Fire Up The Fun With Extreme Burgers

NAPSI)—Nothing says summer like hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling on the grill. In fact, according to the 25th annual Weber GrillWatch Survey, more than 80 percent of grill owners say that burgers are their favorite thing to grill, followed by hot dogs (75 percent).

To celebrate America’s love affair with hamburgers, brats and other classic grilled fare, Weber Grills has released “Weber’s Big Book of Burgers”-their first cookbook dedicated to fueling America’s passion for backyard classics.

“This book is truly a start-to-finish guide to throwing the ultimate backyard bash,” says New York Times best-selling cookbook author Jamie Purviance. “Each of the 160 recipes features a photo and goes beyond the burger, with fun twists on hot dogs, side dishes and even cocktails.”

“Weber’s Big Book of Burgers” also explores famous regional favorites in its America the Burgerful section, including Santa Fe, where the green chili cheeseburger rules, to Columbia, South Carolina’s own pimento cheeseburger.

An in-depth Sausage and Hot Dog Geography section salutes regional favorites like Classic Chicago-Style Hot Dogs topped with pickled “sport” peppers and neon-green relish, and New York Hot Dogs with Sweet Red Onions.

Extreme Burgers

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes Grilling Time: 6-8 minutes

4 slices thick-cut bacon

? cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 ripe Hass avocados

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon onion powder

8 thin slices cheddar cheese

4 hamburger buns, split

4 leaves Boston lettuce

1 ripe beefsteak tomato, cut crosswise into 4 slices about ? inch thick

In a skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels.

Whisk the mayo ingredients, including ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mash the guacamole ingredients, including ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Mix the ground chuck with the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the smoked paprika and onion powder, and then gently form eight patties of equal size, each about ½ inch thick and a little wider than the buns.

Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (400° to 500° F). Grill the patties over direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to medium doneness (160° F), 6 to 8 minutes, turning once.

During the last 30 seconds to 1 minute of grilling time, place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt, and toast the buns, cut side down, over direct heat.

Build each burger on a bun with garlic mayo, a lettuce leaf, a tomato slice, two patties, as much guacamole as you like, a slice of bacon (torn in half) and more garlic mayo.

Serve immediately.

Learn More For more information or to get a copy of “Weber’s Big Book of Burgers,”

visit www.weber.com or www.amazon.com.

Grilling Chicken | Barbecue Chicken | Grilling Tips

Grilling Chicken |Barbecue Chicken

The one sure sign that the weather is getting warmer and that summer is around the corner is the sight and smell of barbecued food.

It starts with grilling chicken You can be sure on the first nice day of spring the local store will see a run on charcoal briquettes, the guy next door will be cleaning off his grill and the whole neighborhood will be filled with the delectable smell of barbecue.

One of the perennial favorites for barbecue cooking is chicken and why not? Grilling chicken is easy, it's versatile and it's good for you to boot!

When grilling chicken, the first thing to remember is food safety. Raw chicken can contain many food pathogens that can make you and your family very sick, so it's important to follow a few simple rules.

1. Clean and prepare the chicken on a single washable surface. 2. Always thoroughly clean this surface after the prep work is done. 3. Remember to wash your hands and any utensils used on the chicken before you move on to prepare any other food items. 4. Being careful and taking the time to follow these simple rules will guarantee that your barbecue guests will remain healthy and happy, and that you'll be grilling chicken for a long time to come!

One of the great advantages of grilling chicken is its versatility. There are literally dozens of ways to prepare chicken for the grill. The key word here is preparation, because chicken marinates so easily, so wonderfully and in so many ways.

One of the simplest marinades for chicken is olive oil, vinegar and garlic. Simply place cut up chicken pieces in a large Ziploc bag, add one cup of good quality olive oil, an eighth of a cup of vinegar and four or five cloves of garlic. Next, seal the bag and vigorously shake all the ingredients together.

Finally, place the bag in the refrigerator for a minimum of three hours or, preferably, overnight. The chicken you grill the next day will be moist and flavorful - the best you've ever had!

Another way of grilling chicken is the beer can method. Beer can chicken? Definitely! You take a whole fryer chicken and wash it inside and out with cold water.

Pat the chicken dry and season it to taste, again inside and out. (Rosemary and lemon pepper are a particularly great combo.) Next, take an empty beer can that has been thoroughly washed out and place the can inside the body cavity of the chicken. (Don't worry if it's not a perfect fit.)

Place the beer can chicken over a moderately hot fire and grill for approximately 40 minutes, occasionally turning, until done.

You may find that this is the perfect time to empty another beer can or two in preparation for your next barbecue. Take the chicken off the grill and serve promptly.

Remember to remove the beer can from the body cavity first! It's guaranteed this will be the juiciest, moistest bird you have ever enjoyed.

So, this barbecue season when you fire up the old grill remember that when you're grilling chicken you're grilling right.

Photo by amenic181

The Smart Barbecue Choice | Grilled Fish

Fish is the best match for the average barbecue grill. Surprised? Most people are. Fish is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about cooking out.

That's a mistake! Grilled fish is easy, quick, and results in probably the tastiest thing you've ever had barbecued.

The problem lies in the fact that a lot of people consider fish a delicate meat and consider their barbecue as something less than delicate. The fact is that no other food benefits from the hot and fast properties of the backyard grill than fish. When it comes to cooking, grilled fish really is a "quickie".

A good place to start with grilled fish is understanding the different types of fish to grill. There are a large range of fish on the market, both fresh caught and commercially raised.

In general, the best choice for grilling is either a whole fish or a fish that is available in a steak cut. (Fillets will work as well, but need to be grilled in foil or in a basket since their thinner size makes them prone to flaking and breaking on a grill.)

Steak cuts offer the advantage of convenience, but nothing beats the presentation of a whole grilled fish. Some widely available types of fish that make excellent candidates for the grill include tuna, salmon, swordfish, monk fish, and mahi-mahi.

When grilling fish, preparation is everything. First, if you've purchased the fish frozen, make sure it is completely thawed before grilling.

Once the fish is thawed, or if you've purchased fresh, rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry. If you're grilling a steak cut, season the fish with some salt and pepper and lightly rub each side in olive oil.

If you're grilling a whole fish, rinse, pat dry and season the body cavity or, alternatively, stuff the cavity with herbs and citrus fruit. (Orange slices and fresh ginger make an excellent choice.)

The next step to grilled fish is to make sure your barbecue grill is as hot as can be. This is not the time to stint on coals. You know the fire you made the last time you burned the food?

That's the fire to make this time. Once the fire is good and hot, put the grill in place and quickly coat the surface with some olive oil. (Oiling both the fish and the grill prior to cooking insures the fish won't stick while cooking.)

If you're cooking fish steaks, place them on the fire and turn them once the edges of the steak become opaque. This will take two or three minutes at most, depending on the thickness of the steak.

As with most grilled food, only turn the fish once. Once the other side of the fish is also opaque and the meat is flaking, remove the fish from the heat, hit it with a squirt of fresh lemon juice and serve.

When cooking grilled fish, the entire cooking time should be no more than five or six minutes.

If you're grilling a smaller whole fish, say under three pounds, the cooking time is very similar to that of a fish steak. Place the fish on the grill for approximately two to three minutes per side and until the flesh in the body cavity is opaque and flaking.

A whole fish larger than three pounds should be grilled on a slightly cooler fire for about 20 minutes per side and again until the meat is opaque and flaking. You serve whole fish the same way as a steak cut - fresh off the grill and with plenty of fresh lemon.

So get smart. Grilled fish is easy, quick and it should be a part of your next cook-out!

Image by tiramisustudio at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Electric BBQ Grill | Grilling Tips

Electric bbq grill why would you use one because of local fire codes or lack of space cannot have an open fire and no fire no cook out Lucky for electric bbq grill.

Electric BBQ Grill The Greener Cleaner Grilling Alternative

Electric bbq grill why would you use one ? Unfortunately, because of local fire ordinances or lack of outdoor space, some people have to do without the joys of barbecue.

They simply cannot have an open fire and without fire, there's no cook-out. Luckily, there's an answer to this problem an electric bbq grill.

Everybody enjoys a barbecue. Whether it's with family, friends, or even alone, there's something comforting about cooking food outdoors over an open fire. Maybe we all remember a time when gathering, cooking and eating food was a communal event.

Maybe it's the combination of fire and food together that symbolizes safety and nourishment. Probably it's that barbecued food tastes delicious and cooking and eating outside is a lot of fun.

Electric BBQ Grill Pros

Electric bbq grills provide the heat of a charcoal grill without any open flames whatsoever. There is no charcoal, lighter fluid, matches or propane tanks to deal with.

All that an electric grill requires is access to a power source and it is good to go. How is this possible? It's fairly easy. Electric bbq grills use an electrically powered heating element to provide the initial heat source. This heating element is similar to what you'd find on an electric stove.

Electric bbq grills then kick it up a notch by using parabolic reflective surfaces to intensify the heat produced by the heating element.

The process is so effective that electric grills can match the temperatures produced by either charcoal or gas grills. That's right. No matter what you may have heard, electric bbq grills can easily reach the 600 degree temperature necessary to sear meat.

This means that there is no difference in the look or taste of food cooked on an electric grill and food cooked on traditional charcoal or gas grills. Well, except for the skill of the barbecue chef, or lack thereof.

Another advantage of the electric grill is the ease of clean up. Unlike charcoal grills, there are no ashes to clean up. This is especially important for people who are grilling in a small outdoor space like a balcony.

The last thing you need is fly ash coming in through your balcony doors or, worse yet, your neighbor's doors. Also, cleaning an electric grill is a snap.

The heating element in the grill lifts out and easily fits in the sink or dishwasher. Plus, the smaller size of the average electric grill means that it's a breeze to wipe out the interior.

An electric barbecue grill is also much more environmentally friendly than a charcoal or gas grill. A charcoal grill produces massive amounts of carbon dioxide when it's in use.

In fact, a charcoal grill produces so much carbon dioxide that it can be life threatening if used in an enclosed space like a garage. Not so an electric grill.

Electric grills produce zero carbon dioxide when used. In fact, the only emission produced by an electric grill is the delicious smell of barbecued food. If you're interested in helping the environment, an electric grill is one way to reduce your carbon footprint.

So what are you waiting for? Step into the new age of barbecuing. The Electric bbq grill is the greener, cleaner way to enjoy that great cook out taste.

Enjoy your Electric bbq grill

Weber Charcoal Grill | Barbecue Grill

The Weber Charcoal Grill has become synonymous with barbecuing because it is an amazing grill.

There are few products whose very shape becomes so iconic that the shape itself dominates the genre.

For example, what image comes to mind when I say the words "barbecue grill"? For many people, these two words conjure up a picture of a round object on a tripod base with a domed cover.

In the mind of the buying public, a generic term, in this case barbecue grill, has come to mean a single product the Weber Charcoal Grill. That's a pretty amazing when you think about it. In this case though, the association is justified.

Back in the 1950's. all outdoor grills were the same. A grill was a flat square object supported on four legs. The coals went in a single layer on the bottom. The grill went on top of the coals, nearly touching them. The flat grill top went on over everything else. That was it. You could grill up hot dogs, burgers and maybe steaks and chops, but that was all.

You couldn't really control the heat of the fire or the height of the grill from the fire and the function of the grill top was to prevent the inevitable incineration of the food from happening too quickly.

This type of grill was really only a mass produced brazier and braziers had been mankind's "barbecue grill" for ages. Sure, it was convenient, in terms of having a place to start controlled cooking fire out doors, but in terms of food quality, it was a joke.

In 1952, a guy by the name of George Stephen, Sr. got fed up up with the barbecue status quo. George worked for Weber Brothers Metal Works, a company that manufactured marine buoys. He took one of the company's buoys, cut it in half and fashioned a domed top for a cover.

The Weber Charcoal Grill was born. George started making these grills for his neighbors, and the for the neighbor's neighbors.

Soon, supply couldn't keep up with demand. In short order, the Weber Charcoal Grill became THE outdoor grill for the discriminating barbecue chef.

Why is the Weber Charcoal Grill so popular? The secret is in the grill's versatility.

Unlike traditional barbecue grills, a Weber's round shape and domed top create a reflective cooking surface that intensifies the heat of the charcoal fire.

This allows the grill to create higher internal temperatures which, in turn, can quickly sear the food being cooked.

The object in barbecuing a lot of foods is to sear the outside while the natural juices of the food remain within. A Weber Charcoal Grill does this especially well.

Another advantage a Weber has over a tradition grill is room. The rounded shape creates more space inside the grill and that increased space means more room to cook. You can cook roasts and turkeys on a Weber with ease. You can also cook more food, period.

Since the round shape radiates heat evenly, there are no "cold corners" or "hot spots" where food get over- or under-cooked.

Finally, the rounded top and bottom of the grill, along with the placement of the vents, creates an induction within the grill.

This means the hot air is circulated around the grill as cold air comes in through the bottom vents and hot air exist through the top vent. This circulation means even temperatures within the grill and these even temperatures mean evenly cooked food.

Today, the Weber remains the King of the Grill world. If you've never cooked on one, do yourself a favor. Pick up a Weber Charcoal Grill today and see how innovation can result in better tasting food.

Grilling Tools Using The Right Tool For The Job

In order to do any job well, you need to use the right tools. In fact, you not only need the right tools for the job, you need good tools that perform well, time after time.

While a backyard barbecue isn't a job, every outdoor cook should be trying to prepare the best tasting food they can. Any experienced barbecue chef will tell you that you will never prepare tasty food without a quality set of grilling tools. No matter the recipe or the quality of the ingredients, bad grilling tools will always equal bad food. So, what kinds of grilling tools does the aspiring cook-out superstar need? Read on.

The spatula, tongs and fork are the holy trinity of grilling tools. If you own a grill and you don't have one of each, stop reading right now and go out and purchase a set.

Why are these three tools so important to barbecue cooking? It's simple. When you barbecue you want to limit the number of times you turn the food. Usually, you want to turn your food only once. On the other hand, when you do turn your food, you want to do it gracefully and easily.

A spatula, pair of tongs and a cooking fork are the grilling tools that will allow you to do this and do it well. Each one is adapted to work best with a specific type of food.

A spatula works best on lighter items, tongs are great either for heavier items, like steak, or smaller items, like hot dogs or vegetables, and a fork is the only way to go with larger cuts of meat or poultry. You can purchase a spatula, tongs and fork separately or in a set.

Either way, look for grilling tools made of heavy grade stainless steel that have riveted handles. Pick the tools up and feel them. Do they fit your hand? Do they feel solid? If it feels like they could be used as weapon, then you've probably got yourself a good set of grilling tools.

While a spatula, tongs and fork are absolutely necessary for any barbecue, there are a couple other pieces of hardware that no good outdoor cook should be without.

If you want to run with the big boys, you're going to have to cook up some old fashioned barbecue, namely ribs. If you're cooking ribs, nine time out of ten, you're talking about some kind of sauce.

The only way to properly sauce your 'cue is with a good quality brush. There are those who favor a hardware store paintbrush. The problem there is that most paint brushes aren't heat resistant and, let's face it, your guests probably have enough toxins in their systems.

Go with a real barbecue brush, made to take the heat of your pit. Look for sturdy, yet flexible bristles that are angled. A good brush will let you finish your ribs like the pro you are.

What else do you need? A set of barbecue skewers is essential for grilling vegetables or for shish-kabobs. (Gratuitous joke time. Q: How do you tell kabob to be quiet?

A: Shish-kabob. Grilling humor. Catch it.) Once again look for heavier grade stainless steel and always choose a set that's been torqued. The turn along the line of the skewer really helps to keep your food properly skewed.

While you're at it, pick up a grill brush too. You want to keep your grill surface clean and free of gunk and you can only do that with with a good grill brush. As always look for rugged durability. After all, you're going to be using it to scrub burnt grease.

So that's about it. Get your hands on a couple good grilling tools and get out there and get grilling!

What All Grillers Should Have In Their Toolkit

(NAPSI)—While most grillers are armed with tongs and a spatula, many are looking to up their game by experimenting with accessories designed to add more versatility to the grill, such as pizza stones, fish baskets and rib racks.

The new Weber GrillWatch Survey shows that Americans are spending more than five hours a week grilling. As people are grilling more frequently, as well as year-round, the demand for accessories has skyrocketed.

Here are a few of the accessories designed to bring your grilling game to a whole new level.

What All Grillers Should Have In Their Toolkit Click Here Amazon

Must-Have Grilling Accessories:

Chimney starter: Consider a five-quart chimney starter, like Weber’s Rapidfire Chimney Starter, that holds approximately 80 to 100 charcoal briquettes. Chimney starters eliminate the need to use lighter fluid, which is costly.

Long-handled tongs: To prevent your hands from getting too close to the fire, a pair of tongs, such as Stainless Steel Chef’s Tongs, which measure more than 12 inches from end to tip, are a must for the griller’s toolbox.

Meat thermometer: Take the guesswork out of grilling with a digital thermometer to ensure your meat is cooked properly. The Digital Pocket Thermometer comes with a clip to attach easily to your pocket.

Take Your Grilling Game up a Notch with These Accessories:

Rib and roast holder: Save space on your grill with a dual-design rib and roast holder. Weber’s Original Rib and Roast Holder can handle up to five racks of ribs. Flip it over and use the roast holder for whole chickens, turkeys or roasts. Try Championship Spareribs with Sweet Apple Barbecue Sauce from the new cookbook “Weber’s Smoke—A Guide to Smoke Cooking for Everyone and Any Grill”; visit www.weber.com/smoke.

Pizza stone: To make sure pizza is cooked through without burning the crust, a pizza stone made from cordierite, such as the Gourmet Barbecue System Pizza Stone with Carry Rack, can help make family pizza night something special.

Fish baskets: Grilling delicate fish can be a little intimidating. With a fish basket, you can ensure that flaky fish won’t fall through the grates.

Stainless Steel Fish Baskets are available in small or large. The flexible wires hold in delicate fish and provide a foolproof way to flip your fish.

What All Grillers Should Have In Their Toolkit Click Here Amazon

Smoker boxes: Try your hand at smoking with Firespice Trial-Sized Smoking Kits. Individual tins sit on top of gas grill grates and are packed with smoking woods like hickory, mesquite and cherry. Smoking tins allow grillers to infuse the rich flavors of smoke quickly and easily into almost any dish.

For More Information

For more information about grilling accessories and recipes, visitwww.weber.com.