This Friday was Good Friday!
Good Friday is a religious holiday commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ at Calvary. It is mainly observed by Christians during Holy Week.
According to The Barbecue Bible, “Grilling is the oldest, most widespread and most forgiving method of cooking.
“Over the centuries, there have been countless refinements to the process of cooking food over fire; from grills and grates to rotisseries and turn spits to gas grills and infrared burners.
“These refinements have enabled us to cook an ever wider repertory of ingredients on the grill but the basic principles remain the same, as does the primal pleasure of fire cooked foods.”
The great debate over the merits of charcoal versus gas has raged ever since companies introduced the first gas grills in the 1950s.
Charcoal grills can be time consuming, unpredictable and messy — all reasons why grill buffs love them.
Gas barbecues are simply more convenient and easier to control the heat.
When I want a nice smoke flavour I will use a combination of barbecue coals and alder chunks.
I have used this method with fish and beef; put a little tin foil over the food you are cooking, it helps to keep the smoke on the food so the flavor is more smoky.
You can also use some fine alder chips to throw on your gas barbecue for a nice smoky taste, soak these chips for a while before using.
Here’s a neat seasoning for outdoor grilling if you are having steaks, chicken or pork chops.
Rubs and spice mixes can be applied to meat to flavour and cure them before cooking and they can be made ahead of time to use when you want.
Cajun seasoning for grilling
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp of white pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp dried oregano or 1 tsp of finely chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp of fresh minced thyme
1 crushed dried bay leaf.
Mix all ingredients together and store in fridge or freezer. Rub on you food about one half to one hour before cooking.
Enjoy outdoor cooking this spring. It’s a great way to get fed up.
Bye for now and Goood Cooking
Ken Wilson writes a regular cooking column for the Tribune, and sometimes will cover politics to change it up a bit.
