STIR-FRYING TECHNIQUES
This method
of cooking
is popular
around
the world
and
can
be easily accomplished
outdoors
on your
gas grill. It's
a quick
and healthful
way of preparing
a complete
meal
using
meat,
poultry
or seafood
in infinite
combinations
with
other
interesting
ingredients
like vegetables,
rice or
noodles.
Preparing
to Stir-fry
Although
it is possible
to stir fry in other
dishes,
a wok
is
your
best tool.
Its high sides
enable
the cook
to stir food
without
spillage.
Its construction
allows
you to cook
quickly
at high temperatures,
with
instant control
of heat which
is
essential
for
successful
stir frying.
Food
Preparation
Slice
meat and poultry
into long thin strips and cube
fish
fillets. Remove
all fat from
meat and poultry
and cut large
vegetables
into even slices
or cubes.
Marinate
foods
for extra flavor
and tenderness.
Marinating
times will vary for red meat,
fish and or various
cuts.
Less
tender
cuts of meat
should
be marinated
longer.
Remem-
ber to always
chili marinating
food
in the refrigerator
prior
to cooking.
Stir-fry
meats,
poultry
or fish first. Next, add hard veg-
etables
like carrots.
Then
continue
with
softer
vegetables
like snowpeas
and peppers.
To ensure
even
cooking,
continually
stir and toss the food
in the wok
using a
wooden
spoon
or spatula.
Tips for Stir-frying
Place
a wok
on
a Cooking
Grid
or Side
Burner
directly
over
a HIGH
heat
. Add
only a small
amount
of food
at
a time
to ensure
fast
cooking
and
also to allow
the wok
to reheat
between
ingredients.
DEEP-FRYING TECHNIQUES
A wide
variety
of foods
can be deep-fried
outdoors
on
your
grill, from potatoes,
to seafood
and chicken.
Deep-
frying
uses
a large
portion
of oil, preferably
saturated.
The outdoor
location
is ideal for deep-frying
as smoke,
grease
and smells
disperse
in the open
air instead
of
collecting
on the ceiling
of your
kitchen.
Preparing
to Deep-fry
Deep-fry
on your grill using a cooking
pan or wok,
over
direct
heat.
Fill a cooking
pan no more
than half full of vegetable
or
corn
oil. Start with LOW
heat, then
raise the heat gradu-
ally. Check
the temperature
of the oil carefully
with a
frying
thermometer
or test with a cube
of bread.
The
cube
of bread
should
brown
in about
30 seconds
for
most
cooking
needs.
A temperature
between
350 and
400 degrees
is optimal
for preparing
the majority
of
deep-fried
foods.
Food
Preparation
Foods
being
deep-fried
taste
better
when
coated
with
either
batter
or breadcrumbs
to add flavor
and prevent
moisture
from
escaping.
Tips for Deep-frying
Wear
a flame
retardant
BBQ
Mitt
and slowly
lower
foods
into
the hot oil using
a wire
scoop
or stainless
steel
tongs.
Add
only
a small
quantity
of food
to the
oil, allow
it to cook,
then
repeat
with
another
small
quantity.
This
ensures
the oil doesn't
drop
in tem-
perature.
Once
the food
is cooked,
remove
it carefully
and drain
onto
a paper
towel.
Turn
the heat
off as
soon
as you
have
finished
deep-frying
and
allow
your
pan to cool.
When
the oil is cool,
remove
all rem-
nants
of fried
foods
by straining
it through
a fine
metal
sieve,
and
store
it in a clean
bottle
for future
use.
Vegetables
are generally
easy to cook
on the grill. The
Cooking
Rack
makes
it convenient
because
you can still
use the main
cooking
area while
the vegetables
are
suspended
above
the grids.
Pre-cook
hard vegetables
by briefly boiling
or
microwaving
them
before
cooking
on the grill. Wrap
vegetables
in a double
thickness
of foil to protect
them
while cooking
on the grill. Then,
remove
the foil if desired,
10-15
minutes
before
the end of cooking,
brush
veg-
etables
with
butter
or oil and finish
cooking.
The Cooking
Rack can be used
for purposes
other
than
just the obvious.
Consider
using the rack
for warming
French
bread,
garlic
bread,
croissants
or even
bagels.
A small whole
fish wrapped
in foil also cooks
well on the
Cooking
Rack.
Parcels
of seafood
such
as scallops,
prawns
and sliced
fish fillets
prepared
in a sauce
and
portioned
into small foil wraps
cook
well this way, too.
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