Check out our new toy!
After talking about it and researching it and hesitating and talking about it some more, John and I finally took the plunge and got a new grill.
One of the things that attracted me to this house when I was house-hunting was that the grill was hooked up to the natural gas line. No more schlepping propane tanks! No more running out of propane in the middle of grilling!
The old grill was a Ducane, but it was more than a few years old when I bought the house. It slowly declined each summer. The jets were uneven, the ignite button never worked, then the left side control broke completely. We were left with half a working grill, and that half didn't work very well. I also risked a trip to the burn unit every cookout thanks to flames shooting out the vent hole in the front above the right side control knob.
We considered just getting a propane grill for now. But we realized that a natural gas grill would be a good investment in the home, and we liked the convenience. Coincidentally, John found a review of gas grills in the new issue of Consumer Reports, and we chose the best grill for our budget.
I love grilling. Before I started working nights, I grilled at least three to four times a week in warm weather. You can't go wrong with the basics -- steaks, grilled chicken breast, barbecued chicken, veggies. But I also like to branch out and try new things.
One of my new favorites is grilled pizza. I get the dough and fresh mozzarella at Trader Joe's, along with their starter sauce that goes straight on the pie, no cooking. I grow my own basil -- you just can't get that bright, fresh flavor from the stuff at the grocery store. It's a super easy supper.
We also have some cookbooks that give great ideas for the grill. One of the best is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse. My Dinosaur habit during my Syracuse years is probably responsible for a few inches on my hips. The photo here is the Dinosaur dinner John and I shared last fall on our honeymoon trip. NOM. What's great about the Dinosaur cookbook is that it gives great tips for all sorts of grilling, and also has wonderful appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Some of our favorites are the gumbo, chili, Cajun corn and Dr. Pepper cake.
A terrific all-around grilling cookbook is How to Grill by Steven Raichlen. You may have seen his shows, Barbecue U and Primal Grill on PBS. I interviewed him about eight years ago for a story on buying grills, and he was incredibly helpful. He's got an amazing collection of cookbooks related to all things grilling. Try the beer can chicken.
Inspiration is also found in magazines and websites. My favorites are the Cooks Illustrated franchise, Fine Cooking, Everyday Food, Food & Wine, Epicurious, MyRecipes.com and, for a surprising adventure, Tastespotting.
What are your favorite things to make on the grill?
Congratulations on the new grill! Lucky you. Summer will be that much more wonderful because of it.
Posted by: NOJuju | 05/28/2010 at 12:12 PM
Just my luck. I go to Trader Joe's on Saturday and found out the starter sauce has been discontinued. Now I either have to find an alternative or make the sauce myself, which defeats the whole easy-peasyness of grilled pizza.
Posted by: Melissa Hebert | 05/31/2010 at 01:17 AM
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Posted by: Chriwoo3ro | 09/26/2011 at 06:51 AM