When it comes to those who favor the return to the very first method of cooking by using some form of open fire in the great outdoors, the grilling season often seems to have no end. Even during our Midwestern winters that have the potential to freeze both our figurative and literal pipes, some refuse to quit that outdoor grill and continue to search for that perfectly prepped cut of meat over a propane, charcoal or wood-pellet fire.
And, while the less committed wait until spring to grab a pair of tongs and head outside, others stand on the grilling sidelines until the holiday we celebrate this coming Tuesday arrives. While I suppose women could grill, for generations, it really has been mostly men who’ve headed out to that patio, perhaps wearing an apron that says something like, “Big Daddy Is Grillin’.”
Although there really is nothing that predates grilling outdoors in the milieu populated by those blessed with preternatural culinary talents, as with any pastime, the practice has had its ebbs and flows. As has been the case with other interests, grilling over open flame experienced a boom during the pandemic when many restaurants closed and has continued to trend upward long after most of the faces we see are without masks.
While the process of this particular pastime is, at its core, pretty basic, there are trends that have gained in popularity in the past few years. Better Homes and Gardens writer Karla Walsh spent time with some of the top chefs, pit masters and cookbook authors to see what trends have emerged that might separate open-flame cooking now from a past that stretches all the way back some 780,000 years ago, a time when archaeologists tell us in the northern region of Israel fish was cooked on an open hearth.
As for cuts of beef that Tuesday’s grillers might consider, especially in these times of higher prices at the grocery, Walsh suggests now would be the time to develop a good speaking relationship with butchers who can offer tips on certain cuts of meat that won’t strain the pocketbook too much. One such cut getting a lot of play in many parts of the country these days is a bottom-sirloin cut called a tri-tip roast. Several recipes for this cut are available online, that include different dry rubs. Soaking some oak chips for an hour and adding those to the charcoal also is a good idea as well as tenting the meat with a heavy-grade aluminum foil on the grill’s grid to advance the roast to that ideal internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
With many people becoming more diet-conscious by eating less red meat, there’s been a rise in interest in grilling vegetables and fruits outside. In addition to corn on the cob, many are trying onions, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, squash planks and sweet potatoes. As for fruit, pineapple and peaches also char nicely on open grills.
When it comes to veggies and fruit over an open flame, there’s something called the Maillard reaction that occurs and is quite pleasing to the palate, according to Matt Horn, a California-based pitmaster and restaurateur. The Maillard reaction is that wonderful char that develops when the natural sugars in veggies and fruit are open-flame seared and begin to cook. The reaction is named after L. C. Maillard, a French physician and chemist, who studied extensively the reaction between sugars and proteins when impacted by extreme heat.
While chicken on the outdoor grill often is the choice for meat eaters trying to cut down on red-meat consumption, there are those like local angler extraordinaire Steve Contini, who feel grillers shouldn’t discount fish, especially for those pescatarians, those folks that don’t eat meat but will eat fish.
Says Contini, who can be seen at local reservoirs and regional lakes, often with his equally adept angling son Sebastian, both in warm weather and cold, as long as the waters at Williams, Bresler, Lost Creek or Ferguson haven’t iced over, “Salmon, grouper and snapper make excellent choices for outdoor cooking because of their consistency, but walleye and saugeye also are good choices.”
Contini says the newer Blackstone flattop griddles are really ideal for cooking fish outdoors, but using the more traditional open-flame grills also work fine. However, on an open flame, it’s best not to try cooking the fish right on the grill’s grid.
“While I think it’s best to cook fish over an open flame using a skillet, you can prepare fish over an open flame on the grid using foil wraps with such seasonings and garnishes as garlic salt, lemon pepper, lemon wedges and pads of butter made with extra virgin olive oil.
Contini’s wife Tina, who Steve credits as having “serious game” when it comes to culinary matters, has a particular favorite when it comes to grilling fish. Grilling salmon and asparagus and pairing those with some lemon-buttered capers does nicely.
So there you have it, grilling patriots, just a few ideas for Tuesday’s big day, a day when there’ll be the muffled rumble emanating from many a Kingsford bag. From carnivores to pescatarians and on to those vegetarians in search of the perfect Maillard reaction in grilling those vegetables and fruit, it’s time to show your best grilling stuff.
John Grindrod is a regular columnist for The Lima News, a freelance writer and editor and the author of two books. Reach him at [email protected].
