Author: Outdoor Cooking King

  • Food Network Kitchen’s Grilled Zucchini

    Food Network Kitchen’s Grilled Zucchini

    This recipe comes from Food Network Kitchen: the Grilled Zucchini recipe by Julian Plovnick, published on foodnetwork.com. The accompanying article by Krissy Downey describes it as a simple, no-frills base for variations, and the method below follows the published steps. It serves 4, and the recipe lists 15 minutes for both total and active time.

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill grates
    • 2 pounds (about 900 g) medium zucchini (about 4)
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper go on the zucchini before grilling)
    • 1 lemon, zested and juiced

    Every ingredient is a plant food, so the dish contains no meat, egg or dairy.

    Method

    1. Prepare the grill (or a grill pan) for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill grates.
    2. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/2-inch (about 1.3 cm) planks. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons of the oil until fully coated.
    3. On an outdoor grill, lay the planks at a 45-degree angle across the grates. Grill uncovered until grill marks appear on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip, keeping the planks at an angle, cover the grill, and cook until the second side is marked and the zucchini is fork-tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
    4. Move to a platter, sprinkle with the lemon zest, drizzle with the lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

    If you are using a grill pan instead, the recipe gives longer times: 3 to 6 minutes per side, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.

    The Technique Notes Worth Keeping

    The accompanying article explains the reasoning behind several choices:

    • Size: it prefers a medium zucchini, about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long, which it says tends to be sweeter, more tender and less watery than oversized ones. The skin should be shiny, smooth and deep green, and the fruit firm rather than rubbery or squishy.
    • Planks: flat, wide 1/2-inch planks give more contact with the grates, cook through quickly without turning mushy or burning, and hold their shape better than slices or rounds, making them easier to flip.
    • Do not move them: clear, even grill marks come from leaving the zucchini alone once it is on the grill.
    • Do not overcook: it says about 3 minutes per side is all the zucchini needs, and that overcooked zucchini is mushy and less flavorful.
    • Stems: you can leave the stem on rather than trimming it, though the stems of some varieties and larger zucchini can be tough.

    Variations From the Same Source

    Food Network Kitchen suggests a few finishes:

    • Mediterranean: crumbled feta, fresh oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.
    • Zucchini Parmesan: after flipping, top with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan and let the cheese toast during the last 2 to 4 minutes.
    • Asian-inspired: chili crisp and sesame seeds over steamed rice.
    • Antipasto style: wrap in prosciutto before grilling and finish with balsamic glaze.

    The feta, Parmesan and prosciutto versions are no longer vegan, and the prosciutto version is not vegetarian.

    What to Serve It With

    Food Network Kitchen says grilled chicken is always a good pairing, and also suggests the zucchini as a lighter alternative to french fries beside a cheeseburger, a side for grilled steak, or an addition to a rice bowl, or cut up in lemon pasta. The recipe page lists a per-serving analysis for the base version (1 of 4 servings): 136 calories, 11 g total fat, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein and 602 mg sodium.

    Storing and Reheating

    The article says to keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Microwaving can make the texture mushier; for a firmer result it suggests reheating quickly in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, without letting the zucchini wilt down too much.

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  • How to Grill Corn on the Cob: Husk On or Off

    How to Grill Corn on the Cob: Husk On or Off

    Grilled corn on the cob has one big fork in the road: leave the husk on or take it off. Published guidance differs on heat, soaking and timing, so this article lays out the plain baseline method and shows where the sources disagree. It draws on Weber’s grilled corn recipe and Weber’s corn tips, plus university extension pages from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Utah State University. For a dressed-up version, see our Mexican street corn (elotes) recipe.

    Method 1: Husked Corn, Direct Heat

    Weber’s simplest approach is to husk the ears and grill the bare kernels. Its recipe calls for direct cooking over medium heat, 350°F to 450°F (175°C to 230°C), with the lid closed, until the corn is browned in spots and tender, 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. The cooking grates should be brushed clean first.

    Weber’s tips add two preparation points: wash the corn, dry it well, then brush it with oil to prevent burning or sticking, and add salt only after grilling, because salting first makes the corn dry out quickly.

    Method 2: Husk On

    Keeping the husk on gives a different result. Weber describes cooking husk-on ears on top of glowing charcoal: the husks act as a buffer against the fierce heat while the kernels steam gently, and soaking the raw ears first stops the papery husks from igniting and creates that steam.

    A Weber grilling tip (written by a Weber blogger) gives this sequence:

    1. Pull the husk back about three-quarters of the way and remove the silk. A rubber band around the ear helps pull off stray silk.
    2. Soak the corn for 2 to 3 hours in ice-cold water with a couple of tablespoons of sugar.
    3. Grill with the husk on over indirect medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes.

    How the Extension Services Compare

    The university guidance is quicker and hotter.

    University of Nebraska–Lincoln

    Preheat the grill to high heat, 400°F to 450°F (200°C to 230°C). Shuck the corn, or leave one or two inner layers of husk on if you prefer. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper, and pull the husk back up around the ear if desired. Grill for 8 to 12 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes so each side chars. Nebraska also notes that cooking with the husks on helps retain moisture and flavor.

    Utah State University

    Pull the husks back, remove the silk, replace the husks and tie them with kitchen string. Soak in cold water for 5 minutes. If the corn is already husked, wrap each ear in foil. Cook on the grill, turning occasionally, until the husks are charred on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes.

    Side by Side

    • Husked, bare on the grate (Weber): direct medium heat, 350°F to 450°F, 10 to 15 minutes.
    • Husk on, long soak (Weber tip): indirect medium heat, 35 to 40 minutes after a 2 to 3 hour soak.
    • Partial husk, high heat (Nebraska): 400°F to 450°F, 8 to 12 minutes.
    • Husk on, short soak (Utah State): 5-minute soak, 15 to 20 minutes.

    The sources do not agree on soak length. Weber’s tip says 2 to 3 hours, Utah State says 5 minutes, and Nebraska does not mention soaking. Their timings also differ because they use different heat levels and husk arrangements.

    Choosing a Method

    Going by what the sources describe, husked corn on direct heat is fastest and gives browned spots, while husk-on cooking retains more moisture and takes longer. Since the times above are ranges from different publishers, judge doneness by the description they share: kernels that are tender and, for bare ears, browned in spots. Turn the ears as they cook so every side gets color.

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  • Weber’s Curried Red Lentil Burgers

    Weber’s Curried Red Lentil Burgers

    This recipe comes straight from Weber: the Curried Red Lentil Burgers with Mango Chutney on weber.com’s UK site, created by the Weber Grill Academy chefs. It is a useful alternative to a black bean burger: the patties are built from red lentils, chickpeas and peanuts, with curry powder and cumin for flavor, and served in pitta bread. The recipe serves 4, with 25 minutes of prep and 5 to 7 minutes of cooking, plus 2 to 4 hours of chilling.

    Weber files this under vegetarian recipes. It contains eggs and yogurt, so it is not vegan, and it includes peanuts and pitta bread, so check labels if anyone at the table has allergies. The recipe was published for UK readers, so quantities are metric with US equivalents.

    Ingredients

    • 100 g (3½ oz) red lentils, picked over, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve and drained
    • 480 ml (16 fl oz) water
    • 1 can (400 g/13 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 175 g (6 oz) roasted, salted peanuts
    • 2 teaspoons curry powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
    • 8 tablespoons natural Greek yogurt
    • 2 large eggs, beaten
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 4 large pitta breads
    • 1 baby lettuce, shredded
    • ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
    • 8 tablespoons mango chutney

    Equipment listed: a grill-proof griddle, a burger press and a griddle spatula.

    Method

    In the kitchen

    1. Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Skim off any foam that rises. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, rinse briefly and let cool.
    2. In a food processor with a metal blade, pulse the lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper into a thick, slightly chunky paste. Move to a bowl and fold in the panko, yogurt, eggs and coriander.
    3. Using the burger press, form four gently packed patties, each about 1.5 cm (¾ inch) thick. The recipe notes that the patties will be quite wet. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

    At the barbecue

    1. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat, 200–260°C (400–500°F), and preheat the grill-proof griddle.
    2. Coat the griddle lightly with the oil. Place the patties on the griddle and cook over direct medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes with the lid closed, until firm and nicely marked, turning once carefully. In the last minute, warm the pittas on the cooking grates over direct heat, turning once.
    3. Cut the pittas and patties in half and put a patty half inside each pitta half. Divide the lettuce, cucumber and mango chutney among the pittas and serve immediately.

    Notes on the Method

    Two details in the recipe are easy to skip and worth following. First, the long chill: the recipe calls for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator, and it describes the mixture as quite wet. Second, the cooking surface: the patties go on a preheated, lightly oiled griddle set on the grill, not straight onto the grates, and are turned only once, carefully. Weber does not spell out its reasons, but both steps suit a soft, wet patty.

    Serving

    Weber’s version is a pitta sandwich rather than a bun burger: the lettuce, cucumber and mango chutney are divided among the four pittas, and the pittas are warmed on the grates during the last minute of cooking.

    Where It Fits

    Weber’s UK roundup of meat-free burgers describes red lentils as budget friendly and easy to blend into a patty shape. The same page suggests a simpler route for anyone short on time: a portobello mushroom cap grilled with a little olive oil and herbs as a stand-in for the patty. This lentil recipe is the more involved option, since it needs simmering, blending and a chill before it reaches the grill, so plan the prep the day before or the morning of the cookout.

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  • Grilling for a Crowd: Safe Staging and Timing

    Grilling for a Crowd: Safe Staging and Timing

    Cooking for twenty people on one grill means the first burgers come off long before the last ones go on. That gap is where food safety quietly slips: cooked food sitting on a counter cools into the range where bacteria multiply. This guide draws on the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s grilling guidance and the FDA’s outdoor food-handling page. It covers staging and timing, not quantities; for how much to buy, see our meat-per-person calculator.

    The Two Numbers That Drive Everything

    The FDA defines the “Danger Zone” as 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C). Its rule is to never let picnic food stay in that range for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the outdoor temperature is above 90°F (32°C). For hot food, the FDA says to keep it at or above 140°F (60°C). USDA says the same for grilled meat and poultry: keep it hot until served, at 140°F or warmer.

    The practical reading for a big cookout: every batch has to be either cooked and served quickly, or held at 140°F or above. A pile of burgers cooling on a platter is neither.

    Plan the Holding Space Before You Light the Grill

    USDA lists the options for keeping cooked meat hot at home:

    • the side of the grill rack, away from the coals (not directly over them, where the food could overcook);
    • an oven set at approximately 200°F (about 93°C);
    • a chafing dish or slow cooker;
    • a warming tray.

    The FDA adds that hot food carried elsewhere should be wrapped well and placed in an insulated container until serving. Decide which of these you are using, and clear the space, before the first batch comes off.

    Stage Batches in Order

    Cook to temperature, then hold

    Use a food thermometer on every batch, because grilled meat browns fast on the outside. USDA’s minimums: steaks, roasts and chops of beef, pork, veal and lamb to 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest; ground beef, pork, veal and lamb to 160°F (71°C); all poultry, including ground, to 165°F (74°C). Only food that has reached its safe temperature goes to the holding area.

    Do not pre-cook and finish later

    Staging a big cook does not mean starting food early. USDA’s instruction is direct: never partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later. The FDA allows partial cooking only when the food goes straight onto the hot grill afterward. Each batch should go from raw to done in one continuous cook, then into the hot-holding area.

    Use a clean platter for every trip

    USDA says to use a clean platter when taking food off the grill, never the one that held raw meat or poultry. The FDA advises keeping a clean platter and utensils ready at grill-side. With multiple batches, set out several clean platters in advance so nobody reuses a raw-meat one in a rush.

    Watch the Clock on the Serving Table

    Once food moves from hot holding to the serving line, the 2-hour limit applies. In hot weather, above 90°F, USDA says food should never sit out for more than 1 hour. Both agencies say food left out longer should be discarded. A workable habit that follows from this: note the time when a dish goes on the table, and put out small amounts at a time, refilling from the hot-holding area, rather than setting out everything at once.

    Leftovers After a Long Cookout

    The FDA says to refrigerate or freeze perishables within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is above 90°F outside. It also recommends dividing large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers so they cool faster. On a long day with a large group, build the clean-up step into the schedule instead of leaving it until everyone has gone home.

    A Simple Timeline

    1. Before lighting: choose and set up your hot-holding method; lay out clean platters and utensils; have a thermometer ready.
    2. Each batch: cook raw-to-done without interruption, check the temperature, move to hot holding at 140°F or above.
    3. Serving: bring out small portions and track the 2-hour (or 1-hour above 90°F) limit.
    4. Afterwards: refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within the same time limits.

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  • Flat Iron vs Hanger vs Skirt vs Flank: Which to Grill

    Flat Iron vs Hanger vs Skirt vs Flank: Which to Grill

    Flat iron, hanger, skirt and flank are often lumped together as “alternative steaks”, but they come from different parts of the animal and reward different handling. This guide compares them using the Beef Checkoff’s flat iron and hanger steak cut profiles, Food Network’s hanger explainer, and Weber’s and America’s Test Kitchen’s flat iron recipes. This site covers skirt and flank in their own articles, so they get only a brief mention here.

    Where Each Cut Comes From

    • Flat iron: cut from the top blade in the chuck, the shoulder area, per the Beef Checkoff.
    • Hanger: from the plate (belly), hanging under the diaphragm, per Food Network. The Beef Checkoff puts it in the short plate primal, the same primal it associates with skirt steak.
    • Skirt and flank: the Beef Checkoff lists both as cuts to marinate and grill; skirt is associated with the short plate, as noted above.

    Tenderness

    The sources disagree in emphasis rather than fact.

    The Beef Checkoff calls flat iron “extremely tender” and says removing the internal connective tissue lets it deliver as the second most tender cut. Weber’s page adds a catch: some steaks still have a tough streak down the middle, which should be cut away.

    Food Network says hanger comes from a belly muscle that gets little use, making it naturally tender when properly cooked. It also says hanger is more tender than flank or skirt. The Beef Checkoff, though, describes the same cut as having a “coarse texture”, and both say the central membrane should come out. So both cuts are trimmed before cooking, but flat iron’s selling point is tenderness while hanger’s is beefy flavor with some chew.

    Flavor and Fat

    The Beef Checkoff calls flat iron well marbled and flavorful. Food Network describes hanger as deep and beefy, like skirt and flank with slightly more marbling, and bold enough for strong marinades and sauces. For flank, the Beef Checkoff says “lean and boneless with lots of intense beef flavor.”

    Price and Availability

    The fetched sources say little about flat iron pricing, so no comparison is made for it here. On hanger, Food Network says it is no longer the secret bargain it once was but is still typically much less expensive than strip, rib or tenderloin, and comparable in price to skirt and flank. It adds that there is only one hanger per animal, so supermarkets rarely stock it and butcher shops or online sellers are the likelier source.

    Best Cooking Method

    Cut Suggested method (source)
    Flat iron Direct high heat, 450° to 550°F (about 230° to 290°C), 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare (Weber); 4 to 6 minutes a side to 130° to 135°F (54° to 57°C) (ATK)
    Hanger Marinate if you can, cook over high heat, and stop at medium rare, 130° to 135°F (Food Network); the Beef Checkoff says marinate and grill
    Flank Best marinated and grilled, or sliced thin and stir-fried (Beef Checkoff)
    Skirt Marinate and grill hot for fajitas, or stir-fry (Beef Checkoff)

    Neither Weber nor ATK marinates flat iron: Weber oils and seasons it, and ATK salts it for an hour and adds a dry herb rub. Food Network, by contrast, says hanger benefits from marinating, though it is not necessary. ATK says to slice flat iron thin against the grain.

    A Note on Doneness and Safety

    USDA FSIS advises cooking beef steaks to a minimum of 145°F (63°C) and resting them for at least three minutes. The 130° to 135°F targets above are below that; the sources are describing preferred texture, and the USDA figure is a separate safety guideline. Conversions to °C are ours.

    Which to Pick

    Going by the sources alone: choose flat iron when tenderness and a simple, quick direct-heat cook matter most, and trim its center streak. Choose hanger when you want the fuller beef flavor and can find one, and remove the membrane. Skirt and flank are the marinate-and-grill choices, covered elsewhere on this site.

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  • Reverse-Seared Tomahawk Ribeye: Hey Grill Hey’s Recipe

    Reverse-Seared Tomahawk Ribeye: Hey Grill Hey’s Recipe

    This recipe is taken from Susie Bulloch’s “Perfect Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak” on Hey Grill, Hey. It is a slow-smoke-then-sear method for one big bone-in ribeye. We are reporting her published recipe, not our own test results. Celsius conversions are ours, and where her page contradicts itself or the USDA guidance, both figures are shown.

    A tomahawk is a bone-in ribeye with the rib bone left almost fully attached. Bulloch says the long bone adds nothing in flavor but makes for a striking presentation. If you want the general logic of cooking a thick cut at low heat first and searing last, this site has a separate reverse-sear technique article; this page sticks to her recipe.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tomahawk steak, about 3 pounds (roughly 1.4 kg)
    • 2 tablespoons of her Beef Rub, or 2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper and garlic powder
    • 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pads
    • Hardwood for smoke. She used oak and says hickory or alder also work.

    The recipe card lists two servings.

    Choosing the Steak

    Bulloch looks for bright red meat with no dark or brownish spots, and suggests checking it away from the meat-case lighting. If you buy from a butcher, she says her butcher cuts hers from the center of the rack, as thick as she likes. She also wants good marbling, and for ribeyes she picks a steak with a large spinalis muscle on top and a well-marbled eye in the center.

    Method

    1. Take the chill off. Remove the steak from the fridge 1 to 2 hours before cooking so it comes to room temperature.
    2. Heat the grill or smoker to 225°F (about 107°C).
    3. Season. Coat all sides liberally with the rub or salt and pepper, and press it into the meat with your hand rather than sprinkling. She warns that tomahawks are notoriously thick and need plenty of seasoning.
    4. Smoke. Set the steak directly on the grates, close the lid, and cook until the internal temperature is within 10°F of your target doneness. Her recipe card says to cook to 115°F (46°C) for medium rare and reports about 1 hour.
    5. Heat the skillet. Take the steak off to a plate. Warm a cast-iron skillet (the recipe card says medium-high; the post text says high), add the butter and let it melt and bubble. If searing on the grill instead, brush each side with butter.
    6. Sear. Sear each side for about 2 to 3 minutes until it reaches the doneness you want.
    7. Rest 10 to 15 minutes, then slice.

    Pull Temperatures

    The recipe card’s final temperatures are 125°F (52°C) for rare, 135°F (57°C) for medium rare, 145°F (63°C) for medium, 155°F (68°C) for medium well and 160°F (71°C) for well done. She recommends medium rare. The post also carries a table of temperatures for taking the steak off the smoker: 115°F for rare, 125°F for medium rare, 135°F for medium, 145°F for medium well and 150°F for well done. That table says 125°F for medium rare, whereas the recipe card says 115°F. The post’s text says to pull the steak about 10°F short of your desired doneness, which fits the table (125°F out, 135°F final) but not the card’s 115°F. Because the two disagree, rely on your thermometer and check it during the sear.

    Food Safety Note

    USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service advises cooking beef steaks to a minimum of 145°F (63°C), followed by a rest of at least three minutes. Bulloch’s medium-rare target of 135°F is below that, and only her medium (145°F) matches it. If you want to follow the USDA figure, finish the sear at 145°F and rest the steak for at least three minutes. Her 10 to 15 minute rest meets that timing.

    Skillet or Grill for the Sear

    For the sear, Bulloch offers two routes: a preheated 12-inch cast-iron skillet with melted butter, or the grill turned to high with butter brushed on the steak. The recipe card describes only the skillet.

    Timing Notes

    Bulloch gives roughly 1 hour of smoke and a total time of 1 hour 15 minutes, but tells readers to cook by thermometer, not clock, since every steak varies. A quick-read thermometer is, in her words, the most important tool for this method. She explains the appeal of reverse searing as an evenly cooked interior, as opposed to dry outer edges and a raw center.

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  • How to Grill Hanger Steak: Trim, Marinate, Sear

    How to Grill Hanger Steak: Trim, Marinate, Sear

    Hanger steak has a reputation as a butcher’s cut: full of flavor, quick to cook, and slightly awkward to prepare. This guide combines Food Network’s hanger steak explainer, Anne Burrell’s grilled hanger steak recipe, Alexandra Stafford’s charcoal-grilled version and the Beef Checkoff’s cut profile. Where they disagree, the differences are shown. Celsius figures are our conversions.

    The Cut and Its Trade-Off

    Food Network describes hanger as a flat, V-shaped cut from the plate (belly) that hangs just below the diaphragm. It says the muscle gets very little use, so it is naturally tender when properly cooked, and that good marbling adds to that. It also has a catch: a tough white membrane runs down the middle of a whole steak.

    The Beef Checkoff frames the same cut a little differently. Its profile calls hanger “full of flavor with a coarse texture” and includes a butcher’s note: remove the connective tissue membrane to improve tenderness. So the trade-off is real. The meat itself is tender and beefy, but the texture is coarser than a strip or ribeye, and leaving the central membrane in undoes the tenderness.

    Food Network adds that hanger tastes deep and beefy, similar to skirt and flank with slightly more marbling than those cuts, and is bold enough to stand up to strong spices, marinades and robust sauces such as chimichurri.

    Trim the Membrane

    Food Network says that if your butcher has not removed the membrane, cut down along either side of it before cooking. A whole hanger weighs roughly 1½ to 2 pounds (about 0.7 to 0.9 kg); once the membrane is taken out, you are left with two long, thin pieces of about ¾ to 1 pound each. Stafford’s recipe agrees, asking for the membrane to be removed and the two loins butterflied for fast, even cooking. Food Network also notes that there is only one hanger per animal, so it is more likely to turn up at a butcher shop or online than in a supermarket.

    Marinate or Not

    Food Network says marinating is not necessary but improves tenderness and juiciness, suggesting oil, salt and an acid, for several hours and up to 24 if possible. The two recipes are gentler:

    • Burrell: a paste of chopped thyme, garlic, crushed red pepper and olive oil, with generous salt. Rest it overnight in the fridge, or up to 2 hours outside the fridge.
    • Stafford: a garlic-thyme paste plus olive oil and Worcestershire sauce, refrigerated for at least an hour, then wiped off before seasoning with salt and pepper.

    Heat and Timing

    Food Network says hanger does best with short, intense heat and should be cooked to no more than medium rare, 130° to 135°F (54° to 57°C), because it is relatively thin. The recipes fill in the timing, and they do not match:

    • Burrell: preheat the grill (no temperature is given), then grill 4 to 5 minutes per side and rest 5 to 10 minutes. Slice on the bias.
    • Stafford: high heat over hot coals, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes a side until a thermometer reads 125°F (52°C) for medium rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium. Rest 10 minutes and slice against the grain. She leaves the lid off on charcoal but covers a gas grill.

    The gap is probably explained by the prep (our reading, not either author’s claim). Burrell cooks a larger piece of steak (2 pounds), while Stafford butterflies the loins, so her pieces are thinner and finish faster. Use the thermometer, not the clock.

    Slicing

    Stafford stresses cutting against the grain and admits the direction is not always easy to spot; her page links a video for it. Burrell says to slice on the bias.

    Food Safety Note

    USDA FSIS advises cooking beef steaks to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) and resting for at least three minutes. Every hanger target above sits lower, at 125° to 135°F, or has no temperature at all. The cook who wants to follow USDA’s line should take the steak to 145°F and rest it for three minutes or more, keeping in mind that Food Network warns against going past medium rare for texture.

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  • Grilling Flat Iron Steak: Weber and ATK’s Methods

    Grilling Flat Iron Steak: Weber and ATK’s Methods

    Flat iron is one of the easier steaks to get right on a grill, mostly because it is thin, evenly shaped and forgiving of high heat. This guide draws on two published methods: Jamie Purviance’s flat iron recipe on weber.com (with Weber’s flat iron preparation skill page) and America’s Test Kitchen’s grill-smoked flat-iron recipe. The Beef Checkoff’s cut profile supplies the background. Where they differ, both versions are given. Temperature conversions to °C are ours.

    What You Are Buying

    The Beef Checkoff’s “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” cut page describes flat iron as coming from the top blade in the chuck, the shoulder area. It says the cutting method removes the internal connective tissue from the whole top blade, which lets the steak deliver as the “second most tender cut.” It is also described as well marbled and great for grilling. ATK notes that blade steaks can be substituted if you cannot find flat iron.

    Step One: Trim the Tough Streak

    Weber’s skill page shows that some flat iron steaks have a tough streak running down the middle, and that it is harder to see once the steak is cooked. Its advice is to cut that streak away so every slice is tender. Weber’s recipe likewise calls for excess fat and any gristle to be removed. ATK’s ingredient list also specifies steaks “trimmed”. In every case the trimming happens before the fire, not after.

    Step Two: Season

    The two publishers season on very different clocks.

    • Weber: brush both sides lightly with oil, season with salt and pepper, and let the steaks stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
    • ATK: rub both sides with kosher salt (1 tablespoon for four steaks) and hold them at room temperature for 1 hour, on a wire rack over a baking sheet. ATK says the long salting lets the seasoning penetrate below the surface. It then presses on an herb-spice rub and sprays lightly with oil.

    Both use steaks of roughly 6 to 8 ounces (170 to 225 g). Weber specifies about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick; ATK says three-quarters of an inch to 1 inch (about 2 to 2.5 cm).

    Step Three: Set Up the Heat

    Both methods use direct heat with a cooler escape zone.

    • Weber: direct high heat, 450° to 550°F (roughly 230° to 290°C). On charcoal, keep a small part of the grate clear of briquettes as a safety zone of indirect heat. Brush the grates clean first.
    • ATK (charcoal): pour lit coals over half the grate. ATK (gas): primary burner on high, the others on medium. Either way the steaks go on the hotter side, and if they char before they reach temperature they move to the cooler side with the lid on.

    Step Four: Grill and Rest

    Weber grills over direct high heat with the lid closed, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare, turning once or twice. If flare-ups occur, it says to move the steaks temporarily over indirect heat. ATK’s steaks cook 4 to 6 minutes per side, lid on, until well browned and reading 130° to 135°F (54° to 57°C), which ATK calls medium. ATK then tents them with foil for a 10-minute rest and slices thin against the grain. Weber’s recipe does not state a rest time before serving.

    Weber’s timing is a range for a doneness, not a temperature, so a thermometer remains the safer check.

    What Temperature Is Safe?

    USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service advises cooking beef steaks to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) as measured with a food thermometer, then resting for at least three minutes. ATK’s 130° to 135°F medium target sits below that figure, and Weber’s medium-rare timing gives no temperature at all. Cooks who want to follow the USDA line should pull the steaks at 145°F instead and rest them for three minutes or more; the sources above are simply describing preferred doneness.

    Serving

    Slice against the grain. Weber’s recipe tops each steak with a slice of chilled herb butter (tarragon, chives, garlic and lemon zest, chilled at least an hour), while ATK’s version comes with grilled lemon wedges and a light smoke from a small foil packet of wood chips: 1 cup for charcoal, 1½ cups for gas. Neither is essential to the core method of trimming, seasoning, high direct heat and a thin slice.

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  • The Charcoal Briquette: Henry Ford’s Backyard Invention

    The Charcoal Briquette: Henry Ford’s Backyard Invention

    The charcoal in most American grills traces back not to a barbecue company but to an auto plant’s scrap pile. According to Kingsford’s own company history, a research guide from the Benson Ford Research Center at The Henry Ford museum, and independent reporting from Detroit’s WDIV / ClickOnDetroit, the modern charcoal briquette grew directly out of Henry Ford’s effort to stop wasting wood at his Michigan sawmills.

    A Ford Dealer’s Timberland Tip

    The connection starts with Edward G. Kingsford, Henry Ford’s cousin by marriage, who ran a Ford automobile dealership in Iron Mountain, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, according to both the Benson Ford Research Center guide and ClickOnDetroit’s reporting. Ford needed a secure timber supply for the wood used in Model T body frames and other car parts, and Kingsford helped steer him toward land in the Upper Peninsula. Sources disagree on exactly when: Kingsford’s own company history dates this to 1919, stating that Kingsford helped Ford procure a stretch of timberland to supply wood for his auto plants that year. The Henry Ford museum’s research guide instead places the actual land purchase and construction of the Iron Mountain plant in the early 1920s. Both agree on the outcome — Ford Motor Company ended up owning a large timber and sawmill operation in Iron Mountain built primarily to feed its car factories, not to make charcoal.

    From Wood Scraps to a Uniform Briquette

    Turning wood into car parts left behind enormous amounts of scrap and sawdust. The Henry Ford museum’s research guide is explicit that Ford did not invent the charcoal briquette — charcoal was already in commercial and industrial use for foundries, workshops, hotels, restaurants, and curing tobacco, meat, and fish. What Ford did, per the guide, was modify the existing charcoal manufacturing process to reduce and standardize the size, turning an irregular lump into a uniform briquette that could be produced and sold at scale. Kingsford’s own history echoes this: Ford “found his answer in a new process for pressing blocks of reconstituted char” from the sawdust and waste his mills generated. Separately, ClickOnDetroit cites the Menominee Range Historical Foundation’s claim that an even earlier charcoal briquette design had been patented back in 1895 by W. P. Taggart, who described his invention simply as a lump of fuel — a reminder that Ford’s contribution was standardizing an existing idea, not creating the briquette from nothing.

    Ford Motor Company began producing and selling its own briquettes in 1924, according to the Henry Ford museum’s research guide, initially marketing to the same industrial and commercial charcoal buyers already in the market, then expanding into household use. A Ford News advertisement from September 15, 1924 announced that the new charcoal briquettes could be bought at the company’s Highland Park commissary store, suitable for fireplace grates, cooking ranges, and furnace kindling — an early sign the product was being aimed at homes, not just factories and hotels.

    Selling Charcoal Through the Car Dealership

    The briquette became a genuine consumer product almost by accident. In 1932, Walter Stoepple, an Iron Mountain plant employee and self-described avid outdoorsman, came up with the idea of a simple campfire starter kit — a shoebox-sized cardboard box packed with a dozen charcoal briquettes, pine cones, and curled wood shavings, according to the Henry Ford museum’s research guide. By 1935 the Ford Sales Department had formalized this into “Ford Charcoal Picnic Kits,” sold at Ford dealerships nationwide. The pairing made commercial sense for the company: promoting camping and picnicking encouraged the kind of leisure driving that sold Ford vehicles, even though the guide notes dealers weren’t required to sell briquettes and cars together. ClickOnDetroit adds that small charcoal grills were marketed alongside the briquettes at dealerships and eventually through hardware, sporting goods, and department stores, priced at $1, $2, and $3.

    From Ford Charcoal to Kingsford

    The Ford-branded charcoal business didn’t stay under the Ford name. By 1951, with the automaker no longer needing wood for car bodies, Ford Motor Company sold the Iron Mountain plant to the Kingsford Chemical Company, according to the Henry Ford museum’s research guide, Kingsford’s own company history, and ClickOnDetroit — a rare point where all three sources line up exactly. The plant kept making briquettes, but under the Kingsford name rather than the Ford brand, an honor named for Edward Kingsford rather than for the Ford family. The Henry Ford museum’s guide adds one further step neither of the other two sources mentions: in 1961, Kingsford Chemical closed the Iron Mountain plant entirely and relocated production to Louisville, Kentucky, ending the direct manufacturing link between the briquette brand and the Michigan site where it began.

    An Automotive Byproduct, Still Burning

    What started as a way to avoid dumping sawdust from a Model T timber operation became, within three decades, a separate consumer brand with no remaining operational tie to Ford. Kingsford’s own history describes the company today as converting more than a million tons of wood waste into charcoal briquettes annually — a figure the company reports itself rather than one independently verified here. The core historical claim, though, is corroborated across a museum research guide, the brand’s own company history, and independent news reporting: modern briquette charcoal exists in its current form largely because an auto company needed somewhere to put its scrap wood.

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  • How Postwar America Invented Backyard Barbecue

    How Postwar America Invented Backyard Barbecue

    The backyard cookout — dad at the grill, a patio full of guests, a tiki-glass drink in hand — reads as timeless Americana, but the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History dates its rise fairly precisely to the years after World War II. Drawing on the museum’s “Backyard Cookout” exhibition materials, its “Postwar Potluck” collections story, and reporting from Smithsonian magazine, the postwar patio turns out to be less about the food itself and more about travel, gender roles, and a very specific kind of suburban leisure.

    Where the Museum Says It Started

    The National Museum of American History’s “Postwar Potluck” story, published by the museum’s Caitlin Kearney, states that backyard barbecue as a widespread American practice began in the 1950s, as postwar Americans used their newfound leisure time for casual outdoor dinners after the frugality of wartime rationing. That’s a somewhat tighter claim than culinary historian Robert Moss makes in Smithsonian magazine’s separate reporting on the Weber grill: Moss traces casual backyard barbecue back further, to the 1920s and the first wave of American suburbanization, when magazines began publishing instructions for digging small backyard cooking pits, an echo of nineteenth-century communal pit barbecues. The two accounts aren’t strictly contradictory — Moss is describing early roots, the museum’s “Postwar Potluck” piece is describing when the practice went mainstream — but they do put different dates on when backyard barbecue actually began, and readers should treat the postwar period as an acceleration rather than a clean starting point.

    What the War Changed

    Whichever starting date is used, both Smithsonian sources agree on why the postwar years mattered so much. Paula Johnson, curator of the museum’s “FOOD: Transforming the American Table, 1950–2000” exhibition, told Smithsonian magazine that meat had been rationed during the war and scarce before that, during the Depression, so by the 1950s Americans were ready for a different kind of food on the table. The museum’s “Backyard Cookout” materials add a second driver: newly affluent postwar Americans had, for the first time, the money and opportunity to travel — to Mexico, California, Hawaii, Florida, the Caribbean, and further afield to the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia — and came home wanting to recreate that casual, tropical-inflected lifestyle in their own yards.

    The Tiki Backyard

    That travel habit reshaped what the backyard cookout actually looked like, according to the museum’s exhibition text. The restaurant and bar chain Trader Vic’s is credited with popularizing many of the foods and drinks that became fixtures of the backyard scene. Hosts swapped gin and scotch for rum and tequila drinks inspired by tiki bars, and pupu platters — egg rolls, fried shrimp, beef teriyaki skewers, spare ribs, chicken wings — were copied from restaurant menus and magazine spreads promoting the same foods for home entertaining. Workday suits gave way to aloha shirts, once considered formal Hawaiian attire, and guayaberas of Caribbean origin. Even the yard decor followed the trend: the museum’s collection includes a molded-plastic pink flamingo, designed for Union Products by Don Featherstone in 1957, which the museum describes as evolving from a simple lawn ornament into an enduring icon of American backyard kitsch.

    Who Cooked What

    The backyard grill also created a new, explicitly gendered division of labor, according to the museum’s “Backyard Cookout” materials: men “manned” the grill to cook the meat for the main course, while women worked primarily indoors preparing the side dishes. The “Postwar Potluck” story adds texture to the kitchen side of that split, describing home cooks working with increasingly all-electric kitchens — citing a period cookbook, Let’s Get Acquainted with Your Hotpoint Electric Range, which doubled as an appliance manual and organized whole “budget oven meals” designed to cook together at a single oven temperature. Outdoors, the new “grill master” role for men was itself notable enough to be treated as a cultural shift rather than a footnote, the museum’s materials suggest.

    Selling the Cookout

    By the late 1950s, the backyard cookout had become its own retail category, not just a pastime. The museum’s “Backyard Cookout” text states that American manufacturers and retailers were actively promoting new tools, clothing, furniture, and serving ware built specifically around grilled patio meals. A contemporary magazine account captures how quickly the trend took hold: Look magazine’s July 12, 1955 feature, “America Bit by the Barbecue Bug,” described a new convert to backyard cooking as someone who, after one bite of a self-charred frankfurter, becomes hooked as a cook, poring over grill advertisements and recipes the way “a gardener studies seed catalogues.” What began as a postwar novelty had, within a decade, become an entire consumer industry built around a single suburban ritual.

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