The familiar early-September chill is in the air, but summer isn’t over yet! Read on to learn meat expert Kevin Beyea’s top grilling tips, and with a little practice you can become a grill master just in time for your end-of-summer BBQ!
1. Cleaning your grill is a vitally important first step to cooking anything on the BBQ. It’ll make for an easier and safer cooking process, with the welcome addition of those ever-desirable grill marks – we all know we eat with our eyes first! This can be done easily by firing up the grill to a high temperature (475-550 °F) and closing the top, allowing the heat to burn off any caked on material. When this process is complete (after about 30 minutes), take a wire brush and scrub off any charred remnants. This should always be step one, especially when cooking a steak – like a massive flavour-packed 24 oz AAA Porterhouse.
2. Much like cleaning your grill, a brush of oil can make all the difference when it comes to preventing meat from clinging to the grate. To avoid sticking and get perfect grill marks and an even sear, use a high smoke point oil (like canola) to lightly brush the grill, coating all surfaces that the meat will touch. Be careful not to overuse the oil, as any drips can cause a flare up. Try it out with some Frenched Veal Chops, and see the difference it makes in getting the perfect pink colour inside.
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3. Less is more when it comes to seasoning – a high-quality steak should only be seasoned with coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper. BBQ sauce masks the rich meat flavour, and often ignites an unwanted flare up. Paired-down seasoning allows the flavour of the meat to really shine through – perfect for the king of all steaks, the renowned Snake River Farms Wagyu striploin.
4. Never press down on your meats. There’s no need to flatten your meats against the grill with a spatula – this doesn’t help the cooking process, and instead releases the juices and fat from the meat, resulting in a blander final product. Once your meat is on the grill, leave it alone save for a well-timed flip to preserve the most flavour and get ready for the juiciest chicken breasts you’ve ever tasted!
5. Don’t limit yourself to steak and burgers! There are so many fantastic proteins that really come to life when grilled on the BBQ. Try Atlantic lobster tails or Nova Scotia scallops for a surf ’n’ turf themed end of summer BBQ, or some lamb chops for a naturally lean, lower-fat option that’ll satisfy any red meat lover.