I don’t wait for the summer to cook on the grill. I try to cook year round on the Tailgater grill. I just like cooking outside, better than in the confines of the house. The big advantage is, I don’t have to listen to the smoke detector, ringing in my ear.
It sounds like I’m watching a World Cup game. I hate those damn vuvuzela’s! Never let outside cooking limit what you cook. I have cooked many things outside. The end product isn’t always edible, but it’s better than watching World Cup soccer, and vuvuzela noise. Here are some of my favorite things to grill, and how to prepare them.
Everyone can cook burgers on the grill. I tried to cook a meatloaf on the grill. Meatloaf is just hamburg anyway, isn’t it? Once all the ingredients are found, I begin. My meatloaf is a mixture of hamburg, chopped onions, bread crumbs, and a can of tomato paste on top. I always use a disposable pan to cook my meatloaf in.
This assures the bottom of the meatloaf will be crunchy. What most people call burnt, I call crunchy. Just start up the gas grill, and let it get hot. I don’t worry about the grill being a certain temperature. Just give it 5 minutes, then throw the pan on the lowest grate. Some grills will need upper racks removed. Put the top of the grill down, and forget about it.
Mow the lawn, or clean the garage. Come back in an hour, and check on the meatloaf. The top will look a dark shade of black. This is perfection. Just shut down the heat, and leave the pan alone for ten more minutes. Then you can take the meatloaf off the grill, and begin eating.
The top, and bottom, should appear burnt, but don’t worry. The inside will be juicy. By charring the outsides, the inner meatloaf cooks in tasty grease, that can’t escape.
Another meal that I enjoy on the grill is homemade, possum stew. Sounds like a meal from The Beverly Hillbillies, doesn’t it?
The biggest problem is finding a fresh possum. I tried Wal-Mart, but they were fresh out. I decided that I would check Roadkill Hill.
This is a stretch of highway that borders large fields on both sides. My hunch was right. I found three possum, all within 200 yards of each other. Always take the possum that the birds are pecking. They always pick on the tender ones. Now we can start the stew. Just skin the possum, and gut it. Grill the possum, 15 minutes on each side.
Cut the critter into bite size chunks, and drop into a large pot. Add the usual stew ingredients, such as potato, carrot, and celery. I always use 2 Vidalia onions, and a healthy amount of garlic.
Fill with water, and simmer on the grill. The stew is done when you can see crows flying overhead. It usually takes 4 hours for the possum scent to get out. One word of caution for the beginner. Never cook possum stew on a windy day.
The whole neighborhood will be stopping by for dinner.
Another dish I cook on the grill is fish lasagna. I got the recipe from an old, Italian fisherman. I adapted a few of my own touches to it, and now can make it, on the grill. To simplify things, just make your normal lasagna, in a deep sided, disposable pan.
Instead of sausage and hamburg in the lasagna , use lobster and shrimp. I had limited success with my first attempts at cooking lasagna on the grill. The grill rarely cooks evenly.
To remedy the grills problem, I cook the lasagna, raised slightly over the grate. This is accomplished using 2 bricks. I put the bricks on the grate, and pan on top of that. Always make sure that the grill has a full tank of propane when you start.
I left the lasagna to cook one time, without a full tank. Lasagna takes 3 hours to cook on a normal grill. It takes much longer on a grill, out of propane. I always try to close the top on the grill. Sometimes it won’t close because of the bricks. If this occurs, just close it as best you can.
Just cook the lasagna for an extra hour.
Now that my secrets are out, I expect everybody will be out trying my recipes. Always be safe while grilling. Never attempt to start the gas grill with the lid down.
I made this mistake once.
The explosion from the gas igniting, blew the cover off the grill. Never leave the grill unattended for more than a few minutes. Always stay safe.
Just occasionally glance over at it. We don’t want to burn our possum stew. Someone can blow into one of those annoying vuvuzela’s when the meal is done. I guarantee my possum stew, is better than World Cup soccer.
Photo by Sindre Strøm from Pexels
