I live in an apartment, and I can't have an outdoor grill. Please give me some indoor grill tips, especially for the George Foreman-type grills.I don't have any experience using the George Foreman grill but I do use the Lodge cast-iron grill/griddle pan. I live in a New York City apartment, so I need to use an indoor grill, too. Cast-iron holds heat extremely well, so this pan is an excellent alternative to an outdoor grill. One word of warning: make sure the windows are open and the smoke alarm is dismantled before using because the pan will cause a great deal of smoke.
What is your secret for moist, juicy pork chops?
Pork is extremely lean, so I like to first brine the chops in a solution of cold water, kosher salt and sugar for about 2 hours. The second thing is to not overcook the meat—because it is so lean, if you cook it past 155 degrees, it will be dry. After the brine, I rinse the meat well and pat it dry. I then grill or pan-roast the chops until the internal temperature is 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. I put the chops on a platter, loosely tent with foil and let them rest for 5 minutes. Resting meat allows the juices to re-circulate and keep it moist.
What are the rules for grilling pizza?
Make sure the grill is smoking hot and that you oil the dough on both sides. Lay the dough on the grill, and don't touch it until the underside is lightly golden brown and a crust has formed, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and grill on the other side until golden brown. Remove the crust from the grill, add your favorite toppings and then return it to the grill. Close the cover or tent with foil and continue grilling until the toppings are warm and the crust cooks through.
I can't seem to make succulent sausage on the grill without poaching it first, and I think that results in a loss of flavor. When I grill it raw, it burns before it's cooked through. Help!
Don't grill the sausage on high heat the entire time. I like to heat one side of the grill on high and the other side on medium (or if using a charcoal grill, put the hot coals on one side of the grill). I start the sausage off on high to get a really nice char on the outside, and then I move the sausage to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking through.
How do you grill chicken breasts with the bone in so that the skin is crispy and the inside moist? Mine are always dry dry dry on the inside.
Again, brining and high/low heat is the key. Brine the chicken in a solution of cold water and kosher salt (you don't need sugar for chicken) for about an hour. Remove, rinse well and pat dry. Brush with oil and season with pepper. Start the chicken, skin-side down, on the hot part of the grill until golden brown and slightly charred on the outside, then move to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking through.
What are the best cuts of steak to grill, and why?
Rib-eye, in my opinion, is the best cut of steak. It has the most marbling, which gives it a lot of flavor. A rib-eye steak is also a good steak for a spice rub—it will really hold up to strong flavors.
When choosing hamburger, is there a certain fat content that you want to look for?
I usually go for 80 percent meat and 20 percent fat. Often, people chose 90/10 because they want it to be leaner, but then it's dry and flavorless. You want the higher fat because then there's more moisture and flavor.
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