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Barbecue

I'd like to start off by thanking my husband for writing this page. He is not a web person and I had to beg him for over a year to sit and down and type it.

Kim bbQ'ingFor "real" smoked flavor, nothing can compare to using OAK BARK & OAK WOOD. When you order your winter firewood, make sure it has aged oak in it. Get out a hammer and chip off the bark and store for your summer "q's" along with the small pieces of oak wood.(You may have to use your Ax and cut some small pieces.). Once you've tried this, using plain coal briquets will never be the same! I do use some briquets underneath to get the fire going but I place my wood and bark on top. You can use Charcoal Lighter Starter because with the Oak Wood it will burn off by the time the wood is ready for you to cook. My favorite type of Grill is a Webber Kettle. I've used the regular size and the GIANT one. I love the even distribution of heat and the fact that the grill stays hot for a long time.

Various Spices I use when cooking Steak (depending upon the flavor I'm in the mood for) are:

  • Lawry's Seasoning Salt - this is one of my favorites. Use to your taste.

  • Garlic Powder-I love this(better buy Breath Assure).

  • Onion Salt (be careful not to over salt) or Onion Powder. A great flavor for all kinds of meat.

  • McCormick's "Montreal Steak Seasoning". A strong black pepper based blend of spices with dill and garlic as other main flavors.If you use this you won't need any of the above spices except maybe some extra Garlic Powder.

My Favorite Sauces:

  1. Tabasco Sauce for Hot Wings

  2. My special Dijon Sauce for fish, especially salmon is: Spicy Brown old fashioned Dijon, Garlic Powder and Old Bay Crab Spice - sometimes for wings, if I am cooking a variety.

Kim's Barbecue Tips:

  1. If the fire is too hot (which could mean you should wait awhile before BBQ'ing) don't over spray the fire with water. I personally never spray the fire but instead will pour a little beer (I realize that is alcohol abuse!) on it.

  2. Turn the meat over after one minute to sear in the juices.

  3. Don't use a fork to poke or turn over your meat-be gentle with it. Instead use tongs or a spatula. A fork will put holes in the meat and let the juices out.

  4. Unless your fire has burnt down too much, and you need the heat, don't put the lid on your BBQ to "SMOKE" your meat. In the process of cooking, real hardwoods (oak, hickory, mesquite etc.) produce enough of a smoke flavor. Putting the lid on the Q only makes an overly smoky bitter flavor that tastes like it has picked up the resins in the wood.

  5. Realize that a grill will have hot and cold spots in it while you are cooking. Move the food around depending upon how fast or slow it is actually cooking.

  6. When you are done cooking you can make your own "NATURAL CHARCOAL" by putting the lid on the grill before you go in to eat. When you put the lid on and go in you could also throw in some more wood. This will produce more Natural Charcoal to help you start the next fire.

  7. I never put any kind of sauce on Steak while I am cooking. I will use A-1, Pick-a-Peppa, etc. while I am eating steak but not when cooking. Why alter the natural BBQ flavor of steak and then force everyone to eat their steak with that sauce?

  8. I personally love to experiment with Steak Sauces and am always willing to try new ones. The 2 mentioned above are excellent. Others in our cabinet are: Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce (Robin eats this - I don't), Heinz 57 (I only use if we're out of all others) etc.

Steaks I like to are:

  • Rib Eye - Robin's favorite and a great steak to Q since it has a lot of fat in it. I go to the butcher and ask him/her to cut me 1lb+ ribeyes from the rib & leave the bone on it (Robin is not a porker like I am so she shares hers with our youngest son, Sean. Our Oldest son-David-can eat two and still be hungry). Due to the higher fat content you don't have to necessarily buy the most expensive cut of meat. Experiment and see what works at your stores. If you're going to cut these Steaks in half then ask for some w/out the rib-but be warned that a steak cooked and eaten with the rib is a little closer to heaven.

  • New York Strip - a great NY Steak is my all time favorite in life. But...you must buy a little better quality if Q'ing up a New York. Talk to your butcher and ask which are the best to BBQ. Of Course, "Prime" regular beef or Black Angus are great (and expensive). I get great New York's and Delmonico's (a form of the ribeye) at a local butcher. These are not "Prime" but are excellent. They cut the steaks right off the slab. YUM! A NY strip is the Cut of the House at The Palm. I've also had great New York's at Smith & Wollensky's in Manhattan and at Ruth's Chris in Washington DC.

  • Porterhouse - our son David's favorite. Excellent for Q'ing. A porterhouse is half Fillet Mignon and half NY strip w/ a bone in the middle. If you're at Morton's Steak House this, is the 'Cut of the House'.

  • Delmonico - similar to a RibEye. An excellent Steak with a good fat content for flavor and juiciness. Everyone in our family likes these.

  • Filet Mignon - I personally don't usually BBQ these because there is almost no fat - a very lean meat. But I mention this because if you are on a very low fat diet and still want the great taste of a BBQ STEAK then a good Fillet Mignon is a good choice. The butcher I mentioned earlier has specials on pre-cut fillets and once in a while I'll pick some up for a change, or if I'm doing a Surf and Turf. In Maryland we have Crab Feasts. The guys are usually hungry an hour afterwards. Sometimes we start up the fire about the time we finish the crabs and then an hour later we have BBQ Steaks-the Fillets are excellent for this.




Mel's Favorite BBQ'd Potatoes
(You'll need some potatoes to go with those steaks! This was my Dad's recipe)

Gather together:
Baking potatoes, butter, sliced onions, salt and pepper, aluminum foil

Slice potatoes, keep individual potatoes together.
In between each slice, place onions, a dab of butter, s & p.
Wrap each potato generously in aluminum foil.
Cook along with what ever else you are BBQ'ing, enjoy!


Some Restaurants where I've had GREAT Steaks:

  1. The Palm (NY strip) in Manhattan & Santa Monica,Ca

  2. Morton's (Porterhouse) in Beverly Hills

  3. Ruth's Chris (NY strip) in Bethesda Md

  4. Citronelle (NY strip) in Wash.DC & Santa Barbara, Ca

  5. Smith & Wollensky's (NY strip) in Manhattan

  6. Joe & Mo's (Prime rib) in Wash.DC

  7. 1789 (Ribeye) in Wash.DC

  8. San Ysidro Ranch (Ribeye w/ Rib) in Montecito,Ca

  9. Far Western Tavern in Guadalupe, Ca.(Can't remember what type,
    it was called a BULLSEYE STEAK-don't even know if it's still in business)

  10. BJ's North (NY strip) in Ocean City, Md.

  11. Finally...according to my son David the best steaks he's
    ever had are the ones I BBQ in the backyard.

Other meats...

  • BBQ'ing Lamb- just like steak.Lamb tastes great on the grill over Oak. I don't like to put any sauces on this while cooking. If you want to experiment you may want to slather some Jalapeno Mint Jelly on the Lamb about a minute before removing from the fire. Remember the sugar in the jelly can catch on fire and burn. I like the mint jelly but I like it on the side so I don't usually put it on the meat while Q'ing.

  • Chicken - the possibilities for sauces and spice combinations are endless. Some of my favorites:

  • BBQ Chicken-cook with Lawry's Season salt & Garlic powder. When the chicken is about 5 minutes from being done generously slather on Lea & Perrins BBQ Sauce(or your favorite).If you use the Q sauce too early in the cooking process the sugar will burn the chicken.

  • Maryland Old Bay Chicken - while cooking sprinkle on Old Bay Seasoning to taste. For Lemon Old Bay Chicken pour Lemon Juice or Sprinkle a Lemon on the Chicken and then put more Old Bay at various times during the cooking process. To make either of these hot pour on Tabasco Sauce while cooking. I love BBQ'd Maryland Hot Wings with Tabasco and Old Bay.

  • Teriyaki Chicken-continually pour Teriyaki Sauce/Glaze(the thicker the better) over the chicken while Q'ing. Prior to cooking use garlic powder and onion powder. Teriyaki is salty so you won't need other spices or salts. Sometimes I sprinkle a little lemon on at the end for a Sweet Sour effect.

  • Indian Tandoorian Chicken- after you've washed the chicken, roll in Sharwood's Tandoori Mixture/Barbecue Spice Marinade (this is salt free). When you put the chicken on the grill sprinkle with Lawry's Season Salt or "Custom Pork and Chicken BBQ Spice 0762". Then lightly sprinkle on more Tandoori Spice while cooking (to taste). The Tandoori is a great flavor & is a little bit spicy. If you want completely salt free chicken then merely use Tandoori with Garlic and Onion powder to taste.

  • Plain Old Oak BBQ'd Chicken- use a combination of Lawry's (or Custom) with Garlic and Onion Powder to taste. Cook. Eat.

  • BBQ Pork - we love to Q up Pork(and I'm not talking about Robin). I usually use a thicker Pok'Chop type cut w/ & w/out the bone and slather on the Lea & Perrin's BBQ Sauce from the start.While cooking I continue to liberally apply more of the BBQ Sauce. Use Lawry's (or custom), Garlic & Onion Powder to taste.

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