The grill thread

[Amgine]

So, how do you do what you do on the grill?

Last night I for once managed to get it right - I'm much better in the galley than on the grill. Chicken breasts were lightly coated with syrup for 20 minutes, after being carefully rinsed and patted dry. With the grill hot and lightly brushed with oil, the breasts went on and the cover was replaced. Every time they were turned over they were lightly brushed with more syrup and generous shakes of black pepper. When the syrup is getting slightly burnt, little drops of blackened sugar smelling like a burning marshmallow, things inside will probably be done too.

There are plenty of griling techniques, and it's a great way to keep the heat out of the galley if you serve with salad. So, what's your favourite grilled meal?

[CapnK]

I've grilled pizza successfully, FWIW. 

But fresh fish - that's gotta take honors. Seared so you have about 1/4" of cooked fish on the edges of the meat, the rest basically just warmed. Mix up some teri sauce with heat (add wasabe or tabasco in a pinch), slice meat to 1/3"-1/2" thick slices, dredge in sauce and say "YUMMY!".

Another way, if you can't/don't want to eat it right away - make a marinade - can be just about anything you like, stuck into a plastic baggie with the fish. Let that set for a while. If you have a reefer, put the baggie in next to the ice portion, where it will almost-but-not-quite freeze, and let it soak up flavor. The longer the better, so long as the meat doesn't spoil. Grill that - Yummy #2.

[Amgine]

The ziplock baggy method for marinading is one of the most important shipboard cooking techniques!

Yesterday I did more chicken breasts that way, this time in 'normal' barbecue sauce - store bought. Three nights ago I did it with italian salad dressing, which is always a great surprise for people who've never seen it used on anything but greens.

Btw, if you have an oven, leftover bread (preferably home made) can be cubed, spread in a single layer in a baking pan, generously drizzled with italian salad dressing, and toasted in the oven to create your own hearty croutons. If the oven is hot enough (possibly under the broiler) you can get them toasted but not rock-hard dry. Personally, I like 'em with a crunch on the outside, but a bit soft on the inside.

Unfortunately, no oven on our boat. And we're out of greens, frozen food, and ice. Time to reprovision!

[Auspicious]

With a small tray or even folded up aluminum foil you can make croutons on the grill.

[Amgine]

New secret grill technique: let it cook.

Sometimes when you slap something down on the grill and you go to turn it, it sticks. If you force it, you end up with shreds of your meal stuck to the grill, or worse. I don't know if this will always work, but I watched a show on grilling and they said to just let it cook/burn a bit longer. So last time I was doing chicken on the grill, and it stuck, I gave it a shot. And it worked. That time.

Just another thing I'm adding to my quiver of grilling techniques.

[JWalker]

+1 for pizza on the grill.

[CharlieJ]

Well, since we don't have a grill Laura makes pizza in a skillet, using flour tortillas

Works quite well and they are always a treat.

[Captain Smollett]

We are doing a lot of grilling these days.  It's just too hot to cook in the boat, and last year at this time, we found ourselves eating out way too often for that reason.

The grill has solved that problem nicely.

We have been doing a lot of "foil packs" lately - they are easy, sort of one-pot meals (four of them, each gets their own pack) with a disposable pot.  The other night, we had packs containing polska kielbasa, sour kraut and baked beans.  This is just one example, and we've had some really yummy meals this way.

As for pizza, I'd like to try it on the grill.  We have done it on the stove top in a pan.

My wife got the 'veggie tray' for the grill to make cooking veggies a bit easier (less chance of falling in), and we've had VERY yummy grilled asparagus, sweet potato fries and crab cakes (which MAY be been do-able on the grill without the tray).

Will love to see many grill-friendly recipes.   

[Amgine]

I'll bite, Capt. Smollet, how does Admirable Smollet do yam fries on the grill in the veggie tray? don't they just fall apart as they are getting near done?

[Captain Smollett]

I'll bite, Capt. Smollet, how does Admirable Smollet do yam fries on the grill in the veggie tray? don't they just fall apart as they are getting near done?

They didn't.  The veggie tray is like a flat griddle with small holes in it, so it's kinda like using flat grill top.

I'll have to ask her for thoughts...

[Amgine]

All this talk about grilling had me start a pair of chicken breasts in Italian salad dressing in a baggy in the fridge... The admirable, not knowing of my preparations, just ordered pizza delivery. So I'm throwing the breasts into the freezer until tomorrow; we'll see if they survive.

[Captain Smollett]

Been smoking a fair bit lately (on the charcoal grill)...did a turkey right after Thanksgiving, a London Broil (first time I ever used wine barrel chips for smoking) and tonight's pork tenderloin.

I've recently read of people smoking on a propane grills by placing the wood chips in a foil 'pouch' with holes punched in it.  I have not tried it yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

Smoke flavored cooking on the boat...oh man.  I'm more convinced than ever that grill was a mighty find addition to the boat...