One Less Lonely Grill

By Zoe Fox

2:43 p.m. Aug. 4 2010

Photos by John Meguerian / North by Northwestern

Beyond BK
Fresh ideas for grilling this spring.

Sandy Beckett, executive chef at Pete Miller’s Steakhouse, provides these insights to successful grilling:

1. Keep it clean. Scrub the grates with a simple brush. No brush? A ball of aluminum foil will do the trick, Beckett says.
2. Lube it up. Lubricate the grill with a spare rag dosed in olive oil.
3. Stay cool. Beckett recommends always having a good meat thermometer.
4. Thaw it out. Cold, frozen meats will contract when in contact with the hot grill, causing your meat to be tough and dry.
5. Make a choice. Gas is ideal for small quantities of meats with a fast cooking time. But if you’re looking for flavor, charcoal is the way to go. “You’ll get a great smoky taste,” Beckett says.
6. Wait to salt. Don’t add salts until the meat is almost finished; “the meat is going to sweat if you salt it and then just leave it on [the grill] for a while,” advises Beckett.
7. Score. Beckett says score marks are a sign of success. They’ll add flavor and texture while ensuring you stay satisfied and salmonella-free this spring.

-Kevin Short

Ready to blow off some steam — literally? Get grilling. Nothing says “summer” like barbecues, beers and buddies. And nothing says “summer in Evanston” like grilling with these barbecue essentials:

1. Element Grill by Fuego ($449, ElementbyFuego.com) With this fire, you’ll forget there are another three elements. It’s a steep investment, but fall tailgating just might make it worth it.
2. 3-PC Barbeque Tool Set with Oven Mitt ($14.99, Cost Plus World Market) Tongs. Turner. Fork. Oven mitt. Burn-free hands.
3. Nonstick Grill Topper ($7.99, Cost Plus World Market) No rusty grate “skid” marks.
4. Pigtail Food Flipper ($12.99, Cost Plus World Market) Grab your meat by the horns—or pigtail.
5. Barbecue! Bible: Sauces, Rubs and Marinades; Bastes, Butters and Glazes ($8.99, Barnes & Noble) When lost on the grill, the Bible’s always there to lead you back in the right direction.
6. Bronco Bob’s Grilling Sauce ($5.99, Cost Plus World Market) What’s life without some spice?
7. Ace Charcoal Lighter Fluid ($2.99, Lemoi Ace Hardware) Come on baby, light my fire.
8. Outdoor Dinnerware ($2.99-12.99, Cost Plus World Market) Mimic your mom’s outdoor domestic goddess. You can say we told you to.