A while back we were approached by
one of our dealers in Europe, Haupert Klaus-Dieter, about sending
some of our GrillGrates over for an upcoming grilling competition.
We
gladly obliged and sent them twelve round GrillGrate kits and
banners. These grates were to be distributed to the teams that were
competing and to be used on various charcoal grills. Haupert and his
gang of grillers are big fans of our product and have been using them
for years but these grates were destined for the uninitiated.
A month or so goes by and then one day
we are treated to a few hundred of the most incredible pictures from
the event! Come to find out the event was called “Jack the Iceburger” and it was held high up in the Allgäu
mountains at a ski resort. As the name entails this was a burger
grilling competition with teams coming from all over Europe to give
it their best shot.
GrillGrates were very well represented
at the event. Our banner was everywhere and it seems as if everyone
had a GrateTool in hand at one point. The teams prepared some amazing
renditions of their take on the American classic with a lot of
emphasis on presentation and garnish. These guys were not afraid to
push the envelope and combine some very untraditional and unique
flavors like brie and cranberry. In the end, the winner was a team
named “Smokin BBQ Team” but for us the real winner was the
multitude of amazing photographs. One of the guys in the competition,
Tom Heinzle, recently came out with a book called “WinterGrilling”. He attended with one of his photographer friends in tow.
The resulting images are some of the finest grilling photographs we
have ever seen. We want to share them with you.
See more Grate pics from the event here or see all 200+ pics from the event here
We here in America are finishing up one
of the roughest winters in years but as our Facebook friends will
testify- the grill still works in the cold. Many of us have
persevered and were not slowed down by snow and sleet, literally
digging our grills from the blanket of white stuff to cook our food
in the great outdoors -the way it was meant to be. Our friends over
in Europe don't seem to have a problem with winter grilling and it
was really inspiring to see how they do a competition across the
pond. Grilling and BBQ are truly an international language and the
smell of smoke and cooking meat is universal in its appeal.
While many people will brave the crowds
and eat out at their favorite restaurant on Valentines Day many
couples will be staying home cooking their favorite dinner for 2
together. I would venture to guess that grillers especially
GrillGrate owners are more likely to be staying home for Valentine's
day and grilling their meal.
After you've grilled that delicious
dinner for two, leave the grill on low and grill up some sweet
desserts for your partner at the table of life!
Here are two dessert recipes that are
simple and easy to make ahead and be ready for that right moment to
grill sweets for you and your sweetheart. Both these original recipes use flour
tortillas, simple stuffings and delicious fruit:
Prime Rib (standing rib roast) is a
traditional Christmas feast that I've enjoyed most of my life. Every
Christmas Eve, my stepmother (who is British) made a Prime Rib in the
oven with roasted potatoes, au jus, and yorkshire pudding. It was a
great welcome home meal. Now 30 years later, Prime Rib has become a
welcome home meal for our adult kids too. We are excited to have 14
family and friends joining us this year for a Christmas Eve buffet.
We've already got the menu mapped out:
Twice seared Prime Rib paired
with slow roasted Beef Ribs
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Wild Rice Casserole
Winter Salad
I've been on a Prime Rib kick all year.
Like clockwork, rib roasts go on sale at Easter, Thanksgiving,
Prime Rib on Sale during the holidays
and
Christmas. I finally got smart at Easter and bought two! One for
the freezer and one for the holiday meal. We're doing the same thing
this Christmas and adding Beef Ribs to the buffet.
My journey to perfect Prime Rib on the
grill also got me on a Beef Ribs kick. My appreciation for Beef Ribs
took a major spike this fall when I visited Barn & Company with
Dave Raymond (Sweet Baby Ray). Dave wanted to show me some of the
best barbecue in Chicago and he introduced me to chef Gary Wiviott of Barn & Company who brought us the most beautiful and delicious Beef Ribs I had
ever
eaten! I left Chicago on a BBQ high and a mission! Then, right on
cue at Thanksgiving, there were Beef Ribs on sale packaged separately
at the supermarket. A Beef Ribs Bonanza! Two great tasting parts
from one gorgeous hunk of beef!
So here are three ways to take Prime
Rib & Beef Ribs to your grill or smoker this holiday season:
Primal Rib If you find a
Standing Rib Roast the size of a Volkswagen it is a great candidate
to cut your own “Primal Ribs” by leaving more meat on the bone
for a meal of its own. The large 6-8 Rib Roasts with the bone in
(not cut away by the butcher) is really two meals in one. We
recently did just this and I had Chef Michael show me how to cut off
a beautiful rack of ribs and then roll and tie up the boneless roast
as normal. Don't try to serve those huge ribs and a slab of prime
rib- it's way too much. Make it two meals if you want to make
Primal Ribs!
Beef Ribs & Prime Rib This
is what we are grilling this year. We're buying extra Beef Ribs
that have been cut by the supermarket butcher. Try to buy intact
slab of ribs if possible. They are sold already cut into ribs and
as well as slabs. Butcher cut ribs are cut much closer to the bone
and are not nearly as meaty. We plan on serving a plate of beef ribs
alongside the sliced prime rib. Folks can choose either or a bit of
both.
Prime Rib- Boneless or Bone In.
The purest form is often the
best. Just red, rare Prime Rib sliced thick. Sliced Prime Rib is
ideal for buffets as a variety of rare to medium will suit many
tastes. The Christmas red slices of Prime Rib is the star.
Here's my game plan for grilling #2-
Twice seared Prime Rib and Beef Ribs
Preparation of Boneless
Prime Rib Use butchers twine
to tie the roast in a round shape for even cooking.Dry
brine with salt 2-12 hours before cooking. Meathead from
amazingribs.com suggests 1 teaspoon of salt per pound. Then apply
the wet rub just prior to grilling.
Rub-
Look no further than Meathead's
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow Crust. This recipe makes enough paste
for a 10 pound roast. I like how
the paste sticks to the roast. Mix
everything in a bowl and then add the olive oil.
Preparation of Beef
Ribs.I've been using
Denny
Mike's Cowbell Hell religiously on my Beef Ribs. An overnight in
the fridge is great, but even an hour or two of seasoning time helps.
Grilling Times & Temps. I
use two grills, one for searing and one set low for the roasting.
Beef Ribs - 4 hours at
200-225F. (5 hours if you are cooking the Primal Rib). I
learned from Gary at The Barn & Co. that it's okay to aim for
190F internal but get there very slowly which allows the fat and
connective tissue to just melt away while the meat slow roasts on
the bone. Bone down for 90% of the cook.
Prime Rib- Approximately 2
hours at 200-225F.
Meathead says cook to an internal temperature not by the clock.
Ideally use a remote temperature probe like the ET 732 and monitor
internal temperature. I pull the roast at 110F internal (early
because I will sear the slices at the end of the cook) and let it
rest before slicing as it will climb in temp a bit.
Sear the Prime Rib in the beginning
and at the end of the cook.
Quick searing prime rib roast prior to smoking
I find a brief initial sear (3-4
min total) over high heat (450F) aids in crust formation and
jump
starts the maillard reaction for more flavor and you get to play
with fire!
On either a gas grill or charcoal
hold the Prime Rib end down for 15 seconds, lift and twist for
another 15 seconds. Then flip to get the other end the same way.
Then take 2-3 more minutes and sear the sides of the roast to get
equal browning and off to the smoker it goes.
Quick sear after slicing and just before serving.
Primal ribs with twice seared prime rib
I pull the Prime Rib off when the temperature reaches 110F internal
(not yet even rare). The roast needs to rest a good 10 minutes so
the juices do not just pour out when you cut slices. I'm aiming for
medium thickness in the slices.
Back to the hot grill for 1 minute a side. We like the final sear
for 3 reasons: This gives an added flavor pop
and a bit more browning. The
slices will still be rare.
You can cook to an individuals
taste from rare to medium.
Adds flexibility to timing and
serving. Getting the buffet
set and everything ready, then take those 2 minutes to sear and make
sure the Prime Rib is hot and beautifully seared when it is brought
to the buffet! Notice that we plan on sides that can also be warm
and ready when the meat is done.
We are already in full planning mode for our holiday menus, especially the big feasts. I'm a big believer in preparation and logistics. With that in mind here are a few simple tips to utilize your grill(s) and your griller for great holiday meals!
I winterized our deck! I reconfigured the grills, bringing the Yoder Pellet Smoker front and center figuring its going to see more action this winter and the Kamado Joelikely will see less. I rolled the Joe to the back of the porch content to have quick access out the kitchen door. It only took one grilling to roll the Kamado Joe back too! I missed the Roost Table from Select Outdoor Kitchens immediately. The drawers are water tight and house lighters, thermometers, jars of pellets and more. And I find I use the KJ for higher heat cooks and searing.
I expected a little push back from my wife but she just smiles and humors me. As long as I keep on grilling I should be good to go. I'm going to keep a journal on a calendar this winter to track which grill I use and what we grilled. Tonight and tomorrow the Yoder gets big-time duty in the cold. Looking forward to smoking our turkey on the YS400 tomorrow! Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to Winter Grilling!
This
year take the turkey out of the kitchen and outside to the grill
where it belongs!
Break the tradition of roasting your turkey in the
oven and enjoy the camaraderie and flexibility of cooking your turkey
on the grill. Freeing up your oven leaves more options for sides and
desserts too. This year, grill your best bird and start a new
tradition with these basic steps and 3 easy recipes from Chef
Michael.
Fresh is best. Buy
a turkey that hasn't been frozen. Don't buy one with a pop-up timer,
or one injected with oils and flavorings.
Brining is a must.
Even if the packaging claims a
'juicy' bird, brining is essential. If it does come with a pop-up
timer, remove it! Do not trust a 5 cent apparatus to tell you when
your bird is cooked properly.
Use
either a dual probe or instant read thermometer to monitor
breast temperature to 160F and thigh to 180F
Grill
your turkey low and slow, ideally keep your grill below 350F.
You'll
need a cooler or a trash can to brine the bird overnight. Making your
own brine is easy or buy pre-packaged kits from Fire and Flavor. Brines are primarily a salt, sugar and water mix with
spices and herbs. All three recipes below include an overnight
brining. Complete recipes, preparation and grilling instructions are
on grillgrate.com
Spatchcocked
and Brined Grilled Turkey. Not to be confused with butter-flying
which is splitting the breast. Spatchcocking involves cutting out
the backbone entirely and removing the keel bone or “breast plate”
and flattening the breast. You will need heavy duty shears or a
cleaver to cut through the ribs. Spatchcocking allows the thigh and
legs to cook more directly while the breast meat won't overcook and
dry out. Link to recipe
De-constructed
Maple Brined with Sugar Maple Smoke. One step beyond
spatchcocking is to deconstruct the bird into parts. This allows
for more flexibility and perfectly timed breast and thigh cooks.
Grill the bird low and slow (350F or less) for maximum juiciness.
The presentation of the parts is truly greater than the whole! Link to recipe
Whole
Roast Turkey with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Bacon. We suggest a
roasting pan and rack if your plan is to grill the bird whole, but
don't stuff it. Our friend Meathead is against stuffing turkeys. By
the time the stuffing is cooked through, the meat is overcooked.
Replace the stuffing with fruits and vegetables instead. This recipe
includes a tomato pesto with bacon that is rubbed under the skin for
added moisture and flavor. Capture the wonderful juices for gravy. Link to recipe
Grab some grate video and win grate gifts!
Nothing fancy or produced, just YOU telling us what you love about
GrillGrates, your favorite food, a tip, what you won??? (That means YOU
our steak champion friends!)
Simple Rules: Just video of YOU at YOUR GRILL with GrillGrates!
Show us Your GrateTool! etc.
Just grab your phone or video camera
and answer 1 or more of these questions:
We just want YOU to be YOU!
What do you tell a friend about
GrillGrates?
What is your favorite feature?
How long have you been using
GrillGrates?
Any awards and accolades?
At some point please clearly state
your full name (very important)
MAX 2:00 Minutes 20 to 30 seconds is
just grate!
We want to feature 5-7 grate
customers in the 2014 GrillGrate TV commercial. This year's TV spot
aired 5200 times April thru August. Our neighbors did a grate job
acting out a flareup, and for the 3rd year Mike Mills of17th Street Barbecue anchors the spot. We love Mike! Everyone
loves Mike!
We want YOU! In the 2014 GrillGrate commercial. DEADLINE to Enter 12/1/13 Submit via YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, email etc.
ALL ENTRIES receive a new product! Grate Tongs of course!
( coming Oct 1)
Those appearing in the TV spot will receive a $200 gift certificate from Omaha Steaks!
A while back we were approached by
one of our dealers in Europe, Haupert Klaus-Dieter, about sending
some of our GrillGrates over for an upcoming grilling competition. 
GrillGrates were very well represented
at the event. Our banner was everywhere and it seems as if everyone
had a GrateTool in hand at one point. The teams prepared some amazing
renditions of their take on the American classic with a lot of
emphasis on presentation and garnish. These guys were not afraid to
push the envelope and combine some very untraditional and unique
flavors like brie and cranberry. In the end, the winner was a team
named “Smokin BBQ Team” but for us the real winner was the
multitude of amazing photographs. One of the guys in the competition,
Tom Heinzle, recently came out with a book called “WinterGrilling”. He attended with one of his photographer friends in tow.
The resulting images are some of the finest grilling photographs we
have ever seen. We want to share them with you.
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