Fire it up!

She says:

In our household, spring means different things to each of us. I get out the garden catalogs and plant the seedlings. This year I have a greenhouse to get me and the plants off to a roaring start. For Martin though, the roaring start is in the BBQ. As soon as the robins start to chirp, he starts to hum and think of what to cook outside.

As someone who is more the moral support for the BBQ-er in the household, I will not profess to have any expertise except perhaps in the potato salad or the table set-up. I just stand back and watch, and enjoy the results. I really do love preparing the accompaniments too, so we make a good team. But if you want to know a secret, the part I find really sexy about having my husband barbecue is how he smells like a Ranger Scout afterwards. It’s like the best part of summer camp. Hooray for BBQ season!

 

He says:

The barbecue season is finally here, we had our first grilled meat of the season. My daughter Chloae came visit with her boyfriend last weekend for spring break. We ended up grilling a leg of lamb with some of my Moroccan spices. It was a great meal and fun to hang out with my little girl who gets older and smarter every time I see her... where does time go?

I know many of you BBQ year-round with your fancy super gas devices while I still make a fire and burn wood to cook my steak. I respect your choice but I cook in a different league than you. The league is not a professional league, but more a group of people who believe and appreciate that good things take time. It takes me a good 15 minutes before I can start grilling, but hey! While I wait for the red-hot coals to form I can enjoy a cold one.

In honour of the season starting, I thought I would share my passion and pass on some easy to use steps to help you improve your game this coming summer.

In honour of the season starting, I thought I would share my passion and pass on some easy to use steps to help you improve your game this coming summer.

Testing your meat for “doneness” with your thermometer

Once you suspect that your meat may be done, take your instant read thermometer (approximately $8 each), poke it into the center of the meat and allow it to take a reading. Based on the internal temperature of the meat, you can tell when the steak is done to your liking. Please note, over-poking with your thermometer is prohibited as you will lose all the juices.

How to know when your meat is done

Beef - Veal - Lamb - Bison - Elk

• Very Rare - 120° - blood red in the center and barely warm (a good vet might still save the cow!)
• Rare - 125° - red in the center and warm throughout
• Medium-Rare - 130° - 135° - pinkish red in the center and fairly hot
• Medium - 140° - 145° - pink in the center, grayish brown surrounding, hot throughout
• Medium-Well - 150° - 155° - grayish brown center, only a trace of pink
• Well-Done - 160° - gray in the center

 

• Poultry whole - 180°F - cook until juices run clear

• Pork

Medium - 140° - 145° - pink in the center, grayish brown surrounding, hot throughout

Well-Done - 160° - gray in the center

• Ground meat & Sausage - 160° to 165°F – no pink at all

• Fish - (steaks, filleted or whole) 140°F – Tuna - Swordfish - Marlin 125F

 

I am always ready for questions if you have any!!

Have fun.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.