The Food Lab's Top 10 Tips for Grilling Season

10 Things to Always Keep in Mind by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt 

Spring is upon us, which, for me, means more excuses to try and get out of work early to start grilling. Luckily, these days, taking the afternoon off to grill fits nicely within my job description (have I mentioned I love working here?), and I plan on doing that regularly. I mean, it's just fire plus meat (and the occasional piece of greenery), right? But there's some subtlety involved, and a few rules that are worth remembering in order to make the most of your flame. Here are ten things to always keep in mind:

1. Get Ready Before You Light Up. Even more than with indoor cooking, grilling requires you to be prepared. Have your tools, meat, vegetables, brushes, platter, cutting boards, utensils, sauces, sides, condiments, and hungry mouths ready before you light up the coals. Unlike an indoor burner, which you can shut off and restart at moment's notice, with an outdoor grill, once the coals get going, you have very little control over when your food will be ready. Make sure you are ready when it is.

 

2. 

   Use the Right Fire for the Job. When I was younger, my strategy for grilling was to use one temperature: hellish inferno. It was perfect for thin steaks, burgers, and perhaps melting barbie doll heads, but anything thicker than a half-inch would be rendered into a brick of volcanic rock surrounding a cold, raw center. To cook properly on a grill, you've gotta know what type of flame to use for which job.

      

3. Clean Your Grill Grate. You should be cleaning your grill grate every time you use it, but after a winter spent in hibernation (or worse, exposed to the elements!), some rust and crud is expected. The best way to get everything sparkling clean for the start of the season is to take a hint from your oven's self-cleaning cycle and super-heat your grill grates. Lighting a full chimney of coals, spreading them out, and covering your grill for 10 minutes will get the temperature up to around 600°F, with the grill grates pushing 650°F or so. This isn't hot enough to vaporize any burnt-on foodstuffs and reduce it to ash. For this, you need temperatures closer to 900°F or 1,000°F. To get there, cover your grill with heavy duty aluminum foil before lighting the fire, making sure to leave a 1-inch border along the opposite edges to allow for ventilation. Place the grill over hot coals (or over your gas burners), cover the grill, and allow it to preheat for 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover the grill, remove the foil, then scrub away with a grill brush. Finally, give your grill a wipe down with a paper towel dipped in oil (hold that with tongs!), and your grill is good to go for the season...

Read the rest of Keni's great tips by visiting our blog!

Serious Eats  

-J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Jerry Baird's

Western Cooking and Grilling at Its Finest 

Western cooking and grilling at its finest.  That is exactly what Jerry Baird has provided to his clients and friends in West Texas for over 35 years.  And, the key to it are his awesome Jerry Baird's rubs and seasonings, which have been sold successfully since 2003.  With these rubs and seasonings, Jerry Baird has won a whole lot of World Championship cooking events. 

Jerry's Chuck Wagon is almost an icon around West Texas.  And, thanks to Jerry and his friends who encouraged the implementation of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 8, the Chuck Wagon is now known as the Official Vehicle of Texas.

In addition, Jerry Baird has twice received the Will Rogers Western Artist award for bringing the cowboy movement into the 21st century through his contemporary work and by carrying on the traditions of those who preceded him in the use of the Chuck Wagon.

Jerry Baird's Seasonings on Texas Country Reporter

Jerry has also received special recognition from The Texas Country Reporter, where he was featured multiple times, and for being selected to cook for the 1996 Cattle Drive from Texas to Montana, and for the Executive Committee of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

325-573-8389  

Texas Music Chart

Your Guide to Texas and Red Dirt Music

Stoney LaRue and Johnny Cooper both hit the Texas Music Chart last week and have since taken off running. LaRue's "Velvet" racks up 240 more spins this week moving from #20 to #12, while Coop's "Hot Mess" shoots up from 14 spots from #47 to #33.

This seems to be the week for new music as there are five new entries on the Chart. "My Texas" by Josh Abbott Band featuring Pat Green shows up at #43. "Another Like You" by Hayes Carll comes in at #44. "Dream it All Over Again" by Rosehill is at #45. "Go Back There Again" by Jason Meadows enters at #47, and "The Apology" by Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward is at #49.

Not much change in the Top 5 this week. Kevin Fowler holds on to the #1 spot with "Hell Yeah, I Like Beer," Cody Canada & The Departed remain at #2, Eli Young Band keeps #3 with "Crazy Girl," and "Breaks My Heart" by Casey Donahew Band moves up to #4, pushing "Long Hot Summer Days" by Turnpike Troubadours to #5.

News, Sales, & Events

D&D Farm and Ranch 

Seguin, Texas

830-379-7340 

 

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RENDEZVOUS WEST AT THE 40th ANNUAL CARBONDALE MOUNTAIN FAIR THIS WEEKEND!  

 

Rendezvous West has a lot of great new things they've created and will be bringing to the Carbondale Mountain Fair in Colorado this weekend. Stop by their website to see what's new!

 

 

 

Rendezvous West 

Lakewood, Colorado 

303-669-4126

  

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J.J. WATT, HOUSTON TEXANS NEW DEFENSIVE END, VISITS PINTO RANCH!

Speaking of football season, J.J. Watt, Houston Texans new Defensive End, stopped by Pinto Ranch this week to buy a brand new cowboy hat! Steve helped fit him with a brand new, black Seratelli.

 

Pinto Ranch 

Houston, Texas 

713-333-7900

  

Dallas, Texas

214-217-6200 

 

Things to Do Comin' up Soon

Here is a short list of things comin' up soon. Be sure to check out the entire event calendar on TheWesternVault.com for a complete list of great western events all over the United States! 

• July 12-30: NCHA Summer Spectacular- Fort Worth, Texas
• July 22- 31: Cheyenne Frontier Days- Cheyenne, Wyoming
• July 29-31: 75th Anniversary Western Horseman Celebration & Ride- Colorado Springs, Colorado  
• July 29-31: 40th Annual Carbondale Mountain Fair- Carbondale, Colorado 
• August 3-6: Trigger & Bullet Happy Trails Tour- Portsmouth, Ohio
• August 10-13: Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association Western US Championship- Las Vegas, Nevada
• August 13- November 12: AQHA Museum: America's Horse in Art- Amarillo, Texas
• August 18-20: Western Legends Roundup- Kanab, Utah