Grill Girl Robyn Lindars on Chopped: Grill Masters
If you watched last evening's episode of Chopped: Grill Masters, you already know that South Florida's very own Grill Grrrl got chopped in the first round, after her oysters refused to open on their own on the grill (we could say that was very shellfish of them to not cooperate).
Regardless of the technical snafu, the judges were impressed by her flavor profiles, with Amanda Freitag praising her use of the duck bacon that was in the chefs' mystery baskets.
Although Lindars will not advance to the finals of Chopped: Grill Masters, we're sure Grill Grrrl will be extremely busy in the months to come. For now, Lindars shares a few grilling tips with Clean Plate Charlie readers.
1. A lot of people play it by ear when grilling. If you're dealing with meat and want the outcome to be perfectly juicy chicken or steak on the inside with a nice char on the outside, use a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked at 170 degrees, and beef and pork is cooked at 160 degrees (medium).
2. Always tent the meat under foil. This allows the meat to rest (and the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise a bit). Just drape a big sheet of foil over the cooked meat, letting it sit loosely over the meat. Don't wrap the meat tightly in the foil -- just make sure it's covered. Go about finishing up your sides or setting the table for a few minutes and the meat will be ready to serve when you're ready to eat.
3. When grilling, use something fresh, local, and seasonal. Go to the local market and see what's available. Fruit and vegetables are just as wonderful grilled as a piece of meat or fish.
4. Try something new on the grill. Experiment. Grill plantains or peaches and see what happens.
5. If you're entertaining a vegan, tofu is great on the grill. Just remember to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Then marinate the tofu however you like, but remember to use only vegan marinades. For instance, Worcestershire sauce usually contains anchovies. Read the labels or make your own marinade. Place on the grill and serve with some veggies. Make sure that you use a separate grill or place foil down if the grill was used for meat.
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