Grilling Basics: What Some of Those Terms Mean

As you begin to learn the joys of using a charcoal grill to prepare your food, you will probably run into more experienced grillers. I have also noticed that when you get people together who love to grill the talk is always of different techniques. It seems every pitmaster has his or her own style. Those new to this community -- and grilling is a community -- are sometimes lost as terms with which they might not be familiar are tossed about and debated. Here are a few common terms to help you more quickly integrate into this wonderful community.

Direct Grilling
This is when you toss the food on the grill rack directly over the fire. The lid is not used when direct grilling either. Most often this is used for cooking steaks, hamburgers, and hot dogs. I also use direct grilling for some fruits and vegetables.

Smoking
Sometimes called dry smoking, this method dictates that the food be placed indirectly on the grill over the heat. (Your charcoal plus wood if you wish will be on one side of the grill and the food on the other.) The lid is closed, and the vents are adjusted -- usually closed -- so that the fire will produce smoke. Resist the temptation to constantly open the grill to check on your food. This is a low and slow method of grilling, and continually opening the grill will change the level of the heat. Close the lid and walk away. There is also a form of wet smoking, which means that a pan of water or seasoned liquid is placed in the grill -- usually under the meat -- to create more moisture. [For more information about smoking meat, see my article: Grilling, Barbecuing and Smoking.]

Baste
Basting is just brushing a liquid -- usually seasoned -- over the food as it cooks. This is done to add moisture and flavor. Also consider using a large grilling syringe to inject some of the liquid into the meat to infuse it with even more flavor and moisture. I also like to baste many fruits and vegetables. Note: Almost any type of liquid can be used for a baste. My husband likes to use beer and apple or orange juice mixed with his secret spices. I also know some people who like to use Italian dressing, especially on chicken.

Dry Rub
This is a blend of spices that are rubbed onto the meat before it is placed on the grill. You can buy pre-made rubs; however, most pitmasters make their own. Common ingredients generally include garlic powder, cracked black pepper, seasoning salt, paprika, crushed red peppers, cayenne pepper, and others. Some people will include brown sugar for a little sweetness. I can almost guarantee that anyone who does a lot of grilling also has at least one or two secret ingredients that they add to their rub. For example, I will share one of my secret ingredients -- finely-chopped lime mint.

Glaze
This is usually thicker than a baste and is brushed onto the meat while it cooks. It leaves the meat with a glossy and tasty coating. Many cooks will just use some type of barbecue sauce for a glaze. You can, of course, make your own. For instance, I like to make a spicy blackberry barbecue sauce -- using fresh blackberries, of course -- to make a glaze for some meats. I also use the Jamaican jerk sauce that I make for chicken as a glaze while the chicken is cooking. Many people also like to use something like hoisin sauce to give their food an Asian kick.

Marinade
This is just a seasoned liquid in which the food is soaked before cooking. Marinades serve a couple of purposes; i.e., they add flavor plus they tenderize certain cuts of meats. Meats that will benefit from a marinade include: skirt steak, flank steak, and round steak. There are all types of pre-made marinades on the market today to suit every taste. You can also make your own. My husband and I always like to use some type of alcohol and citric juice. (Both of these ingredients help to break down tough tendons in cheaper cuts of meat, making them much tender.) I also like to marinate the meat overnight in the refrigerator. You can, however, allow it to marinate for an hour or two on the same day that you plan on cooking it.

References:

Fuller, Kristi, ed. The New Grilling Book. Des Moines, IA: Meredith Corporation, 2000.

Jamison, Cheryl Alters, and Bill Jamison. Born to Grill. Boston, MA: The Harvard Common Press, 1998.