Grill Care

Q: I have a charcoal grill. I’m not sure how I should clean it. Many people have told me to fire up the charcoal and burn off any residue that may be on the grill. Is that procedure safe? — Nancy S., Metairie, Lousiana

A: Just clean your grates as soon as the food comes off and the grates are still hot. Use a heavyduty grill brush and the burned residue left from the food will scrape right off.

Q: What is the best method to grill your meats if you live in a condominium and can’t have a gas grill inside? I love grilled salmon, filet mignon and grilled vegetables, but don’t know how to cook it without a nice grill. — Ivette C., Winter Park, Florida

A: I live in an apartment in New York City, and I use a cast iron grill pan. It’s the next best thing to a grill. Cast iron holds heat extremely well and will give you the sear and grill marks that an outdoor grill does. Be sure to buy cast iron. The pans run about $40

Q: All your shows talk about grilling, but none tell how long the charcoal actually needs to be burning before the meat is added to the grill. Should the temperature vary between chicken, pork and ribs? — Brenda V., Hot Springs, Arkansas

A: All meat should be started over really hot coals to get a good sear on the outside. For larger cuts of meat, such as rack of ribs or butterflied whole chickens, after you get a really good crust on the outside of the meat, move the meat to a cooler part of the grill to continue cooking until cooked through. If you don’t, the meat will burn on the outside before it is cooked through on the inside.

Red Meat

Q: I have been trying for six years to please my husband when I cook steaks. I purchase expensive steaks. I have tried grilling, cooking on the stove, in the oven and also using an inside grill. They are still tough. When I cook steaks, I have an anxiety attack because I know that they will not be good. What is the real secret? — Diane S., San Diego, California

A: There is no secret, really. Just don’t overcook it, and follow these directions: Heat your grill to high. Brush your steak with a little oil and season well with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the steak on the grill and walk away for at least 3 minutes. Don’t touch it! After 3 minutes, lift an end of the steak up and see if a golden brown crust has formed; if a crust has not formed and the meat appears to be sticking to the grate, leave it alone for another minute or so. Turn the steak once, after a crust has formed, and continue cooking to your desired doneness. I prefer my steaks cooked medium-rare, and I don’t believe that they should ever be cooked past medium. After the steak comes off the grill, place it on a cutting board and platter and let it rest for at least 5 minutes so that the juices can be distributed back through the meat. If you cut into it immediately, the juices will run out and will dry out your meat, and that could make it tough.

Pork

Q: Growing up in the ‘60s, our family pork roast was so dry. I have stayed away from pork roast as an adult. I love to grill and I hear pork is new and improved. Any good tips? — Mary A., Fenton, Missouri

A: If anything, pork is leaner now than it was in 1960. Pork does not need to be cooked until it is gray in the center. It can served slightly pink in the center (155 degrees F on a meat thermometer) and is perfectly safe.

Poultry

Q: How can I make moist chicken on the grill? Whenever I grill chicken (even when it had marinated in teriyaki overnight), it always ends up dry and tasteless. — Tammy R., Rocklin, California

A: First, don’t marinate your chicken overnight in anything — especially anything that has acid in it, and prepared teriyaki sauce does. The acid will begin to cook the meat and that will make it dry. I would recommend marinating in olive, garlic, fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme for 4 hours. Place the chicken on a hot grill to get a sear on the outside, then turn the heat to medium or move to a cooler part of the grill and grill until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees on a meat thermometer. Then remove the chicken to a platter of cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Most likely you are cooking and marinating the chicken too long.

Seafood

Q: I love to grill salmon, but I have a hard time keeping it from sticking to the grill. Do you have any tips on how to keep my fish from sticking and falling apart? — Wendi L., Gonzales, California

A: Start with a very hot grill. Brush both sides of the fish with oil, place the fish on the grill and don’t touch it for at least 2 minutes. You need the fish to form a crust so that it will come away from the grates of the grill naturally. Once that crust has formed, turn it over and let it finish cooking on that side. Only turn the fish once and don’t play with it while it’s on the grill or it will fall apart.

Veggies

Q: I would just like some ideas on flavor for grilling vegetables. Are there any certain seasonings or spices that would kick up the flavor? — Becky M., London, Kentucky

A: I love to marinate vegetables in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and herbs like fresh thyme or oregano and grill them. I also use spice rubs on things like eggplant and onions. I particularly like chile powders, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.

General

Q: I heard you can grill large sub-style sandwiches on the grill. Will that really work? … Should you oil the bread first? — Denise H., Suwanee, Georgia

A: You can absolutely grill a sub. You can either wrap it in aluminum foil and grill it on high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or you can brush the bread on both sides and grill the sandwich directly on the grates of your grill, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

BBQ Sauce, Spices, Etc.

Q: When basting on a grill, how often should you apply the sauce and rotate the meat to keep it from burning, and also what dry rubs are some of your favorite to use? — Michael F., Lubbock, Texas

A: I do not baste until the last 10 minutes of cooking on the grill for larger cuts of meat and during the last minute for smaller items like fish fillets or chicken breasts. The direct heat will burn the sugar in the sauce, so you can’t start doing it too early. (If you are cooking in the oven, that’s a different story because the heat is not direct.) Once you remove the item from the grill, give it one more baste and let it rest for 5 minutes.


Chef and author Bobby Flay appears on “Iron Chef America” and is also the host of Food Network’s “BBQ with Bobby Flay”, “FoodNation with Bobby Flay”, and “Boy Meets Grill”. For more information, visit www.FoodNetwork.com.