ODE TO GRILLING OVER WOOD COALS

[Martin Strand III]

I grill. 

I’ve grilled since I can remember.  I grill just about everything except salad and dessert.  Grilled spiked fruit jello just doesn’t work right.  Although grilled romaine lettuce in a caesar salad is delicious.  I don’t grill beverages since I discovered the dangers of 151 rum.  But I did grill a ‘fortified’ wine spiced ‘grog’ after snowshoeing one time.  I can’t remember how it turned out.

I grill over wood coals.  Real hard wood is the best.  My favorites are apple, cherry, hickory and mesquite.  No ‘filler’ filled charcoal briquettes, artificial wax wood chip logs or such.  Just premium hardwood.  It’s wonderful and you just cannot get the same flavor from one of those city gas grills either.

I grill inside and out.  Inside all winter in my bake oven on top over the firebox of my TempCast.  It makes a simple pizza into something very special.  Outside grilling is for those hot, dog days of summer (yep, ther comin’) when doing the same inside would heat the house too much.  Outside I use the Big Green Egg.  It’s ceramic and has survived all weather grilling over 15 years now.  It’ll probably last longer than me.

I grill hot and fast and I grill slow and smokey.  Hot and fast is for searing in juices so well the thing actually squirts you when you cut into it.  And that’s a trade mark of a meal at my house.  Guests have actually brought eye goggles to dinner a few times.  Slow and smokey is for ribs, a big ‘ole bird or a pork loin that I’ve ‘rubbed’ and turns out so sweet it makes you want to cry.

At my house, dinner’s ready when the smoke alarm goes off.  Then people show up outa nowhere…

Aye,
Marty

 

[pen]

I agree w/ you in 2 areas.

1. Grilling over wood coals is absolutely divine.

2. I also truly appreciate a well rubbed loin.

pen

 

[guest5234]

I cook over wood in the summer months and you cannot beat it, i am buiding a wood tandoor for next year to cook indian food.

 

[Martin Strand III]

I cook over wood in the summer months and you cannot beat it, i am buiding a wood tandoor for next year to cook indian food.

Please explain a wood "tandoor". Is it like an ancient asian clay cooker called a "kamado, kin to the modern Big Green Egg?

Aye,
Marty

 

[RIJEEP]

Hi Marty S,

Can you help me jump up the learning curve? I wanna get mo grill skills, is there a good source of info on techniques?

 

[BrotherBart]

At my house, dinner’s ready when the smoke alarm goes off. 

Aye,
Marty

Grandma says "That is why I quit eating at that fool's house."

 

[Martin Strand III]

Hi Marty S,

Can you help me jump up the learning curve? I wanna get mo grill skills, is there a good source of info on techniques?

Visit biggreenegg.com

Aye,
Marty

 

[guest5234]

I cook over wood in the summer months and you cannot beat it, i am buiding a wood tandoor for next year to cook indian food.

Please explain a wood "tandoor". Is it like an ancient asian clay cooker called a "kamado, kin to the modern Big Green Egg?

Aye,
Marty

yep, looks like this.

 

[jlow]

I have become a fire cooker myself over the past 8 years. I have built a pizza oven and german spiesbraten pit. I have also learned to use the indoor fireplace for some cookin' also.

 

[Pauly]

I make hardwood charcoal- I will try to post some pics when I make this years batch.

 

[f3cbboy]

jlow - i am getting hungry looking at that food cookin! really like the last set up with the tripod. that works well? how big is that? i think i am going to build one is the spring....

 

[CowboyAndy]

i would really like to make my own wood charcoal and grill on it this summer. where can i learn that?

 

[jlow]

The grill that is in the picture is 32". I have another that is 36" The diameter of the inside firepit is 34". My son made the tri-pod and the spinning mechanism and the stainless steel grill is from Germany. This you-tube shows how it works. The tradition in Germany is that friends drink beer and take turns spinning the grill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17PD1Pso9y8

 

[JoeyD]

Hi Marty S,

Can you help me jump up the learning curve? I wanna get mo grill skills, is there a good source of info on techniques?

Visit biggreenegg.com

Aye,
Marty

+1

 

[Pauly]

i would really like to make my own wood charcoal and grill on it this summer. where can i learn that?

It is a pretty simple procedure- start off by procuring a clean steel 55 gallon drum with lid and band - you are going to need a lot of brush or otherwise un burnable (in a stove) wood to do the actual firing- at least the way that I make mine. i will probably be doing a load shortly after the first of the year and will try and post pics and a description here or on one of the othe forums here on hearth dot com for those interested.