By VPJ Staff
Literature reminds us that in spring a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love. Balderdash! Another fancy takes hold this time of year: Grill Fever! It makes you feel antsy and excited to fire up the grill for the first time in nice weather.
We have certainly come a long way since Turok, Son of Stone, put dinosaur on a stick over an open flame. Did Fred and Barney really order Bronto Burgers at the drive-in? Do you remember your first childhood grilling memory? Was it a hot dog on a camping trip? Did you pursue that dream and become a certified pitmaster? No, probably not. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle of that world. You can be a great quiet backyard griller with a nice cooking area, or are you a raving grill lunatic with a fully-stocked outdoor kitchen area, teeming with all kinds of gadgets and a fistful of new recipes?
Have you been grill shopping lately? Choices go from basic units to Rolls Royce/Cadillac hybrids on steroids. Charcoal, gas, pellets, wood chips, smoking guns, yard trash. You can have it your way in this world! Now, are you a griller or a smoker? I smoked with wood (messy but great) and electricity (with a wood box). Smoking really needs a dedicated space all its own. Smokers look like green eggs, giant boxes, black towers, cylinders — no fire-retardant Legos yet. WARNING…You might go through several of them before you find your smoking groove! We haven’t even mentioned the latest rage: outdoor griddles or combo griddles/grills. You most certainly have choices!
A few summers ago in Livingston Parish, the Vernon Parish Journal staff visited the editor’s family. We cooked several racks of ribs on an old grill that had been fashioned from a 55-gallon drum. The editor (my wife), saw it and said, “That was my daddy’s old grill.” It worked like a 60-year-old charm! Her daddy was an adventurous eater, and she remembered many a baby goat for the 4th of July cooked on that grill! My father had limited grill skills — no grill-meister he — but that did not stop him from trying his hand at steaks, burgers, and sausage. His claim to fame was taking a five-pound tin of spiced luncheon meat (read Spam) from the commissary and putting grill marks on it before slathering it in BBQ sauce. Yes, it’s an acquired taste!
The bottom line on grilling is you really want it to taste great for company and family, and that can be stressful. You just go do it however you know best and let those wood chips fall where they may! Remember: practice makes perfect. Market Basket, Running N Cattle, and Duhon & Sons in New Llano have some great proteins waiting on you. Don’t be afraid to take a chance when grilling. It may end up your new go-to!
Grilling brings out all kinds of side dishes. Everybody’s potato salad, baked beans, mac salad, and casseroles have different spins on them. Here is a quickie recipe that goes with everything! There are just a few ingredients. Check it out with any grilled meat.
POTATO-ONION BAKE
6 medium potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
6 medium onions
Salt, pepper and seasoning salt
1 stick of butter, melted
Cut potatoes and onions into 1/4-inch slices. Alternate layers of potatoes and onions, slightly overlapping, in a 13” x 9” baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and seasoning salt to taste. Repeat with a second layer of potatoes and onions, and sprinkle with same seasonings. Drizzle melted butter over all. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 20 minutes. Serves 8.
Grilling rule #1: DON’T BURN THE MEAT!