Gastronome
GASTRONOME
Words by Nancy Davidson
Cooking up a Storm
We grill fi ve chefs on getting the best out of barbecuing this summer.
It’s a paradox of summer. As soon as it’s warm outside, the same people who wouldn’t be caught dead inside a kitchen are hankering to make dinner on the grill, while those who usually enjoy cooking become intimidated by fi re. Here, some top chefs help level the playing field…
Brave the blaze
“Don’t be intimidated by the grill,” says Iron Chef Bobby Flay, host of Food Network’s “Boy Meets Grill,” and author of Grilling for Life. “It’s a source of heat, just like a stove.” His newest restaurant, Bobby Flay Steak, is at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Elizabeth Karmel, author of Taming the Flame, considers the barbecue an outdoor kitchen. “Remember to bring your indoor cooking skills outdoors,” she says.
Clean machine
“Always clean your grill right before you use it,” recommends Kenny Callaghan, executive chef at Blue Smoke, a barbecue restaurant in New York City. “Light it up and crank it on high, then burn off any remnants from the last time. Scrape it down and get rid of carbon residue so you’re starting with a nice, clean hot surface.” Use a brass bristle brush to remove any remaining bits.
Chill-out zone
“Make sure you leave a cool spot on the grill,” advises David Walzog, author of The New American Steakhouse Cookbook and executive chef of The Country Club Grill at Wynn Las Vegas. “Use the hottest part of the fi re to get the char,” adds Robert Del Grande of Houston’s Cafe Annie, “then move the food to a cooler spot to let it cook through.”
’Tis the season
Karmel recommends placing food in a sealable plastic bag, drizzling with oil and massaging through the bag so the food gets completely covered but your hands don’t get slippery. Add salt just before grilling. It helps bring out the food’s natural fl avors, but salting too early can draw the liquid out of food. “Don’t put barbecue sauce on before cooking, either,” warns Callaghan. “The sugars in the sauce will burn long before your meat is cooked.”
Hands off!
Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. Oil and season, then place it on the very hot grill and don’t touch for 2-3 minutes. Flip it over just once—the less you play with food once it’s on the grill, the better. And don’t press down on burgers, or all the natural juices will come out. “If you constantly touch them before they have a chance to form a crust, they’ll fall apart,” says Flay.
Zesty chili burgers
Makes 4
1 tablespoon corn oil or canola oil
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
2 pounds prime ground sirloin
3 garlic cloves, pulverized (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Prepare your barbecue for grilling.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened but not browned. Remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the chili powder with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to make a paste. Add the onion and stir to coat. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then add the beef, garlic, barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce, working the mixture by hand.
Divide the mixture into four burgers, each about 1 3/4 inches thick and 4 1/2 inches in diameter. As you form each one, depress the center by 1/4 inch with your thumb (burgers swell in the center during cooking, so the indentation helps them cook evenly). Do not overwork the burgers.
Season the burgers with salt and pepper to taste and grill over the hot spot, allowing 4 to 5 minutes per side to give you medium-rare burgers. Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce, red onion and tomato slices, if you like.