The Grill Master

Family and friends are well aware of my capabilities of cooking tasty meals on the grill. I don't brag about it or even claim to be versed in the art of BBQ. However, the people who have eaten my grilled meats like to call me the Grill Master. Obviously their sample size must be small because there are so many people who know a lot more about grilling than me. Truth be told I'm quite the amateur. But hey, if people who eat my cooking are happy, I'm happy.

I do a lot of grilling... and I do mean a bunch! In the warm months it keeps the heat out of the kitchen and in the cold months it's like a taste of summer. Tami particularly likes it because she doesn't have to cook... and I like it because grilling is such a manly thing to do. Because I grill so much, I tend to wear out grills fairly quickly (4-5 years on average). This is not because I don't care for my grills properly. Quite the contrary. I am fanatical about caring for my grill. I wore another grill out last year and was forced to buy another one this spring. I purchased a Kenmore from Sears. I really can't afford to buy top of the line stuff, but I don't buy cheapo junk either. A moderately priced grill does a fine job if you give it the TLC it deserves. This model suits my needs just fine. It has 4 burners for standard cooking and a side burner for cooking side dishes (just like your stove top). It has a few features I haven't had before. The first is an infra-red searing burner. It does exactly what its name implies. It gets ultra hot to sear the meat in order to seal in the juices. After searing you move the meat over to the standard burners on low heat to cook it slowly... YUM! The other feature I am eager to try is cast iron grates. I've never had these before, but I am quickly learning they are the best types of grates for serious grill guys. They evenly distribute and hold heat really well. They are durable and are supposed to last a long time. The only drawback is the high maintenance required. They must be seasoned prior to use (just like a cast iron skillet). They have to be oiled with vegetable shortening after every use (to prevent rust) and re-seasoned if you give them a heavy duty cleaning. I am extremely eager to try out these new features on my new grill. I guess you can say things are getting pretty serious. There's so much more to grilling than slapping on a piece of meat and charring it beyond all recognition. Patience is the key to grilling. I won't get into slow cooking methods or indirect heat, but suffice it to say good grill fare is worth waiting for. If you're looking for a quick meal, my grill and my deck is not the place for you. However, if you are willing to wait, I can promise you a delicious meal cooked with care. Anybody reading this has an open invitation to come over and break bread with us (or I guess I should say break meat).

In all seriousness, it's something I have grown up with and truly love to do. My grandpa and dad were quite skillful on the grill in their own right. I have simply carried on the family tradition. There's something so peaceful about having a spatula in one hand and a beverage of choice in the other. Cooking for family and friends is what I like to do. Come on over!

Here's a photo of my new toy. And by the way... it's no coincidence that it's colored Cincinnati red. What did you expect?

And yes, this photo was taken indoors. I am currently seasoning the cast iron grates and I haven't bought a cover for it yet. I'm not going to put my new toy out in the elements without a raincoat :-)