Spring came to Kansas for a weekend, made a mess of things, and then left for other digs. Now we’re apparently in the throws of summer and I’m already behind on everything I’m supposed to be doing outdoors. That includes having my grill ready. Right now I’m taking a break from rehabbing the grill and musing about all the different things I want to cook.
My go-to resource has been Weber’s Real Grilling, a book that I got as a present several years ago on Father’s Day. At the time, I thought “Why would I need a book on grilling?”. Apparently my kids were of the opinion that charring all the food and having it undercooked on the inside wasn’t exactly best practices.
I accepted the gift, but didn’t really plan on using it. I was going to put it with the display cookbooks so the Hectic Clan would think I was using it. One day I got tired of surfing the internet and pulled Weber’s Real Grilling off the shelf.
After reading the intro to red meat, I proceeded to browse through the recipes. When I saw the one for New York Strip Steaks, the photo had me salivating. I honestly wondered if I could achieve that kind of result. My last foray into grilling had resulted in a stack of charred steaks that were nearly inedible. I’m sure that was the inspiration for the gift!
So I carefully read the recipe. I went to the store to procure the exact ingredients. Nothing fancy. To my delight, strip steaks were on sale! Perfect for the Grill was stamped all over the packaging. But instead of buying the package on the top of the pile, I found myself remembering the tips regarding what to look for in beef from the book. I searched the pile and found the perfect steaks.
When the steaks were finished, I proudly brought them into the kitchen. The look on the faces of the Hectic Clan were priceless. One daughter went so far as to exclaim “Hey, that cookbook paid off already!”. Despite wanting to call her a jerk, I had to admit she was right. Then I cut into the steak and it rivaled anything I’d ever eaten at a restaurant. It was simply the best steak I’d ever had…and I had grilled it myself.
Over the course of that summer I tried recipes from every section of the book…rubs & marinades, starters, pork, poultry, fish, veggies & sides, and even desserts. Several times I prepared multiple recipes on the grill for the same meal. When I followed the directions the food turned out fantastically. When I reverted to my old ways, things didn’t turn out so well.
The bottom line is that if anybody uses a grill in your house, Weber’s Real Grilling is a must have book. It makes a great gift and for the price it’s a virtual steal! I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s changed the way I grill, and it’s made me look like an absolute genius. The best part is that the conversational style and the embedded tips and information are really fascinating, so it also makes for a fun read.
If you’re looking to get outside and grill (or send somebody else) there’s not better way to make it a great day on the grill than with Weber’s Real Grilling!