Shortcuts on the grill can be a very bad idea.
Attempting to grill over charcoal that has not “ashed over” and is still burning a high flame may cause burning on the grilled item. Grilling on a gas grill before it has time to heat up will lead to uneven cooking and lack of browning and a good sear.
However, there can be some great ideas for grilling shortcuts. Modern food preparation takes advantage of many shortcuts. I can spend a good hour in the grocery store or specialty food store exploring. It is easy to neglect the shopping and become engrossed in all the different packages. I read the ingredients, nutritional information and suggestions on how to prepare items.
Although I don’t care much for the idea of “heat and serve” and “mix and serve” types of foods, there are some items that make quite a bit of sense.
Take for instance the herb and spice section of the grocery store. There are many blends of herbs available today.
One of my favorites for many years has been a mix of herbs called “Italian Seasoning.” It is a blend of dried marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil. I use this blend of herbs quite often and have featured it in a few recipes in the past. It is very simple to use. All you have to do is shake this herb blend over chicken, add a little salt and pepper and you are ready to grill in just one minute. If you had to assemble some of these herbs individually, preparation would have been longer.
I can’t mention herb blends as shortcuts without mentioning a classic herb blend: Herbes de Provence. This blend of herbs includes thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage and lavender. They are widely used in the Provence region of Southern France. I will talk about this a little more in the weeks ahead when I feature my recipe for Slow Roasted Provence Chicken.
Another great source for quick seasonings can be found in the aisle with the packaged sauce, seasoning and gravy mix. I must admit that I am guilty of using these items once in a while. How can you blame me when it makes some day-to-day cooking easier?
My favorite one to use is the taco seasoning mix. I enjoy its blend of flavors that include chili pepper, cumin, Mexican oregano and onion. I use it to make a wide array of items including American-style tacos, dips and salad dressings and of course, as a marinade for steaks.
Packages of seasonings that are specifically for grilling are also available in this section. To use them as a marinade, add water to them and mix until the seasoning is well incorporated. You may want to experiment with liquids other than water too. Just as a tip, I didn’t care for the marinade when I mixed the package with some tequila.
There is one set of items at the grocery store that are not sold specifically for grilling, but they make flavoring meat, seafood and vegetables very simple. Once used only to flavor salads, salad dressings are gaining popularity when used with crudites and on sandwiches.
Salad dressings make a fantastic grilling marinade or basting sauce and are available in a wide variety of flavors. My family has made use of Italian salad dressing to marinate chicken for many years. For marinating purposes, stay away from creamy salad dressings or ones that have cheese as part of their ingredients. The creamy dressings will separate when exposed to direct heat. The cheese in some salad dressings will burn when exposed to the direct heat of the grill.
Take caution with sweet salad dressings as the sugars may burn on the grill. Sweet salad dressings, such as honey mustard are best used towards the end of grilling as a basting sauce.
When exploring for new and exciting ways to flavor items for the grill, keep an open mind. Think about the items that you use every day. How can they be used to spice things up on the grill? Explore the aisles of the grocery store and sections you may not have thought of for a different touch of flavor. With a little bit of confidence and experimentation, you to can discover simple and new ways to flavor or marinate food for the grill.
Taco Seasoning Steaks
From Mitch Mariani
Serves 4
1 1/2 – 2 pound steak such as London broil or flank
1 package (or 1/4 cup) taco seasoning
3/4 cup of water
Step 1: Mix the taco seasoning with water to make the marinade. Allow it to sit for a few minutes so that the onions may re-hydrate.
Step 2: Place the steak into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over the meat. Press out all excess air and seal the bag. Allow the steak to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Step 3: Remove the meat from the bag and place the meat over a medium hot grill. Grill over the direct heat for about 7 to 10 minutes a side, depending upon thickness of the meat. Allow the steak to rest for about 10 minutes prior to slicing.
Step 4: Slice the meat across the grain. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Italian Salad Dressing Chicken
From Mariani Family
Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast or 1 cut chicken
1 cup Italian salad dressing
Step 1: Wash and dry the chicken pieces.
Step 2: Place the chicken into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Pour salad dressing over the chicken, making sure it is well coated. Press out all excess air and seal the bag. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Step 3: Remove the chicken from the bag and place over a medium hot grill. Grill over the direct heat for about 20 to 30 minutes depending upon the size and piece of chicken. You may choose to baste the chicken with additional salad dressing. Do not use the marinade from the raw chicken for this purpose. Discard any leftover salad dressing that was used for basting.
Step 4: Serve immediately with a simple salad and some bread.
