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Where there’s smoke, there’s Steven
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Primal Grill host Steven Raichlen always takes a two-prong attack to food, he said. “One side is more practical, how-to grill and do it better. I don’t just give recipes but teach systems you can apply to other recipes. The other aspect is using food as windows into cultures. That’s given the work I do legs and makes it more interesting.”
Oprah called him the “Gladiator of Grilling.” He crushed Bobby Flay and Jacques Pepin in a barbecue battle. And now the Baltimore native and best-selling author shares his fiery grilling tips just in time for Fourth of July feasts.
Studying French literature in the early 1970s, Steven Raichlen never thought he’d devote his life to cooking over flames. But receiving the Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship ignited a passion for food and the insight into cultures it provides.
Since studying medieval cooking in Europe for the fellowship, Raichlen has traveled 200,000 miles around the world discovering the world’s barbecue, penned “The Barbecue! Bible,” which has been translated into 12 languages and sold more than 4 million copies, and hosted the popular “Barbecue University” TV series.
In May, Raichlen returned to your flat-screen for “Primal Grill With Steven Raichlen.” The show, produced by Maryland Public Television, gives us an over-the-shoulder view of Raichlen’s tongs as he grills international entrees and sizzling sides.
Where do most people go wrong when grilling?
One big problem is they overcrowd the grill. I always go by the 30 percent rule — leave at least 30 percent of the grate food-free. If flare-ups occur, you’ll be able to move your food to the open part of the grill. Another way people go wrong is by what I call premature ignition. They light the charcoal an hour ahead of time, and by the time they’re ready to grill, the charcoal has burnt down. With gas grills, they light so far ahead of time they run out of gas.
What should be looked for when buying a grill?
The first thing is to decide what personality you are. Charcoal grillers take pleasure in the act of lighting, building and playing with fire. The gas grillers are more results oriented. They want to have dinner on the table at such and such time. But even if you go to gas, invest in a charcoal grill if you want to get into smoking. It’s impossible to smoke on a gas grill.
What’s the lowdown on smokers?
Smoking is a sub-branch of the whole field of live fire cooking. I like to say it’s low, slow and indirect. It’s particularly good for pork shoulders or briskets, where people would otherwise burn the outside or turn it into shoe leather.
jnovak@baltimoreexaminer.com
