Improved technique
With the new BBQ comes the challenge: to improve my skills. I can’t blame poor technique on crappy equipment forever. The last char-box on our deck was a point of avoidance, for me. Anything other than the simplest thing (a hamburger, for example) seems to turn out tough. Hard. And so, I found no reason to refill the tank, when one (or two) of the kids left it empty.
This time around, I’m on my terms. A couple of days ago, some steaks. Today, I upped the difficulty level. Boneless chicken breasts. With some gentle instruction from a couple of websites, I learned that the thickness has to be somewhat equal from corner to corner; flattened with a rolling pin does just fine. Also, chicken (as we get it from the supermarket) tends to dry quickly when exposed to heat, so I prepared a simple brine solution. One-half cup of sugar and salt mixture, dissolved in four cups of water. Let the meat relax for a couple of hours before cooking time, in a soaking pan.
On the BBQ, get the heat up before introducing the meat to its final moments. Oh, and oil the grill first. Chicken WILL stick… Turn things over, a few times. Abstain from going inside to read a good book, for example. With a little TLC, and a side of salad, I managed to get a meal on the table that was better than the last similar order at a local restaurant.
So, what’s my next challenge? Probably fish, which will need some more study. After all, the cooking time can be measured in seconds elapsed.
