Grilling Tips

Hot Off The Grill For Father's Day
Tips to make your next barbecue go smoothly...

(NAPSI)-Forget the tie this Father's Day and treat dad to an outdoor feast by grilling up some steaks, seafood or veggies. You can make a simple holiday meal a gourmet event on the barbecue. Before you break out the charcoal and the funny hat, here are some things to consider from the gourmet experts at http://www.greatfood.com:

• Marinades: the longer something sits in a marinade, the stronger the flavor. Marinades with an acid content like citrus or tomato juice act as a natural tenderizer. Therefore, dense meat like beef benefit with overnight marinating, whereas seafood, being porous, should marinate only about 20 minutes. Any marinating time over 15-20 minutes should be done in the refrigerator.
• Never leave a grill unattended, as it will get very hot and can cause burns. Flair-ups are common and could start a fire. Always keep a fire extinguisher handy.
• Clean the grill before you start with a long-handled wire brush on a heated surface.
• Fire up the grill in advance. When the charcoal is hot it will have a thin white ash coating. Charcoals made with lighter fluids don't burn evenly or cleanly-basics are better.
• While it's heating, prepare your food. Allow it to become room temperature before cooking (but don't let it sit longer than 20 to 30 minutes) and make sure any excess fat is trimmed off the meat.
• As a general rule, cook thin pieces of meat at a high temperature and fast, grill thicker pieces slowly on indirect heat so the inside can cook completely.