Ron Tolliver
Rushville Republican
RUSHVILLE —
Rule #1 is get rid of your grill fork. always use tongs to turn your meat. If you puncture meat with a fork you allow the juices to escape from the meat losing flavor and creating dryness. There are as in most things exceptions to the rule. When cooking some of your tougher cuts of meat you can take a fork and puncture the meat to use a tenderizing marinade or I also recommend Adolph's unseasoned tenderizer.
Whether usinga gas or charcoal grill allow the grill grate to get hot and allow coals to get a gray coating on them. I then take a paper towel and soak in some cooking oil and coat the grates with oil so that the meat will not stick to it.
You only turn the steak over one time and one time only. When the meat is cooking the internal moisture rises to the top of the meat. The way to know when it's time to turn is when you can see tiny bubbles forming on the top of the meat. When you turn the meat remember that the second side cooks faster than the first. If you cooked the first side 8 minutes the second side will most likely only take about 5 minutes. Over cooking will dry out the meat and make it tougher.
Never use salt on a steak before putting it on the grill. You can salt the top of the steak only after turning. The same is also true of seasoned salt. There is not a set time for cooking because of the differences in meat and temperature of grill. Just watch the steaks closely and follow the bubbles. A meat thermometer will register a temp of 140 degrees for rare, 160 for medium and 170 for well done. Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes as this will allow the juices to absorb evenly throughout the meat.
We've talked about beef steaks now let's turn our attention elsewhere. One of the first things that come to mind,what little I have left, is grilled smoked pork chops. There isn't much to do to them but throw them on a hot grill, cook them a few minutes on each sideand run over anyone that gets in the way of eating them. Just kidding of course but the point being is that along with some grilled veggies they are darn sure hard to beat. While in the pork family don't forget pork steaks, ham steaksand another of my favorites is pork sirloin. With a net wrapped pork sirloin just cut the netting off and divide into steaks. Being more reddish in color than a pork loin I feel that when grilled it retains more moisture and had a deeper pork flavor that the loin. I prefer sirloins when making pulled pork, but that is another subject.
There are so many different kinds of meat you can use for just grilling and a little marinade, it would be hard to list them all. Grilled chicken breasts, lamb chops, fish, shrimp and then there are the ka-bobs. For the purpose of this column we will discuss the ka-bobs later as I feel that the time and space they deserve is a bit much for one writing.
Don't be afraid to use marinades with meat you are going to grill. There are quite a number of them available at your local grocery of you can develop your own to suit your particular tastes. Some marinades you will allow the meat to rest in for just a few minutes while others may be for 2 or 3 days. The time allowed for marinating is primarily determined by the strength of flavor of the meat. The stronger the flavor the longer to marinate. Also remember the the marinade is an enhancement to the meat and not dominating flavor.
Jack Danial's Marinade
pork-beef-chicken
2/3cup Jack Danial's whiskey
1/2cup soy sauce
1/2cup packed light brown sugar
2 large white onions chopped
1/2cup Dijon style mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
combine all ingredients in a blender
blend until smooth
marinate overnight and use as a basting sauce
Caribbean Jerk Marinade
pork
12 Jalapeno peppers stems and seeds removed
1/2cup chopped green onions with tops
4 tablespoons allspice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2cup water
1/4cup honey
1/2cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons A-1 original steak sauce
combine all ingredients in a blender
blend until smooth
pour mixture over pork
toss and allow to marinate
for 15 minutes at room temperature
use as basting sauce during grilling
Soy Sauce Marinade
beef
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1/2cup canola oil
1/2cup soy sauce
1/2cup honey
1/4cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 green onions chopped with tops
2 cloves garlic mashed and minced
combine all ingredients in a blender
blend on high until smooth
pour mixture over steaks
cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
brush marinade on steaks half way through grilling
discard any remaining marinade
Beer Marinade
beef
2 12oz cans beer
1/2cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoon lemon juice
combine all ingredients and whisk well
pour over beef
cover and refrigerate for 3 hours
use remaining marinade for basting during grilling
Beef Brisket Marinade
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2teaspoon white pepper
1/2teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
combine all ingredients
mix well
pour over whole brisket
cover and refrigerate for 24 hours
remove meat and grill
use remaining marinade for basting frequently
Smoked Chile Marinade
great on pork, also good on chicken
3 oranges juiced
1 lime juiced
3 canned chipotle chilies
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2teaspoon cumin
1/2teaspoon white pepper
1/2teaspoon black pepper
1/2teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
place citrus juices and remaining ingredients in blender
blend until smooth
this make enough for about 2 lbs of meat
pour over meat, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
Red Wine And Oregano Marinade
Lamb
1/2cup chopped onions
1/2cup fresh chopped oregano
12 cloves garlic mashed
1/4teaspoon white pepper
1/4teaspoon black pepper
1/4teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2cup dry red wine
1/2cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
place all ingredients in a blender
blend well until smooth
pour mixture over meat and toss
let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes
remove meat from marinade and grill
Ron's Special T-Bones
serves 4
4 1lb t-bone steaks
2 lb oyster shell mushrooms
1 1/2sticks salted butter
2 cloves garlic mashed and finely diced
3 teaspoons white pepper divided
salt
use 2 teaspoons white pepper to sprinkle on steaks
rub in
place on grill over medium hot heat
in a large skillet melt butter over medium heat
cut bottom of stems of mushrooms
add garlic to butter
saute for 2 minutes
add mushrooms
saute for about 5 minutes
grill steak for about 7 to 8 minutes
or until tiny bubbles form on top
turn steaks with tongs and lightly salt
when grilled to desired doneness remove from heat
serve with sauteed mushrooms on top
allow to rest for 5 to 7 minutes
enjoy
Savory Grilled Pork Chops With Fruit Salsa
serves 6
1 8oz can pineapple tidbits in unsweetened juice
1/3cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic mashed and minced
6 6oz center cut pork chops
SALSA:
reservedpineapple
1/2cup fresh strawberries
1 orange peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons green onion chopped with tops
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
drain pineapple and set aside
reserve juice
in a 9 x 13 baking dish combine
reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce and garlic
blend well
add pork chops turning to coat well
cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours
turn occasionally
while pork chops are marinating
combine pineapple tidbits and remaining ingredients
mix well with spoon
cover and refrigerate
heat grill to medium high heat
remove pork chops from marinade
place chops on grill
cook about 8 minutes and turn
cook an additional 6 minutes
or until chops are no longer pink in middle
serve with salsa
enjoy
Porterhouse Steak With Vegetables
serves 4
VEGETABLES:
1 8oz package baby bello mushrooms cut in half
1 red bell pepper cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper cut into strips
2 pablano chilies seeded and cut in strips
1 medium onion cut in strips
1/2stick salted butter
3 cloves garlic mashed and minced
STEAK:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2teaspoon white pepper
1/4teaspoon salt
4 1 1/4inch thick porterhouse steaks
in an disposable foil pan place mushrooms,
bell peppers,chilies and onion
in a small sauce pan melt butter
add garlic
pour mixture over vegetables
cover with foil and be sure to seal
set aside
in a small bowl combine oil, pepper and salt
brush each steak with mixture
preheat grill to medium high heat
place steaks and vegetables on grill
cook steaks 15 to 20 minutes turning once
to desired doneness
serve vegetables with steaks
enjoy
Grilled Caribbean Chicken
serves 4
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2teaspoon dried thyme
1/2teaspoon paprika
1/4teaspoon white pepper
1/4teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
heat grill to medium heat
in a small bowl combine all ingredients except chicken
mix well
rub mixture onto chicken covering all
let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature
place chicken on hot grill
cook 9 to 12 minutes turning once
or until chicken is fork tender and juices
run clear
serve hot
Greek Marinated Turkey Breast Slices
serves 4
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic mashed and minced
3/4teaspoon dried oregano
1/2teaspoon dried basil
1/4teaspoon salt
1/8teaspoon white pepper
1/8teaspoon black pepper
4 4 to 6oz fresh sliced turkey breasts
in a shallow dish combine all ingredients except turkey
mix well
add turkey breast slices turning to coat well
cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate
remove turkey from marinade
place on grill over medium heat
discard marinade
cook 7 to 10 minutes turning once
or until fork tender and juices run clear
serve hot
Grilled Buffalo Strip Steaks
serves 4
3/4cup dry red wine
1/2cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic mashed and minced
3/4teaspoon white pepper
1/2teaspoon black pepper
4 6-8oz buffalo strip steaks
in a small bowl combine all marinade ingredients
mix well
place steaks into a resealable plastic bag
pour marinade over meat and seal
removing most of the air
marinate for at least 24 hours
48 hours is better
preheat grill to medium heat
grill at a slight lower temperature than beef
remove steaks from marinade
place steaks on grill and discard marinade
cook 2 to 3 minutes and turn
cook for another 1 to 2 minutes
cooking time depends on thickness of meat
and intensity of heat
cook's note: be very careful not to over cook meat
allow to rest 5 minutes
enjoy
Grilled Salmon And Marinade
serves 4
3 lb salmon filets
1/2cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4cup red wine vinegar
3/4teaspoon garlic salt
1/2tablespoon oregano
1/2teaspoon rosemary
1/2teaspoon basil
1/4teaspoon salt
1/8teaspoon white pepper
1/8teaspoon black pepper
1/4teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon water
in a shallow baking dish place salmon filets
in a small bowl combine remainder of ingredients
mix well
pour over salmon filets turning to coat well
cover and allow to marinate for 1 hour
preheat frill to medium high heat
375 to 400 degrees
place filets on grill for about 6 minutes per side
brush with marinade often
serve hot
