Fear of BBQ failure draining pleasure of upcoming trip

[NotUrsula]

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(Oops, duplicate post.)

 

[DINKDisneyAddict]

Don't panic - if I could learn to BBQ, anyone can!

Really, I was scared to death. It was always a "man thing" in my book. But there was no man in the house, and my daughter wanted to have a BBQ! So I womaned up, and figured it out.

The hardest part is getting the coals hot. There are lots of good directions out there about starting the coals, and how to know when they are the right temp. If nothing else, read the back of your charcoal bag!

From there, I suggest grilling either hamburgers or hot dogs like someone else suggested, or going for steaks. Avoid chicken, esp. chicken parts with bones still in. Beef is forgiving if you undercook it or overcook it a bit (may not be done to your likeness but it's usually still edible) - chicken is not! Pork is iffy - if it gets overcooked, it gets too dried out for me, so I wouldn't attempt it the first time out. I'd avoid ribs, because the bones make it harder to judge cooking time, etc. Although if you really,really want ribs, one trick is to parboil them first (at home presumably), then only finish them off on the grill.

If you are concerned about the lack of cover for the grill, just take a box of aluminum foil with you. With that, you can fashion an impromptu cover for the meat if you really need it.

Thank you for this bit of advice and encouragement! The two things I am most worried about are getting the coals hot and knowing when the food is done.

oh....and pretend you are at Fort Wilderness.

Great idea! I just have a feeling it is not going to be the same!

OK. For some reason I find this hilarious. They are out in the woods in a cabin "roughing it" and they whip out their iPhone to use an app to tell them how to cook!

I'm not making fun of the poster or the OP. Its just a funny image.

We’ve already been warned. It’s probably one of the few places left in the US without cell phone coverage! Once we get to the top of the mountain, we are totally disconnected! I suppose there is good and bad about this.

Everyone left off the biggest Oh-oh issue with outdoor built-in grills -- the dirt factor.

Not once in my life have I ever encountered a clean communal grill; you're going to have to clean that sucker before you can use it. You have a couple of choices for that: you can fire-clean it, by building a large wood fire (with actual flames) and burning off the leftover gunk, or by bringing a grill stone and scouring it. The "lid" thing isn't an issue, you just need to turn the food (bring long tongs.)

Also, check the pit for small animal carcasses before you start. (We found a dead skunk in one once.) In winter animals tend to creep in to get warm after the pit has been used, and sometimes they can't get out.

While I do have a BBQ brush on my Walmart list for today, and I was planning on bringing a couple of Brillo pads, this is grossness beyond my wildest imagination!


Thank you to each of you who offered some bits of wisdom. I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday and searched through some books. ( I even found one to buy in the Bargain Books section.) I think I have decided to try steak (with new potatoes and green beans and corn on the cob), shrimp kebobs (with some sort of rice mix I will make at home) and marinated chicken breasts (with whatever seasonal vegetables look good while shopping).


And I am also going to take some sandwich meat and bread….just in case.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

It is very easy to start a fire in the pit, just make sure you start with smaller dry sticks and paper and slowly add bigger logs when it heats up.

What we like to do is roast hot dogs on a stick the first night since we are usually setting up camp and we put a can of chili in the fire to heat up for chili dogs. The next night we do chicken that has been marinating for the day and cook it on the grate over the fire, while we have our foil packets laying on the coals. In the foil packet we have chopped up potatoes, onions, bacon, salt and pepper, and butter. Very easy! Don't be afraid to get dirty!

For snacks we usually have smores, banana boats, and jiffypop popcorn over the fire. To do the popcorn you have to have a longer stick and bring some wire to attach the popcorn to the stick and just shake when it starts to heat up!

 

[txvjc]

If my 10 year old girl scouts can do it you can!

I was going to say the same thing, except mine is 8. Try searching for Girl/Boy scout recipes online. They are simple, and usually quick. MOst involve wraping things in foil and throwing them on the grill. My wife (who had never grilled) took seven 8 yr olds camping and they all seemed to survive and all she had to cook with was a grill.

 

[plummer925]

It is very easy to start a fire in the pit, just make sure you start with smaller dry sticks and paper and slowly add bigger logs when it heats up.

What we like to do is roast hot dogs on a stick the first night since we are usually setting up camp and we put a can of chili in the fire to heat up for chili dogs. The next night we do chicken that has been marinating for the day and cook it on the grate over the fire, while we have our foil packets laying on the coals. In the foil packet we have chopped up potatoes, onions, bacon, salt and pepper, and butter. Very easy! Don't be afraid to get dirty!

For snacks we usually have smores, banana boats, and jiffypop popcorn over the fire. To do the popcorn you have to have a longer stick and bring some wire to attach the popcorn to the stick and just shake when it starts to heat up!

Heidi - what are banana boats?

 

[andijean]

We go camping quite a bit and cooking over an open fire is one of our favorite things to do. We make these dinner packets everytime we go. What we do is take foil and put in ground beef, potatoes(we use canned now b/c they take less time or you can pre boil some), and veggies(carrots, onion, pepper, zucchini) put a dab of butter in there with salt, pepper and italian seasons. Close up the packets with another layer of foil and put them right into the coals. If you have good coals they normally take 45-60 mins to cook and make sure you rotate and flip otherwise they can get crispy on one side. They really are easy. I also have used big foil packets with chicken, corn on the cob, potatoes and italian dressing and cooked the same way and those are yummy. Oh, I also remembered what we did for a large group one time and this would be easy is buy those aluminum cooking tins and put foil over that. You could cook these items in there or anything else, for that matter.

Also, for a few dollars you can buy cooking irons at walmart in the camping section that are fun. You take 2 buttered slices or bread in the irons and can make grilled cheese and ham, mini pizzas, and dessert(buy pie filling and put in the bread). They are real fun. Here is a link, so you can see what they look like. http://www.rei.com/product/752497

HAVE FUN!

 

[andijean]

We go camping quite a bit and cooking over an open fire is one of our favorite things to do. We make these dinner packets everytime we go. What we do is take foil and put in ground beef, potatoes(we use canned now b/c they take less time or you can pre boil some), and veggies(carrots, onion, pepper, zucchini) put a dab of butter in there with salt, pepper and italian seasons. Close up the packets with another layer of foil and put them right into the coals. If you have good coals they normally take 45-60 mins to cook and make sure you rotate and flip otherwise they can get crispy on one side. They really are easy. I also have used big foil packets with chicken, corn on the cob, potatoes and italian dressing and cooked the same way and those are yummy. Oh, I also remembered what we did for a large group one time and this would be easy is buy those aluminum cooking tins and put foil over that. You could cook these items in there or anything else, for that matter.

Also, for a few dollars you can buy cooking irons at walmart in the camping section that are fun. You take 2 buttered slices or bread in the irons and can make grilled cheese and ham, mini pizzas, and dessert(buy pie filling and put in the bread). They are real fun. Here is a link, so you can see what they look like. http://www.rei.com/product/752497

HAVE FUN!

 

[mrodgers]

Just remember about BBQ.....

Woman accepted cooking as a chore, but man has made of it a recreation.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

Heidi - what are banana boats?

Peel banana down one side and cut a wedge into it. Place marshmallows and chocolate chips into the wedge, and cover with peel and alumumin foil and throw into the coals for a little bit until everything melts.

 

[Maddle]

Here are my humble suggestions -

The propane stove is great to have even if you don't use it. It's just a nice back up plan....and then you can keep it in the garage for use in the next emergency situation, like post-hurricane.

A charcoal chimney will help get the coals started.

A little cooking basket will help keep chicken or fish or burgers or whatever from falling apart/cooking right on the grate or sticking to it.

It's an adventure - you're not going to starve by going a few days without protein - and you will be so satisfied when it's done.

Maddle

 

[DINKDisneyAddict]

I was just looking through my subscribed threads and realized that I never updated everyone on my BBQing adventures over Memorial Day weekend! My apologies as you were all so kind to offer your advice. Well, I did it! We actually had edible meals for our entire stay. I ended up going big the first meal by grilling steaks and corn on the cob...smores for dessert. I did shrimp kabobs (although the shrimp was a little bit dry, live and learn) and marinated chicken breasts. There were no dead animals in the grill although the birds had a great time picking off the bits of chicken breast after I forgot to season the grill. Thank you all so much for your help. It really went great.

 

[powellrj]

Glad it worked out for you!