Grill Jockeys

[sombro]

I've been hearing some bashful talk around the site of marinades and steaks and smoking, the other one. I reckon it's about time there was a barbie resource especially as I've been loving the grill up good this summer, she's a faithful and entertaining mistress but does tend to spit !

So what makes a barbie great? lets hear about those stories, recipes, drinks and the best music to burn meat to.

Don't know about you types but I always get really fucked up when I'm cooking, chainsmoking spliffs and chucking down beers or cocktails. Its amazing it ever gets done. Mind you, I've got an open grill (people say) so there are no 7 hour, slo-cooked cuts. It's a good fucking job really, I'd be mullered.

So I'll kick off with some stuff that we had last weekend.

Grilled Mussels

Get some live mussels, about 3lb for 2 people, scrub them up and get rid of the beards, throw any that dont close when you tap them.
Make some dipping butter, garlic and parsley is great, warm it all together til the garlic goes soft but not brown.
It helps if you have a pine tree for the next bit.
Go out into the garden and rake up the dry pine needles, half a wheelbarrow will do it. Pack it into the grill.
Set the mussels, round side down on the grill then light the mofo at the front and at the sides, you can then move the grate backwards as the fire goes that way if needed.
They are ready when all of the mussels are open, about 5-6 minutes on an open grill. You can do it with wood or charcoal of course, use gas only if you're not worried about being called a pussy.

Wash them down with Caipirinhas. Get 8 fat limes and roll them in your hands, cut them into 8 bits each and mash them up really well with a cup of good natural sugar using a big spoon or spud masher, chuck in loads of white rum and ice and stir.

If it's a sunny day I reckon any of the Good Times series by Norman Jay is difficult to beat, funky and eclectic. At dusk Orbital are great for some "tongs in the air" moments or maybe a bit of Otis Redding to help drunkenly persuade the Mrs into some "Trailer Park Boys" style alfresco lovin.

[wakka]

mesquite wood and seven or eight hours will do just about anything up right.

[Dawg]

homemade BBQ sauce for the babybacks over some coals. Slow cooked.
Steam oysters and shrimp.
Margaritas and cold suds
Classic rock radio station on the lil radio.
Frisbee and horseshoes

[Cranky]

Wash them down with Caipirinhas. Get 8 fat limes and roll them in your hands, cut them into 8 bits each and mash them up really well with a cup of good natural sugar using a big spoon or spud masher, chuck in loads of white rum and ice and stir.

how ya stop that lot from falling through the grill:D

suasages,burgers n chicken is about all we eat meat wise but have had the bbq on when ever the weathers permitted this year.

i also get super wasted when bbq'ing...infact i wont spark a bbq unless the smokey is flowing.

ever tried bbq bud cb...beats an open fire like:)


cranky

[sombro]

Man, I'd be stuck in an existential panic if I could buy what you guys can. Just been checking out some barbie suppliers on the net. Flavoured skewers look fantastic http://www.barbecue-store.com/flavoredskewers.htm

Tried to order some up, it said select your country and postcode and then the delivery options were just for the U.S. Bah !

Here we can get lumpwood charcoal, nasty paraffin firelighters and that's about it. They've just started to sell the vine trimmings we were using in France as fuel for the barbie, they burn really hot for about half an hour and make the food taste great.

Looks like its DIY time, I've got some apple, plum and olive wood that I could make chips out of, looks like it'll be a pain in the arse to do though. I guess I could try marinading some wooden skewers as well.

Bank holiday today so later I'm doing some ostrich (!) that's currently soaking in honey, basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a bit of mustard, got the recipe from the american ostrich society or something. theres no fat on it so you have to do it pretty quickly or it'll dry out.

Gotta love playing horseshoes, thinking of setting up a stick in the back, perhaps it'll double as a sand pit.

Just found chips to ship on amazon, hmmm.

[CB]

interesting way to do mussels sombro :) think same would work for oysters ?

do a bit of bbq'n here as well but just wing it time after time :D

got a gas webber with no gas (not a pussy here) jerked the guts out of it and closed the bottom holes off and use the lid to reg. heat

got all the hard wood i need right here.... fruits some hickory maple and the such so i use that, don't have to chip it just cut it small and put fire on one side and eats one other :D

tonight gonna do up some organic burgers that was smoke a bit first with hickory and will use maple to finish, corn on the cob in foil with butter and spices and fresh squash from the garden steamed

big ole pipe full and a chair with some classic rock

mmm mmm


:pass:

[Dawg]

tossed a couple of beef sirloin kabobs on and some fresh corn on the cob...boy n I feasted. :)
that n a pete's wicked or three. :)
now time for desert......:pass:

but keep those seafood recipes a comin...writin this stuff down.

here's one for ya (sure CB knows it already :p )
all ya need is a picnic table and news paper dump it and let everyone chow. (the redneck way...not the neat way listed below) ;)

The low country boil:
You may cook this outdoors, using butane fish cooker, or indoors, on stove. For 8 people, you will need: 4-5 sm. red new potatoes per person, washed with peel 2 sm. ears frozen corn per person 1/4 lb. med. shrimp, washed and in hull, per person Approximately 3 gallons water in large, heavy pot 2 onions, sliced 3-4 stalks celery, cut in pieces 1 bag Crab-boil seasoning Salt and pepper (be heavy-handed)
Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then add new potatoes, boil about 5 minutes, then add sausage, boil about 10 minutes, then add corn. This will cool pot; let come back to boiling, add shrimp and cook for about 5-10 minutes more. To serve outdoors, let guests dip from pot with slotted spoon. Indoors, dip from pot with slotted spoon onto wooden bread tray, platter, whatever is handy - and large. Have ready green salad and French bread.


its a junk recipe you can add crab legs, scallops, mussels, oysters whatever. tried it with crawfish and cajun season. turned out great. ;) jus dump er out and chow. :) ends up a steamin pile of food...grab what ya want. all in one pot.

BTW homeade crab-boil is the best way. ;)

[CB]

(sure CB knows it already :p )
all ya need is a picnic table and news paper dump it and let everyone chow. (the redneck way...not the neat way listed below) ;)



kinda like this ?

http://www.homegrownbud.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11419&stc=1&d=1187224813

[Dawg]

NOW THAS HOW ITS DONE!!!!! :D

[sombro]

Hey! I wasn't saying that people who cook with gas are pussies, just that they have to be prepared for that sort of accusation. ahem.;)

was checking out the Webers at the garden centre, those boys cost some serious pasta was gonna get some briquettes but they were 10 euros for a small bag, I could get 5 bags of the other stuff for that. A small kettle was about 130, next year I'll farm one in.

The ostrich was pretty decent, honey and balsamic gave a nice fruity flavour.

Hey Dawg, any idea what they put in that Crab boil seasoning ? Sounds great.


interesting way to do mussels sombro think same would work for oysters ? Yup, round side down,6 mins or so, toss the ones that don't open. Good with a dollop of horseradish sauce in each, I read somewhere.

don't have to chip it just cut it small and put fire on one side and eats one other So do you soak the bits of wood in water?

getting hungry again..

[becky420]

High!
ok I think went we get to SPAIN .. WE Yankees need to give Cranky a good old American cookout with what ever we got..
I will make my famous POTatoe salad and Jack D. Brownies.. (that is if we can make it there when cranky is there..and if can make it.)..
I think we should cook a PIG like a whole one.. now wouldnt that feed us all a few days..while we are there.. and get seafood and PORK out!! lol

[wakka]

yup, just drop them in water till they are soaked though. the longer they soak, the longer they smoke. now that is a tattoo in the making.

me and mrs. wakka really didn't start getting into crab until just a few years ago. I completely suck at getting at the crab, so mrs. wakka gets the honors. we do be loving the crab.

[CB]

hey sombro,

I don't soak mine but it's not all dry either if ya gets me :)

check yard sales and the such for the webbers and just get a crap one, $20 maybe if that...

:eat:

[sombro]

It's the weekend again so it must be time to get the grill out.

Yesterday lunchtime I made asparagus with crispy jamon serrano (parma ham or prosciutto), marinade the veg in olive oil, grated onion and a pinch of basil, thyme and parlsey after blanching it for 2 mins in boiling water. Wrap each spear and half a teaspoon of marinade in a slice of jamon. Cook until crispy.

Then for dinner, Spicy prawns. These badboys were the first I've had to devein which was a bit of a pain in the arse. Just mix half a bottle of your favourite spicy sauce with a small pot of natural yogurt for the marinade. Leave for an hour or so, then thread onto kebab skewers with whatever veg you feel like. A bit of lemon or lime helps too. 5 mins per side. Very messy but very tasty.

So come on, it's Sunday, you must be getting peckish by now.

[EASY]

Great thread!
since I only have a dual element 'hotplate' and a wood burner cookstove, we pretty much cook EVERYTHING on the grill in the summer months. I'm one o' those "pussy" gas burners. But seldom fail to have a pan of somekinda' fruit wood or hardwood smokin' for flavor.
I use a lot of plumb, apple and chokechery cut right off of a live tree/bush. I like to use small 'sticks', pencil size. I don't even soak them. Mesquite and alder are fav'es, too.
Grilled up some 'but' (halibut) the other nite. It was barely edible.. :p
4 halibut steaks, about 3-4 " square. Soften a 1/2 stick of butter, seasoned with a li'l garlic powder, lemon juice, and coarse ground black pepper. Drop the steaks, skin side down, on a 'medium' grill, coated with vegetable oil(so's your 'but cheek don't stick). Spoon a heaping spoon of the butter right on top of them. Cook untill the steaks are opaque and start to flake.:cool:

[CB]

some pretty good BBQ how to movie's CLICK (http://www.barbecueweb.com/)

[Mr Burns]

Great thread.

I also had a charcoal Webber barbie some years ago and only had the chance to use it once, it sat out in the rain for what must have been 8 years and still not a spot of rust :eek: I really couldn't rate them high enough on build quality compared to ones made in this neck of the woods :2cents:

Sombro's grill had me thinking that this 'gas pussy' needs to downgrade to a charcoal barbie :p

Sombro also mentions using half a bottle of your favourite spice sauce and mixing it with some yoghurt for a marinade, but does anyone have any other marinade recipes :shrug: I'm particularly partial to Cajun spice when it comes to coatings, so if anyone has something along those lines..... :)

[Orpheus]

Yeah...so...only meat I eat is seafood....

Tuna steaks are by far my favourite...and mine was always an easy recipe.

Teriyaki sauce mixed with a decent Shiraz wine, throw in some paprika and cayenne and thai chili powder...along with Sambal Olek (i mighta spelled it wrong, but it's a Thai chili paste). Let them fishies sit for a day, flipping 'em a couple times throughout while you toke and drink....and definitely agreein' with Dawgie here...toss some horseshoes around, shoot off some mortars or whatever else kinda fireworks ya want....

Cook that tuna about mid-rare. Eat. Have a Party in your mouth.

[sombro]

Missing the grill almost as much as the sunshine this summer, bah!

As far as the marinade goes, just use your imagination, I´m sure you´ve got loads of stuff in the cupboard that will do. Just try to get flavours that complement each other. Choose a base and add what you like.
For a base you can use:
Butter
Olive oil
Coconut milk
Vinegar (cider or white wine)
Yoghurt
Beer or other booze, dark beer is great for chicken.
Coke.
Cream

I always mince up some onion and garlic and cook it until its soft and fragrant then mix it with the base. Many other herbs release much more flavour if heated up a bit before added to the mix.

Then choose whatever you have on the shelves that you think will go well with the meat or fish. And Bob´s your mothers brother.

Don´t put it on the grill too wet, the idea is to avoid boiling the meat.

Oh and the "pussy" crack was just to wind up Fing but he didn´t bite!

[Mr Burns]

Orpheus & Sombro thank you. Unless we get an Indian summer this way I'll be trying these out in the kitchen as a dummy run.
Tuna steaks are awesome I have to agree :drool: And I get the herbs being better heated up prior to the mix Sombro, it's much the same with Indian cooking browning some herbs off prior to the main ingredients and then letting them cool before breaking down and adding to the main pot. Thanks for the pointer though cause I'd never have thought of it :)

You guys have my mouth watering !

Here's one that you can do slowly on a barbie and crisping it off towards the end and just as easy in the kitchen oven.

Take 4 butterfly chicken breasts and divide a 250gm pot of Boursin garlic cheese into the middle of each breast. Fold over the wings and wrap in bacon securing with cocktail sticks. If in an oven cook at 375°F/190°C/Gas Mark 5 for 25 munutes or on a barbie a low heat to avoid crisping the bacon before the chicken is cooked through. As soon as the garlic cheese starts to ooze on a barbie increase heat to brown off bacon if it isn't already.

You won't regret it!

[arnold layne]

and here is a special demi-glace recipie for you beef lovers.
this is what i top my steaks with if they're especially lean (lacking flavor).
try it on a filet mignon.

in a saucepan, sautee the following:
1T butter
1T olive oil
1 minced shallot
1 minced clove garlic

then add 1 can beef stock and 1 can veggie stock.
heat just to a boil, and keep there until very reduced and thick.
add cognac (or brandy), and let the alcohol cook off.

dump on top of steak and serve immediately.

simply delicious.