 Summer is here and the grills are definitely heating up. Now let "Mastering the Grill", by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, help you serve up amazing grilled food. This cookbook is loaded with great grilling recipes. For one example, see today's recipe, "Roasted Chicken Grilled with Hot Pepper Pears and Honey". Complementing all of the specific grilled recipes is a chapter devoted to marinades, rubs, pastes and so forth that you can use to develop your own favorite recipes. But "Mastering the Grill" is not just about grilling recipes, it also has interesting and informative sections on cuts of meat, fowl, and fish as well as details on how to grill vegetables. Further adding depth to the various recipes are a series of side-bars that contain helpful tips and tricks.
"Mastering the Grill" really has something for everyone including traditional steaks, burgers, pork, fish, and ribs; large grill projects that take a day or two like a whole pig, spit lamb, and turduken; a whole section on grilled vegetables and vegetarian dishes; and it even has recipes for grilling breakfast foods and breads. As the extended title says, this really is "the owner's manual for outdoor cooking"!
Roasted Chicken Grilled with Hot Pepper Pears and Honey From "Mastering the Grill" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, Chronicle Books The crisp skin cracks like a single layer of Chinese lacquer as you carve into this savory, spicy, sweet roast chicken. The aromas of herbs swirl with the scent of soy sauce and honey, while the texture of the crackled skin, moistened by meaty steam and syrupy pears, is enough to make your head swim. Take a whiff and dive in.
The Grill Gas
- Indirect heat--medium (325º to 350ºF)
- 3-burner grill--middle burner off
- 2-burner grill--1 side off
- Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal - Indirect heat--medium ash
- Split charcoal bed (about 2 dozen coals per side)
- 20 replacement coals
- Heavy-duty drip pan set between banks of charcoal
- Clean, oiled grate on medium setting
Grill Tools and Equipment
- Kitchen twine
- Long-handled spatula
- Long-handled tongs
- Long-handled basting brush
Timing
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Grill: About 1 1/2 hours
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Tuscan Rosemary Rub, see recipe below
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, washed and dried
- Oil for coating grill grate
- 1/2 cup Peking Crackle, see recipe below
- 3 large Bartlett pears, firm but not hard
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
1. Heat the grill as directed above.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of the rub with the butter by mashing them with a fork on a clean work surface until well blended.
3. Separate the skin from the breast and legs of the chicken, and gently but firmly insert your index finger under the skin at the neck end of the chicken. Move it around, separating the skin from the meat underneath. Gradually ease your whole hand under the skin, loosening the skin from the breast, legs, and drumsticks.
4. Spoon the herb butter under the skin and push it evenly over the breast and legs of the chicken by rubbing the skin to spread the butter.
5. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon rub into the interior of the chicken and rub it over the walls of the internal cavity. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine.
6. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the chicken on the grill away from the heat, cover the grill, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers about 170°F, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Baste with half the glaze during the last 20 minutes of cooking. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 350°F. If you are using charcoal, you will probably have to replenish the coals after the first hour.
7. Meanwhile, cut the pears in half lengthwise, remove the core with a melon baller, and coat the pear halves with the oil.
8. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, put the pears directly over the heat, and cook until browned and tender, brushing with the remaining glaze and turning once.
9. Remove the chicken and pears to a large serving platter, lifting the chicken with tongs and using a spatula for support. Let rest for 8 to 10 minutes; carve and serve.
Tuscan Rosemary Rub
From "Mastering the Grill" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, Chronicle Books Simple and straightforward, this all-purpose herb rub is perfect for anything from artichokes to potatoes to steak (hmm, not a bad menu!).
Good with
- Seafood: shrimp, scallops, salmon, any white-fleshed fish
- Poultry: chicken, turkey, game hen
- Meat: lamb, pork, veal, beef
Timing
Makes about 1/4 cup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary, crushed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients.
Use as directed in a recipe; can be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Peking Crackle
From "Mastering the Grill" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, Chronicle Books Based on the glaze that gives Peking duck its crackling skin, this salty, sweet, and savory glaze is delicious on any poultry. It is best used with indirect grilling. If used directly over a flame, watch its progress very carefully. It can reduce to a blackened sheen in a few untended seconds.
Good with
- Seafood: salmon
- Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey, game hen
- Meat: lamb, pork
Timing
Makes about 1/2 cup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste with garlic
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredients.
2. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in a tightly closed container for up to 1 month. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
About Mastering the Grill  Grilling is a science, and it's only when you understand the science of grilling that you can transform it into an art. That's what makes Mastering the Grill a standout on the cookbook shelf. From equipment (grill types and tools) to fire (wood, charcoal, or gas) to ingredients (meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables), the authors have shared their impressive grilling know-how to explain the whys and the hows and guarantee the wows clearly and comprehensively. In addition to hundreds of tips and techniques, this ultimate guide is packed with how-to illustrations and mouthwatering photographs plus 350 surefire recipes for everything from rubs and marinades to appetizers, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. Mastering the Grill is a master class in cooking, destined to become a sauce-stained, well-thumbed classic.
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