Philly Eats Third Edition 2017

SPATULAS
Any good spatula
should have an offset handle
which’ll allow you to slip the
spatula under your food with ease.
In terms of materials, silicone and
metal spatulas work best for grilling
while any spatulas with a long handle
that will keep you from burning
yourself cooking fish fillets or other
delicate foods needing to be flipped
is also great.
If you need another spatula that
can flip any delicate meats or fish
easily, look for a flexible slotted metal
spatula. Because of its thinness and
flexibility, it allows more precision
and control to ensure you never lose
whatever you’re grilling to the bottom
of the grill.
TONGS
When it comes to grilling,
tongs are your
best friend, especially
those
that have a
spring-loaded
hinge. Tongs can
be used for anything
from asparagus
spears to thick steaks
and hamburgers since they help
maintain the shape and juiciness of
the food you are cooking while also
keeping your hands away from the
heat. When searching for the right
pair of tongs, avoid models made of
aluminum because they typically are
easily bent, quick to heat up, and aren’t
sturdy and well-constructed.
Grill brushes should be the first line
of defense in keeping your grill rack
clean. When you grill, preheat the rack
for 10 to 15 minutes to incinerate any
remaining residue from the last time
you used your grill, then use your
grill brush briskly to clean the grates.
When it comes to whether you want
to buy a brush that has brass or steel
bristles, it is better to go with brass
bristles since it doesn’t tend to damage
the enamel finish of grates like
steel bristles do. However, be sure
to watch for if the brass bristles
bend out of shape or break
off the brush. Alternatively,
you can also use a ball
of heavy-duty aluminum
foil in between a pair of tongs!
Now that you know what kind of
tools you essentially need to make
your casual summer meal or barbecue
party a success, go outside and
grill like you have never grilled before
until you are the grilling king of the
neighborhood!
CHIMNEY STARTER
If you own a charcoal grill,
a chimney starter is the
easiest way to light charcoal,
lump hardwood, or
briquettes while also being
cleaner, more efficient, and better
for the environment than using
lighter fluid. If you don’t know what
it is, a chimney starter is a metal cylinder
with punched holes and a grate
to hold the charcoal on the bottom of
the cylinder. To use it, put crumbled
newspaper to start the fire and let
the charcoal burn until it is covered in
white-gray ash, indicating the perfect
cooking temperature.When buying
one, consider its capacity to cover the
cooking surface of the grill.
GRILL BRUSHES
THERMOMETER
For when you want to make sure you
are cooking your meat to perfection
and not accidentally make it unsafe
to eat, a meat thermometer is a great
help! To use, insert it into the thickest
part of the meat you are grilling and
away from its bone. Keep an eye on
your meat when it’s cooking, especially
since grills can cook at different
rates. For reference, beef should be
cooked to at least 145ºF; pork should
be cooked at least to 160ºF;
lamb to at least 145ºF; and
poultry to at least 165ºF.
After you’ve checked the
meat is at the right temperature,
let the meat
rest off the grill for a couple
minutes so you can cut into
juicy, tasty, and perfectly cooked
meat.
August 2017 Philly Eats Magazine 33