The summer backyard barbeque is an American tradition. And the #1 item that most people enjoy at these gatherings is a tasty grilled burger. If you are like me – even that phrase conjures up a flavor memory profile in my brain. I can almost smell the burger grilling and feel the textures of the bun, lettuce, tomato slices, cheese, onions, relish and meat in my mouth. I have an involuntary urge to hold my hands in front of me in the classic position as if they were cradling a big juicy burger at this very moment.

To satisfy this primal need we’ve assembled some good burger recipes and if you click on (more…)

A new Char-Broil grill owner posted a comment this week sharing his consternation over the higher heat his new Char-Broil Commercial Series grill was producing compared to his previous grill. Over the years of using this other grill he’d developed recipes and what I call a “mental muscle memory” of how to work with his grill to repeatedly produce the results for chicken and other foods to his taste. With the new Char-Broil, the temps were hotter and he was (more…)

Within your family and friends there most likely exists a gentle ‘controversy’ over the way hot wings should or should not be spiced. OK – it could be more than gentle! Like you I’ve tasted hundreds of different recipes over the years, watched countless celebrity chef TV hosts pontificate about their method of cooking hot wings as being the only correct way, and, like many of you – enjoyed my share of good wings and less-than-good wings.

With this post I plan to avoid the controversy entirely!

Instead I’m going to (more…)

Max and I were getting ready to cook hot dogs the other day and a friend dropped by. She had been reading a recipe for hot dogs in a food magazine and suggested we try it. Max and I looked at one another with the silent conversation that only two men can have when they think something is crazy.

“Sure” we said, “..have at it.”

She proceeded to skewer the individual hot dogs saying: “The magazine says they cook faster.”

And then she slit them in a spiral as she twisted the dogs on the skewer.

“The magazine says they look prettier.” she said.

“uh-huh’ Max and I said in unison…thinking our hot-dog feast had been hijacked by a crazy woman.

Here’s the picture of the dogs on the grill:

What do you think?

By the way – when covered with mustard, ketchup, onions, relish and stuck in a bun they ‘pretty’ much look like the same hot dog.

BUT if you are planning a party it might be something you consider. ahem I said ‘consider.’

Happy Grilling!

If you’ve spent any time looking at new grills and barbeques in stores this spring you’ve seen a lot of bright shiny grills accompanied by big price tags and they are offering ‘high heat infrared.’ With the notable exception of Char-Broil, all of these infrared ’searing burners’ or ‘rotisserie burners’ or ‘grilling stations’ are using old technology that has been around for more than 15 years and they are adding it to existing designs because the patents finally lapsed. This old technology is primarily a ceramic material that generates the infrared energy under the grates – and eventually clogs up with drips, spills, etc. Well times have changed and Char-Broil is leading the way in infrared innovation.

In 2007, Char-Broil introduced the innovative and unique TEC Series which features a hybrid cooking system offering the benefits of 100% high-heat infrared grilling on half of the cooking surface and traditional open-flame grilling on the other. (more…)

Are your pork grilling recipes as BOLD as your personality? When you fire up your grill, do you turn up the heat on flavor? If so, the National Pork Board wants to hear from you! Starting May 9 through August 17, we’re scouring the country for fierce grillers. Rev it up and get sizzilin’ by entering to win the “Bring it t-ON-g! Pork Grilling Challenge.”

Three “grillmasters” will go tong-to-tong in a finale competition judged by celebrity chef/grilling guru Guy Fieri for a chance to take home bragging rights and $5000!

The key to winning is to banish the blah and go bold. We are looking for unique recipes that break all the rules and feature any cut of pork! Toss a lean tenderloin into the mix or fire-up some baby back ribs; it doesn’t matter what cut you choose, just make sure to explain, in 100 words or less, what makes your pork recipe the BOLDEST in the nation! Once entries are compiled, a panel of qualified judges will select the three boldest recipes in the nation based on originality/creativity, bold taste and ease of preparation.

Those three finalists will get blown away at our finale event hosted by Guy Fieri himself! The finalists will be flown out, with a guest, to our finale grill-off on September 4, 2008. Each contestant will grill-off for Guy and he will chose which finalist has the BOLDEST recipe in the nation. That lucky grillmaster will take home the $5,000 grand prize! In addition, finalists will receive the all new Char-Broil® RED Infrared Gas Grill, grilling accessories, local retailer gift cards, plus airfare and accommodations for two nights.

For more details on mail-in entries or to read the official rules CLICK HERE

If you see this truck heading down a road near you this summer – follow it for a good time!
It’s the 2008 Char-Broil INfrared Grilling Tour!

This spring the 2008 Char-Broil INfrared Grilling Tour has been busy getting ready for a summer of fun at stops – and getting the schedule ready. These pictures might give you an idea of how much fun folks have when they stop by for a visit, maybe a little taste of something good to eat, play a game and even take a course at Grilling University!

I think the folks in Detroit, MI like to eat!

A group of interested grillers in Huntsville, AL listen to a team member demonstrate the new 2008 Char-Broil infrared products.

Here’s the tour schedule for the remaining days in May

24-25-26 May Cincinnati, OH

• Taste of Cincinnati

30-May Richmond, VA

• Lowe’s 1640 W. Broad Street Richmond, VA
• Lowe’s 2501 Sheila Lane Richmond, VA

There will be more information about the 2008 Char-Broil INfrared Grilling Tour shortly and I will post it as it comes in!

Happy Grilling!

Last week I received a great email from a woman who shall remain nameless. To paraphrase her it said something like this:

Hey CB. Really like reading all of the fancy recipes with expensive cuts of meat. How about you show me how to cook a pork chop!

For long-time readers you may recall last year I did a series of posts that created recipes for the meat on sale that week at a national grocery chain. It was great fun and represents how I cook at home for my own table. In response to her request – I thought I’d share a normal meal around our place. Pork Chops.

This week I took my camera with me while I prepared a ‘CB & Son’ meal on the Char-Broil RED 3 burner. The process was simple enough. Two bone in pork loin chops on sale (actually I bought them in the 50% off bin because they had an expiration date of that day!) Salted and peppered them and sprayed a little canola oil on (Why spray the grates? I clean the grates with my Brush Hawg and if I sprayed the oil on them, most of it goes between the grates and is wasted. I spray the meat – seems pretty obvious to me.)

I placed the two chops on the far right burner that had been pre-heated HIGH. Turning it down to MEDIUM I seared and marked both sides taking but a minute on the RED infrared.
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My friends Norman, Dick and Jessica are accomplished fishermen. Norman travels to several different oceans each year to surf cast or deep sea fish. Dick has been a fishing guide for what seems like eons and takes to the rivers and lakes of North America with his gear while Jessica stays close to home because she has the good fortune of living next to a world class trout stream. So for these good friends and for those of you reading who are accomplished or at least enthusiastic about fishing: I admire your talents and appreciate the skill you bring to your past time. It does not reside within me.

But I do love to cook and eat trout! Perhaps pan fried over a camp fire for breakfast? Or grilled for supper in the backyard? Hey I’m your biggest fan and invite you to always share your bounty with me. Unfortunately none of you were available this past week and while I was shopping for spices and sausages at the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle, I was inspired to purchase 4 big ol’ fat farm raised rainbow trout. These are the same specimens served at fine restaurants and generally available at grocery stores around the country. Pretty darn reasonable in price as well! (more…)

Perfect For Tabletop Grilling. The CB500x Portable Charcoal Grill provides the same great grilling flavor and versatility of the full size charcoal grills. You can use all the same cooking methods you are accustomed to: direct cooking, indirect cooking or smoking. This tabletop accommodates a rotisserie like no other tabletop can, all with delicious results. Because it’s completely portable, you can take it from backyard to beach to ball games with ease.

Product Details
- Pre-seasoned cast iron grates to get you cooking like a seasoned pro quicker and easier.
- Heavy-duty steel body with weather-resistant powder-coated finish
- Hood-mounted temperature gauge
- Slide-out ash pan.
- 240 sq. in. cooking surface
- Weighs less than 40 lbs. Measures 16″H x 24″W x 15 3/4″D

CLICK HERE for more information and where to buy