Cooking with fire!
By Faye
@FayeHazel (40230)
United States
August 12, 2020 10:46pm CST
Perhaps the third time is indeed the charm. Usually I have my mom start up the charcoal grill, but I decided I should know how.
The first time, the coals went out on me, and we had to finish up the food in a pan in the house, on the good old dependable stove.
The second time, the coals didn't light well, so it took a lot longer to get the food done.
Tonight, however was the third time I used the charcoal. I doused it well with lighter fluid. That seemed to do the trick.
We had cube steak that I marinated and grilled onion. Yum.
Do you grill?
Photo credit: Skitterphoto on Pixabay
14 people like this
14 responses
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
13 Aug 20
Perhaps his experience of grilled meat has been spoiled by the use of too much lighter fluid and cheap and nasty charcoal briquettes together with poor grilling techniques (over cooking and the fire not hot enough are the usual mistakes and the cause of many '"meh" steaks'!). Good grilling is one of the best ways to serve a good steak and it must be done quickly over good, red coals and allowed to rest some before serving. Overcooked steak is an abomination; steak which is allowed to dry out over a lukewarm fire is no better than half way to jerky!)
4 people like this
@JudyEv (381851)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Aug 20
@owlwings Mostly the problem has been that he's cooking on someone else's barbecue and has no say over the process. Now, if asked to a barbecue, we mostly take marinated chicken wrapped in alfoil. That's works well. But I agree, when cooked properly, a barbecued steak is something else.
3 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
@owlwings You made me want steak bad
2 people like this
@gr8nana6 (6614)
• Conyers, Georgia
14 Aug 20
@FayeHazel I did when I was younger, not anymore.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
17 Aug 20
@gr8nana6 In that case I[m happy son in law took over
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
Thanks! Did you like to do the grilling, or is it ok that son in law took it over?
2 people like this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
13 Aug 20
One trick I do to light up charcoal is to put it on top of the grill and put lots of paper under it. I add more paper until the charcoal catches fire, I also fan it as needed. After the charcoal is on fire, I pour it all back to the stove by inverting the grill, I also always have a fan around..
2 people like this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
14 Aug 20
@FayeHazel i saw how street food vendors do it because flammables like lighter fluids would add to their costing plus it might leave a smell.
Most grills here are just shallow to medium square metal boxes with a stand and a grill on top.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
17 Aug 20
@louievill Interesting. What a good way to cut costs actually. I didn't think about that. Every little bit would help. Now I'm curious about your street food vendors there. Here we have "food trucks" - the kitchen and everything is in a truck. Usually never see anyone cooking with actual fire unless, in the rare case it's a fair or something.
Ours is a round grill. Quite a cheap one at that. It came in 20 pieces inside a box. You assemble. Rather, I assembled it myself. The grate lifts in and out, which is fine, except for you have to tilt it, to wedge it under 2 wing nuts from the assembly of the thing. I think that's a design flaw.
Last night I tried putting the paper under the charcoal - that worked really well, thanks!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
I really like that advice about paper on the bottom, and on a still day that fan makes a lot of sense. I wonder how your grill grate works? Ours lifts out, difficult. I think it's a design flaw myself
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
14 Aug 20
@FayeHazel You really need good charcoal. I think we got some cheap stuff once and had a hard time getting it lit.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
@just4him Good to know. Here I had thought charcoal is charcoal. Guess not
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
Thanks! Ah, I think that (and cheap charcoal) was part of my problem the first times.... not enough lighter fluid. Gotta really soak it pretty good. Who'd a thunk?
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (89478)
• Rupert, Idaho
13 Aug 20
That is great it worked out the 3rd time! Cube steak sounds good. I cooked some eye of round steak just in a pan tonight. We have a grill but haven't used it yet LOL
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
17 Aug 20
@MommyOfEli2013 I hadn't done much marinading before this year either - it's kind of a pain cause you have to plan out your menu days in advance to allow meat to thaw (if frozen) and then, once thawed some maranades take overnight.... (some take only 15 minutes, too)
it helps tenderize and flavor the meat.... tasty!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
Thanks! That maranade I found was awesome! Eye of round sounds good, though not sure that I have had that particular cut . Oooo grill is fun, kind of, ha ha, once you get the hang of it
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (89478)
• Rupert, Idaho
14 Aug 20
@FayeHazel That is good to hear, I have never tried marinading steak....but I bet it makes it nice. Eye of round is pretty good....especially when cut really thin lol.
Oh yeah, I bet it is fun once you get the hang of it, lol :) We used to have in indoor grill that you plug in....I know that is not the same though.
1 person likes this
@Lavanya15 (12888)
• Chennai, India
13 Aug 20
No my friend. I don't have any experience in grill. Lol.
But I hope you learn very fast.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
13 Aug 20
Although dousing the charcoal liberally with lighter fluid is quick and easy, however long you leave it, there is always a lingering smell of the stuff (even when it's supposed to be 'odorless').
The best way to start a charcoal barbecue is with a small wigwam of kindling wood and a screw of newspaper. As soon as the wood has caught, begin piling charcoal around it to create a good 'heart', making sure that the bottom vents are fully open. Once the charcoal is glowing well, you can begin to add more until your whole bed is alight and you can reduce the bottom air. When the charcoal begins to develop a grey ash surface, it is ready to begin cooking.
If you have a choice, use a good quality lumpwood charcoal rather than briquettes. It's easier to light and doesn't have any fillers or additives to make it hold together (which invariably contribute to the flavour of whatever you are cooking).
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
Thanks for the advice, WOw a true art form. Interesting you mention quality of charcoal. I recently bought the cheapest one thinking "well, charcoal should be charcoal". Boy was I wrong. That stuff didn't stay lit. So now I got the name brand briquette. Though, I find the idea of this lumpwood charcoal you mention, interesting. I think that would add a nice flavor to what you're making
@Orson_Kart (8261)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 20
Burnt on the outside, raw in the middle.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
Ah yes. That's kind of like my grilled cheese ha
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23670)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
13 Aug 20
No, I was waiting for my invitation from you!!!
PS I wrote our friend an email!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
You can come over any old time you want. Though depending on the day you might get grill food or you might get ramen noodles. It's sort of like the lottery like that here. lol. You can even bring our friend with
@DianneN (254949)
• United States
17 Aug 20
@FayeHazel It takes a while to get used to lighting charcoal. lol
Yes, hubs doesn't mind grilling or cooking for that matter. He enjoys helping out in the kitchen - and elsewhere. I'm so blessed to have him. He never complains.
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
17 Aug 20
The charcoal has taken me a bit to get on to lighting. I think I got it now though :-)
Does hubby like grilling?
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
14 Aug 20
I have one of those Weber grills so know charcoal. Just a propane tank, a knob to turn, and a button to push. Safe and easy.. Steak sounds delicious!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
17 Aug 20
Oh dear. You are more brave than I. We had a propane grill for a bit, but it freaked me out so much dealing with the tanks.
Steak does sound good, doesn't it?
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
20 Aug 20
@dgobucks226 Oh smart. I haven't tried shrimp yet, but I bet that would go over well
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Aug 20
Ah ha ha! I know, it's got that great smell! I hope you get some grilled food soon
