Semi-homemade Grilling

Here are some really easy ideas for fast grilling with stuff you already have in your fridge

Italian or polish sausage, I slice mine down the middle, so both sides can get crispy. As a kid we had this a lot and usually had macaroni and cheese to go with it!

I marinated boneless skinless chicken breasts in italian dressing for a tangy, easy marinade!

These chicken breasts I basted with buffalo wing sauce for a spicy, easy "kick it up a notch" grilled chicken! Hopefully these will motivate you to get outside and grill this weekend!

The Perfect Onion Side Dish!

When your grilling out steaks, please try this! I'm telling you it's DELISH! All you need is 1 onion per person. Like so...:)

Peel the onion and cut of the root end...

Take a knife and hollow out the core...

USE BUTTER if you can..I used olive oil for calorie purposes :) Pour or place butter in center...

after the butter place a beef bouillon cube in the center and wrap tightly with foil. (Here is used powered bouillon) So either will work

AND THROW THEM ON THE GRILL! IT TAKES ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES. They are SO GOOD and you can serve them in a nice platter and people will think you have a special seasoning for them but little did they know it was a tiny b Bouillon cube! :)

ENJOY!

Soy, Dijon & Garlic Drumsticks

Marinade: soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, lemon zest & juice, Dijon mustard, fresh garlic, cracked black pepper

Add about a tablespoon (or more if you like a certain flavor) of each into a big ziplock bag

Add thawed large drumsticks to bag of marinade and let soak for 30-60 mins, tossing to get both sides coated.

I use skin on, bone in chicken, because the skin keeps the tops moist & the bone keeps the bottom side moist.

I grill my chicken skin side down at first and let it get good and charred (BLACK) because it insures that it cooks through and I don't eat the skin anyway, so it's a great barrier to keep meat moist. {drumsticks obviously have skin on all sides, so this technique isn't necessarily for this cut of chicken}

I threw on some potatoes to go with the chicken

The finished product! Try this marinade, it's really yummy!

Top Ten Tips For Making the Juiciest Burgers:

Don’t overwork your meat when mixing the ingredients.

Allow your patties to come to room temperature before cooking.

The higher the fat content in your meat, the juicier the burger.

Be gentle when forming patties…don’t use too much pressure. Like a pancake, don’t press down on the patties while cooking. Test doneness by touch. The firmer the burger is, the more well done it is.

Make sure one part of the grill it hot enough to sear the meat, and another warm enough to cook it. The first thing you want to do is sear it, this locks in all the juices. THEN move the patty to another part of the grill that is a lower temperature for cooking.

Turn your patties only ONCE.

Try a teaspoon of butter or your favorite herb butter in the middle of every patty. This will ensure juiciness.

After you have cooked your burgers, allow them to rest without cutting for 5 minutes.

Don’t forget about ground chicken as an option for a super juicy burger. (Note: you will need to add a binder of breadcrumbs to keep the burgers together for cooking)

Grilling Guest

Hi, Monica here. I've been asked by Allie (co-author of Girls Grill) to share a grilling experience.

My new favorite easy grill side item is sweet corn on the cob. It's so cheap and easy and it goes with almost anything.

The first thing to do is shuck the corn. Once you get the husk and strings off, you need to soak the cobs in water for about 15 minutes. Next, you just wrap each cob in foil and place them on the grill. Grill for about 10 minutes and then roll to the other side for another 10 minutes. Open the foil and add butter, salt and pepper to taste. So simple. So tasty
I hope you will try this simple side dish. I don't cook and if I can do it, you can do it! Thank you for giving me the spotlight as an honorary classy girl griller. Monica H.

Grilling Steak is EASY!

Don't be scared to grill steak! It's easy if you follow these simple steps!

Grilling on the 4th last weekend

Take into thought of the price, tenderness, and flavor when making your choice for the perfect steak!

premium cuts:

(I usually grill these if I'm having company over) Filet:The most tender cut is cut directly from the beef tenderloin. ITS an expensive cut!

Ribeye: The ribeye is also a very tender cut. It is known for its 'marbled' look from the lines of fat that run throughout the steak. The fat will keep this steak juicy and full of flavor and when cooked properly the fat will seem to melt in your mouth. (I'm not big on this cut for some reason)

Strip: The strip boasts a bold 'steak' flavor. It is often called New York or Kansas City strip. The strip can be purchased by itself or can be found on the larger side of the T-Bone or Porterhouse cuts. (LOVE THE STRIP)

T-Bone/Porterhouse: These cuts feature a filet and strip separated by the 'T' bone. The Porterhouse has a larger filet than the T-Bone as it is cut from the back of the short loin where the tenderloin is largest. (LOVE T BONES :) )

Sirloin: If you are on a budget the sirloin is the way to go. It's cheaper than the other cuts but the quality is not as high. Make sure it's top-sirloin. (*If you cook these right they are delish! Make sure you stab the steak several times to tenderize) They also make great kabobs!

I let my steaks get to room temperature before I grill them!

Apply Rub! Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and coat in olive oil. Let the olive oil drip off to avoid flareups on the grill. In a small bowl combine 1 Tbsp fresh cracked black pepper and 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt per steak. Cover the complete steak in the mixture and rub into the steak. (I use different spices each time) You can add whatever you would like. This is just the SIMPLE way to do it :)

Grill

Preheat the grill: For gas grills preheat on high for 20 minutes. Charcoal grills are ready when the coals are covered in white ash -GET IT HOT HOT HOT!

Sear the steaks: Place the steaks on the grill and cook for 3 minutes a side on the highest heat setting with the lid closed!

Reduce the heat to medium high. For charcoal grills move the steaks to the sides and cook until the steak is firm.

This is how I tell if my steak is done. I take my tongs, press the drumstick part of your hand (I don't know anyway else to describe it, but the part by your thumb) and press your tongs on it, then press the tongs on the steak, if it feels the same, like the firmness of it, ITS DONE! (I hope you can understand what I'm talking about, It's hard to explain..I need to make you a video!

Continue cooking according to your preference, if the hand trick doesn't work here is a grilling chart that I found online.

Grilling chart Steak Thickness

1"
1 1/4"
1 3/4"
Rare(120-129F)
0-1 Min
2-3 Min
4-5 Min
Medium Rare(130-139F)
1-2 Min
3-4 Min
5-6 Min
Medium(140-149F)
2-3 Min
4-5 Min
6-7 Min
Medium Well(150-159F)
4_5 Min
6-7 Min
8-9 Min

Let steaks rest for 5 minutes!

Grilling Rub

Here is an easy delicious rub for any meat or poultry.Ingredients: (2 teaspoons of each) Chili powder, fresh ground pepper, kosher salt, ground cumin, dried oregano & granulated garlic

add all seasonings to a small bowl

combine everything with a fork

store in zip-lock bag away from heat & light

So how long should you use a rub? Thin cuts of boneless meat, such as chicken breasts, fish fillets, pork tenderloin, chops and steak 15-30 minutes. Thicker cuts of bone-in meats need 30-90 minutes

Grilling Friday

I grilled chicken quarters and veggies this week!
4th of July is the biggest grilling holiday of the year.
We hope you are bar-b-q'ing this holiday and if you do, PLEASE email us your recipe and pictures and we will feature your wonderful food in a future post.

Wishing you all a very happy 4th, that is fun & safe!

GRILLED SHRIMP COCKTAIL

After these plump up from a quick brine, and cook in their shells, they'll eat more like peel-and-eat lobster tails than plain old shrimp. Serve this alongside grilled steak, and it'll be not only a great respite from the meat's richness, but it'll give you a surf-and-turf20experience, which for me was one of the most exciting things to get at a restaurant when I was little.

Ingredients:Serves 8

Brine:
8 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 lemons
4 garlic cloves , peeled and grated on a Microplane grater
3 cups ice
24 8- to 12-count unpeeled shrimp (this means shrimp that come 8 to 12 to a pound)
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive=2 0oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup minced chives
Freshly ground coarse black pepper
2 1/2 cup cocktail sauce
2 lemons , each cut into 4 wedges

1. Combine all of the brine ingredients in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Cut the lemons in half, squeeze the juice into the brine, and add the whole lemons as well. Stir in the garlic, followed by the ice.For each of the shrimp, using a paring knife, cut along the curve of the back of the shrimp, and remove the vein, keeping the shells intact. Clip the feet off with a small pair of scissors.Place the shrimp in the brine and refrigerate for 1 hour.2. Preheat all grates of a well-oiled charcoal or gas grill to medium.3. Remove the shrimp from the brine and lightly20pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss the shrimp in the canola oil.In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and chives. Set aside.4. Place the shrimp on the grate, close the lid, and grill for 4 minutes. Flip to the second side and grill for 4 minutes.5. Remove from the grill and immediately place in the bowl with the olive oil mixture, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges on the side.From Serious Barbecue by Adam Perry Lang.

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