|
||||
The Winter Grilling ObsessionGrilling has become a new obsession that is emerging quickly and spreading rapidly. Although there have always been die-hards, they are multiplying. Grilling calls to man - the taste and the smell are intoxicating and when temperatures drop below freezing there is no stopping grillers today. Winter grill sales have climbed 60% in the past two years (Fletcher, The Wall Street Journal Online). According to facts on www.beef.org 84% Americans agree that grilled food tastes better and the average American eats 16 grilled meals a year. Amazingly one out of five families will grill during the winter. Although there are challenges to grilling in the winter, they are not sufficient to deter the need to grill. In fact, a survey (Bring the Grill Out of Hibernation) of Americans showed that one in ten grillers are brave enough to grill in a blizzard. In the same survey three main reasons are given for the insanity, which include the flavor, the menu variety, and the lack of clean up. Even though the delicious savors of the grill cannot be enjoyed while relaxing on the patio outside, grilling continues to be great while entertaining. Holidays, game days, and parties are great reasons to grill and those do occur in the winter. A few warnings would include where you leave the grill to cool. One man "leaving his smoker out to cool overnight and found it sunk into the frozen ground the next morning stuck until the spring thaw". Another man "lifted the lid on his extreme-heat ceramic grill without opening up the vent first. ‘Flames went whoosh and singed my hair'". (Fletcher, The Wall Street Journal Online) It is important to remember that the grill will be more difficult to light, take longer to heat up, and will lose heat each time you open the hood. Winter grillers prefer and utilize gas grills over other grills because it does heat up faster and it is easier to light. You may need to turn up the burner. However, a new type of grill, infrared, is becoming more popular. These grills run on propane or natural gas but utilize a different burner. These grills will heat up to 1,650 degrees. This great winter-friendly grill will run you $5,000 or more. However, if you are a die-hard charcoal griller, go ahead and enjoy but remember it will be harder to start and longer to recover heat lost from opening the lid. It will also take more charcoal in the winter than in the summer. Although some claim anything can be cooked during the winter, it seems pork is among the favorite meats to cook in below freezing weather. However, there are a few tips for different cuts of meat. Cook thin cuts of meat on direct heat for short amounts of time with the lid open. Cook thicker cuts using indirect heat with the lid closed. The best choices for cooking large quantities of food quickly include filets, skirt steak or other thin cuts. When weather begins to drop below 45 degrees, add 20 minutes of cooking time at 350 degrees per every 5 degrees drop in temperature. Following are great tips from professional grillers in an article by Dana Mccauley. These tips were learned by trial and error while grilling in the winter. 1. Gas grills with higher BUT ratings heat up quickly even when it's very cold so if you're purchasing a gas grill and know that you want to use it in cold weather, opt for a unit with a BTU rating per square inch that is higher than 125. 2. If you haven't used the grill recently, check all gas lines, burners and jets for possible blockages. Insects such as spiders may pick these places to build cocoons for the winter and their homes will prevent fuel from flowing freely to the burners. 3. Avoid wearing scarves or wide-sleeved jackets that may dangle into the flames and catch fire. Instead, opt for snugly fitted sleeves and a turtleneck sweater or a fleecy neck warmer. 4. Although the garage may seem like a wind-sheltered, inviting spot to grill, the comfort is not worth the safety risk. Instead, set up the grill at least 10 feet away from the house to avoid the risk of a fire or an explosion that can result when grill flames and stray vapours from the gas furnace, water heater or the lawn mower's fuel tank meet one another in an enclosed space. 5. If necessary, brush off all snow on the grill to speed preheating and shovel the surrounding area to prevent a dangerously slippery skating rink from forming under and around your grill. 6. Position your grill out of the wind to conserve heat. 7. Many metals and almost all plastics get brittle in very cold weather so handle the knobs on the grill gently to avoid snapping them off. 8. To ensure that foods cook evenly and that cooking times aren't unreasonably lengthened in cold weather, make sure the lid of the barbecue is closed during cooking. Peeking too often will allow heat to escape and extends cooking time.
Pricey New Gadgets Heat Up Winter Grilling Winter Grilling Winter Grilling Tips BRING THE GRILL OUT OF HIBERNATION 8 Winter Grilling Tips
Written for PetesOutdoorGrills.com by Sharon Rosinski
You are viewing: |
||||
|
Browse Products | Featured Specials | Grilling Tips | About Us | Contact Us
Copyright © Baker's Gas & Welding Supplies, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
||||
