Gas Grill Tips | BBQ Like A Pro

If you are interested in barbecuing like a pro and have a gas grill, here are some tips to get you going.

I wrote an Ezine Article about turning your gas grill into a raging barbecue machine. Rather than present all the information again, you might want to access the article and read it for yourself.

But, what I couldn’t do in the article is show you a photo using a water pan in between your gas grill and whatever you are cooking. In essence, it an indirect cooking method and it allows you to slow cook and not burn the heck out of things.

The method comes from the Chinese way of steaming and goes back centuries. Since it has evolved into commercial-made “water smokers”.

In between the coals and whatever is being cooked is a pan filled with water. It is self-basting and you can add all kinds of spices, and/or garlic, onions, cola, beer, wine to the pan.

In turn, while things are cooking, the contents of the water pan will permeate what you are barbecuing. Does this sound good or what?

Now, with a gas grill you need to make sure that the lid to the grill will close completely over the water pan, and the meat and/or veggies. This is critical.

In the above photo I am using a water pan and grill from my water smoker. You could use any 9 ½ by 13 ½ by 2 inch baking pan along as it is sturdy. You can buy grills almost anywhere to place on top of the pan.

Just make sure everything fits on your grill, and that you can place whatever you are going to barbecue on that grill without it hanging over the sides of the water pan or that part will burn.

Some folks use disposable aluminum pans. Personally, I think they are too flimsy and too expensive to be using all the time. Plus, eventually you have to take them off the grill and you don’t want to do this while they are full of water.

Start your barbecue and set one burner at medium heat…..325-350 degrees. No need to use both burners unless you want to.

Place the water pan on the center of the grill and immediately fill with hot water all the way to the top of the pan. Use a pitcher.

At first, don’t add anything to the water. I want you to get acquainted with using a water pan.

Barbecue a sirloin-tipped (watermelon) roast, or a pork loin roast. Neither of them require a lot of room, height-wise on a grill, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Use rubs and marinates as usual. See my "watermelon roast" post here. Cooking times should be around hour and a half for the sirloin, and longer for the pork. Always use a meat thermometer for doneness.

In fact, don’t open the lid for at least an hour and a half. Then you can check for doneness.

This is more or less the tip-of-the-iceberg for using a water pan on your gas grill. I will have further tips about grilling and barbecuing soon….stay tuned!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Weber Baby Q | Portable Pleasure

Portable should mean portable and the Weber Baby Q is just that. Take it camping. Take it to a picnic.

Now, the unit weighs in at 29 pounds which is not exactly light and doesn’t sound portable, but it is, and the good news is: it won’t blow over in a wind storm. The Weber Baby Q is designed to sit on a table top.

In other words, it doesn’t come with a stand, although you can get one for it. It seems that everything is made in every country but the USA. Well this is made in the USA.

The Weber is cast aluminum and has 189 square inches of cooking area…..this translates to grilling four steaks at a time. For those who care it is 14 1/8 high, 27 ½ inches wide and 16 inches deep.

If there is a downside it is the size of the propane canisters it is designed to use. That would be small….the camper stove size. For convenience sake, you can buy a tank adapter hose to accommodate a larger tank.

With the Weber Baby Q you are going to get those great grill marks too, not to mention great tasting food…so have at it!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Kielbasa Sausage | Grilled & Eaten!

Grilled Kielbasa sausage is a blast! Regardless whether I use it in a soup or other dishes, or eat it by itself, I still try to grill it on the barbecue.

Putting it on the grill seems to bring out a particular flavor that I can’t get cooking it on the kitchen stovetop or oven. I sometimes have to broil it in the oven, but it still isn’t the same as grilling it.

Some recommend that you boil it before placing on a grill. Don't ask me why. Unless the sausage is raw I see no reason to do this. Most prepackaged kielbasa is precooked.

Many things compliment it. It goes very well with potatoes, vegetables, pasta, stir fry, sauerkraut, salads. Try slicing it length-wise and put it on a sandwich along with a quality mustard.

Eat it all by itself and dip into a mustard.

In this day and age, there is low fat kielbasa sausage to be had. Read the labels and make sure you are getting the right one for your dietary needs. Turkey Kielbasa is a favorite.

Our family use it a soup more than anything, especially the turkey variety. It's a great addition and substitute for other meats in a soup.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Weber Grill S-320 | Let's Get BBQ'ing

In an earlier post I talked about Weber Genesis E-310 Gas Grill. Now, it’s time to introduce another fabulous gas grill the Weber Genesis S-320.

It’s a step up from the E-310 price-wise, currently $917 at Amazon versus $699 for the E-310. The units have the same features and look alike. So what’s the difference?

Mainly, the stainless steel construction of the S-320 is the answer. In essence, you are paying for this stainless steel construction which allows longer longevity of the BBQ unit, not to mention that many think the SS look is “super cool”.

Features are:

• Has a fully enclosed storage area. (You may not think this is important until you try to store all your BBQ tools on other barbecue units)
• Is a three-burner unit, meaning two under the hood and a side burner
• 42,000 BTUs, which means more than adequate for cooking hot and being able to sear steaks
• Lot’s of cooking space and has a warming rack and it looks cool
• Critics rate it the best gas Barbie between $500 and $1000

Some barbecue purist will tell you that you can’t BBQ on a gas grill….no way! With slow-cooking, the use of a smoker box, or lava rock, and/or a water pan, and with the right marinades and rubs you can achieve all kinds of excellent barbecuing results...especially on the Weber Genesis S-320 Grill.

Personally, I have a gas grill, a charcoal grill and a wood pellet grill. I use all three, but I use the gas grill the most because it is super convenient to use. I have experimented enough with gas grills to get outstanding BBQ results.The Weber Genesis S-320 Gas Grill may, or may not be for you, but I would sure take a serious look at it since it is an outstanding value for the money, and it’s built like a brick chicken house, of course minus the chickens.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

BBQ Salmon Recipe | Simple Is Better!

“The rain is cold - the barbecuin’ is bold – Deep in the heart of Orygun! When the sun does shine – the Salmon is devine – Deep in the heart of Orygun!”

This is a simple little BBQ Salmon recipe that designed to taste really mouth-watering good.

Yes, I have done the “plank thing” (I still do it). I have done the marinating thing (Still do it), but I like really simple, too.  And, I really love to do this on my Traeger Grill, too!

What you see on the BBQ above is a small, filleted whole salmon not caught in the Columbia or Will-ah-mitt, but that's ok! Preparation is back to simple recipes.

• I like to use a large cookie sheet, place the salmon on the sheet and rub extra-virgin olive oil on
• Next, sprinkle on a generous amount of “Old Bay Seasoning”. Rub it in
• Sprinkle again, but don’t rub in
• Get the BBQ to high
• Spray non-stick on the grill
• Put the salmon on the grill, meat side down
• Grill for about four minutes and flip the salmon to skin side down
• Continue to grill until flaky
• Don’t over cook it so much that it dries out

Please note I didn't cross grill it. If you think it would look cooler, cross grill it! Add sliced lemons to the top of it. Make it look pretty!

You can handle a BBQ Salmon recipe that's simple, yet delicious, right?

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker Charcoal BBQ

I have had a water smoker for over thirty years…..no phony baloney grilled up here, if you are in a hurry there are easier and faster ways to barbecue…...Butt!

(Maybe a Boston Butt to do the pulled pork thing!)

There is nothing more gratifying than using a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker (Let your little dinky fingers do the walking down to the bottom of the post to check it out) to get your BBQ’ing tasting, prize-winning super duper good. Also, the price is right!

The use of water in this fine smoker is the catalyst. The idea is based on the Chinese method of cooking and steaming. The Chinese have used this system for centuries.

But, as opposed to the Chinese method, you do not want to really steam anything. This means, you don't want to boil the water, so cooking at fairly moderate temperatures, at a slow pace is the answer.

In between the coals at the bottom of the unit, and whatever you are barbecuing, is a pan which you fill with water, or the beverage of your choice. What it does is to self-baste the meat, add moisture and prevent it from burning.

You can add all kinds of things to the water pan to flavor the meat. I have tried all kinds of things. For example, added a cola drink to the pan to glaze a ham. I have added a sliced-up whole onion, garlic and all kinds of marinating sauce.

What happens is: the moisture from the water pan rises up to the top of the doom, in your smoker and back down onto the meat. In other words, you never have to lift the cover off the unit, and mop like you have to on conventional units.

What has impressed me the most (besides the end results) is the sheer quantity of items you can barbecue at the same time. For example, you can BBQ a turkey, a whole ham and corn-on-the-cob all in the same session.

The Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker comes in an 18-1/2 inches and 22-1/2 inches. The most popular size is the 18-1/2 inch smoker.

Both the units have wonderful features that at first may not be important to you. But, Weber wanted to make sure that you could easy add water and charcoal when needed during the cooking process without lifting the cover off the unit.

Both units have air-flow control vents for optimal control to allow longer burning charcoal and tender meats.

A pro-style temperature gauge is a must and Weber had included an excellent one that reads in degrees….a gauge that only reads “Warm-Ideal-Hot” doesn’t get it, dude. You need an accurate, professional gauge that tells you exactly what temperature you are cooking at.

The aroma coming off the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker is going to impress anyone coming within 50 yards while you are barbecuing. My puppy sez, "Easily a mile, dude!" Hey, make sure you get a cover for unit. It will last twice as long, and also get a charcoal Chimney Starter.

You know what? One of the big things about this grill is a "small footprint" (For the rednecks: Hey! Possums kinda leave small footprints too, man!) If you live in an apartment, or have only a small space for your all your BBQ stuff the Weber Smoker is ideal and you can grill like mad...just forget the water pan thing. You can grill hamburgers, steaks, hotdogs, fish you name it!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

BBQ Steak Cooking Time | Grill em’ Right

I couldn’t help myself, I had to grill some Beef Sirloin Filets wrapped in Apple-Smoked Bacon over the weekend. Our Shih Tzu puppy was lined up in front of the BBQ before I could take the cover off.

These cuts of sirloin steaks are one and a half to two inches thick and three inches in diameter. And, one of the more challenging steaks that you can grill, because of the thickness, and the bacon.

No matter what kind of steak your are grilling, cooking times are going to vary based on the thickness of the steak. This is where a good thermometer for your barbecue comes in, and use of a good meat thermometer becomes essential.

A quality gas barbecue can heat up to 600 degrees. If you were to pop those sirloin filets I grilled over the weekend, on the grill, at that temperature, they would have burned on the outside and been raw in the inside.

The whole theory behind cooking a steak the right way is to sear it on the outside in order to seal in the juices. On my gas grill, you can do this at a reasonable temperature e.g.; 425 to 450.

My family likes steaks medium rare. If I cook at 450 I know to cook the thick sirloin steaks for four minutes on each side and immediately check them with a meat therometer.

The internal temperature of the steak should be 140 degrees. If I had cooked them five minutes on each side, medium done, or 160. Around 170 degrees is well done.

If you cook a thinner steak, three quarters or an inch thick, you start scaling down the cooking time. Three minutes to a side may suffice for medium rare.

I hoped I answered a few questions about BBQ steak cooking time. I have been grilling steaks for fifty years and I learn something all the time about it. If you follow these simple guide lines you should be cooking just right everytime.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Fire Magic Barbecue Grills | The State Of The Art Echelon Series

If you are in the market for the very best of barbecue grills, the Fire Magic brand is worth taking a look at….especially the top-of-the-line “Echelon Series”.

One of my goals is to expose you to a barbecue grill that fits your needs. And, you guessed right, everybody will have a different opinion on what that may be. You will have to be the judge.

In my backyard, I have tons of space. I have three different barbecues because I like the idea of cooking with different kinds of fuel, e.g.; gas, wood pellets and charcoal.

You may not have the space or the desire to have two or three different BBQs, but may like the option of cooking with different fuel sources.

The Fire Magic Echelon Series barbecue grills allow you the option of having charcoal, natural gas, propane, and adding wood chips for smoking in an all-in-one barbecue grill.

They have a “duel fuel” setup…and I will expand this to a triple fuel setup. This means you can use either natural gas, or propane (they make it easy to switch back and forth), in two of the compartments, and charcoal in another. You can even have wood smoker boxes going at the same time. And, I didn't even mention the infared red setup for searing steaks. Wow!

The Echelon Series come in three different sizes, for three different spaces and/or budgets. Basically, all have the same neat features….just different sizes. You can get them free standing, or ready to be built in.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!