What’s the best time to barbecue? Whenever you feel the urge! Have two feet of snow on your terrace (like we did the previous winter ? Shovel it off, put up an awning or some form of cover, if you need to, and get cooking! Nothing like grilled steaks when it’s 10 below, right? If you live on the surface of the sun (e.g: Arizona) and never have the snow you’ll never have any excuses not to fire that BBQ up at any time of year.
Now, there’s the slow cooking barbecue and there’s the much faster grilling. Barbecue uses indirect heat, much like your oven on a low setting, while grilling uses more charcoal and whatever you’re cooking is placed right above them. Like a broiler. The BBQ might take 3 or four hours to finish, while you can grill steaks in 10-15 minutes.
By and large you’ll be barbecuing the tougher cuts, ribs, or meats that may have some gristle or connective tissue. The slow, long heat will break that down and the meat will be totally yummy. Do that with a fish or a good steak, and, well, it won’t be pretty. So grill your steaks & fish and barbecue your baby back ribs.
Speaking of steaks, here’s what you’ll need to grill a couple of rib eye steaks (and here’s the video on how to bbq a ribeye steak.
- 2 nice steaks, a pound or so each
- 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
- some diced celery and scallions
- garlic clove
- butter
- charcoal and your grill/weber
- cast iron skillet
Make a pile of coals on one side of the lower grill and fire them up. Since you’ll be grilling these steaks you’ll want a lot of heat, so make a largish pile, but you won’t cover the lower grill with them, keep them to one side. Once the coals are hot put the steaks on the grill. The heat should be enough that you can hear those steaks sizzle. After a minute or so flip the steaks. There should be some nice grill lines on the meat. (You’ll be searing in the flavor and juices by doing this.)
Once seared, move the steaks to the part of the grill without the coals. Now place your skillet over the charcoal and add the sliced onions and some butter. Saute the onions until browned and then set them aside. Keep the steaks on the “cool” side of the grill and close up the grill. Open it up and turn the steaks over every couple of minutes until nearly done (and done is the way you like it.)
When they’re getting close to “just right” put the skillet back on and toss in some butter, the scallions, and the celery. While that mix sizzles take the clove of garlic, mash it up, and add it to the mix. Place the steaks into the skillet and spread the scallion/celery mix over the top of the steaks. Add the onions, too. Cook them just long enough to warm the onions and then serve.
As for real barbecue, which takes a lot longer, take a look at this video which will show you how to make perfect barbecue pork ribs. Now, the real question is this: can you wait three to four hours to eat the ribs while that wonderful barbecue scent drifts through the air? It’s tough, but be strong. The finished BBQ ribs will be worth the wait.