Update (8.12.09):
Epicurious saves the day. If you were looking for grilling tips, too, check it out!
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It should be so easy.
That’s what I kept thinking as I watched the chicken get more and more blackened. Well, one of the pieces of chicken. Curiously, the chicken on the other end of the grill was still pretty raw. What the…?!
Chicken on the Grill
I’ve said before that I consider myself a baker (that’s probably a mistake right there – why pigeonhole myself, right?). But, it’s true. I love to bake. I love looking through recipes for delicious desserts and then creating them as if they’re works of art and then, the best part of all, seeing the looks on the faces of friends and loved ones when they take that first bite. My success rate for my baked goods is pretty darn high.
Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake Drizzled with Fudge Sauce
But cooking?
Well, I feel like I get punched in the gut again…and again…and…
I mean, sure I can handle most anything with a recipe and it will turn out fairly close to the picture in the cookbook. That’s not a problem. Elaborate entrees? Usually not a problem for me, because that’s my strength – following a recipe so explicitly, so literally, that if the recipe is written well (and it’s a good recipe), odds are good that it’s going to taste the way it’s supposed to taste.
So that’s not the problem.
It’s cooking creatively . Cooking life a chef. Cooking like most people cook (I think?). Well, at least, the way my husband cooks. He can throw together a group of ingredients, do some amazing things with them, artfully toss it all onto a plate, and wow! Fantastic. Delectable. Rave reviews. Looks good, tastes even better.
It’s a gift. To my tastebuds. And my family’s palate.
But, try as I might, I can’t do it.
For example, tonight I tried to grill some chicken for dinner. Well, let me back up a little. We had four avocados in the fridge, and I have this great recipe for guacamole, so I thought, “This will be great. It’s a beautiful almost-summer day and the kids love guacamole. I’ll get my daughter to help me make some guac and we’ll go from there.”
Eager to help, my daughter chopped the onion, scooped out the flesh of the avocado and helped me pull it all together. I told her about my secret ingredient for fabulous guacamole. It was a great moment. When we finished, she handed me a tortilla chip and kept one for herself. Then we each scooped out a healthy portion of the guacamole. Our eyes widened as we delighted in the fresh, tangy flavors.
It was a recipe, see? Sure it was good, but I credit the recipe. It was a great recipe.
So there we were with a bowl of delicious guacamole. Okay…now what? What to make for dinner to go with this guacamole. Keep in mind, my goal is to get to a place where I can just whip something together. Without a recipe. So…now what?
I opened the fridge and saw a package of chicken. Okay, great. I can just throw that on the grill. Sounds simple, right?
Guys grill food all the time in summer. Heck, I know guys who talk about their grilling expertise like it’s been featured on Emeril…every week . You know what I’m talking about? These guys turn grilling into an art form. They have the tools with the really long handles and all sorts of special sauces. They often wear aprons with personalized embroidering. They can spend a good part of an evening talking to each other about the latest fabulous dish they made for their families. Pride spills out of them and their faces shine like Lite-Brite pegs . It’s quite nice to behold, really.
Okay, so I admit, I’m envious. There, I said it.
But here’s what I’m asking in return. If you’re one of those guys (or women) who can grill with finesse and loves to talk about it, please give me some tips. What’s the secret to successful grilling? Why does part of a gas grill heat food more than another part? How do you avoid getting the outside charred when the inside is still raw? I know how to deal with that in a saute pan but how do you do it on a grill?
I resorted to cutting up the chicken breasts (nearly burning my hands in the process) using tongs in my left hand and kitchen shears in my right hand. It was pretty amusing. When the chicken was finally cooked thoroughly, my kids made chicken tacos (to use that guacamole), I piled it on top of some wild rice with some guacamole on the side, and my hubby made a fajita with a tortilla, some rice, chicken, guacamole and salsa.
If you guessed that his looked (and probably tasted) the best, you’re right. Here it is:
I enjoyed the dinner, but only because the guacamole was so good. The chicken ended up dry but good enough.
So…tell me. How do I keep it juicy and flavorful? Pass on your best grilling tips, please!?
And then, if you’d like, I can share my secret for great guacamole…
Written by SoapB
7 comments ↓
I am with you, Soap. I need the absolute, scientific, left-brained chemistry of baking. Grilling requires too much living on the right-side…as well as finesse and thinking.
Funny…and delicious post.
dan leones last blog post..Can’t do it
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Delicious … delicious is good. Thanks, Dan!!
[SoapyB]
I would love your secret for great guacamole- I am obsessed with the stuff. There are only two problems- they (avocados) aren’t cheap and they are low fat. Because we are a big family (7 Gartners) when I make it- we all get a dab or two…
I think your grilling looks fine-
I never grill, husband does it for me. I like shrimp and vegetables on there and I would like to do it myself. I mean I can cook a hot dog on there- any nimrod with a stick and lighter can do that though…
Michelle Gartners last blog post..Vintage Wordle- check it out & make your own…
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Thanks, Michelle! I’ll email the recipe to you. Hope you like it!
[Soapbox Mom]
should be they are NOT low fat- sorry
Michelle Gartners last blog post..Vintage Wordle- check it out & make your own…
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I knew what you meant. A guy in one of the supermarkets once went to great lengths to explain that it was a good fat, though. So, hey, for what that’s worth to you. For me, it gives me a little excuse to indulge!
[Soapbox Mom]
I shouldn’t have read this right before lunch… now, I’m starving. I need some chicken, or at least guacamole.
Tara R.s last blog post..Random Wednesday – diets
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Ha ha! I’m tellin’ you, with this guacamole recipe I’d say I need some guac (and maybe a little bit of chicken!). Hope you had a great lunch!
[Soapbox Mom]
At risk of annoying you, here’s where I brag that I can both cook and bake. Cooking creatively is about color. Make sure you use lots of colors (spices, veggies, sauces, etc.) and you’ll be okay. Color = flavor.
As for grilling the perfect chicken breast, this is the short version. For the long version, you’ll need to email me your guacamole recipe:
1. Trim it (remove the tenderloin portion)
2. Flatten it (so that it’s about 1/2″ thick across the entire breast
3. Brine it or marinade it (for moisture; I prefer brining)
4. Heat the grill completely, put the chicken on the hottest part of the grill. Leave the lid open. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip it. Only flip it once. 4-5 mins on the other side. Done.
Call me and let me know how that goes.
Deb (Missives From Suburbia)s last blog post..I Love the Smell of Fear
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Annoy me? You? Never!
Oh, I love these words of wisdom! Color = flavor! Love it. Thanks for these great tips. Precisely what I was looking for. Basic and effective. Proven, tried and true.
Ah, but now it is you who may not be human, eh?
[SoapyB]
SoapyB! How about you teach me to bake (I am completely inept at baking BECAUSE it is so precise) and I’ll teach you to improv grill! The trick to the grill is to accept the fact that you have hot spot – no – take advantage of that fact. I usually marinate the meat to get some moisture and/or essential oil into the meat first. Then, throw it on the hottest part to give the meat a good sear (for flavor and to seal the juices). Then, once that’s done, I’ll move the meat to the cooler part of the grill so the rest of the meat cooks slowly without further burning the outside. As Deb said, I try to flip only once. I close the grill when it is cooking slow and leave the top open when it is searing. I hope that helps!! Oh, and if you EVER need tips in Chinese cooking, ask me. I’m getting pretty darn good at that, I have to say…
BusyDads last blog post..Rollin’ on tha Eastside… the Far Eastside
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Ahhh, BD. Leave it to you to give me such helpful, thorough advice. Thank you so much! I’d be happy to give you any baking advice you like. From things as simple to “Yes, pre-heating the oven really does matter” to “Don’t slam a nearby door when baking a souffle.”
I completely get the “use the whole grill” notion now (so the differences in heat are purposeful!!). And will follow your advice the next time I grill. Thanks again.
[SoapyB]
Hey, Busy dad…can you come have a man-to-man with my dear husband? He’s pretty good with the red meat, but give him a piece of chicken and it comes back like a shoe…the sole part…black. He doesn’t like chicken, but seems to like ashy cardboard better. He gets his feelings hurt when I try to give him some “gentle” input.
Soapbox Mom-your chicken looked great! I can picture you holding it with tongs and using scissors to cut it…very resourceful!
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