Grilling Today

First, Happy Independence Day. I hope that we are able to celebrate our freedom in such a manner that we are encouraged to help others be free also.

While I’m preaching the value of the original (i.e the Weber) let me also encourage everyone to repair instead of replace. Replaced the vent blades on one of my Webers today and the handles on another one. Like that, for $15 each are as good as new.

Second, I want to share a trick that I just learned that has changed the way I light charcoal. You see I am a firm believer in Weber charcoal grills.

Weber Grills are classic. They are intimately connected to the formation of backyard grilling (read this article by Food Network for some history). The Weber Grill is the Ford Model T of grills if the Model T was still able to hang with modern cars in functionality.  Weber grills are the original and they still function better than most modern grills. So I love grilling on Weber charcoal grills (which explains why I have 3 of my own, have been known to chew friends out who where getting rid of theirs, and have picked up and found new homes for Webers that I have seen put on the curb).

Since I use charcoal grills I use a charcoal chimney starter for lighting my charcoal. I’ve been using a chimney starter since my dad and I first saw one on a Boy Scout camp out more years ago than I care to remember. You throw a little newspaper in the bottom of the starter, charcoal on on top of that, light the paper, and wait 10 minutes. BAM! You have hot coals for grilling. Every now and then you have to put paper in the bottom twice.

My chimney technique changed this week when I was looking for a cover for my Weber Smokey Joe Portable Grill. While reading the reviews on a cover one reviewer wrote that she lite her chimney but using two paper towels with a tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil on it. I tried it today and it was wonderful. Seriously, I don’t think I will ever use another method again. It was perfect.

SIDE NOTE – My kiddos take everything I do well and then do it better. While cooking the pork chops for our meal today Adam asked if it was OK if he threw a few chive stalks on the grill. After they were finished grilling he chopped them up and mixed them with a little olive oil and pepper to put on top of our grilled chops. This tasted so good.

Yes I know I didn’t char this side of my pork chop. I realized it after the fact and decided I was ready to eat so there was no need to go back to the grill.