What’s the best time to barbecue? Anytime you can get to the grill! Have four feet of snow on your terrace (like we did last year ? Shovel it off, put up an awning or some form of cover, if you need to, and get cooking! Nothing like BBQ ribs when it’s 10 below, right? If you live on the surface of the sun (e.g: Arizona) and never have the snow you’ll never have any excuses not to fire that BBQ up at any time of year.
Now, there’s the slow cooking barbecue and there’s the much faster grilling. Barbecue uses indirect heat, much like your oven on a low setting, while grilling uses more charcoal and whatever you’re cooking is placed right above them. Like a broiler. The BBQ might take 3 or four hours to finish, while you can grill steaks in 10-15 minutes.
By and large you’ll be barbecuing the tougher cuts, ribs, or meats that may have some gristle or connective tissue. The slow, long heat will break that down and the meat will be totally delectable. Do that with a fish or a good steak, and, well, it won’t be pretty. So grill your steaks & fish and barbecue your baby back ribs.
Speaking of steaks, here’s what you’ll need to grill a couple of rib eye steaks (and check out the video of this rib eye steak recipe.
- 2 nice steaks, a pound or so each
- 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
- some diced celery and scallions
- garlic clove
- butter
- charcoal and your grill/weber
- cast iron skillet
Pile up the coals to one side of the lower grill and fire them up. Since you’ll be grilling these cuts you’ll want a lot of heat, so make a largish pile, but only let them cover abouit half of the lower grill. Once the coals are hot put the steaks on the grill. The heat should be enough that you can hear those steaks sizzle. After a minute or so flip the steaks. There should be some nice grill lines on the meat. (You’ll be searing in the flavor and juices by doing this.)
Once seared, move the steaks to the part of the grill without the coals. Now place your skillet over the charcoal and add the sliced onions and some butter. Saute the onions until browned and then set them aside. Keep the steaks on the “cool” side of the grill and close up the grill. Open it up every couple of minutes to turn the steaks until nearly done (and done is the way you like it.)
When the steaks are almost ready put the skillet back on and toss in some butter, the scallions, and the celery. then mash that clove of garlic and add it to the mix. Place the steaks into the skillet and spread the scallion/celery mix over the top of the steaks. Add the onions, too. Cook for a minute or so, then serve it all up.
Barbecuing is handled differently and this St. Louis Spare Ribs video will show you how to make perfect BBQ ribs. Now, the real question is this: can you wait three to four hours to eat the ribs while that wonderful barbecue scent drifts through the air? It’s tough, but be strong. The finished BBQ ribs will be worth the wait.
From → Food
