[2Wycked]

I am throwing a cookout at my parent's house while I am house-sitting while they are on vacation.

I have never grilled out before - my cooking skills have been confined to the kitchen. Does anybody have any tips on what to cook, how to prepare the meat and what else should I serve? I planned on grabbing some chips and dip, but I would be interested to know what else I can cook on a grill and any other side dishes that might be good.

Note the logistics - 6-7 guys confirmed, 5 women confirmed, possible 2 more. Might be one more dude and my neighbors now that I think about it.

Any advice on quality beer? I really only drink Rolling Rock of Bud Light - and the point of that is to get drunk. I am not looking to get drunk, but I do know a couple of the guys will only drink beer, as I will most likely be drinking vodka or whiskey. Any recommendations? I probably will drink some beer as well if it goes good with the food.

[MasterBacja]

My friends and I frequently have flank steak for summer cookouts because it's relatively cheap (depending on where/who you ask) and you can make a ton and eat it like an animal, with your fingers and without a plate. It probably wouldn't work as the sole meat you grill (we always throw brats/dogs into the mix, easier to cook for a decent sized group and requires almost zero finesse on the grill..just heat them up to the desired amount of "done-ness"), but it's something more unique and there's nothing more manly than grabbing a slice of meat with your bare hands and eating it.

I'm no culinary anything (except for maybe a retard) but the way i cook flank steak is marinate it (in a plastic freezer bag) in French dressing overnight or for at least 6 hours in the fridge. Pull it out, lay it flat, cover it in salt and pepper, then throw it on the grill. You absolutely CANNOT overcook it, it will be awful if you do. Aim for medium rare and err on the rare side if anything. when it's done, put it on a cutting board, cover it in foil and let it sit for like 10 min. Cut it against the grain in thin slices about the width of your pinky finger (i try to cut about 10 degree off vertical, seems to cut better) and serve with sauce or just eat it plain. We always use it either before the brats as a finger food everybody can just grab or afterwards to supplement beer drinking and socializing. Always worked for me.

For side dishes, I always go to the meat market and buy a bunch of potato salad and shit like that. A lot of times just having it present at the get-together is enough even if nobody actually eats the stuff. The cost of buying it prepared is worth not having to make a bunch of food that 1) you might not be good at making and 2) people might not actually even eat.

As far as beer goes, I always try to drink something good for the summer like Bell's Oberon, but it's not available everywhere (mostly midwest). You can never go wrong with mexican beers though - not that they are particularly good, they just seem to go over well at cookouts and the like. Dos Equis and Sol are fine, I personally hate Corona. If you want something heavier, do Negra Modelo or something. The gold foil is fancy and it's actually a decent beer to pair with beef.

[JimNortonFan]

I went to a cookout where this guy made the meat into Korean bulgogi.

It was great. Good way to improve a low quality cut.

I like to grill onions, corn and peppers myself.

[Wreckingball]

I don't know what is typical in an American BBQ, but you can't go wrong with Chicken Legs and sausages. Just make sure you marinate those legs.

I would also do:
Ribs
Chorizo (typical from where i come from, if you do it make sure to do some small holes in those bastards, so they don't blow up) sausages should also follow this poking advice
Bacon
Peppers grill them while the flames are really high, then when they are black on all sides, peel it (it goes faster if you rub it with a plastic bag) and slice it. add olive oil and vinegar. tastes great!

If there are leftovers, search some recipes of "feijoada", and invite your friends again.


Beer: I would go for some light beer (one that does not make you feel full, not one with fewer calores) because I eat like a caveman at BBQs. A normal Lager/Pilsner would suffice.
IMO Corona is a light beer that fits the description perfectly, however not only is it overpriced, also I don't really appreciate it

Side dishes:
Salads and chips

[j r]

Grilling is great and a few small things can set you apart from the average bro-be-cue of frosen hamburger patties and dry chicken.

Flank steak is good, as is skirt steak, which is my favorite. Marinate it over night and cook it for a few minutes on each side. Make sure you slice it against the grain of the meat when you serve.

If you're making bbq chicken or anything else with bbq sauce, put the sauce on after you cook it or towards the end. Sauce has sugar which will burn and become bitter with too much heat.

If you're going to do burgers, get ground beef and make the patties yourself. It's much better than any of those frozen patties, many of which aren't even 100% beef. Toast the buns on the grill a bit to really set yourself apart.

People always love corn on the cob.

One of the keys to grilling and entertaining is to do as much of the prep work the day before or the morning of. Ideally, once people are there you should be just unwrapping stuff an throwing it on the grill. Also, don't be afraid to put people to work. Most people want to help.

Frozen drinks are always a hit as well. Avoid the mixes, cause they're all HFCS. Fresh fruit and lime juice will do wonders. A little sour mix will help you if you're not down with making drinks from all fresh ingredients.

[Jaylow]

It depends on your audience and what your intentions are with the BBQ more than anything. If these are college kids coming over, half of which you do not know, I wouldn't worry about the quality of meat. Just the fact that you are able to have 10 people come over to your BBQ is a big DHV. If these are family friends or people who have treated you before then I would care more about what I was serving.

A few things come to mind that are important. 1) having veggie burgers/salad/fruit in case a girl doesn't eat meat. 2) music 3) a easy to play game like lawn darts ready to go 4) dessert

Lawn darts sounds corny but if you have a target in mind its a lot easier to isolate or sit beside her for a bit when half your audience is playing a game.

[samsamsam]

One question for clarification is do you want to spend a lot of time cooking and preparing the food or do you want to keep your hassles to a minimum? Just asking because some stuff takes prep work and other things need close attention to avoid burning. I agree with toasting the buns - always like that.

I think if you had 2 or 3 items and addressed the potential vegetarian issue, as long as you have enough alcohol and make the experience fun, you are set. I don't always remember the food from a get together but I do remember if I enjoyed the company and had fun.

I mean you could cut down on prep buy buying sides and just putting them in trays, etc - repackage the presentation. See how many times you get asked ,"It is delicious did you make it yourself?" lol.

You get to have fun also, so I wouldn't make it too complicated. Lots of times I see hosts never enjoying themselves because they are trying to make sure everyone else is having a good time.

You could make it a little easier if a couple of your guy friends help you out and share the burden.

[2Wycked]

Thank you for the tips guys!

@Jaylow: Good idea about having some activities to do. I have a bunch of old sports equipment in my shed, so I will probably dust some of it off, repair it and all that. I do have some leftover fireworks from last summer and I plan on swinging through Missouri to get some more. I plan on firing some off at sunset.

Let me breakdown the logistics. Every man coming is either a friend from way back or good friends with old friends. Now it seems to more couples are coming, a bf/gf and a married couple - known both for 5+ years or longer. So I want to be sure this goes off without a hitch, as this is starting to balloon to over 15 people. My best friend is livid because he can't make it.

The homestead: Small town about 15 minutes outside a big Midwest city. Huge farm house on 2 acres. I have a massive, heated garage - when it gets dark, we can move to the garage. Huge backyard with many well-tended flower beds and a big garden full of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, strawberries and the like. I will be picking strawberries that day for a fruit salad I will make. I also have a nice front porch, with some nice tables and chairs. I plan on setting my hookah up in there. When everybody leaves, I plan posting up in there, probably finishing up the booze and play computers game on my dad's laptop.

As for getting some action, there is a fattie issue. Two women that are lockdown to be there, one is in love with one of my good friends (he refuses to hook up with her). She is cute, but is 30 years old and is in desperate hubby snatching mode. Her best friend is very chubby, but with a cute face and huge, I mean huge, tits. She wants on my dick hard. She will get drunk and make passes at me. I don't plan on getting drunk, as I want this to be a success. There are 3 single women coming, all mid-20's and attractive - one is smoking hot. I only met one of them on NYE went she came with us to Chicago - however I know the other two are attractive because of Facebook. I really don't know anything about them except on of my friends orbits them HARD. He is a hardcore simp, but he is good to have around, as he has many, many good-looking female friends are around him constantly. Sucks to be him.

As for the time I want to put in, I want to put in serious time. I will be studying all through the weekend and week in the leadup to this. I have nothing planned at all that day, beyond watching a 3 hour lecture for my class. So, by 11 AM I will be free. Looks like I should go shopping for meat the day before so I can prepare it the night before.

Money: My mom left me 100 bucks for the event, but I don't mind spending my own cash to make it happen - I absolutely bet I will spend much more than that. I already know I will be spending around 50 to 75 bucks for quality fireworks.

I just called one of my friends while posting this and he said he will bring an ice chest full of quality beer. He has a great taste in alcohol, so I will trust his judgment on that. I will call up my married friend's wife and will probably be able to get her to bring stuff to make margaritas. I know nothing about that, but she does.

My mom has a garden and she recently harvested some fresh onions and jalapenos. I could be wrong about the onions, but I do know she has fresh peppers. She has an indoor herb garden I can use for fresh seasoning.

The tips on grilling are excellent. Looks like I will head to a quality market my Mom tipped me off on. I will get beef to make hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken for BBQ and some strip steaks. The plan I am formulating is making a fruit salad with fresh cherries and strawberries from my Mom's garden, she left me a recipe for a quality syrup or something. I will make a big salad for the two veggie women - use cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and maybe some other stuff - slather it with light Italian dressing.

As for meat, I will do some research in my Mom's grilling cookbooks. As for sides, my friend bringing the beer said he will bring some big bags of chips, salsa and nacho cheese. He said he will make some nachos when he gets to my house. I will follow the above advice and grill onions, green peppers, corn on the cob and mushrooms on the grill. Acquire various cheeses for the burgers, maybe some potatoes. I know I already have a package of brats in the refrigerator, keep those on hand in case food runs low.

[kosko]

Sausages are almost impossible to fuck up because they blister and char the fuck out when they are over cooked. When it just starts to crack (or look like they are gonna explode) on a medium-high heat they are done. You can sauté some peppers and onions with a spicy type sauce and throw it on some rolls or grilled French baguettes.

Steak is easy also and for some reason I prefer to marinade steaks for a grill and leave it plain on a stove-top but that is just me.

I don't like doing chicken on the grill - It dries out to quick and the skin burns the fuck up. Turkey drumsticks I have better luck with.

A easy way to cheat at a BBQ is to do ribs. You can spend a whole day doing them slow on the grill or you can start them inside, in the oven and then roll them out right before people start flooding in and finish them on the grill with a good BBQ sauce.

Have some IPAs on ice for the real beer heads, even wine is a step up. Leave the piss water Busch and Buds inside, let those folks I work for it of they want that swill.

Grill a Cow tongue to gross people out. Shit tastes damn good tho, no joke.

Dumb Blonde:
"eeee who eats a cow tounge, no fuking way I'm eating that"

Kosko:
"Stop ya' noise, you've swallowed worse!"

[thegmanifesto]

This thread needs thedude37373737 on the quick fast.

[WestIndianArchie]

I love grilling. Must be all these years in Texas.

Must haves imo -
1) a Chimney - basically a metal can to start your coals with
2) a good pair of tongs - move meat around, move coals around, move the grate around
3) Instant read digital meat thermometer - When you're starting out, being able to poke into the meat and get a temp read is vital for safety if you're aren't at the skill level where you can look and tell if it's done.

If you haven't done a bunch of grilling
- burgers - cook relatively fast. You can form some patties, slap em on the grill, and get them on a plate in 10 minutes.

- hot dogs/sausages - depending on how thick they are, these are usually pretty easy to cook

- skirt steak/flank steak/Arrancheras - A relatively cheap cut of meat that grills pretty fast, but it's not as cheap as ground beef. The key to this steak is after you cook it, let it chillax for 5-10 minutes, and then cut it against the grain.

- Chicken - believe it or not, Chicken is one of the harder things to make on a grill if you're just starting out. Main reason being that chicken is a lot thicker than most beef that you'll typically make.

So the problem is that you'll burn the skin and then leave the interior cold and bloody. First cookout I every did I served some legs that I thought were done, but they weren't. Folks weren't happy.

If you do poultry, either do a test run first, and see how long it takes for your set up to cook your chicken - or just do wings (which are the thinnest chicken park - 10-20 minutes depend on how hot your fire is)

- Pork Chops/Loin - Easy as fuck to dry out. I'd say this is intermediate level as well.

- Seafood - you need one of those grill baskets, or figure something out to keep the flesh off the grill itself. Shrimp tends to cook very quickly, and they can go from great to rubbery if you don't stand there and watch em.

- Ribs - expert level. You really can't just start up your fire and then pop a slab on it.

- Veggies - always a good idea, onion, bell pepper, squash. Throwing a sweet potato/potato/corn wrapped in foil into the coals themselves is always a good move.

- Fruit - peaches, pineapple, and a lot of summer fruits do nicely on a grill.

As far a brew goes, I'd pick something middle of the road, unless your friends are all beer aficionados. And it doesn't hurt to have a Sangria or a Punch for the ladies.

WIA

[Art Pimp]

When grilling corn, keep those bastards in their husks and soak them in a bucket of water for at least half an hour so they don't dry out. Grill right them right in the husks too then shuck them after. You can peel the husk of one a little bit to check and see if they're ready.

Don't let those sluts throw veggie burgers on the grill. The fuckers just stick and break apart. Make them go inside and fry them.

Beer recommendations that you may be able to find in the Midwest:

- Great Lakes Burning River (American Pale Ale)
- Sam Adam's Summer Ale
- Goose Island 312
- Vodka Iced Tea, Lemonade, or Both (Drunken Palmer)
- I second the sangria recommendation, easy, cheap, delicious, and potent (dump your fresh strawberries and cherries right in)

[Blaze Frazier]

I'd let your buddy bring the beers and if you need beer for drinking games and such, pick it up yourself. There are a ton of fun outdoor games that can be played at a cookout (Ladder Golf, Beanbags, etc.).

[Veloce]

First off, buy this book. One of several grilling books I'd consider essential for guys that like to grill:



For grilling party beer I always go Mexican, either Tecate, Pacifico, or Modelo Especial.

You want a good assortment of goods. Pick 3 proteins:

-Sausage
-Chicken
-Skirt Steak
-Burgers
-Hot Dogs

Those are the staples. Let's break each one down, but before we do, I'll address the SINGLE most IMPORTANT aspect of grilling: getting good color on the outside, withOUT burning it, while making sure the inside is cooked exactly where you want it. This sounds a lot easier than it is, and it requires years of practice to master. However, just be aware. Every protein has its trick, but the basic idea is to FLIP OFTEN. I know that's contrary to what many a grill master will tell you, but this is knowledge from working a woodfired grill at a 1-Michelin star restaurant in L.A. FLIP OFTEN. Make sure your grill is hot enough so it won't stick. If your grill is thoroughly clean, and there's a VERY light coating of oil on the food, and it's hot enough, your food will not stick. The other trick is knowing how to find the right heat. For this reason, I recommend starting with a gas grill first, and then transitioning to coal, and then transitioning to untreated wood, a true test of grill mastery. Always keep one side medium-hot and the other side medium. Get your color on the hotter side; really nice even browning, crisping up chicken skin, getting good dark color on sausages or meats, and then move them either on the UPPER rack if you have one, or simply move it over the medium side, to finish cooking the interior without burning the exterior. Do your absolute best to prevent flare ups: have an even cooler part of the grill where, if the food starts flaring up, you can put it on the safe zone until the fire dies down. In a worst case scenario you can just keep a plate next to the grill to move food to.

-Sausage: Always buy fresh sausages. The style is yours to pick, there's literally 500 different types of sausage out there. Try to find a local butcher or sausage maker to buy from. But high end grocery stores always have a nice one. I'm not a fan of chicken or turkey sausage, there's something pretty gay about that. When I think sausage, I think pork, even if there's nothing other than breakfast sausage. Don't buy pre-cooked. Cook these medium well. The SLIGHTEST hint of pink in the middle is totally safe, considering sausage is usually mixed with curing salt, and this will keep them juicy. I used to bbq a couple summers ago at an ex-gfs apartment complex poolside, when I was working at a restaurant that made homemade Lucanico sausage (Italian fennel sausage) that I would bring home. I'd grill it over hardwood; just watching people's reactions was pretty funny. Orgasmic. I've still got the recipe somewhere if anyone's interested, but you need a meat grinder and sausage stuffer. For serious meatheads.

-Chicken: Super easy if you don't fuck it up. You want a mix of dark and white meat. Ask your butcher for a whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, bone on (cooking on the bone keeps it juicier and produces great flavor). Chicken marinades are super easy, I usually just throw something together that's a variation of citrus juice (lemon, lime, and orange) spices (cumin, coriander, black pepper, paprika) garlic, onion, and fresh herbs (cilantro, rosemary, oregano). Seriously, mix any of those together in a blender, put the chicken in a large freezer bag, and marinate the bird in the bag overnight. Make sure there's a couple spoonfulls of olive oil in the marinade. Cook the dark meat about 5-10 minutes longer than the white meat.

-Skirt steak: I like rubs. Similar to chicken, I'll mix together any variation of cumin, coriander, black pepper, and paprika. I add a LITTLE brown sugar, but you have to be careful because it burns. Cook skirt steak medium. If you've got nicer steaks, like NY or ribeye, cook them medium rare.

-Burgers. The first trick with burgers is the accompaniments, which is why if I'm doing burgers, I'll only do one other option. You want iceburg lettuce, sliced tomato, thick cut onions to grill, mayo, mustard, ketchup, good buns, cheddar or american cheese (I go for gruyere) and nice fat 8oz patties, at LEAST 20% fat. I go as high as I can find with the fat percentage. Don't bother with Kobe burgers, that shit is just marketing. DO fuck with burger mixes that have dry aged meat in them. The flavor is noticeably better, producing a little gamey flavor. I cook burgers medium unless some asshole wants it well done. I put the cheese on while the burger is medium rare so that by the time the cheese is melted, the inside is exactly where I want it.

-Hot dogs. Again, make sure you're set up with relish, pickles, kraut, maybe some chili if that's your thing. If you need advice cooking hot dogs then...well...

[Veloce]

Oh yeah, and I forgot about salt. Obviously, sausages and hotdogs don't need salt. For chicken, I'll add a healthy dose of salt to the marinade to brine it. For burgers, I season it right before it hits the grill, and same with skirt steak.

A quick explanation on how brines make meat juicier: You'd think adding salt ahead of time would dry food out right? You can season a steak an hour before cooking it and you can actually see water beading up on the surface, so you'd think that salt dries the meat out right?

Think about flexing a muscle really hard. This draws water out of the muscle, hence lifters using creatine to retain muscle water. (Follow me here...) You flexing your muscle is your brain sending an electronic signal to your muscles to flex. Well, heat does the same thing to muscle. Think about cooking meat as "flexing" meat. The hotter you get the meat, the more the muscle "flexes" and loses moisture. Now obviously you need to break down the connective tissue to soften the meat, otherwise we would all be eating chewy ass raw meat. Incidentally, this temperature is around 120-125, or medium rare. The connective tissues has been broken down through mechanical and enzymatic process, but the meat hasn't been "flexed" too hard and lost its moisture.

So where does salt come in? If you've made it this far, it's a simple explanation. Salt penetrates meat by combining with the water inherently in the meat (which is mostly water) and diffusing through the meat uniformly. When salt hits the proteins of the meat (I forget the technical name of this process, sue me), the salt DENATURES the meat. What does that mean? It means the salt greatly reduces the flexing ability of the long protein strands. Imagine if someone took a pair of scissors to your bicep muscle. Once you flex that muscle, it's going to be flimsy and you won't be able to flex the whole thing. So the muscle "flexes" less and less water is squeezed out. This is why brined foods can be cooked to a hotter temperature but still be juicy and have a DISTINCTLY different texture, a texture that I prefer in poultry but not red meat, which is why I brine poultry and not meat.

[Nudge]

For something different I used to do tandoori chicken on the BBQ and it was delicious. Trick is to use chicken thigh fillets instead of breast as this dries out too quickly. Just used to pick up some tandoori marinade from the supermarket or Indian grocer and mix with yoghurt and fresh lime, then leave the chicken marinating in it overnight or for at least a few hours. Then grill and serve with fresh yoghurt on the side - always a hit.

I also like the skinless cevapi sausages from the balkans or Greek lamb kebabs.

[Gator_McKlusky]

Nobody has mentioned kabobs? Easy and a whole meal. Plus they fit on grills nicely so you don't have to make 4 batches of food. Soak some skewers in water, stick sliced up veggies (onions, pepper and cherry tomatoes work great) and cubes of chicken or beef and cook until done. Just keep the meat off and you have solved your vegetarian problem without making them feel special either.

Burgers are a classic choice as well. I like to use pretty lean ground beef and then make up for the dryness by adding diced onion, garlic or bacon. Smoosh a dimple/crater in the middle of the burger of before you throw it on and it won't shrink up to ball. Nothing worse than a burger that is three sizes too small for the bun.

As for drinks, think about some sort of fruity thing for the girls. Sangria is always a hit. Margaritas are also chick crack.

[gamepadawan]

(05-21-2013 04:50 PM)2Wycked Wrote:  

I am throwing a cookout at my parent's house while I am house-sitting while they are on vacation.

I have never grilled out before - my cooking skills have been confined to the kitchen. Does anybody have any tips on what to cook, how to prepare the meat and what else should I serve? I planned on grabbing some chips and dip, but I would be interested to know what else I can cook on a grill and any other side dishes that might be good.

Note the logistics - 6-7 guys confirmed, 5 women confirmed, possible 2 more. Might be one more dude and my neighbors now that I think about it.

Any advice on quality beer? I really only drink Rolling Rock of Bud Light - and the point of that is to get drunk. I am not looking to get drunk, but I do know a couple of the guys will only drink beer, as I will most likely be drinking vodka or whiskey. Any recommendations? I probably will drink some beer as well if it goes good with the food.

let me know what state you're in and I'll let you know some goof craftbeers you can throw in for variety.

[2Wycked]

I have a couple new questions. Now it seems some people are coming I don't know - like 6 of them or so. Any tips on security? Should I lock up the house? My mom has some very expensive shit in our dining room.

While 3 more married couples have confirmed, any tips on games and stuff? It will be at least 5 married couples, 3 BF/GF's and over 15 singles. Any ideas on how to keep them all engaged?

[Aliblahba]

I highly recommend studying this guy:

http://www.primalgrill.org/

Steven Raichlen is the Roosh of the grilling world. He traveled the globe learning how to cook over fire from many different cultures. He has several books, but I'd start with with this one:

   


It give the basics and has lots of great recipes, like proper corn and one for pears for dessert. Beer butt chicken is a staple, and you really can't fuck it up.

For drinks have some beer on hand, but make something in a pitcher like this:

http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-6803-p...l#pid96476

Other than that look at what thedude advised. I just grilled out burgers, corn, and sausage last night, and it turned out well, considering I was drunk and it was dark.

Oh yeah, use charred mesquite, and get a charcoal starter. For realz.

[Aliblahba]

Sweet potatoes- People love these on the grill. Don't wrap in foil and throw directly in the embers. Turn often. Top with butter and brown sugar.

Ranch Style Beans- They come in a black label can. These are the best. Open the can and put directly on the grill near the end so they warm up.

Both are hits, and people love to see them. Adds a bit of flair.


   

[lurker]

One suggestion nobody's thrown out yet - if you're near a market that has it, grab some beef heart. It's dirt cheap, tastes great, and is about the easiest thing in the world to grill. Slice it or kebab it, marinate it in a mix of garlic, olive oil, cider vinegar, a little beer, some hot peppers, and cilantro, and then throw it on a hot grill. If you don't tell people what it is they'll love it. If you do half the guests will be squeamish.

[Veloce]

(05-23-2013 10:45 PM)lurker Wrote:  

One suggestion nobody's thrown out yet - if you're near a market that has it, grab some beef heart. It's dirt cheap, tastes great, and is about the easiest thing in the world to grill. Slice it or kebab it, marinate it in a mix of garlic, olive oil, cider vinegar, a little beer, some hot peppers, and cilantro, and then throw it on a hot grill. If you don't tell people what it is they'll love it. If you do half the guests will be squeamish.

You Peruvian?

I love me some beef heart, but that actually requires some finesse, maybe not the best idea for a grilling newbie. Requires very high heat to char the outside but overcooks really easily, and then gets chewy as fuck. Great flavor though.

[WestIndianArchie]

(05-23-2013 03:43 PM)2Wycked Wrote:  

I have a couple new questions. Now it seems some people are coming I don't know - like 6 of them or so. Any tips on security? Should I lock up the house? My mom has some very expensive shit in our dining room.

While 3 more married couples have confirmed, any tips on games and stuff? It will be at least 5 married couples, 3 BF/GF's and over 15 singles. Any ideas on how to keep them all engaged?

If you've got to worry about valuables being stolen...

With that said, I'd move the things that get pilfered rather easily to a locked room.

WIA

[lurker]

(05-24-2013 12:08 AM)thedude3737 Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 10:45 PM)lurker Wrote:  

One suggestion nobody's thrown out yet - if you're near a market that has it, grab some beef heart. It's dirt cheap, tastes great, and is about the easiest thing in the world to grill. Slice it or kebab it, marinate it in a mix of garlic, olive oil, cider vinegar, a little beer, some hot peppers, and cilantro, and then throw it on a hot grill. If you don't tell people what it is they'll love it. If you do half the guests will be squeamish.

You Peruvian?

I love me some beef heart, but that actually requires some finesse, maybe not the best idea for a grilling newbie. Requires very high heat to char the outside but overcooks really easily, and then gets chewy as fuck. Great flavor though.

No, but I've been to Peru and loved the anticuchos I found there. Beef heart may overcook easily, but it's relatively forgiving of undercooking, hence the suggestion. It's not too tough or chewy almost raw, won't make you sick, and still tastes good.