Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [7]
Grill-Braising and Wrapping
Barbecue pit masters have always struggled to maintain enough moisture in meat to soften the connective tissue in tough cuts like ribs without adding so much moisture that the meat tastes steamed. For big, tough cuts like brisket and ribs, they sometimes wrap the meat in foil about halfway through cooking. That gives the meat enough time near dry heat to form a tasty crust or bark, while retaining moisture during the last half of cooking. Meat juices collect in the foil and simulate the cooking method known as braising, whereby tough meats are slowly cooked in a little liquid in a covered pot. The method works wonders for tough cuts on the grill like beef cheeks, oxtail, and veal shanks. We call it grill-braising because we usually brown the meat over direct heat on the grill, and then wrap it in foil or nest it in a foil pan with some liquid and finish cooking away from the heat. The liquid slowly braises tough meats to melting tenderness and makes a terrific sauce.
You can also wrap just to hold together delicate ingredients. Foil isn’t the only wrap for grilling. You can use grape, banana, or lotus leaves; corn husks; or almost any large leaf. These wraps are best for foods like fish or ground meat, which tend to fall apart on the grill. In addition to retaining the food’s moisture, wrapping infuses the food with the wrap’s subtle flavors. Soak any dry wrapper like dried leaves in water to prevent the wrapper from burning. Use this technique in dishes like Whole Red Snapper Stuffed with Feta Pilaf and Wrapped in Vine Leaves and Camembert Wrapped in Grape Leaves Served with Cranberry Mustard Vinaigrette.
Planking and Blocking
Another way to protect delicate foods on the grill is to set them on a plank of wood or a block of salt. Wood planking is fairly common now and allows you to effortlessly cook a fillet of salmon or a wheel of cheese. Choose a plank that is about ¼ inch thick and wide and long enough to accommodate the food you are grilling. Cedar and alder planks are easy to find, but apple and cherry also work well. In fact, you could use almost any plank of untreated wood. Like chips and chunks, a wood plank should be soaked in water so it smolders instead of incinerates in the grill, but the plank needs to soak for more time, about 1 hour. For the most smoke flavor, char one side of the plank over the fire, then flip it and set the food on the charred side. You’ll find a lid helpful here to trap heat and deliver it to the top of the planked food for even cooking. For a novel variation, roll up some food in wood grilling “paper.” These extremely thin sheets of cedar or alder can be wrapped around delicate foods and grilled like little food bundles.
To push the grilling possibilities even further, pick up some salt blocks. They are similar to wood planks on the grill, but they get hot enough (up to 650°F) to sear food and also delicately season it. Salt blocks for grilling should be at least 1½ inches thick to prevent cracking. Be sure to slowly heat the block and gradually bring it up to searing temperature. Start the block over low heat on the grill and over a 30-minute period move the block in two steps to high heat. On a charcoal grill, use a bilevel fire to better regulate the heat. Then set the food on the hot block and the food will cook in minutes.
The big advantage to salt blocks is they are reusable dozens of times. After each use, wipe the block clean of debris with a scouring pad, warm water, and gentle pressure. Blot dry and