At Home: BBQ Basics
Seasoned to Perfection. Apply your rub gently to avoid over-seasoning and damaging the meat. When using brown sugar in a rub, check to make sure it’s moist, as dry sugar will not mix well with other seasonings.
Marvelous Marinades. You’ll want your marinades to include both acidic and oil based ingredients, as well as herbs and spices. Prepare and marinate your meat in non-reactive stainless steel bowls. Also avoid over-marinating, as acids soften food and can create a mushy texture if left on too long.
Savory Shish Kebabs. If your family’s big on kebabs, presoak a bag of skewers and freeze them for future use, to cut down on prep time. Ensure meat and veg lightly touch for maximum flavour and to help retain the meat’s natural juices.
Juicy Flat Burgers. Homemade patties tend to puff up in the middle, which makes for a rather large and bulky burger. Simply make an indent in the middle of the patty with the back of a spoon, and as the burger rises the centre will flatten out.
Low and Slow Ribs. Season ribs with a dry rub and cook over low heat to prevent the meat from drying out. Brush barbeque sauce on at the end only, so that the sugar in the sauce doesn’t burn. The result? Tender, juicy fall-off-the-bone ribs.
Flip Once. Most meats do best when left alone on the grill, so try to avoid flipping more than once. If you’ve oiled your grill, then the meat should easily come away once it’s been seared. If it’s sticking when your flipping, leave it for a couple minutes longer and try again.
Succulently Smoked. Up your grilling game with an outdoor smoker. Simple to use, and always a hit, smokers add a unique flavour to poultry, beef, pork, lamb and seafood. Perry, who is the proud owner of four different smokers, shares his tried and true recipe for smoked salmon.
Perry’s Smoked Salmon
· Make a brine out of ½ cup of maple syrup, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp liquid smoke, ½ cup kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tsp soy sauce. Soak 1 lb. of Alaskan King salmon in the brine for 24-hours, then pat dry with paper towels.
· Preheat the smoker to 175 degrees F, and use maple and cherry wood chips, as these hardwoods tend to give off a sweeter smoke than mesquite, or oak.
· Smoke the fish for approximately three to four hours.
· The finished product is moist and flaky, and sweet and smoky. Serve with cream cheese mixed with dill, and a jalapeno jelly.
-by Mhairri Woodhall