Indoor Grilling at Its Best

It seems that even though we all have good intentions about getting exterior as much as we can during the summer months, sometimes it just doesn't happen. Do you ever feel that you don't have the time to surely enjoy all, or any of the wonderful summer activities that you experienced in your youth? One of the most cherished memories I have from the summers of my youth is grilling exterior and enjoying a nice burnt hot dog. That's right, I said, "Burnt". That is the fun of a grilled hot dog, chomping into something that is charred, a microscopic dry and full of that grilling flavor. In the house, sure, you can burn your hot dogs in a frying pan if you pick to, or stick it in the microwave and eat a rubberized hot dog, or the other alternative is that you can buy an indoor grill. Although, with an indoor grill you won't get the authentic flavor of an outdoor grill, at least you are still able to grill. There are many galvanic grills out there in the marketplace to pick from. I myself have a George Foreman Grill and I just surely love it!

Cooking with an indoor grill may not replace the outdoor fun of barbecuing on a big grill, but it sure comes in handy when you have no other alternative. You can grill just about any type of meat on an indoor grill that you can on an outdoor one. You can grill steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, kabobs, fish, vegetables; you name it! You can even cook up a Panini or other grilled sandwiches in no time at all!

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When purchasing an indoor grill, here are some tips on what to look for. Some of these units are open grills that will allow you to cook in a similar way as an outdoor grill. Sanyo makes a nonstick smokeless, open grill that has a large cooking surface, which sells for nearby .00 (depending on the size of the grill). Others are called touch grills (like the George Foreman Grill) that have a lid that heats up and cooks as well as the bottom plate, so that you are able to grill on both sides at the same time. Before development your purchase, think about how many habitancy you will be cooking for. If you are just cooking for yourself, you can buy one of the smaller grills, but if you have a medium to large size family, you might want to think looking a grill that has a larger cooking surface. Keep in mind though, that these grills heat up fast, cook the food very quickly, so that you are able to continuously reload the cooking exterior in a minimal whole of time. Someone else thing to watch for is that the cooking plates on the grill are easy to take off for cleaning. All grills should come with a drip pan to catch the grease and forestall a mess on your counter top.

Just remember that you don't all the time have to do things the original way in order to get enjoyment out of a grilled meal. Besides, cooking on an indoor grill is an easier, faster and healthier way to grill your food!

Indoor Grilling at Its Best

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6 Seafood Grilling Tips

Grilling season is here. You've got your grill full of gas, you've stocked up on hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks, and you're ready to go. But those hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks are getting old fast. You'd like to try something else for a change. If you're finding to turn up your usual grilling menu, why not try seafood? Fish makes a healthy meal, and grills up quite easily. Seafood does present some grilling challenges, however. These tips should help you on your way to grilling great seafood.

1) Make sure your grill is clean and oiled. Fish sticks to the grill very easily, so permissible lubrication is essential. If you don't oil your grill, the fish will stick, and break apart when you try to remove it. Grab a wad of paper towels, or a rolled up kitchen towel in a pair of tongs. Dip the paper towels or kitchen towel into some vegetable oil, and rub the oil onto the grill. You can also spray the grill with cooking spray, just be sure the grill is off when you do this, or the spray could ignite, injuring you.

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2) Use fresh fish if possible, since it is easier to work with than freezing fish. Each serving should be about 6-8 ounces for fillets or steaks, and 8-12 ounces for whole fish.

3) You can place fish directly on the grill, but if you do this, you should use a firm fleshed fish, like grouper, tuna, swordfish, or salmon. You can also buy grill baskets made for grilling seafood. These will help small pieces of fish from falling straight through the grill, and will help in grilling delicate fillets.

4) Cook the fish over medium-hot to hot heat. If your grill doesn't have a thermometer, then hold your hand about 5 inches above the heat. If you can hold your hand there for 2 seconds, the temperature is hot. If you can hold your hand 5 inches from the heat for 3-4 seconds, it is medium hot. If you're cooking whole fish, you'll need to have the temperature a bit lower, so the fish won't burn. You should plan on cooking the fish for about 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. The fish is done cooking when it is opaque, and begins to flake. It is great to undercook the fish a bit than overcooking it. You can always cook it some more if it is undercooked, but you can't uncook it if it is overcooked.

5) Marinades are a good way to add flavor and moisture to the fish before cooking. You only need to marinate fish for 30-60 minutes. If you marinate the fish for too long, the acids in the marinade will start to cook and break down the flesh. Lean fish should also be basted during cooking to keep the fish from drying out. Fattier fish, like tuna and salmon don't need basting, but you can baste them to add more flavor.

6) Shrimp, Scallops, and chunks of firm fleshed fish work well on skewers. Alternate chunks of seafood with chunks of vegetables on a skewer for great seafood kebobs. If you're using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes before grilling to forestall them from burning on the grill.

It isn't hard to grill seafood, but it does take some practice. Follow these tips for grilling seafood, and enlarge your grilling repertoire. It's a great break from hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks.

6 Seafood Grilling Tips

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