Once again, many of us will be celebrating and paying tribute
during this Memorial Day weekend festivities. Some of us will brave
the high gas prices and head out of town for a day at a distant
lake or seaside. Others will keep closer to home and have a picnic
at a park. With the beautiful weather we are expecting, it is no
doubt that many will be grilling.
Once again, many of us will be celebrating and paying tribute during this Memorial Day weekend festivities. Some of us will brave the high gas prices and head out of town for a day at a distant lake or seaside. Others will keep closer to home and have a picnic at a park. With the beautiful weather we are expecting, it is no doubt that many will be grilling.
However, there is one aspect of grilling at these facilities that tends to strike fear into my heart: the public grill.
Public grills at parks and beaches are something I have been quite fearful of. Peek inside one of these grills and you will discover a variety of contents other than ash. Burnt out beer cans, cigarette butts, diapers and dead birds are just a few items I have discovered in the grills. The grill grate isn’t any better and remains somewhat questionable. Although the heat sanitizes the metal of the grill grate, I still find it rather unappealing.
Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to protect you and your family from any unsettling residue that may remain on these grills. These options can be relatively simple or complex.
The first option is a disposable grill liner. These are aluminum liners with the grill ridges built into them. They can sit perfect onto the grill grate or just above it. Similarly, you may also choose to use heavy-duty aluminum foil and fit it around the sections of the grill grate prior to lighting the grill.
If you do not like the idea of a disposable grill liner, then there is a nondisposable option. A separate grill grate, just like the grill grate on your grill at home, may be the answer. Not only will it elevate the meal above the public grill grate, but the metal of your grill grate will also heat and sear. The only downside of this option is making sure you bring the grill grate home with you.
The final option is probably the most involved. It can also avoid the use of the public grill completely. A small, portable gas or charcoal grill is the answer. A portable grill may not have the same exact surface area of the public grill, but you do not have the hassle of making sure the public grill is cleaned prior to using it. Many parks do not allow a flame outside of their public grills, so you will want to set your portable grill on top of the grill grate of the public grill.
Grilling at the lakeside, beach or park can be easy with the use of a public grill if you choose to use them. Since I believe that public grills can be less than sanitary, I hope you will consider some of my options for a more enjoyable experience.
For this week’s recipe, I turned to the food section of Yahoo.
The people over at Yahoo have worked hard during the past year to really bulk up their offerings and their site is quickly becoming the “go to” place for those interested in food.
Various magazines, such as Food & Wine Magazine and celebrity chefs such as Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart are contributors.
I came across a recipe for Maple Chipotle Barbecue Sauce. This one is so very good. I love the combination of the sweet from the maple syrup and the smoky spice flavor from the chipotle chilies.
Both of these flavors go very well with the grilled chicken. Three chipotle peppers may be a little overwhelming, so start with one and add more if you like. Unfortunately, the recipe was only for the sauce, but I added the directions for grilling the chicken.
Maple Chipotle Barbecue Chicken
(From Food & Wine Magazine; Serves 8)
For The Sauce
3 large chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, stems discarded
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Step 1: In a blender, combine the chipotles with the ketchup, maple syrup, broth and allspice and puree until smooth.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until golden, 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add the chipotle puree. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Cook over moderate heat until thickened, 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.
Step 5: Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
For The Chicken
2 large chickens, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil, for the grill
Step 1: Wash and dry all pieces of chicken. Use a liberal amount of salt and pepper to season all sides of the chicken pieces.
Step 2: Coat the grill grate with a good amount of oil to prevent sticking.
Step 3: Grill the chicken over a medium high fire, turning occasionally to prevent burning.
Step 4: Continue grilling for 30-40 minutes, depending on size of the chicken pieces.
Step 5: Coat each piece of chicken with a good amount of the barbecue sauce and finish cooking the sauce onto the chicken for an additional 5 minutes.
