Our grill was on its last legs, so it was time to get a new one. Picking a grill was no easy task with so many on the market now, including solar grills. We didn’t make the leap to solar, but we did find one that has blue LED lighting around the knobs. This feature makes nighttime cooking a breeze.
The thrill of a new grill can add some sizzle to your summer and spark renewed interest in hosting a barbecue. Of course, there is no bigger day for barbecues in America than Fourth of July, which is right around the corner, so the grill arrived just in time.
I’ve been trying a few different things to make my grilled foods as delicious as possible. One thing that has the greatest impact on grilled meats and poultry is to let them come to room temperature before putting them on the grill. This is a total game changer.
When I cook steaks, I typically take them out of the package, season them with some salt (my favorite is Redmond’s Real Salt) and leave them on the counter for a couple of hours, especially for thicker-cut steaks.
Once they’ve reached room temperature, you will notice how much more pliable the meat is. Before putting the meat on the grill, I rub a little olive oil on it and add additional seasoning (steak seasonings and seasonings crafted for burgers work great).
Once it’s time to get the meat on the grill, I set a timer for how long it needs to cook on each side according to the temperature I want. This method has produced reliable, reproducible results and always leads to a juicy, delicious steak.
Everyone at my house loves sea scallops, so I’ve experimented with some prep work to get the tastiest grilled scallops possible.
If I’m dealing with frozen scallops (we get the large sea scallops, not the smaller bay scallops), I let them thaw completely, then transfer them to racks set on top of baking sheets. They sit for about an hour and excess fluid drains out. Pat them dry with paper towels.
Getting the extra moisture out is key to a nicely grilled scallop. Once they’re dry, I rub them with garlic and add whatever seasoning I’m using, then set them on the grill.
For a little extra flavor, I like to add some butter to the plate onto which I’ll be transferring the cooked scallops. I also add a squeeze of lemon before serving them. Scallops prepared this way are excellent with a grilled vegetable such as lemon-pepper grilled broccoli.
The Best Steak Recipe Ever
2 steaks, such as Porterhouse or New York strip
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Steak seasoning of choice
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon fresh cut parsley for garnish (optional)
Remove the steaks from their package and transfer to baking sheet lined with a wire rack.
Season both sides of each steak with salt, then place them on the wire rack and let them sit until they reach room temperature.
Rub each steak with half of the olive oil, then add the steak seasoning.
Heat a grill to 450 to 500 degrees and place the steaks on the grill. Grill on each side for 5 to 7 minutes depending on the desired result (for medium steaks with a pink, firm center the total grilling time is about 10 minutes, depending on thickness. A meat thermometer is very helpful here.)
Once the steaks have reached the desired temperature, remove them from the grill. Add half the butter on top of each steak and let them rest for 4 to 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Lemon Butter Grilled Scallops
1 pound frozen sea scallops, thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons butter, in pats
2 fresh lemon wedges
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Line a baking sheet with a wire rack. Place the thawed scallops on the rack and sprinkle both sides with sea salt, then let the scallops sit at room temperature for about an hour.
Pat the scallops dry with paper towels, then transfer to a plate and drizzle with olive oil.
Add the butter to a serving dish you’ll be putting the scallops on and keep it near the grill.
Heat the grill to medium high heat, then place the scallops on the grill. Cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes (depending on size) or until the side in contact with the grill has grill marks and the scallops have turned opaque.
Turn the scallops over and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until opaque. Remove the cooked scallops from the grill, then swipe them through the butter as you plate them.
Squeeze the lemon wedges over the scallops, then sprinkle with rosemary and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lemon Pepper Grilled Broccoli
1 head of broccoli, cut in to 3-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 tablespoon parsley, minced
2 lemon wedges
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the broccoli to a large bowl. Add olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning. Toss well to coat the broccoli. Let the broccoli sit for 30 minutes.
Heat the grill to medium high. Once the grill is heated, add the broccoli and grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until char marks appear, then turn the broccoli over. Grill for an additional 3 minutes or until the broccoli is tender and begins to brown.
Remove from grill and garnish with parsley. Drizzle with lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
