And he said, come on honey say you will
Jump on into my Coupe DeVille
There's a Mexico sunset standing still
Fall in love to the thrill of the grill
These lyrics from singer/songwriter Kim Carnes’ 1982 album Voyeur offers self-indulgence to my 80’s teenage years. It was the first thing I thought of when I decided to write this blog post this morning.
Prior to moving to Nashville in 2001, I owned a Weber grill. Years of failing to protect it from environmental effects rendered it useless. Six years ago I purchased a Weber charcoal model. I did not have the desire nor patience to acquire the skills necessary to master charcoal grilling. Thus, that grill became the victim of rain and rust.
Last month I purchased a Char-Broil 2-burner Tru-Infared model at my local Lowe’s. After my purchase, I learned three other friends have this same model. My first two efforts were not great ones. My ribeye that I marinated for 24 hours was overcooked, despite my thermometer telling me otherwise. My Easter pork tenderloin was undercooked. Hence, be warned of any recipe that says it is “foolproof”. I finished the tenderloin in the oven for 15 minutes and it was perfect!
This morning, good results of my grilling efforts prevailed. I grilled eight boneless pork chops and four chicken breasts for this week’s dining. Also in the refrigerator is homemade Thousand Island Dressing, chopped romaine hearts for salad, and steam-bag veggies. I found some zucchini in the refrigerator and sautéed it in Georgia Olive Farms olive oil and Penzey’s Spices “Sunny Spain” seasoning.
I plan to make efforts this spring and summer to become a grill master! What are some of your grilling tips? What are your favorite things to cook on a grill?