Summer Love: Just Me and My Grill

David Little's perfect burgers

Grilling is an art. It’s all about the equipment, the sauce, and of course, the chef. Some think it’s about knowing which meat goes where on the rack.

Just as some people are passionate about their cars, so are others about their grills. Jonathan Schweizer at Barbeques Galore on Westheimer says gas grills are selling more than charcoal ones. Stainless steel grills are more durable, especially if the insides are stainless. There are different grades of stainless steel, and 304 is the best grade. Although 430 is very popular it is not as durable. Schweizer says there is an easy way to test the quality of stainless steel. “Take a magnet to it. If it sticks, it will rust. If not, it is good quality stainless.” Schweizer says buying a stainless grill is like buying an expensive automobile. If it is priced below your perceived idea of what it should be, it is most likely not a good deal.  He stresses that the most important part of a gas grill is the burner.

“I personally have a multi-purpose pit that is a combination of BBQ grill, smoker, and infrared grill,” says Bill Bunch of Wood Crafters, who also happens to be a Bellaire resident. “When I get home from work and my time is limited to fire up the coals, the infrared section of the pit is a quick way to grill steaks or poultry. With the ability to cook at 1600°F, I can sear a 1 1/2 inch thick steak in about 12 minutes, medium rare, locking in the juice and flavor without drying out the meat. If I have a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to spare there is nothing more enjoyable than loading up the firebox with pecan or hickory and slow smoking brisket, venison, or baby-back ribs for several hours.” Some of his favorite items to grill are dove and quail. He prefers to do this with the meat removed from the breastbone (see recipe at right.)

Bunch says that although he has installed many good quality built-ins such as the Turbo, DCS, TEC, and Pit-Masters, Viking is his personal preference for ease of installation, appearance, and dependability. “Goode Company Hall of Flame store on Kirby is a favorite place to find unique hardwoods and grilling supplies to cook with. As for grill selections, Barbeques Galore is hard to beat, with a wide array of built-ins and freestanding models to choose from.”

It’s a given that those with propane tanks will run out of gas at the most inopportune time – like five minutes before the guests arrive. Schweizer recommends installing a gas line, if a customer has a way to get gas close to a location you could use to grill. He says it is more affordable in the long run, and installation is not as expensive as one may think. There are private contractors that can hook you up to the line, and you don’t need the gas company to do so. This way you are guaranteed an unlimited amount of gas. “Natural gas is less volatile than propane and cheaper. The grill will be counted as just another one of your gas appliances.”

Take a room of men and each will claim his barbequing method is perfection. But barbequing is not only a guy thing. There are many women who prefer to barbeque, and they are quite good at it too. “Women do the all the chopping of the garlic and onions, and preparing the marinade. Men throw it on the grill and get all the credit,” says resident Gina Pack. However, Bellaire Buzz staffer Leslie Little feels her husband David deserves all the credit for providing their family with great barbeque over the past 15 years of marriage. “He has honed his skill to provide us with the perfectly cooked meat every time,” she says. 

Good maintenance of your grill will assure you many years of service. A good way to keep your grill from rusting is to remove the ashes. When wet, ashes create a caustic base, like lye, which can eat up iron. Cleaning out the ashes, hosing down the grill, and spraying it with a mixture of a few tablespoons of vinegar to a gallon of water, should clean out the eroding materials. Let the grill dry out before closing it up. Those who use their grill 2-3 times a week should not have a problem with rusting. Keeping your grill in good working condition will ensure you countless, delicious, and healthy meals. Yum!

BILL BUNCH’S RECIPE: DIABLO DOVE

dozen boneless quail (or dove) breasts
pound of bacon
jar of pickled jalapeños
Olive Oil
Lemon Pepper Marinade
Garlic Salt
Salt and Pepper
Round Toothpicks

Place (1) large slice of jalapeño between quail or dove breast, wrap with slice of bacon and secure with two to three toothpicks. Place in shallow dish or on tray.  Coat liberally with olive oil and season heavily with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and lemon pepper marinade.  Flame broil breasts over hot coals, using excess marinade to baste. (I prefer to use charcoal briquettes with added mesquite or oak to flavor.) Cook until browned evenly. Remove from open flame and set to side of grill with lid shut for an additional twenty to thirty minutes (this helps the breasts absorb the smoky flavors.)

This dish makes an excellent appetizer or side to a main entrée.

Grilling Tips

The great thing about grilling is that almost anyone can be good at it. There are countless recipes, sauces, and tips to make your barbequing experience an even better one.

• When roasting or grilling with a BBQ pit closed, open a can of beer and place the beer over the hottest part of the fire. The beer will boil and super saturate the air inside the pit with vapor, keeping the meats moist and adding flavor.

• Whenever barbequing, use tongs to turn the meat, not a fork. Forks punch holes in the meat allowing its natural juices to escape, and the meat may become less flavorful and chewy.

• It is best to turn meats only once.

• Tomato as well as sugar based sauces should be added only at the end of the grilling process, since these products will easily burn and don’t usually flavor the inside layers of the meat.

• To prevent chops and steaks and other meats from curling while cooking, cut slashes in the edges of the fat at 2 inch intervals.

• Before cooking on your grill, brush some olive oil or use a cooking spray to coat the rack. This will keep foods from sticking and make cleanup easier.

• First cook meats with a little garlic powder and pepper in a dish in the microwave for a few minutes. This will make them less bloody in the middle, and you won’t have to overcook to get to the insides. This is especially true for thick chicken pieces.

• When using hardwoods on top of charcoals; soak them for at least 15 minutes before putting them on the coals. Oak chips give food a tangy flavor, and they are good for grilling fish and fresh game. Mesquite chips provide a strong, smoky flavor; pecan wood gives a mild nutty flavor, great for beef, pork and poultry. Another popular chip is apple, offering a mild fruity flavor to burgers and poultry.