We all have that friend who has a barbecue that has flames shooting up to the roof while trying to save a charred, dried-out chicken by pouring beer over it. The days when you could just serve your guests a pile of sausages on a giant platter are long gone, and mastering the grill has become a must for every modern gentleman.
Alain Delon Journal is here to help you elevate your grilling to the haute cuisine of master chefs in one evening. Welcome to the only grilling guide you'll ever need.
The heat source you expose your food to will give it its own flavor, unlike conventional pan cooking. The charcoal and briquette camps are waging a bloody war for supremacy in the grilling world, but whether you choose one or the other is up to you.
Charcoal – the classic choice, it burns faster, can produce more heat and is 100% natural. However, it burns shorter than its counterpart and is also more expensive.
Briquettes – on the other hand, can burn longer at a more constant temperature, are very readily available and easy to use. However, you cannot rely on their composition. Therefore, always choose proven and high-quality briquettes from a reputable source.
Photo: Pavol Zachar www.zacharphoto.com
"The Lid" Wins
The best grills don't necessarily have to cost thousands of dollars. The key to proper grilling is a charcoal grill with a lid. This creates the perfect oven-like environment inside, so the food is exposed to constant heat from all sides. This is also helped by the holes in the lid, which circulate the air inside so that the food cooks evenly.
Charcoal, briquettes...?
Everyone should have a chimney
And we don't mean at home, or on the grill. This magical little thing, in which you place coal and place a flammable mixture in the space below it, will heat up your heat source in a few minutes. When the coals start to turn dark gray and the fire under the chimney slowly dies down, just pour the contents directly into the grill and get to work!
Why is it burnt again???!!!
Be patient when grilling, wait for the flame to die down, you need heat, not fire, to cook food. Fire will burn the outside of your food, while the inside will still be raw. However, you can also use the grill to prepare things that take time. Just place large pieces of meat, such as a leg of lamb, away from the direct heat source and suddenly your grill becomes the best oven in the world.I already know how, now I just need to…
There is beauty in simplicity, and it's not just said for nothing. No one wants to sweat over spicy, greasy sausages in the hot summer months. Choose light cuisine that is easy to prepare. After all, you want to spend time with your guests, not somewhere halfway between the grill and the kitchen. We've prepared a menu for you where everyone can find something for themselves. Plus, the side dishes are coordinated with both types of meat, so you can serve the courses at the same time and mix them up however you like.Steak with grilled new potatoes
Ingredients for two people:
- 400 g beef steak of your choice (sirloin, rib eye, rump)
- 500 g baby potatoes
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 handful of fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt, pepper
- olive oil
Steak
Beef steak is a classic that many people fear, but don't let past failures discourage you. It all starts with the quality of the meat. Instead of going to the supermarket, visit a real butcher and get advice. A good, aged steak is the result of meticulous work by farmers and butchers, so why not put yourself in the arms of at least one of them when making your decision. The key to cooking is to have a perfectly hot grill on high heat. Salt, season the steak, lightly brush it with olive oil and place it on the grill. After a few minutes, turn it over to the other side and let it cook for the same amount of time. But only turn it once! It's hard to say exactly how many minutes it should be cooked, it depends on the thickness and size. However, we like our steaks medium rare and grill a 1.5-centimeter thick piece of meat for about 3 minutes on each side. Don't forget to let the meat rest for at least three minutes after grilling! If you start cutting, poking, and doing all sorts of magic with it, all the juices will run out of it and your expensive steak will turn into a rubber sole. [caption id="attachment_3952" align="alignnone" width="1100"]
The tool that helps you achieve the right doneness is still simple. You have the instructions in your own hands, literally. Don't be afraid to touch the steak, and after turning it, reach out and test its tenderness. The texture, similar to the spots on your hand, will let you know exactly what the steak looks like inside.
Potatoes
Boil the new potatoes in their skins with a clove of garlic, until soft, let cool and cut into small pieces. Take an ovenproof pan or foil dish and place it on the grill with olive oil. When the oil starts to smoke gently, add the potatoes and fresh thyme, close the grill and let it cook for four minutes. After four minutes, remove the potatoes from the grill and stir in the butter.Trout fillets with crispy salad and mint yogurt
Ingredients:
- 4 trout fillets
- 1 fennel
- 1/3 of a cucumber
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 8 pieces of radishes
- 1/2 green chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 150 g plain yogurt
- 1 handful of fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt, pepper
- olive oil
Trout
Sprinkle the skin of the fish generously with salt and rub it in with your hands. This will remove the slime typical of trout. Wash under running water and pat dry. Then salt, season and lightly brush both sides with oil. Place on the grill for three minutes, skin side down, turn and grill for a minute on the other side. The fillets are thin and the meat is tender, so they will be done really quickly. Let stand for two minutes before serving.
