Even great chefs make mistakes (Bobby actually burned dinner on his second date with his wife, actress Stephanie March), but these tips will make sure you don’t look like a fool when firing up the grill this summer.
Think theme. Bobby likes to put an abundant amount of food on the table and really make it festive. He comes up with a theme, like San Diego fish tacos, or hamburgers, and then brings the themes to life with the flavors on the table. For something as basic as hamburgers, Bobby suggests making them more in-the-moment with a burger bar. Set up a table with the following: three to four different cheeses (cheddar, blue cheese, fresh goat cheese), salsas, hot sauces, grilled mushrooms and onions, an array of mustards, and some smoked chile ketchup (add pureed chiles to your favorite ketchup).
Add meat last. One of the most common grilling mistakes is starting too early and then leaving the meat on the grill to keep it warm -- this just dries the meat out. After all your side dishes are ready and at room temperature (otherwise food just tastes cold), then you can start your meat.
[Nest Note] You can use a meat thermometer for an accurate way to figure out when your meat is done cooking.
Create texture. One of the best parts about grilling is that the heat is direct so you can get a nice crust. Texture is just as important as flavor. Think about the words that sound good when describing food, like “crunchy” and “crispy” -- these are the foods you know will be fun to eat.
Keep tools simple. Keep them very simple -- like a good pair of tongs; a spatula for delicate meats like fish; a grill brush; and a decorative platter to serve on the table (you won’t want to transfer the meat more than a couple times).
Spend time on the toppings. Make salsas. The trick is to balance the flavors and textures. Chop up grilled pineapples with green onion and serve with fish; and puree chiles and serve them in ketchup. The key is to counterbalance savory with sweet.
Don’t try for miracles. Steaks are easy. Chicken on the bone with skin is hard.
Fill your cabinet with lots of wine. (And fill the fridge with extra meat.) When all else fails and you burn something, get out more wine. That’s how Bobby saved his date with Stephanie. After he burned the rotisserie chickens, he kept the wine flowing as he put his poultry reserves on the grill (and as she wondered why he was a famous chef!).
Photos courtesy of Tom Eckerle/Hyperion
-- The Nest Editors
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