Grilling & Smoking Feed

Find great Super Bowl Game Day Recipes in Grilling Good Eats by Mike Thayer

Grilling Good Eats BookBachelor on the Cheap

Grilling Good Eats is available on Amazon, ebook and paperback!

Order today and you'll get your copy before the Super Bowl!   Recipes and grilling tips for flank steak fajitas, onion bombs, bird bites, grilled crab dip and much more!

  • This is a grilling 'how to' resource for beginners, weekenders and experienced hands alike. There's something for everyone here, consider this a blueprint for backyard grilling.
  • Order today on Amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/grilling_good-eats

It's Another Dose of YUM!

$pend Wisely My Friends...

~ Mike


Grilling Good Eats: How and when to use the snake method for low and slow deliciousness

Snake Method
A Weber Kettle can be used as a smoker

By Mike Thayer

When you hear somebody say they’re going to fire up the BBQ and put some burgers on, chuckle.

Doing up some burgers is grilling, not BBQ. Grilling is hot fire, searing meats, quick cooking tasty morsels over direct heat like, you guessed it, burgers! Hot dogs, kabobs, pork chops and steaks are all excellent fare for grilling.

Real BBQ isn’t about burgers or hot dogs, BBQ is about a method of cooking - low and slow - it’s about infusing smoky flavor into meats over a long period of time. A low and slow method is perfect for larger cuts of meat like beef brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, whole chickens or turkey that are smoked for hours at a time using indirect heat, they‘re not close to the fire.

"But Mike, don't I need a smoker to do that?" you ask...

No!  You can use your grill, heck, I've even repurposed an old roasting pan, turning it into a mini-smoker.  A Weber Kettle grill can crank out some great smoked meats and BBQ using a charcoal set up called the Snake Method.

Going low and slow on a Weber Kettle or similar style grills is easy. To set up the Snake, what you want to do is put a semi-circle of briquettes at least two briquettes across around the inside edge of the grill. Do NOT connect the starting and finish points (head and tail), we‘re building a snake, not a circle. You can also do this with square or rectangular grills, just line the walls with your briquettes and remember - DO NOT connect the head and the tail. After making your ‘snake’ put about 15 briquettes in your charcoal chimney and light. When you see that orange glow, add them to one end of the snake. This is also a great time to add wood chunks, dropping them in spots along your ‘snake’ lined coals. Put on your cooking grate and place your meats in the center of the grill, there shouldn‘t be any coals underneath it. There you go, indirect heat and the grill’s lid is going to do the work for you. Put the lid on and keep it on, only take it off to turn your roast or whatever you decided to smoke about half way through the recommended cooking time for example. Don’t lift the lid to check it after just 30 minutes, don’t lift the lid just to get a better whiff of what’s cooking, you’ll release all the low and slow heat the lid has built up to put that great smokiness into the meat. What you are smoking and how long a cook you need will determine the height and depth of your snake. Pictured, is a standard 2x1 snake (two briquettes, one layer). Without the wood chunks, that snake setup typically gives you cook time of about six hours at 225 degrees. Putting another layer of briquettes on top will extend your cook time, but it will also increase the temperature. Each grill is different, learning the best build for your snake will come with experience. I like to use an aluminum pan filled with water along with the snake, it helps maintain a steady temperature and keeps the meat moist, the result is a better smoke flavor on the meat.

Roast Beef
Roast Beef done on a Weber, using the Snake Method

TIP:  Do NOT soak wood chips in water! You want clean smoke with a slight blue hue flavoring your food. White smoke - which is what you get with wet wood - is a BITTER smoke, which means food with a bitter taste.  Personally, I think wood chips are a waste of money (they're made for gas grills), I buy wood chunks. They have a much longer burn time and deliver a better smoke flavor than chips.

Meats ideally suited for low and slow deliciousness using the Snake Method:

  • Ribs
  • Pork Shoulder, a.k.a., Pork Butt
  • Whole Pork Loin
  • Beef Roast
  • Brisket
  • Whole Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Spiral Ham, Ham Roast
  • Salmon
  • Leg of Lamb, Lamb Roast
  • Meat Loaf (and wrapped in bacon... It's Another Dose of YUM!)

$pend Wisely My Friends...

For more great grilling information to include a boat load of recipes, check out my book, Grilling Good Eats now available in paperback on Amazon!

Grilling Good Eats Book


Repurpose that old roaster pan, turn it into a smoker

By Mike Thayer

Repurpose an old roaster
I use this old roaster more now as a mini-smoker/grill, than I ever did as a traditional roaster.

So I'm cleaning out the cabinets, downsizing some things I don't need or is little to not used and came across a traditional roasting pan for the oven.  Used perhaps twice a year (if that) and in need of a small patio or impromptu picnic sized smoker/grill, I decided to turn that traditional roasting pan designed for the oven, into a mini-smoker!

This is great for the bachelor such as yours truly or the couple with no kids.  There's no need to buy a brand new smoker when you've got something that's not being used for its intended purpose or a wedding gift collecting dust on hand.  Don't sell the roaster at a garage sale, don't take it to the second hand store, convert it into a smoker!  It's absolutely perfect when smoking meats and more, for one or two people.

Here's what I did, instructions laid out like a recipe:

Ingredients

  • Old roasting pan, with roasting rack and preferably, a lid.  It can't be a roaster with Teflon coating though, that won't work.
  • Drill, drill bits
  • Charcoal
  • Meat

Directions

Turning an old roaster into a mini-smoker or grill
Drill holes for drafting, 2 - 3 per side

Most all roasting pans are either oval or rectangle shaped, so drill four - six holes in the pan using a 3/8, 5/16, or 1/2" bit (depending on the size of the roaster), drill two or three holes per long side of the pan on each side, about a quarter inch from the bottom.  This allows for proper ventilation of the charcoal or wood.  Fire needs to breathe.  The roasting rack, becomes your smoking rack.  If your lid already comes with vents, fantastic, if not, no big deal, drill two sets of two small holes on each end using a 3/8" drill bit.  This allows your 'new' smoker to draft and vent smoke, just like the store bought smokers.  You are now ready to smoke or grill.

One of the best features of this mini-smoker, is that you don't need much charcoal at all to cook up a great meal.  You'll be able to prepare a fine meal with perhaps 18 - 20 briquettes, that's it!  Use the snake method for low and slow cooks using the lid for smoking or use the roaster, no lid, to grill your favorites using skewers.

To smoke

Snake method charcoal set up
Set up for low and slow, add some wood chunks and/or pellets and it's ready to be lit.

This mini-smoker is perfect for using what's called the 'snake method' of laying out your charcoal.  What you're going to do is line the bottom edge of your smoker with charcoal or wood in a semi-oval like as pictured right.  Leave a gap, creating a 'head and tail' of a snake.  You'll be lighting the 'head' end of the snake and it will burn towards the tail, giving you even heat around the meat throughout the smoking process.   To get things rolling, fire up just a small handful of charcoal briquettes and when they are hot, apply to the head of the 'snake.'  Don't let those starter briquettes touch the tail, add wood chunks or pellets if desired.  Pellets work best. Next, put down your grilling rack on top of the snake.  Then place your meat or whatever you're smoking in the center of the rack.  Put the lid on and let that new mini-smoker work it's magic.  This mini-smoker is great for small roasts, steak for two, pork chops and a couple baked potatoes for two, peach cobbler for two using those mini cast iron skillets.  Use your imagination.

To use like a grill....

Skewers come in handy here and you'll need a bit more charcoal...  Just skewer up your grill fare, shrimp, kabobs, hot dogs, whatever, and lay those skewers over the narrow side of the smoker.  Metal skewers work best here.  The long bamboo skewers will work too, just remember to soak them in water for about 30 minutes before you load them up with food.  Meat on a stick doesn't get any better than this!  You can also purchase one of those universal grill grates and just place it on top of the roaster pan for doing something like burgers, just be careful about slippage of the grate.  A grill glove comes in handy in that case.

And as I hinted earlier, this is a great set-up for cooking with a small cast iron skillet.  Again, using the snake method of laying out your charcoal, a small cast iron skillet works great in cooking up burgers with some great smoky flavor, awesome baked beans and absolutely fantastic desserts!  Your little smoker will generate some outstanding deliciousness!  Play with it, add wood chips or pellets for more layers of flavor. 

Enjoy!

Related Story:  Repurposing that old file cabinet - turn it into a grill

Grilling up some meat on a stick.....  Pork loin kabobs and hot dogs

IMAG0337 IMAG0335

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$pend Wisely My Friends...

For more great grilling information to include a boat load of recipes, check out my book, Grilling Good Eats now available in paperback on Amazon!

Grilling Good Eats Book


Grilling Good Eats - A Beginner's Guide to Grilling scheduled for release on October 31, 2022

Grilling Good Eats ebook, Kindle edition
Order on Amazon today!

By Mike Thayer

Here's your chance to pre-order my grilling "How To" book, Grilling Good Eats on Amazon!

Set to release on October 31, the book is a great grilling resource for beginners, weekenders and experienced hands alike. There's something for everyone here, consider this a blueprint for backyard grilling. Each chapter is dedicated to putting you on the path to becoming a grill master, from selecting the right cuts of meat at the store, to serving up that mouthwatering grilled fare that will have your guests reaching for seconds and begging you for the recipe.

Order your Kindle edition ebook today!


Food Review: Kinder's Organic Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce

Kinder's Organic BBQ Sauce, Roasted Garlic
Sampling the sauce on a boneless pork chop

By Mike Thayer

It's been awhile since I've reviewed a bottled BBQ sauce, I prefer to make my own which is pretty easy to do - AND TASTIER - while you're cooking low and slow.  But there are those times when a quick BBQ sauce comes in handy, like when you emptied the squeeze bottle of the good stuff during your last BBQ eat and forgot to pull some stash out of the freezer...  Then there are those occasions where somebody not as into BBQ as you doesn't like as much twang or extra hot in a sauce, so have a bottle of the store bought stuff on hand for family or a friends who think Hog Wild is good BBQ. 

Related: Subway makes a better brisket sandwich than Hog Wild Pit BBQ

The last time I did a bottled sauce review was way back in 2019!  Dang, I need to do another BBQ Sauce Challenge!  I only did a basic flavors review last time, there are SO many more flavors out there now.

Today, I'm reviewing Kinder's Organic Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce.

I usually don't buy organic, it's too pricey and there is no distinguishable taste difference between organic and conventionally grown produce.  The only reason I had this bottle on hand is it came as part of a smoking/grilling seasoning kit I got, which included Bear Claws!

Here's the sauce description from the Kinder's website:  If garlic is what you crave, this BBQ sauce just might hit the spot. Generously seasoned with organic roasted garlic, you get a smooth, satisfying flavor that’s mellow but memorable. Blended with just the right smoky-sweet notes, garlic lovers will want to keep coming back for more.

Sampling the sauce on a boneless pork chop, that description is pretty much spot on.  It is a bit on the sweet side, but that was pretty much balanced out with the roasted garlic flavor.  Smooth and not too garlic forward, the sauce finishes with some smoky notes and hints of onion and red pepper.  This sauce does what a good BBQ sauce is supposed to do, it compliments the meat, in this case helping to elevate the smoky grilled pork flavor.

Available in most mainstream grocery stores for about $4.99 for a 20.5 ounce bottle, I'm giving Kinder's Organic Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  For a jar sauce, it tastes pretty good, the flavor is worthy of a repeat buy but I'll grab the conventional bottle of Roasted Garlic, which retails for $3.38 a bottle at Walmart, a savings of $1.61.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Enjoy this post?

Buy Me a Coffee

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

Facebook


Avoid a culinary Ooops! How to properly apply bacon to a cheeseburger

The dreaded "X" method of topping a burger with bacon
Applying bacon using the dreaded "X" method means you won't get bacon in every bite. It is a BACON cheeseburger after all...

By Mike Thayer

The All American bacon cheeseburger, that culinary delight that is beef with a good char or sear, juicy beef that's seasoned well, topped with crisp, smoky bacon, melty cheese and served on a nicely toasted bun.  Toppings can vary, there's the classic with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and mayo and then there's the 'Texas' or 'Southern' style, where the burger is served with mustard, pickles and onions (raw or grilled).  Ketchup and various concoctions of burger sauces have a role too, but that's a story for another day.

Pet peeve:  Putting bacon on a cheeseburger using the dreaded "X" method. 

Cow tongue bacon
Bacon hanging out like a cow's tongue.  This burger actually has two!  That's flavor that should be ON the burger, not outside it.

This is a culinary Ooops!, a bacon crime.  It's a lazy way to apply bacon to a piece of burger art, but sadly, it's done that way by far too many burger joints.  Restaurants that continue the malpractice of putting bacon on a burger using the "X" method are missing the opportunity to deliver their customers a far better burger experience.  It's called a BACON Cheeseburger for a reason and it's all about proper bacon coverage.  There are better ways to apply the bacon on a burger and it's such an easy thing to do. 

The problem with the "X" method is the bacon won't cover all the beef, which means you won't get bacon in every bite.  It's not a particularly aesthetically pleasing look either with often times a half slice of bacon hanging OFF the burger like a cow's tongue.  That's flavor that isn't on the burger.  Bite into that OFF the burger bacon and if it's not a clean bite, or the bacon is a bit tough, the whole slice pulls away from the burger resulting in even less BACON Cheeseburger enjoyment.  Customers don't order a cheeseburger with a side of bacon, they order a BACON Cheeseburger which is supposed to be about layers of flavor, a better burger experience and that means bacon in every bite.

Bacon in every bite
Now that's proper bacon coverage!

I can't stress this enough, it's called a BACON Cheeseburger for a reason!  If you're going to put bacon on a burger, it needs to cover the entire burger patty, not a portion of it.  I've given this culinary lesson before: If you're only applying two strips of bacon to a burger, then you either do half slices side-by-side for proper coverage, or you shape the bacon in triangles before cooking (my preferred prep method).  Two slices of triangle shaped bacon provides excellent bacon in every bite coverage without adding a lot of time to prep work.  Simply folding the bacon into a 'V' shape when cooking works too, resulting in better bacon coverage. 

Avoid the culinary Ooops!  Don't put bacon on your burger using the "X" method and if your favorite burger joint is guilty of it, suggest the side-by side, triangle or 'V' methods.  It's really easy to do and hardly affects burger prep time at all.

In topping things off, (see what I did there with the play on toppings?... Context joke, but I digress...), you get meat, cheese and bun in every bite, why not the bacon?

$pend Wisely My Friends...

For more great grilling information to include a boat load of recipes, check out my book, Grilling Good Eats now available in paperback on Amazon!

Grilling Good Eats Book


Sweet Red Winey Brats

Sweet Red Winey Brats
These will be smoked over Pecan wood, topped with a red cabbage slaw and served on a garlic butter-toasted bun.

By Mike Thayer

Winey Brats!  What?  Sweet Red Wine and Brats? Yes, it's Another Dose of YUM and in my humble opinion a better bite than beer brats!

Ingredients:

  • A package of your favorite brand of brats (typical package of 5 or 6)
  • 1 cup of sweet red wine (You can go with a port, a red Moscato, or medium sweets like a Zinfandel, Malbec or Shiraz, heck, any red blend will do in a pinch)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon of minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Dusk Shooting Star Red Wine
Tip: Always cook with wine you enjoy drinking. If you don't like the taste of a wine, you probably won't like your food if you cook with it.

Directions:  Break out a large skillet, but do NOT preheat.  Place the brats in the pan, pour in the remaining ingredients.  Turn the heat to medium.  This is kind of like boiling potatoes, starting out cold with a slow build up of heat to ensure those brats get cooked through and soak up the wine bath.  Bring the bath to a boil, turning the brats frequently, reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes.  Finish brats on a grill over direct heat, just long enough to pick up a hint smoke, get those great grill marks and put a snap on the skin.

Marinade Option:  The above is when you're in a hurry to eat a good brat!  If you've got time, skip the wine bath thing and marinate the brats instead using the same ingredients.  Place in a ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least four hours.  Then grill (or smoke) low and slow using INdirect heat, about 30 - 45 minutes or until the internal temp hits 160 degrees.  There's no need to turn, let the smoke do it's thing.  I like to smoke mine with pecan wood.

White wines work great too!  Moscato, Riesling, Sauternes, Ice wine all make for a better brat!

It's Another Dose of YUM!

Related:  Bachelor on the Cheap Wine Reviews

$pend Wisely My Friends...

Enjoy this post?

Buy Me a Coffee

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

Facebook


Bachelor on the Cheap Bacon Cheddar Burgers

Bachelor on the Cheap Bacon Cheddar Burgers
Kick your burgers up a notch with sausage, bacon and cheddar!

By Mike Thayer

I'm not really into baking anymore in trying to go pretty much gluten free aside from a hamburger bun a day during my Burger Challenge. SO instead of mixing flour with my trusty Kitchenaid, I'm mixing meat! Bacon Cheddar Burgers!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 pound pork sausage
  • 6 - 8 slices of bacon, pre-cooked and chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Worchestershire

Directions:

It's pretty straight forward, put all ingredients in a mixer, mix on low setting for about a minute.  You only want to mix long enough to ensure everything is combined thoroughly.  Overmixing will compact the meat making it dense and heavy, giving it more of a meatball feel in the mouth rather than a 'fluffy' burger bite.  Tip:  Let the meats "UNchill" for a bit, they'll mix easier.  Trying to mix the meats just pulled from the refrigerator isn't as efficient and the other ingredients won't distribute as evenly through the ground beef and sausage.  Makes 12 quarter pound patties.

Cooking Tip:  Once patties are formed, you're good to go if frying.  A cast iron skillet on medium high heat will give you the best outer crust.  If grilling, Remember Grilling Tip #1 from Chapter 2 of Grilling Good Eats: Ground meats should be cold when putting on the grill. If patties are at room temperature, they tend to fall apart or droop through the cooking grate. As I make patties, I like to stack them with plastic wrap or parchment paper between each patty and put them in the freezer for about an hour before grilling. 

Enjoy!  It's Another Dose of YUM!

$pend Wisely My Friends...

 

Enjoy this post?

Buy Me a Coffee

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

Facebook


Adding more flavor to grilled foods, no seasoning required

Beef
Add another layer of flavor to your grilled fare with wood

By Mike Thayer

I’m a charcoal grill enthusiast.  Charcoal grills deliver better flavor than gas grills every time. Don’t get me wrong, gas grills have their place, but along with the great flavor charcoal delivers, charcoal has other advantages like the flexibility of using it to give big steaks that high heat sear, or using it to cook ribs low and slow. Another advantage charcoal grills have over gas is that you can easily add wood to the fire, putting another layer of flavor on that great looking piece of meat. You can add wood to a gas grill, but you’re pretty much restricted to using wood chips and you have to keep those chips away from the gas burners, almost forcing you to buy one of those gas grill accessories - the wood chip box. In my experience, the gas grill and those little wood chip boxes just don’t measure up to the flavors you can add using a charcoal grill setup.

My preferred brand of charcoal is Kingsford and I buy the competition briquettes when it’s available. They tend to burn a little hotter and a little longer. I like briquettes because they also deliver a more consistent burn vs. lump coal which comes in different shapes and sizes, doesn’t stack as well and perhaps most importantly, quality lump coal tends to run quite a bit higher in price. Pro-lump coal enthusiasts say it provides better flavor, but if that’s the case, then you might as well just throw the real wood log on the fire.

Wood: You can really add a whole other dimension of flavor by using wood in your grilling. Fruit woods are excellent for adding some sweetness to meats, and all woods suitable for grilling give you that nice smoke ring of flavor that is craved by grill masters, weekend grillers and food enthusiasts alike. Some woods are better with certain meats than others, experiment with different woods and have fun with it. Below is a list of the more commonly used woods. You can use logs to grill or smoke with exclusively, or mix them with charcoal briquettes or lump coal. I like to use a combination of charcoal briquettes and wood logs when grilling low and slow for bigger cuts of meat, and a combination of charcoal and wood pellets when grilling thinner cuts over direct heat, lid-on preparations.

Apple and Cherry woods: Probably the most popular of all the fruit woods, both giving off a mild sweetness. Excellent for poultry and pork, with cherry being particularly good when grilling or smoking ham.

Hickory: The most popular wood for smoking meats, delivering a strong flavor. Don’t overdo it if you haven’t grilled with it before and use with the bigger cuts of meat, it can be overpowering. Good for all meats, but better with beef and lamb.

Mesquite: The trendy wood right now. It burns hotter and faster than hickory so it’s an excellent choice for the weekend griller. It delivers a nice, lightly sweet flavor. Good for all meats, fish, vegetables, especially good with ribs.

Oak: The second most popular all purpose wood. Like hickory, it delivers a strong smoky flavor but not as overpowering. It’s good with beef, fish and pork butt.

Pecan: Doesn’t burn as hot as other woods, delivering a more subtle smoky flavor. Excellent for all meats, good with just about anything you want to grill or smoke.

Other woods to consider: You really can’t go wrong with just about any fruit wood, most of them are mild and sweet. Citrus woods are all good, don‘t hesitate to use them. Peach, pear and mulberry all deliver another dimension of flavor. Maple, birch and ash are nice changes of pace and even seasoned grape vines or lilac branches are nice flavor enhancements for the grill.

Woods to AVOID: Anything in the Pine family (terrible flavor, burns too fast and hot), walnut (heavy, bitter smoke flavor, can be used with other woods but why bother…), elm, cypress, redwood.

TIP: The best smoke comes from the coals of the wood, so when grilling, let the log or logs burn down. Wood in smokers is a different story.

Wood chips and chunks: Wood chips and chunks are great because not everybody has a big backyard to store a cord of wood in. You can store a smaller size bag of wood chips or chunks on an apartment balcony, you can mix chips/chunks in with charcoal briquettes and they are readily available most anywhere grills and grill accessories are sold. Many of the wood flavors previously mentioned are available, apple, cherry, oak, hickory and mesquite. TIP: Soak wood chips in water for at about 30 minutes prior to placing over hot coals. This creates better smoke and extends the burn time. Another thing you can do with wood chips - an added flavor trick - is to soak them in fruit juice instead of water. Be sure to use a REAL juice that’s naturally lower in sugar content, because fake juice with a bunch of added sugar will quickly caramelize into nastiness and create a bitter taste. Wood chips are excellent for lower and slower style grilling, such as with chicken, thick cut chops and ribs.

Wood pellets: I love these things. They are truly versatile, add great flavor and they’re so easy to use. No soaking necessary! They are an excellent addition to charcoal briquettes, or mixing with wood logs, kicking that great taste level up another notch. You can add a handful or two depending on how heavy you like smoke flavor. Like wood chips, wood pellets are designed to add flavor through their smoke. They last longer than wood chips - another plus - but also like wood chips, you’re not going to want to try and cook with pellets as your lone fuel source in a typical patio grill setup if you‘re just doing a couple burgers or hot dogs. They‘re best used in a mixed fuel source preparation. TIP: If you only have one type of log wood to grill or smoke with, say, oak, pick up some apple wood pellets to add to the fire. Layers of flavor! I really like this mix when grilling pork, cherry is excellent as well.

Venting: No, I’m not talking about being able to rant at someone about how bad your day went……. I’m talking about giving your charcoal grill set up a chance to breathe. This is believe it or not one of the most under performed but vital task in grilling. It impacts the heat, the level of smoke (and hence affecting the flavor of the food), and the burn time. Whether you are using charcoal, wood, or a mix of fuel types, don’t forget to vent your grill properly. You’re creating a fire, and fires need to breathe. Vents are your friend. Most grills have at least two sets of vents. There’s typically a set in the lid and a set, if not two, in the base. The vents in the base are essential for letting your fire breathe, the vent in the lid is there for two reasons, to regulate smoke and to work as a draw. Opening that lid vent lets the hot air escape, allowing the lower vents to draw in the cooler outside air with fresh oxygen for the coals to breathe. I’ve seen guys grilling with all the vents closed and they wonder why their fire never really got hot enough, the food took longer to cook and in some cases, the fire prematurely burned out. They didn’t let the coals breathe, the only oxygen the fire got was when the lid was off or opened. If there’s no wind and you’re just grilling burgers and hot dogs, leave your vents wide open. I personally like to leave the lid off in that case until it’s time to melt the cheese for the burgers. If it’s windy, you want to shut your vents a bit, perhaps nearly closed all the way depending on just how windy it is, but never completely closed. If you want a little more smoky flavor on whatever you’re grilling, shut the lid vent a bit. If it’s raining and you don‘t have the luxury of being in a covered area, you may want to close that lid vent a bit. If it’s raining a lot, get out the umbrella. If you don’t have an umbrella, it sucks to be you.

For more tips and grilling 'how to' information, go to www.grillinggoodeats.com

$pend Wisely My Friends...

 

Enjoy this post?

Buy Me a Coffee

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

Facebook


Grilling Good Eats: Season your hot dogs

Hot DogsBy Mike Thayer

Do you just throw hot dogs on the grill, as is?

Why?

You don't throw hamburgers on the grill unseasoned right?  You probably at least put some salt and pepper on those patties, perhaps some seasoning salt before placing them over the coals.

When it comes to steak, chops, or chicken, again, you're probably hitting them with salt and pepper, if not a dry rub or a marinade before grilling.

So why aren't you doing the same thing with hot dogs?

Kick things up a notch.  Hot dogs are great grill fare and a go-to for many folks, so they deserve the same attention you would give that steak, chop, chicken breast or burger.

I don't put naked hot dogs on the grill.  My go-to is to dress them first with olive oil and my signature dry rub.  It just makes for a better bite!

A seasoned hot dog on a bun with all the condiments is better than a put-on-the-grill-naked hot dog on a bun with condiments.  A bit of seasoning embraces and enhances the charcoal flavor.  An olive oil and dry rubbed hot dog is even better!   Mrs. Dash is a great alternative if you're worried about sodium levels and don't forget to drink some water and stay hydrated. 

Dressing alternatives: 

  • Brush on some BBQ sauce, before putting them over the coals
  • Hit them with mustard, any variety
  • "Frost" them with Sriracha, for a hot link kind of bite
  • Marinade them in soy or Terriyaki for some Asian flare (Excellent with shredded Napa cabbage, pickled carrots and cilantro)

Play with the flavors, half the fun in grilling!

via www.grillinggoodeats.com

$pend Wisely My Friends...

 

Enjoy this post?

Buy Me a Coffee

If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or a monthly donation.  Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike

follow me on twitter @Bacheloronthe1

follow me on Pinterest

follow me on Instagram

Facebook