Carnivore Grilling

(plus 3 recipes)

Hi there friends and welcome new subscribers! I’m so glad you found your way here.

I’m writing this from Manhattan. My mom recently had surgery and I’m here for a couple of weeks to hang out with her. She’s recovering nicely and says to tell you hi.

NYC street murals hit different.

As always, if you’d rather listen than read, the audio version is above.

Remember last week was vegan-friendly grilling? Meat-eaters get their turn today.

First, we will look at a few general tips. There have been entire cookbooks devoted to grilling meats and other proteins so I won’t even pretend that I can distill that down into a seven-minute read. So, this is a drone view.

One thing from last week bears repeating: make it hot. Regardless of what you are barbecuing, the grill needs to be nice and hot for meat to sear on the outside and cook on the inside.

Meaty Grilling Tips

Photo by Aurora K on Unsplash

• Season it. Dry rub or marinade? They both work to bring extra flavor but they work in different ways. A dry rub is just that, dry. Usually a blend of salt, sugar, and spices, rub is sprinkled liberally on the meat before grilling. Because the surface of the meat is dry, once you place it on the hot grates searing happens immediately. Marinades by contrast are wet, usually a combo of oil, acid, and seasonings. The meat sits in the marinade for a few minutes to several hours before hitting the barbecue. All the moistness must evaporate before a sear can happen, so you don’t always get the charred edges on marinated meat unless the surface is patted dry or sugar is involved.

• Rest it. Set your burgers, chops, ribs, or steaks on the kitchen counter to take off the fridge chill. Cold meat doesn’t cook as evenly and can result in a tougher texture. Salt and season the meat, place on a plate or rimmed baking sheet, then rest on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes. This also gives time for the meat to absorb the salt and seasonings. Cover with plastic wrap if needed to protect from pesky flies or fingers.

• Time it. Just like cooking on the stovetop or oven, time matters when cooking on the grill. Thick, larger cuts need more time than smaller, thinner ones. Bone-in requires more time than boneless. I always set a timer.

• Rest it again. After all that heat, the meat needs time to regroup and relax before being cut into. Tent it with foil and give it a 10 to 15-minute rest. This allows juices to be reabsorbed, resulting in a juicy burger, chop, or steak. I will admit, it’s hard to wait before diving in, but there are always last-minute things to chop or put on the table so this is a good chance to do that while the meat rests.

Chicken-y Grilling Tips

Photo by Daniel Hooper 🌊 on Unsplash

• Keep the bones and skin on. Chicken meat tastes 100 percent better if cooked on the bone and with skin intact. The bone acts as a heat conductor that cooks the meat more evenly and adds flavor. Skin naturally bastes the meat with fat as it cooks. Plus, the skin gets deliciously crispy if you are into that. I am.

• Shape it. Boneless, skinless breasts need some trimming before going on the grill. Their shape is wildly uneven in thickness so some areas cook more quickly than others. To remedy that, I like to cut off the thinner triangular tip (this is the part that usually overcooks and becomes terribly dry). Some people pound the breast meat to get a more even thickness, but I prefer to slice the breast meat horizontally into two thinner cutlets that grill perfectly.

• Pat it. Moisture + heat = steam. That’s not always a plus on the grill, so pat chicken with paper towels to blot away extra moisture or marinade. Then lightly oil boneless breasts or thighs to avoid sticking to the grill.

• Spatchcock it. For zero waste and even cooking times, spatchcocking a chicken is the way to go. The first time you cut out the backbone and flatten out the chicken with a chiropractic-like press to the breastbone you might feel like Julia Child (or you might be totally traumatized). However, the result is evenly cooked chicken and crispity-crisp skin. So worth it!

Fishy Grilling Tips

Photo by Janeris Marte on Unsplash

• On the grate. Whole fillets and thicker cuts can be grilled directly on hot, oiled grates. They can withstand direct heat and won’t fall apart when flipped over. Ahi, halibut, salmon, and seabass are good choices.

• On a plank. A presoaked wood plank (like cedar or maple) placed on the grates makes it easy to grill thinner, more delicate fish because no flipping is necessary. Sturdier fish can be grilled on it, too. The wood gives it some smoky flavor.

• Skin side down. Place fillets skin side down on the grill. The hot grates will crisp the skin and help keep the meat intact. Cook it until three-quarters done, then flip for the remaining time.

Did I mention that the grill needs to be hot?

Now, on to the recipes!

Recipes

Korean BBQ Ribs (LA Galbi)

Serves 4

Time: 40 minutes plus overnight

Salty, sweet, and charred in all the right spots, these ribs are so good! They require overnight (or at least 8 hours) marinating, but the actual time spent grilling is 10-ish minutes. The result is meaty, delicious beef that is lip-smacking good. Recipe is here.

Grilled Salmon, Corn, & Tomato Salad

Serves 4

Time: 40-ish minutes

Bright, fresh, and flavorful! Grilled salmon tops fresh-cut veggies and is drizzled with a lemony garlicky dressing. My mouth is watering right now. Get the recipe here.

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken

Serves 4

Time: 60-70 minutes

Juicy and tender with crispy skin. What’s not to love here? This is one of the simplest, most delicious recipes and one that I make often. Don’t be afraid of spatchcocking the chicken, I will walk you through it in the directions below.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lbs

• 2 Tbsp Lawry’s seasoned salt or whatever you like

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to high, 450 to 500F (230 to 260C). Lightly oil the grates with an oily paper towel or rag.

2. Remove the neck and giblet package from the cavity of the chicken and discard or save for another use. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place on a cutting board.

3. Turn it breast-side down. Use kitchen shears to cut on one side of the backbone, starting at the tail and working up. Repeat on the other side of the backbone and remove it.

4. Flip the chicken over so it’s breast-side up and lay it out as flat as you can. Channeling your inner chiropractor, place your palms, one on top of the other, on the middle of the breast bone then press down hard to flatten it. Hear a snap? Congratulations, you’ve just spatchcocked a chicken!

5. Sprinkle the seasoning all over the chicken on both sides. Place it skin-side down on the grill, lower the heat to medium-high, around 375 to 400F (190 to 200C), and cook for 20-ish minutes. The skin should be golden with some charred spots.

6. Turn the chicken over using tongs in one hand and a large spatula in the other. Cook for another 30-ish minutes or until the internal temp reaches 160F/70C. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut chicken into pieces and serve.

Tell Me

What are you planning to barbeque this weekend? Let me know if you try one of the recipes (or all three).

I think you’ll be excited about next Friday’s post. I know I am because it involves pizza. On the grill!

Happy Memorial Day and see you next week.