The Gourmet Grill

In any area of expertise, the right tools are important in getting the job done properly, and this definitely applies to barbecuing and grilling. Tools are not only essential to making sure the flavor of your favorite dishes are locked in, they are also necessary to guarantee your personal safety and well being. Investing in barbecue tools and accessories will benefit any barbecue aficionado, in mind, body and steak!

Grill tools usually come in sets that include, fork or tongs for spearing and turning, a spatula for flipping and a basting brush for slathering on your favorite homemade or brand name sauces. A good investment is a thermometer fork, which, when inserted into cooked food, digitally display the food’s internal temperature on the fork’s rubberized handle.

Of course, no chef is complete without an apron and if grilling is an activity you engage in often, splurge on a good one from premiere kitchenware companies such as Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table. If you’re feeling extra special, you can even get it monogrammed with your initials.

For being such a versatile cooking method, barbecuing isn’t limited to meat. Vegetables, fruit and even tofu can make for a delicious meal as well. Pineapples, Portobello mushrooms, yams as well as corn and tomatoes are all ideal for barbecuing. They’re perfect if you’re cooking for a vegetarian or just trying to add a bit of variety into your diet.

* For Portobello mushrooms, soak them in marinade for an hour or so before grilling to maintain moisture and add flavor.

* For Bobbie Flay, author of “Boy Meets Grill” and all around grill extraordinaire, the best vegetables to grill are eggplant, zucchini, yellow and green squash and peppers. Eggplant is best brushed with olive oil, he says, then transferred to the grill where you add salt and pepper.

*Grilled fruit is a great addition to desserts and creates a new way of getting some healthy snacks into your diet. Firm fruits, like apples, pears and pineapples tend to hold up the best during the grilling process.

*A great way of keeping fruits juicy on the grill is soaking them in cold water with a bit of lemon to preserve color for about a half hour before grilling.

* A good way of grilling vegetables and fruit is using skewers to create fruit and veggie kabobs. These can be a main dish or in addition to other food you might have prepared

*You can also marinade fruits by using spices or alcohol, including cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or rum. These will go especially well with some ice cream.

I find that vegetable skewers are a simple, easy side dish on the barbecue. You can use a variety of vegetables and the presentation is great!

Keep some long wooden skewers on hand. If you ever had vegetables in the fridge, it is something you can throw together last minute.

I like to soak the skewers for a bit before placing the vegetables on this. You can do this while you are washing and prepping the vegetables.

There are a variety of vegetables you can use… I love to include mushrooms (and vary the types of vegetables) and cherry tomatoes. Those two are always popular I find and great off of the grill!!! Additionally be sure to include a variety of colors. Some other good vegetable ideas are: zucchini, yellow squash, summer squash, any color bell pepper and hot peppers (warn your friends though!).

Just prep the vegetables, toss them in olive oil and salt (I advise good extra virgin olive oil and sea salt), put them on the skewers (don’t do two of a kind in a row, keep some variety) and place on the barbecue (medium high). I just eye them until they are done!

Serve on a nice platter arranged on the skewer.

Seasoning is a key ingredient used in barbecuing that is added to food before cooking to give it intense palatability. Whether you are using, wet or dry rubs, marinades or sauces, it definitely is a must as it adds a rich flavor to an otherwise bland meal. Seasoning food for barbecuing is more a science than it is just simple cooking.

For starters, stay simple. Over complicating the meat with heavy marinades and sauces hide true taste. Brushing with olive oil and adding minimal salt and pepper is a good starting off point. Once you try simple recipes, you can then move on to more intricate and exotic seasoning recipes. Here is a seasoning recipe you can try your hand at that might actually get some kisses for being the cook.

3 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

Mix all ingredients together. If using meat, dry with paper towels before applying seasoning and drizzle a good amount of olive oil over both sides. You can always replace these ingredients with you choice of spices, including oregano, rosemary or thyme.

Using the right charcoal can make or break your barbecued masterpiece. There are many different kinds on the market, however care must be taken in choosing the right one, as it can greatly affect the flavor and outcome of your grilled dish.

Charcoals for grilling come in lumps or briquettes, which is a block of charcoal that maintains the fire underneath the grill. Using pure charcoal achieves much better results than using charcoal filled with by-products.

Many companies use fillers such as nitrates and clay in their charcoal, and if possible this is something you would want to stay away from. When buying charcoal, take a look at the packaging to make sure that it is in fact 100% charcoal. If it isn’t, steer clear.

Pure charcoal, which is made from carbonized wood burns cleaner and maintains the fire longer, free of any additives that might change the flavor of your food. It comes in irregular shapes, unlike briquettes and is usually made from hickory, mesquite or oak wood. With some research, pure charcoal isn’t that difficult to find. Some supermarkets and home improvements stores like Home Depot should have them in stock. Putting in the extra time to find a good charcoal for your culinary adventures will pay off.

Barbecued potatoes make a great side dish. If you keep Russet potatoes on hand in the kitchen, throw them on the grill when you are cooking some meat.

Here’s how I make them, it just requires a few, easy steps:

• Wash and scrub the potatoes
• Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork
• Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes
• Let cool for a bit or you can microwave a bit before you’ll need them
• Slice the potatoes into ¼ slices with the skins on
• Toss in some olive oil and sea salt
• Place on the barbecue until they have cooked some and have grill marks, probably about 10 minutes.
• Serve with meat of choice and other side dishes!