Saint Faucet
03-10-2001, 02:23 PM
As per Kintoun's request, I have started this thread to share the secrets of the age-old outdoor cooking ritual known as the "barbeque".
Personally, I use a small charcoal grill. I received it as a college graduation present from my sister three years ago. Initially, I would break it out for summer picnics and such, but I've found myself using it more and more lately because one of my roommates has grown tired of cooking seven nights a week.
Anyway, my 'secret' technique revolves around the addition of one ingredient: red wine. Let me rephrase that: CHEAP red wine. I recommend finding a large bottle of really low-cost wine (I usually use a rock-bottom priced cabernet sauvignon). The reason for the large bottle is that you will be applying the wine liberally to the food on your grill. The reason for the low-cost? I don't know. It's what I had on hand the first time I experimented using this technique and I figure "If it's not broke, don't try to fix it".
So you have the food you want to bbq, you have the wine and you have a charcoal grill. You're probably asking "Now what?" Well, it's time to start up the grill!. Wait for the flames to die down a bit and then toss the food on the grill. I'd give you an approximate time on how long to wait, but it's going to vary with grill size, how much charcoal/lighter fluid you've used and personal preference.
Now comes the uses for the wine: fire control and flavoring. Thanks to all the grease, juices and what-not coming off of your food, the charcoal's flames are going to grow. When this happens, pour some of the wine onto the fire. You don't want to pour too much. Just pour enough to lower the flames so that they aren't lapping over the food on the grill. Try to keep an even temperature and flame height across the grill. If one area seems too hot, douse it with a little wine. Also, don't be too cautious in how you're pouring the wine. If you hit the food, it adds to the flavoring.
That's about all the tips I can offer concerning my BBQ technique. I've used this cooking style with burgers, poultry and steak thus far with pretty good results. If you choose to use this concept, I wish you good luck. It may take you a while to perfect it since the results entirely revolve around the chef's decisions of when to use the wine and how much.
Personally, I use a small charcoal grill. I received it as a college graduation present from my sister three years ago. Initially, I would break it out for summer picnics and such, but I've found myself using it more and more lately because one of my roommates has grown tired of cooking seven nights a week.
Anyway, my 'secret' technique revolves around the addition of one ingredient: red wine. Let me rephrase that: CHEAP red wine. I recommend finding a large bottle of really low-cost wine (I usually use a rock-bottom priced cabernet sauvignon). The reason for the large bottle is that you will be applying the wine liberally to the food on your grill. The reason for the low-cost? I don't know. It's what I had on hand the first time I experimented using this technique and I figure "If it's not broke, don't try to fix it".
So you have the food you want to bbq, you have the wine and you have a charcoal grill. You're probably asking "Now what?" Well, it's time to start up the grill!. Wait for the flames to die down a bit and then toss the food on the grill. I'd give you an approximate time on how long to wait, but it's going to vary with grill size, how much charcoal/lighter fluid you've used and personal preference.
Now comes the uses for the wine: fire control and flavoring. Thanks to all the grease, juices and what-not coming off of your food, the charcoal's flames are going to grow. When this happens, pour some of the wine onto the fire. You don't want to pour too much. Just pour enough to lower the flames so that they aren't lapping over the food on the grill. Try to keep an even temperature and flame height across the grill. If one area seems too hot, douse it with a little wine. Also, don't be too cautious in how you're pouring the wine. If you hit the food, it adds to the flavoring.
That's about all the tips I can offer concerning my BBQ technique. I've used this cooking style with burgers, poultry and steak thus far with pretty good results. If you choose to use this concept, I wish you good luck. It may take you a while to perfect it since the results entirely revolve around the chef's decisions of when to use the wine and how much.