Last week’s poll asked if you can handle puke and even after a week of more yogurt smelling and cottage cheese looking puke piles ending up on my arms, shoulders, and shirts I am still no where even close to getting used to it. Yuck. Thankfully it will end in 17.75 more years and I won’t have to deal with it when it really gets bad at 21…
On to this week and a more appetizing poll: while we have covered grilling out before, actually a little later in the year, we didn’t really get down to the hearts of the matter which are how you do it (gas, charcoal, open flame, electric) and how you like your meat cooked.
Now, I’m a propane kinda guy and we will finally be making the switch from electric to the Hank Hill approved method this summer due to the kindness of a stranger. We’ve been using electric since I moved to Minnesota because of restrictions placed on apartments by Burnsville at the time. I continued to use it after we moved to Apple Valley because I thought it was easier than having to refill my tank all the time but after many tripped circuit breakers and finally a smoking heating element, I have decided to go back to the right way ;-)
Now, when I cook meat it’s either medium rare or rare (depending on the steak and depending on who I am serving). While I won’t go so far as Hank Hill above and ask people wanting their meat well-done to leave, “politely but firmly.” I mean, seriously it’s the only way to eat meat. Why the hell would you want to charcoal your meat to death making it like shoe leather and tasting like dirt? If you are a well-done fan well, you can comment but don’t be surprised if Hank Hill himself admonishes you.
So what heating method do you prefer to use on your grill and how do you like your meat done? Vote on the grilling and comment on the food! After you do that be sure to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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March 21st, 2010 at 10:30 am
Grilling Methodology Poll: http://www.lazylightning.org/grilling-methodology-poll
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
March 21st, 2010 at 11:31 am
Propane is the best, especially when you wake up from an early evening nap to your wife screaming that the grill is on fire and you run out to find that some of the butter on the potato she was trying to grill dripped into the grease tray, which hadn’t been cleaned out in a little too long, and your whole grill on your wood deck is in flames. Oh well, it was nothing a little baking soda wasn’t able to fix, but wow was it hilarious! She was really afraid the propane tank would blow.
March 21st, 2010 at 1:52 pm
I use propane at home for the convenience, but at the cabin my father-in-law has charcoal, which is a good excuse to sit around the grill and have a beer or four while the charcoal heats up.
March 21st, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Charcoal tastes best, but we’ll be buying a propane for ease of use. Hopefully next weekend we’ll get out and get that grill.
March 21st, 2010 at 2:57 pm
We are die hard charcoal (Weber) grillers here. There are times though when the charcoal takes too damn long and I get impatient, especially weeknights. On the weekends, I like to sit around and wait for the charcoal after having those beer or four! As far as doneness, I am a rare to medium rare girl. That doesn’t happen often as I am the only one that likes it that way here. Everyone else is medium to medium well.
March 21st, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Since this is my first house, propane it is. Not fancy enough to bother with pre-wired natural gas. The purpose though isn’t due to the taste, but more due to the ease of last minute choice to grill. when I find I have more time in my life
Burgers, medium well.. I’ll let my immune system take it’s chances. My wife likes the well. Steak, medium, though my wife still wants it well. She can’t eat meat if there is ANY pink in it. It’s not that hard to do though. The key is to remember that meat will continue to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from the heat. So don’t wait until it’s well done on the grill or it’ll end up overdone and dry out. Get it close on the grill, then set it on a plate for a few minutes and it’ll be perfect when you get to the table.
Last year I started making my own burgers. Up until that time we had bought frozen patties. Big change. I use an instant read meat thermometer for the burgers, and have been starting to cut back on the steak, as I’m getting good at the right feel for steaks. I cooked a set of ribeye’s in the oven this winter and refined my feel. (high heat, cast iron and simple seasoning…yum)
The benefit of making your own burgers is you can really get a nice seasoning mixed into it all. I avoid lean hamburger meat for burgers, and go with the 75-85% lean mixes. I’ve been playing with seasoning, though my wife kinda likes the emeril BAM burger seasoning available in the store. I’ll experiment more this year, as I’m still working on my patty construction. So far the key is press down in the middle a bit with your patties so when they swell, it’s a flat top. I just ordered about $80 in parts from the Original manufacturer for my grill. New grates, new burners, and bracket for the grease catcher that has rusted. I’ll be taking it apart and putting it back together this next week as parts arrive and weather cooperates.
A note on gas grills. Make sure you clean out those grease pans, and clean off the burners and lower racks. Also, keep a fire extinguisher close, especially if you are cooking a bunch, more than usual, maybe for a get together. I’ve seen a number of grill fires last year due to grease build up in the pan below. They tend to burn out fairly quick, but the heat generated often destroys the grill. My grill even had that issue and I used up a fire extinguisher on it to keep it from overheating.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:23 pm
When we grill at my parents’ house (we don’t own a grill anymore), it’s propane. Some of my friends use charcoal grills, though, and get good results with them. As others have said, the only real downside is the time.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:05 pm
We use propane for convenience. The wife has toyed with the idea of getting a charcoal grill as that is what she would prefer. I said I’m not dealing with the ashes so she’d have to do that. So far that’s what’s holding her back from really wanting one. We have plenty of space on our deck if she decides that is what she wants.
As for cooking. Wife wants steak rare (loves to say cut her off some and she’ll ride the rest home) and burgers medium. I want both of mine well done.
No pink and I’m fine with no juices. Crispy on the outside and dry and brown on the inside thanks. I’ve tried medium, medium rare (gross) and finally decided that I like what I like and so well done it is.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Oh, and the wife likes to make our own burgers. I had to fight with her to not put anything in them. I don’t want bread (supposed to hold it together), eggs (supposed to make it moist), seasoning, salt, pepper. Nothing.
I just want meat, cheese and a bun.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:13 pm
im’a gass guy, urp, and on the grill too. Grill in the garage, next to the lawn mower gas cans, reeking of fumes, a real challenge to keep the humble abode from going up in smoke. i do have a camp grill/stove to cook corn and such on in the hot weather.
charcoal doesn’t work for me because it melts the garbage cans that say “do not dump hot coals heeere”.
bb
March 21st, 2010 at 9:44 pm
I’m not patient enough for charcoal. Fortunately we’re most often grilling steaks or burgers which cook fine on gas. I’m guessing things like ribs, chicken and pork are more tender cooked slowly over charcoal, but I may never know first hand.
Ultimately I like things very crispy on the outside, and I used to put up with the shoe leather as a means to that end. Now that I’m older and ……well older, I know that it’s possible to have a juicy medium steak with a bit of crispy fat and I’m happy. I’m getting better at not burning stuff – for steaks I cook each side twice at 2 min each (that’s 8 min total if math wasn’t your thing). That’s usually about med rare to med.
I like fish med well with really crispy skin. Some things I still like well done or burned – sausage and hot dogs. Actually hot dogs I prefer on a stick over a camp fire with some beans in the can. Hmmm, I think it’s time to start planning this summer’s camping weekend.
March 22nd, 2010 at 7:54 am
At home and camping, I’m a propane guy, especially when you host parties or are cooking for a longer duration of time. Up at Rollag, we use Charcoal, just because that’s what we had, but we may make a move to a cheapy propane setup, just for speed, as sometimes, we don’t have the 30 minutes to prep the coal, and then cook and shut down the grill. (not a fan of going back to the show with a flaming hot grill next to my camper)
I’m a medium kinda guy for my burgers, a little less for steak, and chicken, there is only one method – DONE, because after having been sick once from chicken juices (somehow got on my pop can and I drank from it) that’s something I never want again!
Typically, if we have time, I’ll try and marinate the chicken or steak in something, and try to make a Jucy Lucy when time permits for Burgers.
… Grilling.. We’ve used ours, maybe 3 times so far this season..
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:38 am
Nothing beats real wood, but I’ll often settle for charcoal out of convenience. :)
March 22nd, 2010 at 9:10 am
We used a tiny $20 charcoal grill for the first two years in our house. Love the taste but hate the wait. We got a hand me down weber from the inlaws, love love love it. Super quick and super easy. As far as how its cooked, I am a medium guy and the wife falls into the “no pink” category. We get free burger from my parents (who raise beef cows) and I like to chop up jalepenos, pepperoccinis, olives, whatever, and put it into the middle of the burgers. I feel like it adds some flavor and juice. And a little heat. OK, its 9 AM and I feel like grilling!
March 22nd, 2010 at 11:25 am
Charcoal all the way! And it’s really far less work that folks imagine. Just stop in at Menards and get yourself a plug in starter. Pile your coals on and they’re ready in no time. The other methods just don’t impart the same great flavor to anything from burger to chops to the Thanksgiving bird.
March 22nd, 2010 at 11:41 am
The best grilling was always over the open fire at the parents place on the lake. Nothing beat those burgers.
But these day, it’s been charcoal. I live in an apartment, but I have a charcoal grill and head out to many different places around the Twin Cities to grill. A little harder to do with propane.
A friend and I have grilled at many different parks, from down on the banks of the Mississippi to up on hilly areas in city parks. It’s enjoyable and it gives you time to appreciate nature and enjoy the park. BUT, we always plan this in advance. We usually know the day before that we’re going to grill (unless the weather turns bad.)
For me, beef needs to be rare to medium rare. Depends on the fat content. I want it more towards medium rare if there’s more fat in it. Everything else, chicken, brats, venison, whatever, all gets fully cooked…
Mmmm…. Grilling….
March 28th, 2010 at 9:46 am
[...] week’s poll asked about your preferred method to grill out and the hands down winner, which was no surprise, was Hank Hill’s favorite–propane. [...]