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Cutting Board 101

Cutting BoardHow to Select the Perfect Cutting Board

By Tim T Russell

A kitchen would just not be a kitchen without a cutting board. In fact, the cutting board has become a main tool of our kitchens as it provides us a safe place for food preparation and cutting. In today’s kitchens you will find all kinds of cutting boards varying in size, shape and material. It’s up to you to decide which of them would be the best choice for your kitchen.

In the beginning most all cutting boards were made from hardwoods, like the butchers block would see in your local market. But in today’s kitchens cuttings boards are made of many different materials each one having their own advantages and disadvantages.

Wood has always been the overall best choice for your cutting boards. Wooden boards are made a couple of ways, end grain boards are thicker heavy duty boards made for heavy chopping and edge grain boards are thinner and lighter for everyday use. Wooden boards also come in many different patterns and wood spices, Maple, Black Walnut, Black Cherry, Sapele and the list goes on. The different patterns and wood spices are a personal and décor choice for you to choose, what looks best in your kitchen. But if you are the professional chef that uses your board every day under heavy use an end grain maple board will be your best choice. Also any end grain board will be easier on your knifes edges. Some disadvantages of wooden boards, they do require hand cleaning and sanitizing “no dishwashers” then treating with cutting board oil. If cared for properly they will last a very long time. The bottom line is wood is safe, simple and looks great.

Plastic cutting boards are generally the most affordable and you can find them in a large variety of different designs, sizes and colors. The plastic boards also come thick or thin, hard or flexible. The flexible ones are great for transferring food into pots and containers and they are also easy to store. The downside to the flexible ones is the fact that they will not last as long as the thicker boards. This is because sharp knives will eventually cut through the thin material. The hard thicker plastic boards are very durable. Plastic boards are thought of as being the safest board to use as they are easy to sanitize and clean. But just because they are plastic doesn’t mean you don’t have to sanitize, these boards can harbor bacteria in the cuts on the board therefore needing to be sanitized.  Plastic boards do have the capabilities of being put into a dishwasher as long as they fit.

Glass boards are another popular type of board that can be found in many kitchens. These glass boards come in a variety of shapes and colors in order to suit your kitchens décor.  They are also resistant to heat, very durable, easy to clean and they are very sanitary. However glass boards will dull the edges of your knifes very quickly and can even damage them. These boards also pose a danger as they can become very slippery during use creating a cutting hazard to you. They are also very heavy and more expensive than wooden cutting boards.

Bamboo is also a well known cutting board that is actually grass. They have become popular in kitchens today because of their inexpensive cost. The best feature of these boards is that they take it easy on the edges of your knife but they do scar, but you can sand them down in order to create a smooth surface. You will find that they can easily catch bacteria growth in the cuts, so you need to make sure you sanitize them each time you use them. One big disadvantage the vast majority of these boards come from China and there has been a lot of controversy over the resin holding these boards together is it safe or not?

It is recommended to have two or more cutting boards of any type to avoid cross-contamination. This means that you will have one for your meats and the others for your fruits, vegetables and breads. This will also make you more productive; since you want have to wash the cutting board thoroughly between items. If you’re having a hard time deciding  on your cutting board choice just remember to select the largest size that will fit in your work area, but it should also fit into your sink for easy cleaning. Color, design and how will I use the board should also be part of your decision. You can never go wrong with a well made wood cutting board.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_T_Russell
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Select-the-Perfect-Cutting-Board&id=4957679

GrateTV

Pork Shoulder and Butt and Bacon Unwrapped

Click Thru To Watch complete video

In this epsiode, Three time SC BBQ Champ Jack Waiboer answers a viewer email about everything from pork shoulder to pork butt. Bill provides you with the website of the week that will teach you how to unwrap your passion for bacon and maybe make an awesome trashcan smoker and the secret ingredient of the week is one of those ancient Chinese secrets.

Grate TV is released weekly at http://GrateTV.com and here at the GrateTV iTunes page.

You can also get notified via email of all new episodes here.

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Grilling Pans, Boiled Brats and Secret Spread-GrateTV

This episode has it all…..holy grilling pans……..to boil or not to boil Brats, that is the question and in order to find out the “spreadable” secret ingredient this week, you’ll have to butter the guys up a little! ;Its all in this weeks episode of GrateTV…….episode 11.

GrateTV

Rib membranes and The Brush Off – GrateTV

Rib membranes, the “brush off” with the gadget of the week and the secret ingredient.   In this episode, Bill and Jack talk about rib membrane, to leave or not to leave………….that is the question, plus the website of the week. They also give you the “brush off” with the gadget of the week and the secret ingredient will have you craving Italian. Its all in this weeks episode (#10) of GrateTV. http://gratetv.com. Hug your momma!  *Click Title for Full Post Video *

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BBQ or Grillin?

Grill

BBQ or Grill

By Tim Sousa

Grilling and Barbecuing, two of the most popular cooking methods in the U.S., especially in warmer weather. There are some who know the difference between grilling and barbecuing, and some who don’t. Do you?

To put it simply, Grilling is fast cooking over high heat, while barbecuing involves a slower cooking method, over a lower heat.

Grilling is generally done over a gas flame, or hot coals. Tender cuts of meat are best for this cooking method. The quick cooking and the high heat seal in the juices, creating a juicy piece of meat, but leave the meat on too long, and it will dry out, as with any dry cooking method. Barbecue sauces can be used, but since the heat is so high, it should be added right at the end of the cooking time, especially for sweeter barbecue sauces, so that the sugar in the sauce doesn’t burn. Vegetables and fruits can also be grilled, as they don’t need a long cooking time. Peaches and pineapple are particularly good for grilling, the natural sugars in the fruit carmelize over the high heat. When you grill food, you need to pay attention to it, so it doesn’t get overcooked. You need to stay by the grill the whole time.

Barbecuing is typically done over charcoal or wood, although gas can be used. I’ve seen kalhua pig being cooked slowly on a gas grill, but usually, barbecuers will use either charcoal or wood. The meats usually used in barbecuing are tougher cuts of meat, such as the beef brisket, or pork ribs. These meats benefit from the long, slow cooking process, becoming so tender that they will just fall off the bone. Since the cooking process is slower, and the heat not as high as grilling, barbecue sauce can be brushed onto the meat throughought the cooking process, forming a delicious glaze on the outside of the meat. Apple juice is sometimes sprayed onto the meat to keep it moist and flavorful. Damp wood chips added to the fire add a delicious smoky flavor to the meat.

Some meats, like chicken, will benefit from either cooking method. It’s great either grilled quickly with a glaze or barbecue sauce applied towards the end of the cooking time, or slowly barbecued, absorbing the flavors of the smoke.

Tim Sousa is the webmaster of Classy Cooking, an online library of great recipes, cooking tips and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Sousa
http://EzineArticles.com/?Grilling-Vs.-Barbecue&id=60882

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Coconut Charcoal For BBQ

coconut_charcoal

Smoke That Coconut

Just saw Coconut Charcoal offered at the Whole Foods Market andhad to find out more.  Although we have not tried it on the test grills it sounds like coconut coal could be as clean burning as it gets.  Let us know what you think!

Have You Tried Coconut Charcoal For Your Family Barbecuing?

By Jeco J

For centuries, people in Indonesia have recognized the use of coconut shells not only as a natural raw material to produce handicrafts, but also as an alternative and / or supplement to traditional lump charcoal, to improve and prolong the heat produced for cooking.

Coconut charcoal is an environment-friendly green alternative charcoal with many advantages that will make your barbecuing experience fun and help protect the environment. No single tree is cut to produce coconut charcoal. The characteristics of charcoal vary from one product to another. Charcoal variation results in different burning times, odor, and ash produced. Nevertheless, it is a common misconception that all charcoal is roughly the same. Coconut shell charcoal burns at 7,000 kilo calories. The unique manufacturing process of Coconut shell allows the charcoal embers to produce very little, to no smoke, and no more than 4% ash waste is produced when all the embers are burned completely.

Depending on air exposure and the type of barbecue grill you will be using, one kilogram of coconut charcoal (about 33 briquettes) roughly provides the same cooking “power” as produced by 2 or 2 ½ kilograms of traditional lump charcoal. Additionally, barbecuing with coconut charcoal, which has a very low content of volatile matter, ensures that soot formation, if any, will be minimal. This in turn reduces the cleaning time considerably.

With relatively stable heat created over approximately 2 – 2.5 hours duration, family barbecuing becomes environmentally friendly, more convenient, enjoyable, and more economical as less charcoals needed for replenishment during cooking. Have you try to use coconut shell charcoal for your barbecuing?

Jungle Notes was set up as a green article resource site so that readers across the world can come together and share this information. Visit Jungle Notes now and read more green article!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeco_J
http://EzineArticles.com/?Have-You-Tried-Coconut-Charcoal-For-Your-Family-Barbecuing?&id=4760312

GrateTV

Slicing Brisket and Rotisserie Gadget – GRATETV

Just wrapped another episode of BBQ’s favorite Podcast. The smokin’ episode is titled: Rollin’ with Rotisserie, Slicing Brisket and a Tearfull Secret Ingredient. Click through to the video or head over to iTunes and subscribe to the feed.

From http://GrateTV.com Viewers ask about carving beef brisket and hosts Jack Waiboer and Bill West unveil another secret ingredient. This is episode 9 of GrateTV with hosts Jack Waiboer and Bill West.

GrateTV

GrateTV: BearPaws

West and Waiboer

Bear Paws, Garlic and How to Properly Freeze and Store Pork

This is the 6th episode of GrateTV. In this episode, Jack and Bill talk about how to properly freeze and store pork. They also teach you how to keep your hands clean when pulling pork. Jack gives tips on how to use garlic in your BBQ and also gives you his website of the week www.hawgeyesbbq.com.

Bear Paws

Hawgeyesbbq.com

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Grilling Turkey with Hoisen

Glaze On Turkey

Turkey only seems to get center stage one time a year and that’s a shame.

There’s nothing quite like a super tender turkey leg drenched in smokey sauce (I totally embarrassed myself gnawing a leg at the local Charleston Riverdog’s minor league baseball game food court the other day).    There’s a ton of different ways to tackle turkey.  Best of all it’s even better (and more impressive for dinner guests) when it’s prepped on the barbecue.

Just entered a cool contest with Honeysuckle White Turkey… I was actually hoping to show off one of my favorite ways to BBQ turkey with a rotisserie spit.   Instead I stumbled on thier teriyaki tenderloin breast fillets.  All I know about Asian cooking I learned from Steamy Kitchen (Jaden there would laugh at my lack of authenticity!).  But  the pre-marinated poultry looked and ended up tasting fantastic and all I really added was smoke.

breast baste

Brushing On the Hoisen

The recipe is really already in the meat (is that cheating?) so here’s a very simple recipe for a Asian Inspired Turkey with more on a smoke pouch from an earlier post.   It really was super easy.

Asian Turkey

1 Package Honeysuckle White Teriyaki Turkey Breas1 Tenderloins

1/3 Cup  Hoisen Sauce

1 Cup Apple Wood Chips ( can substitute Hickory or Oak)

Soak chips in a small bowl for 15 minutes to encourage smoldering.   Wrap the chips sealing tightly in an aluminum foil pouch. Vent with three small holes and place touching grill burner flame.

Once smoke is produced place marinated turkey directly on medium grill for 10 – 15 turning once being careful not to overcook.

Baste each side of turkey with a layer of hoisen sauce to glaze.  Repeat to thick glaze.