May 23, 2019

Hey Everyone!

Summer means different things to different people: surfing and beach volleyball, lazing on the patio, reading a good book or just getting to throw on a pair of shorts now and then. But regardless of your seasonal predisposition or where you're located, one shared pleasure of summer is and always will be grabbing the tongs, stoking the coals and biting into a lightly charred piece of meat.

That doesn't mean everyone knows how to do it right.

Handy Hints Holly
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Hint 1: Strike Oil

You cook with oil when you're making something on your stove, so why would outside be any different?

Often times, leaner cuts of protein, like fish, tend to stick to the grates of your grill. Defend against it by using a pair of tongs to rub a paper towel soaked in cooking oil over the grates. An alternative method is to brush your food with olive oil and season it with sea salt before it goes on the grill.

Have you tried using grilling mats? These are great...it's a high heat-resistant cooking surface that you put over your grill rack so that food doesn't fall through. This allows you you to cook things like shrimp, veggies, chicken wings and delicate fish fillets without the hassle.

My favorite use for the grilling mat is fish fillets. Hands down, nothing beats grilled orange roughy. It's just such a pain to cook the fillets on the grill - the fish starts to fall apart. The grilling mat gives you a smooth surface, making it so much easier to move and flip the fish.

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Hint 2: Breathing Room

While there are a multitude of effective ways to direct your heat for cooking, full blast isn't one of them.

Whether it's leaving one gas burner off or simply positioning your coals to one side, always make sure there's at least one small area that is not over direct heat and that's not crammed with food. This allows you to move your food around accordingly to ensure nothing gets burned - and gives you a "safe zone" to move food for slower cooking or to rescue the perfect piece of meat from a nasty flare-up.

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'Go Green' Hint: Avoid waste

Consider using reusable dishes and silverware, rather than disposable.

Say no to paper plates and plastic cutlery. If you're having a small gathering, use your own plates (reusable ones) and your own cutlery.

It's not a big deal having to wash up a few bits after the event. If the event is so big that using your own plates is not an option, make sure you opt for biodegradable utensils and plates for the guests.

Another important consideration is avoiding prepackaged waste and buying fruit and vegetables from a produce stand, rather than in a package.