50+ Lifestyles

Ella’s Kitchen – GRILLING HINTS

It’s grilling time again. Here are some great hints from Ella for over-the-coals cooking:

• Whatever the meat you choose for your barbecue-from steaks to burgers to tender ribs—follow directions for cooking carefully. Have the best for your dollars spent!

• For broiling, all meats call for glowing coals. No flame. Let the fire burn down till a gray-ash film covers the charcoal. If fire’s too hot, you dry meat, lose good juices.

• Have a practice run with the family – then invite friends in and really strut your stuff.

• Meat for barbecuing should be at room temperature, especially thick steaks and roasts.

• Be smart—use a meat thermometer when roasting.

• Spear fat trimmings—or use a bacon strip—to rub over the grill. Keeps meats from sticking to the grill.

• Score edges of meats—ham slice, steaks, chops—so they won’t cup.

• Select meats that fit together well on the grill.

• Use a narrow paintbrush to brush butter or margarine on meats or vegetables before grilling.

• Trim off outer edge of fat from steaks, chops, ham slices so drippings won’t blaze up too much. If drippings flare up during cooking, sprinkle lightly with water to quench blaze.

• Step up seasoning for meats with a preliminary rub of dried herbs, blended spices, or seasoning salts.
____________________________________

Frank’s Fireside Fare
Frank Hurtte, now a Davenport residant, hails from Taylorville, IL. His family migrated from the hard scrabble Appalachian coal fields of Alabama to Central Illinois.  Taylorville is the ultimate melting pot of cultures – a place where German farmers, Irish Rail Roaders, Italian Miners and Hillbillies gather to show off their cooking prowess. Frank claims that his family cooked over an open fire for 5,000 years prior to owning their first gas stove. Check out his culinary weirdness here.
____________________________________

Frank’s Chicken Wings

2 lbs of chicken wings cut into individual pieces
Marinade
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 table spoon of crushed pepper
1 table spoon of ground ginger
1 table spoon of Frank’s hot sauce (with a name like Frank’s it has to be good)
1 table spoon of sesame oil
1 tea spoon of crushed garlic
1 tea spoon of ground mustard

Add the wings to the marinade and let them sit overnight.

Cooking instructions
Place wings over an open fire (charcoal, wood embers, or propane)
Turn often for 45 minutes
____________________________________

Cold Pork and Bean Salad

This recipe actually came from the Hurtte Family archives and was carried to Central Illinois in a Model A Ford during the migration from Alabama.

1 Can Pork and Beans
1 large tomato cut into small cubes
1 medium onion cut into small pieces
2 table spoons of vinegar (the Hurtte’s uses the cheap white vinegar)
2 table spoons of brown sugar
1-2 dashes of Frank’s hot sauce

Combine all the ingredients and serve cold