#945 - Cooking Ideas for the Fourth of July

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RK062811grillingideasforthefourthofjuly.mp3

If you don't have your grill set up yet, you still have a few days left before you'll be facing misdemeanor charges from the Food Police.  Grilling on the 4th of July is about as American as it gets, and our very own Grill Master Jerry Pellegrino of Corks Restaurant  gives us some fantastic tips.

1.  One of the biggest mistakes people make is grilling their food on too high a heat.  If you have a propane grill, you can usually keep one burner off, giving you a cool zone.  Likewise with a charcoal grill, you can bank the hot cinders on one side and keep the other cooler.  Don't be afraid to do some long slow cooking on the grill.   

2.  Give your marinades a chance to work.  Meat takes hours, if not over night.  Fish, on the other hand, can be marinated very quickly, since the acids in the marinade actually "cook" the fish without heat.

3.  Consider adding aromatic wood chips to your fire.  Hickory, applewood and mesquite are easy to come by.  Be sure to soak them first, to allow a longer, smokier accent.

4.  Look for some of the less common cuts of beef:  tri-tip, tarus major and flat iron steaks are all tremendous on the grill, but  usually benefit from long, slow cooking.

5.  Consider par-boiling your chicken before grilling.  Thick chicken breasts can take a while to cook through, and if the grill is too hot, you can scorch them before they're done. 

Here's nice recipe that Al worked up for rack of lamb.

Grilled rack of lamb ribs with an herb crust
A Radio Kitchen Original Recipe

One rack of lamb ribs (usually 8 ribs) trimmed of excess fat, but not Frenched
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbs dried rosemary leaves
1 tsp garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil to blend

1.  In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients, then add enough olive oil to bind them altogether in a thick paste.

2.  Pat the paste onto the meaty side of the ribs, covering them entirely.

3.  Place the ribs over the hot part of the grill for about 4 minutes, allowing them to be nicely seared.  Remove the ribs to a cooler part of the grill, and roast covered for about 20 minutes over indirect heat.

4.  When the visible fat has melted away, and the juices run clean, the ribs are done.

Each rack will serve two hungry people.