GrillJunkie - Celebrating America's Addiction to Grilling and BBQ

Back Yard Grilln: Ahi and Lobster

2011-10-18T22:24:00.000-04:00

Back Yard Grilln: Ahi and Lobster: Well the end of the weekend and I cooked a Mediteranian Grilled Ahi and Lobster! Was delicious. Ingredients 4 5oz Uncooked Fre...

Grilled Balsamic Lambchops

2011-10-11T21:16:00.000-04:00

Grilled Balsamic Lamb Chops

Don’t think they will like Lamb Chops? Think again! This is a quick way to make delicious lamb chops and change their minds forever. The combination of flavors will make those who don't like lamb come back for more.

INGREDIENTS:

10 lamb rib chops
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Place lamb chops in a shallow baking dish. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over chops. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat grill.

Grill chops over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side on until browned to desired doneness.

Enjoy - see more recipes at http://grilljunkie.com/

Charcoal or Gas? What Fires You Up?

2010-06-27T21:37:00.000-04:00

Which produces better tasting food? Charcoal or Gas?

This question is similar to the Grilling versus Barbeque issue. This one however, albeit an age old question like that of direct versus direct cooking, may not have quite as clear or definitive of an answer. Excuse the pun, but it really is a matter of “taste” and/personal preference. There is, however, a bit of evidence that will help shed some light point you in the right direction.

Although debatable, charcoal purists will claim that the use of the beloved briquette produces better tasting grilled foods most of the time. This is not to say that some things taste any worse, it is just that some claim that things don't taste any different. Or at least some foods, that is. "Good Housekeeping" magazine recently did a blind taste test and uncovered that most folks could not tell the difference between hamburgers or skinless chicken breasts cooked over gas or charcoal. However, it was found that people could tell the difference with a steak. Their conclusion was that the longer you grill something the more the flavor of the fire gets into the food. The mechanism involved here is the smoke. Charcoal, even though it is just smoldering, produces smoke.

Gas grills use a clean fuel that does not really produce smoke in and of itself. Although some manufacturers will claim that their patented vaporization barriers produce smoke from dripping grease, most folks don't want the taste of burning grease in their food. The kind of smoke that improves the flavor of food is the kind you get from real smoke, from an intended source.

To get that highly desired smoke flavor, you can add smoker chips in a box to produce smoke, however, in order to pass that flavor to the food you need to saturate it in smoke. Since charcoal produces some smoke and heat the two are mixed together. As the food absorbs the heat it also takes in the flavor of the smoke. So if you are a bit of purist and really like the flavor of foods, particularly things like a good steak, cooked over an open flame then you need to use charcoal.

However it is important to ensure that the smoke you are getting from the charcoal is “good” smoke. There is some weird and unnatural stuff out there so be careful. Commercial charcoals with special additives for easy lighting and cheap charcoal made from sawdust and a binding agent doesn’t exactly have the best flavor producing smoke. You want to use a good quality charcoal or mix your charcoal with chunks of good hardwood. Or you can buy lump charcoal that is actually make from real pieces of wood and not just sawdust. It is also very important to maintain a clean grill!. Build-up of ashes, burned up grease and other stuff will make the smoke produced leave a strange and undesirable flavor on foods. So in this light if you choose to use cheap self-lighting charcoal in a dirty, rusted grill then we’d suggest going with gas. If however you are serious about the flavor of grilled foods and are willing to put the effort into the art of charcoal cooking, then a good charcoal grill might just be what you need.

Grilled Steak with Spicy Peppercorn Oil

2010-06-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

Grilled New York Strip Steak with Peppercorn Garlic Oil

For those with a love for the unique combination of peppercorn, garlic and olive oil, these steaks are for you as they are coated in a thick garlic spread that gives them a delicious flavor. Serve with grilled vegetable kebabs and life will seem so much nicer!

INGREDIENTS:

4 New York strips
1 head of garlic – roasted if desired
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 teaspoons of freshly cracked peppercorns

PREPARATION:

Grasp the top of the garlic head and squeeze out the cloves. Combine garlic, peppercorns and oil and mix well. Spread the mixture over the steaks and grill for about 7-11 minutes or to your liking. To really get a unique flavor from the peppercorns we recommend using a variety of colors, like white, green and rose.

Enjoy!

http://www.grilljunkie.com/

Houston, we have a Flare Up!

2010-06-15T20:24:00.001-04:00

Houston, we have a Flare-Up. Please advise!

Do not fear flare-ups! The secret of flare-ups is to control them. First of all it's important that you understand that flare-ups are not as big a problem as you might think, if controlled of course. Controlled flare-ups are okay, it's when the fire gets out of control that you have a problem. There are several ways to deal with flare-ups.

It is important to not only plan on a flare-up, but more importantly prepare for them. The first step is to reduce the risk of or causes of a flare-up. One way in which to do this is by trimming any and all unnecessary fat from the foods you grill, but don’t go too crazy. For the sake of flavor, meats should be left with a little fat on them that also prevent meat from drying out while grilling. And it is important to note that fat not only comes in the form of meat fat, but can also come from such added sources as such oils in marinades or sauces. The key to avoiding flare –ups with marinade meats is that the marinades should be allowed to sink in fully, and marinated meat should not be dripping in oil when placed on hot grill.

Again, herein lies the art of grilling, as you want tot strike a balance between flare-up control and fat removal. You can’t and, most importantly, shouldn’t take away all the fat. Foods like chicken with the skin on, or a good thick steak or hamburger patties are going to have fat which when left on add to the flavor of the meal. However, that fat is going to melt and quite likely catch fire. That’s expected. What you need to be prepared for is a flare-up control plan. Unless you are grilling enough food to cover the entire cooking surface of your grill, which is highly discouraged, you need to be ever-ready to move meats out of the flare-ups, to another part of the grate. This will provide you with the ability to keep foods out of the way of a flare-up, increasing the safety of your cooking, and of course prevent burning your much anticipated meal. Once you have cleared the area of a flare-up of food let it burn. You will find that fats exposed to flame and intense heat will burn away quickly. A tip would be to use upper warming racks, if available, to hold food temporarily while the flare-ups are dealt with. The Golden Rule would be, “If you can’t prevent it, be prepared to control it”.

What about a keeping a water-bottle close at hand? A water filled spray bottle is a flare-up tool of last resort. Many so called “experts” keep a spray bottle of water close at hand to put out flare-ups the instant they happen. There are several reasons you don’t want to use a spray bottle, and we may have learned this long ago in science class. Water and oil, or burning grease do not mix and you don’t put water on a grease fire. That’s rule number one. Secondly while the water may temporarily reduce or even put out the fire it does rid us of the catalyst, the grease in the grill. So the instant that the existing grease heats up again the flare-up will return. And finally, when you spray a grease fire with water, the grease does something very dangerous and undesirable, it explodes. The explosion causes splatter over your food, and, let’s face it, partially burned grease doesn’t taste very good at all. If you are faced with an uncontrollable flare-up, and you want to avoid spoiling the food with a grease splatter, move the food out of the way, off the grill to a plate, turn off the burners and spray down the grease to put it out. From here, you are back in control and can start cooking again.

A clean grill really does produce fewer flare-ups. Once you have had that big flare-up it's a sign from the grilling gods indicating that it is time to clean out your grill. A good place to start is to fire up the grill and let it heat up good and hot in order to burn away as much grease as you can. Then after it has thoroughly cooled, get in there and clean out all the burnt grease and food from the bottom of your grill.

The GrillJunkie Burger-A-Day Cookbook is Launched!

2010-06-11T09:43:00.000-04:00

Grillers,

We are proud to announce the launch and availability of the GrillJunkie Burger-A-Day Cookbook! Our informative and fun cookbook, stacked with uniquely named and delicious grilled burger recipes is officially published and ready to share with all of you grilling addicts out there. And just in time for Father's Day.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-grilljunkie-burger-a-day-cookbook/11255460

Here are a few features of the book:

Over a year's worth of delicious and unique Grilled Burger Recipes!
Classic Beef, Pork and Lamb Burger recipes as well as healthier alternatives including Turkey, Chicken, Bison, Salmon and Veggie Burgers!
A History of the Hamburger!
Grilling Tips, Techniques and Tools!
Making the Perfect Patty!
The Grill of Rights!
Fries, Sides, Rubs and Sauces!
Grilled Fruit and Dessert Recipes!
A great gift for Father's Day, Birthdays, Graduations, Summer Celebrations, Christmas or Whatever Fires You Up!

Grill Well. Be Safe.

All the best,

The GrillJunkie Team

http://www.grilljunkie.com/

Grilled Flaming Pineapple Recipe

2010-06-04T10:22:00.001-04:00

Grilled Flaming Pineapple from GrillJunkie
A true Grilling Addict's delight, and a new trend these days is to grill fruit on the trusted backyard grill. You trusted us with Grilled Pizza right? Trust us on this one too! One of our favorites is Grilled Pineapple. Pineapple has the ideal texture and substance to take the heat of the grill! To add more fun to the experience, be sure let everyone gather around when you are ready to throw these pineapple slices on the grill. As always, be careful..when the rum hits the fire it will flare-up, so keep you're your cool and your eyebrows out of range and let everyone be awed by your grilling skills.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pineapple cored and cut into ½ inch slices

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup dark rum

Scoop of Vanilla ice cream

PREPARATION:

Combine Worcestershire sauce, honey, butter, sugar and rum in a deep medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, making sure to stir constantly so as to avoid burning the mixture. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool.

Preheat and oil your grill (a light olive oil works best). Brush pineapple pieces with sauce and place on grill. Cook for about 5 minutes turning occasionally. Surface of the pineapple should brown. Remove from grill, top with ice cream and the remaining sauce.

Hoot, holler, and enjoy!

Poll: What Types of Sauce Fires You Up?

2010-05-27T14:56:00.000-04:00

What is your favorite flavor/style of Barbeque Sauce?

1) Simple and Sweet
2) Spicy and Hot
3) Sweet and Spicy
4) Savory
5) Fruity
6) Smoky
7) Other - let us know

Check out our All American BBQ Addict Sauce Recipe:

The 2010 Rockin' Rib Fest is June 11-13th

2010-05-26T12:37:00.000-04:00

Hey there fellow GrillJunkies!

The 2010 Rockin' Rib Fest in Nashua New Hampshire is approaching very soon! June 11th - 13th. Don't miss it!

Professional Ribbers from Near & Far
Music and Entertainment
Children’s Activities
Hot Air Balloon Rides & So Much More!

http://rotaryribfest.org/

Grilled Salmon Recipe from our friends at Ground Up Gourmet

2010-05-26T12:27:00.000-04:00

Check out this great Grilled Salmon recipe, using the GrillJunkie cedar planks, from our friends at GroundUpGourmet!

http://www.groundupgourmet.com/?p=37

Celebrate Your Addiction to Grilling!

2010-05-14T08:21:00.001-04:00

Visit us on line for a few grilling tips, techniques, and free recipes. Also check out our line-up of GrillJunkie t-shirts, steins and other accessories designed to help celebrate your addition to grilling and spending time with family and friends!

http://www.grilljunkie.com/

BBQ vs. Grilling! What Fires You Up?

2010-05-13T12:52:00.000-04:00

What Fires You Up? Grilling versus Barbeque

We would be remiss if we did not address the age old question regarding the differences between Grilling and Barbeque. In essence, what we are attempting to explain here is the difference between grilling and barbeque, or, as many refer to as the direct versus indirect method, while attempting to avoid taking a side amongst the purists of the two camps. At GrillJunkie we encourage the practice and experimentation of both methods, …..again fortifying our motto, “Whatever Fires You Up!”

People often use the term barbecue when referring to foods that are grilled, but barbecuing and grilling are two very different processes.

Barbecuing

Barbecuing refers to foods that are cooked with a long, slow process using indirect, low-heat generated by smoldering logs, wood chips that smoke-cook the food. The fuel and heat source are separated from the cooking chamber, but the cooking chamber contains enough heat to slowly but properly cook the food over a long period of time. Along with heat, the cooking chamber fills with smoke, providing the food with its characteristically smoky flavor, which varies depending on the type of wood that is used for the fuel. The best temperature for barbecuing is between 200°F and 300°F. If the temperature rises above 300°F, it is considered grilling.

Grilling

Grilling refers to foods that are cooked more quickly and directly over high heat. The fuel and heat source are not separated from the cooking chamber thus providing for an environment that provides for high heat.

Grilling temperatures typically reach 500°F or more, but any temperature above 300°F is considered a grilling temperature.The high heat of grilling sears the surface of meat, creating a flavorful browned crust.
Need more?

http://www.grilljunkie.com/funfacts.html

GrillJunkie's Traditional Beef Kabobs Recipe

2010-05-12T13:44:00.001-04:00

Try our Traditional Beef Kabob Recipe

This traditional kebab recipe works well due to the fact that all of the ingredients will be cooked to perfection at the same time. The marinade adds flavor while keeping the small pieces of top sirloin from drying out on the grill.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound beef top sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
1 medium onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can pineapple chunks
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sherry
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

PREPARATION:

Combine sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Mix well. Place in a baking dish and add sirloin. Coat well. Let the sirloin and marinade sit for 1 hour. Preheat grill. Tread sirloin strips, peppers, and pineapple onto skewers.

Grill over high heat until the meat is done to desired taste. The GrillJunkie team recommends grilling for about 8 minutes turning occasionally. Enjoy!

http://www.grilljunkie.com/

May Is National Barbecue Month!

2010-05-11T11:55:00.001-04:00

May is National Barbecue Month

Thursday April 29, 2010

As you probably know by now, May is National Barbecue Month, and that means its time for the annual press release from the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association (HPBA):

http://www.hpba.org/

MEN WANT IT HOT, SAY THEY LIKE TO DRESS UP their MEAT

National Poll Reveals: Whether Dressing up or Stripping Down, Most Americans Plan to Grill this Summer and Admit "I'm All About the Meat"

ARLINGTON, VA (April 29, 2010) - Six-out-of-ten Americans say they can't wait to fire up the grill and kick off the peak outdoor cooking season igniting this May (National Barbecue Month), according to a new poll conducted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA). In fact, nearly 90 percent say they plan to enjoy grilled food in their own backyard during the warmer months, indicating that Americans are ready to shake off the winter blues and get a taste of summer.

"After an especially brutal winter nationwide, people are ready to cook outside and enjoy the outdoors," said Leslie Wheeler, HPBA's Director of Communications. "While we are seeing an increase in grilling year round, it still remains the quintessential summer pastime. The warmer months bring people together around the grill for outdoor entertainment and delicious food with the benefits of ease and affordability."

While grilling is a shared pastime, HPBA's 2010 National Barbecue Month poll reveals that flavor preferences and grilling styles vary as widely as the people who use them. The nationwide poll shows America's grilling profile and consumer taste preferences:

Dress up or Strip Down?

When it comes to enjoying a meal from the grill, 65 percent of Americans like to "dress it up" with a sauce, marinade or seasoning, and 21 percent prefer to "strip it down" and enjoy grilled food au natural.

Some like it hot! Men more than women say they like to turn up the heat with spicy sauce or steak sauce on their grilled meats (42 percent vs. 31 percent).

When it comes to grill-side manner, most adults report that they are "all about the meat" (29 percent) or "all natural" (24 percent), followed by "spicy or saucy" (19 percent), adventurous (16 percent) and timid (6 percent).

Top Toppings

For hamburgers and other grilled meat or vegetable sandwiches:

In the battle of the bottles, consumers report they use ketchup most often (66 percent of respondents), with mustard (62 percent of respondents) close behind.

Two-thirds of Americans say, "add cheese, please!"

Overall, 74 percent of Americans add lettuce, onion and/or tomato. Women lean towards the veggies more than men (80 percent of respondents vs. 68 percent).

Seventy percent of adults say they are all about the buns, and prefer a traditional bun to complete their grilled sandwiches.

No matter the preference for mustard or ketchup, bun or none, Americans agree that grilling provides an easy, cost-effective way to get out of the house and enjoy better tasting food during the warmer months. Specifically, Americans say the top pay-offs of grilling versus eating out or oven cooked meals include:

More flavorful food (81 percent of respondents)

Inexpensive compared to eating out (76 percent of respondents)

Easier clean up (67 percent of respondents)

Healthier (64 percent of respondents)

Less cooking time (53 percent of respondents)

"Now with more accessories and products for grilling on the go, people are taking the benefits of outdoor cooking beyond the backyard and making any event into a special meal," adds Wheeler.

The new poll reports that most adults plan to enjoy barbecuing outside of the home this summer: 74 percent plan to enjoy grilled food at a friend of relative's house, 42 percent while picnicking, 39 percent while camping, and 20 percent while tailgating.

For recipes, full poll results, tips to prep the grill and more, visit www.hpba.org .

About Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association based in Arlington, VA, is the North American industry association for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, representatives, service firms and allied associates for all types of hearth, barbecue and patio appliances, fuels and accessories. The association provides professional member services and industry support in education, statistics, government relations, marketing, advertising and consumer education. There are more than 2,500 members in the HPBA.

Grilled Flaming Pineapple Recipe

2010-05-11T09:49:00.001-04:00

http://www.grilljunkie.com/Grilled Flaming Pineapple

A true Grilling Addict's delight, and a new trend these days is to grill fruit on the trusted backyard grill. You trusted us with Grilled Pizza right? Trust us on this one too! One of our favorites is Grilled Pineapple. Pineapple has the ideal texture and substance to take the heat of the grill! To add more fun to the experience, be sure let everyone gather around when you are ready to throw these pineapple slices on the grill. As always, be careful
..when the rum hits the fire it will flare-up, so keep you're your cool and your eyebrows out of range and let everyone be awed by your grilling skills.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pineapple cored and cut into ½ inch slices
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark rum
Scoop of Vanilla ice cream
PREPARATION:

Combine Worcestershire sauce, honey, butter, sugar and rum in a deep medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, making sure to stir constantly so as to avoid burning the mixture. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool.

Preheat and oil your grill (a light olive oil works best). Brush pineapple pieces with sauce and place on grill. Cook for about 5 minutes turning occasionally. Surface of the pineapple should brown. Remove from grill, top with ice cream and the remaining sauce.

Hoot, holler, and enjoy!

Top Ten Grilling Tips

2010-05-11T09:44:00.000-04:00

Here are a few rules of good grilling from the GrillJunkie team.

Rule 1:
Always keep your grill clean. This is an essential for good tasting food and safety!

Rule 2:
Always keep a close eye on what you’re grilling. Be proactive, watchful, and in control.

Rule 3:
Always keep your grill in a safe location away from anything flammable like lighter fluid, fences, your house, etc.

Rule 4:
When grilling low fat meats and other foods that stick, use oil or cooking spray on the grill grate However, never apply cooking spray to a lit grill.

Rule 5:
Do not use spray bottles of water to control flare-ups. Flare-ups are caused by too much fat and too much heat. Trim excess fat and when you turn meat on the grill move it to a different part of the grill.

Rule 6:
Do not add oil-based or sauces, or marinades to meat on the grill. This inevitably causes burning.

Rule 7:
Always allow yourself plenty of time to prepare and cook. Don't leave your family and/or guests waiting.

Rule 8:
Spice up your food a good hour or two before you hi the grill. This time allows the flavor sink in.

Rule 9:
Use the proper grilling tools. Using anything else, such as a table fork, which is good for eating, are not so good or safe for grilling.

Rule 10:
Always be sure to plan for and make more than enough food for everyone including unexpected guests.

http://www.grilljunkie.com/

GrillJunkie's Top 10 Grilling Tools

2010-01-12T14:23:00.008-05:00

You don't need much to be a great griller, but there are a few things that make grilling easier and more successful. There are also a few things you need to take care of your grill. These suggestions are intended to help you put together a few of the basics that work, work well and make you a better griller. Remember that these are just suggestions. To be a great cook you need to find accessories that work best for you.

Tool 1: The Grill - What Fires You Up?

This is the age old question of outdoor grilling and the main inspiration for our tag line, "What Fires You Up?. What kind of grill do you want? Although there are grills that run on wood pellets, electricity, and gel fuel, there are two that truly come to the forefront - Charcoal and Gas Grills.

Charcoal grills will give better flavor, depending upon the type of charcoal used, and provides a more authentic grilling experience, but can be challenging to get started and can prove frustrating to maintain a proper temperature.

Gas is faster to start and much more convenient for those weekday cookouts. Whether you choose to use your gas grill to grill your meals with propane or natural gas, be sure to use the proper equipment and all safety procedures when installing and using these fuel sources.

Deciding between the two main types of grills available, Gas or Charcoal Grills, is all about deciding what kind of cooking you want to do. Be sure to find a good quality gas or charcoal grill. If used and maintained properly, a good quality grill can last a lifetime. Next, let's explore the fuel source possibilities available for the Charcoal and Gas grills.

Tool 2: Fuel Source - Propane, Natural Gas, Charcoal and more

For most gas grill, this is simple; Propane. The small, portable, and re-fillable tanks are convenient and, with an extra one on hand, can last a whole season You don't want an angry mob on your hands because you ran out of fuel during your backyard gathering. Also, some grills can be set up to run on natural gas fed from inside the house.

For the purists, the charcoal grill is the only way to go. There are many fuel choices, shapes and sizes available including coal-based charcoal briquettes, all-natural lump charcoal, hardwood charcoal, as well as pure hardwood. When burned, these fuel sources are all designed to transform into embers radiating the heat necessary to cook food.

There is contention among grilling enthusiasts on what type of charcoal is best for grilling. Users of charcoal briquettes emphasize the uniformity in size, burn rate, heat creation, and quality exemplified by briquettes. Users of all-natural lump charcoal emphasize subtle smoky aromas, high heat production, and lack of binders and fillers often present in briquettes.

There are many methods and gadgets available to help get your briquettes, lump-charcoal, or hardwood fired up besides stinky and unhealthy lighter fluid. These include rolled-up newspaper, kindling, and fat wood fire starters, but we suggest you look into purchasing a Charcoal Fire Starter.

Tool 3: Charcoal Fire Starter or Chimney Cone

An ideal and convenient way to light charcoal is without anything more combustible than a few pieces of rolled-up newspaper. This can be done with a charcoal chimney, available at most any hardware store. These cone-shaped chimneys allow you to get a lot of coals burning completely and quickly while avoiding the introduction of anything to the fire that you wouldn't want to add to your food such as lighter fluid. In addition, charcoal chimney starters allow you to get more coals going while cooking in order to add to the existing fire as needed. This is a great way to help with temperature control on a charcoal grill.

Tool 4: Spatula and/or Tongs

Get your hands on a good spatula and you will be able to tackle even the most challenging of burger recipes. And lets be clear on the meaning of the word "good". A good grilling spatula doesn't need loads of extra gadgets on it. Get a large bladed, bent and long-handled spatula. You want something that you can get under your burgers easily and large enough to flip a fish fillet without it falling apart. Don't skimp on this tool, as you really owe it to yourself to get a good quality spatula that will work well and last. A good spatula should easily slip under foods allowing you to quickly and safely lift, turn and flip. That's all it needs to do, but it needs to do it well.
A good pair of springed tongs will also help you get a solid grip on your food and can also help when you need an extra pairs of hands or need to grip something. An ideal pair of tongs should be easy to squeeze, yet bounce back quickly allowing you to get a grip on small and large items without damaging even the most delicate of foods. Find tongs that fit your hand, are lightweight but sturdy, and have enough length to reach deep into your grill without leaving your arm over the fire.

Tool 5: Grill Grate Scraper/Brush

Cleaning the metal rack or grill grate is a messy task made simple with a wire brush, (or a bristle brush for nonstick coated racks). You will need this important tool for cleaning off the grate before and after you finish grilling. It is most important that you do this after you finish grilling before the foods have had a chance to bake on.

Tool 6: Basting Brushes

It's a good idea to have a couple of food basting brushes on hand. You can buy these as pastry, basting, mops, or a silicon brushes. You decide which is cheaper or better for your particular needs. Don't spend a lot on these because they don't tend to last even if you take good care of them. You should have one brush dedicated to oiling surfaces. Dedicating a brush to put a coat of oil over your cooking grate is good idea. The brush will get the oil over the surface of the grate quickly and easily. You need to keep this brush separate from other brushes, since you don't want to use this one for basting foods. In addition to your oiling brush, you need a brush for basting your burgers when desired. If you grill a lot of different kinds of foods you might want several.

Tool 7: Fuel Gauge

Ever run out of gas because you weren't quite sure how much propane is left in your tank? You need a fuel gauge to tell you how much propane you have left. It's a good idea to get a fuel gauge that also detects gas leaks to give you a little peace of mind and increased safety. Fuel leaks are one of the most common causes of gas grill related fires. So find out how much gas you have left and don't let it leak away.

Tool 8: Meat Thermometer

The difference between the perfect meal and a trip to the emergency room can be only a couple of degrees. Having a good, working thermometer is a must have. There are a whole host of good thermometers on the market, but remember, accuracy is the most important factor, so when buying a thermometer it's better to bypass cool features in favor of reliability.

Tool 9: Fire Extinguisher

Although we provide guidance on preventing and dealing with flare-ups in the Tips section, it is always important to have a small household-type fire extinguisher close by just in case things get out of hand.

Tool 10: Oven Mitt

A fireproof mitt allows you to safely complete many grill jobs. Whether it's a pair of fireproof gloves or a kitchen mitt you should always have something close by that will let you pick up the hot stuff. You can buy fireproof grilling mitts that not only let you pick up flaming hot metal cooking equipment, but they won't catch on fire if or when flames hit them. Having a kitchen mitt catch fire while you have it on your hand is not fun.

Claim your Steak with Grill Charms!

2008-11-26T11:16:00.005-05:00

Hey there fellow GrillJunkies!

Have you ever been in this situation?: You are grilling for a gathering of family and friends, so there are a gamut of things on the grill; steaks, burgers, chicken, etc. The problem is that one person wants theirs cooked medium rare, while another likes things well done. Another person may have an affinity to spicy food, while another likes things plain or may have a food allergy. Once things are on the grill, it is next to impossible to keep track of who wanted what.

Well, there's a solution. Our friend, Leslie Haywood, invented Grill Charms!

Grill Charms™ are similar in concept to the wine charm. These dime-sized solid stainless steel charms are placed in your food BEFORE grilling. The stems are serrated to hold securely while grilling, moving and flipping. Grill Charm™ your food PRIOR to cooking to distinguish spices and flavors, steak temperatures, or to avoid health or allergy issues. When dinner comes off the grill everyone knows which one is theirs!

No more cutting into 5 steaks to try to find the rare one

No more offering only mild BBQ because too few guests like it spicy

No more confusion with health or allergy concerns

Serrated to stay in securely while grilling, flipping and moving

Made of high quality heat conducting stainless steel

Food cooks evenly around charm

Stress free grilling for grill master and guests

Works with Burgers, Chicken, Steak, Pork, Fish and more!

You can link to the Grill Charm site through the GrillJunkie site, or directly at http://www.grillcharms.com/

What do you think?

Football Food Tailgate Recipe Contest!

2007-01-25T10:54:00.000-05:00

Our friends at Ugly Pug are conducting a recipe contest.

So here is my call for football food recipes. If anyone wants to enter a family favorite into their contest just email (jonathan@uglygourmet.com) or contact him via their blog contact me here by Friday February 2nd and they will post your recipes by Saturday night. If it’s a short easy one feel free to leave it as a comment. Images are welcome; just make sure they are a reasonable size. The idea is to make a fun collection of tailgate recipes for all to enjoy. I’ll even make it interesting and offer a prize from UglyGourmet.com to the person with the best or most creative tailgate recipe.

Check out their blog! Good stuff!

http://eatugly.blogspot.com/2007/01/football-food-tailgate-recipe-contest.html

Winter BBQ Contest in New England - NE BBQ Society

2006-12-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

Hey fellow BBQ fans and GrillJunkies!

We thought you'd find this interesting. Announced this afternoon, December 15th, 2006, the New England Barbecue Society is sanctioning a Winter BBQ via the 1st Annual Winter Sizzler Barbecue Competition January 13th and 14th 2007.

The New England Barbecue Society in conjunction with Porky's BBQ Productions and the Inn Season Resorts, will host this one of a kind event.

Professional barbecuers from across New England will compete against each other and Mother Nature in the categories of Chicken, Pork Ribs, Boston Butt, Beef Brisket and Chili. This event will be held at the Inn Season Resorts in Lincoln NH where temperatures are expected to reach a high of 25 degrees and a low of 5 degrees. Teams will compete using Kansas City Barbeque Society Guidelines. The rules can be found at www.kcbs.us.

Teams will arrive on Saturday and cook through the night. Judging begins on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. starting with chicken, 12:30 Pork Ribs, 1:00 Boston Butt, 1:30 Beef Brisket and 2:00 Chili.

Teams must battle each other and the weather to win this event. To our knowledge there is no other contest like this in the United States. Most if not all Barbecue contests take place in much milder weather conditions. Come and watch our New England teams battle for the title of World's Toughest Barbecue Champion and witness the spectacle of smoke rising above the snowy slopes of Lincoln NH.

Learn more... -http://www.nebs.org/

Survey: Charcoal vs. Gas Grilling?

2006-12-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

The GrillJunkie Team's tagline is "What Fire's You Up?", so we thought it very fitting to perform a survey in order to actually answer this important question. With that said, we'd like to hear from you.

What Fires You Up? When grilling do you prefer to use:

1) Charcoal

2) Gas - inclusive of Propane and Gas

3) and why?

We'd love to hear from you. You can send your response via the blog comments or directly to our email address at info@grilljunkie.com

We will follow up with the results, and continue the debate with a related survey including bbq vs. grilling.

What Fires You Up?

The GrillJunkie Team

http://www.grilljunkie.com/index.html

Grilling Basics - Top 10 Rules

2006-12-11T15:26:00.000-05:00

Grilling 101 - The GrillJunkie Basics and Top 10 Rules:

For more tips, recipes, and products....Visit us online at http://www.grilljunkie.com

Grilling like any other kind of cooking is a combination of technique and art. Grilling refers to foods that are cooked more quickly and directly over high heat. The fuel and heat source are not separated from the cooking chamber thus providing for an environment that provides for high heat. Grilling temperatures typically reach 500°F or more, but any temperature above 300°F is considered a grilling temperature. The high heat of grilling sears the surface of meat, creating a flavorful browned crust.

The difference between grilling and cooking on the stove or in the oven is that grilling is, in essence, is a combination of both. A grill provides direct heat from the gas burners or the charcoal and indirect heat that fills the grill when the lid is down. An average gas or charcoal grill can reach 500 degrees in a matter of minutes. Unlike with an oven, where you can simply place the food inside, set the temperature and timer, and walk away for a while, while grilling you must remain ever engaged, proactive, and vigilant.

The high heat, both direct and indirect is the foundation of grilling.

You will want to leverage this heat to cook food, quickly. And due to this fact, foods cook fast on a grill you have to turn them in order to cook them evenly, without burning. However, this is where practice, experience, and the art of grilling come in, because if you turn things too often you will slow the process of cooking and this can lead to food that is tough and dry. The secret is turning only when necessary. When cooking a steak or a hamburger, and checking it for desired doneness, be sure to get down low, by the edge of the grill, be ever-careful not to burn yourself. Gently lift up the corner of the meat. When the lines from the cooking grate start to turn black it's time to turn the food.

Knowing when to turn and when things are cooked involved practice, experience, and is in essence, the whole art of grilling. The rest of it, like indoor cooking and baking, is recipes, marinades, and trick. Everything else is recipes, marinades, and tricks. The art of grilling is also the hardest thing to teach, and must be accompanied by practice and experience. You will not be able to learn the art of grilling simply be reading, you must take what you read and practice, make mistakes, experiment, and experience! As an example, ideally, a steak will be turned only once, however, if the steak is very thick (more than about 1 1/2 inches) you might need to do it three times to get it cooked through to the center.

Like with all things that take time to learn and require practice and patience, you must, start simple when learning the art of grilling. Keep those first few steaks a little on the thin side, and once well practiced move up to a filet mignon. This will help you get the hang of grilling and allow you to properly cook food with more enjoyment, and without a lot of trouble. As you evolve as a GrillJunkie, and become more experienced with the art of grilling, you can work up to more challenging techniques and dishes.

Here are a few rules of good grilling.

Rule 1: Always keep your grill clean. This is an essential for good tasting food and safety!

Rule 2: Always keep a close eye on what you’re grilling. Be proactive, watchful, and in control.

Rule 3: Always keep your grill in a safe location away from anything flammable like lighter fluid, fences, your house, etc.

Rule 4: When grilling low fat meats and other foods that stick, use oil or cooking spray on the grill grate However, never apply cooking spray to a lit grill.

Rule 5: Do not use spray bottles of water to control flare-ups. Flare-ups are caused by too much fat and too much heat. Trim excess fat and when you turn meat on the grill move it to a different part of the grill.

Rule 6: Do not add oil-based sauces, or marinades to meat on the grill. This inevitably causes burning.

Rule 7: Always allow yourself plenty of time to prepare and cook. Don't leave your family and/or guests waiting.

Rule 8: Spice up your food a good hour or two before you hi the grill. This time allows the flavor sink in.

Rule 9: Use the proper grilling tools. Using anything else, such as a table fork, which is good for eating, are not so good or safe for grilling.

Rule 10: Always be sure to plan for and make more than enough food for everyone including unexpected guests. The last thing you will need is an angry mob on your hands.

Visit our site for more tips, recipes, and help celebrate America's love of grilling with our unique line of aprons, t-shirts, beer steins, etc.!!

http://www.grilljunkie.com

Looking for BBQ Sauces, Rubs, Fiery Foods?

2006-11-16T14:12:00.000-05:00

As we prepare for Thanksgiving here at GrillJunkie (yes we will infact be grilling the turkey - be sure to read the previous blog), we wanted to introduce you to our new friends at The Ugly Pug Trading Company.

If you are looking for gourmet BBQ sauces, hot sauces, & Fiery Foods look no further! Their specialty products include BBQ sauces. They have a great selection of hot and spicy salsas, hot sauces, not so hot sauces and super hot sauces, wing sauces, marinades, rubs, seasonings, condiments and many other spicy treats.

And don't forget to check out their blog as well!

Happy Thankgiving to all!

The GrillJunkie Team

Grilling a Turkey for the Holidays!

2006-11-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

Grill that Turkey!!!

Purists beware. You may not like what you are about to read about the traditional Thanksgiving Turkey. It is the GrillJunkie team's belief that while oven roasting a turkey gets it cooked, grilling that bird results in a turkey that is cooked with flavor. We also recommend smoking and frying your bird as alternatives but that's a blog for another day.

Turkey is significantly more flavorful if grilled. We encourage you to try this flavorful method this holiday season. The related key is to brine your bird first. Brining gives extra moisture to the turkey so it won’t dry out during cooking whether you grill, smoke, or deep fry your bird.

To properly brine a turkey you need to start the night before you plan to cook and serve your meal. You will need at least 10 to 12 hours set aside, a large enough container to hold your turkey and enough brine to cover it. Also, don't forget salt, water, seasonings, and enough room to refrigerate it. A large stock pot, large oven roaster, or a 5-8 gallon, clean plastic bucket would make perfect containers. The key to determining the container size that you choose is determined by the need to have enough room to allow the turkey to be turned so it should be big.

Now on to the fun part. The turkey must be cleaned out and completely thawed. It is important to note that the turkey should not be a self-basting or Kosher turkey. Self-basting and Kosher turkeys have a salty stock added that will make the turkey too salty.

Making the Brine

To make the brine, use a ratio of 1 cup of iodine-free salt to1 gallon of very clean, very fresh, chlorine free water. You will need more than 1 gallon of water but that’s the ratio for which to aim. Ensure that the salt is completely dissolved before adding the seasonings you like, making sure not to add anything that contains extra salt. Brines can be spicy hot with peppers and cayenne, savory with herbs and garlic, or sweet with molasses, honey and brown sugar. Whatever your tastes are, you can find a large number of brine recipes out there. We recommend visiting Derrick Riches site on about.com as he has listed a gamut of brining recipes. http://bbq.about.com/od/brinerecipes/r/bl90821a.htm

Carefully place the turkey in a container and pour in enough brine to completely cover the turkey with a few inches covering the top of the turkey. It is important to not have any part of the turkey above the surface of the brine. Next place the container, turkey, brine and all in the refrigerator. The turkey should sit in the brine for at least 10 hours but not more than 24! Brining for too long will destroy the flavor. If you are using a smaller than 10 pound turkey, cut down on the brining time or reduce the amount of salt in the brine.

When you are ready to start cooking, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it off in the sink with cold water until all traces of salt are off the surface. Discard the brine and cook your turkey per your choice of cooking methods. Again, this is where we may lose the purists as we highly recommend grilling your turkey!

The Basics:

There are a lot of factors that can influence how your turkey is going to turn out, so paying attention to the basics is very important. First of all, since you will be grilling indirectly with a low fire the weather plays a significant role, especially in Autumn and Winter. Although a cold temperature plays a role, the most important weather condition to watch out for is wind. Wind robs heat from outdoor cooking appliances, and due to its very nature comes and goes in wisps as opposed to a steady temperature, so watch your grill temperature closely.

Also, the choice between the use of charcoal or gas makes a big difference. As a rule of thumb, gas will be easier. All in all, depending on what you own, or what you prefer to grill with, be ready for the variables.

To begin, you will need to create an indirect fire that will hold a steady temperature in the 300 to 350 degrees F. range. This is where the power of a gas grill comes into play. If the weather isn't going to cooperate we strongly recommend gas, simply due to the fact that you can control the temperature much easier.

What you need to get started:

First you will need a fresh or completely thawed turkey, and it must be brined as we discussed previously. We recommend a 12 pounder, and to stay away from anything over 15 pounds as the larger bird may burn on the outside before the inside can get cooked.
We also recommend a V-shaped roasting rack to support the turkey and keep the turkey from moving around too much. This rack should be sturdy because it won't have a solid surface upon which to sit.
We also suggest an oven thermometer. This important tool will help monitor the grill temperature when you open the grill.
You may also want a smoke source. Get some wood chips for the gas grill or chunks for the charcoal grill. Try a fruit wood like cherry or apple, or use oak or hickory.
Also, you need a good meat thermometer.
Most importantly you will need plenty of fuel. If you are using a gas grill you will surely need an extra, full tank on hand. If you are using charcoal, make sure you have plenty on hand and that you have a way of lighting additional coals for the fire outside of the grill. A charcoal chimney starter will help here and is a must if you use charcoal.
It is important to have something to catch the drippings from the cooking turkey. You can use the drippings for making a sauce and the prevention of the drippings will help save your patio or driveway from unwanted stains. We recommend a shallow roasting pan to catch the drippings.
You will also need time. Since you will be grilling your turkey at about the same temperature you would in an oven you will need about the same amount of time to get your turkey done. Remember that grilling isn’t as exact as oven roasting so times will vary. Make sure you can adjust for that.

Step by step grilling instructions:

Step 1: Clean and Prepare Your Bird!- Prepare the turkey. This means removing everything from the body cavity, taking out any pop-up plastic timer devices and giving it a good wash in cold water. Pat dry. Do not bother with tying up or "trussing" the bird. Trussing will only slow down the cooking of the thighs which you want to actually cook more than the rest of the bird.

Step 2: Season, or Brine the Bird! Season or brine the turkey as desired. See the brining section above. Remember if you do use a brine, be sure to rinse off any salt from the bird before you grill it.

Step 3: Prepare Your Grill! When the time comes, prepare the grill. Remember that you will be grilling a large bird indirectly, using the indirect heating method. See our Facts and Recipes section at for the basics on indirect grilling. http://www.grilljunkie.com/funfacts.html It is a good idea to take the turkey out to the grill before you light it to see about spacing and heating. This is especially important if you are using charcoal. With charcoal you will want to make sure that you build the fire up in the right place so as not to have the hot coals directly underneath the bird. If the bird is too close then one side could cook too fast. You will want a drip pan under the turkey to prevent flare-ups, to catch and save the drippings, and to prevent drippings from staining those expensive patio bricks or your driveway. Be sure to add add water to this pan periodically to maintain a moist environment in the grill and to keep the drippings from burning away. You can make great gravy from the drippings!!

Step 4: Gas or Charcoal?! If you are set up for indirect grilling, using your rotisserie will be pretty easy. You just need to keep a tight eye on your bird to ensure that the skin isn’t burning and that heat is getting into the bird. If you are not using a rotisserie and you are on a gas grill set the turkey, breast side down on a well oiled grate or v-shaped roasting rack. If your grill allows you to turn the heat on and/or off on either side with multiple burner controls on the opposite side of where you place the turkey then you will have an even heating area and you will only need to worry about turning the turkey in about an hour.

If you are using a charcoal grill you want the coals in either a ring around the turkey or banked on either side of it. You want even heating so one side doesn’t cook faster than the other. Regardless of the grill being gas or charcoal, try to keep the turkey away from the very edges of the cooking surface so that heat can flow around it.

Step 5: Set Your Temperature! You are shooting for cooking temperature of around 325 degrees F. If you have an oven thermometer in the grill, set it close to the bird because this is the area you are most concerned with. If you are using a gas grill make the necessary adjustments to the control valves to hit your target temperature. If you are using charcoal you will want to keep a close eye on the temperature to keep it in the right range. Add additional burning coals as necessary.

Step 6: Turn Your Bird! Depending on the set up or arrangement of your grill you will need to turn or flip the bird during the cooking time. If you have a dual burner gas grill you will need to rotate the bird after about 30 minutes, flip and rotate 30 minutes after that and rotate after another 30 minutes. This keeps the hottest part of the grill from burning one part of the bird. You will need to continue this rotation until the turkey is done. If you are set up to have heat all around the turkey or on two sides of it then you will need to rotate the turkey after about an hour. Of course this really depends on how fast the turkey’s skin is cooking. You don’t want the outside to cook too much faster than the inside. Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. If the skin is getting too browned before the inside starts warming up, your cooking temperature is too high.

Step 7: Check Your Bird's Temp! After a about 2 hours you want to start testing the internal temperature of your grilled bird!. Your target temperature is 165 degrees F. even at the coldest part of the turkey since you need every little morsel of meat at or above this temperature. Be sure to test in several places, but be patient and wait for the temperature to record properly, so don’t start poking your bird full of holes. As a rule of thumb, the internal temperature of a bird should only rise about 10 degrees every 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish using the grill temparature of 325 degrees F

Step 8: Remove and Rest Your Bird! Remove the turkey from the grill and let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes before carving. The resting period allows the juices to flow back into the meat and creates the perfect texture for carving and eating.

Step 9: Carve and Serve! Carve your bird. You will notice the second you start to carve your turkey that the brining has helped it retain moisture. The first bite will sell you on brining and grilling turkeys forever, and after you've tried this you will want to brine all your poultry. Serve, and eat!

Step 10: Enjoy your Friends and Family! - Celebrate what has been given to us and the freedom we have to celebrate our healthy addiction to grilling!

Grilled Fruit!

2006-10-31T11:55:00.000-05:00

Grilled Flaming Pineapple

A true Grilling Junkie delight, and a new trend these days is to grill fruit on the trusted backyard grill. You trusted us with Grilled Pizza right? Trust us on this one too!

One of our favorites is Grilled Pineapple. Pineapple has the ideal texture and substance to take the heat of the grill! To add more fun to the experience, be sure let everyone gather around when you are ready to throw these pineapple slices on the grill. As always, be careful..when the rum hits the fire it will flare-up, so keep your your cool and your eyebrows out of range and let everyone be awed by your grilling skills.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pineapple cored and cut into ½ inch slices
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark rum
Scoop of Vanilla ice cream

PREPARATION:

Combine Worcestershire sauce, honey, butter, sugar and rum in a deep medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, making sure to stir constantly so as to avoid burning the mixture. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool.

Preheat and oil your grill (a light olive oil works best). Brush pineapple pieces with sauce and place on grill. Cook for about 5 minutes turning occasionally. Surface of the pineapple should brown. Remove from grill, top with ice cream and the remaining sauce.

Enjoy!

The GrillJunkie Team

Celebrate Your Addiction to Grilling!

2006-10-31T11:02:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are interested in expressing your love and/or addiction to grilling and barbeque, let it be known that we also design and sell a line of aprons. t-shirts, beer steins, etc. with such sayings as:

"GrillJunkie - What Fire's You Up?",
"Fire Good",
"King of the Grill",
"Live and Let Grill",
"got buns?"
.......... and many more!

In conjunction with CafePress, these products can easily be ordered and shipped to you or to your favorite GrillJunkie of choice. These products make great gift ideas for Birthdays, Summer celebrations, Christmas, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Labor Day and any special occassion.

What you see above is just a one example of the grilling apparel that we design. Be sure to visit our site to view the entire product line, as well as gain accesss to our free grilling tips and recipes.

http://www.grilljunkie.com/

http://www.cafepress.com/grilljunkie

Halloween Grilling Anyone?

2006-10-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

This post comes from Derrick Riches from About.com. We thought it was worth posting as it fits in with our GrillJunkie theme that the grill is never not fired up. As we approach Winter, we always seem to focus in on the next holiday to make up an excuse to fire up the grill. As summer has ended, Labor Day and Columbus Day are behind us, our thoughts are usually focued on Thanksgiving and possibly grilling, smoking or deep frying the turkey outside. However, don't overlook Halloween as an excuse to fire up the grill and get some real food in them before they fill themselves with candy!

Original article from Derrick Riches -
http://bbq.about.com/

You might think of Halloween as little more than an excuse for the kids to fill themselves up on candy, but it’s a good idea to get some real food in them before the bags of candy start being replaced with bags of empty wrappers. Believe it or not the grill is a great way to put together something hot and satisfying, quick and easily. So consider a fun family meal of grilled foods before or after the kids hit the streets.

Of course hamburgers are a favorite of the grill and children, but think outside the bun and try making up some great Halloween pizzas. If you use cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella you get a pumpkin face for the kinds to decorate with black olives, pepperoni, red, orange and green bell peppers or whatever else you like on a pizza.

They’ll have a blast topping their own pizzas and since they cook up in a few minutes, they won’t drive you crazy waiting to eat.

Anything finger food is particularly good for Halloween since the kids will be coming and going during the night. It’s also perfect for the parents out escorting the young ones. Whether you’re having a big Halloween party or not, little grilled treats like buffalo wings or yakitori are perfect little treats to carry around the whole evening.

To top off your Halloween gathering you must have a Witch's Cauldron of Punch, Chocolate Spiders and Chocolate Covered Mice. So flame on the grill and have a safe and scary Halloween.

Source : http://bbq.about.com/

Weber's Command of the Grill - A Salute to Steak and our Marines!

2006-10-23T10:37:00.000-04:00

Heads up fellow GrillJunkie's! Nudged by our Marine friends at The Bit Bucket blog, http://msthenetworker.blogspot.com/ we wanted to help promote the long awaited release of Weber's Command of the Grill - A Salute to Steak. This is no ordinary cook book! This book is the result of grilling competitions held for Marines. A great way to celebrate your passion for grilling, and to help our beloved Marines. Go ahead, find out more about what fires our Marines up.

http://www.commandofthegrill.com/

In 2005, active duty and reserve Marines at 10 military installations around the country took up their tongs in the ultimate battle of the barbecue. They marinated, seared, and sauced in an all-out battle for top grilling honors. This book showcases the winning recipes from the competition, along with steak recipes from famous former Marines like Lee Trevino and Ed McMahon.

This unique book combines the love of grilling steak, while unveiling a unique perspective on our Marine's favorite pastime! What could be better than a book that combines all of those, you ask? Well, Weber has designated that every single penny of this $10 book goes to supporting Marines wounded in action, or the families and children of Marines who were killed in action. The Charities supported are:

- The Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund - Provides financial assistance to injured Marines, and other service members injured while assigned to Marine Units.

- The Wounded Warrior Project - Provides programs and assistance to severely wounded service members.

- The Fisher House - Provides a home away from home for the families of patients receiving medical treatment at Military and VA medical centers.

- The Marine Corps - Law Enforcement Foundation - Assists the Children of Marines and Law Enforcement who were killed while serving their country.

If you know a Marine, buy this book for them, if you know someone who likes to grill, buy this book for them. Heck, buy one for yourself. Give something for those who sacrificed everything.

Be sure to visit the Weber site, where you can read more about the book, the story behind the book, and the charities!

http://www.commandofthegrill.com/

From the entire GrillJunkie Team, we wish to thank and send our admiration to Weber for honoring and supporting our Marine's

Semper Fi!

Winter Grill Cleanup and Prep

2006-10-13T10:23:00.000-04:00

Winter Cleaning and Prep

Get your grill ready for winter.

As winter approaches each year, some of you may begin to think it's time to pack your grill away until signs of spring appear. There are a few things that should be done besides simply forgetting and just letting your grill sit under a foot of snow all winter. Of course that’s not what anyone plans on doing, however due to the quick onset of winter, especially in the Northeast, it frequently happens that way. The following will help you prepare your grill for winter and avoid finding your trusty barbecue rusted and populated with squirrels and field mice next spring.

To those of you in warmer climates, we offer you the best of wishes during those mid January cookouts. Be sure to send pictures to encourage the rest of us GrillJunkies that hope is just around the “seasonal” corner. Those of you that live in lands of snow however are presented with a choice. You can pack the grill carefully into a nice dry corner of the garage or shed, or face potential frostbite by cooking outdoors in a foot of snowfall.

After a long summer of grilling you probably have a good build up of black, greasy gunk in your grill. This gunk should be removed prior to winter storage. You will be glad you did come spring when that ad hoc cookout request comes along. In order to do so, we recommend that you follow the procedures in our Cleaning Your Grill section on our web site www.grilljunkie.com . In addition to cleanup, you should also make note of any part that is rusted through and is in need of replacement. It is always safe to assume that you may not be able to find those parts in the off season but you will know exactly what you need when the stores roll out their barbecue and grilling accessories selection next year.

With the shell and all the components clean you can reassemble the grill, being sure that all gas connections are made you are leak free. Then Fire It Up one last time to make sure that it is completely dry. Now you can go over the metal parts with some cooking oil or spray. This little trick helps to repel any moisture that might build up during the winter. Now you should cover your grill and park it in a place where it will be sheltered from the elements. An important note about gas grills is that while a dry corner of the garage is the perfect place for the grill, it is not the place for the gas tank!. Never store propane tanks in an enclosed area. Even the slowest of leaks can flood an area with explosive gas. It's best to keep the tank in a well ventilated area, protected from the weather.

If you have a charcoal grill the same basic rules apply. But because of the simplicity of a charcoal grill, you’ll have a much easier time of it. Charcoal grills and smokers tend to only need a light coat of oil over the cooking grates and don’t need to be oiled down like a gas grill. When spring arrives always let your grill or smoker heat up completely before you cook. This will burn off this protective oil covering.

Be safe, be clean, and be prepared. Enjoy!

What Fires You Up? Grilling vs. BBQ

2006-08-31T16:14:00.000-04:00

Here's a snippet from the GrillJunkie FAQ section of our site www.grilljunkie.com to get things started:

What Fires You Up?
Grilling versus Barbeque

We would be remiss if we did not first address the age old question regarding the differences between Grilling and Barbeque. In essence, what we are attempting to explain here is the difference between grilling and barbeque, or, as many refer to as the direct versus indirect method, while attempting to avoid taking a side amongst the purists of the two camps. At GrillJunkie we encourage the practice and experimentation of both methods, …..again fortifying our motto, “Whatever Fires You Up!”

People often use the term barbecue when referring to foods that are grilled, but barbecuing and grilling are two very different processes.

Barbecuing

Barbecuing refers to foods that are cooked with a long, slow process using indirect, low-heat generated by smoldering logs, wood chips that smoke-cook the food. The fuel and heat source are separated from the cooking chamber, but the cooking chamber contains enough heat to slowly but properly cook the food over a long period of time. Along with heat, the cooking chamber fills with smokes, providing the food with its characteristically smoky flavor, which varies depending on the type of wood that is used for the fuel. The best temperature for barbecuing is between 200°F and 300°F. If the temperature rises above 300°F, it is considered grilling.

Grilling

Grilling refers to foods that are cooked more quickly and directly over high heat. The fuel and heat source are not separated from the cooking chamber thus providing for an environment that provides for high heat.

Grilling temperatures typically reach 500°F or more, but any temperature above 300°F is considered a grilling temperature.

The high heat of grilling sears the surface of meat, creating a flavorful browned crust.

More to come next post where we'll share a few recipes and continue the BBQ vs. Grilling theme by delving into Indirect vs. Direct Grilling.

Can't wait? ...... Visit our site at www.grilljunkie.com

GrillJunkie's Unite!

2006-08-31T16:01:00.000-04:00

Greeting to all!

The GrillJunkie's Unite site is a blog that focuses on what’s happening in the grilling world, locally and nationally. Here you will find recipes, grilling tips and FAQs, restaurant reviews, book reviews, products to help celebrate your addiction to grilling and BBQ and other useful information on the grilling and BBQ scene.

Visit our main site at http://www.grilljunkie.com