Mastering the Grill_ The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking - Andrew Schloss [204]
TIMING
Prep: 10 minutes
Grill: About 45 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled tongs
• Four 12-inch squares heavy-duty aluminum foil
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THE GRILL
Gas:
Indirect heat, medium (325° to 350°F)
3- or 4-burner grill-middle burner(s) off
2-burner grill—1 side off
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal:
Indirect heat, medium ash
Split charcoal bed (about 2 dozen coals per side)
20 replacement coals
Heavy-duty drip pan set between banks of charcoal
Clean, oiled grate on medium setting
Wood:
Indirect heat, medium ash
12-by-12-inch bed, 3 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 4 inches above the fire
Photo: Grilled Polenta with Mediterranean Vegetable Compote
INGREDIENTS (MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS)
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, softened
3 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium to large acorn squash, halved, seeds and stringy pulp removed
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 small apples, peeled, stemmed, halved, and core removed Juice of ½ lemon
4 teaspoons raisins
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the grill as directed.
2. Mash the butter with a fork on a clean work surface. Add the honey, cinnamon, and cayenne and mix until blended.
3. Put each squash half on a square of foil. Spread their interiors with half of the butter mixture. Put an apple half, flat-side up, in the hollow of each squash half. Drizzle with the lemon juice, and fill the hollow of each apple with raisins. Top with the remaining butter mixture. Wrap each loosely in a square of foil.
4. Put the squash on the grill away from the heat, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, until the squash and apples are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should read between 350°F and 375°F. Unwrap and serve.
Fire-Roasted Butternut Squash with Spicy Honey Butter
This hot-pepper-glazed squash depends on the flavor of fire for its success. To maximize the contact with flame, the squash is cut lengthwise. Each piece is charred on all 3 sides and washed with a mixture of sweet butter, hot pepper, lime juice, and honey. The combination gives you a wonderful sweet, hot, tart, bitter crust laminating the meaty flesh of the squash.
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes
Grill: About 45 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled spatula or tongs
MAKING SUBSTITUTIONS
• Any orange-fleshed winter squash (such as acorn, buttercup, or sugar pumpkin) can be substituted for the butternut squash, but you will need a similar total weight to get 6 servings.
* * *
THE GRILL
Gas:
Indirect heat, medium (325° to 350°F)
3- or 4-burner grill-middle burner(s) off
2-burner grill—1 side off
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal:
Indirect heat, medium ash
Split charcoal bed (about 2 dozen coals per side)
20 replacement coals
Heavy-duty drip pan set between banks of charcoal Clean, oiled grate on medium setting
Wood:
Indirect heat, medium ash
12-by-12-inch bed, 3 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 4 inches above the fire
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 6 SERVING)
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, softened
1½ tablespoons honey
Pinch of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the grill as directed.
2. Mash the butter with a fork on a clean work surface. Add the honey, cinnamon, chili powder, and hot pepper sauce, and mix until blended. Set aside in a small bowl.
3. Slice the stem end off of the squash. Set it on a work surface, cut-side down, and cut into 6 long wedges. Scoop the seeds and stringy pulp from the interior of each squash wedge. Season with the salt and pepper, and coat with the olive oil.
4. Put the squash on the grill, skin-side down, away from the heat, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should read between 350° and 375°F. Turn the squash wedges onto one of their cut sides, cover, and grill until browned, about 8 minutes. Turn onto the other cut side, cover,