Friday, August 17, 2007

Grilling Tips

(Dad got in a Grilling Class at BYU-I July 2007)
Ideas at Foodnetwork.com

Steak

-Meat that has fat marbled in it will be more tender and tasty
-The more you turn the meat the tougher it will be
-great marinade…salad oil, Montreal seasoning.
-Red cooking wine has enzymes that will always enhance the flavor
-some like to bake meat 15-20 min at 300 degrees first, then grill

-always preheat to 325-350 degrees.
-pay lots of money for NY steak or buy a roast and have butcher cut it in strips
-Rib Eye Steak always tender. Lean meat will always be tougher.
-Good steak will cook 7-8 min at 350 degree
-always use pan spray on the grill rack when it’s heated

-Grill meat on diagonal for ½ time then shift diagonally the other way to mark the meat, but don’t turn it. Turn only once and mark diagonally like the first side. Use diagonal to know what has been turned
-never meat outside refrigerator longer than 4 hrs.


Chicken/Pork
-Nice marinade is rice vinegar, salt, oil, liquid smoke
-Pork without bone is best for grill (2-3 hr marinade best)
-turn only once like in steak
-350 degrees preheat, open lid, then leave open while cook
-when cooking meat, look at side of meat and can see when ½ cooked, then know to turn it.

-Pkg marinade is best…Schilling, etc
-Soda pop in marinade is good
-buy metal tongs and thermometer to put in meat (like pencil size) to make sure temp is right
-Chicken at least 160 degrees by thermometer. Other meats 150 degrees.

Misc
-Hamburger that is pre-pattied and frozen is best.
-great fresh corn…put mayonnaise on it and Parm cheese and crushed pepper corn. Wrap in foil (always shiny side next to food). Grill 45 min-1 hr.
-Veg…make foil pouch (double foil if no skin on veggies, like pots), add onions, zucc, pot, mushrooms, etc, garlic, salt, olive oil. Close pouch up, seal, and grill 6-12 min
-Sm red potatoes will take 15-20 min in pouch.
-Fish cook 12-15 min…cook first on skin side. Fresh tuna is excellent…not fishy.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

DELICIOUS HOMEMADE PIZZA

I got this recipe from a cooking class put on by a Cicilian lady in our ward. DJ and I made it lastnight and it was SOOO yummy.

DOUGH
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 c. warm water
2 c. bread flour
1 tsp. instant yeast

(triple the recipe so you can freeze extra batches for later)

Bloom yeast in the warm water and half of sugar. Dump the rest of the ingredients into a bowl, except for the olive oil, and whisk to combine. Dump all the wet ingredients into the dry and stir, then knead to combine. Let dough sit for several minutes. Knead, then oil and put into large ziplock. This goes into the refrigerator overnight. When the dough has been in the fridge for a couple hours, unzip the bag to let the co2 out and punch the dough down.

If tripling: the next day, the dough can be seperated into three 1lb,3 oz. balls. Put in ziplock bags and freeze for future use.


PIZZA SAUCE
15 oz. can Roma style tomato sauce (Contadina)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. salt
Pepper
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. tomato paste

Sauce is to be used somewhat sparingly, otherwise you will have a soup instead of pizza.


TOPPINGS
Any thinly sliced vegetables, cooked meats, and cheeses.
Dashes of herbs like thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, etc.

Try grated cheeses like Asaigo, Fontina, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Provolone (mild), Reggiano Parmesiano, Whole Milk Mozzarella.


BAKE
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Dust your countertop with flour or cornmeal. Aseemble your pizza evenly, sliding it onto your pizza pan or baking stone. Bake immediately for a crisp crust. Resting the dough 30 minutes will result in a chewy crust. Bake for about 7 minutes or until toppings are bubbly and crust is golden brown. Rest two minutes before slicing.