Winter inspires even the best intentioned of us to stay inside and watch a movie in the warmth of our own homes. One website, as nearly everyone knows by now, that can provide hours of video watching entertainment and for FREE, is www.youtube.com.

We have picked out some of the most interesting videos for a Sunday afternoon’s entertainment, for those of you interested in the US grilling tradition.

This BBQ Song video is your particularly interesting guide to the US Southern BBQ traditions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ubTQfr_tyY

Painting with BBQ ribs? Only in America! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no - it’s a deer created with BBQ sauce.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3pz2VgIM7E

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back…learn how to complete this fantastic BBQ recipe for Baby Back Ribs by the BBQ Pit Boys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdGPVgTgHeU

And while you’re there, why not check out this Heat Beads^® instructional video for making lamb and red wine casserole whilst camping:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LWtr9fK_cQ

We wish you happy viewing and grilling…

According to the Weber Grill Restaurant in the US, steak is one of the most difficult grilling foods to master.

There are various methods used to determine the extent to which the steak is cooked, according to one of Weber Grill’s Chefs, Neal Corman. The first is the ‘touch’ method which can be difficult to master as everyone has a different perception of what feels ’soft’ and so on. However, as a general guide Neal states that:
Rare should be very soft when touched.

Medium Rare should feel soft when touched.

Medium should offer resistance when touched.

Medium Well Done should be firm when touched.

Well Done should be very firm when touched.

Another method for telling when your steak is grilled to your liking is to use a thermometer. As a guide:

Rare
Red and cool on the inside 43 - 48°C
Medium Rare
Red and warm on the inside 48 - 54°C
Medium
Pink and hot on the inside 54 - 60°C
Medium Well Done
Slightly pink and hot on the inside 60 -65°C
Well Done
Cooked throughout 65 - 71°C

These fantastic tips came from the Weber Grill Restaurant’s free monthly newsletter, Grill- OutTM Dining. To sign up, click here. Weber grill restaurants has four locations across the US, so if you happen to find yourself in Illinois or Indianapolis, why not pop in for a bite to eat and a unique dining experience?

If you’re looking for more great BBQ tips, here’s another thing we picked up at Steven Raichlen’s BBQU:

When cooking BBQ Ribs remember that they should NEVER fall off the bone; they should be tender enough for you to pull the meat off.

So many BBQ books and so little time…If you are a grilling enthusiast there is an over abundance of educational literature out there to help you fine-tune your grill skills. Many of you may be familiar with some of the popular titles of our time such as Steven Raichlen’s BBQ Bible and Ian Hewitson’s Huey’s Best Ever BBQ Recipes.

But two ladies are also taking the BBQ world by storm with their latest title, BBQ: Food with Friends. We all come across this problem every now and then; arriving home after a long day at work, and then starting all over, to cook dinner! Or maybe, as it is becoming all too common these days, arriving home and digging around in the bottom draw for that take out menu when the thought of cooking just becomes all too much.

Jane Lawson and Vanessa Broadfoot have offered a very attractive solution with the preparation and cooking times between 10 to 40 minutes, making them perfect for mid-week for family and friends. All this is provided in a fresh, easy to read format that contains comprehensive instructions on various grilling techniques.

This book provides recipes for healthy and fresh grilled meals that will satisfy most grilling enthusiasts and was recognised by winning a Gourmand World Cookbook Award in 2003. BBQ: Food with Friends is published by Murdoch Books ISBN: 1740451376.

Irish BBQ

Although Australia has been in a drought, luckily lately we have occasionally had a day of drizzling rain. BBQing in the rain always presents itself as a challenge, especially with the cold of winter. However, this does not have to signal the end of BBQing with family and friends, until next summer. With winter comes the need for warm, inviting comfort food - warm yourself with the heat radiating from your glowing coal BBQ and enjoy a delectable roast infused with smokey flavours. Now all you have to do is master the art of BBQing in the rain.

BBQ Blog recommends using a golf umbrella to shield you from the rain, we don’t recommend holding it over the BBQ however until well after the BBQ briquettes are ashed over!! But of course, the trick is to light your Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes and get them into your BBQ before they get damp and extinguish. Use a Heat Beads® chimney to start the process and once the briquettes are alight tip them into the BBQ, and away you go!

Once you have masterfully handled this challenge, keep the lid on your BBQ and use the golf umbrella to shield yourself from the elements. If it’s a slow cooked roast you are craving, relaxing inside with a good red will pass the time, occasionally checking and basting your creation.

So there you have it, if you are having withdrawals from your BBQing tradition as we approach the middle of winter, forget it. It is still possible to BBQ in rain, hail or shine. As BBQ Guy points out, he was a resident of Michigan and frequently found himself grilling amongst the snow in temperatures well below zero - somehow a little rain doesn’t seem so bad!

Please Remember: Never BBQ inside!

Pork Board BBQU Experience

Imagine winning an all expenses paid trip to learn from the BBQ master himself? Diane Stallings from San Antonio in the USA was lucky enough to win an all expenses paid trip to the Steven Raichlen BBQU held in the US from June 2-6. This fantastic prize was courtesy of the US National Pork Board who held a recipe competition during their summer (June to August) of 2007.

Diane Stallings used her innovative pork recipe of Fajitas de Puerco to win over both the judges from the Pork Board and the American public. The competition was judged based on three factors: ‘regional creativity, ease of preparation and mouth-watering appeal’.

Diane says she ’saw (the contest) and entered it on a whim’ and once she had won the prize, was looking forward to attending the BBQU. Diane was looking forward to learning, ‘how to grill pizza’, she said “every time I do it, I burn it awfully bad. I need this university more than any other woman in America.”

Lee Gilmour, Managing Director of Auschar, met Tracy Rodemeyer, the Manager of Pork Information for the National Pork Board (USA), whilst honing his grilling skills at the Steven Raichlen BBQ University a few weeks ago. Tracy describes her position as working with ‘the media and consumers to educate people about the benefits of pork’. Tracy is also a big fan of grilling, as she states it, ‘fits everyone’s lifestyle. For people looking for a fast and easy way to prepare a meal, direct grilling is convenient and quick. For cooks who have plenty of time and who enjoy a social and relaxed atmosphere, indirect grilling and smoking is the perfect way to get a delicious meal prepared while spending time with family and friends’.

Tracy explains further how this fantastic BBQ recipe competition, named the ‘Grilling greats from 50 States’, worked. She says the winning recipe needed, ‘pork tenderloin on the grill (and) no more than 5 ingredients’. Tracy recalls the popularity of the competition “we received 350 recipes, we narrowed it down to five on the basis of answers to the question˜why does it represent where you live?” The five finalist recipes were posted on our website and the U.S. voted for its favourite recipe.’

Diane’s winning recipe is listed below so you can try out this innovative grill recipe for yourself at home!

Fajitas de Puerco
Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2.cup hot pepper jelly, melted
2 oranges, cut in half
3/4.cup fresh coriander, loosely packed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Butterfly the pork loin by cutting down the length of the loin about halfway, starting at the thick end. Flatten it so that it is of even thickness, about 6cm thick. Mix chile powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and massage into the meat on both sides. Place in a plastic bag, refrigerate, and let it marinate for a minimum of two hours.
Grill the pork tenderloin over a hot grill, about 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Brush with the melted hot pepper jelly on each side to glaze.
Remove to cutting board, slice on the diagonal side into thin slices and place slices onto a warm platter. Squeeze oranges over the sliced meat and sprinkle with cilantro.
Serving suggestion: Serve immediately with warm flour tortillas and tomato salsa, made with mango, avocado, red onion, jalapeno and garlic or peach salsa.

Lee Gilmour, Managing Director of Auschar, has done his bit to fine tune his grill skills with the master himself, Steven Raichlen. Lee attended the Steven Raichlen BBQ University in Colorado Springs on June 1-4. The class prepared at least 8 dishes each day, on a variety of BBQs, with Lee providing some Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes to keep the coals running a little longer!

After the three days of intensive training (with a little relaxation at the Broadmoor Hotel thrown in) they all completed Steven’s infamous final exam, which everyone passed!

The art of char grilling in Australia has gone one step further than the humble backyard BBQ, now taking our hospitality industry by storm.

A group of enthusiastic Australian restaurateurs, hotel and club food and beverage mangers, chefs and other hospitality professionals recently returned home from Ken Burgin’s annual Profitable Hospitality Trends Tour to the US. One of the main focuses of the tour this year was on the art of char-grilling in a professional setting.

Domenic Di Deo, National Food Operations Manager for ALH (which operates more than 270 hotels and neighbourhood pubs, including Australia’s largest steakhouse, the Breakfast Creek Hotel in Brisbane), a team of state food operations managers, and Geoff Atkinson from Beak a la Carte, a meat supplier to ALH in Queensland, were focussed on an experiential ‘taste’ of all things char-grill related. Domenic wished to experience discussions with executive chefs and managers at leading US steakhouses such as the Weber Grill Restaurant, and Smith and Wollensky; learning how they ‘do steak’ in the US. Profitable Hospitality responded with a number of customised hospitality and back of house events, specially designed to meet their needs.

The Back of House visits this year were varied and offered something for everyone.
At the Weber Grill Restaurant, where char-grill cooking rules and the portions overwhelm, conversation with Exec. Chef Ben Moore drew out the secrets of specialist cooking over live coals. Huge steaks, paired with tempranillo, Californian syrah and chardonnay were delicious.

A visit to iconic steakhouse Smith and Wollensky was paradise to the ALH contingent. To maintain its edge, in a very competitive market, Smith and Wollensky butchers and ages all its own meat in-house. Smith and Wollensky in Las Vegas seats 500 and serves around 1500 meals a day.

We had a fantastic response from all our BBQ News readers that participated in the 2008 BBQ Lovers Survey! It seems many of you are becoming more and more passionate about the art of char grilling with 76% of recipients wanting to know more and 52% grilling more in the last six months, than this time last year. Most of the recipients (49%) like to save BBQing for special events such as Birthdays, while others see it as a great weekend tradition or a quick and easy way to put together dinner on a week night.

The Heat Beads® Company also ran a competition for subscribers who responded to this year’s BBQ Lovers survey. The 10 lucky winners who have Winter Warmer packs coming their way are:

Rose Daddow, Merryl Donn, Sandra Palmer, Anne Matthews, Brian Keogh, Matthew Perrier, John McLean, Helen Robinson, Wilma Herrero and Tracy Grayson.