Grilling with fresh herbs - can you say YUMMY?

Having access to fresh herbs, during the summer, almost makes the heat worthwhile.  Try growing some fresh herbs of your own, it's much less expensive than buying them from the store and they're always available.  You can grow them in small places, mixed with flower beds, a separate herb garden or in pots in your home, on your patio or balcony.  There is nothing quite like using fresh herbs in your recipes.

A friend of mine, Jan, gave me some fresh rosemary and basil.  Knowing that I needed to use it up before it started getting funny, I decided to make an herb marinade for some Tri Tip.  I have to tell you, this was the best meat I've ever had.

Grilling is such a great way to cook during the summer when you want to keep the heat out of the kitchen, so try marinating some meat and start the grilling.

This is how the marinade works:
     Place meat in a gallon freezer zip lock bag
     Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper
     Place a couple sprigs of rosemary in the bag
     Place 4-8 whole, fresh basil leaves in the bag
     Place 1-2 Tbl. chopped garlic in bag (I use pre-chopped in the
                                                                 jar.  You can use less or more.)
     Pour 1/2 C. of olive oil in the bag, press out the air and seal

Once the bag is sealed, "mush" it all around to deistribute the seasonings and coat the meat with the oil.  Toss it in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight.  When you're ready to grill, pull the meat out of the bag, place it on the grill and cook till it reaches your desired doneness.

You can place the rosemary in the bag in sprigs, or strip the leaves and toss them in loose.  If you toss them in loose, you'll get a more intense flavor from the rosemary.  Place the basil leaves in whole, or give them a little slice.  The same principal applies.  The more chopped they are, the more intense the flavor.

I love this, the flavor of the herbs permeates the meat, but in a mild and subtle way.  I was so blown away by the taste of the Tri Tip, that we grilled for the next 3 weeks.  I bought chuck roasts and followed the same process.  You may need to grill them a little longer, but when they're done, just slice them against the grain and serve.  Sooooo good!

I don't see why you can't follow the same principal with chicken or pork.  Try some of your favorite herbs, just remember "less is more".  You can always add more, but it's difficult to take away.

Don't get too crazy about measurements.  Remember that taste is subjective.  What you like is just right for you.

Some tips about herbs:

Fresh herbs can be frozen or dried for longer storage.  If you're freezing, strip the leaves from the  stems and place them in zip lock freezer bags.  Remove what ever measure you need while the herbs are still frozen.  You can get a good chop on frozen herbs, don't let them thaw before chopping, or you'll have a mushy mess.  You can use frozen herbs in just about anything, just remember to add while they're still frozen.

After drying, fresh herbs they can be stored in canning jars with tight seals or you can store them in zip lock bags.  Be sure to label so you remember which herbs are which and always store in a cool dry place.  Remember that dry herbs are more intense than fresh, so use 1/2 the amount that the recipe calls for using fresh.

Tips for grilling meat - what works for me:
   
 I find that grilling chicken can be challenging.  If the chicken is done, then it's usually burned on the outside, if it's nice and brown, it's usually still pink in the center - not good.  This is my solution:  par-cook your chicken before you grill it.  Place it in a pan with some water, enough to keep it from scorching, and slowly cook it half way through.  Place the par-cooked chicken in a zip lock bag with your seasonings and allow to marinate.  When you're ready to grill, place the chicken on the grill and cook till the chicken is done.  Because the chicken is partially cooked before going on the grill, it will cook much more quickly and won't scorch.  Baste it with sauce, if you like, the last 10 minutes or so.

If you're cooking chicken breasts, it's a good idea to filet them before putting them on the grill.  If  you filet the breasts, they don't need to be par-cooked.  Just butterfly them and place them on the grill, season to taste and you'll find that these puppies will be evenly cooked in about 8-10 minutes total.

Remember that when you're grilling, you only want to turn your meat once.  Allow your meat to cook halfway through before you turn your meat, then finish it off.  This way, you'll get great grill marks and a beautiful color.  If you keep turning your meat to get the browning, you'll probably overcook it.  DON'T mash your hamburgers when you're cooking them.  This forces all the juices out of the meat and they'll be dry and tough.

Well, that's about it.  If you want more grilling tips, check out www.finecooking.com and type bbq or grilling in the search line. 

Take a little time to grill this summer and try some of those fresh herbs while they're still in season, I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

Tomorrow I want to share with you how I made fruit leather in the oven.  This is the first time I ever made fruit leather and I'm loving it!  It turned out "crazy good".