9 Grilling Tips

Well, you now have your shiny new grill sitting out on the patio, and you're looking forward to cooking some plump, juicy burgers or steaks. You want your food to turn out well, but grilling, like anything else, does take some practice. These grilling tips will help you to get a good start, and create a great meal.

Always be sure to oil your grill first. Either spray the grill with a nonstick cooking spray before you turn the grill on, or you can wipe it down with a wad of paper towels dipped in cooking oil. If the grill is hot, be sure to hold the paper towels in a pair of tongs. Proper lubrication will keep the meat from sticking to the grill. If it sticks, it will tear when you turn it, and it will lose its juices and become dry, as well as looking unattractive, so be sure to properly oil the grill.

Let the grill preheat before you put any food on it. You want the grill to be a constant temperature. If you put on the meat while the grill is still heating, you may end up with dry meat. If you are using charcoal, check the coals before you put the meat on the grill. The coals should be completely gray. This allows the temperature to level off, and the lighter fluid to burn away.

If you don't like the taste of lighter fluid on your food, try using a chimney starter. Place the coals in the top, and then wad a couple of sheets of newspaper in the bottom. Light the paper, and wait for the coals to ignite, then dump them into the grill. Just be sure not to place the chimney starter on any flammable surface.

Make sure your meat is completely thawed before cooking. Thaw it in the refrigerator for a couple of days before you need it, and let it thaw. Remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before cooking. You can also thaw the meat in the microwave, but it will need to be cooked immediately after you remove it from the microwave.

Avoid foodborne illness, don't place the cooked meat on the same plate that you used to carry the raw meat to the grill. Use a different cutting board for meats and vegetables to avoid cross contamination.

Never use a fork to turn the meat. A fork will poke holes in the meat, allowing the juices to drain away, giving you dry meat, and a difficult buildup of grease and burned on juices to clean out of your grill. Use a pair of tongs to turn the meat, and keep the juices where then belong, inside the meat.

You'll need to open the lid from time to time to turn the meat, and to check for doneness. You want to leave the lid closed as much as possible, though. The changing temperatures from constantly opening and closing the lid will cause the meat to dry out. So, keep the lid closed unless you're turning or checking the meat.

Not everything needs to be cooked over the highest temperature that your grill can attain. If the heat is too high, the outside of the meat will burn, while the insides are barely cooked. Turn the temperature down a bit on the gas grill, or let the coals burn down a bit more on a charcoal grill. There certainly are some foods that need to be cooked on high, but not all.

If you want to brush a sugary barbecue sauce on your meat, wait until the last few minutes of cooking time. If you put the sauce on too soon, the sugar in the sauce will burn.

So, fire up the grill, and practice your grilling techniques. Apply these simple tips, and you'll be grilling like a pro in no time.

Cyan Design 02710 Charcoal Mirror Charcoal

Cyan Design 02710 Charcoal Mirror Charcoal Review

Cyan Design 02710 Charcoal Mirror Charcoal Overview

Cyan Design 02710 Kelbrook Mirror

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Apr 21, 2010 11:24:06

Clipboards With Built In Storage Compartments

A lightweight clipboard with storage capabilities offers a perfect platform or writing surface to complete an opinion poll, worksheet, or survey in a fast, effective manner on the go.

A storage clipboard made in a resilient polypropylene or sound aluminum is often outfitted on the outside with a 1 - 1.5-inch capacity clip to secure standard sized legal or letter pads, worksheets, or papers, while its bottom, top or side hinge opening reveals a generous storage space.

A clipboards inner storage space, designed to keep items dry, safe and clean, is often split or divided to offer up to 3 shelves, with a total height of 2-inches, giving sufficient space to accept a multitude of small-sized office accessories, such as note or memo pads, pencils, files, pens or a calculator.

A versatile storage or box clipboard, with a sizable capacity (sufficient space to accept 50 loose sheets) measures in at 15.5-inch in height x 2.25-inches in depth x 10.75-inches in width. A space of this nature also comes with a separate filling compartment for writing instruments, such as pens or pencils.

Popular features often seen with a high-quality storage clipboard include a contoured grip for comfortable handling, a low-profile paper grip in rubber or nickel-plated (with molded cushions), a separate space for pencils, paper clips, pens, etc. A solid clip to hold a calculator, slots for filling business cards, a dependable self-locking latch for a secure closure, and a 3-ring binder to accept hole-punched documents.

A well-made plastic or aluminum storage board often comes with an antimicrobial protective coating to help in stopping or slowing the effects of harmful bacteria or fungi growth, and that helps in extending the lifespan of these well-handled writing platforms.

A standard black or charcoal to bright orange colored clipboards are ideal for an active professional on the move and employed in such occupations as coaching, construction, sales, public safety or real estate, and serves as a great travel accessory to avoid taking along an extra holdall for the small items, such as pens and calculators.

Overall, a thin, stylish designed storage clipboard in plastic or aluminum is ideal for completing worksheets, surveys, or taking notes, and ensures all related supplies are kept protected and safe from the weather.

How to Use Grill Parts to Extend Your Outdoor Cooking

Outdoor cooking equipment is usually built sturdy, especially if you have bought it from the top brands like Weber, Brinkmann, Broilmaster, Char Broil, Ducane etc. If you do develop a problem with your gas grill, charcoal grill or electric grill, though, you do not need to panic and wonder whether you need to get new cooking equipment.

Weber and Brinkman gas grill parts are quite easy to get. You can have your barbecue grilling equipment as good as new by getting the exact replacement original manufacturer parts. Most grill manufacturer parts are identified by part numbers and you can find a variety of sources online where you can order them.

When it comes to Weber grills, Weber has an organized system to find replacement parts for your grilling equipment. On their company website, they have a replacement parts page where you can choose the right Weber grill parts after you identify the kind of grill you have. They provide you with a list of replacement parts available for your particular model number along with the price information. This would include replacement grill grates, ash catchers, wheels, lid handles and so on.

Broilermaster gas grill parts are built to last. These quality gas grills come with stainless steel construction with thick aluminum grill body castings so that you can enjoy prolonged heat. Although priced a bit on the higher side, Broilmaster outdoor cooking equipment are a good investment that come with adequate warranty and smart looks.

Char Broil grills, while perhaps not as good looking as Weber or Broilmaster grills are considered good quality equipment for their consistent heating performance and durability. Char Broil grill parts include their side burners that you can use for heating sauce or even quickly heating side dishes. These grills are more reasonably priced compared with the top brands and let you enjoy some great outdoor cooking.

Sunbeam, a grilling equipment manufacturer had to recall some of their grills because of the gas grill parts propane hoses. The side burners propane gas hose would tangle with the aluminum casting of the grill resulting in the hose melting. As this could lead to damaging the hose or even a gas leakage or fire, there was a product recall. But those who own Sunbeam gas grills need not worry as they are offering a free retrofit kit. The kit has Sunbeam grill parts and instructions to correct the hoses position.

Among outdoor gas grills, Fiesta is a name that is well respected for its even cooking, excellent grilling and convenience. Fiesta grill parts are all made under their own roof, ensuring that there is consistent quality.

When it comes to hearths and stoves, Vermont Castings has the largest complete barbecue grilling systems. Vermont Castings rill replacement parts are easy to find on their own website or in any online parts store simply by quoting the part number and grill model number. As such, Vermont Castings stainless steel grills are built to resist corrosion and staining.

Another grill manufacturer who is popular is Outdoor Gourmet. Outdoor Gourmet grill parts and accessories like burners, heat plats, cooking griddles, electrodes etc are all available in online stores.

Ducane, which is a well known brand name has been taken over by Weber. Weber offers Ducane gas grill parts for replacement. Ducane burners come with a lifetime warranty which is advantageous as burners are the most frequently replaced grill parts.

Uniflame gas grill parts and Coleman grills parts are also available from the manufacturers website or their dealers. Most manufacturers provide good customer support for their equipment so that you need not be stuck with faulty equipment on your next cook off or cook out.

Hasty-Bake Continental Dual Finish Charcoal Grill

Hasty-Bake Continental Dual Finish Charcoal Grill Review

I purchased this grill directly from Hasty Bake in Tulsa, OK. The staff is friendly and available to answer questions. I was skeptical about the grill and the performance, but have been very pleased. The ability to raise and lower the firebox is a great feature and I am making the best steaks. I typically steam veggie and cook a steak every Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine. I have thoroughly enjoyed this grill. The only two complaints I have is the paint peeling on the inside and amount of time it takes for the grill to cool down. After about 5 uses, the paint had peeled from the door and the rear of the firebox area. I already see rust forming where the paint is gone. For the price, I did not plan to scrape and repair the grill so soon after the purchase. Maybe should have gone with the all stainless. Second, when I am done and I close all of the vents and lower the firebox, it takes a while for the coals to burn out. Typically, only ash is left. I was hoping when all of the vents were shut, the fire would go out prior to the coals burning out... preserve the coals for the next use. The upside is, it does not take many coals to maintain a consistent heat for extended periods of time. At least I am not wasting too much. Aside for these two things, I am very happy.

Hasty-Bake Continental Dual Finish Charcoal Grill Overview

This Hasty-Bake Dual Finish Continental Charcoal Grill is a smaller version of the popular Gourmet grill and is a terrific choice for those who appreciate the features of the Gourmet, but have limited outdoor space. The Continental Dual Finish Charcoal Grill features a 20 gauge powder coated base; 20 gauge stainless steel hood with 3/16 inch tempered glass window; 504 sq inches of total cooking surface (289 primary); heavy 1/4 inch diameter nickel plated cooking grids; stainless steel front and side tables; an adjustable charcoal tray; 20.5 x 10.75 inch warming rack; and a door on side for easy charcoal access and cleaning. 5 year warranty on parts/workmanship. 1 year warranty on finish. Grill Dimensions (in inches): 34 1/2 W x 16 D x 43 H.

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Apr 16, 2010 23:50:06

Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw 1038 Square Inch Charcoal Grill / Smoker

Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw 1038 Square Inch Charcoal Grill / Smoker Review

Though the shipping box was nearly destroyed during transit, the grill displayed no damage. A few discrepancies exist with the directions and the pictures. A visit to the Char-Griller website will show you a current picture of the grill which will be helpful.

The directions are incorrect in some parts and leaves out information in others:

The instruction states:

"Insert all four corners of the BOTTOM WIRE SHELF in to the four holes located near the bottom inside of the four LEGS. See Fig. C. Next, rotate the LEGS upward until vertical. Important: Make sure the two Long Legs are on the same end."

No bottom wire shelf exists; it's a solid metal shelf. You must also attach and finger tighten four bolts and nuts through the holes at the conclusion of this step.

WARNING....No instruction exists in the Outlaw manual for preparing you to place an external firebox on the Outlaw. If you completely assemble this grill, you will need to partially disassemble much of the grill to remove the cutout for the external firebox!! This cutout proved difficult to remove.

Recommendations on assembly:

Purchase four (4) three-inch bolts and nuts to place through the legs into the bottom shelf. The bolts supplied barely are long enough to catch the nuts.

This grill will weather, so I purchased all stainless steel bolts and nuts to replace the factory cheap bolts. It cost about , but in the event of eventual repairs if the Outlaw needs to be partially disassembled removing the bolts will prove much easier.

One person can assemble this grill, but it won't be a particularly easy assembly if you add the external firebox.

Seasoning the grill:

I "seasoned" the grill as the instructions indicated and let it warm properly and seasoned the grates. It's best to coat the grates with vegetable oil before every use and clean the grates after every use and again coat them with vegetable oil. Coating the grates with vegetable oil after use and while warm causes the grates to "absorb" the oil. Doing this makes the grates function fairly much as non-stick.

Using the Grill:

After seasoning the grill, it works great. It's large enough to keep one area warm and the cooking area much hotter simply by adjusting where you place the food on the grill and the amount of coals you use.

If you place the coals in the middle of the cooking area, you can utilize the sides as the warming area. It comes with a thin metal rack for warming, but I find that thin rack bends under little weight and gets in the way when smoking meat.

The Outlaw works much better and feels substantially better than other charcoal/wood grills I have owned. It's sufficient enough to forgive being placed outside in one area, as long as you cover it. It takes little time to heat coals if you use a chimney.

Good to know:

The grill does have an ability to lose some paint, but any big box store carries paint specially manufactured to repaint effected areas.

Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw 1038 Square Inch Charcoal Grill / Smoker Feature

• Heavy Gauge Steel Construction and Double Bottom for Years of Use
• Airtight Flanged Hood with Heat Gauge
• Cast Iron Grates Provide Even Heat and Locks In Flavor
• 1065 Sq In Total Cooking Area (725" Main Grill + 340" Warming Rack)
• Adjustable Fire Grate for Easy Clean Up and Heat Control

Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw 1038 Square Inch Charcoal Grill / Smoker Overview

The Outlaw offers more cooking area that just about any grill on the market. Over 1,000 sq. in. of total grilling area will let you feed a crowd! Made from heavy guage steel this grill will last for years. The cast iron grates give you an even heat and sears your meat to lock in the flavor. Our adjustable fire grate makes it easy to control the heat, and our easy dump ash pan makes cleaning up a snap. Just think, no more tipping over the grill to clean out the ashes! The heavy gauge steel construction and double bottom will give you years of dependable use. Features a built in heat gauge, airtight flanged hood, and 3 shelves.

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Apr 15, 2010 16:18:43

Brinkman Smoke N Pit Professional and Grill King Smoker Reviewed

Brinkman grills have always been popular among grillers during the summer. We are going to take a look at two smoker grills, which are popular not only in the summer, but you can smoke meats as well during the winter.

The Brinkman Smoke N Pit grill smoker can handle up to 25 pounds of food. This will allow you to barbecue plates full of steaks, burgers, chicken, and more. It is cmpact so it is easy to bring to a picnic, tailgate party, or on a camping trip.

The Brinkman Smoke N Pit grill smoker is designed to last for years, giving you many seasons of cooking enjoyment because its constructed of heavy-gauge steel construction with hinged lid and welded body. For precision cooking this smoker uses adjustable side air vents and smokestack damper which work together to regulate heat and smoke.

Our next Brinkman smoker grill is the Brinkman Smoke N Pit Professional Horizontal Charcoal Wood Smoker N Grill. It uses an offset firebox. A charcoal fire is built inside the firebox for indirect cooking.

Air rushes into the firebox, then through the cooking chamber where the hot air and smoke slow cook the food. An adjustable air vent in the firebox and the smokestack work together to regulate heat and smoke.

The Brinkman Smoke N Pit Professional Horizontal Charcoal Wood Smoker N Grill is easy to clean up due to its three porcelain-coated barbecue grills, and three steel charcoal grates.