How to be a grill master? The secret is in these these key tips

Assemble the Grill perfect is quite a ritual. Many times several participate; others are more of a personal task. Whether it be with meats, sausages, wings, vegetables or all that together: you definitely need a series of skills – and key knowledge – to take advantage of the fire properly. Here we put together a list of tips that might be helpful.

1. MEATS FOR BEGINNERS

Let’s learn this basic formula before we begin: Beef muscles that are in motion – like the brisket – require long cooking. Those that are at rest – the loin, for example – are quick-cooked. Once this rule is understood, the rest will depend on the whim and the occasion. “If you know that you want to eat a specific meat, it will tell you how to cook it,” Renzo Garibaldi, Osso’s cook and butcher, told us a while ago. That is the starting point.

2. COST AND BENEFIT

Let’s be honest: Eating meat in large quantities can be expensive. Expensive, but not impossible. The cuts that people look for more, and that come in less quantity in the animal, will always be the most expensive. All cuts can be exquisite if their cooking times and temperatures are respected: let’s always explore more menu options. To avoid spending too much on the grill, a good idea is to choose only one cut of beef, and two or three of pork. Gone is the myth that the pig does not work – nor should it be done – on the grill. It does not harden quickly; It is also not forbidden to eat it when it is ready. It all depends on the breed of the pig and the type of cut. For the grill, the ribeye leg is perfect as well as yielding.

3. WE DON’T WANT TO BURN FAT

When the embers are white – and the fire is even – the game begins. If whole pieces are to be cooked, there is a fundamental condition: do they have fat to cover them or not? Lean cuts such as tenderloin or rump should be sealed early, at medium / high heat, and 5 to 8 minutes per side. “If they are not sealed, they lose their internal juices,” suggested Aldo Milozzi, owner of La Carnicería de Tito. The rest of the cooking should be continued at medium / low temperature. Now, when the meat has a layer of natural fat (think picaña), the ideal is to seal it only on the lean side. A Milozzi trick that will be useful for you so that the fat does not drip onto the charcoal is to make a ‘little hole’ in the grill, to leave a clean space. Cooking times always depend, but with this rule you can get an idea: 1 kilo of meat equals about 45 minutes (including sealing).

4. RAW TRUTH

Before starting to cook on the grill (the same goes for a pan, oven or pot, except for some previously indicated exceptions), all meats must be at room temperature. That means getting them out of the cold at least half an hour before. Maceration is not recommended for beef (if done, limit it to neutral cuts such as loin), while pork allows for greater creativity. Whatever you do, remember that with a good cut you don’t need too much.

5. THE SALT OF MY LIFE

That brings us to the next point: what do I season my meat with? Milozzi recommends salting cuts of beef before they go on the grill. “You put them on both sides and after that you cook them. When they come into contact with heat, the pores of the meat open and the salt on top dissolves and penetrates. It is false that it is hard, “he says. The other way is to cook them completely clean and salt them when serving.

6. THE UNCONDITIONAL SAUSAGES

To cook the sausages we can leave a space free of charcoal where the grill remains hot, but there is no embers. This is perfect so that the chorizos are sealed on the outside, but juicy on the inside. If we don’t want to burn them, a chorizo ​​should take about 20 minutes over indirect heat. Although it is the first thing we eat, we do not have to rush. Be careful: the grill should always have parts hotter than others, so that the heat is distributed.