Roasted Turkey for St. Paddy's Day - Why not!

Last week I was at the Hearth Patio & Barbeque Association annual trade show in Orlando, Florida.  No time to walk around lah-dee-dah like because I – along with the other members of the Char-Broil Culinary Team – were busy grilling food at the Char-Broil outdoor display to feed tasty grilled food samples to thousands of hungry HPBA members! We had 3 Quantum grills, 2 Big Easy infrared oil-less turkey fryers and one Big Easy Smoker Roaster Grill going 8 hours a day for 3 days straight. I grilled so many juicy pork chops and boneless skinless chicken breasts that they were doing the 2-step in my dreams. And I must confess I prepared some bee-you-tee-full looking ‘fried’ turkeys in the Big Easy and Big Easy Smoker, Roaster, Grill.  I can only verify how tasty they looked – all mahogany colored and juicy as I carved each into bite-size pieces – because I didn’t really get a good taste! They were roasted, rested, carved and served before I could get a decent sandwich made!

Those turkeys were still on my mind – fragrant and perfectly browned – when I popped into my favorite grocery store on the way home from the airport Sunday afternoon. Thinking I’d pick up a steak to grill for dinner – I saw a fresh 11 lb turkey in the meat dept. and placed it in the basket right next to the big ol’thick rib eye.  I finally got to cook it, or should I say ‘Smoke-Roast’ it on Wednesday.  Here’s a picture…what do you think?

The skin was all mahogany colored and crispy - starting to break away because most of the fat cooks into the meat.

If you love the taste of fried turkey and have thought about how much work and worry it is to prepare one – then think, please, about taking a look at the  oil-less infrared way to fry turkey in The Big Easy or Big Easy Smoker Roaster Grill.  This turkey was perfect. Brown and crispy skin. Moist and juicy meat. I’ll be honest with you – I didn’t brine it. Didn’t season or even rub oil on it. Just rinsed it with cool water and patted it dry with paper towels. Into the cooking basket and into the cooker that I turned on, no pre-heating.  I also added some wood chips to the smoker box and clipped that inside the cooking chamber.  About 90 minutes or so later the bird was ready to pull (160F degrees internal temp in the thigh) and rest on the counter until the internal temp rose above 165F degrees.

Here’s a pix of it resting in the basket after cooking.

The Big Easy Smoker, Roaster, Grill has the capacity to cook up to a 24lb bird - so this 11 lb turkey hen was in there looking kinda small!

If you live in a condo or apartment where space is limited, regularly cook for only a 2-4 person group, need a cooker, a roaster, a “fryer” and a grill – something to have at the cabin, in the vacation trailer, at your hunting camp or just to tuck into the corner of your garage when not in use — please put this  versatile cooker on your consideration list.  By the way, here’s a post by SavannahSmoker on the Users Forums about his method for searing beef tenderloin on the grill of the Big Easy Smoker Roaster Grill.

Thanks and…

Happy Grilling!

Our friends at the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association provide many free resource to help you become better informed and make healthy decisions for your diet.

Free PDF

For instance –

Did you know there are 29 cuts of beef that meet the government labeling guidelines for lean? Many are cuts you are probably already eating, such as flank steak, T-Bone steak, and sirloin steak.

According to government guidelines, a serving qualifies as “extra lean” if it has less than 5g total fat, 2g or less saturated fat and less than 95mg cholesterol per 3.5 oz. serving.

A serving qualifies as “lean” if it has less than 10g total fat, 4.5g or less saturated fat and less than 95mg cholesterol per 3.5 oz. serving.

Get to know the 29 lean cuts and download a FREE handy reference guide you can use to help better choices for you and your family when shopping at the grocery store or take it with you when dining out.

Just click on this link:

Several weeks back I enjoyed a perfectly prepared pork chop served on a bed of saute’d spinach, tomato, mushrooms and garlic.  Ahem.  I made it in my kitchen. I’d intended to prepare some chops on the grill – but it was raining so hard I just couldn’t make myself head out to cook so I worked out some ideas with a sauté pan on the stove-top.

Pan-seared boneless pork loin chop with sauté of mushrooms, spinach, garlic and tomatoes with sauce of reduced balsamic vinegar.

This is the result:

It was tasty and I’m really glad I made it. Today I wanted to translate this idea to the grill and show you what I did in hopes that it will inspire you to comment and give me suggestions as well as take a shot at translating some of your favorite recipes to preparation on the grill.

Here is a pictorial that explains what steps I took to prepare this lean cut of meat for a very tasty meal.

CB’s EZ Seared Boneless Pork Loin Chops with a pan saute of spinach, mushrooms, garlic and chopped tomatoes.

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If you’ve visited the Users Forums you will already know it’s organized into different Boards about grills and styles of cooking.  Many folks who are looking to purchase a new grill will stop by and read posts about the grills they are interested in, perhaps even post messages and get information to help them decide.  Jon went through this process and chose a new Char-Broil grill with the Quantum infrared cooking system.  He added this post about his first cooking experiences over the weekend. Take a look at his report and maybe spend a few minutes on the Users Forums to find answers to your questions about grills, grilling and various outdoor cooking techniques.

Thanks and…

Happy Grilling!

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Chicken “By the Numbers” on my new Quantum infrared grill.

Hey CB and all: So I had to run my 8 year old daughter to a 2 1/2 hour baseball camp, and while I enjoyed it, I kept thinking about my new and still unused Quantum at home. My daughter must have sensed what I was thinking. At break she came over and said, don’t worry Dad, when we get home I want you to cook lunch on your new grill! Wow what a trooper! When we got home, nobody else was around so I made hamburgers for she and I.  Wow, talk about great burgers! And its amazing how they really don’t shrink as much as on a conventional grill. (more…)

The guest chefs who contribute to Sizzle on the Grill are predominantly backyard cooks who are passionate about cooking outdoors.  I particularly enjoy hearing from The Grillin Fools because one of their favorite cookers is the same one I use.  And it’s old school all the way.  Here’s a photo story they posted and I re-post here for your pleasure and enjoyment. I hope it inspires you!

Thanks and…

Happy Grilling!

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Comfort Food – Beef Chuck Roast! | The Grillin Fools

Hiya CB – thought you’d like to see a cook we did recently on our “OLD” Char-Broil 940x that was inspired by some cooks you’ve done in the past.

The marinated and smoked chuck roast in a roasting pan on the grates.

It is looking good and the flavors are melding!

Tender, smoky and flavorful comfort food!

Years ago I prepared just the roast on the grill at the urging of my dear departed father-in-law Russ.  He created a whiskey marinate that gave me heartburn for a couple of days so I needed a different, yet simple, approach for this method. (more…)

With much of the nation having unseasonable cold and snow  this week – hello Florida? – it seems like I’m rubbing it in to say that most of my local markets were featuring fresh asparagus on special this week.

Sorry.

It’s the early season variety that’s kinda thin but so-so-so very tasty. Especially when it has a little grilling char on it: DEE-LISH-US!

I did the basic cooking method:

1. Snap or cut off the woody ends, rinse under water, dry with a paper towel and spread out on a large sheet pan to air dry thoroughly.

2. Drizzle with pomace olive oil and season with freshly ground sea salt and black pepper then toss and mix by hand. (more…)

For several years I’ve referred to a technique I call, for want of anything better – “Sear & Hold.” This uses the grill to sear steaks, chops, burgers, fish and even chicken over direct high heat – and then finish on low indirect heat to produce a tasty and perfectly cooked meal for your guests. Using this technique on just about any grill, pair of tongs, a thermometer and a little practice you will consistently serve food your guests enjoy and of which you are proud.

Because there are so many questions about how to do this I thought it might be helpful to show the technique on several different grills over the course of the spring and summer in hopes that I’ll inspire you to try it and, if you like it, adapt it to suit your own style of cooking. Each grill design has specific features that require you to understand as the head chef at your house. This month I’ve been using the Big Easy Smoker-Roaster-Grill for various cooks and for this post it’s set up for grilling.

Trim away the excessive fat from the lip. It's not needed for flavor "in" the meat and it will only add to smoke & fat fire flare-ups. Note the RED cutting board? Color code for raw meat.

If you happen to read the post from February 16th called “Some tips on grilling great steaks.” – one of the first steps I recommend is to trim away excess fat from the individual steaks as it only adds to the fat dripping into your fire and doesn’t add to flavor in the meat. Yes, of course you can eat the cooked fat with bites of meat – but I’m trying to be more conscientious in my eating habits these days!  Cutting away excess fat will reduce the amount of smoke when searing steak at the high heat range of 450F – 650F degrees and your doctor will appreciate the effort as well.

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Grilled ribeye steak served medium-rare with side of grilled gulf prawns.

Depending upon your level of overall confidence and outdoor cooking skills – you may aspire to preparing steaks that rival those served in expensive steak houses. There are really only a couple of secrets to grilling great steaks.

1. Good quality meat cut thick enough to sear without overcooking

2. High heat & clean grates

OK – there is definitely a third…

3. Patience & Experience

Here’s a pictorial I made of a mixed grill cook I did just this past weekend on the Big Easy Smoker-Roaster-Grill set up for grilling.

After reading the post please leave a comment or question in the Comment section (first time users will experience a delay in the comment being posted while it is reviewed and approved to prevent spammers) or sign up on the Users Forums to post questions about cooking steaks on your specific type of grill.

Thanks and…

Happy Grilling!

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1. Choose the cut of meat that’s right for flavor and best for grilling – based upon your taste buds and your budget! Here’s some information about USDA Grades of Beef and here’s a Beef Chart to help you select meat best suited to preparation techniques. For this cook I happened upon a special deal on USDA Prime Ribeye steaks.

Here’s what the ribeyes I purchased looked like when I brought them home: (more…)

Our friends at the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association want all consumers to be informed about how to make appropriate choices when buying beef. All beef sold for human consumption is inspected but not all beef is graded. There are specific U.S.D.A. rules governing how beef is graded and they have asked me to pass along this basic outline of beef grading information to you.

Making the Grade

Meat Inspection = Safe and Wholesome Beef

The wholesomeness of the U.S. meat supply is ensured by meat inspection. All meat that is sold must, by law, pass inspection. Meat products are among the most highly regulated and supervised products in the food supply. Everyone pays for meat inspection through taxes.

Meat Grading = Taste and Tenderness

Meat grading is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Beef quality grades indicate palatability characteristics such as tenderness, juiciness and flavor. There are eight quality grades for beef which reflect the amount of marbling (fat within the lean), firmness, color and texture of the beef, and the maturity of the animal.

Grading is optional and paid for by meat processors. More than half of the beef available is graded. Generally, only three grades are identified and sold to restaurants and at retail. They are Prime, Choice and Select.

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Prime has the most marbling.
It usually is sold to restaurants, although some specialty meat markets and supermarkets may carry it.

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Choice cuts tend to have a little less marbling.
Choice is the most widely available grade in the market.

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Select has the least amount of marbling, making it leaner but often less juicy and flavorful than the other two grades.

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Here are some tips to remember when shopping for beef to prepare for your next cookout.

Three Simple Steps For… Shopping for Beef

1. Make the meat case your last stop to ensure beef stays cool.
2. Choose beef with a bright cherry-red color.
3. Opt for steaks and roasts that are firm to the touch, not soft.

Do you have more questions about beef? Ask the butchers at your favorite grocery store or meat market for information about the source, quality and grades of meat they carry.  Post your comments or questions below and share them in a discussion on the Users Forum – Meat topic board.

Thanks and…

Happy Grilling!

Download a free PDF version courtesy of the National Pork Board.

Our friends over at National Pork Board have produced a number of helpful publications with tips, tricks & good information about cooking pork.  One of my favorites is “The Pork Chop” aptly described as “Your Not-So-Secret Weapon for Solving Dinnertime Dilemmas – Pocket Guide to Pork.” Download a free PDF copy to your computer by clicking HERE.

Happy Grilling!