frequently and turning once with a spatula. 

Whole fish
Place in a hinged wire basket and grill over hot coals, brushing with reserved marinade frequently and turning once. If you don’t have a basket, grill whole fish as for steaks above.

Shrimp
Peel and devein large or jumbo shrimp, then marinate 30 minutes. Grill over hot coals on skewers or atop a grill screen. Turn once and brush frequently with reserved marinade until shrimp turn pink, about eight minutes.

Fillets
Place marinated fillets on top of two squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place sliced lemon or onion underneath and on top of fillets. Double-fold the top and sides to seal the packet and grill over medium-hot coals, without turning, five to eight minutes. Thick fillets can be grilled as steaks. 


VEGETABLES 
Use a basket or grill screen to keep smaller foods from slipping through the rack.

Whole potatoes: Wrap in foil and cook right in the coals until fork tender.

Corn on the cob: Shuck and grill foil-wrapped, marinated corn over medium coals, turning occasionally, 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Or peel back husks, remove corn silk, brush corn with marinade, reposition husks and tie together at the top with string. Then you can either place the corn directly in the coals or grill them over medium coals, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. 

Eggplant, summer squash, green/red pepper: Slice (lengthwise or horizontally) and marinate 15 minutes. Grill over medium coals, turning with a spatula and brushing with marinade, until crisp-tender: 10 to 12 minutes for eggplant; four to eight minutes for squash; and eight to 14 minutes for peppers or until the skins blacken.

Tomatoes, red onion: Grill marinated slices in a hinged wire basket, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade and turning once, three to four minutes per side.

Mushrooms: Grill marinated portobello, porcini or other mushrooms over hot coals, turning once and basting occasionally with reserved marinade, three to five minutes per side.

 

Recipes

 

GRILLED BABY BACK PORK RIBS WITH MUSTARD-BOURBON SAUCE

Sometimes baby back ribs are sold in sections of four to six ribs rather than as whole racks; those will also work here. Begin preparing the ribs a day before serving so that they can chill overnight after the spice rub has been applied.

For sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 bunches green onions, chopped
2 cups chopped white onions
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup tomato paste (about 9 ounces)
1 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
1 cup water
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 large dried ancho chili, stemmed, seeded, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 cups bourbon

For spice rub and ribs
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 pounds baby back pork ribs (about 3 whole racks)

Make sauce
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add green onions, white onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Mix in all remaining ingredients, adding bourbon last. Simmer sauce until thick and reduced to 7 cups, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Make spice rub and ribs
Mix first 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Rub spice mixture over both sides of rib racks. Arrange ribs on large baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Cut rib racks into 4- to 6-rib sections. Arrange ribs on barbecue. Grill until meat is tender, occasionally turning ribs with tongs, about 40 minutes. Using tongs, transfer ribs to work surface.

Cut rib sections between bones into individual ribs. Arrange on clean baking sheet. Transfer 3 cups sauce to small bowl; place remaining sauce in small saucepan and reserve. Brush ribs with sauce from bowl.

Return ribs to barbecue. Place pan of reserved sauce at edge of barbecue to rewarm. Grill ribs until brown and crisp on edges, brushing with more sauce from bowl and turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Serve ribs with warm sauce.

 
Serves 4 to 6

 
 


GRILLED COUNTRY RIBS WITH SUMMER SAVORY MUSTARD MARINADE

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried summer savory, crumbled, or 3 tablespoons fresh summer savory, chopped fine
1 tablespoon water
2 pounds country-style pork ribs (about 6)

Prepare grill.

In a bowl whisk together mustard, vinegar, oil, summer savory, water, and salt and pepper to taste. In a baking dish large enough to hold ribs in one layer coat them with marinade and let stand, covered, at room temperature 15 minutes.

Grill ribs on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until just cooked through, about 10 minutes on each side.

 
Serves 2

 

ORANGE-MAPLE PORK RIBS

Baby back ribs are less fatty than spareribs, and this marinade is flavorful without being a heavy barbecue sauce.

1 cup orange juice
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 pounds baby back pork ribs (about 2 slabs)

1/4 cup maple syrup

Combine first 5 ingredients in large baking dish. Add ribs and turn to coat. Cover and chill 6 hours or overnight.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove ribs from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, turning occasionally, approximately 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place marinade in heavy small saucepan. Add maple syrup and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 18 minutes. Brush ribs with glaze. Grill ribs 1 minute longer and serve.

 
Serves 4