For this annual grilling article, I am inspired by the famous poet Tennyson. I loosely quote from one of his most memorable poems. “In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of” … grilling!
First, here are some quick grilling tips.
Start with a clean grill. Prevent food contamination by giving your grill a thorough spring cleaning. Make sure your grill brush does not have any loose bristles.
I know “smash” burgers are in vogue, but generally speaking, don’t squeeze or flatten your burgers. It may result in very dry hamburgers.
Invest in a meat thermometer. I personally like the ThermoPop2. It is available in multiple colors from Thermoworks.com. In addition, a fish spatula, gloves, long handed tongs and basting brush are all important grilling tools.
Keep a labeled spray bottle of water for flare ups.
Oiling your grates prevents food from sticking. It also protects your grates from rusting.
Resist the temptation to turn the food over multiple times. Try to limit turning to one time. This will help with caramelization/browning.
For saucing, timing is crucial. Apply barbecue sauce during the last 10-15 minutes of grilling to allow for caramelization without burning the sauce. Apply in layers.
Lighter fluid? Ugh! Stop adding chemicals to your grilling. Try a chimney starter.
Recently, I met with Alan, store manager at Ace on Wabash in Springfield, to see and to learn what is new for 2025. Alan started off by saying that more and more manufacturers are adding griddles to their product lines. A griddle allows you to prepare your breakfast eggs and pancakes.
Scheduled to arrive very soon from Weber is their new wood-pellet Smoque line of grills. It is designed for grilling enthusiasts who crave low-and-slow cooking at an accessible price point. In addition to hassle-free cleaning, the Weber Smoque smoker is engineered specifically to excel in the 180°F to 275°F (82°C to 135°C) degree temperature range. The Weber Smoque cooks and bakes at a maximum temperature of 500°F (260°C). A highly visible LCD controller provides real-time updates on smoker temperature, cook status, food probe readings and timers, and you can control it from anywhere via their app on your phone. A new “convenient grease and ash management system” makes for less stress and mess.
At the heart of Weber’s 2025 collection is the reimagined Spirit® gas grill — the brand's best-selling model. Its boost burners are capable of increasing power output by 40%. These burners fuel the grill’s sear zone, designed to reach a sizzling 750°F (400°C). The Weber Works™ system has expanded to make cooking outside more convenient and fun. A variety of accessories drop in or attach to side tables and convert the space to a prep-and-serve station.
Celebrating the brand's 40th birthday, Traeger has released a new line of pellet grills. The Woodridge line features three new grills: the Pellet, Pro and Elite.
At $799, the Woodridge line's base model is competitively priced in the pellet grill market. It has a generous 860 square inches of cooking space and features a smart hopper clean-out button that flushes out unused pellets to allow you to switch up your flavor. Using “WiFire” you can remotely monitor your grill via an app and adjust temperature as and when needed.
New from the popular Ooni Pizza ovens is the Koda 2 line. The new Koda 2 offers 14 inches of cooking, which is two inches larger than the previous version. The pizza stone is 50% larger. They also changed the burner to their new G2 Gas Technology. Ooni has been rolling out their connected technology called “Ooni Connect Digital Temperature Hub.” It has a digital temperature read-out and will connect to your phone via Bluetooth. You can now get the ovens in the traditional foundry black or the new slate blue color.
My thanks to Alan from Ace who will be retiring this summer. He has been a great source of information regarding grilling and everything else related to home and garden. Good luck to you, Alan. Also, special thanks to Tracy from Weber.
If you shop at Trader Joes, last week the New York times Wire Cutter service rated their “TJ’s Organic Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce” No. 1. Below is a recipe to make your own barbecue sauce.
Martha Stewart quick barbecue sauce
140 calories, 2 servings
For a basic barbecue sauce, all you have to do is whisk together ketchup, light brown sugar, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Use this recipe when making grilled or slow-cooked meat.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
- Whisk together all ingredients.
- Brush on meat during the last 5-10 minutes of grilling or roasting.
- Happy grilling!
About
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.