With summer around the corner, here are some tips to barbecue like a pro.
By: Melissa Hayes
It’s hot, it’s humid and the last thing anyone wants to think about is turning on the stove or oven to cook dinner.
But, with summer nearly here (it begins officially Tuesday), there are few ways better than turning to the barbecue in order to beat the heat of a hot kitchen. Finding the right grill to be the center of the party, however, may not be so easy.
First, buyers must decide what they are looking for. Is it a souped-up gas grill they want, or are they in the market for a simple charcoal grill?
"There are a lot of people who are charcoal fanatics," said Lorie Carkhuff, owner of Carkhuff’s Patio & Garden Center on Route 1. "Charcoal takes more time. Some people though, don’t want anything but how it used to be."
No matter what route you go charcoal or gas Ms. Carkhuff said it is important that you pick a reliable brand.
"You need to look for a company that’s got good backup," she said.
Carkhuff’s sells Weber grills exclusively. She said Weber has a 24-hour customer service line, product warranties and part replacement.
"I’ve never had a customer complain about anything that Weber does," she said.
Warranties aren’t exclusive to Weber though. Grill manufacturers Ducane and Char-Broil also have 24-hour customer service lines, warranties and parts replacement.
Ms. Carkhuff uses her grill all year. She even cooks her Thanksgiving turkey outside to free up space in her kitchen. For something like that, she said, you need something big.
For a top of the line gas grill and the most expensive one in the store there’s the Summit Platinum. At $1,999.99, it’s made of stainless steel, has six burners, an infrared rotisserie burner, motorized rotisserie spit-fork and for the true barbecue connoisseur, a smoke box, which allows chefs to add a smoky flavor to food cooked on a gas grill.
"This is bigger than my kitchen," Ms. Carkhuff said about the cooking space.
Weber grills also offer something most of its competition doesn’t, a way to prevent flare-ups while cooking. According to Weber’s Web site, the company has invented V-shaped metal bars that rest on top of the burners and vaporize drippings to prevent flare-ups and to keep food from burning.
If you’re not planning to have a huge backyard bash, a smaller grill might be a better choice. Gauge the size you want by how many people you plan on cooking for. For someone looking to cook on a smaller scale, Carkhuff’s sells Weber’s Smokey Joe, a hibachi-like charcoal grill that retails at $29.99.
Buyers also should be aware of where the burners are placed. Ms. Carkhuff said they should be evenly spaced so food cooks properly. Carkhuff’s has grills with three, four and even six burners.
The Weber Genesis Silver gas grill line is very popular, Ms. Carkhuff said. She said people like that it has a storage cabinet. The grill also has three burners, which allows for better temperature control.
In addition, for about $50, a side burner can be added to a standard size grill. Larger sizes may cost more, Ms. Carkhuff said.
"You either use it or you don’t. There’s no in between," she said.
For an everyday griller who wants charcoal flavor, Carkhuff’s carries two options. The Weber One-touch 18½-inch grill with a domed top is a good size for a family and cost $59.99, Ms. Carkhuff said. The 22½-inch model costs $79.99.
Kicking it up a notch, there’s the Weber Performer Charcoal Grill. It’s a conventional charcoal grill with an added workspace, storage and gas igniter. It runs for $299.99 for the smaller model and $399.99 for the larger model.
OK. So now that you have your grill, what’s next?
Rob Ruggiero, owner of Big Ed’s BBQ on Route 130 in Dayton said the secret to a great barbecue flavor is in the sauce. Big Ed’s BBQ cooks its meat with gas rather than charcoal.
While Mr. Ruggiero didn’t want to give away the restaurant’s grilling secrets, he did offer a few pointers.
"Make sure the meat is nice and tender," he said. "Never put the meat on the grill without any sauce. It goes in while you cook. If you put it on the grill without the sauce, you’ll burn the meat."
Mr. Ruggiero said these tips are for both chicken and ribs.
He recommends using a lot of sauce and to reapply as the meat cooks.
"The meat just sucks it right up," he said.
On the other hand, Marco Velez, co-owner of Red River BBQ on Georges Road in Dayton, said to add the barbecue sauce after the meat is cooked. However, he does recommend seasoning the meat beforehand.
"Meat should be seasoned and the longer you can let the meat sit in the seasoning or marinate, the better," he said.
Mr. Ruggerio said buying a grill with a smoke box, or buying a smoke box separately, is unnecessary.
"The flavor comes, in our experience, with the sauce that you use, the spices, and not over cooking," Mr. Ruggiero said.
Mr. Velez said smoking the food adds a one of a kind flavor.
"Smoking gives a flavor to the meat that you just can’t get any other way," Mr. Velez said. "Take ribs for example. A lot of people bake them in the oven then finish them on the grill. They braze the meat with liquid smoke, barbecue sauce and seasoning. That gets into the surface of the meat, but it doesn’t penetrate it."
Mr. Velez said it takes about four to six hours to really smoke a rack of ribs.
"Depending on the wood, it’s going to really affect the flavor of the meat," he said.
In Texas, he said beef barbecue is popular and it’s usually smoked with a mesquite wood.
The local Red River BBQ serves its meat smoked with a combination of hickory and apple wood for a milder flavor for the Northeasterners not used to mesquite barbecue.
If you still don’t know what grill is right for you, do some research online. Weber’s Web site, www.weber.com, offers a smart shoppers checklist. Char-Broil’s site, www.charbroil.com, has a grill selector which asks a series of questions and presents results based on the answers. Ducane has a downloadable PDF of all it’s grills online at www.ducane.com, so buyers can pick a grill before leaving the house to buy one.
Whatever grill you choose, Mr. Velez offers one last bit of advice.
"When grilling, a clean grill is a happy grill," he said.