Rising to the Occasion:
Tips for Seasoning Your Meals with Soul
with Karen Mitchell-Wilcher

When Girls Meet Grills

For whatever reason growing up I thought that pit boss had to be a man. The “pit” in question here is the BBQ pit or grill. My father, uncles and my friend’s dads were the dominant players in the outdoor cooking arena. I should make note that these pit bosses usually had an inside crew (women) that did some if not most of the prep work. By prep work I mean everything from grocery shopping to the seasoning the meat and making the side dishes.

Therefore, when I got married I naturally assumed that my husband would become the pit boss of our house since that was the way the things were with my parents. The tradition must have stopped with that generation. After speaking to my sisters and some girlfriends, I am finding out that several of the boys are being “smoked” when it comes to cooking on the grill. So girls, meet grill !!!

More than 80 percent of all Americans own a grill and with the warm weather around the country, folks are firing up countless outdoor cookers. Now this grilling thing is serious business and the designated grill master must answer a few questions before flipping the first burger. Is it grill or barbecue, charcoal or gas, hickory, oak or cedar, beef, pork, poultry, or seafood?

At our house, I like cooking low and slow over ash-covered charcoal briquettes. In fact about 36 percent of Americans are reaching for the charcoal. Though gas grills are more popular, convenient, and almost ready-to-use, I think charcoal produces a deeper flavor.

Now before putting the food on the grill, the key is to make sure the coals are the correct temperature. I’m sure we all know a few people who think they’re sure-fire grillers because the minute they put the food on the grate, it practically incinerates! The hand test can prevent that—if you can hold your hand palm-side down 1 to 2 inches above the grill grate for:
Less that 1second, you know the grill is very hot (over 600° F)
3 to 4 seconds, your grill is medium (400 to 500° F)
5 to 7 seconds the grill is medium low (325 to 350° F)

Just about any food is grill-friendly; ribs and chicken are top choices, but lately I’ve been using more marinades and rubs to layer the flavors and get the family to try something new. Beef chunks marinated in an Asian-inspired sauce, are the basis for an easy, make ahead meal. You can marinate the meat early in the day and thread it onto skewers when you’re ready to cook. Simply place the skewers on a medium-hot grill and they’re ready in minutes.

Now don’t stop with the main-dish, you can grill dessert too. Fresh pineapple slices on lightly grilled, shortcakes served with vanilla ice cream and caramel topping make an impressive finale to a meal that you can bet will please family and friends. So ladies I challenge you to get fired up!!! Get out of the kitchen this summer and onto your deck or into your yard for some good grilling !!!

Recipes:

Garlic and Ginger Beef Kabobs

Roslyn's Ribs

Grilled Shortcakes with Pineapple