Asparagus on the Grill

[FryBoy]

My wife and I picked up a porterhouse at the market this afternoon ($4.97 per pound at Von's) and grabbed some fresh asparagus to go with it. We like it grilled, which is easy to do:

1. Select medium to large stalks -- avoid the pencil-thin stalks. Make sure they're fresh and firm, not limp, and reject any with bad spots.
2. Cut off the tough ends, leaving each stalk about 6 to 8 inches long.
3. Put them on a plate and drizzle with a little olive oil, then roll them around with your fingers to coat them all over.
4. Season with a little salt and finely ground black pepper.
5. Put the stalks on a hot BBQ grill, lining them all up across the grate so they don't fall through.
6. Turn them after a few minutes using a spatula.
7. The asparagus is done when a cooking fork easily pierces the thickest stalk -- but don't overcook. Total cooking time should be about 8 to 10 minutes max, depending on how hot your fire is.

One other hint -- asparagus from the market is often somewhat dried out, especially this time of year. To help correct that, trim the stalks a few hours before you intend to cook them and immediately stand them up in water, as you would fresh flowers (I put them in a coffee mug and add about an inch or two of water). This will refresh the stalks, making them firmer and juicier. Don't leave them in the water for more than a few hours.

 

[Michelemarie]

Thanks so much! I love asparagus too! I will try it on the grill!

 

[Half Baked]

One other hint -- asparagus from the market is often somewhat dried out, especially this time of year. To help correct that, trim the stalks a few hours before you intend to cook them and immediately stand them up in water, as you would fresh flowers (I put them in a coffee mug and add about an inch or two of water). This will refresh the stalks, making them firmer and juicier. Don't leave them in the water for more than a few hours.

Thank you for this hint!

 

[kiteruss]

I agree grilled asparagus is the perfect compliment to a grilled steak. I use almost the exact same method, but I use a combination of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic flakes and sea salt to season and coat the asparagus before grilling. The same technique also works very well for grilling fresh green beans: http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/perfect_asparagus.php

Michael Chiarello (NapaStyle) recomends a brief boil before grilling. See his recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Tangerine Mayonnaise: http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/recipe06-2.php?recipe=53

Cheers,

Russ

 

[Toots]

I grill my asparagus the exact same way. Try topping the asparagus with some soft cheese once you remove it from the grill (gorgonzola or feta or shaved parm) it melts quick and gives a nice twist

 

[sattie]

Or you could wrap 4 or 5 stock together with a slice of bacon and grill..... yummy! I think grilled asparagus is the best!

 

[VeraBlue]

I agree that your recipe is spot on, but I would reject the idea of avoiding pencil thin spears. Those are the youngest and sweetest. The larger ones are old and tend to lose a bit of flavour when they get that old. Just grill them for a shorter amount of time.

 

[bethzaring]

My experience as an asparagus picker is that any given season, each crown first sends up its largest stalk, then each stalk from each crown is smaller and smaller in diameter. I stop picking any crown when the stalks get to be pencil thin, because at that point, the plant can be overpicked that year.

 

[ChefScotty]

Russ, have you ever tried using Meyer lemon oil instead of EVO and lemon juice? I used to do a plate of prosciutto di parma with asparagus, meyer lemon oil and parmiggiano reggiano and I loved that stuff. A dozen of us went to a management away day at a neighboring Hilton and the kitchen did a big platter of that as a PM snack for us, along with 4 or 5 other platters of stuff. They put the asparagus down in front of me. Only when I noticed someone staring at me did I realize, I'd eaten the lot

 

[Poppinfresh]

I too disagree on some points. The pencil thin avoidance (already mentioned) being one.

Another being cooking method. If you just put them on the grill, you run too much risk of them falling through the grates. I soak wooden skewers in water for about an hour, and then skewer about 5 stalks together using 2 sticks, thereby making asparagus rafts. I then grill them that way. It's much easier to flip them and you don't have them falling through the grate.


The last being cutting them. You don't need to cut them. All you have to do is grab the stalk with one hand just below the crown and at the base with the other hand and then snap them. Wherever the stalk breaks off is the spot by which the stalk should be reduced.

 

[kiteruss]

Russ, have you ever tried using Meyer lemon oil instead of EVO and lemon juice?

I haven't, but it sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a whirl if I can lay my hands on some.

Russ

 

[davidayres]

I love cooking asparagus on my grill as well. I prefer to marinade them before placing them on the grill. I like to use four seasons italian dressing mixed with balsamic vinegar instead and put them together in a plastic bag for about a half hour to an hour before putting them on the grill.

 

[jkath]

Russ, have you ever tried using Meyer lemon oil instead of EVO and lemon juice?

I do that too! I get meyers from my tree.

 

[cjs]

It's much easier to flip them and you don't have them falling through the grate."

putting the stalks across the grills takes care of this problem! I tried the skewer method one time, but found it to cumbesome.

a strip of prosciutto wrapped around ain't too bad either...

 

[YT2095]

not only a fantastic way to cook it, but also the best from a Scientific standpoint.
the main elements that give asparagus it`s flave are all water soluble, those that Boil it, waste a good 70%+ of the goodness
Oil based and fast cooking is ideal, it encapsulates the food and requires less cooking time (temp/time/pressure, are interchangable), and maintains the full flave and goodness.
although it can make your Urine smell a little next day as a result of the metabolites acting upon the asparagine contained within it, creating Methyl Mercaptan (don`t worry, it`s Harmless).

so from a Science point of view, 10 outa 10

 

[Vainglorious]

Oy, yeah! That sounds good. I'm generally not a huge fan of vegetables because mom always overcooked them and served them plain, but grilling should make them tasty.

What other veggies are good on the grill?

 

[YT2095]

What other veggies are good on the grill?

Loads! bell peppers, onions, courgettes (zuchini), mushrooms, tomatoes, sugar snap peas (monge tous (sp)), corn cobs, kenyan or french beans... the list goes on

 

[kiteruss]

Grilled Vegetable Salad (with asparagus)

Here's another grilled asparagus recipe. This one was just tested on victims at our block party and then sent out in a Labor Day grilling menu.

The salad is best served at room temperature and includes grilled asparagus, corn and potatoes with a balsamic vinaigrette.

http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/HOTG/hotg_sep_2006.html#vegetable_salad

Cheers,

Russ

 

[VegasDramaQueen]

I never buy asparagus with a thick stalk. They're older, sometimes bitter and woody. I love the pencil thin asparagus or maybe a little bit thicker and they way I cook them is to roll them in olive oil, kosher salt and a little lemon juice. Place in a pan or oven proof dish and roast them in the oven at 450 for about 8 minutes. They are sooooo sweet, and so delicious you'll never cook them any other way again. I have done asparagus on the grill and have speared about 6 of them on 2 skewers side by side. Soak the skewers in water first. Watch them very carefully. And by the way, NEVER buy asparagus if it's dried out. Asparagus should be sold with the bottoms in water and should be stored in your fridge that way too.

 

[FryBoy]

You're absolutely right about dried-out asparagus. It galls me that many of the spears in a bunch are often bad, some dried out and some with what appears to be a fungus or something -- sunken patches of brownish skin.

I don't let the produce man intimidate me, however, and I pull the rubber bands off 2 or 3 bunches and pick out the good spears. I ain't paying $4 a pound for sticks!

As for the thick stalks, I like them better than the very thin spears, which to me are a little bitter. If they are really thick, snap off the end and peel the last few inches with a vegetable peeler. I don't do this for grilled asparagus, but it's good with steamed, which I more commonly prepare.