Italian Grill - Mario Batali [3]
LIGHTING THE FIRE
If you have a gas grill, all you need to do is turn it on or ignite the flame. Always have the lid of the grill open when you turn on the fuel, or gas could build up and cause an explosion; also check to make sure that all the burners have ignited before you close the lid to allow the grill to preheat. Let the grill preheat, with all the burners on high, for 10 to 15 minutes, then adjust the burner heat if necessary, depending on what you are cooking.
The easiest way to light a fire in a charcoal grill is to use a chimney, a simple metal cylinder with a wire grate toward the bottom and four vent holes. Crumple a few pieces of newspaper and stuff them into the bottom of the chimney, set it on the bottom grill grate or the bottom of the grill, and fill it with charcoal. Open all the vents in the bottom of the grill, light the newspaper through the vent holes in the chimney, and watch to make sure it has ignited the charcoal—you should see flames reaching up through the briquettes (if not, replace the newspaper and light it again). Wait until all the coals are ignited, usually about 15 minutes, then carefully pour them out into the grill and let burn until they are all covered with grayish-white ash.
Electric coil starters, available at hardware stores, are another option for lighting a charcoal fire. Place the starter on the bottom grill grate or the bottom of the grill, carefully pile the charcoal on top of it, and plug it in. Once the coals have ignited, after about 10 minutes, carefully remove the starter and set it on a heatproof surface (somewhere safe, where no one might touch it) to cool down. You can add more coals to the ones that have ignited if you want a larger fire. Then let them all burn until covered with ash.
You can also use paraffin starters, available at most hardware stores, to ignite the charcoal (these can replace the newspaper in a chimney starter). Simply follow the instructions on the package. But avoid lighter fluid at all costs. It smells terrible and it can add its unmistakable flavor to the food. Avoid self-igniting briquettes for the same reason.
Regular charcoal briquettes are made of pulverized and compressed hardwood charcoal and chemical binders. The more expensive brands tend to burn longer than the generics. Hardwood charcoal, called natural lump charcoal or charwood, is made from various hardwoods, including hickory, mesquite, and oak, and contains no additives. It burns faster and hotter than charcoal briquettes, and it is more expensive, so use it for cooking steaks and other meats where you want a good sear and the cooking time is relatively short.
WOOD CHIPS AND CHUNKS
Wood chips or chunks are an easy way to add a smoky flavor to grilled meats such as pork tenderloin and steaks. Mesquite, hickory, and oak chips are the most widely available, but other hardwoods are used as well. Soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before using, chunks for at least an hour. If using a charcoal grill, just scatter the wood over the hot coals. Some gas grills come equipped with a smoker drawer or a metal chip holder. If yours doesn’t have one, wrap the chips or chunks in heavy-duty foil and poke some holes in it; set the packet directly on one of the burners. You can also flavor meats with strong herbs such as rosemary (see Ribs Italian-Style, page 190). Stalks of dried wild fennel are often thrown onto the fire in Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean, as are grapevine cuttings.
GRILLING TECHNIQUES
Cover the grill! You may be tempted to keep a close eye on that big juicy steak as it cooks, but, in a word, don’t. With the exception of thin fish fillets, sliced vegetables, and other foods that cook very quickly, almost everything should be cooked with the grill lid down, to keep the heat and flavorful smoke inside. You could think of covered grilling as roasting over coals. And remember that there’s no need to keep turning and moving the food around as it cooks,