Grilling Seafood
Posted on June 26, 2009 - Filed Under Home & Garden
Drop in grills are a fantastic addition to an outdoor kitchen, and will probably become the centerpiece because of their versatility and usefulness. The precision of the design means a precision of cooking, too, and there are many exciting things to learn about cooking on a grill. They instantly add another kind of mystique to any meal, and the food takes on complex and subtle flavors very quickly. There are some simple and essential things to know for getting started.
Seafood, of course, takes very well to grilling, and it’s a good idea to experiment with all types. Shrimp, fillets, steaks, and oysters in the shell are just some examples, and all of them take different kinds of heat in different ways. Shrimp can be cooked directly on the flame, with larger prawns turned directly over the heat, or smaller batches of shrimp, on skewers. The different cuts of fish will all take better to different grilling temperatures and times. The difficulty with cuts of fish is that they are very delicate, and can break apart very easily. It’s important, then, to have the temperature exactly right, and to turn only once. With your drop in grill, however, you will be able to control the temperature like never before. A good combination of this advanced technology, along with some old-world cooking techniques, can yield amazing results. Most coastal cultures have some way of wrapping fish, in banana leaves, for example, that add another layer of flavor, but also help keep the fish together. Try these methods, and when in a pinch, aluminum foil will serve the purpose.
Adventure is always rewarded though, so be sure to try new combinations of flavors, along with trying new cooking techniques. To get that perfect diamond pattern on your fish, cook the steak for at least three minutes, give it a 90-degree turn, and cook again. Play around with other techniques, too. Caramelizing can be a wonderful coating for different cuts of fish, and is worth experimenting over. Once you start playing around with how different kinds of seafood can be prepared, and once your results prove to you that you’re on a very happy adventure, you’ll start collecting methods and recipes from internet sources, cookbooks, friends and acquaintances, and from the world at large!
Comments
Leave a Reply