Why is grilling so much more fun?

[pacanis]

Well, maybe not "fun", but cooking outside over an open flame (of sorts) just seems to make everything taste that much better.

I cut some potato wedges, seasoned them with some Grill Mates, nuked 'em for a couple minutes, put them in a foil pan with EVOO, butter and a little canola oil, and put them on the grill where the corn already was.

Then I took some of the country ribs I had made last night, put them in a foil pouch, thought maybe they needed some liquid.... beer was handy, and put them on the grill over unlit burners to warm up.

BTW, the roasted garlic in my little garlic machine was already smellin' up da house. mmmm

Then I took a couple small sub rolls, buttered them up, stuck them in the toaster oven on broil to melt the butter down into them, then set them on the grill to crisp up.

I pulled the ribs off the grill to "pull" them with a couple forks.

Then I got everything together, spreading the roasted garlic onto the buttered and toasted sub rolls, and ate

I put some coleslaw on one sandwich for a changeup. It was good. No sauce on the ribs, they were flavorful enough. I "pre-tested" (pre-tasted?) them as I was putting them in the foil

So why is this so much easier to make on a grill than the oven, where I'm sure it all could have been made just as easily? Who cares. Lets grill.

 

[Llamaso]

It's the beer.

 

[quicksilver]

I won't be piggish. Just give me the meat sub. No, the corn. No, the meat............. NICE!

Mussels for lunch, now this. How lucky am I?

Thanks, guys!

 

[Andy M.]

I fired up the Weber to grill a marinated flank steak this evenong and when I lifted the lid to put the steak on, the bottom fell off the grill!

The steak was good.

 

[gadzooks]

Grilling is more fun, primarily for men, because we get to drink beer (as previously noted) and play with fire at the same time, and the result is FOOD! rather than arson charges.

 

[sattie]

*sigh*

 

[Constance]

Because it usually involves beer.

 

[expatgirl]

let's see if I got this right........you put the beer ON the grilled meat or IN the griller????? Why are you torturing us? Those look so yummy!!!

 

[pacanis]

Andy, the bottom really fell off your grill?!
Sounds like a well used grill. And time to go grill shopping

I don't know if it's the beer or not, but if I didn't have a grill, I wouldn't cook nearly as much. And I would still have beer
Everything I made last night easily could have been cooked or reheated in the kitchen. Maybe it has something to do with cooking everything on one surface? It's more "rustic" grilling your food? You're outside? Oh, and of course, less cleanup!
I don't think I would use the kitchen more even if I had a big kitchen with a $3000 stove.
I've gotta find a grill friendly vegetable like corn for when winter gets here...

 

[Andy M.]

Andy, the bottom really fell off your grill?!
Sounds like a well used grill. And time to go grill shopping ...

Sure did!

The aluminum slide out bottom that holds the drip pan fell right off.

 

[pacanis]

Yeah, I see the part you mean.

For some reason I thought you were a charcoal griller. That would present a bigger problem if the bottom fell out. Especially with a bunch of ignited charcoal hitting the turf At least you could still use yours.
Another plus for propane grills

 

[GotGarlic]

Andy, the bottom really fell off your grill?!
Sounds like a well used grill. And time to go grill shopping

I don't know if it's the beer or not, but if I didn't have a grill, I wouldn't cook nearly as much. And I would still have beer
Everything I made last night easily could have been cooked or reheated in the kitchen. Maybe it has something to do with cooking everything on one surface? It's more "rustic" grilling your food? You're outside? Oh, and of course, less cleanup!
I don't think I would use the kitchen more even if I had a big kitchen with a $3000 stove.
I've gotta find a grill friendly vegetable like corn for when winter gets here...

That good ol' Maillard reaction has something to do with it, combined with some smokiness from the fat dripping off, burning up, and good flavor floating back up onto the food.

We grill all kinds of veggies, especially bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and romaine hearts. They make a great salad, topped with grilled tuna and either bleu cheese dressing (DH likes it that way) or Italian (my favorite).

 

[suziquzie]

Because who wants to cook INSIDE when its summer outside!!! Well at least here where we have summer for a limited time....

Pacanis , I'm not really sure WHY you are still in need of a woman in that kitchen!!!!
You cook! Well!

I was all set to re-learn the way of the charcoal this summer. I did ok, but I'm sorry, I like the control of the gas much better. Call me a weenie if you will, or quite possibly a control freak..... but I like my propane with the thermometer in the hood.

 

[pacanis]

Because who wants to cook INSIDE when its summer outside!!! Well at least here where we have summer for a limited time....

Pacanis , I'm not really sure WHY you are still in need of a woman in that kitchen!!!!
You cook! Well!

I was all set to re-learn the way of the charcoal this summer. I did ok, but I'm sorry, I like the control of the gas much better. Call me a weenie if you will, or quite possibly a control freak..... but I like my propane with the thermometer in the hood.

Well to stack the dishwasher of course!


And I'm thinking of going charcoal.... mainly smoking though. I need to get a smoker, but I too love the instant on, instant off (indirect) control of propane. Why, it's almost like comparing gas stoves to electric ones...

Those veggies are too "funky" for me, GG.
I've never been a big fan of kabobs, mainly because I prefer other ways to cook onions, mushrooms, peppers... other than laying them on the grate and grilling. And I only eat zuchini if it's been breaded and fried. It's the only squash I will even consider eating. Weird, I know.
Corn is such a basic veggie, easy to cook, relatively cheap, you can alter it by what you sprinkle on it, I can pick up fresh corn at the fruit stand down the road... We've got about 2 weeks left here on fresh corn. I need to find a substitute or aquire a taste for the ones you mentioned.
Or learn to grill them better

 

[GotGarlic]

Those veggies are too "funky" for me, GG.
I've never been a big fan of kabobs, mainly because I prefer other ways to cook onions, mushrooms, peppers... other than laying them on the grate and grilling. And I only eat zuchini if it's been breaded and fried. It's the only squash I will even consider eating. Weird, I know.
Corn is such a basic veggie, easy to cook, relatively cheap, you can alter it by what you sprinkle on it, I can pick up fresh corn at the fruit stand down the road... We've got about 2 weeks left here on fresh corn. I need to find a substitute or aquire a taste for the ones you mentioned.
Or learn to grill them better

Who said anything about kebabs? We stem and seed the peppers, cut them into quarters, toss with EVOO, garlic, sometimes fresh herbs, S&P and lay them on the grill. We cut onions into 1/2-inch thick slices and put a couple of toothpicks through them, to keep them together as they soften on the grill.

You've got to try zucchini this way: cut in half lengthwise, whisk together EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and S&P and marinate zucchini, cut side down, for 1 hour. Grill cut side down about 10-12 minutes.

I forgot about asparagus - basically the same way as the peppers. Make "rafts" of them, using two toothpicks across four spears to hold them together as they cook and make them easier to turn.

We also have a stir-fry-type grill basket we use for veggies sometimes.

I think any veggie you like roasted you would also like grilled. HTH.

And I love to make a couscous salad with grilled veggies and champagne vinaigrette - oh so good

 

[pacanis]

The kebob reference was just my way of saying I've never been a fan of any veggie I've grilled except for corn (ok, and obviously potatoes), but I've really only cooked several of the veggies you mentioned as kebobs, not by themselves.
And I do eat roasted asparagus, but I prefer it steamed, so I only grill that a couple times a year. Too pricey nowadays anyway. To eat it like corn anyway. A couple ears bought two at a time cost me a buck. Asparagus is up around $4/bunch.... and I always eat the whole bunch.

I'm going to give that marinated zuchini a try though. This week. I'll let you know. How thick do I cut it?

 

[suziquzie]

Well to stack the dishwasher of course!

I meant why are you still single!!!
Now I know!!!!

kidding of course....

 

[expatgirl]

if you're looking for a great veggie to grill besides onions, cherry tomatos, zucchini, corn, etc., don't forget to grill eggplant.......I peel them and sweat them (salt and cover with paper towels to get the bitter juices out)and then grill them......rather than trying to kebab them I spread an aluminum grilling sheet over the top of the grill with the rest of the veggies.......you can't leave them, though........you have to be on top of them for best results.....I like to use EVOO and salt and pepper on them........they really don't take long at all........

So you stack dishwashers, Pacanis? Let me give you my coordinates .......once upon a time my engineer hubby used to stack the dishwasher because he felt he could do it better and more efficiently than I........the forks were tangential to the knives and the plates hovered at a 30 degree angle, etc., ad nauseum, we had the most efficiently stacked dishwasher in all of Houston UNTIL he got busy at work........suddenly and forever it was MY inefficient job to stack the dishwasher.....

 

[Jeekinz]

And I'm thinking of going charcoal.... mainly smoking though. I need to get a smoker, but I too love the instant on, instant off (indirect) control of propane.

When I used my Chargriller as a charchoal grill it was a little bit of a pain because the thing is so big. Since I bought that little $20 charchoal job, I haven't even used any of my gas grills. You can't beat the flavor. I use lump so the grill doesn't get loaded with ash. It becomes a routine now: While I'm having my after work cocktail I get the charchoal stareted. No muss, no fuss.

 

[pacanis]

Eggplant?! I better get used to zucchini first
That's the beauty of corn. You buy it. You set it right on the grill. No prepping required. Hmmm, I wonder if you can grill carrots....

And; an inefficiently stacked dishwasher is nothing running it twice won't cure