by BBQ Guru on October 21, 2011
Delicious, flaky fish plus the flavor of wood smoke is a combination that few humans are immune to; even some that don’t like the fishy taste can be lured with the smoky sweetness of something properly smoked. Making smoked fish also is a great way to show off BBQ grill tool skills and take advantage of sales on fresh fish. Start the process by brining the fish; this could take up to 12 hours so this is defiantly a plan ahead BBQ adventure.
The actual recipe to smoke fish is simple; the brine can be just water with dissolved salt and sugar. After the brine, dry the fish and let it set for at least an hour; the hardest part is making sure the temperate of the smoker stays around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. For those with many years of BBQ behind, this is easier, but those new to this ultimate form of low and slow cooking should see how best to set up the charcoal or gas grill or smoker and which wood chips are best for each type of fish. But after mastering the basic method, it is a culinary haven and thrifty paradise to buy fresh fish on sale and experiment with new brines and different kinds of wood chips.
by BBQ Guru on October 18, 2011
The hamburger is an American classic and a yardstick of the cookout. Mastering the burger therefor is an aim for every griller to ever own grill tools. What could easily be called the perfect burger is both juicy and flavorful, but still held together well. The real trick to a great hamburger patty has nothing to do with seasoning mixes or even added ingredients at all.
A good burger, full of flavor, is little more than good beef. The more flavor the original meat has logically the more the burger will have. So pick good quality beef, preferably ground by the butcher rather than shipped ground. Pick also an 80/20 mix of lean meat to fat, this may seem like a lot, but quite a bit cooks out when grilled. This balance plus a good amount of mixing just before forming the burgers is all that is really needed apart from salt, pepper, and that wonderful grill flavor. Giving the meat a good mixing before forming it makes the fat present tackier and thus the patties stick together a little better. Some grillers also promote poking a little hole in the center of the burger to let heat flow better, but that is an option every griller can make personally.
